1Census, Federal - 1850 - Jo Daviess Co., IL, Elizabeth Twsp, Ancestry p. 18, Ancestry.com.
1Census, Federal - 1850 - Jo Daviess Co., IL, Elizabeth Twsp, Ancestry.com.
1Census, Federal - 1860 - Jo Daviess Co., IL, Elizabeth Twsp, Ancestry.com.
2Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp., ED # 28, sheet 2, 5 Jun 1900.
3White, Lizzie - letter to Helen White 31 DEC 1962, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
4Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
5Jo Daviess Co. Marriage Book G, http://www.rootsweb.com~iljodavi/vitalsMarrrrbookG.htm.
1Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
2Jo Daviess Co. Marriage Book G, http://www.rootsweb.com~iljodavi/vitalsMarrrrbookG.htm.
3Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
4Rootsweb, http://www.rootsweb.com. http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljodavi/scrapbook/part1.htmScrapbook Gleanings - Part 1
Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings
The original owner of this scrapbook was most likely Sarah Jane Jagger, wife of William Jagger. Their daughter, Minnie, married Chester White, son of John C. and Elizabeth Irvine White. Chester and Minnie White had one daughter, Charleen White.
The articles are not pasted in the scrapbook in any particular order and most report marriages and deaths in and around Apple River. Area newspapers at the time were the Warren Sentinel-Leader, Stockton Herald and Galena Gazette.5Rootsweb. "Obituary - Margaret Barningham Barrett Mrs. Margaret Barningham Barrett, the daughter of James and Catherine Barningham, was born June 9, 1855, in Thompson township. She was united in marriage to Enoch Barrett, March 24, 1895 by Rev. G. A. Griswold. To this union was born one son, James. The first year of their married life was spent on the Hathaway farm in Rush township, then they moved on the farm, where she resided up to the time of her death. Years ago she joined the Salem M. E. church and later her membership was transferred to Apple River charge. Mrs. Barrett was not of a public nature but unassuming, her home was her domain. When her health began to fail and she saw the end was drawing near, she expressed her submissiveness to God’s will and willingness and readiness to meet her loved ones gone on before. During her last illness she would join with her friends in singing songs of her Savior whom she said she loved, and Heaven which she looked forward to entering soon. To mourn her departure she leaves a husband, son and three sisters, Mrs. Hannah Wright of Scales Mound; Mrs. Wm. Stauss of Galena, Ill.; and Mrs. Mannie Malone, of North Platte, Nebr. She peacefully fell asleep at 9:30 Friday evening, Nov. 25, 1927. Funeral services were held at the M. E. Church, Monday morning, Rev. R. L. Hoover officiating. Singers were Mrs. Robert Beall, and Mrs. Leo Charlton. Casket bearers were, Messrs Charlton, McFadden, W. J. White, Edward Gerber. Alex Hume, John Rowe, and Elmer Williams. Burial was made in Scales Mound Cemetery." http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljodavi/scrapbook/part1.htm
Scrapbook Gleanings - Part 1
Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings
The original owner of this scrapbook was most likely Sarah Jane Jagger, wife of William Jagger. Their daughter, Minnie, married Chester White, son of John C. and Elizabeth Irvine White. Chester and Minnie White had one daughter, Charleen White.
The articles are not pasted in the scrapbook in any particular order and most report marriages and deaths in and around Apple River. Area newspapers at the time were the Warren Sentinel-Leader, Stockton Herald and Galena Gazette.6Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
7Jo Daviess Co. Marriage Book G.
1Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
1White, Addie - Photo Album, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
2Census, Federal - 1870 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Apple River, Ancestry p. 10 of 28. "Line 10 Dwelling # 1727 Family # 1781
Andrew White age 50 male Farmer value real est. - $1000 born Ireland
Matilda " 43 f "
William L. " 11 m Ills
Samuel D. " 9 m "
Martha J. " 8 f "
Mary " 6 f "
Ann E. " 4 f "
John Fitzpatrick 24? m " Ireland."3Census, Federal - 1910 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill, Village of Apple River, ED # 17, sheet 3.
4Dorothy E. White, White, Dorothy E. - Letters to P&D Stevens Family, letter #2, Feb 1976, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "
Letter 1. 1-26-76: "One big differences between our generation and later ones is the amount of dollar bills and coins that are handled. We didn't have many.
Uncle John sent us each a dollar at Christmas. Grandma and Aunt Eva gave us little gifts I think Aunt Eva got for sending in Subscriptions to McCall's Magazine.
Our Sunday School bought us gifts from the 10 Cent store.
When we went to Virginia, we turned yellow, because we got malaria, there was so much woods and dampness, making a fine home for mosquitos.
Goats are something we had on that first Virginia place. We were glad to tell the other children at school that we had kids at home. Those goats climbed up onto the chickenhouse roof. They were quite a nuisance.
There was a spring on that first Virginia place, and that spring had its own house among the big ferns or brakes. Soon we had a well with a pump.
Grandpa Wesley White made us a swing to play on. It was a big board that swung around on a stump. Someone would push it, and, if you didn't watch out, you could get bumped.
We girls preferred paper dolls to real ones. Oh, yes, we had spool people too. All of these we dressed.
Letter 2. Feb 1976: Dianne wants to know about spool people. They were just spools that our imagination gave heads, arms, legs, and faces. Mother sewed, so we had the use of many empty spools. We dressed them in bits of cloth. Spool families would visit one another.
Our mother had four children for whom she sewed, washed with a washboard, churned and canned. We helped with the canning, because our family sold canned goods. We helped with the planting of tomato plants,potatoes, beans, etc.
Mothers often got lonely in those days when the fathers were at work and the children away at school. Few had telephones. There were no radios or television sets to keep one in touch with the world...
Grandmother White claimed to have had twelve children. (In those days many of the babies died or were born dead.) I know of --
Uncle Enoch Barrett, James Enoch Barrett's father (The father of Uncle Enoch was killed while watching a horseshoe pitching game. The gun he was holding with the barrel beneath his chin discharged when hit by a horseshoe.) Grandmother married Grandfather, William L. White.
William Wesley, Paul and Lois' grandfather.
John K. He was very religious. His first wife died when their baby was born, of puerperal fever, a disease caused by the carelessness of doctors and nurses. Of course the baby died too. By the way the second wife acted, we think she wasn't quite sane and by divorcing Uncle John, she made him the only one of the family to go through a divorce court.
Rachel. Rachel died quite young at 40 of a stroke.
Tibbals. He was a postmaster at Oskaloosa, Iowa for a long time. Tibbals and his wife, Merritt's mother and father, died of the flu when Merritt was tiny. He was raised by an aunt on the Sincox side of the family. I guess they were sort of rough. They drank and Merritt does too. When he phoned me the last times I could hardly understand him.
Lizzie. Tibbals and Lizzie were twins.
Joseph.
Annie. Joseph and Annie were twins
Wilbur. He died young of meningitis.
Letter3. 3/22/76: History may reveal skeletons, so adults please read before releasing to children...
Speaking of schooldays: After I left the 4th grade, we went by horsedrawn schoolbus to a consolidated school. I remember that a neighbor boy just didn't want to go to school, and he didn't have to go. Now the colored folk had a little one-room school. Being very poor, the colored people had no facilities for taking baths. (I've read the kings and queens of England of years ago had trouble keeping clean.)
One odd thing that I remember is that there were beautiful wild violets growing in the graveyard at the colored church. The church was next door to our one-room schoolhouse. I picked violets and worried that night because I had stepped on some graves.
Now family business: Grandma Nicklas' name was Henrietta Dorthea. Part of the relationship called her Henrietta and part Dorthea. This grandmother was a dear little lady who had the misfortune of being an illegitimate child. As I remember it, she had a red-headed illegitmate sister. When she came to this country great grandmother became a lawabiding citizen.
About Grandma White, I don't know her maiden name. I think it was something like Faricker...
The Mormon church today sends out missionaries. In Grandma White's day they sent missionaries to the Isle of Man. A number of Grandma's sisters came to this country to join the Mormon colony...
Snobbish colored people from Richmond would come to visit the folk at our local colored church and sometimes there would be shootings. As I understand it, the city people felt much superior to the country folk and expressed their feelings.
Letter4: Some of us near Richmond, VA went to high school via train. We had a whole train society. The conductor would come through the car punching holes in our tickets. He might call out, 'Tickets, tackets, and pocket books!' Besides the school children there were college students and men and women who commuted to their jobs.
I don't know if many people nowadays have cisterns or not. There was one on our Illinois place and I remember that a kitten fell into it breaking our hearts. Of course, Grandma Nicklas and Aunt Eva got their drinking water from their cistern in Platteville, Wisconsin. I remember that you could taste smoke in the water. Grandma said, ' You'd get used to it.' Evidentally it didn't hurt her, for she didn't die until her 90th year.
Letter 5: Curious people or groups that we knew years ago is what I'll write about this time.
Most of the time in Virginia we were in the Baptist church. As you probably know, there are many Baptists in the south. Until baptismal fonts were built in the church, people would be immersed in a pond or creek. One lady in the neighborhood must have been a Presbytarian or an Episcopalian. She would favor us with a solo every once in a while. We thought her funny, because her voice would quiver.
Quite a few people in Virginia were proud of having Indian blood. One family lived on the first place we had in Virginia after we moved up on the hill. One brother asked father to pull a tooth for a poor Indian. Father did.
Huegonauts were religious refugees from France. Once we went to Huegonaut Springs, VA - our family and the Baumanns' - for a picnic. That religious sect must have had a colony there. Of course we went by horse and buggy. A short distance now was a long way then.
