Florence Daniels Will be Missed

Florence Daniels passed away.

Services are Wednesday Jan 31 at 2:00 PM, Methodist Church in Haigler.

--Cal Freehling

Happy Birthday to Violett Workman

Happy Birthday to Violett Workman!! She is 95 years old and celebrated her birthday with visits from friends and family.

Her niece, Judy Minton hosted a surprise party for her in her home. Her guests were served cake and ice cream and enjoyed a nice visit with Violett. She made the comment that she would never have another "95th Birthday" again! Her sense of humor has always been enjoyed by all who know her.

Bob and Doris Schorzman

I received this wonderful picture of Bob and Doris Schorzman from Deb today and wanted to share it with you. Many of you will remember them from the years they had a business in Haigler.

-- thanks Deb

Here is a photo of Robert (Bob) Emanual Schorzman and Doris Maxine Wiley.

-- Deb

Tucson (Where they have DRY Heat!)

I see that Sherri shared our Tucson Arizona thermometer with you when our cold spell hit us. That only shows 33 degrees. Our thermometer and at the airport official reporting sight actually got down to 20 degrees. This kind of freeze is so out of the ordinary that many of our neighbors lost plants such as oleanders, geraniums, bogenvias, some of the lemon and orange trees and even the palm trees are showing some freeze marks. We have orange and grapefruit trees here at our house, and the tops are dead looking. One of our rentals has 3 orange, 1 lemon and grapefruit trees - and they really show the freeze results. Another rental that we have has a young lemon tree, and it totally killed it.

The "snow day" that we had actually started out by rain turning to sleet then snow. So the roads were all covered with ice. All public and parochial school were closed. (and we only got a ground cover of snow)

This is kind of a joke to us from a place where you have to have 10 foot drifts to close the schools. But people here do not have a clue as to how to drive on ice. Dwight and I stayed home all day and it was a great day. I called Lisa (our oldest daughter) and told her she couldn't go anywhere. (She is 42 - and still obeys her mother) By the time I called Brenda - she was already gone to work at St. Mary's hospital about 5 blocks from her house.

Now then - today, it is 77 degrees and all the "snowbirds" are running around in their sleeveless shirts and shorts. This is the kind of weather they came to enjoy with us. And of course the golf course right behind us is loaded and you have to call ahead for a "tee" time.

Dwight and I are always anxious to get back up "home" in St. Francis to our little house, but we will wait until the first of May to do that, I think.

You-all come down and see us.

Leah (Gregory) Brewer and Dwight too

Remember The 50s and 60s

I just spent the last half hour or so enjoying the "movies" found on http://oldfortyfives.com/ a site that Dallas sent in an email a few days ago. I am sure you will enjoy
"Take Me Back to the 50's"
"Take Me Back to the 60's"
"Do You Remember These?"
"When Life Was in Black and White"
or read through the 100 top songs in 1955, 56, 57, 58 and 59.

I hope you enjoy the site. (Be sure and come back, now!)

-- Editor

Some of my Friends were Whitecoats

Wanted to let you know about this program coming up on PBS, Febr. 5. Many of the boys I went to school with went to Washington D.C. where they were involved in the “Whitecoat” project. They chose this option as a “conscientious objector” in the days when the draft required all men 18 or over to serve in the army or volunteer for another branch of the military service.

Some of the boys I knew, also went into the service as “medics” and were in the heat of the battle in Viet Nam, where they worked as ambulance personnel, medical staff, or in MASH type units. Being a conscientious objector meant that you believed in serving your country, but not in bearing arms.

I also had friends who avoided the draft by going to Canada to live or enrolled in college. Some of my high school friends are named on the “The Wall”. I am very thankful that we now have an all volunteer military allowing those not suited for military type service to choose another way of serving their country.

-- Editor

PBS WILL AIR A FILM INCLUDING INFORMATION ABOUT THE WHITECOATS, entitled "The Living Weapon" on the history of biological weapons on February 5. Dr. Frank S. Damazo, Whitecoat Foundation board member received this information this week and was told by the producer that "the Whitecoats will be featured prominently" in the film. Operation Whitecoat members were predominately Seventh-day Adventist draftees who risked their lifelong health to participate in studies about some of the world's most dangerous biological agents to find defensive vaccines and antibacterial medicines.

Contact: www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weapon to see what time the film will be aired in your area.

--(In the Lincoln, NE area, it will air on NET1 at 8:00 p.m.)

Happy Birthday, Leone - January 27

Thunder Storms

One of Dad's old sayings during an intense lighting storm with thunder that rolls and clapsafterthe bright flash was "That was the old man in the patato wagon".

Lighting would dance off the bedposts at night during some of the intense storms. A bright flash -- seeming so close -- counting, one thousand one, one thousand two, to estimate the distance from the actual strike.

Dogs would hide and paw at the door, so frightened of the thunder snaps that roared overhead always trying to seek shelter by trying to hide. The rain following in a deluge was often termed (*&$) *$@ #&%$ &% & %$# @$%$. - if ya know what I mean!! Also known as heavy rain.

When I was about 10 years old, lightening struck a pole transformer about 150 feet from me. What a BANG that was!! -- Yes, it scares you!! That was about 3:00 O'clock in the afternon and the hail that follows some of these stormes are a nightmare. I can't say that I miss some of the western states storms.

I have never seen a tornado funnell -- only on TV -- and NO, I don't want to!

-- Submitted by Dallas Adams

Card Shower for Don Harford

The following clipping was taken from the Benkelman Post & News Chronical, January 24, 2007, p. 5.

Snow in Haigler Pictures

Pictures from Ray and Floy Ruggles yard.

Two Raes!

