Welcome Back
Earlier this fall we had the privilege of hosting the Poe family reunion. You may remember that
Emma Poe was a member of the Prather family, the second owners of the Clover Cliff Ranch.
Two of her surviving children - Harold and Allan - came, along with their children, grandchildren
and great grandchildren. This reunion provided a special reason to celebrate because it was
Allan's 89th birthday. Not surprisingly, the family demanded a speech from the birthday boy. Always
the good sport he responded with dignity and class, befitting his heritage. He paid tribute to the
family and added a tribute to Warren and Susie, Clover Cliff's current owners and caretakers.
The Poe family has generously shared photogreaphs and stories from their past in Chase County and
the Flint Hills of Kansas. We look forward to organizing and displaying these treasures soon.
In addition, we are especially touched by Harold's most recent gift. We think you will be too
when you read excerpts from the letter that came with the gift.
... I lived the first seven years of my life there at the Clover Cliff Ranch where I still have fond memories
of dust so thick in the sky air that in no time it was piled up in front of and on the windows. I recall
seeing lines in our alfalfa crops and fields due to the overwhelming number of locusts and
grasshoppers making a meal out of our crops. I hunted for crawdads in pasture creeks, sometimes
using them for bait to fish for catfish and sometimes taking them home for dinner.
Sometimes my Grandmother Prather allowed me to deliver checks to the hired hands. They made $32 per month
along with housing (heat included), some meat, milk and a plot for a garden. This was their pay for their
hard work each month!
After my youth, I attended K-State University where I met the Love of my Life, Joleen E. Standley.
We married in 1954 and in 1957 we returned to the Clover Cliff Ranch and made it our home
for another 7 wonderful years.
... In honor of the 7 wonderful years we made the Clover Cliff Ranch our home, we'd like to gift you
these Hummels and Hummel plates. Although they were not with us at the Clover Cliff, our collection
was an expression of the love and remembrance of a time when our four children were little and
The Clover Cliff Ranch was our first home that housed all four of our children together at one time.
His letter continues with gracious references to the care and hospitality he finds at the place he once knew as
home - before signing, Harold and Joleen Poe. We will proudly display their thoughtful gift.
The Poe family plans to return in 2017 to celebrate Allan's 90th birthday. We look forward to their visit, not only
because we enjoy spending time with them but also because we're pretty sure they'll have more stories to share.
