| Notes |
- Sam and Minnie (Bassett) Musser F306
In the spring of 1928 Sam and Minnie Musser moved from Grant County and leased the Zahner place in Hooker County. The ten section ranch was to be their home for the next eleven years and their six children, Helen, Sam Jr., Elsie, Doris, Don and Dolly grew up there. THere were several ranches fo rent near the Dismal - all were owned by insurance companies and other loan companies. Every place for rent was sandy, had very poor improvements, only one windmill usually, to water all the livestock. This was located somewhere between the house and barn. A hill of sand was always north of the buildings and deep sandy trails led to the well. Sand blew around the buildings, drifted over fences, and up against the door step. The Zahner ranch was between North and South Creek on the Dismal, and Spring Creek ran through the middle of the place. The fresh running water must have been the determining factor for where the Mussers settled.
Minnie was the daughter of John and Elsie Bassett. The Bassett family originated in England. They came to the United States about 1830. Sam was the son of John and Ida Musser. The Musser ancestry were from Germany and came to the United States in 1732. Sam and Minnie were working on neighboring ranches south of Hyannis when before Christmas, to give her family gifts they could not have had otherwise. In 1928 Sam bought and paid for a new car. This was driven until 1931 when it broke down and was later traded for horses to work. The next 6 years their only means of transportation was horse back. When Sam became ill and needed a doctor, he saddled his hores and rode 8 miles to the highway, south of Mullen. He caught a ride with a man headed north. After consulting Dr. Walker, Sam found a car headed south to where his waiting horse stood tied, so was able to get home that night.
Pasturing cattle helped with the income, and when Sam pastured cattle for Charley Kramer, Sr., times had gotten worse. When fall came and time to take the cows home to hay. Charley could not pay so Sam let him take them out as they needed feed. Spring came and still no money was received. Sam found a penny, laid it on the window sill, and said if he had one more cent he could write to see if he could get his money. The kids always hunted arrow heads, and one evening while looking in the sand around the corral, found an old penny which was used to mail the letter to Kramer. This letter was answered promptly, and with full payment enclosed.
One fall Sam sold his calves for $12.00 head. He felt his neighbors laughed at him, as he sold so quick and cheap. However, prices dropped lower, and 2 or 3 men stopped by to ask who he sold to. Sam was an energetic, plain spoken man who often philosophized that the Lord required a certain amount of sweat from everyone. Better to work while you were young and sweat it out, than loafing when young and have to work and sweat when you got old. Minnie was a small, slim woman and always very independent. When his horse fell and broke Sam's shoulder, Minnie picked the corn crop alone. Everyday she lifted a hundred pound sack of cottoncake to the saddle of her big white horse and fed the cows. She never complained and had a happy disposition. She could ride all day with the men, and after her horse was taken care of, she'd hurry and fry beef steak and make biscuits and coffee before the men were washed for supper.
One by one the loan companies sold out several neighbors, and people moved away. As the Zahner place was only leased by Mussers, it sold to Ross Hager in 1938. Mussers bought a ranch south of the Dismal.
Sam died in North Platte in 1947 at age 56. Minnie passed away at home in 1972 at age 78. Minnie and Sam are buried at Eclipse Cemetery near the Dismal River, where their lives were spent in the hills they loved.
To quote Badger Clark "Now sand is sifted in their tracks, and they are gone". By Doris
|
Bassett Family Association Database
- 1947