Sunday Stories - Memories of B.C. Huffman Part 1
Excerpted from McPherson County: Facts, Families, Fiction; Established in 1890
Taken from “Stuckey and Huffman Cousins” By Opal Streiff
The Baldy Valley land consists of Ira S. and Willie Huffman’s Tree Claims. Edmund’s Tree Claim was west up the valley and when the new survey showed that Edmund’s lay south into the hills out of the valley, he sold it to Myers.
After Cap Haskell went bankrupt, the court sold his V L C land at auction. Edmund and Bill Reuter wanted some of the land that laid next to them. Ed Myers came along and told them he would go buy it as there was no reason for them to bid against each other. After he got it bought, he decided he needed it all and the others got left out. Reuter was a “Locater”, charging for locating available or suitable land for homesteaders.
Hand Car Ride
One time B.C. Huffman, Tom Quinn and Tom Woods had trailed cattle to Hecla to be shipped out. That night, the ticket agent loaned them the hand car to go to Mullen. He told them what time the trains would be going, none on the way home. Well, Tom Woods visited the saloon too long and was in no shape to help pump the car back to Hecla. It was up hill, too.
Bull Calves
B.C. bought five bull calves from Harry Miller for 65 dollars. He steered them, lost one, later another one came up missing. He sold the remaining three when they were three years old for $312.00. He said a rancher used to be able to make money on his livestock if patient, but not always so now.
The Magic Phonograph
Ernest Wisner of Omega Post Office in McPherson County was the first to have a phonograph and ear phones. Ernest would go through to Hyannis, staying the first night at Huffmans and would let them listen. Later, he got horns so everyone could hear.
Mind Your Manners
The Huffman family was invited to Sunday dinner at the home of their neighbors, the Brookings family, that lived in Three Mile Valley. Emma told her children to watch their manners as the Brooking children had such good manners, and to act like they did. Well, after dinner the grown-ups were visiting around the table and the oldest Brookings boy asked for something in the middle of the table. No one heard him or passed it, so he stood up on his chair, put one knee on the table and reached for what he wanted. The Huffman kids always “guyed” their mother about acting like the neighbor kids.
Huppmobile Garage in Sutherland
The fall of 1913 Ira E. and B.C. leased a building in Sutherland with plans to set up a garage and Huppmobile Agency. Only a few days passed till the livery stable burned down. The lot was owned by Lee Case, so they traded some horses and colts to him for two lots (the empty Bowling Alley in 1986). They contracted with Building and Loan to build a new garage. Harry Miller lived south of the Southeast Mill, a Kinkaider and wanted to leave, so B.C. and Ira E. traded him the contract for his section of land.
Taken from “Stuckey and Huffman Cousins” By Opal Streiff
The Baldy Valley land consists of Ira S. and Willie Huffman’s Tree Claims. Edmund’s Tree Claim was west up the valley and when the new survey showed that Edmund’s lay south into the hills out of the valley, he sold it to Myers.
After Cap Haskell went bankrupt, the court sold his V L C land at auction. Edmund and Bill Reuter wanted some of the land that laid next to them. Ed Myers came along and told them he would go buy it as there was no reason for them to bid against each other. After he got it bought, he decided he needed it all and the others got left out. Reuter was a “Locater”, charging for locating available or suitable land for homesteaders.
Hand Car Ride
One time B.C. Huffman, Tom Quinn and Tom Woods had trailed cattle to Hecla to be shipped out. That night, the ticket agent loaned them the hand car to go to Mullen. He told them what time the trains would be going, none on the way home. Well, Tom Woods visited the saloon too long and was in no shape to help pump the car back to Hecla. It was up hill, too.
Bull Calves
B.C. bought five bull calves from Harry Miller for 65 dollars. He steered them, lost one, later another one came up missing. He sold the remaining three when they were three years old for $312.00. He said a rancher used to be able to make money on his livestock if patient, but not always so now.
The Magic Phonograph
Ernest Wisner of Omega Post Office in McPherson County was the first to have a phonograph and ear phones. Ernest would go through to Hyannis, staying the first night at Huffmans and would let them listen. Later, he got horns so everyone could hear.
The Huffman family was invited to Sunday dinner at the home of their neighbors, the Brookings family, that lived in Three Mile Valley. Emma told her children to watch their manners as the Brooking children had such good manners, and to act like they did. Well, after dinner the grown-ups were visiting around the table and the oldest Brookings boy asked for something in the middle of the table. No one heard him or passed it, so he stood up on his chair, put one knee on the table and reached for what he wanted. The Huffman kids always “guyed” their mother about acting like the neighbor kids.
Huppmobile Garage in Sutherland
The fall of 1913 Ira E. and B.C. leased a building in Sutherland with plans to set up a garage and Huppmobile Agency. Only a few days passed till the livery stable burned down. The lot was owned by Lee Case, so they traded some horses and colts to him for two lots (the empty Bowling Alley in 1986). They contracted with Building and Loan to build a new garage. Harry Miller lived south of the Southeast Mill, a Kinkaider and wanted to leave, so B.C. and Ira E. traded him the contract for his section of land.
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