While going through old newspaper clippings and letters that my husband's mother saved I found some interesting observations and facts that I felt should be preserved for the family history. It was written by Kate Frances Baker Rogers. It is written in ink on small notebook size pages. This is an exact copy of the notes I found
- Frances Rogers, wife of Leslie C. Rogers
My father was Pennsylvania Dutch. My mother was French. My grandfather was French. My grandmother was Welsh. Mother's maiden name was Mathilda Mullinix. My father was Alexander Baker, born in Ohio in 1811. Mother was born 13 March 1818 near New Salem, Indiana.
My father had never seen a wagon until he was frightened by the sound of one coming over the rough road when he was about 9 years old. My family came to Pike Co, Illinois from Ohio and became farmers. My mother's family came from Indiana and they were married about 1845. Kate was born the 19th of June at Dutch Creek, Pike Co. Illinois. She met Charles Franklin Rogers, known as Charlie, in the New Hartford area of Pike Co. His family were also farmers. Charlie and Kate married in 1880. Had two sons Roy and Claude born in Ill.. The family then moved from Illinois to Adams Co. of Washington Territory in 1888, a year before if became a State.
They homesteaded land there and bought 160 acres of railroad land for $3.50 per acre. With them from Ill. they brought $1000 in cash which they kept buried in a tin can at the corner of the wood shed. Then fearing the wood shed might burn down they kept it in the orchard under a certain tree. They carried the money in the tin can across the fields at night to pay for the Stewart place of 320 acres, which had a fine well pumped by a windmill.
With this money they bought two horses, Pete and Riley, and had some money to lend to the Ritzville or Washtucna banks at 6% interest. Charlie had raised horses in Illinois before coming to Washington. During wheat harvest Kate cooked in a chuck wagon for 15 or 16 men, threshers in Walla Walla Co. They crossed the Snake river, dividing Adams Co. and Walla Walla Co. on a ferry boat.
After windmill derricks mark deserted homesteads in Rattle Snake Flat Country, silent testamony to the most vital problem of pioneer days, Water!!
One evening Leslie's grand mother Mary Ator Rogers, wife of James P., a civil war soldier, went into the wild woods of Oak and Hazel nuts in Pike Co. to feed a sow with a new litter of pigs. She had corn on the cob in her apron and her infant son in her arms. To lighten the load and also from fear that the mother sow might be cross she decided to take off her apron and tie her baby in it, to a high limb in a tree where he would be safe, until the sow was fed. After she had fed the sow and started back for the "cradle tree" she could not retrace her steps. She wandered around uncertain and frightened until nearly dark before she found here baby sleeping quietly. The baby was my husband's brother Jim.
In Pike Co. and Pittsfield, Decoration Day was a vital part of community life after the Civil War. People would start before daylight with big wagons and buggies which they hitched around the Court House Square when they arrived.
The first time grandma and grandpa went to the graveyards on decoration day in 1884, they rode on sorrel horses, side by side, with other young couples forming part of the procession.
Charlie left home when he was about 9 years old to help his 16 year old Uncle Charlie take care of his grandmother and mother (Elizabeth Sargent, David's wife and Mary Ann Rogers (James P. wife) while five or size uncles had gone to war. This was in Pike Co. ILL. The women spun cloth for clothes and counterpanes.
In Washington Kate killed two rattlesnakes on the railroad land place. Roy had started after a cow on horseback, and called, Mama, Mama come quick. This is why they called that place Rattlesnake Flat. Our water was hauled from a spring 2-1/2 to 3 miles along a fence line. Mail was brought from Spokane 40 or 50 miles away whenever one of your neighbors was going there. Later mail came in at Washtucna and brought to the "Riggs"
This is the end of her notes. Too bad Kate never finished her notes as I'm sure she would have had much to tell. I will add that Kate and Charlie, with Leslie and Lloyd came to California in 1903 and settled on the "Avenue" to Ojai, Ventura where they raised and dried apricots. Claude died in Washington of Small Pox. Roy was left on the wheat ranches in Adams Co. Washington which he farmed for years. At this time (1984) a nephew of Howard's wife Esther, is renting the land. So it remains in the family for nearly 100 years.
When Leslie took me to see the ranch for the first time, the Grand Coulee Dam was being built. but not yet in operation. It was to bring electricity to this desolate, dry country. When I was there it was summer time and as far as you could see there was not a hill or tree to be seen, except those planted around the ranch house, which were sometimes miles apart. There was no electricity, oil lamps were used and wood stoves to cook on and no indoor plumbing. But all that has changed now. But I imagine the dust is still a foot deep.
Why anyone would want to settle here, I could not understand, having always lived in California. What brought them to this area, I wish I knew - but those were the years of expansion to the west and land was cheap.
The life of a farmer is tough, but there are those who like the outdoor life and the independence it provides
- Frances B. Rogers, January 1984
(Mrs. Leslie C. Rogers)