Fable of the Orange Trailer

 This was written by Dorothea:

Karl and Gordy picked it up in Waterloo. Gordy says that The fellow who built it was a welder by trade and was planning to use it for his equipment. Meanwhile he suffered a heart attack and decided his hard working days ought to end. He seemed to be in good health when we met with him. He was a very kind soul  (this from Gordy.)

Okay how about this? We brought it back to Waverly after Easter 1972. Maybe next it went out to Columbus, with the trip to Charleston part of that adventure. Who pulled it back to Iowa? Next Roger pulled it to Wichita at thanksgiving (1976?) with dad's tools. Mom and were already in Wichita with their fifth wheel. We used it to move from Lawrence to Iowa City in Sept. 77. I think it made its way to Elgin and got parked at Mark's barn. There it left our hands.  Mark repaired it (axle and lights), right?  Brenda's mom and dad painted it white and pulled it to Arizona and back. Then Tom and Karen pulled it to Oregon. How fitting for its last contribution was as portapotty at J's graduation! 

New technology.

 This is a fun paper we found in old papers: typewritten by H.A.Samsel.  It shows our grandpa's reaction to new technology.  A typewriter!

Putnam Ancestory by Doris Howard

Ralph de Puttenham was our 28th great grandfather living in England in 1199.  A journeyman in 1199, Ralph held knight's fee in 1210-12. A knight's fee was a measure of land sufficient to provide for family, esquires, servants and to furnish horses and armor to fight for his overlord.  Wow this takes us back a ways!!! 

 His descendant was John Putnam of Salem Village, Massachusetts at the time of the witch trials.  John received a grant of land from the Salem Church where his wife was enrolled. He later enrolled and was accepted as freeman. 3 generations of Putnams, John, Thomas, Joseph were among the prominent, wealthy families in tiny Salem village - 17th century  He played a role in the witch trials according to his conscience.

Interesting stories found here in this ancestry line from Jennie Miller, We trace backwards in time through Jennie's mother's Thompson, to a great mother Hannah Fisk.  These are family names that help us trace back into time: Fisk, Richardson, Winn, Wyman, Putnam.  William Wyman married Prudance Putnam born in Massachusetts in 1661.  Her grandfather was the first Putnam in the New Colonies, John Putnam.  John came to the Colonies and became a prominent powerful man there in the 1600s. And he stood in support of his brother, Thomas's child in her testimony against others charging witchcraft.  Citizens of Salem were sacrificed to the hysteria.

The Story of Michael Smith and Catherine Coffman, 4th Great Grandparents

Michael Smith, our great grandfather was born in Germany in 1764 and came to the United States sometime before 1797.  He was a late teen or was in his twenties.  Can you imagine yourself moving so far away from family without a cell phone?  The lure of living in this bounteous land was a huge draw to many European people as so many came here in the 1700’s. Two major groups arrived in the 1700s; the Germans and the Scots-Irish.  Catherine Coffman’s father Jacob is included in Edward E. Sampson’s research “The Coffman Family”.  He states that three Coffman brothers came from Holland early in the 17th century.  It appears the original spelling of the name was Kaufman which means trader in German.  The early Kaufmans are believed to be Mennonites.  These earliest Kaufman people lived in Switzerland moving to Germany because of religious persecution.  Then from Holland the three brothers migrated to America settling in Pennsylvania. One of the brothers, Jacob anglicized his name to Coffman.  A court case in Hardy Co., VA identifies Jacob as the parent of Abraham and of Catherine, our grandmother. A third child Susannah was too young to be listed in this case.  This court case sought to gain the rightful share of their father’s estate. By 1788, Michael had met Catherine and married her in Bourbon County, Kentucky.  This story holds interest for me because it takes place in the South.  Our ancestors were predominantly from the northeastern corner of the United States.  Michael and Catherine soon moved to Bath County, Kentucky where their 4 children were born; Elizabeth, Magdalene our grandmother, Mary Catherine and George. Fast forward to 1830 and they are living with a young girl age between 5 & 9.  I tried to figure out if she was a granddaughter and did not.  By 1841 when Michael was 77, he sold for $225 what appeared to be most of his personal assets. ( About $6,500 in 2020 dollars) He sold a bay filly, sorrel coult, cow/calf, 15 sheep, 50 geese, 4 hogs, 2 cribs corn, bureau, table, clock, 2 beds/bedding, 2 bedsteads, 6 chairs, 2 10 gallon kettles, and sidesaddle.  Michael dies in 1844 at the age of 80.  Catherine lives two more years and dies in 1846.  A startling fact: listed in a record for Michael a record of death for a Dorothy Moore. A female age 57 that died of the flux.  On this Kentucky record she was listed a child.   Michael was listed as owner of Dorothy.  She was a slave.  This grandfather was a slave owner.

