My Great Uncle
Thomas was the sixth of nine children born to David Starkey BOND and Mary Elizabeth BUTLER.
He was married to Clara Cline WHITELY on 28 Feb 1903, in Council Grove, Morris, Kansas, USA.
Together they had six daughters.
Cause of death: died of influenza during the pandemic of 1918-1920.
Tommy had a homestead in Clayton, New Mexico and tried to keep it up while living in Kansas. To keep the homestead they were required to make improvements to it at least twice a year. So twice a year the family made a trip to New Mexico by covered wagon to do the required work. They would collect buffalo chips on the way out to burn for heat while there. One year, when they made the trip weather had destroyed the crop, actually blowing it away. Tommy sent Clara and all the girls except Myrtle, the oldest (about 7 years old) home to Kansas on the train. Tommy and Myrtle started the return by wagon, but they ran out of food and money. Just outside of Oklahoma City, they came upon a field of corn and he decided to eat some. The farmer on the land caught them stealing the corn and instead of being angry, took them to his home and gave them a bag of food. When they made their way into Oklahoma City, Tommy decided to sell the wagon and all of the belongings they were bringing from New Mexico. He and Myrtle went the rest of the way by train.
Family Stories
Tommy and his wife, Clara, lived on a farm southwest of Ordway, CO, when he was taken ill in the flu pandemic of 1918-1920. Upon learning of Tommy's illness, his mother, Mary, and his sisters, Annie Soderberg and Rena Goodman, traveled by train from Kansas to be with him and his family. Upon Tommy's death, Ustick Funeral Home, in Rocky Ford, provided the services for his remains including the casket. It was shipped to Wichita on the Santa Fe Rail Line. The total bill for the services provided by Usticks and the fare for the ride in the baggage car totaled $98.00.
Clara and her six daughters rode in the passenger car on the train trip. Clara had the sad duty of consoling her children who were deeply saddened by their father's death. Clara, according to the family, was devastated by her husband's sudden and untimely death.
His mother, Mary Elizabeth, refused to leave her son's body alone in the baggage car so she sat on a straight back chair by his casket for the entire trip. She said, "I just couldn't bear to have Tommy make this trip all alone."
The was an extremely sad event in the lives of the Bond family but, on the other hand, it demonstrates how much the members loved each other and the closeness that they all shared.
After their father's death Tommy's daughters remained very close to his family.
Thomas was the sixth of nine children born to David Starkey BOND and Mary Elizabeth BUTLER.
He was married to Clara Cline WHITELY on 28 Feb 1903, in Council Grove, Morris, Kansas, USA.
Together they had six daughters.
Cause of death: died of influenza during the pandemic of 1918-1920.
Tommy had a homestead in Clayton, New Mexico and tried to keep it up while living in Kansas. To keep the homestead they were required to make improvements to it at least twice a year. So twice a year the family made a trip to New Mexico by covered wagon to do the required work. They would collect buffalo chips on the way out to burn for heat while there. One year, when they made the trip weather had destroyed the crop, actually blowing it away. Tommy sent Clara and all the girls except Myrtle, the oldest (about 7 years old) home to Kansas on the train. Tommy and Myrtle started the return by wagon, but they ran out of food and money. Just outside of Oklahoma City, they came upon a field of corn and he decided to eat some. The farmer on the land caught them stealing the corn and instead of being angry, took them to his home and gave them a bag of food. When they made their way into Oklahoma City, Tommy decided to sell the wagon and all of the belongings they were bringing from New Mexico. He and Myrtle went the rest of the way by train.
Family Stories
Tommy and his wife, Clara, lived on a farm southwest of Ordway, CO, when he was taken ill in the flu pandemic of 1918-1920. Upon learning of Tommy's illness, his mother, Mary, and his sisters, Annie Soderberg and Rena Goodman, traveled by train from Kansas to be with him and his family. Upon Tommy's death, Ustick Funeral Home, in Rocky Ford, provided the services for his remains including the casket. It was shipped to Wichita on the Santa Fe Rail Line. The total bill for the services provided by Usticks and the fare for the ride in the baggage car totaled $98.00.
Clara and her six daughters rode in the passenger car on the train trip. Clara had the sad duty of consoling her children who were deeply saddened by their father's death. Clara, according to the family, was devastated by her husband's sudden and untimely death.
His mother, Mary Elizabeth, refused to leave her son's body alone in the baggage car so she sat on a straight back chair by his casket for the entire trip. She said, "I just couldn't bear to have Tommy make this trip all alone."
The was an extremely sad event in the lives of the Bond family but, on the other hand, it demonstrates how much the members loved each other and the closeness that they all shared.
After their father's death Tommy's daughters remained very close to his family.
My Great Uncle
Thomas was the sixth of nine children born to David Starkey BOND and Mary Elizabeth BUTLER.
He was married to Clara Cline WHITELY on 28 Feb 1903, in Council Grove, Morris, Kansas, USA.
Together they had six daughters.
Cause of death: died of influenza during the pandemic of 1918-1920.
Tommy had a homestead in Clayton, New Mexico and tried to keep it up while living in Kansas. To keep the homestead they were required to make improvements to it at least twice a year. So twice a year the family made a trip to New Mexico by covered wagon to do the required work. They would collect buffalo chips on the way out to burn for heat while there. One year, when they made the trip weather had destroyed the crop, actually blowing it away. Tommy sent Clara and all the girls except Myrtle, the oldest (about 7 years old) home to Kansas on the train. Tommy and Myrtle started the return by wagon, but they ran out of food and money. Just outside of Oklahoma City, they came upon a field of corn and he decided to eat some. The farmer on the land caught them stealing the corn and instead of being angry, took them to his home and gave them a bag of food. When they made their way into Oklahoma City, Tommy decided to sell the wagon and all of the belongings they were bringing from New Mexico. He and Myrtle went the rest of the way by train.
Family Stories
Tommy and his wife, Clara, lived on a farm southwest of Ordway, CO, when he was taken ill in the flu pandemic of 1918-1920. Upon learning of Tommy's illness, his mother, Mary, and his sisters, Annie Soderberg and Rena Goodman, traveled by train from Kansas to be with him and his family. Upon Tommy's death, Ustick Funeral Home, in Rocky Ford, provided the services for his remains including the casket. It was shipped to Wichita on the Santa Fe Rail Line. The total bill for the services provided by Usticks and the fare for the ride in the baggage car totaled $98.00.
Clara and her six daughters rode in the passenger car on the train trip. Clara had the sad duty of consoling her children who were deeply saddened by their father's death. Clara, according to the family, was devastated by her husband's sudden and untimely death.
His mother, Mary Elizabeth, refused to leave her son's body alone in the baggage car so she sat on a straight back chair by his casket for the entire trip. She said, "I just couldn't bear to have Tommy make this trip all alone."
The was an extremely sad event in the lives of the Bond family but, on the other hand, it demonstrates how much the members loved each other and the closeness that they all shared.
After their father's death Tommy's daughters remained very close to his family.
Thomas was the sixth of nine children born to David Starkey BOND and Mary Elizabeth BUTLER.
He was married to Clara Cline WHITELY on 28 Feb 1903, in Council Grove, Morris, Kansas, USA.
Together they had six daughters.
Cause of death: died of influenza during the pandemic of 1918-1920.
Tommy had a homestead in Clayton, New Mexico and tried to keep it up while living in Kansas. To keep the homestead they were required to make improvements to it at least twice a year. So twice a year the family made a trip to New Mexico by covered wagon to do the required work. They would collect buffalo chips on the way out to burn for heat while there. One year, when they made the trip weather had destroyed the crop, actually blowing it away. Tommy sent Clara and all the girls except Myrtle, the oldest (about 7 years old) home to Kansas on the train. Tommy and Myrtle started the return by wagon, but they ran out of food and money. Just outside of Oklahoma City, they came upon a field of corn and he decided to eat some. The farmer on the land caught them stealing the corn and instead of being angry, took them to his home and gave them a bag of food. When they made their way into Oklahoma City, Tommy decided to sell the wagon and all of the belongings they were bringing from New Mexico. He and Myrtle went the rest of the way by train.
Family Stories
Tommy and his wife, Clara, lived on a farm southwest of Ordway, CO, when he was taken ill in the flu pandemic of 1918-1920. Upon learning of Tommy's illness, his mother, Mary, and his sisters, Annie Soderberg and Rena Goodman, traveled by train from Kansas to be with him and his family. Upon Tommy's death, Ustick Funeral Home, in Rocky Ford, provided the services for his remains including the casket. It was shipped to Wichita on the Santa Fe Rail Line. The total bill for the services provided by Usticks and the fare for the ride in the baggage car totaled $98.00.
Clara and her six daughters rode in the passenger car on the train trip. Clara had the sad duty of consoling her children who were deeply saddened by their father's death. Clara, according to the family, was devastated by her husband's sudden and untimely death.
His mother, Mary Elizabeth, refused to leave her son's body alone in the baggage car so she sat on a straight back chair by his casket for the entire trip. She said, "I just couldn't bear to have Tommy make this trip all alone."
The was an extremely sad event in the lives of the Bond family but, on the other hand, it demonstrates how much the members loved each other and the closeness that they all shared.
After their father's death Tommy's daughters remained very close to his family.
Family Members
Siblings
