https://voicesofignacio.cvlcollections.org/files/original/1509d090adb1478898204ac56bad89a2.pdf 435c904f7bb26e3dcbfdc96a93f1b162 PDF Text Text 'l 'l 'l • • • 1 'I i i J ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) } ) _) ) ) ) ) ) _) _) ...J RUDOLPH JOHN & SUSIE (McClure) HASSTEDT "My first language was German," Mr. Hasstedt recalls. "My parents were both born in Germany and migrated to America when they were teenagers. My father, Jacob Hasstedt, came to New York alone when he was 17, got a job in a store and soon learned English well. He always had a noticeable accent, but he could speak in public, if necessary. My mother, Julie Henning, moved to Boone, Iowa, where one or her brothers had a bakery. Dad settled into that part of Iowa to farm. A few years after he and mother were married, Dad began to develop a serious asthma condition. His doctors recommended a move to western Kansas for a drier climate. When I was nine months old, my parents loaded me, my two older sisters, and my older brother into a covered wagon and headed west. They settled on a homestead near Buffalo Park - now called Park, Kansas. Our first home there was a dugout, very warm, but small. Dad built a sod stable for the farm animals. Each year we planted trees and made other improvements to qualify for ownership of the homestead. The climate was harsh. There were snow blizzards in winter and blistering hot winds in summer. I have passed green fields of corn in the morning and returned in the evening to hear the leaves rattling and dry after only one day of hot wind." After the Hasstedt's claim was clear, they were permitted to file on a timber claim near" the Saline River, 4 miles away. About this time, they bought a one room frame house to move onto their land. Even though it was small, it was an improvement over the dugout. The children climbed a ladder to sleep in the attic. The winter winds often sifted snow through the shingles, piling snow on their beds. "I started school at the age of 8. Since tax money was very scarce, school sessions lasted at the most 6 months and sometimes only 4 months. There were no grades. Pupils read in the First Reader, the Second Reader, etc. Each year every student, no matter how old, started with the First Reader, reading through the familiar material, book after book, for a review until they reached a difficult level. At that time the teacher would assist them to learn the new words. My help was needed on the farm each fall. Instead of starting to school in September, it was usually Thanksgiving before I could go. I began plowing with a walking plow when I was 12. We used a breaking plow to cut the tightly knit sod to open new land. Then we used a stirring plow to break up and tum the soil. Following the plow is weary work. I caught myself sleepwalking many times, awakening only when the plow had hit a rock. By attending school only part time, I was 21 years old before I finished 8th grade." ....) "There was little for young people to enjoy in those days. Sometimes had parties, or school activities or church activities. The first minister in that part of Kansas was a Congregationalist preacher. I joined that church when I was 12. From the time I was a small child, I liked to listen to the preachers speak and wished I could do that. This desire stayed with me. In my early 20's I decided to enroll in the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago to learn more about the Bible. I rode the train to Chicago and was amazed at the city. The lamplighters going on their evening rounds, the elevated railways, everything was new to me. I attended the institute for 6 months and was still undecided about preaching when I returned home. Soon after, some of the people told the minister, 'Let Rudolph preach.' It took me 2 weeks to write a sermon. When the day came, I was quite nervous, but it went over well. The people liked it and most important I found out I could do it and enjoyed doing it. Soon afterward I enrolled in a Congregational Church Academy at Eureka, Kansas. There I went to school and preached for 2 country churches." .,.) 77 _) ...J __) __) ..) ..) __) .,.) __) J ,..) �In 1907 Susie Frances McClure and I were married. After finishing at the academy, we moved to Topeka where I attended Washburn College." "Later, Susie and I decided to move to Kiowa County in Colorado. We homesteaded land near Eads. A Presbyterian minister came to preach at Eads once a month from La Junta. When the people found out I could preach they let me speak for them and soon gave me his job. I soon was traveling to two country churches to preach part time. With a horse and buggy it required a lot of time going back and forth. My first Model T expanded my range considerably. They soon had me going to Chivington and Brandon, also. To most common people the Model Twas the most important invention of that time. It would travel in all kinds of weather. Rain or snow all you had to do was button down side curtains, put your nose against the windshield and go. Once while I was taking an elderly man to the doctor in Colorado Springs, I remarked to him, 'I don't see why anybody would want anything any better than this.' II was a cold miserable day. The side curtains were flapping in the wind and we were wrapped in blankets. Uncomfortable as people would be today, we thought it was wonderful to make such speed." "In 1918 we moved to Florida Mesa to work with the Presbyterian congregations there and at Bayfield. Our trip across the mountains was an experience to remember. Wolf Creek Pass was little more than a trail. We stayed 3 years, living in the manse on Florida Mesa before moving on to Monument. I was out of the ministry for one year. Then I was assigned lo the Monument church for 13 years." "In 1937 I was again assigned to the San Juan Larger parish which included Florida Mesa, Bayfield, Ignacio and Allison. I stayed with this assignment until I retired in 1949. In the later years the roads improved, but in the early years it was a real challenge to make the rounds. Al one time I had a Model T, a buggy, a sled and a saddle. All were needed at one time or another." The Hasstedts had three children. Julia now lives in Castle Rock. Cecil and Dorothy are both in Bayfield. Susie Hasstedt died in December of 1965. Mr. Hasstedt is now 99. He has this bit of advice, 'Old age is not all fun. Put it off as long as possible.' Of course this is said in fun. Mr. Hasstedt is in good health. His hearing is good. He has a good appetite and he feels good. Best of all, his mind is sharp and full of good humor. One thing he regrets is the gradual losing of his eyesight. he has given away all his books. "I can't read any more. Fortunately, I have memorized a good deal of scripture, but I have forgotten a lot of it, too. They usually let me preach on the Sunday nearest to my birthday. I don't like to talk about hell and damnation. My favorite subject of them all is God and his plan of salvation for all men." Mr. Hasstedt now lives in Bayfield with his son, Cecil, and his daughter in law, Doris. We wish lo thank him for all the years he has been a help and an encouragement to his fellowman and wish him many more years of good health. August, 1978 - Shelby Smith 78 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Shelby Smith Interviews Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource https://rightsstatements.org/page/NoC-NC/1.0/?language=en Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1973-1980 Subject The topic of the resource Ignacio; Southwest Colorado Description An account of the resource Collection of biographies, predominantly of residents from the Ignacio Senior Center, based on interviews conducted by Shelby Smith from approximately 1973 to 1980. The abridged interviews were originally published as individual entries in The Thoughtful Years newsletter, published by the Ignacio Senior Center, beginning in 1973. They were later published as a whole in Smith's book: Oral Histories of the Southern Pine River Valley, from which the original scans in this collection have been derived. Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smith, Shelby Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Rudolph John Hasstedt and Susie (McClure) Hasstedt Biography Date Created Date of creation of the resource. 1978-08 Subject The topic of the resource Hasstedt, Rudolph John; Hasstedt, Susie (McClure); Ignacio, Colorado; Southwest Colorado Description An account of the resource Biography of Rudolph John Hasstedt and Susie (McClure) Hasstedt based on an interview conducted by Shelby Smith. Originally included in the August, 1978 issue of "The Thoughtful Years" newsletter published by the Ignacio Senior Center. Later included in the book "Oral Histories of the Southern Pine River Valley" by Shelby Smith. Spatial Coverage Spatial characteristics of the resource. Ignacio, Colorado; Southwest Colorado Type The nature or genre of the resource Text Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Hasstedt, Rudolph John; Hasstedt, Susie (McClure) Extent The size or duration of the resource. 2 pages Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NKC/1.0/ Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Smith, Shelby