***************************************

     Jacob Gaenssel, son of Jacob Gaenssel was married to Maria Elisabetha Pabst. (Whether or not there is any connection to the blue ribbon beer I can’t say.)  Nothing else seems to be known about this couple except that they lived in Bavaria, Germany and produced a son named Johann Valentin born February 18, 1739 in Bavaria.  At the age of 19 years this young man married Maria Catherina Petri, daughter of Ludwig Petri who may have carried a shotgun, for records show that they were married February 5, 1758 in the province of Thaleischweiler, and were blessed with a son on July 23, 1758.  This son was named Johann Adam and he was born at Froschen, Thaleischweiler, Bavaria.   (I just noticed that a daughter Maria Elisabeth  was born January 20, 1761, and died November 26, 1761. So she could not have brought baskets as postulated below.  Could there have been 1 or more unrecorded  siblings?)

     At this point we may need to take another look at the Gansel family legend.  So far there is precious little to go on.  Just a few bare facts on some family record sheets.  But, while admitting that much must be pure conjecture, a careful look at those few facts may give us a lead-in to the legend.  Perhaps Johann Valentin Gaenssel , whose impetuosity brought forth a son in such a hurry was also the rather wild, high-spirited young man who shot the king’s deer and had to flee, with his young family to America.  Perhaps, they did, as some report, smuggle him aboard ship in a barrel.  The fact sheets report no time or place of death nor place of burial for either Johann Valentin or his wife, Maria.  Yet they do record that their son, Johann Adam, arrived in America in Nov, of 1763 on the ship, Chance.  This would have made him arriving at the tender age of 5 years.  Even for the adventurous  Gansels, this would have been a little young to go adventuring off to the new world all alone, yet, there seems to be no record of his parents in America.  So, can we conclude that the parents did die in route, and that the children were bound out?  Possibly there could have been at least one more child by this time.  Or, maybe only the two, but the records also shows that Johann Adam was a weaver.  Could he have been a basket weaver?  Did Maria Elisabeth, another sister come one day to buy baskets and in the course of conversation discover that they were long lost brother and sister?  Were there other children who were never reunited? If children were bound out, would it not be logical to leave any important family papers for safe keeping in a church until the oldest, son was of age, or until there was need for them?  So the church burned and connections with the family in Germany also went up in smoke.  We may never know for sure, but it could be.

     But family legend or no, it is recorded that, Johann Adam changed the spelling of his name to Gensell and was married to Philippana (or Phoebe Ann) Glassmeyer, daughter of Johannes Peter Glassmeyer and his wife, Anna Catherina in either 1780 or 1781.  She was born around 1760.  Their children were: Margretta Sarah , Dec. 7, 1782, Columbia Co., PA; Gideon, Aug. 28, 1786; Daniel, Sept. 24, 1788; and there seems to be some doubt as to whether Johannes, no birth date, and Jacob, April 13, 1804 are the same family or not.  If not, then a brother must have survived somewhere.  The first child was born in Columbia Co., PA and Johann Adam died at Catawissa, Columbia Co., PA, March 14, 1848. So it is safe to assume that all the children were born in that co.  Philippana died sometime between 1832 and 1848

     Gideon Gensell became a farmer and was married in 1812 to Catherina Fischer, born Feb. 5, 1792, daughter of Joseph Fischer and Katherine Miregar.  This couple got busy and produced 10 children on their farm.  Anna Philippina (Phoebe), Feb. 10, 1813; Johannes, Feb. 15, 1817; Joseph, 1818 **; Obediah, April 28, 1820. All of the above born at Catawissa, Columbia Co., PA.  Birthplaces are not listed for : David, no birth date., Samuel, March 10, 1824, Sarah, April 1, 1826; Rebecca, 1828; Peter, 1830 and Jacob, 1832.  It is interesting to note that 3 of these children, Joseph, Sarah, and Rebecca all married people with the surname of Michael and that Phoebe of the next generation also married Noah Michael. Whether or not any of these were related, I can’t say.
** Editor's Note: See the comments from Larry Pardoe and a published biography of Joseph Gansel, further down this page.

     Gideon Gensell died Oct. 24 of either 1846 or 48 and Catherine died May 5, 1862, just as the Civil War was starting.  Both are buried in the Summerhill Cemetery near Berwick, PA.  The information concerning Gideon Gensell’s family was said to have been taken from Gideon’s will and from a Bible belonging to Samuel’s wife.  It seems most of the children dropped the 2^nd “l” from the family name, and Obediah changed the spelling to Gansel.  Obediah was, of course, my great grandfather of whom much is written on the following pages.  He was married to Catherine Swank, daughter of Adrian and Elizabeth Rough Swank on the 22^nd of July, 1840 in Columbia Co. PA

     Direct correspondence with H. A. Gensel has brought out a few more facts.  He possesses a copy of the Gaenssel family tree in German.  It has not yet been fully translated, but he can read enough to know that many were teachers of Latin, a great many were preachers, others were druggists, doctors, silversmith and weavers.

     H.A. says that Johan Valentine did come to America and he believes his son, Johann Adam was a weaver of rugs.  He also believes that Johann Adam must have had other brothers and perhaps sisters, for he has turned up too many Gensels in that area.  Johann Adam was also a Revolutionary War veteran.  H. A. sent the copy of the copy of a record of gratuity pay, which I have inserted in this story.

Of Johann’s several children, Gideon was my generation’s great, great grandfather and Daniel was H. A. Gensel’s direct ancestor.

     Grandfather Obediah Gansel also had a brother named Samuel who had a daughter named Frank Creveling Gensel who married a man by the name of John Wright.  H. A. wonders if this was the origin of the song about “Frankie and Johnnie were lovers”?

Obed Gansel’s Obituary:

Died--At the residence of his son, Dan, one month more would have completed his 93rd year. Obed Gansel was born April 29, 1820. at Mifflinburg *, Penn. And was married Jan 2, 1840 to Catherine Swank. Seven of their nine children are living, one who is Mrs. Charles Green of Cawker City. He came to Mitchell county in 1870, homesteading on Granite Creek and donated a corner of his homestead for a cemetery where his remains and those of his family are buried.  A week ago he fell down stairs. breaking his arm in three places and never rallied from the effects of it, though previous to this he had been a matter of comment as to his activity.

(obit says 1893 but in 1913 paper)
* Editor's Note: Once again according to David Klees, "Mifflinburg" probably means the present day Mifflinville, PA, where Interstate 80 crosses the east branch of the Susquehanna River. It was laid out in 1792 mid-way between Wilkes-Barre and Sunbury, figuring it would be the county seat when a new county was formed between the two towns. Columbia County was formed in 1813 with Danville as the county seat. Back then Mifflinville was known as Mifflinburg.

GRANDPA GANSEL DEAD

     With the death of Obed Gansel which occurred in Beloit at midnight last Sunday Mitchell county loses another of its pioneer settlers as well as one of the oldest and most respected citizens.  To many of the Sentinel’s readers, Mr. Gansel will be remembered as the spry old gentleman who for many years made his home in the city but about four years ago moved to Beloit with his son Dan F. Gansel and family.  He had for many years enjoyed the best of health and in conversing with his friends always asserted that he intended living to be one hundred years old.  A few nights before his death he arose from bed and in some way wandered to the cellar stairway and fell to the basement, breaking an arm in three places. Medical aid was immediately called but on account of his advanced age little could be done to reduce the fracture and after a few days death relieved him of suffering. Grandpa Gansel was well known throughout this section, having homesteaded on Granite Creek in 1870.  He had endured all the hardships of the pioneer life but even at the advanced age of 93 years he still retained that cheerful, hospitable manner so common to the older settlers.  He had filled the various relations of life, as son, husband, father, brother and friend and filled them well.

     Funeral services were conducted at the Christian church in this city Tuesday afternoon by Elder Cornish after which interment was made in the Granite Creek cemetery *.

     Obed Gansel was born April 29. 1820, at Mifflinburg, Columbia county, Pa., and

died at Beloit, Kan., on March 16, 1913, aged 92 years, 10 months and 27 days.  He

was married January 2, 1840 to Catherine Swank, who passed away on January 2,

1902 on the sixty-eighth anniversary of their marriage. To this union were born seven daughters and two sons, of whom six daughters and one son are still living.  They are: Mesdames Amanda Barrett, Emma Harris and Flora Eldred all of Colorado. Sarah Kinsley of Pennsylvania; Melinda Green and George Scholl of this county and Dan Gansel of Beloit with who he had made his home for several years and at whose home he passed away.

* Editor's Note: In August 2009, Laurie (Biswell) Wentz contributed several photographs of Gansel family grave markers from the "Glenwood Cemetery" in Mitchell County, KS. When notified that the obituaries for the interred persons always referred to the "Granite Creek Cemetery", Laurie explained as follows:

Obed and Catherine (Swank) Gansel
Grave Markers
Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, KS
Courtesy of Laurie (Biswell) Wentz

More About OBED GANSEL:

Burial: Granite Creek Cemetery

Census : 1850, Briar Creek Columbia Co., PA

               1860, Cherry Twp., Sullivan Co., PA

               1870, Cherry Twp., Sullivan Co., PA

               1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

               1910, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

PORTRAIT OF A PIONEER

By

Georgia Scholl Becker

The Gansel Homestead in Kansas
Located on Oak Creek
Mitchell County, Kansas
Located on the Gansel Farm which occupied 160 acres east of Oak Creek and 60 more acres to the west
Described in the newspaper article as solidly built of native limestone
A six room house with three rooms each on two floors plus a cellar
Sold in 1891 to Kris and Catherine (Koster) and their family
Courtesy of Steve Richardson and the Cawker City Hesperian Historical Society
Original source: Cawker City Ledger, Cawker City, KS, March 18, 1865

     Among the very first settlers to homestead in the Cawker City area was the family of Obed Gansel.  I have been unable to learn much of Obed’s life in Pennsylvania where he spent fifty years, but evidently it was such that he picked up knowledge and skills that were particularly suitable for the pioneer life he lived herein Kansas.  He arrived in the fall of 1870, a big man, lean and muscular, I’ve been told.  He was a farmer, a stone mason, a hunter and woodsman.  In addition to his own stone farmhouse, he built a number of the old stone buildings in Cawker City, including the drug store, which was the first real store building in the town, the city hall, the Wm. Cribbs house and the Domino house as well as the old butcher shop in Glen Elder.  His hunting skills not only provided his own family with meat, but he and his son, Dan along with two sons-in-laws, Wm. Harris and Elisha Barrett, hired out as hunters to provide meat for the surveying gang who were building a road across the mountains.  (It’s true they didn’t become as famous as Buffalo Bill who hunted for the railroads, but then Buffalo Bill had Ned Buntline to write about his exploits and Obed Gansel has only me, and I’m a hundred years late.)  Obed’s grandson, Ferd Gansel of Hill City, has told me that even when he was in his nineties, he could still chop wood with the best of them and throw an ax twenty feet and make it stick into a tree.  He was said to be the strong, silent type, a good listener who said little but looked you square in the eye when he did speak.

(more stories about Obed Gansel in Georgia’s STORIES I’VE BEEN TOLD further down on the Gansel history)

THE GREAT GRANDPARENTS

OBED GANSEL

    I quote here from a letter from Ferd Gansel which provided some rather extensive information about Obed Gansel.

     “Grandpa was a big husky fellow, not fat,  there was little fat on that man.  When he was 92 or 93 years old, he walked erect -- no limping.  Even at that ripe age, you could call him athletic.  When he talked to you, he looked you square in the eyes.  He was inclined to be sort of on the quiet side, never talked a lot -- a good listener, I would call him.  He was inclined to be a little gruff at times if Ott or I bothered him or got in his way when he was using an ax cutting wood.  He would tell us in a way that never needed repeating.  That voice of his was something.  And let me tell you, he was a woodsman!  That man could throw an ax 20 feet and stick the blade in another tree and it stayed put.  I never got to see him hunt or use a gun, but my dad used to tell us boys about the hunting they used to do.  Papa and Grandpa hired out with the surveying gang that built the road across the mountains.  Their job was to keep the gang in meat.  As I remember, two of the son-in-laws, a Harris and a Barret, had hunting jobs along with Papa and Grandpa.”

