Frank Geyer obituary, George Geyer interview

Received from Vernon Capps:

- Copied from newspaper clipping of his death notice March 30, 1938

FRANK GEYER; Born April 16, 1862 at Johannisberg (Johnsberg) Germany and died in Wellman, Keokuk County, Iowa, March 29, 1938. ( A Tuesday )

The only son of Vitis and Mary (Fruiend) Geyer, and a sister Elizabeth. At age of five years his mother died (1867) and his father remarried and five sons from this next marriage. Religion was Catholic and then Methodist.

Sailed to America, September 23, 1876 and landed in New York City, New York on October 6, 1876 where he stayed for six months working in a brush factory in the day time, and attending school at night.

Came to Kalona, Iowa with his Uncle Joseph Fruiend in Richmond, Iowa. Lived in and near Wellman, Iowa, except for five years near Pipe Stone, Minnesota ( Area- Five miles South of Pipe Stone; then six and one-half miles north) years 1899 to 1904.

Funeral Services was held at the Methodist Church in Wellman, Iowa. Conducted by Rev. Hann, Thursday afternoon at 2:00 O'clock, March 31, 1938. Interment at Bunker hill Cemetery, and later reburied in Wellman, Iowa in 1951.

- George Geyer told this story to Elloise and Vernon Capps while visiting them in South San Francisco, California. Oct, 1967.

Frank Geyer as a child carried wood for fires while living with is Uncle. He worked as a shoe repairman in New York. He learned the trade in Germany. He came to Richmond, Iowa with a Cousin Frankie Fruiend who stayed with the Deweys. Frankie had a sister who married Joe Dewey. He worked with a man on the Prairie there called Custard. He then came into Wellman area and stayed with the Bulls family. In the Bulls family were; Dave, Al, Dan, Grant and a sister named Sis. Frank Geyer was a catholic, but left that faith in Richmond, Iowa.

Frank Geyer had a big farm, 200 acres and raised good gardens. Before they planted gardens or trees on their farm, they used to go to the Griffiths to get their fruits and vegetables. When George and John were little, they remember that their Mother would let the neighbors help themselves for free to the gardens and fruits that they raised and took care of.

Typewritten notes from Vernon Capps

More Geyer and McGimpsey photos

Some more photos just received from Vernon Capps:

Frank Geyer

Lucinda Ellen (Griffith) Geyer

Frank and Lucinda Geyer were my 2nd great grandparents. Frank was born Franciscus R. Geyer on Apr 16, 1862 in Johannesburg, Germany, and died of a stroke on March 29, 1938 in Wellman, Washington, Iowa. On Dec 22, 1888 he married Lucinda Ellen Griffith, who was born on Oct 16, 1869 in Wellman, Washington, Iowa, and died on Oct 2, 1951 in Washington, Washington, Iowa.

Henry James McGimpsey

Eliza (Hamilton) McGimpsey

Eliza (McLean) McGimpsey

Henry James McGimpsey was born on Oct 13, 1829 in Newtownards, County Down, Ireland, and died on Nov 14, 1907 in Thornburg, Keokuk, Iowa. On May 6, 1862 he married Eliza Hamilton, who was born on June 8, 1829 in Newtownards, County Down, Ireland, and died on Oct 28, 1866 in Rock Island, Rock Island, Illinois. They are my 3rd great-grandparents. On Jan 2, 1868, he married his second wife, Eliza McLean, who was born Mar 4, 1832 in Ireland and died on July 3, 1916 in Thornburg, Keokuk, Iowa.

William James McGimpsey

William James and Jane M. (Moore) McGimpsey, taken Dec 22, 1892

William James McGimpsey was the son of Henry and Eliza (Hamilton) McGimpsey. He was born Jan 13, 1863 in Rock Island, Rock Island, Illinois, and died Oct 20, 1920 in Prairie, Keokuk, Iowa, from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound (he was shooting rats at the time). On Dec 22, 1892, he married Jane M. Moore, who was born Dec 12, 1866 in Thornburg, Keokuk, Iowa, and died there of a stroke on Apr 6, 1938. They were my 2nd great-grandparents.

Shaping the Future

"Teaching is the only major occupation of man for which we have not yet developed tools that make an average person capable of competence and performance. In teaching we rely on the "naturals," the ones who somehow know how to teach.”

-- Peter F. Drucker

I've had many teachers in my life, primary, middle and high school teachers, instructors, lecturers and college professors, but perhaps the two teachers who have had the greatest impact on my life never taught me in a classroom. They were my grandparents, Harlan and Ila Geyer.

Harlan was born on July 22, 1920 in Lime Creek Township, Washington, Iowa, and was raised just north of Wellman. He was the oldest of twelve children born to Francis Grant and Grace (McGimpsey) Geyer. In 1920, his father was a tenant farmer, working rented land to support his quickly growing family. Life was stressful; they had problems making ends meet for a family that grew with the birth of a child every two years. As Harlan would later put it, "We didn't have much."

But Harlan was a good student and in 1936, he decided to enter the Normal Training Program at Wellman High School. The Normal Training Program was passed into law by the Iowa State Legislature in 1911 and existed as part of the Wellman, Iowa education system between 1927 and 1945. The law included the following section:

"In order to develop an interest in rural life, at least one semester in Agriculture, Domestic Science and Manual Training is given a special place in the course. Two semesters in Pedagogy and one semester in Methods, together with emphasis on Observation and Practice Teaching is the specific professional feature of the Normal Training High School Course."

Deliberately or not, Harlan was following in the footsteps of his uncle Harold Geyer, a Class of 1927 graduate, who was one of Wellman's first Normal Training graduates.

