If anyone is interested, James has added the 1910 Census for Morgan Twp., Decatur Co., Iowa to his website. You can find it at the link below. Stacey, I've posted the 1910 census for Morgan twp. You might want to check this out and pass it on to others on the Decatur Co list. _http://home.att.net/~jlp1/census/morgantwp1910.htm_ (http://home.att.net/~jlp1/census/morgantwp1910.htm) Thanks James

That gave me the best laugh I've had today. I sent it to my daughter-in-law as a suggestion, since she's "doing" Christmas this year. EEEUUW. -----Original Message----- From: Sherry Balow [mailto:balowmsg@earthlink.net] Sent: Sunday, December 12, 2004 4:04 PM To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [IADECATU] Antique Recipes for Christmas Sharing I don't think a request has gone out for these yet, but looking through some family stuff my sister ran across this 1889 recipe that my Great-Great-Great-Grandma Bullard had apparantly passed on to my Great-Grandmother Price, her grand-daughter. I know there's been discussion about posting old recipes so, since it's quiet in Cyberland I thought I'd start the contributions with this one for roast little pig. I don't remember EVER having pork at Christmas, but I guess tradition starts somewhere. Enjoy.... ROAST LITTLE PIG (1889) The little pig should be about three weeks old. Draw and scrape it, clean well. Cover the point of a skewer with a piece of soft cloth, and work the wooden skewer in the ears to clean them. Clean the nostrils in the same way, also the vent of the tail. (If squeamish have the man of the house do it!) Scrape the tongue, lips and gums with a sharp knife, wipe them with a soft cloth and take out the eyes. Wash the pig well with plenty of cold water, wipe dry, and rub a tablespoon of salt inside the pig. Make a nice stuffing of three pints soft bread crumbs, three tablespoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of powdered sage, three tablespoons of fresh sweet butter and three tablespoons of finely chopped onion. Mix all together, first rubbing the butter into the crumbs, then adding the seasoning. Fill the body with the stuffing. Press the fore feet forward and hind feet backward, and skewer them to position. Force the mouth open and place a small flock of wood between the teeth. Butter two sheets of paper and pin them about the ears. Sprinkle the pig with salt, rub all over with soft butter, and dredge with flour. Then place it in a roasting pan and cook at least three-and-a-half hours. Baste every fifteen minutes with butter or salad oil, sprinkle with salt and flour after each basting. Water should not be used if the surface of the meat is desired crisp. Remove the paper from the ears the last half hour. When ready to serve, remove the block of wood from the mouth, inserting a small ear of corn or a small lemon. Serve apple sauce with this dish. In carving the roast pig, the head is cut off first, the meat split down the back, the hams and shoulders taken off and the ribs separated. A portion of dressing is served each person. Apple Dressing for Roast Little Pig: Pare and cut into quarters about eight large, greening apples, remove the core; place the apples in a large kettle over the fire; add one cupful of water and cook till tender, but not broken. Then remove; when cold, add flour, four ounces of bakers white bread picked into small pieces, without the brown crust; dry five minutes in the stove; add one-and-one-half tablespoons powdered loaf sugar, one-half ounce sweet butter, a little lemon juice and two eggs. Mix well together. Heat until thickened. Use as a dressing or sauce. Sherry Balow balowmsg@earthlink.net ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx

Hi, List, Here's a recipe from my grandmother, Ella Duffield Petticord (1881-1959) for sugar cookies. They can be sugared or frosted, and sound great for Christmas. My mother just sent me the recipe, and I'm itching to try it; Grandma Petticord's Crisp Sugar Cookies 1/2 cup shortening (half butter and half Crisco) 1 cup sugar Pinch of salt 2 eggs 2 Tbs. sweet milk 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp. soda 1 tsp. vanilla Flour to make dough stiff enough to roll. (at least 3 cups) Roll thin and bake in a hot oven. (400 degrees)

OK--maybe the "farm girl" in me was lost growing up in So. Cal., but any of you that got past "three weeks" in my previous post are better men than I am. :-) Sherry Balow balowmsg@earthlink.net

