Searching For Ancestors

Career Certificates for Jerry Eneau Modrell

2016-05-01T08:35:00.000-05:00

You hear over and over how you should start your genealogy research by looking through documents and photos in your own home. I didn’t believe I had any documents, however, while looking through some plastic totes that were packed many years ago, I came across documents I didn’t know I had. Imagine that, all those “seasoned genealogists” knew what they were talking about. Who knew?

Jerry Eneau Modrell worked for the United States Post Office from the mid 1950’s until he retired in 1986. In 1973, he transferred from downtown Kansas City to Topeka, Kansas. We didn’t like living in Topeka, however, dad finished his career and retired from Topeka.

Dad spoke very highly of his secretary and always said he could not do his job without her. Her name was Linda (if I remember correctly). Linda is the reason I wanted to become a secretary. I always wanted to be as important to my boss as she was to hers.

Dad worked at the postal facility located across from Forbes Field in Topeka at the Postal Supply Warehouse. He bought and sold mail truck parts across the country. He would come home from work in the winter and say, “I spoke to so and so in Florida today and it was sunny and 75 degrees”, while we were knee deep in snow and below freezing temperatures. In the middle of summer he would come home and say, “I spoke to so and so in Florida today and it was sunny and 80 degrees”, while we were suffering from upper 90 degree temperatures with 100% humidity. I always thought he would move to Florida upon retirement, but chose southern Texas instead.

Dad had to be “on call” sometimes (several of the managers rotated that duty) and I can remember him getting up in the middle of the night to make phone calls. We only had one phone and it was located in the living room which was next to my bedroom. He had this square device that he would hold up to the talking end of the phone and push buttons (it had a telephone key pad on it). Magically, he was connected to the phone at his work where he could then call anywhere in the country and the long distance charges would not be charged to our home phone (yes – people actually paid money to talk long distance). He would discuss parts needed immediately to repair mail trucks that were not running. He would leave for the office, get those parts ready to ship and take them to the mail sorting facility in north Topeka where they would be mailed overnight. Then he would come home and still manage to get up in time to be at work at 7:30am and make it through the day. Thankfully, that didn’t happen very often. As I get older, I don’t know how he managed to do it.

I have attached the Certificates he received for classes he attended while working at the Post Office.

Labor-Management Development
March 22, 1966

Rapid Reading
January 18, 1968

Leadership Development
April 4, 1967

Human Relations, Supervision
January 15, 1970

Pre-Supervisory Development
June 3, 1965

I Am So EXCITED!!!

2016-03-14T14:36:00.000-05:00

The Topeka Genealogical Society hosts a Genealogy Conference each year that I attend. Each year they have a different speaker – sometimes it is someone I have heard of, other times it is a new person. They have all been people that specialize in some area of genealogy and they have all provided information that has provided me with new areas of research.

This year they are hosting one of my favorite genealogy ladies. Her name is Lisa Louise Cooke and she hosts a website called “Genealogy Gems” – she is just fantastic and a true Genealogy Gem! She has a blog that I subscribe to and she gives out some great information on such topics as Evernote, Google Earth, Phone Apps for Genealogy research and so much more. She also has both free and subscription based Genealogy Podcasts and provides research strategies and tips that are 100% useful to anyone. She has videos (both free and subscription based) that show how to use Evernote, Google Earth and many more topics. She has also written several books which are wonderful additions to anyone’s personal genealogy library.

She is a very “tech savvy” and “Internet knowledgeable” person when it comes to Genealogy trends and research. She has moved my research to areas I never would have gone had it not been for her guidance. She speaks at some of the biggest genealogy conferences (most recently, Roots Tech – a genealogy conference in Salt Lake City that lasts several days) and it was quite a surprise to find out she would be speaking for our local conference which is just a one day event.

I have never been to any conferences where she speaks (they are usually the bigger ones that are out of reach of my pocketbook and are never in this area) so this will be a very special day to finally meet the person that I so admire and have learned so much from!

There is no doubt in my mind that she will help me discover new ideas that will take my research to great heights as I continue Searching For Ancestors!

Happy New Year 2016

2016-01-04T11:06:00.000-06:00

I hope this first post of 2016 finds you well and happy. I apologize for the long absence of posts, but with any luck at all, I will find myself back on track.

It seems the thing that most people do at the beginning of each New Year is make New Year’s Resolutions. What is a resolution? Well, from my own perspective it is a promise that we all make to ourselves and then break at some point during the year, just to make the same resolution at the beginning of the next year. You know I am right on target!

With that in mind, I am not making any resolutions for 2016, I am just going to keep plugging along in life. I will continue to go to work each day, I will continue “Searching for Ancestors”, I will continue to post items to my blog (even if I miss some weeks, or even months), I will plan a vacation (if I don’t get to go since for the last three (3) years, work has got in the way), and I will continue the everyday mundane tasks of cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping. I will also continue to transcribe documents for the Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society so they can get more indexes out on their website (this is my way of volunteering a little bit of time to help others). Doesn’t that sound more like the truth than making a resolution that won’t be kept?

Some things I have planned for this New Year including adding a page to my blog with all the surnames I am researching. I also want to retake pictures of all tombstones associated with my family, and that will include going new places to get new pictures. I will also try to locate new documents in new places instead of relying on the Internet, since we all know that all documents are not on the Internet, yet.

I wish you luck in the New Year and hope you stick to your resolutions. As for me, I will continue “Searching for Ancestors”.

Podcast? What In The World Is That?

2015-10-31T21:54:00.000-05:00

I have been asked, "Where do you learn how to do genealogy"? Well, I read a lot, I ask questions of others (those in the know), I attend conferences and I listen to podcasts.

Podcasts are nothing more than a person who has taped themselves and/or others and provide information to the listening audience. There are podcasts on all types of subjects, including genealogy. The one I listen to the most is Lisa Louise Cooke and she is the producer and host of the Genealogy Gems Podcast. She is also an author of some of the best genealogy books I have the pleasure of reading and she is a conference speaker whom I have personally seen. She has a terrific website and offers both free and premium (subscription) podcasts. The premium version also includes how-to videos and handouts. She has a few free videos available also.

Her website can be found here. The following infographic was put together by Lisa and explains more about what podcasts are. I hope you check out her website and catch a few podcasts. They are so informative and you will learn a lot from her. She is one of the top people in the field of genealogy and she is an expert on how Google Earth can help with your genealogy as well as tons of other genealogy related subjects.

10 Shots Fired in Holdup Fray

2015-10-17T16:46:00.001-05:00

The following newspaper article is about Ben E. Mann. Ben was married to Willa Isadore Main, who is the daughter of Jason Archie Main and Willa Ruth McCarthy. Jason is a brother to Cora Viola Main, otherwise known as Grandma Scott (to me) – my mother’s mother. That relationship makes Isadore (the name I knew her by) Grandma Scott’s niece.

