My Genealogy Home Page:Information about RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR
Rev. RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR (b. 22 Feb 1919)
 | Ralph & Margaret Metheny |
RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR (son of HARRY ENOS METHENY and EDNA MAY FRITZ) was born 22 Feb 1919 in ARGOS, MARSHALL COUNTY, IN.He married MARGARET LOUISE DEVORE on 17 Jun 1942 in BETHLEHEM CHURCH, GILLETTE, WY.
Notes for RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR:Ralph Robert was born February 22, 1919, on the William B. Metheny farm (Heitzler Place) south of Bourbon, Indiana and east of Argos.His mother said he was born on the kitchen table.He was baptized in the Bethel Methodist Episcopal Church a short distance north of the farm.He was baptized by Rev Montgomery March 30, 1919.A picture of Rev Montgomery and his family is included in the scrapbook.
In 1922, at the age of three he was brought by Ford Model T. to Wauchula, Florida, along with his brother Harold.Uncle Bob and Aunt Mabel also came. Just as they were all ready to come he got sick with collitis!
He was taken by his parents to First Methodist Church Sunday School and remembershis kindergarten Sunday School teacher Mrs. Ross.
Miss Ella Beeson was his first grade teacher.He remembers the very first day of school when his mother left him in the care of his teacher.His parents taught him to love and respect his teachers.All through public school he sought to record perfect attendance and never to be late to school.He found his teachers to be major influences in his life.Miss Ruth was Eighth Grade Principal.
He was chosen to represent his class at eighth graduation ceremonies in City Hall.The Rev. John Branscomb, pastor of Arcadia Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and later to be Bishop Branscomb was the speaker.
As a Boy Scout he was chosen to represent the troop at the National Camporee in Washington, DC was an outbreak of polio caused it to be cancelled.He was a Life Scout, lacking one merit badge, lifesaving,of becoming and Eagle Scout
In 1935 he was a youth delegate to the National Youth Assembly of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in Memphis, TN.First remembered seeing snow!Was president of his local Epworth League and the sub-district of Epworth Leagues, the Flying League Union.
He was elected president of his senior class and valedictorian.
Here is the Valedictory address for June 7, 1937 at the Wauchula City Hall.
VALEDICTORY
Members of the Board of Education, Parents, Friends, Teachers, schoolmates and classmates: Our faces are toward the future. We look forward eagerly to new tasks, new accomplishments and we hope, new honors. We have heard America's call for she needs one and all. Needs us as trained workers; some on the farm; some in industry; some in the professions and in business; some of us as humble workers; some, we are sure, more or less famous; but for each of us she has a place as worthy patriotic citizens. America says to us today, "You have made a worthy start.Do not lay away your books; go on learning.Life is full of lessons and wise are they who learn them." So our face is toward the future, our eyes are on the distant goal.
Yet as we look forward, our thoughts turn backward we recall the happy years of school --as beginners; as fourth graders when we had mastered the multiplication tables and could read words of six letters; we recall the hard lessons that nearly floored us and the joy of conquering them; so many days, so many lessons, so much of gladness, a little sadness: a beautiful picture that we enjoy. Our thoughts even turn affectionately to the old school clock. Even though its hands often seemed to drag so slowly; it has brought us through the years and to the looked-for hour of graduation.
Also in our backward look we see those who have made it possible for us to graduate tonight, the parents with their loving care, the Board of Education with their favors, the teachers with their patient instruction. What a debt we owe them, and how heartily we thank them as we say goodbye.We are what you have made us and through years to come we shall reflect your influence.
Thousands of commencements in this land of ours, thousands of graduates standing proudly to receive diplomas, thousands of more or less weighty speeches being made but only one class that is US of this school.While we are one among many we are also one, separate and distinct. This class has a destiny of its own. A work no other class can do, a page of life no other can read.
Other classes may win more fame, accumulate more wealth, enjoy greater pleasures but let us resolve, classmates, that none shall live more nobly nor serve their country more faithfully. Our school asks us to be clean, honest and industrious.
If we accept this challenge, our records in years to come will be an honor to this occasion. Farewell school and schoolmates; we go forth to learn new lessons.
This Valedictory address was given by Ralph R. Metheny upon graduation from Wauchula High School, Wauchula, Florida, June 7, 1937
In 1937 he was recommended by his church and after passing examinations received his teacher's certificate and his local preacher's license.