Daniel Converse Thompson

Written by :  Doris Howard

10:40 AM (5 hours ago)

Daniel Converse Thompson is our children’s 3rd great grandfather and lived from 1817 through the turn of the century.  Because Daniel and Hannah made many moves I was fascinated reading about them on the census reports.   

The 1840 census shows Hannah Fiske in Cheshire County, New Hampshire where she is married to Daniel Converse Thompson, our 2nd great grandparents.  By 1841 they are farming in New York with a first child born, Sarah Jane born in 1841.  Four more children are born in New York state. Their 2nd child, Daniel W. is born in 1843,Charles in 1844, Mary Phelena in 1847 and Alice Elvira in 1849.   

Hannah and Daniel are farming in Wyoming New York and have 5 children.  It is a countryside of rolling hills, hardwood forests good for dairy farmers.  Daniel and Hannah have heard of the rich farmland in the Midwest of the country and sometime between 1850 and 1852 they move to Illinois.  Here is where our great grandmother Roseanne Thompson is born. 

On 1870 census, Daniel is a 53 year old farmer living in Iowa.  Hannah is 53.  Our great grandmother Roseanna is 18.  Hannah dies in 1873 in Guthrie County, Iowa. And in 1877, Daniel remarries to Stella Shephard and has more children with his wife Stella. 

On the 1900 census,Daniel is 82.  He can read and write.  His second wife, Stella is 49.  His home is mortgage free.  He has 14 children.  He has lived an active life, moving many times with a large family.   Daniel Thompson has farmed in 3 states; New York, Iowa and New Hampshire.   On February 28, 1904, Daniel dies.  

Stuart was founded as a small Quaker community, situated on a high point where prairie and timberlands meet.  Daniel Converse Thompson, age 86 is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Stuart, Guthrie County, Iowa. 

Troy to Visit Cemetery This July

In this post script to George's interview, Troy offers help. Perhaps a visit to the cemetery in July, do some maintenance, and give us a report.

I also found some cryptic notes regarding Leo Reser. His wife may be his connection to farm. It may be that Reser's wife is related to Inman, the earlier owner of the farm.

An old phone number  have for Leo Reser is 815 343-8381.

George Interview, #5: Markers and maintenance of cemetery

Doug and George discuss marker locations

Michael Meinhard and the Welch cemetery

Tree problem looming

Markers and who might be buried there

George Interview Part #4, Cenotaphs, Linkages, and Memorials

In this part, George mentions "cenotaphs," grave markers at locations without the remains of the deceased.
Meinhards inside, Welches outside the fence
Large tree threatens to fall on the fence

Farm owner and Leo Reser 
George identified two Welches
The problem of promiscuous links on findagrave.com:

"Find a Grave is the best place on the internet to look for burial and other final disposition information for your family, friends and famous people. The site provides tools that let people from all over the world work together, share information and build an online, virtual cemetery experience."

George, Interview #3, Reser and Meinhard Cemetery location in the woods

Reser’s house

Going through the Coop for access

Location in the woods

George Interview #2, Meinhard Cemetery at Troy Grove

In Part 2, George and the family discuss our legal access and rights to Meinhard family cemetery at Troy Grove.

George Interview #1: Cemeteries of interest

In this 1^st part, George gives us some context for cemeteries and their importance. He points out that in the U.S., birth and death records weren’t recorded until around 1900 and grave markers served as records. He tells us of four cemeteries of interest to Meinhard Samsel clan.

1:39 Findagrave.com is source for genealogists and creating memorial links

3:26 Beavercreek Cemetery in Guthrie County

4:06 Lakeview Cemetery in Windom, Minnesota has our grandparents, Jennie and Herman Samsel.  In the Storm Lake Cemetery, Buena Vista Co, are Meinhards, Dushinskis, Vitts, and Abagail Ann Spencer Samsel.
Ancestry links lead from Abigal Ann Spencer to her parents and grandparents art Union Cemetery in Carrol Co. up the Bowen/Thurber/.Brown line to the Mayflower passengers  (up 9 generations from us over to the Bowens from Swansea, Galmorgan, Wales)

7:53 The small Vitt-Eberhardt cemetery in Franklin Co, MO in a farmer's field, not well-maintained.

