Ernie Hammer is a long time Kiowa County Press contributor. This story is written by Ernie’s Aunt Liz, Elizabeth Katherine (Hammer) Smith Benatti, based on her memories and family research. The story begins in Germany with Oswald Hammer and Margarethe Marie von Barsewisch, Liz’s parents. Liz passed away at the age of 104. She was living at the Kohart Home in Kit Carson at the time of her death. Part 6 can be read here.

Homestead Life (continued)

The oldest boy at home was the assistant manager with their mother.  They planned activities, jobs, and chores that had to be done in each season, according the fateful weather – drought or flood wind or blizzards.  While Martin was still helping mother Hammer with managing and a sort of gopher and man Friday, he complained about not getting to go out on his own.  It seemed to him Ted was having all the fun.  Ted wasn’t old enough to do much, however the cattlemen usually wanted Ted to help them.  He was bright and listened carefully to what Sam Cornell and Reed Chester had to tell him.

One day the three rode up about noon to rest the horses, water the horses and themselves.  Ma Hammer always had something to fix up for a quick bit to eat.  There was always coffee bread with butter and perhaps some beans or stew on the back of the stove in the big kettle.  Under the trees Ma fixed lunch for them while they lounged on the ground.  They were talking cowboy talk.  Before they left Ma told Ted he had a change of clothes.  So then he and she went into the house.  Meanwhile he told her he thought he would have a good job with a cattle outfit near Fountain with the Atteberry brothers.  He handed her a dollar and told her that’s all he had but the new job was “thirty and found” which meant he was paid thirty dollars a month and included room and board.  But sometimes “board” meant a bedroll on the prairie – furnish your own bedroll.  She was quite pleased.

I guess I, Liz, was in the sixth grade when I had my turkeys in the right area and as I was told to leave the turkeys and bring the horses to the corral.  We had about ten head.  They were thirsty and knew they’d get some hay or grain.  It was one of those very dry summers-just before our big thunder and hail storm that flooded the area.  But just before the rain started, I went back to the pasture to find my turkeys and bring them back to the pen when the animals all galloped across the pastures, nickered and went crazy.  

I saw and heard my first airplane.  I think it was 1918.  It flew right over the house and above me.  I could see the man sitting in the plane but in seconds he was gone back to the airport in Colorado Springs.  We lived 17 miles east of Springs, as the crow flies.  Several years later I came home from my teaching job in Hereford, CO to find a plane flying over the field.  Rod, Henry, William, and I took old Amby, our stripped down Model T and drove to watch planes closer to the air show.  Rod and Henry spent two dollars for a two minute ride.  Will and I sat in Amby and waved to them as they circled over our head.

Next week – Homestead Life (continued)

Summarized by Janet Frederick

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