CLARDY, DODGE AND ANNA (MAIRE)

Dodge Clardy was born to Benjamin and Elizabeth Murphy Clardy, in Blue Hill, Nebr. on Sept. 1, 1894.

On July 4th, 1909, he and some boys found a five pound sky rocket that the city had supposely shot off – so he being the oldest lit a match to it and put a can over it. They waited some time to see what would happen and when nothing did, Dodge went to it and just as he started to lift the can it exploded – blew his left arm off and injured his eye. He had a necktie on and they picked pieces of it out of his chest, Dr. said no way could they save him but his Sunday School teacher went to prayer for him and God spared him.

He came to Sandhills in 1911 with his folks and homesteaded southwest of Mullen. Later married Ann Maire in 1915 and four children were born.

Bennie who died at a young age.

Ruth married Bob Boyer.

Otto killed in action in World War II in 1945.

Bob lives in Wenatchee, Washington, retiring Febr. 1, 1987, from working twenty years for the City of Wenatchee.

Dodge was handicapped but he wouldn't let that stand in his way – he worked on construction driving four head of horses on a road scrapper when they were building high bridge south of Mullen.

He worked for Bill Bramer and Roy McCully for quite a while pitching hay up to 4 loads onto hayrack and off feeding cattle and milking 8 to 10 cows night and morning, quite a job with one hand.

He worked as janitor of the court house for sometime.

He was night watchman on the bay in Tacoma, Washington, during the war taking the same oath as the soldier boys did.

After the war he worked in a lumber mill – jacking lumber.

His wife passed away in 1963.

He is now living in Mullen, Nebr., by himself, and is doing pretty good for being 92 years old.