Recently I was trying to add information to some collateral branches of my paternal family tree. Specifically, I was looking at my Great Grandfather, Arza Millikan’s (1883-1964) cousins. His father, Lewis Elwood Millikan (1855-1949) had four sisters who had children. His sister Flora Ellen (1860-1923) married Leroy Michaels (1851-1918). They had 5 children, their third son being Edgar Ernest Michaels (1889-1913). There is some question as to the last name “Michaels” or “Michael” or even “Mikels.”

I searched Ancestry.com for information in Edgar Ernest & found that some records were under his middle name, Ernest. He shows up as a 10-year old on the 1900 US Census with his family in Jackson Township of Hamilton County, Indiana.

The 1910 US Census finds him in a different place:

Here he is listed as a 19-year old ward of an institution, “Epileptic Village.” Wonder what that was all about?

I did a little more research on an Epileptic Village in Indiana and found that in 1905 a bill was introduced to the Indiana Senate to purchase land and establish a village for epileptics. The bill passed and the state purchased 1,200 acres of land about two miles northeast of New Castle in Henry County. According to the New Castle Henry County Tribune, (30 March 1906, p1) the intent would be for “the care and cure of its unfortunate citizens afflicted with epilepsy. At the present time we know of no remedy in medicine or surgery which will relieve more than a small percentage of them. The greatest benefit or relief comes from living a simple life, away from excitement, responsibility and care, and out of doors. Under these circumstances there are many who will greatly improve, and some who will become well. At the present time these unfortunates are being cared for by friends, in county poor houses, jails and asylums. They are not insanes, neither are they criminals, but human beings unfortunately so afflicted that they cannot care for themselves at all times, nor is it safe for them to be left alone.” The idea was that the Village would be a large self-sustaining farm which would allow the residents to work and provide for themselves in a supervised environment.

The Indiana Village was modeled after other institutions that had been established first in Europe, then in New York, and by 1908 in 8 other states. Epilepsy had a long-standing social stigma. Seizures are sudden and dramatic episodes which are frightening to witness. They were unexplainable and mysterious. At one time, people believed seizures were caused by evil spirits. There was also a thought that seizures were contagious. Hence the institutionalization and isolation of those suffering with epilepsy.

While it was finally recognized as a brain disorder in the 1700s, consistent treatment for epilepsy was lacking until the late 19^th century. Sedatives like potassium bromide were found to be effective medications against the convulsions. Phenobarbital was developed as an anti-convulsive medication in 1912 and became the common treatment. However, even with medication, generations of people with epilepsy were limited due to the social stigma, in what they could do to be contributing members of society. So in the early 1900’s the establishment of colonies was based on the presumption that this would allow them to live, work, be educated and socialize in a “home-like” atmosphere, even if isolated from the rest of the community. The prospect of treatment with medication wasn’t mentioned much in the early references to the Indiana Village for Epileptics.

The New Castle Henry County Tribune reported on the planned use of a few of the farm houses on the land and on bids being taken for supplies and construction of needed facilities. In January 1908, the report was that the new village was getting ready for occupancy. However, there were already residents on site at the village by that time. The Richmond, IN Palladium-Item (24 Sep 1907, p1) reported that “The first inhabitants of the new epileptic village, at New Castle are from Marion county. Three men were brought to the village by Sheriff Jos. Clay. They are John H. Farrington, Alfred F. Sloan, and Ernest Michael.” Ernest would have been 17 years old at that time. According to the 1910 census, Mr. Farrington was about 26 and Mr. Sloan about 40 years old. No doubt these first residents helped build the new facilities. Eighty-two male patients were eventually housed at the village by the end of 1908. (source: Asylumprojects.org)

In November, 1908, the National Association for Study in Epilepsy met in Indianapolis. One thought was that this meeting would bring more emphasis and therefore more money to the cause of treatment and care for those with epilepsy in the state of Indiana. One of the attendees of this meeting reportedly commented that Indiana was laying a good foundation at the Indiana Village. Multiple buildings were added through the years. By the end of 1911, there were reportedly facilities for 186 male patients. (source: Asylumprojects.org)

In 1913, the New Castle Morning Star (30 May 1913 p1) reported that there was a death at the Village: “Ernest Michael, a patient at the Indiana Village for Epileptics, died at an early hour yesterday. He was twenty-three years old, and death was due to bronchial pneumonia. The body was brought to the rooms of W.A. Fox, and last night was forwarded to Indianapolis, where the relatives of the deceased reside.”

