Sentimental Sunday - Family Friend - Julia Thomas Rees

Sentimental Sunday

Family Friend

Julia Thomas Rees

Today I honor the memory of a close family friend; a member of the rural Star Community where my wife and I grew up. Julia, my mother, Eileen, and my mother-in-law, Ruth, were active members of several social organization together for many years in the Coon Rapids, Iowa, community.

My Dad's sister, my aunt, married the brother of Julia's first husband, Arnold. Arnold was one of a small group of 'fishing buddies,' of my wife, Nancy's dad, Glenn. Nancy played dolls at their house when she was young, especially with their oldest daughter, Rebecca. Rebecca was a year or so younger, but, she and Nancy and I were in many band, chorus, and other school groups together, in addition to church youth activities. Their youngest daughter, C.J., was in my younger brother's (Tom- T.K) class in school, so she was a frequent visitor at our house in the early years.

Finally, it was from Julia that I first heard the term "Ozarks" as a 'great place to live or visit.' I thought she was talking about 'hill-billies' country, but, for the past 40 plus years my family and I have been annual visitors and we now 'live there' in retirement.

Thank you to Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll, Iowa, for the following online information.

Julia Thomas Rees
(Died October 25, 2011)

Julia Thomas Rees, age 98, of Coon Rapids, Iowa, passed away on Tuesday, October 25, 2011 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at the First United Methodist Church in Coon Rapids with Rev. Dennis Bailey of the First United Methodist Church in Carroll officiating. Friends may call at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll after 5:00 P.M. on Friday evening where there will be a prayer service held at 7:00 P.M. The casket will be moved to the church at 8:30 A.M. on Saturday where visitation will resume until the time of service. Organist for the service will be Lula Garnes and soloist will be Mark Caraher. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery near Coon Rapids. Casket bearers will be Ron Bowman, David Thomas, John Thomas, Wilson Thomas, William Thomas, and Lonny Namanny. The family suggests memorials be made to the Coon Rapids Garden Club and the Iowa CU TTT Society of Coon Rapids.

Born on May 8, 1913 at Scranton, Iowa, she was the daughter of Raymond and Lucy (Essex) Hicks. She was the oldest girl of eight children. Her family moved to Kansas when Julia was a child where her father worked in the oil fields. They later moved to Arkansas where she graduated from high school at Siloam Springs in 1931. Following high school Julia returned to Iowa and worked various jobs until she was married to Arnold Thomas on March 14, 1939 on their cousin’s farm where the couple later made their home and raised their family. Julia loved her farm life. She was a member of the Star Methodist Church of rural Coon Rapids. Upon its closing the couple joined the Pleasant Ridge Friends Church. Mr. Thomas passed away on July 15, 1988 and Julia continued to live on the farm for the next twenty years. She was married to Maynard Rees on May 8, 2002 at Pleasant Ridge Community Church. Julia was a member of the Iowa CU TTT Society of Coon Rapids, the Star Progressive Club, OMC, the Red Hat Ladies, the Birthday Club, the Coffee Group, and H&H Club. Julia enjoyed sewing for her three daughters, quilting, shopping, entertaining, flower gardening, and spending time with her family and friends.

Surviving are her husband Maynard Rees of Swan House in Carroll; three daughters: Rebecca Thomas of Kansas City, Missouri and rural Coon Rapids, Sharon Spotts and her husband Randy of Ida Grove, Iowa, and Claudia C.J. Niles and her husband Wes of Carroll; three grandchildren: Janie Thomas, Laura Thomas, and Amanda Thomas all of Kansas City, Missouri; one great granddaughter Morgan Thomas of Kansas City, Missouri; a sister Virginia January of Tulsa, Oklahoma; a brother Loren Hicks of Birmingham, Alabama; two sisters-in-law: Ginny Hicks of Yakima, Washington, and Dorothy Hicks of Marshall, Missouri; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is also survived by her special friends Gil and Bronwyn Morgan of Scottsdale, Arizona, and their four daughters who thought of Julia as their grandmother. Julia was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Arnold, four brothers: Erroll, John, Forest, and Milo Hicks, and a sister Rosa Winder.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History - Week 44-Elementary School

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy & History

Week 44 - Elementary School

Thanks to GeneaBloggers and Amy Coffin of the We Tree blog for these prompts.

