Walter Dan Dunivans Life 1892 Born Sept. 19th in Nebu, Kansas, SW of Kansas City near Stilwell, Johnson County. Father was section foreman near Leroy, Kansas. Cousin Lloyd Dunivan Son of Dan Dunivan, Sara Sanders, they were married Aug. 1889. Good wages were 20cents a mile for hauling in a wagon. In other words, we were in the TRUCKING business. 1893 Panic in the economy 1894 doesn’t remember 1895 Silent 1896-No record 1897-5 years old, went to school at Leroy, Kansas, Libby Thompson was his lst grade Teacher, Possibly Chris born on this date. 1898- Left Kansas, moved to Luther, Oklahoma, moved to a school lease, Chandler was county seat of Lincoln County. Mail came in at Perkins, a tiny Post Office. We lived SW of Luther 7 mi. Father Dan filed a school claim. We were the freight haulers on a wagon for the MKT railroad headquartered in Oklahoma County. We lived in Bartlesville near where Jane Phillips Hospital is now, the East Field was about 30 acres, I, Walter D. Dunivan plowed that 30 acres many time. . 1899-Elsie my sister was born. We buried a black slave under a big tree. Elsie was born 3 miles north of school lease. Uncle John Holt’s wife was the lady buried under the tree. John Holt was an old slave. The funeral was preached in a log cabin. 1900. Bro. Bill found a gold watch in a cotton field. He traded it for a heifer calf on Christmas and called the calf Christmas. (Walt gave a German Watch he swiped off a German during the war to his dad. It was 10 jewels, he mailed it to Colorado Springs, and he thinks the gov’t kept it). 1901 President McKinley was assassinated; I was working in a cotton field when news reached Oklahoma. That year they drilled a well and found water at 127 feet. We sold cotton in Wellston. Ona, (Onie) seems to have been born in a log house on the school lease. I caught a crawdad, and let it loose in the classroom. Teacher tracked the water it left to my desk; I got pinched often picking up crawdads. 1902- Teddy Roosevelt was then President. I walked Mile and ½ to school. Never took my horse to school, neither did I take a wagon. We walked even though it was cold. There were 15-20 kids in the schoolroom, a small building, one room. Then we moved to Fallis. We went to school south of Luther. Shoes had no heels, I never was whipped at school, but had to stay and sit on the floor a few times. We had pencil and paper, but no pen and ink. Everyone was the same. Bill and I would fight often. Once I used tobacco, and Bill told Dad. After Dad whipped me, then my mother whipped me again. I never forgot it. I never was broken from trying; I always was fooling around with tobacco. 1903 Wright Bros. Flew in Kittyhawk that year. We moved north, this time, we lost the school leave. Ellison foreclosed on our mortgage of $300 took it away from us. We went to another school leave by Fallis, in Kickapoo County. They took my pony, and dad’s tools, everything to pay the debt. I bought a 22 caliber rifle that year at a hardware store for $3.00. Bill and I both traded our firearms for a Suluo firearm, shout about a #10 shot, with a barrel 30” long. 1904-Grandma Dunivan was 80, had long sorrel yellow hair. Ona had hair like hers. She lived with her oldest son Mike, she had a real Irish Brogue, maiden name was Dobin “Tantaman Dale”, was swear words she used to use. I think Dan was born this year. 1905-Flossy my cow broke her nose ring that year. 1906 My dad harvested near OKC, we lived on a school claim, JONES City, was closest Post Office. We had no neighbors, it was wild country. 1907-Oklahoma became a state. We didn’t do any celebration, but the whistles on the cotton gin sure did blow all day, and the trains too. People came by to lay claim to land, I suppose we would have been SOONERS. After Oklahoma became a state the saloons closed. I was on the place 3 miles north of Fallis on 160 acres that we bought. We lost it too, couldn’t make payments. Bill and I lost the pony that was mortgaged. Bills was white, mine was black. I was 14 years old. The mortgage was $700 we couldn’t pay it. We raised some grain, cotton, caffey, corn, maybe to many kids to feed, not good prices for cotton, $15 a bale. Of $1,500 pounds plus seed. Actually we lost the mortgage in 1910. 1908- No record 1909-nothing 1910-Perkins was new address, moved to Adair. We began farming as sharecroppers, for half the harvest, for 2 or 3 years. We went to Liberal, Kansas via Chelsea, we looked for work. Bill and I were gone, up in Kansas: Bill was 21. I was 19. We worked farms, harvested in Neosho Falls, west of there a guy I worked for was a railroad engineer for the Rock Island. He and his mother were farming. Quit that summer and went to Wichita and out to Eastern Colorado to thrash broomcorn. I stopped in Liberal, and helped my dad cut and thrash his broomcorn. 1911- nothing 1912-April, 12, Titanic sunk. We were working for a farm putting in a crop, wet year in Neosho Falls, Ks. I aggravated a horned toad and he puffed up and squirted blood out his horns. This is a true story. 1913-Year I plucked corn. I wasn’t old enough to file my own claim, so went to Iowa in Missouri Valley, man with a funny name, Bill and I both shucked corn. We got 4cents a bushel, I could do about 60 bushel in a day, and Bill could do about the same, Nearest city is Mondale. We bummed like tramps on freight trains to get there. While bumming in a small town, we heard of this job and worked it for 3 months. Gee Spencer was the farmer we worked various places, north of Omaha Nebraska. Bummed to Sioux Falls shucking, riding box cards. Top and inside, flat car it was illegal. Lots of bums went to North Dakota for the harvest. July 14- On July 22nd, filed for a claim in Baca Co. Colorado. I helped dig the hole for Dad’s dugout, 12 feet X 14 feet. There were 6 kids living in the same room. We never had indoor toilets. Bill did most of the digging while Dad and I went to Elkhart in a wagon. We got nails and lumber, paid cash. I was 20 at the time. We never planted a tree claim. The school was l miles south, and ½ dugout. We never dug a well, we hauled water in barrels from neighbors. We didn’t have anything to begin to farm, nothing but a team of mules and a plow. We were‘t poor, we were as well off as many and most neighbors. Later got us a chicken house had a little barn for the mules. Plowed a strip with mules then hired out. 1914. We were on the homestead; mother planted some wheat in the fall, and harvested very few bushels to the acre. Blanch Eden’s father in law had a thrasher and engine, sold it for 28 cents a bushel. Cut it with header pulled by a horse and mule team. Paid less than $200.00 for the header. Header threw wheat into a barge, big rack, we had this header before WW I After wheat we cut maize, same way. This was a harder job. 1915. There was a family of mean boys, Family Battle, these boys started fights after the ball games, in Rodley. Ben Battle and Tony Battle. Smith boys played ball to, I saw one Smith hit the other square in the mouth. I saw 6 Jennys, (mules) in the mountains go through a blizzard, and eat the wagon box, eat it all up like beavers. This man cut cedar posts in the mountains and hauled them to Baca County. 