Some days are better than others - today was a good one!

Today started out with trying to determine the date of death of the brother of my great-grandmother, George Laymon. I hadn't really looked very hard before, so I thought I would try FindAGrave.com as a long shot. Lo and behold! There was a memorial for him and it included a photograph of his and his wife's tombstone.

At last! Not only a clue, but a date and a location! They were buried in Missouri. No wonder I wasn't having much luck finding them in Nebraska or Kansas.

The Missouri Digital Heritage database has become one of my favorite sites when researching family members from the Show Me state. Of particular value is the site's collection of images of death certificates from 1910-1960. This database has helped me solve more than one family history puzzle in the past.

Bingo! I found George's death certificate and that of his wife, Hattie. The information from the certificates added a few pieces of information to my research. I found it sad that when George's widow, Hattie, provided the information on George's death certificate, she didn't know the name of her mother-in-law. Why so sad? Because his mother, Eliza Ann Olmstead Laymon, had lived with the couple in the 1930s, as per the 1930 U.S. Census records.

These discoveries would have been more than enough, even for a good day. Since I was on the hunt for the Laymons, I started looking around the 'net for some Wyoming newspapers, since I knew that the Laymons, the Pechts and assorted inlaws had gone to Wyoming in the early 1900s to work the oil fields. I had gathered very little information about the families during the Wyoming period, circa 1906 - 1915.

A Google search took me to the Wyoming Newspaper Project and I found a gold mine in those oil fields! It was purely on a lark that I typed in "Pecht" in the search engine and got more than 200 hits! And what hits they were! Every one one of these newspaper pages referenced the families of my great-grandfather, LeRoy (Roy) Pecht and his brother Albert Blair (A.B.) Pecht. I had downloaded more than 80 newspaper pages with articles about various family members before I finally called it quits for the day. I'll be back to finish up later!

Roy and Clara Pecht family
a few years after they had lived in Wyoming
Back Row: Cecile Ann, Clyde Lester, Ruby Luella
Front Row: LeRoy, Mildred Ellen, Clara Rosella

Such discoveries that I found! There was a delightful story about my great grandmother and her niece "leaving footprints in the snow" as they went for the mail. Great grandfather Roy hauled a lot of lumber. The articles told me the exact day that my family arrived in Wyoming, when Roy began building the family's house, and later when they moved into A.B.'s old house.

The stories of their daily lives are rich in detail and still leave things open to speculation. But I look forward to gathering the remainder of the newspaper articles and then begin weaving together the story of the family's years in Wyoming.

Yes, it was a good day, indeed!

Fun Day at the Omaha Public Library

Some readers of LongLostRelatives.net are aware that 2011 has marked the beginning of my genealogy speaking "career." While I have done public speaking and training workshops for many years, hitting the genealogy speaking circuit presented something new and challenging - and a lot of fun!

Yesterday, I had the privilege of sharing my passion for genealogy blogging with fellow genealogists at the W. Dale Clark Library in Omaha. My friends and I arrived at the library early, so we were able to spend time in the genealogy room and get a quick tour of the available resources from Karen, one of the volunteers from the Greater Omaha Genealogical Society (GOGS).

Could it be magic?

The first thing that caught my eye was the card catalog of Omaha area obituaries. There was one in particular that I was looking for, so I pulled out the drawer and set it down on the table. Somehow, the drawer of hundreds of index cards opened up and the obituary that was staring me directly in the face was for my second cousin! Was magician Criss Angel in the room?

Fellow genealogists know that quite often these moments of synchronicity just happen. What is even more amusing to me is that my very first blog post was an "obituary wanted" for this man's mother. That blog post is the first example in my blogging presentation about how to use your blog to locate long lost cousins. At that moment, I knew it was going to be a great day.

Susan and Evelyn
Cousins? Quite Likely!

After getting a lay of the land of all of the wonderful genealogy resources at the library, we headed for the conference room where I would be speaking. I was approached by a delightful woman who introduced herself, and I knew her immediately from a comment she had left on my blog last year.

