Elk County Forum

It's Roll Call time for all members.
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What we would like for you to do is to write and tell everyone else all about you and your family and your pets or whatever you want your forum friends to know. But I think that we can safely say that we are more than forum friends.
We are kind of like family...........
Since most of us know each other or know someone who is kin to you... that makes us more than forum friends.

So don't be shy... Post away and let's all get reacquainted!

((I'll send out a newsletter when I get home Sunday evening and we will see how many out there we can get to come in and say "Hi".)).

Looks like I'm the first to start this off---again.  ddurbin is Dan Durbin, born at Sedan Hospital, but raised on the long-time family farm north of Moline.  Son of Emera M. 'Stub' and Joan Durbin.  Graduated Moline High with the outstanding class of 1970--even though we actually attended classes in Grenola our senior year due to the fire that took down the building at Moline.  Went on to receive a 'higher education' at Kansas State, then started my 'adult' life working for Ritchie Industries in Conrad, Iowa.  Got myself married in 1974 to Ann Sherman, granddaughter of Woodrow and Verna Lewis of Moline.  Must have been a good choice as we're still together.  Anyway, after 3 years in Iowa, we moved to Winfield, KS and have been here ever since.  Must have been another good choice.  Along the way, two sons became our immediate family, Dustin and Casey.  In 1979 I began working for the Ks. Dept of Education, then switched over to the Winfield Correctional Facility in 1985.  Guess what---another good choice as I'm still there, but retirement eligibility is quickly approaching.  Hobbies include hunting (primarily quail and deer), genealogy and local history.
There--now just add a list of survivors and throw in a little bit about what a wonderful person I've been all my life and you have a self-written obituary, at which point you can move this down to that section.  All I ask is that you wait until I'm actually deceased, which hopefully won't be for a long, long time yet.
Okay, who's next?  I won't even threaten unleashing the demons this time.

How interesting, Dan.  I would be the second, but I have company and don't have the time to do all that typing right now.  See you all later.

I'll go next, 'cuz I said earlier I would post if we had a Roll Call thread.   ;)

I'm Debbie Lane - daughter of Mary Arlene Wisner, granddaughter of Leslie and Bertie Wisner, all of Howard.

I'm in Howard, however, because back when Jim and I started with the "kid" thing, we needed a bigger house. We looked all over S.E. Kansas and ended up in Howard, right house, right price.

Mom70x7 comes from my kids. I love being a mom. We fostered over 3 dozen kids and have adopted 6 of them so far. The first four were through regular channels, kind of, and the last two were older kids who asked if they could be in our family. So, of course, we said yes.  :)

That's the Mom part. The 70x7 is scriptural - that's how many times we're to forgive each other - infinity. The foster kids we had were from families in desperate need of forgiveness. And all of us, to learn to work and live together, need to forgive each other for being human. God continually forgives us, we need to pass it on. We're all in this together, brothers and sisters.

Anyhow -

I work part-time at the Methodist church, as secretary, and part-time at the high school in the vocal music department.

I was born in Oklahoma, grew up in Iowa and am a proud product of the Midwest, small towns. I like to play the piano (once a month at Severy and Howard Methodist churches), I like computers and I like to read.

I have a B.S. in Journalism / Education, with a minor in Geography from Oklahoma State. I finished 2 1/2 years of law school in Wichita, but then the school's benefactor died and the school closed. I collect Barbie dolls (probably have about 100); Smurfs (magnets and PVC only); and kids.  :D

Okay - who's next?

I'll do mine in a couple of days.  However; I want to respond to ddurbin's post.  Woodrow and Verna Lewis connection.  I didn't know Woodrow, but I knew Verna and loved her to death.  If I remember correctly, she had a daughter in Chanute that used to work for the highway patrol.  Am I right?  Anyway, Verna was quite the lady when she still lived in Moline.

Well, I guess I'm the outsider here since I was neither raised here nor am I related to anyone here.   :P

My name is Sarah and I was born and raised in Goddard, KS and I'm a stay at home mom of 4.  There is Rachel (9), LJ (8), Mathias (3) and Autumn (1).  My husband is Louis who was also born and raised in Goddard.  He is a locator for SM&P for Greenwood, Elk and Chataqua counties and beyond.  I'm sure everyone has seen him at one time or another walking the ditches and putting orange flags in the ground.   ;D

We use to raise registered Hampshire sheep, but we sold them and are now pursuing our dream of being a fiber farm.  We now raise Leicester sheep, Angora goats and French and Satin Angora rabbits. 

We built our house ourselves out here.  Took us three years to build it.  We moved in in May of 04 and we love it out here.   :)

I'll post mine soon, but I will take the time to answer a thought from Janet.  Dan's wife Ann, my sister in law, is the daughter of Keith and Rosemary (Lewis) Sherman.  Rosemary did dispatch for the KHP in Chanute for a time after they retired to that community.

Well Dan, your information does bring back fond memories, I knew you parents , your wife's parents and your wife's Grandparents. In fact I dated your wife's Aunt Kay about 50 years ago. Where does the time go. Marion Jacot was my brother-in-law and I hunted Quail and Prairie Chicken around Moline a lot in the old days, Many times when Marion and I were hunting we stopped and visited with your Dad. I attended a dance or two at your parents house, it seemed like they had a big open slab that we danced on.
Frank Winn

My turn now.  I came to Elk county in 1947 with my parents.  Finished my senior year at Piedmont in 1948, married a neighbor boy who had just finished his army stint.  We raised our daughters in Severy, lived there for 25 years, moved to Sedgwick County when I went to work over there.  I didn't start working until our youngest was in high school, then I had 2 years at Severy Grade School as a teacher's aid, 5 years in Moline as a legal secretary and 12 years at the Internal Revenue Service in Wichita.  I quit work 6 months before my husband was due to retire so I could have some getting my house in order time before he was home, too.  Didn't work.  He had a heart attack 2 months after I quit work and he never went back.  We bought land in Elk County in 1992 with the intentions of soon moving back here.  Didn't work, either.  The next 12 years my husband was in and out of the hospital with heart related problems, then bladder cancer and finally skin cancer, which he wasn't able to beat.  I moved myself to Howard 2 years ago with the intentions of spending the rest of my life here.

While I am not a native of Elk County, my parents moved here in 1947 and my mother stayed until 1985 when she moved to Haysville to be closer to her children, me and my brothers.  My husband was a true native.  His parents and their parents were Elk County people.  One of my daughters, Janet graduated from North Elk and has lived in Elk County most of the time since.  Another daughter, Pattie, graduated from West Elk in 1974, married an Elk County man, lived in Howard for awhile.  One of her daughters lives here now.  My other 2 daughters, being older, graduated from Severy High.  One is in Wichita, now, and the other married a Missouri man and lives over there.  Janet and Archeobabe of this forum are 2 of my daughters.  Archobabe will soon be a citizen of Howard, also. 

 Hi Teresa nutten to tell just old cowboy ;)

Oh, yeah. Narvous? ;D  Like, just where do you hang your hat?  Where did you grow up?  There may be a few of the female species that may be wondering if you're married ? ;D What do you enjoy doing as a past time, etc. Do ya' participate in any rodeos?  I think ya' get the picture.

Narvous has LOTS to tell. What a life that ole' cowboy has had.
So Narvous.. You want to start telling them about your life?

( It's really good everyone.. but he is kinda shy.. so I'll have to put on my
"begging pretty please " look.
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/79.gif)

And yes he is married to a wonderful lady. :)

My name is Devyn-Leann Weakley. I have lived in Elk County my whole life, and don't plan on ever leaving. My parents are Kelly Weakley of Elk Falls, and Amy (Wilnerd) Kitchens of Howard. My grandparents are Carol & Vernon Weakley and Carolyn & Everett Wilnerd. My "other half" is Billy Crum, the son of Chip & Nancy Crum. His grandparents are Dan & Joetta Miller and Sylvia & the late Bill Crum. We have a son, two year old Lane.

We have 2 dogs, cats, horses and cattle. I love animals. I enjoy riding horses and being around cattle. I like gardening, reading, sewing, scrapbooking, and decorating. I also enjoy cooking...and oddly, cleaning. My main hobby, though, is riding horses. Whether working cattle or just going for a ride through the pasture, I am completely at ease. I'm pretty much a "cowgirl".

I sell Tupperware, which keeps me very busy. I love it! I am also working on a degree in AgBusiness, as well as a degree in Livestock Management & Merchandising. Someday I hope to open my own western wear & tack shop in the Elk County area. So between school, work, animals, and the little one, I manage to stay pretty busy. :)

Ohhh...I forgot to add that we live northwest of Howard about 6 miles. Where is my mind today???

 You can tell them Teresa you know more about me then me ;D Shy what me :-*

Okay, I'll take a stab at this.  My name is Linda Shortt and I live in Milton, Ontario, Canada.  I was born and raised in Wichita and lived the vast majority of my adult life in Howard.   Howard and Elk County will always be home to me.  Most of you will identify me as Linda Zimmerman.

My son, Charlie, has provided me with two absolutely delightful grandkids...Hannah & Ethan.    I also have a 19 yr. old stepson, Christopher.  Approximately nine years ago I met and fell head-over-heels mindlessly in love with an incredible Canadian man, Jon Shortt.  With the love and support of all of my family I moved north and remarried.  What an adventure!  It's been a good adventure.

Jon works for the Canadian National Railroad and for the past 6 years I have been a civilian employee of the Halton Regional Police, working within Court Services.   Although we live in the greater Toronto area, Milton is approx. 45 min. outside of Toronto and is a town about the size of Emporia.  Yes, we live IN Canada but we don't live in igloo country.  Actually the climate of this area is very mild, and this past winter I think Kansas received more measurable snow than we did. The snow we get just hangs around longer.   Our temps usually run about 10 degrees cooler than there and our seasons are about a month behind Kansas.  Our tulips are just now in full bloom, the trees are "almost" leafed out, and the flowering trees are just now in bloom.  It's absolutely beautiful here now.  This area is also a "gardening" mecca, more flower gardening versus veggie gardening.  All the years I went without flowers to tend....my yard is now FULL of flowers from spring to fall. 

I still sew and quilt, mostly during the winter months.  During the warmer months we spend our time outside gardening, we like to daytrip and explore for antiques.  And slowly but surely I am getting into the "swing" of golf.   To round out the family we have a happy-go-lucky 100lb. chocolate Lab, Jake (the pic) and a small petite cat, Harley, which rules the roost.

OH...and a note to Crumcowgirl - Your mother used to babysit for me when Charlie was 5'ish.  In fact, your Aunt Laurie babysat Charlie before that.  I used to say I didn't know what I'd do without those Wilnerd girls!! 

I still have strong Elk County ties and don't know what I'd do without friends like Shae, Paula and Renae.  I've always said that the best friends to have are the ones you consider to be family and the best family to have are the ones you consider to be friends.  Like I said, Howard will always be home to me.

OK....I'm cheating (please, no booing and hissing!) I'm doing a copy/paste job here, but only because I've done vast quantities of writing during the past few weeks for school and my brains are the consistency of tapioca pudding right now. However, I did add a few more bits of info (since this was first written in January, a few things have happened). So here goes:

I'm Lynne Thompson, and while I'm not an Elk County resident (yet!), that's the grand plan. I grew up in Illinois, married my high school sweetheart, moved to Indiana and raised a terrific son and daughter (who since have given me three gorgeous grandchildren). I worked in the newsroom of a small daily paper for 14 years, so I've got equal parts of ink and blood in my veins. The marriage ended in 1999, and in 2000, I moved to Chanute, where I was managing editor of the Tribune for a year.

Like MarineMom, I met the love of my life, Terrell, on the Internet. He was living in Washington at the time, and here's a testimony to true love: this man whose passion is boats ends up moving to land-locked Kansas just to be with me! Is that sweet, or what?? We've been together six years now and every day has been an adventure for us.

Anyway, the two of us were spending lots of weekends in Wichita, so we decided to move here. I worked three years for an insurance agency, and started my full-time college career in 2005. I'm majoring in anthropology, with a minor in religion studies. I also do freelance editing for a monthly entertainment newspaper, a quarterly magazine (Southeast Kansas Living...shameless plug!) and a monthly inspirational newsletter. On top of all that, I do shard-art mosaic (I break things and stick them to other things...LOL) and plan to have a nice large studio in Howard someday.

So how did we end up as future Howardites? While surfing on eBay, Terrell happened upon the former Church of Christ building for sale. We both are pretty wacky, and thought it would be cool to convert this dear old church into our home. We've named the building Harmony, and we spend as many weekends there as the weather allows. We hope to have it habitable with 2-3 years and at that time we will become permanent residents. The really strange and very cool thing is, it already feels like home.

Update: we're now planning a Harmony-warming party and wedding for June 23, and y'all are welcome to stop by and say howdy! We'll try to keep the celebratory racket down to a dull roar.....Hee hee!

AND.....the more time we spend in Howard, the more we love it. Love how everyone waves whether they know you or not (we've already adopted the habit). Love how folks have treated us so warmly and have been so helpful and welcoming. Love how we can listen to horses, cows and chickens in the morning...and not have to feed them or clean up after them. Love the sounding of the courthouse clock on the hour and the aroma of delicious foods being prepared at Poplar's. Love the children riding bicycles and catching critters in the storm ditches after a rain. Love staring at the mind-numbing beauty of a star-filled sky.

I guess you could say we're pretty tickled.

Hello ya'll  :)


Well......guess it's time I quit procrastinating, and step up to the plate.  ;D

Montgomery was my maiden name,
and genealogy is the name of my game. ::)  (Never was any good at poetry)

I grew up in Howard, married at an early age, and Don's been telling me what to do ever since! :laugh:  (Not that I always listen, tho. ;D) We've been married for 40 years!  We lived in Winfield for many years. For a few years, many, many moons ago, I was employed by Binney & Smith Crayola,(in production) and the Cowley County Mental Health Center, as secretary, while hubby, Don, was employed in the aircraft industries.

We moved away after Don became retired, to a smaller "laid-back" area, that is abt. 40 miles southeast of Howard.

I really enjoy watching Native American dancing, particularly the fancy dances, reading historical/western novels, western movies, sewing, and GENEALOGY

A few of my favorite actors are John Wayne, Sam Elliott, and Robert Duvall.

Don comes from an early pioneer family that located in Elk County in 1880.  He has a number of relatives that are still living there.  My great-grandparents, James and Anna Hutton, came to Elk County in the early 1900s.  A few of you may remember Jim Hutton by his croquet ground.

We work part-time in the distribution department for the Good News Community Newspaper, as truckers.  The rest of the time, we're enjoying the retired life!!

I feel guilty not having posted anything on the roll call from the first go-round, so here goes:

My name is Susan (Wilnerd) Galvan.  I reside in Howard after having grown up here from the 3rd grade on.  My parents, Carolyn and Everett Wilnerd, moved me and my 6 brothers and sisters here from western Kansas when my dad was transferred in 1965 to be the game warden for this area.

I graduated from West Elk in 1975, attended Coffeyville JuCo and graduated the first time from Emporia State in 1979.  I returned to ESU and fulfilled another degree in 1981 and began my teaching career in the small town of Almena, Kansas (Northern Valley School District). Before leaving for my first teaching job, I had already met and fallen in love with my husband, Joseph Galvan, whom I returned to marry the following spring of 1982.  We had dated for 4 years despite all the talk and rumors and whispering about our "differences."

Anyway, Joe gave me 3 beautiful children....Corey age 25, Courtney age 22 and Cameron, who is almost 20.  When I returned to Elk County, we lived in Moline for a number of years and then moved to Howard.  I have been a teacher in the West Elk School system for almost 25 years.  I currently teach 1st grade in Severy and have taught Kindergarten, pre-school and directed the Play Productions for West Elk High School. 

Joe and I had a beautiful life and had only the youngest left in his senior year when Joe passed away suddenly.  It broke my heart and there are some days I am not sure if this is really the life that I have been meant to live, but God has had a plan for our lives all along.  Otherwise, we wouldn't have met and married. 

I manage the Howard City Pool in the summers and have done that for a number of years--the first being in the summer of 1978---the summer I met Joe. I love teaching kids how to swim and just love water. I also really enjoy the ladies who come each summer for swimmercise. We have built up such a fun time while excercizing in the water..... I love gardening, studying the word of God, interior deisgn and decorating and just life in general.  I try to make the most of each and every day that God gives me---even the rough parts.   I currently am serving the Elk Falls and Longton Methodist Churches as part time pastor, and I still am listening to God's calling of me in that area and that of teaching children.

I have at home with me a big black lab (100 lbs. plus) and a one-eyed cat who is in love with the lab.  My oldest son, Corey, is engaged, but I have no grandchildren---thus, the name Emptynest. Corey lives in Lawrence, Courtney in Wichita, and Cameron is preparing to move to Manhattan. I enjoy this forum very much---I have learned quite a bit from some of the informative pieces and love getting to know the different personalities that come through the voice of each person's writing. 

I have a small onery streak that flares up every once in awhile, so some of my comments may reflect that. I love to laugh and hear funny stories, but also enjoy a tear jerker every once in awhile.   I pray that each of us can accept and keep an open mind about the things said here.  And that's my story........

I'm gonna do like Indygal and cut and paste :-[

my name is Beth I have raised 3 children my eldest is in NC for the time being, although he is 34 and should have provided me with some lovely grandchildren by now, he says the military is no place for a family and refuses to think about it until after he retires. My 33 year old son lives and works in AZ and he has not found "the one" yet. My "baby" is 27 and lives in Western Kansas. she graciously gave me a wonderful intelligent handsome (I'm not bragging it's all true  :angel:) grandson who is now 9. I was a single parent for 15 years and ran daycare in my home for 25 so I helped raise over 100 kids. It was lots of fun.  I am originally from England came to the US as a military bride back in the 70's the marriage did not work.  I have lived all over the US thanks to the USAF. Came to Kansas in 1991 Went back to college in my 40's and got a job outside my home in 95 when my daughter started high school. Met my new hubby online and after long instant message conversations lots of telephone calls and many weekends driving 400 miles each way I came to Howard in aug 05 and married him. (price of gas was going to high for a long distance relationship  ;D) Now I am a stay home stepmom to an 11 year old boy who keeps me alert and on my toes :-\ and is teaching me some things about children that I did not learn from my own three or from all my daycare kids

Hello,
My name is Rhonda (Signer) McGown.  I have four wonderful children and two fabulous grandsons.  I graduated from West Elk High School in 1976.  I have been a stay at home mom and love to sew, read, quilt and spoil my grandsons.  I also do the bookwork for my husband's drilling business.  I must say being a grandmother is the greatest.  Spoil them rotten and send them home!

My folks grew up around Howard, Don & Sue (DeWitt) Signer.  I am the oldest of four and the bossiest.  My brother Danny owns and operates Signer's Garage.  Sister Carlene lives outside of Mound City--just a long quarter mile from me, and brother Tony lives in Fredonia and is part owner in Countryside Funeral Home.

I love to check the forum and see what excitement is happening in Elk County and the surrounding area. 

Thought I'd add my 2 cents.. for whatever it's worth. 

I moved to Howard in March of 1977.... just in time for the last quarter of my 7th grade year.  We originally moved into the old Claypool house on south Penn... down near the swiming pool.  Only lived there for about a year before moving over next to Paul and Izola Moore on Perry, then into Lavina Rarick's house on Cedar, across from the courthouse.  Anyways...

I graduated from West Elk in 1982 (25 years ago).  Went to college at Emporia State.  After college, I joined the U.S. Coast Guard. I spent three years in Japan. Then, three years at the Coast Guard Institute in Oklahoma City, followed by one year as a Recruiter in Atlanta, Georgia.  After seven years, I left the Coast Guard and immediately went to work at Emory University in Atlanta.

I have now been at Emory University for the past 17 years.  I am Director of Faculty Development for the Theology School, at Emory. Most of the time I love my job.  I guess after 17 years here, I either love it, or I'm just used to it. 

I have a house about 25 miles south of Atlanta, in what used to be a small town named Stockbridge, in Henry County Georgia.  However, Henry County has been in the top five fastest growing counties in the United States for the past 10 years.  Not so small anymore.  Traffic is a nightmare.

My Mom, whom many of you may remember as the Administrator at Howard Twilight Manor is now retired.  She was an Registered Nurse Clinical Coordinator at Henry Medical Center from 1990 until she retired two years ago.

Some of you may remember my sister, Jennifer, who lived in Howard for awhile.  She now lives just outside ouf Houston, Texas.  Her older son is about to graduate from Le Tourneau University and is engaged to be married.  Her younger son is graduating from High School this month and will be going on to University of Texas at San Antonio to pursue his degree in Physical Therapy.

Also, some of you may remember my sister-in-law... Earlene.  She is the daughter of Eugene and Ellen Myers.  My brother John, and Earlene have been married for just almost 27 years now. They live just outside of Seattle, Washington and are currently expecting their third grand-daughter. 

So, that's pretty much what has happened in my last 25 years or so.  Thanks for reading. I enjoy reading all the news and info about Howard.  Thanks y'all

 ::) well, okay, here goes:

I was born just northwest of Howard on the Clad Criger place.  My father worked for Clad at the time.  I don't remember this, but have been told we left there before I was three and lived in Eureka.  Came to Severy when I was 5 and moved "back to my roots" in Aug. of 2005.  I started first grade and graduated high school at Severy.  I was married just short of 37 yrs. when the big "C" took my husband, Lewis Smith, in Sept. of 1995.  Have worked most of my adult life, waitress, educational secretary at Severy, legal secretary at Eureka, bank cashier and teller at Severy State, drive-in mgr at Home Bank, own business of refinishing antique furniture, then after Lewis' death, went back to work, working at Severy Co-op till retirement Oct. 2005.  Have three daughters, seven grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.  Pam, oldest daughter, lives just south of Neosho MO, middle daughter, Kelly, lives south of Howard, youngest daughter, Lynn, lives in Emporia. All three daughters and two grandsons graduated from West Elk.  My life is pretty boring right now cause still am not used to not having to get up and go to work everyday.  Spend a lot of time at my piano and organ.  I have a "very special" friend and we do some traveling and spend time together and have for 8 yrs. now.  He and his brother ranch northwest of Howard, (very near to where I was born) and He's the main reason I bought a house in Howard after I sold my place in Severy.  And that's about it.

:P upon reading the wonderful "roll call" stories, I find there are things I left out of mine.  Most important, should anyone want to know, was my name.  Florene Smith (yes, most of you know me which may and may not be a good thing).  I will celebrate the 30th anniversary of my 37th birthday in July.  I like being 37 and see no reason to change.  My parents were Harold and Veda (Johnson) Edwards.  Both of them were raised at Piedmont.  If you check your family history, you will find that I am related to at least 1/3 of the people in Elk and Greenwood counties.  I was raised from age 5 on by my Grandma Edwards.  Just love reading stories and comments on here.  Glad I found this site.  Now it's time to get my pogo badges for this week. Does anyone else here play pogo? in case you do, my user name is KansKisr1940.
hagd all

My name is Roma Jean Turner and I live in Springfield, Mo.  My father's family, the Turner's, Eltings, Dunlap and DeWhitt's all moved to Elk Co between 1871 and 1885.   At times some of them lived in Howard, but later on all ended up in Moline. My greatgrandfather Edwin Elting was a pharmacist and  at times managed the Opera House in Moline.  They also had a Mercantile there at one time. My grandfather, John Turner owned the lumbar yard in Moline up until he died in 1960.  Some of the old timers in the community may remember his newspaper column entitled "Annie Knight".  After reading some of the political cvomments in his column, I understand why I am so blunt at times about what I think.  Ha, ha. Not much political correctness then.
     My father George Edwin Turner and my mother married during WWII two weeks after my father returned from England.  I spent the first three years of my life in Moline.  After my parents divorced my mother and I returned to her hometown of Chanute and I graduated from highschool there in 1962.  We made many trips back to Moline to visit, so I have always felt a deep kinship with Elk Co. 
     After highschool I graduated from college in Pittsburg, Ks with a degree in music.  In 1978 I graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Kansas City, MO and since then have had practices in Kansas City, Branson and now back in Springfield since 1991.
     I also have a little side business called Coffe Tea and Strumsticks.  I sell healthy coffee and a really fun 3 stringed instrument called the Strum Stick.  The rest of the time I play music and play at bridge, dominos and golf with my friends.  (I'm really bad at golf, but love to ride in the cart on a pretty day).  Love to run down to Branson and  go to shows with friends there. I can't leave out the geneology.  I can spend hours looking through microfilm of old newspapers. Love to look at old photos even if I don't know the people. Okay, I'm also a confessed computer geek electronic gadget junkie. 
     I have two great dogs.  Maya is half Lab and half Chesapeake Bay Retriever and weighs 85 lbs.  Bingo is a part dachshund, chihuahua, etc mix and weighs 9 1/2 lbs.  These two Mutt and Jeffs are a handful and loads of fun.  Almost forgot about how much I love to ride my bicycle.  Enough already.
     

Hey!  Isn't this great to see some new folks posting!  ;D  Keep up the good work----I've enjoyed reading your posts.  How about all you other "lurkers" out there?  :laugh: Care to come in "out of the rain" and join us?

i have one thing to say i got my computer name ;D(bowie boy) 8), from my science teacher!
And also, i livre in howard

Flo, I never knew you were born in Elk County!  Guess I always thought you were from Greenwood County.  I knew you Dad was from
piedmont---what year did he graduate?

mlw

hi there mlw -  :) yep, born in Elk Co.  Dad graduated in 1938 - mother never graduated, but was 2 yrs. younger than Dad.  Also, I didn't know Paul and Barbara were in Greensburg.  Last time I visited with Barb they were in Grenola.  When did they move? So glad they are okay, but so terribly sad that so many people had to lose everything they owned.  Can be replaced, lives can't. Am I going to see you at alumni this year? Cora was by this last sat. for a short visit. She had been to ck. on Fred's stone that they had gotten set.

Flo, Paul & Barbara moved to Greensburg after he retired--I would guess it was probably about 2 years ago.  Their son lived their too so they wanted to be close.  We saw Paul last year after their class luncheon & had a short visit.  I haven't talked to Cora in awhile.  No, I'll be in Howard--Frank's sister is a fifty-year grad.  I have a broken wrist so I have to depend on help from Frank since it is my right hand.  Maybe we'll see you in Howard.
mlw

To tell you about my life would take pages and pages..and most of you would want to take those pages to a soap opera company begging them to make an afternoon saga out of it..or take them with you to the outdoor 2 holer to use for "you know what"..  ;D
But I will try to be serious here ( and that's kind of hard for me to do, you know)
So here goes~~

My name is Teresa (McDonald) **and a few other last names  ::)** Heilevang.
My husbands name is Kjell, ( pronounced Shell) who is from Norway ( yes the European country across the "big Atlantic pond"..) We met online on the computers. I didn't even know he was from Norway until we had talked a few times. We have been married for 3 years.
But since I have been here like.. forever....
I'm sure most of you know me as Teresa Cookson.

I was born on February 26, 1953 to Fred McDonald and Jo (Workman) McDonald. We lived at that time right out on the Busby road.. where the old golf course used to be.
My maternal grandparents were Carl and Thelma Workman.. and my paternal grandparents were Don and Cleora McDonald, from Elk Falls.
Daddy managed Union Gas Company so we moved to Yates Center, then Welch Oklahoma and then to Pittsburg Ks.
We moved back to Howard the summer of my 4th grade, and I have been here ever since.
I graduated from Howard High /North Elk High School in 1971 and went to a 2 year RN Nursing school. Quit before I finished and got married to John Gray.( son of Jean Gray and the late Waldo Gray ).
5 years later I married my best friend all through childhood and the teen years..Mark Cookson. (son of Louise Cookson and the late Gene Cookson ) We were married for 23 years.
We have 2 children.
Danny Cookson is 34 and is my oldest son. ( Teri & Ashley)
Derek Cookson is 28 and is the youngest. (Rochelle & Mason)
They both have wonderful wives' that I am proud to call "daughters" and they have given me the best gifts in the whole world.......
Grandchildren.... :-*
Ashley is 5. (going on 20  ;) ) and Mason is 3 months.

I  have one sister.. Sherri (Mills) Wilder..and one niece..Tania (Mills) Muller.
One 16 yr old rather cranky old black cat named Sheeba and an 'easy going nothing bothers him' young stripped cat named Tiger.

I have to say that being a mother and grandma has been the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. I love it.  And if I had my way, that is all I would do. :) *smiling*.
God only knows it was.. has been.. and still is ....a daily challenge..But well worth it.

As if that hasn't been a full time job for most of my life, I also worked side by side with Mark in the hardware store for many many years. I still do all the monthy book keeping for him and Derek in the hardware business.
For the past 8 years I have stayed really busy giving therapeutic massages.  I have The Perfect Touch Massage business in my home.
I've been blessed with a gift from my hands, and I am proud of that.   I do deep tissue and reflexology, and also mix aromatherapy's making all kinds of smelly concoctions. I do crystal work and chakra balancings. I love helping and healing people.  And by helping others ... It has helped me to grow and learn so much about myself spiritually and emotionally.