Memorials at the Meinhard Family Cemetery

Meinhard Cemetery Now Listed

George reports, "the Meinhard Cemetery at Troy Grove had not been listed on find-a-grave.com. I have added it but now need any photos that any of you have from there — both of the memorials and the cemetery – especially the gate with the Meinhard name."

Here's the url:

https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2708319/meinhard-family-cemetery or click on this picture:

Description on findagrave.com

"I have only added a memorial for Michael so far. I requested the admin of Frederick Memorial at storm Lake to insert a link to Michael's memorial." Can you explain a bit more, George.

"If you look at other memorials on findagrave such as those for the Samsels at the Storm Lake Cemetery you'll see that many of them include links to parents and to siblings. Links to parents can only be added by the person(s) who administer the memorials of the children. After I add a memorial for Michael's father I'll be able to add a link to him from Michael's memorial. But I have to request the admin of Frederick's to link to Michael.  Is that the question?"

"Among the large collection of material from Uncle Bob are xerox copies of photos of Michael and Maria Meinhard as well as ones of Frederick and Emilie. Does anyone have originals of those photos - or better copies?  I will scan what I have but would prefer better quality for their memorial pages on findagrave.

I've added memorials for Jacob and Karl as well as Maria in the Meinhard Family Cemetery. I've also requested links from the memorials for Henry, Anna, Wilhelmina, Adolph, and Eberhard as well as Frederick. The one for Anna has already been added. Note that all except Frederick remained in Illinois and have many descendants who also retain an interest in the cemetery property. But I don't think any of us have had any contact with these distant cousins or have identified any of them."

Meinhard Family Cemetary

Some History of the Meinhard Family Cemetery Property at Troy Grove, Illinois

The 2-1/3 acre property on which the cemetery is located is in the NE corner of the SE1/4 of section 26 of Troy Grove Township. Within that property there are two separate burial grounds – the Welch Cemetery that is 2 rods (33 feet) square and not fenced and the adjacent Meinhard Family Cemetery of about the same size which has a steel fence and gate, The gate is within a steel arch with the name M Meinhard spelled out in steel letters.

According to Government Land Office records, the south half of the southeast quarter of section 26 was originally entered by Zacceus Welch with patent deeds issued to him on 1 August 1838.

The Welch family comprised some of the earliest settlers in La Salle County which was formed in 1831. The group that arrived in 1834 included Zacceus Welch and the family of his brother Thomas Welch. They originated in Maine but had lived in Pennsylvania and Ohio before moving to Illinois. Thomas Welch had several grown children when they arrived in Illinois and a second younger wife name Bethiah. Thomas and Zacceus Welch jointly entered some land in LaSalle County and also entered some land separately. Zacceus died in 1838 and his brother Thomas was the administrator of his estate and, apparently, his only heir since he ended up in possession of all of the land. In 1842 Thomas sold the south half of the SE1/4 of section 26 to his daughter Rebecca Welch – but when she later married a Fulton she sold the land back to her father. In 1854 he sold it to Michael Meinhard.

Sometime before 1838 when Zacceus Welch still owned the land, a burial ground was set aside for the Welch family. Undoubtedly, Zacceus himself was buried there when he died in 1838. There were very few of the stones that were still readable the first time I visited that site. One that was readable was for Elizabeth, wife of William Winterton, who was born in 1811 and died July 26, 1838. Elizabeth was one of the daughters of Thomas Welch. When Thomas sold the land to Michael Meinhard in 1854 the deed specified that the 2 rod square burial ground was to be reserved for use of the heirs of Thomas Welch. Thomas had bought 5 lots in the village of Homer (which was later incorporated as Troy Grove) and moved there in 1848. When he died on October 27, 1861, he was also buried in the Welch Cemetery on the property then owned by Michael Meinhard. His stone is one that was still readable and shows that he was born August 27 1776.

The will of Thomas Welch listed six living children as well as his wife, Bethiah. As far as I can tell, all of them later left the area. However, all of their descendants still have the same legal right of access and use of the 2-1/3 acres as the descendants of Michael Meinhard and still have the right to use the Welch burial ground on that property.