1916. Enlisted or drafter better word in the US Army, Springfield, Lamar via Rail. Went to Camp Funston, no guns, we drug around home made wooden guns #2 was WD and Bill #1 in the positions on the artillery. We were part of th 341st field artillery unit. I was strong, I was 25 yrs. Old. 1917. June 3rd, left Camp Funston via rail 3 days and 3 nights to NY. Camp Upton, Long Island one week here, on night all of us took off to go to Boston, boarded boat and sailed to Halifax. One week in Nova Scotia, and then on to London, England, arrived July 7th, 1918. We unloaded baggage; big blue bags boarded train at 3pm the next day traveled south to Hampton, traveled up Thames saw my first English trains, slide doors, 4 days moved to waterfront, English Channel. We crossed on a side paddle boat, slept in the rope well, and were covered in the morning with cinder chunks. Arrived in France on July 14th. 1918. War ended and I was discharged on June 10 Ft. D.A. Russell, Wyoming camp. From NY to Cheyenne, there wasn’t any homecoming; they didn’t know we were coming. I kissed the dirt. From there to Tyrone, Oklahoma to harvest wheat at $6.00 a day, REAL good money. This man stacked his wheat, Smith, lived l mile from Tyrone, I went to Colorado looking for a job.; 1919. I filed for 320 acres, Baca County, Rodley, 9 miles south of Dad’s claim. Planted broomcorn, maize kaffee, we didn’t do any good, broke up enough land to prove up the claim, during war we had the title. I got $750.00 for fighting in the war. 1920. I went to Capulin national Park, NE New Mexico, climbed an extinct volcano. They did drill a well on the homestead, built a well house and also a new house. Got his 2nd bonus for WWI which helped defray household expenses. 1921. That year cut broomcorn for Steens. Not sure what the wages were. I killed a rattlesnake that year with a pair of pliers. 1922. Planted a locust tree in Idaho as a sprout. Went back in years and it was 30 feet high. Paid $200 for a Model A, broken spring paid $7.00 to put it back in. Got a loom for $60.00 to make rugs out of rags, ordered this out of NY by mail, freighted to Walsh left it in Walsh with my mother. Had a flat tire on my new car a steel trash piece slashed my tire. I sewed the old rubber piece on with needle and steel wire, and put the tire on the front, it ran good for a long time. Its size was 30X 31/2 tires seemed to be thin. 1923. Worked that year in Hammond, Indiana near Chicago. Met Eva Leflet at Ona’s sisters place. I worked for the Moreland Oil Company. 1924. nothing 1925. Left Rodley and went to Great Bend, Ks. Then moved to Hutchinson, Ks where Eva’s father live. Worked at Barton Salt Company for 36cents a hr. Worked 18 month’s night shift starting at 4pm. Purchased myself a Model T for $428.00 I mortgaged the farm and paid cash. Bought the Model T in Elkhart, 35 miles away, and worked for Barton for $20.00 a month. 1926. Saved in an Uncle Bud Robinson meeting, Nazarene. Weeks later in the fall, on 4th Street Nazarene was entirely sanctified. I laughed for joy and rolled around on the floor. They refused me membership, because I was married to a woman who had a previous marriage. Effy Dillon wrote in 1980 that she was the one who invited Walt to go to the revival. He almost drowned in his ‘snouse’, he swallowed his cud of chewin’ tobacco when he got saved. He met Warmerdams that same year in a camp meeting. 1927. This was the year toilet paper became common. It sure was nice to leave off using all of those corn cobs and the pages of the Montgomery Ward catalog. 1928. Stock market crashed. Living on a farm with Grandma Sally, and I was having trouble with Eva. She was having trouble with her ‘experience’, and went back to Walsh. Sally was saved, she heard my testimony attended church Mt. Friends- I went to Campo, Preacher was Porter, to the Pilgrim Holiness Church. O’maley was in the church, I never eavesdropped on their troubles, but Finch was splitting up the churches. Lloyd Chesnut went to church. 1929. Living in Lincoln, Nebraska, Eva’s sister and brother-in-law lived there. In fall my dad passed away we drove to Walsh on Oct. 22nd. I watched him die, his breathing was shorter and shorter, he couldn’t talk, he was 65. He got pnemonia that October. 1930. Met Mona and John Rovenstine, Pilgrim Holiness church was where my mother attended. We went to a camp meeting at Capulin National Monument, I climbed to the top of an extinct volcano. Drove there in a knee action Chevy with the Rovenstines. I often spent Sunday afternoons at the Roventines who asked me for dinner. 1931. Bill Dunivan died in Los Alamos, a broken blood vessel, he was 42 years old. I lived in Colorado with my mother, Eva had gone to Hutchinson with her father to live. (My mother Aleda met Eva this year, and said Eva often quizzed people about if they accepted her living with Walt since she had been married twice before. She lived with the Warmerdams, my mother Aleda would give her the bedroom. Eva loved Aleda and had a son about the age of Aleda, a son born out of wedlock, a son she never saw and was always wondering where he was and what he looked like, a son she prayed for and wanted, but her parents were to disgraced to let her keep it. She had a broken spirit and wanted to do what is right, but could never feel at peace and forgiven about the things she had done, she was always afraid, sick) 1932. Worked for the WPA, shoveled dirt in Hutchinson, worked l day per week for $2.40 per day. I met Aleda when they lived behind Breeses’ (school?) Aleda says: She went to see Walt and Eva one day after school, the house was very small, and very neat and clean. Aleda and her friend sat on a trunk, and Eva made mackerel patties for supper, very delicious. Mackerel was a lot cheaper then than salmon. 