Orval Robert Click was the son of Abram Click and Emma Deette (Jenkins) Click (Butcher). Both are buried in the Fairfield Cemetery just a few miles east of Montezuma, KS. (It is not more than ¼ miles from the Montezuma Wind Farm). Emma's last name is Butcher on the cemetery records because she married Mr Silas Butcher after Abraham Click died. She and a brother (George Washington Jenkins) are both interred without any markers. Near her is Abraham Click. He has a veterans tombstone that was added around 2001 thanks to a descendant of his first marriage prior. (Abram Click was first married to Jane Sample. She died, and he married Emma D Jenkins.) (That descendant who got him the tombstone was Leon R Harris. He lives in the country just west of Iola, KS.) He said that Abram Click went to the civil war as an older man. When the war ended Jane died, and he moved his family (all daughters) to Beloit, KS. I own a tin photo of Abraham Click with his first family. That photo is displsyed on Abram Click's findagrave memorial.
What was strange is that I think this descendent said Abram volunteered to be drafted in place of someone else. That was allowed, but seemed strange given that he had a family. Maybe it was a financial transaction.)
Abram & Emma D had four children. Nettie the oldest was born in Minnesota. The other three were born in Beloit, KS: Linnie, Arthur Eugene, & Orval Robert. Abram as well as his wife were short people. Grandma said that the Jenkins were short because they were Welch. Abraham was supposedly adopted, but had his real last name. Orval Robert was the only 6 footer and the only one with blue eyes. Orval Robert as well as his dad Abram were homesteading in Grey County. Linnie married Curtis A Payne and moved to Plains, KS. Linnie and her husband encouraged Orval Robert and Jessie Bell to move to Plains, KS in Meade County which is one county south of Grey County. That is how we ended up in Plains. The Paynes (OR Click's sister and brother in-law) homesteaded south of Plains. Last I knew the descendants of Blanch Hush owned that land. The Paynes had a son Harry Payne who married Bess. They lived in the Syracuse & Johnson City areas of Kansas which is near the Colorado border. One of their daughters is Lola Fox. Lola's daughter has taken an interest in their genealogy. I'm hoping she can track down Maude Payne's descendants (the only daughter Linnie & Curtis had) and perhaps they may know what happened to Nettie. I cannot seem to find out anything about her except that at one point she lived in Colorado. I did find some notes of my mother's that stated Nettie was an artist and that she was buried in Palm Beach. I also found two little booklets that had written in them: "from Aunt Nettie Click-Hunter 1914". I also know grandma said another Click died of nephritice. Unless Aunt Linnie Payne died that way, I think she meant Aunt Nettie. Aunt Linnie lived until 1958, so I doubt it was her.
A few years ago, Lola had a family reunion just before grandma died, but grandma was too old to travel.
I should also add that Arthur Eugene was killed by his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and a neighbor in a shootout. The newspaper article seemed pretty biased stating that Arthur had it coming. I wasn't there, but three against one seems kind of rather an unfair fight. His wife took her family's side. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Cimarron, KS. A big tree is located right on top of where his grave is.)
Here is Orval Robert's obituary:
Obituary:
The Hutshinson Hearld
Tuesday Morning, Oct 12, 1926
Page 3:
ORVAL R CLICK DEAD
Orval R. Click, 47, a former farmer of near Abbyville, died Sunday at Plains. The body was brought here last night for funeral services this afternoon at 2 o-clock at the grave in the Partridge Cemetery. Johnson and Sons are in charge.
Notes from Nick Cannon Lecompton, KS
===============
I have a little glass straw that Orval Robert drank out of when he was sick. He died of Nephritis (swelling of the kidneys). He gained a lot of weight since he got married. I sometimes wondered if in today's medicine he may have been diagnosed with diabetes -- just a guess. Before he died, the last trip he took was with his wife Jessie Bell to go see Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Co. He started as a farmer, but ended up running a Blacksmith Shop business in Plains, KS. Grandma told me that he loved stinky Limburger cheese. Grandma also told me how she got cheated out of her cooks wage when she helped a farmer's wife during harvest. So he simply charged them more for their blacksmith work, and gave her the money that was owed her all along. Grandma also talked about how her sister had put on a harvest hand's hat and they all got head lice, so Orval Robert & Jessie Bell had to douse their hair with either kerosene or turpentine to get rid of the lice. Orval Robert had a nick name for grandma -- Ducks. In notes I found from my mother, Orval Robert's dad Abram called her "little white bird". (Abram died when grandma was 1.5 years old.)
