Fathers of Mine: Harlan Martin Geyer Jr

Harlan as a baby

My father, Harlan Martin Geyer, Jr., was born on May 9, 1947 to Harlan Martin Geyer, Sr., and Ila (Bear) Geyer, at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oceanside, San Diego, California. He was the oldest of two children born to Harlan and Ila, and the only son. He was always very close with his younger sister Cherie. He died on November 2, 2001.

From the start, he was a caring person and an animal lover. He was always bringing home stray animals and wild creatures and volunteered with the local church group.

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Granada Hills - A group of young people of high school and college age, called "SLUPYouth" from the St. Luke Presbyterian Church, 16200 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills, assisted wheelchair and bed patients to attend a Presbyterian worship service at Los Angeles County General Hospital.

Nancy Laich, Rhonda Dale, Marna Muenze and Dawn Buell, Chuck Benyei, Ken Hanson and Harlan Geyer Jr., met at the General Hospital for their instructions.

The young people were assigned to patients and given instructions by the hospital staff.

The service was scheduled for one hour after which the patients were returned to the wards. The young people felt that it was an inspiring and rewarding experience to help these people.

Source: "Church Youth Help Hospital Patients at Worship Service," Valley News, Van Nuys, California, 24 June 1966, page 36-A, column 1.

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Harlan at 18 years old

Sometime during his first year of college, Harlan decided that he needed to serve his country. Over the strenuous objections of his career Marine father, he enlisted in the Marine Corps.

He always told us children that he got in a fist fight with his dad when he told him, but this may have just been him kidding around. From an interview with my grandfather, Harlan M. Geyer, Sr., on November 26, 2005:

Christina: Is it true that when dad came home and said he volunteered for the Marines that you got in a fight and punched him?

Harlan: No I did not punch him, that I know of.

Christina: He always said that you were fighting in the front yard and you punched him.

Harlan: I don’t remember that, I just…

Cherie: I remember him crying.

Harlan: I was just upset because I figured that I did enough for both of us and when I became convinced that he was determined to go into the Marine Corps, I realized that I had to make a change and I said okay, if you’ve gotta go, I’m taking the day off and I’ll take you down myself. So I took him. And when the recruiting sergeant called me, wanted to talk to me, and I told him to go to hell. And he said that he was supposed to pick him up at 5 o’clock in the morning or something like that and I said, well, if you do you’re a dead man. But then Junior come home and he was so uptight about wanting to be a Marine that I decided that the best thing for me to do was to change my attitude and support my son.

Christina: Did he say why he wanted to be a Marine so much?

Harlan: He wanted to be like me.

Harlan after completing boot camp

My aunt Cherie is on the far left and my grandma and grandpa are to the right

Harlan served from 15 June 1966 until 1 March 1969. Over this time period, he was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Campaign Medal with device, Meritorious Mast, Presidential Unit Citation, Vietnam Service Medal with three stars, Combat Action Ribbon and the Good Conduct Medal. His combat history included counterinsurgency operations and participation in the operations De Soto, Kentucky, Osceola, Lancaster, Dye Marker, Scotland and Napoleon. He was a member of HMM-163, MAG-36, 1stMAW.

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A Marine rifle company in Vietnam will shortly display a California State Flag through the efforts of State Sen. Tom Carrell of San Fernando.

The flag was sent to Marine Pfc. Harlan Geyer, a Mission Hills resident, at the request of his mother, Mrs. Harlan M. Geyer, Sr., 10882 Arleta Ave., who wrote to the Senator and told him that her son, a native Californian, had requested one.

Accompanying the flag, Sen. Carrell sent a certificate attesting to the fact that the flag has been flown over the State Capitol in Sacramento.

In a cover letter to the Marine, the San Fernando Valley solon declared, "We will be proud to have it flown over your company in Vietnam."

Source: State Flag Sent to Valley Marine on Vietnam Duty, Valley News, Van Nuys, California, 9 Apr 1967, page 2-A, column 5.

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After the Marines, Harlan finished college, getting a degree in Accounting, and began working as an Auditor for the Department of Defense Inspector General's Office. As part of his job, he spent long periods overseas investigating the books of U.S. military bases around the world. In 1973, he was sent to investigate a base in Thailand and was assigned to work with a beautiful Thai bookkeeper, my mother, Unchalee.

