Histories

History Provided by April Holthaus: Claudia and her folks came from Indiana by covered wagon. Only one of her half-brothers came with them at the time. Her dad had been married before and she had two sisters and one brother. She was a worthy matron of the Sedgwick Eastern Star. She was a seamstress and made quilts for the grandchildren, sewed for her grandchildren and others in the community. (They were given to Harold's 2nd wife and not returned to the Adamson girls). She milked a lot of cows, hers particularly. Typical farm wife. Fixed lunches for the fleid hands. January 1942 old farm house burned. She had taken Judy to the beauty parlor with her and they were gone. All of Judy's toys burned. It started in the dining room and they were able to save the piano and Judy's baby bed, a bedroom suite (now at McGinns). A new home was built on the farm on the old foundation. She loved to entertain her family in the little park in front of the house. It had a circle drive around it that went by the barn and milk house too. In the park was a porch swing, built in fireplace and grass and trees. (see old photo of farm). In 1950's a tornado took the chilcken house and outhouse, she and Grampa went into the basement and under the stairway. She candled eggs from the chilckens and sold those she didn't give to the family. JoEllen, Nancy and Judy would stay in the upstair bedroom. When they lost a tooth they would put it under the middle pillow so Grampa would have to leave money under others pillows closer to the edge of the bed. Inside bathroom wasn't hooked up right away when new house was built as they didn't have septic connected. There was a water pump in the yard. Grammy would wring the chickens neck by spinning them around and then letting them run the yard. There was an old rooster that would chase Judy around the yard too.