I’m going to be leaving to spend a coule of weeks with friends in Montana tomorrow, and I want to finish writing about the Russel T. and Addie (Small) Updegraff Family.

I have not been able to find an exact date, but the Updegraffs built the beautiful house on the northwest corner of Fourth and Main Streets. They lived in this home until they moved to Topeka in 1939. I visited with their daughters several times during the 1970s, and they told me that since their father owned and operated the lumber yard at Maple Hill, he chose the very best building materials, including the wood paneling in the large central hallway. They also told me that after the main house was framed in and the footings and foundations poured for the porches, he had his farm workmen bring in load after load of dirt from their farm and then the men drove the work teams back and forth until the dirt was packed solid. Their father was always proud that the cement that was poured as a final step, did not crack.

The Updegraffs were the parents of four children. The oldest was Adelaide Rebecca Updegraff born January 20, 1894 at Maple Hill, Kansas. She graduated from Maple Hill Grade and High School and then graduated from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas. She was the first Maple HIll alumnus to graduate from college. She married William Lester Groves (also a college graduate) in what the Maple Hill News Items described as a “beautiful and lavish” ceremony in her parents home on June 25, 1923. She and William Groves were the parents of William Lester Groves, Jr.; David N. Groves, and Nancy Alice Groves. William L. Groves, Sr. was a Lieutenant in the United States Army and he and Adelaide Groves are buried in the Chattanooga National Cemetery, Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Wilma Clara Updegraff was born on July 27, 1897 at Maple Hill, Kansas. She graduated from Maple HIll Grade School and High School and from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. She returned to the area and taught school for several years, including Maple Hill Grade School. She was married to Francis Joseph “Frank” Gassman on September 25, 1922 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys, Kansas. Frank Gassman owned and operated a drug store in St. Marys, Kansas. About 1935, they moved to Plattsburg, Missouri where they again bought and operated a drug store. They lived in Plattsburg the rest of their lives. They were the parents of two sons: Francis A. Gassman born March 5, 1924 and William U. Gassman born October 3, 1926. Both children married and had families but are now deceased.

Alice Sarah Updegraff was born August 9, 1901 at Maple Hill, Kansas. She attended Maple Hill Grade School and High School and graduated from Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas. She taught school in many Kansas communities, including Maple Hill. In 1943, she was married to Dr. Clarence Leonard Eastburn, a Topeka dentist. They lived in Topeka the rest of their lives. Dr. Eastburg died in 1966 and Alice (Updegraff) Eastburg died in 1993. They are buried in Topeka Cemetery. There were no children of this union.

Russell Taylor Updegraff, Jr. was born November 12, 1909 at Maple Hill, Kansas where he graduated from Maple Hill Grade School and High School. He attended Kansas State University. In the early 1930s, he was married to Eulalia Marie Reding, whose family lived and farmed in Kaw Township. They moved to California before 1935, where they remained the rest of their lives. Mr. Updegraff was a salesman for various companies. They are the parents of two children: William “Billie” and Carol Updegraff.

Russell Updegraff, Jr. died in 1989 and his wife in 1990. They are both buried in St. Stanislaw Cemetery, Modesto, California.

I was privileged to know all three of the Updegraff sisters and to visit them in their homes. They were all rather formal in their demeanors and since all three were college graduates and teachers, they were enjoyable to visit with. All had a bit of a love/hate relationship with Maple Hill. They enjoyed their youth and school experiences, because their family was well-to-do, had hired help in the home, and enjoyed many privileges. Their father’s business ventures did not do well during the Great Depression, and likely through no real fault of his own, the family fell on hard times having to sell their businesses, farms and homes. This left a bitter taste in their mouths.

All three women married college graduates and their families all did well as they grew to maturity. I have a couple of letters from Adelaide Updegraff Groves, which describe their life in early Maple Hill and tell of her parent’s achievements. I’ll share those with you at a later time.

As with so many of Maple Hill’s early families, there are no Updegraffs living in Maple Hill now. Their former farm is the 160-acre parcel northeast of Maple Hill, owned for many years by Warner and Emma Jeanne (Flattre) Adams. The Updegraffs built the house on that farm for their tenants and it is now the home of Max Lemon, Jr. Mrs. Carol Lovall lives in their beautiful home at Main and Fourth Streets—all that remains of a once distinguished family.