From "Golden Heritage of Thomas County Kansas"
Hollenbeck
Abraham Lewis Hollenbeck, 4th child of John and Harriett Hollenbeck
in a family of 6 children was born 26 Feb 1861 at Carney PA. Lewis spent
his early life on a farm near Carney PA. Later he and his parents moved to
Appanoose Co IA where he met and married Matilda Davis 1 Ma 1882 at Exline
IA. Lewis and Matilda came to Western KS to homestead with their 2 daughters
Daisy born 1 May 1883 and
Ella who was
born 22 May 1884 and 1 son Charles Ernest born 7 Dec 1885. He died 11 Jul
1887 and was buried on the old homestead and later moved to the Brewster
Cemetery. The family arrived at their homestead 5 mi W of Brewster in 1886.
Their first home was a dugout 12xl4 dug into the N bank of a branch of the
Middle Sappa. There was no well for water so Matilda carried water in 12
qt buckets ¼ mile to do her washing. Like most other "pioneers of the
prairie" they burned buffalo chips for fuel. They lived in this home for
awhile, then they built a 3 room sod house. During this time Lewis "freighted"
goods from Goodland to Oberlin. This was before the RR had reached this far
west.
In 1888, the year the RI RR came through, the family moved to Edson where
Lewis helped to lay the rails for the new RR and Ella, now 6 years old attended
her 1st grade of school. Daisy being a year older also went her lst grade
at this school since there wasn't a school close to them before. The family
later moved to the "Baker Place" NW of Brewster. Here the girls went to school
in a sod school house a few miles SW of them. Their daughter Edna was born
the winter they lived in Edsen 29 Dec 1888. Ruth was born 23 June 1894, another
son Ralph born 27 Apr 1896. Ralph died 10 Aug 1897 and was also moved to
the Brewster Cemetery. Abbie was born 14 Jan 1898. The older girls were married
while the family lived on the "Baker Place." Daisy married Harvey Chambers;
Ella married Orvil Jones 2 Mar 1904; Edna married Frank Jones, brother of
Orvil.
Around 1907 Lewis and Matilda and their 2 youngest daughters, Ruth and Abbie
moved back to Exline, IA. Coming back to Western KS a few years later the
family moved to a farm 31/2 mi W of Brewster in Sherman Co. Their place was
just N of the RI RR. They were also along the road that many families traveled
in their covered wagons as they moved West to find new homes. The wagons
would stop for the night to feed and water their animals and get some rest
themselves. Often times Matilda would feed a hobo that would "jump" the train
for a handout. Sometimes a wagon of Gypsies would camp close by. While living
here Abbie and Ruth attended the Fairview School Dist 10 about 4 mi W of
Brewster about 1910-11. Ruth married Charley Andrews and Abbie married Charles
Jones (no relation to the brother-in-law). Lewis and Matilda attended the
Pleasant Home Comm Church for a number of years until around 1920 when they
moved to Brewster. After moving to Brewster they joined the Meth Church.
Lewis was a substitute mail carrier for Elmer
Hollenbeck, his nephew.
In 1932 Lewis and Matilda celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with
their children and friends. Matilda the 5th child of Isaac and Abbigal (Cline)
Davis was born 20 June 1863 at the home of her parents in Exline IA. She
spent her early life on a farm near Exline IA. Later with her parents she
moved to Linn County KS and from there back to Appanoose Co IA where she
married Lewis. After the death of Lewis 19 May 1937 Matilda lived with her
daughter Abbie (Mr. and Mrs. Charles Jones) until her death 5 Nov 1941.
Abbie Jones, daughter
With photo of Lewis, Matilda, Ruth and Abbie Hollenbeck
LEWIS AND MATILDA HOLLENBECK
Abraham Lewis Hollenbeck, fourth child of John and Harriett (Marshall) Hollenbeck in a family of six children, was born February 26, 1861 in Carney, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania. Lewis spent his early life farming with his family near Carney. Later he and his parents moved to Appanoose County, Iowa where he met and married Matilda Davis.
Matilda Davis, fifth child and only daughter of Issac Davis and Abbigal (Cline) Davis, was born June 20, 1863 at the home of her parents in Exline, Appanoose County, Iowa. She spent her early life on a farm near Exline, later with her parents she moved to Linn County, Kansas. They returned to Exline, Iowa where she married Lewis Hollenbeck March 1, 1882.