As I was looking at the picture of the twins, it came to mind that I had a precious memory about Laveta and LaVern. Some little things just stick in your mind and this is one that stuck in mine. This was before Rae became my sister-in-law so it would be probably around my sophomore summer year. Rae had her beauty-shop in the basement of Marie Erdman's house, now where Kris lives. She was in between appointments so we decided to walk down town. Coming up the street were the 2 bouncing twins, LaVeta and LaVern. They were laughing and teasing each other and as we met, Rae and I greeted them and of course asked how they were ( or something of that nature, like you do when you see little ones). LaVern got kind of quiet as we met and then he let out a big announcement, "Hey look! There are 2 Raes". We had quite a laugh over this and seen why he could have been confused because at that time to him we probably did look pretty similar as we both had blond, short hair, lite complected, both wore glasses,and both SLIM and tall.

It looks like the "Twin List" just keeps growing and growing. I'm sure no one realized there were so many twins that have connections to all of the Haiglerites. It's really fun to look at and remember these people and how much "fun" these "double-people" had and still have.

-- Karen Lindell

Happy Birthday to a couple of Haiglerites

Happy Birthday to C.D. "Dave" Samler and Richard Hoover.

How long will the party last??? Enjoy and many more to come!

-- Dallas

I'm B-a-a-a-a-a ck!!

I'm recuperating from Vegas, about 250 e-mails to read or review. Be back to the Haigler Blog later when I get caught up!!

-- Dallas
(Lots goes on in just a short period of time.)

Its Snowing in Tucson

Its snowing in Tucson??? I wonder how long it will take them to clear the roads !! haha.... It is probably melting as it falls!! They are freezing there. The houses are not built for these kind of temperatures!!

A Picture of Haigler Twins

Picture of all the twins that attended VBS

I had forgotten the names of the twin boys in the back row. But I think they are Lee and Dee Worley listed in Violet Relph's list. LaVonne and Lavoine are the older Smith twins in the back. LaVern and LaVeta beside Gail & Galena.

The little tykes in the front row were in my kindergarten class and they lived in a trailer on the east side of Haigler. I think it was the trailer that your dad bought and moved to Ethel's lot and then Mel bought and moved to the ranch. Seems like the grandmother's name was Betty something. I guess they all moved away from Haigler. (I cannot remember their names. I should have kept records. ) Maybe your mom would remember.

This was the year we used the Holiness church for the primary children in Bible School and for the program. The picture was taken there.

It was rainy and cold all week. I had to drive through the mud and my car was all muddy. I had a little incident with Grant Trembly and took him aside to have a little talk with him. He said "I hate you" and I asked him why. I told him that I liked him. He had to think quickly for an answer and it came out, "because you have a muddy car."

Later I had to load the kids in my car to take them somewhere and Grant said "This is a nice car." He was so enthusiastic and wanted to do all of the putting of felts, etc. on the board instead of taking turns. His little brother, Wayne (I think) was an opposite - very quiet and shy.

-- Mucho Grande Amor,Tia Floy

The Football Kid

Thought I would share this photo of our grandson, Corey Arthur Rogers, with everyone. It was taken the week before he broke his leg -- playing football, of course!

-- Rick and Deb Schorzman

SNOW!! -- Again!!

I woke up to the sound of a snowblower this morning.

We got 5 or 6 inches of snow that began falling about 6 p.m. last night. This is only the second snowfall we have gotten here in Lincoln, Nebraska, this year, so we haven't had the experiences that many of you have with power outages and digging out.

I think my sister, Leah and her husband, Dwight, have the right idea. Live in Tucson during the winter and St. Francis in the summer. Best of both worlds!! I'm going to try that as soon as I can afford to quit working (better be soon!! I'm getting tired of going out on cold mornings!).

-- stay warm and healthy!!, Editor

Haiglerite Websites

If you have a website you would like to share, send the URL to the link below. Any website that is inappropriate will not be included, but if you want to promote your business, a family website or blog, or any website that is Haigler related, they will be considered and added along with your name.

Add your website Here: (Send URL to Blog Editor)

Goto List of Haigler Blogger Websites

Next January Birthday - Dick Hoover

On our Blog Calendar, the next Birthday is:

Dick Hoover on January 25

Happy Birthday, Dick.

Hope you have a great day with your family and friends.

Haigler Twins

• Twins March 4 1874.
  Fernando Trembly, (Grandfather of Violet Trembly Smith Relph) and
  Mahala Trembly McBride, (grandmother of Sheriff of Dundy County, Bob McBride).

• LaVonne and LaVione Smith
• LaVern and Laveta Smith
• Janice and Julia Relph
• Floyd and Lloyd Smith
• Alli and Alvie Tucker
• Robert and Delbert Tucker (Alvie's)
• Marlenn and Melvin Tucker (Kenny's)
• Chase and Seth Barron - Grandsons of Delford Trembly
• Robert and Richard Ambrosek
• Rusty and Randy Flamig
• LuAnn Green Wall and LuRue Green Krutsinger
• Gail and Galena Collicott
• Lee and Dee Worley
• Grand-daughters of Rae White
  

3 pairs of twins of Roy and Pamida Workman -

• Rodney and Ronney Workman
• Marlene and Darlene Workman
• Donna and Dennis Workman

-- List submitted by Violet Relph

Rose Twins

Sheila Louise Rose was given her grandmother Rose's name Louise as a middle name and Sharon Ruth Rose was given her grandmother Wiley's name Ruth as a middle name.

The Meanest Mom in the WHOLE WORLD!

In response to the “Mean Moms” email that was circulating in 2002, I wrote the following email to our mother, Alice Gregory. She saved it and I found it among the papers I am transcribing for her book, “From Where I Rock.”

Thanks, Mamma, for being among the rare breed of “MEANEST MOMs in the WHOLE WORLD”, I hope my kids think I was MEAN also!