Orval Robert bought grandma some ceramic ducks to remember her nick name. For years there was also a depression on the north side of the house where he had helped grandma setup the garden to grow potatoes that he always told her had to be planted before St Patrick's Day. Grandma has several pictures of her dad. He also was very fond of hunting dogs. One in particular was Max. Grandma said when her dad died, Max curled up and took a long time to get over his master's death. Orval Robert died in our front room. Grandma had always told me that he was the only blue eyed Click and the only 6 foot tall Click. The latter is a fact. However, according to Civil war records his dad was blue eyed too. His Mom was under 5 foot, and his dad was 5'6" in the civil war records. There is a picture of his dad on his dad's memorial. His son, Orval Russell was also a 6 footer. Somewhere I also have the bowtie that he wore on his wedding day in 1899. I also have a locket of his hair that grandma kept.
In some notes I found from my mother, she said that Orval's mom was a seamstress and made a suit. I highly suspect that the suit in reference was Orval Robert's suit that he wore when he married Jessie Bell in 1899.
I wrote so much about Orval's family roots, but not much about him. He died 9 years before my mother was born, so unfortunately, we did not have the privilege of knowing him in person. What I know of him was through grandma who died in 2003. Grandma kept her people alive though her stories. Grandma loved her dad. He had a nick name for her -- "Ducks". We had ceramic ducks that Orval had given grandma (mother and her ducklings). Unfortunately, the mother was stolen, but we still have the ducklings. For years there was also a ditch just to the north of the front porch in Plains that he had dug for grandma so that she could plant her potatoes. He had told her that potatoes have to be planted by St Pats Day. Grandma also told me that her dad loved Limburger cheese, which the rest of the family hated because it is known to smell like human body odor. Grandma also told us about the time that her younger sister Marguerite put on the hat of a farm hand while their dad wasn't paying attention. Marguerite ended up with a horrible case of head lice for which their mom had to use coal oil. (Coal oil is similar to kerosene, but made from Coal (shale) where kerosene is from petroleum.) Grandma also told me the story of where a local farmer's wife cheated grandma out of her money she earned for cooking for her during harvest. Her dad said not to worry because as the local black smith he would simply tag it on to their bill the next time that farmer needed his services. Grandma saved a locket of her dad's hair in the cedar chest. He had brown hair that reminds me somewhat of my mother's hair color when she was younger. Orval was a slender man when he was young. Grandma said he was the first 6 footer Click and he had beautiful blue eyes. (Grandma also had very beautiful blue eyes too -- unlike mine that are more of a steel blue.) We know that Abram Click had blue eyes from his Civil War description, which must mean Emma's eyes were not blue.) In his later life, Orval gained a lot of weight. I recently found a detailed obituary which I will add at some point. In it, it describes that he got sick a few months before he died. Grandma always called it Nephritis (swelling of the Kidneys). In the obituary it mentioned Brights Disease. When I looked that up, it is a term that isn't used anymore. Given that he had gained so much weight, I wondered if he might have been diabetic. I discussed it with my doctor, and he mentioned many causes for nephritis. He said he could even be brought on suddenly by strep or rheumatic fever. I guess we will never know for sure. I just wondered if it might be diabetes given his weight gain in later years. I would ad that I see a similarity between Helen's looks and my mother's looks. So I see my great grandpa Orval through my mother.
What was strange is that I think this descendent said Abram volunteered to be drafted in place of someone else. That was allowed, but seemed strange given that he had a family. Maybe it was a financial transaction.)
