Volume 23,
Number 3

March 1999

This title, bound to capture the interest of our membership, refers to the train, a local, that traversed the Rock Island tracks twice a day for many years.  It gained the name "The Jersey", bestowed by employees of the C&RI, because it loaded ten gallon cans of cream, brought to the stations along the Rock Island line, from Phillipsburg, Kansas to Limon, Colorado.

According to Arthur Duell, currently residing in Fayetteville, Arkansas, records kept by Arthur's father, Seth, and J. C. Gernhart, the proprietor of the General Store in Ruleton, Kansas, some 39 farmers within a radius of 19 miles, drove to town and sold cream and eggs which eventually arrived at the Beatrice Creamery Co in Denver, Colorado.

In a January, 1999 letter to the past President of the SCHS, Gennifer House, Arthur gave some interesting background regarding the year from September of 1914 to October of 1915.  The letter also lists the names of the farmers, the weight and butter fat content of the cream, and the cash amount they were paid. 

Pearl Gernhart Parrish recalls, "I was just a little girl when I helped in the store, and there are many things I remember, but dates aren't one of them!  I remember how much time it took to grade the cream, and how dirty some of the eggs were that people brought in.  It was my job to wash the eggs every day and try and get them clean enough to pack.  My dad never refused eggs and was always kind to the customers."

Pearl also says that the phrase, "It's time to load the Jersey" was heard at least twice a day during the time her father owned the General Store in Ruleton.  "General" was indeed the "stock" in Mr. Gernhart's place of business.  Besides the cream and eggs, John bought cow hides, sold groceries, coal, lumber, machinery, dry goods, gas, kerosene, oil, block salt, and feed, besides performing his duties as Postmaster for 35 years.

Bernice DeFries remembers "The Jersey" and the General Store in Ruleton, and recognized all the names of the farmers that sold cream and eggs that ultimately served breakfast tables in the big city.

Art Duell explains that some farmers had large herds of cattle, and some had less than a dozen.  Some cows were Holstein, others Hereford, also many mixed breeds.  The feed the cows had access to made a difference in the butter fat content of the cream, as is evident in the printed record.

The cream brought into town to sell was usually in excess of what the family required for their table butter, but in some cases, the cash received was the only real money to spend in these days prior to World War I.

"The Jersey" was in reality two trains, #361 and #362, put into service in June of 1910, as locals east and west from Phillipsburg to Limon, Colorado.  These units rumbled back and forth, on the 'milk run' and what seems to be the 'heyday' of this service continued until 1919.  By then, WWI was over and two different units, #33 and #34 were put into service and the runs were longer, from Council Bluffs to Goodland to Limon.

In 1924, the "Jersey" trains were scheduled daily except Sunday, the runs were longer, leaving Belleville at 8:25 a.m. and arriving at Goodland at 5:20 p.m.

During the 22 years the schedules were changed on a average of once a year, creating longer runs for fewer trains, and finally, on October 30, 1932, "The Jersey" as residents knew it, or Units #33 and #34 were retired for good.

(The above information was excerpted   from the wonderful book, "Rock Island Westward, Volume 11" by Thomas Lee, with the author's kind permission.  This is a beautifully bound, hard cover volume, with many excellent photos of classic trains, and a well researched and interesting text.   The book is available from T.Lee Publishing, Box 412, Clay Center, KS  67432.   Mr. Lee is currently at work on Volume 111.)

Without a doubt there are many more recollections of "The Jersey" from descendents of the listed families.  The SCHS would welcome written or taped memories and anecdotes related down through the years.   Please send information to:
     Sherman County Historical Society
     P O Box 684
     Goodland, KS  67735

THANK YOU, RAY & MARY LOU ISERNHAGEN

Last year the Board of Directors of the Sherman County Historical Society approached a few long-time members with a request for some long-delayed and much needed research.

Sherman County was apparently most emphatic when it came to the education of its children.  From information handed down through the generations, a school house had its spot on nearly every quarter of land in the populated areas where children were raised with as much pride as the wheat and vegetables/flower gardens.

Up until the consolidation of the USD 352, school houses were well maintained, roofs repaired, and no building was without a coat of spanking white paint, at least every other year.  Folks used the school houses as community centers, and kept house accordingly.