The other children of Michael Meinhard other than Frederick remained in that area and their descendants also retain the same rights of access to the 2-1/3 acres and use of the Meinhard Cemetery. The ones who remained in Illinois included Henry, Adolph, Eberhard, Anna (Grob) and Wilhelmina (Roth).

Note that the legally defined access to the property according to the deed was to be from the south via a “public road leading under the railroad bridge along Vermilion Creek.” Since no such road exists any longer the only practical access is from the north through private farm property. But there is no defined legal access that way – so it is important to remain on good terms with the farm owner.

George J. Farris

June 19, 2020

Rose Samsel's Mayflower Ancestory

Rose Anna Samsel Meinhard’s Mayflower Ancestry

This is a brief summary of the part of Rose’s ancestry that leads back to the Mayflower.

The Mayflower passengers that comprise a part of her ancestry were John Howland, Elizabeth Tilley, and Elizabeth’s parents, John Tilley and Joan(Hurst) Rogers Tilley. John and Joan Tilley, like a majority of the Mayflower passengers, died during that first hard winter of 1620/1621. John Howland, who was about 18 in 1620, was employed by Governor Bradford. When Elizabeth Tilley’s parents died she was also taken into the household of Governor Bradford. Elizabeth was 13 in 1620. John and Elizabeth were married 25 March 1623 at Plymouth. One of their children was Lydia Howland who later married James Brown.

The descendancy from there is:

Lydia Howland + James Brown

James Brown + Mary Denison

Mary Brown + John Thurber

Ann Thurber + James Bowen

James Bowen + Chloe Thayer

Amasa Bowen + Amanda Johnson

“Polly” Maria Bowen + Alanson Soloman Spencer

Abigail Ann Spencer + Theodore Carlton Samsel

Herman Americus Samsel + Jennie Floy Miller

Rose Anna Samsel

George J Farris

18 June 2020

Interesting Behaviors—Meinhard Maternal Grandmothers

Doris' post on Interesting Maternal Grandmothers.

Jennie Miller Samsel's grandmother, Magdalene Smith Switzer, has an interesting story.  Her first child, Abram, is born when she is 14 and almost 6 years before she marries Peter Grant Switzer.  This seems correct: on a later census Abram' age calculates to an 1815 birth date and he has a grandfather Abraham Switzer.  Children were often named after another family member.  His father, Peter Grant Switzer is surely named after his mother Elizabeth Grant.  On the 1850 census, Magdalene is the mother of 15 children, she is 49 years old, living with her husband Peter, 8 children plus her married daughter, Elizabeth and husband.  We find two daughters that are married to two Miller brothers so that connection is close.  Peter Switzer is my 3rd great grandfather; Jacob Miller is my 3rd great grandfather and these two men have children that marry.

Doris Talks Genealogy and Cemeteries

In this video Doris talks about how she does genealogical research. So, "How did you get started, Doris.“ "You start with yourself. Then you put down your mother and father because you know that.” Doris is following the Grandmother Miller line and compiling one of her famous notebooks.

But then she and Roger take us on their journey to find the Miller gravestones she had heard about supposedly at an Iowa town now long gone called Glendon. Stopping at the local café for the best ice cream in town, the only ice cream in town, the folks laugh at her question if any now was a Miller, “We’re all Millers here.” They assigned Raymond for lead them. On the way they past a few old buildings, the old town they found out later; finally, winding around the country roads, they arrive at the Glendon cemetery. Their hope—to find Roseann Miller’s gravestone.

In part 2 Doris takes us up 4 generations to Hanna and her mother Roseann Fisk. The timelines give a more life to person in the family tree. To the class society of Britain's past, importance derived from a person's pedigree. The Fisk name going back to England was particularly important, and on her trip to England with Dorothea, Doris tells the story of of bumping into a Fisk.

Grandmother Jennie Samsel and Great-grandmother Roseanna Thompson

A Timeline for my Grandmother Jennie Floy Miller and her mother Roseanna Ellen Thompson, my great grandmother

by Doris Kay Meinhard Howard

May 28, 2020

Here is a Timeline for my Grandmother Jennie Floy Miller and her mother Roseanna Ellen Thompson, my great grandmother.  And my (Doris Kay Meinhard Howard) Reflections.

It is a challenge to write a timeline because any and every life leads back to an earlier life, going back and then even further back.  Jennie’s life depends on her parent’s timeline, Roseanna and Daniel Thompson; and back yet again to Hannah.   Roseanna’s mother Hannah traveled as a child with her parents and so now we are with Sarah Morse Fisk. 