The Kansas City Times (Morning Kansas City Star)

Friday, November 3, 1961, Page 1, Column 1

10 SHOTS FIRED IN HOLDUP FRAY

Crowded Store at Truman Corners Is Scene of Robbery Attempt

FOILED BY A DEPUTY

Ben E. Mann, 51, Wrestles One Man, Shoots at the Other

An off-duty Jackson County deputy sheriff wrestled with one holdup man while he fought a gun battle with another in a crowded Katz drugstore in the Truman Corners center last night.

Ten shots were exchanged, four by the officers and six by the robber, at a distance of 10 to 15 feet.

The deputy, Ben E. Mann, 51, said he thought he hit the robber twice. Mann was not hit.

Saw the Man Fire.

“I don’t know how he missed me”, Mann said, “I saw him kneel down behind the counter and fire from between the shelves”.

The shoppers in the store started screaming and running when the shooting broke out. None was hit.

The deputy, not in uniform, but carrying a snub-nosed pistol beneath his jacket, had gone to the store to buy some dog food. A member of the sheriff’s patrol nine years, he works in the store as a store detective during the holiday seasons.

Warned by Official.

Mann was standing by the prescription counter when George Stanley, Belton, assistant manager of the sundries department, walked past with another man behind him. As he passed, Stanley, who is tall, leaned over to the shorter deputy and whispered:

“Mr. Mann, this man has a gun on me to rob the store”.

The deputy drew his pistol and ordered the robber to take his hands out of his pocket. As he did this he was struck on the head with the butt of a gun by the second robber.

A pharmacist, John W. Broyles, 11111 Bristol avenue, described what happened:

“The man pulled the gun out as if he were going to shoot and changed his mind, flipped it over in his hand, and hit Mann a light blow with the butt.”

The blow jarred me for a minute”, Mann said, “and it gave this man [in front of him] enough time to get his gun out of his pocket. I grabbed his gun and held it down away from me”.

Mann, holding one man’s gun hand down with his left hand, turned on the other gunman, who dashed behind a display case and started shooting.

Hits Glass Display.

Mann’s first shot shattered a display of glass behind the robber.

Then the robber moved to his right and fired two or three more times, the deputy said. Mann said he was sure his second shot struck he robber in the abdomen. A small spot of blood was found near the front door after the men dashed out.

The robber and the deputy exchanged shots again. Mann said he believed he had struck him a second time.

All this time the man he was scuffling with kept repeating:

“Don’t be a fool. There’s three of us. There’s somebody coming up behind you”.

Finally the robber who had been firing at Mann dropped to one knee and took careful aim over the counter top. He missed again and the officer fired back.

Someone shouted at Mann, “Look out behind you”.

When I heard that I figured it was the time to let go”, the deputy said. The two robbers dashed out the front door to a 1956 blue-and-white Ford in the parking lot.

Stanley ran behind the prescription counter when the shooting started.

“I came out to help Mr. Mann, who was scuffling with the man”, he said, “and the other man drew a gun on me so I ducked under the counter”.

Started at 8:45.

Stanley said the two robbers accosted him about 8:45 o’clock.

One man, the one who fired, wore a suede jacket, a billed cap, and had a flesh-colored bandage on his nose. The other had on light gray trousers, a jacket and carried a rolled up paper shopping bag which dropped on the floor in the excitement.

“This man stopped me in the store and asked me if I was the manager”, Stanley said. “I said no, but he showed me his gun and ordered me to the back of the store. On the way, he told we were going to open the safe”.

Picture included with Newspaper Article

Genealogy Do Over

2015-10-04T21:32:00.000-05:00

What is a “Genealogy Do Over”? Well, it is a learning program that I have been following. A very well-known gentleman in the genealogy community has provided information on how to “do” genealogy correctly, such as citing your sources (which is the biggest failure that we have all done) to research strategies, organization, providing forms to help with your research, etc. His name is Thomas McEntee and he has a group on Facebook specific to the Genealogy Do Over and can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/genealogydoover/. You can also check out the following page on his blog where he further explains what this is about and why he started this group: http://www.geneabloggers.com/tag/genealogy-do-over/.

On the Facebook page if you look under the "Files" tab, there are the weekly things to "do over" with your genealogy all listed in PDF format per week. This is a 13 week plan that is now in its 4th Cycle for the year. It is currently on Cycle 4, Week 1 so this is a great time to check out the information. There are also free forms to download (submitted by both Thomas McEntee and the people that are following his “Do Over” plan). The Group provides you a chance to ask questions about, as well as learn information about, the different aspects you are presented with for each week.

This is what Thomas McEntee put on his blog which kind of explains what the Genealogy Do Over is all about:

“Back on 15 December 2014, I made a big announcement: I was getting rid of 20+ years of past genealogy research and starting over. Some people said I was crazy. Some people said the idea was just “stupid” and wasteful.

But almost 10,000 genealogists and family historians have either been actively participating in this crazy project or have followed it over at the Genealogy Do-Over Facebook Group. Many have said that they finally have a methodology and format for research that they can live with AND that can bring them results.

Still more have taken the collaborative effort to heart and have shared their own work, their own templates as well as tips and tricks. The Genealogy Do-Over has been as close to a “genealogy hack-athon” and an exercise in group problem solving as I could want.

With all of the organization I have been doing as a result of this project, I can now find things instead of spending hours trying to locate information in different areas of my home. I only have one (1) more family line to fill out Family Groups Sheets on in an effort to see what types of information I don’t have so I can more easily find that information The family I have left is the Scott side of my family (my mother’s ancestors). I have located information on the Internet going back several generations, however, we all know not to take the Internet for granted. I will need to prove the existence of each of those family members and try to locate their birth, marriage, and death information to try and prove that connection.

Please head on over to Thomas McEntee’s Blog or Facebook page and I highly suggest joining his group on Facebook if you want to learn how to do genealogy correctly the first time so you don’t end up like me. I had information spread all over the place that contained no source citations and couldn’t find any documents I needed when I needed them (and of course couldn’t find the place where I got that information since the source citation wasn’t listed). Source citations are used in an effort to allow others to find your information for themselves should they look at or copy your documentation. Documents with source citations are considered “facts”. Documents without source citations are considered “possible facts” which need to be explored further by a genealogist to find “facts” (and make sure you provide source citations to those documents when you find them).

Some documents and sources are considered “Primary” and others are considered “Secondary”. Primary sources are those documents that were created by someone who was at the event when it happened (Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates, diary pages, etc.) and Secondary sources are those documents where someone different supplied the information (such as Birth Date and Place of Birth on a Death Certificate). Most likely, the person supplying that information was not there at their birth and only provided information they were “told”. That documentation needs to be supported by other documentation (preferred Primary source) to be considered “fact”.

I digress, and I apologize. I have learned so much from the genealogy community and I enjoy sharing my knowledge. I wish you the best of luck in your search for ancestors! I will continue “Searching for Ancestors” myself when the opportunity arises, and will post information as I locate it.

Growing Up in Hume, Missouri

2015-09-27T11:01:00.000-05:00

Guy Calvin Scott and Cora Viola Main (my maternal grandparents) lived in Hume, Missouri both prior to and after they were married. I am unsure when they moved away from Hume, however, I do know they lived in North Platte, Nebraska in 1958. I had some general questions about growing up in Hume. About a year ago, I had a chance to ask one of my living uncles some of those questions.