     “Now I want to tell you something that Ott and I never forgot about Grandpa.  Ott and I always liked cats and dogs, etc.  So did all the girls of our family.  On this day, Grandpa was busy splitting wood.  We always had several old cats on the place, and of course, cats have families.  These particular kittens were just at the cute age, you know, and we saw Grandpa pick up one of these kittens and quicker that scat that little thing was minus his head, jut behind the ears.  Evidently he didn’t like cats.  Ott and I used to see people stop in the middle of the river bridge in Beloit, take a sack out of their vehicle and throw it in the river.  We found that a lot of the time those sacks had cats in them.  We use to talk about that, and we had to agree that even though we hated Grandpa for the way he treated that kitten, we had to admit that Grandpa’s method of disposing of cats was more humane than putting them in a tied sack and throwing them off the bridge into the river.”

     “Papa used to tell me that Grandpa had a surgical lance that he brought with him from Dushore, PA.  People used to come to him and have him bleed them if they were sick.  Papa had that lance at home when we were kids, but I don’t know what happened to it.  It was an ugly little tool.  It had a sharp blade that had a spring under it.  All he would do was hold the blade against the artery on you inside elbow, flip a little trigger and the blood would fly. Papa said it really did help folks, too, back then.”

        This is interesting.  Maybe his daughter, Rebecca, learned some of the healing methods she used so effetely from her father, He certainly knew the correct method to use to bring his son out of electrical shock caused by lightening.  See story under Dan Gansel 

More About CATHERINE SWANK:

Burial: Granite Creek Cemetery

Catherine Gansel Obituary:

1908 January 2

Grandma Gansel, of Glen Elder who was buried last Saturday, was born in 1820

and married to Obed Gansel Jan 2, 1908 on the 68^th anniversary of their wedding day. The remains were interred in Granite creek cemetery which was a part of their homestead, and given by them to the cemetery company.  Mr. Gansel broke his hip a few years ago but is able to move about alone and is well for one of his age.

A Saint at Rest

     One of the oldest and most earnest Christians of this community, Mrs. Catharine Gansel, died at her home Thursday evening January 2, 1908 being 87 years 11 months and 11 days of age.  Mrs. Gansel whose maiden name was Catherine Swank was born January 22, 1820 near Mifflinburg, Columbia county, Pennsylvania.  She was married to Obed Gansel January 2, 1840 and to this union were born two sons and seven daughters.  All are living but one son and one daughter and with the husband and father to mourn their loss.  Mr. And Mrs. Gansel settled in Kansas in an early day and lived for several years on the homestead about four miles west of Glen Elder but for many years have been living in Glen Elder.  Mrs. Gansel was converted in childhood and for many years has been a member of the Methodist Episcopal branch of the Christian Church.  For three or four years she has been almost a constant sufferer and at times her suffering was very severe but her faith never wavered and she waited without a murmur till Jesus should call her home. She was very often found reading the Bible or at prayer.  As long as she was able she was a constant attendant upon the means of grace and loved to lead her children to

the house of God.  Nothing could please her more than to see all her loved ones following Jesus.  When she washed her hands as she dipped them in the water she would often say “Dear Jesus as I wash my hands so wash me and keep me clean.”  The funeral service was conducted by her pastor, the Rev. Templin at the home.   

Children of OBED GANSEL and CATHERINE SWANK are:

                  1.    EMMA NANCY GANSEL, born August 22, 1841, Pennsylvania.

                  2.    MALINDA GANSEL, born October 17, 1843, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA; died November 19, 1942.

                  3.    REBECCA GANSEL, born April 03, 1846, Mifflinburg, Columbia Co., PA; died January 12, 1931, Mitchell Co., Kansas.

                  4.    SARAH A. GANSEL, born June 17, 1847; died 1935.

                  5.    AMANDA GANSEL, b. April 17, 1852, Pennsylvania.

                  6.    ELLIS WALDEN GANSEL, b. September 16, 1855; d. March 19, 1857, Berwick, Columbia Co., PA.

More About ELLIS WALDEN GANSEL:

Burial: Summerhill, Berwick, PA

                  7.        PHOEBE GANSEL, b. October 17, 1858, Pennsylvania.

                  8.    DANIEL FAIRCHILD GANSEL, born July 30, 1861, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA; died March 13, 1959.

                  9.    FLORA MAY GANSEL, b. October 15, 1865; d. March 22, 1946.

MY PIONEER GRANDMOTHER

REBECCA GANSEL SCHOLL

by

Georgia Scholl Becker

     My grandmother Rebecca Gansel, was born near Mifflinburg, PA on April 3, 1846, and the fifth of the nine children of Obed and Catherine Gansel.  She went to school and grew up in that region.  As a young woman she worked as a “hired girl” did some factory work and was a midwife’s helper, developing the skills and independence she would need later as a Kansas pioneer.  She was married on July 22, 1869, to a young German immigrant named George Anthony Scholl. A son, Willie was born Nov. 25, 1870.  In 1874 they came to Cawker City, Kansas, to join Rebecca’s parents, brother and several sisters who had settled there in 1870. 

     They took a homestead on the Soloman River, near Waconda Springs, and her adventures as a pioneer woman began.  She told of coming in from work in the fields and finding a huge snake tail lying across their bed and its head up the open chimney hole of their dugout.  The startled snake disappeared up the chimney which was promptly plugged by my startled grandmother.

     Early the following year sorrow came with the death of little Willie, but within the year another little boy and a little girl, the twins, Katie and Ernie, were born.

     While they were living on this homestead, Plains Indians from many tribes gathered at Waconda Springs.  They camped and pow-wowed for many months.  The white settlers were uneasy, for Waconda was sacred to the Indians and Chief Spotted Tail had boasted that he would return Waconda Springs to the Indians if he had to wade blood to his knees to get it.  It was during this time that Rebecca had a couple of interesting adventures.

     Rebecca sometimes worked in her sister’s millinery shop in Cawker City.  One day when she was alone in the shop, an Indian couple came in.  “Hat for squaw!” the man demanded, pointing to the showcase.  When Rebecca asked if he had money, he simply repeated, more forcefully, “Hat for squaw!”  Rebecca, being a spunky person, tried to explain that she did not own the store and could not give away the hats, but he pointed again, this time with his tomahawk, and demanded angrily, “Hat for squaw!”  Rebecca was wondering uneasily what to do next, when a neighbor passing by saw the Indians in the store and, thinking there might be something amiss, stepped inside.  The Indian’s bravado faded in the presence of a white man and he and his squaw quickly left.

     Another time, George had to be gone until very late one night and Rebecca was alone in the dugout with the twin babies.  She was just wondering what she would do if Indians came, when there was a knock at the door.  Forgetting thoughts of Indians, she jumped up, thankful that some neighbor was kind enough to look in on her, and opened the door.  There stood an Indian!  She must have been startled, but she was never one to go to pieces, and the Indian made no move except to hand her a piece of paper on which was written a few words saying his people were hungry and did she have any dogs she did not want?  Well, she had no spare dogs, but, goodprovider that she was, she did have food.  Being the generous person that she was, she sent him away well loaded with food.  Fresh baked bread, I believe, and butter, among other things.  A happy Indian left her place that night.

     Rebecca’s husband was a city man who knew nothing about farming, not even how to harness a team.  I doubt that he was ever really happy with life on a Kansas homestead.  He was willing to work, but seemed unable to do anything without Rebecca’s help and direction, so she put the twin babies in a basket and took them to the field, leaving them at one end while she worked down the row and back.

     Later they moved to a homestead northwest of Glen Elder where another baby boy was born.  They named him George.  He was my father.  Here Rebecca spent the rest of her days.

     The energy and stamina of this woman must have been phenomenal.  In addition to working alongside her husband in the fields, and caring for her children, she was a great gardener, preserved large amounts of food, sewed and tended the sick.  She was an excellent manager and even in hard times she always had food and necessities for her family and she shared generously.  No tramp or unfortunate was ever turned away.  Neighbor women, during hard or times, sometimes walked quite a distance in severe weather, carrying small children, to visit her.  The real reason they made such an effort was that they were hungry and knew they would be offered food, perhaps even a bit to take along home.

    She was considered an extra-ordinary cook.  Her only surviving nephew, Ferd Gansel of Hill City, has told me how they all so enjoyed the wonderful Sundaydinners she used to prepare.  We grandchildren looked forward to the elegant birthday cakes she made and decorated with colored frosting, using a toothpick in lieu of a cake decorator.

     Probably most would have agreed that her greatest contribution to the community was her expertise in tending the sick.  Her healing skills were legendary.

People for miles around called for her to come in times of sickness and to deliver babies.  She always went, even in the middle of the night, and came home and did her work the next day.  My father said it was true that she knew a lot about remedies and ways of caring for the sick, but he said she had other ways of healing that she didn’t talk much about.  She prayed a lot and got results.  He thought this was often her most effective “medicine”.

     Rebecca was a most truly Christian woman who prayed often and studied her Bible diligently.  She really extended herself to serve others.  Her house was never closed to those in need of shelter, nor did she let convention stand in the way of a good deed.  One bitterly cold night when a blizzard was raging, they heard the drunken singing of a neighbor, evidently lost driving in circles in their field.  When George refused to go out into the fury of the storm to get him, Rebecca dressed warmly and took a lantern, and over George’s protests, went to  rescue him herself, for, she said, they couldn’t let him freeze.  She found him driving aimlessly aroundin his buggy, blissfully unaware of his danger.  She told him to move over, she was going to drive.  “Oh, no,” he protested, “You mustn’t get in here with me! You’re a good woman.  Think what people would say!”  She told him it didn’t matter what people said, he’d freeze if she didn’t get him out of the storm.  She drove him to her house, put his horse in her barn and put him to bed on her couch.

     This remarkable woman lived, loved and was loved for nearly 85 years.

The Gansel Children-------insert

From Georgia Scholl Becker

Sarah Gansel:

     I have received, through Rebecca Green, a letter  from Helen (Fitzgerald)

Tourscher of Dushore, PA.  She is Sarah’s great-granddaughter. She was able to tell

us that Sarah married William F. Kinsley of Cherry Township, born 1845.  He was a son of Charles Kinsley ** of Cherry.  He was a road commissioner for 6 years and eventually owned two farms.  They had four children:  Emma who married Frank Cox; Mary A. who married Charles Dieffenbach; and Allie who married William Stiff (all these men were from Cherry), and Morris B. who lived on one of his father’s farms.  Allie had at least two daughters, Lena, mother of Helen Tourscher who wrote the letter, and Rebecca.  Rebecca who often corresponded with family member in Kansas and sometimes made visits to Kansas (the last in 1951) was the subject of an interesting family story.  It seems that while her mother, Allie was carrying her before birth, a team she was driving ran away.  She was frightened, but gamely pulled on the reins, shouting “Whoa!” in an effort to control the team.  I’m not sure if she finally got stopped, or if someone came to here rescue and got them stopped.  At any rate, when they were finally stopped, she sat gasping from exertion and fright and could not speak until she had gasped and gotten her wind back.  When the child, Rebecca was old enough to speak, she was never able to say a word without first gasping as though out of breath, just as her mother did after the runaway.  She must have been in her late 60’s when I finally met her in 1950, and the speech impediment was still very much in evidence.  The family, of course, believed that she had been “marked” before birth by her mother’s experience with the runaway.
**Editor's Note: You can learn more about this family at Descendants of Charles Kinsley and Mary Bahr.

Flora Gansel:  Married Jim Eldred.  Their children were Jennie Esther, Ruth, Linnie, Irwin and Leroy.  Ferd Gansel provided the following story about Jim Eldred.  As mentioned , Jim was a drinking man, and one day Ferd’s older brother, Obie and his cousin, Dan Michael (Phoebe’s boy) were playing in their Uncle Jim’s barn and found his stash of whisky.  Here is the story in Ferd’s own words.  “Obie and Dan thought that the contents of the bottle resembled urine, so they decided to find out how the two mixed and then put the bottle back just like they found it.  I guess Jim Eldred really found out how the mixture mixed and had its effect on Uncle Jim’s appetite for the stuff.” (I am thinking he was surely pleasantly surprised when he next went for a drink to find that the bottle was fuller than he remembered leaving it.”

