https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/508/Families-T_U_V.pdf df1504bf0291779a6384745335c7f6a0 PDF Text Text Akron, Colorado. It gives one a sense of belonging to know that some of your family helped settle this land. by Phyllis Wall There were six more children born with the help of a midwife Mrs. Lowe who was Art Lowe's mother. Georgia Megel said she helped mother when I was born. The six children were named Arthur Weslev. Vaughn, Vance, Shelby, Darrell Dean, ant Darlene Joy. We all went to the First Central TAGGART, VELMER MILLER F705 As a small child, I came to Flagler, Colo., in 1908 with my parents, John and Agnes Collier. We lived on a farm north of town for School our twelve years of schooling. Some of my classmates were Lewis Borden. Wanda Baetz, and maybe a Gooch child and others. Mrs. Gooch was the first cook for our hot lunches. Shelby helped and later he was the cook and some of us girls would get out of class early to help him. When I graduated in Miller. To this union, four children were 1945, I was the only one in my class, the others had all moved away. All of us Taylor children graduated from First Central. At the time, they held church services at the school and Mr. Ness was the minister. He lived about one half mile from us and one of my best friends was their daughter Charlette. It seemed so nice to have another girl around. Six older brothers were hard on an only girl, and another girl to talk to was great. Dad helped Ness' out by giving them coal and so In 1948, Thelma married Elmer T. Havs. He passed away in 1980. They had four children: Pamela Sue born in 1949; Angela when they no longer had any, he went clear over to Vona in his 1928 Chewolet truck. The truck bed was about as big as the beds in the several years. _ In t924, I graduated from Flagler High School and that same year married Ord h. born: Agnes Jane in 1925, who passed away in 1930; Thelma Lavonne "Bonnie" was born in 1927; Lawrence W. was born in 1g31: James W. was born in 1945. We lived on farms for many years, eighteen miles north and east of Flagler. Gail, born in 1951; Ronnie Gene born in f-gSg and Mark Wade, born in 1968. Lawrence joined the Armed Forces in 19b1. He was released when his father. Ord R. Miller died in 1953. Lawrence returned to the farm. In 1959, he and Shirley Simon were married. There were three children, two adopted. After James graduated from high school in 1963, he and Ruth Ann Bower were manied. He joined the Armed Services and after serving in Kansas and Alabama, they went to Germany where he was stationed as a helicopter mechanic. In 1965, their son, James D. was born. After a divorce, Jim married Verna Dunn in 1984, who has a daughter, Tana. In 1960, I married John L. Taggert and we made our home in Strasburg for lb years. He passed away in 1973. I came back to Flagler in 1975, where I still reside. by Velma Taggart forth. Dad got the coal from Stratton but pick-up trucks of today. We were good friends with the Ness' until they moved to Stratton. Our family raised cane and corn. Some of the corn was ground for corn flour. The cane was used as feed for the cows and horses. In the dirty 30's, the family raised dry land potatoes, which Dad delivered to Chevenne Wells and all around Burlington and Strat- ton. To keep the potatoes cool, Dad dug a 100 foot long cellar to sort and store the potatoes. After the potatoes weren't grown anymore, the cellar was used for setting hens to hatch chickens. Mother would carefully put several eggs under each setting hen to hatch for her own chicks. Then the folks bought two incubators to hatch the chickens. Thev sold chickens and turkeys to the Shanks CLfe in Burlington, a cafe that my uncle Lee Taylor bought in the early b0's. One day in the early 30's, my parents and I went to Goodland and on the way back we had to stop at Kanorado because of a dirt TAYLOR, PERRY AND NETTIE F706 My parents moved from Goodland, Kansas in 1914 to their homestead. In Goodland Dad had been working for the railroad, mostly around the round house. They came west in a wagon and their only son Perry Eugene was small enough to lay in a dresser drawer. Dad walked the cattle across the unfenced prairies while Mother drove the wagon. They stayed with some people (I do not recall their name) rcuth of Burlington and they came on west ;he next day. There was a small building on ;he homestead that they stayed in while luilding a two room soddie. In later years, as ;he family grew, so did the house. Thev also ruilt a sod milk house where *" goi o.r, lrinking water. The water came from a well hat I think maybe a Mr. Hardin dug. In this ,ame building there was a square tank which vas used for keeping the milk, cream and rutter cool. storm. We just pulled over to the side of the road and sat in the car until the storm was over. I remember it because I was so frightened. Another time there was a prairie fire, which came in from the south. School was turned out early and we were told to go right home. The fire came within about a milJ of our home. I still can see those flames racing across the prairie. It was a terrible sight. Eugene had to go away from home to work in the 30's. He first worked at Boone. Colorado at a bean farm. I can renember Pugene saying that bean farming was the hardest work he had ever done. He also worked at a ranch near Yuma at the Stiners ranch. In those days, the farm hand stayed with the people they worked for. They were all very nice people. On July 4th, 1936, a rain and hail storm came through near the Herman Baetz place. Part of the Baetz family was coming back across the creek and they did not make it because a wall of water hit them. LaDonna, the oldest daughter, was swept down the creek into the Landsman. Several neighbors, including Dad, looked for her but onlv found her glasses hanging on a fence. Her body was finally found later further down the creek toward Bethune. The boys hunted rabbits and when they got them home they would skin and hang tiEm out to dry. That would make the boyi some extra money for they would take skins into Stratton to sell to the creamery. My brothers also raised watermelon. They had to haul water to the watermelon patch from the well