Treasure Chest Thursday - Paul, Dorothy, and Leo - 1917

Treasure Chest Thursday - Paul, Dorothy, and Leo - 1917

I recently came across this photo, that I don't believe I have shared previously, at least not here.

Leo (the baby) was born March 1917 - he is now 95, of course, as we have shared here, earlier.

Parents are Paul and Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick - my maternal grandparents. I can think of no other photo I have of them within a couple of years of this particular photo - which makes it that much more special! What a treasure!  ;-)

My mother, Eileen, was born in December 1918, of course; to put it in perspective. Their third child (last), Buzzy, was born in August of 1928. All three were born in Coon Rapids, Iowa, of course.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Dave and Rebekah - July 1957

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Dave and Rebekah - July 1957

A tale of first cousins... follow carefully. This is Rebekah Thomas and Dave Thomas - first cousins via their fathers being brothers. The setting is the birthday party of one of Dave's (and my) first cousins, Judi Hilgenberg, on their mother's side (my dad was a brother of the sister's, LVene and Max, respectively).

Curiously, I just spent time at our 55th High School Reunion a couple of weeks ago (no photo; darn!) when she shared a photo with me and she and Nancy shared many memories, as well. Further, we were invited to Dave's home on Lake Panorama, in Iowa, for a Sunday gathering at our Reunion, but we were unable to attend. Small world.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK -75 yrs ago -Week 39 - Sep 18-24, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 39 - Sep 18-24, 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 39 (Sep 18-24): This week, Eileen worked at both the Light Plant and for the law office. Interesting.


NOTE TO READERS:  This is the last post in this series.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Buzz and Colleen get married - after Japan

Treasure Chest Thursday

Buzz and Colleen get married

After Buzz returned from Japan

These three images came to my attention on separate "otherwise seeking" searches over the last few weeks... today, I'm putting them together with a little story to connect them. Bare with me here...

First, I came across this clipping, filling in some details discussed earlier, here and here ...

Here they are, about that time... shortly after his return from the service. How about those cars? This was at our farm. House is behind us, for reference.

I have this labeled as the crowd awaiting them leaving the church after their wedding. I think that is her Dad, Wes Davis, holding the hat, near bottom step. Can you name others? ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - ISU Atomic Energy Lab

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - ISU Atomic Energy Lab

[Click to see enlarged image]

This photo (which I only recently came across) actually should have gone along with the following story I wrote about my work in 1959-1961 at Iowa State University in the Atomic Energy Commission Physics Lab in Ames as a student-assistant to a Ph.D. student in Physics (assisting with his lab work):

http://drbilltellsancestorstories.blogspot.com/2011/12/sharing-memories-sunday-senior-year-at.html:

"First, the Ph.D.-level research I was involved with related to determining the electrical properties of a material (as compared to silicon, it turned out) for possible use in making 'computer chips' - as they would eventually be called. In processing the data, I got my first exposure to using the 'computer' of the day [the first electronic digital computer was officially invented at ISU, of course - see ABC at link] - writing initially in 'machine language' - before compilers"

The control box in front of me, to the right, with the black knobs, is where I put electrical pulses through the bits of materials (usually magnesium of some sort) and measured the properties of the sample for my 'boss' to analyze. This was the data that led to his Ph.D. dissertation. I assisted him with preparing tables of the data in the draft of this dissertation, and, received from him on the draft copies of his dissertation, as his 'thank you' for my assistance.

Of course, in the end, silicon won out over magnesium for the eventual manufacture of computer chips... but that came later, of course!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 38 - Sep 11-17, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 38 - Sep 11-17, 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 38 (Sep 11-17): Eileen was at work at the new Coon Rapids Municipal Light Plant this week collecting monthly light bills and properly recording them in the records in the office.

In the Coon Rapids Enterprise for 75 Years Ago on September 13, 2012, we find the story of the accident Eileen reported in her diary on September 1: "Emery's garage burned & Howard Teter ran in the ditch. Really some excitement."

75 Years Ago
September 3, 1937
Howard Teter was badly hurt Wednesday night when the car he was driving crashed into the south bank on Highway 46. He failed to make the turn coming down the road from the north by the old Vanderloo place. A stuck throttle and a number of cars traveling 46 at this junction was the cause given for this accident. Teter suffered a broken nose, a fractured collar bone, a badly cut right arm, a gash in his head, split lip and the loss of some teeth when the car buried its nose in the bank and he went through the windshield. He was rushed to Dr. Jewell’s office where his wounds were treated and where he appears to be making satisfactory recovery.

*****

On September 5, 1937, Eileen again mentioned riding the bike. This was the bike Buzzy got for his birthday, that a few years later became my bike. I finally came across a good photo of it this weekend - this is from 1947, that is me on it, on the right; along with Wilson and Pat Thomas, with my brother him... at our farm home. ;-)

I look forward to your comments!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Those Places Thursday - 1955 Willow Township Map

Those Places Thursday

1955 Willow Township Map

[Click to See Enlarged Version]

I love maps. This 1955 map has the farm where I grew up along with all the other property owners in the neighborhood, as of 1 Apr 1955. My Dad, Leverne Smith (listed as LeVerne), is seen in Section 8 (one down and one to the right, from the upper left corner). Our 160 acres, at the time, were split with an 80 north of the road and an 80 south of the road, as can be seen.

