https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/507/Families-S1.pdf 39153db5a87895bc8fd144a359c2297a PDF Text Text belongings, cattle, and horses to a farm 4 mi. W. lN. of Plains, Ks., which later they bought. In 1925, a son, Jack David was born. Clark and Jack attended school at Plains, Ks. Clark moved to Bethune, Co. and farmed for many years. After being in service during World War 2, Jack attended school in Kansas City, married and moved to Burlington, where he was in the Auto Parts and farming business. David "Bat" Rutter passed away in 1949 and Myrtle moved to Burlington the s'me year. She has enjoyed living in Bur- lington, always having her familyclose by and a host of friends. Her life has been centered around the church and is a charter member of the Burlington Christian Church. She enjoys the Senior Citizens Center and the fellowship with those that attend. Burlington has been good to us and she saYs, "I appreciate you all". by Jack Rutter Susan Rutter. Gottfried Weiss Farm north of Bethune, where we made our home. Dust and dry years were upon us. For the next three years Jack attended Infantry School in Ft. Benning, Ga. and Artillery School in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. Another baby girl, Amber Kay was born Sept. L2,7952. In 1958 Jack went to work for King Motor Co. and was salesman for 15 years, so we moved to Burlington and built our present home where we now live. Jack was under sheriff for 9 mo. She is presently self-employed as a Building Contractor. Our children were born in Burlington and attended school in Bethune and both graduated from Burlington High School. Susan lives in Liberty, Mo' and has thee children, Chris, Hannah and Asher. Amber lives in Colo. Spgs., and has three children, Tabitha, Deidra, and Tarah. Living and being a part of Burlington has been a real blessing to us through the years. We are charter members of the Burlington Christian Church. Presently both teach and work in the music department, Jack having been a part of the Harmonaires, a male quartet, since being in Burlington. Singing for funerals for Amber Rutter. Hendricks Mortuary and other clubs and churches throughout the states and others, has probably been the highlight of his life. by Mary Rutter is the first daughter and third child of four' of Louie and Cora DeGraffenreid of Ulman, Mo. My father was a farmer and owned real estate in Lake Ozark. My grandfather, Geo. Riley DeGraffenreid was a road construction foreman on the Bagnell Dam. He also owned the White House Hotel built in 1932, which was the first business in Lake Ozark after the building of the Dnm. From Kansas City we moved to Sedan, Kansas where Jack was employed at the Fesler Implement Co. Later we moved to Burlington, Co. where Jack was employed at Sim Hudson Motor Co. Then Jack went into businees with Asa Calvin, which was known as Calvin and Rutter Auto Supply. At this time Jack was in the Army Reserve and was attached to Co. I. Colorado National Guard and served with the unit in Burlington as Company Commander. At this time our first daughter, Susan Carol was born June 18, 1949. She purchased land south of Burlington and in 1952 we bought the RUTTER, MYRTLE V. F581 Myrtle V. Rutter born Dec. 30, 1889 at Brumley, Mo. to Tom and Rosa Bond. One of 10 children they experienced good times and bad times, with many mouths to feed and send to school. Her father was a freighter, that hauled freight by team and wagons from Brumley, to Bagnell, Mo., which was a shipping point on the Osage River. She grew to womanhood in Brumley and operated the telephone office at the time. In 1910 she married David "Bat" Rutter and immediately moved to Pretty Prairie, Ks., where he was employed by Collingwood Grain Co. In 1912' a son was born to them. This young man was no-ed Champ Clark. In 1915, they gathered their family together, and moving their SAILER, CHARLES LESTER F682 Charles Lester Sailer was born April 20, 1898, in Whitewater, Kansas, to Charles L' and Sarah Brooks Sailer. He attended public schools in Kansas. He married Miss Mertie Lattimore, the daughter of James and Leona Logan Lattimore on April 7, 1926. Mr. and Mrs. Sailer were the parents of four children: Wayne, Dean, Marjorie and Vivian. Wayne married the former Shirley Schlickenmayer, and they are the parents of three children: Gary, Gail, and General Dean who served in the U.S. Marines Corps 1951-52. He married the former Ione Lynn, and they are the parents of a son, Bryan. Marjorie is married to Dean Stewart, and they have a daughter, Maridean. Vivian is married to Elmer Jacober, and they are the parents oftwo children: Dale and Beverly Sue. Charles Lester has farmed near Burlington since 1948, when he came here from Kansas and bought his present farm eight miles north. He farms eight hundred acres with wheat his main crop. Mr. Sailer built all the main buildings on his farm and has a comfortable home surrounded by trees. He has engaged in farming all his life, starting on his own in Pratt County, Kansas, in 1.909. In Kansas, he raised wheat, corn, and feed and also had cattle and hogs. His brand is Arrow X. Mr. Sailer has farmed during two dust eras, one in Kansas and one in Colorado. Mr. Sailer is a member of the Farm Bureau, of the Eastern Colorado Wheat Growers Association. and the First Methodist Church. He has known many hardships in his years of farming but has overcome them all with courage and hard work. Mr. Sailer is a creditable addition to the farming industry of Kit Carson County. by Janice Salmans �SALMANS FAMILY F583 Herschel ran the farm and Gene Elsev worked here part-time until 194?. Life on this farm meant happy times as well as hard work. Week-ends were times of social gatherings and meals with neighbors and friends. Some of them were: the Harris', the Clappers, the Pickards, the Brownings, the Burds, the Briggs, the Davises and the Kvestads. They shared meals, attended dances, and played cards. Bert and Roxie Kvestad drove in the yard one day and Bert said "Let's go for a "ride". Herschel inquired if a suitcase was needed but Bert didn't "tink so", they would just buy what they needed along the way! They ended up in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. They had many such times together until 1956 when Roxie becarne very ill. Gwen sat with her in the hospital until her death. Bert acted like and was treated like a grandfather in this family and therefore the mention of him in our story. Many people even thought him to be a family member when in fact he was not. Herschel and Gwen joined the St. Charles Catholic Church in 1964 where Herschel belonged to the Knights of Columbus. He also belonged to the Vona Lions Club and served on the Vona School board for about 12 vears. Gwendolyn belonged to the Vona Worthwhile Homemakers Club and cooked at the it{,.';:r..,.:. Herschel and Gwendolyn Salqrans and sons Gary and Lyndell. March ZO, rg49. Herschel Harold Salmans was born April 10, 1911 in Burdett, Ks. to his parents Walter Wm. and Hattie Sarah Salmans. He was the youngest of 5 children: LoRee Dorthy, 1901, Harry LeRoy, 1905, Irene Leona, 1907, and Lucille Sarah Henrietta, 1909. Herschell grew up in Kansas and was very active in sports at Bazine High School where he graduated in 1930. On Aug. 9, 1939 Herschel married Gwendolyn Laree Riley of Gove, Ks. They lived at Dighton, Ks. and moved on to Jetmore and lived there until 1943 when they bought the C.A. Monroe farm, 5 mi north of Vona, Colo. The house was built around 1919 or later by Mr. Monroe and some of his sons out of sod and was later stuccoed on the outside. When Gwen and Herschel moved into the house you could see the rooffrom the inside and down thru the floor boards to the basement. They made aceiling, and putdown a linoleum on the floor. A neighbor, Mr. Lester Yonts, helped Herschel cut an archway in between the kitchen and a living room, There were only four rooms in the house and they had to carry in all the water they used. On Mar. 20, 1945 their first son, Gary Gail was born weighing 10 lbs. and was delivered by Dr. V.M. Hewitt. Two years Iater on Sept. 9, another son Lyndell Lee, was born, weighing in at 13 lbs. They were both born at home. On the sa-e day Lyndell was born, Herschel and some neighbors, Billy and Roy Hanis and Bert Kvestad were putting up feed when Herschel was bitten by a rattlesnake and taken into Vona to see the doctor. After some cutting and pouring on of kerosene, it was decided to take him to the hospital in Burlington. Wilma Wilkerson (Woller) came out to help Gwen with the children. Gwen's mother Anna Riley was called and told "Herschel is in the hospital and we have a new baby boy!" Vona School. On April 9, 1969 Herschel died of a heart attack. Gwen moved to Stratton and on Mar. 20, 1971 she married Mr. O. C. Malone, in the home of Gary Salmans. In 1964 Gary Salmans had married Diane Werner and they made thier home in Stratton, Co. They had two sons David Dean, 1965 and Michael Marc, 1971. Gary worked at the Foster Lumber Yard, drove a bus for the Stratton School, worked in his own Shamrock Station, and later purchased his garage called Gary's Wrecker Service. In 19?8 Gary was killed in an auto accident, just 3 miles from the farm North of Vona. Diane remarried Al Kloeckner in 1980 and later moved to Mosca, Colorado. In 1966, Lyndell Salmans married Janice Wolkensdorfer and they made their home in Canon City, Colo. where they lived until Herschell Salmans death in 1969, when they moved to the farm North of Vona, and are now living and raising three children. James Jay 1969, Tronette Lee 1972, and Herschell Harold 1975. Lyndell farms and raises wheat and cattle. by Janice Salmans SALMANS WOLKENSDORFER FAMILY F584 Lyndell Lee Salmans was born Sept. 9, L947 at Vona, Colo., to Herschel and Gwendolyn Salmans. Lyndell attended the Vona School for 12 years and graduated in 1965. He was active in all sports and later attended the National Electronics Institute in Denver, Colo. On Nov. 5, 1966, Lyndell was united in marriage to Janice Wolkensdorfer. We moved to Canon City to a farm. This farm belonged to Lyndell's grandfather, Walter Salmans. Lyndell worked those 12 acres parttime and also worked for Canon Con- crete. I worked in a Beauty Salon and in lg6? I purchased in partnership a shop we called "Cut'N'Curl", on Main Street. When Lyndell's father passed away in 1969, we decided to move back to the farm North of Vona, and help his mother. At this time we adopted a son, James Jay born Nov. 1, 1969. Two years later we had a baby girl, Tronette Lee, May L4, L972, born on Mother's Day. On March 5, 19i15, we had our last son, Herschell Harold Salmans, (nnmsd aftet his grandfather). Raising children on the farm can be both very trying and rewarding. It takes a lot of beef, hemburgers, and pizzas to feed them. It's getting harder to accomplish this when a box of cereal at the store is $3.29 and a bushel of wheat is only worth $2.76. Our children attend the Hi Plains Schools, which are consolidated schools. Lyndell belongs to the Vona Lions Club and has served as President of this organization. We are active in the St. Charles Catholic Church in Stratton. From 19?1 to lg?b I owned the Beauty Bonnet Salon in Stratton, and belonged to the National Hairdressers Assn. Lyndell served on the Hi Plains School Board for 5 years. ln1977, Karen Smith of Burlington, wrote a letter to newspapers about the plight of farmers. It stemmed a growing ebb of concern and developed into the organization of the "P.A.A." (Partners in Action for Agriculture). Some of the people involved in the beginning were: Karen & Larry Smith, Sandee & Roland Strobel, Shirley & Vern Bauer, all of Burlington, Florine & Elvin Bauer, Seibert Patsy & Mike Eisenbart, Stratton, Janice & Lyndell Salmans, Vona, Carolyn & Darreld Dizmang, Mary & Phil Schlnmal, Ben Duell, all of Goodland, Ks. At one meeting we held in Goodland, over 1,200 people attended, including Newspeople from Radio and Television J. Evans Goulding, Colo. Commissioner of Agriculture, Kansas State Senator, Richard Gannon, Mrs. Frances Carper, a representative ofSenator Floyd Haskell, were among the guest speakers. "Farmers Seek Immediate Relief'was in the headlines, and our theme was "We farmers as business people, have a right to fair prices and fair terms." At least for a time we were given some respect for our profession. We even participated in a "Tractor Cade" and drove our tractor (a 560 IH), right up to the steps of the State Capitol Building in Denver. We turned a few heads at this unusual sight: chickens, goats, etc. and all kinds of farm equipment on the Capitol grounds. We were proud to be a part of it all. In 1983, Lyndell and I decided to remodel this old sod house of ours, and put in a bathroom. We had done without one in the house all these years. A neighbor, Joe Gurley, did the carpentry work. Every day Joe would build something, and everynightLyndell, the kids, and I would tear out another wall. We hauled several truckloads of dirt out of the house. We thought about how hard C.A. Monroe and his sons must have worked to haul all this sod in to build this house. But when we had finished, it was well worth the effort. We are still living here in 1982, and pray to continue to do so in the years ahead. by Janice Salnans �mother came from before she moved north of Burlington. During his life my dad was a farmer, blacksmith, school board member, road boss and worker, raised and sold purebred shorthorn bulls, and was a painter. During his later years when he couldn't do much else, he ...,. aa)):.:. ::):'- t*i, l',i" r',!r.; ;;,, ..; '4. repaired furniture. He is 88 years old now and still plans to "paint the roof of his house one trr t:ltt more time", We lived through dust storms, droughts, grasshoppers and crop failures. We ate wild duck, wild rabbits, lambs quarters, cooked wheat, and other things too, of course, including lots of "home-grown" food. But I don't look back on life as unhappy or deprived. If we were poor we didn't know it. Our parents made little things fun for us. Like taking us to a pond in the pasture to play in water after a rain, or my dad drowning out baby prairie dogs for us. They made cute pets, and nobody worried about rabies then. I remember once three other families, Mr. and Mrs. Gerdes, Mr. and Mrs. John M. Schaal and Mr. and Mrs. Roy McCarl were visiting. Each family had two girls the ages of my sister and me. My dad put 4 boards across a large wooden roller he had so we could all 8 teetertot at once. Simple, but oh, what fun. My mother had a big garden every year. In The Salmans fanily home when it was first bought in 1943. 5 miles north and 7z miles east of Vona, Co. SANDSTEDT. DILLON FAMILY jewelry. He is married to Zelka Herencic, whom he met while a manager of a McDonald's in Chicago. ln L977, they left Chicago F585 Carlos K. Dillon and Pauline Sandstedt were married at Burlington, Colorado, on April 9, 1939. Carlos was working at Reed Motor Company, and Pauline at King's Variety Store. In 1943, they moved to a farm near Carlos' parents, two and one half miles west of Bethune and one forth mile north of Hwy 24. During 1944 their daughter LoRayne was born, and they left the farm to live in Stratton to open their own restaurant in North Platte, Nebraska. The sold the Eagle Inn in 1981. LoRayne lives in Rockford, Illinois, where she manages a temporary help service which provides employees for both the office and the plant. She nor Jack have children. Carlos and Pauline live in an earth home outside Grant, Nebraska. They are active in the community there, and Carlos keeps his business interest alive through selling gold and silver coins. by Carlos Dillon and operated the hardware business they had bought from Barney Johnson. Their partners in the business were Phyllis and Bob Eb- erhart. On May 7, L947, a new building on Main Street housed the fullline hardware and furniture business. In 1949, Massy Harris implements and parts were added. In 1950' they purchased five GMC buses to operate the Stratton School District R4 routes. Bill Wolf, Leo Gagnon, Charles Rhea and Alvin Menke worked in the shop and were the bus drivers. The hardware was sold on February 15, 1953, to Ralph and Dean Grubbs. They retained ownership of the buses. Carlos and Pauline built a home two blocks south of Highway 24in 1949. They lived there until their move to Denver in 1960. Their second child, Jack, was born in 1954. In Denver, Carlos owned and operated his own businesses. LoRayne was graduated from Littleton High School in 1962. She attended one ye{u of college in Mexico City and one year at Mills college in Oakland, California. Carlos, Pauline and Jack moved to Oakley, Kansas, in 1967 and ultimately to North Platte, Nebraska, where Carlos sold machinery for Lepp and Osterloh. Jack was graduated form North Platte High School. Jack currently lives in Madrid, Nebraska, where he designs and builds fine silver SCHAAL FAMILY F586 San Schaal Jr. I have been asked to write something about my parents, Sam and Ruth Schaal. They lived 8 miles north and west of Burlington. My dad, Sam S. Schaal Jr., was born in 1899 and was raised north of Bethune. My mother, Ruth Church was born in Nebraska, but soon moved to Colo. and was raised south of Stratton where she graduated from First Central School. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. George Church had a country store by First Central for awhile. My parents met in 1925, while she was teaching school in his neighborhood, and they were married in 1926, and Lila beca-e the parents of 6 children Taylor, Opal Beeson (died in 1969), Leonard Schaal, Bob Schaal (died in 1979), Garry Marvin Schaal, and Glenn Schaal (died in 1968). Strangely enough, Opal married Clark Beeson in June of 1947,and I married Duane Taylor in October of 1947, both young men who lived in the same neighborhood our the garden there was a "vine-hougs" g frame covered with screen. Vines were plantgrew and covered it, and they around ed all the sides and top of it. Some things in the garden were off limits, but we could pick wonder-berries, ground-berries, holly hock seeds, and sometimes carrots and tomatoes and have a "picnic" in the vine house. I don't have much actual history as far as dates, but during the years my dad told lots of stories about the younger days of him and his brothers and sisters. Some were pretty ornery, but perhaps less harmful than the drugs and alcohol of today. One story he told me was of a party a group of young people had. There were more people than chairs so the parents sent some one to the chicken house to bring in some orange crates to use for chairs. Soon the people sitting on the orange crates were scratching and itching from chicken mites on the boxes. Soon everyone else was itching and scratching, too. Another time he told of a widow neighbor lady asking him and his brother John, when they were about 12 and 14, to come to her house and "tramp" sauerkraut for her. They did, and she gave them sauer-kraut to take home in appreciation for their help. They took it home, but wouldn't eat it. When he was about 13 and his brothers John and Jake 15 and 16, they decided to go swimming in a pond that was covered with ice. They had to chop a hole in the ice, and just chopped it big enough to dip in. His brothers didn't want him to go as they were afraid they would all get into trouble with their parents if they found out, but he insisted so they let him. Each jumped in the hole, but a 30 second dip was long enough, and he never begged to go again. by Lila Taylor �raised about 180 turkeys and sold them to Norbest each fall. Until the mid-40s we used horses to haul feed into stacks and out to cattle, to cultivate small plots and to handpick corn. Frank and Dash were Dad's favorite team of grays; Molly and Queen were mother and daughter; Queen's foal Tom and SCHAAL FAMILY F687 Sam Schaal, Jr. One time he and 3 other young men were playing cards at the home of Ed Knodel, a friend and neighbor, who later became his brother-in-law. They decided that the two who lost would go to the nearby home of a neighbor who was hard to get along with, and take and butcher a chicken and they would cook and eat it. The two who lost went out to Ed's chicken house and killed one of his chickens and went out to a field to pick the feathers, before taking it to the house. Later, Ed discovered one of his chickens wag missing, and worse yet, it was his only laying hen. Wedding receptions were very informal, and everyone went. At one, two young men, Fred Schaal and Fred Schlichenmayer slipped into the kitchen and took all the cakes. I never did hear what happened when there were no cakes for the reception. That evening when they got home, several young bachelors found a cake in their car. A bunch ofguys would get together for hair cuts. They would save the hair and put it in a cloth sugar sack. They would sew the sack shut and drop in on the road. Someone coming along would see it and stop, thinking they had found a full sack of sugar. When he was batching on his farm north of Burlington he went to the Frank Chandler home one butchering day. Some of the Chandler children put the pig tail in a sack in his wagon for him to find when he got home. He took it to town and since it was near Christmas had Ned Brown, a store owner gift wrap and address it to the Chandler family, and mailed it. When it came, the Chandler children argued as to who could open it, but when they did it was their pig tail, come back home! A few days after my parents got married, my dad went to Burlington and parked his car in front of Ned Brown's hardware store. While he was doing his other shopping, Ned Brown, a friend and a guy who liked jokes, and his hired man tied a baby bed to the top of my dad's car. When my dad came back he warl very embarrassed and tried to get it off, but it was wired on very securely, and he couldn't get it off in a hurry. So he jumped into his car and went home. Later on, when I ce-e along they were glad they had it. by Lila Taylor The Rev. Herbert and Doris Schaal's 30th Wedding Anniversary. (June 1894). Covenant of Holy Baptism, administered Apr. 7, 1929 by Rev. Chris Maedche in Hope Congregational Church with Dorothea Schaal (Schlichenmayer) and Albert Strobel as my godparents. For more details about our distinctive Germans from Russian heritage and our Swabian ancestors, see my history about our parents, Jake and Emma Schaal. My early memorieg include our family and home, our life and work on the farm and with livestock; our enthusiastic involvement in the life and fellowship of our Church; our frequent contacts with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and extended family; and of course the Great Depression! Terms like crash on Wall Street, national economy, GNP, and balance of trade meant nothing to us children. Our realities included low or no prices for corn, wheat, hogs and cattle; the silent tears of weathered farmers and ranchers when Govt. agents condemned and shot a portion of their livestock; the recurring years of drought and crop failures; the fierce duststorms that blotted out gun and sky and made us gxope our way home from school with wet rags tied over mouths and noses; and endless, relentless dusf encroaching everywhere; the weary despair of failed farmers and helpless anger offoreclosed ranchers; the weathered boards, sagging gates and creaking hinges of abandoned farmsteads - these were the starck tangibles of our Depression childhood! We had many happy experiences, too inspiring worship, good music and singing, and warm fellowship in our Church; enjoyable visits to and from relatives and neighbors; the good smell of fresh - turned earth when we plowed our melon and squash Baschtan and vegetable garden each Spring; busy windmills pumping fresh, cool water for our household, livestock and gardens; a wide variety of homegrown vegetables to go with our eggs, milk and butter; getting to stay home from school to help butcher (killing and dressing two hogs and a beef, quartering them and cutting the meat, making Bratwurst, SCHALL - KIEL FAMILY blackJerry became ournextlgam; and finally we had Dick and Dan, big gentle grays that pulled hugh barge-loads offeed with ease and Leberwurst and Pressmagen, enjoying hearty F588 Schaal - Strobel and Kiel - Ilunt I am a native of Kit Carson County and a second generation descendant of Germans from Russia. Born Nov. 2, 1928 in a sod house north of Burlington, I was the second and youngest child of Jake and Emma (Strobel) Schaal. My parents named me Herbert Raymond and dedicated me through the Metzelsupp' with Eienuhr in it, trimming hams and bacons, putting them in cure and later smoking them); watching calves and occasional colts frisk around their mothers; riding horses and working cattle; hunting jackrabbits and trapping coyotes, plucking, cleaning and cooking wild ducks that got in the way of our Iver Johnson 12 gauge. Routine chores and work weren't always fun, but knowing they were essential to our survival and progress, we did them with a sense of accomplishment. We milked up to 21 cows by hand and sold the crearn, feeding the skim-milk to calves, pigs and chickens. We kept the shucker wagon alongside when we picked corn. Whitey was oul cow pony, hard riding but tireless when working cattle. We sold her colt Benny to Uncle Albert Strobels. Brother Ted and I attended Emerson School 4 mi. NW of our home. On cold mornings our parents took us; after school we walked home. Sometimes we rode Whitey, but when Emerson School burned down, its horse-barn hosted our classes until a new school was built. We tried bicycling but the roads were so rutted and frozen that walking was easier. Teachers were the Rombergs, the Lightseys and my favorite, Luella O'Hare. Our recess play included pump-p,'-p-pullaway, prairie softball, kick-the-can, and in the event of snow, fox and goose. Our Mother's tragic death on Oct. 13, 1936 (caused by a household fuel explosion) was a hard blow to our family in this period. Bro. Ted finished 10th grade at Emerson, then stayed home to help Dad. In 1940 I won the county spelling contest. In May I competed in the State contest and got to meet Governor Ed C. Johnson in the Brown Palace Hotel. At age 11 I entered Burlington High School. My classmates were considerably older, so I had stiff competition. When I graduated in 1944, I received the first Bausch & Lomb Science Award in BHS history for my research in physics and chemistry. (Forty years later our son Jim won the snme B & L Science Award upon his graduation from Billings Sr. High in Montana!) I was offered an engineering scholarship to the University of Colorado, but WW2 and essential food production kept me from taking advantage of it. My brother was inducted into the Army, and our already - ailing Dad couldn't do the farming and ranching alone. On Aug. 27, L944 Elnora Knodel, Donald Schaal, Leo Schaal and I were confirmed in Hope Church by Rev. Daniel G. Schurr. Ours was the last class required to memorize many Scripture passages and the entire catechism in the German language. Personal Bible study and prayer, intense involvement in Christian fellowship, and United Youth Camp at La Foret led to my awareness of God's call to full-time Christian ministry. In Sept. 1951 Arnold & Viola Strobel and I began our studies at Yankton College in S. Dakota. New intellectual and spiritual challenges awaited us, and we made many new friends. Among these friends was Doris Ruth Kiel, a fellow theology student. Her paternal great- great-grandparents had come from Hamburg, Germany to Illinois in 1856. Wm. (the father) fought with the Union Army in the Civil War; his son Adolph (Doris' greatgrandfather), too young to bear arms, worked as a Govt. harness and saddle maker. Adolph brought his family to Lake Preston, S. Dak. in 1902 and ran the area's leading harness shop. His son Wm. with wife Magdalena (Hupfer) homesteaded near Cottonwood, SD in 1908. Doris' father, Raynond William �Kiel. was the second of their eight children. Doris' maternal great-great-grandparents were all Quakers who came from England to the U.S. 1828-1836. Succeeding generations moved westward from Pennsylvania to Indiana to Illinois & Iowa and then to S. Dakota. by The Rev. Ilerbert Schaal SCIIAAL - KIEL FAMILY salvage, then as pa5rmaster over 440 men. We continued to serve Zion Church in Norfolk, often making extra 150-mile trips for Christmas and Easter cantata rehearsals and to prepare the confirmation class. Herb completed his graduate courses that fall and winter, in Spring 1956 receiving his B.Th. degree with special honors and recognition for bilingual ministry. That June we were called to the pastorate of First Cong'l Church in Crook, CO.; there I was ordained into the Christian ministry on Nov. 23, 1956. Our second son, Dwight Timothy, was born Mother's Day, May 12, 1957 at Logan County F689 (Schaal - Strobel and Kiel - Ilunt Doris' mother, Ruth Lillian, was the seventh of Jesse L. and Sallie L. (Stanley) Hunt's nine children. Grandpa Jesse and his father Reuben built the first Quaker meeting houses in South Dakota. Doris was born Jan. 7,t932 in Highmore, SD, the second child of Raymond and Ruth (Hunt) Kiel. When she was ?, they moved to Custer in the Black Hills. Doris finished elementary and high school there, gladuating in the Spring of 1950. Their family was very active in Custer Community Church. Moving up through other responsibilities, Doris was then elected to lead S. Dakota's Pilgrim Fellowship as state president. Her family suffered several tragedies through fire. Her infant sister died in a fire that destroyed the Grandparents Kiels'home in 1935; in L942 the family home in Custer was struck by lightning and burned to the ground; in 1948 the fanily's elevator and feed store was nearly destroyed by fire; in 1950, after a busy Easter Sunday, the Kiels' beloved Community Church burned to the ground during the night. Doris entered Yankton College that fall; in Spring 1951 her family moved to San Leandro, CA. Doris worked in a Bay area cannery that summer, expecting to continue college out there. But she decided to return to and one of the new Yankton after all students that fall -was Herb Schaal! They were no more than casual friends at first, but mutual participation in some classes, in college choir and two of its tours awakened their appreciation and deeper friendship for one another. We (Doris & Herb) were married June 3, 1954 in First Congregational Church at Yankton, the ssme week that Doris graduated with her B.A. cum laude. We spent our honeymoon summer serving Immanuel Cong'l Church in Rocky Ford, CO. and Hospital in Sterling, CO. We had served our dear people at Crook for only 2 Yz years when our Mission Board petitioned and sent us to take over the work in Argentina. We went by train to New Orleans where we boarded the freighter DEL ALBA on Dec. 19,1958. The 51-day voyage was trying because we were in cramped quarters with our two little boys and there was no lounging area. We steamed up the Amazon to Belem, then back out around the NE tip of Brazil to Sao Salvador. Then for three precarious days and nights our ship lunged and wallowed in a raging storm off Cap Frio. Monstrous, foaming waves thundered across our decks and drove salty brine through gasketed portholes. We grew so used to compensating that we staggered when we stepped onto terra firma in Rio de Janeiro. Our ship unloaded 4,000 tons of wheat in Santos, then ran into a port strike in Monte- video where Uruguayan marines occupied our ship for 7 days. Finally arriving in Buenos Aires, we experienced yet another rude introduction to South American bureaucracy, corruption and rapacious customs officials. I was superintendent of our Mission and the Evangelical Congregational Church in Argentina and president and head professor of its Instituto de Teologia for 13 years' Our seminary and headquarters were in Concordia, Entre Rios, 500 km. N of Bs. Aires. It would take volumes to tell even a part of our work and the vast area we served. In brief, however, we fulfilled five major areas of responsibility: 1. Supervision & development of mission (18 new churches & chapels, 12 parsonages, large conference hall, acquisition of property for new HQ and seminary during our years there). 2. Education & training of pastors for Argentina & Brazil (in seminary, conferences, retreats). Pastoral ministry to 21 native pastors & parishes and to "seminary parish" of 15 congtegations (the latter with the help of our attending the World Council Assembly in senior students. 4. Six major regional conferences & evan- Theology. September brought us back to Yankton; we lived in a college duplex and Doris worked as assistant program director at Station WNAX. Herb worked at sale barns gelizations per year, plus, many local evangel- Evanston, Ill. as delegates from our School of and a lumber yard and did his senior studies. On weekends (from Sept. '54 thru May'56) we served Zion Cong'l Church in Norfolk, NE 75 mi. away. For Herb's graduation Doris presented him with their first child, Mark Edward, born Pentecost Sunday, May 29, 1955. Herb received his B.A. magna cum laude with major in theology. He worked that summer and fall for the Army Corps of Engineers on the construction of Gavin's Point Da-, first as foreman of lumber izations. 5. Denominational liaison with UCBWM in New York and ecumenical liaison with many denominations and confessions within Latin America and around the world. We used mostly German and Spanish in our work, with an occasional English service for the Anglicans and for Britishers'funerals. We read and understand Portuguese, but our occasional work in Brazil was better served in German. For 4 years we were also the houseparents in Concordia seminary; Doris planned and prepared meals for 18-19 people in an antiquated kitchen with the help of a maid. Foods were basic, shopping was complicated and our life was Spartan and time- intensive. Without any vehicle the first 2 years, we got around the city on foot and bicycle, traveling the country congregations and other provinces by train, horse-drawn wagons, with primitive colectivos (buses) where they existed and when roads were passable, and crossing the large rivers by canoe, motor-launch and ferry. Our daughter Patricia Ruth was born Sept. 29, 1959 in Sanatorio Concordia with a midwife attending. When she was 17 days old, we carried her in a willow basket by train and then wagon to a large evangelization in the country. Doris trained our seminary choir and directed its German, Spanish, Portuguese and English anthems and spirituals at such events. It often rained in torrents and we walked ankle-deep in mud. There was little privacy and no indoor toilets. We "roughed it" and people appreciated our family coming to the remotest areas to share God's love and our lives with them. After a 6-yr. term we came home for deputation and furlough. Dad-Grandpa Jake welcomed us to his new home on the farm' Doris was the homemaker; Mark, Dwight & Patty attended school in Burlington; Herb preached and gave mission presentations in Colo., Wyo., Nebr., Iowa, Ohio, Calif., Ore. & Washington. Our third son, James Andrew, was born Dec.27,1965 at Memorial Hospital in Burlington (the only Kit Carson Co. native of our children!) When he was 4 mos. old, we returned to Argentina for another term. This time we flew, stopping in Panama to visit cousins Florence, Scotty and children. Spa"tan living, rigorous travel, lampant inflation, political turmoil & 5 revolutions, and too much work made our life difficult and oft times dangerous. Nevertheless, we look back on those years when we served 20,000 people in over 100 congregations in 7 provinces of Argentina as the most significant period of our ministry and mission work thus far. We returned to the U.S. in July 1971; Herb did 6 more mos. of deputation for the Mission; the family stayed with Grandpa Jake and the children attended Burlington schools. In Jan. L972 we moved to Lodi, California to serve Ebenezer Cong'l UCC. The children experienced culture shock, but adjusted successfully and were fully involved in schools and our Church. During our happy years in Lodi, Mark, Dwight & Patty all graduated from high school with honors (Patty the valedictorian of her class of 450) and Jim from 8th grade with honors. Dad Herb joined son Mark with Tanya Lokteff in marriage on July 15, 1978 in Sacrnmento. A year later he joined son Dwight with Karen Seifert in marriage on July 28, 1979 in Lodi. Patty and her fiance Steve Browning are planning their wedding for Nov. 14, 1987, probably in Lodi. Doris, Herb & Jim moved to Billings, Montana in Aug. 1980 to sewe Pilgrim Cong'l UCC. Our whole family cnme to help Jim celebrate his graduation (with honors) from Billings Sr. High in June 1984. Jim was accepted by Deep Springs in California, and we also felt drawn back to the West Coast. In June 1985 we moved to Sacramento where we enjoy being near our families here and in the Bay area. Mark was with Soil Conservation Service for some years and is now working toward his M.B.A. degree. Sanya, Adam & Sophia are our only grandchildren thus far. �Dwight is a flight systems engineer with Sperry Corp. in Phoenix and his wife Karen the accounting supervisor for a development bank. Patty was Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship's area secretar5r for 5 yrs., then moved to Seattle in Sept. 1986. Her fiance is with Gooddeeds Mission to Unreached People. They recently sent a contingent of teachers to the People's Republic of China to help that country with its education and to provide a Christian "presence" (no overt evangelization is allowed). After Deep Springs Jim plans to continue his studies with the tentative goal of teaching higher math and physics at university level. He's been teaching calculus to the newest "Deep Springers" this year. Herb, elected a nonpaid Corporate Member of our United Church Board for World Ministries in 1983, helps assess mission needs and challenges around the world. The Board meets periodi- cally to analyze and plan global mission strategy. Doris and Herb hope to continue working as partners in full-time Christian mission and ministry wherever the Lord leads them. To God be the Glory, Great Things He Hath Done! by The Rev. Herbert Schaal SCHAAL - KNODEL FAMILY twenty-five head of cattle twenty-one miles, the first day, riding on horseback. Dan was eleven years old at the time. They corralled the cattle at the old railroad Stockyard that night in Stratton. The following day, they arrived at their destination. They made their living by farming wheat and raising cattle, they also had some chickens. The house that they lived in had five rooms, it had no electricity or plumbing. They remodeled this house later on. To this day, the house still stands, and it is being lived in at the present time. Dan's grandfather, Matthew Schaal, lived with the family, south of Stratton for four years until he died on December 1, 1948. On December 10, of that snme year, the last child was born to this family, Leon James. The family had many hard times, in the 1950's; they had several bad dust storms; they were about as bad as the 1930's! They didn't raise any wheat for four years because of these dust storms. After these terrible dust storms, the years got better; they eventually got electricity and wat€r. All of the children have remained in Stratton, except for Ivan, who now lives in Denver. Dan married Alberta Lang on May 22, L965, and they have remained here in Stratton. They have two children, Alice and Gary. by Alice Schaal F590 My grandparents, Matthew Jacob Schaal, born north of Bethune, Colorado, on May 2, 1903, and Lydia Christine Knodel, also born north ofBethune, Colorado, on July 18, 1908, were united in marriage on April 15, 1931. Both were of German descent, their parents migrating to America from Russia. SCHAAL - STROBEL FAMILY F59r Matt and Lydia lived northwest of Burlington, Colorado on a small farm near the Landsman Creek, in 1931. They had two children while living here. Ruby Darlene, born November 30, 1932 and Daniel Lee, born February 4, 1934. They raised wheat and cattle while living there. They lived at a place called Prosser, trailer hitch. When they returned, they moved ten miles north and one mile east of Bethune, Colorado on Dan's grandmother's farm, where his brother Ivan Lloyd was born, October 1, 1940. They farmed with horses and tractors on their farm. They raised wheat and corn, and milked about eight cows. They lived here until May 1945, and then moved eight miles south of Stratton, Colorado on a small farm. Dan Schaal and Paul Knodel moved about forests. They were often pillaged, plundered and ravaged by invading French armies, especially during the time of Napolean. Catherine the Great, a German princess manied to Czar Peter III. beceme the Czarina of All The Russias after her husband's death. Of strong will and character, she developed her huge empire with political wisdom and economic genius. In July 1763 she issued an edict of invitation to immigrants from west-, ern Europe, offering them an array of inducements to settle and develop the regions along the Volga River and the vast, untnmed steppes of southern Russia. Thousands of Germans responded and in only four years established 104 pioneer colonies along the Volga. Catherine died in 1796 and was succeeded by Czar Alexander I. A few German colonies had sprung up near the Black Sea as early as 1781, but when Alexander issued a new invitation in 1801, thousands of new immigrants from southern Germany trekked overland with carts and wagons or floated their families and meager possessions down the Danube in "Schachteln" (box-boats), establishing new colonies around the Black Sea and in Bessarabia between the rivers Dnjestr and Pruth. The Schaals and Doblers were among the founders of Teplitz, the Strobels and others of Beresina. Many of the Russian Empire's promises to these immigrants were never fulfilled, and in time their civil liberties (administration of their own schools, freedom from conscription Our Granddad Snmuel Schaal, 17, and his Washington on a small piece of land in the country. Matt worked in an orchard and Lydia helped pick and pack strawberries and brought home in a wooden apple box on the and princes who controlled the lands and next older brother Matthias, 30, emigrated from Gnadental in Bessarabia to South Dakota in 1888. "Right after the New Year in 1891" they came to Burlington via Denver by train. (See Granddad's historic account, eolicited and published by the Burlington Record in July 1951). Granddad worked all 1929 Model A, with a two-wheel trailer she layed an egg every other day! They were people chafed under the increasing restrictions and heavy taxation of the feudal dukes World War I. behind, carrying their possessions. They returned to Colorado in May 1939. Dan brought back with him a banty rooster and hen from his aunt. He was five years old at the time. The hen took the trip very well; culture. These creative, freedom-loving etc.) and religious freedoms began to be taken from them. The colossal magnets of civil and religious freedom, of new land to be homesteaded, and of other opportunities awaiting them in America drew hundreds of thousands of Germans from Russia to the United States from the early 1870s until the outbreak of In late March, 1938, they moved to the state of Washington. They arrived at Washington the first of April. They travelled in a also thinned beets. and eastern Germany, the Swabians and their Bavarian neighbors were independent and "laid back" in character, not easily regimented, sure of their own identity and values but also appreciative of other people and their Jake and Emma Magdalena Schaal sometime after their wedding. (Schaal - Schmidke and Strobel Dobler Our parents, Jake Schaal and Emma (nee Strobel), were both natives of Kit Carson County, the children of Germans from Russia who emigrated from South Russia to South Dakota in the 1880s, then came to eastern Colorado to homestead NW of Burlington in what is still known as "the Settlement". Their ancestors were Swabians (descendants ofthe ancient Celts and cousins ofthe lrish) who lived for centuries in the forests and highlands of southern Germany. In contrast to the Hessians and Prussians of northern over this area and in the Denver ore smelters for several years, in 1892 taking a homestead I lz m| WNW of the present-day Hope Congregational United Church of Christ. Samuel Schaal and Rosina Schmidke were married on Nov. 24, 1895, their wedding solemnized by Pastor Gerhard Janssen in the original rock and adobe Immanuel Lutheran Church. Our Dad, Jake Schaal (born Jan. 4, 1897 and baptized Feb. 28, 1897), was their first child and our Uncle John (born Feb. 2?, 1898) their second. Rosina helped some neighbors who were ill with typhoid or typhus, contracted the fever herselfand died July 30, 1898, leaving her 1,8 and 5 month old boys motherless. Little Jakob and Johann were loved and cared for by their grandparents Samuel and Anna Schmidke until their father Samuel married again. �Grandpa's second union was with Dorothea Bauder, their marriage solemnized Jan. 15, 1899 by Pastor Janssen in Immanuel Church. Their union was blessed with eight children: Sam Jr., Fred, Helen (Knodel), Carl, Rudolph (died in infancy), Dorothea (Schlichenmayer), George, and Louise (Holmes). Life on our High Plains has always been rigorous and most early settlers were poor. Yet by reaaon of their strong personal relationship with God, their hard work and frugality, and their real sense of community (neighbors helping neighbors), the people of Friedensfeld (Field of Peace as the Settlement was first nemed) developed an oasis of diligent agriculture, growing numbers of diverse livestock, modest homes and tidy homesteads, good rural schools and a strong Christian community centered around the Immanuel Lutheran and Hope Congregational churches. Most of them spoke English, Swabian and High German until WW2. Our forebears had not accepted "Russification" in the Old Country, yet they incorporated many Russian words and terms into their Swabian dialect, and this linguistic mix made their oft-repeated legends and stories absolutely fascinating. They knew the Scriptures, the classic German hymns and American gospel songs, studying and singing them in their homes as well as in their churches. They farmers' ranchers, were many-talented mechanics. builders, craftsmen, blacksmiths, In time some of them and their descendants became professionals in education, business, Christian ministry and mission, engineering, architecture, journalism, music, government and service industries. When our Dad was 15, he and his classmates were confirmed in Immanuel Church by Pastor M.P. Jensen on Apr. 5, 1912. In that same year Grandpa Samuel bought the Wm. Yale place and had sons Jake and John live and work there. In 1915 Grandpa bought the Sherman Yale place from whence the longtime Yale, Colo. postoffice had served its patrons over a large area. In 191? he sold his homestead to Frank Kra-er and moved the rest of his family to the Sherman Yale place where they now built a large barn with haymow and a spacious two-story house. Grandpa, our Dad Jake, John S. and Sam Jr. also bought three half-sections of land on Mozeman Creek 7 mi. north of Burlington as the future farms of the three boys. Dad Jake operated huge "one-lunger" (10 inch piston, 12 inch stroke) Advance-Rumely "Oil Pull" tractors with matching multi- bottom plows for his father and for Harry Degering. He broke out many level tracts of prairie on their own and neighboring ranches. On his, John's and Sa- Jr.'s respective halfsections he broke out 200 acres for cultivation and left 120 acres (including the draws and dry creek-holes) for pasture. The U.S. became involved in WWI and many of Kit Carson County's young men were drafted or enlisted. Jake enlisted in the U.S. Army on Aug. 27, 1918, trained at CanP Lewis, Washington and served as a medic with Field Hospital Company 252 of the 13th Sanitary Train Regiment. The war ended before his outfit was shipped to Europe, and Jake was honorably discharged on Apr. 5, 1919 at Ft. D.A. Russell (near Cheyenne), Wyoming. He returned home and began to a frame barn with build up his farmland haymow in 1919, then a-sod and adobe house, a garage attached to the original shack and giranary, and other buildings. by The Rev. llerbert Schaal SCHAAL - STROBEL FAMILY F692 Schaal - Sehmidke and Strobel Dobler Our maternal great-grandparents and grandparents emigrated from southern Russia to South Dakota in 1885 (Jacob Strobel Sr. and family from Neu-Beresina and Christian Dobler Sr. and family from Teplitz). In 1890 they came to Kit Carson County and helped establish the new Friedensfeld settlement. Our grandfather Jacob Strobel married Katharina Dobler in 1893; in time their union Theodore, was blessed with five children Emma, John, Albert and Emil.-Our mother, Emma Magdalena Strobel, was born Aug. 10, 1896 in the family home 1 % mi. ESE of Immanuel Lutheran Church. She was baptized Sept. 13, 1896 by Pastor G. Janssen. When she was 13 72, Emma and her classmates were confirmed in Immanuel Church by Pastor M.P. Jensen on March 28, 1910. Jake Schaal and Emma Strobel were married June 26, 1921 in the original frame edifice of Hope Congregational Church, their wedding solemnized by Pastor Karl Haem- melnann. The happy couple established their home on Jake's farm, and their first son, Theodore B., was born the next year (March 21, Lg22). They were hard-working and progressive, sharing every task and fully involved in the fellowship of their Church and of their extended families. Emma's brother John, a skilled carpenter, found good work in California and Jake, Emma and little Teddy joined him there from Fall 1924 until Summer 1925. Jake helped John and his crew build Union Ice Co. plants in Woodland, Watsonville and Stockton. Emma was the housekeeper, cook and senmstress. They enjoyed the climate, exotic foliage and flow- ers, abundant fruit, magnificent scenery (including ocean beaches and giant redwoods) and the relatives who lived in northern California. When they returned home, a good harvest awaited them. Dad bought a new Fordson tractor and various implements to accelerate the mechanization of their farming operations. Then they bought a new 1926 Chevrolet truck which served faithfully for over 25 years, never incurring a ticket with its top speed of a little over 30 mph! In 1928 it and the similar trucks of Jacob Strobel and John Dobler Sr. hauled the brick and other building material from the railroad out into the Settlement for the beautiful new Hope Church building. Jake and Emma's second son, Herbert R., was born Nov. 2, 1928. The stock market crash of 1929 did not immediately affect our farm economy, and various families (including our parents) upgraded their transportation with Model A Fords or newfangled 6cylinder Chevys. Then began those seven terrible years of unrelenting drought and crop failures. Fierce winds tore the precious topsoil from under the dwindling vegetation and turned many days into choking duststorms that blotted out sun and sky. The dark dirt raged down from the Dakotas and Nebraska; the yellow dust whistled up from and our own soil Oklahoma and Texas - back and forth, the accompanied the torment mixture settling in weeds and thistles, filling road ditches and burying endless miles of fences to the top wire! Dad fought back; he forged heavy chisel points out of Army truck springs, tempered and bolted them to the beams of our Case lister. Pulling them with a John Deere "D" tractor, be ripped out huge clods and left deep furrows on the contour and acrosswinds, greatly reducing soil erosion and capturing some of the sudden rains that fell even in those dry years. We cut and and stacked russian thistles and the few stalks of cane and corn that grew. In our own shop and without power tools, Dad desigrred and built a large hammermill with long, wide throat and cylinder. We ground the thistles and stover together, sometimes adding a little alfalfa, and our cows produced good milk from this depression feed. Farms were being foreclosed, people were in despair and many moved away to the irrigated valleys and orchard regions of Colorado, Washington, Idaho and Oregon. Many of us stayed, hoarded our little cream checks to pay our land taxes, and rejoiced when we had a small barley crop in 1939 (still cut with our Massey-Harris header). In 1940 we had a fair crop of wheat and some rye which we harvested with our first Minneapolis-Moline 12 ft. pull - type combine. That same summer we bought a new M-M Model "[J" tractor and an 8 ft. M-M oneway to work our stubble. This equipment, plus a new J. Deere 12 ft. rod weeder for cleaning summer- fallow, gave us a fresh start in farming. Increasing rainfall and better crops enabled us to pay off our land and machinery and to purchase some adjoining land. The hardest blow to our family came Oct. 13, 1936 when our mother suffered fatal burns in a fuel explosion and passed away eight hours later. She had been a full partner with Dad in their mutual endeavors, a diligent, loving wife and mother, a real friend to her neighbors and an untiring worker in our Church. It was a terrible loss to us all, but Dad carried the heaviest burden of grief and loneliness, of parenting us boys and continuing our family's contribution to Church and community. Our loving and ever-present Lord, our Church and many wonderful relatives and friends helped us survive our loss and forge ahead in Christian faith. World War II came and people began to prosper with good crops and prices, with better machinery and larger operations. Herb graduated from high school and Ted was inducted into the armed forces. Jake and Herb continued their beef and grain production and bought an adjoining half-section from Grace M. and Margaret Camp. When Ted returned from service and married Ebna Gramm, they began their life and work together on that former Camp place. Our family continued to work and worship together. Both Dad and Ted served on Hope Church's board and diaconate, at times conducting services and giving the messages when there was no resident pastor. They were (are) dedicated stewards in God's Kingdom and Christ's Church, giving generously of �their time, talents and resources. One of SCHAAL, SAM Dad's special gifts to Hope Church was a new Baldwin organ in 1966 as a memorial to his beloved Emma (our mother) on the 30th anniversary of her passing. Herb felt a strong call to Christian ministry and left for Yankton College and its School of Theology in South Dakota. That decision was difficult for him, for he knew that Dad would be alone FAMILY F694 with all the livestock and farming, with housekeeping and all the ranch maintenance. But Dad and Teds' did much of their work together, and when Dad's health failed he liquidated his cattle and leased his ground to Teds'. Dad had a new home built on his farmstead in the early 1960s and enjoyed it for about ten years. He flew to Argentina in 1970 and spent six months with Herbs', visiting their various mission fields, seeing many different peoples and cultures, experiencing a revolution and even more excitement when his New Yorkbound airliner turned back to Buenos Aires because of a bomb threat! Jake's health declined further until his lower body became paralyzed in 1975. Teds' near Burlington and Herbs'in Lodi, California alternated in giving their Dad total care for three years. Jake was then in Grace Manor from Aug. 15, 1978 until his passing on Sept. 8, 1986 at the age of 89 years, 8 months and Four generations of Schaal's. Standing; Sam Linda, Ruben, Aaron and Warren Schaal, June 7, 1986 4 days. We celebrate all that God has given us a goodly cultural and spiritual heritage, honest, loving Christian parents, good times lington with her husband, Wayne Parrish, along with the hard, many opportunities to share God's love with others, and the privilege of leaving a good sxnmple to those who will follow in our steps! Joel and Jonathan. Diane and Edward are by The Rev. Herbert Schaal SCHAAL, RUBEN, JR. AND LINDA F593 In the late 1880's Matt Schaal immigrated to the U.S. from Russia with his two brothers, John and Snm, settling first in South Dakota and later making their homesteads N.W. of Burlington. Matt was married to Eva Bletzer and to this union came Ed, John, Bill, Mary, Matt, Dora, and Gottlieb. Ed married Regina Frank and had two children before Regina was tragically killed in a fire on their farm. The children were Ruben and Mabel. Ed eventually remarried and had four more children, Luella, Ray- mond, Melvin, and Rolland. After farming for a few years Ed moved the family to Idaho during the Colorado dust bowl ofthe 1930's, ultimately settling in Washington State. Ruben served in the army during WWII and married Erna Christina Weisshaar, daughter of John and Lydia Weisshaar who were from Bethune but had moved their family to Oregon in 1935. Ruben and Erna lived in Oregon during their first years together, having three children, Ruben Jr., Kathleen, and Shirley. In 1953 Ruben moved the family to Colorado, after having purchased a farm N.W. of Burlington once owned by his uncle John Schaal. Ruben and Erna were later divorced and Ruben even- tually had a second family, Diane and Edward. Kathleen now lives N.W. of Bur- and their two children, Tandi and Brandon. Shirley lives in Burlington with her husband, Stanley Shumate, and their two children, also now living in Burlington with their Mother. Lettie. Ruben Jr. was raised on the farm with Kathleen and Shirley, attending the Emmerson School House located one half mile West of their farm under the direction of Virginia E. Felch until they began going to Burlington's schools when Ruben was in the 9th grade. After graduation in 1967, hejoined the U.S. Navy and was Honorably discharged following two years of service. He married Linda McKinney, a California native, in 1971 and in 1972 they obtained the financing to purchase the necessary equipment to pioneer what is now known as Schaal Drilling Com- pany. They have since constructed and equipped over 1000 water wells for farmers and businesses in the Colorado and Kansas area, in addition to servicing domestic, irrigation, and municipal wells. They have two sons, Warren, born in 1975, and Aaron, born in 1976. Today Ruben and Linda continue operating Schaal Drilling with the active participation of Warren and Aaron. Perhaps the following poem written by Linda commemorating the company's 10th anniversary in 1982 best expresses what living in Burlington, Colorado has meant to the Ruben Schaal Jr. family; There are many fine professions that a man might chose to seek, but none of them could offer him a challenge so unique - for it has been a pleasure serving this community, providing top notch service through the drilling industry - growing with you farmers, our neighbors and our friends, has shown us more than anything where life really begins - We're proud to live in Burlington, we're proud of what we do! We say in all sincerity, we're proud to work for you! by Linda Schaal Schaal Sr., Herbert Schaal. Jake Schaal holding Herbert's son Mark. Ilomestead Days on the Plains Burlington was a little town of about 180 or 200 people, a quarter of a mile from the railroad depot when we came down from Denver. We could not see the town. as we arrived about 2:00 a.m. and we stayed in the depot until morning. There was not one building from the Montezuma Hotel up to the depot on the east side of main street, and not a building north ofthe two story structure on the corner on the west side up to the depot. The cowboys staked their saddle horses out there. South of the Montezuma Hotel were the following buildings: Frank Mann's Butcher shop, Henry Stoll Hardware, Maynard Cooke Drug store, J.W. Penfold Grocery store, Charlie Lamb Grocery store, John Hiller saloon. East of that was a livery barn and Kaiser's blacksmith shop. On the west side of main street (14), north of the location of Mrs. Wilson's dress shop was the Odd Fellow Hall, the Post Office, a bank and some other buildings. That was the whole townsite. One block west of main street, in the half block where the Hendricks mortuary is now located, was T.G. Price's cow corral. I bought a horse from him while he was located there. Mr. Price was clerk of the district court for many years, and county judge one term. The courthouse set out there all alone. The Burlington Lumber Yard was located where the Foster yard is now. Burlington had a nice brick schoolhouse, considering the size ofthe town. In 1893 Robert Campbell and J.W. Penfold built a flour mill, located just east of the depot. Mr. Canpbell was one of our early county clerks. They hired a miller from Kansas City, Mr. Edshes. He made four grades of flour - High Patent, Victor, Baker and Cowboy. There was the poor families' flour, 75 cents for a 48 pound sack. The bread looked like whole wheat, but it was good bread and many mothers taught their daughters how to bake, for you could not buy a loaf of bread in the store. All thev had was soda �crackers in wooden boxes as big as an egg case. They weighed them out to you in paper sacks. We never thought we would have as many stores in Burlington as they have today. So much for Burlington. In the spring of 1892, I took a homestead, and built a shanty on a claim. I bought a team of oxen, one cow and four heifers and started a little farm on my own. We felt happy when we could call a piece of land our own. The boys had a little song: "I got some land from Uncle Sam, And I em, happy as a clnm. When I cnme here to get my start, My neighbors they were miles apart. But now there is one on every claim, And sometimes they want all the same. O Sweet Colorado land On my dug out roof I stand And look away across the plains And wonder if it ever rains, And turn around and weed my corn And think I'll never sell my farm. Settlement to the Dartnell place, and to the Stetler and Burt Ragan places, and then across the railroad at the Equity elevator (the old one at the north end ofmain street or 14th street). From the church in the Settlement we made a road across to Claremont, now Stratton. There was not one farm until we got within two miles of town. Claremont had one store on main street. Jim Roberts operated the store. He had the post office, drugs, dry goods, grocerier and a little hardware, all in one building. He sat in a wheelchair as he could not walk, but his head was all business SCHAAL, SAM F696 Ilomestead Days on the Plains homesteaders. One was Rev. Hackenberger from the Missouri Synod. He lived northeast of Burlington. The other lived over near Kanorado. They called him Preacher Willis. I never met him, but I knew Rev. Hackenberger. We met in Burlington quite often. We had five ox teams in the Settlement Mr. Stutz, Mr. Knodel, Mr. Hefner, my brother Matt, and myself owning teams. The reason we used oxen was because they were easy to feed when you worked them, needing no grain. We fed them cane or corn fodder. That's all they needed. They are tame and don't stray like horses, and nobody had money to build a fence for pasture. Horses sold high and you had to feed them grain when you worked them. After I had some land broke out on the homestead, I took my little stock down to the river for feed. E.G. Davis, father of the Davis brothers, Louis, Ed, Rosser and Morton, would keep them with their cattle for so much a month until fall. Mr. Davis was one of our first county commissioners and was re-elected in 1893. In the spring of 1894, after I had put in some cotn and feed on my homestead and took my stock to Mr. Davis, I went to Denver in the hope of finding work, but conditions had not changed. 