Jeremiah Vernon was born in Kentucky in the year 1805. He was married to Betsy Stark. Their two oldest children were born in Kentucky, they moved to Missouri and homesteaded a farm where Olean is now. The house he built was a large log house, fireplace in each end...considered a mansion in those days. Fourteen more children were born there, making 16 children in all. Their names are Nancy, Polly, Wilburn, Becky, Sally, Serena, Martha, Caroline, Leah, Missouri, George, Lark, Tom, Ann, Maniza, Charity.

Nancy married Jim Long and lived close to Mt. Pleasant. They had one daughter, Mary Jane. Nancy died young not long after the birth of her child. Mary Jane married Hardy Shadrick.

Polly married John Hannah. They lived hear High Point and didn't have any children. Aunt Polly was large, weighed more than 300 pounds and lived to be about sixty years old.

Wilburn married Sarah Henderson and lived in different places all in Miller County not far from Mt. Pleasant, Eldon and Olean. Their children's names are; Mary Eliza, William, Harvey, Isaac, Elizabeth, Adaline, Lyda, George, John and Frank. One baby died in infancy. Mary Eliza married Ben Allen and lived east of Olean. They raised their children on a farm and gave land for the Allen Cemetery. Their children's names are; Billy, Emma, Charley, Estella and Earnest. Emma married John Clay, had one child named Edgar. Charley married Stella Allee, had several children, Ollie, Priest, Ray, Isma, Raymond, Hilgor, Erma. Earnest and Billy have never married.

Brother Billy married Anna Hunsucker and they had one child, Forrest. Anna died and he later married Theodosia Jordon. They lived east of Olean near Enon for several years, they moved to High Point. Forrest married Anna McGill. Brother Billy died at their house and the age of 84 years.

Harvey married Sarah Jones, had six children; Eliza, Fanny, Allen, Lou and Walter, an infant baby. Sarah died December 10th 1881. He later married Rachel Salena Cox. Their children's names are; May, Ollie, Roy, Amy, Ray, Gertie, Minnie, Aubra, Edna, Rella, Cecil, Effie, Virgie, and Versie and 3 infant babies. Isaac married Mattie White and lived east of Aurora. Their children are Arthur, Pearl, Blanche, Maude, Clyde, Opal, Edgar, Carl, Bessie, Truman and Dolly. One baby died in infancy.

Adaline married John Evans, had one child. She and the baby both died when she was real young.

Elizabeth married Thomas Smith. He had two children, Mamie and Willie, but Elizabeth didn't have any children. After Uncle Tom died she married Joe Marriott and lived near Latham.

George married Alice White, lived on a farm on the ridge south of Saline Creek. Their children are; Nora, Daisy, Gracie, Nellie, Laura, Bertie, Georgie, Ira, Harley, and Willie. He later married Mollie Grandstaff. Their children are; Jewel, Louis and Sylvia. He later married Maud Adcock Chitiseter. They have several children and are now living in Caney, Kansas.

John married Rosa McKinney, they lived on a farm and Grandpa Vernon spent his last years at their house. He received a pension and paid his way, but Aunt Rosy was always good to him. Their children are Louis, Claude, Carolie, Chester and Mildred. (Uncle John died June 14th at the age of 69 years, 11 months, 4 days.)

Frank married Sarah Kelsay, they lived on a farm north of the Saline Creek, for years Uncle Frank ran a saw mill, sawed lumber for a lot of people. Their children are Fred, Otto, Ruth, Corney, Dona and Lester. Otto, Ruth and Corney and another baby are dead. Ruth was 16, Otto 8, Corney 3.

Becky married Calvin Starling and had about seven children. Their names are; Tom, Henry, Jim, Mary Emiline, Jane, Manda, Roona and one baby died. Aunt Becky and Uncle Calvin both lived to be old near Mt. Herman. Uncle Calvin died first.

Sally married Harvey Henderson, for several years, they lived east of Olean then moved out West to Kansas in the year 1865. Aunt Sally died in Northern Kansas, he married again and moved to Blackwell, Kansas and died there when he was old. Their children are; Will, Nancy, Elizabeth Tom, John, George, L.B. and Fannie.

Serena married Joel McKinney. They lived close to Spring Garden for years, then moved to Arkansas. Uncle Joel was out hunting and was killed by the Indians. They found him with two arrows in his body. He was frozen and they had to leave the arrows in his body. Aunt Serena died the next June. Their children are; Tom, Martha, Georgeann and Joo Ann (twins). Their Grandpa McKinney went after the children and mother and father kept the twins and Tom.

Martha married Tom Shelton, they had 4 children; Tom, Joel, Martha and Mary. They lived near Rock Mt. and both lived to be old. Uncle Tom always went to the Soldiers Encampment each year and wore his soldiers uniform and Aunt Martha died 2 weeks before Grandpa Vernon died. (Wilber Vernon)

Caroline married Dan Atkinson. They lived one mile east of Mr. Herman Church. They had two children, Jim and Oma Jane. She died when the children were small.

Leah married Yancy Roark. They lived in Aurora Springs. Their children are Nolen and Johnny, Sis (Martha). Nolan had one daughter (Nellie) and Johnny's children are Arthur and Horace. Uncle Yancy was killed in the time of the war.

About August 30, 1884, seven men were killed down on the Osage River. They were taken prisoner and marched out on the sandbar and shot down. The other men were Sam McClure, Fair Long, John Starling, Dick Crisp, Nat Hicks and one other.

Missouri Married Edd Farris. They lived near Spring Garden and had several children. I don't know all of their names. Billy was one, and he lived west of Eldon for a while.

Uncle George married Mary Norman. They lived near California, Missouri on a farm. They had six children; Doll, Ray, Henry, Josie, Joe, Lilly, Myrtle and Barbara. One son was born dead...no name. Aunt Mary died February 1904 and he moved into California and died February 1912, about five years after she did.

Aunt Ann married Bill Woolkit. They had one child that lived to be two years old. Her husband died and later years she married Edd Farris, brother-in-law.

Charity married Joel Simmons and lived and raised their family near Rocky Mount.

Maniza died when just a girl about 16 or 17.

Lark died when he was 21. Had TB.

Tom, the youngest in the family died with spotted fever when he was 17 years.

These are the names of my grandfather Vernon's family and who they married and their children and also some of the children and great-grand children.

William Henderson was born in Tennessee. He married a Bradford. They had ten children. They moved to Miller County and homesteaded a Farm on the Little Saline Creek where it is known now as the Bill Harrison Farm. They settled there when my grandmother was 10 years old. My grandmother's name was Sarah. The other children's names are; Allen, John, Edd, Harvey, Isaac, Eli, Betty, Eliza and Tilda. Grandmother died on that farm, was buried (Salem) near Eldon. Grandfather lived with his children, died in Kansas, brought back here and buried in Salem Cemetery.

Allen married and lived across the river south of Bagnell. He had five children; Edd, Jim, Allen, Laura and Caroline. He died years ago. Laura still lives close to Bagnell. Jim and Edd live on the old Homestead.

Betty married Dave Stepp. They had several children; Jim, John, Bill, Wayne, Ike, Edd, George, Joe, Eliza, Julia and Nancy.

Eliza married a Bradford.

Harvey married Sally Vernon, a sister to my father and Sarah Henderson married Wilburn Vernon, my father.

Eli married a girl by the name of Lucy Bailey and wasn't a very good citizen; did some things that in that day was considered terrible and had to go away.

At the time my Grandfather Jeremiah Vernon moved to Missouri, the state was not very thickly populated. Miller County had not yet become a county. There were only a few families in what is now Miller County. Very little land in cultivation. They used plows to cultivate the soil made of wood and pulled by oxen.

The crops were mostly corn and some wheat, cotton and flax. The flax and cotton were used to make their clothes. They used wool to make the heavy clothes, they used hand cards to card it and they knitted all their hose and gloves.

There was a blacksmith shop at Mt. Pleasant where supplies could be made for farm implements.

All stock, hogs and sheep ran at large and were identified as belonging to each owner by certain marks on their ears, made when the animals were small, by cutting a piece out of the ear. Call upper bit in the left ear or lower bit in the right, etc.

Not only the domestic animals roamed the hills but wild animals as well. There were lots of deer bear, panthers and lynx, bob-cats and wolves.

Both Grandfather Vernon and Grandfather Henderson lived in log houses. Modern conveniences such as we have now were not even heard of then.

When Grandfather Vernon's children were about grown in the year 1850, he left Grandmother and the children, some of them married, and went to the goldfields...or started to go. He never got there. He died on the plains. News had come that there was lots of gold in California and lots of folks went in wagon trains, wagons drawn by oxen, not very much roads, no bridges across streams made traveling very slow. In making preparation to go he made a new wagon box and made a cover for the wagon.

He took sick and died and was buried on the plains of eastern California. He had Bright's disease. His companions, Jimmy Taylor and Tandy Moore and Mr. Long made a coffin out of his new wagon bed and buried him beside the trail.

He was about 45 years old. It was a long time before Grandmother and the family heard he was dead. News traveled slow in those days.

Grandmother lived on the old home place (where Olean is now) for several years, then she moved to a little farm near Mt. Herman Church.

A Baptist (frame house) church had been built there by that time, before that there was a church just northeast of where Eldon is, now called Mt. Vernon Church and that is where all the old settlers attended church.

Grandmother had a stroke of paralysis at Mt. Herman Church. They took her home and she only lived a few days. They buried her at the Allen Cemetery. Most of the family were members of the Baptist Church and lived respectable lives.

My father's name was Wilburn Vernon. He was born December 21, 1827. He spent all of his boyhood days on his father's farm, the farm he had homesteaded where Olean is now.

The house and stables were made of logs and all the cooking was done on an open fireplace, iron kettles were used for boiling and bread was baked in dutch ovens made of iron.

Father never took any trips away from the home country. He hunted a lot, and would tan the hides of animals. Some of the skins were used to make shoes for the family.

Wild deer was so plentiful in those days that father often would get up in the night to drive them away to keep them from destroying the crops.

My mothers name was Sarah Susan Henderson, daughter of William Henderson. She was born in Tennessee May 5, 1828. When she was 10 years old she came with her parents to Missouri and settled on the Little Saline Creek. Grandfather homesteaded a tract of land and lived there for many years.

Grandmother died there and was buried near Eldon at the Salem Cemetery.

My father and mother were married in the year 1846. They lived for awhile at Grandfather Vernon's, then father homesteaded 80 acres of land where Eldon is now. He build a house close to where the Weeks Dairy Farm is now. The house was make of logs used just as they were cut with the ax. The ends not straightened up. They called them karf ends. The logs were daubed with mud to keep out the cold.

My sister, Mary Eliza and brother, William Jeremiah, were born before they moved to this place and I was born a while after they moved to where Eldon is now, on June 13, 1853.

