Kansas Hall of Fame

On June 21st, we will hold our reception and induction ceremony inducting the newest laureates into the Kansas Hall of Fame. While the event is a wonderful celebration, it is not our purpose. The event helps fund our purpose which is the sharing of the stories of the very deserving laureates with a public who deserve to know them.

KANSAS, the band, will be inducted as they celebrate their 40th birthday. Four decades as a rock band is amazing. These guys are nice people. They still like each other. They are not consumed by ego. That is amazing.

The music created by this group is enduring and profound. When I find myself perusing Facebook or Youtube sometimes, I click on one of their links and am blown away once more by their lyrics and their arrangements. There is not a moment that their music is not being heard somewhere around the world. It comforts, encourages, motivates, elevates. The state of Kansas is so proud to claim them and so proud that they chose the name of their native state. For putting Kansas on the musical map, we are grateful. Join us at White Concert Hall on Washburn University June 21st as we thank KANSAS for years of hard work and representing us to the world!!

Carry On!

Tickets are available at the Great Overland Station or at: http://kansashalloffame.eventbrite.com/#

Carry On Wayward Son

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Ah

Once I rose above the noise and confusion
Just to get a glimpse beyond this illusion
I was soaring ever higher, but I flew too high

Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man
Though my mind could think I still was a mad man
I hear the voices when I'm dreaming,
I can hear them say

Carry on my wayward son,
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

Masquerading as a man with a reason
My charade is the event of the season
And if I claim to be a wise man,
Well, it surely means that I don't know

On a stormy sea of moving emotion
Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean
I set a course for winds of fortune,
But I hear the voices say

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more no!

Carry on,
You will always remember
Carry on,
Nothing equals the splendor
Now your life's no longer empty
Surely heaven waits for you

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry,
Don't you cry no more,

No more!

Fiddlin' Dreams

I first met Tad Marks in Gettysburg. My dear friend, Carol Neumann Waskie, and I were sipping wine by the fire in the Dobyns House. Charlie Zahm was performing and I had become a fan since Carol's husband, Andy, had gifted me with his CD. He was accompanied by Tad on fiddle and Tad joined us in the parlor. The subject of Old Time music came up and I mentioned that I was related to Tommy Jarrell. Tad began to bow and stammer. I could not help but think if Uncle Tommy knew the reaction around the world when I tell people I knew him, and we are, in fact, distantly related, he would look down, rub the back of  his head and chuckle.

Yes, Uncle Tommy (actually cousin but Uncle is a sign of respect because of the age difference) has broadened my circle of friends and deepened the respect shown by perfect strangers.

Through the magic of Facebook, Tad and I stay connected so I can keep track of his own music career. This story he shared today was irresistible for creative types, and I wanted to share it with you:

Well the story goes- in a dream I was back in time sitting with Ronnie McCoury in a train station. we were waiting for Bill Monroe the Father of Bluegrass Music to get off the train and we were to take him to a festival. Monroe apparently was without his band and had been playing somewhere out west. Monroe kept talking about the American Indian he sat with on the train a Medicine Man. Monroe picked up Ronnie's mandolin and started playing a tune and this is what I heard. Even though it was a dream- I could see him clear as day and Then.... the alarm clock went off and i woke up !!!I worked this up on the fiddle real quick and recorded it , dubbed guitar and mandolin and electric bass immediately ...I found this original old DAT tape and added some reverb- here it is flaws-out of tune fiddle and all but it sounds just like the tune I heard in the dream. (right, photo of Tad with a student posted by Mike Biel on FB)

The result: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=j3Y2EMwMBm0

And, yes, I for one believe that Bill Monroe's personality was powerful enough to teach even in a dream.

Wild West -- On Sale Now!

 

 

When the storms rained out our cemetery tours, I picked up Noel and Alecia and we headed to Barnes and Noble--our destination of last resort. Picked up the newest issue of Wild West. There is a must-read article by Greg Michno, "Everything you know about the Indian Wars is wrong." It was great to see Greg at the Order of the Indian Wars in Denver when Michelle and I went out in Denver. He is a fine writer and historian, and this article is no exception.

 

Actually, this is one of those issues where every single article just strikes my fancy. Bil O'Neal has an interesting story on the Arizona Rangers, illustrated by a movie poster by that name for a film that starred Tim Holt, dad of my friend, Jack Holt.

 

The Weider History Group does it again. Great job, Greg Lalire!

