4 Lines After 30 Years

Year end is always a time to look back. Today instead of looking just at this past year, I'm looking back to when I started keeping track of my family history. In the beginning I kept it on paper. Then in 1995 I got my first home PC and family tree software, and in 1997 connected to the internet. What I wanted to know at that time was the country of origin for each of my family lines. 

As a hobby genealogist working full time, I do the best I can. Going to court houses and anywhere at a distance requires taking vacation days, so while I know things I need to do I just don't have many opportunities to get them done. 

So, I'll just briefly recap my four Grandparents' lines today.

MENKE - my Grandpa Kenneth was the son of Charles Albert, who was the son of Henry Menke. Those three generations are well documented with the basic four (birth, marriage, death and burial) and much more. Henry came from Germany about 1859 "with his parents" according to one biography of him, but I have not learned their names. I have seen online more specific locations of where Henry came from, but I don't see where they're getting the information. Finding Henry's parents would be the next great thing to find on this line.


MANN - my Grandma Doris was a daughter of Clarence, who was a son of William Mann. William came from England about 1851, but I've never found any reference to an exact location. I've also never seen any reference to siblings or parents. I have his birthdate, and if there was an online database where I could search by that it would help. There is one called FREEBMD, but the records there start in 1837. William was born in 1830. I'm stuck at William without knowing his parents' names or his birth place.


BELL - my Grandpa was Stan, his father was Cicero, Cicero's mother was Martha (father is something that "they never talked about"), Martha's father was John Silas and his father was David Bell.  This line is well documented back to David, his children were mentioned in land records. David's place of birth may have been Augusta County, Virginia or Buckingham County, Virginia. His father may have been Joseph Bell and his mother may have been Elizabeth Henderson. I need to work with online Virginia records to see if I can confirm something there. The Bell's in Virginia are believed to be Scots-Irish people, in the US before 1780. I have faith that the Bell line does come from Scotland or Ireland.


McGRATH - my Grandma Violet was a daughter of Arthur, Art was the only son of John McGrath. John was from Dublin, Ireland according to most records. He was in Illinois by 1858. I have his second marriage certificate which gives his parents as Arthur and "R. McCarty". I believe the R stands for Rebecca because that's the name of John's oldest daughter. John's birth year varies a lot in different records so I'd love to find an official birth record for John, But more than that I need to find his first marriage record to Rachel Jane Simmons. This is one of my goals for 2020. A family Bible would really help here, if only I knew of one.


This is only a small part of the work I've done in 30 years. I'm looking forward to retirement, but it seems so far off yet. Hoping 2020 will be a good year!

Christmas Dinners in the News

A little history of Mann family Christmas dinners as played out through the Beatrice Daily Sun...

Mr and Mrs Oscar Mann of near Goodland, Kas., drove to Ellis the last of the week and visited Mr Clarence Mann and family and Will Camp and family and then drove on to Iowa to spend the holidays with relatives Miss Helen Camp, daughter of Mr and Mrs Will Camp who has been attending school in Kansas, accompanied them and will spend the holidays with her parents here. (December 27, 1929)


My Grandma and her twin brother, children of Clarence, would have been 9 years old. There were likely several cousins around their age that would have come with their Uncle Oscar. They must have had fun with them. Their cousin Helen Camp was twice their age.

Dinner Party

The following families enjoyed Christmas dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Mann in Beatrice: Mr. and Mrs. Earl Bartlett and son, Arvid, Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Bartlett and children, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Carpenter, Mr. and Mrs. Pearle Nickeson and Donald and Betty and Mrs. Eva Mathias. (January 3, 1944)

During WWII, the Mann family was celebrating together with a few of the men off to war. A Grandson-in-law had lost his life in service about six months before this Christmas.

Holiday Mann Reunion
A holiday reunion of the family of Mr. and Mrs. C. L. Mann was held at their home at 113 South Sumner St., Sunday, Dec. 28.
All of the sons and daughters were present and most of the grandchildren. A dinner was served followed by an exchange of gifts. (January 9, 1953)

This article goes on to mention everyone present, a total of 67 people. The home at 113 South Sumner Street was a two bedroom home with an unfinished basement. 