When I was about a year old, father sold that farm to Captain Billy Miller for $200.00. Mr. Miller was called 'Captain' because he drilled men to prepare for fight or war if trouble with the Indians occurred.

Father then bought 40 acres of land just east of Mt. Pleasant. There was a one room log house on it. We lived there for about a year and my brother, Isaac, was born there. Mother said I was not pleased about the new baby and she found me with the hatchet and was going to kill it.

In the fall of 1855 was my earliest remembrance. I can remember father hauling in pumpkins and rolling them down a board into the yard out of the ox cart. The cart was a two-wheeled vehicle, the kind that was used almost altogether in those days and always drawn by oxen. Up until after that time we had never owned a horse. The oxen were fastened together with a yoke across their necks with loops for their heads to go through and they were trained to be guided by talking to them. The didn't use lines as are used for horses. 'Gee' meant turn to the right and 'Haw' meant turn to the left.

Father traded that 40 acres of land for 300 acres about 6 miles farther north on Brush Creek, traded even. He moved down there because the deer were more plentiful. There was a log house on it and a log smoke house.

Then father traded 20 acres for a horse and bought another one and then he had a team of horses; the first I can remember. But we worked oxen a lot after that, especially about the plowing.

Then before this time we always drove an ox team to attend church at Mt. Vernon Church near where Eldon is now. It was about six miles and we had to start at sunrise to get there in time. We had no clocks then and we counted time by the sun or 3 hours by sun, etc.

We rode to Church in a cart; sometimes it would be pretty crowded. I remember one time Brother Billy falling out and gave us a scare, but he wasn't hurt much.

We lived in that place about five years and sold a part of the farm with the house to Hoe Morrison and built a new house up on the road, moved there in about 1861. I helped to hew the logs for the house, and we made an improvement over the old house although it was made of logs too. It was while we lived at this place that father told me to take 2 pigs out and kill them. The sow had died. I felt so sorry for the pigs that I took them into the woods and hid them and would slip out milk for them and roasting ears. They grew to be big hogs and father sold them.

Lots of interesting things had happened before we moved to this place. Adaline, Elizabeth, Lyda were born before we moved up on the road.

I remember when I was about 12 years old, we children had gathered a large pile of walnuts and we were so proud of them. One morning we saw a bunch of hogs gathered around the walnuts. We wanted to chase them away but father recognized the hogs as some of our own that had strayed and he had given up for lost so we had to keep quiet while they were headed off and driven into the lot.

Another thing I remember was hating the goose, my mother had a lot of geese and was so proud of them. She was making pillows and feather beds with the feathers she picked from them. Once when one came too close to where I was feeding the cows, I hit it on the head with an ear of corn. It just toppled over dead. I was so scared I ran and hid it under some leaves in a fence corner and went into supper. I felt too bad to eat and kept thinking about that goose. So, as soon as it was dark I slipped out intending to carry it so far away that no one would ever know what became of it. When I came to the pile of leaves where it was hid I began to dig down and as soon as I touched it, it began to 'Squake, Squake' and I ran away. What a scare, but what a relief!

My first school was at Scab Town where Mt. Herman School is now. I was only 5 years old the first term which lasted only about 3 months. The teacher was Joe Russell. He gave me a whipping the first day for pulling Tom Henderson's ear.

The school house was made of logs and had split logs for seats and had logs on them but no backs. They had puncheon floors.

The only light we had was where a log had been left out along one side of the room and right under this place was the writing desk. The house was heated with a fireplace with a chimney made of wood. The building only had one door. The only book we had to start with was the old blue back spelling book. Every pupil had to study out loud and did for several years after I started to school. Then later when a teacher came to teach and had us to study to ourselves it caused quite an argument among the parents. Some thought quiet study wouldn't do.

A Sunday School was organized at Scab Town and father was put in as Superintendent and that is when he learned to read. He had never had an opportunity to learn when he was a boy. Our literature was the Bible and we had pamphlets too with good moral reading. We only got a few and different kinds so we would read them and take them back and exchange for others so everyone could read all of them.

The year 1861 father was drafted into the Federal Army against his will for he was a southern sympathizer. I was only 8 years old when they came to get father, but I remember it well; they set their guns down beside the door. I wanted to get hold of those guns for I didn't want them to take father away. He joined Captain Green's Army at Hickory Hill. About a year later several of our neighbors were killed by a bunch of bush whackers. The bush whackers were men that didn't belong to either side, just out-laws.

Father was in the war about tow years. He always carried his Bible with him and often called a crowd of men together to read and pray. Some would make fun of him but he saw the great need of prayer. Some of the men ordinarily would have been good but the bad influence caused them to be rough.

We were all so glad when the war was over and father was home to stay. It had been hard times and mother had worried so for lots of our friends were killed and lots of them suffered in lots of ways.

Not long after the war was over father sold our farm to John J. Farris and bought a farm from Martin Haynes, about 1« miles north-east of Mt. Pleasant. I was then about 13 years old. I did lots of work, helped to clear new ground and did plowing and helped to raise the crops. Bro. Billy hired out to neighbors so he could help to buy shoes and clothing for the rest of us.

It was always a delight to us children when father and mother would take us to visit some of our friends or relatives. It was quite a drive to Grandpa Hendersons house. I only remember seeing Grandmother Henderson one time. I remember her petting me, and she gave me some sweet cakes and they were made with sorghum molasses.

Grandmother and Grandfather Henderson had an apple orchard on their farm that they had planted. Grandmother brought the apple seeds tied up in her handkerchief from Tennessee (after more than 100 years some are still living.)

I was married to Sarah Jones, September 6, 1871. Her father, Allen Jones was dead and her mother and sister and brothers lived at her grandfather's; Captain Miller. Captain Miller's home was 2 miles north of Mt. Pleasant about ¬ mile from our house.

We were married at her grandfather's. My folks and several others, relatives, were there and they had a big wedding dinner. Then the next day all the folks came to have two big dinners, one at the home of the bride and one at the home of the bridegroom.

We stayed at Grandfather's a few days and then went to housekeeping on a farm northeast of Mt. Pleasant on Brush Creek..a rented farm. We planted wheat and corn, too, but that year the chinch bugs took all the crops in that part of the county. I got five bushels of wheat for my share of the crop. Then we moved farther north and lived there when Eliza was born on November 12, 1872.

I sowed my five bushels of wheat that fall and had a crop failure again, the bugs were bad that year, too. That year I thrashed six bushels of wheat. I worked awhile in the lead mines close to Rock Enon Church.

The year 1874 Fannie was born on July 19th. We moved soon after that to Brother Billy's farm close to Mt. Herman. We lived there a few years. Allen was born Feb. 4, 1876 and Lou was born January 13, 1878. It was about that time father bought some land and moved on the Saline Creek, bought the farm from Mr. Popjoy in the year 1878. Not long after that I bought 80 acres of land joining his on the west and built a log house...not very large but with a fireplace to cook on and for heat. I bought a saw mill and did sawing for myself and other people. Walter was born on January 16, 1880. I had improved the place, cleared the land and had lumber sawed for a new house. On December 10, 1881 another baby was born and my wife and the baby both died. My mother lived close and helped me with the children. Eliza, the oldest, was only nine.

My sister, Adaline, died in 1882. She had married a fellow by the name of Evans. A sort of gangster, he had a gang down on the Saline Creek. He was with Jesse James outlaws, too. Jesse James hid out there for a while. Evans kept trying to see Adaline and one day he rode up and took her on a horse and ran as fast as they could, were away before mother or the folks realized. Isaac and I got on horses and rode after them but when we sighted them they fired several shots at us. Father went to the Justice of the Peace and told him if they came there for him to marry them and say he gave his consent. He didn't want her to marry him but thought under the circumstances it would be best. He took her with the gang down in the southern part of the State and into Kansas. She told her neighbor to write to father to come after her. He went but it was a long and hard journey for him. He found her with a baby about a year old. It was sick and so was she. She slipped away without letting Evans know she was leaving. He had beat the baby and it died shortly after. Father got them home and Adaline died shortly after that, she was only about 26 years old. She and her baby were both buried at the Allen Cemetery on my sister, Mary Eliza's farm east of Olean and near Mt. Herman Church.

I bought 80 acres of land farther west up the Saline Creek and built the house that I have lived in ever since, built it with the lumber that I had sawed myself and then bought the weatherboarding and made the first frame house that I ever owned. I began building in 1884, but didn't get it completed until later...moved in March 1885, did some concreting in the fall. My father and Bro. Isaac built new homes, too.

In 1882 I was badly hurt, I had an ox team and was trying to load a saw log. John, George and my father were helping and one of the oxen acted up and caused a log to fall across my chest and crush me. It was a long time before I got better. My children and I were living alone then and my mother helped me a lot.

June 14, 1885, I was married to Rachel Salena Cox. Her folks lived on the Samuel Harrison farm in a house on the east side of the road near the spring. We were married there at their house. Several people were there for the ceremony. Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Harrison were guests and witnessed our certificate. The next day we came home and my mother and father were there and mother, Eliza and Fannie had a cooked a big dinner. Eliza was 12 and Fannie was 11, Allen was 9 and Lou 7 and Walter 5 at that time. When we drove up home the children and mother all came out a kissed Salena and she cried, but we were all happy to have a mother.

That fall Eliza, Fannie, Allen and Lou went to the Aurora Springs School. They had a large brick schoolhouse with three rooms. They had four teachers...Prof. Moles was the principal.

We carried or hauled water from the creek to wash with and from the springs for drinking water for the first few years, then in 1889 we had a well dug.

In 1889 we bought another saw mill. I sold the other one when I bought the 80 acres. By running the mill and farming too, we were able to pay off the debt on our land and buy more land. In about 1886 Fannie had a bad spell of typhoid fever and was bad for a long time. When she finally did get well her hair all came out.

May was born on July 18, 1886 and Ollie was born on March 27 1888, Vergie August 17, 1889 and Roy December 31, 1890. In 1887 Walter died with brain fever. Vergie died March 10, 1890. In 1891 Eliza and Fannie were both married. Eliza and Levi Cunningham were married June 18th and Fannie married George Skiles, Oct. 15th. Levi helped me with the sawmill and sw sawed lumber and build a one room house close to the spring for them to live in. Fannie and George went to housekeeping close to his mother's...about 2 miles northeast of here.

In 1893 my father gave an acre of land and we sawed lumber and built a schoolhouse east of my father's house named Vernon School. Frank Haynes was the first teacher in this district. Sometimes we had church there, too and a Sunday School was carried on for quite a while at different times.

Each year when we sheared the sheep we would take some of the wool to the carding machine over on the little Saline Creek and have it carded. Mr. Lee Wright owned and operated the carding machine. Mama and the girls would spin the yarn and knit stockings and gloves and make blankets out of it.

