Fort Hays State University’s Brett Meyer, center back, national champion in the 1,500 meters last spring, is a graduate assistant coach for the Tiger cross country team this fall.
By DIANE GASPER-O’BRIEN FHSU University Relations and Marketing
He won a national championship the final race of his standout collegiate career. Now, Brett Meyer is inspiring other Fort Hays State University runners to set their bars high while still pursuing some lofty goals of his own.
After claiming the NCAA Division II national championship in the 1,500-meter run at last spring’s track and field season finale, Meyer joined the FHSU cross country and track coaching staff as a graduate assistant this fall.
In between, he ran a sub-4-minute mile for the second straight summer while chasing a dream of qualifying for the 2020 Olympic Trials in the 1,500.
And he is close to meeting that goal. Meyer’s mile times convert to 3 minutes, 39 seconds in the 1,500. The qualifying standard for the Trials is 3:37.
Meanwhile, heading into the Tigers’ annual home cross country meet Saturday, both the men’s and women’s teams are undefeated this fall.
That is no coincidence, says Tessa Durnell, one of the leading runners for the Tiger women’s team.
“Brett has done a really good job of helping every runner set expectations for themselves,” said Durnell, a senior from Harwood, Mo. “It’s pretty cool to have a national champion coaching us. Not every athlete gets to have that resource, that experience.”
FHSU’s Brett Meyer stands atop the awards stand last spring after winning the 1,500-meter run at the NCAA Division II National Track and Field Championships.
After watching Meyer compete as an All-American athlete for three years – he earned that honor six times – Durnell is just as impressed with his coaching style.
“I think he might be a better coach than athlete,” Durnell said. “I know that’s a pretty bold statement, because he’s a national champion. But watching him as a coach for just a few months, he is really inspirational, wants everyone to get the most out of their ability that they can.”
One Tiger runner who has been watching Meyer’s progress from afar for several years is Trever Medina, a freshman from Weskan.
During his high school days at Sharon Springs High School, Medina set his sights on becoming another successful western Kansas runner. Meyer is from Scott City, about an hour from Sharon Springs.
That inspiration, along with a reputable radiology program, drew Medina to Fort Hays State, and ultimately alongside his idol.
“I’ve looked up to him a long time,” Medina said. “I thought, ‘I want that to be me someday.’ He wins a national championship, and now, he’s coaching us and he’s practicing for himself at the same time. We learn a lot just by being around him, seeing his work ethic.”
FHSU head coach Jason McCullough said he thinks it’s good for his athletes to be surrounded by people who have been successful.
“It makes the athletes realize people (like Meyer) are normal people,” McCullough said, “and that they can accomplish big things, too.”
After graduating from FHSU with his bachelor’s in health and human performance last spring, Meyer chose to work on his master’s in sports administration and serve as a graduate assistant for the Tiger runners this year. That allows him to train while working on his degree.
One might think a standout middle distance runner who ran sub-4-minute miles twice this summer and is training for the 2020 Trials might choose a more predictable climate in which to train.
FHSU’s latest national champion Brett Meyer, left, is now a graduate assistant coach for the Tigers, working with his former college coach, Jason McCullough.
Not Meyer.
For starters, he is a loyal sort. Fort Hays State is one of the few colleges to offer him a scholarship out of high school, even after winning the 800 meters at the state track meet and anchoring two state championship relays.
Plus, if his goal of running professionally doesn’t pan out, Meyer will be halfway through his master’s program. He has aspirations of coaching at the college level someday.
Meyer became a collegiate runner himself when he decided to follow his high school sweetheart to Fort Hays State. Kelly Wycoff was a standout sprinter for the Tigers and went on to earn All-America status, too.
They married this summer, and Kelly also is working on her master’s. She is a graduate assistant for the Tiger track and field team.
The Tiger teams and their head coach are supporting Meyer, who McCullough said he thought early on could be a sub-4-minute miler.
Meyer had mostly run the 400 and 800 in high school and wasn’t so sure about the longer distance.
“I knew he could if he believed in it and trained for it, he could do it,” McCullough said. “I tried to put it in his head early.”
Now, Meyer watches as another freshman has similar interests.
Medina might be willing to increase his mileage, just as a certain national champion did three years ago.
“In Trevor, I see a lot of myself,” Meyer said. “I peaked my senior year of high school, and so did he. As coaches, that’s our job to talk to them and make them see that they can get out of their comfort zone.”
And when Meyer talks, the Tigers listen.
“He tells us what we’ve doing wrong and how we can improve,” Medina said. “He tells us how to run smarter, how to eat, a lot of things. Based on his experience, if anyone knows what should be done, he does.”
The Tigers will get to see some strong competition Saturday. The 36-team team field includes Colorado School of Mines, whose men are ranked first in NCAA D-II, and its women’s team is ranked third. The meet is set for 9 a.m. at Sand Plum Nature Trail just outside Victoria, known as one of the finest cross country courses in the Midwest.
“That type of competition is rare around here, and it always motivates us to work harder and allows us to grow and get better for our conference and regional meets,” Meyer said. “It’s also nice to see that those powerhouse Colorado schools are made up of normal people, just like us.”
Cutline: Fort Hays State University’s Brett Meyer, center back, national champion in the 1,500 meters last spring, is a graduate assistant coach for the Tiger cross country team this fall.
