Treasure Chest Thursday - Life on the farm

Treasure Chest Thursday - Life on the farm

 

 

 Sometimes the quietest moments can be the most precious... perhaps that is why I am, today, choosing this photo of a quiet moment - a summer of 1956, we had been baling hay, I think. Taking a rest is ok, when you have doing your work well. Here my Dad is resting in the shade of a tree by the barn. I don't recall who the other person was, helping; may be his brother, Toots, actually. I had been, but I went inside, and got my camera.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Feb 1956 CR School Board

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Feb 1956 CR School Board

[Photo and Caption Courtesy the Coon Rapids Enterprise, 23 May 2012]

This was the Coon Rapids Board of Education back in February 1956. At this meeting held in the administrative office of the old 1914 school, the board discussed further details of the new elementary school building. That building would be completed in 1957 and serve the community of Coon Rapids, and later Bayard, for the next 55 years. Left to right, clockwise: Supt. H.L. Zea, Leverne “Pete” Smith, Don Williams, Wesley Davis, Maurice Campbell, Secretary Mrs. Edith Johnson and President Al Headlee. Sitting on the left is school attorney Dale Carpenter. Hanging on the wall is a small picture of the community’s first school.

[Note: The following year, Pete, my Dad, served at President of the School Board, and gave me my High School diploma. Neat!  ]


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 21 - May 22-28, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 21 - May 22-28, 1937

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. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.
For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time. Starting here with Week 10, I am switching to the week ending on Friday.
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 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).


Week 21 (May 22-28): This week I feel as though we are seeing small positive changes in the relationship between Eileen and Pete - that I have been looking for. They have their ups and downs, but, starting the 26 and 27th she drives out past his place - just to be close to him, even if she doesn't see him or stop to talk to him. He is very busy with the planting and other field work this time of year. This plays out over the next couple of weeks and more.

On the 27th, she also goes to the High School Commencement. Of course, her dad is on the school board, in addition to the fact she is only one year out, herself. She would know many of the graduates well.
 
This is copy of her 1936 Commencement program... I assume 1937 would be similar in format! ;-)

I look forward to additional comments!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

1940 US Census indexing project approaches 50% completion

1940 US Census indexing project approaches 50% completion


Thirteen states are now completed and searchable thanks to many volunteer indexers across the country (and the world) working under the 1940 US Census Community Project. I have done indexing, have you? As a family history and genealogy researcher, having the 1940 US Census images indexed and fully searchable is a wonderful and gratifying task. Not yet two months into the project and the FamilySearch tracker shows the work is approaching 50% completion (45.81% as I draft this article).

 Several other states are nearing completion. However, as with any project of this magnitude, on a volunteer basis, continued volunteer effort must be sustained. Whether you have done some indexing or have not 'gotten to it' yet, now is a good time to 'get on board' and do some indexing! Thank you in advance for your efforts.

132 million people were living in the 48 Continental United States in 1940. Tens of millions of people living in the United States in 1940 are still living today, making this a record set that connects people with recent family records. I don't mind saying that I am one of this group. I was a thrill to see my name listed as an infant, the first child of my parents. I was born in the middle of 1939. Reading the images of neighbors in the community that I grew up with was a real thrill.

A huge 'thank you' to everyone who has been doing indexing. Let's get to 100% in record time. Your efforts will be appreciated around the globe for years to come. Your children, grand-children, and great-grandchildren will thank you as well!  ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

Sunday's Obituary - JoAnn Phelps

Sunday's Obituary - JoAnn Phelps

[Photo and Obit Courtesy of Coon Rapid Enterprise, 24 May 2012]

 

JoAnn Phelps, 73 of Bayard, died Tuesday, May 15, at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at the First United Methodist Church
in Coon Rapids. Officiating will be Pastor Lynn Gunderson. Organist will be Lula Garnes.

JOANN PHELPS
MAY 5, 1939-MAY 15, 2012

Born on May 5, 1939 at Carroll, JoAnn was the daughter of Ray and Helen (Brock) Schauf. She grew up in Bayard and graduated from Bayard High School in 1957. Following graduation she worked in Des Moines at Blue Cross and Blue Shield. JoAnn was united in marriage to Earl Lee Phelps on August 24, 1958 at the United Methodist Church in Bayard. Earl Lee and JoAnn lived their entire
lifetime on their farm southwest of Bayard. JoAnn helped on the farm and with their blacksmith shop until 1986 when she started working at the Bayard Nursing Home and Rehab Center, later working at Thomas Rest Haven in Coon Rapids until her retirement in 2009. JoAnn was also an EMT-B with the Bayard Ambulance Service for many years. JoAnn and Earl Lee were avid Harley riders and took trips to the northwest and western states and spent many years going to Sturgis, SD. She enjoyed her Shelby GT 500 and taking it to trips to Las Vegas and Colorado. Once she retired she became a member of the Bayard Red Hat Club and enjoyed her morning coffee group. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Coon Rapids.