Ernest’s Death Certificate from Ancestry.com gives the same information. It is signed by the superintendent of the Village, Dr. W.C. Van Nuys, who certified that he attended Ernest from 1907 until his death.

Ernest’s obituary in the Sheridan News (6 June 1913 p2) gives a little insight as to how his family wanted him to be remembered: He “was always a kind and obedient boy and was converted when about 16 years old. Soon after this time he became afflicted and was unable to work. In his letters to his parents he always spoke of living a Christian life and was anxious that the other members of the family should live true to their Heavenly Master.” Maybe he also had that witness to others in the Village. There is no indication where he was buried.

That’s what I know about Ernest Michaels, my 1^st cousin 3x removed, who lived a short life, half of it with that mysterious affliction of epilepsy. As for the Indiana Village for Epileptics, it continued to expand through the years to have facilities for women and children. It was originally planned to offer some hope for treatment of those living with epilepsy, did it live up to its intent? Or did it just serve as a place to warehouse & isolate these individuals? Hard to say. In the 1950s Dr. Van Nuys, the superintendent from 1907 finally retired & the last remaining colony for epileptics started changing its focus from institutional care to rehabilitation. It was later renamed the “New Castle State Hospital.” The facility closed in the 1980s.

©2022 MJM

One of the things my Grandmother, Margaret Millikan McKinley gave me was a small wooden box, quite the worse for wear with the leather hinge that held the top on worn away long ago. She said the box was brought to Indiana from North Carolina by “Aunt Angeline” on a covered wagon. Angeline was Nancy Angeline Millikan (1852-1926). She was the eldest daughter of Clark Millikan (1824-1926), who came to Indiana during the Civil War. More information on Clark and Angeline can be found in previous posts.

Anyway, if I remember correctly, this box held several of Clark’s property tax receipts, as well as other receipts and papers. One special item in the box was a small envelope addressed to Clark at Westfield Post Office, Hamilton County, Indiana. The envelope originated in New Market, North Carolina & was dated 7^th month 18, 1866 [July 18, 1866].

The envelope contained a single 9×12 inch piece of paper. Upon closer inspection, I realized the paper was actually divided into 4 sections when folded in half and looking at the front and back, so it was a “four page” letter.

The letter was from Asenath Powell to her brother, Clark Millikan. I scanned it in the four sections, partly because it was too big to scan as a single page and because it might be easier to decipher. Here is the scan of the first section:

As mentioned, there was writing on both sides of the page and the ink obviously bled through, so it was a bit of a challenge to figure out what was written. Then I also discovered that, just like many old letters I had, there was no punctuation or capitalization in this letter.

Eventually, I was able to transcribe most of the letter & to make it easier to read, I corrected spelling and added punctuation. I also added a few notations about the people mentioned in the letter. Those notations are indicated by brackets.

(page 1)

July the first 1866

Much respected and often thought of brother and relations one and all, I take this great pleasure of writing you all a few lines to let you know we are all about, but not right well. Lindon [Asenath’s husband] is right poorly. Mother [Sarah Clark Millikan (1800-1869)] was, about five weeks ago, very bad off with bowel complaint and weakness but she is so she can go about a little again. She has been here twice since, but it is a pretty tiresome walk for her for she is very weak. Rebecca Lamb [neighbor] was not well the first of last week. Her mother is about like she has been. Louisa [Millikan] is still very poorly. She has been having the chills this last week but I have not heard of Ben [Millikan] having any one, but he has the fever, that is the Jink fever. As I do hope, those few lines will go so of to hand and find you all well and in good heart. I hope Lydia [Clark’s wife] has got over the chill before now.