You were SO mean when you MADE us get up at 5:30 and milk cows, feed calves & chickens every morning before our breakfast of AWFUL oatmeal and RAW milk and REAL cream with NOOOOOOOOOOO sugar!! And then MADE us do chores again in the evening.

You were SO mean when you sent HOMEMADE WHOLE WHEAT bread sandwiches (sometimes ROUND bread baked in Crisco cans) to school with us. And… it was SO mean to make sure we had a sandwich, a fruit, a drink and a cookie in our lunch every day.

You were SO mean when you MADE us help peal peaches & pears and take seeds out of plums and apricots every fall when you canned 100000000s of jars of fruit. (and in the process you were so MEAN to teach us how to can).

You were SO mean when you MADE us take turns doing dishes and MADE us include washing the stove, countertops and FLOOR as part of that chore and when it wasn’t our turn for dishes, we HAD TO clean the bathroom. (I think we had the cleanest bathroom in the whole world).

You were SO mean when you MADE us help you hang out clothes on the line EVEN when it was so cold out our hands FROZE.

You were SO mean when you MADE us help you clean house, dust the furniture, scrub the floors and sometimes wash the windows every Friday to be ready for Sabbath.

You were SO mean when you MADE us go for walks on Sabbath afternoon and collect bugs, butterflies, leaves from trees, local plants and flowers, learn the names of birds and in the process MADE us appreciate nature.

You were SO mean when you MADE us practice the piano every day to be ready for our weekly lesson (which you paid for with the cream & eggs)

You were SO mean when you MADE us wear the pretty DRESSES you stayed up late at night making for us!

You were SO mean when you MADE us cover our arms, legs and head when it was cold outside.

You were SO mean when you MADE us walk home from school occasionally on nice days.

You were SO mean when you wouldn’t let us wear mini skirts!!

You were SO mean when you taught us to sew our own clothes and we had to wear HOMEMADE clothes to school.

You were SO mean when you MADE us take turns driving to town after we got driver’s licenses. And you were SO mean when you insisted that you be in the car with us and wouldn’t let us go to town by ourselves except on RARE occasions.

You were SO mean when you MADE us consider other people’s feelings and have empathy for everyone in the world, even the worst criminals, just by your example of doing this yourself.

You were SO mean when you insisted on us telling you the truth.

You WIN the MEANEST MOM Award!!

I love you and am SO PROUD of having the MEANEST Mamma in the World.

-- Editor

The James McKinney Family

The James McKinney Family

Homestead: The time was about the same time as Peter Crabtree and Mary, Addie and Vester were proving up on their land. (About 1889)

Location of house: 1 ½ miles west of Prairie Rose Schoolhouse. It was a sod house on a steep hillside with a shed type barn on the opposite bank. The road was east to west and the farmstead was on the north side of the road. On the south side was the pastureland of the Charles Fancher homestead. The Fancher house was over a couple of hills in another draw. (The Fancher land was bought by Frank & Mae Crabtree in 1918.)

The McKinney Family:

• James & Nancy McKinney
• There was an older son, Arthur
• A son, Ed McKinney married LaVerne (Hoover) Gibberson.
• LaVerne’s daughter Ellen (Gibberson) Drummond,
• a daughter was Mrs. Wiley and her sons Frank and Willie Wiley. (Mrs. Wiley married Mr. Smutz when Frank and Willie were young and they lived south of Parks near the George Bartletts). Frank Wiley married Ruth Bartlett

(Note: 1900 census includes a daughter Hattie age 16)

In later years, the McKinneys moved to Haigler where he was remembered for his long white beard and sitting on a bench along the sidewalk giving out dimes to all the kids.

I remember only one incident that happened when the McKinneys still lived out in the country. It was after a big Sunday dinner – I was one of the many kids playing outside. My cousin, Bennie Wiley was about to “catch it” from his dad for something or other, but great Grandpa McKinney intervened pretty loudly! So did Grandma Smutz and the day was saved for the kids. (especially Bennie).

I remember hearing about Ed’s strip-down Ford – The “sporty thing to drive” back then.

The McKinneys were close neighbors when I was very small; Their names were household words. But I can’t remember anything more specific to tell about them.

I remember later families who lived in the McKinney’s sod house:

• Slim & Eva (Gordon) Wilkens who worked for my dad (Frank Crabtree),
• Roy and Lillie (Gardner) Freemyer and their baby Philip, and
• Ralph and Helen (Gardner) Queen.
• The land was later sold to Jake Wall.

--A handwritten note by Alice (Crabtree) Gregory

Sisters!

To my dear sister Sherri:

Dwight & I want to wish you a very happy birthday today. I am so thankful, happy and proud to have you as my sister. We have a big wonderful happy family, and you help to keep it that way.

Also, I want to let you and everyone know how much I enjoy the blog. You have been asking me to write something and I will when the time is right. I am not a writer so I need to have something specific to write. I really enjoy all the articles and photos that you post from the others.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!

We love you - from Leah (Gregory) Brewer - and Dwight too

Tribute to Ronnie Fisher

Ronnie Fisher

Jan 11, 2007

It can’t be true, it can’t be you
lying now so still.
There’s no one in the whole wide world
That now, your place can fill.

You always knew just what to do
In an emergency;
Then went about performing it
With calm expediency.

You were a steady source of strength
To others in their grief.
Now you, too young, have gone to sleep
It is all beyond belief.

A grieving wife, 3 hurting sons,
All the grandkids, too;
A brother – all with heavy hearts
Are sadly missing you.

That’s not counting all the cousins,
Aunts, good friends, all who
Were always very fond of you.
They greatly miss you, too..

