Delph Reunion 1940

Findlay Republican Courier
August 28, 1940, page 11

"Delph - Weaver Family

Philip Delph and Caleb Weaver, whose children intermarried, gave this reunion association its name.  The attendance at the annual reunion held at Riverside park Sunday numbered 75.  Delph lived in Henry County and Weaver had his home in Wyandot County.  Cecil Delph, of Portage Center, was chosen president of the reunion association for the next reunion which will take place at Riverside park next August.

Other officers elected were Vice-president, George Delph; Secretary, Mrs. George Kahley of Crestline; Treasurer, John Weaver.  

The oldest member of this family is 'Grandma Delph' whose home is at Malinta. She is 91 and able to do her own housework.  The youngest member is Gerald Cyrus Hadsell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leir Hadsell." 

Dekalb County School Photo 1941-1942

My husband's mother was a teacher in many smaller Dekalb County one room schools and for awhile at Spencerville Elementary.  She often had more than one grade in her class.
 I think this photo is from Spencerville Elementary, grades 3 and 4.  She has the students labeled on the back of the photo with their grade:

Back row, l to r - James Shilling 3, Richard Meek 3, Paul Tustison 3, Alfred Paschen 3, Jack Hollabaugh 3, Buddy Vendrely 3, James Dwyer 4, Gene Mann 4, DuWayne Richmond 4, Kenneth Rudolph 4, Jerry Buman 4.

Middle row, l to r - Norman Griffin 3, Clare Ayers 4, Joy Beerbower 4, Beverly Laux 3, Bonnie Witt 3, Nancy Tustison 3, Ellen Mae Knop 4, Paula Harts 4, Geraldine Shull 4, Gene Dwyer 3.

Front row - Peggy Smith 3, Adah Ruth Gerig 4, Shirley Crothers 3, Mabel Schaftner 3, Patsy Angel 4, Eloise Timmerman 3, Glennis Pierman 3, Joyce Baker 3.
Teacher - Violette Kline
Students not pictured: Jack Mann 4, Marlene Cook 4, Joan Cook 3

Book Review - The Spark by Kristine Barnett

The Spark

A Mother’s Story of Nurturing Genius

by Kristine Barnett

As a parent and a teacher, I found so much to learn in this book, as I traveled with Kristine on her quest to find the right educational path for her first-born son, Jake.  As a baby, everything was normal with Jake and then, all of sudden, he seemed to pull away from everyone.  No hugs, no eye contact, no communication.  At the age of 3, Jake was in his own world, the world of autism.  After a myriad of attempts to find helpful therapists and programs, Kristine decided to take things into her own hands to prepare her son for mainstream kindergarten.  She didn’t want the special education label or the IEP.

Kristine also ran a daycare and as time went on, she began to dedicate her evening hours to programs for other autistic children in the area, with the goal of preparing them for kindergarten entrance, too.  Her mantra became to find what each child was best at or had a passion for and then nurture that.  Jake, as it turned out, was a mathematical and scientific genius, but as a child, his obsession for numbers and patterns, for example, was dismissed until one day Kristine connected it with his ability to see numerical relationships far above what would be age appropriate.

Kristine and her husband had some very hard times financially, but their ingenuity in getting materials needed for her program was amazing.  Kristine, especially, became an advocate at school not just for Jake, but for other autistic children she had in her preschool program.  What a risk it was to move Jake to classrooms far above his age group, but much more in tune with his abilities.  How many three year olds would enjoy lectures in astronomy and actually be able to process the information given?  Jake, as a young elementary student, was in his glory in college classes in math and science, and he spent some of his time tutoring college students and testing new scientific -mathematical theories.

I enjoyed this book immensely and I think any parent of any child will learn from Kristine’s journey. This is not just a book for parents of gifted children or autistic children!  As parents, we all need to nurture the gifts inherent in our children.  Who knows where that can lead?

Updated Posts for Jacob and his sister, Alice Catharine, Hollabaugh

I've just updated Alice Catharine Hollabaugh Enck's post here with information provided from her great-grandson, Bob Enck.  Enjoy!

I also found an additional obituary for Jacob B. Hollabaugh which I have added to his post.
Can you picture him stringing telegraph lines over the Grand Canyon?  Good information in this one!