Harlan Geyer, Sr. in 1938 (22 July 1920 - 24 March 2006)

It was strenuous, demanding work, with students sometimes coming to school before classes to study and staying late, often until suppertime, to complete the extra assignments the program required. The curriculum included specialized courses in Education Psychology, School Management, and Methods. Methods, a practical course designed to teach effective lesson development and instill good teaching principles, was especially detested, as can be seen in this parody, written and performed during a Normal Training Club meeting by Wellman Class of 1930 Normal Training graduates J. Paul Yoder and Walter Marner, with assistance from Stanley Eash and Clifford Monroe:

(Tune - "I've Been Working on the Railroad")

Verse 1:
Oh, I was born in Wellman town,
A-workin' on my Methods.
All day long I write the outline down
A-workin' on my Methods.

Chorus:
I've been workin' on my Methods
All the live long day.
I've been workin' on my Methods
To pass the time away.
Don't you hear the school bell ringin'?
Hurry to Room Five!
Get your books and start to workin'
We sure have to strive.

Verse 2:
I hope to teach a country school
If I survive my Methods.
But I will never be so cruel
As to make them work on Methods

Verse 3:
And when I die and go away
Still workin' on my Methods,
I wonder will St. Peter say,
"Do you have your Methods?"

Harlan's Normal Training Certificate

In May 1938, Harlan graduated Wellman High School and along with his diploma, received a Normal Training Certificate. He got a position teaching in a one-room schoolhouse Lookout No. 6, in English River, Washington, Iowa, where he taught for a year. He kept in touch with two of his students, exchanging Christmas cards every year. Here, Harlan describes a visit he made back to Iowa with his second wife, Mary:

We looked up where my old school was. Ila’s old school was more modern and it became a home for somebody because it had running water and electricity, but mine was just way out in the middle of nowhere, so it no longer existed. Well, we went back and seen these kids, the only two of my students that I ever really got contact with were my eighth grader and my kindergartner. The eighth grader, his mother was a widow when he was going to school and when I got in contact with him, the kindergartner, him and his wife were rentin’ my eighth grader’s farm. The eighth grader had built another house on his farm, so actually my kindergartner and my eighth grader still are back in where the school was at, on my eighth grader’s farm. And I hear from them regularly every year and we went to visit them, Mary and I did. So, it’s out in the middle between West Chester, Kalona and Wellman.

Page 1 of Harlan's Teachers Annual Report for Lookout No. 6, English River Township, Washington County, Iowa, May 1939

Between September 5, 1938 and May 5, 1939, Harlan taught eleven students, five boys and six girls. As seen on page 1 of his Teachers Annual Report, he earned $50 a month, putting the approximate average cost of tuition per student per month at $5, a fact that was recorded on the report. The girls' attendance was 97% for the year, while the boys' was 89%. Illa Belle Kauffman, age seven, was able to attend less than 24 weeks of school because of heart trouble, poor health and distance to the school.

Page 2 of Harlan's Teachers Annual Report for Lookout No. 6, English River Township, Washington County, Iowa, May 1939

The school was not in very good condition. As Harlan stated before, they had no electricity or running water. On page 2 of the report, he rates the condition of the girls' outhouse and the fuel house as poor and states that the most urgent needs of the school are better out-buildings, a new blackboard and a more sanitary drinking fountain.

Harlan gave instruction in American citizenship, physiology and hygiene with special reference to stimulants and narcotics, elements of vocal music, fifty minutes of physical education a week, the Constitution of the U.S. and of Iowa, and the history of Iowa. Volunteers managed to raise $7.41 for the school at the Christmas Program, with the money left in the charge of the School Treasurer. The report asks if the American flag was displayed regularly, it was until "lately", when the rope broke.

Page 3 of Harlan's Teachers Annual Report for Lookout No. 6, English River Township, Washington County, Iowa, May 1939

Page 3 of the report gives the students' names and marks. Enrolled in his class were: Glada L. Hollcraft, Harold Horak, Merle Venzke, Robert Scott, Darlene Venzke, Rosetta Vodicka, Harald Mass, Viola Kauffman, Edna Hoover, Leota Hoover, and Allan Stransky. All advanced to the next grade level.

Soon after he started teaching, he became friends with his future wife, Ila Bear. Harlan describes their first encounter:

Probably the first time I met her was at the teacher’s meeting. She was teaching in Washington County. There was Orville Hradek and Arvid Wagamon and I, and we were sitting behind these girls and we just wanted to tease them and I guess I stuck a pin in Ila, I don’t remember that much about it. It’s just one of the things to do when you’re a kid. I was only 18.

Ila Bear (11 June 1913 - 13 March 1992)

Ila Iola Bear was born on June 11, 1913 in Johns, Appanoose, Iowa, the daughter of Samuel Lewis and Bessie Belle (Ginkens) Bear. Her father, Samuel, was a farmer and an outstanding carpenter, who died in 1939 after his horses bolted, causing him to fall from the hay wagon, which resulted in two crushed neck vertebrae. Her mother Bessie was a school teacher before marriage.

As long as her younger brother John could remember, Ila wanted to be a school teacher as well. She graduated from Seymour High School in Wayne County, Iowa on May 12, 1932. Perhaps she wasn't the most studious girl there, in her junior year high school yearbook, her initials I.I.B. are jokingly said to stand for "Interested In Boys."

On September 9, 1935, Ila entered the Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa, now the University of Northern Iowa. A brief history from their website:

The College of Education is the oldest department on campus; in fact, UNI began as a teacher preparation school in 1876. The university was renamed the Iowa State Teachers College in 1909, and the State College of Iowa in 1961. Not until that year did the college allow its students to graduate without completing the teacher preparation sequence.