But God can fill our hearts with hope
And comfort from above.
He can show us how to cope
Resting in His Love.

-- Aunt Floy

Happy Birthday C.D. "Dave" Samler

C.D. "Dave" Samler of Wray was a dinner guest Friday, January 19 of Calvin and Susan Freehling of Indianola. It was Dave's birthday and he stopped in McCook on his way home to visit with Gene Mahon. All are former Haigler residents.

-- Calvin Freehling

What's lurking in your yard?

You can't imagine how surprised I was when I looked out my window on 12/22/06 while it was snowing our blizzard snow. Yikes!!!!!! I almost couldn't think fast enough to grab my camera, hold it steady enough to grab a quick shot. He was just coming out from behind our bushes, making his way across the road. I'm sure he was looking for some type of shelter, as the expression on his face was "extreme panic" and looking for a "non-human" domain to rest. But, NO, not in my yard. I wish I could have captured that expression, but like I said, I was busy with my own expression, like closing my mouth, putting my eyes back in their sockets while sliding around in my kitchen fumbling for the camera and the likes of that. Afterwards I thought how amazing nature is to bring the beauty out in the wild, both land and life.

-- Karen Lindell

The Year 1965

I LOVED the entry ??The Year 1906??. It made me think – even in my lifetime, what a difference there’s been! Some Good, Some Bad.

The Year 1965 My Freshman year in high school -- Never heard of pantyhose. We still wore girdles or garter belts to hold up our “nylons”. Had to wear dresses to school every day and even though mini skirts just came into style, we had to wear dresses that came to the middle of the knee.

No blow dryers for the hair. We put our hair up wet, in juice cans, for the SMOOOOOOTH Style and teased it as high as it would go. Used cans and cans of cheap and stiff hair spray (Very YUKKY!!). Women and young girls like me wore hats to church, sometimes even gloves.

I never heard of marijuana until 1967.

There were no microwave ovens

Milk still came in glass milk bottles

Only had 3 channels on TV and those were “fuzzy” if you were lucky enough to get all 3.

Sitcoms were clean and funny. (All re-runs are still fun to watch today)

Most stuff on the radio was the Farm Report about “Barrows and Gilts” ( I used to hate that!)

KOMA was the “COOL” Radio Station… Don’t know if you still get that up there, but it was out of Okalahoma City.

No cell phones – we had a “modern” rotary dial phone that I spent hours talking to Leigh Corder on. She was my very good friend … Still is!! We still had party lines. I think my neighbors must have been very annoyed at us for spending so many hours on the phone.

From Haigler, going to Denver or Lincoln was a major, major trip!!

Nobody had a computer. Computers in those days filled an entire room and were very rare.

Cars were COOL!!! You could actually tell by LOOKING, if it was a Ford, Chevy or Plymouth.

People still went to church “socials”.

People who had cows, still milked them by hand. There were “milking machines” though, by then, for some who were “fancier”.

I appreciate growing up in that era!! I think that is when the whole world started to change at a very rapid rate!! Modern technology is good and this Blog is proof of that, but I will always appreciate living through that time and the warm fuzzy memories it brings back.

Good job on the Blog, I love reading all this stuff about our family that I never heard before!!! Our mother is a True TREASURE!!!!!

Oh, and Happy, Happy Birthday to You!!!

-- Eunice (Gregory) Richard

PS: Oh!! Forgot “True Romance” was the magazine that we were NOOOOOOOT supposed to read in those days. I haven’t seen one for YEARRRRRS, bet it would be rare to even find one of those now!

Deer in Floy's Haigler Yard

Got this picture this afternoon. There are usually more of them milling around. This one was within 6 feet of our dining room window eating some food I put out for the birds on the deck steps. But getting to the window to take the picture made her nervous and she moved on. I got her then from the south window.

She is one of the Dozen or so hungry deer that roam our yard and around various parts of Haigler looking for food. They eat orange and grapefruit rinds, peelings, actually everything we throw into the garbage pit and put out for the birds. This one has been a regular visitor since last summer. She and her half grown fawn come close up, right under our windows. But we can't get a picture of them that close. They don't like us making suspicious movements in front of the window.

--Floy Ruggles

?? THE YEAR 1906??

This will boggle your mind, I know it did mine!

The year is 1906.

One hundred years ago.

What a difference a century makes!
Here are some statistics for the Year 1906 :

The average life expectancy was 47 years.

Only 14 percent of the homes had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.

There were only 8,000 cars and only

144 miles Of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!

The average wage in 1906 was 22 cents per hour.
The average worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year,
A dentist $2,500 per year,

a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year,

and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.

More than 95 percent of all births took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION!

Instead, they attended so-called medical schools,

many of which were condemned in the press

AND the government as "substandard."

Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.

Most women only washed their hair once a month,

and used Borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from

Entering into their country for any reason.

Five leading causes of death were:

1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke

The American flag had 45 stars.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!

Crossword puzzles, canned beer,

and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.

Two out of every 10 adults couldn't read or write.

Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.

Marijuana, heroin, and morphine

were all available over the counter at the local corner drugstores.

Back then pharmacists said,

"Heroin clears the complexion, gives buoyancy to the mind, regulates the stomach and bowels, and is, in fact, a perfect guardian of health." ( Shocking? DUH! )

Eighteen percent of households had at least One full-time servant or domestic help.

There were about 230 reported murders in the ENTIRE ! U.S.A. !

Now I forwarded this from someone else without typing It myself, and sent it to you and others all over the United States ,& Canada possibly the world, in a matter of seconds!

Try to imagine what it may be like in another 100 years.

--Submitted by Luke Cochran

1953 Haigler High Seniors

An Ode to the North Divide

Kansas Korner
By Marilyn Holzwarth

The Cheyenne County Historical Society continues “An Ode to the North Divide” by lagoo. If you know the identity of the writer, please let us know.

