2
10
1804
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Text
such environment would be classed as a
.l4Bice Salmans
Vona, Colo.
StnoKey
tenderfoot.
Hfrl rral-r
Besides that, he had been
in a run-away.
Let's let his companion, Albert Richardson,
tell us about it: "Descending an abrupt hill,
our mules, terrified by meeting three savages,
broke a line, ran down a precipitous bank,
upsetting the coach, which was hurled upon
the ground with a tremendous crash and
galloped away with the fore-wheels. I sprang
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Krt
Serbert
Fort
Carson
8.1
HauLhorne SPrlngs
out in time to escape being overturned. From
a mass ofcushions, carpet sacks and blankets
soon emerged my companion (Greeley), his
head rising above the side of the vehicle like
that of an advertising boy from his frame of
pasteboard. Blood was flowing profusely
from cuts in his cheek, arm and leg, but his
face was serene and benignant as a May
Morning.
"He was soon released from his cage and
taken to'Station 17', a few yards beyond,
where the good woman dressed his wounds.
"Spent the night at'Station 17'. As usual
we slept in the coach which vibrated in the
strong prairie wind, rocked like a cradle."
LosL SPrinqs
Now anyone in a run-away with mules as
motive power would not be held accountable
o
for some time to come afterwards-what
he
said, did, or wrote. So perhaps we should take
K1t carson Hill
these statements he made at this time with
a couple of grains of salt.
We have given you an over-all picture of
this trail. Now, let's get down to the local
scene and trace
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Smokey
Hill Trail
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SouLh Fork
RepubJ
ican Rrver
it more specifically.
When the route left Beaver Creek near
Ludell, Kansas, it went over a high divide in
northwesterly direction, entering Nebraska
at a point 76.26 chains (305 rods) west from
the southwest corner of Section 35, Township
L North, Range 34 West, thence going down
a long draw or creek, 8 or 10 miles, coming to
the Republican River in Section 28, Township 2 North, Range 35 West, then up the
a
river about a mile where Station 18 was
located in Hitchcock County about one mile
from its west border, a short distance from
where Indian Creek comes down from the
northwest on the north side ofthe river. This
was about twelve miles below The Forks.
Then it followed the river up past The
Forks and re-entered Kansas at a point 9.65
LEAVENWORTH AND
PIKES PEAK
EXPRESS ROUTE
Tt34
"On this route there is no poisonous or
alkaline water, nor sagebrush, two peculiarities and disadvantages of the Santa Fe route.
There is no sand except in one body of 40
miles in extent and this is along the Republican with plenty of water, timber and grass at
hand.
Now we wish to present some of the merits
,f this route and later on the reason for its
,bandonment.
"They further say that the region which
they have just traveled is the best grass
country in the West, that there is an abun-
The Leauenworth Tirnes of April 3, 1859,
dance of water and timber for emigrants and
that in these respects it is far superior to the
rublished
the following account of
two
nembers of the surveying party:
Platte route."
i'hursday afternoon Messers. Ewbank and
)owning, two experienced mountaineers and
This does not exactly coincide with Horace
Greeley's statement that we mentioned in our
,ld Californians, returned from the reconraissance upon which they with others, had
dispatched by Jones and Russell of the
)verland Express. Their statements are clear
nd explicit and most effectively put an end
o all outside caviling as to the wisdom and
oresight of the company in adopting a route
reen
rhich they pronounced unequalled for the
equirements of travel, and of which the
oaximum distance is not to exceed much
,ver 500 miles from Leavenworth to Denver
)ity.
previous article, where we quoted him as
saying: "For more than a hundred miles back,
the soil has been steadily degenerated until
here, where we strike the Republican River,
chains (39 rods) west from the southeast
corner of Section 31, Township 1 North,
Range 37 West, and continuing up the South
Fork to Section 34-1-39 where Station 19 was
Iocated.
The above information about the trail from
Station 17 to Station 18 and on to Station 19
we have obtained from our good friend, E.S.
Sutton of Benkelman, Nebr. Mr. Sutton and
Mr. Carmody found the site of Station
19,
there being part of a sod enclogure 100 by 103
steps and trenches that were still visible in
1940 when they made their investigation.
The survey on the Kansas-Nebraska line
was made in 1859 shortly after the trail was
established and the surveyors made mention
of it, both where it entered and left Nebraska
as the "Jones and Russell Wagon Road to
Denver City."
As to the exact location ofthe trail up the
we seem to have reached the acme ofbareness
South Fork was somewhat uncertain
and desolation. I could match this station and
its surroundings against any other scene on
decided to see
our continent for desolation."
But we must remember that Horace Greeley had been brought up in the East where
there were lots of trees and timber, that he
was a city dude, and coming out West from
information.
if by checking the
we
surveyors'
field notes we could obtain some definite
The results were very gratifying. Cheyenne
County was surveyed in 1873, the township
lines in 1872. The surveyors made note of
crossing this trail 50 times in laying out the
�section lines up and down the river and only
four times did they fail to make mention of
it.
South from Benkelman, Highway
crosses the old
trail,
a
little over
61
one half mile
(184 rods) south of the state line. In the Asa
Clapp and John Ramsey neighborhood, it
entered Section 30-1-38 102 rods east from
4
the northwest corner of said section and left
it 80 rods south from said corner.
By the E.S. Carman place it crossed the
section line between Sections 17 and 20-2-39,
east 215 rods from the northwest corner of
Section 20, 56 rods east of the river where it
was then.
By St. Francis, the road that crosses the
railroad tracks going north past the old
stockyards, crosses the trail 8 rods south of
the corner where the road turns west. The
trail went in a southwesterly course from
there and was west from the power plant
beyond the old railroad grade. It went where
the old railroad grade was made or very close
to it on up to the old Benkelman Ranch and
passed just a jew rods north of the old
building site in Section Ll-4-41and where the
present buildings are.
The so-called Burnham bridge further up
the river is where the trail once went. The
river was further west at the time of the
t
survey.
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draw 30 rods northeast of the stone house on
the Sheldon place, went midway between the
old Jacqua store and the section line corner
south, crossed the Kansas-Colorado line at a
point 66 rods south of the northwest corner
of Section 4-5-42 a few rods south of the
remains of the old lra Whipple place on the
state line and thence on up the river valley
pastHale and BonnyDam in southeastYuma
County, Colorado, continuing on up the river
from there.
It continued up the river in much the same
manner until it reached Landsman Creek, or
as some called it Launchman. It followed this
creek upstrerm about a mile or more then
went up to higher ground, continuing sou-
thwesterly and westerly for six to eight miles
before getting back to the river.
One day in January, through the courtesy
and guidance of George Homm, an old-time
rancher in that locality, we were able to locate
the view the old wagon track of said trail. In
Section 25, Township 5 South, Range 44
West, they can be seen dimly, but in Section
35-5-44 they can be seen as plain as day; in
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!
crossed Battle Creek about 40 rods north
of Section 29-4-4L, crossed a dry creek or
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fact, they can be seen a half mile away.
It's quite interesting to view some of the old
markings left by those early travelers who
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Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express Route 1859
4
blazed trails through what was then
a
wilderness.
Installment 4
One can't help but stop and think ofThe hopes and aspirations that caused
them to press forward to an unknown goal.
The hardships and suffering they encountered along the way.
The heartaches and disappointments that
overtook so many ofthem before reaching the
journey's end, some falling by the wayside,
caused by hunger and thirst, some overtaken
by the wintry blasts that swept the plains and
freezing to death by the lack of shelter, and
others slain
by some foe they could not
defend themselves against.
One cannot help but think of these things
when one beholds the markings of the old
�trails. Contrast that with the comfort we have
today in going from place to place.
May we verify the above statement by
quoting from some writings of men who were
participants in this trail blazing drama of
crossing the plains, almost a century ago.
But first let us get the setting where some
of this took place, and the reason for the
suffering and privation that overtook these
travelers, who had set out to cross the plains,
in their quest for gold, or for a more
comfortable living than they had 'back home'
in some of the eastern states. Many of whom
never reached their destination, but perished
along the way.
First, let us quote from the field notes of
E.D. Boyd, chief engineer for the L. and P.P.
Express Company:
"Station 22, (supposed to have been \Vz
miles northwest of Seibert, Colo.) on the
south bank of the Republican; large spring in
bed of river which sinks immediately below.
"Since first striking the Republican our
course has been nearly parallel with it and our
which we descended, seeming no more than
two miles away. At last we struck the old trail
from Santa Fe to Salt Lake, rode a mile along
the dry bed of Cherry Creek, and at eight this
eleventh morning, reached Denver City."
Horace Greeley wrote the following in his
diary:
"Here is 'Station 22,' and here are a so
called spring, and one or two considerable
pools, not visibly connected with the sinking
river, but doubtless sustained by it.
"And here the thirsty men and
teams
which have been 25 miles without water on
the road, are met by those who have come up
the longer and more southerly route by the
Smoky, who have been traveling 60 miles
since they last had water and shade.
"The Pike's Peakers from the Smoky
whom I have met here, have driven 60 miles
at one stretch, the time required being two
days and the intervening night.
From this point westward, the original
road nearly level.
Smoky Hill route is abandoned for the one we
have been traveling, which follows the Republican some 25 miles further."
"For the last 23 miles there has been no
wood or water, but grass is good.
"The Smoky Hill routc comes in from the
southeast.
Then beyond there"A ride over the rolling divide of some 20
miles brought us to the'Big Sandy,'running
southeast to become a tributary to the
"The South Fork of the Republican comes
in from the southwest."
Now quoting Albert D. Richardson, writer
for the Boston Journal, and traveling companion of Horace Greeley, on their trip over
the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Trail, from
his book, Beyond the Mississippi:
"June 3, 1859, met several Indian villagers,
their ponies drawing lodge poles on their
backs.
"Passed hundreds ofemigrants. Spent the
night at Station 21 (a few miles above Bonny
Dam).
June 4th. We still follow the Republican
which at one point sinks abruptly into the
earth, running underground for twenty miles
and then gushing up again.
"After riding twenty-five miles without
seeing a drop of water, at Station 22, we
crossed the Smoky Hill route which, from a
point far south of ours, abruptly turns
northward across the Republican to the
(South) Platte.
"Emigrants who have come by the Smoky
Hill tell us they have suffered intensely, one
traveling seventy five miles without water.
"Some burned their wagons, killing their
famished cattle and continued on afoot.
"We are still on the dessert with it soil
white with alkali, its stunted shrubs, withered grass, and brackish water. End of day's
journey."
"June 5th. At daybreak, Pike's Peak, more
than a hundred miles away, appeared dim
Arkansas.
"Like the Republican it is sometimes a
running stream, sometimes a succession of
shallow pools, sometimes awaste of scorching
sand. In the course of the 20 miles or so that
we followed up its northern bank, I do not
remember of any willow or paltry cottonwoods. I recollect only that the grass at
intervals along its narrow bottoms seems a
little better than on the upper course of the
Republican." Unquote.
Installment 5
This portion of the Smoky Hill route and
on west was called the 'Starvation Trail.'
More people died on the Smoky Hill from
hunger and thirst than Indian attacks.
The following is taken from the Rocky
Mountain Neus, as of May 7, 1859, explaining how the 'Starvation Trail' got its name:
"Two footmen have just arrived via the
Smoky route. They appear to have suffered
severely from hunger and thirst. They report
having passed some 10 or 15 bodies unburied
and many graves. These men say the lived for
nine days on prickly pears and a hawk."
A pioneer train arriving in Denver about
the same time reported:
"We picked up three men who had given
out and laid down to die ofhunger and thirst,
having eaten nothing for four days, and
brought them with us.
"We traveled 150 miles without water,
except for melting snow, which fortunately
for us, fell twice during that time."
the inspiring breath of the mountains.
"Our dining station was Station 25. Tow-
Now quoting from another source:
"The emigrants came in covered wagons,
and on foot, even with push-carts and wheel
ards evening Pike's Peak loomed up grandly
barrows.
and hazy on the horizon and we began to feel
in the south west, wrapped in its
ghostly
"Poorly equipped and scantily fed, they
mantle of snow. In the northwest Long's Peak
was sharply defined against a mass of ominous black clouds.
"Supped at Station 26, we made a comfortable bed in the coach, and rolled on at the rate
of seven miles an hour, slept quietly through
the night.
"June 6. Woke at five, still in motion, and
obtained a glorious view of the mountains,
their hoary peaks covered with snow and
their base, thirty miles across the vallev into
braved the chilling winds, and the snow and
mud of early spring in their eagerness to
reach their goal, the desolate city oftents and
cabins which were to become the'Queen City
of the Plains.'
"The Smoky, like the Oregon Trail, was
lined with abandoned property, broken wagons, dead horses and oxen, and many unmarked graves."
Here below is a story more gruesome yet
than anv of the rest. as quoted from the
Colorado Magazine, Volume 7:
"Daniel Blue was rescued by the Arapahoe
Indians and brought into'Station 25'in the
early spring of 1859.
"Statement of David Blue, late of Clyde
Township, Whiteside County, Illinois, made
this 13th day of May 1859, at the office of the
Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Company, in the City of Denver"
"We arrived in Kansas City on the 6th of
March, taking the Smoky Hill route. Myself
and eight others then continued on our
journey, while the rest remained behind for
the purpose of hunting buffalo.
"Three or four days elapsed after the
separation, when we lost our pack horse. Our
stock of provisions was then very much
reduced, and we packed whatever we had left
and pushed onward.
"After having traveled eight more days,
two other members of the company left us.
"Upon their leaving, our provisions became
exhausted, and for ten days we lay still,
endeavoring to kill a sufficient amount of
game for our subsistence.
"A few hares, ravens and other small game
was, however, all that came within our reach.
Our only firearm was a shot gun, all other
arms having been thrown away in consequence of the weakness of their owners.
"At the same time three others parted from
us, with the intention of making for the
nearest settlement for the purpose of securing relief to the remaining one-leaving but
the three brothers, Blue, and a man by the
name of Soleg, from Cleveland, Ohio-all of
the part being very weak and nearly exhausted.
"After a short effort to continue our
journey we were again compelled to lay up,
and the next day Soleg died from exhaustion
and want of food.
"Before he breathed his last he authorized
and requested us to make use of his mortal
remains in the way of nourishment.
"We were then, I later learned, on Beaver
Creek (should be East Bijou), one of the
tributaries to the South Platte, and about 75
miles east of Denver.
"After the consumption of Soleg's body,
Alexander, my brother died, and at his
request, we used a portion ofhis body for food
on the spot, and with the balance resumed
our journey towards the gold region.
"We succeeded in traveling ten miles, when
my younger brother, Charles gave out, and we
were obliged
to stop. For ten days
we
subsided on what remained of our brother's
body, when Charles expired from the same
causes as the others.
"I also consumed the greater portion of his
remains, when I was found by an Arapahoe
Indian, and carried to his lodge, treated with
great kindness, and a day and a half thereafter (that is on Wednesday, the fourth day of
May) brought to the encampment of the
Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express Company's train, enroute to Denver City, under
the charge of superintendent B.D. Williams,
where I was received and taken care of, and
left at Station 25, to
recover sufficient
strength for the continuance of my journey.
"By direction of Mr. Williams, the second
coaches that came along took up and brought
me safely to this point free of charge." End
of statement.
In reviewing the statements made by the
above mentioned persons-and comparing it
with our lot in life as of todav-we certainlv
�;1il"ffi ;:itrffi#il;'ru;ffi il'l,"Jl;iJil
and our surroundings miserable.
Nor to cuss and damn at the least provocation when everything is not coming our way.
After all, most of us are not too bad off.
Installment 6
Boyd and his mileage chart and his descrip-
tion of the terrain up the river is correct,
'Station 20'should have been in Section 304-4L on the old Charley Frodin place, about
4 miles from the Colorado line.
Boyd's notes read: "Station 20, on bank of
river. No trees. 1 mile west of dry run (dry
creek) going northwest."
The old wagon tracks can be seen on each
side of the place, the south bank is 20 feet
high or more and no trees ever were here.
In section 25-4-42, they are very plainly
visible, in some places, several tracks are to
be seen side by side a foot or more deep.
'Station 21' was located 29.5 miles above
'Station 20,'and should be on or near the old
Tuttle Ranch, somewhere around ten miles
above Bonny Dam.
A very dependable mail service was inaugurated by the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak
Express in 1859 to Denver and points west.
They charged a 25 cent fee above the regular
postage charges for every letter delivered.
Now we will let a mail clerk tell something
about the mail service:
"The post office was usually the first place
emigrants inquired for. Then they could
distinguish between mail and express. There
wasl no mail opened on the road, of course.
"The average time consumed in traveling
across the plains was about thirty days; the
stage made it in six and this naturally led the
to
expect
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Ji:'
*frXil1''iil,"l!,Ti
the quarter and read the rest myself.'He took
the letter and paid for it without any further
public reading."
The Marysuille Sentinel published this
early-day item:
If the detailed field notes of surveyor E.D.
travelers
#;'il-: Hi
to hear from
home
immediately on arrival.
"Our office was often the place of amusing
incidents. Our patrons were continually
trying to play smart tricks on us. Frequently
they would return letters and demand the
return of the money. At first we could not see
through the trick. A letter that was not worth
25 cents to them after they had learned its
contents, was almost sure to be brought back
with the claim it was not their letter but was
for someone elee of the same name.
"We at first assumed everybody to be
honest and conscientiously desiring that the
right person should have his mail, we would
. refund the money. But it was not long before
we were paying out almost as much money as
we were taking in and were loaded down with
letters marked,'Opened by Mistake.'
"We saw the necessity of changing our
method ofdoing business, so, in case ofdoubt,
when mail was called for, after questioning
whence the expected mail, we satisfied
ourselves (in case as a last resort a letter had
to be opened to prove its identity) by opening
it ourselves at the supposed owner'g request.
"I remember, on one occasion, of opening
a letter, that the applicant requested me to
read a little of it and in that way he could tell
if it was his. I did so. It commenced by saying:
'Dear Bill: Your wife has been raising hell
ever since you left!" The man said,'Hold on,
don't read no more-I think that's my letter.'
He took it and paid for it and disappeared in
the crowd which was constantly hanging
around the window.
"Another case of about the same character
was a letter from some point in Iowa. It
commenced by saying: 'My dear beloved
"Traveling the hard way-two men passed
through our town last Monday evening
enroute to Colorado. They had their'grub'
and effects packed in a wheel barrow and
seemed determined to make the trip in good
order. Both are stout, hale fellows and every
mile or so they'change posish'-one walking
along leisurely and the other giving motive
power
to the wheel banow. If they don't
succeed and make their 'pile,' there is no
virtue to perseverance."
From the same paper we glean this comment about the styles ofthat day as expressed
by a red man:
orawn Dy rour mures or norses,"
These terms no doubt obligated Jones and
Russell to adopt the road by way of the Platte
regardless of their earlier preference for the
shorter route by way of the Solomon and
branches of the Republican.
E.D. Boyd, surveyor and describer of the
earlier route, had this to say: "If it had not
been for Jones and Russell's connection with
the Salt Lake City mail, the change would
never have been made."
A writer in the Leauenworth Herald of
February 18, 1860, had this to say: "In the
spring of 1859, Jones and Russell sent a corps
of experienced men to view and mark out a
route from Leavenworth to Denver City. To
avoid crossing large streams, it was thought
best to keep the divide between the Smoky
Hill and Solomon Rivers on the south and the
Republican on the north, and I doubt very
hoop skirts on, he exclaimed: 'Ugh! Heap big
much whether a better natural track for a
road the same distance can be found in the
United States than there was found to the
head of the Solomon River. From that point
wigwamt."
the viewers had no guide other than their own
"The other day, while a big Indian was
calmly surveying a "white squaw'with large
Some crossing the plains in the early days
met up with such things they did not seem
to appreciate too much.
Here is the way one gave vent to his feelings
about the'eats':
"I loathe! Abhore! Detest! Despise!
Abominated dried-apple pies.
I like good bread; I like good meat,
Or anything that's good to eat.
But of all poor grub beneath the skies,
The poorest is-dried-apple pies.
Give me a toothache or sore eyes
In preference to such kind of pies."
Installment
7
The question may be asked, and rightly so,
what caused the abandonment of the route
up the Republican Valley?
The gold rush to California and the
Mormon migration to the valley of the Great
Salt Lake increased the demand for improved
mail service to those western communities.
The first government contract for a regular
overland mail service was made in 1850 with
Sa-uel H. Woodson of Independence, Mo.,
who was engaged to serve the route between
that frontier outpost and Salt Lake City by
way of the Oregon Trail. This service was
none too good, partly because of poor equipment, Indian raids, rough terrain and the
Iengthy route.
Several concerns had the mail contract for
a short time. In April, 1858, a contract was
made with John M. Hockaday of Independence for a weekly mail from St. Joseph to
Salt Lake City by way of Fort Kearney and
Fort Laramie.
When Congress, early in 1859 failed to pass
the customary appropriation for the support
of the Post Office Department, the Postmaster General felt obligated "to review the
existing mail service of the country with a
view to its curtailment." It put J.M. Hockaday & Co., in a tight squeeze, causing them
to sell their line.
On May 11, 1859, Jones, Russell & Co., of
the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak Express
notion of the direction to Denver City. The
course taken from that point was north of
westwhich I presume was to strike the waters
of the Republican as soon as possible,
perhaps a mistake on the part of the viewers
instead of going due west."
The same writer goes onto say: "It became
in the interest of the express company to
move their coaches and stock to the Kearney
route-not from choice of route as I under-
stood from the agent-but they have purchased the contract for carrying the mail to
Salt Lake City by Kearney, therefore, the
express company changed the passenger
route but retained the new route (Republican
valley) for their heavier wagon trains in
carrying stores, etc."
By the above statement we draw
the
conclusion this route was used for some time.
When the Kansas-Colorado state line was
surveyed in 1872, the surveyors made this
notation: "Cross wagon trail oftroops." So no
doubt it was used at times by the troops, by
buffalo hunters and others who had reason to
follow the river. No doubt those who came up
the river to locate a good site for the
Benkelman Ranch came up this road and
used it going up and down the river. In all
probability, John Dunbar, W.W. McKay and
John Goodenberger, who came up from
Benkelman and located the site of the new
town of Wano, traveled this road. The
emigrants who were surrounded by Indians
on Battle Creek and rescued by
troops,
undoubtedly traveled this road. The mail
route from the Benkelman Ranch and on to
the Tuttle Ranch used it, as well as ranchers
who lived up and down the valley.
Thus we have tried to give you a comprehensive account of the establishment of the
Leavenworth Pike's Peak Stage Line Trail,
its use, the terrain and condition of the
country it traversed as it appeared to those
who traveled across this trail almost a
century ago, and the hardships and difficulties they encountered.
Co., purchased the Hockaday contract which
called for the transportation of the mail
"from St. Joseph, Mo., by way of Fort
Kearney, Nebraska Territory and Fort Laramie to Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, and
back once a week in 22 days each way, at
$190,000 per annum, the service to be
performed
in
carriage
or covered wagon,
by Marsha C. Squires and Simon E.
Matson
�OLD STAGE COACH
LINES
tlargler, Nebraska; wray, uolorado; or
statlons on tnrs route were dlscontlnued ln
Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, an old railroad
town. Most supplies came from Cheyenne
Wells as that was the closest.
1860.
In the early 1800's an old stage coach route
angled across Kit Carson county from Haigler, Nebraska to Cheyenne Wells.
Later the stage coach ran from Cheyenne
Wells to Beloit then up to Columbia, a place
east of Stratton, then north to Tuttle Post
The price was 25 cents per hundred pounds
with 4,000 pounds being the average load.
In 1859 there was a stage coach route that
passed through the county, following the
north fork of the Smokey Hill River, known
at that time as Boyds North Fork. At a point
south and east of the present town of Flagler
it crossed over to the north side of the
Republican River and went northeast to one
of its stations, known as Boyd's Station #22,
which was between Crystal Springs and
Flagler. This route to Denver was used only
a little over a year, as the government
demanded the mail be carried over the more
used route that went through Julesburg. The
Tr36
office on the Republican River, and came
back by way of Burlington to Cheyenne Wells
to complete the two-day trip. This trip was
made twice a week.
The road from Cheyenne Wells to Columbia was made by Tom Reed, with the aid of
a spring wagon, and three men. Later a stage
route was made from Cheyenne Wells to
Burlington. Frank Man drove the Stagecoach.
by Janice Salmans
Jake Brommier and C.J. Eatinger wete
early day freighters making the two day trip.
All the supplies were freighted from
,
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Old Stage Route
L'Ul'i.
�SMOKEY HILL TRAIL
COUNTY
Tr36
rlqers f,nat were rnf,erested m seerng how tast
they could run their route of 18 miles. The
first rider picked up the mailbag on the state
line 5 miles east of Bonny Dam. The pickup
was made at L0:35 and they made the transfer
4"n*Ae
o
a
I
?
€u
b:
.f
Betty Reimer adding letters to the "mail Bag" from
Kit Carson Countv.
\\
't t
'lr
I
I
,t
I
i(
Making the run, Dave Corliss and Betty Reimer
with Betty Corliss in back, through Kit
Carson
County.
it as part of the Leavenworth and Pike's Peak stage line 1859 to 1984.
Tuesday morning, May 15, the Kit Carson
County riders resumed their responsibility of
running the mailbag through the county to
the next exchange with Lincoln County.
Seven riders and several interested neighbors
gathered for coffee and rolls at the Dave Reid
ranch north of Seibert. They left about 8:4b
and followed the south fork of the Republican
River southwest toward Station "22" cafled.
Crystal Springs. The seven riders were Dave
store designating
and Betty Corliss, Dave Reid,
Trail of Death with present day towns shown.
by Editors
PROJECT MAIL BAG
Tr37
to Kit Carson county riders at 12:10. They
were a colorful bunch of riders that ranged
in age from L6 to 24. They were Julie and
Collette May, Dee Kerst,Ron and Kelly
Chamberlain and Louie True. Some 25
riders, newsmen, and interested residents
met for a sack lunch and a lesson on
Dave Corliss ranch, which was near the
Bag" was to stimulate the public's awareness
of the original Leavenworth and Pike's Peak
Express route across Kansas and Colorado.
The route was the white man's first commercial "wagon road" through the country. The
reason for the line was the discovery of gold
in the Denver area that began the "Rush to
the Rockies".
The Leavenworth & Pike's Peak Express
Route had 27 stations. Four Mile Park was
probably is as close a site as can be found.
Betty Corliss, Betty Reimer, Elsie Lidle and
Tuttle Store and Crystal Springs. The Boy
photography and storytelling.
The arrival of the mailbag at the Yuma-Kit
Carson county line, May L4, L984, was an
exciting event for all of those gathered five
miles west of Hwy. 385. Jim Mclaughlin and
his riders made a colorful entry into the little
parkway designated as a spot where we would
make the mailbag switch. They had six relay
George
Hubbard, Ernest Cure, Buster Jenkins and
Shorty Hostetler. They reached the dam at
11:00 and then rode on to Flagler where the
mailbag was turned over to Mary Liz Owens
from Lincoln County at the Airport Cafe.
The purpose in having a "Project Mail
Dave Corliss, Buster Jenkins and Fred
Magley rode together with the mailbag to the
original station "21". The Tuttle Store
Marsha Magley placed a marker at the Tuttle
the last stop along the route. Kit Carson
County has two of these historic stations; the
�
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
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Stage Routes and Trails
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
History
Description
An account of the resource
A history of the Stage Routes and Trails in Kit Carson County as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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text/pdf
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/431/Stratton.pdf
b5a03677078f4e660b59c4a44ee7f953
PDF Text
Text
"Main Street" in Stratton, looking south, about
1910.
Linford Building in center back.
The Holloway Garage interior.
W.T. Tyne and Montgomery Garage in the 1920's,
now the site of Clark Storage called "The Barn",
but used in many other ways during the years.
In 1914 Clarence Reish built a large cement
garage on the west side of the main street,
Part of the Stratton Hotel dining room where meals were served family style. Ruby Ryun Pugh is at the
piano and her sister, Almeda Ryun is on the right. The picture is of Amos L. Ryun.
STRATTON
T364
becoming the agent for Overland and Maxwell automobiles. He also built a large three
story residence which Joe Collins Iater
bought and used as his home. Ada Osburn
and daughters Irene and Maxine lived there
to care for Mrs. Nellie Collins. This establishment became a popular rooming house for
railroad men prior to a disastrous fire. Later
it was razed. Today the site is marked by
Virginia Malone's home.
In late 1914 interested persons of the
Stratton community organized a Farmers Cooperative selling shares of stock. R.M.
Farquhar was the first manager. Dick Rose
was manager for many years and the business
grew rapidly although while weathering the
depression and dust bowl years the "going
was tough". Today this establishment is the
largest employer in the town and has ramifications in its operation that rank it among the
top co-operatives in Colorado as well as the
nation. Ben Davis has been manager since
May 1, 1968.
Stratton in 1926, looking toward the southeast; taken from the water tower; Collins Hotel in center foreground.
�was elected the first mayor and the first town
trustees were J.W. Borders, S.W. Messenger,
E.W. Tarrant, A.D. Gemmell, D.O. Beahm,
and Jes Holloway.
Stratton's mayors over the years: 1919-21:
J.E. Holtz; L92l-23: E.W. Tarrant; L923-24:
Alex D. Gemmell; L924-25: Roy S. Wingfield;
L925-28: J.W. Borders: 1928-34: Thomas J.
Murphy; 1934-36: C.W. Waters, pro tem;
1936-38: I.D. Messenger; 1938-40: C.S. Wall;
J. Ivan Howtz; 1946-48: J.R. Zurcher; 1948-52: L.L. Pugh; 1952-58: G.L.
1940-44:
Zutcher; 1958-64: 8.L. " Zeke" Kerl; 1964-66:
Floyd Borders; 1966-68: Samuel Crocker;
1968-72: Max Toland: L972-74: Charles Nelson; 1974-82: E.L."Zeke" Kerl; 1982-86: Ezra
Stratton's Men's Band beside the Stat€ Bank building.
Eberhart later came into possession of the
building where they conducted an implement
establishment doing extensive construction
to accommodate their business. In the mid
'60's they sold this site to John and Dick Buhr
for their grocery and locker plant. Mel
Hatfield bought the business from the Buhr's
and in 1966 sold it to Ed and Marlyn Dischner
who have their very outstanding grocery
business housed at that site.
In
1915 when talk of incorporation of
Stratton began, E.W. Tarrant was named
An early 1900's view of Stratton, looking north.
In 1915 the Holloway Brothers built a large
cement garage on the east side of the main
street and became agents for Chewolet. That
same year Collins and
Blair opened
a
hardware store on the west side of the main
avenue which they later sold to White and
Mavity. B.M. Johnson was a later purchaser
of this business.
Carlos Dillon and Bob
chairman of the movement. On March 2,
1915, an election was held between 1 and 4
p.m. at the Linford Hall to vote for incorporation. The vote was 64 in favor of and 49
against incorporation of the Town of Stratton. The incorporation papers were filed with
the county clerk on March 15, 1915. This
move was followed by city elections in
ensuing years. The first election occurred on
April22,1919 at the Linford Hall. J.E. Holtz
Yoder; 1986-90: Roy Tatkenhorst.
In 1916 J.N. Bradley built a large two story
structure north of the Holloway Garage. The
main floor housed the William Long
Hardware Store, with living quarters on the
upper level as well as office space for Dr.
Cavey. In time the hardware store closed and
Mrs. Florence Cavey operated a dry goods
and variety store there for a time. Later the
Frozen Food and Locker Plant operated by
John and Dick Buhr occupied the building.
Today the upper floor is apartments.
A second disastrous fire in 1918 destroyed
a
home and the post office. These were
replaced by brick buildings which housed the
post office and the First National Bank for
many years. In 1968 the post office was
moved to a new permanent location at 313
Colorado Avenue. On November 4, 1918, the
Federal Reserve Bank Charter was issued to
officially create the First National Bank of
Stratton The first cashier was M.E. Denver,
president, E.W. Tarrant, directors: T.W.
Triplett, E. McChesney, and Jes R. Holloway. Until its move to a new building dedicated
November, 1962, the First National Bank was
located
at its original site. Many other
businesses have occupied the old post office
and bank buildings since, but
in
1988 the
town hall with its offices and court room
moved to the bank building. The Stratton
Spotlight and Golden Plains Insurance offices are housed in the old post office in the
100 block of Colorado Avenue.
The minutes of town board of the 1920's
when the board was accountable to only
themselves were brief and to the point with
little explanation. Today minutes
are
by Dorothy C. Smith
STRATTON
T355
One of the earliest fire ensines at Stratton.
The famous Collins Hotel with its fabulous sunken garden which employed a full time gardener.
�three year old sister died from scarlet fever
at this time.)
In the early years every home had a
windmill or a hand pump and there were few
if any trees for many years. One individual
who planted many trees all over the town was
Raymond Hughes, Vena Scheierman's brother. Until the first town well was drilled trees
took second place. The wells which
serve
Stratton originated when the first well permit
was procured in 1919. The town fathers were
foresighted enough to procure four lots for
the watertower site that year and paid for two
in 1919 and two in 1920.
In May of 1921, R. Salisbury, an engineer,
appeared before the town board with information regarding the probable cost of installing water and a light system in the town, but,
although local citizens were interviewed and
A 1920's airplane view of Stratton and the "Golden Belt Highway" looking east
.
. now Highway 24.
was 421.
On February 24, L920, an ordinance was
passed which prohibited the exhibition of
motion or moving pictures and the opening
of other places of amusement on Sunday,
The west side of the Collins Hotel built in 1917.
violators to be fined no less than $5.00 or
more than $300.00 and costs of prosecution,
and to go to jail until all costs and fines were
paid. Although 88 petitioners tried to have
this measure rescinded, the town board
ignored the petition.
In the fall of 1930 an epidemic of scarlet
fever struck the community. And on Novem-
ber 16, the town ordered that all schools,
churches. theaters. and so on be closed to
check the spread of the dread disease. But on
November 23, by order of the physicians, the
town board lifted the ban on closing the
school and decided to allow them to reopen.
This disease was a terrible scourge in the
years before modern day medicines. (Your
author recalls things like this vividly for her
,''
ar....
meetings held, nothing transpired in this
regard. Then in November of 1921, brave
souls that the town board must have been,
they awarded a general contract to Gordon
Construction of Denver for the waterworks at
$26,950, a $5,700 contract to Chicago Bridge
and Iron Works for the water tower; and a
$1,590 contract to Eureka Fire Hose Company, Denver for fire apparatus. James A.
Reisch, Stratton, was given the contract to
dig the wells for $2.25 per foot. Drilled in
1922, that well was located where the water
tower currently stands. The first water bond
was to "Construct Waterworks for Fire and
Domestic Purposes" and was made possible
by an ordinance passed in August, 1921,
which the people of the town of Stratton
voted on: 53 votes "for",43 votes "against".
The Sundberg Garage with Chrysler auto
built in 1923, with
a home in the south side and daughter's
apartment across the front above. This
sales and gas pumps was
building has known other uses through the
years.
. sale barn site, etc. But today it is
known around town as "The Barn", a storage
facility.
At some time through the years a broom
factory was established in a brick building
behind what is now the Co-op station. For
two years this was in operation, then in 1924
a northeast room in the factory building was
;i&w*15r$g
A pleasant country home north of Stratton built
by the Joe Garners in the 1920's.
detailed, long and copious, in order to
better document the town'g proceedings
which are under scrutiny by not only the local
people but the state also. But those early
minutes reveal some interesting detail. By
the 1920 census figures the town's population
.L
Coming into town from the north this is what one
saw
in
1918.
1940's harvest scene on the Colorado Avenue approach to the elevators where waiting in line to unload
was a many hour experience.
A
�rruLcu uP ruf a Jau.
Many fine homes were being built in this
period, too, and the town board minutes note
that it would Iike to haul dirt from any
basements to the city street for use in
building them up. Some of those building new
at this time were families named
Fuller, Borders, Weddington, Tarrant,
homes
Dages, Long, and the Gerke's, who lived at
the farm now owned by Kenneth Pottorff, a
showplace in its heyday; even then they had
electricity, a bathroom, and forced air heat.
The town had a marshall named William
Hoeck who was very busy in those days but
his pay was determined per dog destroyed! In
the town board meeting on January 3I,1932,
the board voted to pay 300 per hour for a man
and 500 an hour for a man with his team, and
one man and two teams 700 an hour.
Apparently a job with the city was prized in
that day. In February of L922 E.A. Brown of
Kansas City estimated for the town that
bringing electric current the 18 miles from
Burlington would cost $19,488, and although
the board's consensus was that this was much
needed, it was quite some time before the
project was accomplished.
One big event July 8, 1929, was a terrible
train wreck on Spring Creek west of town
when lives were lost with some bodies not
found for a time. This was so traumatic that
people talk of the occasion yet today. But
't
t
\
apparently the railroad was soon running
again, for the Stratton Press carried advertisements for a special round trip
by Dorothy C. Smith
STRATTON
T356
excursion to Denver or Colorado Springs
for $3.00 on the Rock Island by the next
summer. The papers were full of farm sale ads
. . sometimes three as week . . so times
An influential couple in Stratton's history: Mr. and Mrs. Ray H. Calverley.
./:"
f' tfria
'$V
W,n',
A
1962 train derailment that occurred in town
Kirk highway and the Stratton Equity
co-op fertilizer plant.
between the
"&
."Va44.
A big time in Stratton especially for the kids
"fur#WWm
.
ittr'
. installation of the swimming pools
.
1973.
were growing more economically depressed.
The names of G.W. Waters, L.G. McChesney
and Doctors Cavey and Keen appeared often
in social news and advertising. Two barber
shops were running competitive ads. Arrangements were made for a golf tourney on the
Stratton course north of town on May 30 and
there were numerous entrants. The Stratton
Press was taking subscriptions at 91.50 per
year. Several oil companies were leasing land
in the area, among them Phillips and Gypsy
Oil. Excitement was hiehl
�directors. In 1950 the system was in place in
Stratton. By 1956 having natural gas in the
area became a reality when Kansas-Nebraska
Gas was granted a 25 year franchise on
March
1.
In accord with the times an early 1956
ordinance granted the privilege of Social
Security to town employees. In October 1962
discussions were frequent about a zoning
1:--'=
ordinance but no action was taken. As early
as February, 1959, the town began retaining
an attorney, Dick Thomas of Burlington. In
this era the Stratton Mobile Home factory
was in full swing with 25 or so employees at
the lst Street site across from today's
Stratton Equity Cooperative hardware dock.
The Zurchers were responsible for this
business venture.
October 1962 sawthe formal opening of the
First National Bank of Stratton in its new
building. A significant mid-60's event was
installing the swimming pool, owned by
Stratton and located in the city park but
leased and operated by the Stratton Swimming Pool Association. The town first began
to assume some financial responsibility for
The lineup for Stratton Day's famous barbeque.
city at 250 per gallon.
The city was proudly maintaining its image
1936 when the town board declared
outhouses nuisances; because of many complaints, these were ordered abandoned and
in
The American Legion Flag corps always heads
Stratton's parades: left to right: Max Toland, Sam
Rueb, Wayne Greenwood, Ray Schiferl.
removed. Erv Jeppe received payment for
orange paint he used in marking curbs and
parking spaces, so some curb and gutter was
in place. In August 1939 Mountain States
Telephone and Telegraph received a 20 year
franchise in the town.
The town purchased blocks 3 and 4 in July,
1930, for $55.89 and received a quit claim
deed for land that was the future park. MSA
Federated Women's Club worked to procure
a WPA project and funds necessary for
planting upward of 100 trees. The club
members and their husbands planted and
carried water to start those trees. The next
spring $250 was approved to pipe a fountain
and install hydrants plus build a tennis court
with WPA labor. At the same time the WPA
was utilized in oiling 7 blocks of Colorado
Avenue, the main street, and grading and
graveling 30 blocks of side streets. Rotary
Club began in this era. Lions Club came later
in the
Celebrating Colorado's Centennial along with the
nation's bicentennial was a memorable time.
In March of 1934 Stratton's famous girls'
basketball team played in the state championship game at a Stratton hosted tournament
and went on to Wichita for national finals. In
spite of "depression" talk the matter of an
airport for Stratton was under consideration,
yet the town board voted as an economy
measure to turn off all lights on the streets
except at each church, two at the Collins
Hotel and those on the west side of the main
street as well as at the Highway 24 intersection. Total Town of Stratton expenditures in
1933 were $8,582.21 which included the water
bond payment. The 1988 total expenditures
of the city were in excess of $200,000. Some
contrast! At one point in 1935 the town had
water problems for a gtocery filed a claim for
1970's.
The war years were trying for all and
rations books for town vehicles were extra
hard to procure. In November of 1946 Inland
Utilities appeared at town board meetings
regarding a new lighting system, and on
January 20, t947, a contract was signed to
provide this service. A new town well was
drilled and pump installed in 1948 at a total
cost of $4,619.75. Crops were good and prices
high, so things looked promising.
But people complained to the town board
about the same things they do today: rowdy
young people; running dogs and licensing of
dogs; upstairs tenants in downtown apartments tossing bottles, water and refuse out
of windows; occasional cesspool or sewer
trouble; the securing of stop signs for intersections; hiring and firing marshals; and on
and on. Problems of the times do not seem
too different over the years.
In 1949 Stratton became a member of the
was
Colorado Municipal League and soon requested information on starting a sewer system,
it estimated cost and the availability of any
government funds for financing. In steps
which followed with petition elections, Frank
granted permission to obtain water from the
sewer
damages to a compressor because they were
not told the water was being shut off. Costs
of $41.00 were paid. The need for water was
increasing, and in July, 1935 a new pump was
installed. The Rock Island Railroad
Liebl was elected secretary of the
the city library in 1966 by budgeting $525 for
that purpose. Free housing in a building
owned by the First National Bank helped the
Iibrary greatly. Moved to the 331 New York
Avenue home in the former Seventh Day
Adventist Church, the library now occupies
an historic landmark of the community.
Today when Stratton's 1988 population is
estimated at 654, we are celebrating the 100th
anniversary of its platting and becoming an
early 1888 frontier town. With this story we
have tried to recount things that will excite
your personal memories, helping you appreciate the genius and effort of the hardy, farsighted persons, the events and circumstance
that led to this time in our history. If you
recall persons such as Mrs. Blakeman, a
pianist at the theater; Dr. Chamberlain, a
dentist; the Chautauqua or the Hillman
touring troop which came to town especially
during Stratton Days; the lovely dress shops
of Mrs. Mamie Weddington and Esta Bowers
or Hazel Tuttle; of Wolgamott's ice plant and
Hubbel's shoe repair shop; the lawyer Ikey
Friedman; talk of the KKK cross burnings in
the 1920's; that Stratton had its own "jet set",
members of which wore tuxedos and formals
to its evening and cocktail parties; of great
meat markets run through the years by Lulu
Dack, Hugo Stegman or the Kruse's and later
by the Preedy's; of a 5 and 100 store; of five
groceries at once in town and 3 or 4 cream-
eries; that the West Side Hotel was still
operating in the 1920's as Tressie Pugh does
because she had to stay there once when she
was detained from getting home to the ranch
north of town; that upstairs in the Linford
Building was a beautiful dance floor and the
Odd Fellows met there: that the hardware
store carried coffins; and how wonderful it
was to visit the confectionery/bakery by the
pool hall which was near where Jones Sporting Goods is today, and on and on . . then
we have achieved the objective we had in
mind when we started to write this story of
Stratton.
Sincerest thanks are due those who reminisced, or spoke of long ago stories, or told of
the early years; to the town clerks over the
years who wrote notes from which we drew
many of the facts; to old newspapers and
diaries; and to wonderful critics who helped
by reacting to the story as it was being
�written. Without you this would not be much.
As it is, there is so much we have not said!
by Dorothy C. Smith
STRATTON PICTURES
T357
:'
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id'l'',,
' ::'
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A parade entry when Limon was an arch footbsll
rival.
ll 0uE's
Dodie Crocker in front of her clothing store in the
Linford building before she sold it to become "The
Family Affair" and they in turn to "Someplace
Special" as
it
is today.
September 1987, Mayor Roy Tatkenhorst received the official recognition of the Colorado lottery role in
building the gazebo in the town park. Mel Grantham, Colorado State Lottery Representative made the
presentation at homecoming.
With the coming of I 70 the complexion of the south
side of Stratton changed . . . the Stratton Equity
Co-op's "Country Store".
�{*-a"'l
t{&s,
tt
A locomotive after the trains ran less and
less.
l!
':.a:.a;:,.,
".6i\
More signs of the weather and its action in Kit
Carson County and Stratton
..
. thistles.
The Stratton Bicentennial Committee, Zeke Kerl, Kenneth Scheierman, and Ida Boecker, receiving the
Bicentennial Flag in 1976.
Rotarians Gene Clark and Ugene Brown sacking
candy for Santa's delivery some Christmas time.
A Stratton Day Homecoming parade moving down
Colorado Avenue.
The girls'basketball team in 1933: Front, I to r: Miss Idris Phipps, Calista Schiferl, Leva Campbell, Stella
Sholes, Helen Bardwell, Lucia Gerke, Lilah Druse. Back row: Violet Hernbloom, Sylvia Krauth, Netta
Bertrand, Evelyn Ackerman, Magdelen Leoffler, Doris Beck, Coach Robert Murfin, forerunner of 1934
State Champions.
�Burlingt on ne pu b lic an,
August 7, 1903
Trunks and traveling
Mtllisackg.
*"
w
&4,''.
&
to:
IjooalQood
_qu-rlity and toir y_ejqh{€
at Abbott'e.
on
i
;
A 320 aere ranch in tho Weet end
jof tbe ibunty for sale. An ib'aldl
rncs of water at cix to te; fcrt.' 'I{or
priee aod termt iuqurrr at.Itepu$[ioai
offics.
Stratton observed Colorado's Centennial on August 1,1976, with a big bash sponsored by the Stratton
Garden Club. Many familiar faces in this crowd watching the awarding of prizes for the day, before the
birthday cake was cut.
For Mnrtland f,ump and Jnpeflqi
uut cod, posts, wire and atl llndt oJ
building msteiial ca.ll at, the oflcc bf
Iroster .Lumber Co. Burhnqton, Colo
,Groaeriee coet you F great deal in p
vear. Tou .can sove a D.rce 8um oB youi
groclery bili if fou let ug setl it.
C. M. ilillisack.
[heap Excursion fiate
TO TFIE
EA$T
GffiEAT
ROCK ISLAI'IT}
ROUTI
A 1930 banquet given by Ray B. and Julia Hoskins, the IHC dealer in Stratton, after the sale of one freight
car load of IHC cream separators. Note the separator in the far background.
BPECI.AL TRAINS
ONI' NICHT oUT 'r'O OHICACC. Ttclrrr:
also good oD regul&r tfalDs.
olct,Y DrliEcrt r,ir'rr: Fnoru cr)LoRAE.SPIiII,TGS AND MANITOU.
!f . II. Fj itTll.
G. A. P. D.. Donver, Oolo&irln
W. l:)ornDcon, A. G, n ,1.. Topekr Kat'
John Sebastlsn G. P. A., Chltsco. IU. I
E.
I
I
i
l
'rVHffAT WANTED.
,
(,'boice
itlre rllll.
milling wlteat w::nte.,J
'fop rnnrket pnr:t.
.I. W. Pnxror,l,
Pr6r,
�theater was open only 2 or 3 years.
Dad and Uncle Bob ran
a
roller skating rink
in the building for a while. Aunt Kitten,
Uncle Bob, and Bobbie lived behind the stage
in the 3 dressing rooms and the film winding
room during this time. On Thanksgiving Day
the members of my mother's fanily (she,
Aunt Ruth, and Aunt Kitten were sisters)
had Thanksgiving dinner on the theater stage
a large table made of saw-horses covered
with
with boards and sheets. At least 20 of
us
enjoyed this great celebration. Seen through
the eyes of a child, what a glamorous place
to live and to eat a special dinner. Our house
with plain furniture seemed very ordinary in
contrast. The roller skating business did not
last but a couple of years.
The Stratton High School then took over
the theater for graduation exercises, plays,
and to use an a gym for both boys and girls
basketball games and practice. My brothers,
sisters, and I played basketball on this court.
Sometimes dances were held on Saturday
nights. During W.P.A. days, when the new
school addition was built, a g5rmnasium was
Shades of the 1930's but this was
in
included in this work. The old theater
building was torn down shortly after this
1977!
school improvement was completed.
by Belle (Beck) Danforth
a
l,.l f'" i*"
r,l' l'.
{t ;:t
,l'ffi
PROTECT' 8*'
I
DtSr
,l
*tr.,,,
,
Later day fire protection district equipment.
TITE MAJESTIC
THEATER AND
ANNEX
ice cream parlor with my Aunt Ruth Dages
proprietor. She sold all kinds ofwonderful
ice cream and soft drinks, also sandwiches or
popcorn if you were hungrier. Booths lined
the south wall and there were those beautiful
'ice cream' tables and chairs through the
as
T358
I was 6 years old in 1919 when we moved
to Stratton from the farm about 20 miles
south of town. Soon after that my father,
Lewis Beck, and uncle Bob Collins built the
Majestic Theater and Annex just north of
what is now Bob Miller's store in the business
district. Bob has old cars parked there now.
The theater faced the west with recessed
double doors in the middle and large windows
on each side and a lobby all across the front.
The ticket window was directly in front of the
doors with entrances on both sides of the
ticket window. Double doors on the north
side of the lobby opened into the Annex when
there was a movie showing. The annex was an
3 years later Aunt Ruth
married Bill Dew. who worked for his uncle
in Dack's Meat Market and they moved to
middle. About
Colorado Springs and the Annex was closed.
Later Ada Osburn had a cafe in the building.
The latest movies were shown in the
theater and sometimes dances were held after
the show on Saturday night. John Calkins or
Percy Collins operated the projector, my dad
sold the tickets, Uncle Bob played the violin,
Aunt Kitten (his wife) played the piano, my
mother took the tickets at the door. When we
children became tired ofthe show and sleepy,
we laid down on a comforter on the floor.
behind where Mother sat, and went to sleep.
Times were hard and monev was short. The
�STRATTON
T369
THE STRATTON POST
OFFICE
T360
To begin this history we take the liberty to
quote from Nanatiues of Stratton, Colorado
by Mrs. Dessie Cassity who lists the Stratton
Postmasters as follows:
Louis Roether, appointed September
11,
1888; George Hobart, appointed February 26,
1889; James T. Roberts, appointed March 24,
1906, Williem R. Smith, appointed December
29, 1906; Joseph M. Smith, appointed July
22,1908; Eva B. Hamilton, appointed May 1,
1913; M. Gladys Pugh, appointed November
2, 192L, name changed to Quinn, December
17,1925;8. Velma Logan, appointed April 25,
1934; Marie E. Greenwood, appointed April
15, 1943, serving presently. (These names are
�Colo. and Dave Meyers from Colorado
Springs during the interim before the present
Postmaster, Geraldine L. Troyer, was ap-
pointed on Aug. 3, 1984.
federal government. A contract was awarded
to Lloyd L. Pugh who constructed a new brick
building with a parking lot at 313 Colorado
added to Routes 2 and 3.
Rex Powers served as rural carrier from
1924 to Dec. 31, 1959 when he retired. Fritz
Kruse, who was the substitute at that time,
served the route until Rich May received his
appointment Sept. 1960. Fritz Kruse continued as substitute until he retired, Nov. 1966.
Then Ray Schiferl subbed until he became
acting postmaster Nov. 30, 1971. Other
substitutes for Route 2 have been Darrell Fox
and Jan Fox.
Guy J. Brown was another 37 years career
postal employee. He began carrying mail at
Lake Village, Ark., then Jaspar, Mo. and
Timpas. Colo. He came to Stratton, Colo. in
1936 and served on Route 3 until he retired
Dec. 31 1959. He and Rex Powers retired at
the same time. Norman Smith was his
substitute and continued to carry until Jim
McConnell was appointed Sept. 3, 1960. He
continued to sub until Jim retired. Norman
Smith began substituting for Guy Brown
when he moved to town in 1948. After Brown
retired Dec. 31, 1959, Norman carried the
mail until Jim McConell was appointed Sept.
Stratton Post Office was dedicated Aug.
10,
Jim retired at the end of March 1985. On
would be impossible to name all the
postal employees so to avoid the risk of
March 27,1985 Norman Smith was appointed regular carrier on Route 32. Fred Erbert
is his substitute.
Over the years the Post Office was located
in various buildings
a hardware store,
- merchandise
furniture store, general
store,
and a hotel. The quinns moved the Post
Office to the front of their building, now
designated as 125 Colorado Ave, and lived in
:t,.i::::-,.:r.:.
",. .
the back. When Mrs. Logan was appointed,
she moved the Post Office to the Linford
Building, corner of Main St. and Colo. Ave.
Mrs. Greenwood continued operations in
that building until it was sold by the owners,
the Bradshaw family. The Greenwoods then
..
Stratton Post Office in 1988.
bought the Quinn building and the Post
Office returned to 125 Colo. Ave., July 1,
1946. During the 1960's the Post Office Dept.
instituted an Improved Mail Service progrem
part of which was providing the Post Offices
with more ample and permanent facilities.
Under a lease-construction program, a local
citizen would construct the building, paying
taxes in the community, and leasing it to the
The Linford Building, site of the Stratton Post
Office from 1934 to 1946.
Ave. The move was made and the new
1968.
It
omitting someone I will mention only a few.
According to Mrs. Cassity, Milo Davis and
James L. Dages were two of the earlier
carriers. There was a Thomas L. Van Hook
who served as rural carrier several years
before 1920. One of the most outstanding
carriers was Noble L. Bradshaw. Appointed
in 1911, he served for 40 years, Stratton until
;-a*,.
M
ffiwxex,r
Bob and Joan Nowak on
1938, then Burlington
a
Sept. 1951, Stratton Day
float presented by the post office.
until
1941. His con-
veyances consisted of horse and buggy,
mailcart, sled, seven Model T Fords, and
several other makes of cars. Another faithful
carrier was Raymond Hughes, appointed
about 1920. When the snowdrifts were too
deep, Raymond would stike out with a team
and sled, go as far as he could by nightfall,
stay all night with a farmer family, rest and
feed his team, and complete the route the
next day. About this time the Stratton mail
carriers went together and had a snowmobile
made. It was a kind of motorized sled that
climbed over the drifts and they took turns
using it.
When I went into the Post Office, there
were three rural routes and one Star Route
going to Kirk, Colo. Route 1, extending
northwest and southeast of town was served
by Joel C. Bradshaw. Route 2 reached out
northeast of town above the county line and
was served by Rex P. Powers, and Route 3
Rural carriers out of Stratton Post Office, Novem-
ber, 1971: Rich May, Jim McConnell, Tom Conarty.
was laid out southwest of town and was
J. Brown. The Star Route
carrier was Earl AtkinsJoel C. Bradshaw began his career as rural
served by Guy
mail carrier when he started serving
dates were obtained for me by Representa-
tive Donald G. Brotzman when he
was
serving in Washington, D.C., May 1963)
Continuing with the above statistics, Marie
E. Greenwood served as Postmaster until her
retirement, Nov. 30, 1971. Ray W. Shiferl was
acting Postmaster until his appointment on
Feb. 4, 1972. He retired January 31, 1984. The
Post Office was managed by two Officers-inCharge, Michele McHenry from Gunnison,
Simon, David Finely, Norman Zogg. Tom
Conarty retired June 31, 1978. At this time
Route I was discontinued and the mileage
3, 1960. He was Jim's substitute then until
On the Star Route other carriers besides
Earl Atkins were Bill Thyne, Cecil Niles,
Russell Spurlin, Bill Ehlers, Duane Spurlin,
Ruth Spurlin, Leona Meyers, Audrey Eisenbart, Walter Meyers (17 years), Kathy
Thompson, and Allen Greenwood. When
Ruseell Spurlin was on the route it was
extended from Kirk, through Joes, and to
April 13, 1964.
Elmer C. Kruse was another long-term
Cope, Colo.,
employee. He was appointed post office clerk
by Velma Logan, Oct. 1, 1941 and retired
Nov. 30, 1971. He and Marie E. Greenwood
retired at the same time. At Elmer's retirement party he remarked that at the time he
took office, Iocal first-class mail that stayed
in the office could be sent for one cent an
ounce, letters on local rural routes cost two
cents an ounce, and out-of-town letters were
three cents an ounce.
Over the years some of the other clerks
were Albert Kimminau, Ray W. Schiferl, Joe
Simon, Tillie Kruse, Betty Fox, Ray Droste,
and Lucille Liebl.
Ray Schiferl was associated with the Postal
Service from 1952 until Jan. 31, 1984. He
substituted on all three rural routes until he
was appointed substitute Post Office Clerk in
Sept. 1960. He served as acting-postmaster
from Nov. 30. 1971 to Feb. 4. L972. He then
received his appointment as Postmaster
under the New Merit System established by
the Postal Service. He retired Jan. 31, 1984.
I would be remiss if I did not mention the
substitute for his brother, Noble Bradshaw,
Post Office custodians who so faithfully
scrub, wax, and dust in the building, then
Sept. 1, 1917. He substituted on several other
routes until he got his regular appointment
on Route 1, May 1, 1938. He retired June 30,
1955 after more than 37 years of service. He
estimated that he had traveled approximately 600,00 miles during this time. Ray Schiferl,
who was his substitute at that time, served
the route until Tom Conarty was appointed
Aug. 1, 1955. Other substitutes on the route
besides Ray Schiferl were Joe Liebl, Joe
water the lawn and the flowers in the planters
out in front. Leona Meyers served for many
years and now Kathy Thompson. Leona also
subbed as star route carrier for her husband,
Walt Meyers, and Kathy Thompson subs for
Allen Greenwood. Bonnie Miller was another
lady who took care of the premises.
Terri Troyer, appointed Postmaster, Aug.
3, 1984, is the friendly lady at the window
these days. She and her two genial clerks,
as
�Lucille Liebl, appointed Nov. 11, 1973, and
Ray Doste, appointed Oct. 12, 1974, are the
ones responsible for keeping our mail rolling
to its destination.
After reviewing this history, Mrs. Troyer
wishes to add these words of greeting: "The
current Postal Personnel considers it both an
honor and a privilege to serve the proud and
friendly community of Stratton"
by Marie E. Greenwood
STRATTON PUBLIC
LIBRARY
T36l
Legion Auxiliary were active in assisting with
some library events and gifts.
During the 1970's the main individual
responsible for keeping the library abreast of
developments in the state library connection
and managing the local library was Doris
Peters. Her devotion was exemplary and she
served as long as health allowed. It was she
who really interested the city in assuming
some responsibility for financing of the
library. Others who became involved after
Doris left the library were Willa Peters,
Darice Hostetler and Flossie Reeder. Membership in the High Plains Regional Library
Service System, Greeley, and the services of
the Northeast Colorado Bookmobile became
essential in providing a large array of materials for the library's clientele.
Purchase of the historic Seventh Day
Adventist Church in 1984 with some city
revenue sharing funds started the process
that led to a move into a larger and more
desirable location for the facility. Although
in the
endeavoring
York Avenue. The Century Club
added
further funding, demonstrating the commu-
nity enthusiasm for the project. Rewiring,
insulating, plumbing, refinishing and painting, a new roof, construction of shelving and
desks, carpeting and new sidewalks and a
remp preceded the formal dedication held on
October 13, 1985. MSA Club further demon-
strat€d its interest by providing sod to
landscape the area. A uniquely charming
library sign designed and made by Will
Morton, noted carousel restorer and artist,
marks the historic site so heavily used by
today's patrons.
A 1987 Title I LSCA grant was received
which made possible the purchase of a
computer and its peripherals for use by
library patrons with computer expertise as
well as for librarian use. That the computer
speedily links the local library with the loan
services available through High Plains Regional Library Service System became possible, also. As this is written in 1988, Jewell
Banister is the amiable librarian, assisted by
Esther Lewis, a Green Thumb volunteer, and
Dorothy Lucas who gives many hours of
volunteer help.
A University of Colorado architectural
Establishment of Stratton Public Library
began in an informal fashion in the 1950's
when interested and devoted women recognized the need such a facility could fill and
proceeded to organize their own books and
materials into a small library collection. Gifts
and some purchases with their own funds
further enlarged the holdings. The first site
of the library was a small room in the
American Legion Hall, and some of those
persons most involved were Dessie Cassity,
who never flagged in her enthusiasm for the
project, Patti Best, Rena Borders, Florence
McConnell and Lucile Lepper Clark, who all
took turns acting as librarian a few hours each
week. In time the library was moved to a
small building on Colorado Avenue where it
was for many years. MSA Club and American
being used as storage space. Those rapidly
filled up and farmers piled the precious grain
on the ground with no immediate transportation relief in sight. A heavy rainstorm at that
time would no doubt have caused a loss of
thousands of bushels of grain.
Farmers being handicapped with the lack
ofsufficient harvest hands worked from earlv
outside assistance other than community and
city support, an early 1985 application for a
the
Colorado State Library, providing monies to
remodel and furnish the new site at 331 New
Doris Peters when librarian at Stratton Public
Library.
left, two of Stratton's largest garages were
remodeling had been undertaken without
Title II LSCA grant was honored by
Stratton Public Library housed in the historic
landmark: Seventh Day Adventist Church of 1913.
A big harvest meant standing in line on Stratton's
main street. Looking north toward the elevator.
student drew plans for an equal-sized facility
as a class project which he presented to the
library. The day is speedily approaching
when consideration of making that addition
may be necessary.
by Dorothy Smith
L945. . . GREATEST
GRAIN CROP
T362
Kit Carson County in 1945 became the
wheat and barley center of the Middle West.
Two days after the harvest began the elevators at Stratton were overflowing with wheat
running as high as 55 bushels an acre and
winter barley to more than 95 bushels per
acre. With at least two weeks of harvesting
morning
to
until long after
sunsei,
save the record-breaking
crop. It was estimated that there were 80,000
acres in wheat and 70,000 acres in barley in
the county.
The following article taken from the Rocfry
Mountain Nerus gives a very good account of
the county's bumper crop:
"With the rich prairie's soil yielding better
than for many years past, the only sour note
in the harvest picture is an inability to obtain
railroad cars to move the heavy crops to the
markets. 'I haven't seen anything like it in my
years', Dick Rose, manager of the Farmers
Equity Co-operative, said. 'I haven't seen so
much grain, but I don't believe more than one
car has been shipped out. The three Stratton
elevators are full and the bins are filling up.
Grain is being piled on the ground.'
"J.R. Zurcher, mayor of this small farming
community located in the center of sprawling
Kit Carson County, had the same story to tell
as did County Commissioner Tom Kennedy
and Dr. James L. Keen, president of the
Rotary Club. The harvest got underway two
weeks ago and will continue another three
weeks they said. The wheat is standing well
and though there is a shortage of manpower,
the huge wheat crop is being rapidly combined. With farms running from 160 to 1,500
acres or more, many individual farmers are
harvesting in excess of 50,000 bushels. C.D.
Pottorff, who farms 1,500 acres two miles
south ofhere, is averaging 50 bushels ofwheat
to the acre, and Joe Droste, who has
1,400
acres in wheat six miles northeast of Stratton,
it getting about 35 bushels of wheat and 45
bushels of winter oats to the acre.
"'This will be our biggest year since 1940',
R.O. Woodfin of Burlington, Kit Carson
County Extension Agent since 1933, said.
'There is a lot of 40-bushel average wheat in
the county. The county average should run
about 25 bushels to the acre, which is
exceptionally good. We are getting a five-year
crop of wheat barley in one year, as barley
usually runs about 12 bushels to the acre.
This year the farmers are averaging about 55
bushels. One field owned by Leo Dusharm
who farms north of Seibert is getting 95
bushels of barley to the acre.' Woodfin
attributes the heavy barley yields to a mild
winter last year and the use of two barley
varieties, Ward and Reno, which are adapted
to Colorado's eastern plains.'The lack of cars
for shippping purposes can
become very
�serious if rain comes,'Mr. Woodfin said.'The
weather is ideal for the harvest, but if it rains
there will be losses in the wheat piled on the
ground.'
"'A few years ago people were calling this
a dust bowl area,'Mayor Zurcher said.'I wish
everyone in Colorado could see this haryest.
You have to see it to believe it!"'
We have seen great crops piled on the
ground since, rows of grain bins on farms, and
watched as huge silo-like elevators were
erected in all the towns of the county. The
transportation of grain has changed to accommodate the passing of the Rock Island
Railroad in this area, and trucking is commonplace now. But there are many persons
who recall vividly that 1945 year with the
bounteous golden harvest, the essence of
prosperity and joyous reaping.
by the editors
STRATTON PUBLIC
SCHOOL
T363
Tradition says that the first school in
Stratton was held in a small frame building
that had originally been a butcher shop,
located on the spot at the corner of Colorado
and Main where today's DG Liquors is
located. Seven pupils taught by Charlie
Dickinson attended. Very soon that building
became too small and in 1895 a two story
school building was erected on the area where
the school stood for so many years. Pictures
of the early
Catholic Church show this
considerable building in the background.
According to records, Miss Ruth McCoulogby taught there in 1896 having the Roberts
girls, Hazel, Inez and Susie, Manda Buller,
Billie and Clara Lipford, and Albert Bradshaw as pupils. In the early 1900's Mrs.
Jennie Wellman became the teacher. Her
ntme appears consistently in Kit Carson
3rd and 4th grades, Stratton schools, 1923.
County school records.
Schools involved little expense
Majestic Theater, located just north of
in
those
days even if the money was hard to come by.
Teachers and pupils handled all the work of
modern day custodians and made sure there
was fuel and that fires were kept as well as
brought the drinking water. You know where
the bathrooms were. Teachers salaries were
so modest then as to be almost non-existent.
By 1910 so many people had settled in the
that a larger building was necessary.
Then a b rick building that has been torn
down in recent years was built on the same
location to replace the two story frame
building used for 15 years. As athletics
became part of the school program, space for
playing floors was found in buildings about
town. Many recall playing basketball in the
area
.,J
present day Miller Store. This had a large
floor suitable for not only the theater showings but dances and use as a gym floor. It was
in
those years
of the 1930's that girls'
basketball predominated over boys. Stratton
girls went to a national tournament in 1934,
and, although they lost in the early games, the
town of Stratton was given great "press" in
the newspapers and the laurels that came to
those players is still recalled by many. A
demise of girls basketball carne when injury
or illness caused the Colorado school authorities of that day to drop all girls' competition
from then on until the late 1970's when they
were reinstated.
Under the WPA programs begun in the
by the US government a cement
building which housed a modern gymnasium
and four elementary classrooms was erected
north of the brick building. Until 1961 this
glrm was home floor for the many fine boys
basketball teams flourishing in the school in
those years. The home team locker was
located in the furnace room under the stage.
That stage with heavily gold fringed green
velour stage curtains was the scene of many
splendid productions in the form of class
plays as well as the renowned Drama Club
1930's
productions under the direction of Mrs. Kivia
Slade who is remembered as a teacher of
mathematics and Latin during nineteen
years at Stratton High School starting in
1942. Christmas operettas, National Assembly programs, productions by local clubs and
organizations were also performed before the
footlights of that stage. Many students recall
painting the setting backdrops in preparation
for a play or cleaning the footlight trough and
replacing the lightbulbs. During the '50 and
'60's this gym was the setting for elaborate
Junior-Senior proms. Lots of romancing
occurred behind those stage set flats, no
doubt.
In 1951 the two buildings were joined
together by another structure which made
The building which replaced Stratton's first school; used continuously until 1977 as a school.
possible a school shop and its finishing rooms,
a music department and a school lunchroom
and its kitchen pantry. Previously the hot
�Superintendent J. Oscar Smith carried the
plans forth. Building was done on an almost
sacred spot to past football players . . . the
football field. Impressive dedication ceremonies were conducted on March 5, 1961,
following the move into the building in
January, which was done in one day with
students managing the many trucks as
by Dorothy Smith
Today's Stratton Elementary School in 1988.
of those persons so
lunch program had begun under the direction
expectations
Legion
kitchen to which everyone trooped at noontime. There was no shop program until J.
Oscar Smith was hired in 1950 with this
program in mind for the community school.
The music program had no area of its own,
but with the forming of a Music Club and the
funds they generated for instruments and
band uniforms, Joseph Lombardi in 1950-51,
was able to organize the band that originated
bands of today. Home economics had a
program for a few years in the late 1930's but
about the wisdom of consolidation which had
just come about. Stratton Schools under the
direction of Superintendent Arthur G. Watson at that time did a great deal to augment
of Marge Brown in the American
during World War II cutbacks this was
dropped. In 1950 Dorothy C. Smith initiated
a new department housed in the basement of
the high school. One must recall that this year
was the period of school reorganization and
Stratton schools were trying to meet the
The Stratton School pupils in 1915.
its
programs and revitalize
its
dubious
offerings
especially at high school levels.
In the mid-'50's as state standards
for
school buildings became more restrictive, the
constant cost of keeping the old high school
building "under code" was studied again and
again, and the feeling prevailed that a new
high school building was needed. This was
the era when St. Charles Parochial School
was coming into the public school. With well
thought out local plans, the services of an
architect and bonding company and all the
preliminaries needful to promote and produce this new buiding, the school board and
�buildings, however. It's the story of people
and activities. But without writing a volume
of its own one could not mention it all either.
Suffice it to say that Stratton Schools have
a reputation for offering a diverse curriculum
which has prepared many students for the
college and vocational training they later
pursued, that Stratton has had its share and
more of outstanding football, basketball and
wrestling teams, that music is an integral part
ofthe school activity each year, that the home
economics department and its related Future
Homemakers of America organization has
provided many state and district officers as
well as one national officer, that the shop
students are famous over the area for the
splendid products
of their efforts,
that
science fairs and related activities occur
frequently, that dramatics is still an interest
for many students, that the commercial and
business offerings are distinctly geared to
today's expectations, that the school boasts
two libraries which are heavily used, and that
the community is justifiably proud of its
school. The Eagle Chapter of National Honor
Society inaugurated and chartered in 1958
has chosen outstanding students who have
made special niches for themselves in the
entire world.
People are a school, too! There are teachers' names that linger and are often mentioned around the community wherever those
who felt their influence gather. . Margaret
Walthers, Orville Reddington, Helen Price,
The first grade at Stratton School in 1923.
Violet Davis, Eleanor DeWalt, Ruth
McChesney, Mabel Hemphill, Nell Van
Devender, Idris Phipps, Harry B. Davis, H.C.
Beibee, Curtis Bradshaw, Margaret Holstine,
Wallace James, Hazel Chalfant, Frank Osta-
noff, Kivia Thorene Slade, Olive Thiringer,
Mildred Shenandoah, Jennie Tressel,
Thelma Allen, Ruth Gulley, Virginia Felch,
Rosemary McCormick, Lucile Lepper, Mabel
Guy, Gladys Quinn, Helen Traylor, Joseph
Lombardi, J. Oscar and Dorothy Smith,
Arthur G. and John H. Watson. Coates
Bradshaw, William Leckenby, Betty and
Fred Rock, Lee Carpenter, Adeline Sawyer,
Leland Monroe, Joan and Larry Vibber, Earl
Knox, Elizabeth and Bill Kercher, Ron
Neeley, Virgil Watkins, George and Jane
Clark, Helen Mclean, Alyce Lewis, Elmer
Boone, Joan and Harold Hagan, William
McKinley, Robert Sparks, Roy Towns, Richard Buck, Ron Atkins, Betty Smith, Glen
The Stratton Public School from 1895 to 1910.
STRATTON
T364
ues to house the Stratton High School.
By 1975 plans for a new elementary school
had been completed and the fine structure
directed by each department instructor.
This building with some modification and the
addition of a separate shop building contin-
Wry
Stratton "S" Club has a homecoming "float".
which now houses the elementary school was
occupied Feb. 18, 1977. Envisioning a day
when all the Stratton school might be located
in a campus-like arrangement with playing
fields and playground between the two
structures occurred when the high school was
built and the land was procured in the mid
1950's. When the present elementary building was constructed that long ago dream was
realized. Yesterday's elementary building is
now a bowling alley with two restaurants and
the old annex houses a number of office
spaces. T'e old high school has been razed and
many former students have an old brick to
stir nostalgia for times long past. MSA Club
made arrangements to move the original bell
which so long called pupils into school to a
site near the present elementary school as a
preservation measure.
Any story of a school is not the story of
Hunter, Roy Ingram, June Short, John
Trued, Terry Miller, Nick Wilhelm, Wilbur
Ziegler, Tom Pannell, Franceis Coles, Kathy
Pickard, Cheryl Barry, Linda Stevens, Jim
Martin, John Sporleder . . the list could go
on and on. Superintendents through the
years include some whose names may not
have been recorded. Notable among the listed
ones are Homer Peck, R.F. Murfin, Gerald
Scofield, Harry Zinn, Arthur G. Watson, R.F.
Becker, John H. Watson, J. Oscar Smith,
Norman Downie, Carl Weigand, Valerie
Sullivan, Wayne Brown and currently David
Cockerham.
No story is complete without the names of
graduates either so they are given in another
article entitled "High School Graduates
Stratton and First Central". And how remiss
it would be to conclude this account without
reminding us of all the blizzards, the school
bus incidents, the dust storm days, spring's
muddy roads, the many trips to district and
state events, the heartaches of losses or the
glories and elation of victories, the long, long
�with having played a considerable role in
their lives.
by Dorothy C. Smith
*****{c****rfc***:l€
Freshman class; Stratton,1945-46: Front row, I to r: Rock Luebbers, Joe Weibel, Bill Fehrenbach, Allen
Greenwood, Johnny Luebbers, Dean Campbell. 2nd row: Barbara Schermerhorn, Bertha Balanga, Mary
Anne Green, Bernadean Rose, sponsor, Dolores Jostes, Doris Paintin, Marlyn Schmidt. 3rd row: Wayne
Greenwood, Margaret Meade, LaVilla Sealock, Shirley Ferris, Dorothy Messinger, LaRene Herberger,
Verla Jean Reisch, Ida Knochel, Norma Jean Hershey, Bob Bush. Back row: Bill Griffith, Norman Zogg,
Sonny Webster, Bob Pickerill, Alfred Flageolle, Dick Borders, Harvey Rose, Donald Torline.
bus rides daily for many kids, the patient highorhighschool,revolvearoundtheschool
parents who waited for those who practiced, and its activities. That the life of any
the beautiful spring days when school could community is determined by its schools is
hardly"keep". . andonandon. . .thiswas recognized nowhere more clearly than in
part of school, too. That Stratton schools Stratton community. Many have gone from
have been a pervading element in the com- this community to higher education and into
munity and county throughout the years is
endeavors here and all over the world. Most
mostevident.Thelivesof allfamiliesoftoday of them will credit Stratton Public Schools
having children in school, elementary, junior
Machinery "graveyard."
June 23, 1988
Market report
..'.$3.51
Wheat
.$3'00
New corn
Livecattle'....$63.90
Feedercattle. ..$71.00
LiveHogs ...'.546.25
Grades 5 and 6, May 1925, Stratton: back row: Eugene Spurlin, Roy Folsom, Bob Reddy, Sonny Collins,
Ernest Lidke, Paul Weddington, Ralph McFarland. Next row: Sarah Sholes, Ruby Ford, Dorothy Bardwell,
Teacher, Edna Folsom, Beryl Montgomery, Dorothy Spurlin. Next row; Belle Beck, Lucille Holloway,
Thelma Heltzel,
-, Lois McOolloch, -, -. Front row: Claude Ellis, Jimrny Rogers, Curtis Rogers, Robert
Davis.
-.
�Homecoming and Stratton Day were combined in 1966 for the first time. The Assn.
began to organize the parade, plan the
Stratton 5th/6th grades, 1926: Front row: Del Holiday, Floyd Hetzel, Carl Wood, Durward Riggen, Robert
Holloway, Wayne Campbell, Vaden
Hn-lin.
Second row: Stella
Chilili, Lucia Gehrke, Evelyn Ackerman,
Lucille Chamberlain, Ruby Wolfrum, Dixie Turner, Stella Sholes, Lelah Kruse, Norma Scott. Third row:
Evelyn Pischke, Allie Jean Beck, Helen Bardwell, Lloyd Einspahr, Roy Davis, Violet Davis Teacher, George
Harnlin, Donald Wolgamott, John Brady.
STRATTON ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION
T365
In March of 1949 a group of Stratton High
School graduates gathered to form an Alumni
Association. A set of by-laws were drafted
similar to those used by the Burlington Assn.
The group's main function was to keep an
accurate record of the Stratton graduates as
well as to raise money for contributions to the
school. Some of the early fund raising
activities were box socials, carnivals, and
plays.
The first Alumni banquet and dance were
held in 1953. This also became the time when
twelve members were elected to the board.
When the Assn. was first organized only the
twenty-five year class was honored. The
graduates from First Central School were
initially honored around 1961. Over the past
years it has become a tradition to honor the
ten, twenty-five, and fifty year classes at the
annual banquet. Classes are recognized and
given an opportunity to reminisce with old
friends. Beginning in 1964 the honored
classes had their pictures in the paper.
banquet, and the Homecomingdance. Before
this the Alumni had held picnic lunches on
Homecoming Day. In order to increase the
size of the parade the Assn. invited school
bands from surrounding areas. Donations to
the school have been made frequently and
helped with the purchase of musical instruments, speaker system, trophies, the senior
class picture album in the High School and
the bell tower. Due to the hard times during
the Depression the classes of 1934 and 1935
were unable to have their pictures in the
senior class album. In 1986 the Assn. donated
money to have these pictures framed.
The Alumni began charging one dollar
dues in 1965 to help cover expenses. After
raising the Association's dues to five dollars
annually or thirty dollars lifetime, the Board
of Directors formed an Alumni Scholarship
to be awarded to the most qualified applicant
from the graduating senior class. The amount
of this scholarship was originally $250.00 but
has been raised to $900.00 due to the
generosity of time and money given by the
Stratton Alumni Assoeiation members.
Key: Graduates of Stratton and First
Central: *Deceased, FC First Central
(Married name)
1909 Mable Pugh (Guy)*
1916 Grace Johnson (Tompkins); Loretta
Taylor*
1917 Joel Bradshaw, II*; Marie Chandler
(Greenwood)
1919 Evelyn Mulnix (Anderson)
1920 Leonard Hamilton*; Clara Pugh
(Baker); Fern Vanhook (Reddington)*
1921 Curtis Bradshaw*
1922 Eleanore Cochran (Beahm); Allan
Long; Aliee Mulnix (McNaryl); Gray Spurlin;
Frank Wilson
1923 Floyd Borders; Violet Campbell
(Barr);Joseph O. Chandler; Gertrude Church
(Boulder); Ruth Church (Schaal)*; Fern Ford
(Craig); Mary Horrell (Dvorak)*; Alice
Poppert (Beal); Lillian Radspinner (Underwood); Theodore R. Smith FC; Fred Weibel*;
Elizabeth Zittle (Woolsey)
1924 Blanche Beattie (Dove); Dorothy
Cochran (Reish)*; Iva Crocker (Engelage);
Virginia Felch; Florence Huscher (Ford);
Harold Huscher; Amy Wood*; Ruth Pischke
(Wells)
1925 Clarence Connaway; Grace Evans
(Weybright); Esther Gerke (Scheierman);
Esther Lindley*; Marshall Sims; Ida Smith
(Boecker) FC*
1926 Ave Marie Kellogg (Parks) FC;
Norma Mavity (Moody)
1927 Amanda Fuller (Borders)*; Mrs. Earl
Carpenter; Annie Connaway (Spurlin); Mrs.
Carl Hamilton*; Laura Powers (Shupp);
Ambrose Williams*; Garvin Church FC
1928 Lewis Adkins; Gladys Beattie (Clair);
Erma Gerke (Thompson); Vena Hughes
(Scheierman); Leona Jones*; Gladys Lindley"; Roy McColloch; Justus Rose*; Ava Barr
(Magnuson) FC; Glenn Smith FC
1929 Lucille Brantley (McColloch); Bertha
Chamberlain; Margaret Day (Huppert)*;
Verla Ellis (Pieper); Ruth Gerke; Helen
Holloway (Jackson); Hilda Kruse (Claussen);
June Rose (Schofield); Ruth Thyne (Spurlin)*; Helen Weibel (Berger); Ruth Wilson
Stratton High School in 1988.
(Norwack); Lawrence Erickson FC
1930 Burnelle Adkins (Horton); Belle Beck
(Danforth); Edith Beeson (Murray) FC;
�Bernice Brady (Kenper)*; Reva Braley
(Jackson); Frank Brock; Irene Calvin (Hern-
bloom); Mae Ellen Calvin (Kellogg)*; Edith
Campbell (Johnson); Velva Collins (Beeman); lnez Dunhe- (McArthur); Velora
Mulnix (Davis)*; Lee Ora Tuttle (Hanrahan);Wilbur Barr FC;Albert Glad FC; James
Greenwood FC; Lyle Kellogg FC.
1931 Harry Holloway*; Lucille Holloway
(Woodson); Margaret Holloway (Houtz); Leo
Kirkendall; Robert Logan*; Georgia McCollough (Berandt); Robert Ready; Viola Wolf
(Gacnik); Irene Dunham (Kennedy) FC;
Clarence Iseman FC; Lloyd Parks FC
L932 Aletha Allen (Bowers); Ted
Burggraff; Robert Davis*; Helen Duncanson
(Ancell); Luella Hernbloom; Marie Mase;
Lois McColloch (Currier); Beryl Montgomery (Hutchins); William Morgan; Maye Rose
(Blodgett); Lee Dunham FC; Claude Ellis FC;
Ralph Greenwood FC; Warren Hodge FC;
Helen Mitchell FC; Lloyd Perkins FC.
1933 Charles Allen; Helen Bardwell (Al-
len); Allie Jean Beck (Iseman); Melvin
Calvin*; Earl Collins; Ruth Gulley; Lyle
Hooper; Helen Kennedy (Kerl); George
Klocker*; Magdalene Leoffler (McKenzie);
Ralph Pelle*; Edna Blucheck (Carlton);
Collosta Schiferl (Swogger); Dorothy Hodge
(Peters)* FC; Violet Norton FC; Wanda
Norton (Perkins); Harold Pelle; Kenneth
Scheierman FC; Norman Smith FC; Cloyd
Storrer FC; Nora Wright (Johnson) FC;
Orville Wright FC.
1934 Evelenne Ackerman (Folsom); Helen
A. Bertrand (Lichety); Irvin Binkley Lucia
Gerke (Cowles); Kathleen Green (Sister
Evangeline); George Hamilin; Violet Hern-
bloom (Kirkendall); Lilla Kruse (Campbell)*; Lillian Murphy; Iona Penne (Hous-
mann); Stella Sholes (Arends); Reid Strong;
Robert Barley FC; Clair Barr FC; Leonard
Beeson FC; Loraine Iseman (Wood) FC;
Marie Kiper (Lesher) FC; Ella Storrer (Lebsack) FC; Parker Swann FC; Wesley Taylor
FC*.
1935 Lylah Ayers (Ness) FC; Doris Beck
(Engelbrecht); Donald Bertrand; Mary
Burggraff (Calloway); Lena Campbell (Keelet); Clarice Christian (Johnson); Mertie E.
Christian (Crouse); David Davis; Evelyn
Einspahr (Burnett); George Green; Mary V.
Klocker (Dill); Clara Pautler; Ben Pelle;
Oswold Pautler; Inez Perkins (Batholomew)
FC; Evelyn Ritzdorf (Poland); Lenora Stom-
bought (Scott); Harold Thomason; Leonard
Willey*; Virginia Wilson (Foster); Edgar
Geisit FC; Russell Glad FC; Lunette Swem
(Kibble) FC.
Earl Atkins; Lewis Beck; Lee Binkley;
Rueben Beecker; Jeanne Bradshaw (Bruner);
1936
Louis Brueske; Helen Burggraff (Morris);
Eugene Byrne; Mabel Garner (Scheierman);
man; Irene Erfman (Hibbits); Delmer Glaze;
Edward Klocker; Edmund Green*; Gordon
Hernbloom; Frank McFarland; Thomas
Moyer; Mary Pautler (Carnese); Ruth Sealock (McFatridge); Galen Thomason; Isabella
Thompson (Kerr); Herbert Waechter; Maebelle Wolfrum (Boyer); Eldon Wolgamott*;
Velma Beeson (Davis) FC; June McArthur
(Martin) FC; Elywin Swann FC; Mary Alie
Swen FC; Vance Taylor FC*.
1938 Lucille Bertrand (Wharff); Helen
Churchwell (Rockwell); Veralee Conners
(Schillings); Dorothy Feirstein; Louis Feirstein; Ruby Gehrke (Bates); Lucille Glaze
LaVerne Thomason; Mary Thyne (Flippin);
Ralph Tryon; Marie Zubrod (Navrot); Paul
Baetz FC; Maxine Iseman (Chandler) FC; Ila
Magnuson FC*; Ella Mae Young (Meade)
FC.
1945 Millicent Beller (Luebbers); Wanda
Bishop (Churchwell); Roberta
Calvin
(O'Halloran); Marion Dischner (Borden);
(Gibble); Lelia Reish (Raines); Juanita Rum-
Thompson (Gabelman); Arlie Vannatta
Harley Pottorff; Almetta Russel (Johnson);
mel (Johnson); Raymond Schiferl; Olive
(Camp); Lyle Bunch FC; Dean Smelker FC;
Dorothy J. Taylor; (McArthur) FC.
1939 Johannah Atkins*; Edith Bardwell;
Joel Bradshaw III*; Myron Brown; Mary
Burne (Gerligk); Alberta Collins (Rowe);
Gladys Hernbloom (Hooper); Herschel Hoo-
per; Lucille Hooper; Ruth Krauth (Slick);
Agnes McConnell (Boecker); Irene Osburn
(Buhr)*; William Parsons*; Neoma Rafferty
(Smith); Ethlyn Ready (Springer); Olive
Rowley (Eppelsheimer); Wanita Sealock;
Catherine Simon*; Irene Stewart (Brown);
Lucille Wolf (Kenney); Hazel Wolgamott
(Guerin) Maxine Young (Wolgamott); Mary
Pfaffly FC*; Shelby Taylor FC*; Donald
Thompson FC.
1940 Clark Beck; Herman Bertrand*;
Doretta Brown (McEnter); Lola Mae Calverley (Kidd); Gertrude Collins; Earl Davis*;
Marcella Dischner (Greenwald); Wanda Gar-
ner (Sweet); Clarice Hernbloom
(Fager);
Cleona Hernbloom (William); Letha Holstein (Lorraine); Jim Keen; Harold Kitten;
Gerald Lempp; Julia McCormick (Lowe);
Edna Payne (Godfrey); Bill Reish; Vesta
Russell (Geoffrey); Bert Stombaugh*; Irene
Zubrod (Cannon); Helen Zurcher (Glenskie);
Rose Mary Zurcher (Cox); Clark Beeson FC;
Charles Bunch FC; Alvin Lowe FC; Velma
Lowe (Pratt) FC; Jessie Rich (Gaunt) FC.
1941 Bob Bowers; Arthur Dischenr; Tom
Kennedy*' Laurine Kitten (Schiferl);
Charles Krauth*; James Leoffler Sr.; Faye
McColloch; Clarence Muchow; Lola
Lohrman (Gramoll); Louis Pugh; Betty
Reish; Joe Simon*; Loren Stombaugh; Pauline Stombaugh; Frances Thomason; Peggy
Warrington; Francis Byrne; Dorothy Wilson*; George Wilson; Rev. Phillip Cline FC;
George Kirkendall FC; Vivian Smelker
(Whitmarsh) FC.
1942 Myrtle Collins (Mumford); Everett
Holstein*; Violet McOonnell (Wolski); Rosemary McCormick (Gergen); Zelma Kennedy
(Eubanks); Rev. Russell Meade; Marion
Powers; Ethel Wolgamott (Evans); Julianne
Zurcher (Savada); Rev. Oscar Borden FC;
Oris Bunch FC; Wayne Iseman FC; Violet
Magnuson (Bunch) FC; Bertha Swann FC;
Darrell Taylor FC.
1943 Leon Beck; Marianne Beller (Stevens); Melva Freeman (Cline); Neona Gade
(Pierce); Norma Garner (Borden); Laura
Greenwood (Thomason); Evelyn Heintz;
Floyd Hooper*; Kenneth Lindley; Russell
McFarland; Leona Meade (Rich); Howard
Pickerill; Lucille Rich (Schreiner); Bernadine Rose (Ardueser); Margaret Simon;
George
Salvador Valesquez; Marion Webster; Verla
1937 Evelyn Atkins (Paintin);
Emma Lucas (Lempp)*; Wilda Paintin
(Pratt); Lewis Powers; Rev. Homer Rich;
Helen Green (McCormick); Thelma Greenwood (Hutton); Marcella Knochel (Schaefer); Jim McConnell; Norma Jean Messenger
Dorothy Hanner (Danekas); Alfred Holloway*; Dorothy Huppert (Pierson)*; Willard
Kirkendall; Sylvia Krauth (Bowers); James
McFarland*; Juanita Nixon; Agnes Powers
(Stramel); Doris Proctor (Peters); Eloise
Proctor*; Faye Proctor (Byrnes); Fern Proctor (Penick); Magdalene Stoffel (Heiken);
Viola Waechter (Ancell); Frank Wolf*; Mavis
G. Ayers (Smith) FC; Agnes Iseman (Leonard) FC; Dale Lesher FC; Helen Magnuson
(Smelker) FC; Ivan Smelker FC; Vaughn
Taylor FC.
Bowers; Nadean Brown (Zwetschke); Lois
Jane Calverley (Schlihs)*; Wava Campbell
(Hetzel);Alyce Dischner (Lewis); Arlin Erf-
(Clark); June Courtright (Hampton); Evelyn
Gauge (Edmunds); Mary Knochel (Marnell);
(Schlichenmayer); Mildred Pelle (Drietz);
Goldie Waechter (Doane); Charles Sholes*;
Darlene Taylor (Pottorffl FC.
1946 Glennadene Copley (Cline); Keith
Kruse; Luella Lucas*; Clifford Messenger;
Lela Pottorff (Wilkinson); Florene Schmidt
(Weibel); Dorothy Smelker (Clark); Mary
Valesquez (Suazo); Rosalie Webster (Jorden); Andy Weibel*.
1947 Altha Borden (Ely); Bill Collins; Ed
Dischner; Ardis Heningson (Valesquez); Dale
Kindred; Betty Pelle (Lobmeyer); Betty
Russell (Sutton); Dale Shermerhorn; Jerry
Simon; Colleen Zogg (Travis); Eloise Valesquez; Rita Zurcher (Vinduska); Arlene
Bunch (Rains) FC; Patsy Bush.
1948 Roberta Collins (Higley); Marvin
Edmunds; Netha Hansen (Kindred); Melvin
Hatfield; Roy Herberger Jr.; Conrad Jostes;
Elva Lowe (Akins); Velva Lowe (Pickard);
Ted Sallee; Melvin Smith; Dean Spurlin; Jim
Spurlin; Don Valesquez*; Dale Wolgamott.
1949 Bertha Balanga (Johnson); Dick
Borders; Pearl Collins (Hair); Shirley Ferris*;
Alfred Flageolle; Mary Ann Green; Allen
Greenwood; Wayne Greenwood; LaRene
Herberger (Kauffman); Norma Jean Hershey; Francis Husenetter; Delores Jostes
(Erbert); Ida Knochel; John Luebbers; Rock
Luebbers; Dorothy Messenger (Weaver);
Edna Miltenberger (Stegman); Bob Pickerill;
Verla Reish (Hall); Harvey Rose; Barbara
Shermerhorn (McDaniel); Marlyn Schmidt
(Dischner); LaVila Sealock (Clark); Rosalie
Stoffel (Greenwood); Joe Weibel; Kathryn
Waldron (Burd); Norman Zogg; Maryarct
Meade (Thomason).
1950 Lloyd Borden; Donald Borders; Anne
Bradshaw (Struthers); Dean Campbell; Donna Carpenter (Borden)*; JoDell Carpenter
(Talley); Theresa Isenbart (Baylor); Bill
Fehrenbach; Bob Fox; Marvin Hatfield; Joan
Nowack (May); Doris Paintin (Vondy); Donna Rae Pelle (Englert); Ellsworth Pottorff;
Bill Pugh; Shirley Scheierman (Zoeg); Carcl
Smelker (Newman); Arla Smith (Franke);
Mary Spurlin (Newton); Claudine Stoner
(Messenger); Betty Vinduska (Schawe); Eugene Waldron; Vera Sue Wolgnmell
(Grimes); Peggy Zogg (Hubbell).
1951 Richard Bayles; Douglas Bishop;
Maynard Bowen; Robert Fehrenbach; Duane
Ferris; Chester Frankenfeld; George Miltenberger; Lavina Pugh (Decker); Virgil Pugh;
Betty Jo Quinn (Roehr); Charles Sallee;
Dorothy Schermerhorn (Neva); Franklin
Smelker; Gordon Smith; Bob Spurlin; Melvin
Thomason; Kay Webster (Wendler); Lily
Woller (Hinton).
1952 Norman Beattie; Clifford Borden;
Bill Day; Marlis Dinger
Smelker (Martinez) FC; Shirley Taylor
James Brachtenbach;
(Thompson) FC; Walter Rich.
1944 Joyce Beck (Clark); Vivian Bush
(Blancken); Leroy Herndon; Mary A. Isen-
(Weaver);
Lyle Garner; Joy
Hatfield
�bart (Sister Mary Cecil); JoAnn Jostes (Day);
Kenneth Lobmeyer; Lelan Lucas; Bernetta
Luebbers (Curver); Max Mason; Myron
Powell; Eileen Powers (Tschetter); Connie
Rhea (Decker); Sherry Rose (Martie); John
Schermerhorn; Twila Smelker; Paul Smith;
Frank Spurlin; Kenneth Stull; Delbert Tanner; Mary Waldron (Keeling); John Webb;
Nola Webster (Engstrom).
1953 Carol Lee Conarty (Eberhart); Lodema Courtright (Templeton); Ferdie Knochel;
Claus Hume; Benny Miltenberger; Virginia
Pelle (Malone); Kenneth Pottorff; Dan
Schaal; Frances Selenke (Torline); Doris
Spurlin (Stevens); Dale Strothman; Carrell
Stull (Blakely); Geraldine
Summers
(Weisshaar); Gerald Thompson; Harold Sallee; Maxine Urban (Erbert); Denise Verbiest
(Kozial); Jack Wolf; Verla Wolgamott
(Skufca).
1954 Delmar Beattie; Mary Ellen Bowen;
Raymond Bowen; Ora Carrell; Dean Herndon; Roger Kliesen; Janet Luebbers (Bancroft); Martha Mclrvin (Baxter); Opal
McNees (Nelson); Donna O'Halloran (Eberhart); Harold Pelle; Orilla Pugh (Harless);
Kenneth Sallee; Eleanor Scheierman (Herndon); Albert Selenke; Una Smelker (Reese);
Jean Smith (Mason); Marvin Tanner; Carol
Webb (Powell).
1955 Ronald Atkins*; Shirley Bohling
(Pearson); Paul Brown; Betty Jo Calvin
(Bell); Louise Dvorak (McCormick); Gwen-
dolyn Einspahr (Schlichenmayer); Charles
Fox; Phillip Helsel; Palamon Hornung; LaVon Jostes (Taylor); Bob Krei; Glen Lucas;
Dale Mason: Zella Mclrvin; Donald Peters;
John Spurlin; Kenneth Stegman; Darlene
Verbiest (Strothman); Delphine Verbiest
(Wharton); Florence Denise Wilson (McCon-
nell); Amy Marie Wood (Smith);
Doug
Woodson; Patsy Young (Havens).
1956 Harold Churches; Bonnie Bishop
(Schumann); Jack Brachtenbach; Rose Ma-
rie Droste (Stoos); Jerome Fox; Ruth Isenbart (Kimminau); Esther Mclean (Herndon); Drusilla Mitchem (Spurlin); Robert
Pottorff; Darlene Powell (Freytag); Marie
Pugh (Idler); Elsie Smelker (May); John
Robert Smith; Dean Smith; Donna Spurlin;
Duane Spurlin; Andra Stegman (Maxon);
Melvin Strothman: Carmilla Werner (Pelle);
Barbara Wilson (Edmunds); Raymond Miltenberger.
1957 Martin Bauman Jr.;
Keith Beattie;
Margene Brown (Smith); Raymond Droste;
Betty Eisnpahr (Hansen); Albert Hornung;
Ed Husler; Elaine Jostes (Hubbard); Tom
Luebbers; Vera Malone (Noyce); James
Mather; Juanita Meade (Marrow), Diane
Pelle (McDermott); Leona Peters (Krentz);
Mary Margaret Quinn (Sandy); Geraldine
Rose (Ludwig)*; Herbert Scheierman; Elaine
Smelker (Hornung); Gary Smelker; Richard
Stramel; Carlyn Werner (Gerwick); Edna
Woller (Robinson).
1958 Elaine Anthofer (Krueger); Ivan
Beattie; Linda Calvin (Torline)*; Judy Conarty (Smith); Glenda Dinger (Levins); Bill
Borden; Audrey Brachtenbach (Eisenbart);
Dale Conrardy; Robert Dischner; Richard
Flageolle; Darrell Fox; Janice Husler (Collins); John Husler; Dennis Kordes; Nean
Liebl; Kathy Mitchem (Hartzman); Danny
Rose; Neoma Sisson (West); Gladys Smelker
(Norman); Velva K. Smith; Connie Stegman
(Baker); Kathy Stegman (Leavitt); Ronald
Stoner; Bill Swanson; Bernadean Tesmer;
Bob Werner; Donald Wood.
1960
Lila Borden (Gilley); Barbara Bra-
1959 Cordella Bauman (Pickerill); Theo
Crocker; John Dasenbrock; Rodney Davis*;
Joyce Dischner (Stockwell); Diane Flageolle
(Miller); Doris Flageolle (Dombeck); Jennifer
Garner (Singley); Delores Goodin (Setter);
Vickie Hornung (Sutton); Jana Dee Johnson
(Rueb).
1967 Darrell Bezdek; Gary Brachtenbach;
dine Husler (Gelizeus); Lolita Klotzbach
(Ramos); Carolyn Krei (Feldhousen); Mary
Lou Liebl (Zink); Carolyn Mclean (Miller);
Ronnie Meyers; Phyllis Pottorff (Albrecht);
Beverley Scheierman (County); William Selenke; Doyle Smith; Janice Tesmer (Burrow);
Ronald Wolf.
1961 Dan Anthofer; Judy Bohling (Payne);
Margie Brachtenbach (Colpitts); Don
Churches; Roy Conrardy; Charles DeCastro;
Shirley Erker (Bruckner); Lorena Flageolle
(Kimminau); James Garner; Alberta Lang
(Schaal); Douglas Paintin; Luella Paintin
(Hershberger); Doris Pelle (Weir); Doris
Pugh (Durham); LaDonna Sawyer (Peters);
Lynn Scheierman (Johnson); Pauline Selenke (Pesek);Audrey Wood (Smith); Patricia
Thomas (Forbes); Mary Kay Werner
(Huppert); Myrna Wilson (Bill); Jack Young.
1962 Rollan Bauman; Sylvan Bauman;
Larry Brachtenbach; LeRoy Brachtenbach;
Anita Conrardy (Balman)*; Betty
James Christopher Carnathan; Kenneth
Clark; Edward Cure; Mary Ellen Cure (Bohnen); Dorothy Droste (White); Richard Grasser; Patricia Griffith (Alderson); Jerry Homer; Ronald Jones; Kathy Lempp (Lewis);
James Leoffler, Jr.; David Liebl; Glenda Jo
Pfaffly (Bauman); Connie Pottorff (Volskis);
Pamela Powell (Boles); Dan Ricke; Leon
Schaal; Carol Shean (McAlister); Linda
Stegman (Johnson); Penny Brachtenbach
(Carpenter); Timothy Weibel; Kenneth Witzel; Gary Wolfrum*; Larry Wolfrum; Edward
Zrubek.
1968 Kenneth Bezdek; Mike Davis; Karen
Downey; (Kerschner); Mike Eisenbart; Marvin Garner; DeeAnn Goss; James Sidney
Hubbard; Jeanette Husler (Schreiner); Dennis Kindred; Mark Laue; Janice Lempp
(Perkins); James Lewis; Marvin Megel; Beth
Ann Miller; Gail Paintin; Leon Pautler*;
Cure
Terry Pfaffly; Mary Ann Price (DeVinney);
(Brossman); John DeCastro; Cecilia Isenbart
(Fox); Diannen Erker; Marcia Grasser (Sister
Elaine Rueb; Mary Lou Schiferl (Hubbard);
JoAnn Schulte (Willis) Jolyn Schulte
(Garrison); George Stegman; Dessa Shutte
(Jantz)*; Connie Vinduska (Foose); Mike J.
Werner; Gerald Wolf.
1969 LaDonna Brachtenbach (Anderson);
Linda Cibolski (Miltenberger); Vickie Corliss
Mary Carol); Kenneth Hornung;
Gary
Huppert; Betty Jean Kordes (Brachtenbach); Nancy Liebl (Feist); Teresa Liebl
(Douglas); Glenn Pence; Sandra Pottorff
(Berry); JoDell Pugh (Musgrove); Leonard
Pugh; Lyle Sawyer; Betty Bea Scheierman
(Short); Bonita Sisson; Charles Smelker;
Virginia Stegman (Dobler); Leon Thomas;
Janet Zrubek (Lasinski).
1963 James Best; Lynette Dasenbrock
(Fankhauser); Ron Downey; Charles Ehlers;
Donnie Flageolle; June Goodin; Anne Helsel
(Young); David Hernbloom; Esther Husler
(Luther); Robert Kerl; Charlie Mclean; Gary
Pautler; Robert Pelle; Mary Proctor (Ehlers);
Diane Pugh (Schulz); John Rueb; Delores
Smelker (Rehor); Doyle Smelker; Linda
Storrer (Swanson); Diane Werner (Kloeckner); Larry Wolf.
1964 Gene Beattie; Joel Bradshaw IV;
Christine Calvin (Brachtenbach); Janice
Conrardy (Anderson); Cynthia Davis (Beck-
er); Carol Ann Droste (Whitten); Ernie
Flageolle; Hary Fox; Verlin Garner; Linda
Gramoll (Nemec); Gary Helsel; Irvin Husler;
Wayne Huppert; Donna Jones (Fox); Robert
Weingardt; Kenneth Wolf; Daryl Wolfrum.
1965 James Bradshaw; Pam Bruckner
backer).
Stegman.
1966 Dale Boecker; Kathryn Buhr; Larry
denberger); Joyce Hornung (Austin); Berna-
Droste (Rubio); David Flageolle; Delores
Flageolle (Luebbers); Jerry Fox; Phyllis
Goodin (Worthington); Anita Homer (Lin-
la Flageolle (Isenbart); Kathy Homer (Dobler); John Huppert; Robert Jacobs; Bill Krei;
Nedra Swanson (Pierce); Loretta Tesmer;
Larry Torline; Ruby Urban (Mauer); Rita
Werner (Ziegler); Jeanette Wolfrum (Em-
Selenke; Jean Shean (Erker); Robert M.
(Shalata); Linda Lewis (Miller); Dennis
Merritt; Diane Pottorff (McCartney); Patrick Rueb; LaRita Sawyer (Addams); Sally
Shean (Ehlers); Shirley Smith (MicHaelis);
Bonnie Toland (Swann); Arlene Weingardt
Ehlers; Leo Isenbart; Walter Isenbart; Ange-
Rita Selenke (O'Hayre); Richard Smith;
Stegman (Stutzman); John Schulte; Mary M.
chtenbach (Eisenbart); Dr. John Bruckner;
Galen Conrardy; Charles W. Cure; Genevieve
Meyers; Jerry Miller*; Linda Paintin
(Amack); Carolyn Pugh; William Rueb;
Peggy Schwieger (Fox); Rose Selenke; Keith
Jerry Lucas; Danny McCormick; Ivan Schaal;
fler (Daugherty); Karen Potterff (Ziegler);
Marilyn June Powell (Overholt); Colleen
(Jones)*; Vickie Calvin (Hahn); Diane Cibol-
ski (Albertson); Paul Clark; Robert Coles;
Ethel Mae Cure (Martin); Kathy DeCastro
(Woodrick); Robert Downey; Ronald Einspahr; Darrell G. Garner; Terry Hornung;
Dennis A. Johnson; Beverly Kordes (Beattie); John Liebl;Phillip Liebl; Sondra Leof-
(Schlepp); Pastor Clyde R. Denslow; Willetta
Garner (McKee); David Gwyn; Delores Heit-
schmidt*; Steve Hornung*; Sue Hubbard
(Marrone); Sherry Krei (Merritt); Patsy
Kordes (Eisenbart); Mike Laue; Mike
Mclean*; Tom Mills; Janice Pottorff (Ecke);
Steve Powell; David Ricke; Lester Schiferl*;
Ed Schulte; Becky Schulz; Calvin Shean;
Darris Taylor.
1970 Judy Best (Wall); LuAnn Brown
(Lucas); Greg Buhr; J.D. Coles; Cheryl
Courtright (Richards); Bob Cure; Kay Cure
(Unruh); Marsha Davis (Kravitiz); Mark
Dischner*; Dan Erbert; Larry Grasser; Rick
Kordes; Bob Lewis*; Deborah Mattix
(Huppert); Judy Pottorff (Winick); Sherry
Pottorff (Lupher); Terry Pottorff; Bill Rau;
Joan Ricke (Hick); Lois Schulte (Tilley);
Tony Schulte; Patty Schwieger (Witzel);
Linda Shutte (Einspahr); Dan Witzel; Donna
Witzel (Gwyn).
1971 Virginia Bezdek; Candice Clark (Spicer); Deborah Courtright (Conrads); David
Cure; Jane Cure (Hubbard); LuAnn Dasenbrock (Berens); Rick Davis; Bill Dykes; Jim
Dykes; Jane Flageolle (Smith); Lynn Gramoll; Mary Gwyn (Tart); Billy Homer; Cindy
Hornung (Luebbers); Pam Hotter (Smith);
Jane Jostes (Ingram); Gary Kindred; James
Liebl; Bunnie Mitchem (Chartier); Wanda
Nusser; Randy Pickard*; Nick Price; Tom
Proctor; Rex Salling; Charles Schulte; Della
Shutte (Calhoun); Denis Smith; Pam Smith
�(Liebl); Delmar Stegman; Leon Vinduska;
Gary Wilson; Janet Zogg (Churchwell).
1972 Dennis Cure; Nona Eisenbart (Woller); Linda Flageolle (Davis); Mark Flageolle;
Niles Ray Garner; David Hornung; Walter
Hubbard; Janice Kindred (Still); Valerie
Kordes (Thyne); Jeanette
Lempp
(Leurquin); Nancy Lowther (Sneed); Jo-es
Mattix; James Monroe; Marilyn Paintin
(Cranmer); Valerie Paintin (Taskila); Larry
Pottorff; Sherry Reeder (Monroe); Marla
Salling (Flageolle); Doyle Schiferl; Allen
Schulte; Daniel Schulte; Barbara Schwieger
(Hornung); Larry Shutte; Steve Stegman;
Cindy Weibel (Ridder); Rick Weingardt;
Roxie Wilson.
1973 Suzy Critchfield; Michael Cure;
Rhonda Davis (Peterson); Mary Jane Dischner; Frank Droste; Andy Flageolle; Gail
Grasser (Allen); Dianna Greenwood (Husem-
an); Neta Griffith (Rau); Nancy Hadachek;
John Malone; Sue Matthews; Joanne Monroe
(Jones); Patty Parker; Timothy Pautler;
John Rau; Mike Ricke; Stanley Rueb; Darrel
Schulte; Theresa Stegman (Amos); Marie
Toland (Wolfley); Diane Twomey (Denslow).
1974 Jody May Atkins; Bonnie Clark
(Mattix); Rusty Critchfield; Alan Cunningham;William Cure; KathyDavis (Sims); Rick
DeMichele; David Dischner; Terry Erbert;
Steven Fox; Jackie Griffith; Jerry Hasart;
Patrick Hornung; Kent Jostes; Alan
Kopplinger; Alice Leoffler (Smith); Susan
Leoffler; Neal Luebbers; Donald Malone;
Karen Mattix (Albers); Kathy Megel; Carolyn Miller; Laurie Mittlestead; Sherry Nusser; Shirley Nusser; Edward Parker; Randy
Ramos; Sheryl Reeder (Grant); Keith Rogers;
Rita Schulte (Erber)*;
FLaDean Wigton;
Ronald Wolfrum; Devin Wood.
1975 Ronald Borden; Myrva Buhr; Bill
Courtright; James Hadachek; Joyce Ann May
(Malone); Mike McCormick; Tony Paintin;
Arthur Price: Marc Pottorff: Laura Ricke
(Strick); Terry Rogers (Atkins); Linda
Schulte; Elizabeth Stegman (Pautler); Mike
Weigand; Charlene Wigton (Gorton); Colleen
Wilson (Weigand).
1976 Douglas Beeson; Janell Brachtenbach
(Woods); John Cure; Lisa Dasenbrock; John
Dischner; Norma Eisenbart (Fox); Al Finley;
Greg Flageolle; Keith Greenwood*; Lester
Hasart; Arlene Hornung; Kenneth Malone*;
Mark McClay; Debra McCoin; David Megel;
Paul Pautler; Debbie Pottorff; Edward Pottorff; Bill Price; Robert Rueb; Ruth Schukar;
William Schulte; Lori Thyne; Janet Wood;
Trish Zogg (Dorsch); Greg Grasser.
1977 Glenda Borden; Russell Corliss; Ron-
ald Cure; James Fox; Patricia Fox; Sandra
Garner; Carl Graham; Karen Greenwood;
Edward Herndon: Kevin Hubbard: Kevin
Jostes; Marilyn Leoffler (Turner); Gregory
Liebl; Kathy Logan; Cindy May; James May;
Paul Miller; Jennifer Page; Theresa Peters ;
June Radabaugh (Daniel); Marcia Schulte
(Stauter); Ramona Schulte (Wagner); Vean
Spurlin; Cindy Stegman; Angela Thompson;
Shirley Wigton; Lance Wood.
1978 Robin Arends; Shirley Brachtenbach;
Donna Courtright (Hake); Theresa Cure;
Tom Dischner; Tina Eisenbart; Fred Erbert;
Janine Hornung (Fox); Corrine Graham;
Terry Ingram; Kurt Jostes; Kendra Kliesen
(Monasmith); Linda Leoffler; Dean Liming;
Brian Luebbers; Dan May; John McCormick;
Rick Peters; Craig Pottorff; Kim Pottorff;
LarryRicke; Rita Stegman; Michelle Thompson (Cure).
1979 Carl Anderson; Drusilla Beesley
(Jostes); Jeanette Beeson (McCormick);
Judy Borden; Gay Nell Courtright; Trenda
Garrett (Weisshaar); Stan Hornung; Ted
Ingram; Lisbeth Jensen; Moira Kliesen;
Vernon Knox*; Beverly Malone; Tom May;
Jim McCoin; Laura McCormick; Marci Pickard; Jenny Pottorff; Mark Rueb; Ted Spurlin; Dennis Schulte; Richard Thompson; Tim
Greg Whipple.
1988 Roger Austin; Devin Bauman; Kristy
Dieterle; Kelly Eisenbart; Brian Fox; John
Hornung; Mark Hornung; John Howe; Scott
Huppert; Stephanie Krason; Mark May;
Patricia Miltenberger; Chuck Pautler; LaDawn Polzin; Daisy Reese; Tonya Schwindt;
Dan Topp; Judy Wigton.
Wehling.
1980 Rhonda Austin; Marc Banister; Carol
Beesley;Kim Downey (May);Bill Fox; Keith
Fox; Christy Graham; Peggy Grasser; Annette Hornung; Tony Isenbart; Lynette
Jackson; Kris Kimminau; Trina Kliesen
(Benson); Jim Malone; Liz May; Stacey
Mays; Monte McCormick; Tammy McCor-
mick; Pat Price; Mark Schmidt; Janell
Wigton.
..CHURCHES'
T366
Of the many facets of pioneer life that
played meaningful parts in settling the area
we know today as Kit Carson County, nothing
assumed greater roles than education and
a Higher Power. This is evident from
the large response to school stories and
having a story submitted for almost every
1981 Lyle Austin; Brenda Eisenbart;
Robby Edwards; Jacque Erbert (Schmidt);
T.C. Garrett; Carol Herndon; Bill Hornung;
faith in
Cindy Isenbart; Ed Isenbart; Jeanette King;
Kevin Lueck; Trudi Malone; Steve May;
Patricia Maya; Del Schiferl; Nean Schmidt;
church in the county. With "Churches" we
are calling to our attention that four of the
churches featured in the 1970 book. White
Churches of the Plains, written by Robert
Hickman Adams and published by Colorado
Associated University Press are about
churches whose stories are recounted in the
Kit Carson County History Booft: Seibert
Terry Schwindt; Janice Simon (Pautler);
Tammy Solberg; Jeanine Stegman (Hor-
nung); Justin Tatkenhorst; Dave Thompson;
Lisa Thyne; Kathy Wieton.
1982 Debbie Austin; Joy Borden; Bob
Brachtenbach; Dorothee Bruckner; Todd
Fehrenbach; Dennie Flock; Pam Fox; Whit-
ney Hornung; Amy Isenbart; Barbara Isenbart; Wade Kliesen; Scott Pottorff; Dick
Remos; Mary Ricke; Justin Rueb; Jackie
Stegman; Denise Price; Darla Swanson; Jenni
Thyne; Joe Valenti; Kenny Valenti; Deb
Wilson: Pam Smith.
1983 Julie Austin; Diana Banister; Tammy
Flock (Beeson); Connie Brachtenbach; Doreli
Bron; Tanya Fehrenbach (Taylor); Rochelle
Flock; Jon Fox; Leroy Frazee;Pat Kear; John
Lempp; Joy Lowe; Tony Garrett; Steve
Huppert; Tim Isenbart; Mary May; Ray
McConnell; Tim Miller; Tom Miltenberger;
Todd Pottorff; Laura Shulda; Ted Simon;
Judi Smelker (Mitchek); David Solberg;
Doren Spurlin; Bernard Stegman; Rodney
Thompson; Rona Weis.
1984 Kendra Berry; Jacqueline Brachtenbach; Zane Brachtenbach; Cheryl Drescher;
Donald Fox; Kenneth Fox; Michelle Fox;
Susan Hornung; Timothy Hornung; Dolores
King; Dana Kliesen; Garrett McConnell;
Donna Monroe; Michael Ramos; Robert
Schulte; Steve Schulte; Tricia Schwindt;
Mitch Swanson; Rebecca Topp; Lawerance
Yoder*.
1985 Shandra Adolf; Karine Berry; Eric
Brachtenbach; Pam Brachtenbach; Christine
Conrardy; Paul Conrardy; Russel Eisenbart;
Greg Engel; Geri Freiberg; Roger Hopewell;
Larry Hubbard; Joseph Isenbart; Melinda
Isenbart; John Lightle; Kimberly McCombs;
Deena Monroe; Ann Simon; Juleen Stegman;
Carole Lightle.
1986 Lora Abbott; Cheryl Beeson; Howard
Craig; DeAnna Fox; Lisa Gorryn; Anna Hartzmann; Mark Kelley; Ed May; Mike May;
Bobbi McCombs; Jim Ramos; Leroy Shields;
Karen Simon; Danny Shulda; Bruce Thompson; Gerald Weis; Rhea Wigton.
1987 Kerstin Berry; John Brachenbach;
Matt Isenbart; Janine Martin; Rodney Martin; Lonnie Drescher; Craig Fox; Kim Fox;
Donna McConnell; James McCormick; Gretchen Neumann; Layne Polzin; Jill Pottorff;
Julie Pottorff; Lori Roesch; Alice Schaal;
Pam Stramel; Rick Stramel; Wendi Swanson;
United Methodist, Immanuel Lutheran
Church north of Bethune, Stratton United
Methodist Church and the Seventh Day
Adventist Church in Stratton which is now
the Stratton Public Library.
In his foreword to that book Thomas
Hornsby Ferril, famous Colorado author,
stated "People lacking beauty tend to create
it." In its unique fashion the prairie was and
is beautiful, but the stark and unending
sweep of the plains before fences and roads,
the trials, disappointments and daily monotony, the vicissitudes of weather, and the
ceaseless change of seasons accompanied by
infrequent times of exulting in accomplishment drew those hardy souls to attempt
fulfilling their fragile dreams by grasping for
some visible and constant symbol of beauty
and steadfastness that would stay within
their grasp. Building and maintaining these
churches reflects to us the love and dedication and yearning of great hearts and minds
among the early pioneers and their descendants reaching even into today.
by Dorothy C. Smith
CHURCH OF GOD
T367
In the homestead days of 1912 and 1913,
Grandma Thomas, who lived north of Stratton, felt the need for a church in her
community. Mrs. Thomas began conducting
cottage prayer meetings in her home. Grandma Thomas had contact with the Church of
God in Kansas. Through her invitation Rev.
Clarence Bright and wife held a revival in an
adobe school house known as the Thyne
School in the year 1916. Near the close ofthat
of L9L7 a Sunday
School was organized.
In August 1918, Mrs. Pearl Norris and Miss
Birdie Luther held a two weeks meeting in
year or the beginning
the same school house. At this time they
decided to change from a Union Sunday
School to Church of God Sundav School.
�to raise money for the Building Fund. This
began the practice of a Fall Ingathering
Dinner which continues as a yearly extra
project for the church.
In 1965 bids were opened for the construction of the present building. Geo. H. Allen
Construction Co. of Denver was the low
bidder. Dan Rohwer was the architect. The
Building Committee was Wendell Arnold,
Howard Taton, Ray Bishop, Mrs. Joe Garner,
Mrs. John Hasart. Kenneth Scheierman and
Loyd Hostetler. The new church was dedicated October 24, t965. A dream of 12 years had
come to be a reality. The church paid off their
loan in 1972 and they are free ofdebt. A new
building fund is being held for the construction of an educational unit.
Merrill Smith pastored the church at the
time the new building was constructed and
returned to pastor the church again in 1987.
The roster of Ministers is as follows:
R.E. Hooper 1918-1923, T. Wade Good
The Church of God, Stratton, 1942, in the process of being remodeled. (ready for the stucco).
who lived in Stratton, and he was afraid to
carry the loan so they refinanced to pay him
off. In just a few weeks after the church paid
him, the local bank failed, and the man lost
all his money. The first building was a one
room structure with no basement at a cost of
between $2800.00 and $3000.00. It was dedicated in May 1920.
Rev. Hooper pastored the church until
T. Wade Good followed him and was
with the church until 1926. Rev. Good
1923.
.
ot;-.'1."1*-r-'
-,* _,-),'t-
.r*
The Church of God as it stands in 1988, built in
1965.
They began using Church of God literature.
R.E. Hooper, who lived south of Stratton, had
felt his call to the ministry and he began
preaching
in the Thyne
School and held
services Sunday mornings.
A.G. Lovell held a revival for the small
church in the little school house in November
1919. This meeting brought out people from
in the process of
starting a building fund to build a church. On
December 6, 1919, a business meeting was
held at the Thyne School for the purpose of
deciding as to the wishes of the congregation
in regard to building a new chapel and such
other business as might be considered. The
motion was made and carried that the church
be built in Stratton. Will Sweangen was
elected President of the Building Committee
and R.E. Hooper was elected as SecretaryTreasurer. Pledges were taken and totaled
$1850.00. Those who pledged were Mr. and
Mrs. D.B. Sealock. Mr. and Mrs. H.D.
Thomas, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Garner, Rev. and
town. The people were
Mrs. R.E. Hooper, Mr. and Mrs. Will
Sweangner, Will Sealock, Mr. and Mrs. D.B.
Thomas, Laura Sweangen and Merlin
McNees. Lots were purchased at the site of
the present church buiding. The money was
raised by pledges of money and articles from
the farm. Some gave horses, cattle, chickens,
machinery or whatever they could give which
was sold at a public sale. The balance of the
money needed was borrowed from an individual. The money was borrowed from a man
supported himself one year during his pastorate in order for the church to pay off their
debt. In 1934 Rev. R.E. Hooper returned to
pastor the church again. The church purchased a parsonage and the Hoopers moved
into it. It was located in the block south of the
present parsonage. During his pastorage the
church was remodeled and a full basement
put under the church. Rev. and Mrs. C.W.
Baldwin came to the church when the
Hoopers left. The Church sold their parsonage and purchased
the Hasart house which is
still used as a parsonage. It has been remodeled since then.
In 1945 the furnace smoked filling the
church with thick black oil webs. The ladies
of the church cooked meals and the men and
women came in to clean away the heavy black
smoke. They were very thankful that the
church did not burn.
In the early 1950's the church basement
was enlarged to make ready for an enlarged
In the middle fifties a building
fund was started for a new church building.
A God's Acre project was promoted one year
when different farmers in the church gave a
few acres of crop to the building fund. There
was a drouth during this period and the
sanctuary.
amount of money raised was small. Kenneth
Scheierman then offered to give up the lease
on a quarter of land he was farming which
belonged to Baughman's. The church rented
it
and farmed for the Building Fund. This
proved to be a big boost to the Building Fund.
During one year of this time, the income from
the land had to be used to pay the current
church expenses,
Pastor Harold Taves and his brother-inlaw fished in Canada each summer and when
they came home, they would have a fish fry
1923-1926, J.N. Richardson 1927-1930, W.B.
Morgan 1930-1932, David Lighty 1932-1934,
R.E. Hooper 1934-1943, C.W. Baldwin 19431947, S.C. Ritchhart 1947-1948, E.C. Arthur
1948-1952, Fred Bruner 1952-1958, Harold
Taves 1958-1959, Merrill Smith 1960-1968,
Wilbert Nelson 1968-1973, Merrill Cunningham 1973-1978, Wayne Woodworth 19781980, Donald
L. Bloomer 1980-1987, Merrill
Smith 1987-.
by Mabel Scheierman
SAINT CHARLES
BORREMO CHURCH
T368
Even before 1900, Franciscan priests from
St. Elizabeth's Church in Denver served as
missionaries for communities in East Central
Colorado. In 1909, the Franciscans turned
these missions over to the Diocese of Denver.
Bishop Matz assigned Monsignor Godfrey
Raber and his assistants to serve the many
missions in the area. In Stratton, Mass was
usually held once a year in the hall over the
old bank (now the Roadrunner). Priests who
came to Stratton during the years of 1909 and
1912 included: R. Charles Hagus, Fr. Cloppet,
Fr. Felix Abel, Fr. George Fenske, and Father
Alphonse Kieffer.
In 1910, a committee was formed to raise
funds and build a church. Leo Craig was
appointed chairman by Fr. Raber. O.S.
Taylor and C.E. Malamphy also served on the
committee. Members of the parish contributed funds, labor by constructing the basement,
and items to furnish the church. A Mr.
Leofflor, who was not a Catholic, donated the
land. The Catholic Church Extension Society
donated $500 and an altar. A local builder,
Mr. Huntington, was hired as the contractor.
The cornerstone of the first St. Charles
Church edifice was laid on November 17,
1910. Planks placed on nail kegs served as
pews. Mass was then held once a month.
In May 1912, Rev. George Fenske was
appointed pastor of St. Charles and its
missions, which at that time included Hugo,
Burlington, Kirk and Seibert. Due to Fr.
Fenske's illness, Rev. Alphonse Kieffer was
appointed pastor in 1913. He first lived in one
of the Sacristies in the church and ate his
meals with the Ollie Taylors, who lived across
�to travel on because ofthe ruts than were the
side roads through the prairie.
The Sisters of the Presentation of the
Blessed Virgin Mary of Dubuque, Iowa
arrived in September of 1919, and taught
school in Stratton for the next eight years.
Sister Mary Charles Duffy was the first
directress. She became ill with the flu and
died here on March 21, L920. She taught the
upper grades and was an artist. Sister Mary
Loyola was the next directress. Sister Mary
Arangelia Duffy taught music for the eight
years and gave individual violin lessons in the
kitchen. Sister Mary Therese was the teacher
for the lower grades. Sister Mary Agnes was
the cook for the school and for Fr. Schmidt
and the caretaker. She used a coal stove.
Clara Knockel recalled sitting with her feet
on the oven door to get warmed up. Other
teachers included: Sister Mary Clara, Sister
Mary Annunciata, and Sister Mary Juliana.
Three lay teachers also worked during the
last few years this particular order of sist€rs
were here. Miss Mary Horrell (later Mrs. Joe
Dvorak) taught the 5th, 6th, and 7th grades,
in 1924-25 for 925.00 per month. Miss Grace
Comerdy taught the first and second grades
one year, and Miss Lucille Wisco the 5th, 6th
and 7th grades in L926-27. This was the last
year that the Presentation sisters cnme to St.
Saint Charles Borremo Church built in 1910.
Charles.
In 1920, the cornerstone was laid for the St.
Charles Academy. The initial cost of the
building was $42,000, but the total cost was
eventually $125,000 due to the accumulated
interest. This was a controversial project
from the beginning. It was commonly agreed
that a larger school was needed. Some people
felt that an academy where girls from the
surrounding area could board and room
would help develop the parish. Other people
felt that this was too ambitious a goal. Once
the decision was made, however, many people
St. Charles Catholic Church built in 1949 replacing
their first structure.
The new Parish House and Religious Center built
in
1983.
replaced Father Kieffer. One of Fr. Schmidt's
accomplishments was extending the church
to the east in 1918, the new part being the
Sanctuary.
In
1919, Fr. Schmidt moved into the
little
white house so the Sist€rs could live and
conduct school in the rectory. The south half
of the rectory was for the upper grades. The
lower grades were taught
in the
adobe
addition. The adobe had double seats with
three to a seat. There was a well with a
windmill, also a cistern northeast of the
The two story brick rectory built in 1915.
the street to the west. With his own money,
Fr. Kieffer built a little white house, approximately where the church stands today. This
little one story house was moved, in later
years, to the southeast of the church, but still
in the same block, and the caretakers for the
church property lived in it. At one time,
George Quinn was one of the caretakers.
In 1915, the two story brick rectory was
built. An adobe addition was later added on
the east side. Fr. Kieffer had his office in this
addition, with a bedroom upstairs. He had to
go outside and up the staircase to reach his
bedroom. The adobe also had a cellar under
the porch. In 1917, Father Felix Schmidt
rectory. Sister Marie Therese would pull out
a bucket of water and the students would all
line up to get a drink after dinner. In the
winter, since there was not much heat in the
adobe, the students would take turns standing where the heat came into the room,
holding their books to study all the while.
Some children c'me by horse and buggy;
some walked. Josephine, Alice and Anthony
Walker walked eight miles to school when
they couldn't catch a ride. The Knockel
pledged funds. Unfortunately, a period of
drought and hard times followed, forcing
many to leave their land and move away,
leaving the debt on those members of the
parish who remained.
Father Munich arrived in 1921. During the
1928-29 school years, the children attended
public schools, and Father Munich conducted religious classes in the church each
Saturday morning after Mass. Clara Knockel
wrote that after Father Munich was sure
individuals among older children knew their
Iessons he would have them help with the
lower classes. Miss Knockel would go up front
and ask the lst, 2nd, and 3rd grade girls their
catechism. Helen Weibel (later Mrs. Joe
Bunger) was sent up to ask the 1st, 2nd, and
3rd boys their catechism.
The Sisters of the Most Precious Blood
from O'Fallon, Missouri taught school from
September 1929 to May of 1960 when St.
Charles.Academy was closed due to a shortage of teaching sisters. Sister Mary Walburges was the first Superior. Sister Mary
Geraldine taught music. She had been on the
stage in Europe before she became a num.
Other sisters from that order who taught
during these years included Sister Madeline,
Sister Christine Marie, Sister Virginia, and
Sister Aurelia who also taught piano to many
children had to travel seven miles to school.
Miss Clara Knockel remembered that the
driver would put the top down on their Ford
so that it could go faster. She recalled the
time of a blizzard and two of the sisters
wrapped her up in their shawls for the ride
young men and women. Father Munich
served St. Charles parish until 1936, when he
became ill. He died in Denver in 193?; Father
Henry J. Ernst was appointed pastor in
September, 1937. He became ill in 1946, and
home. In bad weather the highway was harder
Fr. George Spehar and Father Edward Dinan
�each assisted in the interim. Father Dinan
was later appointed pastor and served the
parish for over twenty years.
Due to the growth of the congregation, a
larger church was needed, The cornerstone
for the new church was laid on February 23,
1949. The church was dedicated on July 28,
1949. A large hall containing an auditorium,
kitchen and dining facilities was built in 1952
and dedicated on Dec. 15th of that year.
In 1983, the old St. Charles Academy was
torn down because its state of deterioration
made it an unsafe place to hold CCD classes.
The rectory was replaced by a building which
functions as both the parish house and the
religious center. The new rectory was dedicated on June 19, 1983.
Pastors since Father Dinan include: Fr.
II.
These members, wishing to continue to
observe the teachings and practices of their
God-given faith and also to be loyal to the
2000 year tradition of the Roman Catholic
Church, sought out priests, who were loyal to
'eternal Rome'of St. Peter and his successors.
to offer the Traditional Latin Mass, the Mass
of the Saints.
Father Placid White, O.S.B., the first
resident priest, came to the area from
Springfield, Colorado where he had served
the Catholics of Southeastern Colorado for
sixteen years.
At
present, Father Eugene R. Berry of
Aurora, Colorado offers the Traditional
Latin Mass on a scheduled basis at Our Lady
of Fatima Roman Catholic Chapel, Stratton.
by Joann Hornung
Maclnerney, Fr. Bannigan, Fr. Sobiesczyk,
Fr. Wm. Murphy, and Fr. Edward Leonard.
Fr. John Krenzke is the priest in 1988.
Boys from St. Charles who became priests
were: Rev. Hugo Pautler, ordained in 1932,
Rev. George Weibel, ordained in 1948, and
Rev. John Holloway, ordained in 1955. Girls
from St. Charles who became nuns include:
Barbara Wurtele, Mary Dvorak, Helen Wein-
gardt, Augusta Weingardt, Elenora Byrnes,
Kathleen Green, Mary Alice Isenbart, and
Marcia Grasser.
Early families in the parish include the
Anthofer, Balanga, Brachtenbach, Brock,
Dischner, Dvorak, Evans, Fierstein, Flageolle, Ford, Heiman, Horrell, Hahn, Taylor,
Jostes, Knockel, Leoffler, Wm. Nowak, Paut-
ler, Pelle, Quinn, Schiferl, Simon, Stoffel,
Strick, Walker, Thomas, Thyne, Weibel,
Weingardt, Wolf, Zurcher, and Thomasen
families. Many descendants of these families
are still active in the St. Charles parish and
the Stratton community today.
The history of this church were taken from
materials written by Miss Clara Knockel in
May of 1969, and a letter from Mr. Leo F.
Craig in 1953, and personal conversations
with Mr. Louis Pautler.
by Elizabeth Whipple
FATIMA CATIIOLIC
T369
Int974,a group of Roman Catholics joined
together because of the radical changes
caused by the 'so called' reforms of Vatican
Our Lady of Fatima Roman Catholic Chapel near
Stratton.
T370
St. Pauls Lutheran Church was built in
L92L.
In
1949 the congregation purchased the
Nazarene Church which had abandoned
services in Stratton.
St. Paul Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod, was started in Stratton by the Flagler
Church as their mission church. Their pastor,
Rev. Beirwagen came and gathered several
families together for worship. In 1920 they
organized into a congregation. The charter
members came from the following families,
the Wollers from Vona, Gaddys,
Pischke, and Lucas. They gathered
Gerke,
in the
John Gerke home for worship under the
leadership of Rev. Vuesing, who interned
here for one year. They were encouraged to
build
a house
that could be used for a church.
At that time they were a part of the Kansas
District of the Missouri Synod. Funds were
borrowed from the mission fund of the
district and Mr. Joe Collins gave them the
lots and helped them build their first house
of worship. The church was dedicated in1922
free of debt as they had paid the loan off by
OUR LADY OF
CHAPEL
ST. PAULS
LUTHERAN CHURCH
that time. Their first Pastor was Rev.
Webber. Next came Rev. and Mrs. Christ
Adams. They stayed for a year and one half
leaving due to health reasons. Rev. Biens
came and stayed for a long time.
During this time the church grew with the
addition of the Grammol, Chris Zogg, Erth-
man, Meyer, Einspahr, Scheierman, Mucho
and other families. Later other families
joined them from the Burlington area. They
were the Lucke, and Seelhoff families. The
Hasart family joined in the thirties along with
others who cannot be recalled.
In 1949 they traded their "house" for the
church building of the Nazarene Church. The
Nazarene Church wanted to sell their building but couldn't find a buyer prompting the
trade for the house . . . Worship services
were held there until 1979 when the congregation voted to fold due to declining membership. The Church building along with some
of the contents was sold in 1980. Mr. Curt
Jostes purchased the building converting it
into a lovely home. The old bell went to
Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlington.
Mrs. Hilda Lucas is the only remaining
charter member living at this time.
by Hilda Lucas
STRATTON UNITED
METHODIST CHURCH
T371
The Constitution and By-Laws of the
Claremont Congregational Church were
adopted March 10, 1888, when it was organized in the home of Mrs. Lucy Hobart. She
and her daughter Clara were the only members. Rev. Martin H. Meade was a traveling
pastor who came through and held services
when he could. In 1889 a building fund was
started. Rev. George E. Tuttle was the first
resident minister, moving to Claremont on
March 1, 1892. By July, 1896, when he left,
there were 27 members, Some names that are
familiar are Mr. and Mrs. N.H. Fuller, Mr.
and Mrs. E.G. Davis, and Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Wellman. Starting in the winter of
1896 services were held only once each month
so the pastor could travel farther west and
carry the message to more people. He served
Seibert and Flagler, also.
Rev. C.W. Smith then served Seibert,
Flagler, Cope, and Kirk part-time and Clare-
mont all of the time until March 1.
1901.
Brother Peter Rasmussin of Cope preached
a few Sundays at 3:00 p.m. until Rev. N.H.
Nash came to Claremont on May 5, 1901, for
a
salary of $100 per year. His parish consisted
of Cope, Seibert, Bethune, and Claremont.
On March 1, 1903, Rev. F.S. Hughes became
the preacher in this parish. On July 3, 1904,
he preached his farewell sermon to the
Claremont Church. Rev. J.W. Tipton of
Burlington filled in until September 4, 1904,
when Rev. J.L. Read was called to be the
pastor for a salary of $200.00 per year plus a
parsonage, which was bought from Mr. Book
for $450. At that time the average Sunday
service attendance was 36. In 1906 the
members voted to take up a collection at each
service to be used as needed for the church.
On June 14, 1908, the name ofthe church was
to the Congregational Church of
Stratton as the town's name had been
changed
changed.
The Methodists had built a basement and
it for a time but were no longer able to
continue having a church in Stratton. So the
Congregational Church bought this basement and built the First Congregational
used
Church on
it for a total cost of $2,012.69.
During the next 14 years there were increases
and decreases in membership, pastors came
and went, and services were held when
possible. Sunday School was held regularly
and officers of the church were elected and
active.
On September 22, 1922, Rev. Barton,
pastor ofthe Seibert Congregational Church,
became pastor of the Stratton Congregational Church, also. His salary was $1,600 per year
paid half by Seibert and half by Stratton.
Rev. Barton resigned September 16, 1923.
Several ministers c"me and delivered a
sermon but did not want to serve two
churches. On Novembet 24, L924, Rev. J.T.
Bainbridge of the Methodist Church in
Burlington came over and held a worship
service at 2:30 p.m. He agreed to do this on
�I
i
i
:
AA
Iu
26, thru May 30, 1954. Plans for
Stratton United Methodist Church, 1988, one of the "Little White Churches of the Plains"
On October L2, 193L, the trustees of the
Congregational Community Church voted to
lease the church building to the Evangelical
Church for 925 per year, although no payment is recorded in the financial statements
of the following years. At a special meeting
held in 1942, the Stratton Congregational
Community Church became the Stratton
Evangelieal Church and the deed to the
parsonage and church property was turned
over to them. The parsonage was sold to Mrs.
Anna Scheierman and the house on the
corner
an irregular basis. Then from December 1,
1926 until May 1, 1927, Rev. Jockins of Idalia
Methodist Church served as pastor for the
Stratton Church with two services each
month. In February L927, a fire broke out in
the little room under the stairs in
the
basement of the church. Mr. Stoner repaired
the damage to the building for 9266.35 but
the organ had to be replaced.
' A special meeting
was called on March 28,
1927, with Rev. Jockins presiding. Under
consideration was the changing of the church
to an Evangelical Community Church or, if
that did not pass, changing it to the Stratton
Congregational Community Church. The
motion for the first change did not pass, but
the one for the second name change did pass.
On May 2, t927, Rev. Alfred Alf came to
Stratton, with his wife and 2 daughters, to
serve as the full time minister of the church.
A new constitution and By-Laws were written and charter memberships were accepted
until the end of May, 1927. Rev. Alf served
in Stratton for about one year. Sunday School
and other activities were continued after he
left but no regular minister was assigned. A
worship service was held only when a visiting
minister could be available.
The Evangelical Church rented the sanctuary and started having regular worship
services on February 10, 1929, with a membership of 46. Rev. C.E. Glaze was the pastor.
beds.
breakfasts, and transportation for some of
the guests to stay in Bethune, Kirk, and
Seibert were discussed. Some of the meals
were to be served by the Ladies Aid in the
Church or perhaps in the school lunch room.
,,"-m
Community Congregational Church, now United
Methodist Church at Stratton, t920-23.
needed to complete the project $b,260. A
campaign for more money was started and
the Ladies Aid would help to make up the
difference. Volunteers could be dependld to
do some of the labor. A loan in the amount
of $6,000 was secured so the building could
be finished.
On January 15, 1950 plans were started for
the rededication of the remodeled building.
The rededication was held on March 19, 19b0,
with an all day celebration.
The Reverend Virgil J. Lnmm came to
Stratton in June, Lgl2,to be the pastor ofthe
Stratton E.U.B. Church. At the Administrative Council meeting held in November, 19b2,
the three pulpit chairs were given to the
Bethune E.U.B. Church. At the November.
1953 Council meeting it was announced that
Stratton's invitation to host Annual Conference had been accepted. The dates were May
of 3rd and
Colorado Avenue was
bought for a parsonage. In L946 the Evangelical Church merged with the United Brethern
Church thus the Stratton Evangelical United
Brethern Church came into being.
At the annual meeting held on March 27,
!947, the pastor, Rev. Erickson, presided.
The following officers were elected: Marge
Brown, secretary; Geneva Hill, treasurer;
trustees, Elora Calverly and Russell Sawyer;
class leader Adeline Sawyer; assistant, E.R.
Smith; Sunday School Supt., Earl Kindred;
1st asst., Vena Scheierman; 2nd asst., Marge
Brown; secretary, Dessie Cassity; Membershin cnm E R Smifh ond Elnro fa"l.'."|.'
Tearing down the church steeple and remodeling the kitchen were discussed and referred to the Ladies Aid. During the next few
months the church steeple was discussed but
nothing was done about tearing it down.
In April of 1948, a building committee was
elected to start on plans for remodeling the
church. Ernest Pottorff, Vena Scheierman.
and Art Lowe were elected. A goal of g12,000
was set for this project. Rev. Francis Bayles,
Jr. came to Stratton as the pastor in June,
1948. The Building Committee was instructed to get an architect to make plans for the
remodeling. In September the plans were
presented for the remodeling at an estimated
cost of$8,100. 96,100 was on hand or pledged,
$1,500 promised from Conference, 91,100
promised for new pews by the Ladies Aid,
making a total pledged of $8,700. The
committee was instructed to proceed with the
remodeling as economically as possible. On
March 3, 1949, the estimate of amount
Because of this careful planning the whole
affair was a great success.
During the next years, under Rev. Lamm's
strong leadership, the church grew in mem-
bership and attendance. Helen Kerl
was
appointed church treasurer in March, 19bb.
Money was always in short supply but with
every-member canvasing and a firm understanding of stewardship the bills were always
paid even if things were pretty close sometimes. With faithful giving and some sacrificial giving the financial position ofthe church
slowly improved.
In June, 1957, Rev. Lamm suggested that
the membership was increasing and it was
becoming necessary to acquire more space. It
was reported that the property north of the
church might be available. Also the parsonage was getting very rundown and inadequate. Extensive remodeling and improvement was needed. Building a new parsonage
might be more economical than the work on
the old one. On April 23, 1958, the Council
voted unanimously to buy the property on
the north side of the Church for $8.800. A
letter was sent to every member and a special
meeting was called to vote on buying this
property.On May 7, 1958, the vote was 84 for
buying it and 18 against. At that time the
average attendance at Sunday School was
115. The cottage on this property was greatly
needed to use as Sunday School class rooms.
The cottagewas dedicated July27,19b8. The
final payment on the property was made on
Sept. 17, 1958 instead of on the due date
which was June 1, 1960.
During the summer and fall of 1961 several
suggestions on a new parsonage or remodel-
ing were investigated. On September
21,
1961, a special congregational meeting was
called to vote on trading the current parsonage at the corner ofColorado and 3rd Ave. for
Nusser's lots, north of the E.U.B. Cottage,
and $4,000 cash. The vote was 19 yes and 18
no and the exchange was made. Guy Ancell
was given the contract to build the new
parsonage with a full basement for 917,000,
not including the wiring and fixtures, about
$500, as Max Toland had pledged to do the
wiring. Financial statement for the building
of the parsonage - Cash on hand
$4,127;
borrow $7,500; making a total of 917,500. In
March it was voted to borrow the $6.?50- still
�owed the Conference at 6 percent interest,
served nearly 4 years (through June' 1983).
Sunday evening 18, and prayer meeting 16.