Me: Do you remember how many acres of land you had?

Uncle: We had 80 acres.

Me: Did you remember what kind of livestock you had?

Uncle: We had hogs, cows and chickens.

This discussion brought back other memories that my uncle shared with me so very few questions were asked after that. The stories just started flowing, and I started writing. When I refer to “my uncle” in the following stories, it is my living uncle who provided them.

My uncle said he rode a horse to school in the 1^st grade because they lived about 5 miles from the school.

My youngest uncle once traded a sick chicken for a bag of flour for his mom (Cora Viola Main).

My uncle would shoot rabbits because he could sell them for .25cents and a box of shells was .35cents, so if he shot two (2) rabbits, the extra money was “gravy”.

My uncle would trade a chicken for a bologna roll.

There was no running water in Hume. They had a well that they would pump water from. Their well would go dry every year, but would seep enough water at night to water the animals the next day.

Guy’s father (Thomas Green Scott, my great grandfather) would sit on the porch while the rest of the family tended to the farm. My uncle said he had heard stories from him about how good he was at farming and how fast he could get things done, but never saw him help out any. He was disappointed that when help was needed, Thomas would not pitch in and provide any.

One day, Thomas and my uncle were talking outside when a bird flying overhead decided to poop. The poop fell straight into Thomas’ shirt pocket where he kept his chew. Thomas calmly went inside the house, got a rifle, came outside and started shooting birds out the sky. This story caused great laughter from both of us!

These are the type of family stories I enjoy listening to. I can only hope that I am able to get more stories like this in the future. I have no older family members on my paternal side still living, however, I am happy I am able to learn things like this from my maternal side of the family.

Memorial Service For Dad

2015-09-13T20:58:00.001-05:00

Jerry Eneau Modrell was born April 27, 1928 and left this life on December 25, 1999. He lived in Pharr, Texas at the time and I drove over 900 miles to be with him when his Doctor said it was time to come down as he was deteriorating quickly.

There was a funeral in Texas, but the only person I knew there was my stepmother. It was very impersonal for me and I was in shock and don’t remember much. She had him cremated, which is not what I wanted, however, it worked out for the best as his ashes are now with me and I don’t have to go over 900 miles to “visit” him or lay flowers. He is right here with me at all times, which has provided me with comfort over the years.

I decided to hold a Memorial Service for my dad on April 27, 2000, which would have been his 72^nd birthday. I wanted something a little more personal that would provide me a chance to say some good things about the man who raised me. I had been struggling in a bad way since his passing. At that service (which was very small and informal), I decided to speak about my dad. The following words were spoken at the service:

“When my dad laughed, his whole face would light up. When he was mad, the whole world could see it. His face would curl up and that finger would start pointing.

My dad was also my mom during my growing up years. I think he did a great job. He was the #1 man in my life.

His favorite story to tell was one dealing with his childhood. He wanted one of those red pull wagons real bad. Grandma and Grandpa Modrell couldn’t afford a red one, but they did buy him a blue wagon for Christmas. He was really disappointed but promised himself that someday, he would have a little red wagon. He kept that promise and in 1971 he bought a brand new Ford Stationwagon. Red. He told everyone that he finally got his little red wagon. To expand on the story, in July of last year I started driving him around to look for a car. We went everywhere, but nothing was just right. The big truck he had was getting to be too much to handle for him and too hard to get in and out of. One day I called him from work to make plans for dinner. He told me he bought a new car today. I asked what he got. For about the next 20 minutes, all he could say was, “I bought a little red wagon”. “A Stationwagon?” I asked. “Nope, I bought a little red wagon”. “A Navigator?” I asked. (That is what he really wanted). “Nope, I bought a little red wagon”. I guessed everything, or so I thought. Finally he said, “Does a Sedan Deville mean anything to you?” I said, “You bought a Cadillac?” He said, “I got my little red wagon”. It was a beautiful car and he was so very proud of it. When he passed away, he was still the proud owner of a “little red wagon”.

My dad loved to read. He read every day. When I was growing up in the early to mid 70’s, we got a new set of encyclopedias. I remember my dad reading them. He read the whole set from A Page 1 to the last page in Z. He read all the time. He loved learning and he learned by reading.

My dad loved to travel and we went on vacations often as I was growing up. When he retired, he went on the road for good. He would always say, “In 1986, I got married, retired, threw up my hands and ran away from home”.

My dad knew everything. He could also fix anything. Okay, there were two (2) exceptions. He let me borrow his 35mm camera the summer before I started photography at Vo-Tech, just to get used to it. It had to have been the first one out on the market. It was ancient. One day it just quit working in the middle of a roll of film. He said he’d fix it. He took it apart. He had the little parts neatly arranged on paper towels lining the top of this desk. The problem? With 10 billion parts, he couldn’t get it back together. The other exception was a lawn mower that also had to have been the first motorized one on the market. One spring it rained like crazy and the grass grew and grew and grew. I tried to cut it before he came back for the summer. I blew the engine, but only half way. When he “fixed” it, it completely blew.

My dad loved life. He also loved his family, antique vehicles, the trucks he owned, and the Colorado Mountains. He also loved sweets. His favorites were tootsie rolls, Oreo cookies, 3 Musketeers bars, Hershey Kisses, pinwheel cookies, hostess cupcakes, and banana cream pie.

My dad was diagnosed with cancer in July 1998. He had several surgeries, but they couldn’t get it all. He went through radiation and we were hopeful. He thought he could beat this thing. He fought the good fight for a year and a half. He never complained of pain, he would just say he was uncomfortable. In the end, the cancer won.

My dad was everything to me and I miss him terribly. Happy Birthday Dad, I Love You.”

The "Good Old Days"?

2015-08-23T18:19:00.000-05:00

I found this interesting article on the Internet today. I always wondered what life was like in the “good old days”, but after reading this, was it really the “good old days”? You have to wonder. I hope enjoy this article, it can found here: http://historyhappenshere.org/archives/7698.

Missouri Listory: 10 Reasons the Gilded Age Wasn’t So Gilded

19, June 2015

Missouri Listories

We are introducing a new column called "Missouri Listory," which explores our vast historical collections and features them in lists of wide-ranging topics. Our first post in this column was inspired by our current exhibit, A Walk in 1875 St. Louis. Although the era was known as the Gilded Age, we bring you 10 reasons why living in 1875 wasn't so wonderful.

1. 72-hour work weeks
Not only was it common to have such a demanding schedule, but also you would have been grateful to have it! The average work week for a laborer in 1875 consisted of six 12-hour days, with Sundays off. Most unskilled or semi-skilled workers toiled for about 20 cents an hour (about $4.45 today), and 9 out of 10 Americans died without any substantial property to pass on to family.

Meat for sale on a counter in St. Louis, early 1900s. Missouri History Museum.