There is Timothy Galvin still at large
There is Frank O’Leary tall and fair
There is George Boyd and Wilson George
And William Burns with curly hair
Daniel Collins is still in the ranks,
Mr. Harley was lately enrolled
Among ‘North Divide’ bachelors,
He is fearless and bold.

There are so many lonely ones,
I cannot name them all;
There is Edward McKinney who they say
Never has had a proposal at all;
There is D. W. Crabtree, rich as a Jew
But keeping back makes solemn and prim;
Oh, will not some kind maiden
Take up her cross and show mercy to him.

There is W. P. Lambert, of woeful state
All day long he roams the plain
Like a lost troubled spirit,
Who searches, and searches in vain,
He sighs and groans and cries aloud,
He bitterly weeps and beats the air,
He stops not for fence nor canon,
Madly he rides and tears his hair.

-- a Clipping found among Alice Gregory’s papers, probably clipped from the St. Francis Herald, date unknown

Comments by Alice (Crabtree) Gregory

Frank O’Leary (wasn't tall at all) married Mary Tongish and had children; Lewis, Lloyd, Helen, Frances… After Frank died, Mary married Jim Lang

George Boyd never married, in the 1930s he moved to Ainsworth, Nebraska and sold his place to Herman White.

George Wilson never married – he was seeing Serepta Crabtree at one time and she never married either.

Ed McKinney married LaVerne (Hoover) Gibberson, mother of Ellen (Gibberson) Drummond

Dave Crabtree never married (He was my Uncle Dave)

Newspaper Clipping - Date Unknown

Found this little clipping:

Gloria W. West from San Antonio, Texas, visited last Monday in the home of Viola Pearson. Many from here will remember Gloria's father, Billy Williams, a former mail carrier out of Haigler in the 20s. He was also a member of the famous ball team, the Haigler Colts.

--Editor

We're Writing a Book

After spending time with my mother over the holidays, going through her "closet" full of pictures, stories, notes and clippings, we decided to write a book. I am spending every spare moment I can find typing her handwritten notes, adding names to the pictures we scanned and trying to put them in the order of the well planned outline that Mamma wrote 25 or 30 years ago when she decided to begin keeping "notes".

So, from time to time, I want to share what I'm typing and reading with you. I hope you enjoy it, as much of it includes people you know and may be related to.

Following is the story of how the Crabtree family came to be in this part of the country.

-- Editor

Crabtrees Arrive on Immigrant Train - 1892

Peter Crabtree was born in Ohio, ninth in a family of 20 children. His wife, Sarah Williams was born in a log house near Portsmouth on the Ohio River. Her parents were William Henry and Elizabeth (Altmann) Williams.

In 1879 the Peter Crabtree family with eight children joined a large group of relatives, in-laws and friends who left Ohio and made the long trip to Cass County, Nebraska. There they bought a farm, built a sod house, survived the “grasshopper years”, started two sons to college at Peru State Normal College and another in farming. In 1892, they brought the eight younger children to Haigler, Nebraska, on an immigrant train to find land near the others of the Williams family who had come in 1886 to establish homes along the Hackberry creek in northwestern Kansas.

This is the rest of the story as told by Frank Crabtree and written down as nearly word for word as we can remember.

“We came to Haigler on an immigrant train. There were box cars for our farm implements, furniture, dishes and things like that, and our cows and horse were in a stock car. Vester rode with our livestock (one adult could ride free in the freight car to take care of the animals) Vester saw stowaways stealing rides by hiding among other people’s stuff.

Uncle Jerome (Crabtree) was waiting for us when we got off at Haigler. The men put the wheels back on our wagons and loaded our stuff in. They hitched up the horses and we followed a trail through the brakes to the southeast towards the Hackberry toward Uncle Henry’s place (Jonathan Henry Williams). The others had come earlier and already had houses built. Uncle Jerome’s house was just south of the Charley Zuege homestead. When we got in sight of his house we could see the whole family outside watching up the trail and when we got close enough for them to see that we were us, they all ran pell mell to meet us. (Ma and Aunt Mag, Jerome’s wife, were sisters)

We went to Uncle Henry and Aunt Ella’s (Mary Ellen Vanderford) to stay while we looked for land. My sister, Cora, (Crabtree-Marshall-O’Brien) was the same age as Ida, their oldest kid. On down the creek was Gran-dad Williams’ place and Uncle Henry’s place was down on the Hackberry. (south of Lee Mills’ house.) We had a hard time to find a homestead. Most of the available land had been already taken by the time we got here. The quarter we got was about five miles north and east of the rest of the family. It was a tree claim. Took less time to prove up. It was just south of the James Boyd place. They had moved over west (James Boyd basin quarter 1890 – 3 quarters west a few miles 1894 and 1895) We lived in their house while we built ours. We built a barn first. There was a strip of land already broke up that we planted to corn the second year. We raised a kind of little red corn – with small ears – real hard kernels – almost too hard to shell. It would grow when bigger corn would dry up. We discovered that it was richer than other corn. Vester picked half a wagon box full in a little while. I thought we could help (the cousins Harley & Charley, Uncle Jerome’s boys) and get it done really fast. But Vester ‘fired” us after a little of our kind of help. Uncle Jerome had two or three milk cows and some chickens but no corn. Aunt Mag came over to see if they could get corn from us.

Later, we broke out the prairie with a sod breaker plow. Pa hired George Mullen to break up the land up on the divide (around where the Prairie Rose schoolhouse was later). We left the pasture on the hillside. I broke it out years later. (This land was later owned by Kenneth and Marion Miller). Livestock made its own way in winter. The tall buffalo grass was good feed and the Boyd quarter had water in almost all the time, even during the dry years.