My mom and dad in Thailand

They married in Bangkok on 10 June 1974, and had a second ceremony on 18 June 1974 at the Candlelight Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas, Nevada. About nine months later, I was born and was always Daddy's Girl. Three and six years later, respectively, my brothers Christopher and Christian were born.

My brother Christopher and I with dad

My dad was my best friend and I still miss him a lot, especially our long talks. He totally got me and at least for me, finding someone who gets you is a big deal. He was an avid gardener and loved clematises, planting them wherever he could. The yard in Virginia was filled with bird feeders and bird baths, he even put dog food out in the woods for the local foxes (whether or not this was a good idea, I don't know, but the neighbors have taken up doing it now).

The proud papa at Christopher's high school graduation
L to R: Christian, Harlan, Christopher, Christina and Unchalee

He read everything he could get his hands on, even the first three Harry Potter novels, and was a WWII history buff. His basement office was filled from floor to ceiling with tank, plane, and battleship models he planned to build after retirement. He was the undisputed, undefeated family trivial pursuit champion. None of us had any chance to beat him, even when we all played together against him (I've since taken the role of champion on).

After a 10 month fight against pancreatic cancer, he died at the age of 54. He never got to see me get married or know that Rainer is the guy that I'd end up with. I never got to hear the excitement he would have had to know that I'm now pregnant with his first grandchild. But at least I got the time with him that I did. I often have to remind myself that some people never get to know their dads.

My dad loved his garden and fish pond

He did meet Rainer once, however. The summer before he passed away, Rainer came up for a family dinner. He brought a bottle of good Riesling, and although my dad hadn't had any appetite for months, he ate the dinner and drank a glass of wine. I really wish Rainer had been able to get to know my dad better, cause I think my dad was a pretty special guy. You could always depend on him for whatever you needed, whether it was a laugh when you were sad, a talk when you were lonely, or being picked up from college in the middle of the night cause you were homesick.

People may have wondered why I never wrote anything for the 5th anniversary of September 11. That was because I spent most of the day on the phone with my dad, so my memory of 9-11 is tied to the memory of my dad, and it's still tough for me to think about. He worked in a building across the parking lot from the Pentagon. Although he'd been home for months, sick from cancer, he worried that some of his friends might have been in the section destroyed by the terrorists. He stayed on the phone much of the morning making sure that his people were all okay. It ends up that one very old friend of his was in the Pentagon, but luckily not in the affected section. He also comforted his secretary. Her aunt was a secretary in the section hit. After a few worried hours, they found out that she was not in her office at the time and survived unscathed.

Harlan entered the Hospice of Northern Virginia the night before he died. The hospice staff told us that no one had ever had as many visitors as my dad. He was loved by everyone who knew him and his friends and coworkers made a constant stream of visitors on his last day. They told us that the secretaries had worked out a visiting schedule and people came over from his office and the Pentagon in carloads of five and six at a time to say goodbye. I remember standing outside his room and crying with dozens of his male and female coworkers alike. I don't know why, but it's unbelievably heartbreaking to see 50 year old men, many of them former or current military men, breaking down into sobs.

We spread some of his ashes at the Tidal Basin

On that last day, he was also presented with the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. It is the highest civilian honor the Defense Department awards. He stayed aware of what was going on almost to the very end and was very proud when they came for the ceremony.

He died in the evening with his family surrounding him. I was holding his hand.

Some of his ashes are interred at the Columbarium in Arlington National Cemetery

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Harlan M. Geyer Jr. - Of Oak Hill, VA. On Friday, November 2, 2001 at Hospice of Arlington. Beloved husband of Unchalee Geyer; father of Christina Lynn Geyer of Durham, NC, Christopher Eugene and Christian Alan Geyer, both of Richmond, VA; son of Harlan M. Geyer of Reston, VA; brother of Cherie Ann Geyer of Aliso Viejo, CA. Mr. Geyer was a Marine Combat Veteran of Vietnam and awarded the Distinguished Civilian Service Award. Service will be held on Sunday, November 4 at 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. at ADAMS-GREEN FUNERAL HOME, 721 Elden St, Herndon, VA. A graveside service will also be held at Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium on Tuesday, November 20 at 1 p.m. (Please assemble at 12:30 p.m. at the Administration Building). In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to Hospice of Northern Virginia or the American Cancer Society.

