Making My Way back East

Well, the trip from South Fork, CO to Moline, Kansas was long and not much on good things to see.  Mostly two lane roads from Walsenburg, CO and just dry, desolate countryside (mostly flat with no shoulders on the roads).  After nine hours of driving, I decided to stop overnight in Pratt, Kansas and then drive the remaining 3 hours or so the next day -- Tiger and Molly were fairly stressed and I even found where one of them must have come out from hiding but, didn't make it back to the litter box (disenfectant wipes worked great for the cleanup).

Spent five nights in Moline and visited all the nearby cemeteries (Elk Falls cemetery, Moline cemetery, and Mount Olivet cemetery) to look for graves of grand parents, great grand parents, and other Cunninghams or Russells.  The city park right in town had full hookups for $10 per night and I originally booked for 3 nights but, extended my stay to get WiFi access at the clerks office and the library (not open on Thursdays and Fridays).  While at the library on Saturday morning (only open from 9 to 12), I heard of a small museum in town that also was open only until noon so, I left the library at 11:30 to make a stop at the museum (The Shaffer House Museum).

The Shaffer House Museum

As it turned out I was able to stay at the museum for a couple hours because a woman (Elaine Julian) was there getting things ready for an "Ice Cream Social" and "Open House" the following evening.  The day before (Friday) I had been to Howard (7 miles north) where the Elk County Courthouse is located to see if I could locate some records defining where the Cunningham and Russell farms were located but, the courthouse was closed on Fridays.  Feeling "bummed out", I dug through the mountain of things at the little museum and on the top floor, I came upon an Elk County Atlas that much to my surprise showed the location of my relatives farms (four tracts were a little south of Elk Falls City).

Elk Falls Cemetery (Cunninghams)

The day before, I had also been to Elk Falls to visit the cemetery where the Cunninghams were buried.  I also visited the Falls and the 1893 Iron Bridge there (which is on the Historic Registry) and was drawn down Seventh Street through the town, south past the railroad tracks and over a creek where I felt compelled to look east at the surrounding land and farms.  I had been drawn there twice before coming upon the Atlas and before learning the Russell farm was just there (to the east) -- where I had been looking.

Mount Olivet Cemetery (Russells)

With the information gained from the Atlas, I decided to stay another night and go to the ice cream social in the afternoon -- after driving around the Elk Falls area again in hopes of getting a look at the Cunningham and Russell farm locations.  First, I drove down Rt. 99 to the county line and headed east in hopes of finding the Cunningham farm or where it would have been.  The county road ended after a mile and a half at someones fences and gates (no names) so, I headed back to Elk Falls.  The Russell farm location was easy and I went there to confirm where I had been drawn was indeed just to the east.  Then, I started the search on the winding, gravel country roads leading west and south from the Russell farm location.  After zig-zagging around the countryside, I eventually wound my way to Angus Road and Road 18 where I met the Elk County line again -- felt convinced this is where Harvey's, Henry's and Adelaine's properties were.  Nothing but cows grazing all around but, do remember seeing remnants of what could have been an  old storm shelter in a field nearby.

1893 Iron Bridge

This is the old Iron Bridge and in the deck boards, I found the names of four Cunninghams routed into the boards (Friends of the Bridge).  The falls were to the left and because of the drought, it was just a trickle but, can only imagine that in the early 1900s it flowed with greater volume and provided a wonderful place to visit and relax (or maybe go for a swim).

Elk Falls (just a trickle)

In the pictures of the cemeteries, the Cunningham's had a whole row and Harvey's above ground vault is among the trees beyond the row of other Cunninghams -- Bryan's were just in front of Harvey's vault.  The Russells were just in a small cluster to the left of the larger headstone for Sarah (J. E. Russell being the first small stone to the left of Sarah's).  Besides J. E. Russell's second wife (Mary E. Buckley), there were only four other Russell's in the plot (B. N. Russell, Victor L. Russell, John W. Russell, and Lawrence Russell).  Two of the Russells were on the same marker (John W. and Lawrence died when they were 20 and 11 respectively).