We’ve read the Family Nibbles stories about our Maninger ancestors.
We know that Emily Maninger met Ned Cheney, and they planned to marry.
Here’s how they met.
Emily Maninger grew up in Harper, Kansas, about 50 miles southwest of Wichita.
After graduation from Harper High School in 1916, Emily enrolled in Wichita Hospital Training School for Nurses. She hoped to go to the front to care for the troops in World War I.
A graduate nurse
Emily Maninger graduated from Wichita Hospital School of Nursing. She received her diploma as a graduate nurse on May 12, 1920.
A closer inspection of Emily’s diploma reveals that one of the signatures is that of J.W. Cheney M.D.
Dr. J.W. Cheney was on the Board of Examiners of the Wichita Hospital School of Nurses. J.W. Cheney was Ned Cheney’s uncle. What a coincidence.
J.W. Cheney was head of the hospital’s specialty Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat department.
Internships
Ned Cheney served internships in Wichita with his uncle during breaks from his school year at St. Louis University.
Let’s check out a few news articles. In summer 1918, Ned Cheney spent time “under instructions at the Wichita Hospital.”
In summer 1919, Ned returned to Wichita, where he was “taking intern work at the Wichita Hospital.” He probably stayed with his uncle’s family during his time in Wichita.
Meet the parents
It’s clear that Emily met Ned during his internships at the Wichita Hospital and began a romantic relationship.
As the internships continued from 1918 into 1919, their romance flourished. They must have discussed future plans.
Emily made several “Meet the parents” visits to Gypsum in fall of 1920. Perhaps Ned visited Emily’s family in Harper.
The stage was set
By the fall of 1920, Ned Cheney and Emily Maninger planned to marry. Emily had graduated from nursing school in Wichita. Ned was employed at a hospital residency in St. Louis.
Were they engaged? When and where was the wedding going to happen?
We’ll soon find out.
Sources:
- Images – Cheney family photos – Cheney/Jarvis photograph collection
- Newspapers – each article footnoted with newspaper name and date – Newspapers.com
- Diploma – Emily Maninger – Wichita Hospital and Training School for Nurses – 1920 – Maninger family documents – Emily Maninger Cheney collection
- Family Tree diagrams – Ancestry.com and Mark Jarvis
- Audio – Forget Me Not – Take 1 or 3 – Paul Whiteman 1920-1935 Collection Part One – Internet Archive – https://archive.org/details/PaulWhiteman1920-1935CompleteCollection/ForgetMeNottake1Or3.mp3
Family Nibbles 