1894 was a very dry year in eastern Colorado. I looked for work in western Kansas and Nebraska. I would work on ranches and do anything I could get. In the fall I went home to the brother's and my homestead to spend the winter in peace and rest. The fall of 1894 several of the homesteaders left that I knew. They moved to other stakes but we had no place to go, and worked hard for what we had, so we stayed, knowing that God feeds the sparrow and would take care of ug if we trusted Him. He did take care ofus or I wouldn't be here today. antelope would run around in bunches, from 15 to 30 head in a bunch. Yes, folks, we had quite a few of them in the early years. People would go out at lambing time and catch little ones and raise them on cow's milk and tame them. E.G. Davis had a pair, a billy and nanny, for two years or more. I saw them myself. There was also a pair in Burlington. The nanny was a little shy, but the billy At noon his wife would come after him and pushhim home fordinner and bring him back to the store. I suppose she did the same thing in the morning and evening. He must have had a good wife. He had one man clerk to help him in the store and as he was the only dealer in town he could order farm implements - a plow, wagon, or anything you wanted. Give him your order and in two weeks you would have it, and you paid for the article when you Selder as cashier. That was the first good bank in Burlington. Later Winegar and Weare organized the Kit Carson Land Com- and to get trade from the Settlement he would pay 1 or 2 cents more for a dozen eggs and sell a sack of flour 5 cents cheaper than Burlington, and that would do it. You may ask how he got around if he could not walk. Well, he could wheel that chair around pretty got it. I got John Deere gang plows and a Moline wagon from him and saved $10.00 each. We had two ministers here who were and Claremont, and he told me how the would come right up to you. I saw them a few times, walking up and down the sidewalk, when I came to town. I can't remember any more who owned them or how long they had them. The country didn't settle up much during the nineties. In 1901 Gottlob Amman and family (Albert Amman's folks) cane. Grandfather Amman brought a little sled with him that a blacksmith in Nebraska made to clean small corn down in the lister furrows. The runners were four feet long, made out of 2 x 8's with four knives, two long ones in front and two short ones behind. That was the best thing made to clean corn and cane before the weeder cane out. The Ammans later went back to Nebraska. good. by Lila Taylor FAMILY In those days there were only three farms on the road from the Settlement to Burlington. We cut across country from the Five farmers lived around Claremont Wellman and Kern east along the railroad; Fuller on the north, and Hobert and Chalmers on the northeast. by Lila Taylor SCIIAAL, SAM FAMILY F596 Homestead Days on the Plains In the spring of 1895, the county commissioners shipped in spring wheat and gave every homesteader six bushels to sow. No one had a drill, sowe sowed itbyhand and plowed it under and harrowed the ground. It came up, looked like it might make wheat, then the first of June we got a rain and hailstorm that cut it to the ground and that was the end of that. Then we started to raise cattle and corn and cane for feed. It didn't take much machinery - a walking lister, a walking cultivator and a little seed was all you needed. You could plant 10 or 1.1 acres with one bushel of corn and you had two or three months to shuck it. The cobs made good fuel for the stove and in the fall the stalks made good pasture when the ground was covered with snow. By this time we all had horses and let the ox go for beef. In the spring of 1899, the John Ziegler familycame down from Tripp, South Dakota, and gettled 7 Yz miles southwest of our church. His father bought land for him and he later took a homestead. He was for many years the only farmer between the Settlement Also in 1901, A.W. Winegar and Henry G. Weare came out and organized the Stock Growers State Bank in Burlington, with W.S. pany and tried to get people from Iowa and Nebraska out here to buy land. The year 1908 was a dry one again. Corn got about three feet high and dried up and did not make good feed. We had a hard winter. It started to snow the day before Thanksgiving and kept it up until we had 18 inches ofsnow on the ground on the level and three to four feet in the yard. Our cattle didn't get out of the yard for a month. We cut all the corn and put up thistles but that feed went fast and the snow stayed on. That was the first time we had to make a sled to go to town. By January 1909, we saw that we had to eell part of our cattle to get the rest through. We could not buy feed for money. Buyers came from eastern Kansas and offered us three cents a pound for steers and two cents a pound for cows and they weighed light. Big cows brought $18.00 a head, but the buyers knew we had to sell or let them die. so we had to take it. by Lila Taylor SCHAAL, SAM FAMILY F697 Homestead Days on the Plains 1909 and 1910 were fairly good, but 1911 was like last year and this spring. Had to feed until May. We had two small elevators, Band and Abbott, but they didn't get much in, and the railroad was awful slow. Corn was 90 centg and a $1.00 bushel, and we would gladly pay it if we could get it. When they got a car, they sold it out five bushels at a man so that everbody got a little. But finally spring got around the corner and stock could get out and �help themselves. I think if we had had machinery 50 years ago like we have today, we would have done a lot better. Farming has improved a lot in the last 50 years. I would like to mention something about and sold the cream and eggs to buy groceries. The skim milk was fed to the baby calves and pigs. Geneva had turkeys in 4-H. She won several State trophys with them. We dressed them and sold them at Thanksgiving and Christmas. She also took sewing and beef fattening. Clyde's 4-H projects were breeding beef, beef fattening and a catch it calf. In 1968 Geneva married Dan Hudson. They have two children, Babette and Justin and live in Aurora, Co. On 1979 Clyde the mail. They had mail service in Burlington, but I think it was in 1891 that Yale Post Office was established. Sherman Yale was our first mail carrier and Mrs. Yale was the post master. The Post Office was in their house. They were good people. Mrs. Yale was kind of a family doctor and had some medicine. If anyone had trouble they would go to her for advice. We had a cow which was bitten on the front leg by a rattlesnake and the leg swelled up badly. The cow couldn't walk, so I went to Mrs. Yale and she said to take lard and turpentine, half of each, and rub it on the cow's leg several times a day. In a few days the cow was all right again. Mrs. Yale had the Post Office from 1891 to 1908 and Mr. Yale carried the mail for about 12 years, three times a week from Burlington to Goff Post Office, then to Landsman Post Office, then to Yale. That was a long route for horse and buggy days and the roads that we had. Latcr the Yales put in a little store and it would help in busy times, for you wouldn't have to go to town. Mr. Yale was a county commissioner after he quit carrying the mail. In 1909 we got our first daily mail route out of Bethune. Jesse McFarland was our first mail canier with horse and buggy. He had two teams, one at the Ed Stahlecker place where he would change teems every day to make the round trip. That made it better for us. We didn't have to go so far to get the mail. In 1912, I bought the William Yale place and in the spring of 1915, I bought the Sherman Yale place. Our first children were boys and the homestead was too small, and there was no land around us to buy. In 1917 I sold the homestead to our neighbors, Frank Kramer. and moved to the Sherman Yale place where we are still living with our son Carl and family in our own house, if God willing, the rest of our lives. I forgot to mention that we had five cattle ranches of good size - the John Pugh ranch, the Harry Cox ranch, the Bar T, and the Jim Cook ranch, all on the Republican River, and the Ed McCrillis ranch on the Landsman, now the Spring Valley ranch. From 1910 to 1921 this part ofthe country was well settled up and the land plowed up with big and little tractors. A.W. Winegar and F.E. Winegar did their share in bringing people in from the east. This covers the firet 30 years of my life around Burlington, as nearly as I can remember it, and I will come to a close now. Taken from the Burlington Record, July 19, 1951. Mr. Schaal passed away January 19, 1959. by Lila Taylor SCHAAL, TED AND ELMA F598 I was born Mar. 21 L922 in a sod house 77z miles north of Burlington, Colo. was the first child of Jake and Emma (Strobel) Schaal. I have one brother Herbert born Nov. married Teresa (daughter of Harvey and Taken on Ted and Atna's 40th wedding anniversary, Clyde, Teresa, Brian Craig, Braden Schaal, EIma, Ted Schaal; Geneva Babette, and Justin Hudson. 3, 1928. I went to Emerson school 4 miles northwest of our home. Two teachers taught 10 grades in the two rooms. The most kids attending were about 32, some came from quite a distance. Most of the time I rode horseback till my brother started school and there were more kids in this area, then in bad weather about 4 families car pooled. Some- times I had a trapline and caught a few coyotes, badgers and skunks, also shot jackrabbits, skinned these animals and sold the fur. That was the only spending money farm kids could earn. On Sat. I would help my Dad pick corn by hand with a team of horses and wagon. Farming was done altogether with horses until 1926 when my Dad bought a new Fordson tractor with steel wheels. They also bought a new Chev. I ton truck. Then the dry thirties came with dust storms. We still used horses to cultivate corn and pull the header barges beside the header in the wheat harvest. I remember driving the header barges when I was so small they put a box in the wagon for me to stand on. The teams of horses had more knowledge of where they were suppose to go then I did or I couldn't have handled them. I was 14 when my mother died, Oct. 13, 1936. I completed the 10th grade at Emerson the following spring. After that I stayed at home and helped my Dad full time on the farm. By 1939 we got our first combine, a M&M pull type. All the grain was unloaded by hand with scoop shovel, into grain bins on the farm. In 1945 I was inducted into the Army, first in the infantry, then transferred to MP duty. I received my Honorable Discharge and was glad to get home. On March 2,L947 I married Elma Grnmm, at her parents home, by Rev. Macon. We moved to the Camp place 3/+ miles from my home. We lived in a little white frame house. Had no running water, no phone, or electricity. We got R.E.A. in 1952. In 1959 we built a brick house and had electricity and running water. Geneva Louise was born Feb. 10, 1949. Clyde Joseph on Nov. 1, 1951. They went to Emerson school till 1959. Then the country schools consolidated with the Burlington school and the school bus picked up the children. ln 1954 Ted's Dad had surgery, then we did all the farming with two tractors. No baby sitters, so we made the pickup into a covered wagon for the two children to play in and be in the field where we worked. We also had a good dog that stayed with them. The fifties were dry years, also dust storms. We bought baby holstine calves and fed them on a bottle. We milked about 13 cows by hand, separated Jean Brenner). They have three sons, Brian, Craig, and Braden. They live on the place where Ted was born but in the new house Grandpa Jake built in 1959. Elma was born May 16, 1923 in a four room adobe house. where her brother Lawrence lives now. Her parents are the late Gottlieb and Lydia (Stutz) Gramm. I have three brothers; Loyd, Lawrence and Edmund, one sister Esther Corliss. I went to Prairie View School twelve miles north of Bethune. I remember some of the dark dust storm clouds coming up and the teacher would dismiss school. We would run the 1-% miles home trying to beat the dust storm. This was during the dirty thirties. Many farmers lost their farms, then had farm sales and moved to the western states to try to make a better living for their families. For fuel and heat in the homes it was wood stoves but wood is scarce in this country so people bought coal and burned corn cobs. I remember the family going to the pasture with a team ofhorses and wagon pick up cow chips to heat our home. For entertainment we sang around the piano and played g'mes around the big kitchen table. On Sunday the family went to the Congregational Church 11 miles north l miles east of Bethune. That is where we still go, now known as Hope United Church of Christ. In Dec 1946 I was working at the Montezuma Hotel in Burlington, Co. During the night it burned. I saw the roof go down. All our belongings burned, but everyone got out. It was rebuilt into apartments and stores. We have continued farming and cattle ranching, upgrading our cow-calf herd that we and our son Clyde have. We have stayed with dry land farming and have had to get newer and bigger machinery and tractors to raise feed for our cattle and wheat for grain. We thank God for the good health we have. We'll enjoy doing things on the farm as long as our health permits. by Ted and Elma Schaal SCHAAL, WILLIAM AND LEONA F599 As the New Year dawned in 1899, William Fredrick was born to Matthew and Eva (Baltzer) Schaal. At a very young age Bill, "batched" and herded cattle on the open range. As a young man, he worked for many of the cattle ranches. In 1920, he married Leona Sharp. Leona was born at Jasper, Missouri and was raised near Kansas City, Kansas. After attending two years of college, she cnme to Colorado to teach school. One year, she taught school north of Bethune. After Bill and Leona were married, they ] �and August, rode in the cars. The cars were parked on the siding at Muskogee and unloaded there. The parents with daughter, Clara, and son, Kenneth came in a Model T. Ford. It took two days to make the trip and they were plagued with flat tires on the trip. The house they moved into was a small house with no modern conveniences. The house was not far from the siding where the cars were parked. Clara and Kenneth were very disappointed in their new home. In Nebraska they had a nice house which was a modern home with inside plumbing. The morning after they arrival they woke up to a raging blizzard. Henry and Anna Scheierman moved to the First Central Community in 1926. Henry lost the land he had purchased in the economic crash of 1929 and the drouth of the 1930's. He Bill and family members branding cattle. The branding irons were heated in the topsy stove in the background. lived on a farm north of Bethune until the summer of 1926, when they bought a farm 10 miles south and one mile east of Bethune, where they lived and raised their children. Seven children were born to William and Leona Schaat Wilma, Gladys, Jeanne, Donald, Betty, Shirley and Virgil. Donald passed away at the age of nine months. Bill and Leo raised sheep for many years and always had a herd of cattle and many horses. In the early years of their farming, it was necessary to have several horses for farming. To do the wheat harvest, it would take 6 horses to pull the header and two horses for the header barge. Later, the wheat would have to be threshed. 'The threshers are coming' meant the women folks hurried always managed to make a living by milking cows, keeping hogs, and by churning butter to sell and selling cream. In 1940 they moved near to Stratton, and in L942 they purchased a home in Stratton. Henry passed away at Longmont, Colorado on October 25, L943. Anna continued living in Stratton until she broke her hip in the mid 1960's. After a stay in the hospital at Burlington, she moved to Grace Manor Jack and Lois Schafer Oct. 25, 1986. SCHEIERMAN FAMILY F60l Nursing Home where she spent the last years of her life. She passed away in late August 1971. In October ofthat year she would have been 100, but she never wanted to be 100. by Mabel Scheierman around baking pies in the wood burning stove on a hot summer day. This was before the time when every home had a deep freeze so this meant catching a fat hen to bake or some young frying chickens. William and Leona Schaal retired and moved into Burlington in 1972. SCHEIERMAN GARNER FAMILY F602 Kenneth Scheierman came to Kit Carson County at the age of 6 years with his parents by Shirley Matthies in the spring of 1922. He enrolled in North Pious Point with Leonard Calvin as the SCHAFER, JACK AND LOIS F600 Jack has been a life time resident of Yuma County, with farming and community work as his main interest. After his wife's death he married Lois Henry. Jack enjoys his large flock of peacocks and their fascinating ways. Lois likes to cook and give of her time to family and friends. Lois compiled a family cookbook for the Corliss family which she really enjoyed. Jack and Lois like to divide their time between their family and traveling. Their children are Douglas Schafer, Jaklin Schafer, Clifford, Gay and Kendyl Henry. Leroy, Cindy, Nicholas and Daniel Henry, Melvin, Peggy and Amber Henry, Robert and Martha Henry Maxey, Jamie and Jeffrey Kroll. Jack Arnold was born to Clyde and Stella Mae Allen Schafer on July 19, 1928 at Wray, Colorado. Lois Marie Corliss Henry was born to Sherman Henry and Grace Messing Corliss on August 9, 1935 at Burlington, Colorado. Jack and Lois were married at Burlington, Colorado on October 25, 1986. They make their home North East of Kirk, Colorado. by Lois Schafer teacher. The school was located a quarter of a mile from their first home. Five years later Henry and Anna Scheierman. Henry and Anna Scheierman were German Russian immigrants. They were both born in Russia. Henry's family came to America first settling in south central Nebraska. Mr. Scheierman helped the Thaut family come to America. Henry was engaged to be married but was jilted a few days before the wedding was to be. Mr. Scheierman and Mr. Thaut decided their children Henry and Anna should marry. They were married September 19, 1892 at Hastings, Nebraska. They had ten children. but two of the ten died as infants' The Scheiermans came to Kit Carson County because their five sons all wanted to farm. They Iived on a small farm near Sutton, Nebraska, and there was not much available farm land in that locality. Land was much cheaper in Kit Carson County, Colorado. Henry started buying land in Kit Carson County in 1919 from Joseph A. Collins, a realtor. Henry was a horse and mule buyer in Nebraska, and he shipped several car loads of horses to Colorado as payments on land. In 1922 they moved to Colorado by immigrant cars. They loaded one car with household items and another car was loaded with 8 mules and some milk cows. Sons, Herbert Kenneth and Mabel Scheierman. �the family moved to the First Central School District where he finished grade school and high school graduating in 1933. Kenneth had perfect attendance which meant he was not absent or tardy for seven years. Kenneth recalls that in 1936 money was short. In September he and Vaughn Taylor decided to catch skunks and keep them alive until the furs would be at their prime, about the middle of November. They sold them at that time to Clarence Collins for $.45 each. They tried to get $.50, but he wouldn't give them any more. Both mothers were glad to see the project go. Spending money was also received by picking up bleached bones offthe prairies and selling them. Times have really changed in values of land. Kenneth started to farm on his own in 1936. The first land he purchased was the George Hodge place which he purchased for $2.50 an acre in 1940. He has continued farming in the area south of Stratton. Ken's first marriage ended in divorce in 1951. He was awarded custody of his small daughters, Beverley and Betsy. In 1952 he married Mabel Garner who was a native of this county. She was born on her parent's ranch north of Stratton, attended grade school at Solid Center 7 years. She rode a horse to school which delighted in dumping operation for about 35 years. Checking baby calves has been one ofthe highlights for them each spring. Kenneth also says there is nothing prettier than a nice green field of wheat in the fall and early spring. Kenneth has had a goal to leave the land in as good or better shape than he found it. by Mabel Scheierman SCHEIERMAN, HERBERT FAMILY F603 {_ 1 -e ffi- \ 1936. After graduation she attended Business College in Colorado Springs for six months, and then began working in The First National Bank in Stratton. One of Mabel's earliest recollections was the time she was lost and the neighbors gathered to help search for her. Her Grand- home and put them in a pen, and they needed to do the evening chores so told Mebel to go look at the chickens while they milked. Evidently she had not remembered them bringing them home as her uncle found her late at night on the prairie Iying down with her dog. She remembers going home to a 1':r. a Herb and Vena Scheierman, 1937; Eleanor and Shirley in 193?; Herbie and Lynn, 1944. .'. --.,; tlii;',r, house full of people and being made over by everyone in their relief to have her safe at home. The Scheierman's lived in Stratton for 7 years, but in 1959 built a new ranch style house at the farm and moved to the country. Even though they lived in the country, they continued to be community minded. KenL neth served his church as a member of its i? Board of Trustees for forty years. He served i the Stratton Equity Coop Ln its Board of ,/ Directors for 24 years. He even tried politics ) and was elected County Commissioner on the I Republican ticket in IE6 and served five consecutive terms making a total of 20 years. Mabel has served her church as treasurer for 45 years and has been active in many other roles in the church. She enjoyed a number of years serving on the state level the Women ofthe Church ofGod. She served as secretary, president and missionary education director. She also served on the National Board of the Women of the Church of God and served on the Executive Committee so she flew to Indiana three times each year for these meetings. She to served the Republican party as Vice Chairman and then Chairman. Kenneth and Mabel have really enjoyed the cattle and have operated a cow/calf Vena as she cared for the two girls and often suffered from gallbladder attacks. In the fall of 1937 there was no grass or feed for the cattle so Herb and Vena and the girls moved to Denver. They lived in an upstairs apartment on Kalamath Street. Herb went to drycleaning school and later rented a drycleaning shop on East Jewel. They lived in an attached apartment. Herb did the pressing and Vena the hand finishing. Each year as spring came around Herb would dream of the farm. In the spring of 1939 they moved to a place 2 miles east of Stratton on Highway 24. (Vena didn't want to move away from electric lights and running water.) They lived there 3 days place livable and 3 tramps came - thefirst day.wasn't the They moved into Stratton to Herb custom farmed. A son Herbert Lee was born Sept. 11, 1939 in Stratton. In November 1939, Herb and Vena bought her parents' high school in Stratton and graduated in er's home. Her parents had brought them take out to Vena. He had a rubber tired wagon. These were long lonely weeks for what is now the Pansy Thomason house. her many times but no broken bones. When she didn't ride, she walked. She attended mother Hampton had given her some bantam chickens which had been at her Grandmoth- milkhouse. He had his own milk cows and would take the cream to Cheyenne Wells or First View and sell it and buy groceries to In 1947 Herbie and Lynn were walking under the eaves in the rain, needed another rain hat, so Herbie made hers by tying a washpan on her head. Herbert Scheierman and Vena Hughes were married October 12, 1931 at McCook, Nebraska. The remainder of that winter they made their home with Vena's parents, Harve and Rosa Hughes, 11 miles S.E. of Stratton, Colorado. The next spring they rented and moved to the Charlie Geist place 23 miles So. of Stratton in Cheyenne County. Herb farmed and ran cattle. The cattle roamed over a wide area it was all open range. - asLou A daughter, Shirley was born there on Sept. 11, 1932 and another daughter, Eleanor Sue on Nov. 2, 1936. During the "dirty thirty's" Herb took the cattle to pasture 12 miles south of First View, Colo. where there was better grass. He rented pasture from Bob Geary and lived in their homestead and moved onto it. It had a large two story frame house with running water (cold only) and a "path". In later years they remodeled the house, including hot water, electricity, a bathroom and finishing the upstairs. They also built a two car garage with a milk house, a new barn and cattle shed. They also added 11 more quarters of land to the 2 they bought from Hughes. Shirley attended Kindergarten in Denver and first grade in Stratton. Then she went to East Bethel for second grade. She and Eleanor then walked 1-3l miles to West Bethel until 1945 when the family lived in Stratton that winter to care for Vena's father. From then until the fall of 1950 when the school buses began picking up the country kids, Herb and Vena took the children into Stratton everyday to school 22 miles roundtrip, morning and evening. The years that followed their move to the Hughe's homestead were good years in most ways, with the usual number of joys and sorrows hailstorms and good crops - good and bad-cattle prices and too - dirt storms much rain. Another daughter, Ruth Lynn was born on August 5, 1943. In thinking back over those years many incidents come to mind. Some of these follow. (From here on the elder Herbert will be referred to as Herb and the younger as Herbie) One day each week Vena took the children to Louis and Helen (Deakin) Adkins. Vena did kitchen work for Helen in exchange for Shirley's piano lesson. Herbie was about 2 years old, being very good, standing by a low window watching the cattle. No one saw him take a wick from a "Daisy" fly killer which was behind the curtain. Soon he became violently ill. Vena took the children home and laid him on a blanket under a shade tree where it was cool. Eleanor was sent to the chicken house for eggs and Shirley to the house for milk Vena felt that he had been poisoned. She wrapped a towel around him and began forcing eggs and milk down him in a few minutes Helen's car came -speeding up the hill. She had found that the "Daisy" fly killer had been disturbed and the wick was gone. Immediately Herbie was rushed into Stratton to Dr. Keen where he and his nurse, Mrs. Borders, gave him weak �on her name was Cannibal. Every gate and barn door had to be tied or a snap put on it eggs had diluted the poison and saved his life. After going back home, Herbie was laid on the or Cannibal would open it and get out and let the cattle out. When Aunt Wilsie was teaching the girls to knit, Herbie knit a scarf for Herb said, "There's no sense waving goodbye to them; they're going along". So John just let them crawl on himself. (Guess he didn't appreciate Herb's humor). Later, when they were in a field shocking feed (miles from anyone) John asked, "Mr. Scheierman, where cows. Cannibal. Lynn about age 8 and Herbie age 12 were riding the horses in the pasture, making them jump the creek. Lynn's horse tired of the warm while he went to the house for help. The doctor put the arm in an airplane cast. One day Herb said to Vena, "Don't look now, but perfect record; you've been late every morning". Vena was thankful for the good, Iocal help that Herb hired. Clarence Brown mustard water and kept him for observation for several hours. Dr. Keen said the milk and straw in the barn, Shirley and Eleanor watching him, while Vena helped milk the Another time, Vena, the kids and the dog started up thru the field in the car to get the mail. About % mile away from home the car died and couldn't be started. It refused to run. They all got out, walked the remaining 3/a mile, got the mail and walked back home. When Herb came home, Vena told him the car had quit and he said, "Are you out of gas?" Right away Herbie, age about 5, spoke up, "Oh, no, I filled it." Herb asked how he he got the filled it. Herbie showed him - the faucet. garden hose and turned on Needless to say, it took a while to drain the water from the gas tank. When Shirley was in second grade she attended East Bethel school which was 4-Vz miles from home. One day it was so muddy that Herb couldn't go get her in the car and the mud was so deep that the horse became exhausted and wouldn't go anymore. So there was no way to go get Shirley. Herb was sure the teacher would take her home with him but Vena worried that he would leave her at Herb would alone, thinking the schoolhouse be there soon to get her. Mr. Patterson, the teacher, lived at the George Hodge place two miles from the school. He did take Shirlev she remembers how hard home with him it was for her to- keep up with his fast pace in the mud. It was a long night for Vena, wondering where Shirley was' Shirley's and Eleanor's experiences riding a horse to school usually met with disaster Iike the time (mentioned in the West Bethel Story) when Marion Maricle waved his lunch sack and scared Clarabell, she dumped them off. Eleanor told Shirley, "I'm crippled for life". So Shirley ran as fast as she could to get help. The only thing crippled was Eleanor's pride. Shirley and Eleanor spent much time playing dolls and paperdolls. They had some bought paperdolls but most were cut from Sears and Wards catalogues. Vena made beautiful dresses for the dolls. As they got older, Shirley preferred to read and embroider. She made beautiful pillowcases, etc. She also helped Vena in the house, while Eleanor, Herbie and Lynn seized every opportunity to escape to the outdoors. Shirley had two parakeets. One of them nibbled on a picture frame and died of lead poisoning - theallother the mourned for its mate by pulling feathers out of its breast. The summers (for Eleanor, Herbie and Lynn) were spent playing with the "Brown Kids". They were the children of Clarence and Catherine Brown. Clarence worked for Herb. Their children were Paul, Vivian, Bruce and Loren. They played "cowboys and Indians", "cops and robbers", rode horses and bicycles and made a playhouse called "Lardy's Cafe". The robbers rode horses while the "bankers" and "sheriff' were on one time Lynn (who was the youngest foot - hence she had to be the sherifO said, as she -ran around the corner of the barn waving a toy pistol "They wobbed another bank." One summer Herbie got a horse (Part Shetland). The first time he tried to get on her she turned around and bit him on the shoulder, leaving a terrible welt. From then game and threw her off. She received a broken shoulder and was suffering from shock. Herbie laid her down on the grass and covered her with a saddle blanket to keep her may one urinate?" Herb replied, "Any ole place you want to." John told Vena, "Mr. Scheierman is sure enthusiastic about this feed hauling". John wasn't so enthusiastic and soon moved on. There were numerous other strange temporary workers. As Herb fired one hired man he said, "You have a Lynn is walking the corral fence". She was walking on top of the 2" corral boards; the worked for them for many years, so did Norma Zogg and in later years, Alfred cast hadn't slowed her down. One of the family pets was a small white dog part Pekinese and part terrier - named FuzzWuzz He lived many years. Another pet was a crow named "Blackie". They snipped Einspahr. his tongue hoping to teach him to talk. He didn't talk, but he did learn to sit on the side of the hammock and ride in the breeze. When the kids played hide and seek, he would fly over the place where each one was hiding' He became fond of eggs, so had to be done away with because he raided the chicken house. When Eleanor and Lynn would get out their miniature doll furniture to play house, Herbie always set up a Second Hand store where they could buy and sell furniture. He always dreamed of having a shop like the one it was a shoe Hubert Hubel had in Stratton - much to and harness repair shop with fascinate a little boy. One of Herb's favorite slang expressions was "Holy Mackerel". After being to a baptismal service at church, Lynn was baptising her doll. She said, "Holy the Father, Holy the Son, and Holy the Mackerel." Another time she and Loren Brown were playing cowboys on a hot day and pretending to "die". Soon Lynn lay down under a tree and said, "Let's die in the shade." As Shirley became high school age she informed Vena that there was no way she (Shirley) could euer get a boyfriend as long as Vena had paper drapes in the living room (they were a fad) and a coal stove in the kitchen. It didn't seem to bother the boyfriends, just Shirley. Eleanor was the accident prone one. It was she who always spilled dinner on her new Easter dress or tore her new jeans crawling thru the fence to get the milk cow. How does a milk cow know when you want to go somewhere and are in a hurry? They always went to the far end of the pasture and leaned on the fence to get as far away from home as possible. Another aspect of the farm life was the various temporary hired men that showed up. The family often wondered where Herb could find such "odd" creatures. One shaved his head and took whole pieces of chicken off the platter to feed his dog. Vena put a stop to that, fast. He also ate gravy on his chocolate meringue pie. Another was an Indian named John. He was direct off the reservation and evidently didn't know much about a farm. His hair was jet black and very oiled down. The kids and Vena were afraid of him. He ate lots of salt on his pickles. One day as Herb and John were going to the field, there were many flies inthe pickup cab, John was waving his hand trying to keep the flies off of himself. During the early years, Herb and Vena milked as many as 19 cows. Often Venawould have them all milked by the time Herb came in from the field. One particular morning when Herb went to the barn, a stray Tom cat had killed the baby kittens. Herb killed the Tom cat and lined all the dead cats up in a row just inside the barn door. When Vena opened the door to help milk, there lay the dead cats. Needless to say, she wasn't very happy with Herb. After milking, Herb and the kids loaded the dead cats into "Bobby", the pickup, and headed up thru the pasture to dispose of them. On the way a rabbit jumped up and the dog gave chase and ran in front of the pickup and Herb ran over him. So they just threw the dog in with the cats and hauled them all away. A special family tradition is spending Christmas day with the Whitmore family. Vic Whitmore is Vena's sister. Their family consisted of Floyd, Vic and twin sons, Loren and Doren. In the years since Herb and Vena moved from Denver, they have never missed spending Christmas together. There have been years when sickness or distance kept various members of the families from coming but Vena and Vic have always been there. In 1987 all of Vena's and Vic's families were there including the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren a total of 35 people. The absence of Herb and Floyd who have passed away is especially felt at this time of year. Herb and Vena planned for each of the children to have a college education. Shirley attended York College, York, Nebraska; Eleanor went to Colorado A&M College in Fort Collins, Colo. and received a Secretarial Training Certificate; Herbie went to Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colo. and has a bachelors and masters degree; Lynn attended Westmar College, LeMars, Iowa, where she received her bachelors degree; she has a masters from the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, Colorado. Tragedy struck the family when on September 1, 1963, Herb and his sister-in-law, Mabel Scheierman were involved in a headon automobile accident. Mabel was seriously injured and Herb died later that day. For the next \-t/z years Vena remained on the farm, while renting out the ground. In April 1967 she moved into a new home she designed and had built in Burlington, Co. She is still living there at 1538 Senter, Burlington, Colorado. Vena's family consists of daughter Shirley and husband, Norman Zogg, Goodland, Kansas, and their two daughters, Janet Beth (Zogc), born Dec. 29,1952, and husband Bob �Churchwell, and three children, Clinton Michael, born Sept. 20, L976, Matthew Ryan, born August 11, 1978, and Raelyn Alaine, born July 31, 1981, and Patricia Lynn (Zogg) born Nov. 19, 1957 and husband Jim Dorsch and children Cassandra Ann, born Dec. 11, 1980 and Jared Keith, born Nov. 13, 1982; daughter Eleanor and husband, LeRoy Hern- don, Stratton, Colorado, their son Edwin Dean, born Sept. 6, 1959, and wife Trudy and children Jesse Edwin, born August 21, 1982 and Amanda Lynn, born Sept. 7, 1984, daughter Carol Lou, born April 6, 1963, and daughter Kathryn Sue, born Dec. 4, 1971; son Herbert Lee and wife Verna Lee (Edwards), Fountain, Colorado; and daughter Ruth Lynn Johnson, Castle Rock, Colorado and son Jay James, born Sept. 15, 1975. by Eleanor Scheierman Herndon SCHERR, JOE F604 Married on April 21, 1931 in Collyer, Kansas, Joseph M. and Marcelline M. Scherr headed west to settle south of Seibert, Colorado. Joe was a farmer and rancher by heart and blood but never found suitable work at this time in the area, so the couple decided to try their luck in sunny, hot Arizona. After six months trial period on a large working cattle ranch, the couple decided their hearts lay in Colorado, farming and ranching on their own. In April 1935 with the help of their dear friends, George and Irene Bancroft, a small two-wheeled trailer with all their worldly possessions, thirty-six dollars in their pocket and a precious three year old daughter, Joe and Marcelline Scherr settled thirteen miles north of Seibert and started the Scherr Farm-Ranch. Joe borrowed $640.00 to invest in eight milk cows, a used 10-20 McCormick tractor, and a second hand six foot Sanders one-way. The Scherr farm was on its way to becoming the successful operation it is today in 1987. Joe and Marcelline reared four lovelv children: Patricia Scherr Brock, Madefinl Scherr Mills, Eileen Scherr Woods, and Stanley Joseph Scherr. Sixteen beautiful selling meat to the Denver and surrounding markets. In the early days of the cattle industry in the West, the rancher who had the bottom land along a creek of live water had access to in California, Florida and Indiana. Their Jacob felt the need for better grazing for his cattle and since Denver was growing and the lands extending out from the foothills had grandchildren followed. Today the girls are spread throughout the United States living children, many married with families of their own, also live throughout the States. Stan Scherr, his wife Cindy, and their children, Eric, Tiffany, and Steven, live on the Scherr Farm and continue raising the cattle and wheat that were the love of Joe's life. by Cindy Scherr SCHERRER, JACOB the surrounding hills of lush buffalo grass. already been settled, he looked farther eastward. He and his brother, Alexander, a cattle rancher near Agate, made several trips horseback into this area and found the hills and draws of buffalo grass as high as their horses' bellies. It was a good place to establish a ranch headquarters. To market their livestock they had to be driven a distance to a railroad stockyards and shipped east since the railroad was not built into Kit Carson F605 County until 1887. The Bar-T was a landmark ranch for manv years. It served as a start for many settlers One of the earliest cattle ranches in what walled barn built by T.J. Conger, a stone mason, for hay storage and protection from winter storms. The wooden part of the barn burned in the 1930s but the rock wall still Bar-T is now known as Kit Carson County was located in the northern end of the county along the Republican River and Landsman Creek. It was the Bar-T known for the brand Often the bar went over the back of the -T. critter with the T below on the right flank. A 5000 acre ranch, it was established in the early 1880s by Jacob Scherrer. It was a busy working ranch and source of employment for many pioneers and early settlers to this area. Born in Alsace-Lorraine in 1838, Jacob came to America with his parents when he was nine years old. They first settled in Iowa and started farming. In the late 1850s he started out on his own and made his way to the west and settled in Boulder, CO. He started his own freight company which provided meat and provisions to the mining camps in Colorado and Utah. He was also engaged in cattle ranching in Montana, and before Colorado became a state he was living in Denver and raising cattle, butchering and who could work there. Jacob had a large rock stood for many years serving as a wind break. Jacob planned for his sons to eventually take over the ranch and other homesites were built. One built a large rock house with, of all things, large picture windows that gave a pretty view of the river bottom lands, a cellar under the house, which could be reached from the kitchen, and electric lights provided by its own light plant. He also had built a large rock silo for forage storage. The silo is still standing. The Bar-T was sold by Jacob to his son, Jacob G. Sherrer, in 1911. He kept it until 1925 when he sold it and moved closer to Denver. They wanted to have access to schools for better education of their ten children. Jacob Garfield had maried Annette Milhoan in Burlington in 1908. Annette also ran the Hermes post office until it was abandoned. The Hermes post office and store and cream station was located across the river from the Bar-T headquarters. It handled mail for the ranchers in that area and mail being brought by wagon or horseback from Benkleman, Nebraska. The Hermes ranch was purchased by Dr. Elmer Scherrer, Jacob's son, for his son Henry. However, Henry died quite young and so the ranch was sold to William and Helen Scherrer in 1928. The house and barns were actually in Yuma County but much of the ranch land and pasture laid in Kit Carson County. Dr. Scherrer was the son ofJacob Sherrer Sr. and William was the son of Alexander Scherrer. brother to Jacob. There is little trace of the original Bar-T now except for the faint outlines ofthe adobe house, some remains of the rock wall of the barn and, of course, the rock house and silo in the pasture to the east. The rich bottom hay lands were turned into sand bars by the 1935 flood. The channel of the river was changed, cutting into the original hay fields. Most of that has been since covered with growth of cottonwood trees and may in long years to come be reclaimed as farm ground again. The Scherrers had obtained water and ditch rights for irrigation and the Holland Sherr Ranch. 1987. �ditch still has priority over the later irrigators and ranchers above and below the Bar-T. bY Regina WhiPPle SCHICK - ADOLF FAMILY F606 Ernest Frederick Schick and Leah Barbara Adolf were united in marriage on January 7, 1938 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, north of Bethune, Colorado. Ernest was born to Frederick and Irene LeFevere Schick on August 6, 1914 at Newberg, Oregon. He was baptized in the First Christian Church in Newberg, attended grade school at Fernwood District and high school at Newberg, Oregon. Ernie was active playing football and baseball besides helping his father on the farm and with the prune and walnut drying. I was born to Gottlieb and Barbara Stahlecker Adolf on January 24, t917 and was raised on a farm in the so-called "Settlement", north of Bethune. I attended the first eight grades in a one-room adobe schoolhouse known as "Schaal School' District #22" which was located by the Sam Schaal farm house. During the Dust Bowl Days of the '30's, I moved with my parents, along with mY brothers Gottlieb, Herman, and George and Leona (who were newly married) to Newberg, Oregon in the spring of 1935. My parents had a sale and kept some furniture, etc. which we Ioaded onto a 1929 model Chevrolet truck and our 1932 Chevrolet four-door car. George and Leona took their 1928 two-door Chevy, pulling a trailer with their belongings. So away we went: "Oregon or bust!" My Dad rented a small acreage at Springbrook, Oregon near Newberg. We all found jobs picking berries, walnuts, filberts, and prunes, or whatever jobs were available. I did some housework for $15.00 a month, and later got a raise to$20.00 a month with every other Sunday off. I also worked in the cannery. While I was picking walnuts one day, a young fellow came strolling through the orchard. He stopped and chatted awhile. That stroll led to dating and later to our marriage. In October of 1937, my parents, brothers Gottlieb and Herman, and I moved back to the farm in Colorado. George and Leona stayed in Oregon a year longer, and then moved back to their farm north of Burlington, Colorado. George and Leona, her parents Henry and Lilly Fanslau, and Ernie came back for a visit the following Christmas. Ernie then decided that he wanted to marry and take me back to Oregon with him. We hustled around to get ready for a wedding in less than two weeks. In the meantime, Ernie decided to go into farming with Gottlieb' They rented a farm known as the old Lou Bramier place southwest of Burlington. I went back to Oregon with George and Leona, her folks, and Ernie, to bring back Ernie's belongings and his 1931 black Graham Coupe. On our way back to Oregon, we stopped at Wamsutter, Wyoming for the night. It was a small place with a gas station, grocery store, and a few cabins. We rented two cabins. It was a bitter cold January evening. The water pipes were frozen up and we had to melt snow in order to clean up. We had a few groceries with us so that we could do our own cooking. Leona decided that we would have pancakes for breakfast, but we had no milk. George then melted some snow and Leona made the pancakes with snow water. Our Honeymoon? After a month's stay with Ernie's family, we came back to our newly rented farm for a year. Gottlieb got married to Mabel Gramm in July of that summer. The four of us Iived together on that farm for the rest of the year. My Dad bought a 160-acre farm for us for $800.00, which at one time belonged to my great grandparents, Christian and Fredericka Adolf. It was located across the road from the congregational Church, north of Bethune, Colorado. We had some very tough times during our first few years of marriage. Ernie, not being used to the cold Colorado climate, came down with rheumatic fever and was laid up for part of the first winter. Barbara was born at the home of her Ernest and Leah Schick with children Barbara, Marilyn and Dean on Christmas day 1948 J Errries parents at Newberg, Oregon. it was a very cold, windy day' at the home grandparents, Gottlieb and Barbara Adolf, north of Bethune, Colorado on November 14, 1938. She was delivered by her Great Grandmother Margarette Adolf. She came down with smallpox at three months and lost all of her black hair. The second winter Ernie had an accident while hunting jack rabbits with Gottlieb and Herman one evening after dark. He was hospitalized for two weeks with cgt up knees �and legs, due to running through a barbed wire fence while riding on the fender of a car. Then again, we had lots of cold and snow. No one could travel with the car until the roads were opened up. Besides, we had lost all of our hogs from cholera and calves from blackleg, along with crop failures from dust and hail storms. We managed to hold on with the help of a neighbor, who let us have cows milk for the use of pasture and others who let us use their horses to do our farming. The boys had to break these horses for farming which resulted in some pretty exciting rodeos at times. We had many runaways. At one time, the horses ran through the garden fence and ruined our garden. We also picked cow chips to use as fuel in our potbellied stoves to keep us warm during the cold winter months. Fortunately, we always had plenty to eat for our family. Living on the farm, we had our own meat, eggs, milk, cream, and produce from our gardens. Marilyn was born on March 20, L942 at Burlington, Colorado. Times were beginning to get a little better by then. We later bought another farm, known as the Frank Kramer farm, also located in the Settlement. Dean was born at Burlington, Colorado on June L9, L947. We moved onto the Kremer farm shortly thereafter. In 1960 we started to build a house on 377 Pomeroy Street in Burlington. We moved into it in the fall of 1962, still live in it and "Settlement", north of Bethune. Colorado in May of 1908. My mother, Barbara Stahlecker, was born December 24, L885 in Tripp, South Dakota to Martin and Katherina Stahlecker. She moved with her family to north of Bethune, Colorado at the age of eight. Ernie's father, Frederick Schick. was born November 14, 1886 at Baudle, South Dakota. He moved to Newberg, Oregon at eighteen years. Ernie's mother, Irene Lefaiwe Schick, was born September 5, 1896 in New York to Ernest and Louise Lefaivre. She moved with her parents to Newberg, Oregon in the year 1900. Ernest and Louise were both born in Paris, France. by Leah Schick SCHLICHENMAYER BREITLING FAMILY F607 Comfort stove and make a whole oven full of popcorn. Christina died 31 August 1984. Cooking was done with "stokamich". This was the manure and straw mix that accumulated in corrals during the winter. In the spring it was cut into squares and allowed to minister at Church, Jacob and other elders of the church read from the "Bredight Buch". This contains sermons that were simply read to the congregation. Jacob died on B0 September 1937. Their 12 children were: Emma. Jacob (Jake), William (Bill), Reinhardt (Sport), Bertha, John (Johnny), Alvina, Sechart (Stub), Tafield (Shorty), Garfield (Dick), Harold, and Leona (Sis). by Robert and Linda Coles Jacob Schlichenmayer and Christina Breitling. Jacob Schlichenmayer born 28 November 1873 in Birsula, Bessarabia, S. Russia was the son of Jacob and Margarete Schlichenmayer. In 1889 his family decided to migrate to the United States. Unfortunately for Jacob he was of military age and therefore couldn't obtain an official passport to leave Russia. In order to escape Russia and avoid a military Parents and Grandparents service, Jacob and Gottlieb Bauder obtained forged passports from a Jewish forger. The passport was good enough to get them out of Russia but not into Germany where they were supposed to rejoin their families and continue on to America together. They were held at the border for several days because of the passports and because they lacked the money to pay for their passage to America. The German officials didn't want any penniless immigrants coming into Germany that would be wards of the state. Finally a telegram to My father, Gottlieb Adolf, was born November 3, 1891 at Anaba, Michaelsfeld, South Russia to Wilhelm and Margarette Adolf. He arrived in this community, the money. Unfortunately the money came too late and they were unable to accompany their parents to America. They finally managed to depart on a later ship and joined their parents Barbara and Richard Briggs and - Angela Jennifer Atlanta, Georgia; Marilyn and Fred Tafoya and Fred III Denver, Colo- Lesa rado; Dean and Eulalah Schick - Lori, Lindi, and Lacy Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. remember nights when Christina would put a rag on a broom handle, clean out the a large family. During the absence of a After moving to Burlington, Ernie still Our Family Christina was apparently a very tough lady. She rarely wore shoes, even in winter she usually did her chores barefoot in the snow. She was also a very popular midwife throughout the settlement. Many of the parents and grandparents of today's residents got their first whack on their fannvs wasn't tolerated was egg fights. Jacob always had a large garden that was necessary to raise farmed for a few years. We then rented the farm out, and Ernie drove a school bus for four years and also worked for a couple of Above all, the good Lord has blessed us daughter, Madelyne Anderson. lerated with good humor. One thing that relatives and friends at our new home. We must admit not all our days were tough luck. There were many more good and happy days then bad ones, especially with the children. We enjoyed attending their school activities and taking them on trips. both with good health and a wonderful and loving family. These were the "Days of our Lives," thus far as of July 1, 1986. their llth child, Harold, and the death of their first child, Emma Anderson, in a trolley car accident, Christina began nursing and raising both her own child and her grand- cooking and/or heat. Jacob continued raising their children and was apparently an easy going parent. When the cousins and family would all gather on weekends, fights and roughhousing was to- bitter cold day, with an open house for visit Ernie's mother, brother Harry, and received the patent on his homestead in 1902. Jacob and Christina had 12 children over a period of 28 years. In 1918 with the birth of dry for 6 months before it was used for Our children honored us on our 25th wedding anniversary on January 7, 1963, a sisters Louise, Helen and Rose, and their families along with many old friends. On 30 December 1897, Jacob was married to Christina Breitling, daughter of Phillip Breitling and Karolina Strobel. Jacob became a citizen of the United States and from Christina. Her children will alwavs also still own our farm. farmers. He later got his own truck and hauled beets and grain. After Dean graduated from high school, I worked at the Ben Franklin Store for 13 years. Since our retirement, we have traveled through most of the good old USA, a trip into Canada, and into the Baja of California. We enjoy camping and fishing in the mountains, and also travel to Oregon more often now to in Colorado. SCHLICHENMAYER. WEISS FAMILY F608 R.O., the fourth child of Jacob Schlichenmayer and Christina Breitling, grew up on the Schlichenmeyer home place in 1903. "Sport" was frequently involved in the usual Bremmen contacted their parents to send Robert and Anna Schlichenmaver. �boy games including his favorite baseball. They played on several different diamonds; one was near the present Ruben Meyer place, another was on his brother Bill's place, a third was at the Daffer place north of Stratton. As he grew older another summer occupation was helping his Uncle Fred Schlichenmayer on a threshing crew that traveled throughout the settlement area. Anna the second child of Martin and Lydia (Schmidke) Weiss also grew up on the family SCHLICIIENMAYER, JACOB AND MARGARETE KIENZLE F609 farm and went to schooljust "down over" the hill. School included the usual "3 R's" that was made more enjoyable when they had "cyphering" contests. During recess and dinner time the girls played baseball, basketball and a winter sport called "Fox and Goose". Another pastime included playing Margarete continued to live on their homestead raising their children until 1928 when she had a stroke and was bedfast until her death in 1931. Jacob and Margarete had 9 children, all of who survived to adulthood. They were: Jacob, Christina (Gilruth), Gottlieb, Margreta (Adolf), John, David, Carolina (Boll), Fredrick, and Elizabeth (Metcalf). by Robert and Linda Coles SCHLICHENMAYER, LENA WEISSHAAR F6rO "Jacks" but they used stones instead of rubber balls. A favorite family or school outing was to go to the dunes and arrowhead hunt. Another good place to arrowhead hunt was the "blowouts" that grew rapidly during the 1920's and again in the 1950's. After leaving school Anna had her first job away from home working and living at Mr. and Mrs. Harvey Woods. Sport and Anna met at a "crowd"; these were gatherings held on Sunday nights at different homes where singing, guitar playing, and the like was enjoyed. Sport was the proud owner of a blue Chevy Roadster at the time and he still had the same car on their wedding day of 29 June 1935. Sport and Anna first lived on the "Bill Stutz" place north of Bethune for one and one half years. Their first daughter, Geraldine was born there in 1936. Moving to the "Johnny Weisshaar" place (the old Phillip Breitling homestead of Sport's grandparents" about 1937, three more children were born Phyliss, Lee and Ray. Finally they purchased and moved to the Bill Weisshaar place. Two more children were born there, Dale in 1947, and Linda in 1950. Ray's death in a car accident in 1962 left their family at five children. Sport began farming with horses and later added an Oliver tractor which he bought from his brother-in-law Herman Adolf. He later purchased Internationals owning both an "M" and an "H", Sport quit farming with the help of "horse power" when Page of a team called Dick and Page died. Page's death was a very difficult time for two small boys Lee and Ray. The next years were spent raising children through both good and bad times including the "dirty 50's" and the bad grasshopper years in the early 60's. Sport took special pride in his fine Hereford cattle for many years. He also enjoyed his dairy herd, of which he could say that, there wasn't one of them that he couldn't sit down and milk without benefit of stanchion or hobbles. The children began to leave home to marry and raise their own families in 1956 when "Gerry" was married followed by the rest of the children. Sport continued farming and enjoyed his grandchildren until his death on the 20th of May 1977. Anna continues to live in her home where she does many crafts but takes special pride in her quilts. She has made special quilts for all her children and is presently making one for each of her grandchildren as they graduate. by Robert and Linda Coles -&, Margarete Schlichenmayer nee Kienzle in 1921. Jacob Schlichenmayer was born 3 May, 1848 in Hoffnungstal Cherson, Russia to Jacob and Barbara (Erlunbuch) Schlichenmayer. He was married to Margarete Kienzle on 1? October 1872 in Hoffnungstal. Margarete was born in Hoffnungstal on 16 December, 1852 to Gottlieb and Christine (Hohn) Kienzle. After having grown up and married in the German enclaves of S. Russia, Jacob and Margarete began to consider Immigration to the United States. During the 1870's to 1890's conditions were changing in the German areas of Russia. Many of the families had originally come to Russia as members of religious groups lured by free land, religious freedom and freedom from military service. By 1890 all this was changing and Jacob's sons were becoming old enough to serve in the military. Faced with the imminent draft of their oldest son, Jacob, the family decided to join the migration of German Lutheran families to the plains of the Midwest and Western United States. Choosing the area north ofpresent day Bethune, Colorado, they departed Russia in 1889, because of delays only eight family members traveled together sailing from Bremmen, Germany. Their oldest son. Jacob (born 1873) was unable to accompany the family because he had already reached military age in Russia. After many difficulties and adventures young Jacob eventually rejoined his family in Colorado. Upon arriving in the United States they traveled to the settlement by train in time for the birth ofan 8th child. Fredrick on the 4th of May, 1890. Soon