When researching our ancestors, we often have only census records or BMD (birth, marriage, death) records. It’s a lot more interesting when we have incidents from their everyday life. And it’s fun when those incidents are a little offbeat.
Such is the case for a few of the news stories in this Cheney episode.
On a snowy Sunday in 1905, Eliza Cheney sat down to pen a diary entry:
“It is 28 years today since we moved on this farm…” — April 16, 1905
That simple sentence represented nearly three decades of hope and survival, joy and sorrow, family and neighbors. Eliza must have paused to reflect on her life since coming to McPherson County, Kansas in 1877.
1900 dawned bright and clear for Ralph and Mollie Cheney and family. Enos Ralph was age 29, Mollie was 31. Things were going well.
William and Eliza Cheney were still actively farming in McPherson County.
1900 began a decade of amazing transformation, even in rural McPherson County and small-town Gypsum. Our grandparents were introduced to telephones, electric lights, motion pictures, and motor vehicles.
Continue readingWe’ve seen some interesting news and family events from the early 1890s. Let’s finish the decade.
W.T. Cheney is appointed postmaster for Groveland post office. Ralph and Mollie Cheney have a new baby boy. And more…
The 1890s are full of Cheney news and family events. Family visits. Crop reports. W.T. Cheney is active in local politics and Sunday School. Ralph and Mollie Cheney moved to Gypsum and are having kids.
Most of the stories are “every day,” but here are some noteworthy and interesting ones:
Continue readingTwo events occurred in Garfield, Kansas in the same week in April 1890 that influenced our family history:
These two unrelated events led to E.R. Cheney meeting and then marrying Mollie Hestwood.
Family Nibbles 