2. “Fresh” was a loose term.
In 1875, St. Louis police seized more than 57,000 pounds of meat that was moldy, diseased, or rotting from market vendors who were still trying to sell it. One in 20 pieces of meat for sale in St. Louis markets had a living parasitic worm infestation. Without refrigeration, meat rotted just hours after an animal was butchered. St. Louis Ladies Magazine recommended immediately searing the outside of any purchased meat to make it last a day or so longer.

Three-story outhouse shared by 12 families. Missouri History Museum.

3. Fewer than 1 in 5 homes had indoor toilets.
When nature called for the other unfortunate folks, they trudged out to their rickety backyard outhouse, which was sometimes shared with other families. These outhouses were often mere feet away from the family’s backyard well, which served as their source of drinking water. St. Louis health officer Arthur Barrett referred to backyard outhouses as “temples of indecency.”

4. In the late 1800s it was estimated that 10% to 15% of the American population had syphilis.
Need we say more?

5. The wafting aromas of Schaeffer’s Soap and Candle Works…
If you’re thinking of the pleasant scents wafting from a cozy candle store, think again. Schaeffer’s Soap and Candle Works at Washington Avenue and 20th Street was such a powerful punch in the nose that 1875-ers refused to build their homes within blocks of the company. The plant took in dead animals, bones, leftover food from hotels, and spoiled meat from butcher shops, then boiled it all together to extract tallow—hardened fat that is solid at room temperature—for candle making. Schaeffer’s was just one of many factories contributing to the unfathomable stench drifting over 1875 St. Louis.

6. Hurt on the job? Tough noogies, pal.
1875 St. Louis was a world with no Social Security, Medicare, health insurance, workers’ comp, or retirement plans. Dangerous low-wage labor jobs came and went daily and getting injured likely meant you were out of a job with nothing more than a kick out the door. Many a family fallen on hard luck wound up in a single-room tenement. It may have been the most terrifying time in their lives.

Men standing in front of a saloon at Gravois Avenue and Kingshighway. Photograph in 1897. Missouri History Museum.

7. Walking into the wrong saloon could quickly cost you more than a drink.
The 1875 St. Louis City Directory lists nearly 1,200 saloons (one per 100 drinking-age men), and some were certainly not for the faint of heart. They attracted a rough cast of characters that included thieves, gamblers, prostitutes, fortune tellers, and drunkards, and they were known to be a great place to go if you wanted to get in a fight or have your pockets lightened. An 1875 contemporary said of the riverfront saloons on Almond Street: “The luckless stranger that falls into these social pits may consider himself quite fortunate if he gets out without broken bones.”

8. Tricksters prowled the city looking for naïve “greenies.”
1875 St. Louis had no shortage of swindlers trying to fool “greenies,” as rural folks new to the big city were known. In May 1875 a trickster made more than $5,500 by selling fake property in an imaginary town called Vineland, Illinois. He claimed the town needed residents and if St. Louisans just paid a $2.25 notary fee, a lot in Vineland would be theirs. He sold 2,500 phony lots over three days and then vanished, never to be seen again.

Dr. Hezekiah E. Depp's dental extraction kit containing picks and pliers. Missouri History Museum.

9. Dr. Hezekiah E. Depp’s Dental Kit
If a trip to the dentist strikes fear in your heart today, be glad you were not alive in 1875. Without electric tools, sterilization, numbing agents, or anesthesia, the dentist’s office was the definition of dread. Preventative dentistry was almost nonexistent, and the cure-all for any tooth problem was extraction. This dental kit displays 145 picks, pokers, and pliers used by St. Louis dentist Hezekiah E. Depp. Many of the tools feature exotic materials like ivory and mother of pearl, which would have been much harder to sterilize than metal and may have led to further infections.

10. Committed a crime? Say hello to the County Workhouse.
Besides the city jail, criminals in 1875 were also sent to the St. Louis Workhouse at Broadway and Meramec streets. The workhouse’s main function was supplying crushed limestone for city streets. All day long, inmates toiled “making little stones out of big ones.” Women were sentenced to the workhouse right beside men, and in 1875 alone more than 1,100 women picked up their hammers and headed to the rock yards.

2015 isn’t looking so bad now, is it?

A Walk in 1875 St. Louis is open through February 14, 2016.

The Internet Does Not Have Everything (Yet)!

2015-08-16T11:04:00.002-05:00

Genealogists are told that the Internet does not have all the information we may need for our family history. I had always thought it had more to do with specific records and not just general information. I was so wrong!

I have read lots of information on how to get the most out of my searches, how to conduct search parameters to locate information I may need, and how to use wild cards to expand my search. I tried hundreds of searches over the last two (2) weeks to try and find some information. I have had absolutely no luck at all. Let me explain what I was looking for.

Leona Frances Scott (my mother) graduated from Tunas High School in Tunas, Missouri on April 30, 1953. I wanted to find out more about the High School, see an image of it, and learn the history of the school so I could provide information in this blog post, and not just an image of the diploma my mother received. Unfortunately, since I found nothing about the school, I have no information of any value to add.

The 1940 U.S. Federal Census is the last one available to the public. It shows Leona’s family located in Howard County, Missouri (which later became Bates County), which includes the town of Hume, which is where they lived. I always wondered why she went to Tunas High School in Tunas, Missouri since it is located about 20 miles northeast of Butler, Missouri which is 31 miles northeast of Hume. Seems like a long way to go just to get to school. I called a living uncle last weekend to see if he remembered why she went to a school that was almost 60 miles away from home, and I learned some enlightening information.

At some point after the 1940 U.S. Federal Census was taken, they moved to Brighton, Colorado. Then, at some point prior to her graduation in 1953, they moved to Butler, Missouri (he thought they lived there a couple of years prior to her graduation). This makes a lot more sense since Tunas is only about 20 miles away! I just assumed (and we all know what that means), that they still lived in Hume!

Since there was no information on the school to be found on the World Wide Web, I will need to go to the local library or historical society to see if they have any information that can be gleaned from local records. When I find additional information, I will be sure to pass on the information, which will hopefully also include a photo of the school, in a later post that will link back to this one. Below is a photo of the diploma she received.

Leona Frances Scott
High School Diploma
April 30, 1953

Guy Calvin Scott/Cora Viola Main-1930 US Federal Census

2015-07-26T22:15:00.000-05:00

The 1930 Census tells us whether or not each family had a radio. Can you imagine life without a radio these days? Radio = Music and music plays an important role in most of our lives. Stay tuned to see if Guy and Viola Scott had a radio (see column #9).

This census also tells us whether each person is able to read and write (see column #17).

This census is very interesting in that it also provides whether or not the person was a veteran of the US Military or Naval Forces mobilized for any war or expedition and which war or expedition (see columns #30/31). Guy Calvin Scott was in WWI, however, the information provided to the Census Taker states he was not a veteran. We can't always rely on information to be correct. In the case of the census - it all depends on who provided the information. Did that person not know he was in WWI or did they just opt to not provide that information? We will never know.

Also, if you notice, my mother (Leona Frances Modrell) is not listed in this census as she was not born yet.