Twelve of the thirteen living children of Mrs Clarence Mann, Beatrice and their children enjoyed their annual holiday dinner with her in her home at post-Christmas dinner Sunday. (January 15, 1969) 

This was the first Christmas after Clarence had died. Probably, besides this dinner of the siblings, there was also a grand gathering of the 100 plus descendants of Clarence and Cora Mann. I'm not sure what year the final Christmas gathering of all the descendants of Clarence and Cora Mann was, but this only mentions children and grandchildren. Cora died in July of 1971.

Friday's Faces from the Past - JJ Willy Photo of Four Children

Here I have another photo of children who don't fit in my tree anywhere that I know. Two girls, one boy, one infant of unknown gender were photographed by J J Willy. Children whose parents were probably friends of my Great Grandmother Sadie McGrath or her sister Alice Negley. These children likely lived in Eldorado or Stockham or maybe Harvard, Nebraska around the turn of the century. It would be interesting for me to learn the identity of these children and how they knew my family. I would also like to pass this photo on to their descendants. 

Newspaper Clippings, DeWitt, Nebraska, 1884

When looking for an obituary for my Second Great Grandfather, David A Roscoe, issues of the DeWitt News-Times were missing for the dates immediately following his death on May 13, 1884. Following that date, June 5th was the next issue on the microfilm. I took copies of the Local News as a reminder that I had looked and to share here. Maybe this will help someone else.

My hope is that someday the DeWitt News-Times can be digitized. I'm helping locally to raise funds to digitize all Hall County, Nebraska historic newspapers and I'm aware of the cost and community interest it takes. DeWitt would have my support if they ever consider getting these digitized.

De Witt News-Times, June 5, 1884, top of page

Column I
LOCAL NEWS
Pray for rain.
Two ice cream saloons in De Witt.
The population of Beatrice is 6000
Seed Buckwheat at H D Rogers
Framers report a good stand of corn.
Go to Leeper & Crane for canned goods.
The M. E. Church is receiving a coat of paint.
A. H. Denison has a new sign at his harness shop.
Mr Anderson has started his vegetable wagon.
Don't spend your money to see a one-horse circus.
Nebraska is well represented at Chicago this week.
John Calvin lost his stable a few nights ago by fire.
W. H. Staley has built a fine porch to his house.
George Grant has fixed his saloon up in first-class style.
Beatrice, as well as other towns, has a few burglars.
White and Leacock are shipping corn from Swanton.
Richard Davis is building another addition to his house.
Ladies ready made underware at cost at Miss Allensby's.
Mr. Lewis has put a street lamp at his place of business.
Fall Wheat and Rye will soon be ready for the harvesters.
Carpenters are now at work on Mr. Huestis' new house.
Mr. Adam Bucher, of Castor, was in our village last Monday.
Sixteen carloads of stock went up the road Tuesday evening.
Dunning letters have been mailed this week by the hundreds.
Daily papers have been in demand in our town this week.
Carpenters have commenced work on Wm. Nelson's new house.
Leeper & Crane are agents for the celebrated Prairie Bird cigars.
Western will celebrate the 4th. of July this year in grand old style.
C. S. Doty, representing the state Journal, called yesterday.
Strawberry festivals are in order now in every town in Nebraska.
Dr. Duncan and family returned last week from their eastern visit.
Friend will celebrate the 4th of July by holding a county re-union.
An awning has been put to the building occupied by W. H. Coble.
Mr. J. C. Ogle, late of Illinois, is now proprietor of the De Witt house.




