Me. Here. Right Now.: Johnathan Smull

Showing posts with label Johnathan Smull. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

More on Franklin Sylvester Smull

Time to update the suit?
Franklin Sylvester Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHON SMULL m Mary Jane Cooper > FRANKLIN SYLVESTER SMULL m Clarissa Belle "Clara" Orcutt

I talked about Franklin before, here. Now, we have a photo to go with the name. The sleeves on his suit made me chuckle. Looks like he had it for a while and grew a little.

Franklin seemed to be a typically law-abiding citizen, but like many farmers, had little side businesses going. In June of 1889, he was arrested by Deputy US Marshall Hopkins for bootlegging. Since no mention is later made of a jail sentence, he most likely lost his still and paid a fine.

Also located, thanks to one of my amazing cousins on the Smull/Cooper side, is a photo of Sylvester and a young Clarissa Belle "Clara" Orcutt, his bride on their wedding day. They were married in the Smull home by Justice M. Roberts on Feb 15, 1893. The Orcutts were a large and early pioneer family.

I followed Franklin through about 20 years of adulthood. He opened and closed multiple barber shops, farmed some summers on rented farms in Jackson and Bremer counties, and seemed to do what he could to raise his growing family. There was nothing exceptional in his life other than that he was a young man, with five children, who did his best to raise his family. His life was tragically cut short by illness at the age of 39.

Franklin and Clara Orcutt Smull on their Wedding Day

Ralph, Orle, Opal, baby Maude (Irma hadn't
arrived yet)

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Civil War in Stephenson County, Illinois

Battle of Fort Donelson

Franklin Boyd

I was recently going through some muster rolls for various Illinois Infantry Regiments and noticed that the bulk of our relatives served in one of two places: in the earlier part of the war, many of the family joined up with Co B, 46th Illinois Infantry. It was a kick-butt regiment that saw a lot of action. It fought at Ft Donelson, the Battle of Shiloh, and the Siege of Vicksburg, among other battles.

It was organized in 1861 at Camp Butler, Illinois and mustered out in January 1866 at Baton Rouge, La. The company was discharged two weeks later in early February 1866. The original 3-year enlistment of these men expired in 1864. The government asked them to voluntarily reenlist. It met with great success:

"With the initial three-year enlistment of the Regiment about to expire, the Government issued General Order number 191, relating to the re-enlisting of Veteran Volunteers. This was to be a voluntary re-enlistment, and with the enthusiastic support of the officers and noncoms, three-fourths of the 46th Illinois Volunteer Infantry signed up on January 4, 1864, for another three years or less, depending on how long the war was to last. The re-enlisted Regiment now numbered twenty officers and three hundred and thirty four enlisted men, who were embarked on a steamer headed north. They reached Freeport, Illinois on January 23, where they proudly marched through the town to a hall where the citizens gave them a big reception and dinner. After the festivities ended, they marched out to the fairgrounds west of town, where they were given a 30-day furlough.

Having made a name for itself, the 46th Illinois was able to attract new volunteers to join the ranks. Recruiting offices were set up in Lee, Ogle, Whiteside, and Stephenson counties, hoping to bring the Regiment back to full strength by the end of the leave. On March 2, 1864, the Regiment left Freeport with a total of nine hundred eighty-seven men, heading south." http://www.illinoiscivilwar.org/cw46-hist.html

Included in this bevy of soldiers from both the original group and the later additions were the following family members:

Private Franklin Boyd (married Elizabeth Beams Cooper, youngest daughter of William Lloyd & Elizabeth Beams Cooper)

Capt Robert Cooper
Private Amos J Cooper (son of John L. Cooper and Asenath Maples)
Captain Robert F Cooper (son of Chalkley Jared Cooper and Margaret Thompson)
Private George Washington Cooper (son of John L Cooper and Asenath Maples)
Private Jonathan E. Thompson (son of Robert Thompson and Susannah Gourley).
Private Robert Scott Thompson (son of Robert Thompson and Susannah Gourley. Two of their children married Coopers)
Private Peter Wagner (son of William Wagner, brother to Mary Waggoner, wife of Peter Smull)
Private Jacob N Kryder (brother-in-law to Catherine Smull, daughter of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner)
Private Jacob Lauck (brother-in-law to Emma Meyer Lauck, granddaughter of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner)

Another Thompson, Private John A. "Jack" Thompson, brother to Johnathan E. and Robert Scott Thompson, served in Co A of the 11th Illinois Infantry and died in battle at Fort Donelson in February 1862.

The other Stephenson County-heavy company with several family members, was Company E, 147th Illinois Infantry. It was organized late in the war, at the beginning of February 1865 and was mustered out in late January 1866 They had a brief fighting history and mostly engaged in minor skirmishes and engaged with guerrillas.

Sgt John Smull

Sgt Johnathan Smull (son of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner)
Private Samuel Smull (son of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner)
Private Barton Gourley Cooper (son of Chalkley Jared Cooper & Margaret Thompson)
Private Alfred Kaup (his daughter Minnie Kaup married Chalkley Jared "Jay" Cooper, Jr.)

Thursday, August 31, 2017

The Specter of a Killer: Typhoid Strikes the Williams Family

UNK SMULL > PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > SAIDEE SMULL m Curtis Williams

Minnesota State Fair, 1910

The general story of Saidee is told here. Tragically, Curtis died at age 36 of typhoid after an illness of several weeks. Curtis and Saidie had gotten married in 1903 with all good in front of them. His parents were Mary Ann Smith and John W. Williams.