Well, that brings us to the question of where did they live?  I want to know and look up the information on the town they lived in previously. I can view online some old buildings especially churches and see the topography of the land that does not change much through the years.  And that adds dimension to the life I want to know about. 

And I wonder if important terrible historical events occur during their lifetime.  Genealogy requires time and respect so that another person’s life is revealed more clearly.  It is not just any person but rather your ancestor.  And it is thus your own story. 

Daniel and Hannah were married in New Hampshire and had 5 children while living in Java, New York.  Then traveling west with Sarah, Daniel, Charles, Mary, and Alice until settling in Ogle county, Illinois.   Well, I do not have information on Charles, his death date.  Did Roseanna’s brother Charles live so she could play with him?  Grow up with him?

Hannah and Daniel had Roseanna and 4 more children born while living in Ogle county, Illinois.  They moved again.  What would make one decide to keep moving?  The Meinhard family moved from state to state so our experience informs us of what that requires.  You sort and downsize so you only move the essentials.  You save money for the funds you will need to get started again when you arrive in a different place.  I did not think to question my parents…what were their worries, did they save money for the move?  I think the decision to move required much thought and planning.

1852 birth of Roseanna to Daniel Thompson and Hannah Fisk, Ogle County, Illinois.

1860 Lynnville township, Ogle County, Illinois Census: Roseanna, age 8, is living with her parents & 7 siblings.  Hannah’s youngest child, Carrie Floy is born in Illinois in 1860.  

Roseanna is 8 when her sister, Carrie Floy is born.  Hannah and Daniel move from Illinois to Guthrie County, Iowa after Carrie is born, moving sometime between 1860 and 1872.  Hannah dies at age 56 in Menlo, Guthrie Co., Iowa.  Hannah was going to miss her daughter Rosanna’s wedding.  

1873 Death of Hannah Fisk Thompson in Menlo, Guthrie Co., Iowa.  

1874   Rosana E Thompson marries Simon Peter Miller in July in Guthrie County.

And now our great grandmother Roseanna’s story is the one I want to follow.  We only get a glimpse of the stories.  Always I can only hope to find enough statistics and care enough to fill in detail through knowing historical event and topography of land and military experiences or agony brought by death of a child.  But I do not often find details on the cause of death.  I cannot fill in the emotions of love or hate or fear.  I do consider my questions about these things however. 

c. 1875   Minnie born to Roseanne and Simon P Miller, probably in Fonda, Pocahontas Co., Iowa.

1877   Jennie is born in Fonda Pocahontas Co., Iowa

1879 Beaver Twp., Guthrie Co., IA   Sister Minnie dies abt age 4.  Sister Carrie is born in June.

1880   Beaver Twp., Guthrie Co. Iowa census.  “S.P. Miller, farmer, age 48; Rosa E., Jennie 3, Carrie.

Until I read this census, I had not thought of Simon Peter (Miller) as a farmer.  I identify more closely with him knowing that.  I had heard Mom’s stories about her grandfather.  She told me, “Grandpa was a wall paper hanger and he would tell us stories and joke with us.  I even asked him once, “How many layers of paper would it take to fill the room?’  And I picture him laughing and telling his grandchildren stories.  Even after losing so many loved ones I believe that he enjoyed the family he still had. 

1886 Carrie dies, age 7.

1891   In June. Rosa E. Miller dies and is buried in Glendon Cemetery, Guthrie Co., Iowa

Between the years 1873 until 1893, Jennie lost her mother Roseanna, sister Minnie, sister Carrie, brother Albert who dies in 1893.  Her father, Simon Peter Miller moves with his daughters Jennie and Mabel to Fonda a town in Pocahontas Co., IA.  Now our story switches to our grandparents, Jennie and Herman.  I think the woman carries the pedigree because of her name.  I had to write it down because I kept getting lost, not remembering which person’s story I was telling.  My confusion was in part from the changing of the mother’s name: Jennie Miller Samsel, Roseanna Thompson Miller, Hannah Fisk Thompson, Sarah Morse Fisk.  Do you understand why I say the woman carries the pedigree with her name?  And how easily I can get confused by the changing of their names.  