Column II
Ladies are invited to look over the large stock of Millinery goods at Miss Allinsby's before purchasing
The big Camp meeting of the Seventh-Day Adventists commenced at Beatrice yesterday, June 4th.
The five thousand bushels of corn that spoiled in Col. Stratton's cribs at this place, is being shipped east.
Mrs. Storms and her sister, Mrs. Leacock, passed through De Witt last Saturday on their way to Exeter.
MARRIED - At De Witt, Sunday, June 1st, 1884, by Rev. E. J. Hancock Mr. N. Roberts and Miss L. Sebring.
Contractor Hickman, of Beatrice has been in our town a few days this week figuring on the school building.
A few loads of potatoes would bring a good price in De Witt if brought in before the new crop is grown.
Those persons having magazines belonging to the De Witt Reading Club are requested to leave them at this office.
Two young girls left their homes at Juniata last week without cause and were found working in a hotel at St. Joseph, Mo.
Supervisors Moffitt and Wilkinson were in De Witt Monday viewing the location for a bridge across the Blue north of town.
We depended on a party at Western for the particulars of the death of Superintendent Storms, but we were disappointed.
Candidates for Congress are begining [sic] to spring up in all directions. Nebraska is full of good men, but they can't all get there.
The strawberry and ice cream sociable given at the M. E. Church on last Friday evening, was a success in every particular.
We have held the publication of our paper one day in hopes that we would be able to name the man who is to be our next president.
Go to Leeper & Crane and get prices on Teas.
The date of the Nebraska Sunday School convention has been changed from Jund [sic] 3, 4 and 5, to June 24, 25, 26. The convention will meet at Wahoo.
Our old friend James Fike, of Pleasant Hill, made us a pleasant call Tuesday. Jim is one of our oldest subscribers, and didn't fail to renew while here.
Byron Drum, the ten year old son of postmaster Drum; at Beatrice, accidently shot himself while taking a gun from a boat last Saturday. He died instantly.
Our people are talking of helping the people of Western celebrate the 4th of July, which is no more than...



Column III
Professional Cards
Physicians.
J. K. L. DUNCAN, M. D.
PHYSICIAN and Surgeon. Office one door east of G. H. Hunt's Residence east of R. R. track.
DE WITT, NEB

CHARLES E. ELDER, M. D.
Will always be found in office opposite Post Office, when not professionally engaged.
DE WITT, NEB

DR. B. C. PARKER
Physician & Surgeon
Office in Wehn's Drug Store. All calls promptly attended to.
WILBER, NEB

HOMOEPATHIST
MRS. JAMES E. SHERRILL, offers her professional services to the afflicted.
Address   DE WITT, NEB

Attorneys

W. H. MORRIS
ATTORNEY and Counselor at Law.
CRETE, NEB.

S. S. ALLEY
Attorney-At-Law
And U. S. Pension Agent.
WILBER, NEB

Miscellaneous.
F. M. SUITER.
NOTARY PUBLIC and conveyancer.
DEWITT, NEB

WHITE & LEACOCK
Pay the highest market price for Grand and stock.
DE WITT, NEB

LOCAL NOTICES
TRANSIENT, 10 cents per line, regular customers, 5 cents per each insertion. Announcements for Church services, Marriages, Birth, and Deaths inserted free.
Chandler Sisters have opened a full line of Millinery in Nelson's building. Prices very low.
Leeper & Crane have the Cream of the candy trade.
Go to Mrs. Dann's for bread, cakes and pies.
Ladies Gause underware, Kid Gloves, and ladies and childrens Stockings at the millinery store.
Have you seen those Elegant panels at Perry's gallery? They are just the kind for standing figures. Parties desiring views of their residence, or any exterior pictures, will do well to call on O. H. PERRY.
Wild & Son have received a large lot of Ams, Shoulders and dried beef.
The finest Oil Stove manufactured, at Murray & Hollingworth's.
The celebrated Kansas Flour at E. Hastings.
Go to Mrs. Dann's for bread, cakes and pies.
Bargains in Carpet, Carpet Warp, and Floor Oil Cloth, at E. Hastings.

De Witt News-Times, June 5, 1884, bottom of page

Column I

FASHIONABLE DRESSMAKING - By Miss Nettie Birdsall, of Binghampton, N. Y. Room at Mrs. Dann's, north of bank

It will not be long now till the new school building will begin to loom up.

The weather has been quite cool in Nebraska for several days, but no frost.

Miss D. A. Chinnock, of Lincoln is visiting her friends in De Witt this week.

"What is the Convention news?" has been asked a great many times this week.

Some of our citizens who went fishing last Saturday, came near being drowned.

De Witt has seven base ball clubs but nary a foot ball club. Why not organize?

DRESS-MAKING - By Miss Mary Ambrose. Room at Mrs. Calvins east of Depot.

J. J. Pierce is in Chicago with a lot of stock that he shipped from this place Friday.

All bids for building the new school house must be in by six o'clock this evening.

Several of our business men are attending Surpervisors meeting this week at Wilber.

The De Witt Literary club will have a pic-nic this afternoon in Dr. Goodell's grove.

Miss Emma Craig has returned to her home in Illinois, where she will probably remain.

