1. Dorothy Ruth Phelps, b. 1914
2. David James Phelps, b. 1915
3. Catherine Marie Phelps, b. 1917

Kate Bandhauer lived perhaps a slightly spoiled childhood as the baby of the family, but she certainly endured her share of life's drama as an adult.  See Jim Phelps Jr's stories to get a sense of the rollercoaster ride it must have been.

As Kate embarked upon her adult life she obtained a small leather-bound book which she adorned with the sentiments of her day.  On the inside cover she wrote, "The mission of an ideal woman is to make the whole world homelike."  On the opposite page is written,  "Katherine Bandhauer  November 3, 1911  Buffalo Creek."  I imagine there was a picture of her in the white silhouetted space at one time and I expect it was she who painted the violets and wild roses in the book.

The book primarily contains recipes, but also contains a few pages with other notations.  The first shown here is cryptic notation regarding her pregnancy with son David.
"Last time Nov 1st
Expect Nov 25
Start Nov 4 or 5th
First mov March 7th
July 22 or 23 1915"

The second notation attests to the financial hardship Kate and Jim Phelps endured shortly before moving to California.
"Coveralls at Stremmes
paid for with butter
Jan 9 - 23"

Below is a letter Kate wrote when she was 12 years old which shows that everyday life in the Colorado mountains was a bit rougher one hundred years ago than it is now.

Daffodil, Colo.
January 21, 1905

My dear sister, Clara:

We're finally home, but had an awful accident on the way up from the So. Platte.  Old Mrs. Busbee ran the wagon off into a wash-out and dumped us all over in the river.  Bob jumped out and the rest of us liked to have froze and drowned, but really, no one was hurt.

Well, how do you like married life now?  I guess it seems real strange.

I am going to school now and having a good time.  I like Miss Nickson, the teacher, pretty well.  She is just a little taller than I am and has got big brown eyes and long brown hair.  She says she wants to be one of us.  She helped me get the wood in yesterday and wipes the dishes every night.  She and I are regular partners only she is a little old for me.  She is 21 but doesn't act as old as she really is.  Miss Nickson said I am getting along fine in school and she says she could easily pass me to the sixth grade!

I've got a twenty-two gun now and am pretty proud of it.  I carry it to school with me.  It will kill coyotes, rabbits and lots of things.

Mr. Price was over yesterday and it snowed a bit last night.  Pretty nearly all of Mr. Price's potatoes froze in his cellar.  I feel kind of sorry for him. Papa was glad ours held out.

We are wishing for green things to eat here, but just have rhubarb pie and chokecherry jam.  I can't wait to plant the garden-- pumpkins, squash, cucumbers, rutabagas, corn, and our favorite flowers, sweet peas.  The chickens are doing well as we're getting 12 to 20 eggs a day.  None of them will set yet, though.  I've got a big box of spruce gum now because I go hunting it every evening.

The old blue cat has kittens but Mama said she's going to kill all of them.  I sure miss you.  Come soon, bring your sewing, and we'll have a swell time!

Your loving sister, Kate

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