This is just a test. Please ignore this. Mike

This is a test.

I found this site today and thought it worth passing on. http://www.hinkletown.com/ Frederick M. Dittmar Diggin' Deep Genealogy Research Service PO Box 2601 Norman, Oklahoma 73070 http://www.frederick.dittmar.org Member: Association of Professional Genealogy - http://www.apgen.org Associate Board Member - Oklahoma Genealogical Society - http://www.okgensoc.org/ Board Member - OKOLHA - http://www.okolha.net LO for 82 mail lists. 33 State-Ghost Towns / 21 Oklahoma- / 13 Family Surnames / 15 Miscellaneous

Al's family settled in the Iowa Territory west of what is now Oskaloosa in 1843. As the original prairie was cleared extensive deposits of coal were discovered throughout Mahaska, Marion and Monroe counties. Coal mining quickly became a major source of revenue as railroads expanded (over fifty mines were eventually developed throughout the area with one shaft placed within a hundred yards of the house where Al was born). Over time, hundreds of miners came to the area - mostly Irish, German and English with some Dutch and Cornish, according to local history. "Coal camps" were established around some of the larger mines complete with company stores, miner's cabins, saloons and brothels. It's likely that Al and his brothers had close contact with miners from an early age, probably helping Dan, their father, in his work and possibly working in and around saloons in the area. It's possible Al got his start as a saloon owner with experience picked up in the Mahaska County coal camps of the 1860's. While there's no clear proof of this, there is a hint of Al's connection to the Iowa camps. One of the larger camps (now a ghost town) was also one of the closest to his home, and it shares its name with an early Deadwood saloon. The original Crickett coal camp (later the town of Cricket, Iowa) may well be the namesake of Al's first Deadwood venture, the Cricket Saloon. While Cricket is not on many maps, it can generally be found on most versions of the Street Atlas PC-based mapping program (look in Mahaska County southwest of Oskaloosa). by ASwearingen at 07/12/2006 9:25 PM" May you live to be a hundred, with an extra year to repent! Irish proverb ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Berkheiser" <reberkheiser@earthlink.net> To: <IA-GHOSTTOWNS@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 5:50 PM Subject: [IA-GHOSTTOWNS] The Town of Cricket > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Larry Schulenberg > To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com > Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 12:11 AM > > > I'm looking for information about Cricket.a coal mining camp in the early 1900s. My mother Flora Chiri was born there. > > > > Patricia A. Schulenberg > > 1812 Avenue G > > Council Bluffs, IA 51501 > > 712-322-2418 > > lschu@cox.net > ==== IA-GHOSTTOWNS Mailing List ==== > IA-GHOSTTOWNS@rootsweb.com > > To contact the List Administrator: > Rick Berkheiser, IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to IA-GHOSTTOWNS-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.6/1403 - Release Date: 4/29/08 7:26 AM > -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 124 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

Can't find anything on Cricket but in 1915 the Chiri family is in Bluff Creek twp. in Monroe co. Italian born Pete Chiri is a coal miner. Ancestry's Ia state census records can be hard to deal with. They are on separate index cards. While the rest of the family was indexed as Chiri, 7 y/o Flora was indexed as CHIST. The 1920 federal and 1925 state has them in Pleasant twp. in Lucas co.1920 indexed as CHERRY[CHEONG] and 1925 as Chiri. Dick May you live to be a hundred, with an extra year to repent! Irish proverb ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Berkheiser" <reberkheiser@earthlink.net> To: <IA-GHOSTTOWNS@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 5:50 PM Subject: [IA-GHOSTTOWNS] The Town of Cricket > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Larry Schulenberg > To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com > Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 12:11 AM > > > I'm looking for information about Cricket.a coal mining camp in the early 1900s. My mother Flora Chiri was born there. > -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 124 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

----- Original Message ----- From: Larry Schulenberg To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 12:11 AM I'm looking for information about Cricket.a coal mining camp in the early 1900s. My mother Flora Chiri was born there. Patricia A. Schulenberg 1812 Avenue G Council Bluffs, IA 51501 712-322-2418 lschu@cox.net

I was born and raised in a rural area Known as Vilmar in Butler county, Iowa. Vilmar had apost office from Jan 01, 1900 until feb 29, 1904. If anybody had a cover postmarked during this period of time U would appreciate knowing about it. Larry Voigts Box 835 Clarksville, Iowa, 50619