Ralph first was challenged to accept the unconditional love and grace of Christ at the Flying League Union Revival services in Ft. Meade under the Rev. J. Wallace Hamilton.He also found great meaning in his annual week at Youth Assembly at Florida Southern College, Lakeland.
In 1937 he was appointed to Ft. Green Methodist Episcopal Church,South which had been closed and also to the College Hill Tabernacle where he served as pastor for the summer.
Through the influence of the Rev. James Blitch, pastor of Zolfo Springs Methodist Episcopal Church,South and Aunt Emma Metheny he chose Asbury College, Wilmore, KY.Because he did not have money to attend college a group of people in his home church as well as Zolfo Springs put together enough funds for three months college tuition and expenses.
In 1937 he entered Asbury College, Wilmore, KY.Was given a job as a waiter in the dining hall and the pantry, making salads, coffee, tea and desserts.He majored in history.Was chaplain of his Senior Class and preached in missions and jails.He was graduated from college in the class of 1941.
In 1938, he sold books and bibles for Southwestern Publishing Co, Nashville, TN, under J. R. Duncan, crew leader.He was assigned to Scott County, Indiana, and lived for the summer in Austin.He canvassed the rural areas on foot spending nights with the ones that would accept him for the night.The following year he worked in Shelbyville and Noble, Illinois, as a crew leader.
1941, June, Asbury College, Wilmore, Ky. A.B. degree.
In 1941 he became the "house boy" for Dr. and Mrs. F. H. Larabee, cooking, cleaning and chauffering.He was appointed pastor of Shakertown-Mt. Zion Methodist churches near Wilmore.
He met Margaret DeVorein 1939.After falling deeplyin love they were married in the Bethlehem Church, near Gillette, Wyoming, June 17, 1942.Their first home was an old Shaker house made of stone on the grounds at Shakertown, Ky.
Ralph then was appointed to Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church where they served for two years.The church is soutwest of Nicholasville, KY.
1944, June M.Div, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, Ky..
In 1944 Ralph was graduated from Asbury Theological Seminary and Margaret from Asbury College.He was received on probation into the Northeast Ohio Annual Conference of the Methodist Church, ordained Deacon and appointed to the Adena Charge (four churches) of the Steubenville District.Margaret became the English teacher at New Athens High School.
1944-1947The Adena Charge--Adena, Harrisville, Georgetown and Mt. Pleasant..
Ralph Robert, Jr., was born July 3, 1946, in Ohio Valley Hospital, Wheeling, WVA, because our doctor took his patients there.Carol Lynette was born November 1, 1950, in the same hospital while we wereserving the Amsterdam-E. Springfield Charge.
1947-1950Amsterdam-E. Springfield charge.
1950 M.Ed. University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
1950-1956Peoples, Cleveland
Mark Timothy was born November 9, 1955 while we were serving Peoples Methodist, Cleveland.
Served as "The Pastor" in "The Pastor's Study", a late night radio program designed to answer questions and help people who could not sleep.
1956 Transferred to W. Ohio Annual Conference.
1956-1962Epworth, Lima.(W. Ohio Annual Conference) Philip Jon was born July 16, 1957.
Served as "The Pastor" on "The Pastor's Study--TV" a late night TV program designed to help people with their questions about faith, life and the Church.
In 1954,Ralph was sent on a Holy Land Pilgrimage including Ireland, France, Italy, Greece, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan and Israel.He spent Christmas in Bethlehem.
In 1958, he was sent on an evangelistic mission to Cuba and preached at La Gloria near Camaguey, Cuba.Fidel Castro was seeking to overthrow Bastista.The burning cane fields lit the sky at night.
1962-1969Hayes, Fremont.
1968Attended uniting conference in Dallas, Texas.
1969-1974First Church, Sidney, Ohio.
1974-1976Epworth Church, Marion, Ohio.
1975, World Conference on Evangelism, Jerusalem
1976-1982Clough United Methodist, Cincinnati, Ohio.
1977, Galilean Covenant Experience, Holy Land study tour.