On July 1, 1891 Mother Cox died. She had T.B. and had been sick a long time. They had moved from the Harrison place to a place of their own up near Rocky Mount and on January 15, 1892, just 6« months later my mother died. She had an abscess on her liver or side. She was bad for a long time. All of her children were married and Frank and his wife were living with father at that time. It was about a year after they were married.

We were members of the Baptist Church at Aurora Springs and went when they had Church Meetings there. Also attended the Primitive Baptist Church there, too.

We would go up in a hack or wagon for miles to our Baptist Associational Meetings, sometimes to Spring Garden. (It was at Spring Garden that we first hear S.M. Brown). He preached from the text "God is Love", "God is a Consuming Fire". Sometimes at Blue Springs or Mt. Herman Churches or to Rocky Mount.

The baptists didn't own their own building at Aurora and so many other denominations used the same building so the Church almost died down and we organized a church at Eldon, bought an old church building at Aurora and tore it down and moved it to Eldon and built a church house in the west part of town. I took my team and helped haul lumber to Eldon.

In the year 1892, Amy was born on November 2nd. Ray was born October 2, 1894. Gertie February 7, 1896.

In the summer and fall of 1894 we began building a new barn. We had sawed the lumber at our sawmill and built a real large barn. Father Cox (Sidney) helped with the building and Ton Horn, (one of the neighbors) helped.

In November of that year (1894) all of our children except Ray had the Diphtheria. People didn't know anything about the anti-toxin then and there was a great epidemic of diphtheria that year. In several homes the children all died. Conrad Winzel lost children and Straples. In some instances the neighbors were so afraid that the own family had to bury their children.

Ollie took it first and then the others. We had been afraid they would take it and had been giving them sulphur and cream of tarter mixed it in molasses and gave it in teaspoon doses. Even then May and Ollie and Roy had it awful bad. Amy had it, but not bad. We used chicken feather to swab their throats and we found Amy up on the bureau with a turkey feather swabbing her own throat. She was two years old. Dr. H. H. Brockman was our doctor and he came often. It affected their throats so much that it was months before they could talk plain again. It left Roy about paralyzed and one of his feet badly infected, too.

The winter after Ray was born, Salena had worked so much taking care of the diphtheria patients and overdone her strength. She had one of her breast to rise and she suffered so bad for a long time she had it lanced. We had to raise Ray on a bottle after that.

In about 1895 we bought our first bed springs. Very few people had bed springs. Our beds were wooden beds, some of the Jenny Lynn style, others real hight head or footpieces. We made ticks that would hold straw and we made straw beds and used our feather beds on top of the straw ticks. We had a pet sheep, "Old Nannnie" and she got so mean to fight the children. I traded her to Mr. Francis for the bed springs.

Eliza and Levi lived in the little house on our place and Elmer and Chlora both were born there. Then they went to the Indian Territory (Oklahoma now.) They went in a covered wagon. Albert was born in the covered wagon. They came back home and lived in the little house again a while, they bought a farm of their own south-east of the ridge about a mile, built a log house and dug a well. In 1900 they went back to Oklahoma and from there to Arkansas and have lived there most of the time since then.

George and Fanny bought a farm just south of the schoolhouse. Lived in a log house until they could build a house. They had twin babies born while they lived close to George's mother, Alpha and Oma. Oma died, only lived a little while. Their children were born after they built their house. Henry was born in the log house before they moved into the new house. Mallory and Florence were born later.

Lou married Forrest White. They lived for awhile in the little house and then bought some land east of Frank Vernon's place and built a house there. Clarence was born while they lived there. They sold that and moved back to the little house and Lily was born there. They built a house west of our house and Jessie and Nancy were born there. They later moved to Eldon and their youngest child, Walter, was born in Eldon. They later bought a farm southwest of Eldon and are living out there.

Allen married Mary Stark, February 28, 1898. They lived in the little house for awhile and their first baby was born there. It was a little girl and only lived a short time...2 days. Allen bought Levi Cunningham's farm and moved up there. When Levi's left in 1900 their other children were born there...Olivia, Ora, Harvey, and Alfred.

In April 1898 we had twin babies born, they were premature babies and both died. The same year on Christmas Day another baby was born and died.

After Allen was married he still helped me with the farming and helped at the sawmill. We had a grist mill and every Friday we would grind meal. People came for miles around to have meal ground. Some came on horseback and some in wagons or hacks. We would grind their corn and take out so much of every bushel for our pay and the grinding. The people wanted it that way, money was scarce. Farm produce wasn't worth much even if we had any to sell and we didn't raise more than we needed for our own families. We used our corn to fatten our hogs and we would butcher from 8 - 12 hogs a year. It took hogs for our family and we often divided with others. Eggs often sold as cheep as 5› per doz. and 15› a dozen was considered a high price. We raised and sold some cows and hogs and I kept some sheep and would ship the lambs. I always kept a pretty good team. One white horse was my old standby, ("Old Salem".) I bought him in 1884 when he was real young and kept him as long as he lived (until he was about 28 years old). All the children learned to ride on him and sometimes 4 or 5 would ride on him at one time.

Our new barn was a lot of help and we had a big loft for hay and a big corn crib. Then we tore away the first old log stables and just left the one West of the house.

In the fall of 1894 I lost a lot of big fat hogs with the cholera. I had 52 hogs, all died except one. That was just before the children had diphtheria and other farmers had the same trouble. The trouble with the hogs was in their throats and I've always wondered if the diseases wasn't similar to diphtheria among the children.

It was about the year 1897 or 98 that I bought 40 acres of land from Jeff Caldwell up northeast of the house and we all worked clearing up the ground. The timber had pretty well been cut off of it and we cleared it up and planted it in corn. Allen cleared and planted one of the points that went back to the back side of his land. We all worked hard getting it fenced and planted. With this new 40 it made us 160 acres of pretty good land. Every year along the creek bottom some place we planted a watermelon patch and usually had pretty good luck with them.

After my mother died in 1892 (in Jan.) my father gave up the farm and went and lived with Brother Billy for a long time, then later came and lived with my brother John. Some years later John bought the old home place and father went with them there and he lived there with them until he died on April 11, 1904. Father always said he felt more at home at John's, said they were so good to him. He had been sick for a long time. He drew a pension and had money of his own, had a horse he rode to church. He was a deacon in the Eldon Church. For years he seemed feeble and walked with a cane even when he wasn't old. He was only 77 years old when he died. He had a cancer on his face and it affected one of his eyes. It didn't seem like the cancer got bad enough to take his life.

Just a few days before father died, Tom Smith died. He was my sister Elizabeth's husband. They lived near Latham, Missouri.

In 1900, April 21, Minnie was born. She was a premature baby too, but made it fine and she soon was growing and well.

About the last of August in 1900, I went to the Indian Territory with Brother Billy and Bill Bunch and tow other men. We put a cover on a wagon and drove through, a nice trip but a hard trip. We were gone from home 6 weeks and had drove every day. We camped at night and slept in the wagon and on the ground. We saw lots of jack rabbits. I brought one's ears to show the folks at home. Just before we got home I got sick and when we got to Versailles they let me out and Bill Bunch and I came on home. We took turns riding an old mule of Bill's. I walked a lot and was so sick when I got home. I had a bad spell of typhoid fever, and was in bed for a long time. The baby had really grown in the 6 weeks I had been away. It was about 10 at night when I walked in home.

While I was away Eliza and Levi and their five children left for the West with several other people. They didn't stay long but went back on the Southern route into Arkansas, near Hazen. They raised their children there. They had 8 more children making 13. Carlis died when he was 8 years old. Then Lola died at 16 and Clyda and Bessie died too. They have 9 children, 8 of them live in Arkansas and Delsie lives in Texas.

It was in 1901 that I bought another saw mill, the third one that I have had. I gave the other one to Levi and George Skiles. They sold it to brother Frank.

The 1900 and 1901 were the dry years. There wasn't much of anything raised. We sawed lumber and helped to get along. A lot of people were really up against it.

I guess we were used to making the best of things even if we didn't have good clothes. We were warm enough and had enough to eat so we didn't go hungry.

Effie was born Jan 15, 1902 and died in Nov. of the same year. She had spinal trouble and suffered so before she died.

It was in the winter of 1902 that our neighbor, Lum Cunningham, died. He is the father of Levi Cunningham and we have lived neighbors for years. Mary Cunningham lived on there alone for a long time, then had to go and live with her children.

In 1902 we had a good crop; raised lots of everything and everyone rejoiced in the good crops. Even in good crop years, money was scarce and when we needed shoes, as was always the case...I would make ties and haul to West Aurora or to Eldon and get the money to trade for them.

They were surveying out the right-of-way for the new Rock Island Railroad that was coming through Eldon. The next two years, lots of people worked on the R.R. and Eldon took a boom.

In 1903 there was one of the worst floods that had ever been known in Kansas City. Lots of houses washed away. The Union Station was located in the bottoms and the water was up to the second story of that. Lots of people drowned and thousands lost all they possessed.

By 1904 the Rock Island trains were running through Eldon. The road from St. Louis was completed. A Round House and machine shops and a new two-story Depot were erected in Eldon.

January 26, 1904 Aubra Lee was born, our fifth son. He was my 12th child living, but the 4 older children were married and had homes and children of their own. Salena had pneumonia fever when Aubra was a baby and it left her with an awful cough. She never did recover from that cough all the years she lived.

May was married to James hickman on April 28, 1904. She wasn't 18 years old and I told her she hadn't been here long enough to make a a shadow. The children grow up so fast.

They went to live on the old Sam Harrison place and made a crop there. Then, in the fall they moved to our little house and Gladys was born Feb 6, 1905.

We were members of the Eldon Church and always attended when they had services, which was once a month. We would have services on Saturday at eleven o'clock and Sunday at eleven and Sunday night. Sometimes we would have preaching services in some of our homes on Saturday night.

Then, we attended church at Aurora when there were any services. The Rev. Suthord came and held a meeting in May 1905. There were big crowds and the church was greatly revived. Several baptized...among them were May, Amy, Laura, and Bertie Vernon. Tom Cornett was the pastor. He had been ordained at the Eldon Church.

In February 1906, May and Jim moved to Kansas City, Kansas and Jim worked in the packing house, then later in a streetcar barn. Ollie and Murray Jackson went up to K.C. later and Ollie fell in the packing house and stuck a nail in his hip. He took blood poisoning and May brought him home on the train. I met the train with 'Old Salem', but Ollie was too bad to ride, so I got Dr. Tinsley's buggy and put Salem to it and walked and led him all the way home. Dr. Tinsley came on out to see him and Ollie was awful bad for a long time. The doctor had hard work to save his leg. While Ollie was still bad, Edna was born, July 31, 1906. Salena hadn't been well and her cough was so bad at the time Edna was born, but later she seemed better that she had been since she had the pneumonia. Edna grew fast and Ollie was getting over the blood poisoning and he took lots of the care of the baby. When she could talk, she called him Ogdon and thought he was the stuff.

