Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:
Thomas and Mary E. (Cork) Flower, his sister Mary Flower, 8 South 50 West
In 1870 Monona County, Iowa, Wm. D. Flower is 38, M.A. 28, Eliza 9, Thoma 7, Francis 4, and Mary 1.
Thomas is in Monona County, Iowa in 1870, 16, with William 48 and Margaret A. 37. Francis is 15, Mary 10, Ella 5, and WInefred 2.
Mary Cork was in Monona County in 1870, 13, wtih George W. Cork 48, Lydia 45, Theodore 17, George 12, William 10, and Ephram 6.
In 1880 Monona County, Iowa, Thomas is farming 25, with Mary 26 born in Illinois. Wilbur is 6, Thomas Jr 4, Willimam 3, Mabel 1, all kids born in Iowa. His sister Mary is 21, born in Iowa.
In 1900 Monona County, Iowa, Thomas Flower is a stock raiser,
born July 1853 in Iowa, married 27 years to Mary E. August 1856,
born in Illinois.
She's had nine kids, all living.
Willie March 1877, MaudSept 1880, Charles A. May 1882, Leo Sept 1884, Harrison Aug 1891, all born in Iowa,
and Hines Feb 1890 in Nebraska.
Mary claimed 160 acres in section 8, 8S 50W in 1908, the same day as Thomas claimed a tract in section 7.
Thomas is single in South Dakota in 1910, and in 1920
is in Keya Paha County, Nebraska, 66, divorced, living with son Geroge E. 36 born in Iowa and Florence E. 37 born in California.
In 1930 Woodbury County, Iowa, Thomas, 76, is living with son Wilbert 56.
Thomas, age 68, died February 2, 1932, buried in Graceland Cemetery, Sioux City, Iowa.
Mary Elizabeth Flower, born August 15, 1856 in Ohio to George Washington Cork and Lydia Yarrington, both born in Ohio,
died in Sioux City, Iowa March 31, 1938. She was to be buried in Graceland Park Cemetery. The informant was Wilbur Flower of Sloan, Iowa.
CHARLES
Charley Arthur Flower married Pansy Brewster on July 18, 1903 in Monona County, Iowa.
Charles A. Flower, 28, born at Onawa to "rhama" Flower and Mary "Cook", residing
at Walt Hill, Nebraska, married (his second) Ellyn Belder, 22,
of Newcastle, Nebraska, daughter of John Heller and Margaret Alpander,
in Sioux City Iowa on September 14, 1909.
Witnesses were Mrs. J. M. Heller and Wilbur Flower.
Charles claimed a tract in section 8 in 1909.
Ellyn Darlene Flower was born Sept 10, 1915 in Walt Hill, Nebraska, named Rogers in 1950.
In 1925 South Dakota, there's an Charles A. Flowers 42 born in Iowa in 1910 to Ellen Ballard.
In 1930 Charles Mix County, South Dakota, Charles is farming, 47, with Ellyn 42 and Darlene 13l
May 1935 
Charles, 57 and Ellen 52 are in Chino, California in 1940.
" CHINO, Nov. 18, 1940 Fire which Saturday afternoon destroyed the roof and badly damaged the second floor of the two-story dwelling of Charles A. Flower on Pipeline avenue, south of Philadelphia avenue, in the Chino rural district, was today esti mated to have caused a loss of some $800. The blaze Is believed to have been started by sparks from an incinerator igniting some dry walnut leaves on the roof. An hour after the fire, Mrs. Flower, 52, collapsed from a heart attack said to have been induced by the excitement. She was revived by an Ontario doctor and the inhalator squad of the China fire department. The department yesterday placed canvas over the house to protect it from the rain. "
1941 "John Beller and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Flower visited over the weekend with Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Beller in Rosamond."
Charles, born August 17, 1882, died February 25, 1960 in San Bernadiono County.
Ellen, born January 22, 1888 in Haskell, Nebraska, died November 25, 1975 in Pomona, California.
Ellyn D. Flower married Dempsey Floyd on June 19, 1939 in California.
Dempsey 23, a carpenter, and Evelyn 24 are in Prince Georges County, Maryland in 1940, with Patrick 1.
Warren Douglass Rogers, 33, married Evelyn Darlene Floyd on August 17, 1946 in Pierce County, Washington.