1979, Joined Dr. J. T. Seamands and his Mission Study class, Asbury Theological Seminary, to India.Visited mission work in New Delhi, Varanasi, Madras, Calcutta, Bethel Orphanage, Bombay.Met Mother Teresa in her mission and chapel in Calcutta.Saw unusual work of Dr. Mark Budane, Calcutta.His hospital, food ministry and bible school were very impressive.
1980, Purchased very first home, 437 Cedar Avenue, Lakeside, Ohio.
1981, Wesley Heritage Tour of England, Scotland and Wales.Ralph and Margaret led the tour.
1982, Final sermon as active member of West Ohio Annual Conference, Hayes United Methodist Church, Fremont, Ohio. Retired at Annual Conference June, 1982.Moved to Lakeside, Ohio, for six months and six months in Wauchula, FL.Purchased 14 X 68 mobile home and placed it in backyard of old family home.Ralph and Margaretwere care-givers for Ralph's father and mother.
Filled the pulpit in Wauchula, Fl and Lakeside, Ohio as well as liturgist for church and Lakeside Association Chaplain's Hour.Each year spoke at Vespers and Port Clinton Methodist Prayer Breakfast.
1985, Princess Cruise and Tour of Alaska.Visited Fairbanks, Denali, Nome, Kotzebue and Anchorage.
1986, built new home in Placid Lakes development near Lake Placid, FL.
1993, Caribbean Cruise of San Juan, St Thomas, Guadaloupe, Grenada, Caracas and Aruba.This was made possible by the children to honor Ralph and Margaret's 50th Wedding Anniversary in 1992.
1995 Phil and Lu adopted Joshua Taylor, Lyndsey and Nicole Nichelle thru Helping Hands Adoption agency, Toronto, Canada.The children were from Kaliningrad, Russia.July 16, all attended a reunion picnic in Toronto, Canada.
BABY RALPH AS RECORDED BY HIS MOTHER:
About Ralph Robert Metheny, written by his mother on the back of the baptismal certificate:
Ralph Robert Metheny was born February 22, 1919
Went in July to Atlantic, Iowa.Stayed 5 weeks.Turned over on his side…
Put in short dresses 4 weeks…
Photos taken after 5 weeks.
Eating bread and butter, graham crackers and a taste of ice cream at 6 mo.
Could sit alone at 6 mo.
Began mimicking, suck his small ? and playing with his tongue at 6 mo.
Got up to a sitting position from lying on his back at 6 mo.
Got pair of white shoes
Weight at 7 months, 18 pounds
Could reach door, pick up things with one hand while standing at 9 mo
Brush his hair at ? mo.
Would clap his hands at 9 mo. and dance when daddy does.
'
First tooth at 9 mo. Dec 6 Lower right hand side
Two teeth at 10mo.Would wave hand when we say bye bye.
Four teeth at 11 mo.
First sick spell at 10 mo.Temperature 104Had Dr. Sarber of Argos.
At 11 mo would point finger at things & shake his head.Say Mamma.
At 15 mohe walked alone.
Cute sayings--Bite-towhen he wanted something to eat.
Way-up-high, cuttie for cookie, tea cup for tin cup
Don'p for don't, bampa for Grandpa, Mama(maama) for grandma
Papos for potatoes, kept wanting to kiss Harold when he was only a day old.
Doomp for jump, Now, way down in there, Whoop there.Called William brodder the same as Louise did
Would get in a rocking chair and sing bye-o-bye.He looked at a torn place in apron, said, "broke."Looking thru a catalogue he saw a Victrola and called it a "house."
Had whooping cough at the age of 2 yrs.
One eve I left yard gate open for Harry & Ralph said I must shut it so the flies wont get out.
When daddy was moving Ralph mentioned about him being on a sewing machine.
Going to the barn one eve Ralph said he had his coat on so his stomach wouldn't take cold.
(There was something part of it missing about his trying to "preach & sing.")
IMPORTANT PEOPLE I HAVE MET Because I am a Minister of the Gospel:
1. The Risen, Living Christ
2. Writers of the bible
3. Persons of the bible
4. Frank Laubach, World Literacy Program, Hayes Memorial United Methodist,
Fremont, Ohio
5. Hugh Downs and his father, Lima, Ohio
6. Ed Sullivan
7. Catharine Marshall
8. Mother Teresa
9. Billy Graham
10. Bruce Larson
11. E. A. Seamands
12. Eddie Fox, New Life Mission
13. Tex Evans, Appalachian Service Project.
14. Fred Halsey Larabee, Dean, Asbury Theological Seminary, my first
Greek teacher.