Abram & Emma D had four children. Nettie the oldest was born in Minnesota. The other three were born in Beloit, KS: Linnie, Arthur Eugene, & Orval Robert. Abram as well as his wife were short people. Grandma said that the Jenkins were short because they were Welch. Abraham was supposedly adopted, but had his real last name. Orval Robert was the only 6 footer and the only one with blue eyes. Orval Robert as well as his dad Abram were homesteading in Grey County. Linnie married Curtis A Payne and moved to Plains, KS. Linnie and her husband encouraged Orval Robert and Jessie Bell to move to Plains, KS in Meade County which is one county south of Grey County. That is how we ended up in Plains. The Paynes (OR Click's sister and brother in-law) homesteaded south of Plains. Last I knew the descendants of Blanch Hush owned that land. The Paynes had a son Harry Payne who married Bess. They lived in the Syracuse & Johnson City areas of Kansas which is near the Colorado border. One of their daughters is Lola Fox. Lola's daughter has taken an interest in their genealogy. I'm hoping she can track down Maude Payne's descendants (the only daughter Linnie & Curtis had) and perhaps they may know what happened to Nettie. I cannot seem to find out anything about her except that at one point she lived in Colorado. I did find some notes of my mother's that stated Nettie was an artist and that she was buried in Palm Beach. I also found two little booklets that had written in them: "from Aunt Nettie Click-Hunter 1914". I also know grandma said another Click died of nephritice. Unless Aunt Linnie Payne died that way, I think she meant Aunt Nettie. Aunt Linnie lived until 1958, so I doubt it was her.
A few years ago, Lola had a family reunion just before grandma died, but grandma was too old to travel.
I should also add that Arthur Eugene was killed by his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and a neighbor in a shootout. The newspaper article seemed pretty biased stating that Arthur had it coming. I wasn't there, but three against one seems kind of rather an unfair fight. His wife took her family's side. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Cimarron, KS. A big tree is located right on top of where his grave is.)
Here is Orval Robert's obituary:
Obituary:
The Hutshinson Hearld
Tuesday Morning, Oct 12, 1926
Page 3:
ORVAL R CLICK DEAD
Orval R. Click, 47, a former farmer of near Abbyville, died Sunday at Plains. The body was brought here last night for funeral services this afternoon at 2 o-clock at the grave in the Partridge Cemetery. Johnson and Sons are in charge.
Notes from Nick Cannon Lecompton, KS
===============
I have a little glass straw that Orval Robert drank out of when he was sick. He died of Nephritis (swelling of the kidneys). He gained a lot of weight since he got married. I sometimes wondered if in today's medicine he may have been diagnosed with diabetes -- just a guess. Before he died, the last trip he took was with his wife Jessie Bell to go see Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Co. He started as a farmer, but ended up running a Blacksmith Shop business in Plains, KS. Grandma told me that he loved stinky Limburger cheese. Grandma also told me how she got cheated out of her cooks wage when she helped a farmer's wife during harvest. So he simply charged them more for their blacksmith work, and gave her the money that was owed her all along. Grandma also talked about how her sister had put on a harvest hand's hat and they all got head lice, so Orval Robert & Jessie Bell had to douse their hair with either kerosene or turpentine to get rid of the lice. Orval Robert had a nick name for grandma -- Ducks. In notes I found from my mother, Orval Robert's dad Abram called her "little white bird". (Abram died when grandma was 1.5 years old.)
Orval Robert bought grandma some ceramic ducks to remember her nick name. For years there was also a depression on the north side of the house where he had helped grandma setup the garden to grow potatoes that he always told her had to be planted before St Patrick's Day. Grandma has several pictures of her dad. He also was very fond of hunting dogs. One in particular was Max. Grandma said when her dad died, Max curled up and took a long time to get over his master's death. Orval Robert died in our front room. Grandma had always told me that he was the only blue eyed Click and the only 6 foot tall Click. The latter is a fact. However, according to Civil war records his dad was blue eyed too. His Mom was under 5 foot, and his dad was 5'6" in the civil war records. There is a picture of his dad on his dad's memorial. His son, Orval Russell was also a 6 footer. Somewhere I also have the bowtie that he wore on his wedding day in 1899. I also have a locket of his hair that grandma kept.
In some notes I found from my mother, she said that Orval's mom was a seamstress and made a suit. I highly suspect that the suit in reference was Orval Robert's suit that he wore when he married Jessie Bell in 1899.