Capt. O. H. Phillips, of Beatrice, came up Monday to visit his brother, Mr. Jas. Phillips.

Hardware of all kinds at Murray & Hollingworth's.

The houses of Alfred Hazlett and C. M. Emery at Beatrice, were burglarized Sunday night.

The county Supervisors are in session this week with a large amount of business to attend to.

Dr. Duncan has the finest fence in the village. We have not seen it but that is what we hear.

Our job department has had a rush the past two weeks, and we have turned out some fine work.

Go to William Wild & Son for the choicest collection of Flowers ever brought to De Witt. Prices as low as [?] the county.

Column II

...4th of July, which is no more than they should do, as Western helped De Witt last year.

Some hungry devil who was too proud to beg but not too honest to steal, broke into the De Witt meat market Sunday night and helped himself to a few choice cuts.

Dr. J. E. Hiltz gave two lectures on Spiritualism in De Witt last week. The house was well filled with chairs and benches, but very few of our people were sold out by him.

Cole's circus company carried $8,000 out of Beatrice, and still the people of that city and surrounding country, are soon to be swindled out of more of their cash by another show.

News reached us yesterday of the death of Mr. John Burger, who for the past six years has been a resident and much respected citizen of Gage county. Mr. Burger has many frends in De Witt who will miss him.

A gentleman from Friend, by the name of Carnehan, has rented the Blue Valley house and will take possession July 1st. Mr. Dulin, at that time will open the Iowa house and run a first class hotel.

Decoration day was observed by the people of this place and vicinity, and seven soldiers graves were decorated by the school children. A short address was made by Hon. H. M. Wells, at the cemetery, when the exercises closed and the people returned to their homes.

A. W. Carmichael has made the first delivery of his books, "Anecdotes and Incidents of the Rebellion," and they are giving perfect satisfaction, not only with the old soldiers, but everyone is interested. Mr. C. is still canvasing and es [sic] the book is more than worth the price, everybody should subscribe. 

Willard H. Stormes died May 27th, of lung fever after an illness of but a few days, aged 45 years. He came to Saline county in 1872, and located a homestead in South Fork Precinct, where he died. He filled the office of Sheriff one term, and at the time of his death was on his second term as county Superintendent. His remains were followed to the cemetery by at least one thousand friends, one hundred and fifty of them being Masons, to which order he belonged. The many friends of Mr. Stormes, are now in sympathy with the widow and fatherless children of our esteemed county superintendent.

Column III

I am closing out my entire stock of Dry Goods and Clothing. If you want good bargans call and examine my stock. Good Domestics at 7 to 9 cents. Good print 20 yds, $1.00 Standard 16 yds. $.00

H. Hitchcock

All persons knowing themselves indebted to the firm of H. D. Rogers & Son, are requested to call on the undersigned, or cost will be made.

H. D. ROGERS

Our merchant, E. Hastings, has lately received an immense line of Boots, Shoes and Slippers. It takes a great quantity of these goods to supply his trade. It is no secret that the cause of this success is the superior quality of the goods he keeps and the low price at which he is able to sell them.

Avery's corn planters and check rowers at Denny & Pelcer's.

You can buy a hat at Hitchcock from fifty cents up.

H. Hitchcock sells boots and shoes twenty per cent lower than any other house in the county.

Go to Mrs. Dann's for bread, cakes and pies.

G. A. Hunt's stock of clothing is the largest in Saline county.

At the lumber yard of H. Hollingworth you can find Oak and Cedar posts. Illinois and Iowa coal, and everything that belongs to the lumber trade.

A handsome stock of clothing has just been opened up at the Red Lion Store. Call in and get good clothing cheap.

M. G. GREBE

The best variety of Canned goods in the market at Leeper & Crane's.

Free Delivery

Flour and Feed delivered free to any part of the village by,

H. RUPERT

Land for Sale

Eighty acres of land, Forty acres broke, for sale on reasonable terms. Land is located about six miles southwest of De Witt. Persons wishing to buy will receive all necessary information from Mr. Burns, De Witt.

Estray Notice

Strayed from the farm of the undersigned, about ten miles west of De Witt, one black mare pony with white star in face. Any person returning the same or giving information of her, will be liberally rewarded.

