More about Hooser

This info about Hooser comes to me thru the Post Office. Norma Knowles (Wesbrook) is a lady well into her 80s who grew up a stones throw from Hooser. This account comes from her own memory and from an account written By Caroline Meldrum Booth. Caroline's article was in the Winfield Daily Courier, Wed. May 26, 1976. (dfc)

Hooser was named for George and Martha Hooser. They had a government grant for 160 acres in 1884. They sold it in 1886 to son Ralph for $1,000.00. Ralph sold 80 acres to the Hooser Town Co, in 1887 for $4,900.00. The MoPac ran daily passenger and frieght trains by 1886. Frieght records in 1902 show 250 cars of baled prairie hay, 200 cars of cattle, and 10 cars of grain. Cars shipped in; 150 cars of cattle, 30 cars of coal, and 4 cars of salt. (My dad, Clarence Wesbrook, worked under Mr. F.M. Hubbard in the hay business.)
The first general store and post office was operated by B.E. Hornsberger. Francis Prather was the first mail carrier at a yearly salary of $900.00. His son George was the last rural carrier out of Hooser.

In 1951 the town site was sold to the Meldrum Bros.