Helen Mae Tidwell, daughter of the late Cora and Jessie Shafer, Alve,
     Oklahoma was born in 1893 Admire, Kansas. She moved to Alva, by train,
     with her parents in 1905, settling near Faulkner, Oklahoma. The live-
     stock and farm machinery was shipped by rail freight. She had 2 brothers
     and 8 sisters. She attended High Prairie Country School. The children
     always walked to school taking their lunch and usually building a fire
     in the wood stove and burning kerosene lanterns for their lights. They
     would enjoy spelling bees, box suppers, pie suppers, playing games and
     Literary.
       Helen's father served many years on the school board. Helen worked at
     Winter's Store located between Faulkner and Alva, Oklahoma. She worked
     at Fulsome's in Alva before she married. For entertainment, the neighbor-
     hood would get together and enjoy basket dinners, pitching horse shoes, 
     playing baseball, got to church and Sunday school.
       In February 1916 she married Lawrence William (Bill) Tidwell, son of
     Richard and Ella Tidwell, Faulkner, Oklahoma. Bill had 6 sisters and 5
     brothrs. He came to Faulkner with his family after his family made the 
     run into the strip and homesteaded near Augusta, Oklahoma Territory,
     which is located near Lambert, Oklahoma, in 1901. They moved near Lambert
     after the railroad went through their land to the grassland country as
     they handled many cattle for feeding and grazing. Bill hauled corn with
     a team and wagon to the Rudolph Ishmall farm northwest of Kiowa and worked
     building fence and helped care for 500 to 600 cattle for an uncle of Carrie
     Nation.
       In 1922 Bill and Helen Tidwell moved with 2 sons, Lonnie and Dewey to the
     Blackstock farm west of Kiowa, where they farmed, raised livestock, poultry
     and raised a garden. While still living on the farm, they had 4 more children,
     Lloyd who lives at Kiowa, Jack, Rocky Ford, Colorado; Mrs. Helen (Albert)
     Harbaugh, Kiowa and Bill with Emporia State College, Emporia, Kansas.
       While still living on the farm on Mule Creek nearly every week-end
     neighborhood and town young people could be found there having lots of fun
     and enjoying Mrs. Tidwell's homemade bread and doughnuts. In May 1942 Mr.
     Tidwell passed away so the family moved to Kiowa. Their 5 sons served in 
     the U.S. Armed Forces, Lonnie, Dewey, Lloyd and Bill in the army and Jack
     in the Marine Corps. All 5 returned home from the service. Lonnie and Dewey
     are now deceased. All 6 children graduated from Kiowa High School. Helen
     has 12 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. 
       She belonged to one of the oldest clubs in Barber County "The Old Kiowa
     Club." She is a member of the United Methodist Church in Kiowa. She always
     takes time to think of others and give time to do for others. In August
     1977, she broke her hip and now resides in the Kiowa Manor, Kiowa, Kansas.
     She does enjoy visiting her family in their homes when she can and is
     pleased to have company and phone calls.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 456 
     Submitted by: Helen Harbaugh