DOUGLAS COUNTY — Three people died in an accident just before 6p.m. Friday in Douglas County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy Classic driven by Tiffany Cox, 20, Ottawa, was southbound on U.S. 59 Two miles south of Lawrence.
The driver lost control of the vehicle and crossed over the grassy median in to the northbound lanes of traffic. A northbound 2019 Nissan Sentra driven by Craig Russell McKinney, 62, Topeka struck the Chevy broad side.
Cox, and passengers in the Chevy Kiffany Mietchen, 19; Azreal Ubelaker, 8-months, both of Baldwin City were pronounced dead at the scene.
EMS transported McKinney to KU Medical Center. Mietchen was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
Note: With the hugely successful celebration of the Kirwin Sesquicentennial last weekend, we are concluding our Kirwin History series but have a few loose ends to wrap up, as well as some rough ideas about a direction for the future.
But first, here we are going into triple overtime on the Kirwin series. I’d like to thank everyone for the overwhelming responses and feedback we’ve been getting from all over Kansas, including from U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran.
This week we’ll spotlight the courage of the amazing teenager, Lily Losey, who died along the Rooks/Phillips county line in 1904 trying to save her family.
Lily deserves a real monument rather than the very modest one-square foot gravestone she shares with five other members of her family. Perhaps the telling of the story of her bravery and sacrifice will have to suffice.
After this story, who knows?–Being an avid and moderately well-published history buff, I’m always looking for a good story to research and write about. It’s my privilege to have an organization like theHays Post to partner with — the Post is not only an outstanding media outlet, it’s the best online news site in Kansas, in my opinion. And I make it a point to read a number of them, every single day.
My personal message to the readers of the Hays Post who like these types of narratives — if you have a historical mystery or story you would like looked into concerning anything and anywhere in western Kansas, drop me a line. I can’t promise I’ll take it on … but I will take a close look at it and give it a go if I can.
If I do take it on, make sure to follow the Hays Post and watch for it. But while you’re at it, don’t forget to check out my other work at the Phillips County Review, named by the Kansas Press Association as being the state’s top newspaper in its circulation class for 2019.
In the course of working on this series of historical articles we have made several visits out to the Bow Creek Cemetery on East Early Eve Road a mile east of Hwy 183 on the Phillips County side of the Rooks County line.
During one visit the Smith headstone which accompanies this story was noticed. With brief, passing curiosity it was thought perhaps there had been a diphtheria outbreak, or some other disease which would sometimes claim the lives of entire households 120 years ago.
Several days after noticing the headstone, in the midst of researching the relationship Kirwin had with destructive fires for the half century period from the 1870s through the 1920s, we ran across our first hint that there was actually a very compelling and very tragic story behind the Smith family buried in the cemetery.
That very first hint involved an understated December 16, 1904, two-dozen-word news blurb, without even a headline, we found in the Fox Lake, Wisconsin Representative newspaper. That blurb simply stated “Four children under 12 years of age were burned to death when the home of Charles Smith, of Kirwin, Kan., was destroyed by fire.” That’s it — no other information.
That caught our attention so we started digging for additional details. After a bit more searching we found a story which appeared in the Concordia Blade-Empire with a bold headline “BURNED TO DEATH Three Children of Charles Smith Cremated Near Kirwin Friday Morning.”
That particular two-paragraph report spoke of “A terrible accident which happened on Bow Creek a few miles southwest of Kirwin. A farmer named Charles Smith, accompanied by his wife, left home at an early hour to go to town with a load of grain, leaving their four little children in the house.
“During their absence the house took fire and three of the children were burned to death, while the house and its contents were totally destroyed.”
With that, we went all in on this story and started doing serious in-depth research — the kind that takes hours and hours — emerging from it with details which would be haunting.
While we will be quoting extensively from the newspapers of the day, we will warn you the reporting is quite graphic, so take that into account if you proceed reading beyond this point.
This is the story of heroism at its utmost, about Lillian May Losey, a girl in her very early teens who made the ultimate sacrifice to save her little brother and two sisters.
If you have looked at the gravestone on this page, you already have surmised that she wasn’t entirely successful, but she did save her little brother’s life.
After saving him, she attempted to save her two younger sisters, and in so doing she ended up losing her own life.
Losing it in the most horrific way imaginable.
But first a little background. The newspaper reports of the era were all over the place in regard to the ages of the children and the specifics involved so we had to delve into genealogical records for the sake of accuracy–
The mother of the children was Lou Minnie Smith, who had been born in 1876 and was age 28 at the time of these events.
Minnie had originally been married to Edward Thomas Losey, who was ten years her senior.
This couple had two children — Lillian May Losey, born 1890, and Charity Susan Losey, born 1892.
In July 1897 Minnie filed for divorce from Edward and shortly afterwards married Charles H. Smith in Kirwin. With Charles, Minnie gave birth to Neva M. Smith in 1898, and Charles Cecil Smith in 1900.
Charles, the new family patriarch, homesteaded an 80 acre claim just below Bow Creek a stones throw south of the Rooks County line, with land records showing he filed his final proof of claim in late 1903.
At the time Aledo, Phillips County, just to the north of the Smith clan, was the local farm community, consisting of a handful of buildings — a blacksmith, a store, a post office. The children attended the Sailor Country School in Aledo, which was a little over a mile northeast of the Bow Creek Cemetery, and two miles southwest of the Delmar Hall.