I love Kansas...and KANSAS!

Good grief!! Another one of those times I have been too busy to blog, and I am grateful for the good things that have been happening.

Planning goes on for the Kansas Hall of Fame reception and induction. I am so fortunate to be involved in honoring and spreading the news of some of our most accomplished Kansans. This year's laureates are: James Naismith (who invented basketball); Drs. C. F., Karl and Will Menninger who founded the Menninger Psychiatric Clinic, Clark Kent/Superman, the band KANSAS, and the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry (the FIRST black regiment formed during the Civil War). We are beside ourselves that Bill Kurtis would make time to be our emcee for this event. The exhibit honoring these folks opens at the Great Overland Station during the First Friday artwalk, June 7. The reception will be June 21, 5:30 at the Great Overland Station and the induction ceremony is 7:30 at White Concert Hall the same evening. Reception tickets are $150 (and include the induction and will get you preferred seating in the concert hall). Tickets to the induction only are $20 and available through the Great Overland Station or at Eventbrite.com.

Attending the induction: descendants of the 1st Kansas and retired General Roosevelt Barfield, who will accept the honor on their behalf; Jim Naismith, grandson and namesake of the legendary professor; John Montgomery, Hutchinson publisher, who will accept on behalf of Clark Kent; Laura Siegel Larson, whose father, the late Jerry Siegel created Superman; the Menninger family; KANSAS band members Kerry Livgren, Dave Hope, Rich Williams, Phil Ehart, Steve Walsh, Robby Steinhardt, Billy Greer, David Ragsdale, and producer Jeff Glixman.

This will be an awesome event, celebrating the lives of people who have served and shared our state in meaningful and enduring ways. Plan to see you there!

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Michelle Martin and I made a trek to Denver in April, for the Order of the Indian Wars Symposium. Had the opportunity to reconnect with dear friends like Louis Kraft and Jeff Broome and to meet new friends like Eric Johnson and Mary Lattin. Dr. John Monnett, a legend himself, was set up at the table next to us. Thanks to Layton Hooper for all he does to keep this organization going. It is a fantastic group of folks who are committed to studying and sharing some incredible history, history in which Kansas has a tremendous role. I will be speaking to this august group next year so mark your calendars for the April symposium.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Gary and I took a little trip west, as well, staying in the McCracken home of friends Les and Rose Diehl, then heading to Fort Wallace, Oberlin, and Bennington, where we once again took advantage of the hospitality of friends Rod and Dawn Beemer. Along the way, we visited that geographic wonder, Monument Rocks. Gary had never had the opportunity to see this site and I was tickled to be the one who shared it with him!

Fort Wallace has one of the most excellent museums in the state, or in the West for that matter, and they just got a huge boost. At his death, one of the museum's volunteers left a gift of $700,000 to the museum and to the local library--$700,000 to EACH of them. The gift was an overwhleming gesture and the museum plans to make good use of it. Jayne Pearce, head of the friends group, was emotional as the second check was presented to the group. I have no doubt they will put it to good use. The communities of Wallace and Sharon Springs have worked so hard with local contributions and volunteer labor and artifacts lovingly donated. (KDOT put in restrooms a few years back and marks the only state money, to my understanding, used at the facility.)

I was invited to be the guest speaker for their annual meeting and they treated Gary and myself like royalty. We stayed at the Sunflower Bed and Breakfast, formerly a Methodist church, in Sharon Springs. I highly recommend it. It is a modern remodel, very comfortable. 

Then it was on to Oberlin where I spoke at the high school and at the Last Indian Raid Museum. Decatur County has some incredible history and Sharleen Wurm, Galen Olson and...... gave Gary and me our own personal tour of the sites related to the Cheyenne raid that occurred there in 1878. Their museum complex is first rate. With at least 17 buildings, these folks are passionate about their history and they sure do all they can to share it. Again, we were just treated like royalty. We stayed at the LandMark Inn, built as the Oberlin Bank in 1886. It also served as the county courthouse for a time and the giftshop occupies space where bounties were paid on pelts in a bygone era. Was I thrilled or what to walk into our room, the R. A. Marks Suite, only to find a HUGE print of Buffalo Bill Cody on the wall. Proprietor Gary Anderson is a former banker himself and restoring this downtown landmark was a real labor of love. A real treat was being invited to the home of Galen and Lynn Olson for supper--wonderful company and delicious food.