1900   Cedar Twp., Pocahontas Co., IA census. “Fonda town” “S.P. widow, renting a house, Head.  Jennie dau age 22, Mabel dau age 18.  (Dau is daughter)

On December 24, 1902, Jennie Miller marries Herman Samsel in Fonda, Iowa by Robert Burnip, Clergyman.  Her sister Mabel Miller and a friend? Luella Moonsin sign as witnesses.  The groom is white and this is his first marriage.  The bride is white and it is her first marriage.  I have found their marriage record, “Iowa Marriage Records, 1880-1940 for Rosy Thompson”!!  Have you noticed the various spellings of Roseanna’s name. I only surmise this is the given birth name.  She has gone by Rosana E, Rosa E, and now I read Rosy.  But when I think about it I have also had various names.  I think we also must consider the humor in our lives.  

1904   Earl Clare “Uncle Clare” is born to Jennie and Herman Samsel in O’Brien Co., Iowa.

1906   Rose Anna “Mom” is born in Fonda Town, Iowa Pocahontas County, town of 600.

I did not ever ask Mom about her name.  She surely was named after her grandmother Roseanna.  

1908   Herman Albert “Uncle Bert” is born in Dickinson Co., Iowa

1910   Mabel “Aunt Mabel” is born in Osceola Co., Iowa

1912   Theodore Clinton “Uncle Clint” is born in Osceola Co., Iowa

1915 Robert Donald “Uncle Don” is born at home on their farm near Windom, Minnesota

1917   Merwyn Leland born near Windom, Minnesota on December 17^th, dies on January 18^th, 1918.  

So these are some of my considerations during genealogical research.  These are my stories.  These are your stories.  They are important.

Samsel Photos

Here is a link to our Samsel Photo Album

In Memory of Uncle Don 1915-2000

Click for Samsel Siblings with father Herman

Uncle Don, Mom's little brother

Doris tells us that when Robert Donald Samsel was born on October 18, 1915, in Windom, Minnesota, his father, Herman, was 37 and his mother, Jennie, was 38. He had four brothers and two sisters. He died on March 16, 2000, in his hometown at the age of 84.

Donna Shares Memories of Uncle Don

It's a tiny moment—of sadness, of remembering, of wishing it had been different and we had been a part (more of a part) of Uncle Don's life.

I remember when Dianne and I used to go visit Granpa and Granma on the farm. Food scraps in the slop bucket and "Hooee, Hooeeee, pig pig pig" and slosh, and, standing on tiptoe, we could see the pigs and hear their delicious gruntings.

But also I remember the thrilling excitement of so many adventures with Uncle Don's big kids. They would come over from where they lived, and we would tag along. Out to the pasture, beware the big cows, build a fire and cook a rabbit. Did we really eat it? Into the orchard, carefully working for hours to take the bark off of a fallen tree, and then Granpas' anger. It was supposed to be for something else. But also cautious curiosity as I watched these bigger children when we got together—somehow so different from us.

And then of course, the parting of our lives. Was there an actual rift or just that there was not much in common. Mom's family—where education and music were so central and her siblings where it was different.

We went to Minneapolis many times and had great fun at Uncle Bert's and Clint's and Clare's—eating and talking. Visiting Quaker Oats and the car factory—what one was that? Riding the Trolley car with Uncle Bert, or Clint as engineer. What do you remember?

But then loose connections, memories of Uncle Don in later years as fragile in body and in spirit. A drifting away—our weekend together was a challenge to that possibility as well as being the most fun I've had for a long time. You guys are so much fun to be with. Just didn't get enough of it. Especially liked the thoughts about the state of the church. Great stuff.

Thanks Dorothea and Gordy for prodding us to do it.

Well, Lent is soul work time. I wish I knew what parts of Uncle Don's
life were about Easter.

What Genealogy Does for You

Why an interest in genealogy?

For 2 reasons:

1. It places you into the middle of history

2. You can see the immense pool of heritage that you have to draw on by knowing the events both personal and community wide your ancestors lived through. You don’t have a single story but threads of many stories meet in you.

From Doris Howard

Our Samsel Grandparents

Herman and Jennie

Link to Jennie and Herman picture

Simon Peter & Roseanna

Link here to Simon Peter picture

Written by Doris Howard

The Meinhard Farm at Buena Vista

Alfred and Wilhelmina Meinhard's Farm Buildings

During a visit in 2001, I asked Uncle Bob if he was continuing to write up his family history. He said yes, he had been, and had a number for pieces he was writing. But, he said, he didn't know how much more work he was going to do because he got a new computer and didn't know how to open his files. His new computer had so many unknowns he said. Did I know how to open this file? He asked me to just take it. He didn't think he would get back to it.

