Happy 210th Birthday - Asenath Butler

Happy 210th Birthday - Asenath Butler Preston Thomas

Asenath was my Great-Great Grandmother, the daughter of my only known ancestor born in Ireland, John Butler. She survived the surrender of Detroit in the War of 1812, married the "Old Sheriff" in Defiance County, Ohio, had several children including my grandfather, James P. Preston. Following the untimely death of the "Old Sheriff" she remarried, had two more sons, moved to Iowa and lead a long and productive life for the times of 85 years.

See my Fearless Female post on Asenath

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

Families are Forever! ;-)

75 Years Ago This Week - March 22

75 Years Ago This Week - March 22

75 Years Ago This Week began March 1, 1938 - my mother and father were preparing to get married later in the month.

Over in The KINNICK Project blog, we had another week of daily entries from Mom's - that is Eileen Kinnick's - diary.

After all the preparation work on the old farm house last week, this week saw the marriage of Pete and Eileen take place on St. Patrick's Day - so they could go to the dance with their friends after!

Chivariers did come the evening of their first night in their new home - on schedule, and messed up the floors (see the next day)

Cows and the milk/cream separator (needing cleaned thoroughly twice a day) arrived on the 20th.


And, the chickens arrived on the farm on the 21st…

From the local newspaper in Coon Rapids, Iowa, the Coon Rapids Enterprise, 75 Years Ago:

March 18, 1938:

George Boehler polled 91 votes and Orton Kretzinger 181 to become new members of the local public school board Monday. H.J. Day was reelected treasurer. Harold S. Keister, defeated third term candidate, polled 159 out of the 307 votes cast. L.A. Jordan the other retiring member, was not a candidate for reelection.
The new board will now consist of Chas. W. Thomas, C.E. Coder, Paul Kinnick, George Boehler and Orton Kretzinger with H.J.
Day as treasurer.

My comment: Last week, we saw two town council tickets, with my grandfather, Paul (P.H. Kinnick), on both tickets, as Treasurer! This week we are reminded that he also continued to serve on the local school board. Neat! Local public service is so important! ;-)


Families are forever!  ;-)

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Easter 45 Years Ago

Wordless (nearly) Wednesday - Easter 45 Years Ago

As I've noted earlier, I'm working my way through scanning our family slides, systematically, for 1976 or so back in time to 1952... today was Easter, 45 years ago, with our first two daughters!

[This was in Schenectady, New York, when I was working for General Electric.]

 Above, they got some Easter candy in their baskets. Below, they are dressed up in their finest for Church - even white gloves! Oh, my!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

For sure! ;-)

Barbara Cowles Memorial Service/Obituary

Barbara Cowles Memorial Service/Obituary

 

 

Barbara was my 2nd cousin by way of my maternal grandmother Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick and her brother, Morris (Marius), grandfather of Barbara (Groth) Cowles (Nov 1931-Jan 2013). Our common ancestors were Lauritz and Jensene (Nielsen) Sorensen (Denmark > Iowa).

A memorial service was held for her on February 23, 2013, in Des Moines, Iowa, which I was unable to attend. Her sister, Carole, was kind enough to send me a copy of the program which contained a fuller obituary than that available from public, online sources. Thank you again, Carole. I've included as scan of that obit below.

I want to share one line from the obit:
"Barbara held intense fascination for genealogy and the pursuit of ancestral history with led to many wonderful photo albums, and volumes of historical data and interesting stories."

My wife and I received a Christmas Card and letter from Barbara every year for many, many years with each update in her family, and we exchanged the same with her. Our Christmas letter this year was among the first her sister, Carole, found among her things in January, and contacted us directly. We were so grateful.

Here is one of my favorite old photos, from then 1940s, with my Mom and Dad, in Des Moines, visiting with Carole and Barbara at the home of their parents, Pearl and Alton Groth, in Beaverdale.

 

 

A graduation photo of Barbara:

The obituary from the Memorial Service:

[Click for enlarged image]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

13 Ways 2nd Edition now on Amazon

13 Ways 2nd Edition now on Amazon

Click the image to go directly to Amazon.com site.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

75 Years Ago This Week - March 15

75 Years Ago This Week

75 Years Ago This Week began March 1, 1938 - my mother and father were preparing to get married later in the month.

Over in The KINNICK Project blog, we had another week of daily entries from Mom's - that is Eileen Kinnick's - diary.

The old farm house was being prepared to live in by both families working together to help Pete and Eileen get ready when they are married in a few days…

Wallpapering was completed, among other things.

Identifying the Smith siblings that helped out.


From the local newspaper in Coon Rapids, Iowa, the Coon Rapids Enterprise, 75 Years Ago:

March 11, 1938:

Town election is a couple of weeks away Monday, March 28, and nomination papers are now in circulation about town for the following two tickets: The Peoples ticket presents John Shirbroun for mayor; George Textor, W.A. Kretzinger, M.H. Galloway, C.W. Rippey, and George Lachenmeyer for town council,; Jno. W. Smith for assessor; P.H. Kinnick for treasurer. The Citizens ticket presents Paul O. Alex for mayor; Dwight Williams, Dr. D.S. Weaver, Ralph Shannon, and John Tigges for town council; Ralph C. Bowman for assessor; P.H. Kinnick for treasurer.

My Grandfather, Paul (P.H. Kinnick), was on both tickets! Love it!  ;-)

Families are forever!  ;-)

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday - Smith Family Gathering Summer 1970

Wordless (Nearly) Wednesday

Smith Family Gathering Summer 1970

I've been systematically scanning every slide I took in the 1970s - late to early, now into the summer and fall of 1970. These three are from a visit to my parental Smith farm home, "on the Porch" - for a gathering of members of my Dad's family. It is rare when I cannot identify everyone, but I do need some help on these. I can guess (because there are only so many cousins to choose from), but I'd appreciate help from my faithful readers, in the comments, please.

My three daughers are in blue, with necklace and light pink and yellow (on the right, below). I wonder if a couple are from CA, since their grandparents are below.

Are the boys the Pierce boys? Wrong ages, I think? Don't think their parents or sister are here, which has me confused.

Back two rows, from the left, Bill (me), Max, Mike, Orrin, Arrion, Eileen, Nancy, Jim, Pauline, Gwen, Merl, Tom, Pete, Paul.

And, I really cannot tell 'who is missing' to be taking the photos, on my camera, since I am in the one immediately above. Thanks for any assistance.


Families are Forever!  ;-)