Married - At the house of the bride's mother, Sept 9th, at 8 o'clock, Miss Sadie Smull to Mr Curtis Williams both of this place. The bride is one our best young ladies and the groom is a prosperous young farmer living a few miles north of town. They leave Thursday for Freeport, Chicago, and other points to be gone for about a week. They have the best wishes of a host of friends.
Waverly Republican Waverly Iowa
Thursday, September 10, 1903

Curtis

Their first child, Rosalie, was born in 1904. Their second, "Maudie," arrived in 1906. His mother died in September 1907 and the Williams' moved to his parents farm and his sister, Mrs.Rosa (Julian) Moine, moved to Curtis & Saidee's farm. In 1908, they swapped back. They got all settled in when poor Curtis, who had been dealing with a carbuncle on his hand, lost his wallet with nearly $20 while working in his fields which was a big deal, and it was never recovered.

In September 1909, the popular young couple were surprised with a party hosted by their many friends. Things were going very well. A year later, in September 1910, the young couple decided to go to the Minnesota State Fair. They returned in mid-September and by mid-October, Curtis, and then Saidee, were suffering from typhoid fever.

Whether it was contracted during their travel to/from the fair isn't known, but only four people in Iowa had come down with the disease that month, the Williams' being two.

After a several week struggle with the disease, the physician, Dr. Jay, and private nurse had no hope and Curtis died in the mid-morning on Tuesday, November 14, 1910. Saidee was so ill, the doctor and family did not want to further endanger her by telling her of his death. Saidee pulled through, but was unable to attend her husband's funeral.

Several months later, the farm was sold. Saidee would move to Denver, Iowa, in 1928.

Friday, June 30, 2017

Mystery Muddle: Who is John W "Johney" Smull of Centre & Stephenson County?

I believe John W. Smull is the "missing" son of Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. This has been a major ponderable in my studies. Without a birth or death certificate, it leaves some room for question, but I'm pretty sure I solved this particular mystery at last.

Who is John W. Smull of Centre County who moved to Stephenson County in 1870?

Records are sadly lacking with any specificity for the era 1800-1850. No names on census reports except the household head, no great newspaper items for rural areas, blah, blah.

Here's what I know:

The various census from 1820-1840 indicate that Peter and Mary had a dozen children. I was able to identify 11 and believe the missing child was a boy born between 1826-1830.

John W. Smull's middle initial stands for "Wagner." If he is Peter & Mary's child, he would be the first son of the union and Waggoner is Peter's wife's maiden name. Mary's father's name was John. Germans often named their children after someone specific - in this case, it would be his maternal grandfather John Waggoner.

Now, we know that John W. "Johney" Smull was born 30 Apr 1826 in Pennsylvania and as of the 1850 census, resided in Rebersburg. It is reported that in 1850, he married his wife, Amelia Kahl. They lived in Pennsylvania until 1867, when they are found in Illinois. They were the last of the Peter & Mary children to head west. In 1880, they are in Waddams, Stephenson County.

Click to enlarge

Peter's son, Peter L., is still a bit of a mystery and I don't know how he was with his children. When Peter L's son Oscar's first wife died, Oscar's son Archie went to live Ella & JW McDaniel - but that didn't work out so well. The three children and Oscar resided with "his cousin" Thomas N Smull, who is Thomas Newton Smull, son of John W. Smull. The children remained with TN Smull and his wife after Oscar's remarriage and are often confused with being TN Smull's children, when they are in fact, Oscar's by his first wife.

Johney's first son is named Myron Peter Smull. Peter would be Johney's father if my surmise is correct.

The only fly in the ointment is that Peter and Mary also had a son named Johnathan Smull, born in 1834 (my 2nd great grandfather). Would they have two such similarly named sons? German children often had three names at baptism and could have been called any of those names at any point in their lives. Hmm. Very curious. Johnathan (1834) is never referenced with a middle name nor middle initial. He was also referred to as Johnathan, not usually John or Johnny. Based on all of the German naming traditions and varied uses of their 3-name system, I would say it would be possible to have both a John and a Johnathan in the same family - especially if children were named after specific other people.

Johney died in McConnell, Stephenson County 04 Feb 1903. Amelia died 05 Oct 1907.

I'm calling it - this is indeed the last of the Peter Smull, Mary Waggoner children.

Monday, February 20, 2017

Smull Family Stories

Peter Smull, was one of three brothers of German descent who settled in Centre County, Pennsylvania in the early 1800s. Peter, a stone mason like brothers Henry and Jacob, eventually moved to Stephenson County, Illinois in the 1850s.

I believe I've confirmed these brothers were all children of Johan Peter Schmoll and Juliana Sarah Mueller.

FROM THE REST OF THE LINE

JESSE SMULL

Brothers Smull: Jesse Smull
Jesse Smull: Henry Bergey Smull
Jesse Smull Family: James Bergey Smull
Jesse Smull Family: John Francis Smull, DDS
James Bergey Smull Family: Judson Gray Smull, Jr.
James Bergey Smull Family: Jesse McGarvey Smull

WAGNER FAMILY

The Waggoner's of Centre County: William Wagner

William Joseph "Bill" Wagner, Professional Baseball Player

THE "OTHER" SMULL FAMILY

There is also a family of Smulls descended from Andrew Smull (1765-1818) who are often mixed in with "our" Smulls. While they followed a similar trajectory in pioneering, they are not from the same direct lineage. Still, some of them keep cropping up - and not in a good way.