JoAnn never knew a stranger and was always happy to visit with her friends and neighbors. She also enjoyed watching her grandson Jacob’s soccer games and school events and spending time with family. She was never far from her sister Charlotte. Survivors include her son, Don (Pam) Phelps of Coon Rapids, her daughter, Jody (Dave) Evans of Altoona, and one grandchild, Jacob Evans of Altoona; one sister, Charlotte Ault of Bayard, three brothers, Jack (Mae) Schauf of Ocala, FL, James (Shannon) Schauf, of Overland Park, KS, and Bob (Roseanne) Schauf, of Rio Grande, NM, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Earl Lee in 2010, and a son, Michael Dean Phelps, in infancy.

*****************

JoAnn was my 2nd Cousin once removed, but seemed closer. She was a regular at the annual Kinnick-Williams picnic, as were we, as I was growing up. We graduated high school the same year in neighboring towns (now consolidated).

Families are Forever! ;-)

Follow Friday - 25 May 2012 - FHISO and Ancestry.com partner

Follow Friday - 25 May 2012 - FHISO and Ancestry.com partner


The Family History Information Standards Organization, Inc. (FHISO) and Ancestry.com, Inc. have finalized plans for Ancestry.com to become a founding member of FHISO. FHISO is being formed as an International organization to develop standards for the digital representation of family history and genealogical information.

 

I wrote about FHISO here in March. FHISO is a "standards-setting organization bringing the international family history and genealogical community together in a transparent, democratic forum for the purpose of developing information standards to solve today's interoperability issues."

Ancestry.comhttp://www.ancestry.com/ is the world's largest online family history resource, with 1.9 million paying subscribers. More than 10 billion records have been added to the site in the past 15 year. Ancestry users have created more than 34 million family trees containing approximately 4 billion profiles. I use ancestry.com regularly in my personal research. I am pleased to see they have joined the FHISO efforts.

In addition to its flagship site, Ancestry.com offers several localized Web sites designed to empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history. Do you support international standards in genealogy? I think it is a positive step forward. I hope more major organizations support the cause.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Rasmus and Louise in Denmark

Treasure Chest Thursday - Rasmus and Louise in Denmark

It is always a pleasant surprise, even to me, to see what photo I sometimes choose to declare at 'Treasure Chest' - this is 1958, when Louise (Sorensen) and Rasmus Nielsen were able to visit their homeland of Denmark. Each was born in Denmark and emigrated at a young age. Both carried their strong Danish accents through out their lives. They played a large role in my life through our extended family in my early years. Louise was a sister of my maternal grandmother, Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick.


Families are Forever! ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Kinnick Kids

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Kinnick Kids

23 Oct 1960 - Smith Farm Iowa

Lonnie Kinnick, Marcia Kinnick, Paul Smith, Cindy Kinnick, Barry Smith

[Children of Edward (Buzz) Kinnick and Eileen (Kinnick) Smith]

For farm nuts, notice the baler in the background with the red engine! Also, cob house, and chicken house in the background.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 20 - May 15-21, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 20 - May 15-21, 1937

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. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.
For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time. Starting here with Week 10, I am switching to the week ending on Friday.
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 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).

Week 20 (May 15-21): Several times in the past month or so, Eileen mentioned things changing in the downtown and along Main Street. Here is an article from the Coon Rapids Enterprise of April 30 that summarized much of that activity.


