Onward We Go and Seeing Our Roots

Trying to get this laptop connected and working properly on these wireless internet connections in hotels is a challenge. The term "it would make a preacher cuss" is probably a perfect description of my experience.

Yesterday we stopped at the Mammouth Hot Springs Hotel in Yellowstone and asked if they had a cancelation. They didn't think so but upon checking their computer found they had a cabin with two double beds. The price wasn't so bad so we decided to pay for the experience. The cabins were probably built in the thirties and were small and quaint but very clean and updated. I had called two months ago and there was no availabiity so we felt very smug to have slept in one of their facilities. We splurged and dined in the beautiful dining room. It was a lovely and satisfying experience.

This morning, we early risers, Jim and I got out about five thirty and took a walk to the hot springs. It was forty degrees and COLD. I wore my socks with my sandals and didn't care one lick how it looked. We enjoyed the beauty of the sunrise. We also enjoyed walking into the hotel lobby and warming our backsides by the fire. We went to the dining hall for some complimentary coffee and brought our spouses some as well. Before we left we told them we expected them to be ready to leave when we returned. I don't think either Jim or I thought they would truly be ready as they were both on the ear. However they had had showers and were dressed and ready to pack the van. We were both surprised and proud of them.

We ate breakfast in Livingston, Montana. Montana is the state of Jim and my father's birth. We decided to back track and go to Columbus to see if we could find a lady that has taken others on tours of the Dutch Settlement. The Dutch Settlement is where many of Dutch decent moved to homestead. We had a last name of Lindemulder to go on. I felt like we were looking for a pig in a poke. We were told she lived about five miles north of Columbus on the road to Rapelje. At about five mile we stopped at a house and asked for a Lindemulder. A young man in his thirties said they lived about nine more miles up toward Rapelje. We had to ask one more time but eventually found her. She answered the door and it was obvious she was a bit befuddled
but when we told her we were on a mission to see the homestead of both of our great grandparents and our parents, one could see a gleam in her eye. She told us that she had been sick and in bed the last few days from some reaction to a medicine they were trying on her. Soon she was feeling much better and wanted to "take us out there. We said she didn't have to if she wasn't feeling well and her response was, "it will be good for me". It was great fun to visit with her and listen to her stories. It was her husband's family that were the homesteaders in the Dutch settlement but one could tell she had learned much from the family she married into.

Alice told us that she gave birth to three children and adopted nine. Some were American Indian children. Her youngest daughter was there from Billings to care for her but she didn't argue at all about her going with us.

Soon we were on a dirt trail through her property (four sections of 640 acres). That is what one calls a ranch. Her son cares for the ranch now. She was quite the lady as she marched us through tall prairie grass looking for a basement foundation of the Columbus Christian Reformed Church on the settlement. The water well is still workable. Over a couple of hundred feet she found the cemetary. Most graves had been marked with simple metal markers which are mostly laid on a pile and not readable any longer. There were a few small stones, one of a death in l918. We took many pictures to show our kids and grandkids. When we finished our tour we asked if we may take her for lunch in Rapelje and she didn't hesitate long. She said again that she thought it would be good for her and told us over and over how nice it was to have company and be able to talk about old times. In Rapelje, a town of 250 people, there is next to nothing. We found four old grain elevators and a church, her church, a school of K-12 of 60 children and a cafe. The cafe is owned by the community and supported by special events they put on during the year. The cafe is not a for profit business because even if the whole town ate every meal there it would not
break even so in order to preserve the town the community purchased it and runs it with a couple of paid people and many volunteers. While we were there four very old ladies came in and played Mexican dominoes. "Oh yes", said Alice, "we play dominoes every Wednesday afternoon." We asked if she wanted to stay and play. She hinted to the ladies that she would need a ride home and not one of them offered to take her home. I felt a bit bad for her but she said she probably shouldn't stay because she hadn't been feeling well. It was obvious during our visit that she is having trouble with her memory. She repeated quite a bit and told us the same things over and over. It was sad to see such a healthy 81 year old who was not able to remember a few minutes. She told us she was having trouble and said , "it is disgusting". My heart bled for her and for her children who love and honor their mom. We felt privileged to meet her and spend some time with a woman who has raised 12 children on a ranch with what seemed next to nothing around them for entertainment. We are so spoiled.


We called our father and let him know we had been successful in finding the place where he was baptized. He had taken us there as children but it was quite different to go as adults. To think of families leaving everything in the midwest for these sparce hills and mountains is quite difficult to understand. We realize now more than ever that our ancestors were very adventuresome people who were not afraid to risk everything for an experience and possible success. We talked later that their failure there was not a whole lot different than some of our failures in business. We said that once one is where we are in life we begin to understand that life is full of successes but also failures. The key is to pick up after the failure and go on. Our ancestors were good at that and we decided we had learned to do that as well.

We took a hotel in Livingston on our way back. It was early but we have been pushing
ourselves pretty hard and decided we needed to take a break and rest. Sue and I went to Albertson's and got some laundry detergent and some groceries to have sandwiches for supper. We have had several big meals and were satisfied to have some fruit and sandwiches. Now, I am journaling while Sue is finishing up our laundry. We also took the van completely apart and reorganized and cleaned it up. It will feel good to be clean once again. Can't say that for the van though. It is filthy from those dirt roads and high grass and weeds. We will look for a carwash tomorrow.