15. S. J. Mattar,Warden of the Garden Tomb, Jerusalem
16. J. T. Seamands
17. Harry Denman
18. Bishop John Branscomb, Florida Conference United Methodist Church
19. Clarence Jordan, Writer of Cotton Patch NT Agape community
20. Alex Reid
21. Wings of the Morning
22. Burleigh Law, martyr in Belgian Congo
23. Joe Davis, missionary to Belgian Congo.
24. Peter Shaumba, native from then Belgian Congo.
25. Bishop G. F. Ensley
26. George Morris, New Life Mission. World evangelism.
27. Oral Roberts
28. Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, wife of founder of OMS and author, "Streams in
the Desert" ands Springs in the Valley"
29. Mrs. Edwin E. Kilbourne, wife of one of the first OMS missionaries.
30. Dr. Roy P. Adams, longtime executive director, OMS.
31. Dr. Samuel Kamaleson, World Vision director, founder of Bethany
Orphanage, India
32. Kubler-Ross "Death and Dying"
33. J. Wallace Hamilton, first drive-in church, Pasadena, FL
34. Grainger Westberg, "Good Grief"
35. Dr. Mark Bundane, founder of Hospital, orphanage and food ministry,
Calcutta, India
36. Ralph Sockman
37. Norman Vincent Peale
38. Ruth Peale
39. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Chief of the Northern Cheyenne, Indian activist
and senator, CO.
40. Bill Moon, missionary to India
41. Ruth Seamands "Missionary Mamma"
42. David Seamands
43. Bishop H. Lester Smith, Ohio Area, The Methodist Church, the bishop who ordained me.
44. Bill Gillam, member of Ambassador Quartet and missionary to Medellin,
Columbia.
45. Dr. Hugh Frazier, medical doctor, and ham radio operator, Zair.
46. Fred Waring
47. John McCutcheon, Folk singer
48. Tom Chapin, Folk singer
49. Victor Borga, Pianist, Radio and TV
50. Dennis Day, radio and TV star and champion for children with polio. Was
with him when he sang for the children in the hospital in Cleveland, Ohio.
51. Dr. William Arnett, chairman, Department of Theology, Asbury Theological
Seminary, Wilmore, KY
52. Dr. Harold Greenlee, Greek scholar, missionary, ham radio.
53. Bishop Peter Storey, South Africa
54. Bishop Lance Webb, key instructor, Lima District Institute. Lakeside,
Ohio
55. Bishop Emerson Colaw, key instructor, Lima District Institute, Lakeside,
Ohio
56. Elton Trueblood, Founder of Yoke Fellow House, Richmond, IN.
57. Dr. Albert E. Day, Disciplined Order of Christ.
58. Dr. Clarence E. Macartney, author, pastor, Pittsburgh, PA
59. Dr. Keith Miller, leader of retreats, author
60. Hoover Rupert
61. Robert Raines, pastor, author
62. Bishop Ralph S. Cushman
63. Charles H. Schmitz, author, "Windows Toward God"
64. Don Richardson, author, "Peace Child"
65. Woody Hayes, Famous coach at Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
66. R. G. LeTourneau, "God Runs My Business"
67. Stanley Tamm, State Smelting, Lima, Ohio State Plastics, Radio Station
68. E Stanley Jones, author, world evangelist
69. Bishop J. Waskom Pickett, Fremont, Ohio
70. Dr. Henry Clay Morrison, founder and first President Asbury Theological
Seminary, Wilmore, Ky
71. Z. T. Johnson, Executive VP and Pres, Asbury
College, Wilmore, KY
72. Joe Hale, Pres, World Methodist Council, United Methodist Church
73. Bishop Hazen G. Werner, Ohio Area, The Methodist Church
74. Genie Price, leader of spiritual life retreats, renowned author of historical novels.
75. Rosalind Rinker, leader of prayer retreats, author, " PRAYER, CONVERSATION WITH GOD.
76. Rev.Fred Shaw, Native American United Methodist Pastor, Shawnee Truth Teller.
More About RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR:
Baptism: 30 Mar 1919, By Rev Mongomery, Bethel ME Church.
