Photo Retouching

Young Ladies, no names

These young ladies were friends of Mabel Maud Lavely born Nov 1882 in Jefferson, Chautauqua County, KS. Maude married my Great Uncle Thomas Elijah Ford born April 1880 Marshfield, Webster County, MO.

1897 Spring Branch School

Clicking on the photo will enlarge it so that the names can be read. I hope these names are familiar to our CedarVale Memories readers. The Lavelys listed are my relatives.

29 Chautauqua County Citizens

When my Great Uncle, Thomas Elijah Ford, married into the Lavely family, he acquired a big family. He was born in Marshfield, MO., the 10th child of 13. The names on the back of the photo do not match up with the numbers, There seems to be a person behind a man by the window. This is first time I ran into the Cruzan name.
1 Cal Lavely b 1879
2 Anna (Schalls) Lavely b 1879
3 Emma Brown Lavely b 1878
4 Wilse (Henry Wilson) Lavely b 1874 Jefferson Twnshp (holding baby -
5 Harry Lavely b 1907
6 George Cruzan ?
7 Mable Ford b 1882
8 Flora Cruzan (Florence Lavely) b 1872
9 Thomas E Ford b 1880, MO
10 Jake Cruzan b ?
11 Alta (Lavely) Edwards b 1876
12 Fax (Wilbur Colfax) Lavely 1869 or
?? Owen Lavely b 1884
13 Cora (? Maiden) Lavely b 1876 MO
14 ??
Grant Lavely 1866 Holding baby -#16 Gilbert Lavely - 1908
15 Susie Lavely (Jacob's wife) b 1847
16 Baby - Gilbert Lavely
17 IS this Grant ???
18 Jacob Lavely b 1839
19 Floy Lavely 1894
20 B Lavely??
21 Wesley Lavely b 1904
22 Alma Lavely b 1902
23 Ralph Cruzan (cap on) mother: Florence Lavely b 1872
24 Gus Cruzan
25 John Truman Edwards b 1904 Jefferson Twnsp (mother Alta)
#26 Willa Lavely
#27 Goldie Lavely b 1905
#28 Zella Lavely b 1898

Those Last Photos

Not as much that I could do for these as some of the others.

Ed Halliday Farm, 2 miles w of Hewins

Maita was born 1905, so this fire would have been around 1910. I am in hopes someone can shed more light on this story.

Calvin H Lavely, Bob (Barbara Z) and Cora 1876 – 1962 Lavely.

Barbara Z Lavely, former Broadway actress.

Funeral services for Mrs Barbara Zelma Lavely, 74, 404 N Second St.,
who died at 4 a.m. Monday in Memorial Hospital, will be at 9 a.m. Wednesday in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Rev, Raymond Miller, officiating. There will be a rosary Tuesday at 7:30 p.m.. In Erdman-Oldroyd Funeral Chapel.
She was born in Temple, Tex., Jan 21, 1891, to Michael Harvey Hawkins and Amanda Jane Casey Hawkins.
She moved from Texas to Oklahoma City in 1897. Later she moved to New York City, NY and as a young woman was a professional actress and singer appearing in several Broadway plays and making several movies,
She married Calvin Hays Lavely on Jan 26, 1958, in Cedar Vale.
She moved to Arkansas City about four years ago from a ranch in Grenola, following the death of her husband.
She is survived by two nieces, Mrs Evan E Davis and Mrs W C Durham, both of Oklahoma City.
Burial will be in the Memorial Lawn Cemetery, Under the direction Erdman-Oldroyd Funeral Chapel.

Three of those old pictures

Recognize these girls?

This post card was addressed to Anna Lavely, in Mercy Hospital in Arkansas City. Date stamp is 5 Feb 1910. The girls on the other side of the card do not have names. In hopes they may look familiar to someone. Anna was first wife of Calvin H Lavely.
There are several Post Cards like this with Stamp written on the front.

This is addressed to Mrs Susie Lavely. Susie (25 Jul 1847 died 21 Feb 1933 Cedar Vale) was the wife of Jacob W Lavely born 24 Dec 1839 in Ohio, died 7 May 1918 Cedar Vale. The Post Card is Post marked 4 Sept 1909 Fostoria, OH. It was sent by Cora Richardson, telling of a reunion. The little boy on the right is the son of the Cora. Note the 1 cent stamp and lack of address.

Sunday Morning

Ford/Lavely family.
Another one of those Old Post Cards. No names on this. As I go through pictures may be able to figure names for these.

1910 4th of July

Recognize this place?? I had walked where my Great Aunt by marriage, and my cousins had walked, 60 years earlier. This is Mable Maude Lavely Ford holding Thomas Wayne Ford (born 1909 Cedar Vale), Goldie Lavely (12 Feb 1905 Chautauqua County), daughter of US Grant Lavely and Cora.

Mae Allen, Teacher

This Souvenir is in the Journal created by Maita Ford born 2 March 1905 Chautauqua County, Jefferson Township. At age 5 she was in Harrison Township. I know you will enjoy reading the names of the students.

Maita's father was my Grandmother Ford's brother. This week I have been offered the opportunity to know Maita. I sit here with 3 journals that she wrote, a big box of pictures of her family, my family. I never knew her. I never knew that my relatives lived in CedarVale until recently. I never knew my Grandmother Ford. Oh how I wish I could grap these and run over to Nellie Walkinshaw's house and show them to her. How I wish I could show them to my Dad. 1913 is the year printed on the front. My Dad would have been 5 yrs old, living in Wilson County. I doubt he even knew his Uncle Thomas Elijah Ford even existed, let alone lived about 81 miles away.
Maita's mother was Mabel Maud Lavely. And the cousins who broght these to me, we did not know about each other until recently.

Reading Maita's journal I am meeting me. We have the same interests in so many things. She was a teacher. She was creative with her hands. She vauled education. She loved animals, even letting the baby deer into the house. (I would do that, really) As she wrote these she was in terrible pain, as I read these I am in pain. We are connected in so many ways. From the rush weaved ladder back chair, the woven Peacock chair, right down to the sewing table. I fought back tears this morning when I found the picture of the sewing table.

When she was writing some of these words she was in Pryor, OK I was in Cedar Vale. I was 130 miles from her during her life and mine. But now, I get to know her, her Journals are like a window into her soul.

There is so much joy in reading these Journals. Joy in finding and meeting my cousins Russell and Chuck. Joy in fact they are sharing all this with me. And joy that I can share these pictures of Cedar Vale and stories that I come across with you, my Cedar Vale Memories friends.

Roundup at the Borum Ranch, 1955

An invitation from Margaret to go with her family to “the ranch” was something one just said “’yes” to without question. There was something about the ranch that held an excitement and mystic of not really knowing what we would be doing for the day or two lying ahead. This time, however, was different. We were going to help with, or in my case, observe, the spring roundup.

It was early spring when cowboys from most of the ranches in the area would gather at one ranch to help round up their cattle for branding and sorting and medication. Since Margaret and I were good friends, I didn’t protest when we were told to get up at about 3:30 am. We were horse-back at 4:00 and we headed south of the ranch house where the action was. We were a party of at least four: Mrs. Robinson, Margaret, Margaret’s brother, Jimmy, and me.

We made our way to the top of a knoll where we had an excellent view. We were trying to stay warm with our chins tucked down in the warmth of our coats. All except Margaret, whose horse was prancing around as she pleaded with her mother, asking to be allowed to go down and help with the roundup. With admonitions to be careful, Margaret was off!

