SMITH, ALLEN AND WANDA (MIDDAUGH)

by Allen and Wanda Smith

Entry F394 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Allen Smith Family about 1968. Front row: Jim, Wanda,
Gloria, Allen. Back: John

Allen Smith was born May 3, 1922 at the
Kenneyville Ranch north west of Mullen. He
went to grade school in Cherry County and
graduated from high school in Mullen in
1940. In the fall of 1940 he went to Frye
Aircraft School in Omaha; after completing
the Aircraft school he went to San Diego,
California and worked in an Aircraft Plant;
from there he went to Hawthorne, Nevada
and worked in an ammunition depot. He
returned to his parents ranch in Cherry
County and was inducted into the Army in
November of 1942. He served three years
with the 13th Armored Division of the Army
of which six month was in Germany.

Wanda Middaugh Smith was born in Cody,
Nebraska May 22, 1923. She went to grade
school in Cherry county and graduated from
high school in Gordon, Nebraska in 1940. She
taught school two years and worked in
Valentine the summer of 1943. She went ot
Marysville, California the last of August and
married Allen Smith August 29, 1943 in
Carson City, Nevada.

Wanda moved to Mullen the last of
December 1943 as Allen was transferred to
Texas. She lived with Allen's parents for a
while, then rented an apartment from them.
Gloria Anne Smith was born 1944 in
Helen Crosleys home. Gloria went to the
Mullen School all through grade school and
graduated from High School in 1962. She now
lives in Halsey, Nebraska. After Allen's
return from the Army in the fall of 1945 they
stayed with Allen' folks for a while; in
January 1946 they moved to Casper, Wyo-
ming where they lived six months; returning
to Mullen in July of 1976. Allen went to work
for the Mathew Chevrolet Co. In the fall of
1976 they moved a house in, on the lot just
north of Allen's parents, and remodeled it.
Allen worked for Mathews several years then
worked for Lowe Co. for three years.

John Smith was born 1949 in
Valentine, as there wasn't a doctor in Mullen
at this time. He too went through grade
school in Mullen and graduated in 1967. He
now lives in Hershey, Nebraska.

James Smith was born 1951 in
Ruth Huddles house, which at that time was
also the office for the Sandhills Motel. James
went through school in Mullen graduating in
1969. He now resides in Colorado Springs,
Colorado.

In February 1952 Allen and Wanda bought
the Mullen Beer Parlor from Bill Macke and
ran it for three years in the building adjoining
on the west Doctor Walkers office. They then
moved it to the building formerly occupied
by the Wadlow grocery store. The first of
September 1971, they sold it to Emmeline
Buchannan.

Allen did butchering for Mackes grocery
for a year or two and Wanda worked in the
grocery store for a year. Allen then went to
work as maintenance man at the Rest Home
and Wanda worked at the Dutton Grocery
Store for three years. September 1, 1976
Wanda went ot work for the Village of Mullen
part time and on June 1, 1977 she was
appointed Village Clerk and still is at this
time. Allen retired from the Rest Home in
1983 and since then mows several lawns and
the summer of 1986 mowed the cemetery
grass and still does.

In July 1976 Allen and Wanda bought
Katherine and Earl's house and moved into
it. They rented their old one, one year and
then sold it to Alberta Kramer in 1978.