Anne Thompson

Matters of Fact Anne Thompson

In writing this book, Duaine Thompson's hope was to,create a picture with words, of the way life was on the farm in rural areasbefore electric power, paved highways, cell phones, computers and etc. He wanted to share his memoriesof growing up near the little community of Fact, Kansasbecause he believed the life styles of the twentieth century should bepreserved for his grandchildren and future generations. Fact was a town, trading center,and a community for everyone in the area, located in northeastern Clay County just west of Carter Creek a branch of Fancy Creek.¿ At one time it had a post office, grocerystore, two blacksmith shops, church, school, doctor, and ice house.¿ This was everything a person could want orneed at the time our country was settled. These little communities havepassed out of existence with the many technological changes of today.¿ In this book he tells about the one roomcountry school he attended with all eight grades and only one teacher.¿ Also, the machine shop before electric power,the store where his mother sent him to get supplies, the sawmill operated witha steam powered tractor, windmills used to pump water for the livestock, anAltman Taylor tractor used to power the thrashing machine when harvesting wheatand oats, and a medicine man named Indian John who lived in the community.