Week 44. Elementary School. Describe your grammar/elementary school (or schools). Were they big or small? Are any of these schools still in existence today? If so, how have they changed since you went there?

A while back I posted a Those Places Thursday about my primary elementary school, Willow #3, the
one-room country school I attended, a mile from my farm home, through 7th grade. There were two others in my class there. [It is no longer there, of course] I have the suspenders, on the right; my classmate, Charlotte, is holding a baby, in the center - it was a family picnic day. My younger brother, Jim, is sitting on the ground by me.

When that rural school closed, I went to the neighboring town, Coon Rapids, Iowa, for eighth grade and also high school. Here is my eighth grade class. [That building is no longer a school, either.]

 I am on the right end of the back row, just behind the teacher, Miss Kennedy. My (future) wife, Nancy, is fourth from the right in the front row. {Charlotte, to the right of Nancy (third from the right, front row), was my classmate at Willow #3. The third member of that class went to a different neighboring town for eighth grade and high school.} Interesting note: the girls were mostly much more 'mature' at this stage than the boys, I note!!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 28 Oct 2011

Follow Friday

28 Oct 2011

Today, I want to share a post that actually dates back a couple of years but is just as useful today as then. It comes from professional personal historian Dan Curtis, a source I recommend fairly regularly. This one is: "What's the Difference Between Memoirs, Autobiographies, and Life Stories?"

This post describes "an array of life writing approaches," which is what I like. Especially as we get older, we often wonder where we should place our priority in writing about ourselves, our family and/or our ancestors. This post provides a very good context for these considerations. Check it out. I think you will find it useful.

What do you think? Which approach works for you? I'd love to hear your story.


Comments welcomed.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - Lon, Nettie, Lillian

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

Lon, Nettie, Lillian

Lon, Nettie, and daughter Lillian Kinnick

1912 on the farm

[My maternal great-grandparents and great aunt]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK 75 yrs ago Week 42 - Oct 12-18

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 42 - Oct 12-18

My mother, Eileen KINNICK (maiden name), kept a diary from 1932 until her death in 1999. In Feb 2005, I created a website of her 1936 diary, the year she graduated from high school, and started dating my dad later in the year. The transcription, week by week, with commentary, notable items, and my comments are sitting there to view, unchanged (a few bad links and all!). . You are welcome to click on the Weekly Index, and go back to read the first half of the year, at your leisure.
Key:
My comments - in red
Commentary at the time - in green
Notable items - in blue
Setting: The family lived in a farmhouse a couple of miles out of town (Coon Rapids, Iowa). Older brother, Leo, lived at home; his girl friend, later wife, Ida, visited regularly. Younger brother, Buzzy (she often wrote Bussy) was 8 years old; see photo.

Week 42. A very active week for Eileen. Started a new job; seems to go in each day. At the Maytag retail store. Have good photos to go along with the stories this week!

I remember Leo Fest visiting from Idaho in the 50s, as well. Was a good friend of Grandpa Paul Kinnick, Mom's dad. He lived to 101. From ancestry.com:

Social Security Death Index
Name: Leo E. Fest
SSN: 519-28-8632
Last Residence: 91325  Northridge, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
Born: 18 Feb 1892
Died: 23 Jul 1993
State (Year) SSN issued: Idaho (Before 1951)

Eileen had a typical Sunday - she went to family dinner at noon, out with friends in the evening: "Went out to Petes with Lund 's. Max's birthday. Pete bro't me home. Whole gang there."
Comments welcomed! 


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Mappy Monday - Revisit 1935 Map

Mappy Monday

Revisit 1935 Map

Last Monday, I posted a full view of the 1935 Union Township, Carroll County, Iowa Plat Map with notations of my family activities.