April 30, 1937 - 75 Years Ago

The town changes. The Gibsons decided to leave Coon Rapids, George Keeley opens a new shoe repair shop, Cliff Bowman builds a new paint shop and the Milwaukee has a crew of 163 men laying heavier rails. Not to mention the additional work done on the Municipal light plant, the progress on Mayor Whitnell’s building and the remodeling of the Garst store.
These are major changes recorded this week in the business district of Coon Rapids.
Coon Rapids is progressing. And changing. Mr. and Mrs. C.B. Gibson announce this week that they are quitting business in Coon Rapids and will put their entire stock of jewelry on sale for the next 30 days, beginning today. They expect to go to Milton, Iowa where they were both born and raised where their relatives live and where they lived before they came to Coon Rapids in October of 1928. They bought their present jewelry business which they are moving to Milton, of A.W. Waldron here in 1928.
George Keeley’s shoe repair shop will be officially opened for business tomorrow, Saturday. Mr. Keeley expected to be ready for business by the middle of this week but because of a delay in the shipment of machinery, the opening was delayed until tomorrow. He reports that the machinery being installed is Landis machinery of the most modern type. Mr. Keeley has had first hand experience in this line in factories in both Chicago and St. Louis previous to 1929 when he returned to Coon Rapids to make his home northwest of town. Last fall the family moved to town to make their home with Mrs. Cooney’s father, M.M. Cooney, and now Mr. Keeley is to be a full fledged business man.
Another new building is almost completed on the Lauridson property next door to Lund’s produce. Here Cliff Bowman will be located with his paint and wallpaper shop. He has formerly been located at the Gamble store.
Keeping pace with faster and heavier pace of the world, the Milwaukee railroad has had a gang of 163 men laying heavier rails on all single tracks on the main line across the state of Iowa. With their work train located at the depot here, they finished up yesterday four miles west of town. They laid rails from the west that far last year. W.A. Moberly is in charge of the work and reports the men can lay three miles of rail a day. They use a power derrick to handle the rails which weigh 112 pounds to the foot. Three different kinds of rails of varying lengths are used. From here they will go to Caldonia, Wisconsin.


I look forward to additional comments!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sunday's Obituary - Maxine (Smith) Hilgenberg (1917-2012)

Sunday's Obituary - Maxine (Smith) Hilgenberg (1917-2012)

Last Thursday, I posted a 1954 photo of the Smith siblings, including Max and my Dad:

[Max in center, darker dress]

Max and Orrin had been married 75 years as of last December 16, 2011.

Here were Max and Orrin on their 50th Anniversary.

Here is a recent photo of Max (top of page) with the death notice published in Lake Havasu City News.



Here is the Obituary:

E. Maxine Hilgenberg, 94, passed away in Lake Havasu City, AZ. on April 17, 2012. She was born on October 18, 1917 in rural Coon Rapids, IA. to William and Ellen "Ella" (Preston) Smith.

Maxine married Orrin Hilgenberg on December 16, 1936 at the Trinity Lutheran Church. In the first year of their marriage, Maxine would get up at 5:00 AM with Orrin and went with him to pick corn by hand. As a wife and mother, Maxine would do whatever needed to be done, even to cultivate corn, bail hay and milk cows. She and Orrin owned Hilgenberg Trucking Company where she managed the home office, keeping all the books, payroll and licenses in surrounding states for up to four trucks.

Maxine was involved in many activities, including County Extension work, 4-H club, Cub Scouts, committees at Trinity Lutheran Church and later Ascension Lutheran Church in Coon Rapids. When living in Lake Havasu, Maxine was involved at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. She was on a bowling league for several years and loved her Garden Club. She was an expert in flower arranging and would enter contests over many years at the Four County Fair, winning numerous awards. They loved to have visitors and travel to see their children in California and Hawaii. Besides traveling, Maxine collected cookbooks and loved finding recipes in the paper. Cooking and crafts kept her busy until 2003, when she lost her eye sight.

Maxine is remembered for being a friend and having a wonderful smile. Even when she could not hear what was being said, Maxine would give a beautiful smile.

Maxine is survived by her husband of 75 years, Orrin Hilgenberg of Lake Havasu City, AZ.; son, Michael (Shellie) of Laguna Beach, CA.; daughter, Judi Nakanelua of Kaneohe, HI. and Lake Havasu City, AZ.; daughter-in-law, Judy Hilgenberg of Auburn, CA.; sister in law, Mary Smith of Coon Rapids, IA; seven grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her son, Gary, parents, brothers, Grant (Rita) Ballard, Ted Smith, Willard Smith, LeVerne (Eileen) Smith, sisters, Irene Smith, LVene (Verle) Thomas, Pauline (Merl) Bower and Betty (Warren) Pierce.

Memorial Service will be held of May 19, 2012 at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church at 11:00 AM.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Follow Friday - Week 20

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Follow Friday - Week 20


If I understand what Amy Coffin is suggesting in her 2012 52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy, I believe I can follow these prompts and use them much as I have been posting of Fridays, the past years. Let's give it a try.