We had the hillside pasture fenced and kept the horses in during the summer. If we didn’t have hay, we would let the horses out with harness on during the noon hour to eat grass. We gave them corn when we had it. We raised corn and cane – not much wheat then.

Vester had a team – lively but gentle and he left them in our barn. Once he sent me to bring them over to our house (the Boyd house at the time). I got on one of them. He was tired of the barn and started trotting – pretty jolty. I quit trying to hold him back and they got to a gallup. Within 40 rods of home, I fell off and woke up in bed. I was ten years old. We had brought one cow and had quite a bunch in a few years. We had all the milk, butter, chickens and eggs we needed.

Neighbors on the east were the O’Learys. There were young people the same ages as the Crabtrees.

Vester had a ¹pre-empt that had a shack already built on it. The man was leaving. Vester proved up on it. Then he and I went back east (to Cass County, NE) to the home place for 2 or 3 years then came back. He and Dave came back and filed on other land.

Abel and Becky came in 1893, Oren was three years old. Their homestead was north of us and south of the Lute Stafford place.

For a year or so we lived on a place down on the Hackberry south of the homestead. It belonged to some people named Thompson who were leaving. Mrs. Thompson gave readings. They left about 50 bushels of corn and Mrs. Thompson told Ma not to let anyone have it. One day, a man and the sheriff came and started to load up the corn. Ma tried to stop them. The sheriff said, “the only way to stop us is with a gun and we have guns too.” The Thompsons probably owed a store bill someplace.

One school year we had 40 pupils. They came from surrounding districts. I remember from the west district, George Boyd, Harley and Charley Crabtree. There were the Burns children from the east district and the Whites from the Hackberry south and the Wagners. In the district were the Biggses, the McKinneys and O’Learys. Pauline Wagner was the age of Cora. She was a nice girl; very bright; real short and tiny. She ²ciphered me down in multiplication. I always chose addition… I got pretty good at that.

Cora and I were kids when we came to this country. Hurley and the girls, Addie (Booth), Mary (Graves), and Lizzie (Pate) were teenagers. Serepta was 23 and started teaching school right away. Vester was 21 and was the main pioneer because Pa was in poor health. Ma was sort of like a doctor or nurse for the community and was a midwife. I remember that she made a salve that cured skin cancer. Pa was a great story teller and Bible student.”

Of this family of eleven, three sons, Vester, Hurley and Frank spent their entire lives in the northwest Kansas southwest Nebraska community. Cora and Lizzie retired in Haigler. Addie (Booth) died young while living in St. Francis. Dave and Serepta spent several years of their retirement here. The oldest, Will, was very involved in the education system and became a college president and Secretary of Education in Washington, D.C. The Crabtree roots went deep, but that is another story.

¹ preempt: the right of purchasing before others; especially : one given by the government to the actual settler upon a tract of public land the right of purchasing before others; especially : one given by the government to the actual settler upon a tract of public land.

² cipher: to compute arithmetically

--Italics added for clarity
-- Alice (Crabtree) Gregory

Happy Birthday!

Let's all say happy birthday to "the news lady"! Her birthday is January 20 (I'm not telling what year). I'm so proud that she's my sister!
--Leone

PS: Leone is the artist in our family, she created this collage with a new computer program she has. AND I'll be 62 and have earned every wrinkle and grey hair!!

Coooooooold in Southwestern Nebraska

It is 0 degrees, will probably dip below before sunup.

They say it feels like negative 11 and are predicting a high of 15 here for today.

Coffee just finished perking, that is a priority right now.

Oh, that Java tastes good!!!!

Just let my cat in to warm up, he thinks my coffee cup has milk in it. He is spoiled.

If you are in the cold part of the US, stay warm.

--Calvin

Sympathy for the Evans Family

Laveria Evans (Mrs. Murray Evans) passed away.

The funeral is Tuesday 1/16/2007 at 10:00 in Haigler at the Lutheran church.

-- Submitted by Calvin Freehling

Just a quick note to let you know that Laveria Evans died. She had been sick for the past week at Hillcrest and had been on Hospice for several months.

--Submitted by RDH

I'm a little late on this response, due to being out of state.

The Laveria I knew was a superb citizen of the Haigler community. Laveria came forward without hinderence, she reached out to the community as I knew her. My condolences go out to the Evans family. Laveria will be missed by many that knew her.

Sincerely,
Dallas AdamsI'm a little late on this response, due to being out of state.

The Laveria I knew was a superb citizen of the Haigler community. Laveria came forward without hinderence, she reached out to the community as I knew her. My condolences go out to the Evans family. Laveria will be missed by many that knew her.

Sincerely,
Dallas Adams

Sympathy for the Trembly and Fisher Families

Ronnie Fisher, SR. passed away yesterday. Don't know any particulars yet. Less than a week since May Ann (Trembly) Allen was laid to rest. She was the first one of that family of 8 to go.

--Floy Ruggles

Note: Ronnie Fisher and May Ann (Trembly) Allen are cousins and Floy Ruggles' nephew and niece.

Memorial for Ronnie to be in Washington on Tuesday and funeral in Wray Saturday afternoon, January 20, at Spellman Schmidt Funeral Home, 427 Adams St.

Proud to be An American

(Warning: if you don't have a broadband connection, the following video/song may take a very long time to load)

--Karen Lindell

LETTER FROM A FARM KID

Dear Ma and Pa,

I am well. Hope you are. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer, the Marine Corps beats working for old man Freehling by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m. but I am getting so I like to sleep late.

Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot, and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay. Practically nothing.

Men got to shave but it is not so bad, there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you until noon when you get fed again.

It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.We go on "route marches," which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice but awful flat The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The Captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Zuege boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home.