Letter 6 - 8/2/76 - I'll mention music this month. When we children were little we had a gramophone in place of what we call a record player today. It had a horn that was shaped like a morning glory flower. The records were...cylinders that fitted on to a solid cylinder. Records I remember are, ' Just a Little Attic but it's Home Sweet Home', "Ring the Bells of Heaven', 'Tell Mother I'll be There'. Poke Miller's 'The Old Time Religion', and instrumentals, some by violin, flute, and harp, one 'Love and Devotion.'
We had a book of favorite songs. Many of them were Stephen Foster. They, of course, were mostly Negro. I believe Negro songs are out of style nowadays.
Letter 7 - 8/21/1977: ....
Letter 8 - 7/16/1978: Helen called sometime ago and mentioned that we should have questioned the former generation more when we had the chance; however, there were some things they were reluctant to talk about. My, but life is much easier on womenfolk than it used to be! We don't have the big ironings they used to have to do. Grandmother White had to have every sock ironed. Everything had to be ironed.
The water had to be hand pumped and carried in pails. It was necessary to boil the clothes. The bar of soap (one kind was called Octagon) had to be sliced up so as to be softened by the water.
We didn't have the chore girls, woven metal gadgets, to get the sticky particles of food off the dishes.
I've heard the practise of saving string made fun of nowadays. There were no tapes or rubber bands for quickly sealing packages.
What a lot of sewing and mending had to be done! Today, if we watch for bargains, we can buy our clothes ready-made for practically what it would cost us for the material and notions.
The boys and girls may have had chores to do before starting off to school.
And there were school wagons instead of buses and maybe ill-tempered drivers. If the poor driver had indigestion, he might not feel too good.
I can't get over thankfulness for 1978.".5Rootsweb, http://www.rootsweb.com, http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljodavi/scrapbook/part1.htm. "James Armstrong, John White and Miss Barningham left Monday to attend school at Normal, Ill."
6Census, Federal - 1930 - Jo Daviess Co., IL, Apple River, Ancestry p. 1 of 9. "line 49; dwelling # 24; family # 24
White, John K. head own home worth $5000 age 58 Single occ: house painter
Annie E. sister 47 S none."7Census, Federal - 1870 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Apple River.
1White Tombstone - Apple River, IL, photo in personal files of DZ Stevens.
1White Tombstone - Apple River, IL, photo in personal files of DZ Stevens.
1Dorothy E. White, White, Dorothy E. - Letters to P&D Stevens Family, letter #2, Feb 1976, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "
Letter 1. 1-26-76: "One big differences between our generation and later ones is the amount of dollar bills and coins that are handled. We didn't have many.
Uncle John sent us each a dollar at Christmas. Grandma and Aunt Eva gave us little gifts I think Aunt Eva got for sending in Subscriptions to McCall's Magazine.
Our Sunday School bought us gifts from the 10 Cent store.
When we went to Virginia, we turned yellow, because we got malaria, there was so much woods and dampness, making a fine home for mosquitos.
Goats are something we had on that first Virginia place. We were glad to tell the other children at school that we had kids at home. Those goats climbed up onto the chickenhouse roof. They were quite a nuisance.
There was a spring on that first Virginia place, and that spring had its own house among the big ferns or brakes. Soon we had a well with a pump.
Grandpa Wesley White made us a swing to play on. It was a big board that swung around on a stump. Someone would push it, and, if you didn't watch out, you could get bumped.
We girls preferred paper dolls to real ones. Oh, yes, we had spool people too. All of these we dressed.
Letter 2. Feb 1976: Dianne wants to know about spool people. They were just spools that our imagination gave heads, arms, legs, and faces. Mother sewed, so we had the use of many empty spools. We dressed them in bits of cloth. Spool families would visit one another.
Our mother had four children for whom she sewed, washed with a washboard, churned and canned. We helped with the canning, because our family sold canned goods. We helped with the planting of tomato plants,potatoes, beans, etc.
Mothers often got lonely in those days when the fathers were at work and the children away at school. Few had telephones. There were no radios or television sets to keep one in touch with the world...
Grandmother White claimed to have had twelve children. (In those days many of the babies died or were born dead.) I know of --
Uncle Enoch Barrett, James Enoch Barrett's father (The father of Uncle Enoch was killed while watching a horseshoe pitching game. The gun he was holding with the barrel beneath his chin discharged when hit by a horseshoe.) Grandmother married Grandfather, William L. White.
William Wesley, Paul and Lois' grandfather.
John K. He was very religious. His first wife died when their baby was born, of puerperal fever, a disease caused by the carelessness of doctors and nurses. Of course the baby died too. By the way the second wife acted, we think she wasn't quite sane and by divorcing Uncle John, she made him the only one of the family to go through a divorce court.
Rachel. Rachel died quite young at 40 of a stroke.
Tibbals. He was a postmaster at Oskaloosa, Iowa for a long time. Tibbals and his wife, Merritt's mother and father, died of the flu when Merritt was tiny. He was raised by an aunt on the Sincox side of the family. I guess they were sort of rough. They drank and Merritt does too. When he phoned me the last times I could hardly understand him.
Lizzie. Tibbals and Lizzie were twins.
Joseph.
Annie. Joseph and Annie were twins
Wilbur. He died young of meningitis.
Letter3. 3/22/76: History may reveal skeletons, so adults please read before releasing to children...
Speaking of schooldays: After I left the 4th grade, we went by horsedrawn schoolbus to a consolidated school. I remember that a neighbor boy just didn't want to go to school, and he didn't have to go. Now the colored folk had a little one-room school. Being very poor, the colored people had no facilities for taking baths. (I've read the kings and queens of England of years ago had trouble keeping clean.)
One odd thing that I remember is that there were beautiful wild violets growing in the graveyard at the colored church. The church was next door to our one-room schoolhouse. I picked violets and worried that night because I had stepped on some graves.
Now family business: Grandma Nicklas' name was Henrietta Dorthea. Part of the relationship called her Henrietta and part Dorthea. This grandmother was a dear little lady who had the misfortune of being an illegitimate child. As I remember it, she had a red-headed illegitmate sister. When she came to this country great grandmother became a lawabiding citizen.
About Grandma White, I don't know her maiden name. I think it was something like Faricker...
The Mormon church today sends out missionaries. In Grandma White's day they sent missionaries to the Isle of Man. A number of Grandma's sisters came to this country to join the Mormon colony...
Snobbish colored people from Richmond would come to visit the folk at our local colored church and sometimes there would be shootings. As I understand it, the city people felt much superior to the country folk and expressed their feelings.
Letter4: Some of us near Richmond, VA went to high school via train. We had a whole train society. The conductor would come through the car punching holes in our tickets. He might call out, 'Tickets, tackets, and pocket books!' Besides the school children there were college students and men and women who commuted to their jobs.
I don't know if many people nowadays have cisterns or not. There was one on our Illinois place and I remember that a kitten fell into it breaking our hearts. Of course, Grandma Nicklas and Aunt Eva got their drinking water from their cistern in Platteville, Wisconsin. I remember that you could taste smoke in the water. Grandma said, ' You'd get used to it.' Evidentally it didn't hurt her, for she didn't die until her 90th year.
Letter 5: Curious people or groups that we knew years ago is what I'll write about this time.
Most of the time in Virginia we were in the Baptist church. As you probably know, there are many Baptists in the south. Until baptismal fonts were built in the church, people would be immersed in a pond or creek. One lady in the neighborhood must have been a Presbytarian or an Episcopalian. She would favor us with a solo every once in a while. We thought her funny, because her voice would quiver.
Quite a few people in Virginia were proud of having Indian blood. One family lived on the first place we had in Virginia after we moved up on the hill. One brother asked father to pull a tooth for a poor Indian. Father did.
Huegonauts were religious refugees from France. Once we went to Huegonaut Springs, VA - our family and the Baumanns' - for a picnic. That religious sect must have had a colony there. Of course we went by horse and buggy. A short distance now was a long way then.
Letter 6 - 8/2/76 - I'll mention music this month. When we children were little we had a gramophone in place of what we call a record player today. It had a horn that was shaped like a morning glory flower. The records were...cylinders that fitted on to a solid cylinder. Records I remember are, ' Just a Little Attic but it's Home Sweet Home', "Ring the Bells of Heaven', 'Tell Mother I'll be There'. Poke Miller's 'The Old Time Religion', and instrumentals, some by violin, flute, and harp, one 'Love and Devotion.'
We had a book of favorite songs. Many of them were Stephen Foster. They, of course, were mostly Negro. I believe Negro songs are out of style nowadays.
Letter 7 - 8/21/1977: ....
Letter 8 - 7/16/1978: Helen called sometime ago and mentioned that we should have questioned the former generation more when we had the chance; however, there were some things they were reluctant to talk about. My, but life is much easier on womenfolk than it used to be! We don't have the big ironings they used to have to do. Grandmother White had to have every sock ironed. Everything had to be ironed.
The water had to be hand pumped and carried in pails. It was necessary to boil the clothes. The bar of soap (one kind was called Octagon) had to be sliced up so as to be softened by the water.
We didn't have the chore girls, woven metal gadgets, to get the sticky particles of food off the dishes.
I've heard the practise of saving string made fun of nowadays. There were no tapes or rubber bands for quickly sealing packages.
What a lot of sewing and mending had to be done! Today, if we watch for bargains, we can buy our clothes ready-made for practically what it would cost us for the material and notions.
The boys and girls may have had chores to do before starting off to school.
And there were school wagons instead of buses and maybe ill-tempered drivers. If the poor driver had indigestion, he might not feel too good.
