Millard and Ethel Akers

Photo courtesy of Aker family

Rev. Millard Merle Akers (1890-1945) = Carpenter, School teacher, Farmer, Minister. Millard was born to Oliver and Clara Isabelle (Shaffer) Akers in Linn County, Kansas near Mound City on August 7. The Akers emigrated to Seward County, KS. Millard learned the carpenter trade from his father and then became a school teacher when he grew up and taught two years after he married his wife, Ethel Julia (1890-1974; great-granddaughter of Elder Martin White) on November 6, 1910 at her parent’s home, Alfred Jefferson and Fannie Viola (Bogart) White, east of Liberal, KS.

To this union, six children were born – Richard, Alfred, Fannie, Nellie, Arlene, and Donald. Richard, Alfred, and Don owned menswear clothing stores in Kansas – Richard, Pioneer Men’s Store in Elkhart; Alfred, Al’s Clothing in Kinsley; and Don in Dodge City. Fannie worked in the canteen at the Veterans Hospital in Wichita, KS; Nellie was a nurse and Arlene was a teacher and pastor’s wife.

Millard and Ethel moved to Baca County, Colorado after his school teaching days to a claim about fifteen miles west of Elkhart, Kansas. During this period of time, he felt God calling him to ministerial work. He pastored Church of God (Anderson, IN.) churches in Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, and Florida. He was the pastor at the Liberal, Kansas church when his youngest daughter, Arlene was born. Millard filled the pulpit of the Pleasant Prairie Church of God near Satanta, KS. from time to time during the year of 1938-39 when the church was without a pastor. He was in Beaver County, Oklahoma at the time of his death with cancer on November 4, 1945. He was buried in Liberal’s city cemetery and Ethel was laid to rest next to him.

* I have happy memories of spending a week with Great-Aunt Ethel at her home in Liberal, KS during campmeeting one summer. She lived in a tiny bungalow across the street from the Church of God campmeeting tabernacle. Ethel’s granddaughter also had the privilege of staying that week too. Donna and I went shopping uptown, bought some liquid dip film in a can and wire to make plastic flowers from the dime store that was all the rage then and spent our week making bouquets of flowers to donate to the ladies missionary store on the campgrounds. The WOCG supplied linens and craft items to sell and the money collected went to help support Church of God missionaries, like Edna Thimes.

* I just learned this week that my grandmother was saved after her brother-in-law, Rev. Akers preached during the 1923 Liberal, Kansas Church of God (Anderson, IN) Camp-meeting.  And that my dad and mother met at camp-meeting several years later. 

More to Read:

1. Ancestry.com -- US Federal & State Census Records

2. Haskell County, Kansas. 1887-1987. 100 Years Beneath the Plow, A Historical Anthology. Ed. By Janice Lee McClure, Haskell County Historical Society. Mennonite Press, Inc., Newton, Ks. 1988.

3. “The Old Timers: As I Remember Them” by Chester C. Tucker. Printed c. 1963

4. White’s Family and Their Kin. Mrs. Gladys Esther White O’Neal and Elma Leota White Stoops. Paper Graphics, Garden City, KS; 1983. 
5. Gospel Trumpet, the Church of God (Anderson, IN) publication: Google Books and Internet Archive.  
6. 1937 Dust Storm Photograph of Elkhart, Kansas
7. An ad of Richard Akers' Pioneer Men's Wear & Department store on this sheet

8. Findagrave #10328566

Places to Visit in KS:

1. Church of God campgrounds, Liberal

2. Pleasant Prairie Church of God, Satanta
3. Morton County, Kansas Historical Museum, (Pioneer Men's Store exhibit), US Highway 56,  Elkhart 

Biography written by Dolores J. Rush. Updated: 7/3/2020

Brick Walls

"Brick Walls" are when you've come to the end of your ancestral line research and you can go no farther. If you can't break through, because information is not available to you at that precise moment or what you found may be incorrect, then you might have to take a little detour around the brick wall. Find another family expert and pick their brains to see what they know, however, be forewarned, some genealogy nuts are harder to crack than others. 

"Even professional genealogists have brick walls and need other genealogists, with specialties in those areas, to help them out." ~ Christa Cowan, Ancestry.com

I've been researching one particular ancestor, Martin White,  and have found much new information which  has enriched the historical environment he lived in. I have found some of his FANS (friends, associates, and neighbors) and, with the help of others, have uncovered journals and letters by his FAN's and family.
  

My Dad's Birthday

Today would have been my dad's 88th birthday had he lived this long! He was a handy man to have around as he was an air-conditioning and heating serviceman. He also knew about refrigeration and motors and electricity. It would irritate my mother to no end when he would take a small greasy engine apart and put it back together on our kitchen table. I took his talents for granted until he passed away several years ago, four days before my parent's anniversary, of a sudden heart attack. 

