A Coloful Heritage 2

The following accounts were gleaned from what had been described in the October 12,1961 issue of the Mennonite Weekly Review.

So Solomon announced that they were moving to Oklahoma.  The two oldest boys were 6 and 8.  It was a very sudden decision after the elders had approached him to be their pastor.

"In a few days he had the wagon ready, and we were off on our 10-day journey.  We made that 300 mile trip from McPherson County,Kansas to Washita County,Oklahoma, in a covered wagon."
He filed a claim which turned out to be the worst, full of rocks and gullies.  Having nothing to build with he built a soddie dugout on the bank of a river only to have it cave in one night during a first rain.  They moved back into the covered wagon until another dugout was made.Dirt floors and dirt walls. Centipeded, scorpions, and snakes would come in, especially at night.

His mother gave birth to another baby within those dirt walls.  When he was two months old he screamed so loud waking up the whole family to find a scorpion in his cradle.

Poverty and hardship struck every aspect of their lives.  During dry season, they had to haul water from a creek two miles away.  Two attempts to dig a well failed with bad water.  People with good water would keep their wells locked up as water was so scarce.

As time went on the family was wondering why they had even moved to Oklahoma.  The truth came out as he told the family he had run from God.

Troubles in Oklahoma seemed to grow.  They had to sneak out at night to get fire wood because of fear of the Indians.  They had a good crop of sorghum and some wheat one year.

The nearest town, El Reno, was 60 miles away.  A round trip would take them a week and they had to cross the Canadian River.  There was danger of quicksand, they lost a haybaler but saved the horses.  Another time they were crossing that same river in the winter while it was iced over.  They did not realize how thin the ice was as it was covered with sand that the wind had blown.  The whole wagon and everyone tumbled into the river in the dark of night.

That ordeal nearly cost him his life and many years of suffering.  Finally he said, "We are going back to Kansas."  They packed up their belongings and headed back to Kansas, taking the toll bridge over the Canadian River.

When they arrived back every one welcomed them back and another farm was started. The Lord began to bless them spiritually and financially.  Crops were good.  There was much crying and praying when again he was elected to be the pastor of that same church.   
"Father dedicated his life anew to God and admonished us to live a life pleasing to God and to let our lives shine, as we were now preacher's children."
The Lord blessed him with a big family, 10 children, 8 boys and 2 girls.

In the fall of 1910, they all moved to Dallas, Oregon.  In 1912, He organized and became the first pastor of the E.M.B Church in Dallas.  He was ordained as a minister by the conference of the Hebron Church(Mennonite).

This is what was said about great grandpa and great grandma by one of their children:  "Being with them one always sensed their love and devotion to their Heavenly Father.  Grandpa was always to share a new truth he discovered in the Word always he would apply it in some way to his own live or to ours.  He never failed to warn where necessary, but always with an added lot of encouragement.  Grandpa took the words in Psalms 126:6 literally and never failed to remind his family of its truth when harvest time came.  Some of his boys remember how Grandpa wept and prayed while seeding his fields in the spring."

When each of his children reached their 21st birthday he presented them with $1000 or land equivalant to it.  Everything was characterized by the Word of God.  His favorite hymn was "My Saviors Love".  Several of the boy's had good voices and I thing they even formed a quartet.  
I remember that same song being my grandfather who we called Pop singing it in such a strong voice.  I still can hear him singing it.  That has also become one of my favorite hymns.

Well this has rambled on and on.  I hope it is as interesting to my readers as it has been to me.