WILBUR
1940 "Whether they want it or not, the Winnebago Indians now own a chunk of this Missouri river wilderness that for 20 years has been able to take civilization or leave it alone. After five years of intermittent litigation, the federal circuit court of appeals said two tip of Flower's island belongs to Nebraska or, more exactly, to the Winnebago Indian reservation in northeast Nebraska. Flower's island, which lies in Woodbury and Monona counties about three miles west of Sloan, la., Is not an island any more, and has been cut off from Nebraska by the river for 25 years. What counted with the court, however, was who owned what in 1870 regardless of what capering the river has done since. Varying Opinions, Opinions vary somewhat on Just how much this means to the Indians. Federal attorneys have said It means about 600 acres, but "King" Wilbert Flower says it is more like 420 acres and that not much of the chunkaa arable. And "King", Flower ought to know. Nobody seemed to think much of the plape In the spring of 1919 when "King" Flower moved in to rule a 6,000-acre domain and extend a benevolent protectorate to 4,000 acres more. But a lot of people began taking an interest as soon as Flower settled. Survey Ordered. Nebraska ordered a survey of the island, and the federal gov ernment's Indian office sought an appropriation to finance a court fight for the island. The "King" sat tight and minded his own business. goes But the about 1870. iitory back to The Missouri river, famous chiefly lor being muddy and changing its , mind, accomplished number of hairpin turns in the spot where Flower's island now lies. North of these curves lay Nebraska, and south lay Iowa. In the winter of 1877, an ice gorge below Sioux City, la., threw the river to the east. Leaving its twisting channel, it cut a new one, which came to be known as the "inside chute." Other upstream diversions later created another "chute" a mile east of the first, and the river flowed in both of them. Another Ice Gorge. Then In the winter of 1915,
another ice gorge developed.
This Is the tiny Flower's Inland school, built last summer by
families having children of school age. It is snug in cold weather, and the domed roof llluxtrate skilled carpentry rarely seen on the Island. B y " Here Is "King" Mower's front yard, which looks across the line drawn by federal court decision between the Iowa and Nebraska portions of the island. In the foreground Is Flower's feed.vard, and beyond it the Nebraska territory begins. weeks ago that the northern time the river jumped west, and cut the island off from Nebraska. These two events known geo logically as evulsions carved out a well-defined island. The island proper lay between the "inside" chute on the east and the new river bed on the west, but the land between the "inside" and 'outside" chutes also was consid ered a part of the island and was known as the "high bank." Basis of Decision. The 1870 bed of the river still lay east-west across the island, however, and the federaj court's decision was based on the location of this bed. Island land north of it goes to Nebraska, and south of it to Iowa. Water still flows through the "chutes" during flood periods, and a little occasionally finds Its way into the winding 1870 bed on the island. Bad floods, in fact, will cover most of the island. The evulsion theory is the one advanced by J. W. Kindig, former Iowa state supreme court justice, who stepped Into the Flower's island case when he returned to his law practice in Sioux City, la., in 1935. Federal Circuit Judge J. W. VVoodrough agreed with It when he was in federal district court in 1938, and Judge Wood' rough's decision was upheld in the circuit court of appeals two weeks ago. ( "King" Flower's reign in the meantime, however, has descended from the romance of legend to the sad realities of mortgages, taxes and encroaching civilization After he had been on the island 10 years, establishing "peaceful possession" on the advice of a lawyer, Flower began leasing farms to tenants. He had cleared much of the island, and he charged only crop rent for the land, which always has produced fine corn crops. Champion Stallion. Flower concentrated on blooded stock. His Tercheron stallion "Sandbo" was an international exposition champion, and his cattle were among the best in northwest Iowa. As Flower carefully leased the land out to 10 tenants, a few mal- If. jr : ft 4 ' l ft k) 0 Rejlil.fr Staff Photot by John H. Nnslt. "King" W ilbert Flower Is no hunter, but his neighbors keep him supplied with fresh rabbit meat. One-time ruler of a 6,000-acre domain, the king Is nearly 66 years old and has spent 20 years In the Missouri river wilderness that bears his name. contents slipped in along with the conscientious farmers. It was they who perpetuated legends of lawlessness that soon surrounded "King" Flower and his empire, and law and order- had a good many tough years in the neighborhood. For example, one tenant decided not to pay Flower any rent. He made his position emphatic by wearing slx-shooters in his belt. Flower, who has never carried a gun, chose to ignore the rebellion, which flourishes in a small way to this day. Then there was and is another who seems to have a congenital dislike for peace officers of any kind, and deeply resents any intra sion on his little farm. He sniped at federal survey crews several years ago, and as recently as last year ran a couple of Woodbury county deputy sheriffs out of the yard. At such times, his wife and children lend physical as well as spiritual aid to the head of the house, and deputies now travel that part of the island in bunches. Some of the Islanders didn't want him for a neighbor when he arrived in 1933. In faot, some of them shot him one day as he stood in front of his cabin, and drove off leaving him for dead. But he is still there, and some other tenants have left.