after arriving in the United States, the family applied for a homestead and Jacob applied for citizenship. Jacob lived long enough to "prove up" on his homestead and died in 1900 after the birth of their 9th child. Elizabeth in 1895. Lena Schlichenmayer, celebrating her 100th birthday on June 1, 1986. Magdalena (Lena) Weisshaar Schlichenmayer was born at Talmage, Nebraska, on June 1, 1886. Her parents, John Frederick Weisshaar and Christena Margareta Wilhelm Weisshaar migrated from Germany to the southern tip of Russia. From there they left the village Lichtentaal through the Port of Odessa on the Black Sea in 1885 bound for the United States and settled in Talmage, Nebraska. In 1887 Lena at the age of nine months moved to a farm near Idalia. Colorado with her parents. In 1901 the family moved south to a farm 13 miles northeast of Bethune. The farm had a house on it with two rooms. One room was made ofsod and the other room was made of stone - both being very large. The sod room had the kitchen and dining area in it and also some of the children slept there. It was partitioned off with curtains. The rock room was partitioned off into sleeping rooms with curtains also. The floors were all of sand and dirt wet down to compact them and then swept. Later as the family increased another rock addition was added to the first rock room to be used as another bedroom. Years later an adobe house was built. They also built a barn and granary of stone and a frame �water running through it, milk and butter '.' :, ' llt, ,,f , l .,i1, :*,,, ; ,111' ::if . ri'l,'r$' were stored there. Butchering was done in the winter and hung in a safe place to stay frozen. In order to preserve it for use in the summer it had to be cured by smoking, drying or frying down and then stored in the lard in a large stone jar. No glass jars were available, therefore canning was out of the question. Cabbage was shredded and pressed into stone fr jars to make sauerkraut. Cucumbers and several other vegetables were pickled and stored in stonejars. Corn was dried and stores in sacks then hung on nails in a dry location. The Settlement was nearly all German nationality. Immanuel Lutheran Church was the center oftheir life and was attended every Schlichenmayer family, 1986. Standing L. to R.: Lawrence, Rudolph (Rudy), Vernon, George. Seated: Pete, Lena, and Freda Schaal. granary. Adobe was used for mortar to build the stone buildings. Life was extremely difficult for the family. They had one horse and a neighbor had one. They would work together so they had a "team". They used this team to break the prairie with a plow in order to plant crops and a garden. The women would hitch the team to a wagon to go to the river to wash clothes. They would take barrels along to bring back water for drinking, cooking, some washing, and also for the livestock. Besides the horse, a few cows, some hogs and chickens were added to their possessions. After the crops were harvested the men would leave the women and children on the farm and would go to Denver to seek employment to earn needed cash. As soon as the weather started clearing in the spring they would return home to tend to their farming. There were no trees available, therefore mainly cow chips and corn cobs were burned for heat and cooking. For light, lamps were used that burned coal oil or kerosene which cost about ten cents per gallon. Water was carried in from outside. All water had to be heated on the stove to wash dishes, clothes, and for bathing. For beds, ticking was purchased in town and was sewn into a mattress cover which was then filled with soft corn husks. All sewing was done by hand. Shoes weren't well fitted or particularly well made and not many stockings were owned so the children went barefoot as soon as the weather permitted even to school. Stockings were black or brown and didn't wear well nor Iast long. To make soap, the tallow, cracklings and the lard would be warmed and mixed with lye. This mixture was then cooked until done, then poured into a square pan and allowed to set and dry. After it was dry, it was then cut into squares and used for all types of washing. Fresh foods were available from the garden during the summer but preserving for winter use presented a different side. After the well house was built with a tank inside and fresh Sunday and all religious holidays except for illness or bad weather. Lena married Gottlieb Schlichenmayer on January 20, L907 in the Immanuel Lutheran church and began their married life about three miles northwest of where she grew up. This was on a homestead that was secured on December 9, 1913 under President Woodrow Wilson. Life afforded them many of the same problems as had been met by Lena's parents. They lived in a small two room adobe house until 1915 when they then built a four room adobe house. Both houses still stand although the later one has had rooms added on and is the home of her son, Lawrence. In 1919 a drive-through granary was built and in 1920 a big red barn. In 1916 they purchased their first motor driven vehicle - a Model T Touring car with kerosene lamps in front and rear plus magneta head lights. The rear lamps had red glass. In 1924 a Model T truck was purchased. On Decembet L4, 1929 they purchased their first power washer which was a Maytag. The Guarantee Bond states that the motor or magneta were warranted for one year but the spark plugs were not covered. Up until that time the washing was done in a tub on a washboard and later by a hand-powered washing machine. Lena and Gottlieb became the parents of ten children - Freda (Schaal), Frederick, Hulda (Bauder), Pete, Bernard, Elmer, Lawrence, Rudolf, and Vernon. Gottlieb passed away on September 10, 1946, and as of January 1988, four of her children are still living Lawrence, Rudy, and Vernon. - Pete, She has 11 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and eight great-great-grandchildren. Pete has been employed as an auctioneer for 54 years. He and his wife, Jean (Messen- ger), reside in Bethune. Rudy lives in Burlington and has been employed by the Yersin's at the Red Front Market for 34 years, besides being a piano and guitar music teacher. Lawrence remains on the familv farm and Vernon is in Nebraska. In 1986 Lena celebrated her 100th birthdav with a reception at Immanuel Lutheran Church. At that time she had been a member of the church for 85 years. In April of 198? following the death of her son, George, she moved to Grace Manor Care Center in Burlington where she celebrated her 101st birthday. by Jean Schlichenmayer Lena's sisters and brothers at her 100th birthday celebration. Seated L. to R.: Mary Weisshaar Adolf, Lena Weisshaar Schlichenmayer, Margaret Weisshaar Stahlecker, Freida Weisshaar Fisher; Anna Weisshaar Adolf, Standing: Freida and William (Bill) Weisshaar, Jake and Carrie Weisshaar, Karl Weisshaar. �SCHMIDKE, SAM AND ANNA HAUSER F6ll Sam Schmidke was born in the Black Sea area of S. Russia in 1848. He married Anna Magdalena Hauser (b. Borodina, S. Russia) whose parents were Christian Hauser and Anna Magdelina Kubler. He and his family were part of a great migration that swept through Europe in the 19th Century. Following the precedent set by Catherine the Great of Russia in the 1760's, Czar Alexander I again invited Germans to settle about the Black Sea on land recently taken from the Turks. He promised the Germans land, religious liberty and exemp- tion from military service, in return for settling this unused land. His recruiting agents were especially successful in Southwestern Germany. Many poor German peasants in Baden, Bavaria, and Wurttemberg, suffering from the ravages of French armies during the Napoleonic Wars, were ready to move. Taking a pair of beasts, a few farm tools, and what little cash they had, they traveled more than a thousand miles to the Black Sea. Having seen armies destroy all other property, they sought land. Land hunger took them to Russia and latter brought them to the Hi-Plains of Colorado, Kansas, the Dakota's and Nebraska. In Russia, the German colonists were determined to remain German, to keep their religion and the German language. They succeeded in their goal but the years in Russia had a major influence on them. Desiring land they became and largely remained farmers, living in one or two street villages and going out each day to farm their land. They suffered considerable hardship in Russia. Their early homes were not much more than huts with windows and they faced many epidemics including cholera, smallpox, measles and typhoid. The "German Russians" didn't become a part of Russian life, keeping contact with their neighbors to a minimum. The father was almost a dictator in their own households; everyone worked hard and education was neglected. By the 1870's and 1880's things were changing in Russia. The Russians were beginning a program of forced as similation beginning by introducing Russian schools taught by Russian teachers. They also began taking away many of the Germans special privilages including their exemption from military service. When faced with these problems plus the lack of land for their children to begin new farms on, the Germans in Russia began to look towards the Great Plains of the United States for new opportunities. In American the Homestead Act and large blocks of land given to railroads made land cheap and inviting. By 1893 Sam and his family had decided to leave Russia and begin the long journey to the United States. The trip began with an overland journey to Bremmen, Germany, followed by crossing the Atlantic ocean on the ship Traster departing April 11, 1893 and arriving in N.Y., N.Y. at Ellis Island on 25 April 1893. After successfully completing the inspections at the "Island of Tears", they began traveling again. This time the destination was North Dakota. Arriving there they again decided to move, this time to Colorado in 1894 where they made their permanent home. In many ways this was not an easy life for contented to stay at home, and when we did go visiting we enjoyed real visits, something which people now-a-days know nothing the new immigrants. About the only thing that didn't change from their Russian homes At first, the wagon was our only means of transportation, Iater we got a two-wheeled road cart and then a spring wagon. I lived with my parents on the homestead until 1914, when I was married to Charles F. was the climate and their religion. While they still tended to congregate in groups of coreligionist in Colorado, just as they had in Russia they could no longer maintain the tight knit exclusive groups they once had. The Homestead Act which required each family to live five years on its own 160 acres effectively destroyed their village culture. In addition, since the land was free to all, they might have an Irishman, Dane or native-born American for a neighbor and this brought change. Compulsory education taught in English and the predominately English- speaking towns forced them to learn English and again introduced new ideas to the young. Almost immediately what was unthinkable in about. Schneider, who came to Colorado in the year 1908. He took a homestead, built a soddy, and lived there with a brother until he made proof and got title to his claim. We went to Kansas and were married and lived there five years. Then we moved back to Colorado, and I kept house for my mother and brother. I am still using some of the pieces of furniture that we used in Illinois, and shipped out here in 1890. We are now living on a homestead taken by one of my brothers in later years. Russia began to happen in America: the settler's children began to marry outside the German community. Dealing with all these changes the death of six of their children in infancy and bad crop years led to the early death of Sam in 1900. Anna continued to live in her home with her younger children until her death on August 3, 1923. Sam and Anna had six children who survived past infancy. Lydia Weiss, Samual, John, Emma Dabbler, Rosina Schaal, and Margaretta Stahlicker. by Della llendricks SCHNEIDEWIND, FREDRICK FAMILY F613 by Robert and Linda Coles SCHNEIDER, MARGARET HAWTHORNE F612 I was born in Durham, England, July 23, 1875, and came to the United States with my parents when five years of age, (1880). We lived fifteen years in Illinois, then decided to come west. Father and my elder brother came out in 1889, and father took a pre-emption, built a sod house, dug a well, and prepared the home for the rest of the family, who came in June, 1890. Seibert was little more than a few shacks, a store or two, a post office, and a depot, but it was where we got our mail and supplies that we did not bring with us. School was held in a little sod school house, that was built on a claim of one of my brothers. We had regulation desks and used books that we brought with us. Our amusements were few. Once in awhile, we would have a church services, which was usually held in the waiting room of the depot. There was no regular preacher, but when a missionary minister or evangelist happened to stop for a day or two, we would enjoy church services. Sometimes, we would have dances in the depot waiting room, or at a home that was large enough to accomrnodate Earl Schneidewind Fredrick John Schneidewind, son of Adolph and Fredrica Schneidewind, was born June 1, 1895 at Feuersville, Missouri. He was baptized and later confirmed in the Lutheran faith April 4, 1909 in the Feuersville Lutheran Church. Mr. Schneidewind lived on a farm near a small crowd. After the school house was Feuersville until 1915 at which time he built, we sometimes had dances there. We moved to Basine. Kansas. Here he met and married Dora Lena Koch worked hard all week to be permitted to ride the work horses on Sunday. Of course, there was plenty of open prairie on which to ride. We did not go out much; folks seemed to be October 22, 1925 in St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Basine. They lived on a farm southeast of Basine until 1934 when thev �moved to a farm near Bethune, Colorado. Later they moved to a farm near Stratton, Colorado, where they remained until they retired and sold the farm, bought a home in Stratton and moved there in Oct. 1967. In August J.971 they sold their home in Stratton and moved into the Burlington Rest Home. Mrs. Schneidewind passed away on January 24.1973. This couple was blessed with one son, Earl Eugene. He attended school at the Nutbrook School. He rode a horse to school. He became very ill, and died in October 1944 of a ruptured appendix. Fred lived to the age of87 years and passed away September 18, 1982. The family are buried in Claremont Cemetery, Stratton, Colorado. by Florence McConnell SCHULTE, JOSEPH AND CLARA suffered pain much of the time. Joe sustained an extremely severe broken leg while riding Peggy and her daughter Shirley and son on the draw-bar of the tractor. The tractor struck a hole in the road causing Joe's leg to slip off the draw-bar and breaking it. Joe was many months getting well. The twins were 15 years old at the time and worked in their father's place. Another time Joe lost his voice when a fire broke out and he yelled and yelled for help causing him to loose his voice for Patricia and husband Dan Witzel reside on a farm east of Stratton and have 4 sons: James, Kelly, Ryan and Scott. Barbara and husband Dave Hornung reside on a farm northwest of Stratton and have 7 children: Danny Fox reside at Haysville, Kansas. Andy, Chris, Brian, Darren, Marci, Greg, and Joni. Chris passed away on June 1, 1986. Yvonne has continued to stay on the farm. several days. Joe keeps busy selling corn, alfalfa, feed and grass seed. He has sold Pop-Up Campers for pickup trucks. Clara keeps busy croche- ting and looking after the family. All the children are married except Larry and Danny. They still make their home on the farm. In the Schulte family there are an excep- tional number of twins. Brother Henry had twin girls, sister Margaret had twin boys, Joseph had twin boys and his son Jerry had twins 1 boy and 1 girl, brother Raymond had twin girls, brother John had twin girls and his son had twins 1 boy and I girl. Brothers by Yvonne Schwieger SCOTT - JANZEN FAMILIES F616 Bernard and Clarence didn't have twins and Joe's sister Sylvana is a nun. F614 by Joe Schulte Joseph Herman Schulte was born on June 11, 1919, one of eight children in Spearville, Kansas. He grew up on the family farm near Spearville. On February 2,1932 Joe enlisted in the Army and was discharged on December 10, 1945. While Joe was stationed in Holstein, Texas he met Clara Richter of Hostyn, Texas. Clara was born on January 5, t921. On June 13, 1945, Joe and Clara were married. Joe was transferred to Cheyenne, Wyoming where they lived until he was discharged. This was the first time Clara had been away from home and she got along fine by keeping busy and finding work. After being discharged, Joe and Clara went to live in Dodge City, Kansas. In April Joe and his bride moved to Kit Carson County to a farm that was known as the W.T. Schaal place. Joe's father had purchased this land prior to Joe's discharge from the service. It consisted ofthree quarters (480 acres) offarm ground 8 miles north and 3 miles west of Bethune, Colorado. Twin boys, Larry and Jerry, were born on August 28,L946. A daughter, Josephene, was born on November 28. 1949 and died in infancy. Another son, Anthony (Tony) was born on December 29, 1950 while they lived on this farm. During January of 1954 the family moved to the Cates or the Leo Dishner farm, located 8 miles north and 3 miles east of Stratton, Colorado. This ground had also been purchased by Joe's father in 1944 for around $80 an acre. Two more children were born to Clara and Joe, Daniel on November 6, 1954 and at last a little girl, Linda, born on November 1, 1956. Joe kept busy fixing up the farm by mending and erecting new buildings and the house on this place making it a nice farmstead. He farmed inigated and dry land crops and feed for his cattle. Livestock was a part of this family's labors. Clara always had chickens and had eggs to sell for years. They also milked and sold cream during those early years. Joe was forced to retire due to emphysema, aggravated by the dust from the farm. Clara has had many health problems and has SCHWIEGER, CHRIS AND YVONNE F615 RusseII and Marilyn Scott wedding 8/16/1949 Chris William Schwieger was born in a sod house 9 miles north and 1 west of Arriba. Colorado in Lincoln County to John Schwieger and Pauline (Geisick) Schwieger. Chris was an only child. His father was born in Cook County, Illinois and later the family moved to Martin County, Minn. He came to Colorado in the early 1920's. His mother Pauline (Geisick) Schwieger was born in Frunk, Russia (a German settlement) and came to the United States in the early 1900's. They settled around Fort Collins, Colorado. When Chris was 2% months old his mother died and he then made his home with an Uncle William Schwieger and Aunt Gertrude (Bolick) Schwieger. William Schwieger came to Arriba in 1904 and homesteaded 4 miles north of Arriba. There Chris grew to man- hqod attending country schools north of Arriba and last years were in Arriba. Yvonne (Quinn) Schwieger was born in Limon. Colorado. She has 3 brothers and 1 sister. Yvonne's father was J.D. Quinn who was born in College Mound, Mo. and came to Colorado in 1919. Her mother was Eva (Cox) Quinn who was born in LaTour, Mo. She moved with her parents around 1914 to Chester, Montana where she finished school and was a school teacher for two years. Then the family came to Limon, Colorado around 1920. Yvonne Iived around the Limon area till 1940 when her family moved to a farm south ofArriba. In 1943 she graduated from Arriba High School. A few years later she was married to Chris and they resided on farms north of Arriba. Chris and Yvonne became the parents of 3 daughters Peggy, Patricia and Barbara. They were all born in the Flagler Hospital in Flagler, Colorado. In 1962 we moved 2 miles northeast of Stratton. Colorado in Kit Carson County and continued wheat farming. Our girls graduated from Stratton High School. Scott farnily Christmas 1972 Steve, Doug and Tim - Marilyn, Russell, Levi T. Scott was born in Oakley, Kansas February 12, 1889 and Ruby Vail was born in Hume, Missouri October 7, 1896. They married in Hume on March 29, 1915. They Iived on a farm there for 2 years, before moving on to Hartford, Ottowa, Michigan Valley, and finally Plains, Kansas, in 1930. Two children were born. Wanda Mae in Hartford, Kansas and Russell in Michigan Valley, Kansas. They both attended schools in Plains, Kansas. Following World War II and Russell's discharge from the Navy Air Corp. late in 1945, Ruby, Tommy (as L.T. was called) and Russell decided to look for some new farm ground. They traveled around several areas, particularly in Colorado. On an overnight stay in Burlington, they made an acquaintance with Walter Hammond, a real estate agent, who showed them around. They were looking for level land and found a farm to their liking called "The Biddle Place" 13 miles southeast of town. They moved early in 1946; Tommy and Russell farming together for several years raising wheat, feed and cattle. Russell used to drive by the Janzen's, �until his death in March of 1983 at the age little Cinderella girl who was always busy with the meals and mending and commanding Edna and Waneta to help out with cleaning the house. Our mother went to live with the Lord when Ruth was only 9 years old. This left a great responsibility of taking care of her two Nebraska. They had 4 children all born on the of 94. Russell and Marilyn still reside in Burlington as do their sons, Steve and Tim. Steve married a Burlington girl, Darlene Misner. Tim also married a Burlington girl, Debbie Beechley. They live on Tommy's farm with their two sons Nicholas and Michael. Russell also farms 3 miles South of Smoky Hill School house. Another son, Doug, and family younger sisters. She learned to cook real well and did a commendable job taking care of the home for about three years. Then Dave farm, Marilyn, Vernon, Francis, and Gracie. Iives in Houma, Louisiana. married Goldie Binkly. Dave often said he also new to Burlington and neighbors 2 miles west, in his new'46 maroon Chevy on his way to town. Marilyn was in college in California at the time and home in the summers. Marilyn's parents were Nicolie P. Janzen born June 9, 1905 at Henderson, Nebraska and Amanda Flaming born January 23, 1911 at Jansen, Nebraska. They were married January 26, 1928 near Elsie and Madrid, They lived and farmed there until 1941 when they moved to Reedley, California and later to Fresno, California. Nick was also an ordained minister. In 1945, on a trip back to Nebraska, Nick and Bobby (as Amanda was called) stopped in Burlington, where they heard about Albert Kirschmer, who was building a huge elevator in town and was looking for someone to manage a large farm southeast of town. In February of 1946 the Janzen family moved, except for Marilyn who was finishing high school in California that spring. She attended college in California. She and neighbor Russell Scott dated in the summers and were married on August 16, 1949. They began farming on their own soon after, renting land southwest of town and buying their first farm, known as "The Heinz Place" 8 miles east of Burlington in 1952. Three sons were born in Burlington, Stephen, Douglas, and Timothy. Steve married Darlene Misner, a local girl. Doug married Mary Chauvin from Houma, Louisiana where they reside. Tim married Debbie Beechley, a local girl. Steve and Tim farm south and east of Burlington. Tim and Debbie have 2 sons, Nicolas and Michael. Mary and Doug have 2 children, Amy and Timmie. Ruby Scott passed away in 1951, Tommy Scott in 1983, and Nick Janzen in 1951. Bobby and the rest of the family moved back to California in 1950 where they still reside. by Russ and Marilyn Scott SCOTT, LEVI F617 Levi or "Tommy", as he was usually called, and Ruby Scott, with their son Russell came from Plains, Kansas in late 1945 in search of farm land. Russell had just been discharged from the Navy Air Corp following World War II. They bought a farm in the Smoky Hill Area known at that time as the Buettel Place. They moved to the place in the early part of 1946. Ruby became involved in a Home Demonstration Club with ladies of the community. Russell enjoyed the Smoky Hill Gun Club. They often attended functions at the school house. Ruby died in Feb. 1951 of a heart attack. Russell married a neighbor's daughter Marilyn Janzen. Marilyn's parents came from California about the same time as the Scotts came from Kansas. Russell and Marilyn were married in August 1949. They rented a farm and moved southwest of Burlington. Some years later Tommy married Hulda Koenig from Hutchinson, Ks, and they continued to live on the Scott farm. They later moved I mile east on to the Elmer Rose Farm, which they later purchased. In the mid 60's they moved into Burlington and Russell farmed for his father. Huldah passed away in 1974 and Tommy remained in Burlington by Mrs. Ted Eberhart raised 6 children and a young wife, since they had three children within the next ten years. The first was LaVilla Fern. Four years later a son was born, and named Glenn David. SEALOCK, DAVID B. F618 Dave B. Sealock came from Jennings County, Indiana, near a little town called Scipio. He had four sisters and two brothers. He came to Denver in 1908 and worked on a dairy farm for two years. Then he and his older brother, Bill, decided to file a claim on a homestead. They started out early one nice day in March or April, across country, with a team and wagon. They headed for Stratton, which included a store, a post office, and a few other places of business. The nice day didn't last long before they ran into a howling blizzard. so bad they couldn't see where they were going. They had to keep going to keep from freezing to death. Finally they came to a small town which looked like heaven to them, and they were warmly accepted by the town of Bennett. Dave and Bill waited out the blizzard and were on their way again in a couple of days, still trying to pick their way across country and deep drifts of snow. They arrived at Bill's homestead site, and started building a little house of adobe blocks. When spring came they plowed a spot of ground and planted their first crop of potatoes. The newly plowed virgin soil was rich. Next came time for turning and plowing the sod and preparing it to plant corn. It was a long and hard task, but at the end of the day Dave walked across the grass Iand for two miles north to his homestead on the Republican River, just 12 miles north and 2 west of LaVern Janane was the last to join the family. Dave and family moved to Stratton after surviving the great flood on the Republican in 1935. There we lived until 1952, when we moved to Colorado Springs. Dave was a wonderful Christian man and he went to meet his Maker, the Lord Jesus, September 30, 1977, and is greatly missed by his entire family, but we can't be sorry for his great promotion to a Heavenly Land he had looked forward to for many years. Ruth married Harold McFatridge and they had three children: Alvin, Eileen, and Jack. Edna married Roland Hernbloom, and they had one son, David. LaVilla married Wayne Clark. They had five children: Danny, Bonnie, Lonnie, Shelly, and Randy. Glenn married Sarah Kellough. They had three girls: Cindy, Sarah Beth, and Kathleen. LaVern married Dan Lawrence and they had 3 children: Ronnie, Jannett, and Dean. by Edna Hernbloom SEAMAN - HENRY FAMILY F6l9 Stratton. There he built a small shack, started farming, and looked for a suitable gal to become his wife and helpmate. The country was very sparsely populated, and he had to look far and wide for entertainment to go to. Seven years later Dave met and fell in love with a beautiful neighbor girl who lived about 6 miles away. Her name was Ethel Thomas. In the meantime, another family had built a two story house across the road from Dave's little humble abode. He purchased this and there he took his beautiful wife and set up real housekeeping. About a year later a pretty blue-eyed blonde baby girl, whom they named Ruth May, came into their lives. Then the next year they were all blessed with another blue-eyed baby girl with auburn hair and they named her Edna Martha. Last but not least, here came a redhead with big blue eyes named Waneta Elaina. One Sunday morning their mother dressed the 3 girls up as they were going to church as usual. As Waneta came out of the house we saw she was all black from her chin to her toes because she had layed flat across a black boiler bottom that had been heated over an open flame of the kitchen stove. Ruth was the Avirene and Earl Henry's house homesteaded by William Seaman. William Seaman and Emma Florence McHenry, both natives of Missouri were united in marriage on August 5, 1890. Eight children were born to them in Missouri. They were Pearl, Chester, Dave Emmett, Orval, Florence, Avirene and Bertha. In 1906 the family moved to Oklahoma. They did not stay but a few years there. It seemed the children were sick much of the time. Emmett. the fourth son died with diptheria in Oklahoma. Father heard of homestead land that could be taken in Colorado. He left immediately to see about it. He filed on land 16 % miles north and 1 mile east of Vona in the summer of 1909. It was not long until father and mother began to prepare to move. They decided to ship some of the necessary things by railroad car. Among the things they �pulled by two horses and a boy at the back to guide the plow. Rattlesnakes were also plowed up. No church was near home. We went to Sunday school at schoolhouses. The vehicle we went in was a two-seated spring wagon drawn by two horses. Our school was two miles west of home. On nice days we walked. For lunch we took bacon and jelly sandwiches. Some days we took a little fruit. If a storm came up, some of the older brothers would come after us in a wagon. In 1916, a school was built near the Seaman home. It was made of cement. The neighbors did most of the work. The first teacher was Helen Klassen. I finished the eighth grade there. Our neighbors in the early 1900's were these families: Alva Crist, Elmer Finley, Ira Crist, and Ernest Elsey. These families visited each other quite often as there weren't places to go except for a few school programs. My grandmother Permelia McHenry also homesteaded land joining my fathers. A little one room house was built there. My sisters, Florence, Bertha and I took turns staying with her at night. Water was hauled to her in a barrel. After she proved up, the little house was moved next to our home. It is still there. Grandma died October 20. L520. Now just a little about my life. I taught school 5 years. The first one was West Bethel, south of Stratton. The year was 1920. There were 16 pupils ranging from first grade to eighth grade. I married Earl Eugene Henry who originated from St. John, Kansas, on December 22, 1925. We spent most of our married life in my old house which we bought in 1939. There were 640 acres of land at $5.00 an acre. All together I lived there 60 years. Earl and I lived together for 49 years. He died suddenly of an heart attack, January 10, L974. Our children are Lois Ione Grauerholz, who lives in New York State, and Ralph Orin who died with leukemia on May 17, 1977. Roy Robert lives near Joes. Colorado. Alma Jean Hutton lives near Kirk, Colorado, and a niece, Norma Ellen Pickerill, Iives in Littleton, Colorado. I raised her from when she was Earl and Avirene Henry and children, l. to r. Ralph' Roy, Lois, baby AIma and Norma. brought were two horses, some machinery, furniture, which wasn't much, beds and ber 4, 1984, looks about like it did 60 years ago. bedding, dishes, and cooking utensils, twelve hens and one rooster and a black and white dog which we called Lee. Two boys went with the railroad car to look after the things. The rest came on the train. Sometime in the near future a well was drilled by Charley Packer. Horses were used for power. A windmill was soon put up. The drinking water was caught in a barrel. Then 1909, my seventh birthday. We stayed in a hotel a night or two. Some one told father, a widow by the name of Mrs. Winn, had a sod one room house we could use. We stayed there several months. It was 20 miles north erected, a few buildings were built, including an adobe barn and chicken house which were used several years. A large barn was built in 1925 and several other buildings, which are Walter Devores. boys found work to do. That helped some. We We arrived in Seibert on November 26, of Seibert, close by the Frank Maag's and In the spring of 1910, a two room house was built. It was made of lumber and covered with black tar paper. The lumber was hauled from Seibert. In a few years two rooms were added to it on the east. The house is 30 feet by 30 feet with a four way roof and weather boarding put all around. Father had carpenter Mr. Charley George and Bud Johnson to oversee the work. This house today Decem- the water was carried to the house in buckets. After the house was built and windmill still there. It was hard going for a time. Two of the ate jackrabbits some. But it wasn't too long until we had meat, milk and vegetables. We burned cow chips for heat. Finally we could get coal. It had to be hauled from Vona with team and wagon. For years our light was from kerosene lamps. The chimneys had to be cleaned every day. Some of the ground was plowed up to be planted. It was done with a one furrow plow, three weeks old. This old house has many memories to me. There were three deaths in it, four funerals, four weddings and seven births. Four of my children were born in it with Dr. Hewitt attending. I said good bye to it August 22, 1977. by Avirene Seaman llenry (See photo next page.) �Winter of 1889, a total of 130 dozen eggs and 138 pounds of butter were sold. One winter in the Nineties, corn was so cheap that is was used for fuel instead of coal. which was "high". The old diary also mentions some gay social gatherings in those pioneer days, among them were spelling schools, visiting at the Sigafoos home, dinner at Johnny Fleming's and later there was Bible School and "preaching" by Reverend Lead at the Wallet school. Very often there was square dancing on Saturday evenings, at which the whole !t *I ? countryside was represented. At these gay dances the music consisted of mouth harps, a fiddle and perhaps an organ. by Wm. A. Davis SHAW FAMILY The Bethel School south and east of Stratton, 1920. SELENKE FAMILY housekeeping. On his claim, he proceeded to F620 build a large one-room sod house, which boasted of a floor, a ceiling of wood and Andrew Selenke married Frances Zieglet June 18, 1929 in Park, Kansas. They resided in Grainfield, Kansas until they moved to a farm northeast of Flagler in April 1946. They retired in 1952 and moved to a 5 acre place on the north side of Stratton. Andy was born in Odessa, Russia on Oct. L4,1904, and moved to the USA when he was 4 years old. He died in Sept. 1980. Frances was born April 11, 1906 in Collyer, Kansas and died in Dec. 19?5. Both of them died at plastered, whitewashed walls, unusual features for a sod house in those days. There, with his team of mules and the plow, he broke the virgin sod and planted a crop. That fall it was harvested and sold, providing enough their home in Stratton. F622 There followed a succession of good and poor years during which the herd of cattle grew little by little. About 1897, the Shaw's wished to be farther from the Kansas line in order to take advantage ofthe free range laws; so the family of four, including Minta and Ruby, moved seven miles farther into Colo- rado, Sec. 6-8-42. Here on the windswept prairies they built a home. They worked and live in the home previously built by Mr. toiled through drouth as well as prosperous years, rearing a family of four children: Minta, Ruby, Fred, and Jessie. In 1907, Ruby and Freddie died ofscarlet fever leaving their surviving family to carry on. Some good years following and prices increased. Mr. Shaw's major operations Shaw. This house, under her capable hands, was soon converted into a real home. tion of cattle and mules. In 1917, he sold money to enable him to return to his old home in Illinois about a year later. There he married Cora Jane Lyman on February 23, 1888. Together they returned to Colorado to included diversified farming and the produc- Frances was a homemaker and loved to The first summer they were married, "Sommy", as Mr. Shaw was called, and a neighbor drove his mule team to Denver (a in the Kit Carson County area. He kept 4 or 5 day trip) to work on the state capitol gradually grown to several thousand acres, the family resided until 1918, when they moved to Burlington and built a new home Both ofthem worked hard to raise their 12 children - Edmund Selenke, Sister Regina Selenke, Pius Selenke, Serena Simon Best, mules was overworked and too heavily loaded with rock, so he quit the job and went to Erie. There he worked on a farm until the early fall of 1889. when he returned home. The follow- Selenke, Rita O'Hayre, William Selenke, Pauline Pesek, Rose Selenke, and Mary ing Spring when the Rock Island Railroad was under construction, he worked on the grade for that, as well as doing his own farming. Like a true pioneer woman, Mrs. on Senter Avenue. Mr. Shaw became the President of the Stock Growers State Bank, a stockholder in the Esch Lumber Company, and also increased his land holding in Kansas as well in Colorado. In 1930 he passed away. Mrs. Shaw followed only three years later. There's was a life full of joys, hardships, sorrows and later prosperity. The left a rich heritage of memories to friends and to their surviving daughters, Minta Coleman of BurIington, Colorado and Jessie M. Davis of Goodland, Kansas sew. Andy was a farmer/rancher. After he "retired", he liked to trade and went to sales livestock on his place in Stratton until his death. Frances Torline, Albert Selenke, Caroline Sheldon. Serena owns the home in Stratton and Pius and his wife Lillian live on the farm in Flagler. All of their other children live elsewhere except Caroline who died in 1951. Andy and Frances had 30 grandchildren and some of them live in Kit Carson County. by Patty Borego SHAW FAMILY building, then under construction. After working a few weeks he felt that his team of Shaw's role was to stay at home during these absences, and care for the few head of stock and the garden. These were lonely days for her, since she had been accustomed to a large busy family preceeding her marriage, yet she was happy and always busy. An old diary which was kept by her, gives the following interesting information: chickens, pigs, and cows were the sources of revenue when crops failed to grow. Some years they provided enough income to pay F621 taxes on the land as well as enough for On March 20, 1987, Solomon Presley Shaw filed a claim for a homestead about five miles northwest of Lamborn, Kansas, the name of this town was later changed to Kanorado. He shipped his goods from Donovan, Illinois, to sold for 6 cents per pound. In December, 1889, 18% pounds of butter were sold for L2Yz cents per pound. Four chickens were sold for 22t/z cents each, also on the day the Fort Wallace, Kansas, the nearest railroad station at that time. From there he drove his team of mules across country to his homestead, hauling his few possessions, such as a plow, tools and a few bare necessities for provisions. In 1888, 12 pounds ofbutter were last of the corn crop was shucked, and a load was hauled to Lamborn and sold for 15 cents per bushel. A year later the price of butter was increased to 15 cents, while eggs went from 10 cents to 15 cents per dozen. Corn increased to 25 cents per bushel. During the several hundred mules to the American and French Governments for use in the armies of World War I. On this farmstead, which had Written by Minta Coleman. The above story was written several years ago and was published in "Kit Carson County and its Cattlemen" Jessie (Shaw) Davis died in 1977 and Minta (Shaw) Coleman died in 1978. Surviving decendents are Jessie's sons and their families. Jack Presley Shaw married to WilmaDaise. Theylive in Goodland, Kansas, and their daughter, Cheryl Ann Schremmer lives in Hoisington, Kansas with her husband, Eugene, and their three daughters, Kristi, Danah and Jackie Sue. William Shaw Davis, his wife Evelyn Domingo Davis with their daughter, Jessica live in Goodland, Kansas. Eugene Griffith Davis and his wife Evelyn Lohr Davis live near Burlington, Colorado. Donald Griffith Davis, their son, �married Deborah Downen. They live on the old Shaw farm with their three children, Jason, Summer and Tyler. Judy Davis, drawn tight around the head, as the bats would swoop from the rafters ofthe stage on their nightly prowl. SHERMAN FAMILY F625 daughter of Gene and Evelyn married Melvin Wagoner. They live, with their daughters by Evelyn Sherman Heather and Nicole, in Colorado Springs. Gene and Evelyn's third child, Jane married David Eves they have two sons, Joshua and Jesse, and live in Denver. SHERMAN FAMILY F624 by William A. Davis Lester and Evelyn Sherman SHERMAN FAMILY F623 Lester and Evelyn Sherman Lester Bryan Sherman, born November 10, 1896 and Helen Evelyn Sutton, born May 4, 1915 at Flagler, Colorado, ventured into their May-September marriage in L942. "Sherm and Evelyn" settled in Stratton, Colorado the first year of their marriage, and for the greater number of their thirty years together until Sherm died in May of 1972 they lived in eastern Colorado. Sherm had been born in Windom, Kansas and grew up a "trader." His father, Fred, taught him well. Sherm cut his teeth trading with the Gypsies who traveled the country in the early 1900s. Sherm's dad related that a neighbor asked if it was alright to trade horses with Sherm, not wanting to "take advantage" because he was so young. And Fred would reply: "Sure, trade with that boy, and the quicker you send him home with only the halter, the better I'd like it." It was the neighbor that went home with the halter, and trading set in Sherm's blood! Throughout the early 20s, Sherm traded in cattle. He had an eye for judging weights and would travel the country each week buying cattle, trucking them to a rail yard nearby, and shipping to the open market in Kansas City, Omaha, Nebraska, or to Iowa feeders. When Sherm weighed cattle in, he would set the weights on the scale, and most always LaBoe, who had lived at the tower since Greager had built it on the highest point of the eastern Colorado plains met her match in Sherm. It was always believed she had traveled with a circus, but Sherm could outballyhoo her. Ripley's Belieue It or Not had featured that six states could be seen from the top of The Tower, and Sherm, "on the bally," would tell people that if they looked hard they could see a man waving a red flag at the Wyoming border, a blue flag at the Nebraska border, a white flag at the Kansas border, etc. None believed this tall tale, but they did love the "telling." Sherm and Evelyn secured the lunch stop of the Greyhound bus line and each day the buses (always full with many service men going home or back to camp) stopped and had to be fed within thirty minutes. Sherm developed the original He worked "Colonel Saunders" method with Edna Smithburg, the -waitress, and Audrey Kenney, the cook, to perfect a complete hot chicken and barbequed beef menu ninety people could be served a - dinner complete in less than thirty minutes sit down at 75 cents a plate! It was a circus - Sherm would "cry" the menu as the people -alighted, LaBoe would be selling tower miniatures from her stand. Sherm and ofworking along side ofthe gandy dErncers on Evelyn seating the diners, tending the register, and in between selling Mother of Pearl jewelry with MOTHER, initials, and names written in gold wire on the face. Sherm and LaBoe always vied to see who could outsell the other. Lester I. (Jerry) Sherman recalls the last cattle drive he went on with Sherm. Jerry joined the men on his pony, Sonny Boy, and they herded from northwest of Flagler crosscountry east to the north of Bethune a three day drive. The cattle were bedded -near taught Mary and Jerry (Evelyn's children - water at night and driven during the day. Lunch and supper was carried to the riders, they were accurate. Sherm's tales were born in the many experiences of his trading, traveling and working with people. From his stint in the 20s the railroads, he had a little dittie that he adopted upon their marriage): tic-a-tum-tic-a-tum-te. "Hi-tic-a-tum Hi-tic-a-tum - tic-a-tum tie-de-ay. - embellished - his love of Sherm's tales talking. His mother claimed she named him appropriately, using the Bryan thinking of the orator and statesman, William J. Bryan. His sisters claimed he should have been an evangelist, and many friends teased that you h,new his name when you heard his "first beller" (referring to a disparaging interpretation of his initials, L.B.S.) In 1943, during World War II Sherm and Evelyn leased The Tower at Genoa. Tires and gas needed to travel and trade were rationed, and this was a unique alternative for the family's livelihood. What an experience! They opened the restaurant, manned the gas pumps, and set up living quarters in the old dance hall. They strung spreads as room partitions, and lowered the stage's curtain to cut off the draft. At night, the covers were Lester and Evelyn Sherman "I remember when we moved to Burlington in the mid-40s and lived in the old Montezuma Hotel." "The night it burned, Dad and Mom woke us up and the room was full of choking misty smoke." "We were carried down the stairs, and my great concern was that we were leaving the Christmas presents under the tree." "Out in the cold street later, we watched the pheasant hunters in the bright red underwear jump from the balcony porch." Pete and Laurice Kamla opened their restaurant so we could get in from the cold,' and we spent the night in the jail house, sleeping in borrowed clothes because we had lost everything in the fire." "It took our mother a long time to get over the loss of all our belongings." We had just sold our home in Burlington and our furniture, clothes and keepsakes were stored in our rooms or the basement of the hotel." Sherm and Evelyn loved to dance to the old favorites Dust", "Josephine", "Dark - "StarBall", Town Strutters "South" they - in fact had met in the 1930s at a dance. The big bands often played the Tracadero at Elitch's Gardens in Denver, and they frequently loaded a car full of friends to go. When Sherm was buried from The Church of God in Stratton in 1972, Merna Carlin played "Stardust" as Albert Goss, Jim Hasart, Tom Price, Tom Conarty, Bill Fehrenbach, and Albert Gwyn carried his coffin from the church. When Sherm purchased his first thoroughbred horse, Lady Silver, from R.M. Eskow in Greeley in the late 40s, he was "hooked" on thoroughbreds. Evelyn was initiated into the racing circuit, she said: "from the back end". Training started at 4:30 a.m. out to the barns, feeding and watering, -grab a quick He recalled, "Dad made me foreman and the governor's overcoat wouldn't have made me a vest pocket, I felt as big a man as any on breakfast at the track kitchen while discussing the day's races, past performances, and then back to the barns. Eve says she became "a stall expert!" Sherm went on to train and race his horses for many years. Evelyn retired to manage a bed and board motel and rooms in Stratton, going on the circuit occasionally as an observer only. Carrying the trading spirit to his last days, it is said that Sherm made a trade with Billy Bob Hendricks not long before he died. If Billy Bob would throw in certain extras on the burial, Dad would buy one of the best coffins Henricks Mortuary had. That sounds that drive." so possible! but breakfast was prepared on an open fire. Jerry and Mary attended various schools in eastern Colorado. Wherever the pasture was good, the family moved to the nearest town so the stock could be tended. The Collins Hotel in Stratton was called home when Mary entered the first grade in Stratton. Mary remembers: "It was fun living in a hotel." We had the big halls and stairways to play in." "The dining room and coffee shop was very nice at the Collins back then, tables covered with white clothes, big pitchers of ice tea and water on them, and flowers in vases." by Evelyn Sherman Evelyn Sutton Sherman lives in Flagler, Colorado at the time of this writing. She usually can be found in Tombstone, Arizona with her sister, Betty Austring, during the winter months. Lester Ivan (Jerry) Sherman has lived for many years with his family wife, Lois, and children Kathie, Scott and Brett in Durango, Colorado, and Mary Evelyn Sherman Carter with her family husband, Everette L. (Joe), and daughters, Leslie and Darlene, in Fort Collins, Colorado. by Evelyn Sherman �SHIELDS, GEORGE F626 We paid no attention nor thought until too late. I might have helped ship out some prehistoric bones, but it's too late now. by Dessie Cassity I do not write of George with any contempt or meaning to ridicule. To me George Shields was an interesting character, even if he was eccentric. The Indians are said to have a proverb, "Do not criticize any one until you have worn his moccasins." And this saying is credited to the Quakers, whether true or not, the Mr. saying, "Mary everyone is a little bit queer except you and I, and sometimes I think you are a little queer." Be that as it may, we do not wish to leave George out of Stratton history. We give Mr. Guy Brown credit for some of these incidents related here, as he lived in the hotel and George lived SHOLES, CHARLES AND TESSA F627 Tessa Sholes feeding her flock of chickens in Esbon, Jewell County, Kansas, 1880. Our mother's family came from Canada, Ohio, Indiana, and then Kansas. She was born in Lebanon, Smith County, Kansas, just across the street. 1887. The two towns are about eight miles apart. They were married in Mankato, Kansas, 1907, coming to Colorado in 1909. Moving to Colorado was the result of the Homestead Act by the Federal Government which gave a person 160 acres of land. Our father was granted a patent April 5, 1913 to SW1/4, Sec.13, Twp.10, Rng.47, signed by President Woodrow Wilson. The Homestead Act granted an individual the deed of trust to 160 acres of land if the person improved the land by living on it for five years. The government provided another way for the Mr. Collins had purchased a new hot water heater and, having plenty of hot water, invited George to come over and take a good hot bath, which he did. George dressed and went out in the cold. He took a severe cold and blamed it on the bath. Said his mother Iived to be eighty-four years old and never took a bath. Mr. Brown spoke up and said, "Maybe if she had taken baths, she would have lived to be one hundred." It was reported he went to the junk yard every day, picking up such articles as he thought might be worth something or as suited his fancy. His home soon became clogged with such things, but he hated to part with anything. One man came to buy a part of a mowing machine, but George wouldn't sell. Mr. Brown tried to buy a laundry stove, but no, George didn't want to sell. Taking over seven silver dollars, Mr. Brown again tried to buy the stove. George said, "Well, I'll Iet you have it, if you'll sell it back to me sometime." One time they went over there at dinner time. George wasn't in the kitchen or dining room, but had a plate with some grub and was seated in one of his most cluttered rooms enjoying his dinner. One thing about him, he always took the part ofwhat he thought was the underdog. If he thought anyone, poor, old or neglected, was being abused, he was never afraid to voice his opinion. He often wrote articles for the newspaper. At one time, it was said, people subscribed for these articles and never read the rest of the paper. At least they were read first. I never heard of his being dishonest. His dress was just as eccentric as the rest of his way of living. Where he got such clothes and styles we never knew, but it all was a part of George. We wondered what period of time he was living in or who his style adviser was. He would wear a red vest, a frock tail coat, both in about two sizes too small. It was like Mr. Brown said, "George gave flavor to our living and no one else has ever taken his place." individual to obtain land at this time. A Wedding picture of Charles E. and Tessa Sholes. 