Below Mary Schartz, one of our lead interviewers, reflects on what she's learned from the Spearville residents who have graciously participated in the Spearville Oral History Project.
First, I want to tell you that as a historian, I am thrilled to have been chosen for this project. Although I did not grow up here and have only been here for 15 years, history is everywhere. The historical event stays the same, but the individuals/stories differ, and are the most meaningful. When I present my series of books, If Headstones Could Talk, I usually get a question about "Did you consider interviewing the descendants of the families?" Umm, no, I did not. After working on this project and seeing all the people involved, as well as what it takes to get it off the ground, I find it incredible. I want to share with you some of the key insights I gained from my interviews. On October 23rd, I listened to Shirley Mortiz. She is related to Connie Shean Burkhart and brought an essay that Connie had written for a college class. The title of the essay, "A History of the Edward (Sheehan) Shean Family," was written in 1977, years before the computer age had dawned. Through her diligent research, Connie researched her great-grandmother (born in Germany) and grandfather (born in Ireland) and their descendants. I cannot imagine the hours Connie spent at the Ford County Genealogical Society or thumbing through the Spearville Newspapers, etc. Or, interviewing family members who provided an oral history for the Shean family. In this document, Connie provided information that could easily be added to a Family Tree Maker CD or even Ancestry. But even more importantly, Connie included stories, pictures, and reminiscences. And here we are, forty-eight years later, scanning documents and interviewing people who have made a mark or have a story to share in the history of Spearville! Wow! My first interview was with Mary Ida (Helfrich) Heskamp, who provided a detailed history from her grandparents through her grandchildren today. She was born on a farm north of Wright, Kansas. When it was time to go to school, she and her siblings walked across the highway over the railroad tracks to St. Andrew's Catholic school. That would never happen today. After eighth grade, Mary Ida attended Spearville Public School, but graduated from St. Mary's High School along with two of my aunts! Mary Ida and Shirley Mortiz shared their memories of downtown Spearville by walking the listener down Main Street and visiting the businesses from the 1950s and 1960s. They shared stories from their time at St. John's Catholic School and in the Spearville Public School. Did you know they weren't allowed to socialize with each other? They shared how they met their husbands, their early married life, and raising families in the 1950s and 1960s. When I asked them about changes in Spearville then and now, they both agreed that downtown is no more. In their day, a person could buy just about anything in Spearville, including groceries, clothes, cars, trucks, and even tractors. You didn't need to travel to Dodge City. The interview with Bonnie Laudick was interesting, as she is someone who attended college (Ft. Hays) with the intention of becoming a teacher. However, after student teaching at an elementary school, her life took a different direction. She returned to the college and started working in student affairs, which took her to eastern Kansas and Missouri. She returned to Spearville to care for her mother and stayed. Bonnie also recounted moments from her high school years. The Spearville and Windthorst schools were merged and created one school district, USD 381 while she was in school. Bonnie's graduation took place at Windthorst, and she was upset about that! John Stegman brought a book, published by the Spearville News, about the ancestry of the Stegman family. The Stegman family traces their history back to Germany. The German government wanted all males to serve in the military. In 1763, Catherine the Great invited foreigners, particularly Germans, to settle in Russia. She offered them land, religious freedom, and exemption from military service and taxes. The Stegmans were one of thousands of families who settled in the Volga Region in southern Russia. Approximately 100 years later, the Russian government reneged on its promise to the Germans in the Volga area. Hundreds of Volga German Russians emigrated to the United States. A large number came to Ellis County, Kansas. Among those settlers were the descendants of John Stegman. John shared his time in Spearville, his life with Berna Mae, and his family. They were his life. By the time you read this, I will have interviewed G.W. and Rose Thomas. Also, Bob and Nancy Hattrup who will be sharing their days in Windthorst.
First, I want to tell you that as a historian, I am thrilled to have been chosen for this project. Although I did not grow up here and have only been here for 15 years, history is everywhere. The historical event stays the same, but the individuals/stories differ, and are the most meaningful.
When I present my series of books, If Headstones Could Talk, I usually get a question about "Did you consider interviewing the descendants of the families?" Umm, no, I did not. After working on this project and seeing all the people involved, as well as what it takes to get it off the ground, I find it incredible.
I want to share with you some of the key insights I gained from my interviews. On October 23rd, I listened to Shirley Mortiz. She is related to Connie Shean Burkhart and brought an essay that Connie had written for a college class. The title of the essay, "A History of the Edward (Sheehan) Shean Family," was written in 1977, years before the computer age had dawned. Through her diligent research, Connie researched her great-grandmother (born in Germany) and grandfather (born in Ireland) and their descendants.
I cannot imagine the hours Connie spent at the Ford County Genealogical Society or thumbing through the Spearville Newspapers, etc. Or, interviewing family members who provided an oral history for the Shean family. In this document, Connie provided information that could easily be added to a Family Tree Maker CD or even Ancestry. But even more importantly, Connie included stories, pictures, and reminiscences.
And here we are, forty-eight years later, scanning documents and interviewing people who have made a mark or have a story to share in the history of Spearville! Wow!
My first interview was with Mary Ida (Helfrich) Heskamp, who provided a detailed history from her grandparents through her grandchildren today.
She was born on a farm north of Wright, Kansas. When it was time to go to school, she and her siblings walked across the highway over the railroad tracks to St. Andrew's Catholic school. That would never happen today.
After eighth grade, Mary Ida attended Spearville Public School, but graduated from St. Mary's High School along with two of my aunts!
Mary Ida and Shirley Mortiz shared their memories of downtown Spearville by walking the listener down Main Street and visiting the businesses from the 1950s and 1960s.
They shared stories from their time at St. John's Catholic School and in the Spearville Public School. Did you know they weren't allowed to socialize with each other? They shared how they met their husbands, their early married life, and raising families in the 1950s and 1960s.
When I asked them about changes in Spearville then and now, they both agreed that downtown is no more. In their day, a person could buy just about anything in Spearville, including groceries, clothes, cars, trucks, and even tractors. You didn't need to travel to Dodge City.
The interview with Bonnie Laudick was interesting, as she is someone who attended college (Ft. Hays) with the intention of becoming a teacher. However, after student teaching at an elementary school, her life took a different direction. She returned to the college and started working in student affairs, which took her to eastern Kansas and Missouri. She returned to Spearville to care for her mother and stayed.
Bonnie also recounted moments from her high school years. The Spearville and Windthorst schools were merged and created one school district, USD 381 while she was in school. Bonnie's graduation took place at Windthorst, and she was upset about that!
John Stegman brought a book, published by the Spearville News, about the ancestry of the Stegman family. The Stegman family traces their history back to Germany. The German government wanted all males to serve in the military. In 1763, Catherine the Great invited foreigners, particularly Germans, to settle in Russia. She offered them land, religious freedom, and exemption from military service and taxes.
The Stegmans were one of thousands of families who settled in the Volga Region in southern Russia. Approximately 100 years later, the Russian government reneged on its promise to the Germans in the Volga area. Hundreds of Volga German Russians emigrated to the United States. A large number came to Ellis County, Kansas. Among those settlers were the descendants of John Stegman.
John shared his time in Spearville, his life with Berna Mae, and his family. They were his life.
By the time you read this, I will have interviewed G.W. and Rose Thomas. Also, Bob and Nancy Hattrup who will be sharing their days in Windthorst.
