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Pattenville-Pansy-Loyal
The post office of Pattonville was established in old Buffalo county
March 1, 1880, with Adam S. Van Patten as the appointed post master.
The name of the post office was changed to Pansy November 28, 1881,
and David Goddard was appointed post master. According to county
lines at that time, Pansy was in Gray county. The name Pansy was
suggested by John H. Churchill. February 7, 1882, Martha Hoadly
was appointed postmistress.
The name of the office was changed to Loyal March 3, 1882, and Mrs.
Hoadley was re-appointed postmistress. After July 6 of that year
the mail route from Garden City increased its trips to twice a week.
Loyal was located on section 5-29-22. The Hoadley family was prominent
among the early settlers of Garfield county. Their first home was
a dugout, dug back in a creek bank. The rafters over ther roof were
covered with willows and then a layer of sod, and extended out on
a level with the top of the bank. One morning while they were at
breakfast a steer walked casually out on the roof after a nibble
of green grass. First two front feet went crashing down through
the willows, followed almost immediately by two hind ones, but the
steer stayed on top, balanced across a rafter. Fortunately he was
near the edge and with the help of neighborsthey soon rolled him
off.
H.D. Collins describes C.F. Hoadley as being a man of large stature,
large hands, large feet. Rather ugly in appearance:"I never knew
his height. When asked as to his height he would reply:'It is either
six feet ten or ten feet 6, I can't remember which.' He told me
he had never met a man that could measure him with outstretched
arms. He was a jolly good neighbor, well informed, intelligent,
ranchman, cabinet maker by trade and a professional gambler. He
was reputed to be one of the slickest gamblers in the west. Later
in life he reformed, joined the church and was known as a kind old
man."
Loyal was a popular trading point and community center for several
years. It was a typical village of pioneer days, with a general
store which carried many things; a blacksmith shop, where the settlers
took their plows and wagons to be reconditioned; and a schoolhouse
which was also used for church and social gatherings. The Garfield
County Journal came into existance at Loyal July 1, 1887. and lived
until 1889. Several took a turn at editing. G.L. Sigman, M.L. Hart
and Mrs C.F. Hoadley, who many times got out the weekly issues on
the old hand press all by herself. They all boosted the upper Pawnee
valley. It abounded in water, good soil, grasses, building material,
good society and predicted that mineral material would yet be found
in the valley.
The post office was discontinued September 15, 1899. There is nothing
left now to mark the site of Loyal. The buildings have all been
removed. When the new Loyal schoolhouse was built a new location
was selected.
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