At Auction, April 24, 1962

My Great Grandma Sadie's brother Bill Negley was a bachelor his whole life. He farmed with his father Josiah Negley until taking a job as section foreman for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad. In 1914 he purchased a general store and Sinclair gas station in Eldorado which he operated until his retirement in 1937 with no more than an eighth grade education. The store also served as the Eldorado Post Office with Bill as Postmaster. His brother Cal also helped run the store. After retiring from the store, his income came from his investments in cattle and rental properties. Bill passed away suddenly at his home in Aurora on December 10, 1961 at 78 years old.

Bill bought and sold a lot of properties through the years. I have the deeds to these five tracts and several more. He bought Tract No. 1 & 1-A in June of 1948 for $9600. Tract No. 2 he bought in February 1937 for $2340. Tract No. 3 he purchased in January 1951, no amount was mentioned in the deed. In October 1948 he bought Tract No. 4 for $5000, my Grandpa Stanley Bell bought this one at the auction. Tract No. 5 Bill bought in May 1951 for $2400. The total sales of these tracts brought $55,100.00. 

AT AUCTION!

440 ACRES UNIMPROVED HAMILTON COUNTY LAND

Will be sold to the Highest Bidder - on 

TUESDAY, APRIL 24th, 1962

COMMENCING AT 2:00 P.M.

At East Entrance to the Courthouse, Aurora, Nebraska

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TRACT NOS. 1 & 1-A

NW1/4, Section 27, Township 9 North, Range 6, West of the 6th P.M., Hamilton County, Nebraska, on Highway No. 14. This 160 acres will be split east and west, making two 80-acre tracts.

TRACT NO. 1 - North Half is all in cultivation, has 10 acres of growing wheat, 10 acres of alfalfa, remaining will be milo. Marion Salmon is the Tenant.

TRACT NO. 1-A - South Half has 10 acres growing wheat, and 40 acres of Alfalfa. Stanley Bell is the Tenant.

This will also be offered as a 160-acre unit. The high bid closes the sale.

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TRACT NO. 2

S1/2 SW1/4, Section 35, Township 9 North, Range 6, West of the 6th P.M., Hamilton County, Nebraska, one mile east of Highway No. 14 on Hamilton-Clay County line. Folks desiring pasture, inspect this tract. There is 30 acres of native pasture, 20 acres brome and 30 acres of alfalfa. This is on cash rent basis to Dayton Bauder, Tenant.

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TRACT NO. 3

N1/2 SW1/4, Section 8, Township 9 North, Range 6, West of the 6th P.M., Hamilton County, Nebraska, located 6 miles south on Highway No. 14, 2 miles west and 1/2 mile south. Joins what formerly was Cain Schoolhouse site, all in cultivation, 10 acres growing wheat, balance will be in milo. Theo Janzen, Tenant.

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TRACT NO. 4

E1/2 NW1/4, Section 14, Township 9 North, Range 7, West of the 6th P.M., Hamilton County, Nebraska, located 4-1/2 miles southeast of Giltner, across the road from Seatonville Cemetery. All is in cultivation, 29 acres of growing wheat, balance will be milo. Stanley Bell is the Tenant.

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TRACT NO. 5

SE1/4 SW1/4, Section 23, Township 9 North, Range 7, West of the 6th P.M., Hamilton County, Nebraska, located 1 mile south of Bingville corner and 1/2 mile west, all in cultivation, no growing wheat. Stanley Bell is the tenant.

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Above lands are leased for 1962 crop year. Landlord's crop share and cash rent will be assigned to buyers together with future government payments. These lands are in the Feed Grain Program, 40%.

Any member of Auction Company will be pleased to show any of these lands at any time.

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TERMS: 15% DAY OF SALE. BALANCE IN 30 DAYS!

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Estate of William D. Negley

CHARLES F ADAMS AND VIRGIL C MCGRATH, Executors

SALE CONDUCTED BY

Coblentz-Refshauge Realty Auction Co.

Phone 31     AURORA, NEBR

ORVILLE V NIELSEN, Clerk

Los Angeles Ladies Quartet 1917

Los Angeles Evening Express, March 14, 1917, courtesy of https://cdnc.ucr.edu/ 

The way I read this, the woman at the top (or in the back) is Mrs Gertrude Bailey. On the left is Mrs Hallie Swartz and on the right is Mrs Carl Johnson. And the woman in the middle is Mrs Merlin McKee, or Belle. I've written about my search for a photo of Belle before. It took me just over a year after that post to find this. I'm still hoping to find more. 

