SCOTT ANCESTORS

In this post we’re taking a break from Kenneth’s personal history to talk about his Scott ancestors.  Most of the information below is quoted (with some editing) from the book The History of Northwest Missouri, published in 1915, unless otherwise noted.

AARON T. SCOTT (1772-1862)
Kenneth’s great-great grandfather, AARON T. SCOTT, was Scotch-Irish and a soldier during the War of 1812.  He was born in 1772 on the Virginia - Tennessee border and died near Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois in 1862.  His wife's name was ANNA AJA [or AGA].  Aaron T. is the earliest Scott ancestor we know about.

MOSES S. SCOTT (1818-1888)
Kenneth’s great grandfather, MOSES SCOTT, was born just across the river in Ohio from Indiana on 3 December 1818, and died on his farm near Blythedale, Missouri on 3 February 1888, at age 70 years.  He spent his boyhood in Jefferson County, Indiana, and there was sparingly educated, in that he was able to do little more than to read and to write.  He was a brick maker by trade and made the first bricks from which was constructed the first college at Hanover, Indiana (www.hanover.edu), and worked at that and farming, both at his home in Missouri.  However, in Missouri he abandoned his trade that he might give his entire attention to farming.

MOSES SCOTT came to Missouri in the company of several families from Knox County, Illinois, where he had spent some three years as a farmer.  His outfit for the journey and effects comprised an ox team and a yoke of cows.  The journey took from June until September.  Among the families forming the caravan was that of JAMES CHAMBERS GRAHAM, his father-in-law, who settled in the same neighborhood.  MOSES SCOTT’S settlement was a mile southwest of Blythedale, Missouri.  The farm he improved and made it his final home. His old brick kiln was on Big Creek, west of Eaglesville, on the Williams' place.

MOSES SCOTT’S participation in politics was as a Democrat but he never held public office.  He was a Baptist of the missionary faith.  He lived up to the teachings of the church and was known to be strictly reliable in his dealings with others, paid his way as he went, and never allowed himself to get into debt.  The period of the Civil War did not materially affect him except as his own son Elzumer [Kenneth’s great uncle] entered the 23rd Regiment, Missouri Volunteers, Infantry Compound D, and went with General Sherman to the sea.

MOSES SCOTT married MARY ANN GRAHAM, daughter of JAMES CHAMBERS GRAHAM, and JEMIMAH TALBOTT of English descent, on 16 May 1843. 

MOSES S. SCOTT, 1817-1888

MARY ANN GRAHAM, 1825-1882

AARON GRAHAM SCOTT (1850-1922)
Kenneth’s grandfather, AARON GRAHAM SCOTT, was one of the ante-bellum [post Civil War] settlers in Harrison County, Missouri.  He came there in September 1858 with his father, MOSES SCOTT.  AARON GRAHAM SCOTT was a native of Jefferson County, Indiana, born near the city of Madison, Indiana, on July 18, 1850.

AARON GRAHAM SCOTT was a child when brought to Harrison County, Missouri and secured a somewhat limited education in the district schools.  Starting out as a farmer just before reaching his maturity, he worked for a time as a farm hand at the salary of $15 a month and his employer was PASCHAL BANDY, whose daughter, ANELIZA [or ANN ELIZA]  BANDY, Aaron Graham Scott married on 24 August 1871 at her father's home in Blythedale, Missouri. After several years they first rented a small property known as the Grist farm, located near Eagleville and later rented the Landy place.  Here he spent a short time.  Next he purchased 100 acres of raw land, now the Loveless place.  Thus, he improved them and exchanged it for the present place in section 14 township 65 range 27.  This was a settled place and he succeeded William Kincade here in 1888.

AARON GRAHAM SCOTT owned 260 acres and was engaged in stock and grain farming.  He embarked in short-horn cattle and Poland China hog breeding.  His short-horns came from the Kansas bull and he had his first exhibit for prizes in the fall of 1914.  In politics he was a Republican and for two years he was assessor of Marion Township.

AARON GRAHAM SCOTT and his wife, ANELIZA BANDY, had thirteen children.  She died at the age of 43 on 22 August 1897 of typhoid fever.

AARON GRAHAM SCOTT, 1850-1922

ANELIZA BANDY SCOTT, 1853-1897

Aaron Graham Scott and sons, 1893.  According to Mary's identification on the back of the photo:  L to R: Elzumer, Charles, Oscar (Nick), William (Oate), Zene (youngest), Aaron Graham

According to Mary:  L to R:  Aneliza Bandy Scott holding Ruth, Minnie, Edna and Eva (twins)

When Kenneth's son Wayne finished his mission in California, he visited his grandfather ELZUMER and obtained genealogical information on the Bandy family from him.  At about the same time, Elzumer's brother, Zene, told Mary that PASCHAL BANDY AND LOVICIA HOLLAND were Latter-day Saints.  However, they did not go west with the Saints, but affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  As their daughter ANELIZA was dying she asked her son, ELZUMER, to call the LDS elders for a blessing for her which he refused to do and ‘always regretted this decision.’   

After ANELIZA died, AARON  married EVA ALICE EYERLY, on 7 September 1898. They had five children, making a total of nineteen children for Aaron Graham!  He died on 11 June 1922 in Meridian, Idaho (near Boise).

LETTER FROM ANELIZA BANDY SCOTT
We have a copy of a very touching letter written by ANELIZA to her son, ELZUMER, Kenneth’s father, about a year before she died.  ELZUMER, age 22, was living in Desmoines, Iowa at the time.

July 27, 1896
Ridgeway, Missouri
Dear Zumer:
I write you a few lines.  It has been raining all morning.  The threshers were coming to finish.  They were here two nights last week–but very little done–it rained every night.  I am tired of them.
I was very much disappointed Saturday evening, as you did not come.  Some of the children were out on the style all the afternoon looking.  Charlie [age 20] came home Friday night and told us he went up after you.  Minnie [age 14] had her chickens dressed–all the work was done so we could hear every word that was said.  Charlie never got back until sundown.  Cal [Scott] came home with him.  I never was so disappointed.  Edna [age 7] cried and “wished every man up there was dead so Zumer could come home.”
Ralph [age 1 ½ ] is not well–has not been for several days.  The rest of the folks are well, as far as I know.  Your Uncle Ol [Scott] is coming back to Missouri.  They have failed again. Your Pa is trying to rent a place for him.  Pa is gone today to buy calves.  If you need money let us know.  Can you save any money?  I know it takes money to keep a fellow going.  Pa is coming up to the fair [at Desmoines].  I would come if you were keeping house.
The Valley singers are getting ready for the Blythedale Picnic.  Don’t know when it will be yet.  Maybe you can come then.  Am not going to look for you until I see you.
Am glad you had a good time the Fourth.  I did not go anywhere.  Pa and the children went to Ridgeway.  I was sick that morning....
Tuesday.  We are threshing today [and] it will take a half day tomorrow.  Ice cream supper at your Uncle Zumer’s tonight.  Pa took his bird dog out hunting last week. and got six prairie chickens–only one got away.  He thinks his dog is a dandy.  You will have to take a hunt when you come down.  Ralph is better today.  Eva, Edna [twins, age 7] and Ruth [age 5] got up sick this morning.  I think they will be all right in a few days.  I have lots of things to tell you before I am done with this life.  I must close.  It is time to get supper.  Your Aunt Mollie [Mary Scott Brinegar, age 35] is helping me.  She sends you her best respects, and said tell you she was making apple pies.
Love from all, write soon–
Your Mother and Father

KENNETH’S ACCOUNT OF HIS GRANDFATHER
The following account is in KENNETH’s own words, based on what his father told him:     

Grandfather [AARON GRAHAM SCOTT] bought (in l847) 100 acres native land--unimproved--in original sod for $1,000.  He started improving with a team of horses, and a plow.  They had a few chickens and a milk cow, sow and pigs.  He cut timber for the house and fencing from near Big Creek about 3 miles west of the farm.  He dug a well about 150 yards from the house at a spring.  The well was walled with native stone.  The water had to be hauled to the house on a sled--two barrels full at a time.  Grandmother [ANELIZA BANDY] often had to carry water to the house when they were busy in the field.  Fences were poor and the sow would get into grandmother's chickens.  One day after asking Grandpa many times to keep the hogs fenced up, she surprised the family by having a roast pig for dinner.  She had killed the hog with a club--cleaned and roasted it.  Grandpa could only say how good the pig tasted.