I don't think a request has gone out for these yet, but looking through some family stuff my sister ran across this 1889 recipe that my Great-Great-Great-Grandma Bullard had apparantly passed on to my Great-Grandmother Price, her grand-daughter. I know there's been discussion about posting old recipes so, since it's quiet in Cyberland I thought I'd start the contributions with this one for roast little pig. I don't remember EVER having pork at Christmas, but I guess tradition starts somewhere. Enjoy.... ROAST LITTLE PIG (1889) The little pig should be about three weeks old. Draw and scrape it, clean well. Cover the point of a skewer with a piece of soft cloth, and work the wooden skewer in the ears to clean them. Clean the nostrils in the same way, also the vent of the tail. (If squeamish have the man of the house do it!) Scrape the tongue, lips and gums with a sharp knife, wipe them with a soft cloth and take out the eyes. Wash the pig well with plenty of cold water, wipe dry, and rub a tablespoon of salt inside the pig. Make a nice stuffing of three pints soft bread crumbs, three tablespoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of powdered sage, three tablespoons of fresh sweet butter and three tablespoons of finely chopped onion. Mix all together, first rubbing the butter into the crumbs, then adding the seasoning. Fill the body with the stuffing. Press the fore feet forward and hind feet backward, and skewer them to position. Force the mouth open and place a small flock of wood between the teeth. Butter two sheets of paper and pin them about the ears. Sprinkle the pig with salt, rub all over with soft butter, and dredge with flour. Then place it in a roasting pan and cook at least three-and-a-half hours. Baste every fifteen minutes with butter or salad oil, sprinkle with salt and flour after each basting. Water should not be used if the surface of the meat is desired crisp. Remove the paper from the ears the last half hour. When ready to serve, remove the block of wood from the mouth, inserting a small ear of corn or a small lemon. Serve apple sauce with this dish. In carving the roast pig, the head is cut off first, the meat split down the back, the hams and shoulders taken off and the ribs separated. A portion of dressing is served each person. Apple Dressing for Roast Little Pig: Pare and cut into quarters about eight large, greening apples, remove the core; place the apples in a large kettle over the fire; add one cupful of water and cook till tender, but not broken. Then remove; when cold, add flour, four ounces of bakers white bread picked into small pieces, without the brown crust; dry five minutes in the stove; add one-and-one-half tablespoons powdered loaf sugar, one-half ounce sweet butter, a little lemon juice and two eggs. Mix well together. Heat until thickened. Use as a dressing or sauce. Sherry Balow balowmsg@earthlink.net

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, April 4, 1907 ROBERT ROBERTS was born June 2, 1872 in Johnson County, Tenn., and died at the home of his mother, in Chariton, April 2, 1907, of tuberculosis. He has resided in this city a number of years. He leaves an aged mother, four brothers, one sister, and five children to mourn his departure. Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Palmer at the home Wednesday at 2 o clock. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert December 10, 2004 iggy29@rnetinc.net

lol I too say pert neert. :-) I don't know if that is the Leonian coming out, or what. :-) I am just a youngin' but...I have a funny story....when I was little, me and the boys (my 5 cousins) spent LOTS of time at Grandma and Grandpa's farm, piddling around in the fields and timbers, and me being the only girl, if nature called, I just did what the boys did and kept on playing (only a "sissy" would walk 60+acres back to the house to do their business....) Anyway, my little brother (being about 18 years younger than me) wasn't old enough to remember the farm. We took him out fishing with us when he was about 10years old, and he..well, nature called. He said he had to go back to the house, and could not believe that you could just....make do. I guess that is the differnce between country and "city" kids. :-) I love listening to my grandpa talk about his younger days, and some of the words he says, I catch myself saying too...like when he talked about one of the baseball boys putting the mustard on the ball... K, I am starting to ramble.. back to Genealogy,. :-) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@rnetinc.net> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2005 10:39 AM Subject: [IADECATU] MAC's TERMINOLOGY??? > Hey Mac: What is ..."straight shot pert neert"????? I'm an Iowa girl, but > apparently in Mt. Pleasant (where the real people lived -- smiling!!!! > kidding!!!!) that terminology was not used. 'Pertineer' was part of our > vocab. though....... > Somehow, I think if I'd known you when you were a kid, I'd probably have > tried to reform you... ha..ha..ha.. > > Keep those stories comin' -- they're great.. While picking blackberries a > couple of years ago, I came face to face with a blue racer - in strike > position.. I simply said -- "Oh, I'm sorry", and got the "H" outta there... > What was I thinking??? > > I have more stories about being a 'town' girl and goin' to my Aunt Elsie & > Uncle Bob Upfield's farm near Weldon for 2 weeks every summer.. Needless to > say, I was introduced to things I would rather not have been... I'm out to > get my 3 mile walk in... Best Regards, Nancee > > Only had 9" of snow here in Indiana, and it's beautiful. Envision a 61 year old woman making snow angels in the front yard.. > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx >

Subject: Fwd:AN EARLY CHRISTMAS This is not my Christmas memory, but I think it is a great message to have on the web page, because it tells the story that many of our ancestors might have lived through. It was forwarded to me from someone in Texas, and I do not know the author. This is an exceptionally good piece. Take the time to read it. It's a little long but worth it... "Pa never had such compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving. It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible. After supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible. I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures. But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up again and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though, I was too busy wallowing in self-pity. Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see. We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do ! something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens. Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what. Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled. Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up this sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me. I wasn't happy. When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me." The high sideboards! It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on. After we had exchanged the sideboards, Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood---the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all Fall sawing into blocks and splitting. What was he doing? Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked. The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight. Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "Why?" "I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips. They're out of wood, Matt." That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him. We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand. "What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too. It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy." We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing. We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to saw into blocks and split before we could use it. We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy? Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us; it shouldn't have been our concern. We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door. We knocked. The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?" Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all. Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp. "We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children--sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully. She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said. He turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring in enough to last awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up." I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and as much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too. In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks with so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak. My heart swelled within me and a joy that I'd never known before, filled my soul. I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people. I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared. The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us." In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it. Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes. Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go. I could see that they missed their Pa, and I was glad that I still had mine. At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow. The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals. We'll be by to get you about eleven. It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell." I was the youngest. My two brothers and two sisters had all married and had moved away. Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will." Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said,"Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough. Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back cam by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that. But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do. Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children. I hope you understand." I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it. Now the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities. Pa had given me a lot more. He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, Whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood, I remembered, and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night. Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life."

Hi All, I will use this as my Christmas Greeting to you. I will be leaving Dec.18 to spend Christmas in WI with my son Edgar. It is always such fun to be in the beautiful Northwoods at Christmas time and always a joy to be able to attend Christmas Eve Service in the beautiful St Matthias Episcopal Church where Edgar is Rector. I continue to enjoy good health and remain active in church work, play bridge once a week and continue working on family history. May God Bless you and your famlies. Betty in Weldon, Decatur Co. Iowa I visited here today and thought that you would enjoy it too! - check this out at: http://wandascountryhomeholidays.com/ourhouse/index.html

Actually Jackie you no longer have to slow down on I 35 when you get to Iowa... They recently raised the speedlimit to 70. (It was 70 in May, I can't remember how long before May it was raised....) Which makes it SO much easier going from Missouri to Iowa. (of course, before if you were going 5 miles over the limit, they would give you a warning, but now, if they catch you going 75 you will get a ticket...{or that is what I was told}) Have a GREAT day! Stacy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jackie Goeken" <jackie2@ruraltel.net> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, December 09, 2005 11:28 PM Subject: Re: [IADECATU] Re: Snowy Day > I'd never heard of the nest of water moccasins either. I usually don't go > through KC on my way home to Decatur(that's where my moma lives now). I > take Highway 36 through St. Joe, MO. and then hit I 35 at Cameron, MO. > Still a nice drive either way. Of course you have to remember to slow down > on I 35 when ya git to Ioway! > Jackie > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <Hzltarr@aol.com> > To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, December 09, 2005 7:52 PM > Subject: Re: [IADECATU] Re: Snowy Day > > > > > > In a message dated 12/9/2005 5:57:11 P.M. US Mountain Standard Time, > > rmcclure@hot.rr.com writes: > > > > Of course that always gives me the > > opportunity to tell everyone in the car about the old bugaboo legend of > the > > kid that got bit to death by a nest of water moccasins in the Grand > > River.....I think we were all, at least the boys, were told that to keep > us > > out of there.....mac @ Killeen, Texas > > > > > > > > That's one I never heard. I can tell you first hand that there were > plenty > > of snakes on the banks of the Grand River. That was our favorite place > to > > gather wild flowers. It was our playground all summer and we saw many a > snake. > > In those years you had to have a fishing licence if you were over 16 and > > some of the boys would catch fish in the daytime, leave them on a > stringer and > > retrieve them after nightfall when the local game warden (our town > marshal , > > I think)was eating his supper. Betty and I carried home and fried many a > > fish those boys left there. > > In the winter more than once we climbed down inside the old water tower > > that used to be by the railroad tracks down by the river. We played on > the ice > > inside it. I shiver when I think how dangerous that was. > > Hazel > > > > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > > > ============================== > > Jumpstart your genealogy with OneWorldTree. Search not only for > > ancestors, but entire generations. Learn more: > > http://www.ancestry.com/s13972/rd.ashx > > > > > > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the > areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. > Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx >

The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa Thursday, April 4, 1907 MARY E., daughter of I. and M. KELLOGG, was born at Lyme, Conn., Sept. 27, 1841, and removed with her parents to Ellisville, Ill., in 1856, where she resided until her marriage to MR. R.E. EDMONSON in September, 1866. Shortly after this event MR. and MRS. EDMONSON came to Chariton and established for themselves a home. Here were born to them five children, four of whom and the father have passed on before her, leaving one son, E.J. EDMONSON, as her sole survivor. Since the death of her husband in 1895, she has spent much of the time with her two sisters, at Lynn, Conn., and Arlington, Iowa, and it was during her sojourn at the former place she was stricken with the fatal malady that has ended this mortal life. Her sister and niece were unremitting in care and devotion but as the disease progressed it was deemed best to remove her to a hospital at Middletown, Conn., for skillful care and treatment, but nothing could avail in her case and after weary weeks of suffering she entered into Heavenly rest on Saturday, March 30, 1907. MRS. EDMONSON was a woman of fine mind with high ideals of life, and was loyal and true to the principles which she believed to be right. Thus for thirty years she has been a faithful member of the Presbyterian Church of this city, and was an enthusiastic, intelligent member of the women's Christian Temperance Union, sitting in the last national convention of that body as one of the representatives of Iowa. She was cheerful, brave and helpful, winning friends wherever she went, and the final summons to "come up higher" found her ready and willing to go, for she felt that Heaven would indeed be home. During her illness she copied and sent her sister these lines: "Some day the web will all be done The shuttle silent in its place; And friends at setting of the sun Will come and look upon my face And say, mistakes she made though not a few, But worn perchance as best she knew." ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert December 8, 2004 iggy29@rnetinc.net