So on the fateful day, December 9, 1904, the ages of the children were–
Lillian “Lily”–14
Charity–12
Neva–6
Charles “Cecil”–4
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As stated, use your discretion in reading further — it gets graphic from here.
From the Kirwin Argus—
Early this morning (Friday), Mr. and Mrs. Smith departed for Stockton, each with a load of corn.
They left the house in care of their four children, ranging in age from about 14 years down to the baby of the family, aged about four years.
Later developments show they had been gone scarcely a half hour, when one of the little girls was requested to repair the fire, which, in the excitement incident to the departure of the parents had been permitted to go out — or nearly so.
The little one took the coal oil can from its resting place and going to the stove opened the door and began pouring the contents of the can on the bed of smouldering coals.
This, of course, created a gas, and immediately the flames shot out of the stove and exploded the can still held by the little girl, throwing burning oil over her and the other children who were hovering about the stove to get warm.
It was at this juncture that a scene hard to adequately describe must have been enacted, for at once the clothing of the little ones were enveloped in flames, the greedy blaze at the same time licking up with avidity everything within the wall of the old sod house, while its roar mingled with the cries of pain and affright of the burning children.
As soon as she could sufficiently recover herself, the elder of the children began the work of rescue by grabbing her baby brother, who was nearest to her and with a courage born of despair, she fought her way to the door and the open air where lay safety.
Carrying him a distance of at least two hundred feet from the burning building, she deposited this little fellow on the ground and again re-entered the burning building to complete the work of rescue; and again she repeated this task.
Three times she fought her way through the flames and intense heat, each time bringing forth a burning, suffering, charred little body to a place of safety.
The fortitude, courage and vitality of this little heroine is something wonderful.
With her own hair burned from her head, her body perfectly nude her own clothing having been burned off, and a mass of stinging, burning, blisters from her shoulders to her feet, she hastily enveloped her body in an old bed quilt and started out for help, desperately trudging over the frozen ground with her bare feet suffering intense pain from her burns and the piteous cries of her little brother and sisters ringing in her ears.
The neighborhood is sparsely settled and this little heroine was forced to trudge over hills and through cornfields a distance of nearly two miles for help, finally coming upon Charles McGee and brother, who were husking corn at the far end of an adjoining ranch.
Her appeal for help was quickly made, and then human endurance could stand no more and she fell into the strong arms of these men, and was quickly placed in a wagon and removed to the home of Jud McGee.
The alarm was given by Mr. McGee and the neighbors were quickly at the scene of the fire administering all possible aid to the three little sufferers stretched out on the ground a safe distance from the burning house. All that could be done to allay the sufferings of the little ones was done, to no avail.
A messenger was dispatched for the parents and for Dr. R.J. Dickinson of Kirwin.
It was noon, however, before the parents or the doctor arrived.
Aside from assuaging the pain, medical skill could do but little, and about two o’clock the little girl who had so thoughtlessly used the oil can, was released by death from the most intense suffering ever witnessed by those who tried to care for her.
Her little body was burned to a crisp and her eyes literally burned from their sockets and the flesh sloughed from her bones.
About two hours later the second daughter breathed her last, suffering intensely, the charred flesh in many places having sloughed off the bones and muscles.
It was a terrible tragedy and the awful scene will remain in the minds of the witnesses all through life.
The oldest, whose heroic rescue of her little brother and sisters seems to have been for nought, is in a very critical condition and her recovery is thought doubtful.
The little boy, who was first rescued, seems to be in much better condition than the others and may recover with proper care.
The fire destroyed the household effects and building and leaves Mr. Smith and his family without a home and in destitute circumstances.
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From the Topeka State Journal—
Word has been received in Kirwin of the destruction of fire of the country home of Chas. Smith, situated on Bow Creek about 14 miles southwest of Kirwin.
It appears that Mr. and Mrs. Smith left home early in the morning, for Stockton, to do some shopping, leaving their four children at home.
While the children were kindling the fire with kerosene an explosion occurred, severely burning three of them, it is thought fatally, besides destroying the house and contents.
One of the children, her body being horribly burned, lived only a short time, while two others are so badly burned they cannot recover, one of who had her eyes burned out.
From the Rooks County Record—
The worst calamity in the annals of Rooks County occurred at the home of C.H. Smith on Bow Creek last Friday morning, causing the death of two little girls, and is likely to result in the death of an older girl and a very small boy.
Early in the morning Mr. and Mrs. Smith started on the trip to Stockton with two loads of corn, leaving their children at home.
The two older ones were daughters of Mrs. Smith by a former marriage.
Lily Losey was 14 years old and Charity Susan Losey 11 years.
Neva and Cecil were the Smith’s children.
The oldest girl helped them off and was sitting by the stove when the accident happened.
Charity, the next oldest, was reading at a table near the stove.
Neva got the kerosene oil can and poured oil on the fire. Instantly there was a great explosion from the stove and the can and all the children were enveloped in the cruel flames.
With her own clothes on fire, Charity picked up the little boy and carried him out of doors, and then tried vainly to extinguish the fire in her clothing by rolling in the snow.
The oldest girl, herself afire, carried Neva to the well and plunged her into a tub of water. Then she ran back into the burning house and carried out some articles of furniture.
In the meantime the clothing of the little girls had burned off and they were writhing in agony upon the ground.
Then with a fortitude inspired by the highest heroism, suffering from frightful burns about her body and denuded of clothing, she placed the smaller children in the barn and with a blanket thrown around her, hastened along the road for a mile seeking help.
