March meeting was on the Calendar changes from Julian to Gregorian and how it affects research, whether in the US Colonies or from the Fatherland.  The colonies did not adopt the Gregorian calendar until 1752, thus from 1 Jan until 24 March you would find the year dates written as such:  1676/77 or 1711/12.  Handouts were given to those who were in attendance.

We have a very good program for April on how to preserve your paperwork.  There will also be handouts.

Noted in the 20 Apr 1899 Hooper Sentinel

The twelve new war ships, recently authorized by congress, and which are not under construction have been named by President McKinley as follows:  Battleships – Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Georgia; armored cruisers – West Virginia, Nebraska and California; cruisers – Denver, Des Moines, Chattanooga, Galveston, Tacoma and Cleveland.  The Nebraska is an armored cruiser of 12,000 tons displacement, manned with the heaviest and most powerful ordnance used on that class of vessels.

We are pleased to announce that Marlene Heinsohn is now out of the hospital, after an almost two month stint.  She remarked, she missed “winter.”  She is temporarily using a walker, but will soon graduate to that of a cane and then hopefully she will shed that piece of equipment.

from Colfax County Press, Clarkson NE  11 Apr 2001
under Old Files January 1, 1931

An unclaimed legacy of nearly $30,000 awaits the lost son and daughters of H I Hunt, 72 year old recluse who died here, if the relatives can be located.

Authorities launched a drive to find the son, Howard Hunt, and two daughters.  If they are found they will be the beneficiaries of a fortune that has been hoarded up for over a quarter of a century.

Futile efforts were made to locate the son in Peabody, KS, where he was said to have lived, and the two missing daughters, reported to be at Garden City KS were unheard of.

Hunt made the boast that he could “live on fifty cents a day,” to some of his closest friends here.  His life of being a miser and hermit was brought to an end by starvation and uremic poisoning, physicians said.

The fortune was hidden in a tin box in his little one-room shanty here in town.  Only after he was taken to the hospital could the rumor that he had once been left a large fortune by a brother be verified.

Hunt was a former telegraph operator here.  He was married twice, tho the whereabouts of his former wives, should they be alive is unknown.

        Mrs Sandee Berger            F-62
             3513 Honeysuckle Ave
               Chino Hills CA  91709

              Geri DeGroff             F-63
                    630 County Road Q
                         Yutan NE  68073-5017

William A McHenry to Lizzie Graber on 1 April
John M Toner to Carrie Dodendorf on 2 April
Emil Oberg to Ida Christenson on 2 April
John H Schurman to Marie Luthans on 8 April
Harry L Himes to Julia Good Doyle on 14 April
Herman Galler to Mrs Annie Schulz on 14 April
J A Kinney to Nora Enger on 16 April
C G Treskow to Annie Kitzerow on 16 April
Adolph Folda to Bessie Prucha on 21 April 
August F Engelbrecht to Minnie Baumann on 23 April
Louis Janovec to Mary Bauman on 28 April
Arnold J Von Seggern to Ida W Diedrichsen on 30 April

HANDFASTING

“H/F” after a person’s name in marriage and birth records stands for the term “handfast,” a form of uncanonical, private or even probationary form of marriage.  It was a way of announcing a union between a man and woman who wished to live together as husband and wife before receiving the blessing of the church.  The couple would stand before a group of their peers, hold their clasped hands above their heads, and state their intentions.   The agreement was good for a year and a day, or until a minister arrived to perform the rites of the church.  If, at the end of the specified time, each wished to go his own way, they could do so with no ties.  Regardless of what happened, any child born of a Handfast couple was considered legitimate and would inherit.  Tree Trackers, Sp 1991 via Tri-Corner Connections of Feb 1995.

SOURCE MAIDEN NAME

In the lower left-hand corner of most deeds, you will find signatures of two to four witnesses.  The first one is always from the husband’s side.  The next on is always from the wife’s side.  That is to protect her one-third dower right under the law.  Nothing will give greater clues to maiden names than witnesses to old wills.
MORTGAGES – In the 1800’s and before, it was traditional when the daughter got married, as a part of her dowry, for the father to either cover the loan or carry the note for his son-in-law.  If you know the husband’s name but not the wife’s maiden name, find out to whom they are making their mortgage payment.  About 70% of the time it will be her father.. From Ancestors Unlimited via Platte Valley Kin Seekers Spring 2002.

REGISTER WOMEN ALIEN ENEMIES
Those of German Citizenship Must Report to Postmaster

  Registration of alien women starting June 17 and ending June 26.  All native citizens denizens or of subject of the German empire or of the imperial German government, being females of the age of 14 years and upwards, who are within the United States and not actually naturalized as American citizens, are required to register as German alien females.
  Wives of alien enemy men will have to register.  Whether they are Americans or not, at the time of their marriage, the ceremony uniting them to a foreigner has made them a foreigner.
  On the other hand, the marriage of an alien enemy female to a citizen of the United States naturalizes her; providing said marriage took place before the United States entered the war.
  A woman born in the United States, irrespective of her parentage, is an American and is not a German alien, unless she has become naturalized in Germany, or has married a subject of Germany who has not acquired naturalization.
  All those that receive their mail at the Hooper postoffice or routes will have to register the Hooper postoffice.
                     C G Fritz, Postmaster