1907. of Stratton. Charles Eugene Sholes is the eighth generation of John Sholes I, born in England, 1676, coming to America as a sea captain and locating at Groton, Connecticut. In the fourth generation they gradually started moving west through New York, South Dakota, Iowa, and then into Kansas. Our father was born lr -::*--; I I 3 t He bought junk from the farmers and old out-moded machinery, thus helping the farmer. Also, in 1936, after the drought and dust bowl era, George paid out twelve hundred and fifty dollars for bones to people of eastern Colorado buying five carloads, one at Stratton, two at Burlington, two at Cheyenne Wells, one at Flagler, also one at Eads. He reported he shipped twelve carloads or two hundred and fifty tons. So George was a help in ways. The bones we picked and sold from our farm were much earlier, probably 1920. After that we had no bones. I have often wondered if they were buffalo bones or what. person could pay the government a certain amount of money and live on the land a fewer number of years. Our parents built a home, broke the ground, raised crops, and planted trees according to the requirements. Our grandfather, DeMott Sholes, on June 16, 1910, filed a claim in Colorado, to homestead and was granted a patent to SEI/4, Sec.14, Twp.10, Rng.47. The County road divided the two places and they were located one mile west and nine miles south Sunday School at Nutbrook School Our parents came to Stratton from Kansas by Rock Island Railroad and not by covered wagon. They sold most of their belongings before coming to Colorado, except what they were able to bring on the train. After coming to Stratton, they lived in town until a home and other buildings could be constructed on the land. The house was a frame. four-room �building with tar paper on the outside. The inside walls were wooden boards and wallpapered by our mother. Carpets and rugs covered portions of the wooden floors. The sod roof was cut from the native prairie, buffalo grass, cut into squares and placed on the roof of the house. The sod would require removing because of erosion and needed to be replaced each fall. Before a well was dug on our farm, water had to be hauled by horse and wagon in wooden barrels from our grandfather's home a mile away. It took a number of years to complete construction of all the buildings on the farm. After the house, came a chicken house. then the barn which was a large building with a hay loft, stalls for the horses on one side and milking stalls for the cows on the opposite side. Next were built metal grain bins for seed for the next year's planting and feed for the animals during the winter. The smoke house was a smaller building where meat was cured by means of dense smoke from a fire of hickory or other types of wood. The milk separator and work bench were also in this building. A cellar was dug as a storage place for potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, canned vegetables and fruits for winter meals. Next a cistern was dug and lined with cement to hold rain water and used to keep food cool by putting the food into containers and hanging by ropes over the water. Longhorn cheese was one of the favorite treats that was made at home. To make this cheese, rennet was put into sweet milk to form curds and a yellow color. After the whey was poured off, it was placed in cheese cloth and hung to drain. When this was completed, the cheese was put into a gallon can with both ends cut out and two boards cut to fit inside of the gallon can with clamps on the outside that could be tightened some each day until all the moisture was gone and then it was left to cure. Building was a continuing activity. Schools needed to be built for the children to attend during the week and church on Sunday. Sunday School and church were held when a pastor was able to get there. The pastor's transportation was by horse and he would stay with one of the families in the surroun- ding area overnight. Sundays were picnic days when neighbors could go to each other's home for dinner and friendship. Ball games for the boys and men in the afternoon were enjoyed. In the winter it was more difficult to get together because of transportation and cold weather, but neighbors and families gathered for the holidays. Mrs. Herb Griffith (Adah) was our mother's sister and her family had homesteaded a few miles from our home. We remember how Mother and Aunt Adah would send messages to each other by tying tea towels high on the windmills. The wind could be depended on to blow so they could see how many were tied to the windmill. A dark- colored towel indicated help needed. Other messages were "going to town" and "baby born." Telephones had not come to the country yet. Another experience firmly embedded in the minds of my sisters, Wava and Sarah, is while they were attending Nutbrook School. Our land was2-l/4 miles from the school and they had to walk to school when it was nice. Father had walked with them a few times to make sure they knew the way he expected always go. However, one day they :::- " decided the way was too far, so they started to cut across a field of cane and after they were into the deep part of the field they lost their sense of direction. After wandering around in the cane not knowing which way to go they finally came out of the field at the same place they started. Frightened, tired, and dusty they went the way our father told them to go and arrived at school at recess. Enough for shortcuts! To supplement the income our father years, but we have reconstructed these years to the best of our knowledge and according to the dates that we do have and the records we have been able to acquire. by Stella Sholes Arends SHORT - BUELL FAMILY worked for the railroad at the coal chutes. The engineer would stop the train so the engine was next to the water tank and coal F628 chutes so the men could refill the engine with water and the bin with coal - their source of energy in those days. No Amtrak at that time! Because of this railroad work our family lived in Limon, Colorado, for a few years before moving back to Stratton to continue working at the coal chutes. Moving into Stratton permanently in 1922, our first home and lots were on Kansas Avenue, later bought by the county for the location of the County Garage to store road equipment. The house was moved to its present location on Wyoming Avenue on the west edge of Stratton. While still living on the farm Father was foreman of the Poll Tax or Head Tax. This was a tax imposed by the County or State on each person. The assessment was $2.50 per person. At this time the men could pay the tax by working a certain amount of time on the roads in exchange for payment, usually done over weekends. This is how the roads were maintained in good condition and new roads built as they were needed. Father spent many years working for the County Commis- sioners. Some of the Commissioners he worked for were Ira Dunn, I.D. Messenger, and Ray Bowers. He operated tractor-pulled maintainers (like large graders) to build new roads, to repair and keep in good condition, and remove snow until his death. We have been told the James May family now lives on the home place and have a beautiful brick home. Electricity, telephone, and paved roads are enjoyed. Charles E. died 15 January 1935, and Tessa L. died 17 September 1956. A son, Charles D., died, 22 April 1973. He was a paratrooper in World War II and served in Japan. When he returned to Stratton, he was a contractor and builder. He built the Stratton Post Office, Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlington and many homes in the area. A daughter, Athalia I. died 15 May 1987. She married Ade Brachtenbach, they farmed north of Stratton, raised three daughters, and retired in Stratton. All are buried in Stratton cemet- Mr. and Mrs. Jim Short on the homestead. Texarado School was built on the northeast corner of their farm. eries. The living children are: Wava who married Roy Clifton and they moved to Oregon about 1940, where they worked and raised their family. Wava resides at Hebo, Oregon. Sarah married Cecil Campbell. They lived in the Stratton area, raised their family and farmed. Sarah worked in the school lunch program and in the manufacture of Stratton Mobile Homes. She now lives in Julesburg, Colorado. Stella married John Arends. They moved to the Denver area to raise their family and John was a farmer and livestock dealer. Stella lives in Brighton, Colorado. Our parents did not leave us a written history or dates of their pioneering West Marion C. Short, taken in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1942. My parents, Martha Ann Buell of Harlin, Kentucky, and James Samuel Short of Cumberlin Gap, Virignia were married at Ewing, Virginia, in 1887. My sisters were Laura, Minnie and Pearl. Brothers were Oscar, Marion, Millard and Samuel. Sister Laura married Jim Fields and remained in Detroit, Kansas. The rest of the family moved to Colby, Kansas. I (Lena) was born there in 1909. Dad, Oscar and Marion came on to Colorado and each "proved up" on a homestead. They had to go to Kit Carson County �mother went to help out. She delivered many babies. Brother Sam bought us three girls a saddle horse. We all loved to ride. Each year we acquired more livestock. We began milking more cows and selling cream. Our brand was diamond reversed S. The men farmed their land, but kept pasture land too. The land was covered with buffalo grass, which was very good pasture. Mother made soap. The pork was cured with salt. The sausage was fried, put in three gallon stone jars and covered with hot lard. We put cucumbers down in salt brine. When we wanted to eat them, just soaked the salt out. Green beans we strung on needle and thread, and hung them up to dry. We had a potato patch, garden, dairy products and meat, so bought few groceries. We bought flour and sugar in 100 pound sacks. They were of printed material and plain. Mother made us girls dresses and sunbonnets from them. We picked up cow chips for fuel. Dad cleaned out sheepsheds and brought the large chunks home, this kept a longer fire than the cow chips. worked for the D&RG Railroad until he retired. My parents moved to F lagler in L924 so I could attend Hi-school. In 1927 Mother and I joined the Baptist church. Most of the family joined, later my husband Parker became a member, also our five sons. I married Parker Weatherly in 1929. He sold his fried pie shop in Arkansas City, Kansas. We moved to Ft. Collins for a year then back near Flagler. We farmed there until 1948, moved into Flagler, managed the M&S Cafe, then bought the Flagler Dray. We have 5 sons. Duane, Floyd and Lloyd (twins), James and Douglas. I am proud ofmy pioneer background. Dad taught us the value of being truthful, keeping promises and doing for others. Mother taught us about the love of God and the need of prayer. We led a happy life. Worked hard but always had time to visit a neighbor or go for a horseback ride. Now (1985) Sam and I are the only ones Iiving on the Shorts'that once Iived on the old homestead. by Lena (Short) Weatherly We had many neighbors, mostly from Texas. They moved on, except the Burris Lena, Marion and Pearle Short in the city park at Ft. Collins, Colorado, Sept. 2, 1929. office and file on which land they wanted, and Iive on it for a certain period of time. Then go back and they were given the title to the homestead. Dad's land was fourteen miles south of Flagler, Oscat's a mile east and Vz south of there. Marion's land was 18 miles south of Flagler and one east. They came back to Colby and in January 1910 they, accompanied by Millard and Sam, drove two covered wagons, loaded with household goods, a plow and other machinery, some pigs, chickens and a dog. They led the milk cow behind one wagon. When they got to the homestead there were no buildings or fences. Mack Newsom lived about a mile north. There were empty sheepsheds and an old house he no longer used. Dad and the boys lived there until they got some buildings done. There was a dry sand creek near by, only had to dig about four feet to water. First thing they dug a well. Then dad plowed sod and they built a sod house. They put several small windows together on the south side with a wide ledge underneath, where later mother kept her flowers. They dug a small cellar. This house was cool in summer and only needed a cookstove for heat in winter. Mother, Minnie, Pearle and I came out on the train in May. I was seven months old. Marion and Oscar each built a house on their land. A while later Marion built on to his house and started a country store. He named it "Loco" after the loco weed that was so prevalent there. About 1915, Marion became postmaster of the Loco post office, he took it over from Charles Davis and moved it into one corner of his store. He married Susan Laws. They had one son, Howard. Dad bought a well drilling rig. Sam missed a lot of school in winter to drive the horses on the rig. The saddest time for my family was when brother Millard got rattlesnake bit and died. This was in July 1910; he was fourteen. We had a lovely corn crop that fall, but the hail ruined that. Then Dad, Oscar and Marion went to Kansas to work to get money to continue farming. When a neighbor was ill family. They had two sons, Dick and Bill. They lived about a mile north and % west of us. There was a spring on their land. John Stranger's lived over the hill west of us. They had four younger children same age as my brother, two sisters and myself. Bill, Minnie, SHORT, BEN AND BESS F629 Carl and Clara. Laurents' had children our age also. Julia, Lewis, Elizabeth and Evalena' Birchfields had two girls, Leola and Lorena. Other neighbors were Newbys, Alexanders, Mack Newsoms, Vinzs and later Bill Vassios, Jim Kountz and Pete Vassios. Dad donated the north east corner of his land for the Texerado school to be built on. This was the center of activities for the community. There were programs, dances, box suppers, "Literaries" and sometimes church. Oscar. Marion and Sam were all in the Army in World War I. Sam also served in the Marines. About our families: Laura became postmistress at Detroit, Kansas: This position she held until she retired. They had five children. Oscar married Frances Beauchamp. They have two living children. They moved into Flagler. Later they moved to Washington, D.C. Oscar was a government guard there until he retired. Then they moved back to their home in Flagler. After Marion returned from the Army he, Sue and Howard moved to Ft. Collins. He went to college there one year, was on the Police force six years. Then moved to Albuquerque New Mexico where he was a Prohibition Officer and later an investigator. He worked there until he retired. Sam married Lucille Mahoney (her parents managed the Flagler Hotel). They lived in Ft. Collins 15 years. In winter he worked in the sugar factory and farmed in summer. They moved to Utah in 1944. Sam worked at the Navy Base during World War II. Then he started farming. He raised tomatoes for the canning factory and ran a dairy. They have 5 children. Sams' moved back to Flagler in 1962. Minnie married Enos Reynolds in Ft. Collins. They moved to a farm near Holly. They had two children. They were divorced. Minnie and children moved to Abilene, Kansas. Later she married Harry Davis. They had one son, Harry was an interior painter. Pearl married Carl Foust. He had two sons, age four and two. They have one daughter. They lived in Denver. Carl Bessie Coonrod and Bennie Short on their wedding day, January 5, 1911. My husband, Ben H. Short, and I both lived at Mahaska, Kansas when we were young. We were married January 5, 1911. He had come to Colorado the fall before where he and his brother, Joe, had filed on homesteads, Joe taking the east half of the section and Ben the west half. They and Joe's wife, Ruth, and small son, Kermit, rented a small house a few miles north of their homesteads where the four of them lived while Ben and Joe built a sod house on Joe's land, where he and his family took up their abode. Then Ben went back to Mahaska for the winter. Quoting from my diary: "Following a two months honeymoon spent in the old homes at Mahaska, Ks., we arrived at Seibert, Colo., �was predicted, I nearly froze my fingers picking strawberries so as not to have them {a& th freeze. Now I buy frozen strawberries! All the rest of the Short family later moved to Colorado. Ben's parents were Thomas J. and Clara Short. Their oldest son was Earl M. His wife was Inez and their sons were Robert '& *'. :ll:r,e and Leigh. Earl worked at the elevator in Seibert for many years, and later became Kit Carson County Judge. The other members of the family were Harry, Schuyler, Maude, Verna and Alice. Harry and his wife, Bessie, had one daughter, Marguerite. Schuyler married Zola Wrenn Cruickshank. Maude's husband, Ross Lowe, worked at the elevator in Seibert when they lived here, from 191b17. Verna's husband was Earl Livingston. Alice married Odbert Martin in the spring and died 5 months later, at the age of 22. Some of our neighbors in those early days were Rob and Mollie Barss, Harley and Suda Kimball, Glen and Ruby Bright, Conleys, i. .:i,,.,,:lt:"q*;],r --*'# - .dlci Our family on our farm. On the horse, Shirley, Harley, Peg, Alice, Paul and Art. Bessie holding Larry and Bennie holding Bunnie. Monday, March 13, 1911, at 8:30 a.m. Took a livery rig for our new home, arrived at 5:00. for the first time entered a sod house. We slept in board shack, 8 x 10 ft., on our claim-our future home." Our homestead was 12 miles south and 4 miles west of Seibert. We slept in the shack on our claim, and ate our meals with Joe and Ruth until the men could build a small one room house on our place. Ruth and I had a garden between us where we raised and canned all kinds of -:.,, t,f ..,... :: The homestead of Tom and Clara Short in 1913. vegetables. We so seldom got to town to buy groceries, and didn't even know about frozen vegetables. One autumn day when a storm Bakers, Hendricks, Stones, Westovers, Helveys, Dowse's, Conartys, Tilburys, Karkers and Lowrie's. A little later we had Frank and Hazel Van Waning, Floyd "Chub" and Ruby Evans, Percy and Goldie Norton, and Ellis and Ethel McConnell, and many more as the years went by. Quotes from the pages of my diary: 1911. March 29 - Bennie went to Seibert for lumber for our new house. April 16 - Began housekeeping on Easter Sunday, April 16, 1911. April 22 - Auto passed our prairie home. Aug. 18 - I went to town to meet Grandma and Aunt Nell. Drove 16 miles alone. (In bugg:y.) Sept. 11 - Dowse's barn burned. Oct. 38 - We left Seibert at 4:40 p.m. to go back to Kans. 1912: January 10 - Our sweet little baby girl was born. We named her Shirley Ruth. April 8 - Arrived at Seibert at 9 o'clock. Rob there to meet us. July 14 - Bennie & I went to the first meeting of the new Sunday School in the Manafee house, 4 miles away. 24 present. Dec. 25 - Our first Christmas away from our parents & brothers & sisters, our first one in our own home. Had such a merry time. Rob, Earl & Inez & T.R., Harry, Joe, Ruth, Kermit & Virgil and Kimball's here. Had good dinner. Bennie and I spent our evening writing letters home, also eating ice cream and cake and reading our Christmas letters and cards. 1913: Feb. 15 - Bennie and Kermit slept with Grandpa in his soddie on a bed of straw. March 14 - A terrible blizzard. a terrific wind and driving snow, but thermometer didn't go very low. Part of the roof of Joe's house blew off leaving large cracks for dirt and snow to blow in. They had to come to our house and stayed all day and night and all next day. Everything in their house got into terrible shape. We had to make bed on floor. It was simply terrible. I stepped out and it almost blew me away. Tore off our windmill wheel. Blew over all the feed stacks and scattered feed far and wide. March 22 - Bennie got home at noon. Had exciting news about a murder in Flagler. Hotel landlord shot by cook's husband. Jealousy the motive. May L2 - We went to Hendricks and saw big gas tractor plowing, turns 8 14-inch furrows. May 21 - Had big accident-our cupboard The short Family, taken on Tom and clara's Golden wedding Day, March 13, 1928. Earl, Ben, Tom, Maude, Verna, Joe, Schuyler and Harry. Seated, Clara. (dry goods box nailed to wall) fell to the floor, breaking some of my choice pieces, wedding gifts. May 26 - Cattle branding day. Our brand H 4. June 24 - Bennie and I went tc town with Father in car. Certainly enjoyed the trip. First time I had been to Seibert for 14 months. July 17 - A little boy met with sad �accident, getting arm shot off. They brot him to Father Short to take to town in auto, made SIMON FAMILY nant.) A day when everything went wrong for every one ofus. Bennie took the car and took Joe to hunt a hired girl. He didn't get any. The car broke down and Joe walked home, arrived at 5 p.m. Beenie had to get a team to haul the car to Flagler and leave it for repairs. Didn't get home until noon next day. Earl's came up and brought their Uncle Jim Harris for Bennie to take to Seibert to the train, then had to take him back home again. Rob borrowed our buggy and we had no way to go My father, Eligius (Al) Joseph Simon was born in Ast, Kansas near Andale, August 27, 1897. About 1917 his father moved the entire trip in 30 minutes. Sept. 7 - (At this time, both Ruth and I were eight months preg- after Mother until Mollie came along at nearly dark (with the buggy). I rode home with her, taking Kermit and Shirley, and then went for mother. Was rather frightened riding around on the prairie after dark, afraid I would lose the trail. We all felt so blue and worried. The damage to the car is expensive. Sept. 28 - Baby boy was born at 6:30 a.m. Named our boy Harley Harrison. Oct. 2 Bennie went after cows in the evening and I got Shirley to sleep, then lay her in the dark counting my blessings. My future looks bright and I think I shall now be perfectly happy. 1913: Oct, 21 - Mr. Short and Bennie to Burlington with Rob to get his naturalization papers. Now. 27 - Thanksgiving Day. We and Joe's all took dinner at Earls'. We have so much to be thankful for, our home, our health and our babies, and our friends and our prosperity. Dec. 31 - This is the last day of the year. Such a full year it has been. When we look back and reflect, we have been blessed with health and content and love, lifes greatest blessings. Our prayer is that the coming year may be no less kind to us, and may we be deserving of the kindness our heavenly Father bestows upon us. We raised our family on our homestead, living through horse and buggy days, Dust Bowl days, and the Big Depression of the early thirties. We had four boys and four girls. We always took them to Sunday School and Church. They went to Second Central to School. Part ofthem went to college. They all married real nice mates and raised nice F630 family to Stratton by train and car. They bought land Vz mile north and' lVz mile east of Stratton. My father and grandfather helped a construction company build a house, barn, and planted trees. His family left Kansas because of tornadoes. My mother, Rose M. Gilligan was born in San Francisco May 17, 1900. Her mother, Catherine Meagher, a widow, was interested in real estate and bought land Vz mile north of Stratton about 1918. They also came by train. Grandmother Meagher moved because of the earthquakes. My parents were married in Cleveland, Ohio on August 18, 1920. Grandfather Simon moved to Idaho but my parents returned to Stratton. They had six children - Catherine, Joe, Margaret Anne, Con, Don, and Jerry. Jerry the youngest was born in 1929. My folks went to Chicago with Jerry. The rest of us were cared for by Grandmother Meagher. Dad and Mom worked in Chicago to pay bills, buy cattle, etc. Jerry stayed in Chicago with Aunt Ann, Mom's sister, for 3 months and then came back to Stratton to be with us. The folks went through the droughts, grasshoppers, and dust storms. My Mom and Dad continued to work. The folks built a filling station in Stratton which Mom operated a good part of the time. My dad worked at anything for a wage - W.P.A., railroad section, town marshall, and at the light plant. Grandmother Meager died in 1926. We lost the farm around 1940. Grandmother Simon helped the family keep 2 quarters of land. My medicine shows, card parties, and dances. As a family we always loved picnics. All the neighbors would congregate in the early years and play baseball west of the house. We always had papers, magazines, and books to read. My parents enjoyed traveling mostly the Southern and Western states. Dad died of a heart attack in 1965 and Mom died of cancer in 1983. Catherine was Chief Pharmacist at the V.A. Hospital in Philadelphia when she died in 1973 of cancer. Don had died in 1942 as a result of an automobile accident. I, Margaret Anne, retired after 33 years of working as a nurse. I am living in Lakewood, Colo. Joe, Con, and Jerry helped my Dad on the farm, always. They were able to buy land of their own eventually. Joe lived on the home- place and farmed until he died of leukemia in 1979. He also worked parttime at the postoffice. Con always worked on the farm. He married Serena Selenke in 1956 and moved to Cheyenne County 6 miles north of Firstview. They had nine children - Ellen, Patty, David, Louise, Barbara, Janice, Ted, Ann, and Karen. Some of them continue to live in Cheyenne and Kit Carson County. Con died ofa heart attack in 1977. Serena is remarried to Bob Best and lives in Stratton. Jerry married Joan Craig and lives in Lakewood, Colo. He taught exceptional children for 30 years and is retired. They have five children - Tim, Theresa, Kimberly, Kevin, and Brigid. At present, my nephew, Ted Simon lives on the Meagher-Simon fatm Vz mile north of Stratton. The picture is the farm in the early 1920's. parents were eventually able to buy the remainder of land from their families. We always had plenty of good food. Mom canned a lot of fruits, vegetables, and beef. My Dad loved to hunt and trap and so did my brothers. We were active in Stratton functions - Stratton Day, school functions, families. Shirley married John F. Matthews. Harley married Eleanor McGriff. Viola (Peggy) married Earl Pursley, and Alice married Burr Keller. Paul's wife is Katherine Jackson, and Lloyd (Art) mamied Jane Allen. Bernice (Bunnie) married J.C. Elliot and Larry's wife is Juanita Towner. one son, Art, passed away of heart attack, same as his father did. We moved to Seibert in 1948 to the Boyd Roller house where I still live. My husband and I were the oldest members of the Seibert CO-OP, going in when it first staded in 1931. He was also on the Second Central school board for many years, member of Farm Bureau, IOOF, Town Council and the Cemetery Board. He supervised the planting of evergreen trees surrounding the cemetery. He was the Mayor of Seibert and at the time of his death on July 8, 1957. If I live until my birthday, September 10, 1986, I will be 100 years old. by Bessie Short Simon Home in 1920's, % mile north and' lVz east of Stratton. by Margaret Anne Simon �SIMON, CON AND SERENA F631 My Dad, Con, was born in the original Simon Homestead. 3 miles northeast of Stratton an June 2,1926. He attended school through the 8th grade at St. Charles, and then attended high school in Stratton. He helped his parents with the farming, until he went to work on the oil rigs to make money to pay off his farm. In the early 50's, he and his brothers, Joe and Jerry, purchased the land and home which is still ours in Cheyenne County. Together they farmed and ranched in Kit Carson and Cheyenne County. My Mom, Serena Selenke, moved with her family to Flagler, Colorado from Grainfield, Kansas in 1946. After graduating from high school in Flagler, she attended nurses training at Mercy Hospital in Denver. She then worked at Kit Carson County Hospital in Burlington. During a dirt storm on January 14, 1956, my parents, Con and Serena, were married at St. Charles Church in Stratton. Dad brought Mom to Cheyenne County in May of that same year and lived the rest of his life in Cheyenne County. Our home was 6 miles north of Firstview, Colorado. They had nine children: Ellen in'56, Patty in'57, David in '59, Louise in '60, Barbara in '61, Janice in '63, Ted in '65, Ann in '67, and Karen (myself) in'68. Through the years, my Dad and his brother Joe were able to purchase more land in Kit Carson and Cheyenne County. My Mom continued to work part-time as a registered nurse at St. Joseph Hospital of the Plains in Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. On September 13, L977 my dad died while working on the farm. My two brothers, David and Ted, were able to continue farming with the help of their sisters and mother. In August of 1979, we moved to Stratton where my Grandparents, Rose and Al Simon used to live, about 1/z mile north of Stratton. My Mom then went to work at the Kit Carson County Hospital in Burlington until 1983. On May 28,of the same year, she was remanied to Robert Best of Stratton. She and Bob reside in Stratton. Currently, Ellen lives in Denver and works for an oil company. Patty and her daughter Andrea live in Stratton. Patty works at the Kit Carson County Hospital as a registered nurse. David lives north of Firstview where my entire family grew up with his wife Coleen Witt of Cleveland. Ohio. He farms the land in Cheyenne and Kit Carson County. Louise is married to Dan Mills of Stratton and lives on a Dairy farm south of Vona. They have two sons, Andy and Brad. Barbara is living in Stratton and does various jobs including farm work. Janice lives in Greeley, Colorado and is married to Paul Pautler originally from Stratton. Ted lives in Stratton in my Dad's parent's home, about Vz mile north of Stratton. He farms with David. Ann in attending college and in majoring in Agriculture Business. Karen (myself) is attending Stratton High School and helps on the farm when needed. by Karen L. Simon SIMPSON FAMILY F632 I hear from V.S. Fitzpatrick that a history of Kit Carson County is being compiled, and Fitz (as I have called him most of my life) suggested I write to you. I was born in Kit Carson County north of Seibert on a farm in 1918. My sister Marian was born there in 1916; our brother V.L. in 1923; and little sister Lela Mae in 1929. Our parents were V.L. (Verson) and Louise Simpson. My dad went to that country to homestead a place for his mother. Marian and I graduated from Seibert High School in 1935. by Jane A. Gearhart SLISE FAMILY F633 Sod busters were intruders in the West 60 or 70 years ago but even the ranchers copied them after awhile. Some 75 years ago the Wild West had been tamed. Cattle and sheep outfits had their snug ranch buildings on rivers and creeks but usually ranged their cattle on the vast public domain. Few people foresaw any change in this way of life. Then, throughout the first two decades of this country, came a new wave of immigration. The open land erupted with sod shacks and houses, barbed wire fences crisscrossed the vast plains, old roads and trails were blocked off, and channeled onto section lines. The dry land farmer had anived. Whether these were for the better or worse depended upon the point of view. If you were an old timer, you agreed with the Indian, who grunted to the plowman, "Ugh, grass wrong side up." The first step in the new life was to find a suitable place of unclaimed land, or to buy a relinquishment from a former claimant. The claim had to be filed and a fee paid at the land office. Government requirements were fairly simple. First, one had to build a fairly habitable house. Then he had to live on the land for a period of three to five years. The land had to be improved to the sum of 91.25 an acre. But on farming homesteads 20 acres had to be plowed and planted. The old timers termed the new comers "Wrinkle Bellies" as they predicted the homesteaders would soon starve out. But their world was changing. Now prophet could predict that between 1910 and 1920, new methods of dry land farming and an increase in rainfall would usher in the "age of wheat." I, Margaret Slise, am the granddaughter of a pioneer Kansas family. My Berry grandparents immigrated from southeastern Iowa in 1866 by oxen team and covered wagon, and located in Doniphan County, Kansas. My father, John Harvey Berry, was born at Hiawatha, Kansas, in 1871, and farmed in Nemaha County when a young man. He married Marie Rose Probst on March 2, 1906, oflndianapolis, Indiana, in that city. She had immigrated to this country from Germany with her parents at the age of three in 1881 along with two brothers and two sisters. I was born on the farm of my Berry grandparents near Goff, Kansas, April 18, 1907. In August of that year, my father filed on 160 acres ofland to homestead in Eastern Colorado, in northwestern Kit Carson County, 20 miles northwest of Flagler, on the southwest quarter of section seven, township six, range 51, just south of the Washington County line and just east of the Lincoln County line. Our adjoining 160 acres was the northwest quarter of section 18, in township six of range 51, which my father filed on in about 1911, by contesting first before he could file a claim to homestead. There was an old dugout on this 160 acres. In March of 1908 my father loaded an immigrant car out of Goff, Kansas, with farm machinery, wagon, buggy, harness, household goods, one runty pig and a few chickens, and shipped the freight car to Flagler, Colorado. Dad had a big team of draft mares ready to bring out to Colorado too, when advised the horses would not do well in this high altitude. Thus, he sold the team for 9300 and bought another team, a smooth mouth grey mare and a five year old bay mare, at a farm sale at Colby, Kansas. We could drive these horses to our buggy. The grey mare died in the winter of 1912 so we did not have her too long. by Margaret Clistie Berry Slise SLISE FAMILY F634 Upon arrival in Colorado, Dad moved our belongings to a close neighbor's, Henry Guhr, a bachelor, and stayed with him while putting up the house and barn. He borrowed a sod cutter from another neighbor and put up a sod house of two rooms, 14x32 feet. A well was dug by Sam Proaps, to a depth of 144 feet to good water. Dad also put up a sod barn of 16x32 feet and later a granary, also of sod. During this time, Mom and I had gone back to Indianapolis to spend the time with her parents until the house was finished and ready to move into. We arrived in Flagler on the morning passenger train on May 1, 1908. Thus, I have been a resident of Eastern Colorado for nearly 68 years.r I can remember a lot of incidents and have forgotten a good deal too. My two sisters and a brother were born in the homestead soddy. Later in 1916 an addition was added to the house making a nice three room house which was quite comfortable even through severe winters. Other later farm buildings included a small chicken house 8x12 feet, and an outhouse. The sod blocks were cut in a low grassy place on the land and hauled by a team and wagon to the building site. By then Dad made a sod cutter, a sort of sled pulled by a teaof horses. Dad, being a blacksmith, fashioned the cutter. The sod was cut l4-inches wide and four-inches thick in long strips, and then a sharp spade was used to cut it into l8-inch lengths, which were then turned out and upside down to cure. The blocks were laid up brick style with a twelve-inch board through the walls for support, and window and door openings allowed for. A plate was put on top of the walls for the roof rafters. twelve-inch �boards nailed on, covered with tar paper and sod put on the roofgrass side up. The inside walls could be plastered to keep out mice and sparrows, or even snakes which were numerous around the place. The floors were of twelve-inch boards. About 1914 Dad dug a cellar under the kitchen and bailed the dirt out with a box sled with one horse hitched on a chain. It was my job to lead and attend to the horse. In 1914 a school district was formed and a sod building built 1% miles west of us. I started to school in 1915 as a second grader and completed the eighth grade at this Twin Lakes School. The school got its name as two big lagoons full of water from snow melt in the spring were close by on each side of the road. This school was located just over the line inside Lincoln County. Dad bought a black mare, a three year old, named Nell, from August Kalisch in about 1911. She was a mean one of Mustang ancestry, a good work horse, but a kicker. One time Dad drove a team and wagon to Bird City, Kansas, to work in the grain harvest, driving Nell and Sadie. On the way coming home. Nell took a notion to kick. So she splintered both end gates out of the wagon box. One summer she was bitten by a rattlesnake and was as docile as a kitten to doctor. Being a blacksmith, Dad shod a lot of horses in homestead days and also sharpened plow shares. He hauled flour to the Thurman store one winter from Flagler and kept his own horses shod. Mom generally drove the buggy and horse, either Maud or Sadie, to Thurman, seven miles northwest, about every week for groceries and the mail, to get a letter from home folks back East. The postoffice was a soddy too, which stood just north of the Thurman store. A Mrs. Campbell was the postmaster at the time. Once the old gray mare, Maud, stumbled and fell down, so I sailed right over the dash board of the buggy behind her. This old mare was so slow and gentle that nothing frightened her. by Margaret Clistie Berry Slise SLISE FAMILY F635 A few people were driving automobiles by this time and expected to have the right-ofway on the roads. One car drove up behind our buggy and hooted and tooted for the buggy to move out of the wagon track, but Mom kept right on and finally the car had to pull out around. Boy, was that fellow mad! Another time I was at school and Mom came driving by. I was up on top of the outhouse removing a board to get inside as the door got accidentally braced shut. I thought for sure I would be punished when I got home from school, but Mom either did not see me or recognize me. I used to have a dog sled team and had a lot of fun driving Niger and Rover. We had a lot of snow in those days and one time when I was probably nine or ten years old, the dogs took aftcr a rabbit going straight for a barbed wire fence. I laid back so I cleared the fence safely; however, Dad was watching and was scared I would get my head cut off. a farm northeast of Genoa, in the Union I also drove those dogs to a coaster wagon and it was fun to go for the mail a quarter or a mile away every day. We had a rural route delivery in 1916 out of Flagler with Ray Thompson being the first carrier; however, he left for France not long after to fight in World neighborhood, thus ending our homesteading days. This is December of 1975 and I now live by myself on 160 acres two miles northwest of War I. farming and caring for a few head of live- We used to have some severe blizzards often lasting from one to three days. About March 20,t9t2, my father nearly perished in a bad one that caught him on the way home so he unhitched the horses and led them, supposedly going in a northwesterly direction. He thought it was odd the wind kept changing directions. As he was getting tired and weary, he laid down and began to feel warm and knew he was freezing to death. He thought of Mom and we three small girls - the youngest was six weeks old, so he struggled on again. A lull in the storm revealed the house light was just up on the hill so he made it home. Too weary to remember until later that he had just tied the horses to the windmill tower, he went back out to put them in the barn. The next day he went to get the load ofhay and found where he had travelled in a circle when he became lost in the swirling snow. In about 1910 Dad bought a Jersey cow, 18 years old, for $50. She gave a lot ofgood rich milk. I took a notion to milk her one day but all the milk went on the ground. Dad sold the cow later for $51. We had milked her for two years and got two calves, besides all the nice milk, cream and butter. We had a lot of dry, Iean years and not much crop raised some times; only feed for the horses. We generally raised a garden, potatoes, corn, beans and plenty of pumpkins. By careful management, we got through the winters with some coal and several tons of cow chips to burn for fuel. We had a few hogs and a cow once in a while. We had a lot of good neighbors, and men exchanged work in harvest and threshing. When we had grain to sell, Dad borrowed a wagon and I drove one team and he the other, to Flagler several times, a 40-mile round trip for a 12-year old girl. We brought back coal, groceries and other supplies from trips to town. I once rode a wiry, young mare about 25 miles to gather a threshing crew as the Genoa in Lincoln County and I am still stock.2 I was married in February of 1940 at Goodland, Kansas, to John Elmer Slise of Genoa, a man of homestead pioneers, who came to Colorado from Minnesota and Iowa. We established our home northeast of Genoa in the Arickaree community where we farmed and ranched and started our family. We became the parents of two daughters, one of whom is Mrs. Philip (Lois) Scott, who with her husband, reside south of Lindon, Colorado.3 The younger daughter, Velma, and husband, Rodney Eccleston, with their son and daughter, reside now in Leon, Iowa. My husband and parents are now deceased, with Dad being 94 at the time of his death in March of 1966. and Mom was 85 when she passed away in August of 1963. Both Mom and Dad are buried in Loveland, Colorado, where my sister, Pauline (Polly), who is Mrs. K.S. Gurwell, lives. My youngest sister, Norma, Mrs. Verlie Holmes, lives in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and brother Wesley, is in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he pursues his vocation of mechanics.a lThis was written in December of 1975. zShe gave up farming the land in 1986; however. she continues to live on the farm (1987) and continues to care for livestock. sAfter this was written, the Scotts became the parents of two daughters, one of whom was stillborn. aWesley died in January 1986 in Augusta, Maine, where he had gone a few weeks earlier to be with his only child. He is buried at Winthrop, Maine. by Margaret Clistie Berry Slise sLoAN, E. H. F637 threshers would be at our place the next day. It took about 14 men to do bundle threshing. I recall that in about 1919 during spring rains that our sod roof leaked and to keep the beds dry, the binder canvasses were stretched over the beds, possibly the result of the roof leaking when we kids played on the house top in the summer. by Margaret Clistie Berry Slise SLISE FAMILY F636 Those were the good old days and I have a lot of happy memories of those days along with the memories of such things as the Ethel Sloan pictured at right, at the dedication of the new Burlington Library in 1959. Everett Hurst Sloan was the oldest son of Matthew H. Sloan and Ethel Grier Sloan. He prairie fires, including the horrendous one was born on November 18, 1907 near Andov- near Thurman in about 1915 or 1916. and the er, Kansas. He had one brother. Harold Sloan, and two sisters, Dorothy Wolf and devastating tornado which took the lives of friends, also near Thurman in August of 1924. My parents, sisters and brother and I moved from the homestead to 13 miles northeast of Limon in Lincoln County in March of 1925, and then three years later, to Edna Hudson both of Wichita. Kansas. Everett learned at an early age what work and responsibility was all about. He grew up on the farm and worked with horses in his early days. At 8 years his dad put him on a �Wesley School of Nursing in Wichita, Kansas. She graduated and was a Reg. Nurse. She met Everett while a student working in the hospital. She was a member of The United Methodist Church in Burlington, active in circle work. She was a volunteer and helped the Burlington Library during the time of its building program. Ethel belonged to Zonta, International and Burlington Garden Club serving as President of these organizations and being a charter member of Zonta. At one time she was a member of Inter Sese. She loved to bowl and enjoyed playing cards. Ethel passed away July 5, 1978 after a long illness. On February 24, L979 Everett married Stella E. Ciboski. They enjoyed these years by traveling and sharing activities and friends. Everett passed away on January 16, 1986 following a short illness. by Everett Sloan Sloans Motel, Burlington, Colorado built by Everett and Ethel Sloan. also filled these pits in after the oil well was finished. He farmed during the dry years and finally started a cow herd near Eldorado, Kansas. Everett Sloan married Ethel W. Miller on February 2L, 1932 at her home in Winfield, Kansas. To this union were born three children: Robert L. Sloan and twin daughters, Virginia and Carolyn. In the Early'30's Everett and Ethel bought a farm with the The office of the Sloan Trailer Court with Ethel Sloan about 1948. corn binder which was pulled by three horses and had to cut 40 rows before coming home for lunch. Later he and his brother ran a steam engine threshing crew. Everett enjoyed hunting, fishing and trapping, but had to do this on his own time as his father didn't approve of these activities as he always had things for Everett to do. He and his friends trapped to earn money by selling the furs to buy books and school clothes. Everett went to a one room school near the farm and graduated from Andover High School in 1926. He bought his first car, a Model-T-Ford with fur money for $20.00, which he used to run his trap line. Times were hard when he used his horse team in the oil fields near Wichita to dig slush pits for salt water. He WILMA MILLER F638 This was a time in Burlington, when completion of Bonny Dam brought a lively business to the trailer court and laundry. Everett built Sloan's Motel on the NW 7+ of help of his mother. This place was 2 miles east of the Cessna Air Craft plant. He also leased some land. As the years went by they built a complete farm near Wichita. Everett had 135 head of herefords and sent them to the flint hills for grazing in the summers and in 1944 the acreage. Ethel became the manager and operator of the motel while Everett continued to expand the farm operation. Three farms were acquired over a period of time. One SE of Burl., one NE of Stratton, and 10 quarters SW ofBethune. Dry land wheat was raised until irrigation became popular. Water wells were drilled on all three properties and corn was planted. The Stratton farm also supported a cow-calf operation expanding combine that came to Wichita, Kansas. In the war years he customed combined wheat from Oklahoma to the Dakotas. In 1948 he leased into a pig farrowing operation. Ethel watched all this develop into more than Everett could handle. Two farms were sold until all that remained was the 10 quarters SW of Bethune. Everett unloaded the first self propelled "Good fishing" Everette Sloan, in middle with two fishing buddies, Dallas Stevens and son on the left and Bill Flatt on the right taken in 1960. SLOAN, ETHEL land in Colorado and bought a trailer court in Burlington, Colorado and this became home. They built a motel on this property. Along with his farming wheat and later irrigated corn and sugar beets Everett and Ethel were busy working and raising their family. In 1963 they sold the motel, which carries the family name "Sloans Motel" to the Knapps and purchased two sections of land. At this time they built a home on 165 South Cherry in Burlington, Colorado. They subdivided and sold the Kansas Farm known as Sloans Addition of Wichita, Kansas. Everett and Ethel continued to farm and were able to travel now that they had sold the motel. Their son Robert married Cleta Marie Speicher and now live in Wray, Colorado. They have two sons and one daughter and two grandsons. Their daughter, Virginia married Wayne Hecht and they reside in Denver, Colorado, and have three children, two boys and one girl. Daughter Carolyn married John Hansen Jr. and live west of Bethune, Colorado. They have two daughters and one grandson. Ethel was born on September 26, 1908 at Grenola, Kansas. Her parents later moved to Winfield, Kansas where she graduated from High School. She entered nurses training at In 1963, the Motel and Trailer park was sold and a fine residence was built on the SW corner of the property, behind the motel, opposite the machine shed located there. This home contained every convenience that Ethel had done without until now. She enjoyed a real home at last and the pride of her yard and flowers. Ethel was always interested in getting involved when her time would allow. She sang duets with her close friend Fern Pray, was a member of the Home Extension Club there. After moving to Colorado, she joined the First Methodist Church and was an active member. As club president of the Zonta International, in1958, she led the ceremonies to provide and place a time capsule in the corner stone of the newly constructed Public Library, an honor that gave her much pride and pleasure. The Garden Club was greatly enjoyed by Ethel with roses being her favorite flower to raise. Ethel donated time to the hospital and made tray favors for the patients. She belonged to a bowling league and a Pinochle Club. At the Methodist Church she helped to cook and serve many funeral and wedding dinners and made items for the annual bazaar. Ethel passed away after suffering a stroke �two years before, of heart failure and other complications on July 7, 1978. After seven brothers, Ethel was the only girl born to Daniel P. and Clara Belle Wise Miller, on Sept. 26, 1908 at Grenola, Ks. The Miller's were a hard working, close knit, family with strong religious background who later moved to Winfield, Kansas. It was here that Ethel attended grammar and high school where she graduated inL927. She enrolled in Wesley Hospital School of Nursing at Wichita, where she graduated as a registered nurse after 4 years in 1931. Ethel met Everett Hurst Sloan during nurses training years and they were married at her home on Feb. 21,L932 after which she moved to Kechi, Kansas to live on his farm there. To this union a son was born, Robert Lee on Mar. 4, 1933 and twin daughters, Virginia Lou and Carolyn Sue on May 20, 1936. The years were spent at Everett's side working hard to build a farm and ranch operation. Ethel lived a life of abiding faith in God that was enriched weekly as she attended Selzer Methodist Church' Ethel raised a garden and canned vegetables for winter food. With Robert's help, she milked the cows and separated the cream to churn into butter to sell in town. Beef was raised for fteezer meat and canned and was a major source of income. Chickens were raised for meat and eggs with the excess being sold to bring in necessary income. Good times were shared with family and neighbors on all special occasions and sometimes just for fun and to laugh was therapy for the soul. Later years found Everett was gone to work his leased land in western Kansas and Colorado. Ethel was left in charge of the farm and three children. In 1945, she joined Everett on the custom combining trail as a chief cook for the family and 5 hired men. They lived in a trailer home and traveled from Texas to North Dakota on an acreage in Burlington, Co. in 1948. It was here that her family moved their home and settled first car, a Model-T Ford, with tur money tbr $20.00, which he used to run his trap lines. Times were hard when he used his horse team in the oil fields near Wichita to dig slush pits for salt water. He also filled these pits in after the oil well was finished. He then farmed during the dry years and finally started a cow herd near Eldorado, Kansas. Everett married Ethel Wilma Miller on Feb. 21, t932, at her home in Winfield, Kansas. As the years went by they leased and bought land, where they farmed and raised cattle and pigs. In the war years he took his custom combining crews from Oklahoma to the Dakotas. He leased land in Colorado in 1948, and bought a trailer court. They built a Motel on this property, and also farmed raising wheat and later irrigated corn and beets. The motel still carried the family name, which was sold in 1963. After thirty one years of marriage Everett finally built his bride her dream home. They both enjoyed their home and took pride in keeping it looking nice. He continued to farm through custom helpers and leased out the rest. On February 24,1979, he married Stella E. Ciboski and they enjoyed each others company until his death on January 16, 1986. He passed away at the High Plains Health Center in Burlington, with internment in Fairview Cemetery along side of his wife, Ethel Wilma Miller Sloan, who had preceded him in death July 7,1978, by Carolyn Sloan Hansen SLOAN, SAM AND GERTRUDE F640 down. by Carolyn Hansen Gertrude Mae (Kious) and Samuel Wesly Sloan. Taken at the home of Bill and Lorris Wickham at a birthday party about 1946. homesteaded 9 mi. SE of Stratton. 1912 to West Plains, Mo. Two years trying to eke out a living amidst rocks, he dashed into the house demanding, "Gertie, you see any moss growin'on my back? Get ready; we're going back to Colorado!" To Flagler on the train with 'a suitcase under each arm' to a farm 9 mi. SE on Sand Creek. Lived a mile east of town at one time, and delivered milk, butter, and dressed chickens. The train killed 3 milk cows. Their home south of Flagler was an old sod house. Farmed oats, barley, spring wheat, corn, feed crops, and alfalfa. Killed a 6 ft. diamondback rattlesnake. Had cattle, horses, mules, hogs. Soil and early farming techniques poor so grain crops considered good at 12 bu. per acre. Sam built and maintained most of the first graded roads in west end of county under George Huntley, county commissioner. Most young fellows of community worked for him. Son Orris, with U.E. McBride in 1915 built the road from county line west of town, to river bridge east. It became Golden Belt Road, Pikes Peak Ocean to Ocean, then highway 24. $5.00 a day working 4 of McBride's mules, and 4 of his own. Orris and Winona went to school at Sunnyside - cart and burro. Later with Dorris and Christina Galer to Second Central brggy, enclosed with isinglass, and horses. Neighbor Sol Stone built cement barn for Sloans, and later the house 150 yards west across the school district line, so children SLOAN, EVERETT HURST F639 Everett was born November 18, 1907, the eldest son of Matthew Hurst Sloan and Ethel Grier Sloan. An older sister Dorothy married Floyd Wolf of Andover, Kansas. His next younger brother was Harold Leroy Sloan of Mesa, Arizona and youngest sister was Edna May who married Vernon Hudson of Wichita, Kansas. Everett grew up on the family farm, near Andover, Kansas, worked with horses in the early days. Later he and his brother ran a steam engine threshing machine crew. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and trapping. He and his friends trapped for fur to buy books and clothes for school and spending money. He learned at an early age what work was all about. He attended school in a one-room school house near the farm and graduated from Andover High School in 1926. He bought his This photo was taken at the home of Orris and Margaret Sloan at Selden KS. Orris'86th birthday and Lorris' 71st Birthday July 13, 1986. Samuel Wesley Sloan 2-15-1874 - 2-121950. son of John Fletcher and Samantha Ellen (Nebergall) Sloan. Gertrude Mae (Kious) Sloan 8-7-1880, first female White child born in Sheradan Co., Ks., daughter of George Lewis and Ida (Bayles) Kious. Sam, with parents, came from lll. to Nebr., then to Sheridan Co., Ks. by prairie schooner. Sam and Gertrude were married 8-11-1898. Children: Orris Benjamin 1900, adopted Winona Manuel 1903 - 1977, Dorris Christie Beatrice 1911, Lorris Ida Agnes 1915, Clarice Margaret Rosa 1917. Lost 2 infant sons. Traded their farm at Selden, Ks. in 1907 for horses, and cows, and in the spirit of adventure could go to Flagler school. Bad winters Will Lana, bus driver, used a sled and Sloan's mules. Heated soap stones and heavy comforters and 5 gal. cream cans of soup for the bus children's lunch, heated in the home ec room. Many young people lived with Sloans to attend Flagler High School. Hired men summer and winter for the farming, stack, and general chores. Orris had a header and neighbors helped each other harvest. Chilson, and Schifferns from Arriba irad threshing machines and made the rounds. Neighbors helped each other butcher, and the women canned vegetables, fruits, and meats. Gertrude was an excellent cook and an efficient practical nurse. She cared for the ill and delivered most of the neighborhood babies alone, or assisting Dr. H.L. Williams. The 1917-18 flu epidemic she, and Sam both went from home to home caring for the sick. Close friends, Mrs. Plopper, and daughter Glayds, �were among those who died. Sloans supported community and school never missed a basketball game when Dorris played (State champions in 1930). Good times for families: Literary, Box suppers, Pie socials, Sunday School, and Church at Second Central (Aunt Rose Stone taught children, Joe Short adults, and Rev. Adna Moore preached). Sloans helped establish the Fla- gler Baptist Church - company for Sunday dinner, and holidays, Farmers' Grange with County Agent and Home Demonstration Agents bringing new ideas, County Fair at Burlington, Medicine Shows (Chautauqua), rodeos with young fellows of communities participating. Sam and Orris got their calls for WWI in 1918. but the Armistice was signed prior to their date to report. 'Suitcase farmers' from Ks. and Nebr.. plowed up acres and acres of grass land. Dust bowl days ofthe 1930s brought a real "Grapes of Wrath' - air so full of red Okl. dust, a kerosene lamp was used at mid-day. Farmers took out loans, banks closed. Russian thistles were used to feed stock. Some hay was trucked in. Stock so ravenously hungry they ingested baling wire and died. Government bought cattle for almost nothing - shot and Arlene P. Ciboski Colburn. buried them. Stronghold farmers were forced to leave their homes. Sam and Gertrude went to Flagler - took a cow, and team ofhorses. He plowed gardens Kenneth N. Ciboski. - all the kids in town rode on his wagon. He bought land south of the railroad and built their home, and some small houses. He was always ready for a trade - horses, cows, land - often got'stuck'with locoed critters, and once got 2 settin'hens, and a goat to come out even. he, and his brother Tom from Selden, Ks., started to the Stock Show in Jan. 1950 - he became ill, had surgery, and blood clot took his life. Buried in the Flagler Cemetery on his 76th birthday. Gertrude became a resident at Good Samaritan Home, Simla, and died 9-4-1961, laid to rest beside her husband. Sam never met a stranger; his usual greeting to all he met on the street, "Hello, Kiddio!" Stella E. Sloan by Lorris Wickham SLOAN, STELLA E. F64l Wanda F. Ciboski Dalton. Phillip Ciboski and Stella E. Esslinger were married on May 4, 1933 in Norton, Kansas. Phillip and Stella went on a short honeymoon to Denver, Colorado and then on May 8, they made their home near Goodland, Kansas. They lived on the farm 20 miles north west of Goodland and struggled on this farm for 9 years during the dust bowl days and depression years from 1933 to the fall of 1942. President Hoover was President at the time and in 1934 President Roosevelt took over. A lot of banks had closed and hard times had taken over. President Roosevelt took over Steila E. and Phillip Ciboski, taken in Goodland, Kansas about 1948. and he closed the banks and got things rolling. In order for us to survive and have monev Everett H. Sloan to buy shoes for the children I milked 10 cows and separated the milk for the cream. I dressed 25 pound turkeys and sold them for $2.50 each, and sold eggs for 30 a dozen. We raised a bumper crop of corn in the fall of 1933 and sold it for 110 a bushel and we �Wanda F. Dalton and Arlene P. Colburn. In the fall of L942 we sold all our machinery. We had 2 cows left and a few chickens, and several pigs. We were forced out or else buy the farm so we moved to Denver, Colorado and purchased a home on 2630 South St. Paul. We bought a Chewolet car for $?50.00 the fall of L942. We could have sold it several times on account they couldn't get too many cars at that time because of the war. We could have gotten $1200 to $1500 for it but we could not sell it as we would not have had a vehicle to drive. Stella worked as a waitress in Bauer's uptown Denver and Shaners Bros. In 1946 we sold the home on South St. Paul and bought a business at Canon City, Colorado. Then in 1948 we sold the business, Fawn Hollow, in Canon City and bought a package store called Kenneth was a freshman in high school, Wanda was a seventh grader and Arlene was outstanding ability and salesmanship. These awards were received in 1952, 1955 and 1957. Stella also received a Max Factor cosmetics citation. Stella waited tables for another 8 hours after putting 8 hours in at the drug store. She started selling Compact Sweepers in 1958 and sold them until 1978. Phillip Ciboski passed away and she worked for a living. She was a widow for 10 years before she remarried. Stella began working for the Everett H. Sloan family in Burlington where she cared for Ethel Sloan until she passed away. On February 24, 1979 Stella E. married Everett H. Sloan. They made their home at 165 South Cherry in Burlington, Colorado. Stella and Everett enjoyed trips to the Flying X Ranch in Wheatland, Wyoming and also went south to Brownville, Texas and Port Isabell, Texas. On January 16 Everett H. Sloan passed away sary cake in 1937. It was an angel food consisting of five layers. I started with a dish pan and ended with any angel food cake pan. It took 30 dozen cases of egg whites. The cook stoves in those days were great and I used some cobs from the corn crop we raised in 1933 and the fall of 1934. My mother used a bouquet of soap weeds from the pasture which were beautiful for the family picture of their 25th wedding anniversary. Phil and Stella were blessed with three healthy children. Kenneth N. Ciboski, married. Arlene does volunteer work besides caring for her family. Dr. Colburn has received the MRI Scan. The images produced are of such amazing clarity that physicians abdomen and other organs and tissue masses. for 10 years. She received 3 citations for cheaper and we could not afford to buy coal any longer. We burned two grates out of the cook range that winter of 1933 and early 1934. We got hailed out 8 years out of the 9 years that we farmed. We sold the cows that were ready to calve for $5.00 each. There was no grass, no rain and no feed. The land right along the highway by Goodland sold for 250 and 500 an acre for the tax deed. I baked my parents'25th wedding anniver- Arlene Ciboski (Colburn) is married to Dr. Ralph M. Colburn Jr., twirler of Manhattan College in Manhattan, Kansas and was supervisor Hostess for TWA before she are able to pin point brain lesions and Stella also worked at Higdon's Drug Store finally decided to burn it for coal as it was Wichita. They have two girls, Kendra Lynn and Marla Nicole. After one year in Springfield we moved back to Goodland, Kansas. My husband and Ken farmed the Brinkmeier place and I waited in the first grade. Arlene and Dr.Colburn and girls. she is employed in the City building of City Liquor Store in Springfield, Colorado. tables. Wanda Dalton language. It is a very difficult language to know. His oldest daughter has studied Russian and had had 2Yz years of law at K.W. University where she graduated. Dr. Kenneth Ciboski is a Professor of Political Science in Wichita where he also teaches Russian and takes 30 college students to Russia every Christmas. He is married to Barbara Bell and after a short illness. Stella Sloan has 10 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren. They are: Brian Dalton of Columbus, Ohio; Geri Dalton Bester of Frankfort, Germany; Kent, Sheila and Craig Dalton of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; Kendra and Marla Ciboski of Wichita, Kansas; Rebecca, Sara and Catherine Colburn of Oregon, Wisconsin. The great grandchildren are; Michael and Brent Bester of Frankfort, Germany where their father, Tim Bester, is a surveyor in the Armed Service; Ryan Michael Dalton, son of Brian Dalton who is employed at Seafood Co.; and two step-great grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. Gary Sloan. Wanda Ciboski is married to L.R. Dalton and reside in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. L.R. worked for Fiedestia Co. and is now employed by Unlimited Co. and Wanda is employed by a large loan company. They have five children, Brian and Geri Kay are married and have children. The twins, Kent and Sheila Jo are working and attending college, and Graig Francis is in high school. Kenneth Ciboski earned two degrees, one at Washington State and one at the University of Kansas at Lawrence. Kenneth earned straight A's in the study of Russian Languages. He feels that if you want to get along with the Russians you have to speak their identify problems of the spinal column, heart, Dr. Colburn is a neuro radiologist specially trained in magnetic resonance imaging. He is the medical director of Turville Bay Center and one of the staff physicians who design monitors and interpret MRI Scans. Dr. Colburn is a graduate of Northwestern University Medical School. He was a medical resident at Boston City Hospital and Harvard Medical unit, the Edwards Mallenckrost Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine of St. Louis, Missouri, and at Anchorage, Alaska. He was a former Director of Medical Imaging at St. Mary's Hospital Medical Center of Madison. Currently he is also Chief of Medical Staff at Stoughton Hospital, Stoughton, Wisconsin. Dr. and Mrs. Colburn have three girls, Rebecca Arlene, sophomore in college; Sara Noelle, sophomore in high school; and Catherine Demours, 8th grade. by Stella Sloan SMELKER - BUNCH FAMILY F642 Myrtle Violet Smelker, the oldest child of Charles and Luella Smelker, was born January 23, 1900. Myrtle had eight younger brothers so she always had to help her mother with the household and other chores. One Christmas she remembered finding presents ofhair ribbons, pencils, and tablets. She and brother Victor went to Sunday school south of the Smelker homestead, which was the first school they attended. Myrtle taught school in some of her early years. Myrtle married Cage Bunch on October 18, 1920. To this union seven children were born; Lyle 1921, Charles 1922, Oris l924,Roy 1926, Erma 1928. Arlene 1930 and Duane 1931. They moved to Boulder in 1947 and to Longmont in 1960. Myrtle and Cage were old time square dancers and belonged to several clubs and enjoyed dancing their remaining days. Myrtle died on December 8, 1986. Cage died in August 1987. by Mary Ann Smelker � https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/507/Families-S2.pdf 3d3afced18134822d12da16990cb0982 PDF Text Text SMELKER - HAZEN FAMILY F643 brother-in-laws - n O'Holloran and Tru- man Hazen, we-,c l^rst in March 1907. They carne on an emigrant car which required an attendant with a car when stobk was shipped. Charlie started preparing for his family by building a frame building on their homestead thirteen miles south and two west of Stratton. The building was fourteen by sixteen and is still part ofthe house. This part ofthe house is now the kitchen which was built in 1918 and added on to again in 1976. It is now the home of Ivan and Wilma Smelker. The women and children came later by train. They were Luella and her four children, Myrtle, Victor, George and Leon who was the baby; Luella's Mother Eliza Hazen and her three children, Irene O'Holloran, Ina, and 15 year old son Leonel; and Irene O'Hollorans' two children John and Florence. Victor remembers seeing his grandfather T.W. Smelker for the last time, as he came to Yankton to see them off on the train. Luella, George, Charles, Leonel and Ina and their mother Eliza. Truman home- steaded 10 miles south and r/z mile west of Stratton. George, Charlie, Leonel and their mother Eliza homesteaded close by. The Hazen family were vivid horseshoe players. At many family gatherings they would play all day long. Children also had their own peg and horseshoes and would play amongst themselves. Truman married Ethel Jones in 1916 and lived there til moving to town in 1945. They had no children. Truman was a great baseball fan and played for Beaverton, which was 12 miles south and 3 miles east of Stratton. They are both buried in the Stratton cemeterv. Mother Eliza Hazen is buried in Colorado Springs. George and Leonel moved back to Minnesota and Charles to Idaho. by Mary Ann Smelker Victor remembers very well aniving in Omaha, Nebraska, as he and John were told to keep hold of hands. They got caught around a lamp post and wouldn't let go. Eliza Haze, the grandmother, had to come back and rescue them. SMELKER MAGNUSON FAMILY F644 Upon arriving in Stratton, Colorado, in April 1907, Luella and her small brood, her Charles V. Smelker and Luella Hazen Smelker with daughter Myrtle in 1901. Charles Virgil Smelker and Sadie Luella Hazen were married in South Dakota. They lived in Worthing and Wagner, South Dakota. where their four oldest children were born. They were Myrtle 1900, Victor 1901, George 1904, and Leon 1906. the five youngest children were born in Stratton, Colorado. They were Wesley 1909, Delmar 1911 (died as a baby), Theodore 1914, Ivan 1918, and Dean 1921. While living in South Dakota, they rented the farmed land which was part of the Sioux Indian Reservation. As more and more families were going to areas where one could homestead, they decided to go also. With a flip of a coin they decided to go to Colorado. Charlie and his mother and sisters were much welcomed by all waiting their arrival. Charlie had been busy helping others build their houses on their own homesteads, as he was at his best doing carpenter work. He, in years to come, helped build wood and sod houses and dig @-*n*nc.o .e," . wells to supplement their income. They did not have a well on the Smelker homestead until 1914. They hauled water with an old horse called "Fritz" and 2 barrels for all those years. Before 1914, they hauled from the Minor Warren Homestead, r/t amile north. Before that well was dug, they hauled from the old Wagner ranch which was 4 miles north of the Smelker homestead and % mile east. A.V. Harden was a well driller in early days. He was a cousin to Luella Smelker and cnme to the Stratton area in 1907. Wes Bryant, Charlie Smelker and his son Victor hunted coyotes