Daniel Busby Part 3 - Kansas Busbys

As we saw in Part 1, Dan Busby had left his life and his family in California in April 1898, and returned to Kansas.  The term 'returned' is somewhat incorrect since he had not lived in Kansas very long before going to California, but many members of his birth family were living there including this mother.  His father, Abram, had died on 12 Feb 1895.  In October 1899 the following article appeared.

Image 1: The Kansas X-Ray (New Albany, KS), 20 Oct 1899, pg 5, col 5

The wedding took place on 11 October according to marriage records.  Minnie had been married before, to Frank A Houser on 16 Apr 1890.  They had one child, Byron, born on 14 Jan 1891 at New Albany, Kansas.  Frank Houser was a doctor and the couple was divorced in February 1892 as shown in the following clip.

Image 2: Wilson County Citizen (Fredonia, KS), 19 Feb 1892, pg 3, col 3

By the 1895 Census Minnie and Byron were both enumerated with her parents still using the last name Houser.  Soon after, the newspapers call her Minnie Radcliffe, but Byron continued using Houser. 
After his marriage to Minnie in late 1899, Dan set about building a house in which to raise his new family.  This item is from the "New Albany" news items section.

Image 3: Wilson County Sun (Neodesha, KS), 4 May 1900, pg 8, col 

I suppose the house was built, but by December, there was talk of moving.  Relocations seem to have been a common theme for the family for several years living in many places. 

Image 4: The Kansas X-Ray (New Albany, KS) 7 Dec 1900, pg 5, col 1

Several related Busby families lived in Skiatook, I.T. (now Oklahoma).  At least four children of Dan's uncle Rueben Busby lived there at one time or another.  Dan seems to have returned to New Albany by 1903 per the following clip.

Image 5: Neodesha (KS) Register, 14 Aug 1903, pg 4, col 2

On 25 February 1904, Dan's and Minnie's family grew as Howard Kenneth was born in what he later described as "a shabby house."  That house was later carried away by a tornado that swept the southeast corner of New Albany in the early autumn of 1914.

The Wilson County Citizen (Fredonia, KS) of 25 Aug 1905 shows Daniel Busby had unpaid taxes of $2.25 on lots 11 and 12 in Block 14 of New Albany, KS.  The following clips show various movements of the family and some places of employment.  There were probably additional places and vocations that will go unmentioned.

Image 6: Wilson County Citizen (Fredonia, KS), 14 Sep 1906, pg 2, col 5

Image 7: The Kansas X-Ray (New Albany, KS), 24 Jan 1908, pg 4, col 4-6

Image 8: The Kansas X-Ray (New Albany, KS), 6 Mar 1908, pg 1, col 1,2

Image 9: The Kansas X-Ray (New Albany, KS), 16 Jul 1909, pg 1, col 2

Buff City, mentioned in the last clip above, is mentioned in the Wilson County History at rootsweb.com/~kswilson.  It says Buffville (a.k.a. Buff City) started when in "1903 the Kansas Buff Brick and Manufacturing Company opened their plant just a couple of miles south of Altoona {about 5 miles north of Neodesha}."  It was known as Buff City, Buffton, Buffington, and Buffville.  The post office closed in 1943 and there is little left to mark the town now. When Dan's mother, Susannah (Leach) Busby died in Mar 1911, Dan is still listed as living in Buffville.  However by June 1913 he seems to be living back in New Albany where the Kansas X-Ray shows him as the city treasurer.  The Fredonia Herald of 16 Oct 1913 notes in the "Fall River Ripples" items that "Daniel Busby of New Albany has rented Mrs. Louie Badgley's farm and moved there [i.e. Fall River, KS] last week" and in 1915, again in the "Fall River Ripples" section the following appears.

Image 10: The Fredonia (KS) Daily Herald, 1 Apr 1915, pg 1, col 5-6

Dan's Move to Baca County, Colorado

In about 1916, a major change of locale was made.  This was recalled in a biography printed and distributed at Howard K. Busby's memorial service at Lamont, KS.  An "Immigrant car" mentioned below was a train car specifically outfitted for low-cost travel.  It had bench seats, a toilet in the back, a stove (for heat and/or cooking) in the front and fold down bunks overhead (in what were similar to overhead storage bins on planes these days).  The train could have had boxcars as well on which space could be rented to carry household goods.

