Hyde School Nearly 80 Years Ago
1900-1940 U.S. Census analysis for Catherine E. Lisle and family. [Katie Lisle recited "Lost Chord" in the 1900 Hyde School closing exercises - Ed]
In 1900 Catherine E. "Katie" Lisle, 13 (born in Colorado) is the daughter of John A. and Anna M. Brothers. Edwin E., 18, and James V., 16, were born in Nebraska. Raymond, 6, also born in Colorado, is in the school group photo. So the Lisle family probably came to Colorado about 1885. John is a well driller.
It looks like Katie married Fred B. Cameron, and they're farming in Cedaredge, Delta County, Colorado (about 400 miles west) with two young sons. In 1920 they've moved back to Washington County, farming near Otis, and now with three more kids. In 1930 they're back in Cedaredge, living with Fred's 76-year-old father Charles Cameron. Kids are Arthur 22, Vaughn 20, Rex 17, Edith 14, and Leo 10.
Raymond Vaughn Lisle was 16, son of John A. and Anna M. Lisle. He registered for the WWI draft, saying he was born January 4, 1894 in Hyde, Colorado, was single, had a physical disability, working for Adolph Wolff.
In 1920 Raymond Lisle was living with his parents and his widowed grandfather, Herman Lisle, in Hyde. No occupation was indicated.
In 1930 Raymond Lisle was farming near Platner, Colo, about fifteen miles west of Hyde. His wife was Mary Carpenter, daughter of Charles and Catherine Carpenter of Otis, and they had one child, Alvin G. aged 7.
In 1940 Raymond Lisle resided in Akron, Colo and was laborer on WPA roads. Mary ran a creamery and son Alvin raised poultry.
Raymond died in 1956, Mary in 1960. Both are buried in the Akron cemetery.
1900-1940 U.S. Census analysis for Elmer H. Clark and wife Elizabeth I. [Elmer Clark recited "Little Peach" in the 1900 Hyde School closing exercises - Ed]
In 1900 Elmer H. Clark, born May 1890 in Colorado, is the son of Arthur Clark, 62, a farmer, and Elizabeth I., 40. James C. Clark, 21, Cora E. Clark, 4, and Anna A. Clark, 1, are also there. In 1910 Elmer is 19, living alone and farming in Hyde. His widowed mother lives in Denver with Cora and Annie and a 29-year-old male boarder of Swedish descent.
Elmer H. Clark registered for WWI while he was farming in next-door Morgan County. He said he was born in Hyde May 2nd 1890, and had a wife and child. They're found in Long Beach, California in 1920, where Elmer is a laborer in cement work. Lela D. is 22, Pansy J. is 4, and son Leslie E. is eighteen months. All were born in Colorado.
In 1930 Elmer is still doing cement work in Long Beach. They've added Lawrence M. ae 9 and Vivian A. ae 1.
In 1940 Elmer is a carpenter, in Spring Hill, Los Angeles County. He's lodging with a 63-year-old widow Anna Krecke. His marital status is "M", but with a line drawn through it. Lela is still in Long Beach, but she said she's divorced. Lawrence, 19, is married to Delores from Kansas. Lawrence's profession is hod carrier
Elmer Harrison Clark died April 13, 1953 in Los Angeles County.
[Ralph Smith recited "Automobile Sled" in the 1900 Hyde School closing exercises - Ed]
Ralph Arnold Smith, born July 25, 1892 in Otis, Colo, is married, a machinist Denver for the WWI draft; the son of Oliver and Minnie Smith, stock raisers.
In 1920 they're in Chase County, Nebraska. Ralph is a garage owner, and is married to Althe, 25.
In 1930 they're back in Loveland Colorado where Ralph is a car dealer.
Ralph and Althe B. are in Denver in 1940, he is still a car dealer. Althe's widowed mother Imogene Baker is living with them. The Bakers were living in Fort Morgan in 1910, so that's probably where Fred and Althe met.
[Mabel Whitehurst sang "Kingdom's Coming" in the 1900 Hyde School closing exercises - Ed]
Mable H. Whitehurst, born June 1881, is the daughter of widowed William Whitehurst, a 46-year-old railroad laborer. Also living with them is 13-year-old adopted daughter Daphne. The census says Daphne is in school, but Mable's occupation is blank.
In 1940 they're farming in Greeley, with 20-year-old Leo, a service station attendant, living with them. They'd been in Cedaredge in 1935.
The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) says Catherine E. Cameron, born June 8, 1886, died March 15, 1970, last residing at Rifle, Garfield County, Colorado.