as a past time and extra income. They used a model T car to chase them down over the open prairies. They used a 22 rifle to shoot them. The Charles V. Smelker children: Myrtle, Victor, George, Leon, Wasley, Theodore, Ivan and Dean. Theodore J. Smelker family around 1957: Helen, Sharon, Ted holding Teddy and Loren Helen Marie Magnuson Smekler about 1920 �Shannon. Some of Helen's schoolmates at Lone Star included: Ethel Kasten, a classmate; Esther Kasten, Zella Wilson, Maxine Coe, Earl Coe, Edna Chinburg, Bernice Nelson, George McNeill, William McNeill' Fred Krei, Glade Larsen, Delmer Calloway, Floyd Calloway, and Dorothy Calloway. In 1931, at 12 yrs. of age, Helen moved with her family to a farm L6r/z mi. southwest of Bethune, CO. The farm was located on the NW% of 36-11-46 at the south edge of K.C. County; this is now State Land. Helen grew up on the farm along with her other sisters, Violet (Bunch), Ila (Hobgood), Vivian (Stjernhotm), and Dolores Magnuson. Helen was a great help to her mother during these years with her younger sisters and the farm, as her father had become ill and was hospitalized, at Ft. Lyons beginning in 1935. She attended school and graduated from First Central in 1936. While a high school student, Helen had been a newspaper correspondent for "The Call", a Burlington newspaper at that time. Some of Helen's schoolmates at First Central included: Lylah Ayres, Dale Lesher, Ivan Smelker, Inez Perkins, Edgar Geist, Sarah Mitchell, Estelyn Whitmore, June McArthur, and Lunette S. among Wedding picture of Elmer O. Magnuson and Mary Thomann Magnuson, October 24, l9l7 purchased some ground on his own. This included the EVz of LO-I2-47, which he purchased in the late 1940's from the Homesteader Nellie P. Flanery. This is Ted's family farm today, and is centrally located between Stratton and Kit Carson, in Cheyenne County. There was nothing, except for a windmill, on this piece of ground when Ted bought it. In 1948, along with his brothers and other friends, they built a big wooden grainery building on the place. After completion they threw a big celebration and dance, where Ted helped with the music by playing the fiddle. Around 1951, Ted purchased and moved the old Oriska School House in, and set it by the grainery. Oriska School had been just north of here 3 mi. in Kit Carson County. While still living at Cheyenne Wells, Ted and Helen had a second child, a boy, Loren Dee, born Feb. 15, 1952. In 1953 Ted moved his family from Cheyenne Wells out to the farm. The old Oriska School House became their new home for a year, while plans were underway to build a new house on the place. Again, with the special carpentry skills of brother Victor, who inherited his skills from his father, Charles, and with the help of a man by the name of Ralph Carrell. others. Among some of Helen's teachers were: by Terri Smelker Griffeth, Jennie Tressel, Campbell, Thelma Armstrong, and Otis O. Ross. Ted Smelker and Helen dated and loved to Theodore J. Smelker was born Dec. 13th, 1914, to Charles Virgil Smelker and Luella Sadie (Hazen) Smelker at their homestead 12 mi. south, 2 mi. west and again 1 mi. south of Stratton, CO, which is now the Ivan Smelker Place. Ted's given name at birth was John Theodore Smelker, but disliking his name, he later changed it to Theodore John. He was 1 of 9 children, who included, the eldest and only sister, Myrtle (Bunch), and 7 brothers, in order of birth and including Ted are: Victor, George, Leon, Wes, Delmer (who died in infancy), Ted, Ivan and Dean. They all grew up on the Smelker Homestead and attended the Smelker School by their home. Ted was said to have been babied a lot by his Mother and by his older sister, Myrtle, whogave him most everything he wanted. For many years he was known to family and friends as "Mama's Pet" which was later shorteneC to "Pet". He quit school after the 8th Grade and for a while helped out on his parents' farm, but being independent, as he was, he set out on his own and worked many odd jobs around, including some time spent on a ranch up by Canon City. His younger brother, Ivan, was also able to get work on the ranch, and when he arrived, Ivan was informed by Ted, that he was not to call him "Pet", on the ranch he was known aB "Ted, NOT PET!" In the 30's, Ted also worked at the CCC Camp out north of Cheyenne Wells for a time. He began dating Helen Marie Magnuson in 1936; she was a Senior at First Central High School at that time. Helen was originally from the Burlington area, and was the first of 5 girls born, Sept. 28, 1918, to Elmer Otto Magnuson and Mary (Thomann) Magnuson. Her baby book showed she was a big baby, weighing 10 lbs. at birth. Helen attended the Lone Star School, in Burlington's District 25, up until March 1931. County Superintendent during some of this time was Della Hendricks, also her teachers included Mona Danforth, Leonard Ziemann and Geneviene attend the many dances held in the area at that time. Dances were held at Smokey Hill' Perry Taylor's Place, Thomas Taylor's Place and Peter's Barn. In June 193?, Helen moved to Colo. Springs, where she stayed with her Uncle Arnold and Aunt Vera Thomann, where she attended and graduated from Flowers Beauty College. Ted put on many miles between the Springs and the First Central area courting Helen, and in July got himself a Model A Coach, which he was very proud of. On Sept. 3rd, Ted and Helen became engaged. Helen began her beauty career working for Mildred Wynne at a Beauty Shop in the Springs, and Ted, after working many odd jobs around, moved to Victor, CO., to be closer to Helen and to work in the gold mines there. It was a surprise to most everyone, except their parents, when the news of Ted and Helen's marriage leaked out about 3 weeks after the fact, and was printed in the newspaper. They had been married on Dec. 18, 1938, at Fountain' CO., witnessed by Ted's cousin, Orie Hightower, and Alma (Stone at that time) Hightower, both of Colo. Springs. In their newspaper write up of the secret marriage, "The Call", extended their good wishes for Ted and Helen's future success and happiness, but felt that they had somehow "slipped" in their training of the bride, (during her high school yrs). As they quipped in the paper, "She was always a good reporter and well knowing a newspaper loves a SCOOP, we wonder why she didn't let us in on the secret. Good Luck, Helen!" Ted and Helen lived, and both worked in Victor, CO., for a short time, then moved to Cheyenne Wells, CO., where Ted helped manage the Shamrock Filling Station and farmed in partnership with Art Milheim. They had their first child on Aug.22,L94L, a girl, Sharon Lee (Rhoades), born at the hospital in Burlington. During this time Ted was always looking into land purchases and deals. He wanted to farm! He traded his share of the filling station to Art for some land and SMELKER MAGNUSON FAMILY F645 who lived southeast of Stratton, and with the help of some of Ted's other brothers, and some good neighbors, like Ed Peters, Harry Pike. and Oris and Willard Blankenbaker, Ted and Helen's brand new home was built in 1953. The family lived in the basement of the house for a time, while doing the finishing touches to the upstairs. There were many a good time had by family and friends from all around the area, as Ted and Helen had lots of get-togethers in their basement. A story is still being told about a neighbor, Hary Pike, who hung by his heels from the basement rafters at a party. On Aug. 28, 1956, Ted and Helen's family was complete with the birth of another beautiful baby boy, Theodore Ray (Teddy), who was born at K.C. County Memorial Hospital in Burlington. Ted and Helen, now with their familY, Sharon, Loren, and young Ted, worked side by side during those years building up their farm and cattle operation, and supported many community affairs. In 1963 the family was struck with tragedy, when Helen's health began to fail. She knew something was wrong and within a few months, doctors discovered that she had cancer. Helen died at the early age of 45 yrs, on Feb. 29th, Leap Year, 1964, at the Burlington Hospital. Sharon, age 22, and husband, Bob Rhoades, who were attending college at Ft. Collins, CO., moved back home during that summer to help her dad with the family farm and to help with her 2 younger brothers, Loren now 12, and Teddy only 7Yz yrs. old. During Ted's bereavement he depended a great deal on his buddies and neighbors for support. Harry and Ethel Pike helped for many years in the raising of Loren and �SMELKER - VICTOR FAMILY F646 Coyote hunting,1923: Victor and Charles Smelker and their friend, Wes Bryant Victor Delos Smelker was born in Worthing, South Dakota, on December 26, 1901. He moved with parents, Charles Smelker and Luella Hazen Smelker, to Stratton, Colorado, in 1907. He has many memories of living his Mother Luella smelker with her 8 children: wes, Leon, George, victor, Dean, Myrtle, Ivan, and red in the late 1960's hospital in Denver. Ted and Helen's children are all married now with families of their own. Sharon and Bob Rhoades, live at Benkelman, NE., where Bob has built up a Veterinarian business and Sharon works at the Benkelman State Bank. They have 3 children, Keri, now married to Rich Ham, with 2 children of their own. Adrienne and Jonathan. Sharon and Bob's Theodore J. Smelker in the earlv 1930's at his parents homestead Teddy. Even after they moved to Kit Carson, their home was a special place for Loren and Teddy to visit and stay during their school years at Kit Carson, CO. On Nov. 23, L964, Ted married A. Larie (Beecham) Bauman, whose children were: Martin, Cordella (Pickerill), Rollan, and Sylvan. In the 1970's, Ted developed heart trouble and underwent 2 open heart bypass surgeries. He returned to his home after these operations and continued to work along with his sons, not as physically strong as before, but determined to stay active and be involved. Upon semi-retirement in 1978, Ted and Larie moved to Stratton, CO. Ted was in the process of turning over the farm to his boys, but since farming and ranching were always an important and rewarding part of his life, he drove out the 22 mi. most every day from Stratton, where he would spend long hours driving tractor. In the later half ofthe year, 1981, Ted was not feeling good and spent most of the month of December in the hospital. After Christmas, he was sent to St. Joseph's Hospital in Denver for tests. Ted suffered from a combination of ailments besides his heart trouble. which included diabetes. And on Jan. 14th, 1982, Ted had a fatal heart attack and died at the other children are Dana, who is a senior in College, and Brett a senior at Benkelman High School. Loren and Terri (George) reside at the home that Ted and Helen built in 1953. It has changed face since then, and is a wonderful home for our family. We have 2 boys, Ryan and Kyle who both attend grade school at Stratton Elementary. Ryan is in the 3rd grade and his teacher is Mrs. Karen Topp; Kyle is in kindergarten and Mrs. Betty Smith is his teacher. We also have a little girl, Amber, who is 3/z yrs. old and will go to Preschool next year. Young Ted and Trina (Bussen) live just south of the Home Place about a Vz mile. They have 3 little girls: Kylie, who is in 2nd grade at Stratton and has Ms. Barry for a teacher; Cassie who is 2 yrs. old; and Chelsea who is a baby at 8 months of age. Loren and Ted run the family farm that was passed on to them and worked so hard for, by their parents. The boys work together, sometimes still, with a well known "Smelker Argument". They are implementing new ideas and working toward the growth of our family farm together! by Terri Smelker early years on the eastern Colorado plains. One of his early recollections when he was about eight, was of getting up early and looking for the horses, walking r/z mile one way then the other and didn't ever know where they might be. Vic said some days he bet he walked 30 miles. His father couldn't go and would always send Vic. Their four horses they farmed out. Sometimes folks would keep them a few days which helped, but other days would always have to look for them. Vic ran his legs off some days as those horses would go four and five miles. Once as he was walking out in the open prairie, a coyote was coming straight at him, it didn't even see him and came right on. It scared Vic to death, but the coyote later saw him and turned off. Vic went to school no more than 3 or 4 months a year. The first school was a mile south of the homestead and he would alwavs walk. School was a one room soddie. Later the Smelker School was built close to the Smelker home. Vic always wanted to go to school more, but it seemed there was always feed to pick and the like. He usually went from Christmas time until spring work started. Myrtle went to school fulltime, until she got to the 8th grade. Vic caught up with her. Both of them took the 8th grade Supt. test to pass. He passed . . she didn't and he said his mother was mad. Their teacher was a Mrs. Austin. Vic was always gifted in Math. Around his fifth year he could put all down he took on. Other kids complained he didn't study, so the teacher took him on and he beat her. He got in a year of high school Algebra while in school, which was easy for him. His father wasn't near the farmer as he was a carpenter and builder. Vic worked with his father building and doing carpenter work, from whom he learned very much. In 1918, when he was 17 years old, he went to Victoria, Kansas, and worked for some Germans named Brungardt. He said they had very good meals all the time and good lunches in between. He went with his Uncle George and Leonel Hazen, who also worked in Kansas one summer at harvest time. Before this he would work for neighbors during the summers, usually for 750 a day. In 1923, Victor started working for the Denver & Rio �Grande Railroad from Salida to Colorado Springs, along the Arkansas River. Victor married Joyce Melton in 1929 while living in Pueblo, where he had worked for the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. In 1930 they moved to the Nutbrook place, 10% miles south and 1 mile west of Stratton. In 1932 they moved to the Horstine place 9% miles south and 1 mile west of Stratton. In 1938, they moved 9 miles south and % miles west, where they still own farm ground. Vic and house on the Warren homestead was of sod, being replaced with a two story house made of lumber in 1919. Both houses were built by Minor with relatives and friends helping. Minor also being a trapper sold furs of badgers, skunks and rabbits. Means oftransportation was by a team of horses and wagon or buggy. The travel to and from Stratton took all day. When traveling in the winter, bricks were heated to take along for extra warmth. Cow chips were burned for heat. In the early years of our parents, George and Wilma, recreation was horse back riding, Joyce moved into Stratton in 1964. The sons and daughters of this family are Dorothy, Ralph, Carl and Elsie. They attend- ed Grandview, Nutbrook and Stratton schools. The family lived, farmed and grew up at the above mentioned places. These were not always easy times with drought and depression times, but there were always good times with family and friends. Vic worked as a carpenter while farming most of his working years. Then later building homes in the Stratton area. In Pueblo, he was a bridge foreman on the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. House built on Minor and Emma Warren's farm in 1919; 1952 picture. other children Verla, Velma, Lela (died in infancy), Lola, Myrna, Franklin, Twila, Una and Arva were born. All the children wire born at home with Mrs. Deere, a midwife, being present for five of the children and Dr. Cavey for the remaining four. Minor and a very good cook and known for her hard work and tidy habits, she enjoyed working. Not just the enjoyment it brought but being able Emma Warren continued to live at the homestead also until their death, Minor in to give her children and grandchildren special 1955 and Emma in 1962. Besides farming during the 1930's, George, with his team of horses and wagon worked for WPA, helping things. Dorothy married Walter Clark and lives in Limon. Ralph lives in Stratton. Carl married Mary Ann Stegman and lives in Colorado Springs. Elsie married Richard May and lives in Stratton. Vic and Joyce live in Stratton at present and will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary in 1989. They have 12 grandchildren build roads and bridges in Kit Carson County. He also participated with other farmers on rabbit roundups to reduce the and L3 great grandchildren. by Mary Ann Smelker SMELKER - WARREN F647 the first year farming on the Cohorn farm where Vivian was born. In 1925 they moved to the original Warren homestead where the Joyce worked at several restaurants in Stratton after her children were grown. Being FAMILY swimming in creeks because of a big rain and Saturday night dances held in homes, school houses or haylofts, the latter being a family affair. In 1923 George and Wilma hiked up Pikes Peak, facing rain, sleet and hail. It took six hours to go up and three hours to come down. They were married in 1923 and spent Minor and Emma Warren's 50th wedding anniversarv in 1950. overpopulation of rabbits. Highlights of the years were family's gathering at Christmas time at Charles and Luella Smelker's home. The day was filled with aromas from a Pot Luck Dinner, elders playing cards and laughter of children playing games. This tradition was carried on for many years. In 1949 water was piped into the house and in 1951 much to everyone's delight electricity became a reality. An addition was added in 1952 making it possible to have a bathroom inside. Oh, how nice not having to go outside to the "priwy" on a cold winter night. In 1969 an irrigation well was dug. George and Wilma continued to farm until George's death in 1971. Wilma remained on the homestead until 1974. She moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado where she made her home with her daughter Twila until her death in 1986. The eldest daughter, Vivian, passed away in 1987. by Verla Martinez and Twila Smelker SMELKER, MR. AND MRS. CHARLEY Sod house on Minor and Emma Waren's homestead in 1908. F648 Mr. and Mrs. Charley Smelker came out here from Yankton. South Dakota. When they were in South Dakota they lived on a rented part of the Sioux Indian Reservation. Mr. Smelker came with an emigrant car. They required an attendant with a car where Our grandparents, Charles and Luella Smelker, with children, Myrtle, Victor, George, (our Dad) and Leon moved from South Dakota to a homestead 16% miles southwest of Stratton, Colorado in 1907. Our other grandparents, Minor and Emma Warren and children, Myrtle, Wilma, (our Mother) and Loring (Bud) moved from stock was shipped. Mrs. Smelker cnme on the train in April, 1907. They built a frame building on their Bonesteel, South Dakota, to a homestead 16 miles southwest of Stratton, Colorado in 1908, arriving by immigrant train. The first George and Wilma Smelker about 1963. homestead thirteen miles south and two miles west of Stratton. The building was �fourteen by sixteen. Mr. Smelker learned to build sod houses, and helped Tom Kelly, who built a sod house on what we knew as the John Fisher or later as the Albert Peters place. He also helped Mrs. Woods and her two sons who were east of Tom Kelly, and Mike Bell, who built a soddy on what was later the Parks place. Mrs. Woods was a mother-in-law of the two men, Kelly and Bell. While they were living there, the Kelly's had two babies die, and Mike Bell lost one baby. Mrs. Smelker helped to made a casket. Charley made the frame and box and Mrs. Smelker lined them first with cotton batting and then white silk, lid and all. I asked where they bought white silk, it it was a wedding dress or what? She said she didn't know. but thought he bought it. If he did, it was real silk in that day. The kind of thread spun by worms, not synthetic as we have now-a-days. She said Mrs. Lowe. the mother of Art Lowe of Burlington helped her with one casket and she couldn't remember who the other one was who helped. One she blind stitched around the top, keeping the stitches hidden, and the other they got brass tacks and used them to hold the silk in folds. They looked very pretty when done. The graves were dug a mile south of Smelkers' on a hillside southeast of the sod school which was just a mile south of them. Prayer was held at the graves. While Mike Bell lived here, there was a Sunday School at this sod school south of Smelkers. Mr. Bell was the superintendent, and gave Vick Smelker and his sister, Myrtle, a Bible for coming regularly to Sunday School. Smelkers, Kellys, Bells and Woods all walked, so the horses could eat on Sunday, as they had nothing to feed them but the prairie grass. And these same horses had to put in the crops. They would turn them out an hour or so at noon for their feed. There was a sod school eleven miles south and on west of Stratton, south of what was then Nutbrook. Harry Greenwood and one of these Woods boys went to school together there. One of the Woods boys, Uhl, worked for Carl Harrison's father. The Smeklers later built a lovely, commodious farm home. The lvan Smelkers live on the farm now, and have raised their family the Cheyenne Wells cemetery. Anna Belle still lives in Cheyenne Wells. by Mary Ann Smelker SMELKER, IVAN F650 Ivan Smelker, eighth child of Charles and Luella Smelker, grew up on a farm south of Stratton. He attended first through eighth grades at the Smelker School, and ninth through twelfth grades at First Central graduating in 1936. Ivan married Wilma Schaal in 1938. A family of five children were born, Gerald, Gladys, Charles, Doyle and Dolores. Ivan and Wilma first lived on a farm south of Bethune for four years. Then they moved to the Harry Greenwood farm south of Stratton and in 1948 moved to the Smelker homestead where they still live. Ivan and Wilma both grew up on a farm, having farmed all their married life which is going on 50 years. Wilma as a mother, helped on the farm doing every extra job from milking cows to driving a truck. Ivan, always a farmer, has served many years for public service. He has served as a School Board member, FHA Committee, and ASCS Committee. Gerald graduated from high school in 1957. He served in the Marines for three years. He married Lela Synder in 1961 and they have four children. At present, he is an auctioneer and they have their own sale at Wellington, CO. They live in Fort Collins, CO. Gladys graduated from high school in 1959. She married Harry Norman and they have four children. At present, they have their own construction company and live at North Platte, Nebraska. Charles graduated from high school in 1962. He attended college at Fort Collins and Pueblo graduating in 1967. He married Gloria Hoffman in 1967 and thev have three children. After college, he joined the Army Air Force and served two years in Viet Nam as a helicopter pilot. At present he is farming at Columbus, New Mexico. Doyle graduated from high school in 1963. He went to college at Sterling, graduating in 1968, and then finished college at Fort Collins. He joined the National Guard and had his basic training at Fort Bliss, Texas. He married Christine Lacey in 1971 and they have five children. They live on a farm south of Stratton. CO. Dolores graduated from high school in 1963. She attended Beauty School in Denver graduating in 1964. She worked at B & B Drug and First National Bank in Stratton. She married LeeRoy Rehor and they have three children. At present they live on a farm south of Joes, CO. by Ivan Smelker SMELKER, LEON F651 Leon Smelker grew up at his family homestead south of Stratton and attended school at the Smelker School. He was born in South Dakota in 1906. In the 1930's he worked for the Zurchers for 91.00 a day and dinner. Leon married Alice G. Milheim in July 1931, at Burlington, Colorado. They Iived on the Nutbrook place lUYz miles south and 1 mile west of Stratton when their first child Carol was born. There were 2 more daughters in the family, Joan and Elaine. Joan died in 1945. Elaine lives in Denver and Carol lives in Florida. In 1940, Leon being very industrious and needing to make a living for his family, bought a binder and later a corn picker. For some years he custom bound feed and picked corn for many farmers in the area. In 1942, Leon and Alice bought the Gilmore place 16 miles south and 2 miles west of Stratton, where they worked side by side until retire- there. Mr. and Mrs. Smelker are both deceased. by Dessie Cassity SMELKER, DEAN F649 Dean Smekler, ninth child of Charles and Luella Smelker, grew to manhood at the Smelker homestead, south of Stratton. In 1941, he married Anna Belle Winters of Cheyenne Wells. To this union four children were born; Lercy 1942, Delmar 1944, Cheryl 1947, and Ruth 1953. Dean and Anna Belle lived with Luella Smelker for sometime, then Dean went to the Army in 1944. After getting out of the service, he worked in Cheyenne Wells for his brothers Wesley and Ted. He later went to work at the Cheyenne Wells Lumber Company. He worked there until he retired. Dean died March 16, 1984, and is buried in The Ivan Smelker family October 1987. Standing; Charles, Gladys, Delores, Doyle, Gary.Seated; Ivan and Eilma Smelker. �two-story, brick schoolhouse that was where the elementary school is today. After graduating from Colorado Woman's College, I was the fashion writer in the advertising department of the Neusteter's store in Denver until my marriage in Aug. of 1945 to Lt. Kermit J. Buol in the chapel of the Plymouth Congregational Church in Denver, and Burlington again became my home. Here, we have raised our family; John, Denise Nettleton, and Diana Wiggins. They too received 12 years of education in the Burlington schools, and went on to Colorado State University. The 5th generation is now sharing the legacy of those early homesteaders. The tune of the old-time fiddler and the sing-song call of the square dance rise from :@ %b** Charles and Luella Smelker and sons Ivan and Theodore in 1922 ment. In November 1941, while Leon was who were of legal age, all filed for homesteads pi"f.i"g corn, he got his arm caught in the on land they "proved-up on" north of the then young town of Burlington. cor.t picker. Vail Derby helped him get it out Returning from 18 months of service with fv tuii"g the braces oif tnu snap rollers. His getting the U.S. Army in World War I, Edmond After roller. second the was-into aim hi- to the house, his wife Alice, pu1 on a Osgood Smith, the youngest of the family, resumed his farming interests. It was several tourniquet and his brother Ted took him to Burlington to the hospital. He was there 11 years later that he was to meet a young "schoolmarm" from Arkansas. It was a long J"y, *il"h cost $87.0b. trip to town by horse and wagon. Other times iJpon retiring Leon and Alice moved to he was able to borrow his brother Myron's 19?3. in Alice died where Color"ado, Littieton, R-orn and Sn" i* l,rri"a in the Stratton cemetery. Leon Ford Model-T to go "sparking"' later moved back to the farm, where he still lives. by Mary Ann Smelker SMELKER, WESLEY F652 Wesley Virgil Smelker, 5th child of Charles V. and Sadie Luella Smelker, was born May 9, 1909, on his parents homestead near Stratton, Colorado. He married Dorothy Grace Freeman, of Kit Carson, Colorado, on July 30, 1929. To this union was born one son, Gaylord Wesley. Wesley and Dorothy farmed near Kit Carson until 1935 at which time they moved with son Gaylord to Cheyenne Wells. He was in business at the Shamrock Garage and Farm Supply for 21 years. Wesley died September 20, 1968. Gaylord married Mary Ethel Byers, of Cheyenne Wells. They live in Canon City. by MarY Ann Smelker FAMILY F653 Born June 29, 1853 at Friendship, N.Y., my grandfather, Moses T. Smith, "came West" from Wyoming, Iowa in 1906 to settle on land in eastern Colorado, where he "broke sod" to farm, and raised livestock. Grandmother, Ella Collins Smith, joined him in 1910, and those of the family of six sisters and brothers, on a Saturday night. Time and the winds have taken their toll, but my birthplace still stands, a silent reminder of those Iong ago days. When the yucca sends forth its blossoming spires in June, and summer carpets the pastures with tenacious wildflowers, echoes of the past speak softly to this daughter of the prairie. by Dorene Smith Buol SMITH - GANGWISH FAMILY F664 educated near Gurdon, Arkansas, Grace L. Smith was encouraged to come to Colorado by her sister, Emma Dickey, who lived in Burlington, so she declined an offer of a chair in mathematics to bring "readin','riting and 'rithmetic" to frontier children, teaching one term at the Ritzius school before taking a school in the German settlement. On May 8, 1923, Smith and Smith were wed at the Methodist parsonage in Burlington by the Rev. Gatley. On a wintery, snowy March day in 1924, in the bedroom of an adobe house on the homestead. I was ushered into the world by Dr. E.J. Remington. A short time later, my dad was appointed by the U.S. Postal Service to be the first rural carrier north out of Burlington, and he became the proud owner of his first car. We moved into town, where we shared "Grandma" Boyles'house until we would move into our newly-built home on 9th St., where my brother, Leland, and I grew up in a neighborhood where there were vacant lots for digging caves or a game of "work-up", and kids to join in playing "kick the can" and other games on a summer evening. There were family get-togethers and vacation trips to visit relatives, and sometimes I was allowed to go to "the farm" for a week or so, where I would help with "the chores". SMITH - BUOL the ashes of the big barn built in the 30's, once a countryside gathering place for good times Cousins went to country schools where we often attended programs and box socials, and they lived with us at various times to go to High School. At the age of 6, death left Jeanette Smith Stahlecker motherless, and she was raised in our home. After 33 years carrying the mail, my dad retired in Nov. 1958. and he died in 1961. My mother died in March 1982, a few days before her ninety- Leonard and Geraldine Smith sitting in their front yard with Leonard's sheep dog Rex. Aren't many a. shade here. You should see their home lr;T: Leonard O. Smith was born March 17, 1923, four miles from his present home south of Flagler, Colorado. He is the only child of N.A. and Etta C. Farmer Smith. His parents came to the Flagler area from Jetmore, Kansas, in 1918. Until 1925 they lived four miles southeast of the present ranch. After World War I, they moved to Ordway, Colorado, and then to Sugar City, Colorado, where they farmed and ran a hardware store and creamery. In 1938 they moved back to Flagler to what is now the south ranch. At first they ran sheep, then changed to yearling cattle. Leonard was educated in the public schools of Sugar City and Flagler, graduating from Flagler High School in 1941. After graduation, he went into partnership with his father on the ranch. Geraldine Margaret Gangwish was born October L7,1922,in Roseland, Nebraska. She moved to the Arriba community at the age of second birthday. Later that year, my brother six months. Here she grew to womanhood and graduated from Arriba High School in 1940. was killed in an accident. For all 12 years, I went to school in the old, Colorado Springs and later worked in the She then attended Blair Business College in �ordinance depot at Camp Carson. Leonard and Geraldine were married on Sunday, September 17, L944, at the country home of the bride's uncle and aunt. Camping and fishing were a favorite of theirs, so naturally they took a long honeymoon trip to the mountains around Glenwood Springs, Colorado. In 1946 they ordered a boat from the Speigel catalog and it came to the depot in town. People thought they were nuts to have a row boat ties on top of their car! Especially in eastern Colorado! Boating and fishing are still a favorite pastime, and their children Robert and Renee sure like to water ski. Leonard is known for his work in soil conservation and water development. Thru the years, he has steadily developed grass and water resources on his land. From 1960 to 1965 he built 45 dams, 122 miles of terraces, and developed six springs. During the 70's and 80's Leonard has completed two great plains contracts and continued his management of range and cropland by building more dams, adding more terraces, and completing a stockwater pipeline of more than five miles to five different tanks. he has altered the management of his rangeland to achieve maximum grass production with minimum erosion and believes in and practices stripcropping and stubble mulching methods of farming. Leonard has received the Outstanding Cooperator of the year award in the Flagler District twice, in 1961 and 1979. Leonard and Geraldine love trees. Seems like they plant a few trees every year somewhere on their ranch. (I should say a bunch of trees!) Geraldine's dream is to have the Republican River that runs by their house lined with trees. Her dream is coming true. There are a few starting, thanks to tender loving care and a fence to keep the cows out. When they moved to their home in 1944 there weren't any trees. They have planted thousands of trees over the last 40 years. Their home now is an ggOasis On The Plains". After a brief illness in 1981. Leonard is taking things a little easier. With the help of at Vona, Colorado. Their children were George Richard Payne born 1933, William Albert Payne born 1935, and Donald Gordon Payne born 1940. George died May 1G, 1966. Laura married second Merle N. Jones on March 13, 1971, at Ustich, Idaho. Laura now lives at Bosie, Idaho. 2. Gordon Alfred Smith was born March 12, 1919, at Loveland, Colorado. Gordon married Donna Doris Clark in 1946 at Kuna, Ada co., Idaho. Donna was born Lg26 at Weber, Kansas. Their children were Leila Christine Smith born 1945, Jerry Lee Smith born 1947, Danny LeRoy Smith born 1952, and Mickey Leon Smith born 1953. They now live at Meridian, Idaho. 3. Bert Jr. Smith was born March 24, L922, at Stratton, Colorado. His nickname is June. He is single and now lives at Meridian, Idaho. 4. Bobby Lee Smith was born September 20,1925, at Vona, Colorado. On Feb. 14, 1950 he married Charlene Mary Hudson, daughter of Charlie and Mary Hudson. Their children are Cherie Bobbeth Smith born 19b1 and Calvin Neal Smith born 1953. 5. Goldie Laverne Smith was born April 1, 1940, at Boise, Ada County, Idaho. Goldie married Lawrence Eldon Gray on May 27, 1956, at Meridian, Idaho. Lawrence was born Jan.20,1936, at Boise, Idaho. Their children were Tammy Jo Gray born 1958 and Robin Michille Gray born 1960. by Linda L. Ljunggren Brandt SMITH, ASBURY F656 Asbury Smith was born in Ohio. Moving through Wisconsin and Illinois to settle northeast of Tobias, Atlanta Precinct, Saline County, Nebraska, in June 1884. Asburv Smith died Sept. 30, 1899, at the age of ?b years, 9 months, and 15 days and is buried at the Atlanta Cemetery, N.E. of Tobias, Nebraska. On the 1850 U.S. Census Asberrv Smith is living in Benton township, Hocking County, Ohio. Descendants say Asbury was a farmer and preacher. On his gravestone we find "Rev. A. Smith". Asbury Smith was converted at 18 years of age and was a member of the United Brethren church when he died. Asbury Smith's first wife was Rosanna Thompson (Rose Ann) who was born in Ohio. Their children were Nathaniel. William. Joseph, Mary, and Margaret. Asbury Smith's second wife was Hannah Jerussa Truesdale who was born Mav L834. in Pennsylvania. Their children were Salmon Peter Chase Smith, James Attaberry Smith, Albert M. Smith and maybe a daughter Aburn Smith. After Asbury's death Hannah lived with her son, Salmon Smith, moving to near Stratton, Colorado, with her son's familv between 1907 and 1910. Hannah J. (Trues- dale) Smith's parents were born in New Jersey according to the 188b Nebraska State Census. Hannah died January 2g, Lgt2, at Vona, Colorado, and is buried at Stratton. Kit Carson Co., Colorado. 1. Nathaniel H. Smith born about 1845 in Ohio is listed on the 1850 U.S. Census with Asberry Smith at the age of 5 years. I assume he died at an early age. 2. William R. P. Smith born Januarv 22. 1848, in Ohio. 3. Joseph A. Smith "Joe" born July 20, 1850, in Ohio. 4. Mary E. Smith "Molly" born about 1854 probably in Ohio. 5. Margaret Flora Smith "Flora" was born August 28, 1856, in Hocking county, Ohio. Margaret died April 10, 1926, at Friend, Nebraska, and is buried at Exeter. Saline County, Nebraska. Margaret married Samuel Trimmer October 9, 18g5, near Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska, by Rev. John Thornburg. Samuel was born about 1853 in Illinois and died about 1918. In 1885 Margaret was living with her brothers William and Joseph. In 1899 she was living at Seneca, Kansas, moving back to Western and Friend, Saline County, Nebraska. Her obituary lists her his son-in-law, the work gets done and there's still time for fishing. At the writing of this paper, Mom and Dad are headed for Alaska to fish for a couple of months. Catch a big one for me! Love you Mom and Dad! by Renee Loutzenhiser SMITH, ALBERT JOSEPH F656 Albert Joseph Smith, son of Salmon Peter Chase Smith and Laura Alice Cook, was born Oct.24, 1894, at Tobias, Nebraska. He came with his parents to Stratton, Colorado between 1907 and 1910. Only July L5, 1914, at Burlington, Colorado he married Gladys Delight Underwood, daughter of William and Mary Underwood. Gladys was born Oct. lb, 1896, at Norcater, Kansas. Gladys now lives at Medirian, Idaho. Albert died June 7, lgb6, and is buried at Meridian, Ada Co., Idaho. They had five children: 1. Laura Mary Smith was born May 14, 1915, in Stratton, Colorado. Laura first married George Richard Payne Jan. 1, 1932, Left to right: Samuel P.C. Smith, Ernest F. Smith, Laura A. (Cook) Smith, Eugene H. Smith, Albert J. Smith, Len Smith, Grace B. (Smith) Underwood, and Hannah J. (Truesdale) Smith. �children as Ira Trimmer of Friend, Nebraska; Enos Trimmer of Regina, Sask, Canada; and Mrs. Harvery Mather of Imperial, Nebraska. 6. James Attaberry Smith born March 10, 18?0, at Illinois and died July 31, 1941. James is buried at Luther, Oklahoma. On Nov. 22, 1892, James married Anna Kassebaum' daughter of William Kassebaum and Katie Crowl. Anna was born 1869 in Illinois and died 1935. Their children were Rev. William Asbury Smith, Mrs. Harold (Mildred M. Smith) Beleele, Charles A. Smith, Clarence A. Smith, Verne L. Smith, Glen Smith, Daisy Smith, Rollie Raymond Smith, and Mrs. Shadrick William (Lucy Lorene Smith) Vails. 7. Albert M. Smith born about L872 in Illinois. Albert married Anna Clark, daughter of William J. Clark, May 29, 1898, near Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska. They lived in DeWitt, Nebraska for a number of years. In 1926 Albert was living in California. In 1941 Albert was living at Lakeside, California. 8. Salmon Peter Chase Smith "Samuel" born Feb. 15, 1865, in Wisconsin. Salmon married Laura Alice Cook. 9. Aburn Smith is listed on the 1885 Saline County, Nebraska School Census as the daughter of Asbury Smith. She is six years of age. Next to Asbury Smith's gravestone is a small stone marked A.S. This may be Aburn's gravestone? by Linda L. Ljunggren fought in WW I in France and was wounded on Sept. 1, 1918. On Feb. 25, 1925, at Mankato, Jewell County, Kansas, Len married Viola Almeda Brown, daughter of Nelson Houston Brown and Clara Hannah Hoyt. Viola was born Nov. 13, 1902, in Clay Center, Clay Co., Nebraska, and is now living at Fullerton, Nebraska. After their marriage they lived a short time near Vona, Colorado where their first child was born. Moving back to Clay County, Nebraska where they lived for several years. Len was a farmer. They F657 Asbury Lindley Smith, son of Salmon Peter Chase Smith and Laura Alice Cook, was born August22,1896, near Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska. He was named after his two grandfathers. His nickname was Barry. He changed his nnme to Len Smith. Len Nebr. Their children were Tracy Ray Holmstedt, Gena Lee Holmstedt, and Edwin Lee Holmstedt. They live on a farm north of Genoa, Nebraska. 8. Orville Leroy Smith born April 23,L946, at Aurora, Hamilton Co., Nebraska. Orville was in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam where he was wounded. Orville married Kathleen Kay Hopkins on July 5, 1969, at Grand Island, Nebr. Their children were Jimmy LaVern Smith and SherryAnn Smith. by Linda L. Ljunggren Brandt lived a few years in Hamilton County, Nebraska before moving to a farm north of Genoa, Nebraska. Upon retiring Len built a house for them in Fullerton, Nebraska. Len died April 4, 1978, at Fullerton and is buried at Fullerton cemetery. Their children are: SMITH, MR. AND MRS. E. R. F658 1. Bertha Mae Smith born January 25, 1926, at Vona, Colorado. Bertha graduated in 1944 from the Edgar H.S. in Clay County, Nebraska. Bertha married Lloyd Dean lJunggren, son of Rudolf Emil Ljunggren and Ida Marie Bieck, on January 15, L92L, at Mankoto, Kansas. Lloyd was born Jan. 15, L921, at rural Harvard, Hamilton Co., Nebraska. They live about 9 miles south of Aurora, Hamilton County, Nebraska. Their children are Louise Kay Ljunggren, Linda Lee Ljunggren, Rogene Mae Ljunggren, Roger Gene Ljunggren, Dale Lavern Ljunggren, Carol Ann Ljunggren, Connie U.S. Navy. He married first Ava May Woodward on Aug. 9, 1946, at Mankato, Kansas. Their children were Joann Marie Smith and Melvin Earl Smith, Jr. Melvin married second Mrs. Fern James on May 15, L97L, at Fremont, Nebraska. 3. Claire Lavern Smith born May 29,7929, at Fairfield, Nebr. Claire was in the U.S. Army. He married Sheryle Lee McCoig on June 19, 1955, at Fullerton, Nebraska. Sheryle was born Nov. 7, 1935, at Silver Creek, Nebraska. They had one child Wayne Lavern Smith. They live at Fullerton, Nebraska. 4. Shirley Louise Smith born October 31, 1931, at Fairfield, Nebraska. She married Donald Iven Ljunggren, son of Rudolf Emil Ljunggren and Ida Marie Bieck, on May 20, L947, at Mankato, Kansas. Donald was born June 23, \924, at rural Harvard, Hamilton Co., Nebraska. Their children are Gary LeRoy Ljunggren, Danny Rae Ljunggren, Alan Dale Ljunggren, Gale Lynn Ljunggren, Shirlette Yvonne Ljunggren, and Sherrie Christeen Ljunggren. They live at Dell Smith joined the Asbury Lindley Smith - Len He was wounded in U.S. Army during W.W.I. France in 1918. 1958, at Central Oity, Merrick Uo., Nebraska. William was born Nov. 17, 1930, at Fullerton, Jean Ljunggren, Larry Dean Ljunggren, and Joyce Ann Ljunggren. 2. Melvin Earl Smith born Feb. 15, L927, at Fairfield, Clay Co., Nebr. Melvin was in the SMITH, ASBURY LINDLEY Smith came to live near Stratton, Colorado between 1907 and 1910 with his parents. His mother died when he was 17 years ofage. Len Smith joined the U.S. Army in 1917. He Rapids, South Dakota. 5. Irvin Lee Smith born January 14, 1933, at Fairfield, Clay County, Nebraska. Irvin was in the U.S. Air Force. 6. Ivan Dean Smith born Sept. 25,L934, at Clay Center, Clay County, Nebraska. Ivan was in the U.S. Army. Ivan married Norma Arlene Sharman on August 31, 1957, at North Star, Nebraska. Their children are Lonnie Len Smith, Lynette Jo Smith, Rhonda Rae Smith, and Wanda Kay Smith. 7. Norene Marie Smith born Sept. 4, 1936, at CIay Center, Nebraska. She married William Alexander Holmstedt on Feb. 19, E. Rowland and Myrtle D. Smith on their Golden Wedding Day, Nov. 12, 1952. E. Rowland Smith & Myrtle J. Schlegel were married 12 Nov. 1902 in Omaha, NE. They immediately took the train to the Sand Hills of Cherry Co, NE where he was to settle the estate of his brother Clarence. Later they returned to Omaha where he was a contractor and home builder. Here 4 children were born to them: Theodore, Harold, Esther and Ida. Esther passed away in Nov. 1909 from whooping cough and pneumonia. In May 1910 they went back to a cattle & horse ranch in the Sand Hills 12 miles northeast of Whitman where they built and lived in a sod house for 10 years. Here Glenn, the last child was born. There were no schools or churches for many miles so with a growing family it was necessary to have a school. In the meantime Sunday School was held in their home to which some neighbors occasionally came. My father was instrumental in getting a sod school house built about a mile from our house and we kids walked to school in all kinds of weather, always watching out for rattlesnakes. My brother Harold had a great imagination and kept us entertained with his stories as we walked. Mv father also succee- �ded in persuading business people to help in getting school books and desks, also coal for the heater in the middle of the room. The teachers boarded at our house and walked to school as we did. My mother was a gentle, soft spoken lady but was brave and a hard worker. She was born and raised in the city so country living was entirely new to her. Her blind father lived with us most of the time. He always turned the old wooden wash machine and churned the butter to help Mamma. She had to cook and wash for all of us besides the teacher and one or more hired men, so was a busy person. We didn't have corncobs so we burned cow chips which Grandpa picked up, tied by a long rope with one end fastened to him and the other to a yard fence post, pulling an old wash tub along to hold the chips. Grandpa Smith stayed with us part of the time. He was crippled from having tangled with an angry cow in his younger days. We lived about 12 miles east of a group of lakes where my father put up hay every summer. He had a complete haying outfit and raised lots of horses so with a haying crew he made a good living during summers. We had many meals of delicious roast wild duck shot around these lakes. We also caught frogs in the creek near the house and enjoyed the fried frog legs. Mamma's mother came to visit us one summer and while there suffered a stroke. Her right side was paralized and she couldn't talk. She remained in this condition the rest of her life. During 1919 my father sold his land and cattle and moved the family to Colorado for Less Collins had built around 1918. and lived there until my father passed away in July 1961 and Mamma in May 1962. He lost his eyesight in Nov. 1953. They had no electricity or water in the house until they moved to town. My parents were always devoted Christians and took great pleasure in starting Sunday Schools in various school houses, also supporting the preachers who came from town to preach on occasions. After moving to town they faithfully attended the E.U.B. Church which is now the United Methodist Church. My father taught Sunday School class many years, even after he was blind, sang in the choir, was Lay Leader and Annual Conference Delegate several times. Mamma was a worker in Missionary Society and Ladies Aid, holding offices in both. She was also Financial Secretary for the Church several years. My brother Theodore passed away in 1975 leaving his wife Laura, five children, nine grandchildren and two great grandsons. Glenn and wife, Lylas live in South Dakota and Texas, have 2 children, 7 grandchildren and one great grandson. I married Edmund Boecker and we have one son Dale and wife Vicky. He is in the Air Force, stationed now in Abilene, Texas. We still live in Stratton. by Ida Boecker SMITH, J. OSCAR high school facilities. We had 2 covered wagons, the old Buick car, and 100 head of horses in our cavalcade. My brother, Theodore, a cousin, and the last school teacher F659 drove the horses, and my father would drive ahead every day in the car to find a place to Grandma and my brother Harold. During Ellen Smith, from Yale, Oklahoma. Proving up on a homestead about 15 miles north of Bovina occupied the Smith family through the years with education for the four children a major goal despite sacrifices entailed. Very active in 4-H, Oscar received many honors and several trips to state fair and Chicago's International culminating in receiving a Union Pacific Railroad scholarship, making college realistic. When he chose Colorado A. and M. after graduation from Arriba High in 1926, he fully intended to become a "county agent". Dorothy, born near Union, Nebraska, at the historic family home of her father's parents 6 miles from the Missouri's banks, moved at age 7 with her parents, Carl and Blanche Cross, to a large farm 13 miles north ofArriba where she attended country schools, completing high school at Arriba in 1929. Determined to use a joint honor scholarship received at graduation to study home economics because it seemed those offering would always be useful, she enrolled at Colorado A and M, too. Destiny permitted only one year in college together. Awareness of one another stemmed from local church activities and led to a five year courtship, culminating in marriage in October, 1932, just as the country was entering the FDR era. Oscar was teaching a country school in northern Lincoln County, picking up pupils on the way at the magnificent salary of $125 per month. Oscar's teaching, living on a farm, gathering a herd of cattle, some hogs, much poultry and gardening, plus being very involved in community life made for a busy lifestyle. Under the aegis of Dr. John Unger, Oscar, with 1500 acres under his farming direction, four children, and a full time teaching job, was regarded as more essential at home. In July, 1944, at a time when farming was a dubiously fragile endeavor due to rust and hail, men teachers were almost non-existent and family needs were escalating rapidly, Oscar and Dorothy were asked to assume positions in Arribas school system. Looming was the prospect of years of high school at a distance of 20 plus miles. For the next six years, mathematics and shop and the The next years were busy with some farming, raising cattle, and accumulating more land. We lived through the dust storms and the Depression when some of the cattle sold for $12 a head. All 3 ofus graduated from High School at First Central and went to college. They bought a house in Stratton which In 1910 at age one Oscar ca-e to Colorado with his parents, Robert Bevly and Minnie experiences with sickness and school days. Suddenly the United States was plunged into war and rationing of every type! Each night the kitchen became a tire shop to keep Oscar on the road to school. Men began to leave to serve the various armed forces: but, these years, my father would butcher cattle and sell the beef to Dack's Meat Market in Stratton for 9 cents a pound and take out half of it in groceries. largest real estate transaction consumated in recent years was completed when E.R. Smith sold his entire holdings comprising 6,880 A. of deeded land and 3000 A. of leased land to a syndicate of eastern investors." time. superintendent of Hugo Public Schools, Oscar's teaching skills were honed. The four blessed children arrived in 1933, '36, '38 and '40, respectively, adding the usual family spend the night where there was feed and corrals to accommodate the horses. It took 24 days for the trip, approximately 270 miles, including a 10 day stop-over near Wray, CO, during and after ablizzard.. He bought a half section of land 18 miles south of Stratton on the county line and built a sod house there which we moved into in March 1922. Both Grandpas came to Colorado to live with us and both passed away in the 20's, as did During the late 30's my father went into the sheep business so needed lots ofpasture land. He bought many acres and leased other land and ran a herd of 1000 sheep. During World War I[ it became too hard to find men to work on the ranch so he sold sheep, cattle, and land and moved to Stratton in 1944. According to The Burlington Record of Jan. 6, 1944: "The school, and the younger boys in upper elementary, making that decision established the family in the Stratton community to this Dorothy and J. Oscar Smith, 1973. John Oscar and Dorothy Smith and four children, Gordon Cross, Margaret Jean, John Robert, and Richard Carl, came to Kit Carson County from Arriba in Lincoln County in June, 1950, because Stratton Public School, then involved in consolidation processes, insisted that Oscar and Dorothy establish two new school programs: shop and home economics. Emotional because Gordon was a senior at Arriba High, Jean entering high English programs were the couple's "jobs". This choice led to a lifetime of championing the interests of young people and promoting their educations. Then came the Stratton move! With cooperation and help from the four children, Oscar and Dorothy met the demands of organizing and teaching in their respective departments and kept up with the children's activities. In addition to shop, Oscar taught math and Dorothy handled an added subject, usually advanced English or Spanish. During the ensuing years Oscar became principal and later superintendent of Stratton Public �Schools, a position he held for 17 years. Under his direction the initial portion of the current high school facility was conceived and built. He was highly instrumental in establishing the BOCES cooperative throughout the area schools. Because his master's studies were in guidance and counseling as well as school administration, he became alert to the educational needs of those having developmental disabilities. His caring and insistence brought about establishment of the East Central Colorado Regional Board for Developmental Disabilities, lnc. and the organization of the school in Burlington which serves a four county area. He was also an original officer of the mental health organization and the Centennial Mental Health Center. When the high school was designed, the help of home economics professionals was used in designing that department which became a model within small schools of Colorado. Dorothy rose to meet the challenge of having this facility and was successful in motivating her students in ways that led them to many honors and outstanding accomplishments. Stratton Chapter of Future Homemakers of America had four state officers during those years. She sponsored the classes of'54,'58,'62 and'71, and now enjoys homecoming reunions greatly. Supervising home economics student teacher sent by CSU. Fort Collins, and UNC, Greeley, became annual experiences. In addition to her classroom duties, Dorothy was school librarian many years. With assistance from able student volunteers, she organized the original elementary school library. These varied activities for both Oscar and Dorothy led to a constant process of continuing education. Summer school was an almost every year occurrence for one or both. Usually the choice was CSU in Fort Collins, but on occasion it was University of Denver for drivers education under auspices of AAA for Oscar and library science for Dorothy, or University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, for some other concentration. Seeing both parents receive simultaneous masters degrees in August, 1959. ceremonies at CSU remains a family highlight. Each Smith young person chose college. Gordon graduated in 1955 from CSU with a general science background and later re- ceived his masters from the University of West Virginia, Morgantown. A viral disease biologist with the U.S. Department of Public Health with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, and Fort Collins, he and wife Elly live in Loveland. They have two grown sons. Jean completed her home economics education at CSU after her marriage to Max Mason. They have three sons and three daughters. Jean is a home economics teacher at Hi-Plains High, Seibert, and Max was a custom farmer. Max's death in 1981 brought much sadness following his long bout with cancer. Robert chose Colorado School of Mines, Golden with petroleum engineering as his emphases, joining Shell Oil Company upon graduation in 1960. Now in upper echelons of drilling management, he and wife Judy, daughter of Tom and Gladys Conarty, Stratton, live in Spring, Texas, a Houston suburb. They have a son and two daughters. Richard also chose Colorado School of Mines and petroleum engineering. Following her graduation from St. Lukes School of Nursing, in Denver, Richard and Margene, daughter of Marge and Ugene Brown, Stratton, married; they have four daughters and a son. Currently, they live in Hobbs, N.M. where Richard SMITH, L. D. (BUNT) F661 manages drilling operations for Chevron Oil Company. When they retired from guiding young people, Oscar in 1974 and Dorothy in 1975, the Smiths had accumulated 73 years in careers they sincerely loved, with most of those years spent in Kit Carson County. Retirement gave Oscar opportunity to become a farmer once again, to play more golf, become more active in Masonic Lodge, to carpenter by remodeling the Stratton home and the Lincoln County farmhouse, to travel, to attend church, mental health and East Central school meetings, and to garden, one of his favorite hobbies. The sixteen grandchildren have had to rise to the challenges of having parents whose professions demanded their cooperation and involved frequent moves about the USA and in Richard's instance to Kuwait on the Persian Gulf and Singapore. Attending baptisms, birthday celebrations, high school and college graduations, weddings, and holiday celebrations as well as greeting the arrival of great-grandchildren have made a family network that all enjoy and treasure. The October, 1982, golden wedding observance for Oscar and Dorothy found the total family hosting the affair at home base in Stratton. Involvement in Stratton civic and United Methodist Church activities, being a committee member of Kit Carson County Carousel Association since the 1975 restoration beginnings, directing with others the relocation and restoration of Stratton Public Library are a few ofthe activities Dorothy has chosen to engage her energies since Oscar's sudden death April 4, 1983. As co-chairman, she found evolvement of this book, the Kit Carson County Centennial History, the 198588 focus of many, many hours on countless days. by Dorothy C. Smith SMITII, JOSEPH A.F660 Joseph A. Smith "Joe", son of Asbury Smith and Rose Ann Thompson, was born July 20, 1850, in Ohio. On the 1850 U.S. Census Joseph was one month old and was living with his parents in Benton twp., Hocking county, Ohio. In 1885 Joseph was living with his brother, William R.P. Smith and sister, Margaret F. Smith, in Saline county, Nebraska, and in 1899 Joseph was Iiving at Claremont, Colorado. About 1910 Joseph married Mary Murray. Mary was born about 1870 in Illinois. On the 1910 U.S. Census Joseph and Mary are living in Kit Carson County, and Joseph is a Post Master. Joseph lived his last eight years in Chicago, Illinois. Joseph died March 31, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, and is buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. by Linda Lee Ljunggren Brandt L.D. (Bunt) Smith, taken at his home north east of Vona in the late '60's. L.D. (Bunt) Smith was born in Hutton Valley, Missouri in 1887. He was five years old when his father married for a second time and the kids were placed in other homes. He went to live with a cousin's family and lived with the Marion Hines family until he came to Colorado with N.O. Gulley and Oscar Paine in 1909. His homestead was in the sandhills north of Stratton and he lived there into the 1970's. Oscar Paine and his mother, Mary, were Bunt's closest neighbors and friends. Bunt always said that Mary Paine was the only mother he ever had. Bunt loved to tell stories and one of his favorites was about Oscar Paine. One evening Bunt was visiting at the Paine home and he and Oscar were sitting by the stove discussing a fight that Oscar was having with a neighbor over their land that was to be resurveyed. The neighbor had threatened to shoot Oscar. Oscar's mother had set a bucket of honey that had sugared on the stove to dissolve. She had left the lid on and it got too hot, so the lid blew off with a bang. Oscar was sure that he had been shot and jumped back, upset his chair and fell to the floor. Bunt loved to tease him and never let him forget it. After a few years in Colorado, Bunt married a widow lady, Ada Glen. They enlarged Bunt's little house by adding a little room on the south. With it's south windows, it made a nice living and dining room. Ada kept the little house very neat and clean with white curtains and tablecloth. In this very tiny bedroom, I remember a huge feather bed, with a white bedspread, that filled up most of the room. Ada always wore a white apron covered with embroidery. They milked a large herd of cows and the yard was covered with poultry: chicken, ducks, geese and turkeys. Bunt had seldom gone out in crowds �Delore, but Ada loved to dance and Bunt found himself going to dances and other Co., Nebr. Their children were Mrs. Samuel Alexander (Cora Madge Cook) Lofquist, events. I first remember Bunt and Ada together at a Christmas dinner at my Grandma Paine's house. He ceme ahead of Ada saying that she had sent him over to help with dinner until she got there. In 1939, Ada passed away of a heart attack and after three years Buntwas married again. Bunt's second wife, Bettie Taylor, was born in Holden, Missouri in 1895 and received her education in Missouri. She taught school for four years at Kirk and also for four years at the Kechter school and also taught at the Boger School. Bettie was an outdoor person who loved horses, ice skating and swimming. She also enjoyed collecting dolls and making clothes for them and the dolls of the little girls she knew. Although they had no children of their own, Bettie and Bunt enjoyed kids and liked having them visit. Bettie liked to show them how to do things like crocheting and playing music. One of the outbuildings contained many books, games, and musical Havila Vide Cook, Mrs. Salmon Peter Chase (Laura Alice cook) Smith, Mrs. Robert Davidson (Minnie Bell) Renie. and Jesse Willis Cook. by Linda L. Ljunggren Brandt SMITH, M.T. FAMILY F663 "1.."::..r rtndf ._ .