She is Evelyn Pecht, and our Pecht families both hail from the same area in Pennsylvania. Now that we've met, I have no doubt that we will kick up our efforts to find out if we are, indeed, cousins. Since this is a unique surname and the families lived in the same vicinity, I'm guessing there's a very good chance we're related. Attending genealogy events doesn't get any better than this! Even if we're not cousins, I'm thrilled to have met Evelyn - I really enjoyed our brief conversation and look forward to getting together again.

All I can really say about my presentation is that I had a great time. The audience was attentive, seemed interested and open to the concept of blogging and asked very good questions! I enjoyed visiting with everyone who stayed to chat and ask questions afterward.

A very special thank you goes out to Martha Grenzeback, Librarian at OPL, who organizes these events and made arrangements for me to speak yesterday. She gets five gold stars!

Genealogy Resources at the W. Dale Clark Library in Omaha

The one thing that I forgot to do was to get my Omaha Public library card, since the Lincoln and Omaha libraries have reciprocity with one another. That is an amazing service and I thank both library systems for making this available to readers and researchers in both communities. I am looking forward to my next research trip to the W. Dale Clark Library this fall - when I'll come prepared with my notes, netbook and "To Do" list!

To learn more about the genealogy resources and events at OPL, click here.

Follow Omaha Public Library on Facebook and Twitter.

My friends and I had a great lunch afterwards at Stokes in the Old Market, and no trip to Omaha is complete without stopping at the Baker's Candy Factory in Greenwood. It was great fun for a Girls Day Out!

Thanks again, Martha, OPL, and what I hope will be a new group of genealogy bloggers!

Wanted: A history of the Hartough-Hartsough-Hartsock family

I am interested in purchasing a copy of this book:

A History of the Hartough-Hartsough-Hartsock Family

Author: Mary Mae Hartsough

Published in 1964

According to WorldCat, the book is available in several libraries in the United States, but I would like to obtain my own copy.

The book contains a great deal on my Hartsough/Hartsock and Pecht/Peight lineage.

If you have this book available for purchase, please contact me.

Sunday's Obituary: Leo Steele Peight, Sr.

Leo S. Peight

Leo S. Peight, 52, a native of Freeport and a former Freeport high school football star, died at Hines hospital, Chicago, Saturday night.

Services will be held at the Tews funeral home, 2434 East 79th street, Chicago, at 1 p.m. Wednesday. Interment will be made in Greenwood cemetery, Chicago.

Mr. Peight was born in Freeport Jan. 30, 1897, a son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles W. Peight, Sr. He received his education here and while attending Freeport high school played fullback on the school football team. Later he attended Charthage college.

His marriage to Miss Louise Leudtke took place in 1924.

Survivors include his wife and two sons, Leo S. Peight, Jr., and John Henry Peight. A brother and a sister also survive, Charles W. Peight, Freeport, and Miss Vera Peight of Chicago.

A number of years ago Mr. Peight was special delivery carrier at the Freeport post office.

In the first world war he served with an engineering corps.

Later he was employed as a clerk in the Chicago postoffice. during the second world war he became a civilian employe of the quartermaster's department of the U.S. army and had continued that work until recently.

source: Freeport (IL) Journal-Standard, June 13, 1949

relationship to me: second cousin, twice removed.

Notes:

I was unaware of the Freeport, Illinois and Chicago lines of the Peight family until a couple weeks ago when I began corresponding with one of the descendants on Ancestry.com. It turned out that our ancestors were brothers. From sharing our information on Ancestry.com, along with the California descendants of the Pecht family, more of the fabric of our ancestry is being woven together.

Fortunately, there is a lot of information on this branch of the Peight family in the Freeport and Chicago area newspapers, so there are many newspaper articles to read, sort through and assimilate.

His son, also named Leo Steele Peight, was killed in an automobile accident less than two years later. This is an example of why all clues and documents must be reviewed. It would be very easy to confuse the two Illinois death records for this father and son.

