Bert came with his parents from Illinois in 1884, when only 3 months old.
     The railroad only came as far as Harper. They settled in what was to be
     the Mound Center community, the school was built in 1886. At that time
     there was still open range. My mother's folks, the George Stephens family,
     came in 1906. My folks were married in 1910.
       There were 4 girls and 2 boys in our family. I was the oldest son, born
     in 1915. We all attended school here, as did our parents before us. About
     everyone in the community were related and had known one another before
     coming here.
       In many was, people were much more neighborly than now. There was much
     social life, centered around the school, which also served as a church for
     many years and also a voting precinct.
       Young people got together on Sunday for a visit or maybe we would go
     horseback riding.
       The farm was very much a family affair. Everyone had a job to do. We
     always had cows to milk, hogs to feed and also chickens. The eggs were
     taken to the grocery and traded for the food we had to buy. Sometimes,
     Dad would take wheat to the mill in Kiowa and trade it for flour which
     was in large quantities. I started doing field work with horses at an 
     early age. There was quite a bit of corn grown. My dad had a corn sheller
     and used to go as far as the Gyp Hills. My mother used to can hundreds
     of quarts of vegetables and fruit. Each family had a garden and orchard.
       I used to trap and hunt, as did most of the boys in the district. There
     used to be coyote hunts. Hunters came in from all directions, covering
     several miles. At the finish, a ring was formed keeping the game from
     escaping, the dogs were then turned loose.
       We children all attended Kiowa High School. Times were rough in the
     thirties. I rented a room in Kiowa and batched for the first 2 years.
     As several of us kids were in school, my folks rented a house in town
     and my mother stayed with us the last two years I attended.
       In 1940, I went into the army, going overseas in 1942. I met my wife,
     who is English, in 1943; she came to the States in 1946. We went back
     to England in 1971. My wife's mother was still living, died later at
     100 years of age.
       I farmed for a time after the war and then went into body and fender
     trade and now have 30 years in.
       Our son, a graduate of KU School of Engineering, has spent 7 years 
     with Corps of Engineers. He now resides at Olathe, Kansas. He served a
     hitch in the army and spent a year in Berlin. He was able to come to
     England when we were there.
       I have enjoyed living here. Our country around this section has a
     friendly atmosphere. Neighbors, as a whole, are the friendliest ever.
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas, pg. 464 
     Submitted by: Oliver N. Vannaman