In June 25, 1964 Rev. V.J. Lamm was sent
Niwot, Colorado moved to Stratton on July
the District and Conference Mission Teams.
Membership remained a little above 100 for
these years. In June, 1982, Rev. Bingham
accepted the Hotchkiss/Crawford charge in
getting more youth and more young families
into the church. On September 7, 1966, he
reported an average attendance at Sunday
Greenwood, having married Ernest Greenwood, a long time resident of this community.
from the Stratton First National Bank at 5
percent interest and pay off the Conference
loan. At that time the average attendance
was: Sunday School 80, worship service 70,
to Peetz, Colorado. Rev. David Finley of
28, L964. Two of his first concerns were
of
46.0 and worship service 46.5.
October was designated as Church Loyalty
Month to boost attendance' Dorothy Smith
and Helen Karl were appointed to prepare a
prospect list and implement it with a followup call.
In 1967 the 3 churches in Stratton, Church
of God, St. Charles Catholic Church, and
E.U.B. Church, started working together on
helping the migrants in the community. A
Joint Conference meeting with Kirk, Bethune, and Stratton on September 19, 1967'
was held and the members were reminded
that as ofApril 23, 1968, our churches names
would be changed to The United Methodist
Church. The curriculum of the E'U'B. and
School
the western part of Colorado and is still
serving there in 1988, but is now Rev. Doris
In June, 1982, Rev. Eldon
Shoemaker
moved to Stratton and served the Stratton/Seibert parish until his death in November,
1982. Rev. Douglas Lewis served this parish
on weekends from January, 1982, until in
June, 1983, when he became the fulltime
pastor until June, 1985 when he moved back
to South Carolina.
Rev. Marge Huffman was appointed to the
Stratton/Seibert Parish in June, 1985. Great
plans are being made for the Stratton United
Methodist Church's Centennial Celebration
in May of
1988.
by Belle B. Danforth
Methodist Churches had been written to-
gether for the last two years. District orientation groups were suggested. The mortgage on
the parsonage was paid off and a celebration
service was held on October 29, 1967. It was
suggested
that the church recognize the
STRATTON
AMERICAN LEGION
POST
uniting ofthe two churches in an appropriate
way at the discretion of the pastor. Rev.
Finley used part of his vacation to attend the
Uniting Conference in Dallas. A new bulletin
board was erected south of the church and
was dedicated on May 12, 1968. The memorial fund was reserved for a new organ. During
the next four years membership decreased
slightly but attendance at Sunday school and
worship service remained stable. New
hymnals were purchased.
In June, 1972, Rev. Charles M. Wood was
assigned to the Stratton/Seibert Parish. The
membership in Stratton was 137, with an
average attendance in Sunday school of 56
and in worship service 64. New loudspeakers
were installed. A memorial plaque was placed
in the church and.a2 drawer file cabinet with
lock was purchased to be placed in the
parsonage. A Baldwin organ was bought from
Hershberger, McCook, Nebraska, for $2,395.
A new furnace with air conditioning cabinets
was installed with air conditioning to come
if
money were available. A Building
Committee was elected to work on plans for
an education building.
In June, 1974, Rev. George Dagenakis was
appointed as pastor for the Stratton/Seibert
Parish. After much work and some disappointments, the work of the Building Committee finally paid off. The contract was let
to Ezra Yoder and the building finished near
the end of 1977 at a total cost of $65,000' The
trustees signed a 6 month note at the Stratton
First National Bank which was paid off in 4
months. The dedication and mortgage burning was cause for real celebration with
later
Greeley District Superintendent Jon R.
Nieves joining
in this time of joy
and
thanksgiving.
In July, 1978, Rev. Frank Harvey came to
the Stratton/Seibert Parish on a temporary
basis. Rev. Doris L. Bingham was appointed
fn fhio norioh fhe firsf nf Sentemher end
STRATTON
AMERICAN LEGION
These were good years for the Stratton
U.M.C. with a strong Sunday school and
youth program. The United MethodistWomen were very active with members serving on
T'J72
AUXILIARY
T373
The American Legion post and the Auxilia-
ry were named for the first two World War
I
veterans killed
in
service, Nagel-Rehms.
The Auxiliary received a charter in June,
1926, with J.G. Ford, Commander, and G.E.
Quinn, Adjutant, conducting the ceremony.
The charter members were Ursula Fitzgerald,
Ada Hunt, Cora Janeway, Gladys Quinn,
Jane Pugh, Margaret Epperson, Olive
Bertch, Anna Quinn, Inez Ford, and Henrietta Barry. Meetings were held at the
Collins Hotel sitting room. Later they moved
to the homes where they pieced and tied
quilts to sell. They moved to the present
Legion Hall which was built in 1948 after
World War II.
Activities through the years have included
having Capper's hospital equipment for
community service and use, making and
sending knee robes to Fort Lyons and the VA
Hospital in Denver, sending cookies with
Christmas gifts and a TV for use at Fort
Lyons, buying and selling poppies to help the
Disabled Veterans, sponsoring space for the
library for several years, sponsoring a girl at
Girls' State, and hosting Gold Mothers teas.
The Gold Star Mothers were Elva Holloway,
son Alfred; Nettie Taylor, son Vance; Carrie
Wolf, son Frank; Clara Hoyda, son Chester;
Esther Mclean, son Chester; Clara Doddridge, son Philip; Lula Hooper, son Floyd;
Rosie Gray, son Kenny Hanson; Hilda Lucas,
son Ernst. Each year we fix decoration for the
departed veterans on Memorial Day.
We have a three generation trio of ladies
and members: Grace Greenwood, Vera
Greenwood, and Karen Greenwood Eastland.
Two generation members are Edith Fehrenbach and granddaughter Tanya Fehrenbach
Taylor. Our meetings are held the third
Wednesday of the month in the dining room
of the American Legion Hall.
by Lola Gramoll
The home of Nagel-Rehms Post No. 138 since 1948
in Stratton.
Application for membership to maintain a
Post of the American Legion was granted to
Stratton. Colorado on June 15, 1922, to be
known as Nagel-Rehms Post No. 138. The
M.S.A. CLUB HISTORY
T374
"M.S.A. Club was organized in 1933 by a
group of sixteen Stratton ladies who sought
name Nagel-Rehms was chosen to honor the
by inspiring relationship and mutual ex-
first two men from this area who had lost
their lives in World War I.
After World War II the membershiP
swelled with World War II veterans being
eligible for membership. The old Midway
change
Theatre building was purchased to maintain
the Post. The present building was erected in
1948 and continues to be the center of much
community activity as well as providing the
Legion's home. The Post now has a membership of 86.
by Ray Schifierl
of ideas to better themselves, their
families and their community." The first of
54 scrapbooks has this rather stilted sentence
to explain the beginnings of M.S.A. Club.
The first meeting was held Oct. 3, 1933
with Helen Liebee presiding as President.
The second meeting wae a tea honoring Mrs.
A.G. Fish. President of Colorado State
Federation of Women's Clubs. Topics that
were discussed at that meeting were Hitlerism, Monetary standards, Inflation and the
N.R.A.Code. Of these Inflation and Monetary Standards, are still timely as are many
topics that the ladies delved into during the
years with emphasis in 1987 on obsewing the
Bicentennial Celebration of the America
Constitution.
Now bv Derusing through fifty-four year-
�- the Community Scholarship Fund, the Heart Fund, A.M. Cancer
Fund, March of Dines, CARE, Stratton
Swimming Pool, the Kit Carson County
worthy projects
Carousel Restoration Fund, Deric Bauman
Day, and a donation to the United Methodist
Church Library in memory of the late Doris
Peters in recognition of 28 years of faithful
membership in the Club.
Another project sponsored by the Club was
the establishment of a City Library, Mrs.
Dessie Cassity, Chairman of the library
Committee will always be remembered for
her tireless efforts in finding a suitable
building, soliciting financial support from the
town, promoting the donation of books and
securing the services of the Bookmobile
beginning April 7, 1959. In 1968 the Club
bought a set of Encyclopedia Brittanica for
the Library. Much credit should be given to
other members who supported the Library or
served on the Board including the late Doris
Peters who dedicated so much of her time as
Librarian. When the Stratton Public Library
MSA Club, the sponsoring organization for this book. Back row, left to right: Marie Greenwood, Shirley
Hornung, Mabel Scheierman, Patty Witzel, Wanda Sweet, Florence McConnell. Middle row: Marlyn
Hasart, Henrietta Schlte, Belle Danforth, Betty Stewart, Dorothy Smith, Dorothy Stegman, Eileen Cure.
Front row: June Pottorff, Sharon Todd.
books and scrapbooks we can recall that the
M.S.A. Club has promoted a great variety of
programs and projects such as Guest Night,
Mother's Day Teas, Husband's Parties, reports from Columbine Girls State which the
club helped sponsor, Safety
programs,
Energy Saving and Community Beautification programs, reports from 4-H Club members some of whom were delegates to the
Citizen's Short Course in Washington D.C.,
talks by Foreign Exchange Students,
a
Oct. 26th, and are preserved in the scrapbook
for that year. On Oct. 22, 1983 the Club
celebrated its Golden Anniversary. Several
State and District officers attended as well as
former members. and members of other
Federated Clubs. A history of the Club was
read as well as letters from former members.
One former member who was 96 years old
that year is still keeping in touch with the
Club at the age of 100 years in 1987.
M.S.A. has had many outstanding pro-
demonstration bythe County E.W.L., Ambulance Director, high school parties up to the
year 1948 when we changed to honoring the
High School Senior Girls with a dinner and
evening of entertainment, In 1971, a program,
arranged by Dorothy Smith and open to the
public, featured a guest speaker, Mrs. Gallagher, the Director of Ridge Home. Other
outstanding programs have been "History of
Early Pioneers", the Colorado water situation, Child abuse, Keep America Beautiful,
grsms and special speakers. On February 19,
1974 the club hosted a group ofboys from the
Colorado Boy's Ranch, LaJunta, Colorado.
After partaking of a scrumptious supper, the
boys favored the club with a musical program
and Indian dances for which they are famous.
This program was open to the public.
In 1977, Jo Downey, Executive Director of
Living with a Handicap with Irene Armis-
Other enjoyable programs were on poetry
by Bonny Gould, Art by Roy Duell, Hummell
Collecting by Frank Liebl, Doll Collecting
and repair by Naomi Allison of Greeley and
Oil Painting by Sally Bauder of Burlington.
tead, a paraplegic, as guest speaker; lawyer
who explained the legal processes of estates
and wills; The administrator of a Nursing
Home, Hugh O'Brian Reports; Organ Donors; Reports on National Conventions; and
County Nurse on Sex Education
in
the
schools.
In 1946, the Club entertained the other
Clubs of Pikes Peak District with a pageant
of Colorado History, using original script
written and directed by the members with
East Central Council of Governments, gave
a
program on Housing and Community
Beautification.
One
of the most enduring projects of
M.S.A. Club is Stratton's City Park established in 1939 with tremendous physical
effort from members and their husbands who
carried water to nourish the trees. This site
is an attractive addition to Stratton and the
many tourists who use its shade and ameni-
correlating background scenery. In 1947, the
ties each year. The public swimming pool and
tennis courts are there. Now a part ofthe city
many of the organizations in Town participating and competing for prizes.
government's responsibility. M.S.A. is very
proud of the latest improvement, the delightful gazebo provided with lottery money.
The Club has made a number of donations
to the San Juan National Forest in the name
of bereaved members. They have also contributed to many health drives and other
Club put on a Talent Show Contest with
In
1958-59, The Club celebrated its Silver
Anniversary. The past presidents were contacted and the letters which they wrote
constitute history in themselves. These letters were read at a special Guest Night on
outgrew the small downtown building, the
club supported the city of Stratton in its
mandating of efforts to establish new quarters and develop greater use of the town's
facility. M.S.A. Club chose sodding of the
area and some floral plantings surrounding
the historical site, once the Seventh Day
Adventist Church, as its major contribution
to this project. As M.S.A. Club members as
well as Stratton Public Library board officers, Belle Danforth and Dorothy Smith have
been closely involved in this endeavor.
In order to finance their activities the Club
has had many money making projects. For
the last seven years it has compiled and sold
Community Calendars to the people in the
Stratton Community. Birthdays, anniversaries and community and sports events are
recorded on the calendars.
During the years, the members have been
actively involved in the pursuits of the
District and the State Federation of Women's
Clubs. M.S.A. Club has always taken its turn
at being convention hostess club. Several
members have served as State Chairman of
various departments. Four members have
held the office of Pikes Peak District President - Manda J. Borders about 1950. Mabel
Scheierman in 1964-66, Florence McConell in
1972-74, and Shirley Hornung in 1976-78.
Many awards have been received at District and State Conventions including
ribbons on our scrapbooks. Others have been
environmental undertakings and several
years the Club was cited for collecting the
most cancelled stamps. In 1982 they received
the Sears Community Improvement Award.
One member, Dorothy Smith, was sponsored by the Club as the Colorado Mother of
the year 1973 and was honored by the
Colorado Mother's Committee as a Colorado
Merit Mother at a luncheon in Denver April
21, t973.
In 1982, the Club nominated Whitney
Hornung, daughter of member Shirley Hornung, as teenage volunteer of the year.
Another community project was the preservation of the old bell and belltower taken
from the recently demolished old brick school
building and placed
in front of the new
elementary school building where
it
was
dedicated during the Stratton Day-Homecoming celebrations Oct. 8, 1983.
The most recent large project sponsored by
M.S.A. CIub with members Marilyn Hasart
�November and December being combined
through the years 1962 ending in October
and Dorothy Smith as co-chairman, is the
monumental task of gathering and compiling
a History of Kit Carson County to be
published in 1988 in celebration of the
1966.
county's century of development.
Past Presidents: Helen Liebee 1933, Winnie Bradshaw 1934, Genevieve Murfin 1935,
Florence Cavey 1936, Mary Evans 1937,
Gladys Herburger 1938, June Scofield 1939,
Ellora Calverley 1940, Gertrude Rose 1941,
Mabel Guy 1950, Lucile Lepper 1951, Mary
Anne Bradshaw 1952-53, Dorothy Smith
1954-55, Mabel Scheierman 1956-57, Lucile
Lepper 1958-59, Eleanor Proctor 1960-61,
Betty Miller 1962-63, Doris Peters 1964-65,
Florence McConnell 1966-67, Wanda Sweet
1968-69, Helen Mclean 1970, Dorothy Smith
1971, Doris Peters 1972-73, Mabel Scheierman 197 4-75, Belle Danfofih L976-77 , Eileen
Cure 1978-79, Dorothy Smith 1980-81, Florence McConnell 1982-85, Patty Witzel 198688.
by Marie Greenwood
STRATTON GARDEN
CLUB
T375
The Stratton Garden Club was organized
1957 fulfilling the dream of Mrs. Dessie
in
Cassity. Mrs. Cassity had visited friends and
relatives who were members of a Garden Club
and her keen interest in gardening prompted
gone
The Club promoted flower growing and
Dessie Cassity 1942, Leona Stapp and June
Scofield 1943, Polly Thiringer 1944, Gladys
Herburger 1945, Myrtle Hanley 1946, Marie
Greenwood 1947, Manda Borders 1948-49,
In the following years they have
back to March through October meetings.
They have enjoyed lessons on many garden
subjects led usually by a club member. They
have toured gardens in the community and
have had some interesting field trips to other
gardens and green houses from Goodland,
Kansas to Denver. Colorado.
Stratton Garden Club soon after organizing: Left
to right: Mabel Scheierman, Helen Mclean, Dessie
Cassity, Belle Pottorff, Edith Malone, Gladys Kerl,
Cora Hansen, Marge Brown.
her to action. She invited a group of ladies to
her home on June 19, 1957. She also invited
members of the Burlington Garden Club to
give direction in the organization of a Garden
Club for Stratton. The Club began after that
meeting with Mrs. Cassity as its first president. The CIub elected to not become a
federated Garden Club because ofthe reports
and emphasis on items that were not of
interest to them. Dues could be kept at a
lower figure and Mrs. Cassity wanted women
to belong.
Gladys Kerl, Louise Smith and Mabel
Scheierman became members in that first
year. Helen Kerl was an Associate Member
for a number of years in the beginning of the
organization. The three ladies who became
members that first year have been members
of the club all through its 30 years of
existence. The Club year begins in March and
ends with an enjoyable early Christmas party
held in the month of October. The Club held
monthly meetings the entire year except for
arranging by holding flower shows in its first
years of existence. In 1957 they had a flower
arrangement show in connection with Stratton Day. They gave three prizes; first of $1.50.
second of 750 and a ribbon to the third place
winner. Mrs. Marie Greenwood won the first
prize, Mrs. Heiman won second and Mrs.
Marge Brown the ribbon.
The Club has had many projects to beautify its community. They had a very lovely
flower bed in the city park and also a flower
garden around the flag pole at the old grade
school. They planted evergreen shrubs at the
new school and donated for landscaping at
the High School. They have made donations
to Stratton Library, the swimming pool, and
Christmas decorations for the town. They
helped the Rotary Club in donating in the
Park for Christmas. They have been faithfully donating to the Stratton Community
Scholarship Fund. They have made floats for
many Stratton Day parades and have won
money several times. Several years they took
Christmas goodies to the elderly and shutins. They have had art shows which included
not only flowers but quilts and other types of
hand work. Stratton's observance of Colorado's Centennial on August 1, 1976, was
spearheaded by Stratton Garden Club.
Deceased members have had living memo-
rials placed in Stratton City Park and the
United Methodist Church yard in Stratton.
This Club has not been a money making club.
In all of its 30 year existence it has probably
only had one big money making project.
by Mabel Scheierman
IF AN ABSTRACT
COULD TALK!
T376
Studying abstracts for several properties in
our search through Stratton history revealed
the wealth of history one could glean from an
abstract
if
acquiring
a piece
given time. The excitement of
of land, the struggle to keep
its expenses currently paid, the taxes especially, the regrets and sorrows that were
attached to letting it go into other hands or
the thankfulness of getting it off one's own
hands . . . it is all written between the lines.
This is the "story" told by the abstract of
the oldest building in Stratton today: the one
at the southeast corner of Colorado and Main
which today houses the D.G. Liquors and
Stratton Garden Club members on a June 20, 1985, tour of the Denver Botanic Gardens and the Governor's
mansion: Standing, I to r: Kenny and Mabel Scheierman, Dorothy Flageolle, Dorothy Smith, Karen Topp,
Marge Brown, Charlene Garner. Middle row: Doris Gulley, Eileen Cure, Laurine Schiferl, Gladys Kerl,
Helen Kerl, Marie Greenwood, Louise Smith. On floor: Lib Boone, Joyce Clark, Belle Danforth, June
Pottorff.
Roadrunner Cafe and Bar. Built in 1908 or
1909, Stratton has been a town for several
years and most buildings built to that time
had been frame construction. Fires destroyed
blocks of the town during that period of time,
so no earlier building remains.
Kit Carson County was yet Elbert County
and had not resolved the Morton vs. Kit
Carson County naming choice when the
�
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
Text
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Title
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Stratton
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
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history
Description
An account of the resource
A history of the Town of Stratton as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/433/Vignettes.pdf
7f92085a73de4bc346d85c24dead8dbd
PDF Text
Text
VIGNETTES
t'
, .
"Prairie Life Blood" by Sally Bauder
,''.''
.',':,,,
,:.'
,,t:
�COLORADO SKIES
T42l
MOM'S CREAM PIE
T42A
normal for this area. About 2 P.M. the color
changed from dark blue to red. That wasn't
normal. This cloud was headed to the southeast.
COLORIDO SKIES
At evening when the setting sun
Spreads its brilliant
rays across the sky,
\:e gaze in rapture, as one by one,
The flan:e-tinged clou(ls go uafLing by.
i{e aatch the change from lold to gray,
As the miraculous beauty fades from view,
And niAht creeps on in silent array,
l'Ihile moonbeams shine with siLv'ry hue,
The eternal drama in the skies,
Fron' evening's glow to daun's fa i nt rays,
Reflects llis promise "l vill arise,"
.\nd brings bright hope to darkest days.
--DeIla Hendricl<s
There are many things we talk and rem-
Garold's parents, George and Agnes Pain-
inisce about when we are together, such as the
old Majestic Range, mince pies, chili suppers
and cinnnmon rolls. But the thing that always
tin, and I stood on the doorstep and watched
a tornado go pastjust to the west ofthe barn.
We could feel the force it created as it went
past us. It was deathly still where we stood.
As objects came to the edge of the whirling
cloud, they would drop to the ground. One
was a new binder canvas that was still rolled
bring joy to our hearts and tears to our eyes
is "Mom's Cream Pie."
It was some eort of a custard pie. You could
tell by the color and the nutmeg on the
bubbles that would form on top. Mom would
say, "I think I'll make a cream pie" and all
four of us boys would be at attention right
away. Why she seemed so powerfully proud
of it, we may never know, as it certainly
wouldn't take
a prize at the County Fair. Just
how it was made I'll never know, even though
I saw the process many times. It was made in
a pie shell. The filling was made with milk
and included sugar and flour. There was not
a crust on top, but the filling was sprinkled
with nutmeg. As it baked, you could
by Della Hendricke
WHEAT HARVEST
TIME I.916
T422
There really wasn't much wheat planted in
Carson County in 1916. Most of the
homesteader's farm crops were a few acres of
corn, some cane, or millet cane for horse feed,
and millet for cows.
There was an old saying among corn
farmers that their corn should be layed by the
4th ofJuly. Then a good share ofthe farmers
would head for Kansas to find work in the
wheat harvest. They would leave their wiveg
and farnily to hold the homestead down, take
care of the pigs, chiekens, and milk cow.
A man could hire out single handed to work
in a header barge for 91.50 per day. If he
worked as a stacker he could draw 92.00 per
day. All wheat in those days was harvested
with horsedrawn headers and horsedrawn
barges to catch the wheat as cut by the
header. Then the headed wheat was stacked
in the wheat field. Then as soon as the
stacked wheat had gone through the sweat,
which took a few weeks, it was thrashed with
the old thrashing machine.
I went to harvest wheat in 1916, south of
Colby. I took six work horses and was lucky
enough to get ajob. I ran the header for 97.00
per day for me and the horses, and board for
myself and the horses. After the wheat was
cut, the farmer hired me and the horses to do
some summer fallowing. This was in the form
of blank listing with a two row lister. At least
this short session ofcash wages would supply
me with some ready cash to help finance
myself through the fall and winter.
Kit
see the
top ofthe filling set and form big bubbles that
would rise and turn first gold then brown and
then burst.
When it was done it was not one half inch
or one inch deep - it would be about one
fourth inch thick or perhaps three eighths
inch at the very most. It was vaguely like a
custard but not a sissy-type custard. It was
a solid layer of crust, sugar, flour, milk, and
nutmeg of a pretty uniform consistency and
quite durable. You would take it out of the
pan and bit it and feel it and taste it and it
was good. Then, you could put a piece in your
jacket or pants pocket and hours later you
could take it out and eat it and it would be
in one piece and it would taste the same. It
was good and it was durable and Mom was
proud of it and we never talk about it but that
we laugh and cry at the same time. No one
will ever make anything at all like "Mom's
Cream Pie."
by Carl
TY.
up and landed undamaged. The tornado was
on the ground for nearly a mile.
Garold and Melvin Sweet had just gone to
the Joe Garner place and were within
tornado turned the truck upside down,
leaving the well tools that were in the back,
in the spot he had just left.
Joe Garner was in the house at the time.
He laid on the floor until it passed. Although
it was damaged, they drove the Garner car
back to the Paintins. There were no serious
injuries. Their pockets were full of sand and
we had to pick cactus needles out of their
backs.
Our truck was thrown about 100 yards up
hill and almost completely demolished. The
Garners had most of the outbuildings destroyed including a large barn. Some livestock were killed and trees uprooted. The
house was da-aged but left standing. It took
only about a minute to demolish a life time
of work.
a
by Jean.Paintin
TO A SOD HOUSE
Bruner
TO A SOI]
THAT WAS MY
TRUCK
It
in the west about
T426
HOUSIJ
Come, pause beside the crumbling walls
Of this aged sod house standing here
Upon the wind-ssept loneLy plains--
T424
was May 8, L952. The clouds began to
form
300
yards of the house when they realized there
was a tornado in that cloud of dust coming
at them, so they vacated our pickup truck and
hit the ground. It began to hail so Garold
moved under the truck. A moment later the
noon. That
was
A passing relic
of the oLd frontier.
Once these walls were olde and straight,
Fresh sneLling of the ner Eurned sod,
NhiLe on the broad, Iow windo\i sills
A bride had placed geraniums to nod.
SheLtered here from nature's elements
\ sturdy broocl of lusty children Sreui
Absorbed the homely virtues of the waLLs;
liax€d bravely slrong, upri3ht and true.
And these sod hones across the land
Made possible a conquered west;
So, Let us pay homa3e to an oLd pioneer
For the many lives its roof has blest.
--SeLetha
Broton
by J. Carl Harrison
by Seletha Brown
That was my truck!
�I'LL DRM, YOU
PITCH
T426
usually would head for the barn, not necessarily taking the shortest route. They would
usually go thru a fence row or two on their
way home. This action could happen with the
hayracks, too, but wasn't as dangerous to the
driver.
The Paintins built a large barn with a loft
1929. It was handy in the winter to pitch
the hay down to the alley below, but it was
work to get the hay up to the loft before this
feature could be used. Once the racks were
loaded, they were driven into position below
a large door near the top ofthe barn. A pulley
was hooked into the sling which was on the
bottom of the rack. The pully ran on a track
inside at the top of the barn. This was pulled
up and thru the loft by the horses hooked on
at the opposite side of the barn. This large
barn, along with twenty five hundred bales
of hay in the loft, was destroyed by fire June
20,1963.
Picture from the collection of Gladvs
hours late to work.
The problem was that no one had thought
to call Gus and tell him of the hunt, so he
spent the hours wondering what the delay
was and Ruth was left wondering whether she
would have threshers to cook for or not.
in
Paintin Gieck.
by Jean Paintin
The Paintin Barn, 193?.
The farmers and ranchers etill hope and
pray today, as they did in the early years, that
their feed crop, which was planted early in
MORNING IN JUNE
T427
the summer, would
escape any drouth,
grasshoppers or hard rains and hail at the
wrong time. Even a quick moving thunder
shower would deposit enough moisture to
reach the thirsty roots of the sorghum plant
in the sandy soil. The Paintins farmed just
a short distance up the hill from the Republican River. A good feed crop was a blessing but
the process of harvesting this crop depended
on the patience and strength of men and
animals.
They equipped their hay racks with a sling
made from rope and boards which were
stretched across the bed of the rack. They
would be up before dawn to feed their horses.
After a hearty breakfast of pancakes, sausage,
MORNING
IN
the hay field on their first trip.
This was at least a two man job per
hayrack. Depending on how well broke the
horses were was the deciding factor whether
one man drove the team while the other
pitched on the hay. If they were broke well
to trust them to react to voice
commands of "getup" or "whoa" you had it
enough
made. Both could pitch on the hay from
wigwam fashioned shocks of feed which had
all
been done
by manual labor or from
windrows previously made by using a hayrake.
The hayrake was pulled with their most
trustworthy horses since this was a dangerous
piece of equipment. It was light weight and
easy to pull. If the horses decided to spook
and run, the driver could get the thrill of his
life if he was lucky to be able to hang on and
not fall under the rake. A trip to the ground
meant getting rolled thru stickers, dirt and
eventually one or more of the rake teeth
getting to him. Once out of control, the horses
FAREWELL TO MY
SHANTY
T429
FARE-II"ELL
TO MY SHANIY
irJ::r-cli to trllr pre-eDption sLranty,
I have $ade my final proof.
The cattle will hook down the salls
And some will steal off the roof.
Fareuell to my sheet iron stove,
That stands in the corner all cold;
The 3ood things I've baked in the oven
Tn Lan3uaJe can never be told.
FarewelL to my cracker box cupboard,
llriEh a gunny sack for a door;
FarewelL to my stoc!( of 3ood thin3s,
That I uever shal1 rvant any nore,
I to n:y I itL Ie pine bedstead,
Tis on thee I slunrbered and sLept;
FareweLI to the dreams Ehat I dreampt
llhile the centipedes over me crept,
Fareue l
JUNE
i\lhat 's so rare as a mornj.ng in June?
My morning rides are over too soon.
1 check the cattle over the hill,
And then return to the old windmill,
Where I get a drink fron the bottom of the uell.
The tefrp and flavor, one just can't tell.
I shate my drink with my faithful mount,
Before I finish the cattle count.
Now who in the world could ever say,
There's a better uay to start the day?
--J. Carl Harrison
Farewell to my down holstered chair
Ii'ith the bottom sagged to the ground;
Farewell to the socks, shirts and bretches,
That filled again to the ground.
Farewell to my nlce littLe table,
hlhere under I have oft put my fee!;
And think of many good things,
Such as bacon and beans to eaE.
Farewell to my sour dough pancakes,
That none but myself could endure,
lf they did not taste good to a stranger,
They were sure the dyspepsia to cure.
eggs or steak, biscuits and gravy with lots of
coffee their work would begin. They wouldn't
get a coffee break. They harnessed, watered
and hitched the horses to the hay racks and
loaded the water jugs which were wrapped in
wet gunny sacks. Maybe they wouldn't be
quite on the rack and one horse would take
off with a jerk. Depending on the weather, the
horses were usually pretty frisky at that time
of day and would give them a bumpy ride to
by Opal Boger
Farewell to my coffee, tea, and crackers;
FareuelL to my water and soap;
by J. Carl Harrison
THE LION HUNT
FareweLL
to my sorgum and flapjacks,
Farewell to my lallacadope.':
Farewell to my entire pre-emption,
Farewell to your hills and your sand;
I've covered you up with a mortgage,
T42A
There was a year, along in the late 40's,
when rumors went the rounds of a pair of
lions that were making their home in Kit
Carson County. They were reported to have
been seen in the Kirk area and south of
Stratton.
On one occasion our community, 13-15
miles north of Vona, wag alerted. The men
were to go to the Gus Schreiner home early
that morning to thresh wheat. Very early that
morning, the phone rang. Burt Smit said a
lion was seen going into the grove of trees just
t/t mile east of the Harry Smit house. He said
the threshers were all going to hunt it down,
so Horace Boger and his man, Fred Lowery,
went too. We called Harold Summers as we
knew he would want to be in on it. So, eight
or ten men stalked through the small grove
of trees ready to shoot but no lion could be
found.
If there was one, it had escaped or perhaps
a large yellow tomcat had been mistaken for
big game. Be that as it may, the men were two
Farewell to
my
quarler of land.
--Jack
Messenger
*Gravy made with bacon grease, flour and
wat er .
poem
by Jack Messenger
WHEN I MET RUBE
PRATT
T430
I saw Rube Pratt three or four times in my
life. Once I saw him standing in front of the
Daniels and Fisher's Tower dressed in his red
suit and the great coat with the brass buttons.
He was opening the doors for people as they
drove up
to the store. He
made
a
very
�impressive sight for the tourists and customThat was the last time I saw him. I believe
ers.
I
remember him at a baseball game and
I
heard my father say "I didn't mean it Rube."
I think I saw him crank start his model "T"
auto once. I know others would talk about
how he would lift it up to crank it rather than
PIONEER DAYS IN
COLORADO
T431
by Mrs. Sarah Blakman
to get down on his knees.
But I do know when I first met Rube Pratt,
I remember it quite well. Rube was a big man,
he was reported to be the biggest man in the
Armed Forces (Navy) in World War I. He
stood about or over eight feet high. Considering his size, he had a small head, anyway, on
him it looked small. His head was always bent
forward as if he were looking down. It was
said that he had hurt his neck as a boy doing
acrobatics off a hay stack.
We were living in Stratton at the time,
about 1918. I would have been about seven
years old. There was a store on Main Street,
we called the "Ten Cent Store." It was a
narrow, long store, with a door in front, and
display windows on each side of the door.
Display tables were placed on each side of the
aisle and goods were piled on top ofthe tables
for almost the length of the building.
Now, I don't know for sure how I got there,
although I have a vague recollection that my
mother was not far away. I was underneath
one of the tables about half way back in the
store. I was playing with or looking at
something, I really don't recall what. I heard
the door open, the floor was covered with
light, then a shadow. I looked up and saw the
shoes. They were gize eighteen or nineteen at
least. The soles were almost one inch thick.
When they hit the floor, the boards shook and
they were coming almost directly at me. I
PIONEER n:i{YS
IN
I left my home in Nebraska, for Colorado I was bound;
And when I arrived at Claremont, I viewed the country round.
There were antelope, coyote, prairie fox and cent.ipedes galore,
And such a wild and desolate place I had never seen before.
There $rere prairie dogs, or.rls and rat.tlesnakes; they lived under
When
the ground together,
And the dogs would come ouE and bark at you, in almost any
kind of weather.
We put. up at the Claremont Hotel, and the people \rere very kind;
But, dear me, I was homesick for the home I had left behind.
And when our household goods arrived, we rented a two-room shack,
But I thought I would freeze to death for the floor was full
of cracks.
I covered them over with papers and put carpet down,
And so we lived for over a year in this little Claremont town.
Then we built a nouse on our homestead, I sure thought that was
great,
And now I love Colorado, more than any other state.
--Sarah
scooted back a little but not much, fascinated
by the size of the man that wore those shoes.
Away up on top was this tiny head sort of
looking down at me. It seemed to me as if he
had to duck his head to keep from hitting the
ceiling. I think he saw me, a small smile
appeared on his face, maybe he said something, I don't remember. I can't tell you
whether he came back to the aisle or went out
some back door. But I do remember and will
never forget the day I met Rube Pratt.
by Carl
YY.
Bruner
COLORADO
WASHDAY
T432
Washday started with trips to the milkhouse where our water supply was located.
Water ran directly from the windmill into a
Iarge, cement tank. We carried the water to
the house in milk buckets and sat them on the
stove to heat, even on the hottest days, when
the range threw out a great deal of heat.
Up until about 1916, Mom washed on a
washboard and wrung her clothes out by
hand. Then they got a "modern" washing
machine which was operated by hand. For
me, that was much harder work than rubbing
the clothes on a board.
The lack of soap was a great drawback. We
had no powders, bleaches or fabric softeners,
only the great chunks of lye soap that Mom
made from rancid grease, lye, and water. Soap
making meant building a hot fire under the
huge iron kettle and then one had to stand
by it for 3 or 4 hours and stir round and round.
Then the soap cooled overnight and was cut
into bars.
After rubbing the clothes with the strong
soap, the white clothes had to be boiled in
more soap and water, then rinsed and wrung
and finally rinsed again in water, to which
bluing had been added, wrung out again and
finally hung out to dry and sun. It was a
terrible job and my Dad always helped with
the washing. We only washed once a week.
by Opal Boger
Blakeman
�THE DOCTOR
T433
Williams Pharmacy Letterhead
by Fred Page and Vivian Williams
TIIE
DOCTOR
irst I ile! Doc lli [ | iinis,
I thoughE the man was srirr I l.
He dldn't carry surplus aei;lrt,
And neithcr sas he ti I l.
t^lhen f
we vis lced for qutle u wiri I c
Dlscuss ing thir1..!s ac hand,
And as orrr frlend Iy clrat progressed,
He seemecl to just exp0nd.
.{nd lf a dead beat beat his bilt,
Doc
didnrt
seem
to
nrind;
He'd srnlle and say I'cr sure thac child
Will not be deaf or bIlnd.
The woman that's so s1c1(
Upon the bed of pain,
I'n sure my pilts vcry soorl
l^tiIl end the aufuI strain.
And tf I do oot get tllat bilt,
I'l1 get by sonrelrou;
It's better far co end tlri.s
Than t€ke their only cou.
I'd hate Eo take a big faL
uuY,
fee
Fron one so short of breath,
And 1n a fee short weeks flnd out
The lady starvcd to deatl).
And so In just a fek short years,
The man I oncr thou8hc small,
Burlington Centennial Parade, May 14, 1988
to a large expanse
And stood most sl.x feet tall,
Had eldened
civic problems ralsed their
in I fight,
You'd flnd old Doc a busy nran
Just batt lln; for the right,
When
lread
And ended
For things t() really helt, hls torn
He aluays ilave hls basL,
And
at a fairly eartt age,
out, he lent to resL.
Worn
And as we journey through
lle look
down on
a
this Llfe,
pup,
But vhcn ue ileet a nrarr like
It'e're aluays looking up,
Doc
llou strangc lndccd ln thirty yeors
I once thoughl snall,
The man
llould seam to have enormous wei.ght,
And toeer above us aIl,
If he and I should n'eec again,
I believe ue wilL,
And
Ua'l
I .lut
.^
^no
Doc,IneedapllL
'.,i I I
He'll say, does anyone
{nrArr,'^t
remenrber nc,
Or even love f,re still?
I'I1 say, Yes, Doc, buc only
L'ho
tried to pay thelr bills,
--Frederich
chose
Russ and Alene Davis
Pagc
Pn,:'SCI1IPTION SERV J CI'
SEIiVIN(; IIASTI]]IIN ('OLC)IIAtrr) SIN(JIt
190{i
WILLIAMS PHARMACY
l\t. l'. end l-.
1,.
\\'illi:rlrrs
FLAGLEN, COLORADO
\' l.)TllR I NA
lrY strt,nLlES
�MAKING BUTTER
T435
We did not just walk in to a store and buy
a week's supply of butter. We milked the
cows, strained the milk through a flour sack,
then separated the milk from the cream by
running it through a separator, which was
turned by hand.
We sat the cream away to sour (overnight,
was put in a churn and the
I think) then it
churn was turned by hand until butter
formed. We drained off the buttermilk and
drank it for supper. Then the butter had to
be washed through many changes of cold
water until all signs of milk was removed.
Then it was salted well and molded. We did
not have a butter mold, in Mom shaped the
butter with her hands and made a fancy
design on the top with a knife.
Remember though, that the milk buckets,
straining cloth, separator, churn, and the
dishes used in the washing and molding all
had to be washed thoroughly with soap,
rinsed well and sunned for several hours for
purification. All the hot water for those jobs
was carried from the supply tank at the milk
house, heated on the stove, and carried back
to the milk house to wash these items.
by Opal Boger
"Carousel Pony" in stained glass by Rene6 Loutzenhiser
THE FLOUR SACK
T434
One of the faithful standbys of the depression era was the flour sack. Its uses were many
and varied.
We had a large tin can with a tight fitting
lid that we used for a flour bin. The sack was
opened and the flour poured into the bin. The
sack was then completely opened up by
removing the string. This string was no less
aprize than the sack. All string was carefully
saved and used for tying sacks, packages, for
sewing ripped clothing, and even for quilting.
The sack bore the brand name of the flour,
printed in bright colors that were very hard
to remove. This was in the day before Clorox
One
of the messiest jobs was making
of milk were
cottage cheese. The curds
poured into a sack and hung on the line to
drip out the whey. Then the sack must be
washed out in several batches of water and
rinsed 'til all the dried milk was removed.
There was no end to the uses ofa flour sack.
by Opal Boger
-a
or other bleach.
My mother soaked the sack in kerosene
then scrubbed it with homemade lye soap.
Usually the sack went through many washings before the printing faded out completely.
Some of the brand names I remember were,
"Pride of the Rockies," "Snells" and "Clyde's
Best."
Many flour sacks were made into clothing.
Most common were our "bloomers" or
"drawers," aprons, bonnets, and even
dresses. They were also used for tablecloths,
curtains, dish towels, and lining for quilts.
Some were not ripped apart but were left
in sack form to store dried fruit. dried corn.
seed corn, dry beans, chicken feathers, etc.
On every farm clothesline 2 or 3 of the
snowy white squares flapped in the wind.
These were used only for straining milk,
morning and night. Then they were washed
and scalded and hung out in the sun until the
next milkins.
Drills of vesterdav
�DUST STORM
T436
I'ioT cu,{FF, B1JT DUST
the <iust storm was over, the wind its force had spent,
grabbed the broorn and duster and oter the house r\re went.
I,,'e shook out all the curtains, we swept it out with care;
The dirt lnas over everything, it aLmost made me s\{ear.
i.rhen
We
But at last the worll was over, the cleaning job r,ras done.
If ever a pound was taken out I knew r,;e took a ton.
The wind it stopped its blovring, we didn't know it then,
But it r'as resting up and getting prinred to do it once again.
At 50 nriles an hour it came r^rith its dust cloud and its roar,
And filled rhe house up all again just as it did before.
It. riled me up a litEle then t.o come again so soon;
By steady work, and patience, too, we cleaned her out by noon.
bang! There came another just like the one we had.
trrterll srneep out the house no more, Ehis dustrs become a fad.
hre just wipe off the table, arnd scrape it off fhe shelves,
And srveep some pretty little paths around to suit ourselves.
When
of what would happen if their parents should
hear of it. They watched to see if the peddler
would stop at the next house and he did. The
boys became more worried and watched the
road for their parents to return. At last, they
saw them coming and they saw the neighbors
go out and stop them. Then down the road
the buggy came bouncing.
The mother climbed out of the buggy
crying, "Oh my God, everyone in the country
will think my boys are crazy! Oh, how could
you shame us so?" And on and on. Jake said
he wasn't so much worried by his mother's
tears as what his dad would do to them. When
he finally got up nerve enough to look at his
father, he was surprised and relieved to see
a smile and a twinkle in his dad's eyes. He
knew his dad thought that that was as good
a way to get rid of a peddler as any.
by Opal Boger
DIRTY'3O'S
T439
After reading the article in the November
15th issue of the Farmland News headlined
"The Colorado Plowdown," I'm inspired to
wipe our feet off nice and clean before we go to bed,
hie crawl right in and take the quilL and cover up our head.
i'lhen dawn has come and time to rise and take another chance,
I lay the covers carefully back and then I dust my pants,
Put on my shoes and socks again, and sweep a little land,
Then spend the day a spittin' dirt and wishing it would rain.
It'e
But happy days will come again, as sure as you're alive,
And we'll talk and laugh for 40 years of the storms of '35.
write some of my first-hand experiences on
the plains of eastern Colorado.
In the early nineteen hundreds, in the free
range days and my early cowboy days, I
distinctly remember that we had the high
winds that have always been the case on our
high plains, but there was never any dust
raised by the high winds. The prairie had a
solid cover of mostly blue gramma and
buffalo grass.
We cowboys had to tie our hats on but there
were absolutely no "tumbleweeds" rolling
across the land. A few years later, when a few
farmers and ranchers began plowing up more
Iand and trying to raise more crops, I always
supposed that the weeds that began to appear
came in with the seed that was brought here
from other parts ofthe United States or other
--C.C. Rivers
poem
THE CATALOG
THE PERILS OF THE
PRAIRIE PEDDLER
When we received a new catalog the old one
was not burned.
I went through and cut out
families of paper people, furniture, and so on.
We put the old catalogs in a hot oven and
heated them to put into our beds at bedtime
bo take off the icy chill. We used them to rest
our hot irons on while ironing. Some were
covered and made into an attractive door
ltop.
Finally they were taken to the back house
rnd suspended on
a
T438
Blowing dust and the tumbleweeds, and
other varieties of weeds accompanied by a
My aunt and uncle, Gertie and Jake Dircks,
lived about 17+ miles east of our place. One
drier-than-normal weather cycle became the
common thing in the 1930's.
I know of several small farms in the 30's
T437
The Sears Roebuck and Montgomery
flard catalogs were used for many things. We
did not order much in the years before 1918
nor did we order much during the 20's, but
it cost nothing to wish.
string - the latest in toilet
bissue.
day they went to Kirk, leaving their sons,
Jake Jr. and Ted, home alone. Ted was
cooking dinner and Jake was working at a
work bench behind the house when a man
arrived at their place, traveling by bicycle. He
was selling Bibles and he made his business
known and asked ifhe could get dinner there.
Ted couldn't refuse.
The peddler asked if he was all alone. Ted,
always ready for excitement, said, "Oh no, my
brother is outside, but he is crazy and
dangerous, so watch out!" Then he excused
himself to get a pail of water from the water
barrel. He ran by the work bench and told
to act $azy. Jake was willing! Soon he
came staggering in with a wild look on his
Jake
face.
by Opal Boger
countries. I always wondered where the
Russian Thistle came from. I never saw our
very common Kochia weed until in the 1940's.
The peddler never took his eyes off of Jake
and when Jake grabbed up the butcher knife
and started for the peddler, the poor man ran
for the door and sped off on his bicycle as fast
as was possible in that sandy soil.
The boys laughed in glee until they thought
that had the entire layer oftop soil blown off,
down to the yellow clay that wouldn't even
grow weeds. When blowing like that occurred
and drifted over onto adjoining grass pas-
tures, the soil covered up and killed out the
buffalo grass.
There were times in the middle of the day,
when an old dust blizzard came over that it
became almost as dark as night. If you
happened to be driving on a highway, you
were not sure of the road ahead and yet you
hated to stop. You couldn't see a car ahead
ofyou but you could see the headlights ofthe
car behind you. You could not distinguish the
car. I have seen tourists from the East who
stopped in one of our towns and they were so
frightened they didn't know what to do.
I've had fences that first filled solid full of
tumbleweeds, then the weeds filled solid full
of dust to the top wire to the extent that the
horses and cattle walked over the fence and
the top wire was out of sight. In that case I
built a second three wire fence right on top
�of the one that was drifted under.
This might be a good place to insert one of
my tall-tales: "I went out one day and dug a
quarter of mile of fence post holes, planning
on setting up a new fence. Well, the wind
came out terrible that night but I went back
out the next morning to continue my fencing.
When I got to where I had dug the postholes,
I found that during the night the wind had
blown all the dirt away from around those
postholes and had left the postholes sticking
up out of the ground! I might add my sons'
comment. He reminded me that we went
along and kicked those postholes over so we
wouldn't stumble over them as we continued
building our fence!"
That is the end of the tall-tale, now to
continue my story, and this is no tall tale:
During the dusty years I've seen snow drifts
that were half dust, and my wife taped the
key holes shut to keep some of the dust out
of the house. The cattle would seek protection from the blinding, choking dust in barns
and windbreaks.
I suppose you wonder how we survived
during those dry, dusty years. Farming and
raising cattle just could not provide our
livelihood so I took a second job. I was a
country school teacher for twenty years. My
first salary was $50.00 per month and later
raised to $80.00. That kept us off any handouts and W.P.A.
With the small portion of the land plowed
in those days, I dread to think of what could
happen if and when weather conditions
return to the dry and windy conditions ofthe
"dirty thirties" with such a big percentage of
fragile, marginal land being plowed up today.
by J. Carl lfarrison
THE DINING TABLE
T440
which
it
was fashioned.
My most vivid
memory of those table legs is that they are
where I learned to dust. Frequently, I had to
do the task repeatedly. I often thought that
Mother could see a speck of dust a block
away! The table could be expanded by
inserting the leaves that were kept in the
pantry.
Three times a day the table was used for
its original purpose, meals. At that time the
entire family gathered around the oilcloth
covered table together. What a warm, cozy
feeling to have us all together. How uneasy
I felt when someone was absent.
The table was used all during the day,
every day. On ironing day the smooth, sweet
smelling sheets, pillowcases and towels were
placed on the dining room table to be neatly
folded before being put away. When Mother
cut out garments to be stitched together on
the treadle sewing machine at the south
window, she spread the material on the table
and carefully pinned the newspaper pattern
pieces on the cloth.
The up to 900 quarts of fruits and vegetables which were put up every summer for
survival were prepared around this table.
How well I remember, as soon as you were old
enough to snap a bean, pod a pea, peel a
tomato, peach, pear, pit a cherry or help
prepare any other food item that could be
preserved by canning, you joined the crew
around this table.
Packages for mailing and packages for
birthdays and Christmas were wrapped on
the table. On school nights, homework was
done around the table where there was space
enough for opened books, notebooks, maps
and pen and ink. A kerosene lamp provided
a limited radius of illumination.
When the lessons were completed our
reward was popcorn, or an apple or hot
chocolate and the pleasure of playing games
(Monopoly, rummy, and pitch were favorites)
until time to get ready for bed. At times two
or more families gathered for supper and the
evening. Then the men used the table for
cards while the women visited.
During the day Mother also used the table
as a desk for writing letters, making out lists,
or figuring household accounts. As I left the
demonstration of the new wonder appliance,
I decided that if it could serve just half the
purposes of our old dining room table, it
would be worth twice the price.
by Irene Armistead
That dining table today!
While watching a demonstration of a
kitchen appliance chopping, shredding, sli-
cing, mixing, and almost serving the meal, I
couldn't help but wonder what my mother
would have thought of such a household
device. Then I remembered that we also had
multipurpose possessions and the most versatile we called the "dining room table."
We had other tables; the kitchen table, end
tables, the library table and a lamp table, but
when someone said "the table" it meant the
dining room table. Our dining room was an
extension ofthe kitchen. The table was round
with claw legs as sturdy as the oak tree from
Mrs. Perrv's "Sod House."
A. G. Perry's "Sod House."
�SHERIFF'S EXPERIENCES
SIIERIFF'S
ExpERrENCIs I:x".:';":Hif::: j:i,.i.?,"lii::".::::
I44l
Calls
come by night and calls come by day,
They may be near or miles away.
The telephone rings and soon by heck
Wetre headed for the country to cover a wreck.
Before we have taken our Ehings from the Erunk,
We see that the driver is just plain drunk.
Hets wandering around not a scratch on his hlde,
While his victim3 lay stretched out side by side.
I begin to question him, he breaks lnto tears,
He says, ttl have just had a couple of beers.tt
Today we hunt evidence, and dig up the facts;
Tomorrow we're struggling with detinquent tax.
Next day qre're hunting a motEled face cow,
Ihen stay up all night at some nice family row.
Next day we have court and the lawyers rave;
The defendent sits there in need of a shave.
ttWhere hrere yourtt they beller tton the first of November?tt
Ihe defenddnt replies, ttI dontt remember.tr
They argue around tiLl half past three,
Then Ehe jury goes out and fails to agree;
The judge sends them baclc, till their duty is done;
But several hours later theytre eleven to one.
Non that's just a sample of what we do,
An endless variety of old and new.
It may be a prowler, a burglar, a drunk;
your watch or your trunk.
He may steal your billfold,
set out to catch him and we do our best,
catch lhe percentage and lose the rest.
You canrt catch them all, for some leave no clue,
They don't leave their cards as you and I do.
We
We
they plead {uilty, and the judge will scold,
the country will want him parolled.
They blame the depression, the new deal, the tariff,
A few of the folks put the blame on the sheriff.
Sometin:es there are fireworks, an officer gets shott
While doing his duty, he's out on the spot.
Just latel.y tv,o sherif fs were killed,
By a maniac's gun, their blood was spilled.
Sometimes
Then half
Ihen he set fire to the buildings, they had to burn,
The sheriff and deputy will never return.
So this is the way ttto men paid the costs '
To the wives and the chi ldren a provider r,ras lost .
You cantt get excited when you're out on a call,
Cause you might clo the thing you shouldnrt do at a11.
You nrustnrt get nervous or Lose your head,
For if
someome
gets shot he is a long time
dead.
Itrs a job requiring judgement' Patience and grit,
to eliminate those that don't fit.
It takes a lot of time their mistakes to explain,
I{hich is time wastecl without any gain.
So we have
So it's quite a game, if you stay rig,ht in,
You'Il get a pat on the back and a sock on the chin.
But I like it all, and I'm shedding no tears'
And by the grace of ?od, I'11 fill out ttro more years.
--O.C. Dunlap, Sheriff
�the engine. His face and neck
were burned almost to a crisp,
his right eye was burned out,
both legs were broken below
the knees and his entire body
was battered to a pulp, sup-
J.A. Grigg, separator man,
almost instantly killed
Fred Pugh of Stratton
seriously injured
Traction engine is blown
to atoms
(Taken from the 1915 issue)
Submitted by Lowell
Dunlap
One
of the worst accidents
that ever happened in the
history of the county took
place near the Fred Dodd
farm, l8 miles southwest of
this city, when the boiler of
a
steam threshing engine explod-
ed, killing one man and
seriously injuring another.
The force of the explosion
threw large pieces of the boiler
over a radius of a quarter of a
mile and tore a good sized hole
in the ground where the engine
stood. Not enough of the
engine remained to hardly
identify the machine.
The threshing outfit was the
property of Fred Pugh of
Stratton and was being moved
from the O.C. Dunlap ranch
and was traveling on the road
when the accident occured.
The crew was composed of
Fred Pugh, owner; J.A.
Grigg, separator man; and
Geo. Williams. water hauler.
The fact that Williams was
riding on the water tank
behind the separator, probably saved his life. The
escape of Fred Pugh, the
owner, is nothing short of a
miracle. Grigg, the dead man,
was horribly burned and bruised and died five hours later in
dreadful agony.
The accident occured at
about ten o'clock in the forenoon and is without doubt one
of the most tragic in the annals
of this county. Grigg, the man
who lost his life. was at the
steering wheel at the time and
was blown fully 15 rods from
THE GOOD LIFE L975
T442
We feel that we have been very fortunate
to live this good life on our little ranch in
Eastern Colorado. Here, I will mention a few
of the special blessings of this good country
life.
First, the blessing of living in this beautiful
world of prairie pastures and farm land. Also
we have the blessing of as pure a water supply
as is found anywhere in the world. It is not
full of distasteful elements and minerals as
is the case with much underground water and
cannot be contaminated with waste spilled
into it from above ground.
I also feel that we have as clean and pure
over 40 acres before it could be
extinguished. Many of the
neighbors were not aware of
the explosion until after the
fire had been put under control. Williams. who was not
posedly by the fierce impact of injured, dragged the men into
the furnace door as it was the circle that had been burned
blown open. The steering over and saved them from bewheel that Grigg held on to ing burned up.
was found nearly a quarter of
Pugh stated that tne cause
a mile away.
of
the
was the fact
Fred Pugh was blown back that explosion
had
Grigg
tightened
over the separator, falling on pop-valve several times the
his head. One of his arms was thought the engine was as he
blowbroken, both hands badly ing off too soon. It is supposburned, and besides numerous ed that the
steam gauge was
cuts and bruises over the body, not working
in a proper manis suffering from a concussion ner
and failed to register the
of the brain. His condition is exact
amount of steam the
considered very serious, but it
engine was really carrying.
is thought that this young man
Grigg started in to tighten the
will finally recover. The body valve
before they had finished
of the dead man as well as the the last
job threshing, and
injured man was taken to the the wonder of
is, the explosion
residence of Fred Dodd. The
had not occured when more
remains were later taken to the
men were around the outfit.
F.D. Mann undertakine The
wreck was viewed by the
parlors.
deputy
state boiler inspector
Doctors Merrill and Bergen,
of Denver, and he siated that
with Mrs. Dr. Merrill and to
accomplish the results, the
Mrs. Clark as nurses, were engine
must have carried 500
called to the scene and ad- pounds of steam,
so complete
minstered medical aid. was the destruction
of the
Nothing is known of the dead engine.
man, except he is said to have
The only part of 'rhe engine
a cousin residing near Beaverton. He had been in the coun- left near the place where it
try but three weeks, coming stood were the two front
here from Utah. In his pockets wheels and they were bent in
was found a certificate of bap- toward each other. One of the
tism into the Mormon church. large rear drive wheels was
A small !'lcte book was also blown fully 8CI feet and left
found stating he was from upright imbedded in the
Hobart, Okla., and was a ground. Heavy boiler iron was
member of Hobart Lodge No. torn like paper. Scraps of iron,
40, K. of P. The lodge was pieces of wheels, were strewn
communicated with. but no over the ground for a radius of
reply was received. Unless over a quarter of a mile.
relatives are located. he will be
Coroner Heiserman of
buried in the Burlington Flagler, was called, but decidcemetery Saturday.
ed that an inquest was unImmediately after the explo- necessary. Late reports insion, the dry grass was set on dicate that Fred Pugh, the infire. and burned over an era of jured man, will recover.
air as can be found anywhere. No smoke,
smell or smog to afflict our health as is the
case in many areas the world over. We are also
free from the noise, the clatter and the
rumble of the cities, whose noise is really a
hazard to health and hearing. Sometimes it
makes it almost impossible to concentrate or
meditate on one's thoughts, reading or
prayer. We don't have the hurry and flurry
that are almost continual night and day in the
large cities and many suburban areas. On our
little ranch we have plenty of elbow room and
are not crowded at any time.
Not the least among our blessings is the
fact that we have plenty of useful work that
we are still able to do, which gives us much
pleasure in the feeling of usefulness and
responsibility. Winnie and I have the feeling
that we are still contributing something to
the good of humanity and that we are not too
much of a burden to anyone although we are
in our 70's and 80's.
To us, it is a thrill to ride or drive out over
our beautiful pasture land, most of it as virgin
as when God made it. dotted with a herd of
whitefaced cows and calves contentedly
grazing which will leisurely come to my call
expecting some small portion of food which
they will eat from my hand. Each animal is
an individual with a special name, description and date ofbirth all recorded in our "cow
dairy-record book." Also, my saddle horse
comes from the pasture on a run on hearing
my whistle, expecting some special feed.
During the temperate and warm part of the
year I saddle my horse early in the morning
about sunrise and ride to the pasture at that
most beautiful time of dav to count the cows
�and calves, check on water and salt and some
mornings ride a mile or so of fence to check
for needed repairs. On these early morning
rides one has a feeling that you are really
"away from it all." I occasionally would see
an antelope, a coyote, a fox or a badger. The
animals like our pastures as there is no noisy
traffic within sight or hearing. I imagine that
they have the same feeling that I do of being
alone with God and nature and with no time
schedule that must be met.
Among the trees and flowers at home there
are always the many different birds and the
bees. Winnie and I have been bird watchers
for years, a very interesting hobby. Some
years when the clover blooms well we keep a
few hives of bees and they are always
industriously at work gathering pollen and
nectar from Winnie's beautiful flower garden
and also cross pollinating the blossoms on the
fruit trees which causes the trees to produce
a more abundant crop of fruit of which we
have a plentiful supply most years.
As winter approaches we find our basement well stocked with many kinds of vegetables, the product of Winnie's expert culi-
nary art. Old Buttercup supplies us with
plentiful good Jersey milk and cream of
,:
*'
''l
,&:
il*!r-i:
r'
Waiting to catch the wheat in the header barge.
which we use a lot. Yes, and the biddies keep
us in eggs.
several times, mending worn spots on Mother's sewing machine. The monstrous, smelly
I
believe that Winnie and I are in better
health than the average couple ofour age. So
when we sincerely count our blessings, we are
certain that you will agree with us that this
is still the good life. We have a little country
church here close where a small group of
country neighbors meet faithfully each Sunday to study and discuss the Word of God.
At the close of day we watch the setting sun,
There's the evening meal when the chores
things were almost more than we two girls
and Dad could handle so it wouldn't break all
of Mother's precious sewing machine needles,
but it
seemed like machine repair was so
much better than hand sewing, that we
persisted. Slats had all been replaced where
needed and newly riveted to lie tight and flat.
Roller bearing cages were rechecked and
sickle blades replaced along with being sure
are done,
The stars light up as night draws nigh,
And darkness drives daylight from the sky,
We thank the Lord for His guiding light,
Before retiring for the night.
by J. Carl Harrison
HEADER AND BARGE
HARVEST
T443
Back view of the header and the start of the wheat
stacks, right of picture.
sunbonnet ever tighter when gnats tried to
get under and into my hair.
"Sis!" No mistake now, and out I rolled.
Sliding into fresh clothes left laying on my
bed. . . soft, clean underthings, an old worn
blouse and well-worn overalls, with comfy
shoes over old socks - and I was ready for a
bite of breakfast. Mother felt it was too hard
for me to keep up the day-to-day going to the
field with the menfolk, but it saved quite a
few dollars and Daddy bragged on me so
much and so eloquently that
it
would be
a
shame to let him down. Never sick, I couldn't
pretend to be, so at age eleven I felt equal to
the job and it did not hurt my budding ego
either.
Yes, it was harvest time in the mid 1920's,
done at our farm with header and barges. The
Harvesting wheat, front view of the header.
"Come on, Sis! Get up. Daddy's harnessing
the horses." My mother's gentle cajoling for
probably the third time in the early morning
of each summer harvest day rolled by my ears
like so much buzzing from the pesky gnats in
the harvest field. It bothered me but I'd brush
it off and turn over, burrowing deep into my
pillow to muffle the sound, just like I tied my
stacker, a Mr. Scudder, had come from
Salina, Kansas. He did it every year and
worked very hard for the 912.00 a day that
my folks felt he richly deserved if he could
keep up with the young grain pitchers who
tossed the fluffy yellow straw with loaded
heads up to him from the header barges to
shape into a wondrous stack that would shed
rain and keep its loaf-like shape for the weeks
until threshing time. Well over 60, he was
often curt and snappy with those young
whippersnappers who tried to make his life
miserable in multitudes of ways as kids often
do until their respect for someone older
grows.
We'd had the header canvases in the house
the worn head was as good as could be so all
those parts of harvest would go as well as one
could prepare for ahead of time. We'd even
made new rope to hold up the elevator.
With a dozen dried apricot halves in the
pocket of my overall's big front, some soft old
gloves, two glass jugs wrapped with sewn-on
denim thoroughly soaked for keeping our
water, my sunbonnet as well as my straw hat,
and remonstrance to "keep sharp," off I'd go
to meet the men in the two barges and Daddy
waiting with the six horse team, ready to sally
forth to the field nearby or at times three
miles away. My job was to keep a header
barge under the elevator and move up and
down at whatever pace was needed to make
it relatively easy for the person in the barge
to fill it very full and evenly all over to drive
to the stack. We had two plodding old teams
that knew the job so well they probably could
have done it without my help, but together
we made an essential part of the harvest crew.
And I put up with a lot to get to be part of
it . . . teasing, scarily riding the top of the
elevator dangling my legs while one barge
moved out and another pulled under in
making the barge changes, oodles of chaff
down my neck and scratches on any bare
spots from the itchy beards, and the long
tedious hours of round and round the field.
But I remember it with relish. Seeing each
field become a row of several stacks all lined
up for the thresher to come and moving on
to another field before a hail or rain could
ruin it all seemed a real life-and-death matter
and I was glad to be helping. No doubt, there
were some events that scared me very much
like horses acting up, but my dad was equal
to anything, I thought, and I never felt any
�danger.
If we were harvesting on the home place,
dinner was a beautiful sit-down affair with
ham, chicken, noodles, macaroni and cheese
or meatloaf and sometimes salmon loaf as a
main dish, with accompaniments of gravy,
over fluffy mashed potatoes, peas or green
beans from the garden, cole slaw or jello,
pickles and relishes plus pie or puddings.
When the field being cut was several miles
from home Mother would bring the meal to
the field in the back seat of the car so the
horses wouldn't have to travel, but rather get
to eat and rest. It always seemed to me that
the horses really controlled the harvest about
as much as the weather. Ifone got colicky or
they grew too tired, it would mean a shutdown and when the whole affair took a month
maybe, there was no time to waste, so great
thoughtfulness was taken for the horses. But
dinner was glorious in the field, too. About
the same food, served from skillet and pans
as we stood or squatted in the barge's shade,
topped off by lemon meringue pie was
Mother's choice. And she'd bring freshly
pumped water too if the wind was blowing so
we'd have cool water for the afternoon. I can't
remember that coffee or other drinks were
part of the meal, but it wouldn't
have
mattered to me.
But Daddy was always so tired, he seldom
ate very much, but rather stretched out on
the cool cement porch floor or under a barge
and rested until he knew it was time to get
going again. The harvest time was grueling
for he always had the full care of the horses,
currying and harnessing them, while they
munched the oats and hay he had placed in
their mangers. Furthermore, it was he straddling that sinuous header rudder wheel all
day, guiding the huge machine around the
corners and over the bumpy ground up and
down the mile strips of wheat. It was no
wonder he grew thinner than he already was
with the passing weeks and often had deep
pains in his side that Mother secretly feared
was appendicitis ofthe chronic kind. It never
really got him down but he wasn't much to
complain, so we never really knew just how
miserable he might have been. I can clearly
remember how thin his overalls became in the
crotch. and it made me wonder how much
bruising his legs took. We worried about him
a lot. If we had a break-down or a shower I
was rather glad. He could have a change of
pace, at least for a while. These were the usual
kinds of chores to do too, like milking, and
hogs to slop, and windmills to keep working,
plus cattle to check on frequently. And
Mother was doing her thing with garden,
laundry, chickens and turkeys all that time,
too, plus canning some if there was anything
left to put in a jar after all our wonderful
meals. Now, as I look back on that time each
year, I am somewhat awestricken. Folks think
the combine harvest days get wild and
nervewracking. They should have been
around in the so-called "good old days" of
harvesting with header and barges!
by Dorothy C. Smith
IIOME BUTCHERING
T444
cious as they made their clandestine plans.
Maybe I felt a bit "left out." Then, shortly
before they left, two of them came back in the
school house and asked me to go along and
I Did!
by Marie E. Greenwood
THE LADIES AID
T445
by Eda llartman
THE LADIES AID
Home butchering at the Elvin Wilson's in the late
1940's.
As a young girl I remember watching and
helping with the butchering. Dad always did
his own butchering, usually with the help of
neighbors. He built a fire under a large barrel
of water, and, when
it
got very hot, they
scalded the hog and scraped the hair off. It
was then left over night to cool out. When
butchering beef, they always skinned the beef
and sold the hide.
Next day after butchering a hog, it was
brought in the house and Mom would cut it
up with Dad's help. The hams and bacon were
salted down to cure. Was that ever tasty
meat! They put them in a big stone jar. The
sausage was ground and seasoned. Because
there was always too much to keep fresh,
Mom made patties, cooked it and put in jars
and poured fresh grease on
it and sealed the
jars. She also canned beef and pork.
It was my sister's and my job to cut up the
fat for lard into small chunks. The next day
Dad would get his kettle out, build a fire
under it, and dump in the cubed lard and
T'was in the spring of '35
Important plans s;ere laid,
Before we knew r^,hat we had done
I,le started Ladies Aid,
In thirty years the sales
The piles of quilts we
rve served
made
Would stagger many a weaicer soul
But nd the Ladies Aid.
In characters boEh great and small
In wonderous plays we played
No acEor out in HolLywood
Coul-d touch Ehe Ladies Aid.
The money made in thirty years
Put Con3ress in the shade.
That's nhat Ehey need co run this land.
They need a Ladies Aid.
T's to Cadillacs
In every car thats made
No matter what the weather is
I{e wenE to Ladies Aid.
From l{odeL
i'le wa Lked, we rodq ne pushed, we pulled
And oft with mud were sprayed.
!^lhaE if our ha ir was s light ly down
I{e got to Ladies Aid.
cook it until it was melted or rendered. Then
he put it through a lard press and it was
stored in stone jars. Mom used the lard for
cooking and baking. When it began to be too
aged, she used it to make homemade soap.
She kept some of the cracklings and used
them in making cornbread.
.:.:r.
l_
,;,i.'rr,,
by Florence McConnell
MISS CHANDLER DID
IT!
T446
The other day thoughts of teaching school
at First Central back in school year L922-23
came to me. So here is a bit of reminiscing
about the high school where I was teacher
that year. There were nine or ten students
and we occupied one corner of the north half
of the building which also accommodated the
5th,6th, 7th and 8th grades. I was 21 years
old and the high school students were in their
mid-teens. I think Theodore Smith was
eighteen years old. However, they were a
studious and well-behaved bunch and we had
good rapport. Maybe I was being a bit kiddish
when I joined them on the swing for a group
The 1922-23 First Central High School students
picture.
Theodore Smith, Russell Greenwood. On the
swings: Gertrude Church (Sally Bauder), Clara
Radspinner, Hazel Lesher, Ruth Church, Ida
Smith (Boecker), and the teacher Marie Chandler
Near the end of the school term, the young
folk decided to have a "sneak day" like the
high schools in town. I was trying to be
dignified and authoritative but not suspi-
and Miss Chandler (Marie E. Greenwood). On top
of the swing, I to r: Chester Storrer, Bertie Austin,
(Greenwood).
�VONA
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history 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
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Book
Dublin Core
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Title
A name given to the resource
Vignettes
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
history
Description
An account of the resource
A series of poems and short anecdotes about life on the prairie as recorded 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
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English
Is Part Of
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
Format
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text/pdf
Publisher
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Curtis Media
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>
-
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/16/434/Vona.pdf
513a37a5bfbad3a2e9317ec92e8d113c
PDF Text
Text
railroad was progressing. The first entry on
the abstract is June 19, 1888, when R.S.
Newell obtained a patent for a 240 acre plot
of Elbert County land, legally described as
-ffiffi
sF#,F-
SI
$ffiI........-n
ffi-
E% SW V+ and. SE% 536 8 R47. The July 3,
1888, warranty deed to C.F. Jilson preceded
the July 13, 1888, plotting of Claremont when
the original confines of our town were set.
The entries of the years through 1914 are
a series
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a
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of land exchanges some of which were
Nffi
entry that makes one know there was a
building is a December 31, 1914, item when
1I
"Stratton State Bank" appears on a trust
deed item numbered #30. The liquidation
sale for the real property and bank equipment appears as item #42 with Henry G.
Hoskins notarizing. That the town's name
ROC/(
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s
\J
s
,sT . \
\ 1--,;_l|-rI
s
due to tax sale with name of McCauley,
Campbell, A.W. Winegar, Ferris, Bourquin,
Hugo and Clara Stegman, J.A. Collins and
Blair involved in the transactions. The first
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/SLANO
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was now Stratton is clear.
The ensuing transactions are a review of
names associated through the years with
Stratton's development: Stratton State Bank
to Harstine, and then to C.S. and Nora Wall;
Nora Wall to Claus Rose Jr. and Justus Rose
at the death of her husband; the Rose's to
George F. Batt; the Batts to Swidbert A. and
Edith A. Hornung, and so on through the
years to the present owners
D. and
- Donald
Patricia C. Guernsey. If all
the joys and
heartaches of those who owned this property
t{
t!
a
I
VONA
through the years could pour out of that
abstract, what a story we would have!
by the Editors
VONA HISTORY
Story
T377
1
Some of Vona's History as taken from the
book Vono's Yesterdays and other sources.
The information was compiled by the Vona
Centennial-Bicentennial Com. in 1976, the
members being: Joyce Miller, Barbara Thorson, DeAnna Cure, Keith Gurley, Wilma
Woller, Claude Rasmussen, Lila Taylor,
Harriet Ford, and Carl Harrison. Submitted
by M.D. Haynes: "The Rock Island was the
by Janice Salmans
VONA'S HISTORY
T378
{i
':.iat
,3:'',t
:
last of the trunk lines to cross the eastern
plains of Colorado. Vona, in Kit Carson
County, was named for a niece of Pearl S.
King, a Burlington lawyer. Some say he was
a printer not a lawyer. There were no settlers,
only living things being jack rabbits, prairie
dogs, and a few coyotes and antelope. First
people were those connected with the railroad, such as depot agents, section bosses,
and pump men. In 1888, a contract was taken
by E.H. Haynes to grade two miles of Rock
Island road bed at Bethune. The engineers
indicated to Mr. Haynes where the Vona
station would be located, so he filed
a
homestead entry adjoining that spot. However, no town lots were to be laid out until
nearly twenty years later, when the southwest forty was platted, and about that time
a plot was deeded for the cemetery. A brother
of Mrs. Haynes, Z.J. Kiser, filed on a quarter
section cornering to the south-west."
The following history was written by Elmer
H. Haynes, probably in the late 1930's. Mr.
and Mrs. Haynes first lived north of the
AF
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t.
.,
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:'1,L1,1
Vona street scene
l
.:
section house in a dugout, but later they were
able to secure a frame building formerly used
as a saloon. "Vona
those living some
- For
distance from our town,
we will say that Vona
is located in Kit Carson County in the exact
center from north to south and almost the
center from east to west. The location is just
rolling enough to insure good drainage, the
soil is a rich sandy loam. All vegetation
common to this climate and elevation grows
well. Blue grass lawns do especially well
without irrigation or occasional irrigation.
Water is found in unlimited quantities at
about 80 feet and chemists find it pure and
healthy for drinking purposes. For several
years the town was kept by the railroad, the
school being maintained entirely by the taxes
�country was rapidly settled. Early in 1908,
Wiley Baker, a young man recently arrived
from Iowa, established the Vona Enterprise.
Baker's paper was the only democratic paper
in the county and strenuously supported the
Democratic ticket that fall, which ticket by
strange coincidence, with one exception, was
successful. The county was overwhelmingly
Republican, but dissatisfaction with the way
the county assembly nominated the ticket,
caused rank and file to rebel. Possibly
Baker's paper contributed to the result, but
there is diversity of opinion. The Enterprise
was later moved to Stratton. In 1908, E.H.
Haynes was elected county judge and moved
to Burlington. In 1916, he returned to Vona
where he resided until just before his death
in 1944. A sample of Vona's 1908 grocery
items: tall salmon can, 114; coffee, 170; lb.
bread loaves,4 for 150; sardines in oil,3 for
100; and peanut butter, 100. From the Vona
Enterprise Prices in 1909
- Town Lots,
$1.00 each; Hay, $12.50 per ton; Eggs, 15q per
i*,.
fi l iI*'
doz.; 2 lbs. coffee, 250; Gasoline, 164; Percale,
100; Gingham, 70;4 pkgs. starch, 250; 19 lbs.
sugar, $1.00; and Flour, $1.65. Area population in 1913
368; Bethune
- Burlington
25; Stratton
350; VonaSeibert
- 250; and Flagler
- 100;
250. The
Vona band
-performed at the first- Flagler Fall Festival in
1913. Members: Iversen. Karver. Scheid-
Vona street scene looking north.
)-l
Coal chutes were also erected for coaling
engines. John D. Delaney of Kansas, was the
first section foreman, and Henry Wallace the
permanent railroad agent. A Mr.
Brinkman was pumpman for years and lived
on a farm northeast of here. Erastus R.
Johnson operated the first store in town, in
a frame building, where Buck's filling station
was later on. The store was built in the
summer of 1889. Later he went out of
business and was succeeded by the Erskin
Bros., Lee and Jim, who later took on John
Delaney as a partner. The first lumber yard
was established by Z.J. Kiser. The stock
consisted of three carloads, but the demand
first
Old Alexander Hotel in Vona.
being meager, the stock carefully assorted, it
supplied the demand for about a year, when
the enterprise went out of business. The same
year, 1889, Will Rogers started a newspaper,
which considering the population of the town
was about 20, survived for more than a year.
The nearest doctor, Dr. Paul B. Godsman,
was at Burlington, 28 miles distant. Incidently Dr. Godsman was married at a settlement
egger, Carlstedt, Smith, Alexander, Mohr,
Mohr Jr., Hansen, and C. Hansen. Postmaster Dawson moved the Post Office to the I.D.
Fuller store on Feb. 4, 1909.
by Janice Salmans
VONA'S HISTORY
T379
w,
%.t
t-.
W:
r,-rii
All ready to leave for Calif. from Bert Kvestads
Their set up included a boarding house,
paid by the railroad. When the railroad was
Men were paid $20
looking for a point on the line to locate a
watering and coaling station, they found an
inexhaustible supply ofwater at a reasonable
depth. A well 16 feet in diameter was sunk 3/
of a mile east of the station and piped to the
station and this, for many years was the main
watering place for engines. (A man was put
in charge of pumping machinery at the well.
Water was made available to one and all, and
some homesteaders hauled water for as far as
10 or 15 miles away.)
commissary, blacksmith shop, stables and
many tents. They had 30 fine mule teams.
A few
-
$25 a month and board.
months residence each year was
required by the government before a patent
to a homesteader. For several
years Mrs. Haynes and children held down
the claim while Mr. Haynes was away on
earth moving projects. Final proof was made
on the homestead in 1895, the family left, and
were not to return until 1907. In 1906-07 the
bulk of settlers filed on claims, as the
attention of the settlers again turned to the
fertile lands surrounding Vona, and the
'fuas issued
*'''
1-
,
'l
-":
'r-m
ffi
north of what is now Seibert, called Hoyt.
The settlement even had a newspaper, called
The Hoyt Free Press. Hoyt moved south to
form Seibert when the railroad went through.
In 1888, the nearest habitation to Vona was
located at the W.P. Davis ranch, located on
the river, 6 miles north. The 3 Dunlay
brothers did the grading through the Vona
territory, with their camp 3/+ mi. east of town.
, ,t"&
Vona Baseball Team
Story
2
The town of Vona was incorporated on
June 9, 1919. The first mayor was William E.
Melling. The town clerk was H.K. (Harlan)
Haynes. The trustees were as follows: Adam
Elsey, Ben Wilson, Jim Stover, Charles
Davis, Charley O'Neil, and William Odle.
Other mayors were: Oscar Strehlow, Gus
Fuhlendorf, Ray Roberts, and Robert Edmunds. The present mayor in 1986 is Leslie
Tanner and the town clerk is Katy Burd.
Council members are: Tom Burian, Lucy
Clapper, Gary Currie, John Cross, Bob Fox
and Sherri Stone. Dale Richards takes care
of the water and Leslie Tanner is the park
caretaker. In the late summer of 1920, George
Moyes and Clair "Herk" Hill organized the
�Van Meter American Legion Post #1b6.
It
was named in honor of the Van Meter bov
who was the only soldier from the Vona area
to be killed in the World War I. In
summer
the
Waynick, Stanley
Haynes, and Clair Hill having heard about
the game of golf, laid out a six hole course,
\ri
in the pasture of Mr. E.H.
^ i.',
,@;)'''''''t:"'"
ffi
of L921, Marc
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..
I
4
:,.;:t:L:
i
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After the fire looking to the east
play. As Mr.
Hill
said "Several of us did
pretty well, but they always beat the socks off
us!"
In 1920, Mr. A.V. Jessie of Seibert bought
the Vona Bank and hired Marc Waynick from
Pagosa Springs as the cashier. 'Vona's Bank
Robbery Scare' as told by Clair Hill: "At the
time I was working at the International Trust
Co. in Denver, They sent me to come to Vona
as the assistant Cashier, which I did. Mrs.
Waynick was the bookkeeper. In the fall a
bank robbery and burglary crew were operating out of Colorado Springs. The Sheriff of
the county at Burlington got word from the
underground that a bank somewhere in this
area was next in line to be knocked off. So he
came to Marc and me and told us what we
:ii.
,*
iarl:
Pictures after the Vona Fire in 1936.
I
might expect. But he said emphatically . . .
"Don't keep a gun in the bank at all, your lives
are worth more than the money they could
get." But, he went up to Haynes Hardware
store (second door from the bank) and had
him load two rifles and put them where he
could get them quickly if he needed them.
Then, in case of a night burglary, he told us
every night to wipe the safe and the vault
door with a coal oil rag, so that he might get
some fingerprints if possible. Nothing
happened for months. Then one bitter cold
morning in January 1922, Marc and I had
picked up the mail at the Post Office and
gone to the bank at about 8:45 and left the
front door unlocked as we would be open for
business at 9:00. We had gone around to the
front window and let the blind down for
better light and was reading the morning
mail. About that time a stripped down auto
(I mean stripped down
just a seat for two,
a
,t_
steering wheel), and no- cover for the engine)
drove up and stopped at the curb right in
.&
&.gr
4*
a:*,
Fire destroyed almost an entire block of buildings.
Haynes.
'Loveland's "Grand Lady of Golfl' Practiced
on Vona's Course'taken from the Loueland
Daily Reporter and Herald in 1974, told
about Vi (Violet Munter) McDill, using the
Vona cow pasture golf course in 1922, when
she was the principal of the Jr. High here in
Vona. In 1924 the businessmen of 3 towns in
Kansas, Brewster, Goodland, and Kanardo;
and 3 towns in Colo., Burlington, Bethune,
and Vona; held a meeting and organized a
Class "D" Semi-Pro Baseball League. It was
planned for Mr. Hill to manage the Vona
team and be the catcher, but the other towns
nominated Herk to act as Pres. of the league,
which was to be under the supervision of the
Sports Editor of the Denuer Post. So a new
manager was appointed for the Vona team.
The season was a success with Brewster the
Champions, and Vona finishing 2nd or 3rd.
Also in L922,Rev. Mathews, a Baptist church,
and started to teach several people how to
front of our window. Because of the bitter
cold the men had handkerchiefs over their
faces. When we looked out at them sitting
there like that we just hnew what was going
to happen to usl Well, . . . the men got off
the car, took the handkerchiefs from their
faces, went in Carey's and got a sack of
groceries, came out, got into the car and drove
off. Marc and I were so weak all dav we could
hardly walk."
�k
June 7, 1936, Hotel, Barber Shop, Pool HaIl, Dance Hall and Hardware buildings leveled after the fire.
H.K. Haynes was the candidate for State
Representative the fall of 1934. The first
l11t:.,
l
serious setback experienced by Vona came in
the early morning of June 7, 1936, when a fire
of unknown origin started in the pool hall. As
Vona was without proper fire fighting equipment, all adjacent buildings were consumed.
The Gagnon Hotel, the dance hall, Carey's
general store, and the two-room Haynes
Hardware Store were a total loss. Only the
arrival of the Burlington Fire Dept. with
l;y:.1;'.,1.,,t1ifi
.rr,
:,.1ii.,.,
" I'r'rlrl ,1, .;.r,
,1.i
,ii;;,;,,::',t,,:li11l1:'
.,:,|t,
a
chemical engine prevented the spread of the
fire to the other buildings, thus saving the
entire east side of town. At the time the
principal businesses of the town were represented by two general stores, lumber yard,
wholesale oil establishment, two elevators,
show house, drugstore, restaurant, hotel, and
pool hall, the Baptist and
Christian
Churches, both with good substantial buildings. E.R. "Buck" Weaver's filling station was
saved by the application of what little water
there was.
by Janice Salmans
VONA HISTORY
Taken 1906, L. to R. Glenn Howell with them, S.L. Howell, Charles Gray, Ruby (Fuhlendorf) Clark Howell,
Harry Howell, Clara Howell, unknown woman and Shep the dog.
by Janice Salmans
T380
NUBIAN
ffi
WATERPROCF
BRUSHING
t.,I
Two early businesses which were along the south
side of the park in Vona.
�LAND AND FAITMS
ln Eastern Colorado
For Salc, Trilcle, Rcnt or
Lcerse
Juit a ferv of thc many bergaina in Eartcrn Colorado
Land that I have listed. lJon't wait. Time nreans
Money if you care to take advantage of these figurer.
Ilanch of -l$rl rreru:. ,\ !().)(l frtnle
harl rocrlr lor ii hr'.rrl ol;tock.
l'ell. rlin<ltnill an,l t.rnks. .lr) ltr.> u.rhouse,
tlcr c'ultivatiou, eoocl l.r:l-l,c for irrt(t lrc.tl
of stock. Itricc S.l.l5 r. roo(l tcrl:ls.
F:..'rl of i6() acraJ, ail rrririqr itilce lrn,i
cross ftrtcetl, ('0 ircrt's rrrrrlcr i-tr]tir'.rtior:
f rirnre hrtrsc and llaru , gotr l * r.)l arrd
s'intlnrill; 1 nrile frr.,rrr tosrr Sl.5(Xt.
irrrm ar:rl l)astlrre of +s() acres, iril
ttntlrr fencr; h()us(, btrn. too<l grovc,
undrr culti\'ttiotr rll lrVel lJil(i,
r rttral illril rottt!', I'rr, c $iirt)tt
Farin of 161) ircrcs, lli trr,,lcl le:rrc,
good frarle hott.e, lr.,rrt, '.reli, R,r:tl
16() acres
ort
franrt chickerr lioilsc, "ltt a('r.r\ ul)rlcr crrltivntion, i nrilcs ir,rrn torvl. I'rice $:tr')rt,
Farnr of 3lrr rcras, I rnilc frtlrrr toln.
lrotrse, barn, gr.rnJr]-. rvell, rrirrrlrrrill, r.ll
turder fcnc.'atrrl cross lctrce,l. tit) rcres
uuder crrltilatiorr, ell
t
illairit'
lrurtl.
I)ricr. S:S-it).
A iarr:r oi l6() r,.res ,i 1.i nriles fronr
i(,,,\n, ll(rise, steblc, rll lu1(icr feil,t,::, .ifl
J(i,-s urirltr ctrltir.rtion, $(rn{l \1.eli ii leer
d., 1,. ;'ri. c $i+(r0.
Ij.rrrrr oi 16,) r\res. : l,iic. frorrr tou,t,
fLiir,rt lrorr:e, barn, end orrt buildings,
+r) reres, les: than lJ fect to \rctrr. 27
asrcs of alfrlfa, rveli aud rvixlrnjl[, all
trutler ferrce, \'olr;;g grove, snrall orch:rrl
IrIing rlatcr,
1,5{)
trcre5
oi trllairlc land.
I'ricc $.i.35{): ' j rlola, l{ irr one ycar,
l:,t]311"a ,, tw() J(irrs, ilrttrestat6per
eLI)i I,ayr!)lc arrntrallt'.
-\ l.rrgc rnr()lr,:t of rlcerled iiind fronr
$(i tu {il.-5al l}('r acre, accorrtrrrg ..o distiulce frr)ru toNll.
'l-irree lots iu the torvn of \:onir, free
for a tlour rnill sitc, shallors ',o ri'atcr.rnd
J S,.\r\l stll)i)l-t of it.
.\lsavs havc I.Irrnrrsreatl Relinqrrishrrrrrrts orr lrand. \\'rite me itr regard to
tllcln. '['orvrr lots in Vona for saie.
For a Quick Sale and Square Deal, Iirt your land with me.
S. L.
Howell
Vona, Colorado.
Land Agent of 25 years' Experience in Colorado.
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S.N. Howell and Eliza owned the grocery store
where the Post Office is now.
-,
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by wagon train to Colorado with the S.L.
Howell family, and the DeWitt Walton
families. Next from Harriet Mohr Ford: My
folks came to Colo. as homesteaders from
Corsica, So. Dak. in the fall of 1908. Father,
Mother, Brother Bill, and myself. I was three
years old. Our household goods, machinery,
horses and cattle cnme by emmigrant car. We
came by train. Our sod house, 1 mi. north and
1 mi. east of Vona was built before we arrived
so we moved right in. I started school in the
old two room school in Vona, later I went to
the 3rd, and 4th grades in the small building
in the west part of Vona. My 1st teacher was
Mrs. Laura Alexander. My father had a
harness shop in Vona, he learned the trade
from a school in Chicago. Harness business
was limited so most of the work was repairing
ol Ptnpty,$
VONA'S HISTORY
Early Families
T381
The Howell Family by Glenn Howell: My
father, S.L. Howell, came to Vona in 1887,
before the Rock Island Railroad was built.
His closest town was Haigler, Nebr. and he
traveled by team and wagon. I am the oldest
person that was born in the Vona area that
I know of. I was born 8 mi. north and 2 mi.
west of Vona in 1889. When the Railroad
cnme through, my father homesteaded 2 mi.
north of Vona in 1890 and 20 years later I
homesteaded just crossing on the northeast
of his place where the buildings are now. I
built the cement house and barn on the
*tI (Janice Salmans) believe the place
he is referring to is known to us as the
place.*
Bernard Waidron place (owned by Kenneth
Pickard) and where the Carl and Barbara
Matschke now live with their children: Larry,
Earl, Jessica, and Anna
in
1986.1 Flora
Linford Ferris another past resident of Vona
told in a letter how she came with her family
shoes and other leather goods. He later
opened a cream station. Some memories of J.
Carl Harrison: The land adjoining the
Haynes homestead on the west was homesteaded by a man named Perle King, who
plated the town and named it "Vona" after
his daughter, Vona King. The only families
living at the Vona site in 1890 were Mr.
Saggua and family, Jack Kiser, and E.H.
Haynes family.
But a few
homesteaders
settled North of Vona in 1887, before the
railroad. Some of the names familiar to old
timers were: W.R. Linford, S.L. Howell, D.C.
Waltner, Nobel, Fisher, Corrall, Gardner,
Thomas, Shaffer, Gunther, Deakins, Bryant,
Phillips, Vernon, Pickenpaugh, Shotwell,
Bun, and Besdecker. At that time, the settlers
went clear to Haigler, Nebr. for provisions,
and hauled water from a spring on Hell
Creek, about 15 mi. Northwest of Vona. W.P.
Davis settled north ofVona in 1888 and later
was elected County Treasurer. Alvin Ferris,
the forefather of all the Ferrises in the Vona
and Stratton area, came in 1888, the forefather ofall the Ferrises in the Vona and Stratton
area, came in 1888, then with the Linford
family, moved to Vona in 1890. He helped
build the first school house in Vona. Linford
was later employed by the Rock Island,
coaling trains. Mr. Wm. Burnett homesteaded north 1 mi. and west 1 mi. of Vona.
His daughters Ruth and Alice were early day
�VONA IIISTORY
T382
OUTNe0u0nmo
,,,,1:;.,6,*{,ii:
:e:tttiir,l
Fnnp FLauaeas
Ernnl
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L Jupn
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Publi+\eJ by
Feeo FlaruaoaN
voNA, cor-oRiDo
Rabbit Hunt 1930's
Out In Colorado
Vona.
By Opal M. Boger: In about 1910, Carey
Poet office was established 16 mi. north and
37r east of Vona in the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Carey. Postmaster Carey was a farmer and
ran a general store in one of the two rooms
in his house. My father (N.O. Gulley), Vz mi.
from Carey, was appointed mail carrier from
Carey to Tuttle Post Office, 9 mi. east of his
home. He made the
Rabbit hunting around Vona.
teachers, and his son Wm. Burnett, was
County Supt. of Schools for term 1893-94. He
was the 3rd. Supt. Another Vona homesteader, George Bent, was about the first County
Treasurer of Kit Carson County as it was cut
of Elbert County in 1899.
' outThis
history was furnished by Mrs. Flora
Linford Ferris, a daughter of W.R. Linford
(who built the Linford building in Stratton.
It is now the "Someplace Special" store on
the main street. By 1908 in the south area
there was a homesteader on every quarter
section. By Mrs. Ben Boese: The Pleasant
Valley community was settled by a group of
German Mennonites from South Dakota.
They built the church in 1912. Some family
names were: Boese, (A.M., Ben M., John,
Henry J., and Jacob) Corneilus Schultz,
Dirks (Harry, John, and Ben), Adolph
Schmidt, Unruh (Jacob and John), Matilda
Kliewer and Mary Heinricks, A.B. Becker
(father of the Beckers of Vona), Ratslaf,
Wiens, Peterson, Buller, Pankratz, and Wedels. Some of this group left after proving on
their homesteads, others stayed on a few
more years. One by one they all left but the
Ben Boese and A.B. Becker families. A.L.
Boese. Wilbert and Leander Becker, were all
prominent in the Soil Conservation south of
trip
3 times a week
with
horse and buggy. Carey Post Office was
discontinued when the Vona Post Office
extended to our community in 1916. The
original Carey still stands enlarged, remodeled and owned by Mr. Woods. Now, some 76
years later, few seem to remember there was
once a place called Carey.
History of the U.S. Postal Service of Vona,
Colorado 80861. Established in Kit Carson
County 5-18-1889, Erastus R. Johnson;
Henry Wallace, 2-1change of postmaster
1980; Change
of
Postmaster
Alvin L.
7-9Ferris, S-11-1894; Office Discontinued
- R.
Erastus
1907; Est. in Elbert County
in Vona
1-19-1899: Reestablished
Johnson
1-2L-L907; Change
Archie L. Ferris
- Stover 8-30-1907;
-Postmaster James M.
Change Postmaster
- Wm. H. Dawson
- 12A.
Louise
9-1908; Change Postmaster
Haynes
9-18-1914; (she died-2/14/77, aged
- changed from Fourth to Third St.
90) Office
Wm. L.
10-1-1919; Change Postmaster
-Butler
4-L5-L924; Change Postmaster
6-9-1936; Change Postmaster
Ray L. Ford
10-13-1949; InauguraMerlin C.-Ford
-tion ofthe United States
- Postal Service 7Joann Pickard
1-1971; Change Postmaster
(sister to Merl Ford)
5-3-1985; Vona's first
two mail carriers - George Smith, and
- 1986 South Route
August Carlstedt; Today
Pat Rueb, Asst.
Abe Frll, North Route
-Rita Rueb; clerk Nancy- Megel.
-
by Janice Salmans
ETIN
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Frank Boger in his blacksmith shop in Seibert, Co.
sf^roM
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r-.i.r:a'wd,::'i:. -..
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THE BOGER
BLACKSMITH SHOP
T383
Frank Boger started his blacksmith shop
1929. It was built by Frank
Boger, John Boger, Elmer Everett, and Jess
Miller and was painted by Jess Miller. He was
assisted in the shop by his sons, John and
Vernis, for the first few years and then
in Seibert in
operated the shop by himself for several more
years. Failing health forced him to close the
shop in about 1937. The building is still
standing on the south side of Highway 24
about one block east of Main street.
The building is now owned by Twila
Gorton.
by Joyce Miller
Statement from the Boger Blacksmith shop.
VONA'S DOCTORS
Dr. V.M. Hewitt
T384
The Stories as told by Mrs. Hewitt: In 1923
after completing his medical education, Dr.
J.T. Myers drove to Eastern Colorado in
search of a spot where a doctor was wanted
and a community of such that he would want
to bring his family and make it a home. As
he traveled he drove into Vona, a thriving
little community, with two churches, several
grocery stores, a lumber yard, bank, two grain
elevators, a cream station, restaurant,
hardware store, two hotels, two garages, and
believe it or not a livery barn. Rock Island
gave good service in and out
ofboth passenger
and freight. Yes, and the depot was well taken
care of by the pleasant helpful agent. The
post office was in the front room ofone ofthe
homes, accessible to every one in town. It was
later moved into a separate building facing
the street which ran parallel to the railroad
track. The crops had been good and looked
favorable, so after talking to businessmen, of
which S.L. Howell was chairman, he decided
to locate here. S.L. Howell found a place for
his family to live and in a short time after the
doctor got settled in his office, his family
anived October 10.
The house was quite new and very nice, but
there was no electricity, so the coal oil lamp
was brought into use and for better light, the
Coleman gasoline lamp. A small wood stove
did a very good job of heating and cooking
�too. There were no indoor toilets. but we did
have water piped into the house, which was
unusual for such a community. School was
close by and all grades were taught. Within
several months the men of the town got
together and bought a Koehler plant, which
was housed in a basement. if I remember
right, and even if we didn't have but one or
two lights on at a time we were happy with
it. After sometime, K.C. Electric Company
came in and then most everyone had accommodations of electricity. There were only two
or three telephones in the town, ofwhich one
was for the doctor. Out in the country there
were very few phones and those that were
there, the telephone wire was barb wire fence,
but somehow in case of necessity, willing
neighbors were on hand to give assistance
if
needed.
Roads were not very good and out on the
prairie it was mostly trails which led to one
farm house then another and so on, so in case
you were not familiar with all these trails you
stood a good chance of getting lost, which
happened many times. In wintery weather
Dr. Myers many times went as far as he could
by car, then some one would take him on in
by wagon, sled, or horse to give medical aid
to a sick patient or deliver a baby.
One time when he was called out about
eighteen miles or so and after giving medical
aid to the sick he started home and was
caught in one of those awful blizzards. He
drove as far as the car would go, not knowing
just what to do and realizing he couldn't stay
in the car, he looked out into the storm and
saw a dim light in the distance. He decided
to take a chance and walk toward that light.
Cold and half frozen he finally made it and
there found a door opened to him, a welcome
refuge, a warm fire, and a hot cup of coffee.
After about thirty-six hours the storm subsided and he with the help ofthese friends, got
the car dug out of the snow and he got on the
way home. In the meantime we at Vona had
had no word from him and all were very
concerned as to his welfare, so the men got
a posse together and started out to look for
him. After going several miles they met him
coming in, a wonderful relief to all, and
thankful to God for his safe-keeping. Many
were the experiences similar to this one, but
there were also many happy times when we
all got together for an evening of singing,
homemade ice cream, taffy pulls, and popcorn. During these years the Doctor's health
was failing and in 1928 he went to be with his
Lord.
About a year later the men of Vona were
anxious to get a doctor to take Dr. Myers'
place. One day Dr. Hewitt was driving to
Denver; he stopped to get gas for his car and
something to eat. Some one heard he was a
doctor and the news spread like wild fire.
Soon several men encountered him and tried
to interest him in locating here. They advised
him that Dr. Myers' office was intact and
everything he needed was there and the rent
was paid. After making several trips to
Denver and back he decided to locate here.
The news spread rapidly that Vona again had
a doctor. Calls began to come more and more
in town and out into the country. He was not
acquainted with the country-life; having
formerly always lived in the city, nor was he
acquainted with the winding country trails
that led over the prairie to some distant
frame house or adobe hut. Therefore ignorant
of these conditions, he would have some
young man who knew the country, go with
him on these calls or drive for him. He could
be called out at any time day or night. Oft
times when far out into the country he would
stay hours with a sick patient or maybe a
night with an expectant mother until her
baby was delivered. Thus he grew to love
these folk and knew them as no one else
could. Many of these calls were very hazardous especially in winter when snow was falling
or the wind blowing up a gale. Sometimes he
had to be met somewhere with a horse-drawn
sled or a pony to ride to get to the home of
the patient. One day he asked his young man
who went with him, "What in the world do
people away out here in the country do, when
someone is sick and desperately needs a
doctor?" Hesitating a moment the young
man said "Well, I guess they would have to
call the doctor two or three davs ahead".
by Mrs. Hewitt
VONA'S DOCTORS
T385
There were no hospitals close until a few
years later, thus many minor surgeries were
done in the office, such as pulling an aching
tooth, setting a fractured arm, or shoulder,
taking out a pair of tonsils, or opening and
treating a festering boil or varicose ulcer.
Sometimes he fitted needed glasses to one
whose eyes needed help. In Vona the people
recognized the need for some place for sick
folk to stay while being treated daily for their
ailments, so several homes were made available to fill such a place and also some were
readied for an expectant mother due for
delivery, especially in bad weather, til the
child was delivered and both were cared for
until they were ready to return home. Other
homes were made available for older folk who
could no longer care for themselves; they
could in these homes find needed medical
help and care.
During the drought and depression of the
thirties plus the terrible dust bowl days, the
country calls were just as hazardous as in the
winter blizzards. High winds, plus the
droughts, blew out crops and left much of the
prairie barren, even of a little grass. Cattlem-
en had to feed their cattle with feed thev
hauled in or maybe drive some to distani
pastures, or sell some in order to provide for
his family. Money was scarce, but those who
possibly could paid for their medical services
and those who couldn't, would bring the
doctor what they had, be it poultry, eggs, milk
cream, or a pig, or whatever they had, you
nrme it. It made a wonderful relationship
between them and their doctor, one he never
forgot; he loved them with all his heart.
On one particular occasion after delivering
a baby, he looked for something to wrap the
baby in but found nothing, maybe just a few
rags. On leaving after the care of the mother
and child was complete, he reached into his
pocket, pulled out some bills and gave them
to the mother to buy some needed clothing.
On another occasion a young man came to
visit his brother and family, who lived north
of Vona. He had heard much about the
rattlesnakes or buttons on the tail of a
rattlesnake and longed to have some, for
some had any number of rattles or buttons
depending on their age. One day while out
hunting they came across a big rattlesnake.
They tried to kill him but he made for his
hole, and this young man, not knowing the
danger or ways of this snake, grabbed his tail
while he was going down his hole, thinking he
would get those rattles. The snaked turned
and bit him in the thick part of his thumb.
The brother immediately rushed him to the
doctor and treatment was quickly given, but
the venom had already gotten into his system.
The doctor worked with this man the rest of
the day and all night and well into the next
day, and finally won the battle for his life, but
Iater on he lost part of his hand. Others who
in
one way or another were bitten by
rattlesnakes, didn't survive for medical help
came too late and these are the tragedies that
grieve a doctor's heart.
When rains began to come, grass began to
grow and everything and everybody began to
regain that cheerful, hopeful, upward look,
which is so prevalent in these wonderful
eastern Colorado folk. Hospitals were being
built, roads and highways improved, many
modern conveniences were made available,
all of which made the doctor's life much
easier, although he still answered calls be it
day or night. He learned to love this country
life and most of all he loved the people he had
served so long and given them his best. He
was a most capable physician; he knew his
medicine, symptoms and treatment as very
fewdoctors knewthem, and he was numbered
among the best.
As he realized his health was failing, he
made one request, that his remains would be
Ieft among the people he so loved and served.
He died in 1957 and as he requested, he was
buried in the Vona Cemetery.
by Janice Salmans
OTHER CHURCHES IN
THE VONA AREA
T386
In the early homestead
services were held
days, church
in most of the countrv
schools. The following established churches
were also in the Vona area: Church of Christ,
13 miles north of Vona;
A Catholic Church,
17 miles north and z/q west: Church of the
Nazarene, 15 miles north and 1 west; and the
Holland Church, 15 miles north and 2- % west
of Vona, called the Dutch lst
Reformed
Christian Church.
FIRST BAPTIST
CHURCH OF VONA
T387
The First Baptist Church of Vona, Colorado was organized July, 1912, after Rev. M.
Hatch labored faithfully to unite the Chris-
tian fellowship who became the fourteen
members to sign the charter. They were:
Messrs and Hubert Dawson; Dr. and Mrs.
J.W. Thomas and daughter Irene; Mrs.
Bertha Fuller; Mr. and Mrs. J.M. Thomas
and daughter Jannie Mae; and Mrs. S.L.
Howell. Jannie Mae Thomas Mumford was
the youngest charter member and has con-
�Stevens in March 1924. Brother Steadman
led in his second evangelistic campaign,
services long remembered for the 136 who
came to the altar and the membership of the
church was raised from 46 to 250. A quotation
from the annual Church letter reads, "We
have freed our Church from all debt, have
First Baptist Church of Vona.
tributed much of the data for this history.
The lots on which the Church was built
were donated by Mrs. S.L. Howell. The
people were not able themselves to finance
the construction of the church building, so a
loan was secured from the American Baptist
Home Mission Society and a mortgage was
given for the same. Many years later, after
much sacrifice and trust in God for provision,
the debt was finally erased. Out of the
experience came the purpose and motto, "We
shall pay as we go henceforth." The services
started in the shell ofthe building even before
there was a floor, using the joists as seats for
the worshippers.
The Sunday School was organized as a
union school in 1909 and met for classes in
the school house. Later a Church was built on
the hill, intended for use of the Union Sunday
School but when it was dedicated as a
Christian Church, the Baptist group separated themselves as soon as the Baptist
Church was under construction. Mr. J.M.
Thomas was elected Sunday School Superintendent and he served until 1918, when he
moved away. He was succeeded by John
Warrick, who led the school for nearly 19
years, and was followed by Chester Burd.
After the charter was granted to the newly
formed Church, Rev. M. Sangston and his
wife brought
a
chapel car to the siding on the
raised the Pastor's salary to $1,500.00 and are
planning to enlarge the church building. The
average attendance at the Young Peoples'
Class is 30. However, it was not until some
years later the annex was started. In December, 1926, Rev. E.R. Clark was called here and
served the Church until July 1928, to be
succeeded by Rev. J.F. Starr in September
1928. Brother Starr continued as Pastor
during the critical financial period of the
"Dust Bowl" years. Nevertheless, during the
ministry the annex was finally started and
the basement completed. Money was raised
from proceeds of ten acres of water melons
harvested on the G.M. Ott farm north of
Vona; by returns from ten acre harvests
donated by various farmers; by a gift of
$72.00 from the Calvary Church (a group of
believers who assembled in the old Boger
School, twelve and one half miles north of
Vona until in 1931); and in addition, numbers
of individual gifts of money and chickens.
Because of hard times, the Church was
disappointed in not being able to complete
the building at that time. The financial
conditions had become so bad our Pastor and
his wife doubled their pledge and voluntarily
accepted a reduction in salary. Brother Starr
accepted a call to the First Baptist Church in
Golden, Colorado in June 1936.
For several months, supply Pastors came
to us, until in October 1936, Rev. W.L.
Bledsoe accepted the call to the ministry
here. He labored with us faithfully and
patiently, finally inspiring us to proceed to
the completion of the work on the Church
building. He assured us that God would
surely supply help, as he certainly did, for
Rock Island Railroad and held meetings
things were accomplished no one
during the fall of 1912 and the spring of 1913.
thought possible at the beginning. The annex
Several converts were gained by the meetings
Sunday
and added to the Church to strengthen it.
The first resident Pastor to be called was
Rev. Ira J. Calahan, who ministered from
1913 until in February 1915. Recently a
pulpit chair has been dedicated to his
memory by the gift of his daughter, Mrs. Erie
Colm of Ashsland, Ky. He serviced the
church faithfully for three years until his
death while still Pastor here. He was succeeded by Rev. E.L. Crane, State Missionary
Evangelist of the Colorado Baptist State
Convention. He served for one year, to be
followed in November, 1916 by Rev. E.M.
Lockhart who continued through 1917. Rev.
J.L. Rupard began his ministry in June 1918
and served until June 1919. During his time
here, he and his wife lived in the back part
of the church, formerly the classroom of the
Hi-Fliers Class. It was at this time the
building ofthe parsonage was started. Brother James Davis held special meetings in 1918
and several new members were added to the
church.
In July 1919, Rev. J.C. Matthews came art
Pastor and during his ministry of two years,
the first meetings of the Eastern Baptist
Association was held
in
Vona. Rev. E.M.
Steadman, also held his first series of meetings during this time. Rev. B.I. Compton
became Pastor in October 1921 and servedfor
two veers. to be followed bv Rev. Charles
was finished, providing
a chapel,
ever
School room and Pastor's Study. The Audito-
ers ordained here. The ordination taking
place November 12, 1940. While Pastor, he
and his wife met with an auto accident in
which her face was disfigured and she was left
with severe nervous strain. With determined
devotion, they continued until in January
1944. The two pictures: "The Three Wisemen" and "Christ in Gethsemane" were painted and donated by the art pupils of Mrs.
John Hale. The Christian and American flags
were donated by Lela and Imogene Burd in
1943. Special meetings were conducted by
Evangelists Arthur Nyborg, Leonard Get-
tings and E. Woody Hodson, the latter
donated the large pulpit Bible used in the
services so many years. Through their ministry, the Church was greatly strengthened so
it assumed full responsibility for its
financial program. At this time the bathroom
was installed in the parsonage. Splendid
B.Y.P.U. programs stimulated large attendance under the leadership of Mrs. Thompson, the record attendance being 183. The
Thompsons assisted the young people in
publishing "The Ambassador: a newsy, spiritual monthly, primarily for the purpose of
giving cheer and of lending spiritual support
to "our boys" in the service. The Chester
Burds helped to carry on this work until the
war was over, also donating the mimeograph
that
used for the paper.
Several boys from our Church served in
II in the armed forces of our
World War
country and an honor roll was kept in
memory of them. Only one gold star appeared
on the banner, and that for Wayne Adams
who was slain in action. His memory is also
honored in the name of the local American
Legion Post - Adams Crum Post. During
Brother Thompson's ministry fifty five were
added to the membership, sixteen were lost
by letter or death, and eighty three were
dropped from the Church roll by revision of
the Board of Deacons.
Three Pastors have been ordained here:
Rev. James Bennett, July 20, 1924; Rev.
George Thompson, November 12, 1940; and
Rev. V.M. Horton, June 1, 1947. Two others
were to have been ordained here. but due to
rium was redecorated, installing a new ceiling, and the exterior of the Church was
bad weather which prevented a sufficient
number to attend, it was postponed to a later
painted white. Both members and friends of
the Church gave generously of time and labor
until the Church was completed and building
was dedicated on September 4, 1938.
On this date, the 25th anniversary of the
date; when Rev. W.J. Peterson and Rev. John
dedication of the original Church building,
the new annex was dedicated. Dr.
W.F.
Ripley delivered the morning address, which
was followed by a chicken dinner served to
130 persons present in the basement dining
room. During the afternoon, the history of the
Church was read by Mrs. E.B. Wilson,
prepared by her and Mrs. Ray Deakin, the
latter overseeing this present edition of our
history. Greetings were received from Pastors
and members not able to be present. Special
music was rendered by a male quartet.
Former Pastor, Rev. J.F. Starr of Golden
preached the dedicatory sermon, and an
address was given by Rev. W.L. Jaeger of the
Colorado Baptist State Convention. Rev.
W.J. Peterson of the Flagler Church led in the
prayer of dedication. 147 persons attended
the services. Brother Bledsoe continued to
serve until in August, 1939 and was succeeded
by Rev. George Thompson, who settled here
in October 1940.
Brother Thompson was one of our minist-
at the Flagler
Church, the latter under the direction of the
Vona Baptist Church, December 16, 1926.
Rev. Clifton McGlothlan came to the
Church, April 30, 1944 and served here until
September 29, \947. During his ministry the
Primary Department and the Young Married
Peoples' Class were organized. State Evangelist, Edwin Boone and Evangelist "Big"
Jim Kramer held special meetings, and the
Pastor also conducted a two week series of
Falconer were ordained
meetings. Brother McGlothlan preached
once each month at two school houses, one
north and one south ofVona. The church sent
the Pastor as a delegate to the Northern
Baptist Convention which convened in
Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1946. Upon his
return he urged the Church to support and
cooperate with the Conservative movement.
A back porch was added to the parsonage and
a distillate furnace was installed. Up to this
time Pastors had to provide their own stoves.
A light was placed at the entrance to the
annex and a piano was purchased for the
prayer room. A lamp was also installed on the
piano in the auditorium.
Rev. Virsil Horton, a student enrolled at
�the Rockmont College in Denver, came to the
Church as Pastor, April 6, 1947. He was
ordained here June 1,1947. On Januar5i lst,
1948, our church joined the Conservative
Baptist Association of Colorado and pledge
support from our undesignated missionary
giving; 50Vo to Conservative Baptist Foreign
Mission, 40% to Conservative Baptist State
Mission, and l0% to the Rockmont College
in Denver. Improvement to the Church
included a built in kitchen, with sink, range
and hot water heater; a new chimney and new
baptistry. Evangelist Jesse Powers of the
Fuller Evangelistic Foundation of California
held a series of meetings and there were
choral work, especially
at
Christmas and
Easter.
by Myra L. Davis
VONA CHURCH OF
CHRIST
T388
thirty
five additions to the church. Fourteen were
dropped from the roll.
Brother Horton was succeeded by Rev.
Nihl D. Johnson, who began his October 1,
1948. Two of our young men enrolled in the
Rockmont College in Denver in October 1949,
they were Forrest Tanner and Wayne Gouge,
the latter with his fanily residing in Denver.
The Church voted affiliation with the Conservative Baptist Association of America,
January 26, 1949. A new Church Constitution
and By Laws replaced the former constitu-
tion which were lost, January 25,
by Evangelist Roy R. Boese, who as a young
walls white, building a shelter and steps to
the back entrance and a new entrance door
at the head of front steps; cement walks and
steps were put in at all front entrances to the
Church; a table was built and a cupboard
loaned by Mr. and Mrs. August Carlstedt; a
reed organ was donated by Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Miller; an upholstered davenport and
chair were donated by Mr. and Mrs. Harold
Pickard; and a circulating heater was purchased to better heat the basement for
gervices.
Brother Johnson greatly improved the
parsonage by contributing materials, redecorating the walls throughout and building in
the kitchen cabinets and shelves. He also
installed and contributed electric wiring and
outlets for the Church's kitchen, a yard light
as the rear entrance to the Church basement
and installed a transformer and buzzer
system for the Sunday School.
Special missionary speakers were: Rev. and
Mrs. Paul Okken of Belgian Congo, Africa;
Rev. and Mrs. Bernard Von Ehrenkrook,
appointees of the C.B.F.M.S. to Brazil, South
America; Rev. Robert Welsh of French West
Africa; and other speakers were: Mr. William
Ward, field worker of the Red Feather Lakes
Conference; and Mr. Charles Wilson, show-
ing the Moody Bible Institute film, "Dust or
Destiny".
The Ladies Missionary Fellowship sends
barrels and sacks of Whit€ Cross materials to
the Okkens for use on the Mission Field in
Africa. Baccalaureate and Commencement
services are held annually in our Church by
the High School. Two annual Good Friday
gervices have been held with communitywide
participation. The choir under the direction
of Leander Becker renders a real service in
thur, and Paul Palmer. Karen McArthur
served a summer internship to the Navajo
Indian Mission in Arizona. Paul Palmer
served an internship to the Christian Mission
to the Chinese in Hong Kong and influenced
Wong Yan Wing to come to the United States
for Bible College and Seminary training.
Wing is now back in Hong Kong, president
of a Bible College he was influential in
starting there. Clair and Karen (McArthur)
McManigal were called to serve the Vona
church after the Palmers left in 1972. The
church doors were closed from Feb. 19TB
through Dec. 1977.
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Palmer returned to
Vona in Dec. L977 and again started having
services on Jan. 15, 1978 with eighteen
present. In the fall of 1983 and spring'84 the
church members and friends lowered the
ceiling of the building and installed a new
lighting system and paneled the walls and did
some painting. This improved the interior
Vona Church of Christ.
L949.
Special evangelistic meetings were conducted
man lived in the area, from June 12th through
the 26th, 1949 and from June 4th through the
18th, in 1950. These services met with fine
success and attracted wide interest with good
results from each series of meetings.
Church improvements included redecoration of the Church basement by painting the
these years the following members of the
church went to Bible Colleges: Charles Baer,
Hazel Burian, Rogeray Palmer, Karen McAr-
The church located on the corner of East
Second and Howell Street in Vona is known
both by the term Church of Christ and/or
Christian Church. According to the Sept. 15,
1923 Christian Standard, page 5, "The Vona
Christian Church was organized in the fall of
1909 by Minister Gill, whose daughter, Mrs.
John Collins, is still a member. The organization failed in 1916 and was not revived till the
fall of 1919 when only five members could be
found. For some few years they have been
without a settled minister, but April of this
year they were in a position to call David
Graham to the charge. The membership now
stands at forty-five."
Some records were lost in a fire in 1955.
The following has been partly gathered from
memory and more recent records.
On March 27, L9LL, Judge Elmer H.
Haynes deeded the land to the Church of
Christ. A building was constructed by volunteer labor pouring hand-mixed concrete to
make the 8" inch walls with a small furnace
room basement. The baptistry was built in
with the platform. Mr. W.E. Melling designed and made the pulpit, communion
table, and railing along the front of the
platform and they are still being used (1936).
David Graham, R.J. Frederickson, R.C.
Turner, Dr. W.L. Straub served as ministers
in the 1920's. Rachel Boast and Mrs. St. John
also served in the early days. Ministers from
Burlington and Arriba, William Sutton,
Lloyd M. Green and Hany Bixel held
afternoon services for a time in the 30's and
40's.
Eugene Raymond Palmer lived in the
church basement and preached full time from
January 1, 1941 to February 28,L942. Charles
Baer preached some in the 40's. Mrs. Amelia
Howell kept the Sunday School together
many years when there was no minister to
help.
Brother Palmer returned to Vona in June
1948 and continued with the church through
June 1972, working on the side to support his
family. During this term of ministry there
were at least 38 that made the good confession and were baptized and at least 18 others
transferred their membership. Also during
decoration and has helped with heating the
building for services. Special gospel meetings
were conducted in August 1981 by Elbert and
Ruth Moreland, in September 1984 by Tom
Weaver and Alan Barber, and in September
1985 by K.O. Backstrand and Alan Barber.
Many other ministers and missionaries from
various places have shared their time, talents,
and message with the Vona church over the
years.
The church has had a large percentage of
its younger people attend Colorado Christian
Service Camp, also a number of adults, and
has reached a lot of children in the area
through vacation Bible Schools. The congregation has fluctuated during the years due to
people moving in and out of the community,
young people going elsewhere after graduation from high school, and the normal death
toll.
The church continues to have regular
Sunday morning services with Bible School
classes and worship service with communion
and preaching. Frequent fellowship dinners
and home Bible studies are also held.
Eugene Palmer passed away Dec. 4, 1986.
by Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Palmer
THE NEW
FRIEDENSBERG
MENNONITE CHURCH
T389
The Mennonite community south of Vona
was mainly settled in the year 1907. Most
of
these folks came from the Avon. South
Dakota territory, There the Mennonite
Church is nnrned 'The Friedensberg Mennonite Church', meaning: Hill of Freedom or
Peaceful Hill.
Our Church was named The New Friedensberg Mennonite Church. Even the shape and
gize was modeled like the South Dakota
Church.
A
Charter for the New Friedensburg
Mennonite Church was issued by the State
on Nov. 18, 1910. In early 1912 the Church
was dedicated by Rev. H.R. Vothof Kansas,
and a English sermon was delivered by the
�shattered by a loud grating noise descending
down the wall. All eyes were turned to about
the middle of the south wall. Soon we heard
slight scratching noises ascending the wall.
All was quiet for a while. But then again that
loud descending noise, followed by that slight
ascending noise. By this time Bro. Bergen was
getting somewhat frustrated. Nobody was
listening to his sermon. In rather a loud voice
he said "Don't pay attention to the noise.
Who ever is there is paying more attention to
my sermon than you are".
After the services we got hammers and
New Friedenberg Mennonite Church. 17 mi. south
and,2t/z mi. west of Vona
Rev. John H. Epp of Hillsboro, Kansas.
Rev. Henry
U. Schmidt was our first
Pastor. He was very instrumental in organiz-
ing the New
Friedensberg Mennonite
Church. Rev. Schmidt was from Oklahoma,
but had also lived at Avon, South Dakota
previously. He deeded a four acre plot of
ground from his homestead in the northwest
corner of the northeast V+ - 10-48, for this
Church.
The Church designated that one acre on
the south of this deeded land be divided into
lots for a cemetery.
In the early days this Church many times
was filled to capacity of around one hundred.
But so many homesteaders did not remain
long. The attendance was very sporadic and
usually declining in numbers.
Rev. Schmidt served this Church until the
first part of 1920. Rev. Schmidt sustained a
grievous loss in the death of his wife in March
of 1920, due to the birth of a little son and
the death of the little boy a few days later.
He, with the younger children left for Okla-
homa, where He pastored a Mennonite
Church for many years until he was well in
his eighties.
With the departing of Rev. Schmidt our
screwdrivers and opened a small space in the
wall where the noise appeared to come from.
The beam from a flashlight revealed shining
eyes from some little furry animals clinging
to the top of the space between two studdings. We did not have to wait long. Soon that
loud grating noise descending, but this time
the noise stopped at the opening, and out
popped a cute Iittle raccoon, about the size
of a half grown cat. Soon we had four of these
cute kittens scampering on the floor of the
Church. All of us were excited. We had to
dodge the path of those coons as we and the
coons clambered all over the floor and
furniture of our Church. I don't believe any
of us knew the behavior of raccoons. The boys
finally captured the four kittens in gunny
sacks, and they were taken home by some of
the boys.
The coons had dug a hole underneath the
foundation. and somehow had found an
opening between the studdings, and could
reach the attic of the Church. The four little
coons must of got trapped where there was
no opening at the top of the wall.
We piled rocks on top of the hole. The
coons pulled the rocks away. We found one
we did not notice any evidence of coon
activity
so we
piled more rocks atop the hole.
kept on with Sunday School and special
programs and many times had a minister
from our General Conference serve us once
a month. Among those visiting our Church
other than the Rev. Voth and Rev. Epp
Sunday morning what did we see but big bare
Derksen and others. Rev. Roy Boese, when
visiting his relatives, would serve our church
and also when he was pastoring the Vona
Baptist Church, would give us a sermon
numerous times. Eldon Boese would also give
us a sermon when he was visiting his home
folks.
In the early fifties we had a regular Pastor
in Leonard Ewert, who served us so ably.
Later Rev. J.W. Bergen from the Mingo
Mennonite Church, south of Colby, Kansas,
served us very well once a month.
It was during the Iate fifties, when Rev.
Bergen was at our Church that the well
known event of coons invading our Church
occurred. The first episode of coons was an
event that will not soon be forgotten. Few had
ever seen or even knew that coons were in the
vicinity.
That morning we had a period of singing
and a long time in Sunday School classes.
Prayer to God was made on that beautiful
quiet Sunday morning. Bro. Bergen was in
the midst of an intense interesting sermon,
when all of a sudden the quietness was
1920-1921 Vona School
dead coon in the attic. So we left the hole
That did not stop the coon activity. One
Tschetter. John Barkman, John Esau,
t..:' ,:
open. We were afraid the coons may die in the
walls where we could not get at them. In time
Church was left without a regular pastor. We
mentioned above were the Reverends Frey,
Unruh, Regier, Harold Ratslaff, Richard
Vona School which was replaced by the present
building. About 1918.
Vona School in the 1950's
spots on the roof of the Church. They had
tried to go to Church again by crawling up the
corners of the Church, and tearing the
shingles off the roof. We could see the scratch
marks on the west corners of the Church. We
covered the two west corners of the church
with sheet metal. The coons crawled up the
east corners, and ripped off more shingles, so
we covered all corners with metal. We have
not noticed evidence of coons at our Church
for several years. They are smart cunning
animals. We will wait and see.
Since the parting of Bro. Bergen, attendance at our Church, The New Friedensberg
Mennonite Church southwest of Vona, Colorado had decreased until even Sunday School
has all but ceased.
It is a sad situation, indeed to see the
seemingly end of worship at this Church, and
the deterioration of a Church building.
Building the Vona School Gymnasium in the 1960's
by Wilbert Becker
summer
of 1889.
Mabel Dascod was the
teacher. During the fall, a frame building was
VONA'S SCHOOLS
T390
As told by several of Vona's past and
present citizens, Elmer H. Haynes: "The first
School was held in the residence of E.R.
Johnson, located Vr mile east of town . In the
erected on the Haynes homestead by the
district. The school was erected on the hill
about 300 feet north of the depot. E.H.
Haynes was the teacher during the winter of
1889-90. Later the school was disposed of to
private parties and a larger two-room build.
ing built in the north part of town. Later this
was sold and the present buildings, with the
�*,.:,:i:,:a.-
''.
.'
:,,.f,,',,r,l;1 ;:
ward to better things ahead. Mr. A.M. Boese
cheerfully volunteered a number of acres in
the southeast corner of his 160 acres known
as the S.W.% of 33-9-48, 6 miles south and
tYz west of Vona for the school. The school
house was no sooner finished til plans were
under way for celebrations. No holiday went
by without pie suppers, oyster suppers, box
socials, watermelon feasts, picnics in the
summertime which usually had a high-spirited baseball Beme between the single and
married men. The first year of school started
in 1908 with Miss Emma Ligget as teacher.
Miss Amber Palmer, a homesteader taught 3
years. They taught all eight grades with 30 to
40 children. This was District #47."
Opal M. Boger: "In 1911, a small adobe
brick building was erected 1% miles east of
Carvey. (Carvey was located 16 mi. North and
\Vz mi. East of Vonal) This was our school,
Old Shop and finished symnasium
District #42, commonly called Kechter. It
was also our church, meeting place, and
Hi-Plains Grade School, Vona.
capacity of 200 pupils was built at the cost of
in 1917."
Glen Howell "My first teacher was Ruth
$6,000.00,
Bernett in the early 90's. I think she got about
$10.00 per month. She lived on a homestead."
J. Carl Harrison: "At that time (1930's)
there were no consolidated schools. All
country children went to one-room country
schools. Only town children went to the town
school. There were five country schools in the
south Vona trade area and I think about the
same north. Church and Sunday School was
held in several of the country schools. Some
of the first area teachers in the south were:
Jim Barrett, John Matthews, Mr. Thompson,
Marie Farquer, Blanche Johnson, and Carl
Harrison."
Harriet Mohr Ford: "Our school system
now (1976) operated jointly with Seibert, has
always had the distinction of being a school
where you could be proud to have your
children attend. It has always maintained a
structure of education and morals above
reproach."
Horace Boger as told to Joyce Boger Miller:
"The Boger School was a one-room frame
building, built in about 1909 about l2t/z miles
north and 1 west of Vona. It was later moved
one mile to the east. The Unity Sunday
School was also held here. Some of the first
teachers were: Gailon Lewis, Vern Meyers,
Sadie Dulmer, August Carlstedt, and
William
O'Seeley."
Reflections of Arthur L. Boese: "In 1907
homesteaders began to trickle into this
community. In the next two or three years all
the land had been filed on with a house on
every 160 acres . . The hub of this community centered in the Pleasant Valley School.
A
large sod building was put up with
I can see them yet, working
like beavers with all the joy and satisfaction
of accomplishment and always looking forvolunteer labor.
Rainbow Sunday School. Chris Heinrich was
the Supt. of the Sunday School. In some
school terms over 40 pupils attended. The
first teacher was Miss Bessie Wilder. Others
were: Grace Van Winkle, Ida Martin, and
Wilma Ford. These were all local girls,
daughters of homesteaders. Miss Wilder and
Miss Van Winkle had homesteads of their
own north of the school house and just over
the county line in Yuma County.ln L922, a
Iarge frame school house was built on the
same corner on the opposite side of the road.
Miss Estel Straughn from near Burlington
was the teacher that year. Members. of the
Board of Directors were: Jacob Kechter,
Chas. Andrews, and Erastus Godfrey. Some
of the family names of pupils in District #42
in the years 1911-1923 were; Achley, Atwood,
Arthur, Atterbury, Andrews, Bolin, Calkins,
Calhoun, Hagan, Hamilton, Gulley, Godfrey,
Woods, Wilkerson, Wasson, Phillips, Kechter, Keeley, and others." Some other schools
of the north Vona area were: Kerl School called West Point
10 mi. north and
- located
2 east of Vona, Bowers
School
located 12
north and 41/z east ofVona or 1 -east ofwhere
Mick Monroe used to live. Brownwood
School
west of the Brownwood
- Vz mL
Store, Seaman
School
and 1 west
- 16 north
of Vona, Hunter School
near the Ed R.
- and Vz mi. east
Stahleckers or about 16 north
ofthe town ofSeibert, and some adobe school
buildings were: Progress
4 mi. west of
Moffitts or 19 north and 5 -mi. west of Vona,
Weakland
8y2 N. of Vona, and Rehor's
- north
School
17
and 1 west ofVona. Some
other schools
were: Flannigan School
N.E.
of Seibert 7 miles, Murphy School - 3 west
and 4 north of Vona. Harmon School
Seibert, and Solid Center
North -of
Stratton, Plainview
East on- the river by
Joe Brachtenbach, -and First Central and
Second Central Schools
located south of
Seibert."
Mrs. L.L. Grimes remembers some of the
families that attended the Murphy School
were: Borens, Youngs, Burcars, and the
Grimes. There were many more. Violet
(Fuhlendorf) Edmunds remembers the
Plainview School was 9 mi. north of Stratton.
and the Solid Center School was 9 north and
about 3 west ofStratton as this is where their
boys went to school, and the Hanson School
(an adobe) was 3 miles east and 5 miles north
of Vona, before the Ashview School was built.
Then in 1916 Hanson was torn down and the
Ashview School was built and was District
#54. (Violet Fuhlendorf attended all her
school years here). The first teacher was.Ada
Sack, and the 2nd teacher was Mae Peterson.
who sill lived in Flagler in 1986.
Gwen (Salmans) Malone remembers: "Mv
brother Kyle Riley stayed with us for awhile
and went to the Ashview School in about
1945." Mrs. John Wigton remembers some of
the schools south of Vona: "There wag the
McConnell's School, the Green Knoll School
North of Dean Wigtons, the Pleasant
-Meadow
School down on the correction line,
and the Pleasant Valley School. Some of the
teachers at Pleasant Valley were: Evelyn
Olsen, Mrs. Tressel, Mrs. Elvina Ezra, Matilda Kliever, Mary Heinricks, and Mrs. John
Wigton. We had all eight grades in one room,
and the older children knew they had to get
most of their work done by themselves so they
just studied harder. The S.tate had a course
of study for us to complete and we always got
our finished by the end of the school year."
Mrs. Harriet Ford says: "Our boys went to the
Green Knoll school and one day a dirt storm
came up so the teacher sent the children
home. Well, the parents thought the kids
were safe at school and the teacher thought
they were home, but the boys got into Drake's
grainery and hid till the storm was over. Mr.
Drake found them when he heard them after
the storm was over and sent them home."
Wilbert Becker says: "In 1921 the District
#47 of Pleasant Valley was consolidated with
#68 and called #68."
Everett Duncan who was on the school
board of Dist. #36, Pleasant Meadow in 1948,
when the schools consolidated intotown says:
"There were three schools in Dist. #36 - (1)
Pleasant Meadow
12 south, and 1 west;
- south
Spring.Creek
13
3 west; and
- south andand
Rose Dale
16
2 west of Vona.
because the- district was so large. There was
also a school called Lucky Point
- 9 mi.
south and lVz east ofthe Vona Road."
Some teachers at the Progress School north
of Vona were: Edna Bartman (Stahlecker),
Myrtle (Cowgill) Shaw, and Margie Boren. A
teacher at Murphy School was Daisy Frank-
father.
In 1948 when most of the country schools
consolidated into Vona the senior graduating
class was: Clarence Macon, Frieda Steiniger,
Nedra Steiniger, Bill Edmunds, Arthur
Tubbs, Virginia Herrell, and Kenneth
Hubbell. In 1950 the state passed the School
District Reorganization Act and a committee
was appointed to reorganize the school
districts, at this time Vona
District #R-3,
- were formed.
and Seibert "District #R-2
When this happe4ed some of the buildings
were moved into town and the equipment was
auctioned'off. Thebuildings were used for the
lower grades 1-4 and a lunch room.,.The
teacherage house was once a country school.
In 1963 a gyrnnasiurn was built and the school
house was remodeled to accommodate grades
K-12 and even had a Special Ed. room and
library.
On April Fool's Day in school year 1970-7I,
the Seibert School burned and the high
school students went to Vona. InL97L-72the
grade school students went to Seibert from
Vona, and Seibert's high schoolers went to
Vona. They received their diplomas and took
the class sneak together.lnlgT2-73, the high
school moved to Seibert and the grade
schoolers moved to Vona. The schools were
called Hi-Plains High and Hi-Plains Grade
School and retained their own District num-
�bbrs,of
'R,2
in Vohe and R,3 irr Seibirt.
In the fall of 1984, the Colorado l€gislative
bodies notified the Seibett and Vona Dig'
tricts that they would no longer.give egch
district more state money than they would
get if they were one district. Thig announce'
ment took away all the advantages of .opera'
ting together but remaining separate districts. The school boards: (Seibert) Carlog
Arnold, lVilford Huppert, Terty Tagtmeyer,
Ervin Jones,and Kelly Burr; and (Vona) Joe
Gurley, Lyndell Salmana, $teve Miller,
(Daryl) Pickard and Nean l;iebl, deciddd to
hold a consolidation election. On Dec. 31,
1985, both districts passed the proporal, The
Hi-Plains Dlsttict #R-23 wag created on ilan.
1, 1985. The new district's firut order of
business wag to set up new director distticts,
A five member board was elected to replace
the original ten member boardl Carlos Ar'
nold, Nean Liebl, Kelly Burr, Myra Devis and
Ervin Jones.
In
1988,
the School Board was: Terry
Clapper, Myra Davis, Vickey Eagleton, Ewin
Jones and Janice Salmans. The Staff are:
Elementary: Sherry Stone, Peggy Henry,
Mary Molford, Terri Cooper, Nora Hubbell,
June Guy, Carol Smith, TerrY Ingram,
Dorthy Tanner, Mrs. Shaw, Barbara Thorson, Wanda Miller, Katy Burd, Madne and
James Matthews, Dale Richards, Rick and
Sherry Dykstra, and Wanda Cross, High
School: James Smith, Diane and Steve
McCracken, Jean Mrieon, Ronald Stone,
Jerry Guy, Rita Ross, Lance Shaw, Judith
King, Kerry Sayles, Melvin Lievin, Etma
Boren, Janet Shotti Jqnice Niles and Slim
Goodwin.
bY
rsnlce Sslnaas
voNA GnADU-ATSF;9,
' 1918: Gtace Smith and Clemenza Carey.
1919: No record or no graduates.
1920:
William Alexander
1921: Ralph Meisner, Robert Smith and
John Falconer
1922: Emma O'Neill
1923: Bessie Snap and Alvin Ferris
1924: MaiY Haynes
1925r Fern Butler and Reba Edwards
19?6: Verna Sparks, Beatrice Strode and
Oscar Sbode.
1927: Vernon Monroe
1928: Ftancis Burcar and Alice Miller
1929: George Card, Bessie Miller and Ena
Molyneux
Class of 1930: Mary Flanagan; Wilbert
Becker; Helen Fredrick; Emmett Teal; Andtew Boese;.Iean Deakin and Minnie Kerl.
Class of 1931: Arnold James
Class of 1932: Wendell Starr
Class
of
1933: Jensen, Wilson, Warrick,
Haynes, Heiken, Bigelow, Becker, Rush and
Boeee.
Class of 1934: Morgan, Braddy, Haynes,
Bates, Heiken, Klassen, Weaver and Carey.
Class of 1935: Carpenter, Lane, Kemper,
Gagnon, Moser, Ferris, Shepherd, Deakin,
Ancell, Adams, Haynes, Carlstedt, Bigelow
and Wilson.
Class of 1936: Pete Loopstra, Joe Kordes,
teroy Fuhlendorf, Rose Tanner, Clara Boese,
Arthur Summers, Eugene George, Ralph
Tanner, Junior Carpenter and Abe Becker.
Clags of 1937: Dorthy Smith, Alma Bigelow, Laurene M. Herrell, Agnes Dalgetty,
Verl Monroe, Evelyn Swift and Lela Burd.
Class of 1938: Robert Harrison, Doris
Moser, Guy Harrison, Max Deakin, Clara
Carpentet, Roy Howell, Louise Bigelow,
Doris Klassen and Frank Swift.
Claes of 1939: Daylon Larson, Hazel Adams, Harold Pickard, Samuel Lane, Ina Mae
Moyles, \{alter Coleman, Georgia Carpenter,
Floy Herrell and Robert Sharp.
Class of 1940: James Loopstra, Raymond
Summers and Hein Loopstra.
Class of 1941: Wayne Fuhlendorf, Leona
Pickard, Corananex Wilson, Maxine Carpenter, Wanda McDougal, Quentin Wilson, Leon
Ford, Lucy Woller, Merlin Ford and Pauline
Hubbell.
Class of 1942: Alice Helderman, Eugene
Elsey, Imogene Burd, Russell Lowery and
James Inman.
Class of 1943: Ed Carpenter, Forrest
Jeffers, Leon Louis Carter, Forrest Tanner,
Paul Inman and Reatha Lou Morgan.
Class of 1944: Juanita Hewitt. Bob Ancell.
Martha Woller, Doris Carpenter, Pat Ford
and Robert Herrell.
Class of 1945: Francis McCaffrey, Neva
McCaffrey, Hazel Thompson, Helen Klassen,
Glen Edmunds and Rose Ann Bigelow.
Class of 1946: Kenneth Pickard, Robert
Austin. Cornelius (Jack) Klassen, Lois Carpenter and Lucie Burd.
Class of 1947: Ramon Ford, Betty Jean
Howell, Thomas Burian, Shirley Summers,
Irene Burian and Opal Fuhlendorf.
Class of 1948: Bill Edmunds, Virginia
Herrell, Kenneth Hubbell, Nedra and Frieda
Steiniger and Arthur Tubbs.
Class of 1949: Joann Ford, Margaret Shore,
Paul Jackson, Rudy Card, Daniel Thompson,
Darrell McCaffrey, Keith Yonts, Velma
Pickard, Virginia Jackson and Norman Travis.
Class of 1950: Virgil Schwartz, Norma Jean
Monroe, Vaughn Monroe, Nora
Mae
Doughty, Charlotte Marleen Boese, Kenneth
McCaffrey, Marvin Thompson, Richard
McCaffrey and Kenneth Stoltz.
Class of 1951: Roberta Coleman, Thelma
Monroe, Betty Jackson, Eldon Boese and
Dolores Kerl.
Class of 1952: Everel Yonts, Harold Monroe, Robert E. McCaffrey, Daniel Hubbell,
Lawrence Megel, Robert Edmunds, Harold
Carlstedt, Edith Helderman, Bradford
Doughty and Melba Mae Card.
Class of 1953: Arlene Becker, Virginia
Grimes, Bernita Stoltz, Colleen Eastin, John
Webb and Joyce Edmunds.
Class of 1954: Wendell Jennings; Keith
Schwartz; Shirley Hendricks; Marjorie
Schwartz; Mary Jackson; Duane Megel; and
Earl Wilkinson.
Class of 1955: Beverly Boese; Helen Zimmerschied; Arlene Thorson; Zelz Thorson;
Melvin Edmunds, Benny Grimes, Duane
Monroe: Jean Monroe; Walter Reeder; Paul
Schreiner; Johnny Steininger; and Jaunita
Thompson.
Class of 1956: Fern Pickard: Eugene Patterson; Hazel Burian; Marilyn Corwin; Steve
Card; Esther Reeder; Harry Covey; Donna
Zimmerschied; Leroy Wolf; Clifford Reeder;
and Loren Wilkinson.
Class of 1957: Kay Ford; Gene Fredrich;
Margaret Waldron; Jerry Megel; Gladys
Lobmeyer; and Robert Eastin.
Class of 1958: Anna Belle Jackson; Burleigh Becker; Ronald Eastin, Barbara Duncan; Sandra Stewart; and Chester Monroe.
Class of 1959: Nels Thorson; Larry Lob-
meyer; Donna Becker; Don Pickard; and
Wayne Miller.
Class of 1960: Virginia Duncan; Evelyn
Fell; Agnes Helderman; William Eastin;
David Miller; and Lief Thorson.
Class of 1961: Douglas Becker; Marvin
Becker; Deanna Browning; Ronald Fell;
Carol Megel; Dewey Staatz; Wilbur Staatz;
Linda Tanner: Albert Tubbs; and Donald
�Kenneth Hinton, Keith Gurley, Vicky
Waldron.
Class of 1962: Jim Patterson; Karen Thor-
son; Lany Eastin; Beth Hoffman; Marilyn
Duncan; George Card; Loretta Fell; Reba
Staatz; and Larry Gurley.
Class of 1963: Larry Pickard; Glenn Schaal;
Barbara Grimes; Linda Schreiner; Patricia
Stewart; Gary Salmans; and Lowell Fredrich.
Class of 1964: Joyce Boger; Carl Thorson;
Daniel Tanner; Rogeray Palmer; Carol Ford;
Bruce Vanatta; Betty Duncan and Donna
Fell.
Class of 1965: Lyndell Salmans; Janice
Wolkensdorfer; Darlene Browning; Don
Specht; Richard Harrison; James Krei and
Terry Clapper.
Class of 1966: Janet Austin; Linda Kasten;
Avis Staatz; Mitchell Wright; Paul Palmer;
Roger Harrison, and Robert Staatz.
Class of 1967: Deanna Becker, Lany Burd;
Chryl Clapper; Barbara Harison; Joe Gurley; Myron Vanatta; Margie Wolkensdorfer;
Keith Wright; and Sharon Woller.
Class of 1968: Don Gurley; Vickey Camp;
Robert Kasten; Jane and Joan Ford; Evertt
(Bud) Monroe; Chryl Pickard; Roger Paintin;
Daryl Pickard; Karen Pickard; and Carlton
Woller.
Class
of
1969: Rick Burd; Paula Clapper;
Michael Curtis; Wanda (Walker) Cross; In
Memory of Kelly Ford; Faith Peplow; Rita
Pickard; Sharon Stewart; Nora Tanner and
Virginia (Ness) Sechrist.
Class of 1970: Debra Brinkoff; Lana Burd;
Betty Cemp; John Miller; Daniel Mills;
Nadine Wigton; and Charles Fell.
Class of 1971: Jody Clapper; Stan Woller;
Patty Kasten; Rod Burd; Peggy Harrison;
Vivian Pottorff: and Ron Harrison.
VONA PIIOTOS
McCaffrey, Donald Walden, Kevin Jarnagin,
Claude Rasmussen, Victor Harrison, Kenneth Tanner, Rosa Camp, Floyd Camp, Terry
Hebbell and James Mason.
Class of 1977: Cathy Levin, Jerry Clapper,
Dave Marx, Carmen Dykstra, Marla McGriff,
David Bowser, Paula Bancroft, Dale Mills,
Margaret Mason, Carla Livingston, Lana
Blackwell, Sherry Jones, Kerry Tagtmeyer,
T393
'
ri:il,
'-:',i'
',illa:
Shari Gorton, Kathy Gurley, Rick Taylor,
Eugene Tagtmeyer and Cindy Graham.
Class of 1978: Lori Kasten, Jack Burian,
Danny McCaffrey, Terry McCaffrey, Tracy
Miller, Cecilia Hase, Clint Jones, Larry
Tagtmeyer, Rhonda Cowen, Tim Clapper,
Susan Woller, Myra McGriff, Alan Bancroft,
Darrel Santala, Linda Mason, Mary Pelser,
Lavonne Kranz and Don Graffis.
Class of 1979: Walter Marx, Julie McCaffrey, Janet Miller, Chris Clapper, Tim Levin,
Darlene McCaffrey, David Myers, Gerald
Masters, Brian Blackwell, Julia Burian,
Ernst Robinson and Bill Taylor.
Class of 1980: Laura Jones; Gary Hansen;
Lori Burd; LaVon Dykstra; Michelle Hat-
Vona Lake located below what is now the Daryl
Pickard home. Highway 24 would run north and
south through the center of the picture.
field; Mary Kasten; Jim Turner; Valerie
Cochreham; Pam McCaffrey; Jeff Hase and
Rhonda McCaffrey.
Class of 1981: Chris Arnold. Robert Bowser, Victor Cockreham, Chris Harrison, Annette Hase, Konnie Herman, Monty Levin,
Mike Livingston, Brenda Marx and Barbara
Matthews.
Class of 1982: Penne Boyd, Russell Burd,
Michael Ford, Ilene Graham, John Hase,
Judy Hobbie (O'Neill), Cynthia McCaffrey
D.E. Musselman. wife and familv.
and Gary Robinson.