Source: Harlan M. Geyer, Jr., obituary, The Washington Post, 3 Nov 2001.

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Harlan Martin Geyer, Jr.
Sgt USMC
9 May 1947 - 2 Nov 2001

McGimpsey Obituaries/Clippings

The following are transcribed newspaper clippings that were collected by Vernon Capps, the husband of my 1st cousin twice removed Gertrude Elloise Geyer. I have photocopies of the clippings. I don't know what newspapers they were taken from.

Lorene McGimpsey

Lorene E. McGimpsey, 78, of Thornburg, died Sunday, April 22, 1990, at the Mahaska County Hospital in Oskaloosa.

She was born September 5, 1911, near Thornburg, the daughter of Roy and Grace Stafford Edmundson.

She was united in marriage to Art McGimpsey in January of 1930. He died in October of 1985.

She graduated from Thornburg High School in 1929. She was Postmaster for 21 years at the Thornburg Post Office. She was a member of the Thornburg United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women.

She is survived by one daughter, Mrs. D. Jim (Greta Lou) Moore of Thornburg; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one brother, Leroy Edmundson of Keswick.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and one sister, Doris Davis.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, April 25 at the Harden Funeral Chapel in What Cheer with Rev. Dean McPherson officiating.

Music was by Janet Arendt.

Bearers of the casket were Van Moore, Ace Moore, Ron Denison, Ray Gasperi, Gerald Denison and Lloyd Little.

Burial was in the Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg.

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40 Years Ago
April 7, 1938

Mrs. Jane McGimpsey died at Thornburg yesterday afternoon. She had been visiting in the Grace McCracken home and suffered a stroke early Friday morning.

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[Handwritten at top of clipping: "1985"]

Charles Arthur McGimpsey

Charles Arthur “Art” McGimpsey, 74, of Thornburg died Saturday, Oct. 12, at the University Hospitals in Iowa City.

He was born March 23, 1911, in Thornburg, the son of Henry A. and Jennie Reasner McGimpsey.

He married Lorene E. Edmundson January 5, 1930, in What Cheer.

He was a lifelong Thornburg resident. He farmed for several years and later was the custodian of the Thornburg High School. Later, he was the custodian for the Tri-County Community Schools. He retired in 1975.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Thornburg.

He is survived by his wife; one daughter, Mrs. D. Jim (Greta Lou) Moore of Thornburg; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and one sister, Mrs. Harold (Isabelle) Godwin, of Washington.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one infant sister.

Funeral services were held Monday, Oct. 14, at the Harden Funeral Chapel in What Cheer with Rev. Ron L. Clayton officiating.

Music was by Mrs. Jean Wilson.

Bearers of the casket were Ace Moore, Van Moore, Ron Denison, Ray Gasperi, Steve Thomann and Duane McBeth.

Burial was in the Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg.

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[Handwritten at top of clipping: "1968"]

Former Thornburg Resident Slain in Langley, Oklahoma

Martin H. (Bill) McGimpsey, 58, of Vinita, Oklahoma, an aide at the Eastern State Hospital in Langley, Oklahoma; was shot and killed August 2. His alleged assailant was taken into custody on a charge of murder.

Sheriff R. W. Green placed Dale Eugene Branstetter, 38, a former patient of the hospital, in jail a few hours after the shooting following his arrest at his home northeast of Pryor, Oklahoma.

The sheriff alerted the Mayes County sheriff’s office immediately after the slaying and Branstetter was picked up at his home eight miles from Pryor. He did not resist arrest, officers said.

Sheriff Green said that Branstetter had an almost new .22 Magnum double-barrel pistol in his possession at the time the arrest was made.

McGimpsey had been employed at the state hospital 3 years. He formerly owned and operated McGimpsey Cafe and Bait Shop in Langley.

