Author Archives: Jodi

The (uncomfirmed) Honorable Louis Sickenberger, but I’m sure he was a nice guy

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Reception Committee - July 4, 1910

Reception Committee – July 4, 1910

Now this is a great photo! What’s not to love about a 4th of July celebration? These guys were definitely taking it seriously. According to the very detailed, typed information on the back of the photo, this was the Reception Committee for a July 4th, 1910 celebration in Riverside Park, Manzanola, Colorado. Lot’s of “honorables” were in attendance that day. From La Junta, to Rocky Ford, to Pueblo and Manzanola. Most of these small towns are in Otero county in the southeast quadrant of the state (so convenient having a square state).

Louis Sickenberger, kneeling on the left

Louis Sickenberger, kneeling on the left

This post will focus on one of these men, the Honorable Louis Sickenberger. He is the first person kneeling on the left in the close up photo. I say “honorable” is unconfirmed only because nothing I found described him as a public official elected or otherwise. He is listed as a farmer in every census. But in these small western towns that may have been a mere formality. He was at least once described as “an honored and prosperous citizen of the community” per the Denver Rocky Mountain News.

Louis was born William Louis Sickenberger in 1862 in Illinois. His parents were Phillip and Elizabeth Sickenberger. Not surprisingly they were from Germany – where else can you get a last name like that? Dad was a miller in Illinios. They lived in Tyrone, Franklin, IL in 1880. Lewis was 19 with younger brother John 14. By 1900 however Louis (often referred to as WL) had moved to Otero county where he would stay. He was married to a Mary a few years his senior and his mother lived with them as well. Louis and Mary appeared to have no children.

Now in 1910 (the year of this photo) Wm. Louis lived in East Rocky Ford, Otero county with a new wife Anna. Ann was 10 years his junior. They too would have no children. I can only assume that Louis and Mary divorced at some point. She doesn’t seem to have died until 1947. The wedding of Louis Sickenberger and Anna was no small affair. They were married a few months before this photo on April 23, 1910. The article in the Denver Rocky Mountain News describes the beautiful and elaborate ceremony.

Later that year, in late July of 1910, Louis was elected Director of the Manzanola Commerce Club and in 1919 chosen President of High Line Canal Co. at Rocky Ford. He certainly prospered in his adopted state. If only there were descendants equally interested in this honorable man. Find a Grave website has Louis, Anna, Phillip, Elizabeth, and John’s memorials listed. All are buried in Manzanola Mountainview Cemetery.

Mikloda, the rarest name so far, and some burning barns…

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Julia Mikloda, 1932 class of Wakeman HS in Huron County, OH

Julia Mikloda, 1932 class of Wakeman HS in Huron County, OH

UPDATE, Sept 2014: An email from a family member has shed more light on the Mikloda family,

“My great grandfather was Jacob Mikloda. Jacob was married to Susan Filko and had several children including my grandfather, John. John changed the spelling of the family name to McLoda, but I have never been told why. John died in 1958…I have heard the story before of Jacob becoming angry and burning his barns. I have also heard that his arrest caused him to be deported back to Czechoslovakia.”

From the least common name to one of the most common, Julia Mikloda (later Julia Green) was born in Pennsylvania on March 2, 1914. Her parents were Czechoslovakian immigrants in the early 1900s. Julia was the sixth of nine children born to Jacob Mikloda and Susan Filko. Most if not all of her siblings attended Wakeman High School as Julia did. This is her graduating picture in 1932.

The family moved from PA to OH around 1920 and farmed in the area for the rest of their lives. But all was not happy. In 1933, one year after this photo, the Sandusky Star Journal reported that on September 12th Susie Mikloda filed for divorce from husband Jacob. Mr. Mikloda was being held in the local jail for allegedly burning down two barns on the Mikloda farm. That same newspaper reported on December 7, 1933 that Mr. Mikloda was found guilty and the divorce granted.

That explains why Susie and 5 of her 9 children were living without Jacob in 1940. Two of her sons were farming and two daughters were maids. Julia was married by then to Lyle Green and was a new mother. The whole family seems to have stayed in or near Huron county, Ohio and most are buried in Camden Cemetery. Matriarch Susie died in 1950. Julia lived until 1997, outliving her husband by over 20 years.

I’ve not found anyone searching for this family – but when they start it will be easy going. Everything I found on the Mikloda name was about this family!

