Ben and BeBe

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The ending of the Civil war created a unique situation for Ben Calvert and Bebe Kaian. Ben was a son of a slave owner, and Bebe was an ex-slave of Ben's father. The war ended slavery, but did little to provide jobs or homes for all the freed slaves. Ben and Bebe entered into a very unusual partnership. They overcame both social and political problems, and the constant threat of kidnapping, rustlers, and thieves. They created a unique ranch and farm. Their success started with a cattle drive across country to Kansas City. After years of building a large farm and providing employment and shelter for hundreds of ex-slaves, Bebe took his wife on an unusual and exciting trip to California. In Sacramento, he learned wheat farming from the Chinese. On their return trip, they experienced a train wreck, an encounter with escaped convicts, and enjoyed the beauty of the Sierra Nevada mountains. -Ellis V. Lumpkins