I enjoy looking at the census information. Sometimes you learn a little something about your ancestors and sometimes you see erroneous information (as in the veteran status). Stay tuned to find out more about my Grandpa and Grandma Scott.

1930 US Federal Census
Guy Calvin Scott and Cora Viola Main

State - Missouri; County - Bates; Township - Howard; Incorporated Place – Blank; Ward of City – Blank; Block No. - Blank; Unincorporated Place - Blank; Institution - Blank; Supervisor's District No. - 10; Enumeration District No. – 7-13; Enumerated By Me On – April 29, 1930; Sheet – 4A; Enumerator – Mrs. Bertha Riley.

Line No. 27

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – 85; 4 - 85; 5 - Scott, Guy E.; 6 - Head; 7 – Rented; 8 - Blank; 9 - Radio; 10 - Yes; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 37; 14 - M; 15 – 27; 16 - No; 17 - Yes; 18 - Kansas; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Kansas; 21 - Blank; Code - 70, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Yes; 25 - Farmer; 26 - Farming; Code - Blank; 27 - O; 28 – Yes; 29 – Blank; 30 - No; 31 - Blank; 32 - 84

Line No. 28

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, Viola.; 6 - Wife; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - F; 12 - W; 13 - 32; 14 - M; 15 – 22; 16 - No; 17 - Yes; 18 - Missouri; 19 - Missouri; 20 - Kansas; 21 - Blank; Code - 66, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Yes; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Line No. 29

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, Thomas.; 6 - Son; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 8; 14 - S; 15 – Blank; 16 - Yes; 17 - Yes; 18 - Kansas; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Missouri; 21 - Blank; Code - 70, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Yes; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Line No. 30

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, William.; 6 - Son; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 3; 14 - S; 15 – Blank; 16 - No; 17 - No; 18 - Missouri; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Missouri; 21 - Blank; Code - 66, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Line No. 31

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Scott, Jason.; 6 - Son; 7 – Blank; 8 - Blank; 9 - Blank; 10 - Blank; 11 - M; 12 - W; 13 - 1; 14 - S; 15 – Blank; 16 - No; 17 - No; 18 - Missouri; 19 - Kansas; 20 - Missouri; 21 - Blank; Code - 66, Blank, Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - None; 26 - Blank; Code - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 – Blank; 29 – Blank; 30 - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank

Grandpa Modrell Fails School?!?! But Wait - There's More...

2015-07-11T17:05:00.000-05:00

I was researching at the Northwest Missouri Genealogical Society Library in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. They have some great records and I highly encourage anyone who is researching their roots from Northwest Missouri to go and see the very nice and extremely helpful staff of this small library – but don’t let the size fool you because they have records on three levels, however, you need to ask assistance for the records on the top and bottom levels.

I happened to inquire about old school records since both my grandparents on my father’s side went to school in the area. I didn’t know which school my grandpa attended, but I had discovered that my grandma attended Lafayette High School, but didn’t know where she went prior to that.

The Librarian went to the basement and came back with a very large book that says School Record 1921 (written in marker on side), and she informed me it was located on the east side of the basement (in case I want to look at it again). I thumbed through that massive, moldy smelling and fragile old book until I located a page that provided the following information:

School is Ebenezer

Harry Modrell

Age 15

Address is Saxton

Spelling - 57

Reading - 25

Writing - 80

Arithmetic - 55

Grammar - 75

Physiology - 64

Geography - 68

US History - 53

Average - 59 5/8

Remarks - F (Failed)

I was so shocked!! We are taught that our elders know everything – right? I was so intrigued that I had to keep turning the pages to see if he quit school at that point. So, I finally found the following information which answered my question:

School is Ebenezer

Harry Modrell

Age is 16

Address is Saxton

Teacher is Ruth Dyer

Spelling - 75

Reading - 80

Writing - 87

Arithmetic - 89

Grammar - 75

Geography - 83

US History - 80

Agriculture - 81

Average - 81

Remarks – Passed

How awesome is that?!?! He not only continued with his school, but his grades improved immensely (look closely at the reading and arithmetic scores for both years)! I also found a photo in the 1923 Wakitan (the Central High School Yearbook for his Junior Year) of the Mathematics Club - and he is in it!! And that is not all - according to the 1940 US Federal Census, after graduating from Central High School in 1924, he completed two (2) years of college!! I am so excited for him – I only wish he was around to ask which college he went to and what he was studying. Just another record I need to try and find in my quest of Searching For Ancestors…

1924 Central High School Yearbook
Harry House Modrell, Senior

1923 Central High School Yearbook
Harry House Modrell, Junior

More Organization

2015-06-28T16:48:00.000-05:00

I am continuing my quest to get organized. I have gone through some documentation I found on the Internet in reference to the Modrell Family and created Family Group Sheets for everyone. I also have a copy of the Scott/Mayes book that descendants have compiled. The only issue with both sets of information, is that I don't know where the documentation came from since most of the information provided does not contain sources for the information. I will be compiling those Family Group Sheets for the Scott/Mayes families as well. Once finished, I will be able to find holes in the information I have from both sides of my family and continue my search to find the necessary documents that back up the information provided, and will then be able to provide sourced and documented evidence since much the information is from unknown (to me) sources.

Family Group Sheets help me to see the big picture since the parents and children are listed as well as birth, marriage and death dates, and room for place information on each event and a 2nd page for miscellaneous notes (such as Census information, all source documentation for information provided on 1st page, name of hospital/nursing home for birth or death information, etc). Family Group Sheets are truly a great source of information. If you have any missing areas, you see at a glance which documents you need to find to complete the information for each family group. There should be a sheet for each person as both a child and parent (if they are a parent) or spouse or partner (if living with another individual). The form I have is in a Word Document so I can change form fields if needed when I have a "Partner" situation instead of "Husband/Wife" or "Spouse/Spouse" for same sex marriages instead of "Husband/Wife". It can be customized for whatever situation I come across.

I have saved the form I use to Google Docs and by clicking this link you can see the form I am speaking of. I can't remember where I got this form, but I found it somewhere on the Internet. There are a lot of forms out there and you can google Family Group Sheet and add Word Document or Excel Document for those forms that are fillable on the computer. Ancestry.com and Family Tree Magazine also have many free documents which can be downloaded and used by anyone.

Another set of very helpful forms that can be found on the Internet are the Census Forms that date back to the first census in 1790 with readable column headings so you know what information was asked. When I provide census images and information on my blog, I will provide the information for each column, but that information won't mean anything if you don't know what the headings are (which reflect back to the questions asked by the census taker).

I also need to put tab dividers in my binder to divide each family surname in an effort to make it easier to place information I find. Then, I will need to create a Table Of Contents for each section so I don't duplicate the documentation I have (which has happened many times before with my complete and total disorganization). The key will be to remember to update the Table Of Contents when I find new documentation to add to a specific person or family.

I will be back to providing family information in blog posts shortly. Thank you for being patient during my respite from "searching for ancestors"!