Hey, Nancee......come back to us!!! Getting your post was like old times when you were doing the Decatur papers! Gosh, it seems like a long time ago and you ARE missed!!!! Hope you have a blessed Christmas. Jan Lund genhelp@att.net ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert" <iggy29@rnetinc.net> To: <IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 08, 2004 5:45 PM Subject: [IADECATU] DEATH OF MARY E. (KELLOGG) EDMONSON > The Chariton Leader, Chariton, Iowa > Thursday, April 4, 1907 > > MARY E., daughter of I. and M. KELLOGG, was born at Lyme, Conn., Sept. 27, > 1841, and removed with her parents to Ellisville, Ill., in 1856, where she > resided until her marriage to MR. R.E. EDMONSON in September, 1866. > Shortly > after this event MR. and MRS. EDMONSON came to Chariton and established > for > themselves a home. Here were born to them five children, four of whom and > the father have passed on before her, leaving one son, E.J. EDMONSON, as > her > sole survivor. Since the death of her husband in 1895, she has spent much > of the time with her two sisters, at Lynn, Conn., and Arlington, Iowa, and > it was during her sojourn at the former place she was stricken with the > fatal malady that has ended this mortal life. > > Her sister and niece were unremitting in care and devotion but as the > disease progressed it was deemed best to remove her to a hospital at > Middletown, Conn., for skillful care and treatment, but nothing could > avail > in her case and after weary weeks of suffering she entered into Heavenly > rest on Saturday, March 30, 1907. MRS. EDMONSON was a woman of fine mind > with high ideals of life, and was loyal and true to the principles which > she > believed to be right. Thus for thirty years she has been a faithful > member > of the Presbyterian Church of this city, and was an enthusiastic, > intelligent member of the women's Christian Temperance Union, sitting in > the > last national convention of that body as one of the representatives of > Iowa. > She was cheerful, brave and helpful, winning friends wherever she went, > and > the final summons to "come up higher" found her ready and willing to go, > for > she felt that Heaven would indeed be home. During her illness she copied > and sent her sister these lines: > > "Some day the web will all be done > The shuttle silent in its place; > And friends at setting of the sun > Will come and look upon my face > And say, mistakes she made though not a few, > But worn perchance as best she knew." > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert > December 8, 2004 > iggy29@rnetinc.net > > > ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== > Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, > Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - > http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu > > ============================== > Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the > last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx > >

Someone wrote that his/her ancestor had enlisted in the 5th KS Calvary in the Civil War. That person also mentioned that the ancestor joined in Mercer Co., MO. I live in Mercer Co., MO and happen to have all the members of two lettered companies of the 5th KS and yes, there was a unit made up of Mercer Co., Harrison, Co. , both in MO, and Decatur Co., IA men I have one of those in my home and the other company list is at our local library. I'll try to get those on the site this new week. A recruiter came to Mercer Co. as they were having so much problem in KS with Confederate raiders and life was so uncertain, that KS enlisted men from both MO and IA. I don't know exactly why the three counties mentioned were the ones involved other than no Confederate was even allowed to set foot in any of these counties, according to the older histories. I don't know about Iowa, but in Mercer Co., MO, each of the nine townships here had a company of "Home Guards" to protect the citizens from Confederate marauders and to help keep MO in the Union as the governor, at that time, was a Southern sympathizer and tried to get MO out of the Union. One of my great-grandfathers was a Home Guard here and two of the others fought with the Union during the war. One of these great-grandfathers was on Sherman's March to the Sea and the stories he told about that March were enough to "curl your toes." They literally, totally destroyed a mile-wide strip all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. His most harrowing experiences were in the swamps of Georgia. This same great-grandfather served from Iowa, although he lived in Putnam Co., MO, at the time, as Iowa paid their volunteers more than Missouri did. Jennie (Barnett) Vertrees