Helen Gutz Ganesbom, definitely a Lutheran

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Helen Gutz, 1938 Osmond, Nebraska

Helen Gutz, 1938 Osmond, Nebraska

I will thank my lucky stars for easily found obituaries once again. I would not know much about Helen were it not for hers. This is a splendid photo; I love the clasp on her shirt, the hair style. Helen is another 1938 graduate from Osmond High School in Osmond, Nebraska.

Helen was born October 4, 1919 to Amandus and Alvina Gutz. She was the 2nd youngest of about 8 children. The family lived in Foster, Pierce county, Nebraska in 1930 and 1940 – the same county as Osmond. There appeared to be a link to a Mr. Gansebom as her husband. But I had little evidence to go on – until I found her obituary in the Norfolk Daily News mobile site. She died on November 17, 2008, several years after her husband Everett Gansebom.

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess she was Lutheran (here are a few quotes from the Norfolk Daily News):

She was baptized on Oct. 26, 1919, at Immanuel Lutheran Church by Rev. William Brueggemann and confirmed on April 9, 1933, by Rev. Eric Holstein.

She attended school at District 34, a rural one-room elementary school, Immanuel Lutheran Parochial School and graduated from Osmond High School in 1938.

On Sept. 8, 1946, Helen was married to Everett Gansebom at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Osmond by Rev. Theo Weiting. They farmed southwest of Osmond and operated a diversified grain and livestock operation until they retired and moved into Osmond in 1982. Helen’s greatest joys were her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed working with her flowers and in her garden.

She was a member of the Immanuel Ladies Aid and the LWML. She regularly attended Tuesday morning Bible class and the ladies Wednesday Bible study. She was also a member of the VFW Auxiliary. She taught Sunday school for many years.

Now that’s a lot of great info packed into one obituary. The Lutheran’s were lucky to have you Helen!

Altje Roley, The Noble

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Weaving together someone’s life story from a few census records and death certificates constantly leaves me longing to know more. Miss Altje Roley is no exception. Her name gave me some issues as I misread her last name as Roby. Finding no one with a first name of Altje, I considered that it might be a nickname. But, upon further inspection, I decided the last name could be Roley – and then her life opened up.

Miss Ruby

Altje (a germanic name meaning noble kind) Roley was born on June 23rd, 1905 in Ohio. Her father Otto Roley and mother Vesta Pearl Roley were also native to Ohio. It was Otto’s grandparents who were from Germany, and the culture seems to have stuck for a few generations considering the name choices. Altje appeared to be Otto and Pearl’s only child. In 1910 the family lived in Hilliar, Knox, Ohio where Otto was a tailor. By 1920 they had moved to Liberty, Fairfield, Ohio where this high school graduation photo of Altje was taken at Liberty High School in 1923.

I was unable to find Altje in the 1930 census, but in 1940 a very confusing census listed her as a male head of household named Altje Larrence – although it should have been Torrence. Otto and Pearl were living with her though their last name was misinterpreted as Raley. She had 3 children who were mistakenly listed with the last name Raley as well. I was able to piece together that between 1923 and 1930 probably, Altje married John Henry Torrence. John Henry died of basal meningitis in Canton, Ohio in 1936. Altje was likely pregnant with their youngest child at the time. It makes sense then that she would choose to live with her parents again for help. In 1940 while she/he is listed as head of household, Altje didn’t have an occupation. Her father Otto however owned a restaurant in Basil, Ohio.

At some point Altje remarried. She is buried in Old Basil Cemetery with Elza Weaver, who preceded her in death by 9 days. Otto and Pearl and John Henry are also buried in this same cemetery. An interesting life that I wish I knew more about. Good luck Altje!

Lonely Lola Miller

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Lola Miller, 1923 Liberty Union High School, Liberty, Ohio

Lola Miller, 1923 Liberty Union High School, Liberty, Ohio

While I hope the title is incorrect, the evidence doesn’t look good. Lola was born on January 5, 1905 to Jesse A. Miller and Jennie Hizey in Liberty, Ohio. Jennie is also known as Hannah in later census records. She was the second and last child born to the Millers. Older sister Doris was 5 years Lola’s senior.

Following the census path showed Jesse, Hannah, Doris and Lolo G. in Liberty in 1910 and 1920. Jesse was a farmer and both Lola’s parents were also born in Ohio. In 1930 Jesse, Hannah, and 30 year-old Doris still lived in Liberty, but Lola wasn’t with them. She may have married and moved, but no marriage record was found. There was a Lola Miller (aged 25) living in Liberty who worked as a servant for the Seever household. It’s hard to know if this is the same person.

