Treasure Chest Thursday - Michael Smith Civil War Discharge

Treasure Chest Thursday

Michael Smith Civil War Discharge

[click to view larger image]

This is for my great-grandfather, Michael Smith - his birth name was Schmidt/Schmitt depending on your source. Outside of service records, he used Smith after coming over from Alsace-Lorraine area of France in 1845. 

This even has a physical description: 5 foot 8 inches, light complected, grey eyes, brown hair. Born in Colmer, France. 3 Oct 1864, served three year term. Discharged at Davenport, Iowa.

Thanks to cousin Will Grapes for sharing this image! ;-)

Families are Forever! ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Mom's Sheet Music and comments

Treasure Chest Thursday - Mom's Sheet Music and comments

Nearly fourteen years after her untimely passing, I still find artifacts from my mother that make me smile... this was a recent one! This many times used piece of sheet music, is not unusual among the items she left behind. The note on it, is so "HER!"

"My cousin Wilbur and wife Pauline danced to this song with the Kluckers singing & I played piano. They like to Polka, too, & Kluckers sang & I played."

The Kluckers were a group of local folks, in Coon Rapids, Iowa, that performed as an 'orchestra' for local organizations. I'll write on them more, one day. Today, I sit here pondering what inspired her to actually write this note on the from of this particular sheet of music...

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - PHK 1913 Notebook

Treasure Chest Thursday - PHK 1913 Notebook

Thanks again to my cousin Ellen, in Colorado - they are moving, so going through things! She recently sent me this notebook from my maternal grandfather, Paul Harold Kinnick, PHK, from when he attended Capital City Commercial College, in Des Moines, Iowa, in about 1911-13. He had beautiful, very distinctive, cursive writing, as you will see.

The back cover was interesting, as well, to me:

Looking very closely, you can see, in red ink, upper right: C C C College
And, in the middle:
Property of P H Kinnick
Guthrie Center

Now, this is curious, of course, because he was from Coon Rapids, Iowa. He had graduated from high school in 1909, but it seems his father has sent him to operate a farm he owned near Guthrie Center. It was apparently from there that he went on to Des Moines to attend CCCC to learn to become a bank cashier.

The two positives were that, while working the farm near Guthrie Center, he met Dorothy Sorensen, of nearly Stuart. They married in 1914.

In today's (2-28-2013) The Coon Rapids Enterprise, the follow statement was in the 100 years ago column (2-28-1913):

"Leo Williams has resigned his position at the Bank of Coon Rapids. He is taking up some work in Omaha, in preparation for attending a school of commerce in Chicago this fall. Mr. Paul Kinnick of Des Moines takes his place. He comes well recommended."

They moved to Coon Rapids where he was a bank cashier for many years.

Now, for the rest of the story:

Here are the first inside pages of the notebook:

He only wrote the two sentences on the first page:
Get started right.
Play safe.

Good advice. But, the booklet obviously got into his younger sister's hands, and into her children's hands, as scratch paper. Boys and Girls are being counted in the left columns. A youngster obviously was also 'parroting' what he had written: Eat slowly, Be neat, etc. Funny!

The next pages are shown here:

He had written, on the left: Help Mother & Dad, and Be polite, as well as Drink lots of water.

A youngster added: Be Happy, and Keep off the grass

At the top of the right page, we identify the 'culprit' - Roberta. Roberta was the young daughter of Paul's youngest sister - and, Ellen's mother!!  ;-)

The rest of the 'aphorisms' are also very good... Much like George Washington wrote and read to himself each day as he was growing up. Neat! The rest of the notebook is blank.

A true Treasure Chest artifact!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Slide, slides, slides everywhere

Treasure Chest Thursday

Slide, slides, slides everywhere

This is the Kodak Signet 35mm camera that I got in 8th grade in 1952... and I have accumulated slides, slides and more slides - well into 1976, as near as I can tell. They are wonderful to have - the extended family has enjoyed them for years, of course. When I started scanning them, years ago, of course, I only scanned "the good ones" because digital storage space was so precious. Now, of course, storage is "no problem" - well, at least, less of an issue. 

Two or three major challenges lie ahead - that most of you reading this recognize all too well! First, wouldn't it now be highly desirable to systematically scan and digitally preserve ALL of the slides? My youngest daughter, the next generation's primary family historian, has encouraged this - I think a blood commitment was involved, actually - by getting me a new color slide scanner (it is amazing how few of these are now available...) for Father's Day and my next birthday. THANKS!

Second, now that I've begun to process the first couple of small batches of ALL the slides, comes the challenge of nomenclature and systematic storage of the digital images. Not to mention, what do I now do (sometime in the future) with the actual slides, themselves - many, many boxes.

