I REMEMBER ASHLAND by William L. Vass 1913-1917

VASS, HODSON, KIMBLES, ACTON, CREATHS, WARREN, STEELES, ISREAL, HILLARY

Posted By: Mary Ellen Lanigan (email)
Date: 4/11/2005 at 16:02:56

I REMEMBER ASHLAND by William L. Vass 1913-1917

The little white Methodist church set among a grove of majestic towering maple trees, whose spreading branches gave a welcome shade to the many horses and buggies hitched below. The Sunday services at which my Dad and Mother sang in the choir, often was a duet.

The old two room brick school house, "Ashland School" with nearly a hundred year's academic achievements behind it. A marvelous record-too bad society couldn't see fit to carry on the name. As I recall, the building consisted of two rooms, each seperated by a one or two step stairway. The year I attended, 1918, only the lower room was being used. Miss Harlan was the teacher. The water was always cool and refreshing after a period of school activity. In the two far corners, behind the building were the little white privies, hot in summer and so cold in winter.

The people who settled in and round Ashland; The Vass's, Hodson's, Kimble's, Acton's, Creath's, , Steeles, Isreal's, Hillary's , and many others who names also appear on the old headstones in the little cemetery, were hard-working people. Their ancestral origin was in the countries of Northern Europe, their destination as the colonies along the Atlantic seaboard (arriving prior to the Revolutionary War) The migration was usually a two-three year deal with stops in Ohio and Indiana to farm a little before continuing to Iowa. The homesteads in and around Ashland were not big by present day standards, bu they were practically self-sufficient. The house and barn area was surrounded by massive wind breaks, garden, and fruit orchards abounded. Chicken and fowl had run of the barnyard. The various pens held cattle, hogs, and sheep. The dairy sector furnished the homestead with milk, butter, and cheese products. The houses were big as were the families. Today when I return the Ashland area, and travel the back roads, I see different names on the mail boxes-most of the old timers I know are gone. Gone also are many of the old homesteads. Times change!

*For full version, I will scan and send to anybody wishing a copy.

Mary
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