* toys. Bettie and Bunt worked hard all of their lives and were always ready to help anyone that needed it. They lived a simple life on the farm without electricity or an indoor bathroom and Bettie cooked delicious meals on her wood-burning cook stove. Bunt continued to do much of his work with his team of Buckskins, Judy and Star. In later years, we kept his horses during the winters and enjoyed watching him come with his team and wagon with the others, Silver and Flicka following behind. In 1959, they bought a home in Yuma and spent their winters there, but Bunt was always eager to get back to the farm in the spring. Over the years we shared many holidays and visits with them and always enjoyed their friendship. Bettie passed away in May of L974 and Bunt in September of the same year. by Opal Boger SMITH, LAURA ALICE COOK F662 Laura Alice Cook, daughter of Lindley N. Cook and Mary James, was born Feb. 8, 18?6, in Missouri. Laura married Salomon Peter Chase Smith in 1893, in Saline County, Nebraska. They came to live near Stratton, Colorado, between 190? and 1910. Lauta died on June 2,tgL}, at the age of37 and is buried at Stratton, Colorado. Laura's grandfather, Daniel Janres, was born 1806 in North Carolina. Daniel married Eve Fifer on March L5, L832, in Jennings County, Indiana. At the time of their marriage they were both living in Geneva Twp. About 1850 they moved to Folker Twp., Clark Co., Missouri. Daniel died in 1862 and Eve in L872, and. they are both buried at Bethleham Baptist Church Cemetery, rural Luray, Mo. Their children were Samuel James, Mrs. William Lewis (Maranda M. James) Spencer, Amos James, Allen James. Solomon James, John James, Mrs. Lindley N. (Mary James) Cook, Willis James, and Mrs. Franklin S. (Eliza Jane James) Cook. The Cook ancestors were Quakers, starting \ Laura Alice (Cook) Smith. with Peter Cook and Elinor Norman who came to the U.S. in 1713 from England. Peter Cook died enroute to the U.S. and his familv settled in Pennsylvania. Isaac Cook, son of Peter Cook and Elinor Norman, was born L702 in England. Isaac married Mary Houghton, daughter of John Houghton and Ann Gregg. Isaac moved his family to Craven County, S.C. Eli Cook, son of Isaac Cook and Elinor Norman, was born L74l in Pennsylvania. Eli married Martha Hawkins, daughter of James Hawkins and Martha Hollowell. t772 in S.C. Eli moved his family to Preble County, Ohio where he died. Eli Cook, son of Eli Cook and Martha Hawkins, was born L794 in S.C. Eli married Elizabeth Denney, daughter of Lazarus and Susanna Denney, in 1881, in Ohio. In 1836, Eli moved his family to Salem Twp., Henry County, Iowa, where Eli and Elizabeth both died in 1874. Joel Cook, son of Eli Cook and Elizabeth Denney, was born L822 in Preble County, Ohio. Joel married Charlotte Thornburg, daughter of Jacob Thornburg and Rachel Hammer, t842, in Henry County, Iowa. In 1864, Joel Cook moved to Folker Twp., Clark County, Missouri, where Joel died in 1878, and is buried at the Bethlehem Baptist Church cemetery, near Luray, Mo. Charlotte died 1908 in Lee Co., Iowa, and is buried at Keokuk, Iowa. Their children were Mrs. Hugh (Martha C. Cook) McClellan, Lindley N. Cook, Mary Jane Cook, Franklin S. Cook, Mrs. John Perry (Aldora Cook) Clifford, and Mrs. George (Adda Cook) Banghart. Lindley N. Cook, son of Jel Cook and Charlotte Thornburg, was born 1845 in Salem, Henry Co., Iowa. In 1870, Lindley married Mary James. Mary was born Jan. 31, 1849, in Indiana. They moved to Kansas sometime before 1882. Mary died in 188? at Fort Scott, Bourbon County, Kansas. After Mary's death, Lindley moved the family to Western, Saline Co., Nebr. in the Fall of 1892. In 1895, Lindley moved to Spring Ranch Twp., Clay County, Nebraska, where he died in 1924. Lindley is buried at Fairfield, Clay Moses Thomas Smith came to Colorado from Wyoming, Iowa to homestead. He "proved up" on his homestead and then wrote for other members of his family to come as they became of age. His wife EIla Collins Smith had remained in Iowa with the children who were still in school and came later after they had graduated from high school. His daughters, Maye and Elva came first, taking homesteads. Later, Amy, Myron, and Ed came, also "proving up" on homesteads. One daughter, Dora remained in Iowa and married there. Elva's homestead wasn't far from her father's. She carried her water from his place and also from Walter Clarks, a close neighbor. She also carried the mail by horseback and sometimes with horse and buggy from one small post office to another. I remember her telling that one morning she had been to get water and then went to carry the mail. When she returned, her water pail was empty. Later she heard that some Indians had been seen going through the country and they evidently had stopped at her little house and helped themselves to her provisions. Elva also taught school in Kit Carson County. At that time qualifications for teaching weren't very high as at one time there were only three teachers in the Burlington community with high school educations. They were Nellie Grabb, Nellie Miser, and Elva Smith. The other teachers had not graduated from high school. Elva went beyond high school having attended a Teach- ers' Normal Institute in Davenport, Iowa. She also attended Teachers' College in Greeley, CO. when the campus consisted of one building. One of the schools Elva taught was the Bauder School northwest of Burlington and boarded at the Spring Valley Ranch with the Henry Goebel family. Another school she taught was the Cook School. She also taught in District 38 before the school was named "Happy Hollow". (The name Happy Hollow was started by a teacher named Edna Swanson). Elva married Ed Bartman in 1913, who also had a homestead a short distance away. The story of their live has been submitted by their oldest daughter, Louise Wagner. Maye Smith was a seamstress and did sewing for other homesteaders. She married H.B. Morgan, who was a carpenter and later became a rural mail carrier on a route south of Burlington for a good many years. He was the first mail carrier out of Burlington. Amy Smith married Ellis Clark who had a homestead near by. Together they started the country store and post office at Morris which was located about 16 miles north of BurIington, one east and two back north. Myron Smith homesteaded about 11 miles north of Burlington. Myron answered the call to serve his country in the army during World �War I. He was stationed in France. When he heard that he had a new niece born into the Bartman family, he wrote requesting the baby be named Jeanette after a girl he had met over there. That baby was already named Edna by the time his letter arrived. He later married Ruth Bowman of Goodland, KS. They had two children - a son, Kenneth, and finally a baby daughter who they named Jeanette - now Jeanette Smith Stahlecker. Ed O.K. Smith homesteaded about 15 miles north of Burlington. He married Grace Smith a school teacher. They later moved to Burlington where he carried mail on route 3 northwest of Burlington. His slogan was "the mail must got through." Sometimes when stuck in impassible roads, he'd take the mail sack and walk to the next farm to deliver the mail. The mother, Mrs. Smith passed away at the homestead in t922. Here is a little ditty I can remember Grandpa Smith singing about homestead days. (I thing the tune was "Irish Washer Woman") How happy I feel when I crawl into bed, The rattlesnakes rattle all over my head. The dear little centipede, point of all fear, Crawls over my pillow and into my ear. Hurrah for Kit Carson (county), the home of the free The home- of the coyote, the bed bug, and flea. moved to Colorado with them. Samuel was a farmer. Samuel died Dec. 16, 1928, in Colorado and is buried at Stratton, Colorado. Samuel and Laura had six children: 1. Albert Joseph Smith born Oct.24, t894, at Tobias, Nebraska. 2. Asbury Lindley Smith (changed his name to Len Smith) born Aug. 22, L896, at Tobias, Saline Co., Nebraska. 3. Grace Bell Smith born May 28, 1898, at Tobias. Nebraska. 4. Ernest Theodore Smith born Dec. 18, 1900, at Tobias, Nebraska. Ernest married Mrs. Opal (Endicott) Hailey, daughter of Andy Endicott, on April 29, 1953. Ernest died Nov. 2, 1964, and is buried at Meridian, Ada co., Idaho. They had no children. 5. Un-named baby daughter born July 1, 1905, at Glenville, Clay County, Nebraska. 6. Eugene Harris Smith born March 1, 1907, at Glenville, Clay County, Nebraska. Eugene married Nettie Carpinter onDec.24, 1942, at Vancover, Washington. Nettie was born Oct. 11, 1910, at Gooding, Idaho. No children. Eugene now lives at Ontario, Oregon. by Linda L. Ljunggren SMITH, WILLIAM R. P. F665 We'll sing of its praises, we'll sing of its fame As we work together on our "Government claim." by Edna Bartman Stahlecker SMITH, SALMON PETER CHASE F664 William R.P. Smith, son of Asbury Smith and Rose Ann Thompson, was born January 27, 1848, in Ohio. On the 1850 U.S. Census William is 2 years old living in Benton twp., Hocking County, Ohio with his parents. In 1885 William is listed on the Nebraska State Census in Saline County, Nebraska. At the time of his father's death, Sept. 1899, William was living at Claremont, Colorado. William never married. He was a farmer. William died November 7. 1909 and is buried at Claremont cemetery, Stratton, Colorado. by Linda Lee Ljunggren Brandt SNYDER, LYLE AND PEARL F666 The Oasis Cafe and Service Station in Vona. Photo courtesy of Myrtle Anderson. The two men are Tom Burian and Maynard Edmunds. I, Pearl Marie (Hoffner) Snyder, was born in Pratt, Kansas, and my husband, John Lyle Snyder, was also born in Pratt. I graduated from Pratt high school in t924, and Lyle graduated from the same high school in the class of 1928. We were married in Pratt at the First Baptist Church, on the 12th day of November, 1934. The Reverend B.E. Mills performed the ceremony. From here, we moved to Kirk, Colorado and Iived on a farm until around 1955, when we moved into Vona. Here we took over the Oasis Cafe. The Oasis Cafe sat by the side of the road at Vona, and was a place for friends to meet and visit and make friends. It was a stopping place for people that got stuck in snow storms and floods. On one occasion we had a very bad snow storm, and had 17 trucks stranded all night, each truck had 2 men,34 men in all, and some people in cars. We called our help in, but they couldn't get there even by tractor. One of our help came in though she had to walk, that was Wanda Miller. We had several snow storms that stopped the traffic. The Oasis stayed open when needed to be. I recall one evening, when it rained so long and hard the road was closed west of Vona. Cars could not get through. One car washed over in a ditch. The cafe was crowded with people going to ball games. About 9:00 P.M. the roads were opened to go south of Vona, to another road going east and west. We had a lot of enjoyment by having banquets and special dinners for the school and community. We had several times when people would come in hungry and have no money to pay, but they got food and were thankful for it. One time, a man came in hungry, but had no money. He was a stranger going to Flagler to get work, so we gave him his meal, and a farmer came in and understood his condition. and said he would take him to Flagler and give him a job. The stranger took the job and worked all summer for the farmer. The farmer was Frances McCaffery. Frances S"muel P.C. Smith had been rabbit hunting. Salmon Peter Chase Smith, son of Asbury Smith and Hannah Jerussa Truesdale, was born Feb. 15, 1865, in Wisconsin. (Nickname would work late and on his way home would stop and eat at the Oasis. He would help several men get on their way by giving them Samuel). Moving through Illinois Samuel came to Atlanta precinct, N.E. of Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska, in June 1884 with money and paying for their lodging in Stratton. his parents. Near Tobias, Nebraska, on June 18, 1893, Samuel married Laura Alice Cook. daughter of Lindsey N. Cook and Mary James. In 1905 and 1907 Samuel was living near Glenville, Clay County, Nebraska. On the 1910 U.S. census Samuel was living in Precinct Six, Stratton, Kit Carson County, Colorado. After the death of Samuel's father his mother lived with Samuel's family and Pearl and Lyle Snyder's 52nd Wedding Anniversa- ry, Nov. 12, 1986 at Grace Manor Care Center. One very cold night four dark men came in hungry and cold. The cafe was full but they came in and asked if they could eat and move the table over to the furnace so their feet would get warm. We tried to accommodate all our customers by making them as comfortable as possible regardless of whether they were local or from a visiting town or their �creed or color. Another time a young man came in without a coat and his shoes weren't very good, there was a window broke out ofhis car, and he was cold. He was going to Kansas after his wife. He had no money and only wanted coffee. Maynard Edmunds gave him some money to eat with and we wrapped his feet in an old plastic table cloth and gave him a sweater. Harvest was always a very busy time and it usually lasted 2 to 3 weeks. Joe Doughty, the manager ofthe grain elevator entertained 29 Elevator mErnagers to a T-bone steak dinner once. We had several bus loads of school students from other states, who would call ahead and make reservations for hamburgers and ice cream. The train crews always tried to make their dinner stop at the Oasis if possible. We made doughnuts and long Johns, for which truck drivers would give us orders a week in advance for a dozen to take home. We had customers from neighboring towns come to order our doughnuts and Long Johns. Then, coffee was 100, pie 15 0, we served 2 piece chicken lunch for $1.00, 4 pieces for $2.00, and a childs plate for 250, and hamburgers for 250. That was back in the good old days. Our waitress' did their part in making the business a success by giving good service, and their friendliness made customers welcome. The sign on our door read "Through Our Doors, Walk The Finest People on Earth, Our Customers". Lyle ran the Oasis Service Station and also drove a school bus for years. We celebrated our 52nd wedding anniversary at the Grace Manor Care Center in Burlington, on November 12, 1986, where Lyle is staying. I still reside in our home in Vona, Colorado. often for sing fests. The Doblers came to America in 1885. They had 16 children. Eight of their children died in infancy and the other eight survived to come to America. Grandpa was a carpenter by trade and built mostly wagons. They also farmed in Russia. In Russia they lived in villages. Their farm ground was further away and referred to as "on the stepp." They had to bring their machinery home every evening or it would be stolen by the Russians. They probablyonly had a plow and a harrow. There were no pastures close by so the villagers hired a herder for each type of livestock. Mother told us they would start out for the pasture and they would call out that the sheep herder or goose herder was leaving. The other villagers would turn out their stock and the herders would take them out to pasture for the day. Again in the evening as the herders would arrive back at the village with their herds, they would call out that they were back. The other villagers would take their own stock and lock it up for the night. If they did not lock everything up it would all be stolen through the night. The villagers hired Russian women to hoe their fields and gardens. When these women came to work they had their hoes over their shoulders and would come singing all the way. Grandma would cook a big pot of borsht or vegetable soup for them to eat. She would take the pot out in the yard and set it on the ground, give each woman a spoon and they would sit around the kettle and eat out of the pot. Mother was 11 years old when they ceme to America. She was the second youngest of the surviving 8 children. They were on the ship 14 days with several other families. Her mother was sick all the way and also most of the children. It must have been a chore to care for them all. by Janice Salmans When they came to America they could not speak English. They were hungry, very homesick and cried a lot. Their father was out STAHLECKER DOBLER FAMILY F667 of money. Another German farmer came along and gave them bread, cheese and sausage. He helped them to a hotel and helped them to the train. They moved to Scotland, So. Dakota. They moved into a small house. Everyone had to work except the Our forefathers immigrated from Germany to Russia in the late 1700's or the early 1800's. The Stahlecker grandparents came in 1873 when their oldest son was only 2 or 3 years old. They had 11 children. Great Grandma accompanied them. Great Grandpa had passed away already. Great Grandma lived to be 92 years old. She was blind, crippled, and bed fast. When she needed more care than Grandma would give her, they came to live with our family. We had more girls to help with her care. Great Grandma passed away at our house. After she died, Grandma went back to her own house again. Our father was born in Columbus, Nebraska in 1876. He was the fourth oldest child in their family. They moved to Scotland, So. Dakota. Most of the children were born in Trip, So. Dakota. They moved to Bethune, Colorado in 1893 and boughtthe farm 3/ mile north of the Lutheran Church from A.W. Adolfs father. There were two houses on the farm they bought. When other new settlers came to Colorado, they would move in the little house until they had their own homes established. This little house was occupied most of the time. Our Grandpa loved to sing and people would meet at their house quite youngest son. Grandpa and Mother worked 3 or 4 miles from the house and had to walk. One of Mother's chores was to twist straw in tight bundles to fire the Russian oven built of adobe. This oven was used to cook. bake and heat the house. It was fired up once a day and stayed warm through the day. Mother would get very homesick and would go to the straw stack, twist straw, cry for home and fteeze. She got Sunday off after chores until evening chores. She would run home and back so she could be home longer. Then she started working for another family who had 3 children. She did housework and babysat. She was confirmed there. Her mother passed away in 1889. She was sickly but it was mostly from being homesick for her family who were scattered all over and homesick for Russia. In 1890, they came to Colorado on the train to St. Francis, Kansas. From there they loaded everything in the wagon and came to the "settlement" north of Bethune, Co. Grandpa Dobler homesteaded the 7+ of land where Hope United Church is now. They built a dugout that had a dirt floor, very small windows and little else in it. Mother planted geraniums and said they bloomed nicer here than anvwhere else. They wanted to worship. so they gathered in Grandpa's house and he would read the sermon for the services there. Once in awhile, a minister would come and hold services for them. He would do the baptizing, marriages and any other services he could for them. In 1892 they built the rock church. Each member had a certain amount of rock to haul for the building of it for a donation. They got their own minister and named it Immanuel Lutheran Church. Here in America they had to work. Several of the men worked for some of the large ranches along the Republican River. Some of the girls went to Denver to work for the rich Jewish families. Mother worked for an elderly couple. To keep her busy she had to beat eggs for an hour with the fork (the only egg beater they had then). She used these well beaten eggs for cakes or noodles and other dishes also. Thursday afternoon was their time off. Some of the German girls would go shopping, mostly window shopping together. They enjoyed one certain streetcar. It went up a hill, a while mule was hitched to the streetcar to pull it up the hill. At the top of the hill, the mule was unhitched and put on the back of the streetcar to coast down the hill. At the bottom of the hill the mule was hitched up and the process repeated again. My folks were married on September 11, 1898. They had 11 children. They started their married life in Grandpa's little house. Dad was sick before their wedding day. That morning they had a blizzard. The minister came to the house and performed the marriage there. Dad's illness was typhoid fever. They were quarantined for 6 weeks. What a honeymoon! Dad worked for different places. He tried to farm. He quit this and started to work for the railroad. They lived in Burlington at this time. Here one sister, age 2Yz years old died of diphtheria. Dad also had this illness but he recovered. Mary was born here. Next they moved to the "Norman Meyer place." This is % mile south and 1 mile west of Immanual Lutheran Church. While they lived here, 5 of us children were born. I barely remember the sod house we lived in. The house, the buggy shed and the barn were all under one roof. It had a sod roof. When it rained the roof would leak. Pots and pans were all put out to catch the water. Mother would sprinkle the floor with water before she would sweep to help settle the dust. Saturday was the day to "mop" the floor. We kids had to go to the pasture and get the yellow lime dirt from the prairie dog holes. We would pick some grass bushes, tie them tightly together and use them to brush the lime mixed with water over the floor. When it dried, it would help seal the floor and lighten the house. I was 4 or 5 years old when they built a "modern" house. It was made of adobe. had no clothes closets, a shingle roofand a wooden floor. The kitchen was papered with an oil cloth so it could be washed off. The bedrooms were white washed with lime. Lime was bought in chunks. Mother would put a few chunks in a tub and pour water over it. It would boil up like lye. When it was dissolved, she put it in an airtight container. It would keep for a long time this way. If it got hard it could not be used again. They could get blueing, the lime would not eat it up, and use it to tint the lime. This was used to paint the walls and ceiling. Then the blueing was mixed with water and applied with a corn cob in what ever width vou wanted for the borders. �The cob was rolled in the blueing and then lightly on the wall below the ceiling. It made a nice design border. Mary loved to do this so much that at times she had borders around the doors, windows, and above the moP boards too. The lime was also used to kill mites in the chicken house and the milk house. We girls had to help with farming because we only had one older brother and us 5 girls until the next brother was born' We walked to school in the spring and the fall when Dad needed the horses for farming. In the winter we had one horse hitched to a buggy and could ride to school. There was a barn at the school and all the horses were unhitched and stayed in the barn until it was time to go home. We had to go 2Vz miles to school then. Later we moved 4 miles north of Bethune and had to go SVz miles to school by walking, riding in the buggy. When I was in ?th grade we moved to Mosca, Colorado. A bus took us to school in town. It was a four room school with more children in one room than we had in the whole school in the country' It was an 8 grade school. It was a big adjustment for me to make. The first school here had five or six big boys in it besides all the other children. But the teachers were strict and made them behave even if it meant punishment. Our parents would back up the teachers on the discipline. If we got a spanking at school, we'd for sure get another one at home too. Dad would buy material in bolts to make our clothing. All of our dresses were made from the same pattern but had different trim so we could tell them apart. If one of us grew out of the pattern, Mother would take a newspaper and cut out a larger one. The dress always had another girl to grow into it. We had two dresses for school to change once a week and one dress for Sunday. We had to change into our good dress right before we were ready to go and out of it as soon as we got home so it wouldn't get dirty so fast. Our underwear was all home sewn too. A bolt or two of flannel for winter was bought and flower sacks provided the material for summer underwear. Wash water had to be carried in and out again. We heated it on the range in a wash boiler. We had a tub, wash board and home made soap to work with. The clothes were rubbed on the board to clean them. The white clothes were boiled to get them clean. The dark clothes were rubbed twice then rinsed and hung out on the line to dry. If we ran out of clothes line we would use the barbed wire fence. If we smaller kids would get them in, we would sometimes have small holes in them from the barbs. In the winter it froze the clothes and it was hard to get all the washing over with in one day. Then came the washing machine! It had a handle to push back and forth and up and down to agitate the clothes. The lid had an attachment with four knobs that moved back and forth also. It had a wringer to turn by a handle, no more hand wringing. After the hand crank machine came the gas motor and then the electric motor on the washer. Now, we even have an electric clothes dryer. Mother had a wangle iron. It had a roller like a rolling pin only longer and no handles. Then a 2x4 board with one handle and curves on the underside. She would roll this over the roller back and forth until it was straight. We had a set of irons, usually three and one handle. These were heated on the range. When one was cold, it went back on the range and got another hot one again. Next came the gas iron and then the electric iron and now no iron material. In Russia they had feather beds. Here they had strawsacks. This was a sack made as large as the bed with a slit in the middle and a couple of ties. It was filled after harvest with nice straw every year. It was laid on boards in the bed to keep it up. The ties were untied to fluff up the straw and then tied back up again. We used a small quilt to cover the slit and then a sheet or a blanket next and the rest of the bed covers. After more corn was being raised, the soft corn husks were used in place of the straw. We small kids had to go a long way to pick up the soft husks when corn was harvested. We would put them in a gunney sack and gather enough for three or four beds. Sometimes they would snap corn, pile it up at home and shuck it there. Then came bed springs with the mattress, innerspring mattresses and now waterbeds. Stoves-Russian ovens. Grandpa Adolf was the only one here to have one of these. Next came the black cast iron stove. You could buy polish to make it shine. Then came the granite range. It was an improvement because it could be washed off after use. When the coal oil stoves came to cook and heat with, we had no more fuel to carry in and ashes to carry out. Then came the gas ranges, propane ranges, electric ranges and now the microwaves. At first when little corn was raised we had few corn cobs to use for fuel. We would feed the hogs ear corn. When they had eaten it off we would pick up the cobs out of the pig pen. Some of them were very messy and we would throw them outside to dry out and burn later. These would burn longer than the clean cobs but smelled much worse. We all burned cow chips then too. We would put a double box on the wagon and take along a lunch to eat and head out to pick up cow chips wherever we would find them. If no one was ahead of you, it didn't take long to fill the wagon, but sometimes we would have to go as far as to the river. We had few sheds then and the cow chips needed to be kept dry to burn. So we would build a shed with them. We used the bigger ones for the outside walls and fill the middle with the smaller ones and heap them up to make a rounded top. Then we would take fresh cow manure and plaster it over this. It would stay dry all winter. When we needed to use some of these cow chips, we would dig a hole in the side, take what we needed and cover the hole with a blanket to keep out the snow. We would also go along the railroad tracks and pick up coal that was scattered when they fired the steam engines. If a train would come along and a good hearted fireman was on he would throw a few shovels full out so we had more to pick up. Coal could be bought if we could afford it' As more corn was raised less cow chips were burned. Everyone raised a garden. They had big 50 gallon vinegar barrels to store some food in. supplres. A rol or mears v and milk was drunk a lot. We also had corn mush to eat. AII the bread was baked at home. We butchered beef in the winter when it would keep longer. Pork was also butchered and the hams and bacon were cured and sausage was made. Mother would also fry it up and put it in a crock, cover it with lard and use it later. We also ate a lot of jackrabbits, young pigeons and sometimes we had frying chickens in the summer. We had to butcher these in the morning to serve at the noon meal so the meat would not spoil. Later we canned meats and vegetables. Then came the deep freeze for longer storage and now food is available as you need it over the counter. by Theresia Kramer STAHLECKER KRAMER FAMILY F668 William "Bill" Stahlecker was born February L7,1907 north of Bethune, Colorado to Gottlieb and Minnie Stahlecker. He was one of eight children; Clara, Otto, Gottlief, William, Emma, Bertha, John, and Anna. They attended a one-room rural school. The means of transportation was walking even though the distance to school was 3% miles. At certain times of the year, they stayed home to help with the farm work. At an early age, Bill stayed home from school and worked for an uncle and later for a close neighbor. In 1929, Bill and his father and brothers built an adobe house and other farm build- ings 7 miles north and 2 miles west of Bethune. Bill and Amelia Kramer were married in October 1929 and lived there several years until they moved 8 miles south where there was more farm ground and pasture. The dust storms of the 1930's came and farming became next to impossible. The only thing that grew were the thistles and even they were picked up and blown away. I remember helping my mother sweep up pans full of the fine dust that had sifted into the house during a storm. Some families stayed and struggled through those years while other moved to Loveland and other cities and found work there. Bill and other men worked for the W.P.A. and helped build roads and bridges. These men would have to milk their cows mornings and evenings to have cream to sell in town so they would have enough cash for groceries and other essentials. The summer of 1942 brought about more changes. Gottlieb and Minnie left the farm they had homesteaded and moved to the Paul Stoltz place for a few years before they finally moved to Loveland in 1945. Bill and Amelia, bought the homestead from Gottlieb and his three brothers and moved there with their family; Clarina, George, Willard, Margie, and Iva. (Ivan and Jean were born in 1943 and 1948.) There were usually two barrels, one filled Gottlieb still had some sheep at the farm and he would come and shear them with a Dad used a stomper to stomp the kraut down in the banel. but Bill remembers that he had to wash his feet clean and go in and stomp it down by foot. Beans and potatoes were raised. We also milked a bunch of cows. We drank separated milk and sold the cream and some eggs to buy flour and sugar or other hand clipper. It was fascinating to watch the wool clipped off all in one piece from one sheep. It would be rolled into a tight ball, fastened with twine and then it would be sold. This was an annual event that occurred each May. The first few years on grandpas' farm, we with dill pickles and one with sauerkraut. �carried buckets of water into the house for cooking, bathing, and laundering. R.E.A. brought electricity to the area in the late 1940's. Before then, we had a windcharger which made electricity and the excess was stored in batteries and used when needed. There were some good wheat crops. I remember helping serve noon meals to the thrashing crews. Neighbors always helped each other. Later on, combines did the work more efficiently. The fall crops of coes and grain were cut by a binder. It cut the stalk and tied it into bundles. The kids would go out the next day and pick up these bundles and set them into shocks. (They look like Indian teepees.) They would be hauled into the yard later and the corn was picked by hand. This was before many farmers were able to buy cornpickers and combines. Chores for the children included helping with milking, feeding pigs, baby calves and chickens and the gathering of the eggs. We brought in cut up fire wood and corn cobs to burn in the coal stove for cooking and heating. When there was extra money, we would get some coal to burn. There was no furnace to heat the place, only the stove in the kitchen. The other rooms in the house were cold in the winter. A few years alter, propane heat was purchased for the Iiving room. I also remember the two and three day blizzards we had. January 1, 1949, Uncle Chris Kramer and dad left to take Lorena Kramer to school in Colorado Springs, they got as far as Genoa and had to stay there for the duration of the storm. George, Willard and I managed to milk the cows and the other chores while mom worried and prayed. I am sure she did plenty of both and were we relieved when dad got home safe on the third day. The Stahlecker homestead is still being lived in by the third generation. George and his wife Janie along with their two boys, Jerry and Tim have done some remodeling to the inside as well as the outside. The original barn is still standing but has been patched up some. Some of the other buildings have crumbled and have been replaced, but the homestead still gives me a nostalgic calm and joy when I am there. by Clarine Stahlecker Fergus STAHLECKER WEISS FAMILY close was advantgeous as they helped each other build their homes and farm buildings. Some of the buildings and houses were built of adobe bricks which consisted of straw mixed with mud, dried into bricks and then built up into walls. The outside walls were then stuccoed. The original houses are still standing and still being lived in. Gottlieb & Minnie had 8 children, they were Otto, Clara, Gottlief, William, Emma, Bertha, John, and Anna. Fred & Jakobine had 5 children. The children grew up together very closely. They went to school and played and worked together. All of the children, even the girls had to stay home from school and help with the farm work. Some ofthem obtained 8 years of schooling, while others did not. Cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens were raised on the farm plus several kinds of crops and many garden crops were grown. The Stahleckers were self-sustaining farmers with very little bought from town. Fruit and Vegetables were canned. Watermelons were pickled in salt brine and then eaten in the fall and winter. It was a treat to eat grandmas' home-made bread spread with thick, rich cream and sprinkled with sugar. Lambs and beef were butchered and canned in jars. Ham and bacon were preserved in barrels of salt brine and the sausages were smoked in the smoke house. The families first car was a Ford probably bought in 1913 or 1914. Before then, they traveled everywhere in horse drawn wagons. They were faithful in attending the Ger- man Lutheran Church 11 miles north of Bethune. I remember a dust storm darkening the sky one Sunday before church was over. We drove with the car lights on and got as far as my grandparents where grandma cooked dinner and we ate using the light of the kerosene lamps. Grandpa and grandma retired from farming in 1945 and moved to Loveland Colorado where they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. All 8 children were present along with 35 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. by Clarine Stahlecker Fergus STAHLECKER, ROBERT AND MILDRED F669 My grandfather, Gottlieb Stahlecker, was born in 1878 to Martin & Catherine (Juengling) Stahlecker. They lived for a time in South Dakota before moving to the area north of Bethune, Colorado known as the German Settlement. The parents had come from Russia in the 1800's but Gottlieb and his brothers and sisters were born in Nebraska and South Dakota. Sisters Minnie & Jakobine Weiss arrived as young ladies from Russia and immediately they were admired and courted by two of the Stahlecker brothers, Gottlieb and Fred. The couples were married on August 24, 1902 in a double ceremony. They then home steaded t/q mile apart; 6 miles north and 1% miles west of Bethune. The purpose of living so together, We picked up prunes from the ground after the trees had been shaken. Then there was filberts and walnuts to pick (crawling on west ground now). Later we both worked in the cannery. I peeled twenty two bushel of pears per day but the supervision said it was not enough and unless I could do better would lose my job so I did not return. We got a job in a dairy. Robert milked 15 cows by hand and did field work and cared for sheep and angora goats. The pay was $50 per month. In October of 1936 we decided to return home to our little 160 acre farm north of Bethune. We were lucky to get most of our furniture right away as we attended a community sale where a family who were leaving were selling all of theirs. Later we needed horses with which to farm so Robert went to a horse sale and bought a bunch of wild horses. Two of them were beautifully matched bay horses which we hoped would make a team to be proud of. But this was not to be. What we did not know but found out later was that they were rodeo horses aged four and six years old, they never tamed down. As soon as the harness was on the they thought it was time to perform! Our good friend who delt in livestock bought them and probably returned to the rodeo circuit. We had paid 9100. for them which was a lot of money in those days. One horse was so mean that whenever someone came into the barn he laid back his ears and began kicking. We finally got a good four horse team broke out of the herd and sold the rest. Using this team and a one row lister Robert planted the corn. We raised some very good corn crops. They were good years! We built several adobe buildings. Using loose soil, straw and water having the horses trample it into an even mixture, and using a six tined fork it was laid up in layers. One layer upon another. Each layer was allowed to dry some before another was added. These buildings were durble and cheap but hard work to build. In 1943 we adopted a nine year old boy John Dennis. He remained with us until he was sixteen when he purchased a car and went out on his own. One year a tornado came thru it went around the buildings but when it came to the hay rack it lifted it neatly over the fence and dropped it several times (gouging a large hole in the ground each time) and finally landed F670 Mildred (Fanselau) and Robert Stahlecker were married December 11. 1934. We moved into our two room adobe house, which Robert had built the year before. It was the year of the horrible electric storms which brought dust like walls of dirt which even got into our homes and we sometimes breathed thru dampened wash cloths. It had not rained all summer nor snowed that winter and deciding the grass may have died we left in March of 1935 for Newberg, Az. smashed in the field. We enjoyed the radio programs and listened to the various plays ect. each day. A far cry from our modern T.V. pictures. We shucked the corn by hand with a team of horses and wagon with high boards on one side that would stop the ears of corn when we threw them. We usually had about twenty four head of cattle. The cows kept their calves and when they were fat in the fall we sold them. They were mostly Herefords and I always thought Colo., Ok., and Dakotas we were glad to find their pretty white faced calves were so cute. We also raised broiler chicks in a "batterv" (a brooder with shelves) They also *ete s.t"h cute fluffy little things. When they first cnme berries (crawled all day on hands and knees) next picked cherries from trees as high as telephone poles (shakey business!) picked hops, our field had 1,000 pickers working from the hatcheries in Missouri. We also had hogs and turkeys. We bought another 160 acres of grass land in about 1940 so we broke the rest ofthe other and had more to farm, (about 140 acres of There were so many people there from any kind of work. First we picked straw- �farm land). We always raised feed for the cattle and stacked it to use the next year in case of a crop failure. Later we got a little John Deere tractor (G.P.) which made the work easier and still later a small John Deere combine. We were brought up to fear debts so never went into debt and never regretted it. It was a good life - lots of laughs and a few tears. In 195? we decided to move into town. I worked as a baby sitter and was very happy doing that. I met many fine people and shared a lot of love with lots of kids. Robert worked for Great Western Sugar Company for seven seasons, helping to establish the receiving depot here in Burlington. He also did carpenter work and a Iot of painting both interior and exterior. We have lived here in Burlington now for nearly thirty years and think it's the best place in the whole wide world! Our parents were Henry and Lily Fanselau and Fred and Jacobine Stahlecker. by Mildred Stahlecker STALGREN, CHARLES AUGUST AND IDA MARIE F671 Wyo. on account of Mathilda's health. She had tuberculosis. Mathilda passed away 5 Feb., in 1892. Claus farmed the boys out in the country at Pine Bluffs, Wyo. Emil and Herman to widow and son, Johnson and Gus to an old couple, C.L. Johnson. He went to visit them often. One time he rode horseback from Cheyenne to Pine Bluffs to give Gus a horse, saddle and a22 caliber rifle. Hannah had tuberculosis in her hip and Claus sent her to a hospital in Chicago for about a year. They cured her hip, but her leg never grew. Claus married Ida Marie Jonsdotter Lett, 5 Sept. 1892. She was born 8 Dec. 1860 in Stenbrohult Parish, Sweden, and came to the U.S. 18 July 1883. Her parents were Jon Germundsson and Cathrina Pehrsdotter. She married Charles Lett and had two daughters, Hilda Irene, born 11 Dec. 1886 and Julia Wilmona, born 3 Feb. 1890. Mr. Lett died about the same time as Mathilda. The new family lived in Cheyenne, Wyo. They brought Emil and Herman to their home in Cheyenne and Gus still stayed with C.L. Johnson. Claus quit the tailor bench in man and Gus would drive the ole horse and buggy 3 miles to school. Claus took out his final papers to become a citizen of the U.S., 24 Nov. 1893, in Cheyenne, Wyo. Maude Olive was born on this place, 18 May 1893 and Ann Margaret was born 10 Oct. 1894. The family lived there about 3 years. Then Claus took a homestead 4 miles north of Salem, Wyo., about 18 miles north and west of Pine Bluffs. The improvements on this place were: three sons, Wm. Jr., Richard and Robert. Ida Lorraine married Raymond Wright and had thirty acres under cultivation. Also, Iots of married Mathilda Sophia Nilsdotter, who was born, 28 Oct. 1859. While they lived in Sweden, they had three children; Gus, born 1 Jan. 1881, Emil, born 29 Sept. 1882 and Hanna Sophia, born 26-27 Aug. 1884. When Claus lived in Sweden, he was a professional tailor and had his own shop. The family left Sweden, Mar. 23, 1888 and anived in Bradshaw, Nebr., 8 Apr. 1888, to stay with Mathilda's uncle and family. They soon moved to York, Nebr., where Claus worked as a tailor. He took out intention of becoming a citizen of the U.S. in York, Co., Nebr., the 17th of Sept. 1888, and changed his name to Claus A. Stolgren. Herman was born 9-10 Apr. 1890 in York, Nebr. In 1890, they moved to Cheyenne, World War I and II. He married Ruth Fithian, 28 May 1925. She had one son, Mark and they had a daughter, Darlene. Ruth passed away in 1927. Roy died 14 Apr. 1884, in Burlington, Colo. Darlene and Mark preceded him in death. Jo married Wm. Frailey and lives in Toole, Utah. They had he had bought near Tracy, Wyo. (just a U.P.R.R. siding). They raised cattle and milked cows, sold butter and eggs. Cattle prices raised about that time, so they were doing O.K. Emil, Hilda, Julia, Hanna, Her- building, 4 rooms, stable, 150' Iong, sheds, windmill and 160 acres, fenced. There were Claus August (Charles August) Stahl was born in Appelhuit, Hjalmeryd, Jonkoping, Sweden,30 Apr. 1858. His father was Gabriel Magnusson Stahl, who was a soldier, and his mother was Maria Christina Jonasdotter. He and had two daughters, Alice and Lois. He was a tailor and lived in Denver, Colo. He died 7 June 1972. Irene married Earl Moore Harding and lived in Seattle, Wash. Theyhad two daughters, Helen and Betty. Irene died 4 Apr. 1976. Julia never married, lived at home and died 10 Apr. 1920. Maude was a teacher and married Elbert Nider. He passed away in 1915. She married Tom Burke and they were later divorced. She came home to care for her mother in 1943. After her death. she stayed there with her two brothers, Emil and Roy. She died 5 Apr. 1950, in Denver, Colo. Anna married Charles Pratt and lived in Omaha, Nebr. They had four children, Dorothy, Clayton, Bonnie and Emil Donald. She died 9 Apr. 1951. Roy served in both Cheyenne, about 1893, and moved to a place a frame house, two rooms, 16'x24', out The Charles August Stalgren Family taken in 1904. Back row: Emil, Julia, Irene, Gus, Herman and Maude. Front row: Ida Lorraine, Charles A., Roy, Ida Marie, Pearl, Hanna and Josephine shops. He had one son, Harold. Gus died 3 July, 1975. Emil served in World War I and after the death of his father was both brother and father to his brothers and sisters. Emil spent most of his life working with horses and cattle. He died quietly at home, 21 June 1958. Hanna never married and stayed at home, doing most of the family's sewing. She passed away, 6 Dec. L922, at home. Herman married open county and good grass for cattle raising. Three children were born on this place, Roy Robert Benjamin, 3 Aug. 1897, Josephine Marie, g Sept. 1898 and Ida Lorraine, 15 Aug. 1899. Claus built that place up to a regular ranch and was doing real well, till the bad five children, Marjorie Marie, born 24 Nov. 1921; Katheryn Joan, born 31 Aug. 1925, died 30 Sept. 1926; Joyce Elaine, born 12 Jan. 1928; Bill Ray Frank, born 26 Oct. 1929; and Jacky Leigh,24 July 1938. Both Ida and Raymond were killed in an accident,4 Jan. 1948. Pearly married Clifford Chittem and lived in Denver, Colo. They had one son, Boyd. She died 8 Sept. 1969. Charles August Stalgren passed away, 9 Sept. 1907 and Ida Marie, 27 Jan.1944. They are both buried in the Beaver Valley Cemetery in Kit Carson Co., Colo. Julia, Maude, Emil, Hanna and Roy are also buried in the Beaver Valley Cemetery. bv Bill R. Wright winter killed off all the southern cows he had bought the fall before. In 1900, the family moved to Sterling, Colo. and then to Weskan, Kans. They didn't stay there very long. They moved 4 miles north of Goodland, Kans., in a covered wagon. They rented the old Russell Ranch and raised cattle. Pearl Ethel was born there, 5 July 1903. Then they moved to eastern Colo., north and little west of Kanorado. Hanna filed for a homestead there. They established residence, 15 Dec. 1905. She had to file in Hugo, Colo. They were spelling Stolgren with an a now, Stalgren. They built a sod house on this place. It had six rooms and was well furnished. They also built a frame barn, L6'x24',shed 10'x60', chicken house, granary 26' and,40', adobe milkhouse, well windmill and pump, two tanks and frame coal house. There were 2th miles of fencing and 70 acres broken out. They raised barley, corn, cane and wheat. Some good years, some bad. The children that were school age, went to the Plainview School in Kit Carson County, Colo. Gus married and lived in Denver, Colo. working for a railroad in the maintenance STALGREN, EMIL F672 "When you ask me to recall the bygone days when I was a young cowpoke, the one thing that comes to my mind are the short nights. I know that I'll never forget them. They stand out in my mind so vividly and were so much a part of my youth, that it has always been a wonder to me that in all the western stories I have read that no one ever spoke of the short time that a cowboy could spend in that wonderful bed roll. Yes, the ground was hard and sometimes it was cold and sometimes it was wet and raining or snowing, but it was always the same - I rolled up and that was the last thing I knew until it was morning." These words were spoken by Emil Stalgren. Emil Stalgren was born Sept. 29, 1882, in Sweden. He arrived in this country with his parents, Charles August and Mathilda Sophia Stalgren in 1888, along with his brother Gus and sister Hanna. They stopped first in �York, Neb., but in a short time went on to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Here Emil's father opened a tailor shop. Matilda passed away 2L Jan., 1892. Later his father remarried and they lived different places in Wyoming until Emil was Roy enlisted Oct. 23, 1918, at Burlington, Colo. to serve in World War I. He was a private in Co. D, 2nd Army Artillery Park Co., in the United States Army. He served at Ft. McArthur, Calif. He got the flu, while in the army and they thought he was going to about 17 years old, when they moved to Sterling, Colo. and shortly thereafter to die, so they put him in the tent with the critically ill. Not knowing he was that sick, Wallace, Kans. Here he learned much about how to care for himself and how to mix with the outfits and cowpunchers. He learned a Iot about horses and decided he liked them. He Roy thought they put him there to take care was roping, branding, herding and doing many other things when he should have been going to school. He did not like the pay and so he decided to go back to Wyoming. He came to a settlement called Pine Bluffs and was soon working for a man by the name of Parker. He got $30.00 per month, meals included. The Old Texas Trail went through Emil's stomping ground and he thought he was on the last drive. This was a drove of 5,000 that were being taken to Montana and they were moving and grazing slowly along. This trail meandered over a trail that was about 20 miles wide so there would be a little grass to eat on the way. He left Wyoming in 1906 and came to Kit Carson County, Colo., where the rest of the family had homesteaded. Emil was both brother and father to his brothers and sisters after the death of his father in 1907. He was a good neighbor and loved his fellow men, especially little children. Emil was inducted into the army in the spring of 1918 and served with the calvary. He received his discharge, March 14, 1919. There was a period when there was a rodeo at the Stalgren's every Sunday afternoon. The cowpunchers were always welcome at the Stalgrens and they liked to stop in. Everyone behaved. It seemed no one ever doubted Emil's ability to keep order. Just a little remark from him and everything was right again. He had a way with people of any caliber of mentality or character. On June 21, 1958, Emil's brother Roy, with whom he lived, went to town to get groceries and returned home, and not finding Emil in the kitchen as usual. looked in the bedroom. He was lying on the bed. Emil Stalgren was dead. He was buried in the Beaver Valley Cemetery, the cemetery he had helped start and had helped care for since he was a young man. Many of his relatives lay there waiting for him. by Bill R. Wright STALGREN, ROY of the others. Instead of dying, he got well. He was honorably discharged Dec. 16th, 1918. ln L922, to fill the need and make some money, while doing it, Roy, Frank Anderson and Fred Teman and his wife, bought horses locally and drove them to Utah. The Mormons, in Utah, were in need of horses, both riding & draft. A wagon was equipped with a canvas top, similar to the pioneer covered wagons, to carry the supplies and a stove for Mrs. Teman to cook on. Archie Anderson went along as far as Flagler where, by then, the horses were "trail broke". Archie then returned home and the herd moved on. Little details are known ofthe difficulties ofthe trip but one can imagine there were many. Upon arriving in Utah, the horses were sold, including the ones they were riding. Frank stayed in Utah several years and the others came home on the train. Roy & Ruth Fithian were married, Mar. 28, 1925, at Goodland, Kans. She had a son, Mark. They lived on a farm in NE Kit Carson, Co., Colo. & Sterling, Colo. A daughter, Darlene, was born, in 1925. Ruth died in 1929 and Darlene went to Iive with Ruth's aunt, Charlotte Cromwell in Lincoln, Nebr., who owned & lived in the Cornhusker Hotel. On Oct. 24, L942, he was again drafted to serve in the army, during World War II. He was inducted at Denver, Colo., and was a private with the Detachment Medical Department SCU #1758 at Camp Hale, Colo. He was discharged the 19th of Feb. 1943. He came back to Kit Carson, Co., Colo. to farm and live with his mother, brother Emil and sister Maude. Roy was generous to a fault with everything he owned. In his concern with his neighbor's welfare, it always came before his own. Roy's stock of groceries was unsurpassed by any home in the neighborhood. Canned goods of every size, shape and description were included in his horde. One of his theories behind this was that, in case of a three day blizzard, the neighbors could get groceries from him, when they couldn't get all the way into town. Uncle Roy fell and broke his hip on the 17th of March, 1981. He spent the next three years in hospitals and the Grace Manor Nursing Home in Burlington, Colo. He passed away, Saturday, Apr. 14, 1984 and is buried in the Beaver Valley Cemetery in Kit Carson, Co., Colo. F673 "On the deal," Whenever you heard these words, you knew Uncle Roy was around. His favorite comment to just about anything. No one was ever sure just what it meant, Roy Robert Benjamin Stalgren was born in Salem, Wyo. on Aug. 3, 1897. He came to Kit Carson, Co., Colo., with his parents, brothers & sisters in 1906. He was the youngest son of Charles August & Ida Marie Stalgren. The family was originally from Sweden. Before going to Colo., the family had lived in Nebr., Wyo. and Kans. Roy went to school at the Plainview School in Kit Carson Co.. Colo. Roy loved to drink coffee. Many, many cups were consumed everyday. If the coffee was not hot, then cold would do fine. A Karo syrup bucket, filled with water and coffee, in the morning and hung on the exhaust of his tractor, took care of his needs during the day in the field. The last words Roy spoke, before his death were, "I would like a cup of coffee, please." by Bill R. Wright STAPP, LEONA PUGH F674 I really nm proud ofthe distinction ofbeing the first white child born in Kit Carson County. My.parents, John and Jane Pugh, held the torch high as they answered the challenge to make for themselves a home on the vast expanse of prairie land. On coming to Wray, Colorado, November 16, 1886, from Springer, New Mexico where my father worked as a foreman on a large cattle ranch, they took advantage with many others of the privilege of filing on Pre-Emption and Homestead claims. The ones they chose are about 12 miles north of Stratton. On their arrival in Wray, my parents and friends, Mr. and Mrs. Jones, joined purses and bought a team of horses and wagons to haul the lumber for the necessary finishing touches for a sod house and started out on the 75 mile trek. A terrific storm (snow) forced them to stop in Friend, a post office between Wray and Stratton. There were two or three houses there. (Later when Idalia was organized it was abandoned.) One family living there would give shelter to weary travelers. So here we stopped. The first night the horses broke loose from their tether and it took three days of walking before they were found. By this time mother and Mrs. Jones felt it best for them to stay in Friend, so the men went on. In the meantime I opened my eyes to the beautiful Colorado sunshine on December 22. 