Grandpa Scott's father [MOSES SCOTT] lived on a 40 acre farm near Blythedale, Missouri also.  In later years he used to ride a medium sized roan horse named Dick to town.  Just before Grandpa Moses died, he gave Dick to Kenneth’s father.  Dad was very fond of him and rode him a great deal.  Dick liked to swim with dad in the pond. In fact, he would go swimming alone.  Dick was quite balky when they first harnessed him to work.  He had to be humored awhile to let him get used to the collar on his neck.  Dad traded old Dick for a real nice sleigh that he found in Bethany about the time he became interested in going with the girls.

Source:  Ridgeway:  Then and Now, 1880-1980, p. 47

Grandfather Scott gave a site for the Baptist Church at Pleasant Valley.  Grandpa and Grandma were the charter members.  Reverend Joe H. Burrows of Cainsville helped organize the church and for many years was the pastor at Pleasant Valley, coming out there once a month to preach.  He drove his team about 7 miles over old clay roads.  He never asked for a salary but gladly accepted any small amount the small congregation would give.  Grandpa A.G. led the singing.  He had a clear tenor voice and often sang solos.  Hester Caldwell Harrison played the organ—or tried to.  Much of the church was made of fine native walnut.  Grandpa always welcomed Baptist ministers to his home.  Often itinerant travelers who heard of this would get in posing as Baptist ministers.

Ridgeway high school class, including three A. G. Scott children:  Ruth, Eva and Edna (Ridgeway Then and Now, p. 66)

Grandpa’s children attended the Pleasant Valley school--one room--up through the eighth grade.

The following account is from a tape-recorded interview with Kenneth, found in the appendix to his and Mary's autobiographies: 

My grandfather Scott, I guess it was because he had a family of boys, and in that little town of Ridgeway, they had two drugstores that were pretty close together and there weren’t many stores in that town but they had these two drug stores and they sold liquor on the sly. Grandfather was poisoned on [against] this stuff. He was always trying to find something and he would move in on a...because of his family.

When I was about 10 or 12 years old, Grandfather Scott (he had a farm north of town about 5 miles) would bring a load of corn that he had raised to the mill which was not very far from our home in Ridgeway, and there he grew all that corn and whatever form he wanted--a rough grind or maybe some other grind that we ground into flour for use in the home. The rest of it might be ground up rough as feed for the cows. A dry corn meal or hominy. I guess he had a good watch dog and when my grandfather moved into town when this last family of children were old enough, some of them, to go to high school. They bought this house south of town and it was there when they had this little Dalmatian dog. I’d open the gate, the house sat back in the lot a ways and as I started to approach, the dog was watching and he’d come down and he’d listen. When I’d step to one side, he’d step over in front of me. When I’d step over on the other side, talking to him, he’d be over there. About the third time he did that, he would “Grrrrr”. You’d better start up or he was going to take a hold of you. Just as soon as someone from the house called, “Okay [Pooch?]. That was it.

I never met father’s mother [ANELIZA BANDY]. Grandfather Scott married a second time…[and] he had five boys and two girls in the [second family].

[Kenneth tells about memories of July 4th: going to his grandfather’s farm and shooting off dangerous fireworks, enjoying a band playing in their town, and making home made ice cream made with ice from their ice house.]

When Grandfather Scott got his crops all in--and he’d always feed out some steers--he’d have them already along just about the early fall for sale...then he was ready to go take a trip someplace. And he did take a number of trips...somehow or another he got off into the Boise Valley and was very fascinated with it. He bought a little 15 acre tract or orchard, apples mainly but a few peaches. And he wanted all his family around him. He even wanted Uncle Zene who had a job in Washington in the Interstate Commerce Commission and Uncle Zene got a year’s leave of absence and went out there with Aunt Myrtle and they had a little orchard tract. They got so disappointed out there with that job, trying to make a go of operating an orchard that they gave it up and came back to Washington before the year was up. Then is when my grandfather had this nice big home in Meridian out of Boise about 10 or 15 miles. I believe my grandfather died at that home because he enjoyed that home.  

AARON GRAHAM SCOTT MEETS JIMMY SKUNK
Here’s a fun story about his grandfather that Kenneth had in his papers.  I’m not sure of the source, but I’m guessing it may have been included in one of their family chain letters.

    There had been a heavy snow in the early part of the night, and then it had ceased and all the little folks of the forest and meadow had gone forth in search of food or to gambol in the moonlight, and the fresh snow that lay like a huge carpet over all, hung on bushes, draped over weeds and tufts of grass, making hiding places everywhere for those who must dodge enemies that ever seek to destroy them.  By morning Peter Rabbit and his folks had well-beaten paths to all parts of the thicket where they had played tag and hide-and-seek through the still hours of the night.  Here and there in the more open spaces could be seen the trail of Billy Mink and Jimmy Skunk where they had passed like dark shadows seeking some low roosting bird or a meadow mouse, or some luckless rabbit that they might surprise and capture.  And so it was that when daylight came there was a scramble among the little folks for hiding places.  The rabbits found shelter under thick clumps of bushes and under weeds and tufts of grass well covered with snow.  Billy Mink crept under a rick of cordwood that happened to be near by, and Jimmy Skunk, finding a small pile of brush well covered with snow, crept underneath, and having a full stomach from his catch, curled up and soon went to sleep, intending to continue his quest for food again when dark shadows returned in the evening.

Skunks.  Source:  www.birdphotos.com (via Wikimedia Commons)

    These were the conditions one cold winter morning a good many years ago on the farm of Graham Scott (probably about 1885) a few miles northeast of Ridgeway, Missouri.  Now, Graham liked to hunt, so after the chores were done and the stock all fed and watered and plenty of fuel wood laid in, Graham, accompanied by his cousin, Omar Hutton, set out to get some rabbits.  It was an ideal day to hunt.  It seemed that almost every clump of bushes or patch of weeds yielded a rabbit when kicked.  Being good shots, their game bags filled rapidly.  Everything was going lovely when Graham happened to come to that particular pile of brush where Jimmy Skunk was taking a nap.  He did not notice skunk tracks leading to the brush pile, and thinking only of rabbits, he poised himself ready to shoot and gave the pile of brush a tremendous kick that sent the sticks, twigs and snow hurtling high in the air.  Now, Jimmy Skunk is usually very peaceful, but being so suddenly and rudely awakened, and not knowing what it was all about, and seeing a huge form standing near, he immediately went into action and, without further investigation, turned his gas gun on the enemy and delivered a full charge, most of which struck Graham's boots, but the fumes enveloped him and spread far and near.  It is needless to say that Graham beat a hasty retreat, much to the satisfaction of the skunk and the amusement of Omar, who happened to be far enough away to escape.  This ended the hunt and the hunters returned home.

Clothes were sent out to the woodshed for Graham to change.  His coat and pants, which had not received a direct charge, were hung out on the line a few days until the perfume left.  But his boots had to go through a more drastic process of deodorization.  He had heard that burying in the ground would draw out the scent.  Did it?  Well, a few weeks afterward when Graham came to Sunday School at the Pleasant Valley Baptist Church (which he attended faithfully) and stood around the wood-burning stove with others warming themselves before services, Omar sniffed a little and looking down at Graham's boots, said, “Graham, I think you dug them up too soon.”  And maybe he did!!