Class of 1983: Julie Arnold, Jay Bancroft,
Bill Leabo, Mark McCaffrey and Cary Thorson.
Class of 1984: Vinette Cockreham, Scott
Edmunds, Ted Ford, Mike Levin, Ken
HI.PLAINS
GRADUATES
Class
O'Neill, Ronnie Point, Elizabeth Strothman
T392
of 1972: Sheldeana Jarnagin, Vicki
Hubbell, Janet Livingston,
't[
Mason, Shawn Nelson, Bob Newton, Connie
KathrYn
Schmidt, Sandra Smit, Nathlia Myers, Terri
Taton, Daryl Aumiller, David Brinkoff,
Charles Clapper, Wayne Graffis, Ray Reid,
Rande Short. Robert Harrison, Ellsworth
Pottorff and Ronnie White. The first class of
Vona and Seibert combined after the fire in
Seibert.
Class of 19?3: Barbara Gail Burian, Joseph
L. Burian, Doyle C. Atkins, Terri Bancroft,
Donald Brinkoff, Rhonda Lee Csmp, Sandra
Kay Curtis, DeAnn Kay Edmunds, Ana
Silvia Ikana, Connie Sue Livingston, John
Eugene Graham, Deborah Lou Hughes and
Charles L. McCaffrey. The first graduating
Class of the Hi-Plains High School.
Class of 1974: Rebecca Myers, Joe Marx,
Ellen Rasmussen, Randy Gorton, Janice
Knapp, Marilyn McCaffrey, John Levin,
Charles Turner, Janet Short and Jim Graham.
Class
of 19?5: Brent Hostettler, Danielle
Hubbell, Carl Blackwell, Deanna Brinkoff,
Bert McCaffrey, Rodney Bancroft, Janette
Graham, Raymond Niles, Karen Viken,
Alberta Marx, Larry Fox, Karen Monroe,
Kim Edmunds, Cheryll Levin, Lorraine
Tanner and Sandra Hughes.
Class of 1976: Lynne Greer, Rick Dykstra,
Arthur Tutner, Randall Herman, Laura Fox,
and Debbie Wamsley.
Class of 1985: Vanice
Kay Cockreham;
Charlotte Ann Cruickshank; Michael
Terrance Hastfield; Stacy Ray Jones; Marty
June Levin; Kimberly Kaye Liebl; Nancy
Kay Miller; Michael Joseph Myers; Sharnell
Dawn Nelson: Rita Joanne Strothman; Joel
David Tanner; and Charles Lawrence Thor-
Clara Howell by the Vona Cemetery.
son.
Class of 1986: Lisa Arnold; Steven Herman;
Chris Huppert; Carol Mason, Pamela Matthews; Frank Miller; Duane O'Neill; Marla
Peterson; Michael Smith; and Joan Wamsley.
Class of 1987: Rhett Atkins; Kelly Broska;
Kristy Burian; Bob Cruickshank; Dawn
Davis; Jeff Hartman; Jeff Huppert; John
Kalb; Bill Mason and Carie Thorson.
Class of 1988: Caryn Arnold; Jqff Clapper;
Velvet Cockreham; Jim Cross; Ahgie Fox;
Jennifer Gurley; Andy Hase; Sharon
Huppert; Robin Liebl; Ed Martin; Lance
McAuley; Kirby Peterson and Scott Tovrea.
A
L923 view of Vona taken from the top of the
elevator by M.D. Haynes. John Deere Equipment
horse drawn in forefront, businesses along the
south side of the now a days park. To the far right
was the Depot. Behind it is the now Miller home.
�*,:
,.
'}ta
\
g
&'.gr..*{'F
'
f.
.,r $ ,s,:'
'i ; x
X
:'
*
Gwenith George, Verdie Elsey, ?, Queenie
Ferris, Grace Perry, Emma O'Neill, Mary
Haynes, Fern Butler and coach Violet Mun-
ter.
In 1959, Vona won the State Consolation
Championship against Sierra Grande of the
Class "C" in the E.C.C.A.A. tournament. The
players were: "A" Squad, L. Lobmeyer, D.
Miller, N. Thorson, L. Thorson, D. Becker,
D. Pickard, W. Miller, B. Eastin, D. Waldron,
M. Becker, and D. Staatz, manager, Coach
Nichols. "B" Squad: G. Card, J. Patterson, A.
Taken about 1910 from the north looking south
VONA PHOTOS
T394
Tubbs, R. Fell, D. Prickett, L. Gurley, W.
Staatz and L. Eastin, manager.
In 1963, Vona Football 8-man team: L.
Fredricks, G. Salmans, L. Pickard, G. Shaal,
D. Tanner, C. Thorson, R. Palmer, L. Salmans, T. Clapper, M. Wright, P. Palmer, R.
Staatz and Coach Harmon, won the League
Championship.
The Basketball team that year was League
and District Champs. "A" team: D. Tanner,
C. Thorson, L. Fredrick, L. Pickard, G.
Salmans. "B" team: L. Salmans, T. Clapper,
G. Schaal, R. Palmer, M. Wright, P. Palmer,
R. Staatz, and coach Harman.
The 1984-85 sports season in both boys
Carlstedt Restaurant
football and basketball worked their way to
the state semi-finals. In Football, they lost to
Day Springs Christian in State playoffs. The
team: J. Tanner, M. Meyers, C. Thorson, S.
Towea, D. O'Neill, F. Miller, M. Hatfield, K.
Broska, B. Cruickshank, S. Herman, S. Jones,
M. Smith, L. McAuley, A. Hase, K. Peterson,
B. Mason, J. Cross, Managers: T. Clapper, D.
Towea, J. Guy, coach, Jim Smith, Assn't.
coach, Roger Beottcher. In Basketball, they
posted a 17-6 record on their way to the State
tournaments in Colorado Springs. They won
the East Central League title with an undefeated record. In the Third Place contest, the
W.E. Melling, prominent early day resident, first
mayor and a carpenter.
Patriots lost to Aurora Christian, taking
fourth place in State. The team: M. Meyers,
C. Thorson, S. Herman, J. Hartman, B.
J.J. Gladden Store.
SPORTS
T395
The first basketball team of Vona School
was in 1922, consisting of: Bennie Stover, Bob
Brown, Glen Drydale, Carey,
Fogg,
Bill
BiIl
Dawson Postmaster 1908-1914
Kenneth Fogg, Kenneth Haynes and the
coach Jim Inman.
The first girls basketball team, L922: Cleo
Elsey, Susie Fuller, Onsita Chester, Harriet
Mohr and Bessie Knapp. The second team:
Crickshank, M. Smith, S. Tovrea, J. Cross, L.
McAuley, B. Mason, coach Beottcher.
In 1988, the sports fans watched the HiPlains Patriots host the 6-man State finals
against the Arickaree Indians. They lost to
the Indians giving them second place in the
championship. Three helicopters from the
Denver TV News landed near the field to
record the game plays. (Channel's 4, 7, and
9). The team: Lance, Eric, and Kurt McAuley, Jim, and Mark Cross, Scott, and Dwayne
Tovrea, Ed Martin, Kirby Peterson, Jay
Clapper,, Andy Hase, Jeff Burian, Jim Salmans, Rob Kasten, John Guy, Marc Santala,
Brad Currie, Phillip Anderson, Clint Hubbell
�and coach Lance Shaw.
Other sports played at the school were
basketball boys and girls, track, baseball and
one of the favorite of girls sports, volleyball.
At one time soccer and tennis were even
included.
LIONS CLUB
m
WORTHWHILE
EXTENSION
TIOMEMAKERS CLUB
T397
T396
@
t.NJ
the roadside park, for the convenience of
travelers, of which there are many, who stop
to have a meal in our town.
The ladies have, sponsored girls for Girls
State, purchased chairs for the hospital,
Little League Baseball suits, sponsored and
paid for summer swimming lessons, provide
Easter and Christmas treats for the school
children, a fan for Grace Manor, sheets for
the hospital, cleaned Band uniforms, clock
for the hall, plants to the rest home, and
numerous other worthwhile projects for the
benefit of the surrounding community.
In 1976, they won second place in the "?6"
Clean Up Day, and were awarded a tree from
the state, which is planted on the school lawn.
Some of their popular donations and fund
drives are the Easter Seals, Pennies for
Friendship, Polio, Heart, Cancer, March of
Dimes, Red Cross, and Boys Ranch. One of
the popular places for their memorials is to
Sitting L. to R.: Gladys Little, Billie Clapper, Mary
Lobmeyer, Katy Burd, Harriet Ford, Sybil Burian,
Nida Corwin, Velma Pickard, Gwen Salmans.
Standing L. to R.: Edna Doughty, Fern Moffit,
JoAnn Pickard, Jan Hadachack, Wanda Miller,
Unknown, Agatha Grimes, Wilma Woller, Jenny
McClelland.
Vona Lion's Hall
On the 16th of May, 1952, these members
of the Vona Lions Club got together and
formed their charter: Ray Ford, Frank Wilson, Merl Ford, Elmer Kerl, G.H. Herrell,
Creed Browning, Herschel Salmans, Otis
Watson, J. Hendricks, Andy Corwin, Louis
Pickard, Michael Freeland, Willard Bowerson, Kenneth Pickard, Joe Zimmerscheid,
Fred Wilson, J.H. Lobmeyer, Wayne Brin-
give to the Scholarship Fund.
The present day members and their membership follow: Pres., Linda Miller, 13 years;
V.P., Sherry Stone, 17 yrs.; Sec., Nancy
Megel, 3 yr.; Treasurer, Agatha Grimes, 30
yr.; Historian, Wilma Woller, 20 yrs.; Harriet
Ford, 35 yrs.; Violet Edmunds, 35 yrs.; Edna
Doughty, 30 yrs.; JoAnn Pickard, 34 yrs.;
Marvel Brinkhoff, 27 yts.; Billie Clapper, 25
yrs.; Becky Harrel, 1 yr.; Shirley Grimes, 13
yrs.; Loretta Fell, 13 yrs.; Fern McCaffrey, 7
yrs.; Joyce Wamsley, 1 yr'.; Betty Davis, 15
yrs.; Virginia Hubbell, 15 yrs.; Rita Rueb, 14
yrs.; Myra Davis, 1 yr.; Barbara Matschke, 5
yrs.; Tanya Taylor, 3 yrs.
TOWN OF VONA 1988
koff, Ambrose Hill, A.L. Boese, Robert
T398
George, Jay Davis, A.W. Morgan, Lloyd
Megel, Jim Pickard, John Murphy, Dr.
Hewitt and Ray Roberts.
Lw*
One ofthe annual events is the Bingo booth
at the fairs. The Lions have been instrumental in purchasing needed glasses for people of
the area.
The Lions Club and the Home Demonstra-
tion Club donate time and money to the
annual Vona Day and now its called homecoming. They help with the street events,
donate money for the prize winning floats
and announce the parade.
The Lions club was built in 1954-1955 to
house the Lions Club but also to furnish a
place for the numerous community activities.
In
1988, the members present are: Lloyd
Briggs, Pres.; Dan Hubbell, V.P.; Rocky
Stone, Sec.; Carl Matschke, Tres.; Carl
Woller, Tail Twister; Steve Miller, 16 yr.
member, Lyndell Salmans, Dick McAuley,
Grant Iske, Larry Megel, Kenneth Pickard,
Abe Fell, Pat Rueb, Merl Ford, (he was Sec.
for 21 years), Mike Ford, Lynn Grimes and
Paul Clapper.
Bi Centennial Quilt Shown at Fair Booth
In 1951, the Worthwhile Extension Homemakers Club of Vona was begun with the
following Charter members: Katy Burd,
Billie Clapper, Wanda Dasenbrock, Edna
Doughty, Laura Dunn, Violet Edmunds,
Harriet Ford, JoAnn Pickard, Rosie Reeder,
Gwen Salmans, Charlotte Scothorn, Norma
Young, Verna Hoffman, and Hazel Ford.
The officers were elected as such: President, Violet Edmunds; Vice-Pres., Katy
Burd; Sec.-Reporter, Wanda Dasenbrock;
Treas., Harriet Ford; and Parliamentarian,
Hazel Ford. Among some of the first activities were buying folding chairs for the Lions
Hall, Starting the Mystry Pals, and a Halloween party,
The ladies take turns cooking for the Lions
Club, serving numerous funeral dinners and
in the early years they served many Mother
and Daughter Banquets. Some of the items
they have helped to purchase were chairs,
tables, park benches, park equipment,
(o-ong which is the spring horse put up in
memory of Hazel Ford), they helped fix the
swings, a recent addition to the park is the
basketball court and the new Gazebo, to
accommodate picnicers. The ladies maintain
The old Fire Department in Vona
I
lilr3
Jo
U.S. Post Office in Vona, CO
a^l ; rKrr
l13l
�Oasis Service. Tom and Nadine Burian
Mainstreet view of Vona, looking to the south
VONA, SOUTH OF
IJWY 24
T399
'.,.ffi'"...
The new Vona Fire Department
Delts Fixing Shop, Ronald Delts
Vona Grain Co.
Lone Pine Liquor; and Video Sales. Jim and
Francis Cemp
�ON
f,nmp Service. Jim Camp
Hfhrry
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Dublin Core
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Title
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History of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief historical stories and elements from the founding and recent history of Kit Carson County, Colorado.
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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
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Vona
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Subject
The topic of the resource
History
Description
An account of the resource
A history of the Town of Vona as recorded in the book History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
Creator
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
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<a href="http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/">http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/</a>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/454/Families-A.pdf
c93a6850513e73db071eed31a81f84c3
PDF Text
Text
the range all winter. There was very little
ADOLF - WEISSHAAR
FAMILY
snow in the winter and no snow storms until
1899, had a big snow that left 20 inches on the
ground and stayed on all winter. No feed and
no grain, no way to buy feed, so the cattle
FI
started to starve to death.
We had a neighbor by the name of John
WaN who had a big herd of cattle and no wav
to buy feed or grain, so he had tojust see them
die.The neighbors came and heiped skin the
cattle which they got 2b cents a hide for. He
loet the entire herd. That may sound bad, but
I-saw that myself, the cows got so hungry that
they ate their own manure and the hoisls ate
the boards of the corrals and the hair of each
other's manes and tails.
In 1902, diphtheria broke out and with no
doctor in the eettlement, we lost 10 or 12
persons, and we lost our oldest brother.
A.W. Adolf during a blizzard in t87 4. They didn't
have electricity due to the storm. Note thi gloves
are made out of beaver, the fur coat is one hJ wore
many years ago, the lap robe is made from the hide
of his favorite horse, Tony, made in the early '20's.
The following story was told to A.W.'s
grandaughter Egther Young in Nov of 1g77.
"My father, August Adolf, and my mother
and two children moved from South Dakota
to Burlington and took a homestead nine
miles north of Bethune (now known as the
Edgar Stahlecker farm) and lived in a oneroom dugout
the roof covered with sod
and no other -buildings on the place.
May 8, 1890, I was born. My Dad had to
haul the water from the Republican River
a1d h9d just two barrels on the wagon. So
when he came home and wae going to-unload
the barrel, it slipped out of his trotd and he
lost all the water and they did not have
enough water to wash me.
There was all open range: no fences, no
^
farming, no plowed ground . . . all grass at
that time . . . the Indians killed t[em for
their hide. All that was left was
a
pile of bones
where one could find an arrowhead that
killed the buffalo, of which I still have eome
of the arrowheads I found.
There were lots of antelope, coyotes,
prairie dogs, owls, prairie chickenJ and
rattlesnakes. Later, the country was filled
with cattle and horses that roamed the
prairies.
As ti1e went on, the fanily grew to four
-boys
and three girls. Father hid-quite a few
cattle and, to my knowledge, theri wagn,t a
horse on our ranch that was not broke to ride
or to drive and if I could not ride him, I had
a younger brother, Gust, that could ride him.
I was born in the saddle and with boots on
and still wear boots and want to be buried
with boots on, so much for that.
I was baptized 28th December, 1890 at the
John Dobler home by Rev. D. Meyer. There
was no church building at the time. so thev
had the service in one home. pastor Meyer
was the firet minieter in the settlem ent. 27th
March, 1904, I was confirmed in the old stone
church, the Immanuel Lutheran Church, by
Rev. Robert Ackerman of Yale, Co. and on
Nov. 10, 1912,
I
Danny, and one of my aunts.
One thing that the old settlers feared the
most was prairie fires. There was a prairie fire
that started at Yuma and jumped the
Republican River and
burnid clear to
Cheyenne Wells. Next was the rattlesnakes.
and they were plenty.
_ In 1907, a disease broke out among the
horses, called the ,.blind staggers", .r,dthey
died all over the county. My Dad lost all bui
two head, lost 15 head, so all he had left was
an old mare and colt, and at that time horses
were very valuable; that was the only way to
farm or even to get to town, as we depended
9n -hgrseg for everything. It took years to
buildthe herd up again, but in those days the
neighbors always helped when anyone nee_
ded help.
There were very few hogs on account of
grain, but if one farmer had a sow that had
pigs, then at weaning time the farmer gave
eagh g pig as far as they went so they could
raise it for the meat and lard. And to git more
meat they could shoot antelope, but there was
only o-n9 biq rifle, a 3SG, in the neighborhood,
owned by Gottlieb Bauder so if one wanted
meat, he borrowed the gun from Mr. Bauder.
There were plenty of antelopes.
In 1908, the grasshoppers were so thick
that at times they shaded the sun, and when
they lan4ed they just ate everything that was
green. There was no way to destroy them, no
poison, and no spray.
.And talking about high wages now days,
when I wae 20 years old, lworked for a farmer
in Riverton, Neb., by the name of Herman
Amman, for $10 a month and room and board
and worked harder than ever in mv life. I
worked for him two years and I pick'ed corn
for one cent a bushel.
. Thgp wer_e the good old horse days. Then,
their big problem was water for the iivestock.
No well diggers in the country and most of
the wells were dug by hand. Most of them
were 200 feet deep and the water was drawn
by hand with a bucket and a winch. A man
by the name of Jim Knapp got a well-digging
rig which was driven by a team of mutesl
Then came the O.K. windmills to solve the
problems. Cost of an eight-foot windmill was
$25 "wooden wheel."
I had nothing to start with and I think I still
it left yet."
August William Adolf, better known
have half of
as
was married to Marv E.
Weisshaar by Rev. N. Brun in the Immanuel
A.W. was born to Russian - German homesteaders August and Katherine Richter Adolf
building.
gust was the first male birth registered in the
newly incorporated Kit Carson County. A.W.
only had three years of formal schooling but
Lutheran Church, the old stone church
Il
ttr:9arly days there never was any hay
stacked, for the cattle and horsee wet" out on
in the "Settlement" north of Bethune. Au-
always had a high regard of education and
served on the school board at Bethune for
many years. He was an early member of the
Kit Carson County Cattlemen,s Association
and hadthe first registered Angus herd in the
area in the 1940's. He loved hoises and loved
his Palominos and Percheron draft horses.
He.enjo-yed riding in parades and enjoyed the
trail rides.
A.W. and his wife Mary enjoyed ?2 years
of married life and had a family of siieirls
and_two boys. He passed awaron Feb]tz,
1985 at the age of 94.
by Eva Wood
ADOLF - WEISSHAAR
FAMILY
F2
I'll start my story with a bit of history of
my parents who were Johann and Chrislina
Margareda Wilhelm Weisshaar. Johann was
born Nov. 5, 1868 and Christin" *"s loi"
April 11, 1865, they were both born in
Lichtentall, Russia. Shortly after their
marriage on Feb. 28, 188b, they left Russia
and came west and settled first in fnlmsgs,
Nebr. It was here that my oldest sister Le"na
Schlichenmayer w€ul born on June 1, lgg6.
They were not quite a year in Nebr. when
they heard that there were people from the
s4me place that they were from in Russia.
living around ldalia, Co., so they once more
packed their belongings and headed west.
They took up a homestead four miles south_
east of Idalia where I was born; Eva Maria
(Mary), on Nov. 27, l1g2.
In the-spring of 1900, when I was eight
years old, we moved from Idalia to lhe
"Settlement" north of Bethune, Co. where
about 15 families of Russian German decent
were living. My Dad bought a relinquishment
deed from a family by the name of Mack
_B_ev!er, It is the place my youngest brother
Karl Weisshaar still owns northwest of
Burlington, Co. We were a family of seven
gills and four boys. Lena, myseif (Mary),
John Frederick, b. Sept. lb, fggl, died-io
1?97; Christina Margaret Fischer, b. Sept. 80,
1889, died in Nov. 19?8 ; Fredericka Fischer,
b. Mar. 29, 1891;Margaret Stahlecker b. Nov.
15, 1894; Jacob (Jake) b. Dec. 12, 1g96; Karl
Frederick b 1898 and died at age 2 weeks;
b. July 27, Lg}O;
Ig.y]i"" Sjhlichenmayer
William (Bill) 951;.1ian b. Sepi. zsi, tgozi
Anna Dorthea Adolf b. Oct. fl, fSO+; and
Karl Bernhard b. Feb. 19, 1910. Mrs August
Adolf, Mrs. William Adolf and Mrs. Sherilan
Yale were the mid-wives in the area.
We went to a little one room school located
where Hope Church, north of Bethune now
stands. I was 8 years old when I started school
and 12 before I ever got to go to Burlington.
tly cutting across prairie and pasture land it
was about 3 % miles to school. It was only on
very_ cold days or stormy days that my bad
would take us to school and come get us with
the horse and buggy. We did not have
overshoes and on the days when there was
snow a couple inches deep Mother would tie
gunny sacks over our shoes to keep our feet
from getting wet. I was confirmed at age lb
and this-also ended my going to school AI
ot us krds were confirmed at the Immanuel
Lutheran Church.
�my days were full of cooking,
cleaning,
sewing, tending the garden and milking as we
always milked 8 or 9 cowe. I raised a lot of
turkeys, ducks, geese and chickens. Our first
w
mattress was filled with corn husks, but I
made the pillows of duck and goose down. I
never bought a pillow and I gave each one of
my children a pair of these down filled pillows
when they married.
The moet difficult timee for us was the
drought and the "dugt bowl days". How we
"3',*:i'
:
'-,':',']ll'
A.W. and Mary Adolf taken in 1915.
$400. Our youngest son, Allan and his wife
still live there. This is where I went as a bride.
It had a small shack and a rock barn. We
started with very few possessions; a team of
horses and a top bnggy, and my folks gave us
a wedding gift of two milk cows, a dozen
chickens, and a hog.
The first summer I had crearn, butter and
eggs to sell so I could buy groceries. OfcourseI always raised a big garden, about a acre of
potatoes, along with a big waterr'Tgl9n n1tcf.
i remember when coyotes would bite a hole
in a watermelon, eat out the insides and leave
the shell! What we didn't eat fresh from the
A.W. and Mary Adolph on their 70th wedding
anniversary in 1982.
I remember Dad hitching up a team to the
wagon and all of us going out in the fall qf-the
y"i to pi"k up dried cow chips for fuel. Since
lhere were no trees for firewood, this was
often the only fuel we had, especially at
Idalia. We also burned corn cobs to get the
fire started. We also went along the railroad
to pick up coal. This was a long way-s to go
so didn't go very often. One time when we
were hunting for coal, a train came by and
when the men saw us kids they threw out a
couple shovels full ofcoal for us. Later on we
bought coal in Burlington.
Uy folks are both buried in the Immanuel
Lutheran Church Cemetery. Dad died at the
age of 53 on Dec. 6, 1916 and Mother died
Feb. 28, 1946 at the age of 80.
On Nov. L2, LgLz I was married to A.W.
Adolf in the Immanuel Lutheran Church. It
was a beautiful day. A.W. and I, along with
our attendants had to sit on the front pew
thru the morning services. Right after church
we then were married. Afterwards the whole
congregation cnme to my folks'home where
they ate dinner, spent the afternoon, ate
supper and stayed until late that night. It was
a long day but a lot of fun.
A.W. bought a 7z section relinquishlrent
deed from a man named L.L. Leonard for
garden I always canned or pickled. Always
lad a barrel of sauerkraut, one of pickles and
even made watermelon pickles. Oh, this was
so good! We also (continued Story lf 4).
Dried corn and beans. In the fall Papa
would sell a wagon load of wheat to buy flour
to last for the winter.
Davis, a neighbor, drilled our well
shortly after we moved on to the place. He
drilled most of the wells in the neighborhood.
Ifwe had a good corn crop, we would burn the
cobs in the cook stove and buy a little coal for
the heating stove. The house, adobe, was
warm during the day, but we slept in cold
rooms at night. A lot of mornings there would
be frost ott the blankets. We used a lot of
dried cow chips for fuel too.
Papa and I were married about 6 years
before were able to purchase our first car, a
Ford Touring car. I never did learn to drive
as the kids and Papa always did the driving.
For social life, besides going to church, we
attended literary meetings held in different
country school houses. An early day school
teachei, Tom Dillion, who lived near Bethune, organized them. On Sunday afternoons, after church, people would go visiting
and the children played singing games like:
"Last Couple Out", "Drop the Hankie"'
Bill
"Home on the Range", and also played
"Andy, Andy Over". I would often play the
mouth harp to furnish the music. I still play
the mouth harP once in a while.
As the family grew to six girls and two boys,
survived is beyond me. The wind would blow
day and night and many mornings when we
got up you could see where we laid on the
pilow, outlined in dust which sifted in. I
iemember one dust storm which came up like
a dark cloud, all of a sudden with no warning.
Our oldest Bon, Art, was out in the freld. He
couldn't see where to go, so he unhitched the
horses and let them find the way home. He
was almost choked to death by the dust
before he got home. During worst of the
storms we had to light the lemps during the
day because it was dark outside. A lot of
mornings after one of these storms we took
a shovel and scooped out the dust from in
front of the door and the windows.
All of my children, except Allan, was born
on the home place. He was the only one born
in the hospital. The two mid-wives for the
area were Mrs. Sherman Yale and Mrs.
August Adolf, Sr. who was my mother-in-law.
My children are: Hilda b. Sept. 26, 1913'
married Otto Ziegler Sept. 30, 1932; Amanda
b. Feb. 20, 1915, married David Richards
Sept. 6, 1933; Leona b. June 3, 1916, manied
Hary Hefner Sept' 11, 1946; Gladys b. Nov.
27, L920, married Hugh Patterson June 20,
194?: Art b. June 5, 1918, married MarY
Heisel Sept. 24,L945; Della b. Oct. 17' 1929
married Robert Pugh April 8, 1949; Eva
Marie b. Dec.4, 1933, married Edward Wood
June 5, 1955 and Allan, b. Feb. 22' 1935
married June Cole August 23, 1956.
During the 42 years Papa and I lived on the
homestead we made manY changes and
improvements. We retired and moved to
Builington in 1956. My husband and I
celebrated our ?2nd anniversary in 1984. He
atthe age of94
Immanuel Lutheran
passed away on Feb. 12, 1985
and is buried
in the
Church CemeterY.
This was told to her daughter Eva and
grandson Pastor Greg Adolf.
by Eva Wood
ADOLF STAHLECKER
FAMILY
F3
Gottlieb Adolf, Sr., was born to William
and Margrette Adolf on November 3' 1891 at
Anaba Michaelfeld, South Russia, which was
a small village near the Black Sea. He sailed
to America with his parents on May 8' 1908
and settled on a homestead north of Bethune,
Colorado. He later took his own homestead
north ofBethune and batched for a few years'
Barbara Stahlecker was born December 24,
1885 in Tripp, South Dakota, to Martin and
Katherina Stahlecker. At the age of eight
years, she moved with her parents to a farm
north of Bethune, Colorado.
�born princess who ruled Russia as Czarina
from 1762 to 1796, initiated an era of German
colonization of southern Russia along the
Volga and Dnieper Rivers and around the
Black Sea. Lavish promises were made by the
Russian government to German craftsmen
and farmers, including free land, initial
subsidies, and important guarantees of rights
of local government, freedom of religion, and
exemption from military service. Many Germans were induced to "homestead" in Russia
by these promises and by the desire to leave
the areas devastated by war in Europe.
In 1817 one such family, the Adolf Family,
emigrated from West Prussia to Bessarabia
as
part of this resettlement. They settled in
the new town of Briene, sharing in
the
communal life of these German towns, where
everyone lived in the village which centered
around the Lutheran Church and School,
plying their trades and working small fields
in the surrounding countryside, as they had
in Germany. This "communal" feature of
German rural life, caried into Russia and
then into the United States, marked the
Germans from Russia ag "clannish" but was
really part of a centuries old culture. Life on
Gottlieb and Barbara Adolf about year 1950.
On February 3, 1910, she was married to
Jacob Wiedman.
To this union one
son
George was born. In March of 1911, Jacob
passed away.
On March 25, LgL4, Barbara was married
to Gottlieb Adolf. To this union, four children
were born. Gottlieb Jr., Leah, Herman and
Ella. Ella passed away at the age of 21
months.
Gottlieb and Barbara made their living and
raised their children on a 480 acre farm 15
miles northeast of Bethune, Colorado, known
as "the Settlement." Their children attended
the Yale School (a one room adobe building)
later known ag the Schaal School which was
one mile from the Adolf farm.
Their fust car was a 1917 Model T Ford
Touring.
They lived on this farm until the "dust
bowl days" of the thirties when they and all
their family moved to Springbrook, Oregon
in 1935. There they rented a small acreage
and all worked at different jobs, etc.
In 1937, they all moved back to their farm
in Colorado and lived there until in 1953
when they moved to Burlington, Colorado
where they retired
until their deaths.
Gottlieb died November 14, 1963.
Barbara died November 23. 1973.
by Leah Schick
the isolated homesteads of the American
prairies was a real hardship for many of the
Germans from Russia, accustomed as they
were to shared village life.
Beginning in 1871, a series of government
actions under Czar Alexander II began to
affect the German-speaking colonies in Russia in many far-reaching ways. The acts were
part of the "russification" or forced absorp-
tion of foreign minorities into the Russian
culture. Local government wag abolished in
the German-speaking areas in 1871 and in the
autumn of 1874 the Russian army began
'drafting' young men from the German
KATHERINE
F4
The first of the Adolf Family to settle in
Carson County was August Adolf, who
was born to Christian and Friederika (Steg)
Adolf in Briene, Bessarabia, a province in
southern Russia, near the Black Sea, in
March, 1862.
As many of the early settlers in the area
Kit
north of Bethune (still known as "The
registered male birth in the newly-incorpora-
Kit Carson County. An often-repeated
family story is that when August Adolf
arrived home from the Republican River,
where the settlers had to go to get water
ted
before the first wells were dug, and learned
that his son was born, in the excitement the
horses bolted, overturning the water banels.
It was two days before August could safely
leave his wife and new son to go for more
water, and so the baby was a few days old
before he could have his first bath!
August Adolf was a shoemaker by trade in
Russia and so beside caring for his homestead
and his growing family, he walked to Burlington
approximately 15 miles across the
prairie - to make and repair shoes and boots,
earning- 25 cents a day. His wife, Katherine,
was one of the first mid-wives in the area. She
and "Grandma" Yale, another of the early
mid-wives, delivered many of the children
born in those years, and sometimes assisted
Dr. C. Gilette, one of the first medical doctors
in Kit Carson County, with practical nursing.
There were no buffalo left in Kit Carson
County when these first German settlers
arrived, but there were antelope to supplement the meager meat supply. The only gun
in "The Settlement" was a 33-gauge rifle,
owned by Gottlieb Bauder, which was shared
by the people of "the Settlement," as were
their other tools and their skills. Gradually,
cattle herds were built up and more ground
broken for growing grain and feed. Earlier
Germans from Russia had brought with them
a hardy winter wheat, well-adapted to the
cold, dry winters of the prairies. It was the
introduction of this winter wheat which
opened much of the "high plains" to wheat
production. (An unwelcome "hitch-hiker"
colonies. The loss of these important guarantees, which the Germans had received when
they first settled in Russia a century before,
was the Russian thistle, which has become a
triggered
the tumbleweed!)
a slow but
increasing
flow of
German families and young men eligible for
army service to leave Russia for North and
South America. This movement increased
rapidly in the 1880's as the promise of
abundant free lands available overgeas drew
more and more Germans out of Russia. The
new wave of emigration continued until the
First World War in 1914 and brought many
thousands of Germans from Russia to the
United States, Canada, Brazil and Argentina.
August Adolf was one of the young men
caught up in this great westward wave of
emigration. Married in 1884 to Katherine
Richter, they left Russia in 1888 with their
two children, Daniel and
ADOLF, AUGUST AND
Adolf, was born. He was the first baby to be
born in "The Settlement" and, was the first
Katherine
("Katie"), following the tracks of other
Germans from Russia coming to the American West. They settled briefly in Scotland,
South Dakota, (one of the "jumping off'
points for newly arrived immigrants), but
moved on quickly to the prairies of the 14year-old state of Colorado. Arriving in Burlington in March of 1890, August Adolf and
his family, together with a few other Germans
from Russia, settled north of Bethune, near
other German fanilies from Russia, among
whom were the Doblers, Strobels, Schaals
and Baltzers.
Settlement") came from southern Ruesia in
Their first homes were dug-outs, carved
into hillsides with planks, covered with sod,
the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a brief
serving as the roof. Later, adobe houses were
background sketch of these Germans from
Russia may be helpful.
In 1763 Catherine the Great. a German-
built which were much better than the sod
houses most of the other early settlers had.
On May 8, 1890, a son, August William
kind of "trademark" of the American West:
In 1892 August Adolf was able to arrange
for his father and mother, Christian and
Friederika Adolf, together with their children, Frederika, Andrew, and Katherina, to
come to the United States. Christian and his
family settled near Denver when they first
arrived; he and Andrew worked in the
smelters. Later, they came to "The Settlement," where Christian practiced his trade of
blacksmithing.
In
1896, Frederika Adolf
married the widower, Franz Kramer, raising
his children, Frank, Marie, Christine, Margaretha, and Rosie, as well as their own
children in time: Christian, William, Katherina (Jurgens), Frederika, Amelia (Stahlecler) and Pauline (Kloeckner).
In 1908 the last of Christian and Friederika's five children came to the United States.
Wilhelm and his wife Margaretha (Buchfink)
came to Colorado from Michaelsfeld in
Bessarabia. He was a skilled wagon-maker by
trade, but had to sell his tools for passage
money for the fanily. Their children are:
Margaret (Meyer), Gottlieb, \{illiam, Christina (Lessing), Mary (Kramer) Carl, John,
Christian, Nettie (Hasart), and Frieda
(Weisshaar).
Andrew Adolf married Margaretha
(Schlickenmayer) and raised nine children in
"The Settlement": Jacob, Karolina (Golle),
William, John S., Emanuel, Fred, David,
Frieda (Gramm), Martha (Weiss), and Gotthilf.
The children of August and Katherina
�Adolf are: Daniel (who died in a diptheria
epidemic in 1892), Katherina ("Katie")
(Wahl), August ("A.W."), Gustaf, Christian,
Luella (Holwegner), Anna (Hasart), md
Daniel Jacob.
From these four children of Christian and
Friederika: Frederika, August, Wilhelm, and
Andrew, are descended many of the residentg
of eastern Kit Carson County, many of them
still living in "The Settlement" north of
Bethune.
by Pastor Gregory Adolf
ADOLF, AUGUST AND
KATHRINA
F5
We Helped Start the Settlement
August and Kathrina Adolf were Germans
who had immigrated to Briene Bessarabia,
South Russia.
In 1888 Mr. and Mrs. Adolf and their two
Russian born children, Danny age 3 and
Katie age 1, carne to America. They made
their first home in Scotland, South Dakota,
where others of their nationality had settled.
Here Mr. Adolf worked as a shoemaker.
In March 1890, the Adolf family along with
others came to Burlington and started what
is now known as and cdled the "German
Settlement," an area north and east of
Bethune. The new railroad had just come
many died. Wahls lost three children, Strobels logt one, August Adolf, Sr., lost one and
others whose nnmes cannot now be recalled.
August Adolf was a shoe cobbler and
besides caring for his cow, two horses and
what little feed he could raise, he walked to
Burlington every morning and home every
evening
for the approximate
earnings of
twenty five to seventy five cents a day. Many
times he carried a sack of food home. A 50 lb
sack of flour could be bought for 75 cents. A
two year old steer sold for $10.00. Good cows
also sold for around $10.00. Horses were
scarce and were treaeured. Their water was
hauled by wagon from the Republican River.
There were no buffalo left in this area, but
there were hundreds of antelope. There was
only one gun in the Settlement, a .32 rifle
owned by Gottlieb Bauder. It was used by
anyone wanting to hunt.
The women spun their own yarn from the
few sheep that they raised. All the socks, caps,
coats, sweaters, etc., were hand knitted.
The mattresses for the beds were filled
with either gtraw or corn shucks. Ifthe crops
had been good, they were filled with new
straw each year,
Fire was a great hazard in those days. A
plow, barrel of water and gunny sacks were
their fire fighting equipment. One bad fire
recalled was one which started at Yuma,
Colorado, and was never stopped until it
reached the railroad at Cheyenne Wells,
Colorado; it had even jumped the Republican
River.
by Della Adolf Pugh
through this new country. August and Kath-
rina were the second fanily to claim
a
homest€ad. The firstfamilywae Mr. and Mre.
Christ Dobler. Soon aftcrwards the Strobels,
Schaslr, Baltzere and others also homesteaded.
The settlers'firet homes were dugouts with
planks covered with sod serving as the roof.
Rattlesnakes were their constant danger.
ADOLF, CHRISTIAN
F6
Christian Adolf and Friederike (Steeg)
Adolf were born and raised in Brienne,
Bessarabia, South Russia. They were married
in
1859. Friederike was born on February 19,
They had three sons and two daughters.
1889 they left Russia and came to the
United States with sons, August who married
Catherina Richter, and Andrew who manied
Margaret Schlichenmayer, and daughters
Friederike who married Frank Krsmer, and
Caroline who died at an early age (16) after
1842.
In
arriving in America. Their son Wilhelm
(William) Adolf and wife Margaret (Buchfink) Adolf and children remained in Brinne.
The family settled on what was then barren
plain about 18 miles northwest of Burlington,
Colorado, in what is known as the German
(Russian) Settlement. Together with other
early settlers, that colony of industrious
frugal saving people have made that portion
of Kit Carson County one of the most
beautiful spots in Eastern Colorado. What
was once the home of the wild beasts and the
red man has now become an oasis of
fertility,
dotted here and there with happy homes, big
barns, fine churches and well kept stock of all
kinds. Thanks to their energy and persever€ulce and cultured home sunoundings, that
portion of Kit Carson County more nearly
resembles the typical eastern farm neighbor-
hood than almost any other part of this
county which extends about 60 miles east and
west and for a distance of 36 miles in width.
It is these early pioneers who have redeemed
Eastern Colorado from its pristine waste.
Freiderike and Christian Adolf lived for 65
years together as companion and helpmate.
Friederike died at her home north of Bethune, Colorado on Februar5r 5, 1924 at the
ripe age of 81 years 11 months and 16 days.
Christian Adolf was featured on the May
10, 1919 edition of a Lincoln, Nebraska
Later on they plowed the ground making
large clots of dirt. They would shape them
into equares and etack them one on top of
another making a wall. The roofs were also
planks covered with sod.
Still later on, they made the houses out of
adobe. This was a mud and straw mixture. A
large round vat shaped place was made in the
ground to which dirt, watcr and straw were
added. Horses were led to walk around and
around in the vat to mix the mud mirture
until it was the right thicknees. Then it wag
cut into blocks. Thege blocks were then
carefully piled about one foot high around the
desired size of the room wanted. After it had
dried sufficiently another foot of adobe was
added and so on until it wag the degired
height. Sometimes a shingle roof would be
added. Others would just use mud covered
planks. Some two etory houses would be
built
this way.
On May 8, 1890, Mr. and Mrs. Adolfs son,
A.W. Adolf, was born. He was the firgt white
baby to be born in the Settlement. There
were no doctors in this area, so all new babies
were delivered by women who were called
midwivee. One of the first was Grandmother
Yale. The first doctor to come to this area wag
Dr. Gillette. However, before he cnme the
settlers relied on home remedies. It was
remembered that about six years after the
gettlere came, diphtheria struck heavily and
Christian and Frederike Adolf working in their garden. Notice hand made hoe and rake with rock house
in background.
�mill. Times were very hard.
When spring arrived, moet of the families
started large gardens. Not much wheat was
seeded because there were very few draft
animals to do the plowing. All started large
gardens and everything they planted provid-
ed a bountiful harvest for them.
Some
planted fruit trees, mainly mulberries. Starlings were a problem. These they tried to
frighten away with a loud noise maker.
In the second year, 1818, a small caravan
of 30 families cnme from the province of
f
Wurttemberg, also called Schaben, Germany.
r
All these people settled in the colony. Every
one got their 60 desjatins of land from the
government.
Heinrich and Carlotta Rossman Adolf had
seven sons and no daughters. They are Karl
r'"*.:,'::ii.
gl:i: - r'
'%r.' J1.
:: :u..
4-.t
'"
-
*a'
'w
.
tlt
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Tfr
who married Eva Kuch, they had five sons
and two daughters.
Johann who married Eva Klaf, they had
four sons and five daughters.
Wilhelm who married Barbara Maier, they
had two sons and five daughters.
Heinrich who married Magdalena Oster,
they had three sons and five daughters.
Christian who married Friederike Steeg,
they had three sons and two daughters.
Fredrick who married Elizabeth Schell,
i
they had five song and five daughters.
Daniel who married Katherina Zinc, they
had seven sons and seven daughters.
This short history of the grandparents was
translated from a German diary in 1954 by
Fredrick Adolf who was 87 years old. He was
born March 9, 1868 in the German colony of
Brienne, Bessarabia, South Russia. He came
to the United States with his parents in 1889
and settled in the area of North Dakota that
is now known as Hazen.
*
by Victor Knell
,ttt
,li.
'.1ilr,.
;':
'r:rrr:il
ADOLF, WILLIAM
F8
William (Wilhelm) Adolph, son of Christian and Friederika (Steeg) Adolf was born
t
t,,
Christian Adolffeatured on the cover ofthe May 10, 1919 edition of a Lincoln, Nebraska weekly farm paper.
weekly farm paper. This is a photo of
Christian Adolf shelling corn with a hand
corn sheller. He was born in 1.839 and died on
August 3, L925 and was a blacksmith by
trade.
They lived just east of Hope Congregational Church.
The Adolfs were life long members of
Immanuel Lutheran Church.
Christian was partially blind when he was
with son William and
family who cared for them til their death.
80 and they went to live
by Marlyn Hasart
ADOLF, HEINRICH
was married to Margaretta Buchfink on May
21. 1887 in Brienne.
Margaret Buchfink Adolf was born on
F7
Heinrich Adolf and Carlotta Rossman
Adolf were born in Berlin, Germany. They
migrated to Brienne, Bessarabia Russia, with
70 other families in 1817. This colony was
established in 1816. They made the trip to the
unsettled Steppe with much difficulty. Food
was scarce and the sky was their roof and the
earth their bed. The Russian government
little money to build a house and
gave them a
60 desjatin (162 acres) of land and clothing
was provided to last a year.
Grandfather Adolf had brought
in Brienne, Bessarabia, SouthRussia, on May
22,L867. He was baptized three days later by
Pastor Benenann and was confirmed March
24, L883 by Pastor Leshe in the Lutheran
Church. He was a wagon maker by trade. He
a little
money with him. He built a wind mill right
away, since he was a miller by trade. He
milled the people's wheat into flour. For his
work he took a portion of the wheat, that is
from a pud (40) pounds, then charged a
garnitz for his work. There are 8 garnitz in a
pud. He also asked 5 pounds for the use ofthe
in Teplitz, Bessarabia,
South Russia. She was baptized when she was
three days old by Pastor Luman and confirmed in 1883 by Pastor Leshe in old Artzies.
November 7, 1868
Margaret was the daughter of John Buckfin.
Her parents died when she was 7 years old
and she went to live with her sister Katherine
Gast until womanhood.
William and Margaret were married on
May 21, 1888. In 1889 the family moved to
the colony of Michaelsfeld near the town of
Anaba, South Russia, near the Black Sea.
Here William pursued the trade of wagon
maker, making wagons and selling them at
the market place.
Because of deteriarating relations with the
Russian government and the German colonists William and family decided to come to
America. The Russian army was drafting the
German boys into the service and they did
not want their sons to be drafted. Williems'
�AESCHLIMANN
FAMILY
F9
Rudolph Aeschlimann was born on September 7,L877 in Hubel, near Bern, Switzerland. He grew up in Ruti, Switzerland and
becnme a policeman in Bern. Rudolph was a
detective and after solving an underworld
case he took a leave and came to the USA on
October 28, 1905 to visit his sister Rosa
Aeschlimann Chavet at Omaha, Nebraska.
During this visit he fell in love with Martha
Schnuelle and on February 18, 1909 they
were married.
Martha Schnuelle was born on November
10, 1884 in Baxter, Iowa.
They moved to Colorado and for a very
short time in 1919 they lived near Burlington
on the Dvorak farm. Rudolph was called back
to Switzerland due to the illness of his
mother. His wife and two sons, Armand and
Edwin returned to Nebraska during his stay
in Switzerland. Rudolph was being detained
because ofa European Quarantine caused by
The family of William and Margaret Adolf. Standing L. to R.: Gottleib, William, Margaret, August, Nettie,
Carl, Mary, John and Christian. Seated, Willio-, Frieda, and Margaret. A sister Christina is not pictured.
parents and brothers and sister were already
in Colorado so they sold their home and left
all their
possessions except clothing and
bedding and left Russia arriving on May 8,
1908 at Galveston, Texas, with their ten
children, Margaret, who married Conrad
Meyer; Gottleib who maried Barbara Stahlecker Wiedman; Willinm who married Margaret Bauer; Christina who married Richard
Lessing; August who married Mabel Blackburn; Carl who married Clara Stahlecker;
May who married Frank Kramer; John who
married Martha Stahlecker; Christian who
married Anna Weisshaar; and Nettie who
married Jacob Hasart. Frieda was born in
their home north of Bethune Colorado. She
married William Weisshaar. Three children
had passed away at an early age in Russia.
Because they were lacking money to pay for
their passage the family in Colorado went to
Mr. J.P. Evans to borrow the needed funds.
It was agreed that the boys would work for
him to repay the debt. Upon arriving in
Galveston, Margaret was quarantined due to
an eye infection, so Mother Adolf and baby
Nettie, and brother August remained in
Galveston until September. Father William
and the regt of the family journeyed by train
to Bethune, Colorado and then on to the
home of his parents north of Bethune.
Their first home was s'ith Williams parents
on their homestead 12 miles north of and I
7z miles East of Bethune. That summer a two
Gottlieb and Bill remained home to care for
the farm.
To provide food for their family Margaret
raised lots ofducks, stored lots ofvegetables
in the cellar, made barrelg of pickles and
watermelon pickles, and sauerkraut. These
barrels were 15 gallon in size. Willinm always
helped the neighbors butcher bringing home
a length of sausage. He had a smoke house
filled with sausage, cured ham, ducks, and
rabbit
Margaret was the community midwife. She
was always on call and very busy. She also
helped whenever anyone was ill. She would
go and stay as long as needed sometimes
staying as long as a week. She never charged
for her services but would receive a free will
offering. Many shared food with her. She had
a little wooden box which contained scissors,
dissenfectant, bandages, cord, a clean apron,
a medicine book, and chamomile tea. She
would remain with the new mother until she
was able to eat and take care of her family.
She delivered many of the children in the
Settlement north of Bethune.
The Adolf family were active members in
Immanuel Lutheran Church. William served
on the church council and taught sunday
Sons
farm and is a commercial lsmb
feeder.
of Housing at Old Dominion University.
William and his wife Carol have three
children, Kristin, Eric and Chad. Rodney and
his wife Vickie have two children, Ryan and
Kendall.
Orvel and Hildegarde own 1055 acres of
cropland and rent 1300 acres ofgrassland and
160 acres of cropland. This farm is locat€d
just two miles west of the Colorado-Kansas
border and north of Interstat€ 70. They raise
Registered and Certified Seed Wheat, have
a cow-calfcattle operation, raise hogs and for
many years had a laying hen enterprise
consisting of 2400 to 3600 laying hens and
marketed eggs in Goodland and Burlington.
Orvel and Hildegarde are active members
of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Burlington
in Kit
and are presently active
County Farm Bureau where Orvel is chair-
of 91 years, 9 months, and 14 days on August
21, 1959. Margaret made her home with her
children when she became blind. Her last
in a large tent.
Orvel and Hildegarde Kloeckner Aeschlimann were married on September 20, L944.
They have two sons, William and Rodney.
William of Hurley, South Dakota, lives on a
William died of lung cancer on September
4, 1948. Margaret died of old age at the age
years were spent in Heinrichs Rest Home in
Burlington, Colorado.
Colorado. They lived
members.
school.
homestead 12 miles North and 3/4 mile west
of Bethune. This home was adobe with a sod
roof. The boys began farming. William had
sold his wagon making tools in Russia so he
Those first years were very difficult providing the necessities of the family. They were
so lonely out on the prairie and homesick.
Many tears were shed. The country and
climate were so different from their home
near the Black Sea. For several summers
William and Margaret took part of the family
to work in the vegetable fields near Brighton,
three sons: Armand, Edwin and Orvel. They
joined First St. Paul's Lutheran Church on
January 15, 1934 where they were active
Rodney of Norfolk, Virginia, is the Director
legs.
room home was constructed on William's
could not work at his trade.
Hoof and Mouth disease. After his return
they lived in Nebraska for 10 years and
returned to Burlington in 1930 to the farm
where their son Orvel now lives.
Rudolph and Martha Aeschlimann had
by Marlyn llasart
Carson
man and Hildegarde is State Women's
Chairman of the Colorado Farm Bureau.
They have served in these capacities along
with serving the community in other activities over the years.
by Orvel Aeschlimann
�ITILDEGARDE
in addition to teaching
Sunday School and serving as Chairman of
the American Lutheran Church Women's
Organization.
Besides being a tireless promoter of agriculture and the church, she is a supporter of
the arts; serving as Vice-Chairman of the
Burlington Community Concert Committee.
Mrs. Aeschlimann has been honored by the
Colorado State Extcnsion Service being
selected the Mast€r Farm Homemaker in
zania. This was
AESCIILIMANN,
Flo
Hildegarde Aeschlimann is the Colorado,
Wyoming and New Mexico regional winner
of the Agri-Woman of the Year award for
1987.
Mrs. Aeschlimann and her husband, Orvel,
own and operate a diversified farming opera-
tion in Kit Carson County, Co. She
was
selected for this honor on the basis of her
continuous efforts to promote the agricultur-
al industry at the local, stat€ and national
levels. When asked what factors influenced
her decision to become involved in the
promotion of farm issues and the agricultural
"I
Bethune, Co. Her family moved to the county
seat of Burlington when she was 14. It wag in
high school where she met her future husband. After high school, she attended Blair
Business College, Colorado Springs, graduat-
"I started out my life
"I
as a very shy
person,"
made myself become more
involved in promotional activities because I
realized involvement was the key to getting
things done." "And promotion is the key to
she recalls.
guccegs.tt
by Diane clames
ing with a general business degree. She
AKERS - BENNING
FAMILY
Fll
James William Akers was born June 19,
manied Orvel shortly after graduation and
1930 in Monument, Colorado. Shortly there-
settled into the role of a farm wife. This year,
Aeschlimanns celebrated their 43rd
wedding anniversary.
Today the Aeschlimanns own 1,055 production acres and they rent another 160 acres
for farming and 1,300 acres of summer
pasture for their commercial Simmentalcross cow-calf operation. They also grow and
sell certified and registered seed wheat and
run a farrow-to-finish operation involving 45
after the family moved back to the Seibert,
the
sows.
Mrs. Aeschlimann is very modest about her
role in the management of the couple's farm.
She helps move and work cattle, drives that
long road to the "parts store", listens to the
daily grain and cattle market reports, weather reports, and reads the farm publications
and agricultural information the
couple
receives, passing this information on to her
husband.
Currently, she is serving her 10th term as
the chairman of the Colorado Farm Bureau
Women; a position she has been repeatedly
re-elected to for the last 21 years. The main
objective of the Colorado Farm Bweau
is to
Fr2
married a
farmer."
Mrs. Aeschlimann grew up on a farm near
Women state committee
FAMILY
L974.
industry, Mrs. Aeschlimann gives a little
shrug, smiles and simply says,
AKERS - GALES
promote,
protect and represent the business, economic,
social and educational interest of Colorado
farm and ranch families. As chairman of the
state committee, one of her main goals is to
encourage and increase the participation of
women in promoting agriculture at all levels.
Some of the progrems her committee has
developed and is responsible for implemen-
ting are: Farm Bureau Coffee, Senior Field
Studies, Farm Day and Meet the Candidates.
The committee also has developed political
and educational progta-s and materials for
groups and women's programs, which pertain
to the issues of water usage, food costs and
education.
Mrs. Aeschlimann has represent€d
St.
Paul's Lutheran Church, Burlington, Co. as
a member of the American Lutheran Church
District Council. She also has had the honor
of being the first woman ever elected to serve
on the ALC National Church Council. InLg77
she was a delegate for the Lutheran World
Federation meeting in Dar es Saalem, Tan-
Colorado area. "Frosty," as he was known in
the Seibert school system, graduated in 1947.
He spent his summers working for a family
from Brewster, Kansas where he met his wife,
Louise Benning. They were married in her
home on September 29,1949. They had four
children, Larry Eugene and Gary Dean twin
sons, James William Jr. and Ann Marie. All
the children were born at the Flagler Hospital
attended by Dr. John C. Straub.
After their marriage they lived in Seibert
until
1961 when they moved
to
Limon,
Colorado. Frosty worked for the Colorado
Department of Highways and retired after 30
years of service in 1983. In 1961 they built a
Dairy Queen in Limon and operated it for
twenty-five years. In 1975 they bought
another Dairy Queen in Sterling, Colorado
for their son Larry to operate, which he now
owns.
Their children all graduated from Limon
High School with James Jr. and Ann both
graduating from college, Jim from Western
State at Gunnison and Ann from Fort Lewis
at Durango, Colorado. Jim is an accountant
and Ann a teacher. Larry and Gary went to
a trade school in Goodland, Kansas. Gary
became an electrician.
Frosty loved the outdoors and sports. He
spent quite a bit of the time camping, hunting
and fishing and skiing. Frosty and Louise
have six grandchildren. Gary and wife Belinda have one daughter and one son. Larry
and wife Glenda have two daughters and one
son. Ann and her husband Douge Goode have
one son Forrest.
As of this writing James Jr. is not maried,
but enjoying life.
by Dorothy (Akers) Noel
John Ernest Akers, US Navy, World War I.
John Ernest "Elnie" Akers was born Feb
6, 1896 to George and Martha Hayes Akers
in Enfield, Illinois. He was one of twelve
children and went through eighth grade. He
served in the U.S. Navy during World War
I as a radioman. He received his training at
the Naval training Center in Great Lakes. He
served on a sub-chaser out of Halifax. Nova
Scotia. He often told about his experiences
in the navy which we loved to hear.
In 1919 he and his three brothers Orlin,
Willard and George came "west" to homestead and look for work. Dad homesteaded in
the Kit Carson area during the "cattle-sheep"
feud and his partner was shot, so he left for
Park County and left there when he couldn't
grow potatoes or crops on rocks. He came to
the Seibert area where he found work picking
corn for James (Bill) Gales. He later maried
their daughter, Fern Artie, born Nov. 22,t908
and to this union five children were born:
Darlene Marie 1925, Elbert Eugene 1926,
Harold Dean 1927, James William (Frosty)
1930, Dorothy Maxine 1932. They lived on
many different farms north of Seibert and a
short time in Monument, Colo. In 1944 they
moved to Englewood where the parents were
divorced. He married Rosa Boyd, aunt of
Jean Sperry, moving with her children Barbara and Joan to the farm four miles north
of Seibert, remaining there until he retired in
1954, then moving to Denver. He passed away
in October, 1960.
He was a machinist by trade but
chose
farming as his ancestors had before him. He
wasn't the best, but struggled to provide for
his family the best he could. We always had
a large garden and canned wagon loads of
corn and other home grown vegetables.
Several times he went with Lewis Reid to
Eads, Colo. to get carp and packed it in salt
for the winter. In the summer when the
�Crystal Springs dam would flood we would go
down and pick the fish out of the river and
come home with wounds from their horns.
Dad dug us a hole in the river and that was
our swimming hole. We had many weiner
roasts and picnics on the Republican River
with the Lewis Reid's. We would go frog
hunting and cook fresh frog legs. Many timea
we went rattlesnake hunting in the fall. We
children were on our own and to this day I
hate snakes.
Dad felt that education was very important
and encouraged his children to complete high
echool and was very proud when we did. He
was active in the R.L.D.S. church at Fair
Haven where we took a wagon to church until
it discontinued. He was an active member of
the Farm Bureau, I.O.O.F., VFW, 4-H club
and Community Country Club, in the north
area. He helped to refloor the VFW hall in the
late '40's and loved to watch us roller skate
with him participating many times. He was
a great ice skater and went often on the
Republican River with ue.
Ernie and Rosa loved to have the youth
come to our home for gnmss and they would
teach us games from their times. He raised
watermelons and didn't mind if the young
people "Took them" as long as they didn't
destroy them. He was an avid Republican. In
1948 the youth were at the house and we gave
him such a time while listening to the election
results. He loved to watch his children
participate in sports, plays, music and tried
to attend them all. When he married Rosa the
Odd Fellows chivareed them and it nearly
scared her to death with all the noise they
made. This was her initiation to the "country
life". Dad had a favorite saying, "God helps
Colorado. Ricky and Cindy have two daughtere and aleo live in Lamar, Colo. Rocky at
this time is not married and is traveling with
an entertainment group. Shirley passed away
in May,
1984.
by Dorothy (Akers) Noel
by Dorothy (Akers) Noel
AKERS - IIARTLEY
Fl3
My brother Elbert Eugene Akere was born
July 12, 1926 in Seibert, Colorado
and
graduatcd from Seibert High School in 1944.
He seni'ed in the U.S. Navy during World
War IL He returned to Seibert to help his
father on the farm and worked on the R.E.A.
He was married to Shirley Hartley, daughter
of George and Lola Hartley on December 6,
1952 and to this union three sons were born,
Randy, Ricky and Rocky.
He was a very athletic person and played
basketball, baseball, and track, winning
many awards. He refereed basketball for
many years. He worked with many of the
youth in scouting and just by "listening to
them". He was active in the R.L.D.S. church,
4H Club, I.O.O.F. He always was a willing
worker with a helping hand, and a true friend.
He worked for the County Highway Department and latcr the Colorado Highway
Department, and at the present time is a
eupervisor of the La Junta area.
During the depression, he and the family
skinned thousands of rabbits and sold the
skins with the carcasses going to Denver for
feed. He did a lot of trapping and one time
he and Harold got squirted by a skunk, which
we appreciated. He hae always loved the
outdoors and any sport activity. Elbert and
watchful eye of their pet bulldog. Gorton's
always had
a
AKERS - NOEL
FAMILY
F14
I
was born on the old Tom Jones place
north of Seibert, Colo. on Feb. 2, 1932. My
dad and Lillian Reid delivered me and my
brothers and sister thought it was coyotes.
Dr. McBride didn't register me, so in 1953 my
Dad went to Burlington and got my birth
certificate.
Our family and the Lewis Reids were very
close. I remember going to their place and
going ice skating on their pond one wintpr.
My brother Harold, decided to test the ice,
and he jumped up and when he came down
all fell in. David went under the ice; they had
to dive down to pull him free. I was on the
side of the pond keeping warm so didn't get
wet. It was a long cold walk to the house but
when Dad got through they were warm, at
least in one spot. We often went rattlesnake
hunting and on picnics where we hunted and
ate frog legs.
Orlen and David Reid rode their horses
to attend high school.
While in high school Bonny (Boren)
Hughes and I told Dale Hargrove if he bought
a raffle ticket for a turkey and won, we would
clean the turkey for him. Well!! He won and
we spent Saturday night "plucking turkey"
at the Earl Borens instead of going to a dance.
I'm sure Mrs. Boren appreciated the mess in
her kitchen.
I remember in the late thirties we participated in making comforters, quilts, pillows
and mattresses from baled cotton the government supplied. We had to beat it forever or
so it seemed. My mother was very good at
sewing mattreeses, eo did a great deal of them.
We rode a horse drawn sled to the Prairie
Gem school house and it was very cold with
lots of snow.
In the late thirties the family participated
in the "Old West Days" pageant that V.S.
Fitzpatrick presented. We would refurbish
an old covered wagon as authentic as we could
and I rode with Dad. If you can convince a
"small" child it was not real when an Indian
was whooping outside and running through
the wagons with one burning, "good luck".
My brothers were lndian waniors and Mom
and Lillian Reid were squaws. Darlene was
the maiden they carried away one year. There
was a bar-b-que and rodeo afterwards on top
of Rock Hill. The Reids still have Lillian's
squaw costume.
One of the important events of our lives
was at Christmas time when Santa would
come to town and give us a sack ofcandy, nuts
and mogt important an orange or apple. We
would go to Gorton's Store and sit on the
benches around the pot belly stove and open
our sacks to see what wae inside under the
drawing so most parents
brought us to town for this event.
In 1946 I was snowed in at the George
Hughes home along with my brother Frosty
and others. Betty and I passed our time by
posing on the huge snow banks in some moth
eaten wool bathing suits. We had a lot of fun
but I always felt sorry for Thelma for putting
up with us singing, arguing and playing
gnrnes. I enjoyed it more as I didn't have to
milk cows. Joan
four miles to our house to catch the school bus
those who help themselves".
FAMILY
Shirley's sons and their families were very
important in their lives. Randy and Karen
have a daughter and son and live in Lamar,
was snowed in
atthe Mullens
south of town also for two weeks.
While in high school I played on the VFW
Basketball team and we won chnmpionship
in 1949 with Fosha Gorton coaching. I loved
sports and when in California Darlene and I
played on
a softball tenm and won city
shsmpionship.
I married Claude Rogers, son of Alvena
Rogers Chubbuck on Sept. 19, 1950. We
moved to Kansas City where Clifford and
Benny Hughes lived until the big flood of
1951. We lived in Denver, Arriba, and
Wichita, Kansas where Claude died in Sept.
1956. Two children John Roland and Cecilia
Annette were born to us. I moved to Reseda,
California in December, 1956, after my sieter
called and said they were swimming and the
roses were blooming. We were in the midst
of a bad ice storm. I married Willian Guy
Noel in 1960. We have three children,
Christopher Ernest, Todd Alan and Guyla
Mae. Bill was Chief Petty officer in the U.S.
Navy and while working on recruiting duty
in 1962 in Denver he adopted John and
Annette. I remained at home until the
children were raised. I was a room mother, 4H leader, PTA member and active in the
R.L.D.S. church. I attcnded college taking
fun courses. Bill retired as a Master Chief
from the Navy in 1966 aftpr 30 years and went
to work in Aerospace. He had been with
Hughes Aircraft for the past 17 years. I went
to work outside the home in 1980 and truly
enjoy it.
John had four children John, Jacob, Joseph and Kristina. He is with the postal
service in Portland, Oregon after serving nine
years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Annette is a
school teacher in the Los Angeles school
system and is married to Chris Caldwell.
They have two girls Melissa Nicolle and
Amanda Noel CaldwellChristopher is in construction work and
has one son Ryan Christopher Noel. Todd
married Cheri Swenson in October 1987. He
works with the largest catering company in
California and caters parties in many celebrities homes. Guyla manied Dan Caldwell in
1983, who ig in the U.S. Air Force and, they
have two daughters, Elizabeth and Heather.
He is Annette's husband's brother. They are
stationed in Louisiana.
We stilllive in CanogaPark, California, but
I come "Home" to Seibert every time I can
to see old friends. As the saying goes, "You
can take the girl out of the country, but you
can't take the country out of the Girl."
by Dorothy (Akere) Noel
�an active leader and took the scouts down the
AKERS ZUCIJELKOWSKI
Colo.rado River every year
in
canoes. My
family participated one year. He hiked to the
top of Mt. Whiten many times with the
FAMILY
F15
Darlene Marie Akers was born at Seibert.
Colorado, January L4, lg25 and graduated
from Seibert, High School in ig+2. She
moved to Denver and went to Business
Qollege and then worked at Buckley Field in
Civil Service. For a short time she lived in
Van Nuys, California before returning in
1946, to teach at Fair Haven north ofSeibert.
then returning to Denver to work at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital where she met and
gar-rig$ Army Master Sergeant Vernon Ray
Zuchelkowski. They traveled to many bases
before his retirement in 1968 in Reseda.
California where they bought their home and
were rearing their three children, pamela
Kay, Vernie Rae, and Nancy Marie. Darlene
worked for Rockwell International until her
retirement in 1983. Her husband died in
scouts. He continues to work with them. Both
of his sons achieved Eagle Scouts by the age
of fourteen. Liz enjoyed going with the famiiv
down into the Grand Canyon and they
continue to go each year for their vacation.
Harry was an avid reader in school and
continues to read huge smounts of books. He
attended college in California and works for
General Dynnmigg in San Diego where they
live. He is active in the union at Generil
Dynamiss. Their sons are married and live in
southern California.
by Dorothy (Akers) Noel
ALLEN - WAGONER
FAMILY
Fl7
1967.
While teaching at Seibert, she was active
in the R.L.D.S. church and organized
the
youth ofthe church. She is still active in the
church and youth work. Her home is open to
all and is seldom silent or empty. White in
high school she was active in church and 4-H
town to be in the band. She could hear a song
once and then play it on the piano. She was
g yery good softball pitcher in Denver,
Indianapolis and Los Angeles. She coached
and pitched the team sponsored by Rockwell
International in California to City Championship in 1957.
Her children: Pamela lives near her in
Reseda, California. Vernie Rae mauied Tom
Kgnt and they have an adopted son Jason
Thorq'as. Nancy ig married to Larry Norris
q1d has three children; Jackie, Mathew, and
Sierra. Larry works for the U.S. Forestrv
Department in Louisiana
Darlene spends as much time with her
children as poseible. She has shared her home
yth ganV people in need of a place to stay
for a short or lengthy time; she enjoys cooking
and entcrtaining.
by Dorothy (Akers) Noel
before Jack's arrival. They stayed
Genoa area.
Times were hard and Jack lost everything
farming, so on August b, lg3g, Jack and Earj
Toveg to-Seibert, Colorado and opened up
the old A.V. Jessee Garage. (Later caled ttre
Allen Garage). Grace stayed on the farm at
Genoa, temporarily with her chickens, etc.
Later, Ed Knowland, with his 1929 Chewolet
truck, moved Grace, with her belongings, to
Seibert. Jack and Earl had a total of a'Uout
$1q00 between them, so stopped at the bank
at-Flaglerto get change for the cash register.
Bill and Clarence Rowley, who owneil the
Genoa Oil Company financed them by deliverjng gasoline, oil and tires on consiglnment.
dcposits and paid for the inventory and tools
that wele in the garage. They keptihe garage
open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The-re
was a little room behind the office where thev
Allens on vacation at Seibert about l94g by Martin
Joh-nson home: Front, left to right: Virginia Rose
Mullen, Mary Christie Allen, -Grace
lJbn
Martin Johnson; Back row: Virginia
Mullen, Earl Allen and Jack Allen.
Jack H. Allen, born
in
and
Christie
Green Castle.
Missouri, on September B, 18gl and Grace
Irene Wagoner, born in Boonville, North
Caroline, on October 30, 1890, were united in
marriage on August 21, lg1g, at Marshall-
took turns sleeping at night. After about a
year, they were able to hire a man to work
nights.
Several people had tried to make the
garag-e pay,
after A.V. Jessee passed away,
but they all gave up because times were so
hard. Earl will never forget that on about the
first night in Seibert, J.E. Andre made this
remark: "I will give you one month in this
garage and you will be under like the ones
before you". Earl never did tell Jack of this
because he felt that Jack had enough worries
and didn't need any more. Anyway, as
SARAGE.
AKERS, HAROLD
F16
My brother Harold Dean Akers was born
on August 18,1927 in Seibert, Colorado and
graduated from Englewood, Colorado High
School in 1946. While in high school f,e
participated in football and wrestling where
he won many awards. He was activJ in the
R.L.D.S. Church as a youth. He served in the
U.S. Navy and while in New York met his
r:r:ttil
wife Elizabeth and was manied after he
moved to California. They have two sons,
Nicky Dena and Paul.
While his boys were in scouting he becnme
u"b
"
short time at the original destination, movine
to a farm north of Genoa, Colorado. In th6
years to follow, three moves were made in the
They, the Rowleys, also paid thJir first
month's rent in advance, made the meter
club, where she raised pigs, black angus cattle
and in home economics. She participatcd in
V.S. Fitzpatrick's band and was gifted in her
music and continues to play the piano and
sing in the church choir. She played the
clarinet that was borrowed from the Art
Miller family and had to walk four miles to
town, Iowa. They traveled to Jack,s sister,s
home in Burley, Idaho, for their honeymoon.
They returned to Iowa and farmed near
Greene. To this union, one son, C. Earl Allen.
was born on June 3, 1912.
In March 1921, Jack and Grace sold their
farm in Iowa and moved to a place near Hugo,
Colorado. Jack moved on an emigrant traIn,
with his horses, stopping at intervals to feed
and water the animals. Grace and Earl moved
on the passenger train, so arrived several davs
Jack and Grace Allen in front of garage they operated in seibert, taken 198?.
it
�turned out, Elbert Andre, bless his heart, was
wrong and Jack and Earl made it go, we-re out
of de-bt and bought a new 85 h.p' Ford from
Leon Lavington in 1937.
In
abouf 1940, uPon graduation from
business college, Earl bec"me Town Clerk
and Treasurerbf Seibert. Then, a few months
later, he was appointed Town Marshall, in
addition. World War II broke out and on
March 24,Lg42,Earl went into the Army Air
Force. Fortunately, he got back home safely
and was discharged on August 30, 1945.In the
meantime, Earl and Mary Christie had been
going together and engaged, so on September
Z, 1945, were married at Lawrence, Kansas.
Fier parents, Mitchel and Ada Christie, had
movCd from Seibert to Baldwin City, Kansas,
during the war.
In about 1942, Jack became manager ofthe
Seibert Equity Co-op and remained until the
Allen family moved back to Iowa, in 1947.
There, Jack and Earl worked at the John
Deere Tractor Works and Mary at the Iowa
Public Service Company. Earl later became
a City Letter Carrier and retired from that
in December 1978.
Jack passed away December 18, 1963 and
Grace on March 25, L982.
Earl and Mary presently (November 198?)
are enjoying retirement and reasonably good
health in Waterloo, Iowa. Their daughter,
Kristi Allen, is a Registered Nurse and works
at the Allen Memorial Hospital, in Waterloo,
Iowa.
by C. Earl Allen
weather was nice I would walk. Later on when
my sister started to school, we had a buggy
to ride in.
I remember one night before Thanksgiving
we had a heavy snow and school was postpo-
ned until the roads could be traveled. Aunt
Martha was going to get married in Denver
to George Fisher. My mother took my brother
George and me along. [t took four horses on
a wagon because of the deep snow to take us
to Stiatton to get on the train. We stayed at
the hotel managed by Mr. and Mrs. George
Elsey. This was the first time I had seen
Delestial, the girl I later married. I remember that she was very pretty and she was two
years old and I was seven. Early the next
morning aboutS:00 a.m. the train came in and
I was standing between the depot and the
train tracks; when the engine came by I would
have fallen over backwards if someone had
not caught me. It was the biggest moving
thing I had ever seen.
WL did not see my aunt get married as they
got in a hurry and got married without us.
Mother and I thought it was a dirty trick not
to wait for us.
After dad's folks were all moving back to
Franklin County, Nebraska, he thought it
would be nice for us to try and trade our
property for a place back there. In July of
fgfl we had a chance to trade our place for
a farm near Riverton, Nebraska.
We had a large sale in August to get rid of
the many things we would not need on the
Nebraska place' We shipped a car of furniture and farm machinery. We had to haul
part of the things in wagons and drove the
horses to St. Francis, Kansas. The
reason for this was to get on the Burlington
Railroad so we would not have to reload at
iattle and
AMMAN, ALBERT
AND DELESTIAL F18
In 1901 grandfather again got the
"Western Fever" as homesteads were plentiful in Colorado and some of the children were
old enough to file on a homestead. So once
more they headed WEST. My father, Herman Amman, filed on the place where Phillip
Stolz and family are living now north and
west of Bethune, Colorado. My grandfather
bought a relinquishment one and % mile
souih of us. A relinquishment is buying the
rights of a person who had homesteaded and
had made some improvements and wanted to
sell. We moved to Colorado in April of 1902.
Herman Amman was born on SePtember
4,L872 in Bremer County, Iowa and his wife,
Auguste Peter Amman was born on January
30, 18?5 in Johannstadt, Germany. Their
children are Albert G. born on September 18,
1901 in Ash Grove, Nebraska; Viola Amman
Barrett born on December 4, 1903 at Bethune; Lillie Amman Hattan born October
23, 1905 at Bethune; George C. born August
?, 190? at Bethune; Louis C. Amman born
August 8, 1909 at Bethune; and Freda
Amman Scarpace born November 21, 1915 at
Riverton, Nebraeka.
of 1907 Albert started to
Union school. My first teacher was Mrs.
In
September
Hayes. She had her sister Miss Sprague to
stay and live with her in the school house.
ThLy had a folding bed which thev would let
down each evening and put it up early the
next morning before school took up. Some
times my father would bring me to school on
horseback but most of the time when the
Norton, Kansas from the Rock Island Rail-
road. We had some very good neighbors who
helped us move.
We lived on the place at Riverton until
1920 when Dad bought a place near Naponee,
Nebraska. We moved again.
I came back out to Bethune and Kit Carson
County in 1926 and farmed with Gus Adolf.
I located Delestial Humphrey in the summer
of 1926 and we continued going together. We
were married
on
SePtember
7,
L927 in
Goodland, Kansas. Our family consists of;
Albert G. Amman born on September 18'
1901
in Franklin County Nebraska and
Delestial Humphrey born on September 16,
1906 in Jackson County Missouri. Our children are Ivan Robert Amman born on July
28, 1929; Gene DoYle Amman born on
February 26, 1931, both born in Greeley,
Colorado. Maureen Amman Fellger born on
August 3, 1933 and Delos Albert Amman
born on December 17, 1935, both in Bethune
Colorado.
We lived and farmed one mile east of the
Lutheran church north of Bethune. Our
real good and the ice was very slick. Here I
come about thirty miles per hour and the
front end of the car caught the edge of the
snow drift throwing the car end for end and
upsetting
it on top of a snow bank. It
I did not have time to get
first time I had rolled the
It
was
the
scared.
windows to get out of the car. I had money
(stamp money) all over the car as I had not
happened so fast
closed the box that contained the stamps and
change.
There were many times in the thirties and
I started out on the route and
the wind would come up and the dust was so
bad that I could not see the road and hoped
that someone else would not be coming up the
road and have a collision. I am truly thankful
that never happened.
On October 18, 1.966 I started out with the
mail. It was cloudy and misting. When I had
driven several miles it started to rain and
when about half over the route it started to
snow. I stopped at the Post Office and left
what mail I had picked up and picked up the
mail that came in as the mail truck was late
that morning. I thought that it was not too
bad to take care of the south half of the route.
I got to the south end and started west when
it got worse. I made it to Leonard Beeson's
place and going north when the wind came
up blowing about sixty miles per hour and
snowing so I couldn't see anything and the
wind blew me in the ditch. They had had rain
earlier and the blow dirt was very slick. I was
stuck so I stayed in the car until the storm
let up and then I walked down to Leonard
Beeson's to get help to pull my car on the
road. Lucky for me when I got down there
Len was home and putting chains on his
pickup. He had come down to the place that
morning to take care of the cattle. He pulled
my car up on the road and I came here'
Albert and Delestial are active members
forties when
of
Immanuel Lutheran Church north of
Bethune since 192?. He was elected to the
board council and served several years. Later
he was elected Chairman of the church board
and served for three years from l97L-73.
Albert served as secretary of the Bethune
School board, District #24 and'also served as
secretary of District I in Bethune for several
years. He served on the town board of
Bethune from 1937 to 60 and was elected
Mayor of the Town of Bethune in 1970-82.
Albert was a member of AF and AM Lodge
#77 of Burlington.
Albert carried mail out of Bethune, Colorado from 1936 to 1965 on Rural Route #2
and when Routes #1 and #2wete combined
he carried mail from 1965 to 1971 for a total
of 35 years retiring in 1971.
Albert and Delestial are still living in the
home in Bethune where they raised their
children. Delestial spent her years managing
the home and making many quilts and also
nearest neighbors were Frank and Mary
helping Martha Weiss and Mrs. Minnie
Chalfant with the repairing and dressing of
dolls that were collected for distribution to
moved into the town of Bethune that year.
An incident that happened on the route on
December 24, L968 was this. We had a
blizzatd a few days before which left some
deep drifts and the county maintainer had
wenl through once and the weather warmed
up. A truck loaded with a tank of water had
wlnt through the evening before to water the
livestock located a mile north of Duaine
Beeson's place. The night was very cold-and
froze real hard. The next day it warmed up
the less fortunate.
Kramer. Albert started to carry mail on
Route 2 south of Bethune in 1936 so they
by Albert Amman
�AMMAN, KARL
GOTTLOB
on November 12, 1893 in Franklin County
Nebraska and died on February 22,1956 in
Fr9
My Great Grandfather Karl Gottlob A'nmannan{ family lefttheir home in Memmingen, Bavaria Gerpany on April 4, 1850 for
America. They sailed from the harbor at
Bre4en, Germany to Ellis Igland, New Ygrk.
After being cleared by customs they took a
boat to Albany, New York, then took a train
to Buffalo, New York. From there they took
a boat to Saginaw, Michigan. From there they
traveled by wagon to the new colony of
Frankenhilf. This colony wqs several miles
distant from Saginaw. Rev. Loehe's putpose
for establishing colonies was to bring the poor
people from Germany to America and give
th€m a new start and a better life for
themselves. Rev. Loehe always drea-ed of
becoming a miesionary to the Indians. My
Nebraska.
Grandpa.rents A'nman and family had
been living near Maxfield, Bremer County,
Io-wa for several years whe4 they decided to
move to Franklin County Nebraska. Land fqr
t-he takiTrg and iqproving besides sorne of the
children could also take homesteads. They
lived on their homestead near Ash Grove,
Nebraska. Grqndfather Amman helped to
erganize the Turkey Creek St. Paul's Lu-
theran Church. In 1901 they moved to
Colorado and in 1909 returned to Nebragka.
by Albrert A-mmen
ANDERSON FAMILY
F20
great grandfather was the foreman or leader
of this mission and with great sacrifice
established the Frankenhilf colony in Michigan in 1850.
After a few years ofbuilding log houses and
clearing the land for planting crops some of
nal differences, in 1883 they decided to go to
Iowa City, Iowa but found more suitable
surroundings near Strawberry Point. They
bought land near where St. Sebald's Church
was later built. They built a log building on
t-he land to live in and also used it for cbwch
purposes.
Great Grandfather Karl Gottlob Ammann
gen, Germany. He married Christina Keller
in Memmingen and their children are great
aunt Anna Amman Schuchmann born on
A\rgust 2, L84L; grandfather Gottlob Karl
Ainmann born on November 4, 1843 and
great aunt Katherine Ammann Krebs born
on April 18, 1&t8 all in Memmingen, Germany.
Grandfather Gottlob
Karl
Ammann
married Elizs[s65 Groseman on April 10,
1866. These are their children; Charles
Gottlieb Amman born on May 10, 1867 in
Bremer County, Iowa and died on July 21,
L924 in Nebraska; Paul Georg Amman born
Jvne 22,1869 in Brepmer County Iowa and
died on April 4, L947 in Nebraska; Herman
Gottfried Amman born on $epteqber 4, 1872
and died on July 16, 1934 in Colorado; Mary
Memphis, Tennessee,
In 1894, Cyrus & Lula and their one year
old daughter, Winnie Augusta, left Illinois,
and traveled by wagon to eastern Colorado to
claim a homestead Cyrus had selected some
months earlier. The homestead was located
3 7z miles west of Flagler. The Andersons
soon realized the flat terrain of their homestead was not ideal for ranching, so traded for
land eight miles northwest of Flagler on the
Buffalo Creek. Here the Diemond-Bar-A
Ranch was born, and Cy & Lula Anderson
settled in to raising their family and a notable
herd of Black Angus cattle. Other children
born to Cyrus & Lula in addition to Winnie
A., the eldest, were Nina R., Dewey L., Abner
E., J. Keith, and Paul D. All the Anderson
children born to Cyrus & Lula in addition to
Winnie A., the eldest, were Nina R., Dewey
I., Abner E., J. Keith, and Paul D. All the
Ander$on children received their elementary
education at the rural school known as the
"Huntley School" north of Flagler, west of
the Thurman Road. Winnie & Nina were in
the first graduation classes when the Flagler
educ.ation system offered a ten year high
gchool. Both Winnie & Nina later obtained
teacher certificates and taught in the Flagler
rural schools for several years.
the people got digsatisfied. Because of doctri-
was born on September L2,L8L2 in Memmin-
child, Lula's family moved to a farm near
Sod house ofCyrus J. Anderson and Lulu Anderson
viewing in a Southwest direction, six miles north
and two and one half miles west of Flagler,
Colorado.
Cyrus J. Anderson was born February 6,
1863, at Alta Pass, Illinois, the child of Amos
J. Anderson & Lourinda Keith Anderson. As
a young man, Cyrus worked on the Mississippi floating logs from Alta Pass to Memphis. He met Lula Lee Moore at Memphis,
and on March 14, 1886, they were married at
Leaners, Arkansas. Lula Lee was born the
child of David C. & Sarah S. Moore on
November 25, L867, in Georgia. As a young
;t-.
f
Cyrus & Lula Anderson were a strong part
in helping establish many of Flagler's organizations. In addition to the school system, they
were organizers and members of the Congregational Church, the Masonic Lodge and
Eastern Star. Lula was also instrumental in
organizing the church's "Ladies Aid" and a
rural organization made up of ranching and
farming families and known as the "Country
Club."
Cyrus & Lula operated their ranch until
the death of Cyrus in L927. Lula continued
ownership of the ranch until her death in
1936. By the mid 1930's all the Anderson
children had moved from the Flagler area
with the exception of Winnie. In
1915
Winnie
was married to W. Aubrey Walker who lived
north of Seibert on his homestead. Aubrey &
Winnie resided in the Seibert area untillgz?.
[t was during those years their four children
were born. The eldestchild, Dale Aubrey, was
born in 1920 at the old Anderson Homestead
-.."I *-*'.*'*'irf
Amman Worsham born gn April 21, 1874 in
Bremer Iowa and died on March 28, 1955 in
Nebraska; Anna Amman Etherton born on
February 23, L876 in Bremer County Iowq
and died on September 10, 1930 in Nebraska;
Emma Amman Kleber born August 5, 1878
in Bremer County Iowa and died on MaJ 22,
1913 in Colorado; Albert Frederick Amman
born on August 17, 1880 in Frauklin Couniy
Ne.braska ind died on July 1?, 1S56 in
Migsouri; Bertha Anman Hackenberger born
on July 21, 1883 in Franklin County, Nebraska and died on May 1, 1940 in Miosouri;
Martha Anman Fisher born on July 9, 1EE4
ip Franklin County Nebraska and died on
January 13, 1981 in Oregou Nannie A:nman
Kleber born on August 23, 1889 in Franklin
Cgunty Nebraska and died on IVIay 3, L974
in Washington; Amanda Amman Sindt born
on October 12, 1891 in
Fra.a-kl.in Coupty
Nebraska aud died on January 31, 1945 iri
Nebraska; Frederick Gottfried Anqman born
faken in front of Cyrus and Lulu's
sod house. Far left: Aubrey Walker and Winnie Andergon Walker. Far
Right: Cyrus J. Anderson. Teken about 1915.
�Western Kansas. They received many trophies for Grand Champion bronco rider.
Another form of entertainment was going
to the dance held at Hale, Colorado. It was
a good place to see their friends. Reuben met
a registcred nurse, Anne Irene Shirley, who
had just completed her training at St. Lukes
Hospital in Denver, Colorado and planned to
work in the area. Anne's sister, Vera Cody,
her husband fuch, and their children played
the music for the dance. Reuben and Anne
were married in Goodland, Kansas on July
sod house northwest of Flagler. K. Lavon was
born in 1921 at the Walker Homestead north
of Seibert, as was Helen O., who died when
less than two years of age. Nina Lou, the
youngest, was born at Seibert in L927.
Early 1928 found Aubrey & Winnie living
on the Anderson Homestead following the
death of Winnie's father, Cyrus Anderson.
The Walkers operated the Anderson Ranch
for only a few years before purchasing their
own ranch-farm which connected to the
Anderson ranchland. In 1943, Aubrey &
Winnie sold their farm holdings and moved
to Flagler where Aubrey began employment
for Fruhling Motor Co., a
Chewolet agency. He held this position until
as a bookkeeper
24, r93r.
Reuben and Viola Anderson on their wedding day,
April 29, 1946, in Goodland, Kansas. Archie and
Juanita Anderson accompanied them.
he retired at the age of 85.
Aubrey, Winnie & their children continued
the "Anderson" involvement in the Flagler
Community. In addition to the church and
lodge, this involvement was expressed
through organizations that included the
Town Board, Flagler Development Association, Lions Club,4-H Club, scouting and not
the least, the school and its many activities
including membership on the Board of
My story of the Anderson dates back to
1887 when Anders and Maria Anderson
homesteaded north of Burlington on the
Colorado-Kansas border, moving there from
Bohulsem, Sweden. They are the parents of
Oscar Anderson who married Nettie Latelia
Anderson on January 2, 1899.
Nettie's parents and grandparents were
Directors.
also born in Sweden. When she was 1% years
Winnie Walker passed away June 4, 1961,
and Aubrey died October 25, 1981.
As Flagler nears its centennial mark, the
Anderson-Walker family have shared in the
joys & sorrows, and the trials & successes of
old she went to live with her grandparents,
this community through most of the century.
AT this writing, Mr. Paul Anderson,
youngest of the children of Cyrus & Lula
Anderson is the last living member to hold
the family name in this Anderson Lineage.
The family line continues at Flagler through
Reuben Charley, was the oldest child, born
Pat & Lou (Walker) Ford and their son's
family, Tony & Debbie Ford. Living in
nearby Limon, Colorado, are Dale & Betty
Walker and their two sons and their wives,
Dale Jr. & Dawn. and John & Cheri Walker.
Living in Colorado Springs is Wilbur &
Lavon (Walker) Keeran.
by Dale A. \Malker
ANDERSON FAMILY
I.2l
Charlotta Katherina and Anders Gustar
Anderson, because her mother had died.
They moved by covered wagon to north of
Kanorado in 1888 and also homesteaded.
February 27, L902. He attended "Beaver
Valley" country school as long as he could,
but when there was work to do at home he
stayed home and helped his father. He rode
his horse to school. The first year was very
difficult because his parents talked Swedish
and English, Reuben confused the languages
and the other children would laugh at him.
So the family decided to speak English only,
but his mother still sang Swedish songs and
played the accordion for her family.
Oscar's brother Otto had a grocery store in
Kansas City, Kansas. Oscar's family sent
milk, crenm and butter by train to be sold in
Otto's store. They also raised corn, husking
it by hand.
During the 1920's Reuben and his brother
Archie enjoyed riding in the rodeos held in
the communities of Kit Carson County and
Anne was the daughter of Adelbert and
Anna (Denker) Shirley of Brewster, Kansas.
Del's family were originally from England
and Anna's from Germany.
Reuben and Anne purchased a farm 21
miles north-east of Burlington for $12.50 per
acre in 1932. They were interested in the
community of Beaver Valley, being involved
with the Soil Conservation District
and
practicing the latest improved farming methods. Reuben loved the land and working hard.
They were active in 4-H work. Anne helped
organize the Happy Hours Home Demonstra-
tion Club in 1935.
Their four children were born during the
depression: Jim, Kathryn, Charlene and
Dick, all later marrying into local farm
families. Jim married Gwendolyn, daughter
of George and Thelma Andrews. Kay married
Gene, son of Carl and Mary Morgan. Charlene married Bill, son of Earl and Josephine
(Nohr) Jemes. Dick married Janice, daughter
of Bernard and Louise Conrardy.
In 1940 they kept a record of all their
expenses and their income from the milk,
cream eggs (at 8 cents a dozen), pigs, crops
of oats and wheat and it totaled out to the
seme emount of $1,700.00.
Also. in the 1940's Reuben and his friend
Sam Morrow purchased a Minneapolis
threshing machine from Reuben's brother
Ivan for $350.00. They used it in the neighborhood to custom thresh all ofthe fall crops.
While the neighborhood men harvested, the
women would prepare the noon meal for the
whole crew. Everyone enjoyed this time
together eating, laughing and joking.
Anne was seriously burned in a butane gas
explosion in their cellar; she died February
26, L943 at the Hayee General Hospital in
Burlington. Reuben endured many hardships
to keep his family together but never complained.
All of the neighbor ladies gave a helping
hand, washing,ironing, cleaning, mending
and also canning the meat, fruit and vegetablee. Their love qrill never be forgotten by
the fanily.
On April 29, L946, Reuben wae unit€d in
marriage to ViolaElizabeth, daughterof Emil
and Pauline (Grnmm) Schaal, who lived
north of Burlington. The Schaal's and
Gramm's were a part of the settlement that
cayne from Russia in 1898 and settled north
of Bethune, near the Republican River. A
Nettie Anderson with their family in October 1931 on their homestead on the Colorado-Kansas
border, daughter Helen, eon Ivan, son Rueben and his wife Anne, son Archie and his wife Juanita and their
children Loranell and Darrell. Stella, another daughter and family were not present.
Oecar and
daughter, Lola Mae, and a son, Paul Dean,
were born to this marriage. Lola married
Walter Cary of Springfield and Paul married
Mary Louise Cheseny, also of Springfield,
Missouri.
In 1949 Reuben was elected as one of the
Kit Carson County Commiesioners, serving
a four year term. During his tenure and Kit
Carson County Memorial Hospital was opened, the remodeling of the court house was
completed, new cattle-chutes were built at
�the county fairgrounds and some county
ANDRE, JOHN
ELBERT
roads were asphalted.
Reuben departed this life on May 11, 1984'
a proud Grandpa of his sixteen granddaughters, five gtandsons and eleven great-grand-
children. He always caried a little blackbook, and in it he list€d aI of the grandchild-
F23
John Elbert fuld1e sems to Colorado in
south of Ruleton, Kansas.
1910 to take a homestead of 320 acres north
of Flagler. He built a two room frnme house.
January 20, LgL2 he married Berniece Elsie
Wynne in Hugo, Colorado by a Judge by the
a cattle ranch. Another sister Helen married
Melvin Sall. They own and farm a place
between her parents homest€ad and Reuben's place. Ivan, another brother still lives
Kerl of Stratton,
ren.
His brother Archie passed away in February of 1984. Archie's family still lives 10 miles
A sister Stclla
Weller lives near Kadoka, South Dakota on
on the "Old Anderson Homestead".
by Kathryn Anderson Morgan
ANDERSON McCONNELL FAMILY
r.22
name of Miles. They drove their team of one
horse and blind mare hitched to his buggy to
his home north of Flaglsl smid snow and ice.
They had three children, daughter Gladys
Colorado, Son George
Robert of Mesa, Arizona, a daughter Leora
Mae, now deceased.
Their crops weren't much that first year.
They ate a lot of corn bread and beans.
Selling the homestead they moved to
Colorado Springs where Elbert worked at
different jobs returning to Flagler some time
in 1918 where they farmed. Then in the 20's
Elbert taught the Dazzling Valley School in
District 14. At one time he also taught the
Mount Pleasant School.
One of our former citizens, Fabe Anderson,
is the only one of my knowledge, to go to the
I
have not been able to get much
first-hand knowledge about his trip' So many
of those times are gone, as is Fabe and his
Klondike.
wife.
In
1886 George Carmack of
lllinois discov-
ered gold in the region of Dawson, near the
Klondike River, which flows into the Yukon
River in Alaska. It created quite a lot of
excitement and a nrrmber of gold seekers
traveled there to try their luck. Dawson is in
Canada, but mostpersons went to Alaska. We
have not been able to dig up a good story of
his trip. We do know he went and his son Carl
remembers, he met up with some man from
California on his travels and they made the
journey together. Carl has a gold ring with the
inscription of Nome on it. That is the western
point ofAlaska, not far from Russia, probably
called Siberia then. The ring has a small
amount of alloy in it so Carl cannot wear it
much,
it
is to soft.
It was in 1897, that so many gold seekers
flocked there, and in that year two million
dollars in gold was taken from there in the
form of nuggets and grains. Since the price
of gold has gone down it has not encouraged
such prospecting. It is mostly in a free etate
and obtained by washings.
What an interesting story that would have
been off his hardships, disappointments and
adventures.
He married Del McConnell after he cnme
back from the Klondike. They homesteaded
on a place one half mile from his wifes parents
home. to this union five children were born,
Geneva, Ina, Carl, Shelly, and Wilma. All the
children grew up and married and left the
county except one son Carl who settled in
Burlington, Colo.
His wife paased away in 1937 leaving Fabe
with a family to raise. He later left the county
with his younger children to seek work
elsewhere.
He was brought back to the county where
he was laid to rest begide his wife in
Claremont Cemetery, Stratton, Colo.
by Dessie Cassity
To have a certificate to teach he borrowed
books from the County Superintendent to
study. Elbert and Arthur Rob went to
Burlington and took the teachers examination which made them eligible to teach.
After the children were out of grade school
the family moved into town in Flagler for
them to attend High school. Elbert worked
in the grocery store for Bob Brian.
After some years and other places Elbert
and Berniece returned to their beloved
Flagler to retire and spend their remaining
years,
by Gladys Kerl
(Marchant) Andrews, parents of Edith Francis
Lightle, Grandparents of Harold Lightle, Great
Grandparents of James and Jerry Lightle.
fire. The cow chips were the hard sun-dried
droppings of the cattle herds and remaining
buffalo that roamed the prairie land. Many
a good loaf of bread was baked by the hot
fires.
In those old days, when they butchered,
it in stone
they would fry the meat and put
jars, pouring grease over it. Sausage was made
into patties, fried and stored in crocks filled
with lard.
Illnesses were treated
with
homemade
remedies. Only during the most severe illnesges, was a doctor summoned.
ANDREWS FAMILY
F24
Edward Andrews was born February
Edward Leoan Andrews and Buelah Molinda
1,
L874, at Gage County, Nebraska, to Addison
and Lucretia (Hamilton) Andrews. On February 24, 1896, he was united in marriage to
Their daughter, Edith, married Curtis
Lightle, February 16, 1926, and raised a
family of fifteen children: Francis, Eva,
William, Harold, Erma, Vera, Franklin,
David, Carl, Elmer, Margaret, Linda, Matilda and Larry, one son died at birth. Edith
still lives on a farm near the old homestead
Beulah Marchant, near Emporia, Kansas.
Edward and Beulah came west in a covered
wagon on their honeymoon and settled
southeast of Hale, Colorado, near Jakeway,
Kansas. Edward's parents and family came
from Kansas at the same time, and they
played for dances on their way out to pay
and five of her children, William, Harold (my
husband), Carl, Elmer and Larry reside in Kit
their expenses. Edward played the violin and
played for many dances in the BurlingtonIdalia area.
Around 1898 he took a homestead about
five miles north of the Republican River in
Yuma County. He proved up on his homest€ad and about 1916 he took a timber claim
12 miles northeast of Stratton, Colorado. He
lived here several years proving up on the
timber claim. He then sold this and moved
to Dresden, Kansas and Missouri for a short
time. In about 1926 he moved his family back
to Burlington, Colorado, where they spent
ARMISTEAD FAMILY
their remaining years.
Edward and Beulah had a familY of 12
children, Marion, Maude, Reva, Florence,
Leon, Elridge, Hazel, Edith, Elizabeth, Dorothy, Gilbert and Mazie.
Times were hard, and the big wood cookstoves burned cow chips which made a good hot
Carson County.
by Eilene Kreoger Lightle
F25
On a bleak March day in 1932 Charles and
Alma Armistead with their five oldest children, Irene, Phillip, Bonnie, Elizabeth, and
Charlene moved from the economically depressed Dust Bowl of western Kansas to the
same kind of environment thirtpen miles
north and three miles east of Flagler; from a
large farm home near Goodland to a tworoom basement. I recall neighbors gossiping
that Mother must be out of her mind to move
anice white ena-el babycrib intosuch agrim
abode. However, that crib became the first
bed of four other children. Sometimes, the
new baby lived in a laundry basket; sometimes in a daintily lined box. Jim, Jerry,
Shirley, and Juanita were all born at home
�small rooms, but a mansion to us. That place
was a half mile from the Leseberg farm where
Ralph and Elizabeth (Armietead) now reside.
a mile east of Flagler and
then into town. Duringthose years Dad drove
After that to a place
a truck for the DLS (Denver-Limon-Bur-
lington) truck lines, delivered gas and oil for
the Co-op, janitored for the high school.
By 1957 the nest was empty except for me.
When I went to teach in Calif. I incuned a
spinal cord injury causing permanent paralysis. I was lovingly nursed and nurtured by a
caring family and supportive community for
eleven years until I was admitted to Craig
Hospital in Denver for rehabilitation. When
I began to work there in 1962, Mother and
Dad moved to Denver to be with me. I am now
retired. Each of us has gone in a different
direction. Aftcr serving in the Navy during
World War II, Philmoved to NewYorkwhere
he married, worked for the telephone com-
a dairy. Bonnie
married J.C. Conrad who farmed near Flagler
before moving to the Denver area. Elizabeth
pany and later bought
-f,
The Armieteads, 1956: Back row - left to right: Bonnie, Charlene, Jim, Jerry, Phil, Juanita; Front row
left to right: Shirley, Alma, Irene, Charles, Elizabeth.
and delivered by Dr. Neff or Dr. Reed, usually
agsisted by Gerda Huntzinger. At that time,
it was believed new mothers should stay in
bed for two weeks. When Shirley was born,
I missed echool. An entry in my diary: "I
stayed home and did the work for 17 days,
scrubbed, washed, baked bread, cooked, and
kept house in general. I was 13 years old. I
bathed Shirley so sweet and kept her feet
warm with the hot water bottle."
The white ennmel baby crib was a symbol
that was typical of Mother in her endeavors
to keep that dugout cheerful and pleasant,
although life was hard raising nine children
in such a small space and on a poverty
income. Cleanliness was imperative in spite
ofour carrying water both down and up those
basement stairs. Mother used hand-me-down
clothes and flour sacks to fashion dresses
from pictures in the Montgomery Ward
catalog, cutting her own patterns from copies
of the CAPPER'S WEEKLY, our only publication in addition tathe FLAGLER NEWS.
To add to the attractiveness ofthe clothes she
embroidered a special gtitch that I have
rarely seen. Among my cherished treasures
are items with that stitch. Although food was
scarce and limited in variety, Mother used
her imagination to create all kinds of dishes
from the wild rabbits that Dad and Phil shot.
We planted large gardens. Sometimes the
hawest was successful with many vegetables
to can. Some years there were as many as 9fi)
quarts. Some years the plants succumbed to
drouth, hail, or the grasshoppers which ate
the plants into the ground.
Dad tried to farm, using horses and
inadequate machinery. Farmer after farmer
failed to produce a crop due to the extreme
drouth and a lack of knowledge of more
successful dry land farming as we know it
today. Our few cattle gtazed, on the "free
range", which ie now privately owned. Many
of them died due to dust pneumonia or
bloating from eating the young, green tumble
weeds. After the cattle had decayed and the
bones bleached, Phil and I picked up the
latter to sell to purchase roller skates which
married Ralph Conrad; they have lived
t
x,,$,,;llb
-
we used in the barn loft. All of us picked up
dried cow chips to burn for both cooking and
heating. Actually the iron cookstove served
for both. When he could, Dad was a helpmate
in assisting with the grueling household work.
He tried very hard to provide for the family.
What a blow it was to Dad's pride, when he
had to apply to work on the WPA (Works
Progress Administration). Often that meant
he was gone throughout the week as he was
assigned to other parts ofthe county building
bridges, schools, etc., which left much of
managing the home to Mother.
We lived three miles from Liberty, the
country school for all eight grades. Phil
started to school when he was very young so
I would not have to go alone. Part of the time
we took the horse and buggy, rode horseback,
walked, rode two miles with Homer Huntzinger in his Model-T Ford. How frightening
it was to be caught in a dust storm on the way
home! The barbed wire fence on either side
of the road (now it seems more like a trail)
served as a sentinel to keep us on coutse.
Liberty was the "community center" with pie
socials, literary, Sunday School, and occasionally a preacher. How pleased I felt to play
the p rmp organ.
But life was not all drudgery. We made our
fun. No plastic toys then! Playhouses in the
grainery with broken dishes, different colors
of soil for "cooking", gunny sacks for beds,
polywogs in a quartjar for goldfish, plenty of
space to draw houses or whole towns on the
barren ground, playing cards and dominoes
at the oak table. Sometimes there were trips
to town with a nickel for
around Flagler most of the time. Charlene is
manied to Lyle Garner and lives in Stratton.
She worked at the Flagler Hospital and later
at the Stratton Co-op. Shirley graduated
from University of Northern Colorado, and
married Sherman Henry. Both of them are
teachers and live in Branson, Mo. Juanita
married Tom Ellison and lives in Northglenn
where she works for the Credit Union. Jim
was killed in a crane accident in 1979. After
serving in the Navy during the Korean War,
he married Esther Schlichenmayer of Burlington. Following high school Jerry served in
the army. Upon discharge he worked in
Holyoke where he met and married Anita
Thietje. He died suddenly in L977.
Having lived hard, busy lives with a full
measure of worry, sadness, and joy, Dad died
in December, 1971 at the age of 86; Mother
died just after her 84th birthday in March,
1982. They are the forebearers of 9 children,
22 grandchildren, and 39 great-grandchildren.
by Irene Armistead
ARMSTRONG TOWERS FAMILY
My father, John Everett Armstrong,
F26
was
born in 1881, in Melbourne, Iowa. He and his
penny candy;
Sundays might be spent with neighbors.
From Dad most of us learned the joy of
reading
to escape to other times
- toForlearn,
and places.
a very special treat we could
persuade Dad to play the harp, featuring
"oldies" with which he grew up.
In 1937 when I graduated from the 8th
grade, we moved to the Jackson place to be
on the bus route so I could attend Flagler
High School where each of the nine of us
eventually went. Wow, a real house with four
John and Elizabeth Armstrong Iived in this house
in 1950. This picture was taken by Carol Wendler
later.
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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Families of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief biographies of the founding families of Kit Carson County Colorado.
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Book
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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- A
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Description
An account of the resource
A brief history of founding families from Kit Carson County whose names begin with the letter "A." As told in the book A History of Kit Carson County
Type
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text
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
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English
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A History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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text/pdf
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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>
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https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/455/Families-B1.pdf
243b51c6efa871f7f074c4397be39e33
PDF Text
Text
grandchildren, and
ren.
12
great great grandchild-
by Georgia Megel
BABER, Vy. EARL
F27
W. Earl Baber, retired rancher and farmer
of Burlington for many years, was one of the
leading ranchers in this area. Mr. Baber was
owner ofa fine operation where he specialized
in the feeding of cattle and hogs. His brand
was Inverted TY. His main crops were feed
wheat. Mr. Baber cnme with his parents to
Cheyenne County in 1906 where they took a
homestead of 160 acres. In 1913 Earl Baber
took a homestead of 320 acres. He still has his
original papers of relinquishment, signed by
L. to R.: Mattie (Br"-meier) Smith, Everett Armstrong, Georgia Megel, Betty Smith, Clara Brammeier,
Emil fumetrong, Cora (Petefish) Youet (oldest), Charleg Armstrong. Front: Mary Elizabeth and John
Everett Armetrong - SOth Anniversary, April 8, 1958.
father, Lonson Butler Armstrong, came to
Kit Carson County, Colo. in 1906, south of
Burlington, to a homest€ad. The Butler, in
his name. was his mother's maiden name.
Lonson married Cora Smith, they had three
children, Cora, Mattie, and John Everett.
Cora, the mother, died when John was 1 year
old. Grandfather Armstrong worked as a
janitor for Dr. and Mrs. Gillette in the old
Burlington hospital.
My mother, Mary Elizabeth Towers, was
born July 6, 1886, in Illinois. She came to
Burlington about the snme time in 1906, with
her parents, George and Emily Towers and
brothers and sisters, by emigrant train. Emily
Towers was a Ruddel. Her brother helped
build or rather brick the old Burlington
courthouse. Grandfather Towers raised fancy
horses and brought them on this train also.
They stopped in Kansas City to feed the
horses. My mother, Mary, took her two sisters
into the drug store here to shop or look
around. Mary lost track of her younger sister,
she went right up to the store owner and
accused him ofstealing her sister. But the girl
was later found and she was neither lost or
stolen.
They homesteaded south of Burlington,
about 1 mile north of the correction line and
6 or 8 miles to the west. My mother was 18
at the time and she also took a homestead of
her own. Grandfather Towers ran the last
livery stable in Burlington.
John Everett Armstrong married Mary
Elizabeth Towers in Burlington, April 8,
1908. They raised 8 children, 5 girls, and 3
boys. I, Georgia Lonzona Armetrong (Megel),
was born the 2nd daughter on Nov. 13, 1910,
on the farm south of Burlington. I was named
Georgia Lonzona after both my grandfathers.
I
remember going
to a school where the
teacher was Della Hendricks. When my
brother Everett was born, I was going to
school in a adobe school house. We only went
to school five months one year. Joe Boyles
was
a neighbor to father and when they
moved into Burlington, they gave father a
boat. Dad would hitch the horse up to the
boat and haul us kids and the school teacher
to school in it in about 1918. Mrs. Borten,
whose maiden nAme was Wedmore, had 3
children and she taught them and me school
in her own house.
Once I boarded with a neighbor, Clarence
Nickerson, and his wife Blanche. They didn't
have any girls so I stayed with them. They
bought me a newgxeen coat. I well remember
his beautiful white horse, he'd put me up in
the saddle with him and we'd ride. They were
Seventh Day Adventists, and once they took
me to Denver to a meeting in tents with them.
One tent for the colored folks and one for the
white folks. We kids went right in the colored
tent and sat down.
My oldest sister, Cora, didn't want to leave
home or board out so she rode a horse to her
school about 5 miles away. I remember I took
the eighth grade twice, because Dad wouldn't
let us girls go into Burlington to work. They
said I was too young and should take the
eighth grade again for something to do. So I
did.
All my brothers went to the service during
W.W.IL Everett was a tank driver, in the
Army in Germany and he got wounded and
Woodrow Wilson. Mr. Baber lived on this
land until 1944, at which time he moved to
his present home in Burlington. Mr. Baber
and his family underwent many hardships
during the dust years, but by dint of.hard
work and courage, they cnme through with
flying colors. "Baber Corner" has always
been a landmark in the area, as it is about
halfway between Cheyenne Wells and Burlington. At the time the homestead was taken
in 1906 there was only one other house on the
route to Cheyenne Wells.
W. Earl Baber was born in 1892 in Jameson, Missouri, to Josiah S. and Susannah
West Baber. His parents were married in
Indiana in 1883 and lived to celebrate their
sixty-third wedding anniversary. Earl Baber
attended public schools in Missouri. He
married Gladys Harker, the daughter of
Clinton B. and Mary Logan Harker, in
Cheyenne Wells
meier). Sister Betty married Jack Smith after
the folks moved into Denver. Everett married
Laura Wright from around Denver, and
Charles married Dolores from Kansas.
My folks moved into Denver and daddy
worked at Denver General Hospital. He took
the trays of food up to the patients. Mother
and daddy stayed in a nursing home to the
last. Mom was buried in Burlington, July 9,
1973, and Daddy died in 1975. All my family
and uncle Bert Towers are buried in Burlington. They left 51 grandchildren, 60 great
1923.
in
Mr. and Mrs.
Missouri Valley,
Iowa, in 1893. Mr. and Mrs. Baber are the
parents of three children: Carol, Williem E.
Jr., and Joseph Lynn. Carol is maried to
Martin Darnall, and they are the parents of
six children: Linda, Lelia, Jimmie, Judy,
Timmie and Terry. William Baber Jr.,
married the former Lois Pratt, and they have
two children, Jerry and Betty. William is the
manager of the International Harvester store
in Burlington and in 1959 earned a trip to
New York as top salesman of farm equipment.
Mr. Baber served as a member of his
district school board. He is well known
throughout his area as a hard-working,
resourceful farmer whose perseverance has
been rewarded with success.
received the purple heart. Emil was in the Air
Force and Charles was in the Navy in Japan.
Sister Clara married Elmer Brammeier.
They lived south of Burlington in a sod or
adobe house. Sister Mattie married Edgar
Brammeier, brother Emil married Betty
Yotsey. (Betty's mother was also a Bram-
in
Harker were married
by Janice Salmans
BACKLUND FAMILY
F28
Alvin Lorenzo Backlund, born in Stromsburg, "The Swede Capitol of Nebraska," on
Nov. 8, 1885, and Florence Judith Elmgren,
born in Ogallala, Neb., Jan. 3, 1888, were
united in marriage Nov. 12, 1911. Both were
of pure Swedish descent, their parents migrating to America, the land of the free and the
brave.
Following in their parents' footsteps the
Backlunds, with their two small children,
Alvin L. Jr., and Maxine Frances, "migrated"
�to Burlington in March of 1920 to seek their
fortune in the undeveloped west. Mr. Backlund, along with his brother Theodore William, come to Burlington several weeke in
advance of his family, the two men starting
an implement buginess known as Backlund
and Company, dealers for Hart Parr tractors
and other farm equipment.
According to the daughter, the arrival of
the family on the scene was an unforgettable
day. They traveled by train, there being six
passenger
trains daily in
Burlington,
stepping off of the train into a raging dust
storm go intense you couldn't see your hand
in front of your face. To add fuel to the fire,
Mr. Backlund was not on hand to meet the
train and the mother, having lived in the city
most of her life, was appalled by her first
glimpse of the little one-horse town. The
children heard her mutter as she grabbed
their hands and start€d walking down Main
Street, "Now, why did Al ever bring me to this
God forsaken hole?" Yet when they moved
back to Lincoln, Neb., in 1938 because of poor
economic conditions, she cried the hardest
because she didn't want to leave her beloved
home in Burlington. Brother Ted remained
in the community and operated Backlund
and Company until his retirement in the late
took turns in teaching small groups of boys
and girls who attended school.
The gray wolves were very bad in the
northern woods, but I never heard of them
attacking a person. They were rather curious
animals, and would follow a rider or sleigh for
miles. I remember the spring I was four years
old, we drove to town and the wolves followed
the sleigh home, a distance of fourteen miles.
Mother used to trade with the Indians and
get venison for tea, sugar and other supplies
they wanted. We never had any trouble with
them, and they seemed quite friendly.
When I was nine years old we moved to
Lake View, Michigan and there I saw my first
church and Sunday school. We lived here
three years, then father, who was a country
doctor, and of a rather roving disposition,
decided to return to the lumbel samps. We
lived there for awhile, then again we moved
back to Lake View and lived here for three
years more.
By this time mother's health was very poor
and she was ordered further west. We got a
light wagon, fitt€d it up with a mattress and
made
it as comfortable as possible for
The family used to sit around and tell tales
of early days in Burlington and one of their
mother, loaded our belonging on other wagons, and started west. We did not hurry, and
enjoyed camping and visiting at other camps
and small towns as we cn-e along. We always
planned to stop at a town or farmhouse where
we could procure eggs, butter and milk. When
favorites was when their Dad told them about
the land promoters bringing people by train
we cnme through the northern part of Iowa,
it was still unsettled, nothing but shanties
'60's.
to the community to endeavor to sell them
land. In order to impress them with our
"western hospitality" they would go out in
the country the day before the arrival of
prospective buyers and pay a rural family to
have a bounteous meal ready at noon the next
day. They would then act as if they just
happened to be in that vicinity at mealtime
and the "friendly" family would "invite" the
group into their home to share their meal.
Another son and daughter joined the
family circle while they lived in Burlington,
Carl William and Charlotte Anne. When they
returned to Nebraska, all of the children
moved with them with the exception of
Maxine. She married John Rollin Hudler on
Nov. 12, 1936, and has stayed in the good old
home town, the Hudler family having owned
and operated the local newspaper, "The
Burlington Record" for the past 55 years. Mr.
Backlund moved back to Burlington following the death of his wife Florence in 1965,
living here until his death in 1976. The two
brothers now make their respective homes in
New York City and the younger sister in Log
Angeles but Burlington will always hold a soft
spot in their hearts.
by Maxine lludler
BAKER, ELMER C.
I was born March L3, 1872 near
F29
Detroit,
Michigan and while still a small child, moved
with my parents into the north woods of
Michigan among the big lrrmfel camps, and
lived in a dugout during the severe winters.
I went to school in a log house; the seats and
desks were made from split logs. I started
school to my own mother when I was three
and one-half years old. My mother was a
teacher and she and a cowin, dso a teacher,
and long grass. I remember some of the
natives showed us how they would wind the
long grass into rolls for fuel; and
it
was
it would burn. We
traveled on west and finally we arrived in
surprising to us how long
McCook, Nebr., and settled south of Indianola, on Beaver Creek,living there and helping
to build the railroad from Oxford, Nebr. to
St. Francie, Kansas. This was in 1886, and the
town of Danbury was just start€d. In 1886, we
came to St. Francis. Kans. and father took a
homestead out north of Kanorado, about
eighteen miles and about five miles south of
Jacqua, which at that time was composed of
two small general stores, one drug store, and
a small hotel.
When I was seventeen years old, I began
teaching school in the district in which we
lived, and that little frame school house is still
standing.
I taught
there the first term and
Miss Jessie VanWinkle, who later becavne my
wife, taught the second term. I taught several
in Kansas, then cnme to
Colorado and taught in the public school for
two and one-halfyears, resigrring the position
to work in the office of the county treasurer.
I worked in this office about four months and
then became affiliated with the Stock Growers Stat€ Bank, and stayed in this work from
1902 to 1907. I then organized the Baker
Abstract company, and began my work from
the original set of books started by Daniel
Kavanaugh, the first county clerk (elected)
of the new county, and containing entries
made from Elbert county before Kit Carson
County was organized.
In 1910, I returned to the bank and worked
at banking and abstracting until 1,916, when
I gave up banking and devoted all my time
to the abstracting business, in which I'm still
terms of school
engaged.
In the early days we used parched rye for
coffee, and hauled our water from the
Republican river. One of our neighbors by the
nnme of Van Horn had a hand dug well over
one hundred feet in depth. He would charge
us five cents for watering a team and ten cents
a barrel for water hauled. The emmigrants
used to resent this charge. They did not stop
to consider the expense of putting down a
well like that.
We used sagebrush for fuel and would plow
up the plants, thus getting the long tough
roots which made good firewood. This was
stacked up close to the house and was easy
to get in all kinds of weather.
This was an interesting country; people
came from everywhere, bringing with them
their talents and culture, their ideals and
nmbitions. We tried to make the best of the
conditions and times in which we lived.
Everybody worked at what they could get to
do; amusements were few and we learned to
be content with what we could work for and
get for ourselves.
by E. C. Baker
BAKER, R. E. FAMILY
F30
Robert E. Baker and Bonnie (Wanda Lee)
and son Bobby David age 7, migrated to
Burlington, Co. in June of 1955 from Cozad,
Nebr. In Oct. of the same year another son
Barry Lee wag born. In partnership with
George and Aldean Pischke they purchased
the Ford Garage from Perry Miller, located
on the corner of 13th and Martin. Two years
later the dealership was enlarged and moved
to Rose Ave. located at the now Chadderton
Ford. In 1962, the dealership was sold to
Edmund Ebeler. The Bakers then purchased
"The Men's Shop" in partnership with C.E.
McCartney and H.J. Mcune. Later Bob
purchased C.E. McCartney's interest.
Bob and Bonnie were active members of
the United Methodist Church serving
on
numerous committees. Bob was church treasurer and Bonnie taught children and adult
Sunday School classes.
Bob, an active member of the business
community, served as President of the Chnmber of Commerce, President of the Lion's
Club, Master of the Masonic Lodge and
President of the Golf Club, is now serving on
the Local Housing Authority Board. Bonnie
was President of the Ladies Golf Club,
President of the Quo Vadis Womens Club
and President of the Library Board.
In 1962, Bonnie assumed the job of the
Swimming Director of the local swi--ing
pool located at 18th and Senter. She was
instrumental in planning the new pool located beside the High School and introduced
many swimming progra-s including Competitive swim program affiliated with the
West Kansas Swim League and was a qualified Missouri Valley A.A.U. Referee. Bonnie
retired from the pool in 1982 and became
more active in the operation of the Men's
Shop.
Bob has many hobbies including golf,
fishing, motorcycling, wood working and is
interested in art and does watercolor, pen and
ink and oils. Bonnie's hobbies are sewing,
reading, and as a member of the Library
Board is looking forward to the construction
of the new Library.
Son Robert David graduated from Burlington High School in 1966, and served in the
Navy Seabees for four years, two of which
�were spent in Vietnnm. After the service he
attended LaJunta Jr. College and graduated
from the University of Northern Colorado at
Greeley, Colo. in 1975. Now he has his own
business, "Baker Development", in Greeley.
His main hobby is Hot Air Ballooning.
Barry L. graduated from Burlington High
School in 1975, and attended General Motors
training school in Dallas, Tex. He is now
employed at Weld County Motors in Greeley,
Colo. Barry regides in Fort Collins, Colo.,
with hig wife Valerie and two children:
Bryson and Breanne. Barry's hobbies are his
family, golf and boating. Valerie operates her
own Day Care Center.
by R.E. Baker
BANEY, LELAND
F3r
The Baney's, Leland and Dorothy with
their two small daughters, Ann and Linda
moved to the Smoky Hill Community in
January of 1950 from Benkelman, Nebraska,
locating about two miles south of the Smoky
Hill School in an adobe house. Leland, farmer
and rancher, had the opportunity to lease
some of the land his late father-in-law,
Edward Zorn had acquired in the late thirties
and early forties. About two years later the
drouth of the fifties hit with the next four or
five yeare being rough financially. Our cow
herd had to be gold when the pastures
remained dormant. In fact for four years little
was produced with many very bad dust
storms.
One night we were with Allen and Eloise
Joppa returning from a card party at the Bob
McClelland home when the wind and dirt hit'
making it impossible to see. Until you have
experienced this situation, it is hard to
degcribe. Only by putting his head out of the
car window were we able to find our way
A blizzard in early November 1957 is not
to be forgotten. The day had been warm and
dressed accordingly, Leland accompanied
Leo Windscheffel to Burlington to a night
meeting,leaving his car on the correction line.
When leaving town it was snowing hard with
a strong wind. Not realizing the motor had
blown full of snow, Leland started for home.
After two miles the engine drowned out from
the melting snow and he was marooned for
32 hours, near the Wayne Iseman home which
was then vacant. Fortunately the temperature didn't drop much below freezing.
Recess at Smoky Hill was usually a ball
ga-e and everyone played. This particular
day eight year old Ann was catcher with Kay
Meyers Carson batting. Ann, too close to the
home plate, was hit in the head when Kay
swung. The wound required several stitches
and proved a valuable lesson for the young
player.
Ann and Linda both love the farm and
enjoyed feeding cattle, branding, moving
irrigation pipe, changing water, harvesting
wheat, trucking the grain, shocking feed, etc.
So many young people today will never
experience these things and the beauty of
nature which God has provided because the
fanily farm is rapidly fading away. The dry,
windy years, grasshoppers, hail, late and
early frosts, blizzards, sometimes one following another had been hard, but we have had
many bountiful years, too, with the good
outweighing the bad. The area has been very
good to us, the memories are plentiful, with
many wonderful lifetime friends and a place
we
will always call home.
by Dorothy Baney
BARBER, MADGE
PETERSON
F32
home.
We found this to be an active community
with the Smoky Hill Gun Club, Friendship
Circle H.D. Club,4H, community church and
Sunday School, Friday night pinochle parties, pot-luck dinnere plus all of the school
activities.
Smoky Hill even had a volleybdl team for
several years, entering a tournnment in
Goodland, Kaneas. Players were Orville
Chapin, John Robertson, Bob McClelland,
Tom Lnmb, Joe Long, Claude Bell, and
Leland Baney. They won every game to the
finals being defeated only by the Goodland
coacheg te"m.
During a Christmas progrnm at Smoky
Hill, Helen Woods Newberry was playing the
role of Mary in the Nativity scene, singing to
her newborn son, Jesus. Linda, age 2, seated
on the front row got up, went up on the stage
and stood looking in the cradle. When Helen
finished her song, Linda returned to her seat,
much to the reliefofher parents. June, 1955,
following a day of fishing with Linda' her
father and some friends, Ann was helping
clean their catch in the garage that evening.
Going to the houee she was frightened by the
dog running through the sweet corn and she
forced her arm through the storm door. A pie-
shaped wedge of glass penetrated her arm
severing the nerves, muscle and vein, requiring two major eurgeries at Children's Hospi-
tal in Denver.
We didn't have many boughten toys. We
walked on barrels and stilts and rode horses.
We had one saddle horse Pop raised from
a wild horse. It seems the colt's mother had
died, so Pop raised the colt along with
Delphia. Anyway, Tony was our constant
companion. We had him trained to lay down
so we six kids could pile on. Pop would never
let us use a saddle, so when one kid fell off,
they all did. Tony would stop, lay down, and
we would all remount. Tonyshould have been
born a mare. He would find a newborn calf
in the pasture and keep the mother away. In
to adopt any small
animal.
One fall Pop took the lumber wagon and
traveled to the railroad station (Laird) to pick
up apples, potatoes and coal. Oh, how I hated
to desprout those potatoes. Anyway, Pop
heard this whimpering at the side of the road.
In a gunny sack were two small puppies. He
brought them home and we cdled them Trim
and True.
In those days everyone had what they
called an ice cellar. The farmers dug holes in
the ground about 15 feet long, 10 feet deep,
and 10 feet wide. They lined the hole with
straw and cut slabs of ice from ponds and
lakes and packed them in the ice cellar with
more straw. That was our ice supply for the
next summer. One fall when the ice was gone,
we kids put planks, 2 x L2's, down in the ice
cellar and crawled into the cellar to play in
the straw. Suddenly we got tired of that and
all crawled up the planks, but Harry, the
youngest sti[ in diapers. Harry would start
up the plank and Trim and True would grab
his diaper and pull him down. Mamie ran
screaming to the house, "Mom, come get
Harry, Trim and True are going to eat him."
Pop always hauled ensilage to the cattle in
the lumber wagon. Of course all we kids and
the two dogs would go along. One day the
dogs, feeling extra frisky, barked at the cattle
and were chasing them away from the bunks.
Pop picked up a hammer, not meaning to
hurt the dogs. The handle hit True in the
head and killed him instantly. We kids
bawled for days.
My parents lived close to the canyons and
breaks. Sometimes the snow got 10 to 15 feet
deep in the gulleys. We kids would work for
hours pushing a four-wheel horse buggy up
a steep hill, then all the kids and Trim would
otherwords, he tried
pile in the buggy and down we would
Wayne and Madge Barber.
I was born on Friday, June 13, 1913, to Fred
and Mamie Peterson in Yuma County, Colo.
My mother was an orphan and had a hard
life, so she didn't plan on any girls as they had
it too rough.
I was the third girl born to Mom as I had
two older sisters (Delphia and Eva).
The midwife that cared for Mom and me
had four boys and no girls. She begged Mom
for me, but Pop said no. Mom had three more
children; Max, Mamie and Harry.
We grew up in hard times. Mom was never
well and Pop had a hard time just to feed six
hungry wolves; but we never went hungry and
never felt deprived.
go,
pallmall. Of course, when the buggy got to the
breaks, it buried its wheels in the snow and
stopped immediately and kids and dog would
fly in seven directions. Not too long a ride,
but what a finish and what fun! Of course we
would go to the house sopping wet to the skin
and cold as frogs.
It was the younger kids' job (me included)
to gather two bushel baskets of pig pen cobs
for the breakfast meal. We got into the habit
of playing until dark to gather our cobs. One
night we were fishing around for cobs among
the shucks when we heard a bobcat screem.
If you have ever heard a bobcat, you have no
idea what a blood curdling noise it is. I think
all four kids hit the swinging gate at the same
time, I'm not so sure that Pop didn't have to
make a new gate. But somehow the cob
gathering was never so late again. )
In those days the wolves ran in packs. I
remember Pop had walked 3 miles to help a
man put up hay. Aft€r dark he started the 3
miles home. The neighbor had given Pop a
ham. With the ham under one arm, he started
�home. About a mile from home, he heard
growling and snarling behind him. Pop
walked faster, but so did the wolves. Through
the pitch dark he could see the eyes of about
a half-dozen wolves that had gotten a whiff
of the meat. Needless to say, Pop dropped the
ham and made tracks.
Eva and I were always building a play
house from apple crates and oil barrels. I
guess we were like the renter that moved
when the rent came due. Seems we moved the
play house every 2 or 3 days.
My two older sisters were in the Christmas
program. Me being only four years old, I felt
left out. The teacher said I might give a four-
line poem. I was really proud. My mother
made me a new blue dress for the big
occasion. I pranced down that aisle and
stopped to turn around and see all those
people looking at me. Of course I got
speechless and forgot all of the lines. I
gathered up the tail of my dress and started
sticking it in my mouth. It seems hours later
thatDelphia jrrmped up and said, "Mnma, go
get Pigeon," (my nickname). So my stardom
never got off the ground.
My first four years of school were spent in
a one-room country school house. In this
neighborhood were a few 17 and 18 year old
boys that had nothing better to do but come
to school and bug the teacher. She would
expel them but they were back the next day.
One day in early December she announced
that we hadn't been good and there would be
My parents died several years ago.
Mnmie manied Fritz Brenner, more of a
banti rooster than anything else; would
rather fight than eat. He generally found
someone to accommodate him. I guess Fritz
had to live a little faster than the rest of us
as he was quite young when he wae killed in
an airplane accident with Gale Rogers.
Mnmie remarried and now lives in Lakewood,
Co.
Wayne and I were married in 1932 and in
I had a baby girl (Bonnie Dell). In 1937
I had a baby boy (Charles Dwayne). In 1942
we moved to a farm south of Burlington. We
raised wheat, cattle and tried beets for one
year, but found them too expensive to grow.
In 1968, Wayne contacted emphysema. We
rented the ground for a few years and finally
sold the ranch in 1973. Wayne's health
gradually worsened, and he passed away in
1978. We lived through some tough times,
hails storms and bad health, but Wayne gave
1935
me a good life and I always knew I ceme first.
I
have 7 grandchildren and 3 great-grandsons. I have so many good memories of
growing up and later with my family and
Wayne.
So don't be afraid of Friday the 13th - it
was pretty good to me. Everyone should be
as lucky.
If you're not convinced, count the letters
in my maiden name.
A piece of cake!
by Madge Peterson Barber
no treats at Christmas, which was the custom.
The big boys waited for a real snowy day and
when the teacher went to the outhouse, they
pushed desks against the door and said they
would let her in when she consented to treat
us. We got out tteats, but this teacher
BARKER, GEORGE
FAMILY
resigned after the first of the year. A man
teacher finished out the term and we really
learned our ABC'g.
When I was about 10 years old my family
moved to the Tom Ashton ranch. I got my
next four years of school at the Laird Public
F33
School. That was quite a change from a one-
I and one of the girls walked about a
quarter mile to the mail box, on the way a
the courts it was an accident. He
was
convicted and served some 40 years in prison.
car until the dance was over and bring us
home.
I
was about 16 years old, a flood
destroyed this dance hall, and we girls, having
acquired boyfriends, went to dances in a tworoom vacant house. The young people of the
group nickn4med the place Hallwood.
When
It was at this dance hall I met my future
husband (Wayne Barber). My two older
sistcrs maried brothers and live in homt*
around Wray.
Both my brothers served in World War
and live together at Wray.
II
grandehildren who had been widowed, orphaned or were out of work.
On Thanksgiving Day 1919, my grandmother was killed instantly when a hot water
tank, attached to a wood cook stove, exploded. She had been firing up to prepare the
holiday dinner.
The same year, my mother and dad, Sim
Hudson, were married, living in Burlington.
By then all the other Barker children were
scattered from Iowa to Oregon, but Grempa
continued farming into the Dirty Thirties.
Quitting then, he moved into town so that his
most recent charge, granddaughter, Ruthie
Gidley, could more easily attend high school.
Grampa who was in his seventies, becems 15s
manager of Shell's Motel (presently Little
Cottage Motel on Rose Ave.) and he and
Ruthie lived on the premises until he retired.
Like Grampa, my mother was a lot of fun,
teaching me how to roller skate by zipping
down the sidewalk, shouting over her shoulder, "Do what I do!" She'd also taught me
how to swim, by wading into the shallow end
of the town pool, holding her hand under my
belly until
I
learned
to dog paddle,
even
though she didn't know how to swim and was
afraid of the water.
Thus when I was only 11, since Sim was in
the hospital, Grampa was living in Oregon
with a daughter, and Mother suddenly died,
I was devastated. However, Grampa packed
his belongings, came back to Burlington
immediately, moved in to care for me
I
mended.
and
-
we never thought much about there being a
generation gap between us, even though he
was nearly 70 years older than us.
Jim, the last of the Barker children, just
recently died and, he, like his father before
him, was sharp and witty right up to the end.
Grandpa George Barker with Oregon grandsons in
front of his farm home, SW of Burlington about
by Georgeanna lludson Grusing
1920.
Eventually the clan grew to young adulthood, and we girls wanted to learn to dence.
Our mother didn't approve, said dancing l,ed
to ruin, but Pop took us girls to the dances
at Olive Lake Resort. He would sleep in the
had room for the varioug children and
After Sim and Hazel Carmichael were
married the next year in 1939, Grampa
continued to live with us, offand on for 8-10
years. Because of his great sense of humor,
loyalty and fairplay, Hazel, Sim and I all
dearly loved him. After Marvin and I were
married, Grampa came to live with us, until
his death in 1952 when he was 90. Sohehow
room school house and the trauma of head
lice, measles and scarlet fever. After eighth
grade graduation, my family moved back to
the ranch south of Laird.
neighbor picked us up.
We noticed he had blood on his hands and
clothes. When we asked why, he said he had
butchered and hadn't washed his hands. We
found out later he had murdered his wife,
drug the body to the pig pen and tried to tell
town, as part of the phone service.
A few years later when Bell Telephone
came in, Grnmpa sold out, and bought a farm
13 miles SW of Burlington, not far from what
is now our place (Marvin Grusing Farms). For
many years Grnmpa lived in a building that
was little more than a shack, but he always
In 1906, my grnmpa, George Barker, along
with hig family, arrived in Burliiigton and
BARNHART - TEEL
FAMILY
bought the phone office whibh wao just north
of the present Masonic Lodge, on the south
end of Main Street.
(Grampa, originally
ftom Indiana,
had
married Clara Bell Cor in Kansas and there
they had seven children: Peerl,
Tressa,
Emttta, Georgia, Jim, my mother, Dolly, who
wag born in Phillippsburg Dee, 10, lgQl, and
Lolin who died as irr infant.)
The girls sefv6d ae t6lephone operators,
while Gr"-pa and Jim serviced the,lines,
which weie strung on fence posts. Usually the
two were offered hot noon meale at the hotieb
of thcir cduntry customers, who appreciated
Grainpa's girls' r'unning errands
rill
<iVcr
Charley
F. Barnhait and
F34
Sarah Jane
"Jennie" Teel were married May 31, 1905, in
Menlo, Kansas. Charley was bofh iri Hunbpldt, Nebraska, on Nov. 26, 1882, the oldest
of ? boys urd { S.,tlC. Hi's parente, Jarnes
Frairtlin, Sf. and Martha Fraircee (McKee)
Barnhart, moved to Rcyinolds, Nebr. in 1E8i!
and then in 1891 moved to a farm 1l mileg'
*est of Hoxier Kansas, where they were
neiihbors td Jehnie's family. Jennie Was boirr
in McFall, Misbouri, on May 6, 1885, In 1889
her paiente, John Jispoi dnd saiah llariiidh;
�(Rogers) Teel and nine children, made a 21day trip by covered wagon to a farm near
Lenora, Ks., and 5 years later moved to
Rexford, Ks. Jennie wae the seventh of 13
children, 9 boys and 4 girls.
all who had participated. In these days of
plenty, some considered the "rabbit drives"
inhrrmdls, but at that time it was a matter
After their marriage, Charley and Jennie
stayed in the Menlo, Ks. area for several
about 22 miles, and get their supplies by
lumber wagon. A lot of their supplies were
bought by the barrelfull and dried fruit in 100
pound boxes. Beside farming, -Charley also
went with the threshing machine, helping
and taking care of the machine.
While Charley and Jennie lived at Bonny,
one child, a daughter, Pearl Marie, was born
Dec. 1, 1921, so 6 of their 7 children lived with
them while they operated the post office. In
years. Charley owned a steam engine threshing machine with which he did custom work.
They had an old cook shack with iron wheels
that they pulled to the fields with them.
Jennie did the cooking for 15 to 16 men. The
family ate and slept in the cook shack.
While they were in Kansas 5 children were
born: Everett Lee, Feb. 23, 1906; Florence
"Esther", Mar.27,1908; Ira Glen, Feb. 11,
1910; Leonard Nelson, May 6, 1913; and
Wilbur "Dean", Oct. 3, 1918. Charley, Jennie
and these 5 children came to Colorado in
1918. Charley came in a covered wagon with
a few head of horses to help in the farming.
Jennie and the children came out on the old
"Jersey" trqin and Charley came into Burlington in the covered wagon to pick them up.
They moved onto
a farm
belonging to
Charley's sister, Nora Frazier and her family,
three miles south of the Republican River
near the Yuma-Kit Carson County line.
Charley's sieter and family moved to Idaho.
In 1919 their son, Everett, got his foot
caught in the stirrup of his saddle. His horse
ran, dragging Everett and breaking his leg.
Not having all the medical technology of
today, it took geveral men to hold Everett
while the doctor pulled to set his leg. Then
he had to have bucket of gand hanging from
his foot for quite some time. There were also
a lot of cactus stickers to be pulled out. Late
in 1919 they bought the Bonny store and post
office from Ike Bonny, Sr., who was moving
his family to Idaho.
On Jan. 6, 1920, Charley was appointed
Postmaster. The store and post office occupied one room in a 4-room house where the
family lived. The mail cnt'e three times
a
week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
One carrier took mail from Burlington to
Hale. The carier from the Bonny post office
would then meet this carrier at the old
Broadsword echoolhouse 14 miles north of
Burlington on old Highway 51 (now 385) and
take the mail back to Bonny. The job of
carrying the mail back to the Bonny post
office was first done by Mr. John Baughman
and later by Mrs. Dile Henderson. When the
post office was closed, Mr. John Winfrey was
the carrier. When the mail arrived, Charley's
family would sort it and put it in a cupboard
with several little cubbyholee. The neighbors,
who crme for their mail by horse and buggy,
wagon or horseback, sometimes brought eggs
to sell to Jennie, and usually picked up a few
groceries. Jennie also baked bread and
cookies to sell. This was always a good chance
for a visit since there weren't too many
opportunities t,o do so.
There were also ground to farm here so
Charley farmed it ag well as that on his
sister's farm, doing the work with just his
hofses. He raised mostly corn and barley, a
few hogs and chickens. Corn sold for only 8
ceuts a bushel in 1923. Since it wouldn't even
pay to haul it into town to sell, they burned
it for fubl instead. When the rabbits got so
numetous and were eating up all the crops,
they had to hold "rabbit diives". They would
drive them from the east side and from the
west side. The side getting the least number
ofrabbits had to furnish an oyster supper for
of survival.
They had to haul the grain to Burlington,
the summer some of the children slept in the
covered wagon. They had such a problem
with mice and rats Charley told them he
would give them a penny for each one they
could catch, so they had traps set everywhere
trying to earn their penny "bounty". They
also had to be on the watch for snakes. One
day a snake got into the house and curled up
around the legs
of their
heater. Esther
jumped on the counter and started screaming. She was so scared she had a terrible time
trying to tell them where the snake was.
Charley had played on the county baseball
team in Kansas, so he and his family attended
and played in baseball games whenever there
was one
in
progress.
The Happy Hollow
schoolhouse was about a mile and a half from
them, and they attended the community
Sunday School which was held each Sunday.
One Sunday there were 200 people there.
They also attended school programs, literary
box suppers and had picnics as part of their
social activities. Since everyone usually had
to come to these events by tenm and wagon,
they would heat a big rock and put it in the
wagon to keep the children from getting too
cold.
The Bonny post office was discontinued on
Feb. 29, 1924. That spring Charley, Jennie
and their family moved to a farm at Hale,
Colorado. Here their 7th and youngest child,
Marveline Frances, was born Nov. 5, 1924.
In 1928 they moved back to the old Bonny
farm. There was no store there at this time.
They were living here when Charley met his
death. He was helping with the harvest at the
farm of Oscar Anderson and became entangled in a belt on the threshing machine. He
died while being taken to the St. Francis
Hospital, Oct. 26, 1930, and is buried in
Fairview Cemetery in Burlington.
Jennie and her children continued to farm.
Later she married Mr. A. Dile Henderson,
who had also been widowed. After his death
in 1943, Jennie lived with her youngest
daughter, Maweline and her family, until her
death Jan. 15, L972. Jennie is also buried in
Fairview Cemetery.
Of Charley and Jennie's seven children,
four are still living. Esther, with her husband,
Harley Rhoades, and Ira with his wife, Louise
(Smith), live in Burlington, Colorado; Dean
and his wife, Jane (Levine), live in Wheat
Ridge, Colorado; and Marveline and her
husband, Wanen Fetters, live in Littleton,
Colorado. Pearl passed away Mar. 14, 1935 at
the age of 13 years; Everett, who married
Vivian Agen, passed away June 26,1972 and,
Leonard, who married Iva Winfrey, passed
away Oct. 29, 1980.
by Alice (Barnhart) Jacober
BARNHART WINFREY FAMILY
F35
On January 27, L933, Leonard Nelson
Barnhart and Iva Mae Winfrey were married
at St. Francis, Kansas. Leonard had moved
to Kit Carson County with his parents,
Charlie F. and Sarah Jane "Jennie" (Teel)
Barnhart in 1918 from the area around Hoxie,
Kansas, where Leonard was born on May 6,
1913. He lived with them during the time
they operated the Bonny Post Office and
after its closing helped on the farm.
[va's parents, James Warren "Jimmie" and
Jessie Mae (Biggs) Winfrey lived in the same
general area ofthe country and she was born
at their homestead on March 11, 1914.
After their marriage they lived with Leo-
nard's mother and step- father, A. Dile
Henderson, whom Jennie had married after
in a threshing machine
accident. Leonard was helping Dile farm. It
was a little crowded as there were Jennie &
Dile, Leonard & Iva, and Leonard's younger
brother, Dean, and two younger sisters, Pearl
and Marveline all living in a small 4-room
house but with a lot of love and patience they
managed quite well.
Charlie was killed
Leonard and Iva's first child, Alice Mae,
was born September 5, 1935, at the house on
the hill just south of Iva's parent's home.
After she was born they moved to Dile's farm,
which was later owned by George Brenner
and where Jerry Brenner now lives. Their
second child, Leona Marie, was born here on
December 24, t937. They farmed here for a
while and then moved to the old Reinholdt
(or Cook) Ranch near the Republican River.
In the spring of 1939 Leonard and his
brother Wilbur "Dean" decided to try their
hand at something beeide farming. They
moved to Frederick, Oklahoma, to operate an
O.K. tire recapping shop. Leonard & Iva,
along with Alice and Leona, went in their
Model A Ford. Dean and Jane slept in the
recapping shop as they only had a l-room
motel where they did their cooking, washing,
etc. They would go to the movies to see the
Lone Ranger. Since it was in serial form,
Dean and Jane would go one night, and
Leonard and Iva the next time so there was
someone to stay with the two small girls.
Business was not very good and they were far
away from everyone they knew so later in
1939 they came back to Kit Carson County.
Jennie and Dile were still living on the
Ranch near the river so Leonard and lva
moved back into the house where Alice was
born and started farming again. They were
actively involved in the box suppers, baseball
games, and Sunday church services at the
Happy Hollow Schoolhouse.
In the
summer
of t942 they moved to
Denver where Leonard, along with Chest€r
Teel, worked on a construction crew at Camp
Hale, near Tennessee Pass, in the Rocky
Mountains. This camp was built
to train
soldiers for winter fighting. When the construction was finished. Leonard started
working at the Denver Medical Center. On
February 9, 1943, their third child, Dorothy
Kay, was born in St. Joseph's Hospital in
Denver.
When Leonard was drafted into the Army
they purchased a small hodse in Burlington
at 246 18th Street. Thisallon'ed Iva and their
�three children to be ne{uer their relatives
while Leonard was in service. On March 28,
1944, he was inducted at Ft. Logan, Colo. and
assigned to Cnmp Swift, Bastrop, Texas for
his basic training. Following his training he
served in the Phillipines with the 4169th
Quartermaster Depot Co.
Aftpr returning from the Army safely and
receiving his Honorable Discharge on January 9, 1946, he worked for Hommond's
Creo-ery driving into the country picking up
eggs, cream & milk from the farmers on his
route. Later he worked in the County Assessor's Office under Parke Guthrie and also in
the County Treasurer's Office under
Snm
Travis.
On December 4, L947, their fourth and
youngest child, Patsy Lee, was born at the Kit
Carson Memorial Hospital in Burlington.