I opened the file and extracted his text but without his older word processing program, the text is jumbled with strange characters. Where I couldn't reconstruct something, I left it in the text. I worked out everything but the reference to something old sometimes stored in the machine shed.

Maybe you could comment on this piece. Some of you remember the farm. What did he mean the garage in the basement? Do you remember other details?

I linked to A.O.'s profile Doris posted. I'll add a link to Minnie's profile when she posts,

Farmyard

by Robert Meinhard

The farmyard was about 100 x 150 yards in area. The orchard was in the northwest corner. We did not have many fruit trees, about three or four apple trees and a couple of cherry trees.  Besides the house, there was the barn, hog house, chicken house, granary, blacksmith shop, and privy. It was a fine set of building, as good as any of our neighbors. 

The barn was a large one, much wider than most were. The west side had stalls for eight horses, plus another pen in the rear of the barn, where I kept my baby beeves. The east side was the cow barn with stalls for eight with another pen in the rear. Sometimes sheep, or the bull, were kept in this pen. At one time we had a few steers that we fed, and they were kept in this pen during harsh weather. In between the horse and cow barns, was storage for hay or straw. Above the cow and horse barns were hay lofts.  

The hog house was a well-built structure with a capacity of 15 or so sows and their pigs. Dad farrowed about 100 pigs each year in the early spring that were fattened and shipped to market the next winter. Hogs were the main cash crop for many Iowa farmers at that time.  On the east side of the hog house, was a cement feeding platform where the hogs were fed corn and "slop".

The chicken house was just north of the hog house and housed the 100 to 150 hens and roosters that Mother kept for eggs and meat. Mother had a registered flock of Plymouth Rocks and received a premium for the eggs from hatcheries. She hatched about 150 chicks that were raised for meat and to replace laying hens. We often had chicken for dinner on Sunday and other times as well. The chicken house was built to Iowa State College specifications and had plastered walls.

The Granary located east of the house had bins for grain on one side and a corn crib on the other. In between was a driveway that was used to store wagons and later automobiles.  Attached to the east side was the machinery shed where most of the farm machinery was stored.  This included the tractor, plow, binder, disc harrow, and tooth harrows, mower, and sometimes the old Ç@ @ @[1] was kept in the machine shed during winter. Above the driveway of the granary was a storage area, and one item that I remember being kept there, was the fanning mill used to clean weed seeds from the oats before seeding. Other items were a hand corn sheller and an old captains' chair, which may have been from the old Meinhard Mill[2] at Troy Grove.  Unfortunately, it was never saved.  It would be a prized heirloom today.

The blacksmith shop was located south of the machine shed and contained a forge, anvil, and other blacksmith tools, which Dad used for sometime.

When the basement garage was built, Dad shifted his work shop to the garage.

The privy was located just east of the house and guarded by a large lilac bush.  It was a three holler with two large and one small hole. After the bathroom was installed, the privy was used by us children in the warmer months, using pages from the Montgomery Catalogue for toilet paper. Better than corn cobs. No kidding, cobs were used in emergencies.

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[1] Again, any guesses? I can’t interpret this old word processing program Uncle Bob was using. Maybe look at ASCII code to get a clue. If he wrote this in 1980’s, the most popular program was WordStar. Electric Pencil had a much smaller following. If probably wrote this piece after 2000 before he died in 2013. I downloaded the file in 2001; he said he had not edited it and probably would not get back to it.

[2] The program showed, “old Ç @ @ @ Meinhard Mill”.

Our Family Tree

An Easy View of Relatives in Our Family Tree

I used Family Echo for a simplified Meinhard Samsel Family tree. It begins with a copy of the Ancestry.com work of Doris and George.  Their work has the definitive family genealogies which are much more extensive and with in-depth information. However, it isn't wise to extend it to the cousins so, let's use this Family Echo tree to add our spouse's families and our cousins.

The tree is open to everyone's family so if you are willing to add more of your family, log in to gain editing privileges. You have to use my log-in name, rmeinhard with DDDRDDms.

It's simple to use. Click on a name and the tree repositions and shows relations to that person. Then click on the relative to add to that person. So, click on Janet and you see this (this picture cut off the right side):

Click on "add parents" and add each one.

When we had a wedding, I showed this tree to people who didn't know all of our family members. It gave us something concrete to talk about.

Doug also posted family genealogies in "docs."