For the next few weeks, the Independent will explore the series of history stories written by C. Frost Liggett, the first newspaper man in the county when it was just beginning in the 1880s. Liggett began to write his memories of the original people who came to this area some fifty years later. He then published those stories in the Kiowa County Press in the years 1939 through 1943.
The Kiowa County Historical Society in collaboration with the Eads School District joined with 32 other Colorado institutions who received grants in May of 2000 for participation in an innovative collaboration called the Colorado Digitization Project (CDP). The CDP created a “virtual collection” of Colorado’s historic and cultural collections to make them universally accessible via a sing Internet portal.
The grant from the CDP was used to digitize the writings of local newspaper editor and prominent political figure, C. Frost Liggett. The writings, which were published in the Kiowa County Press from Liggett’s reminiscence of the original people, places and incidents of Kiowa County and surrounding areas. The project will also digitize photographs and documents which correspond with Liggett’s writings.
Pioneers: J Sherman
By C. Frost Liggett, Kiowa County Press
J Sherman settled on Rush Creek, right in the bosom of the Sand Hills. Here Mrs. Sherman raised a fine family of boys. The family suffered, along with others, many hardships, and passed through many hard trials. Sand piled up around the old sod house, but the Shermans stayed with the “ship,” for many years. One of the boys still resides in eastern Colorado.
But the old “rooftree” finally caved in and the family separated several years ago.
Mrs. Sherman was what is known as a hustler. We encouraged her in her industry, exchanging food stuff and groceries for citrons and pie melons for which we had not the slightest use. There are many interesting incidents and events that come to mind in the lives of this couple, but being of a rather personal character, we shall not relate them.
The Republican County Convention was in session at Galatea, and there was considerable controversy and differences among the delegates over the selection of candidates for the county offices. J Sherman had the contract for plowing the fireguards along the Missouri Pacific railway. He did not attend the convention, but was approaching Galatea, with his ox teams, with which he was doing the work. The day was hot, so were Mr. Sherman and the ox teams. The sun shown down with withering brightness, and the wind was blowing up the dust; down east of the town came Mr. Sherman, urging his teams with goad, and encouraging language, such as seems necessary in handling ox teams to do their best, as they dry, hard earth turned slowly over the plow shares. We remember his sturdy figure. His hat had a small bit left of its original brim, while the perspiration spurted from every pore of his face and body. But this was no unusual picture of J Sherman. He was a man of honest toil, and we carried this picture of appraisement along with us, when we left him.
The convention lasted long into the night, and when it adjourned, J Sherman was nominated as County Commissioner and was elected at the following election.
We always regarded Mr. Sherman as a loyal citizen. They worked hard to make a go of it and certainly made an effort to surmount the difficulties against which the family struggled. But fate and the “sand dunes” were too much for even their determination and fortitude.
Mr. Sherman always insisted that his first name was the simple letter J. That he had no other first name. He found considerable difficulty in convincing the local and general United States land office of this fact. It required several corroborative affidavits to make them understand that the plain letter J stood for his full name.
All this brings to mind:
Man that is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down. Job XIV – 1and 2: But man dieth and wasteth away; Yea, Man giveth up the ghost and where is he? – Job 13:30 Our information is that Mr. Sherman died at Colorado Springs, several years ago, and that Mrs. Sherman moved to California. The sad winds continue a requiem over the parapets remaining. (Note – the obituary of J Sherman states that he died in Pueblo.)