"In an effort to save his mother's [i.e. Minnie's] health, an immigrant car was arranged for and loaded with the family's belongings.  The train headed west on the Santa Fe for the west border of Kansas at Elkhart.  Teams of horses pulled the load 50 miles west into Colorado for a homestead in Baca County that would be their home for the next three years.
They were located on the windswept plains, complete with buffalo grass, drought and rattlesnakes.  This area later became the heart of the famous dust bowl.  The house [see below], hastily dug and thrown up, was barely adequate to turn the howling blizzards aside.  All water had to be hauled in from a deep well here and there.  This mostly came from wells that the sheep owners had drilled and then left behind when the sodbusters came to claim the land.  There was a one-room school less than a mile away and Howard faithfully attended." 
- from "In Memoriam, Howard Kenneth Busby 1904-1997"

Some members of Dan's brother John's family lived in the Campo area.

Image 11: Dan Busby home in near Campo in Baca County, Colorado.  

Howard K. Busby (son of Dan and Minnie) recalled that the house had three rooms -- one above ground, a second halfway into the ground and a third underground below the top room.  The walls and floors were dirt except for the top room.  The exterior walls and room were covered with tar paper fastened down by strips of lath.  The house also served as a shelter for livestock during storms.
U.S. Land Office records show a Land Patent issued on 12 Sep 119 to Daniel Busby on NW 1/4, Section 14, Township 034S, Range 046W in Baca Co., Colorado.
The Springfield (CO) Herald of 1 Dec. 1916 reports that Dan broke his leg while felling a tree.  The same paper reports that he ran for County Commissioner in 1918.

Image 12: Springfield (CO) Herald, 25 Oct 1918, pg 5, col 5

He ran on both the Democratic and Nonpartisan tickets, but was still beaten by the opposing candidate by a small margin -- Busby 727, Elley 742.  That was not the only thing that was not going well for Dan and his family.

"The venture to help [Minnie] was a failure.  In the spring of 1919 after the terrible winter of 1918 when the deadly Spanish influenza claimed the lives of so many, it was back to Kansas and the place of Howard's birth.  This was accomplished by outfitting a covered wagon, taking six head of livestock, driving four mules abreast and heading east."
- from "In Memoriam, Howard Kenneth Busby 1904-1997"

Howard Dreams of Playing Baseball

The family returned to New Albany.  Howard had grown fond of the sport of baseball and began to play for some of the amateur teams in the area.  Most of the men on the teams were older and more experienced and he must have given extra effort to play and be accepted on these teams.  Here are a couple of articles from 1922 which show his participation.

Image 13:The Fredonia (KS) Herald, 20 May 1922, pg 1, col 4

Fredonia lost the game to Neodesha 6 to 3.  Busby played left field and got a single out of 4 at-bats.  A few days later he had better results, but the team still lost to Eureka.

Image 14: The Fredonia (KS) Daily Herald, 27 May 1922, pg 3, col 2

A complete play-by-play summary accompanies this article but is too lengthy to include here.  Batting 8th, Busby grounded out to the pitcher in the third and singled to left in the fifth but was left on base.  In the seventh, he singled to center.  advanced to third on a successful bunt by Willoughby and scored on a passed ball as part of a 3-run inning for Fredonia.  He popped out to third ending the eighth inning.

Dan's and Family's Conversion

The reader will note that the newspapers depict a calmer picture of the Dan Busby family in Kansas than in California.  Perhaps the newspapers were less sensational or were less inclined to report domestic incidents.  Howard Busby remembers that the picture at home was much more volatile.  He describes his father as having a high temper, violent and a "successful gambler."  As a preacher, Howard often recalled his formative years were morally bankrupt, sinful and without any religious instruction or influence.
In June 1923, the trajectory of the family changed.  Howard relates the story as follows.