Hallie sang first soporano, Gertrude second soprano, Belle first alto and Mrs Carl Johnson second alto. Their performances were usually at Social Clubs or sometimes Church functions. Some of their scheduled events as reported in the Los Angeles Herald for the first part of 1917 were as follows:

• January 30 - the Women's Wednesday Morning Club
• February 9 - the Liberty Club
• February 21 - at the Huntington in Pasadena
• March 7 - the Gamut Club
• March 14 - the Gamut Club

It's difficult to learn more about the women, especially Mrs Carl Johnson, without more information. I do find in Los Angeles city directories that Hallie and Belle were both music teachers. Belle is the half-sister of my Second Great Grandmother, Lena (Jorgenson) Roscoe. Learning more about these women is a little project of mine. If you know anything about them or the "Los Angeles Ladies Quartet", I'd love to hear from you. 

Mother May Have

I'm so thankful that times have changed.

This first note below is from Mary C. Roscoe, my Third Great Grandmother. This is the earliest one of several I have, but it sounds like there was at least one before. These were included in the probate file of David A Roscoe, her husband, who died without a will on May 13, 1884 in DeWitt, Nebraska. Their son Ervin, died a year and a half later on November 29, 1886. Mary was forced to request money from the estate to help with the expenses of burying their eighteen year old son.

The second note is one of several "permission slips" signed by three of her four oldest boys - William, Sherman, George, and Franklin, who were all over the age of 18 when their father died. Her daughter Nancy was married and 29 years old, and was never a factor in the matter.

DeWitt, Jan. 14, 1887
Judge Ryan
Kind Sir,
Please, I would like to ask you if you will give my Administrater authority to pay me another hundred dollars as my children are all willing that I should have it.
Since my application for that hundred, which Mr. Davis, applied for, I have had to be to the expense of my sons burial, and after paying the undertaker and paying for my hay, and some of his doctor bill, it don't leave a dollar for me to pay my coal dealer, or the druggist, and a few others which I had thought to straighten up (continued on back)

1/15 A by requests of heirs (this was maybe written by the Judge?)

(back side, not pictured)
I am aware that it will reduce my interest money. But the older boys all say that they want me to have money sufficient to live on, and keep the two younger boys, while I live, and they think if they keep their health, when it is gone, there will be money to be earned.
Now Judge Please write me, your opinion on this, and oblige, Mrs. M. Roscoe, DeWitt



DeWitt, Neb. Jan. 17th
Jas. W. Rhine County Judge
Sir this is to certify that we the undersigned are perfectly willing that Mother may have one hundred dollars. $100.

George Roscoe
Frank Roscoe
Sherman I Roscoe






A hundred dollars in 1887 compares to $2,715 today. 

David and Mary were married April 6, 1854 in Utica, New York. Ten years later, they moved with their young family of 5 children at that time to Peotone, Illinois where they spent the next 20 years. Five more children were born in Peotone. They had just moved to DeWitt, Nebraska a few short months before David's death.

Over the course of the eight and a half years that the estate was in probate, Mary had to make several requests for money to cover her living expenses and other necessities like coal, doctors bills, tuition and clothing for the younger boys. Besides Ervin, when David died Bert was 14, Edward was 10 and Charles was 8. 

I don't think Mary was very satisfied with Mr Richard Davis, the Administrator of the estate. In some of the notes, Mary asks the Judge to "hurry him up, if it is in your power to do so", and says "he is very slow and easy". She also said, "I don't think it need concern him how much money I draw, as my boys are will for me to have it."

Final settlement of the estate was made in January of 1893 and Mary received $16.22. Her marriage to Lyman Adams in September of 1891 probably eliminated her from any claim to a part of the estate. There are several other documents in the file that I have yet to sort out. I'm focused on these notes for now. 

Lyman Adams left Mary a widow again in 1894. She died in 1923, living long enough to see women win the right to vote. I've tried to see if she was a registered voter in 1920, but I was told they don't have those records.

I am so thankful that times have changed.

A Calendar From the Past to the Future

A calendar that doesn't have a year is valid every few years. Something smaller than a credit card doesn't take up much space, and when it has a poem and pretty pictures why bother to throw it away. There was plenty room in a box of things that once belonged to my Negley ancestors where I found this little calendar booklet. It could have been my Second Great Grandmother Sarah's, or my Great Grandma Sadie's or maybe Sadie's sister Alice's calendar. It has now passed through three or four generations and come into my hands.