1933. Living in Hutchinson on 8th Street, spent some time living with Warmerdams, worked for Zooks. Went to vets hospital Fitz Simmons in Denver, operated on the year the Quintriplets were born, was in hospital where aviator Wiley Post and Will Rodgers died in a plane crash in Alaska, noon hour it came on the news. John Warmerdam had pneumonia that year and Walt and Eva stopped to help. He nearly died. Walt plowed the gardens and Eva helped with housework. It was the depression. 1934. Eva and Walt were separated. Walt back in Campo, and John Rovenstine asked Walk if he knew of a girl he could write to and Walt told him about Aleda Warmerdam, Walt and Rovenstines were good friends. Eva and Nellie both in hospital at the same time at Grace Hospital, and the nurse asked Aleda where Eva’s husband was, What kind of answer do you give, Eva said she heard the question and the answer and we though she was unconscious. 1935. Year of tall broom corn prayer meeting, where John prayed about meeting Aleda. I moved that year to Nampa, Idaho, Eva was from that area. Moved from Arkansas, visited Ed Dunivan in Gravits, Arkansas. That winter worked shoveling snow for the Northern Pacific R, foreman says “If it snows tonight, come again tomorrow, sometimes it snowed every night”, (Walt and Eva were separated, because church folks make her feel like she was living in adultery, Walt moved in with John and Nellie Warmerdam. Eva went to friends in Nebraska. Walt stayed with Warmerdams until August. John Warmerdam went to Hesston to harvest, Bro. Stoner tried to get Walt to come and live with him, but Walt didn’t see the need. John Warmerdam felt hurt. In August, Walk took Aleda to York Nebraska and left her and went up to get Eva. God was good what could have been a bad story never happened. (Aleda’s story.) 1936. Lived in Hutchinson when Johnny and Aleda got married in the month of May, we left that spring and came to Hutchinson. 1937. Now living in Idaho. 1938. no post. 1939. Moved back to Kansas from Idaho. (Aleda says; Walt and Eva came to 407 N. Cochran to see Warmerdams and Rovenstines. Loren was a small baby lying on the floor on a blanket, and Eva asked Walt what he would do if he had a little boy like that, I don’t remember the reply) 1940. Pearl Harbor, I was in Hutchinson 1941. no posts. 1942. Worked as a janitor at 4th Street School. This was where Wendell Otis went to school. Wendell can verify this date. 1943. Tim was born. Eva and I took care of baby Tim many times. This was the time when Wendell came home from school and said he was the only one in his class that was a Christian, because he was the only one who didn’t go to the fair, so Aleda decided to take Wendell and Loren to the fair, and Walt and Eva took care of Timmy. Ray Jellison was pastor and Eva said he never came to visit them like he should. There were so many hurt feelings. She was always sad. 1944. John Rovenstine went into the Army in May, and Aleda and her 3 little boys went to be with him. Walt and Eva lived in John and Aleda’s house while they were gone. Aleda’s 3 little boys brought John Warmerdam back (he had come out to Neosho, Camp Crowder for a visit) and then went to a camp meeting in Beloit, Kansas. Aleda washed Timmy’s diapers and stopped the sink up, (or at least Eva said so!) Aleda and John never locked the house, but Walt and Eva locked the house, and it was broken into. 1945. Walt and Eva living in Hutchinson, visited the Warmerdams often who lived in the sand hills near Nickerson, Ks. 1946. no post 1947. no post 1948. Hospitalized in Boise, Idaho. 1949. Living in Idaho, visited Hutchinson. 1950. no post. 1951. Year Eva died. Buried my wife, the funeral at lst Nazarene church, she had a cancer in her intestine, she suffered so much. Joe Rovenstine was born about the same time. Shipped Eva’s body by rail for $45.00, I came on the train, got in Hutchinson about 1am, on the Santa Fe. Chris my brother came to the funeral. John Rovenstine was a pall bearer, he bought a new brown overcoat, to wear to the funeral. He got a free turkey for a bonus for buying the overcoat. The reason I remember was it was Thanksgiving. 1952. Moved from Cour-de-Lene Idaho to Great Bend, Ks. It was a real lonely trip back without Eva. 1953. Stayed with my brother Chris in Walsh for awhile, and his niece Sally, she cared for Grandma Sally. (Sarah). (John and Aleda went by to visit him in Walsh. 1954. married to John Warmerdam’s widow, Nellie Marshall. Brother Rufus Morgan told Walt that John’s widow would make a good companion for him. Married Aug. 5th. That October Aleda had a miscarriage in Garden City, Ks. It was a bloody mess, and John Rovenstine locked the doors, Dunivans came and knocked, while John Rovenstine was trying to examine the embryo and then couldn’t get it to flush down the stool. Finally John opened the door to let Walt and Mom in, Aleda had passed out, and they called the ambulance. Mom Dunivan stayed to help. 1955. Walt bought Tim, Joe, Tom and the others Mickey Mouse watches that year in Garden City. 1956. Living in Sublette, planted a gourd garden, Mom Dunivan was sick, twisted her ankle going down the stairs of Sam Snavely’s basement. There was a good crop of strawberries that year. Sam died, and we moved to Sudan to increase our Social Security benefits for Nelle. Aleda lived near in Garden City, and they drove back and forth often for visits. 1957. Worked in Sudan, taking care of Lula. Cut some chinaberry trees and made a cane for myself. This cane lasted 22 years, it was a transplant of a vine from Maries at Ft. Worth. The trailer was still in Sublette, And that year John and Aleda moved to Hill city, September Walt and Nellie visited Hill City. 1958. Hospitalized in Oklahoma City, VA hospital, Chester took Nellie to go see Walt, he was very busy, but Walt wanted to see us. Headed to Hill City in a 1955 Brown Ford, 4 door Automatic. Went to Wendell and Esthers wedding in Colorado Springs. 1959. Summer we built a 20 ft. X 15 foot front room to the trailer house. Added a brush harbor, garage for the car. Pet out a good size fire that Johnny dumped ashes on a trash pile. It was a fire that roared in the middle of the night. Walt carried dishpans of water, while the rest of us tried to thaw out the frozen hoses. The next morning, after the water ran all night, there was a frozen sculpture that was left, pretty. Beth was born. Nellie and Mona both walked to the hospital to see this marvel. 1960. Worked as a funeral director assistant for Don Spencer. Digging graves, handling flowers and all. Ivan Scott was my co laborer. Walt would pick up loose tools that Tom and Beth left out. Walt said it was finders keepers, losers weepers. 