His funeral service verse was,

Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write:

Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."

"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor,

for their deeds will follow them."

~ Revelation 14: 13,

because I made a note of it in my Bible. 

A girlfriend found this bazaar poem for work gloves somewhere and sent it to me when I was a preschool Sunday School teacher.  I had to rework it a bit so that my class could give a gift of gloves to their daddies for Father's Day; however today I'm posting this in memory of my dad!

Dad's Gloves Craft.

Supplies needed:
a computer generated copy of the poem
1 pair of men's brown jersey work gloves per child (I saw some at a salvage store for 50 cents a pair here; sometimes you can purchase them in a bundle; my Dad's favorite thing to do was to buy in bulk! *grin*)
1 brown paper lunch bag per child
a piece of brown twine, abt. 8 inches long or so
appropriate tool rubber stamps and dark brown or black dye ink pad
or black and white printed clip-art 
glue or paste, hole punch, & pinking sheers

Instructions:
Stamp tool images all over the front of the bag with the ink or color in the clip-art, cut out and glue to bag.  Trim around the pre-printed poem with pinking sheers, and paste it to the front of the bag. Then place the gloves in the bag, fold the top over a couple of times, and punch two holes in the middle about an inch apart. Thread the jute through and tie into a bow. Dad's gift is finished! 

(Note about poem: "I", in the personal sense, was written as their Sunday School teacher, but it can changed to the corporate "we", as in siblings shopping together. Use as needed.)

Father's Gloves
Author Unknown.

 I went shopping store to store
For one gift that fits all,
Some were too tall, some too wide,
But many were just too small.

 The mystery was solved when I saw
The perfect gift for every male,
It’s just the right size for their dads
And it even was on sale!

  

It fits the hands that mow the grass
And takes the garbage out.
It fits when dads are pumping gas
Or moving things about.

 It fits for this and fits for that,
And on and on you see.
I’m sure you might have a chore or two,
Or maybe even three.

 So free your hands of cuts and scrapes, dad,
On all the jobs you do.
As you slide each hand in a glove;
remember the love they have for you.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!

Her Relatives' Recipes

From: Wilma Green (O'NEAL) CANADAY

Zucchini Squash Relish

10 cup ground zucchini squash

8 large onions

4 green peppers

4 red peppers

4 tablespoon salt.

Grind above ingredients and let stand overnight. Drain and wash twice.

Add:

2 ¼ cup vinegar

2 ½ cup sugar

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1 tablespoon celery seed

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon cornstarch

½ teaspoon green food coloring

1 tablespoon turmeric

Mix all ingredients together and bring to boil on top of stove. Boil 10 minutes. Can while hot. Makes 6 quarts. ~ Recipe published in Country Cookin’. WCOG (Women of the Church of God), Pleasant Prairie Church of God, Satanta, KS. Cookbook Publishers, Olathe, KS; 1986, p. 6.

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From: Mabel May (ULLOM) GRIFFITH

Jellyroll Cake

4 eggs well beaten

2 tablespoons sweet milk

1 cup sugar

2 teaspoon baking powder sifted into 1 scant cup of flour

Flavor with lemon

Bake in moderate over until done, take out, turn pan upside down on bread towel, spread with jelly and roll-up.

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From: Lily Marie (LARUE) RANKIN HALL

Date Bars

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup flour

¼ teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 package dates, chopped

½ cup nuts

Cream together butter & sugar. Add eggs, vanilla. Beat well. Sift flour and baking powder together. Add to mixture. Stir in dates & nuts. Bake 30 minutes, 375 degree F. oven.

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From: Belinda “Linna” (ULLOM) KARSTEDT and Hannah (ULLOM) WARNER.

Soft Gingerbread

Put all in bowl & beat good together.

1 egg

½ cup sugar

½ cup shortening (bacon fat is good)

½ cup good New Orleans Molasses

Sift these next ingredients together then add to the first mixture.

1 ¾ cup flour

1 teaspoon each of ginger & cinnamon, sifted together with

A pinch of salt

Add these next:.

¾ cup boiling water

1 teaspoon soda

Beat in last. Bake in moderate oven, very light and good.

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I received this recipe for the cream cheese mints from my paternal Aunt as she had made mints for her parent’s 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration (1st row, rose on right) when I was preparing for my wedding. I made the heart-shaped mints. I obtained the rubber molds from a kitchen specialty shop. Anybody remember Function Junction? These rubber molds (or silicone molds) are very flexible, unlike the stiff clear plastic sheet candy molds found in hobby stores now. You can obtain them online at Sugar Craft (search engine: type in "crème cheese mint molds").

Since then I’ve made mints for other family events. The two on either side, 2nd row, are Christmas peppermint molds and in the back center are baby shoes. Wouldn’t these mints be cool for a tea-in-the-garden party too?