Third, this relates to the "slides" scan, above, did you realize how many different styles of 'slide' processing were used in those 25+ years? It is a real challenge, even with a good quality scanner and good editing software, to get these images preserved well. And, mostly, it takes time and care. Horizontal orientation is a constant issue - every batch has to be laid in the scanner carefully or you end up with images that are 'backwards' - and it is not always 'easy' to remember which was correct.

The most important issue, however, right now is, I have started the process. Thanks, Arrion... now we get to see how it actually goes...  ;-)


Families are Forever!  ;-)    


 

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1948-49-50 Radio Distance Ed

Treasure Chest Thursday

1948-49-50 Radio Distance Ed

The two booklets shared here in scanned format are remarkable, to me, on several levels.

These booklets were prepared by Iowa State Teachers College (later Northern Iowa University) for the 1948-49 and 1949-1950 elementary school years for the purpose of assisting teachers in teaching their students the twenty-four songs during the year.

My wife and I were students in one-room country schools in western Iowa in these years. These were among my wife, Nancy's, music materials. A stamp on the first inside indicates we would have gotten the radio broadcast over Station WOI, in Ames, 640 on the Dial, the station was part of Iowa State University.

This was an early form of "Distance Education." You will see that the music is the melody line. The radio broadcast would, apparently, play the music, and the teacher and students would learn to sing along. The letter reminds teachers to practice the songs between weekly broadcast, and a review session of the prior week was part of each following week. Lots of good feedback was received.

Truly Amazing!  ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Sing Children Sing Song Book

Treasure Chest Thursday - "Sing Children Sing" Song Book

From storage... Nancy and I each have one of these, from Sunday School at Star Methodist Church, north of Coon Rapids, Iowa.

"Sing Children Sing" by Edith Lovell Thomas; New York City, July, 1939 (when I was born!)

Here is the inside cover, of mine! "Billy Smith"

[It says on left: To The Poets and Musicians who Pitched these Songs for Children's Voices]

I certainly remember using these as a youngster, in the 1940s.

Here was one of the more popular songs - All Things Bright

"All things bright and beautiful, All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful: The Lord God made them all.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Miss Wire at Coon Rapids School

Treasure Chest Thursday

Miss Wire at Coon Rapids (IA) School

This photo now has multiple meanings from days gone by (taken Dec 1952).

The most recent is: They just tore down the last part of this building very recently.

This is "Miss Wire" - kindergarten teacher, of my younger brother, Tom (now T.K.)

He was the first of my younger brothers to start to town school, from the farm.

This was a very early photo taken on my 'new' slide (35mm) Kodak camera!

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Joseph, Jacob & Walter Watson Kinnick

Treasure Chest Thursday

Joseph, Jacob & Walter Watson Kinnick

 Joseph, Jacob & Walter Watson photo: on back in first handwriting & in ink:  “Uncle Joe Kinnick, Uncle Jake Kinnick, Father Walter Kinnick” and under Walter’s name, in pencil & in second handwriting: “Father of Lon Kinnick, Father of Ira Kinnick”


My comments: Walter Watson Kinnick was my great-great grandfather, of course; with his brothers.


Joseph Kinnick (1839-1917)
Walter Watson Kinnick (1840-1919)
Jacob Kinnick (1846-1923)
[Links have stories from my earlier research]

Thanks again to cousin Ellen DeVilbiss. She has preserved and shared these photos from her grandmother, my aunt, Lillian Kinnick Ford.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Kinnick Park & Park City home

Treasure Chest Thursday

Kinnick Park & Park City home

Park City, Montana

On back of photo: "Kinnick Park & Park City home" :
Park: This park is called "Kinnick Park" across from the house.  I (Dorothy K. Adams) took these a couple of years ago.  1986
Home: Grandpa & Grandma's (Joseph & Rachel Kinnick) house in Park City.  A man & lady bought the house from my Uncle John (he) lived in it until his death a few years ago.  My sister and I went through it and the lady showed us a beautiful hand painted vase that was Grandma Rachel's and a needle point rug she had done.  Grandma & Grandpa died the same year.  1917 Sept & Nov.


My comments: Joseph Kinnick (1839-1917) and his family had a very interesting life in Montana, after moving from Illinois, and a few years in central Iowa. [The link has my earlier research.]

Thanks again to cousin Ellen DeVilbiss. She has preserved and shared these photos from her grandmother, my aunt, Lillian Kinnick Ford.