Comment 1: 1919, Baptized, Bethel Met hodist Episcopal Church, between Argos and Bourbon, Ind/Bourbon, Marshall Co., IN.
Comment 2: 1979, Met Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India.
Degree 1: 1944,M. Div, Asbury Theological Seminary, Wilmore, KY.
Degree 2: 1941, Asbury College, Wilmore, KY A.B. in History.
Degree 3: 1950,M. ED University of Pittsburgh, PA.
Event 1: 1922, Moved to Wauchula, Florida.
Event 2: 1925, Entered First Grade, Wauchula Elementary.
Event 3: 1933, Eighth Grade Commencement.
Event 4: 1935, Youth Conference, Memphis, TN.
Fact 5: 1937, Local Preacher's License, Teacher's Certificate.
Occupation: 1944, Ordained Methodist clergy.
Personality/Intrst: 1962, Amateur Radio License.
 | Ralph and Margaret's wedding cert |
More About RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR and MARGARET LOUISE DEVORE:
Marriage: 17 Jun 1942, BETHLEHEM CHURCH, GILLETTE, WY.
Marriage Notes for RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR and MARGARET LOUISE DEVORE:April 2000
watching and listening to the birds at feed in our back yard, blue jays, scrub jays and a red bellied woodpecker, doves and a squirrel just scurried around their feeding ground all took off in a loud flutter of wings.This is my favorite room of the house we had built here in Lake Placid.When the wind blows the pines sigh, the pignut hickory has lost its leaves Bob sent us a picture for Christmas that he had made an enlargement of 2 pictures he tooklast summer when they were in Wyoming of the ranch and frames the pictures with wood from the old barn.I sit here and look at the buttes that looked at as a child and remember.
It has been a wonderful Christmas Philip was here and it so good to have him.Then Viola came and we had family here and it was so good.
But I look at the pictures and remember the house on the prairie, to the west of the house was a windmill with a big tank for watering the cattle and horses.Then the reservoir beyond the windmill which froze over in the winter.We would take shovels and brooms and clean off the snow and sake and pull a sled on it.Elvin still has the sled.We had it ever since I can remember.Time every winter the neighbors, Uncle Elmer, Uncle Johnny Smelser, Alex Wilson, Ed Rhoades , Long John Maple, Oklahoma John, and Bill Carroll would come and they would saw large squares of ice and bring them by sled and horses to a large pit in the ground.They covered each layer with sawdust until the pitwas filled and cover it.Later Daddy built a shed over the pit it was the "ice house"After they finished with our ice they would go to the next neighbor and put up ice for their family.
Aunt Ruby Morehead and Mother would make dinner for all the men.
In the summer the ice was washed free of the sawdust and used in the ice box (our source of refrigeration in the summer in the winter it was the back porch where a quarter of beef or antelope would hang frozen and Mother slice off what she needed for each meal)and the ice was used to make ice cream that was our usual dinner desert along with angel food cake which Mother always made from scratch with a whisk beating the egg white and banking in a kerosene stove oven because it had better regulated heat than the wood, coal stoveon which she cooked our meals.
Mother made the best ice cream.She cooked with cream had been separated, sometimes she made a carmel ice cream by "burning sugar"in an iron skilletuntil it was amber and had hard crystals and then putting in theand I can remember stirring until the sugar crystals dissolved.I could do that with my right hand so it didn't bother Mother!
All year long dinner was usually with some of the family at our house or theirs,.Uncle Elmers, Uncle Johnnies, or Grandpa and Grandma DeVore 'sSometimes we went to Silas and Dora Haden's or they came to our house.
Of course I remember before Aunt Alma and Uncle Johnny were married and also before Uncle Elmer and Aunt Ruby were married--Aunt Alms and Aunt Susie taught school and I especially thought Aunt Alms special, she laughed a lot and brought Evelyn and me gifts and took our pictures.I remember watching her comb her long blonde hair and putting it up on what she called a "rat".Aunt Susie was Mother's friend from high school and normal training in Iowa.In Tabor Aunt Susie and Mother and Daddy went to the Faith Home High School and Aunt Alma went to the local high school.Grandma and Aunt Alma went to the Christian Church in Tabor and Grandpa and Daddy and Aunt Susie went to the Tabor Hepsabah Faith school.Aunt Susie expected children to sit still and never move.I know for I had her for a Sunday School teacher.I think I thought more about tryingnever to move than what she said.aunt Alms and Daddy were more alike and Aunt Susie and Uncle Lester were alike.
