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Farmington News
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As a youngster in school, I never cared much about history. I thought it was boring and just something I had to endure in order to get through school and graduate. Now as an adult, I wish I had listened and read those books with more interest and learned more about the history of our country. Oh, I know the basics about the Mayflower and the settlers coming from other countries and how they had to fight off the Indians in order to settle in the Eastern States. However, what those history lessons did not tell me was the dramatic hardships these new settlers had to endure in order to travel across the mountains and deserts to arrive here in California in order to make their new lives. Loved ones who lost their battle and lives in gunfights, accidents and illnesses. Sometimes I think I was born too late, I should have been born in the 1800's. I enjoy watching TV programs that reflects on what the settlers had to endure going west. Traveling in covered wagons, traveling the railroad after the railroad started building from East to West and from West to East in order to meet somewhere in the middle. Some even used rafts that they constructed to travel down rivers. Some made it and some did not. Some even traveled by ship to get to the West Coast. You know your original ancestors came from other countries to settle here. They were not born here unless they were American Indian descendants. When driving around and seeing the beautiful mountains and the valleys, I try to envision the settlers traveling in their covered wagons looking for the perfect area to settle in and the buckboards, which they used for transportation to get to the closest towns. Sometimes it would take them more than a day to get to town and back home. They would have to buy enough supplies to last for a month or more. I remember my mother told me that when she was young all of the family would gather in the wagon for a trip to town and would have to spend the night, as it took most of the day to get to town and another day to get home. Therefore, for them it was really an exciting event, as it did not happen that often. Most of the time, my grandfather would go by himself and be gone overnight. Back then, there were still Indians around, but they were friendly. However, Mother said they would still ride up to the house on their horses late at night and yell and scream just to scare them, especially when granddad was gone. The family would put out the lanterns when they heard they were coming, grandmother would get her gun out just in case, and the children had to be very quiet. However, they were only there to scare them and I am guessing like most young people, to have a little fun at someone else's expense. Therefore, I enjoy writing about 'Old Farmington'. I just wish I had more knowledge about where the original settlers traveled from and how they traveled in order to settle here.

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Deepest sympathy goes out to the family and friends of Jack Kroon, who passed away August 29th.

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Happy Birthday to Megan Kroon, Monday September 12th.

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Farmington School: Wednesday, September 14th, Picture Day at 8:05 a.m., ELAC/Math Night at 5:30 p.m. and Book Fair at 5:30 p.m.

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I would still like to hear from you. Have you taken a trip? Have you had out of town visitors? Let me know of family birthdays, anniversaries and new arrivals to your family. Whatever you want to add to the Farmington News is welcome.

Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.