Ila's Admission to Iowa State Teachers College,

November 22, 1935

Her brother, John Bear, remembers when he and their brother Claude Bear dropped Ila off for school:

Ila went to Cedar Falls Teacher, in order to be a teacher, you know. I remember Claude and I took her up there to get enrolled and she told us to drive by the women’s dorm and honk our horn and all the women come out and looked out the windows. Another thing I’ll tell you, from southern Iowa up to Cedar Falls have a different accent and they made fun of her cause she had kind of a southern accent. And she got even with them. You heard of hedge balls?

They call them Osage-oranges. They grow pretty big and they’re green and they’re rough outside and then what they have inside is kind of like a milky stuff that’s sticky. But you get them and put them in your basement and you won’t have any spiders. Spiders don’t like 'em. But that’s how she got even with some of them girls up there for teasin' her cause she had that accent. They thought you could eat 'em and everything. They’d kill you if you ate 'em. They’re poison. She took some of 'em up there to them. Some of 'em thought that they could bite 'em. She had to stop them.

Peace must have been declared at this point, as Ila's signature book from her time at ISTC is full of poems and sentiments of friendship from her fellow students. Incidentally, Osage-oranges, also known as hedge-apples, are apparently not strongly poisonous, causing only mild vomiting when eaten (link), and have not been clinically proven to deter pests (link).

Ila's Iowa State Teachers College Transcript

At ISTC, Ila took classes in composition & rhetoric, English literature, American literature, grammar, medieval and modern history, US history, civics, economics, algebra, plane geometry, agriculture, general science, physics, physiology, physiography, arithmetic, home economics, pedagogy, and psychology.

After two semesters of instruction, Ila was ready for a teaching position, completing her ISTC coursework during summer sessions. During the 1936-1937 school year, she was the teacher at Brushy No. 3 in Walnut Township, Wayne, Iowa. She spent two years, from Sept 1938 to May 1940, at Union Rural School in Lime Creek Township, Washington, Iowa, which, in 1940, was considered one of the best, most well-equipped rural schools in Washington County.

From September 1940 to May 1941, she was an elementary grades teacher at Huron School, Burlington, Des Moines, Iowa. She taught elementary school at Fort Byron, Illinois from 1941 to 1942, and from September 1942 until June 1946, she taught elementary grades in East Moline, Illinois. On October 20, 1943, she graduated from ISTC with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education.

She corresponded regularly with her old friend Harlan and after he returned from service in the Pacific, he proposed. They married on June 11, 1945 in Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. Afterwards, she returned to East Moline, where she lived with her brother John, while the US Marine Corp sent Harlan to school in Missouri. According to both John and Harlan, she was the first school teacher in East Moline that was allowed to continue teaching after marriage. Up till that time, women were expected to retire to their homes to raise their families upon marriage.

Harlan and Ila Geyer

In 1947, they moved to California, where Harlan was stationed at Camp Pendleton. That year, Ila gave birth to my father, Harlan Geyer, Jr., known by family and friends as Jr., and she changed careers to become a stay-at-home mom. My aunt Cherie remembers:

Jr. had trouble learning when he was young. I can remember sitting on the little brown wooden chair while she tutored Jr. and Joey Tudor in reading (with the Dick and Jane books). Maybe he was 7 or 8, and I was 3 or 4. She's why I excelled in school. She's also the reason I developed my love for reading. They both loved to teach and all the time I was in school I was going to grow up and be a teacher like my parents. My mom taught me that a girl always had to have an education and a profession that she could fall back on if something ever happened to her husband. Teaching offered that.

I remember being taught to read by my grandmother even before going off to school. I'd sit on her lap, reading out of ancient, dog-eared Dick and Jane readers, I expect that they're the same ones she taught my father out of. She and my grandfather volunteered at my elementary school, Floris Elementary, throughout my years there, touching the lives of children of still another generation.

My grandmother died on March 13, 1992, after several long years of fighting cancer. She provided me with one last lesson; she was the first difficult loss of my life. Although it was a hard lesson that I didn't want to learn at the time, my grandfather taught me about acceptance and moving on, remarrying a wonderful, very loving and kind woman, Mary. After the passing of both Mary and his son, Harlan Jr., in 2001, my grandfather stepped up to fill the role of father for my siblings and I, even making the long 12 hour flight from Washington DC to Berlin, Germany in 2003, at the ripe old age of 83, to escort me down the aisle at my wedding. He passed away last year, on March 24, 2006.

Selected sources:

[1] "Normal Training Program" in Wellman, Iowa Centennial 1879-1979, Wellman Centennial Committee (Wellman, Iowa, 1979), 178-181.

[2] Interview with Harlan Geyer, Sr. (Reston, VA), by author, 26 November 2005. Mr. Geyer is now deceased.

[3] Washington County Rural Schools, IaGenWeb, Washington County, online <http://www.rootsweb.com/~iawashin/schools.htm>. Previously published in hard copy: "Rural Schools of Washington County - 1983, Lime Creek Township," Washington County Genealogical Society Newsletter 19 (June 2002): 9-10, 6; originally published 1940-1941.

[4] Interview with John Bear (Aurora, MO), by author, 5 January 2006, in Reston, VA.

[5] E-mail messages from Cherie Geyer to author, 1-2 May 2007.

[6] "Papers of Harlan and Ila (Bear) Geyer," (1932-2006); owned by their daughter, Cherie Geyer; electronic copy in possession of author.

More Geyer Obituaries

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.

Grace Geyer

Mrs. Grace E. Geyer, 71, of 1003 E. 3rd Street, Washington, died Sunday, August 26 at the Shenk Nursing Home in Wellman, where she had been a patient a short time.

Born December 30, 1901, near Thornburg, she was the daughter of William J. and Jane Moore McGimpsey.