I can't get over thankfulness for 1978.".2Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
3White, Ellen Faragher - Will, Office of Circuit Court, Jo Daviess County Court House, 330 N. Bench St., Galena, IL. "In the Matter of the Estate Last Will and Testament
of Filed September 22, 1927
~Ellen White, Deceased Box 14 County Records
~ I, Ellen White, widow of William L. White, deceased of the Village
of Apple River, in the County of Jo Daviess and State of Illinois, of the
age of eighty-eight years, and being of sound mind and memory, do make,
publish, and declare this my last will and Testament in the manner follow-
ing:
~ FIRST: It is my will that all of my just debts and funeral expenses
be fully paid as soon after my deceass as conveniently may be.
~SECOND: I give and bequeath to my daughter, Annie E. White, the sum
of One Thousand Dollars ($1000.00).
~Third: I give and bequeath to my son, John K. White, the sum of One
Thousand Dollars (1000.00).
~FOURTH: I give and bequeath go my son, Enoch Barrett, the sum of
Five Hundred Dollars (500.00).
~FIFTH: I give and bequeath to my grand-children, namely Phillip L.
White, Dorothy White and Helen White, children of my son Wesley White
of Midlothian, Virginia, One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) each, the total
bequest to said three grand-children being Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00).
~SIXTH: I give and bequeath to my two grand-children, Edith M.
Phillips, and Ellen W. Phillips, children of my daughter Elizabeth E.
Phillips, One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) each, being a total bequest of
Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) to these two grand-children.
~SEVENTH: I give and bequeath to my two grand-sons, Howard F. White
and Merritt W. White, sons of my son George Tibbals White, On Hundred
Dollars ($100.00) each, being a total bequest of Two Hundred Dollars
($200.00) to these two grand-children.
~EIGHTH: I give and bequeath to my grand-son, James Barrett, the
sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).
~NINTH: I give and bequeath to the Board of Foreign Missions of the
Methodist Episcopal Church of Apple River, Illinois, the sum of Two Hun-
dred Dollars ($200.00).
~TENTH: I give and bequeath to the Society of Home Missions of the
Methodist Episcopal Church of Apple River, Illinois, the sum of Two
Hundred Dollars ($200.00).
~ELEVENTH: I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Annie
E. White, the following described real estate, to-wit: Lots Numbered
Five (5) and Six (6) in Block Number Three (3), in the Original Village
of Apple River, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, with the hereditaments and
appurtenances thereunto belonging, to have and to hold to her own use and
benefit forever. It is my request that my said daughter, Annie E. White,
shall give my son, John K. White, the privilege of living in the resi-
dence situate upon above described lots so long as he cares to do so. -27- (continued)
~TWELFTH: I give and bequeath to my daughter, Annie E. White, all of
my household goods and kitchen utensils to have and to hold for her own
use and benefit forever.
~THIRTEENTH: All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, be
the same real, personal, and mixed, I give and bequeath to my five (5)
children, namely: William Wesley White, John K. White, Joseph H. White,
Annie E. White, and Elizabeth E. Phillips, share and share alike, to have
and to hold the same to them and their heirs and assigns forever.
~FOURTEENTH AND LASTLY: I make, constitute and appoint my daughter,
Annie E. White, to be the Executrix of this, my Last Will and Testament,
hereby requesting and directing that no surety be required on her bond
as such Executrix.
~ I hereby revoke any and all former Wills and Codicils by me made,
and declare this only to be and contain my Last Will and Testament.
~ IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name to this my
Last Will and Testament, consisting of two type-written pages, this
Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One Thousand nine hun-
dred and twenty-five (1925).
Ellen White (seal)
~This instrument was on the day of the date thereof, signed, sealed,
published and declared by the said testatrix, Ellen White, to be the Last
Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, at her request, and in
her presence, and in the presence of each other, gave subscribed our
names as witnesses, and we believe her to be of sound mind and memory
at the time of signing the same.
Leo W. Charlton
John M. Spear.".4Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek, sheet 3B, (ancestry p. 6 of 18).
5Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
6Jo Daviess Co. Marriage Book G, http://www.rootsweb.com~iljodavi/vitalsMarrrrbookG.htm.
1Jo Daviess Co. Marriage Book G, http://www.rootsweb.com~iljodavi/vitalsMarrrrbookG.htm.
2White Tombstone - Apple River, IL, photo in personal files of DZ Stevens.
3Rootsweb, http://www.rootsweb.com. "Death Notice - Mrs. Tibbels White Mr. W. L. White received a message Tuesday morning informing him of the sudden death of his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Tibbels White, at her home at University Park, Iowa. The remains will arrive here today (Wednesday) and be taken to the White home. The funeral arrangements have not been made, but will be conducted by Rev. Van Alstyne of Scales Mound. The deceased was a daughter of the late James Francomb and was born and reared in this township." http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljodavi/scrapbook/part1.htm
Scrapbook Gleanings - Part 1
Scrapbook of Newspaper Clippings
The original owner of this scrapbook was most likely Sarah Jane Jagger, wife of William Jagger. Their daughter, Minnie, married Chester White, son of John C. and Elizabeth Irvine White. Chester and Minnie White had one daughter, Charleen White.
The articles are not pasted in the scrapbook in any particular order and most report marriages and deaths in and around Apple River. Area newspapers at the time were the Warren Sentinel-Leader, Stockton Herald and Galena Gazette.4Rootsweb, http://www.rootsweb.com/~iljodavi/scrapbook/part1.htm. "Mr. W. L. White received a message Tuesday morning informing him of the sudden death of his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Tibbels White, at her home at University Park, Iowa. The remains will arrive here today (Wednesday) and be taken to the White home. The funeral arrangements have not been made, but will be conducted by Rev. Van Alstyne of Scales Mound. The deceased was a daughter of the late James Francomb and was born and reared in this township."
5Jo Daviess Co. Marriage Book G.
1Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek, sheet 3B, (ancestry p. 6 of 18).
2Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek.
1Dorothy E. White, White, Dorothy E. - Letters to P&D Stevens Family, letter #2, Feb 1976, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "
Letter 1. 1-26-76: "One big differences between our generation and later ones is the amount of dollar bills and coins that are handled. We didn't have many.
Uncle John sent us each a dollar at Christmas. Grandma and Aunt Eva gave us little gifts I think Aunt Eva got for sending in Subscriptions to McCall's Magazine.
Our Sunday School bought us gifts from the 10 Cent store.
When we went to Virginia, we turned yellow, because we got malaria, there was so much woods and dampness, making a fine home for mosquitos.
Goats are something we had on that first Virginia place. We were glad to tell the other children at school that we had kids at home. Those goats climbed up onto the chickenhouse roof. They were quite a nuisance.
There was a spring on that first Virginia place, and that spring had its own house among the big ferns or brakes. Soon we had a well with a pump.
Grandpa Wesley White made us a swing to play on. It was a big board that swung around on a stump. Someone would push it, and, if you didn't watch out, you could get bumped.
We girls preferred paper dolls to real ones. Oh, yes, we had spool people too. All of these we dressed.
Letter 2. Feb 1976: Dianne wants to know about spool people. They were just spools that our imagination gave heads, arms, legs, and faces. Mother sewed, so we had the use of many empty spools. We dressed them in bits of cloth. Spool families would visit one another.
Our mother had four children for whom she sewed, washed with a washboard, churned and canned. We helped with the canning, because our family sold canned goods. We helped with the planting of tomato plants,potatoes, beans, etc.
Mothers often got lonely in those days when the fathers were at work and the children away at school. Few had telephones. There were no radios or television sets to keep one in touch with the world...
Grandmother White claimed to have had twelve children. (In those days many of the babies died or were born dead.) I know of --
Uncle Enoch Barrett, James Enoch Barrett's father (The father of Uncle Enoch was killed while watching a horseshoe pitching game. The gun he was holding with the barrel beneath his chin discharged when hit by a horseshoe.) Grandmother married Grandfather, William L. White.
William Wesley, Paul and Lois' grandfather.
John K. He was very religious. His first wife died when their baby was born, of puerperal fever, a disease caused by the carelessness of doctors and nurses. Of course the baby died too. By the way the second wife acted, we think she wasn't quite sane and by divorcing Uncle John, she made him the only one of the family to go through a divorce court.
Rachel. Rachel died quite young at 40 of a stroke.
Tibbals. He was a postmaster at Oskaloosa, Iowa for a long time. Tibbals and his wife, Merritt's mother and father, died of the flu when Merritt was tiny. He was raised by an aunt on the Sincox side of the family. I guess they were sort of rough. They drank and Merritt does too. When he phoned me the last times I could hardly understand him.
Lizzie. Tibbals and Lizzie were twins.
Joseph.
Annie. Joseph and Annie were twins
Wilbur. He died young of meningitis.
Letter3. 3/22/76: History may reveal skeletons, so adults please read before releasing to children...
Speaking of schooldays: After I left the 4th grade, we went by horsedrawn schoolbus to a consolidated school. I remember that a neighbor boy just didn't want to go to school, and he didn't have to go. Now the colored folk had a little one-room school. Being very poor, the colored people had no facilities for taking baths. (I've read the kings and queens of England of years ago had trouble keeping clean.)
One odd thing that I remember is that there were beautiful wild violets growing in the graveyard at the colored church. The church was next door to our one-room schoolhouse. I picked violets and worried that night because I had stepped on some graves.
Now family business: Grandma Nicklas' name was Henrietta Dorthea. Part of the relationship called her Henrietta and part Dorthea. This grandmother was a dear little lady who had the misfortune of being an illegitimate child. As I remember it, she had a red-headed illegitmate sister. When she came to this country great grandmother became a lawabiding citizen.
About Grandma White, I don't know her maiden name. I think it was something like Faricker...
The Mormon church today sends out missionaries. In Grandma White's day they sent missionaries to the Isle of Man. A number of Grandma's sisters came to this country to join the Mormon colony...