by the house. We ate a few and sold the rest. On Saturday night, the folks would have barn dances and the boys all played instru- ments and Mother fried hamburgers for everyone to buy. Dad always kept law and order. If there was a fight or a disorder, Dad would always be there to take care of things. There were always a lot of people from miles around and all in all, I think that evervone had a good time. The barn first was a cow shed and they put in a wooden floor and a pot belly stove to keep the chill out of the ro-om in chilly weather. Cowchips were used for heat. The chips were lit first after they were soaked in kerosene. Then the large pieces of coal (chunk coal) were added and after that the fine coal (slack coal) was added. The stove stayed warm for what seemed like forever. We would all help gather the cowchips and I always made sure they were good and dry before I would even kick them. Dad had Lloyd Megel put in a 82 volt wind charger with 16 batteries. It was so nice to have lights, and electric iron and a washer. This wind charger was used until R.E.A. came. Mom would always sew all our clothes. Sometimes sJre was up until midnight sewing for her family. Dresses for me and shirts foi the six boys. Mother also made the quilts for all of us; this is something she reallyenjoyed doing. I still have some of her quiltl after all these years. Our family had horses they worked in the fields even after the tractors were used bv others. We used horses on the header, cutting barley and stacking it until fall when thi threshing crew came in. One of these crews was the Blankenbaker crew, Rodney Blankenbaker's father. Mother and I would cook special meals during threshing. We used the best dishes and had more food on the table fo_r everyone, including the threshing crews. We always had meat and potatoes and peaches and cream. We butchered our own pork and cooked up sausage, after which we would put a layer of sausage and a layer of lard until the five gallon jar was full. The jar was put in the milkhouse. As we would need the sausage it was taken out and heated, what a tieat. Mother always had a large garden and all the vegetables were canned and stored awav for the wintgr. Later, Father and the boys dug a deep hole south of the house where'ice and snow was kept for our ice box. The ice box was wooden and didn't hold much food because the ice took up a lot of room. The ice in the ice hole would usually last until late summer. When we ran out Dad would go to Stratton and buy some from Mr. Wallgamont. Wesley, Vance and Darrell all served in World War II. They all came home except Vance who was shot down and killed the dav after his 24th birthday over the oil fields in Romania. Vance's death was something that I believe that neither Mom or Dad ever got over. Mother passed on in March 11. 1966 and Father in July of 1975. I will always remem- �ber the "good old days" when we lived south of Stratton on the "homestead". by Darleen Joy Taylor Pottorff in 1987. THOMAN, LEO AND LUCY F707 He passed away in 1942, and Mary in 1979. They had five daughters, Helen Smelker, Violet Bunch, Ila Hobgood, Vivian Sternholm and Deloris Magnuson. by Ines McArthur and Irene Kennedy THOMASON FAMILY F708 After the rivers and trees of eastern Early 1920's Montgomery & Thyne Garage in Stratton, Co. Kansas, arriving on the bleak, windy and cold Colorado plains in March 1921, was a shock to the young family of John F' and Pansy B. (Hall) Thomason. They had journeyed to Stratton from Baileyville, Kansas with their two young sons, Harold, age 4, and Galen, age 2. John's parents, Frank M. and MarY (McCartin) Thomason, had moved to Stratton the previous year (1920) along with their daughters, Bessie and Ada. John and Pansy Thomason added three more sons to their family after moving to Francis (1923), LaVerne (1926), Colorado - (1933). The family always lived and Melvin in the Idlewild School District, and all the boys graduated from Stratton High School. Both families farmed and raised cattle north of Stratton. John and Pansy left the farm and moved into Stratton in 1944, because their sons were in military service and other help was not available. Pansy lives in Stratton at 230 Kansas Avenue. Pansy Thomason celebrated her 88th birthday in 1985. John Thomason died in 1958. Harold (Hal) worked for several years in the Stratton Drug Store and now is the owner/pharmacist of the drug store in Cal- Leo and Lucy Thoman han. Colorado. Galen is retired from the U.S. Air Force and lives in Buena Vista, Colorado' Francis is a CPA and lives in Mclean, Among some of the first settlers to come to Kit Carson County, were Leo and LucY Thoman. They traveled from their home in Burlington, Iowa, to claim their land, 6 miles east ofBurlington, Colorado, near Peconic, at what was then called Carlisle. Traveling in a covered wagon, they left on Sept. 11, 1886 and arrived on Oct. 23. Because it was getting late in the fall, they hurried to make suitable living quarters by digging a cellar. This provided shelter from the winter and provided a home that met their needs till a house could be built, the following year. Leo and Lucy were married in April of 1885. Their five children were born here; Arnold, Bessie and Mary and two boys who died. Later they built an adobe house (just south of the Peconic elevators.) Leo helped build the Rock Island railroad. The children would pick up coal along the tracks that was spilled and sometimes the men would throw a shovel full off for them. In 1904, when the children ere very young Leo passed away, but Lucy carried on with the help of Arnold (10) and the girls. The relation in Iowa would send barrels of fruit and nuts in the fall to help out. Lucy passed away in L922, Close neighbors were the Teils, Stampers, Johnsons, and Martins. Arnold married Vera Dillon, she passed away in 1970. Bessie married Maynard Dunham, who passed away in 1964 and she passed away in 1984. Mary married Elmer Magnuson, a son of a homesteader west of the Smokey Hill school house. Virginia. LaVerne (Vern) is a dairy products distributor in Limon, Colorado. Melvin (Mel) teaches pharmacology at Temple University and lives in a suburb of Philadelphia. Pansy Thomason is the