It was a fascinating scene in the early morning fog and it was cold enough for steam to come out of the noses of horse, livestock and men amid the mix of dust, steam and smoke from the fire where branding irons were being kept hot for the next victim!

To add to the whole picture was the sound of the cowboys calling out and calves bawling. It seemed like a happening from 100 years ago. Even though I never again experienced anything like this day, I can still see it vividly as a nostalgic memory.

There are no doubt newer methods and techniques for round-up in current time (2009), but I will always remember the way it was on the Borum Ranch in 1955.

Thinking of getting back to the warm ranch house and crawling into bed, we opened the door to wonderful smells of breakfast. The big wooden table had been lengthened and was covered with huge platters of
breakfast meats, fried potatoes, eggs, flapjacks and biscuits. Big bowls of gravy were passed and some of the ladies who came to help from other ranches were serving steaming hot coffee from huge black pots that looked like they had been used for years.

In the kitchen Hazel Hines was cooking and had everything under control while laughing and joking with everyone. I knew Hazel as a beloved member of the Robinson’s extended family. Both she and her husband Earl were fixtures at the house in town and on the ranch as well. Earl so good humored the way he teased us kids and threatened to put us over his knee and tan our hides with a hickory stick.

The cowboys came in the back door after stomping their dirty boots on the ground outside, getting rid of most of the mud and manure. They were a loud bunch that quieted down as they sat at the table and started eating. There was no excuse for anyone to leave hungry as refills kept coming. The talk was rough and Margaret and I received some teasing which we probably didn’t understand, but liked the attention anyway.

I don’t remember exactly, but I know we both ended up in massive living room chairs, cuddled up in Indian blankets taking naps until being awakened for the trip back home to Cedar Vale.

This memory came to me recently and I feel so fortunate to have been a friend of Margaret Robinson’s and to have been included in so many activities thanks to the Robinsons. Special times which are now special memories to cherish forever.

Fwd: GRACE MULLENBERG

----------
From: Verona Buchele

Grace(Mullenberg) and my dad (Paul Buchele) were in the same high school class.  They stayed in touch through the years and Mom (Helen) and Dad traveled with Grace on some of her research excursions.  They shared an interest in Kansas history and the Post Rock fences.  Grace lived in Manhattan for many years but when she could no longer drive (2002 or 2003), moved to where her son George lived.  Jetmore comes to mind, but that might be totally wrong.  She passed away a few years ago (2005 or 2006, I think).

--

Iris's Photos

Iris,

Thought you might like to see a couple of those old photos brightened up a bit. Enjoy!

Cherokee Strip Cowpunchers Association (CSCPA)

Does anyone have information on the Cherokee Strip Cowpunchers Association (CSCPA)? Stonewall J. “Tony” Montgomery (1864-1955) was one of the 621 members. He and his wife, Laura “Annie” Nesbitt, settled in Cedar Vale, Kansas, where they established their own ranch that included leased range in the nearby Osage Nation. Montgomery and his family, including ten children, ranched in Chautauqua County, Kansas, and the Osage County, Oklahoma area for the remainder of their lives. They are both buried in the Cedar Vale Cemetery.

This lady, many may recall is Dr Rosie. When I moved to CV in '69 the hospital was closed. Dr Rosie played a big part in the lives of the Walkinshaw's. But more on that later.

A friend e-mailed me, wanted to know about the guy sitting at the counter at the Hill Top when Mr Treadway, Superintendent of Cedar Vale Schools was interviewing me. (Previous posting) It has taken me awhile to add to the story.

Little did I know when Jock Walkinshaw took me to the Green Door that was going to end up with lots of Pizzas and Tacos to follow. Lots of driving to Winfield and Ark city in the yellow Mustang, playing Bobby Gentry on the 8 track. After about the 3rd date, I asked him again what his last name was. That name would not stay in my memory bank. I had not seen it written, therefore I had a hard time remembering a ‘different’ word. I explained this to him, as he did give me a look that said, and she went to College?

Jock had a simple answer. If we get married, you can just pull out the check book to read the name. So standing there at the front door of the little house on the dirt road was the beginning of a new chapter in the life of 2 total strangers who had spied each other at the Hill Top Café.

I am looking at the yellowed copy cut from the CedarVale Messenger published May 7, 1970. Rev Otis S Bussart,. Norman Koester, Jolenne Sanders gathered at the United Methodist Church. Family came. My precious Auntie Florence and husband, Brent, came from Wichita. My family came from Pittsburg, Mom, Dad and 17 yr old brother. My other brothers were in the Army. Within a few weeks, we were in our new home, “the Cox house”, next door to the Montgomerys on Caney. Since we were so close to Nellie, John did not have far to go to see Grandma Nellie and Sinbad and all the kittens that Sinbad brought to her.

John, Jock and I made a trip to see a lawyer. There was a name change to be made. John was going to now be a Walkinshaw. The judge tried to tease John, as the child was so serious (most unusual for Mr happy go lucky). “I just want to be a Walkinshaw, like them,” he said with tears. “If you change my name from John, no one will know me”. When we got home, he sat down to learn to spell it

I do not recall when Dr Rosie came to Cedar Vale. I know I was glad to have a doctor in town, as I suffered terribly with migraine headaches. I came to know and love Dr Rosie. When I was pregnant with Katrina, I was ordered to bed. John made sure I followed doctor’s orders. He had twigs by the fireplace before he went to school if I wanted a fire, but “do not pick up those logs, Mommy”. He stood on a chair to turn on the washing machine. He and Jock would fold clothes, and I would hear them debate, “my mom does it this way”. “My mom does it this way”. John had been asking for a baby brother since his kindergarten days, and now he was older, had toys that he did not want a little brother messing with, so he wanted a sister.

John was at school when his sister arrived. Jock called the school to tell him. His teacher let him go to each class room to make the grand announcement. Only in a small town would this happen The hospital was just right for little brothers, the designers probably never gave that a thought. But a little brother can stand outside and look in the window at his new red hair sister.

Jock could not wait to go get cigars and pass them out. He came back to ask me what her name was. He had been telling people her name was Kristine, it was Katrina. Katrina Marie Walkinshaw. So out he rushed again. Dr Rosie was as excited as we. She worked very hard, also, to bring that little gal into the world. All night, she never left me. After wards, she carried Katrina down the hall, and washed her up herself

I was in a room, they brought Katrina to me inside an enclosed crib. I wanted to hold her, a nurse said no. I asked to see Dr Rosie, now. She came in with that strong, loving personality. She told the nurse to put that baby on my heart, I had carried her under my heart, now I should be able to have her on top What Dr Rosie said, that was it. Every March 7, thru the years, yellow roses would arrive for Dr Rosie from a very great full mother.

John stood outside at the window, Jock lifted him up. He wanted to know why his sister was in an ‘air container”. Katrina & I got home, and every night after school, she had visitors. Her brother loved to show off his sister.

Now the window at the store had a new purpose. It held a baby, while we worked. It had been great for a place to make a little bed for John when he was smaller.

I called her “the Judge”. She was not into this ‘cutsie’ baby stuff. She studied people. She stayed that way. Very serious. John had been the, “Hello world, I am here, life is fun” child. Katrina was the “is there any sing of intelligent life around here” child.