The OTHER Smull Family, Pt 1 (Madam Della)
The OTHER Smull Family, Pt 2 (Robber Roy Smull)

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Johnathan Smull: Katie Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > KATHERINE MABEL SMULL m Edwin Smith

CLICK ON IMAGE TO INCREASE SIZE

Katie was born 27 Sep 1873 in Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois and came to Bradford,

Kate Smull Smith, 1940s

Chickasaw County, Iowa with her parents in 1876. Her father, Jonathan Smull, a Civl War veteran, died in 1885 on their farm. Mary Jane Cooper Smull, Kate's mother, moved the family to Plainfield, Bremer County, Iowa after his death - Plainfield is the next town over. She married Edwin Smith, son of William Custer Smith and Mary Ann Munson on 11 Jun 1890. Edwin was born 06 Jun 1869 outside of Plainfield on the family farm.

Unlike his father, he was not a farmer and did various manual labor jobs during his lifetime. He died of a heart attack on 10 Jan 1939 in Plainfield. Katie lived with daughter Evelyn until Evelyn and her husband, Marvin Ripley, a career Navy man, took a posting in Ohio as a recruiter. Kate lived on her own, then briefly with daughter Verlie, then, as was described by Evelyn's daughter, "Checked herself into a nursing home in Waverly." It was while there she suffered a stroke and died on 04 Mar 1956.

They had twelve children:

1. Marie Adaline "Mary" Smith. You can read about her here.

2. Harold Raymond Smith: Born 16 Aug 1893 in Chickasaw County, he married Edith Elizabeth

Young Harold Smith

Blum on 23 Dec 1915 in Allison, Butler County. Edith was the daughter of Carl Blum and Katie Halm in Illinois on 13 May 1896. Harold was a buttermaker who learned the trade at the old Plainfield Creamery at age 16. He went to Ceylon, Minnesota from 1916-1929 and then to Lotts Creek Creamery near Lone Rock, where they lived until 1930. "Ill health forced him to give up his occupation," according to his obit. He held various jobs in Plainfield until his retirement. They had five children. Harold died 23 Jul 1976 in Clarksville and Edith 13 Apr 1983 in Mason City.

3. Bernice Lorraine Smith: Pronounced, "Berniss," she was born 05 May 1896 in Plainfield. She married Andrew Jackson "Andy" Beckage on 14 Apr 1917 in Nashua, Chicasaw County. At that time, Bernice was working as an operator for the new telephone exchange in Plainfield. Andy was the son of John Beckage and Marie Moore and was born in Olyphant, Lackawanna, Pennsylvania on 09 Jan 1894. Andy worked for the Illinois Central railroad and had a good career with them, taking various postings across Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota before moving to Waverly. They had one daughter, Shirley, who married and moved to California. It was while returning from a visit to their daughter that Andy was struck with a heart attack at the Kansas City train station. He died there on 01 Aug 1947.

Bernice in California, late 1960s

One of the interesting things in researching Bernice is that I remember her ever-so-little from childhood. She went by Beckage and was buried a Beckage - yet, she had a second marriage that no one in the family discussed later. On 21 Aug 1948, she married Frank Holiday, of Orinoco, Minnesota. He was working as a cheesemaker for Hy-Grade Food Products in Plainfield. After their marriage, he quit his job, they packed up their stuff and sold their household goods, and moved to California to be near Bernice's daughter. By December, they had returned to Plainfield, he got his job back, and they moved into an apartment in Albina Boveia's house. They still visited California regularly.

The last joint reference in the newspaper to the pair was in early 1951. According to my uncle, Harold Ripley, he believed that they quietly divorced and that Frank remarried and returned to Minnesota.

Bernice lived until 20 Oct 1973, when she died in El Cajon, California. She had lived with her daughter for several years.

4. Madge Lucille Smith: Born 17 Jun 1898 in Plainfield. She married Glenn Wesley Scoles on 19 Apr 1920 in Waverly, Bremer County. He was the son of James Francis "Frank" Scoles and Ada Tracy, born 29 Feb 1896 in Pearl Rock, Chickasaw County. Glenn was a farmer. They had nine children, two of whom died in infancy. You can read about the life of one of their twins, who married a man who survived the sinking of the USS Arizona and subsequently died in a battle at sea, here. Glenn died in Nov 1953 and Madge 27 Feb 1977, both in Charles City, Floyd County.

5. Howard N Smith: Born 22 Jun 1900 in Plainfield. Married Gyneth Marie Boveia on 08 Jul 1921 in Floyd County. She was the daughter of Albert Boveia, born 17 Nov 1904 in Iowa City, Johnson County. Howard worked in the Plainfield area his entire life, the last 18 years working at Schield Bantam in Waverly. They made heavy equipment. Howard had four kids. He died 03 Aug 1977 in Waverly and she 15 Jan 1983 in Plainfield.