(page 2)

We have had a very wet Spring and Summer until a few days. It seems like dry weather and it has been very cool. There has been a little frost in very North yet and some think there has been frost there; for they said William’s [Millikan] folks was going to where green-backs grow on the white oaks and the biscuits grow on bushes and we heard that he wanted his wheat crop back that he sold and he was coming back. So they say the frost had bit the money and biscuits too. Wheat is tolerable good this year though not as good as I have seen. Most of the people have their wheat half in corn too. She’s tolerable well. Allen [Millikan] said tell Thee he had corn to buy and nothing to buy with and had a hard time and seen no pleasure at all and wrote no letters to Thee nor no one else.

(page 3)

We heard Winborn [Powell] had to leave that country for having some unbecoming talk to a girl. We have not heard any thing but that from him since before Christmas and we have written letter after letter. I want thee to try to find out if Thee can seen anybody from Grant county. We are all very worried about him for fear that somebody has killed him or he is in a lead box some way. Just find out as sly as Thee can is all I have to say. Mother is wanting to hear from you all very bad. She goes to Jefferson once and a while but it doesn’t seem like Clark’s, though she thinks very well of Becca. And if Lydia doesn’t get better, I wish she was back just like she was once. But I do hope as long as you are there you will all get in better health and then you would be better satisfied. For it is a hard case anyway or anywhere though.

(page 4)

From Asenath Powell and family To Clark Millikan and family and en…[?]

We must do the best we can. Luzena [Honey] and her great man went to Surry [county] last Spring. They wrote back that they found Aunt Jane well and hearty. They left Oliver at Esther Reicks and Sammy is at George Goddets. I still have to write on the nasty old Rebel paper but I hope I will have some that is better before I wrote any more. Cradling [cutting wheat using a cradle scythe that helped align the wheat stalks as cut] this year was two dollars for a bushel of wheat. Edman and Linsy are beginning to cut out weeds and sprouts from amongst the corn right smart and Woodard can play with the babe right smart and it can begin to sit alone. I am rocking it and writing. I will put in another marriage in this letter, Nancy Beckerdite and Joseph Spencer. I have not had the chance to finish this letter. I have had so much to do it is now the ninth of the month and I will try to finish it if nothing happens.

There was also another note with this letter, which seems to be the continuation of the letter a few days later:

(front) This is the 10th of the 7th month.     We are all well as common today and I hope you are all the same. Thomas Sawyer was hauling his wheat in last third day and his mare started before he was thinking about it and threw him off the wagon and broke his arm and put it out of place too. Jabez [Powell] got a letter from Nathan D. Wilson and Joseph Davidson about Winborn’s capers, so it’s not worth Thy while to bother anything about him. We have not had any rain to do any good for three weeks and corn and gardens are suffering very bad. It looks some like it might rain before long. Parthena [Powell] is very weakly; more so this Spring than common. Clark [Powell] is as well as common. Dock got four letters the other day for Ben [Millikan]. I have not heard whether

(back) there was any one from Thee or not. I think that …[page torn] and Azel’s [Millikan] were aiming to have moved to that country if William’s [Millikan] folks had been satisfied. I have not seen Angelina [Millikan] since the day Lydia started, but I think I will go to see her if I live. They were all well about three weeks ago. I heard that you had not gotten acquainted with but one woman. If that is so, I will never come there for I might get sick, or some of the family and no one to come to see us some rights. The people out there are so clever and so they are very unclever. But some are always up on extremes. When I read a letter from Thee I am certain what it says, so I hate …[page torn] to read them as often as naught. So write soon as Thee gets this for we are…[end of page]

So Asenath wrote to let Clark know how their friends and family were faring after the Civil War. New Market, NC was a small community in Randolph County, NC. Clark’s wife, Lydia, and his family had moved from there to Indiana in 1865, at the close of the war. As mentioned in a previous story about Clark, he had moved to Indiana after deserting from the North Carolina Infantry.