She married F. Grant Geyer May 14, 1919.

She was a member of the Washington United Methodist Church.

Surviving are six sons, Harlan M. of Mission Hills, Calif., Calvin of Iowa City, Larry of Florida, LaVerne E. and Floyd of Washington; four daughters, Mrs. John (Doris) Allard of Brighton, Mrs. Bernie (Dorothy) Biddle of Richland, Wash., Mrs. Adger (Niva) Nix of Chamblee, Ga., and Frances Jean of Washington; 25 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren; and five sisters, Mrs. Rachel Stringfellow of Oskaloosa, Mrs. John (Margaret) Geyer of What Cheer, Mrs. Catherine Schifflet of Deep River, Mrs. Eva Moore of Oskaloosa, and Mrs. Hugh (Ruth) Frazier of Des Moines.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband on September 19, 1951, a daughter Lois and a son Max.

Funeral services were held Wednesday, August 29 at 2 p.m. at the Jones Funeral Home in Washington with Rev. J. Roland Crandall officiating.

Mrs. T. R. Phillips was organist with Mrs. Kay Stewart, soloist.

Bearers of the casket were John Allard, Jay Allard, Calvin Geyer Jr., Richard Geyer, Wayne Geyer and Kenneth Geyer.

Burial was in Sixteen Cemetery.

[Handwritten at bottom: "1973"]

--------------------------------------

[Handwritten at top: “1983”]

Margaret Geyer

Margaret Geyer, 89 of What Cheer died Monday, Nov. 14 at home.

She was born April 29, 1894 in Keokuk County, the daughter of William and Jane Moore McGimpsey.

She was married to John W. Geyer February 19, 1919 in Keswick. He preceded her in death in August of 1983.

She had lived in What Cheer since 1963. Prior to that she lived in Thornburg.

She was a member of the United Methodist Church of What Cheer, a member of the UMW of What Cheer, a Past Matron of the Order of the Friendly Garden Club, past secretary of the Royal Neighbors of America, and the secretary for 45 years of the Sixteen Cemetery of Thornburg.

She is survived by three sons, W. Kenneth Geyer of Albia, Dr. Keith A. Geyer of Alta and John W. Geyer of West Bloomfield, Mich.; two daughters, Harriette Riddle of Wellman, and Mrs. Vernon (Elloise) Capps of South San Francisco, Calif.; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Mrs. Hugh (Ruth) Frazier of Denver, Colo., and Mrs. Eva Moore of Oskaloosa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, a great-grandson, six sisters, and two brothers.

Funeral services were held Friday, Nov. 18 at 1 p.m., at the Harden Funeral Chapel at What Cheer with Rev. Duane Ferguson officiating.

Music was by Mrs. Jean Wilson.

Bearers of the casket were Michael Riddle, James Riddle, Jeffrey Adler, Richard Kading, John Geyer III and Curtis Geyer.

Burial was in the Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg.

[Handwritten at end: “on Friday November 18, 1983]

--------------------------------------

John W. Geyer

John W. Geyer, 83, of What Cheer died Saturday, Aug. 6 at University Hospitals in Iowa City.

Born at Wellman December 5, 1899, he was the son of Frank and Lucinda Griffith Geyer.

He was a retired farmer and also had worked for the Pamco of Oskaloosa for 1[?] Years. He had lived in What Cheer since 1953 and prior to that in Thornburg.

He was married to Margaret McGimpsey February 19, 1919 in Keswick.

He was a member of the United Methodist Church of What Cheer and was a past president of the What Cheer Lions Club. He was also a former member of the Thornburg School Board. He was the treasurer of the Universe Lodge 242 A.F. and A.M., a past master of the Perfect Union Lodge 277 at Thornburg, a member El Khir Shrine in Cedar Rapids, a member of the Cedar Rapids Consistory, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star Lodge in What Cheer.

He is survived by his wife; two daughters, Mrs. Elloise Capps, of South San Francisco, Calif., and Mrs. Harriette Riddle of Wellman; three sons, W. Kenneth Geyer of Albia, Dr. Keith A. Geyer of Alta, John W. Geyer of West Bloomfield, Mich., 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and a brother, Wilbur Geyer of Wellman.

He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers.

Funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 9 at 1 p.m., at the Harden Funeral Chapel in What Cheer with Rev. Emery Wallace officiating.

Music was by Mrs. Jean Wilson.

Bearers of the casket were Michael Riddle, James Riddle, Jeffrey Adler, Richard Koding, John Geyer III, Curtis Geyer.

Honorary bearers of the casket were Ronald Galbraith, Alex Henry, Kenneth McFarlan and Bill Tancer.

Burial was in the Sixteen Cemetery in Thornburg.

--------------------------------------

Wilbur G. Geyer, 86, dies

WELLMAN – Wilbur G. Geyer, 86, died June 24, 1993, at Parkview Manor, Wellman, after a long illness.

Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, Wellman, with the Rev. Beth Miller officiating. Burial will be in the Wellman
Cemetery.

Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Friday at the Powell Funeral Home, Wellman. A memorial fund has been established with the First Baptist Church, Wellman, and the Wellman Ambulance fund drive.

Wilbur Geyer was born Sept. 1, 1906, near Wellman, to Frank and Lucinda (Griffith) Geyer. He attended Bunker Hill School. He married Edna Webster Jan. 25, 1928, at the Methodist parsonage, Iowa City. He farmed in the Wellman and Oxford communities before moving to Wellman in 1959. He was employed by Powell Furniture and Bringman Grocery and worked as a custodian and bus driver for the Mid-Prairie School District. He also operated a feed grinder for several years.

He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Wellman, and a former IOOF
member.