Fearless Females: Ruby Pecht Baker

Lisa Alzo, who writes The Accidental Genealogist blog, has brought back a 31-day series of blogging themes called Fearless Females, in honor of celebrating March as Women's History Month. I hope to participate in as many of these blogging prompts as possible this month.

March 8 - Working girl: Did your mother or grandmother work outside the home? What did she do?

Ruby Pecht Petersen Baker

My father's mother, Ruby Luella Pecht Petersen Baker, worked consistently through her life until retirement.
After graduating from high school, she became a teacher herself in Hardy, Nebraska. Around 1928, she moved to Lincoln with her first husband, Otto Petersen, and their son (my Dad), Kenneth.


The stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression left a lifelong impact on this family. My father tells of how his parents both worked to earn money to support the family during this decade. Ruby would take in ironing that she would do during the day. In the evenings, she would bake fresh rolls and my grandfather would go door to door selling them for pennies.


I don't think there was ever a time that anyone in the family wasn't working. In August, 1944, Dad commented in a letter home from boot camp, "Dad tell everyone at Cushman’s hello and don’t you work too damn hard and Mom you better not work too hard either."

Stanley Home Products Convention

The woman in the hat (with glasses) on the left is my grandmother, Ruby Luella Pecht Petersen (later Baker). The second man from the left, standing, is my father's father, Otto Petersen. My mother, Patricia Kelly Petersen is in the middle (I'm not sure if that's a foo-foo in her hair or if the guy behind her is holding a dusting product). My father, Kenneth Petersen, is to Mom's left, with glasses. All of the Petersens were selling Stanley Home Products in the 1940s!

By the time I came along, my grandmother was working at Gold's Department store in Lincoln. She worked in the baby and toddler department. All of the ladies in that department wore white uniforms, white hosiery and white "old lady" shoes.


As her first grandchild, I was well outfitted in clothing from Gold's. It was always a pretty big deal to go to downtown Lincoln from the suburbs, and we always stopped to see my grandmother in the baby department, followed by lunch in the Gold's cafeteria, which made the best tuna fish sandwiches on rye bread that I've ever had in my life!


When I became a teenager and my friends and I took the bus downtown, I'd always stop to see my grandmother at Gold's. Not that I was motivated or anything, but Grandma would usually slip me a five dollar bill and I'd head off to Gold's record department to get a couple new 45's. 


It's no wonder that I have a strong work ethic today. It's something that is definitely in my genes.

Fearless Females: Marriage of Clara Laymon and Leroy Pecht

Lisa Alzo, who writes The Accidental Genealogist blog, has brought back a 31-day series of blogging themes called Fearless Females, in honor of celebrating March as Women's History Month. I hope to participate in as many of these blogging prompts as possible this month.


March 4 - Do you have marriage records for your grandparents or great-grandparents?

Marriage License
Roy P. Pecht and Clara R Laymon

LeRoy Pearl Pecht and Clara Rosella Laymon
my great grandparents

Sunday's Obituary - Ellen Osborne Pecht

These newspaper articles demonstrate that multiple sources often need to be checked to verify information. A person cannot die in two different places.

Mrs. Albert B. Pecht

Ellen Osborne Pecht, early day resident of Kansas died at her home in Hot Springs, S.D., March 23, 1933. Mr. and Mrs. Pecht and their family made their home for many years following their marriage, at Hardy, Neb., leaving there in 1907.

Source: Belleville Telescope, Belleville KS; April 6, 1933

Mrs. Eva Holmes received word Sunday of the death of her sister, Mrs. Ellen Pecht of Hot Springs, Wyo. Mrs. Pecht has been poorly for some time, and passed away Saturday. Her son, Jess left Sunday to return the body to Hardy for burial.

Source: Belleville Telescope, Belleville, Kansas, March 30, 1933

Albert Blair Pecht
Ellen Osborne Pecht
Rosemound Cemetery
Republic County, Kansas
south of Hardy, Nebraska

Relationship to me: wife of great grand uncle

52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History - Week 3: Cars - Part 2

While browsing through my photo archives, I found some more pictures to add to this topic. Unfortunately, I am not able to provide the make or model of the vehicles.