A gospel tent was pitched in their village.  [Minnie] was attracted to the meeting and ere long there came a real hunger for God and she found victory....  Howard's father and [Howard] attended the meeting very little as it continued for several weeks.
One night after his mother came home from the meeting, Howard asked a simple question: "How was the meeting tonight?"  That seemed to be a signal for his mother, for at that moment she fell to the floor beside the organ stool, crying, "Something must be done!"  She then prayed as Howard had heard few people pray.  Heaven came so near.  [Howard's] sister settled on his knee and his father, a high tempered, violent man, didn't take a step.  No one moved and no one spoke.  God filled the place with His presence in answer to his mother's prayer.
When the tent was taken down in the village, the entire family had been converted: [Zoe], [Dan], who was 62 years of age and Howard.  The home that had been a haven for gamblers was now a place of prayer.  The gamblers never returned. 
- from "In Memoriam, Howard Kenneth Busby 1904-1997"

Dan lived for about fourteen more years after these events.  My mother, who knew him as a child, described him as a gentle and kind man.  She never saw any evidence of the violence that so permeated his life in the past.  Minnie lived until 1944.  Here are their obituaries.

Daniel Busby Obituary

Daniel Busby was born in Shelby County, Illinois, January 7, 1861, and after being in failing health for several months quietly passed away at his home in New Albany, Kas., Tuesday evening, February 9, 1937, at the age of 76 years, 1 month and 2 days. He grew to manhood in Illinois and fifty-five years ago this month came to Wilson county located near New Albany. He spent a number of years in other states but never severed connections with Wilson county or its people.
On October 12, 1899 he was united in marriage to Minnie Radcliff Houser. To this union were born two children. "Uncle Dan" as he was affectionately known by many was converted and his heart purified by faith at the advance age of 62 years. From this time on he was truly a different man. Old things passed away and lo all things became new. It is a rare privilege to witness a changed life as was his. Those who knew him best appreciated this transformation most.
To him religion was not something to be endured but rather a relationship with divinity that brought joy and peace. Shortly after conversion, he united with the Pilgrim Holiness Church and with these people he worshipped through the years. His religious experience can well be summed in the beautiful words of the hymn by Newton:  "Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now I'm found, Was blind but now I see."
He is survived in death by his wife, Mrs. Minnie Busby of the home, seven children and on step-son, including Howard K. Busby of Lamont, Zoe M. Briles of Gravette, Ark., Mrs. Zennia Pawley, Mrs. Violet Maxon, Mrs. Rose Root, Forrest Busby all of California and Byron R. Houser of New Albany; two brothers, J.E. Busby of Campo, Colo., A.C. Busby of Windsor, Calif.; three sisters, Mrs. Alice Salyer, LaPlata, Mo., Mrs. Nettie Donnel, Westervelt, Ill., and Mrs. Tory Kidwell, Shelbyville, Ill.; several grandchildren and many other relatives.
Besides these a great number will miss his familiar figure and cheery words. He had a high sense of honor, was highly esteemed by his friends and therefore leaves a priceless heritage for his loved ones and an excellent reputation among his fellow men. A good man has gone but only as the human race must go.
"He did not aspire to be great, Or to live a life for fame, For better than silver and gold, Is he who has a new name."
"A life of service has ended, The burdens of life are laid down, A Spirit to Him has ascended, Who give to the faithful a crown."
The funeral services were held in the Methodist church at New Albany Friday afternoon, February 12, 1937 conducted by the Rev. Carl Hahn and the Rev. John Philpot, and burial was in the Weakly Cemetery. 
- From "The Fredonia (KS) Daily Herald", 16 Feb 1937

