The following story is not one I can claim as my own, however I can claim the featured person as an ancestor! My paternal grandfather wrote this (years ago) about the sister of his grandma, and because it has to do with Independence Day (1912), I thought I’d share it today! Enjoy! – Elaine
I knew this great lady for forty years – Aunt Ruth (Roark) Howell, my grandmother’s sister. She always looked on the bright side and never worried about something that she could not change. The older she grew, the more she enjoyed young people.
On the 4th of July in 1912, my folks went to Dexter (Iowa) over the Fourth. I stayed home to do chores. Had dinner on the 4th with Uncle Jason and Aunt Ruth. She wanted to do something to celebrate, so in the afternoon we made a freezer of ice cream. Uncle Jason hitched up his young team of Missouri mules and to Greenwood Park we went in the farm wagon. Ate all of the ice cream that we could, then back home to chore.
I had known that when she (Aunt Ruth) was a young girl her parents lived near West Cotta, a town just north of where the South and Middle Raccoon Rivers joined (before there was a town of Redfield). Aunt Ruth had carried the mail (horseback) from West Cotta to a farm home three miles southwest of what is now the town of Dexter. But it was not until I met a man in 1955 (Mr. McPherson) that I learned more about my Aunt Ruth. His grandfather owned the farm that the stagecoach stopped to unload and pick up mail three miles southwest of Dexter. Mr. McPherson’s grandfather told him of a red-haired girl that carried the mail between this station and West Cotta in Dallas County; that her saddle horse could outrun any horse in the neighborhood and many a country boy had found out the hard way. Aunt Ruth sure enjoyed a good horse race and did to her end.
She was a widow for many years living in Panora, Guthrie County. She lived to be 100; outlived her two children (a son and daughter) and two adult grandsons. My children liked to visit Aunt Ruth. She had so many things to look at. Her living room walls were covered with pictures, trinkets, and what-nots.
She was a grand lady. I am so glad that I knew her. This world would have been a much better world if we could have had more Aunt Ruths.
C.C.Y.
Follow up with Elaine:
What a blessing it is to share family stories. Generational storytelling is my passion, and I am afraid – even if I live to be 100 like this dear one – I will not live long enough to share all the stories I’d like to share.
Seems like my grandpa (Carl C. York) was a pretty good storyteller, too. Right? Must be in the genes! I know that being an ice cream connoisseur is definitely in my genes (as mentioned in my recent book about my grandma in 1913; Carl’s soon-to-be wife).
And, if you want our very old family recipe for ice cream, just drop me a comment and I’ll send it to you.
“All Aboard: The Adventures of Miss Ratcliff” is available at http://www.elainemcallister.co or Amazon.
I hope this one story gave you reason to smile today. I also hope you have an “Aunt Ruth” in your life; if you don’t, BE one! Be someone who makes the world a better place; someone people will still talk about decades after you’re gone.
Blessings,
Elaine McAllister (c) 2025
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