Snobbish colored people from Richmond would come to visit the folk at our local colored church and sometimes there would be shootings. As I understand it, the city people felt much superior to the country folk and expressed their feelings.
Letter4: Some of us near Richmond, VA went to high school via train. We had a whole train society. The conductor would come through the car punching holes in our tickets. He might call out, 'Tickets, tackets, and pocket books!' Besides the school children there were college students and men and women who commuted to their jobs.
I don't know if many people nowadays have cisterns or not. There was one on our Illinois place and I remember that a kitten fell into it breaking our hearts. Of course, Grandma Nicklas and Aunt Eva got their drinking water from their cistern in Platteville, Wisconsin. I remember that you could taste smoke in the water. Grandma said, ' You'd get used to it.' Evidentally it didn't hurt her, for she didn't die until her 90th year.
Letter 5: Curious people or groups that we knew years ago is what I'll write about this time.
Most of the time in Virginia we were in the Baptist church. As you probably know, there are many Baptists in the south. Until baptismal fonts were built in the church, people would be immersed in a pond or creek. One lady in the neighborhood must have been a Presbytarian or an Episcopalian. She would favor us with a solo every once in a while. We thought her funny, because her voice would quiver.
Quite a few people in Virginia were proud of having Indian blood. One family lived on the first place we had in Virginia after we moved up on the hill. One brother asked father to pull a tooth for a poor Indian. Father did.
Huegonauts were religious refugees from France. Once we went to Huegonaut Springs, VA - our family and the Baumanns' - for a picnic. That religious sect must have had a colony there. Of course we went by horse and buggy. A short distance now was a long way then.
Letter 6 - 8/2/76 - I'll mention music this month. When we children were little we had a gramophone in place of what we call a record player today. It had a horn that was shaped like a morning glory flower. The records were...cylinders that fitted on to a solid cylinder. Records I remember are, ' Just a Little Attic but it's Home Sweet Home', "Ring the Bells of Heaven', 'Tell Mother I'll be There'. Poke Miller's 'The Old Time Religion', and instrumentals, some by violin, flute, and harp, one 'Love and Devotion.'
We had a book of favorite songs. Many of them were Stephen Foster. They, of course, were mostly Negro. I believe Negro songs are out of style nowadays.
Letter 7 - 8/21/1977: ....
Letter 8 - 7/16/1978: Helen called sometime ago and mentioned that we should have questioned the former generation more when we had the chance; however, there were some things they were reluctant to talk about. My, but life is much easier on womenfolk than it used to be! We don't have the big ironings they used to have to do. Grandmother White had to have every sock ironed. Everything had to be ironed.
The water had to be hand pumped and carried in pails. It was necessary to boil the clothes. The bar of soap (one kind was called Octagon) had to be sliced up so as to be softened by the water.
We didn't have the chore girls, woven metal gadgets, to get the sticky particles of food off the dishes.
I've heard the practise of saving string made fun of nowadays. There were no tapes or rubber bands for quickly sealing packages.
What a lot of sewing and mending had to be done! Today, if we watch for bargains, we can buy our clothes ready-made for practically what it would cost us for the material and notions.
The boys and girls may have had chores to do before starting off to school.
And there were school wagons instead of buses and maybe ill-tempered drivers. If the poor driver had indigestion, he might not feel too good.
I can't get over thankfulness for 1978.".2Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
3White, Ellen Faragher - Will, Office of Circuit Court, Jo Daviess County Court House, 330 N. Bench St., Galena, IL. "In the Matter of the Estate Last Will and Testament
of Filed September 22, 1927
~Ellen White, Deceased Box 14 County Records
~ I, Ellen White, widow of William L. White, deceased of the Village
of Apple River, in the County of Jo Daviess and State of Illinois, of the
age of eighty-eight years, and being of sound mind and memory, do make,
publish, and declare this my last will and Testament in the manner follow-
ing:
~ FIRST: It is my will that all of my just debts and funeral expenses
be fully paid as soon after my deceass as conveniently may be.
~SECOND: I give and bequeath to my daughter, Annie E. White, the sum
of One Thousand Dollars ($1000.00).
~Third: I give and bequeath to my son, John K. White, the sum of One
Thousand Dollars (1000.00).
~FOURTH: I give and bequeath go my son, Enoch Barrett, the sum of
Five Hundred Dollars (500.00).
~FIFTH: I give and bequeath to my grand-children, namely Phillip L.
White, Dorothy White and Helen White, children of my son Wesley White
of Midlothian, Virginia, One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) each, the total
bequest to said three grand-children being Three Hundred Dollars ($300.00).
~SIXTH: I give and bequeath to my two grand-children, Edith M.
Phillips, and Ellen W. Phillips, children of my daughter Elizabeth E.
Phillips, One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) each, being a total bequest of
Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00) to these two grand-children.
~SEVENTH: I give and bequeath to my two grand-sons, Howard F. White
and Merritt W. White, sons of my son George Tibbals White, On Hundred
Dollars ($100.00) each, being a total bequest of Two Hundred Dollars
($200.00) to these two grand-children.
~EIGHTH: I give and bequeath to my grand-son, James Barrett, the
sum of One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).
~NINTH: I give and bequeath to the Board of Foreign Missions of the
Methodist Episcopal Church of Apple River, Illinois, the sum of Two Hun-
dred Dollars ($200.00).
~TENTH: I give and bequeath to the Society of Home Missions of the
Methodist Episcopal Church of Apple River, Illinois, the sum of Two
Hundred Dollars ($200.00).
~ELEVENTH: I give, devise and bequeath to my beloved daughter, Annie
E. White, the following described real estate, to-wit: Lots Numbered
Five (5) and Six (6) in Block Number Three (3), in the Original Village
of Apple River, Jo Daviess County, Illinois, with the hereditaments and
appurtenances thereunto belonging, to have and to hold to her own use and
benefit forever. It is my request that my said daughter, Annie E. White,
shall give my son, John K. White, the privilege of living in the resi-
dence situate upon above described lots so long as he cares to do so. -27- (continued)
~TWELFTH: I give and bequeath to my daughter, Annie E. White, all of
my household goods and kitchen utensils to have and to hold for her own
use and benefit forever.
~THIRTEENTH: All the rest, residue and remainder of my estate, be
the same real, personal, and mixed, I give and bequeath to my five (5)
children, namely: William Wesley White, John K. White, Joseph H. White,
Annie E. White, and Elizabeth E. Phillips, share and share alike, to have
and to hold the same to them and their heirs and assigns forever.
~FOURTEENTH AND LASTLY: I make, constitute and appoint my daughter,
Annie E. White, to be the Executrix of this, my Last Will and Testament,
hereby requesting and directing that no surety be required on her bond
as such Executrix.
~ I hereby revoke any and all former Wills and Codicils by me made,
and declare this only to be and contain my Last Will and Testament.
~ IN WITNESS THEREOF, I have hereunto subscribed my name to this my
Last Will and Testament, consisting of two type-written pages, this
Thirty-first day of July, in the year of our Lord One Thousand nine hun-
dred and twenty-five (1925).
Ellen White (seal)
~This instrument was on the day of the date thereof, signed, sealed,
published and declared by the said testatrix, Ellen White, to be the Last
Will and Testament, in the presence of us, who, at her request, and in
her presence, and in the presence of each other, gave subscribed our
names as witnesses, and we believe her to be of sound mind and memory
at the time of signing the same.
Leo W. Charlton
John M. Spear.".4Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek, sheet 3B, (ancestry p. 6 of 18).
5Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
1White Tombstone - Apple River, IL, photo in personal files of DZ Stevens.
2Dianne Z. Stevens, White Family History, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. Based on various conversation with Helen White and others during the 1970's.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek, sheet 3B, (ancestry p. 6 of 18).
4Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Illinois, Rush Twsp, ED 41, Ancestry p. 14 of 19, 11 Jun 1900.
1Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek, sheet 3B, (ancestry p. 6 of 18).
2Census, Federal - 1930 - Jo Daviess, Illinois, Warren twsp, sheet 2A (ancestry 3 of 24), 3 Apr 1930.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Mahaska, Iowa, Spring Creek, sheet 3B, (ancestry p. 6 of 18), 3 Jan 1920.
4Social Security Death Index.
5Social Security Death Index.
1White, Lizzie - letter to Helen White 31 DEC 1962, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
1Dianne Z. Stevens, White Family History, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. Based on various conversation with Helen White and others during the 1970's.
2White, Lizzie - letter to Helen White 31 DEC 1962, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
3Census, Federal - 1930 - Taylor Co., Texas, Precinct 1, District 17, sheet 16B, (Ancestry p. 32 0f 34).
4Census, Federal - 1920 - Collingsworth Co., Texas, Wellington, ED# 29, sheet 6B (Ancestry 11 of 40).
5World War I Draft Registration, 12 Apr 1918, Ancestry.com.
6Social Security Death Index.
1White, Addie - Photo Album, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. Includes photos of:Lizzie White
Wesley White
G.L.Nicklas - Addie's brother.2Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
3Census, Federal - 1920 - Collingsworth Co., Texas, Wellington, ED# 29, sheet 6B (Ancestry 11 of 40).
4Census, Federal - 1930 - Taylor Co., Texas, Precinct 1, District 17, sheet 16B, (Ancestry p. 32 0f 34), 6 May 1930.
5Census, Federal - 1900 - Jo Daviess Co., Ill., Apple River twsp.
6White Tombstone - Apple River, IL, photo in personal files of DZ Stevens. Lizzie's birthdate must be the same as her twin, Tibbals, whose birth is listed on the Apple River tombstone.
7Social Security Death Index.
1White, Lizzie - letter to Helen White 31 DEC 1962, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
2Census, Federal - 1920 - Collingsworth Co., Texas, Wellington, ED# 29, sheet 6B (Ancestry 11 of 40).