Melinda Gansel:

     Her husband was Charles Green.  Again I quote from one of Ferd Gansel’s letters.  “I can remember Aunt Melinda pretty well, but I can barely remember Uncle Charley, but I can remember that the folks told us kids that he had an orchard at their farm home that included peach trees.  One morning he picked some peaches and loaded them in his spring wagon and took them to Cawker to sell.  On the way he picked up peaches and ate them all the way to town.  That afternoon he became sick and died and they blamed his death on eating too many peaches.  Now I’m not telling this to be funny, but it’s something a kid would always remember if he heard it.”

I’m very glad Ferd did remember it.  It’s an interesting bit of family lore that would otherwise have been lost.

Generation No. 2

EMMA NANCY GANSEL was born August 22, 1841 in Pennsylvania.  She married WILLIAM HARRIS, son of ? HARRIS and MARY ?.  He was born ca 1840 in Canada.

More About EMMA NANCY GANSEL:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1880, Millinery

More About WILLIAM HARRIS:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1880, Coal Dealer

Children of EMMA GANSEL and WILLIAM HARRIS are:

                  1.    WILLIAM HARRIS, born ca 1872, Kansas.

More About WILLIAM HARRIS:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

                  2.    JOHN HARRIS, born ca 1875, Kansas.

More About JOHN HARRIS:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

                  3.    SADIE HARRIS, born ca 1877, Kansas.

More About SADIE HARRIS:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Obituary: 

                                Sadie M. Gansel was born Dec. 23, 1894, at Glen Elder, Kansas to Daniel F. and Ourilla Glitzke Gansel. She died at Mitchell Co. Community hospital, Beloit, Dec. 6, 1972 after an illness of five weeks.

                              She moved to Beloit with her parents in 1909, graduating from Beloit High School in 1912. She attended Business College in Kansas City.

                                Sadie was Clerk of the Board of Education from Sept. 1916 to June 1917, she then helped her father as secretary, while he was County Treasurer here.  She was secretary in the Bell Abstract office, secretary to Attorney Charles L. Kagey and secretary to her father while he was Probate Judge.

                              She opened the Beloit Paint and Glass Co. with her father in 1920, and worked in the store for 43 years until her death. 

                               She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Obie and Otto and a sister, Amanda Gansel. 

                                Survivors include her sister  Mrs. Helene Wood, Beloit: a brother Fred Gansel, Hill City; nieces and nephews, among which are nephews, Dan Wood and Joe Gansel of Beloit and a niece Mrs. Martha Morton, Concordia.

                         Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, 1972 at the McDonald Funeral Home with Rev. Harold Holland officiating. Music was furnished by soloist Mrs. Helen Wessclowski.

                             Casket bearers were Ron Albert, Bert, Joe, Frank and Richard Gansel and Dan Wood. Caring for flowers were Mr. And Mrs. Jess Dameron and Mr. And Mrs. Doyle Myers.

                              Interment was in the Glenwood cemetery, Glen Elder.

Sadie M. Gansel
Grave Marker
Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, KS
Courtesy of Laurie (Biswell) Wentz

MALINDA GANSEL ** was born October 17, 1843 in Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA, and died November 19, 1942.  She married CHARLES W. GREEN October 01, 1872.  He was born September 1849 in Ohio, and died before 1930 in Kansas.

Notes for MALINDA GANSEL:

Cawker City Ledger: 8 July 1937

Mrs. C. W. Green

     Mrs. C. W. Green is Cawker City's oldest citizen and will reach her ninety-fourth year of age October 17 1937 and is enjoying good health in her comfortable home in the fourth ward, her daughter, Miss Eunice residing with her.  The only son, Albert lives one block from his mother.  Other daughters are Miss Katherine Green, instructor in the school at Canon City, Colorado, Mrs. Chas. Woodbury, Abilene, Miss Ava Green, Spokane, Washington.

     Obed Gansel, Mrs. Green's father brought his family to Kansas arriving at the place now known as Cawker City, November 8, 1870.  They came as far as Solomon via train and from there the family traveled in a covered wagon.  Mr. Gansel brought his team from Pennsylvania.  When they arrived in Cawker, they found one house and seven people.  The house was located on the lot now occupied by the Garrett Store and was owned by Col. Cawker.

     This house had been a saloon building in Milwaukee and was of the Aladdin type, knocked down and ready to be put together when shipped to its destination.

     Main street and Pennsylvania Avenue divided the land into four sections.  Cawker homesteader the northwest quarter, Huckell the northeast, Kschinka the southwest and Mr. Rice took the southeast quarter.  When Kschinka and Huckell went back to Pennsylvania to get more people to come west they told them there were street cars running in Cawker.

     Mr. Gansel's homestead was the farm now owned by the Pargett heirs.  The Granite Creek cemetery comprising four acres was donated by Mr. Gansel as a free burying ground.  Mrs. C. W. Green's homestead was just northwest of her father's and across the creek.  Mrs. Wm. Harris, another daughter of Mr. Gansel's homestead the 160 acres just north of her father's land.

     In order to draw public money it was necessary to establish a school in this vicinity.  This school was held in a dugout located at the crossroads at the Granite Creek cemetery. It was in the bank at the southwest corner where the north and south road crosses Highway No. 23.  Mrs. C. W. Green (Miss Melinda Gansel), wasthe first teacher of this school.  There were eighteen scholars and as many books but no two books were alike.

     Miss Malinda Gansel was married to C. W. Green the following fall and Mrs. Martha L. Berry succeeded Mrs. Green as teacher.  the school term was a summer session and lasted three months.  Indians occasionally called and ask for food but were friendly.  There were no roads, only buffalo paths leading to the Waconda Springs.  the prairie was covered with a variety of beautiful wild flowers but few trees were on the river and creek banks.  Wild turkeys and buffalo were plentiful and provided meat for the pioneers.

     One day Mrs. Jacob Margreiter, Sr., with a child drove a spring wagon to town and started home late.  There being no roads as guides she became lost and homesteaders hearing her call went to her assistance.  She stayed with them all night and the next morning found her way home.  the small child is now Mrs. M. S. Mitchell.

     Wm. Harris brother-in-law of Mrs. Green built the first store building now occupied by the Smith Drug store, the city hall, the Wm. Cribbs house and the Domino house.  Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Harris operated a general store and Mrs. Harris had the first millinery store in Cawker.

     Mrs. Green was married in the Domino house in the fourth ward.

     D. F. Gansel of Beloit is a brother of Mrs. Green.

Dies At Age of 99, the Cawker City Ledger chronicles the passing of one of Mitchell county's oldest residents and a sister to Dan F. Gansel of Beloit, as follows;

  Mrs. C. W. Green, Cawker City's oldest citizen, died at her home here at 1:30 this morning.  Mrs. Green was 99 years old last October 17.

     Malinda Gansel was born in Dushore, Pennsylvania on October 17, 1843, a daughter of Obed Gansel.  With her parents she came to what is now Cawker City, arriving here on November 8, 1870.  At the time Cawker City consisted of one house, located where the Garrett store now stands and seven people Obed Gansel homestead the farm now owned by Harvey Pargertt.

   On October 1, 1872, she was married to C. W. Green of Cawker City.  Mr. and Mrs. Green were the parents of six children, five of whom survive their mother.  They are Miss Eunice of the home; Albert of Cawker City; Mrs. Ella Woodbury, Abilene, Miss Katherine, Codell, Kans.; and Miss Ava of Spokane, Wash.  Another daughter, Mrs. Mabel Schumaker, proceeded her mother in death,  Mr. Green has been dead for many years.  Mrs. Green also is survived by 10 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

     Mrs. Green has been one of Cawker City's venerable and beloved character for many years.  Active and nimble witted to the end of her life, she has served the community as a storehouse of information regarding early day conditions, affairs and personalities.

     Funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Presbyterian church, conducted by Rev. W. E. Dysart.  burial will be in the Granite Creek cemetery the ground for which was contributed by Mrs. Green's father so many years ago.

** Editor's Note: In January 2008, Bill Little wrote us about his own ancestors who accompanied the Gansel family with this Sullivan County migration to Kansas:

More About MALINDA GANSEL:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

              1900, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

More About CHARLES W. GREEN:

Census: 1880, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

              1900, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1910, Farmer

Children of MALINDA GANSEL and CHARLES GREEN are:

                  1.    ALBERT⁷ GREEN, born February 23, 1875, Kansas; died June 24, 1948.

                  2.    ELLA B. GREEN, born November 03, 1877, Cawker City, KS; died June 04, 1950, Cawker City, KS.

                  3.    EUNICE GREEN, born February 1878.

More About EUNICE GREEN:

Census: 1900, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1900, Dressmaker

4. KATHERINE GREEN, born April 1880, Kansas.

More About KATHERINE GREEN:

Census: 1900, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

                  5.    MABEL GREEN, born June 1882, Kansas.

                  6.    AVA GREEN, born August 1886, Kansas.

More About AVA GREEN:

Census: 1900, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

REBECCA GANSEL was born April 03, 1846 in Mifflinburg, Columbia Co., PA, and died January 12, 1931 in Mitchell Co., Kansas.  She married GEORGE ANTHONY SCHOLL July 22, 1869 in Dushore, Sullivan County, PA, son of THEODOR SCHOLL and CATHERINE GRIM, daughter of John Grim.  He was born April 25, 1839 in Weilback Bavaria, and died June 18, 1915 in Glen Elder, KS.

This autobiography in Grandma Scholl’s own hand was written at the request of her daughter, Katie. Katie’s granddaughter Joan Kuhn Miller sent  the copy.

More About REBECCA GANSEL:

Burial: Glenwood Cemetery, Elder Glen, Mitchell Co., Kansas

Census: 1870, Cherry Twp., Sullivan Co., PA

              1880, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

More About GEORGE ANTHONY SCHOLL:

George Anthony’s mother died when he was 14 and his father when he was 16.  He came to America in 1865 and received his Naturalization Papers June 14, 1872.

He was brought up a Roman Catholic but left that after coming to America and joined the United Brethren Church in 1885, the same time his children Katie and Ernest, at the age of 9, joined.

Naturalization Paper of George A. Scholl (Compliments of Katie Scholl Timbers)

     Census: 1880, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

                    1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

     Occupation: 1900, Farmer

GEORGE AND REBECCA

By Georgia Scholl Becker

     While attending the 1985 Timbers-School reunion, I visited with Hazel Timbers Wadham and Emma Timbers Starbuck, daughters of George and Rebecca’s daughter, Katie Scholl Timbers.  They recalled many visits to their grandparent’s farm.  They remembered always being served bacon from the smokehouse for breakfast, and sometimes ham.  They recalled sitting on Grandpa’s lap as little girls and remembered him as a kindly man. They spoke of spending the night and of hearing Grandma, after she had retired to her bedroom for the night, praying aloud.  They remembered the cookie jar that was never empty and the big living room situated between my family’s quarters and those of the grandparents.  My mother’s piano was there and they recalled glorious evening when the large room would be full of family, friends and neighbors, all gathered around the piano to sing.

     Emma remembered a story her mother used to tell about when she, Katie, was a young girl, perhaps 12 or so, her parents went off to work in their fields left her to wash the dishes.  They must have had company for the meal, for it seems they were the good dishes and most of the entire set had been used.  She washed them with care, being a careful and well trained girl, and set them on Grandma’s drop-leaf table, (which, by the way, I still have).  Evidently the mechanism that holds up the leaf did not catch completely, for just as she finished, the leaf dropped and all the dishes went smashing to the floor!  When George and Rebecca returned, of course Katie was in a panic and tearfully, I’m sure, showed them the wreckage.  Instead of the scolding she expected, her father kindly told he not to worry, but to dry her tears and come along, they would simply go to town, (nearly five miles in a lumber wagon) and buy new dishes.  And the grateful little girl passed the memory of her father’s kindness and understanding on, years later, to her own children.

     Both Emma and Hazel remember Grandpa as a dressy man who carried a gold-headed cane.  They said he had worked in the textile and clothing mills in Pennsylvania, and although he knew little about farming, he was knowledgeable about fabrics and knew values and had a good business head,  These things he passed on to their mother, Katie.  “Always”, he told her, “Buy the best and take care of it and it will last.”  And he taught her to know which materials were the best.  Years later, when she was a widow, raising seven children and sewing for five daughters, she gratefully put this knowledge to good use.