The family continued to live at 246 18th
Street until 1953. Their oldest daughter,
Alice, had graduated from Burlington High
School in 1952 and was working in Denver by
then, and Leonard's cousin, Emmett Teel,
wanted him to go to work in a company he
was forming. Leonard started working for
him the summer of 1953, and in October of
that same year they bought a house in
Edgewater and moved.
Leonard continued to work for the R.A.
Haines Refrigeration Co. until his retirement
in 1977. He was thoroughly enjoying his free
time and was always busy helping someone
until he suffered a heart attack on October
4, 1980. On October 29, 1980 he passed away
following complications brought on by the
heart attack.
Iva still lives at 2215 Ingalls St., Edgewater,
CO. Three of their 8 grandchildren and the
only great-grandchild also live in Edgewater.
The other 5 grandchildren still live with their
parents. Alice and her husband, Ed Jacober,
livc in the Wet Mountains near Westcliffe,
CO.; Leona and husband, John Strasheim, in
Arvada, CO.; Dorothy and husband, Bill
Hoppers in Golden, CO.; and Patsy and
husband, Scott Williarns in Boulder, CO.
by Alice (Barnhart) Jacober
BARTMAN FAMILY
F36
My father, Ed Bartman was born in Big
Rapids, Michigan, on July 5, 1882. He worked
on railroad bridges for the railroad before
coming to Colorado. In 1907 he proved up on
homestead 22 miles northeast of Burlington, Colo., and 17 miles north of Kanorado, Kansas.
My mother, Elva Smith Bartman was born
in Wyoming, Iowa in 1887. She attended a
Teacherg College and Normal in Davenport,
a
Iowa.
My mother's father, Moses Smith, moved
from Iowa to Colorado around 1908 and
homesteaded. He then sent for the rest of his
family. Myuncles, Ed O.K. Smithand Myron
Smith, co-e and proved up on a homest€ad
also. There was a need for teachers so my
mother, and my aunt, Mae Smith Morgan
came and taught school. Mothers homestead
was about 10 miles west of our home.
Dad first built a little god shanty to live in.
This was later used as the hen house. He then
built a 4 room adobe house, where all seven
of us were born, with the help of a midwife.
Ed Bartman and neighbor, Estes Straughn and son Burrell breaking a mule. They tied the mule to a horse
that had been broke and understood commands. In the background are the farm buildings on the homestead
of Ed Bartman. The long concrete barn in the center was destroyed later by a tornado.
My dad built all the farm buildings, an old
lumber grainery (still standing), a long
cement barn, a hog house and milk house
a windmill. A tornado in 1935 picked up
the barn and car shed, carried it, dropping it
in a field. In 1927, I helped dad dig a
basement with a plow and scrapper. He built
forms and poured cement, partitioning this
off making rooms for us to sleep. A cook stove
and coal heater were used for heat.
I was the oldest of seven. My brother
Wilfred died around the age of 20. My other
sisters are Grace Bartman Baker, now living
in Tennessee, Edna Stahlecker of Seibert,
with
Colo., Minnie Goebel (deceased), Edith HixenBaugh and my brother Lawrence Bartman
all live in Denver.
Dad had horses that he raised to work in
the field. He later had a "stud" and a "Jack"
and raised horses and mules, as they could
work harder than horses. I drove the mules
robe made from horsehide and lined with
wool. I can still hear that flapping as we
moved along full speed. Happy Hollow had
only 10 grades, so the last two years we had
to live in Burlington to finish school. I worked
very hard for my room and board. I did all of
the housework, washing and ironing for a
room in the basement and a little food. I
remember always being hungry that first
year. The last year I stayed with the Haun
family and was treated very well.
There was a salesman that came by and
sold us a "Red Star Medicine Kit". It was a
briefcase that contained every pill imaginable for everything. There was a book we
often consulted "The Peoples Library". It
described and gave treatmenLs for every
disease imaginable, for both humans and
livestock.
We were almost self sufficient. The garden
provided all our vegetables, which were either
in jars or stored in the cellar. A
on a cultivator, harrowed, two rowed and
canned
disked. We later got a Fordson tractor and a
Farmal that I drove.
I remember going to Kanorado, Kan., 17
miles away, with a horse and wagon full of
grain. We left before daylight and it was dark
when we returned. It was so cold we would get
neighbor would come and help butcher a cow
and a hog. The beef was canned in jars and
the pork salted and cured, for hnm and bacon.
Chicken was always available. We killed them
as we ate them.
The washing was all done on a washboard
until the 1930's. Mom even made her own
out of the wagon and walk to keep warm. This
was where we got our winter supply of coal.
We often burned "buffalo chips", corn cobs,
sometimes even corn on the cob, as it was
soap.
All water had to
be carried to the house and
heated on the cook stove.
cheaper than coal.
The Windcharger brought electricity to
our home. This consisted of a single light
hanging from the ceiling, and a small radio
school in 1921. Dad would ride me horseback
or I would walk. It was 2Yz miles. Later my
brother and I rode horseback. Our horse "old
Major" was so tricky, he would rub his bridle
off and start running, or just stand, or knock
us off. We were too little to get back on, so
used only to listen to sermons and the news.
Before this all we had was kerosene lamps.
In 1931 my dad went to Colorado General
The school we all attended was called
"Happy Hollow" (District #38). I started
we would just stand there until help would
come. He never left us. My dad built boxes
by 3 of the neighbor's gates so that we could
get off and on the horse to open the gates.
Later a road was built so we could all go by
buggy. "Old Major" would sometimes refuse
to climb the hill or sometimes would get part
way up and back down, the shaft would come
uncoupled and that would give him an excuse
to run. We would have to hang on to keep
from falling out of the buggy. We had a lap
Hospital where they found he had a brain
tumor. It was removed and he fully recovered.
He repaid the cost of his hospitalization and
surgery by working for the county dragging
roads, while at the snme time running his
farm.
Every Sunday we all went to a community
Sunday School held at the school house.
Someone would lead the singing, then we
would separate for our lessons. There was no
preacher except for occasionally an Evangelist would come and hold revival services. I
and others were baptized in a horse tank. We
sometimes went to Kansas, 6 miles away to
�a church called "The Gospel Hall". Church
was a very important part of our livee. At
home we had prayer, and Bible study day.
I realize that we owe a debt of gratitude to
theee homest€aders as we become aware of
their hardships and struggles for survival. I
remember well that they lived what they
taught, a life of hard work and total honesty
in all things.
by Edna Stahlecker and Louise
Bartman Wagner
BASSETTE, WILLIAM
H. AND HENRY M.
F37
William E. Bassette came
to
eastern
Colorado in the latp 1800's, from Connecticut. He homesteaded land southeast of
Burlington and built a sod house, part of his
family was already grown and remained in
Burlington in 1934, going to Santa Fe, New
Mexico where she married, she worked in
banking there and later in the Denver area
where she and her husband moved to in 1951.
She now lives in Loveland, Colorado.
Dessie Lola was born in 1918, she left
Burlington in 1936 and went to Las Vegas,
Nevada as her older brothers and sisters were
there and all working. She still lives in Las
Vegas where she and her husband Elbert
Bailey have had a big part in promoting
schools and training for the Retarded Childrens Progrn-.
Irma Margaret was born in 1920, she also
left Burlington in 1938 and went to Nevada,
after her marriage she moved to California
where she and her husband had a grocery and
meat market. She passed away in 1963.
The old home of the Bassette family still
stands today. It has seen many changes, but
still holds many memories, some very happy
and some sad. There are still Bassettes living
in the New England and northeastern states,
but the William H. and Henry M. Bassette
fanilies are only history now.
He lost his wife and later
married Harriet Foote who was a school
Connecticut.
by Anna Bassette Cunningham
teacher. Aftpr his death, Harriet moved into
town and was well known to many of the
townspeople ae she sold California Co. pro-
BAUDER - GOEBEL
ducts. That company was later known to
become "Avon" Products.
Arnong the children accompanying him to
Colorado was a younger son Henry Marion,
FAMILY
ed school at Columbine School Dist. #3 her
first and second grade.
In January 1936 we moved to Greeley,
Colo. and rented an irrigated farm. We lived
there until January 1942 when we came back
to Burlington. We bought Carl's parents farm
and other adjoining land. We farmed until
194? when we moved into Burlington and
Carl was manager of Hart Bartlett Elevator
until his death November 30th, 1965. I
worked as clerk for the late Evelyn Whitmore
Fabric Shop, for Reta Lounge, "Spotlight
Fabrics", and Orths Dept. Store.
Shirley married Dale Mangus, October 5,
1946. They rented our farm and in 1967, I sold
them the farm. They have since added more
land and have three irrigation wells. They
raised three sons, Larry, Stanley and Tony.
They now have eight grandchildren. Lany
and family live near Parker, Colo., and he
works for Mt. Bell. Stan farms and liveoon
what was the Ethel and Ralph Jacober Farm.
Tony lives on the Martin Bauer farm and
works for his dad. Larry has three children,
Stan and LuAnn have twoboys and Tonyand
Tammy have two girls and one boy.
I live at 814 - 14th. St. I keep busy doing
china painting, sewing, quilting, yard work,
participating in Senior Citizen activities,
visiting and enjoying my family, especially
the eight great-grandchildren.
Carl and I are members of First St. Paul's
Lutheran Church, 228
F38
Burlington.
a couple of yeare then
returned to Connecticut where he lived with
an Aunt, Allie Curtiss, he had his schooling
there and also worked.
who stayed for
-
LLth St. here in
by Ruth Bauder
In the early 1900's Wm. H. bought land
about 5 miles north of his homestead and
built another home of sod and rock. Many
stories were told of the early days, most were
of the very hard times and often quitc trying
BAUDER, ANDREW
F39
Our great grandfather, Martin Bauder, was
in 1812, in the Black Forest area of
born
times.
Henry M. returned to Colorado in the early
1900's and married Sarah Elizabeth Pantzer.
He built a home close to his father'g home and
in the following years they raised a family of
eight chil&en. They hired a live in school
teacher to teach the first five children and
another neighbor, Rogers, sent a couple ofhis
children to the Bassette home for schooling
until a regular school was established. Lat€r
School was built and a number
of the small schools consolidated. The Bassett€ children all attended Smoky Hill during
their education and Roy, the oldest son drove
one of the echool buses for a couple of years.
Smoky
Hill
The eight children were: Roy Cecil born
1905 at his grandmother Pantzer's home in
Goodland, Kansas. He died in Idaho in 1981.
Earl Franklin was born in 1906, he remained in the Burlington area and worked for
several of the large farms. He died in Denver
in
1976.
Mary Elizabeth was born in 1909, she left
the Burlington area in 1933 and now lives in
Reno, Nevada.
Mabel Ellen was born in 1911, she also left
the Burlington area in 1933 and died in Las
Vegas, Nevada in 1978.
Glen William was born in 1913, he left the
Burlington area in 1932 and worked in
construction for Morrison-Knudson, in the
building of "Boulder" Dnm and the Alamogordo Dam in New Mexico. He was killed in
an automobile accident in 1937 in New
Mexico.
Anna Catherine was born in 1915, she left
Carl and Ruth Bauder at Stapleton Airfield leaving
for Hawaii, September 1964.
Carl John Bauder, son of Andrew Bauder
Sr. and Christine Carolina Wall, was born
May 30, 1902 Burlington, Colo.
Ruth Irene Goebel, daughter of Henry E.
Goebel and Mary Josephine Chandler was
born December 6, 1908 at Burlington, Colorado.
We started our married life in 1927 during
the depression and the terrible dust storm
days of the early thirties. Carl farmed with
his father; it was imposeible to raise a good
crop due to the drought and bad wind storms.
We milked cowg and sold cream, also raised
chickens for food and had eggs to sell. Money
from selling produce had to buy all food,
clothing and pay farming expenses. We had
meager living but had many good times with
all our neighbors. They were Bill and Martha
Schlichenemayer, Martin and Anna Bauer,
Ethel and Ralph Jacober, Bill and Freida
Weishaar, Carl's parents, my parents, sisters
and brothers and others.
Our daughter, Shirley Jean Bauder Mangus, wa{r born October 4th, L927 . She attenda
Granpa and Grandma Bauder at farm north of
Burlington.
�Germany. He immigrated to the Ukraine of
Russia in the early 1800's, near the city of
Balta. Our grandfather, Andrew Bauder I,
in 1838. In 1862, he went to
Germany. He married a girl from Switzerland, taking her to his home in Russia. They
raised a family of 5 sons and 3 daughters. He
was a blacksmith.
The immigrant were not allowed to own
land. All young men at age 18 were subject
was born there
to 4
years
of military duty. Our
father,
Andrew Bauder II, was born in 1863. Being
the oldest of the family, he was exempt from
military duty to help his father who had lost
an arm. My parents, Andrew Bauder II and
Christina Wall, were manied in 1885.
The U.S. Homestead Act of 1862 made it
possible to homest€ad 160 acres of land, for
a small fee, living on the land improving it.
The U.S. sent recruiting agents to the
German settlements in the Ukraine, encouraging people to come and take advantage of
this.
Elbert County, Colorado, was opened for
homesteading in 1886. In 1889 it was divided,
establishing Kit Carson County. Burlington
was founded in 1888 as the County Seat, then
a community of 10 houses. T.G. Price was the
first mayor.
In May of
with 2 small
children, came to the U.S., landing at Baltimore, continuing by train to St. Francis,
1889, my parents,
Kansas, and brought by wagon to the place
of their homestead, about 18 miles northwest
of Burlington. The first things to be done
were to dig a well by hand, and build a sod
dirt floor. Grandpa and Grandma Bauder and their family
arrived in November of 1889. My father
house, with a hard-packed
received his citizenship papers June 18, 1901,
in Kit Carson County. J.T. Jones was County
Judge and T.G. Price was County Clerk.
The early years presented many hardships
prairie fires, grasshopper pla- droughts,
gues,
blizzards and duststorms. With only
small plots of ground under cultivation, the
hot winds of summer kept the yields small.
Many times it was necessary for our father to
seek work away from home to provide for the
family, sometimes working in hay fields or as
a ranch hand. There were times he worked in
the Denver areaa a8 a ranch hand, Section
worker, and at Arco Smelter. He made the
trip with tearn and wagon, which took about
6 days one way. Wild game was plentiful in
those days, so father provided meat for the
birthday. The oldest son, Andrew III, served
in World War I, with the Hospital Corps in
France for Ll/z years. He died January 18,
L972 at the age of 84.
In the early years our parents walked to a
little church about 5 miles north of home. I
believe it was in Yuma County. In later years
they went to the Lutheran Church north of
Bethune. Our mailing address at one time
was "Hermes" but
I think it
had been
I walked l yz miles to
school, going through a pasture that was
grazing land for Texas Longhorns, belonging
to Spring Valley Ranch. I was so afraid of
them that I would go out of my way so they
wouldn't see me. I, Clara Loyd, being the
youngest of the family, didn't see the hardships of the earlier years. In my youth, we had
a nice orchard of apples, peaches, apricots,
cherries, plums, grapes and currants. A large
garden supplied us with fresh vegetables for
the table and plenty for canning
- hundreds
of jars for wintpr use. We butchered
our own
meats, some of which was canned, some cured
and smoked, and always a lot of sausage. In
the Fall the bins in the cellar were filled with
vegetables and fruits, a large stone jar of
kraut, plus the canned foods. We milked cows
so had plenty of milk, crenm and butter.
Our parents lived on the farm home for 50
years. In 1939, I moved them to Burlington,
where I made a home and cared for them the
rest of their lives. Mother died in 1944 and
father died in 1947. They are buried in
Fairview Cemetery at Burlington.
changed a few times.
by Clara Loyd
BAUDER, GOTTLIEB
AND KATHERINE
F40
The Andreas Bauder Sr. family who were
German settlers in Russia, migrated from the
Ukraine area of Russia to Burlington, Colo-
rado in 1889. Their oldest son, Andrew, had
settled here a few years earlier. While the
family was going through the red tape of
getting passports and passage on a ship the
second son, Gottlieb, become military draft
age so was not allowed to leave the country
with his parents. So he and Jake Schlichenmayer, also of draft age, finally escaped from
Russia on forged passports made by an old
Jewish man in their village. Then the two
men were detained again
at the German
border because they didn't have the money
with them for their ship's passage and train
fare to Burlington, where free homesteads
were promised to all. Finally, a German
official got in touch with the families at
Bremen, Germany, where they were waiting
to board the ship to America. The parents
wired the money back to the boys and they
were allowed to go on. But there was yet
another disappointment. When they got to
Bremen the ship with their families and
many other migrating families had sailed. So
all they could do was wait for the next ship
to America to sail. They then made the
lengthy trip across the Atlantic in crowded
conditions, without
a
change
of
clothing.
After the long train ride from New York to
Burlington and
a
twelve mile walk, they were
finally united with their parents who had
despaired of ever seeing them again.
Gottlieb as a young man worked for a
farmer in Nebraska, in the sugar beet fields
near Greeley and at the Bar-T and other big
cattle ranches. On Christmas Day, 189?, he
married Katherine Fanselau, who was born
in Pennsylvania. The Fanselaus were early
homesteaders in Kit Carson County too.
Gottlieb and Katherine'g firgt home was a
rock house near the Spring Valley Ranch.
In 1898 they took out their own homestead
thirteen miles northwest of Burlington on the
Launchman (Landsman) Creek. They lived
first in a sod house, then an adobe house with
a shingled roof.
Besides the first child who died in infancy,
they had six children. They were Walter,
Anna (Bauer), Freda (Stahlecker), Emma,
table with ducks, geese, prairie chickens,
rabbit and eometimes a mess of perch or
bullheads. The Landsman Creek with a few
fishing ponds were about a half mile away.
Once during a severe winter in the earlyyears,
my grandpa walked to St. Francis, where
there was a flour mill. He carried a 100Jb.
sack of flour on his shoulders to his home so
the family could have bread to eat.
ln about 1906, a new S-bedroom house wag
built of sandstone. A cellar was dug and
rocked out, with 3 coves on each side, which
stored vegetables and canned food. In about
1914, a cistern wag made and cold water wag
piped into the kitchen, a luxury that few rural
homes had. The house hag been remodeled
and enlarged and is still in use today, as is the
cellar. This is now the home of our niece,
Shirley, and husband Dale Mangus.
Through the years our parents raised
a
farnily of 11 children. At this writing there are
only 3 of us left. The oldest daughter died
Sept. 23, 1986, just two days before her 100th
The Gottlieb Bauder family and home in 1909. From L. to R.: Walter, Robert held by Gottlieb, Katherine,
Freda, Emma, and Anna. Herman was born later.
�who died when she was 15, Robert, and
Walter continued to work at the Equity Coop for years and was manager there the last
eight years. He then worked in construction,
raising a little wheat working on weekends.
Herman. The children all went to Blue View
School.
The family suffered the hardships and
deprivations of all the early pioneers but
managed to survive through droughts, dust
storms, and floods. During the big flood of
1933 the Launchman (Landsman) rose to
within a few feet to their house. They were
just ready to climb the hill behind the house
when the water gtarted to recede.
After the children were all grown Gottlieb
and Katherine moved to Burlington in 1947,
where they lived on tenth street the rest of
He was active in the United Methodist
Church and Rotary Club, and served as a
volunteer fireman.
During World War II, with a great short4ge
of teachers, anyone who had ever taught
into teaching on an
emergency certificate. I taught one year in a
tiny school % mile south of Peconic. The next
year I cnme into the Burlington School where
I was to teach a few years until the war wan
school was drafted
their lives.
over. However, through summer school and
extension classes I soon earned a life certifi-
by Sally Bauder
cate, then issued for two years in a teachers
college, and finally got my degree and kept
in
Burlington for twenty seven
teaching
years, until retirement in 1972. The last seven
years of teaching I also taught in the summer
BAUDER, WALTER
AND SALLY
migrant school where some years we had as
many an two hundred pupils. The last three
years I taught arts and crafts to the whole
F41
school.
Walter Bauder farmed with his father for
a few years until the spring of 1927 and he
built a modest house on his own land four
miles west and six miles north of Burlington,
CO. On June 8, L927 he married Gertrude
(Sally) Church. Sally had been teaching in
country schools for two years and continued
to teach there one more ye{u. On June 25,
1929, our first son Donald Wayne was born
and on October 23, 1930 Warren Walter was
born.
We started life together with great hopes.
Walt had horses and a small Fordson tractor
to farm our quarter and some rented land.
But the great depression of the early thirties
and the terrible dust storms hit us the eame
years. No one who didn't live through those
dust storm days can begin to imagine what
it was like to have a dust cloud roll up from
the northwegt, envelope the house and turn
day into night within minutes. We hung wet
sheets over the windows so we and the babies
could breathe. When the storm gubeided we
Walter and Sally (Church) Bauder married on
June 8, 1927.
would sweep and shovel up fine dust that had
filtered in, sometimes a gallon of it. In 1935
Donald was approaching school age. We were
five miles from the nearegt school with no
school bus and an old car. We had also raised
very little the past two years. The last year
we did raise grain we sold wheat for 30 cents
a bushel, barley 17 cents a bushel, and eggs
for 5 cents a dozen. So when Walter got a
chance to drive the Equity Co-op oil truck for
$60 a month he was glad to get it, and we
moved to Burlington. Here the first few years
we rented a house for $15 per month and we
four lived on the rest. I supplemented our
During these years our boys were growing
up, going to school and carrying the Denver
Post. They were both on state championship
football teams their senior years, and both
became Eagle Scouts. Don graduated in 1947
and Warren in 1948.
Walter retired in 1966 and in June t977 we
celebrated our fiftieth wedding anniversary.
We enjoyed traveling together and did so as
long as Walt was able. Walter died in July of
1985. I keep busy by doing china painting and
oil painting and belonging to a few clubs here
in Burlington. I
e-
also able to share my time
by teaching painting to adults in the Burlington area.
by Sally Bauder
BAUGHMAN AND
in any way I could such as by
upholstering overstuffed furniture, $5 for a
chair and $10 for a davenport.
income
COOPER
F42
Remembering my introduction to this
county was when I was a kid and I used to
drive up in this part of the country with my
Dad to look at this land.
Baughmsn in the late 20's and early 30's
prior to the dust storms has started buying
land. The J.W. Baughman Real Estate
Company was expanding and buying land in
this area, out of Liberal, Kansas.
Dad, Earl Cooper, was manager of that
company. That is where the whole thing
started to develop so far as my memory goes
back.
My early memories, of course, of this
all night in the old
country was staying
The Walter Bauder family in L947. L. to R. Warren, Donald, Sally and Walter.
Collins House; that was an oasis on Highway
24. All the way thru, everybody carne to stop
at the Collins House. It made it very interesting to have a place to stop like the Collins
House, and some of the people who lived
there were very historical characters. I wish
I could remember some of their names. We
drove up here on our way to Denver because
one of the headquarters was in Denver.
After the crash of 1929 and the dust storms
of the early 30's, all the farmers were having
a very difficult time; they were moving off
their farms all over the country. Being a land
real estate company, my father particularly
�and Baughman in general, did not want to see
this country go back to the government for
just reclaiming or not reclaiming. They didn't
want to see the farmers lose their land. So at
that time when the taxes were not paid, when
the land would come up for tax sales they
boWht gome of it with the idea at that time
of holding it until the farmer or owner could
redeem it. They did buy quitc a lot, and in
due time before the legal time had run out
several of the farmers or owners did reclaim
their land. But many of them were
so
discouraged with farming that they gave it up
entirely and for that reason since both Mr.
Baughman and my father had purchased
these tax titles they were left with quite a bit
of it to clear. And in due time they cleared
the titles on all the land. They reclaimed the
land from the damage done by the dirt storms
in the 1930's, and some of it had to have
bulldozers brought in to level off the mounds
that had been blown up during the duet
storms. They got the land back in production,
and great deal of it was put up for sale again.
Dad did not sell any of his land, becauge
he had not bought too much, as he wanted
some land holdings for himself with the idea
that someday he would retire and just look
after his own properties.
Mr,
Baughman's land,
of
course, was
always for sale because he was in that kind
of business. But he always sold the land after
it was reclaimed, or the farmer had paid to
reclaim the land, and then he could buy it. So
it was done for the benefit of the country.
True, people did not appreciate or adhere at
the time that outsiders had come in and
bought up land since neither one of them
were natives ofthis part ofthe country. But,
since that time, many of them have told me
that they could not have stayed on the farm
or could have gone back to the farm if it had
not been for the Baughman Real Estate Co.
Since my Dad had sueh a strong part in it, I
felt very close to this country.
As I said, Dad had never sold any of his
land, so at his death it was the family's wish
that we not sell any of the land. Therefore,
only a small percentage of Cooper Farms has
been sold. And, of course, always the tpnant
had the first chance to buy the land, but only
a few pieces have been
sold and the rest is still
intact as it was purchased and developed by
my father. And it is all rented to people who
live in this part of the country.
Being a part of this country and watching
it grow, seeing things happen to the young
people here and how everything was developed, it really gives you a very strong tie.
History hae been made here the same ag
anyplace else. We have developed a lot of
1913 in front of George's soddy at Vern Simpson's bi*hday party. George is second from left, back
row. Flo at left in front of him.
April
telephone operator, soda jerk, depot to hotel
baggage transporter, hotel clerk (all
in Oak-
ley) and wholesale hardware salesman; The
later full time, probably accounting for his
age (22) at graduation. He told about his
traveling saleeman job and riding the train.
When itmade apassengerstop, he would take
his sales materials and call on his customers.
If
he didn't return by the time the train
departed, the conductor would set his valise
on the station platform; and he would catch
the next rain.
George was raised in a very strict Methodist home with two sisters and three brothers.
His parents were Elmore E. Baxter and
Margaret Annette Long-Baxter. They were
an unusual family in that only the girls were
provided with a higher education and this by
an elderly aunt. George was the only boy to
complete high school. His desire was to
become an attorney, but eye problems and
lack of funds hindered this.
While he was a bachelor homesteading
near Buffalo Creek, he shared his sod house
with Vern Simpson. One of George's tall tales
concerned their baking prowess. They had to
tie strings around their biscuits because when
removed from the oven, they floated in the
air and you needed to pull a string to retrieve
a biscuit. He also told of the time Vern, in
anger, threw the milk stool at their only milk
cow, killing it instantly. This friendship
continued for years after both men acquired
families. George taught at the Rose school in
1913. The Strode, Searcy, Gwyn, and Smith
children were students.
e
v"
it has been the
farming comnunity around Stratton that has
kept everything going.
things but structurally
by Lucile Clark
BAXTER, GEORGE
Tbvo consecutive bumper crops
F43
of black
cane near his parents' home in Kansas
enabled George Marvin Baxter to come to
Colorado and homest€ad 12 miles northeast
of Flagler. He arrived in 1908 which was the
year he graduated from Oakley High School.
He farmed along with such other jobs as night
Flo and George Baxter with his ever present tenm around 1915.
�his serving as President of the Colorado
Association of County Commissioners in
1943. He attended two national conventions
of county commissioners representing Colorado. He was a charter member of the Flagler
Lions Club and also belonged to the IOOF.
Hie community contributions included at
least two terms on the town council as well
as being a member of the Rose school board.
He was a good public speaker and story teller,
and had a great sense of humor.
His love of land was obvious as he frequently borrowed on his life insurance or mortgaged the family home or other real estate to
buy more land. In the 40's he wae finally able
to acquire what is now known as Scott
Goodwin's ranch. He had admired this for
many years.
While returning from a California Christmas spent with the whole family, he had a
heart attack at Walsenburg. His wife, Flo,
was with him when he passed away there on
January 3, 1948. His funeral was held on
January 8 at the Flagler Congregational
Church where he was a member. He was born
in Lancaster County, Nebraska. The family
bible has been lost and his birthdate is in
George Baxter
in later years,
1942
question. We have found three different
years of birth
August 17, 1885, '86, or '87,
or 43.
On August 11, 1914, he married Flora
Moss. The nuptials took place at her parents'
home
in west Flagler (presently the Loyd
Murphy home at 501 Kendall). Since George
had already proved up on his homestead,
they lived in a soddy on Flo's homestead
about a mile southeast of his soddy. A Stock
Brand (N/R) was issued to George on December 30, 1914. This brand was used throughout
his lifetime as a prominent Colorado
stocLman. Many of his happiest hours were
spent at the ranch.
The first child, Judson E., was born to Flo
but we believe- 1886 is correct.
He said "I never had a job I didn't like."
He was blessed with many friends and earned
the respect of those who knew him and those
who worked with him.
by Jean K. Mudd
BAXTER, JOIIN AND
IDA
F44
old high school). When Jud was about a year
he
contracted flu which resulted in pneumonia;
and he nearly died along with thoueands of
others in the epidemic of 1918. For this
reason, George was called to Illinois.
Sometime after this, a frarne house was
constructed on George's original homestead.
In 1921 or 22, George began work at the
Farmers Union (now Co-op).
a new
John Willig Barter and Ida May Barter. The
picture was taken when my folks and I, Gertrude
waa on a trip up by Greeley, Colorado.
A.L. Niles and son Arthur was eating
breakfast at my parents' folk's house and
were discussing a place to run some cattle, so
Dad and A.L. Niles went to Flagler, Colorado,
from Tennis, Kansas, to look for a place in
1930. Dad found a place 8 miles northwest of
Flagler to rent, he wouldn't say he would take
it for sure until Mother saw it. [t was a two
story house.
When Dad returned he took Mother and
me out to Flagler to show us the place.
Mother said it would be fine.
It was in Lincoln, County, less than half
block, so I went to school at Arriba, Colo. rode
the bus. I remember coming into Flagler from
the south.
In November,
1930, Dad and Perry Keph-
art left from Tennis, Kansas, by
covered
wagon and taking another wagon loaded
with
machinery with four head of horses and a
saddle horse named "Baldy". Baldy was
given to their daughter, Gertrude, Damon
Cobb of Garden City. They came into Flagler
in a blizzard. Bill Kliewer told them to put
their covered wagon and horses inside the
lumber yard and they stayed in the hotel.
Perry made two or three trips hauling
cattle and furniture with my brother-in-law
Lewis Roderick's truck.
Dad cqme back the last day, the day before
Kansas.
Mother, Dad and I left for Flagler Dec. 28,
in a 1913 or 1914 three door Model T
Ford with a brass radiator and side curtains.
Dad had a big corn crop in 1931. It sold of
9 cents a bushel. Harold Phillips farmed with
Dad for a few years.
Our bad times were the dust storms. I can
remember the first one Mother, Dad and I
stood by the cave door watching as it just
rolled in.
1930,
Our neighbors were Kottmeyer's, Ensipahr's Honstein's and Stephen's.
We got our mail from Flagler on the route,
but we lived a mile and half from the mail
box. Ray Thompson was our mail carrier. I
would go after the mail on the pony and my
dog followed me. My family shopped mostly
in Flagler.
My parents moved into Flagler from the
country in 1941, from south of town.
We went to the Baptist Church in Flagler.
There were six
a
second child, Jean Kay, was born on
February L3, L924, also delivered by Dr.
of us children, Myrtie,
Floyd, John, Florence, Fontelle and myself.
I was born in Abilene, Kansas, Nov. 30,
Williams and assisted by Stella Reavis. The
family moved three more times before purchasing their home in Flagler in 1930 at 618
Pawnee which is still the home of Jean
Baxter-Mudd.
A new career was started when George was
elected to the office of Kit Carson County
Commissioner in 1932, a position he held
until his death in 1948. Although the '32
election was a Democratic landslide, George
won on the Republican ticket. He took an
active part in all phases ofthis office and wag
appointed to many committees which took
him all over the State. This ultimately led to
May 11, 1918.
Our entertainments were playing cards,
checkers and dominoes at home, we went to
some dances and had covered dish dinners.
A few years
building was constructed near the
gite of the present Co-op Service Station. He
had been promoted to manager by this time.
Just prior to this, the family moved to town
(George's brother, Ralph, and family moved
to the ranch) to what is presently the Adolph
Cole home at 709 Navajo. While living here
later
Hillsboro, Ill. Sept. 30, 1875, lived in Abilene,
Kansas & moved north of Garden City, Ks.
Christmas, and we had Christmas dinner
with my sister Florence and farnily, at Lakin,
and George on March 3, 1917. He was
delivered by Dr. Williams at Flo's parents'
home in north Flagler (a block north of the
old, while visiting lllinois with Flo,
John Willis Baxter was born in Rockford,
Ill. Sept. 1, 1876.
Ida May McAdams Baxter was born in
1916.
I worked at the M & S Cafe and Wiiliams
Drug Store in Flagler.
When I was working in the M & S Cafe, I
met Norman P. Todd of Coldwater, Kansas.
He was working at the Lavington Garage in
Flagler from 1948 to 1.949. Then he began
working for Colorado Interstate Gas Co. in
November 1949 at Lakin, Kansas.
John Willis Baxter, Ida May Baxter, Norman
Todd, and Gertrude Baxter Todd, taken in my
folks yard in Flagler.
Norman and I were married April 14, 1950.
He retired after 28 years with CIG. We have
two children, John Philip Todd born August
4, !954, and Kathleen Marie Todd (Shook)
�born Sept. 15, 1955, in Lamar, Colo. They
went thru school at Beaver, Oklahoma.
We have four (4) grandsons. My husband
Norman is a Mason and has been since he
lived in Flagler. We both belong to the
Eastern Star. Norman and I and our children
belong to the Presbyterian Church at Beaver,
BEATTIE, TIMOTIIY
AND JoELLEN (oRTtIr)
painting business. JoEllen has a dress boutique and Arts and Crafts Shop. One Sunday
each month, she plays the organ at a quaint
little church, which is the oldest church in
New Zealand, that is over 150 years old. Two
years ago they built their new home overlooking the Bay of Islands.
Oklahoma.
by Frances Orth
by Gertrude Marie Baxter Todd
BEATTIE - PUGH
FAMILY
BECK - MESSENGER
FAMILY
F46
F47
Myparents, Frank LouisBeattie and Daisy
Pugh Beattie, and their children, Blanche
and Louis, came to Colorado in April of 1910
from Grinnell, Gove County, Kansas, by
immigrant train.
They settled on their homestead 9 miles
north and 1 7z miles east of Stratton, but
lived on the J.W. Borders'homestead, northwest of Stratton several miles until a small
frnme building was built on the homestead.
By fall they had a two room sod house where
Gladys Beattie Clair, Mary Beattie Klotzbach, and James were born. By January 1915
they moved into the adobe house where
Hettie Beattie Helton, Frances Beattie Lo-
Tim and JoEllen Beattie Jan. 15.
rain, and Frank were born.
All of the children attended the Springwell
School, District No. 43, 3/+ of a mile east of
JoEllen Sue Orth was born November 2,
1951, daughter of Helmuth and Frances
home and completed the eighth grade there.
Blanche taught there later. She taught school
for 39 years. Blanche and Gladys graduated
from Stratton High School.
Our mother passed away July 7, t924, and,
our dad kept us all together and after we were
all married and had homes of our own he
married Elizabeth O'Neill of Smith Center,
Kansas, June 23, 1949.
Gladys and Walter Clair, Mary and John
Klotzbach and Frances and Delphos Lorain
moved to Oregon. Walter, Mary and Delphos
passed away. Children of the above families
are in Oregon.
Hettie and Ed Helton live near St. Scott.
Kansas. Four of their eight children live in
the vicinity. Don and Dean live in Colorado.
Mary lives in California and Margie lives in
Oregon.
Louis Beattie passed away in July, 1983.
His widow, Esther Davis Beattie lives on the
farm north of Stratton. Norman is in Montana, Delmar in Limon, Keith in Rocky Ford,
Ivan in Lakewood, and Gene near Seattle,
Washington.
James Beattie passed away
in 1963. His
widow and children live in Denver. Frank
Beattie and wife live in Denver. Son Leon
passed away and
Larry lives in Arizona.
Homer Dove passed away
in 1977. Son
Marvin and family live near Kansas City,
MO. His widow, Blanche, lives in Seibert,
Colorado.
by Blanche Beattie Dove
1983
(Lampe) Orth, at St. Francis, KS. She has one
older brother, Dennis. She attended elementary school in St. Francis until third grade,
then moved with her parents and brother to
Burlington, CO, in 1959. JoEllen graduated
from Burlington High School in 1969, and
The University of Northern Colorado at
Greeley, CO, in 1974, with a B.A. degree in
Audiology. She later furthered her education
at San Diego State University, San Diego,
cA.
In
1974 JoEllen and three college girl
friends traveled through Europe four
months. They rented a station wagon and
traveled through ltaly, France, Germany,
Greece, Holland, England, Austria, etc. In
1976, she and a girlfriend traveled through
Mexico and on down to Yucatan.
In San Diego JoElIen met and fell in love
with Timothy David Beattie. Tim was born
in Aukland, New Zealand. His mother Audrey, and two brothers still live in Aukland.
Hie father is deceased. Tim is a nephew of the
Governor General of New Zealand. Sir David
Beattie, and his wife Lady Norma.
Tim received his schooling in Aukland,
graduating from The University of Aukland,
majoring in Accounting. Since he has a great
love for water and navigation, he has crossed
the Pacific between New Zealand and United
States, three times, and twice he used his 44
ft. sailboat (yacht). He and JoEllen have had
some adventurous experiences starting from
San Diego and sailed the Pacific to Aukland,
New Zealand. They took twenty-two months
to get there, as they visited many islands,
including The Marquesas, Mangareva, Ta-
hiti, Bora Bora, Cook Islands, Pago Pago, and
many others. They spent quite some time at
Tahiti, as they both worked, so they could
purchase supplies and restock their pantry.
They moved to Russell, New Zealand,
about 150 miles north of Aukland. There is
a lot of construction there, so Tim has a
Four generations. "Ira", Isaac, Earl, Clifford with
children Niel and Kent Messenger.
"Ira", as he was fondly known by many
people, was born to Isaac and Eva Strauser
Messenger on September 2, 1866, in West
Virginia. He cn-e to Colorado in 1886, and
while working with a harvest crew traveling
through Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma,
met, courted, and married Lulu Phoebe Beck,
daughter of James Vivian Beck and Mary
Ann Neighbors of Ritchie, Missouri. They
were married in Tulsa, Okla., in 1894 and
resided
for awhile in
Cattlee, Cherokee
Nation, Okla., where their first son, Earl, was
born.
Ira moved his family to Loveland, Co. in
1896, and in four years five children were
born there. In 1901, he moved his family to
Kit Carson County, on the Republican River,
about 18 miles northwest of (Claremont)
Stratton, Co. After a couple ofyears near the
river, Ira turned his homestead back to the
Gov and refiled on what is still known as the
"Messenger Homestead", some 2l miles
northwest of Stratton. Here he built his
"!lss1s"
first
a sod house,
and then several
additions-until the final house was a 12 room
modern home, finished in 1920.
By 1907, four more children were born totaling 10 - with eight living at this time:
Earl, Stella, Archie, Clara, Hazel, Mary, Eva,
and Ernst. (At this writing, June 1986, only
four are still living.)
Ira and his family were very industrious as
were most "Pioneer" families, so the farm
prospered. In about 1905, lra purchased a
grinding mill for the purpose of grinding
flour, cereals, animal foods, etc. It was
powered with a huge 16 ft. darius windmill
with power gears and shaft. A power takeoff
was run into a blacksmith shop and ran a
drill
�equipment.
"Ira" and Lulu quietly lived out their lives
in Stratton as good parents and
grandparents. Lulu passed away January 20, L957,
and Ira followed on September 30, 1962.
by C.W. Messenger
"Ira"
Isaac D. Messenger and
Lulu Phebe in 1953, Stratton,
press and saw. Here Ira practiced his
blacksmithing profession, as he had done for
many years, and was to continue throughout
his life. The windmill also ran a pump jack
for one of the two wells that Ira and his
brother, Bill, had drilled on the farm. This
well watered the large orchard that was
planted this same year.
A big barn was built in 1915, a large
rambling hog house and chicken house in
1919.
In 1918, Ira was elected to the public office
of County Commissioner, and held thig office
until 1930. He was one of the commissioners
responsible for the carousel being purchased
and installed at the County Fairgrounds. The
controversy over the expenditure of these
public funds during "hard times" lost him the
election in the fall of 1929.
The Messenger Homestead was adjacent to
the "Tuttle" General Store and Post Office,
that was operated until approximately 1920.
Ira purchased the old store and 80 acres
adjacent to it in L92L, to add to his farm.
In those early years "Ira" had the only pair
of dental forceps in the community and
Co.
though he was not a "licensed" dentist, he
pulled many
a man's tooth as a Good
Samaritan.
On August 29, 1925,Ira's two oldest sons,
Earl and Archie, were standing in the barn
door; they had finished putting the work
horses in their stalls and were watching a
thunderstorm approach, when a bolt of
lighting struck the barn killing Archie, but
sparing Earl.
When his oldest son, Earl, married Lucy
Charlotte Wood, daughter of Henry H. and
Rachel Wood (close neighbors), on Aug. 8,
1926, and they returned from their honeymoon, Ira, Lulu and youngest son, Ernest,
had moved off the farm to Stratton, allowing
Earl and his bride to reside on the farm.
In 1931 after his stint as County Commissioner, Ira built a large blacksmith shop
beside his home in Stratton, and there plied
his trade for another 15 years. His shop was
always equipped with the best equipment
available at the time. He had the only lathe
between Chicago and Denver, large enough
to "turn" a
railroad car wheel. People
traveled many miles to have him repair their
�made the trip to Marion, about 70 miles north
of Yankton, and homesteaded on the open
prairies.
Our father lived west of Marion, South
till he journeyed to Avon, South
Dakota,
Dakota, and got acquainted with our mother,
Katharina Schultz. They were manied Mar.
9, 1899. Our Mother's parents also were from
Rueeian Poland. From the little village of
Heinrichsdorf, about 70 miles east of Kariswalde, they had come to America on the
Freighter Colina a few months before our
father.
Our parents lived on a farm south ofAvon
till
Oct. of 1907, when they boarded a
immigrant train for Vona, Colo. With them
were our brothers, Eli and Jacob and our
sisters Lydia, Mary and Helena. A few cows
and two horses and a two bottom gang plow
were algo brought on the train. Our father was
known as a big farmer in South Dakota, but
he had heard the winters were not so cold or
severe in Colorado.
Our parents had a well and barn built by
others in the early months of 1907, so they
first took care of the crops in S.D. and arrived
at Vona on Oct. 7,L907.
The north part ofthe barn was used for the
cows and horses. The south part was converted into living quarters for our parents and
five children. A trapdoor led to the haymow
for sleeping for the older children. Here in
thig barn our sigter Justina wae born in the
spring of 1908. The old deterioratcd barn
still
stande today, but you know the old fond
memories of that old barn cause one to stop
having thoughts of tearing it down.
In 1910, our parents built a 18 x 24 frnme
house, and in this house Leander and Wilbert
were born. In 1916, the attic and roof were
torn off. A second story was added, and a two
story wing 16 x 30 wag added to the west. In
this house our youngeet sister Alvina and our
youngest brother Abe were born.
On this old homestead ten children of the
Andrew B. Becker family grew up. We hope
each one has grovm up to be of influencial
good to our God, to our communityand to our
country.
Our oldest sister Lydia (Boese) passed
away in 1972, Jacob in 1976 and Eli in 1981.
All are buried in our Mennonite Cemetery
south of Vona.
The old Becker homest€ad still belongs in
the Andrew B. Becker family, in possession
of Wilbert and Alma Becker.
About 1900. Isaac D. "Ira" Messenger and Lulu Phebe Messinger Children L. to R. Earl, Stella, Archie,
by Wilbert A. Becker
Clara (baby.
BECKER, ANDREW
FAMILY
F48
Our Father, only two years old, emigrated
from Russian Poland with our Grandparents,
Benjamin and Susanna Becker, from the
little village of Karlswalde, about 200 miles
west of Kief, Russia. On November 10, 1874,
they boarded the train for a thirteen day ride
to Antwerp, Belgium. There they set sail for
America on the English Ship Abbotsford.
The Abbotsford ran into very rough seas,
and collided with the Ship Indus. The
Abbotsford was da-aged severely, so that
much of the ghip took on water; and all feared
the ship would sink, but miraculously it
limped back to port and was repaired.
In the meantime. some of our Mennonite
families contacted smallpox, and were quarantined, including our Grandfather's family.
Our little Aunt Elizabeth, only a few weeks
old, is on the passenger list ofthe Abbotsford,
but we have no authentic information as to
what happened to her. She may had died
from smallpox in England or was buried at
sea.
The Abbotsford tried to sail for America
while our folks were quarantined in England,
but was wrecked again. It never made the
Atlantic crossing at that time. Our folks
sailed to America on the Steamer lllinois and
arrived in Philadelphia on Jan. 28, 1875.
In the spring of 1875, our father's folks
traveled on Yankton, South Dakota Terri-
tory. That was the end of the rails at that
time. So by oxen and horses our father's folks
BECKMANN FAMILY
F49
August Fred Beckmann was born Oct. 17,
1892 at Cook, Nebraska, the son of John
Henry and Caroline (Riensche) Beclrmann.
Anna Christina (Henning) Beclrmann was
born Jan. 9, 1899 at Gaylord, Kansas, the
daughter of August Henning, Sr. and Bertha
(Kessler) Henning.
August and Anna were m{uried Oct. 8, 1919
at Gaylord, Kansas after August returned
from serving in France during World War I.
They came to Flagler, Colorado in Januar5r,
1920, and farmed the Leseberg farm about 6
miles north
of Flagler for
several years.
August, known as Gus to his friends, decided
to take his family back to Nebraska. While
�BEELER FAMILY
deceased. He also spent some time with his
F60
Abraham (Abe) Lincoln Beeler was born in
the state of Kansas. He had three brothers,
John, Lewis and George, and a sister Annie.
He met and married Louiea Jane Kinney of
Oregon and Mound City, MO. She had two
sisters, Frances Springer and Emma Bucher,
and a brother Willie. To this union four sons
IG
i
mother on the ranch near Flagler.
Lloyd died at the age of two years.
Marvin came with the family from the
Indian Territory to Colorado at a young age.
He married Marjorie Yewell of Flagler. They
had a son, Robert Yewell, and a daughter,
Elora Rose. Mawin and Elora Rose are
deceased. Marjorie and Robert reside in the
Denver area. He is a dentist, and she is in a
rest home in Morrison, Colorado, now age 88.
General
Marjorie and Hila both taught at the
Jackson, Hubert Kinney, Lloyd and Marvin
were born, Charles (Charlie)
Cloud,
Beeler school, 2 miles northeast of the farms.
The people that came to eastern Colorado
in those early times were seeking new oppor-
Kansas, then moved to the Indian Territory
tunities and perhaps a certain amount of
of Oklahoma. Marvin was born there, the
adventure.
Robert.
They lived for a time
in White
older boys in Kansas.
In the early 1900's they bought a property
adjoining their son Hubert's place that he
had homesteaded previously. They built a
sod house, added a frarne house later and
*t.
."!
Grandma made butter and sold
in Nebraska he was employed as a carpenter,
but due to ill health and doctor's advice to
move West, they returned to Flagler and
bought a farm 9 miles northwest of Flagler
and lived and farmed there up to and through
the "Depreasion and Dust Bowl Days of the
1930's", selling the farm in the late 1930's and
moving into Flagler.
August worked at various jobs, even moving to Washington state for a short time; but,
liking Colorado, he returned to Loveland,
Colorado, where he lived the remaining years
of his life. He died September 29, 1970. His
wife Anna still lives in Loveland, Colorado.
August and Anna were always active
memberg of the Lutheran Church and 7
children were born
to this
union. Ruby
LaVerne, who married Paul Huber, was born
July 30, 1920 at Flagler. She was residing in
Bellinghnm, Washington in 1986. Wilma
Louise, married to George Corcoran, was
born March 23, L922 at Flagler. She resided
in Southfield, Michigan in 1986. Roy August,
who was a Lutheran minister, was born May
6,1924 at Sterling, Nebraska, and died June
7,L977, at North Bend, Nebraska. Erma Jean
was born May 23, L927 at Sterling, Nebraska.
She died Oct. 18, L929, at Flagler, Colorado
from the flu. Eldon Edward was born July 16,
1929 at Flagler, Colorado and was residing in
Loveland, Colorado in 1986. Dale Henry was
born August 12, 1931 at Flagler, and resided
at
Robins, Iowa
in
1986. Norma Faye,
married to Ben Zimmerman, was born Nov.
1, 1936 at Flagler, and was residing in
Loveland, Colorado in 1986.
it
FAMILY
F61
in
Flagler. They took eggs and crenm to sell at
the grocery and creanery. She had a vegetable garden, also. Her life on the prairie was
a change from the more settled and not such
harsh climate of Colorado. She always wore
a sun-bonnet to protect her hair and skin and
long gloves made from old hosiery, with holes
cut out for the fingers, to cover her arms. One
bonnet was a slat one made by sewing pockets
in the material and inserting cardboard strips
to hold it rigid.
They had an outside cave to store food that
had to be cool, the milk, eggs, butter, etc.
When they butchered a hog, some of it was
ground and made into patties, fried and
placed in large stone jars, covered in lard and
stored in the cave for future needs. The harns
and bacon were sugar-cured and smoked.
The blizzards were so severe some winters,
the men would attach a wire or rope from the
barns to the houses and follow it to get out
to feed the animals. There was the fear of
losing their way.
To build a sod house. sod must be cut from
virgin soil with grass roots intact for reinforcement to construct the house. A minimum
of lumber was used. The roof was covered
with sod also. In spring, wild flowers bloomed
on it making a colorful and startling effect.
A sod house is real comfortable, warm in
winter, cool in summer because of the thick
wall. The inside was plastered and wall
papered, making it quite attractive. The
window sills were deep, making room for
house plants.
I spent a lot of time at Grandma and
Grandpa's house. She read to me and as I
became a better reader, we took turns reading
aloud. It was wonderful training for me, and
she seemed to enjoy it. She also helped me
with public speaking, listening to my recitations over and over, never losing patience.
She passed away
by Ruby Huber
BEELER - HOUGII
other improvements. These places were
located on the Republican River, 12 miles
southwest of Flagler, Colorado. The houses
were about a block apart. The family were
farmers and ranchers.
August and Anna Beckman with Ruby, Wibna,
Roy, Irma and Eldon in 1929.
by Lucille Beeler Morgan
in
1928.
Grandpa died in 1919 when I was nine
years old. He did routine work around the
place. He hardly ever went to town, just
seemed contented at home.
Charlie Beeler lived for a time in Aroya,
Colorado, where he met and married Hila
Gillespie. One daughter, Norma Jeanne, was
born to them. She and her father are both
*
r't't'
Hubert and Clara Beeler and baby Marian Louise,
8 weeks old. June, 1921, on the farm southwest of
Flagler.
Around the turn of the century, Hubert
(Hub) Beeler homesteaded on a half section
of land 12 miles southwest of Flagler, along
the Republican River where there were good
alfalfa fields and wild hay to be mowed to
feed the animals. There was farming ground
where corn, wheat, potatoes and other crops
were raised, an all dry-land operation. Wild
sweet-peas, rose and plum bushes grew on the
banks of the river. He built a sod house and
outbuildings on the property.
In the year 1909, he married Clara Josephine Hough of Wild Horse, Colorado, and
three daughters were born to them, Lucille
Winnie Mae, Eunice Lillian and Marian
Louise. The family lived at this location until
t924. Patt of our income was derived from
Hubert's training of horses to be ridden and
driven and participating in rodeos. He enjoyed reading Western novels and smoking
his pipe. Our lasting memorieg of him were
�Lowe, of Denver, son of Marlin and Ramona
Lowe.
Eunice married Roger Grosh of Kearney,
Nebraska. She graduated from Beauty school
in Denver and later went into the restaurant
businesg with her husband. After a number
of years, she was married to Larry Nason of
Boston, Maes. and continued to operate that
business of Denver until their retirement.
Marian married George W. (Bill) Mulhausen of Denver and two daughters were born
to them, Phyllis Batty (her husband is Roger)
and Dianne Stitt (her husband is Jim).
Lucille and Marian were married to men in
the building construction business. The
husbands all served in the South Pacific
theater in World War
LuciIIe Beeler, age 10 years, and Eunice Beeler, age
6 years. Year 1920 on farm southwest of Flagler.
II. The
men are all
East Denver High School.
We received a good education in Flagler.
The experience of farm and ranch life and
small town living are never to be forgotten
memories.
BEESON
- PERKINS
FAMILY
them slinking along the river, hoping to
snatch a chicken for their dinner. We made
school programs, rodeos, baseball gemes and
visiting neighbors. Lucille and Eunice rode
their black and white pinto ponies to the
Beeler School 2 miles northeast of the farm.
Most activities were held at the school, also
church services. when a minister could be
acquired.
There must have been many hardships on
the prairie, but being young, we hardly
noticed. There was good food, shelter, a few
clothes, love, work
to do and
plans for
tomorrow.
In August of L924, Hubert passed away at
age 42. The family then moved to Flagler and
remained there until 1937. Our house was
across the street from the Congregational
Church where we attended services. Our life
in Flagler was pleasant with friends and work,
movies (free on Sat. P.M.), dances, school
parties and lessons. Our big kitchen table was
a center ofactivity. School lessons, games and
correspondence took place by the light of the
Rayo Kerosene lsmp with our mother close
by doing crocheting, mending and quiltmaking. She often played the accordian and
harmonica for us.
Clara Beeler passed away in 1935 at age 44.
The younger daughters moved to Denver in
1937 where they now reside.
Lucille married Cecil J. Morgan of Arriba,
Colorado, in 1930 at Littleton, Colorado.
They then left the Denver area until 1940,
when they returned to Lakewood, Colorado,
and remained there until 1981, when Lucille
moved to Sedona, Arizona where her son Del
and wife Leah are now living. They were the
parents
of a
daughter Rnrnona C. Lowe
(deceased) and have one grandson David A.
more trees
to plant, work that
even the
worth it.
see
and lumber wagon to gather cow chips for
fuel, always on the alert for rattlesnakes.
We had many good times in those early
days, attending pie and box socials, dances,
to Charlie Murray; Leonard married toAgnes
Iseman; Midge married to Raymond Davis;
Clark married to (1) Opal Schaal; (2) Charlotte Cranford; and Duane married to Gladys
Gro-m. On that barren land their trees stood
for so much. It reminded them both of the
land where they grew up. So when there was
nothing else to do, which was rare, there was
always the water to carry, weeds to hoe, and
High School. Marian attended school there
until moving to Denver where she attended
a
an excursion out of taking the teams of mules
Their family and the land was very important to Ed and Mable. They worked hard and
sacrificed for both. Their children were: Elsie
maried to Walter Herndon; Edith married
youngest ones could do. But on a hot summer
day there was no place cooler. The reward was
real Western man. Our mother raised fryer
chickens to sell, as well as eggs and creem, and
boarded teachers.
In the evenings we could hear the coyot€s
near our place. By day we could sometimes
also lived nearby.
deceased since 1980.
Lucille and Eunice graduated from Flagler
by Lucille Beeler Morgan
with his horse and cowboy hat and boots,
and traveling in a covered wagon. Mar5r
fanily
Ellen's father, Jasper Dickey, and his
F62
Edward Elner Beeeon came to Kit Carson
County, Colorado, to file on a homestead in
1906 from Rawlins County Kansas. He was
born to William Harrison Beeson and Priscilla Ann (Pickett) Beason 6 Aug. 1880 at
Enosdale, Washington Co., Ks. Billy Beeson
was the last of eight generations of practicing
Quakers or the Society of Friends as they
were sometimes known.
The first Beeson to come to America was
also Edward. He ceme from England in 1682
or 1684 and settled in Chester Co., Pennsylvania. His descendants moved south to
Virginia and North Carolina, then west to
Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas and
Colorado.
Willinm !l611ison Beeson moved his family
to Rawlins Co.. Ks. in 1892 and homesteaded
5 miles south of McDonald, Ks. Ed worked
for Roy and Beech Berry of McDonald as a
ranchhand. He nanowly missed being involved in the infamous Dewey-Berry shootout. But that day he had work to do elsewhere
on the ranch. And while he was away
Chauncey Dewey arrived with his hired men
in the
ensuing gunfight three Berry's
were killed and two injured. When Ed moved
to Kit Carson Co. the original homestead he
worked was that of Roy Berry. His brothers
Frank, Clifford and sister Belle filed homestead's on adjoining quarters.
and
If they went to Burlington there was at that
time a trail that they took. It angled northeast to Burlington. About one-half mile out
of town was the only fenced land between
their place and town.
May 21, 1908 Ed married Mable Bell
Perkins, daughter of Willis/lVlary Ellen
(Dickey) Perkins. Mable was born 28 Sept.
1890 in Seward, Nebr. The Perkins family
moved to the county in 1906 and homesteaded on land just south of Ed's homestead.
Mable remembered moving with her parents
Ed was on the school board most of the
time the kids attended First Central School.
They all graduated from there and were
involved in school activities. One day Ed
waved a greeting to the bus driver who
thought he meant no kids on the bus today.
So the driver left without any Beesons.
Hurray, a holiday!!!! But no such luck.
Healthy kids can walk
right. Off to school
they went. But not too -far. The girls decided
to play hooky. This time (probably the only
time) Len was the innocent one and continued on to school. What fun they found to do.
Trying to time their arrival at home with the
bus was easy. But Mom and Dad happened
to see just one angelic son get off the bus that
day. With much foresight Elsie, Edith and
Midge placed pillows strategically for their
welcome home.
Ed and Mable moved to Burlington in 1944
to retire. They found a place where they could
have a cow to milk, a calf or two to feed, and
chickens to care for. Just so they weren't too
far away from the life they knew and loved
well. Ed also worked for the city at the park
for a number of years.
Ed died 1 Jan. 1960. Mable died 4 Nov.
1964. Elsie and Walter farmed south of
Stratton and are now retired and living in
Stratton. Leonard and Agnes live in Burlington and are still involved in farming and
ranching at the homeplace of the original
so
and Gladys, before
Duane's death in June 1985, farmed the land
acquired by Ed and Mable a few miles from
homestead. Duane
the home place. Clark and Charlotte are in
Eads, Colo. and run a auto-parts store. Edith
and Charlie are retired from teaching and
logging and live in Grants Pass, Ore. Midge
and Raymond, a retired electrician, live in
Denver, Colo.
The roots that Ed and Mable planted are
strong. Their work, blood, sweat, and tears
have sustained many. The land and times
have changed so much. Wouldn't those old
timers shudder if they could look down on us
right now. Those times were hard but good
and so simple. But didn't they do a good job
and accomplished so much.
by Lenora Sexson
�BEESON - PERKINS
GRAMM FAMILIES
-
FAMILY
F53
F54
Edward Ebner Beeson was born August 6,
1889 in Washington County in Enosidale,
Kansas. There he grew up and later married
Mabel Bell Perkins on May 21, 1908. They
Lutheran Church. Dot served two 5-year
terms on the Burlington Public Library. Don
is a member of the Burlington Rotary Club
lived in McDonald, Kansas.
In the early 1900's they moved to
in 1954 and Greg in
1960. Don worked in several capacities in
Colorado Springs and moved to Burlington
the spring of 1973 €ul manager for Mountain
Bell Telephone. He retired from Mt. Bell in
1984 with almost 35 years service. He then
went to work for the City of Burlington and
was appointed City Administrator in January
1985. The Beethes attend First St. Paul's
1952. Connie was born
BEETHE - VOIGHT
the
family farm south of Bethune where they
raised their six children. The children are:
and enjoys playing golf.
Beeson
Murray, Leonard Beeson, Velma Beeson
Davis, Clark Beeson and Duane Beeson.
In 1945, the family moved to Burlington,
Greg in Newport Beach, Ca.
Connie lives
Elsie Beeson Herndon, Edith
Don enjoyed working with Burlington,
by Don Beethe
Duane Beeson was born on March 21, 1931
BELLER - HUPPERT
FAMILY
in the family home south-west of Bethune,
Colorado.
Duane attended his first eight years of
at First Central. He attended high
school in Burlington, Colorado where he
graduated with the class of 1949.
While attending school, Duane worked for
R.I. Gassner at his gas station in Burlington,
Colorado. He also helped his brothers farm
Laguna Beach, Ca. and
Cheyenne Wells, Stratton and Limon people
while with Mountain Bell. Burlington (where
Colorado begins) is a great place to live.
Colorado where they resided until their
deaths. Edward passed away on January 1,
1960 and Mabel passed away on November
4, t964. They are buried at the Fairview
Cemetery in Burlington, Colorado.
school
in
Don and Dot Beethe.
F66
and raise cattle on the family farm south-west
of Bethune.
Duane entered the United States Marine
Corps on March L4, Lg52 and was honorably
discharged on March 3, 1954.
Duane was baptized on May 8, 1956 by
Reverend H.E. Wilake and became a member
a;,
of the Hope United Church of Christ north
of Bethune.
Gladys Gramm attended the country
schools of Emerson, Hook, Broadsword, and
Blueview. In 1951 and 1952 she attended
Bethune High School and in 1953 and 1954
ehe went to Burlington High School where
she graduated in 1954.
In 1954, Gladys worked at the Standish
Drug drugstore, in Burlington, as a clerk, and
at the Mountain Bell Telephone Office as a
telephone operator.
Duane and Gladys were united in marriage
on June 10, 1956 at the Hope United Church
of Christ. They then moved to the farm south
of Bethune. Here they farmed, raised cattle
and hogs.
Connie and Greg Beethe.
Dorothy Voight was born in Norfolk,
Virginia and grew up in Jacksonville, Florida.
She moved to Washington, D.C. and worked
for the U.S. Navy. In 1951 she moved to
Colorado Springs working as a secretary for
the U.S. Air Force and met Don on a blind
Three children were born to Duane and
Gladys: Douglas, Jeanette, and Cheryl. All
date.
Don Beethe was born in Elk Creek. Nebras-
School. Douglas graduated in 1976, Jeanette
sisters and 4 brothers to Yuma, Colorado in
1932 to a farm 5N and 2W of Yuma. He grew
three children attended Stratton High
in
1979, and Cheryl in 1986.
1982 Duane attended school
In
in Denver
and he received his real estate license.
Duane passed away on June 4, 1985 at St.
Anthony Hospital in Denver. He is buried at
the Fairview Cemetery in Burlington.
ka. He moved with his father, mother,
2
up and attended Yuma schools and served
with the U.S. Army 6th Division in Pusan,
Korea in L946-47. Don worked for his sister
and brother-in-law, Gordon Sipple, on a farm
near Clarksville, locatcd 24 miles NE of
Yuma.
by Cheryl Beeson
In 1950 he went to work with Mountain
States Telephone Company in Denver, and
traveled throughout Colorado as a lineman
for 2 years before locating in Colorado
Springs for the dial conversion
in
1953.
During the winter of 1951, he worked with a
line crew on the Denver-Kanarado Toll Line
and the crew stayed in the Montezuma Hotel,
which seemed quite new at that time.
Don and Dot were married
Episcopal Church
in
Grace
in Colorado Springs
in
The newlyweds, Tony and Gertrude Beller, on the
left with their attendants, Clara Weibel and Joe
Knochel, on July I5, 1924 beside first St. Charles
Church. Stratton
On Tuesday morning July 15, 1924 at 8:00
A.M. at St. Charles Church vows were said by
Miss Gertrude Huppert and Mr. Tony Beller
both of Stratton. Rev. Edw. Muenich officiated. Bridesmaid was Clara Weibel and Joseph Knochel acted as best man. Gertrude
Huppert, daughter of George and Mollie
Huppert, moved here from Blue Hill, Nebr.
in 1923. She taught school in several schools,
including Greenknoll District in 1923. Tony
Beller, son of Anton and Theresa Beller
moved here from Lindsay, Nebr. on May 6,
1921. He farmed the land that he broke
himself until 1948, when they moved to
Denver where they now reside. Five children
were born; they are Marianne Stevens, Millie
�Luebbers, Ray Beller, Jerome Beller, and
Margaret Winters.
by Mrs. Paul Luebbers
BERGEN, FRANK, M.D.
F66
ca 1920" Standing L to R: Albert Guthrie, Jack Ruberson,
Robert Wilkinson, Fred Kukku, Henry G. Hoskin, James Upton, Albert Beal, Carl Hamilton, Vern Coakley.
Seated, L to R: Ed Hoskin, Frank Rose, J.E. Pilling and Dr. F.L. Bergen.
"Burlington Volunteer Fire Department
"F.L. Bergen
-
Country Doctor,"
-
post-humously by the Colorado Medical Comet Rebekah Lodge. Dad was sinularly
Society for his many years of service to the honored by Rocky Mountain Consistory,
people of the Burlington area.
Ancient and Acceptcd Scottish Rite by being
"Doc", as he was affectionately known by decorated "Knight Commander Court of
the entire community, served many terms Honor."
both as City Health Officer for Burlington "Doc" may be remembered by some of the
and County Health Officer for Kit Carson "old-timers" for his public presentation of
particularly the poetry of
County. I remember during my childhood "readings"
that he always carried in his car a supply of JamesWhitcombRiley.Doanyof
ourreaders
those hugh red quarantine signs bearing the recall his rendition of "Little Orphan Annames of those then horrifying
- now nie"?
From that day in 1908, when Mom (Anna
obsolete
diseases, "Diphtheria",
Lou) walked with Dad down the wooden"Smallpox", and "Scarlet Fever". Medicine
plank sidewalk from the Rock Island Depot
came a long way during his lifetime; I
remember his telling me that when he was a
to the old Montezuma Hotel, she was his
devoted companion until his death in 1959 of
boy, "no one ever heard ofAppendicitis, but
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis.
an awful lot of people died of the Belly Ache."
Being the wife of a small town doctor in
"Doc" served as Medical Exnmine for
those days required the patience of Job. I
Selective Service during both World Wars,
recall countless occasions when, just as the
for which service he was awarded decorations.
During most of this professional career,
"Doc" served as "Physician and Surgeon" for
the Rock Island Railroad, frequently boarding the train to attend a passenger who had
become ill, then boarding the nert returning
train, which was often several hours late.
Somehow, "Doc" found time to do many
things outside his professional activities: He
was mayor
"Mrs. Bergen
-
Patience of Job."
On one occasion I referred to Dad as a
"horse and buggy doctor" to which, with his
usual wit, he replied,
in my life."
"I
never treated a buggy
"Dad" wag Frank Leslie Bergen, M.D., who
brought his bride, Anna Lou, to Burlington
in 1908, and served that community and its
rural surrounding area in the practice of
General Medicine for some fifty years. Shortlv after his death in 1959 he was honored
of Burlington when the first
electric power generating plant was established. He was a member of the Burlington
Volunteer Fire Department most of his adult
life, serving for a time as Chief, and for many
years as Department Physician. He served
First Methodist Episcopal church in almost
every lay function from Board Chairman to
Choir Director
except President of the
Ladies
- and Mom filled that
Aid Society,
office on several occasions, as well as teaching
classes in the Primary Department of the
Sunday School.
Mom and Dad were both always very active
in fraternal circles, each serving one or more
terms as presiding officer of the Orders with
which they became affiliated, Dad with the
Masonic, Odd Fellows, and Rebekah Lodges,
and Mom with Aurora Chapter, O.E.S. and
family was about to sit down and enjoy a meal
together, the phone would ring, we would eat
without Dad, and his food would go back on
the stove until the distress of a patient was
relieved.
Many of our readers will recall the dust
storms of the early thirties. No house was
tight enough to keep out the dust. I recall
seeing many a tear in Mom's eye as she saw
everything in her freshly cleaned house
covered with a thick coating of dust.
My sister, Dorothy Louise Olsen (Nee
Bergen) and I (Richard Van Bergen) were
blessed with the most wonderful parents we
could have had. Dad disciplined us and Mom
spoiled us. Dorothy was eight years older
than I, having been born in 1910
so, to me,
it was almost like having two -mothers
"Dot" alternating between discipline and
spoiling. "Dot" and I both graduated from
Burlington High School, she in 1928 and I in
1936. After teaching in rural elementary
(one-room) schools in the Burlington and
Bethune areas for a number ofyears, Dorothy
became the wife of Edward W. Olsen. Although Dorothy passed away in 1946, she is
survived, at this writing by Ed and three
children, all of whom are married and have
�children of their own.
For some twenty yearg the writer was
known in and around Burlington as "Little
Doc", which though not appreciated at the
time, appears in retrospect to have been quite
complimentary. "Little Doc" (who now tips
the scales at 203 lbs) left Burlington in 1940
to enroll at the Cincinnati Conservatory of
Music. The educational endeavor was interrupted by World War II and March 1942
found Dick in the "blues" of the U.S. Navy.
His 1945 marriage to Geneva Miller made a
he remains
Kentuckian out of Dick
- which
Dad's death, reto thig date. Mom, after
turned to Kentucky, her native state, and
remained with us until her death in 1961.
Geneva passed away in 1980 and in 1984 Dick
was remarried to Marjorie Kathryn
("Midge") Harrison of Cincinnati. Dick's
daughter, Donna (Stephens) and Grandsons,
Ryan and Gregory reside in Plano, Texas.
Dick retired in 1982, having served the last
twenty years of his working life ae Director
of Administration and Facilities for
Ohio
Valley Goodwill lndustries Rehabilitation
Center.
Dick enjoys reading his weekly copy of the
Burlington Record, but seems somehow
always to turn first to the "20", "40" or "60
years ago" column.
by Richard V. Bergen
in the Flagler Cemetery.
On March 22, L908, Berry loaded out an
immigrant car at Goff with farm machinery,
wagon, buggy, harness, household goods, one
runty pig and a few chickens and shipped the
freight car.to Flagler, Colorado. He had a big
tea- of draft
mares ready to bring to the
homestead too, but was advised the horses
would not do well in the high altitude, so he
sold the team for $300 and bought other
horses at a farm sale at Colby, Kansas, which
could also be readily used to drive the buggy.
When Berry arrived in Colorado, he stayed
with a neighbor, Henry Guhr, while putting
up the house and barn, having borrowed a sod
cutter from another neighbor, Zack Eckert.
The two room house was ofa 14 x 32 foot size,
and later in 1916 a third room was added. The
barn was of a 16 x 32 foot size. A well was dug
by neighbor Sam Proaps to a depth of 144 feet
to good water. In about 1914 Berry dug a
cellar under the kitchen part of the soddy,
and then in about 1917 a granary, an 8 x 12
foot chicken house and an outhouse were
built.
During the time Berry was making the
homestead habitable, his wife and baby
daughter, who was born in April 1907 at the
home of Berry's parents near Goff, were
visiting in Indianapolis with relatives, but
arrived in Flagler on the morning passenger
train May 1, 1908. Three other children, two
girls and a boy, cnme to bless this family on
the prairies, all born in the soddy on the
Eventually Berry sold
the
homestead,
which after about 1911, included an additional quarter of land. This piece of land, the NW
% of Section 18, 6S, Range 51, had an old
dugout on it, so Berry in filing, had to first
contest a previous homesteader's claim. In
March 1925 the family moved to a farm
northeast of Limon in Lincoln County,
ending their living in Kit Carson County and
life on the homestead.
John and Jennie, as she was always called
by her husband, were the parents of the four
children, Margaret Clistie (Mrs. Elmer Slise
of Genoa); Pauline Florence also called Polly
(Mrs. Kelvin S. Gurwellof Loveland); Norma
Katherine (Mrs. Verlie L. Holmes of Sioux
Falls, South Dakota); and Mark Wesley, who
was maried to Marjorie Cox. Berrys were
also the grandparents of nine grandchildren;
none however to cany on the name.
John died in March 1966 at the age of 94,
and Jennie passed away in August of 1963 at
the age of 85. Both are buried at Loveland
where they had lived the last few years of
their lives in the Sierra Vista Nursing Home
in Loveland, after having lived in and around
Genoa since 1928 for over 30 years. Their son,
Wesley, passed away in January 1986 in
Maine, where he had gone to be with his only
child, and is buried in Winthrop, Maine.
homestead.
BERRY, JOHN
FAMILY
which began in about 1916 with Ray Thompson as the carrier, the Berrys got their mail
at Thurman, which meant a trip once a week
by horse and buggy.
by Margaret Berry Slise
In 1914 a school district was formed in the
area and a nice sod school house, 16 x 24 feet,
with four windows in each wall, was built
F67
The story of the John Berry family in Kit
Carson County began in 1907 when John
Harvey Berry filed for a homestead, August
7,LW7, on SW % Section 7, 63, Range 51, in
the extreme northwestern corner of the
county, just south of the Washington County
line and just east of the Lincoln County line.
Actually Berry had become familiar with
Eastern Colorado at an earlier time when a
sist€r and family moved to Limon in about
1895 for employment with the railroad, and
Berry had visited in their home. Later when
that family moved to the Cripple Creek Gillette area in about 1898, Berry joined the
1
% miles to the west of the Berry home. This
was just inside Lincoln County on SW % of
Section 12, 6S, Range 52. This school was
nemed Twin Lakes, as two large lagoons
nearby filled with water from snow melt in
the spring. A Sunday School, known as the
Twin Lakes Sunday School, also met at the
school. All four of the Berry children attended school and Sunday School at Twin Lakes.
Berry farmed with horses and broke prairie
for farm crops, mostly raising corn, beans,
potatoes, barley, rye, cane, millet and some
wheat. The neighbors all exchanged work in
harvest and with threshing. Too, Berry was
considered the neighborhood blacksmith.
Berry also received help with the farm
work from his eldest daughter. They would
haul grain from the crops raised to the
elevators in Flagler, 20 miles to the southeast,
with horse and wagon, and would bring coal
and groceries back for the winter supply.
sod
BEST, BOB AND
PATTI LU
F58
In 1953 John Clark and H.E. (Gene) Clark,
Patti's brothers, hired Bob to work for them
in the insurance dept. of The First National
Bank, Stratton, Colo.
Bob had been born and raised in the state
of Washington graduating from Montesano
High School in Montesano, Washington and
the University of Washington at Seattle,
Washington. After graduating from High
Also, one winter Berry hauled flour from
Flagler to Thurman, a thriving town, seven
School in June 1941, Bob enlisted in the U.S.
Navy and served until the end of WWII and
was discharged in February 1946.
Patti was raised in Kirk, Colo. graduating
from Kirk High School and Colorado A&M
College (now Colorado State University). In
January 1945 she was united in marriage to
James Mustard who died in WWII. To this
miles distant to the northwest in Washington
County. In 1919 Berry bought a Monroe car
which ended the days of horse and buggy
union was born a son, James. During her
college years and after graduating, Patti was
employed in the Cope, Joes and Stratton
in that city and they
transportation for the family.
The Berrys, as all homesteaders, suffered
returned to the Goff area to a farm southwest
of town until the moved to Colorado. The
bride was musically talentcd having played
a violin with the Indianapolis City Orchestra
prior to her marriage. She was born August
1, 1878, in Wurttemberg, Germany, and
immigrated with her parents, two brothers
and two sisters to the United States in 1881
at the age of three. Her mother came t,o
Flagler to live with the Berrys in October
1922, following the death of her husband
earlier, and was living in Colorado at the time
of her death in January 1923. She ig buried
blizzards, hailstorms, droughts, rattlesnakes,
prairie dogs, coyotes, badgers, skunks, grasshoppers, army worms and jack rabbits, but
endured.
The family generally had a garden, chickens, a few hogs, and a milk cow, and several
horses for the field work and transportation
by wagon or buggy. By careful management
they got through the long, cold winters
comfortably with some coal and several tons
of cow chips to burn for fuel.
Prior to a rural mail delivery from Flagler,
public school systems.
Bob and Patti met in Montesano. Washington where Patti was visiting her in-laws.
They were married in June 1947 and to this
union two daughters, Susan and Judith, were
family and worked with hie brother-in-law in
various mining and mining related jobs.
Later he returned home to his native home
area in northeastern Kansas, Goff in Nemaha
County. His parents had come to Doniphan
County in the late 1860's in a covered wagon
with an oxen tenm, from Lovilia, Iowa, and
it was at Hiawatha that Berry was born
September 30, 1871.
On March 2, 1906, Berry was united in
marriage with Marie Rose Probst of India-
napolis, Indiana,
hardships and battled
the elements of
born.
The family continued living in Stratton
where all three children were graduated from
High School. Jim is married to Denise Kale
and they are now living in Boulder, Colo.
where Jim works as a geologist. They have a
daughter Alicia. Susan
is married to Jim
Carnathan and they have two children, Kim
and Chris. Jim works at Caldwells in Burlington and Sue works at The First National
�Bank, Stratton. Judith is manied to Dean
Wall and they have three children, Kerri,
Stephanie and John. They live in Denver
where Dean is a minister and Judy works in
a book store.
In 1961John Clark sold his interest in The
First National Bank to Bob and Gene Clark
and they continued as the managing officers
until they sold their interests in the fall of
1981 and retired.
Patti passed away in April 1982 after a long
illness.
In May 1983 Bob was married to Serena
Simon, Con Simon's widow, and they are
presently living in Stratton.
by Bob Best
BIGELO\il, EARL
NLTPIJAZ
F69
My grandfather William Seymour Bigelow
was born in Goffrey county, Iowa, May 21,
1869 and died Feb. 11, 1948. He was the 4th
child of Dr. Eliphaz Bigelow, born Oct. 20,
1823, died Oct. 25, 1877. Great-grandfather
Eliphaz originally came from Marion, Ohio,
before moving to Iowa. He traveled many
miles with horse and buggy or riding a horse
to attend to the ills of the sick.
Grandfather William Bigelow married
Mertie Steward on Sept. 11, 1889. Mertie was
born Mar. 27, L873 and died Mar. 8, 1945. It
is said that the Stewards were related to
President Howard Taft. They had 8 children:
F,arl, 7 /L0/L890 to 3/5/L964, married Eliz-
abeth Fuhlendorf; Bliss, 9/L5/L852 to
3/8/1980, married Mary Noel; Minnie,
2/15/1895 to 2/28/L983. married Ben Steen;
Hazel, 8/26/ L897 to 12/21/1968, married Alex
Todd; Clyde, 5/241L90L, married Christine
Cook; Glen, 10/26/1903 tn 4/14/1916. Glen is
buried in the Seibert cemetery; Roy,
L/L7/L906 to r/L9/L906; and Lyle, rr/7h910
to 9/L2/L97L, married Ione Sheppard. Clyde
is the only uncle or aunt I have living on either
side of my family.
My father was born in Phillips county,
Kansas. In 1907, grandfather with father and
Uncle Bliss immigrated from eastern Kansag
to Seibert, Colo. Grandfather was allowed to
ride in the caboose ofthe train free, but Earl
and Bliss were gtowaways in the immigrant
car and hid in an empty piano box when the
train had stops. At a stop near Belleville,
Kansas another immigrant family joined this
train. The Bigelows became acquainted with
Ed Gagnon and his son Pope. The Gagnons
homesteaded 3 mi. east and LVz mi. south of
Seibert. Grandmother Mertie and the rest of
the family came by train and joined grandfather, Earl and Bliss about 10 miles north
and two west of Seibert, where gandfather
had homesteaded.
During the first years of homesteading, my
At that time the Murphy school was a little
north of the Kistler place. Earl started
courting the pretty young school teacher of
the Murphy School, Elizabeth Fuhlendorf,
who later became my mother. I, Alma L.
Bigelow Becker, was born in 1919.
Earl Bigelow was
staunch member of the
community. For years he served on the board
of the Vona schools. He helped support
baseball teems, and was a member of the
Christian Church of Vona.
Earl was one of the first in the county to
irrigate with deep wells. He loved farming
a
and ranching, but due to health
reasons
father had to change to other work to make
a living. For many years he was in the
insurance business.
In 1946, my parents bought grandfather
William Bigelow's home in Seibert. Here my
father passed away on Mar. 5, 1964. My
mother will be 97 years old in July. She lives
in this house, does her own housework, goes
to Senior citizen parties and other events.
Her wit and humor are still so enjoyable. In
1946, she was called to teach the Pleasant
some cases furnished transportation to the
missionary, which at that time was horse and
buggy.
He was one of the charter members of
Immanuel Lutheran Church of Arriba and
later a charter member of Zion in Flagler. He
served both congregations in various official
capacities and in general gave much of his
time and efforts to the upbuilding of the
church.
Mr. and Mrs. Blancken celebrated their
Golden Wedding anniversar5r in 1930 when
many of their relatives and a host of friends
helped them celebrate the occasion. His wife
April of 1939.
He was engaged in farming during his
lifetime and only the last few years did he fail
passed away in
to take an active part in the work on the farm.
During the last 12 years of his life he
was
blind. Otherwise he enjoyed good health and
his mind was especially clear. He passed away
October 10, 1948, at the age of 94 years, 6
months and 1 day.
by R.W. Blancken
Valley country school. This is the same school
my husband, Wilbert Becker, attended in
grade school and also the first two years for
Burleigh Becker our son, and Elizabeth's
oldest grandson.
The children of Earl and Elizabeth Bigelow
are: Floyd, 9/25/LgL5, manied Ruth Lusby,
one daughter; Howard, 5/23/Lgl7, married
Elendor Southards, two sons and two daughters. Elendor died in a house fire in Benton
City, Washington, 1966. Howard married
again to Lona Mitchell; Alma, L/15/19L9,
married Wilbert Becker, two sons and one
daughter; Louise, 9/26/1920, married Girth
Dykes, three sons; and Rosa Anna,
LL/29/L927, married Gerald Tubbs, one son.
Rosa Anna passed away Nov. 25, 1970, due
to diabetes.
by Alma L. Bigelow Becker
BLANCKEN,
DIEDRICH F.
BLANCKEN, GEORGE
WILLIAM
F6l
George William Blancken was born at
Frohna, Perry County, Missouri on December 5, 1894, seventh child of Dietrick and
Marie (Eisenberg) Blancken. The family
moved to Colorado when George was eight
years old, in May, 1903, where they took a
homestead northwest of Flagler.
He was baptized into the Lutheran faith in
Frohna, Missouri, and he re-affirmed his
baptismal vows by confirmation on February
16, 1909 with Rev. H. Schmidt (his brotherin-law) at his parents'home before a church
was built in Arriba, Colorado. Later his
family becsme active charter members of the
Zion Lutheran Church in Flagler where
in the church
George took an active part
serving in various positions.
F60
Diedrich F. Blancken was born April
9,
1854 in the Province of Hanover, Germany,
and came to this country when 8 months old
with his parents, being on the sea eleven
weeks. They settled in Perry County Missouri on November 28, 1854 near the town of
Frohna.
On July 29, 1880, he was united in marriage
to Mary Eisenberg of Amsbert, Missouri. To
this union 10 children were born, seven girls
and three boys, Matilda, Magdelene, Martha,
Marie, Minnie, Frederich (died in infancy),
George, Julia, Natalie, and Oliver.
In 1903 Mr. Blancken and his family came
to Flagler, Colorado, where he took a homestead. In the pioneer days ofhomesteaders in
On March 6, 1918, George was united in
marriage to Minnie Elizabeth Settgast. To
this union were born two sons, George W. Jr.,
Richard W. and seven daughters, Helen,
Harriet, Madge, Julia Maria (who died in
infancy), Velma, Eunice and Nona.
George served his country in the armed
forces during World War I and was a member
of the American Legion Post #81 of Flagler.
After being discharged from service, he and
his wife, Minnie farmed his parents' farm
northwest of Flagler for a few years. They
then purchased their own farm southeast of
Flagler, known as the John Thompson place.
In 1938, they purchased the Jewells'farm
northwest of Flagler which they later sold and
moved to town.
George and Minnie celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary on March 6, 1968 with
father, Earl and Uncle Bliss roa-ed away
this country, he gave many
from home to find work to earn moneyto help
support the regt of the family. While home at
one time, and ready to leave again, grandmother cried because she did not want the
boys to leave. Comet Halley was to arrive in
1910, and she was afraid it might hit them.
In the fall of 1910, Earl was picking corn
assistance
passed away on May 3, 1970, after a brief
illness.
George was united inmarriage to Elsie Mae
the Lutheran Church in Arriba and later was
one of the first members of the church in
Flagler. In the early homestead days when
missionaries were sent from the Lutheran
Church he gave them living quarters and in
preceded George
for John Kistler, who lived northeast of
Seibert, where the Charles Borens live today.
newcomers
in filing on their land and many
times took them into his home until they
could build shelter on their own claims.
He took an active part in the building of
all eight of their children present. Minnie
Whitt of Greeley on April 21, 1974. She
in death on February 25,
1984.
George was engaged in farming during his
lifetime. During his later years he enjoyed
fishing and was an active member of the
�Senior Citizens Center of Flagler and supported their many activities. George passed away
on January 6, 1986 at the age of91 years one
month and one day. George saw many
changes in the community and town of
Flagler during his 91 years as well as changes
in the entire world. From farming with horses
to man on the moon, George could recall
many interesting stories from the past, but
a good lesson to learn from this man was that
he didn't live in the past. He was active in
today's world, keeping up on current events
and modern times, a challenge to all who
knew and loved this dear man.
by B.W. Blancken
BLANCKEN, HENRY
c.
F62
At the urging ofthree other brothers living
in Colorado, Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Blancken
moved to Flagler, Colorado, in 1894. Arriving
by train they found only a few buildings and
much open country. They selected a tract of
160 acres of land five miles west of Flagler
and homest€aded it.
As a young man Henry was a cooper
working at a flour mill in Aldenburg, Missouri, where he met Mary Reinemer who lived
on a farm with her parents. Henry courted
Mary for three months, driving fifteen miles
with horse and buggy. Finally a wedding day
was get for July 10, 1883. The wedding was
a large affair with people coming from all
around to witness the formal occasion observing all the old German customs. They lived
to celebrate their 50th anniversary together.
They lived on a farm near Flagler until
1911 when Mary's health compelled a change
and they left for Texas. Failing to find a
satisfactory location there they went to Linn,
Kansas, where they engaged in the restaurant
business for three years. In January, 1915,
they returned to Flagler, where they owned
and operated the Flagler hotel and later
engaged in the mercantile business.
by R.W. Blancken
BOECKER
- SMITH
FAMILY
F63
Edmund Boecker the first of eight children
of John and Martha (Jorges) Boecker,
was
born in Gosper County, Nebraska, on February 24, 1907. The family moved to a homestead 15 miles north-east of Stratton in 1910.
John Boecker was a carpenter, a blacksmith
for the neighborhood, and owned and operated a steam engine threshing machine. In
January 1918, he passed away, leaving
Martha with four sons: Edmund, Emil,
Reuben and Elmer. Edmund was then sent
to relatives in Nebraska where he worked and
Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City, he met Vicky
Lynn Carey, and they were married in Ponca
City, Oklahoma, on February 3, 1969. He was
soon sent to Vietnem for several months then
back to Merced, California. He spent several
years at Altus AFB in Oklahoma, then 31/z
years in England. In 1977 he was sent back
to the U.S., first at Rome, N.Y., then Minot
the
AFB, N.D., and now at Dyess AFB in
ABilene, Texas.
We still live in Stratton in the house my
father bought from Les Collins, and which
Collins built about 1918.
Note: Ida died July 11,1986, after a sudden,
intense illness.
in
raska, in 1921. In L922, he came back to
Colorado and farmed the homestead, also
worked with Fred Pugh. In the spring of 1939
he went to work on E.R. Smith's ranch, south
of Stratton, and in June 1941 was married to
Ida Smith.
Ida, fourth of five children of E. Rowland
and Myrtle (Schlegel) Smith, was born in
Omaha, Nebraska, on July 20, 1909. The
family soon moved to the Sand Hills of
Cherry County, Nebraska, about 12 miles
northeast of Whitman. Here the four children
walked a mile to the Rosebud Soddy to attend
school. In November 1919. the moved to Kit
Carson County Colorado where High School
was being taught. Theodore, Ida and Glenn
by Ida Boecker
BOESE FAMILY
F64
graduated from First Central High School
during the 20's, and Harold passed away at
age 16.
After graduation, I continued school to
take shorthand, Typing, and other needed
subjects, and on Saturdays took Extension
courses from Colorado Teachers College in
Greeley. J. Carl Harrison, who taught near
Vona, would come in his Model T and pick
up Mrs. Felch, who was teaching at the Piper
School in Cheyenne County, and myself, and
take us all to Burlington, Stratton, or Flagler,
wherever the classes were held. I started
teaching one-room schools at $75 per month
in
1928, and alternated teaching and attend-
ing college until
I
had taught six years and
received my B.A. degree from Colorado State
College of Education in 1938.
It
cost me $1000
per year to go to college then. The next three
years
I
taught at Willard, Colorado, until
I
was married in 1941.
After we were married, we both continued
to work on my father's ranch until September
10, 1942, when Ed was drafted into the Army.
He was sent to Camp Robinson, Arkansas,
then to Qamp Butner, N.C. In April 1943, he
was sent overseas, and spent the next 21/z
years in the Pacific in Hawaiian Islands,
Makin, Saipan and Okinawa. After the war
with Japan ended, he was discharged on Nov.
10, 1945, after 38 months without a furlough.
While Ed was in the service, I taught two
years at First Central School, then helped my
folks move to Stratton.
The next few years we lived in several
places where Ed worked in construction and
farm work. Then our son, Dale, was born in
Goodland, Kansas, on January 27, 1948. In
1954, when Dale started to school in Stratton,
Vona.
We are all members of the United Methodist Church in Stratton. Dale and I sang in the
June, 1969 at Stratton, Colorado.
Dale enlisted in the U.S. Airforce in
January 1968. while he was stationed at
Salem Lutheran Church near Elwood, Neb-
went to school. He was confirmed
I began teaching in Seibert. I stayed there 5
years then spent eleven years teaching in
Ida, Dale, Vicky, and Edmund Boecker. Taken
can Legion Post 138 in Stratton for 27 years
and is still a member.
choir, and Ed has been head usher and
Sunday School Superintendent for many
years. I taught the Adult Bible Class in the
Sunday School for 26 years and still play the
piano. Ed served on the board of the Ameri-
Arthur and Lydia Boese, September 3,
L922.
My grandfather, Ben H. Boese, was born
in Russian-Poland on June 14, 1871. When
he was three years old, he gailed with his
parents on the ship Colina and landed at Ellis
Island, New York on September 2, 1874. Five
days later on September 7 they arrived at
Yankton, Dakota Territory which is now
South Dakota. They settled near Avon on a
homestead.
On November 22, 1895 my grandfather
married Mary Dirks. Three children were
born to this union in South Dakota
Edith,
- more
Arthur, and Roy. They lived twelve
years in South Dakota and then in 1907 my
grandfather moved the family to a homestead
southwest
of Vona. My dad, Arthur,
seven years old then, and he could
was
us
tell
children of the many hardships they had
as
homesteaders.
My grandfather helped build the Pleasant
�watch for a lot of centipedes under them or
you had them in the houee also.
fuound 1940 my dad bought the homeplace from my grandfather. My grandfather
died in 1957 at age 86.
In my dad's younger years he threshed
grain and butchered pork and beef for
neighbors.
In the 30's my dad worked for the AAA
Office in Burlington (now ASCS) and during
the 40's and 50's he was a traveling fieldman
for the ASCS Officee in 15 countiee in eagt€rn
Colorado. My mother, Lydia, died in 19?2
from severe arthritis. My dad, Arthur, died
in
at age 82.
1974 my dad had given his farm to us
children and when we divided it my sister,
1982
In
Elaine, acquired the building site. In 1985
Old Town purchased the house from Elaine
and on August 5, 1985 my grandfather and
my dad's house was moved to Burlington and
placed in Old Town.
by Pauline McCaffrey
Ben H. and Mary Boese about 1900.
Valley School Vz mile east of our place and
the Mennonite Church
l mile south
of us, and
100 chairs in church
were filled. Most homesteaders constructed
one or two room houses to live in till they
could add on or build new houses. By 1915
they had built a larger house.
remembered when
all
BOGART FAMILY
F65
B.O. (Oscar) Bogart homesteaded in Kit
Carson County, twenty miles southeast of
Burlington, Colorado, on the north branch of
On September 3, L922 my dad, Arthur,
married a neighbor girl, Lydia Becker. He
was farming with his dad at this time. They
needed a larger house so by 1924 they
finighed building on to the present one,
the Smokey Hill River in 1900. He ran cattle
and sheep on the open range. He built a four
room house and moved his wife, Martha and
their two children, Elva and Reed, there in
1902. Florence, Susie and William were born
enlarging it for two families. The house had
a bathroom and also running water.
in the sod
house.
In
1908, Oscar decided to build an adobe
house, so he rode horseback to the Settlement
northwest of Burlington, to learn how to mix
the adobe.
Arthur and Lydia had six children
Elaine Harrison, Pauline McCaffrey, Charlotte Halseide, Elson, Beverly Miller and
Wiilis who died at 10 weeks old in Dec. 1938
from whooping cough and pneumonia.
I was only six years old but I can remember
the dirt storms in the 30's, eo dark the teacher
had to light lamps at school and we couldn't
get home. Eggs sold for 5 cents a dozen and
we picked up a lot ofcow chips to burn in the
cookstoves and furnace. They made good fuel
and burned a lot longer than cobs. Had to
Martha and Oscar Bogart.
j$k!
:,,r9
The Bogart family in the surrey with their driving
1snm, Ginger and Ribbon.
First he laid a cement foundation for the
walls to sit on. He plowed about 1/2 acre of
ground, which he fenced with woven wire. He
put straw on the plowed ground then added
the water. To mix it thoroughly, he drove
cattle around and around in the mud mixture. When it was well mixed he put about 6
inches
of adobe on top of the concrete
foundation, making the walls eighteen inches
wide all around the house. He let that set
until it was thoroughly dry and really hardened. After that part was hardened, he would
add another six inches of adobe on top, and
so on
until the wnlls were the right height.
His neighbors then helped him with project. Fred Kukuk, who was a carpenter, helped
to finish the building. Mr. Hayden did the
finishing work on there inside, but Mr.
Lemon did all the plastering and the tiling in
the dining room. Theseven room adobe house
is still in good condition today and is occupied
by the Steve Rainbolts.
Ogcar was always improving his place. He
built a cow barn in 1912 and in 1918 he built
a larger barn to protect his cattle during the
hard winters. He planted 2 rows of trees
around the house and a windbreak north of
all the buildings.
In October,
1908, the Smokey
Hill
River
ran bank full after a heavy rain. There
The Boese home, 1924, now part of Old Town.
wag
no bridge on which to croes. Ogcar was much
concerned about that for if someone was ill
and needed a doctor, there was no way one
could cross the river to get one. He persuaded
the County Commissioners to build a bridge
across the Smokey for he would help care for
�it.
Oscar and Martha Bogart were very kind
and thoughtful. They helped neighbors in
need and if anyone was ill and needed help,
they were there.
We children all agree that we could not
have had more loving parents nor a happier
home. Martha passed away in 1936 at the
home place. Oscar had a fatal heart attack in
1947 while he wag vieiting his son, Reed, and
family in Mena, Ark. Elva passed away in
1978 and
William in
1983.
The homeplace was sold to August Reents
in 1945. He sold it in 1947 to Edwin Rainbolt
who still owns it.
by Susie Bogart
many trips to Colorado and eventually
settled north of Vona. Their other sons,
Wyatt and Jim, each lived with Frank and Ed
before moving on to other ventures. Wyatt
moved to Burlington and Jim was involved
in mining in Leadville and South America.
Andrew and Abigail came to Kit Carson
County in about 1900 and lived with Frank
and his family while building a home of their
own 15 miles north and 1 east of Seibert.
Andrew homesteaded the N.W. quarter of
section 23 and their sons all went together
and bought Abigail the S.W. quarter for her
birthday. They later acquired another quarter to the north of Andrew's. This quarter was
bought from their estate by Horace Boger.
My uncle recently commented on how
BOGER, ANDREW
FAMILY
Henry died while the family lived in Illinois.
Their next move was to Chester, Nebraska
where they lived for about 16 years. While
living there, their sons, Frank and Ed, made
much the ground has worn down over the
years. He said that when his grandpa (An-
F66
drew) used to come to visit, he came from the
north with horse and buggy and that they
couldn't see him until he topped the hill
a person can see for
some distance on up the road. He also pointed
north of Hell Creek. Now
out some of the neighboring places that
weren't always visible from the Frank Boger
place.
One of the possessions that Abigail had
a rocking chair that she
brought with her was
had gotten when she and Andrew were
married. The rocker traveled with them from
Illinois to Nebraska and on to Colorado.
When Andrew and Abigail were no longer
able to care for themselvee, they moved back
in with Frank and his fanily. They moved all
of theirfurnishings and dumpedthem behind
Andrew and Abigail Boger in about 1901
Family records indicate that the Boger
family history in America began in 1732 when
Johann Paul and Anna Eva Boger and their
family arrived in Philadelphia from a section
of Germany then known as the Palatinate.
The family settled in Berks and Lebanon
counties and several of their descendants
were among those who fought for independence during the Revolutionary War.
A few generatione lat€r my great grand-
father, Andrew Boger, was born
at
Frank's blacksmith shop. A neighbor, Bunt
Smith, borrowed one of the beds but the rest
of the things remained there for many years.
Andrew and Abigail lived at Frank's home
until both passed away there in the latter part
of 1920. They were buried at Burlington.
Afrb,er Frank's family had moved to Seibert,
Frank's Bon, Horace, and Opal Gulley were
married and lived on the homestead. Opal
rescued the chair only to find that the rockers
were broken off of it. Frank told her that it
had been his mother's chair and offered to
take it home and fix it up for her. Opal's
granddaughter, Holly Miller, now has the
rocker in her bedroom though it definitely
shows the hard times it has seen.
by Joyce Miller
BOGER, FRANK
FAMILY
westward from Pennsylvania, but the next
record we have of him shows that on April 8,
1860, he married Abieail Brown at Cold
Brook, Illinois.
On August 11, 1862 Andrew enrolled with
the 102 Illinois lnfantry Volunteers and
served as a Union soldier in the area near
F67
On Christmas Day, 1895, Frank married a
former neighbor, Flora Slutts, at the home of
her parents in Belleville, Kansas. Flora was
born February L2,L873 atRed Oak, Iowaand
had grown up in Belleville. In March, Frank
and his bride start€d for their home at Vona,
traveling by covered wagon, and printed here
is part of a letter that she wrote to her family
on March 27, L896.
"Dear People,
We are settled in our little shack in grand
style. We drove down here the 25th and eat
all alone. We have had lots of fun and this
isn't such a bad country after all. Of course
there isn't much but Buffalo grass and cactus
to see now but we will try to make one ranch
worth looking at.
We got along fine on the road but we only
had three nice days. We were only ten days
and a half on the road. We stopped at Ezra
Couchman's to water our horses. He was
scouring his corn planter when we got there.
The people in westem Kansas do not take
much pains with their farming, if they did
they would have better crops.
I have our grub box up in the corner for a
cupboard and we have a little hone made
table and a little stove that we borrowed to
use until we went to Eastonville. The stove
is a no. 7. My bread pans are too large for the
oven. Ed got all the lumber in this part of Co.
He had the roof on and the floor down. As far
as the lumber went.
We only have to haul watpr two miles. We
can get water for the horses about three
quarters of a mile from here.
My neighbor is a daisy. She worked in a
cotton mill until she was 36 years old and
then came west to grow up with the country.
She is a funny old piece I tell you. She is going
to let me have some houseplants.
The claim Frank is going to get is a nice
I an anxious to get our soddy built so
one.
I can start work in earnest. I am trying to bake
bread but would be afraid to offer it to Boss
for fear he would feel ineulted. Frank is
cleaning house.
We were pretty lucky on our trip. It cost
us $9.28. Ed said the Buckskins looked better
than they did when Frank left there. Love to
all. Flora"
In the years that followed, Frank and Flora
had nine children. The first two; Elwin, born
in 1897 and a baby girl born in 1899 lived for
only a few weeks. Their next child, Horace,
was born in Belleville, Kansas in 1900 and
was 2 months old when his mother returned
home.
.
Fare, $9.30.
.
.
Sundries, $17.50."
Their other children were born at home:
F.P. (Frank) Boger was born August 29,
1864 and his brother, Ed, was born October
5, 1866. The brothers were born and grew up
six children were born there. They were Ella,
in Viola, Illinoig and then moved to Chester,
Neb. in 1883 with their parents (Andrew and
Abigail Boger) and the rest of their family.
Frank and Ed first cnme to Colorado in
about 1885. They worked on ranches in the
Peyton and Colorado Springs area, did some
mining and ran a freight wagon between
Cripple Creek and Colorado Springs. They
spent the next several years dividing their
Henry, Frank, Ed, Wyatt, and Jim. Ella and
Nebraska.
Louisville, Kentucky. Andrew and Abigail
lived in lllinois for thenext22yearc and their
home.
to Vona with him. They returned home by
train and an old ledger contains the entry,
"Jan. 19th, 1901: Expenses of Flora's trip
Bald
Eagle, Pennsylvania on November 26, 1836.
It is not known when he began to move
Around 1890, they chose a location 13 miles
north and 1 west of Vona and lived there by
Squatters Rights with a dugout for their
time between Colorado and
Ellis in 1902; John, 1904; Mary, 1906; Louise,
1908; Vernis, 1912; and Fannie, 1913. Mary
and Louise died from Scarlet Fever while
they were still young girls.
The Boger ranch was mainly a mule ranch,
although they also raised cattle, farmed, and
ran a blacksmith shop. Ed homesteaded just
south of Frank's claim and the two brothers
ranched together until 1908 when Ed died of
injuries received when he fell from a horse.
Flora was active in church and school and
was a correspondent for the "Siebert Settler"
newspaper. She also enjoyed politics and on
�
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PDF Text
Text
for road work since the farming season
is
opened." June 20, 19224
"Road Overseer
Boger assisted by Charles- Wyllys and Alvin
Monroe graded the Vona-Joes highway. He
reports the new grader as being very much
easier on the tenms than the old one was."
One of his memories of the 1920's was of
a snow storm on December L4,L923. On that
day he was hauling grain from the Sweazy
place north of Vona where they were threshing. He took a load of grain into the Vona
Elevator late in the afternoon and after he
unloaded grain, he ate supper at the cafe.
When he left the cafe it was snowing hard,
so he headed for home. He had an old, open
truck with no top or cab. It was a cold ride
and the snow fell so fast that it piled up on
the ground and on the seat around him, but
he eventually got home. About two feet of
Photo of Frank Boger's family taken at their home north of Vona in 1928. L. to R. Fannie, John, Vernis,
Ellis, Horace, Flora and Frank.
September L2, Lg24 a fellow correspondent
from nearby Elphis reported, "Mrs. F.P.
Boger and Mrs. C. Jewett were the clerks at
the primary electiong held here Tuesday.
This is the first time women were chosen for
this work in this precinct and we feel a little
"skeered" that the sterner sex will no more
have
a
monopoly
of such soft
snaps
as
conducting elections".
Ellis was the first to leave the ranch as he
moved to California in 1922. Frank and Flora
moved to Siebert in 1929 taking John, Vernis,
and Fannie with them. Frank and his sons
continued the blacksmith business in Siebert
and Flora was the Justice of the
Peace.
Horace remained at Vona to operate the
ranch and spent the rest of his life there.
Frank's health failed in the late 1930's and
they moved to Colorado Springs in 1939.
Frank passed away there in 1940 and Flora
in
in
1956. Other deaths in the
1970, John
in
family were: Ellis
1982, and Horace
in
1985.
Vernis now lives in Pittsburg, Kangas and
Fannie (Robinson) lives in Security, Colorado.
The Boger farm is now occupied by Mrs.
Horace Boger and her daughter and her
Horace Boger was a resident of the Vona
area for 85 years. He was born to Frank and
Flora Boger at Belleville, Kansas on November 19, 1900 and came to the family's home
north of Vona at the age of two months. He
spent his childhood, EN most farm boys do,
helping his father and learning the farming
and ranching that would become his life's
work. He attended school at the Boger school
south of his home.
When we were kids, and my cousins and I
were wanting to go somewhere, our dads
always told us that when they were kids they
had to stay home and work and didn't get to
run around. Several years ago we came across
several issues of the "Seibert Settler" newspaper and through its news items found that
they really did get to go places and quite often
at that! We saw that they never did live that
down!
Through the 1920's Horace worked as
Road Overseer for the county. The "Seibert
Settler" also contained some items concerning this. April 18, L924
"Road Overseer,
Horace Boger, is finding -it hard to find men
snow fell and stayed on the ground all winter.
The threshing job was not finished until the
following March.
His parents moved to Seibert in 1929 and
he took over the farming and ranching. In
1939 he bought the homestead from his
parents,
On March 14, 1930 he married Opal Gulley
at Burlington, Colorado. On March 15th they
attended a sale at Seibert. Horace bought a
table and six chairs, a 72 piece set of Blue
Willow china, a library table and other odds
and ends. Since he had been "batching" for
a year, he had all the necessities for house-
keeping.
Opal was born to N.O. and Bertha Gulley
on October 8, 1908 at Lawrence, Kansas and
came to Colorado at the age of nine months.
She grew up in the sandhills northeast of
Vona and developed a deep affection for the
sand, sage, and prairie wind. She attended
Kechter School and Rainbow Valley Sunday
School.
Opal enjoyed working in her yard and
planted many bushes and trees. Her fatherin-law, Frank Boger, brought her many of the
things she enjoyed such as books, kittens,
dogs, and the
first calf born after she cnme
to the farm. The calf,
Rosemary, became
quite a pet as well ffl a very productive milk
cow. These things all helped to fill the many
days that Opal spent alone while Horace
fanily, John, Joyce and Holly Miller.
by Joyce Miller
BOGER, HORACE AND
OPAL
F68
p |,.
l
tl.
OpaI Boger at her home in about 1936.
Horace Boger at his home north of Vona in the mid 1930's.
�worked at custom corn shelling and threshing.
He did corn shelling and threshing through
the 30's and 40's. Some of those who worked
with him were: Bill Maag, Andrew Eggink,
and Roy Crum. Corn shelling was a big event
in those days. In November the corn was
picked and when it was piled up the sheller
would pull in. All the close neighbors would
come to help scoop the corn into the sheller.
Some of the women csme too and helped with
dinner. At the end of the day there was a huge
pile ofshucks or husks, a pile ofcobs, and the
pile of golden corn. The cobs were used for
fuel and the husks were fed to the cattle.
Horace always loved the old machinery and
in later years enjoyed attending the antique
engine and thresher shows with his good
friend, Mick Monroe, and was especially
pleased when his granddaughter, Holly
Miller, took an interest and like to attend
these events with him.
Horace and Opal had one daughter, Joyce,
who was born December 20, L945 at Flagler,
Colorado. There was a polio epidemic that
year, so Opal and Joyce made only very
limited trips away from home.
Horace enjoyed reading and politics. He
also enjoyed photography and accumulated
a large collection of photos depicting life in
the 20th century. Farming was his life and
through blizzards, dust storms, floods, invasions of grasshoppers and web worms, good
times and bad, he continued farming and was
still actively engaged in farming at the time
of his death on December 6, 1985. Opal
remains on the farm and still enjoys books,
her yard and nature.
by Joyce Miller
parents, Snmuel S. Frankfather and Anna
Maria Gilson Frankfather, moved to Nebraska from Potterstown, Ohio, with three older
children (Viva, Manley and Arthur) intending to homest€ad near Lincoln. All of that
homestead land had been taken, so they went
to Roca, about 10 miles southeast of Lincoln
and homest€aded on 80 acres near there. Her
father started a general merchandise store
and her mother a hotel in Roca. Three
younger children (Clay, Mabel and Grace)
were born in Roca.
In 1896, Samuel Frankfather, his wife and
the three younger children went to Cripple
Creek, Colorado, with two teems and wagons
and two heavy tents. He staked a gold claim
on Spring Creek, had it surveyed and patented, but did not strike gold. However, the
neighbors did hit gold and on the strength of
that find, Ss-uel sold his claim for 96000 and
returned with his family to Roca in the fall
of 1899. The next spring the family returned
to Colorado and settled on a farm one and
one-half miles northwest of Vona.
When living near Vona, Mabel gave piano
lessons in the Seibert-Vona area, traveling by
bicycle. (Later her children learned to ride on
For want of a nsme, decided on "Comet."
The number assigned was one twentythree
In spite of the hoo-doo, happy are we;
Institution was had - the deed was done
In fair Colorado, at Burlington.
Mabel Frankfather Boger was born on
November 25, 1880 and died on August 10,
1966.
by Della and Irene Boger
BOGER, WYATT
F70
that old tall bicycle which had no coaster
brakee.) She also finished teaching the school
tcrm started by Dacy Lee who quit to marry
her brother, Clay Frankfather. Mabel attended normal school in Burlington in July 1902,
and roomed at the C.A. Yersin home. During
his snmpaign for Kit Carson County Clerk
and Recorder, Wyatt Roger met Mabel
Frankfather and after his election asked her
to be a clerk in his office. She worked for him
and becsme his bride on June 3, 1903.
Mabel and Wyatt lived in a small house in
Old Burlington for a year or two before they
built a four-room house on the blockjust east
of the courthouge. When the family increased
BOGER, MABEL
FRANKFATIIER
F69
Our mother, Mabel Frankfather Boger,
at Roca, Nebraska. In 1868, her
was born
they remodeled it to an eight-room house in
which they lived the rest of their lives. This
house was eventually sold and moved to its
present location, 536-9th St., Burlington.
While raising a family of five children,
Bertha, Lowell, Della, Irene and Erma (the
second child, Willard, died in infancy), Mabel
continued to work with Wyatt in his various
offices. She was appointed Clerk of the
District Court and held that office for 40
years (1918-1958) after which she retired.
During part of this period she also served as
Deputy Clerk of the County Court while
Wyatt was County Judge. After his death she
continued his work as Vital Statistician until
ehe retired.
Music was one of Mabel's prime interests
and while in Cripple Creek, she played the
organ and her brother Clay fiddled for oldtime dancing. For several years she played
the reed organ and later the piano at the
Methodist Church in Burlington. She also
enjoyed collecting antique glassware, gardening, and sang alto in many choral groups.
She was a charter member of the Aurora
Chapter of the Eastern Star, and was
a
member for over 50 years. She also became
a charter member of the Comet
Rebekah
Lodge, and remained a member throughout
her life. She composed the following poem:
On the eighteenth of May, Nineteen-Ten,
A group of women, and also men,
Desiring to form a Rebekah Lodge
For the good of mankind, and the star to
dodge
Mabel Frankfather Boger on June 3, 1902
-
When Halley's own stal was at it's summit
Wyatt Boger, June 3, 1903.
Our father, Wyatt Boger (Andrew Wyatt
Boger) was born near Viola, Illinois. His
parents Andrew and Abigail Boger, with four
sons (Frank, Edward, Wyatt and J"-es)
moved to a farm in Kansas near Chester,
Nebraska, when Wyatt wag nine years old.
Wyatt walked from the farm to Chester for
his schooling and graduated from Chester
High School in 1891, after which he attended
a teaching preparatory school in Hebron,
Nebraska, and later Campbell University at
Holton, Kansas. He taught school in the
Kansas-Nebraska area.
In 1893, he and his brother Edward left
Chester, Nebraska, traveling by covered
wagon, headed for Colorado to seek land for
Edward. On the fifteenth day they arrived in
Burlington. They visited the Land Office
there to ascertain what lands could be bought
or homesteaded. Land was selling for about
$600 to $2000 per quarter, deeded. Some
homesteaders were selling their claims for
$25 to $50 (160 aces). They traveled on north
to Vona, where a former neighbor lived. They
spent a week with him while they scouted the
area for land. Wild game, such as jackrabbits,
antelope, wolves, badgers and prairie dogs,
were plentiful. They decided on a piece of
land and left the next day for the U.S. Land
Office in Hugo to file the claim. On June 8,
1893, Edward paid $16 forthe SW% 34-6-48.
They immediately left to return to the farm
in Kansas where Wyatt was to resume his
�ffi l
a'.1
,*^t1
f,*! r'
Kensington, Kansas.
George Ormsbee, well known in Burlington
as a real estate broker, knew Mr. Boggs had
always desired to be back farming as his
children were growing up. Learning about
land for sale in Kit Carson County he sold his
business in Kaneas.
Mr. Omsbee then completed the sale of the
old Chicago Ranch, sixteen miles south and
west of Burlington. The ranch consisted of
1440 acree of deeded land and 2 Yz sections
of grass land for cattle raising. The home
place was about % mile north, having a nice
two story home, windmill and adjacent pond,
plus small buildings for milk cows, hogs and
-ut
chickens.
Mr. Boggs desired to have his children
receive as good an education as possible that
his ability would provide, so a move to
Burlington was in order for high school. Later
Wyatt and Mabel Frankfather Boger on their 50th wedding anniversary in 1953.
teaching.
In 1896 Wyatt returned to
Colorado to
engage in farming and raising of cattle with
his brother Frank, who had acquired a farm
14 miles north of Vona. Wyatt first had a
brand BJ - range Hell Creek, Seibert. Later,
at Burlington he had a brand YY.
In 1901 while traveling over the county by
horse and buggy, ssmpaigning for the office
Kit Carson County Clerk and Recorder, he
met Mabel Frankfather of Vona. Many times
he rode the west-bound freight train from
Burlington, jumped off at Vona, and walked
to the Frankfather farm to visit her. When he
won the election and assumed office in 1902,
he asked Mabel to be a clerk in his office.
of
Mabel Frankfather and Wyatt
were
married on June 3, 1903, in Seibert, by the
Reverend N.H. Hawkins. The minister was
late getting to the ceremony, which finally
had to take place at the railroad station just
minutes before the train left for Burlington.
The ministcr had time only to say, "I now
pronounce you man and wife". Wyatt asked
him if without the usual ritual his statement
would be binding. He replied: "It better be!"
They established their residence in Burlington and remained there for the rest of
their lives. Here their six children were born
(Bertha, Willard, Lowell, Della, Irene and
Erma) and five grew to adulthood and
graduated from Burlington High School. The
second child, Willard, died in infancy. They
celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in
1953.
During his lifetime Wyatt was engaged in
some private businesses and held offices,
such as: County Clerk and Recorder; Clerk of
the District Court; County Judge; Mayor of
Burlington; member of the Board of Trustees, Town of Burlington; served on the
Board of Education; established the first
of title business in Kit Carson
County; owner of the first Burlington telephone system; Vice-President, Burlington
State Bank; Treasurer, Colorado State Fair
Board; Liberty Loan Committee (WWI
Bonds); Kit Carson County War Food Administrator (WWI); Kit Carson County Se-
abstract
lective Service Committee (WW[); salesman
for Businessmen's Life Assurance Company,
Kansas City, Missouri; substitute rural mail
carrier for Burlington Post Office; and Vital
Statistician for the eastern half of Kit Carson
County.
He owned a section of land north of
Burlington and had a tenant farmer, but
enjoyed looking after it and hunting for
ducks, pheasants and rabbits, and fishing at
Bonny Dam. He liked gardening and planted
the first trees at the courthouse, and trees
around his home and farm.
Wyatt was a great lover of horses, often
winning first prize at the County Fair for best
ofbreed. His trotting horses were raced at the
County Fair. He kept his horses in the big
barn and pasture back of the house on land
where the
Kit
Carson County Memorial
Hospital is now located.
Wyatt was initiated into the Masonic
Lodge in Burlington in 1903 and was a past
master, a 32nd degree Mason and a member
of the Scottish Rite. He was a charter
member of the Chester, Nebraska, Independent Order of Odd Fellows (1893) and
continued his membership with that chapter.
He became a member of the Comet Rebekah
Lodge of Burlington in 1910.
Wyatt Boger, born on February 23, 1872
died on September 15, 1953.
by Della and Irene Boger
BOGGS, JOHN
FAMILY
F71
John S. Boggs and family moved to
Burlington, Colorado late in June 1917. His
wife Daisy and children, Ralph 14, Ray 12,
Irma 10, Harold 6, and Thelma 3. John Boggs
had been engaged in operating a General
Store at Reamsville and Kensington, Kansas.
In addition he lived on a farm some three
miles south of Reamsville, operating it in
conjunction to his business. Later in 1912 he
purchased a General Merchandise store in
the family moved to Denver where Ralph and
Ray were able to go to D.U. for two years in
the early 1920's. So back to Burlington and
also to the Ranch.
Mr. Boggs was always interested in politics
both from a precinct up to the county and
-state
level. As time carried he was prominent
in the Grange, an agricultural agency, that
was quite a factor in agriculture.
Late in the 1920's he ran and was elected
on the Republican ticket for county treasurer. For this he served three years. Then he felt
he would like to run for a state office, when
he learned he had a good opportunity to win;
he entered the race and won, serving two twoyear terms. He filed to run a third term but
was defeated principally by the Ku Klux
Klan. This ended his career in politics, other
than being active for others seeking office.
Finally disposing of property south of
Burlington, he purchased some one hundred
acres northeast of Burlington, living there
.until his death on February 16, 1946.
John Boggs was a man you could rely upon.
His word was his bond. He believed in
fairness to all and his convictiong were not
changed.
Mrs. Daisy Boggs, John's wife, was a real
lady. Her place was in the home. In times
good or bad, she never complained. The five
children she raised were always close to her.
The children's problems became hers and
they seemed to work out to
everyone's
satisfaction. She passed away Oct. 3, 1976;
just six weeks short of her 98th birthday.
Ralph Boggs, the first son, lived in Bur-
lington until 1933. During high school drove
a school bus and later worked for Mr. Cecil
Reed, the local Ford Dealer. He married
Martha Abbott, who formerly taught school
in Burlington. They made their home in
California.
Ray, the second son, was a year and four
months younger than Ralph. They both were
close and went through high school and two
years ofcollege. After returning to Burlington
he worked for Penny Hardware. Latpr Mrs.
Della Hendricks, County Superintendent of
Schools, invited him to teach school, where
at Bethune, a new four teacher school was
constructed. He left there in 1928 to play ball
in the oil fields in Wyoming where the
opportunity cnme for a try out with the
Boston Braves of the National League. His
left shoulder bothered him, which eventually
ended a short baseball career.
He went into business with International
Harvester and settled in Grand Junction, Co.
He married and has three children.
�Irma, first daughter of John and Daisy
Boggs, was born Dec. 2, 1907. Her early
schooling was in Kansas. She finished her
grade school and went on to high echool in
Burlington. She married in 1920 to Jn'neg C.
Keese of Burlington. They worked at his
brother's ice plant and later for Mr. Henry
Klinker, local tire dealer. They moved to Fort
Collins, Co.
William Harold Boggs, fourthchild of John
and Daisy Boggs, was born March 4th, 1911
in Rea-sville, Kansas. He finished his grade
and high school at Burlington. He later went
to University of Colo. In 1939 he and his wife
to Steamboat Springs where he
eetablished a hardware store.
Thelma Boggs, the fifth and last child of
moved
John and Daisy, was born in Kensington,
Kansas, November 2, L914. She completed
her grade and high school in Burlington.
Early in 1938 she moved to California near
her brother Ralph and met and married her
husband. After her husband served in the
U.S. Army they operated a grocery store.
land.
We spent seven years in Arvada elementa-
ry school. At that time there were only two
schools in the town of 1800 people. Homer
Peck, who once lived in Stratton, was the
school superintendent. Rationing of many
items was imposed by the government because of war time shortages. At this time we
decided to return to the Kirk area to teach
and farm. Ag late as 1949 new farm tractors
were rationed.
A friend informed me that
there wae a row type Oliver tractor available
in Kiowa, Kansas. I was able to make the
purchase by phone and rode there with a
farmer who was traveling in that direction. I
drove the tractor back to Kirk, a distance of
400 miles.
About this time our 3 daughters were
attending school so Elizabeth found commu-
nity employment to aid in financing my
college education through summer school
and night classes that were available at many
of the schools in the area. I finally earned a
Masters degree in education from U.N.C. in
1963.
by Ray Boggs
BOONE, ELMER AND
ELIZABETH
(sHrvELY)
F72
Our daughter Betty Smith, has been a
primary teacher in Stratton since 1963.
Another daughter Peggy Wright taught in
Colorado and Arizona. At present she is
employed by the Good Samaritan Hospital in
Phoenix. Carol, the youngest
is living in
Houston, Texas. She has experienced success
as a sales representative in electronic equipment.
We have both retired and elected to reside
in Stratton where I had taught 12 years and
served as elementary principal. Our time is
filled with gardening, church, golf, travel, and
community activities.
by Elmer Boone
BOONE, FRED AND
IIARRIETT BROWN
F73
Elmer and Lib Boone with daughters left to right:
Betty, Carol and Peggy.
My teaching career began at the Fremont
rural school in 1927. There were 36 pupilg in
grades 1 through 8. The term was 8 months.
The school board decided for a 9 month term
the following year. After two years I began
teaching in the upper grades at Kirk.
While tcaching at Kirk,
I
My
parents, Fred Boone and Haniett
Brown Boone lived on Fred's homestead west
of Kirk. Fred came to Colorado with his
father Otis Boone in 1898. Harriett had
arrived at the Cope area with her parents and
grandparents in 1888. Grandpa Cope established the Cope grove. It served as a recreation center for an annual old settlers'picnic.
Entertainment consisted of: various types of
horse races, baseball, tent shows, merry-goround, dances, fortune tellers, and games of
chances.
Fe-ilies cnme for a 3 day outing.
One-room schools dotted the plains. Railroad towns were first to have high schools.
The Boone children attpnded the Fox School
(1913-18). By 1920 non-railroad towns established high schools.
Considerable interest result€d when the
"Raleigh Man" brought his wares. Some
were: salves, shoe polish, extracls, perfumes,
combs, brushes, etc. He relied on the hospitality of the family for lodging, a meal, and
feed for his horse which pulled his buggy.
Communication was inadequate. The wallphone with the hand crank and barbed-wire
fences were used. Soon the system expanded
to include most of the area. A caller used a
system of short or long rings
to signal
a
neighbor. Everyone on the line could hear the
ring. It was common for many to "listen in".
This was a means for "keeping up" on
community happenings.
Mail was first transported by horse and
carriage. Mail was brought from Stratton to
beco-e ac-
quainted with Elizabeth Shively. Her parents
cane to Colorado in 1906 and 1908 to obtain
homesteads in north Kit Carson County.
They were married in November 1910. Their
Tuttle 20 miles north. A canier took it from
there to the Kirk area. Early postage rates
were: postcard, 1 cent; a letter 2 cents.
three children attended the Hell Creek
School seven miles southeast of Kirk. They
graduated from the Kirk High School.
Elizabeth and I were manied in 1932. We
The country store stocked food stuff, cloth
and clothing, and hardware. The farmers
brought eggs, cream, and poultry to market
taught in Arriba the next three years. During
this time we experienced the extremely
severe dust storms that ruined crops and
caused much distress in this and other statee.
Betty, our first child, beca-e ill due to the
dust that penetrated all buildings.
Wespenttwo terms in Hugo where I taught
the seventh grade. During this period a large
area of Lincoln County was overrun by
grasshoppers. They were so thick that all
vegetation was consumed in their path. They
resembled a giant carpet moving across the
Harriett Brown Boone
to get funds for family expenses.
Draft horses powered the feed grinder and
corn sheller. The straw burning stesm engine
powered the threshing machine.
Fred Boone
Fred and Hauiett formed a partnership
with Cal Kness, called an Auto Livery in 1911
in Stratton. This was sold to A.S. Baker &
Son. The Boonee returned to the farm. They
rented the Watt's Ranch to raise cattle, hogs,
chickens and grain. This venture lasted until
1918. They arranged for a public auction in
�the fall with Claud Irvin. A week before sale
day Fred suffered a severe attack ofappendicitis causing hig death. Years later Claud told
Fred's son, Elmer, that he sold his first $100
cow at that sale.
Harriett was left with five young children
ranging in age from 6 months to 1l years. She
found employment in Cope as a clerk in the
general store. She also bought cream for the
business
BORDERS, FLOYD
until he retired in
1965.
Floyd maried Ethel Freeman from Genoa,
Colorado, on Januar5r 17, 1987. They still
reside at Stratton.
by Floyd Borders
BORDERS, JOHN W.
co-op creamery. This building was moved
years later to Old Town in Burlington.
F76
Harriett's two older children graduated
from the Cope High School. Both prepared
for the teaching profession and devoted a
lifetime to the field of education.
by Elmer Boone
BOONE, OTIS E. AND
ELIZABETH
r.74
One man stood alone and slightly aside
from a tattered band of homesteaders who
were lined horseshoe fashion around a grave
sunken in the sunbaked prairie soil.
A small crudely fashioned casket lay at his
feet. He was speaking extemporaneously with
the Bible held in one hand. After the close of
his comments, the coffin was lowered and the
loose earth shoveled over it to form a small
mound. The mourners filed away to their
claims in family groups and the lay minister
Floyd and Rena Bordere
watched them, wondering if he had fulfilled
his task which had been thrust upon him.
His answer came only two days later when
he was again asked to say final words over the
grave of an old man.
Left to right Floyd, Hazel and Hal Borders
"For those who would live long lives, I
John W. Borders came to Colorado in 1897
I
recommend eating lightly and never more
than common sense eind necessity demand,"
was his comment to those he contacted. He
also stated "Many people dig their graves
with his father, landing at Vona, Colorado.
J
He worked on the section for 130 an hour, 10
hours daily. He paid 94.50 for a week's board
and saved money. He worked on ranches and
with their table fork."
O.E. Boone was born in 1860 in southern
Illinois and was already a man of mature
years and the father ofsix when he loaded his
family and some possessions in a covered
wagon (chicken crates on top and cattle
trailing behind) to head west to Colorado and
the bleak promise of a dryland homestead
near the present community of Kirk. In 1898
the area received mail addressed to the
Tuttle post office about 20 miles north of
Stratton (Claremont).
Mogt of the choice land was gone by this
time. He did not know the methods of use for
dryland farming. He was further handi-
capped by modest circumstances and a large
family. One of the first needs was water. A
shaft 120 feet deep was sunk by a pulley and
rope arrangement, raised and lowered with a
draft horse.
Patience, hard work, and the ability to
adjust to the new environment was rewarded.
By 1915 Grandfather Boone had purchased
additional land and had a 320 acre farm, a
modern nine room home, large barn with haymow, a silo and underground water lines to
supply livestock. This was the Boone home
for 21 years. He became restless and sold to
a Mr. Young for $60 per acre. It was a good
price, but in his later years he felt the decision
to sell was a mistake.
by Elmer Boone
Floyd with his eister Hazel Harrison and brother
Marion in 1986.
Floyd B. Borders was born January
1903, to John W. and Mandy
27,
I. Borders at
Claremont, Colorado, later known as Stratton. His education consisted of 12 years at the
Stratton School.
In his earlier years he
worked for Holloway Garage and helping his
father on the farm.
He was married to Rena Mae Hartwig,
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Hartwig, on
December L2, L927. To this union were born
two children, Richard Lee and Donald Dee.
Richard mauied Patty Lowe and they had
three boys, Rich, Bill and Mark. They have
a ranch north of Bovina, Colorado. Donald
married Sandra Simpson and they had three
children, Tom, Betsy and Mary. Donald who
was an M.D. passed away in Fresno, California in 1985.
Floyd's wife, Rena, passed away August 13,
r"976.
Floyd went into partnership with his father
John W. and Oscar Hillencnmp in 1925, later
building elevators at Vona, Flagler, Arriba,
Genoa and Hugo. These were known as Snell
Grain Company. He stayed in the elevator
herded sheep.
At the residence of the bride's parents,
Wednesday, April 9, 1902, Miss Mandy Iva
Fuller became the bride of Mr. John W.
Borders. Both were graduates of Stratton
School. They homesteaded three miles northwest of Stratton, living there for five years.
Then they moved into town and went into
business with Mr. Fuller. They had just been
located a few days when the Fuller Store and
their home was destroyed by fire.
They had four children, Floyd who maried
Rena Hartwig; Halbert; Hazel who married
Herschel Harrison: and Marion who married
Eleanor DeWalt.
"Bill", as he was called, was widely known
as a grain dealer throughout
Kit
Carson
County. He was the manager and main stock
holder of the Snell Grain Company of
Stratton. The business had six branches:
Stratton, Vona, Flagler, Arriba, Genoa and
Hugo. He bought out Snell Milling and Grain
Company of Clay Center, Kansas. The
elevator in Stratton has been added to many
times since its beginning. Snell Company
reorganized and incorporated and its name
was changed to Snell Grain Company.
Mr. Borders was a member of the Stratton
Rotary Club and a Modern Woodman. He
was one ofthe organizers and directors ofthe
Colorado Grain and Feed Dealers Associa-
tion.
He was a pioneer in the truest sense of the
�Church of God for the rest of her life. She
taught Sunday School for 25 years and was
song leader most of those years, too.
In
1967 she was voted "Homemaker of the
Kit Carson County.
Rena was a trustee of the Stratton Public
Library Board for many years. She also
served on the Kit Carson County Memorial
Year" of
'':,,,'
Hospital Board for 11 years.
Rena's son Richard Lee Borders of Genoa,
&
Colorado married Patricia Ellen Lowe,
daughter of Archie M. and Laura (Green-
r
wood) Lowe of Cheyenne Wells, Colorado.
They have three sons; Richard Lowe, James
William "Bill", and Mark Owen. her son
Doctor Ronald Dee Borders of Fresno, California married Sandra Simson, daughter of
Arthur and Genevieve (Nelson) Simson of
Hemet, California. They have three children;
Thomas Arthur, Mary Ann, and Elizabeth
Irene. Dr. Donald D. Borders passed away on
April 3rd, 1985.
Rena passed away August 13th, 1976. Rena
spent many hours doing beautiful fancy work
and left a legacy of her work and Christian
faith for all her children, grandchildren and
great-grandchildren.
,,:trl,
by Dick Borders
Borders relatives at the S.L. Howell homestead, two miles north of Vona, Section 22-8-48 in August of
1907. Seated: Eliza H. Clark Howell, Myrtle Musselman, Clark Howell, Floyd Borders, and Uncle Newt
Howell. Second Row: Roy Musselman, Emma Musselman holding Helen, HaI Borders, Manda Borders
holding Hazel Borders, Will Musselman, Daniel (Granpa) Musselman, Nancy Musselman, Nan
Musselman. Back Row: Sylvester Lowry Howell, Clara Howell, WiII Borders, Harry Howell, Glen Howell,
Myrt Howell, Fieldan Musselman, Ruby Howell, May Howell, Burt Hughs, Laura Howell holding Rex and
Charles Howell.
word and endured many hardships in order
establish and maintain a solidarity of
business for the Stratton area.
home for approximately 12 years. Floyd's
mother, Manda I. Borders had operated a
maternity ward in her home in Stratton prior
by Floyd Borders
maternity ward.
Lusture Hartwig, Rena's brother, lives in
Wichita, Kansas and Iola Hartwig Howe,
Rena's sister lives in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Rena accepted Christ as her Savior in 1932
and was a faithful. active member of the
to
BORDERS, RENA MAE
HARTWIG
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Rena Mae Hartwig was born June 23, 1907
in Wellington, Missouri, the eldest child of
Adolph and Nona (Finch) Hartwig. She
moved to Lexington, Missouri when a small
child and started her schooling there. The
family consisting of a brother Lusture and a
sister Iola moved to Colorado in 1915. They
9 ;., i'a't*.'
traveled to Stratton by railroad. Henrietta
Hartwig, Rena's grandmother, metthe family
born to Rena and Floyd and on August 24th,
1932 another son, Donald Dee was born.
Rena operated a maternity ward in her
Dick Borders, son of Floyd and Rena
Hartwig Borders was born in Stratton,
Colorado May 18, 1931. Dick's great grandparents, N.H. Fullers came to Stratton in
1888 and his grandfather J.W. Borders in
1897. Dick graduated from Stratton High
!
'3.,'
?e,
'
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School in 1949. He served in the army for two
years (eighteen months in Korea). He received an Honorable Discharge in July 1954.
Dick married Patricia Ellen Lowe Augtut
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Rena lived on the homestead with her
lived there until moving to Stratton where
she lived the remainder of her life.
On May 18th, 1931 a son, Richard Lee was
!,,
:
{l
family and went to school in a sod school
son of John Willi"m and Manda I. (Fuller)
Borders, December L2th ,1927 in Cheyenne
Wells, Colorado. Rena and Floyd lived north
ofStratton on a farm then moved to Vona and
r
1i {) }r
t *)r
',1
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ir
at the railroad station and took them to lunch
at Basleys Hotel. Then they were off for the
homest€ad of Henrietta Hartwig northeast of
Vona in her spring buggy.
Vona Road. She attended and graduated
from high school in Vona.
Rena married Floyd Benjnmin Borders,
F78
to the time Rena started operating her
F77
house north of Vona about eight miles on the
BORDERS, RICHARD
LEE
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{p.
,(
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",:),|ffft,
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Floyd and Rena Mae Borders, Thanksgiving 1974
'11,.''
�29, 1954 in the Methodist Church in
other children married and moved from the
county.
Cheyenne Wells, Colorado. Patricia, the
daughter ofArchie and Laura Lowe, was born
April 24, 1933 in Cheyenne County. Patricia's
grandparents, Edward Lowe and Theodore
Only one son, Willinm survives and he lives
in Lafayette, Colorado.
by Florence McConnell
Greenwood, came to the Stratton area in 1907
and 1908, respectively. Patricia graduated
from Cheyenne County High School in 1952
and attended the University of Colorado for
two years.
BRACIITENBACH GLASENER FAMILY
Dick and Patty lived for one year in
Stratton and Dick worked for Snell Grain Co.
The Snell Grain Co. at that time was owned
by the Borders Family.
In August of 1955 Dick and Patty moved
to Arriba where Dick began learning the
management of the Snell Grain Co. elevator.
October 6, 1955 Richard Lowe was born in
Cheyenne Wells at the County Hospital.
April lst 1957 Dick and Patty again moved.
This time they moved to Genoa where Dick
became the manager of the Snell Grain Co.
elevator. Dick managed the elevator for over
15 years. During this time Dick and Patty had
acquired farm and ranch property thus their
interests were changing.
November 6, 1957 James William "Bill"
was born in Cheyenne Wells at the St. Joseph
Hospital.
December 19, 1959 Mark Owen was born
in Cheyenne Wells at the St. Joseph Hospital.
This completed the Dick Borders pnmily of
F80
Adolph Brachtenbach was born Oct.2L,
William and Mabel Bowker
in Evanston. She was the daughter ofJohann
Peter Glasener and Margaritha Welter. Barbara was born Aug. 29, 1855 in Oberfeulon,
Kiekirch, Lur. Her parents came to America
in 1869 by way of Canada.
Adolph and Barbara lived in the Chicago
Sons.
Dick and Patty's sons grew up in the Genoa
community going to church first at E.U.B.
and thenthe United MethodistChurch. They
took part in 4-H, as well as other community
activities, and graduated from the Genoa
area from their mariage until 1904, with
Adolph operating truck farms in the areas of
Skokie, Niles Center, Drexall and Cicero.
Public High School.
April 1st, 1972, Dick and Patty moved to
their present home. This home ig the former
Glenn Garten farm, which they had purchased from Glenn and Vera Garten.
Dick is a member of the Genoa Lions Club
and the United Methodist Church. He served
on the board of directors for the Snell Grain
Co. for many years. Dick was a member of the
Genoa town board for a number of years. He
has held several church board positions.
Patricia is a member of Mayflower Chapter
No. 118 Order of the Eastern Star, Past
Matrons Club of Eastern Star Cheyenne
Wells, United Methodist Church, and United
Methodist Women. She served as secretary
and treasurer of the Lincoln County Republi-
can Central Committee, worked as a 4-H
leader for over 10 years and has worked at
many other community projects.
Dick, Patty, and their sons and families
farm and ranch in Lincoln, Cheyenne, and
Kit
Carson Counties.
by Dick Borders
They were the parents ofeleven children, ten
of whom grew to maturity. Their first child
L to R: Sitting, Mabel and William with children
BilI, Lois, Charles and Klein.
FAMILY
Edith (Powers) Hasart.
They then moved to Burlington, Colorado.
He then left his family and wife Mable to
work and support her younger children.
She went to work at the new Kit Carson
Memorial Hospital where she worked many
years as a nurse's aide. AIso one older son
worked at the hospital along with the youngest daughter. She worked to put herself
through school.
In the early fifties she met a man and
remarried and moved to Michigan. He passed
away and
ill
health forced her back to
William H. Bowker brought his wife Mabel
and family to Kit Carson County in 1934.
They had a family of eight children, the
youngest born here. The children were Lois
Isabelle (Wilson), Charles, Klein, William,
Gerald, H""ry, Neva, and Ray.
away in 1957.
He remarried and came back to Burlington
to retire and he passed away in 1959. They
are both buried in Fairview Cemetery.
F79
William liked to roam so went several
different places. They first lived on a farm
died in infancy. The other children were:
Peter, born 1881 who married Mary Ann
Hammrich; Nicholas, born 1884 who married
Katherine Lenzen; Michael, born 1887 who
manied Amanda Buck; Henry, born
seven miles south of Stratton. Some of the
children attended District #59 School which
is still standing. One of the boys'teachers was
Colorado to be near her family and she passed
BOWKER - JUDSON
in Oberfeulen, Diekirch, Luxembourg.
His parents were Jean Brachtenbach born
Sep. 23, 1814 in Stagen, Diekirch, Lux., and
Elizabetha Schandel born May 9, 1812 in
Oberfeulen, Diekirch, Lux. His ancestral
lines go back to the late 1600's in Luxembourg through Catholic Church records.
There is a town named Brachtenbach in that
country. Adolph left Luxembourg about age
24 to come to America. He spent some time
in Paris, France, probably to earn passage
monies. The 1900 census stat€s that he was
in America 25 years (1875) so he probably
spent about three years in Paris.
He met and married Barbara Glasener of
Evanston, Cook Co. Ill. They were married
Nov. 17, 1879 in St. Mary's Catholic Church
1848
Their oldest daughter married "Boots
Wilson" and remained in the county the rest
of her life. The third son married a Stratton
girl and raised twelve children. He worked for
the Rock Island Railroad until his death. Son
Harry married and lived in Burlington many
years and worked for the State Highway. Son
William married after serving in the Army
and he worked at
Kit Carson County Memo-
rial Hospital and later moved away. The
1889
who married Elizabeth Morfeld; John, born
1890 who did not marry; Mary Catharine,
born 1892 who married Martin Reker; Barbara Margaret, born 1894 who married Albert
Hadley; Susan Lillian, born 1895 who
married Carl (Jake) Morfeld; Edward, born
1897 who manied Ruth Rogers; and Joseph,
born 1900, who married Ethelyn Stork.
In 1904 the family moved to Ipswich, South
Dakota to farm. They left South Dakota
because ofthe cold weather. In the spring of
1909 they moved to a farm twelve miles
southeast of Sidney where they built their
home and resided until Adolph died March
24, L935. Barbara preceded him in death
March 3, 1915 from cancer. Adolph and
Barbara are buried in the Catholic Cemetery
in Sidney. Descendants of this couple are still
living in the area.
Adolph and sons built the
necessar5r
farm
buildings and a good house for his family. His
place was neat and well kept. His smoke
house hung with ham, bacon and sausages.
Peter and family left the Sidney area in
1916 for Stratton, Colorado where they built
up a farm. Peter died 28 Dec. 1935. Mary died
11 Mar. 1949. Four children survived. Nick
farmed the homestead of Katie's gouth and
west of Lorenzo for forty five and haU years
until they retired and moved to Sidney. He
died 11 June 1958. Katie and seven children
�survived. Mike farmed some, returned to
a breakfast being served after the ceremony
Chicago, then back to Sidney. He died 2 Oct.
1964. Survivore are Amanda and two daughters. Henry and family lived over the hill from
his parents. In 1938, they moved to Oregon
byAthalia's mother, Tesga Sholes. Their first
home was shared with Ade's mother so he
could help with the farm work.
and Henry died 15 May 1970. Elizabeth and
two sons are living. One son deceased. John
died 16 Aug. 1943. He was a First World War
Veteran. Mary died 14 June 1959. Martin
died 5 July 1954. They had five children.
Elizabeth died in 1973. Albert died in 1960.
They had one son. Susie and Jake Morfeld
went to Oregon in the late thirties. Susie died
10 Oct. 1975. Jake and son died in February
1980. One daughter survives. Ed died in 1983,
the last of his family. Ruth lives in Sterling,
Colorado with her two daughters. One son
and daughter died in infancy. Joe died 3 Feb.
1963. Ethelyn lives in Greeley, CO. with a son
and two daughters nearby. Two sons died,
Daniel in 1979 and Joseph in 1985.
Adolph would live for awhile with one of
his children and then stay with another. He
loved to run foot races with his grandchildren. He never went back to Luxembourg. His
brother Peter died in Chicago in 1900. His
sister Mary resided in Chicago. She married
a Schrieber. Blessed Pioneers! What choice
Model A Ford. They soon moved to Sidney,
Nebragka where Ade worked for the railroad
and lived in a very small trailer house. The
roof leaked, so when it rained Athalia had to
move their newborn baby, Audrey, from one
ancestors! They were Special.
Ade was very proud of his first car
-
a 1929
spot to another to keep her dry. She was born
on May 31, 1941. The three of them made
another move to Dillon, Colorado where Ade
worked long and hard hours on a dairy farm.
He soon decided that he didn't want to be a
'dairy-man', so another move was made back
to'good-ole' Stratton, Colorado. They moved
to the homeplace where a daughter, Margie,
was born on November 10, 1943 and Dolores
on July 29, L945.In June of 1947 the family
experienced a great loss when Dolores drown-
Security Administration. Roger is a senior at
Rangeview High School in Aurora.
The Brachtenbach's youngest daughter,
Penny, was married to Lew Carpenter on
January 20,L973. They live at Johnson Lake,
Nebraska and have one very special family
member, their dog, Wiggles. Lew is presently
doing sandblasting and Penny works at the
Johnson Lake Marina.
Adolph passed away October 20, 1987.
