In 1898, soon after Arletta's father's death, the family moved from Holden, Missouri first to Hutchinson to Arletta's mother's parents home, until her brothers could find a farm to move on near Buhler. Arletta was 13 years old.
Grandma, Arlie, Lilly and Hazel came by train. Walt, Stella, Fred and Bert came in a covered wagon. They had a stove in the wagon for cooking on and comfort. At one place as they were crossing a stream, the stove turned over and set fire to the wagon. They managed to put the fire out before it did much damage, but they were a scared bunch of kids. Of course they had all the household things they could put in the wagon. Frank, the oldest boy, 21 years old, stayed in Missouri to settle their business affairs, and find a headstone for Grandpa's grave. He came by horseback a few days later.
Arletta was a school teacher in and around Buhler and Yoder, Reno County, Kansas.
On May 29, 1914, she married Nathaniel Blosser. Nathaniel and Arletta settled on a farm near Halstead, Garden Township, Harvey County,Kansas, on the Martin Place where they spent the first several years of married life. Nathaniel and Arletta joined the Methodist Church in Hesston soon after their marriage.
Later they moved 3/4 mile, on to the Freeburg Farm where they lived for 20 years. In 1938, moving 9 miles to Grandmother Blosser's farm. In 1941 the family moved 50 miles to Homestead Township, Chase County, Kansas. Attended Friends Church.
In November 1967, Arletta and LaVern, left the farm and moved to RR 1, Box 38, Florence, Marion County, Kansas. Arletta then joined the United Methodist Church. - by Opal C. Loucks
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Letter to "Coffee Time", Fredonia Citizen, 28 Jun 1999, by Opal C. Loucks:
Dear Rita,
I always read and enjoy "Coffee Time", and was especially interested in "Teacher's Code Rules for Conduct". My mother taught school in the early nineteen years and she had many tales of her experiences.
Her salary was from 18 to 23 dollars per month, and the last year, a whole 25 dollars.
Out of that money, she was expected to buy any supplies such as crayons, paper, scissors and thread for sewing cards. The school board had no interest in anything other than readin', writin' and 'rithmetic, but they didn't forbid her supplying the "foolish things" herself. She bought an organ and took lessons in order that the children could have music.
The schoolrooms were full to overflowing in thoses times of many children per family. Mother taught mostly in rural schools in a German settlement. The last years were in the small town in the settlement. It was a two-room building. Mother taught the first four grades -- there were 56 pupils in her room, 20 of them first graders. Of the 20, only one child understood English, and Mother knew no German.
Ah, for the Good Old Days!
Sincerely,
Opal Loucks
Fredonia
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Arletta was buried in the Homestead Cemetery, Chase County, Kansas. From Clements go south to first crossroad, 9.2 miles east and south to the cemetary.
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OBITUARY-
Mrs. Nathaniel Blosser of Florence, formerly of the Homestead Community near Clements, passed away January 31, 1979, at Bethel Deaconess Hospital, Newton, KS.
Myrtle Arletta Glover, daughter of James J. and Martha Jane Payne Glover, was born Feb 27, 1885 at Holden, MO. She had taught school for six years before her marriage to Nathaniel Blosser, May 29, 1914, at Hutchinson, KS. They came to Chase County in 1941, and Mr. Blosser died May 8, 1951. Mrs. Blosser moved to Florence in 1967.
She is survived by three sons, LaVern Blosser, Florence, Robert and Richard, both of Wichita, KS; three daughters, Mrs. Opal Loucks, Neodesha, KS, Mrs. Frances Patton, Morganville, KS, and Mary Louise Blosser of the home; two sisters, Mrs. Lillian Rigney, Liberal, KS, and Mrs. hazel Helm, Del Norte, CO; fifteen grandchildren, twenty-three great-grandchildren, and two