Martin McGimpsey was born February 13, 1910 in Thornburg. His survivors include his wife Oma, three daughters, Mrs Carol Ann Harris, Wichita, Kansas, Mrs Lois Brown and Mrs Willa Rose Merriott, both of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two sons, Martin D. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and William at home; six sisters, Mrs Catherine Shifflet, Deep River, Mrs Ruth Fraiser, Des Moines, Mrs Grace Geyer, Washington, Iowa, Mrs Rachel Bone and Mrs Eva Moore both of Oskaloosa and Mrs Maggie Geyer, What Cheer; and two grandchildren. One sister Mrs Bernice Baker preceded him in death.

Mr McGimpsey was a member of the First Christian church of Langley Oklahoma. Masonic funeral services were conducted there.

Mrs Catherine Shifflet of Deep River and Mrs Ruth Fraiser of Des Moines flew to Vinita, Oklahoma to attend the funeral service of their brother, Martin McGimpsey. Mrs Grace Geyer and her family of Washington drove down.

Oldaker Obituaries

The following obituaries are from newspaper clippings that were collected by Vernon Capps, the husband of my 1st cousin twice removed Gertrude Elloise Geyer. I have photocopies of the obituaries. The Oldakers are related to me by marriage. Burl Oldaker was married to Hazel (McGimpsey) Bone and his brother Charles Henry Oldaker was married to Hazel's sister Mary Jane McGimpsey. Hazel and Mary Jane's sister Grace (McGimpsey) Geyer was my great grandmother.

-- Vada Oldaker --

Vada Oldaker, 83, of Sigourney, died Saturday, Feb. 27, 1993, at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids.

She was born June 12, 1909 near Deep River to Henry and Lela Butcher Wadsworth.

She attended School in Deep River.

She married William LeRoy Oldaker June 5, 1926 in Thornburg.

She lived in Deep River, and moved to Sigourney in 1966. She was a member of the Sigourney Presbyterian Church.

She is survived by one son, Ronald of Marion; two daughters, Mildred Dobbins of Des Moines and Wilma Boatman of Ankeny; 11 grandchildren; 19 great grandchildren; a brother, Marvin Wadsworth of Des Moines; and a sister, Zelma Treanor of Des Moines.

She was preceded in death by her husband, LeRoy February 14, 1993; two sons, Donald and LeRoy; four brothers, Everett, Kenneth, Raymond and Melvin; and a sister, Ada Fish.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 3 at 11 a.m. at the Holm Funeral Home in Sigourney, with Rev. Kate Morgan officiating.

Burial was at the Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg.

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Donna Oldaker

Donna M. “Toddy” Oldaker, 71, of 130 S. Adella died at 3:24 p.m., Aug. 28, 1988, at University Hospitals in Iowa City.

She was born April 9, 1917, in Ottumwa to Bert R. and Marguerite May Bray Mace. She married Burl Oldaker July 3, 1968.

She is survived by her husband; four daughters, Shirley Chory of Baltimore, Md., Dixie McConnell and Vicki McConnell of Cedar Rapids, and Bonnie McNeal of Ottumwa; two sons, Jerry Phillips of Jacksonville, Fla., and Steve Phillips of Ottumwa; a stepson, Vernon Oldaker of Wickenburg, Ariz.; 14 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; three step grandchildren; four stepgreat-grandchildren; and a sister, Betty McDavitt of Ottumwa.

The service will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at Reece Funeral Home, the Rev. George King of Evangelistic Foursquare Church officiating. Burial will be in Shaul Cemetery.
The family will be at the funeral home from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Pallbearers will be Dwight, Ervin and Kevin McConnell, Bill and Cliff McNeal, and Guy Ruzicka.

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[Handwritten at top of clipping: "BORN 1865 = 6-24-1937"]

William Oldaker, 71, died at his home early yesterday morning as the result of a stroke.

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Burl Oldaker

Burl Oldaker, 94, of 130 S. Adella died at 4:55 p.m. Oct. 31, 1988, at Ottumwa Regional Health Center.

He was born July 29, 1894, near North English to William George and Annie B. McArtor Oldaker. He had been a resident of Keswick, Wellman and Batavia before moving to Ottumwa in 1968. He was a member of Kilwinning Masonic Lodge 198 in Batavia and had been the mayor of Batavia. He had owned and operated a coal mine in Selma and had been a postal carrier and was a retired railroad employee. He also had been a security guard for Philco Ford in Fairfield. He married Winnie Carmichael in 1914; she died in 1919. He married Hazel Bone; she died in 1951. He then married Donna Phillips July 3, 1968; she died Aug. 28, 1988.