<The renowned "Smith's Mill" was situated on Long Dick's Creek, very near the interior center of section 18, township 85, range 23. For a full and amusing description of it see Ballard's account given in his "Early History of Howard and Lafayette Township."> >From the "History of Story county" authored by W.G. Allen, pg 387. But keep in mind, information in an obit is only as good as the knowledge of the individual reporting the information. I think there was also a Smith's Mill in Mn. The 1930 census for Bloomington twp, Hennepin co., NARA film pg 27B.has a household of E.M. & Elizabeth Fisher. both born Mn. Children born Mn being David 9,and Venona 7. Wayne 5 and Josephine 10/12, both Iowa. I found Story co. info from a Google search, "Smith's Mill" + iowa . Dick May you live to be a hundred, with an extra year to repent! Irish proverb ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Berkheiser" <reberkheiser@earthlink.net> To: "Leona Buchmayer" <june1887@earthlink.net>; <IA-GHOSTTOWNS@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 7:58 PM Subject: [IA-GHOSTTOWNS] Smith's Mill, Iowa > Hi again; > > My apologies. This one got buried in my Inbox. I'm copying this to the Ghost towns List. > > Rick B > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Leona Buchmayer > To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com > Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 12:56 PM > Subject: Smith's Mill, Iowa > > > Looking for a town listed in obit. Venona Fisher/ Fischer (spelling) was > listed as being born in 1922 in Smiths Mill, Iowa and married Charles > Reimer in Minnesota. Can't find Smith's Mill and don't know if that is a > missprint or town no longer in existence. I thought it might be > Smithsville instead of mill . Couldn't find anything close. I do not > know what county.. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 36 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

Hi again; My apologies. This one got buried in my Inbox. I'm copying this to the Ghost towns List. Rick B ----- Original Message ----- From: Leona Buchmayer To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com Sent: Tuesday, February 12, 2008 12:56 PM Subject: Smith's Mill, Iowa Looking for a town listed in obit. Venona Fisher/ Fischer (spelling) was listed as being born in 1922 in Smiths Mill, Iowa and married Charles Reimer in Minnesota. Can't find Smith's Mill and don't know if that is a missprint or town no longer in existence. I thought it might be Smithsville instead of mill . Couldn't find anything close. I do not know what county..

----- Original Message ----- From: KKCS@aol.com To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 11:29 AM Subject: Lacona, Iowa Where was Lacona, IA. located? Thank you! Kaye -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It's Tax Time! Get tips, forms and advice on AOL Money & Finance.

Lacona was in White Breast twp. in Warren county. Go to www.skcensus.com click on a state, then county. Will give you a twp. map for that county. Dick May you live to be a hundred, with an extra year to repent! Irish proverb ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Berkheiser" <reberkheiser@earthlink.net> To: <IA-GHOSTTOWNS@rootsweb.com>; <KKCS@aol.com> Sent: Friday, March 07, 2008 7:33 AM Subject: [IA-GHOSTTOWNS] Lacona, Iowa > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: KKCS@aol.com > To: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-admin@rootsweb.com > Sent: Thursday, March 06, 2008 11:29 AM > Subject: Lacona, Iowa > > > Where was Lacona, IA. located? Thank you! Kaye -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 29 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

Will the default return mail un-sub me? May you live to be a hundred, with an extra year to repent! Irish proverb ---------------------------------------- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users. It has removed 810 spam emails to date. Paying users do not have this message in their emails. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len

Hello everyone. I just received notice from RootsWeb concerning updates that will start next week. As some of you may know, they have been advertising updates to the Message Boards all summer. In addition, the Mailing Lists will be moved to a new management system. What does that mean to list subscribers? For the most part, very little. The main points are: 1. Your current subscription(s) will automatically transfer to the new system so there will be no need to re-subscribe to your list(s). 2. Digest subscribers will notice a small difference in the layout, volume and issue numbers of the list digests. 3. The "-L" is being dropped from the "official" list name. You may have to adjust your spam filters or put the new address on your "accept" list to prevent it from being caught in your "junk" folder. 4. You will still be able to use the "L" address to send messages to the mailing list OR you can drop the "L". The "official" list address will be: IA-GHOSTTOWNS@rootsweb.com 5. The Message Boards will be updated first followed by the Mailing lists. Once the Board updates are launched, the gateway will not work until the mailing list is also updated. So I don't think we'll get those messages sent to the list for a few days (please note, this is my opinion and not official word from RootsWeb). At least **I hope** it will only be for a few days. 6. Last, but not least: The new management system does not support the same e-mail address being subscribed to *both* the regular (L) delivery and the digest (D) at the same time. If you are currently subscribed to both, you will continue to be subscribed to the regular delivery when the list is moved. The only way around this is to subscribe to the digest from a *different* mailing address. The list is scheduled for update on August 17th, but please don't hold me to that!! In my experience, any time a company talks about "updates" there can be, and frequently are, unforeseen circumstances... If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them, or find the answer. Cordially, Jackie Wilson Goddard List "Mom" -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.10.9 - Release Date: 8/10/2006

Dear List, I believe all RootsWeb users need to be aware of this. The RootsWeb Help Desk http://helpdesk.rootsweb.com/ has posted a notice that e-mails are being circulated with a fake return address for "RootsWeb Abuse Department". Please use the above link to read the entire notice. If you should receive something of this nature, *DO NOT* click on the link in the bogus e-mail as it is an infected web-site. Should you wish to discuss this, please e-mail me privately. Thank you. Cordially, Jackie Wilson Goddard List admin -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.392 / Virus Database: 268.5.4 - Release Date: 5/4/2006