This week, look through some image files, I came across this image of a portion of the map, including the town of Coon Rapids, Iowa, with typed and written notations by my Uncle, Leo Kinnick, probably made in the late 1930s or early 1940s. Amazing. He notes the land, as I did, where he and his sister, Eileen, had lived, in Section 21. He also notes where his wife, Ida Marie Bell, lived, and where she rode a horse to the school where she taught. Great details!! {Click to enlarge the image}

Leo and Ida recently celebrated their 74th Wedding Anniversary!  ;-)

[On 50th Anniversary, as I recall]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sharing Memories Sunday - Farm Land to Rent or Buy/Sell

Sharing Memories Sunday

Farm Land to Rent or Buy/Sell

I tend to very few vivid memories from my youth, but, from time to time, I do have 'recollections' of conversations I overheard, stimulated by my current reading and writing. This is one of those.

This past week on Monday I posted a map of the farm lands where my Dad's family, and he, started in Iowa. On Wednesday I posted a photo of Mom and I on the farm where we lived when I was born. On Thursday, I posted a photo of Mom and Dad on their rented farm. Cousin GeneJ sent a comment about the land and this family history we share that prompted the following 'recollections.'

Iowa farmer, 1939, with load of hay
(likely my Dad or his brother - cannot tell, with certainty)

As March 1 approached each year in our community, in the 1940s and 1950s for sure, other years I'm sure were the same, the conversation among the men-folks always included who would get their rental agreements renewed on their farm lands and who was buying and selling farmland nearby. March 1 was the change-over date. If land was to 'change-hands,' either by sale or for the farmer renting the land, it was always done on March 1 - the start of the new year. If plowing had been done in the fall in anticipation of spring planting, an allowance was always made in the sale/rental agreement for that work that had already been performed. There were often discussion like: I sure wish he had not plowed that 20 acres last fall… I'd like to have done something different with that land, this year, now that I will be in charge. Talk like that was common.

For young farmers, who did not yet own their own land, or who wanted to expand their acreage, the ability to acquire a (or another) farm to rent was crucial. There were not a lot of opportunities because most farmers farmed the land they owned. Most of the land rented out, was already committed to the current renter, and he was depending on it for his family. So, the person just starting out had to really 'scramble' to get their chance - and 'scrambling' was not seen by some as a 'seemly' thing to do… you had to be subtle, you had to boast of your abilities 'without boasting.'

Sometimes a farmer who was renting, if for whatever reason lost his rental for the next year, he might have to go several miles away, or farther, perhaps into another county, in order to obtain a farm to rent, to keep himself and/or is family going, for the coming year. The alternative would be to 'hire yourself out' to a larger farmer for that year - and that was a step back, not forward, for the independent small Iowa farmer.

I can clearly recall the anxiety of some of Dad's close friends who 'lost their lease' and had to make that transition to a new place, if they even could, on March 1. My Dad, Pete, worked very, very hard to make sure that never happened to him, and it didn't. He only moved twice: first, from a family land rental to one on his own; then to land he was able to buy - where he spent the rest of his life as a farmer. Ah, the memories. And there will be more. Stay tuned.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sport Center Saturday - 1907 Football Team

Sport Center Saturday

1907 Football Team

Coon Rapids, Iowa, High School

Regular readers may recognize the top photo. It is a scan of a postcard in my wife's mother's collection. She was the Ruth Bolger noted on the back of the postcard.

For my wife and I, the importance of this photo, previously shared as a Treasure Chest item, is that the two young men, seated, on the right, are each one of our grandfathers! Lynk Thomas (Class of 1908), father of Ruth (Thomas) Bolger, Nancy's maternal grandfather, is on the far right. Next to him, with the white collar, is Paul Kinnick (Class of 1909), my maternal grandfather. Small world.  ;-)

P.S. This note corrects the class years of the two men, from the prior posting.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 21 Oct 2011

Follow Friday

21 Oct 2011

This post, at Marian's Roots & Rambles, just made me feel good, so I have to share it: "I Wish There Were More People Like Tony."