Speaking of learning and getting back in the juggling and swing of schedules........................
The first 3 years of Ashley's life, I kept her every day, full time. At that time, Danny was working at Mid West Exteriors in Wichita & Teri worked and still is employed at Koch Industry in Wichita.

   Danny now is partners with Rob Cookson at Pack Pro and is in Howard , which is nice for him. I now keep and have Mason every day also, as Rochelle has gone back to work.  She is the Activities Director at Twilight Manor Nursing Home. Derek is a partner with Mark in the True Value Hardware store and also their new business D& M Gun Sales.

So, because I have been able to be here and work at the jobs I do...the parents have been lucky.. the babies have been lucky and I  have been so lucky to have my family close to me.
Nothing like the love of a Mee Maw to give them a good stable loving start. ( And it helps this old grandma's heart to stay healthy too) Of course..sometimes I  don't  know if it is going to make me old before my time or keep me young.. 
I know now why God gives us our children while we are young. It is a handful at my age...But I wouldn't trade any part of it.

Plus, with all of this... Kjell and I  have Halloway's Mercantile  ( which is an online gun and leather business) and his 12 yr old creation, CasCity, the 2nd largest website in the world for Cowboy Action Shooting.  And of course he built and we maintain and keep  the Howard Website working ..( with the help of all you who post  :-*)

We just added to our already busy lives a new business venture. Down Range TV.
Michael Bane,the host and producer of Shooting Gallery and Cowboy's ( Outdoor Channel) is our business partner in this.
All of these things keep us burning the midnight oil doing marketing,  promotions, advertising, web work, and now there is going to be lots of traveling.. doing  a lot of filming and making video's for the gun industry.

My personal side......................
I love to cook real food and bake bread and pies and .......well.............. I love to cook everything!
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/stirpot.gif)
(Love to eat too)

When I have some spare time ( which isn't often) I like camping, fishing, hunting  & target shooting, photography, music & country dancing, playing cards, scrapbooking , reading, riding horses, bowling, movies, casino's.. ..
I really like to do a little bit of everything, I guess..
To relax, I really like to just go to little towns and poke around in the junk shops...and go to the Indian and Cowboy trade days and swap meets.
I collect Native American items and  I find more treasures buried under stuff.
Kjell knows that when we go inside, it will be awhile before we leave..( But I guess the same goes for the casino's..  but I don't "find" anything there.. I usually "lose" something though.. ) LOL

Guess that is enough to bore the pants off of you, so guess I'll stop.

(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/212.gif)

That was a nuff took me 2 days to read ;) ;D

But while I am here, I'll tell you something about me.

I'm 64 years 'young'...and my name is Narvous...
Anyway, that's what folks have called me since my Baldknobber Days.
When I was working at the Shepherd of the Hills Outdoor Theater as a Baldknobber, I couldn't set still , I was always moving and I guess kind of fidgety.
One of the guys that worked there, also lived way back in the Missouri hills. He would ask me if I was nervous. But he spoke like the backwoods hill people, and didn't say nervous like we do.
He would say "narvous".
Well, everyone in the cast started calling me "Narvous".
So Narvous just kinda stuck  I guess, and that is what all my friends and my cowboy shootin' friends all call me.

When I was 15 years old, I left home and have been on my own since then.
I moved to Lexington, Kentucky. All I knew at that time was horses, so I got a job at Spendthrift Thoroughbred Farms. I worked with the horses..riding them out and training them., and breaking yearlings. I worked there 18 years.

Then I moved to Ohio, and worked 10 years at the race track being a trainer and a jockey. I also broke the yearlings to get them ready to be race horses.

Then I moved on to Florida getting a job at the race track there, doing the same thing. After about 12 years there, my wife ( who also rode and trained horses) and I moved to Forsyth Mo. right next to the Branson Missouri area.

I got a job at The Shepherd of the Hills, being one of the Baldknobbers at the outdoor theater. We put on a live outdoor performance every night 7 days a week. I worked there for 3 years.
Then I was offered a job with Dolly Parton's Dixie Stampede. I took care of the horses that were used in the show. When they needed ridden out and exercised I did that too.  I worked there for 4 years.
Then I retired and bought a small ranch where I spend my days riding my horses and taking care of my dogs and menagerie of animals and birds.

I like to tinker around and build things. I took a motor from a Harley Davidson Motorcycle and tore it down and put together a bicycle using the motor. Not a 4 legged horse...but it does have some horse power.
I am also currently building my barn out of native trees around my place, that I hand cut and use.

I am an NRA member and I collect guns and have quite a collection of cowboy memorabilia from famous people.
Life is good. :)

Teresa.......you talk about spare time? When do you get any?  You were dancin in circles around me, girl!  Whew!  I'm tuckered out for the next two weeks!  ;D   What octane of gas do you run on?  :laugh: :laugh:

Hello,  I am Jodi Pennington.  I reside in rural Chautauqua County.  I spend a lot of time in Elk County and I think it is a great place with lot's of very nice people.  I love living in Southeast Kansas!!!  I am originally from the Wichita area.  Since I was a kid our extended family has been sprinkled over Southeast Kansas.  My Granddad (and he was Grand!) was born in and went to school in Atlanta, KS.  His sister, my Great Aunt Myrtle, married and Settled in Havana, Ks. and my Aunt Marge lives in Mound Valley, so we have spent lots of time in Southeast Kansas.  I really enjoy the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.  I work for Crisis Resource Center of Southeast Kansas and I work in Elk, Chautauqua and Wilson Counties.  I have a daughter and a step-daughter who is both of them have 2 boys, so I have 4 terrific Grandson's ages 19 to 2 and one on the way.  Our oldest daughter lives in Wichita and recently went back to College and graduated from Friends we are so proud of her!!.  The youngest just bought a house in Sedan for the appending return of her husband from Iraq.  My husband works at Sedan Floral (long hours right now).  We love the outdoors, I love to watch the birds here, I don't know why but the colors are so much more vibrant.  I love to sew, scrapbook and play with the grandkids.  Well my little blurb turn into a book.  It was so neat to read all the others I had to share.
Thanks for letting me be a part!
Jodi

Hello,
My name is Kevin F. Clark. I have deep roots in Elk County since my Mom, Dorothy J. Denton Clark Pagan and my Dad, Charles E. Clark MD were both raised in Howard. Many of you know more about my folks than I do, at least you probably know more dirt on them than I do. Please share.

I am the youngest of their six children together and am the one charged with the keeping of the family history. Mom passed away 11 Dec 2005 but Dad is still with us. 

My wife Vickie and I have been married almost 21 years (6 Jun 1986) and we have one son, Spencer Charles Clark (7 Dec 1991.)

I work for Activant Solutions, Inc., we sell computer systems to hardware stores and lumber yards and I am currently an Implementation Coordinator. I coordinate the installation and training for our new customers.

We live just north of Austin, Texas.  My hobbies are scouting, camping, geocaching, dutch oven cooking and hunting with my son.

I have only recently begun to research my family history, but much of my family history has been documented by others. Thanks Lois, Aunt Maxine, Uncle Hubert, and Grandma Gladys.

We are in the process of cleaning out my mom's house and she was definitely Gladys' daughter so there are stacks and stacks of old clippings, papers, letters etc. to be gone through.

I am excited to join this Elk County Community.  I'll be coming to the Biennial Horning Reunion this July 20-22, 2007 so perhaps I'll get to meet some of you.

Kevin F. Clark

I am Scotty Zollars. My dad's family settled around Longton in the 1870's. They had an orchard and farm outside of town not too far from the cemetery. The farm got out of the family's hands, but last I knew the signpost was still there. I think the Persingers may own it now. My dad, Elmore, left there after WWII and went to work in Wichita. He lived in Belle Plaine. After getting a divorce, raising his daughter by himself, and getting her married off, he began seeing his son-in-law's sister, my mom Valera Mae Zumbrun. I came along almost a year after they were married followed by two more sisters, Gretchen and Mollie.
Dad had a bad heart attack and had to retire from the Gas Service Company in Wichita when I was in the second grade. We stayed in BP for awhile because that's where my mom's family was from. Dad always wanted to get back over to Longton and we made lots of trips to see family members, the Busbys, the Jones, etc. Finally at the end of my 7th grade year we moved to Southeast KS. My mom put her foot down and told Dad that she was NOT going to live in Longton. She said she would move as far as Moline and that was it. At first sight, I was not impressed with Moline. All I saw was old fogeys and I really hated to move there. I was so wrong. That move was one of the best things that happened in my life. I may have been born in Wellington, but my home town will always be Moline. Esther Wilson and so many others there in the town had a big impact on my life and I found out that it was not a town of old fogeys. I will also always remember Mr. Campbell's gigantic cookies and donuts, Lee Bailey's pictures, the Mercantile, Axtel's print shop and paying the water bill at Dodson's jewelry store. There were also two grocery stores then. Both of the houses that I lived in there are gone. One has been replaced and one is now a garden spot.
My Dad died my junior year of HS and Mom went back to school at ICC. I followed her there a year later doing the commute. When Mom graduated there, we moved to MO and I began my exile in MO and AR. I met and married my wife, Ruth, and we had two sons, Joe and Tim during this time. When I graduated from SofO now CofO, I taught and worked in libraries in AR from 1986 to 2000. We then moved back to KS.
I am the Director of Library Services for Labette Community College in Parsons, KS. The things that I learned on those Saturdays at Moline Public have come in handy a lot more than any of the book learning that I ever received in classes. Ruth teaches English and Philosophy up the road at Neosho County Community College. Joe, my oldest son, is an assistant manager at a Taco Bell in Lawrence. He will be attending KU in the fall. Tim, my youngest, is a dad and studying to be a pastor. He is married to Sarai and has given me an awesome little guy name Taylor for a grandson. He also has another one on the way in October. Hopefully this one is a granddaughter.
I really enjoy reading the historical things about Elk County and the genealogy. Ruth and I are really into genealogy and have done a lot of research on our families. Currently we are working on a book about my Grandma Zollars' family, the Reynolds, that lived in the Busby/Painterhood area.
Guess that is about it. Ruth may have additional information to add, but this is at least my side of the story.  :D

Scotty

Scotty, I sure enjoyed reading your posting.  Wondered where you've been!  :)  I can remember the Moline Mercantile well, too. I liked that store, and hated to see it close.

Okay.  I'm sure that it is about time I posted who I am and what I am all about.  Don't you just wish?

Okay, I am Janet Weyrauch Lee Harrington.  I grew up in Severy.  I was born the same year that my daddy, Jim Weyrauch, started working at Beech.  My mother is Wilma.  I attended 2 years at Severy High School, then finished high school in Howard at North Elk High school, graduating in 1972.  Go, TROJANS.  My class is having a 35th year reunion on Sunday, May 27th.

I married Woody Lee and lived that AWFUL marriage for 4 years.  Then I was stupid and stayed with him another year.  How dumb is that?  I went to truck driving school, drove a truck for about a year when my health made me stay at home with mom and dad at Wichita.

I met Jim Harrington, who is a great husband, in 1982.  I started working for the Elk County Sheriff's Office and the Elk County EMS that year. 

I became sheriff of Elk County in 1987 and served in that capacity for 17 years.  Jim and I have been married almost 11 years now.  I worked at the Wilson County Sheriff's Office and was the jail director until I was fired on March 6th, 2007, for looking for a better paying job.  Currently, I am unemployed and looking for work.

Jim is a retired custodian from USD 282, so he stays home and keeps house.  YEAH.  Jim grew up in Grenola, so his roots to Elk County are longer than mine are.

I graduated from Friends University, Wichita, in May 2002, with my Bachelor of Science Criminal Justice studies degree.  I am currently 6 hours away from my Masters' Degree in Criminal Justice studies with Washburn University. 

We like living in Howard, especially with Mother living here.  However; if the right job with the right pay comes along, we will be gone like a thief in the night.  We love it here, but have to do what we have to do.

I have a wonderful dog named Colonel that is a German Shephard and weighs 96 pounds.  He is a loveable dog that truly loves me unconditionally.

So much for me.  Someone else's turn.

Quote from: Narvous on May 10, 2007, 06:32:50 AM

I like to tinker around and build things. I took a motor from a Harley Davidson Motorcycle and tore it down and put together a bicycle using the motor. Not a 4 legged horse...but it does have some horse power.

Just wondering if that motor bike get's good gas mileage and how long would it take to ride it to Howard??

Quote from: Janet Harrington on May 13, 2007, 09:58:00 PM

Just wondering if that motor bike get's good gas mileage and how long would it take to ride it to Howard??

Quote
   


About 2 years!  ;D

Somehow, I had missed seeing the original posting on Narvous' Roll Call of a few days ago, until this morning.  Sounds like he's had a very interesting and exciting, and eventful life.  What I am wondering is how many times he's gotten thrown off a horse, and how many times he's ended up with some broken bones.

Lois, I missed Narvous's posting until this morning, too.  You know what I think?  I think he went back in and modified a previous posting, hoping that most of us would miss it.  That sure is a pretty wreath you have in your profile picture now.

I am positive that Narvous would have some great stories of his life's experiences to tell us, if we could just get him to share.  ;D   Working with the Baldknobbers, would be a great starting point.

Thanks for the compliment, Wilma.  :)

Mama Wilma.. I like your profile picture too.
Although I thought you had gray hair.. not blond!
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

I think I will just let that one pass, Ms. T.

Oops!  Let this one slip by me...
I'm Joanna Hunter.  I grew up in Eureka, my parents are Bill & Millie Cole there.  I have one sister, Diana Cole of Eureka; and one brother, Dan Cole of Baldwin City.  I met & married Marty in Severy (almost that fast!) and we're getting ready to celebrate our 25th anniversary this summer.  We have two of the best kids in the history of great kids. 
Clay is 19 and going to college at Pittsburg State.  He'll be home for the summer, I can't wait!
Chris is 23 and finishing up a Marketing degree at K-State this year.  He's working for GTM Sportswear.  His wife, Dana graduated K-State last weekend and is starting her Masters for Gerontology.
Except for our time at college, Marty & I have always lived in small towns in South East Kansas.  It's where we want to be.  Last fall, we were able to move back to Howard, where Marty grew up.  We're remodelling the house that's been in his family since the 1940's ~ a labor of love really (and lots of sweat)
I'm stubborn as a mule, sometimes talk too much, and just a bit ornery.  That's me in a nutshell, (where some say I truely belong!)  ;D

I don't know what you are doing to the inside of that old house.. but I can say that what you have done for the grounds and the outside is looking pretty darn spiffy! :D

Since getting involved in a discussion this evening, I might as well sign into the Roll Call.

I am Karen (Hebb) Indermill and lived in Howard all my life until I went to college.  My parents were Cecil and Ruth (Hawkins) Hebb, both of whom were born in rural Howard, and all of their parents were also longtime Elk County residents.  My parents and all six of their children graduated from Howard High School/West Elk, so we truly have deep roots in Elk County.  My HHS class of 1967 will celebrate our 40th reunion this year.  I graduated from KSTC in Emporia with a degree in Education and have been an elementary teacher in Chanute, Kansas and Bartlesville, Oklahoma and now substitute teach on a very flexible schedule (when and where I want....)

Rodney Indermill and I were married in 1972 and will celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary in June. His job with Phillips Petroleum Company led us to live in various locations around the U.S., and we are now retired and living in Edmond, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City.  We have two sons, Seth and Rhett, who both live in the OKC area.  Rhett was married to Amanda Johnson last summer. 

My dad became a partner in the Smith & Goodwin store during the 1940s, and when it closed in 1966,  he and my mother established Hebb's Family Store until his death in 1973.  She continued running the store until her retirement in 1979.  I have many fond memories related to being part of a family business on Main Street.

I stay busy with substitute teaching and volunteer work and am trying to get organized with compiling family genealogy information.  In my free time, I love to play the piano and read (but not at the same time....................).

We enjoy "coming home" to visit in Howard often and own two houses here.  One we stay in, and one we rent out to teachers.  Life was good growing up in this small town, and we try to give back and help out to better the community when we return for visits. 

Hey Y'all I just updated my profile to include my new Website.  It is a work in progress but for now I have posted a couple of pictures that I would love to get your feedback on. http://home.austin.rr.com/clarkdentongen/

I really like those pictures.  Is it possible for you to work with the first one and see if it will show better?

I like your idea of your web site.  Keep up the good work, Kevin.

I like the pictures.
websites are fun.. but they are a lot of work too.
Do you have a lot of pictures?

Janet,
I tried to adjust the brightness and contrast on the pictures and it only slightly improved it, but check it out I reposted it.

Teresa,
Do I have a lot of pictures?  Were Gladys Denton and Dorothy Pagan *"collectors"? 
You bet I do, and newpapers and clippings and letters and programs and enough family history "fodder" to keep me busy for the next several months if not years.  That is why I decided to play around with the Web site. Not all of it is appropriate to post here, but I did want to have a forum to place stuff that will be important to my family.

*Mom had a T-shirt that says, "I'm not a Pack Rat, I'm a Collector"

Quote from: kfclark on May 22, 2007, 01:19:08 PM
Janet,
I tried to adjust the brightness and contrast on the pictures and it only slightly improved it, but check it out I reposted it.

Kevin,

It did improve it a little bit and making it larger made it easier to look at.  I love all three pictures.  Keep up the good work.  I have put you on my favorites, so that I can keep checking back to see what you have done.  Thanks.

My family settled this area in 1878 (I am fifth generation), they came by covered wagon, you can still see the dung out where they lived when they first arrived. I did not grow up in the area, I grew up in Wyoming. Several years ago my father retired on the family ranch, something he always wanted to do but due to the economy had to wait until he retired. It was the lack of opportunities in this area and the abundant opportunities in the West that he and my mother (also from the area) opted to leave. My uncle talked my husband into moving to Kansas 5 years ago...I rebelled not wanting to move to Kansas, coining it the land of OZ, but it turned out to be one of the best moves of my life. I love being close to my family and my roots and as Economic Development Director and Executive Member for the QUAD Facilitation Program I hope I can bring growth and prosperity to our area. The family ranch banks in Howard and I partner with Elk County in Economic Development efforts. My grandparents where Page and Jessie Lewis my father is Glenn W. Lewis. I love the area and believe if we work together we can improve the area. I am a certified in Herbology, Iridology, Kinesiology, VitaFlex (older than acupuncture without the use of needles to balance the body and unblock blocked energy), certified in using the healing oils of the bible and certified in essential oil chemistry and usage (you can probably tell from this I love providing Natural Wellness).
I saved the best for last my husband and I will be celebrating our 29th anniversary together this weekend, we have 2 children our oldest (Chad) lives in Keystone, CO our daughter along with her husband and our granddaughter live in Sheridan, WY. Not being near them is the hardest thing to overcome.
Love your forum

Is it Friday yet!
Forgot the obvious. My name is Vickie Hornbuckle maiden name Vickie Lewis. I am the Greenwood County Economic Development Director the rest is on my earlier post.

Have a good one! Vickie

Welcome Vickie,
Is your husband related to Jesse Hornbuckle?  He married my Dad's cousin Betty Bruner of Moline. He passed away just this March.

Quote from: Janet Harrington on May 13, 2007, 09:51:00 PM
I worked at the Wilson County Sheriff's Office and was the jail director until I was fired on March 6th, 2007, for looking for a better paying job.  Currently, I am unemployed and looking for work.

I have an update.  I now have a job.  I start June 18, 2007, at the Kansas Department of Corrections as a Corrections Counselor II.  I will be working with violent offenders in long term administrative segregation at the El Dorado Correctional Facility.  This is the maximum security prison in Kansas.  I will work with a great deal of latitude within established risk management, transitional planning and reentry procedures and programs with these long term administrative segregation inmates.

I wanted you all to be some of the first to know that I now have a job after being jobless for almost 3 months. 

(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/congra.gif)
I knew you would get one soon.
I am so happy for you !
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/smooch.gif)

Thank you, Ms. T.  You really do "wuv" me.  I "wuv" you, too, and I "yuv" you lots.

Janet---congratulations!!!!  Man, the power of prayer..........I am very happy and relieved for you as I know you are for yourself.  May this new job fulfill your desires and strengthen those abilities and talents in which you have been given.    Grace and Peace-----and keep the faith!!!

congrats on the new job Janet

That's wonderful news, Janet! Congratulations! I know you'll do a terrific job.

Well, I guess it is my turn to tell you a little bit about me. 
I am Sherri McDonald Mills Wilder...I have the same background as my sister Teresa so I won't bore you with all that.
I graduated from West Elk in 1975 and married Mike Mills in 1975.  I was married to him for 23 years and we had a wonderful daughter Tania Mills Muller, who is 26 years old.  After I divorced, I lived in Howard for a few years then I went to Tyler Texas for 4 years.  There I met Curt Wilder and we have been married for 3 1/2 years.
I have worked for the Farm Service Agency for 22 years and I am a Manager for two offices.  I manage Greensburg office and Coldwater office.  Since the horrible tornado, our office is temporarily housed in Kinsley Kansas.  We hope to be back in Greensburg by August.
Curt and I lived in Texas before we moved back to Kansas.  We lived in Great Bend for a while until we moved to Greensburg.  We lived in Greensburg for a year and then moved to Mullinville.  Curt worked for the agency in Dodge and then we purchased a Daylight Donut shop in Hutchinson.  He moved to Hutchinson and I moved to Greensburg.  I kept my job with the agency and Curt owned and operated the Donut shop.  We lived apart for a year and decided that was not a good thing so we sold the donut shop and we moved back to the same home in the country in Mullinville.  We have 10 acres and it is beautiful.  I am still with the agency and Curt works for the Conservation District and also for a rancher.
Tania just graduated from Dental Hygiene school in Colby, Kansas.  She has passed all her written boards and will take her cliical boards in July and then she will be licensed in 13 states.  We are so very proud of her.  She has worked very  hard to get through this school.
We have a Lab dog, Brody that is so spoiled and we have inherited Tania's cat, OP Lee since she has been in school and since her divorce. 
We don't have a lot of spare time since we mow 7 acres, have a garden, apple trees and flowers.  It is a full time job taking care of all of the property here.
Curt loves to hunt and trap shoot.  He helps with the youth shoots at LaSada and really enjoys that.
I love to play on the computer, read, do wood crafts and just be with friends.  I love to cook and of course eat....all you have to do is look at me and know that is true. haha  ;D

But that is about it for us.  I love getting on the forum and reading all that is going on.  I think this is wonderful to read about everyone.  It is nice to know who is behind the alias names.  Thanks for sharing.

Ok, at someone's special request ;), I guess it is my turn.

My alias speaks for itself, as I am SnakeHater.  I am Dan Cookson, 34 years old and the eldest son of Mark and Teresa.

I grew up in Howard trying to be good lad, but found that difficult to do most of the time.  I attended grade school at Moline and graduated from West Elk High School in Howard in 1992.
I then attended Emporia State University Graduating in 1997 with bachelors degrees in Business Administration and Applied Economics.

I met my wife Teri at college in Emporia and we were married in September of 1996.  We moved to Wichita in 1997 and stayed there for 3 years until moving to Howard.  We found that we were spending all of our spare time here anyway!!  Teri was originally from Hesston and enjoyed growing up in a small town so the fit was perfect for us.  She is employed at Koch Industries in Wichita.  I work with my Uncle in Howard running a shipping business. 

We have a daughter, Ashley, who is 5 years old.  She is going to be in Kindergarten this year and loves the outdoors.  She is the king of hide and seek and loves to play at the park.  I think she could play with her dolls and babies for hours on end as well.  Everyone gets to read about her as her Me-Maw likes to brag her up!!

I enjoy camping, fishing, and hunting.  I also enjoy going on 4 wheeler rides and just about anything outdoors and with friends and family.  If I am indoors, I like to read, watch movies, and work on computers.  I hate mowing and snakes.


I really enjoy the forum and reading about everyone's views and ideas on the many different topics that face our town, state, and country!

I moved to Howard when I was 17 (1975) after my father (Ed) retired from the Air Force.  I graduated in 1976 and left for college.  I graduated from Emporia State University and moved to Kansas City.  I have been here since.  As I age I really appreciate the small quiet life that Elk County offers.

As I get older the desire to return to that area grows stronger.  Every trip I make to that area I always make a trip to Elk Falls (The Falls) and out to the Moline Lake and sit and dream about moving back to this quiet life. 

When my Mother was real sick I came back and stayed with her and Dad.  I was contemplating moving back then to be closer to everyone.  Someone told me about Bambi (was Bird)'s place in Elk Falls.  So I went on an adventure and found the place back off the country road.  It is a paradise setting.  As I came up around the road and there sat a simple house with all the trees around it.  WOW.  If anyone hears that she is selling/renting let me know, that might be the place that gets me back to that area.

My passion is photography building website and sports.  Since I found this site I will make a gallery of some sports photos I have of West Elk teams.  I try to make it a point to get back to the Elk County area and photograph some events every year.  Which I have never shared with anyone from the area until now.

Great site so glad to see Howard/Elk County at a finger tip now.  Awesome job by everyone involved.

Ok, Teresa has been nagging oops.. I mean,'asking' me for weeks about me answering the roll call.... Anyone who knows me knows that I don't like talking about myself, but finally I realized that she wasn't going to let up on me until I did this. ::)

So finally I did some cut and past from some old bio files and squeezed it down from a boring long version to the 1 long page compact version.  Man, I have been involved in a lot of stuff..... :)  LOL

I believe I have some pictures stacked somewhere too that Teresa can turn into a slide show on the video page. about my home land. And now that I've said that, she will know, and I'll not hear the end of it until I get them to her.  Oh well, I will never know when to keep my mouth shut.  :-X

Well, as some of you already know, I am one of those aliens that have crossed the US borders a little over 3 years ago to be exact. I went through every check list possible and Uncle Sam judged me up and down for some time, but he finally decided to grant me permanent residency in the US, making me one of the good tax payers both here and in the old country. They won't have to export me or give me any amnesty either.  ;)


I wash my green alien color off my face every morning and walk the streets as a regular guy, just to make sure nobody pays any attention to me. Amazing what a bar of soap can fool others to believe. I even handle a few words in English, so I can at least order a cup of coffee and a hot dog now and then.
Caroline at the post office knows my sign language by now, so I am even able to buy stamps. It is just wonderful.  ;D *grinning*
 
Right now, I look like I am scalped, but Teresa did that....with a razor..... at my request. This Kansas heat and humidity made my 23 hairs on my head even hotter than ever, So I told her. "Get the razer and shave my head!" She looked at me like I had lost my mind, but she did it! I believe I'll stay like this all summer. 8)

Seriously..... I am a native Norwegian, raised on a farm on the northwestern coast, between high mountains, fjords and a scenery quite different than Kansas. Moved out when I was 16 to conquer the world like all crazy Vikings have done for centuries. After getting an education in trade and business and serving in the Royal Norwegian Air Force, I tried my luck in the dairy business. I started in the maintenance department and ended up in sales and marketing.

In 1984, I took a break from being employed and took a risk of starting my own business. Spent 2 years selling different products including insurance, and even flying to Florida every second month to sell  real estate and then back to Norway (That's what you call commuting).

The insurance company then offered me a job that I couldn't say no to. Spent almost 10 years as a district supervisor and in between got some more education, in contract law, tax law, business and project management.

In 1997, I said good bye to the insurance industry and started a consultant business. The next 7 years I was able to combine work and hobbies and hit base on more fields than most people ever would dream of doing.. It was a crazy time that involved national and local shooting, and pro gun organizations. I worked with law enforcement which included canine training for police work... I have been attacked by my share of shepherd dogs. It was fun....

I also worked as a firearm law expert, having to deal with police districts, gun owners, bureaucracy, politicians,and lawyers. I was actively involved in media, firearm instruction, and was the writer of articles and for a short period was an editor of a gun magazine.

I was so busy and doing so many things that I cannot even remember most of them. :)

I even got involved in PR work internationally for the shooting sports, I created and founded a web site, called CasCity.com ..  which I am proud to say is now the 2nd largest  Cowboy Action Shooting site in the world. I got an alias shooter handle attached to me (Marshal Halloway) that will stick with me for the rest of my life. In fact, only family and a very few people know me as Kjell. Marshal Halloway is the only name I am recognized as, in the gun world.

In the same period, I did most of my PR work through a newfangled technology called the Internet and many of my clients didn't even have a clue where I was located. Hey, sometimes I didn't even know it myself...

During my career, I tried to combine it with sports, mostly competitive shooting (been involved in most shooting genres, but for the most part action and combat oriented shooting. And in addition I have enjoyed mountain hiking, ocean fishing, soccer, and outdoor life in general. Reading (mostly history) and in between trying to kill computers that never seemed to work the way I wanted them too..

In 2003, I decided to say 'enough is enough'. Too much public life in the media's eye, with little or no privacy, too many commitments and obligations. I wanted to just be "normal". To maybe hide away and  have a nice little job in a book store (I am serious), with no more phone calls, no interruptions when I was eating in a restaurant  and the whole 10 yards. Then I met Teresa and ended up in Howard, USA....

Here nobody knew me, very few even cared to ask. Hey it was the perfect "book store". I was in a small quiet town where no one knew who Marshal Halloway was, and finally I was able to catch up with myself.