proud mother of five sons, grandmother of twenty, and greatgrandmother of twenty-two children' by Pansy Thomason W.T. and Olive Thyne in 1940 in Elizabeth, Co. a garage and Chevrolet agency, was manager of Stratton Co-op, was a Star-Route carrier for 20 years before his retirement. Ruth Thyne graduated from Stratton High School in 1929 and worked at the grocery store there. Russell D. Spurlin (1907-1967) came to Stratton with his parents Melvin (1878-1927) and Olive Dannevik Spurlin (1880-1963), 3 THYNE - BAKER AND SPURLIN DANNEVIK AND SPURLIN - THYNE FAMILIES F709 Olive Baker, daughter of John Bloss and Iona Taylor Baker Families (1886-1974) came from Beloit, Ks. in 1907. She homesteaded north of Stratton. William T. Thyne (1885-1975) son of Daniel and Sarah Thyne came from Doon, Iowa in 1906. He homesteaded 10 miles north of Stratton. W.T. and Olive met and married in 1911. To this union 5 children were born Ruth (1911-1976), Dan (1913), Bill (1921), Gene (1924-1980) and Mary Kay (1926-1979). He engaged in ranching and farming, operated a local dairy, ran brothers Dale (1902-1979), Gray (1905-1966)' Gene (1911-1971) and 2 sisters Alpha (1909) and Dorothy (1914), from Edmund, Ks. in 1919. Melvin was a drayman. Olive's father Otto and brother Will Dannevik moved with them and together they built several homes in Stratton. Some were block and some cement brick. Russ was working as a barber when he met and married Ruth Thyne in 1930. Four children were born to this union; Bob, Doris, Duane (Shorty) were born in Stratton and Donna was born in Cheyenne Wells where Russ was working at the light plant and Ruth helped her brother Dan in his grocery store there. Pearl Harbor was bombed and so Ruth's 3 brothers had to go to the service and this left the farm unattended so we moved back to Stratton to the farm. For a few months during the winter Russ worked in Denver at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal. In 1949 we moved 1/z mile west of Stratton, had a dairy and delivered raw milk, later we delivered homogenized. When it first came out on the market, we could hardly talk nFo �son Derek. Duane (Shorty) Spurlin graduated in 1956, spent 2 years in army, worked in grocery store for Uncle Bill Thyne in Cheyenne Wells, worked with a bridge construction company for 15 years. He married Jeanette Mast. They have 2 daughters Charlene & Rebecca. Charlene died after heart surgery at the age of 3 years in 1978 and Rebecca died in infancy. Shorty himself, in 1945 at 8 years old, came close to death when he and a cousin, John Spurlin, were climbing a 35 ft. tree. Shorty reached the top first and grabbed a wire which sent a short circuit of 2200 volts through his body and pinned him to the tree. It was only by one chance in a thousand that he lived. Such an accident usually means instant death. Shorty and Jeanette reside in Northglenn where they are managing a 358 unit apartment complex. R.D. and Ruth Spurlin in Cheyenne Wells, Co. in 1940. Donna Spurlin graduated in 1956, worked as a bookkeeper in Denver, Nebraska, California and back to Denver where she resides with her husband Robert J. Whalen. They have 2 daughters; Sherri and Patricia and grandson Kevin. Ruth, Dan, Bill, Gene and Mary Kay went to school at Solid Center, Vz mile north from homestead. We four kids, Bob, Doris, Shorty and Donna also attended Solid Center. Later Batt Realty Co. bought, moved and remodeled it and later W.T. Thyne (Granddad & Grandma) bought it for he and Olive to live in. We kids and our kids all had family gatherings there for years, so it was a big part of our lives. by Doris Stevens TOLAND, RAY E. AND GLADYS (ANNIE) FTlO Ray Ervin Toland was born in St. John, Kansas, on December 9, 1891. He was married to Gladys Kay in Hutchinson, Kansas, on August 4, 1915. They had two Melvin and Olive Spurlin 1924 in Stratton. customers into trying it. At the same time they managed Hollywood Creamery. He also was a Star-Route carrier. Later Ruth was a cook at school lunch room. Bob Spurlin graduated in 1951, served in Korean War for 2 years, spent time in Japan, worked for Highway Dept. as an engineer for 22 years. He has 4 sons, Lonnie, Vean, Ted and Doren and one daughter, Peggy. Bob was killed in a car accident in 1979 Vz mile from home. Doris Spurlin graduated in 1953, married Dallas Stevens. They bought D&D Cleaners in Burlington in 1958. They have 5 daughters, Dana, Debra, Diane, Devona, Dee and one children: Mary Ellen (Balanga) born July 6, 1916, and Max Kay born October 1, 1920. In 1933, the Tolands moved to Hugo, Colorado, then on to Stratton in 1940. They operated the "Stratton Cafe" on Main Street until December, 1945. At this time they purchased the Toland Cream Station. With the creamery still under their direction, they opened the Collins Hotel Cafe. Ray died February 6, 1951. After his death, Gladys spent several years managing the dining room of the Grand Pacific Hotel in Bismarck, North Dakota. She returned to Stratton in 1966, where she managed the Memorial Hospital Board. He died in Decembet 4, L974. Janet Toland presently resides in San Clemente, California, near Bonnie, her husband and Janet's only grandson, Trey. Marie and her husband live in Evergreen, Colorado. by Janet Toland TOWERS, BERT F71l Bert Towers came by emmigrant train to Kit Carson County with his parents, George and Emily Towers in 1906. Bert also raised horses Iike his father before him. He was well known around Burlington for he trucked cattle for a business. I, Georgia Megel, his niece, have this newspaper article about uncle Bertie. "Centennial Race Track will not be the same when the barns start to house thorough- breds for the 1961 meeting. Bertie Towers, Centennial's night watchman, died of a heart attack Saturday night. He was 77. He lived with his wife, Opal, in a trailer behind the racing offices. Their whole life was wrapped up in 'Yuma Wray', the only race horse quartered the year round at Centennial. (The horse was named Yuma because he was born at Yuma, Colo.) Each season Yuma Wray, wearing the Towers'colors, would win a race or two at Centennial. The mare, now retired, has a yearling by Pelouse . ." In 1910, I remember the prairie fire that was started by