 The original article was written by my friend, Jen, at Examiner.com. I must acknowledge her and recommend her writing directly.

Do you know a "Tony?" Have you acknowledged them, and said "Thank you!" recently?

We certainly need more of them to promote the pursuit of our family history and genealogy. I'd love to hear your story.


Comments welcomed.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Mom and Dad

Treasure Chest Thursday

Mom and Dad

Getting a cold, refreshing drink of water from the pump, on the farm.

I have no way of dating this except their looks and dress, but I'm confident they are newly-weds...

They married in March 1938 - the cultivator on the tractor suggests June or so.

June 1938 - on their farm (rented from his mother's estate, I believe).

I have more photos than 'artifacts' - this one qualifies as a TREASURE, to me!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - First home/farm

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

First home/farm

On Monday, I shared a map that had the farm (red circled 4) where we lived when I was born, in 1939.

This is photo of Mom and I, about six months, the winter of 39-40, at that farm, with dog, car, and, I believe, the old tractor in the back. Oh, my!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen Kinnick-75 yrs ago - Week 41 - Oct 5-11

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 41 - Oct 4-11

My mother, Eileen KINNICK (maiden name), kept a diary from 1932 until her death in 1999. In Feb 2005, I created a website of her 1936 diary, the year she graduated from high school, and started dating my dad later in the year. The transcription, week by week, with commentary, notable items, and my comments are sitting there to view, unchanged (a few bad links and all!). . You are welcome to click on the Weekly Index, and go back to read the first half of the year, at your leisure.
Key:
My comments - in red
Commentary at the time - in green
Notable items - in blue

Setting: The family lived in a farmhouse a couple of miles out of town (Coon Rapids, Iowa). Older brother, Leo, lived at home; his girl friend, later wife, Ida, visited regularly. Younger brother, Buzzy (she often wrote Bussy) was 8 years old; see photo.


Week 41.  "C. E. Work" referred to "Commercial Extension" a business school "correspondence course." She and her dad had decided they could not afford to send her away to business school, so she had begun this course(s) from home. Starting here, we begin to see 'shorthand' notes in the margins. That is one of the courses she was taking.

Note: She regularly listened to the World Series on the radio.  ;-)

On Friday: "danced every 3 with Pete." His sister, Max, had graduated in 1935; Pete in 1933.

I'll comment on final entry: "Were going to show but we found Don & Norma. Went to café & ate & cut out paper dolls. Sat in Don's car & listened to radio & ate pop corn. Ollie Betts road."

Don and Norma Williams were close friends for many years. Don had lived right across the road south of the Smith place for many years. When they married, Don and Norma lived just down the road, for many, many years... the moved to Arizona in the 1950s. Mom and Dad visited them a few times. Nancy and I, and Annette at 2, visited them in 1962. Nice folks! One daughter, Marla, a life-long teacher, now retired, of course (same age as my next younger brother).

Comments welcomed!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Mappy Monday - Northeast of Coon Rapids 1935

Mappy Monday

Northeast of Coon Rapids 1935

Union Township, Carroll Co, Iowa

[Click on Map to see larger image]

{There are 36 sections, numbered serpentine, starting upper right, making the section below No. 1 be No. 12, No. 13 is below No. 12, and so forth.}

I have marked 6 locations in red (7 and 8 are off screen, a mile to the right-see below) of note:

1) Lower left corner of Sec. No. 12, 160 acres, Wm Smith, my grandfather. This is 'the homeplace' where my Dad, Pete, grew up.

2) A mile north of the homeplace, was the corner where the Star Methodist Church and the Star School sat.

3) A mile north of the Church/School corner, and half a mile west, land of Laura Wilson, is where my wife, Nancy was born and lived through high school.

4) Down toward town, on Sec. No. 23, land of Ella R. Smith, my maternal grandmother, the dot to the left of the red circled 4, beside the river, is the house we lived in when I was born, in 1939.