BANDY ANCESTORS

We’re continuing to profile Kenneth’s ancestors, in this case the Bandy ancestors of Kenneth’s paternal grandmother, ANELIZA BANDY. The following stories were compiled in 1900 by Kenneth’s father, ELZUMER SCOTT, from information furnished by members of the Bandy family.

GEORGE BANDY (1758-1838)
Kenneth’s great-great grandfather, GEORGE BANDY was born in Virginia about the year 1758. He was of German descent. He was married to DRUCILLER MEADOWS about the year 1778 or 1780. His wife was of Scottish descent. He was a farmer by occupation.  They moved from Virginia to Kentucky in the year 1815. Mr. Bandy enlisted as a soldier in the Revolutionary War of 1776-7. He died about the year 1838.

RHEUBEN BANDY (1785-1861)
Kenneth’s great grandfather, RHEUBEN BANDY, was born in Botetourt County, Virginia, his occupation being that of farming. In 1810 he was married to Miss SIBBY ATKINSON and during this same year they moved from Virginia to Kentucky. The trip was made with pack-horses, a distance of 500 miles across the Cumberland Mountains, there being no railroads in this section of the country at that time. A small iron kettle which was used for cooking purposes on this journey is kept and preserved at this time [1900] by one of their children, Mr. George Bandy, of Galesburg, Illinois, who may well feel proud of his keepsake, as it must be almost, if not fully, 100 years old.

PASCHAL BANDY (1821-1900)
Kenneth’s grandfather, PASCHAL BANDY, was born in the state of Kentucky, of Irish descent. His occupation was that of farming.

Paschal Bandy was baptized and confirmed a member of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1839 by Jehiel Savage.  He later affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by attending the Lamoni, Iowa Branch and the Cainesville, Missouri Branch. (“Early LDS Membership Data” from the LDS Collectors Library, Infobases, 1995).

At the age of 21 years he married Miss LOVICA HOLLAND (1824-1906) on March 10th, 1842 in Tazewell County, Illinois.

Paschal Bandy and Lovica Holland

Lovisa Bandy was baptized a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in 1850 at Knox County, Illinois by Gould.  She was confirmed by Jones.  She attended the Lamoni, Iowa Branch and the Cainesville, Missouri Branch (LDS Collector's Library, Infobases, 1995).

In the year 1857 Paschal moved with his family from Illinois to Missouri, traveling across the country in a wagon. He bought a few acres of land (I think from the government) in Harrison County about six miles S.E. of Eagleville and 2-1/2 miles South of what is now Blythedale, though there was no town there at that time. Upon this land he built a home where he spent the remainder of his life, except the last three or four years. Here each of his children grew up to be men and women and were married, most of them at the old homestead.

At the time he moved to Harrison County he found this section of the country practically unsettled, most of the land belonging to the government, which could be purchased for $1.25 per acre. The wild open prairie country afforded an abundance of good pasture which made stock growing a very profitable industry for those who had sufficient money to engage in it. Mr. Bandy saw this opportunity and took advantage of it. He was soon in possession of a large farm of good tillable land. Adjoining this was plenty of nice timber land which he also purchased.

Wild game was abundant there at that time, including deer, antelope, buffalo and wild turkey. He was very fond of hunting, and during the long severe winters while the ground was covered with snow he killed a great many deer and turkeys. His favorite fire-arm was a long barreled muzzle-loading rifle with which he became an expert marksman. Two faithful companions, “Old Charley” his saddle horse, and “Tige” his dog, always accompanied him on these hunting expeditions; and they too seemed to enjoy the sport fully as much as did their master. The scent of gunpowder to “Old Charley” was better than clover, and that of a deer trail to old “Tige” better than a warm breakfast. Mr. Bandy has told us that many times when there was plenty of snow or ice on the ground he has dragged a deer home ten or twelve miles on a bush or branch of a tree attached to “Old Charley's” tail.

[Elzumer Scott, Kenneth’s father, told the following to Kenneth when he visited Elzumer in San Jose, California, in 1959, a year before Elzumer’s death.

“Paschal Bandy, grandmother Aneliza Bandy Scott's father, lived about two and a half miles south of Blythedale, Missouri. He was a good farmer and an expert shot with a heavy, long-barreled muzzle loading rifle. During his lifetime, he killed seventy-eight deer for meat. (He wanted to make an even 100, but didn't.) He would drag them in, tied to a limb, tied to the tail of his horse. There were lots of wild turkeys in the county. Grandpa Bandy was such an expert shot, that he was always barred from participating in the annual turkey shoot when turkeys were given to the best shots.

Male Eastern Wild turkey.  Courtesy of www.KenThomas.us

He was a powerful man. He would hold his gun as steady as if it were in a vise. The old gun, which was kept in perfect condition by him, was kept by his son, Henry Bandy, for many years. One of Henry's daughters, Lily Bandy, threw it out of the upstairs window one day. The stock broke out and the gun was thrown on the junk pile where it rotted away. Paschal Bandy's family came from Kent Township, Illinois, and from Illinois to Harrison County, Missouri.”]

With the advance of years a flood of immigration scattered over the West, making pioneer life a thing of the past; during which time Paschal Bandy was planning and laying out what afterwards became one of the best equipped farms in the county. Success followed in his footsteps, as it always did with the sturdy advance agents of civilization. He lived to see his eight children grow up, marry and prosper, and prior to his death could point with pride to his four living generations.

He was a model of an industrious and systematic farmer. His land was cultivated as a garden spot, and gave evidence on every hand of being tilled by one who was master of the art. No part of the occupation which goes to make up a model farm was neglected. In springtime his rich gardens, vineyards and orchards were full of flowers and blossoms, and when harvest time came the broad fields of golden grain told their own story. He always raised plenty where others would often fail, and this resulted in his adopting a philanthropic custom of planting more than he needed so that he could aid a needy neighbor, an act for which he was widely known. His watchword was “No success without labor.”

He was a man who had little use for law. Not by way of failing to recognize its usefulness, but strongly opposed its application to settle disputes. He insisted that the law was made for dishonest people, and that neighbors should settle their disputes by arbitrations. Once in his life was he unable to agree with a neighbor who insisted on testing the merits of the case by law. To this he objected, but generously allowed his disputant to select three arbitrators to decide the point at issue. It was unanimously decided in Mr. Bandy's favor.

He looked upon pride as the enemy of mankind, and carefully avoided assuming any attitude that would bring such an accusation upon him. He was a great believer in practical education for children, but was firm in his belief that the coming generation was being given too much theoretical education and not enough practical knowledge. He often expressed regret at the inclination of young men to leave the farm and seek their fortunes in the city.

He took but little interest in newspapers and seldom read one. His lack of faith in the press began some years ago. One day he was looking over a paper and discovered an article, with bold headlines, announcing the painful injury of an alleged neighbor. He carefully read it, anxiously seeking an opportunity to help the afflicted, but suddenly threw down the paper in disgust when he found that the injured person had been promptly cured with St. Jacob's Oil.

A more God fearing man never lived; and his motto was the Golden Rule, the teachings of which always seemed uppermost in his mind when dealing with a fellow man. Early in life he professed Christianity in the belief of the Latter-day Saints, and was a faithful follower until death.  [NOTE:  Paschal Bandy was baptized and confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1839 by Jehiel Savage. He and his wife, LOVICA HOLLAND, later affiliated with the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by attending the Lamoni, Iowa Branch and the Cainsville, Missouri Branch.  Source: LDS Collectors Library, Early LDS Membership Data.]

The Bible he loved best of all books. Many times I have seen him, after a hard day's work, sit down and for hours read aloud from this book. For years the light he read by was produced by home-made tallow candles. His usual hour for rising in the morning was 4 o'clock the year 'round, and during the winter months it was his custom to begin the day's work by reading the Bible an hour before daylight. His patience and studiousness in this respect were rewarded, for the teachings of both the Old and New Testaments were indelibly stamped on his memory.

In 1895 Mr. Bandy decided that he and his wife were getting too old to any longer look after so large a farm and it was sold. They purchased a few acres of well improved land one-half mile south of Blythedale, Harrison County, Missouri, where they might enjoy the remainder of their days with less hard work.