He is survived by a son Vernon H. of Wickenburg, Ariz.; three grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; four stepdaughters, Shirley Chory of Baltimore, Md., Dixie McConnell and Vicki McConnell of Cedar Rapids, Bonnie McNeal of Ottumwa; two stepsons, Jerry Phillips of Jacksonville, Fla. and Steve Phillips of Ottumwa; 14 step-grandchildren, eight stepgreat-grandchildren; three sisters, Alma Axmear and LaVanda Bonnator of Keswick, and Edna Hartman of Ottumwa; and a brother, William LeRoy of Sigourney. He was preceded in death by a son, Starlin, who died in 1941.

The body has been cremated. Graveside services will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Shaul Cemetery, the Rev. George King of the Evangelistic Foursquare Church officiating.

A memorial has been established.

Reece Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

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Charles Oldaker

Charles William Oldaker, 82, passed away April 25. He had been living with his son in Callahan, Fla. He was born near Thornburg to Charles Henry and Mary McGimpsey Oldaker.

His formative years were spent in Keswick, Thornburg and Delta. After graduating from Delta High School in 1940 he enlisted in the Army and served in the Army Air Corps. He was most proud of graduating from the Air Corps Pilot School in June 1945 and for serving in the U.S. Air Force. He achieved the rank of Captain with a total of 22 1/2 years service. Later he worked for the Federal Aviation Agency as an air traffic controller before retiring with 20 1/2 years of service.

He was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars and a life member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks.

He was predeceased by his parents, his wife Rose whom he married in August 1951 in Arlington, Va. who passed away in October 1978.

Survivors include two sons Charles O. of Ulysses, Kan. And William S. and wife Kathy, three sisters Florence Pakis of Burgess, Va., Kathleen Rhody of Phoenix, Ariz., and Winnifred Carrigan of Burgess, Va.; two grandchildren and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

He was a member of the Christian First Assembly of God Church in Callahan, Fla. He was cremated and his ashes were joined with those of his wife.

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[Handwritten at top of clipping: "JUNE 1980"; appeared in the What Cheer Patriot Chronicle]

Charles Henry Oldaker

Charles Henry Oldaker, 82, of Park View Manor, Wellman, died Wednesday, May 24. He was formerly of Oskaloosa.

He was born March 23, 1898 at Wellman, the son of William George and Annie Bell McArtor Oldaker.

He attended Keswick High School. He was a member of Eagles Lodge in Oskaloosa and was employed by Pella Rolscreen until he retired. The last 14 years he had resided at Park View Manor at Wellman.

He married Mary Jane McGimpsey October 20, 1918 at the Methodist Parsonage in Keswick. She preceded him in death June 23, 1963.

Survivors include three daughters, Mrs. Nicholas (Florence I.) Pakis of Silver Springs, Md., Mrs. Francis (Kathleen) Rhody of Phoenix, Ariz., Mrs. Neil (Winnifred) Carrigan of Bowie, Md.; a son, Charles W. Oldaker of Pierre, S.D.; 11 grandchildren; three sisters, Mrs. Alma Axmear and Mr. LaVanda Bonnater, both of Keswick and Mrs. Edna Hartman of Ottumwa; and three brothers, Burl of Ottumwa, Roy of Sigourney and Lloyd of Oskaloosa.

Preceding him in death besides his parents and wife were two brothers, Warren and Loren and two sisters, Lottie Oldaker and Edith Just.

Funeral services were held Saturday, June 7 at 10 a.m., at Holm Funeral Home in Sigourney with Rev. Warren James of the What Cheer Baptist Church officiating.
Music was by Mrs. Harry Landers, organist.

Bearers of the casket were Donald Oldaker, Ronald Oldaker, Rayford Oldaker, Raymond Axmear, Dale Axmear and Jim Moore.

Burial was at Sixteen Cemetery.

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[Handwritten at top of clipping: "OLDAKER 1993"]

Gerald Bonnater

Gerald Duane Bonnater, 59, died Wednesday, Oct. 6 at Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines.

He was born September 10, 1934 on a farm near Webster, the son of Roy Charles and LaVonda M. Oldaker Bonnater.

