Kit Carson County, Colorado
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Kit Carson County Pioneers:

Charles Wesley Smith, 9 South 51 West

Charles claimed a tract in section 15, 9 South, 51W in 1891, a quarter in section 15 in 1895, and another quarter in section 25 in 1900.


In 1900 Kit Carson County, Charles is a preacher, born March 1857 in Missouri, married 17 years to Luealla M. born May 1860 in Missouri. She's had eight kids seven living. Laura M. July 1884 in Missouri, Leva G. May 1889, Helen E. Feb 1891, Clarence G. March 1893, Nathan C. March 1895, Horace F. May 1897, adn Margy F. Dec 1899 were all born in Colorado, and father-in-law Stephen O'Bryne Dec 1832 in Maryland.


South Haven, Michigan
May 4, 1928

Dear Editor:

In 1888 I settled near Flagler, or rather Malowe, as we tried to name it. It was mostly a village or camp of tents. W. H. Lavington had just opened a grocery store in a tent. The postoffice was in a sod shack a mile farther east, and the eccentric postmaster had it named Bowser, in honor of his canine companion.
My homestead was the NE quarter of Sec. 35-9-51, which with my tree claim adjoining it on the south, I sold in the late nineties to Edley T. Epperson for $400.00. On the homestead there, while engaged in teaching the Crystal Springs school, 3 miles east of town, I was persuaded in the autumn of 1891 to start a paper for Flagler. The Republican, established while Flagler was yet “Malowe,” and its Post Office, Bowser, had died, and therefore we gave birth to The Flagler Advance.
In 1893 I built the one-and-a-half-story house north of the section house, sold later to Mr. Fry, moved family into the upper story, The Advance office into the lower.
In 1894 there occurred such an exodus of homesteaders from Eastern Colorado that it became evident that The Advance never could make its publisher a millionaire,--to be candid--the poor paper died of malnutrition. The editor taught a four-months school at Cope, carried Star Route mail six months to Arickaree and Thurman, then taught eight months at Vona. Part of this time I was driving to Cope twice a month to conduct services for the Congregational people. In 1896 I was called to take charge as home Missionary of the Flagler field, Flagler with about 20 members, Stratton, (then Claremont) with 24 members, Seibert with about a dozen members, Arriba with ten. Flagler paid salary of $60.00, Claremont $60.00, Seibert $25.00, Arriba $30.00, and the Missionary society paid the remainder. After seven years we moved to North Dakota, but in 1917 to 1920 we had charge of the Stratton-Seibert field again.
This will show the cause of my interest in Kit Carson County. If you please enter my name on your subscription list and send me your bill.
I am also enclosing a copy of obituary notice of the companion who shared those frontier experiences. To the pioneers, the notice of the close of her brave, kind life will be of interest.
Sincerely yours,

C. W. Smith

October 25, 1934 Editor of the News

Flagler, Colorado

Dear Mr. Guard:

I read with interest Bessie Guthrie’s “History of the Founding of Flagler” in your issue of the 18th. There were one or two inaccuracies quite natural for one not on the scene in those olden days.

In July, 1888, I started from Decatur County, Kansas, for Elbert County, Colorado. I am quite sure it was July 23 of that year that I entered Colorado and Elbert County, at Kanorado, and reached Crystal Springs the next day. The 25th I started to look for a claim in the valley of Mud Spring Draw, southwest of “Malowe.” We stopped at a shack on the ridge a quarter of a mile east of the present Flagler town limits. In that shack a young man, Arch Cunningham, was printing what I think was the second issue of The Republican,-- I believe The Elbert County Republican, though I am not sure except that it was The Republican. Cunningham moved it upon the site of the village soon after. After about a year Cunningham left and The Republican ceased to be. On my pre-emption claim southwest of town, and later on northwest quarter of Section 25 south of town, I printed a small religious paper, The Messenger of Love. In early October, ‘91, W. H. Lavington and David Swayzee induced me to begin a local paper and I named it The Flagler Advance. At the January, 1892 session of the commissioners, The Advance was given the contract for all the county printing for that year, perhaps the only time it ever all went outside of Burlington. As I remember, in January ‘93 the commissioners gave the printing to The Burlington Republican and The Advance, but I do not remember what share to each. The Advance in ‘94 was given a share, butsmaller, in the county printing job. So many people migrated from Kit Carson County in ‘94, The Advance expired of starvation December of that year. I failed to say that The Advance was moved from the country to the home I built for it in a one-and-a-half story-building, north of the section house, which I sold to John Fry.

It may be of interest that one of the earliest church services held in the Flagler neighborhood, I held in a shack or vacated saloon building in the bottom some 40 rods northwest of the Republican railroad bridge, perhaps July 25, 1888. I was one of Lavington’s customers in his tent grocery.

