Early Days in Kansas: Stories Told By Edwin Clem Mercer

By Loys Mercer


Grandpa, Edwin C. Mercer and Grandma, Hetty Schisler Mercer came to Kansas (Reno County in February of the year 1872 and homesteaded Northwest of Pretty Prairie – no town there at that time.)


On the way out to Kansas the Mercer family had to cross the Mississippi River by fording it. The load was too heavy, so Grandfather threw out Grandmothers chest with all her linens, silver, and many other things that she treasured. I don’t think Grandma ever forgave Grandpa for that.


Grandpa had a team of horses when he came to Kansas. Both of them died. He bought a yoke team of oxen, but one of them died. Later, when a herd of cattle were being driven from Texas, north to Abilene, (later on they were driven to Ellsworth past the Mercer place) they left a baby calf on the Mercer homestead. It was left behind because it could not follow. When this calf was a year and a half old, he worked the calf with the older oxen by changing the yoke so the oxen had to carry most of the load.


Grandfather took the family to Hutchinson with the oxen hitched to the wagon. Grandfather had to walk to keep the oxen moving and out of the water holes. Later these water holes were called buffalo wallows.


The only farm implements that the Mercers had were the walking 12 I and the A harrow, that the brought with them from Illinois.


Early, after their arrival, Grandpa had walked to Hutchinson (21 miles). He worked all week at the Salt Plant, then walked home on Saturday night, taking with him supplies such as sugar, flour, etc. During the week he stayed with John Hartman’s in Hutchinson. John Hartman’s wife was Grandma (Hetty) sister.


Men from the East came out to hunt buffalo. Grandpa hired out as a guide. Grandpa picked up the bones the next year and hauled them to Hutchinson to sell. The hunters shot the buffalo, skinned them for the hides and left the rest on the prairie. Many times when he took the bones to Hutchinson to sell them, he said, the Main Street had mud about hub deep.


During the grasshopper raid, they ate the clothes off the line, stripped the grass and ate everything in sight, that was edible. Grandpa said, they couldn’t see the sun at times because of the “clouds” of grasshoppers.


Grandma Mercer told the story about 3 Indians, who came to their house and wanted something to eat. While she was fixing some food, Grandpa sat with the rifle in his hands watching them. He told a story about Indians stealing cattle at Fort Larned, when he was stationed there.

Grandpa, like other old soldiers liked to tell stories about when he was in the Army. He told one about the time when he was in the army during the Civil War. The Captain’s horse was shot out from under him. The Captain jumped up behind him. A shot from the cannon came along and shot the horse’s tail off. The horse started bucking but they didn’t dare let that bother them because the Johnnies (the Confederate soldiers) were too close behind them.


Grandpa and a neighbor liked to kid each other. John Roberts had been in the Confederate Army. They were both full of humor, but they would sometimes get sarcastic. Grandpa to Roberts – “Remember the time we whaled the dickens out of the Confederates?” John Roberts - - “Can’t figure out how you got that buckshot in the back of your heel unless you were retreating.”