Spencerville High School

Spencerville High School - year probably mid-1920's

Back Row, l to r - Henry Markle, Frank Beerbower, Elwood Hart, Mr. Smith - Principal, Harry Laux, Vernon Lipe, Howard Beams

Front Row, l to r - Ada Bishop, Ellen White, Helen Furnish, Violette Pflaumer

Upcoming Blogs

I'm taking a little research break, but the blog will continue!

**My Hollabaugh research was given a nice boost from a great-grandson of Alice Catharine Hollabaugh Enck, and soon I will be adding the information he so generously passed on to her posting.  Thanks, Bob!
 
**But my brick wall on the Hollabaughs comes in finding George's father, hubby's great-great-great grandfather.  I have a couple possibilities, but can't really prove them.  I think a research trip to the Gettysburg area is definitely in the cards, but not this year when the 150th is going on. If anyone has information on this line, I would love to know about it!

**I have a growing stack of books from publishers to read and review, and that's a great activity for the heat of summer.  So, coming up - book reviews!

**I also will be posting more old photos found in boxes from the attic.  The previous post has one of the class photos discovered.  Many were donated to the Dekalb County, Indiana Genealogical Society, but a few were just discovered stuck into scrapbooks.

**I'm working on research for the family of William Levi Hollabaugh's wife, Mary Lucetta Case Hollabaugh.  Her Case family moved to Indiana from New York sometime in the late 1840s, I believe.  Some very good, original documents were found among the attic things.  I also will be attending the Federation for Genealogical Societies conference at the Allen County Public Library next month, and I have scheduled a research day while there.  I'm hoping to make good progress on the Case and Camp (Mary's mother - Sophia Camp Case). 

**So, I'll still be here and would love to hear from readers on any of the families mentioned on this blog!  The old photos and stories have helped so many others in their research, including me, as you write and share what you have from your ancestors.  
 

Spencerville Elementary 1939-1940

Spencerville Elementary 

1939-1940

Front Row, l to r - Ralph Baker, Lois Snyder, William Furnish, Kenneth Akey, Louis Timmerman, Raymond Hook, Joe Bice, Lou Ann Rutherford, Betty Miller

Middle Row, l to r - Victor Timmerman, Barbara Laux, Frank Laub, Hayden Ankney, James Bowser, Grove Hamilton

Back Row, l to r - Marie Haupt, Marilyn Tustison, Jeanne Ulm, Donald Woodring, Kenneth Roberts, Doris Ayers, Mozelle Timmerman, Virginia Ulm, Wava Ankney

Violette Pflaumer, Teacher

Book Review - Frame 232 by Wil Mara

Frame 232

Wil Mara

A Jason Hammond Novel

Study Hall, high school.  November 22, 1963.  A voice on the intercom interrupted my concentration on Latin translations.  “President Kennedy has been shot.”  For my generation, this event was one that will nestle in our memories forever.  Over and over, we saw Zapruder’s film play on television.

Wil Mara took the controversy surrounding the assassination of President Kennedy and the age-old question of whether there was really a second shooter and used it to create a thrilling story about the “other “ film taken the day of the shooting.  No one had ever been able to find the Babushka Lady, the woman on Dealey Plaza who had a motion picture camera in her hand, but she was alive and afraid of the consequences of being identified.  Her camera was rolling and she did capture something on her film that would change history.  Troubled and afraid, she hid the developed film in a safe deposit box, never telling anyone of its existence.  When she died, her only daughter, Sheila, inherited the film and right away she was targeted by some unknown, very powerful, entity who wanted it…and her…destroyed.  Terrified, she called Jason Hammond for advice.

Jason Hammond, a wealthy young man dedicated to noble causes and investigating controversial historical events, immediately became involved, excited about this new chapter in history, but soon he was also on the run with Sheila.  Someone very influential does not want this film revealed.  Was there another shooter that day besides Oswald?  Who was he and what were his connections to the U.S. government, Cuba, Russia?  A dangerous man wanted Sheila and Jason dead.

I was appreciative of the careful research and description done by Mara as his tale was spun.  Suspense abounds as Sheila and Jason tried to escape and investigate their new information.   Some violence occurs, but it is not overly graphic.  Part of the story revolves around Jason’s separation from his faith which occurred after the accidental death of his parents and sister.  Some of the close calls experienced by Jason and Sheila seemed a bit unbelieveable, but all contributed to the story in some way.  I’m hoping for a Jason-Sheila romance in the future, Mr. Mara!

