Sauble: Stories from the Flint Hills

A pleasant read of “Sauble: Stories from the Flint Hills” awaits those who enjoy accounts about the beauty of the people and region.

The late Patrick Henry Sauble of the Sauble Ranch shared his perspective as a storyteller and not as a historian and that in itself makes it an interesting read in a well-formatted manner. Patrick Henry Sauble tells the stories without a bit of sugar coating. He was able to recount stories as told by his father, JC, who had learned the stories from his father, David.

Patrick Henry Sauble was an elder statesman but his sharp mind was one to appreciate. Sauble died in December at the time of the release of the book, as he attained the age of 98.

His story-telling style was fascinating as he could give anecdotes in a way that felt like a first-person account about how his ancestors moved from Europe and eventually landing in the Flint Hills. The Go West spirit caught a young David Sauble and that led to that branch of the family eventually establishing its headquarters. The Sauble family ended up in Cedar Point in Chase County, Kansas, which is known for its beautiful courthouse in Cottonwood Falls.

Patrick Henry Sauble’s notes about his own life included poignant thoughts about losing his mother when he was 5 from the complications of what today we know as diabetes. Losing a parent at such a young age is tragic but the writer had a strong family and he was thankful his dad remarried four years later and how his new mom was quickly accepted.

Patrick Sauble was quite an extraordinary entrepreneur. While cattle was his first love, he and his wife, Mary, developed a large scale egg operation and how the couple balanced that with his cattle operation made his farm and ranch a popular story in urban and rural publications. He was also a focal point during the 1950s when the Army Corps of Engineers was looking to develop a flood control system. While today the system is in place, and has reservoirs in the Flint Hills region, they are not as pronounced as first planned. It came with great angst as Sauble noted.

Bonnie Lynn-Sherow, an associate professor of history and director of the Chapman Center for Rural Studies at Kansas State University, does a great job of steering the ship of this valuable book. The importance of returning to your roots is a common theme that Sherow keeps in front of readers.

The whimsical stories, told with a skill that only a Flint Hills story teller with a tremendous memory for detail, are a delight to read. With all the tough news we’ve had lately in the High Plains, the Sauble book provides welcome relief. The 195-page book also includes photos and is written in large type, which is pleasing to this editor’s eyes.

Dave Bergmeier can be reached at 620-227-1822 or [email protected]