Jesse, Hannah and Doris are all still living together in 1940 as well. Still in Liberty. I’m not sure where Lola is by then. Both of Lola’s parents died in the early 1950’s and are buried in Union Evangelical Cemetery in Fairfield county, Ohio according to Find A Grave.

Hopefully Lola married and lived a long and happy life. Her sister Doris doesn’t seem to have married, but no death record found in her name either.

William W. Bronson, Dr? or no?

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William W. Bronson, 1931, Plymouth High School

William W. Bronson, 1931, Plymouth High School

The third in the series from Plymouth High School in Plymouth, Michigan 1931 is William W. Bronson. Mr. Bronson was the oldest son and child of Walter and Elizabeth Bronson; born about 1913. He had a younger brother Donald, and a younger sister, Maryan (also went by Patricia). The Bronson’s lived in Detroit in 1920 where Walter was a commercial traveler (salesman) for a button company. By 1930, the family lived in Plymouth where William attended high school. Dad was still a traveling salesman. He must have traveled to Canada at some point because that’s where William’s brother Donald was born. By 1940, the last census available so far, William and his sister were still at home with their parents. The family was back in Detroit. Walter was a traveling rep for wholesale dry good and William (who was in 5th year college) worked as a technician in a hospital. Was he in medical school?

Those are all the facts I can attribute to young William Bronson. Find A Grave does have a listing for a Dr. William W. Bronson born in 1913, died in 1981, buried in Evergreen cemetery in Lansing, Michigan. I don’t know yet if this is the same William or not. I hope a family member can confirm.

Mary Virginia McKinnon, so much still unknown

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Mary Virginia McKinnon, 1931, Plymouth High School

Mary Virginia McKinnon, 1931, Plymouth High School

This is one of those photos that I just had to force myself to stop researching! Still so much to find out, but I do have enough to pass on to a hopefully searching descendant.

Mary Virginia McKinnon was born in Oregon about 1914. The rest of her family was born in Michigan, where they lived most of their lives. Her family included dad, Donald Neil McKinnon (1899-1966); mom, Dorothy B. McCorkle (1899-?); sister, Dorothy Paterson McKinnon (1920-?); grandmother, Mary E. Barnes McCorkle (1864-?); and a great-aunt who lived with or near them, Cordelia McCorkle (1853-1945).

It appears that only Mary’s birth and her parents marriage (Canada) took place outside of Michigan. Why the family was in Oregon is unknown, other than it was likely work. Mr. McKinnon worked as a salesman for steel products. His daughters lived at home at least through 1940 when Mary was 27. Neither of the girls were listed as having a job. If they married after that is unknown. Donald McKinnon’s death and aunt Cordelia’s were confirmed through the Social Security Death Index and Find A Grave.  I can’t find when/where wife Dorothy passed away. But there are University of Michigan year books from 1910 that show she was a student there. She and Donald married in 1912.

Good luck Mary Virginia!

Delphine L. “Dimples” Jaynes

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Delphine L. Jaynes, 1931 Plymouth High School

Delphine L. Jaynes, 1931 Plymouth High School

Delphine “dimples” Jaynes, well that’s my nickname for her anyway. All I really know from this lovely class photo is that she was born in 1912 to Clinton and Armina Jaynes in Michigan. She was the oldest of 3 siblings all sisters. Delphine born in 1912, Helen in 1914, and Norma Frances in 1919. They, as well as their parents, were all from Michigan.

Mr. Jaynes worked as a farmer, salesman, and real estate broker in 1920, 1930, and 1940 respectively. Unsurprising job changes due to the depression. In 1940 his mother, Delphine’s grandmother, lived with the family; Estella Jaynes. She was a widow at the time. Clinton’s father Alfred Jaynes had passed away in 1923. Thanks to a wonderful obituary on Find A Grave we know much more about Alfred than we do his granddaughter Delphine. Clinton died in 1966, but his burial as well as that of the rest of the family has not yet been found.

When or if Delphine married is unknown so far. But hopefully she has some descendants who will want this photo.

Back to the Westbrook Commercial Academy, but no luck with #88

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Mary Burke #88 – This name is so common that without more information there’s no way I can narrow the identify of this young lady down. No one by this name, or close to her age was living in Cattaraugus county, New York in the 1925 census – or at least wasn’t recorded! But maybe a family member will recognize the name and/or photo and she’ll find a home after all.

#88 Mary Burke

#88 Mary Burke