Mike Traffas and Mary Bolz were married in Olpe, Kansas November 11, 1902. They
  lived on a farm near Madison, Kansas in Lyon County. In March of 1910, with four
  children, they moved to a farm 1 1/2 miles south of Sharon. They lived here and
  reared 15 children. They were hard working pioneer farmers. Mother raised chickens
  but gardening was the outdoor work she liked most. Times were hard, especially
  during WWI; some staples were hard to get. Dad had a horse powered grinder used to
  grind corn for cornbread and mush. He made sorghum from cane. Wheat was taken to
  Oxford to be ground for flour and cereals. We butchered and cured our meat. Fruit
  was dried from the big orchard or stored in an apple pit, so we had fresh apples
  all winter; we made apple butter. Most of the girl's clothing was made at home.
     Dad ran a threshing rig for several years. Mary, the oldest daughter, cooked for
  the crew in a cook shack. Farming was done with mules. Neighbors would lend the
  mules for breaking, and there's nothing as stubborn as a mule, but the boys could
  handle them.
     We made our own entertainment. In summer there was baseball between the Traffas
  and McGuire boys. In winter, we played cards and checkers. One son, Sylvester, passed
  away in 1921 - aged 11. All the children attended Sharon Schools. Lawrence went to 
  Novitiate School at Kirkwood, Missouri after high school, then on to Seminary in
  Oconomowac, Wisconsin where he was ordained a Redemptorist priest January 6, 1948. 
  In 1973 he celebrated his Silver Jubilee in Sharon.
     Mike Jr. and Vincent served in WWII. Dad passed away in 1933, leaving Mother with
  twelve children, two were married. After Vincent returned from service he took over
  the farm. Mother bought a house and moved to Sharon. Mother enjoyed visits of
  neighbors and friends. She passed away November 11, 1966.
     Those of the family living in Sharon Valley are George, Francis, Vincent, Loretta
  (Spencer), Bertha (Mans), and Agnes (Eck). Mary Deppenbusch lives in Anthony, William
  in Hutchinson, Mike, a retired Santa Fe dispatcher, in Amarillo, Texas. Joe was
  deceased in 1977 in Wichita. Ann Bohrer lives in Zenda, Fr. Lawrence in Kansas City,
  Missouri. Twin sisters Elizabeth (Sr. Silveria) and Clara (Sr. Vincetta) are sisters
  of St. Francis in Mishawaka, Indiana.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 458 
     Submitted by: Mary Depenbusch