Correction To Grandma Scott

2015-06-21T09:57:00.001-05:00

One of my cousins pointed out to me that I had the spelling wrong on one of the names associated with the Pall Bearers (referred to in the post as Escorts) in an earlier post titled "Grandma Scott".

I have corrected that post and wanted to provide the information separately for those who may have seen the earlier post and also noticed the misspelling.

To set the record straight, I looked back at the Funeral Brochure for Cora Viola (Main) Scott and the name is actually spelled wrong there, which consequently led to me misspelling the information on my blog post.

The correction is as follows: I had "Living Alvarez" as an Escort and it should be "Living Alcaraz".

Please see Grandma Scott (posted on May 12, 2015) for the complete post and to see that the above information has been updated. I do apologize for the error, but I was typing what the Funeral Brochure stated and as we all know, we as humans are not perfect and we do make mistakes. In the genealogy world, we are used to names being spelled wrong which leads us to search in records for many variations of each surname - and we still find new variations just when we thought we had it all down pat.

Thank you cousin for pointing out the misinformation, and I do apologize to you and the rest of your family for this mistake.

Organization

2015-06-14T15:59:00.000-05:00

I am taking a short respite from by blog while I organize my documents. Why you ask? Well....

I realized when I spent over 12 hours writing this post about Perry Eneau that I did not have all my ducks (uh...docs) in a row. I had to look in several places to find the different pieces of information that is referred to in that post. I now have all that information together, despite the fact that some of that information may be tossed out as I work through that brick wall - although, I have worked with that information for about 5 years and still have not come to any conclusions. I know there is a missing piece of information that I will find someday that will make all that information come together and my brick wall will tumble! How I look forward to that day!!

I have spoken before about the fact that I absolutely love to read. I read two (2) genealogy magazines (Internet Genealogy and Family Tree Magazine) as well as History Magazine. History Magazine provides me with information about Military Conflicts, Weather Disasters, Heroes and Heroines, Villains and Outlaws, and much more that I can then relate to my ancestors during their lifetime. With each magazine, I mark articles as I read them that have information which I may need later (websites, international research, etc.) and I then tear those articles out and throw away the rest of the magazine. Those articles are then separated according to content and placed in a page protector which is then placed into a binder. I have binders for: International Research, State/City Research, Specific Record Categories (Census, Obituary, Church, Land, Military, etc.), History Articles, Specific Website Tutorials, and the last one has miscellaneous articles broke down by category (organization, photo identification, social media/apps, etc.).

I also use binders for my genealogy research. I have a binder for my proven family members and another for my possible family members. Once I find a document that confirms their relationship, those documents are then moved into my proven family member's binder. Despite the number of years I have been conducting research, I only have up to some of my great-grandparents confirmed. Many people have hundreds of names by now, but I want to be careful and make sure my family really is my family and not people that others have linked to my family with no proven sources. There are too many stories out there of unconfirmed family members and I started this research wanting no part of that. I don't want living family members "thinking" they are related to someone just because I decided to take the word of someone else, instead of finding the information that would prove/disprove that family relationship.

I want to include a Family Record Sheet for each family, as well as a Research Log for each person. That way, I will have information at the touch of a finger for everyone who is related to each other and how they are related, as well as a log for each person showing the searches I perform and whether or not I am successful in finding anything. I also want to keep a running list of the documents/information that I need to find in order to provide more information about each ancestors life.

Please bear with me as I find a place for everything and put everything in it's place. Who knows if I will get the entire task completed, but I hope to get the majority of it done so I can concentrate most of my time and energy on what I love doing most - "Searching For Ancestors"!!

Census Sunday (Scott, Guy Calvin)

2015-06-07T15:18:00.000-05:00

This is the 1940 Census for Guy Calvin Scott. Below the image is the information for each of the columns. Guy Calvin Scott is my grandfather on my mother’s side. My mother is listed as daughter.

For Occupation – this census states he is a tractor man for the W.P.A. (columns 28 and 29). W.P.A. stands for Works Project Administration. I need to find out more about what that means. My understanding is that the government put people to work in different occupations, but I need to confirm that by doing some research on the Works Project Administration and what Tractor Man consisted of.

Column 27 states duration of unemployment in weeks for Guy Calvin Scott was 96 weeks. Since he wasn’t working, is that what constituted him working for the W.P.A.? Column 30 states GW which indicates Government Work. Again, need to research this.

1940 US Federal Census
Guy Calvin Scott Family, Howard, Bates County, Missouri

State - Missouri; County - Bates; Township - Howard; Incorporated Place – Blank; Ward of City – Blank; Block No. - Blank; Unincorporated Place - Blank; Institution - Blank; Supervisor's District No. - 6; Enumeration District No. – 7-13; Enumerated By Me On – April 15, 1940; Sheet – 4B; Enumerator – Paul Jennings.

Line No.54

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 – 97; 4 - Rented; 5 - Blank; 6 - Yes; 7 – Scott, Guy C; 8 - Head; Code - Blank; 9 - M; 10 - W; 11 - 47; 12 - M; 13 - No; 14 - 8; Code – Blank; 15 – Kansas; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same House; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - Yes; Code - Blank; 21 - No; 22 - Yes; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - Blank; Code - 2; 26 - Blank; 27 - 96; 28 – Tractor Man; 29 – W.P.A; 30 - GW; Code - Blank; 31 - 19; 32 - $486; 33 – Yes; 34 - 86

Line No. 55

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 – Scott, Cora V; 8 - Wife; Code – Blank; 9 - F; 10 - W; 11 - 42; 12 - M; 13 - No; 14 - H-2; Code – Blank; 15 - Missouri; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same House; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - Yes; Code - Blank; 21 - No; 22 - No; 23 - No; 24 - No; 25 - H; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 - Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank; 33 - Blank; 34 - Blank

Line No. 56

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 – Scott, Tommie L; 8 - Son; Code – Blank; 9 - M; 10 - W; 11 - 18; 12 - S; 13 - Yes; 14 – H-3; Code – Blank; 15 - Missouri; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same House; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - Yes; Code - Blank; 21 - No; 22 - No; 23 - No; 24 - No; 25 - S; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank; 33 - Blank; 34 – Blank

Line No. 57

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 – Scott, William G; 8 - Son; Code – Blank; 9 - M; 10 - W; 11 - 13; 12 - S; 13 - Yes; 14 – 6; Code – Blank; 15 - Kansas; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same House; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - Yes; Code - Blank; 21 – Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - Blank; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank; 33 - Blank; 34 – Blank

Line No. 58

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 – Scott, Jason; 8 - Son; Code – Blank; 9 - M; 10 - W; 11 - 11; 12 - S; 13 - Yes; 14 – 5; Code – Blank; 15 - Kansas; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same House; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - Yes; Code - Blank; 21 – Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - Blank; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank; 33 - Blank; 34 – Blank

Line No. 59

Column 1 - Blank; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 – Scott, Leona Frances; 8 - Daughter; Code – Blank; 9 - F; 10 - W; 11 - 5; 12 - S; 13 - Blank; 14 – Blank; Code – Blank; 15 - Missouri; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same House; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - Yes; Code - Blank; 21 – Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - Blank; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank; 33 - Blank; 34 – Blank

Perry B. Eneau Obituary

2015-05-31T07:00:00.000-05:00

According to his death certificate, Perry B. Eneau passed away on July 14, 1955 at St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri of Thrombophlebitis due to gangrene in his left leg. He is buried at the Ashland Cemetery, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri in Lot F-11, Location 2W, according to the cemetery record.