Lewis and Matilda made a big decision to take their three small children and put their claim on a homestead in Western Kansas. Lewis's older brother Jud Hollenbeck and wife Mary had moved to Sherman County in 1885 so this was one reason for Lewis making the decision to go to Kansas. They started for Kansas in a covered wagon with two small daughters, Daisy Mae born May 1, 1883 and Ella born May 22, 1884, and one son Charles Ernest, born December 7, 1885. They brought no livestock and only the necessary things they would need. As the family left the State of Nebraska they became uncertain about the desolate area and absence of homes along the way. They turned around and went back to Iowa. But in no time they made the decision to give it another try. On the journey out they saw and encountered Indians. Matilda was fearful of them but Lewis tried to visit with the Indians, and they aided the Hollenbecks in finding places to camp. Matilda always remembered the hard rain that they encountered near Bogue, Kansas. A family offered them shelter and it was fine until Matilda discovered the family had fleas.
Lewis and Matilda with their family arrived in Sherman County in September 1886 settling on a homestead located in Union Township on the NE 1/4 17-8-37 five miles west of Brewster. Their first home was a 12 x 14 dugout in the north bank of a branch of the Middle Sappa Creek. The door faced the south to protect them from the cold north winds. Dirt floors and only the necessary things for keeping house were available. With no well for water, Matilda carried water in 12 quart buckets a quarter of a mile to do her family's washing. Like most "Pioneers of the Prairies" they burned buffalo chips for fuel.
During this time Lewis freighted goods from Goodland to Oberlin as there was no rail service in the area. The job forced Lewis to leave his wife and small children alone at home much of the time. This left Matilda feeling uneasy on many occasions, on one of these times two strange men came by and Matilda had quite a scare. During this time Charles Ernest died, July 11, 1887, of summer complaint caused by cutting teeth. He was buried on the homestead, later his body was moved to the Brewster Cemetery. Matilda made the decision that Lewis should be where he could spend more time with his family and they moved to Edson in 1888. Lewis began work laying rails for the Rock Island Railroad, these were the first rails that were laid through the area. Ella, now six, attended her first year of school and Daisy also started her first year of school at this time. This was her first opportunity to be close to a school. Another daughter, Edna, was born April 27. 1888.
After Lewis completed his work for the railroad, the family moved back to the homestead and dugout. Here a daughter Ruth was born June 23, 1894, and another son, Ralph John, was born April 27, 1896.
Lewis began to farm again. He built a dirt reservoir for water supply. Then the family built a chicken house but had nothing for the roof, so Matilda consented to let them use her only carpet she had brought from Iowa. It was put over the top and dirt was put over the carpet for protection. Lewis raised corn, a variety called Blue Squaw, and raised feed for livestock. He planted no wheat at this time. One member of the family tells about the dirt reservoir breaking, she remembers the water coming down by the window while they ate their meal.
The second son Ralph "Johnny" died August 10, 1897, with the summer complaint as his older brother had. Lewis wanted him buried on the homestead in the corn field. Since there was no church available, planks were put down in the home to make benches for the funeral. Later Ralph's body was moved to the Brewster Cemetery with his brother.
Lewis' older brother Jud Hollenbeck with his wife Mary (Maring) Hollenbeck and family had homesteaded across the creek to the south from Lewis and Matilda in 1885. After a hard rain the creek had come up. Jud's daughter Ethel fell into the creek and her mother Mary couldn't swim to save her. Matilda jumped in and saved the girl. She could swim because she lived in a family of brothers who had taught her to swim.
The only church services that were held in the early days were in a Rev. Woodcock's home. Rev. Woodcock learned his sermons by tying his Bible on the plow and studying while he plowed his land. The family went to church services in a wagon; they put straw down for the children to sit on. They were to sit carefully on the way to church but could snuggle down and sleep on the way home.
The family built a new sod house on the homestead place and a baby girt Abbie was born in the new home January 14, 1898. Lewis was still farming at this time. Matilda went back to Exline, Iowa to visit her family which she had not seen for 16 years.