Paschal Bandy in later years

It was indeed sad news, especially to we grandchildren, when we were told that the old home was to be sold, for we had learned from early childhood to love the place until it became to us a sacred spot. We loved it because it had been the home of our father or mother; a place where we always found a hearty welcome, and there was always a treat of some kind in store for us no matter how often we came or went. The quaint old fire-place, with its huge chunks of wood burning brightly, and around which we used to gather and eagerly listen to the hunting stories told by grandfather, was in itself enough to fill the heart of any ordinary youth with delight.

The following year after Mr. Bandy and wife moved to their new home he was stricken with paralysis, partially losing the use of one side of his body. From this time he was obliged to use a cane in walking. Most men would have given up further work entirely when such work on his part was unnecessary to maintain the comforts of life, but it was next to impossible for this man to be idle one day. I remember calling to see him one hot day not long after he had received this paralytic stroke, expecting of course to find him sitting in the shade somewhere about the house, but to my surprise I learned from grandmother that he was out in a hay-field nearby with his team and mowing machine. I found him there running the machine when he was scarcely able to move about on foot with the assistance of his cane.

He continued to look after and cultivate his truck patches and few acres of corn though he was almost without the use of one arm. The next year he had another slight attack of the same dread disease and this time he was left almost helpless. He now realized that further work on his part was out of the question, and would sit for hours in deep meditation. He suffered no physical pain, but we will perhaps never know what the mental suffering of one in this condition whose whole life has been so full of vigor and activity. However, he bore it all with patience and without a murmur, as one who had for years been preparing for that better and brighter home above. Within a few months he was stricken for the third time with paralysis which left him entirely helpless. In this condition he lingered for several weeks until the end came, February 18th, 1900.

How fitting the hour of his death. On the Sabbath day, just as the last rays of the setting sun cast their shadows across the approaching darkness, just as the light of day went out, so vanished the life of this grand old man. He had climbed the heights and left all superstitions below, while on his forehead fell the dawn of a grander day. We can feel that he who sleeps has but gone to receive the reward for which he has been striving all these years. May many such men be born.

Let us state here that every good and noble deed so fittingly bestowed upon Grandfather Bandy, was equally applicable to his helpmate, Grandmother Bandy, who must for a short time wrestle with life's billows alone. She has shared his joys and sorrows all these years, ever carrying her share of the burden, a true, a faithful and loving wife. Their lives have truly been a beautiful illustration of that most sacred obligation between man and wife. Surely the Father in Heaven will meet them with open arms and say “Well done thou good and faithful servants, thou hast earned thy reward.”

HUGUENOT ANCESTORS: SALLEE AND BONDURANT

The following material is taken from a variety of sources collected by Kenneth, Mary, and Jeanene. For ease of reading (and contrary to my academic training :)), I have removed the references and mingled the words of the original sources–but the original versions are available in the large collection of stories of Kenneth’s and Mary’s ancestors I have mentioned previously.

JEAN SALLE’(born about 1624) and MARIE MARTIN (born about 1635)
Kenneth’s 6th great grandfather was JEAN SALLE', direct ancestor of Kenneth’s mother, CARRIE MAE SALLEE.

He and his family were Huguenots. The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France from the sixteenth to the seventeenth centuries. Because of religious persecution, Jean Salle' left the village of Mougon, France for the security of the Protestant stronghold, La Rochelle, and settled in St. Martin on the Ile de Re', France.

Source:  Wikipedia.org.  Courtesy of  Réalisation Pline Category:Île de Ré Category:Maps of French Islands)

 

St. Martin harbor.  Source:  Wikimedia.org.  Courtesy of  Gilbert Bochenek

Jean Salle' became, like his father, a master shoemaker. He married Claude Martin, daughter of JACQUES MARTIN, master hat maker, of St. Martin, and his deceased wife JUDITH FORTIER, November 24, 1654. Claude Martin Salle' died sometime after 1654. Jean Salle', age 44, secondly married MARIE MARTIN, age 33, Claude's sister, April 11, 1668.

ABRAHAM SALLEE (SALLE’) (1674-1720) AND OLIVE PERRAULT (born about 1673)
Kenneth’s 5th great grandfather, ABRAHAM SALLEE, was born February 22, 1674 on the Isle of Re'.
At the time of the Revocation of the Edict_of_Nantes in1685, ABRAHAM SALLEE was 11 years old.  This event was the culmination of approximately150 years of religious persecution endured by the Huguenots, and many fled to England, including, ABRAHAM SALLEE.  The Huguenots were the educated middle class--producers, tradespeople, and artisans. 

Escape of a Huguenot family.  Source:  http://manakin.addr.com/engravings.htm

We know little of Abraham's youth. His parents, according to the Protestant Register of Isle de Re', appear to be illiterate, yet, Abraham was an educated man. His parents and two of his brothers abjured [swore to give up] their Protestant faith on June 5, 1686, the year after the Revocation, and yet Abraham seems to have stayed strong a Protestant. He could write fluently in French and English.

One source says that shortly after 1685, ABRAHAM SALLE' left France for England. In 1698, at age 24, he sought citizenship in London. In 1699 he married OLIVE PERRAULT in St. Catherine-by-the-Tower. His wife was probably daughter of sister of Daniel Perrault or Perreau, who was Commander of the ship “Peter and Anthony”, which brought 169 French Refugees to Virginia in 1700. Following their marriage, Abraham and Olive embarked for America, arriving in New York in 1700. Soon they joined about seven hundred Huguenot refugees who were given land in an abandoned Monacan Indian village called Manakintown, Virginia.

The Huguenots established the colony in Manakintown, founded on the principles of religious freedom, discipline, thrift, and industry, located on the Indian frontier, twenty-five miles from the nearest military outpost. They traveled sixty miles up the James River to The Falls where they traveled overland to the deserted Indian town. Ten thousand acres of land had been set aside for the Huguenots, each person receiving one hundred thirty-three.

By Nov. 10, 1701, ABRAHAM SALLEE had moved to Manakintown, as the list of French refugees on that date shows: “Merchant Suillee, below ye Creek, his wife and 2 children, and one negro woman.” Abraham Sallee was probably the most important member of the Huguenot colony at Manakintown. He was a merchant, Clerk of King William Parish, a member of the Vestry, a Captain of militia, and a Justice of the Peace.

There seems to have been a conflict between Abraham and the minister of the congregation, Claude Philippe De Richbourg. There had been various dissensions and outbreaks as early as 1704. Richbourg has been described as a “gentle” man. Abraham Salle', on the other hand, was described as “irreconcilable and the maker of such [sic] trouble and stirrer-up of strife.” The argument took place on March 27, 1707, when someone called out, “assassinate that damned fellow with the black beard!” “That 'bougre de chien' ought to be hanged up out of the way!” Yes, this was our ancestor. The minister only wanted the Register of Christenings delivered to him. Nevertheless, our ancestor proceeded to insult de Richbourgh while in the pulpit and even after he came out. Abraham was summoned to appear at the next Council to answer a petition. The Council found, after a full hearing of both parties, in their opinion, that the complaint of de Richbourg was groundless and ordered to be dismissed. Claude Philippe De Richbourg left Manakintown in 1711 or 1712, removing to South Carolina.

Evidently ABRAHAM SALLEE was not satisfied with his situation in Manakintown because he wrote to George I of England, requesting that he be granted land in some more fertile spot, possibly in Ireland. The letter was given to the Virginia Historical Society, and is assumed to have been written soon after the accession of George I of Great Britain to the throne of England in 1714.

King George I by Sir Godfrey Knelleraption, National Portrait Gallery, London.  Source:  Wikimedia

 To His Royal Majesty, Sire:

Since the address of Congratulations which we your humble, very faithful and very obedient French Protestant subjects in Virginia, have taken the liberty of sending to Your Majesty, we have seen in public print that Your Majesty has approved a project which has been presented to you to settle French Protestants in Ireland.