someone camping north of Kit Carson, Colo. The wind was blowing so hard and it got away from them. It burned so much in Kit Carson County. The fire moved so fast that a horse couldn't outrun it. Uncle Bertie had left for home but father tried to get him to stay. He wouldn't and before he got home, the fire had burned the horse's mane and the tassel off his tail. Father lost feed and Uncle Bert lost a barn and 9400. by Georgia Megel TRESSEL, MISS JENNIE L. F7t2 One of the most energetic, accomplished, and colorful Kit Carson County early-day settlers was Miss Jennie L. Tressel. Her popularity can be attested to by the many times that she has been mentioned in these restaurant at the Golden Prairie Inn until her death, June 7,1973. Mary Ellen was married to Rueben Balanga on July 26, 1942, and died on January 2, L957. Max Kay served 4 years overseas in World War II; was married to Janet Dillon on May l, L947. They had two daughters: Bonnie Jo (Swann) born July 1, 1948, and Marie Kay (Wolfley) born December 11, 1953. Max worked for Inland Utilities until it was incorporated into K.C. Electric Association where he was employed for 27 years. He served two terms as Mayor of Stratton, also as Justice of the Peace, a Red Cross Instructor, and a member of the Kit Carson Countv Miss Jennie Tressel with two of her "boys", Allen Greenwood and Kenneth Hoot, at Smelker School �histories. It is quite well-established that she was a homemaker probably around the turn of the century. Besides coping with pioneer life, she beco-e an outstanding educator and schoolteacher. From 1916 to 1922 she served as Kit Carson County Superintendent of Schools. She drove a team of horses hitched to a buggy when she visited the schools in the county. In later years when the horses became old, she sold them to Theodore Greenwood. One was a beautiful sorrel and when he died. Mr. Greenwood had his hide removed, tanned, and made into a beautiful robe with dark green felt cloth lining. It is kept as a family heirloom in memory of Miss Tressel. Besides being County Superintendent, she was Superintendent of the Vona School, taught in Stratton, and in many country schools. She had "a way" with children' and they would strive to please her. Instead of punishing for wrong-doing, she had a system of giving "merit points" for good behavior and deeds accomplished. So many "merit points" would earn a prize, something small but treasured by the children. If they completed their assignment, she would let them work on crafts, - shadow pictures, sewing cards, and woodworking like little stools and shelves. They used scrap lumber and a coping saw. and these little articles can still be found in the homes, cherished by the now grown children. One of her hobbies was a stamp collection, and she helped many children to become interested in stamps. At the end of her life she bequeathed her valuable stemp collection to one ofher "girls" who had pursued the hobby. Another diversion in which she was interested and knowledgeable was Parliamentary Law. So she helped the children organize a Club, elect officers, and gather solemnly for meetings on Friday afternoon, all conducted according to strict Parliamentary Law. Miss Tressel was a genial person to have at neighborhood parties and programs. She always had a reportoire of "fun" games. As far as we know, her lone relative was a frail and sickly sister for whom she took responsibility in later years. She built a nice home in Stratton, now owned bY FloYd Borders and she and her sister lived there for a time. Then the sister died and rumor had it that the gister's doctor bills for which Miss Tressel felt responsible, finally divested her of most of her finances. Miss Tressel's final days were spent here in Stratton in a little two-room house which Mrs. Rachael McNees built in her yard for her beloved friend. She had all arrangements made for her funeral including the request that six of her "boys", now grown, be her pallbearers. She was a grand old lady. than from where they moved in Indiana. Previously, Tom and Cherie were Vocational Agriculture teachers at two different high school in southern Indiana. They were FFA Advisors and coached several judging teems. In addition Cherie coached volleyball and as a licensed volleyball official in the state of Indiana. Tom was born in Burlington, Vermont on August 11, 1961, but moved a few years later to Holbrook, Massachusetts, where his parents still reside. Cherie Renee Pizarek was born August 3, 1958 in Michigan City, Indiana, which is 8 miles from where her parents still live on a farm near LaPorfe, Indiana. Tom has three younger brothers, and Cherie has one older brother. Cory was born through a previous marriage on July 22, 1981 in Louisville, Kentucky. Tom graduated from St. Joseph's Elemen- tary School in 1975, Norfolk County Agriculture High School in 1979, and Purdue University in 1984. Cherie graduated from St. Mary's Elementary School in L972, Marquette Catholic High School in 1976, and Purdue University in 1980. Cherie returned to Purdue in 1982 to pursue certification in TRIEB, THOMAS AND CIIERIE F7t3 Thomas William Trieb, Jr. and Cherie Pizarek Trieb moved to the Burlington area on September 1, 1985 with their son, Corydon Milo Garmon. They moved here in search of a drier climate and a more rural atmosphere mond Chindlen, born May 5, L952. They live at Long Beach, California. 