Week 20: Social Media: Which social media tool do you appreciate the most? Has it increased your circle of friends? How has it benefitted your family tree?
This challenge runs from Sunday, May 13, 2012 through Saturday, May 19, 2012.

Facebook has been a boon to me and to my family. We all use it in a widely extended family, essentially coast to coast. I have made many new 'cousin' connections, as well.

I have also been able to create a very broad collection of 'genealogy friends' through the combination of blogging and Facebook. As some of us discussed online the other day, I have lost track of which geneablogger friends I have actually met in person and which I only 'know' online. I've been to one genealogy conference in the last two years, where I did meet a good number, but, I feel very close to a much larger group! THANK YOU!  ;-)

I mentioned blogging in passing, above, but I guess blogs are part of social media as well. My several blogs are such an ingrown part of my being, I really don't think of them as social media… that is where they stand with me.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - My Dad and His Siblings - 1954

Treasure Chest Thursday - My Dad and His Siblings - 1954


I recently came across this photo, from 1954, of my Dad and his brother and sisters, all in their prime, mostly 40s. It especially becomes a Treasure Chest, as the last of them, Max, died earlier this month at age 94.

From left to right: (Naomi) LVene (Smith) Thomas (1910-2004),
(Ellen) Bethene (Betty) (Smith) Pierce (1919-1993),
Willard Ward (Toots) Smith (1906-1979)
(Etha) Maxine (Max) (Smith) Hilgenberg (1917-2012),
Pauline Cecile (Polly) (Smith) Bower (1912-2003),
Irene Smith (1909-1997), and
Delbert Leverne (Pete) Smith (1915-1977)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Smith and Bolger kids together

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Smith and Bolger kids together

This is the Summer of 1962, at a gathering of both families, my wife's and mine, when we were back to visit. Our daughter, Annette, nearly 2, has the red belt, center. Behind her are Nancy's sister, Janice, and brother, Joel (who were featured in last Wednesday's photo - I found both of these on the same 'fishing expedition' for other photos!). On the near right, is my youngest brother, Paul. Back left, is my brother, Tom (now he goes by T.K). The girl with the curls is Karmen, my daughter's first cousin.

All I can see, of course, is the ANGEL FOOD CAKE!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 19 - May 8-14, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 19 - May 8-14, 1937

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. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.
For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time. Starting here with Week 10, I am switching to the week ending on Friday.
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 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).

Week 19 (May 8-14): On May 6, last week, Eileen said she "Wrote to Bud in the middle of Main Street" and that got us into a conversation, on Facebook, about how Coon Rapids' Main Street was so wide that cars parked in the middle of the street as well as diagonally into the front of the buildings (and sidewalk). Cousin Becki was good enough to locate an old postcard that showed this in actuality - and the cars are parked diagonally in the middle, as well. I case you missed it on Facebook, here is the scan of that postcard. Look the age of the cars! And the scene being the east end of Main Street, not the west, that we more often see pictured. Neat! ;-)

And, look what I just came across last night (looking for something else, of course!)
West end of Main Street, 1959 - Garst Store corner on the right - looking west.  ;-)

I look forward to additional comments!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Monday Memo - Upcoming Travels

Monday Memo - Upcoming Travels



Tuesday and Wednesday we'll be on the road all day going out to Utah for two weeks of vacation. For the following two or three weeks, I'll be involved in some other personal business, so my posts may a bit irregular…. and my response to comments may be slow… but, keep them coming.

Thank you for your support. Mostly, I'll have posts pre-scheduled, so you won't even know that I'm gone. Just full disclosure to my faithful readers. Thank you! 


Families are forever!  ;-)

Sharing Memories on Sunday - Stuelke Enterprises, West Branch

Sharing Memories on Sunday - Stuelke Enterprises, West Branch


We arrived in West Branch in October 1968. As I mentioned on Thursday, we immediately set about building a house with the idea that we would be in West Branch for a long time. Well, such optimism is great, but it doesn't always come true.

With the 'green-eye-shade' firmly in place, metaphorically, I did get the company books in good shape over the coming months. The results of these efforts plus changes in the regulatory environment led to very unexpected changes in the near future.