I found a little more information for the people Asenath wrote about:

from page 1:

• Louisa Millikan=possibly Martha Louise Millikan (1855-1879), daughter of Benjamin Millikan who is mentioned next
• Ben=Benjamin Millikan (1831-1915), cousin of Clark and Asenath who went to Indiana with Clark’s family, then returned to NC after his wife died. It is believed that Clark and Ben “traded” their land in Indiana and North Carolina.

from page 2:

• William Millikan (1835-1875)=brother of Benjamin mentioned in page 1. He moved to Indiana. Per the letter, it seems they were looking for a place where “green-backs” (or money) grew on trees.
• Allen Millikan (1839-1921)=brother to Asenath and Clark

from page 3:

• Winborn Powell (1844-1911)=brother-in-law to Asenath, moved up to Indiana during the Civil War, probably to escape being drafted into the Confederate Army. Sounds like he was up to mischief in Indiana & Asenath was concerned about his welfare.
• Jefferson & Becca=unsure who this is. I don’t know if Jefferson is a person or place. I wonder if “Clark’s” is talking about Clark Millikan’s farm?

from page 4:

• Luzena Honey (1831-1915)=sister to Asenath and Clark. She first married Franklin McKindre Reichs/Rike/Rich (1833-1863). They had two sons, Lewis Oliver & Samuel. Luzena married Ambrose Honey in 1865. I can’t say I have much information on Luzena and her husbands, hence the question of her first husband’s last name. Esther Reicks may have been Franklin’s mother, but I will have to dig deeper to find that connection. I do not know who George Goddets is. Anyway, while Luzena and her new husband, Ambrose went traveling—perhaps on a honeymoon, they left her young boys in the care of family & friends.
• Aunt Jane=possibly Jane Millikan, whom some sources list as sister to Samuel Millikan (1789-1870). I haven’t found much about her either.
• Edman, Linsy, Woodard, “the babe”= Asenath’s children, Edmond (1860-1927), Thomas Linsey (1861-1940), Woodard Martin (1862-1939) and “the babe” would be Cornelius Calvin (1866-1898).
• Nancy Beckerdite & Joseph Spencer=friends of the family, members of Marlboro Meeting, she was born in 1828 & he was born in 1800. She was his 3^rd wife.

from the additional page:

• Thomas Sawyer=neighbor, listed as 28 yrs old in the 1860 US Census.
• Jabez Powell=probably Asenath’s father-in-law.
• Nathan Wilson and Joseph Davidson=listed in Grant county, IN in the 1860 US Census, both were listed as born in North Carolina. Regardless, they were probably family friends who were able to find out about what Winborn Powell had been up to and could report back to his family that he was alright.
• Parthena and Clark Powell=Parthena Millikan (1829-1905), sister to Asenath and Clark, married Thomas Clarkson Powell (1828-1913), brother to Asenath’s husband, Lindon Powell.
• Azel Millikan (1829-1890)=cousin of Asenath and Clark.
• William Millikan (1835-1875)=cousin of Asenath and Clark, brother of Azel. Also mentioned on page 2.
• Angelina Millikan (1852-1926)=Clark’s daughter from his first marriage to Nancy Adams. She may have stayed with relatives for a while instead of traveling to Indiana with Clark’s wife, Lydia and the other children. In the 1870 US Census, she is listed as living with an aunt and uncle in North Carolina. Eventually she did move to Indiana with the rest of the family. She reportedly brought the little box with her.

What happened to Asenath and Lindon Powell and their family? They show up in the 1870 and 1880 US Census records in Hamilton County, IN, living near Clark and his family. After that, they moved to the town of Friend in Saline County, Nebraska, where they lived the rest of their lives. Lindon died in 1909, and Asenath in 1914. Several of their children also raised their families in Friend, NE.