Survivors include his wife, Edna; three sons, Richard Geyer, Iowa City, Wayne Geyer, Oxford, and Raymond Geyer, Oxford; one daughter, Donna Mae Wenell, St. Paul, Minn.; 14 grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and one
great-great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and one great-grandchild.

--------------------------------------

[Handwritten to side of obituary: “Tuesday, March 16”]

George E. Guyer [should be “Geyer”]

WHAT CHEER – George E. Guyer, 79, former resident of What Cheer, died Tuesday, at St. Joseph Hospital in St. Joseph, Mo.

He was born Nov. 4, 1891 near Wellman, the son of Frank and Lucinda E. Griffith Guyer. He married Jennie Ann Moore June 15, 1915 at Webster. She preceded in death along with one son.

He worked for many years with the Iowa State Highway Commission.

Surviving are one son, Frank of St. Joseph, Mo.; one daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Hummel of Council Bluffs; nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren and one brother, Wilbur Guyer of Wellman.

The service will be at 2 p.m. Friday, at Harden Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Edward A. Schalle officiating. Burial will be in Sixteen Cemetery.

--------------------------------------

[Handwritten at top: “March 16, 1971”]

Local Deaths
George E. Geyer

George E. Geyer, 79, was pronounced dead on arrival at a local hospital Tuesday afternoon after becoming ill at the home of his son, Frankie C. Geyer, 2611 Renick street. The elder Mr. Geyer had been residing with his son lately.
Mr. Geyer retired about nine years ago as an Iowa State Highway Commission foreman, stationed at Marshalltown, Iowa. He formerly resided in What Cheer,
Iowa.

Additional survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Beatrice E. Hummel, Council Bluffs, Iowa; two brothers, John Geyer, What Cheers, and Wilbur Geyer, Wellman, Iowa; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

The body is at the Herdin [should be “Hardin”] mortuary in What Cheer.

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[Handwritten at top: “1967”]

Life Story of Jennie May Geyer

Mrs. Jennie May Geyer, 69, of Independence, died Tuesday, January
31.

Born March 5, 1897 in Webster [“Webster” is crossed out and handwritten above is “Millersburg”], she was the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Winegarden Moore. She married George E. Geyer June 16, 1915.

Surviving are her husband, George; one daughter Mrs. Beatrice E. Hummel of Council Bluffs; one son, Frank C. Geyer of St. Joseph, Mo; nine grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Lola Wyant of Marengo and Mrs. Ethel Seaton of Deep River; and three brothers, Ivan and Raymond Moore of What Cheer and Menzo Moore of Keswick.

Services were held Friday, February 3 at 2 p.m. at the [clipping cut off
here]

--------------------------------------

Frankie C. Geyer
1924-1997

Frankie C. Geyer, 73, St. Joseph, died Saturday, Oct. 11, 1997, at a St. Joseph hospital.

Born May 26, 1924 in Omaha, Neb., he was raised in Scranton, Iowa, where he graduated from Scranton High School. Mr. Geyer was a 1948 graduate of Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa, where he later taught social science and coached football, baseball and basketball.

He began his career with the Federal Aviation Administration as an Air Traffic Controller in 1952. He served at Lambert Field in St. Louis, Topeka, Kan.
and Des Moines, Iowa.

Mr. Geyer came to St. Joseph in 1965, and retired as Assistant Tower Chief and Controller.

During World War II he served as an instructor pilot for the B-24 Liberator
Bomber in the Army Air Corp.

He was a member of Huffman United Methodist Church, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees, the American Association of Retired Persons, and the Liberal Air Museum, Liberal, Kan.

On July 30, 1944 he married Kathryn E. Crouch in Liberal, Kan., she survives of the home.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Jennie Geyer, by a brother, George Junior Geyer, and a sister, Beatrice Hummel.

Additional survivors: a son, Mark T. Geyer of Marietta, Ga.; two daughters, Sandra E. Goff, San Diego, and Melody A. Crowder, Salina, Kan.; six grandchildren and a great-grandchild.

Services: 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Meierhoffer-Fleeman Funeral Home, St. Joseph, where the family will receive friends from 7 to [?]:30 p.m. Tuesday. Friends may call after 9 a.m. Tuesday, at the funeral home.

--------------------------------------

LaVerne E. Geyer II, 20, of Cromwell, Ind., formerly of Washington, died Wednesday morning in Parkview Hospital at Fort Wayne, Ind., of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident Aug. 17 near Fort Wayne. He was a student at Fort
Wayne.

Survivors include a daughter, Alex of Cromwell; his parents, LaVerne and Jane of Washington; two sisters, Debra Morrison of Homestead and Barbara Curtis of Wyman; a brother, Jerry Groom of Cromwell; and his grandfathers, Robert Richardson of Lebanon, Ore., and Ben Adams of Wyman.

Services: 10 a.m. Saturday, Jones’, where friends may call after 9 a.m. today and where the family will greet friends from 8 to 8:30 tonight. Burial:
Sixteen Cemetery, north of What Cheer. A memorial fund has been established.

Finally, Wayne Geyer, son of Wilbur and Edna Geyer, passed away recently on March 20, 2007. His obituary can be found on the Peterseim Funeral Home Obituary page and a news article, Oxford Man Found Dead, can be find on the Iowa City Press-Citizen website.

Griffith, McGimpsey and Moore photos

Some more old family photos, all received by my aunt Cherie Geyer from Vernon Capps.

