VINITA, Aug. 8.—Twenty-seven years ago, a wagon drew up in
front of a little hut four miles south of Vinita, and the
driver stepped down and walked up to the house and asked for
the owner.
M.G. Hawkins introduced himself as the owner.
“I’m from Missouri,” the stranger said. “My name is D.C.
Minson. I have a family, and am looking for a place to
rent.”
“All right,” Hawkins answered. “You can rent part of my
section here. You can move into that house over there,”
indicating a small three-room frame house about a half mile
away. “The rent is one-third of the grain you raise. You
farm what you want to; put fences where you want them; make
any improvements you wish, and if you move away, I’ll pay
for the improvements.”
“Agreed,” said Minson, and the two shook hands.
That was 27 years ago. Hawkins died several years ago, but
his son, Matt, continued the agreement. Minson continues to
live on the farm, and will probably do so for several years
to come. He has reared his family, sent all his children
through highschool; one daughter, Pearl Lee, graduated from
A. and M. college this year with a four-year record of
“A’s;” and a son is now entering college.
The family record is one of which any man could be proud,
especially when taken into consideration that his wife and
three eldest daughters died during the influenza epidemic in
1918, leaving him with seven children under 14 years of age,
and he reared them himself, asked no odds, and not one of
them was ever late to school!
The rental agreement under which he has labored was never
drawn into writing, was made 27 years ago, and continues
agreeable to both parties. The buildings, a new home, barn,
and six poultry sheds, smokehouses, etc., which Minson has
constructed during the time, are his property.
As the years rolled by, the children grew up, completed
school, and began to leave home. Minson became more lonesome
as his family became smaller. About three years ago, he
remarried, and he and his wife, shown in the accompanying
picture, now live happily on the farm.