Sorry Jack, meant to send this to the list. In a message dated 12/5/2004 9:33:47 AM US Mountain Standard Time, jscott@parkspringscommunities.com writes: Why not the 48th Regmt from Iowa? We don't know but this message at least describes our puzzlement. . jack My husband's gr-grandfather served in an Illinois regiment. He inlisted from Story County, Iowa. There were several others from Iowa in that regiment, several from Madison County and they had reunions up until they all passed on. Maybe there wasn't an Iowa Reg. Hazel

JACK and all. I believe they enlisted/signed up at Mercer Co, Mo, (just across the Iowa line) and then went to Leavenworth, KS. Our Daniel SELLERS was in this same unit. marie, iowa -----Original Message----- From: jack scott [mailto:jscott@parkspringscommunities.com] Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 10:33 AM To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [IADECATU] The 5th Rgmt Kansas Vol Cavalry The information given by Mark Vernon of Seattle (shown below my entry) was of particular interest to me - and to other Sinco descendants. Here is a message from a cousin, Bob Riffenburgh posing the puzzle we have been unable to resolve. Columbus Sinco, of Decatur and Ringgold counties in Iowa joined the 5th Regiment of the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry in 1862. Why? Why Kansas? Why not the 48th Regmt from Iowa? We don't know but this message at least describes our puzzlement. . jack "Hey all, I found Columbus in the 1860 Census. He wasn't in Kansas as I thought but in Decatur Co., IA. He was in the Iowa Census index as Linco. He was living with a Walker family and next door was William and Elizabeth Bennett and next door to them was Jason and Lydia Bennett. Looks like he was working for the neighbor of an uncle? Or is the Walker or possibly Morris name have any family connections. Looks like the wife of James Walker, Susan, was married previously to a Morris and their children are with them. This is how it appeared in the census: pg 198 Decatur Co., High Point Twp 16 Aug 1860 Jason Bennett 50 Farmer Lydia " 46 Roland " 17 Hiram " 14 Samantha " 12 John M. " 6 John Garrison 20 Farmer William Bennett 27 Farmer Elizabeth " 23 Malinda " 5/12 James Walker 40 Farmer Susan " 37 Joseph W. " 4 Isabella " 11/12 Talleyrand Morris 17 Adelia " 15 Eliza " 12 Elizabeth " 10 Andrero " 8 Lucinda " 6 Columbus B. Sinco 19 Farmer The relationship area was not filled in on the census. I still can't figure why he joined a Kansas unit and joined the company a good 250 miles south of home. Do you suppose he was part of the outside population that went to "bleeding Kansas" just before the war? Most of those were going in to be able to vote, but was he voting age yet? He was in Decatur Co., IA in Aug. 1860, Fort Sumter was fired on in Apr. 1861, and he joins his 5th Kansas Cav. at Ft. Scott in Feb. 1862. I'll have to look into the Kansas statehood timing again. It was still listed as a Territory in the 1860 Census. What was he doing for that 18 months? If you read the unit history of the Kansas 5th Cav. you'll see a hint of mismanagement of the unit that was cleared up with new officers coincident with the date of Columbus' start date with the unit. How interesting! I'm not trying to say that Private Columbus Sinco was influential in the cleanup, but maybe something like others were discharged making room for him, which would lead to thinking he was a part of a trusted group with strong, known leanings toward the same way of thinking as the new officer corp. Or, maybe it's all coincidence. What do you think? Bob (the following from Mark Vernon) "When we left off, James H. Summers had just married his third wife, Sarah Marian Hisey, on April 2, 1861, in Decatur Co. Iowa. The Civil War was starting and James was a veteran of the Mexican War. This time he entered as an officer. The 5th Regiment of the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry was organized in July of 1861. The Muster Roll Cards show that James enrolled as a 1st Lieutenant on Aug. 12, 1861 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was promoted to Major on Sept. 10, 1861. The 5th Kansas operated in the Missouri theater of the early part of the War. At some point in the fall of 1861 James was severly injurred. His right arm was broken in several places, he claimed that he was struck on the arm by a confederate soldier using his rifle as a club. When the regiment settled into winter quarters at Fort Lincoln, the unit's morale crashed. Lt. Col. T. W. Scudder of the 5th recorded that, "...for a time it (the reg't) was commanded by Captain James Hunt, company E. He was relieved by MAJ! OR SOMERS. Lieutenant Colonel Powell Clayton assumed, in Febuary following, command. The regiment immediately began to improve under his able management. The notoriously incompetant field officers who have preceded him....had well nigh ruined the regiment...." I hope this incompetance didn't include James. However....James resigned his comission on March 16, 1862. I have a copy of the note where James' resignation was accepted. In July of 1862 James was still hanging around Fort Scott, Kansas. I have a copy of a letter from a major stating, "....J. H. Summers formerly Maj. KS 5th but now out of service, is imposing on you presenting himself as an officer now in service. If you are satisfied that he is acting ina manner unworthy of a gentleman or in any way annoying you or Com'd deal with him as you would deal with any imposter..." So James seemed to be in some kind of trouble, and the situation was more complicated than I shall ever know. Marrell's History of Mitchell Co. KS goes one further and says that James told a story that he was present at the Lawrence Massacre, but I don't see how that is possible. I think James went back to Iowa to recover. James' second daughter, Minnie B. Summers, was born on July 3, 1863. In 1864 James again joined the war, this time in service of Iowa. He enlisted as a Captain in the 48th Iowa Inf. Reg't. Co. C. on May 5, 1864. He is also recorded in the Adjutant General's Report, State of Iowa, also with a list of equipment he was responsible for. His regiment were refered to as "100 Day Men". It appears that they served at Rock Island, Illinois, a notorius Federal Camp for Confederate POWs. James was mustered out on Oct. 21, 1864 at Rock Island. I hope he was more than just a prison guard! His next daughter was Etta Imogene Summers, my great great grandmother, born on Oct. 19, 1865. A son named Orin L. Summers, variously called Orian, Orion, Orie and Ora, was born on Oct. 28, 1867. The family appears in the 1870 Census in Decatur Twp. Decatur Co. Iowa. An infant daughter named Hallie Summers is also shown, she died in infancy. My great grandmother, Hallie P. Kinney, was probably named aft! er her. More children followed. Theresa Summers was born in 1872 and another son, James Harvey Summers Jr. was born on July 6, 1874. In 1878 James decided to leave Iowa and go west. So he set his sights on Mitchell Co. Kansas in 1878." ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx

In a message dated 12/5/04 10:01:15 AM, EirikBlotOx@aol.com writes: >   Ellen is the final mystery in the life of James H. Summers. She went > on to marry one more time, and that husband didn't live very long either. > Ellen would spend the rest of her life furiously defending James Civil War > Pension > that she continued to receive. She left a huge paper trail of documents and > testimonies. > Sorry, I sent my earlier pension suggestion before receiving part two of the Summers story. You DO have a very interesting ancestor! Rick

In a message dated 12/5/04 8:33:47 AM, jscott@parkspringscommunities.com writes: > He is also recorded in the Adjutant General's Report, State of Iowa, also > with a list of equipment he was responsible for. His regiment were refered to > as "100 Day Men". It appears that they served at Rock Island, Illinois, a > notorius Federal Camp for Confederate POWs. James was mustered out on Oct. 21, > 1864 at Rock Island. I hope he was more than just a prison guard > Rock Island also was the site of a major arsenal (still in business in WW2), so perhaps James was part of a guard unit there, rather than the POW camp. As to why and when he was in Kansas rather than Iowa, have you seen his muster-in papers or any pension papers he or his widow may have submitted. I know you said he mustered in at Leavenworth, but those papers often also list place of actual residence. Pension files usually offer even more detail as to places of residence, marriage(s) and regimental travels. Such files might help fill in a few blanks. Rick

