MUSSER, SAM AND MINNIE (BASSETT)

by Doris Musser Griffith

Entry F307 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

                 Children

Sixty years have passed since we moved to
Hooker County in 1928. The hills look the
same, but the Dismal River that used to be
shallow and wide is now more narrow and
much deeper. The fence lines are all changed
and there are different people.

Still standing at that time on a plot near
South Creek was an old barb wire corral
formerly used by the UBI. Within a few years
the posts rotted off' and the tangled wire
drifted under the sand. When heavy rains
came, quicksand washed down into the
Creeks and cattle bogged down. Along every
bend there were small blowouts covered with
flint and Indian relics. Cedar trees and the
tall bunch grass have long covered these
places, and the past is buried beneath the sod.

There were 6 of us, ranging in age 1 to 10.
Helen, Sammy, Elsie, Doris, Don and Dolly.
We were a close knit family who worked
together during the depression years. When
we moved cattle, every family member was
horseback and helping. No matter how tired
we were, we never complained for fear we
wouldn't getto help again. When we'd bunch
cattle, Mom would usually hurry down the
fence line, break off a cedar post and whittle
kindling to start a fire. She'd keep fueling it
with cow chips she'd quickly gather and toss
in the flames. soon coffee and potatoes were
ready. We'd all eat out of the big smoke
blackened skillet with forks whittled from the
fence post. Mom never brought forks, always
plenty of salt and coffee.

Our parents were both good cowboys. Dad
was an especially good roper. Helen also
became a skilled roper. She was a petite black
haired girl who wasn't afraid to tackle any
cowboy job. She rode home alone one day
driving a stray unbroken wild mare ahead of
her on the end of her saddle rope. After her
horse was unsaddled, Helen for the first time
pulled up a stiff blood soaked pant's leg to see
the damage done when the wild mare kicked
her with a sharp hoof. A cut about 2 1/2" long
and very deep was on her knee. Helen never
let us see her limp, and never said it hurt. She
had courage.

After we stepped on a rusty nail, and Dad
would tell us to wash off the blood, he'stick
his wet chew of tobacco on the wound and tell
us to wrap it up and leave it alone. The only
time he ever spanked us was because we four
younger kids left a neighbors gate open and
had quarreled over who should shut it. As we
were all guilty of leaving it open, that night
he gave each of us a swat with double saddle
rope. Dr. Spock probably would not have
approved but after that and never did we lose
a foot because of a rusty nail.

Our Mother was a very quiet woman. Dad
was the opposite, and always plain spoken.
I'm sure at family gatherings he cause 2 or 3
ladies to start tongue clucking when he
arrived.

We grew up without a car so never missed
having one. We had a lot of good saddle
horses and riding was fun. However we had
the disadvantage of growing up wind and
spooky of cars.

We lived at the east end of along valley. lf
a car came around the hill about 1 1/2 miles
west, we could see it and had plenty of time
to disappear. A man rode in one day when we
weren't on guard. He later said when he came
in sight, there were kids playing all over.
When he tied his horse in the barn the place
was vacant, we'd seen him and fled.

A neighbor lady rode in one night on a thin
old white mare. she'd been trying to wean her
baby and had grown tired of its crying so she
saddle her horse and came to our house and
said she was staying a few days. She never
returned so evidently her solution worked.

After 8 years of being without a car, Dad
bought a new 1939 pickup for $750. He
bought a ranch about 4 or 5 miles south in
1938.

Sammy was 15 when he saddled his horse
and rode away one warm spring night. he
worked on ranches and rodeoed but never
stayed at home again. He served in the Navy
in WWII. He married Rose Boyce and has one
step-daughter. He worked on construction.
He died at Prosser, Washington at the age of
44. He is buried at Ft. McPerson.

Helen married Gerald patchin and spent
her life on the west coast. She had 4 children
and passed away at age 66. She is buried in
Oregon.

Elsie married Don Florea, who served in
WWII (Navy). They have 3 sons, Rusty, Vic,
Monte. Don passed away 1983 at age 58 and
is buried at Eclipse. Elsie runs their ranch at
Sargent, Nebraska alone.

Doris married Hank Hallsted, who also
served in WWII. They have three children,
Pat, Linde, Kevin. Hank passed away in 1971
and is buried at Eclipse. Doris still operates
their ranch. In 1979 she married Bill Griffith.

Don married Daisy Lee. They have 10
children: Debbie, kathy, Nick, Shane, Randy,
Kim, Shari, Stacy and Mitch. They live on
the home place north of Tryon.

Dolly married Bob Trout of Waco, Texas.
He was in the Army WWII. They have 3
children, Wanda, Stan and La Donna, and
live at North Platte, Nebraska.

Sometimes when the night air is bitterly
cold and snow covers the hills, I remember
the smell of cow chip smoke rising from the
chimney and drifting upwards into the
darkness. I like to remember the feeling I had
when the chores were all finished and the
family gathered on the long wooden benches
at the supper table.