Josiah and Sarah Melissa (Schnelle) Stolebarger came to Sharon, Kansas,
     in the spring of 1900 from their home in Lemonville, Missouri. Joe and
     his brther-in-law, Wesley Schnelle, had come in the fall of 1899, and
     Joe had purchased 280 acres of fertile Sharon Valley land 1 mile west of
     Sharon. They returned to Missouri and soon were making plans for the sale
     of the property there and the move to the new land which was to be their
     new home.
       Joe, preparing for his sale, had the misfortune of his horse falling
     on the ice, braking Joe's leg, which was to be a burden to him for the
     rest of his life. His wife and family rallied round, and despite the
     painful leg, the sale of the Missouri property and the preparation for
     the westward move were soon underway.
       Wesley Schnelle and his famiy, accompanied by the 4 older Stolebarger
     children, were soon on their way to Kansas. Furniture, household good,
     implements, and a few choice livestock, the nucleus for future livelihood
     were all soon loaded on boxcars and were on their way to what was to 
     become their cherished, productive Kansas farm home.
       Joe and Melissa follwed a few weeks later with their remaining 5 children,
     making the trip by train. (Johnnie, about age 6 at the time, being an
     inquisitive child and wanting to see everything became separated from the
     family in Grand Central Station in Kansas City, and caused the parents
     some concern before being found and restored to the anxious family.)
       The remainder of the trip was uneventful and before many days had passed,
     the family arrived at the station in Sharon, where they were met by the
     older children who were most anxious to be reunited with the other family
     members.
       Soon the new house was under construction, a garden planted, and field
     work begun. The rich loamy soil was much to Joe and Melissa's liking, and
     they were rejoicing they had made the move from the rocky soil of their
     former home in Missouri.
       Joe and Melissa prospered in their new location and before many years 
     had passed 3 more children were born and were welcomed into the large
     household. Some of the older children were married by this time and had
     children of their own, so when the families all came together it was quite
     a large gathering. The 12 children all reached adulthood and their names:
     Ed, Neal, Sarah Rule Harmer, Alice Cachran, Leila Dunkin, Joe, John, Goldie
     Benefiel, Dewey, Everett, Zenith Biberstein, and Zella Hoff; 3 grandchildren
     also made their home with Joe and Melissa; Viola Brock, Gerge and Bernice
     Stolebarger.
       Joe had many interests besides his farm and livestock. He took an active
     interest in his church and, along with other civic-minded people, was
     instrumental in building the telephone company for the neighborhood. For
     many years he and his sons ran a threshing machine and threshed wheat
     throughout the area.
       Melissa's interests lay in the loving care she gave to her family, nursing
     them thru childhood illnesses, her huge gardens, whose produce was carefully
     canned and preserved, curing the meat after butchering day, curing and
     smoking the hams, soap making, caring for her large flock of chickens, and
     in winter piecing quilts and comforters, each child receiving one or more
     when starting a home of their own.
       Joe and Melissa continued living on the farm until 1940. They sold the
     farm and moved into Sharon, where they lived until their deaths. Joe
     reached the age of 89 years nad passed away on July 2, 1945. Melissa
     survived him for several years, passing away March 18, 1960, at the age of
     96 years.
                 
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 439