5) In Sec. No. 21, just northwest of Coon Rapids, land of R.H. & P.H. Kinnick - this is where my mother, Eileen Kinnick, lived from June 1936, while courting Dad, until they got married in March 1938, and started farming at location 4.

6) After a couple of years a location 4, Mom and Dad and I moved to a farm on the county line, a mile east and half a mile south of 'the homeplace.' I need to do more research (find the papers) on the exact timing and place of this move.

7) After another year or two, Dad bought our 'home farm' one mile east of the county line in Greene County, Willow Township; two miles directly east of his 'homeplace.' 

8) The Willow #3 one-room school I attended was one mile north of that.

Note that the upper left corner of the map is marked Carrollton.

I will try to refer back to this map, as I continue to write about the area.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sentimental Sunday - 65th Reunion of Class of 1946

Sentimental Sunday

65th Reunion of Class of 1946

Coon Rapids, Iowa, High School

This photo culminates a series of posts featuring Basketball, my uncle and aunt, Buzz and Colleen and the Class of 1946. This is the official photo in The Coon Rapids Enterprise (6 Oct 2011, p.2) of the Class Reunion.

[Click on photo to see enlarged version]

Buzz is on the right, in the back row. Coleen is second from right, in the front row. Neat group of people that I grew up with!  ;-) P.S. Duane Baker, standing next to Buzz is a cousin of my wife, Nancy.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sport Center Saturday - 1909 Girls Basketball Team

Sport Center Saturday

1909 Girls Basketball Team

Coon Rapids, Iowa, High School

A couple of weeks ago, I featured the 1946 Girls Basketball Team in our home town of Coon Rapids, Iowa, winning the Iowa State Championship. Today, we feature 'where/when it all began.'

This is a clipping from the very first High School Annual in 1917, featuring the First Girl's Basketball Team in Coon Rapid, in 1909. P.S. The young lady on the left became a great-aunt of my wife, Nancy.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 14 Oct 2011

Follow Friday

14 Oct 2011

I've not noticed previously a report quite this concise: I must pass it along; even though many of you may have seen it already. [Thanks to Randy Seaver for bringing it to my attention… again!]

Susan Farrell Bankhead, Certified Genealogist, writes in her blog, 'Susan's Genealogy Blog,' the article, "Come On Along: Research the Right Way."

This process is very good for beginners as well as experienced researchers. To the extent we do not follow the entire process, we are likely going to come up short on results. Even though we are not all professional researchers (most of us are not, actually!), we should each aspire to learn this process and follow it. I would urge each of us to especially do more in the 'My preparation:' area. Better preparation leads to better results, as well.

What do you think? How closely do you follow this preparation process? Do you agree we each should?

Comments welcomed.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Missing GGrandmother Obit

Treasure Chest Thursday

Missing GGrandmother Obit

As I was doing the Saturday Night Fun exercise last feel on 'matrilineal' lines last week, I realized I did not have recorded the birthplace of one of my Great-Grandmothers. I mentioned it to my wife one day, and within a hour or so, here in my email shows up an Obit for her from a nearby town's newspaper. Neat! My wife works in Newspaper Archives all the time in her own research. I think I may have seen the obit before, years ago, but somehow had not recorded it in a handy place.

So, for me, this was a 'treasure' - I've spent most of my recent research times on hundreds of years ago, not 75 years ago. And, by the way, this obit was just 75 years ago this summer. The same summer that my Mother, Eileen, wrote the diary entries I've been sharing on Tuesdays, since mid-year. Looking back, on June 21, Week 25, she said: "Grandma to hospital. Have to operate." In Week 26, June 23, "Grandma failing all the time. Dad went up to Carroll in morning for the operation. No better at all." June 24 tells the final chapter.