6. Grace Olive Smith: Grace was born 06 Aug 1902 in Plainfield. She married Jesse Gulick, son of

Grace's 80th

Steward Gulick and Sarah Jane "Julie" Parker, on 09 Feb 1920 in Waverly. Jesse was born 21 Jan 1896 in Iowa. I also remember Grace as being just that, full of grace. Kind, warm, and loving. When she was six months old she had the "grip" (flu), which she survived. At age 9, she fell at school and broke her foot, keeping her out of school for six weeks. Grace and Jesse moved to Mount Vernon to farm, putting her quite a distance from her large family. The Gulick's had two sons, one of whom had a son who is on the city council in Cedar Rapids. Grace died 10 Jun 1984 in Cedar Rapids and Jesse died 14 Dec 1989 in Vinton.

7. Nila Fern Smith: Born 15 Jan 1905 in Plainfield. Married Ralph Chester, son of Frank Chester and Anna Walter on 19 Dec 1923 in Waverly. They had one son, Lee, who married Lorraine Lynes of Plainfield. Ralph died 21 Nov 1976 in Plainfield and Nila on 06 Sep 1994.

Young Claude

8. Claude Erwin Smith: Born 15 Dec 1907 in Plainfield. He married Bertha Lucille "Lucille" Grapp on 11 May 1929 in Janesville, Iowa. She was born to William F Grapp and Augusta Mary Seiling on 14 Jan 1909 in Chickasaw County. Just two years previous to his marriage, Claude had taken a position in a drug store in Apple River, Illinois. Lucille worked at the telephone exchange as an operator in Plainfield. After his marriage, in 1931, he was working as a salesman at Boyd's Bargain Store, owned by Frank Boyd, another relative! The Smith's took various rooms and apartments for the first few years of their marriage. Claude became a mason, paper hanger, and carpenter for the remainder of his life. They belonged to the First Baptist Church in Plainfield. The couple had two daughters. Claude died 05 Feb 1981 in Waverly and Lucille died 31 Oct 1999 in Maynard, Fayette County.

9. Verlie Lynette Smith: Born 14 Mar 1910 in Plainfield. She married first Rasmus Theodore "Ted"

Young Verlie

Michaelsen of Cedar Falls on 06 Nov 1927. They had four children, all of whom were later adopted out when the marriage failed. You can read a little more about that here. The Michaelsen's in the early days of their marriage, lived in an apartment over the butcher shop in Nashua and then had a series of rented rooms and apartments, or houses as they added to their family, always trying to stay one step ahead of eviction. Verlie met Leo Linsey and they cohabitated as a married couple from about 1937, having three more children. The couple finally married in 1965, but separated in the late 1970s. Verlie died at Ravenwood Nursing Home, under the loving care of her granddaughter, who worked there, in Nov of 1986.

10. Vivian Katherine Smith: "Aunt Viv" as we all called her, was born 07 Jul 1912 in Plainfield. She married Leland Barr, born 02 Nov 1906 in Shell Rock, Bremer County, on 03 Jul 1938 in Plainfield. Leland was the son of William P Barr and Mabelle Hufstader. Leland died 13 Jan 1979. Vivien died 07 Dec 1986 in Wavery. They had no children, but were loved by all of their nieces and nephews. I'm going to do a separate post on Vivian.

11. Evelyn Joyce Smith: Born 25 Apr 1914 in Plainfield. Married Marvin Guy Ripley, son of Frank Ripley and Goldie Sperbeck of Charles City. He was born 15 Jan 1914 in Carrville, Floyd County. They had one daughter. Marvin, a career Navy man, died 16 Nov 1990 in Van Wert, Van Wert County, Ohio. Evelyn died 17 Dec 2002 in Convoy, Van Wert County, Ohio. I'm going to do a separate post on Evelyn.

12. Baby Boy Smith: Unknown date of birth/death. Died as infant.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Johnathan Smull: Florence Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > FLORENCE SMULL m Arthur Dwight Moore

Saidee, Florence, and Kate (seated) Smull

Florence was born 20 Jun 1883, in Bradford, Chickasaw County, Iowa. She married Arthur Dwight "A. D." Moore on 26 Apr 1906 in Plainfield, Bremer County. AD was the son of Alonzo "Lon" Moore and Louisa J. Peterson. Lon was a town marshall in Plainfield. He was asthmatic and died from complications of asthma.

AD Moore ran the corner grocery store in Plainfield until about 1945. The couple continued to live in the apartment over the store until Florence's death. A fire that ravaged downtown Plainfield in 1943 heat damaged the AD Moore building. AD was well-known in the community and a great booster for the town.

Florence died 19 Aug 1963. After her death, AD Moore moved to Fort Dodge where daughter Lois Beth Moore Lucken resided with her family. He died 23 Dec 1965 in Fort Dodge.

AD Moore and grandson

1. Lois Beth: Born 29 Dec 1912 in Plainfield. She graduated from Plainfield High School and Iowa State Teacher's College. She married James "Jim" Lucken on 20 Aug 1939 at the Little Brown Church, Nashua, Iowa. Lois taught in various locations in Iowa and in Fort Dodge where the family settled. Jim was born 06 Feb 1906 to Tollef Jensen Lucken and Johanna Petersen Loberg. Jim graduated from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and took post-graduate work at the Columbia University of Iowa. He was a public school superintendent. They had two sons. Lois died 12 Mar 2011 in Fort Dodge and Jim died 13 Apr 2004.