Notice the serpentine numbering of the sections: start in upper right with 1 (off the edge, on this copy), moving left along the top tier, then dropping a tier and moving right; then, dropping a tier and moving back to the left... back and forth through the township - to 36 in the lower right, since our township was a 6x6 symmetrical township, in the southwest corner of Greene County, Iowa.

Rural school districts were founded based on four square miles, with the school located on the intersection at the middle of the square. They were numbered similarly...

Therefore, our rural one-room school district, Willow #3, included the four square miles in the upper left corner. Our farmhouse was on the north side of the road, so we were in this district. If we had lived on the south side of the road, we would have been in Willow #4 to the south.

Oh, the memories, as I read these names and places - including Willow Creek running north to south through the western half of the Township! ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Grandma Dorothy and her violin

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday

Grandma Dorothy and her violin

This is a December 1970 photo of my maternal Grandmother, Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick playing her violin at my parent's home on the farm near Coon Rapids, Iowa. She would have been 83 at the time. Oh, the memories!  ;-)


Families are Forever! ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 37 - Sep 4-10, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 37 - Sep 4-10, 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 37 (Sep 4-10): Eileen was at work at the new Coon Rapids Municipal Light Plant this week collecting monthly light bills from members of the Community.

In the Coon Rapids Enterprise for the August 27, 1937 entry in 75 Years Ago on September 6, 2012, we find that Coon Rapids was also getting a new telephone office building - very progressive town in 1937:

"Coon Rapids is soon to have a new telephone building, an attractive fireproof, one story and basement structure. Contractor Paul McCorkle has started construction of the new building. Already the excavation has been completed and the tile laid to the ground level. Poles and other materials for the new telephone system are arriving and the building of the new lines is expected to get underway soon."

*********
Emery's garage fire mentioned by Eileen on September 1 -

From front page of Coon Rapids Enterprise of Friday, September 3, 1937:

Barn and Garage Equipment Lost in Night Fire

"The fire department was called about 11 o'clock Wednesday night to the hottest fire they had battled in many months, a blaze which practically consumed the large barn on the property at the corner of Third avenue and First street recently purchased by Morris Grettenbcrg and occupied by C. A. Emery.

The alarm was turned in by Thurman Johnson but flames were already shooting out through the roof and the fire department could do little but prevent the blaze from spreading. Fortunately there
was very little wind. Because of the water shortage all of the town pumps were put into action.

The barn was partily covered by insurance. Mr. Emery, however, suffered considerable loss as some $2,000 worth of Ford parts and garage equipment together with a considerable amount of tires and batteries were stored in the barn. There was very little insurance on this loss.

Mr. Grettenberg moved to this property yesterday, Mr. Seivers from the Carter property on Third
avenue to the house vacated by Mr. Grettenberg and the Emery family to the house vacate by the
Sievers family.

This fire emphasized the need of good fire protection and adequate water. If there had been strong wind it is not likely the blaze could have been confined to the one building. The public, too should be careful not to hamper the firemen In their work and should stay well away..."


I look forward to your comments!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

My Hometown on Monday - Sharing Memories

My Hometown on Monday - Sharing Memories

I want to share a neat sidebar to our 55th Reunion of the Class of 1957 in Coon Rapids, Iowa this weekend.

Because we have a small class, we invited members of 'near' classes to stop by and visit. I shared some of those in the link above. I reserved this post, though, for visitor Rebekah "Becky" Thomas ('59), and our neighbor in the Star Community.

Besides the fact it was just nice to see her, and her younger sister, Sharon, she gave me a photo from our earlier life along with a poem she had also come across written by her grandmother about our Star community.

Here is the photo:

Fall of 1946 (or 47)

Left front: Orville and Arlene Peverstorf; in back, from left:

Arnold and Julia Thomas, Eileen (Kinnick) Smith

Front center, my younger brother, Jim; me; Rebekah Thomas

Arnold's mother was Carrie Thomas. Below, in two pages is a poem she wrote, mentioning all the people in the Star Community at the time, in one way or another (click to see bigger, readable version):

As family historians we never know when neat memories like this will come along. Always be ready to receive, as well as to share. Thanks, Becky!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - CRHS Band Photos

Treasure Chest Thursday - CRHS Band Photos

Two photos today of the Coon Rapids High School Band

in the Coon Rapids Enterprise, of years gone by

The current editor of paper is in upper left of the 1970 photo!

Besides Charlie Nixon, this 1970 photo has two of my brothers (Barry and Paul Smith) as well as a sister-in-law (Janice Bolger) and a brother-in-law (Joel Bolger) and many cousins, friends, etc.

This one has both Barry and Joel, and different cousins and friends...  