Cream Cheese Mints

Makes approximately 100 mints.

Make two per guest.

1 (2 lb.) package powdered sugar

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese

1 teaspoon mint flavoring

Dash cake frosting paste food color

Mix and knead all ingredients like dough. Butter your fingers & rubber candy molds. Roll candy dough the size of marbles and press into mold. Tidy up bottom of candy & unmold. Put on wax paper to dry. Can be frozen ahead of time.

Since these mints are relatively soft in nature, they can be easily mashed with rough handling. To serve, place one layer of mints on a paper-doily covered glass, china, or silver platter or tray on the cake table. Looks very pretty and are so yummy to eat!

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From: Deliah E. (BAILEY) LARUE

Dumplings

2 eggs

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons melted oleo

2 cups flour

2 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar

Drop by tablespoon in hot broth. Cover and cook 10 minutes or more until done.

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Recipes from Gladys Esther (WHITE) O'NEAL

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From: Eunice Lavon (O'NEAL) ROBERTSON

Broccoli Casserole

1 package chopped broccoli

1 can cream corn

2 eggs, beaten

2 tablespoons melted butter

Dash of tabasco sauce

Mix all above ingredients together. Pour into a buttered casserole dish. Cover with ½ cup buttered cracker or bread crumbs. Bake 1 hour at 350 degree oven. ~ Recipe published in Country Cookin’. WCOG (Women of the Church of God), Pleasant Prairie Church of God, Satanta, KS. Cookbook Publishers, Olathe, KS; 1986, p. 22

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From: Mrs. James E. “Jessie” ULLOM

Oatmeal Cookies

½ cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 ½ cup flour

2/3 teaspoon soda

½ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 ½ cup oatmeal

2/3 cup raisins

2 eggs

4 tablespoon milk

Cream shortening until light and creamy. Add sugar slowly working it into the shortening. Sift the flour twice then measure lightly. Do not pack. Then sift flour, soda, salt, cloves and cinnamon. Add oatmeal and mix well. Add raisins which have been finely chopped. Add chopped nuts if desired. ½ to ¾ pecan nuts. Also dates may be used. Beat one egg well. Add milk. Alternate the milk and egg & dry ingredients beating well between additions.

Mixture should be a fairly stiff drop batter. Drop by teaspoons into a greased pan 1 ½ inch apart. Bake in moderate oven 350 degree F. to 400 degree F. until lightly browned and cookie springs back in shape when lightly pressed.

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From: Maurine Hester (LARUE) ULLOM

Birthday Cake

2 cup sifted pastry flour

½ teaspoon Arm & Hammer soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter or other shortening

1 cup sugar

3 eggs yolks, beaten until thick

2/3 cup milk

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift flour once, measure, add baking soda, cream of tartar & salt and sift together 3 times. Work butter with spoon until creamy, add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, blend well, add flour, alternately with milk, a small amount at a time, beating until smooth. Add vanilla. Fold in egg whites. Bake layers in moderate oven 350 degrees F. for 25 minutes.

Soft Chocolate Frosting =

1 cup confectioners sugar

1 egg slightly beaten

dash of salt

½ teaspoon vanilla

2 squares of unsweetened chocolate

Add sugar to egg. Beat until smooth. Add salt & chocolate. Add vanilla. Cool before spreading.

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From: Maurine Hester (LARUE) ULLOM

Easy Corn Pudding

2 cups of fresh corn (cut off the cob)

2 teaspoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 eggs slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter

2 cups milk

Combine corn, sugar, salt & pepper. Add eggs and mix. Add butter to milk. Heat until butter is melted. Blend the milk with the corn and eggs. Put in a baking dish. Bake at 325 degree oven for 1 hour or until knife comes out clean.

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Recipes of Tacy Emma (BERRY) ULLOM

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From: Mildred Marie Ruth (CARTWRIGHT) WHITE

Applesauce Cake

2 cup sifted cake flour

½ teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon soda

2 well beaten eggs

1 cup nutmeats

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon allspice

½ cup shortening

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup applesauce

1 cup raisins

½ cup unsifted all-purpose flour.

Sift dry ingredients 3 times. Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and soda and applesauce mixed together. Stir in dry ingredients, raisins, and nuts. Beat mixture thoroughly. Bake in loaf pan in moderated oven for 45 minutes.

Icing:

1 cup brown sugar

About ½ cup thick sour cream.

Cook together. Then beat until creamy. Spread over cake. ~ Recipe published in Country Cookin’. WCOG (Women of the Church of God), Pleasant Prairie Church of God, Satanta, KS. Cookbook Publishers, Olathe, KS; 1986, p. 94.

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More to Read:

Cookbooks

Compiled by Dolores J. Rush. Updated: 10/6/2019.