Betty Richardson, older of two children born to Bernice and Garnett
  Richardson, arrived in Medicine Lodge in 1914. My Mother, youngest of
  seven children in the L.T. Williams family, was their only child born
  in Medicine Lodge, in 1889. That same year, Dad was born in Wellington.
  He came here with his parents in 1906, when the Richardson-Longman Dry 
  Goods Store was opened at 100 North Main - later moving one door North. 
  Dad worked in the store for his father, John C. Richardson, and later 
  operated it alone. Much of my early childhood was spent in the store;
  since stores remained open in the evenings, I often went to sleep on
  a table topped with denim overalls.
     The freshman year at school is especially memorable - new students
  and faculty, and our initiation including fudge with garlic! Several
  male teachers fresh out of college arrived bareheaded, wearing college 
  sweaters. Our speaker at first-day assembly was board member Dr. Gilbert.
  He stressed the high examples expected of the teachers, the respect we
  students should pay them, and dress codes. After lunch these men came back
  wearing suitcoats and hats! Voted best looking freshman boy was Charles 
  Smith, new from Forest City common school.
     In high school I especially enjoyed my business course, the vocal 
  groups and orchestra. Meanwhile, Charles took "ag" and earned press (index)
  coverage for his tackles in football. Graduation was in 1932 - the "dirty
  thirties" and depression!
     Our store closed in 1933. I worked three years in the "Wheat Office,"
  Roosevelt's most welcome farm program. Charles had gone to Northwestern
  College one year, but returned to the farm at his father's death. We were
  married in 1936.
     Charles was born on the family farm in Mingona Township in 1914. His
  father, C.W. had been born about 2 miles West in Kumberg, grew up in the 
  Elm Mills area.
     Charles was active in farming for forty-two years and was an early leader
  in soil conservation. He served on numberous agriculture-related boards in
  the county and began a seven year stint as manager of the County Agricultural
  Stabilization and Conservation office in 1956. Death occured in 1975.
     Our son, John Charles, was born in 1949, and after graduation from Kansas
  University he returned to the farm.
     Recently, a cartoon pictured two farmers, and one was saying, "I heard
  she was a bookkeeper, so I popped the question." Well, probably my bookkeeping
  was my biggest contribution on the farm. As a bride, I was petrified when a
  silo crew of twelve men came and were to be fed twice a day for four days.
     It is gratifying to visit the farm now and see John Charles, his wife,
  Sandra (Moss), and their children, Paul and Rachel.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 425 
     Submitted by: Betty Richardson Smith