Franklin County, Nebraska

For Another Day

Mary Anderson dated Ted Hill

Ted Hill was the fifth child born to Fenton Hill and Mary L. (Williams) Hill. Fenton was the don of Civil War Veteran Marvin Hill, whom I wrote about in a previous article.

Ted S. Hill was born May 3, 1901. Dr Jim Sumner was present when he was born, so his folks named him Todd Sumner in honor of the doctor. But, when Ted got bigger, he didn't like Todd so he told his dad, he wanted to be called Ted. He also just used the initial S. as his middle name.

Ted was born on the old Haussermann Place, northwest of Bloomington, in the Bethel District. From there, he lived on several farms with his parents. Mary shared some memories of Ted Hill's younger life. "When Ted was 9 years old, he was on the Robinson's place with the older boys. Ted was thrown off a steer, striking his head on a rock, knocking him out and pneumonia set in. He had it several times. Today the Robinson Place is owned by James Haussermann. A few years ago, the Wayne Albers family lived there.

Mary wrote about how she and Ted began dating. " One night, Ted took Thelma and I to the movies, -- That started it. When Ted and I went to Hastings, before we were married, to get my ring, Dad gave us $100.00 to buy what we needed. We bought a set of dishes, a dresser and I don't remember what else, but Ted got my ring. On the way up there we stopped in Blue Hill and they had grapes, so Ted bought a basket, Then he bought some Sure-Jel so Mom could make us jelly. When we bought the Sure-Jel, they gave us a pink dish with a handle on it, and I still have it. One of our wedding presents was a blue carnival glass plate from Ralph and Pauline Douglas."

Chapter 17

Mary Marries Ted

Mary said a little over a year after she graduated from Bloomington she and Ted ran away to Smith Center, KS, on October 16, 1931 and were married. When they got back Ted drove the car up into the big barn on the Carlson place. When the young couple walked down the road and heard the folks coming from town to shivaree them, they ducked under the Lost Creek Bridge. Fenton told the visitors they weren't there, so everyone took off. When the crowd was gone, Ted and Mary came out from under the bridge and walked back to the house. Later, a wedding shower was given for the couple. Mary still had a list of the gifts they received, including a jar of peanut butter. The marriage license cost $10.00. The only had $12.50, so they had only $2.50 left for change. They stopped and got beefsteaks for the three of them (Fenton Hill, Ted and Mary).

Mary remembered, " Ted and Kenneth Douglas were good friends and spent a lot of time together. Ted and his dad lived over on the Carlson place, so they weren't too far apart. When we got married, Ralph and Pauline Douglas and the Joyce's had a shower for us. Kenneth and Ted were such good friends, and so when our second son was born we named him after Kenneth. Another friend of Ted's was Les Cocheran. He was uncle or something to Frances Grace.

To this union, five children were born: Geraldine Mary (August 24, 1932); Dorothy Lee (September 18, 1933); Howard Ted (November 20, 1934); Barbara Ann (Stillborn, March 18, 1936); and Kenneth Jerome (October 8, 1938).

Man never quite forgets his very first love. Mary Dallas

Rena Donovan, For Another Day

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