John was the best big brother, took great care of his sister. He came home with his shirt torn and covered with dirt. “A kid made fun of my sister’s red hair. I HAD to beat him up. No body makes fun of my sister.” He would drag her out of the crib on Saturdays, “let’s let Mommy sleep” I would hear him say. He played with her with the educational game. “No one is ever going to call YOU stupid”, “now, lets do it again”. He had dealt with dyslexia. School had its challenges for him. Today, 35 years later, they are still the best of friends. Katrina goes to her big brother for advice.

Every year, around Easter I would take pictures of John and the Sanders boys. Now there was a new person in the group. They are on slides, I hope to get them scanned and add them. With my constant back pain, I do not make it to the computer/book room often. Let alone do anything when I get there

I had told John that day we saw CedarVale from the top of the hill in ‘69 that we were going to find love. I kept all the promises to my little boy. I got him the dog. I got him a sister he loves dearly.

4 Generations of Cables

Natalie Cable had this wonderful picture on her Facebook page. She said to go ahead & add to CV Memories.

4 Generations, right, Harold Cable, holding Bruce, middle, Harold's father Charlie & Charlie's father Bennett.

Foust Tragedy

Many of you have been notified, but if not; Phil and Pat Foust's grandaughter, Jesse, and her companion were murdered in their Wichita home on Thanksgiving morning. His son of 4yrs and their son of 1yr were not harmed and were in the house with their dead parents when some family members came to see why they had not arrived for dinner. If you wish to see the obit and/or wish to leave a message of condolence, click on this site-- www.PenwellGabelJunctionCity.com. -- then click on Jesse Foust. You can also browse photos of Jesse's life.

George Muhlenberg

If you will look back at the postings of October 22, 2007, you will see a post marked Class of '55 Early Photos. In that picture on the front row is a very blond boy dressed in a little soldier suit. That little soldier is/was George Muhlenberg (probably spelled it wrong). George was with us a very short time. As I recall, he lived with his grandparents in a little house on the corner across the street from Oltgens???? I noticed that by the time the fourth grade picture was taken, George was gone. He and I used to play together in the back yard of their house, and I recall one day when I went to play, George was in bad shape, and was having trouble walking properly. After a lot of questions and prompting, I was informed that he had a recent circumcision and therefore the funny spraddle-legged walk. It was not funny to George, and at the time I didn't really know what that meant, but after 65 years I still remember that day.
I wonder where George is now??? Does anyone recall his relatives that lived in that house??? It was on the northwest corner of Maple Street. Don??

The American Beauty Rose

Long ago (about 1949 as I recall) and far away (well, not so far, it was actually the eighth grade room at the old Cedar Vale Elementary School) there was an event that probably changed the lives of the students that were there. It was an event that we will most likely never again see in our lifetimes. It happened before the age of wide-spread television and the internet. It happened in a room where Mr. Bates brought in a radio, or was it a little TV, so that the guys, and a few gals could listen to the World Series.
But into that room came "The American Beauty Rose". No, twas not a flower. Twas not a gorgeous beauty queen from the Arkalala. No it was a short, chubby man whose name was (George, I think) Rose, but referred to himself as The American Beauty Rose.
The Cedar Vale Baptist Church was holding a revival ( does any one remember what an old-fashioned Baptist revival was like?) and George Rose was the evangelist who came to comdemn the evil one and exort us to higher and purer thoughts. He was invited, or invited himself, to come to the schools and hold a session where encouraged all of the young sinners to show up at the church to have their sins forgiven, and to be SAVED. I have never in my life heard such a glorious speaker. The word of God came from his mouth like manna from heaven, and the threat of hell-fire and damnation came flowing forth like lava from the volcano. And sing!! He had the most beautiful baritone voice that raised the ceiling of that eighth grade room with
"Are you washed in the blood?" and "Ye must be born again" and " Wonder-working power in the blood."(As you may surmise, the baptists did like those songs of the blood( I was a baptist at that time)).
Those days are gone forever. Oh, I am sure the baptists still have their revivals and I am sure that carbon-copies of "The American Beauty Rose" are still thundering their threats and hopes, but they are not doing it in the public schools. Since the rise of the civil libertarians, the ACLU lawyers, the rabid atheists and others who wish to inflict their beliefs on the masses, we are not seeing the melding of church and state that we experienced on that wonderful day long ago and far away. Is this the way it should be?? Some will argue one way and some the other, but the fact is that now we don't see George Rose with his silver tongue and golden throat coming into the Cedar Vale Schools to entone us to BELIEVE. That way of life is disappearing rapidly, and we may be less because of the disappearance. I, for one, will not forget "The American Beauty Rose".

Fwd: Effie Foster

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Reva Sawyer <kansaw1@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Thu, Nov 26, 2009 at 9:24 PM
Subject: Effie Foster
To: nelsoncm@sbcglobal.net, glittrell1@hotmail.com, tchbth@mac.com, ivanwells@att.net, grannyj@sktc.net, jpowell@usd462.org, kennethmagnus@sbcglobal.net, raycar@sbcglobal.net, rjwpmw@aol.com, RobertH458@aol.com, bbcable@cox.net, rossmc@mt-vernon.com, tootandroy@aol.com, tomran@cox.net, waywoodruff@gmail.com

For those of you who may not have heard, Effie Mae Torre Foster, passed away on Nov. 22 at the age of 102.  She was very important in my younger days, as she taught at the country school, Goodview School, where I went for my first 3 years.  And then, of course, she taught us in the 6th grade.  But, aside from that fact, is that Effie and Earl Foster were a part of the group of neighbors on the Cowley/Chautauqua county line that got together almost every week at someone's home and played cards.  Earl and my Dad loved playing jokes on one another.  So I have fond memories of her.

--
Wayne Woodruff

Passing of Effie Foster

I am sorry to inform all that Effie died this past weekend. She was in the Dexter Care Facility and was 102 years old. I know several of you had Effie as a teacher in your youth--I suppose that if anyone had memories of Effie to share, this would be a good place to do it. You could make a comment to this announcement or make a new entry.
Services are today at 1:30--graveside in the Cedar Vale Cemetery.

From Debra Emanon

This note just came in from Debra Emanon, in case you don't scroll back to March to read comments. She is asking for information. If you know something make a new post or comment on this one. Here is her query:

I am a descendant of an Owen Lavely and Electa Morlan. They had a son Burl D. Lavely who died in 1950 in a aircraft accident while in the military.

I spent summers in Cedarvale, KS with my aunt Coba Morlan.

Does anyone have info on this family?

Thanks

Debra

Earl Vore

Reading about Earl Vore brought back many memories! As Wayne said, "he was a man of many talents!" So true. Here are some memories of "Earl, The Vore!"

I was just a young lad, when Earl came home from the World War II. One day, he stopped by the lumber yard and gave me a light, that fastened on my head! I was fascinated with it! Wore it at night, ferreting out unsuspecting Germans lurking in the corners of our closets! I, frankly, do not remember what it was actually used for, but it being "part of the war" was enough for me!

And, yes, Earl was a carpenter/builder, par excellance!!!! If memory serves me the way it should, he built and supervised the building of Dr. Hayes house, east of town. He often talked to my Dad, blueprints in hand, about the House that Hays built! I had never seen such a house and to know that my "hero" was the builder only heightened my idolization of him!

He was the kind of guy whose clothes were neat, and even his slicked-back hair seemed un-mussed, even when "building!" I always called him "Mr. Vore." Anything less was not befitting of this "man's man!"

One last anecdote! Earl was also a fantastic basketball player on Cedar Vale's Town Team! Quick? Oh, yeah.... quicker than a Caney River flood! Fast on his feet and fast with the pass! You never knew the "where or when" of his passes! You had to be "always at the ready!"

