My visit to Howard

[Ms Bear]

While I was on vacation last week in Bentonville, AR we took one day to drive to Howard to see the area where my father was born.  Now I wonder why they left Elk County to move back to Northwest Kansas.

Since it was almost a four hour drive our first stop was Toots for a hamburger, it was very good.  Then we drove around and found Cookson's Hardware so I went in and asked for Teresa hoping she might be there.  I was given direction to her home and when I went by later Kjell was there and I left some pictures for them to post for me, they will be posted on The Good Ole Days.  Teresa, I am sorry I didn't get to meet you and hope you are feeling better.

We found the park but of course there wasn't anyone there since we were a few days early for the get-together.  I was able to find the cemetery and thanks to Wilma's information about the book I was able to go right to the area where some of my family members are buried.  They are in 7 - 315.  I was amazed to see the stone for my greatgrandfather George Draper.  It is a log of wood with the information written on a sheet of paper.  Does anyone know if this stone was put there when he died or if someone put it there later, it doesn't look very old and he died before 1910.

I didn't have time to drive to Brown Chapel Cemetery to look for the Taylor's so that gives me an excuse to come back.  Will have to get more directions from Wilma, Janet and Marcia when I plan to make the trip again.  The information they gave me really helped.

Hope all of you that got to attend the get-together had a great time.  Sorry I didn't get to attend.  I was on my 12 hour drive back to Texas.

[Janet Harrington]

Ms. Bear,

We are so glad you got to visit Howard.  You didn't miss anything at the picnic because we haven't had it it.  Ha Ha.  It is scheduled for Sept. 22 and we are all looking forward to making fools out of ourselves.  I'm glad you had a safe trip and maybe in the future we will get to meet you.

[Mom70x7]

We'd even join you at Toots for a hamburger if we knew what time you would be there.

[Mom70x7]

oh - and Janet is VERY good at giving directions and telling people where to go.

                                 

[Rudy Taylor]

Howard is definitely a throwback to the good ol' days. I feel a yearning nostalgia when I drive into town
and see the cozy residential neighborhoods, kids riding their bikes totally confident that only good things
can happen to them, and people who never hesitate to wave or speak on the street as you meet them.

Any time I have attended a meeting of local folks, I have been impressed how mannerly everyone seems
to be. Believe me, it's not that way everywhere ... even here in southeast Kansas!

Of course, there is sadness, too.  I personally believe that the greatest tragedy of the 20th century was the
demise of small town business districts in rural America. They're all starting to look alike ... and I mean "all" of
them. Folks who read my book, "Light On Main Street" sometimes imagine that my hometown of Caney surely
must look like a Norman Rockwell painting.  Well, it doesn't.  It looks just about like Howard, Moline, Cedar Vale
and other towns the same size.

Still, that warm feeling still exists in the heart of anyone who takes the time, as Ms Bear did, to slowly drive
through Howard, talk with local folks, find some meaningful landmarks such as cemetery sites, then put their
words in computer pictures so we all may enjoy them.

Thanks, Ms Bear, for reminding us of what we have right in our very midst ... a true prairie gem.

[Ms Bear]

We were curious about the Baptist Church that was built in 1890 and rebuilt in 1911.  Are there any records about who was married there.  I am not sure about what religion my Draper's, Hubbard's, William's and Taylor's were and whether any of them were married in a Church or at home.  It was a very interesting building at any rate.

Since they were all farmers I don't think they lived in town.  I will have to check the census and see who their neighbors were and then maybe someone will know where they lived.  About them moving to Northwest Kansas I think they probably moved because there was land there that could be homesteaded.  I am sure that had some affect on the decision to move.

I will get back some day and will bring more information with me, also a Kansas map that I forgot to bring.  I think my mind was on vacation too.  Does that explain why my dates for the get-together were off.

[frawin]

This is a picture of the original Baptist Church in Howard, this picture is from around 1908. In the background is a good picture of the Tarwater house.
Frank Winn

[Ms Bear]

Frank, I have e-mailed a picture to Teresa to post for me.  It is of the Baptist Church this past week.  It says on the building that it was re-built in 1911 and looks a lot different than the one in the 1908 picture.

Pat

[frawin]

The 1908 Church was rock, when they rebuilt it it was brick. I have  some information on it but it is packed away as we are planning on moving shortly.
Frank

[Wilma]

Are you guys thinking about moving back to Elk County eventually?