The family moved to a farm near Keswick. In 1985 they moved into Keswick where they lived until May of 1991 when Jerry and his mother moved to Ankeny. They were residents of Sunnyview Care Center in Ankeny.

Jerry suffered from Downs Syndrome.

Survivors include two sisters, Mrs. Albert (Gladys) Taghon of Keswick and Mrs. Robert (Phyllis) Goldman of Ankeny; eight nieces and nephews and 12 great-nieces and nephews.

Preceding him in death were his parents.

Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 9 at Powell Funeral Home in North English with Pastor Don Ridenour officiating.

Music was by organist, Marlene Clubb and soloist Lois Axmear.

Bearers of the casket were Michael Goldman, William Schumacher, Allan Taghon, Dan Taghon, LaVerne Fry and William Augustine.

Burial was in Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg.

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Roy Oldaker

Roy Oldaker, 91, of Sigourney died Sunday, Feb. 14, at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids.

He was born March 2, 1901, near North English to William George and Annabelle McCarter Oldaker.

He married Vada Wodsworth June 5, 1926, in Thornburg.

He attended School at Keswick. He worked as a farmer, at What Cheer Pottery Co., for Deep River Schools, Amana Refrigeration and at Memorial Hall in Sigourney until retiring in 1981. He came to Sigourney in 1966 and was a member of the Sigourney Presbyterian Church.

He is survived by his wife; a son, Ronald of Marion; two daughters, Mildred Dobbins of Des Moines and Wilma Botman of Ankeny; 11 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Alma Axmear of Keswick and Edna Heartman of Ottumwa.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two sons, Donald and William; five brothers, Warren, Loren, Burl, Charley and Lloyd; and three sisters, Edith Just, Lottie Oldaker and Lavinella Bonnater.

Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 17 at Holm Funeral Home in Sigourney with Rev. Kate Morgan officiating.

Burial was in Sixteen Cemetery near What Cheer.

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And to finish it out, two more from the Newspaper Collection at Ancestry.com:

Mrs. Anna Oldaker Dies at What Cheer

Wellman--Mrs. Anna Oldaker, 80, died at her home in What Cheer Friday.

She was the daughter of Charles and Marie McArtor and was born in Iowa City. She was married to William G. Oldaker October 7, 1890. He preceded her in death in 1937.

Eleven children were born to them, nine of whom are living, Loren of Olds, Burl of Batavia, Alma A. Mead of Keswick, Charles of Oskaloosa, Lavanda Bonnater of Keswick, Roy of Deep River, Edna Castle of Ottumwa, Edith of What Cheer and Lloyd of Oskaloosa, also two sisters, Mrs. Mary Hall and Mrs. Minnie Lamercox of Wellman, and one brother Burl of North English.

Source: "Mrs. Anna Oldaker Dies at What Cheer," Iowa City Press Citizen 29 Nov 1948, page 7; available from Ancestry.com, full edition, subscription database, <http://www.ancestry.com/>, accessed 19 Feb 2007.

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6 NAVY FLYERS CRASH VICTIMS
Die In Two Accidents; Iowan Killed In One Crash

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) -- Two navy plane crashes, one in a rain and windstorm, took the lives of six aviators, including one Iowan, from the air station here Wednesday.

Four flyers were killed at Bay Springs, Miss., when a 14-passenger, navel transport plane crashed while returning here from a routine flight to the Kansas City, Mo, naval reserve aviation base. More than 200 persons saw the big plane, buffeted by high winds, emerge from a heavy cloud and plunge to earth.

Among the victims the navy listed Aviation Machinist Mate Starlin R. Oldaker, 25, son of Burl Oldaker of Eldon, Iowa.

The other plane crashed on Santa Rosa peninsula near here.

Source: "6 Navy Flyers Crash Victims," Iowa City Press Citizen 25 Sept 1941, page 9; available from Ancestry.com, full edition, subscription database, <http://www.ancestry.com/>, accessed 19 Feb 2007.

Poweshiek County, Iowa Obituaries

Stewart Library in Grinnell, Poweshiek, Iowa has an obituary database in the local history section of their website with scanned obituaries collected from local area newspapers dating back to 1871. Which newspaper the clipping comes from is unfortunately not always noted, but if you've got family that lived or died in Poweshiek County, it's a good place to search. Also in the local history section is the Friends of Stewart Library Oral History Project with over 20 interviews and an online collection of articles of historic interest.