There she found Dan McGee husking corn in a field.
He put her in his wagon and drove a quarter of a mile to his father’s home.
The flesh was dropping from her limbs when she got to the house.
The men drove back for the other children. They saw a terrible sight. Neva’s eyes were blind, one ear was burned off and lips and nose charred to a crisp.
Charity’s face and entire body were burned the color of chocolate and her hair was gone.
Both were conscious. The older one was conscious to the last and was able to tell how it happened.
Neva Smith died at 2 o’clock on Friday afternoon and Charity Losey at 4 o’clock. Lily Losey is still living, though there is very little hope for her recovery. Her sufferings are intense.
The little boy was quite badly burned about the face and will carry fearful scars to the end of his life. He was taken with a high fever at once, and for several days his life hung in the balance. As we write he is reported better.
The funeral of Charity and Neva was held at Aledo in Phillips County on Saturday at 11 a.m.
Mr. Edward T. Losey, father of the two older children came from Naponee, Nebraska, Saturday morning. He was accompanied by Mrs. Ed Critz of Naponee, sister-in-law of Mrs. Smith.
The Smith house was a small sod structure. The house and all its contents were burned, even the things carried out by Lily.
The catastrophe is the most distressing and harrowing in all its details that we have ever been called upon to chronicle.
The sympathetic neighbors have done all in their power to assuage the suffering and grief of those involved in the affair.
By the loss of their home Mr. and Mrs. Smith are left in destitute circumstances.
From the Plainville Times—
Last Friday morning Chas. Smith and wife started from their place, about 13 miles north of Stockton, on Bow Creek.
The children allowed the fire in the stove to burn rather low, and the little girl poured coal oil on the coals to start the fire, the other children trying to prevent her from so doing.
The oil on the coals at once created gas and caused an explosion setting fire to the children’s cloth and the house.
The oldest girl after trying in vain to extinguish the flames, carried her younger sisters and baby brother from the house and to a place of safety and then started to the nearest neighbors for help, whose house was a mile away.
Her clothing having caught fire from the explosion was almost burned off her, and her limbs and arms being burned to a crisp, ran the distance to their neighbors against a strong north wind and gave the alarm.
The little girls were so badly burned that they only lived a few hours, passing away at 2 o’clock, and the other at 5 o’clock that day.
The baby brother is so badly burned that he is not expected to live.
The oldest child is so badly burned she is unable to speak and there is hardly a possible chance of her recovery.
The house and contents were completely destroyed.
From the Stockton Western News—
Last Friday morning the home of Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Smith of Bow Creek, about 12 miles north of Stockton, was totally destroyed by fire and their four children came near being burned alive. As it was two children were so badly burned that they died the same day.
Mr. and Mrs. Smith started for Stockton early in the morning, each with a load of corn, leaving their four children at home.
It was a pretty cold morning, and the fire having burned so low that it needed kindling, the six-year-old girl poured coal oil into the stove. An explosion took place instantly, and before the children could comprehend anything they were in the midst of flames, and the contents of the house caught fire in a moment.
They were so bewildered they could not leave the burning house.
The oldest girl heroically tried to save her brother and sisters. Three or four times she entered the burning building and finally succeeded in getting them all from the house, but not until her clothing was burned from her body and her flesh in many places burned to a crisp.
She carried the children to a hay stack and after covering them as best she could, wrapped a quilt around herself and started barefooted over the frozen ground to Dan McGee’s about a mile away. She found Mr. McGee and his hired hand shucking corn and told the sad story.
They immediately drove with her to their home where everything was done that human aid could do to relieve her suffering.
Then they went to the scene of the fire and found the prostrate forms of the other children whose lives seemed nearly blotted out.
They were taken in charge and the rural telephone was kept busy sending messages along the line to stop the parents and inform them of the awful calamity.
About three miles out of Stockton Mr. Hopkins, so we are informed, met the parents and told them what he had heard.
In the meantime word had reached this city and Lark Johnston started out with his team and spring wagon to meet Mr. and Mrs. Smith.
He met them just north of the academy and insisted on their driving back at once with his rig, which they did.
But what a terrible ending!
Two of the girls, aged 6 and 11 respectively passed away, one dying soon after dinner and the other about 6 o’clock that evening. The boy was burned least of all, though he was not out of danger for a few days, and the eldest girl was near death’s door for three or four days, but it is believed now both will survive.
The suffering those children endured can never be told or even imagined.
Dr. Dickinson of Kirwin was the attending physician but with all his skill the lives of the two youngest girls could not be saved.
Funeral services were held Saturday morning at the Sailor School House, Rev. Chas. Harvey of Osborne County officiated.
From the Hutchinson News—
Not all the heroes or heroines of this world get their names in big headlines in the papers, and not all the brave people in this world have their deeds heralded to the world, says the Salina Journal.
A few days ago in Rooks County an incident occurred which deserved to be published broadcast through all the world but which was hardly known beyond a small circle in a farm neighborhood for some time after the event happened.
A farm house caught fire and burned to the ground while all the family were away from home except four children.
The house was enveloped in flames before the fire was discovered and the country was so sparsely settled that there was no help for the children, save what the little girl could give.
She carried her baby brother from the building and then rushed back to rescue two little girls who were still there, but it was too late.
The fire was bursting then from the doors and windows and the child made her way through the blaze and smoke. She managed to get out of the house just as it collapsed, but so badly burned was she that she endured the most intense suffering.