Many facets of the company finances looked very good. Management was good, based on what was known going into this entrepreneurial set of activities. However, as Medicare and Medicaid regulations came into focus, it became obvious certain of Dr. Stuelke's business plan assumptions had turned out to be incorrect, and were not sustainable. The best example, as I recall a couple of details, was Physical Therapy. With two nursing homes, he had hired an outstanding physical therapist who also added excellent management skills to his team… full-time, 40 hours a week of billable time. The new regulations, however, turned out to only allow 8 hours reimbursement per week per nursing home (again, as I recall it now). That meant he was paying for three days of high-level medical care costs weekly that would not have an applicable revenue stream. The were other, similar situations, as well.

The meaning of this, and other related revelations, was that he either would need to add more nursing homes - or, sell out to a bigger operation that was capable of spreading their costs over a wider base. He was not in a position to buy even one more nursing home.

In the meantime, of course, our second chance at a third daughter had arrived. Arrion was born in September 1969 in the hospital near Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. We have lots of photos of her arrival home, including visits by grandparents, aunts and uncles. This is the one, a few months later, that I was able to put my hands on, today.

 [Arrion, Annette, and Allison - aren't they sweet!]

Dr. Stuekle was able to find a buyer for his nursing homes. Of course, they had their own business manager and accounting department. Our time in West Branch came to an end in about a year.

Peat, Marwick, Mitchell & Co., the CPA firm from GE, and here in West Branch, was opening a new Management Consulting firm 'alongside' their accounting services in the Des Moines office. I accepted a position as one of their first four consultants there. It seemed a perfect match (heard that before?!). [Richard Nixon had seemed a 'perfect match' for the Presidency recently, as well.]

We moved to Des Moines, actually suburban Urbandale, on Halloween. The older girls were a bit upset, we missed Halloween in West Branch, and, we missed it in Urbandale. Off to great start. On the flip side… we did stay in Urbandale from October 1969 until July 1983!  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Share-a-Story - Have you?

Share-a-Story - Have you?

My blog here is "Dr. Bill Tells Ancestor Stories" - I love to share stories and read stories that others share. So, when Tami at Share-a-Story asked me to Share-a-Story, how could I not do so!

One Strong Connection to Our Founding was the result. I hope you enjoy it. Read some of the other stories, as well, while you are there. As you read, I cannot believe you do not have a story come to mind, of your own. Write it down, send it in. Tami provides excellent guidelines, that are very easy and reasonable to follow. I hope to send here one story each month or so.

Perhaps it will get you started on making regular submissions, there and elsewhere. Tell those ancestor stories - Share-a-Story!

[Pencil image courtesy of Share-a-Story]

Families are Forever! ;-)

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Follow Friday - Week 19

52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy - Follow Friday - Week 19


If I understand what Amy Coffin is suggesting in her 2012 52 Weeks of Abundant Genealogy, I believe I can follow these prompts and use them much as I have been posting of Fridays, the past years. Let's give it a try.


Week 19: Blog Series: For which blog series are you most thankful? Who writes the series and how has it helped your genealogy blogging experience? Be sure to include a link to the series so others can join in the fun.
This is totally impossible, of course, but I'm going to alter it only a little in order to be able to use this prompt, today, and be reasonable honest. Only one would not be fair, but I'll pick one… then add several more, to make it a tiny bit more realistic.

GeneaBlogger.com - I have to put this one first, because it has introduced me to so many other useful blogs.

Others I read every day, for a variety of reasons, usefulness to me, the best way to say it:

Genea-Musing - I don't read every post, but I would hate to miss the opportunity to decide which to read!
Planting the Seeds - I learn something from every post.
The Legal Genealogist - This one is new; but I don't want to miss a single post - I would missing something.
Marian's Roots & Rambles - She just always says something interesting in a way I like to hear it…

These are the ones I check every day. From these I may go anywhere. Lots of friends. Lots of other good blogs. I catch them from time to time, or when they get mentioned in those above.

OH, and there is one more, a new one:

The In-Depth Genealogist - this blog promotes the monthly digi-mag of the same name. The blog will have regular posts from the editors and writers. I believe it will become a 'must read' for many genealogist - if it isn't already. [Full disclosure - I am one of the contributors! ;-) ]


This challenge runs from Sunday, May 6, 2012 through Saturday, May 12, 2012.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Those Places Thursday - West Branch II

Those Places Thursday - West Branch II

This is the US Steel House that we built in West Branch - this photo was taken quite a number of years later - there were no tree or landscaping when we were there! We built the house with the idea that we would be there, in this really neat small Iowa town, for many year.