Newspaper locals, from the Yuma Pioneer
In October 1906 the Pioneer reported "E.S. Dakan has sold to the school board of the Hyde district fifty-five gallons of Sherwin-Williams paint which will be spread on the big school house by Jim Jenkins."
In December 1906 the Pioneer reported that "Jim Jenkins has finished painting the Hyde school house."
In December 1907: The Hyde school has a new organ and now Prof. Worley will open school with music each morning. - Dec 1907
In January 1908 the Yuma Pioneer reported "The school board has furnished the school with a new black board."
On the last day of school in 1908 the patrons of the district had a basket dinner, and presented Mr. Worley with a rocking chair as a token of their appreciation for his noble work as a teacher the past year.
Census analysis for the Berry family
In the 1910 census Laura M. Berry was 14, daughter of James H. and Sarah C. Berry. Brother Clarence D. was 12, sister Bertha 10, and sister Edna 8.
In 1920 Laura M. Berry is still in Hyde, living with brothers Wilbur 27 and Clarence B. 21. Boarder Gussie Vermillion is 42, a widowed teacher.
In 1930 Laura M. Berry is married to Earl Wilson, a road worker, and they're living in Yuma. Laura's mother Sarah E. Berry 64 and Earl's niece Mary E. Critchfield aged 17 months are living with them. (Find-A-Grave has Mary Elizabeth Critchfield Eishen born November 6, 1928 dying March 8, 2002 and buried in Kellogg, Wabasha County, Minnesota)
Clarence Bryan Berry said he was born November 3, 1897, and was farming for James Berry in Yuma. He was in World War I. Clarence died in 1935 and is buried in the Yuma cemetery.
In March 1910 the Yuma Pioneer had the sad news: "Rev. S.J. McGaw, wife, and daughter returned to their home in Yuma Tuesday morning. They had been called to Grand Rapids Michigan by the illness and death of their daughter which occurred about three weeks previous to their return. Rev. S.J. McGaw is pastor of the Presbyterian church at Yuma. This family has the sincere sympathy of their friends".
1910 US Census analysis for the Johnson family
In 1910 Montezuma County Colo, there's a Chester F. Johnson, 8, born in Colorado.
The Johnson mother was a teacher.
In 1900 in Fremont County, Colo, William E. Johnson was said to be an "engineer stationary" which could mean he was a steam engine operator. In 1905 it looks like they're in Cherokee County, Kansas. So it's very likely William was working on the oil well drilling around Hyde.
In 1920 Butler County Kansas William E. Johnson was a trouble-shooter in an oil field and Chester F Johnson, 18, was a "pumper" in an oil field.
In 1925 in Butler County Kansas William was a blacksmith in the oil fields and Chester was a Driller.
In 1900 the Muir family was in Monona County, Iowa.
In 1910 Yuma (seven miles away from Hyde) is 10-year-old Lawrence J. Muir. Lawrence delivered a recitation at the Yuma Presbyterian Church for Christmas 1909 and Easter 1910. In April 1910 he was "sailing hats in the wind [when one of them blew away; it was] last seen about two miles south of town".
In 1910 Lawrence Muir's father, James E. Muir, 42, was a real estate agent and his wife Mary K. was aged 49.
Lawrence Muir died in 1911 "from a ruptured appendix" according to a note on his Find-A-Grave memorial.
Yuma Pioneer local: "Mr. and Mrs. J.E. Muir returned Wednesday from Independence, Mo. The funeral of their son Lawrence who died Thursday, August 10, 1911, was held at that place last Saturday.
Nettie Pike was a teacher at Hyde school in 1912 along with Alice Brandon and in 1915 along with Nellie Atkinson [The next line in the list of teachers is for 1921. No indication is given that Nettie taught from 1912 through 1920 - Ed]
Nettie Pike was born in Illinois.
In 1880 and 1885 she's with her parents in Newman, Saunders County, Nebraska.
In 1920 she was in Hyde, living alone in a house she owned, no occupation listed.
In 1930 she's in Texas County, Missouri, and her widowed mother Amelia is living with her. Nettie said she was a farmer.
In 1940 she's still in Texas County, Missouri, lodging with the George Gordon's large family. She has no occupation.
[The following was probably taken from the NARA census indexes of the 1970s which were said to have been at least 20% in error - Ed]
In 1910 LaVaughn Smith is probably Lloyd Vaughn Smith, 7. It is Floyd in the index, but Lloyd in another year. He was the seventh son of Frank C. and Libbie M. (Vaughn) Smith Frank and Libbie had been in California, and Lloyd/Floyd was born there.
In 1920 Frank and Libbie resided in Arkansas but Lloyd/Floyd was living in California with relatives.
Frank and Libbie were in California for the 1930 and 1940 census, where Frank died in 1941 and Libbie in 1947.