William & Marget McGimpsey, 1860

William Martin McGimpsey was born about 1800 in Newtownards, County Down, Ireland and passed away shortly before 22 November 1870 (the date of the printing of his funeral card). He married in 1828, Marget Martin, who was born about 1799 in Newtownards as well. She passed away on 22 July 1881 in Loughries, Newtownards, County Down, Ireland. From their funeral cards:

The remains of my beloved Husband, William McGimpsey, will be removed from his late residence, Loughriescouse, for interment in the Family Burying Ground, Movilla, on Thursday, 24th inst. at Nine o'clock, a.m.

Margaret McGimpsey. November 22, 1870.

Source: Funeral Card for William McGimpsey, 22 Nov 1870. Original in possession of Vernon Capps, photocopy in possession of author.

-----

Died At Loughries, on Friday, 22nd July, 1881, Margaret McGimpsey, (Relict of the late William McGimpsey,) Aged 82 Years.

The Remains of my Mother-in-law will be removed for interment in the Family Burying-Ground, Movilla, on Saturday, 23rd inst., at Four o'clock p.m.

Robert Patton. Loughries, 22nd July, 1881.

Source: Funeral Card for Margaret McGimpsey, Loughries, 22 Jul 1881. Original in possession of Vernon Capps, photocopy in possession of author.

Mary (McGimpsey) McRoberts and Eliza McGimpsey

Mary McGimpsey was born on 12 November 1870 in Thornburg, Keokuk, Iowa and died there on 29 August 1954. On 17 December 1890, she married John McRoberts (1862-1935). Eliza "Lisse" McGimpsey was born on 24 November 1868 in Coal Valley, Rock Island, IL and passed away on 17 May 1956 in Thornburg. They were daughters of Henry James McGimpsey (photo in previous post) and Eliza McLean. The date of the photo was labeled as "May 1848", but since that is before either of these women were born, I am guessing that (based on their appearances) it is more likely to have been May 1948.

William James and Jane M. McGimpsey, no date

William James McGimpsey was born on 13 January 1863 in Rock Island, Rock Island, IL. He died on 20 October 1920 in Prairie, Keokuk, IA. On 22 December 1892, he married Jane M. Moore, the daughter of James and Rachel Moore. She was born 12 December 1866 in Thornburg, Keokuk, IA, and died there on 6 April 1938. A photo of them and there children can be found here.

Rachel and Mary Moore, Ireland, 1911

Rachel Moore was born in August 1838 in Newtownards, County Down, Ireland. She died on 14 August 1921 in Thornburg, Keokuk, IA. On 5 March 1866, she married James Moore (1829-1911). A photo of Rachel and her children is here. I have no information on her sister Mary. They are daughters of James and Jane (Bowden) Moore. Their brothers John and James Moore also settled in Keokuk County, Iowa. A photo of John and his family is here.

Rachel Moore's home near Springdale, where she passed away in 1921

John W. and Priscilla Griffith, 1866

John White Griffith was born 24 February 1835 in Brown, Washington, Indiana and died on 26 December 1914 in Wellman, Washington, Iowa. On 27 October 1857, he married Priscilla Longwell, the daughter of Isaac and Sarah (Winslow) Longwell. She was born on 3 February 1834 in Grand Prairie, Marion, Ohio and died on 7 June 1899 in Wellman. More photos of the Griffiths and family can be found in this previous post.

Births from a Ginkens Family Bible

From a scan of the Births page from a cousin who has the Ginkens family bible. The scan is fairly easy to read and contains the following information:

Jessie Ginkens, August 30th 1828
Susann M. Ginkens, Jan. 18th 1836
Sarah E Ginkens, June 3thd 1853
Andrew H. Ginkens, Sept. 20th 1855
Henery A. D. Ginkens, Nove 1st 1857
Percivil J. Ginkens, April 4th 1860
Martha J.A. Ginkens, Jan. 23thd 1863
Mary E. Ginkens, Feb 18th 1865
James H. Ginkens, May 30th 1867
David I. Ginkens, October 13th 1869
Aletha B Ginkens, June 27th 1872
Lucy O. Ginkens, Aug. 30th 1874
Jessie F. Ginkens, April 17th 1876
Fredric Lane Ginkens, Dec. 19th 1879*
Julia Edna Ginkens, April 9th 1881

* Someone later made the last 9 of Frederick Lane Ginkens birth year into an 8 using a black pen [changed from 1879 to 1878 - the original writing is in pencil]. Other evidence is conflicting as well: in the 1900 US Federal Census, where he is a servant in the household of Alexander Clark of Brighton, Washington, Iowa, his birth month and year is given as "Dec 1878." On his World War I Selective Service Draft Registration Card, his birth date is given as "Dec 19, 1879," he still lives in Brighton and works on an oil wagon for Robert Griffith. I would give a stronger weight to the 1879 date, as it is the original from the bible and was the date he gave on his draft card. He may not even have been present when the census taker visited the household in 1900.

The information from the Marriages page of the family bible can be found here.

Family tradition is that Jesse Gum Ginkens [my 3rd gr-grandfather, born 1828 in Virginia] changed the spelling of the family name from Jenkins to avoid confusion with the mail. I have not been able to prove it as of yet, but I believe he is the oldest son (second child) of Andrew Jenkins (abt 1800-bet 1870-80) and Elenor "Nellie" Gum (1804-1875), who married 27 Jan 1825 in Pendleton County, VA. Many of Jesse's children's names are the same as those of Andrew and Nellie: Andrew, Aletha, Henry A., and Sarah Ellen; and his family settled in the same area as a daughter of Andrew and Nellie, Martha J. (Jenkins) Rumer (the Ginkens in Penn and the Rumers in Fairfield, neighboring townships in Jefferson County, IA). His family later moved to Clay township, Washington, IA (just across the county line from Penn). He and Susan, his wife, are buried in Howard Grove Cemetery in Penn, Jefferson, IA. Additionally, in the 1840 US Federal Census, there is a male in the household of Andrew and Nellie of the same age that Jesse would be. Do you know of any "hard" evidence?