GEO. MUMBY

C L Mann Selling Out

In 1940 my Great Grandpa Clarence Mann sold off his farm equipment. As of April 1st in the census of 1940, he was 61 years old, renting a home at 640 West Bismark in Beatrice for $12 a month with 4 people in the household. He noted he was seeking work and had been unemployed for three weeks (that would be about March 4th). He reported income of $200 in all of 1939.

This sale bill would likely have been posted in the Post Office, banks and many other businesses in the area. There isn't much here, probably the last of the farming equipment he ever owned. He had been a full-time farmer for many years. In the next few years, he went to work at Dempster Mills in Beatrice.

PUBLIC SALE

On the R. D. Hemminger acreage on Beatrice Memorial Drive west of Rock Island Railroad, on

Monday, Mar. 4

Commencing at 1:00 o'clock

Horses

Bay mare, 10 years old, wt 1150 lbs.

Implements

Kentuck press drill
Dempster two row cultivator
P. & O. two row disc cultivator
John Deere 12 inch gang plow
Case one row lister
One row cultivator
McCormick mower
Hay rake
Manure spreader


Three section harrow
Mitchell box wagon
Hay rack
Steel wheel truck wagon
Four wheel trailer
Five shovel garden plow

Harness

Two sets of work harness
Set of leather nets

Forks, scoops, 3 rolls slat cribbing
Hog trough, grindstone
Other articles too numerous to mention

Terms: Cash

C. L. Mann

Ruyle & Ruyle, Auctioneer and Clerk

My Signature Collection

Signatures are so unique and personal and I always love to find my ancestors' signatures. I was renovating my house and wanted to add some family history displays to the wall above my desk. If you've seen this before, I had tweeted it a while back.

The signatures came from documents that I felt my direct ancestors personally signed, like Draft registrations, Wills and legal documents. I cropped them out then resized each signature to 3" in width. Then I lined them up in the center of a legal size document and printed on white cardstock. I had more signatures than I could use, but I had a limit.  I wanted the vertical to end up 13" to match up beside my family tree chart (and could only print on 14" cardstock anyway). Some of the signatures needed some cleaning up, like removing some background marks. My experience with Microsoft Paint was very minimal before this, but I took my time.

The frame was sold in pieces, I bought one set (2) of 13" and one set of 8". When I get tired of seeing this collection of signatures, I can replace signatures with others and have an entirely new collection to see! 

Guardianship of Delilah Simmons

Delilah Simmons was born to Lebbeus & Sarah Simmons in Fulton County, Illinois in 1861. Delilah is the half-sister of my Third Great Grandfather, Lebius Simmons, son of Lebbeus & Esther Simmons.

Delilah appears in the 1870 census with Elias & Melissa Graves and son Henry age 3. She is listed as Delilah Graves. This Petition of Letters for Guardianship was filed on February 26, 1878, when Delilah was 17. According to the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index database online, Delilah and Wilson were married the next day, February 27, 1878.

PETITION

of

<Elias Graves> in the matter of the estate of <Simmons> Deceased, for Letters of Guardianship.

TO THE HONORABLE

<S P Cummings>

Judge of the County Court of Fulton County.

THE PETITION of the undersigned < Elias Graves> respectfully represents that...

<Delilah Simmons> aged <17> years on the <July> A.D. 187<8>

and that said minor <is a> resident of this county; that <s>he ha<s> no father living, or other legal guardian residing in this State; that said minor X-and that said minor-X has no property and wishes this guardianship that she may have legal authority to marry Wilson Casper.

and that your petitioner <having raised said minor> desires <to> be appointed guardian of said minor <Feb 26> 187<8>

<Elias Graves>

STATE OF ILLINOIS, FULTON COUNTY,---SS

<Elias Graves> being duly sworn, deposes and says that the facts averred in the above petition are true, according to the best of _____ knowledge, information and belief.

SWORN TO AND SUBSCRIBED BEFORE ME, the undersigned, Clerk of the County Court of Fulton County, this <26th> day of <February> A.D. 187<8>

<JCWorley> Clerk.

<Elias Graves>

Friday's Faces From the Past - Townsend in Hastings

This is a great photo of five girls - or maybe one or both of the youngest two are boys. The clothing and photo mount seems to date this in the 1890's if I'm learning much about these vintage photos. The photographer's imprint is "Townsend, Hastings, NEB", and the picture measures just about 5" x 7".