I wrote so much about Orval's family roots, but not much about him. He died 9 years before my mother was born, so unfortunately, we did not have the privilege of knowing him in person. What I know of him was through grandma who died in 2003. Grandma kept her people alive though her stories. Grandma loved her dad. He had a nick name for her -- "Ducks". We had ceramic ducks that Orval had given grandma (mother and her ducklings). Unfortunately, the mother was stolen, but we still have the ducklings. For years there was also a ditch just to the north of the front porch in Plains that he had dug for grandma so that she could plant her potatoes. He had told her that potatoes have to be planted by St Pats Day. Grandma also told me that her dad loved Limburger cheese, which the rest of the family hated because it is known to smell like human body odor. Grandma also told us about the time that her younger sister Marguerite put on the hat of a farm hand while their dad wasn't paying attention. Marguerite ended up with a horrible case of head lice for which their mom had to use coal oil. (Coal oil is similar to kerosene, but made from Coal (shale) where kerosene is from petroleum.) Grandma also told me the story of where a local farmer's wife cheated grandma out of her money she earned for cooking for her during harvest. Her dad said not to worry because as the local black smith he would simply tag it on to their bill the next time that farmer needed his services. Grandma saved a locket of her dad's hair in the cedar chest. He had brown hair that reminds me somewhat of my mother's hair color when she was younger. Orval was a slender man when he was young. Grandma said he was the first 6 footer Click and he had beautiful blue eyes. (Grandma also had very beautiful blue eyes too -- unlike mine that are more of a steel blue.) We know that Abram Click had blue eyes from his Civil War description, which must mean Emma's eyes were not blue.) In his later life, Orval gained a lot of weight. I recently found a detailed obituary which I will add at some point. In it, it describes that he got sick a few months before he died. Grandma always called it Nephritis (swelling of the Kidneys). In the obituary it mentioned Brights Disease. When I looked that up, it is a term that isn't used anymore. Given that he had gained so much weight, I wondered if he might have been diabetic. I discussed it with my doctor, and he mentioned many causes for nephritis. He said he could even be brought on suddenly by strep or rheumatic fever. I guess we will never know for sure. I just wondered if it might be diabetes given his weight gain in later years. I would ad that I see a similarity between Helen's looks and my mother's looks. So I see my great grandpa Orval through my mother.
Orval Robert Click was the son of Abram Click and Emma Deette (Jenkins) Click (Butcher). Both are buried in the Fairfield Cemetery just a few miles east of Montezuma, KS. (It is not more than ¼ miles from the Montezuma Wind Farm). Emma's last name is Butcher on the cemetery records because she married Mr Silas Butcher after Abraham Click died. She and a brother (George Washington Jenkins) are both interred without any markers. Near her is Abraham Click. He has a veterans tombstone that was added around 2001 thanks to a descendant of his first marriage prior. (Abram Click was first married to Jane Sample. She died, and he married Emma D Jenkins.) (That descendant who got him the tombstone was Leon R Harris. He lives in the country just west of Iola, KS.) He said that Abram Click went to the civil war as an older man. When the war ended Jane died, and he moved his family (all daughters) to Beloit, KS. I own a tin photo of Abraham Click with his first family. That photo is displsyed on Abram Click's findagrave memorial.
What was strange is that I think this descendent said Abram volunteered to be drafted in place of someone else. That was allowed, but seemed strange given that he had a family. Maybe it was a financial transaction.)
Abram & Emma D had four children. Nettie the oldest was born in Minnesota. The other three were born in Beloit, KS: Linnie, Arthur Eugene, & Orval Robert. Abram as well as his wife were short people. Grandma said that the Jenkins were short because they were Welch. Abraham was supposedly adopted, but had his real last name. Orval Robert was the only 6 footer and the only one with blue eyes. Orval Robert as well as his dad Abram were homesteading in Grey County. Linnie married Curtis A Payne and moved to Plains, KS. Linnie and her husband encouraged Orval Robert and Jessie Bell to move to Plains, KS in Meade County which is one county south of Grey County. That is how we ended up in Plains. The Paynes (OR Click's sister and brother in-law) homesteaded south of Plains. Last I knew the descendants of Blanch Hush owned that land. The Paynes had a son Harry Payne who married Bess. They lived in the Syracuse & Johnson City areas of Kansas which is near the Colorado border. One of their daughters is Lola Fox. Lola's daughter has taken an interest in their genealogy. I'm hoping she can track down Maude Payne's descendants (the only daughter Linnie & Curtis had) and perhaps they may know what happened to Nettie. I cannot seem to find out anything about her except that at one point she lived in Colorado. I did find some notes of my mother's that stated Nettie was an artist and that she was buried in Palm Beach. I also found two little booklets that had written in them: "from Aunt Nettie Click-Hunter 1914". I also know grandma said another Click died of nephritice. Unless Aunt Linnie Payne died that way, I think she meant Aunt Nettie. Aunt Linnie lived until 1958, so I doubt it was her.