1961. Picked wild grapes with Tim to make jelly. Tim graduated. That year went to Loren and Ruth’s wedding, and dropped in El Dorado and picked up Vivian Wathem to go to the wedding. 1962. Kennedy was shot. Heard the news in the front room, Hill City. Helped take care and watch Tom and Beth, Tom heard so many complaints he would come home with ailments of older people. He was nervous, had a headache, heart burn and his legs ached, etc. 1963. Johnson elected President. Lived in the little house behind John and Aleda, only 100 steps away. Called Beth his Dolla Lama, and His Baby. 1964. John Rovenstine was building a church, and Walt was helping, but not enough to suit John R. Walt said he never felt well. 1965. Walt buys a home on McFarland, on the way home from school, Tom and Beth stop and fill up with pop and candy. They took in Gina’s mother for 2 weeks. 1966. John Rovenstines move to Birmingham, Alabama, and leave Nellie and Mona siting on the church step in Hill City Crying. I guess Aleda was trying to prove she could leave father and mother. That year in Salina, we all met at Wendells for Thanksgiving. 1967. Walt and Mom came to Birmingham, Alabama in January, wouldn’t leave. Aleda used the pretext that some singers from CPC were coming and they needed the space, they left in May to go back to Hill city. 1968. Bonnie Fountain gave Walt 50# of sugar, and told him to make jelly. Sent this jelly to friends and loved ones as far away as Sudan, Texas. They went to visit Rovenstines in Augusta, Christmas. 1969. Moved Mom and Walt to Ft. Dodge, he complained about being sick, and 1970. Moved into Walt Hall, where Walt got 2 rooms together, made a front rpom of one, and a bedroom for the two of them together. Wendell came and got furniture of their cottage. Then they came to visit Rovenstines in Osawatomie. 1971. John and Aleda moved to Goodland, to 303 Main. Mom wanted to rent the house so Aleda fixed him a room. Chris and Dan came for Walt and took him back to the Ft. Dodge facilities. Chris and Dan left him and never came back to see him. 1972. John and Aleda went to Guatemala to see Tim’s. Walt was in Halsey Hospital, and Mom was back at the cottage living, she was fearful at night 1973. John Rovenstine badly burned in Goodland Courthouse fire. Walt and Nellie at Walt Hall. Walt wanted to be put in the Goodland hospital, they ran every test and could find nothing. Mona wanted to be near her son who was burned, when John was released, Nellie, Walt and Mona were taken back to Ft. Dodge. 1974. no post 1975. Earthquake Guatemala. Walt moved to Great Bend, with his sister, very sick. Elsie came for him at Ft. Dodge to see the doctor. He had a terrible condition, and went berserk, probably a reaction to medications. Aleda laid out his burial clothes, and was on her way to Mark’s wedding in California. She gave instructions to Wahlborgs in case he died. Joe and Donita married. The clothes Aleda had set out for a funeral, they wore to the wedding. 1976. John and Aleda celebrate 40 years, Mona was sick, Mom and Walt living at Walt Hall. 1977. John and Aleda moved to Bartlesville, retired, and took Walt and Nellie to go live with them. They took them often to the Boys Club, for senior citizens. 1978. Walt and Mom moved to San Antonio to live with Tim for a while. They stayed until march of 1980. His sister Elsie died this year. 1979. Aaron was born, Walt moved back to Bartlesville. To live again with John and Aleda. 1980. Back down to San Antonio, on plane alone, Mom and Walt. Mom turned 90. Beth gets married, March 7th. What a good time everyone had. FINALE;(Words Aleda wrote at the end of Walt D. Dunivans book. Feb 20th Mom and Walt came to Tulsa alone on the plane. John and Aleda brought them from Tulsa, stopped by to see Bill and Gertie. Mom celebrated her 90th birthday at the Boys’ Cub. It was getting ready time for Beth’s wedding, March 7h, 1981. Three days after Beth married, they went for a walk and fell. Walt broke his hip, and we took him to the hospital and what a time he had. Ten days later Aleda went with them to airport and to San Antonio. Walkt kept trying to walk and then in May had a stroke. He was getting real bad for several days. Aleda and john came in May to see them, and in September Mom had a stroke and was bad for several days. Tim felt it was best to bring them back to Bartlesville the last of September. They stayed with John and Aleda had a chance to take a trip and felt it best to put them in a rest home, and they were there for almost a month. Aleda had a dream, the last day of Nov, and she and Donita went out and got them and brought them home. Dec. 3rd, Aleda decorated the house for Christmas all because of little Aaron, he would be the only one who really mattered. Momwas very alert and very talkative that Joe and Donita were over and Joe was helping his Dad put up the stove in the shop. Donita put Mom to bed, and a little later Mom came out and said her feet and legs were jerking so Aleda fixed warm water and she sat in the front room on the divan and soaked her feet and Aleda dried and oiled her feet and legs. Mom went back to bed and after everyone was in bed either dozing or asleep Aleda heard mom’s bell ring, and she jumped to go see what the problem was and she knew Mom was having a convulsion. Mom took hold of Aleda’s arm and patted it vigorously and put her hand and arm up to her face and loved her hand and said, “I have a terrible headache”. Aleda took her blood pressure and it was 290 over ?? Aleda was up all night and knew she was bad, but didn’t want to take her to the hospital to have them put her on life sustaining devices to keep her alive. So finally when it looked like she could go on for only God would know how long, Aleda consented to let her go to the hospital, but had she known it would only be 8 more hours, she would have kept her mother home, but within 24 hours she left this old world and went to be with Jesus. The children all came home and we had a sweet memorial for her Dec. 8th and on Dec. 9th we took her body to Hutchinson, Ks and laid it beside her husband John Warmerdam of 40 years, so she will be forever with the Lord, just how or when I do not know, but I know that my redeemer lives and someday I’ll see Him Face to face. So tonight, Jan 3, 1982, Walt and I are sitting here while John and Tom have gone to church. Walt seems to be doing well, and is looking through all the stuff pictures, stories cards and etc. God Bless him, and help me to minister to his needs like Jesus wants me too. Let me see the world through Jesus eyes….