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - New Corn Crib at 'the Harvey Place'

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday:

New Corn Crib at 'the Harvey Place'

 

[Paul Kinnick, bald bare head, and Dorothy Kinnick (back, right); 

I am no longer able to remember the others in this photo - 

but, oops?, it may be my mom and dad and me! I cannot tell for sure]

You may recall my post on Sunday, April 15, 2012 about residences of my maternal grandparents, Paul and Dorothy (Sorenson) Kinnick. They lived on a farm they had bought in 1941-42 (still trying to pin down the date) on the west side of the road to Glidden from Coon Rapids (Iowa) that they lived in until June of 1948. Even though they lived there for 6-7 years, we always, in the family, referred to it as 'The Harvey place' making reference to a previous long-time member of the community who had lived there earlier - Ray Harvey (he had been with the Coon Rapids Post Office).

This photo is of the newly built Corn Crib building which was the major improvement Paul and Dorothy made to the property while they lived there. I clearly remember the pride they felt, and this photo also clearly shows that. Their son, Edward, we have always called him Buzzy, went to High School from this farm from 1942 to 1946. He returned here from his eighteen or so months U.S. Army service in Japan in January 1948. When he and Colleen Davis were married in June of 1948, they made this their home and his parents moved into a trailer house parked north of my parents' home on our farm a few miles east of this location for a while before they bought the little house in Bayard (August 1950).


Families are Forever! ;-)

Eileen KINNICK - 75 yrs ago - Week 36 - Aug 28-Sep 3, 1937

Eileen KINNICK
75 yrs ago
Week 36 - Aug 28-Sep 3, 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 36 (Aug 28-Sep 3): On Thursday, Sep 2, 1937, Eileen wrote: "Had Miss Millslagle set my hair & she did a good job on it, too." Miss Millslagle was a teacher at the school (starting in 1932) and later, for several years, High School Principal. I knew her as Stella Zumwalt - my High School English teacher in 1953-57. She died in 1957, shortly after we graduated. She had married Ed Zumwalt, the dry cleaner owner in town, in 1942 or so, in her mid-40s. Her obit says they later divorced.

Her are his and her obits from the Coon Rapids Enterprise:


Coon Rapids Enterprise, Thursday, July 12, 1979, page 21:

OBITUARY
EDMUND WALTER ZUMWALT
Edmund, son of Daniel and Sarah Myers Zumwalt, was born April 9,1890, in Ashkum, HI. As a youth the family moved to Iowa. He lived with his family on a farm (near) Ames, Iowa, until his marriage in 1917 to Avis Stott. To
'this union were born three chilldren, Shirley, John and Richard.

He was remarried in 1928 to Hazel McCannon. To this union were born Charlotte, Donald and Janet. Hazel died in 1937. Ed was married again in 1943 to Stella Millslagle who died in 1957. Ed operated a dry cleaning establishment in Coon Rapids for many years and continued to live in Coon Rapids after his
retirement.

He had been in failing health for several years and entered the Thomas Rest Haven about three years ago. Ed died at the St. Anthony Regional Hospital on Sunday, July 8,1979, at the age of 89 years, 2 months, 29 days.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two wives, three brothers, two sisters and one grandson. He is survived by six children: Mrs. Gerald (Shirley) Blake, Altoona, la.; John Zumwalt, Mentone, Ca.; Richard Zumwalt, Daly City, Ca.; Ms. Arnold (Charlotte) Stevenson, LaVerne, Ca.; Donald.Zumwalt, San Pedro, Ca.; and Mrs. Janet Nielsen, Des
 Moines. Also by 12 grandchildren, and six greatgrandchildren and many cousins in the Ames area and other relatives and friends.

[Stella Zumwalt - Fall 1952]

Front page, Coon Rapids Enterprise, Friday, July 26, 1957:

Last Rites For Stella Zumwalt Held Monday

Funeral rites for Mrs. Stella Zumwalt, 62, who died at St. Anthony hospital at Carroll Friday morning, the 19th were held at the First Christian church here Monday morning at 9:30.

The service was in charge of the pastor, the Rev. Morris L. Bailey. Larry Crisman san "The Twenty Third Psalm" and "In the Garden." Mrs. Paul Nelson was organist.

Casket bearers were Merlin Johnson, Clarence Jacobsen, Lyle Crisman, Amos Howard, William Augustus and H. A. Riis.

Burial was in Union Township cemetery east of town, the first burial in the new cemetery.

Mrs. Zumwalt's death resulted from a heart condition, having suffered an attack in August 1956. She had been at the Carroll hospital since July 14.

She taught at Glidden before coming to Coon Rapids in 1932, serving as principal of the public school for a number of years. She owned a nice home here and took an active part in church and community activities.

Stella Millslagle, daughter of Peter and Esther Millslagle, was born at Steamboat Rock Dec. 17, 1895. Her parents are deceased.

She married Ed Zumwalt in 1942. Later they were divorced. Surviving are three stepchildren, Charlotte, Janet and Donald, all of California; one brother, Chester Millslagle, New Virginia, and a sister, Mrs. Grace Shery of Des Moines.

Mrs. Zumwalt was a member of the FIrst Christian church, Faith Chapter Order of Eastern Star and Chapter D.W. - P.E.O. at Coon Rapids.


I look forward to your comments!

Families are Forever!  ;-)