A clipping from “The Randall Enterprise,” Sept. 15, 1923

When I was a young man of 25, I came with a party of friends overland in three wagons from Iowa to Kansas. We arrived and camped near a creek east of Jewell on April 5, 1871. After looking over the land, I chose a homestead in the Star neighborhood. After my payment of $14.50 for homestead rights, I had $16 in money left.

That spring, I broke two acres of sod which I planted to corn. It produced about 20 bushel per acre. I also built a dugout. Wages were 75 cents a day.

I spent my first winter working near Kirwin, which was...