1886. I have always listened many times to my mother telling of the three long days when father would have to go to Wray for provisions. And one time they had to put the little colt right between the mares to save him from the gray wolves. As time went on the water situation became so acute they were forced to leave the little old Soddy on the Homestead, and were fortunate in finding an opportunity to buy the famous old Tuttle Ranch. our home for many years. It is still in the family as my brother Lloyd owns it now. My brother Arthur and I roamed the hills for many a treasure find in Indian beads, trinkets and arrow heads. I loved the excitement of the fall round up, and the breaking of the young horses, both to the saddle and harness. The days in early fall when I went with the folks to pick up buffalo chips for our winter fuel wasn't one bit interesting, but I do remember what a hot fire they made with gobs of ashes to carry out. The first Christmas that I remember was such a thrill. We youngsters climbed out of bed way early and found in the stockings we had hung up the night before, a big shiny apple, an orange, popcorn ball and a big stick of striped red and white candy. Another thing that's so vivid was the fear of prairie fire when the grass dried up in the fall. One time a big one came rolling in from the south. It burned two ofour big haystacks in the big meadow. Several of the men came in at noon completely exhausted. Mother fed them all. When they left to meet the force farther north, father hated so to leave us all alone. There was danger ofhidden tongues of fire that would revive and creep down through the south hills. He told us to have wet sacks or anything we could use to beat the flames if they did come. Those dreadful things did come. We fought like demons and �Lester married Dixie Eachus; they raised blocked their path. The men returned about midnight and we were rated real heroes too in helping mother save the Place. four boys: Clifford, Gerald, Robert and David. They lived in Denver where he worked When I became eligible I took uP a homestead claim right close to my father's land, proved upon it. Then, when I tnarried the young man in Iowa, they bought it' And we used the money to build our own home there. where I lived until his death. at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal for a long time. Then in 1954 they moved to St. Louis, and I spent in Llanidloes, Wales, in 1911. It was his first visit home since leaving as a young man to come to America. My father's death in 1913 was indeed a greai shock, as mother was left with the iesponsibility of a big ranch with only young ones to help her, but a valued helper and friend, Bill Lucas, stood by and she weathered the storm. while in Butte, Montana. Then they moved Missouri, where he was a maintenzlnce man at different plants. Lawrence was most always a truck driver. He married Martha Stallsworth in 1950. They worked as managers of a hotel for a Another highlight was the six weeks father The last item in my story is full of good things as mother and I live so comfortable herJin Stratton close by my brother Lloyd and sisters, Mabet Guy and Gladys Quinn. I enjoy to the fullest every activity in our E.U.B. Church and have a wealth unsurpassed in wonderful friends. by Leona Alice Pugh StaPP wagon). the Navy for a while. bY DorothY Harwood 191?; Mildred M. 1921; Lester I. 1924; and Lawrence W. 1928. AII but Vernon got most of their education at Sunny Slope School north of Arriba. Dad was a small farmer who farmed with horses, raised wheat, barley, oats, corn and STEGMAN FAMILY F676 . . also hogs and some some beans and cane cattle. So we had our meat, milk, cream and butter. One evening as we were out pulling and picking beans after school, Mother ran onto a rattlesnake all coiled under a vine. That put a stop to our evening work. Mother raised a garden and chickens so we had some fresh vegetables to eat. Also she canned quite a lot and had plenty of eggs and fryers. She baked most of our bread; a loaf of boughten bread then was a treat. STEDMAN - PROAPS FAMILY William A. Stedman at work on drayline (middle to Marion, Oregon. They have 4 children, Letha, Diana, Cherry and Billy who was in F675 : We butchered a hog once in a while to have meat and lard. They'd make a brine of brown sugar, salt and smoke flavoring for curing the meat, using a big wooden barrel to put it in. We made our own sausage and Mom canned this in jars in the oven. We would pick up cowchips for firewood but would take out more ashes than the fuel put in the stove. They were a real quick hot fire. Also one winter I remember burning corn on the cob; corn wasn't worth too much. We used kerosene lamps to read, study and sew by at nights and a kerosene lantern to chore by if we didn't get the chores done before dark. Times were hard but we always had plenty to eat and were clean and had a roof over our head. Wayne and I began our schooling in a little sod school house 14 miles north and 2 miles west of Arriba in 1923. Then Wayne, Mildred, Lester and I finished our schooling at Sunny Slope. In 1937 the folks moved to Hugo, Colorado, where Dad had work on W.P.A. After that they moved to Ordway in 1942 where Dad *oiked as drayman and with the railroad until his passing from a sunstroke in 1946. Coal schutt where Dad worked 1943 (Bill Stedman). William (BiIl) Stedman was born at Ionia, Kansas, October 2, L884, and Miss Jennie June Proaps was born near Logan, Kansas, June 15, 1886. They were united in marriage at Bogue, Kansas the 21st day of April 1907. He was working as a citY draYman in Stockton, Kansas, at the time of their marriage, moving to Colorado and taking up a homestead north of Flagler in 1907. Here their family began. Vernon L. was born in 1910; Wayne A. 1914; Dorothy M. Mother passed awaY in 1951. Wayne, our oldest brother, worked out a lot. In his later years he worked as a miner at the big open pit at Butte, Montana, until he contacted black lung and could work no more. Then it was me, Dorothy, finishing my schooling and ready to try my wings. I met Frank Harwood at Sunday School one Sunday in 1933. We went together for quite some time and in August of 1934 we began our home together and have been together for almost 53 years, raising 4 children. Mildred, our sister, graduated in Hugo in 1938. She married a serviceman, Harland Meade, from Kentucky. They lived at Fowler and Ordway where he did a lot of trapping beside holding down a job. In 1954 they and their two children moved to Albany, Oregon. Jerome Stegman at Homecoming in 1975 Jerome Stephen Stegman was born in Kansas, May 22,1913. He was the ninth child of George and Elizabeth Stegman of Offerle. His grandparents migrated from Pfiefer, Russia. His grandparents were German-Russian. He grew up in this same area. Jerome helped his father on the farm working with horses. He helped raise broom corn and make brooms. He also helped in a nursery. In 1934 he married Josephine Katz. They farmed near Offerle. In 1946 they moved south of Stratton on a farm near the Cheyenne County line. The children attended First Central School. The home they moved into was made of sod. Electricity and telephones were not available in the area until several years later. The children felt they lived so far from civilization that they would never get to meet anyone. Farmers and neighbors formed baseball teems. These teams played in pastures where ball diamonds were set up. Some years were very good, as far as crops, but there were also very bleak years with dust storms and drought. Wheat was the major crop. Later when the irrigation wells were installed, corn became important for ensi- �lage. For quite a few years they raised turkeys and chickens. One of the fun times was when neighbors would get together to butcher chickens, another was driving cattle to the dipping vats. Jerome always had a large herd of cattle. Milking cows and selling cream helped provide for food and groceries. Large gardens were planted and much canning was done for winter foods. One of the sad times was when the two story barn burnt during the night in the fall of 1949. The light of the fire was seen for miles. Many neighbors came to help. In 1950 Jerome and Josephine built a home in Colorado Springs. Later they sold it and moved back to the farm. In 1951 Josephine was killed in an auto accident and was buried at Calvary Cemetery at Stratton. They had seven children. In November, 1952, Jerome married Dorothy Katz. They lived on the farm south of Stratton. Jerome was the first person to have an irrigation well in that area, which is pumping at the present. Mail was delivered three times a week from Bethune. One winter the children stayed in town for two weeks so they could attend school, as the roads were impassable due to the blowing snow. In 1963 Jerome felt the pressures of many problems. He decided to retire from farming and built a home in Stratton. They moved into their home in February, 1964. Jerome started driving the school bus and worked as a janitor at the Catholic Church and School. Dorothy and the children helped him in his work. He also worked for area farmers. never losing his love for cattle and the good earth. In 1976 Jerome underwent a triple by-pass. After his surgery, Jerome regained his strength and gradually went back working fulltime. Three family reunions were held, with the last being held July 18, 1982, being the greatest. It was held in Colorado Springs. All of the children were there. Thev came from California, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and Canada. On Saturday, July 18, 1982, the reunion started with a dedication and service. A dance followed in the evening. Sunday morning was started with everyone going to Mass, followed by a pancake breakfast. The afternoon was spent taking pictures and saying goodbyes. Mary and Carl Smelker were the host for this reunion. In October 1981, Jerome lost the tips of two fingers on his right hand and again in 1982 lost the tips of two fingers on his left hand. It was during a routine checkup that the doctors discovered that he was again to have major surgery. This operation was extremely taxing on his physical strength, and he never fully recovered. Jerome and Dorothy traveled to many sports events in which their children participated. Jerome was always a sports enthusiast. he played baseball in his early days and later umpired for many games at Stratton. Jerome passed away on March 26, 1989, after a two week illness. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery. Dorothy still lives in Stratton. She is a teacher's aide and a bus driver for the Stratton School. Children of the Stegman family are as follows . . . Mary Ann Smelker married Carl Smelker on October 18, 1950. They live in Colorado Springs and have five children and six grandchildren. They own Smelker Concrete Pumping, Inc. Kenneth Jerome married Patricia J. Lillv August 30, 1975. Kenneth has three children and two grandchildren. Pat and Kenneth are both working in insurance. They own Surety Life. Their hobby is raising Paint horses. They are both involved in community functions. Andrea Geraldine married Claude Maxon in 1966. They have operated several businesses and owned several. At the present, they are taking life easy and enjoying their home in Fullerton. California. Constance Josephine married David Baker in 1961. They live in Indian Hills, Colorado. They have three children. Connie and David both love the outdoors. Elizabeth Kathleen, better known as Kathy, married Glen Leavitt in 1966 in Las Vegas where they have lived all their married Iife. They have both worked in various clubs. Kathy and Glen love to hunt and going out in the hills camping. Virginia Lee married Allan Dobler in 1g64. They have five children. At present they live in Seneca, Missouri where they are managing a chicken farm. They follow their children in sports. They also like to rodeo. Patricia Kay is living in Oklahoma City at present. Pat has 2 sons. Joe Howe, whom she married in 1979, passed away May 18th, 1982. He is buried in Calvary Cemetery. Pat plans to return to Colorado in the spring of '88. At present she is attending college. Colleen Marie married Ray Stutzman in 1966. They lived in Denver and later moved to Oregon. They have two daughters. Colleen loves to garden, can foods, and grow flowers. Both Ray and Colleen love to fish. Robert Morris married Lynette Allen in 1967. Bob and Lynette have four children. At the present, they live in Washington. Bob is in the construction business. Linda Dianne married Johnny Johnson in 1969. Linda attended Pikes Peak Institute of Medical Technology in Colorado Springs. Linda is employed as an office manager for a transport company. They have two children. The family is active in outdoor sports. George Steven married Michele Bilak on September 12, 1981, in Genessee Park in Colorado. George worked as respiratory therapist in many Denver hospitals before moving to East Rochester, New York. He works in Highland Hospital as a therapist. Michele works at Delco Products Division of General Motors. They have three little girls. Delmar Eugene married Linda Borden in 1976. Del has kept busy even with his disability. He spent long months in body cast and braces. He also underwent extensive surgery on his back and hip. Del and Linda live in Colorado Springs. Linda works in a rest home and Del runs an advertising paper. They have three children, one girl and two boys. high school days. They also played softball for summer recreation. They have four daughters. They live south of Stratton where {grome lived. They have cattle and sheep. Their joys are horses and dogs. Elizabeth Ann married Tim Pautler in L975 at Stratton, Colorado. Tim is engaged in farming. They live north of Stratton. Thev are active in many community projects. They are parents ofthree daughters. Both Tim and El?abeth graduated from Stratton High. Cynthia Josephine married Jay Robinson in 1985. They live in Fountain, Colorado. Jav works for a landscaping company. Cindy graduated from NJC, Sterling, Colorado. Cindy works as a secretary. They are blessed with two children. Rita Fracyne married John Kadaw in 1983. Rita and John both graduated from the University of Northern Colorado. Rita now works in the Weld Library District. They have a darling boy and are expecting anothei. They both enjoy hunting and fishing. Jeanine Marie married Billy Hornung in 1985. Both of them graduated from Stratton and attended UNC in Greeley. Jeanine attended and graduated from Colby Community College in June, 1984, with an associate degree in practical nursing. She graduated with Phy Theta Capa honors. Billy and Jeanine live north of Stratton. Thev are involved in ranching and farming. They have a son, Louden. Jacqueline Elaine was born on Februarv 29, 1964. She was born on her Uncle Bills' birthday, which is quite unique. She was an outstanding basketball and volleyball player. Jackie attended Adams State in Alamosa. Colorado. She played college basketball for four years. In 1983 her team went to Nationals. Jackie is teaching in Elizabeth, Colorado, in the high school. She enjoys cooking and sports. Bernard Jerome was born in 196b. He attended Stratton Schools where he was active in wrestling. His greatest challenge was to go to state competition. He was district champion all four years. In his junior year he placed third at state. His senior year, he placed fifth. Bernie attended Colby Community College his freshman year. He graduated from Sterling NJC in the spring of 1986. That fall entered the army. He is stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He plans to enter college when he returns home. Juleen Reanee was born October 6. 1966. She graduated from Stratton High. She was active in sports and many school activities. She was FHA president for two years, and chosen to National Honor Society her sophomore year. She attended McCook Community College, where she played basketball for two years. Juleen studied child care. She graduated in 1987. Juleen is working as a nanny in Colorado Springs. Though many of Jerome's children are living throughout the country, they will Theresa Marie was married to Mark Amos always have many happy memories of their lives in Stratton. Nineteen of the children have graduated from the Stratton school district. They have always felt proud to call Stratton their home town. Washington County. They have two children. Theresa loves being a mother and housekeeper. She also likes to garden and grow flowers. Stephen Jerome married Connie Livingston in 1974. Steve and Connie alwavs loved sports and participated in many during their by Dorothy Stegman in 1973. Mark was in the army at that time. They lived in Buffalo, Wyoming for a while, later moving to Flagler, where he had a welding shop. In 1985 the welding shop burned. Mark is now a state patrol officer in �STETLER, GRANT F677 I was born in Carey County, Ohio, Sept. 25, 1863, and spent my boyhood days there with my parents on a farm. Hearing the stories of the wonderful West and the opportunity of owning your own home, I decided to take my chance with the others who had immigrated into the new country. So I left my home in Ohio, and came by train to Benkleman, Nebr., then to Bird City, Ks., where an older brother was living. I came with the intention of taking a homestead in western Kansas, but soon learned that all desirable land had been taken up there. So I left my trunk with my brother and took a few supplies with me. A man bythe name of Mack Criger and I walked into Colorado, arriving on March 8, 1887. We enjoyed the trip across the plains eager to get to our destination and learn what the new land looked like, and where we would be located. It took us two days to walk from Bird City to a home owned by Bevelheimer. He was then living on the original townsite platted for Burlington, but from which the town later moved to a site 2 miles east. The night we reached the Colorado line, we were footsore and very weary. We stayed overnight with a Mr. Van Horn and family. There were blisters on our toes and the kind old lady let us bathe our feet and rub them with coaloil. I have never forgotten her kindness to us and how cheered we were to continue our journey. We both took pre-emptions joining and filed our papers at Kiowa, then decided to return to Bird City for supplies. Having no conveyance, we again set out on foot. We walked all day and came to a farm house that night, and asked for a bed. But evidently they didn't like our looks, for they told us they had no place for us to stay. So we just kept walking and walked all night. We followed the angling trail across the prairie to a place where the road forked. One trail leading east and the other angling northeast. We got started on the wrong trail and had walked some miles when we discovered our error. So, as there was no other mark by which we could find our bearings, we looked at Polaris to guide straight north to the angling road, or trail and finally arrived at Bird City. In Bird City, we bought some lumber for our house, a breaking plow, a team of mules, and a wagon. Then we put in some food supplies; consisting of flour, lard, salt side meat, and beans; and bedding, and dishes. We then drove back to our locations in Colo., and build a sod house on the line between the two claims. Criger located on the NE % of 178-44, and I on the SE % of 8-8-44. This was a substitutional little shack with a good roof and a wood floor. We lived here until we could prove on our claims. We had a home made bedstead, and used boxes for cupboards and chairs. Our mail was brought from Ft. Wallace, to Eustis, Kansas, then brought to Colo. by farmers or the stage. The mail sack was left at the home of Jim Anderson, a homesteader near us. We would take the mail sack in the back room of his home, dump the mail on the floor, and get ours out. Then return the mail to the sack, and whenever we met a man whom we knew had received mail. we told him, then he'd go to Andersons to get it. Water was hauled from Lost Man Creek until I dug a well 140 ft. deep. We then had water as long as we stayed there. While I was in Bird City, I met a James Knapp, who at that time was digging the well in the public square, in the town. Later he came to Colo. and dug a number of wells on the ranches around Burlington and for a number of years after procuring a well drilling outfit, he drilled wells and erected windmills for the STEVENS - CALL AND STEVENS - SPURLIN FAMILIES F678 settlers. When buying supplies for our new home, we made an error by purchasing a gasoline cook stove instead of a little "topsy" or cook stove, for when we got to Colo., we discovered we couldn't get gasoline here. So we dug a hole in the ground outdoors and built a fire with buffalo chips, the only available fuel. We were obliged to cook in this manner until we could purchase a cook stove some weeks later. My team of mules and a breaking plow made my living for me, for I got work among the early settlers breaking the ground for tree-culture claims and planting young trees. A number of people came from Skidmore, Mo. and took tree claims, and we got the job of breaking the ground and planting the trees. When I first came here, I brought some of fathers tools. that he used in his blacksmith shops in Flat Rock, and in Carey, Ohio. Among them a brace and bit, a square, and some other pieces. I have used them since and they are pretty well worn now. I also have a stove poker my father made for me when I was a lad. We were thrilled when we learned the Rock Island was coming through here, in Oct. and the grading begun the following April, in 1888. I helped dig the railroad well at Flagler. Fay and Alberta Stevens in the late 1920's in Benkleman, Nebr. My dad, Virgil Fay Stevens Sr., moved to western Kansas with my grandparents. The I watched the little towns grow from tents to their present size. I have seen people come, homestead was just north of Bird City, Kansas. In those days, it was not unusual to stay a short time, and go on, too discouraged see Indians pass by. My mother, Alberta Call, to stand the battle a bit longer. But there was born and raised in Geneva, Kansas. She were always a few who stayed on, endured the was 18 years old when she graduated from hardships, and have been foremost in the progress and development ofthis area. They were the real pioneers and only a few are left. By working at different jobs, I saved enough to return to Ohio, and in Jan. 1889, I was married to Etta M. Slaymaker. We returned to Burl by the new Rock Island and at once got a relinquishment, on which was a small dugout, having a floor made mostly of knotholes. What a home for a bride! We lived here until the next summer when we built a two-room house with a commodious cellar underneath. I dare say that of all the nice homes we've had since, none thrilled us as much as when we moved form the dugout, to the soddy. We got a man by the name of John Trout, to dig a well for us and gave him a cow in payment. Water was brought up by a windlass. Later we put up a windmill, built a stone milk house, and made butter, for which we always got 25 cents per lb. We lived here for about 20 years, and sold out in 1907. We came to Burl, where we bought a hardware store and retired after some years in this business. We are now living in our own home in Burlington, Colo. In May, 1937, Grant Stetler passed away. by Janice Salmans school, and moved to western Kansas to teach at a small country school. This is where she met my dad and they were married. They farmed and raised cattle until the drought of the 30's and the depression forced them off the farm. While living on the farm they had four sons, Virgil Jr., Norman, Dean and Dallas. After leaving the farm they moved to Benkelman, Nebraska, where my two sisters Sharon and Connie were born. I started school in Benkelman and went through the seventh grade. Dad had a garage where he made farm equipment. In 1947 we moved to Walla Walla, Washington, where some of dad's brothers were. None of us liked it there so we came back and settled in Burlington where dad helped his brother, Henry, build the Steven's Motel, the first large modern motel and 24 hour restaurant which was located on Rose Avenue. Dad also contracted other buildings, such as the old Save-U market, and built houses until he became ill. He passed away in 1960. My mother still lives in Burlington and celebrated her 80th birth- day in April, 1987. When I moved to Burlington in 1947 I was in the 8th grade. Tony Consbruck was the new principal. The whole school was in one building. When I was a sophomore we used to go to Stratton, usually in an old Model A Ford, or anything that would run. I met a Stratton girl, Doris Spurlin. Her folks ran a dairy and the Hollywood Creamery. We were married in September of 1953, after Doris graduated from high school. I graduated in 1952 and was working for "Jack the Cleaner". �I ran his delivery route to Stratton, Vona and Seibert. Doris had moved to Burlington with two girl friends and worked as a telephone operator. In January 1954, Doris and I, my brother Dean and his wife Freda, went to Fort Benning, Georgia. Dean and I were in the first NCO (Non-Commissioned Officers) school, class #1 at the Fort and trained with regular army and officer candidates. In 1958 Dean, Freda and their two children, Doris, and our two daughters Dana and Debbie and I moved back to Burlington from Brush. We purchased "Jack the Cleaners" and became partners in business at the D&D Cleaners located at 470 14th Street. Dean later moved to Flagler and operated an additional cleaning plant. After settling in Burlington we had three daughters, Diane, Devona, and Dee, and a son Derek. In 1975 we purchased the business from Felzien Cleaners and moved to a new location at 260 14th Street. In February, 1987, we have been in business 28 years. We have always liked Burlington and Kit Carson County. We know many people all over the county and are very glad we stopped times we had to buy hay and grain that the government had purchased and shipped in. A great deal of it was unfit for the stock to STILL, R. A. AND FREDA eat. Quite a few of the farmers sold their cattle to the government to be killed, rather than buy expensive and oftentimes spoiled F680 feed. When we came to Colorado, there was a great amount of open range, where you could graze your cattle and horses, which helped out considerably during those dry years. However, not everything was on the dark side; there were also good times to be had. These were neighborhood gatherings, visit- ing, card parties and house dances. Almost every weekend there would be a dance at someone's home, Some danced and others that didn't care to dance, played cards. The music was furnished by some of the neighbors. This usually consisted of a piano, violin, and guitar. Each family brought along some food and around midnight, refreshments of sandwiches, cake and coffee were served. A collection was taken to pay for the music. here years ago and decided to raise our family Along in the 40s, things started changing here. All our children graduated from Burlington High School. Two of our children now reside in Burlington. We have six grandchild- for the better. The crops were better and also the prices for the crops. In March 1936, Ethel Kreoger and I were united in marriage. I had a 1929 Essex car and about $40.00 in cash. I had the promise of a job on a farm northeast of Holyoke, about fifteen miles north of Wray; a rod went out the side ofthe engine. But as luck would have it, a couple of men who knew my cousin at Holyoke, came along and picked us up and took us the rest of the way to my cousin's place. I worked on this place for a few months; we then rented a farm north of Burlington. In t942. we left the farm and moved to Denver, where I worked for Remington Arms, making ammunition. We also spent a year in New Jersey, where I had a part in the making of the atom bomb. R.A., Frieda, and Andrew Still during the 1920's. After the war we moved to Hale, Colo., But faithfulness and honesty showed all where I ran the Hale Store and was Postmast- your love was true, and who would ever dream er from the Spring of L947 until August 1948. what all would come. From a horse and buggy courtship to airplane's awesome flight, you've traveled through your life in many ways. ren. Our granddaughter will be the third generation attending Burlington Schools. by Dallas Stevens STEWART FAMILY F679 We moved to a farm southwest of Stratton and lived there until February 1984. After moving there, Ethel taught school for several years. Two years were at the Nutbrook School, located 10 miles south and one mile west of Stratton. Three years were spent Calvin and Ethel Stewart on March 1970 on their 35th wedding anniversary. On March 10, 1932, from Gage Co., Nebraska, came the Stewarts H.R. and Hattie, with their three sons: Calvin, Lamar and Dean to a place 9% miles north of Burlington to what was known as the Tyler place. We arrived at the time the banks were going broke and the drought and dust storms were starting. The fall of '31 Dad came to Colorado and leased the place where we were to live, across the road from land he had purchased previously. The land owners were to do some building, including a house and some work on the barn. However, on arriving at the place, Sixty years is a long time for two to live as one "Surely, this won't last," was said by some. one miles south and one mile west of You've seen such endless changes throughout your married life together, faced it all so unafraid. You both pulled out of Stockton that cold day long ago, one by rail, the other by Model Stratton. T. I were married 38 years; we had 3 daughters: Sandra Lincoln, Marianna, Fla., Patricia You set out in your new life determined and with love to make your life as good as it could be. You've seen a lot of good times Contrasted to the bad; The dirty thirties'darkened skies of dust. at the Smoky Angle School, which was twenty I also spent several years working for the railroad and Kit Carson County. Ethel and Webb, Bethune, Colo., and Sharon Harper, Cedar Hill, Texas. In 1974 Ethel passed away; in 1976, I married Jewell Tatkenhorst. Jewell passed away in 1983. I rm now married to the former When chickens roosted early and night came at midday. The strength that pulled you Betty Miller. through was love and trust. For those whose faith together gets them My brother, Lamar, is living in Denver and brother, Dean, still resides on the home place, through those bad times, rewards are bound to come, and yours came, too. north of Burlington. we found nothing had been done. So we There have been quite a few rough times moved into a sod house that was on the place, until such time as Dad could get a house built and a great many good times. I guess you need the bad times to really appreciate the good for us. ones. The first few years were tough going, as the crops were short and prices low. We were farming with horses at that time, as were quite a few others, and at times it was touch and go as to whether we were going to get feed enough for the horses and cattle. Several Over Sixty Years and "Still' Going Strong by Calvin YY. Stewart Those fields of golden harvest seemed magical at times. The magic, though, was hard work, Mother Nature and you. And speaking of hard work, we can't forget the cows, the milking and to town you hauled the cream. Kanorado was then booming, a busy little town; a hotel, movie house, a growing dream. We want to thank you Grandma. and Grandad, thank you, too. You made us each feel special and always a part. �finishing high school in Flagler, Colorado. And memories you gave us. Too manY, here, to count. Because you have always been Second Central provided grades through ten, all attended junior and senior years in Flagler High School; Donna attended Flagler school a few years longer, Lyle graduated from Flagler High School in 1944. This time in history was an unusual young at heart. Good cooking, Christmas stockings, whistles and bubble gum, sleighrides, laughter, teats, memories we all share. With our congratulations for your shared sixty years, we give our love to you both 'cause we care. And this is so little in comparison to all you have given us. Your grandchildren and great-grandchild- time for many, upsetting many of life's ambitions and plans. After a summer at home, he entered the Army. After training, his outfit was put aboard a Liberty ship, headed for the Pacific area. Japan surrendered and these troops were among the first ren, This poem was written in honor of R.A. and Freda Still's sixtieth Wedding Anniversary, in 1983. Freda passed away in September, 1984. This poem is being placed in this book in fond memory of Grandma, by her Grandchildren, Great-Grandchildren, and R.A. who still lives in their home (north of Kanorado) over 60 years and "STILL" going strong. troops arriving there. After sailing into Nagasaki Harbor, the journey was extended to Nagoya where troops were put ashore. The first permanent outfit was at Koyoto. After a few months, all were shipped to Kochene Stadium at Osaka where men transferred to various parts of Japan. Lyle was transferred to a Signal Corps outfit in Kobe. In 1946, he was shipped back to the states and discharged in November, 1946. On January 24, L948, Lyle married Laura by Susan Corliss Elizabeth Howe of the Bovina area. She STONE, LYLE W. AND LAURA F68l Solomon W. and Rose A. Stone, Lyle Stone's grandparents Lyle W. was born September 22, L926 in a sod house built for his parents, Conrad L. & Minerva (Sloan) Stone, when they were married. His father, Conrad "Connie" was a son of Solomon W. & Rose A. Stone. In this same house, Joyce Elizabeth was born February 10, 1929. The Connie Stone family then moved to the old Moss homestead to live for a time. Here, Dorothy A. was born on the fourth of July, 1930. Connie bought some land south in the range area and built there Conrad and Minerva Stone Family sist€rs Joyce, Dorothy and Donna - LyIe and his a three room adobe house, barns, and necessary buildings to raise livestock. At this place, Donna M. was born on March 7, 1936. Lyle and his sisters, Joyce, Dorothy and Donna attcnded school at Second Central, attended school in Lincoln County, graduating in Genoa in 1945. After a try at farming on the family homestead, their last $50.00 went for seed wheat. The crop was lost that winter in blowing dust. They then moved to Denver where Lyle attended Western Television and Radio Institute. A little over two years later they returned to a home they had built in the Town of Flagler; a shop was established in July, 1951. Plans were to continue in school at Chicago, but comfort of living again in Flagler was too great. By driving school buses, combines and other odd jobs, the business was able to succeed. Laura and Lyle were proud parents of Marvin Lyle, Connie Lee, Peggy Joyce, Lenny Ray, Kelvin Eugene and Laura Beth. AII children attended Flagler Schools. Marvin attended Otero Junior College, Colorado State University, Washington State University and received a doctorate. He now is a professor at Oklahoma State University. Connie Lee attended Mesa College at Rangely one year and two years at Otero College at La Junta. He is now serving as a technician at the family shop. Lenny Ray attended college at Otero Junior College, served a time with the United States Air Force in the "cripto" area and now serves as a communi- cations technician in the family shop. Peggy Joyce lives on the Island of Molokai in the Hawaiian Islands. She attended Colorado * State Teachers College at Greeley, where she received a B.S. degree and a Masters at the University of Hawaii. She is now employed by Social Services on Moloki. Kelvin Eugene attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs and Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley where he received a B.S. degree in Chemistry. He is now chief chemist for the City of Colorado Springs. In 1956, Lyle was elected to the Board of Directors for the Town of Flagler, serving there until 1968. He then was elected mayor and served until 1972. Of this time, a most remembered problem would have been with man's best friends, the dogs. Laura, among all other duties of raising a family has served the business as bookkeeper and general manager through many years, a momentous task. In 1987, the family business has been in operation for 36 years. In conclusion, Flagler Lyle and Laura Stone and family �has been a good place to do business and especially to raise a family. by Lyle TV. Stone STONE, SOLOMON WESLEY F682 Stone, Solomon Wesley, arrived in Kit Carson County in 1914 after a grueling trip from Beverly, Kansas. He was accompanied by his son, Conrad Lyle Stone, known to most as "Connie". Other members of the family, along with household and other equipment, arrived later in Seibert by train. The family first located on the "Cardwell Place", south of Seibert where the family lived until moving to a tract of land Solomon had purchased, some 12 miles southeast of Flagler. A great amount of effort to improve this plot of ground was seen in the next few years when a row oflocust trees was planted, a large area of garden, shrubbery and trees near the homesite. Most who knew them, will recall the row of trees reaching over a half mile, the steep magnesia cliffs and winding incline of the road from the east approach. This location was a welcome change from the at Time, Pike County, Illinois and died July 4, L94L, at Flagler. Rose (Anderson) Stone was born November 12, 1863, at Newton, Iowa and died September 13, 1944, Flagler. Children of Marice Briand and Laura Lenore Briand (Stone) were Joyce Evelyn, Virginia Lenore, Maurice, Hal Burdette, Sol Lewis (Peterson) and William A. Stone were Raymond (died young), Bruck William, Rose Evelyn and Frances June. Children of Minerva Anna (Sloan) and Conrad Lyle Stone were Lyle Wesley, Joyce Elizabeth, Dorothy Anna and Donna Mae. Children of Marjory (Taylor) and Solomon W. Stone were Judeth Roann, and of second marriage to Ida B. (Reynolds), Conrad who died at birth. Conrad Lyle b. Aug. 31, 1898 (Beverly, Ks), Farmer and Stockman, lived most of his life in Flagler area, Colo. Owned ranches and farms south of Flagler, trained as a barber, practiced in Flagler a time. Died at Hoxie, Ks, Jan26,1965, married by Rev. Adna W Moore at Flagler on March 11, 1925. Minerva Anna Sloan b. July 26, 1900 (Selden, Ks), died March 24, 1978 at Hugo, Colo. Loved home and family above all else, played basketball as a youth, enjoyed School Sports and Community affairs. Children: a. Lyle Wesley b. Sept. 22,1926, Telecommunications. Lifetime in Flagler area. Married Jan.24,1948 (Limon). Laura Elizabeth Howe b. March 4, L927 (Genoa, Co), Accountant, Bus Mgr & Homemaker. Children: (1) Marvin Lyle b. June 22, L950 (Denver, Co). Doctorate in Engineering Sciences, Prof at man to Illinois where he engaged in farming. At the onset of the Civil War, joined the 99th Ill. Infantry and after many encounters, became ill at the Battle of Vicksburg from ting. No Children. unsanitary conditions at the front and later died in St. Louis, Mo., when his son, Solomon was only one year old. Solomon, his Mother and three brothers moved then to near Ft. Scott, Kansas, where his mother homesteaded, later marrying a minister who had also homesteaded there named Cardwell. The family then moved to Lecompton, Kansas, where Solomon grew to manhood. On April 20, 1887, Solomon married Rose A. Anderson at Ellsworth, Kansas. The couple spent some time at Topeka where Solomon was engaged as a stonemason in the building of the State Capitol building there. He later bought a farm at Beverly, Kansas, where his children, Alma Elizabeth (died young), Laura Lenore, William Anderson, Conrad Lyle and Solomon Wesley was born. (The youngest son of the youngest son was called Solomon for four generations!) Other members of the Stone family had homesteaded south of Seibert and reported good country, accounting for Solomon's move to Kit Carson County. Here he engaged in farming, construction and road building. He plastered many local homes, ran the concrete for the Flagler water tower, built a few rock buildings, ran sidewalks and curbs in Flagler. He operated a road-building crew when Kit Carson County improved the rural roads in this area. He was known as "Uncle Sol" and she as "Aunt Rose" to all who knew them in the area. They were active in the First Congregational Church in Flagler and the Second Central Sunday School. Solomon Stone was born August L4, L862, F683 and Maryn Kay. Children of Nettie Jo general flat rolling country about it, an oasis of greenery in a normally dry and sometimes dusty land. Solomon Stone was the son of Solomon of Bloomfield, Indiana whose father, also Solomon, had moved there from North Carolina. Solomon of Indiana moved when a young STONER, EMMA AND GALEN Oklahoma State University, Married Dec. 31, 1970, to: Bonnie Jean Flowers b. Feb. 19, 1950, Computer Op, Archaeologist, Accoun- (2) Connie Lee b. May 30, 1951 (Denver), Radio and Electronics Tech. Married Aug. 21,1976. Debra Jean Hobbie b. June 15, 1958, Homemaker, active in comm affairs. Children: (a) Robyn Kelly b. June 7, 1979 (b) Collin Lee b. November 29, 1980 (c) Apryl Denise b. June 7, 1982. (3) Lenny Ray b. May 25, 1952 (Denver), Radio and Electronics Tech. Served USAF- SAC Cryptology, Comm Married Aug 27, L972 to: Nola May Parker b. July 8, 1952, Degree in Education, teaching, active in sports. Children: (a) Randal Dean b. May 26, 1972 (b) Christopher Lee b. Nov. 23, 1973 (c) Laurie Ranae b. May 12, 1981. (4) Peggy Joyce b. Aug 13, 1953 (Flagler). Masters Deg in Voc and Rehabilitation. Lives in Hawaii (Moloki and Oahu) Works Soc. Services. Married Aug 15, 1975 to: Arthur Patrick Saguid b. Jan 4, 1951 (Oahu, Hi), Masters Deg in Spec Ed Children: (a) Tiani Elena Christina Saguid b. Oct 15, 1982. (5) Kelvin Eugune b. May 23, 1956 (Flagler), Degree in Chemistry, wks & lives in Co. Springs, Co, Chief Chemist, city laboratory. Married on Dec 27, 1980 to: Lucy Alene Shawcroft b. July 8, 1955, Col Grad. Children: (a) Daniel Kelly b. Aug 19, 1983. (b) Thomas Earl b. Nov 4. 1984. (6) Laura Beth b. June 5, 1962 (Flagler), Accounting, Homemaker, Sports Inst. Married Sept 20, 1981 to: Rick Ray Pelton b. Sept 24, 1961, Col Grad, Farming, Mechanic. Children: (a) Tyler Anthony b. Aug 25,L984. by Lyle Stone Emma and Galen Stoner. My parents, Emma and Galen Stoner, moved to Colorado in the spring of 1942 from Morton Co., Kansas, where the Stoners and Milburns were early settlers. The "dirty thirties" had already driven the rest of the Stoners to leave. When Gerald "Jiggs" Halrvard went to the Army, my folks moved to his ranch in Cheyenne County. After my school year was finished in Houghton, Kansas, my father brought me and another load ofthings up that long road north ofFirst View (from which you are supposed to get your first view of Pikes Peak if the atmosphere is just right). I thought that he had brought me to the end of the world when I saw all those miles of green pastures, which have now nearly all been plowed for farming. My parents ran steers on this ranch. Even yet then in the 40's, Dad, with the help of neighbors, drove the steers to First View to load on the train to take to the Kansas Citv market. Dad would ride along in the caboose. I had some contact with Stratton that first summer through one of our neighbors, the Gerald Clines. I came along with the Cline boys, Phillip, Lyle, and Dewaine, to C.E., a youth group at the Evangelical Church which is now the United Methodist. Sometimes we picked up Bernadean Rose and Elsie Leiber on the way. Rev. Kayton was the minister, usually called "preachers" then. As the previous year had been the last year for high school at First Central, we high school students in the Smoky Angel district were given our choice of going to Stratton, Cheyenne Wells, or Kit Carson. Attending Stratton or Cheyenne Wells would have meant living away from home during the week, so we (perhaps we thought we did the choosing) chose Kit Carson. A car load ofus, Faye and Rex Piper, the Clines, Mary Anne Blankenbaker, and John Fleming, would meet a bus on Highway 59 which had picked �up kids north of Mt. Pearl School. Mr. Floyd Mills drove the bus and would drop off the grade school kids at Mt. Pearl and end up with a load of high school students to go into Kit Carson. Since we lived at the end of the line, my sister Carolyn and I spent nearly four hours a day on the bus. Claudine attended grade school at Smoky Angle. These were the rationing times of World War II. School activities of boys' basketball games, band concerts, bond rallies and school plays went on. Sometimes Dad could spare enough gas for us to go to a "picture show", as movies were called then, in Cheyenne Wells. There was a grocery store in First View where Mother got things sometimes, but "trading" was done in Cheyenne Wells or Stratton. It was not unusual for kids to get excused at noon to go buy groceries to bring home on the bus. I worked in a grocery store in Kit Carson for a time after I graduated. People would gather at the store in anticipa- for the Gibson Store chain has kept my brother, Ronald, on the move; at present he and his wife Evelyn and their family Iive in Dodge City, Kansas. He tells of making business calls to the East and having some people think he is playing a joke on them when he tells them to send it to Dodge City. They say, "Oh, there isn't really such a place." I married Leo Kindred, son of Cora and Earl Kindred of south of Stratton. We bought a farm 5% miles south of Bethune from John Robinson twenty-seven years ago and it is still our home. We have a daughter, Carol, who lives at Sterling, Colorado. by Maxine Kindred STORRER, FRED AND HARRIET tion ofthe produce truck's arrival. It doesn't seem that there was ever enough meat or cheese for the ration coupons, people had. It was not an enjoyable time to be a store clerk behind the counter, writing down what F684 neighbors, Dudley Swan and his mother, had fuel but no food. So they moved together that winter. As often stated, no problem came of them living together. It was survival for both. Harriet Storrer's daughter Ella, can remember seeing her shed many tears long after Grandma Swan passed on. In 1917, Mrs. Storrer was taken seriously ill. Her doctor, neighbor, Mr. Storrer and two younger babies took the train to Kansas City. from Topeka to Kansas City, thinking she was dead, but they took her to St. Joseph's customers knowing. When the war was over and Jiggs Hayward returned to the ranch, myparents moved into Stratton and Dad worked at the Coop station for awhile before buying the Tom Kennedy Hospital and after six weeks stay, she came home. After many, many illnesses during her lifetime, they lacked going on three days of celebrating sixty years of marriage together before Harriet Storrer passed away. Fred and Chester have also passed away, Chester before Harriet, and Fred after her. The picture shows Mr. and Mrs. Storrer in front oftheir adobe house in 1944. The other one is Mr. Storrer with the horses that he farm north of Stratton. Even though history books do not make record of the "dirty fifties" as they do the "Dust Bowl thirties", the drought and blowing dirt prevailed throughout eastern Colorado and western Kansas, burying farm buildings and fence to the top wire, and denying farmers their livelihood. Dad worked some at the Stratton Coop shop with Roland Hernbloom, and later as a propane delivery man. He served on the Stratton School Board at the time of the reorganization when the small country schools were closed. As I recall it had to be workgd out with the state to allow the buses to pick up and transport students to the St. Charles Academy before the reorganization was voted in. Mother was always active, helping on the farm, teaching Sunday School, and helping in 4-H. The folks sold their farm in the late fifties and move into Stratton where Dad worked for the Coop. He retired after having a mild enjoyed so. There were many hard times. Crop failures etc., but all in all a good life that brings heart attack in 1969. They became Fred and Harriet Storrer in front of sod home in 1944. friends and loved ones closer together, known only by those who experienced pioneer days. Chester made his home in Denver along with his wife Hazel. Ella also made her home in Denver with her late husband, Henry Lebsack, where they both retired from the railroad. Bill and his family later settled in Golden and Cloyd and his wife, Ruby, and family made his home in Ft. Worth, Texas. Bill Storrer manied Venora Wertz in 1940. Venora was born to Henry Wertz and Mable Sheppard. Henry and Mable were married in 1904, lived in Leoti, Kansas, where they farmed with a team of horses and had a mile to walk to school. If the weather was too bad, they were kept home from school. Henry and Mable had seven children, Vernon, Claude, deceased, Cecil, deceased, Gladys, deceased, Lorraine, Venora, and Earl. Henry and Mable moved in 1936 to Johnstown, Co. with the three younger children. The two older boys moved to Sharon Springs and started farming. In Johnstown is where Venora met Bill Storrer and they got married. Later they moved to Lafayette, where Bill worked for the pleasure of going to Hawaii. We celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 1976 at the St. Charles Hall. My father died in 1979, and since then Mother has made her home in Burlington. She enjoys good health and is very active in church and senior citizen activities. Carolyn married Ralph Tryon and they live in Fort Collins, where they own and operate Paramont Laundry and Cleaners. My sister Claudine, is married to Clifford Messenger, son of Earl and Lucy Messenger, and they are presently living in Phoenix. Being a manager to the snow storms. In 1911, it was another hard winter and because of Harriet's sister in Kansas City, they had food, but they had no fuel, and the When arriving in Topeka, Kansas, the doctor informed them Mrs. Storrer had passed on. Another doctor on the train asked to examine her and found a bit of life. Mr. Storrer went people wanted, then getting it from the shelf, and supposing to know which certain customers were to have gome "under the counter" cigarettes added to their sack without other "snowbirds", living in Parker, Arizona in the winter. They had a camper trailer in which they lived and visited relatives during the summer. Most summers they set up the trailer in our back yard on our farm south of Bethune, and Dad would help Leo withwheat harvest. They took a number of trips and had Fred Storrer and Harriet Johnson were married in Kansas City, Mo. August 22,L906. In 1909, they homesteaded south of Bethune, in the WVz of Sec. 28, Range 11, Township 45. To this union four children were born: Chester, William, Cloyd and Ella. Fred came ahead and built a one room sod house and then met Harriet and they could only make it to Billy Lang's place where they had to stay for three days, at which time the cowboys were coming there for refuge. It was a sad time as people were losing livestock due Fred Storrer with his horses in 1944. International Harvester. They moved to Denver in 1941, where their first of many daughters was born. Shirley was born in 1941, is married to Milo Mcllhargey, and they live in Nampa, Idaho, and have five children, Jim, Pam, Bill, Tracy and Scott, and three grandchildren. Bill, Venora and Shirley moved to the farm south of Bethune (the Storrer homestead) and started farming with �Fred Storrer in 1945. This was the year that their second daughter was born. Linda was born in Stratton, where she now lives with her husband Bill Swanson, and they have three children, Darla, Mitchell, and Wendi. In 1948, Bill and Venora moved to the Ayers farm where Bill still farmed with his folks until they retired and moved to Denver. In 1951, number three daughter Betty was born in Goodland, Kans. Betty lives in Golden and has a daughter Veronica and twin daughters, Tabatha, and Tonya. On the farm, Bill and Venora spent winter nights making chili and playing pinochle with the neighbors, and having branding days or getting together to clean chickens, hunting, baseball games or fishing at Bonny Dam, and Iots of fish fries. Vicki, daughter number four, was born in 1960 in Burlington. She now lives in Golden with her husband, Doug Wheeler, and son John. Bill bought the old Chapman garage in Bethune, called it the Hiway Garage, where he ran it until 1963 when he moved to Denver. In 1964, a son (finally) was born to them. Lee Fredrick Storrer lives in Golden where he is a plumber. Bill is now retired from Jefco County. Cloyd Storrer and his wife Ruby have three daughters, EIla Jean, married with two boys and one girl, Judy, married and has one boy and one girl, and Joy, married and has two children. by Linda Swanson STRICK FAMILY Furniture Store, located on the end of Main Street, for about five years. He then started working for Hinkhouse Bros. and after twenty-one years is still working for Bill. After moving to Burlington, I worked for a while as a waitress in the Montezuma Hotel Restaurant. After our son, Richard Anthony, was born in 1963, I then worked at the Grace Manor Nursing Home. Then I decided to stay home and care for children of other working mothers. It is now over nineteen years later and I still have a Licensed Day Care Home. During this time our youngest daughter, Letha Josephine, was born in November of 1968. All three of our children attended and graduated from the Burlington Schools. Now Cindy with husband Bob Peter, and children Robert and Stephanie, work and live in Greeley, Colorado. Rich, after going to the University of Northern Colorado (U.N.C.) in Greeley for three years, still lives and works there. Letha Jo works and lives in Aurora, Colorado. Pete and I plan to just enjoy ourselves, our kids, and our grandkids for the rest of our lives. by Dorothy Strick STROBEL FAMILY F686 Germans From Russia F685 I am writing this story in Burlington in April 1980, for the benefit ofour children and relatives that are interested in the history of our relatives from Russia. Ninety-five years ago this spring, my father, Jacob; his older brother, Christian; and a younger brother, John; Ieft Russia for the United States of America. They came with their Uncle Phillip Breitling, uncle by marriage, and his family. Having lived near the Black Sea area, they left Russia and settled in Scotland, South Dakota. Because of financial problems, my grandfather, Jacob Sr.; a son, Gottlob; and a daughter, Carolina; stayed behind in Russia with three married Pete and Dorothy Strick and family Peter Anthony Strick was the eighth of ten children born to Tony and Josephine Strick daughters, Christina Gramm, Gottlebina Lucas, and Kathrine Haas. After aniving at Scotland, Dad and his brother hired out to farmers. Chris, being the oldest, received $100.00 per year; Dad, being 17 years old, ofKirk, Colorado. Pete grew up and attended school in the Kirk community. Dorothy Ann Marshall was the seventh of nine children born to William (Bud) and Letha Marshall of Cope, Colorado. Dorothy attended country schools until the community consolidated and then finished grade and high school at Cope. Pete and Dorothy were married in 1959 and after several moves in the first two years, we moved to Burlington in the fall of 1961. Our first home in Burlington was a basement received $90.00 and John, the youngest, received $80.00. After one and one half years, the brothers saved enough money to help their father financially, so that in the fall of old. In 1962 we bought our present home on 356 8th Street. Of course, in all these years we have added a lot of improvements to our home. At one point we had it practically In the spring of 1890, a number of families decided to come to Colorado to file on apartment on 18th Street. At that time our oldest daughter, Cynthia Ann, was one year rebuilt. When first moving to Burlington, Pete worked a few months for Charly Sholes Construction Co. He then worked for Neils 1887, my grandfather and the two unmarried children left Russia and came to America, also settling in Scotland, South Dakota. The next three years the Strobels worked on farms and in other businesses. Chris operated a creamery that used a steam engine to furnish power to run its machinery. My father collected the cream from farmers in the vicinity of Scotland three times a week and delivered it to his brother's creilnery. homesteads. These families came as far as St. Francis, Kansas, because this was as far as the railroad had been built. (This taken from the Weekly Reuiew, March 6, 1890, St. Francis, Ks.: "A special train came in Sunday and one coach was loaded with Russians and Mon- day's freight brought in several carloads of stock and goods. They numbered about 75 persons in all, and we learn that their destination is near Landsman, Colorado. They, at present are located at Dr. Water- man's old drug store building and are preparing to move. We are sorry they are going so far from our city, for that class of citizens always makes successful farmers. They are from Scotland, South Dakota and state that the reason for leaving that area was on account of the cold weather. One of them says they have to feed their cattle and livestock from Oct. 1, to May 20. They will find quite a change in that respect, for in this country stock hardly require shelter at all.") From St. Francis they came by wagon to the vicinity of Yale, Colorado which was approximately 18 miles northwest of Burlington. When this part of Kit Carson County was settled, most of the people were of German descent. They settled in an area approximately 1 mile square. This community became known as the Settlement. These people had a deep reverence for God and had a desire to worship God. They held Sunday worship services in their homes until about 1892 when they organized and built a church out of native sandstone. The church known as Rock Church, which was the beginning of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church. My parents were members of this church. However. in 1911 a new church organization came into being, The German Congregational Church. A building was erected and called the Hope Congregational Church. My parents then became members of this church. Dad attended the Congregational Church while in Scotland, S.D., and this was one of the reasons for joining the new church. These two churches contributed much to the spiritual aspect of life in this community. Both churches are still active at this time. Here grandfather, Chris and my father, each filed homesteads. which consisted of one-fourth section ofland or 160 acres. They tried to make a living on these homesteads, but because of drought and sometimes hail, they were unable to make ends meet. Therefore my father went to Denver in the fall of 1890, and worked in a smelter until spring and then tried farming during the summer. One winter he worked on a dairy called London Dairy which was located a mile north of the present Stapleton International Airport. My father's job was to take care of the horses that were used to pull the milk wagons that delivered the milk to the residents of Denver. Because my father was a lover of horses, he would get up at 2 o'clock in the morning, feed, curry comb, harness and hitch up the horses to the milk wagons so that they were ready to go at 4 o'clock. Then the drivers of the milk wagons would take off for Denver and return at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, when again my father would take care ofthe horses. Dad received 925.00 plus room and board per month on this job. One fall, dad hauled silver ore from a mine near Montezuma, Colo. to the railroad station. From there it was transported to the smelter in Denver. On Jan. 6, 1893, my father was married to Katerina Dobler. (The Doblers c'me to Colorado the same time the Strobels did.) In 1894, after Theodore, my oldest brother, was a few months old, Dad and mother went to Denver one more time. Dad worked in the �smelter again along with his brother, John. Mother and uncle John's wife kept house in the apartment they rented and picked strawberries in their spare time. In the spring of 1895, when they were ready to return to the farm north of Bethune, uncle Andrew Baltzer, who had also gone to Denver to work, offered my folks his team and wagon for their transportation home, because he could stay and work a month or two more. It took the folks three days to get home. After that farming got to be better and dad and mother had accumulated a small herd of cattle, also raising some corn and wheat. In 1913, the folks raised their first good winter wheat crop and thereafter wheat crops were usually quite good until about 1931-1932 unless it was attacked by smut. Wheat for seed had to be treated for smut, a fungus which made the kernels turn black and useless. I knew of two treatments for smut: house and the water for the tank in the corral where animals watered. We were the first family to have running water and a bath tub in the house in the settlement. The first light plant in the settlement was installed by the John Ziegler family (parents of my wife Magdalena,) in 1917. In 1918, we purchased our first light plant, a 32 volt battery set. Up to this time our only source of light was the Kerosene lamp. Our brother John, who was mechanically inclined, set up the plant, and did the electrical wiring of the house and out buildings. At that time, mother got an electric double tub washing machine. We also put an electric motor on our cream separator. Up until then they were all powered by hand. In 1925, we bought our first truck, a one was a formaldehyde and water solution Chevrolet 1 ton, complete with box and a wood cab, for $840.00. With it we could haul 65 bushels of grain, compared to 55 to 60 hauled by wagon and two horses. If a triple and the other a copper sulphate and water solution. We used the formaldehyde solution with very good results. Early seeding also bu., and pulled it by four horses. It took approximately 12 hours for a round trip to helped the problem. After we started to summer fallow, we seeded earlier and the smut treatments could be discontinued. by Albert Strobel STROBEL FAMILY F687 German Children The names of the children of Jacob and Katerina Strobel are as follows: Theodore, Nov.4, 1893; Emma, Aug. 10, 1896; John, Jan. 6, 1899; Albert, July 26, 1904, and Emil, Dec. 2, 1908. Until 1921, our sole power was horses. They did all the field work and the transporting of wheat and other commodities such as butter, cream, and eggs to market. Sometimes dad would butcher hogs and deliver the carcasges to town. In 1915 on July 4th, we bought our first car, a model T Ford, which made traveling to town much easier and faster. We would buy our gas in 55 gallon barrels for 11 cents per gallon. The cost of our first car was $545.00. The Ford Motor Company made a statement that if it would sell a half million cars in 1915, it would refund $50.00 to each customer. Ford box was used we could haul between 75 to 80 Burlington. We harvested our wheat with a header pulled or rather pushed by six horses. The header would elevate the cut wheat straw into a header box 8'x 16'mounted on awagon and pulled by two horses. After the header was full, it was unloaded by hand and the wheat stacked into stacks. About a month or two later, a threshing machine would come hauled by horses and wagon from five to eight miles away. Later in the 1920's we hauled ice with our truck. In 1928, dad bought a Willis tractor, which pulled a three row lister or a three or four bottom plow. This made the farming easier. In about 1929, the depression hit our part of the country. During the depression, the price on corn was as low as 12 cents per bushel, wheat 25 cents per bushel, two year springer heifers $12.00 to 15.00 per head,40 to 50 test cream 5 gallons for $2.00, and eggs as low as 4 cents per dozen. These are some of the things I vividly remember. The drought commonly called the dirty thirties, also started about that time and lasted until about 1938, when we started raising more corn and wheat again. At that time people started to summer fallow for wheat which made a big difference in the yields. Continuous cropping yields were from 12 to 15 bu., where summer fallow yields were from 30 to 40 bu. per acre. My brother Emil, and I bought two second hand combines, in 1943, one a 12' Baldwin and the other a 10' International Harvester. However the grain was still unloaded by hand into the granary and then again loaded by hand to be taken to market. approximately 50 to 60 bu. of corn per day if he worked from ten to twelve hours. Then later, the corn was shelled with a corn sheller. Later in about 1945, Henry Daum, an elevator man in Bethune, came up with an auger elevator, ten feet long and five inches in diameter. This elevator was driven by a one and one half horse gas engine, which moved the grain more easily. On April 25, 1931, just before the drought and dust bowl years, Lena Zeigler and I were married. We had a rough time during the 30's. We have six children: Arnold, April 26, 1932; Viola, Dec. 17, 1933; Alvin and Calvin, Jan. 21, 1936; Arthur, Jan.22,1941; and Roland, Feb. 21, 1942. We always had enough to eat as we raised our own very: potatoes, squash, and plenty of watermelon, along with cream, butter, milk and eggs. In 1923, we received over 20 inches of rainfall and therefore, had 150 acres ofcorn thatyear by Albert Strobel into the vicinity which was powered by a steam engine. It took about 12 men to make up a threshing crew. The crew consisted of one separator man, one engineer, one water- man, from four to six pitches, (who put the straw in the machine), two grain haulers, and two cooks to feed the crew. Harvesting corn was done by hand. It was husked and thrown or tossed into a wagon pulled by two horses. It was then hauled to cribs and unloaded or piled in long piles. One man could pick and the average yield was 35 bushels per acre. John, Emil, and I bought a used corn sheller from Granville Hutton. We reconditioned it and did custom shelling for three years. We charged two cents for husked corn and five cents for snapped corn per bushel. The cobs were used for fuel along with cow chips and coal. The later we could buy for $8.00 to passed the half million car mark and dad received a refund of $50.00. Dad bought his first car from Griffith Davis, the Ford dealer. In 1921, dad bought our first tractor, a $10.00 per ton. In about 1940, dad and mother, Emil and we ourselves, each bought our first propane gas ranges, which made cooking and baking much easier. comparison to the later models. However, it