Edison Alvin Mease, son of John Jacob and Elizabeth (Walkey) Mease was born in
  1863 near Freeport, Illinois,one of eight children. They came to Nebraska when he
  was age six, and lived there until he ws eleven years old. The family moved to
  Atlantic, Iowa. They lived there three years then moved to Audobon, Iowa, where
  he grew to manhood.
     Mary Augusta, daughter of Minnie and Frank Kapaska, was born October 2, 1863 in
  Schnedermudl, Germany, near Berlin. At the age of fourteen, leaving some of her
  family behind, she earned her passage to America caring for the small children of
  other passendgers comeing over. They were ten weeks crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
  She came with this family to Illinois and later moved to Atlantic, Iowa.
     Ed and mary were married March 4, 1885, when they  moved to Galena, Missouri,
  where they took homestead and made their home until 1902. They moved then to 
  Baxter Springs and in 1904 to Chetopa, Kansas. In 1909 they moved to Harper,
  Kansas. Later they moved to Valley Township to a farm where they lived their
  remaining years, in Barber County.
     There were twelve children, two were born at Audobon, Iowa; Myrtle Ann born 
  in 1886, married Jim Connery; and John Franklin was born in 1887. He married Mattie
  Mitchell.
     Eight children joined the family while they lived at Galena, Missouri. George
  Alexander was born in 1890, Henry Arthur in 1891. He married Laura Mease. Lillian
  Mae, who married Henry Wehling, was born in 1894. Josephine, born in 1895, married
  Paul Callen. Ira Jacob, born 1896, married Bernice Meeks. Byron Clark. born in 1898,
  married Bertha Price. Opal Emma, born 1900 married Webb Huitt. Fleda Irene, born in 
  1901, married E.R. Morrisse.
     Fannie Gladys was born in 1903 in Baxter Springs, Kansas. She married William
  Price. Curtis Lee was born in Chetopa, Kansas in 1906 and married Bertha Porter.
     The children grew to adulthood and finished school in Valley Township, where
  they walked across Sand Creek to Cream Valley School wehre sister Myrtle taught
  school. Church was held at Cream Valley School. Two of their sons, George and Ira,
  served in WWI. The boys farmed within a few miles of the home place; the girls
  married and most of them lived in the area.
     In the fall, fun times were had while the work was being done. Eveyone had a
  butchering day and everyone of the family would go to their house and maybe kill
  four hogs, scald and scrap them, then hang them in the granary overnight. The
  next day - work again. They'd cut and render lard, grind sausage, then put hams
  and shoulders in salt brine or in the smokehouse.
     Grandma always cooked on a wood stove, and did her ironing with flat irons.
  One day Grandad had running water put in the house. No more baths in the wash tub!
     They went to town in a wagon for years, taking 30 dozen cases of eggs to buy
  groceries. In the winter the snow came, it could be a week before they could get
  out to get their mail.
     In 1935 they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with friends and relatives.
     When Grandma became ill, Grandad had a series of hired girls to help care for her.
  Grandad lived only a few years after her death. They were truly a pioneer couple.
      
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 322 
     Submitted by: Geraldine Dennis