Snyder Community
Hale County, Texas
Mennonite Colony
The Life of Grace Swartzendruber
by Maribeth Troyer
Chapter Three: New Beginnings (part of)
[In 1989, for an advanced college writing course at Hesston College, Hesston, KS, Maribeth Troyer wrote a 57-page biography of her grandmother Grace Snyder Swartzendruber (1907-1999). In addition to being interviewed for the paper, eighty-one-year-old Grace wrote comments on some of the pages, making corrections or clarifications. I have edited the paper slightly for publication here. Bonnie Snyder Smith, February 2007]
“As soon as the farm is sold and we can pack up a few of our belongings we’ll be moving to Kansas,” announced Peter to his family one night around the supper table.
Grace was not surprised at the announcement. As a matter of fact, she had been wondering how long they would remain here in Texas. Perhaps women lonely for their families and debts incurred in the land purchases coupled with droughts and prairie fires were enough to tarnish their bright dreams and aspirations. Whatever the reasons, many of the Mennonite homesteaders were packing up their belongings and moving north once more.
By the spring of 1921, the Snyder family was ready to journey northward to the Mennonite Community of Hesston, Kansas. Several of the older children had already attended the academy there, so the destination was familiar.
The trip to Hesston was eventful. While Grace’s mother and grandmother traveled by train her father accompanied the livestock and their belongings in a rented train boxcar, Grace traveled in the family car with Maude, Ruth and Paul.
The first night of the trip was a memory in the making. After bumping along the dirt roads of northern Texas the foursome arrived in Amarillo, Texas. As night approached, they decided to spend the night in a hotel. What a luxury! Even though it was sparsely furnished, the room was clean and it was a thrill for Grace to spend a night in a hotel like rich people. Had the Snyder children realized what the next night would hold for them, they would have been even more appreciative of their sleeping conditions!
As they entered Kansas the next day, they were met by extremely muddy roads. Paul had planned to arrive in Hesston well before nightfall.
“Can’t you go any faster?” questioned Grace, anxious to be done with the long, tiring trip.
“I’m going as fast as I can! You might as well get used to it ‘cause we may spend the night right here in all this mud if it doesn’t get any better,” retorted Paul. The long trip had been wearing on his nerves and patience.
As if his statement had been prophetic, the car suddenly halted. “See, what did I tell you, Grace? Looks like we may spend the night here after all.”
The mire of the road had become clogged on the wheels. The added strain on the wheels had caused the differential to break. To make matters worse in the middle of the night it began to rain again. It was impossible for Grace to get into a comfortable position in the front seat of the car, with Paul, [Grace's note: Maude & Ruth in back] and it seemed that morning would never come.
They finally arrived in Hesston the next day and were welcomed by anxious parents. The family had not yet bought a house so they were graciously boarded out with different families in the area. Grace stayed with the J. D. Charles family. Their daughter, Anna, saw to it that Grace felt at home and found her way around Hesston Academy.
copyright ©
2007 Bonnie Snyder Smith