And, this last, last recollection is imbedded in my mind forever! Earl (The Real Pearl!), was being "over-guarded" by an agressive opponent. With the opponent's hand in his face, he looked this way and that! No opening! And then, in a sheer stroke of genius, he passed the ball between the legs of his astonished opponent! The crowd erupted! His teammate caught the ball, laid it up for "two!," and Earl's expression never changed.....

He was a man ahead of his times, with enough thoughtfulness, to give a little kid a "light" that is remember to this day! Thank you, Mr. Vore!!

P.S. Anyone remember the "Town Team" that Cedar Vale had? The players? Their
exploits! Let the "iron screens" of the C.V. gym, rattle with your tales!

NEW LIFE IN UROLOGY

I had an active practice of Urology for about 35 years, and finally retired to spend the remaining years of my wife's life taking care of and spending time with her. After she died I found that after having gone from a 24 hour a day job to total boredom, I started looking around for something to do. So, after pondering the consequences, I offered my boundless experience to a young Urologist who needed help in his office. Sounds ideal, right?? So on the first day of "work" I got a lecture on how the paper work had to be done in order to satisfy Medicare and Blue Cross/Blue Shield and another lecture on sexual harrassment in the workplace (unfortunately it was not allowed any longer), including any comment to a patient that might be interpreted as sexual( I found it hard to discuss an old man's problem with impotence without some alllusion to the sex act, nor to discuss an elderly ladies vaginal discomfort without asking about her sexual habits), but that was the lecture.
Doing office urology means doing a lot of rectal exams on men of all ages who are truly thrilled about the prospect and I am sure enjoy it about as much as I did in doing it. I soon remembered that one of the reasons I was happy to have retired, was the fact that each time I did a rectal exam, it HURT me more than it did him. When I was a senior in CVHS I played football for the excellent Bronco team (record of 2 and 8, I think), and during that year broke my right wrist trying to stiff-arm an opponent from Sedan that weighed twice as much as I. Well, forty years later the arthritis in that old fractured wrist was so bad, that the pressure of doing a rectal exam was like stiff-arming Don Cox.
The other part of office urology meant writing reams of notes concerning each patient visit, in order that Medicare could pay, or not pay, the appropiate amount for that visit. Now as you might expect, this payment,or non-payment, was very important to my young colleage who was trying to pay for his new house and new Mercedes, etc. So, he would review all the notes that I had written and invariably tell me that they weren't adequate and that I should add this or add that, etc. Now it is important for you all to understand that after forty years of writing notes in my office and hospital charts, that I had developed a painful arthritis in the base of my writing thumb, and now trying to write all the notes specified by young doctor was miserable.
All of these lectures and advice and critiques were coming from a young doctor who was the age of my youngest son, and who in fact was a friend of my son. How would you like your son bossing you around? Maybe not! Anyway, after a few weeks of this stimulating activity, I decided that I could get my kicks by watching "E.R" and "Grey's Anatomy", so told the young man that I appreciated his help and I was going to retire for good. So ended my career.

I enjoy the blogs that are in the Cedar Vale Lookout.

I enjoy the blogs that are in the Cedar Vale Lookout. Recently there were memories of basketball teams and Dick Stone was mentioned. Dick graduated in 1942, we had a very good basketball team that year. We had five letter men returning. This team won first in the South Central League, the District Tournament and the Regional Tournament. By winning the Regional an invitation to the State Tournament in Hutchinson was received.

At this tournament the Broncos defeated Utica 33 to 22 to be the first team from Cedar Vale to go beyond the first hurdle. The next game was against Halstead, the team who went ahead and carried off the championship. This game was recognized as an outstanding feature for Class B basketball for the State of Kansas. Halstead defeated the purple and gold in the second overtime. The game was tied up 8 times. The final score was 27 to 25.

The South Central League ended with Cedar Vale first, Caney second, Sedan third, and Peru fourth. The Broncos won 23 games and lost 5 (2 to class A schools). The team made 926 points to their opponents 575. Wilbur Humphries, forward and captain, was high scorer with 281 points. (Wilber recently passed away on October 2, 2009) Ernie Clark, center, 214 points, Jr. Barger, forward, 132 points, Dick Stone, guard, 112 points, Kenneth Bohannon, guard, 46 points. Other players were Lee Lemert, Rollin Leedy, Neal Sullivan, Roy White and Merrill Tipton . Graduating seniors were Clark, Humphries, Stone, Bohannon and Sullivan. Clark lives in South Carolina and Sullivan in Alaska- we have lost the other three.

Coaches for the Broncos were Earl Vore 39-40, Cecil Humphries 1941 and LeRoy Uhlenhop 1942. Mr. Uhlenhop didn't finish the school year as he joined the Navy Reserve. I remember the students turned out at the bottom steps to cheer our team on. We had gas rationing (war was on) so we didn't get to see the games. A few local people pooled gas stamps and attended.

The first time I was in the Hutchinson building for a tournament was when Bob Bailey was on the team. I remember seeing him walking down the court and checking it out. I wondered if it looked as big to him as it did to me. It looked so much larger than out court. Was it?

Norma Wesbrook Knowles

Class of 1942

Substitute Teacher!

I knew the day would come.

It started with a call, "Mr. Shaffer, could you sub for me today? My kids are sick and I need to stay home with them." I remembered the times my kids were sick, and I needed to stay home. In that moment of reflection, I said, "Sure, I'll be there!" Hearing the elation of the regular teacher, I knew I had made the right choice!
So, I got up at 6:00 a.m., an UNGODLY hour in anyone's time frame! Found the toothbrush, but in the darkness, could not find the toothpaste! Upon finding it, I found the shower and therein found some semblance of awakening! My dogs looked at me as asked, "Why?" I could not give them a logical reason! Got on my clothes, which I had laid out the night before. You would have thought I was going on a long vacation! Oh how I wish that "thought" would have been true!
Instead, I found myself at a junior high school. My first job was to put out the chairs. They were on "high" racks! Way up there! As I was lifting them in a rather agressive action with a downward direction, I was beginning to wonder what in the h..... I was doing there! Then came the stands, proportioned just so to the number of stands! I had nearly two hours to accomplish this first responsibility, and yet, as I was putting the last stand in place, here came the first student! I wanted to "holler," I'm not ready! Nonetheless, in they came!
The first class didn't go too bad. They looked at this seventy-five year old man with an expression that defied
description! And, through it all, we mustered a fair degree of musicality with the music before us! How I wanted to tell them the "lifetime" of music before them....but the bell rang.
Well, I went through the brass class, the woodwind class, missed my lunch-time of 15 minutes because of my failure to hone in on the lesson plan!
Then came the final hour (in more ways than one) of the day! The percussion class! I once read where God made percussionists to make band directors humble! Whoever wrote that knew what he was talking about! I took roll. Now, that doesn't seem to be a big thing. Believe me, it is, when you have students moving about in ways quickly resembling "Dancing With The Stars!" The lesson plan stated, "Start with Burning, our favorite warm-up exercise!" When I announced "Burning," you should have seen their eyes! Ever seen eyes in one of those far-out movies where roll-call seemed a bit archaic and the prisoners were let loose? I felt like a warden. A warden with no assistant wardens! I closed off class early. There were chairs and stands to put away....the same ones I had put up in the morning! Can you believe, that because of my early termination of the class, they did put away those indespensible items of musicality! They, the students, sensed a growing ember that was about to explode with a fury that none of them had experienced!!!!!
I drove home, after signing out at 3:30 p.m.. I was done at 2:30 but "rules" made me stay until 3:30! I said to Don, "Don, you don't need to do this any longer! You've taught a long time! You've enjoyed those memories!
Let this memories go, and seek other ones that will mean more than you will ever know."
So, I write this to you...my friends, on this night when I know that another chapter in my life is about to happen! And you know, I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! At the same time, it's been fun.....!!!!