**We thank our God who was with our
family through the good times and bad times;
and cherish the memories of our ancestors.
by Margie Colpitts
BRACHTENBACH,
LARRY AND BETTY
JEAN
ed in the stock tank. During the year 1948
Ade and Athalia purchased their own land,
five miles north of Stratton where they
started building a herd of Hereford cattle,
planted wheat and grew cane to feed the
F82
cattle. On June 2, 1949 their last daughter,
Penny was born.
During the dusty years of the 50's the dfut
storms were so bad the cattle would have
by Cecilia G. Wilcox
BRACHTENBACH,
ADOLPH FAMILY
F81
weeds sprouting from their backs and the
cattle market dropped considerably, so that's
when Ade started to raise Shetland ponies
and in the 60'g changed to Appaloosa horses
and Scotland Highlander cattle. In the late
60's Ade added another new animal
the
- and
Buffalo, which turned out to be his pride
jov.
Ade and Athalia decided to sell their
Buffalo, cattle and land to move into town
and a much easier life etyle. This was done
and a farm sale was held on August 18, 1979.
Athdia developed Aplastic Anemia and on
May 15, 1986 the Lord called her home.
Their daughter, Audrey married Harold
Eisenbad on June 6, 1959. Harold has been
employed by the Stratton Equity Coop since
1958 and Audrey works for St. Charles
Church and the Stratton Sale Barn. Their
oldest daughter Tina (4-10-60) was manied
to Dan Gruntorad on September 15, 1979 at
St. Charles Church in Stratton. They live in
Overton, Nebraeka where Dan works as a
welder in Kearney. Tina is a homemaker and
nother of three girls, Joni (11-1-81); Tami
(10-24-83) and Keri (4-13-87). Brenda (6-2963) was married to Richard (Dick) Ramoe on
June 14, 1986 at St. Charles Church. They are
living in Colorado Springs, Colorado where
Dick is employed as an Electronic Technician
for Energy Service Bureau. Brenda is a bank
tpller at Century Bank. Russell (10-26-66)
attpnded Northwestern Kansas Area VoTech in Goodland, Kansas where he studied
to be an electrician. He now lives in Colorado
Ade and
Athdia Brachtenbach
on August 30, 1938.
Adolph Nicholas Brachtenbach was born
on the 24th of April 1914 in Dix, Nebraska.
His parents, Peter and Mary Brachtenbach,
homesteaded in the Dix area until moving to
Stratton, Colorado during the year of 1918.
They purchased land northeast of Stratton
and built their family home. Adolph (Ade)
Springs, Colorado where he is employed by
Riviera Electric Company. Kelly (11-28-69)
is currently a student at Stratton High School
where she is active in organizations such as
FHA and was elected to a state office.
Their daughter, Margie married Jim Colpitts on September 28, 1963 and lives in
Aurora, Colorado. Jim is a Drywall Hanger
and Margie is a secretary for St. Michael's
Catholic Church. They have three sons, Rob,
Rick and Roger. Rob (10-6-64) is in the U.S.
in Japan and repairs tel-
married his hometown girlfriend, Athalia
Sholes, on August 30, 1938. They were
Navy, stationed
married at St. Charles Catholic Church with
Ft. Meade, Maryland and works for National
etypee. Rick is in the U.S. Army, stationed
at
,: i:
i
.'}.,
*.
-r*
'{il. '$:'
Dee Hope and Laura Jean Brachtenbach eating
Dee's birthday cake.
Larry, Betty and Matt Brachtenbach.
Larry was born on December 31, 1943 in
Goodland, Kansas to Steve and Ruth Fla-
He attended St.
Charles grade school and then high school in
Stratton. He graduated from high school in
1962. Larry worked on construction crews for
awhile after high school and then helped out
on his mother's dairy farm after the death of
his father in 1963. He spent 6 months in
active duty after joining the National Guard.
geolle Brachtenbach.
While he was working in construction, he
helped build the First National Bank in
Stratton and the gym in Bethune.
I was born in Goodland, Kansas onJanua4l
22, 1944 to Val and Leona Kordes. I also
�attended St. Charles grade school through
8th grade and then to public high school.
After graduation in 1962, I moved to Denver
and worked as a secretary. On November 12,
1966, we were married at St. Charles Church
in Stratton. We started out our life buying the
dairy cows from Larry's mother and renting
her farm for 4 years. We had a lot to learn and
did so real fast. The biggest disaster we had
was one morning we came out to milk and
found 7 cows and one bull dead. They had
somehow gotten into a bulk bin of grain and
had foundered. We were a while getting over
them stories ofthe early days and show them
pictures. Elizabeth would play the piano and
sing their old country songs in German. They
gave Jack and Jim a 1927 Chewolet car for
helping them dig out after a bad blizzard we
had. They also would hunt arrowheads on a
hill near where Bill and Lil Novak lived. She
told the kids that if she had her red apron
hanging on the clothesline that was a sign to
come over, that she was home and had
Koolaide and cookies for them. Larry and his
brothers and sisters were always very active
in 4-H when they were growing up.
that.
Our first daughter, Laura Jean, was born
January 25, 1968. We wanted to own a farm
of our own and so we sold our dairy cows and
bought a farm 15 miles north ofStratton from
Ben and Amy Tesmer in March of 1970. It
was an irrigated farm with sideroll sprinklers
on it. In 1973 we broke out more pasture land
and put in 2 Reinke center pivot sprinklers.
We for the most part raise alfalfa, wheat and
corn. We also rent two irrigated quarters
from Leona Lennemann. In 1981 we purchased wheat land from Vida Mae Young. We
raise Simmental cattle and sell a few bulls.
We have about 200 cows to calve and during
blizzards it is quite a job. Larry had purchased grassland from Lester Collins when he
first graduated from high school.
We rent the rest of our grass from other
land owners. In 1963 we bought grass and
wheat land from Vernon Gerke.
Our second little girl, Dee Hope, was born
on July 27, L97L. On July 17, L971, Larry was
seriously hurt in a tractor accident. He spent
4 months in the hospital in Denver. We
almost lost him and felt very lucky for a
second chance. This community came to help
with the crops, cattle and financial aid. It's
a blessing to live in a wonderful small
community like this. Our son Matthew was
born on July 13, 1979, in Burlington, Colo.
Laurie and Dee were both born with a
genetic disorder known as Hurler's
Syndrome. They were never able to talk and
care for themselves, but they brought much
happiness to our family. They were sick very
often but at an early age they were full of life
and seemed to enjoy the farm and animals
by Betty Jean Brachtenbach
BRACHTENBACH,
PETER FAMILY
F83
Glasener. Peter's father.
Adolph, was born October 21, 1848 in Oberfeulen, Diekrich, Luxemburg. Adolph came
to America at age 24 and spent some time
working
in
his land on March 1, 1918. The land
When they arrived only a few small
buildings were on the land so for six months
they lived in a small grainery. Peter, his
brother, John, and a friend, Frank Firestein,
began building the family house. The weather
it
to turn very cold so was
necessary to work late into the night. In order
was starting
to work so late Steve had to hold the lantern
Paris, France to earn more
After arriving in America he
passage money.
met Barbara Glasener of Evanston, Illinois.
They were married on October 17, 1878 in St.
Marys Catholic Church,, Chicago, Illinois.
They lived in the Chicago area and operated
a vegetable farm until f906. While operating
the vegetable farm several of the children
became ill with typhoid fever, caused from
washing the vegetables in cold water. They
moved from Chicago to Ipswich, South
Dakota and took up dry land farming.
Peter helped his parents until 1904 when
he began to farm for himself and took Mary
Hammrich as his bride on November
27.
1905. During their years in South Dakota two
children were born: Margaret in 1907 (dec.
1975) and Steve on 12-13-1910 (dec. 1-9-63).
They moved to Nebraska during the spring
of 1911 where they farmed around the towns
of Sidney, Dalton, and Dix. A second son,
and weeks on end the temperature would stay
at zero or below with an almost never ending
wind. The winter blizzard was an awesome
sight and sometimes cause tragedies such as
the one in southern Colorado, where a school
bus became stranded in a high snow drift and
the bus driver and fourteen children ftozeto
death.
A third son, Joseph, was born in 1921 on
the homestead northeast of Stratton. Peter
and Mary lived on the farm until his death
in 1925. Mary continued to farm with her
sons for a number of years; she then moved
into town where she lived until her sudden
death in 1949. Mary was in good health and
had traveled to South Dakota to visit one of
her brothers when she suddenly became ill
and passed away that same day. Peter and
Mary always enjoyed playing cards and spent
many Sundays visiting with friends and
playing card games. Peter had eleven brothers and sisters of which ten grew to adulthood.
Nicholas (1884-1958) married Katie Lenzen, had seven children and spent his entire
life farming around Peetz, Colorado.
Michael (1887-1964) married Amanda and
had two daughters.
Henry (1889-1970) married Elizabeth
Morfeld, had three sons. They lived in
Washington for several years and then moved
very much. They were always happy then.
Their favorite thing to do was to go with their
dad to check the cows and ride with him on
the balewagon. He would put a pillow in front
of the steering wheel and they would ride for
hours watching the bales being loaded. On
February 20, 1980, Dee Hope died at the age
of 8 and November 9, 1983, Laura died. She
would have been 16 in January.
In Larry's family there were 8 children;
Jim, Jack, Myrna (Carlson), Larry, Denny
and Carol (Farrell) and one brother and one
sister that died as infants. When Larry was
growing up, they lived on horses when they
weren't doing chores or helping in the fields.
He and his brothers broke horses for other
people. Hunting arrowheads was also a big
part of growing up on a farm. In my family
there are 5 children; Denny, myself, Beverly
(Beattie), Patsy (Eisenbart), and Valerie
(Thyne). I remember most the Sunday
dinners with family friends and all the gemes
we could think of to play. Everyone went to
town on Saturday for a good movie, which
were mostly western or comedy. Larry said
they would spend a lot of time with Moddy
Moore and Elizabeth Burrie. They lived 1
mile north of their place. They would tell
he
purchased was N.E.% and S.E.%; Section 7
- Township 8 - Range 46.
while his dad, John and Frank measured,
sawed, fit and nailed the boards and that
house still stands today. The Colorado
winters would start in October and for days
Peter John Brachtenbach was born on
October 25,1879 to Adolph Brachtenbach
and Barbara
Adolph, was born on 4-24-1914. Peter ceme
to Colorado in 1916 and started breaking up
land for farming. He brought his family to
Stratton, Colorado and received the title to
Margaret, Adolf, Peter, Steve and Mary Brachtenbach in 1914
�to Yakima, South Dakota.
coal shed roofthe stove pipe from the old potbelly stove came outside there. They stuffed
snow down the pipe until the steam and water
John (1890-1943) never married. He served
in the Infantry in World War I and stood
guard at the tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Mary (1892-1959) was manied to Martin
Reker. He worked at the Union Pacific
Round House in Sidney, Nebraska and they
had one boy and three girls.
Edward (1897-1983) had been married 58
years when he passed away. Most of his life
was spent in Sterling, Colorado where he and
his wife, Ruth Rogers, raised two daughters.
Joseph (1900-1963) married Evelyn Stork
and had five children, three boys and two
girls.
Elizabeth (1902-19?3) married Albert
Hadley and had one son. While they were
living in Medford, Oregon Albert fell off a
railroad car while at work and had both legs
cut off.
Susie (1903-19?5) married Jake Morfeld
and had one boy and one girl. After living in
Nebraska for a number of years they moved
to Grants Pass, Oregon.
**How grateful we are to God for guiding
Adolph from Germany to this land of opportunity. May he also guide and bless future
generations.
by Audrey Eisenbart
BRACHTENBACH,
STEVE AND RUTH
F84
Steve and Ruth's family taken one Christmas at
Larry's, Back row: Jack, Denny. Front row: Carol,
Larry, Myrna, Ruth and Jim.
land in Colorado. He looked up a friend Pete
Pitts that had moved to Stratton, Colo. He
worked for the railroad and lived just north
of the railroad tracks (old Joe McClean
place). Prices were going up in a hurry after
World War I and the steam engine tractor
was being introduced. He found the land they
were looking for north of Stratton. It had
buildings on it and was close to town.
Stratton also had a nice Catholic Church and
school. There they built a new house, barn
and a concrete hog shed. When Peter built
the new house, they hand dug the cistern and
pipeline for the water to the house from the
well. They had hand pumps in the house so
they did not have to carry water from the well
to the house This was one of the first homes
in that area to have water piped to it. There
was also a deep bathtub with Lion's feet on
it for legs.
Steve helped his dad with the farming. He
to the eighth grade. Some of his
schooling he got in a country school located
in the eoutheast corner of Sec 16 T 8 S R 46
W. Then later they attended school at St.
Charles school. The nuns that taught then
were the Presentation Order and were from
Iowa. They were mostly lrish descent and
Father Munich was of German descent. They
did not get along so for a few years there
weren't any nuns at Stratton. Later the Most
Precious Blood order cnme.
After his school years, Steve helped his
father farm and he began farming on his own.
Then on April 12, 1932 he married Ruth
Flageolle. They moved on a farm one mile
north of his parents. This farm was owned by
Lizzy Burri. They lived there for a year and
went
then moved to a place south of Stratton
owned by Aler Scheierman, where their first
son Jim was born. They moved and farmed
Ruth Steve Brachtenbach
Steven Brachtenbach was born on Decem-
ber 13, 1910 to Peter J. Brachtenbach and
Mary Hammerich Brachtenbach in lpswich,
South Dakota. He moved to Sidney, Nebraska with his parents around 1912. His father,
Peter, farmed
in the Sidney and Dalton,
Nebraska area and then bought a half section
of land north of Dix on November 2, 1916. He
then sold it February 23, 1918 and with the
profit from that land sale he hoped to buy
several places in the next few years. They
then bought a place 12 miles north and 4-%
west of Stratton from Ray Bowers and lived
there 4 years. They then moved to Steves'
mother's farm and rented it until her death
in March 1949 at which time they bought it
from the estate. Jack now owns the home
place. While they lived on the north place,
Jim and Jack went to school at the Busy
Valley country school.
Jim and Jack would ride horses to school;
later on they drove a three wheel car the two
and one half miles to school. There were
several boys in school and one would try to
outdo the other with pranks. One time the
teacher sent the kids outside after they ate
their lunch. She had a visitor and locked the
door so they would not come back in for
awhile. Jack decided to get up on the roof of
the coal shed, which was a lean-to attached
to the backside ofthe school house. Above the
built up and blew the pipe apart. Soot and
water went all over the desk and books. The
teacher's desk was a real mess. The teacher
came outside to try to catch him as he jumped
from the roof, but he outran her and got to
his pinto pony and she got her horse but his
little pony was faster than her horse and he
got away. The teacher was not supposed to
have anyone there during school hours, so she
didn't report him to the school board. In
April of 1962 they sold the north place to Fred
Moffit.
My mother, Ruth Flageolle, was the second
child of the Flageolle family which lived at
the "Brownwood Community" sixteen miles
northwest of Stratton. Her parents were
William Flageolle and Pauline Wynn Flageolle. She was born on February 5, 1914 on
the homestead. She attended the country
school for a few years and then St. Charles
Catholic School in Stratton. She went
through the 10th grade. As a young woman
my mother helped in neighboringfarm homds
during busy seasons doing housework to
make money. My mother's main interest was
her families health and happiness. She could
challenge anyone of us to milking, riding a
horse or even driving a tractor. She liked to
shock feed and shuck corn. She always
canned and preserved food and usually had
the shelves full.
At night when the work was done Mother
liked to do her fancywork. My dad loved to
fish and whenever possible we would go to
Lake McConaughy in Nebraska or to Eads.
He liked to eat them as well as catch them.
He always taught us kids to take good care
of animals and enjoyed helping us boys break
horses. He always made sure he had a
watermelon patch and potatoes. In the
summer of 1962 he discovered he had termi-
nal cancer. It was a very hard time for the
family. He was in very much pain but he
drove the tractor yet that summer. Jim and
I had jobs and so Denny did most of the
farming that summer. He was only 16 at the
time. On January 6, 1963 he passed away in
the Flagler hospital.
Mother remained on the farm after Dad's
death until Betty and I were married in 1966.
She then moved to Chappell, Nebraska and
worked for Leprino Cheese Co. for 10 years.
She married Norman Robinson from
Chappell, Nebraska. They own a home and
live in Chappell where Norm is employed at
Leprino. She still raises a garden and fresh
chickens every year along with helping her
husband raise hogs on an acreage outside of
Chappell.
There were six children in the family.
Jim (9-14-1933) married Paulette Powell
and they had 2 girls and 3 boys. Their two
oldest boys were twins, Kieth and Kenny.
The girls were Tonya and Yevette and the
youngest boy, James. He lives in Ft. Lupton,
Co. where he is a welder. Delbert (2-2-L935
to 4-6-1935). Jack (7-16-1937) married
Marsha Richardson and they have 3 boys and
1 girl; Steve, Terry, Jackie and John. Terry
was killed in a car wreck. They also have 3
grandchildren. They farm in the Stratton
area. Betty (12-23-1939 to L2-27-1939).
Myrna (9-19-1941) married Louis Tagtmeyer
and has 2 sons, Eugene and Rick. She later
married Mick Carlson, and they have a
daughter, Shelly, and live in Chappell, Neb.
�They also have 2 grandchildren. Myrna works
at L,eprina also. Larry (12-31-1943) married
Betty Jean Kordes. They had 3 children; 2
girls, Laura and Dee, who both died as young
children, and a boy Matthew. They farm in
the Stratton area. Denny (2-5-L945) married
Christine Calvin. They have 2 girls, Connie
and Pam, and 1 boy Bob and farm in the
Stratton area. Carol (7-6-L947) manied Bill
McNeil and had a boy, Jerry, and a girl, Julie.
Later she married Larry Farrell and they
have 1 boy, Jeff, and live in New York. Larry
works in a cheese factory there.
by Larry Brachtenbach
went back east after two years. Then J.T.
Roberts, who had homesteaded near Beloit,
purchased the hotel and the etore in the early
nineties. He operated it, with the help of his
family, and a man bythe name of Scot Ready.
It was a general store. They handled everything including drugs. If he didn't have what
you wanted he would order it for you. He also
had the post office and took care of the
banking business for the ranchers and town
people. He did all this even though he was
paralyzed in both legs and had to get around
in a wheel chair. To make it easier to get to
his store he built a sidewalk of boards just
wide enough for his chair. He took care of the
store if the weather was nice, otherwise it was
tended by Mrs. Roberts or one of the girls. He
BRADSHAW FAMILY
F85
enjoyed
a very
prosperous business for
several years, then sold to his nephew, S. O.
Roberts, and moved to Rogers, Arkansas.
Billy Linford moved into town from his
homestead about twenty-five miles northwest, and opened a blacksmith shop. He did
a lot of this type of work, besides working on
the section.
The U.S. Post Office Department changed
the name Claremont to Machias, as I remember the neme, about 1907, claiming that the
mail was always getting mixed with that of
a town in California nn-ed Claremont. They
kept the nnme a few Days, but the people
were not satisfied and the Department gave
them the choice of Machias or Stratton, and
they choee Stratton. That was in late 1890 or
1900.
Albert Bradshaw with his niece Amy McConnell.
I
of age when my
parents, two sisters and two brothers left
Lincoln, Nebraska, in July of 1888, having
moved there from Springfield, Illinois, in
was about two years
1887. The household goods were transported
by an emigrant car and the family by covered
wagon
to a small town called Columbia,
Colorado.
Homesteaders had pretty well settled the
community around Columbia and another
small place called Beloit.
The railroad went through the summer
after we moved to Colorado. This made the
town thrive as long as they were building the
road, depot, tool house, etc. But they did not
build the depot in Columbia. It was built a
few miles from there, and they called the
station Claremont. The business men of
Columbia moved all their buildings to Claremont. My dad helped move them. It took four
tea-s and wagons to accomplish this.
There was a grocery store, a saloon which
was built when the crew started work on the
road bed, and all the necessarSr work connected with putting a railroad through. This only
lasted as long as they were in the country.
The homesteaders were not doing so well.
They did not have enough moisture to bring
up the seed they planted in the spring. Most
of them left and let their land sell for taxes.
However, my father stayed and saw the seed
he planted the year before come up and do
well.
Some man, I do not remember his name,
built a hotel close to the depot. The first
owner of the store was Mr. Hitchcock, who
good
A two-story building was erected which
was used as a school on week days and a
Congregational Church on Sunday. I think
the first pastor was a Rev. Smith.
Stratton always had a good school with
good teachers. There was very little expense
involved in running it, as the teachers and
pupils did most of the work in taking care of
the buildling and making sure there was a
fire.
Miss Rith McCoulogby (pronounced
McCalby) taught the school in 1896. The
nAmes of the pupils that year were Hazel,
Inez and Susie Roberts, Mandy Fuller, Clara
and Billie Linford, and Albert Bradshaw. I
was working for Blakeman that year and
attending school. The other children were
closer to home. There also was a country
school called the Blakeman school.
Mrs. Charles Vysllman taught the school in
1897.
After school Albert homesteaded on what
is now the place where Ron Fooses live.
Albert moved to Springdale Arkansas. He
owned a little acreage where he kept a few
cattle, milk cow and a garden. He still milked
his cow until the ripe old age ofninety forced
him to quit.
Albert was the Uncle of Amy (Petefish)
McConnell and the Great Uncle of James
McConnell.
by Dessie Cassity
BRADSIIAW McFARLAND FAMILY
F86
The years 1902 and 1906 are important to
my family, for they are the years when my
grandparents brought their families to eastern Colorado.
In 1902, Joel C. and Mary Elida Bradshaw
came with their children: Noble, Beulah, and
Joel Jr. from White Hall, Ilinois, to homestead three miles southwest of Stratton. For
several years they engaged in farming and
livestock, but finding dry land farming very
difficult, Mr. Bradshaw opened the Stratton
Mercantile Company which he pursued until
a fire forced his retirement in 1934. For years
he was active in Republican circles and was
County Assessor of Kit Carson County from
1908
In
to
1912.
1906, John C. and Lucy McFarland
brought their eight children and all their
possessions in three cars of an immigrant
train from Sioux City, Iowa, to Stratton.
There they lived in a tent while Mr. McFarland and his older sons built an adobe house
on his homestead. The house still stands
today five miles east of Stratton on the "old
highway". It only took five years for a dream
to turn to dust, and the McFarlands to move
to Arlington, Washington, where many descendants live today.
My father and mother, Noble and Winnie
McFarland Bradshaw, met while both
worked, the former as a rural letter carrier,
the latter as a clerk, at the Stratton Post
Office. They were married September 7,
1911, in Burlington and lived in Stratton
until 1938 when Noble was transferred to the
Burlington Post Office to carry mail on R.R.
#1. He retired from the postal service in 1951.
Noble carried mail by horse and buggy from
first car,
T Ford. From then on, a route that
took him nine hours to service in good
weather became at most a five-hour task.
1911 to 1917 when he purchased his
a model
Therefore, for several years he worked during
the afternoon hours at the First National
Bank of Stratton.
Winnie Bradshaw was a liberated woman
before the phrase was coined. She was her
hueband's substitute on his mail route and
became adept at changing tires and doing
minor repairs to the car. Winnie also was
substitute postmistress at the Stratton Post
Office. Then during the Great Depression the
government decreed that only one member of
a family could hold a government job, and
Winnie was "retired."
I am the only child of Winnie and Noble
Bradshaw, having been born in Stratton in
1918. I have lived with my husband, Lee
Bruner, and my family in Colorado Springs
area since 1946.
With the death of my cousin, Shirley
Hamilton Long, in 1984, there are no longer
any living Bradshaw descendants of this
branch of the family in Kit Carson County.
by Jeanne Bradshaw Bruner
�BRADSHAW, CURTIS
AND ATHELDA
Spurgeon Hugh Braly, born 1879 in Brown
Co. Kansas, was the 3rd of 10 children to
Benjamin Franklin and Laura Anne (Sweangen) Braly.
Curtis and Athelda Bradshaw were
manied in Wray, Colorado, in 1927. They
Spurgeon attended University of Attawa,
Kansas and the State Normal School of
Emporia, Kansas. Taught school for 3 years
in Washington County Kansas before farm-
were both from pioneer families. Curt was the
ing.
F87
son of Joel C. Bradshaw and Mary Elida
Coates Bradshaw. He was one of five children. He was born on the homestead near
Stratton, Colo. He worked in his fathers
mercantile store while in high school. He
graduated from Stratton High School. He
received his associated degree in business. He
worked in the business field for several years
then decided his first love was music. He
played in many dance bands in the area but
will be most remembered for his many years
of teaching band and choir in the Burlington
and Stratton High schools. Many people will
remember, as adults, getting out their old
horn and joining Curt behind the bank or in
the center of main street for the Burlington
Saturday night band concert. Stratton will
remember Curt and Athelda as the proprietors of the Red and White Grocery Store from
1946 t0 about 1954.
Athelda Permelia Farster Bradshaw was
the daughter of Ord Percy Farster and Belva
Lockwood Farst€r. She was the oldest of five
children. The family lived on their homest€ad near Burlington. She graduated from
Burlington High school where she had been
active in drnma. She taught in a one room
near Bethune. She was an active community
member of both Burlington and Stratton.
Curt and Athelda were the parents of Curtis
Coates Bradshaw II and Anne Bradshaw
Struthers, neither of whom stayed in Kit
Carson County.
by Ann Bradshaw Struthers
BRALY, SPURGEON
AND IDA (SIIARP)
F88
Ida May Sharp, born 1888 in Brown Co.
Kansas, was the oldest of five children to
Nathan and Flora Emam (Rork) Sharp. Ida
taught school in Washington County Kansas
7 years prior to her marriage to Spurgeon
Hugh Braly, in 1910. To this union one
daughter Reva Grace was born in 1913. Reva
later married John Dewey Jackson.
Mr. Braly came to Colorado without his
family in early L922. He cnme on the Rock
Island Railroad to Vona, with 2 mules, hogs,
furniture and other worldly goods. He bought
SE% 13-7-48. On March L4thL922Ida Braly
and young daughter Reva came to Vona on
the Rock Island. Newt Howell of Vona took
model A cars they did not have enough power
to go thru the fine dry sand. So, sometimes
the passengers had to get out and push or
walk rest of the way. In some of the real bad
sandy places, adobe was hauled into mix with
the sand.
Later years when the north country schools
consolidated with Vona School, the Dist. #67
building was moved into Vona and used as
the school shop building.
In 1959, the Bralys moved into Stratton
where Mr. Braly lived till his death in 1964.
As Mrs. Bralys eye sight failed, she moved to
Grace Manor Nursing home in Burlington,
where she lived till her death in 1973.
by Mary McCaffrey
BREITLING STROBEL FAMILY
F89
them out to be with Mr. Braly.
The Braly family then lived in a 1 room
shack next to a dugout south of the land
bought. Lived there while their 4 room adobe
house was being built by Spurgeon and Ida's
dad Nathan Sharp. They raised hogs, chickens, cattle, farmed and lived off the land.
Reva attended grade school and 1 Year of
high school (taught by Mrs. Bready) at West
Point Dist. #67. Stayed in Stratton during
school term to finish remaining 3 years of
high school.
Mr. Braly was the main promoter for
organizing a Sunday School in the area. West
Point Dist. #67 was also used as the meeting
place for the Upper Room Sunday School
na-ed by Mr. Braly. Those closest neighbors
attending were Merlin McNess's, Mrs. Vincent and Ruth, Joe Queen's, Adoth Hartwig's,
Ray George's and Fritz Hartwig a batchler
who learned to read from the Bible with the
Bralys help. Those attending in later years
were Garr Mason's, lra Young's, Pearl Kerl's,
Lester Yonts', Roy Wilkinson's, Daniel Shermerhorn's and Dewey Jackson's.
The land in this area is very fine sugar
sand. Many times with the early model T or
Phillip and Carolina Breitling with
children,
August, Pauline and Jacob.
Phillip Breitling (from the German word
for wide) wan one of Kit Carson County's
early settlers who spent most of his life
moving. Born in Beresoma, Bergan, S. Russia
16 March 1847 he was orphaned by the age
of two. His parents, Matthias Breitling (b.
1801 Boblinger, Wuettemberg) and Doro-
lJ t,
theas Friedrich (b. 2 March 1805, Grienbach)
were both deceased by 1850. He was raised
by his oldest sister in Bessarabia. Settling in
the community of Berson/Barsina, he was
married to Carolina Strobel (b. 3 May 1849
Beresia, Bessarabia) on the 31 October 1868.
Her parents were Martin Strobel, (b.
4
August 1812) while migrating in the woods of
present day Poland and Barbara Hahn born
5
Braly adobe home, 1940, adults; Ida Braly, Dewey Jackson, Fritz Hartwig, Spurgeon Braly. Children; Betty,
Mary, Paul, Virgene, and Anna Belle Jackson.
October 1814
in
Fadersbach.
In
1885
conditions became so difficult in Bessarabia
that the Breitling family contacted relatives
living near Scotland, South Dakota. Arran-
gements were made and
the oldest
son,
Johannes, was sent to America to earn money
for the rest of the family to come to America.
�Phillip and Carolina immigrated on
18
BROWN
June 1889, through the port of New York on
the ship, Munchen. Accompanied by 6 children and some of Carolinas younger brothers,
FAMILY
they traveled in steerage, compartment #3
with 3 pieces of luggage. "In the hold
livestock was quartered at one end and
people were at the other and sickness and
death was common on this long trip, with
buried at sea on most mornings." Upon
arriving in New York they were out of funds.
Some food was given them by fellow travelers. This was the only food they had during
the long journey by train to South Dakota.
After several months oftravel, they arrived
in Scotland, South Dakota joining a brother
of Caroline's who was already there. Upon
arrival, Phillip returned to his trades ofstone
cutter and cobbler. A few years passed with
South Dakota not satisfying their expectations, so the family once again packed and
moved to Colorado by covered wagon where
relatives talked of abandoned homesteads
available for farming. Denver also promised
employment for the elder son. Johannes did
find work in Denver but sadly he died there
of diphtheria after drinking water from
Cherry Creek.
Arriving in the settlement area in 1893,
Phillip hewed and laid the stones for the first
Lutheran church in the German Lutheran
settlement north ofthe present day Bethune.
He also laid up a stone house for his family
home that is still standing near the site of the
former post office of Yale.
His stonework can also be seen in several
other stone buildings in the area. A drought
in Kit Carson County and land for homesteading led them to move again in 1897 or 98
to Hazen, N.D. followed by another move to
Nebraska in 1910 and a final move back to
North Dakota in 1918. He died in March of
1920. His wife, Carolina maried twice more,
outliving all three husbands, passing away on
February 26, 1931. Phillip and Carolina had
13 children: Johannes 1869. Katherina Isaak
Gotthilf 1874, Phillip 1876, Fredrich
1878-79, Christina Schlichenmayer 1881,
Emanual 1884, Elizabeth 1887, Othilia 1889,
Ardt 1890, Pauline Knell 1891, August 1893,
1871,
Jacob 1895.
by Robert and Linda Coles
BROADSWORD
FAMILY
F90
George Washington (Pete) and Angeline
Broadsword came from Smith County Kansas to Colorado in 1887. With them they
brought two sons, John and
Bill and
a
daughter Mary. They first lived about three
or four miles east of Hale, Colo.; they lived
a third son,
George, was born there. They got their mail
there for several years and
and groceries at Jacqua, a little town just
across the state line.
Around 1907 they moved to Kit Carson
County. Pete bought some land 14 1/z miles
north of Burlington, but at this time they
considered their address to be Goff, Colo.
Pete's three older children John, Bill, and
Mary homesteaded on land right around that
area. George was too young at that time to
homestead but several years later he home-
- CULLER
F91
I
-'Fr:!...i.-1
!i.*-i!
tu
William Kreoger standing outside his home.
steaded some land further west, part of what
now belongs to the Spring Valley Ranch.
Pete had two brothers that also lived in Kit
Carson County. Israel, a veteran of the Civil
War that lived to be 105, lived northeast of
Pete and his family, and Jake, who bought
some land about six miles north of Burlington. Israel's family later moved to Idaho
and Jake's family wound up in Oregon. Pete's
wife Angeline died about 1913, but Pete lived
until 1944 when he was 91.
In about 1907 John was married. His wife's
name was Lucy and they had four children,
Mildred, Margaret, Dorothy, and Lloyd
(Bud). The children were born on the land
John homesteaded and later they all moved
to a nearby farm where they resided until
they moved to town in 1923. John and his
family moved to Oregon during the 1930's.
Bill was never married. He worked out on
his own for a while, but came back to his
father Pete's farm to help with the farming
after George left home. Bill lived there for the
remainder of his life.
George fought in WWI, and after getting
out of the army he came back and farmed
with Pete for a while. Around 1935 he went
to Denver to live and work as a carpenter. He
came back to Kit Carson County in L942,
when he was married to Julia Falk. They
moved south of town, where he farmed until
he retired and moved to town. He lived here
in Burlington until his death in 1967.
Mary homesteaded her own land before she
married. She put up a shack on her land and
slept there in order to prove up on her
homestead claim. Her father Pete farmed
and paid the taxes on the land until about
1923 when his son-in-law, Louis Kreoger,
took over farming it. Louis broke out the
remaining grass to make more farm ground
to add to what he was already farming. Mary
Ann Broadsword was married to Louis
Kreoger on April 29, 1909. They farmed and
raised a family north of Burlington.
by Marilyn Kreoger Schlichenmayer
UGene Brown and Marjorie (Marge) Culler Brown
on their Wedding day.
UGene Brown, a native of Colorado, was
born fifteen miles north of Arriba, Colorado,
in Lincoln County, His parents, Irvin Brown
and Laura (Brue) Brown ventured out from
Waterloo, Iowa to a homestead in Colorado.
When Gene was seven years old, the family
moved toAniba, Colorado where he attended
twelve years of school. He furthered his
education by studying Public Accounting
through the LaSale Extension College. Jobs
weren't too plentiful in Arriba in the thirties,
but he took jobs of construction work and
attendant at a gas station.
In the spring of 1908, Charles and Edith
(Swallom) Culler and family moved from
Washta, Iowa to Warner, Alberta, Canada.
They went with a group of lowa farmers who
bought land in that area to be nmong the
pioneers of "Sunny Southern Albert", After
two years, they, along with some other
families sold their land and moved to homestead country several miles east ofwhere they
first located. They made their home in that
area until they moved to Colorado in 1917.
Marjorie (Marge) Culler was born in
Alberta, Canada, coming with her parents to
Arriba at the age of three. She lived on a farm
eleven miles north of Arriba and attended
Grand Meadows School in the country. The
School was two miles from home and most of
the bussing was by foot. On really cold or
snowy days the transportation was by horse
with cart or sled. There weren't any hot lunch
programs in those days, but on stormy days
the teacher, along with the help of our
Mothers, would prepare hot soup. It sure was
treat from a cold sandwieh. On cold, snowy
days our favorite game was Fox and Goose,
only to come in and hang our coats and
leggings by the big heater to dry before going
a
home.
At the age of eleven, Marge's family moved
�into Arriba where she finished her schooling.
After graduation she clerked at Earl's Cash
Grocery Store. The hours were long and
everything was packaged from prunes to bulk
peanut butter. Saturday evening was a big
night in town. Everyone came to do their
shopping. It was not unusual for the store to
remain open until ten-thrity or eleven o'clock
BROWN, NED R. AND
LOUISE PEIRCE
F92
stove. When Ned was 16 he worked for
Richard and Conover Hardware Co. of Kansas City and at 19 became a traveling
salesman, his territory being Colorado and
Kansas. Ned met Mary Louise Peirce in
tainment in the thirties wasn't too expensive.
Movies, rabbit drives, family and friends
gathering for dinners and baseball gsmss
were the highlights of entertainment.
Kansas City, they were married December 30,
1910 and moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado. Two children were born there: Freder-
Gene and Marge were married Feb. 2, 1936
Hugo,
Colorado where Gene was Deputy County
Treasurer. The rent on their first home was
fifteen dollars per month.
Campaigning for a county office was quite
different. To hustle votes, the campaigners
didn't miss any of the pie socials or boxsuppers that were set up all over the county
especially at the small rural school houses.
They moved to Denver during the war
yearc, '42 - '45, where Gene worked for
Remington Arms as a Labor & Material
checker. Later he worked as Senior Accountant for the State Highway Department. In
July, 1945, the moved to Stratton, Colorado
,.rw
Ned R. and Louise P. Brown when they moved to
Burlington, 1916.
where Gene was employed in the First
National Bank, Iater joining in the business
of Snell Grain Company where he was an
accountant for Snell's elevators from Hugo to
Stratton, when Snell sold out he worked for
Clark Insurance Co. at the bank where he also
was a director. He worked there until his
retirement.
Marge worked nineteen years in the Stratton Elementary School. She started as head
cook when the hot-lunch program was introduced in the schools. It first began with the
students going to the American Legion
kitchen for lunch. Lunches were served to
both the Elementary and High-School. Later
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a.
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.
,
a lunch room was provided at the grade
school where all the students had meals.
Marge later worked as Teacher's aide in the
Elementary School.
During the years in Stratton Gene & Marge
have been active in school, community and
chureh affairs. Gene was on the Dist. R-4
School Board for fifteen years, served one
term on the town board, a charter member of
the Stratton Rotary Club, and a member of
the Burlington Masonic Lodge #77. They are
both members of the Stratton United Methodist Church and have served as officers in
different organizations in the church.
Marge is a charter member of the Stratton
Garden Club.
in the Civil War and had his practice in
Billings, Mo. until his death. Ned went to
Kansas City, Mo. and began working in a
hardware store, bedding down in the back
room and cooking his meals on a pot bellied
waiting for the customer to pick up their
groceries. This was their night out to shop,
visit and go to the ten-cent movies. Enter-
in Arriba. Their new home was in
My father, Ned Ralph Brown, left his home
in Billings, Mo. when he was twelve years old.
His father, Eli Bedford Brown, was a doctor
Ned R. Brown Hardware Store. 1916.
The Brown's have two daughters; Margene, married to Richard Smith, and LuAnn,
married to Jerry Lucas. They have seven
grand-children and one great grand-child.
Following retirement, the Browns' have
enjoyed traveling and spending time with
their daughters and their families.
On Feb. 2, 1986, Marge & Gene celebrated
their 50th Wedding Anniversary with family
and friends.
by Marge & UGene Brown
The Frank Mann Store bought by Ned Brown, 1g16
ick Henry (December 7, I9l2) and Ruth
Marion (September 13, 1915). Ned as a
salesman used the train as his mode of travel.
Ned having hardware in his blood, bought
the Frank Mann Hardware store in Burlington and moved his family in 1916. The
�age of 70 years young, she then made her
home near her son, Fred. She died suddenly,
like Ned, of a heart attack December 30, 1961.
Ned and Louise had pleasant memories of
their life in Burlington, and those memories
are left with their daughter Betty, Fred
having died February 16, 1984, and Ruth in
August 1956.
by Betty Louise Brown Chalfant
Sutton
BROWNWOOD, NICK
AND EDITH
F93
Main Street, Burlington, Colorado, 1916.
store then became known as the N.B. Brown
Hardware, Furniture, Implements and Undertaking. As the family got off the train and
starCed down main street, my mother, born
in Chicago-reared in Kaneas City, thought
she had never seen guch a small or degolate
place. She quickly learned to love the friendly
people and the excitement of helping the
town to $ow.
In the year of 1918, my parents built a
home (315 12th). This is the home where
Betty Louise (June 3, 1921) was born.
Duringthe followingyears, Ned was always
active in the town's affairs. He dropped the
implement dealership and when Frank
Mann, his dear friend, died, Ned decided that
undertaking was not for him so he sold this
business to Orin Penny.
Ned and Louise loved football and because
they did they had an annual footbal Thanksgiving Banquet for the boys out for football.
Louise always did all the cooking while the
rest of the family readied the house for the
banquet.
Ned was instrumental in getting Highway
24 through Burlington and that was a big
moment for Burlington. Ned also served as
President of the Colorado Hardware Association. He served as Worshipful Mast€r of the
& A.M., was a
Knights Templar and a member of the
Burlington Lodge of A.F.
Shrine. TVice Ned was elected to the School
Board of Coneolidat€d Dietrict No. 1 and was
President of this group.
Louise was busy during these years with
her church, Methodist, and a federated club.
Louise had a group of Camp Fire Girls who
gave her much joy.
Ned and Louise left Burlington in the
spring of 1942. They made their home in
Spokane, Washington. Ned was employed by
the Spokane Army Air Force Depot and was
in charge of the Nordon Bombsight.
Ned passed away suddenly of a heart
attack February 5, 1945 and was buried in
Spokane, Washington.
Louise worked for the Air Depot for several
years and then became a housemother to
2000 boys at Stimeon Hall at Washington
State Univereity in Pullman, Washington.
While there Louise enrolled in classes to
further her education. Louiee retired at the
Nick Brownwood in 1934.
Nick Brownwood was an early real egtate
man. He married Edith Dulmer. Edith and
Nick start€d the Brownwood store. The post
office was called EUis and was fourteen miles
north and one mile west of Vona, Colorado.
The Brownwood School was near their store.
In the dry years they all moved to California.
Neil cnme back and married Amy Brindle
and lived in the area for awhile. Edith
Brownwood was Emma Dulmer Klasgen'e
sister. Edith was born on Januar5r 28, 1881
and died on August 23, L976. Nick Brown-
wood was born on January 2?, 1881 and died
September 25, 1948.
by Edith M. Eugley
Rcmodeled store of Ned R. Brown.
�boys were known as good students and often
worked at mowing lawns, delivering papers
and playing football. They all are University
graduates. Two, Phil and Carl, graduated
from Colorado University, James and Lee at
Colorado State University. About then they
were sometimee referred to as the "Bruner
Bachelors". Mom did not like that term.
James married Adele Malcourme of Ft.
Collins, Colorado, December f7, 1937. Carl
married Ruth Brown of Burlington on September 25, 1938. (See Brown-Pierce story).
Phil married Marion Clark of Windsor,
Colorado on October 9, 1938. Le married
Jeanne Bradshaw of Burlington on July 11,
1943. (See the Bradshaw-McFarland story).
Marion Bruner, Phil's wife, died May
12,
1984. Phil and Marion lived in Mission,
Kansas as Phil wae office manager for the
Foeter Lumber company yards. They moved
to Colorado and retired to Westcreek where
Phil resides. There are two children, Snm
Bruner
The children of Nick and Edith Brovrnwood. L. to R.: Baby Edith, Neil, John, Myron, Walter, Tresa and
Bernard.
of
Overland Park, Kansas, and
Barbara Van Waas of Westcreek, Colorado.
Carl and Ruth lived in Montana for ten
years and returned to Colorado in 1950 and
made their home in Pueblo. There are three
children, Philip of Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, where he is a teacher; Fredrick ofCasper,
Wyoming and Mary Reiter of Springfield,
Virginia. Ruth died August 17, 1956. Carl
remanied Jennie Mary Penney Sept.
26,
1959. She has a son Kenneth Bryce Penney
of Plano. Texas. Carl worked for the Social
Security Administration
in
Montana and
Colorado. James worked for the Soil Conser-
L to R: Mrs. C.D. Reed,
(Marie); Bessie Bruner, Mrs, Louis Voght, Seletha
Brown, Mrs. Hoskine, Mrs. Begsie Wilson, Mrs.
George Danforth, Mrs. Louise Brown, Mrs. A.W.
Winegar.
Some Burlington ladies
end the Bruner Boys
Philip Levi (Lee) Bruner and Bessie Lily
FAMILY
teachers. Coaches and their wives often spent
the holidays playing chess with Dad or bridge
skating, football practice, picking apricots,
delivering papers and the smell of home-
Sappy Creek not far from the church in Lyle.
Dad Bruner worked for the Foster Lumber
Company in Norton and the family moved to
Selden, Kansas in 1914. Jnmes and Loren Lee
were born in Selden.
The family of Mom and Dad and the four
Bruner boys spent their first night in Colorado in a tent near the water tower in Seibert,
Colorado. They were on a trip to the moun-
tains in the "Grant Six." A year later the
The Bruner residence in Burlington, Colorado,
a constant meeting place for students and
number of years where Philip and Carl were
when he died. Bessie "Mom" and her two
sisters were reared in a "sod" house near the
F94
The Bruner house in Burlington was just
across the street form the school house. It was
with Mom and Dad. Activities flood our
memories. Digging caves, flying kites, ice
store in Norton. The Bruner boys never knew
him as Dad Bruner was just two years old
BRUNER - WITIIAM
Supply Company as Sales Manager and lived
in Colorado Springs. They moved to Westcreek upon hie retirement. There are two
sons, Richard of South Pasadena, California
and James of Westcreek.
Witham were married Nov. 20, 1904 in Lyle,
Kangas. They lived in Norton, Kansas for a
born. Grandfather Bruner owned the first
Edith Dulmer Brownwood at her home,
vation Service in Cortez, Kiowa, Longmont
and Canon City.
After service in the Air Force, Lee worked
for many years for the Colorado Springs
family moved to Stratton, Colorado and lived
in a small house just next to the water tower
there.
Our neighbors were the O.K. Arringtons
and their daughter, Thelma. We also played
with the Spurling boys, often catching
ground squirrels and lizzards near the Landsman Creek area west of town.
We moved to Burlington in about 1919.
Dad Bruner built the house which still stands
just south of the old high school. The Bruner
made bread.
Before Lee retired he helped Dad and Mom
to establish a retirement home at Westcreek
where they entertained their many friends
from Burlington. Dad Bruner died February
18, 1968, in Colorado Springs. Mom died
June 29, 1971 in Colorado Springs. They are
buried in the Crystal Valley Cemetery in
Manitou Springs, Colorado.
Dad Bruner loved to hunt and fish. I can
remember hunting rabbit in the old Grant
Six. Phil on the right fender and I on the left
with our legs hooked over the headlight. Phil
with a twelve gauge and I with the little 410,
we hunted duck and prairie chicken every
winter. Dad Bruner also liked to fight - that
is he hated to turn down a fight. He finally
gave it up because Mom always found out.
Mom baked bread on the old Majestic Range,
six loaves, two pans of rolls, a big pan of
cinnamon rolls - the kind that were all gooey
and caramelized on the bottom. You could
smell them clear to Main Street. It was a
�considerable treat when you could find
or two the next morning for toast.
a
slice
Flagler was growing, new homes were built
and others were remodeled. Bob and his
grandsons went into business painting and
by Carl W. Bruner
BRYAN, ROBERT S.
F95
Robert S. Bryan, born Feb. 18, 1892, at
Singer's Glen, Virginia and Zola R. Reade,
born Jan. 25, 1895, at Lexington, Missouri
were married Feb. 16, 1912 at Lakeview,
Missouri.
Robert, better known as Bob, and Zola
wallpapering, a trade Bob had learned from
his father in Missouri.
Pauline re-married in 1946. She and her
husband Daniel J. Radebaugh moved to a
farm south of Flagler in the Second Central
District. They presented her parents with
three children: Barbara, Daniel Duane and
June.
Zola's health declined, she died
in May
1958. Bob, now retired continues to be active
employed as a clerk in the general mercantile
in managing the farming interests of Mr.
A.W. Augspurger of Carlock, Ill.
Bob suffered a heart attack, had a pacemaker implant, and after several attacks a
few years later, his health continued to
store.
deteoriate. Bob passed away Feb. L5, L974.
moved
to Kidder, Missouri where he
was
It was while living there that their
daughter Pauline was born.
They received a letter from Zola's parents,
who had homesteaded in Colorado, that they
needed help to farm the place. So in 1914, the
by Pauline Radebaugh
family moved to Colorado.
Arriving at the homestead in Colorado, it
was Boon found out that the sod house would
not accommodate two families. So a frame
house was built. Bob and his family lived on
BUCHANAN,
CIIRISTOPHER
JARED
the homestead for 2 years, helping out. There
wasn't much of a crop because of a drought,
and Bob moved his family to Flagler, where
he went to work for W.H. Lavington in the
grocery store.
World War
I
was
in progress at the time
and the railroad needed men, as well as Uncle
$sm, so Bob moved his family to Limon,
Colorado where he went to work for the Rock
Island Railroad as a brakeman. Later, being
promoted to a conductor, he was able to move
his family again to Flagler where he rented
the Gibson property. Zola's parents moved
from the homestead to Flagler to make their
home with Bob and Zola. Bob continued
working on the railroad, his wife and parents
rented rooms and boarded teachers.
After the war, Bob quit the railroad and
went to work for J.C. Straub Hardware and
Lumber Co. The theater was in the upper
story of the store and Bob ran it at night.
Bob and Zola were very active in the
organization of the First Baptist Church of
Flagler, both being charter membere. Bob
held positions as Trustee, Treasurer and
Choir Director.
Accepting a job as store manager for the
migrated west in a covered wagon and located
in the northeast corner of Kit Carson County
on April 10, 1889. Upon arriving in Kit
Carson County they stayed with W.H. Hargis
for two weeks, then Mr. Jefferson Buchanan
filed on a homestead located in the northeast
corner of the County, Section 2, Township 6,
Range 42. They built a sod house and
plastered it with native lime. Later they
helped build a number of these sod houses in
the community, using native lime for plastering.
He had no trouble getting water, one of the
Snodgress Food Co. in Pueblo, Bob moved hie
own and operate his own store, so once again
he moved back to Flagler. Bob and Zola
opened Bryan's Red and White Store, Dec.
L,L927. During the years Bob operated the
store, he was very active in the civic affairs
of Flagler. He gerved several years as Mayor,
councilman and fireman. He wae also a
member of the Masonic Lodge 127 AF & AM
in Flagler.
Their daughter, Pauline, manied Donald
Winn in 1933. She and her husband presented the Bryan's with two grandsons:
James (Jim) and Robert (Bobbie). Pauline
and her husband helped her parents in the
store for several years. Due to ill health, Bob
sold the store to V, and Ola Thompson in the
1941.
During World War II, Bob worked at the
Kaiser Ammunitions in Denver. When the
war ended he returned to Flagler. He drove
for C.M. Smith and was later hired by the Coop as bookkeeper.
They bought a small herd of cattle and
horses. They did not go in for cattle raising
but did more farming. The year they arrived
was about the last year of the range cattle.
Christopher (Chris) Buchanan took up a
homestead in 1892 and settled on it, the legal
description being Section 34, Township 5 %,
Range 42.
In
January 1893 Chris was united in
marriage to Nellie Myrtle Sleight in Sherman
County, Kansas at the home of the bride. To
this union was born five children, four
daughters and one son. Nellie Ann (Bucha(Buchanan)
(Cranmer) (Weiser) Snyder, Ralph Bucha-
nan) Brooks, Mary Estella
nan, Ella (Buchanan) Cranmer, and Ruth
(Buchanan) McCormick. Mr. Buchanan was
a leader in the Republican political circle in
both the county and state for many years.
In February, 1928, the family moved to
Burlington at the corner ofwhat is now 1692
Martin Ave, where he resided until his death.
He was engaged in business until the last few
It was because
on the farm and in the
years before he passed away.
Christopher Jared Buchanan was born in
Carlisle, Iowa, on May 20th 1870 and lived
there with his parents, Jefferson and Mary
Buchanan, until March, 1889, when they
family again. It was here he had a chance to
fall of
F96
brothers of Chris worked with a well drilling
so had a well drilled on the claim and
did not have to haul water as so many others
did.
They saw no buffalo, but there were herds
of antelope roo-ing the prairies, and sometime forty or fifty in one herd would pass by.
outfit,
Chris Buchanan in his grocery stnre,1922.
of his
success
community and business that the citizens
selected him by vote in 1920 to serve as
County Commissioner for two terms, and
then re-elected again in 1924, eight years in
all. It was during this time as a county
commissioner that in 1928 the county purchased the Kit Carson County Carousel from
Elitch's in Denver. The county commissioners who approved the purchase at that time
were Chris Buchanan, G.W. Huntley and I.D.
Messinger, which met withwidespread disapproval over the purchase price of $1,250, a
sum considered an extravagant expenditure
in hard times. Buchanan and Huntley chose
not to run for re-election in 1928 because of
this sentiment.
�It
was at this time, about 1925 and 1926,
often times they would stop and inquire the
way to Burlington.
On January 4, 1893 she was united in
that he was engaged in the grocery store
business for several years located at what is
marriage to Christopher Jared Buchanan.
They moved onto their homestead in Kit
Carson County about 20 miles northeast of
Burlington. This union was blessed with five
now.1461 Senter, then sold out and then
"Fairmont" Crea-ery Station. He operated this until, due to
engaged in operating the
health reasons, he had to grve
out.
it
up and sell
children, four daughters and one son: daughters, Nellie Ann, Estella, Ella and Ruth and
It
was during the time that he ran the
creamery that he beco-e an avid cribbage
player as did a lot of other fellows. Whenever
of
son Ralph Buchanan. One daughter Ella
preceded her in death in 1935. Her husband
Chris passed away in July 1949.
cribbage players enjoying themeelves. Often
times when Myrtle would be at the creamery,
The more than 60 years of residence in this
part of the country qualified her to speak as
cribbage players would continue on for hours
on end.
Once again in the fall of 1929 his capability
the pioneer life.
While Myrtle was notin any way interested
in the political endeavors that her husband
administrator caused the voting major-
Chris was involved in as County Commissioner and State Representative, she did carry on
in the businesses ofthe Grocery Store and the
Cresmery when he was away on business.
he had slack time, you would
find
a group
she would be testing the crenm and the
as an
ity to invest their confidence in him
representative
as
few can from more and varied experiences of
their
to the State Legislature for
two terms. He also served as an officer in
different capacities in Burlington.
When a young boy Chris confessed his faith
in Christ and affiliated with the Northern
Baptist Church. For more than 27 years he
was a member of the Order of the Odd
Fellowship Local Order No. 152, having held
offices in the local, district and the state.
Christopher Jared (Chris) Buchanan
passed away on July 24,1949 on Sunday at
the age of 79 years at the Memorial Hospital
in Burlington. Funeral Services for Chris
were held at the Methodist Church with Rev.
Lloyd M. Green pastor of the First Christian
Church. Special music was furnished by Mrs.
Mae Billington and Betty Rutter with Vada
Neidig as accompanist. Burial being at the
Beaver Valley Cemetery northeast of Burlington.
Preceding Mr. Buchanan in death was one
daughter Ella, as well as all of his brothers
and sisters. He left to mourn his passing his
wife, three daughters and one son and 22
grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Chris really enjoyed his grandchildren, always having candy for them.
A portion of this story was written by Chris
in
Myrtle was a member of the local First
Christian Church and a member of the
women's council, being an ardent worker in
this auxiliary. She was an artist in piecing and
quilting quilts. Perhaps she had made and
Myrtle and Chris Buchanan
good, especially after the cattle or wild horses
had tramped around in it. The first well was
hand dug and hauled water up with a
windlass.
Myrtle wentto school in Cheyenne County,
Kansas, in a sod house built about four miles
from where the home was. Since there was no
school house at that time, and there was no
church or Sunday School; folks lived too far
away to permit such meetings. Later a sod
school house was built and they then had
Literary Society meetings.
Dancing was the chief amusement, and the
only means of conveyance was with tearn and
wagon or horseback. They had to drive forty
miles round trip to attend a dance, dance all
night, get home at daylight, and work all the
next day.
There was no railroad through this country
1934.
by Nola Faye (Brooks) Mangus
BUCHANAN, MYRTLE
NELLIE (SLEIGIIT)
F97
Myrtle Nellie (Sleight) (the daughter of
Henry and Lydia) Buchanan was born December 25, L874 near Wanatah, Indiana. At
the age of eight years old she and the family
moved to Richardson County, Nebraska.
After four years in this community, she with
her parents beco-e residents of Sherman
County, Kansas. Her father served in the
army for four years, and when they came west
he took a pre-emption and a homestead
adjoiningjust across the Colorado State Line.
From the home they could look into four
counties and two states, the counties being
Cheyenne and Sherman County, Kansas, and
Kit Carson Counties in Colorado.
at that time, and they did their trading at
held at the Hendricks Mortuary in Bur-
lington with the Rev. Lloyd M. Green, pastor
of the First Christian Church, officiating.
Music was furnished by Mrs. Reuben
Rhoades. Mrs. Wade Davis and Jemes Winfrey, with Dorothy Colglazier the accompanist. Burial was in the Beaver Valley Ceme-
tery, Northeast of Burlington.
Most of this story was written by Myrtle
in
1934.
Jacqua, Kansas, about eight miles away. In
Myrtle's words "I remember my father drove
to Oberlin, Kansas, to prove up on his
homesteads. How well do I remember too, the
first night we went to our new home in
Kansas: There was no house or dugoutto stay
in, so we piled our boxes of bedding and
household goods round us in a circle and then
all slept in the one big bed on the prairie.
by Nola Faye (Brooks) Mangus
BUCHANAN, NELLIE
F98
Cheyenne County, Kansas, and itwas divided
up among the neighbors and all enjoyed
buffalo meat for awhile. They never saw any
buffalo where they lived, but there was plenty
of antelope, and one large heard passed their
farm less than a quarter of a mile to the south
ofthe home, There were coyotes, snakes, and
the little pert prairie dogs. They had plenty
The following account was written by Mrs.
Nellie Buchanan about homesteading on the
prairies of Western Kansas and Eastern
Colorado and her experiences in living in the
little town of Seibert, Kit Carson, Colorado,
during the late 1800's, when Seibert was first
founded. The Messinger family was well
acquainted with Mrs. Nellie Buchanan; her
daughter, Mrs. Zella Buchanan Hutchens, as
well as Mrs. Hutchens'husband, Maj. Corra
Hutchens:
Nellie Buchanan, Seibert, Colorado
of fleas too and what a time they had with
them, for they seemed to be so thick in the
grass and on the prairie. They were so hard
Indianapolis, Indiana, in
to womanhood there. I was
married while quite young, and in our early
Father hauled the lumber to build the house
from Haigler, Neb."
Mr. Sleight helped
to kill a buffalo
in
They hauled water from the Republican
to get rid of, but later when the country
became more settled they just seemed to
River, seven miles away; as they had but two
barrels, it was necessary to go to the river
every other day. They used water out of the
lagoons for washing, but it was never very
disappear.
The old Burlington trail crossed the homestead in Western Kansas, and every few days
they saw people driving along the trail, and
Yuma and
finished more than 250 quilts, as well as doing
quilting for others. You could go to he house
most any time and she would be in the
basement quilting. There was hardly ever a
time that she did not have a quilt in the
frames that she could go quilt on any time she
had spare time. She also loved to knit; one of
her specialties was knitting booties for all of
the great grandchildren.
The earthly pilgrimage of Myrtle came to
a close on November 8, 1950 at the age of 75
years 11 months and 14 days. She was the last
survivor of the Sleight family. Services were
I
was born
in
1857, and grew
twenties my husband and I got the western
fever, so we sold our little home, crated our
furniture and took the train for the west.We
did not plan where we were going to stop, nor
just how far we would go. When we reached
Kansas City the weather was getting colder
�and it was snowing very hard, and we soon
had the experience of a real blizzard. A few
hours out of Kansas City our train got stuck
in a snow drift; it took them twenty-four
hours to get the train moving again. We
traveled very slow and the car windows were
covered with snow and ice so we could not see
out. We were rather tired of such a tedious
trip. It took us all day, all night and until
eleven o'clock the next night to get to
Atchison, Kansas. We decided to rest a bit so
my husband and two babies and myself got
a room in a hotel there, got a good hot bath
and went to bed and slept until eleven o'clock
the next day. Then we got a good breakfast
and at noon took the train for farther west.
The train traveled so slow and as the windows
were covered with ice we could not see the
country, so we at last reached a little town by
the neme of Gaylord, Kansas, and we decided
to stop and rest until the weather got better.
The next morning when I went out on the
hotel porch I was just thrilled, for the great
prairie was one big blanket of pure white
snow with here and there a little home like
a dot on the whiteness; nothing in sight but
the beautiful snow and the sky. Right there
I knew I would never be contented until I had
a home of our own in the wonderful WEST,
so I urged my husband to take a homestead
and build a sod houge and settle down. I had
never seen a sod house, but had learned that
theywere warm in winter and cool in summer,
I felt that was all that was necessary. My
husband looked at me, and smiling said,
"Nellie, you don't know what you are talking
about." But a woman's job is to talk, so I
finally induced him to buy a team of horses,
so
a covered wagon, six cows and two dozen
chickens, and we started west. The sun was
shining bright, and the snow melting fast; we
traveled two days and two nights, and the
evening ofthe second day we saw a sod house
on the prairie. We drove up to it and a man
and woman came out. They asked us where
we were from and where we were going. My
husband told them we came from Indianapolis, and were going west to take a homestead.
The man said "Man alive, go back to where
you came from; go back now while you can,
for in a year from now you won't have
anything to go back with. Go back before you
have to starve." My husband replied that any
man in America thatwould work did not need
to starve, so we bid them goodbye and drove
on to the next water-hole where we made
camp, about two and one-half miles from the
sod house and the discouraged man. The next
day we filled our bags with water and drove
for miles and miles with not a thing in sight
butland and sky, and camping atnight on the
open prairie.
On the evening of the third day we saw an
object on the prairie; we thought
it
was
another home, but when we drove up to it we
found it was a echool house. We made our
snmp there and just got through eating our
supper when the wind began to blow the
hardeet I had ever known; then the rain came
down in torrents, so we made our beds in the
school house. About three o'clock in the
morning a bunch of coyotes came howling
about the school house, and my husband got
up and shot at them two or three times out
of the windows. They went away and we went
back to sleep, and did not wake until sunrise.
Then we got up, ate our breakfast, and
staded on another day's travel into the
enchanted west.
We drove for two days and about noon of
the third day we saw another object on the
far prairie, and when we got close to it we
discovered it was a big covered wagon with
big letters RBSTAURANT written on the
side. There we ate our lunch, and learned that
this was the first restaurant on the ground
where Colby, Kansas, is now located.
After driving for some days we came to two
little towns built close together; one was
called Voltaire. the other Sherman Center.
Each town was striving for the County seat.
Goodland was then platted as a townsite, and
when the Rock Island Railroad was laid
through this part of Kansas, Goodland was
chosen as the railroad center, and the next
election won it the place for the county seat.
All the excitement made it so interesting
to us that we decided to file a homestead
south of Goodland, so we got a claim, built
a sod house and I settled down to be a
"homesteader" in every sense of the word.
My husband worked atthe Rock Island shops
in Goodland, and mytwo babies and I stayed
on the ranch fifteen miles south of Goodland.
We put barrels in our wagon, and I hauled
water from the Smoky River ten miles south
of us. I took care of the cattle - our six cows
- and I learned to hitch and unhitch a team
in record time. There was not a soul neat us,
and not a house in sight. Nothing but the
great broad prairies, the wide expanse of the
blue sky, and the howling of the coyotes for
music. I lived on this ranch for two years.
I
remember the
first Fourth of
July
celebration in Goodland; the big excitement
of the day was a chance to ride over the new
rails that had just been laid. A car had been
brought in from further down the line, and
everyone that wanted to could get a free ride
over the new railroad. My, that was
so
exciting.
My husband was a lineman, and helped
line the new Railroad from Chicago to
Colorado Springs, and there were times when
I would not
see him for three to six months
at a time.
The railroad went on west, so they moved
my husband to Burlington, the County Seat
of
Kit
Carson County, Colorado. Most of our
western towns gtew overnight, and the
excitement is the biggest part of them for a
number of years. Burlington had a hard
struggle for some years, but it is quite a nice
little city now, and one of which we are all
proud.
Later my husband was moved to Siebert,
Colorado. Seibert wag not on the map until
after the railroad was built. So my husband
wrote to me, and told me to sell the ranch and
come to Siebert to live. Although I was as
much a homegteader as ever, I decided it best
for myself and my two children to get nearer
civilization, so we sold our ranch and moved
to Siebert. But I certainly did not think much
of the town, it was such a dry shabby little
place. There was no water there; all water was
hauled from the river four miles north of us,
or from the well in the old town of Hoyt.
Later the railroad built a section house,
and dug a well, and then locked the pump on
the well and gave instructions that no one but
the Railroad employees was to get water from
that well. However, the instructions
were
given to my husband, and not to me. So when
a poor settler or one of his family came asking
for drinking water or enough to make a cup
of coffee, believe me, I did not turn them
down. If the railroad was helping to build the
country, what about the settlers who were
brave enough to withstand the hardships of
thirst, of starvation, of lonesomeness;
I felt
they had as much right to that good water as
any of the railroad employees did. So I used
to give away a pailful now and then, and then
one day I learned that I had been reported.
Not through malice, but by some one grateful
for the kindness I had shown them, and they
were merely relating this kindness. But the
outcome was that the Supervisor came to my
husband and told him that the key would be
taken away after the pump was locked and
we would have to use the hauled water. My
husband regretted the affair, but told to him
notify me too, as I used the key. When this
man crme to my home and told me what he
was intending to do, I remember I told him
that ifhe were leaving orders the key, to take
it with him, for as long as there was water
there and people needed it I would give it to
them. That I would be glad to haul water and
share it with those around me just as they
would do if I needed water. When I got
through talking the Supervisor did not say
anything, but he bid be goodbye and left the
key with me. I really believe he saw what it
meant to the people of that community to
have a good drink of clear water once in a
while; a drink of water that had not stood in
a barrel in the hot sun. We had no more
trouble after that. Of course, I was careful
with the water, but the well never ran dry in
spite of all the drinks I gave away.
Everyone was poor, some poorer than
others. My husband had a good job with the
railroad, so we were more fortunate than a
great many others who had to depend on their
cattle and farms for a livelihood. I remember
one poor family who had had a great deal of
sickness, and on the day that the eldest little
child died, another baby was born, and the
poor mother had no clothes for the new baby
and nothing decent to bury the other little
child in. So a few of the neighbors got
together and we sewed for the new baby and
the mother and I made a pretty little dress
for a burial dress for the little child. A
neighbor man made a little casket, and we
it nicely with solid white goods and
trimmed it with a bit of lace and some white
ribbon. I remember after we had the wee one
all laid out it looked like a sweet doll, so we
took it into the bedroom so the poor mother
could see it, and I shall never forget how very
grateful she was that her darling was to be
given a decent burial. It was just such
lined
instances as this that made the neighborhood
one big family, all ready to share each others
joys or sorrows. We lived in cars on the siding
until the section house was built, then we
lived in Seibert for a number of years. My
husband was transferred back to Goodland
to the shops and again transferred to Burlington, where he worked as a Section
foreman. We lived in the Montezuma Hotel
until we found a house, and stayed there for
a number of years, getting acquainted with
a number ofthe pioneer settlers ofthat town,
an acquaintance that has ripened into a life
long friendship. We again were transferred to
Seibert, and we decided to get a ranch and go
into the cattle business. The children and I
took care of the ranch while my husband did
his work on the railroad. We lived here for
some years,
my
husband died, and my
children got married, so I moved to town and
em now making my home with my daughter,
Mrs. Zella Hutchens, the present Post Mis-
�tress.
Iam
happy and contented, and enjoy
recounting my experiences of the early days
in this new country; I am glad that I was one
of the pioneers that helped to develop the
country; that I was privileged to do my bit
towards making a bit brighter the lives of
those around me.
by clack Messinger
BUOL FAMILY
F99
John and Anna Buol came to the Burlington area from northeast Nebraska. They
c4me, not in a covered wagon, but in a ModelT Ford, and were accompanied by a son,
Kermit, who was nearly 3 years old at the
time. John received much ridicule from his
peers in Nebraska for leaving those lush,
green, productive fields for a home in "the
Great American Desert", but John had a
vision and saw an opportunity which he made
work successfully. Anna shed more than a few
tears when she arrived on the scene, but the
mystic enchantment of the plains with its
beautiful sunsets, blue skies, and dry, healthful climate soon won her over, and she was
happy to live here for the rest of her life. Her
family, the Arduesers, soon followed her to
Colorado, and settled on farms south of
Bethune, helping to make her early life on the
plains more endurable.
John bought a farm a mile and a half north
of Burlington from Mr. Ed Danforth. This
farm is still in the Buol family and is operated
by John's grandson, John A. Buol. Down
through the years, the Buol cattle-feeding
operation expanded from feeding a small pen
of cattle a year to a 6,(XX) head feedlot today.
To accommodate this expansion progtarn, in
1941, John built a country elevator. This
elevator became quite a landmark, and was
a check-point on many aviation maps. This
elevator burned down in the early 80's.
Two more sons were born to John and
Anna. Martin in 1921 and Russell in 1926. In
1929, John and Anna built a new, modern
home on the farmstead. When they tore down
the old house, they found that the space
between sheeting and laths was filled with
dirt for insulation. The old highway, North
40, came a mile and a half north of Burlington, and turned east by our place. The
turn wag sharp, and many speeding cars
missed the turn, and tore out our fences. In
Nov. of 1930, we had a bad blizzard about a
week before Thanksgiving. The drifts on the
highway were deep, and they didn't get the
road opened until Thanksgiving Day. We
walked to school during that time. During the
famous blizzard in 1931 (the one of the
Towner tragedy), two salesmen were travelling east on the highway. They got about a
mile east of our corner and beco-e stalled.
They started to walk back to town. One got
as far back as our place, but the other
collapsed about a quarter of a mile away. Our
two hired men took scoop shovels for protection, and went out to find him. He was as stiff
as
a log when they brought him in
and
dragged him down the basement steps. Some
men crme out from town to help them back
to town, but the storm got so bad that nobody
could go out, so we had a houseful for the
duration. After the storm was over, they took
the salesman to town, but we never heard
whether the frozen one lived or not.
All three boys went through the Burlington
schools and continued their education at
Colorado State University. They all served in
the Armed Forces. Kermit was a navigator on
a B-17 bomber that was flying in the
European theater in World War II. He was
shot down, and was a German Prisoner of
War for 18 months. Martin was in the Army,
and participated in the drive through Germany, and met the Russians on the Elbe.
Russell was a communications officer in the
Air Force, and followed that career for a
number of years.
Kermit married a Burlington native, Dorene Smith. They had three children; a son
John and two daughters, Denise and Diana.
Martin married Rogene Merwin, whogrewup
in Burlington. They had a son, Terry, and a
daughter, Shelley. Russell manied Elsie Jane
Gross
of Trinidad, and had three sons,
Thomas, Donald, and David. John Buol Sr.
died in 1970 and Anna in 1974. Russell died
in May 1978 and his son, David, in 1987.
The Buol families persevered on the plains.
They saw many ups and downs. The minuses
were dustbowl days, droughts, and blizzards,
but the pluses of bumper crops, desirable
living conditions, and a great environment in
which to raise families far outn 'mber all of
the uncomfortable aspects of living on these
unpredictable plains.
by Kermit J. Buol
BURKART FAMILY
Floo
George Burkart
Mr. and Mrs.
George Burkart, Sr., of
Walter, Russia, cnme to the U.S.A. on June
10, 1892. George and his wife were married
August 19th and September 21, 1868, in
Walter, Russia.
They were among ten couples married the
same day, as their church, not having a
resident pastor, had a special pastor come at
various times.
It required great courage for George to dare
thinking of coming to America. It required
greater courage to undertake such a trip with
a wife and two babies, George and Jake.
They scraped up what they could sell and
got what money they could, which was a
pitiful amount for such a trip. Mrs. Burkart
had to leave her dowry behind, a chest filled
with the choicest linens, which were a gift
from her father. It was difficult to leave
parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, and
friends. It would truly be "goodbye", to know
she could never see those whom she loved
again.
The uppermost reason for them wanting to
come to the New World was the age old
instinct to own a home and land of their own,
ingtead of being a laborer in another man's
vineyard. Some had braved the dangers ofthe
"New World" and now one could own a home
of their own by just living on a place for a
short while and "Improving up on a Homestead". It took stout hearts and willing hands
to go to the New World and face the
hardships.
The Burkart family finally anived in New
York City. A baby had becoming desperately
ill of a fever while enroute, but recovered
safely by the time they landed.
Upon arival, for eome reaaon they were
shut in a cell-like room. George was afraid
they would be returned to the old country for
some reason. He could not talk English, so he
couldn't find out why they were being
detained. On the ship, some fellows were
there to try to get the emigrants to work for
a certain railroad, but Mr. Burkart refused to
sign anything so these men threatened they
would see to it that they would be returned
to the old country. However Mr. Burkart
refused to sign up with them.
After a couple of days a gentleman came
along past their cell-like room evidently
John Buol Farm. John on horee, Kermit right front. In the early 1920's.
looking for someone.
At least he returned
with a guard who unlocked their door. The
�gentleman angrily exclaimed, "Why have you
shut up my people like this." They guessed
that he was an nmbassador from Russia and
had not been able to account for one family
that had not arrived. Anyway he saw that the
tickets were purchased and placed them on
a train headed for their destination, Culbertson, Nebraska, where a cousin, Conrad
Burkart lived.
After the train left New York City, the
Burkarts were afraid to go to sleep because
they had no idea of the location of Culbertson, Nebraska. They were afraid that the
train would pass the station. So George saw
a Negro a few seats ahead and since he
couldn't speak English he made sign language
with the Negro to find out how long he should
be aboard the train. The Negro shut his eyes
and laid back on his seat, help up one finger,
then he sat up and help up one finger
repeating until he had three nights and two
days. Then George went back to his seat to
sleep through the night peacefully.
by Mrs. George Burkart
BURKART FAMILY
Flot
Upon reaching the homestead claim near
Kirk, Colorado, a shelter had been laid up for
them by Mr. Burkart's father who had taken
a claim nearby. Walls of adobe were built by
him. George had sent money to him to buy
windows and a roof. The floor was adobe.
Later the walls in the adobe were plastered
with native lime taken from a pit near the
river. Whenever house cleaning came along,
Mrs. Burkart would take a solution of the
native lime and water and use a rag to rub it
all over the walls to make them a beautiful
white. The floor was cleaned and made
The Burkarts soon moved to Trenton,
Nebraska, where George got work on the
Burlington Railroad. The small amount of
money was getting smaller. One day a freight
train was derailed and a carload of butter in
wooden tubs was in a bad state with the
butter getting mushy and running out of the
tubs. The railroad foreman told George he
could take home all he could use as it would
be wasted. So George and his wife took a great
deal of it. Being very conservative and far
sighted, Mrs. Burkart cooks the butter down
until clear colored and like lard and stored it
in containers as lard. It proved to a real gift
from heaven as we find in their later story of
homestead life.
While in Trenton, Mrs. Burkart did washing and ironing to earn money. Then George
and his brother, Jake Burkart, went to Akron,
Colorado. a railroad center and land office to
file on homestead claims five miles southeast
of Kirk, Colorado.
Then George borrowed his father's covered
wagon and took his wife, who was expecting
another child soon, and his two sons and
headed west. Enroute a daughter Lydia was
born in a farm home. When the baby was an
hour old, the young mother and baby were
placed in the covered wagon, and it moved on
toward the homestead claim. Considered by
grown children today, it seems inconceivable
such a thing could have been endured with
the new mother living to ever tell about it.
horses to put out the fire. Everything was
done to fight these fires. Back firing was also
used, whenever the need arose.
Mr. Burkart, like other pioneers, helped
build early schools. He helped build three in
all, including the Clark School. One was rock
up to the windows, with adobe or sod used for
the others.
presentable by rubbing a real wet gunny sack
The family suffered many hard times, but
were never sorry to have come to the new
world, despite their hardships and homesick-
over
ness.
it and sprinkling fine sand over it.
Next morning aftcr their arrival, young
Mrs. Burkart went outside to view the prairie
about her new home. All she saw was a big,
tall brown grass waving and sighing like pine
trees
in the wind. How useful the cooked
down butter would be to the family now. No
doubt she dreamed how useful her dowry of
fine bed linens could be to her now.
Later a severe drought sent
George
hurrying on horseback south to the Arkansas
valley for work. He wrote for his father to
bring his stock and family to him. A second
daughter Lena arrived while there.
by Mrs. George Burkart
George Burkart
How happy they were to have reached the
promised land of their dresms. Harvest was
on, so George and his wife, Katie, assisted
with the harvest, Katie softly singing her
favorite hymn:
Bless us and keep us
Lord, we look up to Thee
Give us your blessing at all times.
However, underneath it all, from the time
Katie had left her loved ones behind. she
being only a young bride, suffered terrible
homesickness which made her very ill at
times.
the hills along the river. George tells how he
was fighting fire one day when two men came
by dragging a dead animal between two
BURKART
F102
George Burkart
The next spring, 1897, they had earned
some money to start farming so they returned
to their homestead near Kirk, where another
daughter, Amelia was born. She was the
adored baby of the family and no baby could
have been loved more.
George walked five miles from his homestead to the John Pugh ranch on the Republi-
can River when he could get work there and
be spared from home. He walked to work
Sunday evening and returned the same way
Saturday evening. His wages were 50 cents
per day, George says today, "And we were
well fixed. I could buy a sack of "Cowboy"
floor for 75 cents and two pounds ofArbuckle
coffee for 50 cents which filled our needs.
Often times homesteaders didn't have any
flour in the house and never knew where the
next meal was coming from."
"When I worked for Pugh I would note
where a bunch of cattle had bedded down for
the night and would pile a few chips together
here and there and come back later for them
when I had time. So that way we supplied our
fuel."
George remarks of Mrs. Pugh, "She was a
good woman and cooked many good meals for
me for which I am grateful."
Prairie fires were calrmities to the homesteaders. They were started by the train going
to Limon. Everyone went out to help. Pastures, crops and homes were burned, often
people lost their lives.
A large prairie fire started near Flagler in
1901 and burned to the Republican River.
The fire burned to the edge of the Burkart
house when the wind suddenly changed and
the fire turned south to the River where it
died out. The prairies were covered with good
thick grass and large grasses three foot tall in
Mr. and Mrs. Burkart finally built up a
lovely home and helped build a church
nearby. They often times helped their neigh-
bors build homes also. Mr. Burkart joined
some friends in organizing the Kirk State
Bank of Kirk on January 7, L917. He beceme
a director on the bank board and always felt
proud of his achievement for the community.
So it was a gala day of Mr. and Mrs. George
Burkart when the day of their 50th Wedding
Anniversary arrived on February 3, 1938, and
found them happily and comfortably settled
as citizens of their new world. They had
gained what their hearts had desired, looking
forward from their wedding day in the old
world. Their's is happiness a hundredfold
and their land and home are their own: they
are not hired servants. Looking back on their
lives they remarked on their 50th wedding
day: though they had travelled together, they
agreed that God had been good to them, to
bring them to America when He did, that
nowhere else could a man and a family start
out without a penny and by sheer hard work
and good management pay for a home.
Mr, Burkart says: "Here in America
we
have security. We can feel assured, when we
go to bed at night, that we won't be dragged
out by the Secret Police. Of course this
security costs money. That's why we pay
county taxes, and I hope none of my children
will ever complain about having to pay taxes.
If they could just appreciate the differences
between America and the old country as I do,
I'm sure they would not."
Mr. and Mrs. George Burkart celebrated
their 69th wedding anniversary, on February
3, 1957.
Mr. Burkart passed away in
Burkart in
1962; Mrs.
1963.
by Mrs. Sherman Corliss
- lS57
BUTLER, WILLIAM
AND AMANDA
FloS
In the fall of 1913, my parents, William and
Amanda Butler, moved to a homestead north
of Vona. My parents were born in north
central Kansas. My father bought what was
called a relinquishment. My parents had just
bought a new 1913 Model T Ford. My father
drove the car out to the farm, put it in a small
shed, and went back to Kansas on the train.
My parents and another couple who helped
them move constructed one covered wagon,
one wagon, and a hayrack. They had machinery and feed for the horses on the wagons. My
younger sister and brother thought this was
lot of fun, as sometimes they would ride with
�the men in the wagons. This part was told to
me as I stayed with an aunt to go to school.
At night they slept in the covered wagon
and they would co-p at a farm house so as
to have water. They cooked on a two burner
oil stove, and as a rule the weather was nice
and the cooked outside, but one evening it
rained, so they stayed in a hotel and put the
horses in the livery barn. I came to Colorado
BUTTERFIELD
FAMILY
F104
Melvin and Barbara Butterfield
on the train all by myself on my seventh
birthday. I thought I was plenty big to buy
fruit and sandwiches and give the right
change. The train got to Vona in the night.
My father Witlard Milton Butterfield, was
born in 1898 at Amherst, Colorado, the son
of Ellen (Smith) and Edward Ulyssess (Edd)
My parents, sister and brother, had driven to
Vona, and had a room at the hotel. As the
rado from Ohio in 1886. He was a farmer and
rancher.
My mother Lettie Mildred Bone, was born
in 1898, at Corydon, Iowa, daughter of Alice
(Rockwell) and Charles Bone, who came to
Holyoke from Iowa in 1903-04. Lettie traces
her lineage back 9 generations through her
father on the maternal side of Stansbury's, to
a Detmar Sternberg, who came to Baltimore,
Maryland in 1658. Detmar was descended
from William of Orange, and also back 7
generations to a Cromwell, who was related
to Olvier Cromwell.
Lettie and Willard married in 1920 in
Holyoke, Colorado. Willard worked for his
hotel had only one bed to a room, we all slept
in the one bed until it was daylight and then
we started for the homestead. My sister and
brother were very excited as they said we
were building a mud house. All of the
neighbors came to work on that house. I still
own the Homestead. and the house is occupied.
In those days there were not many cars. My
father took couples to Burlington to get
married, and to prove up on their homesteads. If you were in your car and met people
in a buggy or wagon, the man with the horse
would get out ofhis wagon and hold on to the
horseg'heads or the horses would run away.
We lived in a one room frame house while
the new house was being built. Then the little
house was made into a garage. At that time
a barn was built and also other buildings.
We attended the Boger School. In those
days as many €Nr fifty and sixty pupils would
Butterfield. Edd Butterfield came to Colo-
Dad Edd. It was born in L922, and Marvin
Delet, was born in 1924, on the Butterfield
farm south of Holyoke. ln 1924 they moved
to a farm (owned by his Dad) located 16 miles
south on Highway 51 and 3 miles east of
Burlington, Colorado. They had 160 acres of
farm and pasture ground. Dad bought
a
tenm
of mules from his Dad for $300 and Mom's
parents gave them a milk cow. There was a
four room house of the farm. When Willard's
mother, Ellen, died in1924, Willard's youngest brother Edward (Buzzie) Butterfield was
10 years old. He made his home with us until
he married in 1934. Close neighbors wee the
Henry Dragers, to the west, Vince Daniels,
one mile north & one mile west: Fred
Nortons, one mile north & one mile east; and
the Lawrence Carlsons, one-half mile north.
The children rode the bus nine miles to the
Smoky Hill School. Willard drove the school
bus for several years. The school was the
center for activities and church services were
held there.
When Highway 24 was being built, Willard
of mules and wagon to
Burlington to work on the highway, hauling
drove his team
sand and dirt.
Verna Ellen was born in 1927. She was such
a tiny thing, four pounds. Kenneth Ervin was
born in 1929 and Willard Junior, in 1932.
They were born on the farm; Dad would go
to town and get Dr. Remington who would
deliver for $25. We always had lots of
livestock on the farm. A good saddle horse
was always saddled up and tied to a post
ready to be used.
In the summer time Dad and Marvin
milked the cows and I would ride and bring
in the horses. It was open range and they
could roam as much as 15 to 20 miles from
home. When Marvin was around 9 years old
he would ride south to a sheep snmp and
be going to school. Sunday School was held
in many of the school houses. Our school was
the main entertainment. Dances were held in
homes, and baseball was a great entertainment in those days. In L923, my father
became Postmast€r at Vona. We lived near
Vona during the summer and then moved
into town. My sister and I had worked for our
room and board to go to high school.
The years brought more schooling, teaching several terms of achool, and my marriage
to Harold Summers. We went through the
depression years, dirt storm years, with low
prices for farm produce, and back to good
crops and prices. Many people remember the
rabbit drives and the grasshoppers that ate
the little trees we eet out, and then the time
came when there were no rabbits, and it
seemed as if the deer, antelope, and coyotes
had taken over. My husband was a lover of
cattle and horses; of coutse, for many years
he farmed with horses. We had Black Angus
cattle.
Our parents moved to California during the
Second World War years, and they have all
been gone many years. Also my sister passed
away many years ago. My brother hag lived
in California since 1937. Now a widow, I have
been on geveral long tours east, west, north
and south, and still think eastern Colorado
is the best place to live.
My two daughters do not live in my home
town. Shirley Basinger and husband Virgil
live in Gunnison, Colorado, where Shirley is
in Banking. Jerry Weisshaar and husband
Junior live in ldalia, Colorado, where Jerry
is Postmaster. I have six grandchildren and
six great grandchildren. One grandson, Dale
Weisshaar, and
Stratton.
his family live here in
by Fern (Butler) Summers
The Willard Butterfield family, L. to R.; WiIIard, Lettie, Marvin, Verna, Melvin, George, and Junie (Willard
Jr.)
�bring home orphan lambs' Marvin and I shot
rabbits and skunks to sell their hides and use
the money to buy more shells. In the 30'e
there were so many rabbits. The farmers
would hold rabbit drives and pay 10 or
?
&
l
12
cents each. A place in town skinned them and
the carcases were trucked to Denver for the
mink farms. When we all went to town on
Saturday. I would go right to the library and
check out Zane Gray Bookg. Dad played the
in the city band when they had
summer concerts in the city park. It was a
treat to eat a loaf of bakery bread on the way
home. Most of the time we kids stayed home
and entertained ourselves by hitching up a
wild horse and a tame horse to a wagon and
let them go; or ride the wild horses. Kenneth
and Junie would get up in the grainery and
find eggs, throw them down, thinking they
could pick them up later. Verna said they
made mud pies with eggs, but Mom didn't
know about that for years. One time Kenneth
fell out of the hay loft and landed on a cow
who bucked him off. The dust storms of the
30's were terrible. We would put up wet
sheets over the windows but could never keep
the dirt out. There were lots of bull snakes
around, they'd get in the chicken house and
eat the eggs. One time Mom gathered eggs
and put her hand in the nest on a snake; she
never did gather eggs after dark again. In the
wintcr time during a blizzard, we would make
ice cream in a covered gallon bucket and hang
it on the clothes line; the wind would keep it
stirred up until it was frozen. Four of us kids
cornet
had February birthday's; we would take a
freezet ofice cree- to school on the bus. The
kids at school called Kenneth "George"
because he was born on George Washington's
birthday.
by Barbara Butterfield
BUTTERFIELD
FAMILY
F106
Melvin and Barbara Butterfield
After completing the 10th grade at Smoky
School, I went to High School in
Burlington for 2 years. Earl Sivey and I
Hill
batched together at Shooks gn-p ground.
After school I went out for football and track.
I played right guard of the football teem that
won state shnmpionship in 1940, coached by
Curly Schlupp. I graduated from Burlington
High School in1942 and served in the Navy
L942-46.
I
manied Barbara Ann Magee,
daughter of C.L. and Vera Magee of Burlington, in 1948. I wae elected County Clerk
and Recorder 1950-59. We moved to Denver
in 1959. I retired from ReaI Estate Sales in
1982. We have 3 children: (1) Kerry Lee, born
1949, married, 2 children, Jenny born 1972
and Paul, born 1975. They lived in Denver
and Montrose, Colorado. In July of 1987 they
moved to Woodinville, Washington. (2) Dea
Ann, born 1952, married, has 3 boys, Thomas
(1980), Scott (1982) and Eric (198 a). They
live in Woodinville, Washington. (3) Lonny
Jack, born 1955, married, 3 boys, Andrew
(1982), Nathan (198a) and Jeremy (1986)'
Jack is a fireman with Bancroft Fire Dept'
His wife, Kathy, is a chemist at Coors.
County Clerks Office in 1951 with Iva Gross seated on right, Melvin Buttcrfield and Mary Marnell. Mel
was County Clerk of Kit Carson County.
My brother, Marvin Delet
Butterfield,
graduated from B.H.S. in 1943; served in the
Navy 1944-46. He married Dolores Ann
Dunn, daughter of Al and Mattie Dunn of
Burlington, in 1949. They moved to Denver
in
1951; moved to LaSalle, Colorado
in
1967.
He died in 1971 at age 47. They had
3
children; (1) Bruce, born 1951, married, one
son, Brett (1977). They live
in Ft. Collins,
Colorado. Dolores makes her home with
them. (2) David, born 1955, married, has 2
girls, Jennifer (1981) and Dawn (1983), born
in Oklahoma. (3) Tami Sue, born 1959,
married, 2 children, Nickalos (1980) and
Anneka Marie (1983). They live in Texas.
Ellen Verna Butterfield was born 1927. She
graduated from B.H.S. in 1949; married
Glenn Franke, son of August Franke in 1952.
They moved to Glenwood Springs, Colorado
in 1956. Glenn will retire from Holy Cross
Elec. in Feb. 1988. They have 3 children, (1)
Jeffrey, born 1954, married, 2 children,
Crystal (19?7) and Jason (1979). (2) Lesyle,
born 1957, married, divorced, has twin girls,
Linsey and Krysta (1983). Lesyle teaches
school in Glenwood Springs. (3) Norman,
born 1961, married, one son, Jarrid (1985).
They also live in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Kenneth Ervin Butterfield, born
1929,
graduated from B.H.S. in 1947. Served in the
Navy 1948-1952. Married Ruby Buchholz,
daughter of Fred and Gertrude Buchholz of
Bethune, Colorado, in 1952. They moved to
Denver in 1953. "George" joined the Denver
Fire Dept in 1955 and retired in 1980. They
have a daughter, LaDonna Connie, born
1955, married, has 2 boys, Michael (1981) and
Christopher (1984). They live in Denver.
Willard Butterfield, Jr. born 1932. Graduated B.H.S. 1950. married Connie Lee Wilcox, daughter of Irene (Chalfant) and Kenneth Wilcox, in 1951. They moved to Denver
in 1955, "Junie" works at the Federal Center,
in Research Electronics. They have 2 children, (1) Kenetha Ann, born 1956, married,
2 children; Justin (1983) and Stefanie (1986).
(2) James Michael, born 1958, married, one
daughter, Sarah (1986). "Mike" works for the
Castlewood Fire Dept. and lives in Denver.
On August 30, 1979, all ofthe Butterfield
children and their families were gathered at
Willard and Lettie's home to celebrate their
59th Wedding Anniversary, when Willard
had a fatal heart attack. Letie lived in her
home until her failing health caused her to
make her home with son Kenneth and wife
Ruby. In December of 1987, she entered the
Villa Manor Nursing Home at 7950 W.
Mississippi Ave., Lakewood, Colorado,
80226.
by Barbara Butterfield
CALVERLEY FAMILY
Fl06
In 1924 Raymond H. Calverley moved to
Stratton with his wife, Ellora, and two
daughters, Lois Jane and Lola May. For the
next thirty-one years that he and Ellora lived
in Stratton, he not only ran the First National
Bank but was active in every aspect of the
community. His many years on the Stratton
Town Council enabled him to be a part of the
development of the town itself, while at the
same time being a member of the school
board showed his concern for the education
of children. As a charter member of the
Stratton Rotary Club, he became a part of the
many fine programs assigned for the social
benefits of the town.
Mr. and Mrs. Calverly were
faithful
supporters of the Congregational Church
which eventually became the United Methodist Church of today. Ellora particularly
worked energetically for the many activities
of the church.
In the early 1960's the Calverleys left
Stratton, moving to Loveland, Colorado, for
their retirement years.
by Ellora Calverley
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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Families of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief biographies of the founding families of Kit Carson County Colorado.
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Title
A name given to the resource
Families- B
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Description
An account of the resource
A brief history of some of the founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with the letter "B." As told in the book The History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
Language
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
Format
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text/pdf
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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>
-
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/456/Families-C.pdf
b74828cf5ca8eca3032a0db6cc5857d9
PDF Text
Text
bring home orphan lambs' Marvin and I shot
rabbits and skunks to sell their hides and use
the money to buy more shells. In the 30'e
there were so many rabbits. The farmers
would hold rabbit drives and pay 10 or
?
&
l
12
cents each. A place in town skinned them and
the carcases were trucked to Denver for the
mink farms. When we all went to town on
Saturday. I would go right to the library and
check out Zane Gray Bookg. Dad played the
in the city band when they had
summer concerts in the city park. It was a
treat to eat a loaf of bakery bread on the way
home. Most of the time we kids stayed home
and entertained ourselves by hitching up a
wild horse and a tame horse to a wagon and
let them go; or ride the wild horses. Kenneth
and Junie would get up in the grainery and
find eggs, throw them down, thinking they
could pick them up later. Verna said they
made mud pies with eggs, but Mom didn't
know about that for years. One time Kenneth
fell out of the hay loft and landed on a cow
who bucked him off. The dust storms of the
30's were terrible. We would put up wet
sheets over the windows but could never keep
the dirt out. There were lots of bull snakes
around, they'd get in the chicken house and
eat the eggs. One time Mom gathered eggs
and put her hand in the nest on a snake; she
never did gather eggs after dark again. In the
wintcr time during a blizzard, we would make
ice cream in a covered gallon bucket and hang
it on the clothes line; the wind would keep it
stirred up until it was frozen. Four of us kids
cornet
had February birthday's; we would take a
freezet ofice cree- to school on the bus. The
kids at school called Kenneth "George"
because he was born on George Washington's
birthday.
by Barbara Butterfield
BUTTERFIELD
FAMILY
F106
Melvin and Barbara Butterfield
After completing the 10th grade at Smoky
School, I went to High School in
Burlington for 2 years. Earl Sivey and I
Hill
batched together at Shooks gn-p ground.
After school I went out for football and track.
I played right guard of the football teem that
won state shnmpionship in 1940, coached by
Curly Schlupp. I graduated from Burlington
High School in1942 and served in the Navy
L942-46.
I
manied Barbara Ann Magee,
daughter of C.L. and Vera Magee of Burlington, in 1948. I wae elected County Clerk
and Recorder 1950-59. We moved to Denver
in 1959. I retired from ReaI Estate Sales in
1982. We have 3 children: (1) Kerry Lee, born
1949, married, 2 children, Jenny born 1972
and Paul, born 1975. They lived in Denver
and Montrose, Colorado. In July of 1987 they
moved to Woodinville, Washington. (2) Dea
Ann, born 1952, married, has 3 boys, Thomas
(1980), Scott (1982) and Eric (198 a). They
live in Woodinville, Washington. (3) Lonny
Jack, born 1955, married, 3 boys, Andrew
(1982), Nathan (198a) and Jeremy (1986)'
Jack is a fireman with Bancroft Fire Dept'
His wife, Kathy, is a chemist at Coors.
County Clerks Office in 1951 with Iva Gross seated on right, Melvin Buttcrfield and Mary Marnell. Mel
was County Clerk of Kit Carson County.
My brother, Marvin Delet
Butterfield,
graduated from B.H.S. in 1943; served in the
Navy 1944-46. He married Dolores Ann
Dunn, daughter of Al and Mattie Dunn of
Burlington, in 1949. They moved to Denver
in
1951; moved to LaSalle, Colorado
in
1967.
He died in 1971 at age 47. They had
3
children; (1) Bruce, born 1951, married, one
son, Brett (1977). They live
in Ft. Collins,
Colorado. Dolores makes her home with
them. (2) David, born 1955, married, has 2
girls, Jennifer (1981) and Dawn (1983), born
in Oklahoma. (3) Tami Sue, born 1959,
married, 2 children, Nickalos (1980) and
Anneka Marie (1983). They live in Texas.
Ellen Verna Butterfield was born 1927. She
graduated from B.H.S. in 1949; married
Glenn Franke, son of August Franke in 1952.
They moved to Glenwood Springs, Colorado
in 1956. Glenn will retire from Holy Cross
Elec. in Feb. 1988. They have 3 children, (1)
Jeffrey, born 1954, married, 2 children,
Crystal (19?7) and Jason (1979). (2) Lesyle,
born 1957, married, divorced, has twin girls,
Linsey and Krysta (1983). Lesyle teaches
school in Glenwood Springs. (3) Norman,
born 1961, married, one son, Jarrid (1985).
They also live in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.
Kenneth Ervin Butterfield, born
1929,
graduated from B.H.S. in 1947. Served in the
Navy 1948-1952. Married Ruby Buchholz,
daughter of Fred and Gertrude Buchholz of
Bethune, Colorado, in 1952. They moved to
Denver in 1953. "George" joined the Denver
Fire Dept in 1955 and retired in 1980. They
have a daughter, LaDonna Connie, born
1955, married, has 2 boys, Michael (1981) and
Christopher (1984). They live in Denver.
Willard Butterfield, Jr. born 1932. Graduated B.H.S. 1950. married Connie Lee Wilcox, daughter of Irene (Chalfant) and Kenneth Wilcox, in 1951. They moved to Denver
in 1955, "Junie" works at the Federal Center,
in Research Electronics. They have 2 children, (1) Kenetha Ann, born 1956, married,
2 children; Justin (1983) and Stefanie (1986).
(2) James Michael, born 1958, married, one
daughter, Sarah (1986). "Mike" works for the
Castlewood Fire Dept. and lives in Denver.
On August 30, 1979, all ofthe Butterfield
children and their families were gathered at
Willard and Lettie's home to celebrate their
59th Wedding Anniversary, when Willard
had a fatal heart attack. Letie lived in her
home until her failing health caused her to
make her home with son Kenneth and wife
Ruby. In December of 1987, she entered the
Villa Manor Nursing Home at 7950 W.
Mississippi Ave., Lakewood, Colorado,
80226.
by Barbara Butterfield
CALVERLEY FAMILY
Fl06
In 1924 Raymond H. Calverley moved to
Stratton with his wife, Ellora, and two
daughters, Lois Jane and Lola May. For the
next thirty-one years that he and Ellora lived
in Stratton, he not only ran the First National
Bank but was active in every aspect of the
community. His many years on the Stratton
Town Council enabled him to be a part of the
development of the town itself, while at the
same time being a member of the school
board showed his concern for the education
of children. As a charter member of the
Stratton Rotary Club, he became a part of the
many fine programs assigned for the social
benefits of the town.
Mr. and Mrs. Calverly were
faithful
supporters of the Congregational Church
which eventually became the United Methodist Church of today. Ellora particularly
worked energetically for the many activities
of the church.
In the early 1960's the Calverleys left
Stratton, moving to Loveland, Colorado, for
their retirement years.
by Ellora Calverley
�CALVIN, MELVIN
FAMILY
FtoT
Melvin Gerald Calvin was born Sept. 27,
at Smith Center, Kansas to Leonard
and Katherine (Baetz) Calvin. At the age of
1915,
six months he moved with his parents and
two sisters, May (Calvin) Kellogg, and Irene
(Calvin) Hermbloon to Stratton.
The family moved to a farm southeast of
Stratton. During the first year the family
lived in a dugout basement while Leonard
built the house and the other buildings. The
farm is presently owned by Mrs. Chris
Schwieger.
In
1919 the
family left Stratton to live in
Greeley, Co. while their Dad Leonard attended teacher training at Colorado State Teach-
ers College. The following year the family
returned to the family farm south of Stratton.
Melvin and his sisters all graduated from
Stratton High School. Both of his sisters
taught in the country schools. Melvin graduated with the class of 1933. His class was the
only class to have graduation pictures during
the depression. He then went on to attend
college for a short time in Wichita, Ks. where
he studied business.
Bernice (Fass) Calvin met our father
Melvin on her many visits from Syracuse,
Nebr. She came to visit her aunt and uncle,
the Peter Kruse family. On May 20, 1936
Melvin and Bernice were married in Goodland, Kansas. They eloped so they would
have some time to tell Dad's parents about
their marriage. But as
it
always goes the
announcement of the maniage was published
in the Goodland Daily News. So his parents
found out before they got back to Stratton.
The first ten years of their married life they
resided in Denver. where two of their four
children were born: Betty and Linda.
Melvin worked for the Remington Arms
Co. until he was drafted into the Army on
March 4,L944. During his time in the service
he was the recipient ofthe Silver Star, Bronze
Star, Good Conduct Star and the Purple
Heart. He received his discharge papers on
Oct. 20, 1945 with the ranking of Staff
Sergeant.
fire district board for many years. Melvin and
Bernice both were actively involved with the
American Legion and Auxiliary. Dad marched in the honor guard at all Stratton Days
and Homecoming events up and until his
death Oct. L6, t974. Dad was up for reelection to the county assessor office unopposed on the Democratic ticket at the time of
his death.
After Dad's death Mom was asked by many
people of the community to run for the
assessorjob to which she was elected, serving
a four year term. During this time she decided
to sell the farm to Chris Schwieger and then
she bought a home in Burlington, Co. where
she resided until her death in Nov. 21, 1982.
Their four daughters all graduated from
Stratton High School and are now all
married. Betty Belt lives with her husband
Leroy in Alamosa. She has three boys and two
girls and four step children.
Linda Torline who died Feb. 5, 1984, lived
with her husband Larry in Lakewood, Co.
They have three sons. Christine Brachten-
bach lives with her husband Dennis on a farm
north ofStratton. They have one boy and two
daughters. Vickie Hahn lives with her husband Lyden in Fresno, Calif. She has two girls
and one stepchild.
by Christine Brachtenbach
CARPER, H. C. AND
BLANCHE
FloS
From the 1930's until 1968, H.C. (Tope)
Carper and his wife, Blanche (Lipford)
Carper, operated the Carper Barber and
Beauty Shop on Flagler's Main Street.
Tope had first come to Flagler in Lg22 to
work
in Harry
Gray's Barber Shop, later
returning to Jennings, Kansas,
Blanche, the daughter of Lena and J.W.
(Jack) Lipford, had lived in the Flagler area
since coming to a homestead with her parents
in 1908. She was a graduate of Flagler High
School and had taught the Mt. Pleasant
School, located north of Flagler on the Kit
Carson - Washington County line for two
The couple were married on May 24,L923,
probatc
judge, Emma L. Lathrop. Witnesses were Mr.
and Mrs. Geo. Nellans of Jennings, Kansas.
In 1946 and 1947 their last two daughters;
Christine and Vickie, were born in Stratton
at Mrs. Border's Maternity Home.
Basically times were pretty good on the
farm, except during the dirty fifties, where
our greatest fears were having to move and
The newlyweds made their home in Jennings,
where Tope was a barber.
While living in Jennings, their two daughters were born. Patricia Jean was born on
June 8, 1927, but lived only 3 months. Their
second daughter, Jacqueline Fae was born on
leave the farm, but as with many things, we
were able to withstand the drought and bad
timee and stay.
Jan. 19,1929.
During this time Dad put the farm in the
ASCS offrce. Mom started working at the
Stratton Equity Co-op where ghe was employed by them for eighteen years.
Melvin and Bernice were involved with
many community activities. Dad was a
member of the Stratton School Board for
eighteen years. He was actively involved in
the planning of the new high school. He also
took many a load of pep club girls to football
and basketball games. He also served on the
active
in the American Legion.
Blanche
belonged to the Eastern Star and the Legion
Auxiliary. Tope had a great interest in sports
and managed many baseball teams through
the years as well as playing in his younger
years. As long as he lived he took an active
interest in the sports activities in the commu-
nity.
After Tope's retirement and Blanche's
retirement a little later, they spent five
winters in Bullhead City, Arizona to enjoy a
more mild climate.
After a period of failing health, Tope died
on Jan. 29, L976. Burial was in the Flagler
Cemetery.
Blanche has continued to make her home
in Flagler, enjoying leisure time activities,
after working for so many years.
Their daughter, Jackie married Ray Spiars
on Dec. 26,L954 in Riverton, Wyoming where
she was teaching and where he worked for
Frontier Airlines. Since then they had lived
in Hastings and Grand Island, Nebr., and in
New Castle and Worland, Wyo., Seattle,
Wash. and in Denver. The Spiars have four
children: Terri, Michael, Steve and David
and six grandchildren: Mandy, Aaron and
Benjie Armstead and Trevor, Brandon and
Jordan Spiars.
After his return from the war he decided
he wanted to farm. So he moved his family
to Stratton to live on his dad's farm which he
finally purchased. His parents then moved to
Denver.
soil bank progro- and stafied working at the
served as County Chairman. They were
members of the Congregational Church.
Tope was a member of the Masonic Lodge,
a charter member of the Lions Club and
by Blanche Lipford Carper
CARTER, FLOYD AND
ESTALEENE (ESTIE)
Fr09
Floyd Carter born Sept. 3rd 1915 in Cass
County Iowa came with his parents Adam &
Katie Carter when a small boy of 4 years old
from Cumberland, Ia., to rural Yuma County
Colo. He and his sister Ruby attended the
Prairie View grade school 12 miles north and
years.
at Oberlin, Kansas, by a woman
In 1931, the Carpers returned to Flagler
where Tope worked first at the Campbell
Barber Shop located in the IOOF Hall which
he soon bought. Then they bought the
building on the east side of Main Street and
moved the shop there. In 1936, Blanche
attended the Charles Beauty School in
Denver and upon completing it, began the
operation of a beauty shop along with the
barber shop.
During their years in Flagler, the Carpers
were active in the life of the community. Tope
served on the Town Council and as mayor. He
was also active in the Democratic party and
Floyd and Estaleene Carter.
�In 1925 Adam &
Katie moved with their children Muriel,
Ruby, & Floyd into Yuma. Floyd attcnded
a mile west of Yuma, Co.
grade school and High School there, graduating with the class of 1932 or 1933.
As a little boy he delivered the Denver
Post, raked leaves, mowed lawns, to help out
at home. The Crash of 1929 and the dirty
thirties were hard on this family as well as a
lot of other families so any help was a
blessing. Adam worked on the W.P.A. and
Katie picked turkeys to make ends meet. The
Dirty Thirties were hard to recover from but
survive they did. Possibly making then
appreciate the good life when it cane.
In the teens Floyd started working for Ray
Beanblossom in his creamery, carrying in
cream and eggs and washing dirty cream
cans. Little did he know then he would follow
this route for the next 42 years.
Later he changed jobs going to work for the
Gisi Produce Co. By this time he was old
enough to drive trucks so he drove for Mike
Gisi as well as helping Nellie Gisi in the
creemery. He picked up eggs, s1snm, &
poultry and delivered them to markets in
Denver for Mike. He later hauled corn & feed
for Mike, hauling grain to Ia. Other markets
for eggs were Omaha Nebr. and chickens to
Norton Kan.
In 1940 on May 6th Floyd married a
displaced Missouri girl, Estaleene Haley. I
was born Dec. 16, 1920 and had come to Wray,
Colo. to visit my Aunt Iva Lair. Liking Wray
so much I convinced my parents (with a lot
of persuasion) Brack & Ona Haley to let me
stay in Wray with my Aunt Iva & finish the
last 2 years of High School there. They finally
with the class of 1940.
After our marriage Floyd bought his own
gave in and I graduated
cre4mery, Carter's Produce, as
it
was known
and we started buying produce from the
farmers of the surrounding areas. Eventually
we had a new business added to our produce
that was delivering Meadow
Gold Milk and products to homes and
business and
through the years, Meadow Gold Milk,
Sealtest Milk, & Sinton milk was to be the
last.
Estie, as all Burlington called me,
was
always active helping Floyd in the creamery
& milk business. I also worked 15 years for
the J.M McDonald Co. a family Dept. store.
Had my own Hobby - Craft - Army Surplus
Store for 4 years located on the west side of
our creamery building. I worked part time for
West€rn Auto for 2 years until it closed. Then
4 years at Burlington Flower Shop from
I retired in 1981.
where
Our three children attended Burlington
grade and high school in Burlington. Sheryl
graduated in 1959. She is married to Glen
Davis, an employee of Peoples Natural Gas.
Sheryl being employed by Tyrrell's Insurance. They are the parents of a son Jeff who
employed
in the Porcelian Dept. at Coor's Brewery.
Jim graduated in 1961. Married Bonnie
Clark. He worked for U.P.S. nearly 11 years
& Schlosser Redi-Mix for 10 years and at
present is working for Hitchcock Inc. They
are the parents ofBrent 12 and Brooklyn age
8. Brent in middle school and Brooklyn in
Elementary.
Dan graduated in 1966. He decided to
become a school teacher and he graduated
is 21 and lives in Denver where he is
from Western State in Gunnison in 1970.
Received his Masters from C.S.U. in Fort
Collins. He married Patricia Whaman Brews-
ter from Bird City Kans. & they have a son
Christopher age 9. Dan and Pat are both
teachers in Natrona County, Casper Wyo.
Since our retirement in 1981 we have
enjoyed taking several major trips.
In May 1987 Estie came out of retirement
and accepted a job at Burlington's Old Town
Museum and it is a job I dearly love. Hope
I can continue to be a part of this great
endeavor of Old Town for a long time to come.
by Estaleene (Estie) Carter
business places.
Floyd and Estaleene were parents of 3
children Sheryl, Jim & Dan. On March ?th
1955 Floyd and Estie chose to move to
Burlington to make their home. We bought
Leo King's Produce from Charolette & Leo
King & again we had Carter's Produce in
Burlington after selling the one in Yuma.
A new beginning . . . meeting new friends
. . . neighbors . . . & most of all our new
customers. We bought creo- for Beatrice
Creamery Co, Eggs for Boswell's Produce &
hatching eggs for Jamison Hatchery all of
these located in Denver. Through this business we prospered & thanks go out to our
valued cugtomers throughout the years of
being able
to deal with them, until
our
retirement Sept. 1981.
Floyd spent his entire adult life in the
creom and milk business, even though during
the 1940's farmers beca-e more wealthy and
didn't have to depend upon their cream and
egg check for groceries as much as before.
The
crepmeries started closing over the country
and ours was no exception & it eventually
closed also. The milk business continued
profitable for us and we continued to be in
the milk business until retirement in 1981. So
what Floyd Carter start€d out doing as a
young man he continued for nearly 45 years.
Milk business was hard and a lot of early
morning hours . . sometimes a thankless
job but it had been good to us. We delivered,
CASSEN, A.E. AND
FERN
FllO
Arthur Emil Cassen and Katie Fern Blount
were manied June 15, 1918 in Nebraska City,
Nebraska. The following April the newly
weds came to Bethune, Colorado by immi-
grant train. They arrived with a team of
caused complete disaster for Art and his
brother Al. They were on their own. Art took
a small trunk, the family Bible and a couple
ofhard bound books and ronmed the country
picking up what jobs he could find, if nothing
more than for his board and room. Art often
told of cutting timber all day and having
cherry soup for their meal. Finally a cousin
and her husband. Theresa and Martin
Blinde, gave him a place to "come home to".
He continued to work cutting timber, picking
and shelling corn and helping in Martin
Blinde's General Mercantile Store. In the
winters of 1917 and 1918, Art made five cents
a bushel picking corn, picking an average of
fifty bushels a day. He made 250 an hour
when he cut timber. $35.00 a month was full
time wages.
Art's formal education ended with the
death of his father but he continued to read
whatever he could and stayed in contact with
family, especially some cousins from Oklahoma. When a teenager, he found out by
accident that this especially nice girl cousin
was actually his little sister, Anna. Anne
Shinn was always very dear to Art and Fern.
Anne, her husband Carl, and two children,
Betty and Ed spent most of 1930 with Art and
Fern in Bethune and returned often for a
visit. Art said that the first person that really
cared about him was Fern Blount and he was
not going to let her get away.
Fern Blount was the only daughter of
William K. and Eliza Virginia Kite Blount.
She had three brothers, Kay, Ora, and Roy.
Fern was born April 26, 1897 near Auburn,
Nebraska. She attended Fairview Country
School, Auburn High School and studied
music at Peru Normal Teachers College in
Peru, Nebraska. Fern loved to play the piano
and played for Sunday School, church,
weddings, high school graduations and funerals. She also taught many young people the
art of playing the piano.
Being of such tough stock they were full of
determination and hope. The snow melted,
sod was plowed and crops were planted. A
barn was built for the horses and then a one
room frame house was built. Faith was what
had kept Art and Fern going. While living
with the Blinde's in Johnson, Nebraska, Art
in the German Lutheran
Church. Fern was a member of the Bethel
Methodist Church in Auburn, Nebraska. In
was confirmed
1920 Art and Fern helped organize a Sunday
School that met in the old Bethune School.
This was the beginning of many years of
community involvement. By 1923 they had
horses, a jersey cow, six hens, a rooster and
helped organize school district No.45, Prairie
Star. Art served as president for 14 years.
south of Bethune to an unimproved 80 acres
owned by Fern's father. Since there were no
buildings a neighbor, Mr. Lamb, let them
stay in a stall in his barn. He and his wife had
only a one room house. They took the piano
out of the box so the jersey cow had shelter.
Their first night in Colorado was spent on a
bed of straw. They awoke to a Colorado
spring blizzard.
Art Cassen was born to Charles and Anna
Fredrick Cassens on August 31, 1880 on the
They worked until the Bethune Community
Fern's piano. They journeyed three miles
family farm near Johnson, Nebraska in
Nemaha County.
In
January, 1900 Art's
mother passed away. Charles
Cassens
married Anna Behrman. Times were tough
for the Cassens family. Art attended first and
second grade in Roosevelt County school and
then went to school in Johnson for three more
years. Art's father passed away in 1911. This
Evangelical Church was formed
in
1929.
They were charter members and both served
many years as Sunday School Superintendent and or Sunday School teachers. Fern
helped organize the first Ladies Aide. Fern
served many years on the Red Cross board
helping in distribution of food and clothing
to the needy. She made bandages and knittsd
garments for the Red Cross for use during
WWI and WWII and during the depression.
In the late 30's Art served on the Bethune
Town Council for four years.
The depression hit Art and Fern hard as
it did everyone. Art was working part time for
August Heilscher in the grocery store in
Bethune and trying to hang on to the farm.
In 1936 Art and Fern had to leave the farm
and moved to Bethune. Later in 1936 thev
�purchased Heilscher's grocery store. Art and
Fern spent the next twenty-six years side by
side in a grocery store. No one wEur ever sent
out of his store because they could not pay.
ln
1942
Grocery
Art and Fern bought the Freel
in Arriba and moved to Lincoln
County. They remained in the grocery business
until retiring in the summer of
1962.
They were as community oriented and caring
in Arriba as they had been in Bethune.
Though Art and Fern had no natural children
they touched the lives of many young people
including lris Rouse Taylor, Frances BitterIt did not
take much to have Art or Fern produce
pictures of their "grandsons", Delbert, David
man Todd and Roland Schmidt.
and Don, sons of Roland and Peggy Schmidt.
Fern passed away November 21, 1983. The
Jack and Minnie had both grown up in
eastern, Nebraska. Jack was born on Oct. 30,
1886, to John and Lena (Gantt) Chalfant
of
Rock Bluffs Township, Cass County, Nebras-
ka. His parents had both emigrated to
Nebraska from Pennsylvania with their
parents in 1857. John and Lena were married
in 1868 in Omaha, and lived on their farm for
fifty years.
Minnie was born September 17, 1889, to
Matthew and Alice (Olds) Shoemaker of
Liberty Township, Otoe County, Nebraska.
Her parents, too, had both come from
Pennsylvania. Matt and Alice were married
at Wyoming, Nebraska, in 1874. They lived
on their farm until they retired in 1910 and
moved into Union.
Jack and Minnie were manied June
8,
Art died of a
1910, and lived on a rented farm near Union.
massive heart attack. Though they had not
lived in Bethune for 41 years they stayed in
All the farms in the area were small and the
land was expensive. Jack had dreams of a
bigger place and thought that the open
following March 22, t984
contact with many of their old friends and
Bethune was home.
by Margaret Schmidt
CHALFANT, JACK
AND MINNIE
Flll
John Mac (or Jack, as he was always called)
and Minnie Chalfant moved to Burlington in
1920. Jack arrived in early spring to plant
wheat on his land south of town. Minnie and
her four daughters - Alice, Mary, Irene and
Margaret - c4me on the train in June. They
moved into a small white house on the south
end of Main Street, now 153 14th St. Minnie
was shocked by the barrenness of the town.
There were only a few trees, very little grass,
some wooden sidewalks, and lots of brown,
dry dirt moving around with every
breeze.
There was nothing green around the house.
It was years before Minnie felt at home.
prairies of eastern Colorado might give him
the opportunity to get some of the land and
machinery that was changing the agricultural
world. It was just after the first World War,
and young men wanted to go west. Jack went
to Colorado in 1919, and decided that it was
what he wanted. He bought three quarters of
land 12 miles south and 4 miles west of
Burlington. Instead of building a house on
the land, he bought a house in town. He knew
it would be easier for him to get to the farm
than to get his growing family to school in
town. He then went back to Union for the
holidays, and in early 1920 he returned to
Colorado. When school was out at the end of
May his family followed.
Jack built a shop behind his house for
repairing machinery and selling Case tractors. In the mid-1920's he operated the
Victory Garage on Main St. at the site which
is now 469 14th St. While there he was the
Chrysler dealer. In the mid 1930's he became
the John Deere dealer and had a large shop
and sales room in the building which is now
478-48415th St. In 1945 he sold it to Harold
t::
McArthur.
Harvest time in the 1920's and 30's brought
of men to operate the threshing
crews
machines and trucks. They worked from
to dark. Minnie cooked meals for
sunup
them, sometimes uul many as thirty. Breakfast
and supper were served in relays at the house.
Dinner was taken to the fields. The summer
of L92L, when John was born, Jack hired a
cook to live on the farm and cook the food in
a small trailer, called a "cook shack".
Four children were born in the little house
on Main Street. They were John, Betty Jane,
Lucille and Danny Mac. It was a good place
for children to grow up. They could go any
place
in town, and they
were known to
everyone. There were vacant lots to play in,
machinery to climb, a city library where Mrs.
Hoskins made children welcome, drug stores
and grocery stores where children could take
time spending their pennies, and school was
within easy walking distance. All the children
went to the Burlington public school and
participated in many school activities.
In the early 40's, Jack bought a farm two
miles east of Burlington. He was one of the
first farmers in the area to have an irrigation
well, and he was a pioneer in the use of well
water for irrigation. He was the mayor of
Burlington from 1942 to 1946. He was a
member of the Volunteer Fire Department
from 1921 to 1961, and was chief for several
of those years. He was a member of the
Masonic Lodge and the Rotary Club.
In 1943, Jack and Minnie moved to Bl?
12th St., where they lived the remainder of
their lives. Minnie spent her time raising her
eight children and helping those around her
who needed help. Her favorite project was the
repairing and dressing of dolls for the Santa
Claus Shop in Denver. During her last twenty
five years she contributed thousands of dolls
to the children of poor families. In 1963, she
received the V.F.W. Citizenship Award. In
1982, she received the National Enquirer's
Good Samaritan Award.
Jack died August L2,1973 at the age of86.
Minnie died September 25, 1984, at the age
of 95. Both died in Kit Carson Countv
Memorial Hospital and both are buried in
Fairview Cemetery.
Their children are: Alice, who married
Harold Shangle and now lives in Oak Grove,
Oregon; Mary, who married A.R. Ormsbee,
had two children, and now lives in Boulder'
Irene, who married Kenneth Wilcox, had two
children, and now lives in Burlington; Marga-
ret, who married Doyle Ketchnm, had one
son, and now lives in Kansas City, Kansas;
John, who manied Betty Brown, had two
children, and died November 6, 1968; Betty
Jane, who married Lester Farwell, had five
children, and now lives in Boulder; Lucille,
whomarried Stanley Davis, had two children,
and now lives in Colby, Kansas; and Danny
Mac, who maried Anne Schaal, had four
children, and now lives in Phoeniz, Arizona.
by Mary Ormsbee
The Chalfant Family, 1943. Standing: Margaret, Irene, Alice, Betty Jane, Mary, Lucille. Seated: Danny,
Jack, Minnie and John.
�was plastered inside, and the deep windows-
CHANDLER,
CHARLES FAMILY
ills had potted carnations in bloom, giving the
place a cozy, homelike appearance. The barn
was also of sod, except that it was half dug
out, or half below the ground level, which
provided a warm place for the livestock.
One of the first tasks the spring of 1909 was
to dig a well. Since the house was close to
Spring Creek, a dry creek except after heavy
rains or snow, a good water supply was found
at 57 feet.
Since the Homestead Act of 1862 had been
Fll2
a-ended to provide that an "additional"
quarter section could be acquired, Charles
and Meta Chandler each filed on an addition-
al quarter section adjoining the
original
homestead, so now the family had 480 acres.
Since there was still plenty of free range
On March 1, 1909, Charles and Meta
Chandler arrived at Stratton, Colo. on Rock
Island Train No. 39, after a day and night
from Kansas City, including a change of
trains in Belleville, Kansas to No. 39 from
Omaha. Charles and Meta were both 3? years
of age. They had been living the previous 7
years
in
Dallas County,
in the
Missouri
Ozarks. Mr. Gill, who was visiting in Missouri, told glowing tales of his homestead in
Kit Carson County, Colorado. He actually
wanted to get back to the Ozarks, so offered
to relinquish his homestead to the Chandlers
in trade for the Chandler place in Missouri.
The homestead in Colorado included
a
quarter section of land, a 3-room sod house,
a sod barn, and some livestock. So the trade
family was headed for their
new home on this first day of March, 1909.
Besides Charles and Meta Chandler, the
family consist€d of Marie, who had reached
her 7th birthday the previous November,
Elsie, who would be 5 on April 26, Joseph,
who would be 3 on June 30, and John, who
was 3 months and a week old on that date.
The Gill homestead relinquishment to
which the family was headed was four miles
west and three miles north of Stratton. Mr.
Gill met the family, prepared to take them
out to their new home, in an open spring
was made and the
wagon (uncovered wagon) the seven miles,
heading into a driving blizzard all the way. By
the time they arived at the homestead, the
family was chilled to the bone; so it was a
great relief to get inside the cozy sod house.
The house was a typical sod house of the
day in that area, having three spacious rooms,
warm walls of buffalo grass eod, at least a foot
thick, with plank roof covered with rubberoid, and layer of sod over that. It was well
l^^^+^l
.
.-rl
norlnr hoofar
Tf
minutes, rather than hours it took by horse
and buggy.
Religion was an important element in the
lives of the Chandler family. In fact, Charles
had attended the Moody Bible Institute in
Chicago for two years but never attained
ordination. In Colorado, he and Meta organized a Sunday School that met in interested
neighbor's homes each Sunday. Charles
offered prayer, and delivered a short sermon
besides conducting the Bible lessons. Meta
played the pump organ as the old h5nnns were
sung; hymns like "When the Roll is Called Up
Yonder", "Bringing in the Sheaves", "No Not
One", "Jesus Lover of My Soul", and "Neater
My God to Thee". About the year 1912, a
Baptist church was organized in Vona and
beyond, providing endless pasture for the
cattle, the 480 acres of deeded land was
sufficient to provide a living in those days'
Crops consisted mainly of corn and cane, a
form of maize used for livestock feed, and
now generally referred to as Milo. The years
1909 thru 1912 were dry years, so harvest of
the family attended that church regularly for
several years, until they moved near Stratton
in the fall of 1916, when they joined the
Congregational (now Methodist) Church in
living. The hens provided eggs, and there was
attend college, Marie finished her last year of
High School in Lakefield, Minnesota, where
she stayed with her Grandmother. Elsie had
her last year of High School in Boulder
Colorada. Of the Chandler children, only
Joseph graduated from the Stratton High
School in 1924. In the fall of L924, a home was
purchased in Boulder, Colo. so that the
children could attend the University there.
At that time Marie had already attended
crops was rather meager. But there was
always the buffalo grass, so the "cream
check" from the weekly shipment of cream
provided the necessary cash for the family
The Chandler children in June, 1913, Top row, L.
to R.: Elsie 9; Marie 1; Joseph 7. Bottom row: John
4. and Ruth 1.
Stratton or Vona could be made in a few
always plenty of milk, and cornmeal was
ground with an hand mill. Two sows with pig
were acquired, and within a year's time, the
pigpen and barn were alive with.about fifty
head of swine. The port
barel was always
well filled with tasty pork roasts and "Sow
Belly". The skim milk was ready for market
in Stratton. The cattle herd was soon built up
to over fifty head, some of which could be sold
off each year. Also one was butchered each
year in the fall when cold weather had set in
so the meat could be frozen in the well-house.
So the only foot items necessary to buy were
the staples, flout, sugar, yeast for homemade
bread, and occasionally, for a treat, some
oranges and bananas. Potatoes were homegrown, as were watermelons, cantaloupes,
and wide variety of garden vegetables, such
lettuce, radishes, sweet
corn, catrotg, beets, cucumbets, squash, and
pumpkins. The shelves in the cellar were
lined each year with glass jars filled with fruit
and vegetables, as well as a big five-gallon
as peas, green beans,
crock of cucumber pickles. When a carload of
apples was put on the siding in Stratton,
several bushels were purchased to fill the
apple bin in the cellar. Besides eggs the
chickens provided plenty of fried spring
chickens for Sunday dinners.
In February, 1912, a fifth child' Ruth Eva
was.born, and that stme year a two-story
white freme house was acquired from a
homesteader who was selling out to leave the
country. The house was moved to the end of
the sod house with a door cut for access. The
new house had spacious rooms on the main
floor with a nice stairway and two bedrooms
upstairs.
Since Meta had been a school teacher for
several years in Iowa and South Dakota, she
was hired in 1913 to teach the neighborhood
school, the Hansen School, 1 % miles north
of the homestead. However, Marie was ready
for High School in 1914, and had to ride
horeeback the 7 miles to the Stratton High
School. In the spring of 1916, a shiny new
Ford Model "T" touting car was purchased
from Jim Holloway, who had the Ford agency
in Strqf.fnn wifh the Model "T" the trin to
Stratton.
The move to a place two niles north of
Stratton was made in the fall of 1916, so that
Marie and Elsie and later Joseph, could be
closer to High School. But since Stratton
High School was not accredited at that time,
and since the Chandler children planned to
three years there and Elsie one year. In
Boulder the Chandlers operated
a
retail dairy
until retirement. Charles was deceased in
1951 and Meta in 1964. Only Marie, who was
to Harry Greenwood in 1923, remained in the Stratton area, where she still
married
resides. Marie taught in several area schools
for several years, then as Marie Greenwood,
the Startton Postmaster in
from which position she retired in
became
1943,
1971.
Marie and Harry raised three children, Laura
(Greenwood) Thomason, of Mclean, Virginia, Thelma (Greenwood) Hutton, of north
of
Burlington, and Allen Greenwood, of
Stratton.
Elsie maried Joe Frizzell in Boulder in
1932. They settled in Downey, Calif., a
suburb of Los Angeles, in 1943. They also
raised three children, Guin Charles, deceased
in a climbing accident in Yosemite Park in
1966, James
Lowell, of Santa Rosa, Calif., and
LaVonne (Frizzell) Rainey, of Placentia,
Calif. Elsie was also a school teacher in
Downey for many years until her retirement
in 1969. she was deceased in 1981. Joseph was
a school teacher in Longmont, Colo. until he
joined the Indian Service in 1936. He was
married to Edna (Walker) Chandler in 1930.
Theyhad five children, Ted of Oxnard, Calif.,
Ruby (Chandler) Racine, of Columbia, Maryland, Donald and Robert, both of Mission
Viejo, Calif., and Kristen (Chandler) Kania-
tobe, of Albuquerque, N.M. In the Indian
Service, Joe was principal of Indian schoolg
in Rosebud, S.D., Eklutna, Alaska, and of
Sherman Institute in Riverside, Calif. Then
for five years before retirement in 1968 he
spent five years in Liberia, Africa, with the
Agency for International Development, helpine that countrv oreanized a school svst€m in
�the hinterland. Joseph was deceased in 1971.
John taught school for three years, then
operated the family dairy in Boulder for five
years. He was married to Thelma Maurine
Young of Longmont, Colo. in 1932. He was
appointed Immigration Officer in El Paso,
Texas, in 1941. In this capacity, he worked in
El Paso, Tex., Denver, Colo., San Juan,
Puerto Rico, L.A., San Francisco, and Terminal Island, Calif., retiring in 1972. He and
Thelna have two children, the Reverand
John Richard Chandler, of Darouzett, Texas, and Jeanette (Chandler) Davis, of Prescott, Ariz. John and Thelma now reside in
into Burlington in
1964.
John Chapin graduated from C.U. in 1968,
and from the University of Texas Law School.
He married Carolyn O'Neal in 1970, and has
recently become the law editor for advance
students at the University of California.
by Bernice Eberhart
CHAPMAN - HOWELL
FAMILY
Fl14
Boulder, Colorado in 1933. She was deceased
in Denver, Colorado in 1943.
The Chandler Family's sixteen years in Kit
Carson County, Colorado from 1909 to 1925
had great influence on the lives of these
We built our own ice skating rink, made
sled runs, built caves, made hide-outs, had
and memories of the magnificence of the
prairie sunset that can be gained only with
an endless horizon; by the rolling hills of
green buffalo grass; aft€r a month of May
rains; by the sweet smell of wild flowers
picnics at the rocks west of Bethune, had
Sunday School parties, went to taffy pulls,
went duck and rabbit hunting, played.all
kinds of ball, rode our bikes as far
in the grass; by the trill of the
along the railroad tracks for a candy bar. We
sometimes hauled freight from the depot for
a 5 cent Pepsi Cola. We had snow ball fights,
went to the annual School Carnival, we went
out north to the river to fish and hunt
pheasants, and we went to Sunday School
and Church. Many of these activities were
cornfield on a late August moonlit night.
Then too, we left Marie there as a family
legacy to Kit Carson County.
When the severe drought began to taper
off, families began slowly coming back to the
district. Some of the families came to farm on
land that had been bought for a little bit of
nothing, some for 500 to $f. per acre. Orville
and Flo Chapin were living in Benkelman,
Nebr. where Orville was a car salesman for
Albert Kirschmer. Albert was one of those
people who had purchased cheap ground
here, and so he sent the Chapins here to farm.
They ca-e in March 1944. Shirley was 9
years old and then John was born in 1946. A
favorite teacher
of Shirley's was Johnnie
Robertson. John's favorite teacher was Hazel
Fromong.
The Kirschmer-Chapin farmers were one
ofthe first to develop irrigation in this
Irrigation has made
a whole new
area.
world of the
Hill Community.
The Chapins were very active in the
Community Sunday School, in 4H, card
Smoky
parties, gun club meetings, pot luck dinners,
softball games, Extension Homemakers, etc.
Shirley graduated from Fort Collins Aggies
in 1953 and married Larry Woods. They have
three children, and 1 grandchild. They are
now living in Chandler, Okla.
Orville still farms over south of Stratton.
and they both are avid bowlers and outstandinggolfers. Theybuilt a newhome and moved
ag
Burlington or Stratton in the evening, went
swimming when the lagoons were full or we
could get someone to take us to Burlington
to swim. We played with legal fire works on
the fourth of July, and we would gather coal
meadowlark and the mocking songs of the
lark hunting; by floating a raft on Spring
Creek when it was running; by the plaintive
call of the prairie chicken, or the howl of a
coyote that eent chills down your back while
walking home after dark; by the distant wail
of a Rock Island train whistle; and the thrill
of a hide-and-seek game in the hundred area
FlrS
successful graduates, as have all the
Kit Carson County.
Getting in trouble at school, meant more
trouble at home, when your Dad was on the
school board. He absolutely would not tolerate disrespect for school. We played in town
both day and night without the slightest
worry of being molested by anyone.
As a young boy I remember helping people
move in or out of town. We didn't expect to
get paid, it was just a way to get acquainted
schools in
with people.
"Children of the Prairie", by a lifetime of love
CIIAPIN, ORVILLE
AND FLO
problems, like qualified teachers at times,
financial problems, and others but we never
of
Ruth was narried to Philip Reno in
by John T. Chandler
names is not to brag, but to give credit to the
town and school we come from.
Our school was small and had it's share of
lacked for enthusiasm. Bethune has had a lot
Prescott.
blooming
Spahr, a minister in Colorado Springs, and
Doyl Spahr, with his own ice business in
Loveland. The reason for mentioning the
Donald and Betty Chapman.
Reflections of Bethune
Growing up in a small town: Kit Carson
County and Bethune have a special place in
my heart. I was born in Bethune in May 1929,
the fifth child of Earl and Blanche Chapman.
My folks were of modest means and raising
six children in the 1930's was no small task.
What with drouth, depression and bank
failure, only the heartiest survived. My
parents taught all of us to love our home, our
neighbors and to be proud of our community.
Also
to
have respect
appreciate the people of
As a
for others and to
Kit
Carson County.
little boy, I never knew what it
was
like
to not be loved by my farnily or by neighbors
and everyone looked out for all the kids of the
community.
As a young boy I knew most ofthe business
people in Burlington and Stratton and they
knew who I was and they treated kids, from
other towns, with respect. We kids always
knew who the county elected officials were,
and we always went with our folks to political
rallies. We knew the Sheriff, the Police Chief
and State Patrolman and they were looked
up to and respected by all kids. We knew they
were there if we needed them. My closest
friends, as a boy; were Russ Knodel, a school
administrator in Anchorage, AL, Ray Kno-
del, a school administrator and textbook
salesman, in Loveland, Ivan Amman, a
minister in NB, Gene Amman, a PHD
biologist in Ogden, UT, Alvin Buchholz, a
senior member of the State of Colorado Tax
Commission,
in Grand Junction,
Keith
without parents help or knowledge. Most all
boys were taught to defend themselves by
their fathers. Fist fights were not uncommon,
even with best friends, but they didn't last
long and no grudges were canied. So you see
why we didn't have time to get into trouble.
Then World War II came and all of my
older brothers were in the army. Dean was in
the South Pacific, Vern was in Europe, Dale
was in Texas, and each day brought fear of
bad news at the post office. Many boys were
drafted while in High School. Alvin Buchholz, Bud Stolz, George Bear, and Jinks
Critchfield, who was killed in the South
Pacific. I was 16 when the war ended.
I started to help in the garage and on the
gasoline delivery truck when I was 14. Many
kids were driving at that age, helping parents
in business or on the farm. You were not
bothered by State Patrol, or Police when you
were helping your folks. I'm sure, had we been
driving for pleasure or at night, we would not
have been over looked by the law.
Having graduated from Bethune High
School, most of us went our separate ways.
in
I
business with my father, Earl
Chapman, brothers Dean and Vern, and later
started
brother-in-law Neil Springer. Our business
was good for all of us.
Kit Carson County and
its people gave us a great start in life.
In 1950, I married Betty Howell from Vona.
Her family cane to Vona in the 1880's, and
taught school in Vona for three years. We
have been married for 38 years. We have two
she
children and four grand children, our
son
Donald H. and his wife Judy, with their two
children, Donald J. and Cheryl, and our
�daughter Elizabeth and her husband Ross,
and their two children John and Greg.
by Don Chapman
CHAPMAN MORELAND FAMILY
Fl16
Eastern Colorado and Western Kansae. Earl
was a great supporter of Kit Carson County,
a strong Mason, as were all his sons and sonin-laws. He was a life time Republican and
loved hunting and fishing. The love of the
mountains finally got to the entire family as
they moved to Paonia, Colorado in Delta
County in 1956. Earl died at 69 years of age
in 1967. Blanche and all of her children are
still alive and well.
by Donald L. Chapman
Earl Chapman was born October 25, L897,
1st son of Willian T. and Anna Mitchell
Chapman in Clear Springs Mo. They moved
to Ramah Colorado in 1910' He was married
to Blanche Moreland in Colorado Springs
June 30, 1917. Blanche was the third daughter of John and Emma Morris Moreland' She
was born February 28, 1898 in Clear Springs
Mo. They moved to Burlington in 1919 where
Earl worked for Evans Brothers, which later
beco-e Sim Hudson Motor Co. They moved
to Bethune in 1921 where Earl started his
first Garage. He built the cement block
building on Highway 24 in 1931 under the
name
of
CIIURCH, GEORGE
AND LOUISA
Fl16
George and Louisa Church with their one
year old daughter Ruth (Schaal) came to
Burlington from eastern Nebragka in 1906.
Their first few nights were spent in a not yet
finished room in the Montezuma Hotel, while
horses, wagon and meager supplies were
being purchased. Then while a one room sod
house was being built on the homestead nine
miles northwest of town they stayed with the
Mundt family whom they had known in
Nebraska. This family lived on the farm now
occupied and farmed by Bob Brown. There
I, the second daughter was born. Three years
later the only son, Garvin, was born. Our little
sister Francis Faye wasn't born until we had
moved from the homestead. She was cute and
pretty with a head covered with blond curls.
Being so much younger than the rest of us,
she was the family's darling pride and joy.
She died of diphtheria when eleven years old.
As the family grew, from time to time
another room was added to the sod house
until it had four rooms all in a row. This
house, with thick walls and sod on the roof
was comfortably warm in winter and cool in
summer. However the long narrow shape of
the house made it bad for drifting snow. One
winter when my dad wae working away from
Chapman's garage, then Earl
Chapman & Son's until the family moved in
June of 1956 to Paonia, Colorado.
Six children were born; Dale O. March 5,
1918 at Ramah, Colorado, who married
Louise Bateman
of
Loveland, Colorado.
Dolores E. October 11, 1919 at Bethune,
Colorado, who maried Robert H. Grant of
Colorado Springs. Dean A. April 16' L921, at
Burlington, married Leona M. Guy of Bethune. Vernon R. May LL, L924 at Bethune,
married Margaret R. Guy of Bethune. Donald
L. May 9, 1929 at Bethune, married Betty J'
Howell of Vona. Margaret L. August 21' 1930
at Bethune, married Neil M. Springer of
Burlington. All of their children went to
Bethune School for 12 Years.
Earl was mayor of Bethune from the early
30s until leaving in 1956 and served on the
school board as treasurer for many years. He
also served on the Kit Carson County Hospitd board. He was a Conoco distributor in
Bethune for over 35 years' The garage and
machine shop was known for it excellence in
motor rebuilding and machine work all over
!i1*:
4tr;!.
"
1."."
- "'
Daughtere Gertrude (Sally) and Ruth standing by their sod house on the homestead in 1910. The cattle
bad iubbed the corner of the house making the indentation. The rug was brought out for the picture taking
event.
Remaing of the spring blizzad in 1915. The snow
had covered the house. Mother shoveled the enow
from the door and window so that we would not be
emothered.
home, as he often had to do so we could live,
we had a big blizzard. No young person living
The Earl Chapman family, L. to R.; Dale Chapman, Vernon Chap9an, Earl Chapman, Blanche Chapman,
OonAa Cmpman, and Dian Chapman. Froni, Delores Chapman Grant and Margaret Chapman Springer,
1948.
now can imagine the enormity and ferocity
of the blizzards in those early days when the
snow could sweep across the prairie for many
miles without anything to stop it.
In this particular blizzard the snow drifted
against the north side ofthe house until it was
roof level then came over the house and
started piling against the south side, covering
�with Kenneth and Lucile Lepper on their
farm I mile north and 1 mile east of Stratton.
doors and windows. To keep from being
buried alive and emothered my mother went
out every hour with a scoop shovel and
shoveled the snow away from one door and
one window.
Before any of us were school age my dad
helped neighbors build a one room schoolhouse 7z mile west and t/z mile south of our
home. We walked to school about 3/ mile
along a winding road across the prairie. I can't
remember a time when there were over eight
or nine pupils in this school including we
three Churches.
Our parents were determined that
During Don's last year of high school, Kenneth went through several surgeries so Don
stayed with the John Clark and the Zeke Kerl
fanilies, graduating in May 1961. Kenneth
died of cancer in July, 1961, and that fall,
after the wheat was drilled, Don startpd
working
Technician I for the Colorado Department of
Highways in Grand Junction, Co.
Don married Jackie Lynn Winkler 9 April
1966, and they have a daughter (Cynthia
Lynn) attending the University of Denver,
and a son (Kenneth William) finishing his
Senior year at Central High School in Grand
Junction.
Eugene married Mary Forrester and they
have six children; Barbara, Michael, Robert,
Jay, Andy and Randy (twins). Their permanent residence is north of Jerusalem, Arkansas close to where Clarence is now residing on
property owned by Harold.
we
should get a better education than they had
a
chance for. We were nine miles from
Burlington with no school bus and no car. My
dad did get his first car, an old Maxwell,
about 1916 but it would barely get us to town
occasionally to get groceries. So the parents
sold the homestead and moved near First
Central School where they had a country
grocery store for several years. This school
was twelve miles south of and half way
between Bethune and Stratton and had a full
four year accredited high school. There my
brother and sister and I went through high
school. This district was later absorbed by
Stratton school and nothing remains of the
buildings that were there. Ruth and I after
one summer
in
at Colorado
State Teachers
Greeley, now the University of
Northern Colorado, and taking a teachers
College
examination, started teaching in country
schools. Garvin went to Barnes Business
College in Denver, served in the Navy in
World War II and now lives with his wife
Lillian, in Camarillo, California. Ruth died in
1955.
Our parents later moved to Burlington in
of
the years of their lives. My mother loved
flowerg and raised so many she becnme
1929 where they lived on ?th St. the rest
known as the "flower lady."
by Sally Bauder
CIIURCIIES - JONES
FAMILY
Fl17
Clarence Everett Churches was born to
Cornelius and Maggie (Bozworth) Churches,
16 November 1906, near the town of Lawrence, Nebraska.
Leona Pearl Jones was born to Roy Eugene
and Matilda (Heisz) Jones, 8 October 1909'
northeast of Stratton, Colorado at the Jones'
Homestead place, which is located 9 miles
north on SH 57 and 4 and 1/8 miles east of
Stratton on the north side of the road.
After graduation in 1928 from Stratton
High School, Leona attended Barnes Business College in Denver. While working for
Bernard Cummings (who ran for attorney
general) she met Clarence who was working
for MontgomeryWard. Theywere married 28
August 1933.
Shortly after their marriage they moved to
Humboldt, Kansas to live with his parents.
In August, 1934, they moved to Stratton and
raised chickens on what is known as the
Park's Place now owned by Tom Price,
approximately 1% miles north of the Jones
homestead. While living on the Park's Place
their first gon (Eugene Clarence) was born 27
for the First National Bank of
Stratton and continued there for almost four
years. He now works as an Engineering
by Donald D. Churches
Clarence and Leona Churches and family. Left to
right: Harold in front of mother (Leona), Eugene,
CLAIR FAMILY
and father (Clarence) holding Donald. DatB 1944
or 45.