In 1908 we built 2 new rooms on to our house, or we finished them that spring. We made a kitchen and a parlor. We bought a new sofa and some chairs and made a new carpet for the floors, painted the woodwork, etc.

On March 16, 1908, Rella was born. Everyone was busy papering and finished up the painting. Ollie went after Dr. Tinsley and we went after Mrs. Nottleton. The new rooms weren't as important as the new baby. Then, we all had a time naming her. Everyone wanted a different name. Ollie wanted to name her Annie, (he was planning to marry Annie Artz). He thought no name was as pretty as her name.

In 1908 we had our first street fair in Eldon. A man went up in a balloon and a woman made a high dive into a tank of water. In the late summer of 1908, Brother Sitton held a tent meeting at Eldon. We all attended and it was a wonderful revival.

In 1908 we got our first telephone. It was a real thrill to call and talk to our neighbors.

In about 1906 or 1907, Salena's father, Sidney Cox, had a sale and sold his farm and his household goods and moved with his children to Texas. They lived there quite a while. The boys were carpenters and they built a new house. Minnie went to Oregon and married Charley Bradley. Father Cox went up there to visit her. He had a cancer on his nose and one on his hand. As long as one was bad the other was better.

In 1908, Father Cox and Cora came back here on a visit. It was hard on him to stay away from all of his old friends and he was getting up in years too. December 25, 2908, Ollie married Anna Artz. They went to housekeeping down on the Haifey farm. Ollie had worked and bought some pretty nice furniture. They later moved to the Artz place, then from there to Eldon where they had bought a home.

I bought 4 acres of land up West of here and let Lou and Forrest have it. They built a log house on it and lived there for several years. I think they built their house in 1902 or 1903. They sold it later and I bought it again and I got a chance to buy the rest of the 40 acres that included the track of land that is in the back of our house. I then had 200 acres in the home place. The house that Forrest built was torn down.

It was in February 1910 (5th) that Versie was born and in March that year I had the measles. There was a bad epidemic of measles. The people everywhere had them. I didn't know I had them until I began to break out. Then, the doctor said I was out of danger. All of the rest of the family took the measles from me, including Salena and the baby.

The weather that spring had been warm all through February. The peaches had bloomed and by the middle of April the peaches were as large as marbles. Then the weather turned bad and it came a freeze around the 20th of April and killed everything including some of the trees.

The change in the weather was hard on the measles and Versie had never been strong and she died the 26th of April. Salena was just awful bad. Her cough was bad and it was a long time before she was any better. Ollie and May both lived in Eldon and they had measles, too. Francis was only a few months old and she didn't take them. As soon as May got better she came home to help with her mother and Versie and Alva and Gladys both took the measles. We really did have a lot of sick folks. There was lots of pneumonia with measles and lots of folks died that spring. Mattie Burris and Crosia both died.

In 1910, Salena and I and our 3 little children, Aubra, Edna and Rella, took a trip by train to Arkansas. We went through St. Louis, from St. Louis to Brinkley and then West to Hazen, Arkansas. We hadn't seen Eliza and her family for 10 years. She had several children that we hadn't seen before.

That was the first train trip we had ever taken except a short trip from Eldon to Russellville on the Mo. Pacific one to see Grandmother Cox a few years ago.

While we were sitting in the depot at Brinkley, a rat bit Salena on the heel and made a bad sore. Eliza's folks lived on the edge of Hazen when we were there.

December 25, 1910, Amy married Will Denny. They were married here in our home. Up until this time, all of our daughters that have married have been married in our home and we have had a dinner for them and we also had a dinner at our house for Allen and Ollie the next day after their wedding. Amy and Will went to housekeeping in Aurora Springs.

In the summer of 1911, Charley Cox and his family moved back to Eldon and brought his father. Father Cox had a bad cancer on his hand. He had been having it doctored and everything that was done for it made it that much worse. Edd and John came from Texas and Minnie came from Washing to be with him. The doctors at Eldon took his arm off up near his shoulder. His hand had got so bad and swollen so that it didn't look like a hand. He got along pretty well and his arm healed over and he was so happy and all of the rest of us too. Cora came a little while and brought her baby, Erma. She was only a few months old at that time, Minnie went back home. John went home, but Edd married Rosa Stark and went to housekeeping in Eldon. Charley's folks lived in Eldon for a while, then they went to South Missouri.

Minnie and Charley Bradley moved to Texas and Father Cox went to live with them. He had pretty good health.He had pretty good health for a while. Then, the cancer on his nose began growing and there was nothing could be done for it.

They lived near Denison, Texas and Salena and I visited them there. We went on the train, went to Windsor and to Clinton and South to McAllistor, then on to Denison. Minnie and Charley Bradley and Cora and Newt Hodges and John and Neil Cox were all living near there.

Edd was working for the Rock Island Railroad and he took down with the dreaded disease that his mother and brother and sister had; T.B. He went to Colo. for his health but didn't get any better, then they went to Texas and he couldn't stand that climate so Minnie and Charley Bradley took him and Father Cox with them to Western Texas to a town called "Robert Lee Texas". Edd died there july 1914. Rose was expecting her second baby and didn't leave Denison until he was born, so she didn't get there until a short time before he died. Father Cox was so bad he couldn't be moved, but he lived for almost another year in a terrible condition. He died in May 1915 and was buried by Edd in Robert Lee Texas.

On March 23, 1912, Cecil was born. Cecil is the baby of our Family. My oldest child, Eliza, was almost 40 years old when Cecil was born.

My brothers, Isaac, George, John and Frank all live neighbors to me and we all get together often. My sister, Mary Eliza Allen, died in 1909. She had a stroke, but got better and lived for several months. Ben and his 2 sons, Billy and Earnest and his daughter, Emma Clay, all live on the home place. The cemetery is on their farm.

George lived on the ridge south of the creek. He moved to near Elston Station for awhile but came back home. His wife only lived a short time after they moved back. She died in 1902 or 1903. They had 10 children, none of them married at that time, but Nora and Daisy were both working away from home. He later married Mollie Grandstaff. They had 3 children. Mollie died when they were living in Eldon. Then, he married Maude Chitistor. They moved to Caney, Kansas. He raised a family of about 6 children.

My brother, Isaac, still lived on the farm I sold to him. He raised a large family, 11 children. When he got so he couldn't work on the farm, he rented it and moved to Eldon. He had a stroke and lived a few months and died.

My brother, John, lived on the ridge South of the creek for several years. Then, he bought our father's old farm and lived there several years. He bought a farm near Eldon and moved there. He died June 14, 1936. Rosa has lived on there at home. Sometimes she rented out a part of the house so she could have someone near.

Frank built a house north of the creek and north of Bro. Isaac's farm. He has lived there nearly all of these years. One time he took his sawmill and moved near Elston Station and worked there for a while. A lot of the time he has kept a sawmill and has sawed lots of lumber. He also works at laying cement sidewalks and foundations, also elec. and carpenter work.

My brother, Billy, married Ann Hunsucker and lived north of Olean. After Ann died, he married Dosia and lived up northwest of High Point near Burris Forks for many years. He lived near Olean before that time. His first wife died when his son Forrest, was small. He later married Dosia Jordon. She was a school teacher and taught school a lot after they were married.

Dosia died while they still lived near Burris Forks. Later Billy and Forrest and his family sold that place and bought a home east of Olean. They didn't live there very long, went back near their old home and bought another farm. Brother Billy built him a little house on Brother John's farm, and lived there alone. Forrest and Annie would try to get him to go and stay with them, but he wanted to be at Eldon so he could be near his brothers. He fell and broke his hip. Forrest came and got him, but he died not very long after his fall at Forrest's home.

My sister, Elizabeth, married Tom Smith. He had two children. They lived near Latham until after Tom died. She later married Joe Marriott. They had to sell their home and move to Latham. They bought a little home there. Joe died and Elizabeth lives there alone. She isn't well and is all crippled up with arthritis. She can hardly walk, uses a cane to get around.

For several years we had been members of the Eldon Baptist Church. In April 1915 we brought our membership back to the Aurora Springs Church. Isaac and Mattie and Maude Allen and Alpha and Floyd and Fannie and Opal Artz all brought their letters too. The second Sunday in May, three Deacons were ordained. Isaac and I and Geo. Raines were the ones ordained as Deacons.

On May 19, 1915 we bought the Church Building and did a lot of repair work on it. Rev. Jim Herderson was our pastor and was our pastor until 1918 when Roy Martin was called as Pastor.

Roy and Vica were married Nov. 12, 1915. They lived in Eldon for a while then we sold them 20 acres up west of our house and Roy built a small house first then later built a four-room house.

Ray and Allie Green were married June 11, 1916. They lived in Eldon for a while then out east of Eldon. We sold them 55 acres east of our house and they built a house...2 rooms with a basement...later built more to their house and now have a nice house.

The World War came and was a terrible blow to our Nation. Allen, Ollie, Ray and Roy were married and had families so they were not called into the Service, but lots of our neighbors and relation were. Edgar and Carl both went, but both were lucky enough to come back home. It was awful hard on Isaac and Mattie while they were away for Isaac wasn't well and not able to do much work. Germany had taken several countries, but as soon as the allied troops began to fight on German soil they surrendered. The Armistice was signed November 11, 1918.

Minnie and Guy Reed were married October 24, 1916. Amy and Will Denny were living in Iowa. Minnie was staying with them. She met and married Guy. Reeds were friends of Will and Amy. They came home on visits, but they lived in Iowa for about 8 years. Clifford was born in Iowa.

Gertie married Charley Carrender on Dec. 16, 1919. Charley had been married before and his wife died. He had 5 children. They lived in Aurora Springs. They lived together a few years and separated before Wilma was born.

Gertie married John Watt May 2, 1927. They lived on a farm out west of Eldon for a few years. Roscoe stayed with us most of the time. John had children by a former marriage.

Rella married Hilbert Kenney April 2, 1928. They were married in K.C. and lived there for a while. Then they moved out North of K.C. on a farm for a year or two. Hilbert's father and mother live at Humansville, Mo.

On my birthday, June 13, 1922, all our children and neighbors came to celebrate my birthday and also our wedding anniversary. The children gave me a suit of clothes and gave their mother nice presents too. We had a big dinner.

All of our children came home on visits even though they live away from here.

For years now Salena has been in real poor health and coughs. Sometimes she is down in bed for awhile, then gets better again. We are always glad when the children come home. We are glad we have been able to keep the old home place and can keep the home fires burning. It is a central meeting place for our children and grandchildren and our great-grandchildren.

For several years I haven't tried to do a lot of farming. I have a lot of the land in meadow and I rent out some ground too. I have a team and some cattle and a few hogs.