A list subscriber e-mailed me directly about my previous message & I tried to reply but received the following error: "mail relay to xxxx@devtex.net prohibited, please authenticate or set up relaying". I have no other way to reply to you (please let me know what I need to "authenticate" - unless it is registering at some anti-spam web-site). Jackie -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.1 - Release Date: 3/9/2006

Hello List Members, Although the list is very quiet, I thought I'd take the opportunity to share this information. John Fuller’s Genealogy Resources on the Internet contains a listing with descriptions of genealogical mailing lists. It is located at <http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html>http://www.rootsweb.com/~jfuller/gen_mail.html Need a list of mailing lists you’re subscribed to? Go to <http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com>http://passwordcentral.rootsweb.com/ After filling in your e-mail address, you will received an e-mail of your lists. This e-mail will have instructions on how to unsubscribe. If you would like to visit the Archived messages of this list (or any Rootsweb list), go to <http://archiver.rootsweb.com>http://archiver.rootsweb.com/ and type in the name of the list you would like to search and from there you can search by dates. (Hint: USA county lists all follow the same naming pattern: two letter state abbreviation followed by the first 6 letters of the county name. Anderson Co., Kansas is KSANDERS) There are a few items I would like to suggest for the benefit of each of us. 1. SUBJECTS: Please include a descriptive subject in the subject line when you send a message to the list. Doing this is extremely helpful when browsing the archives, but it will also give you a better chance to attracting the attention of someone who has the information you are looking for. Consider which of the following subjects would draw your attention: “My Ancestors” or “John and Naomi (DOE) ATKINS in Thomas Co., Kansas”. 2. SURNAMES: Putting surnames in CAPS helps the surnames to stand out so readers can easily identify the people you are researching. Also, please remember that TYPING IN ALL CAPS IS THE EQUIVALENT OF YELLING (in “netiquette” any way). 3. REPLIES: When replying to a previous message, try to delete (snip and clip) unnecessary words from the previous message (such as headers and tag-lines). A message that has been replied to 3-4 times gets quite large and can cause problems for those who have limited e-mail storage. Also, remember all messages go to the archives as they are sent. No one edits out the duplication… So that first message might be repeated several times in the archives. Also, when replying, it’s alright to leave the same Subject UNLESS you receive the list in Digest mode. A subject of “RE: KSGRAHAM Digest V03 #28” is not very informative, is it? 4. SIGNATURES: If you usually sign a message with a signature line, please turn it off when sending a message to the list, particularly if the tagline includes surnames. This will reduce the number of “false hits” for someone using the Archives Search feature. 5. ATTACHMENTS: Attachments are not allowed on any Rootsweb mailing list to protect everyone from virus’. If you receive a message that LOOKS like it is from a list but it has an attachment, it is probably a virus in which the From address was faked. (A secondary reminder here: for your own protection, keep your anti-virus up-to-date.) 6. NO-NO’s: Virus warnings, chain letters, political messages and spam. We all get enough of those as is, don’t we? Because our “gateway” from the message board is open, when a spammer hits the board it will also hit the list. JUST DELETE IT. There is nothing any of us can do about it (and it will be deleted from the board). If you have any questions, feel free to e-mail me directly at the address below. Jackie Wilson Goddard List “Mom” jaws64@comlinkusa.net -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 268.2.1 - Release Date: 3/9/2006

There is a short list of user contributed ghost towns in Iowa on this site: http://www.ghosttowns.com/ Click on "Click on map to select state", then on the state of Iowa. When the map of Iowa is loaded scroll down below it to see the list of Iowa ghost towns. Sometimes the map reference (what part of the state the town was in) is incorrect, but the County is listed on the town page to help locate it. Having the data submitted by users means the submitter has probably been to the town and gives a little bit of its history, if known, and driving directions. Jackie -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.9.0 - Release Date: 7/16/2005

Hi all, I subscribe because I thought this might be an interesting site. I didn't know how many ghosttowns there are in Iowa, but was interested in finding out. Cheryl Cedar Rapids, Iowa ----- Original Message ----- From: <IA-GHOSTTOWNS-D-request@rootsweb.com> To: <IA-GHOSTTOWNS-D@rootsweb.com> Sent: Monday, July 11, 2005 12:00 PM Subject: IA-GHOSTTOWNS-D Digest V05 #1

The Iowa ghosttown I am most interested in is Nordland, which was in Worth Co. during the late 1800s. Any info or stories would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, CA in TX ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jackie Wilson Goddard" <jaws64@comlinkusa.net> To: <IA-GHOSTTOWNS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Sunday, July 10, 2005 11:29 AM Subject: [IA-GHOSTTOWNS] Hello from new list mom > Hello listers, > > I recently took over as list mom and thought I'd introduce myself. In > addition to the Iowa Ghost towns list, I admin about 20 other "quiet" > lists as well as several message boards. I have to admit, I don't live in > Iowa and I don't have any special knowledge regarding IA ghost towns, just > a keen interest in ghost towns in general. > > This list currently has over 30 subscribers so why don't we all introduce > ourselves? > > Jackie > >

Hi Jackie, Welcome I am Carolyn from Oklahoma