One find in the database was the obituary of the husband of my great-grandaunt Eva Mae McGimpsey, Admiral Dewey Moore. Interestingly, he and Eva married on December 2, 1926 at his sister Jennie May (Moore) Geyer's home in Washington, Iowa. She was the wife of my great-granduncle George Everett Geyer. A. D. Moore's obituary can be found here.

Main Interest Getting Along In These Days

The following article was found in the book Early Pioneer Stories which I accessed in the DAR Library in Washington, D.C. this summer. The book was prepared for the DAR Library by the Appanoose County [IA] Genealogical Society and featured clippings of articles from the Progress Anniversary Edition of the Centerville Daily Iowegian, which came out on 14 Jan 1934. In the article, my gr-gr-grandfather Samuel Rupley Bear discusses his parents, Samuel Lewis and Mary (Rupley) Bear, and their life as early settlers in Appanoose County.

S. R. Bear of Johns township tells of the sod schools, the hard work of the pioneers, also some of their diversions, as follows: Father and mother, Samuel and Mary Bear, came to Appanoose county the winter of 1854 or the spring of 1854 or spring of 1855, from Illinois. They got acquainted with the pioneer business men of the county and Centerville and also dealt with them. He freighted from Keokuk.

I was born in Appanoose county in the year of 1856, the first school I attended was a log house with wooden slabs for seats with round logs to rest on. We had no desks and had to hold the books in our hands. The next school which I attended was held in a room in a dwelling house with slab benches.

Father and mother were hard working people whose main interest was in getting along. They did work of all kinds. Father broke up the land and planted it in corn, millet and buckwheat. He freighted when he had time, with mother helping in any way that she could. He first raised hogs and later raised cows. The hogs were butchered and sold. Father also made a cheese press and then made the cheese. There was an abundance of wild fruit at that time viz: wild gooseberries, blackberries, grapes, redhaws, blackhaws, and wild crab apples. Now and then father and mother and we children took a day off and together with neighbors and friends took a team and wagon and would go hunting. The men folks would hunt squirrels while the women folks and children would pick the wild berries. On returning home we would have a feast of young squirrel and the berries. Sometimes the neighbors would join us and a social time was held. In those days we also had much wild game of which there were chickens, turkeys, some deer and also plenty of wolves. At first we had no mail whatsoever, but later we had a mail man who brot the mail to the houses. Also we did not have the schools in those early days, or preaching, but when the schools were built there were many different activities carried on inside, for instance there were the singing schools, meetings, and also the debates.

After the first ten years the county began to get populated and was getting well filled with inhabitants.

Source: Appanoose County Genealogy Society, Early Pioneer Stories [Articles from the Progress Anniversary Edition of the Centerville Daily Iowegian, 14 Jan 1934], (Centerville, IA: by the society, n.d.), p. 28, "Main Interest Getting Along In These Days".

The tragic life of Sanford Kirkland

In doing research on the Kirkland branch of my family, I came across a cousin who seems to have had a mysterious and sad life. I thought I'd share it in the hopes that someone who knows more of the story will come across this page and be able to add to the tale.

Sanford Kirkland was my 1st cousin, 3 times removed [Me > Harlan Geyer, Jr > Ila Bear > Samuel Bear > Margaret Kirkland > Hugh & Nancy (Morrison) Kirkland < William Kirkland < Sanford M. Kirkland].

Sanford was the only child of William J. Kirkland (born 1840 in Ohio) and Rebecca Dulaney (born 1838 in Pennsylvania). From what I can piece together, their families both settled in Wetzel County, West Virginia in the 1840's, where they grew up. According to the 1910 US census, they married around 1861. Sometime before 1870 they settled in Walnut township, Wayne County, Iowa, where Sanford was born on 25 Nov 1870.

When Sanford was seven years old, tragedy struck; his father had disappeared:

A LOST MAN. -- On Wednesday, June 6, l877, WILLIAM KIRKLAND, a farmer, started from his home, five miles west of Seymour, Wayne Co., Iowa, to go to Seymour, and took a train at Kniffin Station, and has not since been heard of. His friends think he was not in his right mind when he left. He was a man six feet high, and slender, with black hair, dark sandy whiskers and hazel eyes. He had on a dark mixed cassimere suit and a black, broad-brimmed hat.