The Clair family came to
Kit
Fl18
Carson
November 1935. When Eugene was one year
County in the spring of 1908. They traveled
worked
John Clair and his son, Warrenton, followed
old they moved to California. Clarence
for Runnymede Chicken Ranch,
here by covered wagon from Alton, Kansas.
which at that time was the largest chicken
operation in the world. While in Reseda,
California, their second son (Harold Wayne)
was born 28 January 1938. Leona became
the carnivals to make a living; they also
farmed. Warrenton married and began to
raise his family of nine. His sons and
daughters are Mrs. Hattie Clayton, of Cali-
homesick for Colorado so by December, 1938,
fornia, born June 23, 1902; Mr. William John
Clair, of Burlington, Colorado, born August
30, 1904; Mr. Walter Clair, of Oregon, born
July 27, 1906, deceased September 13, 1978;
Mrs. Sarah Waitman, of Burlington, Colorado, born July 30, 1908; Mrs. Sylvia Klein,
of California, born June 21, 1910, deceased
December 17, 1983; Mrs. Goldie Higgins, of
California, born April 16, 1913; Mr. Jesse
Clair, of Burlington, Colorado, born June 14,
1915; Mrs. Gertrude Monroe, of Vona, Colorado, born March 16, 1917; and Mr. Johnnie
Clair, of Bennett, Colorado, born May 13,
they were back in Colorado living on the
Olsen Place, 80 rods west of the Jones'
Homestead. In December, 1939, they re-
turned to California where Clarence was able
to get a job at Lockheed Aircraft. While
residing in Reseda, Leona became pregnant
with their third child (Donald Dee). Due to
the unrest in California (war time), Leona
wished to be near her family for delivery, so
she, Eugene, and Harold returned to Colorado by train in January, 1943. Don was born
at the Stratton maternity Home on 5 March
1943, while Grandpa Jones and other family
members looked after Eugene and Harold. As
soon as Leona was able to travel, she returned
with her three sons to their home in Reseda,
California and resided there till her death
from cancer on 28 June 1945. She is buried
in the Claremont Cemetery at Stratton,
Colorado.
After her death, Clarence and sons moved
to Stratton, Co. and lived on the Jones'farm.
Eugene attpnded the 3rd grade and Harold
2nd grade at the District #28 school for the
school year 1945-46. The school was located
1 mile south and 3 miles east of the Jones'
farm. During August, 1946, Clarence and sons
returned to Reseda, California.
Harold and Don came back to Colorado on
7 July 1955, living with their aunt (Mettie
Jones Sisson) and uncle (Elmer Jones, brother to Mettie) who reside on the Jones' farm.
Harold graduated from Stratton High School
in May 1956. He now lives in Eagle, Colorado
and works as an Engineering Technician II
for the Colorado Department of Highways.
Don left his aunt's home in 1958 and lived
1918.
Warrenton raised his family on the Clair
homestead sixteen miles north and five miles
east of Stratton. Colorado. On the homestead, he built a half dugout, half soddie
house. They raised all of their meat and only
bought itcms like sugar, coffee, at the store.
There was usually a dance or card game to
help pass the long evenings.
On December 2, t926, William married
Miss Lucye Belle Tryon of Stratton, Colorado at the Kit Carson County Courthouse in
Burlington, Colorado. They had six children,
one of whom did not survive. The two older
boys were raised during the Depression when
Bill and Walter were forced to make beer and
it to provide for their families. The
two boys also beca-e marksmen to help
provide for their families and often, for
entertainment or practice, took a Velvet
bootleg
tobacco can and would shoot the pipe out at
twenty-five yards. They would then put a
card in the can and shoot through that same
hole at twenty-five yards. Bill and Lucye's
children were James, born at Kirk, Colorado
�on July L7, L927; Donald, born at Vona,
Colorado on February 6, 1930; Ethel, born at
Vona, Colorado July 28, 1935; Jeanne, born
at Boulder, Colorado on August 6, 1937; and
Richard, born at Alo-oga on January 27,
1945.
In 1937, Bill and his family moved to a
resettlement house and farm five miles south
and five miles west of Alamosa. Colorado. In
1962, they sold that farm and moved to 6755
Trinchera Lane in Alnmosa, Colorado. They
remained there until May of 1986 when they
left because of health reasons and returned
at that time to Burlington, Colorado. In
September, 1984 they bought a trailer house
at 355 Senter Avenue, Space 54, where they
are at present.
apartments.
Paul Clapper's father, Charles Clapper,
was Pennsylvania Dutch and his mother,
Tina Alice (Tiny) Lierle, was Cherokee and
German. Paul was born the youngest of nine
children and was raised on a farm south of
Dodge and in Dodge.
Paul Clapper and Billie Wolf met at a
dance during W.W. II, when he wag home on
leave. He was a gunner on "the Spirit of
FDR", one of the escorts when they dropped
the first atomic bomb on Japan. Being a
secret mission, he and his crew didn't know
what was about to happen.
Paul and Billie were married in 1944. They
lived
in
Dodge, where their
first
three
children were born; Terry in 1947, Chyrl in
Their children are now in the following
places: Je-es is in Englewood, Colorado;
in 1951. In 1951, they bought
the Fred Fuhlendorf homestead, 5 miles
Donald is in Buena Vista, Colorado; Ethel is
in La Jara, Colorado; Jeanne is in Alamosa,
north, 3 east and 1 north of Vona. They lived
in a very small, two-roomed house with very
low ceilings; about 6'9". Jody was born here
Colorado; and Richard
is in
Burlington,
Colorado. They have nineteen grandchildren
living, one grandchild deceased, and twenty
with two more on
the way. There are also countless nieces and
nephews belonging to the brothers and sist€rs
of Bill.
seven great grandchildren
by Richard R. Clair
CLAPPER FAMILY
Fl19
1949, and Paul
in
1953.
One beautiful sunshiny March day in 1952,
the Clappers had company from Kansas.
Along about bed-time Paul jokingly told
them they'd better put their car in the
quonset as it might snow. They laughed and
went to bed, only to awaken to a two day
blizzard. It was five days before they could get
out to go home. Caught by surprise this way,
they had to butcher chickens and roll their
own cigarettes. Needless to say, everyone was
glad when the road opened.
In 1954, Oscar Wolf, suffering from ill
health, turned his farm, 2 miles east of Vona
on Highway 24, over to Paul and Billie. Soon
after they moved there, Chuck was born.
Penny was born in 1956, Jerry in 1958, Tim
in 1960, and Chris in 1961. The girls have all
married and moved away, but the boys
remained in the county.
Living along a main highway brought many
strangers to the house looking for handouts
or gas. Others sought refuge during the bad
dust storms of 1955-56. One couple, from
Illinois, stopped in just to see how people
survived in such dusty country.
In 1975, Paul and Billie, bought a trailer
house and moved it over the old Barsock
basement home in Vona. Gib Anderson, who
ran the Foster Lumber Co. in Vona, built this
basement house
in
1928.
Paul quit farming and around 1980 went
to work for the Kit Careon County Road and
Bridge. At this time, 1987, all of the sons are
involved in farming; Terry married Glenna
White of Seibert, they have three sons: Jay
Allen, Todd Michael, and Jeffery Paul; Chyrl
married Dick McAuley and had two sons:
Chyrl and Terry Clapper at our home north of
Vona.
Oscar V. Wolf was born in Tipton, Missouri
in
1880 and moved to a god house south of
Wright, Kansas in 1905, where he married
Gertrude Vogel in 1908. They had ten
children, with Lucy (Billie), being the ninth.
In 1945, Oscar came to Kit Carson County
to buy land east of Vona, although he
continued to live in Kaneas. Billie was raised
on a farm south of Wright. The houee was so
large, that after the family sold it, it was
moved into Dodge City and made into three
Lance, and Eric. She remarried Ron Statler
from Greeley; Paula married Keith Eaton,
they have 3 children: Tonya, Brent, and
Alicia and they live in Torrington, Wyo. Jody
married Jim LeVecchi; they live in Pueblo;
Chuck is living on and leasing the Tom
McCormick farm south of Stratton; Penny
married Roger McCaffery, they have 3
children: Cory, Sarah andTyler, and theylive
at Grand Junction where Roger works for the
Warner Bros. ranch; Jerry and Tim rent some
McCormick farm ground by Bethune; and
Chrie married Cathy Busby, they live in
Burlington, where Chris works on the Busby
CLARK - ALBRIGIIT
FAMILY
FI.20
Ralph Clark, son of Emma and Edward
Clark, was born on Oct. 30, 1879 on a small
farm near Bloomfield, Iowa. His parents
sist€rs and two brothers lived on several small
farms in Davis County. Land was high and
crops were sometimes destroyed along the
creeks and rivers by high waters, so in 1908,
Ralph decided to go west to try to locate
cheaper and more desirable land to farm. The
fields he had been farming were small, and
large tree stumps and roots kept hindering
the plowing. So he vowed that he was going
to go where he couldn't see a tree.
Ralph first made a trip to the sandhills of
Nebraska near Thedford, but didn't find the
soil to his liking. The wagon wheels cut into
the sand and traveling was difficult as there
were no improved roads at this time. He then
returned to Iowa and later in the year ceme
to western Kansas and eastern Colorado
where he and hig father located some land
approximately twelve miles north of Kanorado, Kansas. Plans were made to come to their
new home the fall of 1908.
An immigrant railroad car was loaded with
cattle, a team ofhorges, chickens, some farm
machinery, furniture and other necessary
things for their new home. Ralph cnme with
the immigrant car taking care of the stock
enroute. He arrived in Kanorado, Dec. 2,
1908, and found the snow very deep and no
way to get his stock and possessions out to the
farm they had purchased. He rented a small
barn and house in town to keep the stock and
store the furniture until his parents and
younger brother Dewey anived in the paseenger train. He then inquired of some of the
merchants if anyone was in town from around
where his farm was located. Someone told
him at the Winn store that one of his
neighbors, Emil Stalgreen, was in and he got
in contact with him and followed his wagon
and team to his home, which was about one
and a half miles south of the Clark land. This
was the beginning of a lifeJong friendship
with the Stalgreen family. They were neighbors and helped one another many times. He
found a vacant farmstead about one-half mile
north of where they planned to build their
farmstead buildings, so they rented it and
moved their possessions there until they
could get their farm buildings built.
They built the house of lumber. Some of
Mrs. Clark's neighbors were envious of her
new frnme house as most of the people lived
in sod houses at this time.
Their home was located on one of the main
traveled roads, now known as the Beecher
Island road. Most of the farmers north of t}ris
point traveled this road coming from Idalia,
Hale, Bonny and St. Francis. The Clark farm
wag about half way between these places and
Kanorado. Many stopped, fed and watered
their horses, and the Clark's graciously
offered them their meals and
a
nights'
lodging. The next morning they would continue their journey towards Kanorado where
they sold their grain, purchased their
supplies and came back to the Clark farm,
spent the night again and then returned to
farm.
by Glenna Clapper
their homes the following day.
A man near Idalia owned a steam engine.
He would fagten several wagons loaded with
�grain for several of his neighbors and begin
the long trip to Kanorado. When he was two
miles north of the Clark's he would blow his
whistle several times and they would hear it
and know he would be a guest for a meal
before too long, so Mrs. Clark would prepare
the meal and it would be ready for him when
he arived. Most of the guests were glad to
pay for their accommodations. Mr. and Mrs.
Clark raised a big garden, kept a flock of
chickens, butchered their own pork and beef,
canned vegetables and meats, so meal preparation could be quite speedy. They farmed
small grains and raised feed for their cattle.
In 1909, Ralph bought a corn binder. He
cut and shocked feed for several of his
neighbors, some of whom were Se- Morrow,
Frank Morrow, Jim Barnett, Roy Pratt, Bill
Cody Sr., and the Stillwagons.
His sister and family, Mr. and
Mrs.
William Kneedler, had come to Colorado by
this time and lived in the same neighborhood
for eeveral years. Two of the Kneedler sons
remained and owned and operated farms
near the Clarks. They were Falace and Ralph
Kitten and Bliss. After living on this land five
years and doing the required amount of
improvements on it, the land becnme their
property. Then Allie, Bliss, and Kitten signed
their property over to the husband and father
James Clark so that he owned one section of
land.
Lewis Beck (7 /24/76-5/27161) son of Mary
Helen (1844-1881) and Lewis Beck (18431879) (both died of tuberculosis) lived with
uncles and an older brother Joe from the age
of 5 until at the age of 16 he moved to
Colorado with an uncle who also had tuberculosis. He died in a few years and Lewis worked
as a farm hand and cowboy from Kit Carson
They received their mail from the Wallet
post office. Later from the Ashland post
office which was located on Mrs. Louise
Kneedler.
Edward and Emma Clark continued to live
in Kanorado, where they had built a new
home, until Edward's death in 1922. Emma
stayed in her home until she became ill as a
result of a fall, when she moved to Ralph's
home in August, 1931. She was an invalid and
passed away in August, 1932.
In 1943, Ralph and Bina purchased a home
in west Burlington, Colorado, having a farm
sale and retired there in October, 1944. For
eight years, Ralph was custodian of the city
parks. He enjoyed the many visitors of the
parks. Bina enjoyed her home and hobbies of
fancy work, quilting, sewing, flowers and
textile painting. She also did baby sitting for
Stratton on the north side of Smokey Creek.
The adobe was made by running well water
daughter of Ralph and Bina Clark.) Later a
rural route was established and mail was
delivered with a teqm of horses pulling a
church as long as health permitted. Ralph
suffered a broken hip and spent two and a
half years in Grace Manor Care Center,
passing away December 6, L972, at the age of
ninety-two years. Bina continued living in
Anderson's farm. This is where Keith, Phobe,
Fortmeyer, son John and wife Fayrene and
son Jordan now live. (Fayrene is a great grand
buggv.
at the Wallet
ball ga-es, with two
tenms of local residents being the contesSunday school was held
schoolhouse. Sunday
tants, were held as a form of recreation and
were held in different locations in the
vicinity.
As in many of the early day western stories,
Ralph left his sweetheart in Iowa when he
ceme to Colorado. They kept in touch by
letter and in December 1912, he returned for
his bride, Bina Albright, also of Bloomfield,
Iowa. Her mother had passed away in 1904.
She had remained at home helping her father
care for two younger eisters and a small
brother. They were married on December 29,
different people. Both enjoyed attending
the home with the loving care of her daughter,
Maxine, until July, 1977, when she passed
away at the age of ninety-two years. They
enjoyed seeing the country develop, observed
the changes, such as travel by horses and
buggy to space travel and man landing on the
moon.
Della Statler
CLARK - BECK
FAMILY
F12t
1912. They spent the next month visiting
then boarded the
relatives near their home
As the train
train for far away Colorado.
neighbors here also. In November, 1914, their
first child, Della, was born.
In 1917, Ralph and Bina purchased the
Fletcher farm, also known as the Charlie
Hansen homest€ad. which was located one
mile west of the original Clark place. His
parents had gold the place and moved to
Kanorado to retire in 1916. In August, 1921,
a second daughter, Maxine, came to bless
their home.
Ralph and Bina continued to raise stock
and farm. In 1930 they began to improve their
farmstead. Much of the labor was done by
Ralph and the help of a hired man. It is now
the home of Esther, Paul and Dean Kneedler.
side. This was about 18 miles south of
on the clay soil in a corral during the day and
then turning the cattle into the corral at night
that they would walk in the mud all night
and mix it up. The next day the cattle were
so
turned out on the prairie grass and adobe
blocks were made from the mud and some
straw, and then the whole process started
over again that night. This continued until
enough blocks were made to build the house
which had walls 18 inches thick with wooden
frames and roof. The lean-to was made of sod
with a sod roof and used as a store room, milk
separator room, and as a kitchen in the
summer. A cement walled barn was built in
1915 and is still standing. They did some
farming, had horses, cattle, hogs, and chickens and raised a large garden. A smoke house
for curing meat and a cellar for food storage
were added. Later two rooms (built from
wood) were added on the south side of the
original structure.
Marian Louise (8/31/09-) Bliss Belle
erts (2/2L/L7-4/L3/85), and James Lewis
(1/10/19-) were born during the years on the
farm.
A stillborn baby was born in
1911.
Lewis built a small wooden casket and lined
it with a baby blanket and buried the baby
on the farm.
After a land resuwey showed the land on
which the farm buildings were built was not
on the Lewis Beck property and he was not
financially able to buy the additional land, he
sold the farm and they moved to Stratton in
one.
enjoyed lasting friendships and friendly
Wagner
owned the Beck and Wagner Ranch south of
Stratton for a few years.
Anna Bliss Clark and Lewis Beck were
maried in Burlington, Colorado on November 21, 1908. They moved into his two room
adobe house with a sod lean-to on the north
(4/L3/L3-'), Allie Jean (5/3LlL5-), Doris Rob-
reached western Kansas, she noticed how far
she could eee. When she caught her first
glimpse of a sod house, she said she would
never live in one of them. This unfortunately
was not true as she lived for several years in
They spent the next year with Ralph's
parents, then moved to a farm northeast of
Burlington, which is now where Paul Janssen
lives. They engaged in raising small grains
and feed for their small herd of cattle, milking
cows and raising poultry for a livelihood.
There was open range in the neighborhood
and many large herd roamed the prairies near
them. Some of the owners being the Reinholds, Pooles and others. Ralph and Bina
to Hugo, Colorado. He and Jim
Lewis and Bliss (Clark) Beck at home east of
Stratton, summer of L942.
Anna Bliss Clark (7/2L/85-r2/22/45) with
her parents, James Clark (L/L5/61-4/22/15)
and Allie Mae (Newton) Clark (L2/8/6Ll0/8/4L), and her sisters, Kitten (9/19-8610/58), Allie Mae (L0/27/89-7/22/51), and
Ruth Belle (51L7/94-LL/29/60) moved to
Stratton from Spearfish, South Dakota in
1908 with all of their possessions in railroad
box cars. They claimed four quarter sections
of land. that was made available by the
Homestead Act of Congress. These quarters
formed one section of land, on which they put
up their buildings so that the four adjoining
corners were each a part of the actual
improved portion. These were claimed in the
names of James, and Allie Clark and their two
daughters who were over 21 years of age,
April, 1919. They lived in town while their
home on the corner of State Highways 24 and
57 were being built. They moved into the new
house in July, 1919. William Clatk (a/La/2L), Leon Victor (2/15/25-) and, Ruth Joyce
(Ln /27 -) were born in this house. It had three
bedrooms, a bathroom (no fixtures), living
room, dining room, kitchen, and pantry.
There was no water in the house and it was
heated by a wood and coal furnace in the
basement with one heat register directly
above the furnace in the living room. A large
coal range in the kitchen provided heat for
cooking and warmth in the wintcr. A keroburner stove did the cooking in the
summer. Water was collected in a barrel at
the windmill and carried into the house. A
three hole (one low hole for the children)
toilet (privy) was built out in the yard. Baths
were taken in a wash tub in the kitchen.
sene three
�ln 1927 carbide gas lights were installed in
the home.The gas was formed in a tank in the
yard from water and powdered carbide, then
Dean lives in Hugo and their daughter
Roxanne lives in Seattle; neither is married.
Joyce is married to Gene Clark and they
live in Stratton. Their son Paul is in Germany
with his wife Heather, and Scott, Tonya, and
Tnmara; son Kenny married Nancy and their
children Sean and Lauri, live in Grand
Junction, Colo.; Candi Spicer and daughters
Casey and Britan live in Denver; and Bonnie
married Jim Mattix, they have two children,
Jason and Annie, and the four of them live
in Grove, Oklahoma.
piped to the light fixtures, and lighted by a
spark or a match. A two burner carbide stove
by Belle B. Danforth
One by one the children left home to go to
work, to school, or to be married. Bligs and
CLARK, ELLIS L. AND
AMY BELLE SMITH
Kerosene lamps were used to light the house.
When they moved to Stratton they bought
their first car, a Model T Ford.
Lew worked at odd jobs around town,
butchering for the butcher shop, plowing
gardens, building, etc. until he was hired by
the Stratton Equity Coop in 1921. The
children graduated from the Stratton High
School.
and a carbide iron also made life a little
easier. These were used until 1929 and proved
to be too expensive so kerosene lsmps were
again put into use.
Lew sold their home with approximately
eight acres for $1,800 in lg43 and moved to
222 New York avenue in Stratton.
In 1931 the family who were still living at
home became members of the Stratton
Et22
Family of Ellis L. and Amy Belle Clark. Front Row
Left to Right Bess Clark Wells Hayball and
Robert EIIis Clark. Second Row Ethel Clark
Church of God. Lew retired from the Stratton
Equity Coop in 1946 but still worked at the
-
Foster Lumber Yard, did cement work with
Hank Pelle, sharpened saws, and did other
odd jobs until in his 80's.
L. Clark and Ada Clark Andes, Lola Clark Chenot.
Taken at Arvada, CO about 1939.
Bliss died in the hospital in Burlington
from a stroke in 1945 at the age of 60 years.
Her burial was in the Clarmont Cemetcry in
Stratton. Lew died in the Pueblo hospital 2
months before his 85th birthday. His burial
was also in the Clarmont Cemetery, Stratton.
Marian Louise Weddell had two children,
Our Grandparents came to Kit Carson in
1906 from Nebraska. Harrison L. Clark
(1862-1928) and wife Nellie M. Clark (18641944) moved to a homestead 16 miles north
of Burlington because of the good water.
Ellis (our father) (1886-1946), the oldest of
Joan Rosier and Lewis Klein. Lewie has never
married, Joan and Steve Rosier have one son,
Stevie. They live
4 children, Ethel, Walter, and Opal.
in Port Clinton, Ohio.
Marian lives in Flagler, Colorado with Lewis.
Her husband T.J. Weddell died in 1966.
Belle manied George Danforth, Jr. of
Burlington and they have two children,
George, III (Gerry) and Dolores. Gerry had
one daughter by his first wife, Marilyn, and
her name is Kristi. She is now married to
Ronald Nelson and they have a gon n"med
Trent. They live in Yuma, Colorado. Gerry
and his wife Betty have a son Craig, who is
a sophomore at Colorado State University in
Fort Colling. They life in Greeley, Colorado.
Dolores lives in Carson City, Nevada. Her
Ellis Leroy Clark (188ti-1946). Picture taken in
1911
at Burlington, Colorado.
daughter Kathy and Kathy's husband,
Glenn. live with her. Her son Kent and his
wife, Sonya, and children, Jessica 4 and
Steven 3, live in Santa Barbara, California.
Allie Jean is married to Clarence Iseman
and they have no children. They live near
Ellicott, Colorado.
Doris was married to Ernest Englebrecht
and they had three sons, Rick of Tucson,
Arizona, Robbie of Chicago, and Russell who
farms in Strasburg with his father, Ernest.
Doris died April 13, 1985.
He
homesteaded. and met and married our
mother, Amy Belle Smith (1888-1973), who
had homesteaded as well as her parents,
Moses T. Smith (1862-1923). There were 6
members of this family, most of whom
homesteaded 16 miles north of Burlington in
the snme geographical area as the Clarks,
Amy was one of the six which included Maye,
Elva, Dora, Myron and Edmond Smith.
Our father, Ellis Clark, filed a claim for his
homestead located about 18 miles north of
Burlington around 1909. He had a dugout to
live in at first. later a 2 room house. He and
our mother, who had taught school in Iowa,
had a store and Post Office made of cement
on that property. It was called Morris P.O.
Our Father had a ice house which was sort of
a dugout with an A frame roof. Dad would
haul ice from Launchman Creek in the
winter. The farmers were glad to be able to
have that ice in summer time. Dad also made
a ball diamond for the men of the community
to play ball. It was at this location that our
brother Verle (1911-1983) was born. Also
sister Ada was born (1913), followed by
Lucille (1915-1979).
In 1914, our father purchased his parents'
homestead, as they wanted to move to
Sterling so their daughter Opal could go to
high school there. It was in this house which
our grandfather had built, before bringing his
family to Burlington to live, that I, Lola Clark
Chenot (1917), and my two sisters. Bessie
Clark Hayball (1919) and Ethel Clark Fay-
Lewis married Margo and they had two
children, Debbie and Mike. Debbie is married
and has a daughter and two sons. Lewis,
Margo, and Debbie and her family live in
Greeley, Colorado. Mike was killed in the war
in Vietnam.
Clark married Shirley and they live in
Strasburg, Colorado. They have two sons,
David of Denver, and Steve who teaches
school in Walden, Colo. Neither of them is
married.
Leon maried Nadine, they have two sons,
Keith and Kevin, and the three families live
in Fleming, Colorado. Their daughter, Lynn
-
Faydock, Lucille Clark Mitchell, and Mother
MayBelle Clark. Third Row - Ellis L. Clark, Verle
dock (1920-19&t) were born.
Amy BeIIe Clark (1888-1973) and baby Verle
(1911-1983) Burlington, Colorado.
Our Aunt Opal (1900-1982), to whom we
give great credit for recording much of our
family history gave us this account of their
arrival at Burlington on a cold and blustery
day. The wind was blowing so strongtheyhad
�to hold onto posts as they walked from the
depot to the hotel. The next day they rode to
the homestead in a horse drawn buggy with
their heads covered with a buffalo robe to
keep from freezing. The one and a half story
house on the homestead was a landmark.
They lived there until Opal was 14 yrs. old at
which time they moved to Sterling.
The Ellis Clark farnily lived on this farm
until 1923, when Ellis bought a grain elevator
in Glade, Kansas. They lived there until 1925,
then cnme back to Burlington. That fall 1925,
Robert Ellis was born.
Later we moved to the old homestead
where we were in the Happy Hollow School
Dist. At one time there were 5 Clark children
in that school at one time. One of the early
day teachers of that school was Lola Reneau,
who taught 3 yrs (which was remarkable), as
most young teachers beca-e home sick and
quit mid term.
This young dedicated teacher was instrumental in getting a larger school with a belfry
and bell, also an organ. The organ and bell
were purchased with money raised from box
socials and programs put on by the pupils.
Lola Reneau James is living in Wheatridge at
this writing. Also at this writing four of Ellis
and Amy Clark's children are living: Ada
Belle Andes, Lola Marie Chenot, Bessie Maye
Hayball and Robert Clark.
Written Jan. 1986.
by Lola Clark Chenot
CLEMENT - SKOW
FAMILY
Fl23
Our father, Marvin J. Clement, came to
Colorado from New York in 1904. He shipped
his livestock, equipment and household
goods by train to Nebraska, which was the
closest rail terminal to his destination of the
Thurman, Colorado area. The last leg of the
journey was by team and wagon and driving
the livestock. Marvin homesteaded north
east of the Thurman store, first digging a well
and building a sod house.
Our mother, Carrie Skow, was raised in
north central lowa. Due to hardships, she had
gone to Minnesota to work. There she and 2
other young ladies felt the challenge of the
of low bidder wins. He was then
appointed Flagler Town Marshal and remained in this position until his health failed
in 1934. He passed away in 1936. During his
tenure as Marshal, he planted the original
trees in the Flagler park and cared for them
process
long as he served the town. He was at every
fire, guarding the water hose to keep traffic
from crossing. He cleaned the gravel from the
as
gutters and shoveled snow from the cross
walks of Main Street.
At one time, there were signs welcoming
people as they cqme into town. On the signs
were other information giving the population
and the speed limit of 10 miles per hour. Once
a man inquired if he would be arrested if his
horse trotted faster than 10 miles.
There was no TV nor radio in those days.
One of our fondest memories is an evening
I
as
secretary-treasurer which included the hand-
ling of
bookkeeping, money, and food
supplies for the needy at that period. She
went with the chairman to take cotton to
Flagler for a mattress making project, drove
people who had no means of transportation
to pick up flour and foodstuffs, going with the
local Doctors to make calls in the country
when needed. The plan ofserving hot lunches
to school children was started by Pearl and
was later sponsored by the Inter Sese Club.
She was active in community affairs and
served in various offices, always giving more
than her share of time and talent. Pearl was
a
charter member
of the
Garden Club,
organized in 1928, the County Historical
Society, and served on the local Library
Board from 1921 to 1959.
then listening to the Edison phonograph with
cylindrical records and a big horn, while
eating pop corn.
Mother continued to live in Flagler until
1941, when she moved to Limon, and on to
1924,
1944,
moving to a home on 12th Street, where she
passed away on June 15th, 1972 from a
in
1946. After her retirement, she
enjoyed the pleasure of traveling to many of
our western states. She passed away in 1973.
Denver
Of the four children, two have died
Frank in 1926 and Harry in 1983. Charles
lives in Denver with his wife, Charity (Wolfe).
Lena lives in Southern California, her husband having preceded Harry in death by 24
days. Charles, Harryand Lena, each attended
Flagler schools from beginning through graduation from high school.
She was manied to Hank Schell in
and they sold the Montezuma in
massive heart attack.
The Montczuma Hotel, started
in
1905,
operated continuously under the same name
and management for 39 years, but Mr. J.A.
Haughey made many changes in the building
during that period, which included removing
the third story and lowering the roof to cover
the second story, and later raising that same
roof, and rebuilding the third story when
business improved after the dust bowl days.
by Bill llaughey
by Charles M. and Lena C. Wheeler
COAKLEY
CODDY, GEORGE AND
BERTHA
- SCHELL
FAMILY
Fl26
Fr24
Pearl Coakley Schell was born in Sherin 1885 and received her early
education in the Omaha Public Schools
where she later taught. Her first visit to
Burlington was in 1905, returning in 1907 to
file on a homestead eleven miles south of
town. At that time it was permissible to work
in town during the day and stay at the
wood, Iowa
homestead at night. The only transportation
was horseback or horse and buggy. One night
when she arrived at her cabin after dark,
steaded three miles southwest of Flagler and
also worked in the Lavington store in Flagler.
In May, 1910, she and Marvin Clement were
married. She sold her homestead and moved
when she was opening the door, she heard a
strange noise. She quickly closed the door,
went to a neighbor's home, returning with one
her cattle to Thurman.
After a few years of farming, Carrie was
appointed postmistress of the Thurman post
rattlesnake under the table on which the
larnp was sitting. It was generally believed
that when you found a snake there were two,
but Pearl was brave and stayed alone that
night and slept well.
Pearl also worked in the Montezuma Hotel,
which her mother had established in 1905,
and in which Hank Schell later became a
partner, and subsequently married Pearl.
Pearl also operated the Racket Store in the
north side of the Hotel building. This store
office and Marvin was mail carrier from
until the dirty thirties. She also served
listening to our father play the mouth harp,
new frontier and came west. She home-
Thurman to Arickaree, having the first motor
driven route. He also carried the mail from
Flagler to Thurman, first by team and wagon
and again having the first motor driven route.
The family moved in 1919 to Flagler, into
the new houee built by John Collier and Fred
Probasco, according to their design. Later,
they becnme charter members of the Baptist
Church.
Three sons were born to this union, while
living in the sod house
Frank J., Charles
M. and Harry C. After -moving to Flagler, a
daughter, Lena C. was born.
In L924, Marvin lost the mail route in the
Baker of the Red Cross from World War
of the men, lit the oil lamp and saw
a
was similar to a variety store today where she
carried many fine articles including china
and linens, in which establishment Peggy
Wilson was a partner. Pearl also taught
school until she moved to Denver. The store
was in operation
until
1919.
Pearl was co-chairman with Mrs. E.C.
Sometime around the year 1906, three
sisters and their brother and their families
answered the call "Go west, young man, go
west." They chose land 20 miles north of
Flagler, Colorado. My mother and father
were George and Bertha (Phipps) Coddry.
The Robeys and the Hollenbecks and the
Bert Phipps families moved to the area. My
parents had lived in Shelby County, Missouri
all of their lives. Mom's parents were William
H. and Martha (Heckart) Phipps. The Heckarts had moved into Missouri as early as 1838
and William H. Phipps moved there in 1869,
moving from New York state.
The families rented a freight boxcar and
brought their teams and what items they
needed most of their new home. My Dad and
one of the uncles rode in the boxcar from
Shelby County, Missouri to Flagler to care for
the animals. They proceeded to build their
sod shanties, meager barn and then fenced
their property. The first winter they were in
Colorado, the weather was so cold they had
to bring their tenm of horses into the sod
house for protection. The Robys and Hollenbecks became discouraged and moved back
to Missouri, and then later they moved to
California. Uncle Bert Phipps moved his
family into Flagler and he worked as a bridge
contractor. My parents, the George Coddry's
stayed out on the homestead on the prairie.
They braved the hardships and trails ofthose
early days and were too poor to think about
moving anywhere.
My sister came into the scene in March of
�and in trying to figure out what was wrong,
my Dad lit a match and looked in the gas tan.
!!Boom!! What an explosion! For years my
Dad was teaeed about that. The old Tin
Lizzie was more stubborn than a Missouri
mule. Once Dad broke hie arm trying to crank
it. Sometimes we'd get the tenm of horses out
:
'and tow it to get it gtartcd. I can still see my
Dad coming over the hiU in his bobsled with
a 4 ft. x 4 ft. box loaded with dried fruit,
clothes and other supplies from our family in
California, making our Christmas a delight.
Each year at harvest time, the neighbors
would get together to help each other harvest
their wheat and barley. My job was to drive
the tenm of horses to the header barge. The
women would furnish a bountiful dinner of
fried chicken and freeh produce from our
gardesn. Even though we were poor those
early memories of life on the prairie were
t
i
9r
happy one.
In the fall of 1933, we had a big gale, selling
the homestead, livestock, farm machinery
Modern school transportation as of 1925. Trusty "OId Colonel" is pulling a one-horse buggy. On t!" l.ft
doing the driving is Kenneth Coddry, Middle - Lorene (Coddry) Goode, Teacher - Miss Ella (Robb)
Hunizinger. The neighbor boy standing by is Roy Pratt. This was the first year the school was held in the
new frade building, Mt. Pleasant school, district 14. Note: This is the same type buggy to which we attached
a sail that was pushed by the wind as we scampered over the prairie.
We finally quit and that was all for that
school year. The next year, they had the ninth
grade at Mount Pleasant and then I took the
tenth grade at White Plains. Glenn Thompson, son of Aaron and Mnrnie Thompson, and
I batched that year, living in an old sheep
herders trailer. My sister and I rode to school
The Coddry Homestead, a two room sod house
where I lived the first 18 years of my life and the
trusty old windmill that supplied aII our water. We
are cutting potatoes on the entrace to our ground
vegetable cellar. L. to R. George Coddry, Lorene
(Coddry) Goode, Olen Hollenbeck, Mildred Robey
Nelson, and Kenneth Coddry age five yeare. Note:
The Robey and Hollenbeck families had stayed
over for a visit enroute from Missoud to California.
The year was 1920.
1914 and
I followed 18 months later. We lived
in the 2 room
sd
house until
I was 18 years
of age. In the meantime my Mom'g father,
William H. Phipps came and bought a farm,
later belonging to Rube Sparks. My grand-
father moved into Flagler and lived to be past
ninety. My sister, Lorene and I, attended the
Mount Pleasant School District 14 all eight
grades, and in the ninth grade we attended
the Shiloh School until a big blizzard struck
and we could not get to school for six weeks.
each day in a one horse buggy with trusty
"Old Colonel" in the lead. Usually a whole
flock of kids would hang on to the side of the
buggy."Old Colonel" was quite an attraction
at recess time and he was so patient when the
kids climbed all over him.
My early childhood memories are roo-ing
the prairies, herding the cattle on the open
range, and picking up wagon load after wagon
load of cow chips. I have seen the time when
we would run out of fuel and have to burn
corn to keep warm. Our dogs would catch
rabbits and we would skin and dress them,
and then hang them on the fences until we
went home from the fields at noon or evening.
We'd have fried rabbit the next meal. In the
spring, I remember how beautiful the green
rolling hills were, spotted with blooming
cactus and other wild flowers in shades of
yellow, purple and white. My parents allowed
me to roam the prairies. The only danger out
there was the rattlesnakes. We would kill
them with dirt clods, a hoe or anything
handy. Life on the prairie was not all hard
and household itemg. We were heading west.
These were the years of the big dust bowl. In
the spring we loaded our Model A Ford and
headed to California and settled once again
near the Robeys and Hollenbecks. I have
been in California now for over 50 years but
I left a part of me in eastern Colorado. My
father and mother are both gone. My sister
and husband live a couple of miles from us.
We are all retired, getting the most from life
as possible, traveling a little and getting back
to Flagler about once every ten years.
Although I remember the hardships and
joys of those early days on the prairie,
I
wouldn't trade the experiences for any
amount of money.
by Kenneth Coddy
COLES
-
SCHLICHENMAYER
FAMILY
Fr26
Life began for me in Coldwater, Kansas on
October tO, L947 with the assistance of my
father, Doyle C. Coles. I war' named after my
two grandfathers, Robert Tempel Coles and
Charles L. England. I progressed through
most of the aches and pains of childhood
without major dnmage. Starting school in
Vona, I was transferred to Wichita, Kansas
in 1954 and returned to Stratton in 1959 and
graduated there in 1965. Beginning college in
1965, I returned home the next summer and
purchased a new to me 63 Chewolet Impala
and soon found just the girl to go with it, a
Bethune cheerleader and, my future bride,
work. Taking advantage of the strong winds
in East€rn Colorado, my sister and I would
borrow old quilts from Mom which we used
Linda Sue Schlichenmayer.
which we paraded around the prairie. One of
the highlights each day was seeing the
mailman, Ray Thompson, coming over the
hill from the east bringing the Flagler News
and the Cappers Weekly. We went to town
lington, Colorado on 21 June, 1950. Over the
next few years Linda was to see the hospital
in Burlington several times as a ruptured
appendix and resulting complications kept
Dr. R.C. Beethe busy with two surgeries and
resulting care from age 10 through 12 years.
A stormy off and on long distance coutship, while I continued at CSU and Linda
attended Pikes Peak Institute of Medical
Technology, finally resulted in our marriage
to rig sails on an old
once
one-seated buggy in
a week taking our small amount of
cream and eggs with which we used to buy a
few staples. Sometime around 1917 my dad
bought his first car, a "Model T". (Our first
Tin Lizzie). One time my dad ran out of gas
Linda a native Coloradoan as were her
parents, R.O. Schlichenmeyer and Anna
(Weiss) Schlichenmayer was born in Bur-
�went to work for Mountain Bell as a loop
I am gtill working today.
technician, where
.
by Robert Coles
COLES, DOYLE AND
FRANCEIS
*
w
I
1985.
on 14 June 1969.
Linda immediately went to work financing
my last year and a half of schooling to my
graduation with a B.S. in Education from
Colorado State University in 1970. New jobs,
with me teaching school, and Linda working
medical secretan5/, resulted in our moving
Cheyenne Wells, CO. for the next two
years. After two years of teaching, itchy feet
led me to join the Army in 19?2. The pay was
as a
to
better and there sure were lots of travel
opportunities. My first stop was Ft. Leonard
Wood, Missouri, followed by Ft. Bliss, Texas
for radar school, where Linda joined me for
1 year. My next step wae a big one to
Wacherheim, Germany where Linda again
joined me after a separation. This was
Doyle Coles and I, Franceis Bngland grew
up in Comanche County in Kansas. We both
attended rural schools then attended
Coldwater High School where we met. I went
on to college, at Kansas State in Manhattan
while Doyle went into the Army service. For
three years, he moved from Ft. Riley, Kansas
to Fort Leonard Wood. Missouri and later to
San Luis Obispo, California. Finally in San
Luis Obispo, Doyle was told that we would set
out the nrar as a drill sergeant so we decided
to get married. We were married in the
Methodist Church in San Luis Obispo on
t
.,rl
Robert and Linda Coles with Megan and Meriah,
July
Ft27
a
trip for Linda traveling alone, on
her first plane flight, while pregnant to a
strange country to live in civilian quarters
giving a lot of new eye openers. Along with
traveling extensively in Germany and
memorable
September 5, 1943.
Three weeks later Doyle was in Hawaii and
from there on to the New Guinea area. I went
back home and worked at Boeing Aircraft in
Wichita in the Personnel Department. Later
I moved back home to be with my dad and
help him on the farm.
Doyle came through the war years with
only a broken finger. He received the Bronze
Star as a Scout in the first wave of troops to
return to Luzon in the Phillipines. He arrived
back in the United States on September 21,
1945 and was discharged in Denver.
We next made our home in Coldwater
where Doyle was a Standard Oil Bulk agent
and
I
worked one year as high school
secretary. Doyle also worked for his brother
as bulk agent inButtermilk, Kansas. Rob, our
oldest son was born October 10, 1947 in
Ashland, Kansas.
My dad, Charles England bought the
former Tony Kordes farm west of Stratton in
the fall of 1950 and wanted Doyle and I to
surrounding countries, Germany was memorable for the birth of our first daughter,
Meriah Danielle Coles at Wiesbaden Air
Force Hospital on 9 July, 1974.
l.J.tr'r 2-Yz years a desire for change led us
reinlistment and a change ofjob to L.P.N.
The trip home was memorable for 3 reagons:
to
a
first, a 15 month old daughter who didn't
sleep in 18 hours, a Coors beer and McDonalds hamburger, the first in two years, and
blizzard that isolat€d us for 4 days the same
night we got home.
Our next stop was Fort Sam Houston, San
Antonio, Texae followed by another year at
Ft. Bliss. Another big change came when we
a
were reassigned
to Ft. Monmouth,
New
Jersey and our eecond daughter, Megan
Kathleen, was born at West Long Branch,
New Jersey.
In 1979 we felt it was time for the kids to
grow up in a gmall town go it was out of the
Army and back to Stratton for a new job at
Co-op. Building a house and new jobs for
Linda, first aB secretary and later as Director
of CECAA followed by ad salesman and
typist at the Stratton Spotlight occupied the
next few years. I also changed jobs again and
Doyle and Franceis Coles and Sons, JD and Robert.
come with him. Jeffrey Doyle (J.D.) was born
October 5, 1951 in the Burlington hospital,
making our family complete.
Bad weather and poor crops forced us to
leave the farm and move back to Wichita in
1954. Doyle and I both worked for Boeing
aircraft on different shifts. After four years
Doyle quit and went to Barber School
graduating in April 1959. He worked in the
Indian Hills Barber Shop in Wichita.
We were homesick for the farm and Dad
wanted us to come back so we returned to
Stratton in June of 1959. Doyle started
working as the American Legion manager in
1960. I started teaching 3rd and 4th grade at
Vona, Colorado in 1961, where I continued for
the next four years.
I went back to Ft. Hays in 1965 receiving
my B.S. Degree in Education in 1966. Rob
started to college at Ft. Collins in the fall of
1965. We were both
in college at the seme
time. J.D. stayed home with Doyle.
I staded teaching at Stratton in the fall of
1966. Doyle, who had been working for the
county road crew, took over as foreman in
July, 1966. I retired in the spring of 1986 after
20 years of teaching at Stratton, then went
back for 1/z year in 1987. Doyle retired from
the county road crew in June of 1987.
by Franceis Coles
COLLIER, JOHN AND
AGNES
Fl28
My parents, John and Agnes Collier, cnme
from Iowa in 1908 and took a homestead 18
miles from Flagler, Colo. Dad cane in
I came in March.
Dad built a fre-e building in which we
lived until the 3-room sod house was built
later that year. My father and uncle, Elmer
King, came in a railroad car with a team of
January and Mother and
horses, a cow, chickens and pigs, as well as
�furniture for each family.
All the farm buildings were made of sod.
After arriving here, Mother and I spent the
night in the hotel, then owned by W.W.
CONARTY, WALT
Walt Conarty was born in Norton, Kansas,
Aug. 10, 1878 to Patrick Conarty and Marga-
Reynolds. Dad came for us the next day in the
wagon. It was a nice warm day. I remember
thinking how nice it was, ae it had been
storming when we left Iowa.
After the crops were in, my father cnme to
Flagler to do carpenter work. After a very bad
hail, he shingled the schoolhouse (now an
apartment house) and the Madole house
(now owned by John Herzog). He also built
ret Waltprs Conarty, the sixth of eight
children. At age 24 he was married to Ina
Kinzer and started farming south of Norton.
After six years of drought and disappointment, Walt and hie brother-in-law, Milton
Kinzer, cnme to Colorado to claim a farm.
It was March, 1908, when they brought two
covered wagong, two 4 horse tenms, and 2
milk cows about 200 miles and started
working on their claims. Walt had a heavy
tent 15 feet long. They pitched the tent and
anchored it so no creeping animals could get
in. They put bales of hay down through the
center forming 2 rooms. Milton put his bed,
dresser, and chairs and an oil stove on the
west side. Walt had a bed, table and chairs,
the house on Main Street now owned by
Russell Goodin.
In
1909,
my sister, Garland Lucille
was
born and in 1911, my brother, Paul J.
In the early years, maybe 1909 or 1910, the
neighbors went together and built the first
sod school house in
that neighborhood. It was
called Ash Grove. It was located about L/2
mile north of the Shiloh School. It was used
as a church and general meeting place. My
first teacher was Claire Williams. a brother
of Ivy Stevens and Viola Willia-s. The
second was Dora Wolverton and then Daisy
Hewett, who always came to school riding a
horse, using a side saddle. There were many
other teachers later.
In 1911, my folks moved back to Iowa and
in 1916, we c'me back and lived in Flagler.
My father built the house which Glenn Saffer
now owns as well as the one owned by Don
Moss. The new brick school had just been
built and we were so proud of it!
yard southwest ofSeibert in 1921 leaving for farm
sale where he would be the auctioneer.
L922 on the homegtead. which is now owned
by Ted Wickham. In 1926, my parents moved
from the farm and builtthe place in town now
her brother, Milton Kinzer, loaded up their
furniture in two covered wagons and drove
200 miles to Seibert, Colorado, then 13 miles
owned
southwest of Seibert, where they had staked
their claims. The men came to Colorado in
March 1908. They sent for their wives and
My father built up the farm buildings in
by Clair and Agnes Loutzenhiser.
They lived there until their deaths. In
February of 1948, my folks celebrated their
5fth wedding anniversary. In October of
1948, my father passed away. He was buried
in Sterling where he had worked for some
time. Mother passed away in 1969 and was
also buried at Sterling.
My father and Ho-er Shaw did a lot of
building in Flagler through the years. Dad
always said something always called him back
to Colorado. He loved this country.
CONARTY, IDA
Ft29
Ina Kinzer was born to John Henry Kinzer
and Laura Taylor Kinzer, March 4, 1884, in
Scandia, Kansas. Her father was a Civil War
veteran. He helped build the Rock Island
railroad from Phillipsburg, Kansas to River-
bend, Colorado. Ina was married
an oil stove with a separate oven, and a large
woven rag carpet for the floor. They each had
dishes, skillet, etc. They had bought groceries
Mr. and Mrs. Walt Conarty in their farmhouse
in Colorado. With a wife and three children
he thought he might do better on his own
land. Ina was a good helpmate and never
complained when times were hard. She took
her three children and moved into Norton
withWalt's sister, Ada Smith, while Walt and
children
in May. The two women, Ina
Conarty, with three children and Bess Kinzer
with two children came on the train and they
brought the cattle and chickens in other cars.
They were happy to have their families
together and didn't mind living in a tent until
the frost was out of the ground so sod could
be plowed to build sod houses.
Milton and Bess went back to Kansas but
Walt and Ina worked hard to make their
by Velma Taggart
to Walt
Conarty when she was eighteen years old. His
first gift to her was a New Home treadle
sewing machine. She sewed all of her clothes
and clotheg for her children, too. They were
married March 23. L902 and their frrst child
was born, a girl, Irma, March l4th, 1903.
They rented a farm south of Norton, Kansas,
and when Irma was 18 months old a boy was
born but he died soon after. Times were hard
and women had midwives instead of a doctor.
Their next child, born in 1906, was a girl,
Opal. Then in January 5th, 1908, they had a
boy, Tom.
Since crops were poor, Walt filed a claim
F130
home like they wanted it. There was no school
and Ina kept talking about it until Walt and
other neighbor men built a sod school house
two miles west and they hired a teacher in
1911. Later three school districts consolidated and built Second Central in 1915.
Ina was a loving mother and a good
neighbor. She raised 8 children along with her
husband, Walt. It seemed she got very
crippled with arthritis and she could not do
things like she used to but she never complained. Then, in 1940, Walt died suddenly
with a heart attack. She was lonely and
missed him very much but she lived with her
children. Her hands beca-e so twisted that
she could not turn a door knob or tie a shoe.
She could always see that someone was in
worse shape than she was and went about
cheering others. She lived 25 years after Walt
died and was missed by her children, grand-
children and friends. She died October 31,
1965.
by Opal Joy
in
Seibert, Colorado, enough
to last
for
several weeks as they were located ten miles
south and three west of town. They were
camped on a draw on the south part of Walt's
claim and hand dug a shallow well so they
could water their animals. Milton made a trip
to town to get fence posts and barbed wire so
they could fence in their animals and keep
stray animals out. By May they sent for their
wives, Ina Conarty and Irma 5, Opal 2, and
Tom 3 months; Bess Kinzer and Laura 4, and
Everett 5 months. The women and children
came on the train and also there was a car
with cattle and one with chickens. They left
the women and children in town with a kind
lady, Mrs. Jones. She ran a restaurant in her
large frame house and she was glad to
accommodate them and they helped her. The
men drove the cattle out to the claim but left
the chickens at the livery stable until they
could fix a crude hen house. The next trip to
town was made to get the women and
children. The ground had thawed now so they
could break sod. They put up a 3 room sod
house on Milton's place first. Walt insist€d
that he wanted the well drillers to come first
and get him a good well. Then he'd know
where to put his house. Also they could now
plant corn and feed. It was a hard struggle the
first year. Then Milton Kinzers moved back
to Kansas.
Walt helped build the first school house
three miles west of his farm. He served on the
school board several years. He was instrumental in getting 3 school districts to consolidate in 1915 and build a large frame 3 teacher
school, Second Central. He was a good farmer
and had good crops when neighbors didn't.
He and Ina raised eight children. His farm
income never seemed to be enough, so he
worked as overseer, building county roads
and went to auction school and became a
successful auctioneer. His two eldest daughters, Irma and Opal, went to Flagler High
School by working for their board or batching
in town. He said that he had only an 8th grade
education so he wanted all eight of his
children to finish high school; so he rented
the farm to a family and moved a mile east
of Flagler so the children could live at home
and go to school.
Then several politicians coaxed him to run
for county sheriff. Ina was opposed to this
because it was during prohibition time and
�they wanted him to catch the bootleggers.
The election was a landslide and the fanily
had to move to Burlington during the middle
of the school term with four children still in
school. Walt worked hard catching the
bootleggers, but when they came to trial the
jury would let them go. Also there was a
murder while he was in office. Walt caught
and convicted the guilty one, but the people
complained about the expense of the trial and
defeated him on the second term. His farm
was
still rented,
so he rented a farm north
of
Burlington until the lease was up.
The crash came at this time and the
Burlington bank closed its doors and Walt,
like many others, lost all they had. So he
moved back to his farm with the youngest
daughter still in high school. She was able to
stay with her eldest sister, Irma Rowden, and
finish school. Walt's health was broken and
his second son, Edward, did most of the
farming but he insisted on working hard, too.
His second daughter, Opal Murphy, was
divorced and needed to go to college to finish
her college degree. Her two daughters stayed
with their grandparenk, and their mother
went to college summers and taught winters
to supplement their income.
In the summer of
1940, Opal was to
graduate on August 8, 1940. She begged her
parents to come to her graduation in Greeley.
Harvest was late in July and Walt insist€d on
helping out at the field. Then just as harvest
was over on July 20, L940, Walt Conarty
dropped dead with a heart attack.
by Opal Joy
CONGER, JOHN
THOMAS FAMILY
FrSr
1889; Lee Roy Dec. 27, L892; Harley March
30, 1897; Elvin Feb. L2, L902; Everett Merle
March 19, 1904.
John T. was a carpenter and mason, having
completed his apprentice training as a young
man in Iowa.
Viola's father, John Burtlow was an army
scout in the 1860's at Fort Wallace, Ks. and
Fort Laramie, Wyo. He was known for his
hair raising and wonderful stories ofthe west
upon his return to Iowa. This may have been
what influenced John T. to come to Colorado.
In 1898, John T. cnme to Landsman, near
the Republican River to work for the summer, returning to Iowa for the winter. He did
this for several years. In 1906 he filed for a
homestead and brought his family, including
his mother Mahala, to Colorado. They traveled by wagon driving a few head of stock,
samping at night in a tent. Their trip took
about six weeks and it was autumn when they
arrived. Feeling it was too late in the year to
build a soddy house, they dug a dugout using
the tent for a covering to make a roof for the
winter.
Grandmother Mahala died in 1907. John
T. made her casket and Viola and good
neighbors lined it with padding and cloth.
John T. harnessed the horses and drove to the
Kirk Cemeterywhere Mahalawas laid to rest.
In the years to follow John T. and his sons
farmed and built houses and barns for the
homesteaders and ranchers, mostly on the
Republican River.
The following w{ls taken from John's
journal telling about some of the places he
built:
A house for Garfield Scherer
Stone barn for Jacob Scherrer
Dipping tank on Harry Cox Ranch
Stone house for John Evans
Stone chicken house for Fred Bitman
Stone house for Mace's
Built house for Rosser Davis for $50.00 and
six hogs.
The Conger boys were coming of age,
marrying and establishing homes of their
own. Alfred Conger married Jessie Harmon,
Horace manied Maude Andrews, and John
married Reva Andrews.
John T. moved to another farm. south of
the Pugh ranch, where they lived out their
remaining years.
The John Conger Fn-ily portrait just before
corning to Colorado in 1907. Back row: Horace,
John Jr., and AUred. Front row: LeRoy, Viola,
Evertt, John T. and Harley.
John Thomas Conger was born in Keokuk
Co., Iowa on October 5, 1861. He
was
descended from John Conger who was born
in Brooke, England in 1640; he was also
descended from Robert and Ann Fuller ofthe
Mayflower pilgrims. Robert Fuller was
a
signer of the Mayflower Compact and was the
brother of the ship's doctor, Samuel Fuller.
John T. Conger was married March 8, 1885
in Butler, Iowa to Laura Viola Burtlow. To
this union were born eleven children:
Laura Isabel Nov. 2, 1885; Alfred Allen Jan.
21, 1888; John Thomas, Jr. Oct. 4, 1891; Amos
Feb. 6, 1895; Alvin Feb. 12, 1902; Martha
Ellen Dec. 14, 1886; Horace Gilbert Nov. 11,
Harley Conger was in the army from 1917
to 1919 and eerved with the Expeditionary
Forces in France.
In 1920 Viola was badly burned in a tragic
accident and passed away on August 25th;
she was buried in Fairview Cemetery, Burlington. In 1921 John T. died of cancer and
was also buried in Fairview.
Harley and Merle left the farm after the
death of their parents working around the
county at carpentry and farming.
In L922 Harley built a barn and did other
carpentry jobs near Hoxie and Quinter, Kan.
It was here that Harley met Pansy Belle
Bailey and after dating for a year, they were
married Aug. 5, 1923 at Hoxie, Kan. To this
union were born two sons, Milton (Pete) Oct.
L, L924 and Harley Jr. Dec. 4, 1935.
Harley and family moved back to Burlington in 193L and he worked as foreman for
the Orin Penny ranch until 1935. He spent
most of his life as a contractor and builder.
In 1940 he supervised the building of the
gymnasium at what is now the grade school.
Harley was an active member of the American Legion and the Masonic Lodge.
Everett was married to Cherald Bailey,
sister of Pansy, at Pueblo, Colo. on Aug. 26,
1927; they were parents ofa son, Richard, and
a daughter Laura Belle. Merle was a professional army man starting his career with Co.
T in Burlington. He passed away April 16,
1980 and is survived by his wife Mae.
After the death of Pansy in 1939, Harley
married Helene (Reteuke) Taylor, March 9,
1940; also joining the family were Helene's
two daughters, Shirley Ann, and
Carole
Helene. Helene worked many years as a
practical nurse at the Kit Carson Co. hospital. Later she worked for the Department of
Social Services, retiring in 1984.
Harley died of heart failure on Jan.
at his home in Burlington.
l,
L974
by Milton (Pete) Conger
COOK, GEORGE
Fl32
The George Cook and Clifford (Cliff)E.
Reavis family moved from Smith County,
Kansas
April,
to Flagler, Colorado, the 16th of
1916.
The Cook family numbered twelve, George
and Nora Cook with their ten children. The
children were Vernon, Lois, Vinnetta, Ruby,
Christine, Howard, Marvin, Forest, and
Arroll. The oldest daughter, Estella, was
married to Clifford Reavis.
It was a long journey for the two families.
The Reavis family consisted of Clifford and
"Stella", with three small children, Verland,
Bernadine, and 6-month old Maxine. One
mode of travel was a Model T Ford touring
car. The Reavis family, plus Arroll Cook, who
was a mighty little tyke, rode in the car. The
rest of the Cook family drove through in a
covered wagon, except for Vernon, the oldest
boy, who rode in a train with the livestock.
The Cooks moved onto a farm northwest
of Flagler known as the "Officer Place".
Clifford and Stella Reavis went into the
restaurant business located on the main
street of Flagler. Vinnetta Cook worked for
them in the restaurant.
Vern joined the Army and served in World
War I. He came home early in 1919. Soon
after returning home, he married Bernice
Garett, who was a sister of Fred Garrett,
Flagler, and Bertha Stewart of Seibert. They
lived on a farm northwest of Flagler and had
one son, Donald. Vern was one of the first to
have an Atwater Kent Radio.
For the marital status of the rest of the
Cook family; Lois married Dana Strohmeyer.
They had one girl and 4 boys. Vinnetta
married Orlo Searcy, and they had 3 girls.
Ruby married Leslie Miner, and had no
children, and Christine married Clyde Bigelow, and they had 5 girls and one boy who
died. Dana Strohmeyer, Orlo Searcy, and
Clyde Bigelow were all residents of the
Flagler area. Howard married Margaret
Marsh of Missouri, and they had 2 boys and
one girl. Marvin married Goldie Peyton of
Idaho, having 3 boys and one girl. Marvin
married Mary from Goodland, Kansas, after
Goldie died. They had one boy. Forest
married Geneva Hamilton of the Second
Central area, and had 2 girls. Arroll married
Doris Woodring of Goodland, Kansas and
they had one girl.
Those deceased as of January, 1986, are
�Est€lla Reavis, Ruby and Leslie Miner,
terminal building; rebuilt, resurfaced and
Goldie Cook, Forest Cook, Orlo Searcy, Dana
Strohmeyer, Clifford Reavis, and Donald
refenced the ramp.
"Built a new police building, sixty thousand dollars; bought a street sweeper, fourteen
thousand dollars; and an eleven thousand
dollar garbage packer truck. Meantime
payrng off bonds
reducing taxes.
- and
accounting system, au"How? A modern
thorized purchase orders, separate accounts
Cook.
The living Cook children and their spouses
keep in close touch with each other, even
though they live miles apart. Vern and
Bernice live in Agra, Kansas; Lois Strohmeyer lives in Stayton, Oregon; Vinnetta
Searcy lived in Englewood, Colorado, until
recently, when she moved to Valley Center,
Kansas; Christine and Clyde Beigelow live in
Falcon, Colorado; Howard and Margaret
Cook live in Kansas City, Kansas; Marvin
and Mary Cook live in Kirkland, Washington; and Arroll and Doris Cook live in
for
separate departments, investing idle
money. In other wordg 'Good Housekeepingt.tt
This is a salute to an excellent woman and
in hopes of inspiring capable women to fill
public office, Willa Wales Corbitt is showing
the way.
Denver, Colorado.
In 1920, the Cook family moved to a farm
northwest of Arriba, Colorado, and then in
1925 moved to a farm one-half mile south of
Second Central School, which was located
southeast of Flagler. Here they resided until
1936. George Cook died in 1936.
by Dessie Cassity
CORLISS - GRAMM
FAMILY
by Arroll L. Cook
CORBITT, WILLA
WALES
F133
Mr.
John Pugh, two of the directors of the Tuttle
School (we are unable to get the n'me of the
other member) hired a Miss Willa Wales to
In
1909 and 1910 Mr. Bert Corliss and
teach their school. Mrs. Mable Guy, who has
kept in touch with her and who was in the
eleventh grade at that time, had the following
sent to her from a clipping of a Wyoming
paper, written by Paul Hawey: "Willa Wales
Corbitt is a widow with two sons."
I don't know what they were thinking of
back in 1955 when they asked her to run for
mayor of Riverton, Wyoming.
She had accumulated a measure of distinc-
tion in educational circles, had her Master's
degree from Wyoming University, and had
been active in community, county, and state
affairs. She took it seriously, their proposal
for her to run for mayor.
"Riverton had stagnated, civic pride was at
a
standstill. Downtown streets were still dirt;
it rained, and dusty when it
didn't.
"First thing Mayor Corbitt did was to pave
muddy when
Fl34
Esther Gro-m Corliss was born on September 26, L932 on the home place north of
Bethune, Colorado to Gottlieb and Lydia
(Stutz) Gramm. She was the youngest of five
children and has three brothers and
one
sister.
Esther attended the Prairie View and
Bethune Schools. After she quit school she
helped on the family farm and helped other
families with household work when the need
arose. Just before her maniage she worked as
a clerk at the Duckwall Store in Burlington,
Colorado.
Mervin Corliss was born on April 7, L929
to Sherman and Grace (Messing) Corliss at
Hebron, Nebraska. He has four brothers and
five sisters numbering ten children in the
family. When Mervin was five years old the
family moved to Colorado to the Corliss
Ranch northwest of Burlington, Colorado
along the Republican River. He attended the
Tuttle and Kirk schools. Mervin served his
during the Korean war from February
29,
1951 to December 28, L952. He was stationed
in Korea during the war. After his discharge
returned to the family farm and helped his
father with the farming and cattle operation.
Mervin and Esther were both members of
the Settlement 4-H Club and have served as
leaders when their children were in 4-H.
he
Mervin along with his brothers enjoyed
at home and at the county fairs.
the streets. Next, with a town council, which
rodeoing
at first watched in awe, and at last cooperated
Mervin also participated in the 4-H Rodeo at
the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.
Mervin and Esther were married at the
Hope Congregational Church north of Bethune on March 7 , 1954. Mervin had attend-
with enthusiasm, Riverton institut€d five
paving districts. Copper water-service lines
were laid underground. As soon as the frost
was out of the ground, new sewer lines were
laid. High-powered gas and phone lines
moved.
"Willa Wales Corbitt
has now been elected
to four congecutive terms. Most every street
in Riverton has curb, gutter, storm drainage,
and asphalt surfacing.
"This was a big undertaking for a town of
seven thousand people, but it was all done
without five cents of 'Government money'.
The projects were financed by a sale ofbonds,
and already, within five years, 74.9 percent
of those bonds have been repaid.
"They purchased two hundred and forty
acres for ten thousand dollars for a new city
park; built a fiireproof maintenance shop and
yard; remodeled and enlarged the airport
ed the Four Square Church at
Kirk, Colorado
and joined the Hope Congregational Church
a
member after their
marriage. They are both active members in
their church. Esther and Mervin have made
their home on the Corliss Ranch and are
where Esther was
residing there presently.
Mervin and Esther were blessed with two
children, Verlin and Nadine. Verlin was born
in Burlington, Colorado on August 3, 1955.
He attended the Bethune school and graduated with the class of 1973. On December 14.
1984 he was manied to Rhonda Davis of
Thornton, Colorado. At that time she was
teaching at Liberty School, Joes, Colorado.
They have two children, Krista and Stephan-
ie. They are also living on the Corliss Ranch
and Verlin is working with his father in their
farming and livestock operation.
Esther drove the school bus for nine years
from 1969 thru 1978 while her children
attended school. This was a very interesting
experience and she drove through good and
bad roads and weather.
Nadine was born on Februar5r 15, 1958 in
Burlington, Colorado and attended Bethune
school and graduated with the class of 1976.
She graduated from the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley, Colorado in 1980,
majoring in Home Economics. She spent her
first three years teaching in Benkelman,
Nebraska then moved to Joes, Colorado to
teach at Liberty school. In July, 1987, she
graduated with her Masters Degree in counseling and guidance from Adams State
College in Alamosa, Colorado.
Both Verlin and Nadine were active in 4-H
work receiving many honors for their projects
over the years. They were also active in the
youth fellowship of the Hope United Church
of Christ where they are members.
Growing up on the farm meant you had to
make your own entertainment and also you
helped with the work even if you were too
small for the job. We thought we were really
something if we could help with special jobs
and, of course, there were a lot of things we
could do in spite of age and size. I remember
farming with horses, especially picking corn.
Dad was picking corn and I was helping being
the age of 12 years. The horses took off, I
climbed on the wagon and got one leg in the
box and the other one still out. I thought I
could grab the reins and stop the horses. I
finally gave up and jumped off and the
horses, Barney and Hank, ran next to a bank
and upset the wagon full of corn. That
stopped the horses! I will never forget that
event.
Sunday afternoons usually brought company and, of course, we kids always found
something to do. The great excitement that
one Sunday was that dad got a new tractor.
Of course we kids had to have a look. It was
a new "Farmall" tractor and he had it parked
in the garage. We, Esther and Gladys Grarnm,
were sitting on the rubber tires. (Our dads
were playing horseshoes.) Raymond wag
pretending to drive and Richard Grn-m wae
going to try and see if he could st€rt it. He
oanked it and it start€d! Off it went, pushing
the wall out of the garage and did stop,
somehow, before anyone got hurt. My how
thankful we all were that no one was hurt. not
even the new tractor!
by Esther Gramm Corliss
CORLISS
- IIASART
FAMILY
Fl36
Lowell Wayne Corliss was the firrst son of
Sherman and Grace Corliss born in Hebron,
Nebraska, on May 22,1926. As a child Lowell
and his family moved to Colorado and lived
along the Republican River on the A.N.
Corliss homestead. He started his school
years at Hebron attending the first grade
there and after moving to Colorado he
attended north Tuttle school and after the
flood finished the 8th grade at T\rttle school
�south of the river. Lowell drove a horse and
buggy to and from school bringing his sister,
Betty, and brothers Lyal and Mervin with
him. "How quick can we get there?' Lowell
would ask. Betty would just squeeze Mervin
a little tighter and say, "Now Lowell, slow
down!!!".
The 1935 flood was full of lasting memories
for a small boy. The water just missed coming
into the basement of their home but Lowell's
mother fixed the upper story so that they
could stay up there until the waters were
going down. They were surrounded with
water for 3 or 4 days and Lowell remembers
that they really felt isolated as they could not
go outdoors due to that water.
Lowell attended Kirk High School for Llh
years driving a model A Ford. He began
working for Mark Jay, Harvey Wood, Jerry
Guy and A.W. Adolf after he left school.
Lowell and Virginia Corligs at Corliss Centenial,
September 7,198?
Lowell joined the Colorado National Guard.
Lowell Corliss and Virginia Hasart, daughter of Jake and Nettie Hasart were married
on November 6, 1949, in Immanuel Lutheran
Church north of Bethune.
Virginia was born in her grandmother
Adolfs home north of Bethune on January
24, L932. She attended Union School riding
with her brother, Jim, on his horse Tippy and
later riding "Nellie". Every day she would
ride her horse the three miles to and from
school making for some memorable times.
The horse has some bad habits and when
Jake would see Virginia turn the corner he
would head for the water tank, the horse
Colorado and Kit Carson County Hereford Tour
at Corliss Hereford Ranch, 1981.
would stop with a jerk and there would be
Virginia in the water tank if Jake wasn't there
to catch the horse. After attending Union
school for eight years she went to Stratton
High School for three years. In 1948 Virginia
was Kit Carson County Queen Attendant.
Lowell and Virginia started their manied
life together on the HommRanch where
Lowell was employed in 1949. tn 1950 they
moved to their ranch northeast of Stratton.
With their first child due in the spring of
1951, consider the problems of going to the
hospital in Goodland, Kansas. It's now May
21, 1951. "Lowell it's time, the babys on it's
way!", Virginia stated and off they go in
Jake's Buick, mudding it into Stratton and
then on the highway to Goodland most likely
erceeding the speed limit. Every thing was
going fine until they pulled up at the hospital
and who would be behind them but
a
policeman. "Why were you going so fast?"
Lowell, a little anxious, "my wife's having a
baby"? The policeman replied "well okay,
but don't let it happen again".
The two additions of the family were
Vickie Marie born on May 21, 1951 and
Russell Lowell born on October 10, 1958.
Family activities were very important, so
4-H and the Stratton Roping Club found the
Corliss'really involved. Lowell helped from
the Little Britches Rodeo Association in Kit
Carson County, ofwhich he was a director for
23 years. Virginia and Lowell were both 4-H
leaders with Virginia sewing 15 years and
Lowell serving 27 yean. Lowell was also
Superintendent of the Beef Barn at the
Kit
Stratton Telephone Company and
also
Carson County Fair. In the early 1950's
Lowell was the lineman for the Northeast
helped wire houses when the REA came to
the area.
Registered Hereford cattle have been a
part of their lives since 1963 when Lowell
purchased his first registered Hereford cattle
starting small and growing with the cattle
industry. Corliss Herefords have shown cattle
at the Kit Carson County Fair, other local
fairs, the Colorado State Fair, and the
National Western Stock Show in Denver.
Lowell is a life member of the American
National Hereford Association and the Kit
Carson County Hereford Association. The
Corliss ranch hosted the Colorado Hereford
1971 and 1981.
Four registered Hereford bulls were selected by the Hungarian Government from the
Corliss Hereford Ranch in 1973. These were
chosen by the Hungarian delegation who
selected 35 buls from ranches in Colorado,
Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. These
Tour in
animals were taken to Denver loaded in
trucks for shipping to Chicago where they
were placed aboard airplanes and flown to
Hungary.
TRUC
:Ol
mry/4
There is still a major interegt in the
National CCA, Colorado CCA, Kit Carson
County Cattleman's Association and the Kit
Carson County Cowbells. Lowell has been an
of KCCCA for 38 years
serving as a director for a nu-ber ofyears and
as Becretary for five years. Virginia has been
serving as president for the past 8 years and
active member
is still serving in that capacity. Lowell was
elected to the Stratton Fire District Board
and served as Treasurer. Virginia has been
employed at Dishner's Grocery in Stratton
since 1977.
One of the most exciting events was helping
with the Colorado Cattleman'e Convention
when
it
was held
in Burlington in
1986.
Lowell wae in charge of the Ranch Roundup
and they hosted the Pre-convention Steak
Fry at their ranch.
Colorado Hereford breeders (from left) Morris Richardson of Simla, Don Norgren of Platteville, BiIl Diehl
of Can, Lowell Corliss of Stratton, Harold Sidwel of Carr and Ruesell Corliss watch as a Hungarianpurehased shipment of Colorado Herefords were loaded preparing to leave for Chicago.
Lowell has collected many bits and spurs
and has an extensive barbed wire collection.
Lately he has been learning the art of flint
knapping (arrow head making). Virginia
enjoys crewel work and sewing and in the
summer you will find her driving the tractor
and working in her yard.
�Now that their children are grown and
started families of their own, Lowell and
Virginia enjoy special times with their grandchildren, Peggy Sue and Mathew Allan
Schlepp. Vickie graduated from Stratton
High School and completed the Data Processing course at Northwest Kansas area
Vocational-Technological School in Goodland, Kansas in May of 1970. On June 13,
1970 Vickie married Clinton Schlepp and are
living on their ranch northeast of Idalia, CO.
Russell graduated from Stratton High
School in 1977 and married Susan Korbelik
on July 18, 1980. Russell is now ranching and
living on the home place. The family tradition is "the coffee pot is always on and a
neighbor's always welcome."
by Virginia Corlies
CORLISS - KORBELIK
FAMILY
Fr36
said, "Hang on to your jeans Russ!" That's
all it took, he went three days in the hospital
with his jeans on!
The Corligs fanily enjoyed family events
which Russell and Vickie both participated
Britches, the Stratton Family
Roping Club, and the community card
parties. Russell and Tony Paintin - born to
rope! Even at the card parties, they'd rope all
night long and then devour a half gallon of
ice cream.
beef projects were Russell's favorites. In
1974, Russell had the Grand Qftnvnpion
Market Steer at the Kit Carson County Fair.
National Western Stock Show was a big time
to show cattle and his senior year he participated in the Catch-It-Calf, where he received
Top Showman honors.
4-H had other important effects on Russell
and Susan. They met at a judging contest in
Sterling, Russell on the livestock tenm and
Susan on the home-ec teem.
Kit
Carson County Fair Superintendent of
Catch-It-Calf, which he also works with the
Kit Carson County Cattlemen's Association
who sponsor the Catch-It-Calf program.
Susan is the fair superintendent of the
Fashion Revue, one of her favorites! She is
also the Recording Secretary of the Kit
Carson County Cattlemen's Association.
When Russell and Susan were married in
1980, they got a taste of the worst. Ten days
"large mosquito bit€". Russell had been
playing down by the old silo (this was not
allowed) when he was bit by a rattlesnake. At
the age of four, he didn't want to get in
trouble for being at the silo - so he didn't say
anything! At noon, his sister, Vickie, was
showing her dad her mosquito bites. Russell
said, "That's nothing, look at the big one on
my foot." Lowell and Virginia knew it was a
snake bite, so in to the hospital they went.
Luckily Russell didn't receive a full bite (or
dose
of venom). Then
it
became a game;
Russell didn't want to take off his jeans - the
nurses tried every trick. One evening Dr. Ross
:i:ll:l,r:
Russell's other two main interests were
Russell is a director of Little Britches and the
Stratton. One of his earliest memories was his
Fr37
wrestling and 4-H. 4-H was a year long job,
getting ready for the next year's fair. The
family raised Registered Herefords, so the
Little Britches and 4-H gave so much to
Russell and Susan, they are giving now.
Russell and Susan Corliss are lifetime
residents of Kit Carson County, both being
born in Burlington. They were united in
marriage on July 18, 1980, in the St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church in Burlington.
Russell Lowell Corliss is the son of Lowell
and Virginia Corliss. He grew up northeast of
AND LTLLTAN
in. Little
Susan Marie is the daughter of Hawey and
Connie Korbelik. She grew up southeast of
Burlington. The Korbelik fanily also took
great int€rest in family type activities. Susan
was very active in school and 4-H. Being in
Pom-Pon was really exciting to Susan; school
spirit was always really important to her. The
thrill of being selected FFA Sweetheart will
always be with her, too.
4-H offered so many opportunities, like the
trip to Washington, D.C. with the Citizenship
Shortcourse . . . the pride that came to heart
just to be in the nation's capitol but also from
Colorado!
Russell and Susan Corliss'Fifth Anniversary, 1985.
CORLISS, ALBERT
after their wedding, Susan was admitted to
the Kit Carson County Memorial Hospital
with 104 degree temperature. The next two
weeks were touch and go for awhile, even a
trip on Flight for Life to St. Anthony's in
Denver. It was finally diagnosed as Toxic
Shock Syndrome. It's not a time Russell or
Susan would want to relive again, but with a
strong faith and love for each other they both
survived.
The remaining six years are full of many
happy memories. They are both active in the
church activities and Susan has taught the
First Communion class for seven years, with
each class being "her kids"!
They are both looking forward to what
their future will bring especially in Kit
Carson County, each as a 4th generation
member of their respective families.
by Susan Corliss
Mr. and Mrs. A.N. Corliss
The family records show that
George
Corliss, the founder of our family in America,
was born in Devonshire, England and came
to this country in 1639 and settled that year
at Newbury, Massachusetts.
In 1864 Albert Nathan Corliss was born at
St. Albens, Vermont, to Martin Joseph and
Paulina Skinner Corliss. In 1887 at the age
of 23 Albert N. Corliss c'me on a train to
Wray, Colorado.
He worked on the Bar T Ranch near the
Republican river in Kit Carson County,
where Burt Ragen was the foreman. Soon
after, he took a homestead north of the Yale
Post Office, around 12 miles northwest of
Burlington. Here he met Lillian May Yale,
who he later manied on June 26, L892.
Sherman Henry and Sarah D. Bevier Yale
came to
Kit
Carson County in the early 1880's
from Illinois in a covered wagon and settled
on a homestead about 12 miles northwest of
Burlington. Here the Yale Post Office was
established. Sherman Yale was the mail
carrier from Burlington to Yale and other
Post Offices north of Yale. He used a 2 wheel
cart and an old white horse. Sarah Yale was
the postmistress, also a midwife. She delivered many babies in the area which is known
the German Settlement. Lillian May Yale
was born May 17, 1876 in Knox County,
Illinois.
Albert and Lillian Corliss lived on the
homestead north of the Yale Post Office for
a few years. Their home was a dugout and
later a room was built on top. Here Luella
Yale Corliss was born December 29, L894.
After a few years, Albert relinquished this
homest€ad to John Schlichenmayer and took
another homestead on the Republican river
in 1895 around 27 miles northwest of Burlington, the address being Tuttle, Colorado.
Albert Corliss, also known as A.N. Corliss,
as
was
Kit
Carson County assessor in 1898. He
�driven through the rubber. It was known as
the Stratton Telephone Company. Lillian
Corliss was the switchboard operator, with
the switchboard in the southeast corner ofthe
living room in the cement house. The Corliss
ring was four short rings. Albert N. Corliss
had forty shares at $5.00 a share. Sherman
still had this contract from the telephone
company.
In 1908 A.N. Corliss received a sugar beet
growers contract to plant 50 acres of sugar
beets in order to get a railroad formed along
the Republican river. There wasn't enough
interest so it never took place. Ifthe railroad
had been built they would have been paid
$5.00 a ton for sugar beets. Sherman has this
beet growers contract in his files.
One of the happenings that Sherman
recalls is about his older brother Joe.
It was
the first fall snow storm around 1910 when
there was free range for cattle. Joe and his
dad (Albert) went to look for cattle in the
later afternoon. Dad told Joe to go home as
it
was getting cold and late. They were about
four miles from home at this time. Joe started
out going over the hills and somehow got
going in the wrong direction. When Dad got
home and Joe was not there, Dad went back
to look for him and notified the neighbors
Early day picnic, year 1900, at the Cor Ranch, now the McArthur Ranch. Mr. and Mrs. A.N. Corliss far
left Holding Sherman. Some of the others are Will Richards, Mr. and Mrs. E.G. Davis, Martin Joe Corliss
(old man with beard), Bill Richards holding son, Luella and Joe Corliss setting on the ground.
moved his family to Burlington at this time
and served two terms. Joseph Martin Corliss
was born in Burlington on March 8, 1898.
Between 1898 and 1900 they moved to the
homestead on the Republican river near
Tuttle. They lived in a sod house and
Sherman Henry Corliss was the first child
born here on April 5, 1900. On the L3th of
December, 1902, A.N. Corliss proved up on
his homestead on the Republican river. Three
more sons were born to Albert and Lillian in
the sod house. They were Edward, Harold,
and Ralph. In 1908 A.N. Corliss built a two
story cement house with a basement under it,
next to the sod house. Here in the cement
house Mary, Frank, and Myrna were born,
making a family of 9 children.
In 1895 Martin Joseph Corliss, father of
Albert N. Corliss, c4me from Vermont after
the death of his wife and took a homestead
the 3fth of April, 1896, under a Soldiers
Declaration. (He was a Civil War veteran.)
This homestead joined his son Albert's. After
Martin Joseph proved up on his homestead
he sold it to Albert for $200.00 in 1901 and
returned to Vermont. A homestead consisted
of 160 acres and you lived on your homestead
a few years before you proved up. These
homesteads have never been out of the
Corliss family.
Albert N. Corliss was interested in education. He was on the school board for Tuttle
School District #39. Tuttle District had a sod
gchool house. In 1901 or 1902 they moved a
frame school house from south of Seibert to
northeast of the Tuttle Ranch to the site
where the sod school house stood. They were
in need of a larger clasgroom. Those who
moved the school house were John J. Pugh,
G.G. Bur, A.N. Corliss and others. Horses
and wagons were uged to move the school
house. Ethel Boyles Burr was the school
teacher and several of the older Corliss
children attended school here. A few years
later, around 1907 or 1908, the Tuttle school
was moved north about one and one-half
miles close to the G.G. Burr ranch, now Wood
ranch. Then again around 1913 or 1914
Tuttle school was moved further north about
two miles, close to the Tuttle store. This is
where the school got its name of North
Tuttle. At this time, around 1913 or 1914,
people could homestead one-half section of
ground. There were 50 children in the one
room school. Mabel Pugh was the teacher,
teaching all 8 grades. It was decided to build
another school, which was known as South
Tuttle. It was built on the southeast corner
of the Hightower place. Several of the
younger Corliss children attended classes at
South Tuttle. Suzie Underwood was the first
teacher of South Tuttle and stayed at the
Corliss home with Uncle Bill and Aunt Nellie
Yale while the Corliss family was
in Ft.
Collins.
The school year of 1913 and 1914 Albert N.
Corliss moved his family to Ft. Collins.
Luella, Joseph (known as Joe) and Sherman
attended the agriculture school. Joe and
Sherman also received military training. The
younger children attended grade school in Ft.
Collins.
In 1917 Albert and Lillian bought land near
Hebron, Nebraska, and leased the ranch in
Colorado. They moved their family to Hebron because ofbetter schooling. Paulina was
born here making a fanily of ten children, six
boys and four girls.
Joe moved back to the ranch in Colorado
in 1919. Luellaalso joined him.In 1921Luella
and Gordon Hitchcock were married and
were in partnership withJoe for several years.
Rose Mae, Marie, Merton and Albert Hitchcock were all born on the ranch.
In 1906 there was a telephone line built up
and down the river to the ranches. It was a
one wire line on the fence posts, with two by
fours holding it up. Some places it was just
on the barbed wire fence with rubber (from
old boots, etc.) for insulators with a staple
that Joe was lost. Dad got Jake Strobel to go
and help him look for Joe. Joe had drifted
into the Tom Jones place up south in the hills.
Tom Jones boy took Joe to the Pugh ranch.
It had been decided that if he was found they
would ring their dinner bells, so Pugh's rang
their dinner bell and so on down the river to
let Mom (Lillian) know that Joe had been
found. Joe stayed the night with Pugh's and
went home the next morning. Joe was about
12 years old and he was riding their pony
Mexico.
Sherman also tells of his and Edward's
(known as Ed) first train ride. Around 1910,
Dad (Albert) had two carloads of cattle
shipped to Denver from Stratton. Dad went
on the train to Denver with the cattle.
Sherman and Ed went on the train with Mr.
and Mrs. Pugh, Lloyd and Luther. Dad met
them in Denver and they went to the stock
show. Here they saw Buffalo Bill ride his
horse into the arena with his buckskin suit on.
Dad had to hold us boys up so we could see
him as there was such a crowd. They also
went to the top of the Daniel and Fisher tower
and they could see all over Denver.
Sunday School and Literary was held in the
schoolhouses and different ones ofthe neigh-
bors would help with the teachings.
Lillian Corliss was known as a
hard
working Christian woman. Some of the old
timers would recall seeing her going to help
a neighbor, riding her gray horse with side
saddle, with two small children.
Albert and Lillian enjoyed 63 years of
married life and are both buried in Hebron,
Nebraska. Albert lived to be 91 vears and
Lillian 84 years.
by Lois Henry
�brothers in the sod house until his father built
a new two story cement howe next to the sod
CORLISS, SHERMAN
AND GRACE
house in 1908.
Sherman's education started at the Tuttle
Fr38
School District #39 northeaet of the Tuttle
In 1913, after completing the 8th
grade, Sherman and his brother Joe went to
ranch.
Ft. Collins for two years of
agricultural
school. This was a school teaching vet€rinary,
shop and livestock judging.
Rabbit Drive on 1935. The largest drive was north
of the Loyd Pugh Ranch (formerly Tuttle Ranch).
It regulted in the kill of 10.000 rabbite near Hell
Creek.
Sherman and Grace Corliss, year L972.
The Corliss family moved to Hebron,
Nebraska in 1917 where Sherman helped his
father.
In 1924 Sherman married Grace Messing,
a school teacher, daughter of William and
Lilly erwin
Messing of Gilead, Nebraska.
Sherman was involved in farming for ten
years in Nebraska. The children born to
Sherman and Grace in Nebraska were Betty,
Lowell, Lyal, Mervin, Albert and Doris. In
the spring of 1934 they had a farm sale and
moved their family of six children and
household goods to Colorado with a Model T
ton truck and Chevy car, pulling a trailer.
They rented the ranch from Sherman's Dad
(Albert). It was a dry year and Shermau
irrigated from the Republican river that ran
just south of the big cement house. On the
north side of the bottom land was artesian
wells on a spring creek. These artesian wells
supplied wat€r for the north ponds and
irrigation was algo done from these ponds.
Sherman remembers a good crop was raised
that year in spite of the drouth.
The school year 1934 and 1935 the children
Betty, Lowell, Lyal and Mervin went to the
North Tuttle School. They drove the horse
Goldie hitched to a two wheeled buggy.
There were a lot of dust storms that year.
Sherman and Ruby Corlise.
The children remember going to the teachers
house, who was Glen Smith, near the school
and waiting for the dust storms to be over
before starting home.
There was a plague of rabbits, the neighbors formed a company and bought chickenwire and corn cribbing to build pens to drive
the rabbits into and then the rabbite were
Corligs home built on 1908. East eide showing
picture windows. ? of the 10 children were born
here and the 4 Hitchcock children were also born
here.
Gordon Hitchcock and eon Bert after the 1935
flood ofthe Republican River on the Corlies Ranch.
On April 5, 1900, Sherman Henry Corliss
third child born to his parents Albert
Nathan and Lillian May Yale Corliss, in a sod
house on the Republican river near Tuttle,
Colorado. Sherman was named for his grandfather Sherman Henry Yale, the founder and
postmaster of Yale, Colorado.
Sherman lived with his parents, sist€rs and
was the
Children of Sherman and Grace Corliss. Boys L. to R. Mervin, Albert, David, Lyle, and Lowell. Girls L.
to R. Mary, Doris, Betty, Ruth, and Lois.
�clubbed to death. The schools were dismissed
so that the children could help drive the
rabbits. The largest drive amounted to 10,000
rabbits. The drive was north of the Tuttle
ranch (then known as the Pugh ranch) near
Hell Creek.
In the fall of 1935, South Tuttle wag moved
to the Corliss land on the southwest corner
of the east one-half of Section 18. This is
where the Corliss kids continued their educa-
tion.
On May 30th, Decoration Day 1935, the
wind blew hard all day from the south. That
night it started raining a little after dark. It
rained
all over the country. Hell
Creek,
Spring Creek, and South Fork Republican all
came together about 3 miles above the Corliss
home dumping into the Republican river.
Water was one mile wide through the bottom
with our house about in the center. About
midnight the water was splashing up on the
weet side of the cement house, so we began
moving things upstairs (flour, water, gugar,
potatoes, etc.). The water never did get in the
house. The Rosser Davis family, about one
mile up the river, had to get in their upstairs.
Water was in their house getting up as high
as the keyboard on the piano. They tell that
they thought the Corliss family would
be
worse off than them. Roeeer got on the house
roof waving a lantern thinking the Corliss
neighbors would see him trying to let them
know of the danger. The waves were so high
no one could see him. Shortly after daylight
the water began to recede from around the
house. We couldn't get out until the next day.
The flood washed out a lot of big cottonwood
trees and changed the course of the river to
where it is one-half mile north of the cement
house. Before the river was south and east of
the house. We lost 33 head of cattle, 4 head
of horses, and lots of hogs and chickens.
Davis'lost more livestock and chickens that
we did. There was a fanily by Seibert, a
young man, his wife and hig wife's father,
drowned in the flood. The young man wag
found one-fourth mile southwest of our
house. The other two people were found later
in the summer further down the river. As
soon an we could get out in tenm and wagon,
we took the bedding, food and cooking
utensils and moved up to the Babeon rock
houee, two miles southeast on a hill. We lived
there through the summer, getting back to
the cement house in time for the children to
walk to school through the sandbar south of
the house. The boys stayed with Uncle Joe's
off and on through the gummer on the John
Weisshaar place. Betty stayed some with the
Jerry Guy fanily. Mom (Grace) and Doris
stayed with Aunt Luella in Burlington where
Lois was born on August 9, 1935. Sherman
recalls meeting Homer and Dolly Hightower
on their way home from town and they told
him that he had another little baby girl.
It took a long time getting the ranch back
in shape after the flood. There was not a fence
left across the bottom. We got some fences in
on the west and east so we could keep the
cattle home. There was Corliss and Davis
lakes up and down the river and the flood
filled all of these with sand and there were no
more. Lots of good timee, picnics, swimming,
and fiahing went on at these places by many
people of the country. Indian camp grounds
were uncovered by the flood and buffalo
heads, pottery, beads and arowheads were
found. Trees were also found that had been
buried years before in a flood and the banks
of the river where it is now shows that the
river had run here many years before.
When Dad (Albert N. Corliss) came to this
country, it is said an old Indian chief told him
to not build in the river bottom as he had seen
water from one hill to the other. It is believed
he knew what he was talking about. After the
flood, Mom (Grace) was always terrified
whenever she saw a cloud in the sky, even if
it wag a little one. She carried this fear the
rest of her life.
After the flood Sherman continued to
irrigate his crops. It took a lot of hard work
and patience to irrigate from the river. The
water level was lower so a da- had to be put
across the river to form a pond and then a
ditch had to be dug for the water to run out
of. Every time a little flood came up it would
take out the dam, which would have to be
replaced and then the ditch would also have
to be dug deeper. Each time there was a flood
the water table lowered, sometimes as much
as a foot making the ditch digging quite a job.
After a few years Sherman bought a centrifugal pump, (it had to be primed with water to
start it) and punped the water from the river.
This pump wag used for about three or four
years, Sherman then had his first irrigation
well dug in 1956. Sherman said this is one of
the best things he ever did. Eventually we had
two more wells drilled and went to the
circular sprinkler systems.
For a few years after the flood Sherman
had a large truck garden, raising produce and
delivering it to customers in Burlington and
other towns. Many people came from miles
around the country to buy tomatoes, potatoes, onions and melons.
Sherman would do his own butchering and
curing and Grace took care
of the lard
rendering, frying the sausage to be stored in
crock jars in lard, and also making lye soap
from the cracklings. After the butchering, the
carcass (usually a hog) would hang overnight
from the big cottonwood tree lime in front of
the house to cool. Of course the Corliss kids
always had a job to help with the chores or
whatever was going on.
The first tractor Sherman had was a used
G.P. John Deere and the first washing
machine Grace had was a one cylinder
Maytag. Sherman traded T.W. Backlund
some hay for it in 1934.
In 1944 Sherman bought the ranch from his
Dad (Albert). He continued to improve the
ranch. One of the first improvements was to
left
by the flood of 1935. The house was also
get grass and hay started in the sandbars
modernized, getting electricity and telephone
in 1945 and 1946 on a teaching permit. Doris
was in sixth grade and Lois in third grade.
Lowell worked for Jerry Guy and A.W.
Adolf as a farm hand for several years until
he married Virginia Hasart in 1949 and then
he worked for Homm ranches.
Lyal, Mervin and Albert were in the Army
in Korea during the Korean conflict. David
was a paratrooper in the Vietnnm War.
In 1954 Mervin and Esther Gramm were
married. A second place was built up for them
north of the river, making sure it was above
the flood level of the 1935 flood.
In 1968 when David and Betty Gramm
were married a new house was built for
Sherman and Grace on the south side where
Martin Joseph Corliss (Sherman's grandfather) had originally homesteaded. It was
also above the flood level of the 1935 flood.
David and Betty made their home in the old
cement house.
The Corliss family attended church regularly, belonged to the Settlement 4-H Club
and were also members of the Farm Bureau,
Grange, and Cattlemans Association.
Grace enjoyed crocheting, writing and
painting in her later years. Grace passed away
in April of L974 at the age of 70 years and is
buried in Burlington.
Sherman and Grace would have celebrated
their 50th wedding anniversary in December.
Sherman's grandson, Verlin (Mervin's son)
and wife Rhonda, live in the new house. This
makes the fifth generation to live on Martin
Joseph's homestead.
The Sherman Corliss children all married
and several are still living in the area. They
are Betty and Richard Guy, Bethune, Colo-
rado, Lowell and Virginia Hasart Corliss,
Stratton, Colorado, Lyal and Delores Miller
Corliss, Crescent City, California, Mervin
and Esther Gramm Corliss, Stratton, Colo-
rado, Albert and Arnella Adolf Corliss,
Yuma, Colorado, Doris and Roy Henry, Joes,
Colorado, Lois and Ralph Henry (deceased),
Vona, Colorado, Mary and Clinton Hasenauer, Wallace, Nebraska, David and Betty
Gramm Corliss, Stratton, Colorado, and
Ruth and pisl flnmpton, Colorado Springs,
Colorado.
In 1975 Sherman manied Rubbie Deloris
Schmitt Corliss (his brother Joe's widow).
Rubbie, the fourth child of A.A. and Frieda
Dandliker Schmitt, was born at Davenport,
Nebraska on April 12, 1909.
Sherman and Rubbie now reside in Bur-
lington, Colorado.
by Loie Henry
when the lines went through the country.
In February 1941 Mary was born and
David in April 1942. Ruth was born in
February 1944. This made a family of ten
children, five boys and five girls.
All the Corliss children except Ruth attended the South Tuttle School. David was
in the first grade the last year classes were
held. Tuttle school was closed in 1950 and the
Corliss kids, Lois, Mary, David and Ruth,
drove to Harvey Woods and went on to
Kirk
to school with the Woods children. In 1960
Tuttle disbanded or consolidated, the Corliss
children going to Bethune. David and Ruth
graduated from Bethune High School. Mary
graduated from Liberty High School in 1959.
Joeg and Kirk schools consolidated in 1955
and was named Liberty.
Betty went to Blair Business School in
Colorado Springs and taught Tuttle School
COX FAMILY
F139
Cox Ranch
The Cox Ranch was originally part of the
large Tuttle Ranch, which fell upon hard
times in the late 1880's. The terrible blizzards
of that time severely stressed the cattle
industry in eastern Colorado and although
the Tuttles managed to hang on for awhile
after that, the depression of the early 1890's
finally did them in. Herman Tuttle died in
1894 and the ranch was taken over by a bank
in London, England, among others.
Shortly thereafter John and Jane Pugh
�bought the headquarters portion ofthe ranch
(now the Price Ranch) and Harry Cox
purchased what was called the Six Mile
Ranch, so called because it was located six
miles from the Tuttle Ranch headquarters.
Mr. Cox began constructing his ranch
headquarters in 1896 and had completed
several stone buildings including a barn and
some stone corrals
by
1897. The house,
will get as much from it
those who follow
we did.
as
by Kenneth McArthur
CRONISE, FLORENCE
Fl40
area and was used by most. Incidentally, Mr.
Cox did not call his ranch "Cox Ranch". He
called
it the "Rock Haven Ranch".
In
1910 due to poor health, Harry Cox was
forced to sell the ranch and it was bought by
John and Art Pugh. John Pugh died in 1913
leaving Art and Ruby Pugh, along with his
widow, Jane, to operate the ranch which they
did until 1924 when hard times caught up
with them. During this period, the property
was referred to ae the "Art Pugh Ranch". The
Art Pughs remained on the ranch until the
late 1920's when they moved to Burlington.
A bank in Colorado Springs owned the
ranch from L924 to 1944. During that time it
was occupied at various times by the Guys,
Radcliffs and the Coopers. In 1944 the ranch
was purchased by Mark and Fay Jay and, in
1946, they sold it to Ernest and Mary
McArthur who still own it. In 1970 Kenneth
and Beverly McArthur came into the operation with Ernest and Mary. In 1981, Ernest
and Mary retired to Burlington while Kenneth and Beverly continued on.
The history of the ranch is much the same
as that of the other ranches in this area. A
story of good times and bad. The problem all
ranches had was
that they were totally
dependent upon the cattle market, usually a
feast or famine situation. Most of the larger
cattle operations went out of business in the
1920's or before and it was not until after
World War II that diversification into farming was undertaken on any scale. The combination of cattle and crops has enabled most
of the operations to survive and even thrive
at times.
This short history has covered over 100
years and while times and techniques have
changed, at least one constant remains;
whether we were a Tuttle, Cox, Pugh, Guy,
Radcliff, Cooper, Jay or McArthur, the land
remains and we are here because we love it
and when we leave it we can only hope that
Youngsters or relative newcomers to Flagler hear the carillion from the Congregational Church of a Sunday morning
of
- some
them may even know that it is the
Cronise
Carillion. For those who knew this remarkable lady, however, the ringing bells from the
church have a very special meaning indeed.
She was a pioneer in more ways than one
and yet the antithesis of what we generally
think of as a "pioneer woman". Born on June
15, 1861 in Newark, New Jersey, her father
was a prominent and prosperous business-
man and very active in church affairs. Her
mother evidently died when Florence was
still young.
She went to a woman's seminary
and then to Europe on three occasions where
she studied languages in both France and
Germany. Back
is now the Lester
Loutzenhiser residence.
bunkhouses and a cook house were completed
in 1898. Construction ofother stone buildings
and corrals continued most of the time while
Mr. Cox owned the ranch. The rock was a
limestone which came from the surrounding
hills. Except for the house, most of the
construction wffr accomplished by ranch
hands and some part-time help during slack
periods. A contractor and small crew were
hired to build the house. All the stone was
shaped by hand using hnmmers and chisels.
Harry Cox was an interesting and highly
respectcd man. He was small, about 5'6",
rather frail, a bachelor, and very English. He
had some trouble walking but was an outstanding horseman with a reputation for
being able to ride hard for days at a time. He
wore English riding breeches, English riding
boots and rode English saddles. He was a
progressive cattleman running some 800 cows
and was among the first to import quality
British bulls for herd improvement. He was
active in the Cattleman's Associations of that
time and was one of the first to install a
dipping vat for the control of parasites. This
vat was made available to everyone in the
she died. The house
in the United States
she
studied for and received a BA in Philosophy.
Then she joined other Congregational Missionaries for a tour of duty in Sierra-Leone,
West Africa, returning to Iowa where she
taught at Leander College in Toledo.
But, here we come to the part that we don't
know about and never will. Here was a woman
who in youth and as a young adult was in the
upper-class of the country, extraordinarily
educated and of a refined, prosperous and
genteel background, and yet she came to
Flagler in 1907 to homestead 8 miles northeast of town on a parcel that in future years
becnme part of the Baxter ranch. We know
that she fulfilled the requirements of homes-
to "improve up" her property and
received title to same. We know that she had
teaders
to live in almost primitive circumstances to
do so. But why? Once in a conversation with
Fred Page she hintcd that she had once
planned marriage but that the gentleman
involved changed his mind. At any rate, she
never married and the real reason for leaving
the collegiate, refined and prosperous region
ofher birth for a 160 acre dry-land homestead
was and will always remain known to her
alone.
After gaining her homestead, Miss Cronise,
to be known to each and
all, including friends of her own age, stayed
as she was always
in Flagler; but in short order joined her
Congregational Missionary organization
again, this time to go to Japan. Close friends
would hear Miss Cronise give graphic and
wonderful descriptions of Japan
and
- land
a people that she dearly loved. Loved
enough
to learn their language so that she could
communicate adequately with them. She did
not appear to have the same affection for the
land and the people of Africa. She taught
English in Yokohsma and Nagoya but, as
mentioned, could also communicate with her
students in their own language.
On her trips back to the United States in
about two decades of missionary service in
Japan, she would inevitably come back to
Flagler and, in the late 20's or very early 30's,
came back home to stay
to Flagler. She
taught English for a few -years in the high
school and built the home across the old
Baptist Church that would be her home until
Her home had many works of art and
craftsmanship she had secured in the Orient
and another feature unique in Flagler homes.
A small, sunny room with southeast exposure
was an aviary in which she had dozens of
birds, many of them one-of-a-kind, most of
them ofa singing variety. She and her friends
used to enjoy watching and listening to them
and many a youngster
in the
community
would come by to see them and, incidentally,
get a plate of cookies and a glass of milk on
a near-priceless piece of hand-painted china
from Japan.
Nothing but the most serious illness would
keep Miss Cronise from Sunday morning
Church services. She, along with others who
had homesteaded in about that period, was
a
charter member of the Congregation
Church and one of it's staunchest supporters.
In her ankle-length dresses of pale blue or
grey, Miss Cronise was a part and permanent
fixture in the community. She died in Flagler
in her 87th years, on March 1, 1949. She loved
the land, the high plains, the people and her
life there. Given the advantages ofher youth,
it is a little difficult to fathom why. Her grave
in the Flagler Cemetery is near many of the
other early pioneers and her close friends,
and it just may be that relationship to old and
dear friends made her feel that Flagler, and
only Flagler, was home.
by Donald Page
CUCKOW, LEROY
Fl4t
When Leroy Cuckow (pronounced Cuckoo)
died on April 4, 1942, the Flagler News
carried the standard-type obituary and concluded that, although he was an eccentric, he
had many friends, was honest, etc., etc. One
is tempted to point out that saying Cuckow
was "eccentric" took fully as much journalistic courage as saying the Pope is Catholic.
For Cuckow was eccentric and in retrospect
one is suspicious that he enjoyed if not
revelled in that eccentricity. Born in Wisconsin and educated in South Dakota, he saw
in the Spanish-American War at
Manila Bay, was mustered out in 1899 and
almost immediately came to Flagler (1900, to
be exact) to homestead. His quarter Section
was across the road from the Kliewer place
and shared one-fourth of the Section homesteaded by Fred Page. Cuckow (few ever
referred to him by his first name and all
pronounced it, as did he, as Cuckoo) built his
battles
homestead shack much the way many did
half was dug-out from a small hillside and
part
then the upper
completed with sod. The
roof, in all probability, was of planks with sod
laid over those planks. Any remnant of that
shack has long since disappeared but one
story of when he lived there remains firm in
my memory. One day Fred Page went by the
shack and noticed dozens upon dozens of
empty baking powder tins laying in the dirt
outside the shack. "How", he asked, "could
Cuckow use so much baking powder?"
"Hell", said the ever-profound if not profane
one, "Ijust learned that I was supposed to be
putting flour in with the baking powder and
water
from now on I won't be using near
-
as much."
�Scratching
at the earth wasn't
really
Cuckow's dish of tea, however. In the early
1900's he started a Garage business in Flagler
which later turned into a parts shop. In the
1920's and 30's he sold Case tractor parts, an
honorable enough business proposition but
somewhat fiampered by the fact that there
were precious few Case tractors or other
implements in or around Flagler. His shop,
on Main Street, now occupied by Steven's
Garage, undoubtedly saw days when less than
a dollar changed hands. Cuckow lives at the
back of the shop which had somewhat
primitive toilet facilities but, you can be
certain, no bathtub. Or at least you would
have been certain if you had had occasion to
visit Cuckow in those days.
Then there was Cuckow's dog whose na-e,
unfortunatply, is lost to history. It would be
unfair to say that this dog was of indeterminate breed as there were probably 50 or 60
separate breeds in that mutt. The dog was
about knee-high and the only adequate
description of him would be that he was a
scroung'y, flea-bitten mutt
but all of that
is quite beside the point -because Cuckow
loved him and would tell any and all who
would listen that the dog had extraordinary
intclligence. For instance, the dog (according
to Cuckow) heartily disliked Republicans
and could distinguish them by smell. A
familiar sight on a Saturday evening was
Cuckow and his dog slowly walking up the
street to the theater where Cuckow would lay
down the 15 or 20 cents that it then cost to
go to the movies and he and his dog would
then go in and watch it. The following
Monday Cuckow could tell all visitors not
only what he thought of the movie but what
his dog thought of it. At any rate, sometime
in the 30's the Republicans arranged to rent
the theater, mid-week, for a big election year
rally (probably Alf Landon versus FDR in
1936). Cuckow claimed that his dog wouldn't
set foot in the theater until they fumigated
it and, as far as recollection serves, he did not.
Cuckow had many dislikes or pet-peeves.
He was outspoken about two in particular,
however and they were W.H. Lavington, the
town banker and without question the richest
man in the community and the other wag
women in general and "high school girls" in
particular. The term high-school girl, understand, included anyone under 30. It is not
"character" to satisfy the whole town and
works at home. She also officiates volleyball
western end of
in the fall.
Kit Carson Countv.
by Donald Page
CURE - POOLE
FAMILY
Er42
Bill was born in Burlington, Colorado. He
was the sixth of eight children born to Bunny
and Ernie Cure of Stratton. St. Charles
Academy was the site of Bill's first six years
of education. Continuing his schooling at
Stratton Public School, Bill became a member ofthe football, wrestling and track teams.
As a senior, Bill was na-ed to the All-State
Football f,sam, became State Heavyweight
Wrestling Qlampion in helping the team
bring home the State Championship and
placed second throwing the shot-put at the
State Track Meet. He graduated in 1974.
During the years following Bill became
engaged in farming and ranching with mem-
bers of his family.
The second of four children. Janet was
born in Oklahoma in 1961 to Jim and Nora
Poole. They moved to Bethune in August,
1964, where he (dad) accepted the position of
superintendent of schools. Janet received all
Dex and Sadie Poole, daughter of Janet's
older brother Dave, share the sarne "lucky"
birthdate, Friday the 13th, February 1987.
Bill is still farming and ranching with his
brothers Ed, Mike and John. His sisters
include Jane Hubbard of Hugo, Kay Unrein
of Eaton, Colorado, Mary Bohnen of Stratton
and Theresa Cure of Aurora, Colorado.
Presently, Janet's brother Dave and his
family Janet, Sara and Sadie are in Homestead, Florida. Dave is in the Air Force
training to be a fighter pilot in the F-4
Phantoms. Her sisters are Sharon Green of
Simla, Colorado and Kristy Liming of Kirk,
Colorado.
by Janet Cure
DANIEL - KYLE
FAMILY
It was Aug. 7, L954, that Raymond and I
were married at St. Charles Catholic Church
in Stratton. Colo.
Raymond Urban Daniel was the youngest
twelve years of education under the watchful
eye of her dad! Participating in many activi-
son of Frank and Gertrude Daniel, his two
older brothers being John and Robert. He
was born April 18, 1925 at Burlington, Colo.
and spent his childhood on the farm with his
ties, including volleyball, basketball, track
family five miles south of Burlington. This
and cheerleading she graduated valedictorian
in 1979. Two years later, Janet transferred
farm was where his Grandfather John Daniel
came to in 1906 from Crete, Nebraska, and
being a carpenter, he built the house and
barns that are still on the place. Raymond
and his brothers spent many hours playing in
the hay mows of the barns and it is told that
one of them made some wings and tried to fly
out the hay mow door and consequently
suffered a broken arm. It was on very rare
occasions that the family ever missed Sunday
from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins
to the University of Northern
Colorado,
Greeley. Graduating with a teaching degree
in
1983, she accepted a position teaching
kindergarten in Burlington.
In December of 1983, Bill and Janet were
mamied. Blessed with their first son, Luke,
in March 1985, Janet continued teaching, but
only half-time. Dex was born almost two
years later. Janet has since resigned and
Mass. Raymond attended school in Burlington and graduated in 1943. He did spen '
difficult to conclude why the poor dislike the
rich (and Republican to boot), but the source
of hie hatred for women lies buried with the
man. If he had ever loved but lost, he didn't
divulge the fact to anyone. On any given
spring or summer day, however, you could
find Cuckow at the front of his shop uttering
low-down remarks about "high school girls."
One short ditty that was current in those days
was attribut€d to Cuckow but was unquestionably written by someone else
- Cuckow
never ghowed any such literary "f,slslf,s"
at any rate, it went like this:
The gum chewing girl and the cud-chewing
cow,
yet, different gomehow
Somewhat alike
- it now
Ah! yes, I remember
It's the intelligent look on the face ofthe cow.
Well, every family should have in it's
background some ancestor who qualifies as
a real "character". A small town is very much
like an extpnded family and one Leroy
Cuckow, born Nov. 9, L872, qualifies as a
predecessor
or
ancegtor
with
enough
Fl43
Christmas 1987, BiU and Janet Cure with their children, Luke and Dex.
�
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Title
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Families of Kit Carson County
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Families- C
Date Created
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1988
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Brief histories of the founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with the letter "C." As told in the book, The History of Kit Carson County.
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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Histoy of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
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Kit Carson County
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f431ccbf3424cef5e314f08b53c34427
PDF Text
Text
Scratching
at the earth wasn't
really
Cuckow's dish of tea, however. In the early
1900's he started a Garage business in Flagler
which later turned into a parts shop. In the
1920's and 30's he sold Case tractor parts, an
honorable enough business proposition but
somewhat fiampered by the fact that there
were precious few Case tractors or other
implements in or around Flagler. His shop,
on Main Street, now occupied by Steven's
Garage, undoubtedly saw days when less than
a dollar changed hands. Cuckow lives at the
back of the shop which had somewhat
primitive toilet facilities but, you can be
certain, no bathtub. Or at least you would
have been certain if you had had occasion to
visit Cuckow in those days.
Then there was Cuckow's dog whose na-e,
unfortunatply, is lost to history. It would be
unfair to say that this dog was of indeterminate breed as there were probably 50 or 60
separate breeds in that mutt. The dog was
about knee-high and the only adequate
description of him would be that he was a
scroung'y, flea-bitten mutt
but all of that
is quite beside the point -because Cuckow
loved him and would tell any and all who
would listen that the dog had extraordinary
intclligence. For instance, the dog (according
to Cuckow) heartily disliked Republicans
and could distinguish them by smell. A
familiar sight on a Saturday evening was
Cuckow and his dog slowly walking up the
street to the theater where Cuckow would lay
down the 15 or 20 cents that it then cost to
go to the movies and he and his dog would
then go in and watch it. The following
Monday Cuckow could tell all visitors not
only what he thought of the movie but what
his dog thought of it. At any rate, sometime
in the 30's the Republicans arranged to rent
the theater, mid-week, for a big election year
rally (probably Alf Landon versus FDR in
1936). Cuckow claimed that his dog wouldn't
set foot in the theater until they fumigated
it and, as far as recollection serves, he did not.
Cuckow had many dislikes or pet-peeves.
He was outspoken about two in particular,
however and they were W.H. Lavington, the
town banker and without question the richest
man in the community and the other wag
women in general and "high school girls" in
particular. The term high-school girl, understand, included anyone under 30. It is not
"character" to satisfy the whole town and
works at home. She also officiates volleyball
western end of
in the fall.
Kit Carson Countv.
by Donald Page
CURE - POOLE
FAMILY
Er42
Bill was born in Burlington, Colorado. He
was the sixth of eight children born to Bunny
and Ernie Cure of Stratton. St. Charles
Academy was the site of Bill's first six years
of education. Continuing his schooling at
Stratton Public School, Bill became a member ofthe football, wrestling and track teams.
As a senior, Bill was na-ed to the All-State
Football f,sam, became State Heavyweight
Wrestling Qlampion in helping the team
bring home the State Championship and
placed second throwing the shot-put at the
State Track Meet. He graduated in 1974.
During the years following Bill became
engaged in farming and ranching with mem-
bers of his family.
The second of four children. Janet was
born in Oklahoma in 1961 to Jim and Nora
Poole. They moved to Bethune in August,
1964, where he (dad) accepted the position of
superintendent of schools. Janet received all
Dex and Sadie Poole, daughter of Janet's
older brother Dave, share the sarne "lucky"
birthdate, Friday the 13th, February 1987.
Bill is still farming and ranching with his
brothers Ed, Mike and John. His sisters
include Jane Hubbard of Hugo, Kay Unrein
of Eaton, Colorado, Mary Bohnen of Stratton
and Theresa Cure of Aurora, Colorado.
Presently, Janet's brother Dave and his
family Janet, Sara and Sadie are in Homestead, Florida. Dave is in the Air Force
training to be a fighter pilot in the F-4
Phantoms. Her sisters are Sharon Green of
Simla, Colorado and Kristy Liming of Kirk,
Colorado.
by Janet Cure
DANIEL - KYLE
FAMILY
It was Aug. 7, L954, that Raymond and I
were married at St. Charles Catholic Church
in Stratton. Colo.
Raymond Urban Daniel was the youngest
twelve years of education under the watchful
eye of her dad! Participating in many activi-
son of Frank and Gertrude Daniel, his two
older brothers being John and Robert. He
was born April 18, 1925 at Burlington, Colo.
and spent his childhood on the farm with his
ties, including volleyball, basketball, track
family five miles south of Burlington. This
and cheerleading she graduated valedictorian
in 1979. Two years later, Janet transferred
farm was where his Grandfather John Daniel
came to in 1906 from Crete, Nebraska, and
being a carpenter, he built the house and
barns that are still on the place. Raymond
and his brothers spent many hours playing in
the hay mows of the barns and it is told that
one of them made some wings and tried to fly
out the hay mow door and consequently
suffered a broken arm. It was on very rare
occasions that the family ever missed Sunday
from Colorado State University, Ft. Collins
to the University of Northern
Colorado,
Greeley. Graduating with a teaching degree
in
1983, she accepted a position teaching
kindergarten in Burlington.
In December of 1983, Bill and Janet were
mamied. Blessed with their first son, Luke,
in March 1985, Janet continued teaching, but
only half-time. Dex was born almost two
years later. Janet has since resigned and
Mass. Raymond attended school in Burlington and graduated in 1943. He did spen '
difficult to conclude why the poor dislike the
rich (and Republican to boot), but the source
of hie hatred for women lies buried with the
man. If he had ever loved but lost, he didn't
divulge the fact to anyone. On any given
spring or summer day, however, you could
find Cuckow at the front of his shop uttering
low-down remarks about "high school girls."
One short ditty that was current in those days
was attribut€d to Cuckow but was unquestionably written by someone else
- Cuckow
never ghowed any such literary "f,slslf,s"
at any rate, it went like this:
The gum chewing girl and the cud-chewing
cow,
yet, different gomehow
Somewhat alike
- it now
Ah! yes, I remember
It's the intelligent look on the face ofthe cow.
Well, every family should have in it's
background some ancestor who qualifies as
a real "character". A small town is very much
like an extpnded family and one Leroy
Cuckow, born Nov. 9, L872, qualifies as a
predecessor
or
ancegtor
with
enough
Fl43
Christmas 1987, BiU and Janet Cure with their children, Luke and Dex.
�a
little over a year in the army during World
War II.
I, Kathryne Louise Kyle Daniel was the
seventh child of Loyal and Emma Kyle and
my sisters and brothers were Mamie, Mildred, Evelyn, Lois, Robert, Thomas, and
Imogene. I was born April 4, 1929 at the
family farm thirteen miles northeast of
Flagler. I remember how we all had to help
with the chores such as milking cows, turning
the seperator to seperate the cream from the
milk, picking up cow chips to burn, helping
our mother prepare dried corn, can the meat
after butchering, rendering the lard and
making soap. It was always eo much fun when
we would get to go to a neighbor's house for
dinner and really a treat when we got to spend
the night with our cousins and for a number
of years our family, the Sidney Huntzinger
family and the Charles Kyle family always
spent Christmas together because everyone
was close by. We decorated our Christmas
tree with cranberries and pop-corn we had
strung on a string and had little metal candle
holders that clipped on the tree to hold since
we had no electricity.
I attcnded grade echool at Liberty, a
country school a half mile north from my
home, and carried my lunch and water in
little tin buckets. When I was ready for high
school I had to stay in Flagler since there were
no school buses and I graduated in 1947 and
then went on to nursing school and graduated
from St. Lukes Hospital in Denver, Colo. in
1950 and came to Burlington to work at Kit
Carson Co. Memorial Hospital which was a
pretty new hoepital at that time. I was the
firgt Public Health Nurse in Kit
County and that was in 1953.
Carson
Raymond and I both worked at the hospital
aftpr we were married and in 1958 moved to
Colo. Springs where Raymond worked at the
Air Force Academy and then back to Burlington and in 1964 we opened Grace Manor
Nursing Home. We and two other couples
had built the home and we sold it in 1974. We
moved to the Daniel farm south of town
where Ra5mond had grown up and in the fall
both began working for the
Burlington Public School. We had three
of
L974 we
children, Stephen who married June Radebaugh and they have children Staci and
Brandon; Donald who married Glenda Borden, and a daughter Sue.
Raymond died suddenly of a heart attack
Jan. 5, 1984.
by Kathryne Daniel
DANIEL, VINCENT
AND ALICE
SULLIVAN
adobe house.
That fall she began teaching at a small
school 7z mile north of her homestead.
Lonelinees contributed to Alice convincing
her sister, Gertrude to come to Colo. and live
with her. They were two lonely sisters, miles
from a town, with no means of communica-
tion. They did their grocery buying at
a
nearby trading post, known as Cole, Colo.
The two girls met two Daniel brothers at
a barn dance. In 1920, Alice married Vincent
and Gertrude married Frank. Vincentmoved
to the homeetead with Alice. Within the next
few years their children arrived, 3 boys and
2 girls.
In the early 40's they were forced to buy
some more ground to add to the one-fourth
quarter of homestead.
They paid an average of $6.50 an acre for
a section of ground. This allowed them to
farm halfofit and have the other halffor cow
pasture for a large herd of cattle. The family
milked around 30 head of cows by hand. This
allowed the money to buy their groceries, etc.
We kids remember many hardships when
we were VouB, like the dust storms in the
30's. The dust seemed to sieve straight
through the windows. Our mother hung wet
sheets over the windows to help catch the
dust. Prairie fires would burn right up to the
farm before they were whipped out by
farmerg with gunny sacks. Then in 1942, the
farm was hit by a tornado. The windmill was
destroyed. Joe Williams, a neighbor, rode a
horse over to the farm every day until he got
the windmill rebuilt and set up.
The children all went to school at Smoky
Hill School from grades 1 thru 10. We rode
a bus and thought it was a long route, maybe
50 miles long. May Blodgett, now retired, was
one of our favorite teachers.
Sunday was always the "Lords Day," on
which we nearly always went to church. After
church, we rushed home as our parents had
nearly always invited some company for
dinner. Our mother loved to cook big dinners
with all the trimmings for her family and
friends.
In 1968, Alice's health forced them to retire
at 75 years of age. They had a lovely home
built in Burlington. She passed away in 1969,
after surgery. Vincent has lived in nursing
homee for several years, and now lives in a
nursing home in Oregon. He is 91 years old
and in good health.
Two children passed away, Gerald and
Margaret. Elizabeth and husband, John
Cheslock, live in North Bend, Oregon; Gene
and wife, Vera (Shade), live in Arriba, Colo.
and Joe and wife, Mary Lue (Williams), live
in Burlington.
by Mr. and Mrg. Gene Daniel
Ft44
DAVIS FAMILY
1917, Frank Kelley gave up hig homestead 16 milee south and 2 east of Burlington.
Thie homestead consist€d of a small 2 room
adobe house and a hand dug well that you
pulled your water up in a bucket with a rope.
E.G. Davis, Sr. Family
F145
In
At that time Alice Sullivan, a couein of
Frank Kelley, arrived here from Halmon,
Illinois. She had heard that her asthma would
be better
in
Colo. Alice took over the
homestead and hired John Murphy and
Henry Fansleu to build her a new 2 story
It was summer in 1886. From the northeast,
following the Republican river upstream
from Alma, Nebraska, 3 covered wagons and
some trailing livestock, approached the wide
meadow in the valley.
Elias Griffith Davis, Sr. had selected the
location a year earlier. His doctor in Missouri
had advised him to seek a higher, drier
climate to benefit the health of his second
son, E.G. Davis, Jr. who was "sickly".
While looking for a location Davis was
making one of his long trips from Missouri to
Denver by rail. The route via. Cheyenne,
Wyoming was the only rail Iink from Denver
to the east. A fellow passenger was his friend
and neighbor, Henry C. Brown. Most of their
conversations relat€d to opportunities and
problems afforded by the developing west.
Brown's homestead was locat€d near what is
now the corner of Colfax and Broadway in
Denver. years later he was to build on this
homestead his Brown Palace Hotel, which
remains today one of the world's great hotels.
Davis had the opportunity to settle on an
adjoining claim. However he decided that he
preferred ranching to mining. He also believed that a ranching environment would be
a better place to raise a family than in the
rowdy, frontier mining snmp of Denver only
about a mile away. So saying good-bye to his
friend Brown, he began the search for a
in
eastern Colorado He finally
little Republican River in an area soon to be open to
location
selected the green valley ofthe
homesteaders.
The land was unsettled except for an
occasional headquarters for a few large cattle
outfits. These were located along the river to
provide water for the thousands of cattle
which grazed the uninhabited prairie. Davis'
only neighbors were two such headquarters,
the Tuttle ranch about 4 miles upstreem and
the Cox ranch about the s"me direction down
strenm.
The long trek from Missouri began in 1885.
E.G. Davies, Sr. was born in Abervale, South
Wales, on Oct. 15, 1841, the son of John
Davies, grocer. Davies attended college,
studied music and taught singing in Wales
before he made the decision to move to the
new world. He became a pattern maker in
Joliet, Illinois. Several years later he moved
to Macon county, Missouri where he became
a pattern maker in a railroad foundry.
It is not known when or why Davies
changed his name to Davis. He used the nn-e
Davies on his marriage certificate and on his
naturalization certificate. both in 1872. His
petition to become a mason was signed
Davies when he was 30 (18?1), but a dimitt
issued by the sqme lodge dated Dec. 20, 1889
is signed Davis. There is not record of the use
of the name Davies aftpr 1885.
E.G. Davies married Leah Glass, daughter
of John Glass in Glaston, Missouri on July 1,
1872. (John Glass, 73 lived in Glaston,
Missouri. He was born in South Wales on
Feb. 1, 1812. Leah Glass was born in Merthrtydvil, South Wales, on Aug. 27 , L847 .) To
this union four sons were born by the time the
decision was made to "Go West".
Three farm wagons were purchased. Canvas tops were made and the wagons loaded
with a small cook stove, several pots and
pans, a table and chairs, tools, bedding,
bookcase and books and other necessities. A
plow was strapped to the side of one wagon,
and a barrel of water secured to another.
Supplies included staple groceries, grain for
the horses il1d nrls grease for the
wagons.
Horace Greeley was preaching "Go West,
Young Man." These pioneers were not all
young, John Glass, 74, drove one wagon.
Another was driven by E.G. Davis, Sr., 45,
with his pregnant wife, Leah as passenger.
The third wagon was driven by John Jay
�Davis, 29, fost€r son of John Glass. None had
ever farmed! Four Davis sons, John Glass, 11;
Elias Griffith Jr., 9; Louis Glass, 7; and David
Edmunds, 3, brought the population of the
caravan to 8,
Several weeks after leaving Miesoud the
family stopped to spend the winter and to
await the anival of Leah's fifth child at Abna,
Nebr. The fifth son, Rosser Beynon Davis
was born April 16, 1886 in Alma. The family
raised hogs, traded cattle, harvested hay and
planted a grove of walnut trees.
Meanwhile E.G. Davis, Sr. drove on to their
destination in Colorado. Two of the younger
people accompanied him to the location
which had been selected earlier. They scoo-
ped out a dug-out where they lived while
building a small sod house. They planted and
fenced in a small field of feed for their
livestock, then returned to join the family in
Nebraska.
by Wm. A. Davis
DAVIS FAMILY
was before telephones.
Since there were no schools, the children
were taught in the home, from books brought
from Missouri. Soon a gchool district was
organized and a school house built about six
miles from the ranch. Then a school was built
only three miles away. The younger children
all "graduated" from the eighth
grade.
Morton was the first child in the family to
attend High School which was located in
Stratton. Annie was the first in the family to
attend college. That was the Colorado State
Teachers College (Now the University of
Northern Colorado) in Greeley.
Sunday school, also was first held in the
Davis home. then as other settlers arrived, it
was rotated nmonB the various homes. Aftcr
the first school house was built,
Sunday
school was held there. E.G. Davis, Sr. was the
first Sunday School Superintendent. He was
later succeeded by Mrs. J.J. Pugh. Occasion-
ally an itinerant preacher would stop by to
preach. Later either the Reverend Mrs. Mary
Bevier from Burlington, or the Reverend Mr.
Peter Raemussen from Seibert would make
the long trip by horse and buggy fairly
regularly. E.G. Davis, Sr. and Leah were
F146
ing towns and the whole countryside were
noteworthy events.
Early neighboring families included the
Richards, Evans, Pugh, Corliss, Newberry,
Burr, Woods and others. Many of these were
Welsh. By the early 1900's the German
Settlement developed. They claimed most of
the remaining land between the ranch and
Burlington. They were thrifty, hard working
people who rapidly improved their farms.
The names Adolph, Schlichenmayer, Weber,
Schaal, Stolz, Stahlecker, Bauder, Dobler
and others and were all very good friends of
the Davis family.
Elias Griffith Davis Sr. died at his ranch
near Tuttle on Jan. 25, 1913. He is buried in
Burlington. His was indeed a very active life.
He led the way in the development of schools,
churches, community life and government in
the struggling new country.
Leah (Glass) Davis died in Burlington on
Jan. 5, 1935 at the age of88. Deeply religious,
she was a loving mother, a resourceful leader
and a stern disciplinarian who successfully
raised
a
large
Preparations were made for the final move
to Colorado. John now 12, rode
a
pony to keep
the ten head of cattle following the wagons.
Griff 10 and Glass 8, walked the entire
distance from Alna, to Tuttle driving a sow
and her piglets.
Times were unbelievably tough. Their only
cash income for the first year cnme from the
Burlington beside her husband and father.
of buffalo
an
al Churches.
When the Kit Carson county was formed,
1889, the Gov. of Colorado appointed
Davis to the original Board of County
Commissioners. He was reelected twice and
served as Chairman. By that time the Court
House had been built, and all original county
records were set up. Before the Courthouse
was built the County offices met on the
gecond floor of the F.D. Mann building.
in
occasional
The ranch wae gradually improved. A
border of Cottonwood trees enclosed a 10 acre
bones and
particular about the flour, but carefully
select€d the brand which was packed in the
best, and most durable bags, from which she
made the childrens clothing. Crops failed
every year until an irrigation syetem was
perfected in 1892. Thereafter a fine stand of
alfalfa yielded 3 or 4 cuttings per year, ercept
when it hailed. John and Griff supplemented
the family income by corking in the coal
mines some 170 miles to the west. Glass
worked as a cowboy for the Roy Best ranch
near La Junta. Ed rode for the Cox ranch.
Mail was received at the Tuttle Post office,
it came by stage from Cheyenne Wells. Aft€r
a few years the Pogt office was moved to the
Davis ranch with E.G. Davis, Sr. as the post
master. There was a counter with a snall
grilled window. A drawer was provided for
the stamps and cash. Several pigeon holes on
the back wall held the patron's mail. The
entire post office occupied a space about 5'
X 5'in a corner of the Davis living room. The
Post office in the home afforded the opportu-
nity to visit with their neighbors most of
whom called for their mail about once a week.
When a letter came from "back eagt" it was
proudly shared with the Davis'es and other
neighbors. Much later the Weekly Kansas
City Star or Capper's Weekly brought news
from the outside world because ofcourse this
by Wm. A. Davis
Eastern Colorado assembly of Congregation-
badger or wolf pelt. The bones were hauled
to Haigler, Nebr. and sold for $8.00 per ton.
Griff said they drove many, many miles over
prairie searching for bones, and that it took
an awful lot of bones to weigh a ton. For food
the only staples were purchased: e.g., flour,
salt and sugar and sugar or molasses. Flour
cost $.75 for a 48# bag. Leah said she was not
sale
unbelievably
members of the Congregational Church. For
many years he served as Secretary for the
E.G. Davis, Sr. Family
fanily under
difficult circumstances. Leah is buried in
farmst€ad. With their roots reaching the
shallow, water bearing sand, they quickly
grew to form a 75'high windbreak around the
buildings, garden and orchard. The little sod
house was replaced by a large two-story sod
house in the north end of the grove. A huge
milk room with an adjoining root cellar, was
served by a pitcher pump which supplied
fregh well water directly to the house. A
nearby smoke house waa used for curing
meat. A large concrete and wooden barn was
built to replace the small rock barn which
located north of the West pond. The new
barn was home for many work horses and a
purebred Shire stallion. Riding and driving
horees, among them Liddy, Prince and
Traveller were also stalled there.
Haying was highly mechanized. Two mow-
ing machines, two dump rakes, two buckrakes and a stacker operating simultaneously
attracted many onlookers. The machines, of
course, were all powered by horses. The
horses were shod, mowing machine cycles
sharpened and machines repaired in the
ranch blacksmith shop.
The Weet pond mentioned above was one
of three small lakes formed by a dam at the
east end of East Pond. Connecting the East
and West ponds and extending southward
was the South pond. With many fish, water
fowl, muskrats, raccoons, quail and other
wildlife, the headquarters assumed a part like
appearance. this becnme a favorite picnic
spot. Many family reunions were held here.
The general public, too, ceme here for
Sunday or holiday relaxation. Independence
Day celebrations with people from neighbor-
DAVIS FAMILY
Fl47
E.G. Davis, Sr. Family
The first son of E.G. Davis, Sr. and Leah,
John Glass Davis was born in Macon county
Missouri on April 3, 1873. Amelia Homrigaus
was born April 19, 1878, in Tingly, Iowa. John
and Amelia were married and lived on John's
homestead near Kirk. They later moved to a
ranch in Kit Carson county, then to Burlington when John was elected Sheriff. John
died in Burlington July 25, 1930. Amelia died
in Arvada, Colo. Aug. 5, 1930. Both were
buried in the Kirk cemetery. Louis Glass
Davis, son of John and Amelia was born near
Kirk, June L7, L907. Louis married Margarette Johnstone ofVancouver, B.C. They have
no children. "McGee and Lou" now live in
San Diego (Rancho Bernardo). Eleanor
daughter of John and Amelia, was born near
Kirk, Dec. L3,19L2. Eleanor married J. Ross
Mclaughlin (who died in Byers, Co. July 6,
1982). Eleanor now lives in Denver. Eleanor
and "Mac" have one son, John Ross Mcl,aughlin born June 4, 1939. John married
Margaret Elizabeth O'Rouke. Their children:
James Ross, Dec. 24, 1965; and Margaret
Amanda, July 18, 1970, live with the family
in Florida.
Elias Griffith Davis Jr., (Griffl was born
Jan. 27,1876 in Macon county, Missouri.
Zebna May Ackelson was born at Winterset,
Iowa, Sept, 30, 1881. Zelma and Griff were
married Dec. 23, 1901. They lived on Griffs
homestead near Kirk where Willia- Ackel-
son Davis, Aug. 5, 1903, and Violet May
Davis, Jan 3, 1905 were born. 8.G., Zelma and
the two children moved to Burlington in
1905, where Griff managed a Livery Stable.
He was elected Sheriff in 1908, and served
until 1914. Susan (she later changed to
Suanne) on Feb. 26, l9[7; and Leah, Jan. 25,
1911, were both born in Burlington. Griff
established the first Ford car "Agency" in
�Burlington. He built a new building on Main
Street and called the firm Griffs Garage
(rhymed with carriage). Griff died, April 5,
May 17, 1954, both were
buried in the Burlington Cemetery, William
A. Davis married Jessie Shaw (Feb. 26, 1902)
on Oct. 25, L925. Jessie died in Denver on
Nov. 4, 1977 and is buried in the Goodland
Cemetery. Jessie and Bill have three sons.
Jack Presley Davis born in Denver, Mar. 14,
1928. Jack married Wilma Daise in Goodland
and theyhave one daughter, Cheryl Ann, Jan.
3, L952. Cheryl married Gene Schremmer,
DAVIS FAMILY
Fr48
1939; and Zelma died
and they live in Hoisington, Ks. and have
three daughters: Kristi,l-12-77 ; Danah 7 -980;and Jackie Sue, 1l-8-82. Jack and Wilma
live in Goodland. The second son William
Shaw Davis was born in Denver in April 6,
1931.
Bill manied Evelyn Domingo in Mexico
City. They have one daughter Jessica Donovan Davis born May 2L, L969. They all live
in Goodland. Eugene GriffithDavis, the third
son of Jessie and Bill, was born in Denver, Jan
15, 1934. Gene married Evelyn Lohr and they
have three children. Judith Ann married Mel
Wagoner and they have two daughters;
Heather, 11-10-76, and Nicole, 10-10-84. The
in Colorado Springs. Donald
Griffith Davis, 12-12-55, married Debroh
Downen and they have three children; Jason
4-7-77, Summer, 8-27-78, and Tyler, 5-L-82,
E.G. Davis, Sr. Family
Louis Glass Davis was born Aug. L2, L878
in Glaston, Missouri. Glass married Minnie
Homm of ldalia. They lived on their homestead near Kirk. They have two children:
Edgar and Roberta. Glass, Minnie, and Edgar
are deceased and buried in Kirk. Edgar's
widow, Ilda, lives in Kirk. Roberta (Davis)
Ellison lives in Canon City, Co.
Rosser Beynon Davis married Katherine
Nowak and they have twin sons born Feb. 4,
1929. Katie died in 1967 and Rosser in 1978.
Stanley Max Davis married Lucille Chalfant.
They have two children: Brian Lee, 10-28-60,
and Stacy Winn, 1-15-63, they all live in
Colby, Ks. Russell Elias Davis married Alene
Marcum, they have three children: Michael
Scott (who lives in Longmont), Kenton Lewis
(married Teni Butts and they have two
daughters Tessica Danielle and Leah Ann,and live on a farm east of Burlington), and
Wagoners live
Jennie Kay Davis who is married to Tom
they all live on a farm near Burlington.
1883, in Glaston, Missouri. "Ed" manied
Jennie Jones, 2-1-1883 of Hugo, Colorado.
Marlyn Jane Davis, (5-30-59), married David
Eves and they have two sons: Joshua, S-25-84,
and Jesse Davis 5-13-86. The Eves live in the
Denver area (Littleton). Violet May Davis,
"Vi", daughter of Griff and Zelma, married
Earl G. Ormsbee and they have two daughters, Donna Coleen, 9-26-29; and Bonnita
Rae. Earl "Hap" died July 13, 1963 and Vi
died June 23, t975, both were buried in
Burlington. Donna married Weldon Eugene
Vance and they have two children; Robbie
Lynn, 6-23-52 (manied Dave Fearon. They
have a daughter: Kacy,6-5-71) and Michael
Griff Vance, 11-6-56, (married Sharon Koop.
Their children are Annie Renee and Griffith
James). The Fearons live in Burlington and
the Vance family live on a farm northeast of
Burlington. Vi and Earl's daughter Bonnie
married Lloyd Laudenschlager. They live in
Edgecliff, Tex. They have two children;
Shelley who lives in Denver and Wade
Eugene who lives near Denver. Susan,
Griffs
third child, manied John Carmine and they
have one son, Colton. John and Sue were
divorced. Sue an invalid died in 1963 and is
buried in Burlington. Colton married Evelyn
Blakenship and they have three children.
Colton Jr., 2-3-53, married Susan Fogal and
they have two children: Michelle and Colton
III; Christopher 10-25-55, unmarried; and
Stacey Marie, 3-15-59, married to Randy
Beintema and they have one son, Nicholas,
6-24-82. Colton and Evelyn were divorced
and'each remaried. Evelyn (Mrs. Robert)
Patterson and her children all live in Alemeda and San Joaquin counties, Calif. Leah,
fourth child of Zelna and Griff married
Robert Portennier, they have no children and
live in Pueblo, Colo.
by Wm. A. Davis
Swanson and has two sons: Jacob Keith and
Dylan Elias, and live in Montrose, Colo.
David Edmunds Davis was born July 24,
They have one daughter and four sons. Edith
Viola born at Kirk, Feb. 5, 1909, married
Leonard Fehrenbach and they have three
children: Ruth Lavone Robertson, 3-16-28,
Kenneth William (Bill), 6-2-31, and Robert
Davis, 10-4-33. Leonard passed away and
Edith lives in Stratton. The Sons were: Harry
Edmunds born at Kirk, 8-24-10, died 4-3-11;
Robert Griffith, 10-14-12, died at Stratton, 829-73; David Earl, 1-30-17, (married Jeanne
Gowdy and they have four children: David
Earl Jr., 11-20-46, lives in San Francisco,
Cynthia Ann 8-9-49, lives in Arvada, and the
twins Douglas and Debroah, 3-14-53); and
Earl Jones born in Stratton, 5-15-22. Earl
lived many years as an invalid and died in
Stratton on March 26, L957.
Morton Harrison Davis was born at Tuttle,
9-24-1888. He was the first white child born
in what is now called Kit Carson county.
Elizabeth Powell was born at Rhayder, North
Wales on Feb. 1, 1889, and came to America
in Jan. 1913. Morton and Betty were married
June 27, 1917. Their daughter Beverly (5-20-
19) married Fred Geis of Julesburg, Co.
Beverly and Fred have six children: John
in Hanover; and Karen Betsy born 5-20-58,
in Hollywood, Calif), Del and Betsy live in
Northridge, Calif; and Lowell, the youngest
son of Anna and William born 4-4-22, in
Correctionville. He was a member of the
United States Air Force when he was killed
in action on March 24, 1944.
The seven Davis children except Annie
who lived in lowa, live and died in Kit Carson
county. The seven children died in the order
of their birth. Eight members of the 7th
generation of the family live in Kit Carson
county at this time. They are Kacy Fearon,
Annie and Griff Vance, Jason, Summer, and
Tyler Davis and Tyler and Michael Taylor.
by Wm. A. Davis
DAVIS FAMILY
F149
John Glass
John Glass (1812-1892) was 74 years old
when he arrived at Tuttle.He was active in
founding and operating the ranch with Elias
Griffith Davis Sr. Born in Wales in a family
of merchants with strong religious and moral
values, he pioneered in several midwestern
states before joining in the Colorado adventure. John Glass died at the ranch, Nov. 11,
1892. He is buried
in the Burlington Ceme-
tery.
John Jay Davis, foster son of John Glass,
accompanied the Davis familyto Colorado in
1886. He later returned to Missouri for a visit.
This roundtrip of about a thousand miles
must have taken at least 40 days by covered
wagon. John Jay contributed greatly to the
building and operation of the ranch. He later
homesteaded in Yuma county. He never
married. John Jay died on August 10, 1943 at
Burlington. Born November 26, 1857, he
spent exactly half of his life in each the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Jav is
buried in Burlington.
by Wm. A. Davis
DAVIS - ACKELSON
FAMILY
Fr50
Owen,L-7-42; Juliann, 4-8-43; Leah Jean,68-44; Fred Lloyd, 1-46; Don Paul,5-2-47; and
The following article appeared in "The
Burlington Republican" in Jan. of 1902:
Catherine Jane, 10-20-48. Elizabeth Powell
Davis died April 23, 1949 at Goodland and
"Another wedding in this burg and although
the young party kept their intcntions somewhat secret, the near neighbors, to the
number of thirty-five, young and old, got
wind ofit and very kindly gave their presence
and assistance to make the occasion an
enjoyable one. This time itwas E.G. DavisJr.,
and Miss Zelma Ackelson. The ceremony wag
performed in the house of the parents of the
groom by Rev. M.A. Bavier. On Monday Dec.
23, 1901 about ten a.m. friends began to
gather where social chats and songs were
Morton died at Burlington on 10-5-79.
Anna (Davis) Stelck was born May 25, 1889
at Tuttle, Colo. William Stelck was born Jan.
L6, L877
at Moline, Illinois. Annie
William were married in
and
1911 and moved
to
Correctionville, Iowa where they raised four
children: Helen (Dillon) born at Cushing,
Iowa,l-2-L2, (She now lives at San Fernando,
Calif.); Gerald W. born at Correctionville,
Iowa 4-10-18. (Gerald and Mary Ellen have
two children: Jane Ellen, 8-16-46, and Michael Lowell, 3-11-56, both born in Des
Moines); William Ardell born at Correctionville, 8-30-20, (Del and Betsy have three
children: Lisa Ann (Boeger) 8-17-46, born in
Hanover, N.H.; Kristen Lynn,5-28-56, born
indulged in. Mrs. A.B. Book very kindly
presided at the organ. The climax was
reached when at high noon she struck up a
wedding march in such a masterly manner
that the strains reached the ears ofthe bridal
party in an adjoining room, who responded
�t*'.
:
ji
Griff Davis.
The first Ford Agency in Burlington.
by marching to the music and taking their
places;
little Annie Pugh leading them. Rev.
Bevier then performed the services and tied
the marriage knot in an impressive manner,
ending with a fervent earnest prayer for
Heaven's richest blessing on the union.
Congratulations to the young couple were
followed by a dinner. Songs were again
rendered until late afternoon and Rev. Bavier
then in another impressive
So began their life together .
- was born in Macon Co. Mo. on
Griff Davis
dismissed
prayer."
to Colo. with his
Griffith and Leah (Glass), five
brothers and his Grandfather, John Glass.
Jan. 27. 1876 and came
parents, Elias
They settled on a pre-emption and tree claim
on the Republican River near Tuttle in 1886.
His sister Annie was born here. The buffalo
were mostly gone by then, but Griff and his
brothers drove a team and wagon many miles
over the prairies gathering the bones to sell.
There were plenty of antelope and lots of wild
horses. Many times he chased a herd of these
wild horses, and once in a while
would
capture a good one; but as a rule they were
too light for farm work. Quite often they
would trap the gray wolves that stalked the
cattle and killed the young calves. Sometimes
they sold the pelts and again they would tan
them and make them into rugs. In 1898 he
filed for his own homestead near that of his
parents.
Zelma May, daughter of Wm. and Susan
Ackelson was born near Winterset, Ia., on
Sept. 30, 1881. In 1893 she moved with her
Irish father, Welsh mother, brothers and
sisters, by covered wagon to Colo. where her
father had filed on a relinquishment situated
on the "divide" between the Republican and
Arickaree rivers. After she and Griff were
married they lived on his homestead for
about five years, moving to Burlington in
1906 where Griff operated a livery barn on
the north end of Main Street. They bought
a small house and some land three blocks
west of the livery, and soon enlarged and
remodeled their home. This house is located
at l7L4 Martin Ave.