P.S. I e-mailed in my substitute teacher resignation today. Sad in some ways. But, the glad ways are in the
majority!!!!!

1935 Messenger

Those if you who receive the CV Lookout will see most of this page in readable form. For the rest of you, I deleted the post of a few days ago since most could not read it. I have tried a few things and here it comes again. A little bit better, but not really good. I hope some of you who are interested can read it.

Kansas Information On-Line

I just learned to 2 new websites that I want to share. One is http://www.kansasmemory.org/ and the other is one that I may be one of the last people to learn about. It has the old Kansas History Book by Charles Richard Tuttle that I have. http://books.google.com/books, and the name of the book is Tuttle's History of Kansas. I had called the Kansas History Museum to tell them I would donate this book, and the Library told me of these 2 sites.
This young lady is granddaughter of Nellie Walkinshaw, and daughter of Jock Walkinshaw. 1992, she graduated from Christian University of Oklahoma. I must say, she sure is cute. Katrina, as a toddler, was like a little old lady. Every thing had to be where it belonged. If brother's shoes were in the living room, she 'waddled' them to his bedroom, throw them into his room with a "Dare, Don" (there John). This changed with the teen years (imagine that). Today, she is back trying to keep every thing neat, while juggling 3 children ages 5 yrs to 6 mos. Still in Germany (where all 3 were born).

Those Broncos

For those of you who don't scan back to previous posts, I highly recommend that you look at the October 2 posting about the demise of the broncos. Don Shaffer has added a wonderful visionary story of a field of dreams parade down main street in CV in honor of the broncos. Read and enjoy!

I spoke with Treva by telephone and I convinced her to add a few of her memories to the blog. Since she says she can't post I agreed to do it for her. She remembers some things I had forgotten--not really surprising. Welcome to Treva Gray (Littrell)

Cedar Vale Saturday Drawings

Remember when the Cedar Vale merchants had their drawings at 3:00 p.m. on Saturdays in the middle of main street. The local merchants and the chamber of commerce had a money fund and would give away money prizes. There was a large hopper and people would put their name in it. The merchants would usually get some kid to draw the names after they had spun the hopper really good. I think you had to be present to win. The prizes ranged from a few dollars to maybe $25 or $50 on special occasions.

Also around Thanksgiving time the merchants would get on top of the L C Adams building and throw off live turkeys and guineas and maybe ducks and chickens, I am not sure. People would stand in the street and try to catch them as they sailed down. Kids would run and chase them all over main street. The downtown street was crowded and it was a festive event.

Today, the animal rights people would have a fit if it was still practiced, but I never remember a fowel being injured, they could flap their wings and glide to the ground and many were caught in the air.

If anyone can add to my story please do so.

Sorry I've been otherwise occupied

We've been traveling a lot and I haven't been thinking much about my early days in CV. There has been a lag in other's posting to the blog, so there isn't much new when you check in. Thanks to those who have kept the line open by posting from time to time. I know that there are others lurking out there who have stories to tell, so why don't you get up the courage to share some with us. Your old classmates will appreciate your efforts. I know that I will. And if I think of anything worth writing about I'll post an item or two myself.

HANKINS DRUGSTORE EMPLOYEES

As the blogging has slowed down lately, I thought I would submitt the following in the
event it might be of interest to some blog readers.
On a recent visit to Cedar Vale, Nancy found a small six ring, loose leaf binder in a desk in her mother’s, (Mary Bess) house. It is amazing the amount and detailed information she recorded in this binder. Any repairs made on the house, the date, who did the work, the material cost, the labor cost, if they did a good job; doctor visits; things bought at a sale, the item and cost; any appliance’s purchased, date and cost; and much, much more.
In the binder is a two page, typed list of the people that worked at the Hankins Drugstore, for the years Don and Mary Bess owned the store, 1937 to 1973. Don died in the spring of 1973 and Mary Bess sold the store to Mickey Myers in 1973. Mickey still owns the store, however it is located next door to the old drugstore, which was Smith’s grocery store. I thought the blog readers might be interested and it might jog old memories of long forgotten names. I am sure there are blog readers names on the list.
Cass L. Napier . Thayce Lucille Townsend. Sharon Ann Yates.
Harold Stone. Melvin Wayne Bolton Doris Eleanor Magnus. Freddie Alexander. Nadine Denice Stanhope. Ruth A. Zimmerman.
Neal Sullivan. Nancy Lee Goode. Ula M. Utt.
Richard Stone. Nancy Ann Hankins. Freida Sue Williamson.
Kenneth Bohannon. Gloria M. Sanborn. Bert R. Stewart.
Carl Mattox. Shirley Barger Henson. Mary Sue Carter.
Clifford Smith. Anna May Bohannon. Glenda R. Sinclair.
Nole Grice. Sandra Jane Carter. Jackson M. Gablemann.
Lucille Marie Sweaney. Charley Virgil Cruthrid. Joseph Clyde Sanders.
Betty Lou Jones. Olive Lucille Ramey. Judy Cable.
Louise Helen Sledge. Evelyn Aley Scott. Della F. Cable.
Partricia Jean Pate. Viola Casebolt . Barbara A. Cooper.
Zelda Wilkinson. Sally Alexander. Marcilyn M. Cox.
Jean Marie Snyder. Thomas Dean Hankins. B. Sue Ferguson.
Donna Jean Hill. Melba Maxine Campbell. R. R. Snyder.
Vaunda Lee Rish. Loretta Kay Shipman. Montra Patteson.
Victor Raymond Hollister. Geneva Emma Grunden. Nancy Jo Harper.
Clara Katherine Dale. Sylvia Petty.
Treva Alice Prather. Sandra Lee Searl.
Betty Jean Sweaney. Ralph Myrtis Eyler.
Patricia Ann Williams. Linda Jo Snodgrass.
Grace L. Harp. Lois Laru Bennett Herrington.
Aaron Pack. Jannie Irene Gassett Venters.

GOODBY BRONCOS

To all you purple and gold alumni who may not know, at the end of the current football season, the Bronco's and the school colors of purple and gold will be a thing of the past. With the combining of Dexter and CV sports activities, the new team name will be the Spartans, with new school colors. I also understand our arch rival Sedan is going to eight man football. So to all you former cheerleaders, band members and athletes who wore the purple and gold uniforms, cheris the good old days. My fifty plus year old, purple and gold letter jacket with the big C, still looks pretty good. I wonder if I could sell it on e-bay?

..........remember when,

..........remember when,

First base was a trash can lid,
And second was a tree,
Third base was the clothesline pole,
And, homeplate was grass-free,

The bat was a stick, of major league size,
The ball, a sphere of plastic,
A whiffle ball, full of cracks and holes,
Covered with some kind of mastic,

The pitcher had no control of the ball,
only unerrying eyes could follow,
On rare occasions, when it was hit,
Both teams let out a holler,

Sometimes the ball would go over the fence,
The batter circled, easy and free,
But he was out at home, to his dismay,
HE FORGOT TO TAG THE TREE!!!!!

