ARCHIVE

Christners visit Lost Spring Station site

By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

The Christner family held a reunion this past weekend in Lost Springs. They are descendants of Annanias and Inez Christner, who settled on a farm east of Lost Springs in 1894 and raised their six children there. They built a house in Lost Springs after the children were grown.

Harold, Leroy, and Wendell Christner continue to live in the area. They are sons of the late Pete Christner. May Hebrank lives in Hillsboro and is the late Melvin Christner's daughter. Dale and Nancy Christner live in Herington. He is the son of the late Frank Christner.

Among those attending the reunion were Dale and Nancy Christner and daughter Tonya and her two children, Mitzi Love, Thelbert and Darlene Janzen, Michael and Valerie Janzen, May Hebrank, Ella Kresky, Erma Waldschmidt, Bertha Cairns, Sarah Loquist, and Harry and Sharon Drake. Erma was the matriarch of the group and is the only living grandchild of Annanias and Inez.

On Saturday, the family met at the Lost Springs cemetery and then visited the granite monument at the Lost Spring Station site, a stopping point on the historic Santa Fe Trail from 1859-1872. The station was two and a half miles west of present-day Lost Springs. Annanias played a role in erection of the monument 100 years ago on July 4, 1908.

The monument sits on land owned by Virginia Shields of Lincolnville. It was erected after Mr. and Mrs. J.B. Shields received contributions from people throughout Marion County for its creation and erection.

About 500 people paid 25 cents or more toward the marker. Their names are printed on the parchment scroll which was placed in a half-gallon fruit jar, sealed with wax, and placed in the base of the monument.

Three similar jars underneath the monument contain Indian relics, ox shoes, and miscellaneous items.

Plans are being made to move the monument from the south side of the road to the north side, the same side on which the spring is located. At that time, the time capsules likely will be opened. A parking area and informational kiosk also are in the works.

Quantcast