While I was here, I still had part of my consultant business, but that wouldn't last long, running an operation with Norwegian clients from a US office. So, sooner or later I had to come out of the shed. A good friend of mine from Texas, convinced me to once again get involved in PR, Marketing and the Media.

After a long haul getting reestablished, Teresa and I are now heavily involved in Broadband TV, PR & Internet projects and retail sales. We have teamed up with a TV producer by the name of Michael Bane who for the most part works for the Outdoor Channel and in other ways keeps us busy with a project called Down Range Television. We are still promoting the shooting sports and we have a few clients on the side doing PR work for them. Funny thing is that I am back to a point where I didn't want to be 4 years ago. 

I'm lucky to have a partner who is a lot smarter than she wants to admit to herself. And this is just a portion of what she is doing. How she is able to combine everything she does every day of the week is way over my head.

That's it........ roll call ended. Mission accomplished. No more nagging....

So, the next time you see me walking the streets of Howard, you'll know that the green alien color is really not green... And since I can speak more than one language, I can order more than coffee and hot dogs...

And if you ask Caroline, she will testify that I can also send packages as well as buying stamps.

Dang, I think I'm gonna make it, even in the redneck world! LOL

I want to end this post by saying a few things about the Howard or Elk County site. It was originally set up as a test site for a few of my projects. Since it was a working test site, I decided to let the citizens of Elk County use it. I still do some tech testing on the site, things you cannot see. And I appreciate the fact that a small percentage of Elk County people have learned how useful this service can be for the community. This also includes people that have moved away from the area. Most people,and the businesses and public services are still in hibernation by not taking advantage of this service. It's here to be used by all.


See ya!

Thank you, Alien Kjell.  I always wanted to know who the heck you were.  LOL

Hell's fire.. I didn't even know half of this stuff about him.. :o

Just kidding! I'm just glad I don't have to nag anymore.
( But it always works )
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/wink.gif)

Thanks Kjell, I enjoyed learning about you too ~
The folks on the Forum are GREAT, but I'm amazed every day when I mention something about it and the other person gets that blank look on their face... ???  Okay, at least on the faces that don't start blank.... ;)  I agree that only a small percentage of the town citizens & businesses use the forum ~ a major loss to them! I try to introduce all our new and old friends to the site, everyone who sees it is impressed.  Sincerely, THANK YOU for making it available to us!

well, kjell, no need to ask what you enjoy doing in your spare time.  YOU DON'T HAVE ANY.... enjoyed reading your bio

Yikes, everyone has been very forthcoming! I have not yet read all of the posts in this thread, but I promise that I'll get around to it in the next few days.

As I said elsewhere, I was born in Omaha, Nebraska. Almost my entire family still lives there, and the only exception is my sister, who lives just across the river in Council Bluffs, Iowa. My Dad will be turning 87 in a few days, and I'm doing my best to talk him into going for the big 100. He is a retired Navy Seabee Master Chief, having served 37 years, some of it as the chief (no pun intended) model maker of the U.S. Navy.

I went to the University of Nebraska and worked in residential construction management in Omaha before moving to Kansas City and then California. I lived in various spots around the Bay area for 25 years before finally coming back to the Midwest via jobs in Las Vegas and Austin.

I was thrown into the world of computers in the late 1960s when the little construction company I worked for was looking for another way to make money, especially in the winter. I suggested that we do construction estimating, thereby unwittingly volunteering for the job. While I learned, my first computer was an IBM 360 mainframe computer that we leased to get that department going.

That led me into consulting in the computer business, where I spent over 30 happy years. I started out as a programmer and worked my way up to being a program manager, always working essentially for myself and doing project work. The more experience I got, the smaller were the computers that I chose to work with until I landed in the personal computer arena. Most of my experience was in computer program development, with a minor in database development.

When I came back to the Midwest in 1993, I lived in Johnson County, Kansas for a few years, almost all of that in Lenexa. I was not all that thrilled with Johnson County. It seemed to have most of the bad features of life in a large urban area without any of the benefits of San Francisco. It was during that time that I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, which eventually forced my early disability retirement.

Fortunately, I married my wife Sabine in 1999 and moved to Lawrence. I have always liked college towns and this is one of the best. I also gained a stepdaughter (we dropped the "step" part a long time ago), who just finished her Junior year at KU in music education. She's going to be an elementary school music teacher. My wife, who was born in Germany and came to this country with her parents at a very young age, works in the Public Administration school at KU.

I am trying to be a writer now that I am no longer working, something that I have always wanted to do. I have written a couple of novels, but writing them is one thing and selling them is another.

If anybody is still awake, thanks for listening! ;D

Oh that is just wonderful!
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/bravo.gif)
I love it when I get to boss people around and they snap to it!
Ya hear that Kjell? You need to take some lessons..  ;D ;D LOL

Seriously, it sounds like you have had a busy life and one that you have accomplished
a lot that you can be proud of.
What novels have you written? Are they in book form and available to read?
Ta Ta and I  love our books and we share back and forth lots of what we read.
So if it is possible, tell me the titles and I'll buy them and give you my unprofessional opinion.!  ;)
(Unless they are war story books.. then I'll have to back out of the deal.  :-[
I don't much  like reading about war stuff..

But thank you for posting your bio... and welcome once again to our little town within a little town!
;D

Quotejust finished her Junior year at KU in music education. She's going to be an elementary school music teacher

West Elk (USD 282) is looking for an elementary vocal teacher. She'd work in Severy and Moline, K-6. Does she want to come on down early?

Our superintendent said Monday night he had no applicants, so maybe he'd work out a deal with her?

How about that, maybe she could get a job before she even graduates!  :laugh:

We're a super community  :-[ and our elementary kids are the greatest.

Good luck, kdfrawg, with everything that you are doing.  We are glad that you have moved to Kansas.  No better state in the US as far as we are concerned.  Thanks for sharing your life with us.

Quote from: Mom70x7 on June 14, 2007, 03:07:59 PM

Quotejust finished her Junior year at KU in music education. She's going to be an elementary school music teacher

West Elk (USD 282) is looking for an elementary vocal teacher. She'd work in Severy and Moline, K-6. Does she want to come on down early?

Our superintendent said Monday night he had no applicants, so maybe he'd work out a deal with her?

How about that, maybe she could get a job before she even graduates!  :laugh:

We're a super community  :-[ and our elementary kids are the greatest.

Oh no! Amanda is about 18 months away from being a teacher (her senior year plus student teaching) and is giving a lot of thought to where she might be doing that. She is actually thinking about Colorado because: 1) They pay better, 2) they have mountains and she is a skier, 3) they have rocks and she is a climber, and 4) her aunt (who also is into outdoor sports) lives in Ft. Collins. I am trying to stay out of the decision, except to counteract Mom, who doesn't want her child to leave Lawrence, so hopefully as a couple we come of neutral.

;D

Teresa, please don't tell my wife I took orders. I would never live it down, as I tend to be a bit of an independent cuss.

As for my books, one is a counter-terrorism book, sort of like a who-dunit and the other is hard science fiction. Both are languishing in manuscript form on my bookshelves alone, and as it happens, in query-letter and first-three-chapters form in the offices of a number of literary agents, none of whom have as yet seen fit to send money.

:(

Our schools certainly the best.  I have four children that went all the way through this system and look how they all turned out.  Well, maybe the school can't be blamed for all of it.  And our own Flo worked in the Severy system.  Empty Nest is a Severy teacher and her mother retired from there.  And I will bet that there are some of our members that I don't know about working in the system.  By all means, encourage your daughter to look into this.  Empty Nest can tell her who she should contact.

I might like your counter-terrorism book, but you can keep the science fiction unless it is like Star Trek, especially Voyager.

I can tell you that I was incredibly pleased to hear Amanda say that she wanted to be a teacher. And prouder yet that she wanted to be an elementary music teacher, especially after she trotted out all of the statistics about how el-high students involved somehow in music do better in school all around.

The our local district decided to make cuts and music was among them. Amanda went to the next school board meeting and gave a 10-minute presentation about how counter-productive it would be to cut music. I got to watch it on the local info cable channel and she was flawless. The board made cuts, but none in the music program.

We badly need good teachers and I find it very annoying that we pay them so poorly. Is it more important to watch a multi-million-dollar athlete or have a good teacher? I'll take the teacher every time. In my not-very-humble opinion, we have our priorities badly screwed up and we are paying for it every day.

Oops, there I was on a soapbox again.  :-[

Quote from: kdfrawg on June 14, 2007, 09:22:00 PM

Oops, there I was on a soapbox again.  :-[

We have a thread started for that too.. called Soap Box Day... but I'll change it to being Soap Box Any Day!  lol
Cause if we only have one day to use it, ................well hell I have forgot my mad by the end of the week if I get mad on Monday..  :P

So feel free to use it anytime of day or night!

And if your daughter loves to climb and ski... then Colorado is a perfect place for her.
I wish her all the luck in the world..and I wish you and her mama all the luck too in keeping your lips sealed.. lol

Okay, I read my way through the Roll Call tonight and now I think I understand more about why I like this forum. I seem to have something in common with pretty much everybody here: a place, a hobby, a time, something. That means a lot. Just a few examples:

I met my wife on the Internet. - I lived just North of Austin for a year. - I spent most of my life in the computer business. - I have a great pet, Tucker the Weird Dawg, a rescue dog from the National Springer Spaniel Rescue Organization. - A lot of people here have been self-employed a lot of the time. - And a lot of other little things.

I love coincidences.   ;D

Quote from: kdfrawg on June 14, 2007, 10:27:53 PM

I love coincidences.   ;D

NO such creature as coincidences~!
There is a reason and a planned purpose for every single thing that we do every single minute of this particular lifetime on earth.
God just doesn't toss us down here to fly by the seat of our pants you know!!~  ;)

No~~~ you were supposed to be here ... new friends in new places..
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/ummm.gif)
Maybe you came here for us..as much as you came here for you~~

< smile >

It sure sounds like . . .

"We belong to a mutual admiration society"

:D   :D   :D

I remember when I told my then 24 year old daughter that I had met someone online and that we had decided to meet in person she went nuts on me "mom he could be an axe murderer, don't you read the papers or listen to the news ect. and ect. She would not let my grandson come near me the first few times Danny drove out to Dodge to see me. I need to tell her to "get with it" ;D there seems to be quite a few members of my generation who have met online and are living right here on this forum 8)

Amento what kdfrawg said about the music program and trying to cut it.  I maintain, also, that you will see plenty of math and science scores plummet from the lack of an elementary music program.  It goes hand in hand with the essential thinking and brain patterns that are needed for those subjects.  Not only that, but it's a proven fact that music is one of the 7 learning styles. Some kids are not meant to learn verbally, visually, or through nature, but through musical sounds.  Maybe kdfrawg's daughter should come talk to our school board.  I am sure, even if they have listed West Elk's vacancy for music, that something could be done to pull a few strings at the state level. THere are other school districts nearby looking for a music instructor also---cedar vale, elk valley, to name a few.  I just think it's a shame and our kids---along with our school system---will once again pay the price.  :(

Those are some of the exact things that Amanda talked about, emptynest. I know that I am convinced, although I have no particular musical talent to speak of. When it comes time to sing Happy Birthday to someone, my wife and daughter turn to me and say, in unison, "Michael, don't sing!" Amanda plays pretty much all of the band instruments and I have trouble getting the radio to play correctly.

Still and all, I am with both of you on the importance of music education.

:)

I'm enjoying reading through the roll call... I think I will give the basics and if there's anything anyone would like to know.. please just ask!

I was born and raised in Chicago.  I moved to FLA when I was 23 (due to husband's job transfer) and now here to Greenville, SC (same darn job!) a year and half ago.  I have just one child, a 12 year old daughter.

Now for my link to Elk Co., mainly Howard.  The first time I remember being in Howard was in 1980... to bury my great grandma. (Very faint memories  - I was only about 4 or 5).  Before that I had been to Howard but don't remember a darn thing.  Last time I was in Howard was 1984 and still remember very little.

And how do I find myself here now?  My daughter, last fall for school had done the geneaology thing, and I guess I  started to wonder about places I had visited with family when I was younger.  And - here I am.  And why I had posted about the Hughes family.

So - I think I'll keep crusin' this site and enjoying it!  Thanks for the warm welcome!

How wonderful that you are here now.. :)
Just join right in and start posting and before you know it you will think and act like a local!~

YIKES~~~
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/11.gif)
By the way that we all are acting.. THAT might scare you to death! LOL

WOW  WOW   WOW !!!! What an enjoyable read this page has been. 
Just so everyone knows -- I DO LOVE KJELL  he knows it and now  all of you know it.

Thanks for sharing, and filling in the gaps that seems we never have had the time to even open.
You do have a very intelligent wife and your tutoring has brought out the very best in her knowledge and ability...which has always been there --- just couldn't get out and strut her stuff, until now.   I have enjoyed everyones' posts - and YES, TERESA I will do mine [one of these days] hiding behind my curtain. 
This forum is the morning "coffee cup" that I enjoy very much - and as noticed by the time of my post - my evening "warm milk" glass also.
Thanks again   and "Nite all &  Pleasant dreams "

me too.  Nite Jo, Angels on your pillow - nite all

Just got home from playing Pinochle..
Good night ~~No worry's..

In my estimation, too few people play pinochle any more. For some reason I learned as a kid, at 10 or 11, and we would often play at home. Then I taught a bunch of my friends in Junior High and we all played quite often through high school. Then there were some games at college and the game suddenly disappeared. I had not heard anybody talk about it for a long time until just now. Thanks for bringing back the memories, Teresa!

;D

I love to play cards. My family always played cards ( cause no one had any money to do much of anything else, probably.
And we still don't!  :)
So I learned to play cards early..
I love to play Pinochle, Spades, Hearts, Canasta, all kinds of Rummy, Pitch and I play poker ( Texas Hold'em) but I'm not real good at it.. LOl
I like board games too.  Rummicube and Probe and games like that.

I grew up with an older brother and a younger sister - and our parents played a card game called Rook  -- so of course we learned to play too, and Mama would sit down with us and we would play blind pitch..old maid and Real pitch.  Then when I married, Fred's family all played 500..Oh what a great card game that is.  Then came canasta -pinochle - and we learned to play bridge.  Fred is NOT fond of  bridge, but let me tell you, folks - I could do without a lot of sleep as long as three others were sitting at the same table with me and we were playing bridge.  My favorite for sure !!!  We didn't play 500 for several years, but when we started going back to Minnesota for the summer months, the Minnesotains play a mean game of 500 and YIPPPEEEEE  We were back playing that again.  It  really is a game sort of like bridge - [ if Fred heard me say that he would shake his head and frown - he DOES NOT THINK SO].  We both like spades and hearts and I try to play poker, but perfer slot machines to that.  lol  I learned to play whist also and that is what the game of bridge came from.  The game of Whist was started in England and that is a good game too.  Has anyone figured out yet that I am a FOOL FOR CARD GAMES?  The card game Up River and Golf are fun games  I love Rummy games, and board games.  Is it any wonder our kids and Grandkids like games???? 
You all are probably sighing and saying  ENOUGH, JO  get off here and go do something in another room.
  So -- with that I will "pass" and let the rest of you play.

NOW you know why I play cards?  ::)

;D :D :)

Had not heard of the game Rook since I was a kid.  We three girls got cards for chirstmas one year, one got Rook, one got Authors and I forget what the other one was.  Probably old maid for the youngest. As for bridge, my dad and step-mom tried to teach me but my thick skull just could not grasp it. They belonged to several bridge clubs.   Now give me pitch and poker and I'm set to go.  The Smith family was a pinochle player so learned that, but haven't played in several years.  They played with 3 decks.  Play a lot of Texas Hold'em and some pinochle on pogo.com and win some, lose some.  Also like Scrabble.  Fun when you're not playing for money.  Another game we played when my girls were growing up was Skip-bo.  Haven't heard of it in awhile either.  Let's face it, when funds are short, you learn to entertain yourselves and wish today's families done the same.  Some do, but a lot never have time to sit down and play cards, or a board game.  Don't know what they are missing and their children are missing a lot.  Have a good day, everyone.

Oh Flo....you brought back a wonderful game name----Scrabble..My late sister-in-law , Barbara McDonald  whom I loved dearly, was my scrabble playing buddy -  We used to play when the four of us were together for a week-end - after supper was over and the clean up was done, We four would play 500 - then when the guys "played out" and went on to bed Barb and I woud get out the scrabble board and start in.  Hours later we were still playing.  One night we were at their home on Grand Lake and we were deep in thought with our Scrabble game, chin in our hands, looking thoughtfully at the board .. Russ got up to go to the bathroom -- passed by the door and looking in at us -- but he didn't speak and neither did we -- he returned to bed and the next morning at the breakfast table, he siad.." Fred, last night the girls played scrabble so long they both fell asleep sitting at the table"    hahahahahahahahaha  We just howled -- what a funny thing that was .. serious about the game????? YEP -- WE SURE WERE .  LOVED IT !!!  I remember back when John Batson and Marge still had the drug store and Red Door  - each day at noon, when John went home for lunch, after eating - they would play Skip Bo and would keep a running total on their wins and loses.  She told me that one day while she was at the beauty salon.  Such a wonderful couple !!  I miss her and miss seeing John as well.  Good grief - I am long winded   byeeeeeeeeeee

NOW you know why I am windy!!  :o   ::)

PS~~ But you also know why I love to listen to my mom tell stories.
I remember when Mama, Aunt Barb, Aunt Rosalie, and Grandma Mac and I
would start to play canasta. We would start after supper and sometimes play until morning and we had to fix breakfast..

We used to have a ball when all the McDonalds would get together!

When I was much younger, we used to play a lot of card games with the family, mainly poker, pinochle, pitch, gin, and canasta. My uncle Max was smart as a whip and he was an expert card counter, so he won a lot. But then I started paying attention to what he was doing and figured it out. By the time I was 12 or so, they wouldn't  let us play any more so we went fishing a lot, instead.

;D

We could play the children's card games but anything with a real deck of cards was a no-no except solitaire.  So we spent our evenings singing.  My sister played piano and my older brother played guitar.  The four of us sang everything especially cowboy songs from a book one of my uncles had loaned us.  And of course there were the church songs.  My sister was pianist for Sunday School and the high school vocal groups.  It was a very small school but one music teacher tried to have a band.  My sister on piano or trombone, my older brother on guitar or trombone, me on violin and maybe a half dozen others on various instruments.  Music wasn't very important in school then.  It was important to me.  My grades were always better if I participated in music.

My first day back to work after three months of unemployment

Everyone,

I had my first day at work at the El Dorado Correctional Facility.  We were told to be at the facility at 7:30 with a notebook, a black pen, driver's license, social security, and our employment papers that we had to fill out. 

There were suppposed to be 24 new officers show up, plus me.  21 new officers were there, plus me.  While the new officers went to a warehouse and received their uniforms, I was sent to a building to get my picture taken and my ID made.

When I got there, I didn't bring the paperwork and I had been told to go there without an escort, so already the Sgt. in charge was PO'd.  Not at me, but at a LT.  Anyway, I went back to the admin building, got my paperwork, went back to the building for the ID, again without an escort.  The Human Resource person told me that if the Sgt. gave me any problems about not having an escort to call the director of that building who happens to be a friend of mine.  Well, after I got back to the building for the ID, the Sgt. gave me not one lick of problem.  Strange.

In this building, which is called the Admissions and Discharge (A & D), or Reception and Diagnositcs, (RDU), I found out I knew at least two people who worked in there.  Debbie Garison, who is the daughter of Bill Redmond of Howard and is married to Carl Garison, who also grew up here, two years behind me in school, and Jana Still? who was a dispatcher for many years at Greenwood County Sheriff's Office.

After the ID was done, I was sent to the training building which is west of the correctional facility about 1/2 mile.  There I sat in a classroom with 5 other people learning things like sexual harrassment, signs to watch for when an inmate is thinking about suicide, how contraband gets into the prison, little things like that.  This was all before noon.

They gave us 30 minutes for lunch, so I speed down to Arby's, go into the drive thru, get my lunch and head back to the training building.  This all takes about 20 minutes.  Not much time for lunch.  I should only have to do this running for lunch this week.  Next week I'll just eat at the facility at the Vo-Tech kitchen.  They have meals from $2.00 to $5.00 and you buy a ticket at the Human Resource office as money is not allowed in the facility.

I spend the afternoon with the new officers.  We all learned about insurance, sick leave, vacation, funeral leave, all the great stuff that Human Resources does.  The nice thing about HR is that one of the ladies is named Gloria McLean, who grew up outside of Piedmont.  Gloria and I were in Rainbows together in Eureka when we were still in school, so I've known her and her parents a long time.

A training lieutenant is an acquaintence of mine and a Lieutenant from the Security Squad, (that's not the right name, but these are the guys that do all the take downs and go into cells when inmates want to act up and not come out, etc.), is the son of a former sheriff that I was a sheriff with a few years ago.

I actually feel like this is going to be a good place to work.  I'll keep you posted on here as different things happen to me.  Next week I get to go to A cell house where I'll be working with inmates and learning by job under my supervisor.  Should be fun.

I think maybe you have a different idea of fun than I do, Janet, but I believe I get the idea.  ;D

It actually sounds pretty darned good and it's great that you know a lot of the people there, already. How big a staff does the place have? It sounds to me like HR is the same everywhere. It doesn't usually seem like much until you have a problem. Then it's nice to have someone there that knows how to deal with it.

And I'm sure that it will get more interesting as the days go on. I find that I am looking forward to hearing about it, too.

Sounds like you enjoyed your day, Janet. That's always a good sign.

I didn't know you were in Rainbows. My sister Judy, the one just younger than me, was a Rainbow girl. Even then I wasn't much of one for getting dressed up. She loved it. Hope you did.

Well, Little Missy, I am glad that your first day went well for you --- and hopefully each day will get better.  I am sure that the familiarity of the work will be a plus for you.  It is always nice to see people that you know, so "the first day of school" is not so scary.
Stay safe - and keep us posted.
Hugs to you for tomorrow.

I would like to put my two cents in to the card playing....I was a part of that clan of the McDonalds that played all night...we would have the best fun.  Everytime my family gets together we play any kind of game imaginable...we also play penny a point and let me tell you that gets wild. We all have our own little bag of money. hahaha.  It is so fun.  I can remember during the Christmas holiday, all of us would get out the chalk board and play picionary...oh my gosh...couldn't draw from laughing.  I wish the world was not so busy that we could do all that again..but everyone seems to be going in different directions all the time.....

Okay...now you know why I am windy.....Helloooooooooo...my mom and sister. hahaha  Have to blame someone and since I am the baby...I had two good teachers.

Quote from: Sherri aka Sadie on June 19, 2007, 09:53:29 AM

Okay...now you know why I am windy.....Helloooooooooo...my mom and sister. hahaha  Have to blame someone and since I am the baby...I had two good teachers.

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Ohhhh ~~WHAT-EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!  ::) ::) ::) ::)

First thing,  I am related to no one in Elk County and I almost feel like I shouldn't post here, as my life is just so.so.

My name is Judy Harder
I was born and raised in Topeka...........My parents are George and Virginia Bates and I have a younger sister (4 years younger) and a younger brother (11 years younger) who all still live in Topeka.

I graduated from Seaman High in 1960 and worked for a while at the Stormont-Vail Hospital in the new-born nursery.
Got married in 62 and had 3 younguns right off the bat.......well not bat......but working with all those newborns I told people that it was catching.
I had 3 under 3 and became a housewife and mother. Raised them and myself and husband..........did a fair job with the kids..........2 boys and a girl with the girl being in the middle.
Bob, Jr lived in North Carolina (he passed on when he was 39; his wife Jenny passed on just 30 days before he did from fighting cancer) He had an aortic anurism. My daughter lives in Wisconsin and my youngest is in Florida somewhere. Not sure where as he got in trouble and spent time in prison and refuses to talk to me. I am dealing with it.........God has been with me the whole time and is seeing me through it.

Robyn has 2 boys 21 and 15 and David has a daughter and a son. The granddaughter lives in Austin Texas near her mother and I have lost contact with the grandson.........somewhere in Florida.

I have been on disability since I hit 50. (I am 64) Have fibromyalgia, several different kinds of athritis and  restless leg syndrome and a few other auto-immune diseases.

I am also a survivor of throat cancer. In fact I am cancer free........and in my 4th year of recovery.

As I said I raised 3 kids and myself and didn't manage to get the husband raised, so parted ways in 74 and married a man from Longton and moved over here.

We had moved to Independence from Topeka, because Bob's brother and wife lived there and we had wonder-itis.

Anyway after that marriage didn't work out I worked for Mercy until  I met Charlie Croney and we married and I moved (with teenagers) to Longton.
It took a few years, but have found out that I am a small town girl at heart.
I do enjoy going back to Topeka to visit and this past year I toyed with the idea of moving back.

As I said I don't have any family here and when I get ill or blue or needing some help I feel I may need to get closer to family.

If the time comes when I need the help, then I will move back up there.........But, for now as long as I can I will stay here.

Love the fact I can walk down the sidewalk or out in the rural area and know that someone is aware of where I am.

I will update this later........I love animals, am an outdoor person if and when I can, love to visit and or listen to people.

If anyone is in Longton you can find me at cafe or at least they will know where I am.......and they care...

Hugs and God bless...............Judy

QuoteFirst thing,  I am related to no one in Elk County and I almost feel like I shouldn't post here, as my life is just so.so.

You live in Elk County so naturally you should post here!  :D

And you like living in Elk County, so that's a double blessing.  :angel:

Quotemy youngest is in Florida somewhere. Not sure where as he got in trouble and spent time in prison and refuses to talk to me. I am dealing with it.

And some of us have been here as well. I've got one that introduced me to more jails and prisons here in Kansas than I've ever wanted to know.  ;) And I've got another one that also refuses to talk to me.  :( You're right, though. You just have to deal with it. God's presence is incredibly comforting! And there are a lot of angels here in Elk County that help.  :angel:

Again - welcome to the Forum!

I was born in Wichita, but my parents lived in Howard which is where they brought me after we left the hospital.  My Grandmother, Mae Riggs, was a cook at the Howard school and after she retired she was a sales clerk at the hardware store.  My dad Delbert was raised in and went to  school with many of the 'old timers' who are still there. My parents, Delbert & Loretta now reside in the Howard cemetary with my grandparents and many other relatives, in fact I have more relatives there than I do living in town. 

When I was a toddler my parents moved West to Washington which is where I am now. We did return to Howard every summer to visit family and my kids spent many summers there with their grandparents.  The last time I was in Howard was for my parents funerals which were three months apart.

I am glad that I found this site when I was searching for information on the Zimmerman fire. Lloyd has been a close family friend for many, many years.  I hope that he recovers from his injuries and is soon back on his feet.

I wasn't sure if I should post a blog, but I still feel attached to Howard even though I have been gone for so long. It looks as if there are a lot of followers and I have shared the site with both of my sisters.  Thank you Teresa for starting it.          Theresa (Riggs) Smith

Oh, Theresa.  I loved your parents.  Your mother was a pistol.  Your aunt that still lives here, Wretha, is just so crazy.  Kind of like us.  I don't see much of her.  I drive by her apartment on my way to see my mother and I really should stop.  Sometimes I see her around town, but she seems to stay inside pretty much.

Thanks Janet, it is good to hear from someone who knew my parents. I don't know if we have met, but if not, it is nice to meet you.  I was so glad to find this site and I have enjoyed reading all of the posted blogs.  My Aunt is a little crazy and always has been, that is why we love her so much!   Theresa

Well, the rain seems to have slowed down here in B'ville, but, I guess I'll go ahead and "sign in" as I haven't been here for awhile, and I didn't fully answer everyone last year when I signed in.  I think enough time has passed to go ahead and write things...was trying to be respectful of some relatives' wishes.

I'm Rita Gail (Crowell) Burleson, the only child of Olin Frank Crowell (died last August) and Sharon Fern (Reynolds) Crowell.  My grandparents were Charlie and Anna (Guenther) Crowell, and Frank and Vi (Rothgeb) Reynolds  (Grandma Vi is still alive, bless her).

The reason I didn't fully write last Fall was because, not sure how to say this briefly and respectfully, let's just say my parents and I were estranged.  My mother has declared me "dead" and that I'm not me, that I'm an imposter.  She even went so far as to have "Parents of Rita Gail Crowell 1961-1978" carved on the tombstone.

It's a mess.

ANYway.......I'm living down here in Bartlesville (OK) with my husband Lynn.  We have 2 grown sons, 1 in Okie City who is married with a little girl and a baby on the way, 1 son who lives way up in Minnesota.  I don't get see the kids very much, and not having any other family around gets lonely.

I visit the tree planted in honor of my dead cousin Jenell (O'Mara) Van Poollen Boorigie on her birthday and the anniversary of her death, to keep her memory alive.  It's at Wesleyan University here in B'ville.

Not much else.  Can you tell the rains have me more gloomy than usual?

Oh, I'm a member of the local art association.  I also do our church's weekly bulletin.  And, I've got some mild autism (Asperger's) but it's combined with giftedness and being an only child, so sometimes I'm just a nut and sometimes I'm too sensitive and sometimes I'm a complete grump....and I ALWAYS WORRY!