Here is the Obituary:

Bayard News (online) Thursday, July 9, 1936, Page 1:

Margaret Jeanette Kinnick - obituary

    Margaret Jeannette Williams, daughter of Elias and Ann Duncan Williams was born near Rock Island, Ill., September 20, 1898 (sic - actually 1869) and died June 24, 1936, at the age of 66 years, 9 months, and 4 days.
    She moved with her parents to Scranton, Iowa, when six years old. A year or so later they moved to Coon Rapids, Iowa, where the remainder of her life was spent. Her mother died when she was ten years old and left six children. As she was the eldest daughter, the responsibility of mothering them fell upon her shoulders and how well and honorably she fulfilled that task.
    Her father was married to Sarah Armstrong, July 4, 1887. This marriage, which proved such a blessing to the motherless children freed her from much of the responsibility of the family and she was privileged to go on with her education.
    She taught school for several years.
    She was married to Alonzo P. Kinnick, July 6, 1891. To this union five children were born, two sons and three daughters.
    Her husband died in 1923 and once again the responsibility of the home fell wholly upon her shoulders.
    When the last of her children were married, she took up practical nursing and made a decided success of it. Her happy and jovial disposition made her a favorite in the sick room and her services were always in demand.
    She joined the Methodist church in early childhood and remained a faithful and devoted member to the end. She has been a member of this church for 49 years and the life which she led speaks better than any words we can utter. Her devotion to her family, whose interested always came first and her friendliness and loyalty to her neighbors was proverbial. She has set an example what we would do well to emulate. Wherever she knew that want and suffering existed found here there with her kindly ministrations.
    Mrs. Kinnick seemed to love everybody and everyone seems to love her. The one word on the lips of all is what a pity that such a good and useful woman should be taken. She occupied a place in the community that will be hard to fill.
    She was stricken about a month ago with infection in her ear and was taken to the Carroll hospital for an operation. It seemed to be successful and she left the hospital after a week or more. Last Saturday she suffered a relapse and on Sunday taken back to the hospital. Tuesday morning  a mastoid operation was performed from which she never rallied. She passed away at 8:10 Wednesday morning.
    She is survived by her five children, Paul H. Kinnick of Coon Rapids, Robert H. of Glidden, Lucille H. Herron of Coon Rapids, Gertrude Brideson  and Lillian R. Ford of Baryard. Twenty one grand-children, and one great grand-child. One sister, Mrs. Josephine Brock of Spirit Lake, Iowa. A step-mother, Mrs. Sarah Williams of Coon Rapids; two nephews, L.W. Williams of Sac City, and Dwight Williams of Coon Rapids; two nieces, Mrs. Helen Schauf of Bayard, and Mrs. Frances Keck of Montgomery, besides other relatives and a host of friends.
    Funeral services were held at the Coon Rapids Methodist church, conducted by Rev. Frank W. Clayburg of Villasca (sic), assisted by Rev. O. E. Cooley. Interment was made in Coon Rapids Cemetery.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - a 3rd GGMother

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

A 3rd GGMother

Beatrix (Elsie) Fad, born 1805, Alcase-Lorraine, France/Germany

Mother of my father's paternal grandfather, Michael Smith

Photo likely from around 1850-60

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK 75 yrs ago Week 40 - Sep 28-Oct 4

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 40 - Sep 28-Oct 4

My mother, Eileen KINNICK (maiden name), kept a diary from 1932 until her death in 1999. In Feb 2005, I created a website of her 1936 diary, the year she graduated from high school, and started dating my dad later in the year. The transcription, week by week, with commentary, notable items, and my comments are sitting there to view, unchanged (a few bad links and all!). . You are welcome to click on the Weekly Index, and go back to read the first half of the year, at your leisure.
Key:
My comments - in red
Commentary at the time - in green
Notable items - in blue

Setting: The family lived in a farmhouse a couple of miles out of town (Coon Rapids, Iowa). Older brother, Leo, lived at home; his girl friend, later wife, Ida, visited regularly. Younger brother, Buzzy (she often wrote Bussy) was 8 years old; see photo.


