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Chase County Kansas Historical
Sketches
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EPHRAIM PINKSTON
A smaII boy, of 8 years of age, by the name of
Ephraim Pinkston, climbed into a covered wagon,
On a summer like day in October 1878, accompanied
by 5 excited brothers: Monroe, Jim, William, Wesley and Homer and 2 sister, Mary and Emily. They
were leaving their log cabin, his home where he
was born, June 18, 1870, near Terra Haute, Indiana
in Sullivan Co., close to the Wabash river where his
sisters Rose Ann and Cora were buried. He watched
with mixed emotions as his mother Nancy Ann Pinkston kissed his older sister Melissa good bye and
she too climbed into the wagon and sat on the high
seat beside his father Levin Pinkston, who looked
back often until the cabin and the figures of his
daughter and husband faded into the distance.
In the other wagon was his sister Sarah Jane and
her husband Ambrose Whitlock, who were "going
to Kans," to live. They were all anxious to get
there where Uncle Ephraim Pinkston and his family
had been living for a number of years a mile or two
east of Cedar Point, close to the C.C. Smith Family.
On Dec. 3, 1878, they arrived weary, worn, but
happy east of the present town of Cedar Point
where they moved into a log cabin. In a few years
then moved into a house on the Bichet farm west of
Cedar Point near the Cottonwood River and close
to the Bichet stone school house that still stands
as a "Herald" of happy days gone by. Ephraim or
"Jack" as he was fondly nicknamed by his friends
attended this school as far as the 4th grade under
the guidance and endeavors of "Pete'' Swingle to
teach him the 3 R's, "Readin, Ritin, and Rithmetic.
Ephraim now 17 years old and a lover of music
began singing in the choir of the Methodist Church
in Cedar Point where he became a faithful and active member for 80 years and still loves his Lord
and is a staunch Free Methodist at heart.
His parents moved to a house 2 miles south
of Cedar Point in 1893 where they farmed for a
number of years and where Ephraim, a great lover
of horses raised pure bred purcheron horses. His
father passed away in 1908 and his mother in 1912
leaving he and his brother Monroe who never married living in the home. His other brothers were
married as well as his sisters and were gone from
home. His brother William and wife Eliza lived in
Elk City, Kansas. Jim and Margaret lived south of
them across the creek, Wesley and Nancy, north a
mile. Mary who married Will Parks lived east of
Cedar Point on Coon Creek and Emily who married
Jim Fisher who passed away leaving her a widow in
a few years and she came to live with Monroe and
Ephraim.
A school "Mom" by the name of Frances Hanselman from Burrton, Kansas had come to the Cedar Creek School, and was 'boarding'' at the George
Topping home. "Jack" soon found many reasons
to drive by the school house in his buggy and began making regular calls on Miss Hanselman. She
succombed to his charms and they were married
April 24, 1918 in her home at Burrton, Kansas.
To
this union were born 5 children; David, now living
at Cedar Point, who has two boys. Dorothy; Mrs.
Elmer Ludwig, who has 4 children, 3 of whom are
married. This making her a grandmother 7 times
and "Jack" a great grandfather that many times.
Fred, who never married and passed away in Wichita in 1970. William, the father of 3 girls and 2
boys. Virginia, Mrs. Ray Wyatt who with her 3 boys
and 1 girl reside in lovely Tempe, Ariz, a suburb
of Phoenix, Arizona. All together making Ephraim
a grandfather of 15 children who delight in listening as he starts one of the stories he loves to tell
of happy days gone by, with "A long time ago''
quote. Its twinkling brown eyes and merry laugh
have made many hearts happy thru the years.
In the spring of 1957, after 39 years of farming, (and 68 years of it being home to him), Fphraim
and Frances had a sale of their farm machinery and
livestock. They purchased the Anna Dwelle property in Cedar Point and moved into town in August 1957 where they made their home for 11 years.
He and Mrs. Pinkston celebrated their 50th
wedding anniversary :April 19, 1968. Frances passed away May 14, 1968. He then went to live with
his daughter Dorothy and family who lived on the old John Overstreet farm, east and south of Cedar
Point. He lived here for a year. Having sold the
farm, Elmer and Dorothy moved to 812 Union St. in
Emporia, September 8, 1969. In June 1970, his
children helped him celebrate his 100th birthday
by having open house in Dorothy's home in Emporia for the many friends and relatives who came to
wish him Happy Birthday and many happy returns
of the day.
"Jack'' is still living with them, he is in pretty
good health, but doesn't hear to well and can't see
well enough to read anymore, but he still chuckles
to himself over the happy memories that 102 years
of living have given him !
Mr. Pinkston passed away - September 12, 1972.
Chase County Centennial, 1872 - 1972
by Lorna Marvin
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Permission is granted for use only on an official KSGenWeb page.
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