Life On the Farm Was a Good Life

Life on the farm was a good life. Since we were both raised on the farm, we knew there was a lot of work. I enjoyed it. We always had fruit, especially lots of apples. Since I worked on a large apple ranch in the state of Washington, I had a good idea what it took to raise them. We also had grapes, peaches, and pears. Always had a big garden and Leona did a lot of canning. There was a dug well at the house. It went dry a couple of times, would have to have water hauled in. Had a deep well drilled in 1976. Went down 200 feet, and had plenty of water after that. Could irrigate the garden. Had lots of timber on the place. I always enjoyed the wild life. It wasn’t uncommon to see deer and coyotes. Enjoyed hearing coyotes and owls at night. I miss that since we moved to town. After we had the ponds and had them stocked with bass and channel cat, also blue gill for feeders. We had lots of good fishing. The grandchildren always enjoyed that. Even though we had electric heat put in, we heated the house for the most part with wood heat. Had a fireplace, as well as a wood furnace. It was a lot of work, but I enjoyed working in the timber. Eventually we had the equipment to take care of the farm. After we sold land, until we had 80 acres, it was always in pasture. We sold land to Raymond and Willard Bitts. Always enjoyed fishing with Willard. Also, I enjoyed working in the timber with Willard Bitts, and Ted Haas.

During the time on the farm, Leona’s niece, Kathy Ann Rice stayed with us for a while each summer for quite a few years. She was a joy to have around. She became like one of the family. Our social life centered around Richter Church, Oakland School, and of course family. Our kids grew up with and went to school with the Leaders and Stoffers. While a teenager, Allen played on a baseball team, managed by Jack Nelson. It was a right good team. Albert played football while in high school. Allen also played basketball while in high school, and Mary Ellen was a cheerleader.

Leona’s dad’s health broke in 1955. They sold their place next to us and moved to Pomona in a house they purchased. Leona’s mother died in January 1959. Her dad lived alone in Pomona for a while, but soon had to go to a nursing home. He died in 1961. Her brother John died in 1972. John had lived in Idaho for a long time. George and Lorene lived in the Denver area most of their married life. George died in 1977. Her sister Fern and Joe also lived in the Denver area from about 1950 on. Fern died suddenly in 1988.

When we first moved to the farm, we always had a cow to milk. Leona had to take care of the milking when I was on my mail runs. I’m sure her folks appreciated and enjoyed us living there beside them. We were able to help them and I know they enjoyed their grand children. I used his team of horses quite a lot when we first moved out there, before I bought the cub tractor. The boys helped a lot on the farm doing various things. Mary Ellen always got in on grape picking. Some years we had a lot of them. When the kids were old enough, they would cut asparagus for Willard and Ella Bitts. They raised it to sell.

We lived about six miles from where my mother lived. Mike lived with her until he got married. That left her alone and lonely. Gardner and Cleda and family moved out there with her. That worked out quite well. Mom developed cancer and died in 1955. All my brothers and sisters were married by this time. Margaret was widowed in 1950 after being married to Ralph Curry. Ralph was also a railway mail clerk, but worked most of the time in the terminal post office in Kansas City, Missouri. Since Margaret worked there as a temporary clerk during the war years, that is where they became acquainted. They were married about five years when Ralph died of cancer.

Herb was also in the Railway Mail Service. He worked most of the time on the Kansas City and Albuquerque run on the Santa Fe. Him and his family lived in Ottawa. Herb and Donna still do.

Robert and family lived most of the time in Des Moines, Iowa. Presently, he and Jean live in Tucson, Arizona. My sister Nellie and John Howell, always lived in the Olathe area. John died suddenly in 1967. Later John’s brother Paul’s wife died. Paul and Nellie ended up getting married and lived a long time just east of Ottawa. Presently they live in Olathe. Jay married Virginia Smith in 1951. She had a daughter Marcia, whose father had died. They had a son, Barry, who died in 1960 at the age of 8. Mary married Perry Wheeler in 1938. Perry had lost his first wife. He had two young daughters. They had a daughter Donna. That’s when things were really tough in Kansas. Perry had worked for the Santa Fe railroad for a long time in the shops in Ottawa. They moved these shops to Omaha, Nebraska. They ended up moving to California, where they lived the rest of their lives. Donna and family still live there. Edward married in 1934 at the time of the depression and dust bowl days. He and Lena lived on a farm south of Pomona. It was tough going. They gave up on the farm. After working in Washington state for some time, and then in defense work, he received an appointment into the Railway Mail Service. They live in St. Joseph for sometime. He applied for a road assignment and was transferred to the Kansas City and Albuquerque Railway Post Office. At that time they moved to Ottawa. Edward died in 1972 quite suddenly at the age of 69. After living in Rocky Ford, Colorado since 1936, Bonnie died there in 1987 at the age of 82. In 1973, Mike was in California, where he had set up his silhouette business at the Date Festival in Indio. He had a heart attack and died in his car at age 56.

A significant part of our lives began when we became part of the Richter Methodist Church shortly after we moved to the farm in 1948. Even after we left that community and came to Ottawa, we still go out there for Sunday morning services, and other activities. I could never feel at home in another church like I do at Richter. I am glad to have been in responsible positions as to the up keep and running of the church. Leona taught Sunday school at some level most of the time we were at Richter Church. It’s good to see the younger ones taking over the responsibilities of running the church. The Staadt families have always played a big role in keeping the church going. It was tough going at times. Reverend DeSpain was pastor when we joined.

Going to church and worship service has been an important part of our lives. Its interesting to look back to the different place I’ve attended services. I’ve attended in elaborate places, modest places and improvised places. During the war when stationed at Ft Devons, Massachusetts, a buddy of mine, Harvey Paddock, and I attended church at the Old North Church of revolutionary fame. Of course Richter United Methodist Church has been the place with the deepest feeling. We’ve attended there over 45 years. Most of those who made up the Richter church when we started there are gone now. But those who go now are just as dedicated and friendly.

When I was in Europe during World War II, our chaplain always held services when conditions would allow it. The services were held in various places. Sometimes in buildings that were badly damaged, in timbered places, and once under a tree in an open pasture, and one time in a barn. It was a drive through barn where hay could be unloaded from the inside. It had its mangers and stalls. The setting was so fitting, like the setting in Bethlehem so many years ago. It added a lot to the service.

Pictures

1. The farm of Woodrow & Leona Crawford taken on December 26, 1979,  by their son, Albert.  This farm is located between Ottawa and Pomona, Kansas.  It is 2 miles north, one mile west, then 3/8 mile north of the Richter community.
2. Tim Crawford, Allen's son, burning brush on the Woodrow Crawford farm on December 26, 1979.
3. Mindy Kline with her father Harold Kline on a pile of logs that is to be cut for firewood.  Taken on the Woodrow Crawford farm on December 26, 1979.