Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-12-02
KANSAS PIONEERS.
HomeIy Details Of Life of Western
Couple so Years Welded.

/ Cherc is only six months difference
in their agcs), will celebrate their
golden wedding anniversary on the
10th Of next July.
II John Gabbert and Hester Ann Hurt
were married at the home of the
brides parents, Mr.. and Mrs. Daniel G..
Hurt near where Halls Station is
row located, in 1861, and only kin were
inv itQd. The bride wore a plaid silk
skirt and white waist The wedding
supper was elaborate, and the bride
cooked it herself The night following
the wedding, the groom's uncle, JOS
eph Gabbcrt. who lived near st. Joe,
gave the bridal couple a big reception
and dance at his home. MIR. and Mrs.
Gabbert were famous dancers. Indeed
Mr.. Gabbart was such an accomplish
ed dancer that ne was called upon to
dance solos, and whistle his own
music.
Before their marriage Mr.. Gabbert
often attended dances three times a
week. Mr.. Gabbert says his wife was
the prettiest girl he ever saw, and the
r5porttr to whom he made the state
ment found il easy tn believe; Mrs.
GaDbert is still handsome woman. She
returned the compliment by telling the
reporter cCnfdentially that her hus-
band is good looking now, Int was a
very handsome man in his youth. Al
though Mr. Gabbert complimerted his
wife TO her face. Mrs. Gabbert gave
her compliment behind his back. A
woman who has been married 80 years
has learned one thing-that men are
tol oh
they are good looking.
\ Bride usually cries her eyes out
Ifeerirg some other woman will steal
the wonderful man she married. Mrs.
John Gabbert says she cried steadily
the first five years of her married life
for fear the soldiers would steal her
husband. The year she was married
the Civil War began. The first gun
was fired in April. and in July john
Gabbert and his bride went to house
keeping on farm he owned near
Halls Station Mr.. and Mrs. Gabbert
were Southerners. and Northern sol
diers Were passing their home day and
night for five years. They took his
live stock, and more than once search
cd the house and premises for Mr..
Gabbcrt, but he managed to escape.
There never was q time, however,
when Il soldier offered an indignity to
the pretty bride.
The Missouri river has been a pow
eriul enemy Of Mr. and Mrs. Gabbart.
Mr.. Gabbcrt says his first recollection
is OF the Missouri river on the ram
page. He distinctly recalls the great
est flood in the history of the river,
which occurred in 1914. 1t should have
Been a warning to him. but it wasn't
IL bought 1f0-2crc farm IL the Dot
rems. directly opposite Atchis"n, and
100 acres of it are now in the Missouri
rivar. Three times he ami his family
moved ont and saw the river take pos
session Of -hcir home. Then the waters
would rocede. anG Mr.. and Mrs. Cab
bert would decide it would never nap
non again. Mrs. Gabbert says MANY
A night she has lain in bed, and heard
their land fall into the river. 1t
sounded like distant thunder. Ny.
Gabbcrt says the road he took as d
voung man. from his farm near Halls
Station. to ST. Joe. IS now. LOT tiie
most part. or the Kansas slde OF Tue
river. Bale Waggener says ne can
easily believe the statement. he mas
. survey map in his possession Whlch
1 shows that in 1887 East Atchlson was
on the Kansas side Of the river re
l saws that river changing Its course
cannot annex land belonging to one
state. to another: therefore, he says
East AtchiSon/iS in Kansas, and that
ever saloon there could be closed
under the Kansas prohibitory law.
Mr. ana Mrs. GaDbert have finally
4 escaDcd from the river: their present
H home at Armour is comfortable,
llfurrishpd house situated on
high hill. Fifty steps lead from the
road to their front yard. But their
'front.' porch commands a magnificent
| view Of their old enemy. the Missouri
river.
Mr.. Gabhcrt's father. Thomas Jeffer-
son Gahbert may have been the first
settler in Buchanan county. Mo-; at
/ any rate. there were not many there
when he arrived from Kentucky. John
Gabbcrt was born on what is now
known as the Charles Herman farm,
10 miles east Of Armour, two days af-
ter Christmas in 1910. His wife, Hes
ter Ann Hurt was born six months
Halter CtWo days after the Fourth Of
lIuly). in clay county, Mo. When Hes
ter Ann Hurt was six months old. she
moved with her parents to Dekalb
where her ather bought mil. Mr.
and Mrs. Gabbert say they can re-
member when there We're more deer
lin Buchanan county than there We're
stUmps Of trees. They say they gath
cred in flock after flock of wild tur-
keys by means of traps. Mrs. Gabbert
used 10 broil the breast of a wild tur-
II key. and SAYS it is the most delicious
meat she ever tasted.
Although Mr.. and Mrs. Gabbert
lived within few miles Of each other
f,r 20 years. they did not meet until a
year before their marriage. and met
first at a dance. Their love affair be-
ghn with their first meeting and con-
tnues to this day. Mr.. Gabbert says
that he had no trouble winning his
bride and Mrs. Gabbert says that af-
ter their first meeting he "courted
right smart" calling on her at least
three evenings a week until their mar
riage
OF course the ariStocratic kin in the
Gabbert family is On Mrs. Ganbort's