8)  ;D  :o

--Ritagail

Well, RitaGail, we are glad that you are here.  Of course, the names Crowell and Rothgeb are names that I know, but I don't believe that I know your mother, Sharon Crowell.

As for you being estranged from your mother, I believe that is her loss.  Maybe someday things will change, but if not, it doesn't.

Now, as for being just a nut, well, we all are crazy on here.  ha ha

As for your cousin, Jenell O'Mara Boorigie, I remember that case very well.  When that happened, I sure wished that we had the death penalty back then.

Back to saying, welcome, and thanks for posting about yourself.

I am constantly being amased at all the post that are on this forum and all the people mentioned that are the families  of you all.  First -- Cathy mentioned that she had an aunt and uncle  Anna and Spot Fiscus --- unbelievabele--- they are also my Aunt and Uncle.  Spot and my Mother Thelma Fiscus Workman were brother and sister.  Now here I read from this post about Mae Riggs --- She is one of the very first ladies that I remember knowing -- She attended my birth.  Delbert and Loretta were friends of mine -- I grew up with Delbert and Emerald.  Even though they were older -- friends in that era were treated and loved as family.   Now it is time to read about Vi Rothgeb Reymols  ---- I went to school in Longton - and knew Vi very wery well -- she was also a friend of my Mother.  Is this a small world, or what?  And of course there is Darla -- my second cousin that I have not seen for about 6 years, but would love to see again.
  I am so dumbfounded and so very, very happy that this forum has brought so many, many of us into full circle-
  Blessing to all of you.

Quote from: Jo McDonald on July 01, 2007, 08:58:10 PM
I went to school in Longton - and knew Vi very wery well -- she was also a friend of my Mother. 

Uh, Jo. very, wery well?[/b]  Sounds like Freddy Fudd is around somewhere.  ROMFLOL

You know me.  The spelling perfectionist.  ha ha  Your typo did make me laugh.

AHA, I knew I was right, that Spot Fiscus and Edna Palmer were siblings.  My memory ain't so bad for an old person.  We lived next door to Edna in Severy and Spot was janitor at the school when my kids were little.

There were 7 siblings in the Fiscus family.
Uncle Spot was janitor in the schools when I was in the second grade --- Oh how I loved him and Aunt Anna -- Aunt Edna and Uncle Earl -- cousin Gene -- cousin Minta Virginia - Cousin Carroll Lenord - Uncle Harold's son and Mama and Daddy had we three  Jack, Helen and myself.  Aunt Gladys - Aunt Zona and Uncle Forest had no children.  They all treated the six of us like we were made of gold, and of course we thought we were too    hahahahahaha
One day at school Uncle Spot picked me up and opened the furnace door - and pretended that he was going to throw me in the fire and I was scared out of my wits -- started crying at the top of my lungs and he sat down and held me and kissed and kissed me and told me how much he loved me and that he would never ever hurt me -- but I'm telling you I thought my days were at the firey end.  He talked about that for years and had never forgiven himself.  Bless his heart.  He was wonderful!!!

welllllllllllllllllllllllllllll   I didn't know you were a perfectionist !!!  Jeepers  we can learn something every day .   hahahahahahahahaha  Janet - you are welcome for the laugh I gave you -- In fact you are "WERY VELCOME"   tee hee

I'm Rudy Taylor, 61, married to Kathy, my high school sweetheart and wife of 42 years. We publish smalltown newspapers in seven communities including Elk County (the Flint Hills Express).

Our home is in Caney and we operate our newspapers mostly by long-distance using the internet. The Flint Hills Express actually is managed by our daughter, Jenny Taylor Diveley who works out of her home-office in Independence. That way, she can keep an eye on their two-year-old son, Trent, as she works. Many of you probably deal with Jenny on a regular basis.

There's nothing impressive about me --- seldom get out of the area because of our newspapers. I compare us with being dairy farmers. Our son, Andy Taylor, is our editor in Montgomery County and he also covers sports at West Elk and Elk Valley High. If you've seen him, you've seen me --- same chubby profile, same bumbling, near-sighted habits, same zeal to get the story. But don't tell him he looks like me. It's his least favorite thing to hear.

We have three children: Matt Taylor, Holton, Kan., who is a banker; married to Paula, three children, Ryan, Carson and Amanda;  Andy, Independence, married to Amy, parents of a red-haired little girl, Lillie; and Jenny, wife of Landon Diveley, parents of two-year-old Trent.

I've been an editor for 37 years and my wife has spent her entire lifetime working for the newspaper which previously was owned by her parents. Her grandfather and great-grandfather also were Kansas newspaper editors.  That makes Andy and Jenny fifth general editors --- the only ones in Kansas.

Ok, this is getting boring.

My biggest thrill in recent years was penning a new book, "Light On Main Street --- Storytelling by a Country Newspaper Editor," and I'm still marketing it.  I also do radio commercials and voice-overs, pulling in experience I gained while working as a young man in the broadcasting industry.

Kathy and I like to work in the yard. Sounds crazy, but I'm my happiest when riding my little lawn tractor. It's my refuge from the world.  We attend the Tyro Christian Church and love to listen to gospel music. I also like classical music and all other types as long as they don't jar my eardrums.

I'm a mellow guy.

I love small towns and the folks who live in them.  And, I'm crazy about Elk County, even though I seldom get to spend much time there. You have the most fascinating people!

Stay you! The world could take notes from the way you all go about your daily lives.

Hello! I was raised in Howard and graduated from North Elk in 1973. Went to college at Boise State and got a degree in Chemistry. Got a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Wichita State. Worked for Boeing and lived in Winfield. Worked for Grumman on Long island. Moved to Tennessee
in 1985 to work for Boeing as a Job shopper.Started Tennessee oil in 1986. Sold the company in 2003 with 10 stores and 55 employees. I am retired now and a single parent. My son Levi is 18 and just graduated from high school. I have 2 Harleys, A Road King and a V-Rod, I love to ride and travel. I build computers and write programs for the Free to Air Satelite community. I look forward to seeing everybody that I grew up with. Teresa has done a fine job! Marty told me about your site. Thanks! Wayne Barnaby

Wayne---I was so sorry to hear about the death of your mother, Doris.  She was a neat lady and very close to me and my husband, Joe.  He did all sorts of odd jobs for her and absolutely loved her.  She lived across the street from my parents while here in Howard,as you may well remember.  Now she is resting comfortably and she and my husband are catcing up on all the news of yesteryear. Welcome to the forum.  Again my sympathies to you for your loss.

Wayne, Fred and I were so sorry to read of Doris's passing.  Please tell your brothers and sisters we send our sympathy to all of you.
Love and Prayers
Jo and Fred

  Sounds like you have done more than very well for yourself ----Congratulations.  So nice to read your post.

Hi to all, I was asked to tell about myself, so here goes. Yes, I am Lyle Amberg's oldest daughter... been married to Alan Silverman for 37 years. We recently retired. Al from the New Castle County Delaware Land Use Planning Dept. And I from teaching for 41 years....elementary school and fire service subjects...fire exting. use, fire safety and EMT classes etc. We rode the Aetna Hose, Hook and Ladder Co. ambulance (Newark Delaware) for a very long time. I'm not very good on the computer and I'm a poor typist, so bear with me. Daddy was from Howard and Mom was from Horton. They went to KU. I would have been from Kansas too but WWII got in the way. Daddy came to Del. to work for Hercules and they stayed. I remember visiting in the 50's when Howard was bigger and busier. My grandparents and Uncle Teddy are there at the cemetery and also Bill Denton, extended family. We have been back from time to time over the years. I remember Toots very well....and the staff from Twilight Manor that were all so good to my grandmother. Any questions? Diane

Welcome Diane, I've enjoyed getting to know your family through my communications with Carol. This forum is truly an amazing place. Glad you are here.

I am Amber Alexander of Tacoma, WA. My grandparents were Delbert and Loretta Riggs, my Great Grandmother was Mae Riggs. Anettia is my mom, Theresa is my aunt.

I have been married for 7-1/2 years. I have a 7 year old son, Andy and a 4 year old daughter, Natalie. I work for a sheet metal manufacturer as an Assistant Customer Service Manager, and have been with them for 5 years. My husband is in the Airforce and is actually in Germany right now. Luckily, he is usually only gone for 10 days at a time, then he comes home for a week or two and then leaves again. We've been doing this rotation for the last 4 years. (maybe even longer) This fall he will be looking for a civilian job. It's going to be a challenge for him to do 9 to 5 every day. It'll be a big change.

I look forward to getting to know everyone!!!

~Amber

I need to meet Debbie Lane.

We don't meet many true journalists in Elk County.

Don't worry, Debbie.  I'm not an axe murderer.  Besides, my wife keeps a careful eye on me. Why --- I do not know.  A 61-year-old editor is harmless.

Debbie Lane...
That would be our own Mom70x7..

Yep - that's me.

I definitely would NOT call me a true journalist.  :)

I'm on the Communications Advisory Council at West Elk, for the journalism courses, et al., so the next time we have a meeting, we can meet.  :D

What else do you need?   What have I done?  ???   :o

[size=08pt](BTW - editors are NOT ever harmless.  :D   :D   :D   They can make or break a story, a newspaper, a book - and even a web site / forum. Kjell and Teresa do a GREAT job of editing [monitoring] this forum.)

Quote from: Teresa on May 05, 2007, 10:23:49 PM
It's Roll Call time for all members.
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What we would like for you to do is to write and tell everyone else all about you and your family and your pets or whatever you want your forum friends to know. But I think that we can safely say that we are more than forum friends.
We are kind of like family...........
Since most of us know each other or know someone who is kin to you... that makes us more than forum friends.

So don't be shy... Post away and let's all get reacquainted!

((I'll send out a newsletter when I get home Sunday evening and we will see how many out there we can get to come in and say "Hi".)).

hi:    daughter, Jeannie Conard, told me of this site.    i am Richard Gibbs a guidance counselor  in
the 70s.    moved from there to Vermillion Kansas as a supt of schools.   always ask Jeannie about a lot of you guys.    we are snowbirds and go to California every winter.    we go to slab city, which is free camping and if any of you are interested just contact me and i will tell you all about it.    would
love to hear from former students and friends.    hi Teresa!!!!

hi again:   think i messed up.   am richard gibbs and was guidance counselor for the district back in the 70s.   four of my children went to school in the district,,,jeannie, tom, donald and barbie.     love the e mails and write my kids every day.   have their e mail addresses if any of you are interested.    loving retirement and being a snobird.   health is great so far and can do about whatever i want.    think of many of you guys often.

Hi Richard...glad to hear you are healthy and happy.  I see that Jeannie is a member now also so welcome to her also.  I am Sherri McDonald Mills Wilder...I was in the same class as Donald.  Had a lot of fun playing as a kid.  I would love to have his email address to just say hi.  So welcome again and so glad that you have joined the forum.

hello and welcome richardgibbs.  I was secretary at the Severy Elementary when you were employed by the district.  And Lewis and I just lived across the pasture from Cole and Jeannie.  I'm widowed and live in Howard, now, however do still stop at Tripco on a regular basis.  Glad to have you a part of the forum.  Keep those posts coming and join our fun family. by the way, I'm Florene Smith.

Well I finally have a little time so I guess I will introduce myself again. My name is Anettia, my parents were Delbert and Loretta Riggs. I know that my sister Theresa and daughter Amber have already said a few things about who we are related to in Howard and in an earlier post I said some about it also, so I will skip that part. I live in Florida, a very long way from my family who I miss. My husband Mike and I moved here about 8 years ago. We have 4 children between us. Amber and Trevor live in Washington state and Clinton and Travis live in Georgia. Clinton and Travis are in the service. Clinton has done 2 tours in Iraq and Travis just got back from his first tour. I have two beautiful grandchildren, (thank you Amber) and I have a grand dog. We have been married for 18 years. My husband and I have two harleys and we also run. He started running about 3 years ago and I just started a year ago. He has ran in several marathons (26.2 miles)  and I only do half marathons (13.1 miles) I have no desire to run 26 miles. I started running to take off some weight. I have lost a total of over 100 pounds. I work in a Dr's office and my husband is in construction.I always loved going to Howard on vacation. I really like the small town. Actually the town I live in now is small, but not as small as Howard.   I guess that is about it, except I would like to say that I am really enjoying this forum. Just reading some of the post and the way you all tease each other really makes me smile! I am looking forward to many more smiles!
Anettia

I can hardly contain my smiles when I read the posts that are coming our way--via the forum.  You know, it is so wonderful just to to know how many people seem to long for the chance to communicate with others and find this forum th perfect outlet for that.
Richard Gibbs -- I think you and I shared our daughters, don't you???? Teresa and Barbie  were
Joined at the hip" through high school --- sometimes good -- some times bad... but joined just the same.  Welcome to the front porch of rural  America !!!

Good morning again, ....  :-\ still morning for 5 more minutes.  Had an e-mail from my sister-in-law asking about the Howard forum I was always mentioning so sent her the info and we will probably have another new member.  She was Sherry Smith now Sherry Skidmore.  Some of you will remember her.  We'll wait and see.

I remember her.  She was in Jimmie Ann's class.

I'm not sure I'm doing this right!  If not, I'm sure I can get some help out there somewhere!  I do know a lot of you people who are posting on this Forum.  It's interesting to read all about what's going on, and, like all of you, I truly did appreciate the up-to-date postings during the floods, and the fire.

I can't write "all about me" in just a few words, so I'll just say that I lived the first 56 years of my life in Kansas, and the last 20 years in California, so, now, you can pretty well figure out my age!  The three children that Bob and I have are Cathy, Karen and Mark, and through a LOT of years, they were active in 4-H, sports, Church, and just about anything and everything that ever went on in the County, and, especially, in Longton, as that is where they all attended school for 12 years.  I was pretty much always right along side each of them, lots of miles traveled, lot of great times!  I worked at Union Gas System, Inc., in Independence for 23 years, before we made the big move to Escondido, CA.  Cathy graduated from Wichita State U., Karen from Kansas State and Mark from the University of Kansas, THEN, they all moved "away."  Bob spent a lot of years farming, raising cattle, and driving the Foremost Milk truck.  My parents were Ben and Ruby Truitt.  Daddy was an avid sportsman, and anyone who is "old enough," would probably remember him.  Mother was "everything," and lived the last four years of her life out here with us.  When she passed away, a years and a half ago, at the age of 101, our "first call" following her death was to Lloyd Zimmerman, and he took care of EVERYTHING, regarding her funeral.  He was wonderful!

We moved out to California to be close to our daughter, Cathy, her husband and family.  We were lucky to have our daughter, Karen, and her husband and family move out to this area a dozen years ago.  They are moving back to Illinois though, soon, to be closer to their two older daughters, and their one grandson.  Our son, Mark and his family live in Duluth, GA.  I worked at the Wild Animal Park as an Administrative Assistant for almost 20 years.  A great job, and a great place to work!  We are very involved with the Emmanuel Faith Community Church here in Escondido, and take a lot of trips with the Senior group.  We are also very involved with family events, and love living where we can see them.  (Well, 2 out of 3!)  We do get to see Mark fairly often.  We have a good life, and we're very happy, HOWEVER, our heart is always with our Kansas friends, and we go back there a LOT!  Theresa, Bob and I were visiting back there and got to attend your Mother and Dad's 50th. wedding anniversary.  We've been friends with Jo and Fred for over 60 years!  In August of 2008, Bob and I will celebrate our 60th. wedding anniversary.  How about that!

Bonnie Mustoe

Hi Bonnie....I wish you could see the grin on my face when I saw that you had posted.
Yes everyone, Bonnie and Bob,  Fred and I have been friends FOREVER  We went to school together - Bonnie dated Fred ( until she and I and Jeanne all three traded boyfriends.  That is really the truth - we were all dating- Jeannie was dating Lynn Wolfe..I was dating Laverne Boswell and Bonnie was dating Fred..Jeannie wated Laverne - Bonnie wanted Lynn and I wanted Fred.  Poor guys, never had a chance!!
 It is wonderful  to have good friends like Bonnie and Bob for so many years.  Hope to see more posts from you, my friend!!

Welcome, Bonnie. You'll enjoy getting to know lots of folks from your home county, as well as many others who have Elk County connections. Browse often! Post every day!

Hi, Jo!  And, Hi, Judy, and, "Hi" to the rest of you that I know.  And, Rudy, I feel like we're "old friends," as we enjoy the paper so much, and I've sent you "things" at different times to "put in the paper."  I know that everyone who receives the paper is very thankful that there continues to be a "Flint Hills News."  We read it from cover to cover.  Gotta hurry along this morning.  Have a good day!

Quote from: Bonnie M. on July 09, 2007, 09:16:52 AM
Hi, Jo!  And, Hi, Judy, and, "Hi" to the rest of you that I know.  And, Rudy, I feel like we're "old friends," as we enjoy the paper so much, and I've sent you "things" at different times to "put in the paper."  I know that everyone who receives the paper is very thankful that there continues to be a "Flint Hills News."  We read it from cover to cover.  Gotta hurry along this morning.  Have a good day!

Bonnie, I am just pleased as punch you got on here..........I know you stay busy, but for a lot of us the site has become addictive...........enjoy reading who did what and when..........and always get tickled when these people start yanking each others tails.....(funny-bones).
So again welcome and COME ON IN....Hugs and God bless, Judy I don't think I did this right.......but brain doesn't want to fuss today......so take me as I come..........I mean well.........LOL

Hello to everyone!

I am Carla Morgan Hilton. I was born to Carl and Susan Morgan, November 29, 1975. I was raised in Howard all of my life and graduated high school from West Elk in 1994.  I married Matthew Hilton from Severy in July of 1994 and we moved to Wichita, but did not like the city and moved to Eureka, KS in July of 1995. We lived there until August of 2001 and moved to Howard on my mom and dad's farm northeast of Howard. 

Matt and I have two beautiful daughters Brooklyn age 6 and London age 3. There are definitely the joys of my life! Brooklyn will be in the first grade at Moline Elementary this coming year. London goes to Kiddie Korner Daycare here in Howard.

One of the greatest accomplishments in my life is attaining my Master's degree in Nursing and becoming a Family Nurse Practitioner. I have been a nurse for 10 years but this last May became a ARNP. So, it is exciting for me. I am currently not working as my dad; Carl Morgan has been diagnosed with Colon/Rectal cancer and I am going to care for him.

Matt owns Hilton Stucco, INC which is a plaster/stucco company. He travels all over doing mainly new construction. He stays very busy. He does beautiful work.

I must say that Teresa has always been very close to my heart and I really think this is great what she has done!

Love to all,
Carla

Hi "Carlie"
I still love you.  So sorry that your beloved Daddy is not well...We send prayers up for him and hopefully everyone else will too. 
We think of you often and wish your family well.
Granny

just looked at the "latest posts" and they all say flo and jo, with one rudy thrown in.  Time for someone to get busy, I'm thinkin'

Welcome, Carla! We need someone with medical expertise here. I get short of breath when everyone starts picking on me.  Can you do resusitation via the internet?

    Be careful, I'm not sure my AED will work over the internet, not sure where to plug it in, nor how many joules to use, 200,300 or 360....ZAP... oops, ya still ok?

guess we'll know when next week's paper comes out  ;D

Anytime a nurse practitioner says, "I don't know where to plug this thing in ... I get a little concerned, especially if she's wearing rubber gloves.  Yikes!

     Ha, ha,ha Rudy. We EMTs here don't use "rubber"(Latex) gloves any more.Too many allergies. We have some 7000 runs a year so Nitril gloves were the way to go. And another big welcome to more new folks. This site is great. Be sure to read some of the older messages as you have time; I learned a lot. found some interesting recipes!? I know about mountain oysters, but I was a little afraid of the turtle balls until I actually read the recipe!     

Well, I have several things to say here.

First of all to Bonnie.  I loved your mother, Ruby Truitt.  She was the kindest lady that Longton ever had the pleasure to have. 

Carla, I'm glad you joined us as you have a full load taking care of your family, your dad, and Pat Allen.  Tell Pat I said hello and that I am a terrible friend.  I also want you to have my sympathy for marrying Matt.  (Just kidding.)  He's lucky to have you.

To the rest of you...I'm like flo.  I had to catch up due to sleeping early in the evenings, but not tonight.  Trying to catch up tonight.

Well, Flo, if they are fed up with all of the post from the two of us , then it seems to me that "THEY" need to get started typin' -- don't you think so too?

   We are just trying to keep the lines open for the rest of you...errrrrrrr  I think that is what I am trying to do. lol

you got it, Jo -  :-\ just trying to keep the conversation going during the lulls  ;D ::)

Lull?

What lull?

I didn't notice any lull.

LOL!

;D

lull, could be "let us laugh last" or lulls "let us laugh last sister"

     NOW YOU'RE COOKIN' !!!

Geez, I don't see a thing in that last part about either guys or little green frawgies! Maybe Rudy has a point about the gender balance thing...

perhaps they were cookin green frawgies, she didn't say

Oh comma no!

I'm in hot water again!

Still?

;D

Maybe you should hop on over to Howard and see what is really cooking..   You may still be in hotwhen you get there :laugh:

  Hot water, green frawg,... sounds like soup to me. Now to add a few carrots and potatoes.

a little garlic and onions and some of Jo's favorite spices. ;D

May as well spice it up, since frawgs are big in Cajun cuisine. And maybe throw in some andouille sausage just before I'm done. What a way to go!

;D

         Soup's on!

come and get ittttttt.

Bubble, bubble, toil, and trouble,
The frawg is starting to feel the burn,
Very soon he'll be seeing double,
Soon there will be noplace to turn!

;D

    Is that a genuine frawg or perhaps a chocolate covered, crunchy mock frawg?

Oh, I see we have another Monty Python fan!

Crunchy Frog! Yum!

;D

Turn to us we are your friends,
if that really matters.
Soon we will have your frawgy
head on a turkey platter.

You smiled and looked up at us
and said with a grin.  ;D
You are my friend, you are my friend
and you really really matter.

So with your grin you did us in.
So what could we do!
So we put our friend with his grin
back in a Howard creek.

So our little kdfrawg said,
I'll continue to post all my forum
friends all the rest of the week.  ;D

Darla, you should take a bow! It would appear that we have some poets herein. Words are fun, just playing with them, and being forced to used them within a given form is good for our minds. Some poetry is good when read; all poetry is good when written.

;)

I just made that last part up. Wow!

wow, has this been pick on frawgie day, or what?  Has been some great reading tho and a lot of good friendly nit-picking - and a lot more good laughs

Wow! kdfrawg that is really good,.... you can now move ahead of the class 2 spaces.
And yes, I guess I'am a poet and didn't know it.   I now have my grandson who is 4 ryhming things all the time.   I enjoy poetry written or read.  I just need to learn to double check my spelling on things.


And you newbies, give it a try. Tell us all a little something.

   Do not check your spelling!!! Where would we get great new bloopers? Although I AM going to collect all the teachers on this site and teach an apostrophe use class for all of you.  :D :D :D :D Simple plural words don't need 's. Just think of all the key strokes you could save!!  ;D ;D

or we could take a lesson from the great e.e. cummings and eschew all capitaization and punctuation i know it seems odd but he assured readers that with only a little practice everyone would get quickly used to reading things written that way that would save a lot of time and typing as well

thatmightworkbuttherecouldbesomeconfusionifyouarenotcarefulforpeoplelikemewhoneverhadatypingclassandamverypoorlyselftaught i know this is what you really meant but my other is funnier 

        DLD
You're a poet
and don't know it
not a sheep
but a go-et

no thank you  >:( this world moves at too fast a pace as it is.  Time to stop, take a deep breath, and enjoy the things around you and once you've had a chance to relax and rest your eyes, THEN you can scroll back up and read Diane's sentence.  (we need to teach her "proper" use of the space bar, I'm thinkin'  ;D) I don't think that would ever catch on, especially with us "mature" fogies. :P :angel:

    How "mature" do you have to be, to be considered a fogey? I think I have the fogeyism (is that a word?) down pretty well.....the mature part, not so much.

reminds me of a t-shirt my aunt gave me -

AGING IS INEVITABLE, MATURING IS OPTIONAL

(I opted not to mature  :angel:)

I have tried very hard to mature enough to accept responsibility but way short of becoming a stick in the mud. Sometimes I think I'm doing pretty well, other times I wonder. I was pretty amazed to make it to the age of thirty. Now that I have gotten twice that far, I am very sure that the universe is out to dazzle and amaze me. That's working, too.

;D

if we get to maturing too much, we won't be able to adapt to all these changes.  Remember when the "electric" typewriter came out and I thought that thing just types to fast and with little pressure from the fingers?????? Classroom only had one and the rest were manual.  We took turns using the "new" one.  If my typing teacher could see me now.  Myrna, wonder what happened to Mr. Neiswonger??

Did any of you take Latin? I had two years of it. That's why I never took typing.

sorry Diane, the only latin I speak is pig latin.

    Latin's a dead language
    as dead as dead can be
    It killed off all the Romans
    and now it's killing me!

I took two years of Latin in high school and when I finally got to Rome I was really bummed out that all the Latin speakers had died.

:(

  Latin was more useful than I ever thought it would be. But igpay atinlay was more fun. O.K. all you new folks, I have to go do my civic duty at the fire station, so somebody take my place this evening and keep Mr.Frawg, Darla, Flo, Wilma,and all the rest occupied and entertained. See Ya!!!  :angel:

Be Safe. ;)  And we're  reallyyyy good at entertaining ourselves ::) ::). 

I concur with frawg about never thinking he would make it to 30. I became an editor at 24 and immediately grew a mustache, sported a kick-in-the-pants cap and smoked a pipe loaded with Ed's Double A-1 Burly Cut Amomatic Plug. I wore a cardigan sweater like the old guys wore and wrote editorials about the perils of following FDR's Deal deal programs.

And now that I'm the old gent I once tried to be, I'm nothing like I thought I might be at this age. Of course, lots of muscles and bones scream at me when I try to do a 20-year-old's work. But I've found that keeping a young mind is paramount to keeping a positive spirit, although I'm not sure I've succeeded at that last one.  You'd have to ask my wife, Kathy, about it.

My political philosphy has found home in the middle ground. My religious persuasions are firm but quite tolerant of what others believe. And my optimism about America, small towns and loving today better than yesterday all are elixirs that keep my blood circulating, my heart beating fast and my face turned toward the east in anticipation of what the Good Lord has in store for me someday.

When my mother died at age 84, a friend told me at the funeral, "She was such a sweet, little old lady." I immediately said, "That's because she once was a sweet little young lady."

OK, so this is too serious. But I always urge people to stay involved with children and young adults. Listen to their ideas. Encourage them. Tell them you understand what they're going through. It will keep your motor running so very smoothly.

Does everybody remember Rose Nix Leo? What a sweet little young lady!

Flo, I've wondered about Nighswonger too!  He had an unusual personality!  He did let me borrow the electric typewriter some as it was his personal one and I had that bad arm in high school from being in that wreck.  I'm so grateful for electric typewriters that came along and now the computers!  Sure makes life easier!

Speaking of teachers, wonder where Mr. Barker is?  He was a great math teacher, but I have to admit that Mr. and Mrs. Mayginnes were a couple of my favorite people.  I used to get a Christmas card from them long after I was out of school.  Remember they talked about their daughter Ina Rue?  I always that that was such an unusual name.

mlw

What was this Nighswonger's first name?  I know a Nighswonger owned some land in Union Center Twp. at one time.  I can't think of the name now but if someone said it, I would know.

maybe 50 years ago I knew his first name, but all we ever called him was Mr. Nighswonger.  I looked in my year book and that's what is beside his picture, just Mr.  - Mr. Barker, I have no idea, and yes Mr. Mayginnis was a great principal and teacher as well.  Remember our "nickname" for him?  I was caught saying it one time, not knowing he had walked up behind me.  Didn't get into trouble, tho.  Teachers had a sense of humor back then and saved the punishment for more severe happenings, of which there were very few as I remember. 

Rudy Taylor---I so much agree with your philosophy/advice to stay involved with young children and young adults.  To listen to them and let them share their ideas with you, while encouraging them along the way.  I find that by doing that, my life has become so much more full and meaningful.  And at the same time---helps me maintain a "younger spirit".   

Me, too.  I love young people.  I always try to talk to them when I see any hanging out somewhere.  I would think that after awhile they would see me and start running.  ha ha

Anyway, stay young in your heart, give your heart to the Lord, and you will be forever young.

You amaze me.

I'm 30 years old, and I can't stand teenagers. To me they are a general nuisance. They are disrespectful, ungrateful thugs for the most part. At least the ones I've encountered out in public.

I'm doing everything I can to raise my kids to NOT be that way. I pray that I will be successful. Maybe after my kids get to be that age, I will appreciate teenagers more, and I hope that later in life I will have your attitude.

Ah, dandymomma.  Just remember.  You used to be a teenager.  I bet there were people that couldn't stand teenagers when you were growing up.  ha ha  I know that I irritated a lot of people when I was growing up.  Heck, I'm still irritating people.  That's my job and I'm good at it.