With no year on it anywhere, I Googled calendars to find the years where each month's start date was the same as in this one. It wasn't a leap year, and February started on a Thursday. 1894 was probably the earliest possible date, Alice would have been 17 years old and Sadie 14. 1900, 1906, 1917, 1923 and 1934 are all possible years. I think it looks like it was printed around 1900. Maybe that seemed like a special year. It happens to work for the year I was born. The next year the calendar dates all fall on the right day of the week will be 2029. I think I'll hang onto this little thing at least until then.

When January freezes,

When February thaws,

When March blows up her breezes,

When April buds the haws,

When May sets blossoms blowing,

When June shows leafy ways,

When July suns are glowing,

and August lilies blaze,

When September finds the aster,

for October's golden crown,

When November leaves fall faster,

and December trees are brown

Kenneth Menke Farm Sale, 1955

Beatrice Daily Sun, December 9, 1955

Public Sale

Having decided to change farming operations, I will sell at Public Auction, at the place 3 miles east, 1/4 mile south of Harbine, Nebr., or 2 miles west and 2-1/4 miles south of Ellis, Nebr., on 

Thursday, Dec. 15

Commencing at 12 o'clock Sharp

[first column]

29 Head Cattle

9 Yr Old White Cow, milking now

8 Yr Old Spotted Cow, milking now

6 Yr Old White Cow, milking now

5 Yr Old Roan Cow, milking now

6 Yr Old Red Roan Cow, milking now

5 Yr Old Red Cow, just fresh

5 Yr Old Roan Cow, milking now

3 Yr Old Brockle Face Heifer, milking now

3 Black Angus Heifers, coming 2 yrs old to freshen in Spring

Black Heifer, 2 Yrs Old, Fresh in Spring

3 W-F Stock Cows, coming with 2 Calves

W-F Jersey, 1 Yr Old

Blue Roan Heifer, coming 2 Yrs Old

W-F Heifer, 6 Months Old 

2 Black Heifers, 4 Months Old

Holstein Heifer, 6 Months Old

5 Yr Old Black Cow, with Calf at side

5 Black Bucket Calves

Yearling Past Black Steer

Milking Equipment

Wilson 4 Can Milk Cooler

15 Gal. Santimatic Hot Water Heater

Santimatic Wash Vat

Can Rack  6 10-Gal Milk Cans

Radiant Electric Heater with Thermostat Control

Milk Strainers

Electric 600 Watt Heater

8 Head Hogs

8 Red Feeders, Av[g] Weight 183 lbs

Hay and Grain

100 Bu Nemaha Oats

25 Bu Barley

400 Bu Yellow Ear Corn

800 Bales Choice Alfalfa, all 3 

[second column]

cuttings wire tired

30 Bales Wheat Straw

Farm Machinery

1938 F-20 Farmall in good condition

2-14 IHC Tractor Plow

John Deere 2 Row Tractor Corn Disc

G I 15 Ft Disc

G I 1-Row Corn Picker with Cooks Husking Bed

1952 MM, 18x7 Grain Drill with Power Lift, Grass Seeder, Press Wheels

1950 Allis Chalmers Combine PTO, Extra good

Dearborn 2-Row Tractor Cultivator

44 Ft Kelley Ryan Grain Elevator with Power Take Off with Speed Jack

Wetmore Gluten Hammermill with PTO

1946 Case Hand Tie Baler, good shape

Two Wheel Trailer with Large Grain Bed

2 4-Wheel Rubber Tire Trailer with Flat Beds

Old Wagon

1953 MM Side Delivery Rake

7 Ft Mc Deering Mower

300 Gal. Fuel Tank on Stand, Double Compartment

Some old Machinery

Household Goods

2 Piece Living Room Suite

Some Miscellaneous Items

Miscellaneous

Tank Heater, Coal or Cob

Set of Harness.   Oil Heater

Oil brooder Stove     Used Lumber

30 Good Panels, Various Sizes

Open Shed, 22x10 Ft.

1930 Model A Ford

Some Old Iron

Miscellaneous Items

Lunch at noon by Ellis Methodist Ladies

Terms: Cash.   No goods to be removed from premises until settled for.

Kenneth Menke, Owner

Owner's Telephone No. 10803 Diller

First National Bank, Clerk

Beatrice

SIEGEL BROTHERS, Auctioneers

Hubert               Harold

1610 H St        613 12th St

Ph 1135 Fairbury    Phone 1365

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.