A few years ago, Lola had a family reunion just before grandma died, but grandma was too old to travel.
I should also add that Arthur Eugene was killed by his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and a neighbor in a shootout. The newspaper article seemed pretty biased stating that Arthur had it coming. I wasn't there, but three against one seems kind of rather an unfair fight. His wife took her family's side. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Cimarron, KS. A big tree is located right on top of where his grave is.)
Here is Orval Robert's obituary:
Obituary:
The Hutshinson Hearld
Tuesday Morning, Oct 12, 1926
Page 3:
ORVAL R CLICK DEAD
Orval R. Click, 47, a former farmer of near Abbyville, died Sunday at Plains. The body was brought here last night for funeral services this afternoon at 2 o-clock at the grave in the Partridge Cemetery. Johnson and Sons are in charge.
Notes from Nick Cannon Lecompton, KS
===============
I have a little glass straw that Orval Robert drank out of when he was sick. He died of Nephritis (swelling of the kidneys). He gained a lot of weight since he got married. I sometimes wondered if in today's medicine he may have been diagnosed with diabetes -- just a guess. Before he died, the last trip he took was with his wife Jessie Bell to go see Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Co. He started as a farmer, but ended up running a Blacksmith Shop business in Plains, KS. Grandma told me that he loved stinky Limburger cheese. Grandma also told me how she got cheated out of her cooks wage when she helped a farmer's wife during harvest. So he simply charged them more for their blacksmith work, and gave her the money that was owed her all along. Grandma also talked about how her sister had put on a harvest hand's hat and they all got head lice, so Orval Robert & Jessie Bell had to douse their hair with either kerosene or turpentine to get rid of the lice. Orval Robert had a nick name for grandma -- Ducks. In notes I found from my mother, Orval Robert's dad Abram called her "little white bird". (Abram died when grandma was 1.5 years old.)
Orval Robert bought grandma some ceramic ducks to remember her nick name. For years there was also a depression on the north side of the house where he had helped grandma setup the garden to grow potatoes that he always told her had to be planted before St Patrick's Day. Grandma has several pictures of her dad. He also was very fond of hunting dogs. One in particular was Max. Grandma said when her dad died, Max curled up and took a long time to get over his master's death. Orval Robert died in our front room. Grandma had always told me that he was the only blue eyed Click and the only 6 foot tall Click. The latter is a fact. However, according to Civil war records his dad was blue eyed too. His Mom was under 5 foot, and his dad was 5'6" in the civil war records. There is a picture of his dad on his dad's memorial. His son, Orval Russell was also a 6 footer. Somewhere I also have the bowtie that he wore on his wedding day in 1899. I also have a locket of his hair that grandma kept.
In some notes I found from my mother, she said that Orval's mom was a seamstress and made a suit. I highly suspect that the suit in reference was Orval Robert's suit that he wore when he married Jessie Bell in 1899.