I love Kansas!!!!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

When we said so long for now, we headed to Phillipsburg where we stopped at historic Fort Bissell and were fortunate to catch it open. (It was just a little ahead of the season.) Again, what folks in thse communities are doing to preserve and share their history is so encouraging and truly remarkable. It makes me want to go back and rewrite the book on Forts and Bases! Actually, it should be volumes because there is so much to tell! For example, one of the buildings that has been relocated to Fort Bissell, is a family cabin where Buffalo Bill Cody was a frequent guest. That's enough to keep me coming back.

After visiting the folks at the bookstore in Philllipsburg, a really lovely couple, we stopped in to see Rod and Dawn Beemer--our home away from home in Bennington. Since the next day was our anniversary, Rod treated us to the "Boss Hawg Platinum Anniversary Tour" which featured sites in the story of Anna Morgan and Sarah White, abducted in this area in 1868 and rescued by Custer in 1869. Rod took us to places I would never have found in a million years and the scenery was glorious!!! Lunch in downtown Concordia and their museum is an absolute must-see. I have to say, visiting all these local museums makes me want to write a book just on that. Delphos, that tiny community with a big past, was open as well and it was a great opportunity to discover more than I had known like, Milburn Stone, Doc Adams of Gunsmoke fame, was married in the Presbyterian church here in Delphos. The town is most famous for being the residence of Grace Bedell Billings, the little girl who suggested that Lincoln grow a beard. Rod also took us to the Zebulon Pike Monument and that may very well be the most beautiful view in Kansas.

Rod and Gary, driving and riding shotgun, on the Boss Hawg Tour.

 

Until next time, Dear Reader, Happy Trails!!! This is just a little update from all the great things that are happening. Hope to see you soon!

April Birthdays

Tomorrow is a big day. Meetings in Hutchinson and then reception/talk/booksinging with Michelle at the Independence, Kansas, library. As it is the First day of April, I was thinking of the birthdays that occur this month, in addition to mine, of course. Some remarkable folks were born this month, beginning with my friend, Dena Wallace Anson.

Dena and I met while I was attending Washburn and working at Topeka Transit as a dispatcher. She was hired for Public Relations and we had an instant bond. She has worked for Washburn now for several years and they would be incredibly lost without them. She is dedicated, very hardworking, extremely capable, and just plain fun. Likewise, her husband Steve, the baseball coach at WU. I love them dearly.

Today is also the birthday of Simon Bolivar Buckner, Governor of Kentucky and Confederate general. His son, General S. B. Buckner II (right) is featured in our book, Kansas Forts and Bases. He was the highest ranking officer killed by enemy fire during World War II.

April 3 is the birthday of Cyrus Kurtz Holliday, my favorite Topekan. A native Pennsylvanian, also like many of my closest friends, Holliday came to the Kansas Territory as an idealistic, optimistic, industrious young man. He was instrumental in founding Topeka and the ATSF Railway. No one has ever loved Kansas more than Holliday. Even his passion was challenged, however, by political divisiveness and gridlock. At a particularly dismal point, Holliday wrote to his wife who was traveling abroad:

". . . I have sometimes become so 'soured' that I have almost resolved that I would quit the town and look up a new home elsewhere. I have given the place eighteen years of my life and a great deal of money -- as you well know --and without my unceasing and untiring efforts Topeka, today, would be no better than the small communities that surround her.
   But I have got about tired spending time and money to enrich me who never give, or do, anything except to oppose those things that would make our town and county valuable."

There is nothing new under the sun. Thankfully, Holliday stayed and a couple of years after he wrote this Topeka was asking him to serve as mayor, again, to help the town through its most difficult moments. He declined and went fishing.

I have lots more April birthdays to share. Happy April and stop back by!

Prairie Roses

 My dear  friend, June Windscheffel ( below left, photo by Topeka Capital Journal photographer Thad Alton), was honored by the American Business Women's Association last week. It was a lovely tribute to a woman that makes everyone feel like they are the most special person she has ever known. I am blessed to call her my friend! She has long been an advocate for history and came to our book launch party in February. She is a long-time member of the Westerners and is always laughing and learning! We love  you, June!!!!

Friday evening, my very talented friend, Beth Ohse, and I headed to Wichita for Lone Chimney Films next production -- The Road to Valhalla. While Beth reconnected with an old friend, I attended Ken Spurgeon's booksigning at Northfield School where he teaches and coaches. His book, just released by the History Press, is A Kansas Soldier at War: The Civil War Letter os Christian and Elise Dubach Isley. Ken is the best thing to happen to Kansas history since Lewis and Clark.