2. Lynniel Moore: Born 23 Jul 1917 in Plainfield. He graduated from the Iowa State Teacher's College Class of 1938. He served in the Army as a Corporal in WWII. He entered service on 23 Apr 1942 and returned from overseas 27 Feb 1945. He was discharged 06 Mar 1946. Lynniel worked in Des Moines and Iowa City. He then moved east. After working at the Passaic Public Library, he became the the director of the Plainfield Public Library in New Jersey in 1957. Lynniel was also the Chairman of the Council of National Library Associations in the early to mid 1970s. Lynniel was a single man and died 12 Mar 1999 in Plainfield, New Jersey.

Johnathan Smull Family: Viola Geneva Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > VIOLA GENEVA SMULL m Charles Walter Gritzner

Young Viola

Viola was born 06 Aug 1871 in Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois. Viola came with her family to Bradford, Iowa in 1876 and then to Plainfield after the death of her father. She married Charles Walter "C.W." Gritzner on 01 Jun 1892 in Bremer County, Iowa. C. W. was born 31 Jan 1868 in Butler County, Iowa to August and Theresa Gritzner. They were German immigrants.

C.W. was a poultry man and in his last years, working at the Plainfield Egg House, where he was stricken ill. He died at his home on 30 Apr 1931. The couple had two boys and four girls. Viola died in Marion, Iowa, in the home of her son John, of a cerebral hemorrhage 21 Nov 1947.

1. Charles Augustus "Carl": Born 23 Dec 1892 in Plainfield, he married Hazel Norine Jones on 05 Apr 1919 in Nashua, Chickasaw County. He died 10 Dec 1980 in Charles City, Floyd County and she 17 Nov 1981 in Plainfield. Carl was a rural postal carrier and veteran of World War I. In 1947, his patrons gave him a holiday gift of $52 for his faithful service. They had four children.

2. Johnathan L.: Born in 1894, he married Gertrude Wade on 15 Jun 1921 in Plainfield. They lived in Waterloo until 1933 and then moved to Marion, Iowa until John retired, then moved to Onalaska, Wisconsin. John died in 1988 and Gertrude died 29 Feb 1976 in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. They had one child.

3. Blanche: Born 03 Aug 1896 in Plainfield. She went out to the work world after graduation from Plainfield high school, scoring a job as assistant postmistress for Plainfield and then as assistant cashier at the Farmer's State Bank. She worked her way up to cashier and took a transfer to the Sumner, Iowa branch, where she met Harold G. Garland, an assistant bookkeeper at the Wescott & Winks Produce Plant. They married 02 Nov 1927 in Sumner. She converted to Catholicism to marry. Harold died in 1947 and Blanche in Nov 1959. They had one child.

4. Anne "Annie" Maud: Born 18 Jun 1898 in Plainfield. She married Merle Eugene Smith on 31 Dec 1924 in Plainfield. They had no children. Merle briefly operated a barber shop out of the east side of C. Beine's building in Nashua in the mid-1920s. They moved to Waterloo shortly after their marriage and Merle would work as an engineer at the city water works in Waterloo, Black Hawk County. Merle died 16 Jul 1956 and Annie moved to live with her sister Blanche. She died in Sumner on 28 Jun 1959. They had no children.

5. Florence Amelia "Babe": Born 25 Aug 1900 in Plainfield. She never married, She started out teaching in Emmetsburg. She moved on to Cedar Rapids in 1929, where she was later principal of Tyler and then appointed at Hayes school in Cedar Rapids in 1943. She was long-time principal of Lincoln School there from 1948-1960, when she resigned to move nearer to Plainfield. She visited England at least twice, once as an exchange teacher in 1947-1948. In 1969, at the death of her sister Blanche, she was living in Sumner. She died on 04 Apr 1995 in Los Angeles County, California. Her sister Hilda was living in Covina.

Of note is that a study she did while working in Cedar Rapids in 1957 made it onto the newswire. The study involved conflict between parents and children. It bears a read!

6. Hilda Becthel: Born 06 Mar 1910 in Plainfield. She married Alfred Herman Kinzler. Alfred hailed from Wisconsin, where he was born 19 May 1908, the son of Dr. Albert Kinzler and Zena Huisenga Hilda attended the Iowa State Teacher's College in Cedar Falls. She taught music in Osage and later in Waterloo. They had one daughter and four sons, all of whom had beautiful singing voices. Their oldest son was selected to join the Columbus, Ohio, Boychoir in 1950 and sang with them for at least two years. Albert worked at Rath Packing Co. in Waterloo. After their retirement, they moved to Covina, Los Angeles County, California. Alfred died 20 Apr 1983 and Hilda was the last remaining Gritzner kid, dying 27 Dec 1999 in Covina.

Waterloo Daily Courier June 17, 1951

Johnathan Smull Family: Jennie Elnora Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > JENNIE ELNORA SMULL m Jacob Smith

Click on image to enlarge

James & Jennie Wedding

Jennie Elnora Smull was born 27 Jul 1869 in Stephenson County, Illinois. She came to Bradford, Chickasaw County in 1876 with her parents and they later moved to Plainfield in Bremer County after Johnathan's death.. She met James Edward Smith, son of Jacob Smith and Elizabeth Monteith, and married him 09 Oct 1890. Jacob Smith is the brother of my 2nd great grandfather, William Custer Smith.

James Edward Smith was born 09 Oct 1867 in Bremer County, near Plainfield. In 1920, he was working as a section gang foreman for the Illinois Central railroad and work there for 43 years. He retired with a pension in 1937. Jennie spent a lot of time visiting with her sisters, to whom she was very close. Saidee Smulls daughter Jane Scofield, recalled in a 2015 interview, "She was very tiny, small-built, wore long-sleeved print dresses, lace collar, broach, and apron."