Minnie Busby Obituary

Minnie E., daughter of Samuel and Sarah Radcliff, was born four miles west of Fredonia, in Wilson County, Kansas, March 14, 1872. After being in failing health for several months, she quietly passed away at the home of her son, Rev. Howard K. Busby at Lamont, March 22, 1944, at the age of 72 years and eight days. Sixty-nine of her seventy-two years were spent in Wilson county. Her mind was rich in memories of pioneer days and the people that braved the hardships of that day to settle the country. In 1891 she was united in marriage to Dr. Frank Houser. To this union, one son was born. On Oct. 11, 1899 she married Daniel BUSBY. Their children numbered two.
As a young woman, her contact with Methodism resulted in a definite conversion to the Christian faith. She later failed in her walk with Christ but more than twenty years ago renewed her covenant and lived with her face toward the city of God. Her prayers will ever be a benediction to those who knew her best. Her courage in the face of death was a thing of beauty and her vision reached over the dark river to a land that's fairer than day. She is survived in death by four children, They are: Byron R. Houser of Chanute, Kansas, Howard K. Busby of Lamont, Kansas, Zoe Briles of New Albany, Kansas and Orval Jones, a foster son of Manter, Kansas. There are eight grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and many other relatives. She is also survived by one sister, Mrs. Addie Hall of New Albany, Kans.
Her sterling character and unselfish devotion will ever enshrine her memory in the hearts of her loved ones.
The Lord couldn't be here--so He looked for another.
And when He had found her--He christened her Mother.
Mother's gone--Alas! such words
No peace, no comfort, earth affords
Her best to us was always given
God grant--we may all meet in Heaven
A mother's love--much like the Lord's
Is the warmest thing--this earth affords;
Her going leaves us cold and chilled
With a vacant place that can't be filled.
Funeral services were conducted for Mrs. Busby in the New Albany Methodist Church, Sunday afternoon, with Rev. R.L. Jellison officiating assisted, by Rev. Loshbaugh and Rev. Pottenger. Interment was made in the Weakly cemetery where Rev. Busby read the committal and Rev. Isgrigg pronounced benediction.
- From "Fredonia (KS) Daily Herald", 31 Mar 1944

Image 15: Daniel and Minnie (Radcliff) Busby

We will wrap things up with information on Dan's and Minnie's children Howard and Zoe. 

Zoe (Busby) (Briles) Mueller

I do not have much more than the commonly available material on Zoe Busby.  She married Charles Ernest Briles on 29 Aug 1927 in Wilson County, KS.  They had a son, Mark Walker Briles, born on 19 Jul 1929.  The Briles family is enumerated in Delaware Co., OK in the 1930 U.S. Census.  Although Zoe Briles is listed in the 1940 U.S. Census as widowed, I believe the marriage ended in divorce.  Charles remarried in 1951 to Viola Cargill in Coquille, OR and died 27 Apr 1954 at a hospital in Albany, OR.
Zoe married Orlia Mueller on 14 Jun 1945, in Wilson Co., KS.  My family always referred to him as "Shorty Miller" but his name really was Mueller.  Zoe went back to school and became a teacher.  I believe she graduated from Friends University in 1959 in Wichita, Kansas with a degree in Elementary Education and Art. 
Zoe taught for several years at Rea Woodman Elementary School in Wichita.  She died 31 July 1989.  Orlia worked for Boeing Aircraft in Wichita.  He died 6 Dec 1993.

Howard K. Busby

I am much more familiar with Howard K. Busby.  After the spiritual experience of the family in 1923 related earlier, Howard felt called to preach.

"There was counsel from no one but one year later to the month, in June 1924, he was asked to preach his first sermon.  With the Lord and a worn Bagster Bible that had been given to him, he walked seven miles of railroad track from New Albany to Fall River for that first sermon." 
- from "In Memoriam, Howard Kenneth Busby 1904-1997"

He continued preaching for nearly 73 years, but that first sermon was a touchstone of his life and an event that he reenacted several times throughout his career.
He married Bertha Evangeline Orr on 11 July 1926, in Burden, Kansas.  They lived in Fall River the first seven years of their life together before moving to the little village of Lamont, Kansas where they resided the rest of their lives.

