Saturday, March 22, 2025
Ken Spurgeon, Film Director and Writer, was the guest speaker at the Mitchell County Historical Society (MCHS) 62nd Annual meeting on Feb. 2, 2025, held at the Beloit Elementary School. He is best known for the Home on the Range and the Road to Valhalla, both recipients of the Wrangler Award for Best Documentary from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. And recently, the Best Western Film at the Chandler International Film Festival, in Arizona. In addition to serving as a teacher for over 20 years, he has consulted on historical films and projects throughout the Midwest, specifically about the 19th Century, the Civil War and the West. He is now an Assistant Professor of History at Friends University.
His newest journey, was that of the resent “Sod & Stubble” film, a love story between Henry and Rosa Ise being made into a film. The filming took place in the Downs, Kansas area, where the German family immigrated to. It shows hardships and also the falling in love with the land in the 1873 times. The film has been bought and will now be released on March 28, 2025, to be first seen at the Orpheum Theatre in Wichita. It will then be released in other theaters when available. A special meet and greet with the actors will take place on March 29, at the Downs Memorial Hall.
“The film of, just not regular homesteaders, but German’s that decided to immigrate after the Civil War, into Osborne county, outside of Downs, Kansas, is relatable to us all,” said Spurgeon. “I feel this book, that grabbed my attention, has now been made into an adult version of a love story, is people to people oriented, and those can relate about that love and about the love of the land as well. The combination of all these things is heartfelt.”
Henry Ise was born in 1841 in Germany. He joined an Illinois Regiment in the Civil War. Rosena (Rosina) Christine Haag was born in 1855 in Wisconsin to German parents. Her family relocated to Holton, Kansas, in Jackson county.
When Henry Ise moved, in a covered wagon, he was robbed of $300, which was a huge loss back then. He made a claim to the Downs area, and was then introduced to the Haag family. When married and with the loss of his son, Albert H. Ise, at the age of 4, in 1874, from rabies, Henry came to lose 90 percent of his faith, going through such heartache, along with financial failures, grasshopper plagues and water issues. Although he was an optimist, he also lost his way. His beloved wife told him, “We are not going to quit.”
The classic homestead at Downs has been recreated for the filming. Although the original site was not available, Linda and Don Miller of Downs, took action, when she heard about the possible filming and they offered a site, three years ago. That is when it all began. “The house has been recreated, and it looks amazing,” said Spurgeon.
“People can relate to the scenes of this film,” said Spurgeon. “When Henry is dying and his last wish was to ride around the farm – this still happens today. We can relate with this touching scene.”
Henry passed in 1900 and Rosa in 1947.
Another great detail of the film, was that all of the aging process, is authentically recreated.
John Ise – son to Henry and Rosa Ise – has history of his own, that in being an Economics Professor at Kansas University. While being able to go through his historical items, a collection of note scraps, came in handy, that his mom Rosa wrote for John and this helped create the narrative. A bag of smoking pipes was also found, from what John smoked on each day. John had a bad leg as a child and wore a brace. He was pulled around with a dog sled in his childhood days and as an adult had to have his leg amputated and later wore a prosthetic. He was well known to students at college, that admired him.
The filming of “Sod & Stubble”, took place from June 24, 2023 to Aug. 4, 2023. It includes some locals as fill-ins and a lot of artifacts were used from the Mitchell County Historical Society, as well as other collectors of antique items, including the 1860 original horse drawn hurst, used for a funeral scene. The carriage, donated by a 96 year old collector, was wrapped in bubble wrap, and transported to the filming site, from a private museum. An antique cookstove, was dismantled at the MCHS, and used in the movie. It belonged to the late Elma Gran, who lived near Asherville.
Some of the famous actors and their playing parts include: Bailey Chase as Henry Ise; Dodie Brown as Rosie Ise; Mary McDonough as Mary Bartsch, and Darby Hinton as Chris Bartsch.
Descendants of the Ise family, including a granddaughter to Henry and Rosa Ise, were able to attend a sneak peak of the filming premiere and she said it was the greatest day of her life.