P.S. Those were the Abner Doubledays, my friends!

Death of T.D. Oltjen

In an e mail this morning, Tom Randel informed me that the Wichita Eagle reports the death of T. D., a fellow blogger who spent lots of hours at his computer in recent years.

Our Fathers

I had often wondered over the years why some of our fathers were not fighting in the second world war. Why was my father, Jess Foust, Charles White and others sitting at home while others were dying "for their country". An interesting and sometimes humourous quote from a book by Rick Atkinson helps to clarify it.
"Physical standards remained fairly rigorous:soon enough, the day would come when new recruits claimed the Army no longer examined eyes, just counted them. A conscript had to stand at least five feet tall and widgh 105 pounds: possess twelve or more of his natural thirty-two teeth: and be free of flat feet, venereal disease, and hernias. More than forty of every hundred men were rejected, a grim testament to the toll taken on the nation's health by the Great Depression. Under the rules of conscription, the Army drafted no fathers, no felons, and no eighteen-year-olds: those standards, too would fall. Nearly two million menhadbeen rejected for psychiatric reasons, although screening sessions sometimes went no further than questions such as "do you like girls"? The rejection rate, one wit suggested, was high because "the Army doesn't want maladjsuted soldiers, at least below the rank of major.

Cedar Vale Web Site

Our little town now has an up to date web site. I have just visited it and I imagine many of you will want to check it out. It was designed and started by a 16 year old CVHS Junior. He (Justin Davis) now has started in business creating and improving Web Sites. Go to-- www.cityofcedarvale.com

Old Age Ain't for Sissies

Well, it's been a while since I have posted here. I'm still alive and soon-to-be well in Panama. Someone recently send me an e-mail with the phrase "Old Age Ain't for Sissies".

Just this week I found out that it is true. I had to go to a local hospital for emergency surgery to remove a "hot" appendix. Then I spent three days in the hospital with IV antibiotics to take care of the infection from the leaking appendix. It was not a pleasant experience! The surgery and medical follow-up were first rate; however, concern for other people's comfort is not part of the local culture. I am very happy and grateful to be recovering at home now with many local friends helping out.

My new house which has been "just one month" from being finished for the past four months will have to wait until I am fully recovered from the surgery; physically and financially. Maybe I'll be able to move in by the end of October.

It's great to see so many posts about CV memories / characters, and from several new contributors. I often remember how I couldn't wait to leave Cedar Vale when I was young, and how my perspective has changed over the years. I'm sure it would be a pleasant place for me to live now ... except for the hot summers and cold winters. In the mountains of western Panama I have 75-80 degree days and near 55 degree nights year-round. We have no tornadoes, hurricanes, or snow storms and few prairie fires. We do have plenty of rain (Tropics) and the occasional mild earthquake (living less than 9 miles from Volcan Baru volcano). The volcano is dormant and supposed to stay that way for another 150 to 200 years.

So, having survived the surgery and hospital stay, I can now say without reservation: "Old age ain't for sissies" nor is it for the faint of heart. It still beats the alternative in my book and, borrowing from a famous blog, I fully intend to continue having fun until I die.

Best Regards from Volcan, Chiriqui Province, Republic of Panama.
Jay (J.D.) Mills, CVHS Class of '59.

My Baseball Career

A few months ago Wayne presented his experience in trying to fufill his childhood dream of becoming a major league baseball player. I too had such an experience that I would like to share with you.

As background, we had a pretty good team in high school. Wayne, Lloyd snyder and I either pitched or played in the outfield, and when one of us tired, the other would come in and relieve.

We did very well until our senior year when we played Burden for a chance to go to the state tournament. As I recall, we were behind in the eighth inning with runners on first and second and I was at bat. I hit a line drive over the left fielders head and I thought, holy crap, I hit a home run. As I rounded second base, the shortstop was holding the ball and smilling like a donkey in heat. We did not score any more runs, and I have always blamed myself for not paying attention.


After High School, Wayne and I played American Legion ball in Winfield and went to the state tournament. I pitched the first game and needless to say, we lost. After that, I played town team ball for a team in Winfield and did pretty well. Later, I met a scout from the Milwaukee braves who was in Wichita watching their farm team, the Wichita Braves. He saw me pitch a couple of times, and asked me if I would try out for their team. I said sure, so I got in shape and did the try out thing.

I guess I didn't do too badly, because he said he could sign me for $5,000.00. I talked to my parents and my friends and anyone else that would listen. After a while, I had to give up.

I couldn't come up with the $5,000.00.



The end of my career.

I STAND CORRECTED

Most of you know that the Cedar Vale "Lookout" is carrying most of the memories blog pieces with the comments. They usually appear in print 2 to 3 weeks after we have read them on the Blog. Many people have told me "that is the first thing I read when I get the paper because I enjoy it so" All of the people who comment are my age or older.
Rick's entry about the local bachelors certainly did get responses. So many had memories and corrections to make--I get them on the phone. For Example:

The Pierce Brother of Ozzie was Roy, they lived in the rambling house at the corner of Maple St and Lawrence St. here in town.

Floyd and Lloyd were the Slaten Bros. as stated. They also had their father in the house with them out there on the mountain. Floyd was a bit larger and stronger then Lloyd according to Treva Sartin White. Floyd worked for Treva's father, Mr. Sartin, as the "separator man" on the Sartin threshing machine. Each year they pulled the machine down into Oklahoma So. of Pawhuska and made their way back to the Sartin Place in Lookout Valley--harvesting/threshing at several farms along the way. This started with a steam engine which pulled the machine at a snails pace and powered it when it was threshing. Treva tells of her mother who at the end of the day sent sandwiches or leftovers home with Floyd that he could share with Lloyd and his father. Some of this went back to when Treva's grandfather was the head of things.
Slaten was a good worker and a valued member and of the team and everyone tried to keep him happy. This left Lloyd who was also a good worker and most likely the man Carl Mills dad had hired. Probably Lloyd was the one who lagged behind cuz he had to carry the bread. Another interesting tidbit; The Slatens had a roadster coupe parked in a shed at their place although they walked and never drove. I'm told the James Humble, who some of you will remember as a teacher at CVHS, talked the boys into selling him the roadster which he fixed and drove for awhile (no I don't know what years, or what kind of car it was). It was abandoned to rot and rust away at the Humble home east of town.
Frankie Fulsome reminded me that it was "Dutch" Wininger who came to Cedar Vale. He was the cowboy, not the overalls brother, and he lived in the Motel next to the Hospital, but was not in the extended care unit. He was in and out of the Hospital several times near the end.
Mark Johnson reminded me that there were other bachelors out in Lookout Valley in that era. Fred Montgomery and his brother lived on Rock Creek south and west of the Johnson place. Fred finally married in his 70s and the brother went to live in a house a bit north and west of the Ralph Houston place. Mark also remembered that some of the Campbell brothers never married and went thru life as bachelors.

Remembering the Robinsons

The class of '59 which had their fiftieth reunion this year was so very fortunate to have as a member Margaret Robinson Kennedy. Her parents, Lincoln and May were very active in the community and made a difference in the whole town, but what I want to tell is the difference they made for me, as a classmate and friend of Margaret. This is just one of several to come.

As we (our class) began to show the beginning of adolescents, the Robinson's conceived the idea of sponsoring folk dance instructions to help, I think (in retrospect) us become socially more sure of ourselves and become (maybe) more graceful. Thus, the sessions began.

