Sumner County Historical & Genealogical Society

On Monday, March 24th, at 6:30 p.m., Vickie Stangl, Andover, will present the program “Etta Semple – Kansas Free Thinker” to Sumner County Historical and Genealogical Society members and guests at the Wellington Senior Center, 308 S. Washington, Wellington.  In case of inclement weather, contact Jane Moore: 620-447-3266.

Stangl was required to do a “piece on a Kansas person” for her Master’s degree at Wichita State University, and after reading about Etta Semple, she became fascinated, and asked her instructor if she could “write about this heretic in Ottawa.”

Stangl said that Etta Semple, born near Quincy, Illiniois in 1855, had views that were considered radical for the time.

Stangl said that Semple was a humanitarian, and had a state of the art sanitarium, but she was also an activist.

 “She and her second husband were active in the labor movement,” Stangl said.

“I began reading her newspapers and I was fascinated,” Stangl said, adding that she worked on her thesis for three years.

Stangl said that Semple died in Ottawa of influenza in 1914.

Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society Needs Your Help

Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society signed up with AmazonSmile.  AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon that lets customers enjoy the same wide selection of products, low prices, and convenient shopping features as on Amazon.com. The difference is that when customers shop on AmazonSmile (smile.amazon.com), the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charitable organizations selected by customers. 

To help MHGS, first go to http://smile.amazon.com/ch/48-6128821 to direct your support to MHGS.  Then, remember to use the smile.amazon.com site each time you shop at Amazon.com.  Participating in this program does not change the prices you pay, but it will help MHGS raise some much needed funds. 

Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society Hosts Watch Parties

Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society will host watch parties each Monday evening at 7:30 p.m. 1201 North Main, Wichita, KS.

2013 KCGS Conference and Annual Meeting

KCGS 2013 Conference and annual meeting, June 18 . "Research on the Range", Dyck Arboretum, Hesston, KS., 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Registration is required to guarantee lunch and a syllabus.
Speakers will include:

Art Binford	Friends University	Quaker Collection
Ashley Diaz	Emporia State University	ESU Archives at William Allen White Library
Jane Jones	Harvey County Archives	Local Historical Society Collections
John Thiesen	Bethel College	Mennonite Library & Archives Records
Lenora Lynam Lorna Nelson	Lindsborg Old Mill Museum	Swedish & Lutheran Records
Michelle Enke	Wichita Public Library	Wulfmeyer Genealogy Collection at WPL
Patty Nicholas	Ft. Hays State University	Volga German Records at Forsyth Library
Randy Roberts	Pittsburg State University	PSU Archives at Axe Library

Midwest Historical & Genalogical Society Special Interest Group

Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society will begin an Afro-American Interest Group.
The meeting will be at 1203 N. Main, Wichita , 67201, on Saturday, December 15 and January 19th at 1:00 pm.
The purpose is to encourage historical and genealogical study of families of any ethnic group with
special emphasis on Afro- Americans. This informal group will seek to learn more of the history
and factors within the family stories we have been told.
We will demonstrate how to research your family tree with the goal of discovering and
understanding your family history. The discussions will include a variety of methods, including
exploring public records, interviewing older relatives and preserving information. 
 Join us and you may become your family historian.
Jozel Smith Eckels, Chairperson

Genealogy Inspired Crafts

"Genealogy-Inspired Arts and Crafts Projects " — Saturday, September 24th @ 1:00 p.m.
Helen Bortz, presenter — former Midwest president, current MHGS Webmaster, and long-time crafter and dedicated genealogist.

An interesting array of ideas for arts and crafts projects, inspired by and created from Helen's own family research and photo collections, will be presented. Whether you're an amateur crafter or the most experienced artist, this program will show you ways to take your genealogy discoveries and memorabilia and turn them into visually appealing designs to enjoy, share with and make for your family and friends for generations to come. Preserve your treasures with an aesthetic twist! This presentation is open to the public at no charge.

