In October of 1883, a 58 year old widow, Mrs. Mary (Fafever) Strohl, came
  by train to Harper, Kansas, the end of the railroad. With her were her son
  David, 34 years, and her 19 year old daughter, Emma. (Mary Strohl had buried
  her husband, Jonas, and 5 children in Ohio and Illinois). They settled about
  4 miles south of Old Bross. Someone jumbed David's claim. So in April of 1884,
  they and old friends just arrived from Shelbyville, Ill., moved to 7 quarters
  in Barber Co., about 6 miles west. One was for Andrew Roessler, one for his
  daughter Maria, one for Lee Mittendorf, one for Ed Winters (Maria's promised
  husband), one for Etta Winters, and one for Mary Strohl, and one for her son,
  David.
     Telling of this move to Valley Township, Emma wrote, "The next day was 
  Easter Sunday and after dinner we all took a long walk over the prairies. Not
  a road, but we felt we were monarch of all we surveyed. We were pretty busy
  after that, chopping up some sod and planting gardens and getting all the
  shanties fixed up. We built our shantey better this time. Put a shingle roof 
  on with tar paper under, also tar paper on the outside of house. Had an
  upstairs. Main room was 14 by 16 feet and a lean-to kitchen and a board floor.
  So we called this a house. We pasted strips of cloth over  the cracks inside,
  thin newspaper over it, and then thin cheap wallpaper. And with a nice rag
  carpet on the floor, we looked real comfortable and homelike.
     Mary baked bread for others. She baked up a 50 lb. sack of flour in 5
  bakings and was paid $1.00. One customer gave her 2 tablespoons of mulberry
  seed. She and emma planted them very carefully, first chopping up the sod as
  fine as they could. They set out a hedge between their and Andrew Roessler's
  place. A man from Sharon gave David peach seeds and they grew well.
     Back east, Mary had served her neighbors as practical nurse. At any hour
  of the day or night, someone might knock saying, "Come, we need you." She
  did this also in Barber County. She was the mid-wife who delivered the first
  child born in Valley Township, Grover Roessler.
     David never married, but he lived with his Mother. (Both are buried at
  Nashville). He was a faithful Christian and taught Sunday School class at
  Cream Valley. Emma married George Austin. They built a house 40 rods from
  Mary and David's house.
     Mary's last words to her children were a testimonial to her faith. "Oh,
  God was good to me! He took my Jonas and 5 of my dear babies Home, and at 
  the time, I thought my heart was breaking. Oh, my dear children, I can see
  my Savior and other loved ones over there!
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 446 
     Submitted by: Wilma Austin Bell