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Category: Family History Page 26 of 29

Genealogy, family lore, memoirs, and so forth.

Michelle’s Uncle Paul: A birthday remembered a little late

My uncle Paul was born on April 1, 1939. He always seems to me to have the right sense of humor for someone born on April Fool’s Day. 

At my Grandma’s 75th birthday party with all her kids – Mardell, Chuck, Claudette, Paul, Linda, Mom, Grandma James and Delores.

Elizabeth Wellman Link: Happy Birthday!

Elizabeth Wellman was born April 2, 1890 to Gerhard and Maria Wellman in West Point, Iowa. 

She was born to German immigrants. Gerhard had come to America from Germany in 1884.  Maria Kruempelmann had arrived in 1885. 

George, Bernard, Gerhard, Elizabeth, Anthony, and Aloyius Wellman. This picture was taken in 1905.

Storekeeper’s daughter to high school mathematics teacher: Remembering Grandma Kellogg

Hazel Anna Durfee was born February 26, 1917 in Morristown, South Dakota.  Her parents, Aaron Bradford “Bud” and Anna Durfee ran the general store there.  They moved to Reeder, North Dakota in 1921 and had a store there as well. 

This photo was probably taken in Wyoming, where Bud’s parents and some of his siblings lived. I’m not sure yet which cousin Sonny was. Ella was Hazel’s aunt.

Remembering Kempker’s Family Store: Then and Now

John and Catherine were married in Cincinnati Ohio in 1853. Sometime before 1856, they moved to Iowa and opened Kempker’s Family Store in West Point, Iowa.

Image show the Kempker Family store building in the late 1800s with wagons out front.
The store in the late 1800s

Grand Tour of The West: Day 27

March 15, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

After we left Hannibal, we came straight home. Arrived March 15, 1946.

The last line of the story.

Grand Tour of the West: Day 26

March 14, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

A local tourist map of Hannibal from the trip.

The next morning, we drove to Hannibal and stopped there to see the Mark Twain Museum. It was very interesting.

March 14, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

A local tourist map of Hannibal from the trip.

The next morning, we drove to Hannibal and stopped there to see the Mark Twain Museum. It was very interesting.

Grand Tour of the West: Day 25

March 13, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

Stayed in a small town in southern Missouri that night and drove to Springfield the next day. From there we went to Bagnell Dam and through the Ozarks. It was just starting to be spring there – it was the day before the fishing season opened and the streams really looked inviting. Saw many magnolia trees blooming. Went through Jefferson City and stayed overnight at New London, Mo.

March 13, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

Stayed in a small town in southern Missouri that night and drove to Springfield the next day. From there we went to Bagnell Dam and through the Ozarks. It was just starting to be spring there – it was the day before the fishing season opened and the streams really looked inviting. Saw many magnolia trees blooming. Went through Jefferson City and stayed overnight at New London, Mo.

Grand Tour of the West: Day 24

March 12, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

Stayed overnight in Oklahoma and drove into Arkansas the next day. Came through Ft. Smith and Van Buren, the home of Bob Burns. This was hill country. Stopped at Burns Gables and bought a pair of shell earrings..

March 12, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

Stayed overnight in Oklahoma and drove into Arkansas the next day. Came through Ft. Smith and Van Buren, the home of Bob Burns. This was hill country. Stopped at Burns Gables and bought a pair of shell earrings..

Grand Tour of the West: Day 23

March 11, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

The next day we drove to Tucumcari and to Amarillo, Texas. Stopped there and bought as many bananas as we wanted for the first time since the war. Left a trail of banana skins on the Texas Panhandle. We didn’t especially care for what little we saw of Texas as the country was flat with nothing to see. Got a kick out of everyone’s Texas drawl.

March 11, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

The next day we drove to Tucumcari and to Amarillo, Texas. Stopped there and bought as many bananas as we wanted for the first time since the war. Left a trail of banana skins on the Texas Panhandle. We didn’t especially care for what little we saw of Texas as the country was flat with nothing to see. Got a kick out of everyone’s Texas drawl.

Grand Tour of the West: Day 22

March 10, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

Jones himself had been an officer in the army and had been stationed in Europe. He had a huge gun collection – many of the guns he’d brought back from Europe. He had a machine gun – intact, dueling pistols, etc. Carl visited with him while Fran and I attended church the next morning which was Sunday. That was another unusual experience. The priest gave the sermon in Spanish, read the gospel and said the prayers after mass in Spanish. After the sermon, he came down from the altar and passed the collection plate himself.

March 10, 1946

February 1946. World War II is over and wartime production jobs were ending. During the war, Carl and Georgie worked a number of jobs in several places, finishing the war in Pocatello, Idaho. They elected to return to Iowa, where they both had family, but opted to make a grand tour of the west on the way. Georgie wrote a journal of the trip. The story starts here.

Jones himself had been an officer in the army and had been stationed in Europe. He had a huge gun collection – many of the guns he’d brought back from Europe. He had a machine gun – intact, dueling pistols, etc. Carl visited with him while Fran and I attended church the next morning which was Sunday. That was another unusual experience. The priest gave the sermon in Spanish, read the gospel and said the prayers after mass in Spanish. After the sermon, he came down from the altar and passed the collection plate himself.

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