From Bill Hosmer (48):
Gary and Friends, The historical significance of Dick’s latest on the James Clan was not only interesting, but fascinating reading, plus evidence of alot of research. Excellent. Also stories of the people who most of us are descendant from have meaningful memory jogging value. Although most of the writers are younger than I, the names and associations are of high value and stir up memories of my time in our home country. Gary has created this forum of conversation which has now and probably continue to increase in volume and significance for all of us and our descendants. That’s what history is all about.
The pocket knife stories are terrific. The mummely peg was a great game and took care of alot of boring times during hot summers. Marbles was a game that was the cause of alot of competition. In my case, I’d invest 25 cents for a bag which included a shooter. I’d hope it would last until the snow came. Never did. There were many great shooters, including a lad called John Satrang, who won the state championship sometime in the late 30s. The guy who won most of my marbles was Donnie Gottbreht, the son of John who was our policeman in those thirties. Don had been playing on the old merry go round at the school yard and put his finger into the hole on top of the center post, and it was cut off. When it healed he had the perfect configuration for marble shooting. One day I was at his house and he showed me his coffee cans full of marbles. Told me he had over 3000. They would be worth some money today.
The other day my wife, Pat, Leonard and Eleanor Stickland, and I went to the Rolette County Museum for Mel’s steaks and Dick’s musicians solid music. My old friend Art Rude was there, of course, and gave me a private tour of the big building with the heavier equipment for later display. There were some fascinating articles with fantastic history, among which was a contraption which Billie Lawrence, our blacksmith used. Also, there was another fascinating machine used by Harry Douglas, our undertaker, located adjacent to the north side of the Althea Theater, to move caskets from the basement to the main floor, etc. Art was class of 1939, and will be celebrating his class 70th reunion next year. Hanna Higgins was in that class as well. Art is really a Dunseith Man, and instrumental in getting our museum established. He still wears his ball cap in a decided slant over his forehead and is recognizable from a great distance because of it.
There are not accolades strong enough to measure the power of folks from a rural community talking freely with one another and entertaining us with their experiences in a way that everyone, and I mean everyone can relate to and share. Gary, if the right words ever come to me, I’ll send them. In the mean time, know that your contribution to this effort is a dramatic lesson in dedication and friendship. Thankfully, Bill Hosmer
Bill, having mentioned Hannah Higgins & Art Rude, I have included several recent pictures with them. I couldn’t find one of Art Rude with his cap. His cap and the manner in which he wears it has been his trade mark for as long as I’ve known him. Hannah and Mrs. Longie worked together up at San Haven and have remained friends all these years. Hanna lives in the Seattle area and Mrs. Longie in Spokane.
Willie & Ron Longie, did your mother ever attend school in Dunseith? Gary
Reply from Vickie Metcalfe (70):
Gary & Dick,
My Dad, a voracious reader and listener was another believer that the
“James Family of St John” had connections to Jesse James.
Dick, Wow! What fun! The fun part of family history is when a
person takes the family myths ie the the stories you thought were
B.S. or Tall tales and then make the efforts to research find out
they are more truth than fiction.
Happy Trails everyone on your own family history ventures. Please
share. Vickie
Reply from Dave Slyter (70): f
Gary and all,
There is one thing about Aunt Margie that everybody remembers and that is that if you go to visit, be prepared to stay as you will not be able to leave until you have had lunch or a snack with her. I remember all the times that we as the Hiatt/Slyter family would go and visit her and Uncle Bill. The table was always set when we got there and the food was a plenty. The meals were so good as most of it was her canned goods. And then there was her home made baked pies. All kinds, apple, cherry, pumpkin and yes even peach. They were so good with cool whip.
I took care of Margie while she lived on the farm in her later years for approximately 15 yrs. I would mow her grass, paint her fence and even fix it. Help her put her car away for the winter (put the cars on blocks the tires didn’t touch the ground) as she never drove in the winter months. Each time she would call and I went up to help her with something, she would always reward me with a good lunch. I always looked forward to it. She was quite a women.
And she always had time to tell a short or long story (depending how much time you had) about something in the past that had happen he her life. Some of the stories were very interesting.
One Sunday afternoon I received a call from her son Norman saying that they tried to call Margie and she wouldn’t answer. He asked if I would mind going up and seeing if she was alright. I was thinking if I know Margie she would be outside working in her yard. When I entered her yard I didn’t see her. I went into the house and called out to her. No answer. I went back out and looked toward her fence line and barn and there she layed. She had fallen the evening before and couldn’t get back up. Margie always loved what she was doing and I could tell she passed away very happy as she had her arms and hands around a bowl of juneberries, that she was preparing to can after washing them.
She was a wonderful lady with a mind of her own. I miss and loved her dearly.
Dave Slyter (70)
Dave, I knew that you were the one that found Margie when she left this world. Within a few hours after you discovered her, my dad called me out in Washington. Margie would have been very happy to have known that you were the one that discovered her. You did a lot of things for her, for a number of years, and she truly appreciated everything you did. She mentioned you, many times, the last years of her life. She was sharp as a tack, right to the end. I learned a whole lot of Stokes history, that I would have never know had she not told me. Gary
Reply From Bobby Slyter (70):
| I too remember aunt Margie’s popcorn balls and all the other goodies that she had,it was always a thrill to get to go and see her and uncle bill,when I was younger I did not realize that uncle bill could not hear so I would sit in his lap and talk to him like he could hear me, he always seemed to understand what I was saying, they where two of the most loving people I know and it was an honor to have had them in my life
JUST LITTLE OLE ME FROM KANSAS
Reply from Florence Hiatt Dahl (50) & also a Niece of Margie’s: Reply to Marlys regarding chicken poz. Yes, once you have had chicken pox,the virus lies dormant untill activated by stress, illness or whatever. Do get the vacination. I warn you it’s pricey. But I have spent far more on the drops and the medication. Good luck you guys who don’t. Florence, Thank you so much for this advice. I am for sure going to get this vaccination. I do remember having the Chicken Pox at a very young age. Gary
DRAFTED! AND TRAINED Carroll saved and had started a savings account in the First National Bank of Chinook, which he continued through the war. On April 13, 1942 Carroll was drafted for active military duty.
Carroll tied up loose ends. Carroll, sold the ’36 Chevy to Henry Miller, for $200. Miller had a need for a lighter vehicle to get out to the ranch from his home in Chinook. Automobiles and tires in the early ’40′s tough to find. Carroll left his belongings in a suitcase, behind in a hotel/ boarding room in Chinook. He a reported to the local draft board, along with several other fellows from Chinook. Carroll and several other fellows from Chinook rode the train west to Whitefish, Montana. Arriving in Whitefish, they got on a bus and headed south to Missoula, Montana, where they were sworn in to active duty.. A few of those guys who left Chinook served with Carroll all the way through the war. They spent April at Fort Lewis, Washington. They journeyed south, by train to California where they underwent basic training at Fort Roberts, California then to the to the 62nd AFA Battalion at Desert Center, California. Carroll trained to be a cannoneer. While training with his group in the California desert, he wondered, “What a desert had to do with Europe or Japan”? (Carroll said they found out later when they ended up in North Africa.) They spent six weeks there, doing more training. They got orders to move out, traveling by train to Staten Island, New York on November 2, 1942, where they boarded a ship. (Carroll has a few more tales to tell in this section, but they are best heard from the story teller himself!) Carroll’s Traveling Years will Continue with part 6 tomorrow: |
Provided by Neola Kofoid Garbe:
Diane Larson Sjol from the Dunseith High School class of 1970