     I believe I mentioned elsewhere in this collection that Grandpa had once been struck by lightening, but I know no details.  The Timber sisters say that this happened after they lived there on the family farm and that he was seriously hurt and the Dr. (probably the renowned Doc Beadle) told him he would die, but Grandpa looked him square in the eye and said, with all the determination he could muster, “I will not die!”  And he didn’t though I’ve heard my father say he was never again as strong.

Hazel recalled a clever story about Grandma.  It seems that one fall day she threw out some fruit peels, etc. That were the remains of one of her sessions of jelly making.  The stuff was well fermented and the ducks or geese, I’m not sure which, ate it in large enough quantities that they plucked them, (I assume just the down from their breasts, which comes off easily and would be used for pillows.)  Later, after they had slept off their debauchery, she was surprised to find them waddling about, with heavy hangovers, no doubt.  With the chilly time of the year upon them, the poor denuded things were quite uncomfortable until the kind-hearted woman was filled with pity and sewed little jackets for them to wear to keep out the cold until their feathers grew out again.

Children of REBECCA GANSEL and GEORGE SCHOLL are:

                  1.    WILLIAM OBED SCHOLL, born May 25, 1870, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA; died February 28, 1876, KS.

                  2.    ERNEST FRANKLIN SCHOLL, born November 09, 1876, Waconda Springs, KS; died 1948, Kansas.

                  3.    KATY MARGARET SCHOLL, born November 09, 1876, Waconda Springs, KS; died April 29, 1961.

                  4.    GEORGE DAN SCHOLL, born January 22, 1882, Glen Elder, KS; died July 31, 1958.

SARAH A.GANSEL was born June 17, 1847, and died 1935.  She married WILLIAM F. KINSLEY ca 1866, son of CHARLES KINSLEY and MARY BAHR.  He was born February 1848 in Sullivan Co., PA, and died April 20, 1914 in Cherry Twp., Sullivan Co., PA.

More About SARAH A. GANSEL:

The Sullivan Review April 23, 1914

Wm. F. Kinsley who had been in ill health for more than a year died at his home in Cherry township at 9:35 p.m. on Monday, April 20 at the age of 69 years.

Funeral services will be held at the home on Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock with Rev. W.H. Fehr officiating. Interment will be made in Bahr Hill Cemetery.

Mr. Kinsley was born in Sullivan County, on the farm now occupied by his brother Jacob.

Sixty-nine years ago last February he married Sarah Gansel and besides his wife, is survived by four children: Mrs. Frank Cox, Mrs. C.M. Dieffenbach, Mrs. Wm. Stiff and Morris Kinsley; also by two brothers and one sister; Jacob and Lewis and Mrs. Clinton Dieffenbach, all of Cherry.

More About WILLIAM F. KINSLEY:

Cemetery: Bahr Hill

Children of SARAH GANSEL and WILLIAM KINSLEY are:

                  1.    EMMA C.⁷ KINSLEY, born September 27, 1866, PA; died November 15, 1946.

                  2.    MARY A. KINSLEY, born October 30, 1868; died April 29, 1957.

                  3.    ALLIE C. KINSLEY, born October 20, 1874; died February 04, 1944.

                  4.    MORRIS(MAURICE) B. KINSLEY, born July 03, 1876, PA; died September 08, 1940.

AMANDA GANSEL  was born April 17, 1852 in Pennsylvania.  She married ELISHA H. BARRETT.  He was born ca 1841 in Ohio.

More About AMANDA GANSEL:

Census: 1880, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

More About ELISHA H. BARRETT:

Census: 1880, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1880, Farmer

Children of AMANDA GANSEL and ELISHA BARRETT are:

                  1.    EDITH BARRETT.

More About EDITH BARRETT:

Burial: Granite Creek Cemetery

                  2.    MINNIE A. BARRETT, born ca 1874, Kansas.

More About MINNIE A. BARRETT:

Census: 1880, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

                  3.    GAYLORD M. BARRETT, b. September 1877, Kansas.

More About GAYLORD M. BARRETT:

Census: 1880, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1900, Carbon Co., WY- District 18

PHOEBE GANSEL was born October 17, 1858 in Pennsylvania.  She married NOAH MICHAELS. 

Notes for PHOEBE GANSEL:

Phoebe living with sister, Emma, in 1880 census. Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Children of PHOEBE GANSEL and NOAH MICHAELS are:

                1.      DANNY MICHAELS, born January 1883.

Notes for DANNY MICHAELS:

Danny living with his grandparents Obed & Katie Gansel on the 1900 census for Glen Elder, Mitchell Co., KS.

                  2.    FLORA MICHAELS, born April 18, 1881, Iowa or Missouri; died October 1975, Colorado.

DANIEL FAIRCHILD GANSEL was born July 30, 1861 in Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA, and died March 13, 1959.  He married OURILLA GLITZKE December 31, 1884, daughter of CHARLES GLITZKE and HELENA HEINZ.  She was born November 1866 in Germany, and died December 31, 1951 in Kansas.

Notes for DANIEL FAIRCHILD GANSEL:

Obituaries:

   Dan F. Gansel, 97, died at his home on West main Street this afternoon about 2 o'clock.

Survivors include two daughters, Mrs. Helen Woods and Sadie Gansel both of Beloit, and a son, Ferd Gansel of Hill City.

    Funeral arrangements will be made by the McDonald Funeral Home.

DANIEL FAIRCHILD GANSEL

     Daniel Fairchild Gansel was born at Dushore, Pennsylvania, July 20, 1861 to Obed and Catherine Swank Gansel.  In the fall of 1870 he came to Kansas with his parents by train to Solomon, Kansas, then by covered wagon to Cawker City.  The first winter was spent at the abandoned soldiers' camp west of Waconda Springs; and in the spring the family moved to their homestead farm on Granite Creek.

     On December 31, 1884 he was married to Ourilla Glitzke, and to this union six children were born three living; Mrs. Helen Wood. Sadie Gansel, and Ferd Gansel; and three deceased: Amanda, Obie and Otto Gansel.  His father, mother and seven sisters are also deceased.  There are nine grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren surviving.

Mr. Gansel moved from the farm to Glen Elder where he served as postmaster; and for 26 years he was in business in Glen Elder. He served as County Commissioner from that district, and in 1909, having been elected County Treasurer, the family moved to Beloit.  Later, he served as Probate Judge for three terms; and upon retiring from that office, he opened the Beloit Paint and Glass Shop which he has operated for 28 years.

     On December 31, 1951, he was greatly bereaved by the death of his wife, but he was always cheerful, never complained, and was always concerned for the welfare of others.  After three days illness he departed this life on Friday, March 13, 1959 at 1:45 P.M. at the age of 97 years, 7 months and 13 days, leaving the priceless memories of a wonderful father and the example of a long, industrious and honorable life well spent.

     Funeral services were held in McDonald Chapel, Monday, March 16 at 2 P.M. with Rev. Geo. Eller officiating.  burial was in Granite Creek cemetery which is on land given by Mr. Gansel for the cemetery.

     Pall bearers were Joe Gansel, Dan Wood, Richard Gansel, Bert Gansel, Robert Morton and Dwight Timbers.

     Mrs. Vernon Pohlhammer sang "Just As I Am" and "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go" accompanied at the organ by Mrs. M. V. McDonald.

     Flowers were cared for by Mrs. A. E. Sapp.

More About DANIEL FAIRCHILD GANSEL:

Burial: Granite Creek Cemetery

Census: 1900, Glen Elder, Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

              1930, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

SOME PIONEER WERE JUST BOYS

(THE BOYHOOD MEMORIES OF DAN GANSEL)

By

Georgia Scholl Becker

     Dan Gansel was born near Dushore, Pennsylvania, sometime in the year 1859, and that is all I know of his life before he became a pioneer.  I can well imagine, however, the interest an eleven year old boy would have had in the glowing accounts of former neighbors, just returned from high adventure on the Kansas prairies to recruit settlers to their newly founded, but, according to them, prosperous and thriving community of Cawker City.  He must have listened with fascination as his parents, Obed and Catherine Gansel, talked and discussed with friends the pros and cons of what they had heard from these men.  A boy his age would surely have been wild with excitement when the decision was finally made--”We are going to go!”  What anticipations, what dreams did he dream of the adventures he would have in his new home in the “Wild West”?

     We can only guess at Dan Gansel’s youthful fantasies, but we do know that when the family arrived at Cawker City in November of 1870, they found the prospect of having to hunt wild game for food quite exciting.

     The following year a nice stone house was built on their homestead, and I’m sure Dan found that pioneer life was more work than adventure.  One task assigned to him was herding the cows.  One fine day he had taken them to a sort of gully just west of Granite Creek and just south of where highway 24 would someday run.  The north side sloped in gently, but there was a sharp embankment about eight feet high to the south which would discourage the cows from leaving in that direction.  The animals were soon preoccupied  with the lush grass that grew in the bottom of this small valley, and the boy settled down with his back to a tall tree and was soon preoccupied with the dreams of boyhood.  By and by an odd sound penetrated those dreams, “Ugh--ugh--ugh.”  It came from above the embankment.

     Still seated with his back to the tree, the boy turned his head and raised his gaze to the top of the embankment.  There stood three Indians!  “I was sure scared,” He told his son many years later, “but I stayed put, and directly those Indians must have had more important business, for they ughed and grunted and left.”

     One very hot summer day, about 5 or 6 o’clock in the evening, Dan and three of his sisters were sitting on the porch on the south side of the stone house, trying, no doubt, to find a bit of relief f from the Kansas heat, when a cloud came up in the west and soon the sky was black and threatening.  Peals of thunder began to reverberate up and down Granite Creek.  Terrible streaks of lightning filled the sky.  Young Dan was standing with his right hand on the porch post, watching the dramatic fury of the storm when a lightning bolt struck that hand, burned a streak down across his body and blew the shoe off his left foot.  “I was just as dead as I’ll ever be, if they’d left me alone.” he used to tell his children.  Fortunately his father was a quick thinker.  He rushed to him, took out the big jack knife he always carried, opened it and shoved the blade between his teeth, prying his mouth open.  He then called the three girls to help and they all took turns giving mouth to mouth resuscitation until the boy began to move.  Then his father bathed his head with cool water and he revived, but he carried the scar across his body to the day he died.

     During his pioneer boyhood, Dan learned to work and take responsibility.  He had fun, too.  He fished and learned to be an excellent hunter,  As a young man he had his share of adventure, along with his father and brothers-in-law, as a hunter for a surveying gang.  He married and raised a family.  Eventually his interests turned to politics.  Somehow, along the way he became an accomplished speaker and “stump spoke” for William Jennings Bryan during the latter’s presidential campaign.  I believe he held several elective offices in Mitchell County.  He held, for many years, the office of Probate Judge in Mitchell County, in which capacity he was highly respected for his wise and just decisions.

Children of DANIEL GANSEL and OURILLA GLITZKE are:

                  1.    HELENE K. GANSEL, born May 27, 1886, Kansas; died December 21, 1984, Mitchell County, KS.

                  2.    AMANDA GANSEL, born October 1888, Kansas; died November 23, 1918.

Amanda Gansel's Obituary:

     Miss Amanda Gansel, well known in this community, died in Washington, D.C., last week of influenza.  She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Gansel, of Beloit, and was a bright lady and loved and highly respected by every acquaintance.  The Gansels lived in this city until a few years ago and Miss Amanda attended the city schools.  Her death will bring sorrow to the hearts of her many friends

PIONEER WOMEN

(THEY BROUGHT US A LONG WAY, BABY

By

Georgia School Becker

                              We hear a great deal these days about women’s rights, equality for women, opportunities for women, independence for women and so on.  I believe the foundation for all these were laid by the wives and daughters of pioneers.  Most of these women worked beside husbands and brothers, shouldering responsibilities and becoming strong and independent in order for families to survive on the frontier.  Also, most of the men who succeeded in conquering the frontier were strong enough and secure enough in their manhood to be able to allow their women a considerable amount of equality and independence without feeling threatened as men.  Consequently, our

western states were the vanguard in granting suffrage to women.