I'm about the best they got in this except for that Barnhardt from over in Sainty. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding in.

Your loving daughter,
Sue

-- (Names changed to make the innocent look guilty! haha)

The Wheat King

The Benkelman Post always has a section with news stories from years gone past called "In Years Gone By", compiled by Glenda Bartholomew.

This week under the "100 Years Ago" heading is the following:

The News-Chronicle
Vol. 14,No. 33 - Jan. 18, 1907

Dundy County's Wheat King

In the days now past, Dundy County was known as the home of real cattle barons, but few were its renowned in the line of agriculture. Today puts a different phase on its appearance, and on the divide land known as the "flats" south of Haigler lives a German of about the age of 40 years who this year, with but the assistance of one man during part of the seading season, harvested 16,000 bushels of wheat of the first-class variety. The name of this particular person is Charley Zuege. He owns 1,200 acres of the best land on the flats, 700 acres of which were used in the production of this enormous wheat crop. He finds a ready market for it at top prices and will engage in the same line of farming to a much greater extent this year. While this is somewhat out of the ordinary for one man yet there are hundreds of instances in Dundy County where the same good judgment and industry are making rapid strides in the race of dollars and it is only a matter of a very few years until they will be more common.
-- The Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle - January 10, 2007, p. 4

The reason I wanted to share this bit of news with you is because I grew up on the "Charley Zuege" place. My dad bought the "home place" section from Charley's wife, Bertha, in 1941 after she decided to sell, sometime after Charley's death. She actually lived with my folks for awhile after they moved there.

It was probably in 1907 - maybe before or after a year or two - that the house we lived in was built. I loved that house! Wish I had one just like it today! Here is a picture of it taken many years later.
PS: This house was dismantled in the 1970s and no longer exists. Steve and Tammy Workman now live on the "place" southeast of Haigler.
-- Sherri Gregory

Esther Walter

I get my Benkelman Post & News-Chronicle every Thursday. Yesterday there was an item on page 8 with Esther's picture and a little note saying that she was selected as January "resident of the month" at the Hester Home in Benkelman.

I just wanted to extend good wishes to Esther and thought maybe sending her a card at the Hester Home might be nice.

The article says that Esther was born on March 19, 1916, one of Peter and Mary Freehling's 10 children and grew up on their farm west of Haigler. She married Roy Walter in September 1937 and had two children, David and Richard. They lived east of Haigler until 1989 when they moved to St. Francis. She moved to the Hester Home last October.

I look forward to Thursday's mail when I get the "Post". I enjoy reading "Haigler Happenings" because I remember the people mentioned and am interested in what is going on "nowadays" in Haigler. Richard and Glenda Bartholomew are doing a great job reporting the area news.

Haigler Standpipe

Hi -- This is a postcard I purchased. The back has written

"Here is the Water Works tank at Haigler which is 63 ft. high and 12 ft. across. They have curbs 10 ft. from the side walks and have this sown to blue grass which they water from the tank, it certainly looks fine in the summer, it and the trees together ".

-- Linda (Harford) Jones

Pre-Dated Happy Birthday, Sherri

I have to post this one early before I forget. The reason is mid-week we are getting some indoor rooms painted. Then off to Vegas next week. So with some absence, I am posting an early birthday greeting to you.

Thank you for all the work you do that this blog site creates, so take some time out and enjoy your special day that belongs to you.

Happy Birthday, Sherri
-- Dallas Adams

You Backed over WHAT????????????

-- Dallas Adams

(Couldn't help myself... had to post this one... I almost died laughing!! - Sherri)

The REO

Getting a new car is a big event for anyone. Much more if it is the first one after horses and buggies and wagons. My parents got the Reo sometime before I was 5 years old. While we still lived on the homestead where I was born. And where Ethel was born; a new sister and our first car. I remember two things during that time, but these biggies are not them.

One memory included the car, however. Riding in it. But the car is only the vehicle of the memory. The real thing was the move from one home to the other. I didn't remember any of the packing up. All the work of taking one home apart and loading the furniture in the wagons.

Now as I sit in my "rocking chair" almost 90 years later, I know from my little mamma's later 'movings' how much was going on in that little homestead. Dishes were wrapped separately and packed into boxes or tubs. Breaking one was a loss that would be felt and extreme care went into moving.

But self-centered little me, all that preparation, all the hubbub and 'torn up' house was not my worry. Maybe I didn't realize what was going on. Mamma was always working anyhow. Not much new. At any rate, that part is all blank.

But the trip to the new home. That is the picture that I wish I could draw. It is clear in my mind. The family, parents and two little girls, me the oldest, in the Reo. Coming around the bend where the narrow road runs between the hill and the pond before turning west and winding up to the new home. I see the house clearly. And still feel the anticipation. The slow motion of arriving.

Maybe, just maybe, this is a separate memory picture. We are in the house. 'Auntie' Fancher is packing her dishes into boxes. I remember her beautiful smile. At me. Bashful, bratty me! She didn't have any children and loved us.

Later I learned via my little pitchers ¹ ears that she was "poorly' and had dropsy, and for that reason they had to sell their homestead and move to St. Francis. And that she soon died there. But none of that sadness is in the face in my mind-picture. When that 'Some-day' comes, I want to tell her about my beautiful memory-picture. Then, in that time, my story will not be such a show-and-tell quality tale. And that lovely smile will look just like I remember.

Right now I am wondering if that was the actual moving day. It could have been a pre-moving visit. Maybe when the sale transaction was going on. Maybe when we looked at the house before buying. Anyhow, the picture is mine.