When we went to Grandma for dinner I was intrigued with a toy train that was Uncle Lester's.It was big about 8 inches high and l0 inches long and it was an old fashioned train engine, also we would spend hours looking through aat pictures.
Some of my earliest memories in Wyoming ere going to Literary Club , I am not sure whether it met once or twice a month.But the meetings were in the schoolhouses in the evenings, the adults wrote papers they read or poetry they had written, my father would write poetry.The school housed would be packed and I remember sitting on top of a desk because that was the only place, I gave my first 4 line "piece" at these probably at the age of 4 to 6.I do not remember going after I started to school. But for years they were one the homesteader social activities.
Another social activity was the IPB Club.My mother and a friends organized a women's club that met regularly homes.Sometimes an extension agent would come and do demonstrations.Lately looking a picture of one of these gatherings I was surprised how many people would come.They would often be family affairs and they would have games for the children.Evelyn was 3 years young than I.We were very close, I always felt I had to take care of her.at one of these extension gatherings the children running races.I was ahead but I looked back and saw little Evelyn about two or three the last one.I didn't want her to be last so I slowed down and ran with her.My father wondered why I stopped and waited for Evelyn when I could have won he said.
She was always small, petite with dark flashing eyes and full of fun, I was the more serious.We played together, we slept together and when we started to school we rod horseback together.My parents held me back a year and started her a yea early so that we could have a school built near us.One of our parents would put us on "old Prince" a big white horse I rode in the saddle and Evelyn behind and Mrs. Joneson would take us off at school.At the end of the day we would reverse the pattern.We did not have a lot of toys but I never felt deprived.No one we knew had a lot.We were happy.I remember one Christmas during the depression, which I really did not know about until was older, that I have always remembered as the best.A number of years ago I remember telling Mother what a good Christmas it was and she was flabbergasted because she said they had no money for Christmas but what they did Daddy made a doll trunk out of wood, with a tray just like Mothers, It was probably and ;two feet high and four feet long.We usually got new dolls for Christmas but that Christmas the trunk was full of clothes for last years dolls and the dolls from the two years before, beautiful dresses with lace, coats with fur hats, blanket, pillows that Mother had made.I dimly remember that the sewing machine would be running at night when I was half asleep.Daddy made a wooden doll bed that really was far nicer than any I have ever seen.Too bad I waited so many years to share how much that Christmas meant but I never realized how hard times were.We had plenty of food, Mother canned vegetables from the garden and we made a yearly trip to Sheridan and bought vegetables in bushel baskets from the Japanese truck farmers.They were such dear people, the little women always made over us children and would tramp through their irrigation fields in their big boots and native dress picking beans. Years later I heard they were all put in concentration camps during the war.It made me sad because they were gentle people.We had our own milk and Daddy separated each evening in the separator that stood on the porch, the cream in one container and milk in the other.It was usually my job to churn butter.I remember the first one was a tall ceramic type with a cover with a hole through which a dashed went down and I pushed it up and down until the butter formed.Later we got one that was glass and one turned with a handle.Viola has it today in her house in Omaha.It seemed such a mindless job that I would prop a book and read and Mother would sayif I would just churn and not read I would get butter quicker.
Our family name was originally spelled Devore but for some reason and I am not sure when Daddy capitalized the V.Perhaps in going through the papers I have of copies of the homestead from Washington DC I might find about the year he changed it.
Our dolls and our imaginations were our play.Evelyn and I would cut out the pictures of people from Sears Roebuck and Montgomery Ward catalogues and keep them in shoe boxes.We had sets of families we played with them.One was "growing'. We sorted the boys and girls into piles and then in layered ages.We started with sets of parents and added babies and then babies changed to children gradually growing up.Doing the things we were familiar with.We had blocks that we formed rooms for our houses and the shoe boxes became cars with P and G Laundry soap bars the seats, the daysthat Mother had to destroy a seat to do the laundry was not a happy one and we had to wait for groceries to come from town.But our families traveled to church, to town and made trips across the country to see grandparents in other states.And then sometimes there was a wedding and it would be in the front room of a house and in the bedroom while the ceremony was going on there had to be a sister sitting and crying and the father of the bride sitting in there with the weeping sister. Why? Because we thought this was part of a wedding because when Aunt Alma married Uncle Johnny this was what happened.As I grew older and discovered this wasn't the procedure I thought it was because she crying for the loss of her sister but years later I heard someone say that Aunt Susie had had her eye on Uncle Johnny I do not know but she never married.We spent hours cutting and sorting and going through new catalogues eagerly waiting for them to become obsolete and victims of our scissors.