We take again the same liberty in presenting ourselves by this very humble petition at the feet of your Sacred Majesty, not being able to do otherwise, to beg with deep respect, to be kind as to permit us to have some part in this solid and advantageous establishment which Your Majesty intends to make in this country in favor of poor exiles.

It will be for us, Sire, a subject of eternal gratitude and great satisfaction, in as much as, your Majesty will procure us, in the celestial food and bread of life which is so precious to us and yet so rare in this country, that our souls thirst after it; our minister having died some months since. In the second place, our families, which are pretty numerous, and the place we occupy quite limited, we find ourselves in the impossibility of procuring any situation for our children, or even to have them instructed, or give them any education.

In the third place, what a joy it would be for us, Sire, to be brought nearer to Your Sacred Majesty, to sacrifice to your service all that remains to us of life, which undoubtedly would not fail to inspire, also, our children from their earliest youth, with the same sentiments of love and obedience for Your Majesty. We never will fail to imprint this sacred duty in their hearts in whatever place we may be.

Sire, we supplicate once more, Your Majesty, to grant us that grace and to withdraw us from a place where we suffer. For a long time we would have been out of it if we had been in a state to leave it of ourselves, and to pay our passage, but we are wanting in means for that purpose. There is quite a considerable number of families who wait only for the orders which it may please Your Majesty to give them thereupon. In the meantime, we continue, and will ever continue, during the course of our life, to offer thousands of prayers to Heaven for the preservation of your sacred person, for that of the Great Prince, your successor, of the Illustrious Princess, his wife, of all Royal posterity, and for the prosperity of your arms to the confussion [sic] and destruction of your enemies.

ABRAHAM SALLE'
in the year 1714

His petition was not granted and Abraham Sallee died at Manakintown in 1720. His will, dated Aug. 9, 1718, and probated in Henrico Co., in March, 1719/20, gives his nativity in France as cited above, requests to be buried with his wife, and leaves slaves, land, and considerable property to his sons Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, William and PETER, and to his daughter Olive Magdaleine.

SCOTT COUSINS EXPLORE MANIKINTOWN
Flash forward to September, 2005, when Debbie, Cindy, and Mary Lee decided to visit Manakintown, Virginia, after discovering the website for The Huguenot Society of the Founders of Manakin in the Colony of Virginia . (Kenneth was evidently a member of the Society as he received their newsletters.)  We made arrangements with the librarian to meet us at the headquarters. We looked at the exhibits in the research library and the librarian shared several records with us relating to our ancestors.  The gift shop offers several books containing records of the colony and a traditional Huguenot cross pendant. The white dove represents the Holy Ghost.

Traditional Huguenot cross pendant

The librarian also took us into the small church, built in 1895, that replaced the earlier church building of the Manikin Episcopal Church, founded in 1700.

As we approached the Huguenot society headquarters on the Huguenot Trail (Robius Road, 711) , we had noticed a county line sign, but thought little of it. Later, however, as the librarian showed us the location of ABRAHAM SALLEE'S property, we noticed that the county line passed through it. Because of that small detail, we were able to locate the land. We knocked on the door of the impressive 18th century home, and the owner answered.  When we told her that our ancestor was Abraham Sallee, she graciously showed us around her property, including the home that was built in 1713 for Abraham Sallee’s daughter, Marianne and her husband, Charles Clark, who also built the large manor.

Home built for Marianne Sallee in 1713 on land formerly owned by Abraham Sallee

PIERRE SALLEE (1714-1752) AND FRANCOISE (FRANCIS JANE) BONDURANT (1712-1777)
Back to the story of our Sallee ancestors. Based on the limited information we have, it appears that our Sallee family stayed in Virginia until the early 1800s. Kenneth’s 4th great-grandfather, PIERRE SALLEE, was only 6 years old when his father, ABRAHAM SALLEE, died. He married FRANCOISE BONDURANT in 1733 in Goochland County, Virginia.

Francoise’s father was JEAN PIERRE BONDURANT(1678-1734), also a Huguenot refugee. He was the son of DR. JOSEPH AND ELIZABETH ANN BONDURANT, who remained in France. JEAN PIERRE BONDURANT arrived at Manikintown 20 Sept. 1700 on the boat “Ye Peter and Anthony,” an English galley which sailed from London bound for the James River in Viriginia. The Captain of the boat was Daniel Perroin. (Recall that other sources name the Captain as DANIEL PERRAULT OR PERREAU, father of OLIVE PERRAULT, PIERRE SALLEE’S mother.) The Captain gave Jean Pierre Bondurant money for the passage. JEAN PIERRE (anglicized to JOHN PETER after he settled in Virginia) was born near Lyons, France, about 16778. To avoid the religious persecution, he left France and went first to Germany, then to England, and finally to Virginia. He died in Virginia in 1734. He was not married when he reached Virginia, but in 1708, he married ANN FAURE, born about 1699.

JACOB BONDURANT SALLEE (1743-1800) AND JUDITH TRUEMAN (born about 1761)
JACOB SALLEE, Kenneth’s 3rd great-grandfather, was 9 when his father, PIERRE SALLEE, died. He married JUDITH TRUMAN in 1785 in Henrico County, Virginia.

MOSES SALLEE (born about 1790) AND ELIZABETH WHITMORE (born about 1792)
MOSES SALLEE, Kenneth’s great-great grandfather, was a native of Virginia and a cooper [barrel maker] by trade. According to one account, he and his wife, ELIZABETH WHITMORE, moved to Montgomery County, Tennessee, in 1822, when their oldest child, JOSEPH MAXEY SALLEE, was eight years of age.

JOSEPH MAXEY SALLEE (1815-1897) AND MATILDA ANN DUNKERSON (1813-1856)
Kenneth’s great-grandfather, JOSEPH MAXEY SALLEE, was of French descent, born in Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1815. The year following his marriage to MATILDA ANN DUNKERSON in 1838, he emigrated to northern Missouri and located near Edenburg (now Grundy County), where he took up a claim. About a year later he sold out and came to Mercer County. There he settled upon a farm owned by Israel Smith, situated in Harrison Township. About two years later he moved to Lindley Township where he resided until 1878, at which time he moved to Mt. Moriah, Harrison County, where he lived and served as a postmaster. He also held that position in Burr Oak, Mercer County. He was an officer of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons [Free_Masons] lodge in Cainsville in 1868 when it was organized.

He was one of the oldest settlers of northern Missouri, which, when he came to it, abounded in Indians and wild animals. It was a vast unbroken prairie. He was a Democrat and was for one year assessor of half of Mercer County. His wife, MATILDA ANN DUNKERSON, was born in Kentucky in 1813. She died in 1856 and was the mother of nine children of whom THOMAS EDWARD SALLEE was the second.

THOMAS EDWARD SALLEE (1841-1817) AND ADELIA PUTNAM (1846-1904)
Kenneth’s grandfather, THOMAS EDWARD SALLEE, a farmer and stock raiser, was born in Mercer County, Missouri, March 20, 1841. He received a common school education during his years and made his home with his parents until of age. In 1861 he married Elizabeth Woodward who was born in Decatur County, Indiana, and was the daughter of Elder John Woodward. She was born in 1845 and died in 1862. In 1867 Thomas Edward married second ADELIA PUTNAM, daughter of LUTHER CHARLES AND LUCY ANN PUTNAM, a native of Huron County, Ohio. She was born October 5, 1846 and came to Mercer County at the age of eighteen years. CARRIE MAE SALLEE, Kenneth’s mother, was the fifth of nine children. She was 27 when her mother died in 1904.

Thomas Edward Sallee (1841-1917)

Adelia Putnam Sallee (1846-1904)

Thomas Edward and Adelia Putnam Sallee and family.  From the birth order of the children, I assume that Carrie Mae is on the far right in the back row, as she was the 5th child.