On Dec. 29, 1930, Velma Hickman died. They were living in Eldon at the time. Velma had been sick with a bad heart condition for 8 years. She was 19 years old. It was the first death we had had in our immediate family for quite awhile. Velma was buried at the Eldon Cemetery and May moved back to Kansas City to be hear Gladys. Gladys has the same kind of heart condition and Gladys and Hershal Dowell live in Kansas City now.

All of the year of 1931 Salena was worse, not able to be up very much of the time. We made a trip to K.C. once during that year. Minnie and Guy came home and were living down near Etterville. We went down to see them several times. They have 3 children. Loden was born in April this year. It was while Salena was visiting down at Minnie's that she wrote most of the book, the history of her folks and our life together.

Cecil and Nadine Bashore were married June 12, 1931. They were married at Versailles. They lived at Columbia for a few weeks then came home and live near here and with us a part of the time.

Mary died Jan. 26, 1932. She had had sugar diabetes for a long time and has suffered awful. Allen and Mary had started to build a new house down on the Tuscumia Road. They have a large basement made and have been living in it. Their daughter, Ora and her 2 children, live with them. Mary was buried at the Allen Cemetery. We took Salena in a car over there to their house. She was bad then and wasn't out of the house many more times after that.

Salena died April 20, 1932. All of her children except Amy was there when she died...Allen, Lou, May, Ollie, Roy, Fannie, Ray, Gertie, Minnie, Aubra, Edna, Rolla, and Cecil. Amy was living in Colorado at that time and her son, Gildred, was just awful bad sick, had been having hemorrhages of the lungs and she couldn't come. For several days we knew that the end was near. Dr. Walker came just afternoon and gave her a shot. She never came out of the sleep and died around 4 in the afternoon. We had her funeral in the Aurora Church...the old building. She had made all of the arrangements for the funeral herself. Brother Seth Scrivener preached the funeral and was assisted by Rev. Dinwiddie, our District Missionary.

The choir sang 4 songs..."Death is Only a Dream", "T Pearly White City", "It Won't Be Long", and "Will the Circle be Unbroken". Those that sang in the choir were John Vernon, Rev. Dinwiddie, Floyd Loving, Wm Enloe, Jinnie Bowden, Sadie Wiser, Grace Vernon and Mrs. R. w. Taylor, Alice Hackman and Berniece Brown. The pallbearers were our 6 sons, Allen, Ollie, Roy, Ray, Aubra, Cecil. We buried her at the Allen Cemetery where our children were buried, April 22, 1932.

Since Salena died these are lonesome times. The children come often and cook things to eat. They all came, May and Jim, Roy and Vica, Ray and Allie, Cecil and Nadine, Aubra and Flossie, Minnie and Guy, Olivia, Edna and Bill, Rella and Gertie on Mon. after the funeral and brought two Maytag washing machines and washed up all the clothes and quilts and blankets on the place.

Cecil and Nadine moved to Gertie's little house and their baby was born May 13, 1932; Catheren Adel.

On June 15th, 1932, I sold the farm to Oscar Latza for $4,600.00. He paid $600.00 cash and I took a note for the rest. Selling the home was a shock to all of us. I had to give possession at once, so all the children came and packed and divided up the things. The most of them cried all the time we were packing. I moved my bed and trunk and dresser to May's. I sold my team and farm machinery and just kept one cow and calf, took them with me. I stayed with May and Jim and made that my home. While I was there we made a cellar. Roy did the cementing and it was a nice job. We were proud of it.

In July 11, 1932, I went with Aubra and Flossie and the children to Colorado to visit with Amy and Will Denny. Aubra drove an Essex car. We had a good trip in the mountains and saw lots of wonderful sights. Amy's lived at Gunnison, that was up in the mountains and beautiful scenery. Gildred is getting better. He still has hemorrhages, but not bad. While we were there they took us to see the Monument Canyon. I never dreamed there was such wonderful rock formation as we saw there. We came back to Kansas City to Alva's and got home July 29th. Had been gone about 3 weeks.

In October, Edna and Bill bought a little piece of land from Ray and moved their house down on it. They had been living in their house that set on the home place, but when I sold the farm, they moved their house. This summer, all the children, except Amy and Rolla, are living near here. Ollie is living on the Artz place with Mrs. Artz...Roy and Vica up near Eldon...and Allen lives near here...Minnie and Guy near Etterville. Ray and Aubra lived on a part of the old home place. Gertie and John Watt have separated and she is living in her little house on a part of the home place. Cecil lives the Allen's old house. Amy in Colo. and Rella North of K.C.

Nov. 14, 1932, Roy, Ray, Cecil and I went to Versailles and ordered a monument for Salena's grave. It's a double monument for both of us. I ordered 2 markers for Effie's and Versie's graves.

Feb. 1, 1933, I went to Kansas City with Gladys and Hershal and then went on and visited with Rella and Hilbert and came back to May's Feb 17.

Jim was called back to Kansas City to work at the Chevrolet Plant last Dec. and May and Gaythel and I stayed here and took care of the cows, chickens, pigs, etc. It didn't pay much to keep chickens for eggs for they sold for .07› to .10› per dozen that spring.

Oscar Latza failed to make the payment on the place, but he stayed on there all summer. Gladys and Theda came and stayed awhile. Gladys was sick all the time she was here and after she went back to K. C. she kept getting worse. May and Gaythel went to K.C. on Monday, Sept. 4, and Gladys died Sept 7. They brought her back here and buried her at the Eldon Cemetery.

May and Gaythel went back to Kansas City after the funeral to take care of Theda, Jim has been up there working since last December. (He came home weekends when he could). I moved my bed, trunk and clothes to Gertie's and stayed there awhile. Then in October I had to take the farm back. Oscar Latza had paid me $750.00 altogether. He didn't move out for a while. Amy and Will Denny moved back from Colorado. Will thought he would farm the land here. So, I moved back home and Amy and Will and Family moved in with me. It was good to be back in the old home and all of the children were happy about it, too.

I brought the old Seth Thomas Clock back and put it on the old shelf where it had set for nearly 50 years and it ticked right off and kept as good time as it always did. It wouldn't run all the time I had it at May's or Gertie's. Amy and Will stayed with me all winter, but in the spring of 1934, they went to Kansas City and Will got work up there. Roy's and Minnie's and May were all living up there. Edna and Bill and Dorrie Towns moved in with me soon after Amy's left.

In March, 1934, Florence Skiles Hicks died in Arizona. She had T.B. and had been out there for a long time on account of her health. They brought her back home and buried her at the Allen Cemetery. George Skiles had a stroke in 1927 and has been helpless ever since. He know people and calls them by name, but has never been himself since.

On July 5, 1934, my brother, Billy fell and broke his hip. He was living up by John Vernon's in a little house that he had built to be near Brother John. He was carrying a bucket of water when he fell. Forrest and Annio (his son) came and took him to their house up northwest of High Point. His hip never did heal at all and he died August 15th, 1934. He didn't have any feeling in his hip or leg and didn't suffer like he would if it hadn't been numb.

On August 3, Amy's folks moved back to Colo. Faye had married Archie Robinson and was living in Ind. In Aug. Rella had trouble with her eyes and couldn't see anything for several weeks. The doctors say it is a nerve condition, that she can see, but doesn't know she can see. A sudden shock brought back her sight, but it would go away again. I went to see her the last week in August. She was in Kansas City taking treatments.

One of the big things that has happened to this part of the country was the building of the Bagnel Dam. Thousands of people have had employment there and made lots of money. The dam will furnish power and electricity.

The fishing has been good and I have make many trips there fishing. Sometimes we fish in the lake, but most of the time below the Dam.

I have made several trips to Kansas City to visit the children that live up there and all of them come to see me as often as they can.

Fannie had been in awful poor health, taking care of George and him so helpless and then Florence's death was hard for her. Her heart got bad. They moved some of their things to Alpha and Floyd Apperson's and had been up there all summer. Alpha lives up near Eldon.

The last of September I went to Kansas City and visited Rella. She had been awful bad sick for several weeks. The 2nd day of Oct. Hershal Dowell took me and May and we left K.C. early in the morning and we drove to Caney, Kansas to see my brother, George Vernon. It was the first time I had seen him for a long time. He owns his home in the edge of Caney. Caney is just one mole North of the Okla. line. We didn't get to stay with them long, for Ray had called them before we got there and told them that Fannie was just awful bad; couldn't live long and to tell us to bring Eliza Cunningham back with us. We only stayed there 2« hours. We had intended to stay two days before going on to Arkansas. We ate dinner with them and we got to see their children; then left for Ark.

We drove east and came through Joplin and on to Anderson, Mo. We stayed all night at Anderson, Mo. with George Vernon, Jr. He and his wife and two children have a nice home. He works for the pipeline pumping station. We left there early the next A.M. and drove through the real Ozark Mountains. We got to Hazen at 4 o'clock. We called back to Eldon and Fannie is no better. So, Robert and Bertha Larkan went with us and we went to see Eliza's children that live near Hazen, Ark. We first visited Bessie Hobbs. She is a widow. Her husband died some time ago. She has 3 sons and 1 daughter. Then we went to Elmer's. They were out picking cotton. They came in carrying the long bags full of cotton. Elmer has two grown sons, but we only saw one of them. We went to Sylvia's next. She and Andrew Hamby have a boy 17 months old. It was dark by the time we got there. Then, we went to Chlora's. She and Tom Gates have 5 children. 2 are grown. We went from there back to Bertha's and ate lunch. Then, we went to Eliza's. She lived at England, Ark., 45 miles southwest of Hazen. It was about 10 o'clock when we got there. Eliza wasn't very well. She had been having hard chills and she was afraid she couldn't stand the trip back to Eldon with us. Albert lives close to her and Levi and they had all been having chills too. We talked most of the night, because we knew we couldn't stay long and we were so sorry we couldn't, for we hadn't seen Eliza's folks for so long. Eliza fried chicken and fixed a big breakfast for us.

We left there at 5:40 a.m., October 4, and got to Eldon at 3:45. Fannie was a little better. She could swallow by first holding ice in her mouth. She was able to talk to us, and she said, "Oh!! I was afraid you were not coming." So, of course, we were glad we did come on home. That was Friday and Fannie lived until the next Tuesday A.M., October 8, 1935. She knew things a part of the time, but never talked much after Friday when we first got back. We buried her at the Allen cemetery near where Florence is buried. George didn't hardly realize that Fannie was gone. He stayed on at Alpha's and she took care of him.

Cecil and Nadine had trouble. She left him and went away with another man. (They had 2 children) It was awful hard on Cecil. He couldn't do anything about it. He went to the State of Calif. and is working out there.