In the summer we had pretend games we played outside.In the winter we played in the deep snow making ourselves Igloos in which we could crawl in and pretend to be Eskimos.We had a sled that we pulled one another around or found slopes to coast.Later in upper grades and high school groups of neighbor boys and girls would take sleds and toboggans and slide down the buttes.In the winter when we were in grade school Daddy would take us to school in the bob sled.It was always fun sitting in the clean hay that covered the bottom with blankets pulled up overus, watching the runners make lines in the snow.
I loved to ride Old prince over trackless snow and all you could see were tracks of rabbits, antelopes and then look in the distance and see the Big Horn Mountains.I loved vastness and the stillness . Our schoolhouse had been built in the summer of l935 to accommodate Evelyn and I, the two Carroll girls, and Charles Barkley.We girls were all first graders, five--Olive Ruth Joneson was daughter of our teacher.Charles has always felt sorry for himself being the only boy with a bunch of little girls, at our fifth High School reunion he was there because he only graduated on HA one year ahead of me because he stayed out of school awhile and was still talking about being the only boy.The next year the Rhoades children came and they were in the seventh and eighth grades.Our teacher for three years was Nell Joneson, a widow. By that time women were not allowed to teach if they were married.My Mother taught the Dye School after she and Daddy were married but things changed during the depression years.Joneson's owned the land just west of Uncle Elmer
andone evening Mr. Joneson took his rifle as usual when he was going after the milk cows but as he mounted his horse with his gun, it went off and he lost his life.The incident made a deep impression on me in regard to guns.Daddy had a rifle but he was very careful with it.He used to shoot antelope, sage chickens, when they are young they are good but older ones have strong sagetaste, he only shot for food.
This is a writing I wrote for Julie in November l992
Dear Julie: This is to be the partialkeeping of a promise I made to you last summer, to write you some of my early memories.As we traveled from Lakeside to Lake Placid I watched the changing scenery and many memories came to m6 mind and so this is my trip of memories.
On Thursday Oct. 22 we closed the cottage, windows were boarded and plastic covered against the winter snow and wind.Grandpa drained all the pipes and put anti freeze in them.So the cottage was "put to bed" for the winter.Do you thank if might dream about the summer months of Julie and Laura running up and down the stairs?Julie working Grandma's knitter, Laura making horse pillows Grandma's serger, girls squealing with delight on the telephone when they heard Krista was to be in their school.Paul playing Intendo on the porch, family gathered around the table--family coming and going, leaving to ride in the boat with Uncle Phil and Aunt Lu--the excitement of everyone for Grandpa and Grandma's 50th anniversary.Oh it has a lot to dream abut this winter It will probably remember two tiny little girls whose heads couldn't reach the counter top that have grown to teenager, two little boys are now in college and come as young men withgirl friends and a little boy.
So we said goodbye to the cottage and in a car loaded until it groaned we headed for Columbus.It was a delightful fall day, the bay was smooth and there were fishing boats out.As I looked at the lake I remembered that as a child growing up on the prairie I used to wonder what a large body of water really looked like.We had reservoirs where the cattle drank and in the spring the creeks ran with water.When I was nine years old we made a trip to Chicago and I saw Lake Michigan and that was exciting /We visited museums in Chicago.It seemed we walked and miles and saw so many fascinating things.While we were there we went to Uncle Merle Dooly's seminary graduation.Velma was only three and Kenneth Dooley was about the same age and he had a tricycle that he kept running toward Velma and she would scream.It kept Mother and Aunt Agnes busy trying to keep them separated.On that same trip we went to Iowa and to John Fletcher College where Aunt Ruth was in school and I was on a college campus for the first time.I thought it wasmost exciting and decided then I was going to college some day.
