WADLOW, EDGAR AND EFFIE

by Walter Wadlow

Entry F435 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Edgar and Effie Wadlow and son Walter about 1917

Edgar "Ed" and Effie Wadlow lived in
Lesterville, Missouri. They owned a general
store there. If Ed sold a customer a bill of
groceries he would reach in his pants pocket
for change. Effie carried change in her apron
pocket. It was not necessary to figure cost of
an item according to a certain mark up, no
sales tax and such requirements as at the
present time. They said, "If we make enough
to pay our own expenses we are doing fine."

Ed had relatives, the Jim Mills family,
living in the sand hills of Nebraska. They
encouraged him to come to the sand hills. In
1913 he made a trip to the sand hills of
Nebraska, spent some time in and around
Mullen. He liked what he saw so returned to
Missouri to give a report to the family.

In 1916 Ed and Effie and son Walter, also
Glen and Ina Hodges and daughter Virginia
loaded their personal belongings, furniture,
clothes, 2 saddle horses, a buggy team and a
pair of grey hounds, in a railroad immigrant
car and headed for Mullen, Nebraska. Effie
and Ina were sisters.

Ed and his brother-in-law, Glen Hodges,
ran a dray line in Mullen. After Glen and
family decided, in 1917, to go back to
Missouri Ed and his family became ranchers.
In Hooker County they lived on ranches
known as the "Adams Ranch", the "Homer
Crain Place" and were on the "Hog Ranch"
2 different times. They also lived on the "L.O.
Ranch" in Cherry County 2 different times.
During the summer months of 1929 Ed
operated the gas truck for Mathews Chevro-
let Company. In the fall of 1929 the Wadlow
family, accompanied by nephew and cousin
Mac Reyfield, went to California. The last
three months of 1929 and the first three
months of 1930 were spent in the employ of
Rancho Matilija located near Ojai, Califor-
nia. On the return to Nebraska they spent
from 1930 to 1935 on the "L.O. Ranch".

In 1935 Ed gave up ranching and bought
a half interest in the "Sand Hills Commercial
Company" in Mullen. His partner, Bill
Gruenig, soon decided that store business was
not for him so he sold his interest to Ed who
in turn ask his son and wife to come into
partnership with them which they did in Feb.
1935. This family store was in operation until
the summer of 1954.

Ed served as Hooker County Commission-
er for 4 years, from 1939 till 1943, serving as
chairman for the complete term.

Effie never worked in an office nor taught
school but she was always busy in the store
and at one time she and Berniece had a ladies
dress and gift shop. Effie always found time
for a big garden, chickens, lots of canning and
jelly making. Her spare time to relax was to
knit, crochet, embroidery or piece quilt tops.

Ed spent some years as janitor of the
Hooker County Court House after the close
out of the Sand Hills Commercial Company
store. Ed's hobbies and relaxation, after he
gave up long hours of regular work, was to go
fishing with his friend Fielden (Windy)
Boyer, or to settle back in an easy chair and
read a good western book.