I'm Mae Smith Parsons and will contribute my "bit" of Barber County
     History. My grandparents were John Garten and Malinda Rogers on Mother's
     side, and Samuel E. Smith, Sr., and Mary Ann Bibb, on Father's side.
     Both grandfathers served in the Civil War. John Garten was Confederate,
     and Samuel E. Smith, a Union Corporal. Both families migrated to Missouri.
     John Garten came from Kentucky. After the close of the war, he settled
     at Sun City, Kansas, (a trading post) in 1872. In 1873 it became part
     of Barber County. He was a scout, buffalo hunter, and drove freight wagons
     from Wichita and Hutchinson.
       The family of William Fisher Rogers came from Independence, Missouri, in
     1873 and staked a claim on Bitter Creek (12 miles from Medicine Lodge).
     He was a widower with four children. The Rogers daughter, Malinda, one
     of six children, married in 1873.
       Samuel E. Smith, Sr., came to Barber County from Lees Summit, Missouri,
     as a wagon captain, of a 17-wagon caravan. He was a widower with four
     children. He traded a wagon, team of mules, and equipment for 160 acres
     near Lake City. Close friends, the Rogers, lived about eight miles away.
       My father, Samuel Smith, Jr., was seven years old and was the oldest.
     His father died three years later. Father married Fannie Garten, a daughter
     of John, in 1893. They made the "Run" in the opening of the Cherokee Strip,
     staking a claim near what is now Alva, Oklahoma. After a year, they sold
     their interest and moved back to Barber County, near Forest City.
       When I was four, we moved to Belvedere, where Father was a foreman of a
     large ranch. Mother passed away in 1904. We returned to Forest City where
     I attended school, completed common school, then attended and graduated
     at Barber County High in 1918. The children in our family were Fred Smith,
     Ruby (Barrows-Lahey), Mae (Parsons), Jennie (Conner-Roth), and Jewel (Funk).
       I met John Marvin Parsons in 1915. He came to Kansas to work in wheat
     harvest and do farm work. He later did carpentry and do farm work. He later
     did carpentry for Roy Hoovler, who built and remodeled many houses in
     Medicine Lodge. He was inducted in the army in 1918 and served 13 months
     in France. He returned to Medicine Lodge after his discharge in 1919. We
     married in 1920, established our home on a 10 acre tract southeast of Elm
     Creek bridge, and lived there four years. Our son, LaClede was born in
     1921.
       Marvin was hired as first clerk at Medicine Lodge Post Office March 17,
     1924. He worked there thirty years, retiring in June, 1954. He enjoyed
     retirement in traveling, fishing, 'rock hounding,' making and Bolo ties.
     He was a member of American Legion, past Lions Club member, and both of
     us are Methodist.
       Our son graduated from Medicine Lodge High, attended Kansas University
     two years, and received his college degree in California. He married
     Mercedes Howard of Hazelton. He enlisted in the Air Corps and was stationed
     in Greenland. Following WWII, they moved to California.
       During World War II, I renewed my teaching certificate and taught rural
     schools 1942-1959. I'm now a housewife, belong to Legion Auxiliary, WW
     Mothers, and Church Circles.
       Marvin passed away March 8, 1979, at the age of 92.
          
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 360 
     Submitted by: Mae Parsons