Barber County Kansas
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Barber County Kansas |
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From: The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas, p. 403
William C. and Mary Reinke Schiff, were both born and raised near Monona, Iowa, of German immigrant parents. After marriage on January 7, 1904, they lived near Earlham, Iowa, several years. In October 1909, Dad came to Kansas and bought three farms in the Sharon Valley. It was here the family moved in the spring of 1910 and continued to be "home" until the death of Dad in January, 1949.The move from Iowa was made by railroad and included furniture, machinery, and livestock.
The six children in our family included Greeta, Emmitt, and Curtis, all born near Earlham, Iowa, and Kenneth, Mildred, and Ellis, born on the family farm. We all attended Central View rural School about a mile from home. The four older ones of us attended Sharon High School. Mildred graduated from Nashville High School and Ellis from Medicine Lodge High School.
The Church of God was located across the road from the school house and in early days the church and the school were the hub of community life. We attended church and Sunday School in a 2-seated carriage pulled by a team of horses. Two Central View school houses burned down, and school was held temporarily in the church. Each time, a new school house was erected. Finally, Barber County schools were redistricted, which ended rural schools. Central View School house is now the home of the Sharon School principal.
Through the years Dad bought land in Western Kansas and Texas. Most of this land is still retained by family members.
A new house was constructed in 1930 and 1931. A tornado hit the farmstead in 1947 and left only the house intact. A few months later another tornado hit but did much less damage.
Our folks always enjoyed going back to Iowa for visits with relatives and made a good many trips. Also many of the kinfolk came to visit us, and these were always fun times for all of us.
Dad raised Percheron horses and Shetland ponies, also Hereford cattle, sheep, and hogs. The hogs were always fed out and marketed mostly in Wichita. While we were growing up, the farming was done with horses, and between this and livestock chores, we kept pretty busy. Sunday was for resting and relaxing after attending church. Many baseball games were played in the neighborhood, and we participated in these. Also, while in high school, we participated in basketball and track and did very well.
Our mother passed away September 17, 1944, after a long illness. Mildred kept house for Dad till his death, January 10, 1949. Soon after this, Mildred moved to Medicine Lodge where she lived till December, 1953, when she married Claire Kimball and lived in Golden, Colorado, a few years. They now reside in Mesa, Arizona, and Medicine Lodge.
Greeta married John Lawrence, and they raised their family north of Nashville, Kansas. After John's death in 1957, Greeta moved to Winfield, where she died of cancer in 1971.
Ellis also died of cancer in 1965 after a long illness. His wife, Marie, passed away two years later.
Also see:
Maxine Phyllis (Martin) Schiff
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