I have two (2) newspaper clippings for Perry B. Eneau. Both are from unknown newspapers which I someday hope to identify.

Perry B. Eneau

The body of Perry B. Eneau, who died last night, is at the Meierhoffer-Fleeman funeral home.

Mr. Eneau, 82, died at his home, 418 North 29th street. A lifetime St. Joseph resident, he had been a gardener at the William Albrecht home until six years ago and prior to that, for 35 years, had been an employee of the old Noyes-Norman Shoe Co.

Mr. Eneau is survived by his wife, Mrs. Carrie A. Eneau of the home; a daughter, Mrs. Harry Modrell, Dearborn, Mo.; two half sisters, Mrs. Sophia Wiscamb, Denver, Colo., and Mrs. Priscilla Lavelette, Colorado Springs, Colo.; a grandson and a great-grandson.

Eneau Services

Services for Perry B. Eneau will be held Monday at 1:30 p.m. at the Meierhoffer-Fleeman chapel, the Rev. E. C. Hunt officiating. Burial will be in Ashland Cemetery. Mr. Eneau, a lifelong resident of St. Joseph died Thursday night at his home, 418 North 29th street, at the age of 82.

Who Are The Parents?

2015-05-30T18:19:00.003-05:00

Perry B. Eneau is a man that has confused me to no end. The brick wall with him is so tall I can’t even see to the top.

Perry was born August 15, 1872 in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, according to his death certificate. He married Carrie A. Young on October 28, 1898 in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri, according to his marriage license. They are the parents of Maxine W. Eneau (my paternal grandmother).

I believe Perry was actually born with the last name of Heneault, which was shortened at some time to Eneau. I don’t know when, why or how. I find records under both names and his siblings and possible parents records always refer to Heneault (with various spellings, never Eneau like his records).

I need to look at the christening record from Immaculate Conception which is indexed at FamilySearch.org that shows his name as Perier Eduardum Eneau, however, I have a note handwritten by my father (Jerry Eneau Modrell), which states his name is Perry Baptiste Eneau with the same date of birth as above and also states he was born in the French Bottoms of St. Joseph, Missouri. His death certificate and marriage license both show his name as Perry B. Eneau, as well as his obituary and tombstone.

His death certificate states his parents are Stephen Eneau and Victoria Lavelette. There are several issues with this theory:

· Victoria Lavelette married Xavier Lavelette on January 7, 1879 and they had no children (still trying to figure out if they were related – cousins maybe?). This is according to FamilySearch.org, so will need to look at the record for this to see if there is any additional information.

· Stephen Eneau married Victoria Didlo November 29, 1883 which is 11 years after Perry was born.

· Victoria Didlo was born January 18, 1865 which puts her at 7 years old having Perry as a child which is not likely to have happened.

· Stephen Heneault obituary from the Catholic Tribune states he leaves a brother, Perry Heneault in St. Joseph.

· Victoria Didlo obituary from the Catholic Tribune states she leaves two (2) sons, Edward and David.

His christening records states his parents are Stephano Eneau and Victoria. Again, only the above records and issues were discovered.

The 1880 US Federal Census states he is the son of Sylvester Henault and Lucinda Henault. Following is a synopsis of the information found on Sylvester/Lucinda:

· Sylvester Henault was 56 years old in the 1880 Census which would have put him at 48 years old in 1872 when Perry was born which is more likely than 7 year old Victoria.

· Lucinda was 59 in the 1880 Census which would have put her at 51 years old in 1872 when Perry was born – is that likely? I am not sure.

· The 1900 US Federal Census shows a Sylvan Eneau living with his daughter, Victoria Richart. Most likely her maiden name was Eno, was she the Widow in the 1880 US Federal Census? Was she married before Richart?

· The 1880 US Federal Census shows a Victoria Eno as a widow living with Michael and Priscilla Lavlett. It states Delia and Edward as daughter and son respectively, supposed relationship to head of household, however, Victoria Lavelette and Stephen Heneault were parents of Delia according to her marriage license to Julius Henry on September 9, 1918, not to mention Victoria Didlow (who married Stephen Heneault) also had a son named Edward. Are these the same women? Due to supposed age at birth of children, I doubt it, but I can’t find any other references to a Victoria Heneault, Eno, or Lavelette.

So, as you can see, I am so confused. I can’t seem to find a record that will straighten all this out and provide me the information I need to move forward (or backward in the case of genealogy). If anyone out there has any ideas, please feel free to let me know.

Sympathy Saturday

2015-05-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

Following are the newspaper notices of the deaths of my father’s parents.

Harry Modrell

Harry H. Modrell, 78, formerly of the 400 block of N. 29^th St., died Thursday afternoon at a Kansas City medical center following an illness of several months.

A native of St. Joseph, he had lived most of his life here prior to moving to Grandview, Mo., in 1972.

Mr. Modrell was an industrial engineer, having worked for Swift & Co. in St. Joseph and Pratt & Whitney in Kansas City before retiring in 1972.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Maxine W. Eneau, in 1967.

Survivors include one son, Jerry E. Modrell, Grandview, and two grandchildren.

The body is at the Meierhoffer-Fleeman funeral home.

St. Joseph Gazette, January 22, 1982

Mrs. Maxine W. Modrell

Funeral services 3 o’clock Tuesday afternoon, Meierhoffer-Fleeman chapel, the Rev. Arthur W. Ballard officiating, Internment Ashland Cemetery.

St. Joseph Gazette, September 18, 1967

Tombstone Tuesday

2015-05-19T07:00:00.000-05:00

This is the Tombstone of my grandparents on my father's side. The grave is located in Ashland Cemetery, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri. I apologize for the glare - I have got to return soon and take a better picture!

MODRELL

Harry H

Oct. 24, 1903

Jan. 21, 1982

Maxine W.

May 24, 1907

Sept. 17, 1967

Grandparents Harry H. and Maxine W. Modrell
Ashland Cemetery, St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri

Census Sunday

2015-05-17T15:27:00.000-05:00

This is the 1940 Census for Harry House Modrell. Below the image is the information for each of the columns. Harry House is my grandfather on my father's side. My father is listed as son.

I just can't wait for the 1950 Census! Census images give me look at life in a different time and place. I enjoy learning information from all records created in the past.

State - Missouri; County - Buchanan; Township - Washington; Incorporated Place - St. Joseph City; Ward of City - 2; Block No. - Blank; Unincorporated Place - Blank; Institution - Blank; Supervisor's District No. - 3; Enumeration District No. - 11-22; Enumerated By Me On - May 4, 1940 (however, along left side is the date May 6, 1940); Sheet - 66A; Enumerator - Donald W. Gulick (can't read last name, this is just a guess).