The school was a few blocks over the hill back over my left shoulder, as I took this photo. My office and 'downtown' were a few blocks over my right shoulder, likewise. It was a nice house. This was 1968-69.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Nancy and sibs

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Nancy and 2 sibs

I don't often feature my wife, Nancy, here, but I came across this photo this evening (looking for something else, of course) and could not pass it by. This is January 1958, about a year and a half before we got married. She is holding younger brother, Joel, and younger sister, Janice. Looking back, now, of course, the lamp, the bookcase, even the family photos on the top, take on special meaning. The house is no longer there either...  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 18 - May 1-7, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 18 - May 1-7, 1937

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. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.
For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time. Starting here with Week 10, I am switching to the week ending on Friday.
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 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).


Week 18 (May 1-7): This week we had May baskets, a really good and a really bad movie, the Tilton & Guthrie show, some long shorthand entries, a job offer, writing on Main Street, the heifer had a calf, and Dad brought home ice cream and a chest of drawers for Eileen. If you missed any of those stories, click over to the daily entrees and check them out.

In the meantime, I'm going sit and stare at this calf photo I found and shared (today) - I can still smell it, so distinct an odor, from the years on the farm - near Coon Rapids, Iowa!  ;-)
 

Comments welcomed! 

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Researching your female ancestors

Researching your female ancestors


I have mentioned here before that researching our female ancestors has been a priority my wife and I have each had through the years we have been doing family history and genealogy research. We hope you will too!

Today, I'm doing a double-dip with this post. I wanted to be sure you saw the article: "Three Ideas for Tracing Your Female Ancestors" by Gena Philibert-Ortega, Guest Writer, at 'The In-Depth Genealogist: a digi-mag for every genealogist' because it spells out very nicely the approaches we have used successfully over the years, and I recommend it to you, if you are not already doing so.

Secondly, as noted earlier, I've joined the team at The In-Depth Genealogist team as The Heritage Tourist where I will be contributing a monthly column to the digi-mag and two blog posts each month in the spot where Gena's fine article appears.

It is my pleasure to promote the digi-mag and blog, and urge you to sign up, free, to receive this useful and interesting information on a regular basis (if you have not already). You can sign up on the right sidebar on the page that opens at the link, above.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Sharing Memories Sunday - On to West Branch, Iowa, from Schenectady, NY

Sharing Memories Sunday
On to West Branch, Iowa, from Schenectady, NY


On Those Places Thursday this past week, I began to talk about moving to West Branch, Iowa. To do this, of course, I left General Electric as we discussed a bit earlier (my goodness, that was back in March, how time flies!).

The details are relatively unimportant, at this point, but a Dr. Stuelke, a physician based in West Branch (he also had a medical practice office in Iowa City) owned two nursing homes and a hardware store and some real estate in addition to his medical practices. He was an entrepreneur - Stuelke Enterprises was my employer. His financial advisor with Peat, Marwick (out of Cedar Rapids - the same national CPA firm I was working with at GE) had recommended for some time that he hire a Business Manager. His accounting records were falling behind, and, Medicare rules and regulations were just coming into existence that would be having a major impact on his business plans, the advisor told him (as I recall).

Anyway, his needs appeared to fit my desires to return to the mid-west, and we had a baby on the way. We got moved to Iowa and into the little rental house, mentioned on Thursday, while Nancy was still able to travel (that is a story for another day, by her!). Upon arrival, I put on my 'green eye shade' and got to work setting up a decent set of accounting records, by department, that he would need in order to understand where he stood with his business interests (using my GE learned accounting procedures). Quite a different environment and scale of operations, but I was very pleased to have the opportunity and I was really enjoying what I was doing.

[I didn't really wear a 'green-eye-shade' but the concentration was the same - neat image!]

Being back in Iowa was nice, too, of course, being much closer (at least in the same state) with both of our families. We settled in, of course, with the girls in school.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Happy Birthday, Grandpa William Smith

Happy Birthday, Grandpa William Smith

Of course, today, I'm Grandpa William Smith. However, I was named for my grandfather, Dad's Dad, William Emanuel Smith, who was born on May 5, 1869. He was born 143 years ago today.

The year is not too hard for me to calculate. He died a couple of months after I was born, at age 70. I am coming up on my 73rd birthday. 70+73=143. Clever, huh?