Wilma, I don't remember his name.  But I do know that he was not from around here.  You probably knew Roger Nighswontger's family that lived around Howard.  I don't remember if they lived in Union Center Township.
Myrna

I know who Roger Nighswonger is.  He was younger than me so wasn't of any significance.  I can't remember his parent's names.  I think they were Mary and Paul, but since their children weren't my age, I didn't pay that much attention to it.  There were several Nighswonger families around the town that I grew up in.  I knew that the Nighswonger that owned land in Union Center Twp. was from over there but I couldn't remember his name.  I would still like to know if the teacher was of any connection.  The ones that I knew the best were the twin girls that were in the class below mine.  Being small classes we were all one big happy family no matter the difference in our ages.  Roger was a cousin to this family, I think.

Myrna, you say this family lived around here.  I seem to remember that a family moved somewhere after they lost a son in the war.  I just don't remember my folks saying anything about them living in Elk County, whether they moved before we did or after.  I just didn't  pay much attention to anything that didn't concern me directly.

Dandymomma, I can't believe that the only teenagers you meet up with are thugs.  Maybe that are the only ones you are "seeing" - When I was a teenager I know adults thought we were doomed - when my girls were teenagers, they weren't angels, what they and their friends couldn't think up to do, only the good Lord knows, but they outgrew those days, just as I did.  There were bad seeds in my day, there were bad seeds in my girls' day and there are bad seeds now, but look around you.  There are so many more good kids.  My own grandchildren make me cringe sometimes - what with all the earrings, body piercings, and they know I don't like it, but I love them just the same.  Their music drives me up the wall but adults thought our music was sending us straight to the firey furnace.  My refrigerator is covered with magnets - one Christmas one of my granddaughters with so many many earrings, nose rings, lip rings, eyebrow rings, etc. was standing in the kitchen, and I told her to please not stand so close to the refrigerator.  She wanted to know why and I told her if those magnets every get hold of her, we'd never get her loose.  We all had a good laugh but she knew I still loved her.  Told one grandson if he didn't pull his pants up I was gonna go find him a pair of suspenders.  He did and we laughed.  You have to look beyond the outside to see the real person young or old.  Sometimes it's hard, but that's the way it is . . .

MYRNA, found it.  I finally looked for his autograph in the yearbook.  The name was Bob Nighswonger.  How could we forget such a simple name, altho as I said we called him Mr. Nighswonger. Anyhow, now that's solved.

QuoteHeck, I'm still irritating people.  That's my job and I'm good at it.

Yeah, Janet, but we still love you. Life would be so boring without you around.  :laugh:

[size=09pt]'course with MY kids, life wasn't ever boring anyhow.  ;D and those teenage years - wowsers! ! ! [/size]

Myrna, Flo:  Now that I know what his name was, I will have to e-mail my sister which family he belonged to.  I think I remember there was a Bob but he was so much older it didn't mean anything to me.

Hey--if you look for the good in teenagers---some, if not most, will rise to your expectations.  And if you call them by name and just say hi---often they are surprised that you will even speak to them.  Basically, you are something they someday wish to be but don't know it yet, and they have something you had, but you don't want to go back to get it.  (Wow, did I say that?)

Wilma, I agree with Myrna.  I don't believe our teacher was from around here.  Susan, well said, and I like the family picture.

wow - and while I was typing my reply the picture changed.  That was quick.

Ah, emptynest,

You have said it all.  I love you for that.  Thanks for being here in my life and everything that you do and say.  Your kids are lucky to have you as their mother.

Just think.  They could have been given to me by God and they wouldn't have been such bright friendly children.  ha ha

What kind words---from both Flo and Janet----
These "family" pictures still seem empty to me without Joe being in them......I just think it looks so sad.  But I tell myself that he blessed me with 3 beautiful children (and they are) and that if I am patient, in the Lord's time, not mine, that my family may grow to have 2 gorgeous daughters-in-law, and a handsome son-in-law, plus numerous precious grandchildren. 

And all 3 of my kids are out of the teenage stage---but let me tell you.....it's still rough being a young adult......it doesn't all end just because they hit their 20's.  I have always prayed to God, please keep them alive and let them see 25!  There are some tough times for these young people before they get settled and some don't ever get to find their niche in society.  We should pray for our youth.  We need them badly.  I look at my kids and think---Good Lord, they are going to be choosing my nursing home!  I better do my best!

Susan, Joe is with you in that picture - he's in everyone of your children.  I was a little older than you when I was widowed, 55 to be exact.  The following easter, after church, Jan Kelly wanted to take a picture of my family as all of them were there.  It was a sad holiday, because Lewis wasn't with us.  But what a great looking family and I know he is proud of every one of them as he looks down, "he" being both Joe and Lewis.  I keep wanting to ask why, but I know it is not my place to question God's plan.  I'm sure you have the same questions I have, but we'll know the answer by and by.  God Bless and Thank You for your Friendship.  Now time to head to church.

Susan - Flo - and dandymama ---- all three of your post brought tears to my eyes.  Personally I LOVE TEENAGERS..always have.  Some of the greatest memories that I have of our girls growing up years were when their friends were at our home and I enjoyed every one of those times.  Yes ---- there are many times that we close our eyes and pray that everything will turn out as we hope, but we all have made mistakes, but if we just learn from them, then that will be what "He" has in our plan.
It breaks my heart to see young people that no one wants nor loves -- if only I were able to turn that around, but alas, it is not in my power.  But believe me --- I try hard to smile at every one of them I meet, and 99 % smile back.
Be patient - they will be wonderful parents and grandparents someday.

Hi again,

I get lost on this place.  All y'all are so proficient at posting that if a person only hangs out a few times a month or so, they find a "flood" of posts!

(ok, maybe that was bad taste)     ::)

I'm glad this group is here.  I probably won't visit too much.  Was here earlier this month because I figured there would be news about the flood, and there was, and it was great to know there would be people posting about what was happening. 

Little pocket of hills in Elk County never gets out of your blood, does it?

In case anybody wants to know, the Bartlesville newspaper says we still can't use Johnstone Park.  They are still working on "sanitizing" it.  That probably means Kiddie Park too.  Just in case you have family you were going to visit here in B'ville.

Big Hugz to All,

Ritagail

How far did the flood waters go in B'ville? We were there in 1977 when several blocks of downtown were flooded. We lived over by Central and had water bubbling up in our basement.

Hi:  I'm just tacking on the the end of this thread since I lost the reply to post from my registration.

I'm a Newbie, having just registered last week. 
I'm a Geezer who graduated from Howard High in 1952 and KU in 1957 and left town.
I spent 22 plus years in the USAF and then another 20 years working as a contractor in the DoD
Since 2005 I've able to proudly say that I'm doing nothing. (That's another way of saying I'm Retired)
I was last in Howard and Elk County last May for the High School Reunion
I found this site through Rudy Taylor's story in the Flint Hills Express -
     You are to be congratulated on this site. It is one of the better ones I have seen.

Oh yeah  ;) I'm Carl Leonard.  Except for Waldo Gray I don't believe anybody else I recognize in the forum will remember me.

Don't count on it, Leo.  Come on you old-timers, show him how well remembered he is.

Hello Carl, I remember you well, your Mother was my 4th grade teacher and you were in my sisiter's class in school.
Frank Winn

well welcome to our little group and I don't remember you cause frank's wife and I were just babes in the woods in 1952.  :angel:

Well, Carl Leonard, I guess I do not remember you.

However, I think you might be referring to Waldo Gray, the barber and dedicated coon hunter. He passed away in January 2000. After being diagnosed with cancer, he continued going to the shop at six a.m. each day until one morning he just could not make it out of bed. It was only a few days later he passed away.

I live in Centennial, Colorado, and am his nephew.

Waldo Gray

   Welcome Mr. L. In 1952 I was in 3rd grade, so I was probably just lost in the woods. You are ordered to have fun here. It's impossible not too.

Carl, I remember your mother, she taught my brother.  Oh, yes, I am Frank's wife.   Welcome to the fun and frolick of this group.  It really is interesting to read it and I love the "old" items!

mlw

I don't remember you because I wasn't born, yet.

Welcome aboard, Carl.  You'll enjoy visiting here often. And don't pay any attention to Janet who probably will claim she wasn't born until 1993.  She fibs a lot.  But we love her.

QuoteShe fibs a lot.

oh no - tell me it ain't so -  :o

Quote from: Rudy Taylor on July 16, 2007, 07:30:51 PM
She fibs a lot.

Understatement

--noun

a statement that is restrained in ironic contrast to what might have been said [ant: exaggeration] 

Oh, my ...We've got 'em pulling out the dictionaries! What have we done? ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Learning is a GOOD thing.

;D

You guys are all soooooooo funny.   >:( >:( >:(

Golly, Janet, thank you! Coming from you, that means a lot to me. For a while there I was afraid I was attempting humor with no positive result, but now that I know you approve, I'll keep on trying until I get it right!

;D

Thanks everybody for welcoming me aboard.  I'll try to address some of the obvious.

Frank Winn - Yes my mother did teach 4th grade in Howard for some time along with stops in several one and two room rural schools in the surrounding area.  She started teaching as a 16 year old (I think) then stopped to raise a family until the late 1940s when she replaced my teacher at Mound Branch. She finally stopped teaching when she got her Master's from Southwestern in the early 1960s.  However Frank you must not of bothered her much since I don't recall her mentioning your name.  That was a privilege she reserved for her real problems.  As for your sister (Velda?) she was a year ahead of me.

Waldo Gray - The fact that I was confusing you with your, barber/store owner/coon hunter/coon dog breeder, uncle explains a lot.  I thought it was amazing that old Waldo had taken up Elk County history at such an advanced age.  However with Rose Nix Leo as an example - I figured that it might have been possible.  -  BTW Waldo,  How did you get so interested in Elk County of the bygone years?

I'll be checking in on the good old days area on a regular basis. 

I have also added by personal weblog to my profile.  It is nowhere as fine as this one but then I'm still learning. :)

Regards
-=crl=-

Welcome and thank you for doing such a nice roll call response. Now for the rest,  who are out there hiding behind the cottonwod trees..... come hither and do likewise......please?

Good afternoon to all!

My name is DeAnne Giesy.  I am the daughter of John L (Larry) Giesy of Moline and Joyce Goodnight Giesy of Howard.  My grandparents are/were Jack and Mary (Toots) Giesy, and Ed and Alice Goodnight.

I was born in Houston, Texas, but every year my parents would take my brother and me to Elk County to visit family, usually at Thanksgiving or Christmas.

  I had lots of learning and life experiences in Elk County like

Education = How to play pool at Doug's Place (with a mop handle)

Street Smarts = How to not get pool sharked by my cousins in Doug's Place

Economics = Paul would always give the girls 5 quarters for a dollar at Doug's Place

Country Smarts = Never chase a calf when the "babysitter" is watching

Common Sense = Always close the gate when you go to the cattle pond or a stampede will occur

Family Support = Make sure Dad is behind you to catch you when you fire a 12 gauge shotgun for the first time

Physics = Never try to take a boat down pawpaw creek

Weather = My first snow and ice storm

Animals = Saw and touched my first cow and horse, and saw my first male cardinal, my first doe, buck and fawn (not all together), rabbit and bobcat
 
The biggest thing that I learned in Elk County is that family is everything and will always be there.  I learned how strong a family can be when we all stick together no matter what happens. 

my name is Mary Love married to Joe Love . Im not a from Elk county I moved hear in the early 90's I Live in longton now lived in howard for 10 years or more . i work at double-c for Dana Denton. i have a beautifull  niece Rochelle Cookson and a awsome grate nephew mason cookson.my  life is simple and i like that way . My husband sereved a 1 1/2 in iraq and i am very proud of him . i have two min ponies i call them chip and dale. if you want to know just ask im an open book

mary love

Thank you both for doing such a nice report. That is exactly what we want. You both get an "A." Be sure to read the old messages too; there's some good entertainment there.

To Carl Leonard, I think it was my sister Charlene that was in your class, weren't you in the class of 1952.
Frank Winn

To Carol Leonard:
Were your Mother and Mary Ellen Snodderly sisters?  Was your Father Pete Leonard?  If so,
Fred drove the  butane/propane truck and delivered LP gas to your parents.  Mary Ellen and I were good friends.

For Carl Leonard,

I do have an interest in Elk County history but am keener about Howard County, although many times the history is one in the same. I have had a few articles printed in the Flint Hills Express on both.

I would have been born in Howard except for a problem and my Mom wound up riding to the long gone Eureka hospital with Dr. Depew. My sister was born in Howard in the Wabash Street house that Rose Nix Leo later occupied.

I was around four when we moved away but with both sets of grandparents and several uncles and aunts in the area, we came back for frequent visits. My folks moved back to Howard in 89.

Most every time my Uncle introduced me to someone as Brother Jack's boy, they always seemed to remember Jack Gray, my father. However, their knowledge could have been tempered by them knowing Slim Gray, my grandfather and a character in his own right.

I bought an Elk County history book when first published by Ethel Yantis and company. However, I did not get around to reading it until around 1998, or so. The more I read, the more interested I became.  What really received my attention was the section on "Old Boston" and the county seat war. I have since learned that war was one of the most expensive county seat wars in American history when judged from a time and resources lost perspective.

Waldo, it is good to see you posting again.  I kind of missed you for awhile.  My husband would have gotten a kick out of knowing his barbers' grandson and nephew.  Yes, he patronized both of them.

I have enjoyed the postings you do about Elk County and hope you keep contributing.  Also the items you send to the paper.  You surely won't run out of material.

Well Hiya from Little old New Zealand.
Most of you, well ok, all of you won't know me, but I am a blond, a true blue kiwi blond.
I have not posted here for a lifetime because I forget my password,
yup that's how blond I am, I an what we in this country call, a thick head, mother of 9 bout as thick as a plank lol  lol.
Anyway Teresa knows me.  We met quite by accident on the net many many years ago, 
Anyway my name is Ida, I am 49, birthday was on the 17th ...one more yr to hit a half ton oh yea :-[ never mind, i am married to Chris, an angel, mother of wayyyyyyy to many kids and have a granddaughter who steals my heart each time I see her, I have 2 dogs that are driving me mad, one a 5 yr old Rottweiler named Koa, and a psychopathic nut job, German Shepherd named Sabre he is 8 months old and will be lucky to make it to his 1st year!!! There is nothing he hasn't eaten, GRRR.
Anyway it is winter in this neck of the woods, cold miserable muddy and we have had more rain then you could think a little country like this could hold!!!!
I live in Auckland, anyone been to New Zealand??
When I get the hang of this I will share some pics but I am sure Missy T will tell me I posted the wrong way and holler at me lololol
Thanks for listening, nice to meet you all!!!!
Ida

well, da blond, nice to meet you and glad to read about your "family".  Sounds like a great sense of humor you have.  Might add that I'm a blonde, well used to be anyhow, but now me and L'oreal have a good thing going.  Let us hear more from you

Hi, Ida!  Good to hear from a friend in Auckland.  While I've never been to New Zealand, I understand it is beautiful, not unlike our own Kansas Flint Hills where Elk County is located. We have rolling prairies, gorgeous sunsets, friendly rattlesnakes, old-fashioned values and the kindest people you'll ever meet.

So, post often, OK?

And don't worry about forgetting your password. Just tell Teresa and she'll refresh your memory. (That's scary ... a blonde refreshing the memory of a blonde!).

  :o :o :o ;D  roflmao

just fyi I have opened a "comments to roll call" for our, just that, comments to bio's listed. 

That was great of you to take the initiative to do that.
Nice going flo. :)

But you do realize that it will probably become a hodge podge of things too.  ;)

But I guess if it was all nice and neatly organized, it would be a stiff and boring place to be.

In a forum such as this , and in any type of forum for that matter, there is such a wonderful mix of personality's and people's thoughts that it is more than impossible to keep everyone on the tract that someone else thinks that they should be on.  :D

But once again, it's a great start to at least try to keep things where the newcomers can more easily find their way around.

that was my thinking, but the best laid plans of mice and men . . . .

Okay I'm Back - This is getting to be a bit addictive.


Frank Winn:  Re: Your sister Charlene.  Ah yes! I had completely forgotten about her.  She was not at the reunion in 2002 or this year.  But I remember she was a slim pretty little thing who was totally in love with some guy from Moline whose name I can't recall.

Jo McDonald:  Re: My Mother and Mary Ellen Snodderly.  Yes they were sisters. Albert and Edith Andrews had seven children.  My mother, Emaline, was the oldest and Mary Ellen was the sixth and last of five daughters. 


Waldo Gray:
   Re:  Slim Gray - He was my first barber and his barber shop was one of the gathering places where the men of the town discussed the matters of the day.  This function floated between the Gray Barber Shop, the Hitckock Western Auto Store, Browns Feed Store and Hebbs Garage. I have similiar interest in the Howard County and the "County Seat" wars. However I got my information from the stories I heard as a kid at these gatherings and the occasional article in the Howard Courant-Citizen by Fred Flory. I found some of those articles in the KU library reference in an unpublished work. They have probably been moved to the Spencer Library Kansas collection. But you've probably already found them
   
This Coffee Shop reminds me a little bit of those gatherings.  Of course they were men only in that time  :).  The ladies had the Reading Club, the Helping Hand club, and couple of others that I can't recall.  The old party line telephone system (the internet of the day) helped to spread the gossip more than the (formal or informal) meetings.  ;D
   
   

Carl, Iam trying to recall all of the Andrews family, I remember your Mother, Bernadine, Beulah, and Mary Ellen but for the life of me I can't think of 3 more. I spent lots of time talking to Fred and Beulah, I delivered their paper and they lived on the way home from school and town. Fred gave me lots of great philosophical wisdom.
Frank Winn

Just wanted to welcome Tobina Norris!  Hope you post often and develop a sense of wackery that is common in this forum.

concerning reply #197, Mr. Bob Nighswonger.  My sister finally replied to my query about him.  She says he was older than her and was a brother to her husband's brother-in-law.  It wasn't his family that lived in Elk County for awhile.  But I think all the Nighswonger families were related and right now I can count 4 families.

Paul Nighswonger's son Roger lives in Wichita, or at least did. he was originally married to Linda Bryan. Mrs. Paul Nighswonger's daughter lives here in Midland Texas. In fact I used to office next door to her husband and bought his crude oil. I will ask her how they fit in with any other Nighswongers that were in Elk County. Paul lived in the house that was across the street from J Farr Brown or the old Dick Dennett place, and Paul farmed the land behind Johhn Senior Garrison's. Paul sold his place and the land on the creek to Willard Simpson and Willaed and Marjorie moved into the house across from J. Farr Brown. Mrs Nighswonger was my Sunday School teacher at the Methodist Church. They were the only Nighswonger's I remember in Howard. There may have been others before my time.
Frank

My Nighswongers were from Sedgwick County.  Do you know when they came to Elk County and when they left?  The Paul Nighswonger that was from Sedgwick County is surely gone by now as he was older than my father in the early 40's.  I think all the Nighswonger parents were older than my parents at that time.

Wilma, I first remember Paul Nighswonger that I knew sometime in the late 1940s and the left sometime after Rogrer graduated from Howard High, Roger graduated in 1953 I think it was. I don't know that I ever knew where they came from before Howard. Paul was probably in his 60s in the early 50s.
Frank

That sounds about right.  The Roger I knew was younger than my younger brother and my brother graduated in 1950.  I know someone I could ask, but he isn't on line and a telephone call to him costs so much that I wait for him to call me.  Mayhaps I should write him a letter.  It would be much cheaper.

Re: Reply #244 by FRWINN

Being a newbie I'm not sure about the protocol for replying to specific posts.  But I'll continue to add to the length of this thread.

Frank you met all the Andrews family that stayed around Howard - All the rest moved out of town.  And I miscounted.  The Albert & Edith Andrews had nine children.  The last four all sort of blurred into the crowd of cousins that were around since they were all in the same cohort.  For a tail end kid like me it was tough to remember who were Uncles and Aunts and not real cousins.

I can put together a list that I'll stick over on the Good Old Days section  If anybody is interested.
 

Somebody is always interested. We have about 1,000 people filtering in and out of the forum, so I am sure that lots of folks will find it something to look into.
Thanks for taking an interest  :)

Teresa, you need to do a ROLL CALL #2 - Getting a lot of new members, but they aren't handing out any information about themselves.  Sometimes I get curious as I'm sure others do, but they don't know about the bio's evidently, cause there is so much other stuff on there.  Just my two cents worth, now worth a penny. :-\

I still think you ought to make a Bio Archive and you and Kjell could copy just the bios into it, from wherever they get written, and lock it so it's read only. That would make them easy to find and they wouldn't get messed up.

good idea, good idea, well said

A quick note here. I had an extra 15 minutes today as I worked my newspaper deadline and went back through the Roll Call. Wow!  There are some fine folks on this forum and I hope to read their posts more often. It was fun learning the exact identity of some, as well as their locations. I consider it an honor to be among you.

 If some of our new folks don't post soon, I may hold my fingers until they turn blue!  ;)

Okay I finally have quickly read thru Roll call so I will try to post some now and some later as I have dinner cooking! My name is Carol Baughman (Fox) I spent a great deal of my childhood in Longton and have many memories growing up there even tho you know how the small town talk is and everyone knows everyone and everything they did the day before and sometimes even before you knew it yourself! LOL Needless to say my family wasnt one of the (popular ones!) but I loved Longton just the same! There are 6 of us kids, i have 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Actually we all turned out pretty good! Family is very important to all of us and I think that is one of the most important things in life. My Mom lives in Noel, MO (about 25 minutes from me) We lost my Dad to cancer May 5, 2001  he was 58 years old. My oldest brother lives in Portalnd, OR  and that rest of us live here in the Northwest AR / Southwest MO area.
I have one Daughter, Lisa she is 25. She and her husband Shawn have my 2 wonderful granchildern Kaleb 5 and Preston 1. They live about 5 minutes from me and we spend every weekend together doing something. We love dirt track racing, playing cards(canasta, pitch, spades) or just swimming in the pool and having a BBQ. Will post most more later about family and relatiives in Longton, got to tend to dinner now.

 Thank you, Nana02

That sounds like a pretty darned good life to me, Carol. Thanks very much for telling us about yourself.

:)

Thanks Kermit!!  Dinner is over now and dishes  loaded in the Dishwasher. Now I will try to post a little more...  I guess I forgot to mention that my Husbands name is David !!  I have now lived in this area for the past 26 years and in the same house for the last 18. Our address is Pineville Mo but we live about 10 miles south of there on the AR/MO line closer to Bella Vista AR then to anywhere else. I work at Concordia Retirement in Bella Vista (office AR/AP, front desk or where ever needed to fill in that day !) It is a Continuing Care Campus  (All levels of Care starting with The Independent living Apartments & Townhomes where I work at and then we also have 2 assisted living buildings, and  a Healthcare & Rehab Center.)I have worked here for almost 9 years and love it!! You really get to know so many of the people very well and they become a extented part of your family. After working  at a place like this I just cant imagine doing anything else. Before this I spent 10 years at Tyson Foods. My husband works for Crossland Construction. They are based out of Columbus KS but also have offices here. They are huge here as Northwest AR has been booming for the past 8-10 years.
Oh, i was reading earlier that Narvous worked at Sheppard of the Hills in Branson, we live about 1 hr. 45 min from there. Matter of fact will be spending Aug 10-12 there for there annual Summer Cruise Night. And i have seen the Baldknobbers Show! Great Show! Also seen Sheppard of the Hills years ago. Branson is a great family destination and we go 2-3 times a year. Wow so much to say but will save it for another day! Still got to get back to the subject of Family in Longton, another time :)

I live in Springfield, MO and love going to Branson as well.  I also get to Pineville fairly often.  My friend Norman Smith has a chiropractic practice there and I go down and get treatment.  I enjoy taking the backroads down in your area.  Glad you are on the site.

I'm glad you are here too Nana O2...
And thanks for sharing some of "you" with "us"..  :)

Hi, Nana 02,

We all love to read posts like yours.  Keep it up.

To Romma Jean, would that be Dr,. Smith on the square in Pineville? I have never been there but know alot of people that do go there. A friend of mine Teresa Bennett worked in is office for about 10 years, small world!

Yes that is him.  He has a great practice and has been
there for years.

Wouldn't you know that a chiropractor would be "on the square?"

They take delight in getting patients all lined up, straight and tidy.

A small world continues, I had lunch with Dr. Smith and his wife today, we are all at the same seminar.

Since I have gotten to know everyone better via conversations..
I have gone back and re-read all of the Roll Call introductions.

I seem to have noticed and will remember things about people that I didn't notice the first  time I read them.
funny how after you get to know someone better.. it just seems to 'come together' and the persona and the person become more viable ..
( I am having a hard time saying what I wanted to say.. but I think you all get my drift. )  :laugh:

I want to express my appreciation to all those who responded to my inquiry as to the location of the Marsh Encell Ranch NW of Howard.  The information meant a great deal to those gathering for the Marsh Encell Family Reunion in Wichita last weekend.  We visited to road south of Section 25 at the Ranch, but did not enter the Ranch itself.  Also visited the Encell school home at the NW edge of Howard.  Thanks to everyone!!!

It's Sunday morning so I'm gonna preach:

Come on, forum family!  We'd love to see more posts from all of you. If you haven't done it recently,
scroll back through the Roll Call thread and do some reading.  Also, look through the Birthdays, Greetings
and New Member posts.  You'll get excited all over again as you see exactly who occasionally drops
in to peek at our posts.

Here's my personal concern:  I hope those of us who are gabby have not pushed back those who are more
quiet in your communications. We need every type of post, and the more local they are ... the better! After
all, it was a common tie to Elk County that drew all of us into this little family.

Even the member from New Zealand seemed drawn to the comfy, friendly, caring Elk County Forum, and
she was a half-world away!
Tell some little stuff, like who you saw at the drugstore, Poplar Pizza, the Swinging Bride Cafe, Toots Drive-In
and other local haunts where the life of Elk County thrives.  Those of us who post often but seldom get to
visit Elk County will love those comments.

So (before I pass the offering plate and extend an altar call) I beg you --- take a few minutes each day to type
in a few words and let us know you are still amongst us.  If you don't --- well, you know how brothers and
sisters are --- we'll start to think you're mad at us.

Love you all !

Good idea! 

Rudy, I'm guilty - sorry.  Been rather busy this week starting the new job and trying to reschedule my daily routine.  Did have time to finish my "Light on Main Street".  Great reading and identified with a lot of it.  Lots of chuckles and a few tears.  Have run through today's songs on the organ and now it's time to get ready for church so I'm off again.  Have a great day everyone and will catch ya all later.

I agree with Rudy, of course, but instead of thinking you are mad at us, we will start talking about you.  Wouldn't want to miss that, would you? 

And Rudy, I found a mispelled word in your post.  A typo, I'm sure.

I agree with you 100%, Rudy.  Sometimes I notice all there is posted is the 3-Word Story and the Word Association.  These are fun to do (and they need to remain), but there needs to be more enlightening posts, i.e. local stories & happenings - present or past.

Wilma, you didn't not findd no typpo.  Shaime on ewe!

Yes, I did, Rudy, and you have fixed it. So there!

Well, there is still one there.  But cute!  Rather bold for Sunday morning.

Personally I think a "Swinging Bride" would be a lot more fun than a swinging bridge
  ohhhhhhhhh  ha ha ha.....I love this country !!

 Good, I held my fingers together and let you guys take care of that one! I fell over laughing, but I promised to behave and I have! ;D ;D ;D

Swinging Bride?
and what kind of Groom would we have?
LOL

Sorry Rudy..  :-[ You know we love you~~ :-*

Quote from: Diane Amberg on August 26, 2007, 10:37:52 AM
Good, I held my fingers together and let you guys take care of that one! I fell over laughing, but I promised to behave and I have! ;D ;D ;D

And just why did you promise to be good?  Aw, come on!  Have fun!  Express yourself!  That's all we get! 

 Well, I would but I don't want to discourage any shy folks and I have let a few recent funny ones go because of that. I'm accused of being a fancy purist as it is! ;D   Well, maybe I'll mention one unnamed person who had homemade kahulas recently and I wanted to ask her if she wore a grass skirt when she made them, but I thought better of it and left it alone. I don't want to make anyone mad at me.

As an honest answer, yes, it is hard to jump in when people have been talking on the boards all day long. I only get to visit you all late at night or on the weekends, and when I don't have a lot of time to read everything to get the whole picture before I post on a topic, sometimes it's easier not to post at all.

I know you guys would like to keep the topics local, but I know I would sure like to share with you all where I live, where I've been, what I do, and all of that good stuff. My family ties are to Howard, and I would actually like to move back there once the kids are grown, provided that my investments pay off and that there is something left of Social Security by that time. But for now, I live where I live, as do we all, and I'd sure like to share the beauty of the Pacific Northwest with you.

Please do share with us your special times and moments of your days.  We enjoy everything!

SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!!!!  I would love to know more about the west.  My one experience west of the Rockies was to Washington State where I saw an ocean for the first time.  I would love to go back but I am afraid my traveling days are over.  The ride is too tiring anymore.  So, share anything, everything and all of it. Start you own threads and don't worry about responding to what has been going on all day.  That is just out of boredom anyway.

