Memories from the Homestead: A flashback to the summer of 1902 as seen by J.K. Ross

Reading through the weekly area newspapers from over one hundred years ago has been an ongoing project that I've enjoyed for over twenty years. There are loads of columns that gave news of the happenings here in our Garber neighborhood. J.K. Ross, who had been our weekly news correspondent dating back to 1901 always told it like it was. As I sit here on his front porch at the Shepherd of the Hills Farm and Adventure Park with my cup of coffee, allow me to share some details of the happenings from June through August of 1902. These columns are all from the Forsyth newspaper, The Taney County Republican.

June 26, 1902

We are flying high with our hopes brightened; it's all on account of the rain we had last week. Corn is blooming, and potatoes are swelling up and getting too big to stay on the hill. The corn speculators in Chicago may think they have the roasting ears all covered, but they must be careful. Taney County corn is getting so bold that it will "shoot" from now on, and some of the corner men are apt to be hit hard.

Preaching yesterday at Fronaberger's arbor was held by J.K. Ross. Preaching next Sunday will be at the Branson school house. No Sunday school has been organized in this part of the county, and the outlook is poor because of the scarcity of money to procure supplies. Our school enumeration has fallen off 25 percent, because of people moving away but we expect them back.

July 10, 1902

The grand and glorious Fourth has passed, and we start again on another year of record breaking American prosperity. The day was only observed by a few in this neighborhood, at Fronaberger's arbor. Several families partook of a picnic dinner with all the lemonade they could drink.

Joseph and George Garber started out for Kansas Saturday to work. One by one they keep dropping out. This exodus of so many of our young men may, we fear, may tell at our primary election, but many, if not all of them will be back to help us swell the majorities in November. 

A common scene in the summer months, a steam powered threshing unit, somewhere in southeast Kansas, in 1902 (Photo courtesy of the Kansas State Historical Society)

August 4, 1902

Weather hot and dry, though good rains have passed on both sides of us. Corn will be cut short in this locality. The wheat has nearly all been threshed, yielding from 15 to 18 bushels of good quality. Much wheat has been ground into graham flower, as a substitute for corn bread; but now that roasting ears are getting ripe, our people will soon return to the old rotation of corn cake and hominy.

Mr. Joel Garber marketed a fine load of peaches at Aurora the first part of the week, at 80 cents a bushel, losing some 4 or 5 bushels in transit. Hurry up railroad! We need you!

Now that canning time is on there is a scarcity of fruit cans; it would seem that our merchants wait too long to see how many will be needed. Health generally good, considering the hot weather. Yesterday 92 degrees; today 90.

August 28, 1902

Mr. L. Tunison, chief engineer of the White River Railroad, is in camp at Fronaberger's, with a corps of twenty men, making their way down the creek to Branson, where they will be encamped the last of the week. As Mr. Tunison's camp was close to the Sunday school arbor, the entire camp attended Sunday school in the afternoon and took part in the singing exercises. Mr. Tunison is a very sociable gentleman and his company of young men and assistants seem to be men of high character. From what we learn, their route is either Coon Creek or Turkey Creek, across the river until they meet the other corps. This does not mean the railroad will be built up Roark, but it looks that way now, and we hope to see dirt flying before long. As Mr. Tunison requested that we say nothing for publication, we will keep quiet until further developments.

Well, there you have it folks. Looks like it was a decent summer in 1902, and nothing like the extreme drought that was experienced the previous year. Want to read some of these newspaper rarities for yourself? Visit my dear friends at the State Historical Society of Missouri. They have a fabulous website featuring multiple area newspapers that will have you lost for hours, if not days!  

Go to shsmo.org and there you'll find access to an incredible collection of over 41 million pages! Wow!

Happy trails, everyone! It's time to refill my coffee cup over here at Lizzie McDaniel's house, and take some guests out on the first tour of the day.