Thanks to WikiTree for the reminder of this birthday - I must give credit where credit it due. I got an email...  ;-)

Here is William Emanuel Smith as a young man. I've always enjoyed this photo. Neat guy!  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Those Places Thursday - West Branch I

Those Places Thursday - West Branch I

This photo, that shows up on Easters, from time to time, is from April 1969. It is inside the little brown house we lived in for several months as our new house was being build - we'll see it next week. I have not found a photo of the outside of this little house, but nothing much lost.

We moved here from Schenectady, NY, to West Branch, IA, near Iowa City. West Branch, of course, is the birthplace of Herbert Hoover and site of his Presidential Library and Museum. The front of the museum, in the link, faces east. Walk perhaps six blocks east and a couple south, and you would be at our little house. It was on a side hill... I suspect you could see it, if you stood outside the house behind where Annette sits in the photo above. This is a classic photo of Allison, holding the egg. So neat! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - more graduates from the 1930s

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - more graduates from the 1930s

Two more of my Mom's first cousins' graduation photos.

Two daughters of Robert Kinnick (my great-uncle, Paul's brother)

Ila Jean Kinnick (1918-1993)

[born 2 mos to the day before Mom]

4 June 1936

[She graduated same year as Mom, but from Bayard, not Coon Rapids]

Sara Gretchen Kinnick (1920-2008)

[1 and 1/2 years younger]

1938 graduate of Bayard, IA, High School

Each of these ladies was very familiar to me as I grew up in the area. They did not live in our community, but not too far away. Always at various extended family gatherings.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 17 - April 24-30, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 17 - April 24-30, 1937

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. During the latter half of 2011, commented weekly on these entries.
For 1937, I am transcribing the daily entries, currently, at The KINNICK Project surname blog.

In this weekly blog post, I will make summary comments and observations, and perhaps add a photo, from time to time. Starting here with Week 10, I am switching to the week ending on Friday.
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 9 years old. Pete Smith is her 'boy friend' - fourth month starting Jan 1 (they do marry, in Mar 1938).

Week 17 (Apr 24-30): A while back, I shared some information on my grandparents, Eileen's Mom and Dad, Paul and Dorothy (SORENSEN) KINNICK, and their residences in their early married life, as well as later. Part of that was a quote I had recorded a number of years ago from one of her letters. Here is the quote:

"In regard to the little white house that sits east of Shirbroun's big barn; My grandpa Sorensen & 4 children came here from Denmark in 1912. My mother, Dorothy, married my Dad, Paul H. Kinnick in 1914. Rasmus Nielsen (a relative of Jens Jensen) came a little later. My Aunt Louise Sorensen lived with her Dad (my grandfather) & he built that little house for them to live in & run a dairy. Rasmus married Louise & they had 3 children born in that little house: Karl Nielsen, lives south of Coon & drove a CRB bus until 2 years ago, Howard Nielsen, lives in Omaha, Paul Nielsen, who commited suicide 10 years ? ago. Darrell Nielsen, Glidden, is another brother & they had 4 girls, too. My Dad had uncle Lem Williams, the iceman, build the stucco house & Leo Kinnick & I were born there - Leo in 1917 & I came along in 1918. Buzz was born in 1928 on Main Street where Irene Fick lives."

I just came across, in the Coon Rapids Enterprise (as I often do, when looking for something else!)[Feb 23, 2012 edition], the following article regarding that Shirbroun's Dairy "big barn."

75 Years Ago
February 12, 1937

"Shirbroun’s Dairy is going out of business. After serving the people of this community for some 14
years they have decided to quit and are advertising a dispersal sale of their fine herd of 71 Guernsey
cattle to be held at the farm just south of town on Monday, February 22. In addition to their dairy here they are also selling all the dairy equipment including milking machines, separators, cooling tanks, delivery truck and other articles. This dairy farm has the finest equipment in this section of the state. The big barn has stanchion for 36 head of cows and besides that will hold 125 tons of hay, 2,000 bushels of oats, 25 tons of bailed straw and have room to spare. Everything on the farm is run by electricity and it is modern in every respect but because of illness in the family and the stress of other work it is going out of business. Because of the large offering it will no doubt be a big sale."


I will include here the poor image from the earlier web site. The barn in question is at the left center. The little white house is just to the east of it, hardly visible. The G&T corn processing plant, south of town, is at the bottom; most of the photo is the town of Coon Rapids, from the south, looking north(west).

Comments welcomed! 

Families are Forever!  ;-)