Clarence Delos Quint


February 10, 1880 - September 30, 1968


Story by Phil & Hazel Parsons, November 22, 1968



Photo of Clarence, 1926


Note: These facts were given to us by Clarence's sisters, Mabel Loyd, Jennie Dunwoody, and Florence Morris, also much information from taking with Clarence when visiting in Hill City.

Clarence Delos Quint, oldest son of Louis Franklin Quint and Isabell Flora Quint, was born 10th of February, 1880 on the farm of Jotham Sewall Quint near Menlo, Iowa where his parents were living at that time. When he was about two years old they moved to Stella, Nebraska and in 1884 moved to Mitchell County, Kansas.

Growing up o the farm his father purchased i Mitchell County, Kansas Clarence early became a good farm worker driving the horses and cultivating and plowing the land by the time he was 12 years old. His six younger sisters and brothers were all born on this farm. As Clarence approached manhood he wanted to go West. After much family discussion, he and his father made a trip to Graham County, Kansas in search of a better location. Then, too, all of the family contracted Typhoid Fever in the fall of 1899. An older sister, Maude, who had a heart condition, passed away January 2, 1900; Lester, a younger brother, passed away January 6, 1900 from effects of Typhoid Fever. All of this was a factor in their decision to find a different location.

At Hill City in Graham County, they met a Mr. Gantz who had Mr. Howland show them land one mile south and two miles east near the Solomon River. After investigating with others around Hill City, both Clarence and his father decided to purchase this land of 320 acres for $1500. Clarence wanted to put in a wheat crop on the newly purchased land, but his father thought perhaps chances for a good crop would be better on the Mitchell County land. As it turned out, this was good year in Graham County and a failure in Mitchell County.

Early in the spring of 1901, Clarence's father went out to Graham County to build a shelter for his family on the new land. There was a two-room dugout shack on the place on the side hill near the well and a small pond. This house had only a dirt floor. Father built on a small kitchen in order to make room for his large family, using this house temporarily until he could build a large house on the hill to the wet, the following spring.

Late in April, 1902, the family started the move to the new location in a covered wagon. Clarence drove a herd of cattle, riding horseback and following along by the covered wagon. The trip was a week long, which seemed terribly long to his little sister, Hazel, who was only 3 1/2 years old. She kept asking Clara every few miles if they were nearly to Hill City. Clarence had never forgotten that the family arrived at the new home "on May 5, 1902 at 11:30 a.m."

Photo 1948, 4 generation, Ralph Quint standing, Isabell holding Shirley Ann Quint, and Clarence

Clarence and his father returned to Mitchell County to harvest what little crop they had, then Father took the household goods and some of the horses to Vesper, Kansas and shipped them by train to Hill City. Mabel and Jennie had been left behind to pack, then they and Clarence drove a spring wagon with two horses, leading a third, to Hill City in two days staying overnight at Woodston, Kansas and arriving in Hill City where they met father at the depot and unloaded the equipment sent by train. He was good with machinery, both repairing and purchasing.

The first two winters in Graham County, Clarence worked cutting ice to put in storage for commercial ice-houses. In those years, there was no artificial ice. People would wait until the ice froze to a depth of several inches on the ponds, then using hand saws they would saw out blocks of ice, haul them to a dug out house where they were packed in straw. Thus the ice would keep until summer, when it would be sold out to customers as they needed it. Thus Clarence earned extra money during the winter months.
On December 27, 1905 at Hill City, Kansas, Clarence married Lulu Mary Tate. The original land purchased was divided, the west half deeded to Louis Franklin Quint and the east 160 acres deeded to Clarence Delos Quint. Clarence was a very steady farmer.
Photo 1937, BACK: Florence Morris, Elmer, Clarence
FRONT: Isabell, Louis, Jennie Dunwoody
His father liked to take Saturday afternoons to go to town to trade, get the news and happenings about town, and always related the news to the family on returning home. Clarence preferred to remain at home and attend to the work and chores on the farm. Father took a big interest in the community, was assessor for the township of MIllbrook for may years, and served on the school board from the time he had children in school until after the last one had graduated.
Clarence and Lulu were the parents of five children. Gladys Ester was born July 5, 1908 at the farm home. She taught school, then took a business course working for the Cultra Produce Co. in Salina and Colby, Kansas later working in the F&M Bank in Hill City, Kansas. She married Ralph Billman, January 10, 1945; she passed away June 1, 1966.
Photo of Gladys and Ralph Billman, 1945
(Erma) Marie, the second daughter, born the 26 of February 1910, married Jacob Hendricks, her second marriage in 1952 to Murve Newton a successful filling station operator in Roswell, New Mexico, later Hays, Kansas.
Photo (1959)of Tom & Leora Brenton, Murve & Marie Newton
She also had a Business Education and at one time worked for Cultra Co. Leora Marquerite Quint, born the 13th of January, 1912, married Tom Brenton the 6th of January 1938. She graduated from high school and was housekeeper for the family after her mother's death in 1930. Ralph Daniel Quint, born 7th of December, 1919, grew to sturdy manhood, served his country in the second World War, married Mary Louise Everman on the 14th of November, 1942.
Photo of Leora, 1937
Ralph has two children, Shirley Ann Quint, born the 25th of December, 1946, and Ronald Lynn Quint, born the 14th of August, 1949.
Delmar Lavern Quint, the 5th child was born April 11, 1926, a chip off the old block, served in 2nd World War, and married June 27, 1948 in the Methodist Church at Hill City, Irma Louise Keith. Delmar and Irma have three children; Holly Lucille, born the 15th of September 1953, Roger Lewis born the 1st of February 1957, and David Lowell born the 17th of October 1961
.
Clarence was justly proud of his fine children and grandchildren. Ralph had three years in college at Ft. Hayes, Kansas before entering service and his children are in attendance at the same college where he attended. Delmar graduated from high school, then enlisted in the Army and saw much service in the second World War. Both Delmar and Ralph are fine farmers, Ralph having purchased the L. F. Quint home place, and Delmar buying his father's place. Both have taken a big interest in the community and farm a large acreage in the county. Clarence was determined his children should have advantage of schooling and when the girls were small purchased a house in town so they could receive a high school education.
Photo of Ronald, Ralph, Mary and Shirley, 1967
After Lulu, his wife, passed away in 1930, (they are now moved back to the farm) he kept the family together, encouraging the boys in farming and attending high school. He was rewarded in his last years by having them near enough they could visit him often. Clarence lived to be more than 88 years old, passing away the 30th of September, 1968.
After his retirement from farming, he lived in Hill City, close to his sisters, Florence and Jennie. Gladys faithfully came in each morning to visit with him, do his cleaning. Leora always picked up the daily paper from the drug store each evening and brought it to him.
Photo of David, Roger, Irma, Holly, Delmar, 1971
He was always optimistic, patient, and looked on the bright side of life. His mind was clear right to the last.

On the morning of September 30, 1968, Clarence drove his pick-up out to Ralph's farm to pull nails out of some lumber Ralph had, and which he was doing for Ralph. He visited with Ralph a few minutes before coming back to town at noon. He came home, cleaned up, fixed his dinner and sat down in his big chair to listen to the noon news on television, and wa found by Jennie soon after, slumped in his chair where he had passed away quietly and painlessly.

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