Lucinda Griffith Geyer Obituary

Here is the obituary of my 2nd great grandmother, Lucinda Ellen (Griffith) Geyer. She was the daughter of John White Griffith and Priscilla Longwell. She married Franciscus "Frank" Geyer on 22 December 1888. They had 6 sons, Francis Grant Geyer (my great grandfather), Leonard Lawrence Geyer, George Everett Geyer, John Walter Geyer, Wilbur G. Geyer, and Harold Wayne Geyer. The obituaries of Frank and Francis Grant can be found in this previous post.

Funeral Services Held At Wellman Today for Mrs. Lucinda Geyer, 81

Wellman - Funeral services for Mrs. Lucinda Geyer, 81, lifelong resident of the Wellman vicinity, were held at 2 p.m. today at the Methodist church.

The Rev. D.C. Bissinger officiated with burial at Wellman cemetery. Powell funeral home was in charge of arrangements.

Mrs. Geyer was born October 16, 1869, near Wellman and died Tuesday at Washington, Iowa following a long illness.

She was married to Frank Geyer in 1888. He preceded her in death.

She is survived by three sons, George Geyer, Boone, John Geyer, Thornburg, and Wilbur Geyer, Oxford, a brother Grant Griffith, Wellman, and a sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Wagamon, Wellman.

Source: "Funeral Services Held At Wellman Today for Mrs. Lucinda Geyer, 81," Iowa City Press Citizen 4 Oct 1951, page 15.

Harlan M. Geyer, Sr., on Wellman and his family

Here is an excerpt from a series of interviews I did with my grandfather at the end of 2005. This particular segment is from November 26, 2005 and included my aunt Cherie Geyer. Harlan passed away on Friday, March 24, 2006. Anything in brackets "[ ]" are comments added by me. For more on the life of my grandfather, visit the memorial web page that I am working on.

Harlan: Well, last year when we went back we did the Wellman historical tour and I never knew that there was a cemetery near where we lived when I was a twelfth grader. We lived at the top of the hill and at the bottom was the river. In early colonial times, they always built their towns right on the river, you know, and every spring the river would flood out so they eventually moved the town up on the hill and there was a cemetery right near where we lived and a lot of the early colonial people were buried there and we went to visit it. And at the bottom of the hill was a mill and we used to take corn there to grind it into cornmeal and, you know, it’s one of those mills run on water power and actually the farm that we were renting had land on both sides of the river, and the pasture was really on both sides of the river, mainly.

As the years went along, they straightened the river and tried to prevent a lot of the flooding but when we went on the historical tour, they took us over through the Wasserville cemetery and there’s some stories about early Wellman in the 100 Year History of Wellman. Originally there was a town of Wasserville and then there’s the town of Daytonville and then when the railroad wanted to come through, they didn’t take it through Daytonville. I don’t know, there was controversy. Of course, there was always controversy in the early days when the railroad wanted to come through, but anyway Mr. Wellman donated land or sold land to the railroad and that’s the reason why my hometown became called Wellman, Iowa.

Cherie: Then how old were you when you went to go live with Uncle Wilbur? [Wilbur Geyer]

Harlan: I don’t know, when I was thirteen [1933], my grandmother [Lucinda (Griffith) Geyer] had me go and live with Uncle Grant Griffith and he raised stock cattle and he milked 25 or 30 cows, which was big for a regular farmer back in those days. So, at 13 years of age, I had to get up before really daylight and go milk four or five cows before breakfast. And I got 50 cents a day plus room and board for the summer when I was thirteen.

Cherie: Didn’t he work you from morning till night?

Harlan: Yeah, just like the other two farmhands that he had.

Christina: Was 50 cents a day a lot back then? Is it the same that the farmhands were getting paid?

Harlan: Well, when I was eighteen [1938], I taught school for $50 a month and before I went into the Marine Corps [1941], the wage was $1 a day for farmhands.

Cherie: Can you think of a story that they might find interesting about Junior? [his son and my father, Harlan M. Geyer, Jr.]

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? [June 1966]

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 in Korea, 19 October 1953

Frank and Lucinda Geyer family 1922

This photo was in the possession of my grandfather Harlan Geyer and is now in the possession of my aunt. Frank Geyer was my great, great grandfather. He was born 16 April 1862 in Johannesburg, Germany. He sailed to America at the age of 14 with the family of his uncle Josef Freund, landing in New York City on 06 Oct 1876. He worked briefly in NYC repairing shoes before settling in the Wellman, Washington, Iowa area. He was married to Lucinda Ellen Griffith in Lime Creek, Washington, Iowa on 22 December 1888. They had six sons, Francis Grant, Leonard Lawrence, George Everett, John Walter, Wilbur G., and Harold Wayne. Frank and Lucinda were married for almost 50 years when he died in Wellman on 29 March 1938. She died in 1951.

1922 Geyer family reunion

Standing left to right: John and Margaret Geyer (children Harriott, Elloise), Grant and Grace Geyer, Wilbur Geyer, Harold Geyer, Leonard and Sylvia Geyer (child Leota), George and Jennie Geyer (children Beatrice, George Jr).

Seated: Frank (grandfather) with grandsons Kenneth (on Frank's right knee) and Harlan (on Frank's left knee), and Lucinda (grandmother) with Irene

Ginkens Marriages, etc.

