Bess Butcher Harman was a very special woman. Living until the age of 105, with all her faculties intact, her handwriting alone is a testimony. Here you see a copy of the last Christmas Greeting she sent to us at the age of 104 1/2 and a photo of her on her 105th birthday, 2 July 1986. She passed on one week later. Bessie wrote the memoirs I have exerpted in her own hand at the age of 100 at the request of my mother for me, and I treasure them. If you descend from Bessie and would like a photocopy of the memoirs, email me.  Here comes a link which will let you read the article posted in The Sedan Times-Star on Wednesday, July 8, 1981 celebrating Bessie's 100th Birthday; written by grand neice, Pat Feisthamel from Browning, Montana.

Memories

written by Bess Butcher Harman

"Mother Harman was Susan Matlock born Jan. 15th, 1859 in Wabash County, Indiana. The family moved from there to Iowa and later to Kansas locating at or near Humboldt. Here at 17, young, pretty and very attractive she met young G.W. Harman several years her senior while she was working in a restaurant. He stopped to eat as he was busy trucking meat and supplies through to western Kansas from Kansas City. He sometimes brought back buffalo hides on his return trips. In this way they became acquainted, fell in love, and were later married at Yates Center in March 1876."

"They homesteaded a 240 acre farm nine miles north west of Chanute in Woodson County near the farm where his grandfather lived who was a doctor."

"On this 240 acre farm the Harman family was born and raised including: G.W. Jr. (Will) 1887, Orland 1880, Nelle Neely 1882, E.M. (Mort) 1884, Roy 1886, O.J. 1888, Mrs. Jack (Bertha) Sutton 1890. Little Clinton and Gladys born later died in a children's epidemic that swept the community and almost took Bertha's life. Of the family at this writing, only Roy in San Diego and O.J. in Omaha are living. All have been happily married & there have been divorces."

"G.W. Harman, Sr. was certainly a very fine farmer, stockman, gardener & nursery man. He raised Poland China hogs that took first prize at the County  Fair at Chanute. In a very large garden space were vegetables of all kinds, berries, shrubs and young trees. In a drive from the old farm place to Chanute Will pointed out to me many trees and shrubs in town that had been set by his father. In earliest days he owned a pair of oxen. Mother, her usual fit over hundred pounds, learned to drive them and always laughed about crossing some shallow water when the oxen pulled in where it was deeper to get a drink and were hard to manage. Will, her first born, standing in the front & trying to help, used a "cuss" word he had heard applied to the oxen. Will never seemed to remember. I think they didn't keep the oxen too long and had horses. Mother took produce to market, good butter at 10 or 15 cents a pound. I know she had later a buggy and team."

"I never knew Father Harman who died (stroke) in April, 1914, age 62 at the home in Chanute, 526 W. Walnut. The farm was kept rented by mother long after his death."

"Will Harman born interested in machinery after learning the gas engines at a large gas plant north of Chanute was sent to Grabham Station south of Independence by James O'Neill Bruen Co. and later to Sedan to take charge of their gasoline plant three miles east of town. After six years of teaching, six years County Superintendent of Schools and Assistant Register of Deeds I had been in the Sedan State Bank more than five years, when Will brought his banking there. Mr. Eggan, Cashier, took care of him, made a new pass book, etc. and left it in a shelf in the vault. It became lost when Will was in again . I was the finder of all lost things in the bank. I found his book, he was so pleasant about it, we all liked him. I completed nearly seven years in the bank and was assistant cashier when I resigned to marry him Jan. 7, 1920, and went out to live at the Pep Gasoline Plant. I was 38 and Will was 42. We had a good, very busy life there making gasoline for shipping out of wells with casing head gas. Later when less profitable, plant was closed down and dismantled and, partner with Bruen, Will drilled wells north and east until we came home to Sedan where he did refrigeration work until his retirement. Will died at 92 1/2 yrs., June 1970."

"Mother Harman had gone on April, 1937. She had kept the farm rented to Dave Erickson who bought it after her death. Her duplex at 526 W. Walnut, Chanute was also sold. Will was made Power of Attorney by the family when mother died. We had to make several trips to the farm and Will took care of the sale of Mother's house things and we cleaned the house thoroughly afterward. Through it all, I did lots of typing. "

"Had, of course, written Mother's obituary and hope everyone got a copy. Closed it with (from Bryant's Thanatopsis)

" 'So live, that when thy summons come,
To join that innumerable caravan,
That moves to the pale realms of shade,
Where each shall take his place in the silent halls of death,
Thou go not like the quarry slave at night,
Scourged to his dungeon,
But sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust,
Approach the grave
Like one who wraps the drapery of his couch about him,
And lies down to pleasant dreams.' "

"Mother died just that way, lying down after her noon lunch. She had been sick and Will and I came down from La Cygne. She got better, and I wanted to stay with her. She said, "No, Will needs you more than I do." A lady was staying with her. Thelma, Bertha's older daughter (deceased) lived in Chanute then and she called us a few days later when Mother died, April, 1937."

"The name Harman is distinctly German as you know (Herr-mann)."

"Bertha's other daughter, Evelyn lives in Los Angeles. O.J. & Hulda have her address. Been married many times and has a late husband now. Think she still keeps the small permanent place Bertha owned at Palm Beach. Bertha died at her home in Dighton, Kansas, June 3, 1968. Nelle (Mrs. Otis) Neely died in 1972."

"The entire Harman family loved Grandpa, the Doctor. I think he helped mother when the children were born and doctored them as they grew. They all quoted Grandfather Harman. He must have been fine, and I think, quite German."

"Of course, I never saw or knew him. I have great respect for the name "Harman."  We have numerous "Harmon's", good people, some in Sedan and our friends. I do not know of any relationships, but all good citizens. I wish I knew more about them, I mean connection between the names Harman and Harmon."

"Jim Harmon delivers my groceries every week. I know his father's mother and did  know his grandfather and grandmother and his great grandfather, all of whom are dead now. Good people all of them."