2. Enid Irene Underwood born Oct. 11, 1928, at Columbine, Wy. Enid married Allen Rawden on June 25, L948, They have 3 children: Donald Bruce Rawden born April 14, 1950, Debbie Christine Rawden born March 23, 1952, and Allen Dean Rawden born Sept. 16. They live in Washington. by Linda L. Ljunggren Brandt Vocational Agriculture Education with a minor in biology. Her first degree is in General Agriculture with emphasis in Agronomy and Animal Science. It was in the fall of 1983 at Purdue University that Tom and Cherie first met, as they were two of twenty- VAN DE WEGHE, ALMA LIMING nine students preparing to be student teachers of Vocational Agriculture the following spring. Tom and Cherie were manied on July 20, 1985 at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Center at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Bernadette Elizabeth Trieb was born on July 2, 1987 at Swedish Medical Center in Alma Van De Liming, had four children - and Marvin. Weghe, Robert, Melba Rehor We were raised on a farm 18 miles north and 3 miles west of Stratton. The original oneroom school house used as our home was later Englewood, Colorado. She is a welcome addition to the family. The Triebs are members of St. Catherine's Catholic Church in Burlington, where Cherie teaches CCD. Tom is an officer in the Burlington Council of Knights of Columbus. Cherie is president of Modern Homemakers, very active in the Burlington Young Mothers' Organization, and a volunteer at the Colorado Welcome Center. Tom and Cherie are 4-H leaders, too. In the past they had been active in the KCC Cattleman's association, Seibert Young Far- mers', KCC Cowbelles, and St. Catherine's Altar & Rosary. Tom is presently a feedlot assistant for Busby,Inc. by Cherie Trieb F715 My parents, William (Bill) and Hazel replaced by a house moved in from a few miles away that Dad purchased from Ray Bowers. Some of the early memories I have of my parents, I would like to share with you. We had a Majestic range that furnished the heat for the whole house, plus being used for cooking and baking. Mom its intended use - and it was so good to come baked bread often home from school to hot bread with homemade butter, jelly and jams, and frequently a big pot of beans. In the summer we would pick lambs quarter (a weed) and Mom would can it for our spinach. We also always had an abundance of homemade cottage cheese. Mom grew a big garden every summer and in the fall she made sauerkraut, hominy, pickles, and canned whatever was left that wouldn't keep in the cellar. I can remember so well Dad bringing in bushels of big white ears of corn that we shelled by hand so we UNDERWOOD, GRACE BELL SMITH by Marie E. Greenwood Grace (Smith) Underwood and Ed Underwood. F714 Grace Bell Smith, daughter of Salmon Peter Chase Smith and Laura Alice Cook, was born May 28, 1898, at Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska. Grace married Edgar Underwood, son of William and Mary Underwood, Sept. 20, 1916, at Burlington, Colorado. Edgar died Dec. 24, L956. Grace died May 19, 1961. Both are buried at Billings, Montana. They had two daughters: 1. Erma Underwood born Oct. 25, 1918, at Stratton, Colorado. Erma maried Clarance Edmund Chindlen Nov. 21. 1940, at Littleton, Colorado. They had a son, David Ed- wouldn't get any bad kernels, cooking the kernels in lye water until the hulls would slip off. then washing it over and over in cold water until all the hulls were gone and we had beautiful white hominy. Same with the kraut we took the cabbage heads, removed the -outside leaves and Mom and Dad then took turns shredding up the cabbage. Dad prepared a big vinegar barrel in the cellar where we put the shredded cabbage and salt and trarnped it down with a big club Dad had made. Then, it was weighted down with a cloth-covered lid and let set to ferment. What a treat to go down in the cellar later and bring up a big bowlful. Like all of our neighbors, we butchered our own hogs and cattle, salt cured or canned the meat, and could plan on fresh liver for supper on butchering day. Generally, the neighbors assisted each other with butch- �ering. Mom also made all our clothes. Our underwear was made from empty flour sacks that she had scrubbed on the washboard to get the label washed out. Sometimes you could still see a faint "Belle of Denver" (flour brand name) on our bloomers. Mom raised ducks and picked their feathers to make feather beds and pillows and we used fresh shucks to fill ticks to sleep on. Dad loved horses and we always had horses to ride. He was one of the last people in the community to quit farming with horses. Our cows were registered Aryshires, and milking was a joint family effort. Also, every fall we went into the pasture and picked up cow chips enough to National Bank in Denver. Now that my husband and I are semi-retired, we enjoyed traveling and being with our families. Memories are continuing to be made for my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. by Alma Van De Weghe VANCE FAMILY F7l6 back, we stacked them in ricks and burned them in the daytime, saving the coal for banking our night fires. For recreation and entertainment we had house dances, barn celebration. Burlingtonites built a huge burning of his shirt. In 1948 Shorty built a two story brick building just east of the Bank of Burlington. There were four apartments upstairs and the lower floor housed a furniture store which he owned and operated. The bank purchased the building in 1975 and it was torn down for horseshoe contests too. After graduating from Kirk High School, I married Kenneth Idler and we had four children Donald, Gerald, Richard and - We farmed for seven years, then Wilma Jean. due to Kenneth's death from heart disease. the children and I moved to Joes and built a motel known as the "Alma Motel". Later we moved to Yuma and had a motel called "400 K Kort". In 1961 I married Maurice Van De Weghe and we moved to Denver. Donald their expansion. The family was members of the Methodist Church of Burlington where Wreath was and is very active in the ladies groups being a life member of United Methodist Women. and his wife, Mary, and 3 children, Mary Shorty served as trustee for many years and Yvonne played the organ during the 40s. Wreath is also a life member of Burlington Woman's Club having joined in 1944.Shorty Donna, Martha Ann and Donald Jr., live in Apache Jct., Arizona. Gerald and his wife, Jane, and daughters Holly Anne, Jennifer Lynn and Susan Marie, live in Buford, Georgia. Another daughter, Kendra Jo, is married and lives in Benton, Arkansas. was a member of Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Club. Weldon was very active in football, basketball and baseball and Shortv was a firm supporter of the High School Richard and his wife, Joyce, and sons William Allen and Charles Louis, live in Wheat Ridge, Melba and her husband, Rudy Rehor, presently live on Dad's homestead after having worked many interesting years in road as a mechanic and - Rudy Melba often cooking for the crew. Melba