September 2021 we travelled to Rooks County Kansas to visit meaningful places to my families past. This taisteal to northwest Kansas began with the journey in October 1877 by C.C. Smith. Growing up I knew family resided near Woodston and Stockton, Kansas but I had no knowledge that the Smith family was one of the founding families of Rooks County. I yearned to see the land where the homestead once stood and visit the small church where C.C. Smith's funeral was in June 1894 and their final resting place.
Let's start this journey with a story taken from The Stockton News, December 17, 1879-
"A visit to Ash Rock Township. On Wednesday morning, a week ago, we put on our great coat buttoned up our muffler, and threw ourselves astride the "genuine" plug, as Mark Twain would have it, for a tour through the northeast portion of the upper Solomon Valley. We left Stockton, which nestles so confidingly under the protecting wing of "Dibble Creek Divide," from the east traveling down the celebrated valley of the Solomon for a distance of four or five miles. We past farms and farmhouses which showed the wonderful energy of the Kansas settler.
These farms were, many of them, well improved thought they were of but a couple of years growth. Wherever one travels over this western Kansas country, one cannot but be impressed with the splendid future which awaits it, when one considers all the elements of rural greatness which are here to be found.
Leaving the main road leading from the well know town of Stockton to Bull's City, the writer filed in a northeasterly direction through a tortuous defile, or in the vernacular of the west, "a draw." Nothing of interest was seen while making the passage of the "draw," except the meeting of a small thin pony hitched to a provokingly bad wagon, which persisted in testing both sides of the road at the same time, and a small wagon box densely populated with some half dozen youthful homesteaders varying in age from four to twelve years.
Leaving the "draw" through which we had been traveling for three or four miles we came into an open country, presenting an almost unbroken view before us for several miles. We are now convinced that we are in view of the celebrated Ash Rock country. Riding over one of the finest stretches of agricultural country that we have ever seen, we at last "pull up" at the residence of Walter McNutt, where we are entertained for the night and from whom we obtained many facts in reference to the settlement and history of his township.
Ash Rock Township lies in the northeast corner of Rooks county. It is bounded on the north by the counties of Phillips and Smith, on the east by Osborne county, on the south by Lowell township and on the west by the Farmington township, both of Rooks county, Kansas. It comprises one congressional township and is therefore six miles square. The officers elected for Ash Rock township at the elections this fall are, W.R. McNutt, Trustee; Charles Vanderlip, Treasurer; S. N. Mears, Clerk; A.I. Robinson and D. Strout Justices of the Peace; J Burch and J. A. Strater Constables, and John Linten Road Overseer.
There are three organized school districts in the township, in which school is taught six months out of the year. There are five church organizations in the township. These things show that the people are alive to the educational and religious interests of the community."
1879, there are three organized school districts when sod houses are the common structure for the family home. No hassle with what curriculum to teach, just the simple fact that education is key to improvement and the families of Ash Rock made sure schools were built. Beautiful stone and wood structures, schools utilized for decades.
March 1867, C.C. (Charles) Smith and Emma Elda Smith marry in Cato, Wisconsin. The Smith men worked at a mill in Cato, which W.R. McNutt's family owned. Charles and Emma travel to Kansas via Iowa to find land to make their own. C.C. Smith belonged to the International Organization of Odd Fellows. Odd Fellows believe in the universal brotherhood of Man and the fatherhood of God. Odd Fellowship is on-partisan, non-sectarian, and welcoming of all people without regard to religion, race, gender, sexual orientation, and national origin. C.C. Smith fought with the 1st Wisconsin Calvary, Company L in the Civil War. His grand daughter wrote he was a drummer boy in the unit. He suffered a head injury due to a derrick during his time spent in Colorado, mining. C.C. Smith went to Colorado after homesteading in Kansas but came back quickly to claim his land. Four children were born to this union, Charles Clark, Sanford Solomon, Kathryn Belle and Merton Louis. His obituary states he had five children, I have not located the fifth child. Kathryn died in 1886 in Rooks County. According to historians and newspaper articles during the time, a typhoid outbreak was in the area however her caused of death is unknown. She has a beautiful tombstone at the Ash Rock cemetery.
Katie's older brother Charles named his first born daughter after his sister. This is my great grandmother and who I named my daughter after. Katie was premature and was kept in a shoebox by the fire at the farm in Rooks County. She grew up to be the first woman in this family line to graduate high school in 1914. Katie played basketball, a trait my daughter had as well, playing in college. I wonder if the name sake had anything to do with it.
Tragedy hit a year after Katie was born. In June 1894 C.C. Smith, her grandfather took his own life at the family farm due to failing crops and family saying the Civil War haunted him.
September 2021, the view at the Smith farmstead is a frail dirt road with a milo field now where the home once stood. The Dix family owns the land now. Mark Dix provided a summary of what he knew about the land, where he ran into trash, wood and other items he associated with where the home should have stood. This area is between two lower areas where the only trees native to the land are located. One could see for miles where the home stood. September 2021 was not that day as the milo field is high and the grasshoppers along with other bugs were the population. Another day, another trip to stand where the home once stood.
"It's easy to get discouraged, To feel that we're abused. Life has so many turnings, We sometimes get confused. It's only the chances taken that count. Not the ones we all refuse. So lay down life's burden each evening. Pick up only what can be used. The useless burdens men carry. Must keep God amused. As well as discouraged by their own riches which we refuse. Which is dross and what is gold is sometimes hard to choose. For there are dreams in all our hearts that are better never used. " Vernon A. Spain, Kansas native.
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