The 1940 census of Boise Idaho has Lloyd Vaughn Smith as a 27-year-old oil salesman. It lists him as married, but no spouse, AND there's a line drawn through his whole entry. BUT in 1940 in Santa Barbara, California there's a married Lloyd Smith, same age, also a salesman, can't make out the company
In 1910 in Nemaha County Nebraska are a Hazel J. Hook aged 17 and sister Gladys B. Hook aged 13, daughters of Egbert F. and Matilda Hook. Egbert worked on the railroad, so he could very likely have been in Hyde.
Find-A-Grave has Gladys Burl Hook Parriott born January 24, 1897 in Iowa, dying August 1971 in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Find-A-Grave has Hazel Jane Hook Anderson, born September 1893, dying July 10, 1976, and buried in Auburn, Nemaha County, Nebraska.
Aunt Hazel was my [?] great-aunt, older sister of my grandmother, Myrtle (Hook) Rezac. She was the second child, and oldest of three daughters, born to Egbert and Matilda Hook. [I'm not sure who wrote this; it could have been Lee Zion - Ed]
The family lived in Sloan, Woodbury, and Sioux City, Iowa until she was about 15. They lived in Yuma, Colorado for about 16 months, then moved back east and settled in Brownville, Nebraska. There she met and married Claude Anderson
Great-grandpa Hook was the 12th of 13 children, and youngest surviving child, born to Thomas and Antoinette Hook. He grew up on a farm in Oregon, Dane county, Wisconsin.
He married Matilda Larson in 1890 and they had 4 children: Chester, Hazel, Gladys, and my grandmother, Myrtle. Sometime before Great-aunt Hazel was born in 1893, they moved from Oregon, Wisconsin to western Iowa. Egbert, his older brothers, except Norman, and his sisters all moved into western Iowa about the same time to farm. Grandpa Hook was a wheeler and dealer, which sometimes worked out very well, and sometimes not. At some point about 1906-1908, he sold his farm in Iowa, and purchased a farm in Colorado, or so he thought. When that didn't work out, Egbert, Matilda, and the three older children, moved to eastern Nebraska, in the Brownville, Brock area of Nemaha county. There he held a variety of jobs from railroad laborer to sheriff to a laborer in a packing plant.
Hyde School torn down
[The following transcription makes no sense - Ed]
August 21, 1914 "The Hyde school board were arrested some time ago for attempting to tear down the school house at Hyde, began operations on the building Wednesday.
Several of the voters of the district enjoyed the destruction of the building Wednesday evening, by an action in court. The school house is a large one and is one
of the old land marks in the county." - Akron News-Reporter of 9/4/1914
[The following newspaper clipping is unidentified and undated but was placed in close proximity to the above transcription from the ANR 9/4/1914]
"In the Justice Court"
A busy three hours were spent last Monday in Squire Pickett's court in which the People of the State of Colorado was defendant. Complaints, three in number, were sworn out by Bennett Travis and Elizabeth Travis, his wife, in which assault, threats to do great bodily harm, profanity, etc. were charged.
A large array of witnesses were in the court room and all were from the Hyde school district. The unpleasantness is an echo of what is known as "The Hyde School House Trouble" and had its origin in an attempt to raze the old Hyde school building, the last remaining monument of Hyde's departed glory, in which the whole district has been embroiled and has brought unnecessary enmity between old neighbors and friends.
The justice found for the People and placed Mr. Ault under a $200 bond to keep the peace, which he had no trouble in giving.
On November 13, 1914 [probably in the ANR]: "FOR SALE - To the highest bidder for cash, lumber from the old school building at Hyde, Colorado, consisting of 2x4, 2x7, 2x8 and 2x12 dimension stuff, 6 feet to 24 feet long. Also flooring, siding, lath and brick. Date of sale: Monday, November 16 1914 at 10 o'clock a.m. - by order of School Board, District No. 2".
George J. Benish was 19 in 1910, son of Joseph and Mary E. Benish. Jesse E. aged 6, was his brother (if he was 6 in 1910 the photo is probably later than 1907). Ida M. aged 14, was his sister. Possibly the Hyde School picture caption actually refers to William V. Benish, 17. An older sister, Mary, was born 1888 in Colorado.
The WWI registration has George Jesse Benish born in Denver Colo, January 16, 1841; he was married and a clerk for W J. Ramsey in Yuma.
In 1920 he's married to Leah A. Benish, and they have one child Clyde L. aged 3. George is a salesman in a clothing store.
In the 1930 census they reside in Brighton, Colo, where George works in a factory. George and Leah have two more children, Merrill aged 9 and Orville aged 8.