One more thought: in her letter, Asenath complains about writing on “nasty old Rebel paper” but as bad as it was, that paper has held up through the 155 years since.

© MJM 2021

When I visited my Grandmother, Margaret Millikan McKinley (1917-2007), through the years, I remember seeing a trophy high up on a bookcase. I never looked at that trophy very closely & never asked about it. Then, my Great Aunt, Frances Millikan Haskett (1918-2018), displayed that trophy at her 95^th birthday party & gave it to one of her nephews.

I finally looked at it and read the inscription: “Sheridan Dairy Assn. Awarded to Arza H. Millikan, Sweepstakes Bull, Sheridan Indiana, Aug. 16, 1916”

So then things started to make sense.

I found some Sheridan News articles about the Dairymen Association Picnics on the NewspaperArchive.com website.

The page-one article from August 18, 1916 indicated that the 1916 picnic was the 2^nd annual event and hailed it as a “dairy picnic and bull show.” There were estimated to be two to three thousand in attendance. There were also “several exhibits of machinery silos, etc.” Not to mention the merry-go-round and ice cream stand! A letter I have that Arza’s Aunt Alice Millikan Cox (1864-1926) wrote to her daughter, Carrie (1888-1985), said that there were “200 gallons of ice cream given away and 30 men to dish it out.”

The article stated that “Sheridan has become, … one of the big milk producing centers of the country & the greatest in Indiana.” It listed the names of the Sheridan Dairy Association officers: M.M. Evans, President; A.H. Millikan, Vice President; C.O. Ogle, Secretary-Treasurer. The officers and the Dairy Association were commended for holding a dairy show which had “good talks on dairying and it offered a great opportunity for displaying and studying and selling high grade thoroughbred dairy cattle.”

The Sheridan News article listed the winners of the Cattle show. Turns out Arza won more than one award. He won 1^st place for “Bull Class 1, 3yr. and over,” Sweepstakes Bull, Best Jersey Bull and Bulls Sold in Sale. Of the four silver cup trophies awarded, Arza won three, all for Jersey Bulls. He also won $77 in prize money with $70 of it being for one bull. I don’t know what happened to the other trophies.

The letter from his Aunt Alice also mentioned his winnings. She said he got a “nice blue bow with a button and a bow with a picture of a bull on it” for a bull that he bought at the show. That may have confirmed something that I saw in a picture of Arza and a bull.

Is Arza wearing a ribbon on his jacket?

Is this one of the prize-winning bulls from this Dairy Picnic? At this point I don’t know.

Turns out that Arza also won prizes for his cattle at the first Dairy picnic in August, 1915 and the third Dairy picnic in 1917. All of this was reported in the Sheridan News from August 20, 1915 and September 14, 1917.

In 1915, Arza won 1^st prize for the Class 1 Bull category and the Sweepstakes Bull Prize. He also gave one of the instructional talks at the picnic.

In 1917, he won the $20 trophy for the Sweepstakes Bull, the $10 trophy for the best Jersey bull and the $25 prize for the “best heifer sired by a Park Farm’s bull.” He also won the $5 1^st prize for the “Bull 1yr. old, under 2” and $2 3^rd prize for the “Heifer 1yr. old, under 2.”

Two more pictures of Arza and his bulls:

Perhaps one of these was a “Prize Winner.”

Regardless, it seems that my Great-grandfather, Arza H. Millikan (1883-1964), was gaining a reputation for the quality and pedigree of his bulls & dairy cattle.

© MJM 2019

 

 

My Grandmother, Margaret Pauline Millikan, was born September 17, 1917. Her sister, Miriam Frances Millikan, was born November 20, 1918. Their parents were Arza Millikan (1883-1964) and Mary Boone Millikan (1897-1992). They grew up on the family farm on Mulebarn Road near Sheridan, Indiana. The two girls were almost inseparable growing up.

 

Farm life was full of responsibilities. Feeding the chickens was one chore the girls could do while they were rather young.