A couple of instructors from Ark City came to Robinson's house where the rugs had been rolled back for our dance floor. Now, all the students in our class were invited and only one or so
declined. We had nearly even count of boys and girls. We learned such dances as "Put Your Little Foot," "Oh Johnny, Oh," some polkas and square dances.

All of us girls were so excited about the dances, with maybe the exception of Margaret, but she was a good sport as always. Most of the dances involved changing partners and I don't think we had steady beaus at that age.

As I recall, some of the other parents became involved, moving the dances to the hall above the old post office. They went on fairly regularly during our 7th and 8th grade, and I'm sure they made a difference in our awkward adolescents.

Just an example of two parents involving themselves in a very positive way into their child's development, as well as the rest of us, some who needed this experience more than others.

Although they are no longer here, we had one of our reunion parties at the Robinson house in May, where Margaret served as a gracious hostess. There we were in the exact rooms where we danced fifty-five or so years ago. Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Robinson.

More to come,

Diane Archer Bradbury

THE CEDAR VALE RODEO

 

Did you ever go to the rodeo in Cedar Vale?  Usually on a Sunday afternoon, and on special days like the Fourth of July, Memorial Day and Labor Day among others.  I recently drove into Cedar Vale and down to the old rodeo grounds, and as I sat there looking at the remnants of that wonderful place, I could hear the sonorous tones of Jack Guthrie singing about the Oklahoma hills.  At every rodeo, that song was played at full volume over the loud speaker of the rodeo grounds and was heard by the scores of folks sitting on the few benches around the edge of the arena, but mostly sitting in and on their vehicles.  It was a memorable place, and seemed to attract all manner of citizens from bankers and doctors to wild teen-age girls and boys on the prowl.  To me the highlight of the rodeo was the bull riding and I can still remember the announcer telling us "Hear comes Merle Magnus on old Hurricane".  Now I really don't remember whether Merle road bulls, but someone TRIED to ride old Hurricane every Sunday to the accompaniment of the "Oklahoma Hills".  It was a place to visit and gossip with your neighbor, to meet new "boy" friends, to renew acqaintances with some who had come from Howard and Burden to watch or ride or rope, or a place to see your special guy or gal out of the sight of the father.    It was the place where old Billy Bonnell had supposedly set the World's Record time for calf roping, at least that was the storyl

      So listen to old Jack Guthrie sing about the Oklahoma hills, close your eyes, and drift back to the days of yore in the city of the Cedars.

     

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waywoodruff has shared a video with you on YouTube: OKLAHOMA HILLS by JACK GUTHRIE Oklahoma Hills by Jack Guthrie
© 2009 YouTube, LLC 901 Cherry Ave, San Bruno, CA 94066

--
Wayne Woodruff

Gypsies & Hobos ...

During the 30's, 40's, and early 50's gypsies and hobos periodically roamed the Cedar Vale area. Many stories have been told about the impact that these folks had on our country. Someone with much bravado managed a rare photo of this group invading our territory. Being a bit strange myself these folks became special to me as they determined to reside locally.

Thinking a few of you might have a bit of interest in what happened to these unusual folks I will allow you some insight into their lives. From left to right:

1. This person had wonderful artistic ability. After being somewhat normalized she eventually evolved into a commercial artist in Wichita and Atlanta using her talents for leading department stores. During her time in our school system she was a cheerleader for both the Mustangs and Broncos. She married and had a family but has had the misfortune to have suffered from ill health. This talented gal currently resides in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

2. This individual had a voice that could melt your heart especially as she warbled a love ballad. Her emotion and feeling dovetailed nicely with a beautiful style. An older brother was known to some of you. One of our bloggers reportedly had his heart stolen for awhile by this female making for a dazzling dimpled duo. She later married another and had a family and reportedly lives in the Peoria, Illinois vicinity.

3. This person developed into one of the more popular folks in high school .. especially with those that did not mind a bit of spirit. Sports would have been part of her forte but the school prejudicially precluded such activities for her gender. The band was honored with the presence of her and her clarinet. Sadly, a marriage choice proved unwise but the family resulting from said union has allowed her much solace. Currently she is living with the lout in the town between two lakes - Marion, Kansas.

4. Finally, this gal was as silly as a goose and even had a known moniker of SOS. At the same time, she was super sharp and it was fantastically fun to be in her presence. She had a rather classical singing voice and played the trombone. In fact, it can be said that she performed the shortest trombone duet in the history of the storied high school. She married and had a family. Last heard she was living with her good husband in Branson, Missouri and is a quite religious lady. Her brother is married to one of our best looking bloggers.

Certainly, Cedar Vale should be proud to have turned around the lives of these vagrants. They arrived as untested and with the social graces of those unfortunates not living in the general area. The town of Cedars transformed them into four folks (almost) like the majority of those living in the Caney River Valley of western Chautauqua County, Kansas. Remarkable!

White Sheep

White Sheep, White Sheep

on a Blue Hill

When the wind blows

you all run away

When the wind stops\

you all stand still

White Sheep, White Sheep

on a blue hill.

When were were four or five years old, Jack Foster and Bob Hays and I would lie on our backs in the grass by our house and watch the little white fluffy clouds floating around on the big "blue hill". We would try to see the changing shapes of all the wierd animals and monsters in the "white sheep" as the moved over the blue sky. My mother would sit with us and recite that little poem.
Do children still do that. Do they peacefully lie in the grass and visualize wonderful things in the sky. Or are mothers too afraid of the monsters that prowl the streets of modern American, so that the children are kept indoors to watch the TV monsters instead. That was one advantage of growing up in a tiny Kansas town in the 40's and 50's, we were innocent and enjoyed innocent pasttimes. What has been lost??
The worst things that happened to us was the occurence of numerous chigger bites, but watching the white sheep on the blue hill was worth a few little chigger bites.

Area Bachelor's

To my knowledge these men were all bachelor's. If I am wrong, someone correct me.

Wineinger
Ervin (Dutch) Gale Vernon

These men lived in a two story house two or three miles east of Hewins. I believe Carl Kelley now lives there. They would come to my dad's store to shop and set around the heating stove to visit. Dutch was always dressed in cowboy attire, Vernon wore kaki pants and shirts and Gale wore bib overalls and knee high rubber boots. They told some interesting stories and kept dad up to date on what was happening in Hewins.

Cosat

Charlie and Homer

These men lived in a small house just east of the Cedar Vale Sales Barn. They always had a large garden, a few calves, a milk cow, a pig or two and chickens. They were very self sustaining. They both passed away in the 1960's and are buried at Ozro cemetery.

Ridgeway

Christain (Chris) and Robert (Bob)

These men lived just east of the Dale Seman place west of Hewins on the north side of the road. They had a small grove of pecan trees in one of their pastures and my uncle Zeke would take me squirrel hunting there. We would always go to the house and visit for an hour or two. Both of them smoked pipes and they would light them with kitchen matches, then get to talking and their pipes would go out. They would strike another match and the same thing would happen. They had three pound coffee cans sitting around, full of struck matches. I would like to know how many matches they bought in their lifetime. They told many interesting stories.

All of these men were what I would call hard working, salt of the earth men. My generation is probably the last to remember them. I wish I could go back to the 50's and hear more of their stories and learn more of their lives.

If you know about any of these men, please share your memories.

FYI

Tom Appleby, who I believe was a classmate of several of you, died yesterday. He had been in ill health for some time, but his death was unexpected. His funeral will be one week from today at the Sedan Methodist Church.