I agree wholeheartedly!  Sometimes I post a lot, sometimes not much at all.  I think I practically live here on this computer (It's in the spare room of my fantasy world, Jo!) but occasionally I find a topic that's been going on for pages that I haven't read.  Oh well ~ **whisper mode ON** Just between you and me, if I see something in there I want to comment on from way back, I just ignore the new posts and comment on it anyway.   No one has called me on it yet!  **whisper mode OFF** ;)

We'd enjoy hearing what you have to post ~ and you already know we'll probably give you some good-natured back-talk, it's the way this forum family works!  And it does work well!

Yes, dandymomma, tell us about your life and where you live.  I would love to hear it.  I have been as far northwest as Alaska, but that was by plane.  It is beautiful and I would love to go back.

Definitely... I love to hear and see (slide shows??) where everyone lives..

We are headed west next month. Oregon and Idaho are the only states in the west I have never  visited.

I am looking forward to seeing the Willamette Valley where most of the wagon trains leaving from Independence, Missouri, were headed.

I was fascinated by Crater Lake when I was a kid. At the time, no one knew how deep it was. Since then it has been determined to be almost 2,000 feet to the bottom.

Besides the scenery I am looking forward to seeing the Spruce Goose and I promised the wife there would be no train rides this time. She also wants to go to Yosemite park.

Jim got to go to Yosemite Park with his best friend from High School about a year ago now.  He loved it.  It was beautiful and the pictures the he took and his buddy took were wonderful.  Hope you enjoy it, Waldo.

Fred and I and Donald [ Fred's late brother] and his wife Rosalie took two back pack trips to Bridger National Forest north of Pinedale, Wyoming.  One of these days I will post about them.  They were probably the best vacations we ever had outside of when we were with our girls and their families.
            Later 'Gators

I just got in and saw the responses to my "swinging bride."  LOL!  I'd say it was the
dirty ol' man comin' out in me.

Good grief.

 See Rudy, I can behave if I have too.

I was just thinking to myself, "Diane surely is being quiet tonight."

 Shhh, I've been skulking around the new poetry site. ;)

I agree with you dandymomma,  I also do not live in the area anymore but I will always think of Longton as where I grew up and where I am now from. I dont know of the local happenings around there but still love to read about it, it brings back alot of memories. But I do have to honestly say that I have know desire to ever live there again, I have now made my home in Southwest MO. for the past 26yrs. and cant imagine living any where else but here!!  But as I said I love to get on here & read all about it! One more thing to add.... I never know when to use know or NO so excuse my grammer!!! My daughter is always on to me about it !!

Hi guys.

Sorry I haven't been around as much. I changed my hours at work so that I could get Andy off to school and I've been busy re-decorating my bedroom little by little for the past week, maybe two.

I sewed my curtains, made my own floral arrangements (slilk/plastic so they won't die on me), hung pictures, got new end tables, cute bedside lamps, and even cleaned out my closet. I got rid of 5 garbage bags full of clothes.

After I finish putting together a "story hour" for my kids, I want to start working on a slide show of places around here to show you guys.  It'll be a couple of weeks before I get to that though, cause I have to get over this cold that I have so that my voice doesn't sound froggy on the recordings I'm doing for the kids' show.

Well, I've been informed that dinner is done, so I better go before it's gone!!!

Talk to ya'll later!!!

How did you know dinner was ready? Did your smoke detector go off? ;D ;D ;D

No!!! LOL

My husband grilled steaks tonight.

When my husband grills out on the deck and the breeze is just right, the smoke has been known to set off the one at the top of the basement stairs, if I've forgotten to close the door tight.

I have been procrastinating about getting this done, so here goes.  My name is Larry Jordan and I live in southern California east of Los Angeles.  My mother was Iva Jane Andrews who was one of the sisters featured in the 1921 photo of four sisters graduating high school.  According to my Aunt Mary Ellen Snodderley, they all graduated at the same time.

I was born in New Mexico and lived in Colorado and Wyoming before moving to California in 1965.  Uncle Sam caught up with me and sent me off to the army for two years.  I returned to California and worked in various menial jobs until I started working for the Los Angeles Times as a pressman.  After 34 years, I retired rather than accept the changes that were coming to my job.  I thought I was going to be in hog heaven with all my free time.  However, my wonderful granddaughter was born just before I retired and so my baby sitting chores doubled from one day a week to two.  My "honey-dew" list expanded beyond belief.  I still manage to read quite a bit.  My wife still works for the county of Los Angeles so we don't travel much.  We do enjoy a weekend here and there along the coast. 

I have lots of memories of being at my Grandmother's house in Howard.  I had lots of cousins around and aunts and uncles galore.  My mother and I would stay for the summer and then go whereever she could get a teaching job.  I baled a lot of hay in those days!  I couldn't get in trouble because everyone knew who I was and if there was a problem it was reported to my Grandmother right away.  Her name was Edith Andrews and lived on Pennsylvania due west of downtown.  When I last visited there in 2002, I saw that the house was no longer there, although the little shed that the Redmond twins lived in was still there. 

Larry Jordan

Hey, Larry, glad to hear from you. My grand parents lived outside of Howard and then in Howard after they retired off the ranch many years ago. You must have seen the recent fires... pretty scary.

Hi, Larry,

Thanks for the nice stroll along Memory Lane.  We like things like that.

I'm not a Howard native but have fallen in love with the folks who live in Elk County.  My family publishes a little newspaper called The Flint Hills Express which covers Howard, Moline and other towns in the area.

Post often! 

Hi ya, Larry.  Thanks for allowing us into your memories.  I enjoyed reading about your visiting your Grandmother.

I live in southern California east of Los Angeles.  

Hi, Larry....What is the town you live in, in the L.A. area?

I live in Escondido, and I'm a "transplanted Kansan."  I find that there are a lot of us out here, do you find that, also?  We moved out here 21 years ago, we formerly lived south of Longton.

I'm sure you were in the area of the wildfires, the same as we were, and everyone else in Southern California.  And, now I'm hearing that we might have a "mild Santa Ana" again this week-end.  We'll just have to hope for the best.

Take care....

Hello everyone
Well I will try a short version as it is getting late. We moved here 10 or 12 years ago raised are family here. My name is Dave the wife is Cari, we have 2 girls and 2 boys. Stacy, Tiffany, Craig and Tyler. We have 1 grandaughter Ryley. The girls are grown and gone. Craig is at home still and works with the family biz. Tyler is a senior in high school. Everyone would come closer to knowing the wife and kids than myself. I am kind of a work a holic. Full time job in Wichita, Williams Tree Service LLC here in Howard and the farm that seems to consume all my time. I do need to slow down some day.... ;D
Anyway the wife is from Wichita and I am from Missouri, that's kind of how we ended up here. Closer to Missouri and about as far as I was willing to drive to work (85miles one way). Well enough for now.

Welcome, Dave, Cari and family.  I hope you enjoy you life in Elk County and we will look forward to reading your posts.

  By the slightest of chances, did your wifes parents, now deceased,  live in Winfield, Kansas------just a long shot guess on my part.

Dave,

That is one cool picture you have for your profile.

Bonnie, I live in Covina, 22 miles due east of downtown L.A. on the 10 freeway.  Our house is in the San Gabriel Valley (sprawl) far away from any of the fires.  But we did have the smoke and every morning there would be a fine coating of ash on the cars.  We have lived here for 33 years.  Both of our children are grown and gone.  Our son married in July this year and lives in Orange County not far from the Silvarado fire.  His wife works in Irvine and had to be evacuated from her building one day last week.  The reason I am slow in answering is that our daughter got married yesterday.  She and her now husband had been "living in sin" as my wife calls it for a while, but now they are legal and they have given us our wonderful granddaughter who was the flower girl at the wedding.  She was the flower girl at her Uncle's wedding in July, also.  She is getting a lot of practice.  Now we are waiting to see which one of our children wants to have Thanksgiving at their place!!!! :laugh:  Larry

Larry, you might have a long wait.  Nothing beats going home to Mom's cooking.

I don't know Wilma, my Mother seems to think something beats me going home for Thanksgiving.  That would be her going to one of her daughters house for the day.  I guess after 86 years of life, she just might have a valid point.  She done a wonderful job of teaching us all to cook and we do enjoy taking turns of hosting the Holidays.

Larry, I would say that you've had some nice weddings in your family recently!  Good luck to all involved!

It's kind of hard to believe how fast Thanksgiving is approaching!  We will be going to the home of our daughter and son-in-law, Cathy & Harvey, in Valley Center, for Thanksgiving.  They have a large home, ours is small, so large works better for a crowd!  We usually invite someone to come and share the day with us, who doesn't have a family to spend Thanksgiving with.  And, with Cathy & Harvey's children and grandchild, it makes for a very nice day. 

Enjoy the Holidays!

Welcome Dave, Cari and youngin's ... you're in the right place.  That's a guarantee!

I live in Elk Falls. Teresa and Sherri used to wash my feet. Sherri puked on me once.  Teresa ran my car down into a ditch and back up on the road and down into the ditch on the other side. Me Auntie Jo ripped my underwear once trying to give me a wedgie during a wrestling match. 

HOLIE BUCKETS !!!  Where did all of that come from??????   Jimmie Wayne...how could you???

   I still love you with all of my heart, and IF  I ever did ANYTHING that was not lady like, it was probably in one of my "black out moments"          :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

This one will make you giggle.  Yesterday, my son and his wife came by and cleaned up our garage a little so I won't be tripping over things.  We were informed that Thanksgiving will be held at the recreation room where they live.  Then we found out what we get to bring for the dinner-------the turkey, stuffing, and maybe a pie.  So, in this case, our children won't be going home to moms cooking.  Moms cooking will be going home to them!!!! ::)

Hey! I wanna know who put that picture of an ugly old fat man on my posts.

Who put the picture up?
The same one that washed your danged ole' stinkin feet.. BECAUSE... you wouldn't get me any nose plugs and  take me swimming unless I did!
And as far as driving your car in the ditch?
Ahhhh yes, I did .. But I was a little girl for gods sake. and I couldn't even reach the peddles and you said you would teach me how to drive!
Now! There you have the REAL facts folks.

He also failed to mention how he and Joyce took me snipe hunting when I was probably 8 years old.
( I am sure it was only out by the barn, but to an 8 year old.. to be left out by an old barn that they used at the time to hang the skins of the animals that had been hunted and trapped, was damned scary.) .
But leave me they did.. with my brown paper sack and calling in a scared voice.. " Heeeerrrreeee  snipe. Heeeereeee snipe". ::)

It is no wonder I am the way I am now.
:D :D ;D

Well, I told Joyce not to do that, but she insisted that we leave you out there. I didn't want to.

   Ohhhhhhhhh Golly !!!  Those were the days, my friends.

I have not been on here for sometime so here goes.  My name is Bill.   I lived in Howard in 1984-85 and again from 1992-1995.  During the second part of my stay in Howard I was a part-time Officer for the Police Dept. and Sheriff's Office.  I moved in 1995 to join the Wilson County Sheriff's office and then the Parsons Police Dept.   

I moved to Tulsa, Ok. in 2003 where I currently reside.  I now work for the Gaming Commission as a Casino Regulator.  My law enforcement career is in the past due to heart issues and burnout.  I miss my Howard friends and although I am not active in this forum much, am greatful for it and the wonderful people that post and keep the town alive for those of us who no longer live there.       
I am hoping to visit some time in the near future and see old friends.

Bill Reed   

Well put my name on the list to see!  ;D
We sure all have good memories where you are concerned.
Glad you slipped in here to catch up.
Now don't be a stranger anymore ..ya hear?  ;)

I am so glad to have this day to catch up on the forum.  The best thing was to learn that Jim McDonald got a wedgie from Aunt Jo.  Now, that was funny.

Well here it goes - this is Tobina and Teresa's fault.  My name is Elizabeth Perkins Hendricks and I grew up on a ranch west of Howard.  Went to boarding school in PA for my Jr & Sr years of high school, then went on to get my BS in Acct from Guilford College in Greensboro NC.  Went to work for Caprock Ind as the 1st female feedlot mgmt trainee in Dalhart Tx.  Moved from there to Leoti Ks, then on to Ft Morgan Co.  Left Caprock and moved to Garden City, KS to get married - decided that was the wrong thing to do, so moved back to Howard in 93 to work on the family ranch until 99.  Worked in Wichita for 2 years, got married to Doug Hendricks  (a Longton boy) in 2000 and moved North of Howard to our home we are currently in.  Got my MSM in 95 from Friends U. Became a real estate agent in 2001.  Became a county comm in 2002.  Had a set of twins in 2005 (yea for Anna & Rachel).  My husband and I started our own trenching, dozing, welding biz in 2003.  We run a cow/calf operation too.  I started coaching HS vball this past fall...and became involved with the Elk Konnected group in Spring 2007.  Love to play volleyball, water ski, camp, and do anything outside on a beautiful "no windy" KS day.   I think the great thing about our community is where else could I raise our children where so many people love them.... Can't do that in NYC!

Welcome aboard! What do you do in your spare time...whew! If you are the Perkins I think you are, I used to go by your family place to get to my Denton/Amberg family place a few miles west down the road. Where in Pa. did you go to school?

Yup - you are right - went to school at Westtown near West Chester...

I grew up in Chester County, shopped quite a bit in West Chester. They had lots of shoe stores and Mostellers, the great Dept. Store. Had friends that went to Westtown.

Hi, Liz!

Welcome to the forum. You'll find it fun and informative. Post often.  I'll try to keep everybody
off your "county commissioner" back.  Been there, done that. Ouch!

Rudy - thanks - can't even imagine being a co comm in MG Co - wow....
Diane - I had no idea that you grew up in Chester Co - beautiful place but very crowded - I like my wide open spaces...

I was born in Delaware, moved to Landenberg, down in the southeast corner of Pa.  We were out in the country almost on the state line, went to Kennett schools. Went to Newark to the U. of Del. and stayed.  Southeastern Chester Co. was always more rural, lots of farms and horse country.  There was a big chunk of the King ranch near Unionville.  They were working on Santa Gertrudis and our 4-H clubs used to visit there.  New Bolton Center was a common stomping ground too.  The West Chester area was always more built up.  Even our wide open spaces aren't as wide open as you are used to. I think we have more people here in Newark than live in all of Elk County. When did you graduate?

This is the part of the forum that I like best.

Sharing common experiences, even when 1,500 miles apart, is always fun.

Diane - 86 was the magical yr from HS... now my age is known.  Have to watch the ole spelling - there are some real spelling hounds on this forum.  Was Ted your father or uncle?

Ted was my uncle and Lyle was my father. Daddy and Mom moved here in 1941. He was hired as a rubber chemist by Hercules Powder Co. in Del. to develop synthetic rubber for the war effort. He had some very early patents on synthetic rubber for tires, etc. They had expected to be transferred back to Sunflower after the war, so we would have been Kansas kids, but it never happened. They wanted him here and made it financially worthwhile to stay.

Liz Hendricks. Now that names familiar. Don't I know you from somewhere?

(http://)

Ol´man-picture taken June 2007 in Goeteborg Harbor/Sweden

(http://)

Miriam and Ian Douglas taken June 2007 borderline Sweden/Norway  (est 40 miles from granpa´s house away)

(http://)

Carmen beloved wife, mother and refrigerator opener

(//)

Brisko, son on four pads and secretary of defense

  What alovely family Michael, thanks for sharing your pictures with us.

Quote from: Roma Jean Turner on December 06, 2007, 08:44:08 PM
  What alovely family Michael, thanks for sharing your pictures with us.

Thank you very much! :)

Beautiful family .. Thanks for sharing with us.
So... is Ian got a bit of onry in him? LOL

Quote from: Teresa on December 06, 2007, 09:02:53 PM
Beautiful family .. Thanks for sharing with us.
So... is Ian got a bit of onry in him? LOL

  :o onry?  Sorry Teresa, what is or means onry?  :) I´m not perfect, I have a lot of gaps...empty spaces...tribute to Germany...may be ;D

I´ve forgotten- naturally- still thank you! :)

She may have meant ornery.

Quote from: Diane Amberg on December 06, 2007, 10:23:58 PM
She may have meant ornery.

EUREKA, I have it!!! :D :D :D

no...onry is perfect and the best description. :)

onry means generally grumpy disposition,
often for no particular reason, or with cause, pissed off and angry, with no intention to act on it other than to be unpleasant

1) He was an onry (hornery) ol' man

2) He was in an onry (hornery) mood

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=onry

Quote from: Teresa on December 06, 2007, 09:02:53 PM
Beautiful family .. Thanks for sharing with us.
So... is Ian got a bit of onry in him? LOL

I think so,... Thank you!  :)

Sarge - don't be a smack - or you will get coal from Santa - and don't you need to go make some "Water"

Uh oh, I sense some funny business going on here. :-\

  Michael, Teresa will have to define what she meant by the term, but I'll bet it would close to my definition.

Orneriness in a kid means to me:  a kid that is always thinking ahead about the next bit of mischief they can get into. It is to me an endearing term.  (I may be prejudiced because I was considered an ornery kid, by my definition.  ;)

Roma,

I agree with you. Ornery is just what I like in a person............means that they get a kick out
of the world they live in.

Have a good one.
Hugs and God bless ;) ;) :D ::)

Quote from: Roma Jean Turner on December 07, 2007, 11:25:49 AM
  Michael, Teresa will have to define what she meant by the term, but I'll bet it would close to my definition.

Orneriness in a kid means to me:  a kid that is always thinking ahead about the next bit of mischief they can get into. It is to me an endearing term.  (I may be prejudiced because I was considered an ornery kid, by my definition.  ;)

okay, this definition is also all right. :)

I wrote about the old man on the pic at the ferry to sweden and my smile wasn´t really happy, because I was really tired.

...drivin´more than 8 hours with only a short break for the dog.

...a grumpy old man...onry

...and this man and his son are a little bit from the same caliber - that was my definition ;D

Yes.. that is what I meant when I said onry ( ornery)  have to excuse my language as I am a redneck.  ;D
See? you are a German with a different language and I am a country hick redneck with a different language..  :D
But ...............I did mean .... Is Ian full of energy.. loves to get into having fun and by doing so, gets into a wee bit of trouble now and then.

I was like that..   ( still am)  ha ha ha  ;)

Quote from: Teresa on December 07, 2007, 02:17:45 PM
Yes.. that is what I meant when I said onry ( ornery)  have to excuse my language as I am a redneck.  ;D
See? you are a German with a different language and I am a country hick redneck with a different language..  :D
But ...............I did mean .... Is Ian full of energy.. loves to get into having fun and by doing so, gets into a wee bit of trouble now and then.

I was like that..   ( still am)  ha ha ha  ;)

:D you wrote I´m a german...that makes me a bit grumpy or onry :) :) :)...and Ian is an energy sixpack...loves it to have fun..adventures...often mean-spirited and contrary in disposition...short ornery...but now is bedtime for him...and he´s grumpy...as his dad...from same caliber  ;D

(http://)(//)



an ornery person named Ian 8) :angel:

(http://)

...and a grumpy person named Michael >:(   *ghastly*

Grandma dressed me up as "German" -first visiting in Germany 1964*(//)

I would say that Ian certainly looks like his daddy, Michael!  You have a nice looking family.

I probably missed seeing it somewhere, but is your father still alive?  And, does he live in California?  And, I'm sure that you are an American Citizen, since your father is an American.  Do you have "duel" citizenships?

You do very well with using your English. 

Quote from: Bonnie M. on December 07, 2007, 05:16:25 PM
I would say that Ian certainly looks like his daddy, Michael!  You have a nice looking family.

I probably missed seeing it somewhere, but is your father still alive?  And, does he live in California?  And, I'm sure that you are an American Citizen, since your father is an American.  Do you have "duel" citizenships?

You do very well with using your English. 

My father died in Dec 1984 in Lawndale/ L. A. and is buried on a cemetery in Hawthorne.

I have had from 1970 till 1984 additional to my US-citizenship the German too.
...but that was sometimes really uncomfortable, a lot of paperwork with departments, authorities etc.

I have only one citizenship the American. :)

My Kids having the "duel-citizienship" .

...and Thank You for your nice compliments. :)

You are very welcome! :) :)

Michael, Sie haben eine wunderbare familie. Vielen Dank fur teilen mit uns.

"Michael, Sie haben eine wunderbare familie. Vielen Dank fur teilen mit uns."


Translation (From Google!)

"They have a marvelous family. Thank you for divide with us."

How about that?

Not bad! Divide was as close to "sharing", as I could get.

I'm sorry Michael.. I meant you have the German Language ..
And those pictures of Ian are great.
The one of you is.... well.... cute... but I can see why you would think it is ghastly..  ;D ;D

Quote from: Diane Amberg on December 07, 2007, 09:26:42 PM
Michael, Sie haben eine wunderbare familie. Vielen Dank fur teilen mit uns.

Es freut mich, dass Ihnen die Bilder und die Geschichten ueber meine Familie gefallen.

Ich kann Euch nicht schnell genug in Elk County besuchen kommen, dies ist schnell zu einem festen Wunsch geworden .

Michael

Quote from: Teresa on December 08, 2007, 12:38:51 AM
I'm sorry Michael.. I meant you have the German Language ..
And those pictures of Ian are great.
The one of you is.... well.... cute... but I can see why you would think it is ghastly..  ;D ;D

Okay, here are my favorites...a couple of years ago...what a mess!!!! :D :D :D

(http://) (//)

Little kids and food.. what a fun combination.. ( for them   :P )

Michael, your photograph are very nice. You have much better English than I have German. My father spoke passable German (his grandfather was from Germany) and he took several years of German in college since German was the language of science then. I understood most of what you said, but couldn't quite get it all.

Quote from: Diane Amberg on December 08, 2007, 01:58:43 PM
Michael, your photograph are very nice. You have much better English than I have German. My father spoke passable German (his grandfather was from Germany) and he took several years of German in college since German was the language of science then. I understood most of what you said, but couldn't quite get it all.

Oh, I think your german is pretty good...I wrote that I´m happy that you like my stories and pictures.

...and that the desire is grown to a concrete plan to visit your county and I can´t await it. :)

My name is Tessa...I am Lyle Riggs' girlfriend...I live in Chanute Kansas and work at Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center...Lyle lives in Howard and works here in Chanute at Martin Farm Power (CAT)....I have a son who will be 9 yrs. old in February and his name is Collin and Lyle has a son who just turned 6 yrs. old in November named Garrett...Lyle and I met through Lyle's best friend David Griesel...David's mother n law used to be the dietician at the Chanute hospital....I have been with Lyle almost 4 yrs. now...hopefully we will be married next summer??? We lost Lyle's 99 yr. old grandfather this past summer.  Lyle and I are both only children.....which is NOT FUN at all.  I do photography on the side....just started....I am wanting Lyle to put me in a studio in his garage or the upstairs of his house....but for now...I just do my photo shoots outside.  When my job allows me days off, I take our boys and attend Pastor Haines church on Sunday. Anything else you would like to know....don't hesitate to ask.  Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. 8)

Well welcome Tessa and I'm glad you gave us some history on yourself.
I am sure you will have a great time in here. This is a good bunch of people.. in fact their the  greatest!
Yessss even you Ta Ta  :)

Tessa, I hope you have a great time here with us on the Forum.  I know David's mother-in-law Mary, and our whole family loves her.  She is a hoot! (in a good way)  Our kids grew up in Humboldt and Mary's husband was their Ag teacher.
It sounds like you keep plenty busy in your life... I'm glad you spend some time here with us too!

Hello Tessa
Welcome to our home away from home.

We all have a great time yakking and playing with
each other..........we always want one more
to pick (oops) on .............

welcome, Hugs and God bless
aoyp

Hey, Tessa!

You've come to the right place. Besides, we need your youth on this forum. Most of us are
old as the hills and can't remember ... let's see .... can't rem .... now, what was that I was
saying?

Hi from me here in the east... and hello to anyone else I've missed. They let me shoot off my mouth here once in awhile and even pretend to believe my stories....which are always true, by the way.  ;)

Hello, Tessa.  I have to tell the forum that I already knew you.  Tessa and Lyle came to one of mother's garage sales and me being the nosy person that I am questioned Lyle and Tessa about their relationship.  I'm sure she thought I was rude just like you all do.  LOL.  Anyway, welcome, Tessa, and thank you for telling us about yourself. 

sighhhhhhhhhhhhhh.. Tessa.. please excuse Ta Ta for her nosiness   ::)
She really IS nosy..and she knows it.. but we all love her anyway...  :)

To let you on the forum who is Archeobabe.  I am the oldest sister of Janet Harrington.  My name is Jimmie Ann.  Archeobabe was used by a group of four women when we were doing a dig at the Kaw Lake on the Kansas side.  Archeobabe came into being when we were driving a Chevy Sub that was called "The Paleorhino".  It was rough on inside as well on the outside.  It was a stick and hard to drive.  I think I am the only one left who used "Archeobabe".  I believe the "Paleorhino" has been retired several years ago.  I have been interested in Kansas history especially in Elk and Greenwood.  I will be going around Howard, Elk county and Greenwood county taking photos when it warm up little abit more.  With some of the photos I will be putting on canvas.  There is so much beauty in these hills especially if you get up before sunrise and go to the Cresco cemetry.  When the sun barely tops the horizon, looking west, you can see if wind farm as clear as if you can drive straight to them.

How interesting! I'd like to try that, but I stay up so late at night, I don't get up very early in the morning. It's really neat what you can see in mother nature. I love to see the sun set in the fall, looking across the range between Moline and Sedan. Just breathtaking! And don't worry, we won't hold it against you that you are related to Janet.  ;D ;D How fortunate she is to have a big sister, I lost mine in a car wreck some years ago, I sure miss her. Tell us more about the 'digs' at Kaw?

There used to be some good fossils along Clear Creek, out toward my family's old place. The stream cuts used to be full of them.  Up north at my mom's place, the stream that cut through their pasture behind their house was a good place to find sea lily stems. I never found a whole one though. I'd love to go with you on a dig. I'll bring the dental picks. (Al's father was a dentist.)

You're a courageous woman, Archeobabe, putting it on the forum that you're TaTa's
sister. Actually, we all love to tease Janet who is one of the nicest people I've ever
known. And I agree with Sixdogsmom with her touching comment. Anybody who
has a brother or sister is mighty lucky.

(Do you actually invite TaTa to your house and everything?  I've heard she isn't
house-broke).

**Yikes**

Teresa
(((Who is running for cover)))

Rudy,

No comment.  TaTa would probably beat me up if I answer.

(my sister could beat me up if I did but I doubt it.)

Since I haven't been able to get on the forum very much, you all have taken quite the liberty of abusing me.  However; I have big shoulders and a big behind.  I learned a long time ago that whatever doesn't kill us makes us better people.  LOL

Gotta write down that saying, TaTa.  Sounds like something my mother would have said.

Her oft-heard quote was: "Whatcha can't cure, you gotta endure."

That has pulled me through everything from a case of the measles when I was 10 to going totally broke when I was 40.

And you're right ... neither one killed me, and I'm a better man because of those experiences.

Well, Rudy my dear friend.  I had never heard that saying, "What'cha can't cure, you gotta endure."  I like that one.  I think I'll use it.  Thanks for sharing a part of your mother.

Guess I'll chime in on this thing.  I'm Bill Hawkins, grew up in Moline.  My parent's are Virgil & Helen Hawkins, sadly, both gone now.  Dad came from old Elk Co. roots, his ancestors, the Garrett's, Hawkins', Turner's, and Frawner's came to Elk Co. in the 1870's and 80's.  Mom's family moved to the Antioch community (NE of Howard) in 1921 from Nebraska.  That community was home to many members of my family.  We lived NW of Howard when I was born but moved to Moline a year later in 1943.  Dad never lived more than about 15 miles from his birthplace in his 91 years.  Growing up in Moline in the 1950's was great. Believe it or not, Moline was quite a booming town in those days.  Quite sad to see it today. Going to school in Moline was great (yea, Hornets).  We loved to hate the Pirates from you know where.  After high school, I went off to Wichita to seek fame and fortune.  Neither came my way but after a disasterous first marriage, I was fortunate enough, at the promptings of my sainted mother, to marry a Moline girl, Janet Harper, who I had gone to school with for 12 years.  She by this time was a young widow with 2 children and I was a divorcee with 2 children, so we had 4 children at our wedding and eventually had 2 more between us for a total of 6.  We first lived in Wichita, then Topeka for 14 years, then an AT&T transfer sent us to New York where we lived on Long Island and I commuted to Brooklyn for 2 years.  That's long enough for any human to have to live in that hell-hole.  Trust me, it's a nice place to visit but you don't want to live there.  Luckily, I was able to find a job in KC with SW Bell Tel.  Sadly, Janet died after a valiant struggle with cancer.  Not a day goes by that I don't think about the wonderful life we had together.  Though she has been gone for nearly 20 years, her influence in the my life and the lives of our children is very apparent.  We now have 10 grandchildren and 1 great-grandson.  Now that both my parents are gone, I don't get down to Elk Co. very often but I still know, after all these years of being elsewhere, my roots are still there.