1Census, Federal - 1930 - Taylor Co., Texas, Precinct 1, District 17, sheet 16B, (Ancestry p. 32 0f 34).
2Census, Federal - 1930 - Taylor Co., Texas, Precinct 1, District 17, sheet 16B, (Ancestry p. 32 0f 34).
1Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.2John George Nicklas, Nicklas, John George - Will, Grant Co., WI, Judge Wm. McGonigal 5/29/1880, Nicklas, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "A Will
I, John George Nicklas: of the town of Schmelzer, being of sound mind and memory,and mindful of the uncertainties of human life, do make, publish, and declare this my last will and testament in manner following:
First: After the payment of my just debts and funeral expenses I give, ______ and bequeath to my son Peter Benjamin Nicklas the sum of $1000.00.
Second: I give, d__________ and bequeath to my son John Nicklas the sum of $1000.00.
Third: I give, devise(?) and bequeath to my son Wilhelm Nicklas the sum of $1000.00.
Fourth: I give, devise(?) and bequeath to my daughter Elisabeth Vonberg wife of Leonhard Vonberg the sum of $1000.00.
Fifth-I devise and bequeath to my daughter Katharina Linderman wife of Samuel Linderman the sum of $1000.00.
Sixth-I give devise and bequeath to my daughter Karalina Kreutz wife of George Kreutz the sum of $1000.00.
Seventh, All the rest and residue and remainder of my estate both real and personal I give devise and bequeath to all my sons and daughters to be equally divided between them and their heirs share and share alike the child or children of a deceased child taking the share which his her or their parents would have taken if living.
Eight.-I hereby nominate and appoint Louis Riefstick the executor of this my last will and testament and hereby authorize and empower him the said Louis Riefstick to, compound, compromise and settle and claim or demand which may be against or in favor of my said estate.
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 29th day of May A.D.1880.
(signature) John George Nicklas (seal)
The above instrument, consisting of one sheet was on the day of the date thereof signed published and declared by the said testator, to be his will and testament in the presence of us who have signed our names at his request as witnesses in his presence and in presence of each other.
(Signature) Louis Reifstick of the town of Jamestown
(Signature) Ch Leifeling of the town of Jamestown
State of Wisconsin
County of Grant } I William McGonigal Judge of the County Court of said County do hereby certify that the foregoing copy has been compared by me with the original Last Will and Testament of John George Nicklas late of said County deceased as the same appears on file of Record and of Probate in my office and required by Law to be in my custody, and that said copy is a true and correct transscript and of the whole thereof. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County Court of said County at the city of Lancaster in said County this 20th day of August AD 1885. (Signature) Wm McGonigal, County Judge." I wonder why his wife, Anna Catharine, wasn't mentioned in the will. Sophie Driskill reports she left $200.00 for missions in her slipper when she died.3Driskill, Sophie - Letters, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "DRISKILL, SOPHIE LETTERS
Letter A - to Helen Romppainen. written during the 1970s
"7 E. Cypress
Yukon, Okla.
73099 Apt. 101
Dear Helen
I enjoyed hearing from you. Glad you are interested in working on the Nicklas Family tree. I have tried to help some. I'm mailing some of my information I received. A lot of it is duplication but it may help clear some points on previous papers. We are so scattered. My nephew and I are the last close relatives. He is my brother's son.
Sorry I could not get Uncle Peter's wife's maiden name. She was born out of wedlock, a very nice, small, nervous lady. She was a lovely seamstress and very neat. She and uncle spent a winter with us so I got to know them quite well. She was a goose herder in Germany. I saw an article in Magazine aobout the German goose herders. It was considered a very good job.
Our grandparents visited my parents in Iowa and gave mother a lot of information about themselves. Maybe I should not give you this informationbut I thought you would like to know it.
Too bad our grandparents were cousins. There were 6 mental cases and 2 suicides. Many teachers and doctors. Evelyn spent the winter with us at the time. She was a wonderful seamstress also. They lived with grandparents quite a while. They are buried in Jamestown without a marker. Father often said he would like to place a marker but no one seemed interested. Uncle (Peter) was a very poor businessman. She made a living by sewing.
I don't know how much you know about the Nicklas family. My father spoke very little about them. They left quite a sum of money to the children in the will. Our cousin found the will in a trunk.
I hope this has not tired you and wish you. Good luck.
Love, Sophie Driskill.".
Driskill, Sophie - Letters to DZStevens
Letter B
1147 N.W. 37
Okla City Okla
2-20-74
Dear Cousin-
I received your letter asking for information about the Nicklas Tree. I sent most of my information to Geo. Kreuty Jr. in Houston, Texas. I'll send what I have as can remember. I was so glad to be with your mother last winter. I enjoyed her so much. I hear from Dorothy at Christmas. This is a rainy day, but we are glad for the rain. We have a lot of bulbs up; tulips, Jonquils, and hyacinths- My husband just came home from the hospital. He was there three days, but could not find any real reason for his trouble. I heard your mother speak of you and your sister-in-law, We did not go to the valley. I'm glad now we didn't. I lost my only sister Jan. 10 in Nashua, Iowa. Guess Phillip & Ezra are enjoying the Texas winter.Hope this information will be of some help.
Geo. Kreutz Jr.
85011 Western Dr.
Houston, Texaz 77055
He is a poor hand to write. He is a Deputy Sheriff and very busy.
Love, Sophie (An early outline of the Nicklas family was enclosed.)
Letter C
Dear Dianne
I received your letter today. I opened George's letter. I thought I may be more able to answer questions than he.
1. No one knows what place in Germany they were born.They were married in Penn. No one knows the town. They went to Illinois, Monroe County, where the children were born. They went to Grant Co. Wis. (Georgetown>) We do not know the date of Peter's death. I think Peter lived with his parents and later moved to Platteville, Wis. I do not know Harriet's last name. She was born in Germany and was a "Goose Herder."
I don't think Geo. Kreutz knows too much about the family. His son is getting the information. I'll forward your letter to George.
My father never told anything aobut his folks. I got some from my mother. They use to visit them & John Nicklas gave the most to us. Geo. Kreutz Jr. is my 2nd cousin, your 3rd.
Love, Sophie
Letter D
1 E. Cypress
Yukon, Okla
73099 Apt - 101
Dear Dianne
I received your letter and be glad to answer your questions. I'm enclosing the picture of cousin I said was retarded. He could not learn in school but ran his father's farm 10 years with help, runs a car, but not very responsible. Please return his picture. Married and divorced.
This is another lonely day. I'm trying so hard to adjust, but it is so hard. Arthur was such a wonderful husband and companion for 56 years. We were SO happy. I know he is better off and with the Lord. Prayers and friends are a great help, but my life will never be the same.
Back to the family tree. My sister Vera was a Deaconess in Meth. church 25 years. My brother Earl was WWI vet. He died in Vet hosp.
Both became mentally ill at 65. Drs. called it Paralona schizophrenia. Clarence and Blanche were my sister's children. They also became ill at 65 and lived about 3 yrs. I'm pleased you are working on Family Tree.
Love, Sophia Driskill
John Geo. Nicklass & Anna Beitch were born in Germany, met in Penn. and married. They went to Monroe County, Ill where children were born. Moved to Georgetown Wis. (Grant County) where they lived until death. Jack, John, & Peter were in Civil War. Jack & John got T.B. and died shortly after.
Hope this will be some help.
Sophia
Letter E
Sunday
Dear Cousins -
Did you get the material about Nicklas Family Tree? I'm going to send some more material.It may be a duplicate of some of the material, but it may help. I hope your daughter is doing OK on it. It is quite a job. I have been working on it for nearly a year. We are so scattered. It takes time to get the information.
I have been looking for Geo. Kreutz, Jr. He lived in Houston and retired and moved to an acreage in Ark. He said he was coming, but was getting a check up first. Dr. found cancer of the prostate, but he thought it was under control. He is such a fine young man. I'm afraid his report wasn't good. One of Lenn Kreutz Hallett's granddaughters lives here in Yukon. Her parents visited us a year ago. Her grandmother was Aunt Caroline Nicklas Kreutz, my father's sister. I guess Phillip will soon be back to the valley. They enjoy their travels. I enjoy their Christmas letter. How is Dorthea?
Love, Sophia & Art
Letter F (about 1978)
Monday
Dear Cousins -
I I finally got as much information as I could for Nicklas Family Tree. It has really been a task. I've worked on it nearly a year. I still don't have all the names. I'm enclosing some pages with information that may help. Some were so slow in answering. Hope your daughter can make use of this material. Some of the White's isn't finished and you may know some others. Do you remember the Kreutz family? She was father's youngest sister, Carolyn. Uncle John, her brother, married her (Carolyn's) husband's sister, Amelia Kreutz. I had a letter from Geo Kreutz III. He has worked as a deputy in Houston and retired and bought an acre in Ark. He is such a fine man and has such a nice family. We visited him while were in the valley. One of his sons is a lawyer and other a journalist. I hope this family tree is finished so I can see it before I go. I'm 88 now. Geo III will visit us in Aug. One of the Kreutz granddaughters lives here. She is Lena Hallett's son. Hope this will be of some help. I'll be anxious to hear from you. I'm so glad I saw you in the valley. Send me a copy if you have more names.
Love, Sophia & Arthur
Letter G- Feb 1982 - in response to the question "Who were the 5 mental cases and the one retarded that you mention?"
The 5 mental cases in the Nicklas family tree were:
Vera and Earl Nicklas, children of William and Emma Nicklas
Clarence and Blanche Leaman, children of Albert and Laura Leaman
Dwight E. Werk, son of Seranus and Beatrice Werk. I would rather they did not want his case history.