In November of 1908 Mr. Davis was elected
sheriff of Kit Carson Co.. and served for three
terms. He started Griffs Garage, later known
as Davis Auto Co., a dealer and garage for the
first Ford cars. He built his first building in
1913, later expanding it to its present size.
This building now houses the Ben Franklin
store at 469 14th St. He poured the foundation for his second building on April L7,LgI9,
and this building is also still being used today
as the business offices for The City of
Burlington.
It
was known for many ye€us as
"The Old Armory".
They raised their four children William A.,
Violet (Mrs. E.G. "Hap" Ormsbee), Suzanne,
(Mrs. John Carmine), and Leah (Mrs. Robert
Portenier) in Burlington. Bill and his wife,
Jessie (Shaw) made their home in Goodland,
Ka. He and his sons Jack, Wm. S. and Eugene
have been involved in the implement business as well as ranching and farmings. For
many years Bill was very active in politics,
and was honored by the citizens of Goodland
in Sept. of 1982 with a "Bill Davis Day".
Violet and her husband Hap lived most of
their life in Burlington. Hap in business and
law enforcement where he served as County
Sheriff; and Vi in her beloved teaching. They
raised their two daughters, Donna and
Bonnie here. Suzanne, an invalid to arthritis,
lived most of her life in Burlington, also
spending some time with her son Colton in
Calif. Leah and her husband Bob chose the
Arkansas Valley as home, now living in
Pueblo where Bob is retired from his Real
Estate business.
Griff and Zelma watched with much interest the growth of Burlington, the businesses,
E. G. Griff Davis and hie bride, Zelma May (Ackeleon) Davis.
the churches, and the schools. How pleased
they would have been at seeing our three
modern schools. Two of their daughters, Vi
�and Leah were teachers in the county, and
one of their great-granddaughters, Robbie
Vance Fearon ie now teaching in Burlington.
They both believed strongly in education and
knew its vdue.
Griff and Zelma ca-e to the new state of
Coloradoas children in covered wagons. They
attended school in a vacated "soddy", Griff
using books his farnily brought with them
from Missouri. They saw the wild horse herds
running free acroes the endless prairie, and
they watched the same prairies being fenced
and plowed. How beautiful grandson Gene
Davis fields of wheat and corn would seem to
them ifthey could see them today. They saw
the railroad cane to Kit Carson Co., and they
brought the firet Ford car to Burlington.
There were good times and bad, as there were
for all the pioneers, but good or bad, there
were always songs to sing, and a book to read,
older girls were leaving home to work in
Denver, generally in the houses of Capitol
Hill, or to establish homes of their own.
Other memories of these early days was of
trips across the grasslands to the store at
Friend with eggs which brought three cents
a dozen but still an important income to
purchase tea, coffee, sugar and sometimes a
length of material for home sewing. The girls
also helped with the gathering of buffalo
chips for fuel and dried bones to sell. But all
was not work. My mother and her sisters
Elizabeth and Anna once accompanied their
father on a trip by wagon to Denver and then
on to Colorado Springs by way of Cherry
Creek and down the valley of Monument
Creek. The big thing was climbing Pike's
Peak in their long white dresses and wide
brimmed hats, high topped shoes, and
carrying coats and enough food to see them
day. . . and a long day it was!
The clothing for this day's adventure had
and an Irish jig to dance across the kitchen
floor.
In later years, sometimes in the evening,
Griff would sit at the kitchen table, peeling
an apple so the skin stayed all in one long
piece. He'd hand this to his grandchildren to
eat as he told stories of the early days. Zelma
doing supper dishes at the sink would add her
through the
memories to his. Stories about the large herds
of cattle that grazed the country; there were
no fences to hold them, just miles and miles
1900.
of prairie grass. The country dances with
Dave Manley playrng the fiddle; the young
cowboys, Griff and some of his brothers
nmoDg them, coming all dressed up, but
taking off their guns before going in. The
Camp Meetings, with the baptisms in the
Republican River. The terrible blizzards, the
terrible dust stotme, and the prairie fires; but
he always ended every story with "I don't
know of any place I'd rather live."
by Donna C. Vance
in a trunk for
safe keeping.
Along the way they camped out, cooking
trail and sleeping under the wagon
with their father nearby, and wearing calico
beside the
dresses and sunbonnets.
But it was adventure
that not many girls had in about the year
Early in 1900 my mother married John G.
Davig and they first lived in a two story sod
house which my father had built near Kirk;
it still stands in 1986. There
F161
The grey wolves still howled on the prairies
of eagtern Colorado when my mother, Amelia
Homrighaus, came to Colorado from Tingley,
Iowa with her parents, Louis and Elizabeth
Homrighaus, to eettle near Kirk and not far
from the old settlement of Friend. She was
the second of four girls who ca-e with their
parents by train and box car to Benkleman,
Nebraska, and then on to their new home by
wagon and horses. Later two brothers and a
sist€r came to this pioneer family. Early
recollectione of my mother were of the
protection of the stock necessary at night to
keep the wolves away. Even after a good rock
barn and yards had been built, the horses and
cattle had to be watched.
As soon as the girls were old enough they
homesteaded land near their parents and
there were memories of long dark nights in
their homegtead shacks sometimes frightened by storms or the howling of the wolves
and coyotes. But they all stayed with it and
later their land was farmed along with the
exemption and tree claim of their parents.
They had come to Colorado in the early
1880's and by the turn of the century, the
these first picturesque structureg were replaced with frame buildings but there were many
memories of the fun that went on at the first
school. . . a meeting place for dances, box
suppers, and the first polling place for the
community-minded citizens. And there many
a romance began and later children and
grandchildren attended the school but in a
few years only a pile of rocks, a bit of wall
remained to remind them of their pioneer
families.
It is hard to separate the stories of some of
these families according to county lines and
it is interesting to know that my brother
Louis has a Kit Carson County birth certificate and mine is Yuma County, but we were
born in the same house. Corrections were
made in lines over the years. A bit of the
Republican River came to Kirk when the sod
house was built from virgin sod turned near
the river bottoms. And so it went as the
country developed; fanilies of the area
intermarried and started new families; gifts
were exchanged in the families or among
neighbors and so the lives ofthe people in the
whole area beceme intertwined. In writing as
a descendant ofthese people, I find it difficult
to separate various facets of their lives.
Memories don't stop at a line shown on a
map!
they set up
housekeeping and farmed the drylands. My
brother, Louis, was born here in 1907 and I
followed in 1912. But the lands of the
Republican River called my parents and we
went to the river to live around 1913 or '14.
Their story there is told in another section of
this heritage volume.
Among the early memories of the Homrighaus girls, when not homesteading or working away from home was that of learning the
household arts from their German born
mother. She brought with her in steerage
some fine linens and taught the girls sewing
and handwork as soon as they were old
DAVIS HOMRIGHAUS
FAMILY
been packed
church. It was near Friend and the Homrighaus "kids" could walk to school. Lat€r
enough. She had loved nice dishes, too, and
n-ong the few things she kept with her on the
long trip was a glass berry set, a bowl and 12
dainty serving dishes. Two remain in my
possession to remind me of her, a lady I only
dimly remember. Before coming to Colorado
she had gathered other nice things to the
family and they ca'ne the long way to the west
where they were used and cherished at family
by Eleanor Davie Mclaughlin
DAVIS - POWELL
FAMILY
Fl52
Morton Harrison Davis, first child of Elias
G. and Leah G. Davis to be born in Colorado,
was born Sept. 24, 1888, on the Republican
River in what was then Elbert County.
As soon as he was old enough, he worked
forthe Homm Ranch, first as awrangler, then
as a rider on their Smokey Hill River range.
He often spoke of his riding companion, Lew
Beck.
When he was of age, he homesteaded l,and
adjoining the home ranch. He and brother
Rosser took over the home ranch, having the
first registered cattle and horses in the area.
On June 27,L9L7, he and Elizabeth Powell
gatherings and shared with neighbors and
friends.
Grandfather Homrighaus, only a memory
for me of an elderly gentleman with a long
flowing white beard, had carpentry training
and he built a fine two story frame house on
the exemption claim where the family grew
and from where they spread their wings. The
were married in Burlington by Judge Wyatt
Boger.
Elizabeth Lewis Powell was born Feb. 1,
father along with farming the land. There was
a pump organ in the family and the youngest
brother, Charlie, played it well but was best
known for playing accompaniments for dance
mugic or singing. He and his brother went to
dances far and wide in the countryside where
they were well known for helping with farm
work, especially at hawest time, and for their
cowboying when they could be spared from
Birminghnm, England. Here, as well
boys learned many handy arts from their
the home pLace.
This family all attended a school built in
the community from rocks which made
sturdy buildings and fences. The whole
neighborhood helped with the school and a
1889,
in
Rhayader, Radnorshire, Norih
of David and
Wales, the oldest daughter
Catherine Jane Lewis Powell.
She spent her early life on a farm but after
the death of her mother, she went into
apprenticeship in a store and tailor shop in
as
learning business methods, she learned tailoring and dressmaking.
In 1911, her father'e cousin, John J. Pugh
and his daughter, Leona, ofTuttle, Colorado,
were in Wales on a visit. In January 1912,
Elizabeth accompanied them back to Colorado.
Many of the families had a number of
daughters wishing to be stylishly dressed, so
she stayed with each family while replenishing their wardrobes. There were quite a
few wedding trousgeaus made over the years.
Sometime in 1914, she was stricken with
�acut€ appendicitis. There being no hospital,
she went by train to Mercy Hospital in
Denver where Dr. Scherrer of the Bar T
Scherrer's performed the operation.
Range land was being taken up by homesteaders, so Mr. Pugh had several people take
up land he was grezrng with the agreement
hewould buythem outwhen the parcels were
"proved up - on".
Her Homestead did not become a part of
the "Tuttle Ranch", however, until the 1960's
when Tom Price purchased it and the ranch
of Morton and Elizabeth.
After their marriage, they began life together on their joint homesteads, later purchasing a few adjoining parcels of land. Here
they lived thru hail, drouth, dirt storms and
a big flood of May, 1935, which wrecked
havoc with the river ranches.
Their only child, Beverly, was born May 20,
1919. After a brief teaching career, not in Kit
Carson County, she married Fred Geis of
Ovid, Colorado, in 1941.
Elizabeth died in April, 1949. After selling
the farm in 1964, Morton moved to the Hotel
CoUing in Stratton where he lived for several
years before moving to Burlington, where he
died in Oct. 1979 at the age of 91.
None
of their
descendants
live in Kit
The Ford Garage Ed Davie operated in Stratton
Carson County.
3 granddaughters: Julie Jacobs, Jean
Chadwick, Katie Van Deren; 3 grandsons:
John, Fred and Don Geis; 7 great granddaughters: Linda Younger, Shelly Thomas,
Colette Jacobs, Mandy Jacobs, Joni Geis,
Tami Van Deren, Melody Hayes; 7 great
grandsons: Frank and Bill Jacobe, Jo-es and
Robert Chadwick, Donn and David Van
Deren, Tristan Geis; 3 great greatgrandsons:
Cole and Nickolae Younger, Eric Davis;
1
great greatgranddaughter: Nicole Thomas.
by Beverly Geis
DAVIS, ED AND
JENNIE
Ed and Jennie Davis
This story told by David Edmunds Davis
was recorded January 3, 1934.
I was born on July 24, 1883 in Ethel,
Missouri and moved to Alma, Nebraska with
my parents. In 1886 we emigrated by covered
wagon train to Tuttle, Colorado, where father
located on a homestead.
Our ranch was on the Republican River
and we located a good spring from which we
got water for some years. A good substantial
sod house was built and additions made as
our family grew. What education we received
little eod school house
in the community. I helped my father and
older brothers on the ranch until I was
thirteen years old, then I went to work for
Harry Cor, owner of the then fanous "Cor
was by attending the
Fl63
Ed Davis with Fred Weibel in the Ford Garage office
Ranch" and
I
worked for him for thirteen
years.
There were large herds ofcattle all over this
county then, and no corrals or fences, During
our yearly round-ups we had to stand guard
over the cattle to keep them from stampeding
or getting away. Each cowboy took his turn
in standing guard for two hours each night.
The regular crew employed at that time was
ten or twelve men, but during the round-up
and branding season we would have as high
as eighteen or twenty.
Each cowboy or rider had his own bed,
blanket and clothing. I still have the mattress
that I used during the time I worked for Mr.
Cox.
It
is as good as ever, altho'a bit faded
from repeated washings. That is about all
I
�have left of my range riding days.
We always had plenty to eat and had good
eats, too. I guess our riding made us hungry
and food tasted good to us then. ofcourse, the
standby was bacon or salt pork, but we
usually had plenty of good beef too, and
always plenty of beans and corn bread.
There were no fences, no roads, nothing but
cattle trails over these stretches of prairie.
The country around the river is rather hilly
and there was plenty of grass and water and
good places to hide. We found some Indian
skulls. lots of beads and an old rifle that we
plowed up when we were making a dam on
the river. It was in a clump of trees and was
about four feet under the ground. This rifle
living
at Hugo, Colorado. We found any number of
arrow heads. I never saw any Indians or
was given to a J.W. Gardner who is now
buffalo, but there were herds of antelope and
a number ofgray wolves that got so bold they
broke into a corral and killed some of the
horses and colts. Lanterns were hung around
the corrals to keep them out, but despite the
lanterns, they broke in one night and killed
a colt before the men could get out to the
barns. This happened on the Tuttle Ranch.
Wolves were never known to attack men, but
they were bad on the livestock.
The winters were very severe, and we had
such terrible lightning and hail storms in the
summer time. But we had to be out in all
kinds of weather, so we got used to it. Good
grub, plenty of exercise in the open air, and
the care-free life we led kept us healthy and
happy.
Dancing was our chief amusement, and
when a bunch of cowboys went to a dance,
they went in full regalia: spurs, pistols and
chaps. But we usually removed our spurs and
turned over the pistols to the hostess before
we began dancing. I did not dance much, but
enjoyed the fun the others got out of it.
We were always on the watch for prairie
fires, for usually a fire was hard to control and
it took everything in its path. One big fire
started at Lusto Springs, north of Limon, and
burned down to the Republican River. It kept
us busy plowing fire guards to protect the
ranch and feed stacks.
The following story told by Jennie Etta
Jones Davis was also recorded on January 3,
1934.
I was born in Shelton, Nebraska on February 1, 1883, and cq-e to Colorado with my
parents in April, 1892. We arrived at Limon
by train and at that time Limon was composed of a hotel, the section house, a small
store and post office and one or two houses.
Father took a homestead sixteen miles north
of Limon near Walks Camp and we built our
sod house and settled down to live on the
prairies.
Hugo, Forty miles away, wan our nearest
town and doctor, so we did not dare to get
sick. We could buy no furniture, so Father
made what we needed from packing boxes.
Whenever we got newspapers we would put
them on the walls, thus saving all reading
matter, and keeping our house warm.
We got our water from a well and from
springs close by. We always enjoyed living
water, and never had to drink from water
holes
like many another pioneer in this
county.
I remember of Mother selling eggs for three
cents per dozen, and butter for three cents
per pound. We could not get any more for it,
and perhaps if it had been higher people
could not have bought it, for there was very
little money in the country then.
When we first came to Limon the "trail
herds" used to pass our place about a mile
east of us, great herds of from five to eight
thousand head of long-horn Texas cattle on
their way north to Montana to grass and
pasture for the summer. There was plenty of
water near us, and the crew always camped
there over night. There were usually about
eighteen cowboys, a chuck wagon and the
supply wagon. My brother-in-law worked
with this outfit for three summers and we
always felt interested in the trail herds. We
have seen a steady line of cattle moving north
from daylight to dark. I often think of the
great herds that used to pass over the prairies
where now there are fields or fenced pastures.
As you know, there were no trails or roads
or fences in those days, and it was so easy to
become confused as to directions, and lose
your way on the prairie. I was a little girl
about twelve years old, as my brother was
working in the field, I was sent to bring home
the cows. I was riding horseback, and started
out in plenty of time to get the cows home
before supper-time. They had wandered
rather far that day and it was hard to get
them turned homeward until sunset and it
got too dark for them to eat. By this time I
did not know where I was, and drove the
cattle in the opposite direction from home. It
got cold and soon began to rain, so I got off
my horse and put the saddle blanket around
me. I had bare feet. as it was warm when I had
left home and we always had to go barefoot
as soon as weather permitted and save our
shoes. I got so cold and frightened and did not
know what to do. About ten o'clock that night
my folks and some of the neighbors began
hunting for me. They built a big bonfire on
top ofone ofthe hills, and then took lanterns
and followed the gulleys or draws, calling me
all the while. When I saw the bonfire, I
rounded up the cattle and started towards it,
but soon came up to where my brother was,
and Oh, how glad I was to see him. I know the
night was no darker than many another night,
but to me it seemed so dark and the prairies
so big and lonesome. I was very fortunate in
that a severe storm had not come instead of
a gentle, drizzling rain. Through much planning, saving and hard study, I managed to get
an education and became a teacher. I taught
school at the Lanchman School, also known
as the Regan School from the fall of 1905 until
spring of 1908. I was teaching there when I
met my husband, Ed.
Ed and Jennie were married April 26, 1908.
They homesteaded five miles southwest of
Kirk, Colorado. While on the homestead four
children were born there: Harry, who died in
infancy, Edith, (Davis) Fehrenbach, Robert
G., and David E. Their fifth child, EarlJ., was
born in Stratton, Colorado.
Jennie insisted that the children must have
an education. The school in Kirk, five miles
away wan not very good, so they moved to
Burlington in 1917. Ed went in business with
his brother Griff, in the Ford Garage. In 1920
they moved to Stratton where he operated
the Ford Garage and was associated with The
First National Bank.
They resided in Stratton until their
deaths.. Ed passed away May 13, 1967 and
Jennie passed away November 18' 1967.
by David E. Davis
DAVIS, ELIAS
GRIFFITH, II
Fl64
I was born in Macon County, Missouri on
Jan. 27, 1876 and went with my parents to
Alma, Nebr. in 1865 for one year. My father
Elias G. Davis and a cousin came out to Colo.
in the late fall of 1886 and liking the looks of
the country filed a pre-emption and tree
claim on land along the Republican River
bottom. Here they built a soddy and made
ready a home for the family. My cousin
returned to Nebr. for my mother, Leah Davis,
my grandfather (my mother'g father) and we
five boys in late March 1887. We traveled in
covered wagons and drove ten head of cattle
and 5 pigs. We went to Haigler, Nebr., then
across to old Jacqua, Kan., then followed the
Republican into Colo. We brought a few
household furnishings, our bedding, some
food supplies, and a small cook stove.
After father proved up on the pre-emption,
he took a homestead right across the road
east of the old location. There was no railroad
thru here then, and so our nearest trading
point was Haigler, Nebr. or Wray, Colo. I
never saw any buffalo; I guess they had been
pretty well hunted out before we arrived. But
there were buffalo bones on the prairies and
we used to eather them and take them to
Haigler to se'il for $8.00 per ton. There were
plenty of antelope on the prairie and lots of
wild horses that used to coax our domestic
horses away. I have chased many a wild herd
and once in awhile would capture a pretty
good one, but as a rule they were too light for
most farm work. We used to trap gray wolves
and sometimes sell the pelts or tan them and
use them for rugs.
Our mail was brought from St. Francis once
a week by a carrier with a horse and btggy,
and was taken to the postoffice established
on the Tuttle ranch. About a year later the
postoffice was changed to our home and my
father made postmaster. He held this position for several years. The mail was the
brought from Wray, Colo.
When the county was first organized, my
father was appointed one of the members of
the first county commissioners. There was no
court house at that time, so the county offices
were located in the west rooms of the N.R.
Brown building (the first two-story building
in Burlington). I remember once father asked
me to go with him to Burlington and bring the
team back home. I had no shoes presentable
for town wear, as it would not be proper for
the son of a commissioner to go to town
barefooted. So mother solved the problem by
letting me wear a pair of her shoes for the
grand occasion. I remember how proud I was
when I got to Burlington and displayed my
button shoes to the admiring natives. Can
you imagine a boy of today wearing his
mother's shoes?
I went to school in a vacated house about
6 miles from our home. We had homemade
desks and benches and used books brought
from Missouri and Nebr. Our first teacher
was Miss Celia Miller, and the next J.F.
Gilmore. We had a three month term of
school at that time. Later a sod school was
built and the regular desks installed.
Sunday school was held in the homes of
different neighbors in the community until
after the school was built, then we held our
�meeting there. We had church once or twice
a
year. We were always glad when a traveling
minister came along. Later the Rev. Peter
Rasmussen and Rev. Mary Bevier both
preached in our community, driving long
distances to do so. I remember a young girl
died and the funeral sermon was not
preached until several months later, as there
was no minister near tur.
We moved to Burlington later and I
married Zelma Akelson. We have 4 children.
I served two terms as County Sheriff and was
engaged in the garage business several years
until I sold to the Reed Bros.
by Janice Salmans
DAVIS, JOHN AND
AMELIA
Fl66
The two story frgme home built on the John Davis Republican River Ranch, northwest of Burlington, in
1913. This picture shows Amelia Davis showing her new home to visitors, possibile some of her sisters.
A screened in porch does not show in this photo. It was used as protection against rattle snakes for young
daughter going on two years.
family and he had ridden
horeeback or walked the miles from Missoud,
herding the livestock along the way. He and
one or two of the brothers and their Grandfather Glass went with Elias to the home-
year around. My mother was a famous cook!
stead sit€ ahead of the rest of the family,
leaving them behind near Alma. A sister of
immediate farmyards. Rattlesnakes were
plentiful in the beginning and I spent my first
was the oldest of the
Leah's lived nearby and helped the ggghring:
family.
The men built a soddy home and some
outbuildings and prepared for the arrival of
the rest of the family in the summer of 1887.
On this river land the brothers and their
sister grew to adulthood, working on the
ranch or about the community as work could
be found.
By the turn of the century the young men
of the family were seeking land of their own
away from the river ranch of their parents,
most of them establishing homes and families. One brother stayed with the old ranch
until its ruination by the flood of 1935.
My father, John, first farmed on the
drylands near Kirk where he built a two story
sod house, still standing. He married Anna
Homrighaus, of a pioneer Kirk family but she
Taken in the meadow at the John Davis Republican River Ranch in the summer of 1916. Eleanor
Davis (left) and Louie Davis (right) ages 4Vz and.
10 years.
Ranch
My paternal grandparents, Elias G. Davis
and Leah Glass Davis cnme from Macon Co.,
Republican River Valley in 1887,
settling near the old post office of Tuttle,
nestled on a rocky hillside above the river.
Grandpa Davis had visited the site of the
preemption claim before bringing the family
west by covered wagon and he had chosen to
settle near the river where a tree claim was
planted. He had also observed the lush
grasslands along the river and in time
'haying'was a part ofthe ranching operation.
There were six of the Davis brothers, the
fifth being born near Alma, Nebraska in a
dugout home on the move west. Later the last
brother and a sister to join them in the soddy
home on the Republican. My father, John,
to the
died of diphtheria after only five months as
a bride. A few years later, Amelia Homrighaus, a sister of Anna's married John and
they also lived in the two story sod house.
There my brother, Louis, was born in 1907
and
I
followed in 1912.
My parents farmed the in the Kirk area for
several years but the river lands called them
and they moved to the Republican River
northwest of Burlington, near the post office
of Hale. I was a year old when they built a
lovely frn-e farm house, substantial farm
buildings, planted windbreaks, an orchard
and gardens and established an irrigation
system from the river. Two gardens were part
ofthe homestead. one near the house and the
other near the orchard area. One of the
delights of this garden system was an extensive strawberry bed, the fruit of which we
loved, the work we hated: picking the fruit in
quantities was not a favorite chore but we
loved the shortcakes, the bowls of berries
with thick crearn, fresh strawberry ice cream
for the ranch had an icehouse, and the
preserves that appeared on the table almost
The ranch buildings and tree plantings
were placed below the rock rim of the
drylands to the north of the river and on a
bench above the meadowlands south of the
year or so at the ranch in a big screened porch
built across one side of the house . . . there
wasn't time to watch my activities all hours
of the day. As time passed the unwelcome
rattlers were thinned out near the buildings
but always made their homes in the rimrocks
to the north. Watchful eyes were always out
in the gardens, potatoe patches, the farmyard
and especially at haying time in the meadows.
'Haying' was a big part of the ranching
operation, furnishing feed for livestock but
farming was also diversified and corn crops
were also raised for ensilage to fill the big
cement silo and alfalfa supplemented the
native hay of the meadows. My parents were
early pioneer cooperators of the Extension
Service. Land was looked after, animals
raised by suggestions of the specialists and
hundreds of cans of food were put up,
following safe methods of the service.
I have many memories of the haying time
when neighbors arrived to help, later to be
helped in their operations. There was bustle
in the kitchen where plentiful and wonderful
food was prepared for the crews, and the
farmyard was a busy scene with the coming
and going of men, horses and machinery. I
longed to go into the meadows for a closer
view of all that went on. But that was
forbidden and I could only watch from the
yard while my brother hustled about keeping
the men supplied with cool jugs of water from
the well house.
Memories of haying time are kept fresh by
the accompanying picture of my brother and
me taken by a friend of the family's out from
Burlington for a Sunday visit. She chose to
pose us in the delightful setting of the
meadow grasses and take a snap of the Davis
'kids'.
The days of living on the ranch were over
by the early twenties when we moved to
Burlington where my brother and I went to
school and our father became the second of
�the Davis brothers to serve as sheriff of
Kit
Carson County.
by Eleanor Davis Mclaughlin
DAVIS, MABEL
DAVIS, ROSSER AND
KATIE
Fl67
Fl56
fanily was school. He received his education
at the Tuttle school which was held in an
abandoned homestead house. In 1907, when
Rosser was twenty-one, he filed for his own
I em Mabel, the middle one of nine
children, born of Mr. and Mrs. Jas. (Jimmie)
Winfrey. I was born June 1, 1918, on their
homestead which was located about 3 milee
south of the Republican River where the
Bonny Dam is now. It was Yz mile eouth of
the Kit Carson and Yuma County line. I
remember how long the 2L miles into Burlington seemed in our Model-T Ford.
In those days cousins grew up knowing
their coueins as most of them lived within
walking distance of each other, not so today.
Even though my parents had six boys, I
*e1s eyslalls a lot and worked in the fields
with two. four or sometimes six horse teems.
My pride and joy was my saddle horge nnmed
Spot. I rode him a lot and onejob was to bring
the cows in from the pasture. My dad used
to call me his cowboy. We milked lots of cows
by hand, morning and night, and all of us had
a part in that sooner or later.
I attended lst through 8th grades at the
Cook School, 3 miles north. We rode horseback, took the horse and buggy or sometimes
walked. I went to Idalia, Co. for the 9th grade.
The lfth grade I went to Happy Hollow, a
country school 4 miles south, which taught
first through 10th grade. My 1lth grade year,
I stayed in Burlington, at the home of Mr. and
Mrs. Royden Hook and worked for my room
and board. They were a nice family with 5
children so it seemed like home. My senior
year, I went back to Idalia. My younger sister,
Lola, was ready for the llth grade so we lived
in a house at the Helling farm about 1 mile
from the school, (which was in the country
south and east of the town then).
We walked back and forth and were the
school janitors to help pay our tuition. That
was in the "dirty thirties", so lots ofyou know
our job wasn't an easy one. But this gal was
determined to get her high school diploma
and she did. I graduated in 1935 from Idalia,
Co.
On April 17, 1938, I married Wade Davis,
a good guy, who was born and raised in
Kanarado, Ks. He worked for the Co-op and
was the manager of the gas and oil station
for
23 years. We raised five sons: Gerold, Gail,
first
homestpad located in the breaks north of the
Republican River. Except for working for a
few ranches in the Stratton and Tuttle area
in his youth, Rosser's entire life was expen-
ded ranching and farming for himself.
Katie Nowak was born near Seneca, Kansas, on December 24, L896. In 1910, Katie
journeyed by train to Burlington with her
mother, brothers, and sisters. They arrived
on Thanksgiving Day and joined the children's father, Max Nowak, who had home-
steaded shortly before on 320 acres ofland 15
miles northwest of Bethune. During the first
years on the homestead the family members
spent any spare time they had gathering cow
chips for fuel. They also had to learn to be
constantly on alert for rattlesnakes
- something the Nowaks had not been accustomed
to in eastern Kansas.
Katie received most of her education in
Katie and Rosser DAvis with twin sons Stanley on
left and Russell on the right. Picture was taken in
Iate 1929 or early 1930.
Remembering his younger days, Rosser
laughed when he said, "The parents of my
good wife, Katie, homesteaded in our pasture.
They made us take down our fences." It was
several years after Katie's parents had staked
out their homestead that Katie Nowak came
to work for Rosser and his mother on the old
home ranch. An aged ledger book shows that
in January of 1920, Katie was receiving only
eighteen dollars a month, but by fall her
wages had been raised to thirty dollars a
month. No records are available for 1921, so
one can only speculate that Rosser thought
it would be cheaper to marry Katie. At any
rate, on September 30, 1921, Rosser and
Katie secretly went to Denver where they
were manied, much to the surprise of family
and friends. Thus began Mr. and Mrs. Rosser
four
Davis' loyal marriage that lasted forty-six
graduated from Kanarado.
In May 1965, we sold our home in Kanarado and moved to Burlington. At that time I
was employed at Mac Lloyd's Clothing Store,
which is now the Men's Shop. Wade was and
still is the sales representative for the Memorial Art Co. of Salina, Kansas. Neil needed to
finish his schooling but it was rumored the
Kanarado School would be closed. It was a
few years later.
Our sons are now all married so now we
have four daughters-in-law, 14 grandchildren
years.
Rosser was born near Alma, Nebraska, on
April 16, 1886. His parents, Elias Griffith and
Leah Glass, along with his five older brothers,
with Grandfather Glass, and with an orphaned cousin, John Jay Davis, had started west
whole gang", very much.
This is 1987 and my sister, Lola Rhoades,
and I are the only ones of the nine member
family still residing in the Burlington area.
raska, in the late fall. The winter months were
spent with relatives who lived there. Soon
after Rosser was born the party pushed on.
by Mabel (Winfrey) Davis
settled on a pre-emption and on a tree claim
Richard, Jimm and Neil. The
and 5 step-grandchildren. We enjoy "the
on the south fork of the Republican River not
far from Tuttle. Rosser grew to manhood on
this ranch. When he and his brother, Morton,
were boys, they caught two young antelope,
a buck and a doe, and raised them on cows'
milk. These antelope were fanily pets for
several years until they ran away with a large
herd of antelope that happened by. Another
facet of Rogger's life as a youngster in his
from Macon County, Missouri, in 1885. The
traveling party included three wagons, a few
cows, and even some chickens and hogs. The
group forded the Missouri River then went
west overland till they reached the Republican River, in south central Nebraska. They
followed this river and reached Alma. Neb-
When the baby was six weeks old the
travelers reached their destination. They
Kansas; however, she did graduate from the
eighth grade at the Tuttle school near the
Harvey Wood ranch. Sometime after finishing the eighth grade and before being
married Katie took a course at Barnes
Business School in Denver. Although she
might have worked a short time for a lawyer
in Burlington, Katie primarily labored as a
hired girl on the nearby ranches. Miss Nowak
grew to young womanhood in the Tuttle
community where she took an active part in
community affairs and social events.
Rosser and Katie lived on the Davis ranch
close to the Republican River until 1935 when
a Memorial Day flood took the lives of many
of their cattle, horses, and hogs. The flood
also destroyed most of the haying equipment
and ruined the hay meadows. After this
disaster the Davises moved to a rented ranch
south of the river. Then in 1942, they
purchased a new farm and home east of
Burlington where they resided until retiring
and moving to town in 1960.
Rosser and Katie raised twins, born in
1920. Stanley is involved in veterinary supply
sales and now lives in Colby, Kansas, with his
wife. the former Lucile Chalfant. Russell
married Alene Marcum of Las Animas in
1951. They have farmed and ranched in the
Burlington area since their marriage.
In 1915, Rosser and his brother, Morton,
started a registered Hereford cattle herd. The
two also raised registered Clydesdale horses,
and at one time owned an aged stallion that
had been a champion at the Chicago International Livestock Show when he was a young
horse. The brothers'partnership was terminated sometime in the 1920's. Rosser dispersed his registered horses in 1934; however, he
was involved with Hereford cattle until his
retirement.
Katie passed away after a lingering illness
in
1967. Rosser lived an active
life until
shortly before his death in 1978. They were
�both laid to rest in Fairview Cemetery in
Burlington.
by Russ Davie
DAVIS, RUSS AND
ALENE
Fl68
brother Stan, started school at the Tuttle
School which was then located about 1%
diversified because sometimes
miles north of the Harvey Wood ranch. In the
fall of 1934, when they were five years old,
much too young to start the first grade, they
started school. Even in those days, state or
county aid was available to only those who
an agricultural base.
qualified by having so many students. In the
spring of 1935, they were flooded out by the
Memorial Day flood and then moved to a
ranch south
of the river and 13 miles
northwest of Bethune. The next seven years,
they attended school at District 22 which still
stands 12 miles straight north of Bethune. In
L942, they moved to a farm 4 miles east of
Burlington. They graduated from Burlington
High School in 1946. Russ then joined the
U.S. NaW serving most of the next two years
at the Naval Air Station at Corpus Christi,
Texas. Soon after being discharged from the
Navy in 1948, he enrolled at Colorado A & M
which he attended until spring of 1951 when
he and Alene were maried.
Their mariage was at the Presbyterian
Church in Las Animas on June 3, 1951, the
it's
rather
hard to ride the "booms and busts" with onlv
by Russ Davis
DEVITT . GEMMELL
FAMILY
Fr59
ss-e day that Jim Gernhart held his first
funeral here in Burlington. Those that at-
tended the wedding missed the event that
attracted national news coverage. Gene Penny stated that he missed out on being a
pallbearer because of going to the wedding.
Through the years, Alene and Russ have
kept busy raising a family, farming, and
etaying active in community affairs. They are
both active in the Methodist Chuch where
they are both on the board. They are also
members of the Caroueel Toaetmast€rs Club
and both enjoy traveling whenever they can.
Besideg raising a family, Alene is interested
Alene and Rusg Davig still smiling after nearly 36
years of marriage. Taken in March 1987.
in reading, playrng bridge and oil painting.
In the post war years ofthe late 1940's, the
ratio of men to women students at Colorado
A & M College in Ft. Collins was around 9 to
Burlington Woman's Club, Pink Ladies and
the United Methodist Women. For the past
36 years, Russ has been farming and ranching. He raised Registered Polled Herefords
from 1952 until dispersing in 1967. He also
started irrigating in 1957 and began raising
Withthis statistic in mind, Russ Davis wag
quite relieved when a fraternity brother had
1.
arranged a blind date for him with Alene
Marcum, a quiet blue-eyed Kappa Delta, for
the Alpha Go-ma Rho spring formal dance.
This was how Alene and Russ
became
acquainted in the spring of 1949.
Alene was born in Lamar, Colorado to
Floyd and Jennie Marcum who now live in
Las Animas, Colorado. She was reared in
Prowers and Bent County where her father
farmed & her mother taught school. Alene
graduated in 1947 from Bent County High
School. That summer, she attended La Junta
Jr. College and earned an emergency certificate. She then taught school for one term at
a rural school in Bent County. In the fall of
1948, she enrolled at Colorado A & M which
she att€nded for a year and then transferred
to Colorado State Teacher's College much to
the relief of Russ as the ratio at Greeley was
even. After a year there, she taught the fourth
grade at the Helen Hunt Elementary School
in Colorado Springs for one year. She then
moved to Burlington because she and Russ
were married in 1951. After living in Burlington for a year, she was again employed
a
kindergarten teacher
for
Burlington
schools.
Rws was born in Stratton, Colorado, one
of twins, to Rosser and Katie Davis. The first
six years of his life were spent living on the
old Davis Ranch along the Republican River
northeast of Stratton. He, along with his twin
She has been active in Modern Homemakers,
Mae and Alex Gemmell. 1947.
sugar beets in 1958 which was the second year
Kit Carson County. He
had beets every year until the sugar factory
at Goodland was closed in 1985. In the early
years of their maniage, Russ helped in 4-H,
was a volunteer fireman, member of the
Lion's Club and Soil Conservation Board. In
the late 1970's and early 1980's he was on the
Kit Carson County Planning Commission.
From 1974, until sugar beets were no longer
they were raised in
in the Burlington area, he was a
director of the Mountain States Sugar Beet
grown
Growers Board and was on the Great Western
Growers Joint Research Committee from
1975 to 1980. He is presently serving as
president of the board of the Burlington
Equity Co-op and is on the board of the
United Farmer'g Marketing Association.
Alene and Rws have three children. Mike
and Ken farm with Russ on the Davis farm
east of Burlington. Mike attended college and
worked around the Boulder area for several
years. Ken married Terri Butts of Edson,
Kansas. They have two daughters, Tess and
Leah. Jenny married Tom Swanson of La
Junta. They live in Montrose, Colorado and
have two sons, Jacob and Dylan.
Russ and Alene feel
that Kit
Carson
County has been good to them. They hope
that in some small way they have given
something back in return. It's their hope that
the economy in the county can become more
Dad's home in Stratton.
Alexander D. Gemmell was born June 25,
in Moosic, Pennsylvania. He had six
1879
sisters.
At
age 21 he went
to
Stratton,
Colorado to try ranching or some other work.
He settled in Stratton because he had an aunt
and uncle living on a homest€ad two or three
miles south of town. They were Archie and
Bessie Dargavall. One of the first jobs Alex
had in Stratton was working as a helper
drilling wells with a Mr. Messinger.
Mary (Mae) Alice Devitt, born November
13, 1889 on the south side of Chicago, had
three brothers and two sisters. Her father
passed away when they were young. She and
her family moved to Stratton for her sister
�Hazel's health. They thought she had quick
consumption, which we now know as tubercu-
losis. Her three maiden aunts came with
them. They settled on a homestead about
three miles west of town and south of Rock
Island Railroad. I don't know their reasons
for settling in Stratton. One of her three
aunts, Mary Murry, married the postmaster
Joseph Smith in 1903. Another aunt, Elizabeth, was a dressmaker and the third aunt,
Helen, taught at the public school. Mary and
Joe Smith owned and operated a hotelboarding house in town one block west of
Main Street and two blocks from the depot.
Mr. Messinger was hired to drill a well on
my grandmother's homestead. Alex Gemmell, his helper, went along on the job. While
working there he met Mae. He courted her for
a time and they were married November 26,
1906. Alex then
applied for
a
homestead close
to Mae's family. Their homestead did not
have modern facilities but they were happy.
They lived there for a year or two after the
wedding, then Mae's family and one maiden
aunt moved back to Chicago. At the snme
time Mae and Alex moved to the Dargavall
place, which now belonged to Alex as his aunt
and uncle had passed away. Their nearest
neighbor was Jeppie who owned the dairy
works a mile and one-half away.
Mae and Alex had two children by now. I,
Agnes, was born in 1910. Alex was now
working at the coal chutes for the Rock leland
Railroad and their third child was born while
Mae was visiting her farnily in Chicago. Soon
aftpr her return, they moved into town to a
small house one block east of Main Street and
one block south.
Around 1914 or 1915, Alex started working
for the Continental Oil Company (this is now
Conoco Oil Co.). He was a wholesale distributor and his territory was around a 50 mile
area. Sometime after this, they started to
build a home that we resided in until we
moved from Stratton. Mae and Alex designed
and drew the blueprints for this home. It is
located on the corner of Main Street across
from the public school and the Catholic
Church. It was a two story four bedroom
home with all modern conveniences. We had
a large windmill in the back yard for our
water supply and we piped some to the
cistern. From there, we children were supposed to pump the pressure into the tank that
had been filled from the cistern, so we could
have the pressurized water in the house.
Sometime around 1916 Alex was elected
Mayor, which was a non-paid job. This with
his oil business, kept him busy, but he always
had time for his family. Both he and Mae
were very active in town. Mae was busy in the
Catholic Church and school affairs and sang
in the choir as well as singing solo. She also
sang for the Knights of Pythians, and many
other social affairs. As Mayor, Alex was
instrumental in getting the water tower in
town and the electricity, which came from
Burlington, 18 miles East of Stratton. This
was a very active small town, Main Street ran
from South to North about two blocks. There
was Sundberg's Garage, a dentist, a General
Store, a butcher shop, Drug Store, The Bank,
Bakers Mens Store, Newspaper, Post Office,
Holloway's garage, Black Smith Shop, and a
Crenmery. At the end of this block, running
East and West was the Rock Island Depot,
a grainery and lumber yard, the Continental
Oil Co. and across the tracks, the Coal
Chutes.
Going from our house South, the Catholic
Church, the Prieet's house and the Catholic
School. Across from the school was Dr.
Beachley. Dr. Beachley delivered five of the
six children Mae and Alex had while living in
Stratton. One child was born in Chicago and
the other three were born after they finally
moved to Chicago.
One of the highlights of our life in Stratton
was Stratton Days, a Fair, usually lasting two
days, Friday and Saturday. A time that
stands out in my mind was when Alex went
outside of town and set off dlmnmite to start
the Fair. He also rode a white horse and led
the parade. The public school was given
Friday off for this but the Catholic School did
not, as Father Munich would not sanction it.
My father permitted us to go to school in the
morning but not in the afternoon, and as the
Father had warned us, we received 50 in
deportment. Another highlight of the Fair
was a Beef Barbecue which took days to
prepare in the ground. My friend and I would
head straight for the Barbecue Stand, and I
can taste it to this day. This being Friday, the
Catholics had a rule of no meat on Fridays.
The worst had to happen to me, while walking
along eating the forbidden fruit, I came face
to face with Father Munich.
Stratton was a very active community and
it should have grown and become a nice small
town. About 1923 or l924,tbe Klu Klux Klan
got a toehold in town and influenced some of
the people in joining. They decided to have
a parade down Main Street and burn a cross
on the steps of the Catholic Church but some
of the church members blocked their way at
the corner with their cars. They then started
a rumor that the church had a regular arsenal
in the root cellar, so the Klan turned the
corner by our house and went West. Mae
seeing this, went to the side of the house
where she had a hose and turned it on the
men in their "magnificent" white robes and
hats. There being only dirt roads, the mud
was splashed all over them and they not only
got dirty, but cold as well. She knew some of
them from their walk or shape, and she called
them by name. Our dog, Sparrow, got loose.
He didn't like these strange outfits so he
began nipping at their heels. All in all, you
can be sure they were glad to get away from
history as a former Stratton resident and
pioneer.
by Mrs. Paul Goes
DILLON, THOMAS H.
AND JESSICA L.
(KELLOGG)
F160
Thomas H. Dillon, Jr. came to Burlington,
in 1906, from Springville, New
York. He ceme with an uncle and Morgan
horses. One of the horses, a stallion, they
walked and led from ranch to ranch breeding
mares. He spent a few days at the Norton
Ranch eight miles south of Bethune. He filed
for a homestead 15 miles north and 1 east of
Bethune, then returned to Springville and
married Jessica Kellogg in 1909. The follow-
Colorado
ing year they moved by railroad in
meal and room was $1.50.
The second day at daylight they headed 22
miles northwest to their new home, a sod
house that Tom and the Gramm boys had
built. When they were settled and had some
land plowed, Tom went to work for the BarT Ranch. He had probably worked there only
a year or two when it was learned that the
"big boys" at the Bar-T School always ran the
teachers off so they wouldn't have to go to
school. It was decided that Tom take the job
as teacher. He was 23 years old, stood 6'2",
handy with his fists, and a graduate of
Griffith Institute, Springville, New York.
From then on there were no more teachers
run off. He taught in the Ragan or Bar-T
School and later at Yale. Tom's sister, Vera
Dillon, moved to a homestead close by; she
also taught school. Vera lived on the homestead that Tom had registered for their sister,
Lulu Dillon. Thomas H. Dillon, Sr. arrived in
Bethune in 1916 and died in 1925.
In 1914, Tom took the exn-ination and
was chosen for rural mail carrier. He carried
mail with a mule team and a canvas-covered
to the German Settlement north of
for several years, until cars and
roads were practical. Later he acted as
substitute carrier for Albert Anmon for
many years. In 1914, a son, Carlos K. Dillon
wagon
that corner.
Bethune
Alex, the Mayor, and some of his Councilmen were outside of town, trying to shut off
the transformer for the electric lights in town.
They wanted to put the town in darkness for
was born.
the Klan Parade. The Klan burned their
cross West of town, which was not nearly as
impressive as their original plan.
This organization managed to split the
townspeople, and many, including our family, sold their homes and moved away. Our
parents have been back a number of times,
and some of us also have been back for visits.
The last time was for somebody's 50th
anniversary.
Alex died on May 25, Lg67 and Mae on
December L2, L978.If they were still with us,
they would be very proud, as they had nine
children, 37 grandchildren, 49 great grandchildren and 14 great, great, grandchildren.
After all the research I have done, and as
much as I can remember, this is as near the
facts as possible. It is as near authentic as I
know. It has been a pleasure to write this so
the Gemmell nnme will be in the annals of
an
immigrant car to Burlington. The cost of the
Dillons moved to Bethune when Tom
becnme Manager of the Farmer's Union
Elevator. They lived in the upstairs of the
railroad section foreman's house. The foreman was John Day. William Yersin, Sr. had
the grocery store and cresm stationjust south
of the railroad tracks. Tom purchased the
Jim Pfaffly ranch 1 mile south and 1 % miles
west of Bethune. Erma Cordinnier, postmaster at Bethune, was Jim's daughter. Some
cattle and horses were acquired in the
purchase. They farmed about 80 acres which
could not produce enough feed for 100 cattle,
50 horses and mules, although range grass
was free in the summer and fall. The free
range ran from the Rock Island Railroad
south to the Santa Fe Railroad. There were
only a few ranches between: Nortons, Dunlaps, McArthurs, Johnstones, and Bremeirs.
Bethune was quite a town with Cora's Cafe,
Bill's Poolhall, Yersin's Grocery Store, post
office and Farmer's Elevator; later there was
�a bank, hotel, and lumber yard.
During the depression, Tom worked for
PWA. He worked on the Stratton Gymnasium, also the Moon Theater and did much
road construction. Carlos served in the CCC's
gtationed in Durango, Colorado. Many of the
cattle were shot by the Government during
the dust storms. They were paid $10.00 a
head. To save the herd, Tom moved the
family and livestock to Millikin, Colorado, for
a short time because of irrigation. During the
bad years, none of the jobless traveling the
railroad or highway ever left the Dillon house
hungry. In 1935 the Landsman washed out
the railroad bridge. Jess served lunch to the
construction crews.
Tom and Jess had two daughters: Mary
Louise (Schanefelt) born in 1921, and Janet
(Toland) born in L924. Janet and her husband, Max K. Toland, lived in Stratton for
many years as did Carlos and his wife,
Pauline. Mary Louise left the area after she
finished school.
Tom served on the Bethune School Board
many years; worked in the PMA office from
1938 to 1950s; was the first rancher to bring
Ayrshire Cattle to Colorado and at one time
had the largest herd in the area, selling
gallons of milk and cream. In L927, Tom and
Jess built a new house and barn one mile west
of Bethune on US Highway 24, where they
lived until their deaths, Jess in 1957 and Tom
in
1968.
by Janet Toland
DISCHNER, ANTONE
JOHN
F16I.
Antone John Dischner was born January
30, 1889 in Columbus, Nebraska to Anna
Sweeney and John Dischner. As a young man
he cnme to Colorado to seek his fortune. He
sold real estate and promoted the area. In
1917 he met Clara Elizabeth Jostes who came
to the area to keep house for her brothers and
the Bettinger cousing. Tony and Clara were
manied January 8, 1918 in Lindsay, Nebraska. His military duty followed and he was
stationed in Fort Louis, Washington. Of their
four children, Alyce Margaret was born on
October 21, 1918 in Lindsay, Nebraska. On
November 11, 1918 the armistice was signed
and Tony brought his family back to Stratton. In 1921 he purchased the General
Merchandise Store from J.W. Borders. The
previous owner had been C.H. Fuller. The
store was located on the east side of the main
street and at the north end ofthe block, third
building from the railroad tracks.
My earliest memory of the store was at
Easter in 1921 when one of my aunts was
baby sitting, set me up on a counter and I
tasted my first marshmallow candy egg.
Leonard Antone Dischner was born in
Stratton October 24, 1921. I remember the
several houses we lived in through the years,
all of which are still occupied today.
Arthur John Dischner was born April 30,
1923 just 18 months after Leonard. They
were dressed alike and even after they were
grown many people confused their names
though they looked nothing alike and were
inseparable.
Several people recalled who worked in the
store were the following: Grace Richardson,
William Thyne, a farmer from north of town,
Mrs. J.R. Brown, Ruth Thyne, Mary Weibel,
Dan Thyne and Harold Thomason although
I am sure there were others. Of course the
three sons worked continuously after they
began school.
The general store which A.J. operated was
very old fashioned even in those times. The
prunes, raisins and other dried fruit came in
the bulk and had to be scooped, weighed and
sacked to be sold. Cookies cnme in large
square boxes and were placed in a special rack
so the customer could see through the
cellophane tops to make their choices. Tobacco came in large pieces and was cut with a
special cutter to suit the customer's prefer-
from
1961
to
1964.
Edward Aloyious Dischner was born on
August 19, 1928. He attcnded school and
worked in the store with his dad. Ed stayed
out of school one year to help and then went
back to graduate. After being in the service
he returned to work for his dad who sold him
the business in 1962. Ed is still operating the
IGA Grocery store in Stratton with his wife,
Marlyn Schmidt Dischner.
The children all took music lessons from
the sisters at St. Charles Academy who
bartered groceries for lessons. It is my
understanding that A.J. went into the cattle
business with some farmers. He tried every-
thing to make a go of the business.
On November 23, 1963 the day that John
F. Kennedy was assassinated, Tony suddenly
took ill, was taken to the Memorial Hospital
in Burlington, Colorado. He was never well
but did make a couple of short stays at home
until in December 1963 he was taken to
Denver where he died in St. Joseph's Hospital January 7, L964.
After the farmers returned from their wartime jobs and went back to farming there
were some good years what with the irrigation
systems and good weather. Many good
conscientious farrners paid some of their old
charge accounts some of which had already
been marked off.
by Alyce M. Lewis
DOBLER FAMILY
Fr62
Our great grandfather, Christof Adam
in Remstal, near
1797, and made his
way to Cherwinka, Botchka Yugoslavia (pres-
ence.
Dobler, left Beutelsbach
A.J. was slow to make any changes in the
appearance or the operation of the business
and it was only in 1945 when Leonard and
Arthur calne home from the service that the
first modernization was accomplished. In
later years I asked my brothers what had
happened to all the old high-topped ladies
shoes, overshoes, clothing, yard goods and
sewing notions that had been the standard
Stuttgart Germany,
available products. They claimed that
a
buyer from Denver cnme out and was eager
to make a complete purchase. Today those
antiques would be valuable. In cleaning up
they burned bunches of old charge tickets
that were old and never paid.
In the nineteen thirties the dust storms
were go bad that we could be outdoors and see
the huge brown dust clouds rolling toward the
town. Businees was bad because the farmers
were having
a difficult time due to
the
drought and the economy was still reeling
from the 1929 etock market crash.
Mr. Roy Herberger, published the Strotton Press, and A.J. sat on the street curb one
A.J. and Clara Dischner
later Tony started a wholesale business and
sold to other grocers up and down Highway
24. .He worked his way back and managed to
stay in the same location for 43 years. The
W.P.A. worked on various projects in town
during the Roosevelt administration and the
grade school on Main Street in Stratton was
one school they built, in which I taught school
day in the thirties and tried to figure out what
could be done to stay in business because all
Tony's credit with the mercantile warehouses
had been cut off. Ray Calvery was the banker
at the time and his bank was two doors south.
The business men worked out something and
in
ently known as Austria). In 1803 a son, Peter
Michael, was born to them. Michael, as Dad
referred to him, was among the immigrants
who came down the Danube Valley to the
Black Sea in 1817. The trip was made during
the winter and many of those who began the
journey were unable to survive the conditions. Michael was one of the founders of the
village of Teplitz in the province of Bessarabia, Russia. He was the second generation of
the immigrant band and was the grandfather
to our father, John Dobler. Michael manied
a girl by the name of Heu, and a son called
Leopold was born to them. After the death
of Heu, Michael married an 18 year old
orphan girl, Wilhelmina Christena Wirth.
She had been born in Germany and had
migrated with 2 sisters and 1 brother, along
with their guardian, Gottlieb Mader, to
Teplitz. To Michael and Wilhelmina were
born 3 sons, Christian, Jacob and Joseph.
Michael died in 1842 and Wilhelmina
married twice more. The second husband's
name was Kurz and the third was Joseph
Haubach, a widower. No children were born
to either of these unions. Mr. Haubach had
a son from a previous marriage, Jacob F,
Haubach. who was born Oct. 11. 1812 and
�There is somewhat of a discrepancy in the
it took to cross the
or 18 days, but this was
records as to the time
ocean, 12 days
explained by the differences in the calendars.
We do know they landed in New York during
the first part of February, travelling on to
Scotland, Dakota Territory, by train with a
l-day stopover in Chicago.
Upon arrival in Scotland, they rented a
farm near the town during 1885-86. Grandfather then took employment at "The Farmers Elevator" in Scotland, working up to
the position of businese manager, from 1887
to 1889. Following the death of his wife,
Dorothea in 1889, he movedhis familytoward
Colorado. They arrived in St. Francis, Kansas
on March 2. 1890 and then moved on to the
German Settlement located north of Bethune, where theyhomesteaded on Section 37-45 West, which to this present day remains
in the Dobler family.
Our dad, John,lived on the homestead with
Grandpa Christian from 1890 until 1892.
During 1893 and 1894 he was employed at
London Dairy in Denver, Colorado. In 1895
he returned to the homestead until the crops
were hailed out. Then he and Peter Knodel
went back to Denver and following a series
of odd jobs, they both found employment at
the smelters.
Great grandfather Dobler and Walter Dobler in
t922.
died in August of 1900.
Leopold Dobler, the oldest son of Michael,
was the direct ancestor of the South Dakota
Doblers, and also of Dr. Leopold Dobler of
Teplitz, and later on of Germany. He was the
father of 2 known sons. Jacob, the eldest,
came to America earlier and was influential
in bringing his uncle, our grandfather Christian, to America. Another of Leopold's sons,
Andreas, remained in Teplitz. His son,
Leopold, born in 1888, became the doctor
who was widely known in the region and was
forced to join the refugees and finally made
their way back to Beutelsbach where Dr.
Dad's brother Chris married Sophia
Grosshans. Lee (Leopold) returned to the
Dakotas, later making his home in Idaho. The
Dobler daughters entered in the following
mariages: Dorothea to Chris Strobel; Katherine to Chris' brother Jacob Strobel in a
double wedding with her sister Christina,
who married Peter Knodel: Maria to John
Stahlecker. This will help to explain some of
the family trees throughout the Settlement.
John, our Dad, was united in marriage to
Magdalena Stutz on Easter Sunday, April 2,
1899, and took over the farming of the family
homestead after having farmed with his
brothers for a short period of time. Grandpa
Christian remained on the homestead along
with the newlyweds.
by Art Dobler
Dobler had visited the Dobler families in the
early 1920's.
Our grandfather, Christian Dobler, was
born Nov. 11, 1938, at Teplitz, Bessarabia
Russia, the eldest son of Michael and Wilhelmina Dobler. He learned the trade of wagon
building, and later became the builder of the
Teplitzer Wagons, the Cadillac of wagons in
the country during this period of time. On
October 8, 1859, he married Dorothea Handel
(born Aug. 30, 1842). To this union 16
8 of whom died in
children were born,
infancy. The 8 surviving were our dad, John,
born Nov. 6, 1875, and Dorothea, Christina,
Katherine, Chris, Theresa, Maria, and Leo-
pold all born in Teplilz.
In 1863 the family moved to New Teplitz
where grandfather was mayor for a period of
time. After a 10 year stay, the family moved
on the village of Nesselrode, Birsula in the
province of Chereson. They remained here
until 1884. After a summer in Alexandrinka,
which was near Bergdorf, they decided to
come to America. The day before Christmas
of 1884, they began by rail through Austria
and Germany. They sailed from Bremen,
Germany on board the freighter,
"Hopsburg", with a one-day stopover in
Liverpool, England, to unload dried hides.
DOBLER, ART AND
EMMA ZIEGLER
Fr63
I was born Aug. 31, 1910, at the family
home located 12 mi. north and 1 east of
Bethune, the fourth son of John and Magdalena Stutz Dobler. In 1916 I started school
in the
1
room Prairie View School, District22,
that my Grandfather Dobler and others built
in about 1907. It was only a scant half mile
from home, but was moved 1% miles west in
1919. I graduated from the eighth grade in
L924.
Emma Elma Ziegler, was the older of twin
daughters born to John and Christina Ziegler
at the family home 6 miles north and 2Vz west
of Bethune on March 4.19L7. Emma attended Union School, which was located 2 miles
north and Tz west of their home. She
graduated in 1931.
We were married on April 11, 1937, on a
Sunday afternoon, and left that same day for
Proctor, Colorado, which is about 20 miles
northeast of Sterling. We had rented a 160
acre irrigated farm. We drove a 1926 Dodge
Art and Emma Dobler.
4 door sedan that was not being used by my
parents an5rmore. This farm joined the one
that my brother, Ted, had leased and was
farming.
We moved some machinerv and a few milch
cows, also a General Purpose Tractorllfrii
both of us could use. To me irrigating was all
new, but Ted had been there a couple ofyears
so he knew how to go about it. We raised corn
and barley, oats, and some wheat, as well as
feed crops for the livestock. That fall we
moved a Corn Sheller from home.
The 1938 barley planting was interrupted
when I had to take Emma to the hospital in
Sterling. Kenneth Lee was born that evening
on March 29. 1938.
Every year we shelled our corn crop with
the sheller. We tried to raise a few acres of
sugar beets the second year we farmed there,
but the grasshoppers ate most of them. We
worked up most of the ground and planted
a feed crop into it. We raised a nice Coes crop,
well seeded, that we cut with the grain binder
and shocked it. We did not have it hauled in
or in a stack yet when the first snow fell, and
flocks of wild ducks from along the Platte
River discovered this nice field of shocked
Coes with well seeded heads. After a few
nights most of the seed was eaten by them,
so that taught us a lesson - to get it hauled
in and stacked up other years, before the
ducks got it. We raised pretty good crops,
mostly corn, barley and oats. The barley and
oats were cut with the grain binder and we
always had a big straw pile in the yard for the
cows and the 4 head of horses we had.
We lived next to a pasture a rancher owned
and used to run cattle in. I asked him if we
could pick cow chips for winter fuel, and he
thought I was joking, but I told him it was for
real and he said "go ahead and pick all you
need", so Emma and I got the teem and
wagon and 2 tubs, and it didn't take us very
long and we had a big load of chips picked,
so with corn cobs and chips, we made it
through the winter. We had purchased a new
3 burner Kerosene Stove for cooking and
baking, so we had to use an old heater to keep
warm.
After 3 years in Proctor, in the spring of
1940 we moved back onto the home place,
Section 3-7-45, north of Bethune, and took
�over the farming operation. We put rubber
tires on the old steel wheel John Deere that
spring and it surely made a difference.
In the early 40's we remodeled the old
home, putting in new built in cupboards, new
propane range, remodeled a large front room
into 2 bedrooms and a bathroom with hot and
cold running water. In later years we added
a propane floor furnace.
An older 2 row lister was replaced with a
new one, as most of our farming was row crop,
electric unloader and mounted a feedbox on
an old truck. Since then the feeding has been
much less of a chore, and how the cattle still
love ensilage.
All of our farming was done on dryland
ground. We never had the urge to put down
a well. We hope we are leaving our ground in
as good or better condition than when we
started way back in 1940. Our son, Kenneth's
farm adjoins ours. Our other son, Charles,
died in a car-truck accident on June 23. 1963.
including feed crops for the now expanding
cow herd. We bought 5 head of registered
by Art Dobler
Hereford cattle
at the "Howard Hunt"
Hereford Dispersion Sale. In the late forties
we had the reserve shampion bull at the Kit
Carson County Hereford Breeders Sale one
year.
On Dec. L, L942, Charles Leslie was born.
in Lg44 at Prairie
View School, now at a different location than
when I attended and graduated from there.
He had to go only a mile. In the late forties
there were not enough pupils in the district
to receive state aid for both schools, so the
district bussed the children to one school I
year and the other school the next year. We
had 2 schoolhouses in the district. Kenneth
graduated from the eighth grade at Prairie
Kenneth started school
DOBLER, JOHN AND
MAGDELENA STUTZ
Fr64
View in 1951.
During the summer of 1951 we bought the
"Adkinson Farm", located 3 mil. west and 1
north of Burlington, to be in a district where
the boys could take part in FFA. In August
we moved onto the newly purchased farm.
began building a new house along with
Grandpa Christian, which took the better
part of 2 years to build. They also did the
farming on the acreage.
On Jan. 20, 1900, their first son, William
was born.
On Sunday, Jan. 27, 1901, a little girl,
Magdelena Dorothea, was born, She died of
scarlet fever on Sunday, July 5, 1903. In
Mother's Bible she made the notation, "She
was born on Sunday and died on Sunday."
Dad and Grandpa Christian planted many
trees on the homestead during these years,
both fruit trees and several
evergreens.
Mother always had a Iarge garden as well as
many lovely flower beds. As the farnily grew
so did Mother's garden.
John Jr. was born September 10, 1904.
Son no. 3 was born July 17, 1907, being
named Theodore, better known as Ted. This
same year the well at the top of the hill west
of the house was drilled. A concrete reservoir
was built so that Mother could irrigate thd
garden, flowers and trees around the house.
Water was piped from the reservoir to an
open top 6 ft. steel tank south of the house.
This was the second well on the place, the
first one being drilled shortly after 1890. The
first well had an "O.K." brand wildmill on it.
I faintly remember the huge liooden slot
wheel with a large and small tail; the small
one being used to slow the speed of the wheel
in a strong wind. Every revolution of the
wheel completed a stroke of the pump rod,
quite different from the windmills of today.
It was replaced in about 1917 with a new
"Samson" all steel windmill with special oil
reservoirs on the bearings.
This same year, 1907, Grandpa Christian,
along with others, built a one-room school
house about % mile from our homestead. The
We kept the homestead, Section 3-7-45, and
farmed both places until 1975.
In the mid 40's we bought our first new
tractor, an International Farmall H, Electric
start. Ken enjoyed working with a tractor he
could start. Not so with the old one. As time
went on we accumulated more new equipment and in 1949 we traded the H tractor in
on a new Farmall M. We added a used
International threshing machine, and later a
new drill and manure spreader. A used selfpropelled combine was quite an improvement over the Case pulltype we had been
school district was formed and the 1908
census listed 24 females and 34 males.
using.
The old "Adkinson" two story house was
Following their marriage on April 2, 1899,
which was Easter Sunday, Mother and Dad
began their life on the homestead. They
John and Magdelena Stutz Dobler.
Sherman K. Yale was the secretary of District
22.
On August 31, 1910, another son, Arthur,
better known as Art, was born.
getting quite feeble, so we tore it down during
the summer of 1959, and used the salvageable
lumber to put up a new house with full
basement in the fall and early winter of 1960.
In
1963 we added a st€el round topped
building,40x75, and in later years 2 steel bins.
When we moved to this place, in the spring
of 1952, we planted quite a number of Pine
and Cedar seedling trees, and now the
;
buildings are protected on three sides by
evergreens and bushes. It does make a
difference on
a
windy day when you get in the
protection of these trees. They are a lot of
work, but are worth it as much the wind blows
in Eastern Colorado.
We have a rough 160 acres that we have put
terraces on, and saved the soil from washing
have reseeded some to grass, and will
away
- as time goes on.
do more
Several years ago we had to have a new well
drilled because of the lowering water table,
and installed a submersible pump. We took
down the windmill and put it into use on a
well in the pasture.
REA was on the farm when we purchased
it, as well as a Kohler 1500 watt light plant
to be used for standby power and light.
In the mid fifties we put up a cement stave
silo. After a year or so, we installed our
The six sons and their wives of John and Magdelena Dobler. L. to R.; William and Ann; John and Edna;
Elmer and Delores; Ted and Lydia; Art and Emma; Walter and Pauline.
�In 1910 or 1911 Dad donated 5 acres of
ground in the southeast corner of our section
for the building ofa new church, known as the
Hope Congregational Church. The small
white frame building served the needs of the
congregation for several years. The dedication was held Feb. 18, 1912, with a double
male quartet furnishing the music. In 1928 it
was replaced with a stately red brick building
dedicated Sept. 2, 1928, along with a frame
parsonage.
In 1913 quite a building project took place
on the homestead, a 30 x 60 ft. cement barn
with all the sand used being hauled out ofthe
creek that runs through the entire section.
The cement came in returnable cloth bags.
The barn was designed with a hip roof and
a hayloft with a track and unloading fork for
hay. In later years I remember leading the
horses back and forth to pull the hay up into
the loft. In the construction of the barn. the
forms were set up to pour a depth of about
3 ft. of cement at a time, then the forms were
raised and another 3 ft. were poured until the
job was finished. It was a long tedious process,
but a very sturdy barn was the end result.
This same year Dad bought our first Model
T Touring car, the first one in the Settlement.
What a treat it was to ride in a car instead
of a buggy!
About 1915, a community telephone company was organized. It was quite a simple
installation, with a single wire line having
about 4 circuits, with the switchboard being
at Aunt Christina Knodel's home. Our ring
was 2 long rings. Emergencies brought one
long ring to alert all of the neighbors.
1916 brought about more building and
improvements on the homestead. A combination granary and corn crib under a roof was
built. Dad also purchased 320 acres of land
8 miles northwest of Burlington.
Walter was born January 8, 1918, boy no.
5. A new Deering Header was also purchased
about this time and water was piped into the
house. From now on, no more trips to the milk
house to fill the water bucket.
In 1919, Bill, the oldest, graduated from
Burlington High School. He had rented a
room and batched in Burlington during the
week coming home on weekends, in order to
further his education. The following fall he
taught at the "Blue View School" which was
District 24. In 1920 he enrolled at Colorado
A & M College in Fort Collins, now known as
Colorado State University, where he later
received his degree in Vocational Agriculture.
In 1919, the west schoolhouse of District 22
was moved 1 miles west of where it was built.
Harry Degering moved it with his "Rumley
Oil Pull Tractor." About this same time. a
new Dodge touring car was purchased by Dad
to relieve the Model T. He also added a used
Hart-Parr tractor to the machinery line along
with a 10 ft. tandem disc. This helped to
relieve the horses of some of the hard work.
An incident I will never forget, was the time
Dad was raking and a thundentorm came up.
Dad unhitched the team, piled some hay on
top of the rake teeth and sat under the
makeshift shelter holding the horses still by
the reins. Lightning struck, killing both
horses, but left Dad untouched. Another time
we lost a team of horses by lightning as they
grazed in the pasture.
1923 brought about several changes at our
house. Dad bought a used Chewolet truck,
which enabled us to haul about 60 bushels of
grain at a time, and traded the Dodge touring
car in on a 4-door Dodge sedan. Things were
becoming quite modern for a farming opera-
tion.
In
October of that same year, Grandpa
Christian was taken from us. One of the many
chores he always took care of around the
place, was gathering eggs from both chicken
houses. As was his habit, he threw his jacket
around his shoulders as he went across the
corral. The wind was blowing and the jacket
was moving about, which caught the attention of the bull who had come in along with
several ofthe cows for water. Grandpa did not
the bull attack from the rear. Mother
called John Knodels for help when she saw
what was happening, and then went to try to
see
rescue Grandpa, but the bull kept a very close
observation and was not about to give up his
prey. By the time help came, Grandpa was
dead. I remember Penny Mortuary coming
out from Burlington in the little gray hearse,
and then they brought Grandpa back to the
homestead where they placed the casket in
his little house until the funeral. Another sad
time for our family, as he had shared lots of
time and stories with us boys.
Boy no.6, Elmer, was born September 13,
L924,
to complete the family.
That same year Dad bought a used cement
block machine. We tamped the blocks ourselves, getting about 12 or 13 blocks from 1
sack of cement. We had about 90 plates so
were able to make about 90 blocks per day.
The next morning the blocks were tipped off
the plates and you could resume tamping
more blocks. We built a 2-car garage, a
workshop, and a new henhouse, as well as a
new house and barn for John, all with
homemade blocks.
1924 brought the
first light plant, a Kohler
110 volt DC 1500 watt, and we put it in the
basement of the 2-car garage. Along with this
csme the lights, Mother's new electric wash-
ing machine and an electric iron.
On June 9. Bill married Ann Nelson. Dad
also traded the Dodge disc wheel sedan in on
a new Dodge 4-door sedan with natural
wooden wheels. In 1928, Dad really splurged,
trading the old Hart-Pan tractor for a new
18-36 Hart-Parr. That same fall he also
traded the old Chevrolet truck for a new one
having 30 x 5 rubber tires on all 4 wheels. We
bought the chassis and the cab and built the
box ourselves. Now we could haul 65 bushels
of grain.
The early 1930's saw many families leaving
the country, trying to find better conditions
than the dust storm plagued plains of
Colorado. The drouth caused many hardships, including dispersion sales, which had
to be postponed because of more dust storms.
The community experienced the closing of
the Stock Growers State Bank as well as the
Bethune State Bank. Only meager amounts
were paid back to the depositors after the
final settlements were made.
On May 3, 1931, John married Edna
Conrad, a native of North Dakota. Again,
Dad purchased a used 1931 Chewolet 4-door
sedan at a Sheriffs Sale, so now we were
riding with 6 cylinders. In 1943 John and
Edna moved to their new farm northwest of
Burlington, so we farmed his ground northeast of the homeplace until he sold it.
As the rains came and things once again
began to return to normal, the grass grew
back. The first grass was mostly "pepper
grass", which made the milk and cream taste
bad, but as the Buffalo grass and the Blue
Grama returned, things improved consider-
ably. Many of the families who had left.
returned to the Settlement once again.
On February 22, 1934, Ted married Lydia
Lebsack in Sterling, Colorado, and they
moved to Ted's batching quarters on the farm
northwest of Burlington. This same year,
Walter started high school in Burlington.
April 11, 1937, Art married Emma Ziegler.
Having rented a partially inigated farm near
Proctor, Colorado, they moved their few
belongings there and started out on their
own. Dad and Elmer continued farming part
of the ground on the homeplace until the
spring of 1940 when Art and Emma returned
and took over the farming of the homestead,
Section 3-7-45.
Walter graduated from Burlington High
School in 1937 and enrolled at Yankton
College in Yankton, South Dakota, the
following fall and graduating in 1942. On
June 12 of the sqme year he was married to
Pauline Schillereff of Fort Morgan. After
several years in the ministry he did graduate
work at Andover Newton Theological School
and Harvard Divinity School. In 1967 he
received his Doctor of Divinity Degree.
Pauline passed away in November of 1980
and Walter in July of 1982. Their union was
blessed with 3 children, David, Margaret, and
Robert.
After John and Edna built their new home
on their farm in about 1947, Dad and Mother
left the little house on the homestead and
moved into John and Edna's first home. This
was a modern home and was located closer to
Burlington.
In 1948 Dad had surgery in Goodland,
Kansas at Boothroy Memorial Hospital, and
died several days later on July 21, 1948.
Mother remained here a few years, and later
on moved to a little house in Burlington.
On March 9, 1952, Elmer was married to
Dolores Schaal.
Mother passed away November 18, 1954.
Both our parents passed away at 72 years of
age. They are buried at the Hope Church
Cemetery north of Bethune, Colorado, back
on the same homestead where their life
together began.
12 grandchildren, 25 great grandchildren,
and 2 great great grandchildren, will remain
ever grateful for the courage and the desire
to search for something better for this family
in a land of freedom. for their descendants.
We thank God and our parents for the
privileges we have enjoyed because of their
decision to come to the United States. May
we always honor these privileges.
by Art Dobler
DOBLER, TED AND
LYDIA LEBSACK
F166
In the fall of 1931 the folks, the Jacob
Lebsacks of Proctor, Colorado, needed another beet hauler. Ted Dobler. the third son
of John and Magdalena Dobler of Bethune
was in need of a job and this seemed to fill
the bill. After he had been there two weeks.
we began picking up the mail at Proctor, and
this was the beginning of a 3 year courtship.
On February 22, L934, we were married at the
family home at Proctor, and moved into our
�the farm. We built a new home in town in the
Permer addition to Burlington. Ted drove to
the farm to help as much as he could as long
as he was able.
On July 30, 1981 Ted passed away following a lengthy illness. During our life together
we were able to travel to many different parts
of the country. We visited our children and
grandchildren, and sometimes just went for
the pure enjoyment of it. From Canada to
California, to the Mardi Gras in Louisiana or
the Bahamas, home was always a welcome
place to come back to.
I worked at many different vocations
during our lifetime and each job was rewatding in its own way. I worked in the office of
Burlington Livestock Sales for 21 years, at
the Burlington Rest Home during the dry
fifties, and since Ted's illness began, I have
babysat with many children, most of them
newborns, of working mothers, and have
loved each and every one of them. These little
ones, my family, and my friends are a very
valuable part of our community, of which I
am proud to be a part of.
:
Hopefully, our heritage will be passed
down through my 10 grandchildren and 2
:'
great grandchildren.
Lydia and Ted Dobler
by Lydia Dobler
adobe "Honeymoon Cottage" on Ted's farm
living in the little 2-room
9 miles northwest of Burlington.
Times were hard and after planting anoth-
The family kept busy year around with the
livestock, but especially so in the summer
time. We always raised chickens and sold
friers to many of the people in Burlington, as
er corn and feed crop that dried up (no
irrigation in those days) we locked up our
little house and moved back to Proctor and
Ted again went to work for the folks. These
were the Dust Bowl days. It was so hard for
us to leave Ted's family, his folks and 5
brothers. The following year we rented a farm
and raised sugar beets and alfalfa on our own.
In March of 1937 our first child, Carol Jean,
was born and lived only a very short time.
This was a very trying time, but then in
November of 1938, Bonnie Joy was born, and
she was a "Joy". We still had our farm at
Burlington, but it was still dry and dusty
there so we stayed on the farm at Proctor for
a few more years.
In 1941 Stanley Edwin was born, a big
happy baby. Also, by then it had rained back
in Burlington, and the wheatfields and
pastures were greening up once again. We
moved our little family back to our adobe 2room house. Now dreams of a larger more
modern home began, but a severe hail storm
right before harvest time soon took care of
that idea.
We kept busy raising wheat, corn and feed
for the cattle and horses. There were always
cows to milk, with cream to sell, and chickens
which also gave us eggs to sell. This was the
chief source of grocery money for the family.
In 1944, my sister, Leona's, husband
passed away and she and her two little boys
carne to stay with us for a month. We had
just
completed the construction of a large adobe
barn with a big hayloft, so some of us slept
there. A definite feeling of "closeness" prevailed, with 3 adults and 4 children in a 2room house.
In 1944 we started on our new house, doing
most of the work ourselves, with the help of
Grandpa and Grandma Dobler. In 1946 we
moved into the basement of the big house.
Thomas Earl was born in September of
that year. Our new home with electric lights
and running water, and even an indoor
bathroom was quite an improvement after
house.
everyone liked farm fresh produce.
A
DOUGHTY FAMILY
Fl66
big
garden also furnished food for the family
through the winter.
In the fifties another drouth hit the area,
and some of the men went away to work, this
time with the women and the
families
remaining here to keep the children in school.
This meant selling the cattle, as there was no
feed in the area for them.
In 1961, we put down an irrigation well and
were once again able to bring the dry land
back to life. We raised sugar beets, corn and
alfalfa.
By this time Bonnie had graduated from
Burlington High School and had gone to work
as a secretary at the Kit Carson County
Courthouse. In 1957 she had married Dean
Witzel. Stanley had also graduated from
BHS and was now a student at Colorado
School of Mines in Golden. Tom farmed with
his father until he joined the Marine Corps
shortly after his graduation from BHS.
Music was a real enjoyment to this family,
especially to Ted. As a young man he had
played the trumpet for a community band,
and later he sang tenor for the Harmonaires
quartet for more than 20 years. He also sang
with the Christian Business Men's Chorus.
that met regularly each Thursday night at
Hendricks Mortuary for practice.
In 1966 Ted became seriously ill and Tom
returned to take over the farm.
Stanley married Joanne Orehek from
Minnesota, who was a student at Loretta
Heights College in Denver. He graduated
from Mines in 1964 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering. Their first job was in
Bakersfield, California, where their 2 sons,
Brent and Brian were born.
By now Dean and Bonnie were on a farm
and ranch south of Burlington and had 3
children, Douglas, Dena and Donn.
In 1968 Tom was married to Rose Bartlett
from Champaign, Illinois, and they took over
Lester Doughty and Ethel Frasier Doughty, 1936.
Lester Loran Doughty was born in Casey,
1879 to John and Mary
Doughty. Lester never knew his father as he
died before Lester was born. His grandmoth-
Illinois, February 6,
er, Catherine Bartlett Moore, taught him
many of her Indian customs.
Lester and Nora Dell Huey were united in
marriage January 1, 1901, in Terra Haute,
Indiana. They made their home near Casey,
Illinois where daughters Sylvia and Helen
�were born. They lived there until the winter
of 1907 and '08 when they left by train for San
Antonio, Texas. This trip was made because
Nora was suffering from congumption and
needed a better climate.
In San Antonio the farnily lived in a tent;
it was really two in one. One was the front
room; the other was the kitchen where the
cooking was done on a wood-burning stove.
The floors were made of wood and it was built
up to where the canvas connected. Two boys,
Benjaman and Joseph, joined the family
there. The last part of October, 1911, the
family left for Berlin, Oklahoma. They
traveled in a covered wagon pulled by one
team ofhorses. This trip took them six weeks.
They camped beside the road at night. They
moved to a farm near Berlin and lived there
about four years. Laura and Huey were born
here. Laura died April 1, 1913, at about one
year old.
In 1917 Lester bought a farm near Grimes,
Oklahoma. Besides raising crops of wheat
and corn, they had a mill for grinding the
grain and also made their own sorghum. They
raised broom corn which was sold to be made
into brooms. Catherine and William and
Vivian were born on this farm.
The farnily sold the farm in 1922 and
built
here by Lester, and a son, Luther was born
here. In 1925 Nora's health was not so good
moved to Sayer, Oklahoma. A house was
and she was homesick for Arkansas, so they
traded the house for a farm near Rogers,
Arkansas and moved there. Wanda and
George were born here. George was only six
months old when Nora died August 29,L928.
He was adopted by a family named Ingersoll.
In 1931 Lester moved his family to a farm
north of Vona, Colorado. The older children
got married or went into the service. Lester
met Ethel Fraiser Carpenter, and they were
in marriage May 20, 1936, in the
Methodist Church in Burlington, Colorado.
Lester, Wanda, and Luther moved to Ethel's
united
farm that she had received at the death of Mr.
Carpenter. He had homesteaded this land
and built a sod house on it. This house still
stands in 1987. Glovine was born here.
In
March
of
1940
this marriage
was
dissolved in divorce. Contact with Lester was
lost for several years; then in 1950 he came
to see Glovine in Burlington. Lester died July
19, 1952 while visiting son Benjaman in
Houston, Texas.
There are four children surviving. They are
William of California, Vivian of Oklahoma,
Wanda and Glovine of Kansas, and many
grandchildren and many, many great-grandchildren. The family of son Joseph still lives
in and around Kit Carson County. Joseph
(Joe) was 19 when the farnily moved to Vona,
Colorado.
On April 6, 1931, Joe was united in
maniage to Edna Monroe. To this union was
born Nora Mae, Roy Bradford and Shirley
Lee. Joe worked as a service station attendant
until he entered the Navy Seabees in October, 1943. He served until Novemb et 21, 1945
when he was discharged. They lived at
Stafford, Kansas until they moved back to
Vona in 1947. Joe was Undersheriff from
April, 1961toJanuary,1963 with Sheriff Hap
Ormsbee for Kit Carson County. He also
worked for Kit Carson County road and
bridge crew in Stratton from 1970 until 1978
when he retired. He continued to mow weeds
for the county until his death in a car wreck
September 10, 1979.
His wife Edna and son, Roy, still live in
Vona. Daughter Shirley Jackson and family
live in Joes, Colorado. Several of his grand-
children live
in and
around
Kit
Carson
County. Nora May Mullen and family live in
Arkansas. I, Glovine Doughty Golemboski,
lived in Kit Carson County for many years,
but will tell my life story with my mother,
Ethel Fraiser.
b;y Glovine Golemboski
DOUGHTY FAMILY
Fr67
of Kit Carson County. He and Edna moved
to Burlington to be close to the job.
In 1963, they moved to Boulder, Colorado,
where Joe worked as maintenance engineer
for the post office. They moved back to Vona
in 1968. Joe went to work for the Kit Carson
County Road and Bridge crew, in Stratton,
in the spring of 1970. He continued to work
there until he retired in March of 1978. He
continued to mow for the county each fall and
was doing so at the time of his death
September 10, 1979. He was killed in a vehicle
accident on Highway 24. At the time of his
death, Joe had 15 grandchildren and 8 greatgrandchildren.
Joe was buried at the Vona Cemetery with
military
Joseph Roy Doughty was born September
14, 1910, to Nora Dell and Lester Loran
Doughty, in San Antonio, Texas. He was born
in a tent. The sides were built up about three
feet and the canvas was attached to this; the
floor in the tent was made of wood. He was
the fourth child in the family.
During the last part of October 1911, Joe
and his family left San Antonio in a covered
wagon. They arrived in Berlin, Oklahoma
shortly before Christmas. Joe's father rented
a farm close to Berlin. The family lived there
for about four years. Then his father bought
a farm located near Grimes, Oklahoma, in
1917. They lived there until 1922, when he
sold the farm and moved the family to Sayre,
Oklahoma. Joe's father built a house there
and they stayed until 1925, when he traded
it for a farm near Rogers, Arkansas. They
moved to Arkansas, where in 1928, Joe's
Nora Mae and her husband, Willard
Mullen live on a ranch near Gravette, Arkansas. Their four children all live in the area.
Shirley and her husband, Paul Jackson live
on a farm north of Joes, Colorado, with their
two younger children. Their three older
children live in Colorado.
by Nora Mae Mullen
DOUGTITY, ETHEL
FRASIER AND
GLOVINE
Fr68
mother died. The family lived here until
1929, when his father moved the family to
eastern Colorado.
In Colorado, Joe met Edna Alice Monroe.
The two were joined in marriage on April 6,
1931. They lived in a sod house, north of
Vona, Colorado. There, their first child, a
daughter, was born, June 18, 1932. They
named her Nora Mae. On October 17, 1933,
a son, Roy Bradford was born.
In December 1933, Joe moved his family to
Stafford, Kansas. He worked at various jobs
and the family lived briefly in Hudson,
Kansas and Pratt, Kansas. Then he went to
work for Edsel's Service Station in Stafford.
While living in Stafford, Joe and Edna's
second daughter was born on July 4, 1935.
They named her Shirley Lee.
Joe worked for Edsel's Service Station
services.
Edna still lives in their home in Vona. Roy
lives with her and helps to care for her. Roy's
children all live in the state of Florida.
Sod house south
Glovine was born.
of Bethune, Colorado, where
until October 1943. At this time, Joe joined
the navy, in the Seebees branch. This was
during the time of World War II. He served
in the South Pacific. Joe returned from the
war in November 1945, and returned to work
at Edsel's Service. Shortly thereafter, Joe
purchased the station.
Joe was baptized, in the spring of 1946, in
the First Baptist Church of Stafford. He was
very active in the local church activities. He
had a deep respect for our Creator and a very
strong sense of moral responsibilities.
Due to the ill health of his wife, Edna, Joe
sold his business and their home and moved
to Wichita, Kansas in the spring of 1947. The
family remained there for a year, after which
they moved back to Colorado. Joe worked on
a ranch south of Seibert for a year, then they
moved to Vona, Colorado. In 1951, Joe went
to work for the Snell Grain Company, as
manager of the elevator in Vona. Edna also
worked there as a bookkeeper. In 1971, he left
the elevator to accept the job as undersheriff
Ethel and Lester Doughty with Glovine about 6
months old. Taken at the farm south of Bethune
in
1937.
Ethel May Frasier was born May 30, 1898
at Burlington Junction, Missouri to Franklin
K. Frasier and Myrtle May Gray. As a child
Ethel had red measles which left her partly
deaf. Myrtle was crippled with arthritis so
when Everett was born, although Ethel was
�only nine, she had to take care of him.
March, 1910, the Frasier family moved
from northern Missouri to La Junta, Colorado. Franklin's health was bad and they
hoped the change in climate would help him.
He died January, 1911, and is buried at La
Junta. Shortly, Myrtle and children moved
back to Missouri to live with her father, John
Gray. He died in April of 1913. Myrtle then
moved her family back to La Junta, CO. A
sister, Ether, died in March of 1914; that left
Ethel, Edward and Everett. Ethel often told
of the horse and buggy days and how scared
she was when a horse ran away with her at
the reins.
Ethel May and Charles Goforth were
united in marriage April 11, 1915, at La
Junta. Charles worked in the oil fields and
traveled around the area a lot. Helen Lucille
was born March 6. 1917. Charles Goforth died
of double pneumonia November 15,
Albert Frasier was born February 18,
1918.
1919.
Ethel worked for eleven years caring for her
two children.
In
1930 she met Oke Carpenter; they were
united in marriage September 4, 1930 in La
Junta. After the wedding they left for the
farm south of Bethune, Colorado. Oke had
homesteaded this land and built a sod house.
Times were hard. There were many trials and
hardships. Oke became ill with dropsey and
died Decembet 27, 1935. Helen married
Lloyd Kirk August 5, 1935 and moved to
Nebraska.
Ethel and Albert stayed on the farm. Ethel
and Lester Doughty were united in marriage
May 20, 1936 in the Methodist Church in
Burlington. Ethel became a stepmother to
Wanda and Luther, treating them like they
were her own. Glovine Alice was born Februaty 24,1937 in the sod house with the help
of Lest€r. They made a living by
raising
turkeys and sheep; they also raised a big
garden. Things went from bad to worse and
Lester and Ethel were divorced in March of
1940. Ethel lost the farm to taxes, so she and
Glovine moved into Burlington.
In February of L942 Ethel married Art
Pinckard and moved to a farm 18 miles south
of Seibert, Colorado. I attended Rock Cliff,
a country school, for four years. We raised
cattle, sheep and horses. Art traveled all over
the country, leaving Ethel to take care of the
farm. She chopped wood for the heating stove
and cook stove. We only went to town once
a month, sometimes it would be three
months. Ethel's health got bad, so we moved
to Burlington in 1948. In June, 1950, Art
Pinckard was killed in a car wreck.
In June, 1950, Ethel and Clifford Lynn
were united in marriage. Ethel and Clifford
moved to Willow Springs, Missouri in 1954.
They lived on a farm there for several years.
In 1956 Ethel moved to Maryville, Missouri
and lived alone there until she moved back
to Burlington in 1963 to live with Glovine and
family. Ethel then was very crippled with
arthritis. I took care of her until April, 1963
when she went into a nursing home. In May
of 1966 Helen Kirk cnme and took her back
to Missouri to live with her. Ethel died
September 26, 1966, and is buried at Burlington Junction, Missouri. She spent fifty
years of her life in Colorado and thought
Burlington, Colorado was really her home.
June 28, 1953 Glovine and Lewis Kirby
were united in marriage. We moved to a little
white house on Webster Street. In June we
moved to a farm north of Burlington; Lewis
farmed and worked in town as a carpenter.
Alice Marie was born August 31, 1954. Billy
J. was born May 6, 1957. The fifties were very
dry. The wind and dust was so bad you could
only a few feet in front of you. We moved
back to town in May of 1957. Lewis worked
in construction, for farmers and for the city
see
of Burlington. Katherine was born July 15,
1962. In August of 1969 we moved to
Goodland, Kansas. Alice graduated from
Goodland High School in 1973 and entered
the Navy. In 1975 Billy J. joined the Navy.
Katherine returned to Burlington and lived
in the group home and worked in the work
shop and graduated from Burlington High
School, May, 1982.
In October of 1973 our marriage was
dissolved in divorce. October 30, 1974, I
manied Frank Golemboski. Jeanie Glovine
was born January 15, 1976 in Goodland,
Kansas, and Jeanie now lives in Colby,
Kansas. We are active in our church and 4-H
and A.R.C. I still think of Burlington,
Colorado as my home and like to visit there.
by Glovine Golemboski
DOWNEY, RAY
FAMILY
Fr69
Raymond Thomas Downey and Rose Ack-
erman Downey were married February 12,
1945 at Windhorst, Kansas. Ray, the son of
Daniel Bennet Downey and Catherine Elizabeth Biernacki was born May 21, 1920 in
Wichita, Kansas. He was the fourth of ten
children and spent his early childhood on the
family farm. The daughter of Francis (Frank)
Ackerman and Clara Fredelake, Rose was
born on her parents farm near Spearville,
Kansas on September 30, 1920. One of seven
children, Rose went to school at the academy
at Windhorst and later worked in Dodge.
Rose and Ray Downey on
their wedding day, 1945
In the spring of 1947, Rose and Ray
Downey and their young son Ron (born
December 11, 1945 at Dodge City) left
Kansas to begin farming south of Stratton.
Several other young families from the Windhorst and Dodge City area also moved to the
Stratton area in the mid to late forties. so
eastern Colorado felt a little like home in
spite of all of Ray and Rose's immediate
families still being in Kansas.
The early years farming in south central
Kit Carson county were filled with hard work
and few conveniences (electricity wasn't
The Downeys, 1985 Top Row: Jo Downey, Tom May, Kim May, Karen and Gene Kerschner. Middle row:
Amber Downey, Amy Downey, Lisa Kerschner. Bottom row: Bob Downey, Ray Downey, Rose Downey,
Ron Downey. On Laps: Mark Kerschner and Brad Downey
�was born November 16, 1947 in Stratton (the
building at 2lO Kansas Avenue served as a
maternity hospital for the Stratton area until
around 1950). Karen Sue and Kimberly Ann
Downey were born in Burlington on February
23, 1959 and August 29, 1962 respectively.
Ron and Bob attended grade school in Vona
and junior high at St. Charles Academy.
Karen attcnded grade school and junior high
at St. Charles Academy and Kim attended
Kindergarten in Stratton, grades 1-6 in Vona,
and grades 7-8 at Hi-Plains in Seibert. All
four Downey children graduated from high
school in Stratton.
Ron Downey attended Sterling Junior
College and later served with the U.S.Army
in Viet Nnm. After leaving the military, he
returned to farm with his father and continues today as one of the partners in Downey
Farms, Inc.
Bob attended the University of Southern
Colorado and then taught business and
coaches in a small community near Salida. He
and his wife, Jo, returned to Stratton inL972
to join the family farming operation. Their
Bob and Ron Downey, 1950
available to that part of the county until the
early fifties and phone service wasn't a reality
until 1965), but neighbors were plentiful and
entertainment consisted of families getting
together for potlucks, singing and cards at the
old one-room school that was located north
of the house. The old school had not held
classes for years and was moved off around
1952. With it went the piano and a lot of the
socializing, but the memories of the good
times in a less hectic and more relaxed era
still remain.
Living half way between Vona and Strat-
came
six-foot rattler
that had slithered its way into the yard.
Fortunately, the toddler was snatched away
by her older sister just as she was bending
down
to
a
more closely examine the huge
snake, but the incident is
still well remem-
bered by the whole farnily.
Ifgood fortune continues, there will hopefully continue to be Downeys in Kit Carson
County. Though being in agriculture occasionally presents more barriers than oppor-
by Jo Downey
Executive Director
of the East Central
Council of Local Governments.
Shortly before graduation from the University of Northern Colorado, Karen Downey
married UNC graduate student Eugene
Kerschner from Merino, Colorado. They are
parents of two children, Lisa Jeanne (1975)
and Marc Alan (1979). After residing several
years in Gering, Nebraska, they currently live
in Alliance, Nebraska. Karen works in nursing and Gene continues as a Corporate Farm
Manager.
Kim Downey also graduated from UNC
ting and worked in Greeley until her marriage
to Tom May in 1985. Kim and Tom now
reside in Stratton where Tom is engaged in
farming and Kim is employed in the offices
Rose after they came to Colorado. Robert Lee
within seconds ofpicking up
residents bearing the Downey last name. Bob
also still farms and Jo continues to serve as
Highway 24 complicated school choices
the
to the time when Kim was two and
in a small
community where neighbors, friends, family,
school and church are still important is a
most satisfying and rewarding way of life.
with a B.A. degree in Business and Accoun-
as
pected and unwelcome, wildlife still occasionally wander onto the farm; nothing comp€ues
children, Amy, Amber, and Brad (born in
1973, 1976, and 1979 respectively) bring to
eight the number of Kit Carson County
ton and being over ten miles south of
Downey children approached first grade.
Three other children were born to Ray and
of the Stratton Co-op.
In the early sixties, the original farm house
that was the Downeys' first Colorado home
was added on to and was again remodeled in
1982. An elevator system and additional
outbuildings were added over the years so the
1987 farmstead bears little resemblance to
the original farm established in 1947. Trees,
grass and flowers have replaced the open
prairies near the house and though unex-
tunities, farming and living
DRAGER - KLOOZ
FAMILY
F170
Henry Drager, son of William and Sophia
Drager came to Colorado with his parents and
sister, Anna (Langendorfer) in 1924 from
Unadilla, Nebraska. They established their
home in Burlington and proceeded to farm
two sections of land 18 miles south of
Burlington. Henry broke the sod with a
Wallace lug tractor and a teem of horses.
Flora Ellen Klooz, daughter of Fred and
Flora Klooz. moved to a farm 2 miles north
of Burlington form Franam, Nebraska, in
1919 along with her parents, four sisters and
three brothers. She graduated from Burlington High School in 1925 after which she
taught school in a one room country school
north of Bethune.
Downey Farms, 1985
In 1928 Henry and Flora were married and
began their married life on a new farm L8
miles south of Burlington. They lived in the
basement of their new home while the house
was being finished by Henry's father, Bill
Drager, and a nephew from Germany. They
lived on this farm until 1977 when they built
a new home in Burlington, although Henry
continued to farm the land.
Four children were born to Henry and
Flora, Evelyn, June, Kenneth, and Louis.
Evelyn is a teacher in Burlington and married
to Ed Mountain and live two doors down the
street from them. June married Bob Mangus,
youngest son of Ray and Persis Mangus who
lived on a farm south of Peconic, and now
reside in Denver. Kenneth married high
school sweetheart, Doris Chapman, whose
parents, the Dale Chapmans, were former
residents and manager of the Burlington Coop. Russell, Kansas is their home. Louis
graduated from UNC as an engineer and
married Karen Mechnm from Utah. They live
in Littleton. the children all attended Smoky
Hill School which was also the center for
�many community get-to-gethers. Henry was
president of the school board for 9 years. All
four children graduated from Burlington
High School. The children were members of
the Smoky Hill 4-H Club of which Flora was
a leader.
Depression, dust storms, and the tornado
of L944 was significant set backs, but good
times, good neighbors and friends, and
healthy children have outweighed the bad by
far during their 50 years on this farm.
The Dragers have 12 grandchildren and 6
great grandchildren. They celebrated their
Golden Wedding Anniversary in June 1978
at Trinity Lutheran, the family church, with
a multitude of family and friends.
by Flora Klooz Drager
DROSTE, JOE FAMILY
Fr7I
Joe Droste was born in Ford County,
Kansas, May 18, 1909. Agnes H. Fetsch was
born near Munday, Texas, January 27, LgLl.
They were married August 19, 1936, at St.
Mary's Catholic Church,
in
Marienthal,
Kansas.
Joe had been farming with a brother-inlaw, Jacob Bogner for several years in
Wichita County, north of Marienthal, Kansas. Crops were poor due to the dry weather
and dust storms.
Ag'nes' parents, Frank and Mary Fetsch
had moved to Marienthal in 1920 with their
children, Louis, Agnes, Charles, Margaret
and John. One son, Edward was born in
Marienthal. Agnes attended grade school
there and graduated from High School in
Leoti, Kansas. In 1931, she began teaching in
a one room rural school north of Leoti,
Kansas. She also taught in a rural school
south of Marienthal, Kansas, and really
when rural electricity came to the farms.
Things really changed drastically, almost
everyone got water in the house, bathrooms
were built and life changed completely. This
was progress, looking back its hard to believe
how things have changed.
Three more children came to us in Colo-
rado. They all grew up on the farm and
attended St. Charles Parochial School, and
the Stratton Public High School.
Many pets came and went at our farm. The
children loved two little rat terriers given to
them by the Menke family. They called them
Mutt and Jeff.
In the fifties, dry weather came again and
for several years no crops were planted or
harvested. We had a nice herd of cattle and
had to sell them because there was no feed.
When things got better, many farmers decided to put down irrigation well in 1960, and
for several years we planted and raised corn
on the irrigated acres. In 1966, we planted
pinto beans, we had a fair crop, they were only
$6 per cwt.
Joe died in 1966, the result of a farm
accident and our sons Ra5rmond and Frank
too over the farm work. We continued
irrigating and also farming dry land wheat.
Frank left the farm in 1979, when he got
married and Ray continued to farm. In the
80's we have tried sunflowers with some good
results.
The children of Joe and Agnes Droste are,
Rose Marie, born August 2, 1937, in Scott
City, Kans., Raymond J. born March 24,
1939, in Scott City, Kans., Genevieve, born
January 3, L942, in Scott City, Kans., Carol
Ann, born March L4, t945, in Stratton, Co.,
Dorothy Mae, born February 6, 1949, in
Burlington, Co., and Frank Edward, born
October 2L, L952, in Burlington, Co.
Rose Marie went to St. Anthonys Nursing
school in Denver. She graduated as a practi-
cal nurse and worked at St.
Anthonys
enjoyed teaching.
Hospital for about three years. She married
Leon Laird and lived in Burlington, Co. Leon
there for over four years, then we moved to
another farm where we lived for about two
died as a result of a car accident in July, 1965.
Rose then worked at Grace Manor and in a
nursing home in Denver. In 1968, she married
Ernie Stoos and now lives in Oklahoma on
Lake Eufaula where they have a land development business. Rose keeps busy with all
After we were married we moved to a
rented farm north of Marienthal and lived
yerus.
in the fall of
L942 Mt. Henry
Kliesen and a real estate agent from Dodge
City, came to our place and told us about
cheap land in Colorado. They brought us to
Kit Carson County to look at farms which
were for sale. We looked at a lot of them, some
were selling for $5.00 an acre. We didn't buy
anything on our first trip but came back later
and purchased the farm known as the
"Stoffel Place," about five miles northeast of
Stratton. Later we bought some more land.
We moved to Colorado on March 2nd, 1943.
It was a very cold day. The temperature was
well below zero and stayed that way for about
three weeks. On moving day, Joe drove our
truck loaded with household items and his
brother Roman drove the car for me and our
three small children. Joe arrived before we
did and had agood fire goingin an old heating
stove, when we arrived.
There were no conveniences in rural homes
out here at that time, no water, no plumbing
no electricity, everything was done the hard
way. Everybody butchered their own meat
then and cured it or canned it. Later we could
rent a locker in town and store our fresh meat
in it. That seemed to us a great convenience.
What a wonderful day it was for farmers
One day
kinds of crafts and community activities.
Raymond spent three years in the Marines
after he graduated form high school, then he
spent some time working with custom cutters
in harvest and also worked on oil rigs for a
while. Now he lives on the farm with his
at the Post Office in
Stratton and also farms.
Genevieve went to Central Business ColMother. He works
lege in Denver after she graduated from high
school in 1960. She had various office jobs
and married Richard J. Rubio in 1966. They
live in Anchorage, Alaska, and have two sons,
Domon and Chris.
Carol Ann attended the Mercy Hospital
Nursing school after she graduated from high
school in 1964. In 1967 she graduated as a
R.N. She has kept up her nursing. She joined
the Air Force Reserves in 1967, right after she
graduated from nursing school. During her
weeks of active duty she flew to many places.
Japan was one, they would bring back a lot
of boys from Vietnam. She was flight nurse
on those trips. She married Rodney Whitten
inl972. They have four children. Rodney was
also in the Reserves. He is now a captain in
the Reserves and Carol is a Major. They live
in Gretna. Nebraska.
Dorothy Mae went to college in Wichita,
Kansas, for two years then to Greeley, Co. for
two years where she graduated in 1971. She
married Don White and moved to San Jose.
California. She taught in kindergarten there
for six years, then went into real estate in
which she has done very well. She is now
living in Longmont, Co. She is married to
Hayward Monroe and they have two boys.
Frank went to college in LaJunta, Co. for
one year after he graduated from the Stratton
High School, in L972. His main interest was
welding. He married Debbie Pelle Nov. 24,
1979. They had two boys. Debbie died in a
tragic car accident in Nov. 1982, leaving
Frank with two babies. He moved to Boulder.
Co. where he is employed at Micro-Motion.
He is a welder.
Even though they are all scattered now, the
farm is still "home". They all love the land
and the community!
by Agnes H. I)roste
DULMER FAMILY
Ft72
Cornelius and Tresa Dulmer came to
Seibert, Colorado by train. They arrived on
December 9, 1909 on a very cold day, the
temperature being 28 degrees below zero F.
Daughters Emma and May came with them.
The rest of the trip was by buggy and wagon.
This homestead was 14 miles north of Vona,
Colorado. Tresa Nauta Dulmer was born in
1856 and died in 1918. Uf8il his death
Cornelius made his home with his daughters.
Later he moved to California to live and died
in 1928. He was born in 1857.
Their children were: Myron Dulmer, 18821963; Edith Dulmer Brownwood, 1881-19?6;
Anna Dulmer Eyberse 1880-1936; Catherine
Dulmer Vander Ploeg 1882-1951; Florence
Dulmer Seabert, 1884-1964; Emma Dulmer
Klassen, 1892-1986; May Dulmer Klassen
1895-1979; Sadie Dulmer Ault Iller. 1890-?.
by Edith M. Ilugley
�:,
.:
',-*; $
'"w
"*1"
.[i
tua"
&
#
^1
t
Family of Cornelius and Tresa Dulmer taken before 1909. L. to R.: back row: Myron, Edith, Anna'
Catherine, and Florence. Middle row: Tresa and Cornelius. Front row: Emma, May and Sadie.
DUNCAN, CHARLEY
F173
My parents, Charley Duncan and Edith
Simpkins Duncan, were married near Tilden,
Nebraska, in February 1906. They lived on a
farm and three children were born there;
Ethel Marie, February 1, 1907 (died February
Zt,1907); Evelyn, born December 18, 1907;
and Orville, born March 19, 1909.
In 1912 my father and his brother-in-law,
Euse Dredge, came to Kit Carson County
looking for land to homestead. They both
signed for a claim. They returned to Nebraska to make preparations to move to Colorado.
We arrived in Vona, by train, in February
1913 with 2 horses, 2 cows, 2 pigs, 2 dozen
chickens, 2 kids and $200.00. There was
plenty of snow and cold weather. Mrs.
Howell, the storekeeper's wife, took us in a
The Charley Duncan Family
spring wagon to the home of Al Tilbury where
we spent the night. The next day we went to
our little one room shack which sat on rocks
without a foundation, but it was our home,
18% miles southwest of Vona. Papa had to
plow the ground before any planting could be
done. Every inch was Buffalo grass.
That summer we went by covered wagon
to Sterling. Papa worked as a drayman. We
returned to our homestead the next year so
Orville and I would start to school at
Rosedale. We attended this school for 8 years
and our favorite teacher was Johnny Mathews.
Papa went to different parts of Colorado
and Kansas to work in the harvest fields and
while he was gone Mama, Orville and I would
go pick up cow chips to burn. We sort of made
a picnic out of it. We would stop by Little
Springs so we could wash our hands and eat
-
1917. Father,
Charley, Mother Edith, Evelyn, Orville and baby
Alta.
lunch. We had a great time but were scared
to death of rattlesnakes and it took all day to
get a load.
In 1916 we made a trip back to Nebraska
when my Grandma Simpkins'died. My folks
were tempted to stay but decided against it
as our home, belongings and good friends and
neighbors were in Colorado, Iike the Goffs,
Calhouns, Lettmans, Roses, Gallions, McAuleys, Murpheys, Myers, Deers and others. We
were thankful for our wagon and horses so we
could go visit them and go to church in a little
school house five miles from our place. We
also had Literary there, which was a program
type ofgood entertainment using local talent.
Dad Allen played the banjo and Red, his son,
would jigg and Don McAuley gave the best
recitations and others would sing or be in
plays.
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Charley Duncan
-
Early 1940's with team of horses Prince and Snip, dog Fritz on the homestead.
In 1917, August 6th, a darling baby girl was
born into our family and we called her Alta,
and then February 11, 1919, Everett was
born. That was the year of lots of snow and
flu. Our mother died March 1. Everett was 18
days old and Alta 18 months. Papa's sister
and her husband, Aunt Ethie and Uncle Jim
Sesler raised Alta and Everett. Our friends
were so good to us and helped all they could.
Needless to say we had very Iittle money but
plenty of debts. Mr. Hungerford, a wellknown cattleman took up a collection and
raised $500.00 to help with funeral expenses.
That was a lot of money in those days.
Then in 1922 Orville and I graduated from
the eighth grade. Papa decided to move close
to Seibert so we could ride the bus to high
school. In the process Orville stepped on a
barnyard nail and got lockjaw and died. In
the meantime, Uncle Jim, Aunt Ethie, Alta
and Everett moved north of Seibert. Papa
and I lived about nine miles southeast of
Seibert in a sod house during the school year.
I rode the bus twenty-five miles every day to
school. During my high school years I played
baseball and was on the girls basketball and
track teams.
Then in the fall of 1926 I went to Lincoln,
�Nebraska to college for two years. In 1927
Papa manied Stella Doss. No children were
born of this marriage. He and Stella lived on
the homestead until his death June 3, 1947,
at the age of 64. He was a very successful
DUNHAM, WALTER
AND ANICE
DUNLAP - LESHER
FAMILY
Fr74
F176
farmer and cattleman. Stella moved to
Denver where she died April 25, 1977.
April 13, L929,I was united in marriage to
Wm. "Red" Allen. We lived on a farm south
of Vona and that is where our first son, Bill,
was born.
ln 1933, during the depression, we moved
to Denver and Red got a job hauling coal from
the mines north of Denver. I did laundry for
the rich people and to this day I love to wash
and iron. Denver was good to us. We bought
a home at 4319 Navajo. Our second son, Don,
was born here
in November
1945, sixteen
years after Bill.
Bill and Mary were married in May 1948
and had two daughters, Debbie and Pati. Bill
at NW Transport as Manager of
Transportation and Mary works at the bank
in Brighton where they live. Don and Connie
were married in April 1964. They have three
works
children, Scott, Wendy and Rod, and Don is
a Denver Fireman.
Red and four other men started their own
service business in February 1961, having the
office in our home. They called it "Area Gas
Appliance Service". They got a good start and
moved to an office in the summer of 1964 and
Red died October 13, 1964. I'm 78 now and
work half days five days a week for the
company. This is 1986 and we have been in
business 25 years.
I can't bring this story to a close till I tell
you what happened to my little sister and
brother. Uncle Jim and Aunt Ethie did a fine
job raising them. They grew up to
be
beautiful people inside and out. They both
went to school in Seibert.
In May 1936 Alta married Ralph Rowley.
They farmed at Seibert several years and
then moved to Denver. Four children were
born to this union, Mary Lee Lopo of
Eastlake, Chuck Rowley of Denver, Beverly
Rowley of Denver, and Richard who died in
infancy. They have 13 grandchildren and five
is very crippled
with arthritis and Ralph has a problem
great-grandchildren. Alta
breathing, but they do a good job taking care
of each other. They are a real inspiration to
anyone.
Everett married Vyonda Overmiller in
January 1939. He was a very successful
cattleman and farmer. They are retired now
and live in Stratton. Four girls were born to
this union, Barbara Mason of Iowa City,
Iowa, Virginia Burns of Denver, Marilyn
Duncan of Denver and Betty Ralston of
Colorado Springs. They have five grandchild-
ren and two great-grandchildren.
I'll always remember the good old times in
Seibert and Vona. "It is still home".
P.S. Lord willing, Alta and Ralph will
celebrate their fiftieth anniversary this year,
May 25, 1986.
by Evelyn Duncan Allen
Maynard and Bessie Dunhnm
Walter and Anice Dunham and son Maynard came to Colorado in 1906, from Battle-
creek, Michigan (to benefit the health of
Maynard), to a farm southeast of Burlington.
They lived in
moved
a
soddy for some years and then
into a larger frame house. Anice
passed away
in
1914.
In 1909, Maynard and Bessie Thoman were
manied. They lived with his parents for some
time, then they took a homestead adjoining.
Here they built a half basement, sod, two
room house. In 1.910, Ines was born. They had
three other children, Irene, Lee and Warren
(who passed away after a ruptured appendix
in
1921).
These early settlers had to make a living
from what they could raise, on wild gams sn4
milking cows. There was a small school close
by and the three older children attended,
along with Henry Basset, and Harold Rogers.
Then, they moved along with Walter Dunham to the First Central school district where
there was a four year school and two churches
for them to attend.
In 1933, they moved to a farm in Cheyenne
County, Lee moved with them. By this time
Ines had married Harold McArthur and Irene
married George Kennedy.
The family milked cows, Bess worked at
making quilts, and mattresses to give to the
less fortunate. In 1934, they sold most ofthe
cattle and they and Lee spent most of the
winter in Michigan.
In 1942, Maynard's poor health forced
Mom and Dad and Casey. Oliver c. (Buzz) Dunlap,
and Elizabeth Dunlap.
Oliver C. (Buzz) Dunlap was born in
Rawlins County, Kansas in 1888 and moved
to Sherman County, South of Goodland while
a small child. Elizabeth Eicher was born in
Seward County, Nebraska and moved to
Sherman County, Kansas as a very small girl.
Both O.C. and Elizabeth grew up in this area.
They were married in Sgptember 1907.
Oiiver and Elizabeth Hunlap were among
the first homesteaders in the community
Southwest of Burlington, They, along with
them
Emery & Elsie Eicher, who were Elizabeth's
brother and O.C.'s sister, came to Colorado
in 1910 to claim their homesteads. This move
was made to have access to the open range.
The Dunlap's homestead was the EVz of
Section 14, Township 11, Range 45, which is
located 15 miles South and 7 miles West of
Burlington; the Eicher homestead was the
West % of Section 22, Township 11, Range
45 and Icyphene Welch, a widow, who was
O.C.'s and Elsie's mother, and son Howard
rants and both worked in the old Montezuma.
They built a house and kept a beautiful yard
of flowers and vegetables. They celebrated
Goodland
to leave the farm and move into
Burlington; she worked in different restau-
home-steaded the East r/z of Section
22,Township ll,Range 45. In the fall of 1910,
they all returned to their old homes South of
for the winter,
where Lowell
their 50th Wedding anniversary in 1959.
Maynard passed away in 1964, Bessie
continued to care for the yard until the age
Dunlap was born in October.
In April of 1911, they with small son Lowell
and Emery and Elsie Eicher and their small
of 93, when she passed away in 1984.
daughter, Oletha, started the long slow move
across the open prairie, approximately
by Irene Kennedy and Ines
McArthur
straight west from their homes to their
homesteads. This journey LookBVz days to go
55 miles with 4 loaded wagons and their
livestock. The wagons were each pulled by a
4 horse teem. They were driven by
O.C.,
Elizabeth, Emery and Elsie. The livestock
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furnished horses for the rodeos at the Kit
Carson Fair for several years. Some of the
local riders at that time were: Rueben and
Archie Anderson; Joe Ross; Dewey (Dude)
and Had Compher; Carl Harrison and Guy
and Carl Wigton.
In 1945 O.C. retired and moved to Burlington. In 1946 he was elected Sheriff of Kit
Carson County and served in that office until
his death in 1954.
by Isaphene Dunlap Lesher
EAGLETON - REID
FAMILY
F176
Oliver and Elizabeth Dunlap homestead.
was driven by Howard Welch, O.C.'s and
Elsie's half brother.
O.C. Dunlap built a 4 room square sod
house on their homestead where their daughter, Isaphene, was born in 1912 and son,
Verlin. in 1914. In 1915 a concrete house was
built by O.C. Dunlap and Emery Eicher,
where another daughter, Nina, was born in
1920. This house is still standing.
A small sod house was built for Mrs.
Icephene Welch on her homestead. The
Eicher house was a frame building, part of
which was moved from Sherman County,
Kansas. There it had been a small country
store and post office located near the Smokey
River. After Eicher's moved to Burlington in
1914, located near the Smokey River.
After
Eicher's moved to Burlington in 1914, O.C.
bought the buildings and tore most of them
down except the part of the house that had
originally come from Kansas. He moved that
part to the Dunlap home. There it was used
as a milk house and bunk house for hired
men. In 1931 the Dunlaps improved the
NE% section of Icyphene Welch's homestead. This seme little two room house was
moved again and built onto for their home,
where they lived for 14 years before moving
to Burlington in
1945. That little building
really traveled and is still being lived in.
When the Dunlap's and Eicher's came to
Colorado, their mailing address was Beaverton, Colorado. This was a little country
general merchandise store and Post Office.
it
was located 10 miles Northwest of their
homestead, which was quite a trip by horse
and buggy. John Higgon ran the store and
Post Office, later
it
was ran
by
George
Church.
O.C. Dunlap was a rancher, raising cattle
and horses. The cattle that were moved to the
homestead were mixed breeds, mostly Gal-
loways.
In
about 1918 he bought
some
purebred polled herefords and continued to
raise hereford cattle until he retired in 1945.
O.C. purchased his livestock brand (quarter
circle C) in 1915 which is still being used by
his son Verlin. The horses and mules that
Norman and Vickey Eagleton, 1985.
were raised bV O.C. were mostly sold to
Eastern buyers. He also furnished horses for
rodeos that were held in this area, as this was
a favorite entertainment in the early days. He
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The Eagleton Children: Carma Lynette, age 11;
Dawn Michele, age 13; and Norman Jason, age 8,
Christmas 1946.
1985.
�
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
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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- D
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Description
An account of the resource
Brief history of the founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with "D." As told 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>
-
https://kccarchives.cvlcollections.org/files/original/17/463/Families-E.pdf
dbd4d983923073a04b35aec04f70182d
PDF Text
Text
llltt
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':::::':ili
'.,:;...r-::.
,i..,iL,.
tri
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:;.":::
,
furnished horses for the rodeos at the Kit
Carson Fair for several years. Some of the
local riders at that time were: Rueben and
Archie Anderson; Joe Ross; Dewey (Dude)
and Had Compher; Carl Harrison and Guy
and Carl Wigton.
In 1945 O.C. retired and moved to Burlington. In 1946 he was elected Sheriff of Kit
Carson County and served in that office until
his death in 1954.
by Isaphene Dunlap Lesher
EAGLETON - REID
FAMILY
F176
Oliver and Elizabeth Dunlap homestead.
was driven by Howard Welch, O.C.'s and
Elsie's half brother.
O.C. Dunlap built a 4 room square sod
house on their homestead where their daughter, Isaphene, was born in 1912 and son,
Verlin. in 1914. In 1915 a concrete house was
built by O.C. Dunlap and Emery Eicher,
where another daughter, Nina, was born in
1920. This house is still standing.
A small sod house was built for Mrs.
Icephene Welch on her homestead. The
Eicher house was a frame building, part of
which was moved from Sherman County,
Kansas. There it had been a small country
store and post office located near the Smokey
River. After Eicher's moved to Burlington in
1914, located near the Smokey River.
After
Eicher's moved to Burlington in 1914, O.C.
bought the buildings and tore most of them
down except the part of the house that had
originally come from Kansas. He moved that
part to the Dunlap home. There it was used
as a milk house and bunk house for hired
men. In 1931 the Dunlaps improved the
NE% section of Icyphene Welch's homestead. This seme little two room house was
moved again and built onto for their home,
where they lived for 14 years before moving
to Burlington in
1945. That little building
really traveled and is still being lived in.
When the Dunlap's and Eicher's came to
Colorado, their mailing address was Beaverton, Colorado. This was a little country
general merchandise store and Post Office.
it
was located 10 miles Northwest of their
homestead, which was quite a trip by horse
and buggy. John Higgon ran the store and
Post Office, later
it
was ran
by
George
Church.
O.C. Dunlap was a rancher, raising cattle
and horses. The cattle that were moved to the
homestead were mixed breeds, mostly Gal-
loways.
In
about 1918 he bought
some
purebred polled herefords and continued to
raise hereford cattle until he retired in 1945.
O.C. purchased his livestock brand (quarter
circle C) in 1915 which is still being used by
his son Verlin. The horses and mules that
Norman and Vickey Eagleton, 1985.
were raised bV O.C. were mostly sold to
Eastern buyers. He also furnished horses for
rodeos that were held in this area, as this was
a favorite entertainment in the early days. He
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The Eagleton Children: Carma Lynette, age 11;
Dawn Michele, age 13; and Norman Jason, age 8,
Christmas 1946.
1985.
�Norman Eugene Eagleton was born to
Clinton Elijah and Clora Mae (Dungan)
Eagleton on March 2, 1950 in Pueblo, CO.
Nnmed for his grandfather and an uncle,
Harold Norman Eagleton, Norman was the
2nd of 5 children - Sandra Louise (Turley),
Norman Eugene, Charlotte Mae (Kelly),
Gary Von, and April Lynn (Trujillo). Norman named his sister April (although she was
born in May). He was a Captain in R.O.T.C.;
he worked 4 years at Safeway and graduated
in 1968 from Centennial High School.
Vickey Lynn Reid was born
at
KCC
Memorial Hospital to David Vinton and
Betty Lou (Hughes) Reid on June 26, 1951.
She has a younger brother, Ray Deon. Vickey
was active in the high school band, chorus,
newspaper and annual. She worked at Stuckey's Pecan Shoppe, Seibert and as hostes-
Little England Restaurant,
Flagler. She graduated Valedictorian of
Seibert High School in 1969. (Personal note
s/cashier at the
of coincidence: Centennial and Seibert H.S.
had the same colors and mascots - Red and
White Bulldogs.) Vickey attended 3 semesters at Graceland College, Lamoni, Iowa.
Vickey was attendant to 1968 Kit Carson
County Queen, Kay Cure. She won a 4-H
Citizenship Short course trip to Washington,
D.C. in 1969. The various monuments, Capitol and White House were very impressive
and awe-inspiring. She rememberg the seeming injustice in the vast difference between
the abject poverty in one area and the gold
banister and gold elevator doors of the
Supreme Court Building just a few blocks
away.
Norman and Vickey met in 1968 on a
church sponsored youth caravan to Mesa
Verde. They were married by Vickey's uncle,
Roger Reid on January 30, 1971. Their's was
the lastweddingto be held in the "old" RLDS
Church (a converted schoolhouse) in Seibert.
The Eagleton's lived in Sedalia, MO where
Norman was a machinist/painter for Turley
Bros. Mfg. They moved to Seibert late in the
summer of 1971, living in the white stucco
house at the NE corner of Main Street across
from the Seibert Coop where Norman
was
employed. Vickey worked as a teacher's aide
at the school in Vona. Norman and Vickey
moved to the Reid home place 7 miles north
and 2 west of Seibert inLg72. They work with
her parents on the Reid Femily Ranch raising
wheat and Registered Polled Hereford cattle.
A babygirl was born May 24,1972. She was
named Dawn Michelle because she was born
at dawn and she looked like a little french
doll. Carma Lynette was born October
2,
1974. Her name was created by combining the
names of her mother and grandmothers Clora Mae - Carma, Vickey Lynn and Betty
- Llmette. Norman Jason was born July 25,
1977. He was nnmed Norman means, hopeful
in the Eagleton tradition, and Jason means
healer.
The Eagleton's are active members of the
Reorganized Church ofJesus Christ oflatter
Day Saints. Norman serves in the Priesthood
and Vickey occasionally seryes as church
organist. Norman and Vickey have served as
Church School Directors, teachers, choir
members, Local and District Youth Directors. The girls have played the flute in church
and in the school band. All three children
take piano lessons from Carla Herman of
Seibert.
The family is active in the Go-Getters 4-H
Club. Norman and Vickev serve as Emer-
gency Medical Technicians on the Volunteer
Family highlights have been trips to visit
Uncle Ray and family and seeing the tourist
sights of Southern California and trips to
Independence, MO. to attend World Church
Kanorado where they owned the telephone
office. They had known the Eberharts when
they grew up near St. Francis, Kansas and
agreed to sign the tickets for any fuel Ted
needed that first year to help him get started.
Working those piles of blow dirt was really
difficult, and that first year didn't turn out
very well. After that things began to improve
and they were able to survive.
Ted also rented some ground from the
Shamburgs, and one day Mr. Shnm[q1g
drove out to see how things were doing and
he couldn't find anybody at the house. He saw
us down in the field. so came on down to talk
to us. Bernice was out helping shock feed, so
when he went back to town he told some of
his friends that he wasn't worried about us,
we would make it.
In June of 1941, a tornado went through
the community. It tore the third story off the
Smoky Hill School house, the buses and the
Conferences.
garage and two ofthe teachers dwellings were
Community Ambulance Service. Vickey
teaches Community CPR classes and was
elected Secretary of the Hi-Plains Board of
Education for School District R-23 in 1987.
Employed in 1987, Vickey serves as Medical
Assistant to Dr. David Younger each Wednesday afternoon at the Flagler Community
Medical Center.
In 1986 the Eagleton's moved to the Reid's
River Ranch home on the old Hoyt site
between South Fork Republican River and
Buffalo Creek. We enjoy the extra space
when entertaining family and friends. We are
also finding an interesting challenge in
expanding our farm/ranch operation to include raising hogs.
The kids enjoy hunting with Grandpa and
fishing for trout in his privately stocked
pond. They think fishing is seeing if you can
toss in a hook and line and get it back out
before you catch a fish. They also like
Grandpa's homemade jerky, Gram's homemade grape marmalade (they didn't like
seeding the grapes), and sledding in the snow
on a car hood . . . "just like in the good ol'
days!"
by Norman & Vickey Eagleton
EBERHART, TED AND
BERNICE
Fr77
After the terrible drought of the thirties,
farnilies began slowly coming baek to the
Smoky
Hill community.
In 1939, Ted and Bernice Eberhart and son
Lonnie moved onto what was known as the
Lawrence Olson farm, which had been taken
over by the Foster Farms. It was 10 miles
south and 8 east of Burlington and had been
vacant for some time.
They had been living on a farm in the
Armel neighborhood, paying cash rent, which
was increased every year, and it became more
and more difficult to pay. Ted took a tour of
the country and saw dirt piled fence-post
high with blow dirt, not a bit of vegetation,
and empty places everywhere.
Hugh Gleason from the Bank of Burlington
offered to rent the farm to Ted, and we all
came down to look at it. We brought both of
our parents along and it was a discouraging
sight. Bernice thought there wasn't enough
there to keep a jack rabbit alive, but if that
was what Ted wanted to do, she was willing
to go with him. In the fall of 1939, they
moved. They were married in 1936, and had
accumulated some household stuff, but on
the way down the trailer hitch broke and
upset the load of household goods in the
middle of the road. Needless to say, we had
a bunch of broken junk. Times were really
hard, and Ted caught rabbits and sold the
hides to help feed us. He had some hounds
and a saddle horse and also caught some
coyotes.
Our first tractor was bought from Ted
Backlund, a C Case and he traded two horses
as
a down
payment. Jake Raile lived in
destroyed. That was the day that Connie
Eberhart was born. Ted had taken Bernice to
the hospital that morning. Marlin Eberhart,
who was Ted's nephew was with them and
spent lots of summers with them. Marlin and
Lonnie were planning to stay with George
and Lois Blomendahl, but Lonnie didn't
want to stay. Lois said they would come to
town and take care ofthem, since her parents
lived in town. During the afternoon the
tornado came and the Blomendahl ranch was
totally destroyed. A cement foundation for
the water supply tank was the only thing left
standing.
The Lord must have been watching over all
of us that day! The Blomendahls lived with
the Eberharts for three months while they
were trying to clean out their basement and
make
it
livable. Connie didn't hardly know
whether Bernice or Lois was her mother,
lunch time, for sure.
until
Lonnie and Connie went their first eight
Hill. We hardly knew a soul
until Lonnie was old enough to start to
school. Almost all of the neighbors were
grades at Smoky
bachelors, and there were so many deserted
places.
School activities brought us all together,
and the Sunday School was probably the
most meaningful of all the activities. We all
seemed to blend into a united effort to
improve homes and families. We had Vacation Bible School in the summer, and the
children were picked up by parents for
a
special time of activities and learning.
That community has some kind of a bond
that keeps us friends and we have set up an
annual picnic to be held the third Sunday in
August at the Parmer Park in Burlington.
You are invited and urged to attend. Lonnie
graduated from C.U. in 1959 and went to
work for John Deere Heavy Industrial Works
in Moline, Illinois right away. Later he was
moved to Dubuque, Iowa where designing
equipment was available. All of the engineers
were moved to Dubuque. One of the projects
Lonnie helped desigrr is the big road maintainer, JD-570 which you will see being used
by the City of Burlington. Ira Barnhart drove
one of them for many years clearing out the
snow and other maintenance jobs.
One winter when we had a really bad
in his Blazer and drove
down town to look at the huge drifts. The
grader was having problems attacking those
drifts and they cleared only a single path in
many places. Ted was telling Lonnie about
blizzard,, Ted got
�drought. We survived. In the 1930's we had
terrible dust storms. When it started to rain
the ground was like flour. Water didn't soak
in, but ran off in the low places and through
the creek. On May 30, 1935, our place was
flooded. We salvaged what we could and had
a sale. In August of 1935 we moved to Denver,
CO where Zack Eckert worked for Dr.
Herman Maul in west Denver and on his
ranch at Red Feather Lakes.
that and Lonnie said the operator needed to
to wiggle its tail in order to keep
learn
maneuvering that machine.
Lonnie is still working for John Deere and
recently was involved in a huge Machinery
Show in Las Vegas. It was Lonnie's job to be
on the floor and answer questions from the
viewers.
Connie graduated from Adams State College and served as Dean of Students for
thirteen years. She is about to complete
twenty years where she teaches Psychology.
She is also at the head of the Affirmative
Action Program in the college. She recently
spent some time in Kit Carson County
recruiting students for Adams State. John
Robertson was one of the popular teachers at
Smoky Hill, and he joined in all the other
community activities. His wife Carolyn and
three children, Francis, Rick and Judy
became an important part of the community.
Bernice Eberhart wrote news for Smoky
Hill for the Burlington Record for many
Zack's children were educated
It was
a one room sod school house which Zack
Eckert and the neighbors helped build. We
didn't get to town very often as our travels
were made by a teem of horses and a lumber
wagon. Sometimes in winter we used a
bobsled to travel. Elizabeth Eckert (Zack's
wife) passed away in December, 1932.
We survived World War I and the big
depression.
I don't know much about Elizabeth Nickel's family. They lived in Lehigh, Kansas. She
was from a large family. There were seven
years.
girls and one boy including, Minnie, Eva,
Anna, Julia, Agnes, Amelia, Elizabeth and
Valentine. Anna Nickel married Henry
by Bernice Eberhart
Zacharias Richard Eckert and Lizzie Eckert in
ECKERT FAMILY
1927
Fr78
became theirs. They raised cattle, horses and
Zacharias Richard Eckert was born February 7, 1880. At the age of four years he came
to the United States with his family. They set
sail in 1884 from Keix, Russia. There were
several families on the ship. They were
quarantined off shore for some time as they
had an epidemic of Black Small Pox. Several
perished and were buried at sea. Zack's
father, Peter Eckert, settled his family for a
short time in Illinois. They moved on to
Nebraska and later in 1888 went further west
to Colorado by covered wagon. Zack Eckert
was 18 at the time and had remained behind
to bring the livestock they owned by rail. The
Peter Eckert family homesteaded in Lincoln
County. They lived on the land and made
improvements long enough that the land
in Kit
Carson County at White Plains School.
farmed for a living. The family saw many
hard times, living on dry land farming and
raising cattle on the range.
Z.R. Eckert met Elizabeth Nickel, who had
come to Colorado from Lehigh, Kansas. They
were united in marriage in Hugo, Colorado,
on January 1, 1902. They had eight children:
Willson, Lelah, Harley, Iva, Archie, Eula,
Zachie, and Elizabeth. The last two babies
died at birth. In 1905 or 1906 Zach Eckert
homesteaded north of Flagler on land close
to the Arickaree Creek in Kit Carson County
(just west of the Arickaree Creek). He built
his two room sod house and a few other
buildings. He dug a well and put up a
windmill for water. There were many hard-
Kliewer and moved to Colorado. They homesteaded about five miles north and east of
Flagler. Elizabeth came out to help her sister,
metZack Eckert and married. Elizabeth was
also known as "Lizzie" . Lizzie's father was a
Mennonite minister and her brother. Valentine, was a Methodist minister.
As for churches, we didn't get to go very
often as travel was slow, with horses and
buggy. Emma Nickel, Elizabeth's sister, came
out from Kansas and held revival meetings
in different school houses. In Twin Lake
School about 1914 they had Sunday School
and church with Reverend Magill as minister.
by Iva Levi (Eckert)
EDMUNDS FAMILY
Fl79
ships, such as snow blizzards, rain, hail and
My grandparents James. H. and Sarah Ann
(Weeks) Edmunds came to the United States
from England. They settled in Burlingame,
Kansas. My father James E. Edmunds and
Lulu Rowley were united in marriage in
Topeka, Kansas, and had 4 children. Lulu
passed away and my father married Effie
Kristen Marin and they moved to Stratton,
Eula Davis, Archie, Iva Levi, Harley, Lelah Shrader and William Eckert in 1973
Colo. in 1917, by covered wagon and a team
of mules. I, Maynard Edmunds, went to live
with my grandparents until my granddad
passed away. I was L5 years old and a friend
and I decided to go off to Missouri to look for
work. This was on February 14, 1920. My
sister caught us and as ghe didn't know what
else to do she put me on the train and sent
me to Cheyenne Wells, my Dad met me and
I went to live with him.
On March 24, 1927, I married Violet Lillian
Fuhlendorf in Burlington, Colo. and we lived
on the farm north of Stratton, then lived on
a farm northeast of Vona, until we moved into
Vona in 1950. Violet worked as a cook at the
Vona School and I worked at odd jobs until
I retired. I drove a gas truck for Frank Wilson,
and I worked for Ray Roberts at one time. I
recall when I worked for Ray, when we got to
the farms the gas had to be bucketed out of
the truck, hauled up a ladder, and poured
into the farmers supply tanks.
�their front lines to their headquarters in
Bouganville. Ray received a Bronze Star for
action in this battle.
When the war was over in 1945, he caught
the first possible ship home with the dream
in his mind to own and operate a quarter of
Western Kansas land and raise wheat. During the next two years and a variety ofjobs,
his dream started to come true. In April 1947
he loaded up his earthly belongings and
headed for Stratton, Colorado. He had rented
six quarters of land. So, with his old 22-36
International tractor and a new one-way
, b"*';'.'
plow, he set out to break sod and plant his
first wheat crop. Plows in those days were not
hydraulic and if you plugged one with dirt or
weeds you would dig it out with a crow bar.
When the wheat was all drilled in the fall,
he headed back to Piqua, Kansas and on
October 22, L947 he married Agnes Lampe.
@,@7
i''lr*
w
She was the youngest daughter of Frank and
Francis (Sicka) L'mpe. Her sisters and
brothers were Cornelius, who married Co-
Vernon Baxter and Maynard Edmunds. Maynard is the Indian, during the Seibert Indian Massacre
Reenactment.
Some of my early memories are the days
used
I
to spend coyote hunting with Frank
Jones of Seibert. Colo. I recall after the flood
service.
of '35', hunting up and down the Republican
River for old bones. I was with Jess Miller and
Fitzpatrick when we found one bone sticking
On November LL, L947 Ray and Agnes
again loaded up the old truck and headed for
their "new" home 15 miles southwest of
out of the river bank on ground north of
Vona.
I have this picture of Vernon Baxter and
myself, when we were in the Seibert Indian
massacre Re-enactment, I was in it twice; it
was quite a sight to see.
Violet and I had been in town to a dance
the night the big fire started in Vona. We
were taking Nate Sharp home; that is he
jumped on the running board of our car. We
drove north and only stopped long enough to
let him off and went on out to the farm. We
didn't even look back, we didn't know about
Stratton. Times were hard, but life was great.
The neighbors came over to visit and we
played cards on our first dinette set . . a
$4.00 table, one broken back chair and three
apple boxes. Apple boxes were made of wood
then. The money we had saved to buy a table
and chairs went to put a new axle in the truck.
The Eisenbarts: Norma, Agnes, Mike, Ray and
Nona.
a truck muffler burned about twenty-five
acres in one field before a neighbor, Norman
Smith, hurried in with a tractor and chisel
and put the fire out. A good many more
before he went in he looked south and saw a
of the fire and smoke. Violets
parents home was just behind all the stores
that burned, but was lucky not to catch fire.
We still live in Vona and raised our family
here. We have three sons, Glen, Bill, and Bob,
7 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
reflection
neighbors came over to help also.
That year we bought a new L.A. Case
tractor for $2,900.00 and a new Case combine
for $2,700.00. The tractor was a good invest-
ment but the combine was nothing but a
headache. It never did work right. In 1949 we
bought our first new car for 91,600.00. It
by Maynard Edmunds
replacedthe 1940 G.M.C. truckthathad been
our only means of transportation. We got the
new car in time to make the trip to Burlington
for the arrival of our son, Raymond Michael,
EISENBART, AGNES
AND RAY
Raymond Bernard Eisenbart was born
September 28, 1919 to John and Nona
(Skeeters) Eisenbart at Yates Center, Kansas. His one brother, John, married Alice
Hoag and they live at Iola, Kansas. His one
sister, Genevieve, married Hugh Keturaket
and they live at Klamath Falls, Oregon.
The Ray Eisenbart's harvesting in 19?6
The bombing of Pearl Harbor made his
draft number come up real quickly. He took
his basic training in Camp Forest, Tennessee
and was assigned to the 129 Infantry, 37th
nine and spent the next three years living
with relatives. At that time his brother
Division. He stayed in this division for his
entire service career. He went overseas to the
South Pacific and spent 37 months on a tour
ofduty through the Fiji Islands, Guadalcanal,
Bouganville, and the Phillipine Islands. His
married and he and his sister lived with them.
He helped with the milking and farming until
he went to the service.
ting
Ray lost both of his parents before he was
The axle twisted off during our trip to
Colorado.
Our first wheat crop in the summer of 1948
was a good one. A wheatfield fire started by
the fire until the next day. Nate said just
Fr80
letta Kipp. Margaret married Frank Heffern,
Mildred married Valentine Link, Raymond
married Ruth Koester, Ella married Myrori
Haugen, and Albert married Marlene Westerman. Agnes, at that time, was teaching
school in a one-room country school with all
eight grades. She and Ray had been dating
since shortly after he came home from the
company received a presidential citation
from Franklin Delano Roosevelt for annihilaa
Japanese company that had penetrated
born March 20, 1950.
That year we built a chicken house and had
300 layers. The chickens were our salvation
as the eggs we sold were our only source of
money for groceries and fuel. We heated our
house with kerosene which we brought home
from town in five gallon buckets. We didn't
raise any wheat from 1953 through 1957. We
would have probably left Stratton if we would
have had anywhere to go.
We bought our first new diesel tractor in
1954. (We traded the worthless combine in on
it.) We wore out a set of tires on the tractor
before we raised another crop.
In the spring of 1955 the dirt storms were
many and awful. Our first daughter, Nona
Kay arrived June 5, 1955 between dirt
storms. There were many days that spring
�when you couldn't see 50
ft.
because of the
second
daughter, Norma, on April 22, 1958. We had
blowing
dirt. We welcomed our
a pretty good wheat crop that year so our
summer was busy with a new baby and a good
harvest.
We built another larger chicken house in
1958 and expanded our egg production. We
spent many hours gathering, cleaning, candling, and packaging eggs. Then we would load
them in the pickup and deliver them to the
grocery stores in many of the neighboring
towns. The egg money paid the down payment on the two sections of ground that we
bought in 1960 two miles north of Vona. We
tore the old homestead buildings down on our
new place and built a new quonset and several
grain bins for wheat storage. We also tore out
miles of fence that was buried under blow dirt
piles.
In 1964 when Norma went to kindergarten,
Agnes returned
to teaching at the
Sears in Burlington for six months and then
took a position with the Council of Government Office in Stratton. She was the Energy
and Housing Coordinator. In 1981, her
department formed a separate organization
and beco-e the Colorado East Community
Action agency. In January of 1982, with the
resignation of the director of Colorado East,
she took the position ofdirector and held that
position until she married Larry Fox in June
of 1983. Larry is a teacher in Scott City,
Kansas. After moving to Scott City, Norma
worked at a school with the gifted and
talented children until she took her present
position as secretary to the first vice president of the First National Bank there. They
have one son, Lucas Lee, born March 13,
1987.
by Agnes Eisenbart
Saint
Charles Academy until it closed in 1969 for
financial rearlons and the lack of Nuns to
teach. After Saint Charles closed, Agnes went
to the public school as an assistant and later
took the job of Secretary where she still
works,
The 60's were rather slim picking as far as
crops were concerned. Several years we fed
cattle and sold them for no more than the
EISENBART,
RAYMOND MIKE AND
PATSY
Fl8t
feed cost.
In the 70's crops began to be better and of
course with better crops came better times.
We bought more land and better equipment.
We began to see the end of the tunnel.
Good crops in the 80's made things look
prosperous. 1982 was an exception when we
had 660 acres of wheat flattened in a l0
minute hail storm. In April of 1987, we broke
ground to build our new brick home at 519
New York. That was always another one of
Ray's drenms. In the basement of our new
home we built a large room to accomodate
Ray's collection of toy farm implements and
farm tractors. We moved into our new home
October 1, 1987 and on October 22nd we
celebrated our 4oth wedding anniversary.
Our children grew up in Stratton. They
attended Saint Charles Academy until it
closed in 1969. They all graduated from
Stratton High School. Mike went to Durango
to college for one year and then enlisted in the
Navy for a four year tour of Duty. He married
Patsy Kordes while he was in the Navy and
after coming home from the Navy, they
moved to their farm seven miles northwest of
Stratton where they still live. They have four
children, Brandy born February 2, L974,
Clint, born October L4, L975, Ryan, born
October 3, 1980 and Jill, born August 18,
1982.
Nona married Stanley Willer after high
school. Stan had been working for us part
time before they were married and they are
still working with us on the farm. They have
rented land of their own as well as helping
with ourg. Nona has been a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician with the Stratton
Ambulance Service for eleven years. She
worked at Kit Carson County Memorial
Hospital for two years after they were
married and has been working at the Stratton
Coop for the last five years. They have four
children, Michelle, born January 30, 1973,
Kristine, born Januar5r 25, 1974, Brian, born
November 30, 1977, and Victoria, born
November 17, t979.
Norma graduated in 1976. She worked at
his favorite sport was football, his favorite
past time was Patsy, who would later become
his wife. He also enjoyed farming with his
Dad when it didn't interfere with Patsy.
Mike attended one year of college in
Durango where he learned the art of drinking,
which would later cause much trouble in his
life. In Oct. 1969 Mike joined the Navy and
was a good sailor proud to serve his country.
Boot cnmp was in Great Lakes, illinois, where
for your past time you manned a broom and
kept the snow off the sidewalks at nights. He
went to school in Lakehurst, New Jersey and
studied Metcrology. He finished 3rd in his
class so he received stateside duty in Virginia
Beach, Virginia rather than sea duty. Mike
returned home and married his highschool
sweetheart June
Catholic Church.
5, 1971 in St.
Charles
Patsy Ann Kordes is the fourth child of Val
and Leona Kordes born on August 13, 1951.
She has one brother Dennis and three sisters
Betty Jean, Beverly and Valerie. She grew up
with many treasured memories on a farm 5
miles northeast of Stratton. The family
visiting neighbors, making Christmas cook-
pulling taffy and learning to sew are some
of the more memorable times. Patsy attended
ies,
the St. Charles Parochial School in Stratton
for 8 years. In her teen years she spent her
summers running an 830 John Deere tractor
helping her Dad farm. She graduated from
Stratton High School in May 1969. After
graduation she moved to Denver working for
an insurance company as a receptionist and
secretary for 2 years until she beco-e Mike's
bride.
Patsy and Mike moved to Virginia Beach;
they recall pleasant memories of the carefree
newlywed days of the east coast beaches.
w
Raymond, Mike and Patsy Eisenbart and family,
1987
March 1, 1950 the dirt has been blowing
days and days, at times so bad you can hardly
see your hand in front of your face. There
were 3 foot blow dirt drifts on one side of the
house one day and 3 foot blow dirt drifts on
the other side the next. Wet sheets were
hanging on the windows to keep the dust
down. The wind has died down for a few days
now. It's March 20, 1950. Raymond Michael
Eisenbart is the first of three children born
to Raymond and Agnes Eisenbart. He has
two sisters Nona Kay and Norma Jean.
Mike, as he is called, had younger years full
of wide open spaces. He spent hours playing
with his dog Bullet, pigeons, and in the dry
creek beds and climbing trees. Mike worked
on the farm as a kid. It was his job along with
his mom and sisters, to care for 2 to
3
thousand chickens. His dad said those bird
eggs kept the farm alive in the 50's. Mike
remembers some pretty good egg fights where
several dozen eggs never made it to market.