had construction one son, Bobby Bill Todd, who died in infancy. Marvin and his wife, Marjorie, live in Lakewood, Colorado. They had 5 daughters Constance Lee Briggs (deceased), Jo Ellen, -Marla, Janet and Julie. Marvin is a plumber and owns M.L. LimingPlumbing Co. JoEllen and her husband, Bill Dozier, and 3 children, Jeffery, Matthew and Emily, live in Lakewood, Colorado. Marla and her husband. Lance Shepard, and sons Aaron and Nathan, live in Morrison, Colorado. Janet and her husband, Tom Pratt, and daughter Rebecca, live in Los Angeles, California. Julie Liming lives in Lakewood, Colorado. Besides being wife and mother, I also had a brief career working for the Colorado back of their trucks or under the stars and didn't have a cook crew in a modern trailer to feed them. It was the same year at the age of 39 that Shorty received his draft call from Uncle Sam to serve in World War IL He failed to pass his physical due to a heart condition. Aug. 9, 1945 - VJ Day, victory in Japan, put an end to World War II and was a day of great bonfire at the intersection of Senter and 14th and burnt hats, shirts, and bras. As the crowd got into the spirit of things and became quite rowdy, Shorty closed up Shorty's Palace and went home. He took the back way to avoid the dances, played cards, or just gathered at someone's home and played yard games. Of course, we had the usual baseball and mother. Wilma Jean and her husband, Duane Glenn, live in Fort Collins, Colorado. They have two daughters Marie Reeger, - Jeanie who has one daughter, and Rayna Jo Hoschouer, who has 3 children. Robert (Bob) lives in Fort Collins with his wife, Gale, and daughter, Bobetta. Bob farmed several years in Eastern Colorado and Missouri, and then moved back to Colorado and was a plumber until his retirement from the Poudre Valley School system. they would have as many as "24 egg and cheese sandwiches to go". Thought they could never look at another egg sandwich. In those days custom harvest crews slept in the fill several hayracks. After bringing them Colorado. Richard's oldest son, Kenneth Richard, lives in Mesa, Arizona with his cooking and pie making; working together to make the business a success. These were the war years and it was difficult to get enough meat due to rationing. One harvest when the custom cutters were in for take-out orders, Booster Club. J.V. and Wreath Vance Family, 1944.L. to R. Yvonne, J.V.(Shorty), Weldon, and Wreath. Front, Dennis. On Dennis'es graduation from high school, May 1955, the dirt blew so terrible one couldn't drive across town to Baccolaureate. On prom night there was a choking dust storm. Jacob Vernon Vance and Evelyn Wreath Frank were married April 2L,1927. Both were natives of Jewell City, Kansas. Vernon became a baker by trade. He worked at and owned bakeries in Kansas and Colorado until eczema on his hands as well as economic reasons forced him to leave the business. After a few years of construction and truck driving, he came to Burlington in the fall of 1942 to work for Bert Meyers at the Burlington Bakery. When school was out the next May he moved his wife and three children from Goodland, Kansas to the Warren Shamburg house in Burlington at 1209 Senter St. This was the family home while the children, Yvonne 15, Weldon 13, and Dennis 6 were growing up. In Feb. 1945 Vernon and Wreath opened a short order cafe just north of the Midway Theatre. It was called "Shorty's Palace". Shorty was the nickname he had acquired since coming to Burlington. The establishment was complete with up to the minute furnishings including inlaid linoleum, elaborate soda fountain, glass pastry case, chromium gas-heated coffee urn, leather booths and table tops of a new plastic called Formica. It also sported an ever popular nickleodean. It became a meeting place for the young people whom he loved. Shorty and Wreath did the The family had lived in several towns before coming to Colorado but once they hit Burlington, they stayed. All of Shorty and Wreath's three children and seven grand- children graduated from Burlington High School and all nine great grandchildren live in or near Burlington and attend Burlington schools. Yvonne manied Ewald Hartman and lives 10 miles SE, Weldon married Donna Ormsbee and is chief maintenance of RE6J schools, Dennis married Dianne Pappan and they have a paint and gift shop in Burlington. Vernon (Shorty) died following open heart surgery Sept. 11, 1968. Wreath still lives at 239 13th, the home they built in 1962. by Yvonne Vance Hartman VASSIOS FAMILY F7t7 William Vassios arrived in Flagler, in 1g06, while employed by the Union Pacific Railroad. Born in Messinia, Greece, in 1882, he came to America in 1902. He left home at a very young age in order to take advantage of the great opportunities that America had to offer. His employment with the railroad �piano, violin and accordion. Visits with friends and neighbors were enjoyed throughout the year. Among them were the Carl Bledsoe, Ellis Huntzman and Clark Wright families living south in the Boyero area. At other times the family The home and garden in 1928 attended a club called the Busy Bees'. There was always a large noon meal. The kids played games of all sorts, often times softball. Men enjoyed horse shoes and cards. Women visited, exchanged recipes, and quilted. Some of these families included; Bill Strodes, Newt and Nels Smiths, Bourquins, Rowlands, Kountzes, and the John and Arch Verhoeffs. The Jim Kountz family lived,2Vz miles away. They were close friends, one of the ties being "Mom and Pop" and one of the first cars in 1920 brought him west to Kansas City, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada. He worked very hard and soon bec€rme a foreman, of which he was proud. In 1906. Bill decided to homestead 15 miles south ofFlagler but continued to work on the railroad for several more years while getting his homestead prepared for his future. In January of 1912 Bill Vassios and Pansy Drougas were mauied in Chicago, Illinois. Pansy was born in Sparta, Greece, in 1889. She had come to America as a young girl of 16 to live with her brother and work in a candy factory in Chicago. As a bride of 19, Pansy came to live with Bill on their homestead in