In 1939, this notice was posted in the paper: "Mr & Mrs Clifford Smith motored to Rochester, Minn., on Sunday and visited his father, Jim Smith, a patient in the hospital. Mr Smith is doing nicely, but it will be necessary for him to remain for another operation."

James & Jennie 50th Anniversary

James died 12 May 1941 in Plainfield and Jennie died 09 May 1956 in Des Moines, Iowa. Her daughter Myrl lived in Ankeny, nearby.

The couple had seven children:

1. Clifford Ulysses Smith: Born 31 Oct 1892 in Plainfield, he married Faith Edith Beine on 18 Nov 1916 in Plainfield. She was born the daughter of Charles Beine and Anna Elizabeth Toepfer on 15 Oct 1897 in Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa.

In 1918, Clifford was appointed as a rural postal carrier. In 1920, he was working at an auto garage, As far back as 1929, he is seen working as manager at an electronics shop as a radio repairman. Faith's father Charles owned a dry goods store in Plainfield. Clifford died 27 Sep 1972 in Plainfield and Faith in September 1991 in Clarksville.

The couple had one son, Lester, who was a bit of a bad boy, with minor skirmishes with the law. He married and settled down, moving to California, where he worked at a Lockheed bomber plant in Los Angeles. He died of complications of appendix surgery at the age of 25. They had one child. His wife, Jeanette Theresa Heck, returned to Iowa and remarried.

Clifford & Faith

2. Lawrence Leith Smith: Born 29 Dec 1894 in Plainfield. He married Gertrude Lucille Ogbin on 15 Feb 1917 in Waverly, Bremer County. She was born 05 Nov 1899 in Bremer County to Dr. Eugene Ogbin and Stella Oberdier. Lawrence was a barber. He died 26 Mar 1974 in Waverly and she 26 May 1968 in Janesville, Bremer County. They had one child, Gwendolyn (Jeanne) Smith.

3. Myrtle Smith: Born 01 Apr 1897 in Bremer County and she died in 1898.

4. Gailerd Leroy Smith: Born 01 May 1900 in Plainfield, he married Helen Viola Smith (a different Smith line - the Lloyed Smith line) on 20 Apr 1924 in Waverly. Gailerd was employed by the Illinois Central railroad for 47 years. He died 29 Sep 1963 in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Helen died 16 Jul 2002. They had three children.

Jennie Irene & Don Shadbolt

5. Myrl Elizabeth Smith: Born 26 May 1904 in Plainfield. She married Anton "Tony" Juhl, son of Nils Juhl and Jessine Kristene "Christina" Morgensen, on 02 Jun 1925 in Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, Iowa. Tony was born 02 Jun 1902 in Hampton, Franklin, Iowa. Anton ran Juhl Insurance Agency in Ankeny for over 40 years. He died 31 Oct 1977 in Ankeny and she died August 1995 in Ankeny. They had one daughter.

6. Jennie Irene "Irene" Smith: Born 23 Jan 1907 in Plainfield. She married Donald Richard Shadbolt on 24 Jul 1941 in Schuyler County, Missouri. He was born 21 Jul 1913 in Lafayette, Allamakee County, Iowa to Rolland Shadbolt and Jessie Mabel Richards. Donald was a career Navy man who served during World War II and served as Chief Commissary Steward at various installations for the remainder of his career. He died 27 Feb 1987 in Norfolk, Virginia. Irene died in Reynoldsburg, Franklin County, Ohio on 07 Jun 2001. They had one son.

Jack & Jimmy

7. Devere "Jack" Smith: Born 19 Oct 1909 in Plainfield. He marriage Leona Ruth Thompson. He worked as a railroad section foreman for the Illinois Central in 1930 and 1940 was listed as working in "private business." He and his wife divorced and his wife remarried. He had a heart attack and died 05 Oct 1949. His only child, James "Jimmy" Devere Smith, died tragically on 21 Jan 1950 of a heart attack at the age of 13 while shooting hoops in the gym at Plainfield High School.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Jonathan Smull Family: Franklin Sylvester Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > FRANKLIN SYLVESTER SMULL m Clarissa Belle Orcutt

Jennie, Florence, Sadie Smull and Clarissa Belle Orcutt Smull
Bonnie Jermeier photo

Johnathan Smull and Mary Jane Cooper had eight children. Ulyssus, the oldest, was born about 1863 in Rock Grove, Stephenson, Illinois and died 08 Oct 1881 in Chickasaw County, Iowa. The next child in the line-up was Franklin Sylvester Smull, born 06 Mar 1865 in Stephenson County, Illinois. He moved to Iowa with the family in the 1876. He met Clarissa Belle Orcutt and married her on 15 Feb 1893 in Plainfield, Bremer County.

Clarissa was the daughter of John Dimmick Orcutt, Jr. and Hannah Bossom. She was one of 11 children with interesting names like, "Marshall Western Orcutt," and "Philura Balingal Orcutt." The Orcutt's were early settlers in the area who had come from Connecticut originally.

