Kansas, 1928

Topeka was, is, the state capital of Kansas. In 1928 the population was nearly 64,000. The city served as a hub for the state. Situated in the center of a major farming area of the country, Topeka was a rail center, with many crops and finished farm products and beef being moved from the agricultural core to major cities and markets elsewhere throughout the country.

There in the midst of it was the main store of Olympia Typewriters. Their store was on the main floor and on the upper level was an apartment. there Ransom, Lillian and Al moved when they came west from Ashland, Kentucky in 1928. Ransom was given a seven state territory to work through the Midwest and the apartment as part of his pay. His parents were in Topeka and he figured life was going to be pretty good for the three of them.

Al was immediately enrolled in school. He was eleven years old now and had been going to school year round since he was four. That is one thing his mother, Lillian, never missed. Wherever they landed, Al attended school, whether he walked, rode, or traveled by train. In Topeka, he also got to go out on the road with Ransom some. The two of them got along well and Ransom liked having the youngster with him. Lillian didn't seem to object to Al traveling with Ransom on his routes.

However, a different problem arose. At first the problem was between Lillian and Ransom's parents. They just did not like each other. They were comfortable around one another. As time passed, they began to quarrel. The arguing intensified and outright hostilities erupted. Ransom took Lillian's side in the spat, much to his parents dislike. It became evident the arrangement of living near one another was not a good one.

There was the other matter too. As would often occur, Lillian and Ransom began to get that feeling again, the feeling of wanting to move once more. Ransom went to his bosses and talked to them. They knew he was a good salesman. They offered him another territory, an even better one. The West coast, an eleven state territory, was available, if Ransom wanted to take it. He would have to move to the Oakland-San Francisco area and be based out of there.

Ransom and Lillian were thrilled. They could get away from Ransom's family, move to a new home in a different part of the country, and Ransom would be getting a promotion, all at the same time. Ransom grabbed the offer and they packed their automobile and took off for Oakland, California. It was the start of 1929.