This book was provided to me by Tyndale House Publishers for my honest review.

 Listen as Wil Mara talks about Frame 232 -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WYLFVKtw5Y&feature=youtu.be

Georgianna Hannah Hollabaugh Pensyl, Ninth Child of George and Elizabeth Hollabaugh

The Children of George and Elizabeth Bittinger Hollabaugh

(Great-Great Grandparents)

Sarah (1836-1918)

Eliza Jane (1838 - before 1918)

Mary Elizabeth (1840 - 1941)

*William Levi (1842 - 1939)

George Washington (1844 - 1924)

David William (1847 - 1936)

Alice Catharine (1849 - 1916)

Jacob Bittinger (1852 - 1943)

                                  Georgianna Hannah (1856 - 1944) 

Georgianna Hannah Hollabaugh was the youngest child of George and Elizabeth.  Obviously named in reference to her father, Georgianna was born on February 19, 1856 and baptized at St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church in Gettysburg on June 24, 1856.  George was 47 and Elizabeth was one month away from turning 41.

On September 28, 1872, when Georgianna was 16, she gave birth to a daughter that she named Ida Lee.  Ida was baptized in Bender's Church, Butler, Adams County, PA on May 7, 1874, according to Pennsylvania Town and Church Records.  No father is listed on those records.  
About 1875, Georgianna (sometimes called Annie) married George Edward Pensyl, the son of Phillip and Catherine Sourbaugh Pensyl.  At some point, the couple moved to Clinton Township, Dekalb County, Illinois where were were enumerated on the 1880 census.  George, 25, was farming and Annie, 22, was keeping house and caring for daughter, Ida, 6.  The family was living with John Beck, 27, and Kate Beck, 21.

We next find George and Georgianna in Holman Township, Osceola County, Iowa in the 1900 census.  The enumerator was told that George was 44, born in July 1853, and Georgianna was 40, born in February 1860.  (I think George made a guess!)  The couple, now married 25 years, had two living children.  At home was the youngest, Arthur E., born January 1882 in Illinois.  He was 18 and single.
Georgianna's daughter, Ida, had married George Reid in approximately 1890 and they were enumerated in Sandwich Township, Dekalb County, Illinois.  Ida, 25, born July 1874, according to the census, and George, 36, born May 1864, had been married ten years and had one child, Roy (Harry LeRoy), born May 1898.  Roy was two years old and born in Illinois.  George Reid (Reed as spelled by the enumerator) was a salesman and they were renting a house.

George and Georgianna were in the same location at the time of the 1910 census.  George, 55, and George Anna (enumerator's spelling) were still farming.  William Garland, 21, was a boarder, who probably helped on the farm.
The adventurous Ida and her husband had moved to Mill City, Humboldt County, Nevada with their son, twelve year old Leroy.  George was in the hotel business.  Living with them was the Russian born Alexander Ostroff, a boarder who worked in the quartz mines.
Arthur lived in Sheldon, O'Brien County, Iowa where he worked as a pharmacist in a drug store.  Still single at 28, he rented a room there.  Arthur made the news in 1914 when he had a bit of an accident.  The Spencer Herald reported on June 17, 1914:
"A. PENSYL INJURED
A. E. Pensyl, the popular clerk at the Dickey pharmacy, was severely injured about the face last Friday when a bottle of carbolic acid which he was corking broke and the acid flew in his face, causing painful burns.  With rare presence of mind, Mr. Pensyl grabbed a bottle of alcohol and bathed the burns.  His left eye received some of the acid, but at present is getting along nicely, and it is thought that the eye will not be permanently injured."

 In 1915, George and Georgianna visited back in the Gettysburg area.  The Adams County News, August 28, 1915 reported:
 "A very pleasant family reunion was held at the home of Mrs. Leah Pensyl, Biglerville, on Tuesday in honor of Mr. and Mrs. George E. Pensyl of Sibley, Iowa.  Among those present were Mr. and Mrs. George Pensyl, Mr. and Mrs. William Peters, Walter Pensyl, Misses Janet Pensyl and Julia Peters, Lawrence Adams, Mrs. Ida Heller, Mrs. Edna Moore, Mrs. Grace Adams, Paul Adams.