The Reo

Alice Crabtree, Bennie Wiley, Margaret Stafford, Ethel Crabtree, Esther Stafford
sitting on the running board of Frank Crabtree's 1910 REO -
Picture taken in 1919

-- Alice (Crabtree) Gregory

¹ My mamma always said that little pitchers have big ears.

SNEAKY SNAKES

SISISISISISISISISISTTT!!!!! TIC! TIC! TIC! RATTLE, RATTLE, RATTLE, Have I got your attention yet??

SHRIEKKKKKKKK!!!! WHAT THE???? FREEZE, DONT MOVE......WHERE'S IT AT????

Most of us have had that experience, I think, out on the plains. If you have not, don't go out there looking for them. You will never forget that distinct sound. Tell tale is that they can strike half the length of their body, and where there is one, there is likely to be a second one. In no way do I profess to know these reptile's habitat, nor do I want to milk fangs for anti-venom.

Remember the envelope with rattlesnake eggs, as you open the envelope, you will recognize the sound. AAAUUUGGGHHH!!! As yhou toss it away. Heartbeat goes thump thumpy thump, quickly and faster!!!

Just remember some of the good old days we had. Can you imagine going on a Rattlesnake hunt??? NO WAY!!! Walking through tall weeds, grass, sagebrush, keeping some distance from shrubs and low bushes where one might be waiting for prey.

-- submitted by Dallas Adams

Shooting of Dan McGrew

When I was a freshman in high school, I was small in stature and the football physical examination failed me due to a heart condition. However, I could turn out for physical exersize and go to visiting games. Our chauffeur and chaperone was none other than the town marshal. To games we go, John singing the lyrics to "The Shooting of Dangerous Dan McGrew" as we traveled down the road in this biggest Chrysler on the road. (ps: it would do 130 mph on them thar plains highways!)

This may take two pages of typing and thanks to cousin Rex Cross for his assistance in helping me with the lyrics.

Shooting of Dan McGrew
by Robert W. Service

A bunch of the boys were whooping it up
In the Malamute saloon
The kid that handles the music-box
Was hitting a jag-time tune.

Back at the bar in a solo game
Sat Dangerous Dan McGrew
And watching his luck was his light of love
The lady that's known as Lou.

When out of the night which was fifty below
And into the din and the glare
There stumbled a miner fresh from the creeks
Dog dirty and loaded for bear.

He looked like a man with a foot in the grave
And scarcely the strength of a louse
Yet he tilted a poke of dust on the bar
And he called for drinks on the house.

There was none could place the stranger's face
Though we searched ourselves for a clue
But we drank his health and the last to drink
Was Dangerous Dan McGrew.

There's men that somehow just grip your eyes
And hold them hard like a spell
And such was he and he looked to me
Like a man who had lived in hell.

With a face most hair and the dreary stare
Of a dog whose day is done
As he watered the green stuff in his glass
And the drops fell one by one.

Then I got to figgering who he was
And wondering what he'd do
And I turned my head and there watching him
Was the lady that's known as Lou.

His eyes went rubbering round the room
And he seemed in a kind of daze
Till at last that old piano fell in the way
Of his wondering gaze.

The rag-time kid was having a drink
There was no one else on the stool
So the stranger stumbles across the room
And flops down there like a fool.

In a buckskin shirt that was glazed with dirt
He sat and I saw him sway
Then he clutched the keys with his talon hands
My God but that man could play.

Were you ever out in the great alone
When the moon was awful clear
And the icy mountains hemmed you in
With a silence you most could hear.

With only the howl of a timber wolf
And you camped there in the cold
A half-dead thing in the stark dead world
Clean mad for the muck called gold.

While high overhead green, yellow and red
The North Lights swept in bars
Then you've got a hunch what the music meant
Hunger and night and the stars.

And hunger not of the belly kind
That's banished with bacon and beans
But the gnawing hunger of lonely men
For a home and all that it means.

For a fireside far from the cares that are
Four walls and a roof above
But oh! so cramful of cosy joy
And crowned with a woman's love.

A woman dearer than all the world
And true as Heaven is true
God how ghastly she looks through her rouge
The lady that's known as Lou.

Then all of a sudden the music changed
So soft that you scarce could hear
But you felt that your life had been looted clean
Of all that it once held dear.

That someone had stolen the woman you loved
That her love was a devil's lie
That your guts were gone and the best of you
Was to crawl away and die.

Twas the crowning cry of a heart's despair
And it thrilled you through and through
I guess I'll make it a spread misere
Said Dangerous Dan McGrew.

The music almost died away
Then it burst like a pent-up flood
And it seemed to say, repay, repay
And my eyes were blind with blood.

The thought came back of an ancient wrong
And it stung like a frozen lash
And the lust awoke to kill, to kill
Then the music stopped with a crash.

And the stranger turned and his eyes they burned
In a most peculiar way
In a buckskin shirt that was glazed with dirt
He sat and I saw him sway.

Then his lips went in, in a kind of a grin
And he spoke and his voice was calm
And boys says he, you don't know me
And none of you care a damn.

But I want to state and my words are straight
And I'll bet my poke they're true
That one of you is a hound of hell
And that one is Dan McGrew.

Then I ducked my head and the lights went out
And two guns blazed in the dark
And a woman screamed and the lights went up
And two men lay stiff and stark.

Pitched on his head and pumped full of lead
Was Dangerous Dan McGrew
While the man from the creeks lay clutched
To the breast of the Lady that's known as Lou.

These are the simple facts of the case
And I guess I ought to know
They say that the stranger was crazed with hooch
And I'm not denying it's so.

I'm not so wise as the lawyer guys
But strictly between us two
The woman that kissed him and pinched his poke
Was the lady that's known as Lou.

It has been 50+ years since I have heard this lyric and would like to hear it again with guitar or musical sound. Memory joggin???

-- Submitted by Dallas Adams