Franklin and Clarissa Belle spent some time living in Bellevue in Jackson County as well as Stacyville and Mitchell, but moved back to Plainfield in 1903. I have a feeling it was because Frank was ill. They rented the "Eddy" house in Plainfield upon their return. By 1904, it was clear that Frank was ill. He spent time at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester before returning home and spent the last several months very ill. He died on 12 Jul 1904 in Plainfield at age 39. Clara took in washing to raise the children after Frank's death. Clarissa Belle died 15 Nov 1954 in Waterloo, Black Hawk County. The couple had five children.

1. Orle Jay Smull: Born 27 Dec 1893 in Bellevue, Jackson County. He married Ruth V. Cagley, daughter of Frederick Elmore Cagley and Miriam Allena "Ena" Ingersoll. The Cagley family is also rife in the area. Orle operated a garage in Plainfield. In 1946, he bought a cement block machine with plans to open a cement block business with his brother, Ralph. They had three children. O. J. died 18 Aug 1963 in Plainfield and Ruth in July 1996. I'll talk more about Orle and Ralph later.

2. Opal Claire Smull: Born 26 Feb 1896 in Bellevue, Jackson County. She married Palmer Stephens Lowery on 25 May 1920, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa. Palmer was born 02 Feb 1895 in Calumet, Houghton County, Michigan. They resided in San Diego, California after their marriage. They divorced after 1940. Palmer died in Shawano, Wisconsin on 09 Apr 1979 and had remarried. Opal died on 18 May 1989 in Fallbrook in San Diego County. Opal's only child, Arlene Claire Lowery, was, according to Arlene's daughter, not the biological child of Palmer, but the child of James Milton Taylor. Arlene was born 28 Jun 1929 in San Diego and died 12 Sep 2001 in Orange County, she was married to Paul Delmus Jackson.

3. Ralph Edmond Smull: Born 28 Jan 1898 in Stacyville, Mitchell County. He served during World War I, though I don't believe he saw combat. He married a woman named Stephanie, most likely in Chicago, where they lived in the 1930 and 1940 census. It turns out that Stephanie was Stephanie Abramowicz of Chicago. They would divorce. He was a painter as a contractor and for Western Electric during his time there. On 26 Jun 1943, he married Florence T Abramowicz, in Lancaster, Missouri. Florence was born 09 Dec 1908 in Chicago to Frank Abramowicz and Mary Lipinski. She was first wife Stephanie's younger sister. In 1946, Ralph's brother O. J. decided to open up a cement block business and Ralph and Florence returned to Iowa to help in that endeavor. By 1947, they had their trial run making "about 78 blocks in about two hours." Nothing is heard about the business in the paper after that time, but it was reported to have operated a few years.

Ralph's obit listed him as a sign painter and interior decorator. The Smull lived at 903 Grand Blvd in Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County later in their life with their daughter, Eloise. Ralph died of emphysema and a heart attack. Florence died 17 Oct 1996 in Iowa City, after moving there in 1984.

4. Maude Fern Smull: Born 31 Jan 1900 in Stacyville, she married Earl W. Fayant on 16 Jun 1923 in Des Moines, Iowa. Earl was born 26 Jun 1896 to Theodore Anthony Fayant and Emma Katherine Voss in Pender, Thurston, Nebraska. Earl's family moved to Iowa Falls

The young couple lived at 216 Logan Ave in Waterloo as lodgers in the Dean and Irma Konkle home in 1930. Irma is Maude's sister. In 1940, they lived at 408 Dawson St in Waterloo. Earl and Maude operated a grocery store in Waterloo for 22 years. The Fayant's moved to California for nine months in 1946, returning in April 1947, when he bought his new store, Fayant's Food Mart, at 2301 Lafayette St. Earl died on 1 Aug 1947 after a heart attack while working in the basement of the store. Maude continue to operate the business for a while until she moved to San Diego and died in San Diego County, California. They had one son.

5. Irma Bethel Smull: Born 28 May 1902 in Stacyville, she married Dean Bostic Konkle on 30 Sep 1922 in Sioux City, Iowa. Dean was born 24 Jun 1900 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They resided in Sioux City for two years after their marriage before moving to Waterloo. In 1930, they lived at 216 Logan Ave where they had several boarders, including her sister Maude and husband Early Fayant. Dean was a compositor (typesetter) and in 1946, he worked at Matt Parrot & Sons Printing. Irma died of a heart illness 14 Jun 1946 in Waterloo. Dean died in March 1969 in Colorado Springs. He had remarried after moving to San Diego, but later divorced. Irma and Dean had no children.

Monday, December 12, 2016

Peter Smull Family: Sgt Jonathan Smull

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHON SMULL m Mary Jane Cooper

Click image to enlarge

My 2nd Great Grandfather. Johnathan Cooper was the eighth of 12 children born to Peter Smull and Mary Waggoner. He was born in 1834 in Centre County, Pennsyvlania and came to Stephenson County, Illinois with his parents in the 1850s. John married Mary Jane Cooper, daughter of William Lloyd Cooper and Elizabeth Beams, 06 May 1860 in Monroe, Wisconsin, making this the second Cooper/Smull connection. Mary Jane's sister Ann's daughter Lorena Thompson married Samuel Smull, John's brother.

John was a sergeant during the Civil War, serving a year with the 147th Illinois Infantry Regiment. The regiment was organized at Camp Fry, Chicago, for a year on 18 Feb 1865 and were attached to the 1st Brigade, 2nd Separate Division, District of Etowah, Department of the Cumberland to July 1865 and to the Dept of Georgia to January, 1866. They saw service primarily in Georgia, including skirmishes with guerillas and regular soldiers for the next several months. They then returned to Springield, Illinois in January 1866 and John was discharged on 08 Feb 1866. The regiment lost three enlisted to battle/injuries and 31 to disease.