Iowa was a state that conducted a state census in the mid-years between the Federal censuses.  Hence, in 1915, Geo. Pensyl, 60, Post office - Sibley, Holman Township, Osceola County was enumerated as a farmer.  George owned his own home, but owed $5000 on it still.  His total earnings for 1914 was $780, but the value of his farm was placed at $35,500.  He had a seventh grade education, was never in the military and had no religious affiliation.  He had lived in Iowa 40 years.  No questions were asked of his wife!

In 1916, Arthur found himself in a bad situation.  The Kossuth County Advance reported the story on December 13, 1916 on page 2:
"A. E. Pensyl, a Spencer druggist, and Jas. Rubendall, an employee of the Comant Products Co., of that town, were principals in an exciting combat at the Central Hotel, Spencer, last Wednesday evening.  The two were sitting at the supper table, when Pensyl made some remark to a waitress which outraged Rubendall, who is the girl's brother-in-law.  Rubendall struck Pensyl and a fight followed in which Pensyl suffered severe cuts and bruises about the face.  Rubendall then fled but was later found hiding behind some clothes in a Chinese laundry, and was held to the grand jury.  In default of bonds for $500, he was sent to jail.  A Spencer paper claims that the remark which made Rubendall angry was of a harmless nature."

In 1920, George and Georgianna were still in Sibley, Iowa, only George now had a job as a teamster on the road.  Ida and her husband, George, had moved to Santa Cruz, California and Arthur was still in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa living as a roomer with Earnest and Anna Schorring.  Arthur was 37 and still working as a druggist.  However, in May of 1920, Arthur married.  A report of the wedding was found in the Spencer News Herald, May 13, 1920:
"PENSYL - MARKS
Spencer friends are getting their bouquets of congratulations and best wishes ready to hand to Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Pensyl when they arrive in the city from their honeymoon trip.  The congratulations and best wishes have been in readiness since the news of the nuptials was confirmed by relatives last Saturday.  The ceremony was performed on Thursday at Omaha and the bride of the occasion was Miss Florence Marks of Lake Park, Iowa.  Mr. and Mrs. Pensyl have been spending the last few days at Minneapolis and will arrive in Spencer some time this week.
The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Marks of Lake Park.  She grew to womanhood at Pontiac, Illinois,and graduated from the high school in that city.  Later she came with her parents to Lake Park and has been one of the talented and popular young ladies of that place during her residence there.  She is a talented musician, being accomplished in piano work.  With her parents, she has spent several summers at Lake Okobojt where they have a summer home.
"Pen" is the son of Mr. and Mrs. George Pensyl of Sibley.  He is also an Illinois product, having spent the earlier part of his life at Waterman, Illinois.  He came with his parents to Sibley and after graduating from the high school there, took a pharmacist's course at Highland Park college, Des Moines, from which institution he also graduated.  Seven years ago he came to Spencer, becoming the owner of the Rexall drug store, on the corner of Main and Fourth Streets.  Since coming to this city, he has identified himself with all the organizations which stand for progress and the welfare of his home town, is prominent in the various lodges of the city, and has been popular socially.  He does not use a hammer for he came to Spencer to boost...
He has a home in readiness for his bride on Sixth and Bendex avenue, a new and modern bungalow which they will occupy at once.  One of the first features to strike the eye of the bride when she arrives at her new home will be the array of welcome signs which have been especially prepared for the reception of herself and her husband by their 'thoughtful' friends,and which have been hung in prominent places in the new home"

Again, George and Georgianna were in the Iowa census in 1925, noting that they owned their farm and the value of their home was at $6000.  Prior to that, in 1924, Arthur was in court, fighting a claim that he had broken the liquor license laws of Iowa.  The Milford Mail of January 31, 1924, stated:
 "A. E. Pensyl, Spencer druggist, was declared 'not guilty' by the jury by which he was tried to the district court here to the charge of violating the liquor law of Iowa.  
The jury took two hours and twenty minutes to agree to the verdict, which was brought into court shortly before six o'clock last Thursday evening.  Mr. Pensyl was in court and received the verdict with a smile.  He then walked out free.
It was said that the jury took four ballots, the first being 8 for acquittal and 4 for conviction, the second being 9 to 3 in favor of acquittal, (the third being 11 to 1 for acquittal.)  The juror who voted alone for conviction was a man - Spencer Republic."