Week 40. Busy week, going to the County Fair events in town and back. On Thursday, "First and last dance with Pete. We took Grace & Betty home. Date Sunday night." Did you note: Oct 1 [– the date had fancy circle around it!]

They spend a lot of time in their car(s).

 1934 Chevy - when new...
Source: http://www.lonisantiquecars.com/1934%20CHEVY.HTM
Extracted: Feb 2005

Doesn't it help to have an image to relate to?

Note: I still do not know what the last line means: "Wished my ring on till Christmas."

Comments welcomed! 


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sport Center Saturday - Edward KINNICK - 1946

Sport Center Saturday

Edward KINNICK

1946

2011

Small world. Last Saturday, I featured the 1946 Coon Rapids High School Girl's Basketball State Championship Team - with my aunt, Colleen (Davis) KINNICK, - wife of Buzzy, my uncle (my mother's brother) Edward Kinnick, and only mentioned the boy's team. 

This week, in the hometown newspaper, The Coon Rapids Enterprise, for September 29, 2011, was this report of the 65th Class Reunion of the 1946 graduating class. They say the BOYS were passing around the above photo of the Boy's Basketball team... the overlooked ones. There is uncle Buzzy - Edward KINNICK - holding the ball in the center of the front row: 1946 Coon Rapids (IA) High School Boy's Basketball Team.

The five at the reunion (2011) are pictured below, with Buzzy again in the middle. Great looking group.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Follow Friday - 7 Oct 2011

Follow Friday

7 Oct 2011

Thanks to Ginger and Marian on Google+ to get me to Barbara J. Mathews writing at The Demanding Genealogist: "Conflicting Evidence: What Is It?"

This advice is very good for beginner as well as experienced researchers, I believe.

What do you think? How do you handle conflicting evidence?

Comments welcomed.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Confirmation Class

Treasure Chest Thursday

Confirmation Class

This is the confirmation class at the Star Methodist Church, a few years ago.

Nancy, now my wife, in white blouse, and I, in suit coat, center, were in 6th grade, as I recall.

She'll let me know if that is in error, of course. That would be spring of 1951.

In the back row, Rev. Pooley, and Don Williams, our teacher.

Charlotte Shirbroun, on left (in my class at Willow #3); the taller boy is my cousin, Dennis Ford, then Kenny Molle, and on the far right is Wayne Grim.

Note: Don Williams was my Dad's life-long friend; more on him in Eileen's Diary, Week 41.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - Big Bend

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

Big Bend

I just like this photo. Came across it looking at others.

I believe this is Big Ben National Park, in west Texas.
We spend a neat Christmas there...

Ten or twelve years ago.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 39 - Sep 21-27

Eileen KINNICK

75 yrs ago

Week 39 - Sep 21-27

My mother, Eileen KINNICK (maiden name), kept a diary from 1932 until her death in 1999. In Feb 2005, I created a website of her 1936 diary, the year she graduated from high school, and started dating my dad later in the year. The transcription, week by week, with commentary, notable items, and my comments are sitting there to view, unchanged (a few bad links and all!). . You are welcome to click on the Weekly Index, and go back to read the first half of the year, at your leisure.
Key:
My comments - in red
Commentary at the time - in green
Notable items - in blue

Setting: The family lived in a farmhouse a couple of miles out of town (Coon Rapids, Iowa). Older brother, Leo, lived at home; his girl friend, later wife, Ida, visited regularly. Younger brother, Buzzy (she often wrote Bussy) was 8 years old; see photo.

Week 39. On Wednesday, "Robert and Edna here about supper time" This was Robert Kinnick, her father, Paul's brother and his wife. [This link is to one of the few photos I have of Robert.]

Eileen's mom, my grandma Kinnick, did not drive. So, Eileen did most of the shopping. "Garst's" was the department store in town. I learned from this diary that she worked at this store, from time to time; perhaps just on weekends.

Sunday was of special interest to me. She curled Edith Lund's hair - assume it meant "cut" Pete's hair, while there, as well. Then "town again in Pete's car." - followed by "Pete & I took Helen in to town & then he bro't me out home." They are beginning to look like a couple - even though on 'group dates.' What do you think?