Grandma said they also had the responsibility of driving the cows “to the 30.” The two girls would take the herd of 8-10 cows from Arza’s farm down the road about half a mile to 30 acres of land that his Mother, Martha Ellen Barker (1858-1932), inherited. Grandma described this chore when I interviewed her in 2006:

“Frances and I drove the cows every day…We were 10 years old when we started herding the cattle from the barn lot down to the corner. You had to keep them from going west or south, you had to get them turned, be sure that the gates were locked on everybody’s fence…We drove those cattle from the home over and over again to the corner again, back up to the 30…We’d drive those cattle back and there was no fence. We had a lane we drove them back and part of the time that would be a big corn field clear back to the woods. You had to keep them on that lane and get them back to the 30…There was a big water tank like the old water tanks were that you pumped a full tank of water. And we’d pump a full tank of water and walk home. Then go back and get them in the evening. We’d pump a tank of water at the barn for when they got back. We did that for a long time.”

She also remembered other chores on the farm: “And Frances and I worked in the field. I remember one time when I—Daddy had plowed that big field over at the 30 that was East of the woods and I rode a drag. I mean a drag that was just heavy boards with a couple of 3 rocks on it to help hold it down. And it had dried out…and I could hardly ride the drag. ‘Course you stood up on it, but it just pulled my arms ’til I was nearly sick. That field was so rough and the disc just didn’t cut it down. Daddy had a tractor of course and we had disked it but it didn’t work. I never rode the disc—that was a little dangerous because you’ve got all those cutters. But I had a harrow and that drag and that was one of the hardest jobs I ever did in the field.”

Margaret and Frances helped load beans: “Daddy and Grandpa Millikan would pitch the beans, work on beans on a wagon…They’d pitch those up and we’d have to cram them down and move stuff around. We did the same thing with hay.” Grandma remembers one time when she was a teenager and almost had a heat stroke when helping with the hay. They also helped plant potatoes and load the silo with corn. “Those kind of were dirty jobs; you didn’t have any bathrooms or bath tubs to clean up in. Used water in an old tub.”

But farm work wasn’t all they did growing up. They would play tag in the yard at night with neighbor kids. They would read a lot. Their Father, Arza, worked his Grandfather’s farm when the girls were little (Clark Millikan died in 1926). They would accompany Arza to the farm either by wagon or in “the old open touring car” mornings and evenings when he would go to do chores. She remembers “we got roller skates and learned to skate on the sidewalk that went up to the front door.” And she remembered “turning somersaults in the yard, because they kept the yard mowed and we didn’t at home…Frances & I were turning somersaults in there one day and I don’t know if it was Aunt Allie or Aunt Angie that came out and told us the chickens had been in that yard and they didn’t want us to get the chicken manure in our hair. Such a crazy thing to remember.”

When Margaret started school, Frances went along. The two sisters stayed close all of their lives. They double dated when they were teenagers. They worked together at the Sheridan Grille restaurant before Margaret got married and Frances went to college. Margaret married Loran McKinley in 1936 & Frances married Robert Haskett in 1939. They started raising families & eventually Margaret settled in Sheridan and Frances in Westfield. Both ladies were active with the church & supported missions.

In the 1970’s Mary Millikan sold the farm and moved to a house next door to Frances in Westfield. Margaret and their other sister, Betty Lou, lived with Mary. Eventually, Margaret and Frances moved to a Quaker-run Senior Apartment complex in Westfield. Margaret died in 2007, she was 90 years old. Frances continued on until this year. She died April 1—Easter Sunday. She was 99 years old.

I’m sure there were many more stories that we would have loved to hear from Margaret and Frances. They shared what they wanted to, or what we asked them about. As it is, we do know they were shaped by their early years working hard on that farm near Sheridan, IN.

Margaret & Frances with one of the horses at their home near Sheridan, IN.

