Though Maynard Cress has had plenty of time on tractors and herding cattle, his life is replete with a multitude of interests and activities.
As a farm kid, he got his first horse at age 6. At 14, he bought a new tractor for $785, and rented 80 acres to grow wheat, milo and corn before soybeans had a presence.
At Humboldt High he played football a year at quarterback and basketball, but skipped track and baseball because spring was time to farm. Hes always found sports captivating, as participant and spectator, and seldom misses a Humboldt game.
After graduating HHS in 1954, he earned an associates degree at Iola Junior College and for a time helped with bookkeeping for a production credit outfit while farming.
Love of horses led Maynard, now 82, to join trail rides on the Santa Fe Trail each June for 10 years that ended at Council Grove. Evening talks about the trail piqued what had been a dormant interest in history. Last year he read 204 books: emphasis the Old West.
Cutting horses also were a passion. He and his cutter, Buck, competed in western Kansas, Oklahoma and Missouri. When it came time to move cattle, he saddled up. Once he led a herd from a pasture 30 miles west of Humboldt. Maynard and other wranglers also pushed a herd over the Neosho River bridge at Humboldt, then up a side street to north of town.
Now he mostly keeps his exercise routine indoors. Twice a week he exercises with other seniors at Humboldts Methodist church, and seldom does a morning pass he isnt at the fieldhouse to walk two miles on its elevated track.
He and wife Jeanice are fixtures at practically every public event.
All this from a guy who quakes at the mere mention of a compliment. His aw shucks demeanor is as genuine as it comes.
CRESS was born southeast of Humboldt, then lived north of town. After he and Jeanice, 40 years a county Extension agent, married in 1957 they bought his grandfathers house west of the river.
The house itself is a story, moved from LaHarpe across the Neosho by way of a riffle. Theyve since added four rooms and remodeled to make it the comfortable home it is today.
About 20 years ago he gave up farming, but kept his cattle until a few years ago just in case, he still has a tractor.
When the last Cress horse left the place five years ago he bought two mules. I planned to get a wagon and drive them on trail rides, but even the best laid schemes sometimes go awry.
Over the years Maynard has been eager to share his expertise to keep the Allen County Fair moving along 25 years a board member and spent 25 years on the Logan Township Board.
