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 7 can be read here.

Homestead Life (continued)

Spring came with a few snowflakes that dried almost as soon as they fell.  Moisture that spring consisted of snow on the ground one morning and sleet falling all day which melted the skiff of snow and in three days ending in a day of fog.  Ted took over helping his mother as Martin wanted to go out on his own.

Martin then went about being a rover going from cowboy to farmer at the Dew place on his own.  This didn’t seem to work out with any permanency so he went to Divide to help an old bachelor, who was proving up on a homestead.  So Martin spent several years proving the legal phase of homesteading and raising potatoes and lettuce for a cash crop.

Ted was the best business manager that came to take his turn being co-manager of the enlarged homestead.  But of course there were some off center disagreements. Ma had eleven eggs in the little wooden box, an old type egg crate but one Pap had found in his many piles of ‘goodies’ he’d bring out to the farm.  She also had enough for each child to have his egg for breakfast.  This day Ted wanted two.  He and she were verbal awhile until the argument began to simmer.  Ma took the egg and threw it at Ted and Ted ducked laughing as we all saw the egg hit just above his head on the wall of the kitchen.  Everyone quickly left not wanting to add anything to the argument.

Paul was particularly vulnerable to Ted’s tricks and teasing.  Ted would see how fast you could jump by sticking the cow you were milking.  Paul understood Ted’s militaristic attitude in play or work, and he didn’t like it much.  Fritz would laugh with Ted when it came to jokes on Martin or Paul, but he took Rod’s part when Ted went overboard.  Gerhardt was the convincing one.  He would plan the strategy and then sit back and let the kids do the plan.

Fritz was rather a thinker and definitional.  He took sides and could draw attention by his intelligence or wisdom, however you looked at it.  Rod was usually a willimg subject to take over the physically hard tasks, but expected praise and notice of his part in the scheme that brought about destruction-winning side.  Elizabeth always wanted to be given a part, but she was always the cook or the one who fetched the things the boys needed for their projects.

Oscar was usually the last to join in any scheme the kids tried at playtime to occupy that segment of the day or hour.  Henry was bold with his prowess…a sort of ‘I can do it best’, even when the older boys would laugh at him.  William was a follower, but could lead some- like his two sisters, into doing things they ordinarily would even want to do.

Gertrude, the baby, gave a ‘poor me’ attitude…I don’t know what you want me to do.  Usually she would run back to her security-her nearness to Ma or her dolls.  However, she was also a goody two shoes-thinking she had the worst of it. This carried over into her school years in the small O’Conner one-room school.  With neighbors coming over and taking her home with them-making clothes for her and her dolls.  Liz liked that because then she had mother to herself.  But she never did get the stiches right when she tried to sew or knit or crochet.  “Too loose, too tight, or not even.”  

Next week – Homestead Life (cont.)

Summarized by Janet Frederick

The Kiowa County Press invites those who live in or have ties to Colorado - especially the southeast, however all contributions are welcome - to share their story with our readers. Family history, current life, unique sites and adventures, and other aspects of living in Colorado are welcome. Contact us at editor@KiowaCountyPress.net.