Notes used for the speech given at the "Old Timers Party"
July 30, 1994
I've heard so many people talk of "The Good Old Days". When were those days? Perhaps they were honorable days originating as a special time or period. I'm going to speak of my parents and the old time, relating to an earlier period.
My parents were both born in Illinois, dad at Mt Zion (1870). and mom at Springfield (1877). Dad's name, Rufus Daniel, came from his grandfather, "Ru" Daniel Traughber. My mom's maiden name was Nellie Francis Hillman. "Nellie" came from her aunt Nellie Cooper. Both of their families were to move to Kansas and then to Monette, Missouri before they would meet and eventually wed. The year my folks were married, without warning to ordinary observers, one of the worst financial panics in the U.S. passed through, "The Panic of 1893". They weathered many a hard time together. To their union, 12 children were born. Eight lived to maturity.
In 1862, Congress passed the Homestead and Exemption law, an agreement to occupy and cultivate such land for 5 years in exchange for ownership. It changed to 3 years in 1912. Because of ill health, my dad wanted to move west.. He first went to Everett, WA but there was no work and dad didn't like it. With an invitation from Mr. Charles Ritchey to homestead land as he had done, my folks sold their home and orchard and left Monette for Swan Valley, Idaho. We stayed in Idaho Falls for about 2 months. Dad caught a ride to Swan Valley with Frank Calderwood and bought 80 acres with a large 3 room log house from Joe Edwards. It had been homesteaded by Joe, Alex Martin's grandfather.
The spring of 1914, with joyful songs of the birds and pretty wild flowers, found the Traughbers settled in Swan Valley and very, very busy. Dad worked with his 3 sons, 8, 10, and 12, to get timber for fences, barns, etc on Pine Creek Bench. The road to Victor had a steep grade at the end of the bridge. One had to rough-lock the wagon with heavy log chains get down with a load. Paul and Clyde's jobs were to take turns handling a measuring stick or herding cows at home. On June 12, Clyde went with dad and Harry to handle the measuring stick while they cut timber. A few yards in front of them 2 others were cutting timber. While taking his measuring stick to dad, Clyde caught his foot in brush. He fell, catching himself by throwing his foot upon the tree just as dad's ax came down with a bang, cutting Clyde's foot off. All but a piece of cord in the heel was severed. Dad put a tourniquet on Clyde's foot with a stocking from his other foot. With help from the other 2 timber cutters, they loaded Clyde on a wagon and drove him to Victor to see the doctor. The next day he had to be taken to the hospital. Dad and a neighbor took him in the neighbor's white top buggy and horses. Clyde stayed in the hospital until the middle of September. He wore steel braces for several years.
No, we cannot forget the love of family and neighbors working together in times of sickness and depressing times.
My parents were both born in Illinois, dad at Mt Zion (1870). and mom at Springfield (1877). Dad's name, Rufus Daniel, came from his grandfather, "Ru" Daniel Traughber. My mom's maiden name was Nellie Francis Hillman. "Nellie" came from her aunt Nellie Cooper. Both of their families were to move to Kansas and then to Monette, Missouri before they would meet and eventually wed. The year my folks were married, without warning to ordinary observers, one of the worst financial panics in the U.S. passed through, "The Panic of 1893". They weathered many a hard time together. To their union, 12 children were born. Eight lived to maturity.
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Front Row: Lena and Mabel
Middle Row: Nellie, Paul, and Clara
Back Row: Harry, Rufus, and Clyde
(picture from "Trumpeters Dell", photo courtesy of Delbert Winterfeld)
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The spring of 1914, with joyful songs of the birds and pretty wild flowers, found the Traughbers settled in Swan Valley and very, very busy. Dad worked with his 3 sons, 8, 10, and 12, to get timber for fences, barns, etc on Pine Creek Bench. The road to Victor had a steep grade at the end of the bridge. One had to rough-lock the wagon with heavy log chains get down with a load. Paul and Clyde's jobs were to take turns handling a measuring stick or herding cows at home. On June 12, Clyde went with dad and Harry to handle the measuring stick while they cut timber. A few yards in front of them 2 others were cutting timber. While taking his measuring stick to dad, Clyde caught his foot in brush. He fell, catching himself by throwing his foot upon the tree just as dad's ax came down with a bang, cutting Clyde's foot off. All but a piece of cord in the heel was severed. Dad put a tourniquet on Clyde's foot with a stocking from his other foot. With help from the other 2 timber cutters, they loaded Clyde on a wagon and drove him to Victor to see the doctor. The next day he had to be taken to the hospital. Dad and a neighbor took him in the neighbor's white top buggy and horses. Clyde stayed in the hospital until the middle of September. He wore steel braces for several years.
-Mabel Traughber Winterfeld
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