Amanuensis Monday - Nellie Kelly's postcard to Dan Kelly

This is a postcard from Nellie Kelly Rector to her brother, Daniel Kelly (my great grandfather) of Greenwood, Nebraska.

The card is postmarked December (no date) 1911, Lincoln Nebraska

Sunday Eve


Was glad to see you looking so well today. But couldn't get you on the phone (co) tell you about Edward tonight.


Much love, Nellie

The reference to Edward is likely their nephew, Edward Fitzgerald, son of their sister, Mary Kelly Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald. After the death of his wife, Mamie, in 1902, Edward seemed to move around quite a bit and at the time of his mother's death in 1940, news accounts listed him as a survivor, but "whereabouts unknown." He's one of those elusive family members who seems to have dropped off the face of the earth. 

Or was it about another nephew, Edward Kelly, son of their brother Michael C. Kelly and Mary Keleher. To me, that seems less likely as this Edward was a youth of eight years in 1911.

The postcard raises more questions than it answers. Was the reference to Edward Fitzgerald? What was the news that Nellie wanted to tell her brother about Edward? And why is this the only item in Nellie's hand that was kept in the family archives? It certainly must have been of some significance.

Amanuensis - one employed to take dictation or to copy manuscript

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme suggested by Geneabloggers.

Genealogy Events in Nebraska - October

Two major genealogy conferences are scheduled for October, so if you are close to Lincoln or Omaha, make plans to attend.










John Colletta will be the featured speaker at a full day conference sponsored by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Genealogical Society and Southeast Community College on October 9, 2010. Cost is $50 which includes conference materials and lunch. The registration deadline is October 1. The conference will be held at the SCC Continuing Education Center, 301 S. 68th Street Place in Lincoln.

Colletta's topics are:

• Assembling and Writing a Narrative Family History
• Turning Biographical Facts into Real-Life Events: Building Historical Context
• Our Spectacular Library of Congress: An Overview with Research Examples
• Understanding Archives: What They Are and How to Use Them

Download a flyer and registration form here.

The Greater Omaha Genealogical Society fall conference will be October 30, 2010 at Nebraska Methodist College, 720 N. 87th St., Omaha. Advance registration is $20 for membership and $30 for nonmembers. Lunch is available for $4.50

Sessions include:

• Land Records - presented by Lynne A. Farr
• Oral Histories - presented by Lucille Saunders
• Organizing Your Files - presented by Cyndy Salzmann
• What You Can Do With a Digital Camera - presented by Jeff Ramsell

You can download a brochure and registration form here.

Hope to see at one or both!

Sports Center Saturday - Ken Petersen

It seems appropriate that my first post on the Sports Center Saturday theme be about my Dad, Kenneth Petersen.

In his day, Dad was an all-around athlete and played baseball and football at Lincoln High School (Lincoln, Nebraska) from 1941-1944. He was quite an athlete and had hoped to play professional baseball. Not only did he play for Lincoln High, but also for the Lincoln Blues, the American Legion baseball team. I enjoy listening to him tell about the time when he tried out for the St. Louis Cardinals. But it was 1944, in the midst of World War II and rather than play baseball, he chose to serve his country and joined the U.S. Navy. To this day, he keeps up on all of the professional first basemen.

Kenny Petersen
Lincoln High Links - First Base

Lincoln High School
Freshman Football - 1942 Links Yearbook
Ken is in the 2nd row from the back, third from left
As usual, his last name is misspelled.

Dad received his letter in football at Lincoln High and still has his letter sweater. He also lettered in baseball, but didn't receive the actual letter because he had gone to the Navy. He received the letter about five decades later after my stepmother made a request to the school when she was planning her class' 40th reunion.

After the war, Dad returned to the States with impaired vision, dreams of a professional baseball career behind him. He married my Mom and I came along a few years later. I can't remember a time when baseball was not a part of my life. A bit of a tomboy, I enjoyed playing catch with my Dad and he pushed me as hard as he would push a son to play softball the best that I could. Oh, how I remember him yelling at me, "you're running like a girl!" He would hit pop flies to me in our back yard and I would catch them. He'd work with me on fielding ground balls. And I was just as cocky as he was, mastering the ability to catch pop flies behind my back. Oh, how I wanted to do that during a game sometime but knew that I'd get benched the minute I tried.

When we lived in Greenwood, Nebraska during the 1950s Dad got an American Legion baseball team started and became the manager. There were just enough teenage boys in town to put together a team. Our summers were spent at the ball field and traveling to out of town games. Families would caravan to the out of town games and we thought that our mere presence put fear in the eyes of our opponents. We always were thrilled to beat Ashland, our arch rivals. Eventually, the town raised enough funds to buy the team uniforms.

In the early 1960s, we had moved to Lincoln and Dad got a summer job with city Parks & Recreation to coach girls' softball. Of course, I was on the team, playing third base. Trust me, I did NOT get any special treatment as the coach's daughter! If I was playing poorly, Dad didn't hesitate to pull me out of the game. More parent-coaches today could learn from that! Even after Dad quit coaching, I continued to play softball in the summer City Rec league.

In his sixties and seventies, Dad took up golf and played nearly every day that the weather would permit. He even got me hooked on the game and we usually played together on Saturday and Sunday mornings and at least one evening every week. He played as long as his body would let him, until the pain was so severe he could no longer swing a club. I don't think there's anything worse for an athlete than to not be able to participate in sports any longer.

In 2004, Dad and his fellow football teammates were inducted into the Lincoln High School Athletic Hall of Fame as the 1943 Boys State Football Champions. I accompanied him to the awards banquet that evening and enjoyed meeting so many of his high school buddies, some 60 years after they played together.

As Dad has become more hearing impaired over the years, the one thing he still has to watch on television is sports. He doesn't need to be able to hear the TV to be able to follow the game. He's still ranting about that stunt Derek Jeter pulled about a week ago, pretending to be hit by a pitched ball. He also shared with me an article he read in this week's Time magazine about the titanium necklaces that a lot of the athletes wear that allegedly boost their energy level. We joked that maybe Congress needs to have hearings on the use of such performance enhancing jewelry!

When I think of my Dad, he's synonymous with Sports in our family. I'm happy to have been raised on sports, to really learn about teamwork and the joy of winning - that always beats the alternative.

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

Why Do Singles Do Genealogy?

Why do single people do genealogy research? I'd like to open this topic up for comments from blog readers.

On a personal basis, I never gave much thought to why I (a single person) got interested in genealogy. I always enjoyed history, the stories, the old photographs. And doing the research is a lot like being a detective - finding the clues, laying out the timeline, speculating on theories.

It wasn't that long ago when someone (a relative, of course) asked me why I wanted to put so much effort into genealogy when I didn't have any children. The question took me by surprise as it never occurred to me that genealogy was a hobby that only married people with children could pursue!

The question has been gnawing on me on and off for a few months and I'd really like to hear from other  people with no descendants who are passionate about their research. Are we doing this all for nothing because we have no one to pass it down to? What's going to happen to your research when you're "gone-gone"? Are you passing it on to another family member? Donating it to a local archive? Or like me - getting as much available on the internet as possible so that the information will be left behind.

Are we just oddballs or are there more of us descendantless people out there doing genealogy than I realize?

Please comment! I'd like to hear from both singles and marrieds with or without descendants.