The Prairie Rose Chuckwagon, just outside Wichita, was the location for our filming on Saturday. Old friends Joe Houts and Paul Stuewe were the other "talking heads." It was great to visit with Joe and Noreen and they brought a bottle of wine with them as a wedding gift for Gary and me. (Yes, we have our third anniversary in May but keep the gifts coming!)

Other than being fed and feted like rockstars, the best part of this gig was visiting with the legendary Orin Friesen. We have so many friends in common and have been Facebook friends for a while, but this was the first opportunity to really visit. We talked music, music legends, cowboy movies, "Home on the Range," mutual buds -- it was a great time! Bonus: A copy of "Tales from the Trail" by the Prairie Rose Rangers. Orin's son, Jesse, proves he is his father's son with some fine picking and vocals. Kim Coslett and Jolynn MacIntyre round out this talented foursome.

While Joe and Paul were filmed in the rather cool room just off the greatroom at the Prairie Rose, the boys kindly built a fire for me. Being a girl has its advantages.

No Greater Calling--a Review

I have had Eric Johnson's new work, No Greater Calling, for a few weeks now waiting for a review. It was difficult to get around to actually reviewing it as it was on constant loan. I carried it with me to talks and stopped to share it at historic sites. The jacket is already showing signs of wear.

"You have to see this!!!" I have enthusiastically informed my history buds. "You have to have this!"

No Greater Calling is a labor of love in the truest sense of the word. Nowhere is this about Eric; it is all about A Chronological Record of Sacrifice and Heroism During the Western Indian Wars, 1865 - 1898. The amount of dogged research that went into producing this 400-page volume is staggering. There is no editorializing, save for the quotes selected by the author throughout or the brief introduction and conclusion. It is simply a chronology of engagements and the resulting casualties of more than three decades of America's asserting control of the western United States. The dozens of photographs are those of graves. . . a quiet, compelling, black and white testament to the soldier's life.

It is one thing to know that George Custer's command was annihilated at the Little Big Horn River; it is another to see each man's name, five pages of names, each a real man. What is most startling however, is the sheer number of engagements and their vast geography. Take, for example, these two minor events, separated by a few days and hundreds of miles:

Skirmish, Chiricahua Mountains, Arizona Territory (August 6, 1872) -- Company A of the 8th U. S. Cavalry; Action near Prior's For Montana Territory (August 14, 1872) -- Eight companies of the 2nd U. S. Cavalry and 7th U. S. Infantry. Sgt. James McClarren and a citizen, William Francis, were killed.

In all, Eric (right, while in the Navy) chronicles more than one-thousand, three hundred engagements. Some, like Little Big Horn, remain embedded in the national psyche. Others, like those just mentioned, were forgotten until Eric blew the dust from the records. A veteran himself, Eric thought the veterans of this era between the Civil War and the turn of the century were lost to history.

"For men who did all their nation asked of them," he wrote in the preface, "for those who willingly answered their nation's greatest calling, this cannot stand."

Historian John Monnett said, ". . . the American soldier of the frontier army has all but been forgotten or portrayed in  pejorative contexts. Eric Johnson has brought their names and story back to life as the men they were, doing their often undesirable, often controversial duty, a story of individual veterans who deserve the dignity of being remembered. The statistics Johnson brings to the fore in this excellent book will serve as a needed resource for writers and historians for years to come."

I concur. Let me add, this is the most valuable, most un-selfish book to land on my desk in years. Writers and historians have a desire to express themselves, to share their passions and prejudices and thus they insinuate themselves in the story by one means or another, if only through editing. Eric's ego is nowhere to be found in this book. This is a simple, straight-forward, long overdue tribute to men who served in a mostly thankless place for a mostly disinterested nation. This should absolutely be in every public and school library, as well as the shelves of Indian Wars enthusiasts.

It is no surprise that Eric's work has been nominated for the Army Historical Foundation 2012 Distinguished Writing Awards, the Reference Category. A hearty congratulations and a nod to Schiffer for publishing this valuable work.

No Greater Calling: A Chronological Record of Sacrifice and Heroism During the Western Indian Wars, 1865 - 1898. (Schiffer, 2012) hardcover, 408 pages, b&w pictures.

http://www.schifferbooks.com