He enjoyed those frequent trips to eastern
Kansas where he fished with his Grandpa
Lfmpe and played in the fishing holes with
frogs, turtles, crawdads and even water
snakes which were good for scaring off girls
which he didn't care for at the time. That
would come later.
Mike graduated from Stratton High School
in 1968, his favorite subject was study hall,
Patsy worked for another insurance company
until Mike received word in July, 1972, he
would be transferred to Adak, Alaska.
Limited housing on his Naval Base Island
forced Mike
to live in the barracks until
housing was available. Patsy returned home
and lived with her parents for 6 months until
March, 1973, a house became available and
she was able to join him. During this time
Mike's drinking became more of a problem
in his life. By far the most exciting event for
us on Adak was the birth of our first child
Brandy Joy born on February 2, 1974. Mike
was honorably discharged from the Navy in
March 1974. After having seen other places,
there was still no place like our home town.
We decided to move back to Stratton and
farm. In August, L974, we bought a used
mobile home and moved to a farm 8 miles
of Stratton that his Dad had
purchased from Guy Paintin. Mike rented 3
northwest
quarters of land northwest of Seibert and
farmed with his Dad. His first tractor was a
1969 XT 190 Allis Chalrners. Later that year
we purchased r/z section of land that tied to
the land we lived on. We ran a few calves.
October 14, 1975 our second child was born,
Clint Michael. That same year we started
raising a few hogs. We still had calves and
were farming dryland wheat. We rented more
ground closer to home and started doing
custom farming also.
Our third child, Ryan Raymond arrived on
October 3, 1980.
Mike's drinking became more of a problem
and he decided to get some help. He entered
Valley Hope Alcholic Treatment Center in
March 1982. A sober husband and father
brought he family much enjoyment and
�closer together. Our fourth child, Jill Ann was
born on August 18, 1982.
In the fall of 1982 we built a farrowing
house and increased the hog operation to 45
sows, farrow to finish. Mike remained sober
from March 1982 until Sept. 1983 when he
took that first drink. This was a great setback
in life for all concerned.
As the children were getting older, our
mobile home was getting smaller. In December, 1984, we were able to move into our new
home. What a super Christmas present.
Mike, not at all happy with his life of
alcoholism, realizing it was definitely a
disease returned to Valley Hope for another
shot at a sober and happy life, both for self
and family in March 1986. His second trip to
the treatment center gave him greater knowledge of the disease and how to live without
the crutch of alcohol.
As 1986 progressed we decided to increase
the hog operation to around 100 sows. We
started selling weaners as well as finishing
some. We were actively involved
in 4-H.
Brandy and Clint wanted to take sheep as
well as hogs to the county fair. We bought
them 2 lamfs ...6 and they kept their ewes
to start their own herds. We all enjoyed
working with the sheep so much in the fall of
1986 we bought 50 bred ewes and are slowly
building our own herd.
Throughout the 1980's
it has been tough
times for young farmers. It hae become more
of a necessity to supplement the farm income
from outside sources to maintain the farm.
For this reason we took on a Purina Feed
dealership in May of 1987.
Clint and Mike tremendously enjoy birds;
for recreation Mike takes the boys pigeon
hunting under bridges. We have raised quite
a few pheasants and turned them out. Today
our farm has all sorts of animals aside from
the livestock. The children enjoy their
rabbits, ducks, pigeons and a horse. We have
a few chickens and guineas.
We are proud to be farmers and hopefully
this is our future.
by Raymond Mike Eisenbart
ELLIOTT, BUNNIE
Fl82
I was born in 1926 at the home of my
parents, Ben and Bessie Short, on their
homestead sixteen and a half miles southwest
of Seibert. I'm next to the youngest of eight
children. When my younger brother, Larry,
I had whooping cough; so our good
neighbors, Mac and Ethel McConnell, kept
me at their home for 6 weeks eo the new baby
would not get whooping cough. The older
was born
children took turns staying with me so I
wouldn't get homesick. From then on the
McConnell's were like second parents to me,
I visited them often; J.C.'s and my
children "adopted" them as grandparents.
It was fun growing up on the farm close to
and
our cousins; Bud and Eleanor Shori, Bill and
Rose Livingston, and Larry and I could walk
to each other's homes to play or stay overnight. Once in awhile we stayed too long and
got a good whipping when we got home! At
our home there was a huge apricot tree in the
garden, and we had a bed under its boughs.
That was a great place to sleep in the
summertime.
We had a big orchard which was a good
place for a group of kids to play games such
as Hide'n Seek; Ally, Ally Outs in Free; and
years. Our other two daughters, Lori and
Jerri, were born while we lived there. These
Hope I Don't See the Old Ghost Tonight. Of
course, at the right season we also had to pick
mulberries and cherries for pies. Among our
other jobs were picking up cow chips on the
prairie (for fuel), picking up corncobs from
the pig pen, and pulling weeds in the garden
in 4-H and many Sunday School and school
forapennyarow!
I remember well the Dust Bowl days in the
30's when the kerosene lamps would have to
be lit at school; and our bus, driven by Elmer
Joy, crept along taking us home. The table
would be covered with dust and have to be
cleaned before supper; and we'd sweep a path
to the bed. Seems there was always plenty of
cleaning for us girls to do
we'd sprinkle
- on
bran dampened with kerosene
the cement
steps and tiled kitchen floor to keep the dust
down when we swept. We were fortunate to
have a pump in the house so we didn't have
to carry water; but we didn't have an indoor
bathroom.
I
attended grades one through nine at
Second Central School, District 19. I liked my
first grade teacher, Mrs. Winona Graham,
very much, and always liked school. I loved
spelling at school and was fortunate, though
I was really scared at the time, to go to the
county spelling contest twice when I was in
?th and 8th grades, and placed second or
third each time. County music contests and
track meets were also exciting and much
anticipated.
My older brothers and sisters graduated
from Seibert High School; but my brother,
Art, just older than me, felt Flagler's curriculum had more to offer. So after he went there.
I and Larry followed suit. We would rent a
room or two in someone'g home and "batch"
during the week, and most always went home
on the week-end to help with work. Of course
very few high school students had cars then,
and we certainly didn't. Larry helped the
janitor one term, and rode a bicycle across
town to work awhile; then back home for
breakfast, and back to school. Class plays
were fun; also roller skating on Wednesday
nights, and a dance once in awhile.
After graduation I helped my mother with
her work on the farm since two or three of my
brothers were at home, and once in awhile a
hired hand. My first job was at the drug store
in Flagler, where I worked for a year, as a
"soda jerk." We made our own simple syrup,
combining sugar and water, for the fountain
drinks. Part of that year I roomed and
boarded with the Aubrey Walker's.
In 1947 my parents got REA on their farm.
We had had electric lights from a windcharger; but having a refrigerator was great!
In April 1948 J.C. Elliott and I were
married in Hugo. We borrowed my brother's
car and J.C. borrowed 950 from a friend to go
on our hone5rmoon - two or three days in the
Colorado Springs area. We lived in Hugo
until 1956 with the exception of two years
when J.C. was in the Marine Corps, and we
lived in California. Our first daughter,
Monte, was born in San Diego.
In 1956 J.C. was transferred to Burlington
with his job for the State Highway Department. We moved there when our son, Lynn,
wag six weeks old. In the fall of 1958 J.C. quit
his job with the S.H.D., and we moved to the
Buol's homestead. Ly2 miles North of Burlington. J.C. worked for Buol's for ten years,
then leased the feedlot from them for eight
were busy, happy years with the kids involved
activities. J.C. was a 4-H livestock leader for
nine years and a livestock superintendent at
the county fair several years.. I was a Girl
Scout leader and taught Sunday School
several years.
Jerri caused me to almost have a heart
attack
of the kids were taking turns
- some
riding Pat
Andrews' shetland pony around in
our corral. They could barely get him to move
'til someone left the handgate open and he
headed for the pasture (by Kermit Buol's) on
a dead run. Jerri, who was only three, was
hanging onto the saddle for dear life as the
pony ran across the highway ! Halfway down
the hill she fell off and the pony stopped
immediately. Her only injury was a bruised
chest from hitting the saddle horn
tely!
-
fortuna-
Each fall we enjoyed having J.C.'s brother,
Grove, and family come for a week-end of
pheasant hunting. I learned later of neat
injuries when the kids were jumping into the
silo onto the fresh ensilage. What fun washing
those green clothes! J.C. also liked to go deer
and elk hunting with his friends from Hugo
when he could arrange it.
Many times we gave gas to someone who
had run out (since we had a pump on the
place), and J.C. took the tractor and pulled
someone's vehicle out of a snowdrift or the
mud. A few times someone was stranded at
our home for a few hours or a few davs
because of a snowstorm.
In the fall of 1976 we moved to a home we
built on the north side of Prairie Pines golf
course. (J.C. enjoyed playing golf very much.)
Ours was the first home completed in that
subdivision; but that same winter and spring
the Martin Buol's, Mel Gross', Leland Reinecker's and John Harker's moved into their
homes. In February 1977 we had a terrible
dirt storm; then two weeks later we had a bad
snowstorm with lots of drifting (especially
across our driveway!). Our electricity was off
for over four days. We stuck it out huddled
in blankets around the fireplace for two days:
then took the Jeep and went across the golf
course and to tovrrn to Russ and Alene Davis'
home. J.C., I, Lori, and Jerri spent three
nights and three days with them.
I started working at the Pro Shop in 1928
and still work there during the golf season.
We sold our home on the golf course in 1982
and eventually bought the home in town
where I still live. J.C. died on October 10,
1985. All of our children attended college for
various lengths of time. Monte married Paul
Clarke on May 25, 1985. Lori married Ernie
Love on February 14,1987.
by Bunnie Elliott
ELLISTON CORDELL FAMILY
Fr83
On my dad's side, the early Elliston history
is traced to England. The people who were
believed to become the "Elliston Clan',,
staded in the year 825 under the leadership
of Eriwulf (The Fighting Bishop). They and
the people of Somerset proceeded to a stone
�Over the centuries the name had been
modified/modernized into many variations
to include Elliston, Ellystone, Elston, Alliston, and even McAlliston which means son of
Alliston.
Great-grandad Robert Elliston born April
15, 1838 in Kentucky, married Milly Holt.
March 25, 1863 marks their wedding date in
Jefferson County, Illinois. Milly died June 13,
1864 leaving Great-grandad with a son, Uncle
Al. Uncle Al was said to have 17 children. On
March 23, 1868 Great-grandad married for a
second time to Sarah Nichels. They had 4
ELLISTON - WRIGHT
FAMILY
more boys and 2 girls; Grandad, George was
born March 91, 1869, Willinm, Ella, Charles,
Lilly, and Benjnrnin Frank. In 1865 Greatgrandad fought in the Civil War. Moving to
Nebraska in the early 1880's he and his family
survived the covered wagon journey, accompanied by a wagon train.
Leaving home at about 16 years of age, he
rode on horseback to northern Oklahoma,
Granny and Grandad Elliston (George M. and
Nancy J.)
where he is believed to have worked on the
famous "101 Ranch". Earning his living by
helping on the railroad construction, and
trading with Indians proved to be sufficient
for his new bride Nancy Jane Cordell. Granny
was born November 3, 1876. Grandad was
believed to have participated in the
"Cherokee Strip". This was a race in which
the Government provided free land to those
who chose to run and stake their homestead.
One of Dad's favorite stories to tell was that
ofhis father's plight to get to the spot he had
chosen for his homestead. A woman also in
the race had a lame horse. The horse had
fallen into a rut and had broken its leg. (In
those days the only right thing to do was to
shoot them to put them out of their misery.)
Grandad got off his horse to do the lady a
service, and she grabbed her horse and staked
the homestead he had chosen.
Grandad and Granny lived on the Osage
Indian Reservation in Osage County, Oklaho-
ma. It was there that my father James
Franklin Elliston was born and raised along
with two sisters, Nellie and Gladys. 1909
found the family moving to Washington
County, Kansas, living on a rented farm. In
1923 they migrated to Lincoln County,
Colorado, working on the ranch which was
developed to include property in Washington
Carson Counties as well. ln L947
Grandad and Granny retired and moved to
Skiatook, Oklahoma. Grandad passed away
and
Dad, Aunt Gladys, Granny, Grandad and Aunt
Nellie (taken prior to 1950, in front of "Old Soddy"
at Grandad's house)
Kit
in Skiatook in
Mom and Dad (Marge and Frank Elliston) taken
in the 1940's
"D?-CAT" used in the Blizzard of '46. taken on
Elliston Ranch prior to 1950
1968.
At
22 years of age Dad married Luella
Meyer to have 8 children, one of which died
as an infant, Fred, Neva, Grace, George, Jim,
Robert and Nancy. Fred and Charles had one
daughter Lisa. Neva and Les Tyler had two
sons Tim and Dave. Grace and Frank Aggus
had Kenny, Connie and Gary. George and
Geneva had one son Bruce. Jim and Nancy
had Gary, Jerry, Dave, Dan, Pat, Tim and
Jamie. Robert married the former Kay
Horrigans. Nancy and Robert Myer had
Christina and Stephen.
by Dolly Mae Elliston
John Kirkenschlager, Dad, Bert Edleman (taken
in front of house in Kansas prior to 1950)
which was a meeting place. Along with King
Egbert they fought the "Battle of The
Forest". A great victory was won. It was this
victory that destined the clan to be called
Aleystone. Aleystone comes from The Olde
English Language meaning ancient stone.
"Old Soddy" at Grandad's House
Married in the 1940's my parents, well
known as Marge and Frank Elliston, remembered the dust bowl days of the 30's well.
"Dirty 30's" my Mom called them; "The
Depression" was Dad's common term. Tum-
bleweeds, drought and hunger ravaged
through the plains with anger and rage. They
survived those days of hardship with starnina
and courage. As we unravel the tales of yarn,
�Lumberyard, Apartment Houses, and owned
and operated the Case Dealership under
"J.F. Elliston and Sons." In 1947 they bought
and moved to a place in Eureka, Kansas. Jim
was 12 that year and drove one ofthe trucks
loaded with furniture. This venture found the
family rotating between Kansas, Flagler, and
the ranch north of Flagler, depending on
where the work demanded the most presence.
My first and only full sister was born in
Kansas on Apr. 11, 1948. It was in that big
old house in Kansas that Mom, while pregnant with Ruby Luceil, sat and watched the
big tree spiders make large webs of intricate
designs. Mom and Jim used to walk after the
cows in the evening. The handsized spiders
would swing from tree to tree, as Jim would
Children of Frank Elliston: Fred, Grace, George, Jim, Robert, Davie, Nancy, Scotty, Cordell, Ruby, Roy,
Dolly Mae, and Doug taken in 1970.
through the stories told by our parents and
their parents, we see how the cloth of our
family was woven. Sometimes there were only
threads ofhope, love, and faith entwined with
barbed wire, death and God's helping hand.
They started out their life together on their
property known to our family as the "Old
Thompson Place". The 3 youngest children
of Dad's former marriage lived with them,
Jim, Nancy and Robert. Situated just west of
the Arickaree Creek. 22 miles north of
Flagler, they resided until the house burned
down. Scotty Nathan, my eldest brother was
born on Oct. 6, 1941. When the tragic fire was
engulfing the house with flames, Mom remembers how she, Dad, and the hired hand
carried out the piano by themselves. The
basement contained
fuel for the winter,
cowchips and corncobs so it went down pretty
fast.
It
was cold out so Mom thought she
would leave Scotty in the house to keep warm
while they carried out the piano, but Jim got
worried and wrapped the baby up and carried
him to the safety of the car. Having more than
one house enabled them to move to a house
we called the "Joe Eckert Place." Grandad
and Granny Elliston lived just north of there
on the "Home Place". Almost a year later my
second brother Davie McClellan, was born on
Oct. 13, 1942. Davie was born with the
opening to his stomach closed, causing the
need for much attention and special care. He
was the 5th child under about 7 years old in
the household. With much consideration for
the baby's health, they decided that he could
be given that special care staying with
Grandad and Granny. When they retired and
moved back to Oklahoma, he went with them.
It was during the Depression that people
could no longer stand up to the harsh
environment. People fled the country in
droves leaving behind acres and acres of
windswept barren land. The government
took over much of this land and later on sold
it off. I remember Dad saying many times, of
how he bought land for $1.00 an acre during
those days.
My third eldest brother was born at home
on Aug. 19, 1945. God brought them their
first blond haired, blue eyed baby boy,
Charles Cordell. Between raising kids, cattle,
horses and chickens, and farming about 4000
acres they kept pretty busy. Roy Pearl, my
fourth eldest brother was born on Sept. 19,
1946. It was that winter that Colorado
seemed to have been swallowed whole by a
ferocious blizzard. They had over 1200 head
of cattle that there was no feed for. as it was
covered by almost 4 feet of snow. Desperately
trying to find a solution, Dad realized he had
to get the cattle off the ranch and into Flagler
to the railroad station. Mom remembers it
took Dad, the hired hand and some of the
boys 4 days to get to town. (Only about 25
miles). They drove a D-7 Caterpillar to make
tracks in the snow for the cattle to follow and
some of the boys followed behind the cattle
on horseback. Alot of folks were shut in for
weeks so the "Cat" made them a nice track.
Neighbors were known to have watched the
cattle go by their houses for 5 hours. One
neighbor was said to have had to stand out
in her yard waving a dish towel to keep the
cattle from getting
in her yard.
Finally
reaching Flagler, there were no trains. Dad
had to call the Governor and convince him
that he had to have 31 railroad cars, quick,
to load the cattle on. The cattle were so
hungry they ate at the sides of the sale barn.
The Governor took 2 days to get the cattle
cars there. (A display is said to be at one of
the museums in Denver, Colorado, of this
event). Cattle loaded on the trains, Dad sent
the hired hand and some of the boys back to
the ranch on the "Cat". Mom said she was
ever so glad to see that old "Cat" coming
down the road with groceries, as food supplies
were getting pretty low. The cattle were put
on corn fields in Iowa and some perhaps
Illinois.
During the years to follow Dad bought
property in Flagler, known as the "Sloans
Addition". He and Mom moved into town
and lived in the "Yellow House". While
moving back and forth from the ranch and
town he bought the Flagler Sale Barn, the
tease Mom that the spiders wouldn't hurt
anyone. "The little things would land on you
and jump right off' he would say. That is
until the day one of them jumped on his back.
White as a sheet he turned. Mom recalls with
a hint of amusement on her face. My fifth and
last brother, red haired and freckled, Douglas
Franklin enhanced the family on June 22,
1949. Doug and Ruby always used to argue
whose "Reka" it was. Your reka or my reka.
It was in'55 or'56 that found them selling
the place in Kansas to return to Flagler. By
that time most of the businesses they had in
Flagler were no longer in operation, although
most of the property was retained until after
Dad's death. I being the youngest of the ?
living children was born in the Flagler
Hospital Apr. 4, 1957. As I allow my mind to
walk slowly through the pages of my past, I
remember sitting by -y Mom's side in the
winter time. I would watch her darn socks and
patch overalls andjeans, and listen quietly as
she spoke of her childhood. The winters were
cold and harsh abreasting the seemingly God-
forsaken plains. With old fashioned irons
heated in the coal stove to keep the beds
warm at night, Mom said that there were
times when the only source of food was the
squirrels and jack rabbits her Dad had
trapped and hunted, along with small rations
of ground corn from the summers' minimal
harvest. Before they had electricity the meats
were hung out in the smoke house to cure or
Granny would can it. "We were in God's care
though, and Mom would always read the
Bible to us", Mom would say. The most
precious memories I hold are those times
spent on Sunday afternoons after church at
Thurman, Colorado. Our families would
gather either at our house or at Grandad
Wright's to have lunch and sing the Gospel
or other old fashioned songs. Those afternoons were always a festivity with cousins,
aunts and uncles gathered around the piano
singing and playing the fiddles. The kids
would play games like "Red Light-Green
Light", "Red Rover-Red Rover" and "Simon
Says". Dad and Grandad always played the
fiddles and the aunts would sing and play the
piano. One of my favorites was the "Red
River Valley", which Grandad played on the
harmonica. A blessing from God indeed, is
that of the closeness felt at the family
gatherings of those long-ago Sunday afternoons.
During the week at home there were always
chores to be tended. Living on such a big
ranch seemed to invent things to do. At
various times we employed hired hands that
lived in one of the 5 houses on the ranch. At
one time Jim and his family moved back on
the ranch to help with all of the work.
�just as he does his own natural
Between Cordell's 8th and 9th grade, Dad
kept him at home from school for a year to
help with the work. Before some of us kids
were old enough to brand cattle and drive the
guidance
children.
tractor, we found time to build forts out of
stacked fence posts and sometimes even
tumbleweeds. With Jim's kids there we even
had enough kids for regular Indian battles.
We also used to get our summer fun out of
swimming in the various ponds and playing
"King on the Mountain" in the hay lofts in
the barns. In the evenings was a special time
aftcr the older kids came in from the fields,
we would all play "Hide and Seek". Work
sometimes hard to get everyone rounded up
but it strengthens that family cloth ever
more.
The Elliston families try to get together
each year for a family reunion. This is
by Dolly Mae Elliston
ELLSWORTH - REED
FAMILY
couldn't elude anyone though as in the spring
it was time to bring in cattle from the
pastures and sort them for the cattle sales.
Also the heifers needed to be put in corrals
for calving. Pent safely in the wooden corrals
that we all helped to build you could hear the
cattle rebel at night of their sudden enclosure. Along with the bellows deep in the
night, one could hear the coyotes howling at
the moon. Those coyotes seemed to be right
outside the bedroom window. There were
always fence rows to mend; wires broken from
the winter's heavy snow and new fences to
put in, old ones moved or taken out. Moving
a 2 mile fence is something everyone should
have the opportunity to do at least once in
their lifetime! Summer soon to follow found
Mom and us kids in the garden. Mom would
direct us where to spade spots for many
vegetables for canning. We didn't mind the
blisters too much, knowing that Dad would
put in several rows of strawberries. There
is nothing better than fresh strawberries on
also
top of fresh buttered bread, dipped in
Granny's fresh cream! (We didn't have it too
bad!)
The most historical building on the ranch
was what we called the "Old Soddy". A Soddy
is a building the early settlers built when they
first
cnme to the west. Sod was dug from the
pastures and homes were built by layering a
row of sod and sod mixed with mud and water
to form a paste to seal the next layer. The
Soddy at one time even contained a grinding
mill that connected to a nearby wind mill.
F185
Gene Ellsworth, expert sharp-shooter.
Sherman and Clara Ellsworth and son Lee. Lee was
born at their new homestead five months after
arriving at their homestead in Colorado.
On April 13, 1906, Sherman and Clara
(Reed) Ellsworth anived at Burlington, from
their former home in Norton, Kansas, via the
Rock Island train. The Ellsworths' along with
the Feese and Mills stayed three nights in a
large tent near the stockyards, while they
waited for the boxcars containing their
livestock, wagons, buggy and household
goods to be unloaded.
They left their 10 year old son Clarence,
with his sister Roysten, in Norton, so he could
finish his school term. In a letter Clara wrote
to Clarence after they arrived in Burlington,
she writes that one could see for miles from
Burlington. She states that there were 1000
head of sheep in the stockyards.
This was at one time used to grind grain.
My Dad passed away on Apr. 3, 1970. At
On Easter morning, they started their
journey to their homestead on the NE % of
that time he had 8000 ranch acres and several
properties in Flagler. My brother Doug was
killed in a harvest truck accident on Aug. 5,
Sec. 18-11-44 southwest ofBurlington. Their
1971, leaving
his wife Darlene and
one
daughter Waiva Louceil. Scotty and Beverly
had 5 children, Wade, John, Craig, Debra and
Jessie. Davie and Kay had 2 children, Erin
and Reece. Cordell and Kathy had 2 children,
Jayce and Kami. Ruby and Al Dieckman had
2 children, Julie and Jenni. I have 3 children,
Laurie Wilcox, Lonnie and Jennifer Vincent.
All we have left of those precious days on
the ranch are memories embedded in our
minds forever. Some faded pictures and a few
reel
to reel tapes have recorded a
deep
personal gratification of life. Our families are
scattered around the world now. and distances seem so vast. From the Middle East,
to Alaska, Texas to Iowa and Arizona the
threads of our parents' love is stretched.
Mom has shown true spirit to the area
though, as she still resides in Flagler. She
calmly states as she wans a friendly smile,
"This is my home". Remarried in 1973 to
Floyd Rowe, they share their golden lives
together in their new home west of Flagler.
In the absence of our natural father, Floyd
has given each of us strength, support and
tff
daughter and son-in-law, Walter and Cora
Feese homesteaded what they thought was
the SW % of Sec. 18-11-44. but when the land
was resurveyed, they found that their home
was on the wrong section.
Sherman and Clara had four children:
Roysten Matthies, Cora Feese, Clarence and
Lee. Lee was born five months after they
arrived at their Colorado home.
by Shirley Matthies
ELLSWORTH,
THOMAS EUGENE
F186
"Listen my children and you shall hear, Of
the midnight ride of Paul Revere; On the
eighteenth of April, '75, Hardly a man is now
alive who Remembers that famous day and
year, And the midnight ride of Paul Revere."
And hardly a man is now alive who
remembers a day much later
April 18,
1850. On
- Yankee
that day a Pennsylvania
and his English-born wife were delighted by
the arrival of a son. The boy was christened
Thomas Eugene Ellsworth. His father was
A.C. Ellsworth, and his mother's maiden
name was Elizabeth Jellus. This all took place
at Paris, Linn County, Iowa. There, the young
man remained until the year 1896. In boy-
hood young Gene learned the trade of
tinsmith, a trade at which he worked for
many years, and to which, in 1890, he added
that of gunsmithing. A natural thing for him,
since at an early age he became a proficient
marksman with shotgun and rifle.
So expert had he become, that the Winchester Arms Co. employed him as traveling
demonstrator. He thus beco-e known all
over the United States. In the many matches
in which he entered he became acquainted
with and was often pitted against such world
famous gunners as; Carver, Bogardus,
Topperwein, Hardy, Mrs. Toppenwein, Cal
Wagner (winner of the National match and
a $14,000.00 purse), and others.
In 1874, Mr. Ellsworth was married to
Annie Brooks of Sumner, Iowa. Their first
two children died, a boy at the age of 2, and
a daughter at 7 weeks. Other children were;
Frank and Ralph, both on the police force of
Long Beach, Calif., Jessie, who was a sergeant
in the World War, and later a farmer on a
large scale near Aberdeen, South Dakota, and
a daughter Hazel, now Mrs. Webster.
The first Mrs. Ellsworth died at their home
in Fairbury, Nebr. Two years later, Mr.
Ellsworth again married, this time at Center,
Nebr., his wife being Mrs. Mattie H. Lickey,
whose maiden name was Wanderluss.
In 1911, he came to Colorado, land seeking.
He returned to Nebr. and bought a relinquishment, of John Hanis. Mrs. Bllsworth
continued her occupation of nurse in Fairbury, Nebr., for five years.
They came to Seibert, Colo., in 1917, to
their home 8 miles south and 3 W. of Seibert.
On their farm they went in for dairy cattle,
horses, hogs and chickens, at which they
prospered until the bad years.
Mrs. Ellsworth died April 14, 1937, and
in
soon after he moved into Seibert. He lived
�the house built by Roy Johnson, in the west
part of town.
by Janice Salmans
ELRICK, CLYDE AND
LULU
F187
Clyde Elrick was the youngest son of Scott
and Margaret Elrick of Iowa. Clyde's parents'
history was entered in the Marshall County
Historybook in Iowaas beingin awagon train
to California in the Gold Rush of 1849. In
Utah, their wagon and occupants, along with
three other wagons chose to withdraw from
the wagon train and take another route. The
original wagon train continued on the planned route where the entire train was massa-
cred by Indians.
Lulu (LaRue) Elrick, whose parents,
Edward and Jennie LaRue, came to Colorado
first from Minnesota, settling north of Flagler, near where Clyde and Lulu settled in
1915. Clyde and Lulu came from Minnesota
with five children: Carol, Hazel, Jennie,
Lonnie and Wilma. Three of us were born in
Florence, Violet and Rozella.
Colorado
We were- raised in a four room house with
no modern conveniences. The house was
heated by a cook (coal) stove and a parlor
furnace, also heated by coal.
We attended school in a one room schoolhouse called "Dazzling Valley" in School
District No. 14. We attended the first eight
grades there, later attending high school in
Flagler. Since 1927, several Elricks have
graduated from the Flagler High School.
Farming in the early years was done by
horse drawn machinery, later tractors were
added. There were years when drouth and
hail took the crops. We also survived the
"dust bowl" days.
ning was done. Pork and beefwere butchered
and preserved for later use. Eggs, milk, cream
and butter were supplied from the farm. On
our farm was a cellar or cave which
Kirk;
Rozella and John Beatty: Beverly Farley.
by Florence Gries
was
concrete lined with shelves for canned goods
and bins for potatoes, apples and vegetables.
It also doubled as a storm shelter in case of
tornadoes or severe storms which threatened
some times. Staples and supplies were bought
at Flagler. They were transported by a horse
drawn wagon and later by automobiles.
Our entertainment in our young years were
school plays, box suppers, gatherings where
the neighbor women took the food and had
ENGLAND, CIIARLES
AND HATTIE UHL
Ft88
quilting parties, the men visited, pitched
horseshoes, played cards or played and
watched baseball games. At one time the
Elricks had their own baseball team which
consisted of family members, also in-laws and
grandchildren. There are many yet who are
avid sport fans with the younger ones still
participating in one sport or the other.
Raymond Elrick, the oldest grandson and
his wife, Imogene, still reside on a ranch and
farm near the original Elrick farm.
Clyde and Lulu retired in 1944 in Flagler
on the place now owned by their daughter,
Jennie Potter. Rozella Beatty also resides in
Flagler and yours truly, Florence (Peggy)
Gries resides in the Golden area. We, in 1985,
are the remaining three of the eight children.
Following are the sons and daughters of
Clyde and Lulu Elrick:
Carrol and Elsie (Lake) Elrick: Raymond,
Scotty (deceased), Williem, James (deceased), Caroline Farmer, and Donald;
Hazel and Gale Kelley: Robert, Shirley
Herbert and Jerald;
Jennie and Glenn Potter: Betty Dalgetty
',
Charles L. England and his grandsons, Robert C.
and Jeffery Doyle Coles.
(deceased) and Harold;
Lonnie and Opal (Charles) Elrick Allen,
Gary, Linda Green and Sherry;
Wilma and Pearl Johnson;
Florence and Albert Horst: Keith Horst:
Florence married Edward Gries;
Violet and Murle Haworth: Calvin and
Gardens were raised every year and can-
t$tiiiig,rffi
r"
1
.
'
Charles England was born near Piedmont,
Missouri to John and Lusetta England in
1887. His first trip to Colorado was in 1910
when he and his brother Bill worked on a
cattle ranch near Lamar, Colorado. He
rejoined his family in Kansas in 1914 and
married Hattie Uhl in August of 1914. They
returned to Lamar for a short period and then
returned to Kansas where he stayed until
1950. In December of 1928, Hattie died of
diabetes leaving Charlie to raise two daughters and a son.
In 1950 Charles, his daughter Franceis and
his son-in-law Doyle Coles moved to land
purchased near Stratton Colorado. Before
leaving Kansas they bought a 55 Massy
Harris tractor, Jeffery chisel, John Deere
1620 drill, Massy Harris one way, and a 1000
propane tank and hauled it all to the old
Kordes place west of Stratton on a 1947
Chevy truck. A good crop in 1951 and a fair
crop in 1952 were followed by bad years
forcing Doyle and Franceis to return to
Kansas.
Charles continued on the farm, hanging on
by selling land and making minimal crops
until 1959 when good years began to return
and Doyle and Franceis were able to come
back to Stratton.
Charles left the farm in 1961 moving to
Stratton where he purchased a small home
and remodeled it, living there until his death
on November 5, 1962.
Charles and Hattie had three children:
Charles of Port Angeles, Washington, MaxThe Clyde Elrick Family in 1940. Front Row: Florence, Clyde, Lulu, Rozella. Back Row: Hazel, Lonnie,
Jennie, Violet, Carrol, and Wilma.
�ine Herd of Protection, Kansas and Franceis
Coles of Stratton, Colorado.
by Robet and Linda Coles
EPPERSON
- MILLER
FAMILY
F189
time, so we sold the farm and moved to town.
Since my father was out working most of the
time and didn't want me to be alone, he asked
Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Gibson, who printed The
Flagler Progress, a weekly newspaper, if I
could help in their office - no pay expected,
of course.
The old round-up days were almost over
when I first remember anything. There were
no fences. In the spring cattle were branded
and turned loose to pasture and they strayed
as far south as the Union Pacific Railroad.
About the last round-up days, I remember,
the men stayed and slept in the loft of our
barn and started on their trip real early.
Soon after, people began buying herds of
sheep and fences were built. That caused
some hard feelings between them and cattlemen.
I have very fond memories of my parents.
My father served on the school board, helped
in our church activities and served as Kit
Carson County Commissioner. My mother
was a very kind mother.
After my first week with the Gibsons at
The Flagler Progress, they began paying me
$10.00 a week. a small fortune then. The
printing office was one of the most interesting
jobs I ever had.
Then after that I went to work for W.H.
Lavington in his General Store, that was also
very interesting. Farmers drove in from miles
in the country, a day's trip with team and
wagon. They would leave a long grocery list
with us to fill. We would have it ready to go
Edley Thomas Epperson and his bride, Nina Mae
Miller Epperson, married December 25, 1892, in
the first wedding in the Flagler Congregational
Church.
My father, Edley Thomas Epperson came
west from Galesburg,Ill., where he was born
on March 11, 1864. He was working for the
Rock Island Railroad being built at that time.
In Flagler, he met my mother, Nina Mae
Miller, who was born in Kansas. They were
married Dec. 25, 1892, the first wedding
performed
in the First
Congregational
Church building. They decided to make their
home there and started on a cattle ranch four
miles south of Flagler, near the Republican
River.
My brother, Roy and sister, Retta and I
were born there in a sod house. I was born on
April 4, 1900. My sister and I were baptized
in the Republican River about 1906. My
brother was later baptized
Church in Denver.
in a
Baptist
We attended school in Flagler. Our grand-
father drove a covered wagon which was
transportation for us and a few neighbors.
One
of Colorado's blizzards stranded
the
wagon away from home. The folks spent a
sleepless, worrying night, since there were no
telephones. The next day, the wagon was
safely home after spending the night at a
neighbor's.
So before I started to school, my folks
bought a small place close to Flagler, located
about where the M&S Garage was located for
so many years. We lived there in the winter
and went back to the ranch in the summer.
My mother passed away at an early age in
1911, and my sister in 1913. My brother was
older and at that time was gone most of the
by about 6 a.m. the next day. Then they had
a long trip going home.
Later Mr. Lavington turned the store over
to his son, Leon, and he went full time to the
Flagler State Bank of which he was president.
He asked me to go to work there. Although
I didn't want to leave the store, my father
thought I should go. So I spent many years
at the bank.
During the years ahead, times were hard.
Then in 1933, President Roosevelt ordered all
banks closed, I believe, for three days. After
that time was up, only about three banks
reopened in the county, the First National
Bank being one of them.
Subsequently Jennie married Dan
Schlagle, who had come to work for the Rock
Island Railroad, sometime during the 1920's
and probably quit work to raise a family.
Their son, Dick, is a 1948 graduate of Flagler
High School.
Dick started to school in the same building
where Jennie had started school many years
before. (The brick school building had replaced the frame building when built, but later
the frame building was put into use again for
the lower grades as enrollment increased).
After the beginning of WWII, some time in
the 1940's, Jennie went back to the First
National Bank to work and continued until
her retirement.
Then she went to live with her son. Dick
and wife, in the Kansas City area (Raytown,
Missouri) where she cared for two little
granddaughters, while their parents worked.
The "little girls" are now grown and there
are two great granddaughters for Jennie to
enjoy, now that she is nearly 88 years of age.
by Jennie Epperson Schlagle
ERNEST, HARRY
Fr90
Harry Ernest was born February 15, 1895
near Goshen, Indiana, the youngest son of
Alfred (1852-1936) and Dorinda
(Fones)
(1854-1934) Ernest. Alfred's ancestry was
German. Harry's great, great grandfather,
Conrad Ernest (1763-1815) came from Germany; his great grandfather, Conrad Ernest
(1797 -1847) was born in Cumberland County,
Pennsylvania; his grandfather, George Washington Ernest (1820-1897) was born in
Tyrone Twp., Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, now Perry County; his father, Alfred,
was born near Goshen, Indiana.
Harry's mother, Dorinda, was born near
Tonawanda, New York. Her ancestry was
French. Her grandfather, William Fones
(1764-1839) fought in the Revolutionary War
from North Kingston, Rhode Island; and her
father, John Fones (1795-1885), was born
near Schenectady, New York.
After living in South Carolina and Oklahoma, Harry moved with his parents to the
sandhills of Nebraska and there met his wife,
Ida Rhodes. They were married on Christmas
Day 1916 in her parent's home north of
Lewellen. Later the next year they moved
into a sod house five miles northeast of
Oshkosh, Nebraska where four of the children were born. In 1917 Hauy bought a new
Model T Ford with side curtains for about
$600. Harry raised hogs and farmed there
until 1925. His father, Alfred, owned a
quarter of land on the plains of eastern
Colorado eleven miles southwest of Burlington. He deeded the land to Harry in
exchange for their taking care of his parents
in their latter
years. So the Harry Ernest
family moved with five horses, a cow, and
some furniture. We lived with a neighbor,
Cash Locke, until my father and a friend,
Hugh Bennett of Burlington, built a tworoom cement house on the quarter of land.
We then went on a six-week trip to the east
coast. I remember many things about that
trip
as my twin brother, Elvin, and
seven years old.
I
were
My father started breaking sod, getting
to farm. He bought two registered
ready
Hereford cows and through the years built
the herd to around 100 registered Hereford
cattle. His specialty was selling registered
Hereford bulls to the Denver Stock Show and
also to private individuals. He spent many
hours weighting their horns and getting them
ready for the Show. It paid off as he came
home with lots of blue ribbons and sales.
Harry's parents came to live with us in
1928. He had to build two more rooms on to
our home. Then came the great Depression
and the dirt storms! The grass was too dry to
grow so for a while Harry salted down
Russian thistles to feed the cattle. but he
finally had to truck them to pasture on his
father-in-law's place up by North Platte,
Nebraska. One day the wind would blow
white dust from the north and the next day
it would change directions and blow red dust
up from Oklahoma and Texas.
Our faith was strong in God and
we
depended on Him to take care of us during
those years. We didn't realize how really bad
it was. We were a happy family. We attended
the Calvary Church of the Nazarene, eleven
miles southwest of our place. So many people
moved away after losing their farms and some
�died of dust pneumonia. My father had to
mortgage our place and at times we thought
we would lose it but managed to hang on to
it. Finally he brought the cattle back and
sometime later he put in an irrigation well.
Through the years he managed to buy eight
more quarters of land and rented
some
besides.
We had some exciting things happen once
in a while on the farm even though we had
no electricity, phone, or radio. Charles Lindberg was flying his plane, which he had been
getting ready to fly across the Atlantic, and
as he came over our pasture south ofthe barn,
his plane developed some kind of trouble. We
read "The Spirit of St. Louis" on the side of
his plane. He was flying so low it scared the
cattle and he had to gain altitude to miss
hitting the barbed wire fence. We read about
it in the newspaper afterwards.
Harry prospered through the years and in
1959 my parents moved to the Ardueser place
a mile south of Bethune. They lived there for
1? years and then had a new home built at
1798 Lowell Avenue
in Burlington.
They
moved there in 1975.
Harry worked very hard through the years
and it came time for him to retire from the
farm. He sold his beautiful cattle to a rancher
in Wyoming and had a sale of many of the
farm things. A renter has farmed the land
now for several years and another irrigation
well has been added. My folks raise mostly
wheat, pinto beans, and corn now, but have
had sugar beets in the past when the sugar
beet factory was thriving. (Harry Ernest
passed away quietly in his sleep form a heart
attack on September 1, 1986 at the age of91
years. He and his wife would celebrate their
?0th wedding Anniversary on Christmas Day
1986.
by Eleanor (Ernest) Varce
have had four great grandchildren. She is
after.
always put others first in her thoughts.
Ernest were married as well as sometime
Then Harry and Ida moved northeast of
Oshkosh, Nebraska into another sod house.
On March 11, 1918 Elvin and I (Eleanor) were
born
one month premature. The doctor
- parents
not to expect me to live, we
told my
were both very tiny. There were six pairs of
twins born in that community that year and
all of them died who were both twin boys or
both twin girls.
Another baby boy, Stanford, came to bless
our home on November 13, 1920; and on
February 23, 1924 Paul was born. He weighed
more than the twins both together.
The twins started to school in the first
grade, but went only six weeks when they
both got measles, and mother taught us at
home until we started in the fourth grade at
Prairie Star in 1926 south of Bethune,
Colorado.
One of the hardest things during the
Depression to contend with was to have
enough clothes to wear. But Mother always
found a way. She made a lot ofour clothes out
of feed sacks, even a lot of our sheets for our
beds came from sacks. We always had enough
to eat since we lived on the farm, but we had
a real problem getting much of a variety to
put on the table. We couldn't always have
much garden because of shortage of water
since the stock needed it, until we got a large
storage tank and then we could irrigate it.
When we did have a big garden Mother
canned and canned. Since we didn't have
electricity, she had to can most of the meat;
of course. we cured the hams and bacon.
Another real problem was to get enough
fuel to keep us warm or to cook with. There
weren't any trees to cut down. So many times
Mother and we children went out into the
ERNEST, IDA
(RI{ODES)
there were very few trees with which to build
homes. Ida went to Norton, Kansas to take
several weeks of normal training in order to
teach in the country schools. She taught in
the school east of them before she and Harry
F191
pasture with gunny sacks to gather cow chips.
It took many sacks to bake bread twice a week
and get all the meals. Later on we were able
to buy a little coal and a few old railroad ties
to burn.
Ida Rhodes was born August 18, 1893 near
Westboro, Missouri, the second daughter of
George (1868-1955) and Lydia (Johnson)
(1869-1943) Rhodes. Ida's great, great grandfather, Caleb Rhodes (1739-f830) was born
in Schylkill County, Pennsylvania; her great
grandfather, Lewis Rhodes (U98-1886) wag
born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania; her
grandfather John Rhodes (1827-1875) was
also born in Mercer County, Pennsylvania
and was in the Civil War; and her father,
George Rhodes, was born in Stark County,
Illinois.
On December 7, 1934 our baby sister, Irene,
was born, but she didn't live but two weeks.
I wanted a
That was a sad time for all us
baby sister so very much.
-
Then on July 20, 1936, Leland came to
bless our home. How happy we all were! Since
was 18 I had to be his first nurse as all
Mother's children were born at home.
most of
The children have scattered
them graduated from college and-did graduate work. Elvin and Stanford went into the
ministry. We were all saddened when Elvin
I
passed away
with cancer on October 7, 1973
Ida's mother, Lydia Johnson, was born
near Gentry, Missouri. Her grandfather,
Joseph Wesley Johnson (1832-1910) was
born in Fayette County, Pennsylvania; her
great grandfather, Wesley Johnson (18091837) was born in Fayeteville, Pennsylvania
and died while young in a logging accident.
After living in Iowa for several years, Ida
with her parents and brother and sister
moved to Orleans, Nebraska where she
while pastoring at Royal City, Washington.
He had pastored for 30 years or more. Paul
has irrigated farms in the State of Wash-
home north of Lewellen, Nebraska. All the
families around there lived in sod houses as
teaching.
finished high school. When she was around
20, they moved on west in Nebraska to the
sandhills. Her father rented a farm with a sod
ington. Leland, the youngest, got his Doctor's
degree in Botany at the University of Iowa
and taught in the Science department in our
College in Massachusetts. I did my graduate
work at the University of Colorado and
taught in our College in Nampa, Idaho as
head of the Secretarial Department. I
married a minister, got another under-graduate major in Home Economics and taught 16
more years, making a total of 20 years of
Harry and Ida have 9 grandchildren and
still
raising a garden, canning and sharing. She
does most of her work at the age of 93 in 1986.
She has been a very devoted wife and mother,
attending church faithfully, has
is still
worked very hard through the years, and
by Eleanor (Ernest) Varce
EVANS - GRIFFITHS
FAMILY
F192
John P. Evans, a young bachelor, first cnrne
to eastern Colorado in the fall of 1886 from
Columbus Junction, Iowa. He was told to "go
West to the dry prairie country" by a doctor
in Iowa who treated him for bronchitis and
a lingering cough.
He filed on a homestead and pre-emption
southwest of Idalia in what was then Arapahoe County. This county extended from the
Kansas line to Denver and was about thirty
miles wide. Later several counties were
formed from a division of Arapahoe County,
among them Washington and Yuma. John P.
built a dugout home. There were no wells the
first winter and water had to be hauled from
the Republican River, about eight miles.
He had met a young lady, Elizabeth
Griffiths through a mutual friend, and they
had corresponded several years. Elizabeth
lived with her father and brothers in Macon
County, Missouri.
In
1893, he returned to
Missouri to marry Elizabeth. It is interesting
that her father would not give his consent to
the marriage unless John P. agreed to try
farming in Missouri for a year. The prize was
worth the demand to John. and on Christmas
day, 1893, John P. Evans and Elizabeth
Griffiths were married and settled down to
the very different environment of "Muddy
Missouri".
John kept his promise to his father-in-law
and farmed in Missouri for a year. Their first
child, Anne, was born in October, 1894, and
about six weeks after her birth John and
Elizabeth prepared to return to his prairie
home. They came by rail with some household furnishings, a barrel or two of apples,
dried fruits and a hogshead (a large wooden
tub) packed with homechurned butter.
The years that followed were years of hard
work, battling the elements of drouth, winds
and hail. A second daughter, Mary Elizabeth,
was born on the homestead in the summer of
1897. They were accumulating some cattle
and settlers were coming in to take homesteads. Rangeland, on which the cattleman
depended to graze his herds, was disappearing and they felt the need to get where prairie
was more grass.
In addition to the homestead near Idalia,
John had taken a timber claim about thirty
miles south in what is now Kit Carson
County. It was to this land that they moved
to accommodate their growing herd of cattle.
They added more land as they were able.
Three more daughters were born to them,
Margaret Alice in 1900, Elsie S. in 1904 who
died in 1905 and Grace Eleanor in 1907.
They built up their cattle herds, developed
their land and reared their children, but they
were always ready to lend a hand for the good
their community. From being kind
and
�helpful neighbors to serving on the school
board and helping organized Sunday schools,
their influence was felt in many ways in the
betterment of their community. They believed firmly in the value of education beyond
conventional schooling and encouraged their
children to read and develop their minds.
Daily newspapers and magazines were always
in their home.
Life
was not always
unrelenting hard labor.
As the land was more settled there were
neighbors to visit with and make friendships.
They had an interesting group of neighbors.
Young men and women seeking new free
land, a hillbilly farmer from Tennessee who
never did understand the prairie, and a
cultured widow from eastern Nebraska.
There is a humorous story about this widow.
She lived in a "shack" like everyone else, but
she maintained a life style more suited to the
east. The story goes that a minister from
Stratton cnme to call on her one morning. the
widow Loveland was doing some baking and
was pretty "floury" and
in her
everyday
house dress. The minister knocked at her
screen door, introducing himself, for she was
in plain sight in the kitchen. After a few
minutes he heard a cultured voice say, "Mrs.
Loveland is not receiving this morning". [t
was told that the minister turned, scratched
his head and slowly went back to his buggy
and drove the long miles to town.
For entertainment they had "Literary
Societies" which met in the schoolhouse on
a Friday night, usually. Everyone who had a
talent would use it for the entertainment,
debates were popular and the social value of
meeting and visiting were probably the
greatest value.
John and Elizabeth bought more land for
his growing cattle herd and also had more
farm land. He was proud in 1923 of raising
someone in the neighborhood would
fill
his
wagon from the then plentiful supply of
buffalo bones on the prairies, collect the
letters neighbors had ready for mailing to
friends and relatives "back East", and make
the thirty-five mile trip to the
After several years of batching on the
plains of eastern Colorado, he returned to
Missouri to marry his sweetheart, Elizabeth
M. Griffith. With his bride he began farming
in Missouri, but the call of the prairies was
too strong and about a year later they
returned to the homestead in eastern Colo-
In the fall of 1886, when he was a young
bachelor of twenty-four, my father, John P.
Evans, heard the call of the boundless West,
the call for pioneers who would dare follow
the star of empire that guided into the land
which has, verily, become the Promised Land
of our great county.
Arriving in Colorado from Iowa where he
had spent his young manhood, he filed on a
homestead and preemption near Idalia, in
what was then Arapahoe County, with Denver as the county seat. Arapahoe County wag
then approximately thirty miles across and
one hundred fifty miles long, extending to the
Kansas line. Latcr several counties were
formed from a division of this county, among
them Washington and Yuma.
Kit
Carson
County was at one time a part of Elbert
County.
When family larders needed replenishing,
ili:r':t :
'
'
In addition to the homestead and preemption near Idalia he had a timber claim about
thirty miles south of Idalia, which he had
traded off for a cow when he became discouraged during the panic of'93 and the dry
years following. Later he bought this land
back for $125.00, and it was here they moved
when they felt the need of more grassland for
their growing herd ofcattle, gradually adding
more land as they were able.
It was during these years they becnme the
parents of five daughters, one of whom died
in infancy. Ownership of the old home ranch
now rests with the four daughters.
The years they spent on the ranch, rearing
a family, building their cattle herd and
developing the land, were busy years. But he
and his wife were never too busy to lend a
hand in the upbuilding of their community,
to being kind and helpful neighbors to those
about them, to serving ou the school board,
and develop their minds.
No story of a pioneer cattleman would be
complete without the part played by his wife,
who suffered the privations of a harsh life
gladly, bearing her children many miles from
Fl93
',l
F194
rado.
in 1938 at age 72. Ownership of the
ranch rests with her daughter, Grace Evans
Weybright, of Liberal, KS.
EVANS, JOHN P.
FAMILY
hauled eight miles from the Republican
Their influence was felt in many areas in the
betterment of their community. They had a
firm belief in the value of education beyond
the conventional schooling and encouraged
their children and those about them to read
by Grace Evans Weybright
FANSELAU BAMESBERGER
River.
and helping to organize Sunday Schools.
She died
Stratton, Colorado
nearest
1924,
In
in
by Mary Evans
railroad town, Haigler, Nebraska, where he
would dispose ofthe bones, purchase supplies
and collect the mail for the neighborhood.
There were no wells that first winter, and as
with supplies and mail, water had to be
still on the ranch and still working vigorously,
he died of a heart ailment, "in the harness"
as he wished to go. His widow leased the
ranch the following year and spent her last
years in Stratton with her daughter, Mary.
10,000 bushels of corn on the place.
more comfortably
joined him in 1938.
a
doctor's care, nursing those children
through severe illnesses, usually without
benefit ofthe doctor, for the horse and buggy
transportation was slow and calls on the
doctor were many. The pioneer wife and
mother was on the alert for snake bites and
accidents of all kinds, and if they occurred
she had to keep her head and know how to
meet any emergency. Once when a new
building was being erected, her five year old
daughter suffered a scalp wound from a
falling rafter; my mother snlmly sterilized a
needle and with white silk thread sutured the
of any
anesthetic. Too much praise cannot be given
these pioneer wivee and mothers who worked
beside their husbands building a home and
community.
wound skillfully without benefit
Perhaps the greatest reward of these
in seeing the development of
this land from bare prairie with "dugout"
pioneers was
homes to fine productive ranches and farms.
John P. Evans, having seen this transformation of the prairie, passed on in 1924, still on
the ranch and "in the harness" as he wished
to go. His widow, spending her last years
Henry and Lillie Fanselau, taken in 1932.
Henry Fanselau was born February
1890, south of Idalia, Colorado near the
28,
Kit
Carson County line. He was the seventh child
born to German immigrant parents, August
and Wilhemina (Wolff) Fanselau. Three of
his sistere died in infancy and one sister died
at the age of nine of diphtheria in 1893. She
was buried in what was known at that time
as the Hedinger Cemetery, which is gituated
on the Yuma County line and two miles west
of Highway 385. At that time there was a
small Lutheran Church near the cemetery.
About this time the family moved 8 miles
North and 2 east of Bethune. Henry's sisters
Katie and Minnie Fanselau, married brothers; Gottlieb and Fred Bauder.
Henry and his only brother Edward, three
years younger than he, attended Blue View,
a one room public elementar5r school. For a
time they attended church school at Immanuels Lutheran, which was two or three miles
from their home.
Lillie Bamesberger, adopted daughter of
Ferdinand and Dora BenegSttttt, was born
on February 18, 1893, in Denver, Colorado.
Her adoptive parents were also German
immigrants and moved from Denver to the
Bethune area a few miles from the Fanselaus.
The Bamesbergers also raised a foster son,
�
Dublin Core
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Title
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Families of Kit Carson County
Description
An account of the resource
Brief biographies of the founding families of Kit Carson County Colorado.
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Families- E
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Description
An account of the resource
A brief history of the founding families of Kit Carson County whose names begin with "E." As told in the book, History of Kit Carson County.
Type
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text
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Salmons, Janice
Hasart, Marlyn
Smith, Dorothy
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English
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History of Kit Carson County Volume 1
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Curtis Media
Subject
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History
Kit Carson County
Biography
Genealogy
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cc228efacb349af665586233b6ce422e
PDF Text
Text
helpful neighbors to serving on the school
board and helping organized Sunday schools,
their influence was felt in many ways in the
betterment of their community. They believed firmly in the value of education beyond
conventional schooling and encouraged their
children to read and develop their minds.
Daily newspapers and magazines were always
in their home.
Life
was not always
unrelenting hard labor.
As the land was more settled there were
neighbors to visit with and make friendships.
They had an interesting group of neighbors.
Young men and women seeking new free
land, a hillbilly farmer from Tennessee who
never did understand the prairie, and a
cultured widow from eastern Nebraska.
There is a humorous story about this widow.
She lived in a "shack" like everyone else, but
she maintained a life style more suited to the
east. The story goes that a minister from
Stratton cnme to call on her one morning. the
widow Loveland was doing some baking and
was pretty "floury" and
in her
everyday
house dress. The minister knocked at her
screen door, introducing himself, for she was
in plain sight in the kitchen. After a few
minutes he heard a cultured voice say, "Mrs.
Loveland is not receiving this morning". [t
was told that the minister turned, scratched
his head and slowly went back to his buggy
and drove the long miles to town.
For entertainment they had "Literary
Societies" which met in the schoolhouse on
a Friday night, usually. Everyone who had a
talent would use it for the entertainment,
debates were popular and the social value of
meeting and visiting were probably the
greatest value.
John and Elizabeth bought more land for
his growing cattle herd and also had more
farm land. He was proud in 1923 of raising
someone in the neighborhood would
fill
his
wagon from the then plentiful supply of
buffalo bones on the prairies, collect the
letters neighbors had ready for mailing to
friends and relatives "back East", and make
the thirty-five mile trip to the
After several years of batching on the
plains of eastern Colorado, he returned to
Missouri to marry his sweetheart, Elizabeth
M. Griffith. With his bride he began farming
in Missouri, but the call of the prairies was
too strong and about a year later they
returned to the homestead in eastern Colo-
In the fall of 1886, when he was a young
bachelor of twenty-four, my father, John P.
Evans, heard the call of the boundless West,
the call for pioneers who would dare follow
the star of empire that guided into the land
which has, verily, become the Promised Land
of our great county.
Arriving in Colorado from Iowa where he
had spent his young manhood, he filed on a
homestead and preemption near Idalia, in
what was then Arapahoe County, with Denver as the county seat. Arapahoe County wag
then approximately thirty miles across and
one hundred fifty miles long, extending to the
Kansas line. Latcr several counties were
formed from a division of this county, among
them Washington and Yuma.
Kit
Carson
County was at one time a part of Elbert
County.
When family larders needed replenishing,
ili:r':t :
'
'
In addition to the homestead and preemption near Idalia he had a timber claim about
thirty miles south of Idalia, which he had
traded off for a cow when he became discouraged during the panic of'93 and the dry
years following. Later he bought this land
back for $125.00, and it was here they moved
when they felt the need of more grassland for
their growing herd ofcattle, gradually adding
more land as they were able.
It was during these years they becnme the
parents of five daughters, one of whom died
in infancy. Ownership of the old home ranch
now rests with the four daughters.
The years they spent on the ranch, rearing
a family, building their cattle herd and
developing the land, were busy years. But he
and his wife were never too busy to lend a
hand in the upbuilding of their community,
to being kind and helpful neighbors to those
about them, to serving ou the school board,
and develop their minds.
No story of a pioneer cattleman would be
complete without the part played by his wife,
who suffered the privations of a harsh life
gladly, bearing her children many miles from
Fl93
',l
F194
rado.
in 1938 at age 72. Ownership of the
ranch rests with her daughter, Grace Evans
Weybright, of Liberal, KS.
EVANS, JOHN P.
FAMILY
hauled eight miles from the Republican
Their influence was felt in many areas in the
betterment of their community. They had a
firm belief in the value of education beyond
the conventional schooling and encouraged
their children and those about them to read
by Grace Evans Weybright
FANSELAU BAMESBERGER
River.
and helping to organize Sunday Schools.
She died
Stratton, Colorado
nearest
1924,
In
in
by Mary Evans
railroad town, Haigler, Nebraska, where he
would dispose ofthe bones, purchase supplies
and collect the mail for the neighborhood.
There were no wells that first winter, and as
with supplies and mail, water had to be
still on the ranch and still working vigorously,
he died of a heart ailment, "in the harness"
as he wished to go. His widow leased the
ranch the following year and spent her last
years in Stratton with her daughter, Mary.
10,000 bushels of corn on the place.
more comfortably
joined him in 1938.
a
doctor's care, nursing those children
through severe illnesses, usually without
benefit ofthe doctor, for the horse and buggy
transportation was slow and calls on the
doctor were many. The pioneer wife and
mother was on the alert for snake bites and
accidents of all kinds, and if they occurred
she had to keep her head and know how to
meet any emergency. Once when a new
building was being erected, her five year old
daughter suffered a scalp wound from a
falling rafter; my mother snlmly sterilized a
needle and with white silk thread sutured the
of any
anesthetic. Too much praise cannot be given
these pioneer wivee and mothers who worked
beside their husbands building a home and
community.
wound skillfully without benefit
Perhaps the greatest reward of these
in seeing the development of
this land from bare prairie with "dugout"
pioneers was
homes to fine productive ranches and farms.
John P. Evans, having seen this transformation of the prairie, passed on in 1924, still on
the ranch and "in the harness" as he wished
to go. His widow, spending her last years
Henry and Lillie Fanselau, taken in 1932.
Henry Fanselau was born February
1890, south of Idalia, Colorado near the
28,
Kit
Carson County line. He was the seventh child
born to German immigrant parents, August
and Wilhemina (Wolff) Fanselau. Three of
his sistere died in infancy and one sister died
at the age of nine of diphtheria in 1893. She
was buried in what was known at that time
as the Hedinger Cemetery, which is gituated
on the Yuma County line and two miles west
of Highway 385. At that time there was a
small Lutheran Church near the cemetery.
About this time the family moved 8 miles
North and 2 east of Bethune. Henry's sisters
Katie and Minnie Fanselau, married brothers; Gottlieb and Fred Bauder.
Henry and his only brother Edward, three
years younger than he, attended Blue View,
a one room public elementar5r school. For a
time they attended church school at Immanuels Lutheran, which was two or three miles
from their home.
Lillie Bamesberger, adopted daughter of
Ferdinand and Dora BenegSttttt, was born
on February 18, 1893, in Denver, Colorado.
Her adoptive parents were also German
immigrants and moved from Denver to the
Bethune area a few miles from the Fanselaus.
The Bamesbergers also raised a foster son,
�Amos Holland, who was three years younger
living in their home at 333 5th Street for
than Lillie. They too attended Blue View
years.
In 1973, poor health did not allow them to
remain in their home. Lillie spent her last five
school and Lutheran Church School, which
also taught the basic three R's. Schools were
in session 5 to 6 months out of the year and
few pupils at that time finished the eighth
grade. Henry and Lillie grew up in the same
community.
In the year 1911, most ofthe land had been
taken for homesteads in the area. At the age
of 21, Henry ventured further. He purchased
a relinquishment on a homestead of 320
acres, located 16 miles south and 4 east of
Burlington. Prior to this time only 160 acres
could be proved up.
On April L4, LgLz, Henry and Lillie were
married at Immanuels' Lutheran Church,
located 10 miles north and 1 east of Bethune.
This was the some date as the sinking of the
22
years of life in the Burlington Rest Home.
Her death was May 1978. Henry was in Grace
Manor Nursing Home for seven years, and his
death was April, 1980. Outside of the time
lived in Oregon, Henry spent the rest of his
90 years in Kit Carson County.
by Leona Wiedman
FANSELAU, AUGUST
F195
My father, August Fanselau, was born in
in 1852 and come to the United
Germany
luxury liner, Titanic.
Following their mauiage they moved to
their home which was later known as the
Smoky Hill Community. There was a Post
Office about 4 miles from their home which
was called Cole. It wae in a private home and
mail was delivered from Burlington two or
three times a week. Some staple groceries
were also sold there. Rural mail delivery was
realized about 1923 or L924.
In March, 1916, complying with legal
regulations, Henry proved up on the half
section, described as S%, T 11, R. 43. This
was during the presidency of Woodrow
Wilson.
The Fanselaus struggled and sacrificed the
same as most of the pioneers at that time in
history. They butchered, cured and canned
beef and pork, canned vegetables and fruit,
made laundry soap and raised chickens for
meat and for laying hens. Eggs were exchanged for groceries at the store. In the 23 years
that they lived on the farm, the water was
canied in buckets from the well for household use. The only lights were two kerosene
States when he was 18 years old. He lived in
and around Philadelphia and was married to
Miss Minnie Wolf in 1876. Then he moved to
Texas for a short time, then back to Philadel-
phia and lived there until 1882 when he
moved to Denver, Colorado. They had two
daughters by this time. In the spring of 1889
they moved to the homestead that he had
taken up the year before, in Kit Carson
County about 20 miles north of Burlington.
How they enjoyed living out on the open
plains after having spent their lives up till
then in towns, but they missed a lot of things
too, such as schools and church. There were
no schools but in town, 20 miles away. The
nearest church was 8 miles. Father had some
20 acres of sod broke
it into
that first year
so we
put
corn and he went back to Denver to
his old job, that of cleaning coaches on the U.
P. Railroad.
Mother and we girls stayed on the homestead. Father had bought a milk cow before
he left so we had milk and we had
some
chickens so we had our eggs. We had no well
lemps.
so had a neighbor haul water for us. The
Three daughtere were born to Henry and
Lillie; Mildred, Leona and Geneva. Married,
a farmer and a father, Henry was deferred
from the draft during World War I.
In 1919, the family owned their first
automobile, a used 1917 Model T Ford
touring car.
neighbor was a mile away. They had the only
windmill that we knew about except the one
in Burlington. They didn't charge for the
water but we paid 10 cents a haul for the
hauling. The cow we led to water a half mile
The girls attended Smoky Hill
School
where ten grades were taught.
In 1934, Mildred married Robert Stahlecker and Leonamarried GeorgeWiedman. Both
couples moved to Oregon in the spring of
1935.
In 1934
a severe
drouth plagued most ofthe
high plains states and very little cattle feed
was raised. Due to the drouth and the great
depression of the 30's, the Fanselaus sold
their livestock and belongings and following
the pattern of many families in the midwest,
they migrated to the west coast, settling in
Newberg, Oregon, in September, 1935. Crops
were being raised there and jobs were available. Average wage for a man was 25 cents per
hour for cutting cord wood, labor in the saw
mills or generd farm work. Henry and Lillie
both worked at seasonal jobs, picking fruit,
berries and hops. They also worked in a
cannery during fruit and vegetable seasons.
In 1940, Geneva married in Newberg,
still lives in that area.
Living in Oregon seven years, Henry and
Lillie returned to Eastern Colorado and
settled in Bethune where they resided for
Oregon and
nine years. In 1951 they moved to Burlington,
away.
Later the fathers in the neighborhood went
together and built a sod schoolhouse, so we
had school for the first time in the fall of 1890.
Just four months.
Father would come and go to Denver to
earn a little money so we could keep going.
One time he came home driving a nice pair
of bay mares. We worked hard at home with
what we had so father could come home to
stay. In 1893 we lost our dear little sister,
from the after effects of diphtheria. We had
had a visitor in our home who came from a
home where they had recovered from this
illness. They said they had fumigated but it
must not have been good enough to have
killed the germs for shortly after that we had
it. We did not have much chance to get well.
I will never forget that
gargle and that was
about all the doctor did for us. I don't think
the gargle was a thing but alum water. We
thought Tillie was getting well but her throat
was so dry, like mine, and she had just lost
too much strength.
In 1894 we had our first drouth and it was
very dry. No feed was raised. No one would
buy cattle here then, so we would trade cattle
to the Bar T Ranch and the Spring Valley
Ranch for the wild hay. Then with what we
had left over from the year before we were
able to take the rest of the stock through the
winter. Things were never very easy for papa.
I think we came after the buffalo were all
gone as I do not remember seeing any. I do
remember hearing about one being killed
around Burlington before we came.
I remember the time the big barn burned
on the Chase Ranch. That is where John
Richards lives now, 1958. It burned in 1896
and I was a small girl at home. It seemed to
me that it was as nice a barn that I have ever
seen. It was big and they had been particular
about building it. They hauled all the sod for
the walls clear from the Spring Valley Ranch
on the river and the roof was made of the long
tough hay that never let the water through.
They had been working the horses that day
and there was other stock in it and they were
about ready to eat supper and Mrs. Chase
wondered why it was so light in the house. It
was dark outside. Then she noticed what the
reason was. The nice big barn was on fire.
Theyjust got one horse out and it was burned
so around the head that they had to shoot it.
The loss was awful. We thought that it was
the house that was on fire and papa sent me
over to tell them to come to our house and
stay and eat. We felt bad about it.
The first little church that I can remember
stood just two miles west of where George
Homm is living now. At that time there was
a road that went west from the Homm place
and on west from there beyond the church.
It was just a little church but as far as I knew
it was at that time the only church in the
country. My brother Henry Fanselau was
baptized there in 1890. It was built of sod.
There were a few burials in the plot close by.
My sister Tillie was buried there in 1893.
Then there was a nine year old boy buried
there in 1893 also. He was from the Lange
family that lived east of the George Homm
place. The boy did in a snowstorm. The father
had gone to get supplies and died not get
home until late in the evening. It had started
to snow so the mother told the boy to see
about getting the cows in. They were not
usually very far away, but with no fences and
the storm struck quickly with such fury, that
the boy did not get back. They looked for him
all night but he was not found until after the
storm was over. He had drifted nine or ten
miles with the wind and so was far from home.
Shortly after this the father passed away and
he was buried in this little plot. Then in 1901
the other boy was riding home from the
Spring Valley Ranch, when a thunder shower
came up and he was killed by lightning. He
was buried there also. The mother and the
girls moved away shortly after that.
It did not seem to me as a girl that this
country was fenced very fast. We did not even
have a fence to keep away cattle from our
meager stacks of feed, and I have known of
Papa getting up at all hours of the night to
drive stock away. We tried to protect it with
the wagon on one side and the sod barn on
the other, but they would still get it. The grass
was not too good then as I heard so many say
it might have been. I have seen lots better
grass since the land has been fenced. Those
herds of cattle that used to roem the prairie
were larger and after they passed over it, it
was not too good and these large ranches
knew where it was ifthere was any good grass.
There were horses too and some wild ones.
We never tried to catch any of the wild ones
for it was hard to do and vou did not have
�much after you caught one for they were
small, just about too small for work. But quite
often one was caught and broken and was
used for riding, but sometimes not even good
for that.
by Minnie Bauder
FARR FAMILY
Fr96
I,
Charles Farr, was born November 3,
1860, at Rochelle, Illinois, and came to
Colorado in a covered wagon in the spring of
1877 from Independence, Missouri, with a
friend of the family. We followed the Arkansas River from Nebraska to Rocky Ford,
crossing the Republican River, along which
I later worked for some years. I went to work
for a cattleman by the name of Ab Enyart,
who lived near Rocky Ford, and whose cattle
ranged along the Arkansas River, working as
for him for two years. Then I began
work for the "Mill Iron" outfit, who ranged
a cowboy
about five thousand head of cattle. Later
I
came north with the "Hash Knife" outfit.
who owned about ten thousand head of cattle
and had eight cowboys working regular, but
who employed more for the round up season.
This cattle company, at one time, gathered
five thousand head of steers which were sold
to the Paxton Company in Omaha to be
slaughtered, packed and shipped to the
Indian reservation in Nebraska..
Every outfit had its own "chuck wagon"
and cook, and each cowboy had his own
clothing and blanket. Many a time I have
slept on the prairie with my blanket around
me and my saddle for a pillow.
When I first went to work as a cowboy in
this new country, I found the food rather
poor, and at times we got tired of the bacon
and salt "sowbelly" they fed us. They bought
bacon
in
slabs and
I
remember once of
cleaning out a cellar where the cattlemen had
moved out ofthe house and finding slab after
slab of bacon stored away. Of course everything was bought wholesale and freighted in
by barrels, so we always had enough food and
salt meat. We would slaughter a beef once in
a while but it was hard to keep fresh meats
in the summertime. I cooked for one season
and know what it means to try to fill a hungry
man with "flapjacks." I got so
them pretty good, too.
I
could make
Every year, a number ofthe cowboys would
take grub, blankets, and any other supplies
needed and go out on a ten-day hunt for
strays. We knew all the brands, so if we found
a cow belonging to an outfit close to ours, we
took it along with our strays and returned it
to its rightful owner.
We were out in all kinds of weather, and
I remember one day in late summer we were
driving a herd of four thousand cattle - two
thousand steers and the rest cows and calves.
We saw a storm coming and tried to beat it
to the corral to get the calves in, but it came
right down on us. I have always been a little
afraid of thunder and lightning storms, as
I
had had one horse killed under me by
lightning, and another one was stunned and
fell, but he soon got over it. On this particular
day the lightning was the worst I had seen for
some time and suddenly the cattle stampeded and got away from us. I rode hard to head
them off. The rain was coming down so fast
it was hard to face it. I noticed the cattle
suddenly bunched close together, and kept
swinging, as it were, from side to side. Then
I saw that the lightning seemed to flash and
strike on each side of the great herd, first to
one side, then on the other. The stampede
was in perfect formation, horn to horn, twelve
steers wide, and about three miles long. When
the storm had calmed down enough that we
could overtake them on our cow ponies, we
got them turned toward the corrals.
by Charles Farr
just west of this claim and I still own both
places, but built my home on the tree claim.
The Republican River is just a few feet from
my door, so we always had plenty of water.
I worked one winter rounding up strays
that had wandered from their range down to
creeks around Wallace and Sharon Springs,
Kansas. A number of cattle from different
outfits were disappearing, and I was sent
south to investigate, and found that these
cattle were being rounded up, butchered and
sold to the people of Wallace and Sharon
Springs. This was the fall that Goodland,
Kansas was incorporated, 1889. Usually the
folks who had these cattle would not
FARR FAMILY
Fr97
I Drove the Texas Longhorn
Steers
But I shall not forget that
keep
scene and how
the lightning seemed to "play" with that herd
ofcattle. Strange to say, none ofthe stampeding cattle were hurt or killed, but some of the
cows which were near the corral were killed
by lightning. Of course, we had no wire fences
then and the cattle were right out on the open
range, or it might have been a different story.
In the spring of 1881, I helped drive a
bunch of three thousand head of cattle from
Wallace, Kansas to Wano, Kansas, south of
where St. Francis, Kansas is now located.
That was a slow hard drive and we had no
water after leaving Smoky Hill Creek, about
twenty five miles south of where Goodland
now stands. There was no railroad, no towns,
no camps along the way.
It was while making this drive that we saw
the skeletons of the horses that were killed
in the Indian uprising in 1876, which were in
a small thicket along the creek. It seems that
a band of North Cheyenne Indians wandered
away from their reservation, taking their
squaws with them. They were on their way
south and when they arrived at Dodge City,
Kansas, they were noticed acting rather
suspicious. So the Colonel sent a scout out
with them and about the first thing the scout
noticed was that when these Indians shot
wild game, they did not use their bullets, but
used their arrows instead. The Indians then
tried to steal some horses and in the fight that
ensued between the owner and the Indians,
two white men were killed. The Indians
fortified themselves behind stone walls they
had built up in the bluffs and there met the
troops which had been sent out from the fort.
About the first thing the troops did was to go
to the thickets where the Indian squaws and
horses were hid, remove the squaws and shoot
all the horses. After the skirmish with the
Indians, they found a few of the Indians dead,
and the rest too weak to fight, so they were
taken back to the reservation with the
squaws. I believe this was about the last
Indian trouble we had in this part of the
country. There was a man murdered on his
ranch near here, and some folk tried to blo-e
it on the Indians, but as none had ever been
seen around here, we felt sure that some
white man had committed the crime instead.
We never found the murderer. (Hatch murder, first case on record in district court
records of this county.)
In 1888 I filed on a tree claim on the
Republican River and later took a homestead
say
much, they knew they were in the wrong. But
one day I found a cow and calf in a man's yard
and the cow had our brand on it, so I told him
I wanted it. He tried to convince me first that
the cow belonged to him and when that failed,
he tried to get me to give him the calf for the
of the cow. That proposition didn't
work, so I started to drive the cow out of the
yard. Then the man's wife cnme out and was
very profane in her abuse. However, I did not
answer and when I was a few rods from the
house a bullet whizzed by me. I do not know
who fired the shot, but I kept going with the
cow and calf and finally got them back to
their owner. That was the only time I was shot
at, although in this kind of work I always had
to be on the alert and watch both ways so no
one would get the drop on me.
I was well acquainted with Kit Carson's
niece, Mrs. Nelson, who lived with her family
at the Nine Mile House, south of LaJunta.
She had four children at the time I visited
her, and her husband traveled with Kit
Carson. She was a very fine woman and we
always enjoyed visiting at her home.
Mr. Farr lived in the Flagler
area.
Copied from an old copy of the Burlington
Call, September 23, 1934.
by Charles Farr
FASSE
- HUDLER
FAMILY
F198
Eugene Fasse remembers riding a horse or
walking to school in the District 5 schoolhouse at the site where the town of Carlyle
used to be before the railroad ceme through,
and the people moved to Kanorado, Kan. The
Fasses have farmed this land for over 50
years, and Gene has boyhood memories of
finding broken dishes and remnants where
some of the dugouts and foundations used to
be.
Gene's family moved here from Nebraska
just in time to fight the dirt storms of the
1930's. Selling milk and eggs produced on the
farm helped the family survive the sifting
winds and harvest the bumper crops of the
1940's that put the farm back on its feet.
Drilling one of the first irrigation wells in
1954 to help raise enough feed for the milk
cows helped stave off the economic hardships
of the red dirt storms of the 1950's. Sugar
beets were planted for the first time in 1959
with beets and cattle becoming the mainstays
of the operation for the next 25 years.
In 1961 a Burllington girl, Adrienne Hudler, became a partner in the operation. Soon
a son Ernie and daughter Francine
were
�up in the sky. We figured we would get home
before it got here, but it hit while we were still
in town, so we took the south road home. It
wan so dusty and dark that I had to drive
looking out the door at the grader ditch. I had
the lights on and was just creeping along,
when all at once we were in the middle of a
bunch of cattle,lucky we never hit any. Some
days when it was real bad the teacher in our
school would keep the kids in the school until
the parents would come and get them.
Fowing up, and Adrienne started teaching
junior high English in the Burlington school
system in 1971.
Ernie graduated from college in 1985 and
is pursuing an advanced degree in mechanical
engineering while Francine graduated in 1986
with an accounting major. In 1985 Francine
married Greg Floerke, a petroleum engineer.
by Adrienne Fasee
In 1933, Elmer went back to eastern
Nebraska and worked in the harvest a couple
of weeks. Blfrieda stayed home and tended
to chickens, milked 5 cows, and tried to raise
FASSE, ELMER AND
ELFRIEDA
some garden stuff. My father was staying
with us at that time, so Elfrieda was not
alone. Our daughter, Doris, was born in 1929
F199
Elfrieda had to look after her too. The year
the grasshoppers were so bad I had a field of
spring barley. Since it was ready to cut I set
up the grain binder on the end of the field
before dinner. Some say without me noticing
it, my coin purse slipped out of my pocket and
fell on the ground. When I cnme back after
dinner, all that was left of the purse was the
metal part, and the silver coins. The grasshoppers had eaten the leather and the paper
bills. I doubt if there were too many bills in
the purse as money was pretty scarce then.
The following article was taken from the
Burlington Record printed in 1933. A series
of rabbit drives is doing much towards
so
Elmer and Elfrieda Fasse with son, Eugene. taken
in
1934.
Brockmeyer, were moving out here at the
Irrne time. We arrived here March 1, 1931.
Our emigrant car was set on the sidetrack in
Kanorado, Kansas. That way we did not have
to pay to enter another state.
It was a nice day to unload. We pulled a 4wheel trailer behind our Desoto touring car.
In it we had several dozen laying hens and
other things. We put the hens in what had
been a chicken or hen house. A friend ofours,
Rudolf Aeschliman, suggested we stay at his
home until we could fix and clean up the
house we were going to live in, so we stayed
Elmer and Elfrieda Fasse and daughter Doris in
front of their home. They moved here in 1931.
there about a week. The old house had about
all the window panes broken and rags were
stuck in them. One even had a pillow in it.
Plaster was off in places. The place had been
rented, and no one ever fixed a thing.
The first night we slept there we kept the
kerosene Inmp lit, and once in a while a rat
would peek out of the holes in the walls. We
had no more than moved in when one of the
worst blizzards we had ever experienced
cAme. It was 30 degrees below zero, and
strong north wind caused the snow to drift
real badly. The was the storm when a school
bus at Towner, Colorado, stalled in snow
drifts and several kids froze to death.
The storm lasted a couple of days and
Elmer Fasse and his mules.
In 1930, my father, Louis Fasse, purchased
two 320 acre parcels of land, the North West
1/q sec29-8-42. On this quarter section there
was a house and some sheds. The house was
very run down. He also purchased the South
East l/t sec20-8-42 and the West Yz sec 9-842.We loaded our belongings in an emigrant
box car on the Rock Island Rail Road.
Elfrieda and I farmed in Gage County,
Nebraska, five years. So a John Deere D
tractor, a John Deere 3-row lister, a John
Deere 3-row weeder, a grass mower and hay
rake were loaded in the emigrant car along
with two families'household furniture, etc.,
as my sister Meta, and husband, Henry
nights. The snow drifted through the cracks
between the boards on the hen house so when
the storm was over the snow was almost
under the roosts where the hens were sitting.
We thought they would surely quit laying
eggs after hauling them so far and now this
storm too, but they never slowed down at all.
Elfrieda had brought along about 30 dozen
eggs to play it safe, so she sold the eggs and
bought groceries.
In 1932, the dust storms started and got
real bad for a few years. The dust csme in
everywhere. Elfrieda would have to shake the
dust out of the bed covers before we went to
bed. The wind would subside some over
night. Some days it would get dark as night.
We had to light the kerosene lamps. One day
we started to Burlington and way up north
we could see on of those dust clouds rolling
ridding the county of this destructive pest.
Nearly every day a drive is held in some
locality, but the one held north of Bethune
Tuesday is the biggest yet. It is estimated
that between 9,000 and 10,000 rabbits were
killed that day. Fencing with extended wings
were put up and the rabbits were driven into this enclosure. People would form lines on
four sides all having to walk about the same
distance towards the enclosure. No guns were
allowed, everyone had a club of some sort, so
the rabbits were clubbed to death. At
one
rabbit drive near Peconic, there were over 400
rabbits killed. The dead rabbits were sold to
some pet good processing plant, 8 to 10 cents
per rabbit was paid. Most of these drives were
supervised by some clubs or organization. If
it wasn't one pest it was another. One time
the grey army worms moved through. They
did not turn out for anything, crawled right
up the sides of buildings, ate the foliage off
weeds. Driving into Burlington one afternoon
about 4:30, Highway 24 was just covered with
worms, they were crawing north. In 1934, we
took some stock cows to Albert Weinholts
who lived on the Smokey River. The cows
lived on thistles that grew on the dirt piles.
When we took the cows there that spring
some cows had little thistles coming up in
their hair on their back; the hair was full of
blow dust. In 1934, the grading was being
done in highway 24. This was done byfarmers
using 4 horse teams, who worked in the gravel
pit in 8 hour shifts, 24 hours a day. Several
kept their horses in our barn. Elfrieda cook
for them, and charged 25 cents a meal. Some
times there were ten men at the table. 6 or
7
men slept up stairs at night and ate 3 meals
too. Due to poor or no crops and low prices
times were really tough. The first year we
farmed (1931), we planted over 400 acres
corn, 320 acres on rented ground E,ast Vz 89-42. That year had fairly good moisture, so
that fall the corn averaged 20 bushels per
acre. We hired part of the corn picked, so
after shelling and picking and other expenses
�and selling the corn for 14 cents per bushel,
we probably worked all summer for nothing.
Wheat averaged 20 bushels per acre, price
20 cents per bushel. We hired a neighbor to
combine it, who had a 20 foot pull type Holt
combine. Then the dust storms got started
with no rain or snow, so for several years no
one raised very much. We never had much
income or raised enough to sell, and my father
could not make the payments to the Federal
Land Bank, so he let the land go back to the
in 1939. So we moved to the Hugo
Arnsmeier Farm in 1940. I had put the wheat
out on this farm in the fall of 1939. Mrs.
Arnsmeier, having lost her husband, had
moved to Lincoln Nebraska. That year the
wheat made 50 bushels per acre and was a
good price, so we were able to purchase this
% section. We lived on this farm till 1944, at
which time we purchased the old place from
the Federal Land Bank for $12.50 per acre.
My father had paid $30 per acre in 1931. At
that time the Federal Land Bank would only
loan $7.50 per acre. We sold the Arnsmeier
Farm in 1946, and moved back to where we
Bank
lived in 1931.
In 1934, Elmer wanted to purchase a few
stock cows, so he went to see about a loan
from the Bank ofBurlington, but was refused
a loan. That year the Production Credit had
some meetings and Elmer attended. He
applied for a loan of $350. The loan was
approved, so for geveral years we borrowed
money from the PCA, for operating expenseg
and also for purchasing land. In 1948 we had
all our land paid for, also the PCA loans. Our
daughter Doris had attended college, and in
1947 she was married to Bert Rice. They now
live in Centrailia Washington.
In 1948, Eugene was going to Burlington
High School, so we rented the farm out for
3 years and moved to Burlington so Eugene
could use all his energy studying and be close
to home. We rented and have farmed the
South East l/e 29-8-42 ever since 1945. This
is the quarter section where the Town of
Carlyse was located. There was no railroad
then. When we first farmed there still was a
dug out where there might have been a cave.
Even now when we work the ground we turn
up pieces of pottery or dishes.
Eugene liked farm life, so he made this his
life career. In 1954, we had our first irrigation
well dug. This was also the Eugene joined the
army, so Ma and Pa had some new experience
irrigating. When Eugene was discharged
from the service, we farmed together for
several years. Eugene married Adrenne Hudler in 1961. We moved to Burlington in 1966.
Eugene moved where we lived. We sold the
farm to Eugene and Adrenne in 1979.
We look back and marvel at how things
have changed. It worries us to see all the
pasture land being plowed up. There could
very well be dust storms again as bad or even
worse,
if we have several dry years
in
succession. We are enjoying life and will be
celebrating our 60th anniversar5r February
10, 1986. We are both in fairly good health
and looking forward to more anniversaries.
by Elmer & Elrieda Fasse
FERGUSON
-
CHRISTIE FAMILY
F200
Mitchell Clayton Christie was born September 23,1879 in Rosendale, Missouri. His
mother Mary Eleanor Munkreus died when
he was seven years old. His father Cyrus
Christie and family then moved to Rexford,
Ks, where they lived for three years before
moving back to Missouri. He married Mamie
O'Bright after Mary died.
While living seven miles west of Rexford,
the burned coal which they had to haul thirty
miles from Oakley, Ks. Dad knew Mom's
grandfather, Solomon Ferguson. He drove a
span of milk cows and lived five miles west
of Rexford, Ks.
only two houses between them and Seibert.
One bitter cold day Uncle Lonnie who lived
with them, went to town to get coal. He was
lucky to get some in rSeibert as Vona and
Flagler had none. It was snowing and the
snow drifted so deep making it very difficult
for the horses to pull the load. Lonnie
unloaded some of the coal and made it home
just as Mitchell was pulling up fence posts to
burn to keep warm.
When it was about time for the first babv
to be born, Dad went over to get Mattie
Murphy while Lonnie went to town to get the
doctor. The weather was terrible. the snow
was drifted over the fences and it was 32
degrees below zero. Lonnie froze his ears. The
surrey.
doctor started out from town at noon and
arrived at 5 in the afternoon. By this time
Mattie had assisted with the birth and had
taken care ofeverything. The doctor checked
mother and baby and charged 917.00. He
warmed up and went back to town arriving
there at 2 a.m. They baby was born on
December 29, 1911and nnmed Virginia Pearl.
Four other children were to be born later.
Fonest Coleman; Ernest Norris, married
Hazel Johnson; Virgil Elmer, married Joy
Moody; Mary Eleanor, married Charles Earl
Allen of Seibert. Virginia married Lloyd
Mullen.
Mom, Ada Margaret Ferguson, came from
Montrose, West Virginia with her mother,
Louisa Bell Murphy Ferguson, and sisters,
Elsie, Hazel, Allie, Nellie, Charity, Donna
and Gladys. Grandmother Ferguson came
dances (in later years Mary and Virgil played
with him), he was quite good at it. He played
once for a dance for Joe Anderson for 93.00.
There were three single girls and Wes and Joe
When Grandmother Mary Munkres first
married Grandad Cyrus Christie, she ran
away and went back to her own Dad's house.
Her Dad, John Munkres, made her go back
to her husband.
Dad went to Colorado in 1908 and home-
of Seibert. His
brother, Alonzo (Lonnie) Christie lived with
him. Lonnie had a span of mules and an old
steaded L8 miles south
west because of her health-she had asthma
real bad. Later her husband Coleman came
out and farmed a half section of land.
Grandad Ferguson made several trips back
and fourth to West Virginia. He did not like
eastern Colorado very much but Grandmother had to stay because of allergies and
asthma. Finally they got so bad that she
moved with Gladys to Tolleson, Arizona and
Grandad moved back to his beloved West
Virginia.
Dad met Mom at Ellis Murphy's house
when she came out to the windmill to get
water. Ellis (Mom's uncle) and Lou's house
was a half dugout. Mom and Dad would go
courting by going on buggy rides. Dad would
buy a box of brown sugar and they would
share the sweets. One day they were riding
along and there was this big pile of black
stuff. Not having seen anything like it in West
Virginia, she asked what it was and Dad
replied "That is Colorado coal." It was sheep
manure piled up to be used for fuel.
On December 25, 1910 Dad and Mom were
married in Vona, Colorado by G.W. Snyder.
Mom's sister Elsie and Dad's brother Lonnie
were the witnesses. Theywent back to Mom's
folks' house where they spent their wedding
night. People from all around came to the
house for a wedding dance. They drove horses
and they had to put them in out of the cold
so some had to be put in the chicken house.
A few chickens escaped when they opened the
door and they froze, so the next morning the
were dressed and cooked for breakfast.
Ada and Mitchell's first home was the sod
house
that Mitchell
homesteaded
Mitchell Christie played the fiddle for
Anderson there,
The farmers had a Farmers Protective
Association to protect the range cattle. A man
butchered a steer, so to have a little fun Dad
said to Coleman Murphy, "Do you know why
Al Hunkeford thinks Mr. ? did it? He traced
him through the frost!" The man was stand-
ing there and excitedly said, "That's
a
lie-there wasn't any frost!" He then realized
that he had let the cat out of the bag.
Except for three of four years around 1915
when the Christies lived in eastern Kansas,
they lived south of Seibert until 1944.
by Mrs. Virgil Christie
FINLEY, ELMER AND
KAROLINE KUGLER
F201
My father, Ebner Burcher Finley, was born
to Willinm and Mary Adeline Burcher Finley,
August 4, 1880 in Belmont County, Ohio. His
parents cnme from Green County, Pennsyl-
in. It
consisted of two 12 by 14 foot rooms with
shaped boards bent at the ends for a roof.
Then a layer oftar paper was laid on and then
a layer of sod. They had a sod barn, one cos'
and calfand 18 chickens. They also had a few
pigs which they kept in a sod building and fed
milo maize which they raised. There were
Arthur, Francis, Jake, Floyd, Bob and Mary Finley
riding on the Finley farm, in 1916.
�musical talent. Most of us played by ear.
Mother also taught music at home and one
student I remember was Don Smith from
Kirk. Brothers Arthur and Francis and I
played for dances. Francis was a great
violinist; Arthur played Banjo and guitar; I
played piano. Literary at the Keckter School
was always fun. We memorized poems, Bang
songs, had plays, and box suppers. Sister
I always sang specials at church
and Christmas programs . . . Nellie being a
natural alto.
For Christmas Mother knitted our mittens,
made sweaters for the boys and rag dolls for
the girls. She sewed shirts and overalls for the
boys, and dresses for the girls. Our Christmas
stockings she made from old lace curtains
with red linings. My best memories are of
everyone coming home for holiday dinners.
Nellie and
.,lr!
r#
l*r
-r:.
brought the horses and mules from Nebr. on
the train to Colorado for my Dad. Morris later
watermelon. Mother canned vegetables and
made jams and jellies. In the Fall we butchered several hogs, and my parents cured the
hams. My Dad would take a load of corn to
Vona and come back with supplies such as
several sacks of flour, coffee, 100 pounds of
sugar, and staples intended to last the
Winter. In the Spring of 1931 my Father
lived at Idalia, Colorado.
became
lived in the barn until they finished building
the adobe house. Noah Morris, a friend,
Mary started school in Nebraska before the
move
to Colorado. There were nine of
us
children. The five youngest, Francis, Arthur,
myself, Nellie and Marjorie, were born on the
homestead. Granny Gleaves, as I remember
her called, was the lady who helped my
mother deliver the last five of us. My mother
was a midwife and delivered many babies in
the area during the 1920's and 1930's.
The neighbors adjoining us were, to the
north, Eligah Coleman, Clyde Coleman's
parents. I cannot remember Clyde's Mother's
June 12, 1900. They lived near Superior,
name, but the Coleman's ran the central
(telephone) office. To the northwest were
Alva (Buck) and Ethel Crist, with their
children, Faye, Cecil, Heron, Elizabeth and
Philip. Calkins lived on the east and Atwoods
on the southeast. In later years my Dad
owned the Atwood Farm after they moved
away. Ira and Rosy Crist, two daughters
Sarah and Susie, along with Lawrence Crist
lived to the south of us. To the southwest
were William and Emma Seaman. Emma's
mother, Permelia McHenry, had her own
house in their yard. The Seaman children
were Pearl, Chester, Orville, Dave, Florence,
Nebraska
Avirene and Bertha.
vania, where William was born. Elmer had
one sister Blanch and one brother Forrest
who died at two years old from a fire accident.
My mother was born to George and Karoline
Schneider Kugler on October 13, 1877 in
Sheffield, Illinois. Her parents had come
from Hsmburg, GermanY. TheY met and
married in New York, and moved to lllinois.
Carrie had five brothers - George, Louis,
William, John and Alex.
In the late 1800's my Kugler grandparents
moved to Superior, Nebraska where my
parents, Carrie and Elmer, were married
at Oxford, where their first four
children were born
Jake.
In
-
Mary, Bob, Floyd and
approximately 1905 my Finley
grandparents came to Colorado. Their homestead was 3 miles west and 1/z mile south of
Kirk, Yz mile south of the Young brothers
farm in Yrrma County. My father' Elmer,
came to Colorado and took a homestead in
1907 in Kit Carson County, 17-% miles north
and 1 and Vz miles east of Vona. Our place
was bordered on the north by Yuma County
- location section 1 - Township 6 - Range 48.
My father first built a barn. Oldest sister
Mary tells me when they came to Colorado
on the train, she remembers Dad coming onto
the train to meet them, my mother, and 4
children, Jake the baby at that time. They
the next - chocolate, the next - marble, with
a wonderful white cake at the top. All of this
with white coconut frosting.
We had a big garden. Usually on good
Friday my Dad had us all out planting
potatoes. We did raise lots of potatoes and
ELner and Carrie Finley's fanily in 1926: back row, left to right: Arthur, Francis, Carrie, Jake, Elmer, Floyd,
Bob. Center row, left to right: Nellie, Mary, Eula. Front: Marjorie.
Carrie Finley with the sheep on the home place in
1932 when she was 55.
Mother always baked a tiered cake for
Christmas. The bottom was a large fruit cake,
My older brothers and sister
attended
school S- % miles west at the Floegelle School.
August Carlstedt was a teacher there. We all
later attended Seaman School. I have been
told it was earlier called Pioneer School. The
school was 1-% miles south and % mile west
of our house. Helen Klassen was a dear
teacher and friend and I believe a great
influence on all of us kids. Helen Herrell and
John Weaver also taught there. We always
went to Sunday school. My mother taught
Sunday school for many years. It was held at
the Seaman School and the Boone School
west of Kirk.
Music and literary was our entertainment.
My family was fortunate to all be born with
ill. Dr. Virgil Hewitt came out from
Vona and treated him. On Friday April 17,
1931 Dr. Hewitt and Mr. Monroe, a depot
agent in Vona, came and took my Dad to
Denver. Brother Bob went along. On Saturday he had surgery. His gall bladder had
already ruptured. He died on Sunday morning, April 19, 1931. The funeral was held in
our home. Mother Carrie stayed on the farm;
we lived through the hard years and drought
of the 30's with a few cattle, a little corn and
feed.
In the early 40's Mother rented the homestead to Pat McCart, later to Gus Schreiner,
and in 1959 sold to Lloyd and Opal Klassen,
whom she loved so much. Lloyd and Opal
Klassen still own our homestead along with
the Atwood place. Mother moved to Seibert,
Colorado. She bought a house across from the
Reorganized Latter Day Saint Church, which
she owned when she died. She spent some
time with me, then with Mary at Eckley,
Colorado. She was in Renotta Nursing Home
in Wray, Colo., then to Burlington where
Chris and Helen Klassen cared for her. She
died in Burlington, June 25, 1964 ofCoronary
thrombosis and kidney failure.
Our oldest sister, Mary Caroline, was born
October 20, 1901, in Superior, Nebraska and
lives in Eckley, Colorado. Robert George was
born September 2L,1903, in Oxford, Nebraska and died February 25, 1967. Floyd William
was born March 9, 1905, at Oxford, Nebraska
and died September 13, 1956. Jake Schneider
was born March 2,1907, at Oxford, Nebraska
and died February 25,t967. Francis Jay was
born May 20, 1909 near Kirk, Colorado and
died October 18. 1966. Arthur Elmer was
born November 25, L9L2 at Vona, Colorado
and died October 23. L973. Euladine Lucille
was born February 16, 1915 north of Vona
and is living today in South Dakota. Nellie
Lorraine was born February 24, 1917 north
of Vona and died December 30, 1968. Marjor-
�ie Juanita was born November 7, 1920, at
Vona and died October 16, 1979.
by Eula Finley Browning
FISHER
- STRODE
FAMILY
In
F202
1887 Stephen Strode and wife Hannah
came from Missoui bringing their family of
five girls and one boy to this country in
a
covered wagon, making their homest€ad east
of Flagler, Colorado. Their youngest daugh-
the National Directory Co. which has become
a national company. In the depression I was
going broke in the newspaper business. With
Bonny Gaunt (Gould) as a partner and fiUing
station man Joe Kaufman as field man we
stanted in Lincoln County, Colorado. We
eventually covered parts of seven states with
more than 25,000 sponsor-advertisors. We
had, 42 workers in the field and 14 in the
10,000 spectators.
In the years of
1938-40-41
I
homestead.
Albert grew to manhood working for large
took a sabbatical. I had three helper teachers.
I then proceeded to form the Plains Conservatoire, with many schools and more than 400
students. Students from 8 to 58 years studied
piano, any instrument, vocal and drsmslis.
Hundreds still acclaim it as great.
Fisher were married at Flagler where they
both proved up on homesteads. They were
one of the first to breed up an Aberdeen
Angus herd in this area.
To this union three children were born Marguerite, October 30, 1904, deceased October 2, L979.Ida, April 10, 1908, and Weston,
"Buck", August 14, 1910. Stella passed away
May 18, 1953, and Albert on January 10,
1959.
"Buck" still lives on the original
homestead.
In
to Flagler
1906, the Gwyn family ceme
from Decatur, Nebraska. In 1918, they
returned to Nebraska. In 1921, James Gwyn
returned to Flagler and worked for the late
C.J. Farr. On October 16, 1924, he was
married to Ida Fisher.
b" Id"
R. Gwyn
FITZPATRIC, V.
S.
F203
I, V.S. Fitzpatric, arrived in Seibert, Kit
Carson County, on September 20, 1920. I last
dwelt there in the summer of 1952. My age
was 34 when I cnme and 66 when I left. During
those years I had tried to "fill each hour with
sixty minutes of living." The following are a
resume of my life's activities.
I helped to start the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows in Seibert, Colorado. We formed
and trained a town band in the 1920's. The
town had a big auction to raise money to
equip the band. It was a great success
attending Denver's annual music week. Seibert and Ft. Collins tied for first. I rescued the
local newspaper as it was22 weeks behind on
publication. A country club was organized
which included rural people. Was elected
mayor four times.
The Plainsman' Association w{ur founded
which promoted summer fallowing and other
practices. Membership covered parts of seven
states with over 7,000 memberg. I founded
FLAGEOLLE, HENRY,
JR.
Dramatic
Art in Denver while the owners
I traveled to South Africa and went far
inland as a member of the ship's orchestra.
In 1952 I toured Europe and the Mediterranean countries, I was sent to Paris as a
delegate to the world convention of American
Veterans'Committee to try to make it world
wide.
In
1955 I joined the "uranium rush" twice
going to South America as a consultant or
representative of some company member of
the National Minerals and Research. I then
beca-e a congultant for a mining group with
world wide membership.
I wrote, researched and had published
three books on The Last Frontier. It is now
out of print and the last copies of Volume One
sold for $200 each.
I have been hospitalized seven times and
have been within seconds and inches of
death. People love to say "My you have had
wonderful health."
At the present time I continue to publish
at intervals ofabout two or three months, 100
page books about unusual persons and
unusual events along his "road of life." The
title of these books is The Back Trail.
I am in my 101st year and eat three square
meals of plain food, sleep like a baby and
awake full of pep for the day's work
- and
I do work every day, often 12-15 hours.
My father was born in Belfast, Ireland, and
a
mineralogist and miner. He came
to England, South Africa, India,
Australia, Hawaii, Canada, California, Ne-
was
F20,4
And IIis Descendants
The following information is offered for
launched
newspapers at Flemming and Craig, Colorado. During World War II I spent 38 months
all over the Pacific. I had learned to fly in
Haxtun, Colorado in 1919. I aleo sailed the
sea. While in the Pacific I managed the
creation of the book Hawaiian Mernories.
I managed the Arno School of Music and
Januar5r, 1897. He was the second person
buried in the Seibert Cemetery.
On May 6, 1903 Stella Strode and A.C.
by V.S. Fitzpatric
printing plant. We "farmed out" work to
other printers.
The exciting event was starting "Days of
the Old Wegt." A replica of a real Indian
massacre was staged with 432 actors, 16
covered wagons, 140 mounted Indians, and
ter, Stella, started teaching school as soon as
she was old enough. Part of the time she rode
horseback to school using a side saddle, which
her daughter still has.
Lafayette Fisher and his son Albert, or A.C.
Fisher, came here from Wisconsin in 1887.
When the oldtimers first came here it was
necessar5/ to ride into Denver to file on their
cattle outfits of the area. Lafayette passed
away at his home Northeast of Seibert in
hand, cowboy, civil engineer and newspaper
editor before coming to Seibert.
eastward
vada, Wyoming, South Dakota and Georgetown, Colorado where he metand married my
mother. She was a companion to a wealthy
mine owner'e daughter and had come from
London to New York and then to Georgetown, Colorado.
At the age of 8 months I went with the
family to the homestead our father had taken
on Lay Creek, about 20 miles west of where
Craig, Colorado later came. This was the last
frontier of the United States. I was a ranch
Charles Louis Flageolle and Gerald Joseph
Flageolle. Their story begins with the same
Henry Flageolle I spoke of in my story about
John S. Flageolle. John S. and Henry Jr. were
brothers. The following are the people on this
branch of the family tree: Henry Flageolle, Jr.
born May 22, t860, in Bay City, Michigan,
and Marie Fountaine, born October 6, 1866,
whom he manied September 8, 1885. Henry
died February 9, 1952 and Marie on February
9, 1945. Ulalia, their eldest daughter, born
January 15, 1887 at Jefferson, South Dakota
married Mike Balanga (Magloire Balanger)
on January 17, 1905. Mike, born on September 3, 1876, at Jefferson, South Dakota algo,
and Ulalie are buried at Stratton. Ulalie died
January 28, 1958, and Mike July 10, 1961.
Charles Louis Flageolle was born in Jefferson, South Dakota, March 26, 1899, and his
wife Amerila Marie Wieber, whom he
married April 18, L922, was born on May 27,
1902.
Henry and Marie moved their family by
train to Wray, Colorado from
Jefferson,
South Dakota in 1907. They cn'ne with seven
children, furniture, farm eqipment, a covered
wagon, cows, hogs, horses, and chickens.
Their oldest daughter, Ulalie was married
and had a daughter of her own. She and her
husband Mike cnme also.
Henry's family lived in their covered wagon
and a tent until they had built a sod house.
The soddie was finished in 1908. Water was
a problem for 4 years. It had to be hauled 6
miles from a ranch. Wells had to be dug over
a hundred feet before there was water. Once
water was reached there was a good 14 feet
of that precious liquid. After the soddie was
completed a cowshed was built of lumber and
soap weeds. A horse barn and pig pen were
built next. The children worked hard as well
as the adults but they didn't have to go to
school the first year so the work didn't seem
so bad. There was a school opened 3 miles
from the homestead the second year they
were there. The school was one large room
which was for all eight grades. One of the
homesteader's wife was the teacher. The
soddie was enlarged after the well was dug.
Tbo bedrooms and a kitchen were added to
the eoddie. Henry Jr. bought a Model T Ford
while they lived on the homestead. It only
had room for two people on the seat and was
open on both sides with a cloth top and no
windshield.
In 1919 Henry Jr. moved the family to
Heartstrong, Colorado where he operated a
blacksmith shop. Again in 1921 Henry Jr.
moved the family to Stratton, Colorado. He
eventually bought six corner lots on the main
highway on which he located a large howe,
afillingstation, and five cabins. Marie did the
book work for the two businesses and kept
�the cabins in order as well as plant a garden
and tpnd to the housekeeping. In 1936 Henry
in the community to go for the things that
they needed. They would buy machinery
together like threshers and steam engine
because one farmer could not buy one by
and Marie retired and moved to Denver,
Colorado. Their children were Ulalie, Mandy,
Lizzy, wilhelm, Louise, Charles, David, and
himself. They did all their harvesting together. They would buy a good stud and would
share it with each other. When they discontinued the church in this community the
bodies were moved to Calvary cemetery at
Stratton. This is where John and Lavina are
buried.
Descendents of John and Lavina still living
in Kit Carson County are Richard Flageolle,
Angela Isenbart, Diane Miller, Vickie Cure,
Jack Brachtenbach, Larry Brachtenbach,
Denny Brachtenbach and their children.
Pat.
Ulalie and Mike Balanga farmed in various
places north of Stratton aftcr they left their
homestead. They lived in Stratton after they
retired from farming. They raised 14 children: Florence, Lawrence, Cecelia, Mildred,
Mary, Ruben, David, Louise, Ed, Therese,
Anna Marie, Bertha, Dorothy, and Mike.
Ulalie and Mike engaged in lively games of
checkers in their spare time. They were their
grandson Gerald's godparents and a deep
mutual love existed between them and
Gerald. There was always a bed waiting for
Gerald anytime he cared to occupy it and in
turn any thing he could do for them he did.
Gerald remembers when he was young trying
to get all the burrs out of his grandpa's
favorite horse's trail. He was so thorough that
when he was finsished what had been a
beautiful flowing taill was a pitiful mess.
Mike would have skinned alive anyone else
for having done such a thing but since it was
Gerald who had done the terrible deed, he
laughed and let it pass.
Charlie and Amelia Flageolle lived on his
parent's homestead whom they were first
mauied. They moved from there to various
places, finally moving to Stratton around
1930. Charlie was the custodian at St. Charles
Church and school until sometimes in 1937.
While he was thus employed, he also started
repairing shoes and later even sold cars in
Burlington.During this time his children
were busy also. Vera recalls when her cousin
Anna Marie coached her for plays the
children gave in their backyard. For one
performance Vera was dressed in old clothes
and had dirt all over her face while ehe
recited, "Here I stand all ragged and dirty,
and if a boy kissed me I would run like a
turkey". Charlie moved his family to Denver
in 1937. They returned to Stratton for awhile.
Eventually in 1956 Charlie and Amelia
bought a farm near Kiowa. They now live in
Denver, Colorado.
by Laura M. Flageolle
FLAGEOLLE, JOHN
AND LAVINA
F206
John S. Flageolle was born on February 22,
1857 in Lansing,
Michigan. He was
a
freighter
for several years from Council Bluffs and
Sioux City, Iowa through the Black Hills of
South Dakota to parts of Montana and
Minnesota. John hauled freight with a six
mule hitch. They were small mules but were
strong and faet. The Indians called him "The
rat freighter" becauee of his emall tenm. He
would haul supplies for the homesteaderg and
sometimes even the Indians. He always had
to have some whiskey and tobacco to trade
with the fudinnn. One of his favorite past
times was sitting and telling his grandchildren of his long hauls with a tenm and wagon
and variow encountere with the Indiane. One
tine they were traveling early in the morning
when they saw a young squaw on the river
bank washing her clothes. One of the men
by Ruth Brachtenbach Robinson
FLAGEOLLE, JOHN
S.
F206
Descendants
John S. and Lavina Flageolle.
As other frontiers were conquered, people
turned to Eastern Colorado, an area passed
riding horseback rode down and attacked the
land brought them to this last frontier.
squaw. He left her and rode back to the wagon
Owning land gives people a strong sense of
independence even though at times it would
seem the land owns them. Working the land
is always demanding. The conditions which
by until the latc 1800's. Then the offer of free
train. The wagon train kept traveling and in
the early morning they were surrounded by
Indians. The Indians asked "Big John" as he
was called for the man who attacked the
squaw. They said they would not harm
anyone else or bother them, they only wanted
the quality man. The Indians took the man
and scalped him and left him. He died a short
time later and they buried him and went on
for the freight. He said the Indians would not
harm them if they did not try to cheat them
and respected their rights and customs. John
also helped survey for the railroads and help
plot
several towns
in the
Dakotas and
Nebraska.
John and his first wife had two children,
William and Pearl. Her name was Anna
Homer and she died before he moved to
Colorado. He came to Colorado to homestead
with a tenm and wagon. He came with his
second wife, Lavina, she was born in Oct or
Jun 20, 1858. John and Lavina had 5 children,
Ester, Ralph, Grace, John and Alvie. William
moved out ahead of his father to homestead
also and Pearl stayed in Jefferson, South
Dakota. John and his family moved 17 miles
north and l-r/z west of Vona, known as the
Brownwood community. He received his
patent on the SE% S4-T6S-R48 on September 21, 1912 and another patent on the SW%
of S3-T6S-R48 on June 13, 1913. He built a
sod house to start and later on built a frame
house. They went into Haigler, Nebraska to
haul lumber to build the home and other
buildings. He raised wheat and corn and
cattle and the usual garden to support
themselves. John had a good life and made
a home for his family here until February 28,
1930 when he moved to Stratton. He passed
away in July 9, 1944. His wife Lavina died
March 27, L94L. There was a mass held in a
church once a month at the Brownwood
community and the priest came out from
Stratton by horse and buggy. On October 12,
1917 John deeded 3 acres ofland in SE% of
S3-T6S R48 for the Catholic church and
cemetery. John S. Flageolle was the person
exist in Eastern Colorado make these demands extremely difficult. Yet many of the
homesteaders made the area their home as
have many of their descendants. Of concern
to me are the following people: John Sylvest-
er
Flageolle, born February 22, L857 at
Lansing, Michigan and his wife Louvina Jane
Homer, born June or October 20, 1858 at
Menominee, Wisconsin. Louvina died March
31, 1941 and John S. July 13, 1944. Both are
buried at Stratton, Colorado. John Rudolph
Flageolle, born April 18, 1900 at Jefferson,
South Dakota, married Mary Agatha Balanga, born January 6, 1914, north of Vona,
Colorado, on January 10, 1931. John R. died
January t, L97L and is buried at Stratton.
Gerald Joseph Flageolle, born Januar5r 22,
1933, atVona, Colorado married Laura Marie
Sawyer, born June 19, 1934, at Oelwein, Iowa,
on May 25, L957. Victoria Lynn Flageolle,
born June 20, 1959 in Denver, Colorado,
married Denis Dean Cure, born November
27, 1954 at Flagler, Colorado, on June 9, 1979.
Eastern Colorado could be likened to an
in its geographic isolation an
island caught in a time and culture lag. The
island
boundaries of this island were the Platte
River to the north, the Arkansas River to the
south, the Rocky Mountains to the west, and
Kansas to the east; an area around which
people had gone as they followed the Oregon
Trail and the Sante Fe Trail; a last frontier
left to the Indians until the white men had
to have this land, too.
This area of Colorado had been known as
the Great American Desert since 1820. There
were some two hundred square miles of arid,
treeless, limited short grass upland with a few
strenms and these few streams often had no
water in them. It was observed that buffalo
had done well on the prairie grass; why then
wouldn't cattle? The desert concept began to
change to the newer concept that land was
good for growing grass. Sheep, horses, and
�cattle could be raised successfully on the
grass but the land was too dry for crops.
However, the 160 acres a rancher owned and
located his ranch buildings on weren't sufficent to feed large numbers of stock. It was the
open grazing range which made ranching
feasible.
Just as the ranchers had replaced the
Indians, the homesteaders began to replace
the ranchers. The Homestead Act of 1862
provided 160 acres (a quarter section) to
anyone 21 years or older, who was a citizen
of the United States or who intended to
become a citizen, who would live on the said
claim for five years and improve
it.
The
quarter section could be bought for $1.25 an
acre, which did away with the five year
residence requirement. If the terms were met
the land patent was issued at the end of five
years, giving the homesteader title to the
land.
The homesteaders had help in displacing
87
the ranchers. The bitter winter of 1886
hit the ranchers hard, killing large numbers
of stock. A new invention which made the
of barbed wire at low cost
possible, allowed homesteaders to fence their
land effectively. These barbed wire fences cut
up what had been open grazing land. Homesmanufacture
teaders were often forced to abandon their
to
periodic droughts, grasshoppers, hail, blizzards, or their inability to
claims, due
cope with the isolation. But in place of those
who left, others cnme and many more stayed
fragmenting the ranchers more and more.
Thus my story begins! Henry Flageolle left
Montreal, Canada and entered the United
States by way of Michigan with his wife
Eulalia in 1846. Their son John Sylvester was
born in Lansing, Michigan in February of
Another son, HenryJr., was born in Bay
City, Michigan in May of 1860. They moved
on to Jefferson, South Dakota where several
French families settled. Eulalia died in 1862
and is buried in Jefferson. Henry and Eulalia
had three daughters and two sons. Henry
spent the rest of his life in Jefferson, where
he was a blacksmith and vet. He died in 1926.
He had remarried and raised a second family
before his death.
John S. was a successful freighter and
contractor owning a hundred wagons and
tenms. He built roads thru the Black Hills
and built trestles, grades and bridges for the
railroad. He also ran a freight line. Henry Jr.
was a blacksmith and vet as his father had
been. John S. sold out his business around
1900. In the year 1900 he made his first trip
to Colorado. He found land in Kit Carson
1847.
County which he liked. He returned to
Jefferson, South Dakota to inform his family
of his success in finding land he thought was
worth homesteading.
In 1904. John S. returned to Kit Carson
County with his son William, who was old
enough
to file a
homestead claim and a
younger son Ralph. John S. and William filed
their claims in Hugo, Colorado for quarter
sections in Township 6 R 48 between Cope
and Vona. John S. had also brought with him
two pine treee which he planted on his claim.
Nick Brownwood had a section of land in
the same township on which he had built and
operated a general store. Nick allowed the
men who homesteaded in Township 6 R48 to
build a large community building on his
section. The building was used for community functions and meetings. It also served as
a church until one was built. Until the
building was completed the men slept in tents
andwagons. Upon completionof the building
the men slept and ate inside it. Each day
thereafter the men went out to a claim site
to build a house for whoever was going to live
there. This was done until each man had a
house on his claim. Thus, when they returned
with their families, there was a house waiting
for them.
Since there was no timber available the
housee that were built at this time were made
with sod. The sod was obtained by ploughing
furrows. The sod turns in thick, root-matted
strips that are cut into chunks a foot and a
half long. After the first layer is laid the next
layer is laid grass side down, seeing that the
joints don't match up, so each sod piece
overlapped the two pieces below, much the
same as you would do with bricks. Wide eaves
were left when the roof was put on so the rain
would not wash the sod down. The roof was
a layer of sod. Poles placed in the middle of
the soddie helped support the roof and with
blankets hung from them served as room
dividers. The soddie itself was one big room
about 14 feet by 24 f.eet.
The homesteaders who csme out at this
time left some open acres when they filed
their claims to afford grazing land and to
keep the land from blowing away after it had
been ploughed. A township consisted of 36
sections. Ofthose 36 sections, section 16 and
36 were left aside for the support of public
schools. They were commonly called "school
gections." This land could be rented or
leased; the money generated was put into the
state's school fund. As later homesteaders
came the open land was claimed. A section
was one mile square. Thus a township was 36
square miles.
In 1906, John S. made the big move to
Colorado with his family and all their possessions. His first wife Anna had died some time
before. They had two children, Pearl and
William. He had remarried, marrying his wife
Anna's sister Louvinna who had been
married before also. John S. and Louvinna
had five children of their own, Ralph, Ester,
Grace, John R. and Alvie. John S. and
Louvinna loaded their children, all their
husband, Charles Homer, Louvinna's father,
was gone from home for long periods of time.
Louvinna had lived between two haystacks
with her mother, her sister Anna and the rest
of the children, a cow, and the rest of the
things they had been able to carry from their
house before a prairie fire had destroyed the
house and everything around them. The
haystacks had been left when the harvesting
crews had gone through. The crews that
worked the harvest had lived between the
stacks with canvas stretched between them
to form a tent. The area round the stacks had
been backploughed to form a fire break.
Louvinna had a remarkable memory. She
kept a journal after she moved to Colorado.
In it she wrote the dates the mares would foal,
the cows would calf, etc. She also would enter
a few personal notes once in awhile. One such
entry went something like this: "Today is
Valentines Day. It doesn't look like anyone
is going to remember, so I will write myself
a verse." Then she proceeded to write a poem.
She, too, made do in so many ways.
Life for the homesteader wasn't easy. They
had to hunt their own meat, grind their owrr
corn, doctor their own sick and bury their
own dead. They learned quickly the sound of
a rattle snake and what to do when thatbuzz
was heard. Money was something most
homesteaders didn't have. When something
had to be bought, he would work for the
money if he could or find some commodity to
sell. Butter, cream and eggs were
cash
commodities. So were bones. By 1886 buffalo
had been virtually made extinct by the hide
and tongue hunters. Their bones, however,
could be found scattered across the prairie a
decade after they had ceased to roam those
same prairies. These bones were ground and
used for fertilizer. Homesteaders would
gather a wagon full of bones and take them
to a railroad town to collect cash for them.
The bones were shipped back east to fertilizer
plants.
As a result of John S.'s move to Colorado,
family and friends moved to the area also. His
brother Henry moved his family by train to
Wray, Colorado in 1907. Henry and his wife
possessions plus his wagons, livestock, fancy
buggy, and matched team of fancy horses
Marie brought their children and all their
belongings with them to a homestead in
Township 6 R48. Their oldest daughter
onto the train for the ride to Vona, Colorado.
At Vona they disembarked for their home-
their infant daughter to a homestead in
stead.
Once on the homestead all available hands
were put to work. A well had to be dug, a barn
built to protect their livestock from wild
animals, a chicken house had to be built,
fences put up to keep stock out of places they
shouldn't get into, and ploughing had to be
done and crops planted. They may have been
crowded inside the soddie but when the work
had to be done there weren't too many hands.
John R. and Alvie were only six and four but
since there was no wood to burn they were old
enough to gather cow and sheep chips to
burn. They were also old enough to chase the
chickens away from places where they didn't
belong and to bring in the cattle when older
people were busy doing other things. Digging
the well was a problem because they had to
go so deep for water, over 100 feet. It was a
couple of years or more before the well was
completed. There was a good 14 feet of water
once
it
was reached.
Louvinna was well suited to this kind of life
for she had been raised by a mother, Martha
Curtis, who knew how to make do while her
Ulalie and her husband Mike moved alsowith
Township 6 R48. A married sister and family
came, as did uncles and cousins. It wasn't
long until Township 6 R48 was a third
populated with relation of John S. Flageolle.
For John S. Flageolle what had looked like
a good investment turned out to be a bad one.
He had come to Kit Carson County to retire.
He watched most of his investment blow
away during the dry years. He wasn't alone;
there were many like him. He stayed anyway
as have some of his descendants.
John R. stayed with the land all his life
except for a few years spent in retirement in
Stratton. He married Mary Balanga and they
raised 13 children: Alfred, Gerald,
Rose,
Robert, Angie, David, Lorena, Donald, Doris,
Diane, Jane, Mark, and Gregory. Of these 13
children, only Angie and Diane still live in Kit
Carson County.
John R. farmed in several areas north of
Stratton. As his children reached school age,
he began to think of moving closer to town
so that school would be accessible. In 1947,
John and Mary bought 400 acres of land 3
miles north of Stratton. He farmed the land.
�raised hogs and chickens, and kept from 25
to 30 milk cows. He sold cream to the
FLAGEOLLE,
WILLIAM AND
crenmery.
For a period of about three years, Town-
ship 6 R48 had a Catholic Church and
a
PAULINE
cemetery. Someone would got to Vona and
bring Fr. Keifer to the church for Sunday
mass, or to officiate at weddings, Batisims, or
funerals. The church was abandoned when
I.207
St. Charles Catholic Church was built in
Stratton around 1910. John R. Flageolle
transfened the bodies in the cemetery to the
cemetery in Stratton in 1935, at the request
of Fr. Munich, the parish priest.
Gerald J. Flageolle has many fond memories ofhis father John R. and his grandfather
John S. The boredom of milking cows wag
relieved by his father's stories and old songs.
His grandfather lived with them for a time
after Louvinna's death. He would walk into
town after the noon meal to play cards or
checkers with the group of retired men who
met each day down town. Then he would walk
home again when school was over. Gerald
would walk with him and list€n to the stories
he would tell about the places he had been,
the things he had done and the people he had
met. Gerald lived in Kit Carson County until
he went into the Air Force in 1953.
William and Pauline on their wedding day.
Gerald J. Flageolle's daughter, Vickie,
maried Denis Cure and lives a mile north of
Pauline (Wynn) Flageolle was born in 1894
in South Dakota. Her father, stepmother, two
sisters, one brother and one half-sister moved
to Colorado from Jefferson, South Dakota in
1908. William and Pauline were manied in
raise hogs and sheep. Joehua is aheady active
helping with chores on the farm and is active
1910. They had 5 children.
Stratton, just off the Kirk highway. They
have five boys: Joshua, Kevin, Douglas,
Bradley and Eric. They farm the land, and
in 4-H. Kevin is beginning to help with the
farm chores. Douglas, Bradley, and Eric
enjoy following their father around as he
works and accompanying him in the truck.
They think the farm life is the only life.
The descendants of John S. are still a part
of Kit Carson County. They live an work to
fullill the sn'ne kind of goals their ancestors
had eighty years ago.
The land was free, the investmentwas hard
work, and the homesteader was his own boss.
He lived on hope . . . hope for sufficent
moisture, hope that they could survive the
winter storms. Someone once said, "East€rn
Colorado wag one ofthe wonders ofthe world.
Wonder anyone's here. I cnme here with
nothing and still have it. We live on air, water
. . . when we can get it, and good times."
Eastern Colorado was a last frontier. There
are some people who need a challenge, who
meet that challenge and don't back down no
matter what the coet to themselves. There are
people who don't know how to live any other
way. Surely these are the people of Eastern
William and Pauline and family. Catherine is not
in this picture. Back row L to R: Pearl, Richard,
Ruth. Front row: Willio-, Archie and Pauline.
William Flageolle, son of John and Anna
Flageolle was born on July 29, 1886 at Council
Bluffs, Iowa. He came to Colorado in 1906 to
homestead in the Brownwood community
1672 miles north of Vona, Colorado. William's dad, John Flageolle, homesteaded a
farm north and one east of the William's
farm.
We would have terrible tornadoes every
summer. Dad would send us all to the cellar
and he would stand on the top step and raise
the door a little to tell us what was blowing
away. One time the tornado picked up a colt
and dropped it in the horse tank. Another
time Dad was farming with six horses and
some dark clouds came up and he no more
than got home when the storm hit one and
killed it.
They used a horse and buggy to go to Mass
at Stratton, and to get supplies in town. Dad
was caught in a blizzard and never got home
until real late at night one time and when he
Colorado.
Unless we know where we came from,
something about the road we traveled as
people, how can we know who we are and
where we are going? Because I feel this way,
I have gathered togetherthe information that
precedes. Eastern Colorado is where my
children's grandparents chose to make their
home. Their story is my story too, because it
is everyone'e story who had grandparents
who were in the United States in the 1?00's
and 1800's. A frontier is a frontier, whenever
or wherever it is happening.
by Laura M. Flageolle
William Flageolle standing by his sod house on the homestead.
�did he was alnost frozen to death.
My folks rented a house in town across
from the Catholic church and sent the
children to the Catholic echool. My father
interest in the affairs of the community. He
was never too busy to lend aid to a worthy
cause or to someone in need. During World
War II, he served as the Red Cross officer for
stayed on the farm during this time. They
the Kit Carson County area. He was a
member of the school board for 15 years,
1930 and then they moved to a farm north of
served on the city council of Burlington and
was active in the Burlington Rotary Club.
lived in the Brownwood co-munity until
Stratton. They moved to Minnesota for 4
years but decided it wae too cold and moved
back to a farm one mile north and one mile
west of Stratton. They lived there until
Willinm's death on August 3, 1951. Archie
stayed with Mother for one month after
Dad's death to help get ready for a sale.
Mother moved to Denver and lived with
Catherine and worked in a Rainbow Bakery
for 10 years. After she retired she bought
some acreage in Parker, Colo. and built a
house and retired. She still residee in her own
home at the age of 93.
When they lived on the homestead, my dad
only lived just
a V, mile north of the
Brownwood store so he would to to Vona,
Seibert or Burlington to haul supplies back
to the store for Mr. Brownwood. Later he sold
out to people that cnme from Holland. Their
name was Fred Loppstra. They had a child
that was sick when they came over and he had
to stay in Holland. I do not know if he lived
or not. They went to Chrietian Endeavour
Church which was also in that community.
The school house was about 1/z mile west of
the store. Fred Loppstra sold the store in the
30's after most of the eettlers left their land
because of drouth or lost it to delinquent
taxes. He ca-e back years later and looked
up my father at Stratton and asked him if he
knew where any of the people had gone or if
some still lived around here. He said that my
father did not owe him any money but if he
could find some of the people they might pay
gome to clear the debt. The ledger was quite
large. I don't know if he ever go any money
from anyone. Most people just gave up and
left for the city and got jobs in factories or
somewhere and had juet enough to live. So
the 30's were hard on everyone.
Archie lives and works in Denver Colo.
Richard is retired and lives in Stratton, Colo.
Pearl lives in Denver, Colo. Catherine lives
in
Parker, Colo. Ruth liveg
in
Chappell,
Dr. Flatt maried Bernice Hartstine in
1928. Tbo children were born to them,
William Stanley and Cynthia Jane. They also
raised a nephew, Jack Dillon who cnme to live
with them at the age of four years.
Dr. Glenn S. Flatt was born on Januar5r 3,
1899 and died on November 1, 1952. After
Glenn died Bernice taught in the Burlington
School system and received her degree by
attending summer school. After retiring she
helped teach refugee families English and
was active in several community organizations. Bernice was born on March 10, 1903
and died in January of L977.
by Bill Flatt
William and Pauline received a patent on
their homestead on March 3, 1913 signed by
William Taft. The legal description of the
land is SWYr and SE% of S15 T6S R48.
Richard and Dorothy Flageolle, Jack Brachtenbach, Larry Brachtpnbach and Denny
Brachtenbach and their children are the only
family of William that are etill in Kit Carson
County.
Our income wae made by growing crops,
cattle, and selling creo- and eggs. After our
first three boys were born, Ray had to leave
one winter and work in the oil fields in Texag
to supplement our income. I stayed home
with the boys and took care of the cattle,
horseg, and chickens.
We lived on the farm until 1936 when we
moved to Vona. At this time Ray becane
Poetmaster of the Vona Post Office. In 1949
he became a mail carrier until his retirement
in
1970.
During these years we had 11 children:
Leon, (deceased); Merl, (manied Hazel
Thompson); Pat, (married Nina Lou Walker); Jack, (deceased, married Peggy); Ramon,
(deceased); Jo Ann, (married Kenneth Pickard); Mary Lou, (married Roch Luebbers);
Colleen, (deceased); Kay, (married Bill
Crum); Carol, (mauied Art Taylor); and
Linda (married George Card). Atthis writing
FORD
there are 29 grandchildren and 25 gteat-
- MOHR
grandchildren.
FAMILY
In 1912 my parents, Fred and DeEtta
Mohr, my brother, Bill and I moved to Kit
Carson County. We boarded an immigrant
car at Corsica, South Dakota. We brought
with us all of our personal belongings, 8
horses and 6 cows. Our homestead was
located 2 miles NE of Vona. We lived in a 2
room sod house and my father farmed.
During this time I remember many visits
from gypsy caravans. They would travel from
farm to farm and town to town and beg.
In the coming years my parents had
by Ifarriet Ford
F209
6
FRANKFATHER, CLAY
AND DACY
F210
more
children, Henry, Gladys, Mildred, Lester,
Myrna, and Betty. All of the above are
deceased except for Myrna and Betty, who
now reside in California.
We attcnded school in Vona, walking 2
miles each way every day. I also belonged to
4-H and Bertha Wear was the 4-H leader.
Our main transportation during
Nebraska.
After our marriage we lived with his
parents south of Vona until we established
our own farm which was located 12 miles
south of Vona.
It was difficult to make a living farming.
those
years were horges. They were much more
than working animals though, they were also
beloved pets.
Eventually my father decided to quit
farming and opened a Harness and Shoe
Repair Shop in Vona on Main Street. A
Crenmery was added later, At this time Vona
congigted of 2 hotels, 2 cafea,2 grocery stores,
a livery stable, hardware store, a bank, drug
store and post office.
by Ruth Brachtenbach Robingon
In 1908 Pat and Julia Ford moved their
family to Kit Carson County from South
FLATT FAMILY
F208
to a homegtead south of Vona. During this
time, Pat Ford worked for the Rock Island
Railroad and ran a butcher shop before
Dr. Glenn S. Flatt was a native of the
moving to the farm.
Pat and Julia had 4 children, Clair, Giles,
Dakota. They lived in Stratton before moving
Ray, and Celia; all of whom are deceased
except for Celia, who ie married to Bob
Hawkeye State, Iowa. While etiil very young
the family moved to Stanley, North Dakota,
where Glenn grew up. Glenn attended the
Stanley Schoolg and graduated from high
school in 1918 and immediately entered the
Denver University School of Dentistry. As a
licensed dentist, he came to Burlington in
1924 to practice his profession. "Doc," as he
Straughn and lives in Longmont, Colorado.
In 1921 Ray Ford and I were married at the
Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Denver. Prior to this, Ray had attended a country
school and went to high school in Vona. He
went on to attend Barnes Business College in
was known
Denver.
to his friends. had a
sincere
Wedding picture of Clay and Dacy Franlf,ather,
June 3, 1902.
Clay Demaree Frankfather was the firgt
male child born in Roca, Nebragka. His
parents were Snrnuel S. Frankfather and
Anna Maria Gilson Frankfather, who came
from Potterstown, Ohio in 1868 and homesteaded near Roca. Dacy Lee Frankfather
was born at Lucas, Iowa. She loet her father
at an early age and her mother, Arbella Lee
and two children, Dacy and Allie, moved two
miles north of Seibert, Colorado.
�Burlington, also at a school four miles east
and four north of Seibert, and in the town of
Vona.
Clay and Dacy moved to Denver in 1947
and had a rooming house. Aft€r five years
Dacy started teaching again at a school 30
miles north of Denver. She retired from
teaching in 1958. They celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary in June, 1952.
Clay Demaree Frankfather born August 28,
18?6 and died March 22, L966.
Dacy Lee Frankfather born June 13, 1879,
died August 5, 1961.
by Irene Boger
FROMONG, Iil.AZE'L
F2l1
The Dwight Frankfather family, back row; Kevin
Thomas Fitz Simmons and his wife Clara,
Helen,
with their three daughters, Florence, Dorothy and Hazel, moved from Nebraska to
and Kirk. Standing; Joanne, Dwight,
Dwight Jr. and Karen. Seated; Arwen, Shannon,
Vidrik, Lori and Todd.
Burlington in 1921, living south of Burlington
a few years. In 1924 Dorothy passed away
for
building roade into Cripple Creek for 93.00
Clay and Dacy Frankfather's SOth wedding anniversaq/, June, 1952.
per day. They also staked a gold mine claim,
had it surveyed and patented, and built two
houses and a barn on the property. On the
strength of a gold find near their claim and
since their claim had not yet produced, they
sold it for $6000 and returned to Roca in the
fall of 1899.
In the spring of 1900, the family returned
to Colorado and settled on a ranch one and
a half miles northwest of Vona. It was here
that Clay met Dacy Lee, a schoolteacher.
They were married on June 3, 1902 by H.H.
Priest, Justice of the Peace, two miles north
of Seibert.
Clay and Dacy went to Cripple Creek but
due to a big miner's strike at that time, they
returned to Seibert. In 1903, Samuel Frankfather traded his land for a store in Colorado
Springs and Clay and Dacywentthere to help
in the store for I year, after which Clay
bought a team and wagon and moved to
Flaglerwhere their son, DwightLee, was born
on September 11, 1904.
r 986
Dwight and Helen Frankfather on their 5fth
wedding annivereary.
After homeeteading, Clay's parents opened
a general merchandise store and hotel in
Roca. Clay worked in the area at odd jobs and
for a time drove a tenm and wagon, working
at a stone quarry ten hourg a day, eix days a
\peek for $20 a month including room and
board. In 1896, he and his father combined
their money and bought another tenm and
wagon and two heavy used railroad tents and
took the family to Cripple Creek, Colorado.
The family consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Frankfather and three children, Clay, Mabel and
Grace, who had all been born in Roca. It took
them 40 days to reach Cripple Creek. They
found an area on Spring Creek near a freshwater spring and set up their tents. Clay and
hie father goon found work with a crew
The next several years were spent in
Seibert where Clay worked in stores, served
as a deputy county assessor and auctioneered, crying numerous public auctions. He later
opened his own grocery store and closed it in
1927 because during the dry years farmers
were not able to pay their bills. Fuel became
scarce about this time and residents of the
area walked along the railroad track, picking
up coal which had fallen from the trains, and
algo resorting to old railroad ties and cow
chips to burn in their stoves.
Dacy taught echool for a total of 23 years,
20 of which were in Colorado. She first taught
a six-month school 12 miles north of Seibert.
Her second school was in 1898 on the Osage
Indian reservation near Gray Horse, Oklaho-
at age sixteen. In 1927 they moved to the
Smoky Hill Community. They were active in
all ofthe school activities and the church and
Sunday School there. Hazel attended school
at Smoky Hill, graduating from Burlington
in 1929. Her mother passed away in 1933.
Florence taught school in the Pond Creek
district and in other country schools. She
later married Ted Woods from Stratton.
When the dirt storms came they moved to
Oregon where she remained with her family
until her death in 1982.
Hazel manied Everett Fromong from
Kanorado. They are the parents of three
children, Tommy, Terrence and Phyllis.
Everett served in the Navy in the South
Pacific during World War II. When he
returned he established the Fromong Body
Shop, which he operated until his death in
1965.
During World War II, Hazel continued her
education at Greeley, and started teaching,
and continued for 30 years. Four of those
years were at Smoky Hill, and in other
country schools, until the re-organization of
the school districts, and she taught in the
Burlington School for 22 years. After retiring,
Hazel went back to school and got her real
estate license. She worked in that capacityfor
several years.
The Fromong children attended Burlington Schools, and chose different careers.
Tommy was engaged in farming until his
death in 1985. Terrence is a psychologist in
Tacoma, Washington. Phyllis has served as
County Clerk in Burlington for seventeen
years. Her husband, Doug Collins is engaged
in farming and cattle and also serves the
community as an auctioneer.
Hazel is now employed in the new project
called, Old Town, here in Burlington.
ma. She returned to Seibert and taught in her
home district three miles north of Seibert,
and when heavy rain washed down the native
limestone schoolhouse she was forced to
finish school in a tent. The next year she
taught in the district where the Frankfathers
lived and boarded with them. In 1929, Mrs.
Della Hendricks, Superintendent of Schools
for Kit
Careon County, asked Dacy to
complete a term of school 20 miles northeast
of Burlington. She later taught at Smoky Hill
which was 12 miles south and five east of
by Mrs. Ted Eberhart
.
�FUHLENDORF,
ELIZABETH
HENRIETTA
Fogg place, a mile north and a mile east of
Vona. I, Alma Bigelow Becker, was born on
this place on Jan. 15, 191.9. A big snowstorm
had blocked roads so Dr. McBride from
Seibert had to come to Vona, on a handcar,
F2I-2
My mother, Elizabeth Henrietta Fuhlendorf, was born July 27, LBW on a farm near
Odebolt, in Sac County, Iowa. Grandfather
Fuhlendorf operated a crermery in Iowa. It
was at this crenmery that mother's oldest
brother, Gus, was scalded fatally when he fell
into a vat of hot water.
The Gus Fahlendorfs moved to Armour,
South Dakota in 1896. Here is where my
mother lived until she graduated from high
school in 1908. Grandfather Gus and Uncle
Fred had homesteaded northeast of Vona, in
early 1907. When mother finished high echool
in the spring of 1908, Uncle Fred came to
Armour and escorted mother to the homestead in Colorado, 5 miles north,3 miles east
and. t/z mile north of Vona. Grandfather's
on the Rock leland railroad, and then rode a
horse to our place. The doctor was too late,
before he got to our house, I was born. I was
such a small baby, my parents feared for my
life. The flu epidemicof 1918 was still around.
In 1920, my parents moved from the Fogg
place (where the Kenneth Pickards live
today) to a farm 1 mile south and % mile esst
of Vona. This is where my sisters Louise and
Rose Anna were born and also where my
future hugband, Wilbert, came to court me.
About 20 years ago (after the folks sold the
place) this house also burned to the ground,
and the people that lived there lost all their
belongings.
The descendants of Earl and Elizabeth
Bigelow fanily are 5 children, 12 grandchildten,24 great grandchildren, and
grandchildren.
and 1911, mother taught
at the Murphy
school, northeast of Seibert.
Father and Mother were married on March
30, 1911. Dr. Beechley lived in Stratton, and
was the Justice of Peace. My parents were
married by him in his home. Father often
remarked, that he never became his own boss,
because he got married a few days before he
becn-e of age. My parents roamed around for
bwo years. They had a team of horses and a
b,esm of mules and a Jersey cow. They hitched
the horses and the mules to a covered wagon,
tied the Jersey cow to the rear and headed to
the beet, potato and hay fields, around Fort
Morgan and Hudson, Colo. In 1912, they
rented a farm about 2 niles southeast of Fort
Morgan.
On March 14, 1913, my parents ca-e back
bo Kit Careon county. They homesteaded
rbout 10 miles northwest of Stratton, Colo.
Ihis is the place where LeRoy Brachtenbachs
Live
today.
Mother returned to teaching again. This
at a country school called Solid Center.
Ihis school was about 2 miles east and north
rf my parents homestead. Mother does not
know if there are any remains left of this Solid
lenter School. Mother knows of at least one
rf the pupils still living today, Cora Tuttle,
rrho lives at Wray, Colo.
One day, as mother was driving to this
bime
rchool, she turned back to see smoke billow,ng from their homestead house. Earl was
rorking
in the field. Both arrived and
uatched as flames burned their home to
rshes. They could not even find mother's
redding ring, which she had taken off that
norning because it was a bit loose and ghe
vas afraid of losing it. The fire start€d from
r defective chimney. My two older brothers
l'loyd and Howard were born here.
In 1918, Earl and Elizabeth bought the
great great
FUHLENDORF,
VIOLET LILLIAN
drought years, so they moved into Vona. Dad
wae the Assistant Postmast€r for 6 years.
Then they moved to Wheatridge, where he
was the school janitor for the Wheatridge
School. In 1944, they returned to Vona and
he becnme the janitor of the Vona School
until he retired. There were three song in the
service; Wayne was in the Navy, and Carl and
Dale were in the Army dwing World War II.
Dad passed away in Denver on Sept. 9,
1950, and Momlived in Vona, untilherhealth
got worse. Then she moved into Grace Manor
in Burlington, until her passing.
by Violet Ednunds
FULLER FAMILY
E2t4
With the development of Stratton and that
Kit Carson County, Nason Hoyt
Fuller was closely identified through his
section of
by Alma L. Bigelow Becker
homestead house has been moved into Strat-
ton, and is today the dwelling at 211 New
York Ave.
Mother, having a high school education,
was a certified school teacher for the state of
South Dakota, but in Colorado, she was not
eligible to teach before she finished a course
in Colorado civics. Mother says she put her
nose in some book learning and in the fall of
1909, started a career in teaching. Her firet
gchool was the Ashview school, a half mile
south of grandfather's homestead. In 1910
3
Farming hadn't been good because of the
F213
Gustav Fuhlendorf came to America by
boat from Germany, and then by boat up the
Mississippi River to Davenport, Iowa. Eventually the family moved into Colorado.
Fredrick Carl Fuhlendorf, the 3rd child, 2nd
son of Gustav and Fredricka Fuhlendorf and
Chloe Altha Lloyd, the 5th child, Srd daugh-
ter, of So-uel Merida Lloyd and Alvira
Vianna (Cage) were married in Vurlington,
Kit Carson County, Colorado, on Oct. 13,
1909. When they got married, the folks drove
into Burlington and as it was a long trip they
had to stay overnight. Today it is only an
hours drive there and back to Vona.
Dad's homestead was located 6 mi. north
and 2 mi. east of Vona, Colo. To sign up and
prove on the homestead, Dad had to go to
farming operations and through general
merchandising. He lived a busy, useful,
active, clean and honorable life and left to his
family the priceless heritage of an untarnished name.
He was born in Canada February 6, 1846
and pursued his education to the age of 16
when he moved to Piatt Co., Illinois, later
moving to McDonough County, Tllinois. He
worked in a wood shop assisting in the
building of wagons and other wood work. It
was here he met his wife, Miss Angeline
Ingram. They were married and moved to
Iowa where he worked at blacksmithing and
farming. They had two children, Ira D., and
Manda Iva who later became the wife of J.W.
Borders.
In 1888 they moved to Colorado and
homesteaded near Stratton. Theyfarmed but
his health was impaired so they moved into
Stratton. Mr. Fuller once more embarked in
General Merchandising, but a year later his
store was destroyed by fire. He was entering
the store with a lighted lemp when
he
suffered a heart attack and ths lamp fell,
breaking and starting a fire. His friends came
Hugo, Colo. to do it. Our land was the SW%
in 31, and the NW% in Sec. 6-8-47. Our
Address was Stratton, which was 5 mi. E. and
6 mi. South of the homestead. There were 11
to the rescue, taking him from the burning
building. All the buildings on the store's side
of the street were burned including the
relatively new home of Mr. and Mrs. J.W.
ber the time when I was about 4-5 years old,
Borders.
Mr. Fuller then sold his farm in order to get
ready money to resume his business. He
remained in active business until his death in
December, 1917.
children and all were born in the general
vicinity of the homestead. I, Violet, remem-
we were in the horge drawn buggy and headed
downhill from our home to town. The horses
ran off and Mom wan so scared she tried to
jump out. Dad had all he could do to hold her
in and gain control ofthe horses. They finally
turned at the top of hill and stopped. We kids
were under the buckboard and were so
scared; I still remember it to this day.
Dad's first Model T car had to be started
by jacking up the hind wheels and cranking
on it. One day Dad was starting the car this
way but it ran thru the clothes line, clothes
and all. Mom was scared and didn't get mad
till it was all over with. To get to go to the
County Fair in Burlington, we would get up
and leave home before daylight in an old
Model T car and spend the whole day. It
would be way up in the night when we got
home.
Dad farmed until 1936. Times were so hard
and
I
don't know how they fed all of
us.
by Floyd Borders
�
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
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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- F
Date Created
Date of creation of the resource.
1988
Description
An account of the resource
Brief family history from founders of Kit Carson County whose names begin with "F." As told 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>