From the Kansas City Journal—
Her Medal a Tombstone. When the Carnegie hero medals are ready for distribution there is a 15-year-old girl who will be entitled to one. Farmer Charles Smith and his wife went to town, leaving the four children of the family at home.
One of the little girls put some coal oil on the fire and there was an explosion and a fire which quickly consumed the house.
The older girl carried her brother and sisters, one by one, to places of safety. Two were burned so badly that they quickly died.
The little heroine herself is fluttering between life and death.
From the Kirwin Argus—
The third of the victims of the disastrous Smith fire north of Stockton died last Sunday night and was buried Monday afternoon.
This death took from the family Lillian Losey, step daughter of Mr. Smith, and the oldest daughter of his wife by a former marriage.
This death removes the little heroine who battled so strenuously with the terrible flames to rescue her two sisters and baby brother.
Had she been content to rescue only her little brother and turned a deaf ear to the pleas of her burning sisters, she would no doubt have been alive today; but not so; her heroism arose above self-thought and at what proved to be the sacrifice of her own life, she attempted the rescue of her own little sisters.
For this noble act of self-sacrifice her place in heaven is assured, for has it not been said “Tis better to give than receive,” even though it be your own life?
By her heroism and self-sacrifice this noble little girl has erected a monument to herself as lasting as time.
The funeral services were held Monday afternoon and was largely attended by the neighbors, all of whom desired to pay their last respects to one who had gained their lasting esteem.
The remains were laid to rest in the Bow Creek Cemetery.
The grief stricken father of this noble little girl returned to his home in Naponee, Neb., after the funeral, seared in heart, alone and blighted, with no one to care for him and no one upon who to lavish a father’s love and affection.
Tis indeed a sad case and one that should appeal to all parents.
From the Stockton Western News—
Death of Lily Losey. Last Sunday night, about 10 o’clock, Lily Losey, the 14-year-old stepdaughter of C.H. Smith of Bow Creek, passed away, her death being due to the severe burning she received the week before in trying to save her brother and sisters from the flames which destroyed their home.
Her two sisters died the same day of the fire, while she lived one week longer, though during that time her life hung by a thread, as it were.
She suffered untold agony, and so great was her grief that it would be far beyond the power of any human to describe it.
Funeral services were held Monday morning at 10 o’clock, from the Sailor School House and the remains laid to rest in the Bow Creek Cemetery.
Epilogue
Having lost everything except their critically injured son, Minnie and Charles Smith struggled to recover. Four years later Minnie gave birth to Gladys V. Smith in Webster, Kansas. Gladys would marry Frank Clinton Johnson in 1923.
Passing away in Logan in 1984, the little sister the Smith/Losey girls never knew is buried there in the Pleasant View Cemetery.
Minnie and Charles were still together when he died in Bogue in 1924 at the age of 51. Charles was brought back to the children, Lily, Charity and Neva, in the Bow Creek Cemetery.
Minnie lived a quarter century longer than Charles, dying in Rooks County in 1949 at age 73. Although she had married Janson Albert Nelson during that time, following a 45 year separation from her little girls she rejoined them and Charles along the banks of Bow Creek in the little cemetery that bears that quiet stream’s name.
And while courageous Lily died perhaps knowing her sacrifice in going into the inferno to rescue her little sisters ultimately did not save their lives, one hopes that in her final moments she also knew her little brother was clinging to life, still struggling as hard as a four-year-old could, and was making a brave fight of it.
While she wasn’t there to see it, not only did Cecil battle through his awful experience — too awful for anyone to endure, let alone a toddler — he went on to live a very long, fruitful life.
It’s not known how the scars he carried for the rest of his days affected him or if he had been too young to have any memories of his three older sisters, or of that awful morning in early winter 1904 right before Christmas.
Cecil does show up in the 1910 and 1920 censuses living with his parents, and in the 1930 census still with his mother after his father died and she was aging.
By that 1930 census Cecil had two children of his own. Eventually he would have at least four–Billy, Charles, Randy and Janivee.
Another unnamed son of Cecil would die in infancy, and is buried close by the protective sides of his aunts and grandparents.
From Cecil’s four children who survived to adulthood there were at least 16 grandchildren and untold numbers of great-grandchildren.
All of them given life because a remarkable 14-year-old girl, at an extraordinary, terrible cost to herself, swept her siblings out of a hellish nightmarish inferno before racing blistered and burned and barefoot and naked across the blustery frozen December Kansas prairie to bring help to them. And in so doing, sacrificing her own life so a helpless little four-year-old boy might be given a chance at one of his own.
Cecil would pass away peacefully in Billings, Montana on June 5, 1986, just two months shy of his 86th birthday.
And he was surrounded by his large family. The final gift his big sister had made possible for him 82 years before.
Article reprinted from the Phillips County Review, with permission. The Phillips County Review has been named by the Kansas Press Association as being the state’s top newspaper in its circulation class for 2019, beating out over 180 other publications.
Editor and writer Kirby Ross, a past nominee for the Western Writers of America Spur Award and the National Cowboy Hall of Fame’s Western Heritage Award, has had two books of historical nonfiction published by major university presses. He has also personally won over 20 Kansas Press Association Awards of Excellence for his newspaper work over the past three years, including first place recognition for news reporting, news and writing excellence, feature writing, political and government reporting, editorial writing and news photography. He can be reached at [email protected].