Daniel Kelly of Greenwood, Nebraska

Paul Kelly of Greenwood, Nebraska
son of Daniel Kelly

Sylvia Pecht Ralya and Claude Ralya
son Donald Ralya

A whole bunch of Petersens
Nuckolls County, Nebraska

About 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy: Amy Coffin of We Tree Genealogy has created a third year of blogging prompts for genealogy bloggers. The theme for 2011 is 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History. 

Read all articles in this series.

Sunday Supper - Community Cookbooks - Part 3 - Ethel Pecht

Before tossing out any old and worn out community cookbooks, make sure that you look through them for recipes from your relatives! My Dad managed to salvage the 1950 Hardy, Nebraska American Legion Auxiliary Cookbook from my stack of cookbooks I had planned to donate to charity! Thank goodness he looked through them first! This cookbook included not just recipes from my family members, but also photographs of them.

EXCELLENT BURNT SUGAR CAKE

Relationship to me: good question! There are two women named Ethel who married different Pecht men in my family. So - this is either Mrs. (Ethel May Lewis) Jesse Pecht or Mrs. (Ethel Mae Strickland) Max Pecht. The confusion doesn't stop there. Max Pecht's mother is Ethel May Lewis and his wife is Ethel Mae Strickland. Perhaps one of the other relatives can help me sort this out!

See other recipes on this blog

Sunday's Obituary - Carlton Park Ruth

The following is the obituary of a long lost relative who came to light yesterday via searching on Ancestry.com. We share the same ancestors, George Pecht and Rachel Hartsock. The couple were his great-grandparents and they are my third great grandparents.

Carlton Park Ruth's parents were Edward Ruth and Edna Hutchinson. His grandparents were Samuel Hutchinson and Martha J. Pecht. Martha was the daughter of George Pecht and Rachel Hartsock. Martha was the sister of my great great grandfather, John Crispin Pecht.

Transcription:

Carlton Park Ruth

Funeral services for the late Carlton Park Ruth, who passed away at Hines hospital on Sunday morning, were held this afternoon at 2:30 at First Methodist church, Freeport, with Rev. Gene Van Kranenburg, pastor of the Dakota Methodist church, officiating, assisted by Rev. John H. Nightingale, of First Methodist church. Brief services for the family were held at the Walker mortuary at 2. The American Legion conducted services at the grave. Eric Carlson, Albert Swanson, Clifford Scheider, William Frank, Donald Fink and Stanley Smith served as pallbearers, and burial was in Oakland cemetery.

Mr. Ruth was born in Lancaster township on Oct. 18, 1894, the son of Edward M. and Edna M. Ruth. He was married on Sept. 19, 1925, to Marie E. Kortemeier, who survives him, as do two daughters, Roselyn and Betty Louise. He resided on a farm in Rock Run township. He had been a devoted member of the Methodist church for 35 years and at the time of his death was a member of the Dakota Methodist church.

He is also survived by two brothers, William Ruth of Eagle River, Wis., and Edward Ruth of Wilmette, Ill., and a sister, Esther Ruth Smith, of Crescent City, Calif. He was preceded in death by his parents.

He served as a first musician in the U.S. navy during the first world war, having enlisted July 19, 1917. He was stationed at Great Lakes naval training station during 1917-1918 and later served overseas. He was a member of the Lena post of the American Legion.

Source: Freeport (Ill.) Journal-Standard, Freeport, Illinois, July 18, 1944

Family Resemblances - three generations of the Pecht family

As "new" family photographs come to light, it's interesting to observe some of the family resemblances.

John Crispin Pecht
My great great grandfather

Leroy Pearl Pecht
My great grandfather
Son of John Crispin Pecht

Ruby Luella Pecht
My grandmother
Daughter of Leroy Pecht

I find the resemblance between Leroy and John to be quite strong. Even my grandmother seems to have the Pecht mouth and chin. Resemblance? What do you think?