     I would like to present the stories of two daughters of pioneers who, I think, exemplified the independence and equality of achievement that some women found possible, even in a day when women’s rights and equal opportunity laws had not yet entered the minds of our legislators.

                              Amanda and Sadie Gansel were the daughters of Dan Gansel, who had come to Kansas from Pennsylvania at the age of eleven years with his parents, Obed and Catherine Gansel, in 1870.  As a father, he encouraged his daughters to be independent and gave them freedom to compete and achieve.

                             These young women were both competent court reporters,

excellent secretaries, knew Gregg Shorthand and were skilled at legal transcripts and depositions.  Mandy, with the encouragement of her father, went on to become a lawyer,  She did not attend college or law school, but studied independently and passed the bar exam.  Sometime between 1910 and 1912, the sisters went to Washington D.C. where Amanda became head lawyer in the Adjutant General’s office under Pres. Woodrow Wilson.  She had some 200 or so lawyers working under her in this office.  Mandy came down with the flu and passed away.  Sadie had it, too, but not like Mandy.  She managed to recover.  (quoting from one of Ferd Gansel’s letters) “I remember when Papa took the train from Beloit to Washington D.C. to bring the girls home.  It was a day trip. I remember the red tape that papa had to be bothered with.  Mandy’s casket had to be sealed and it was never opened after they arrived home.  I have wondered a lot about my dad and how he ever managed on that long trip.  It took over a week, they had so much government interference.  Sadie was not too well.  I was always pretty proud of my dad.  We all were, and I want to tell you we were sure glad when he arrived home.  We were saddened all over again when we heard that Mandy’s funeral was entirely in the hands of the undertaker and subject of a Federal quarantine.  That made our family’s grief and sadness only worse, as Mandy’s funeral had to be held the very next day.  She was buried in the family plot in Granite Creek Cemetery.”

                  3.    OBLE GANSEL, born April 06, 1890, Glen Elder, Kansas; died March 24, 1942, Beloit, Kansas.

                  4.    SADIE M. GANSEL, born December 23, 1894, Glen Elder, Kansas; died December 05, 1972, Beloit, Kansas.

Notes for SADIE M. GANSEL:

Never married.

Sadie M. Gansel's Obituary:

     Sadie M. Gansel was born Dec. 23, 1894 at Glen Elder, Kansas to Daniel F and Ourilla Glitzke Gansel. she died at Mitchell Co. Community hospital, Beloit, Dec. 5 1972 after an illness of five weeks.

She moved to Beloit with her parents in 1909 graduating from Beloit High school in 1912.  She attended Business College in Kansas City.

     Sadie was Clerk of the Board of Education from Sept. 1916 to June, 1917, she then helped her father as secretary, while he was County Treasurer here. She was secretary in the Bell Abstract office, secretary to Attorney Charles L. Kagey and secretary to her father while he as Probate Judge.

     She opened the Beloit Paint and Glass Co. with her father in 1929 and worked in the store for 43 years until her death.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Obie and Otto and a sister, Amanda Gansel.

     Survivors include her sister, Mrs. Helene Wood, Beloit; a brother, Ferd Gansel, Hill City; nieces and nephews, among which are two nephews, Dan Wood and Joe Gansel of Beloit and a niece Mrs. Martha Morton, Concordia.

Funeral services were held at 2 p.m., Friday, Dec. 8, 1972 at the McDonald Funeral Home with Rev. Harold Holland officiating. Music was furnished by soloist, Mrs. Helen Wessclowski.

     Casket bearers were Ron Albert, Bert, Joe Frank and Richard Gansel and Dan Wood. Caring for flowers were Mr. and Mrs. Jess Dameron and Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Myers.

     Interment was in the Glenwood cemetery, Glen Elder.

                  5.    FERDINAND R. GANSEL, born February 1900, Kansas; died March 08, 1989, Hill City, Kansas.

                  6.    OTTO A. GANSEL, born January 26, 1903, Glen Elder, Kansas; died November 15, 1935, Beloit, Kansas; married ESTHER SMITH, March 01, 1932; b. ca 1909, Kansas.

Notes for OTTO GANSEL:

Otto Gansel Funeral

     The remains of Otto Gansel, who died on Friday night, are resting at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Gansel, on West Main Street, until Tuesday afternoon.

     The funeral cortege will leave the Gansel home at 1:30 on Tuesday and go to Cawker City where funeral services will be held at the Methodist church at 2:30.  Interment will be in the Granite Creek cemetery, east of Cawker City.

Otto Gansel's obituary:

Otto A. Gansel was born at Glen Elder, Kansas on January 26, 1903.  In September 1909 he moved with his parents to Beloit, Kansas, where he grew to young manhood.  Here he completed his grade school and high school education graduating in the class of 1921.

     After his graduation he began working for the People's Lumber Company in Beloit of which his brother Obie was the manager.  This work  was especially interesting to him and became his life's work.  Soon he became manager of the Hardman Lumber Company at Gaylord, Kansas, from which position he came to Cawker City, Kansas to become the manager of Cawker City Lumber Company's business which positions he was holding at the time of his death.

                              During his school days, 'Ot' as he was called developed into a   

handsome well built young man, an outstanding athlete, a genial,  extremely popular lad and all around good fellow.  Many of these traits he carried  over into later life.  He was always friendly and genial in his business relations, obliging and accommodating to all. After coming to Cawker City Ot became acquainted with Miss Esther Smith who became his bride on March 1, 1932.  After his marriage his chief interest was the establishing of a home.  He was a loyal and devoted husband.

      Ot always kept a place in his heart and life for the home folks.  His mother's failing health was a special challenge to him and he often went to see her and tried to make up for the ones who were too far away to come so often.  His parents will miss him greatly.

     He was subject to the yellow jaundice, suffering from its attacks on different occasions.  His uncomplaining attitude was perhaps carried to the extreme of neglecting himself.  A recurrence of this malady was responsible for his untimely death at his parents' home in Beloit on Friday evening, November 15. 1935, at the early age of thirty-two years nine months and twenty days.

     He is survived by his young widow, his aged parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Gansel of Beloit; two sisters, Mrs. Frank Wood and Miss Sadie Gansel of Beloit, Kansas, and Ferd Gansel of Hill City, Kansas; besides other more distant relatives and a host of friends,  One sister, Amanda Gansel passed away on November 29, 1919.

"Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;

Earth's joys grow dim, its gloves pass away:

Change and decay in all around I see--

O Thou who changest not, abide with me."

     Funeral services were held from the Cawker City Methodist Episcopal on Tuesday, November 19, 1935 at 2:30 p.m. in charge of Rev. Lynn M. Canfield, pastor, and burial was made in the Granite Creek cemetery.

Otto A. Gansel
Grave Marker
Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, KS
Courtesy of Laurie (Biswell) Wentz

More About ESTHER SMITH:

Census: 1930, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

FLORA MAY GANSEL was born October 15, 1865, and died March 22, 1946.  She married JAMES ELDRED.  He died 1953.

Children of FLORA GANSEL and JAMES ELDRED are:

                  1.    JENNY ELDRED.

                  2.    ESTHER ELDRED.

                  3.    RUTH ELDRED.

                  4.    LINNIE ELDRED.

                  5.    IRWIN ELDRED.

                  6.    LEROY ELDRED.

Generation No. 3

ALBERT GREEN was born February 23, 1875 in Kansas, and died June 24, 1948.  He married RUTH E. ? ca 1905.  She was born ca 1879 in Kansas.

More About ALBERT GREEN:

Census: 1900, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

              1930, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1900, Hardware Salesman

                      1920, Plumber

Children of ALBERT GREEN and RUTH ? are:

                  1.    EUNICE REBECCA GREEN, born ca 1907.

                  2.    BERNICE I. GREEN, born ca. 1909; married ? KEELER.

                  3.    ROBERT C. GREEN, born ca 1911.

More About ROBERT C. GREEN:

Census: 1930, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

Occupation: 1930, Salesman at Feed Store

                  4.    EMMA GREEN, born ca 1916.

                  5.    ELIZABETH GREEN, born ca 1923.

ELLA B. GREEN was born November 03, 1877 in Cawker City, KS, and died June 04, 1950 in Cawker City, KS.  She married CHARLES E. WOODBURY November 20, 1901.  He was born ca 1878 in Vermont.

Notes for ELLA B. GREEN:

Ella B. Woodbury

1950 June 4

Mrs. C. E. Woodbury who has been in failing health some time and was confined to her bed mostly during the past few weeks passed away Sunday at her home in the second ward.  Her ailing health had prevented her taking part in outside act ivies.  She received her education in the Cawker schools and having lived most of her life in Cawker City and vicinity her acquaintances and friends were many.

     Ella B. Green daughter of Charles W. and Malinda Green was born November 3, 1877 at the homestead east of Cawker City and departed this life June 4, 1950 at her home in Cawker City, age 72 years, 7 months and 1 day.

     With the exception of 5 years near Osborne, Kansas; seventeen years in Abilene, Kansas; her home was in or near Cawker City.

     At an early age she became a member of the Presbyterian Church of which she was an active and faithful member the remainder of her life.

     On November 20, 1901, Ella was united in marriage to Chas. E. Woodbury; to this union were born three daughters and one son, Mrs. Ellis Clausen, Cawker City: Mrs. John Donaldson, San Francisco, California; Mrs. Harold Weathers, San Leandro, Calif.; and Harry A. Woodbury, Kirkwood , Missouri.

     Preceding her in death were her mother , father, two brothers and two sisters.

     At her death she leaves to mourn her going, her husband, the children, six grandchildren and two great grandchildren, two sisters, miss Katherine Green, Cawker City and Miss Ava Green, Spokane, Washington; also nieces and nephews and a host of friends.

     Funeral services were conducted Wednesday at 2 o'clock P.M. at the Presbyterian church in charge of Rev. F. L. Courter, Mrs. Ira Barleen and Mrs. Ralph Mitchell sand with Miss Benita Reed, accompanist.  Pall bearers were Fred Lipke, Ernest Moxter, Ira Barleen, J. K. Margreiter, Claude Simpson and Fred Hale.  Burial was in the Granite Creek cemetery, the graveside service being in charge of the Order of Eastern Star.

More About ELLA B. GREEN:

Census: 1900, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS

More About CHARLES E. WOODBURY:

Census: 1910, Cawker Twp., Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Cawker Twp., Mitchell Co., KS

              1930, Abilene, Dickinson Co., KS

Children of ELLA GREEN and CHARLES WOODBURY are:

                  1.    RUBY B. WOODBURY, born ca 1903, Kansas; married ELLIS CLAUSEN, ca 1922; born January 27, 1901, Kansas; died July 1980, Cawker, Mitchell Co., KS.

More About RUBY B. WOODBURY:

Census: 1930, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

More About ELLIS CLAUSEN:

Census: 1930, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

                  2.    ALICE L. WOODBURY, born May 12, 1906, Kansas; died May 07, 1977, Sonoma Co., CA; married JOHN DONALDSON.

                  3.    RITA WOODBURY, born ca 1913, Kansas; married HAROLD WEATHERS.

                  4.    HARRY A. WOODBURY, born December 01, 1914, Kansas; died June 24, 1998, St. Louis, MO; married ELEANOR FONCANNON, February 18, 1939; born January 13, 1917, Kansas.

MABEL GREEN was born June 1882 in Kansas.  She married J. W. SCHUMACKER.  He was born ca 1882 in Kansas.

More About MABEL GREEN:

Census: 1900, Carr Creek, Mitchell Co., KS

More About J. W. SCHUMACKER:

Census: 1910, Cawker Twp., Mitchell Co., KS

Children of MABEL GREEN and J. SCHUMACKER are:

                  1.    ALBERT KEITH⁸ SCHUMACKER, born ca 1908, Kansas.

                  2.    RICHARD SCHUMACKER.

ERNEST FRANKLIN SCHOLL was born November 09, 1876 in Waconda Springs, KS, and died 1948 in Kansas.  He married LUCY MAY MARZOLF February 14, 1914, daughter of GEORGE MARZOLF and BETHSHEBA SAPP.  She was born April 20, 1892 in Glen Elder, KS, and died October 09, 1991 in Kansas.