We have a wonderful cousin living here (Yukon.) Her grandmother was father's sister, Carolyn Kreutz. Lena Hallett's granddaughter lives here. Harold & Sherril Puffett - ch. Steven & Jeri Ann. Lena is daughter of Carolyn Kreutz.
Letter H - Mar 1982
"7 E. Cypress
Yukon, Okla
73099 - Apt. 101
Dear Cousin,
I received your letter. Your question, Aug. Werk's first wife was Lydia VonBerg. She died with T.B. He married her cousin Wilhemina Nicklas (John Nicklas - father's brother John) 2 children from Lydia and 2 from second wife. Hope this clears your problem. I'm so glad you are working on Nicklas Family Tree.
Father did not talk about his parents (John George Nicklas & Anna Catherine Betsch). I got most (of my information) from John Nicklas, Jr. My sister said something once about wishing to know about them. Our cousin Eva Nicklas said, "You would NOT want to KNOW about them." I often wondered WHY? I only know they were first cousins.
Hope this helps. I, too, wish you could visit me. I'm so lonely.
Love, Sophie Driskill.".
Letter J (received 30 Aug 1984)
Mrs. Arthur Driskill
7 E. Cypress, No. 101
Yukon, Oklahoma 73099
Dear Cousin
You will be surprised to hear from me. I have written Helen many times asking for some information about some relatives, but she has never answered.
I'm still working the Nicklas family history. I've been working on it for several years. I have all information now except I need our cousin's wife (Betty Nicklas, her husband was Richard Nicklas. He was only son of Dr. Geo., whose father was Peter Nicklas, Helen's grandfather. Richard has 2 sons. He has been dead many years ago with a blood disease (leukemia). He was a woodwork teacher in a college. He had retired and had a shop of his own in Loveland, Colo. I would like to hear from his wife or boys. Do you think you could help me? Richard Nicklas would be Helen's 1st cousin.
We have a cousin living here, Shirley Puffett. She is such a nice person. She visits me every Sat. Her father was Arthur Hallett. His mother Lena Kreutz and grandparents Geo.Kreutz and Caroline Nicklas, my father's sister. My father's name was William Nicklas. I'm his youngest daughter. There were 7 in our family. I'm youngest and only one living. I'm the only one of close Nicklas family left. I'm 94 years and I'm only one to be able to give this information. I won't be here for too long. I sent you the information you wanted. Have you been able to work on it?
I also need Uncle Peter's wife's maiden name. She was Harriet _____. That is why I'm anxious to get ion touch with Richard Nicklas wife or family.
I always enjoy Phillips Christmas letter. Guess they quit traveling. Wewere with them in the Valley. I was so glad to meet and be with Helen there.
I lost my husband 2 1/2 years ago. I live in an apt. My daughter lives here. Also my husband's 2 sisters. I'm very comfortable.
We have had nice summer. I still garden with help. Lots of flowers & tomatoes.
If you would help me I would be happy.
Love, Sophia
Letter K (mailed 6 Sep 1984
7 E. Cypress
Yukon, Okla
73099 Apt 101
Dear Cousin Dianne
It was good to hear from you. Sorry you could not answer my questions. I only wish Eva Nicklas (b.. 1866) was still here so she could give me this information.
Do you think Helen's sister Dorothy could help me? I know she has fallen and been in a hosp. and lives in a nursing home. We used to write quite often, but she hasn't written for some time. I surely would like to know about Richard Nicklas family.
Congratulations on your new son. My 2 daughters - Ramah Miller 27 May 1913, NormahMiller 23 Jan 1915. They married brothers.
We are having niceweather, some hot days but good rains. I enjoy my garden flowers andvegetables. I get lots of help here or I would have to quit. I enjoy living here in an apartment in Teachers Retirement Home. Everyone so kind and helpful. Would you mind writing Dorothy and see if we can get this information. I just discovered I don't have her new address. Has Philip moved to new location?
Best Wishes, Sophia Driskill
Letter L
11 - 12 - '84
Dear Cousins
We are having delightful autumn weather 70 degrees - no frost so far. I'm still picking roses etc. I finally get Richard Nicklas' address. My granddaughter in Greeley, Colo. looked in phone book in Denver and found Richard's son Theodore. His wife answered. She said Richard and Betty died 1961 & 1977. Richard had 2 sons; Theodore & Richard. Theodore has three children. He is an atty. Richard Jr. not married. I have his address so I'll write for more information. I'm so glad to know His address. Richard Nicklas was Helen's 1st cousin.
Has Phillip & Ezra moved from the valley? I visited them in Kansas.
Time goes so fast. It will soon be Thanksgiving and Christmas. One of my daughters will give us a Thanksgiving dinner. (18) We will all fly to Dallas for Christmas at Ramah's son Dick. (grandson)
I enjoyed Helen and Phillip so much in the Valley.
I know you are enjoying your family in Wis. I have been to Madison several times. My sister lived there.
I have just returned from dinner. Three meals are served here. This is such a nice place for me. I would not live anywhere else, especially since my husband died 2 yrs. ago. Everyone so kind & helpful.
I thought you would enjoy good new.
Love, Cousin Sophia
Letter M
Posmark 24 May 1985
Dear Cousins -
I'm anxious to know if your 14 year old daughter is well again after that car accident. I HOPE she has recovered.
I've been trying to get Uncle Peter's wife's maiden name. No one would help me, so I wrote to the court house and received the information. I'm so happy about it. Uncle Peter was your mother's grandfather, and my father's brother. I had a copy made for you. I wrote again for more information. I know this the right couple because Uncle Peter's middle name was Franklin and his wife has a German name. Guess he was 20 when married. We always called his wife Harriet. One of her middle initials is H. Guess we went by Harriet.
I wrote you I got hold of Richard, Uncle Peter's only child. He and wife Betty have been gone several years. Richard had two sons - Theodore & Richard. Richard never married. Theodore in an Atty and has three children,Annette, Sharon & Robert. Richard wife, Betty Grimes. He lived in Loveland Colo. and now in Arnada, Colo.
Theodore's wife Katherine Stevenson. I've written her twice, but no answer. My granddaughter lives in Colo. She gotthis information for me.
I had a nice letter from Ezra & Phillip.
I'm doing quite well for 94.
Love, Sophia
Letter N (Postmark 11 Jun 1985)
Dear Dianne
I want to thank you for your letter with names. I surely appreciate your help. Only wish some of my other cousins did as well. Two of my cousins have never answered.
Did I send you the copy of Uncle Peter's wedding? It has a lot I can use.
We are having a lot of rain. I have so many flowers, roses, lilies, etc.
I'm sending a picture of my husband and myself. It was taken in 1980. The last picture of my husband. he died Jan. 7, 1982. It is a lonely life without him. He was such a wonderful companion for over 50 yrs. Our 2 girls are such a help and comfort.
I'm anxious to know if your daughter is still improving?
Sorry to hear about Helen's broken ankle.
You are the only cousin who seems interested in the Nicklas family history. I'm so glad you are so helpful.
It sounds like you have a nice family. I hope you both enjoy them.
Love, Sophia
P.S. I'll send a copy of Peter's wedding if I have not sent it.
Letter P (Jun 1985)
Dear Cousins -
I always enjoy your letters. Sorry your daughter is still in hospital but thankful she is making some improvements. Hope she will continue. I'm mailing a copy of Peter Nicklas marriage. I wrote to many for Aunt Harriet's maiden name but no luck so I told you I wrote to his court house and got RESULTS! Uncle Peter was my father William's oldest brother. I tried to get his wife's name. Uncle Peter & Aunt Harriet had three children. Dr. Geo. married Carrie Straw. (His) son (had) grandson Richard. Evelyn (single), and Ade - Wesley White. She had 4 children, Wilbur (died T.B. in south, Dorothy (single) and Helen with 2 children; Paul & Diana, Lois - Tony ? (need children's names)
I had a hard time getting Richard's address. My granddaughter in Greeley got Richards & Theodore son's wife - Katherine Stevenson. They have 3 children; Annette J., Sharon L., Robert W. Richard's other son, Richard, (single) lives in Ft. Collins, Colo.
I had a nice letter from Phillip & Ezra. Her maiden name was Ezra Grimes. They have 2 adopted children - Dorothy Nell Wilson (Calif) Bruce - Brownsville, Texas.
Hope this information will be helpful. Aunt Harriet was born out of wedlock. I see she took her mother's name. She was a goose herder in Germany, a good job.
This is a rainy day (4 in)
Hope this is very helpful. Sorry about Helen's ankle accident.
Love, Sophia
Note Q
Some Nicklaus Characteristics:
tall and slender
slow
religious
neat
stingy with money
queer in some ways
stomach trouble
curvature of the spine
Also senile
Many teachers and doctors
not talkative
Poor business people
Some queer acts:
Grandma had 200 in slipper for missions when died.
Did not put money in bank.
Uncle John afraid to ride on train.