Sunday's Obituary - John Crispin Pecht

newspaper source: unknown
clipping courtesy of Michalyn Baumann

John Crispin Pecht

died at the home of his son, in Hardy, Nebr., at 1 o'clock Saturday morning, December 26th, 1903 of dropsical and other complications, incident to his age, which was almost seventy-three years. He was a native of Pennsylvania, born in Blair county, that state, Jan. 19th, 1831, where he grew to manhood. After reaching his majority the came west to Stephenson county, Illis, where on Sept. 6, 1859, he was united in marriage to Miss Amanda Melvina Stover, of the vicinity of Lena. His wife departed this life at Hardy, on the 26th of August, 1894. To this union there were born eight children, four of whom live in this state. Mr. Pecht came to Big Bend twp. south of this place, with the Stephenson county people in the early seventies, and has remained ever since. In his death the community loses a most genial, worthy citizen and the church a devoted true, Christian member, whose every act was that of a pure heart and a life devoted to the good of his fellow men in his life and the hereafter. The funeral service was held Sunday, the 29th at the Lutheran church, and interment was in the family lot in Rosemound cemetery, where others of the family gone before, wait the future. The family and friends surviving are very grateful for every kindness shown them during his sickness, which words but feebly express, but which are treasured beyond the present by each and everyone.

Notes:

John Crispin Pecht was my great-great grandfather.

Related posts:
John and Amanda Pecht and children

John and Amanda Pecht's marriage certificate
Amanda Stover Pecht's obituary

My Great Great Grandparents - John and Amanda Pecht

John Crispin Pecht
Amanda Stover Pecht
and children Leroy and Lottie
photo courtesy Michalyn Bauman

It was only two days ago that the first photograph I'd ever seen of my Jeremiasen great great grandparents arrived via email. Late this afternoon, this photo of another set of great great grandparents, John Crispin Pecht and Amanda Melvina Stover Pecht, arrived from a new found cousin. I had one photo each of John and Amanda in their earlier years, so to see this family portrait has been quite a thrill.

I believe that the two children in the photograph are the couple's eldest children, Albert Blair Pecht and Cora Bell Pecht.

John and Amanda Pecht are buried at
Rosemound Cemetery in Republic County, Kansas

Related posts:

Pecht family Bible
John and Amanda's marriage certificate

Amanuensis Monday - Pecht Family Bible Part 1

The Bible that belonged to Amanda M. Stover Pecht provided me with the first pieces of information regarding members of the family of John Crispin Pecht and Amanda Melvina Stover Pecht. Since I am now in contact with some of the descendants of Sherman Ellsworth Pecht, brother of my great grandfather, LeRoy Pearl Pecht, it seemed fitting to make this my selection for Amanuensis Monday.

Family Record

Births

John C Pecht was

Born January th19 1831

Amanda His Wife was

Born Oct th 5 1842

Albert B Pecht was

Born Aug th30 1860

Cora B Pecht was

Born July th7 1863

Edmun S Pecht was

Born Jan th4 1866

Infant Sone was

Born May th27 1868

Sherman Ellsworth

Pecht Was Born

September th27

AD 1870

Mira Estella

Pecht Was Born

August th28 AD 1873

Clyde Lester Pecht May 7 1907

Mildred Edna Wischmeier  Dec 8 1912

Leroy Pearl Pecht Was

Born April th28 AD 1879

Lottie May Pecht 1882

Was Born October 29 1882

LeRoy Pecht Born

April 28 1879

Clara Rossela

Born Oct 2 1875

Cole City Illinois

Grundy County

Ruby was Born

May 27 1905

Clyde Born May 7 1907

Cecil Born Nov 23

1909

Mildred Born July 4^th

1915

Source: Family Bible of Amanda M. Stover Pecht
Note: Citation on the birth of a living person was cropped from the image and not transcribed here.
Relationship to me: Leroy Pecht and Clara Laymon Pecht were my great grandparents.