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Family of William Walter Kinnick, Montana

Treasure Chest Thursday

Family of William Walter Kinnick, Montana

This is another of the fine photo images I received from my cousin, Ellen DeVilbiss, on 4 Dec 2012. She has preserved and shared them from her grandmother, my aunt, Lillian Kinnick Ford. There are more photos of this gentleman's family among those she shared, that you will also see in the days ahead.

Two weeks ago today, I shared the photo of William Walter Kinnick (1866-1946) along with links to the stories I have compiled over the years of his family. Take a look at them now, if you didn't before.

Today, we have a 1933 family photo shared by his daughter, Dorothy, in the mid 1980s. Comments and description below, from the back of the photo, shared by Ellen in an email along with the copy of the photo.

Picture taken in 1933 in our yard.  Mill Creek - Yellowstone Valley 20 miles south of Livingston, MT

From Left : Miguel (Mike) A. Kinnick (Oldest brother, 10 yrs older than Dorothy, born 1909 died 1975) only one deceased

Thomas J. Kinnick - 1921 - lives in Livingston

Fred Walter Kinnick - 1926 - lives in Livingston (wearing overalls)

Lupe Ramona Covarrubias Kinnick (behind Fred) - Mother - 1890 - 1977  she is holding John Lund - 1933- her first grandson

John Lund (baby) now lives in Arizona

Dorothy (me) Elizabeth Kinnick Hurley Adams (behind Mother)- 1919 lives in Livingston

Rachael A. K. Nickeson (peeking out behind Father) - 1911 lives in Lakewood, CA

Lupe Margaret K. Lund Pardee Chase (standing behind Father) - 1912 - lives in Clarkston, WA  Mother of baby John

William Walter Kinnick  - Dad - 1866 - 1946 holding youngest son George

George A. Kinnick - 1930 - lives in W. Burlington, IA

John P. Kinnick (behind Edward) - 1917 - lives in Clarkston, WA

Edward M. Kinnick (in front of John) - 1924 - lives in Livingston

Milton Lund - Marge's first husband - they had 2 children, father of baby John

William Joseph Kinnick - 1914 lives in Santa Maria, CA

Families are Forever!  ;-)

  

Treasure Chest Thursday - William Walter Kinnick (1866-1946)

Treasure Chest Thursday
William Walter Kinnick (1866-1946)


This is another of the fine photo images I received from my cousin, Ellen DeVilbiss, on 4 Dec 2012. She has preserved and shared them from her grandmother, my aunt, Lillian Kinnick Ford. There are more photos of this gentleman's family among those she shared, that you will also see in the days ahead.

Info from back of the photo: "William Walter Kinnick b. 15 Mar. 1866 - Buda, Ill d. 17 April 1946 - Livingston, MT This is his last picture, he was 80 and a very handsome man.  Parents: Joseph Kinnick b. 8 Mar 1839 d. 24 Sept 1917 & Rachel Mercer b. 15 May 1839 d. 10 Dec. 1917  Grandparents: Walter Kinnick b. 11 June 1809 d. 28 Feb 1853 & Susan Schwyheart b. 1 May 1809 d. 27 Sept. 1884, Father of Dorothy Kinnick Adams b. 6 Feb. 1919"

I was also in communication with his daughter, Dorothy, and she had sent me copies of some WWII era photos of her siblings, as seen in the web page linked below (scroll to the bottom). I actually talked to her on the telephone a day or two before her death in August 1997. Oh, my! ;-)

William Walter Kinnick was a first cousin to my great-grandfather, Alonzo Palmer Kinnick (that you saw in this space last week). I researched and wrote about his family here, in 1998-99:

The William Walter Kinnick Family Story

Note: There is a link at the beginning of the story to his parents story that I wrote, as well, for those interested. It was a fascinating family! ;-)

The story start in Illinois, includes Iowa, Montana, Mexico, Texas, Montana, Missouri and back to Montana, if you need a little more encouragement to check it out…  ;-)

More to come on this family in weeks to come.


Families are forever!

Treasure Chest Thursday - Great-Grandfather Lon Kinnick and Percherons

Treasure Chest Thursday

Great-Grandfather Lon Kinnick and Percherons

Great-Grandfather Alonzo (Lon) Kinnick, Coon Rapids, Iowa, and

Prize-winning Percheron

This is another of the photos shared by cousin Ellen DeVilbiss (THANK YOU, again!). It is a postcard, which was not an unusual way to share photos in the early 1900s - this is likely 1910-1920 (he died in 1923, as you will see, if you keep reading).

If you are not familiar with the Percheron breed of horses, Wikipedia has a great article on them.