I wrote so much about Orval's family roots, but not much about him. He died 9 years before my mother was born, so unfortunately, we did not have the privilege of knowing him in person. What I know of him was through grandma who died in 2003. Grandma kept her people alive though her stories. Grandma loved her dad. He had a nick name for her -- "Ducks". We had ceramic ducks that Orval had given grandma (mother and her ducklings). Unfortunately, the mother was stolen, but we still have the ducklings. For years there was also a ditch just to the north of the front porch in Plains that he had dug for grandma so that she could plant her potatoes. He had told her that potatoes have to be planted by St Pats Day. Grandma also told me that her dad loved Limburger cheese, which the rest of the family hated because it is known to smell like human body odor. Grandma also told us about the time that her younger sister Marguerite put on the hat of a farm hand while their dad wasn't paying attention. Marguerite ended up with a horrible case of head lice for which their mom had to use coal oil. (Coal oil is similar to kerosene, but made from Coal (shale) where kerosene is from petroleum.) Grandma also told me the story of where a local farmer's wife cheated grandma out of her money she earned for cooking for her during harvest. Her dad said not to worry because as the local black smith he would simply tag it on to their bill the next time that farmer needed his services. Grandma saved a locket of her dad's hair in the cedar chest. He had brown hair that reminds me somewhat of my mother's hair color when she was younger. Orval was a slender man when he was young. Grandma said he was the first 6 footer Click and he had beautiful blue eyes. (Grandma also had very beautiful blue eyes too -- unlike mine that are more of a steel blue.) We know that Abram Click had blue eyes from his Civil War description, which must mean Emma's eyes were not blue.) In his later life, Orval gained a lot of weight. I recently found a detailed obituary which I will add at some point. In it, it describes that he got sick a few months before he died. Grandma always called it Nephritis (swelling of the Kidneys). In the obituary it mentioned Brights Disease. When I looked that up, it is a term that isn't used anymore. Given that he had gained so much weight, I wondered if he might have been diabetic. I discussed it with my doctor, and he mentioned many causes for nephritis. He said he could even be brought on suddenly by strep or rheumatic fever. I guess we will never know for sure. I just wondered if it might be diabetes given his weight gain in later years. I would ad that I see a similarity between Helen's looks and my mother's looks. So I see my great grandpa Orval through my mother.
What was strange is that I think this descendent said Abram volunteered to be drafted in place of someone else. That was allowed, but seemed strange given that he had a family. Maybe it was a financial transaction.)
Abram & Emma D had four children. Nettie the oldest was born in Minnesota. The other three were born in Beloit, KS: Linnie, Arthur Eugene, & Orval Robert. Abram as well as his wife were short people. Grandma said that the Jenkins were short because they were Welch. Abraham was supposedly adopted, but had his real last name. Orval Robert was the only 6 footer and the only one with blue eyes. Orval Robert as well as his dad Abram were homesteading in Grey County. Linnie married Curtis A Payne and moved to Plains, KS. Linnie and her husband encouraged Orval Robert and Jessie Bell to move to Plains, KS in Meade County which is one county south of Grey County. That is how we ended up in Plains. The Paynes (OR Click's sister and brother in-law) homesteaded south of Plains. Last I knew the descendants of Blanch Hush owned that land. The Paynes had a son Harry Payne who married Bess. They lived in the Syracuse & Johnson City areas of Kansas which is near the Colorado border. One of their daughters is Lola Fox. Lola's daughter has taken an interest in their genealogy. I'm hoping she can track down Maude Payne's descendants (the only daughter Linnie & Curtis had) and perhaps they may know what happened to Nettie. I cannot seem to find out anything about her except that at one point she lived in Colorado. I did find some notes of my mother's that stated Nettie was an artist and that she was buried in Palm Beach. I also found two little booklets that had written in them: "from Aunt Nettie Click-Hunter 1914". I also know grandma said another Click died of nephritice. Unless Aunt Linnie Payne died that way, I think she meant Aunt Nettie. Aunt Linnie lived until 1958, so I doubt it was her.
A few years ago, Lola had a family reunion just before grandma died, but grandma was too old to travel.
I should also add that Arthur Eugene was killed by his father-in-law, brother-in-law, and a neighbor in a shootout. The newspaper article seemed pretty biased stating that Arthur had it coming. I wasn't there, but three against one seems kind of rather an unfair fight. His wife took her family's side. He is buried in an unmarked grave in Cimarron, KS. A big tree is located right on top of where his grave is.)
Here is Orval Robert's obituary:
Obituary:
The Hutshinson Hearld
Tuesday Morning, Oct 12, 1926
Page 3:
ORVAL R CLICK DEAD
Orval R. Click, 47, a former farmer of near Abbyville, died Sunday at Plains. The body was brought here last night for funeral services this afternoon at 2 o-clock at the grave in the Partridge Cemetery. Johnson and Sons are in charge.