Any information of him will be thankfully received, and all necessary charges paid by the wife.

Address by mail or telegraph REBECCA KIRKLAND, in care of E.R. Clark, Seymour, Iowa.

Source: "A Lost Man," Chariton Leader 30 Jun 1877; posted by David <railrider503@aol.com> on 11 Mar 2004,
transcribed by Nancee (McMurtrey) Seifert on 8 Mar 2004, IAGenWeb Project <http://iagenweb.org/boards/lucas/documents/index.cgi?review=47749>.

I don't know whether William was ever found. In the 1880 US Census he is listed with his family, in the 1900 US Census, his wife is "widowed", then in the 1910 US Census he is listed with the family again, and finally in the 1920 US Census, he is gone and his wife has no marital status given (which is not typical). Maybe he came home, or maybe Rebecca lost hope that he would return by 1900 and considered herself a widow, then heard something which made her change her mind. We may never know for sure, although I guess that if he returned it would be news, so a closer look at the local newspapers should be the next step here.

Sanford became a high school teacher, probably at Seymour High School. He was active in the community, being mentioned often in the local newspapers in connection with meetings of the local school board, but by the time of the 1930 US Census, he had changed careers to be a secretary for the telephone company. I wonder if, before he left teaching, he might have taught my grandmother, who graduated from Seymour HS in 1932.

On September 4, 1910, shortly before his 40th birthday, Sanford married Clementine Drake, two years his junior. It was the first marriage for both. It must have been a surprise, and I assume a joy, when in the second year of their marriage she became pregnant. But tragedy struck again; she and the child died during childbirth on December 4, 1912.

Sanford lived with his mother until her death in 1921, then when Clementine's father Joseph died in 1930, Sanford lived with his mother-in-law Selena (Clinesmith) Drake. From undocumented family trees on the web, I've found that she died in 1944 and Sanford died on April 8, 1959.

A WWI Send-off

from Humeston New Era 26 Sep 1917, page 1:

HONOR NATIONAL ARMY MEN

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A BIG DEMONSTRATION

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Patriotic Program Given Wednesday

at Corydon in Honor of

Soldiers.

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59 RESPOND TO THE CALL

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Important Day in History of Wayne

County--Boys Given

Good Farewell.

Answering the summons of the nation, fifty-nine Wayne county young men, the second contingent to be taken for the National Army, left Corydon for Camp Dodge, Des Moines, over the Rock Island at 2:35 o'clock Wednesday afternoon.

Corydon and Wayne county honored the National Army men with a program and a big patriotic demonstration. The exercises were held on the court house lawn. Short talks were made by W. H. Tedrow, D. L. Murrow and W. P. Allred of Corydon, Rev. S. H. Hedrick of Allerton and L. Belvel of Lineville. Mr. Tedrow presided at the exercises. Excellent music was furnished by a twenty-nine piece band, directed by Prof. Reizenstein. Ten members of the Humeston band played. Eleven musicians were present from Allerton. A basket dinner was enjoyed at noon.

The fifty-nine soldiers, civil war veterans and the Corydon school children marched in a parade.

Two men from the first contingent attended the farewell Wednesday.

The streets were filled with people and the crowd is said to have been the largest ever seen in the county seat. Hundreds of interested relatives and friends and neighbors were present to bid the boys goodbye.

The call for the second contingent came last week after the county newspapers had been published but hurried arrangements proved satisfactory and the boys were given a good demonstration. The efforts of A. T. Gallagher, president of the Corydon Commercial club, and other were highly appreciated. The farewell last week stirred the patriotism of the county as it has not been stirred for years. There were tears, misty eyes, and choked throats, filled with emotion, but for the most part it was a cheerful crowd. Most of the farewells had been said around the family firesides the night before and on the threshold of homes that morning. Many, though, clapsed the hand they loved or kissed the cheek they had known from babyhood as the fifty-nine were given the parting at the station. Several group pictures were taken.

Daniel Boone Heller, superintendent of the Seymour schools, was selected as captain of the boys until they reached Camp Dodge. Following are the men who reported last week...