Barber County Kansas

Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten

Franklin James and Arvilla (Farley) Garten.
Franklin James Garten and Arvilla (Farley) Garten
Photo courtesy of Jana (Garten) Schnelle and Bonnie (Garten) Shaffer.


The Chosen Land: Barber County, Kansas, page 187.

Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten

Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten, daughter of James Edward (Ed) Farley and Barbara Anna (Suhler) Farley, was born in 1897 near Sharon, Kansas. Ed was a water well driller.

There were three other children: Henry, Albert, and Mary (all deceased). They lived west of Medicine Lodge until they built a new home, 512 N. Iliff, to move into in 1917. They always planted a garden and milked cows. Arvilla, being the youngest, always helped with chores before going to school. She was proud to be in the graduating class from the new High School (east part of Intermediate School) in 1916. After graduation, she rode the train to Kiowa to live with a family and teach in a rural school.

Arvilla married Franklin (Frank) James Garten, born 1896, son of James C. Garten and Sara Elizabeth (Nurse) Garten, in 1919. He had served in WWI. Frank had one brother and five sisters: Claude, Nellie (Mrs. George Smith), Myrtle (Mrs. Bert Strickland), Mabel (Mrs. George Lukens), Ruby (Mrs. John Lynch), and Lena Mae Garten, all deceased but Myrtle.

Frank and Arvilla lived in Mingonia Township, using horses to help put in crops. They had a garden, chickens, hogs, and cattle. They had three children, Harold, Bob, and Bill. They enjoyed their neighbors and friends. They had some pleasant times with Fred and Alice Strickland, especially going to dances.

Frank took ill and never recovered from an appendectomy in 1927. Arvilla and boys moved to town in with her folks. In the early thirties, when the Skinner Lumber Yard Building burned, the sparks blew north and burned their barn.

Friends convinced Arvilla to run for County Treasurer. She was elected November 4, 1930, and held office for 16 years, either treasurer or deputy.

Her main goal in life was to have her three boys graduate from high school. The boys worked in spare time as soon as they were about 10 years old. One of the things they did was weed gardens for 10 cents an hour, sweep floors, and work at the Livestock Sale.

Arvilla and boys moved to their home, 406 N. Walnut, in the thirties. One of the highlights of her life was taking the boys and going with friends to Idaho to visit relatives. In 1936 when Harold was working at Carper's Drug Store, they rented Ed Carper's car and all drove to Colorado to visit relatives.

She enjoyed a birthday club with several friends, of which four are still living. She was a Charter member of the Business and Professional Woman's Organization, also a member of Wesleyan Circle of the United Methodist Church and attended the Golden Age Club.

In 1946 she started working at the Barber County Savings and Loan and retired in 1970 after 24 years. After retirement she continued having a garden and flowers.

Harold and Faye have 3 children, 2 married and 6 grandchildren. Bob and Donna have 2 children, 1 married and 1 grandchild. Bill and Betty have 2 children, 1 married, and 2 grandchildren.

Arvilla always looked forward to visits, phone calls and letters from her family, relatives, and friends. She expired in September, 1979.


Gravestones for Franklin James Garten and Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten, Highland Cemetery, Medicine Lodge, Kansas.
Gravestones for Franklin James Garten and Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten
Highland Cemetery, Medicine Lodge, Kansas
Photo courtesy of Jana (Garten) Schnelle and Bonnie (Garten) Shaffer.


Also see:

Billy "Bill" Franklin Garten, son of Franklin James and Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten.

Betty Jane (Harbaugh) Garten, wife of Bill Franklin Garten.

Franklin James "Frank" Garten, husband of Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten.

Harold H. Garten, son of Franklin James and Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten.

Robert Dale "Bob" Garten, son of Franklin James and Arvilla Anna (Farley) Garten.

Sara Elizabeth (Nurse) Garten, mother of Franklin James "Frank" Garten, wife of James C. Garten.

Forrest City/Garten Cemetery, Barber County, Kansas, burial place of Franklin James "Frank" Garten's parents and some of his siblings.




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