ETTA IMOGENE SUMMERS, (1865 - 1937): The family Bible of J. R. Kinney, records that Etta Imogene Summers was born on Oct. 19, 1865 in Decatur City, Decatur Co., Iowa. She was the daughter of James Harvey Summers and Sarah Marian Hisey. James had just returned from the Civil War where he had served both the States of Iowa and Kansas. In the 1870 Census the family appears in Decatur Twp., Decatur Co., Iowa. "Marrell's History of Mitchell Co. Kansas" says that the Summers family moved to Mitchell Co. in 1878. James bought land in Bloomfield Twp. where they appear in the 1880 Census. Etta was 19 when she married Joseph Richmond Kinney on Aug. 17, 1884, at her father's place. She moved around quite a bit with her husband, from Kansas to Nebraska and various places in Kansas, including Beloit. She had 7 children in the two states. One child, Clair Richmond Kinney, is recorded as dying in Scott's Bluff, Nebraska. Etta's mother died on Feb. 16, 1900 of stomach cancer. Her father then married his fourth wife, Ellen Sorick. Ellen was on her second husband and would have one more after. James did not survive this marriage long and died of..."stomach trouble"on Jan 12, 1902. There appeared to be some legal problems between Ellen and James' children including Etta. Ellen had James original will thrown out and received a more favorable outcome. To me it doesn't seem a coincidence that the family moved west to Washington State in 1903. I am not sure which member of the Kinney family went west first but they seemed to flock to Cashmere in Chelan Co. Washington. Mostly they took part in the Apple Orchard business. Etta lost her daughter, Myrtle, when her clothes caught fire while playing with matches. Etta wrapped Myrtle in a quilt to put out the flames but she died of her burns. This was in 1906, two years later she had her final child, a son named Roy. In May of 1907 a neice came to visit Etta, and stayed much of the summer with Etta and her family. Her name was Margarette Thompson, the daughter of Etta's sister, Minnie Thompson. In the middle of August Margarette prepared to return to Kansas by train. She stayed in a small hotel in Cashmere near the train station. She was found dead the next day in her room where she had poisoned herself. She left a note but didn't say why, only that she wanted her body to remain in Cashmere. Her wish was not granted and Etta accompanied the body back to Kansas. A researcher of the Summers family once asked me if my family knew anything about this mystery. I could only say that it had been completely forgotten by my family. Articles were written about this tragedy in the Cashmere and Beloit newspapers. As Etta grew older she cooked meals for various people including her future son-in-law, Frederick C. Scaman. Fred married Etta's daughter Hallie in 1911. She cooked for a rancher on the Sterling ranch. Etta's husband, J. R. Kinney, died of a stroke in 1931. Etta herself died on May 22, 1937. She was buried alongside her husband and daughter Myrtle, in the Cashmere Cemetery. My grandmother Marjorie was very fond of her grandma Etta. -Mark Vernon Seattle, Wa