To get the lumber to build a house on his farm he hauled the lumber from Salina by the way of Solomon, as they had no river bridges in those days. In 1886 the temperature was down for about three days to 33 degrees. The house had no plaster, just weather boards, and we speak of the good old days. Many stories have been handed down through the years, one of them being about the Revolutionary War. At times men would stop their warfare and have a visit, between them, as this was told to me, the British men said if the colonies men would come out man-to-man how easy they could whip the American man. Well, said the American, the littlest man we have can whip the best man you have; well, that was it, they made a ring and the British put their big man in the ring and the American, a little man (his name was a man named Slick). Seeing his chance the little man got some dirt in his hands and stepped in. The men made a few passes at each other and Slick seeing his chance, threw the dirt in his eyes and that ended it The old times settlers made this county so that you and I could have a good place to live. At present time, 1966, of the Geo. Slick family, three sons and one daughter are remaining: Lillie, Ray, Nelson and Dewey. Orrie, Melvin, Crippen and Carl are deceased: There are three grandsons and one granddaughter, four great grandsons and two great granddaughters. STR U B L E FAMILIES By Corlis Struble DANIEL STRUBLE came to Bennington, Kansas, in 1864, from Battle Creek, Michigan. This was several years before he was to play an important role in laying out the town of Bennington. Daniel Struble and Christ Nelson owned adjoining farms and in 1878 they laid out the town on equal portions of their land. Additions in Bennington bear the surnames of these two men. Daniel Struble homesteaded one mile north and one mile east of Bennington, known as the Benedict farm today. In 1865, Mr. Struble built the first frame house between Solomon and Cawker City. Daniel Struble was the father of Frank, Cornelius 0., who was a county commissioner in 1878, and Harriett Struble Bardrick. In 1865, Frank Struble followed his father to this area. He homesteaded one mile. north and one mile east of Bennington. This land is now owned by Clarence Quinn. It was Frank Struble who helped carry the link chain when the town was measured. Frank Struble married Tryphena Corlis in 1865. She was fifteen years of age at the time of her marriage and her family lived in this area also. They were the parents of Levi (deceased), Annetta (died in infancy), Eva (married Harry Lash - deceased), Millie (married J.A. Stauffer, lives in Salina Kansas), Addie (married Mike Brownell - deceased) Corlis (who lives in Verdi), Madge (married Sherd Boss and lives in Salina), Daniel (who lives in Salina), and Iva (who married Tom Norton and also lives in Salina). Frank Struble farmed, operated a thresh machine and built a blacksmith shop where the Charles Houdek shop stands today. WAGNER SKETCH By Angie Wagner Our curtain rises to reveal a setting near the city of Berlin, Germany, (Prussia). There had lived many generations of Wagners who were of the higher class of German citizens. The spotlight points to a strong and robust boy with determination to fight the battle of life to a goal of success. There, Albert William Wagner was born October 17, 1838 to William Albert and Wilhelmina (Zehms) Wagner. His father was a professional shepherd and from early life had charge of the flocks of a lord, receiving as his share the profits of one half the fleece. The grandfather of our subject was a weaver by trade and had served thirteen years in the army with Napoleon Bonaparte. Albert Wagner spent the days of his youth assisting his father in the care of his large flocks of sheep, and when sixteen years of age, in 1855, he came to America with his sister. After their arrival in New York, they continued the westward journey to Wisconsin where he arrived without means, but immediately sought employment as a farmhand. After two years spent in that state, work became scarce and he shoved on to a new frontier in Indiana and there became engaged in chopping cord wood. From here he moved on to Illinois, where he was employed as a farmhand until 1859 and in that year he came to Kansas, locating at Riley City. There he found employment  with a butcher, receiving in compensation for his services his board and washing. RETURN NEXT