The upcoming Nov. 5 election day will have candidates listed for four positions on the Cottonwood Extension District Executive Board.
In Ellis County, candidates are Tatum Sprague-Kimzey and Allen Roth. Barton County voters will have Richard Dougherty and Kathie Rondeau on the ballot.
To be a qualified voter, you must register at the county clerk’s office in Hays or Great Bend by Tuesday, Oct. 15. Advanced voting in Ellis County begins Monday, Oct. 21, and runs through noon Nov. 4, during the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 718 Main in Hays. Advanced voting in Barton County will begin after Oct. 16 and run through noon Nov. 4, during the hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 5 at 1400 Main in Great Bend.
Questions may be directed to the Ellis County Clerk at (785) 628-9430 or the Barton County Clerk at (620) 793-1835.
LAWRENCE — After Donald Trump was elected president and put a renewed focus on fossil fuels, several large corporations made headlines by setting goals to increase the renewable energy they buy. Many are making progress on those pledges, while varying state energy laws have made it easier in some parts of the country than others.
A University of Kansas law professor has written an article analyzing corporate renewable pledges, outlining how policies have played a part and cautioning it is important to realize what 100% renewable goals mean in context.
Uma Outka
Uma Outka, William R. Scott Research Professor at the KU School of Law, said corporations are driving new development of renewable energy. Her article, published in the Utah Law Review, examines that growth and takes an early look at how state policies are influencing the development.
“The trend of large corporations pledging to boost their renewable energy consumption seemed so counter to the direction the Trump administration wanted to turn in terms of energy policy. So, I wanted to understand the legal environment for corporate buyers specifically,” Outka said. “It’s a little too early to compare the success or efficacy of the newest state policies. But when traditionally regulated states took note of the fact that the vast majority of deals were made in the most ‘deregulated’ states, some have taken notice and tried to adapt. That’s the most recent development.”
State laws regarding energy development vary widely from state to state. And while deregulated states have seen large amounts of corporate deals, they are not the only states that have seen significant renewable energy growth.
Kansas, for example, is what Outka calls a hybrid state, with traditional utility regulation while also being part of the Southwest Power Pool.
Because of exceptional wind resources in Kansas, the state is first in the nation for electricity generated from wind and may well become the first state to generate most of its electricity from wind power.
States have also increasingly begun to change their policies in response to the growing corporate demand for renewable energy, and states that are more traditional in their regulatory approach have found new ways to be part of renewable energy development. While renewable energy is growing in some places in the current political climate, it’s not surprising given who is driving the demand. Large corporations are large customers that spend a lot of money on energy and utility companies have a clear economic incentive to provide them options they desire.
“Companies are influencing the energy industry with their demand for clean power, without a doubt,” Outka said. “It’s part of a larger trend of consumers playing a more significant role on the electric grid.”
While companies such as Google have touted their status as the “largest corporate renewable energy buyer on the planet,” others such as Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, IKEA and Nike have made public statements about their intent to increase the amount of renewable energy they buy. It is important, however, to understand what it means when corporations or others claim they will derive 100% of their energy from renewable sources, Outka said. First of all, corporations have several reasons to buy renewable energy, not the least of which is promotion of their public image. A positive boost among shareholders and consumers can be viewed as almost as valuable as saving money or reducing a company’s carbon footprint. And while such goals are laudable, unless a company is generating all of its own renewable energy, it is not 100% green.
“It is important to understand what it means when a company says ‘100 percent renewable energy.’ If Google or another corporation says they’re powered by 100% renewable energy, it’s not completely accurate,” Outka said. “If they’re connected to the grid, they’re still using the energy mix, though they may be offsetting that usage (through purchases of certificates and other methods). The problem isn’t solved, though these are very important steps.”
Corporate demand for renewable energy is not just leading to purchase of more green energy but also to large amounts of new renewable energy development, Outka said. Companies such as Walmart have made corporate policies that all new green energy it buys will come from new energy development. That demand is having both economic and policy results as states work to enact policies friendly to such development. While such development is largely positive, Outka cautions it should be viewed with a critical eye as well.
Public utility commissions have made progress in developing renewable energy, while state legislatures have not been as actively involved. With more active legislative leadership, the trend could foster a broader and more inclusive policy dialogue. So long as corporate deals occur largely outside state planning, there is potential for development exceeding transmission capacity and other problems. Outka said such development discussions should focus on what the goal of new energy projects is, whether it be economic development, environmental impact reduction or others. Expanding who gets to take part in the decision making is as vital issue as well.
“This is a useful trend that can accomplish only so much,” Outka said.
Large corporations have had an undeniable influence on the trend of increased development of renewable energy in recent years, but it is not clear how existing and new policies enacted in light of the demand will influence other energy buyers. In future research, Outka plans to study energy law and the low-income household. The research will be part of a larger look at how customers interact with the energy grid, in addition to the examination of corporate customers and previously published work on how cities interact with the low carbon grid.
On a chilly October night in Grainfield, Kansas, the boys of fall took the field for a heated battle. The week 6 installment of the Area Game of the Week pitted the Quinter Bulldogs (1-4) against the Wheatland/Grinnell Thunderhawks (4-1) in a battle for Gove County.
The Thunderhawks got the ball first and promptly turned it over deep in their own territory. Quinter was able to capitalize on the miscue by completing a 4th down touchdown pass to Sophomore tight end Jaden Boone. That made the score 6-0 in favor of the Bulldogs.
