Bert Elbion Davis and I, Mabel Ross Davis, were married October 18, 1912. We had
  lived in Douglas and Wright Counties, Missouri, until 1920, when word reached us
  of the money to be made in the oil fields of Oklahoma. Bert's salary as a school-
  teacher didn't compare with those rich oil stories, so we had a sale, gathered our
  three small children, Roy, Maxine, Eldon (Red) - together, and with a few belongings
  boarded the train for what we hoped was a more prosperous future.
     Gerlane, Kansas, was a stopping point on the way to the oil fields as my mother's
  brother, Burce Hensley, lived there. Bert went on to the oil fields, but returned
  quickly as the living conditions of that life were not for us.
     Bert took a job with H.W. Skinner on the Holmes Ranch near Aetna, where we lived
  for a year. Our daughter, Wilma, was born there. We were miles from the nearest
  country school, so we moved to a Skinner farm three miles east of Medicine Lodge for
  our children's education. Anadayle was born here, and I remember cooking for 20
  harvest hands at a time on my old "range stove." It was a most up-to-date stove as it
  would burn either wood or coal and was impressive with a big water tank attached to
  its side.
     In 1924 we left farm life and moved to Medicine Lodge, where Bert was employed two
  years in the mill of Best Bros. Cement Co. He then worked in the Marshall Hardware
  Store, and we moved into the Carrie Nation home, where Oren was born.
     In the depths of the Depression, 1932, Bert and F.A. Schri formed a partnership
  and purchased the Marshall Hardware Store. The partnership dissolved in 1938 when
  Governor Ratner appointed Bert District State Sales Tax Auditor. Bert had already
  served as Republican County Chairman, and his sense of humor served him well in his
  public speaking days. This interest in politics followed throughout his life.
     Ronald, Lawrence (Gus), and Dick were born while we lived at 401 N. Main Street.
  Our lives centered around our family's activities and the First Baptist Church. Bert
  served as a Deacon, and for several years as Sunday School Superintendent. We both
  enjoyed fishing the ponds of Barber County. All sports interested Bert, but baseball
  was his favorite. It was during a softball practice that he broke his leg at the age
  of 39. Our large family left little time for hobbies, but Bert was well known for his
  custom-made gun stocks. I enjoyed making quilts and my flower gardens.
     Three sisters and a brother joined me in Barber County. Georgia Ross taught 12
  years in Barber County and married Fred Harris of Wichita; Alice Ross married Tommie
  Humphrey from Kiowa; Willa Ross married Bob Logan of Kiowa, and after his death, Ramee
  Johnson of Orlando, Oklahoma; Russell Ross married Pearl Jester of Medicine Lodge.
     My last twenty years in Barber County, I lived at 207 E. Lincoln. Here I saw four
  sons serve in our country's military service. Roy andEldon were in WWII in the Army
  Ordinance Corps. They wer in the North African Campaign and Italian Conflict from
  April, 1942, to October 1945. My two son's-in-law, Jmes Mitchell and Donald Cooper,
  were also in the Army. Ron was in the Counter Intelligence Corps two years during
  the Korean War, and Gus served with the Marine Corps (Korean War).
     Maxine died while in grade school, and Oren passed away when two years old, but 
  the rest of our children lived to adulthood in Barber county. Roy married Geneva Park
  of Protection; Eldon married Evelyn Watkins of Medicine Lodge; Wilma married Donald
  Cooper of Medicine Lodge; Ron married Corinne Miller of Medicine Lodge; Gus married
  Donna Kellogg of Jamestown; Dick married Carol Fredrick of Medicine Lodge. My children
  have given me 17 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Wilma passed away in 1947,
  and I lost Bert in 1952, following an automobile accident. In 1961 I moved to Wichita,
  where four of my sons were then living. My life with Bert, family, friends, and 
  neighbors, made my 41 years in Barber County a time of great joy.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 148 
     Submitted by: Mabel C. Davis