Related posts:


John Crispin Pecht and Amanda Stover marriage certificate from the same Bible
LeRoy Pecht and Clara Laymon Pecht family

Sunday's Obituary - Buniece Beal Brown

The intense heat is believed to have been a contributing cause of the death of Mrs. Buniece Beal Brown, age 45, at the home of her mother, Mrs. Cora Beal, Monday afternoon.  Mrs. Brown had suffered from other ailments, however.

She was found dead in her bed at 6 p.m.   Doctor Florea, who was called, said death probably came at 3 p.m.

A private memorial service was held Wednesday morning in the chapel at Evergreen Cemetery, where burial was made.  The following obituary was read at the service by Rev. C. O. Olson, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Buniece Beal Bown was born in Superior, Nebr., May 19, 1889.  She was educated in the Superior schools and grew to womanhood in this community.  She was a graduate of a school in San Diego, Calif., having majored in domestic science and interior decorating. She taught school in the rural district near Superior, also Nelson, Nebr., and San Francisco, Calif.

She was married in 1912.  While living in Twin Falls, Idaho she united with the Christian Church.

Her departure was sudden and unexpected on Monday, July 16.

Besides her Mother, Mrs. Cora Beal, she leaves two brothers, Mitchell and Wendell Beal both of Superior, Nebr.  Her father preceded her in death several years ago.

Her parents came to Superior in the pioneer days.  They lived here and succeeded in establishing themselves financially as well as in the confidence of the people.

Source: Superior Express, Superior, Nebraska  July 19, 1934

Source FindAGrave
photographer: Marilyn Keim

Buniece is buried at Evergreen Cemetery in Superior, Nebraska. She was my first cousin, twice removed. Her mother, Cora Pecht Beal, was the sister of my great grandfather, Leroy Pearl Pecht. Buniece had been married to Henry Orin Brown.

Sunday's Obituary - Amanda Stover Pecht

Amanda Melvina Stover Pecht
my 2nd great grandmother

Mrs. Amanda Petch (sic), wife of Mr. John Petch (sic), died at this place Wednesday p.m., about 5 o'clock, after a lingering sickness of more than a year, of chronic ailments, aged about 52 years, and was buried yesterday at Rose Mound cemetery south of this place. She has been a sufferer from disease almost from the settlement here and her trouble has been at times almost unbearable. Mr. Petch (sic) and family came to this section from Lena, Ill., some twenty years ago and have many friends and relatives at Republic and in the country (sic) south of this who hold them in high esteem that will be true mourners of her death. - from the Hardy Herald

Source: The Nelson (Nebraska) Gazette, Thursday, August 30, 1894; pg. 3

Rose Mound Cemetery
Republic County, Kansas

Surname Saturday - LeRoy and Clara Pecht

My great grandparents were LeRoy Pearl Pecht and Clara Rosella Laymon Pecht.

LeRoy Pearl Pecht and Clara Rosella Laymon
On Their Wedding Day

LeRoy Pearl Pecht

Obituaries


Leroy Pecht

Leroy Pecht was born on a farm near Hardy, Neb., April 28, 1879, and departed this life at Holmesville, Monday morning, August 8, 1932, at the age of 53 years, 3 months and 11 days. he was baptized as a child in the Lutheran church, grew to manhood in and around Hardy and attended the Hardy public schools.

On April 11, 1900, he was united in marriage to Clara Laymon, who had remained a faithful companion until death called her loved one away. To this union were born six children, Ruby, Clyde, Cecile and Mildred, two having passed away in infancy.

For the last 16 years Mr. Pecht was engaged in the elevator business at Hardy, Neb., until two years ago when he, with his family moved to Holmesville, Neb., where he became manager of the Farmers' elevator at that place. He had been in poor health for the past several years and for the past three weeks had been bedfast.

He was a member of the Odd fellows at the time of his death, having always done all he could for that organization. He was a kind and loving husband and father, a friend to everyone. Anything he could do to serve another was his policy.