Now retired, I live here in Overland Park, serve as a church service missionary, and do some genealogy from time to time.

I guess I missed your debut here. But, welcome anyway.

it is a lot of fun reading the postings and getting involved in each others lives.

AOYP

Bill, it is a pleasure to meet you.  And aren't you glad you have this forum to keep you in touch with Elk County?  Let us hear your opinion once in awhile.  The more the merrier.

ahhhh excuse me..... I need to say something here~~~~~ :police:

I met Bill Hawkins when he called me for a massage in 2002.  He booked an appt. and after I was done, we sat in the living room and  had a wonderful chat. Well, he was a regular after that and any time he was in town he would get a massage and we would visit. Our visits got longer and longer and I knew not to book anyone after him for awhile or I would miss out on our wonderful conversations.

This man is wonderful, kind and good clear though. He actually gave Kjell and I his condo time for a week for our honeymoon. It was so much fun and the place was beautiful.
I consider Bill one of my "special " friends and consider myself blessed for having met him.

Welcome Bill ( and it took you long enough to get in here.  ::).. Jeeesee I have sent you the website a zillion times..)  ;D ;D

Glad you are part of the official forum family..

Yupper!!! Welcome from Moline!!!  8) 8)

Okay, I will jump in here too.  I met Bill when he first moved to Moline. We were toddler or crawlers when first introduced by our parents.  We went to 12 years of school together.  Truly an interesting individual. 

Welcome, Bill.

We will look forward to your posts.  You won't believe how many folks on this forum don't actually live in Elk County, but still
have close connections.

It's good to hear that you do geneology.  I would like some tips on finding hard to find ancestors.

Ok, I thought I would let everyone know about me.  My name is Angela, Angie, Town.  My parents were from Severy.  My mom was Cindy Knight Ware and my father was Jim Ware.   My dad died in 1996 and my mom died in 2002.  My grand parents were Bernita Knight and Wyatt Knight.  I lived in Severy all my life, of course until I graduated high school.  I graduated from Newman University in Wichita with a BS in Elementary Education.  I married Jeff Town.  He is the son of Julia and Larry Town of Howard.  His grand parents are Louis and Grace Wisemen.  We have 3 daughters, Parker 10, Rebecca 5, and Harlee 2.  I run a Licensed Daycare in Howard, we have a rental house, and we have a farm out west of Howard, that Jeff runs with his Grandpa and his uncle.  We moved about a year ago to his grandparents farm house closer to town.  It has city water which is a plus.  Our old house had a well.  We have been together for about 15 years, and Married 5.  I think that says alot about us.  I think that he is the most wonderful man!  I love my kids, they are my life!!  I am a member of the Flinthills Assembly of God Church in Howard.  I am a 4-H leader, but most the most important job I have is a Wife and Mother.  Any other Questions just ask!!

Bill, to my knowledge we have not met, but I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed knowing your Father.  We both bowled on the same night at Sedan, and he was such a wonderfull, fun man.  We shared a lot of laughs and " friendly insults" about our bowling.
  Teresa has told me many nice things about you and how she has enjoyed your friendship.
Fred and I were both born in Elk County -- Fred was born and lived all of his growing up years at Busby, and I was born 1 1/2 miles east of Howard.. I lived 1 year out of Kansas and that was at Welch, Ok.  so that wasn't too far across the line.
  Howard is still home to both Fred and I.  I enjoyed your post, eager to read more from you.

Welcome Bill Hawkins,

This man is full of information about Elk County and its inhabitants.  For him to say he does genealogy "from time to time" is a total understatement.  He has done such extensive family research and has compiled genealogy reports for all or most of his family branches, I believe.  The depth of his efforts just amazes me.

Besides the fact that he grew up as a "Moline Hornet" and I as a "Howard Pirate",  I am proud to call him my cousin. 

Looking forward to hearing more from you, Bill! 

Welcome, Bill Hawkins, to the Elk County forum, where no matter who you are or where you live, you can still pull up a chair and have a cup of coffee and chat.

Hi to Angela, too!

Thanks for filling us in on your personal info.  That helps everyone to know you better.  Sounds like you've
got your life together --- it shows through the words you write.

Hi All,

Just a short post to reply some of those who replied to my first post on this subject.  I love you guys !!  And I mean that in the purest way.  Thanks for the nice words Alice, Karen, and Teresa.  Alice and I have been friends as long as either of us can remember.  Her brother, Johnny, was a good friend who's time here on earth was too short.  Ally, see you at the alumni banquet.  Karen, how lucky I am to have a cousin like you.  Thanks for the memories.  And Teresa, we have only known each other a few years but your the greatest !!  Someone I can really talk to.  For anyone who may read this from the Elk County area, if you haven't had a massage from Teresa you have missed out on one of the special experiences in life.  My love of a massage began, I think, as a 10 year old in the Sedan hospital recouperating from a skin graft.  In those days, a nurses aid would come by each day and offer a back rub.  I have traveled quite a bit when I was working and have experienced massages all over the midwest but no one, NO ONE, compares to that lady in Howard Kansas.  What a talent she possesses (is that too many s's).  Absolutely, has magic hands.

Even though I haven't lived in Elk county for 47 years, I still consider it home. 

Bill Hawkins

Not too many s's at all, Bill, but way too much goo about Teresa.  Here on the forum, we try to
keep her ego down to a manageable size, which ain't easy.

And, just a word to the wise: If Teresa ever gets to be too much for you, just call in Janet Harrington
(TaTa) and she will shred her up into bite size portions.

Ohhhhhhhhh Rudy !!!!   Here comes Mama Bear ~~~~~~~~~  Obvisiously you have never had a massage from our Teresa.
  That was not Goo that Bill was ladleing out --- she is truly a gifted lady with her healing massages.
 

Now dang it, Jo, there you go.  Do I have to apologize again for my foolish behavior? 

OK, I'll call tomorrow and make an appointment. I've never had a massage so this will be this
will be a special treat.

She wouldn't stick me with a dagger when she gets me face-down, would she?

You are in luck, Rudy, you can always say you tried to make an appointment,-- but she and Kjell ran off to Vegas, and didn't answer her telephone.  They really are, you know, so you are off the hook for now, just hope she doesn't read this post and then try to make you stick to it.  lol lol
And  good heavens, I do hope I raised her better than to try put a dagger into the back of anyone as nice as you !!!
 There, I have said nice things, and won't have to do this again for a few days.  Whewwwwwwwwww  that was close.

Aw, you're such a good mama bear.

Love ya both.

Quote from: Jo McDonald on February 05, 2008, 11:26:38 AM
And  good heavens, I do hope I raised her better than to try put a dagger into the back of anyone as nice as you !!!
 

Yeah.  Right.  Okay. 

Straighten up, TaTa!

We were trying to be nice.

But you find it nice to be trying.

Still --- you're a keeper.

And I am going to keep her.

You can have her...

:)

QuoteYou can have her...

My grandfather liked polkas, so I grew knowing some of them.  :)

Johnny Rivers had one titled: "I don't want her, you can have her."

I will NOT give the rest of the lyrics because they are so not appopriate in this instance.  :D  ::)  :o
The song just popped into my head when I read your posts.

Well, if you say so...

I LOVE that song.  It's on a CD that I play when I'm out working in the yard. 

Gotta keep smiling!

I don't want her, you can have her, she's too hot for me! ;D

I remember it as she's too fat for me.

It was a hit in the late 40s or early 50s and us kids would go around singing it, but Mom would get all over us.

It was, "too fat for me".  Diane is just being nice.

I knew it was "fat" also - but didn't want to post that and incur the wrath of Janet!  ;)

Besides, after looking at me, she is definitely not fat!  :D   :D   :D

I'm just revising history a bit. I do know what it really is. ::)

My name is Jennifer Walker. I am a mail carrier in Independence. I am 33 years old. I come from Tyro, originally, grew up there for the first 18 years of my life. My father was Marvin Mattocks who was raised in and around Cedar Vale and attended school there. My mother is Donna (Stephens) Mattocks and she was raised in Sedan and graduated school there. My parents moved to Tyro after they were married and once they got my brother, sister and I raised, moved back to Chautauqua County in the Moore Prairie area. My father passed away in 2004 and my mother still lives on the farm south of Sedan. As I said, I was raised in Tyro and attended school in Caney. I moved to Sedan in 1993 and began work at the Sedan Times Star as Assistant Editor. After working for the health clinic in Sedan and Pleasant Valley Manor, I was finally hired in Independence at the Post Office in January of 2001.

My husband is Robert Walker Jr. and he grew up in Sedan and attended school there. He's 38. He is the oldest child of Robert and Janice (Carra) Walker. His father, Robert was born and raised in Sedan. His mother Janice was born in Wichita and raised in Cedar Vale.  He was lucky enough to meet me in 1993 and we have been together since! He attended Fort Scott Community College. He works for Elk County Road and Bridge. He's a member of Hope Lodge #155 and also on the volunteer fire department here in town.

We are the proud parents of 3 children: Robert III, Kaitlyn Nicole and Cheyenne Brooke. We moved to Longton at the end of 2001 from Sedan and have enjoyed every minute of living up here in this wonderfully peaceful little town!

We call ourselves "kshillbillys" because we feel that we were raised in the wrong part of the 20th century and both wish we had been raised in the early 1900s. We enjoy the simple things. I may sound like a hypocrite since i'm typing this on a computer and can't live without cable tv or a cell phone, but the simpler life would have been wonderful. Robert can do without a telephone but I know he couldn't do without his cable tv! He loves bluegrass music, raising his chickens and goats and tending a garden. He also love antique toys! We both enjoy antique cars and trucks and taking our 1947 Chevy to car shows and parades. We like classic movies (Penny Serenade with Cary Grant, The Quiet Man with John Wayne, Night of the Grizzly with Clint Walker, The African Queen with Katherine Hepburn, Old Yeller and Where the Red Fern Grows) and classic tv shows (I Love Lucy, The Beverly Hillbillbillies, The Andy Griffith Show, Green Acres, The Waltons, Little House on the Prairie). We aren't much into sports but you will find us parked on the couch watching Nascar every Sunday during the season.

This is probably more than you wanted to know about us, but now ya'll know more about us than anyone else does! Thanks ya'll for making us feel welcome!  ;D

Weldome aboard!  Glad to see another NASCAR person.  Gotta go now, it's racetime!!!!

You people are passing up basketball to watch cars going around in circles? ::) ::) ::)

Quote from: Wilma on February 17, 2008, 01:57:19 PM
You people are passing up basketball to watch cars going around in circles? ::) ::) ::)

Cars going around in circles at 200 MPH!! That makes for some fine entertainment!!!

  Welcome to the site.  I'm like you guys, I wouldn't want to give up my toys.  But I would sure would like to have them and be able to walk down the streets of our Elk Co Towns the way they were in the 1880's and turn of the century.  Anyway, back to reality.  Welcome.

Welcome hillbilly's... you are in the right place .
Have fun and enjoy your time on the forum.
;D

I find cars going around in circles at 200mph far more entertaining than to watch full grown men dribble. ;) ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

Good one, Sally.

"We moved to Longton at the end of 2001"

Welcome, Jennifer....

Since we're formerly from "back there," and we still go back and visit Longton a lot, I'm wondering where you live, in Longton?

My husband, Bob, is also a member of the Elk City Lodge.  Your husband probably knows my cousin, Joe Cox.  Joe works hard for the Lodge events.

Maybe we'll meet, when we're in Longton for Memorial Day, and before and after!  It's nice to have you join this Forum.  You'll meet some very nice people.

Bonnie Mustoe

Amen !  Amen ! Amen !!!

Welcome from Moline!

Quote from: Bonnie M. on February 17, 2008, 07:27:43 PM
"We moved to Longton at the end of 2001"

Welcome, Jennifer....

Since we're formerly from "back there," and we still go back and visit Longton a lot, I'm wondering where you live, in Longton?

My husband, Bob, is also a member of the Elk City Lodge.  Your husband probably knows my cousin, Joe Cox.  Joe works hard for the Lodge events.

Maybe we'll meet, when we're in Longton for Memorial Day, and before and after!  It's nice to have you join this Forum.  You'll meet some very nice people.

Bonnie Mustoe

AWWWWW, Joe Cox!! We both know him well...He's just about the cutest thing there ever was! I just love him!

We live in the old Rankin House on West 4th, a couple of blocks from the bank.

Nice to meet ya'll!!!  Jen  :)

Yes, I know where you live.

And, I love Joe, also!  He's a wonderful person.

To the kshillbillys, again welcome, especially since you saw the light and moved into God's Country from the south.  LOL

As for the rest of these jokers on this forum, I see I need to get on here more than once a week if I'm going to keep up.  Be watching.

We've just got to change our address.

TaTa keeps finding us.

From one Longton person to another.......welcome, welcome, welcome
I do know where you live and last election I am sure we met.

I live at the Housing and spend a lot of time at local gossip...Oops..I mean cafe.

This is a fine place to be. Loving and nosey too......LOL......AOYP

Hello everyone! My name is Laura Miller.  My husband Jason and I moved to Howard in the summer of 2006 from Buffalo, NY.  We have a son Cody Miller, who was born July 4th 2006.  My husband is the son of Bryan Miller and step son of Mary Jo.   Jason works at Poplar Pizza (he's the tallest one there).  Jason also is into making cookies and really enjoys it.  My son goes to Angie Town's daycare and has been going there since he has been 6 weeks old.  He loves it there.  I am the preschool teacher at Severy Elementary.  I absolutely love teaching the little ones; it is tiring but so exciting each and every day.  We have two cats and a guinea pig (he can be found at the preschool most of the year). 

Hello, Laura.  I am sure we welcomed you when you joined us but I want to say welcome again.  It is nice to know who is behind some of these names.  I am glad Jason is into making cookies.  Janet brought me some the other day and boy, were they good.  Now, if you can just find the time to continue posting and letting us know what is on your mind, you will really be one of us.

Since this is roll call, guess I better let you know I'm here!  OK, I'm here.  Most
of you don't know me, in fact I'm not sure I do!  Some of you 'think' you know me.
To sorta clear things up;  71 years and a few months [about 6] ago I entered Planet
Earth on Tuesday 31st. August, 1936 in Oslo, Norway.  Survived the German occupation
during WWII, missed the quota in 1947 and it was already filled for 1948, so in 1949
we left on 15th. July after a marvelous crossing of the Atlantic aboard the beautiful
S/S "Stavangerfjord" with just a minor delay of one day [someone jumped overboard] we
arrived in New York Harbour late evening or early morning 25th. July.  After docking
we were 'herded' like cattle through Ellis Island in 100 degree conditions. After
graduating from Grant Community High School in Fox Lake, IL, I joined USAF and after
Basic was sent to Mountain Home, ID where I lived for the better part of 50 years.
In 2000 I retreaded and settled in Moline where we purchased a couple of homes, my
then wife decided we were not compatible, etc.  Whils there though, we operated the
Curly Q for the Clarks, and then That Cafe' in Howard, also Mr. Crows Treasures,
which I still run on a very limited basis.  That shall change this summer!  Believe
me!  Several friends have promised to make it a 'show place', stay tuned.
As some of you might know, I collect/accumulate cars, do some recycling, bale card-
board, and help whenever, wherever, am very involved in Lions International, also
serve as Vice President of EAA 980 in Independence, love flying, and as soon as the
doctor gives Linda permission, she'll resume her flying lessons, she aspires to fly
helicopters.  Too much excitement!  But that's what keeps me young.  Guess I've told
you much more than you want or need to know, isn't that what a forum is for?  Knut. :P

And so there folks, you have it, K-nut in a shell.

Knut ... welcome aboard.  You have such a fascinating story!  I'll look forward to your posts, and hope to meet you personally some day.

The old "radio man" comes out in me now.  "This is KNUT radio with studios in downtown Moline, Kansas."

See?  Your forum friends just won't leave you alone, will we?

Hello Again!!!

I know I've been absent for a while, and I would love to tell you all something exciting, but it's been the same old stuff.  It rains all the time. We actually had some snow last Saturday and a little bit on Monday too. The kids are growing like weeds, and I'm going to have to buy each of them a new wardrobe pretty soon. My husband is still doing the 2 week on, 2 week off thing with the Airforce; and I still have the same old crummy job. Well, actually I think the last time I was on it wasn't all that crummy, but it has gotten so much worse. I would really like to quit and find something part time so I can be home when the kids get home from school, but I haven't put too much effort into that yet. I'll check in again soon!!!

Take Care,
Amber

dandymomma, it's good to hear from you!  It's easy for us all to get wrapped up in other areas of our lives and fade in and out for a bit.  When you are ready to find a better job schedule for you and your family, I hope you have great luck there.  I know that it's a strain to work and be "supermom" both, plus your husband's schedule must make some days pretty hectic!  Be sure to keep tabs on us here at the Forum and jump back in anytime you can...

Lol, I hadnever read this before didn't know what it was! Guess I oughta give my in a nutshell, I'm Pam Smith watson Cheever. My mom is Flo. I was born and raised in Severy, actually I was born in Winfield but you know what I mean ::). I graduated West Elk in 77, I'm 48, live in the boonies in Missouri now. My sons graduated West Elk, Josh whos 28, and Lewis27,  I have a daughter Ashley 16, 1 grandson and 2 granddaughters. Except for a couple stints in factories I've been a construction worker most of my adult life, lately layed off on account of the housing bust :P I'm a student of yoga and  alternative medicine and gettin back to basics. I really enjoy lively debate and value other peoples perspectives. Mom talked me into lookin the forum up and I'm glad she did ;)

Geez, I didn't even say anything about my husband :P He's Joe Cheever, his mom Sue VanBuskirk lived next to granma and granpa Smith and then Mom and Dad when we moved out there after granpa passed away. I thought he was a little shit when we were growin up lol. Just goes to show you never know. He's a house framer and he's still workin steady so there's hope for me I reckon lol

Bette, Peru Kansas is famous for the birthplace of Barack Obama's Grandmother.

Pam, your picture is very nice.  Thanks for adding it.

Welcome to our forum Bette.  Glad to have you on board!

"Peru Kansas is famous for the birthplace of Barack Obama's Grandmother."

Frank (Or Myrna,) I can't find any information on where she was born.  How did you find that information?

Thanks,

Bonnie, it was an article in USA Today about two weeks ago. let me see if i can find it. It said she was born in Peru and the family left there when she was 3 years old.
Frank

Thanks!  I just never could find anything about where she was born, other than "in Kansas!"  I wonder if anyone in Peru knew anything about her family? 

Bonnie the article also said that the Grandmother went on to be a distinguished banker in Hawaii.
Frank

Sounds like they "did well!"

Bonnie, this is an excerpt from the article. I found the article online, put in your search engine: "Family Precedent Obama's Grandmother Blazed Trails"          Frank

Dunham was born Madelyn Payne in Peru, Kan., on Oct. 26, 1922. When she was 3 years old, Payne's family moved to Augusta, Kan., where young Madelyn was raised, Soetoro-Ng said. She married Stanley Armour Dunham in 1940. Madelyn Dunham attended college at the University of Washington before becoming an aircraft inspector for Boeing during World War II.

After the war, she attended UC-Berkeley, worked various jobs, then came to the Islands, where she joined the Bank of Hawaii in 1960.

Thanks.  I kept thinking that it was his "Mother" who was born in Peru.  "I'm beginning to see, said the blind man!"

I was just readin an article in the chicago tribune that said madeline was born in augusta! :P and stanley her husband was from eldorado

Welcome Bette... Thanks for taking the time to let us get to know you.

Pam? Like the picture a lot and I'm glad that you finally spilled the beans on yourself..  ;D

Thanx Teresa, only spilled the ones that won't get me in trouble LOL

That must have been the reason that the paragraph was so tiny then.. hahaha :D

Lol, naw I just lead a boring life ::)

Hi Bill- My name is James Frawner and I know some of my kin were in Elk Falls way back when.I know the Garrett and Frawner names are connected. My sister in law Jill is also doing some geneology and has the Frawner name back to Maryland in the 1690's. She still has some blank areas to fill and you might be able to help.If you get some time and are willing to, can you e-mail me at jfrawner@yahoo.com and I will put you two in touch. I am sure she will be more then happy to share what she has too. Thanks James

Where are you now, James?

While we're talking about the different aspects of the forum on another thread, I've been wondering a question for quite some time in regards to THIS thread...
Why do we have a separate Roll Call thread that people have to post the FYI about themselves on?  Is there a reason why we don't have them just post a reply to Wilma's Wonderful Welcome threads that she does whenever a new member joins?  I would think it would be easier to find out about someone by searching those threads rather than the 453 (now 454) posts on this one?
Again, NOT complaining; just curious.  Since curiosity kills the cat, I'm sure I've been through at least 2 cats' 9 lives by now... just this week!  (I was actually trying to find out something about another member who joined before I did and was having problems finding the info... except searching through this thread!)

 :) Because when I started this we didn't have the welcome board thing like it is now...and instead of someones bio being lost in the posts and chitchat..my original thought was for it to be in one place and in one drawer in the dresser so to speak.

I know it is a 'lost in the shuffle" kind of thing ..but when it gets to be so big..it tends to get lost and takes some time to go back and hunt and find.
I too have had to go back and thumb through posts to find information.

There is the search bar at the top of the page. If you just type in the persons name..it will bring up all the posts that that word ..phrase or name is in.
I use it all the time .

(whew... you still have a life left out of the 9 Tobina)  :D

OK, I see.  I have used the search, but sometimes it's way too broad when searching someone who posts a LOT. 
Teresa just follows me around the forum and saves my collective cat curiosity lives.  Too bad for you... one life saved is another curiosity question later!   ;D

Tobina, I have wondered that myself and am glad Teresa answered it as I didn't know the answer either.  Whoever does the first welcome message should ask the party to go to the roll call, but I can't seem to remember to do that.  Maybe I could ask them to do that or to just simply add it to the welcome message.  I would like to know more about new members and some of the older members.  Not all of the older members have welcome messages, though.

I guess I'm just too linear in my thinking.  I think it would be easier to get to know the person and pose questions about them on the welcome thread.  That way, if we forget who they are or what they do for a living, we can go back to that thread that is named "Welcome Member #XXX: Tobina Norris".  But I understand why the Roll Call was started now, though.  After looking back through it... it was for all members who were already on the forum to chime in on themselves.  Instead of someone going back and making a Welcome thread for each person (come on, Teresa; that's just plain laziness!  ;)  ;)  ;) )
Just like the government... gotta question what they're doing and why or they'll make you conform to what THEY think!  (heheheheheheheeeee)   :-X

Lol, this is how bored I am today.......... Just thought I'd give yall some more info on the crazy thinkin chick you've all come to love or hate :P Don't remember what I said the last time so.... My moms Flo, I was born and raised in Severy, I live in Mo. now with husband Joe Cheever, daughter Ashley, assorted cats, horses and a wolf. I've been a construction worker for about 20 years, the last 7 hangin siding. I have 2 grown son's Josh and Lewis Watson, who live down here close. Two grandaughters and a grandson. Like Ma said I'm a freethinker :P in most areas of my life and I enjoy a good argument by which I mean debate ::) So that's me in a little bigger nutshell lol. I enjoy talkin and "debatin" with y'all ;D

Linear thinking, heh?

Is that anything like thinking horizontally?

Rudy, is that the thinking you do when you are lying down?

if ya'll dont know im heather tyler duaghter of christy and grandaughter of kenny and ruth watts i have a brother kenny(21)billy(19) and my step brother mike lance and sister candy im in 7th grade a chearleader and a basketball player and yes girls can dribble the ball to not just men...and fyi girls are better at it duhhhhhh no just kidding but still oooh and i have a niece kayla lynn my baby girl that fell down the well (she is fine and will always be fine she love water)(bubbles really)(billy's) then my niece eve lawrence and my nephew kaleb lawrence then thier little siter destiney(mike)then my other niece  kim lance .......................well now im just pooped on anything else to think about oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh and if anybody knows someone that would just happen to want to sponser  jh. chearleaders than speak up to the high school now please it would be very helpfull

Heather, I love to watch girls' bball. Let us know when you play, and I might just be there!  ;D ;D

ok can do that and seriously if anybody nows somebody that could sponser let me know i mean we really need a sponser

Hello Howard and Elk County.

I'm a "newbie" - ColeNicholsMoore - so named for my ancestors who settled in the Howard/Elk County area in the 1870's and 1880's. I spent a lot of time in Howard/Elk County as a kid visiting my grandparents and playing with the Claypool and other kids.

I'll be figuring out (with your help) how to contribute and use the Forum as time goes on and commend you for making it available.

More Later.

Thanks!!

Hi and welcome.

here in the Coffee Shop there is a thread "ROLL CALL TO ALL MEMBERS" where you might want to post a bit about yourself, your family, etc.

Hey, Flo, I think it would be a good idea if you would follow up the welcome to the forum posts with a reminder of the roll call thread.  I can't seem to remember to.

And, ColeNichol,  it is nice that you posted a bit about yourself.  I know that you can find all sorts of things here and if you need something, just ask.  No telling what you will get, but it will be interesting.

Quote from: Wilma on July 19, 2008, 08:53:24 PM
Hey, Flo, I think it would be a good idea if you would follow up the welcome to the forum posts with a reminder of the roll call thread.  I can't seem to remember to.

Wilma, I have mentioned this several times in my "welcome's" but so far it hasn't worked.

I have received several questions as to who meow is...I am honored that you all would want to know me better...but I'm purrrrfectly happy keeping my secrets in my own private litter box.  Besides that...every feline deserves a chance to lay in the bullrushes and wait for all you unsuspecting birds to waddle by!

Waddle?? Did you say 'waddle?
I resemble that remark.

And as far as what is in your litter box..
or pray tell what you DO in your litter box..is absolutely of no concern to me.. ::)
;D

I've been off the forum too long and missed this. :-\

I'm Mark Thomas Cookson, son of Robert and Christena Cookson. I'm the original Mark Cookson's nephew. :laugh:

I mostly keep to myself and avoid public places as I'm a bit shy but online I do alright. I work for my dad doing the shipping stuff as well as a lot of web design stuff for the business as well. I'm actually starting a sort of split off of the business catering to automotive people getting their car items shipped. Still working on the website but it is RedlineFreight.com.

Reason why I'm starting that up is because I absolutely love cars. I'm bad about collecting them and probably have more vehicles in my possession right now than many do in their lifetime... though, most of mine don't work because I'm either working on them or using them for parts. :laugh:

I mostly like modifying them to make them faster. I don't actually drive fast most of the time, I just like accelerating fast. See how fast I can get to the speed limit then stay around there or maybe 5 over. When I take it to the track though, all bets are off... I'll go as fast as I can. I'm currently working on a 1991 Nissan 300ZX swapping a different engine in. It'll will be the first swap of its kind as most consider the engine I'm putting in a "downgrade" to what is already in there but little do they know that its not. I'm also one of, if not the first person to successfully swap a particular manual transmission to one of the older V6's I like working on. Woohoo I feel special!  :laugh: I have quite a few other vehicles that I'm working on but the 300ZX is my baby, it was my dream car for a very long time. My other dream car is yet another Nissan that they only built a few of (maybe even only 1 for the bargain price of $1 million, its still for sale if anyone is interested). My plans are to some day build a replica of it, which is one of my ultimate goals to build a car from scratch.

I original came here with my parents in 2003 after my grandfather had passed away. We wanted to keep the house in the family so bought it off of my grandmother. I was born in Bloomington, IN and lived there till we moved out here. I miss Bloomington and all of my friends from there a lot but call Howard my home. I just recently became engaged to Jeanie Harris. She was born in Nevada, MO (pronounced Neh vay duh... apparently they don't like when its pronounced like the state :laugh: ) and grew up in Chase County, KS. She's an RN working at the nursing home now. We met online and at the time she was working at St. Francis in Wichita but we hit it off rather quickly and she's now living here in Howard. I can't remember if she's registered here on the forum yet or not but as soon as we get internet access at home I'll have her start posting.

We bought a house earlier this year on South Chestnut and absolutely love it. We have two dogs, mine being a Golden Retriever/Australian Shepherd mix named Silvia. She's 5 years old and is fully grown weighing in at about 80 lbs. She's a big goof ball and likes to not listen and bark at everything that moves, except for the wind. She's fun though and I would never want to get rid of her. The other is Jeanie's and is a Goldendoodle (Golden Retriever/Poodle) name Zoe. She's mostly poodle though and is more hyper than a kindergarten class on Coke and Gummy Bears. She has huge paws and is probably going to be even taller than my dog, though not quite as built. A fun and goofy little family though.