relieved the horses from a lot of work. Around 1916, dad and mother built a new house. The material used for the walls was adobe about 18 inches thick. The outside was covered with tongue and groove drop siding and painted. The house included the following rooms: kitchen, dining room, front room or parlor as it was called at the time, three bedrooms, another room for a pantry and a bathroom. In 1917, dad put running water to the house and corral. Water at that time was pumped by windmill into a 5'x 7'supply tank which was put into the top of a 10' x 10' hexagonal building. The supply tank was 10 feet off the ground and provided running water for the by Albert Strobel Titan 10-20. It was a clumsy machine in butter from spoiling. We also used it to make good old homemade ice cream. The ice was STROBEL - DOBLER FAMILY F689 My parents, Jacob Strobel and Katherina Dobler were born and raised in Russia in villages some 50 miles inland from Odessa, a port in the Black Sea. Their ancestors immigrated from Germany about 1810, and thus spoke German, and never Russian. They came by covered wagons by way of Poland where they had to spend the winter. My STROBEL FAMILY F688 There wasn't much leisure time. However in the winter. we would hunt rabbits and prairie chickens. Sometimes we would go ice skating at the two small dams along the Republican river. One was located by the Rosser Davis ranch and the other at the Sherman Corliss ranch. In the winter we would get ice from the above ponds or dams and store it in ice cellars or caves to be used in the summer to keep meats and milk and great-grandfather was born there that winter. In the spring they resumed their journey to the Black Sea area, which was all virgin prairie. Those that survived endured many hardships. Villages were finally established and the prairies plowed and began growing wheat and other grains. The srrrplus they hauled by wagon to Odessa and sold and exchanged for other goods they needed. Cattle, swine, poultry and sheep were also raised. The wool from the sheep was all home spun and woven into fabrics for clothing, etc. In the year 1885, when my father was 17 years old, he and an older and a younger �& there was no well at the new homestead, they had to bring water in barrels for the horses from the first farm home. Later that year my father had a well put down and a windmill erected. It was not until 1913 that Dad had his first good wheat crop. That spring his older brother Chris sold out and moved his family to N. Dak. Brother Theo went along with his uncle, but after a year or so felt called to the Christian Ministrv and enrolled in Redfield Seminary, S. Dak. From before the turn of the century and a decade into the 1900, churches and schools were built in this vicinity north west of Burlington in which my father took an active part. Before the churches were built, worship services were conducted in my Grandfather Dobler's farm home. My brother Theo and Bill Dobler were the first to go on to higher education, beyond the 8th grade. Brother Threshing grain sorgum with corrugated threshing rock on Jacob Strobel farm about 1928. Grandfather Dobler rented a farm house near Scotland to house his family of 8 children. The older children worked for farmers in the area and other businesses. Grandfather Dob- ler managed a grain elevator in Scotland. In 1890 both the Strobel and Dobler families came to Colorado after hearing that homesteads were available here in Kit Carson County, and also the climate was milder. Here again the land was all virgin prairie. My father along with others, came from the Dakotas by train to St. Francis, Kansas, where the railroad ended, and from there with horses and wagons to the Yale area some 18 miles northwest of Burlington. They worked for ranchers along the Republican River, but especially at the Cox Ranch (the now McArthur Ranch). My father helped dress native rock to build the ranch house, dated 1898;, also the barns and rock walls for corrals. My father also worked in Denver digging ditches for water lines etc; at the Globe Smelter, and then hauled ore by wagon from mines in the Montezuma area west of Denver. Street cars were then drawn by a Jacob and Katherina Strobel on their 50th Wed- ding Anniversary. January 8, 1943. brother along with an uncle and family left Russia and came to America. An eight day boat ride on a German built ship and manned by mostly German sailors, so they could at Ieast converse in their native tongue. They landed on Ellis Island, where the U.S. government maintained an emmigration station, near Liberty Island - site of Statue of Liberty. (The Statue of Liberty was unveiled the following Oct, 1886). From there they traveled by train to Scotland, S.D. where they worked for farmers in the area. It took them over a year to earn and save enough money so they could help their father and remaining family come to America also. About the same time the Christian Dobler family had come to America. My mother often related that they were on board ship over the Christmas and New Year holidays, and took 19 days from Bremerhaven to New York, as they encountered stormy seas. They settled in Scotland, S.D. area also. This is where my father and mother first met, and never in the old country. My horse and had a place where the horse could stand when the car would coast down hill. My father and mother were married Jan. 8, 1893, as were my mother's sister Christina and Pete Knodel, double wedding. That fall in November my oldest brother Theodore was born and to better support his new family, Dad again went to Denver the next spring and took along his wife and new son. This time he worked at the London Dairy, headquarters werejust north ofthe Stapleton Airport. They milked about 200 cows on an average, but my father was the hostler and cared for the horses that were used to deliver the bottled milk to Denver and bring bran, etc. for the dairy cows: also alfalfa haying along 1st creek where he was the stacker. My father finally homesteaded in the year 1906, north and west of Bethune. I am the youngest in the family and was born on the new homestead, Dec. 1908. My older three brothers, Theo, John and Albert and sister Emma (Mrs. Jake Schaal) were born where my parents lived for about 15 years, about 6 miles S.E. of the new homestead, but never obtained title to the land. The new homestead was all buffalo and gramma sod. So that spring of 1906, Dad and brother Theo plowed about 20 acres with walking plows and prepared it to plant corn and feed, and, as Theo served churches in Colorado and Dakotas and on the west coast for 50 years, the last 10 as interim pastor. Bill taught in schools around the state until he retired. I attended Prairie View School Dist #22 and graduated from the eighth grade in 1924. Brothers John and Albert also attended Prairie View School through the eighth grade; my oldest brother Theo and sister Emma, about through the sixth grade. We boys continued farming the original homestead and other land my parents had acquired before they retired; each ofus boys got 2 quarters to begin farming. Sister Emma received equivalent in cash and livestock. She married Jake Schaal in 1921. In 1986 she had a fatal accident when she attempted to kindle a fire in the cook stove with tractor fuel and the can exploded. Brother Theo married his school mate at college the same year, lg2L. Brother John married Margaret Weisshaar in 1927. In 1936 they went to Calif. where he worked at construction, concrete and carpentry. Albert and I married sisters, Lena and Anna Ziegler in 1931 and 1933 respectively. Albert and I remained through the depression and dust bowl years of the thirties. The ensuing years also had their ups and downs, but as deep well irrigation developed over the years and crops and feed for livestock became more stable, the economy was boosted consi- derably. However, the considerable drop of the water table due to the deep well irrigation poses problems as well and will require prudent management of our natural resources. Hopefully all who use and benefit from the use of these resources, directly or indirectly, will be willing to help conserve them for future generations. by Emil J. Strobel STROBEL - DOBLER FAMILY F690 In 1885 my grandparents, the Jacob Strobel Sr. and the Christian Dobler families came to America from Russia and settled in Scotland, South Dakota. Each family had 8 children and they worked mostly on farms. The Jacob Strobel Sr. family consisted of Katherine (Haas), Christina (Gramm), Gottliebena (Lukas), Christian, Jacob (my father), John, Gottlieb, and Carolina (Baltzer). The Christian Dobler family consisted of �electric lights which were run by a flywheel generator so when you came to corners or slowed down you had to race the motor to be llt.af r:l:ri lii:l i:r, ,r:,r,. .,,,1 able to see. The dash and tail-lights were kerosene which you had to light with a match when it got dark. My first ride in an auto, however, was in 1909 in an International with solid rubber tired buggy wheels and goggles had to be put on because there was no windshield and we were going the amazing speed of 15 m.p.h. Jacob Strobel plowing to plant potatoes with Prince and Jim. Spring 1928. Dora (Strobel), Christina (Knodel), Kather- ine (my mother) Strobel, John, Theresa (Leupp) Christian, Mary (Stahlecker) and Leopold. In 1890, after the Rock Island R.R. was built through Kit Carson County and homesteads were available, a number of families loaded their meager belongings, livestock and furniture in railroad cars and arrived in St. Francis, Kansas. From there they loaded wagons and came to the vicinity of Yale Post Office (later Sam Schaals farm) about 14 miles north of Burlington. It was known as the Russian-German settlement. My father, Jacob Strobel Jr. homesteaded S.E. rA L4-745 but never took out the patent or proof of it. Grandfather Strobel Sr. homesteaded just north of our Dad. Because of the drought, grasshoppers, etc. it was hard to make a living so many including Dad went to Denver to work on a dairy farm and sent his wages of $25 per month home for the others to live on. This was in 1891. Later he worked in a silver ore smelter for $2.50 per 12 hour shift. In 1893 Jacob Strobel married Katherine Dobler and built a house about 16'x 26'with sandstone. sod roof and wall to wall mud floor. My mother would go over the floor once a month or so with a thin mixture of yellow clay and wheat chaff which made the floor real hard. They put down a well but no windmill so had to draw water by windlass. (160'deep and the bucket held 7 gallons). This took a long time to water 10 or more cows and horses. Theodore. their first child was born in 1893. In 1896 Emma Strobel was born and manied Jake Schaal in 1921. I, John Strobel was born in 1899 and married Margaret Weisshaar in L92l .In 1904 Albert was born and married Lena Zeigler in 1931. In 1908, when Emil Strobel was born, there was a big snow storm with about 2 feet of snow and no help could get through so my Dad was the midwife with help from our L2 year old sister Emma. Emil married Anna Zeigler in 1933. My first recollections were in 1903 when Jacob Strobel Sr. (my grandfather) would go to Burlington with eggs and butter in exchange for groceries in a t horse-top buggy and usually brought us each a small piece of candy which we eagerly awaited. We had a large lake just south of our farm. John and Bill Wahl who lived 1 mile southwest and farmed ground north of us would haul their feed past the lake. One would get off the wagon and we would see a big black cloud of smoke because they used black powder. Then there was a big bang and thousands of ducks would rise. That was the time of Ducks Unlimited!In 1906 John Wahl was killed by lightning. Bill Wahl married Katy Adolf (A.W. Adolfs sister). In 1904 Dad added another room and wooden floors in all the house. Later that same year, we, Mother, Albert and I, went by train to Denver to visit Mother's brother Chris Dobler, wife Sophie and son Art. Enough money was had by then to buy a new 2 seater spring-buggy and a new Delavel cream separator. In 1906 because there was not enough land to farm and pasture on 160 acres, our Dad homesteaded a quarter (S.8. % 7-7-45) about 5 miles northwest of our farm with open range to the Republican River. There were problems with loco weed and the cattle and horses would eat it and become almost worthless. A week before Christmas in 1906 we moved to the new homestead and in 1907 built a new 24 x 50 adobe barn which is still used today by my nephew Leland Strobel and wife Lee. It was a dry year in 1908 and Dad cut about 35 loads of russian thistles for feed. Other feed should have been mixed with it but there was little to be had. Until 1912 we had only implements of a walking plow, Iister, harrow and cultivator. We used a threshstone which was cut out of rock and had a corrugated surface about 3'wide and 22" high. This was pulled by 2 horses over a circle of grain on the ground. All the wheat, millet and beans etc. were threshed in this manner. Dad would then winow it in the evening wind to separate the chaff from the grain. In 1912 we bought our first John Deere gang plow for 955, a McCormick 5'mower for 945 and McCormick rake for $37. Plowed about 35 acres for fall wheat and sowed about 30 acres of wheat between corn rows with a l-horse drill. So in 1913 we had our first good wheat crop getting about 1500 bushels. Ernest and Carl Fisher threshed it for us. The price of wheat was 700 a bu. but with the European War, the price later went up over $3 a bushel. Then the government pegged the price at $1.90 for a number of years. Dad bought a new Ford for $545 in 1915. It had In 1914, my brother Theodore went to Redfield College in South Dakota to study for the ministry. In the fall of L922 I bought a Harley Davidson motorcycle and went to California to visit relatives. West of the Rockies there were no roads, only ruts and old railroad beds. In Salt Lake I found that roads were still worse going west so I crated my motorcycle and shipped it ahead to Lodi and I continued on by train. I did construction work for 4 years returning home each summer except 1 for the harvest. During the fall of 1923 Christian Dobler (my grandfather) was killed by a bull while bringing home the milk cows. I returned to Colorado in 1926 and built a small house and other buildings and in December 1927 married Margaret Weisshaar (daughter of Joseph and Margaret (Schaal) Weisshaar). In 1928 my cousin Emil Strobel from Lodi and I decided to have a carload of fine Calif. grapes shipped by rail in an iced car to Colo. to sell at the county fair. However, they got delayed and didn't arrive until a week after when folks had bought most of their supply. The cost ofthis adventure was $1565. The ice got low so had to buy more and after a week only sold half. We sent the car back to Denver where a fruit dealer bought them all. Our getrich scheme got us enough to pay for the grapes, freight and an extra $100 for Emil. I got enough for the gas going back and forth. No money maker after all but a good experience. "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again, only more intelligently." Then followed the 1929 crash, depression years and the dust storms. In 1934 the government destroyed 12 ofour cattle because ofthe lack of feed. For this we were paid $174. In 1936 our only child Esther was born and left for Calif. again with my parents Jacob and Katherine Strobel but then returned within a week because of the death of my sister Emma Schaal who died in a fire. We returned once more to Calif. and built a house trailer and I worked for a construction co. We always had our house with us when we traveled. We built our present home in 1941. From our hillside we can see the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco. I worked 30 years in construction which took us all around California, Nevada and Hawaii. In 1969 we went to Europe for three months to visit all the relatives on both sides who did not venture to America. In 1956 our daughter Esther was married to Stanley Wethern and they have 4 children, Stephen (married to Jeannine Zukoski), James, Karen and Kathy. I have been retired about 20 years and Margaret and I come back to the old farm and community whenever possible. As I celebrate my 87th birthday today, I think of the wonderful miracles and inventions that have been developed in my lifetime from horsepower to space travel. We live in the present, we dream of the future and we �:/|l.t learn truths from the past for in youth we it learn and in age we understand. :at by John L. Strobel STRODE, WILL ff ,ri' ,:::rrt: ;. t a F69r Mr. and Mrs. Will Strode were both among the early homesteaders of eastern Colorado. Mr. Strode, who passed away Jan. 15, 1965 at the age of 89, came to Colorado with his parents in 1886, when he was 11 years old. The family lived along the Republican River, not far from the Crystal Springs Ranch. Mrs. Strode's father came to Colo. in 1887. He came from Seward, Nebr. to Cheyenne Wells. He then walked from Cheyenne Wells to Flagler seeking a location for his family. He met Will Strode's father who helped him file on a homestead about 17 mi. N. of Flagler. His wife and daughter (Mrs. Will Strode who was then 5 years old) and son Frank, 3, came by train from Seward to Akron, where he met them. Mrs. Strode recalls many early-day experiences. The family came to town only once a month, bringing a load of grain and taking back provisions. Mrs. Strode and her mother would frequently walk to Arickaree and back for the mail, the round-trip being 10 miles. When Mrs. Strode's brother was small, they would take him along in a small "express wagon." Mrs, Strode's parents, Mr. and Mrs. L.J. Neff and their family moved to Flagler in 1901 and lived for several years in the house that is now standing, just north of the library. Mr. and Mrs. Will Strode were married there in 1902. L.J. Neff was a brother of Dr. Oscar S. Neff who was one of the pioneer doctors of eastern Colorado. by Janice Salmans STUTZ, FREDERICK FAMILY F692 Great grandmother Baltzer (Dorothy Sattler) came from Grosz Liebetal. Both Grand- father Frederick Stutz and Grandmother Maria Baltzer Stutz were born at Plotsk, Bessarabia. The family resided at this village except for one short stay at Mareslienfeld, in the same province. In November of 1889, the family traveled to Odessa, having gone by horse and wagon, staying overnight at Ackerman with relatives, and ferried over the widened mouth of the river. Grandmother Stutz became very ill as the family travelled by train through Austria and Germany. After passing through Berlin, they arrived at Bremen. From here they sailed for America aboard the steamship, "Saale", landing in New York after 9 days on the ocean. This was in the latter part of November. They moved to Scotland, Dakota Territory, only remaining about a month, before moving on to Colorado along with the other group that was also headed in that direction. Crist and Jacob Strobel. Otto Winter, Frederick Stutz (our grandfather), Christ Baltzer, August Adolf, Sr., Christian Grandma and Grandpa Stutz, Martha, Nettie and William, Grandma Doblers people. Dobler (our dad's family), John schaal, and Matthew Hefner were in the group. In the spring of 1897 the Stutz family travelled back to Scotland, Dakota Territory, after being in the area for a short time. They travelled 3 weeks, using horses instead of oxen. Following a 1 year stay, they returned to Colorado, again by covered wagon, when Grandfather Stutz suffered an eye ailment which threatened blindness for him if they remained in the Dakota climate. Our mother, Magdalena and her older brother drove the cattle. They crossed the Missouri River on the ferry at "Running Water" both trips. The trip back to Colorado again took 3 weeks. The cattle were shipped via rail and Frederick Stutz, an older son, accompanied the cattle. William Stutz, born Sept. 8, 1898, was just 2 weeks old when they began the trip. They arrived at their Colorado home in the middle of October, 1898. They spent the winter with the Andrew Baltzer family, which was located just east of Immanuel Lutheran Church north of Bethune. Grandfather Stutz worked for the ranchers along the Republican River for 25 cents per day. The family consisted of Frederick (who died at age 2t), Maria, Ida (who died in infancy), Ida, Edmma, Lydia, Wilhelmina, Magdalena, Annetta (who died at age 15), and Martha. Grandparents Stutz passed away in 1928 and 1929, respectively. by Art Dobler STUTZ, WILLIAM F693 I will try and say a few things about the early days. I was born in Scotland, South Dakota, September 8, 1898. My folks were Fredrich and Maria Stutz. Shortly after I was born my folks picked up what little they had and set out for Colorado in a covered wagon. It took three weeks to make the trip. They homesteaded eight miles north of Bethune, Colorado. We were at the south end of "the settlement;" from there to the Rock Island Railroad it was all open range. There were lots of cattle and horses that were owned by a few ranchers. My folks made their home on this open prairie. There were only a few antelope around, no buildings, houses or barns. I remember the first sod house we lived in. It had a dirt floor, but it was home. There was a dug well in the Landsman River two miles east of our place; that is where my folks hauled their water from with banels. There was no wood in that country so the only fuel was cow chips. I remember we had to go out and pick them up by the wagon loads and haul them home for the winter fuel supply. To go to Burlington or Stratton was, "as the crow flies" about 14 miles either way, no square corners. After dark or in a snow storm it was very easy to get lost. As I grew up I remember walking the wooden sidewalks in Burlington. Also, you couldn't just go to the store and buy a bottle of milk or a loaf or bread. In about 1906 my folks built an adobe house with a shingle roof and wooden floor. Going to school was not in heated cars, it was all on foot. Most kids had to walk two miles or more. The teachers did their own janitorial work and they were paid $35.00 a month for everything. In about 1908 or 1910 a lot of homesteaders settled in this country; they lived in frame shacks and hillside dug outs. I went to school with a lot of their children as long as they could stay. They didn't have enough clothes or shoes and some of them nearly froze to death but they still walked to school. There was no government help, no food stamps, you were on your own. A lot of the people had to leave or else they would starve, but a few stayed. Like I said we walked two miles to school but later on we got a school only one mile from home. I got my daily jogging in from home to school, I got to the point where I couJd run the full mile to school. My good wife and myself both graduated from adobe schools. We did our milking in the corral, there was no fancy milk barn. The cream had to be skimmed by hand and churned to butter. Some of the butter was molded in one pound �tl of the corn stalks. The weeds wouldn't even sprout. In 1933 I sent some hogs to Denver. Good hogs brought $2.25 per hundred. In 1934 I sold my cattle to the government for $12.50 per head. In 1935 there was no feed and the grass had all blown away so we had an auction and sold what was left on the farm. We went to Elizabeth, Colorado in 1935 and to Denver, Colorado in 1937, then the war started. We made our home in Denver but things were not good in the city either. If you could get a job they usually paid about 30 cents per hour. Thanks to the good Lord for providing us with food and clothes and our menu which was beans and bacon rind. I worked on government buildings doing heavy construc- tion like building hangers. Later on I went back into the livestock business which I enjoyed. I had a brokers license which meant I could buy and sell This is our farm home where the Stutz family grew up about 1916. anything in livestock. I handled thousands of head of cattle, hogs, sheep, horses and even a few goats. I stayed with that until the Denver Stockyards closed. I went to LaJunta, Pueblo and Salida every week and a lot of times to Stratton. My good wife worked in green houses for over thirty years. We have enjoyed our years in Denver after all the bad years we had. We raised a family of three boys and two girls, they all have their families and their own homes now. remember my dad went to Burlington several times for feed. He would come back with maybe one sack ofcorn and three bails ofhay. Later on our family got a buggy and that made things a little easier. Then in 1913 and 1914 a few autos and steamers showed up and I got to ride in some of them. When the Model T came along my family got their first one in 1915. From 1916 crops got better and things went along pretty good, but the slump started in 1929. If you think times are bad now stop The Stutz farnily ready to go to church in 1913. and think what our folks went through. I left the farm in 1919 and worked for the Bethune Lumber Company. I got into the grocery business for a few years after that. When I left the grocery business I became manager of the Bethune Lumber Company for several years. We had a good baseball team in Bethune. I was the second mayor of Bethune and member of the school board. We got the town water works in and a few sidewalks built. I was also on District 24's school board while I was on the farm until the time we left. After I left the Bethune Lumber Company, I started buying hogs in Bethune. There were lots of hogs in the country at that time. I bought from one to three carloads a week. Most of them were hauled in wagons and I shipped them to Pueblo and Denver. All I took my two youngest sisters and the teacher to school. The teacher, Lea Wellman of Stratton, took the photo about 1912. cubes and sold at the grocery store. I remember my folks had a wooden churn in a frame with a crank on it. Later the cream stations started up. That helped, because then we could sell the cream. As I grew up things changed a lot. We made our living by selling cream and eggs. We had our dry years when we were not able to raise any feed. In 1911 and 1912 we had a lot of snow and everyone had to use sleds. I the shipping was done by rail at that time. I bought two car loads that were driven in on foot. One load came from 1 7z miles northwest of town from Mr. Negus and one load from Mr. Ardueser I % miles south of town. I played the saxaphone with the Burlington We have been retired for several years now. We now make our home in Denver, Colorado. by William (Bill) Stutz, age 89 SUTTON FAMILY F694 I Remember, Sutton In recounting the many events, people and locations while putting together this history, I've revisited a period of my life that was most receptive and sensitive. Growing up in Flagler, the second daughter in a family of six children was a happy time. You might keep in mind that my "I remembers" in certain areas are surely shaded with the vagarities of childhood and years, but I have tried to "remember" with fact. My mother, Mary Emma Sutton, in 1983 celebrated her ninety-first birthday in Flagler, the beloved town she called home for most of her years. In 1907, my father, Willie (Bill) Sutton, homesteaded about six miles south of the Kipling Railroad Crossing. I believe the W.H. Lavington ranch bordered dad's property on the south. From Athens, Ohio, dad came west seeking better climate and adventure. As a young man, dad had worked in a flour mill in Hume, Missouri for an uncle, was an band. apprenticed barber, and for a time was a street car conductor in Kansas City, Mis- and in 1929 we moved back to the farm and everything was pretty steady. Prices on grain and livestock started up. By 1930, however, everything went lower. The prices of cattle and hogs started coming down. This was the time of the dirty thirties, the wind blew and there was no rain. 1932 and 1933 were worse and the dust bowl came in 1934. The wind was so hot and dry that even the leaves blew off souri. In Athens, Ohio he had traveled with In 1927 I married Alvina Schlichenmayer a doctor learning a great deal of country doctoring. Wanderlust caught him early in life. Grandmother Blakely said of dad: "He used to disappear regularly from home. When I wanted to find him, I'd go over the state line into Kentucky, call at a few horse ranches, and I'd find him at one of them." On one trip, grandmother recalled, "I discovered Willie �dinner cook, and Mike Conarty was the fry cook. We lived in a white house across the alley east of the cafe. Dad was a charter member of the Odd Fellow Lodge; he had joined in Ohio. He had a shaving mug made in Kansas City, Missouri in 1905 with his name and the three gold link emblem of the Lodge on it. He invited John Verhoefftojoin the Lodge, and John received his 50 year pin a few years before he died. Many of mom and dad's family eventually moved from the Flagler area and they adopted Gene and Mattie Ellsworth as family. They had homesteaded south of Seibert in the early 1900s. We children called Gene and Mattie uncle and aunt (as did manv in the community). Their sod house was buili with two foot thick walls, with an east and south window, a door in the south side awav from the elements. The floor was dirt, packei until it seemed to be cement. Aunt Mattie had rag rugs which she had braided on this floor. The soddie was as clean as a pin. To the north of the soddie they had a two room frame house. The furnishings in this little house were lovely - all the "treasures" Mattie had brought west from home. We girls were allowed to go in and look at the hand-painted china, ceramic and crystal lamps - but look only. Often we sat in the little house listening Taken at the homestead of Gene and Mattie Ellsworth south of Seibert, July 4, 1933. L. to R.: Helen Evelyn Sutton Sherman, Charles McDaniel, Ellamae Sutton McDaniel, Willie Sutton (back), Leslie Sutton (front), Mattie Ellsworth (back), William Lester Sutton (front), Gene Ellsworth (back), Mary Emma Sutton and Betty Sutton Austring (front). riding two horses, Roman-style (one foot on the back of each horse), going lickedy-split down the track." She would drag dad home, but it would be only a short time before he ran to the horse farms again. Dad was a trueborn horseman. This love and trust of horses brought him many years of enjoyment and occupation. My mother's parents, the Christopher family, came from Ames, Iowa and homesteaded near Flagler in 1910. Willie and Emma met through their family contacts, and in 1911they married. The first three girls of the Sutton family, Ellamea, Blanche, and myself, Helen Evelyn, were born at the old homestead ranch. My brothers, William Ivan (who died before he was one year old), Leslie Ivan, and William Lester were born after my parents had moved from the homestead closer to town. Our youngest sister, Betty Ruth was born in 1928. Life on the homestead was hard. demanding strengths to make a good life out of very scarce resources. Dad's health had not made the recovery he dreamed the west would bring, and he was homesick for the green fields of his home area. In the spring of 1917, he bought a 4-door Overland touring car and with reliable transportation, dad and mom headed back east to Hume, Missouri, selling the homestead and seeking some relief from the prairie life. The old adage, "you can't go home," rang brue when John Verhoeff came to visit in Hume the fall of 1917. John had shipped cattle to the Kansas City stock yards and braveled on to visit us. It was so good to see his old neighbor, and the humid climate back home had only brought back old health problems, so dad decided to give the west rnother try. The Sutton family headed back ;o Flagler and ever after Dad would remark, 'This country has water that is 99 percent pure, and air that is the cleanest in the world. I love the prairie." by llelen Evelyn Sutton Sherman SUTTON FAMILY while Mattie and mother visited. Aunt Mattie was an excellent cook. She could always have a delicious meal ready in no time at all. She joked that the chicken that met us at the gate was the one on the table for supper! by Mary Carter SUTTON FAMILY F696 F695 I Remember, Sutton Mother recalls when the Flagler town site was called Bowserville. Bowser being derived from the family who lived about one mile east of the township's present site, on the north side of the Rock Island tracks. Today, at this location, there stands one lone tree, and it was at this spot, mom recalls, "We used to walk down the tracks and have such nice picnics. The school picnics were often held at Bowserville, and then later when the Stewart family moved onto the property, we still had our picnics there; we children all over the pasture playing games." I've often wondered how our area in eastern Colorado so far removed from the locale of its namesake was so named. Henry Morrison Flagler, born in Hopewell, New York, was a stock holder of the Rock Island Railroad. Flagler was the promoter of the railroad that spanned the 100 miles of water and islands to Key West, Florida. He also built luxurious resort hotels in St. Augustine, Palm Beach, Miami, and other cities in Florida. Perhaps, when the railroad came to this part of the country, the event was so welcomed that the man responsible was honored. Shortly after my family returned to Flagler in late 1917, or early 1918, dad bought a cafe on street level in the Odd Fellows Lodge building. Cora Sweet was his pastry cook. Hetty Lipford was a waitress, Jim Quinn was I Remember, Sutton In about 1919 dad sold the cafe and bought Lavington's store. Noah Wold was the meat cutter and Hetty Lipford came to clerk in the dry good and notions section. The store, to my eyes, was quite large, stocked with bulk groceries. The barrels of potatoes, onions, pickles, and crackers seemed huge, standing above my seeking eyes, and tempted hands! There were cookies and candies to delight my heart, and oh, the huge round of cheese sitting on its own cutting block made my mouth water. Great wedges were cut from the round by a knife attached to the cutting board. Bananas came in huge bunches that hung from a ceiling hook. Kerosene was dispensed from a banel in the back store room. Jams came in half gallon buckets. One brand name was Delicious, and yes, it truly was! The store was heated by a large round heater with a big water tank on the top. In the twenties, gypsies roamed the country. They would come into the store, and from the age old tales that preceded them, every- one watched them carefully, thinking they were going to carry it all away. My dad had no such problems. Earl Brown had another store in Flagler. It was located where the present laundromat is now. Earl had a parrot in a cage kept on the sidewalk during the day in front of the store. All we children loved to hear its typical answer to our "Polly want a cracker?" �In 1925 dad sold his store and we moved that living room. After returning from Den- on Highway North 40. The windmill still ravages of cancer, he died at home in December of 1941. Saturdays were always "in town" days, and bo the Buchanan farm, two miles east of town stands there. It was here that I became a farmer. At ten years of age, I learned to milk cows, and help with the farm chores. Not long after, dad taught me to drive a team of horses to the "go-devil" (a weeder), and I was able to drive the team to the header barge during harvest, and the hay rack, tripping the lever and dumping the load even with the pattern rows my dad had made as he went first time around the field. Dr. Thomas retired about this time, and we bought his pony, Bonnie, buggy and harness-' ThJwhole family enjoyed her so much and later her colt, Betty Blossom, and then her colt, Princess. All the ponies had birthday parties, and mom would allow them to come onto the porch of the house we were living in, and have a taste oftheir birthday cakes baked special for the event. Dad taught all we children to ride at an early age. Many families in town owned milk cows in the '20s. We pastured the town cows and my brothers, Leslie and Lester, would take turns riding our ponies, driving the cows to pasture every morning, returning with them in the evening for milking time. Wilbur (Peanuts) Schumaker liked to help them because he could ride one of the ponies. My mother heard from "Peanuts" not too many years ago. He sent her a birthday card from his home in Fountain Valley, California. The main street of Flagler was a busy place in the '20s. The town offered most services that were needed and community life centered around the hub of the town. Art Watters had built a hotel in the early 1900s. It still stands, The Flagler Hotel. Art's brother' Tom, built a hotel in Goodland, Kansas around the same time. Both establishments were complete with outstanding dining rooms, and were the meeting places of the community. by Mary Carter SUTTON FAMILY ver where surgery and care failed to stop the everyone dressed in their best. We always had to visit William's Drug Store. I remember that the post office was next to the drug store. My brother, Leslie, had a pheasant dog that he loved to pull in his red wagon to main street. Leslie and Tippy would sit in the wagon and often Leslie would fall asleep' Mrs. Straub, the postmistress, would pull the wagon into the post office, and Tippy would not make a fuss as he knew Mrs. Straub. There they stayed until Leslie would awake. One day while Leslie and TiPPY were "parked" in front of the post office Art Waters stopped to visit with my brother and his dog, and dad passing by walked up to them and said, "Go ahead and talk with Leslie, Art, his dog won't bite you." "Oh," Art replied, "He already has!" Indeed, Tippy had grabbed Art's pant leg and pulled him away from Leslie. In those days when refrigeration was "powered" by a block of ice or cold water John Dyson kept an ice house. John, my dad, and several other men traveled winters to the Republican River east of town to cut ice from the river into blocks. Hauled back to town, the blocks were then packed in straw in the ice house, and during the summer months, I remember, we children would follow Dyson's wagon down the streets gathering and munching the ice chips left from delivery. The smithy, Ed Malbaff, worked winter and summer in his shop which was east of the present American Legion Hall. Ed presented quite a show of skill with his craft. With the iions red hot, he'd expertly pound the metal into shape - maybe an iron rim for a wagon' a wheel, or a horse shoe. Ed would dunk the piece into a tub of cold water where it crackled, and spewed forth clouds of steam. Paul Detlifsen's famous painting of the blacksmith could truly have been modeled from Ed Malbaffs shoP. by Mary Carter F697 I Remember' Sutton I remember our doctors tending to the medical needs of the community. The hospital that I recall was located where the West Hotel is today. First, I remember Dr. Neff. His dedication to his profession was so appreciated. Mom said Dr' Neff could cure wilh only the soothing nature of his bedside manner and the time he spent with his patients. There was Dr. Reed, and- Dr. McBride who married Mrs. Straub, and son Dr. John Chriss who followed in his footsteps. All dedicated men tending the need of our community on the prairie. I look at the little house on main street in Flagler today and wonder how our family managed to live within its small area' especially when I think back that mom frequently turned the living room into an infirmary where she nursed neighbors and townspeople that were too ill to return to the isolation of farms. The hospital-type bed would 9o uP, and most of the room partitioned with sheets. My father was the last one to be nursed in SUTTON FAMILY F698 I Remember' Sutton Arlie Wilson's Store of the '20s was a twostory brick building on the southeast corner of the main intersection of town. This building also housed the telephone office in the upper floor. Bretlingers lived in rooms connecting and operated the telephone of- fice. Mrs. Norris lived in rooms in the northeast corner ofthe building and ran a hat shop there. She designed and made the hats herself. Hats were most popular at the time. I remember Ellamae, Blanche and I had brown broad-brimmed beaver hats made by Mrs. Norris that we considered ever so I'd like you to deliver to your aunt, Ruby (Christopher - my mother's sister). You know, she and I attended grade school together at Second Central (located south of Flagler about 12 miles)." Mr. Will Borland, who went on to become a popular author, bought the Flagler News in 1910, and I remember how we children loved to watch the paper being printed in the basement work room under Arlie Wilson's Store. The stairs to the printing room came in from the sidewalk outside and there were two big windows where we could watch, lined up on the stairwell, noses pressed against the glass. Rodeos and races were held almost every weekend in the summer time. Tom Conarty usually rode one of dad's horses. Tom and I have often remembered the excitement of those races. The two Lundy brothers who Iived west of Flagler were horse trainers. George Lundy trained several of dad's horses in gaits. I remember riding those gaited horses - as easy as sitting in a rocking chair. And the dances all over the area in the'20s and early '30s; it didn't take much to talk anyone into organizing another before the last was over! I recall winter dances the whole family would go to, driving to "Nute" Smith's ranch and dancing 'til dawn in their big hay loft. Chores were done early, food was taken along, the old soap stone foot warmers were readied, and off we'd go. We'd have a covered dish supper, the children were bundled and put to bed on benches or piles of blankets; there would be dancing, and often a big breakfast before starting home. To be found at almost every dance in barn, hall or grange was Gertrude Peterson, who we called "shimmy Liz" playing the piano. She played by ear, and could make that instrument talk. We would ask her to play a tune, we'd hum a bar or two, and she'd pick up on it with the wink of an eye. I've seen her make a piano actually move on the floor. What a dynamic artist she was! Every harvest my dad and several neighbors would drive to Canon City with dad's rubber-tired trailer towed along and bring back potatoes, cabbages, turnips, parsnips, onions, apples and cider. They would stay with the Stegman family in Canon City who used to live neighbors before moving. In the fall we often drove to Rocky Ford for what we children referred to as "melon day"' One year, Governor Carr was there at the celebration. There was always a parade with floats from businesses and surrounding towns. Melons were piled high as small mountains in the streets, and anyone could take as many as they could carry away, Foods were canned or "put down" in cellars then to meet the family needs during winter time. Too bad melons couldn't be canned! Many years the gardens produced very little with no way to get water to the precious crops. by Mary Carter SUTTON FAMILY F699 elegant. In the homesteading days there were many country schools scattered around the prairies. Some years ago, I mentioned to Opal Conarty Joy that my mother and I were to attend a fiftieth Tesdahl family reunion in Ames, Iowa. Opal said, "I'll write a letter that I Remember, Sutton I remember coming home from the events of the season, and having mom build up the �fire in the old kitchen stove, fix hot cider, all of us placing our mittens, wet clothes and shoes close to the oven door. It was so homev and cozy. Dad would come in and we wouli take turns telling about the pictures we could see in 'ol Jack Frost's icey wonderland painted upon the panes of the windows. The winter of 1929 was a fright! There were snows that closed the highways for a long time; a passenger train drifted in on the tracks with the town people carrying food to feed them. Many drifts reached l0 and 15 feet high. I remember walking from the second floor porch of the West Hotel to the ground on a sloping snow bank. Mr. Stager had to tunnel into his garage across the street from the hotel. Dad loaded his largest sled with supplies and cotton seed and drove across country to his good friend Tom McCallum's ranch 15 miles southwest of town with feed for the animals. It was a hard winter for man and beast. Recalling Tom McCallum, brings to mind that years later when the McCallum familv were debating whether or not to "lay Tom away" with is white handkerchief around his neck. They decided he would go to his rest with it, folded just so with the triangle points to the front as he'd always worn it. Dad bought a Model T Ford Sedan when we girls were a bit older. One summer when cousin Joe came from Athens to visit. we "motored" to Manitou Springs and stayed several days to take in the sights. Then it was a special event to tour Helen Hunt's grave, the Cafe of the Winds, and always, end the stay with a picnic at the Garden of the Gods. We would eat salt water taffy, and Colorado Rainbow Trout. The relatives loved the trip, and so did we. That old Model T was shinv black, and I thought it very beautiful. We hai an accordion-folding luggage rack that was attached to the running board - a feat to load and unload that! Most winters neighbors would get together and butcher two or three hogs. Dad made his own mixture of either sugar-cure, or brine for the hams and bacons. I would help fry down the sausage and pack it in large stone crocks with lard for keeping. Food somehow seemed plentiful for our large family, although it did not come without the effort of growing, processing, and storing. Why did it seem to taste so good? During this period many people dried corn. After cutting the kernals from the cob, about two cups full were put in a clean salt sack, stitched up, and hung on the clothes line with clothes pins. The sacks were turned from end to end several times a day, and in about a week the corn was thoroughly dried and stored in the pantry. When ready to use, the corn was soaked overnight and cooked for about an hour. Having our own cows, we always had real cream - Yum, fresh milk, "Delicious" in jam buckets, lowering them into the water barrels at the windmill to keep. In the early '30s, mother grew weary of farm life, and she took it upon herself to retrieve all the farm equipment that dad has loaned out over the years, sell it and buy the little house on main street in Flagler. This home is where I live todav. During part of the early '30s dad was Flagler's Town Marshal for a time and at Ohristmas he usually played Santa Claus, passing out candy on the main street and at ;he Congregational Church. If there was snow, he would hitch a team of his favorite horses to a big sled and drive down Main Street, sleigh bells ringing. The children truly thought him to be Santa and wondered whv he knew so much about them. (The advantage, or did the children think disadvantage, witlr his barbering skills. He opened a shop in Seibert one time and tended the shop a couple days of each week. In all mv stowirre years, I remember him barbering on our bac[ porch. A great many friends would have no other touch their hair. by Mary Carter During the periods when we lived on farms in the area, Dad kept cattle. He favored short horns and often said that this land should not be broken out for farming to any degree as the buffalo grass, yucca, and cactus weie there to help hold the land. The dirt storms of the 'B0s that came from living and working with families in a closely knit community.) SUTTON FAMILY F700 I Remember, Sutton Dad was substitute mail carrier in later years. Winter time he often had to use his sled to haul the mail to the farms. Manv times people on his route would call in orders for groceries, coal, kerosene, feed, or medicine bore this statement out. Dad would onlv break bottom land, and he farmed iusi enough land to provide his own live stock feed. John Verhoeff was instrumental in teaching this to Dad, and in later years when many did not have water and grass for their cattle, John did. His conservation ofland and dams built for water served him well over the years. by Mary Carter and dad would gather the supplies to deliver with the mail. He often went north, spent the night at Aaron Thompsonls pl4ss and returned via the west route the next dav. During the height of the depression Dad worked on the W.P.A. He was a county road overseer. He built two cook shacks. one for cooking and eating, and the other with bunks for sleeping. These were pulled by a team of horses to a farmer's yard near wherever the crew was working. Dad and the crew would stay five days out, returning home on weekends. The road work was done with teams of horses hitched to Fresnos (large scoop-type shovels that moved and dumped the dilt ind gravel). Wagons with collapsible sides and bottoms hauled the dirt and gravel quite a distance. Near Flagler many cement slabs, bridges, and roads built during those years are still in use. Sam Potter and Buck Fisher both worked with my dad, and Mike Conarty was prized as a crew cook. During a recent visit with Zeke Kerl of Stratton he recalled he and dad worked side by side on old Highway 24 west of Vona during the winter of 1928 and 1929. Zeke said he broke in a nice team of mules belonging to my father on this job. Colt and Sons were the contractors that winter, and later in the summer Colt's crew moved on to build the road from Estes Park to Bear Lake. - On many occasions during road work my dad would have to pull a wagon loaded with sand and gravel out of the creek bed when other teams could not manage. Dad kept good horses, fed them well, and trained the.m verv well. His love of them spanned a life time. Money was almost nonexistent for manv years. W.P.A. gave "chits" as payment fo-r work and periodically commodities were "bought" when the W.P.A. truck arrived in town. Many women worked in the mattress factory set up in Flagler. These years brought lessons of patience, tolerance, and frugality to our family as f'm sure it did to others. Everything was put to a useful purpose, especially if nature had given it. Mom managed with the scarce resources of the time, and gave with selfless abundance to those she loved. I remember Aunt Kate, who worked in a garment factory in Iowa, sent barrels of clothes for mom to make over. Mother became an expert at this, and we girls always felt our clothes were quite suitable. Dad was able to supplement his income SUTTON FAMILY F70r I Remember, Sutton The prairie was then a haven for rabbits. prairie chickens, meadowlarks, and hawks. There used to be rabbit drives in an attempt to keep what little grass there was for tle cattle and horses. A bounty of five cents per pair of rabbit ears was paid by the goveinment. There were many prairie dog towns across the land, considered a nuisance as thev took over the area with holes and mounds. Many an acre became worthless to grow grass or farm. In driving in the country, I remember that "mirages" were quite common, In the distance were lakes of water, but on arriving at the spot there would be none! In crosscountry driving the wagon ruts were quite deep and when you were driving a c6u you soon learned how to stay in the tracks. Coming to a fence there were usually .,letdowns" and you lifted the barbed wires from the turned-up nails, stood on the wire. let the driver drive over the fence, and then you'd replace the let-down. So often I would get snagged doing this. In the '20s, there were cattle and horse traders from Illinois, Iowa, and Minnesota who came every fall. A Mr. Hannah from Iowa bought one of our cows, a beautiful Ayershire named Goldie, and we girls cried our hearts out as she was driven to the loading yard. Some time during the mid-twettlie. orrr family moved to the Ead's farm just south and east of town. As I had done on the Buchanan farm I helped with the outside work, enjoying this much more than the housework. One especially frustrating job I did have was filling the kerosene lampi and cleaning the chimneys. It seemed thai when they were lighted, the wick was never quite right, and up the side of the chimney wenl the black soot! The cleaning and trimming were then to be done all over again. When wash day came on Mondays, I wanted to hide. The water was heated on the kitchen range in the wash boiler, the tub filled for sudsing, clear water canied in for the rinsing and the bluing tubs, and then the �clothes were hung on the line. In winter we'd often bring in clothes frozen so stiff they'd stand alone. These were thrown on Iines strung in the kitchen until they were finally dry. And ironing! With those flat "sad" irons heated on the range it seemed no time until they cooled and with the handle were repla- ced, picking up a hot one from the top of the stove which might last while ironing one part of a starched, dampened, rolled-up garment from the ironing basket. Also in washing the cream separator, the discs had to be threaded onto a rod and placed in a little trough, run through soapy and scalding water. Turning that separator was also my chore, and if I didn't get it back together just right, the-re was a mess. Feeding the chickens and gathering the eggs was another chore I usually did. When I went out it seemed no matter what size container I took I always needed a bigger one. When mom would help me, she could simply gather the corners of her apron, pla,ce those extras in her neat holder, and carefully get them back to the house. by Mary Carter SUTTON FAMILYF702 I Remember, Sutton We cooked on a Majestic coal range, and we burned wood, coal, corn cobs gathered from the pig pen, and many a time, cow chips. When we gathered those chips, we were most careful to only seek the dried ones! They did make a nice bright, hot fire' During the heat of the summer we cooked on a kerosene stove that was moved outside most of the time so the house would stay cool. The fires used to boil meats during butchering season' cook the large batches of rendered lard with lye for soap, or process the canning were also set outside in the yard. The party line telephone was considered a luxury when I was a girl. One twist called central. and the combinations of long and short rings designated the various parties. Of course, each time a phone rang everyone knew who was on the line, and the "clickclicks" reminded us that whatever was said was being heard by everyone. Entertainment at home was the norm. We had a Stereoscope to view picture post cards in three dimensions. We also had a Victrola that played records. We had parties at home now that we lived in town. At evening parties, or just when company came with children, we would scare ourselves out of our wits by all hiding around the yard but the one chosen "It," and that one had to walk about singing, "The Stars are shining; the moon is bright; I hope I don't see any ghosts tonight," and when the hidden children were passed by they jumped out and frightened thegre-ryho ' was';It." Also, we'd play Annie, Annie Over, getting lots of good exercise while we tossed i baU from one side of a pitched roof to the other. You never saw the team on the other side, but each of yours kept the score fair when you caught the ball. Fox and Geese in the winter snow was sure to keep our blood warmed up as we ran the circled course to avoid the Fox who had been tagged to chase us through the paths in the snow. We had a piano when we moved to main street and my sister, Ellamea, took lessons and entertained us at many a party. I loved to recite and under the tutorage of Mrs. Gibbs took on many of the Aunt Hett recitals of the time. Social functions revolved around the church and the Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodge, hay rack rides in the summer, sleigh rides in the winter, school sport (I particularly tiked girl's basketball). I remember the first talking movies at Clarence Wright's theater - the first one I saw was Monty Montana in Montana Moon. We never lacked for something to do - after the work was done. So many of the people who I went to school with remark of the good times they had at "Ms. Sutton's house." Letters then were mailed with a 3 cent stamp, post cards for a penny. Free movies were shown on the side of the building er's wagon with the bang board on. There was straw in the bottom of the wagon' The school district furnished the school bus body only and the interested persons would bid on the four different routes, which required the successful bidder to furnish a truck chassis so the bus body could be mounted which consisted of two side benches plus a small middle bench. No heaters in those days! First Central was able to attract very competent teachers. I appreciated all ofthem and their efforts. Names that I can remember are Violet and Edith Campbell and Thelma Lowe. (She was very understanding and tried to teach us good manners along with our other studies.) Prof. Frog, whose physics lessons I was able to use all oflife, I appreciate much. Fourteen students started out in 1922. By 1934 when we graduated there were eight of us: Leonard Beeson, Loraine Iseman housing Wilson's store. In summer, Flagler (Wood), Robert Bailey, Clair Barr, Marie Kiper (Lesher), Ella Storrer, Wesley Taylor, enjoyed Junior Chautauqua in the mornings. Sometimes we could stay on for the afternoon performances, or an evening show' A huge ient was set up in the block where the Flagler Seed plant is now. We'd have competitions presenting plays. For many years the county Inez Smith and myself, Parker Swann. Cloyd Storrer and Nora Wright (Johnson) were post was on the Chautauqua circuit. We all ichools continued this event. Also, the box suppers where all would gather, bringing their favorite dishes boxed in beautifully decorated boxes. These were auctioned off to the highest bidder with the monies going to some philanthropic project for a need of the community. You can believe that the "Romeo of each Juliet" was given an explicit description of the box she brought, and heaven forbid if he did not bid high enough to win the privilege of joining her for supper! Yes, it was a good childhood growing up in Flagler, Colorado and living on the eastern graduates and assisted us on the stage graduation night. I think none of us of that era will forget the dust bowl days, but we will remember the happy times and good people that helped us along the way. by Parker Swann SWANN, GEORGE AND BERTHA F704 prairie in the early 1900s. by Mary Carter SWANN FAMILY ..,r.r::j&r t:l::S, F703 '\e*.. 14""T" Growing up in Kit Carson County, Colorado is part of my life that I am thankful for. I was fortunate to have loving and under- standing parents, D.D. Swann and Nellie. We lived on my father's homestead seventeen t..,i .i. r.ll:' , ..,ir:l:l:ti:: '"'i'*\1:::.' I i; miles south of Bethune or twenty-six miles southwest of Burlington, Colorado. We farmed about a section of land for crops, plus had some pasture land for stock, horses, milk cows that were turned out overnight. There was lots of free range land at that time. Being born in 1916, I experienced the open prairies, horse and buggy days, and Model ,f ltrlr -dr ."' ""?#4 T's. I can clearly remember when people could go from our place angling northeast to Burlington without any trouble with fences. I remember people moving in to make eastern Colorado a wheat producing country in 192829. From all the plowing of the buffalo grass, we went through the dust bowl days in the early thirties and the hard times especially after the banks went broke. I attended the First Central School starting in L922. Mr. Greenwood was the bus driver that year. All twelve years we left home at 7 a.m. after chores were completed to arrive at school by 9 a.m., arriving home in the evening to do the chores around five or so. Due to the snows that first year we rode in a cornhusk- '_li:],:.rJ George and Bertha Swann My great grandparents, George and Bertha Swann, homesteaded south ofBethune in the early 1900's. My mother, LaDene Richardson, and her brother, Russell Clark, spent many summers out there. She told me how long it would take to get to Goodland which now takes only a little over one hour. When George and Bertha moved to Goodland, their son, Dudley Swann, took over the place. Their children are Parker, and Bertha Mclean of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, Elwin of Bullhead, Arizona, and Ilene Wood of � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Families of Kit Carson County Description An account of the resource Brief biographies of the founding families of Kit Carson County Colorado. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Book Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Families- S Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1988 Description An account of the resource Brief family histories of founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with "S." As found in the book, History of Kit Carson County. Type The nature or genre of the resource text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Salmons, Janice Hasart, Marlyn Smith, Dorothy Language A language of the resource English Is Part Of A related resource in which the described resource is physically or logically included. History of Kit Carson County Volume 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource text/pdf Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Curtis Media Subject The topic of the resource History Kit Carson County Biography Genealogy Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource <a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>