This was the first I'd heard of his affection for and attachment to this breed of horse. Ellen's note included the following: 

"I do remember Grandma's stories about how much her father loved those horses and how upset he was after his first stroke when he realized they would have to move to town because he couldn't keep them.  Grandma also remembered going with him to the fields and sleeping under the wagon, guarded by the horses while he fixed fences."

Her Grandma was Lillian, Lon and Nettie's youngest daughter. Paul, their oldest son, was my Grandfather. 

I thought I'd check the Coon Rapids Enterprise Archive for mention of Lon Kinnick and Percheron. Unfortunately, only one connecting statement came up, and that was the sale of his horses, by his wife, shortly after he died.

 From the Sale Bill:

17—HEAD OF HORSES—17
1 Team grey geldings 14 years old, wt. 1000; 1 bay mare wt.
1700, age 8; 1 black mare 9 years old, wt. 1600; 1 black registered
Percheron stallion age 6, wt. 1750; 1 grey registered Percheron stallion
age 2, wt. 1500; 1 team grey registered Percheron mares age 6, wt
1600; 1 grey registered Percheron filly coming 2; 1 bay gelding 

coming 4, wt 1300; 1 black mare and 1 sorrel mare coming 3; 1 black
mare, 2 geldings coming 2, 2 weanling colts.

 Here is the copy of the whole page; Sale Bill, upper right corner:

While I was in the archive, I did save the front page story announcing Lon's death, a few days earlier; left hand column - several death notices across the front page - interesting, wide age spreads...

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 2nd Great Grandparents Tombstone in Denmark

Treasure Chest Thursday

2nd Great Grandparents Tombstone in Denmark

From Bente Poulsen, our cousin in Denmark: "It is the tomb stone of Jensine Nielsen's parents in Hvorup paris church cemetery - family grave."

My mother - Eileen Kinnick Smith (1918-1999)
My grandmother - Dorothy Sorensen Kinnick (1887-1982)
My great-grandmother - Jensine Nielsen Sorensen (1852-1906)


How neat! Thanks!


Families are Forever! ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 1936 Woman's Basketball Team

Treasure Chest Thursday

1936 Woman's Basketball Team

Coon Rapids, Iowa

One more classic photo, including my mother, #8, twice, with many of her closest friends. One caution, for those who click to enlarge the photo: The caption has the names reversed on #5 & #8. Note that #8 is Eileen Kinnick, in both the full group and in the seniors photo. #5 is Erna Lund, who lived just down the road from Eileen in the diaries.

Remember, in these days, in Iowa Girls Basketball, they played three on three, in half courts, not full court. Defense on one end and Offense on the other! The opponent the reverse, obviously, I hope!

Also, not that the gymnasium was just built in 1934. It was just torn down a few weeks ago, in 2012.

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Thanksgiving Day 1941

Treasure Chest Thursday

Thanksgiving Day 1941

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

Cousins!

Upper left, cousin Dennis Ford, six months older

Upper right, Bill Smith, 2 years, 5 months - love that car!

Lower left, Dennis and Billie!

Lower right, cousin Karen Kinnick in white; neighbor girl

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Leo and Ida Marie (Bell) Kinnick married

Treasure Chest Thursday

Leo and Ida Marie (Bell) Kinnick married

[Another post from my 'CRE Enterprise archives' series]

October 22, 1937 - 75 Years Ago - 1 Nov 2012 CRE, p. 4:
******
Miss Ida Marie Bell and Leo M. Kinnick exchanged nuptial vows in a very quiet single ring
ceremony at the Methodist Parsonage here at 3:00 p.m. Sunday. The Rev. O.E. Cooley, who
performed the ceremony, Mrs. Cooley, Wayne and Rosalee were the only witnesses besides their attendants, Miss Eileen Kinnick, sister of the bride groom, and LeVerne Smith. The bride wore a smart one piece blue silk crepe cut very plainly with a swing skirt and a Peter-Pan collar. Tiny buttons of self material extended from the neckline to the bottom of the dress in front, and a band of Krimer fur edged the bottom of the skirt and collar. Her accessories were gray. Miss Kinnick wore a one piece blue silk modernistic print and brown accessories. Both men wore dark suits. Both young people graduated with the Coon Rapids Class of 1935. Mrs. Kinnick the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Bell, has taught in the rural schools here the past two years, northeast of town and at Oak Hill. Mr. Kinnick, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kinnick, graduated last year from the Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines and since that time he has been engaged in farming on his father’s farm northwest of Coon Rapids, where the young couple are at home.
******
If you would like to see the original page, including advertising, here is the copy from the archives:

http://coonrapids.advantage-preservation.com/document/coon-rapids-enterprise-1937-10-22-page-4