There was a kidnapping that has stirred the whole country. The Lindbergh baby was stolen and murdered. About 10 years ago Charles Lindbergh of St. Louis made a solo flight in an airplane across the Atlantic Ocean. He gained quite a lot of publicity and everyone knew about him. They finally arrested and convicted a German by the name of Brono Hauptmann. (He was later electrocuted on April 3, 1936.)

On Dec. 24, 1935, my brother-in-law, Bill Bunch, died suddenly of a heart ailment. He had been in poor health for some time. He had married Salena's oldest sister, Martha Cox, and for years and years they have lived near the Dooley Cemetery, close enough that we could visit each other often.

Early in 1936, Roscoe went to Calif. where Cecil was, but on April 21, Cecil and Roscoe and Amy and Don Denny and Cora Hodges, Salena's youngest sister, drove a car from Calif. Left Calif. the 21st and stopped in Arizona and visited with my grandson, Mallory Skiles and family. Then stopped to visit in K. C. and got home April 27. It was Cora's first visit here for years and in a way it was a sad visit. She came to be with Cecil. Nadine had sued for a divorce and wouldn't let him see the children. Cecil, Amy and Cora went back to Calif. They didn't wait for the trial. She got her divorce May 4, 1936. The 14th of June, 1936, my brother, John died. He had been sick for some time. Got awfully bad and they took him to the Weaver Hospital and he died there. They had his funeral at the Eldon Church. The Rev. Roper preached the sermon. Mr. Bud Simmons, Will Enloe and Floyd Loving sang.

For several weeks I had had a growth on my face. On June 24, Dr. Shelton took me to Kansas City to the Bell Memorial Hospital for treatments (x-ray). I stayed in K.C. at Roy's until July 3 and came home on the train. My face is much better, will soon be all right. I had to make two more trips back for a checkup.

All this spring Edgar Vernon and several of the neighbors have been working building a house for Mattie (Brother Isaac's widow. The built it near the old house. Edgar owns their old home place and is building a small house for his mother. On June 23, 1936 a crowd of 125 or more of the neighbors and friends met there with a shower for her. She had moved into her new house. We had several talks, we sang "What a Friend", "Amazing Grace", Rev. W. L. Howser and Rev. Dinwiddie, Forrest White, Frank, Arthur, Ollie, Mrs. Parks and I, all made short talks. The Vernon quartet sang 3 songs. Eula Colten's girls sang. Everyone is so happy for her to have a little new home.

I made two or three trips to K.C. to have Dr. Tice check up on my face. It's all healed and doing fine. Rella has had to go to the hospital several times this fall.

Jan. 1937 has started out bad. We had some awful severe cold weather. About the 10th or 11th of Jan. Vica had to have an operation at Bell Memorial hospital. Then, Rella's baby was born Jan. 17. Rella's heart was so bad, but she came out of it. Deloris is a fine baby. Jan. 27 May had an operation. Was in St. Joseph Hospital for 3 weeks. They brought her to her home at 3931 Cleveland in an ambulance and she had to lie on her back until the middle of March. They sewed up the incision March 8th and took 15 stitches. It was the last of May before she could be up and walk. I went to Kansas City to see all of the children up there. Went the 15th of March and came back home the 22nd.

On June 13, my 84th birthday, we had a big celebration. Eliza, Levi Cunningham, Bertha and Leroy Larkan came from Hazen, Arkansas. There were 27 of the folks came from Kansas City, Francis and Vesper and their husbands from Topeka, Kansas. Nora Williams, Forrest Vernon and their families, and all of the neighbors. Two hundred twenty-three people ate dinner here. We had tables all over the front yard. It was Louie Apperson's birthday, too, there were several large cakes with candles.

Cecil married Edith Reynolds on June 26, 1937. They were married in Calif. Edith was born and reared in Calif. They drove a car from Calif. They came to Gertie's up above Jeff City and Gertie and John came on here with them. It was nice to see Cecil and meet Edith. It was the first time we had met her. We had a nice visit with them. They had to buy another car before they could go back. Cecil tried to see his children, but didn't get to see them.

Rella had a bad spell and last part of July. Had to stay in the hospital for a long time. She completely loses her eyesight sometimes for days and days and she can't see at all. Minnie took care of her baby. It's 6 months old now. I made another trip to K.C. to see her. Then when Cecil and Edith went back to Calif. I went with them. We left Kansas City, Aug. 5, 1937. We had a nice trip. I got to see some wonderful sights. Saw the painted desert, the petrified forest, and the mountains. When we got to Calif. I got to visit with Amy's and Will and their family and Kenneth V. was there in Calif. Then, I visited Minnie Bradley, Cora Hodges and family, Charley Cox and family. They took me to see the ocean. It was the first time I had seen the ocean. Henry Skiles and Mallory Skiles and families live in Calif. I visited them. After I left home. Roscoe was married. He married Geneva Irwin on Aug. 21, 1937.

On Sept. 8, May and Gaythel, Hershal, Naomi and Theda came to Calif., John Cox took me on a trip out in the desert. We got several Yucca stalks to make walking canes and pincushions, etc.) We all went lots of places after May, Gaythel and Hershal came and had a big get-together in Reseda Park. There was a large crowd of our relation. We are a crowd even way out in California.

On Sept 18, Hershal, May and Gaythel left for Oregon and I went with them. We traveled northwest up through Sacramento through the Sacramento Valley where there were all kinds of fruit growing...oranges, lemons, olives, plums, grapes and walnuts. We saw great cotton fields. We camped at a cabin just outside of Sacramento. We crossed and re-crossed the Sacramento River. Then, we came to Roaring River. It was so beautiful that Gaythel wanted to stay (that was in Southern Oregon) Gaythel did go back years later and worked for the Forest Service there.

We got to Eugene, Oregon on Monday Sept. 20 and went to Jim Cox's. He lived at Marcola near Eugene. Jim Cox was painting on his front porch. We stopped the car and May and I got out. He recognized me although we hadn't seen each other for 36 years. Monday afternoon Jim and May took us all to Wendling, a few miles north to a big lumber mill where Jim worked for several years. It was wonderful to see how they float those logs in to the mill and saw the monstrous big logs into lumber. Norms and family came to Jim's Monday night to see us. Norma is Jim's daughter and lives near there. We stayed all night and left the next day, Tuesday--21st.

September 21, we traveled through the prettiest scenery we had see yet. Great forests of spruce, pine and fir trees. Then, we crossed McKensy Pass, north of the big mountains called the Three Sisters. They had snow on them. On the McKenzy Pass, there were thousands of acres of lava covered mountains. No vegetation at all. We could look from the observatory that the CCCboys had built and we could see miles and miles of lava rocks. Then we passed more natural forests. We could see lots of deer, they were not wild at all. We traveled through Idaho. It was in Idaho we saw the farm with a thousand springs, waterfalls everywhere. We stayed all night the 22nd at Bringham, Utah. Then came through Salt Lake City. Its a beautiful lake and city. We got into Colo. and to Fay (Denny) Robinson's about 4 in the afternoon, Sept. 23. Faye was looking for us. Faye and Archie were living with Archie's folks near.

She had lunch fixed to take out so she and Archie went with us. Took their truck and Bill Tobinson and we went to Vernon Denny's and picked up Vernon, March and Barbar and went and camped upon Grand Mesa...beautiful place. 175 natural lakes upon Grand Mesa. We went to monument Canyon when I was in Colo. with Aubra and Flossie in 1932. The others hadn't seen it.

Sept. 25, we left Faye's early this A.M. and traveled through Colo. Saw the Royal Gorge, crossed the Rocky Mountains, the Great Divide, came near the Garden of the Gods. Stayed all night in Colo. Springs and could see Pikes peak. We stayed all night at Hershal's uncle's. Mr. John Wooley.

September 26, Hershal had to be in K.C. the 26 to go back to work so we drove 637 miles today. It was so hot crossing Kansas and a dust storm. Got to K.C. around 10:30 p.m. I stayed in K.C. about a week, then came home. I had been away about 2 months. It was a nice trip.

Rella and Hilbert and children came for Thanksgiving (Nov. 25th) and all the children around here came and we had a big dinner.

Since Rev. N. E. Williams came to be pastor of the Aurora Springs Church, the Church had been planning to build a new Church. The old Church building was in a bad condition and not large enough. The Highway 52 was built through Aurora Springs in 1932-33 and the road came almost to the southwest corner of the Church. So the Church bought a piece of ground just north of the Church from Jim and Florence Graham and began a new building. They made a basement and began having services in it when they tore down the old building. They could use some of the material and built a much larger building. Lots of work was donated and the Church was finished and dedicated September 18, 1938...free of debt. Later bought a furnace.

In the spring of '38 Guy and Minnie bought a house at 3943 Spruce in K.C. Guy began work on it. He made a basement and built on to it. Then, in the fall of '38 Alva and Grace bought a farm out near Blue Springs, Mo. (33 Acres) and will move to it before spring.

In April, two of Eliza Cunningham's daughters died. Clyda died April 5 and Bessie died April 30. She lives in Hazen, Ark. I wish we could have been near to them.

On my birthday, June 13, we had a big celebration. Not as many came as last year. We celebrated on the 12th because it was Sunday. Vesper, Francis and Kenneth were here from away and Rella and family, Oral and Denny...then all the children that are close here came. We had a big dinner. Then, the next day, which was my birthday, (85) Ollie's and Rella's all took me fishing. We are catching lots of fish below the Dam.

Since last fall or summer, Lois Dean Stark has been having trouble with her face. She went to Springfield for a while and had treatments, then went to Kansas City and went to the Bell Memorial (Kansas State Hosp.) for treatments. She stays at May's and has had to take X-Ray treatments all the year and been in the hospital a lot of the time. We think it is a cancer, or in the nature of a cancer. We hope something can be done to cure her.

Mrs. Ben Simpson (Vica's mother) died Aug 21, 1938. She had been in very poor health for a long time. They were living in their home in the south edge of Eldon. Lots of the folks came from K.C. for the funeral.

In the fall of 1938, Amy and Cecil's folks kept writing and asking me to come to California and spend the winter with them. It's not so cold there and the more I thought about it, I thought I'd like to go. So, on November 2, I left Kansas City (with Vica and Maxine) on the train. We had a nice trip. Vica and Maxine stayed a few days and went back to K.C. I visited all the folks. I stayed at Cecil's a part of the time and at Amy's a part of the time. I felt pretty well most of the time, but on Dec. 16 I had a light stroke. I was at Cecil's and was alone. We had the doctor and I was soon feeling better again and could talk and walk again. The doctor told me that my blood pressure was pretty high.

On Jan 1, 1939, George Skiles died. We received the message here in Calif. George had been helpless for years (9 years and 7 months). He was at Alpha and Floyd Apperson's when he died about noon on New Year's Day. He had a paralytic stroke and was in a pitiful condition all those years. He was buried at the Allen Cemetery. Billy Allen was helping dig his grave when a stick of dynamite exploded and came very near killing Billy.