I just received a scan of the Marriages page from a cousin who has the Ginkens family bible. The scan is fairly easy to read and contains the following information:

Henery A Ginkens, Mrs Alice M. McCracken, Nov. 2nd 1885
Sarah E Ginkens, James B Defrance, 12th Sept 1883
A. Harrison Ginkens, Marry M. Nelson, March 10th 1886
Martha J. Ginkens, William D Augustine, Feb. 11 1883
James B Ginkens, Brittie M. McCracken, Nov. 4th 1888
Mary E. Ginkens, Albert Carvin, April 20th 1890
J Edna Ginkens, Thos E Alter, Nov. 12, 1901
Aletha B Ginkens, Harold L Wilkin, Jan 27 1897

Henry Austin Ginkens and Martha Alice (Watson) McCracken were my 2nd great grandparents. Previous to her marriage to Henry, Martha Alice was married to a man named McCracken. I believe her first husband was David H. McCracken (born abt. 1850 in Ohio), her stepbrother, who was a son of her father Isaac Watson's 3rd wife, Louisa, but this is just an educated guess. I would love to hear from anyone with more knowledge on her first marriage. Martha had a daughter, Hattie McCracken, born about 1872 in Iowa, from this marriage.

I would also be interested to hear from anyone who knows who the father (or fathers) of Sarah E. Ginkens two children are: Vanna E. Ginkens (born Feb 1875 in Wapello County, Iowa) and Erk Harlow Ginkens (born 19 Jul 1877 in Wapello County, Iowa). One Ginkens cousin I am in touch with thinks Erk's father had the last name Harlow and that Erk may have been illegitimate. In the 1880 US Federal Census, Sarah and the kids are living with her father, Jesse Gum Ginkens in Clay Township, Washington, Iowa, and the children are listed with the last name Vandarn (alternatively, Vandorn or Van Dorn), while Sarah's surname is Ginkens.

Frank and Francis Grant Geyer Obituaries

Here are the obituaries for my great, great grandfather Frank Geyer (b. 16 Apr 1862 in Johannesburg, Germany, d. 29 Mar 1938 in Wellman, Iowa) and my great grandfather Francis Grant Geyer (b. 14 Jul 1897 in Wellman, Iowa, d. 19 Sep 1951 in Iowa City, Iowa).

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Frank Geyer Found Dead In Barnyard of Farm Home

Wellman -- Mr. Frank Geyer, 75, was found dead in the barnyard of his farm home, three and one-half miles northwest of Wellman, Tuesday afternoon. He had been in failing health for sometime and had been confined to his bed recently. Death is believed to have been caused by a heart attack. Mr. Geyer was born in Johnsburg, Germany, April 16, 1862, and came to Iowa with an uncle when 13 years old. He lived in the Washington Prairie community for several years and married Miss Lucinda Griffith December 22, 1888. The couple settled on the Wishard farm near Wellman where they lived until moving to their present home, with the exception of five years passed in Minnesota. Surviving are the widow; six sons, Messrs. Leonard and Grant Geyer of Wellman, Wilbur Geyer at home, George Geyer of Scranton, John Geyer of Thornburg and Howard Geyer of near Iowa City; 22 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. One sister and five half-brothers in Germany also survive. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon in the Wellman Methodist Episcopal church. Burial will be in the Bunker Hill cemetery.

Source: "Wellman Man Dies Suddenly," Iowa City Press Citizen 30 Mar 1938, page 9, last column.

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Wellman - Francis Grant Geyer, 54, died Wednesday at University Hospital in Iowa City following a short illness. He was born July 4, 1897 in Washington county, the son of Frank and Lucinda Geyer. He was married to Grace McGimpsey, May 14 1919. He is survived by his widow, four daughters, Mrs. John Allard, Harman Village, Guam, Lois of Wellman, Niva, of Wellman, and WAC Pvt. Dorothy Geyer, of Ft. Lee, Va., and six sons, Harlan, Oceanside, Calif., Donald, Wellman, Calvin, Iowa City, Larry, Wellman, Laverne, Wellman and Francis. Also surviving are his mother, Mrs. Lucinda Geyer, and three brothers, George, Boone, John, of Thornburg, and Wilbur of Oxford. Service will be at the Methodist church in Wellman at 2 p.m. Saturday with the Rev. D. C. Bissinger officiating. Burial will be near Thornburg. The body is at Powell funeral home in Wellman.

Source: "Francis Geyer, 54, Dies at U-Hospital After Short Illness," Iowa City Press Citizen 21 Sep 1951, page 11; available from Ancestry.com, full edition, subscription database, <http://www.ancestry.com/>, accessed 14 October 2005.

My Genealogy bookshelf

Books everyone should own:

The Source: A Guidebook Of American Genealogy (3rd edition) - this is an indispensable guide to genealogy in the US. Buy it! This book actually spends very little time on my bookshelf.

Ancestry's Red Book: American State, County & Town Sources (Third Edition) - Gives information on where genealogical information can be found on state and county levels (archived and internet). Tells county by county when different records were kept. Very useful.

Map Guide to the U.S. Federal Censuses, 1790-1920 - indispensable in doing census research. This book describes the formation of new counties, the changes made in county lines, and discusses various aspects of the census over the time period of 1790-1920.

Other books:

The BCG Genealogical Standards Manual - Discusses the standards professional (and hobby) genealogists should follow.

Wellman, Iowa Centennial 1879-1979 - A history of the town of Wellman in Washington County, Iowa. I'm happy to do look ups for people. An every name index can be found here.

Cumberland County Pennsylvania Marriages, 1761-1800 - Once again, I'm happy to do look ups.

Pennsylvania German Roots Across the Ocean - A collection of articles from the Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine. The book has an every name index. I'm happy to do look ups.

The Royal Descents of 600 Immigrants to the American Colonies or the United States: Who Were Themselves Notable or Left Descendants Notable in American History

Finding Your German Ancestor's: A Beginner's Guide - read the soc.genealogy.german Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) instead.