In the 1930 Federal census, George,, 73, was still working as a laborer on odd jobs while Gergia (enumerator's spelling), 72 was at home.  They lived on 7th Street in Sibley which was probably their same home for many years.  
Sometime between 1920 and 1921, Arthur and his wife moved to California.  In 1928, Arthur is listed in the California Voter Registrations as living at 1720 Opechee Way in Republic, Los Angeles County, CA, working as a druggist. In the 1930 census, he and his wife, Florence, had two children, Twila, 9, and Donna, 1, both born in Iowa.  Florence's mother, Mary, was also living with them.
 Ida, his sister, and her husband, George and nephew Harry L. were already in California.  In the 1930 census, they were enumerated on Summer Farm Road in Santa Cruz.

Arthur made the papers back home in Iowa in 1931 when he met a burglar.  The Spencer News Herald on January 22, 1931 relayed the message home:
"A. E. PENSYL VICTIM OF CALIFORNIA HOLDUP
A. E. Pensyl, former Spencer druggist, was the victim of a daylight holdup in Glendale, California, last week while waiting on a customer in the Arcadia (?) avenue pharmacy of that city, according to a press report received by friends here.  The robber, a swarthy young man, entered the pharmacy and leveled a gun on Pensyl and the cashier and took $38.50 from the cash register, making his escape by stealing the customer's car left parked on the street."

Georgianna's husband died in November 1938 at the age of about 83.  I have not been able to find an obituary, but did come across this article to confirm that Ida and Arthur came home for their father's funeral.  The Spirit Lake Beacon, December 1, 1938:
  "IN AND ABOUT LAKE PARK...
Dr. and Mrs. W. H. Marks entertained for A. E. Pensyl and his sister of Glendale of Glendale, Calif. and his mother, Mrs. Geo. Pensyl of Sibley, Warren Marks of Everly and Ruth Marks of Ames and her friend, Bernice Sheppard of Maine, who teaches school at Union.  Mr. Pensyl is a brother-in-law of Dr. Marks and was called here by the death of his father, George Pensyl whose funeral was held at Sibley Tuesday."

Georgianna stayed on in Sibley, Iowa for yet another census in 1940.  At 75 and widowed, it appeared she was in the same home.  
In 1940, Ida, 67, was the owner and operator of a resort hotel in Santa Cruz, California.  George, at 78, had no occupation listed.  Living with them was their son Harry L., 42, who was an operator at a sawmill and his wife, Beatrice, 38, who was assistant operator of the hotel.  They had two sons, Donald, 9, and Ronald, 2.
Arthur, 56, was in Glendale, California with Florence and their daughters, Twyla, 19,in college, and Donna, 16, a sophomore in high school. 

After 1940 sometime, she moved to California to live with or near Ida, as Georgianna died in Santa Cruz, California on September 21, 1944, according to the Death Index of California.  I have not been able to find an obituary.

A Few Additions...

  Before I move on to the last Hollabaugh sibling of great-grandfather, William Levi, I wanted to insert a few items into past posts that have just been discovered.












 I found an article about George Hollabaugh, son of J. Pierce (who was the son of Jacob Hollabaugh) that I have added to the post about Jacob. On Eliza Jane Hollabaugh Fries' entry, I have added a letter sent to the relatives of B. F. Fries, her husband, after his death.
I thought about just posting them separately, but it seemed best to put them with the rest of the information about that sibling

I have been struggling with the research for Georgianna Hollabaugh, but I do have quite a bit now, so I'll be posting very soon.  Part of the problem stems from her moves from Pennsylvania to Illinois to Iowa to California!  I also had to learn that her married name was not Pencil, as found in one of her sibling's obituaries, but instead Pensyl.  However, the pieces seem to have fallen into place. If anyone has a photo of Georgianna, I would love to have one to enhance the post and add to the research.  She had two children, so maybe somewhere there are descendents who can help!

Of the Hollabaugh siblings from that generation, four of the eight moved west to settle: William Levi, David William, George Washington, and Georgianna Hollabaugh Pensyl.  Quite adventurous, I'd say!