With the Civil War behind him, James H. Summers left Iowa and moved his family to Mitchell Co. Kansas. An account of this is written in "Marrell's History of Mitchell Co., KS" page 41. The account says that when the family first attended church in the Pleasant Valley area, the speaker was Rev. Kirkpatrick. He had been a military chaplain when James had served in Kansas during the War. They greeted each other fondly. James left Iowa with the Ben Brummage family and the two familes helped each other, they had very little money between them. James built a one story house that was partly a dugout. The Township was called Bloomfield. The 1880 Census records the family here, including James' next son, Alford Summers. Alford was born in May of 1880. It was about this time that James started to apply for his military pensions. His right arm had been broken early in the Civil War and must have been quite a disability. On March 1, 1882 a doctor examined him and wrote that James should be qualified for an invalid's pension. What he needed was the medical records of the 5th Kansas Cavalry. When he wrote to Washington D. C. for them he was told that no hospital records of his regiment were on file! The last child of James H. Summers was born on March 14, 1884. The daughter's name was Lela G. Summers. She died the next day. In 1886 James agian tried to get his unit's medical records and again they couldn't be found. Instead James applied for the Mexican War Survivor's Pension, and he got this in 1889. For this he was paid $8 a month. The same year James traveled to West Virginia for a special medical examination. It was found that besides having a crippled arm, his lower back was partly paralysed and his kidneys and urinary organs were affected. To back up his Mexican War pension he gathered testimonies from soldiers he had served with, during this same year. In 1891 James joined the G.A.R., Beloit Post No. 147, Dep't. of Kansas. In 1890 James again sought his Civil War Pension. Unable to get one for service in the 5th Kansas Cavalry, he was able to get one for his service in the 48th Iowa Infantry. This gave him a Pension of $12 a month. An Act of June 27, 1890 dropped James' short lived Mexican War Pension! In a form letter of Jan. 15, 1898 James had to send information about his three marriages to the Pension office. James stated that both of his former wives, Matilda Randall and Melissa Calvin, had died in Decatur City, Iowa. On Feb. 16, 1900, Sarah Marian Hisey, third wife of James H. Summers died of stomach cancer. She was buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Bloomfield Twp. They had moved away from Bloomfield and were living in Beloit at the time. In the 1900 Census James was shown as a widower. In his house lived his daughter Emma Summers-Petro and her family, and James' father-in-law, the 88 year old Alexander Hisey. James was not one to be single for long. The 65 year old James married the 46 year old widow, Ellen J. Sorick on Aug. 14, 1901, in Cloud Co. KS. The Beloit Gazette wrote, "...which ought to be mad - Summers or Summersett?", On Oct. 10, 1901 The Beloit Daily Call wrote that James was putting on airs and fixing up his place. Suddenly on Jan. 8, 1902 the Beloit Daily Call wrote that James was suffering from a severe attack of stomach trouble. Three days later another article was written that worried about his recovery. James died on Jan. 12, 1902. In a puzzling document certified by Dr. Mary J. Lobdell of Mitchell Co., the doctor states that James H. Summers died of "Stomach Trouble"...what is that? Obituaries for James were written in many newspapers. The G.A.R. gave him a nice funeral and he was buried next to his wife Sarah and daughter Lela. The children of James H. Summers battled a bit with Ellen over the will. Apparently she had had his previous will thrown out and had a new one written on James' death bed. Ellen is the final mystery in the life of James H. Summers. She went on to marry one more time, and that husband didn't live very long either. Ellen would spend the rest of her life furiously defending James Civil War Pension that she continued to receive. She left a huge paper trail of documents and testimonies. Some of them are misleading and some have outright lies. The most stunning one is that she used James' first daughter, Emma, as a source of testimony. Some years later she wrote the Pensions Dept. that Emma was deceased....she was really alive and well! Ellen had a woman friend that acted as her bulldog and threatened to use a certain congressman whenever Ellen's Pension was threatened with cancellation. Oh, well perhaps I am being to hard on Ellen. It is all very strange though. No question about it though, James Harvey Summers is one of my most interesting ancestors. Thanks to Scott Summers, Barbara Thompson and Marla Evert-Nye of the Mitchell County Historical Society for helping me with my research! -Mark Vernon Seattle, WA

Sometime, when you're over on the river, you may want to drop in at Rock Island. It's still very much in business and has a very interesting museum with great pictures of folks, both staff and prisoners, who were there during the civil war period.....mac ----- Original Message ----- From: KD6DKC@aol.com To: IADECATU-L@rootsweb.com Sent: Sunday, December 05, 2004 12:21 PM Subject: Re: [IADECATU] The 5th Rgmt Kansas Vol Cavalry In a message dated 12/5/04 8:33:47 AM, jscott@parkspringscommunities.com writes: > He is also recorded in the Adjutant General's Report, State of Iowa, also > with a list of equipment he was responsible for. His regiment were refered to > as "100 Day Men". It appears that they served at Rock Island, Illinois, a > notorius Federal Camp for Confederate POWs. James was mustered out on Oct. 21, > 1864 at Rock Island. I hope he was more than just a prison guard > Rock Island also was the site of a major arsenal (still in business in WW2), so perhaps James was part of a guard unit there, rather than the POW camp. As to why and when he was in Kansas rather than Iowa, have you seen his muster-in papers or any pension papers he or his widow may have submitted. I know you said he mustered in at Leavenworth, but those papers often also list place of actual residence. Pension files usually offer even more detail as to places of residence, marriage(s) and regimental travels. Such files might help fill in a few blanks. Rick ==== IADECATU Mailing List ==== Stacey Dietiker, Momdit@aol.com: Decatur County List Administrator, Website Coordinator, Decatur County IA Genweb - http://www.rootsweb.com/~iadecatu ============================== Search Family and Local Histories for stories about your family and the areas they lived. Over 85 million names added in the last 12 months. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13966/rd.ashx

