Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

Charles E. and Tessa (Woodworth) Sholes, Stratton




In 1880 Jewell County, Kansas, D. E. Sholes is 26, Sarah Sholes 21 Wife, and Charles Sholes 10/12 Son.

August 1898 Mankato, Kansas
"To D. E. Wholes, husband of deceased, Charles E. Sholes, Frank E. Sholes, Stella M. Dresser, nee Sholes, and Birdie Sholes, known heirs at law of Sarah M. Sholes, late of said county, deceased, and all others concerned: You are hereby notified, that at term of the Probate Court of Jewell county, there was opened and publically read an Instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Sarah M. Sholes."

Charles is a farm laborer in 1900 Kansas.
In 1900 Jewell County, Dan Woodworth is 42, Sarah Woodworth 35 Wife, Rosa E. Woodworth 14 Daughter, Tessie L. Woodworth 12 Daughter, Elsia M. Woodworth 9 Daughter, Ada F. Woodworth 7 Daughter, Cu*et Woodworth 3 Daughter, and William Beagles 25 Servant.

Daniel G. Woodworth BIRTH 15 May 1858 Kendallville, Noble County, Indiana, USA DEATH 22 Mar 1937 (aged 78) Gage, Ellis County, Oklahoma, USA BURIAL Gage Memorial Cemetery Gage, Ellis County, Oklahoma, USA MEMORIAL ID 24596071

Sarah Rouse Shaffer Woodworth BIRTH 9 Mar 1865 Stroudsburg, Monroe County, Pennsylvania, USA DEATH 28 Mar 1938 (aged 73) Gage, Ellis County, Oklahoma, USA BURIAL Gage Memorial Cemetery Gage, Ellis County, Oklahoma, USA MEMORIAL ID 86919868

In 1910 Kit Carson County, Charles E. Sholes 31 Head, with Tesse Sholes 22 Wife.

Charles Eugene Sholes proved up a quarter in section 13, 10S 47W in 1913,
Charles proved up eighty acres in section 2, 9S 47W in 1921.

Charles registered for WWI in Stratton, farming, born August 19, 1897, wife Texxa.

Cliffton, Roy Evert, 23, and Sholes, Wava Agatha, 17, both of Stratton, married there on 2/19/1927, spouses father C. E. Sholes, witnesses Mrs. Tessa Sholes and Mrs Amelia Cliffton.

In 1930 Stratton, Charles E. Sholes is a road grader operator, 48, Tessie L. Sholes 41 Wife, Stella F. Sholes 14 Daughter, Athalia A. Sholes 7 Daughter, and Charles D. Sholes 3 Son.

Charles E. Sholes BIRTH 1879 DEATH 1935 (aged 55–56) BURIAL Claremont Cemetery Stratton, Kit Carson County, Colorado, USA MEMORIAL ID 75526835
Tessa L. Sholes BIRTH 1887 DEATH 1966 (aged 78–79) BURIAL Claremont Cemetery Stratton, Kit Carson County, Colorado, USA MEMORIAL ID 75526853

Athalia I. Dolores Sholes Marriage Date: 30 Aug 1938 Marriage Place: Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA Marriage Church: St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church Father: Charles Sholes Mother: Tessa Woodworth Spouse: Adolph Brachtenbach


"SHOLES, CHARLES AND TESSA
Our mother's family came from Canada, Ohio, Indiana, and then Kansas. She was born in Lebanon, Smith County, Kansas, just across the street. Mr. Collins had purchased heater and, having plenty a 1887. The two towns are about eight miles apart. They were married in Mankato, Kansas, 1907, coming to Colorado in 1909. Moving to Colorado was the result of the Homestead Act by the Federal Government which gave a person 160 acres of land. Our father was granted a patent April 5, 1913 to SW1/4, Sec.13, Twp.10, Rng.47, signed by President Woodrow Wilson. The Homestead Act granted an individual the deed of trust to 160 acres of land if the person improved the land by living on it for five years. The government provided another way for the new person could pay the government a certain amount of money and live on the land a fewer number of years. Our parents built a home, broke the ground, raised crops, and planted trees according to the requirements. Our grandfather, DeMott Sholes, on June 16, 1910, filed a claim in Colorado, to homestead and was granted a patent to SE 1/4, Sec. 14, Twp.10, Rng. 47. The County road divided the two places and they were located one mile west and nine miles south.
Our parents came to Stratton from Kansas by Rock Island Railroad and not by covered wagon. They sold most of their belongings before coming to Colorado, except what they were able to bring on the train. After coming to Stratton, they lived in town until a home and other buildings could be constructed on the land. The house was a frame. four-room ?building with tar paper on the outside. The inside walls were wooden boards and wallpapered by our mother. Carpets and rugs covered portions of the wooden floors. The sod roof was cut from the native prairie, buffalo grass, cut into squares and placed on the roof of the house. The sod would require removing because of erosion and needed to be replaced each fall. Before a well was dug on our farm, water had to be hauled by horse and wagon in wooden barrels from our grandfather's home a mile away. It took a number of years to complete construction of all the buildings on the farm. After the house, came a chicken house. then the barn which was a large building with a hay loft, stalls for the horses on one side and milking stalls for the cows on the opposite side. Next were built metal grain bins for seed for the next year's planting and feed for the animals during the winter. The smoke house was a smaller building where meat was cured by means of dense smoke from a fire of hickory or other types of wood. The milk separator and work bench were also in this building. A cellar was dug as a storage place for potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, canned vegetables and fruits for winter meals. Next a cistern was dug and lined with cement to hold rain water and used to keep food cool by putting the food into containers and hanging by ropes over the water. Longhorn cheese was one of the favorite treats that was made at home. To make this cheese, rennet was put into sweet milk to form curds and a yellow color. After the whey was poured off, it was placed in cheese cloth and hung to drain. When this was completed, the cheese was put into a gallon can with both ends cut out and two boards cut to fit inside of the gallon can with clamps on the outside that could be tightened some each day until all the moisture was gone and then it was left to cure.
Schools needed to be built for the children to attend during the week and church on Sunday. Sunday School and church were held when a pastor was able to get there. The pastor's transportation was by horse and he would stay with one of the families in the surroun- ding area overnight. Sundays were picnic days when neighbors could go to each other's home for dinner and friendship. Ball games for the boys and men in the afternoon were enjoyed. In the winter it was more difficult to get together because of transportation and cold weather, but neighbors and families gathered for the holidays. Mrs. Herb Griffith (Adah) was our mother's sister and her family had homesteaded a few miles from our home. We remember decided the way was too far, so they started to cut across a field of cane and after they were into the deep part of the field they lost their sense of direction. After wandering around in the cane not knowing which way to go they finally came out of the field at the same place they started. Frightened, tired, and dusty they went the way our father told them to go and arrived at school at recess. Enough for shortcuts! To supplement the income our father worked for the railroad at the coal chutes. The engineer would stop the train so the engine was next to the water tank and coal.
Charles E. died 15 January 1935, and Tessa L. died 17 September 1956. A son, Charles D., died, 22 April 1973. He was a paratrooper in World War II and served in Japan. When he returned to Stratton, he was a contractor and builder. He built the Stratton Post Office, Trinity Lutheran Church in Burlington and many homes in the area.
A daughter, Athalia I. died 15 May 1987. She married Ade Brachtenbach, they farmed north of Stratton, raised three daughters, and retired in Stratton. All are buried in Stratton cemetery."


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