Like I said above, when we met we just hit it off. The perfect match. We make each other laugh and if she starts crying I can still make her laugh making her almost incapable of being mad at me. She loves my car hobby and wants to get into it as well so I found her a 1991 Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo project car (just like mine, but twin turbo instead). Current plans are to get married on October 24th, 2009 and to lose lots of weight before then. :laugh:

There's not much more about me that I can think of... I do like a lot of different foods like Japanese, Cajun (looooove crawfish and gator is pretty good too), Chinese, Thai (spring rolls!!), and of course American... can't go without my pizza, steak, and burgers, oh and Poplar's wings (which I think I'm going to have for lunch today). I also enjoy cooking but don't really consider myself very good at it and kind of wish I took some nice cooking classes just so I kind of know the different spices and such I can add to something. I also love music. I listen to a lot of different things, except for rap... I hate rap. Rock new and old, country, some pop type songs, electronic/dance/trance, you may even get lucky and here my listen to some classical type music, and I absolutely love jazz and swing. I used to play the bari sax in high school and when I was in college and jazz band was one of my favorite things to do during those times. Still wish I were playing sometimes. I love laughing and most of the time you'll see me joking around and goofing off. ;D

This is in regard to what Tobina said back in June.  If we would just stay on the tread instead of having a chat line on every subject is would be easier to keep the subject going on the orginal topic. If you want to chat back and forth. Then everyone needs to put their email address in their profile so you can chat so the rest of us do not have read something that has nothing to do with the thread. then if you what to search for something it is easier to find. 
Maude and her sister Maxine

Well Maude, staying on topic, I don't think you have introduced yourself.

I have just spent the better part of 2 hrs. reading this thread from square one.  Some very interesting things are to be found here.   Some interesting posting by those who have.  How 'bout it folks ?? If you haven't told us about yourself, if you care to, would you please tell us your Elk County ties, if you have any, and otherwise, just tell us a bit about you, your family, etc.

Stay with it, Flo.  Maybe we can get more members to tell us about themselves.  Do you think putting a reminder on each thread would help?

You want to know about me?  ;D ;D ;D
(http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/angry.gif) RATS!!  I didn't think so........


(http://www.cascity.com/howard/animations/20.gif)

We're counting on it.

You will be back???  You better never have left, Teresa...I count on you for my daily dose of happy!  :laugh:

Hi!  I am a new member but have been reading the forum for quite some time.  I am flo's youngest daughter.  I was a member of the first class to graduate out of the new high school.  I live in Emporia now and have 1 daughter and 3 grandchildren.  I work for Indiana University and for the hospital here in Emporia so between the grandkids and 2 jobs I stay pretty busy.  I enjoy doing anything outdoors be it fishing or going to garage sales (my house is decorated in early american garage sale and I have been referred to as the garage sale queen but hey, why pay full price if ya don't have to?  LOL).  I do have an opinion about most things but will try to keep them to myself for the most part, but I am a Smith and we have never been known for keeping our mouths shut.  I think we may get that from mom!!!!!!!  I also enjoy going to the casino once in a while and playing blackjack.  Right now I have no pets, but someone will probably sucker me into getting another one before long.

Hi Flo's youngest! It's very nice to meet you. I promise to cut back if you'll jump on in.

Quote from: gmaof3 on September 11, 2008, 10:44:04 PM
I do have an opinion about most things but will try to keep them to myself for the most part, but I am a Smith and we have never been known for keeping our mouths shut.  I think we may get that from mom!!!!!!! 

(http://www.cascity.com/howard/forum/nawww.gif)   ::) ::) ::)
~~~~~~

You should learn to be more quiet and self reserved like me..... :angel:

(http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/jj216/marshalette/CopyofLaughing1.gif)

oh yeah.... I was so busy being a smart ass that I didn't welcome you..
so welcome to the cage and home of the  zoo animals...   :D

Hiiiii!!!!!

Welcome !!!  Always room for one more Smith.  Stay with us -- some days are a lot better than others, but all are entertaining.
  Jo

Hi All ...yep you are right. LH in PA.  I live in Philadelphia PA. My name is Liz. I joined the forum to meet some nice folks but also try to find out if anyone knows what is going on with the animal hoarding case on Turkey Road way back in March.  I am with an Australian Cattle Dog Rescue Group in Philadelphia, PA and a cattle dog pup was part of the hoarding case.  I have been working since March to try to free him and get him into a safe and loving environment.  I don't want him to fall through the cracks.  I know he is being boarded...somewhere local.  Anyone here anything about this case anymore?

There is a thread on the Coffee Shop called Sirens on Turkey Road.  There was something said just the other day and some where on the thread it tells where the animals were taken.  Hope you can find it.  Good to see you posting.

Hi, there L.H. I'm south of you. Hope you find the dog.

Me too...he has been caged since this whole thing happened in March.  It is like finding a needle in a haystack but I am determined... :)

The dogs I saw at the Vets the day I left my dog with her were in nice kennels...and had an outdoor one......they were well taken care of.........and I didn't get close to them of course, but they were doing as well as they could.
At least to my eyes.

good luck
Judy

Thanks Judy...did you happen to see a little blue heeler?  I have named him Dexter.  That is the one I am rescuing...

Hi my name is Debi Arreola and I have just recently reopened the donut shop.   We have new breakfast items and I am open to suggestions of what you would like to see served.   Special orders are welcome.   I would also like to thank the community for welcoming me with such open arms. Biscuits and Gravy served daily as well as other specialty breakfast items.    I look forward to meeting and serving you. 
620-374-3004

We're glad you -- and the doughnut shop -- are here! Hubby and I have really enjoyed being able to have fresh-made doughnuts again! And thank you for being a member of the business community.

Debi: Tell us more about Connie's Mexican food!  Maybe you can post reminders when for upcoming Mexican food nights?
Gracias!

We are there on Nov. 1st. Great to have a place for Mexican food again. Very good. Nice and clean. Sure hope it goes well for them.

What wonderful news...we'll have to make sure that we eat there when we're in town...it is this type of entreprenurial spirit that will help with economic development in Elk County.  :laugh:

Connie will be doing her Mexican food every other Sat.  This Sat (Nov. 5th) will be Connies Mexican food night. 

I have heard nothing but good things about the doughnuts AND the Mexican food.

Just need to get the word out to the other little towns surrounding Howard . I have heard several people wanting to know when the Mexican food will be served so that they can make plans to come up and eat..

Maybe just printed monthly flyers with the dates and times of the hours and menu for that particular month taken around to the surrounding towns.
Someone is always going out of town and can stop and tape up a few in the towns. I would be glad to help you out as I am sure lots of people also would.  :)

I don't think I've ever had a jalapeno donut. ;D

hey!! I bet we can make that one,do you want to be the first to try one.

Sure, I like spicy food but I'm a little too far away.

let me work on this ,and maybe we can send this spicy donut to you via-mail.

Well i'll tell ya if you can make genuine 100% southern sweet tea i will probably stop by :D
Moved here a year ago and haven't found a decent glass of tea anywhere!

You do those jalapeno doughnuts and Jim will probably want to try one as well.

If you do find a recipe you like, let us know when you're going to make them.  :D

Steve; we have a gallon-size pitcher of sweet tea in our fridge every day!  Lots of sweet and lots of caffeine!   :o

Well I am certainly glad to be here.   Last week someone told me that EK still had this forum site and I wondered... then, an email came anouncing the new EK community stuff.    Fate?  I know a few folks have felt I sure took a stick and stirred!!   my apologies!
Hmm, what else. I can read and write.   I enjoy reading what everyone else writes, how they think.   None of it offends me, we are FREE, that's why we CAN choose a red car or a blue car.   

Once again I will say......
Welcome.. .  :)

Quote from: Tobina on November 12, 2008, 05:08:50 PM
Steve; we have a gallon-size pitcher of sweet tea in our fridge every day!  Lots of sweet and lots of caffeine!   :o

LOL,
Well the best tea i have gotten is from a restaurant called waffle house.  They don't have any around here, boy do i miss
going to the waffle house! 
But the proper way to make sweet tea is to boil that water, drop those bags in and steep them 30 min then pour into a gallon jug and add 2 cups of pure cane sugar to it.  You also gotta make it every day cause it will ferment on you fast :D.

Still haven't found grits in the store around here.  grrrr

Love the Waffle House!! 

2 CUPS of Sugar to a gal of tea! WOW!!!! SWEEEEEET Tea! (-:

Quote from: bfrankjack on November 13, 2008, 08:14:58 AM
Love the Waffle House!! 

2 CUPS of Sugar to a gal of tea! WOW!!!! SWEEEEEET Tea! (-:

Yep its sweet tea :D

I sure wish we could get a waffle house around here.  Love thier steak n eggs.

hello everyone. I was not raised in Elk county I was borne in Eureka Ks . i came to Howard in 90's My brother Carl Johnson lived here at the time. Im married to Joe Love ( not Billy Love) My Mother is Ammie Rankin of Longton,Ks Joe has recently become a Elk county deputy. We raised a wonderful girl Rochelle who is now married to Derek Cookson and they have blessed Joe and i with a beautiful Nephew/grandson ( Mason)  I work in Moline and have friends in Grenola so i think im pretty well connected to the area and as long as Rochelle is here I'll be hear .

Pam,

I love visiting with you when I run into you..............welcome to the forum.

Mary, I always get a good feeling  in my soul (and a laugh) when we are together.

God bless to each of you

Thank you judy that was a nice thing to say

"My Mother is Ammie Rankin"

Mary, I didn't know that you were the daughter of my friend, Ammie!  Are you as blessed as she is with musical talents?

I wonder who I need to talk to about the BIG ugly white truck and trailer parked across the street from my Donut hole... I mean shop blocking my view??????   :laugh:

Bonnie : yes i am  blessed ive learned from the best

We have Waffle House near here. Good food, tiny place. Very busy.

Quote from: srkruzich on November 13, 2008, 09:10:24 AM

Quote from: bfrankjack on November 13, 2008, 08:14:58 AM
Love the Waffle House!! 

2 CUPS of Sugar to a gal of tea! WOW!!!! SWEEEEEET Tea! (-:

Yep its sweet tea :D

I sure wish we could get a waffle house around here.  Love thier steak n eggs.

Steve, if you ever get to the Tulsa area, they have Waffle House Restaurants in around Tulsa, we have eaten Breakfast at the one in Owasso.

Ugly truck adds character to the area.  I think the transmission is broken or something.   

You should be working at night when it is dark so there is no view. 


I am waiting for my Krispy Kreme equipment to show up so I can unload it. 

WoooHoooo! Donut wars! Somebody tell Heather! Quick!! LOL!!

LOL mmmm krispy kremes :D   i remember going to the Krispy Kreme shop in Decatur Georgia when i was a kid.  Big place too.
used to get them donuts right off the conveyor belt hot and mmmmmm

I have tried Krispy Cremes and they are good, but I like daylight donuts, too.  I just don't think I want to travel to Wichita to get a Krispy Creme when I can get fresh donuts right here in Howard.

Quote from: Janet Harrington on November 16, 2008, 01:10:26 AM
I have tried Krispy Cremes and they are good, but I like daylight donuts, too.  I just don't think I want to travel to Wichita to get a Krispy Creme when I can get fresh donuts right here in Howard.

Welll being that I do not need donuts whatsoever i don't buy them anymore. Sniff sniff :(
Too much fat and cholesterol for me.
But every now and then i am bad and get me some when i go to my cardiologist in wichita :D

I for one do not like Krispy Kremes.  Daylight Donuts are much better and Lamars are the very best.

I didn't know there was a "bad" donut!  :D  :D  :D

The apple fritters are so small......You can only feed 4 or 5 people with one..  Come on can't we get a nice sized donut........And where is the milk.....You can't have donuts with out coffee or if you are a little young to have coffee in the morning a jug of milk sure hits the spot.     



How about a fajita wrapped breakfast entre......Spicey grilled steak, eggs, peppers, cheese, to die for.......


Turkey stuffed donuts for the holidays.

My name is Debi Arreola and I am not from around here.    I am from Wichita, but have lived in Emporia the last 20 years.  My last job was as a supervisor at Hopkins Manufacturing for 16 years.  I have 4 grown children and 1 Grandson.  My husband Tony works as a lead man and rig operator for a pulling unit out of Emporia. 

Labor Day weekend I was here in town visiting my very good friend Connie Avalos....  Connie was driving me around, showing me town when she stopped in front of a vacant donut shop.   It just happened that Rob Cookson was driving by just as we were looking in the windows.  Rob showed us the donut shop and Connie nudged me.  Well,,, I can't tell you why, but "something"  just told me to come here to Howard.   I decided very quickly that I was just going to have faith in myself... I gave my 2 week notice at my job...  I can't explain it.   I needed a life change and here I am. 
I am looking forward to getting to know people and making new friends.  I have enjoyed the company of visitors to the shop so far and am excited to get to know you all.  Feel free to invite me to supper or something.  Just kidding, I am in bed before most of you all have supper.   ;)

Wow, what a brave thing to do.  I wish you all the best.  If I lived Howard, I would probably be hanging out at your business a lot of the time.  One of these days when I am traveling through I will be sure to drop in for a bite.  Good Luck.

All of the people in town are so nice to me and it is a wonderful feeling to be welcomed. 

BTW, I really was kidding about being invited to supper.   ;D

Has anyone besides me noticed that there's been no activity on this thread since mid-November?  That was around the time member #452 joined our happy "little" family.  We're now at 502 members.  So my question is---Would you folks that have recently joined please take a quick moment and let the rest of us know a little about yourself by posting here on this thread?  We don't need (or want) your whole life story, but just enough so we can relate to and understand you a little better.  What do you say?  Join in and share a lttle bit about who you are.  I, for one, would be very apppreciative.  Thanks.

Hello. My name is Amanda Hall.
I was born in Winfield but have never lived there. I have always lived around here. Okay. Almost always. I'm 19 and my mom told me about this site.  I thought I would join and see what was going on.
I've lived with my grandparents, Jane and Sam Trigg for most of my life. My mother's user name is Rosewolf. She's pretty cool. I lived with her from the time I was 15 until November of last year. We lived in havana. then moved to Bartlesville. I ended up comeing back here after she moved to North Carolina in I think July. Maybe it was August. I can't remember. Anyway. So I moved in with my grandparents and thats where I stay now. They own Trigg's Greenhouse. I help them out as much as I can. The plants tend to scream and run when I come around.  ;D But seriously. I like elk county. But I don't really do not want to live the rest of my life here. weird huh. Well, I guess I'm young and want to see things before I die. Selfish. I hope not.
:)

So, are you the one that has a car older than she is? I think I met you if you are that person. Anyway, welcome aboard!  ;D

Hi again...thanks for letting us know something about yourself.You sound like a delightful young lady.

As some of you already know I have been posting on this fourm for a little while now, not too long, still kinda new.  However, it was brought to my attention that I had not posted on this particular thread, and to be honest I had never looked at it.  So anyway here goes...
My name is Billy Roe I was born in Ponca City, lived in Newkirk for about 7 yrs.  My father was in the navy so we moved around quite abit.  California, S. Carolina, Maine, back to S. Carolina.  We moved here when my dad retired, grandpa had a pig farm south of Grenola.  I went to school in burden, graduated, got married, joined the army, got divorced, remarried, was injuried, got out of the army, moved here.  I have three children, two dogs.
I like to hunt, fish, read, watch movies, bar-b-que, and debate.  I believe in the Constitution, God, and the American Dream. 

Well ..now you might have squelched the  whispers of "who IS that (http://www.rightnation.us/forums/style_emoticons/default/ph34r.gif) Masked Patriot?".. (http://www.rightnation.us/forums/style_emoticons/default/usa.gif)

;D

Ah, so he has been outed.  Thank you, Teresa, for keeping this forum going.  I haven't had this much fun since party lines were discontinued.

Hey Greenthumb 13, young people are supposed to want to go out and see the world.  Wish I had done a lot more of that when I was younger.  Good luck.

Right On Varmit.  I appreciate your posts.

Hello, my name is Charles Brown.

My wife and I moved to Wichita in 98 to take a job in aircraft, when we started our family we wanted to move to a smaller town where we could slow down a little.We have been here now for six years and really like it here. we have three children. Alexia, Allen and cordell. I got laid off in April of 09 and went to work for the county, which I do enjoy, no long drive to work, I get to work outside and have the opportunity to meet new people in and around town.

You made a good decision to move to Elk County, Charles. It truly is God's country.

Hello all ....    Peanut, I thought for sure your quote would be " good grief", or "happiness is..."  I  admire Ole Snoppy and lots of others.  The Duke is among the best.

Hello, RD Rhinestone Ranch. Do your steers have sparkly horns? Welcome and tells us a little about yourself.

 WOW!I just discovered this forum as I was looking for a history of Elk County. I am Craig Wilnerd, my parents, Everett (Tiny) and Carolyn Wilnerd still live on Oak Street. Sisters Susan Galvan and twin Carol Hernandez live in Howard as well. I went through all of school in the old buildings there- K through 12. I married Tracillia Moore (her mother owned Toot's for several years) in 1979 and just celebrated 31 years together. We have 2 daughters- Sharayah Smith, who is married with 1 daughter, lives in Dallas. Jessica is at home, works full time and is a Senior at WSU.
   Favorite memories of growing up in Howard:
  Sledding down the hill in front of the former Christian Church, running around with Buddy and Bruce Meisch, riding bikes down the hill at Perkins barn at the North end of Main Street with Mike Horseman and Lonnie Smith(I don't think we were supposed to be there), cruising up and down Main Street, Church dinners at the Christian Church, going to movies at the Theater, playing pool at Doug's Place with my sister Carol and Dad, swimming all summer long at the pool, meeting at Batson's to go to baseball games out of town, reading comic books at Batson's, working at batson's when I was a Freshman in High School ($1.60 per hour!), baseball, baseball, baseball, fishing and hunting with Dad, being taken out of school to go with Dad, High School yearbook and newspaper, band, plays at school. I have not thought about this stuff for years!

Welcome, Craig!

You come from a good family - and didn't you just celebrate a birthday a week or two ago?

  yes, last Saturday, the 11th, was Carol and myself's 50th (is that proper English?). Carol and I were born in Norton, Kansas, which is also Susan and Lauri's birthplace as well as dad's. Tracillia and I  live in Wichita, which has been home to us since 1984 except for 3 years spent in Paris, Texas from 2002 to 2005. Tracillia works as a Taxpayer Advocate for the IRS and I am an Estimator/Project Manager for Midwest Drywall.
   Reading some of these posts from members brings back such good memories of home!

Your roots go very deep .You should be a real asset to this forum. Hi!

Welcome, Craig.  Wow, you did bring up some memories.  Reading comic books at Batson's.  I forgot we had comic books.  I worked there full-time from like around 1976 to 1979.  Something like that.  Carol worked with me as did Cindy Tharp Gragg.  Can't remember any others right now.  Working for John Batson was the best.  He was the best boss I have ever, ever had.

   I took Ray Harmon's place when he graduated from High School. Didn't your sister work at Batson's? Why don't I remember her name? Maybe she was your cousin? She married John Galardo? Anyway- I remember JoEtta Carter worked there and also Vivian, John Batson's sister. I remember 1 summer that John and his wife (Marge?) went to Hawaii and brought back Hawiian shirts for us all- matching, bright ORANGE Hawaiian shirts that looked more like an intense fireball. Man, those shirts were ugly but it was the thought that counted. More things I have not thought of for years!

My sister's name is Patti Gallardo.  She worked there before I did.  I think I might have taken her place, but I can't remember.  I worked with JoEtta and with Vivian.  Vivian works out at P & J's part-time.  JoEtta is living in El Dorado, I think.  This puts her close to Pam Carter Fickle, her youngest daughter, who lives around Towanda.  I didn't work with Ray Harmon.

Hi,I'm debbie kiesel,my husband hammer and i live out here in upola.We have no connection to elk county.God sent use here from western kansas ,I haven't figured out why yet.... but we'll see.He's a disabled Nam vet and I do what ever comes up.We love it around here.Hope to make some good friend

You picked a good place, deb.  Hope you stay around for a long time.

Marcia Moore posted this information on Upola a couple years ago:

      I just looked in John Rydjord's book entitled, Kansas Place-Names, to see if it mentioned how Upola got its name.  Here is what it says.

     The story of the naming of a town in Elk County concerns a girl who owned a pony named Polo.  She was riding Polo when the pony stopped at a railroad crossing.  The railway workers heard the girl's exclamation or appeal: "You - Polo!"  From this, it was said, the town of Upola was named. 

I guess I am the latest one! My name is Lisa Harrington and my husband of 3 wonderful years Will and I will be moving to Howard soon. He is the new English teacher at the high school. We will be bringing our 17 year old son Kyle along with us. Kyle has an older brother Clayton (he's 21) who will be staying in Parsons, Kansas where I was born and raised.

That's not the case for Will. His family is from Wisconsin via the Bera peninsula in Ireland. You can't swing a cat there without hitting a Harrington! When we was little both his mom and dad were in the Air Force and they moved around a lot. He lived in Germany before he got back to the US and Wisconsin.

Yes we are newlyweds! Both of us had bad first marriages, then God led us to each other five years ago. We are looking forward to starting our life together in Howard. Will graduated from a small school just like yours in Retreat, Wisconsin. His wish was to teach in a small school. I'm so glad his wish came true!

We do historical re-enactment as part the Society of Creative Anachronism. It is a world wide organization that focuses on the Middle Ages through the Renaissance. The time that Will and I are interested is the early Christian period in Ireland. We do demos for school, libraries, Boy Scouts, you name it. So if you see us in "funny clothes" don't worry! We're just playing in History.......

Hi there, nice to meet you. You all sound like wonderful new assets to the Howard/Elk County area. My  long ago roots are from the country just west of Howard, but I'm  really just an east coast stow away that they put up with on here part of the time.

Quote from: farmgal67357 on June 11, 2011, 04:07:46 PM
We do historical re-enactment as part the Society of Creative Anachronism. It is a world wide organization that focuses on the Middle Ages through the Renaissance. The time that Will and I are interested is the early Christian period in Ireland. We do demos for school, libraries, Boy Scouts, you name it. So if you see us in "funny clothes" don't worry! We're just playing in History.......

There used to be a group of people in Independence who did that. There are probably some of them still there.

Wow it makes me want to throw on a costume and run around town with you guys playing Lord of the Dance on my recorder.  Excited to see your program.

Quote from: Mom70x7 on June 11, 2011, 06:39:39 PM
There used to be a group of people in Independence who did that. There are probably some of them still there.

That would be the Shire of Bois d'Arc which is our group. The folks who live in Independence have been "playing" for a long time and they are both teachers. Master Alan teaches music at Indy and Mistress Rigela teaches in Neodesha. Plus we have a gentleman who lives there who works for the Independence newspaper. Howard is officially out of the Shire (a local group of a certain size) limits, but we are close enough to be claimed! The next group over would be the Barony of Vatavia which is Wichita.

Lisa AKA Lady Maeva (Mayvuh) and Will AKA Caoilte (Quillcha) It looks strange because it's Gaelic!
our son Kyle does Japanese and his name is Fujiwara no Kensu

Quote from: Roma Jean Turner on June 11, 2011, 06:39:46 PM
Wow it makes me want to throw on a costume and run around town with you guys playing Lord of the Dance on my recorder.  Excited to see your program.

You would be welcome anytime! We used to have an Arts & Sciences night every other Tuesday night, but I fear we will be too far away from the rest of the group for that when we move to Howard. We do SCA friends that live in Elk City so you might see them around!

Lisa

You say you're into the Gaelic, any Celtic? Say St. Colomba and the early Scots Christians?  

Quote from: Diane Amberg on June 11, 2011, 08:57:39 PM
You say you're into the Gaelic, any Celtic? Say St. Colombo and the early Scots Christians? 

Sure! Scots are just Irish that immigrated. The church that hubby and I go to venerate the Saints (we don't pray to them, they aren't God, but they are in Heaven so we ask them to pray for us), his is St. Patrick and mine is St. Bridget.  Along with St. Columba they are the best loved Celtic Saints! There are quite a few people in the SCA that have church related personas. We have a lady in out group that plays a nun from the Abbey of Whitby, a real, historical place in England. Her name is Aethelthritha-try saying that 3 times fast-and she is a very talented artist, painter, potter, and practitioner of the fiber arts. She lives in Coffeyville and my boys adore her because she let them play with her clay when they were younger!
Did I ever mention that hubby is also licensed to teach History?  ;D

Lisa

Whitby Abby is that the one in North Yorkshire and the ruins sit right on the coast? We have friends up in Consett, near Durham, and we have driven all over that area including the beautiful city of York.
A nun from that Abby must be a neat character to portray. Was she a real person or is she fictional? How do you research the costumes?
  If you go 'way back my mom's family was from Kilmarnock Scotland. Dean Castle is still there. Unfortunately my ancestor fought with Bonnie Prince Charlie and lost his head over it at the Tower of London.
I don't know much about St. Bridget. Share when you have time.

Quote from: Diane Amberg on June 12, 2011, 01:12:09 PM
Whitby Abby is that the one in North Yorkshire and the ruins sit right on the coast? We have friends up in Consett, near Durham, and we have driven all over that area including the beautiful city of York.
A nun from that Abby must be a neat character to portray. Was she a real person or is she fictional? How do you research the costumes?
  If you go 'way back my mom's family was from Kilmarnock Scotland. Dean Castle is still there. Unfortunately my ancestor fought with Bonnie Prince Charlie and lost his head over it at the Tower of London.
I don't know much about St. Bridget. Share when you have time.

Aethelthritha is fictional. We aren't allowed to use historical, real people as persona's. A lot of costume research is done by simply looking at the art work of the time you are interested in. And of course there are libraries and online resources too.

Here's a biography of St. Brigid/Bridget:

Saint Brigid, "the Mary of the Gael," was born around 450 in Faughart, about two miles from Dundalk in County Louth. According to Tradition, her father was a pagan named Dubthach, and her mother was Brocessa (Broiseach), one of his slaves.

Even as a child, she was known for her compassion for the poor. She would give away food, clothing, and even her father's possessions to the poor. One day he took Brigid to the king's court, leaving her outside to wait for him. He asked the king to buy his daughter from him, since her excessive generosity made her too expensive for him to keep. The king asked to see the girl, so Dubthach led him outside. They were just in time to see her give away her father's sword to a beggar. This sword had been presented to Dubthach by the king, who said, "I cannot buy a girl who holds us so cheap."

St Brigid received monastic tonsure at the hands of St Mael of Ardagh (February 6). Soon after this, she established a monastery on land given to her by the King of Leinster. The land was called Cill Dara (Kildare), or "the church of the oak." This was the beginning of women's cenobitic monasticism in Ireland.

The miracles performed by St Brigid are too numerous to relate here, but perhaps one story will suffice. One evening the holy abbess was sitting with the blind nun Dara. From sunset to sunrise they spoke of the joys of the Kingdom of Heaven, and of the love of Christ, losing all track of time. St Brigid was struck by the beauty of the earth and sky in the morning light. Realizing that Sister Dara was unable to appreciate this beauty, she became very sad. Then she prayed and made the Sign of the Cross over Dara's eyes. All at once, the blind nun's eyes were opened and she saw the sun in the east, and the trees and flowers sparkling with dew. She looked for a while, then turned to St Brigid and said, "Close my eyes again, dear Mother, for when the world is visible to the eyes, then God is seen less clearly by the soul." St Brigid prayed again, and Dara became blind once more.

St Brigid fell asleep in the Lord in the year 523 after receiving Holy Communion from St Ninnidh of Inismacsaint (January 18). She was buried at Kildare, but her relics were transferred to Downpatrick during the Viking invasions. It is believed that she was buried in the same grave with St Patrick (March 17) and St Columba of Iona (June 9).

Late in the thirteenth century, her head was brought to Portugal by three Irish knights on their way to fight in the Holy Land. They left this holy relic in the parish church of Lumiar, about three miles from Lisbon. Portions of the relic were brought back to Ireland in 1929 and placed in a new church of St Brigid in Dublin.

The relics of St Brigid in Ireland were destroyed in the sixteenth century by Lord Grey during the reign of Henry VIII.

The tradition of making St Brigid's crosses from rushes and hanging them in the home is still followed in Ireland, where devotion to her is still strong. She is also venerated in northern Italy, France, and Wales.

Thank you.That's very interesting.

You are very welcome! I like the part about her giving all her dad's stuff away! That's just funny to me.  :laugh: Dad just didn't get it.....

Lisa

with all the new members i thought they might like a chance to introduce their selves,Hello and welcome in advance.

Thomas McGlashen
My Great grandfather William McGlashen founded Longton KS after the Civil War
with William Hoffman (my Great Grandfather on the mathernal side).

William McGlashen born in 1841 in Scotland and came to the US in 1863 just
in time for the Civil War.
William McGlashen born 1841 Kilmainock , immigrated to US 1860,
Probably through Boston Salem MA , then took the Railroad to Illinious
AYRSHIRE, KILMAINOCK, SCOTLAND (P. O. Longton KS, was born in Scotland in 1841

He is buried in the GAR Cemetary in Prowlers County Colorado.

I live in San Jose California and am a software engineer age 71.

I have a lot of photos of the Dunlops, McGlashens, Hoffmans etc.
Should goto the historical society.

There is some confusion as after 1860 Elk was divided
Into 2 counties and the original names of towns county
Must be mapped to the current county, town, ply.

tom_mcglashen@yahoo.com

What an interesting chap you sound to be.. LOL 
Welcome!
Everyone here loves History and pictures.. ~~ so we"ll be excited to see what you have  :)

Just wandered down memory lane - we've had some terrific people on this forum. Thanks!  :)

I agree. It's a shame that some with ulterior motives had to grab the forum and create political factions out of everything.