The information given by Mark Vernon of Seattle (shown below my entry) was of particular interest to me - and to other Sinco descendants. Here is a message from a cousin, Bob Riffenburgh posing the puzzle we have been unable to resolve. Columbus Sinco, of Decatur and Ringgold counties in Iowa joined the 5th Regiment of the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry in 1862. Why? Why Kansas? Why not the 48th Regmt from Iowa? We don't know but this message at least describes our puzzlement. . jack "Hey all, I found Columbus in the 1860 Census. He wasn't in Kansas as I thought but in Decatur Co., IA. He was in the Iowa Census index as Linco. He was living with a Walker family and next door was William and Elizabeth Bennett and next door to them was Jason and Lydia Bennett. Looks like he was working for the neighbor of an uncle? Or is the Walker or possibly Morris name have any family connections. Looks like the wife of James Walker, Susan, was married previously to a Morris and their children are with them. This is how it appeared in the census: pg 198 Decatur Co., High Point Twp 16 Aug 1860 Jason Bennett 50 Farmer Lydia " 46 Roland " 17 Hiram " 14 Samantha " 12 John M. " 6 John Garrison 20 Farmer William Bennett 27 Farmer Elizabeth " 23 Malinda " 5/12 James Walker 40 Farmer Susan " 37 Joseph W. " 4 Isabella " 11/12 Talleyrand Morris 17 Adelia " 15 Eliza " 12 Elizabeth " 10 Andrero " 8 Lucinda " 6 Columbus B. Sinco 19 Farmer The relationship area was not filled in on the census. I still can't figure why he joined a Kansas unit and joined the company a good 250 miles south of home. Do you suppose he was part of the outside population that went to "bleeding Kansas" just before the war? Most of those were going in to be able to vote, but was he voting age yet? He was in Decatur Co., IA in Aug. 1860, Fort Sumter was fired on in Apr. 1861, and he joins his 5th Kansas Cav. at Ft. Scott in Feb. 1862. I'll have to look into the Kansas statehood timing again. It was still listed as a Territory in the 1860 Census. What was he doing for that 18 months? If you read the unit history of the Kansas 5th Cav. you'll see a hint of mismanagement of the unit that was cleared up with new officers coincident with the date of Columbus' start date with the unit. How interesting! I'm not trying to say that Private Columbus Sinco was influential in the cleanup, but maybe something like others were discharged making room for him, which would lead to thinking he was a part of a trusted group with strong, known leanings toward the same way of thinking as the new officer corp. Or, maybe it's all coincidence. What do you think? Bob (the following from Mark Vernon) "When we left off, James H. Summers had just married his third wife, Sarah Marian Hisey, on April 2, 1861, in Decatur Co. Iowa. The Civil War was starting and James was a veteran of the Mexican War. This time he entered as an officer. The 5th Regiment of the Kansas Volunteer Cavalry was organized in July of 1861. The Muster Roll Cards show that James enrolled as a 1st Lieutenant on Aug. 12, 1861 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He was promoted to Major on Sept. 10, 1861. The 5th Kansas operated in the Missouri theater of the early part of the War. At some point in the fall of 1861 James was severly injurred. His right arm was broken in several places, he claimed that he was struck on the arm by a confederate soldier using his rifle as a club. When the regiment settled into winter quarters at Fort Lincoln, the unit's morale crashed. Lt. Col. T. W. Scudder of the 5th recorded that, "...for a time it (the reg't) was commanded by Captain James Hunt, company E. He was relieved by MAJ! OR SOMERS. Lieutenant Colonel Powell Clayton assumed, in Febuary following, command. The regiment immediately began to improve under his able management. The notoriously incompetant field officers who have preceded him....had well nigh ruined the regiment...." I hope this incompetance didn't include James. However....James resigned his comission on March 16, 1862. I have a copy of the note where James' resignation was accepted. In July of 1862 James was still hanging around Fort Scott, Kansas. I have a copy of a letter from a major stating, "....J. H. Summers formerly Maj. KS 5th but now out of service, is imposing on you presenting himself as an officer now in service. If you are satisfied that he is acting ina manner unworthy of a gentleman or in any way annoying you or Com'd deal with him as you would deal with any imposter..." So James seemed to be in some kind of trouble, and the situation was more complicated than I shall ever know. Marrell's History of Mitchell Co. KS goes one further and says that James told a story that he was present at the Lawrence Massacre, but I don't see how that is possible. I think James went back to Iowa to recover. James' second daughter, Minnie B. Summers, was born on July 3, 1863. In 1864 James again joined the war, this time in service of Iowa. He enlisted as a Captain in the 48th Iowa Inf. Reg't. Co. C. on May 5, 1864. He is also recorded in the Adjutant General's Report, State of Iowa, also with a list of equipment he was responsible for. His regiment were refered to as "100 Day Men". It appears that they served at Rock Island, Illinois, a notorius Federal Camp for Confederate POWs. James was mustered out on Oct. 21, 1864 at Rock Island. I hope he was more than just a prison guard! His next daughter was Etta Imogene Summers, my great great grandmother, born on Oct. 19, 1865. A son named Orin L. Summers, variously called Orian, Orion, Orie and Ora, was born on Oct. 28, 1867. The family appears in the 1870 Census in Decatur Twp. Decatur Co. Iowa. An infant daughter named Hallie Summers is also shown, she died in infancy. My great grandmother, Hallie P. Kinney, was probably named aft! er her. More children followed. Theresa Summers was born in 1872 and another son, James Harvey Summers Jr. was born on July 6, 1874. In 1878 James decided to leave Iowa and go west. So he set his sights on Mitchell Co. Kansas in 1878."