Hastings is only 20 miles from Eldorado, Nebraska. This is another photo that someone in the Negley family kept, likely of someone they knew. Unfortunately, they didn't write their names on it. These kids could be from Hastings, Harvard, Stockham or anywhere in the vicinity of Eldorado. I'm interested in finding out how this family knew mine and will be glad to give this to a descendant of these kids. 

See more old unidentified photos I have on the "Faces of Eldorado, Nebraska" on the menu bar above. 

Sadie's Lost Ring

"The Charmed Life is a life of loving companionship with the One altogether lovely. We, the wearers of the Ring, have said, "I am His." We can live in true companionship with any one only as we love; but as our love for one grows, the wish to be near him grows; and the more we love, the closer we are drawn."

That is the Introduction printed in the first pamphlet titled "The Charmed Life", by David C Cook, Chicago, Illinois.

Among a box of things in the Old Trunk in the Attic was an envelope addressed "Sadie Negley, Eldorado, Clay County, Nebr, Box 29" with a 2 cent stamp. The torn envelope is about 4-1/2" x 6", and the papers tucked into it all fit perfectly. As far as I can tell, everything that I have in this little envelope is what was originally sent to Sadie. Except for one thing. 

Inside the cover of the first booklet is "I. A. H. BIRTHDAY REMEMBRANCE. I placed the I. A. H. Ring on my finger for the first time: Date _____". The handwritten date of "August 1st, 1902" is filled in the blank, I assume by Sadie.  That's over 117 years ago! "I. A. H." stands for "I Am His." There is a smaller envelope with "Directions for putting on the ring", but there is no Ring.

Included in the packet is two numbered letters, three little booklets titled "The Charmed Life" full of daily devotions, and four smaller pamphlets. Mr Cook's instructions are to read only one letter per day. 


It's all printed in a very small font and hard on my eyes to read. From what I've learned from the contents, Sadie spent 25 cents to get this packet of literature. On the back of Volume I is Sadie's Membership No. "190441". (It's crazy to me how close that number is to including the exact same numbers in a different order as my DAR Membership number). 

In 1902, Sadie was a 22 year old single woman. She had been a member of the Eldorado Methodist Episcopal church likely most of her life. She may have been a Sunday School teacher and used this literature for her lessons. The daily devotions are aimed at older children or young adults and provide encouragement to deal with life's ups and downs with a strong Christian faith. It also attempts to entice the reader to purchase more literature and other items as well as strong suggestions to invite others to "join the Circle".  

David C Cook established his company in 1875 providing Sunday School cirriculum for children's ministries. The company is still in operation today out of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and their publications are distributed world-wide.

I don't know if this is a collectors item, but other than the envelope and a torn page or two it's all in pretty good shape. It almost looks as if Sadie hardly read it. Her ring was most likely lost a long time ago.

Newspaper Clippings - Canton, Illinois, 1868

My good deed for the day is posting these old newspaper clippings I copied from microfilm issues of the Canton, Illinois Weekly Register which to my knowledge has not been digitized. Checking Ancestry public trees for some of these young ones, I don't find them included. No one knows about them today, but they were certainly missed by their families in 1868. 

Canton Weekly Register, March 27, 1868

MARRIED

On the 22d inst., at the residence of J Powell, by Rev G W Miller, Mr DAVID AULD, to Mrs ELIZABETH BANKS, all of Buckheart township.

DIED

In this city, on the 7th inst., JOSEY T, youngest son of Jos T and S Tourville, aged 2 years and 3 months.

At the residence of Mr Jas Stockdale, on the 16th inst., WILLIE, infant son of W E and M R Stockdale.

"The Great Jehovah, full of love,

An Angel bright did send,

Who took our little harmless dove

To joys that never end."

In this city on Saturday, March 11th, Mrs MARGARET A MOORE, mother of Mrs David Homill, of this city, aged 81 years.

Mrs Moore was a native of Merrersburg, Pa. She came to this city to live with her daughter about two years since. Her nephew, J C Austin, of Chambersburg, Pa., a prominent citizen of that place, has furnished her liberally with every means necessary to comfort in her declining years. She passed peacefully away, apparently with no other complaint than old age. She was buried on Sunday afternoon, 15th inst., a large and respectable audience attending the funeral obsequies. 