OK, it is a little easier to speculate when we know how it came out!  ;-)


Enjoy the read. Comments welcomed.


Families are forever!  ;-)

Matrilineal Monday - Saturday Night Fun? ;-)

Matrilineal Monday

Saturday Night Fun? ;-)

This exercise performed in response to Randy Seiver's Saturday Night (Oct 1, 2011) Genealogy Fun (SNGF)

I have not done my mitochondrial DNA testing or which Haplogroup ID. I have DNA samples at FamilyTreeDNA, so I suppose this could be done for an additional charge. I really don't know what it would mean to me. A reply would be welcome.

My matrilineal line is:

1. William L. Smith
2. Mary Eileen Kinnick (1918 Coon Rapids, Iowa -1999 Coon Rapids, Iowa) married Leverne Smith
3. Dorothy Christine Sorensen (1887 Denmark - 1982 Coon Rapids, Iowa) married Paul Harold Kinnick
4. Jensene Marie Nielsen (1852 Aalborg, Denmark - 1906 Guthrie Co, Iowa) married Lauritz Christian Sorensen
5. Maren Kristine Mortensdatter (1823 Aalborg, Denmark - 1915 Aalborg, Denmark) married Niels Christensen (Kudsk)

On the Smith side, the matrilineal line of my father is:

1. Leverne Smith (1915-1977) married Mary Eileen Kinnick
2. Ellen Rebecca Preston (1880 Deer Lodge, Montana - 1923 Carroll, Iowa) married William Emanuel Smith
3. Ellen Rebecca Miller (1850 Bryan, Ohio - 1912 Coon Rapids, Iowa) married James P. Preston
4. Rebecca Firestone Carle ( 1808 Ohio - 1892 Coon Rapids, Iowa) married John Miller
5. Mary Fireston (1789-1869) married Richard L. Carle
6. Mary Ann Bieber married Mathias Firestone

My Kinnick grandfather's matrilineal line is:

1. Paul Harold Kinnick (1892 Iowa - 1968 Coon Rapids, Iowa) married Dorothy Christine Sorensen
2. Margaret Jeanette Williams (1869-1936) married Alonzo Palmer Kinnick
3. Ann Eliza Duncan (1842 Illinois - 1879 Guthrie Co, Iowa) married Elias Williams
4. Araminta Kirk (1813 Scotland - 1855 Duncan Prairie, Mercer Co, Illinois) married Braxton Duncan

My Smith grandfather's matrilineal line is:

1. William Emanuel Smith (1869 Moline, Illinois - 1939 Coon Rapids, Iowa) married Ellen Rebecca Preston
2. Margaret Nellie Soderstrom (1846 Bjuraker Parish, Sweden - 1901 NE Soldiers Home, Grand Island, Nebraska) married Michael Smith
3. Johanna Margreta Rolin (1817 Sweden - unknown) married Peter Andersson Soderstrom
4. Margreta Sprang (b. Sweden) married Jonas Rolin


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sentimental Sunday - Check latest KINNICK Memorial post

Sentimental Sunday

Check latest KINNICK Memorial post

See recent Guest Post on companion The KINNICK Project:

Rene M. (KINNICK) Coffelt Family Memorials

 She has her whole ancestry on Find-A-Grave.com

We were happy to share her work,

perhaps it will bring contact from some 'new cousins!'

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sports Center Saturday - Buzz and Coleen - 1 Oct 2011

Sports Center Saturday

Buzz and Coleen

1 Oct 2011

Last week (Sep 24) I featured uncle Buzzy Kinnick in 1941 with his basketball team. I had featured him in a Thursday Treasure Chest post 4 Mar 2010 as 'like an older brother." Toward the end of that post, I included his wife, Colleen. She was a leading player on the 1946 Coon Rapids High School team that won the Iowa State Championship as Colleen Davis. This post ties these all together in a neat package. 

Families are Forever!  ;-)