Walter Dan Dunivans Life

1892 Born Sept. 19th in Nebu, Kansas, SW of Kansas City near Stilwell, Johnson County. Father was section foreman near Leroy, Kansas. Cousin Lloyd Dunivan Son of Dan Dunivan, Sara Sanders, they were married Aug. 1889. Good wages were 20cents a mile for hauling in a wagon. In other words, we were in the TRUCKING business.

1893 Panic in the economy

1894 doesn’t remember

1895 Silent

1896-No record

1897-5 years old, went to school at Leroy, Kansas, Libby Thompson was his lst grade Teacher, Possibly Chris born on this date.

1898- Left Kansas, moved to Luther, Oklahoma, moved to a school lease, Chandler was county seat of Lincoln County. Mail came in at Perkins, a tiny Post Office. We lived SW of Luther 7 mi. Father Dan filed a school claim. We were the freight haulers on a wagon for the MKT railroad headquartered in Oklahoma County. We lived in Bartlesville near where Jane Phillips Hospital is now, the East Field was about 30 acres, I, Walter D. Dunivan plowed that 30 acres many time. .

1899-Elsie my sister was born. We buried a black slave under a big tree. Elsie was born 3 miles north of school lease. Uncle John Holt’s wife was the lady buried under the tree. John Holt was an old slave. The funeral was preached in a log cabin.

1900. Bro. Bill found a gold watch in a cotton field. He traded it for a heifer calf on Christmas and called the calf Christmas. (Walt gave a German Watch he swiped off a German during the war to his dad. It was 10 jewels, he mailed it to Colorado Springs, and he thinks the gov’t kept it).

1901 President McKinley was assassinated; I was working in a cotton field when news reached Oklahoma. That year they drilled a well and found water at 127 feet. We sold cotton in Wellston. Ona, (Onie) seems to have been born in a log house on the school lease. I caught a crawdad, and let it loose in the classroom. Teacher tracked the water it left to my desk; I got pinched often picking up crawdads.

1902- Teddy Roosevelt was then President. I walked Mile and ½ to school. Never took my horse to school, neither did I take a wagon. We walked even though it was cold. There were 15-20 kids in the schoolroom, a small building, one room. Then we moved to Fallis. We went to school south of Luther. Shoes had no heels, I never was whipped at school, but had to stay and sit on the floor a few times. We had pencil and paper, but no pen and ink. Everyone was the same. Bill and I would fight often. Once I used tobacco, and Bill told Dad. After Dad whipped me, then my mother whipped me again. I never forgot it. I never was broken from trying; I always was fooling around with tobacco.

1903 Wright Bros. Flew in Kittyhawk that year. We moved north, this time, we lost the school leave. Ellison foreclosed on our mortgage of $300 took it away from us. We went to another school leave by Fallis, in Kickapoo County. They took my pony, and dad’s tools, everything to pay the debt. I bought a 22 caliber rifle that year at a hardware store for $3.00. Bill and I both traded our firearms for a Suluo firearm, shout about a #10 shot, with a barrel 30” long.

1904-Grandma Dunivan was 80, had long sorrel yellow hair. Ona had hair like hers. She lived with her oldest son Mike, she had a real Irish Brogue, maiden name was Dobin “Tantaman Dale”, was swear words she used to use. I think Dan was born this year.

1905-Flossy my cow broke her nose ring that year.

1906 My dad harvested near OKC, we lived on a school claim, JONES City, was closest Post Office. We had no neighbors, it was wild country.

1907-Oklahoma became a state. We didn’t do any celebration, but the whistles on the cotton gin sure did blow all day, and the trains too. People came by to lay claim to land, I suppose we would have been SOONERS.

After Oklahoma became a state the saloons closed. I was on the place 3 miles north of Fallis on 160 acres that we bought. We lost it too, couldn’t make payments.

Bill and I lost the pony that was mortgaged. Bills was white, mine was black. I was 14 years old. The mortgage was $700 we couldn’t pay it. We raised some grain, cotton, caffey, corn, maybe to many kids to feed, not good prices for cotton, $15 a bale. Of $1,500 pounds plus seed. Actually we lost the mortgage in 1910.

1908- No record

1909-nothing

1910-Perkins was new address, moved to Adair. We began farming as sharecroppers, for half the harvest, for 2 or 3 years. We went to Liberal, Kansas via Chelsea, we looked for work. Bill and I were gone, up in Kansas: Bill was 21. I was 19. We worked farms, harvested in Neosho Falls, west of there a guy I worked for was a railroad engineer for the Rock Island. He and his mother were farming. Quit that summer and went to Wichita and out to Eastern Colorado to thrash broomcorn. I stopped in Liberal, and helped my dad cut and thrash his broomcorn.

1911- nothing

1912-April, 12, Titanic sunk. We were working for a farm putting in a crop, wet year in Neosho Falls, Ks. I aggravated a horned toad and he puffed up and squirted blood out his horns. This is a true story.

1913-Year I plucked corn. I wasn’t old enough to file my own claim, so went to Iowa in Missouri Valley, man with a funny name, Bill and I both shucked corn. We got 4cents a bushel, I could do about 60 bushel in a day, and Bill could do about the same, Nearest city is Mondale. We bummed like tramps on freight trains to get there.

While bumming in a small town, we heard of this job and worked it for 3 months. Gee Spencer was the farmer we worked various places, north of Omaha Nebraska. Bummed to Sioux Falls shucking, riding box cards. Top and inside, flat car it was illegal. Lots of bums went to North Dakota for the harvest.

July 14- On July 22nd, filed for a claim in Baca Co. Colorado. I helped dig the hole for Dad’s dugout, 12 feet X 14 feet. There were 6 kids living in the same room. We never had indoor toilets. Bill did most of the digging while Dad and I went to Elkhart in a wagon. We got nails and lumber, paid cash. I was 20 at the time. We never planted a tree claim. The school was l miles south, and ½ dugout. We never dug a well, we hauled water in barrels from neighbors. We didn’t have anything to begin to farm, nothing but a team of mules and a plow. We were‘t poor, we were as well off as many and most neighbors. Later got us a chicken house had a little barn for the mules. Plowed a strip with mules then hired out.