M FREANER

Canton Weekly Register, April 3, 1868

FATAL ACCIDENT AT THE POOR FARM - A young man named William Rowan, an inmate of the county poor house, who was subject to fits, on Saturday last was directed by the keeper, J K Weller, to feed the cattle from a corn crib upon the premises. While Rowan was upon the crib attending to his duties, he was taken with a fit and fell between the curb and a fence. Mr Weller discovered his position in a moment or two after, and went to his relief, but he was discovered to be dead. The fall had broken his neck. Rowan was sent to the poor house from Farmington. He was 28 years of age.

Canton Weekly Register, April 10, 1868

DIED,

In this City, on the 2d inst., ANNIE ANGELINA S., Daughter of Robt and Sarah Stenson, aged 5 year 11 months and 28 days.

At La Harpe, Hancock Co., Ill., the 26th ult., Mr JACOB CIVER, in the 73d year of his age.

Canton Weekly Register, April 17, 1868

DIED,

In this city, on the 5th inst., ALBERT, son of David and Elizabeth Reffner, aged 4 year 2 months and 29 days.

So fades the lovely, blooming flow'r,

Frail, smiling solace of an hour;

So soon our transient comforts fly,

And pleasure only blooms to die, 

The dearest treasure of our heart,

How we're called with thee to part;

The bliss of heaven to be thy rest,

And we on earth will grief opprest. 

But the bles'd time will shortly come

When we shall meet in heaven, our home,

And there with thee, O bles'd relief,

Be free from sorrow, pain and grief.

Dad and Mother

Really?

How many times do you see something like this:  "Dad and Mother" is all that is written on the photo above. I don't know who's handwriting it is, so I'm not sure who's Dad and Mother they are. The dark trim around the window here looks the same as in the photo of the house in my last post, "A View from the Windmill",  This photo also came from a box that was among my Grandma's things after her death. 

My guess is that the stuff in that box originally belonged to her mother-in-law, Lottie Menke. I think the photo above is of young Lena and Will Roscoe, parents of Lottie Menke. But I have some doubt because in this photo he looks shorter than her. You can see in the photo below it's obviously several years later, but he is quite a bit taller. I would guess the photo below was taken in the late 1930's, so above might be early 1920's or earlier? Will and Lena were both born in the late 1850's and died in the late 1940's, so how old does the couple above look? The 2" x 3" picture is printed paper. Could this have been taken in the 1920's? 

Sitting on the porch above is definitely Lena and William Roscoe. In the photo below he is wearing the same suit. Maybe these were taken the same day? A descendant of Laura Kyle, oldest daughter of Will and Lena, sent me the photo below with Laura's daughter Jean, herself, (husband Willis behind Laura?) son Glen, Lena, son Orval and William.

In this picture are Charlotte Menke, my Great Grandmother, Willis Kyle (Laura's husband), Lena, Lena's son David Harlow Roscoe, Reggie Kyle and Laura Kyle. This is the only photo I have of David. 

It's great to have these and I feel pretty confident about who they all are.

How many of your own photos have you marked "Dad and Mother"? 

A View from the Windmill

This photo might have been taken from the top of a windmill. Or possibly from a hay loft in a barn. The photo is printed on paper, about 3 x 4 inches, and has no information to help identify the owners of this place.  

After my Grandma's death, I went through a plastic tub that was filled with different boxes with a variety of things in each one. One was an old greeting cards box. In that box I found baby photos of my brother and I, my birth announcement, a graduation picture of my Aunt. There were also old photos of people, some I knew, others I did not. The people I recognized were members of the Roscoe family, my Grandpa's mother's family. Her birth name was Charlotte Roscoe, her parents were William and Lena. Just as we were going through Grandma's things and giving them back to each family, I think this little box might have been given to my Grandparents after Grandpa's mother died.

This photo was in that box. William Roscoe, my Second Great Grandfather sold windmills. Another reason I believe this was taken from the top of a windmill. Census records show he lived in the village of DeWitt, Nebraska, maybe on the edge of town? Maybe it's not their place at all.

Zooming in close shows a man and a woman or young girl standing at the arched gate in the fence, but they are too small to indentify. The woman's dress goes to her knees. It looks like a big garden between the house and what looks like a wheat field. There isn't any vehicle or farm equipment in the picture to help date the photo. 

I'll post more photos from that box soon.