My parents, John Thomas McGrath and Rebecca Ann Lockard, were married in 
  Medicine Lodge, December 7, 1881.
     John T., born in Virginia (1847), had come to Kansas in 1869 and to the 
  Gyp Hills area (1879) as Commissioned Commisary and State Guard on border
  patrol duty. (Index Files, July 3, 1879) "The patrol is stationed along state
  line from center of Barber County west to center of Clark County, with posts
  for supplies and ammunition about every fifteen miles along the line, two 
  squads passing every day. If any hostile redskins come, they are prepared for
  them."
     Rebecca A. Lockard and twin brother, James, were born in Iowa (1849) to a
  teacher and Methodist Circuit Minister, William Lockard, who moved his family
  to Kansas (1868) and on to Barber County (1877). There, he homesteaded and
  Lockard School was built.
     After marriage, John T. and Rebecca A. McGrath homesteaded at the head of
  Sand Creek south of Lake City, built a house with lumber hauled from Hutchinson,
  combined their hereford cattle herds (South-Western Roundup Brand Book 1883),
  and enlarged ranch by purchasing land from surrounding homesteaders (ranch still
  remains in family). Neighbors were J.P. Elsea, Bud Gentry, and Luther McElwain.
     Sons, Rollen E., John R., W. Evert - Roberta (Bertie - Mrs. Clyde Allen),
  and I, Edith Clay McGrath, were born and grew to adulthood there. I was named
  Edith Clay for father's brother and wife, Clay and Edith (Ferris) McGrath,
  who were our east neighbors until they made the Cherokee Strip Run (1893). They
  settled in Alva, Oklahoma, where Clay was elected sheriff two terms and donated
  some land for the State Normal.
     Over the years we had various postal addresses: Sand Creek, Lodi, Lasswell,
  Deerhead, and Lake City. I attended Sexton, Sand Creek rural, and Medicine Lodge
  High School.
     Deerhead and Lockard School were our social centers. We attended church, 
  literary, box suppers, ciphering matches, spelling bees, ball games, and picnics.
  Families I recal are Carr, Goff, Hildebrand, Allen, Cline, Platt, Larkin, DeGeer,
  Long, Elsea, Mills, Conner, Trotter, Ott, and Hull. Mother and I were charter
  members of Deerhead Circle Club.
     We took great pride in our horses we drove or rode. Our home was always
  hospitable to relatives, friends, and neighbors. Reading, group singing, checkers,
  and games were favorite family pasttimes. Our home was blessed with pure spring
  water, creek timber, gardens, and orchards. Father was his own butcher, blacksmith,
  and carpenter. Mother canned and dried foods, sewed, crocheted and tatted, made
  yeast from hop vine, grew herbs for seasonings, etc. Stock salt was wagoned from
  the Cimarron River Flats.
     During WWI, my parents retired to Wichita, where I was graduated from business
  college and entered the business world. In 1958 I retired to North Walnut,
  Medicine Lodge.
     Edith expired 9-79.
               
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 301