Memories

As I continue my articles about the Mumedy family, I will add a little more information about Andrew and Margaret written by Leona, their daughter.

“The Mumedy family came to Carter County from Dodge, Nebraska in the early 1900. They homesteaded two miles north of Ekalaka and lived in a sod house during the early years.” This information came from Shifting Scenes Vol. II.

In Vol. III she shares more:.

“My father was a fine musician and played the trombone in the Dodge Cornet band. He came to America as a young man to live with his Aunt and Uncle Joe Brodhun at Dodge, Nebraska. He never returned to Germany to see his family, and he was the only member of his family in America.”

My mother Margaret was the oldest of the Loehding family of ten children. Her brothers and sisters were Sophia Stoltenberg, Henry, Lena Rumery, Claus, Pete, Martha Phalen, John, Carl, and Frank.”

Mildred Loehding, wife of Frank Loehding who many of us knew, has a very interesting and informative history of the Loehding family in Vol. I of Shifting Scenes.

Maybe there is a future article there?

Andrew Mumedy passed away in November 1936 and Margaret passed away in July 1941. Yes, as we read the history of relatives, friends and neighbors we are reminded that life on this earth will some day end.

And now I want to dwell on some of the life of Leona Mumedy as she wrote in 1981.

“In 1931 I started working in the Courthouse for County Attorney Raymond Sheldon at $75.00 a month. This check covered a number of things including making payments at the bank each month on our new DeLaval cream separator, and on the Model A Ford car. The real luxury was the purchase of the cabinet style radio from Montgomery Ward which opened up a whole new world of music and news.”

Oh yes, I remember working in the post office and receiving a large volume of Sears, Montgomery Ward, Spiegel and Aldens catalogs. Those days are long past and forgotten but, my, how we thumbed through the pages of each.

As I reminisce about the catalogs, I also remember the JC Penny Catalogs. This triggers a memory of the JC Penney stores in Baker, Belle Fourche and Miles City. When you made a purchase the clerk took the money or check, put it in a container, fastened it on a cable, pulled a spring loaded mechanism and sent it to the second floor where an individual made change and sent it back down to the clerk to give to the customer. Readers will have to use their imagination to get the full picture. I don’t believe credit cards were in use in this area at the time. Times have changed!

Let’s continue to review some of the life and employment of Leona. She spent time as County Assistant Circuit Clerk under Hallie Campbell’s office and she went to the State Legislature every two years under the sponsorship of John Oliver, twice to the Senate, and once to the House.

In 1937 she was called to Polson, Montana to work for an attorney and later went to work for the CCCs (Civilian Conservation Corps) in Missoula, Montana where her brother Alvin was employed. They worked at Fort Missoula until war was declared and the CCCs were abandoned.

Again, a reminder of the many Carter County men and men throughout the states who found employment with the CCCs during hard times.

Still more to come. . .