Liz Writes Life - 9-15-21 -- Evacuation and life for a child in 1919

Liz Writes Life

Sept. 15, 2021

This is being written on Thursday of last week, Sept. 9, 2021, after I was evacuated with the expanded Callahan evac order last night. Luckily, last weekend I wrote a little history about my dad, when he was eight years old, so I have decided with all this fire craziness it will be my column this week.

This was a collaboration of remembrances with my older brother and sister. Steve started it back in July, when it was National Buffalo Soldier Day. Our dad had a wonderful encounter with an old Buffalo Soldier in September 1919. Steve had much more detail to these two stories than I did and Lorena remembered dad had ridden through mountains there in Southern Arizona. I also called a cousin in Redding, who explained the distances and topography of that area. So, here goes.

Our father, Harold Hearst Dillman, was born 110 years ago, on Sept. 6, 1911, in or near the small town of Douglas, Cochise County of the Territory of Arizona, USA. Hearst died March 13, 1995 in Yreka, Siskiyou County, California, USA.

George Robert Dillman and Rose Ann Beecroft Dillman are his parents, who married September 21, 1906 in Colonia Pacheco, Chihuahua, Mexico. Eight other children were born to George and Rose Ann. Hearst was the second son and third child. By 1919, the family lived in Whitewater – later called Elfrida – about 30 miles north of Douglas. His grandfather had homesteaded there.

Without argument, the early American 20^th century was another time and dimension -- a much different American culture and society than in 2021.

For the time period, Hearst likely lived a fairly normal childhood. The family was poor – scraping-out a living through various rural agricultural means in hot southern Arizona. Many children quickly learned tasks and skills that resulted in tremendous responsibilities. It was normal for children to be milking the family cow by age 5 or 6 along with feeding and cleaning-up after chickens and other livestock.

Not so, for children in the 21^st century USA! Remember, in 1919, the family did not have running water or electricity. And, they did not own a car.

On Sept. 6, 1919, George was working on the famous Texas Ranger John Slaughter’s “San Bernardino Ranch” in Cochise County, Arizona as a teamster. It was a full-day’s horseback ride to the ranch from where the Dillman’s lived, but George was allowed to ride home to celebrate Hearst’s 8^th birthday. We don’t know much about the birthday celebration, but George took quite ill with the flu. The previous year, the infamous Spanish influenza (now known as the Great Influenza Epidemic of 1918 to 1920) had struck the world and was still a raging pandemic.

The illness must have weakened the normally robust George, because Rose Ann was concerned he may not be able to endure the all-day ride back to the Slaughter Ranch headquarters. So, Rose Ann decided that Hearst should ride with George to the ranch, spend the night and then ride home the next day.

Apparently, the father and son made the long day-trip without incident even though they rode south through the Swisshelms and Chiricahua Mountain ranges. After arriving, Hearst was invited to eat with George and the ranch hands. The cook was a black man. Hearst was told he had been a Buffalo Soldier back in the day.

(The 10^th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army was formed in 1866 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas with all black men. The regiment was tasked with supporting the nation’s westward expansion by protecting settlers, building roads and guarding the U.S. mail.)

As the story goes, cook was informed that young Hearst had just turned 8. So, the old Buffalo Soldier told Hearst he would make him a chocolate cake to celebrate. Hearst responded that he had never seen or eaten chocolate cake and was not sure he would like it. Cook then decided to convince him by saying, that “all boys like chocolate cake!” which apparently he did, because Hearst enjoyed chocolate throughout his life.

Early, the next morning, Hearst saddled-up his horse and rode by himself back through the mountains to the Dillman home. It was at least a 30-mile ride.

Next story:

Hearst told his son, Steve, that not long after that overnight trip, a local rancher must have decided that he was dependable – enough to do a job. Many men had been called-up to military service during World War 1 and those that had survived were not yet home, although the armistice was signed on Nov. 11, 1918. As Hearst put it, “Men were hard to find.”

So, Hearst’s first job, where he received a wage, was to ride horseback out in the desert to a stock watering tank. With no roads to follow, his horse likely followed a cow trail. At the water tank, he would start a hit-and-miss engine by pouring fuel into the little gas tank and then give the fly-wheel a spin. The word “tank” is a misnomer, because in Arizona stock tanks were an earthen pond.

Hearst was sent out with some food and a canteen of water in his saddle bags and a gallon of gas likely tied to the saddle horn. After making sure the engine was pumping water, he then rode back home – a day-long job. The next day, or a few days later, Hearst would head a different direction to another stock water tank that needed water. I don’t have any idea how much school Hearst attended during this time.

Chances are Hearst was barefoot. Lorena remembers Rose Ann told her that Hearst did not have a purchased new pair of shoes until he was 10 years old. He may have had second-hand shoes and the Mexicans made sandals, but in several photos from the time period, Hearst can be seen with no shoes.

Yep, our life is much different in 2021.

May peace and calm be with you this week. Smile – just cuz it makes you feel better!

Liz Bowen began writing ranch and farm news, published in newspapers, in 1976. She is a native of Siskiyou County. Columns from the past can be found at: lizwriteslife.blogspot.com. Call her at 530-467-3515.

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