More About ERNEST FRANKLIN SCHOLL:

Burial: Glenwood Cemetery, Elder Glen, Mitchell Co., Kansas

Census: 1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

More About LUCY MAY MARZOLF:

Burial: Glenwood Cemetery, Elder Glen, Mitchell Co., Kansas

Child of ERNEST SCHOLL and LUCY MARZOLF is:

                  1.    DORA MARGARET SCHOLL, died 1977; married LELAND CLYDE COBLE, 1937.

 KATY MARGARET SCHOLL  was born November 09, 1876 in Waconda Springs, KS, and died April 29, 1961.  She married DELBERT L. TIMBERS July 22, 1896 in Glen Elder, KS, son of GEORGE TIMBERS and EMMA GILBERT.  He was born October 26, 1868 in VanWert Co., Ohio, and died December 19, 1918 in Salina, KS.

More About KATY MARGARET SCHOLL:

Census: 1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

              1920, Salina, Saline Co., KS

More About DELBERT L. TIMBERS:

Census: 1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

Delbert came to Beloit, Kansas in 1871.  He graduated from the Agricultural College at Manhattan, Kansas in June 1894.

He was a school teacher for 9 years, then became a grocery man, going into business at Osborne, Kansas for 12 years.  In 1916 the family moved to Salina, Kansas, to a house at 1100 Highland.  Five months later he bought the family home at 1507 South Santa Fe.

     Delbert died in 1918 during the Influenza epidemic, at the age of 50.  Lawrence was in the Army located at Camp Funston, Kansas, Dwight was working on his Uncle George’s farm and preparing to leave for the army soon, but the Armistice was signed before he had to leave.  Delbert had a $1,000 Insurance Policy which did not pay out, and $300 mortgage on the house.

     Katie started working February 25, 1925 at the Amortization Center while it was located at the corner of Santa Fe and North Streets and later moved to Front St.  She retired from her work after 25 years.

Children of KATY SCHOLL and DELBERT TIMBERS are:

                  1.    LAWRENCE TIMBERS, born May 1898, Kansas; married MARCELLA ?, ca 1923; born ca 1897, Pennsylvania.

More About LAWRENCE TIMBERS:

Census: 1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

              1930, Chicago, Cook Co., IL

Occupation: 1930, Salesman

Lawrence graduated from Kansas Wesleyan University

More About MARCELLA ?:

Census: 1930, Chicago, Cook Co., IL

                  2.    DWIGHT A. TIMBERS, born November 1899, Kansas; married ETHEL O. ?, ca 1922; born ca 1900, Kansas.

More About DWIGHT A. TIMBERS:

Census: 1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

              1920, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1930, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

More About ETHEL O. ?:

Census: 1930, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

                  3.    WANDA E. TIMBERS, born ca 1902, Kansas.

More About WANDA E. TIMBERS:

Census: 1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

1920, Salina, KS

                  4.    EMMA TIMBERS, born ca 1904, Kansas.

More About EMMA TIMBERS:

Census: 1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

              1920, Salina, KS

                  5.    HAZEL TIMBERS, born ca 1907, Kansas.

More About HAZEL TIMBERS:

Census: 1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

              1920, Salina, KS

                  6.    OPAL TIMBERS, born ca 1910, Kansas.

More About OPAL TIMBERS:

Census: 1910, Penn Twp., Osborne Co., KS

              1920, Salina, KS

     7.    BEUNA IZOLA TIMBERS, born ca 1911, Kansas; died July 31, 1979; married GILBERT WILLIAM ROBINSON, May 12, 1936, Salina, KS; born February 13, 1911; died February 23, 2004, Kansas. More About BEUNA IZOLA TIMBERS:

Census: 1920, Salina, KS

Notes for GILBERT WILLIAM ROBINSON:

Obituary:

Gilbert William "Gib" Robinson, 93, Salina, died Monday, Feb. 23, 2004.

Mr. Robinson was born Feb. 13, 1911, in Ada, the son of the late George Leonard and Martha Luvenia Chambers Robinson. He graduated from Tescott High School and Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina. He was well known for his athletic accomplishments in football, basketball and track. He served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve for three years during World War II. He retired as the warehouse manager at The Lee Hardware Co., Salina. He taught and coached at Ness City High School and came back to Salina and was an assistant football coach at Kansas Wesleyan prior to working for International Harvester Co. He then owned and operated the Gib Robinson Sporting Goods Store for several years.

He was a lifetime member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1432, a member of the U.S. Navy Armed Guard and the Kansas Wesleyan "W" Clan. He was an inductee of the Kansas Wesleyan Athletic Hall of Fame. He was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a member of University United Methodist Church, Salina.

He married Beuna Izola Timbers on May 12, 1936, in Salina. She died July 31, 1979. He then married C. Louise Webb-Robinson on Feb. 13, 1980, in Salina. She died on Jan. 21, 2003.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Esther Robinson, in 1912.

Survivors include a son, Steve W. Robinson and wife, Vicki of Salina; a grandson, Michael W. Robinson of Salina; two stepdaughters, LaVonne Woody of Salina and Betty Walter of Lincoln; a stepson, Richard Webb of Salina; seven step grandchildren; 23 step great-grandchildren; and eight step great-great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at University United Methodist Church, Salina, The Rev. Patty Brown-Barnett officiating. Internment will be at a later date.

Memorials may be made to the church, 1509 S. Santa Fe., Salina, or Athletic Department of KWU, 100 E. Claflin, Salina, or Gib Robinson Scholarship Fund at Tescott High School.

There will be no visitation. The body was cremated.

Carlson-Ford-Geisendorf Funeral Home, 500 S. Ohio, Salina 67401, is handling arrangements.

Condolences may be sent to www.carlsonford.com.

GEORGE DAN SCHOLL was born January 22, 1882 in Glen Elder, KS, and died July 31, 1958.  He married JENNY GOLDIE BROKAW June 09, 1909, daughter of MILTON BROKAW and JENNIE.  She was born March 25, 1887 in Glen Elder, KS, and died November 04, 1980.

More About GEORGE DAN SCHOLL:

Census: 1920, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

Children of GEORGE SCHOLL and JENNY BROKAW are:

                  1.    GOLDIE LA VERN⁸ SCHOLL, born ca 1911; m. HAROLD MERRILL.

                  2.    ALBERT ERNEST SCHOLL, born May 20, 1912, Glen Elder, KS; died October 1982, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS; married PARTHENE ROBERTA DUDLEY, August 06, 1939, Glen Elder, KS; born September 23, 1915, Glen Elder, KS; died November 30, 1996, Glen Elder, KS.

                  3.    HOMER DALE SCHOLL, born ca 1915; married HELEN ?.

                  4.    JOHN DWIGHT SCHOLL, born ca 1918.

                  5.    GEORGIA ROSE SCHOLL, married VIRGIL BECKER.

EMMA C. KINSLEY  was born September 27, 1866 in PA, and died November 15, 1946.  She married FRANK DAVID COX ca 1885, born March 12, 1863, son of JOHN COX and HANNAH HEPPLER.  He was born March 12, 1863 in PA.

More About EMMA C. KINSLEY:

Cemetery: Fairview

Children of EMMA KINSLEY and FRANK COX are:

                  1.    FREDERICK B. COX, born October 1886; died 1924.

More About FREDERICK B. COX:

Cemetery: Fairview

                  2.    ALICE M. COX, born April 02, 1890; died December 1952; married NEWTON SAXER; born 1885; died 1966.

Notes for ALICE M. COX:

The Sullivan Review

January 1, 1953

Mrs. Alice May Saxer, wife of Newton C. Saxer of Cherry township, died suddenly at her home, Saturday evening of a heart attack.

Mrs. Saxer was born in Cherry township, April 2nd, 1890 a daughter of the late Frank and Emma Kinsley Cox.

She is survived by her husband and a son William Saxer of South Williamsport, an aunt, Mrs. Mary Kinsley Martin of Homer, N.Y. and a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon from the Holcombe Funeral Home, with further service in St. Paul’s Evangelical United Brethren church.

The Rev. L. A. Fuhrman, pastor officiated. Interment in Fairview cemetery.

More About NEWTON SAXER:

Cemetery: Fairview, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

MARY A. KINSLEY was born October 30, 1868, and died April 29, 1957.  She married (1) CHARLES M. DIEFFENBACH January 01, 1890, son of DANIEL DIEFFENBACH and LORETTA ZANER.  He was born December 17, 1866 in PA, and died February 27, 1909.  She married (2) FREEMAN MARTIN November 16, 1918 in Towanda, Bradford Co., PA, son of LEWIS MARTIN and SUSAN JACKSON.  He was born 1857, and died 1943.

Notes for MARY A. KINSLEY:

The Sullivan Review May 2, 1957

Mrs. Mary Ann Martin, 88, formerly of Dushore, died Monday afternoon at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Lulu Woodworth, of Homer, N.Y. She was born in Dushore Oct. 30, 1868, the daughter of William and Sarah Gansel Kinsley.

Mrs. Martin was first married to Charles Dieffenbach.  A number of years after his passing she was united in marriage to the late Freeman Martin.

She is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Woodward and Mrs. Sarah Eberhardt, both of Homer; a granddaughter and one great grandson.

Funeral serves were held in Home on Wednesday and at the Holcombe Funeral Home, Dushore. Thursday afternoon at 2 o'clock.  The Rev. Joseph Slusser officiated and burial was in Fairview cemetery.

More About MARY A. KINSLEY:

Census: 1900, Cherry, Sullivan Co., PA

              1920, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

               1930, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

Notes for CHARLES M. DIEFFENBACH:

The Sullivan Review March 4, 1909

After an illness lasting for one week, Charles M. Dieffenbach died at his home in Cherry township, just outside of Dushore. Death was due to paralysis from brain fever. He was taken ill on Friday, Feb. 19 and died Saturday Feb. 27 at the age of 42 years, 2 months and 10 days.

Mr. Dieffenbach was born in Cherry township on Dec. 17, 1866. In his infancy he was baptized by the Rev. Pines and during the spring of 1895 was confirmed in Zion's Evan. Lutheran church by the Rev. J.W. Klingler.

The funeral services were held at his late home Tuesday, March 2 at 1 o'clock p.m., Rev. A. Bachofer preaching the sermon. The local lodge of Odd Fellows had full charge of the services at the grave, of which deceased was a member. Interment was made in Bahr Hill cemetery.

Deceased is survived by his wife and 2 daughters, a father Emanuel Dieffenbach of Dushore, 2 brothers Harry of Cleveland, Ohio, Sylvester of Mildred and 2 sisters, Mrs. Holmes O'Brien of Benton and Mrs. Fred Glover of Dushore.

(correction on one of his brothers name should be Sylvellin not Sylvester)

More About CHARLES M. DIEFFENBACH:

Census: 1900, Cherry, Sullivan Co., PA

More About FREEMAN MARTIN:

Cemetery: Thrasher

Children of MARY KINSLEY and CHARLES DIEFFENBACH are:

                  1.    LULA E. DIEFFENBACH, born March 1891; married (1) JOHN G. SCOUTON, JR., August 01, 1922; born 1892; died February 24, 1927; married (2) ? WOODWARD OR WOODWORTH, After 1930.

Notes for LULA E. DIEFFENBACH:

The Sullivan Review

August 9, 1922

Miss Lulu Dieffenbach and John G. Scouton, Jr. both of this place were married Tuesday, August 1 at the parsonage of St. John’s Lutheran church in Williamsport, by the pastor, Rev. A. W. Smith.

The bride is a daughter of Mrs. Freeman Martin of Headley avenue and the groom is a promising young lawyer and district attorney of Sullivan County, Both have many friends who wish them a long life of happiness.

After a short wedding trip they will reside in Dushore.

More About LULA E. DIEFFENBACH:

Cemetery: 1900, Cherry, Sullivan Co., PA

Census: 1920, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

              1930, Cortland, Homer, NY

More About JOHN G. SCOUTON, JR.:

Burial: Fairview Cemetery

                  2.    SARAH CAROLINE DIEFFENBACH, born January 05, 1896, PA; died March 1979, Homer, Cortland, NY; married JOHN EBERHARDT, ca 1922; born ca 1900, Virginia.