Johnathan Smull and Mary Jane Cooper

Since they had just started their family with two children before he left for war, they continued adding upon his return, adding six more, all born in Stephenson County, except the last three, who were born in Chickasaw County, Iowa. John owned 80 acres in Dakota, Stephenson County in 1866, which he sold prior to leaving for their next adventure. The Smull's moved to Chickasaw County in 1876 to farm in the Bradford area. According to his death record at the Chickasaw County Courthouse, John would die at age 51 on 16 Oct 1885 of a chronic intestinal enlargement of the liver for which he was treated by Dr. J. D. Horton. Dr. Horton indicated the condition was longer in duration than the last treatment period. Mary would move the family into Plainfield in neighboring Bremer County.

An older Elizabeth Beams Cooper,
mother of Mary Jane Cooper Smull

She cared for her elderly mother, Elizabeth Beams Cooper until her mother's death in June of 1897 in Plainfield. Mary Jane would die in Plainfield 14 Feb 1905 after a long illness.

The Smulls had eight children, including my great grandmother Katherine Mabel "Kate" Smull. The children of John and Mary Jane would play a significant role in the community and life of the small town of Plainfield for the next hundred years.

Listing the children, who will each be profiled at some point are:

1. Ulyssus: 1863, Rock Grove, Stephenson County, Illinois to bet 1881-1885 in Chickasaw County, Iowa. There are no dates on his grave. He is listed in the 1880 US Census but not the Iowa 1885 Census. There is no death record for him in Chickasaw County.

2. Franklin Sylvester: 06 Mar 1865, Rock Grove to 12 Jul 1904 in Plainfield.

3. Jennie Elnora: 27 Jul 1869, Rock Grove to 09 May 1956 in Iowa. She would also connect withe the Jacob Smith family heretofore mentioned many times.

4. Viola Geneva: 06 Aug 1871, Rock Grove to 21 Nov 1947.

5. Katherine Mabel "Katie: 27 Sep 1873, Rock Grove to 04 Mar 1956, Waverly, Bremer, Iowa. Kate would also marry into the Jacob Smith line.

6. Saidee L.: 11 Jan 1877, Bradford, Chickasaw County, Iowa to 02 May 1962, Denver, Bremer, Iowa.

7. Florence: 20 Jun 1883, Bradford to 19 Aug 1963.

8. Amy: Dates unknown, died as infant/young child.

John Smull, Civil War Veteran and wife Mary Jane Cooper Smull
Son Ulysses' stone is next to his mother's
Greenwood Cemetery, Nashua, Iowa

Monday, September 5, 2016

Personal Interview: When an Interview Flops!

Where the Smiths-Smulls First Collide
James Smith & Jennie Smull Wedding
My interview subject's grandparents

JACOB SMITH > JAMES SMITH > JACOB SMITH > JAMES SMITH

PETER SMULL > JOHNATHAN SMULL > JENNIE ELNORA SMULL

I had traced a woman, who was still living and in her 90s, AND was willing to talk to me after a brief phone call. She is related to me on both the Jacob SMITH and Jonathan SMULL sides of the family so I thought this was going to be a major score. The trip would be 300 miles round trip to the southwest part of the state and would take an entire day of my copious free time.

I arrived and was let into their home by their 69-year-old son who I'm sure wanted to be there to ensure I wasn't an ax murderer. The couple I would speak to were both from the Plainfield area originally and lived there from the 1920s through the 1940s with stops in Cedar Falls and Ames. They maintained close ties to their extended family and the town where they started. They settled in another small Iowa town, where he worked as a large animal vet. The Dr., though a couple years older, seemed to have better recall than his wife.

The problem was that the Mrs.was lost in specific stories, which she repeated verbatim throughout the time I was there and then asked me repeatedly who I was and who I was related to. It reminded me a great deal of conversations I had with my great grandmother as she slipped in and out on a dime into her Alzheimer's ravaged mind.

Jennie Smull & James Smith
She is my great grandmother's sister.
That looks like a wedding cake
for an anniversary
but then look none too happy, do they?

Her recollections and storytelling ability were naught. The Dr. was able to fill in some blanks and I was able to pull some information out of him without too much effort, but it had entirely shifted the focus of the interview. And, they were lovely and gracious people, I'd just arrived 10-15 years too late.

I spent about an hour there and got a few little nuggets on them, but little else. With the exception of a photocopy of a photo that ended up making this 300-mile trek part of the discovery of 2016 for me. I'm not going to publish that here yet.

They handed me a sheet of paper with a photo of my entire family - my great grandparents and all of their kids, including my grandmother. It was taken, it appears, in the late 1920s and is the only photo in existence that includes all of them. I'd never seen Edwin Smith, my great grandfather, nor Mary, who I've written about here before. And, now I've seen them.

After I left there, I traveled back towards home, but veered even further north and went to the Willow Lawn Cemetery in Plainfield. I'd been there once before, early in my genealogy work, and took selective photos of those I knew were related. I had no idea where the journey would end up taking me then and went home with a few dozen photos.

This time, I walked the cemetery again and again focused only on those I knew were related to me and it took 2.5 hours to take all the hundreds of photos.

I'll not look at this as a wasted day.