W-1866-FRSL.DOC

Generation +1  daughter #2 of William Landau of Oberlin Ks

 

1866  Redman-Landau

 

born

1866-01-25  Forest Redman, Farley Iowa

1884-11-10 Susie Estella Landau Stewartvill Mo

married

1911-12-10  Oberlin Kansas

 

died

1955-09-03 Oberlin Kansas

1964-06-30  Oberlin Kansas

father

         William Redman

1856  William Landau

mother

          Martha Ann Clapp

1860  Nancy French

#1 child

1914-03-31   Myra Redman

1908  Edwin Frohardt

#2 child

1916-05-07   Robert "Bob" Redman

1917  Helen Ingels

             Suzie        Robert (Bob)                                   Myra                                               Forest

Suzie, born in MO, was 4 mo old when the family moved to Ks, thus she too grew up in the environs of their Sod House. She too accompanied the family to the Kanona Methodist church.

Forest had grown up on a farm and later moved to town and went into the Lumber Yard business, with Jay Paddock as his business partner. Holden referds to Forest as "intelligent, had a lot of education(eigth grade says Bob)." Saying that Forest put most of the money into the Lumber Yard business (unknown says Bob).

Forest and Suzie were very helpful to other members of the family. Forest loaned Rell the money to buy the lumber when Rell & Ila built their new home at 306 west Oak about 1932. Those were depression years following the market crash of 29', conditions made worse by drought and severe dust storms during the early thirties. It was a good business deal for both Forest & Rell.

Earl Landau farmed the Redman farm for a while, this was where Eileen, French and Virginia learned to do farm chores.

Forest & Suzie had a wonderful large home at the crest of main street, the Landau family had many get togethers there. Suzie was active in the Methodist Church and Myra gave piano lessons.

Myra  8 mo

 

                                Myra & Bob                                                                    Bob

I was one of Myra’s students, playing at her recital at the Methodist church. Only I forgot about it,  a neighbor boy and I were our getting used oil for a miniture golf course. Suzie & Ila found me, abruptly they whisked me into Suzie’s big Buick, took me to the house where both simultaneously scrubbed and dressed me; then rushed me to the Church...... We walked in as if on que, the last to play had just finished. Myra announce I was next and I got up almost before I sat. I walked up front to the elevated portion, sat down at the piano & started with confidence & gusto.-- then forgot how it went. Myra’s first concern of my not being there – was followed by the feeling I didn’t have my piece memorized, and she was right!  Knowing I hadn't played long enough I repeated the only part I knew about four times, figured that's enough, hit a cord, got up bowed and returned to my seat. All but Myra, Suzie & Ila applauded vigorously. The audience was fully aware I'd become lost and were applauding the way I pounded away as if I knew what I was doing. The three ladies decided I was not ready to be a piano player. They were wonderful; I'm sure all the cousins have fond memories of the Redman home & family.

Dorothy and Hellen Johnson with Myra Redman

The Redman-Paddock Lumber Co played a significant roll during Oberlins period of prosperous growth. The Oberlin Museum now occupies the site of that lumber yard. This was a prime location on main street and next to the end of the railroad. When I was little there were two Lumber Yards, the Redman Paddock and the Foster Lumber, a chain across the street. There were perhaps 13,000 people in the county then. Travel to/from town was still by team and wagon, still changing to car and truck. There was always steady business in just selling coal for heating in winter and cooking in summer. Someone was always building and the Redman-Paddock Lumberyard had one full time employee in addition to Forest and partner Jay. Pete Ploussard was the yard man. He was the one you saw to fill a small or large order or even run the whole yard when necessary. Pete a tall likable fellow who was almost like family to everyone. Forest & Jay made most of the bids and pricing when there was comparison shopping between the lumber yards.

            Business boomed until the depression of mid thirties, there was a shortage of materials during WWII but there was a boom after the WWII.

Bob had worked at the lumber yard while going to High School and upon graduation went off to North Western University where he graduated in Civil & Industrial Engineering. Bob worked for Boeing in Wichita on B-29's during WWII. When the war ended Bob returned to run the Lumber Yard, business boomed for a while catching up with postponed demand.

Cousin Lemoin Landau had gone to work for the Foster Lumber Co and it turned out that these two cousins of near the same age were competitors across the street from each other. However the population of the county was on the decline, farming methods had greatly improved, many persons who would like to have stayed found they had to move on to have work.

