OCCUPATION: Trained Nurse
One of two children of Sara and Thomas McDowell, Auntie May is the author of the narrative from which this branch of the family is based. She never married.
Auntie May's penmanship was notoriously poor. In this transcription from the original, I have added question marks (?) whenever the spelling is in doubt.
Aunt May's Narrative:
John and Adam Thompson left Scotland for County Antrim(?) Ireland and learned the weavers trade, but decided on going to America. They landed in Philadelphia in 1799 and on learning the revolutionary war soldiers were disposing of land given them for pay for service came west to Mercer County and purchased 400 acres of land. Later, Adam took over some land in Salem Twp. and moved to that location.John settled on the 400 acres in Sandy Creek Twp. and married Martha Furley(?) who was a dark eyed young woman of 16 years. They had 16 children. Fifteen grew to adult life. Third son David died in childhood and a younger son was named David and lived on the old homestead at the time of his father's death.
I do not know the life story of the older children, but Robert Thompson was given a farm in Deer Creek Twp. adjoining Sandy Creek Twp. when he married Jane Montgomery. Moses was given a tract of timber and had a saw mill and later the village hotel. David remained on the old homestead.
Maria married a cabinet maker and lived in Greenville. Cynthia married a Mr. Hill and also lived in Greenville. Jane, the youngest daughter married Archibald Montgomery, a brother and Moses married Sara Montgomery a sister of Jane and Archibald. These children lived in Mercer County during their lifetime and a goodly number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren are still there.
The Montgomery family also were of Scotch Irish origin and came to Juniata County, Pennsylvania and after the death of my great grandfather the four elder sons came to New Vernon Twp. in Mercer County and built a cabin. The mother and three younger children came. They had very little resources but the mother was a weaver and felt she would get work which was the case.
One of the sons, James, fought in the war of 1812 and was a captain. Charles became a miller and earned much of the food for the family grinding grain for others. He also learned the blacksmith trade and did much toward support of his mother and sister. Charles married a girl who was an only child named Betsy Custard. I believe of Dutch decent. They had 12 children. The four eldest came west at time of gold rush. Two went northern route and two the southern route and were lost in Death Valley. Others in the northern group who returned said they reached California but did not find gold. They did not communicate with the family.
Jane Montgomery and Robert Thompson were married in 1838. Moses and Sara a short time after that and still later Archibald Montgomery lost his first wife and married Robert Thompson's youngest sister Cynthia. All lived in western Pennsylvania and greater number in Mercer County.
Robert and Jane Thompson had 12 children but lost the first six in infancy and childhood including their three sons. Later had six daughters Emmaline, Mary Ann, Martha, Sara (my mother), Maria who died at twenty of diphtheria and Rhoda.
Emmaline had 4 daughters but only one grandchild. She has two great-grandchildren living in Florida.
Mary Ann had two sons, both of which are dead. Edwin had two sons and five grandchildren. Robert had two daughters and two grandsons and one grand-daughter.
Martha remained unmarried. Sara, my mother, had your grandfather and me. Rhoda had four daughters, one died at 8 years of age and there are seven grandchildren. Gertrude and Myrtlee(?) are still living.
Grandfather James McDowell was born in Kentucky but lived his adult life in West Virginia. I do not know grandmothers maiden name but she was a large woman six feet tall and stout. She died in her sleep at 54. It may have been heart or cerebral hemorrhage. There were three sons and 4 daughters. William, Thomas, and Edwin; Sara, Bella, Annie and Bertha. I never knew any of father's people. He came west in 1885 and just disappeared. We never heard after 1888. He had a violent temper and may have met with tragic end.
died of Brights disease
OCCUPATION: Manufacturer of brick & tile
Lewis had six brothers; Valentine Ebinger is a half-brother, the only true son of George Ebinger (#54). Step-father George and mother (#93) brought Lewis to America landing at Beardstown, (possibly Ottawa), IL, in 1854.
He and his brother Nicholas were married at the same ceremony. The barn of the Dieterich Farm, across the road from the Fairgrounds, was a restaurant in 1977. The farm adjoined the brickyard which closed when the clay played out.
