Story of Clara Davis Rash, written by Granddaughter Lois Hinton

Clara and Alva Rash with their little daughter Pearl arrived in Gordon by team and wagon from Hardin County, Iowa in 1884. They had come as far as Valentine by train and made the hundred miles or so with the wagon. They located on their homestead nine miles southeast of town. Here was their home for thirty-four years. A two room sod house was erected upon their arrival. This they lived in for some thirty years. Clara and Alva raised ten children. During the time between 1914 and 1919 a five bedroom two story home was erected, together with a huge barn and various other buildings to comprise thier farm. How spacious thier new home must have seemed after living in the soddy for so long.

Alva farmed, traded and sold horses and ran a well mancine and raised cattle. He gradually added to their homestead until he had a fair sized operation. During this time Alva was gone some of the time drilling wells and trading horses. So, Clara and the children did the farming and took care of the livestock. Their farm was a half-way stop on cattle drives from the Sand Hills to market. Their home was always a hospitable busy place that was the center of much activity

Clara was needless to say a busy lady and endured the usual hardships of a pioneer mother and homemaker.

They retired and moved to Gordon in 1919. Both were proud of their life and enjoyed reminiscing of days gone by. One fond memory of Clara's was that she had attended school in West Branch, Iowa with Herbert Hoover.

Clara was very anxious for each of her children to receive the best possible education, and encouraged and insisted they all graduate from high school and attend college if at all possible, which six of the children did.

Clara and Alva were very active members in their community and instrumental in starting a Sunday School. in their school district. They were loyal and faithful members of the Methodist Church. They enjoyed and endured the trials and tribulations of a pioneer couple, coming from the lush farming country of Iowa to the prairie land of Nebraska. They lived the good life and helped settle up the country to make it the community it is today.

Children of ALVA RASH and CLARA DAVIS are:

i. PEARL MILDRED RASH, b. Oct. 23, 1884, d. June 13, 1971.

ii. GRACE LENORA RASH, b. Feb. 1886, d. Oct. 14, 1975, Placer, Calif.

iii. ROY H. RASH, b. Oct. 1888..

iv. GUY R. RASH, b. Sept. 1890 Iowa City, Ia, m. Tella Marie Johnson.

v. ROSS D. RASH, b. Sept. 10, 1892 Neb., d. May 1966, m. Vera Cooper, several children.

vi. BESSIE BARD RASH, b. Sept. 1894, m. WILLIAM REDFERN, b. 1890, Nebraska, children Dorothy & Doris.

vii. ELSIE EFFIE RASH, b. April 21,1896, Gordon, Neb., d. Feb. 17, 1978, Los Angeles, Calif, m. (1) Roy Lee Catron, 1894-1948; m. (2) Wayne Walker, 1901-1982.

viii. VAUGHN RASH, b. 1902, d. 1969, m. Eula Drinnon.

ix. VIOLA RASH, b. 1902, d. 1988, m. Leo J. Sharp.

x. WILMA FRANCES RASH, b. 1910, m. Alfred McCallister, son James B. Residence: Gordon, Neb.