a two room sod house. Existence on the sparsely populated prairie was extremely different from the city and active community life to which she was accustomed. One of the hardest experiences was the fact that they were not near a church. They lived too far from Flagler and their own Greek Orthodox Church was in Denver. This meant very little spiritual and social life, since their nearest neighbors were also miles away. The language barrier was another deterrent. The hardships were many, but they managed to rear and educate their seven children: Mrs. Alex Jamison( Anna) of Greeley, Colo., Mrs. Charles Mallo (Tressie) of Fort Collins, Colo., Mrs. Peter Tertipes (Marv) of Cheyenne, Wyo., George Vassios of Limon, Colo., Gus Vassios of Flagler, Colo., Mrs. Jack McCollum (Ansie) of Dallas, Texas, and Mrs. John Coryell (Daphne) of Flagler, Colo. Around L922 the family moved from the original homestead to the Stanger place, which was only a mile from the Texarado school. Walking and riding horseback to school was not always pleasant because ofthe snowstorms that frequented the area. One of the highlighLs for the Vassios family at this time was the fact that they were able to provide room and board for the young teachers who taught at Texarado. These were pleasant years because the lives of everyone were enriched and lifelong friendships built. children of the same or close age group. The great depression of the 1930's was a hard thing for the family to survive, as it was with practically everyone else. But the family survived because everyone helped with the chores. At one time, they were milking 30 to 40 milk cows twice a day. The cows, pigs, chickens, turkeys, Iambs, and huge gardens kept food on the table. Bill made weekly trips to Flagler with a team of horses and a spring wagon to deliver and sell several cans full of cream and several cases of eggs for cash. One experience that the family will never forget took place on March 17,1923. We were fearful that Bill had perished in a fierce, untimely snowstorm which came up suddenly in the middle of the morning. It caused the whole herd of cattle to drift southward, just being taken along by the strong wind and blinding snow. Bill decided to try to find the cattle and turn them around, so he took off on his saddle horse. Several hours later, when the family had almost given up hope of Bill's return, his trusted saddle horse, Maude, came up to the front door with Bill sitting motionless, almost frozen to death. Icicles hung from his eyebrows, and he could not move nor speak, but God was with him and he soon returned to normal. The cattle all perished. One of the main goals of Bill and Pansy Vassios was to educate their family. Before his death, Bill had the promise of his grandchildren that they would get a good education and finish college if at all possible. They were very proud of the fact that all ten grandchildren accomplished that feat.This confirmed their belief that all things are possible in this great country. by Daphne Coryell VONDY - PAINTIN FAMILY F718 Dr. Powell worked for dad 2 summers during his college days, and became full time help after he graduated and later became a partner. We have been quite an active and close family, we are all members of the Methodist Church. Mom and Dad have both been Sunday school teachers and mom is secretary of the administrative board. We kids have After supper, the large round dining table enjoyed various activities through the church; camp, MYF, Sunday school, Bible was turned into a study table. When studies school, etc. were finished, the evenings entertainment usually included some type of music; singing, There are five children in our family: Diane, Curt, Gail, Terry, and Holly. Diane is a graduate of C.S.U. and is manager of a branch office for Mountain View Mortgage Co. She is married to Tim McNulty and they have a son Ryan Patrick, born Feb. 11, 1986. They make their home in Colorado Springs. Curt has had an adventuresome life. He attended C.S.U. for 21/z years, worked in oil fields in Montana and land leveling and plastics factory in Arizona. Gail attended dog grooming school and joined our clinic as groomer and operated her own business for 4 years, but felt that she was becoming allergic to the pet hair. She went to work as a horse-groom at Ted Simon/ Racing stable, and later started training for her dad. Terry is a graduate of C.S.U. with a Bachelors degree in Animal Science. Through his college years he spent 3 summers at Ruidoso Downs Racetrack as a groom for Ted Simon. Now he has several head of quarter horses and thoroughbreds that he enjoys training. My father, Milton Vondy, was born in Snyder, Colorado on March 6, L927, to Lawrence and Ollie Vondy. He attended Brush schools and later graduated from Brush High School. My Mother, Doris Paintin, was born at home on December 8, 1920, to George and Agnes Paintin. She attended country school at Solid Senter; transporta- tion was her old white mare, Daisy. She attended Stratton High School, and was active in dramatics and cheerleading. Dad came to Burlington in 1952, a graduate of Colorado A&M, Fort Collins, Co. with a degree in Veterinary Medicine. After visiting with the bankers, local farmers and the county agent, he decided to move to Burlington where he established his veterinary practice which kept him very busy and still does. My mother was employed at Standish Drug Store, when she met my dad. They were married at the Methodist Church in Burlington, in 1952. Mom has helped dad in the vet business since that time. Dad and mom's first home was the apartment above Milburn Jewelry Store. Then, they bought a home on 18th Street. Later they purchased five acres from Buols and built a house, barn and small animal shelter. In 1978 they sold our home and purchased the Vern Jones home 6 miles South of Bur- lington, where a quonset building was converted to a veterinary clinic and dad had lots of room for his horses. I, Holly the youngest and most spoiled (due to brothers and sisters) am active in 4-H. MYF, and school. I enjoy working on the annual staff, being on the flag corp, snow skiing, dating, and spending time with friends, especially my best friend Karla Pankratz. I also