The Thunderhawks faced a 3rd down and 16 on their next drive, but were able to pick up the first down and much more on a 43 yard touchdown run by sophomore Tyrell Chapin. The ensuing conversion was good, giving Wheatland-Grinnell an 8-6 lead.
A receiving touchdown and punt return for touchdown by Thunderhawk Junior Johnny Phillips extended the lead to 22-6. However, the Bulldogs were able to punch in a touchdown run courtesy of Junior running back Tucker Gillespie. It was his 11th of the season. That made it 22-12. The Bulldogs had an opportunity to get another score before half, but threw an interception on 2nd down and goal to go. The scoreboard showed the Thunderhawks with a 22-12 halftime advantage.
Quinter got the ball to start the second half, but couldn’t muster much. Both teams ramped up the defense and exchanged several punts. Wheatland/Grinnell was eventually able to break things wide open thanks to timely touchdown runs by Chapin and Sophomore running back Issac Mendez. That made it 36 to 12.
The Bulldogs were able to get another receiving score from Boone, but it was too little to late, as the scoreboard showed: Grinnell/Wheatland 36 Quinter 18. That’s how it would end. The Thunderhawks had won the battle for Gove County.
Mendez and Chapin combined for 164 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns for the Thunderhawks. Freshman safety Jett Vincent had 2 interceptions for a Thunderhawk defense that forced 6 turnovers. Jaden Boone was outstanding for Quinter in the loss, catching 5 balls for 50 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also added 13 tackles and 3 batted passes.
Wheatland/Grinnell is now 5-1 on the season and 3-0 in district play. They are tied atop district 6 with Brewster/Triplains, whom they face next week in Winona.
Quinter moves to 1-5 with a 1-2 district record. They are tied for 3rd in the district. They play at Dighton next week.
Next week’s Area Game of the Week will feature Phillipsburg (2-4) at Hoisington (6-0).
The Norton Bluejays scored on all six of their first half drives and amassed 360 yards of offense in the first half as they beat the TMP-Marian Monarchs 56-19 Friday at Lewis Field.
Coach Jay Harris interview
Game highlights
After TMP opened the game with a three and out, their first of three to start the game, Norton put together a four-play 59 yard drive that cover just less than two minutes that was capped off with a 32-yard Luke Wahlmeier touchdown giving Norton a 7-0 lead.
Walmeier added his second of three first half touchdowns, a one-yard run, on the second Norton possession to take a 14-0 lead.
With Norton leading 21-7 early in the second quarter TMP got on the board for the first time with an 18 yard pass from Kade Harris to Jace Wentling cutting the Norton lead to 21-7.
Norton’s offense continued to roll scoring three more times before the first half break and lead 42-7 at the break.
Norton’s Kade Melvin added a third quarter rushing touchdown and a 26 yard touchdown pass to Jonah Ruder to give Norton a 56-7 lead.
With a running clock in the fourth quarter TMP added a second Harris to Wentling touchdown pass and as time expired Lance Lang scored on a 50 yard touchdown run to end the game at 56-19.
Luke Wahlmeier rushed for 131 yards and three touchdowns for the Bluejays.
Kade Harris was 7-of-14 passing for 141 yards with two touchdowns. Jace Wentling hauled in six passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns.
TMP falls to 1-5 on the season and 0-3 in district. Norton is 4-3 and 3-0 in the district.
Dodge City took advantage of an interception on the first play of the game to start a strong first quarter against the Hays High Indians. The Red Demons scored four plays later on a 29 yard run and then a one yard plunge on the next series following an Indian punt after three plays.
Dodge City posted a 14-0 lead with 7:56 left in the first quarter. Hays did burst onto the scoreboard on their fourth drive. Dylan Dreiling scored on an 83 yard run which was the first play of the drive. The longest play of the season for Hays High brought the score back to 14-7.
The Red Demons wasted little time scoring two plays later. Quarterback Beau Foster who ran for the first two scores threw to Matt Friess for a 71 yard strike and a 21-7 lead with 3:40 left in the first quarter. The fireworks would be squelched the remainder of the half. Hays started three first half drives in Dodge City territory but was turned away on three plays each time. The Indians advanced to the 19 yard line of Dodge City late in the second quarter but turned the ball over on downs.
The Red Demons threatened to score on the ensuing drive but a 42 yard field goal attempt went awry and resulted in an incomplete pass to end the first half.
Highlights
The Hays High defense forced a three play and punt drive by Dodge City to open up the second half and the offense struck quickly. Hays ran the ball on six plays to the 49 yard line then struck for six points on a 51 yard pass play from Dylan Dreiling to Hayden Brown. The Matt Goodale extra point closed the gap to 21-14 with 9:12 left in the third quarter.
Dodge City struck right back and then added a second touchdown with 45 seconds left in the third quarter. Both point after attempts failed for the Red Demons leaving the score at 33-12. Hays would score again in the third quarter. Hayden Brown returned a kickoff 97 yards for a 33-21 score. It was the first kickoff return for a score by Brown this season and the third of his career.
Coach Tony Crough
Dodge City’s next drive would eliminate most of the comeback chances for Hays. The Red Demons added 470 pounds of blocking backs into the backfield that helped pave the way to the end zone. The Red Demons went on a 6:37 drive that was all on the ground and ended with a Beau Foster one yard plunge for his fourth score of the night. The extra point was the final tally of a 40-21 Dodge City victory.