From the History of De Kalb County, Illinois: Lewis Dieterich, senior member of the firm of Dieterich & Ebinger, manufacturers of drain tile and brick on the Somonauk road, one mile west of Sandwich, is the son of George and Margaret (Breidenstein) Dieterich, and was born December 26, 1842, in Baden, Germany. His father was a brick-maker and died in Germany. The son was 12 years of age when he accompanied his mother and stepfather, George Ebinger, to America. They had seven children besides him, of whom six are now living. They came across the sea in 1854 and settled at a place now called Streator, La Salle County. They went thence soon after to Ottawa, in the same county, where Mr. Ebinger had a brick-yard and where the younger members of the family were employed early in life, and also secured a comprehensive knowledge of the business. Mr. Dieterich also learned the trade of shoemaker at Ottawa, and in the fall of 1857 came to Sandwich, where he was employed at his trade in the winter seasons, and passed the summers on the farm and in the brickyard. About 1862 he was placed in charge of Emmons & McCoy's brickyard at Sandwich, and officiated in that position two years. In 1864 he bought the claim of Mr. McCoy, and the firm of Emmons & Dieterich operated about two years, when his brother George became a half owner. He carried on his business in this connection two years, when he purchased the entire property, and removed the machinery to its present location about 1870. He bought six acres where the kilns are now situated, and was engaged there in the manufacture of brick. He bought 124 acres adjoining, together with a nice residence. In 1882 he admitted his half-brother, Valentine Ebinger, as a partner, and they are now engaged in the prosecution of an extensive business, including also the manufacture of tile. They have three kilns, and their respective buildings are 36 by 96, 36 by 36, and 20 by 60 feet in dimensions. The first, a main building is three stories high; the others are two stories in height. The main structure is heated by steam, and they employ on an average about 20 men. Their works are in operation all the year, and their products are uti1ized chiefly by home patrons. They do about $20,000 worth of business yearly, and their wares are always in demand, their surplus being shipped West.
Mr. Dieterich was married in Sandwich, January 1, 1866, to Phoebe Haibach. She was born November 14, 1846, and came to the United States in extreme childhood -- when less than three years old. Their children were born as follows: Amelia, Nov 4, 1866; Adeline K. Nov 10, 1868; Ellen E., Feb 27, 1871; Lewis Franklin, Dec 10, 1872; Martin G., April 27, 1875 (died Dec 18, 1878); Herbert M., Feb 9, 1877 (died Dec 13, 1878); Milton G., Jan 1, 1880; Alvah E., March 3, 1882; Roy 0., Aug 22, 1884. The deaths of the deceased children were but five days apart.
John van Lamoen was born John Lamon d'Lapace in Holland of
French parents. He changed his name to van Lamoen to be more
Dutch."John came to America from Holland at age 18. Said their father took the money as the boys worked, so his brother Arnold followed a few years later. Two or three sisters stayed in Holland. They worked for Kimberly Clark (a paper mill) in Kimberly, WI. His brother stayed at Kimberly Clark until retirement, raising 3 girls (Janie, Hattie & Mary).
"My dad left with his buddy Nick De Grant in 1914 to homestead in Montana [near Emory]. They each got 180 acres. Homestead Law -- work the land first year, build home the following year. One never loses a homestead; just need to pay back taxes, etc.
"My Dad visited WI in 1916 and ended up in the hospital where he met and married my mother. (A bit of a story here.) My Dad and some buddies tried to see who could drink the most milk (yes, milk). He was about 38 at the time. My Dad's milk didn't digest so he was off to the hospital where he met my mother who was a Catholic Nun at the time. She worked in the hospital. Dad convinced her to leave the convent and go homesteading. She was in bad health at the time, so was cleared of any obligations to the church. She had been a nun from age 14 to 28 years.
"They married in February and my sister was born in December. Had seven children, but never did get her health back and died at age 50. My mother went back to WI to deliver babies (at her mother's), so until Jerome was born, we were all born in WI.
When my Dad went back to Montana with a bride, Nick De Grant left his homestead to my Dad and took off for California. My mother was in bad health most of her life. Asthma, guitar, heart, etc.
died of asthma
Nun, then rancher's wife
Emma Agnes was a nun from age 14 to 28. She was working in a hospital in Appleton, WI, when John van_Lamoen was a patient. He talked her into marrying him and moving to a ranch in Montana. Life in Montana was very hard.
crushed by railroad cars
Railroad worker
John and Agnes Melcher had 12 children of their own and also took in four children of friends who died in an auto accident.
full blood Creek guard at Lansing prison in Ks
1900 census living in Jefferson Ks
1920 census living in Leavenworth KsChildren
Juanita Bland b: 1910 d 1994
Hiawatha Henderson Bland b: 1/17/1913 d 3/3/1996 Dodge City Ks was mayor
Vivian Bland b: 1914 d 1994
Victor Elkanaha
Wanda Bland b: 1923 d 2001
full blood Cherokee
called Pauly