Olive Flatt last week's Mrs Blank, Jan 18 1940
So confusing: Flatt....not Flath
There was an Olive Flath who was a daughter of Dr. A. Flath. But this is Olive Flatt. Somehow my brain couldn’t sort these out right away and I spent time trying to figure out how Olive Flatt was related to Dr. MG Flath. Not related.
Here is Olive FLATT’s story.
OLIVE FLATT LAST WEEK'S MRS. BLANK
Some fifty-odd years ago, a husky young farm lad who drove a pair of well-matched blacks, arrived at a certain school house at about the same time each Friday evening. He was not mistaken as to the hours, the day of the week or the date on the calendar. On Monday morning the blacks were seen in the proximity of that certain school house.
The attraction The place?
This all took place near Spirit Lake, Iowa; and the attraction that drew young Wally Flatt and the black hosses to the school house was the pretty teacher, she of the rosy cheeks and the flashing eyes. The teacher's name was Miss Olive Lorane Cole, but Wallace Flatt caused a change in the name. That change took place on October 24, 1888.
Olive Flatt was born on a farm near Freeport, Stevenson county, Ill, September 18, 1868. There were 2 sisters and 7 brothers. When Olive was fifteen, the Coles moved to Spirit Lake, Iowa, on a farm, and Olive finished the Spirit Lake school She states there were no high schools in those days, but those who desired an education could get it. Following school, she taught for three years and the neighbor farm lad with the black team, saw to it that she arrived home Friday evenings and that she was back in time for school on the following Monday.
To Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Flatt were born six girls and two boys all born in Iowa, with the exception of Gladys, Mrs. Percy Woodworth.
Mr. Flatt arrived in Stanley in July of 1902, filed on the homestead 3 1/2 miles northwest of Stanley, built the buildings and the family arrived in the fall.
Mrs Flatt vividly recalls that first year at homesteading.
"I believe that the only frame dwelling in Stanley at that time was the section house. The other buildings were black tar paper shacks. In fact, everything looked black. A prairie fire had just gone over the country out north and the entire landscape was black.1 It was not very impressive and I was homesick. I will never forget the lump that came in my throat, but I just couldn't have Wallace or the children see me crying. The feeling soon wore off and we were really happy and were very comfortable."
What did the Flatts do for recreation? Mrs. Flatt gave us a peek into their home at Christmas time during the winter of 1902, 38 years ago.
For several weeks, an air of secrecy had prevailed when Mr.. Flatt was in the house, He may have surmised that a surprise was in store, but he did not catch on. On Christmas day the surprise was sprung and the family put on a real program for their father. There had been much advance rehearsing and to the accompaniment of the organ, the little girls sang songs, recited pieces and rendered a program that surprised their father. Mrs. Flatt recalls that as a very delightful Christmas and they were happy. They had come to North Dakota to build a home of their own, and here it was. She recalls that winter as a very severe one, but states that they did not suffer.
Hers has been a busy life. Six girls and two boys, all living except Lyle, Mrs. Emil Holte, formerly of Lostwood. Olive Flatt was their mother and made an excellent job of it too, and when death claimed her daughter. Mrs. Holte, she mothered the three grandchildren.
The children are
Mrs. John Carlson (Hazel) of Chisholm, Minn;
Miss Bessie, who has taught in the city schools at Chisholm for many years;
Mrs. Glenn Stanley. (Marjory) who resides in Oregon;
Mrs. Dean Bloodgood (Lilly) of Austin Texas:
Dr. Glenn Flatt who is practicing dentistry at Burlington. Colorado:
Darwin, Stanley barber and
Mrs. Percy (Gladys) Woodworth of Stanley.
Wallace Flatt died on Christmas eve, in 1922, leaving a host of true friends and a family that cherishes his memory.
The family moved to Stanley 23 years ago and have lived here since.
Olive Flatt is a cheerful person, and claims that she has every right to be such "I was never sick in my life," she says, and enjoys the best of health, Her home and the children are her hobby and she enjoys them. The Presbyterian church is appreciative of her splendid work and the community is grateful to have her as a part of it.
A great person who has taken the pleasures and the bumps that life has handed out over a period of 71 years and believes that life is a great privilege. And we asked one of her close friends about her the other day and this is the answer: "I've known Olive Flatt these many years and I've never heard her utter one bad word about a person. She has done nothing but good."
Thirty-eight years in one community with that kind of a recommendation She too, has been a mighty success, we'd say.
The only name I recall from this family is Dar Flatt who was a barber in Stanley. I think I was confused back then about the family names…thinking they were all FLATHS.
Here is Wallace Flatt’s obituary from 1922.
Olive Lorraine Cole 1868–1962
Wallace Marion Flatt 1860–1922
Hazel Florence Flatt 1889–1967
Bessie Zoe Flatt 1891–1972
Margie Gail Flatt 1892–1968
Lyle Fern Flatt 1894–1927
Lillie Foy Flatt 1894–1971
Glenn Stanley Flatt 1899–1952
Darwin Walter Flatt 1901–1968
Gladys Flatt 1903–Deceased
This 1902 detail is new and very interesting to me as my Danish grandparents came that same year and homesteaded north of Stanley. They would surely have know the Flatts.