(1) Sunday, September 11, 2005 11:38 PM
Subject: RE: Hanston, Kansas
Dear Kathy:
Thank you for your interest in the Cortez Chronicles; it's always nice to hear from our readers.
I only learned about the Mudge Ranch a year ago and am definitely interested in anything you have to offer, however large or small. I have obtained a domain name, mudgeranch.com, and hope to post whatever information I can come up with as time permits.
As to my own connections to Hanston, my mother was born and raised on the Leslie C. Koontz farm south of Hanston. We lived in Hanston during WWII, and I came back to my grandfather's farm every summer for many years, I grew up walking the fields and the Buckner and Sawlog creeks and later working for my grandfather and an uncle, Cleland Koontz, who lived about three miles south of town on a farm known within my family as the Brent Place. After my grandfather died the farm buildings were caught in a prairie fire and burned to the ground.
So, in a sense, my association with Hanston and my interest in the Mudge Ranch is nearly only circumstantial; but to me Hanston and my grandfather's farm were central to my childhood. I believe the Mudge Ranch house was made of the same quarry-stone that was used in my grandfather's well house and for stone fence postsB throughout Hodgeman County as well as the old Bank building in Hanston. Ref. subject photo gallery.
Thank you for taking the time to write!
Sincerely,
L. Fox
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(2) From: Merrill Nielsen
Sent: Monday, September 12, 2005 5:08 AM
Subject: The Mudge Ranch
I had never heard much about that ranch but then found the article in some magazine I bought at an antique shop . . . then my dad talked about it some.
Kim Koontz was a good friend during my highschool days and Kevin White was in my high school class. Yes, Doc was our mail carrier forever.
My grandmother was a Ruff . . . so I was related to most of the town in my growing up years . . . the Hubins, Ewys, and so forth. But our family went to the Presbyterian church in Jetmore . . . so know lots of those folks too. It's a pretty small county population wise and I don't know how much longer the taxpayers can afford all the government agencies and so forth.
So will type more later,
Kathy
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(3) Monday, September 12, 2005 10:15 AM
Subject: RE: The Mudge Ranch
Thank you so much for offering the Mudge Ranch info. I am aware that Hanston and Jetmore were negotiating combining their school systems, but I hadn't heard the outcome until now. It is a shame the small towns seem to be shrinking; they or a farm are so much better for kids to grow up in than a large city. I'm going to pass your messages along to my mother; I think she'll get a kick out of knowing that you found the Hanston info on our site.
Regards,
L. Fox
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