Mr. Thomas Edward Sallee was a strong Union man during the war and in March, 1862, he enlisted in Company E, Third Missouri Calvary for three years, participating in the battle of Springfield and numerous other skirmishes. In June, 1864, he veteranized and enlisted in Company M, Thirteenth Veterans Volunteer Calvary and was afterward promoted to Company C of the same regiment. In August 1865 he was made a Second Lieutenant which position he held until his discharge in May, 1866, at Ft. Levinworth, Kansas.

Thomas Edward Sallee, Captain in Union Cavalry

We have the following letter regarding his service in the “War of Rebellion” [Civil War]:

Maj. O. D. Green
Asst. Adjt. General St. Louis MO
June 15, 1864

Major,

I have the honor to report that on the evening of the 12 Instant a party of 20 guerrillas made a dash into Calhoun, burnt one church, 1 tavern, 2 dwelling houses and robbed 2 stores.

The leader, Dr. Beck, a notorious character, was killed by Lieut. Thomas Sallee, of the Citizens Gard; 3 of the Gard were wounded.

I am very truly your obedient servent,
E. B. Brown

About 1857, THOMAS SALLEE entered 100 acres of land in Section 3, Township 65, Range 22, where he located after his marriage and where he resided. He owned 100 acres of land and was one of Harrison Township's most respected, enterprising farmers. He was one of the original directors of the Agricultural and Mechanics Association of Mercer County, which purchased the site and organized the county fair. He was a Democrat and was elected in 1875 the county assessor and re-elected in 1877, thus serving 4 years. He was a member of the Missionary Baptist Church for 26 years. His wife was a member for 30 years.

Front row L to R: [Mary Williams Sallee--maybe] w/ baby, Lucy Ann Ewell, Kenneth, Carrie Mae Sallee Scott, Winnogene

.

[Note that in the photo above, the elderly lady, Lucy Ann Ewell Putnam (born 1822), is Kenneth's great grandmother!   The others on the back row are Evelyn Severe and her husband, Arthur Sallee, Kenneth's aunt and uncle.  We believe Mary, Kenneth's wife, who labeled the photo made an error and the woman in front on the left may actually be Mary Williams, whom Thomas E. Sallee married on in 1906.  Adelia Putnam Sallee died in 1904 and Winnogene was born in 1905, so they could not have appeared in the same photo.]

Adelia Putnam Sallee

The following account is from a tape-recorded interview with Kenneth, found in the appendix of his and Mary’s autobiographies:

My Grandmother Sallee died when I was quite young so I don’t have any recollection of her, but Grandfather Sallee, Thomas Edward, he’d sell fuel, coal, and various kinds of feed because many of the people in the town had a horse or team. That was quite a business. He had a big substantial wagon...a fine big team of horses that would pull that around.

There were some of the streets in Chillicothe that were paved in those days and brick pavement and I could just see my grandfather’s assistant driving the team around delivering the feed to the customers. He was quiet an interesting fellow. It [the feed store] was a nice place to go.

Grandpa Sallee was a captain in the Civil War, a captain in the Calvary, on the Union side. He had a long, white beard. [Kenneth was a teenager--about 17 or 18--when he knew his grandfather and didn’t pay too much attention to his stories.]

Thomas Edward Sallee (1841-1917)

My grandfather Scott and my Grandfather Sallee were very good friends. Mother and Dad were the reason for them getting acquainted. They didn’t get together very often. Grandfather Scott lived in Ridgeway and Grandfather Sallee in Chillicothe.  It seemed to me a terribly long ways down there because they had to go on a train. We’d change trains a time or two...but it really wasn’t very far down there....

They had the Chillicothe Business College and Dad went down there to attend business college and Mother was a member of the Baptist Church. Father got acquainted with her in church. Grandfather Sallee was a dyed-in-the-wool Democrat and Grandfather Scott was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, but they lived 25 or 30 miles apart.

I went to business college down there in Chillicothe and stayed with Grandfather Sallee and that was his second wife. He had three wives:  He had one who died before he got back out of the army. They were married only a very short time before the Civil War.  Adelia [Kenneth’s grandmother] was his second wife. Mary Williams I think was his third wife.

[Our records show that THOMAS SALLEE and his first wife, MARY ELIZABETH WOODWARD, were married on 7 April 1861.  She died in 1862, the same year their first child was born and died, so it may be that she died in childbirth, or that they were both stricken by an illness.  In any case, Thomas was a widower when he fought in the Civil War.]

CARRIE MAE SALLEE AND ELZUMER SCOTT

HUGUENOT APPLE PECAN TORTE
Here’s a sweet dessert for those of you who made it to the end of the longest blog post so far! I found it in Better Homes and Gardens in November 1993 (p. 228). I have made it several times and it is delicious!

Huguenot Apple Pecan Torte, Better Homes and Gardens, Nov. 1993, p. 228

The seventeenth century French Huguenots, who settled in South Carolina [and Manakin, Virginia, where Grandpa Scott’s ancestors settled], were famed for their cooking. This French apple cake is still an American favorite.

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
4 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ½ cups pecans
1 cup water
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups sliced, peeled apple
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
Toasted pecan halves (optional)

Stir together flour, baking powder, and lemon peel; set aside.

In a blender container or food processor bowl place eggs, the 3/4 cup sugar, and vanilla. Cover and blend or process till smooth. Add the 2 ½ cups pecans. Blend or process about 1 minutes or till nearly smooth. Add the flour mixture and blend or process just till combined. Spread the batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 8x1/2-inch round baking pans.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or till lightly browned. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool thoroughly on racks.

Meanwhile, in a skillet heat water and lemon juice to boiling. Add apple slices. Reduce heat. Cover; simmer 2 to 3 minutes or just till tender. Drain apple slices. [I am experimenting with sauteeing the apples in a little oil and–next time--with a little sugar to cook and carmelize them, to give them a prettier appearance.]

In a medium bowl beat whipping cream and the 2 tablespoons sugar till soft peaks form. Place a torte layer on a cake plate. Spread about half of the whipped cream evenly over layer. Arrange apple slices in a single layer on whipped cream, using as many as needed to cover surface and reserving remaining for top. Top with second torte layer. Spread remaining whipped cream on top of second torte layer. Arrange remaining apple slices and, if desired, pecan halves on top. Chill 1 to 2 hours. Make 12 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving: 311 cal.. 26 g total fat (6 g sat. fat), 98 mg chol., 24 g carbo., 55mg sodium, 5 g pro.

Let me know if you try the recipe and think of a better way to cook the apples. Enjoy!

INDIAN EXPERIENCES, LOVE OF NATURE, MORE COLLEGE, IDAHO JOBS

Indian Experiences
My stay in Kamiah proved to be a most interesting experience. It is the headquarters of the historically prominent Nez Perce Indians.  Chief Joseph, during the period of Indian wars, made the longest fighting retreat recorded in the history of those wars. A goodly percentage of the Indians in the Kamiah area were well-educated and were successful farmers or businessmen.

Example of a Nez Perce girl in 1910.  Library of Congress

A nice looking young Indian girl named Josephine, who had spent several years in schools in the East preparing to become a school teacher in an English school, returned to Kamiah while I was there. A few (white) young people with whom I had become acquainted knew Josephine and would invite her to accompany us on a picnic or cook-out. She would tell us about the history of her people and point out interesting writings on rocks made by Indians many years ago.

Example of Anasazi petroglyphs, New Mexico.  Library of Congress

One day she told us she would be leaving in a few days to accept a teaching position in a college in Kansas. The next day one of my white friends said, ‘Did you hear what happened to Josephine?’ The tribal council had held a meeting to consider Josephine’s plans and concluded she was about to get entirely away from the tribe. They decided she should marry one of the middle-aged men of the tribe and so informed her. A few days later, I saw Josephine on the street wearing the typical Indian shawl over her head and with her eyes looking downward. She never again spoke to any of us and was clearly back into the tribe--undoubtedly with a broken spirit.