Yours,

C. W. Smith


In 1910 Grant, North Dakota, Charlie W. Smith is 52, Luealah M. Smith 49 Wife, Leva O. Smith 20 Daughter is teaching, Velma E. Smith 19 Daughter, Nathan W. Smith 15 Son, Horace R. Smith 13 Son, and Marjorie F Smith 11 Daughter.

In 1930 Grand View, Idaho, Charles W. Smith is 62, Mary L. Smith 59 Wife, Horrace F. Smith 22 Son, and Marjorie O. Smith 21 Daughter.


In 1940 Van Buren County, Michigan, Wendel Maulsby is 59, Lena Maulsby 50 Wife, Charles Smith 83 Father, widowed, Marjorie Smith 40 Sister, Marjorie Maulsby 17 Daughter, and Darlene Maulsby 12 Daughter.

Charles Wesley Smith BIRTH 12 Oct 1845 Center Village, Delaware County, Ohio, USA DEATH 20 Apr 1923 Stratton, Kit Carson County, Colorado, USA BURIAL Forest Lawn Memorial Park Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska, USA PLOT 5, 452, 6 MEMORIAL ID 73053449.

"Charles is the son of Charles Gaylord Smith and Harriet Bennett Smith. He married first, Alvira Beattie Knapp Dec 21, 1864 in Toledo, Ohio. His second wife, Lucinda J. Babcock (1848-1915) is buried at Forest Lawn next to Charles."

MABEL

In 1920 Butte County, Idaho, Mabel Balding is married, 35, Gldys Balding 10 Daughter, Charles Balding 5 Son, George Balding 4 Son, and Pershing Balding 0 Son.

In 1930 Ontario, California, Wm. Balding is 44, Mabel Balding 46 Wife, Chas. Balding 15 Son, Pershing Balding 10 Son, Earl Balding 8 Son, and Billy Balding 6 Son.


Laura Mabel “Mabel” Smith Balding BIRTH 14 Jul 1884 Centralia, Boone County, Missouri, USA DEATH 25 Sep 1978 Bend, Deschutes County, Oregon, USA BURIAL Bellevue Memorial Park Ontario, San Bernardino County, California, USA MEMORIAL ID 149749707.

VERNA

Vernon B. Blank 25, born at Wessington Springs S. Dak. to Thomas Linus Blank and Lo Ella H. Lamb, married on 5 Oct 1915 in Fayette, Iowa, to Velma E. Smith.

In 1920 New Orleans, Vernon T. Blank is 29, born in South Dakota, a publicity diretory for an opera house, Velma Blank 28 Wife, born in Colorado, and Vernon D. Blank 1 Son.

"Funeral services for Mrs. Lou Ella H. Blank, 69 years old, 4527 Waveland court, prominent social worker, who died early yesterday morning, February 23, 1926, at the Iowa Congregational hospital, were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock at Lilly's funeral parlors. Rev. B. R. Macllattoii, pastor of the Plymouth Congregational church, officiated. The body was taken to South Dakota for burial.
Besides her husband. T. U. Blank, she is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Velma Simons of Karlville, la., one son, Vernon D. Blank of this city: one sister, Mrs. R. Williamson of Des Moines, and two brothers, Warren Lamb of Portland, Ore., and John Lamh of Nebraska."

In 1930 Des Moines, Iowa, Vernon D. Blank is executive secretary of a medical society, 39, Velma E. Blank 39 Wife, Vernon D. Blank 12 Son, Dorothy A. Blank 9 Adopted daughter, and Frances M. Ruby 27 Maid.

In 1940 Des Moines, Velma "Black" is widowed, 49, a government case worker, Vernon Dale Black 22 Son, and Betty Chipson 20 Lodger.
(Vernon was married to a D. Pearl Blank, and they are in Des Moines in 1940. She is 49, born in Canada.

Velma S. Blank, born 27 Feb 1891 in Colorado, died 17 Feb 1975 in Orange County, California.

Vernon D. Blank, born 17 Nov 1890 in South Dakota, died 22 Dec 1983 in Orange County, California, Mother's Maiden Name: Lamb.

LUELLA
Luella Mary O'Byrne Smith BIRTH 1860 DEATH 1928 BURIAL Lakeview Cemetery South Haven, Van Buren County, Michigan, USA MEMORIAL ID 106451032.

MARJORIE

Marjorie Obyrne Smith, born 15 Dec 1898 in Colorado, died 11 Dec 1991 in Orange County, California.
BURIAL Holy Sepulcher Cemetery Orange, Orange County, California, PLOT Section F, Tier 11, Grave 53 MEMORIAL ID 118897740.


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