At some point in this history, "King" Flower gave the Winnebago
State bank of Winnebago, Neb., a mortgage on the whole of his land,
the 6.000 acres west of the "inside" chute. That was where the hard realities of finance and taxes crept onto the scene. When the bank was liquidated,
. R. I Grosvenor, the cashier, obtained control of a large share of the land, and the rest of it fell to ...a number of other persons. Grosvenor, who now lives in Sioux City, is the largest single holder, however, and "King" Flower is really only his star tenant now. All Mortgaged. Flower lives on the 80-acre farm he first carved out for him self, and acts as unofficial super intendent of the island. . Every foot of the island is mortgaged, some small pieces being owned by business men in Sloan. Culture first hit the island in January of .1935 when a school was opened. The Iowa state department of education supported it, and a teacher from Onawa, la., filled the post. The school didn't open In 1936, however, and there was no more school until Nov. 22, 1939, when a new school, built by families hav ing children of school age, was opened. There are five families now sending 14 children to the school. Lives In Trailer. Minnie Davidson, a former Onawa public school teacher, lives in a house trailer near the tiny schoolhouse and teaches all grades. The farms lying In Monona county pay taxes, and Flower says the Woodbury county land is to be put on the tax rolls next year, None of it ever has been appraised.z
"King" Flower will be 66 years old in April, and he has lived in this part of the country all his life. He was born and reared at Onawa, and was a stock raiser at Walt- hill, Neb., before coming to his island. A genial, grizzled old man, Flower has only one eye. The other was injured by a bullet that ricocheted while a friend was target shooting at spoons In a hotel room, and was taken out -without an anesthetic by s Sioux City surgeon several years ago. Because his first name, Wilbert is not common, he usually has been known as Wilbur Flower. z
He never has troubled to correct the error, and still doesn't care. When federal attorneys started their suit in December, 1934, Kuv dig summoned soil and tree experts. Flower dug 21 holes, each 15 feet deep, and the experts took earth samples at every foot from each hole. From the earth samples, Idea tity of the original Iowa and Nebraska land was established. Tree experts proved trees had ' been growing on some land that federal attorneys claimed was in the river during the years in dispute. Back when "King" Flower was still king, the islanders used to chase off Onawa women who came out with donations of clothes. In the same united fashion, they dis couraged Iowa state inspectors who wanted to test their cattle. Winding roads, hub-deep In soft sand and snow, lead throueh the thick trees of the island. Houses are so scattered that no more than one is visible at a time, and deadend roads seem placed to mislead strangers. But deputies ran ge down there alone, so Ions; as they : 1 , t 9 I V: v I iii mi i linn in mm f nff Flower's island youngsters go to school in a little Onawa, la., teacher, handles all grades. This is a view of listening to Miss Davidson give them their reading lesson. Flower has a roomy, clean house, buUt of cott nwood lumber from his own sawmill. A hired hand Uvea with him, and don most of the heavy work on the 80-acre farm left to Flower. steer clear of the most rambunctious tenant. Minnie Davidson teaches her 14 pupils singing and arithmetic, and never even has seen "King" Flower. And the mortgages make. It typical Iowa farm life. Nobody has asked the Winnebago Indians whether they want the 420 or maybe 600 acres. The office of the United States attorney general just says they do."
MABEL
Mable Clare Flower, 20, married Otis Cork on January 23, 1899 in Pender, Nebraska, registered in Thurston County.
Otis was 24, born in Monona County, Iowa to J. H. and N. M. Cork.
Otis is a railroad laborer in 1900 Buena Vista County,
Iowa, born January 1875, with Mabel C. October 1878, and Glen O. born Nov 1899.
In 1910 Grant County, Oregon, Otis is farming, 34, with Mabel C. 30, Merriel C. 8, Clarence C. 6, Harrison R. 3,a nd Alice A. 1.
Otis is buried in Monument, Oregon 1875-1937 # 20531529.
"Parents: James Hamilton Cork and Nancy Marie Flower; w-Mable Clair Flower, children: Glen Otis, Merrill Clair Cork Farrar Morris, Clarence C., Roy Harrison, Alise Anna Cork Johnson, Mildred Ethyl Cork Johnson, Harold A., Leola Juanita Cork Robertson, and Ardyth Helen Cork Fleming."
Mable Claire Flower Cork is buried in Monument, Oregon # 20531520.
SISTER MARY
Thomas' sister Mary, 22, daughter of William Flower
and Margaret Craig, married Milton A. Edwards on Oct 25,
1880 in Monona County.
In 1900 Milton, 45, and Mary 41 are in Cuming County, Nebraska, with William A. 13 and Lucy L. 10.
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