This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: almadenmike Surnames: Whitman Hornbeck Ayres Davis Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.southdakota.counties.turner/437/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I am writing a history of a former resident of Centerville, South Dakota, and would like some help finding relevant local newspaper articles about him and his two wives. He is Chauncy Hira Whitman (my first cousin, three times removed), who was a pioneering businessman in Campbell, Calif., which is near my present home in San Jose. He was born in Omro, Wisconsin, in 1861,and lived in Minnesota (Ortonville: 1885 state census) before moving to Centerville, South Dakota. His first wife was Mary Moore Ayres (b. Andover, Henry County, Ill., December 5, 1845). She married first John F. Davis in 1868. In 1883, the family (incl three children: Mortimer F., George A., and Charlotte E.) moved to Centerville, and Mr. Davis died six years later. From 1889 to 1894, Mary Ayers Davis was Centerville postmistress. On January 20, 1895, she and C.H. Whitman were married at Oakdale, Nebraska, and they immediately left for San Jose, California, arriving January 26, 1895. In February they moved a short distance to the new town of Campbell. Was there any news articles about their sudden marriage and departure? How prominent and notable were Mr. Whitman and Mrs. Ayers in the Centerville community? Some of the Davis in-laws were in San Jose, so I suspect that is why they moved there. But I'd love to know more about that, too. In Campbell, Whitman set up the first hardware store -- it was profiled in the very first issue of the Campbell newspaper (June 7, 1895). He was prominent in all sorts of civic and business activities, eventually earning the nickname "Dean" ... as the dean of Campbell businessmen. His wife was active socially and in the Womens Christian Temperance Union and the local Baptist Church. Mary Whitman, who was 11 years older than her second husband) died March 10, 1925. The December 24, 1926, edition of the Campbell paper reported that Mr. Whitman had left on a business trip, with South Dakota as his destination. It turned out that in Centerville on Christmas Day (!!) he married Miss Lydia Hornbeck. The next week's Campbell paper printed three front page stories of the wedding that had been written by the Centerville Journal, Wakonda Monitor and the South Dakota Daily Argus Dealer. Unfortunately, the original Campbell paper that was microfilmed was torn and is missing several columns. I could only make out a fraction of these articles. I would love to receive full copies of them as they appeared in their original publications. Does anyone have access to these papers' archives, or microfilm ... or can tell me where they might be found online (I haven't found them in the online newspaper archives that I have checked.) The parts of the stories that I could read said Miss Hornbeck was an assistant at the post office for 25 years and was named editor of the Centerville Journal on Jan 1, 1924. She was described in another article as having a "scintillating intellect." I would also love to see any articles about Miss Hornbeck and/or her family ... and the community reaction to yet another Centerville woman being wooed by Chauncey Whitman and taken to California. :-) Many thanks for any info, assistance or tips. -- Mike in San Jose, Calif. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.