After I had the stroke last month, I began to feel like I was too far away from home. I am able to be up, but am not well. I had Cecil write for Roy to come after me. Roy can get a pass on the train.

On Jan 15, Cecil's, Amy's, Gaythel and I all went to a short wave broadcasting station and we contacted Edgar Simpson's broadcasting station in Kansas City and we talked to the folks. May and Minnie were at Edgar's. It was nice to talk to them. We talked 1 hour and 40 minutes. It's a new thing to be able to talk short wave like that. Roy is leaving K.C. and I'll be ready to go back with him.

We left Los Angeles and got to K.C. at 3:30 Jan. 20th. Rella and Hilbert were at the station to meet us. I stood the trip fine. Better that I thought I would. Gertie came up from Jefferson City to be in K.C. when I got there. I rested in K.C. for 2 days and on Jan. 23, Gertie and I went on the train to Jefferson City. John Buchanan met us at the depot and took us on to Eldon, HOME! I was glad to get back home. I went to the doctor and he told me just what the Calif. doctor did, that I would have to stay on a pretty strict diet and not do too much. After the weather got warm, I could go with the boys fishing sometimes.

On April 26, 1939, Flossie had a baby born dead. Flossie was in a pretty bad shape, but got able to be up some, then took just awful bad May 13, and died at 3 a.m. May 15. They have 6 children, ages from 12 to 2. We all feel so bad about Flossie having to go. The folks all came from Kansas City...Roy and Vica, Rella's, May's, Minnie's and several of Flossie's folks came, too. Flossie broke out with a rash or something that looked like scarlet fever, so they had the funeral at the home instead of at the Church. (Eddie and Lloyd Apperson and Murril Jackson played for her funeral.) Buried her in the southeast part of the Allen Cemetery on May 16, Aubra stayed on and kept the children together all summer.

In May, 1939, Wilma, Gerald, and Elwin all graduated from the 8th grade.

In June, I had a bad spell, but it wasn't a stroke as we first thought. I soon got better again. May and Theda came form K.C. June 10 to stay at the little house. May and Jim have hauled a lot of lumber from K.C. They plan to build a house with it.

June 13, my 86th birthday, the children and grandchildren came and brought supper this p.m....Gertie's Lou's, Ollie's, Ray's May, Aubra's, Alpha's Nadine's. There were 45 altogether ate supper here tonight. I got several gifts; Cecil sent me $5.00, May $1.00, Gertie; a shirt, Nadine; candy, Minnie; mirror, Cecil and Francis sent me a bedspread. Alpha's two boys and Murril Jackson played and sang songs for us. Ora and Selby Graham have a baby boy, Albert, born about 6 p.m. on my birthday. Louie Apperson, another great-grandson, is 29 today.

On June 27, I went with May and Allie to my brother, Frank's, to spend the day. Allie went after Nancy Snow and Wanda DeMott (a great-granddaughter) and they were here for dinner, too. We had a nice visit with Frank and Sarah.

On July 9, Edna took May and me to see my sister, Elizabeth. She lives in a little house in Latham by herself. Edna took some pictures of us together.

July 20, Rella and Hilbert came. They had been to Kenny's, Hilbert's folks at Humansville. They were planning to go to Calif. to live. I didn't feel well while they were here. I had a fall and hurt my back (fell up at Frank Jackson's last Sunday). They left K.C. July 30 and drove through to Calif. with car and trailer.

On Aug 3, Ray got hurt pretty bad. They were moving a smokehouse and he got caught under it. Broke some ribs and it came near being a real calamity. We are thankful he wasn't killed.

Aug. 19, Roscoe, Jim and Allen took me with them fishing and I caught 3 large fish. I told the boys if they would take me I'd catch fish and I sure did.

Aug. 30, I got to see Cecil's children, Cathern and Ralph. Ode Bashore brought them to May's and Jim came over after me. Cathern remembered me and was glad to see me as I was the see her.

Sept 19, Cecil and Edith came from California on a visit and surprised us. I was so glad to see them. Edna called Gertie and told her to fix supper tomorrow night for 6. So, Sept. 20, p.m. Edna, Darris, Edith, Cecil, May and I all went to Gertie's and she was surprised. (May came from K.C. with a neighbor of hers.) Cecil's only got to stay about a week. Edith brought new curtains for my room while she was here. They left the 26th of Sept. for Alva's and K.C. and Calif.

On Nov. 8, Rella and Hilbert came back from Calif. They didn't stay like they thought they would. They called us when they got to K.C. and Aubra took me and his children to K.C. to see them and to visit with the folks up there. Rella's rented a house on Kensington Ave., K.C., Mo. and moved to it while I was in K.C.

Aubra had tried to keep house and work and take care of the children, but when it began to get cold he just couldn't manage. So he let Nathalie go to Alva Hickman's and Nina to Roy's, Martha to Minnie's, Anna May to May's (later to Lois Vaughn's). He kept Ted and Jackie with him and took Papa and went back to Eldon. Allie and Ray helps with the children, too.

On Nov. 22, Allen and Olivia tool Lois Dean to the hospital at Fulton. They were building a new Cancer Hospital at Columbia, but it wasn't finished, so they took her to a cancer hospital there at Fulton. Lois Dean has been so bad lately and suffered so much. Her face is bad, her eyes are bad and she just couldn't stand the light. They hoped she could have something done at the hospital, but she died the next day.

November 23 (Thanksgiving day), they brought her back to Olivia's the 24th and had her funeral the 35th at the Aurora Springs Church. Buried her at the Dooley Cemetery. May, Gaythel and Shirley came from Kansas City for the funeral.

Dec. 10, Walter White died to day. He had a cold an sore throat...strep throat. He was able to be up and they thought he was better. He evidently choked to death. It was oh, such a shock to all of us and especially to Lou, Forrest and Goldie. Walter was married and had a small son. They buried him at Dooley Cemetery. Goldie and the baby are staying at Lou's.

On account of bad weather and May working steady at Peck's..the Christmas rush...the folks didn't get to come from K.C. for the funeral. The weather is so unsettled.

On Christmas 1939, Rella's came from K.C. and Gertie's came from Jeff City and all the children that are here close came and they gave me a big chair. The ones that couldn't come helped pay for the chair. It's a rocker and I am proud of it. This cold weather has kept me in pretty close, but I have been able to be up most of the time. I sleep a lot in my chair and real lots of books. I use a large magnifying glass when I read.

Sometime back, the Government bought up a lot of land over near Kaiser and are going to use it as a Conservation Park. Rya has worked on the Park. They have built several shelter houses and it's a pretty place.

The New Year started in cold and lots of snow. On Jan. 8, the temperature was down to 8 below zero and on Jan. 18, it was 11 below. Last seek the snow was drifted on the prairies 5 feet deep in places. Alva's were snowed in and couldn't get out for several days. Almost every day in Jan. it was zero or lower.

Jan 21, Roscoe and Geneva have a baby boy, James Roscoe.

Feb 3, Aubra and Tressie Beard were married. Tressie has a little girl, Betty. Aubra had Jackie and Ted with him, then later Minnie brought Martha home and in March they went to K.C. after Anna Mae. Nathalie wanted to stay at Alva's until school was out. She graduated from the 8th grade.

Mar. 15, by blood pressure is up again and I have an awful cold. Bill Towns had a bad spell. At first they thought it was a stroke, then lather thought it may be appendicitis. We are worried about him.

Our nation is still in a depression, not much work for men and practically no work for boys. The Government put WPA workers on all sorts of projects and organized the CCC Camps for boys. It has been a blessing for boys especially need to be interested in something. Gaythel left for CCC Camp Feb 5th. They sent him to Utah. Since Roosevelt has been in office, Old Age assistance has been issued to old people over 65 years of age (those that have no income of their own. I have been drawing a small check each month.

In April, May and Jim moved their things back from K.C. They are going to build a new house. The work at the Chevrolet Plant is bad and Jim thought he could go and work when they work and build on the house when he is off.

In April, Minnie's and Rella's visited us. They came to see me and Bill, too. He is still sick...not much better.

On April 17, Edna, Bill, Darris, and I, Minnie's and Rella's all went to May's for dinner. I was all in...so tired. I had Roscoe take me up to the orchard in the a.m. early and the trip in his truck was hard on me.

The last of April, Gertie brought a load of her things up from Jeff to leave here. She has been working in Jeff. She and John have been having trouble. She is going to visit Wilma in Calif. Wilma is working in Calif. and going to a Bible Institute.

May 5, Ollie went out to Sister Elizabeth's and brought her to their house. She needed someone to take care of her. Annie washed her hair. She is so crippled up she can hardly do things for herself. She visited around with all the folks. First time she has visited us for 11 years.

May 19, we had a get-together on Sun. afternoon at Mattie's for Mattie, Elizabeth, Rosa, Sarah and Frank. We had talks and several special songs. There was a big crowd, yard full of people. They took our pictures. My brother, George wasn't able to come. He lives in Caney, Kansas.

June 4, Rella and her children came and stayed 2 weeks with us. In June this year our church held its first Daily Vacation Bible School...the first D.V.B.S. held in Miller Co., May, Allie, Jewel, Dolly, Bertie and a lot of others worked as teachers. Had over 100 enrolled.

June 10, Cecil, Edith and Wilma came from Calif to be here on my 87th birthday. Several came in the evening of my birthday, but we had the celebration on Sunday, June 16. We all went to Sunday School. I put my birthday offering in for the Children's Home. A lot of the folks were here...Roy's Minnie's, Alva's from K.C. Ollie went after Elizabeth, then all the children, grandchildren that live around here came. Cecil and Edith brought a crate of oranges from Calif. We had several cases of soda pop. Had a big day. Cecil, Edith and Wilma left for Calif., June 18.

June 25, my brother, George died. He had another stroke. He lived in Caney, Kansas. I wasn't able to go to his funeral. They buried him there in Caney, Kansas.

June 30, Ollie took me, Allen and May to Mt. Herman School to a school reunion. I was the oldest pupil there. I went my first school there in 1858 when I was 5 years old. I made a talk there.

July 13, Minnie and Loden came from K.C. They are going to stay a while.

July 16, Bill Towns went to the hospital at Columbia. He intended to come back, but they dept him until the 21st. They told him he had diseased kidneys. He is in a bad condition.

July 25, May and Jim took me out to Lou's. We had dinner with them.

July 29, May and Jim started building their new house. A lot of the folks worked on it...Louie Vernon, Frank Vernon, Sherman Hickman, John Lucas, Allen, Frank Jackson and several others. They got it finished enough to move into it in Oct. They still need porches, etc. yet.