am interested in horse racing and have a colt at the track now. All of us kids have been in 4-H with quite a variety of projects and Mom and Dad have been leaders for many years. All of our 4-H years were spent with Sunshine 4-H club. Activities dad enjoys are golfing, horse racing, raising quarter horses, being a member of the Plains Rider Roping Club, which he helped organize, the Cattlemen's Associa- tion, Burlington Commercial Feedlot, and being Republican Precinct Committeeman. Mom has been a member of Modern Homemakers H.D. Club, for 31 years and B.P.W. for 8 years. She also enjoys Plains �shack in the North West part of Stratton. He then spent his time in the garage where the Kalb Brothers Walter and Kenneth had a mechanics shop. He enjoyed visiting with whoever had time to chat with him. They looked after him in his last years as he got to where he could hardly walk before he died. He is buried in Claremont Cemetery, Stratton, Colorado. He was 88 years old. by Dessie Cassity Book & Florence McConnell WALKER FAMILY F720 The Milton Vondy Family. Back row, L. to R.: GaiI, Diane, Curt and Terry. Front row, L. to R.: Doris, Hollv and Milton. Riders Roping Club, and horse racing. One of the biggest thrills for our family, was the running and winning streak of "Five Alive" in 1980. We had a family reunion at Ruidoso Downs. Ruidoso New Mexico. where we watched Five Alive run in the first leg of the triple crown ofquarter horses, the Kansas Futurity. As sometimes happens, saddness follows happiness. We found this to be very true when later in the fall, Five Alive was taken to Littleton Large Animal Clinic for surgery to remove bone chips from his knees; this brought about one of the saddest days of our lives, because while recovering he floun- dered and crushed his elbow and had to be taste like the smell of a sweaty horse. It was said many times in the old days that John Wagner was a real wizard in handling and breaking of wild horses. The brothers were asked to corral some wild horses for a friend in Cheyenne County. They made three attempts to corral them with no success. Finally were asked again and they showed up carrying rifles instead of ropes. Their next attempt at corraling the herd preceeded about as usual until they were nearing the corral gates. A big, beautiful l Forty-fifth Wedding Anniversary of Aubrey and Winnie Walker. Seated: Nina Lou Walker Ford. Aubrey Walker, Winnie Walker Lavon Walker Fisher Keeran. Standing: Pat Ford, Betty Walker, Art Fisher. Dale Walker. sorrel stallion broke back. Fred said he thought, as he saw the big beautiful horse breaking for safety, "I would sure hate to kill put to sleep. We are still running horses and dreaming of another Five Alive.! that horse if he was mine, but he has got to be stopped." He took aim and let him have by Holly Vondy to see if he was branded. and damned if he WAGNER FAMILY F7r9 Two brothers, Fred and John Wagner, moved into Kit Carson County from Cheyenne County, Nebraska, in 1903. They brought with them about seven hundred head of horses. John took a homestead about eight miles south of Stratton, where they made their head quarters for sometime. The government land was all open, so their horses' pasture was almost boundless. There were a good many wild horses in this area at that time and they caused the Wagner brothers considerable trouble. The Brothers at last got permission form the State Govern- ment of Colorado to shoot the wild stallions when ever they were caught stealing mares. The brothers were also given permission to catch, brand and break any of these wild it. Later Fred said I rode out to look him over wasn't my own horse. Later there is not much known about John Wagner as he left the county, but Fred remained and continued to run horses for some time. Fred was known in his day to be quite a booser. But he was a kind and neighborly man. As little girls, Denise and Barbara Wilson remember hiding behind some weeds in a fence row until he would pass so he would not see them and pick them up when they were walking home from school. In the early 40's Fred moved to a quarter of land he purchased and built himself a small rock house which still stands on the property. Boots Wilson looked after Fred in those years. He would go to town and get all boosed up and then Boots would see him stopped out across the open prairie and he would go get him and take him home. He was a good neighbor, always helping ponies that they desired. Fred Wagner told me, that they tried some when needed. In a bad blizzard in November 1946, he went out to see about a bunch of cattle Boots had at his place and got down in the storm and he had to crawl to the house. He risked his life but managed to save the horse steaks from some ofthe wild horses that cattle. they killed. They never relished horse steak, He later sold his property to Boots and moved into town where he lived in a one room as it always seemed to have a sweet, sweaty Lavington Garage, Flagler, Colorado; Early 1920's to 1960. Leon Lavington was the son of W.H. Lavington, who was one of Flaglers early settlers (prior to 1900). W.H. Lavington started Flaglers first general store and later the First National Bank. Wayne Aubrey Walker, born August 24, 1886, in Worth County Missouri, was the son of Marvin E. & Susan O. Marvin Walker was the son of Warner & Ruth Ann of North Carolina. The father of Warner was Daniel Walker who was the son of Davis Walker. who was born about 1770 in North Carolina. W. Aubrey Walker was schooled at Denver, Missouri, and went to business school at St. Joseph, Missouri. The Walker family moved to Springfield, Missouri, in 1906 where Aubrey worked in the accounting department of the Frisco Railroad. In 1908, Aubrey set out to fulfill a dream, that of securing a homestead near Steamboat Springs, Colo- � 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- T, U, & V Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1988 Description An account of the resource Brief histories of founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with "T," "U" and "V." 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 Biography Kit Carson County 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>