© MJM 2018

 

I found a piece of paper in my GG Grandfather’s stuff & wondered what it was all about. So I did a little digging. Here is the contract between GG Grandpa Lewis Elwood Millikan (1855-1949) and the Van Camp Packing Company:

So is this the same well known Van Camp company that makes Pork & Beans? And how did Elwood get involved in growing tomatoes for them?

Looking into the history of the Van Camp company, I found a notation at the Indiana State Library website. The company was started by Gilbert Van Camp in Indianapolis, IN. Gilbert’s son, Frank, is credited with adding catsup and bacon to the the baked beans recipe to give it a unique taste. So yes, this is the same Van Camp company that makes Pork & Beans!

How did Elwood get involved? He probably attended this meeting announced in the Sheridan News, January 10, 1902:

Seeing that the contract was initiated on January 25, he must have figured it was a good deal. He contracted for 3 acres of tomatoes. The last line of the agreement, however, gives an “out” for the company if they did not get a commitment of enough acres—their minimum was 300 total acres.

Another announcement in the Sheridan News January 31, 1902 indicated that the company was reaching the quota:

One more article in the Sheridan Weekly Sun November 13, 1902 gives a little information on how the overall crop did:

I don’t know much more about Elwood’s crop. I wonder how much money he made from this contract & if it was worthwhile for him. I did find that the Van Camp company advertised again in the Sheridan papers for tomato crops in the years to follow—so it must have been a lucrative deal for them.

So there it is, looks like GG Grandpa Lewis Elwood Millikan probably provided tomatoes to the VanCamp Packing Company at least for one season—what an interesting find!

© MJM 2018

Proving Up.

Three friends from Indiana, Arza Millikan, Harry Kincaid and Elmer Davis filed homestead claims in New Mexico in February 1907. They moved out to their claims in August 1907. According to the Homestead Act of 1862, if they “improved” their claims—put up a house, fencing if needed; lived on the land & farmed it for 5 years, they would receive it free from the US Government (aside from filing fees.) However, they could also get the land quicker if they improved the land (put up a house & put in crops) and resided on it for 6-8 months. They would then pay a certain amount of money per acre to get the title to the land. The original Homestead Act set the price at $1.25 per acre. I’m not sure if this was still the price in 1907.

When a homesteader was ready to take legal possession of the land, they would get 2 neighbors or friends to vouch for the fact that they made improvements to the land and that they resided there for the required time period. These witnesses would sign the “proof” document. Notice of the intention to “prove up” was published in the local newspaper for 5 weeks to allow anyone who didn’t agree to contest the claim. When we visited New Mexico in 2007, we found actual newspapers from that time in a museum and saw the “proving up” notices for the three friends.

Harry’s notice was in the May 1, 1908 edition of the Nara Visa Register. Elmer’s notice was in the May 8 edition of the Nara Visa New Mexican.

On May 22, 1908, the Nara Visa Register included Arza’s “proving up” notice.

The friends were witnesses for each other. The notices were recorded from the land office in Clayton, New Mexico, which was the county seat for Union County. So I guess the young men would have traveled the 39 miles up to Clayton to the courthouse to file their paperwork. This picture shows the Union County Courthouse as it would have looked at that time. It was hit by a tornado later in the year and had to be rebuilt.

One final notice in the Nara Visa Register from June 12, 1908:

Then on June 19, 1908, the Sheridan News reported the return of the young men to Indiana

.

So the three friends have returned home to the Indiana farms where they were born and raised. The New Mexico report indicates that they were going home for the Summer and would return to New Mexico in the Fall. As far as I know, they did not go back to live on the land. Perhaps they realized farm life would be easier on land in Indiana than New Mexico. Whatever the reason, they stayed in Indiana.

Arza made an entry in a farm ledger book January 1, 1909. In it he summarized his New Mexico adventure. I’ve already included part of that entry in some parts of this story. The rest follows: “We boys proved up and came back to Indiana June 13, 1908. A few days ago I rec’d Patent from the Gov’m’t. My claim cost me $600. beside almost a years time & hired help at grandpa’s.”