Sept. 17, Ollie took me to K.C. to see Roy. Roy got hurt while he was working a week or so ago. A piece of steel went into his thigh and severed an artery and a large vein. They didn't know at first how serious it was. Then they took him to St. Margaret's Hospital. He was operated on Sept 18. Was in the operating room 3 hours and 10 minutes. They tried to repair the artery, but couldn't. The only hope was that the veins would carry enough blood to save his leg. We are awfully worried. Roy stayed in the hospital until Oct 9. He went home with an elastic stocking on and has to keep his leg up most of the time.

Sept. 28, they dedicated a new Post Office at Eldon. They have just completed a nice new building just back of the Eldon Bank.

Sept 28, Ray's brought fish and we had a fish fry.

Oct. 6, Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Green celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary today. Had dinner at Ray's. They received several gifts. Among them was a nice blanket and towels from the Aurora Springs Church.

Oct. 21, Tom Apperson, one of our neighbors, had a stroke and died Nov. 3. Ethel and Grace Skiles came from Calif. Got here before he died.

Oct. 25, I had a roof of tin put on my house. Finished it today.

Oct. 26, Rella and Hilbert came from K.C. They brought a divan set for Edna.

Oct. 27, We all (the families around here and Rella's) went to May's and ate dinner with them in their new house.

Nov. 5, Roosevelt was elected third term with a large majority of votes.

Nov. 21, Thanksgiving Day. We had a big crowd here for Thanksgiving Day. Roy's came from K.C. Rella's came too. It was the first time Roy's have been here since he got hurt quite a while back. Ollie's Ray's, May's and Aubra's came.

I made a talk at the dinner table and I prayed a prayer of Thanksgiving. I was so thankful to have the children and I thanked the Lord Roy was better and that my life had been spared to be with my family.

Dec. 1, Alva's Folks came from Blue Springs. It was the first time they have been down since May's got their house so they could move in it. Alva stayed with me while all the rest went to S.S. and Church. Then, we all went to May's for dinner...Edna & Bill, too.

At Christmas this year, Edna, Bill and Darris went to visit Bill's uncle's folks and May went to K.C. (Jim was working in K.C.) Aubra came after me and I went and ate Christmas dinner with them.

We have been fortunate in 1940 that not any of the family has died. We've had some sickness. Bill Towns and Roy had bad spells and Rella is never well. She has a bad heart condition.

I have been fortunate that I have been up most of the time and able to go about some. I have gone fishing a few times this year.

The first month of the year has been mild. Not near as cold as last Jan.

Frank and Sarah celebrated their golden wedding. They were married Jan 11, but celebrated the 12th because it was on Sunday. There was a large crowd there. Forrest and _________top of page 28_________ Vernon and Dorothy and her husband came from Latham. About 100 people were there during the day. Amy and Will Denny and Bert Harvey sent telegrams. Bert is in Calif. He saw in the ADVERTISER about the celebration. Amy is in Colorado.

Jan 18...Rella's came from K.C. for the week-end. Every day Ray, Aubra, May, Ollie, Allen...some of them, or all of them stops to see me a hew minutes.

Jan. 21, Allen took down with pneumonia. He was just awful bad for days and days, but got better again. Dr. Shelton gave him the Sulfa drug. They use that a lot now.

They are building a new soldiers fort, Ft. Leonard Wood, over the other side (south) of Waynesville, near Rolla. There are lots of people working over there driving in cars from Eldon. Lots of wrecks on the roads. So far our roads are not made for such fast driving.

Feb. 4, Allen's birthday we all sent him cards. He if 65. May came and took me over to see him. He is able to sit up now.

Feb. 6, Edna, Bill, Darris and I went to May's for supper. Mr. and Mrs. Kersey came. Mrs. Kersey came to help me put a jig saw puzzle together. We worked at it until late bedtime.

Feb. 15, Minnie's, Roy's and Rella's came from K.C. for the week-end.

Feb. 23, Frank and Sarah came to see me and we all ate dinner at May's.

Feb. 28, Edna and Bill and Darris went to K.C. for a visit. I stayed at May's while they were away. Allen came down to May's and visited with us. He is better now.

In March Gaythel came home for a visit. We were glad he came. He came to see me and I went to May's to visit with him.

April, I had a bad swelling in one of my hands. It kept swelling worse, so I went to the doctor with it. I kept it in hot salt water. It was several days before the swelling had all gone.

April 26, Rella's came from K.C. They took me out to the Dooley cemetery and on to see Martha Bunch and back by the coal mines. Martha hasn't been well for a long time. She has high blood pressure. She is able to be up.

Sunday, April 27, Jim came from K.C. He and May came to see me and Ollie's folks came a while. Jim had to go back to K.C. May stayed until time for Church.

April 29, several men worked on the Aurora Springs Church. May fixed dinner for Bro. Williams and Allen. They wanted me to go for dinner, but I didn't feel like going then, but May came after me and I went and ate supper with her and I went to see her flower garden. Then she and I played several games of Chinese Checkers. She brought me home about 9. Edna and Bill spent the evening with Kieth and Madge Kays in Eldon.

April 30. May came by, she had been working up at the Church. She and I listened to the Bible Story on the radio at 4 o'clock. May stayed with me until 5:30.

When I left father at 5:30, April 30, that was the last time I ever talked to him. I went to prayer meeting and as I came home I saw him sitting by the lamp in the window reading. I had brought him a book from the Library to read.

May 1. Father had a stroke this A.M. Bill Towns took Edna to work and came back home, then went to the Dam. When he came back at 10:30 he found him lying on the woodpile. Lena Hees had seen him walking out toward the woodpile at 10:10. We think he went out after kindling to make a fire. It was pretty chilly in the house this A.M. Father was unconscious and never spoke.

Edgar and Hershal Vernon passed and Bill stopped them and they helped carry him in the house. Bill called Ray and Ray called Dr. Walker. When Ray got up there, he called Allen and when Allen and I got there father looked at us like he wanted to say something and couldn't. Dr. Walker said he was unconscious.

Bill went after Edna, Allie, Roscoe, Aubra and in a little while we were all there. We put in a long distance call for Amy in Colorado. Cecil, Gertie and Wilma in Calif., Eliza in Hazen, Ark., Minnie, Rella and Ray got here in just a little while. By bedtime that night, 95 people had come to see if they could help. All of us children and grandchildren and lots of other folks stayed all night. Dr. Walker came back early the next A.M. and stayed until the end. Father died at 9:35, May 2, 1941. (Ten of us children were in the room when he died, several grandchildren and friends, too.)

Eliza and Live Cunningham, Albert and Bertha and Robert got here at 5 P.M., May 2. They didn't know he was dead until they got here. The rest of the folks came from K.C. Fri. night. Madge and Kieth Kays brought papa back out home Fri. P.M. He was at home when Eliza and the K.C. folks got here.

Cecil, Edith, Gertie and Wilma got here Sat. A.M. at 6. They drove from Los Angeles in 37 hours. Great crowds of people kept coming and coming. Although there were so many of our family here, we didn't have to cook. The neighbors brought in so much food...more than we needed. Amy and Will and Don came from Colorado. They had a lot of snow in the mountains. They got here at 4:30 P.M. Sat. all tired out. More folks came from K.CC. and other places. Alva and family from Blue Springs, Hershal and Family from Odessa, Violet and Maxine from K.C., Kansas. Nadine & Roy from Springfield, Vesper and Leslie came from Topeka. On Sunday A.M. a carload of folks came from the Monroe Church in K.C., Mo.

We kept receiving flowers and more flowers until there were 43 sprays, baskets, etc...all so beautiful.

We had the funeral at the Aurora Springs Baptist Church. It was estimated that more than 500 people were there...more, far more, than could get in the house.

Rev. N.E. Williams, Pastor of the Church, preached the funeral.

After we got back from the funeral...the cemetery...all 14 of us sisters and brothers had our pictures taken out in the road in front of the house. Then we went in and planned for paying the funeral expenses. Father had $100.00 in money. We used that and we each gave money enough to finish paying all expenses.

Some of the folks left for their homes tonight and some are staying on for awhile.

Edna and Bill lived on the old home place until after Bill died Jan. 6, 1946.

We all agreed to sell the farm to Cecil and Gertie for $3,500.00, so they paid for it and it was divided into 15 parts, 14 living children and Fannie's children and a grandson received her part. Gertie and Cecil still own the old home place and at this time (1954, Sept 30). Gertie and John Watt are living there.

James Harvey Vernon was born June 13, 1853 and departed this live May 2, 1941. If he had lived one month and eight days longer, he would have been 88 years old.

His parents, Wilburn and Sarah Vernon, were among the early settlers of this county.

Mr. Vernon's entire life was spent in Miller County. The last 56 years, he had lived on the same farm. The old homestead where he reared on of the largest families in the County. Has been made dear to the entire countryside by his gracious hospitality and his friendly greetings to all, and especially dear to his children, his grandchildren, his great-grandchildren and his great-great-grandchildren.

He was married in 1871 to Sarah D. Jones who preceded him in death Dec. 10, 1881.

On June 14, 1885, he was married to Rachel Salena Cox who also preceded him in death on April 20, 1932.

Since her death, he had remained at his old home except for a few months' visit with some of his children in the state of California.At an early age, Mr. Vernon was converted and united with the Aurora Springs Baptist Church. He lived a long and beautiful Christian life.

His influence in the church where he held an office as Deacon and his influence in the community has meant much for the building of the Kingdom of God.

Mr. Vernon was loved by everybody. There never was a family in need of a neighbor or a friend that he wasn't ready and willing to help.

In his declining years, he did not lose interest in the welfare of his country. His radio and his good eyesight, that enabled him to read, helped him to keep up with all the latest events of the world.

At the time of his death, ten of the children were at his bedside and the other four arrived later. Cecil and Gertie coming from Calif., Amy from Colo. and Eliza from Ark.

Besides his fourteen children, he leaves 55 grandchildren, 75 great-grandchildren and three great-great- grandchildren, most of whom are here.

He also leaves one sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Marriott, of Latham, Mo. and one brother, Frank Vernon of Eldon. Both were able to attend the funeral.

That he was loved by all was made manifest by the large crowd of 348 people who rushed to his bedside, all anxious to be of service to him and the family.

Like the Apostle Paul, it can be truly said of him that he has fought a good fight, he has finished the course, he has kept the faith and there is laid up for him a crown of righteousness.

Perhaps the largest funeral ever held in that community was at the Aurora Springs Baptist Church. About 40 of his grand-children and great-grandchildren carried the flowers and his six sons were pallbearers. Rev. N.E. Williams made a very consoling talk on the 23rd Psalm. The Aurora Springs Baptist Church choir assisted by Will Enloe and Floyd Loving, sang "The Pearly White City", "It Won't Be Long, It May Be Soon" and "Where We'll Never Grow Old".

Burial was at the Allen Cemetery with the Kays Funeral Home of Eldon in Charge.