Luther Axline was the son of Andrew and Almira Stever Axline, a Presbyterian
  minister, born in Fairfield, Iowa, August 2, 1861, the oldest son in a family of
  seven. He came to Iuka, Pratt County, with his family in 1877.
     During his twenties he came to Barber County. He married Caroline Cartan, who
  was born in Brantford, Canada. They were married March 19, 1887. There were five
  children.
     He worked with Joe McNeal in the Medicine Lodge Cresset. Later he purchased
  the paper, running it for many years. In those years he was called a "standpat
  Republican," always very interested in politics.
     He worked for the U.S. Government in appraising the timberland in the Cherokee
  Nation.
     He bought the Stolp Ranch from George Stolp in 18897. They lived there in their
  later years; prior to that they had lived in Medicine Lodge.
     He was postmaster in Medicine Lodge twice, the last time from 1906 to 1914.
     The Luther Axline family consisted of five children: Avis, Roger, Frances, Ralph,
  and Albert (Chick). Avis died at age 12. Roger married Blanche Johnson; there
  were two children, Keith and Robert. After Blanche's death, he married Minnie Waswo.
  Frances married Vestal L. Cook. They had one child, Vestal L. Cook Jr. Ralph was
  killed in World War I and is buried in France. Albert married Louise Fleming. They
  had three sons; Irwin Earl, died in World War II, buried in Hawaii; Bill, Jack,
  and one daughter, Caroline.
     The children attended the Medicine Lodge Public School, graduating from the
  Barber County High School. They wore heavy underwear, long black stockings, with
  wool dresses and heavy shirts. We walked to and from school, about a mile, four
  times a day, going home at noon.
     Some of the many tasks were cutting wood for the stoves, milking the cows, 
  feeding the horses and chickens.
     The main recreation was playing with the neighbor children, playing outside on
  a moonlit night; playing darebase, hide and seek, and run sheep run. There were
  programs at the church and school. Most of the school programs were given in the
  Opera House. There was the community Christmas tree program, where all the churches
  took part. There was not much travel, only by horse and buggy. We took occasional
  visits to my Grandmother in Pratt Co.
     We did have some hardships, but there are many pleasant memories: having our
  Grandmother Cartan, mother's mother who lived with us, to read us stories; to play
  pitch in the evenings with our cousin Marjorie Ellis; always the Christmas tree in
  the bay window every year.
     The grandchildren - Keith, Bob, Vestal Jr. "Little Chick", (Irwin Earl), Bill,
  Caroline, and Jack - always liked to come to Grandad's where there was always
  watermelon, in season, good things from the springbox, and the creek to wade. My
  father drained one large bog and made it into a fine vegetable garden. He was most
  interested in water conservation.
     As a family we have always been very thankful to live in Barber Co.
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 93 
     Submitted by: Frances Axline Cook