Love of Nature
Never having lived in a mountainous area, I was truly fascinated with the Kamiah setting. I got a pair of elk skin high top shoes that were waterproof and began hiking among the foothills. Father had a Brownie (camera) that took 5” x 7” pictures and had a splendid lens. He had converted it to a film pack from the original glass plates. I would strap that camera over a shoulder, take a lunch Mother had prepared, and spend most of the day hiking and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Kenneth ready for a hike

Carrie Mae, Elzumer, and Roland; Kenneth in back

Carrie Mae in the center; Roland is on the far left and Kenneth on the far right.  Others?

Winter was an especially interesting time. All cars were put in storage as the road up the bill to nearby towns was too treacherous for winter travel so horse-drawn sleds were in common use. The snow storms were the most beautiful I have ever seen. Being located in a “pocket” among the hills, we never had winds of any consequence, so the snow would pile up six inches and more on fences and tree limbs and the large flakes would fall so thickly one could hardly see across the street.

Occasionally the sun would appear and settle the snow, then another big snow would pile it up again. I would join a few boys my age in shoveling off a frozen part of the river nearby for skating but by the time we had the snow pushed away, we would be too tired to do much skating. Often there would be another snow during that night— so it was a contest with the weather and so far as skating was concerned we usually lost out.

Example of ice skaters at Lake Forest, Chicago.  Chicago Daily News negatives collection. Courtesy of Chicago History Museum

First Employment in Idaho
Father was able to get an appointment for me as his assistant to help him with his duties as receiver for the three failed banks. When he went to Kooskia [Orofino], I would stay at the bank in Kamiah and occasionally I would spend a few days at the Orofino bank.


Christmas with Indians
The most unusual Christmas program I ever at tended was at an Indian church in Kamiah. They had a large Christmas tree that reached to the ceiling and was attractively decorated with home made ornaments.

There was a program in which the children took part and finally the chief of the tribe recited the experiences of the tribe when the government troops were pursuing them in what has been recorded in history as the longest military retreat [1,600 miles]. This was given in their native tongue while the congregation swayed back and forth with a monotone that reached a loud pitch at crucial points of the story. A member of the tribe sitting next to me interpreted the story for me--and it was an exciting story!  [Click on Retreat and Surrender and scroll down to section of the same title read the account.] 

More College
I decided to enroll with the Lasalle Extension University for a higher accountant degree. I completed the course about three years later and took the C.P.A [Certified Public Accountant] examination in Boise.  At that time I was living in Blackfoot, Idaho. The man who took the two day examination when I did wrote me about the outcome. He learned from the clerk in the Idaho State House that our papers were graded according to the standards of the American Institute of Accounting in New York City and both of us received passing grades.

One of the two members of the Idaho examining board signed the report. When the other board member came in the clerk said, ‘We have two more C.P.A’s” The board member marked through our grades on the report and reduced them about 30%. He said, “Now add up the grades and see how many new C.P.A’s we have.” Of course that failed both of us.

My companion took the examination again and was given a passing grade. I had become manager of the Livestock Credit Corporation at Blackfoot and never took the time to go through that two-day ordeal again. So that is how near I came to a C.P.A. degree.

Kenneth Leroy Scott

Car Accident
One day when my father had a business trip to a neighboring town up on the prairie for transportation he engaged a man who had a taxi business, and took Mother, Roland, and Marvin along. While coming back down the canyon road, the steering gear broke and the car went off the road, rolled over, throwing everyone out and landed in a ditch. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt except Mother who had a ligament in one of her legs injured and she suffered from that the remaining years of her life. Roland must have been asleep and was pitched into some bushes and came crawling out shouting, “What is going on here?”

Experiences as Bank Receiver
In 1921, I was appointed receiver of the failed bank at Montpelier, Idaho not far from the Wyoming line. Later, I was receiver of the State Bank at Weiser, Idaho. My third assignment was at the Fruitland State Bank near the Oregon line. I rented a warehouse to store several big trucks that the former cashier of the bank bought with bank funds that I repossessed. Also I accumulated farm equipment and some livestock that borrowers turned in as payment on their debts. One day a borrower came in the bank and said, “I’m leaving town. The only thing I have left under the mortgage to the hank is a horse and saddle and I’ve tied him to the tree in front of the bank.” I occasionally would hold a public auction to sell those items.

My next and final receivership was of the D. W. Stanrod and Co. Bank at Blackfoot, Idaho. This had been one of the oldest and largest banks in southern Idaho. It was established by Mr. Stanrod who had a general store that supplied miners and truckers who hauled ore from the mines in the Salmon River Country to the smelters in Utah. The miners would ask him to store their gold nuggets in his safe and that led to his opening a bank.

Example of gold nuggets from a mine in Alaska, circa 1900.   Courtesy of Western History/Genealogy Department, Denver Public Library

At the time of the bank failure, Mr. Stanrod was quite old and he could never believe that his son, the cashier had committed many crimes of misappropriating bank funds and bonds left for safe keeping and had made many bad loans which caused the bank’s failure.

The State Bank Commissioner sent John Beaker, an able attorney and certified public accountant with much experience in investigating bank failure, to Blackfoot to make a thorough audit of the bank records. I was authorized to help him make the audit which proved to be an exciting experience. Presently, I was able to trace irregular transactions through the bank records and help assemble evidence for the criminal trial.

As receiver, I received many claims for preference over depositors. I would assemble facts from the bank records and prepare a formal presentation to the District Court. To save the expenses of an attorney presenting the cases, I was granted permission to present those cases to the District Judge for decision.

This period of bank failures when the depositors often lost practically all their deposits resulted in improved examination of banks and ultimately to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation to guarantee deposits up to certain amounts.

In this period when I was a receiver, I saw many extremely tragic cases where persons lost their life savings. Sometimes well managed banks without any irregularities would be the victim of false rumors causing “a run” on the bank when depositors would form long lines into the bank to demand their deposit in cash.

Since no bank ever has more cash than a small percentage of its deposits, such a run would force the bank into receivership for no reason except the panic of depositors from false rumors. The difference now is that depositors have confidence in the government guarantee.

 

KENNETH MOVES TO LAMONI, IOWA, THEN BOISE, IDAHO

In this post, we return to Kenneth's account of his life in his own words:

After graduating from the Chillicothe Business College, I returned home and shortly afterwards obtained a job as office manager with Donaldson and Bill, a Ford agency at Lamoni, Iowa.

Kenneth Leroy Scott

Early Cars
This was in the days when the cars had to be started by the use of a crank at the front of the car. I often operated the gasoline pump, which was operated manually with a crank to dispense the gasoline. After making the gasoline sale the customer usually wanted me to start the car by cranking it. There was danger of the engine “kicking” if the spark lever was too far advanced which could break one’s arm.

Man cranking a Model T Ford.  Courtesy www.ncroots.com

It was customary for Ford dealerships to have a “closed territory”, often for an entire county, in which no one would be given another dealership. This was a very profitable business, but the Ford Motor Company sometimes took advantage of the dealer. There was such a demand for Fords that they couldn’t manufacture them fast enough to supply the demand. So we had to present signed orders to get a freight car load, which was the way they were shipped. So we would order for example: 3 coupes (which were new and very popular), 2 touring cars and one sedan. Maybe I would receive I coupe, 2 touring cars, and 3 solid-tired trucks (the latter being in oversupply). Without warning we would sometimes receive notice that there was a freight car load of Ford parts and tires at the railway station with sight bill-of-lading attached which we must accept or endanger our standing with Ford Motor Company.

Incidentally, my father purchased the first Ford Sedan in our area. In a weak moment, he let me take the Sedan, which he valued greatly. I called a neighbor girl and we started for a ride. Presently I heard a ‘bump, bump” under the car and by the smell realized I had hit a skunk. There was no way to remove that terrible odor except to let it wear off over a period of weeks. Needless to say, I didn’t drive the car again for many weeks.