1914.We were on the homestead; mother planted some wheat in the fall, and harvested very few bushels to the acre. Blanch Eden’s father in law had a thrasher and engine, sold it for 28 cents a bushel. Cut it with header pulled by a horse and mule team. Paid less than $200.00 for the header. Header threw wheat into a barge, big rack, we had this header before WW I After wheat we cut maize, same way. This was a harder job.

1915.There was a family of mean boys, Family Battle, these boys started fights after the ball games, in Rodley. Ben Battle and Tony Battle. Smith boys played ball to, I saw one Smith hit the other square in the mouth. I saw 6 Jennys, (mules) in the mountains go through a blizzard, and eat the wagon box, eat it all up like beavers. This man cut cedar posts in the mountains and hauled them to Baca County.

1916.Enlisted or drafter better word in the US Army, Springfield, Lamar via Rail. Went to Camp Funston, no guns, we drug around home made wooden guns #2 was WD and Bill #1 in the positions on the artillery. We were part of th 341st field artillery unit. I was strong, I was 25 yrs. Old.

1917.June 3rd, left Camp Funston via rail 3 days and 3 nights to NY. Camp Upton, Long Island one week here, on night all of us took off to go to Boston, boarded boat and sailed to Halifax. One week in Nova Scotia, and then on to London, England, arrived July 7th, 1918. We unloaded baggage; big blue bags boarded train at 3pm the next day traveled south to Hampton, traveled up Thames saw my first English trains, slide doors, 4 days moved to waterfront, English Channel. We crossed on a side paddle boat, slept in the rope well, and were covered in the morning with cinder chunks. Arrived in France on July 14th.

1918.War ended and I was discharged on June 10 Ft. D.A. Russell, Wyoming camp. From NY to Cheyenne, there wasn’t any homecoming; they didn’t know we were coming. I kissed the dirt. From there to Tyrone, Oklahoma to harvest wheat at $6.00 a day, REAL good money. This man stacked his wheat, Smith, lived l mile from Tyrone, I went to Colorado looking for a job.;

1919.I filed for 320 acres, Baca County, Rodley, 9 miles south of Dad’s claim. Planted broomcorn, maize kaffee, we didn’t do any good, broke up enough land to prove up the claim, during war we had the title. I got $750.00 for fighting in the war.

1920.I went to Capulin national Park, NE New Mexico, climbed an extinct volcano. They did drill a well on the homestead, built a well house and also a new house. Got his 2nd bonus for WWI which helped defray household expenses.

1921.That year cut broomcorn for Steens. Not sure what the wages were. I killed a rattlesnake that year with a pair of pliers.

1922.Planted a locust tree in Idaho as a sprout. Went back in years and it was 30 feet high. Paid $200 for a Model A, broken spring paid $7.00 to put it back in. Got a loom for $60.00 to make rugs out of rags, ordered this out of NY by mail, freighted to Walsh left it in Walsh with my mother. Had a flat tire on my new car a steel trash piece slashed my tire. I sewed the old rubber piece on with needle and steel wire, and put the tire on the front, it ran good for a long time. Its size was 30X 31/2 tires seemed to be thin.

1923.Worked that year in Hammond, Indiana near Chicago. Met Eva Leflet at Ona’s sisters place. I worked for the Moreland Oil Company.

1924.nothing

1925.Left Rodley and went to Great Bend, Ks. Then moved to Hutchinson, Ks where Eva’s father live. Worked at Barton Salt Company for 36cents a hr. Worked 18 month’s night shift starting at 4pm. Purchased myself a Model T for $428.00 I mortgaged the farm and paid cash. Bought the Model T in Elkhart, 35 miles away, and worked for Barton for $20.00 a month.

1926.Saved in an Uncle Bud Robinson meeting, Nazarene. Weeks later in the fall, on 4th Street Nazarene was entirely sanctified. I laughed for joy and rolled around on the floor. They refused me membership, because I was married to a woman who had a previous marriage. Effy Dillon wrote in 1980 that she was the one who invited Walt to go to the revival. He almost drowned in his ‘snouse’, he swallowed his cud of chewin’ tobacco when he got saved. He met Warmerdams that same year in a camp meeting.

1927.This was the year toilet paper became common. It sure was nice to leave off using all of those corn cobs and the pages of the Montgomery Ward catalog.

1928.Stock market crashed. Living on a farm with Grandma Sally, and I was having trouble with Eva. She was having trouble with her ‘experience’, and went back to Walsh. Sally was saved, she heard my testimony attended church Mt. Friends- I went to Campo, Preacher was Porter, to the Pilgrim Holiness Church. O’maley was in the church, I never eavesdropped on their troubles, but Finch was splitting up the churches. Lloyd Chesnut went to church.

1929.Living in Lincoln, Nebraska, Eva’s sister and brother-in-law lived there. In fall my dad passed away we drove to Walsh on Oct. 22nd. I watched him die, his breathing was shorter and shorter, he couldn’t talk, he was 65. He got pnemonia that October.

1930.Met Mona and John Rovenstine, Pilgrim Holiness church was where my mother attended. We went to a camp meeting at Capulin National Monument, I climbed to the top of an extinct volcano. Drove there in a knee action Chevy with the Rovenstines. I often spent Sunday afternoons at the Roventines who asked me for dinner.

1931.Bill Dunivan died in Los Alamos, a broken blood vessel, he was 42 years old. I lived in Colorado with my mother, Eva had gone to Hutchinson with her father to live. (My mother Aleda met Eva this year, and said Eva often quizzed people about if they accepted her living with Walt since she had been married twice before. She lived with the Warmerdams, my mother Aleda would give her the bedroom. Eva loved Aleda and had a son about the age of Aleda, a son born out of wedlock, a son she never saw and was always wondering where he was and what he looked like, a son she prayed for and wanted, but her parents were to disgraced to let her keep it. She had a broken spirit and wanted to do what is right, but could never feel at peace and forgiven about the things she had done, she was always afraid, sick)

1932.Worked for the WPA, shoveled dirt in Hutchinson, worked l day per week for $2.40 per day. I met Aleda when they lived behind Breeses’ (school?) Aleda says: She went to see Walt and Eva one day after school, the house was very small, and very neat and clean. Aleda and her friend sat on a trunk, and Eva made mackerel patties for supper, very delicious. Mackerel was a lot cheaper then than salmon.