After Forest & Suzie died Bob sold the Lumber Yard, the farm and some irrigated land they had and went back to work for Boeing in Wichita where he had met his wife Helen.

 

 

                  Forest Suzie, Ila & ____                                    Forest, Suzie, Wayne, Nina

Ila, Earl, Wayne, Neva, Dora, Vera, Earl, Oscar, Nina

Corna, Forest, Suzie, Rell

Pete Plousard then managed the Earnest Nichols lumber yard which Earnest set up after Redman-Paddock closed. Earnest's lumber yard was at the north end of main street, north of the Redman home where Rube Pierson had his used car place where I bought parts for my model-T's. Foster decided to close it's Oberlin Lumber yard and Lemoin moved to where they still had yards in operation till they too decided to get completely out of the lumber business.

Bob reentered the Aircraft industry at a time when that business was still booming. Boeing was very successful with new large commercial aircraft and full use was made of the Wichita plant. However technology was changing and Bob had to master new skills like computer programming to keep up. Thanks to the fact that Bob was energetic and bright he was able to reenter the field and do well. Bob retired in 1981, doing consulting work for a while on CAD (Computer Aided Design) programming. Bob now lives in Wichita Ks except for the six coldest months which are spent in Mission Tx

Bob was very helpful when I tried to get started in Engineering. In 42' it had become difficult to obtain a good K&E (Keuffle & Esser) Slide Rule. Bob obtained one for me, the good kind still made with mahogany with a nice leather case. I carried it with me in service and back to school. Then in the last month of school I left it under a chair and when I returned 15 min later it was gone. The next day I bought one, all plastic, with black case; it did everything the original did, but the quality one was gone.

OBERLIN HERALD July 9 1964    MRS F. G. REDMAN

Funeral services for Mrs Forest G Redman, 79, are today at 2 pm, at the First Methodist Church with the Rev H G Feldmann officiating. Burial will be in the Oberlin Cemetery.

Mrs Redman who had been in failing health for quite some time, suffered a stroke Sunday and had been in a coma prior to her death on Tuesday morning.  She was a patient in the Wesley Hospital, Wichita.

Mrs Redman is survived by one daughter, Mrs Edwin (Myra) Frohardt, and family of Muscatine, Iowa; one son, Robert Redman, and family of Wichita; three sisters, Mrs Earl Tally, Mrs Dora Johnson and Mrs Holden Simpson all of Oberlin; two brothers, Rell F and Earl F Landau also of Oberlin

OBITUARY    MRS FOREST G REDMAN

Susan E Redman daughter of William and Nancy Landau was born in Stewartsville, Mo, November 10, 1884 and at the age of six months came in a covered wagon with her parents to Decatur County. She died June 30 1964, in Wichita Kansas, after a long illness. She was over 79 years of age.

She grew to womanhood on a farm near Kanona, and attended Decatur County High School.

On December 10, 1911 at Oberlin she was united in marriage to Forest G Redman. To this union were born two children, Myra and Robert.

As a girl she became a member of the Methodist Church, serving it faithfully throughout the years as Sunday School teacher, president of the Woman's Society and in many other capacities as needed.

She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star for over fifty years, and was Worthy Matron in 1926. She was also active in other service groups and clubs, serving as president of the YWCA and being a loyal member of the Keep Pace Club and the PEO Sisterhood.

She loved flowers an growing things, and enjoyed good music, especially the familiar hymns which meant so much to her these last years. Her first affections were for her family and home and for her church and the Oberlin community where she lived so happily for over 75 years.

She was preceded in death by her husbawnd Forest and three brothers Byron, William and Wayne.

She is surivied by her daughter, Myra, Mrs Edwin Frohardt of Muscatine, Iowa; Robert Redman of Wichita, one grandson, Paul Frohardt, three grand daughters, Susanne Frohardt, Jean Redman and Dianna Redman; two brothers, Rell and Earl Landau of Oberlin, and three sisters Dora Johnson, Neva Simpson and Nina Tally, all of Oberlin, and many nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

"Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates."

The funeral service was held in First Methodist Church, Oberlin, Thursday, July 2 at 2 pm with the Rev H G Felmann in charge, with the Rev Edwin W  Frohardt of Muscatine, Iowa assisting.

Interment was in the Oberlin Cemetery.

Note: Clipping provided by Inez, Mrs Harold Johnson 2-28-86.