I have a copy of Arza’s land patent from the Bureau of Land Management’s website. The original is in the possession of a family member.

The land is still in the family. We visited it in 2007—it’s a pretty barren piece of property. But one must consider that the Dust Bowl affected this area of the country. Hard to imagine the land with any crops as the pictures saved from 1907/08 show the same thing we found—dirt and tufts of grass. Comparing it to the Indiana farmland where the young men came from, I think I can figure why they stayed in Indiana.

Arza continued helping on his Grandfather, Clark’s farm until he got married in 1916 and took over the farm of his Father, Elwood. Elmer stayed on the farm just down the road from Arza’s the rest of his life. Harry got married to one of the girls from the Sunday School class, Florence Hinshaw. He worked at an automobile factory.

Here is one final picture of the three friends, Harry, Arza and Elmer, probably taken in the 1950’s:

They shared an adventure in New Mexico—maybe trying to find their fortunes with land—but ended up back home in Indiana where their fortune could be found much easier.

© MJM 2018

 

A Visit From Home.

The Sheridan News from December 20, 1907 reported that “Mrs. Elwood Millikan left last Thursday for Nara Visa, New Mexico where she will spend the winter.” A notice from December 27 stated that she went to New Mexico “for the benefit of her health and to visit her son Arza.” Arza’s Mother, Martha Ellen “Mattie,” took the train out to stay with him for the Winter. Hard to imagine what benefit it would have been to her health, staying in a small cabin out in a field with no running water and leaky walls—remember snow came in between the boards. I have a couple of pictures from her time out there:

Here she is standing outside of Arza’s cabin. Looks like she was a small woman.

This picture was taken inside the cabin. I wish it was better quality. But some details can be figured out. First, it looks like there may be a curtain next to Mattie’s right elbow. Perhaps this was used to give a little privacy in the sleeping area. Behind Mattie is the bed with a quilt covering it. There are clothes hanging on hooks on the far wall next to what may be a small closet. Just below the clothes, leaning up against the wall in the corner is a rifle.

The Sheridan News again announced Mattie’s travels. On April 10, 1908, it reported that Mattie had returned home to Indiana the Saturday before. A letter sent to Arza from his sister, Edna, in May 1908 told a little about how Mattie fared while out in New Mexico: “We weighed mamma a few days after she came home and she weighed 95 1/2. We weighed her today and she weighed 102. She lost about 9 1/2 while in New Mexico and has gained near six since she came home.” I wonder if all that good food Arza reportedly had—canned milk, dried meat, beans and cornbread—had anything to do with her weight loss. But Edna tells of something else that may have contributed to it: “I suppose the steam baths and not eating very much was the reason she lost.” She then talks about borrowing a “cabinet” for a steam bath like Mattie had while out in New Mexico.

I found a couple of advertisements for these cabinets:

This ad is from the Albuquerque Citizen, June 21, 1898.

 

The Indianapolis News advertised this cabinet on February 17, 1900. A large advertisement for the Vapor Bath Cabinet included the information that it was “A Godsend to all Humanity…Guarantees Perfect Health, Strength & Beauty to Every User, and Cures Without Drugs All Nervous Diseases, Rheumatism, La Grippe, Neuralgia, Blood & Kidney Troubles, Weakness, & the Most Obstinate Diseases, by Nature’s Method of Steaming the Poisons Out of the System. It is an air-tight inclosure, in which one comfortably rests on a chair, and with only the head outside, enjoys at home, for 3 cents each, all the marvelous cleansing, curative & invigorating effects of the famous Turkish Bath.”

The price for the wonderful treatment device was $5.

I don’t know what kind of medical condition Mattie had that would have sent her out to New Mexico in the Winter. I’m sure it’s no wonder that she lost weight though if she regularly used a steam cabinet like one of these.

A couple of months after Mattie left New Mexico, Arza and his friends proved up their claims…

© MJM 2018