When I want to know something about gardening or local people I always go to my aunt, neighbor, and friend, Norma Wesbrook Knowles. I asked her to tell me a memory about the Wesbrook family and this is the result.
Clarence and Edna Wesbrook lived 12 miles west of Cedar Vale. Their family included Cecil (my Dad), Mildred, and Norma. They were rather shut off from the world. To get out they had to open 3 gates, then drive north to Hooser, on north and west to Dexter or east to Cedar Vale. Edna would sometimes drive the model T up to Hooser to take the train in to Cedar Vale to visit Mrs. Frank Hubbard. She would take the train back later the same day. Clarence, in his younger days, played on a baseball team from Hooser. They had uniforms and played often.
Closest neighbors were the Metcalfs, Wesbrooks had to cross Metcalf land to get to the Hooser road. Carl Metcalf was Cecil's best friend.
When a family lost a loved one, neighbors came to their aid. Clarence set up all night with Mr. Metcalf before his service. Edna was called to get a neighbor lady, that had died in childbirth, ready for burial. There were 3 little boys in the family. The grandparents took the 2 youngest and the father kept the older boy.
Cecil was the oldest of the Wesbrook children. He and his sister Mildred went to country school, Glendale, where his teacher was Nellie McGill Mills ( he thought very highly of her all his life). After 8th grade he went to high school is Dexter where he graduated. He roomed with a Mrs. Marsland during the week, going home only on weekends.
The building of Federal Highway 166 changed this family's lives. Some of the Wesbrook land was purchased for this project. Clarence and Edna were happy about the highway even though it divided their land. It made life easier. They took the money (about $1000) and built a new home. This amazed me, but Norma said $1000 went a long way back then.
This was during the depression, the highway gave work to local men. My dad drove a dump truck for a while. A family from back east lived in a tent in the walnut grove north of the Wesbrook house. The father and oldest son worked on the highway. The oldest boy eventually married a neighbor girl (Gary Metcalf's aunt). Lots of horses with slips were used to move the dirt. The highway people watered the horses out of the Wesbrook pond.
After the highway was completed local men were given the work of mowing, they were still in the depression, so this was much appreciated. Clarence mowed 3 or 4 miles.
Mildred Wesbrook stayed out of school while the road was being built, then drove into Cedar Vale where she graduated. Norma wasn't in school yet, but later rode with neighbors to school in Cedar Vale. She said the car was just packed with kids.
There wasn't a lot of traffic at first, Norma learned to roller skate on the highway. Relatives would come for a visit on the bus, the bus would drop them off at the house and pick them up when they were ready to return. Norma would wave at the driver and he'd honk.
As a result of the depression there were tramps on the highway. Grandma would feed them, if Cecil's Police Dog Bill would let them come to the house. There were also Gypsies in covered wagons, they would trade willow stools for milk and potatoes.
Norma has an invitation to the dedication of the completion of the highway to take place in Arkansas City April 16, 1935. Dedicatory address by Governor Landon.
6 comments:
Thank you, Jolene ... for this most interesting material. It is good that you were able to visit with Norma and allow information concerning your family to surface. Dad told me about your mother feeding those that came to her home. Also, my granddad has visited with me concerning your grandfather and the Hooser baseball team.
Thanks to both Jolene and Norma for this very interesting bit of history. Glen Smith tells about how his father (Art Smith) worked on the highway with a team and a slip.
Jolene! I want to tell you how much I enjoyed your artical about
your family. I remember your grandparents because I went there a few times when your cousin, Nancy, would come from Augusta (?)
to visit. Norma and Herb Knowles sponsored the MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) at my church. I was (and am) very fond of Norma & Herb and hope Norma reads this. I know how much they gave to their church work and would like to say a somewhat belated (about 53 years) "thank you" for all they
did to keep MYF going and keeping us kids interested. And thanks again to you, Jolene, for evoking good memories. -Diane
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Jolene - I certainly enjoyed your comments about your grandparents and Norma. I grew up about one half mile,(as the crow flies) from your grandparents place. I have many fond memories of both of them. They were always very nice to me and sometimes I would walk over to see them, and your grandmother always had cookies for me. I remember hunting rabbits with a 22 in the snow and I shot a rabbit behined their house. He was in a metal pan and I shot a hole through the pan. I was very ashamed and afraid when I told your grandfather what I had done. And your aunt Norma I thought was beautiful. Had had a secret crush for her and this is first I have admitted it to anyone. I'm sure she will be exicited to know that.
Phil, tell me about the "Hoosier" team!
Don, my memory is that my grandfather mentioned that Clarence Wesbrook was a quite good pitcher and that the team (which included grandpa) was difficult to defeat. Most likely the Wesbrook 'boys' along with some of the older Fousts and Tunisons and Metcalfs and Crows and even possibly some Grays were members of this illustrious group. My assumptions of membership are only that ... and exclusion of some along with inclusion of others of the area is likely.
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