The Vance family moved to Kansas during the summer of 1865, settling on their 160 acres in the fall. The parents, Jesse and Rhoda, raised their three surviving children, Mary, William, and Bert, on the farm. We do not know what the homestead was like prior to 1882, but it was then they built the four bedroom Victorian vernacular farmhouse we enjoy today. The farm's primary activity was beef cattle ranching, and the property grew to 320 acres at its peak. In time, portions of the land were sold off, so that by 1929 only the 40 acres immediately surrounding house remained, when Rhoda, who had survived all her children, passed away in the house at age 90.

In 1945, the Vance grandchildren sold off the last of their interest in the farm (the house) to the Hodgson family. From there, the house changed hands over time through real estate sales. The house got plumbing and may have gotten some major renovation during the Hodgsons' time, being over 50 years old at that point. We are unsure of the date of construction of the barn, though it is clear it was significantly changed from its original structure into its current raised center aisle style when it was saved and restored.

We've had the honor of meeting a number of people who've owned, lived in, or visited the house over the years, including a few who reported they were born in the house! We are lucky to nearby Cadmus Cemetary, where the Vances have a large family plot, easy to spot since it's the tallest monument there.