More About SARAH CAROLINE DIEFFENBACH:

Census: 1900, Cherry, Sullivan Co., PA

               1920, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

               1930, Homer, Cortland, NY

Social Security Number: 128-38-0623

More About JOHN EBERHARDT:

Census: 1930, Homer, Cortland, NY

 ALLIE C. KINSLEY was born October 20, 1874, and died February 04, 1944.  She married WILLIAM STIFF ca 1895, son of HENRY STIFF and LENA HUFFMASTER.  He was born April 23, 1865, and died December 28, 1914.

More About ALLIE C. KINSLEY:

Cemetery: Fairview, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

More About WILLIAM STIFF:

Cemetery: Fairview, Dushore, Sullivan Co., PA

Children of ALLIE KINSLEY and WILLIAM STIFF are:

                  1.    REBECCA STIFF, born February 1897; died 1977.

                  2.    ADA STIFF, born March 19, 1898; died September 20, 1922.

More About ADA STIFF:

Cemetery: Fairview

                  3.    LENA A. STIFF, m. JAMES FITZGERALD.

                  4.    ZORA S. STIFF, b. April 19, 1902; d. June 08, 1973; m. ERNEST YONKIN; b. July 14, 1897, Cherry Twp., Sullivan Co., PA; d. September 12, 1984, Towanda, PA.

Notes for ZORA S. STIFF:

No children

The Sullivan Review

June 14, 1973

Mrs. Zora S. Yonkin, 71, wife of Ernest Yonkin of Dushore, R.D. 1, died Friday, June 8, 1973.

Mrs. Yonkin was born April 19, 1902 daughter of William and Alice Kinsley Stiff.

The greater part of her life was spent in Cherry Township where she was known as a kindly neighbor and a true friend.

She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Dushore.

Surviving besides her husband are two sisters, Miss Rebecca Stiff and Mrs. James (Lena) Fitzgerald both of Dushore; five nieces and seven nephews.

Funeral services were held Tuesday at 2 P.M. at the McHenry Funeral Hoome, Dushore, with the Rev. Edgar Reed, her pastor, officiating.

Interment was in Fairview Cemetery, Dushore.

Notes for ERNEST YONKIN:

The Sullivan Review

September 20, 1984

Ernest Yonkin, 87, of Cherry Township, Dushore Rd, died Sept. 12, 1984, at Memorial Hospital Towanda.

He had been a resident of the Skilled Nursing Unit there, and before that he had resided in Estella fro the last several years.

He was born July 14, 1897, in Cherry Township, a son of Levi and Arrilla Wentzell Yonkin.

A lifetime resident to Sullivan County, he operated a dairy farm until he retired several years ago.

He was a member of the Redeemer United Church of Christ, Dushore.

His wife, the former Zora Stiff died in 1973.

Surviving are nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held Sept. 15, from the Russell P. McHenry Funeral Home, Dushore, with Rev. Richard A. Reeser, pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, officiating. Interment was in Fairview Cemetery

MORRIS(MAURICE) B. KINSLEY was born July 03, 1876 in PA, and died September 08, 1940.  He married MARY ELIZABETH GIBSON ca 1897, daughter of JOHN GIBSON and LOUISE ?.  She was born December 27, 1879 in Williamsport, PA, and died April 24, 1933 in Sayre, Bradford Co., PA.

More About MORRIS(MAURICE) B. KINSLEY:

Cemetery: Fairview

Notes for MARY ELIZABETH GIBSON:

The Sullivan Review

May 3, 1933

(contributed)

Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Gibson Kinsley, wife of Morris B. Kinsley of Cherry township, died Monday, April 24, in the Packer hospital at Sayre, where she had been a patient for the past 20 weeks, at the age of 53 years, 3 months and 27 days.

Mrs. Kinsley was the child of the late Louise and John Gibson, and was born in Williamsport. At the age of 15 years she moved with her mother to New Albany. She was united in marriage on March 31st, 1897.

She is survived by her husband, two sons and five daughters: Charles of Elmira; Mrs. John Scheepsma of Attica; Mrs. Joseph Scheepsma of Elmira; Mrs. John Klabinski of Syracuse; Mrs. Lynold Pelton of Rochester; Harry and Florence at home, and six grandchildren. Also two step-sisters, Mrs. Lloyd Kinsley of Towanda and Mrs. Arthur White of Ulster, and three step-brothers, Daniel, Frank and William Henley.

The funeral was held at the late home, Thursday, April 27th, with Rev. A.L. Smith of Mildred officiating. The pallbearers were her two sons and four sons-in-law.

Burial in the family plot in Fairview Cemetery.

Children of MORRIS(MAURICE) KINSLEY and MARY GIBSON are:

                  1.    CHARLES F. KINSLEY, born February 1899.

                  2.    HARRY E. KINSLEY, born August 13, 1903; died November 18, 1977; married EVELDA DIEFFENBACH; born 1908.

Notes for HARRY E. KINSLEY:

The Sullivan Review

November 23, 1977

Harry E. Kinsley, 74, Sugar Hill, Dushore RD 1, died November 18, 1977, at Memorial Hospital, Towanda.

He was born August 13, 1903, in Cherry township, a son of Morris and Mary Elizabeth Gibson Kinsley.

A lifelong resident of Sullivan County, he was employed in the mines at Mildred until his retirement. He was a member of the United Mine Workers.

Surviving are a son, Morris A. Kinsley, Sr. of Dushore RD 1; a daughter, Mrs. Michael (Margaret Sue) Pastusic of Mildred; four sisters, Mrs. Anita Silverstrim and Mrs. Myrtle Scheepssoma of Elmira, Mrs. Margaret Klabinski of Syracuse and Mrs. Florence McLaughlin of Binghamton; seven grandchildren; nine great- grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services were held November 19, at the Regina Tubach Homer Funeral Home, Dushore, with the Rev. Edgar Reed, pastor of the Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, officiating.

Interment was in the Fairview Cemetery, Dushore.

                  3.    ANITA KINSLEY.

                  4.    MYRTLE KINSLEY.

                  5.    MARGARET KINSLEY.

                  6.    FLORENCE KINSLEY.

FLORA MICHAELS was born April 18, 1881 in Iowa or Missouri, and died October 1975 in Colorado.  She married CHARLES GLITZKE ca 1905, son of CHARLES GLITZKE and HELENA HEINZ.  He was born April 1875 in Kansas.

More About FLORA MICHAELS:

Census: 1900, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1910, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Hawkeye, Osborne Co., KS

More About CHARLES GLITZKE:

Census: 1910, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Hawkeye, Osborne Co., KS

Child of FLORA MICHAELS and CHARLES GLITZKE is:

                         CARLTON GLITZKE, born May 14, 1906, Kansas; died February 1987, Colorado.

More About CARLTON GLITZKE:

Census: 1910, Glen Elder,  Mitchell Co., KS

              1920, Hawkeye, Osborne Co., KS

HELENE K. GANSEL was born May 27, 1886 in Kansas,  died December 21, 1984 in Mitchell County, KS.  She married FRANK M. WOOD June 08, 1918 in Osborne, KS.  He was born ca 1874 in Kansas, and died February 1940.

Notes for HELENE K. GANSEL:

HELENE K. WOOD'S Obituary 1984

Helen Katherine Wood was born 98 and 1/2 years ago on May 27, 1886 on a farm homesteaded by her family west of Glen Elder, Ks.  She was the first of six children born to Daniel F. and Ourilla Glitzke Gansel.  The children included Helene. Amanda, Obie, Sadie, Ferdinand and Otto.

     Helene attended rural country school near Glen Elder and went on to get a teaching certificate so that she could be a teacher.  She taught school at Blue Hill and Tollies Rural Schools.  She and her family moved to Beloit in 1908 when her father became the Mitchell County Treasurer.  Helen started teaching in Beloit and was principal of the 2nd ward "Rogers" School from 1908 to 1912.

     On June 5, 1918 Helene married Frank M. Wood in Osborne, Ks., and they set up housekeeping in the 800 block on N. Walnut, Beloit.  Soon afterwards they purchased a basement home at 602 N. Walnut, and added an above ground story to the house.  There they became parents of a son Dan G. Wood,

     In 1939, they moved to the family farm 3 1/2 miles S.E. of Beloit.  Her husband died in February 1940.  they continued to live on the farm until 1943 when they returned to their home on 602 N. Walnut in Beloit.  Helene was found of flowers and was often seen wearing a big straw hat while she worked in her garden.

     Helene enjoyed good health until she was 96.  Her health began to fail but she continued to live at home until about two month ago when she entered the Long Term Care of the Mitchell County Hospital, Beloit.  Here she died on Friday, December 21, 1984.

     In addition to her husband, Frank, she was preceded in death by her parents, two sisters, Amanda and Sadie Gansel, and two brothers, Otto and Obie Gansel.

      She is survived by her son Dan G. Wood of Beloit, a brother, Ferd Gansel and his wife Virginia of Hill City, Ks.; three nieces, Martha Morton, Concordia; Jeannette Miller, Casper, Wyo.; and Phyllis Slocombe, Peabody, Ks.; and four nephews, Alan Cafferty, Boise Idaho; Richard, Bert and Frank Gansel, all of Hill City, Ks.

     Rev. Bruce Brigden conducted funeral services at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 24, 1984, at the McDonald Funeral Home. Music was furnished by Mrs. Mike Finney as soloist and Mrs. Maurice McDonald as organist.

     Casket Bearers were Clarence Cole, James Reiter, Raymond Stein, Ron Tice, Bill Walter and Raymond Worley.

                 Interment was made in the Elmwood Cemetery.

More About HELENE K. GANSEL:

Census: 1920, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

More About FRANK M. WOOD:

Census: 1920, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

              1930, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

Child of HELENE GANSEL and FRANK WOOD is:

                         DAN G. WOOD, b. ca 1922, Kansas.

More About DAN G. WOOD:

Census: 1930, Beloit, Mitchell Co., KS

OBIE GANSEL was born April 06, 1890 in Glen Elder, Kansas, and died March 24, 1942 in Beloit, Kansas.  He married ERMA ELIZABETH FULLER June 25, 1914 in Kirwin, Kansas.  She was born 1895 in Kirwin, KS, and died 1930.

Notes for OBIE GANSEL:

OBIE GANSEL DIES THIS AFTERNOON

    Obie Gansel, well known Beloit businessman and sportsman, passed away at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Dan Gansel;, early this afternoon.  Obie had been critically ill for many months but he put up a fight and his many friends were hoping that he would recover.

     For many years, he managed the Peoples Lumber Co., and he was an active leader in Mitchell County's Wildlife Protective Assn.  The sympathy of the entire community goes out to his children, Martha and Joe, to his parents, and his brother Ferd of Hill City, and his sisters, Mrs. Frank Woods and Miss Sadie Gansel of Beloit.

     Obie was a member of Beloit school board for years.

Obituary:

     One of Beloit's best known and most liked residents answered the final summons on Tuesday at 1:10p.m., when Obie Gansel succumbed to the effects of an ailment with which he had been afflicted for some time.

     Obie Carl Gansel was born to D. F. and Ourilla Gansel on April 6, 1890, at Glen Elder, Kansas, being aged 51 years, 11 months and 18 days at the time of his death at Beloit, Kansas, on March 24, 1942.

     He attended school at Glen Elder, and entered into sports and other activities of boys of his age and became one of the outstanding young men of the county.  On June 25, 1914, he united in marriage at Kirwin, Kansas to Erma E. Fuller.  to this union three children were born.  One son, Richard E. and the mother preceded him and he is survived by two children, Joseph Daniel Gansel and Pearl Gansel, both of Beloit.

     In 1918 the Gansel family moved to Beloit, where he became manger of the Peoples Lumber Co., in which position he has since served.

     Obie Gansel was a man who commanded the utmost respect of all who knew him.  A thorough and honest business man, friendly and jolly, working for what he considered the best interests of the community, interest in clean sports and in young people, serving as a member of the board of education his sterling qualities made him many warm friends, all of whom are saddened at his untimely passing and extend heartfelt sympathy to the bereaved ones.