Notes from Nick Cannon Lecompton, KS
===============
I have a little glass straw that Orval Robert drank out of when he was sick. He died of Nephritis (swelling of the kidneys). He gained a lot of weight since he got married. I sometimes wondered if in today's medicine he may have been diagnosed with diabetes -- just a guess. Before he died, the last trip he took was with his wife Jessie Bell to go see Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Co. He started as a farmer, but ended up running a Blacksmith Shop business in Plains, KS. Grandma told me that he loved stinky Limburger cheese. Grandma also told me how she got cheated out of her cooks wage when she helped a farmer's wife during harvest. So he simply charged them more for their blacksmith work, and gave her the money that was owed her all along. Grandma also talked about how her sister had put on a harvest hand's hat and they all got head lice, so Orval Robert & Jessie Bell had to douse their hair with either kerosene or turpentine to get rid of the lice. Orval Robert had a nick name for grandma -- Ducks. In notes I found from my mother, Orval Robert's dad Abram called her "little white bird". (Abram died when grandma was 1.5 years old.)
Orval Robert bought grandma some ceramic ducks to remember her nick name. For years there was also a depression on the north side of the house where he had helped grandma setup the garden to grow potatoes that he always told her had to be planted before St Patrick's Day. Grandma has several pictures of her dad. He also was very fond of hunting dogs. One in particular was Max. Grandma said when her dad died, Max curled up and took a long time to get over his master's death. Orval Robert died in our front room. Grandma had always told me that he was the only blue eyed Click and the only 6 foot tall Click. The latter is a fact. However, according to Civil war records his dad was blue eyed too. His Mom was under 5 foot, and his dad was 5'6" in the civil war records. There is a picture of his dad on his dad's memorial. His son, Orval Russell was also a 6 footer. Somewhere I also have the bowtie that he wore on his wedding day in 1899. I also have a locket of his hair that grandma kept.
In some notes I found from my mother, she said that Orval's mom was a seamstress and made a suit. I highly suspect that the suit in reference was Orval Robert's suit that he wore when he married Jessie Bell in 1899.
I wrote so much about Orval's family roots, but not much about him. He died 9 years before my mother was born, so unfortunately, we did not have the privilege of knowing him in person. What I know of him was through grandma who died in 2003. Grandma kept her people alive though her stories. Grandma loved her dad. He had a nick name for her -- "Ducks". We had ceramic ducks that Orval had given grandma (mother and her ducklings). Unfortunately, the mother was stolen, but we still have the ducklings. For years there was also a ditch just to the north of the front porch in Plains that he had dug for grandma so that she could plant her potatoes. He had told her that potatoes have to be planted by St Pats Day. Grandma also told me that her dad loved Limburger cheese, which the rest of the family hated because it is known to smell like human body odor. Grandma also told us about the time that her younger sister Marguerite put on the hat of a farm hand while their dad wasn't paying attention. Marguerite ended up with a horrible case of head lice for which their mom had to use coal oil. (Coal oil is similar to kerosene, but made from Coal (shale) where kerosene is from petroleum.) Grandma also told me the story of where a local farmer's wife cheated grandma out of her money she earned for cooking for her during harvest. Her dad said not to worry because as the local black smith he would simply tag it on to their bill the next time that farmer needed his services. Grandma saved a locket of her dad's hair in the cedar chest. He had brown hair that reminds me somewhat of my mother's hair color when she was younger. Orval was a slender man when he was young. Grandma said he was the first 6 footer Click and he had beautiful blue eyes. (Grandma also had very beautiful blue eyes too -- unlike mine that are more of a steel blue.) We know that Abram Click had blue eyes from his Civil War description, which must mean Emma's eyes were not blue.) In his later life, Orval gained a lot of weight. I recently found a detailed obituary which I will add at some point. In it, it describes that he got sick a few months before he died. Grandma always called it Nephritis (swelling of the Kidneys). In the obituary it mentioned Brights Disease. When I looked that up, it is a term that isn't used anymore. Given that he had gained so much weight, I wondered if he might have been diabetic. I discussed it with my doctor, and he mentioned many causes for nephritis. He said he could even be brought on suddenly by strep or rheumatic fever. I guess we will never know for sure. I just wondered if it might be diabetes given his weight gain in later years. I would ad that I see a similarity between Helen's looks and my mother's looks. So I see my great grandpa Orval through my mother.
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