We've all heard stories of the young school marm and her water bucket and wood stove.  The melding of the grades, and how each student helped the other; the scary stories about the storms, both summer and winter, when the school house was the refuge.

After WWII, autos and plentiful gas, the changes in curriculum, prevalence of sports, and the Federal and State government's control over the school districts, it was no longer cost effective to fund county schools.   The last half of the Twentieth Century dictated much more than an 8th grade education would be required.

As a consequence, county schools began to disappear, and with the demise of the buildings, a way of life in a more innocent era also became only memories.

Soon, only grandparents remembered where the school house was located.  Some really were a long way from home, grandchildren have certainly heard tales of "walking five miles to school in all weather".

Buildings were sold and moved to become machinery sheds, graneries, garages, and in some cases, neat little country homes.   The 'school house' quarter could be planted fence row to fence row.  Students graduating in the late 60's could not imagine not riding a bus or driving the "school car" into town.

The Historical Society realized the need for a County Map with sites of all the school houses that had served the county, but who could devote the time and research to the project? .... and along came Ray and Mary Lou Isernhagen!  What a task to undertake ... but complete it they did!  The result is a map of Sherman County, with all the locations noted, framed, and currently hanging in the restored school house next to the High Plains Museum.

The Society expressed their gratitude to Ray and Mary Lou, but have never given public recognition for this very important donation to the preservation of a way of life too soon delegated to the past.  Consider it recorded! Thank You, Isernhagens!!!

CAN YOU SPARE AN AFTERNOON?

The restored School House situated by the High Plains Museum here in Goodland has attracted its share of visitors the past few summers.  Sponsored and maintained by the Sherman County Historical Society, in it's 1998 'season', 685 souls wandered in and hit a time warp back to the 1900's.

One of those souls happens to be an author, who writes regularly for a well known publication.  His hobby is country schools and their history.  Our well-preserved "Union 51" building happens to boast a roll-down curtain, painted in the 1950's with local businesses advertised, which of course was used when the school became the 'theater' or "recital hall" for the neighborhood.  It seems 'our' curtain is one of the finest examples he has seen, not only in NW Kansas, but in his entire folio.

Anyone, lady or gent, who can find a few hours a week beginning Memorial Day and ending Labor Day to meet and greet the tourists who bring dollars to our city would truly enjoy the experience.  Had there not been a Volunteer last summer, our truly unique artifact would still be an unappreciated and all but forgotten item.  Please call Natalie Austin at 899-7297 or Evelyn Ward at 899-3351 and donate some pleasant hours to your History!!!

COLLECTOR'S ITEM CALENDAR

Evelyn Ward, newly installed Vice-President of the Sherman County Historical Society is close to completing the Year 2000 Calendar for the residents and interested parties in Sherman County and Goodland.

The date spaces for each month will cite the events of note for that day, beginning with the first historical event in 1867, The Kidder Massacre.  Evelyn has dedicated many hours of research and burnt the midnight oil on long winter evenings.

The SCHS will sell advertising to fund the printing of this calendar, which will also feature photos of places and buildings of note over the past 100 years.  Please begin to plan your ad layouts for this one-time publication, and be a part of this unique endeavor!  Call any Society member to be listed for advertising, and a representative will contact you soon.  The cost of the Calendar when it is available for sale will be printed in a future edition of this Bulletin.  All residents and business persons should call and reserve copies.   When they're gone .... they're gone!

CLASSIC NOSTALGIC PHOTOS WANTED!

The Historical Society's fund raising projects, in addition to the Year 2000 calendar, will include a series of Post Cards which will be sold at various Tourist centers in Goodland and Sherman County.

A "theme" series is planned for the first edition, featuring perhaps early 1900's homes that have been maintained in their original state; or our Churches, parks, Farm Homes, country vistas, etc.

The Board would welcome any photos our members or the public has to offer that might be of interest as a memento of our City/County.  We would copy any photo and return the original to the owner, and give donor credit on the post card itself.

If anyone has a phot of a by-gone building, vehicle, oddity or otherwise, please notify Bryce Cole (899-2132) or Marilyn Cooper (899-3318).  No offering will be rejected!  All will be considered!!