Line No.15
Column 1 - N. 29th Street; 2 - 418; 3 - 460; 4 - Rented; 5 - 13; 6 - No; 7 - Modrell, Harry House; 8 - Head; Code - Blank; 9 - M; 10 - W; 11 - 36; 12 - M; 13 - No; 14 - C-2; 15 - Missouri; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same Place; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - No; Code - Blank; 21 - No; 22 - No; 23 - No; 24 - Yes; 25 - Blank; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Clerk; 29 - Packing House; 30 - PW; Code - Blank; 31 - 52; 32 - 1612; 33 - No; 34 - Blank

Line No. 16
Column 1 - N. 29th Street; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 - Modrell, Maxine W; 8 - Wife; 9 - F; 10 - W; 11 - 32; 12 - M; 13 - No; 14 - H-4; 15 - Missouri; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same Place; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - No; Code - Blank; 21 - No; 22 - No; 23 - No; 24 - No; 25 - H; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 - Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - 0; 32 - 0; 33 - No; 34 - Blank

Line No. 17
Column 1 - N. 29th Street; 2 - Blank; 3 - Blank; 4 - Blank; 5 - Blank; 6 - Blank; 7 - Modrell, Jerry E; 8 - Son; 9 - M; 10 - W; 11 - 11; 12 - S; 13 - No; 14 - 4; 15 - Missouri; Code - Blank; 16 - Blank; 17 - Same Place; 18 - Blank; 19 - Blank; 20 - No; Code - Blank; 21 - Blank; 22 - Blank; 23 - Blank; 24 - Blank; 25 - Blank; Code - Blank; 26 - Blank; 27 - Blank; 28 - Blank; 29 - Blank; 30 Blank; Code - Blank; 31 - Blank; 32 - Blank; 33 - Blank; 34 - Blank

Grandma Scott

2015-05-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Cora Viola Main was born December 1, 1897 according to the Social Security Death Index, her tombstone and also a funeral brochure I received when I attended her funeral. She was born in Amos, Vernon County, Missouri according to the “Scott-Mayes” book and was known to everyone as Viola. Her parents are John Lewis Main and Diana Anna Louisa Austin (Polly). Her siblings are: Reuben Erwin, Sarah Elizabeth, George Sylvester, Ida Nevel, Clark Brewster, Jason Archie, Nettie Diantha and an unnamed brother who was either stillborn or died the same day he was born. I need to locate a record to prove her birth place information.

Photo provided by an aunt and uncle.
The Main Family
Back - Sarah, Clark, Jason, George, Nettie
Front - John, Cora, Polly

Viola married Guy Calvin Scott on July 18, 1919 in Butler, Bates County, Missouri. Their children are Evelyn, George William, Leona Frances (my mother) and two (2) living sons.

After Guy passed away, Viola was moved to a Care Home in Denver, Colorado.

Viola passed away on June 20, 1981 and is buried at Grandview Cemetery in Fort Collins, Colorado. Her funeral brochure provided the following information:

Time of Service: Tuesday, June 23, 1981 at 10:30am

Officiating: Dr. Joseph Laughlin

Organist: Mrs. W. J. Fredling

Soloist: Mr. W. J. Fredling

Escorts: Living Scott, Living Green, Living Barber, Living Scott, Living Gallegos, Living Alcaraz (name is spelled wrong on Funeral Brochure, see Correction for updated information).

Arrangements: Russell Funeral Chapel

Grandpa Scott

2015-05-09T16:13:00.000-05:00

Guy Calvin Scott was born January 20, 1893 in Oakley, Logan County, Kansas according to his WWI Draft Registration Card. He is the son of Thomas Green Scott and Susan Mayes. His siblings were Benjamin, Ida Sue, Marybelle (Mollie), William Roy, Levi Thomas, George Elmer and Ara Elsie.

Cpl. Guy Scott served in WWI October 3, 1917 until March 27, 1919. After November 5, 1917 he served in the Battery B 336^th Field Artillery, 87^th Division until discharged. I have acquired copies of 35 letters he wrote home, unfortunately to another woman, not my grandmother. These letters are stored at the WWI Museum in Kansas City, and imagine my happiness when I discovered their existence after typing his name into Google. The information in reference to the war is invaluable. I will be sharing some of that information in a later post.

Guy married Cora Viola Main on July 18, 1919 in Butler, Bates County, Missouri. Their children are Evelyn, George William, Leona Frances (my mother) and two (2) living sons.

I have a copy of a book that was written by two (2) descendants of Thomas Green Scott and Susan Mayes which is titled “Scott – Mayes”. They interviewed several family members and have provided some information and stories about family members listed in this book. According to that book, at one point in the lives of Guy and Cora (known to everyone as Viola), they owned and operated an apartment house in North Platte, Nebraska. They also owned two (2) different restaurants at Brighton, Colorado. I am not personally aware of these facts, but several family members have backed this information up and spoke to me about it.

Guy passed away on December 21, 1973 at Wellington, Larimer County, Colorado. He is buried at Grandview Cemetery at Fort Collins, Colorado.

Getting Back On Track

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I have to apologize for not having any posts recently. I attended the Genealogy Conference last weekend and my head was spinning with all the information that was provided. It was a great conference and the speaker was wonderful. She provided me with so much information that I didn’t know where to start upon returning home.

I was able to locate a Plat Map of Wabaunsee County in 1902 from the Kansas Memory website which shows where my Great Grandparents land was near Eskridge, Kansas. I only wish I knew how to overlay that with a current map so I can see where that land is located in relation to what is there today. I am also gearing up to go to the Courthouse in St. Joseph, Buchanan County, Missouri in search of documents she spoke about to try and obtain more information about my Grandparents who lived there.

I am trying to get back on track and devote some time to my genealogy and this blog. I am preparing more posts as I continue “searching for ancestors”. So – stay tuned!

A Learning Opportunity

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I am the type of person who loves to learn. I don’t read any fiction of any kind (books or magazines). With that said, I enjoy going to Genealogy Conferences as it is a great opportunity to learn new things as well as meet some very well-known (and not so well-known, but knowledgeable) speakers.

Our local Genealogy Society is holding its 43^rd Annual Conference celebrating their 50^th year on Friday and Saturday this week. Friday afternoon has breakout sessions (new this year) and I will be learning about NARA Records that Genealogists Aren’t Using, Getting the Most from FamilySearch, Scanning Tips and Tricks and Treasures at the Courthouse. Just the type of information I need!

On Saturday, our Speaker will be Jana Broglin, CG, OGSF (whom I have never heard of before) and she will be talking about black sheep ancestors and how there may be clues in unusual records that lead to locating more records, alternative Civil War records, newspaper research including how to add social history to your ancestor’s lives, and organization of your home office (which I could use more than anyone could imagine!).

I can’t wait for Friday to get here – these topics are all of interest to me!! I sure hope I can learn some valuable information and find more records from all the sources I will be learning about!