1933.Living in Hutchinson on 8th Street, spent some time living with Warmerdams, worked for Zooks. Went to vets hospital Fitz Simmons in Denver, operated on the year the Quintriplets were born, was in hospital where aviator Wiley Post and Will Rodgers died in a plane crash in Alaska, noon hour it came on the news. John Warmerdam had pneumonia that year and Walt and Eva stopped to help. He nearly died. Walt plowed the gardens and Eva helped with housework. It was the depression.

1934.Eva and Walt were separated. Walt back in Campo, and John Rovenstine asked Walk if he knew of a girl he could write to and Walt told him about Aleda Warmerdam, Walt and Rovenstines were good friends. Eva and Nellie both in hospital at the same time at Grace Hospital, and the nurse asked Aleda where Eva’s husband was, What kind of answer do you give, Eva said she heard the question and the answer and we though she was unconscious.

1935. Year of tall broom corn prayer meeting, where John prayed about meeting Aleda. I moved that year to Nampa, Idaho, Eva was from that area. Moved from Arkansas, visited Ed Dunivan in Gravits, Arkansas. That winter worked shoveling snow for the Northern Pacific R, foreman says “If it snows tonight, come again tomorrow, sometimes it snowed every night”, (Walt and Eva were separated, because church folks make her feel like she was living in adultery, Walt moved in with John and Nellie Warmerdam. Eva went to friends in Nebraska. Walt stayed with Warmerdams until August. John Warmerdam went to Hesston to harvest, Bro. Stoner tried to get Walt to come and live with him, but Walt didn’t see the need. John Warmerdam felt hurt. In August, Walk took Aleda to York Nebraska and left her and went up to get Eva. God was good what could have been a bad story never happened. (Aleda’s story.)

1936.Lived in Hutchinson when Johnny and Aleda got married in the month of May, we left that spring and came to Hutchinson.

1937.Now living in Idaho.

1938.no post.

1939.Moved back to Kansas from Idaho. (Aleda says; Walt and Eva came to 407 N. Cochran to see Warmerdams and Rovenstines. Loren was a small baby lying on the floor on a blanket, and Eva asked Walt what he would do if he had a little boy like that, I don’t remember the reply)

1940.Pearl Harbor, I was in Hutchinson

1941.no posts.

1942.Worked as a janitor at 4th Street School. This was where Wendell Otis went to school. Wendell can verify this date.

1943.Tim was born. Eva and I took care of baby Tim many times. This was the time when Wendell came home from school and said he was the only one in his class that was a Christian, because he was the only one who didn’t go to the fair, so Aleda decided to take Wendell and Loren to the fair, and Walt and Eva took care of Timmy. Ray Jellison was pastor and Eva said he never came to visit them like he should. There were so many hurt feelings. She was always sad.

1944.John Rovenstine went into the Army in May, and Aleda and her 3 little boys went to be with him. Walt and Eva lived in John and Aleda’s house while they were gone. Aleda’s 3 little boys brought John Warmerdam back (he had come out to Neosho, Camp Crowder for a visit) and then went to a camp meeting in Beloit, Kansas. Aleda washed Timmy’s diapers and stopped the sink up, (or at least Eva said so!) Aleda and John never locked the house, but Walt and Eva locked the house, and it was broken into.

1945.Walt and Eva living in Hutchinson, visited the Warmerdams often who lived in the sand hills near Nickerson, Ks.

1946.no post

1947.no post

1948.Hospitalized in Boise, Idaho.

1949.Living in Idaho, visited Hutchinson.

1950.no post.

1951.Year Eva died. Buried my wife, the funeral at lst Nazarene church, she had a cancer in her intestine, she suffered so much. Joe Rovenstine was born about the same time. Shipped Eva’s body by rail for $45.00, I came on the train, got in Hutchinson about 1am, on the Santa Fe. Chris my brother came to the funeral. John Rovenstine was a pall bearer, he bought a new brown overcoat, to wear to the funeral. He got a free turkey for a bonus for buying the overcoat. The reason I remember was it was Thanksgiving.

1952.Moved from Cour-de-Lene Idaho to Great Bend, Ks. It was a real lonely trip back without Eva.

1953.Stayed with my brother Chris in Walsh for awhile, and his niece Sally, she cared for Grandma Sally. (Sarah). (John and Aleda went by to visit him in Walsh.

1954.married to John Warmerdam’s widow, Nellie Marshall. Brother Rufus Morgan told Walt that John’s widow would make a good companion for him. Married Aug. 5th. That October Aleda had a miscarriage in Garden City, Ks. It was a bloody mess, and John Rovenstine locked the doors, Dunivans came and knocked, while John Rovenstine was trying to examine the embryo and then couldn’t get it to flush down the stool. Finally John opened the door to let Walt and Mom in, Aleda had passed out, and they called the ambulance. Mom Dunivan stayed to help.

1955.Walt bought Tim, Joe, Tom and the others Mickey Mouse watches that year in Garden City.

1956.Living in Sublette, planted a gourd garden, Mom Dunivan was sick, twisted her ankle going down the stairs of Sam Snavely’s basement. There was a good crop of strawberries that year. Sam died, and we moved to Sudan to increase our Social Security benefits for Nelle. Aleda lived near in Garden City, and they drove back and forth often for visits.

1957.Worked in Sudan, taking care of Lula. Cut some chinaberry trees and made a cane for myself. This cane lasted 22 years, it was a transplant of a vine from Maries at Ft. Worth. The trailer was still in Sublette, And that year John and Aleda moved to Hill city, September Walt and Nellie visited Hill City.

1958.Hospitalized in Oklahoma City, VA hospital, Chester took Nellie to go see Walt, he was very busy, but Walt wanted to see us. Headed to Hill City in a 1955 Brown Ford, 4 door Automatic. Went to Wendell and Esthers wedding in Colorado Springs.

1959.Summer we built a 20 ft. X 15 foot front room to the trailer house. Added a brush harbor, garage for the car. Pet out a good size fire that Johnny dumped ashes on a trash pile. It was a fire that roared in the middle of the night. Walt carried dishpans of water, while the rest of us tried to thaw out the frozen hoses. The next morning, after the water ran all night, there was a frozen sculpture that was left, pretty. Beth was born. Nellie and Mona both walked to the hospital to see this marvel.