"Bertha was a devoted mother and kept the home fires burning while Howard was on the road for years in his preaching ministry.  She attended Emporia State University [which in those days was called Kansas State Normal School, I think]  and taught grade school 14 years in or near Fall River and 24 1/2 years at Lamont."
- from "In Memoriam, Howard Kenneth Busby 1904-1997"

Bertha and Howard had two children, Meriam who died at birth in 1933 and Daniel Dean. 
Howard was a pastor, evangelist and church administrator of extraordinary reach.  He was Kansas District Superintendent of the Pilgrim Holiness Church (now Wesleyan Church) from 1938-1949 and again from 1953-1969.  He served on the General Board of Administration for the denomination for 30 years.  He served on the board of the Colorado Springs Bible College and Bartlesville Wesleyan College from 1938 to 1972.  He preached in notable camp meetings in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Colorado, Michigan, Ohio, New York, California and South Carolina and many more in Kansas and surrounding states.  Although preaching and conducting church business far and wide, he was also the pastor at the church in his little home village of Lamont  1933-1935, 1951-1956 and 1970-1997. 
I remember him for his frequent visits to churches we attended and as one of his congregation in Lamont from 1970 to 1972.  He was a very hard man to summarize and my limited exposure to him would make me unqualified so I can tell only what stuck in my memory.  He always seemed to have a story, poem or scripture as a response in any conversation.  Sometimes in my impatient youth, I would have preferred a more direct answer, but now I long for those in-depth, word-pictures that came from his heart and opened one's mind more fully than simple, factual answers.   He had a keen intellect until the day he died and a memory capacity that seemed inexhaustible.  He was especially skilled in preaching, administration, debate, writing and meeting new people and his recall was unmatched by anyone I have ever known.
His faithful companion, Bertha, died 13 Sep 1990.  His Christmas letter from 1994, at age 90 catches his loneliness, wit, introspection, philosophical musings and his tirelessness to fulfill his calling to the end.

I am either terribly busy or it may be the lack of speed that makes it seem that way.  This dark Monday morning I had a bit of difficulty getting the gears shifted.  In fact, I am afraid that there was a bit of frustration.  I think it may be the mountains that I see clearly but can never climb.  I admit that another thing concerns me...as I see the sun setting, there is so much work still to do.
In June I went back to Fall River on a Sunday morning to celebrate my 70th anniversary of preaching.  It was there in June [1924] that I preached first.  I walked seven miles to do this the first time.  Forty years later [1964], I walked the same miles alone again and preached from the same text.  This last time, I begged my way into the Christian Church for the privilege...and did not walk the seven miles.  This was the first time I can remember in asking for a platform to speak from.  We had quite a day.
I try to preach full-time and counted twenty rest homes that I have been in and left.  In this village of less than forty, I  have buried thirty-four people this year and watched others die.  I perform several weddings for practice.  I still drive Fords about 1,000 miles each month and try to find more sleep than is out there.
  - from Howard K. Busby Christmas letter to Bonnie Wylie, Humboldt KS, postmarked 23 Dec 1994

Three years later, Howard passed away on 15 Aug 1997.

Conclusion

This ends the events of Dan Busby and his two families.  I will conclude with a story Howard Busby told in a sermon he preached.  He told of a time when he was a little child out with his father and mother cutting trees for firewood.  He became interested in a sharp hatchet that was not being used at the moment and managed to start playing with it when his mother was distracted.  He cut the back of his fingers and hand very badly and had his parents not quickly acted to stop the bleeding and take care of his convalescence, he could have died from the wound.  He was left with a scar for life on the back of one of his fingers.  A lady, observing his hands while he was preaching, mistook the scar for a smudge of dirt.  After the service she complained to Bertha that she should always make sure her husband washed his hands before preaching.  Howard saw a moral to this story.  We often look at the lives of others and judge them as 'dirty'.  But he cautioned that what you see as dirt in someone's life may be a scar from a battle fought and survived.  He summarized by saying, "Take care not to condemn those we see as 'dirty' when it might be the scar from a battle you would have not survived."
I have tried to live my life by this teaching.  I do not condone some behavior that I encounter, but neither do I want to condemn the person.  There is a lot of 'dirt' in the newspaper stories I have unearthed in the research of Dan's families.  I do not mean to judge these folk for I know they have fought battles that I never had to go through.  My intent is to tell a story hopefully based in fact that helps me and others know where we came from and perhaps learn some lessons for ourselves along the way.