He leaves to mourn his passing, beside his lifetime companion, the four children, Ruby Petersen of Lincoln, Neb., Cecile Viers of Great Bend, Kas., Clyde and Mildred at the home address, one grandson, Kenneth Petersen, two sisters, Mrs. Cora Beal of Superior, Neb., and Mrs. Lotta Kiler of Dodge City, Kas., one brother, Sherman of Sandusky, New York, other relatives and host of friends.

Funeral services were held at Holmesville at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday and further services were held from the Lutheran church at Hardy on Wednesday at 1 p.m. The body was laid to rest at Hardy, services being in charge of the Odd Fellows.

Source:  Beatrice Daily Sun, Beatrice, Nebraska, August 11, 1932

Clara Rosella Laymon Pecht

Mrs. Clara Pecht

Clara Rosella Laymon was born in Cole City, Grundy county, Ill., October 2, 1876, and departed this life at a local hospital in Beatrice, Neb., Monday evening, Oct. 20, 1941, at the age of 65 years and 18 days.

On April 11, 1900, she was united in marriage to Leroy Pecht at Nelson, Neb., who preceded her in death in 1932. To this union were born six children, Ruby, Clyde, Cecile and Mildred, two having passed away in infancy.

In the fall of 1929 Mrs. Pecht, with her family, moved to Beatrice, where she had since resided. She had been in failing health and the past two weeks had been bedfast.

She became a member of the Lutheran church at Hardy in 1916 and retained her membership in the church until death. She loved her church and truly lived the Christian way. Her sweet, calm disposition meant much to everyone with whom she came in contact. She always saw the good in everyone, and was an inspiration to all. She truly exemplified real motherhood, never complaining, and shedding goodness and love everywhere she went. she needs no special monument for her ifluence will be remembered by her many friends and relatives.

She leaves to mourn her going the four children, Ruby Petersen and Clyde Pecht of Lincoln; Cecile Viers of Superior, and Mildren Mittan of Beatrice; five grandchildren, three brothers, other relatives and a host of friends.

Funeral services were held at Beatrice at 9:30 Thursday with further services from the Lutheran church at Hardy. The body was laid to rest in Rosemound cemetery.

Source: Beatrice Daily Sun, Beatrice, Nebraska, October 28, 1941

Burial at Rose Mound Cemetery, Republic County, Kansas

LeRoy and Clara Pecht gravestone
Rose Mound Cemetery
Republic County, Kansas

Wordless Wednesday - Hardy Nebraska Grade 2 - 1913

Hardy, Nebraska Grade 2, 1913

Ruby Luella Pecht
Back Row, Fourth from Left
My Grandmother

Fourth of July Birthday - Mildred Ellen Pecht Mittan

Mildred Ellen Pecht was born on July 4, 1915 in Hardy, Nebraska. She died February 23, 2001 in Lubbock, Texas.

Daughter of Leroy Pearl Pecht and Clara Rosella Laymon.

Married to Clifton D. Mittan on August 12, 1936.

She was the sister of my grandmother, Ruby Luella Pecht.

Madness Monday - a family squabble

Old newspaper articles are my favorite aspect of genealogy research. That's where you really are able to catch a glimpse of daily life of our ancestors.

A while back, I came across these two legal notices from the Altoona Mirror in Altoona, Pennsylvania. The first was placed by Mrs. Brinton Peight, followed by a notice from her husband, George W. Peight. This couple are not my direct line ancestors, but they are members of the extended Pecht/Peight family. These notices appeared in the newspaper in 1919.

You would think from reading them that the couple was destined for divorce court. They remained together until George's death thirty years later and are buried together at Fairview Cemetery in Altoona.

Text of the legal notices:

NOTICE is hereby given to all hotelkeepers, bartenders, druggists, clubs and individuals in Blair county not to sell, give or furnish in any manner whatsoever any intoxicating liquors to my husband, George W. Peight, 419 Cherry Ave., under penalty of the law.
MRS. BRINTON PEIGHT,
419 Cherry Ave.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN - I hereby notify all dealers that I will not be responsible for any debts contracted by my wife, Mrs. Brinton Peight, after this date, March 24, 1919.
GEORGE W. PEIGHT,
419 Cherry Ave.