Lois McMillen came with her parents, Marvin and Adeline (Jester) McMillen,
     from Poke County, Missouri, to Barber County in 1907, at the age of five
     months. They lived south of Gerlane where Lois attended Glenco, Mound Center,
     and Kiowa schools and graduated in 1925. She attended Northwestern Teachers
     College and graduated with her son, Oral Dean, in 1953.
       The family attended the Church of God in Gerlane where Lois met Oral
     Hensley. He was the son of Jane (Newton) and Bruce Hensley. They had come
     to Gerlane from Wright County, Missouri, in 1912 when Oral was 7 years old.
     He attended Round-Up School, which was north and west of Gerlane.
       Lois taught Glanco two years and Crown Point one year, Lois and Oral were
     married December 18, 1929; and when school closed, they moved into Gerlane
     where Oral worked for a construction company. Their home was blessed with a
     daughter, Lois Jean, on September 30, 1930.
       They moved to Macksville, Kansas, to work on a dary farm for Mr. Hart. 
     Their son, Oral Dean (Gus), was born in the Hutchinson hospital December 27,
     1932, and the Hensleys moved back to Kiowa. The Depression was in full swing,
     jobs were not to be found, Lois worked on WPA sewing for $4.50 a week. Oral
     cut and sold wood to feed his family. Lois's sister, Erma Lee, stayed with
     them and attended high school.
       Later Oral worked for the Missouri Pacific Railroad; and they, with Erma
     Lee, purchased a serve yourself laundry. Following a fire in the laundry,
     it was rebuilt and operated until 1940. During these years, Lois Jean contracted
     polio which was difficult to treat because so little was known about the
     disease at that time. She did recover and led a normal life. Polio has been
     researched and practically controlled since that time.
       When the children were ready for the 3rd and 4th grades, the family moved
     to Cook's Ranch. Oral worked for Mr. Cook, and Lois drove the children to
     school, picking up Joyce and Bobbie Cook on the way. Soon the district put
     on school buses and Earnest Sheddy was the driver.
       Soon they moved to Hardtner and worked for a couple of months for Ed Sterling.
     Then Oral became a road patrolman for Barber County for 30 years. He worked
     for twelve years for the Township and retired in 1976.
       Lois Jean married James Thilsted in 1949. They have four children: Bonnie
     (Mrs. Dennis Jones); Mary (Mrs. Randy Hamilton); Jimmy, who is married to 
     Carolyn Cronin; and David is at home in Blackwell, Oklahoma. James operates
     a White sewing machine shop, and Lois Jean works for TG&Y.
       Oral Dean was married to Marily Hewitt. They had one child, Elizabeth Jo,
     who is attending Wichita University. Oral Dean (Gus) has taught in the Medicine
     Lodge High School since 1958. He has served on the Board of National Education
     Association, was in the Junior Chamber of Commerce Who's Who in 1963, and
     obtained his Master's Degree in Business from the University of Colorado in
     1961. Gus died on December 31, 1979.
                 
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 225 
     Submitted by: Oral Hensley, Sr.