Cedar Vale Fantasy Video

It is the early 1950's in CV and I just got a new Blackberry cell phone that takes the neatest videos. Much better than the old movie camera. And it is so light and portable that I can take videos anywhere and no one will know they are being observed for posterity. So over the early and middle years of the '50's I wander the streets of CV and this video I am sending to you over the blog is the result of those efforts. Now, if I can just find the right buttons to push, the video should be on your computer-blog right about.........now. Huh, it didn't work. Well, maybe it is not possible to put a video on the blog?? So, what I will do is watch the various selections and describe them to you. Not as good as seeing the scenes, but better than anything we have been treated to in the past few days.??

Early 50's. Must be a Saturday, and look at the hustle and bustle of this little city. The parking on the streets is almost full, even diagonal parking in the middle of main drag. Jesse Foust's big old Mobil truck is parked in the middle down across from Stella Walker's Whitney drug and I guess he is going in to get a large cherry coke. He is a big, good-looking dark haired guy; no wonder he has such good looking children. Speaking of big good-looking dark haired men, there goes Charlie White driving HIS Standard Oil truck south past the post office. He and Jesse Foust look enough alike to be brothers. ?? I wonder.
Yes, must be a Saturday, ?late afternoon?, because it seems that all the farm families are in town for the weekly shopping and gossip . There is Rollin and Olive Ramey getting out of the pick-up. Looks like she is headed for Hankin's Drug and he is wandering up the street toward Swain House's saddle shop. They always seem happy and carefree and seem to enjoy life. And Frieda Magnus and her mom are just coming out of Andy Early's clothing store, maybe getting a birthday shirt for the mister?? Frieda and her mom, look enough alike to be two pretty sisters.
Leroy Stacy and his family, shopping at Morris Smith's grocery, and there is Phil Foust helping Mrs. Stacy with several big bags of groceries. Now, there is another good-looking mother-daughter couple that could be sisters, Gail Bennett and her mom doing the weekly shopping at Charlie Field's grocery up by the cleaning shop. There goes Nancy Goode, headed for work at the drug store?? Seems that CV is filled with beautiful people, especially on Saturdays.
But, on the other hand, there are the "not so beautiful", speaking of which, here come T.D. Oltgen and Jay D. Mills entering the pool hall. T.D. stayed in but Jay came right back out and headed home. I guess his dad, O.D., must have already been there and caught the prodigal son trying to start on a life of sin. Oh, a big treat is driving up the street and parking in front of the City Hall; the Grunden family doesn't come to town that often, but getting out of the vehicle is Naomi, Irene and their mom. Now that trio really increases the beauty of main street. Mr. Grunden also heads for the saddle shop, maybe just to gossip with Rollin and Swain.
Now, what is Gary Metcalf doing hanging around outside Hankin's Drug?? Is he planning a hold-up or maybe just mooning after Nancy Ann, but Cecilia, his younger sister takes him in tow and off they go back to the farm. Romance will have to wait.
The next video must be a different day because it is five p.m. and we see Nellie Walkinshaw coming out of her job at the Caney Valley Electric where she keeps books for Carl Steward. She will take the short walk home to prepare supper for the two hungry sons. Across the street we see Clyde Shaffer also heading home, and he calls a greeting to Nellie. He is the most friendly and outgoing fellow in town. Nellie, a little more reserved, but acknowledges his greeting with a small smile and heads on down the block. She always seems just a little sad, but is a wonderful mother and takes good care of her little family.
And what is Betty Beaver doing going into Kenneth Dunn's newspaper office?? Maybe applying for a job?? Oh, but he she comes out again, this time walking with Roy Walkinshaw who has just finished, a day working in the news-ink it would seem from his appearance. Funny, why does Betty have the little smudge of black ink around her lips. A mystery.
Now, here comes trouble. Looks like the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse; War, Conquest, Famine and Death, only this time it is Five Horsewomen. As I said, trouble: Billie Goode, Susan Alexander, Diane Archer, Barbara Woodruff and Elaine Bennett all aiming for Hankins Drug. Shurd Tucker sitting in front of the City Hall should keep a close eye on those five. But instead, he gets into his old pick-up and drives up the highway to park in front of the Hilltop Cafe and set up the infamous CV speedtrap. Keeps the city finances healthy.
Across the street I seen Owen Hubbard on his daily walk home, up the street past Whitney Drug, the beer parlor, the post office, Woodruff's drycleaner and on by Bill Leonard's house on the hill. Owen always is dressed neatly; looks like a banker, which he is. And down toward the other end of the street, we can see Ray Oltgen coming out of the bank and get into his ?Buick?
Can't tell from here, but notice the slight limp that always accompanies Mr. Oltgen. I think I heard that was from a case of polio.
As I wander down toward William's Chevrolet, we see a glimpse of another man with a slight limp, Merle Sartin, coming out of his restaurant to have a cigarette. Maybe the inside of the establishment is designated "Smoke Free". Speaking of trouble, here come Dick and Bill Williams from their house on the corner, headed for the pool hall. Who would have thought it of those two little angels. Heading back toward the CV National Bank, it is quitting time and over the years we get videos of various attractive women who are tellers at various times. Frieda Magnus' sister, is that Irene Grunden?, Lucille Littrell, Shirley Sweaney, and others. When you go into the bank, it is a friendly place with smiling tellers and no bank guards. Must be a crime free town that old Shurd protects.
Mid-afternoon and we see Nadine Pate leaving the post-office and walking south, down toward the beer parlor?? Always a friendly smile, but instead of beer she wants a Steffins ice cream milkshake at Whitney's. She can't take too long, because the new PostMaster, Kenneth Dunn, is a strict boss. Across the street in front of Vic Hollister's store we see Lyman Fesler's wife and daughter going in for some shopping. But Mr. Fesler heads up the street, also toward the saddle shop, probably to get a new quirt to keep Velma's suitors in line. Another pretty mother and daughter combination. Seems as if all the girls in CV have pretty, nice mothers.
Speaking of nice, Don and Mary Bess Hankins are coming out of the store and they have a smile and word for everyone on the street. It is no wonder that the drug store-fountain is always crowded with kids and adults alike. I see the Woodruff family sitting in a booth having their weekly 25 cent milkshakes.
As I video on down the street, I go past Glenn Cross' hardware. Glenn is standing out in front talking to Herb Marshall. Herb sitting on the stoop in front of the cafe, smoking a cigarette, and Glenn, another of the most friendly men in town, always speaks to young and old alike. It is rare to see Herb so un-busy that he can come outside for a smoke. As I walk back north we can seen Fred Archer going into the pool hall, where a game of poker with O.D. Mills and Woody Lemert is waiting. Then down the street comes Hubert and Harold Cox from the L.C. Adam's Mercantile. Hubert tall, Harold short, but brothers none-the-less. Maybe going to Herb's for hamburger and chili lunch, but probably both headed home where Hubert will be fed a superb meal by wife Nita, who is a great cook. Across the street, did we just see Tommy Johnston going into the beer parlor?? No, it couldn't be.
The morning after Halloween we scan down the street and, look up on the roof of the Adam's building, someone has put one of the old horse-drawn wagons up there.. I ask around, but no one will admit to this "high" crime which occurred right under the nose of the Night Marshall.
That seems to be about the extent of crime in this prosperous, bustling little town of Cedar Vale.
Well, the battery on my Blackberry seems to be about finished, so further videos will have to wait for a while to be on the blog. Enjoy.