Ford Model T Sedan.  Source:  http://picsdigger.com/domain/oldcarandtruckpictures.com/

My father, like many others his age, had trouble learning to drive after years of driving a team of horses. He practiced driving in our large barn yard. The Model T Ford had three foot pedals, one was the low gear when pushed down and also the driving range when released, the middle pedal was reverse, and the third pedal was the brake. On his first attempt at driving, Father started off slowly in low and when he saw the woven wire fence "approaching,” he began shouting “whoa, Whoa, WHOA” like he did for the team of horses and only stopped when the fence held the car.

The following is a quotation from a chain letter written by my cousin Geraldine Jordan, daughter of my uncle Charles Scott, in which she describes a typical experience with the very early automobiles:

"That old Overland was a source of pride and achievement to Mom and Dad.  We kids thought we had just about everything!  In fact, we were THE FIRST to own a car in the neighborhood.  I'm not stretching the truth--whenever we came to a steep hill, Papa would tell Mother to get out of the car with us kids and WALK up the incline, and he would make it alone.  He never was sure the top would be reached in safety!   Momma would be so concerned too, for fear the car wouldn't climb a hill.  The driver and rider in the front seat always had to get out each time gasoline was put in the tank.  (Note by Kenneth:  The first car Dad purchased was a Ford Sedan--the first in Harrison County--and it had this same arrangement for a gasoline tank.)

American-made 1914 Overland being pulled over a river in Queensland, Australia, courtesy John Oxley Library, via Wikimedia Commons

If a storm was possible, everyone had to get out and help with the top, and side curtains were installed all the way around.  Our Overland was SUPER.  It had a self-starter and the lights were battery operated.  When we reached a speed of 50 miles per hour, we were really flying and that was TOP speed."

Kenneth joins the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Back to my Lamoni experience. I engaged a room and meals at the home of a family living near the Ford agency. This was a nice clean place with good home cooking. Presently I learned they were members of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- day Saints and that the headquarters of that church was located in Lamoni. They persuaded me to go to their services and eventually to be baptized and receive membership. About a year later, I migrated to Idaho where I went to the services of the Reorganized Church in Boise a few times. That was the last time I attended any of their meetings.

Kenneth’s parents move to Boise, Idaho
Shortly after I moved to Lamoni, Father sold his bank interests and loaded the family belongings in a railway freight car and the family boarded the passenger train for Boise, Idaho where he purchased a 5 acre tract and large house a few miles west of town on the “Bench” toward Meridian. My Grandfather Scott had sold his farm and moved to Meridian [Ada County, Idaho) where he purchased a nice home and several acres of fruit trees. When my folks moved west, they left their Ford Sedan with me to be driven out later.

Typical farm in Ada County, May 1936  (Source:  Library of Congress)

Trip to Idaho; A Harrowing Experience
In the spring of ..., I started for Idaho in the Ford Sedan, never having been farther west than St. Joseph, Missouri. When I reached the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, Iowa, the highway went onto a planked rail road bridge to cross that rather wide river. The rail road track turned out of sight on the opposite side of the river and there being no watchman in sight, I had visions of meeting a train about half way across the river so I just waited. Presently a car came from behind me and went across so I got up my courage and nervously drove across.

Bridges over Missouri near Council Bluffs, circa 1952.  Courtesy of Douglas County Historical Society Archives

The next event I recall is when I came to the Platte River in Nebraska. It was a turbulent, rushing stream slapping the bottom of the wooden single lane bridge with a turn-out at midstream and with much of the guard rail missing. I pulled to the side of the road to appraise the situation.

Presently a car load of young people came along and went rapidly across with surface boards rattling. So I cautiously started out gripping the steering wheel and watching the roaring stream from the corners of my eyes until I reached the other side. Later I learned that the river is rather shallow and I was seeing it at the spring run-off time.

When I approached Cheyenne, Wyoming, I got my first glimpse of mountains. While I was eating lunch, I asked the mechanic at a nearby garage to tune up my motor. When I again started down the road, the car keep slowing down, requiring me to use the low gear to get up speed only to have it slow down quickly. I grumbled to myself about that mechanic getting my car out of order until I looked back and discovered I was going up a rather steep grade toward a mountain.

Garages were rather far apart and whenever I came upon one, I filled the gasoline tank and inquired about the direction toward Boise, Idaho. The answer invariably would be “keep to the main road”. When I would reach a fork in the road, each looked similarly traveled. It was just a case of guessing which was the right direction and stopping the first car I met (which was quite infrequent) and asking if I was on the right road. If not, I had some back tracking to do.

Once I came to a sharp incline in the road that was too steep for the gravity gasoline feed in my car. The road was too narrow to turn around and try to drive up in reverse which improved the gravity feed in such a situation. So I parked the car by the road side and walked over to a near-by hill to see if I could locate a ranch house. Fortunately, there was house about a quarter of a mile away. There I inquired about gasoline and the answer was “yes” in five gallon cans at 50 cents per gallon and $1.00 for the car — a terrific price in those days. The nearest I could come to that price was a $10.00 bill which was my salary for 2 days work.  The lady returned presently and said she had no change. I said, “Well, I’m rather tired traveling so I’ll just sit here on the porch until someone comes along with change.” After about a half hour a man showed up with my change and I walked back to the car, poured the gasoline into the tank under the drivers seat and was able to get up the grade.  For the remainder of the trip, I carried five gallons of extra gasoline.

Also I carried a water can as the car would get hot occasionally, when I would get water from a stream and fill the radiator. A few times I had to remove the floor boards to tighten the brake and gear drums.

About half way across Wyoming, I began seeing an occasional splotch of orange colored paint on rocks along the roadway and recognized them as the first highway signs that the Lake Music Company in Salt Lake City had made to mark the road to that city.

Typical highway scene in Idaho County, July 1941 (Library of Congress)

The road from Pocatello, Idaho to American Falls, Idaho I soon discovered had “chuck- holes” hidden by about six inches of dust, so to avoid breaking a spring by dropping into one of those hidden holes, I had to drive so slowly I was constantly in a dense cloud of my own dust for about ten miles of that road.

Late the next afternoon, I reached Boise and presently I saw two boys whom I recognized as my brothers Roland and Marvin waving me into the driveway of a nice large house and I realized that my seven day drive from Iowa was ended. What a joy it was to see my mother, father, and brothers again!

Elzumer with Marvin (born 1916) and Kenneth (born 1899)

 My father was working with the State Banking Department with an office in the State Capital in Boise.

State Capitol, Boise, Idaho.  Courtesy www.CardCow.com

My folks had a nice 5 acre irrigated place, most of which was planted to a variety of fruit trees.

Typical family garden, Ada County, Idaho,  May 1936 (Library of Congress)

 
Kenneth moves to to Kamiah, Idaho

In a few days I returned by train to my work in Lamoni.  Idaho looked so attractive to me that I kept thinking about moving out there--an idea that was encouraged by letters from my parents.

In the spring of...,  I left by train for Idaho. At that time my folks were living in Kamiah [Ada County] in the northern part of Idaho where father was the receiver of a chain of failed banks at Grofino, Kamiah, and Kooskia, Idaho. At Lewiston, Idaho, I changed trains to a two car train that travel up the Clearwater River to Kamiah and a few miles beyond. It was an interesting trip up the Clearwater River Canyon mostly through a forest of splendid timber.

Example of Idaho railroad (Library of Congress)

At the station stops usually there were no houses in sight and I assumed the houses were on the top of the canyon. Frequently I saw a train line with many--what appeared to be--seats hanging from the steel cable. I thought that was how I would have to travel with my suitcase up to the top of the canyon when I reached Kamiah--not a pleasant thought.

When the conductor announced our arrival at Kamiah, to my pleasant surprise, it was located on a flat opening about 4 or 5 miles square, surrounded by stately pine-covered mountains. Later I learned that the tramways were only for transferring the bagged grain from the fields of the prairie down to the railway stations for shipment to market.