He intended to use the money to expand his dairy operations on the old Chester homestead, a 240-acre spread that I believe centered on the house still standing at 7302 Ainsworth.
His current herd comprised about 40 milch cows. Charles intended to add another 20 once he had expanded his facilities for stabling them. Around this time he took two of his sons — George, age 21, and Sela, 17 — into partnership in his farm business, "to give the boys a chance, and at the same time lift some of the work and responsibility from his own shoulders." The News noted that Charles' lengthy travels had taught him much about dairying techniques throughout the country. He used the most modern practices on his farm, including a milking machine.
In May came the big cow purchase. Rollie D. Sizelove sold his whole herd of 31 head to Charles in a fit of disgust — the C. & O. railroad passed through the farm Rollie rented; the railroad refused to maintain the fence along the right-of-way, so his cows were in constant danger of wandering onto the tracks, and the railroad never paid more than half the value of any animal killed. Rollie figured he'd rather get out of the cow business altogether than watch his cows get picked off one by one. With that purchase, the Chester herd nearly doubled in size.
Since we've mentioned the Berndt family, here's some gossip: in January 1917 John Berndt, Sr., at the age of 69, sued his 71-year-old wife Hannah for divorce. After 40 years of marriage! What is this world coming to?
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*I'm not entirely sure at this point whether the John Berndt in question was John Sr. or John Jr. — a couple of reports say Sr.; one says Jr.
Sources:
♦ 1900 Census.
♦ 1920 Census.
♦ "Chas. Chester and Sons Increasing Their Dairy Business." Hobart News 22 Mar. 1917.
♦ "Local Drifts." Hobart Gazette 25 May 1917.
♦ "In the Divorce Courts." Hobart Gazette 19 Jan. 1917.
♦ "Personal and Local Mention." Hobart News 12 Oct. 1916.
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