Sad in family
2 suicides
5 mental cases
1 retarded
4 T.B.".4Census, Federal - 1850 - Grant Co, WI, Eastern District, Ancestry p. 99 of 218. "Geo. Nicklas age 44 b. Ger
Catharine " 42 "
Peter " 16 Penn
Elizabeth " 14 "
John " 11 Ill
Catharine " 8 "
Geo. " 6 "
Wm. " 4 "
Caroline " 2 Wisc."5Census, Federal - 1860 - Grant Co, WI, Smelzer Grove, Ancestry p. 4&5 of 25, 24 Jul 1860. "Line 34
George Nicklas age 54 Farmer real value $3000 personal $725 b. Hesse Darmstadt
Catharine 52 "
John 21 IL
Catherine 18 "
George, Jr 16 "
William 16 "
Caroline 12 WI
Jacob 8 "."6Census, Federal - 1880 - Grant Co, WI, Smelser, Ancestry p. 19 of 26, 18 Jun 1880. "Line 46
Nichols, John G. age 73 aged retired b. Hesse, Darmstadt f.b. Hesse m.b. Hesse
Anna C. 72 at home " " "."7Census, Federal - 1840 - Monroe County, Illinois, Ancestry p. 12 of 43. "George Nickles
Males under 5 - 1
5 & under 10 - 1
30 & under 40 - 1
Females under 5 - 1
30 & under 40 - 1
70 & under 80 - 1."8Census, Federal - 1870 - Grant Co., Wisconsin, Smelser, Ancestry p. 33 of 33, 11 Jul 1870. "Line 1
Nickolas, George age 64 Farmer Real-$7,800 Personal-$800 b. Hesse Darmstadt
Catherine 61 Keeping House "
Jacob 18 helps on Farm WI."9Findagrave, http://www.findagrave.com/, internet. "Johann George Nicklas
Birth: Jul. 2, 1806
Hessen, Germany
Death: Dec. 2, 1884
Grant County
Wisconsin, USA
Name Johann Georg Niklas
Event Date 1806
Gender Male
Birth Date 02 Jul 1806
Birth Year 1806
Christening Date 02 Jul 1806
Christening Place Neunkirchen (Kr. Dieburg), Hessen, Germany
Father's Name Johannes Niklas
Mother's Name Anna Margaretha Roeder
Name John George Nicklas
Event Type Death
Event Date 1884
Event Place Smelser, Grant, Wisconsin
Gender Male
Age 78
Race White
Occupation Farmer
Birth Date 02 Jul 1806
Birth Year (Estimated) 1806
Birthplace Germany
Cemetery Smelsers Grove
Spouse's Name Anna C. Nicklas
1850 census
Geo Nicklas M 44 Germany
Catharine Nicklas F 42 Germany
Peter Nicklas M 16 Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Nicklas F 14 Pennsylvania
John Nicklas M 11 Illinois
Catharine Nicklas F 8 Illinois
Geo Nicklas M 6 Illinois
Wm Nicklas M 4 Illinois
Caroline Nicklas F 2 Wisconsin
Family links:
Children:
William Nicklas (1846 - 1927)*
*Calculated relationship
Burial:
Smelser Cemetery
Georgetown
Grant County
Wisconsin, USA
Created by: Reada
Record added: Jan 18, 2016
Find A Grave Memorial# 157206894."10Wisconsin Vital Records Death Index. "Wisconsin Deaths, 1820-1907
about John G Nicklas
Name: John G Nicklas
Death Date: 02 Dec 1884
County: Grant
Volume: 01
Page #: 0116
Reel: 030
Image: 0302
Index Volume: -
ImageNum: 103826
Sequence #: 277934
Level Info: Wisconsin Vital Records Death Index."
1Rev. J.G. Steiner, minister, Platteville, WI, Nicklas, Anna Katharina Betsch article, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "Grandma Nicklas
Anna Katharina Betsch Nicklas died Jan. 5, 1889 of high blood pressure age 80 yrs. 5 mos. 28 days. Born Aug. 9, 1809. 1832 came to U.S. from Lenabach Hessen Darmstadt, Germany. In 1833 she was united in marriage to John George Nicklas. He preceeded her in death 4 yrs. before. She was a faithful member of her church since 1845. God comfort the relatives and meet again in heaven.
Platteville, Wisconsin
J.F. Steiner
minister." This is a photocopy of a hand written note.2Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.3Census, Federal - 1850 - Grant Co, WI, Eastern District, Ancestry p. 99 of 218. "Geo. Nicklas age 44 b. Ger
Catharine " 42 "
Peter " 16 Penn
Elizabeth " 14 "
John " 11 Ill
Catharine " 8 "
Geo. " 6 "
Wm. " 4 "
Caroline " 2 Wisc."4Census, Federal - 1880 - Grant Co, WI, Smelser, Ancestry p. 18 of 26. "Line 46
Nichols, John G. age 73 aged retired b. Hesse, Darmstadt f.b. Hesse m.b. Hesse
Anna C. 72 at home " " "."5Census, Federal - 1860 - Grant Co, WI, Smelzer Grove. "Line 34
George Nicklas age 54 Farmer real value $3000 personal $725 b. Hesse Darmstadt
Catharine 52 "
John 21 IL
Catherine 18 "
George, Jr 16 "
William 16 "
Caroline 12 WI
Jacob 8 "."
1Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.
1Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, p. 9, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.2Ancestry.com, Civil War Service Records. "U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 about George Nicklas Jr.
Name: George Nicklas Jr.
Side: Union
Regiment State/Origin: Wisconsin
Regiment Name: 47 Wisconsin Infantry
Regiment Name Expanded: 47th Regiment, Wisconsin Infantry
Company: K
Rank In: Private
Rank In Expanded: Private
Rank Out: Private
Rank Out Expanded: Private
Film Number: M559 roll 22."3Census, Federal - 1860 - Grant Co, WI, Smelzer Grove, Ancestry p. 4 & 5 of 25. "Line 34
George Nicklas age 54 Farmer real value $3000 personal $725 b. Hesse Darmstadt
Catharine 52 "
John 21 IL
Catherine 18 "
George, Jr 16 "
William 16 "
Caroline 12 WI
Jacob 8 "."4Census, Federal - 1850 - Grant Co, WI, Eastern District, Ancestry p. 99 of 218. "Geo. Nicklas age 44 b. Ger
Catharine " 42 "
Peter " 16 Penn
Elizabeth " 14 "
John " 11 Ill
Catharine " 8 "
Geo. " 6 "
Wm. " 4 "
Caroline " 2 Wisc."5Wisconsin Veterans Museum, http://museum.dva.state.wi.us/CivilWar/Soldiers.aspx. "NICKLAS, GEORGE JR ENLISTED 1/23/1865 9/4/1865 MUSTERED OUT OF SERVICE SEPTEMBER 4, 1865.
SMELSER
47TH WIS. INFANTRY, CO. K - See more at: http://museum.dva.state.wi.us/CivilWar/Soldiers.aspx#sthash.LkVNJulm.dpuf."6Findagrave, http://www.findagrave.com/, internet. "Birth: 1845
Death: Feb. 6, 1867
Per Grant Co. WI war veteran record dated 18Oct1936:
1. He was a Civil War army veteran having enlisted on 23Jan1865 and was discharged on 04Sep1865 with the rank of private. He served with Co. F. 47th Wisc. Inf.
2. It also lists b. 02Aug1843 and d. 06Dec1867.
The d.o.d. of 06Dec1867 is found on his original tablet-style marker as well as his veteran record. The 06Feb1867 d.o.d. on his newer marker may be in error due to 12/6/1867 being misred as 2/6/1867 from his veteran record.
It appears that "son of George & Anna C. Nicklas" is/was engraved on his original tablet-style marker (portions still readable). Jacob Nicklas, interned next to George, has an identical tablet-style marker that is clearly engraved with "son of George & Anna C. Nicklas".
Grant Co. WI death records list a John George Nicklas b. 02Jul1806, d. 02Dec1884 and was buried in Smelser Cemetery; whose wife was Anna C. Nicklas. No marker has been found for John George Nicklas in Smelser Cemetery.
Burial:
Smelser Cemetery
Georgetown
Grant County
Wisconsin, USA
Created by: John Anderson
Record added: Sep 30, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 77345393."
1Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, p.19, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.2Census, Federal - 1860 - Grant Co, WI, Smelzer Grove, Ancestry p. 4 & 5 of 25. "Line 34
George Nicklas age 54 Farmer real value $3000 personal $725 b. Hesse Darmstadt
Catharine 52 "
John 21 IL
Catherine 18 "
George, Jr 16 "
William 16 "
Caroline 12 WI
Jacob 8 "."3Findagrave, http://www.findagrave.com/, internet. "Birth: 1851
Death: Jan. 3, 1873
Son of George & Anna C. Nicklas is engraved on his marker. He is buried next to his brother, Geroge, Jr.
Grant Co. WI death records list a John George Nicklas b. 02Jul1806, d. 02Dec1884 and was buried in Smelser Cemetery; whose wife was Anna C. Nicklas. No marker has been found for John George Nicklas in Smelser Cemetery.
Burial:
Smelser Cemetery
Georgetown
Grant County
Wisconsin, USA
Created by: John Anderson
Record added: Sep 30, 2011
Find A Grave Memorial# 77345403."
1Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.
1Sophia Nicklas Driskill, Nicklas Family History, copied & dispersed by the author, Yukon, OK 6/18/1986, page 1, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. The book consists of 18 pages of genealogy tracing the descendants of John George Nicklas (1806 - 1884) and
Anna Katherine Betsch (1809 - 1889) plus one page containing acknowledgements and miscellaneous information, and 2 pages about the Nicklas family crest.2White, Addie - Photo Album, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
3Nicklas-Schlucke marriage certificate, Certified copy of document from Register of Deeds, Grant Co., WI, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711.
