Rembering - Moving

Moving. Have you ever stopped to count the number of times you and/or your family have moved? I think mine now stands in the mid twenties. Moves of any consequence always make lasting changes in one's life, such as the one pictured on the left.

This photo was taken just after our family started our move from Harper, KS to Arthur, IL in October 1938. It was taken near Argonia, KS when my oldest sister, Estella, wanted to stop and say goodbye to her boyfriend, John Plank, who was farming in that area. I assume that he took the picture.

As you can see the trailer we used to move was quite full. I've often wondered what all was in that trailer. The trailer was borrowed from Sam Troyer of Harper and would need to be returned early the next year. What we found out was that we could only travel about 35 mph as the trailer would begin to fishtail faster than that. The same was true when we returned the trailer the following year. Our car was a 1937 Ford sedan, which was about one year old at that time. We six people were all in there which was quite a car full.

Our travel that first day was to Harrisonville, MO where we stayed with my mother's brother and family, the Ora Hartzlers. I think we only stayed overnight and continued our journey to Arthur, IL the next day. I don't remember much more about that trip, but can only imagine what it might have been like.

This move totally changed the course of my life of course. We moved from a farm in Kansas to a town in Illinois. We didn't know anyone there, but since we moved due to my Father becoming pastor of the developing church there, it didn't take long for us to learn to know the people. We moved into what was called the "Johnny Kauffman house," for the man who owned it. After a year or so we moved to a very big and cold house at the edge of town on a temporary basis, then soon back into town into a house we would live in for quite a few years. Our family moved at least three more times in or near Arthur in the years my parents lived there. I can recall how most of those houses were laid out and remember many events that took place in them.

I will not recall the other moves that I made following my marriage, but there were many. Perhaps the move that made the greatest impact on Clara's and my family was when we moved from East Peoria, IL to Orrville, OH in 1974. Carol had just graduated from high school and soon left for college here in Hesston, KS. Gordon was a senior in high school and found the transition more difficult than he had anticipated. Ron was a freshman in high school and lost out on violin lessons which he had been taking in Illinois. Lynne was in sixth grade and truly didn't want to move, but somehow made the transition without too much ado. These were life altering changes for our children, changes which affected their life choices.

All of these events cause me to remember many things I haven't thought about for a long time, but they are all events that are part of who I am today. I cherish the pictures we have of these times as they help in bringing the past into perspective with the present.

And so I remain

Pilgrim on the way