1960.Worked as a funeral director assistant for Don Spencer. Digging graves, handling flowers and all. Ivan Scott was my co laborer. Walt would pick up loose tools that Tom and Beth left out. Walt said it was finders keepers, losers weepers.

1961.Picked wild grapes with Tim to make jelly. Tim graduated. That year went to Loren and Ruth’s wedding, and dropped in El Dorado and picked up Vivian Wathem to go to the wedding.

1962.Kennedy was shot. Heard the news in the front room, Hill City. Helped take care and watch Tom and Beth, Tom heard so many complaints he would come home with ailments of older people. He was nervous, had a headache, heart burn and his legs ached, etc.

1963.Johnson elected President. Lived in the little house behind John and Aleda, only 100 steps away. Called Beth his Dolla Lama, and His Baby.

1964.John Rovenstine was building a church, and Walt was helping, but not enough to suit John R. Walt said he never felt well.

1965.Walt buys a home on McFarland, on the way home from school, Tom and Beth stop and fill up with pop and candy. They took in Gina’s mother for 2 weeks.

1966.John Rovenstines move to Birmingham, Alabama, and leave Nellie and Mona siting on the church step in Hill City Crying. I guess Aleda was trying to prove she could leave father and mother. That year in Salina, we all met at Wendells for Thanksgiving.

1967.Walt and Mom came to Birmingham, Alabama in January, wouldn’t leave. Aleda used the pretext that some singers from CPC were coming and they needed the space, they left in May to go back to Hill city.

1968.Bonnie Fountain gave Walt 50# of sugar, and told him to make jelly. Sent this jelly to friends and loved ones as far away as Sudan, Texas. They went to visit Rovenstines in Augusta, Christmas.

1969.Moved Mom and Walt to Ft. Dodge, he complained about being sick, and

1970.Moved into Walt Hall, where Walt got 2 rooms together, made a front rpom of one, and a bedroom for the two of them together. Wendell came and got furniture of their cottage. Then they came to visit Rovenstines in Osawatomie.

1971.John and Aleda moved to Goodland, to 303 Main. Mom wanted to rent the house so Aleda fixed him a room. Chris and Dan came for Walt and took him back to the Ft. Dodge facilities. Chris and Dan left him and never came back to see him.

1972.John and Aleda went to Guatemala to see Tim’s. Walt was in Halsey Hospital, and Mom was back at the cottage living, she was fearful at night

1973.John Rovenstine badly burned in Goodland Courthouse fire. Walt and Nellie at Walt Hall. Walt wanted to be put in the Goodland hospital, they ran every test and could find nothing. Mona wanted to be near her son who was burned, when John was released, Nellie, Walt and Mona were taken back to Ft. Dodge.

1974.no post

1975.Earthquake Guatemala. Walt moved to Great Bend, with his sister, very sick. Elsie came for him at Ft. Dodge to see the doctor. He had a terrible condition, and went berserk, probably a reaction to medications. Aleda laid out his burial clothes, and was on her way to Mark’s wedding in California. She gave instructions to Wahlborgs in case he died. Joe and Donita married. The clothes Aleda had set out for a funeral, they wore to the wedding.

1976.John and Aleda celebrate 40 years, Mona was sick, Mom and Walt living at Walt Hall.

1977.John and Aleda moved to Bartlesville, retired, and took Walt and Nellie to go live with them. They took them often to the Boys Club, for senior citizens.

1978.Walt and Mom moved to San Antonio to live with Tim for a while. They stayed until march of 1980. His sister Elsie died this year.

1979.Aaron was born, Walt moved back to Bartlesville. To live again with John and Aleda.

1980.Back down to San Antonio, on plane alone, Mom and Walt. Mom turned 90. Beth gets married, March 7th. What a good time everyone had.

FINALE;(Words Aleda wrote at the end of Walt D. Dunivans book. Feb 20th Mom and Walt came to Tulsa alone on the plane. John and Aleda brought them from Tulsa, stopped by to see Bill and Gertie.

Mom celebrated her 90th birthday at the Boys’ Cub. It was getting ready time for Beth’s wedding, March 7h, 1981. Three days after Beth married, they went for a walk and fell. Walt broke his hip, and we took him to the hospital and what a time he had. Ten days later Aleda went with them to airport and to San Antonio. Walkt kept trying to walk and then in May had a stroke. He was getting real bad for several days. Aleda and john came in May to see them, and in September Mom had a stroke and was bad for several days. Tim felt it was best to bring them back to Bartlesville the last of September. They stayed with John and Aleda had a chance to take a trip and felt it best to put them in a rest home, and they were there for almost a month. Aleda had a dream, the last day of Nov, and she and Donita went out and got them and brought them home.

Dec. 3rd, Aleda decorated the house for Christmas all because of little Aaron, he would be the only one who really mattered. Momwas very alert and very talkative that Joe and Donita were over and Joe was helping his Dad put up the stove in the shop. Donita put Mom to bed, and a little later Mom came out and said her feet and legs were jerking so Aleda fixed warm water and she sat in the front room on the divan and soaked her feet and Aleda dried and oiled her feet and legs. Mom went back to bed and after everyone was in bed either dozing or asleep Aleda heard mom’s bell ring, and she jumped to go see what the problem was and she knew Mom was having a convulsion. Mom took hold of Aleda’s arm and patted it vigorously and put her hand and arm up to her face and loved her hand and said, “I have a terrible headache”. Aleda took her blood pressure and it was 290 over ?? Aleda was up all night and knew she was bad, but didn’t want to take her to the hospital to have them put her on life sustaining devices to keep her alive. So finally when it looked like she could go on for only God would know how long, Aleda consented to let her go to the hospital, but had she known it would only be 8 more hours, she would have kept her mother home, but within 24 hours she left this old world and went to be with Jesus.

The children all came home and we had a sweet memorial for her Dec. 8th and on Dec. 9th we took her body to Hutchinson, Ks and laid it beside her husband John Warmerdam of 40 years, so she will be forever with the Lord, just how or when I do not know, but I know that my redeemer lives and someday I’ll see Him Face to face.

So tonight, Jan 3, 1982, Walt and I are sitting here while John and Tom have gone to church. Walt seems to be doing well, and is looking through all the stuff pictures, stories cards and etc. God Bless him, and help me to minister to his needs like Jesus wants me too. Let me see the world through Jesus eyes….