Otis Irlin wa born July 28, 1885 to Erastus and Kittie R. Ripe Shore in
     Greenwood County, Kansas. He was the fourth of seven children: Homer,
     Howard, Flora (married Adolph Bissantz), Otis (married Florence Balding),
     Glenn, John, and Olive (married Fred Williams).
       The family moved to Barber County in 1897, on a farm near Coats, Kansas.
     There they farmed, had cattle, and raised throughbred Englishshire and
     Norman draft horses. Otis attended a country school nearby, called Shore's
     School.
       Florence was born June 21, 1888 to Lewis J. and Ella Belle Ligon Balding
     in Barber County. She was one of six children: Ray, Florence, Merle (married
     Paul Fair), Robert, John and Lewis.
       Her family moved around 1899 to the Balding place east of Medicine Lodge,
     near the Walstead school house, where they all attended school. She graduated
     from the 8th grade and returned to teach at the same school, where her younger
     brothers were still attending.
       Otis and Florence were married February 25, 1916 at Medicine Lodge. They
     made their home on the farm near Coats, Kansas, in Barber County, where they
     farmed and raised livestock. Otis served as the county commissioner from 1940-
     1944.
       Three children were born: Robert E., married Lucille Monaghan, and they
     live on the home place, and their family consists of: a daughter, Lou Lynne,
     married Bob Bolen, and they have twin sons, Darin James and Jeffery Neal, 
     they all live in Pratt, Kansas; Ella Catherine, married Harry Deane Highfill,
     and they live in Wichita, Kansas, they have a daughter Judith Kay, married
     Andrew Lane and they had a son, Markus Lane, died in infancy and they have
     a daughter, Andrea Kay, a son Gary Dean married Carolyn Larson and their
     children are Brian Deane and Deborah Ann; Lewis Irlin married Vivian Storey,
     and they live at Johnson, Kansas on a farm. They have a daughter, Shannon Le,
     who married Richard Howell.
       Otis passed away July 24, 1954 and Florence on November 11, 1972. Both are
     buried in the cemetery at Coats, Kansas.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 415