     Funeral services will he held on Friday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock at the Methodist church, conducted by the Rev. Geo. W. Eller, assisted by the Rev. Wm. Little, following a short service at the home at 2 p.m.

     Burial will be in the Granite Creek cemetery near Cawker City.

     Pallbearers will be: Calvin Colby, Carl Hutton, Dan Freeman, Albert Rose, Jerry File and Ralph Coole.

Obie Carl Gansel
Grave Marker
Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, KS
Courtesy of Laurie (Biswell) Wentz

Erma Elizabeth (Fuller) Gansel
Grave Marker
Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, KS
Courtesy of Laurie (Biswell) Wentz

Children of OBIE GANSEL and ERMA FULLER are:

                  1.    JOSEPH DANIEL⁸ GANSEL, born June 27, 1915, Calahan, Colorado; died September 24, 1981, Beloit, Kansas.

Obituary:

    Joseph Daniel Gansel was born June 27, 1915 in Calahan, Colo., the son of Obie C. and Irma Fuller Gansel.  Death came unexpectedly on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 24 1981 at the Mitchell County Hospital, Beloit, Kansas, Joe was 66 years old.

     Joe came to Beloit with is parents in 1918.  He attended Rodgers Grade School and graduated from Beloit High School in 1935.  Joe was a good football player and played on several championship football teams for B.H.S.  He entered the U. S. Army on Jane 3, 1942, and served in the 1st Cavalry Unit as a S-Sgt.  Joe's duty was in the South Pacific, and he was involved in several major battles.  He received the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, and was awarded the Purple Heart.  He was in the army unit that witnessed the signing of Japan's surrender to General Douglas MacArthur on the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay on Sept. 2, 1945.

     Joe returned to Beloit and began his work at the Beloit Paint & Glass Co. with his aunt, Sadie Gansel.  Joe never won an award for an organized store, but his products and service were his products and service were first class.  He was knowledgeable about his products and  considerate and  (a word missing) always found in today's businesses.  He was a faithful Democrat and enjoyed talking about politics.  Not only did Court Street lose a friend and business man, but the entire Beloit community area lost a friend and will miss him.

     Joe was a member of the American Legion Post No. 57 and a life member of V. F. W. of Beloit.

     He leaves a sister, Mrs. Martha Morton, Concordia; an aunt Mrs. Helene Wood, Beloit; an uncle, Ferd R. Gansel, Hill City; and other cousins among which is Dan Wood of Beloit.  He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant brother, Richard.

Funeral services were held Monday, Sept. 28, at 2:00 p.m. at the McDonald Funeral Home.  officiating clergyman was Pastor Bruce Brigden of the United Presbyterian Church.  Music was furnished by Mrs. Helen Wesselowski, vocalist and Mrs. Max Roberts, organist.  Caring for flowers were Mr. and Mrs. Doyle Myers.

     Casket bearers were Orville Born, Frank Davies, Jack Dunham, Elwood Park, Evan Park and Jim Reiter.

     Interment was in Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder.

Joeph Daniel Gansel
Grave Marker
Glenwood Cemetery, Glen Elder, Mitchell County, KS
Courtesy of Laurie (Biswell) Wentz

                  2.    RICHARD E. GANSEL, died in infancy.

                  3.    MARTHA PEARL GANSEL.

FERDINAND R. GANSEL was born February 1900 in Kansas, and died March 08, 1989 in Hill City, Kansas.  He married VIRGINA E. ? ca 1926.  She was born February 27, 1907 in Kansas, and died June 1992 in Hill City, Kansas.

More About FERDINAND R. GANSEL:

Census: 1930, Hill City, Graham Co., Kansas

Occupation: 1930, Manager of Lumber Yard

Children of FERDINAND GANSEL and VIRGINA ? are:

                  1.    VIRGINIA M. GANSEL, born ca 1927, Kansas.

                  2.    FERDINAND R. GANSEL, born ca 1929, Kansas.

The following stories have been submitted by family members:

STORIES I’VE BEEN TOLD

Legends and anecdotes of the Scholl-Gansel Family

By

Georgia Scholl Becker

Introduction

     Our family was, in the past, fortunate enough to have been blessed with some great story-tellers.  Up until now, my chief function has been to be a great listener.  As a child I soaked up family lore, chiefly from my grandmother and my father, and also, having once become addicted, from anyone I could con to “tell me a story”.  for some years now, it has been on my mind that “someone” should preserve these stories in order that the generations to come should have some more intimate knowledge of the generations that have been.  Not just who they were and when they were born and died, but what they did and thought and said and how they reacted.  Of course I hope that this job would be tackled by some member of my generation whose memory, due to an earlier birth date, would extend farther into the past than mine, but since more than half of my generation has gone on to the great story telling circle in the sky, and the past becomes a bit more misty with each passing, I begin to get antsy enough about our family lore simply fading into oblivion with our generation, that I have decided to get into gear and do something.  I may not join the ranks of the great family story-tellers, but at least I can record the stories I’ve been told.

     Before I close this introduction, I want to make it clear that I do not vouch for the truth or accuracy of any of these stories.  Great story tellers are often noted for vivid imaginations and some of these stories already come in several versions.  Also, I heard many of these tales at a very early age, and my age has now advanced to the point where some of these early memories are as fuzzy as a Persian kitten, so the best I can do is set them down as I remember that they were told to me.

     If these stories stir the memories of any who read them and you think of stories that could be added to these, please, let me know.  I’ve arranged this in sections so that additions can easily (the rest of the line is missing)

THE GANSEL FAMILY LEGEND

     There are several versions of this legend that has been handed down in the Gansel family for generations, It seems the early Gansel were members of the German nobility and owned a large estate somewhere in Germany.  Some say there was a castle, but be that as it may, a family member, some say the head of the family, others say the son, got into trouble,  He killed a deer, by mistake, of course, from the royal herd which roamed the king’s preserve near the Gansel lands--a serious offence in that time and place.  Those who claim the head of the family as the offender say that the entire large family was forced to flee and they left castle, lands or whatever and set sail for America, long before the American Revolution.  During the voyage, an illness broke out aboard ship--smallpox plague or some such and the parents died. Upon arrival in America there was no one to care for the children, so they were bound out to different families and lost all trace of each other. Many years later, one of the sons, who had become a basket maker, was visiting with a woman customer and in the course of the conversation, they discovered they were brother and sister.

    Most say that the killer of the deer was a son and that the entire family did not flee to America, only the young man ( Linnie Buller said he was 18 years old and was smuggled out in this family’s household goods in a barrel) and that the entire family did not flee to America, only the young man, and that the family of the story were either family friends of the Gansel family in whose company the wayward son was sent to America or else they befriended him aboard ship during the voyage.

     The latter version seems most likely to me, for there is also a further story that the young man brought with him important family papers establishing his claim to the family estate.  He left these in a church for safekeeping, but the church burned, destroying all records.  This story was given me by Papa’s cousin, Linnie Buller, but far back in my memory is a story told to me by Grandma and only dimly understood at the time, about a young man who left his family papers in a church which burned and how her family had tried to establish a right to a family fortune in Germany, but could never get beyond the church fire, so it seemed there was nothing anyone could do to prove the link between the American and German branches of the family.  However, shortly before World War I the Family Legend was given a shot in the arm.

     These are the stories I’ve been told about this later development.  Many of the Gansel descendants in this country received letters from Germany stating that a large estate in that country was waiting for heirs of the Gansel family to claim it.  Some believed the letters to be a hoax, but Papa told me that one of the Gansels was a prominent woman lawyer back east who investigated the claims and informed the family that the estate was actually there, but so entangled in red tape that it would be extremely costly to extricate it.  Wanda Timbers Kuhn told me she understood that German law decreed that money from such an inheritance could not be taken out of the country, but must be spent there.  In those days Gansels didn’t think it seemly to go skylarking off to Germany to spend up an inheritance while their farms and stores etc. went to pot.  How unfortunate that I was born thirty years or so too late! Linnie Buller told me that some did got to investigate and hopefully, I suppose, to spend, but WWI broke out and they were never heard from again.  Were they victims of the war, or did they use the war as a smoke screen to disappear with the family fortune?  Who knows!

     As I said, I can’t swear to the truth of any of this, but for sure, we Gansel descendants are here, and our common ancestor who was responsible for putting us in this country was probably a rather wild, high-sprinted young man who got into trouble and had to run and lost his ID papers along with the family fortune, but somehow managed to get his descendants scattered all over this US of A.  Does that explain anything about us?

     Oh, yes, for what it’s worth, the Gansel family did have a coat of arms-- A Wild Boar’s Head, or so I’ve been told.

SCHOLL  FAMILY BACKGROUND

     No “legend” was ever passed down to me concerning the Scholl side of the family, however, I did acquire a bit if interesting background from another person whose family name was School (no known relation).  Her information came from a book called THE SCHOLL, SHOLL AND SKULL GENEALOGY by John William School.  (Is he a relative? His names are right.)

     The writer, attempted to find a meaning for the family name, but though this is a common name in German, the meaning is elusive.  The family did have a coat of arms, however, and on it is shown what appears to be three clods of earth or ice.  It is inferred from this that the name of Scholl is actually derived from the German word “scholle”, which meant something split off and was applied to broken masses of earth as clods, and to masses of broken ice floating in streams.  In modern German it has a more general application as in the phrase, “an der alten scholle hangen” which means to cling to one’s native land, or also in the spiritual language “to cling to the earth with its delights” .  So--are we a bunch of clods or a bunch of hangers-on?

     Also from this same book came the information that the earliest Scholl they have recorded is a Casper Scholl who was a goldsmith at Dinklesbuhl.  His son, also Casper, was graduated from Tubington University, August 16, 1581.  The Scholls were such intimated at the court of Ludwig, the Duke of Wurtenburg, that the Duke paid the expenses of his graduation from Tubungen.  Our ancestors?  All I can say is that they were somewhere near the right part of Germany.  Wildbock, where Grandpa Scholl was born is fairly centrally located between Dinklesbuhl, Tubungen and Frankfort (where Grandpa worked).

   THE GREAT GRANDPARENTS

Theodore Scholl

     My father told me his name was George, but the genealogical records show Theodore, so in my min I compromise with George Theodore.  His father, according to the records was also Theodore,  he was born in Germany and died in 1855 in Bavaria, Germany.  My father told me that he was the village squire, a position of  somewhat more affluent then most of the villagers.

Catherine Grim Scholl

The only thing I have been told about this grandmother is in connection with a worn, gold cross which was given to me by my father.  He had worn it on a watch fob.  He told me that his father had brought it with him from Germany and that it had belonged to his father’s mother.  However, Aunt Katie saw me wearing it at Bernita’s wedding and insisted that it was her mother’s cross, that she had often worn it.  I wonder if Grandpa did not give it to her to wear, but I think it likely, that it was actually his mother’s, for I know it was in Papa’s possession long before grandma died.  It is unlikely she would have given him her necklace, but a cross belonging to his grandmother would have been given to him at the time Grandpa died if not before.

     The records show that Catherine was born in Germany and died around 1853. Her father was John Grim.

The Scholl Children

     The Scholl great-grandparents had a family of 5 sons and 2 daughters.  As yet, I’ve found no one who knows the names of the girls.  One may have been named Margaret.  It is known that one married a Mr. Warthing and the other a Mr. Henning.  The sons were Frank, who remained in Germany, John, William and Phillip, who I’ve been told, all came to America, and I believe the girls did, also, and George Anthony who was our grandfather.  Philip Scholl’s family lived in Pennsylvania ** and there was some contact with them over the years before Grandma died.  One of the brothers, but I do not know which, had two daughters, Hildegarde and Anna.  My mother and Grandma Scholl corresponded with them from time to time.  Anna once sent our family a set of hard-rubber dominos which we used for years until they burned in the fire.  (I still have the double one, which I fished out of the ashes.)  they lived at Scranton, PA.

** Editor's Note: Phillip Scholl married Apollonia Roth, whose picture is shown at the top of this page. She was identified in this old photo by Jodie Miller, daughter of Wanda Timbers Kuhn (who is cited as a content provider to Georgia Scholl Becker). In January 2007, Joe Auriemma, of Phoenixville, PA, great-great-great grandson of Apollonia, sent us the following information about the Scholl family in Pennsylvania: