Text from Oct. 13, 1960, Tri-County News. Mrs. Hannah Bartlett, who has spent most of her life in the Fair Haven community, celebrated her 100th birthday Oct. 9 [1960]. She is now living with her son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Oulman, near Riceville, Iowa. The following account of her life appeared in the Press-News of Osage, Iowa. Her thoughts are more channeled to the past than to the present. She recalls many things from her early childhood, telling that she was born ten miles north of Anoka, at Oak Grove. Her father, William Vye, homesteaded land in that township. When she was six, her family moved to Fair Haven. She was married there July 11, 1885, to Merritt C. Bartlett. They remained on that same farm in that area until eight years ago (1952) when she, now widowed, came to live with her daughter and family. She recalled that her father built the first flour mill in the Fair haven area. Not many years after it was built, Mrs. bartlett saw her father’s mill destroyed by a flood. After completing her early education, Mrs. Bartlett attended normal school in St. Cloud for one year. She remembered of the Indians coming to the Vye home where they were fed at the table, often leaving the cupboards completely bare. After they had gobbled the final morsel they left the house, cut through the cornfield to the home of a neighbor, and proceeded to do the same there. Mrs. Bartlett did the work of a seamstress for many years and recalls putting in a hard day’s work away from home, without so much as a nibble for dinner. Her wage? Fifty cents per day. She made lovely braided and crocheted rugs, too, until five years ago when her eyesight began to fail. She still has part of a rug that was made for her home shortly after her marriage. She cut and sewed the rags that went into the rug. One feather pillow that is in the Oulman home is the remains of a feather bed brought here from Ireland by Mrs. Bartlett’s mother, Margaret Connely, in about 1838. The “tick” was divided and sub-divided several times, finally being reduced to pillow size. When the announcement came of Charles Lindbergh’s historic flight, though only a small child, it made a deep impression on her. She remembers the story appearing in the weekly paper to which her father subscribed. She knew the family of Charles A. Lindbergh and, though not so many years ago, she recalls seeing him at a celebration in his honor shortly after his famous flight across the Atlantic. His father, Charles Sr., an attorney, was a family friend. Mrs. Bartlett was the mother of three children. One son, Loye, died as a young man in 1931 following the death of his father one year earlier. One son, Hazen Bartlett, now lives in Los Gatos, Calif., and though he is physically handicapped as the result of a stroke that left him without the use of his vocal chords, he is still an active man. Mrs. Oulman (Grace) cares for her mother at home. The Oulmans have two children and Hazen has three children. Mrs. Bartlett also has nine great-grandchildren. She is the last surviving member of her family and the only one to have attained any great age. When she came to Iowa to live on the prairie, she noted the contrast to her native territory on the line between Stearns and Wright counties in Minnesota. There she had been surrounded by trees, hills, lakes and streams of all sizes. In Iowa she could see for miles when she looked from the window of the Oulman home. Mrs. Bartlett always worked hard. Since her eyes are bad now, and she isn’t able to get around since breaking her hip more than a year ago, she sits quietly and uncomplainingly beside the window, and knows that she has earned the rest she is getting. On June 22 another special program was attended by many of you. It featured well-known author and historian Bill Morgan’s unique performance on what old photographs “say”. Great friends like Bill have made our meetings special occasions and we are grateful. If you’ve not yet joined the Kimball Area Historical Society, you’re invited to become a member (tax-deductible). It’s the only source of local historic preservation and heritage appreciation, and it will affect every generation to come. Renewed memberships are appreciated as our faithful membership grows. Keep watching this column for more details about our August Kimball Days exhibit and Supper in the Park events. For membership, cookbooks, column contributions or information, please contact the Kimball Area Historical Society at P.O. Box 100, Kimball MN 55353, or call (320) 398-5743, 398-5250 or toll-free (800) 252-2521.