They sold the homestead and bought the "Baker Place" located northwest of Brewster. There they built a frame house. Three of the older girls were married while living on the "Baker Place." Daisy married Harvey Chambers, Ella married Orvil Jones March 2, 1904, Edna married Frank Jones (brother to Orvil). The girls had also attended school in a sod school a few miles southwest of the farm.
Around 1907 Lewis and Matilda and their two youngest daughters, Ruth and Abbie, moved back to Iowa. They sold the farm and lived in Exline for two years. They decided the buffalo grass and tumbleweeds in Kansas was a better place to live. They moved back to Kansas and bought a farm three and one half miles west of Brewster. The home was located just north of the railroad so they often times had hobos that would "jump" the train for a hand out. Their home was along the road that many families used to travel by covered wagons as they moved west to find new homes. The travelers would stop for the night to feed and water their animals and get some rest themselves. Sometimes a wagon of gypsies would camp close by. While living here, Ruth and Abbie attended the Fairview School, District #10, about four miles west of Brewster.
Ruth married Charley Andrews and Abbie married Charles E. Jones (no relation to the brothers-in-law) while living at the farm home.
Lewis and Matilda attended the Pleasant Home Church for a number of years, later joining the Methodist Church in Brewster.
In 1920 Lewis and Matilda sold the farm and moved to a home in Brewster and retired from farming. Several years after he retired from farming Lewis was assistant mail carrier for his nephew, Elmer Hollenbeck. He was a kind and loving father and neighbor. Matilda was a cheerful, helpful neighbor, she served as a midwife to mothers at time of birth and enjoyed her married daughters, their husbands and families.
In 1932 Lewis and Matilda celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary with their children and friends.
After the death of Lewis, May 18, 1937, Matilda lived with her daughter Abbie (Charles and Abbie Jones) until her death November 5, 1941.
We owe much to the dedication and sacrifices of our early homesteaders. No doubt their lives were that of a mere existence during those early years.
By Helen Louise Jones Armstrong, granddaughter, and Betty Finley Wolfe, great-granddaughter
1 Caspar Jacobse Hallenbeck Born: 1620 in Hellenbek, Schleswig, Germany Died: August 1703 in Beverwyck, Albany County, New York
+Lysbeth Hoffmeyer Born: Abt 1629 Married: Abt 1648 in Barbados Islands
2 Jan Casparse Hallenbeck Born: July 06, 1652 in Beverwyck, Albany, New York Died: December 25, 1730 in Coxsackie, NY
+Rachel Willemse Hoffmeyer Born: 1658 Married: Abt 1677 in Albany, NY Died: March 03, 1728/29 in Coxsackie, NY
3 Willem Janse Caspersen Hallenbeck Born: 1678 in Albany County, NY Died: March 02, 1754 in Loonenburg, Greene County, New York
+Feitje Dirkse (Sophie) Van Vechten Born: December 06, 1671 in Greenbush, Renesselaer County, New York Married: May 23, 1697 in Albany, NY Died: November 15, 1722 in Claverack, NY
4 Michael Hallenbeck Born: September 22, 1706 in Claverack, NY Died: 1766
+Christyne Styntje Goes Born: August 06, 1704 in Albany, NY Married: January 26, 1724/25 in Linlithgo, NY
5 Dirck Hallenbeck Born: July 26, 1736 in Hillsdale, New York Died: January 01, 1815 in Egremont, MA
+Marya Spoor Born: 1739 in Linlithgo, Columbia County, New York
6 Urias (Jerias) Hollenbeck Born: July 01, 1778 in Egremont, MA Died: May 25, 1847 in Washington Twp., Wyoming County, PA
+Eunice Gay Born: March 06, 1783 in Sharon, Litchfield, CT Married: July 01, 1799 in Amenia, Dutchess County, New York Died: July 16, 1856 in Washington Twp., Wyoming County, PA
7 John A. S. Hollenbeck Born: October 01, 1823 in Washington Twp., Wyoming County, PA Died: January 29, 1875 in Caldwell, Appanoose County, Iowa
+Harriet Marshall Born: February 07, 1831 Died: June 15, 1913 in Appanoose County, Iowa
8 Abraham Lewis Hollenbeck Born: February 26, 1861 in Carney, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania Died: May 18, 1937
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