George J. Benish died February 1972 with Brighton as his residence of last benefit from the SSDI.
WWI registration has William Benish, born November 11, 1893, living in Upper Alton, Illinois. He's a pipe fitter for the Standard Oil Company. He said he was the sole support for his mother and sister.
Illinois Death records show he was born in 1894 in Yuma, Colo. He died November 15, 1918 at Alton, Illinois, buried November 19, 1918 in the Yuma cemetery. He had been employed by the Western Cartridge Works.
Ida M. Benish married Albert Wickenhauser; he lists her as his wife on his WWI registration form and they're farming in Alton, Ill.
In 1920 census (index has WickenKraus) Albert works on a truck farm near Alton, Ill.
They're found in the 1921 Alton, Illinois city directory.
In 1930 reside in Denver, where Albert is a city policeman. They have three children: Walter A. aged 11, born in Colorado; Leonard aged 10, born in Illinois; and Lillian aged 7 born in Colorado.
In 1940 Clyde is gone, but they're still in Brighton. George is a watchman at a canning factory, and Leah works in the "pickling department" at a cannery. Merrill works at a creamery, and Orville doesn't have an occupation.
From the SSDI, Ida died in August 1977 and her last known address was in Denver. It said she was born July 5, 1896.
In 1930 Jesse R. is married to Ruby M. and they reside in Washington County, Colo. They have one child Robert M. aged 7.
In 1940 Robert M. is still with them in Washington County and they've added Eugene aged 7. They have two farm hands living on their place.
Jesse Robert Benish, 101, longtime resident of Akron, Colo. passed away Saturday, Aug. 30, 2003 at the Washington County Nursing Home in Akron. He was born July 2, 1902 to Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Morris Benish, nine miles north of Yuma, Colo.
He attended the Hyde school until the 9th grade after which time he was needed at home to help with the family finances. As a youth, Jesse had many jobs: He delivered groceries by bike cart in Yuma. After the family moved to Alton, Illinois he became a glass blower at a factory in Alton.
Early adulthood found him working as a laborer pulling beans, a sugar beet factory worker, and a ranch hand at the Miller ranch where he met Ruby M. Parrish, who became his bride on April 11, 1921. To this union three children were born: Robert, Ralph and Delbert.
Jesse and his family made their home in many places, from California to a short stay in Arkansas. However, he made his home mostly in the Washington County area where he made his livelihood through farming and ranching. Jesse was an inventor and entrepreneur. He threshed wheat and corn for 20 years in the Kansas, Texas and Oklahoma area. During this time period he employed over 100 people on his threshing crew.
In the early thirties he built one of the first Quonset buildings in Washington County, and during the mid-sixties he built one of the first bomb shelters. His late adulthood found him still busy with old cars and working on the family farm. Jesse was active all his life and even into his nineties he would still walk to town from his home on the south side of Akron. He could be seen riding his three wheeled cycle throughout town on many days.
He was preceded in death by his wife Ruby, three sons Robert, Ralph and Delbert, one granddaughter Charlene and one great grandson Kevin. Jesse leaves to mourn his passing a daughter-in-law Patricia Benish of Akron; four grandchildren Alicia Price and husband Michael of Fort Morgan, Randy Benish and wife Nancy of Bowie, Texas, Rick Benish and wife Cheryl of Otis and Deaun Carpenter and husband Larry of Imperial, Nebraska; 16 great grandchildren, numerous great, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews and a host of many friends.
Funeral services were conducted Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2003 at 2 p.m. from the Akron Foursquare Church with Rev. Mike Kinney officiating. Colleen Johnson, pianist, accompanied Donne Spicknall as he sang "Whispering Hope" and "On the Wings of a Dove". Casketbearers were Daniel Dannar, Jr, Erick Benish, Jerome Benish, Randy Benish, Jr, Steve Carpenter and Michael Price.
The following unsourced, undated article concerns Mary Benish born in 1888, resided in Yuma on March 21, 1909. - Ed
"On Wednesday of high noon the wedding of Matthew Harr and Miss Mary Benish took place at the home of Mr. and Mrs. French and was attended by a number of friends and relatives. After the ceremony, which was performed by Rev. S. J. Mcgaw, Mrs. French announced dinner and the company which sat down did the hostess credit in the free disposition of the palatable enticing viands. Later Mrs. and Mrs. Kitman and two daughters, Phoebe and Ester, strong, healthy, robust girls - cousins of the French family dropped in on their return from California, N. Mexico, and Arizona where they have visited during the winter. Evelyn Mcgaw furnished music for the evening's entertainment. The bride and groom are at home to their friends at their family residence two miles west of town."