Hays falls to 2-4 on the year and finishes conference play at 1-3. Hays will be at Buhler next Thursday. Dodge City will enter next week’s Hatchet Game with Garden City at 6-0. The two are each 2-0 in the Western Athletic Conference play.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s soccer team controlled the whole 90 minutes of play Friday evening (Oct. 11), improving its record to 7-3 (3-1 MIAA) after a 3-0 shutout of Missouri Western. The Tigers have won three straight conference games, all on the road, after dropping their league opener last month. Missouri Western falls to 4-6-1 and 1-3 in conference play.
The Tigers got on the board early and never let up, taking a two-goal lead in the first half. In the 15th minute, Jenna Prince intercepted a pass at the top of the penalty box and lofted a shot over the head of the keeper and into the net for her second goal of the year. Darby Hirsch followed Prince just three minutes later with her fourth of the 2019 season. Chloe Montano ripped a free kick from midfield that fell perfectly into Hirsch’s lap inside the 18-yard box. Hirsch cashed in on the chance, firing a shot into the upper left corner to hand FHSU held a 2-0 lead before halftime.
Fort Hays State struck again nine minutes into the second half when Zariah Smith picked up her first goal of the year. The junior took in a pass and made one move past a defender before sending a bullet screaming just inside the far post from 20 yards out. The defense and Megan Kneefel tightened up down the stretch, holding MWSU to just three second-half shots to give the Tigers their seventh victory of the year. Of those seven victories, the Tigers have only allowed one goal, tallying six clean sheets on the year.
FHSU fired off 13 shots, with seven of those on target. Cailey Perkins led the team with four shots and two shots on goal. Megan Kneefel (6-2) stopped all four of Missouri Western’s shots on goal for her 14th career shutout, just one shy of second place all-time.
The Tigers remain in second place in the MIAA standings with the win, moving within one point of the top spot.
The Tigers look to continue their hot streak on Sunday (Oct. 13) in Maryville, Mo. Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State are set to kick off at 1 p.m.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. – The Fort Hays State women’s soccer team controlled the whole 90 minutes of play Friday evening (Oct. 11), improving its record to 7-3 (3-1 MIAA) after a 3-0 shutout of Missouri Western. The Tigers have won three straight conference games, all on the road, after dropping their league opener last month. Missouri Western falls to 4-6-1 and 1-3 in conference play.
The Tigers got on the board early and never let up, taking a two-goal lead in the first half. In the 15th minute, Jenna Prince intercepted a pass at the top of the penalty box and lofted a shot over the head of the keeper and into the net for her second goal of the year. Darby Hirsch followed Prince just three minutes later with her fourth of the 2019 season. Chloe Montano ripped a free kick from midfield that fell perfectly into Hirsch’s lap inside the 18-yard box. Hirsch cashed in on the chance, firing a shot into the upper left corner to hand FHSU held a 2-0 lead before halftime.
Fort Hays State struck again nine minutes into the second half when Zariah Smith picked up her first goal of the year. The junior took in a pass and made one move past a defender before sending a bullet screaming just inside the far post from 20 yards out. The defense and Megan Kneefel tightened up down the stretch, holding MWSU to just three second-half shots to give the Tigers their seventh victory of the year. Of those seven victories, the Tigers have only allowed one goal, tallying six clean sheets on the year.
FHSU fired off 13 shots, with seven of those on target. Cailey Perkins led the team with four shots and two shots on goal. Megan Kneefel (6-2) stopped all four of Missouri Western’s shots on goal for her 14th career shutout, just one shy of second place all-time.
The Tigers remain in second place in the MIAA standings with the win, moving within one point of the top spot.
The Tigers look to continue their hot streak on Sunday (Oct. 13) in Maryville, Mo. Fort Hays State and Northwest Missouri State are set to kick off at 1 p.m.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for attempted kidnapping.
Just after 1 p.m. Thursday, police responded to a kidnapping call at the Burlington Coat Factory in the 8100 block of East Kellogg in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. A 28-year-old woman at the store told police a suspect identified as 30-year-old Jasmine Patterson approached her and asked if she would call police if she took her daughter.
Patterson then allegedly grabbed the woman’s 4-year-old daughter and began to walk away, according to Davidson. The woman quickly grabbed her daughter away from Patterson, left the store and called 911.
When police arrived, they located Patterson leaving the store and arrested her without further incident. The child was not injured. Investigators determined that Patterson might have a mental disability that contributed to the incident, according to Davidson.
Patterson remains jailed on requested charges of Attempted Kidnapping, according to Davidson. Police will present the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.
HALL COUNTY, Neb. — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a Thursday traffic stop.
photo courtesy Nebraska State Patrol
At approximately 3:00 p.m., a trooper with the Nebraska State Patrol observed an eastbound Toyota 4Runner following another vehicle too closely on Interstate 80 near Wood River (three hours north of Salina), according to a media release.
During the traffic stop, the trooper discovered a meth pipe and a gram of methamphetamine on the driver’s person.
Troopers then searched the vehicle and found 68 pounds of marijuana hidden inside several large, gift-wrapped boxes. The driver stated the boxes were gifts for a new baby.
The driver, Joseph Hullinger, 56, of Santa Rosa, California, was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound, possession of a controlled substance, possession with intent to deliver, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no drug tax stamp. Hullinger was lodged in Hall County Jail.