As Grandpa and I drove on toward Columbus I was thrilled with the beauty of the fall trees.I love the fall and was so glad that the trees had turned colors before we left.As I looked at their brilliance I remembered that as a child in the early grades in our school the teacher would give us construction paper of orange, red and yellow and we would draw leaves and then cut them out and they would be placed above the blackboard until replaced in Oct. with witches and pumpkins.In December Santas and bellsmarched along the top of the blackboard, January were snowman, February hearts, March kites April and May various flowers.I could identify with all of them but the leaves.There were few trees in Wyo. on prairie.My Mother missed them and she would plant little trees and care for them carefully but they did not grow.Along the creek banks were cottonwoods but they did not turn colors. So a I cut out colored leaves I would wonder a tree with red orange and yellow leaves looked like.I saw pictures of such trees but to feel them and really see them I tried to imagine climbing in a tree of colored leaves. It was the fall l939 when I went to Kentucky to college that I really saw them for the first time.I was enthralled with their beauty .On Sunday afternoons a college friend, Dorita Smith from Brazil, and I would walk the country roads around Asbury and drink in the beauty. On Sundays at noon in the dining hall which was family style, we were given sack lunches for evening.We would take our sack lunches and sit beside a little rocky stream shaded by blushing trees and picnic.
The road we took from Columbus goes through some of Ohio's farm land.There are still some of the big white 2 and 3 storied farmhouses.They made me remember that early morning in Sept. l939 when it was just beginning to get light and I was on the Lincoln Zepher on my way to college for the first time.I had packed my trunk, which is the one that I still have in the cottage storage, and had taken the train, the Burlington in Gillette early one morning.All day the train had rumbled across eastern Wyo., a corner of South Dakota and Nebraska and about midnight we reached Lincoln ,Nee. and I changed to the Lincoln Zepher which clean slick and fast, I saw big 2 and 3 story farmhouses close together across the farmland.In Chicago I changed to a train that took me to Cincinnati, Ohio.It was evening when the train got there and I had to wait awhile in the Cincinnati terminal for a train to Ky.Itwas after a ball game in Cincinnati and apparently Cincinnati had won, people were shouting, laughing and screaming, it frightened me, I thought they were the wildest people I had ever seen I found a secluded corner to be inconspicuous and I thought I ought to be back on my quiet peaceful prairie with just memy horse and the mountains in the distance.In the station were a number of blacks which was new to be for the only black people I had seen were the porters on the trains that used to wave and smile at us when we were at the station and watched a train pull out.Also new to me was that when we got on train the blacks went to the back of the train and we were in Ky.
As we traveled through Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky I would look at the houses and wonder about the children in them and remember my childhood.Evelyn and I played together because we lived so far from other children.We had many pretend games we played replaying life as we saw it.We cut paper dolls from catalogs and they were "sized" so as we made a family our children would grow.Our families enteracted with one another.In the winter when the snow piled high we bundled up and made snow forts and "igloos" and pretended to be Eskimos living in our snow houses.
Sometimes Daddy and we girls would put on skates, clear the snow off the reservoir and ice skate.I was never very good because I was an awkward child, Evelyn was smaller and more graceful.
We did have times that we got to play with other children.When I was in third grade our teacher, Mrs. Joneson stayed with us.We started first grade together in a new school building.We named our school Sacajawea after the Indian girl who led Lewis and Clark through Wyo. to the coast.She was from the Wyo. Shoshone tribe. In our school there were five first grade girls and one boy seventh grade, Charles Barkley.During that winter the three of us had a playroom upstairs in a small room.Mrs. Joneson spent one winter with her brother, John Maple who lived near the school.She was a widow who had lost her husband when he accidentally shot himself as he got on his horse with a loaded gun.Olive Ruth was her daughter.
Children of RALPH ROBERT METHENY, SR and MARGARET LOUISE DEVORE are:
- +RALPH ROBERT METHENY, JR, b. 03 Jul 1946, Wheeling, WVA Ohio Valley General Hosp., Wheeling, WVA.
- +CAROL LYNETTE METHENY SMITH, b. 01 Nov 1950, Wheeling, West Virginia.
- MARK TIMOTHY METHENY, b. 09 Nov 1955, CLEVELAND, OH.
- +PHILIP JON METHENY, b. 16 Jul 1957, LIMA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, LIMA, OH.