4Census, Federal - 1860 - Grant Co, WI, Hazel Green, Ancestry p. 27. "Line 37 9 Jun 1860
John Kalt age 47 Boot& Shoemaker real $300 personal $100 b. Saxony
Christena " 42 Hanover
Mary J. 8 WI
August 4 "
Christena 3 "
Louise 5/12."5Census, Federal - 1850 - Grant Co, WI, Eastern District, p. 150 of 218, 2 Oct 1850. "Line 22
John Colt age 35 shoemaker b. germany married within the year
Christianna 32 " "."6Census, Federal - 1880 - Grant Co., Wisconsin, Beetown, Ancestry p. 20 of 40, 12 Jun 1880. "Line 31
Coult, John age 71 shoemaker b. Holland f.b. Hol. m.b. Hol
Christine 62 wife keeping house Prus Prus Prus
Christiana 21 dau dressmaker Wisconsin Hol Prus
Louisa 19 dau at home " " "."7Census, Federal - 1870 - Grant Co., Wisconsin, Hazel Green, Ancestry p. 28 of 55, 22 Jul 1870. "Line 17
Kaulte, John age 53 Shoemaker personal estate $150 b. Baden
Christiana 50 Keeping House switzerland
May J. 16 WI
Augustine 14 "
Christiana 11 "
Louise 7 "."8Dorothy E. White, White, Dorothy E. - Letters to P&D Stevens Family, Personal files of Dianne Z. Stevens, 1301 Reetz Road, Madison, WI 53711. "
Letter 1. 1-26-76: "One big differences between our generation and later ones is the amount of dollar bills and coins that are handled. We didn't have many.
Uncle John sent us each a dollar at Christmas. Grandma and Aunt Eva gave us little gifts I think Aunt Eva got for sending in Subscriptions to McCall's Magazine.
Our Sunday School bought us gifts from the 10 Cent store.
When we went to Virginia, we turned yellow, because we got malaria, there was so much woods and dampness, making a fine home for mosquitos.
Goats are something we had on that first Virginia place. We were glad to tell the other children at school that we had kids at home. Those goats climbed up onto the chickenhouse roof. They were quite a nuisance.
There was a spring on that first Virginia place, and that spring had its own house among the big ferns or brakes. Soon we had a well with a pump.
Grandpa Wesley White made us a swing to play on. It was a big board that swung around on a stump. Someone would push it, and, if you didn't watch out, you could get bumped.
We girls preferred paper dolls to real ones. Oh, yes, we had spool people too. All of these we dressed.
Letter 2. Feb 1976: Dianne wants to know about spool people. They were just spools that our imagination gave heads, arms, legs, and faces. Mother sewed, so we had the use of many empty spools. We dressed them in bits of cloth. Spool families would visit one another.
Our mother had four children for whom she sewed, washed with a washboard, churned and canned. We helped with the canning, because our family sold canned goods. We helped with the planting of tomato plants,potatoes, beans, etc.
Mothers often got lonely in those days when the fathers were at work and the children away at school. Few had telephones. There were no radios or television sets to keep one in touch with the world...
Grandmother White claimed to have had twelve children. (In those days many of the babies died or were born dead.) I know of --
Uncle Enoch Barrett, James Enoch Barrett's father (The father of Uncle Enoch was killed while watching a horseshoe pitching game. The gun he was holding with the barrel beneath his chin discharged when hit by a horseshoe.) Grandmother married Grandfather, William L. White.
William Wesley, Paul and Lois' grandfather.
John K. He was very religious. His first wife died when their baby was born, of puerperal fever, a disease caused by the carelessness of doctors and nurses. Of course the baby died too. By the way the second wife acted, we think she wasn't quite sane and by divorcing Uncle John, she made him the only one of the family to go through a divorce court.
Rachel. Rachel died quite young at 40 of a stroke.
Tibbals. He was a postmaster at Oskaloosa, Iowa for a long time. Tibbals and his wife, Merritt's mother and father, died of the flu when Merritt was tiny. He was raised by an aunt on the Sincox side of the family. I guess they were sort of rough. They drank and Merritt does too. When he phoned me the last times I could hardly understand him.
Lizzie. Tibbals and Lizzie were twins.
Joseph.
Annie. Joseph and Annie were twins
Wilbur. He died young of meningitis.
Letter3. 3/22/76: History may reveal skeletons, so adults please read before releasing to children...
Speaking of schooldays: After I left the 4th grade, we went by horsedrawn schoolbus to a consolidated school. I remember that a neighbor boy just didn't want to go to school, and he didn't have to go. Now the colored folk had a little one-room school. Being very poor, the colored people had no facilities for taking baths. (I've read the kings and queens of England of years ago had trouble keeping clean.)
One odd thing that I remember is that there were beautiful wild violets growing in the graveyard at the colored church. The church was next door to our one-room schoolhouse. I picked violets and worried that night because I had stepped on some graves.
Now family business: Grandma Nicklas' name was Henrietta Dorthea. Part of the relationship called her Henrietta and part Dorthea. This grandmother was a dear little lady who had the misfortune of being an illegitimate child. As I remember it, she had a red-headed illegitmate sister. When she came to this country great grandmother became a lawabiding citizen.
About Grandma White, I don't know her maiden name. I think it was something like Faricker...
The Mormon church today sends out missionaries. In Grandma White's day they sent missionaries to the Isle of Man. A number of Grandma's sisters came to this country to join the Mormon colony...
Snobbish colored people from Richmond would come to visit the folk at our local colored church and sometimes there would be shootings. As I understand it, the city people felt much superior to the country folk and expressed their feelings.
Letter4: Some of us near Richmond, VA went to high school via train. We had a whole train society. The conductor would come through the car punching holes in our tickets. He might call out, 'Tickets, tackets, and pocket books!' Besides the school children there were college students and men and women who commuted to their jobs.
I don't know if many people nowadays have cisterns or not. There was one on our Illinois place and I remember that a kitten fell into it breaking our hearts. Of course, Grandma Nicklas and Aunt Eva got their drinking water from their cistern in Platteville, Wisconsin. I remember that you could taste smoke in the water. Grandma said, ' You'd get used to it.' Evidentally it didn't hurt her, for she didn't die until her 90th year.
Letter 5: Curious people or groups that we knew years ago is what I'll write about this time.
Most of the time in Virginia we were in the Baptist church. As you probably know, there are many Baptists in the south. Until baptismal fonts were built in the church, people would be immersed in a pond or creek. One lady in the neighborhood must have been a Presbytarian or an Episcopalian. She would favor us with a solo every once in a while. We thought her funny, because her voice would quiver.
Quite a few people in Virginia were proud of having Indian blood. One family lived on the first place we had in Virginia after we moved up on the hill. One brother asked father to pull a tooth for a poor Indian. Father did.
Huegonauts were religious refugees from France. Once we went to Huegonaut Springs, VA - our family and the Baumanns' - for a picnic. That religious sect must have had a colony there. Of course we went by horse and buggy. A short distance now was a long way then.
Letter 6 - 8/2/76 - I'll mention music this month. When we children were little we had a gramophone in place of what we call a record player today. It had a horn that was shaped like a morning glory flower. The records were...cylinders that fitted on to a solid cylinder. Records I remember are, ' Just a Little Attic but it's Home Sweet Home', "Ring the Bells of Heaven', 'Tell Mother I'll be There'. Poke Miller's 'The Old Time Religion', and instrumentals, some by violin, flute, and harp, one 'Love and Devotion.'
We had a book of favorite songs. Many of them were Stephen Foster. They, of course, were mostly Negro. I believe Negro songs are out of style nowadays.
Letter 7 - 8/21/1977: ....
Letter 8 - 7/16/1978: Helen called sometime ago and mentioned that we should have questioned the former generation more when we had the chance; however, there were some things they were reluctant to talk about. My, but life is much easier on womenfolk than it used to be! We don't have the big ironings they used to have to do. Grandmother White had to have every sock ironed. Everything had to be ironed.
The water had to be hand pumped and carried in pails. It was necessary to boil the clothes. The bar of soap (one kind was called Octagon) had to be sliced up so as to be softened by the water.
We didn't have the chore girls, woven metal gadgets, to get the sticky particles of food off the dishes.
I've heard the practise of saving string made fun of nowadays. There were no tapes or rubber bands for quickly sealing packages.
What a lot of sewing and mending had to be done! Today, if we watch for bargains, we can buy our clothes ready-made for practically what it would cost us for the material and notions.
The boys and girls may have had chores to do before starting off to school.
And there were school wagons instead of buses and maybe ill-tempered drivers. If the poor driver had indigestion, he might not feel too good.
I can't get over thankfulness for 1978.".9Census, Federal - 1860 - Grant Co, WI, Hazel Green.
10Ancestry.com. family tree of Robert L. Thompson.
1Bob Orr. "William Hutchcroft m2, 29 Jan. 1878, Beetown, Grant Co., WI to Marie Jeane (Mary Jane) Calt b. 5 Apr. 1852, Hazel Green, Grant Co., WI, d. 11 Jan. 1922, Glen Haven, Grant Co., WI, bur. Dodge Cem., d/o John & Christina Calt.
That is all that I have and I apparently have spelled the Kalt name incorrectly.'
I do have a bit more written by a L. W. Hutchcroft, 17 Nov. 1916 - From my Mother's side, the only available history is as follows: John Calt, my grandfather, was born in Switzerland, probably about 1806. During his early boyhood, he engaged in the saw industry in his native country, but soon emigrated to the U.S. Shortly prior to the Civil War, he settled in Hazel Green, where he was engaged for a number of years in the business of making boots and shoes. He later moved to a small settlement near Beetown, known as Nubbin Ridge. Mr. Calt died at Glen Haven at the age of eighty-four years.
My Grandmother, Catherine Calt, came to the U.S. from Germany about 1850. Her first marriage occurred in Germany and when she came to the U.S., she brought with her, her two daughters, Dorothy and Carrie. The following children resulted from the second marriage:
Mrs, William Hutchcroft b. Apr. 5, 1853; August Calt, born Aug. 5, 1845; Christine Calt, born Feb. ?, and Mrs. Louise Taylore.". "My Grandmother, Catherine Calt, came to the U.S. from Germany about 1850. Her first marriage occurred in Germany and when she came to the U.S., she brought with her, her two daughters, Dorothy and Carrie."