[click to view large image]

Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Bridesons depart for California

Treasure Chest Thursday - Bridesons depart for California
[Another post  from my 'CRE Enterprise archives' series]

Following up on posts from Oct 18 and Oct 25:

Following are excerpts from the 3 Dec 1948 and 10 Dec 1948 'Bayard News' sections for The Coon Rapids Enterprise (from the Archives) related to the departure of the Everette and Gertrude (Kinnick) Brideson family (including children John and Jeanette) from the Bayard, Iowa, community to Sacramento, California. [As I have noted earlier, these are my maternal great aunt and uncle - she is a sister of my maternal grandfather, Paul Kinnick. They remained close to us over the years, visiting from time to time - I continue Facebook connections with several of their grandchildren even today.]

From Page 9, 3 Dec 1948:

Bridesons Honored
Mr. and Mrs. Everett Brideson, John and Jeanette have been honored at a series of dinners and luncheons for the past week in farewell to them before they leave for their new home in Sacramento, California.

From Page 8, 10 Dec 1948:

Mr. Brideson Honored
The Sunday school of the Methodist church gave a farewell pot-luck dinner in the church basement Thursday evening honoring Everett Brideson, the superintendent of the Sunday school for the past 12 years. Mrs. Brideson shared the honors as she has been Sunday school teacher for the past 25 years.
Jack Schauf, the new superintendent, presented Mr. Brideson with a gift from the group. Edwin Adamson gave the farewell address.

*****



There are several other related stories on the two referenced pages. I'm sharing a photo image of the pdf files from the archives for each page, below. You can click on the image to see an enlarged version. You may also find the advertisements of local  businesses on the pages interesting. Of course, if you are from the area, you will also recognize other stories about your neighbors and friends on these pages.

I hope you will share your comments about what your see and read here and on Facebook and Google+

Families ( and Friends) are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 5 Kinnick Siblings

Treasure Chest Thursday - 5 Kinnick Siblings

January 1, 1948

At Family New Year's Day Dinner, Bayard, Iowa

This post complements last weeks post: 5 Kinnick Sibling Couples

These five are children of Alonzo and Nettie (Williams) Kinnick, as noted last week.

From left:

Lucile Kinnick Herron (1894-1956)
Lillian Kinnick Ford (1908-1993)
Paul Kinnick (1892-1968)
Gertrude Kinnick Brideson (1902-1988)
Robert Kinnick (1896-1953)

Note: Thanks to 'cousin sharing' on Facebook for the date of the photo!!  ;-)

Now, after additional research, the story becomes more clear, though not totally, of course. First:

Further research: Jan 9, 1948 Bayard News, p. , Coon Rapids Enterprise (from archive online!):
http://coonrapids.advantage-preservation.com/document/coon-rapids-enterprise-1948-01-02-page-3

"Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kinnick, Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Herron, Mr and Mrs. Delbert Ford of Coon Rapids and Mr. and Mrs. Everett Brideson were New Years dinner guests of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kinnick."

New Facts: In searching the newspaper archives, I have also found that Brideson's actually left for California in December on 1948, nearly 12 months later... I think I've recognized a new Treasure Chest source of information for this weekly feature - articles from the hometown paper, perhaps with photos to match... For now, I'll leave it here.

Request: When descendants of Everett and Gertrude Brideson read this, I request they share with me/us the stories they remember of the move to California. Perhaps, share with me via email, and I'll add to these posts... or, simply write in the comments... which ever works best. THANKS!



Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - 5 Kinnick Sibling Couples

Treasure Chest Thursday - 5 Kinnick Sibling Couples

These are the five couples descending from Alonzo and Nettie (Williams) Kinnick - they and their children and their descendants make up the Kinnick-Williams/Williams-Kinnick picnics and reunions over the past 60-70 years or more.

I'm not aware of another photo of these 10 folks together. If you know of one, I'd love to see it. THANKS!

Couples, from left:

Everett and Gertrude (Kinnick) Brideson
Paul and Dorothy (Sorensen) Kinnick
Wilson and Lucile (Kinnick) Herron
Delbert and Lillian (Kinnick) Ford
Robert and Edna (Pierce) Kinnick

[Speculation paragraph removed - see note on next Thursday's entry!  ;-)]

Anyone who knows any more about this photo - I hope you will share. Thanks!


Families are Forever!  ;-)

Treasure Chest Thursday - Why Save PBS?

Treasure Chest Thursday

Why Save PBS?

Many, many reasons for saving PBS! Here are a few! ;-)

Families are Forever!  ;-)