Reno County Genealogical Society

Reno County Genealogical Society officers for 2011 are:

President - Vivian Gobin

Vice-President - none

Treasurer - Kendall Griggs

Corresponding Sec. - Jay Moore

Recording Sec. - Shelia Sage

Footnote Subscription

For the rest of the month of June Members of KCGS may purchase an annual member-ship in Footnote for half price. Just $39.95 is all it costs until July 1st and then the price for our members would go up to only $49.95 for one year. Regular price is $79.95 for one year.
Also for the month of June, KCGS will reap 20% of our total sales. That wouldn’t hurt either.
If you have wanted a chance to see what Footnote.com has to offer, here it is.
Here is the special personalized landing page for our members to go to to enroll. http://go.footnote.com/Kansas%20Council%20of%20Genealogical%20Societies_society/?xid=749

Bus Trip to Oklahoma Historical Society

August 2, 2010 - Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society plans a bus trip to Oklahoma City - Oklahoma Historical Society. Leave MHGS Library at 7AM, Arrive Oklahoma Historical Society at 10AM, Leave Oklahoma Historical Society at 5PM, Dinner TBD, Return to MHGS Library approximately 9:30 PM. Contact Sara Jones at 264-3611 for more information.

Veritage Car Show

Sending A Special Invitation Your Way!
Midwest Historical and Genealogical Society announces its Julyapalooza 2010 — A Read, White and Blue Event on Saturday, July 10th from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at 1203 North Main in Wichita. A select display of antique and vintage cars will be featured along with food,fun, and an interesting array of genealogical books and materials we've never offered before for sale as well as tours of Midwest's own library. Julyapalooza is a first-ever, don't-miss, bring-the-entire-family event open to the public at large — but the welcome mat is especially out for you as our member. There is no admission fee and ample on-street parking is available. Drawings will be held at noon, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. Keep July sizzling by getting out and extending your celebration of fun, food, and wholesome family fare at Midwest. The more, the merrier, so please join us on Saturday, July the 10th!

Midwest Historical & Genealogical Society

The Journals on the 2nd floor of the library are a rarely used treasure. Anyone can tap into this rich source of specialized articles. Find out how to "treasure-hunt" family histories, county and state histories and "how-to" articles from the best, most experienced genealogical researchers around.
Margaret Lucas, Tuesday Librarian presents "How to Use Journals to Accelerate Research" on Feb 13, 2010 (second Saturday) at 1pm at the MHGS Library, 1120 Main. St., Wichita, KS. The class is open to the public, but limited to the first 10 applicants. Call 264-3611 to leave a message, or sign up at the MHGS front desk.
The class will consist of a 15 min presentation followed by 30 minutes of supervised hands-on. Please bring your laptop and some research questions that really "bug" you. Punch and Valentine cookies provided.

"Lincoln Comes to Kansas"

Atchison Genealogical Society will meet Tue, Sept. 1 at 6:30 at the Atchison Library. Jorgine Drake, Referencing and Senior Programs Director of the Troy Library, will give the program: ”Lincoln Comes to Kansas” in honor of the 200^th birthday of Abraham Lincoln celebrated this year. Free to the public, Refreshments served.

Parmelia and Pluma Bailey

Is anyone out there interested in a file folder of family information for John Aberne(a)thy's family and the collateral family of John LaBore? The wives of these families were sisters, Parmelia and Pluma Bailey. Most of the family lived in Wisconsin, but at least three groups came to Kansas to Cawker, Ft Scott, and Salina.

Some of the persons were born in Canada and some in Vermont. Names included are Smith, Brown, Gilbert, Dugas, Duvall, Edgar
Shadowen, Hardwicke.

Also in the file are four photographs: Eliza Nattier, Celenie Nattier, widow of Arthur Nattier, and a baby possibly Lillian Nattier, plus one of the farm home of Lorenz and Aurora Nattier Junker, which was four miles east of Neodesha, Kansas. The Nattier story is that Aurora was born near Clunny (sp) France in 1843 and came to America with her mother Victorine Nattier, about 1856 after her father, mayor of Autreville, France, had been recently assassinated They first went to a farm in Wisconsin near Port Washington. Aurora later married Lorenz Junker, b Germany. They moved to Ft Scott, Kansas in 1870, and then to Neodesha that same year. They were accompanied by Albertine Nattier daughter of Emile and Eliza Nattier, the girl being Aurora's niece.

Aurora, her mother and her husband are buried in Bethel Cemetery. Is that Neodesha?

This material was rescued at an estate sale in Riley County and is available for anyone who has a connection to these families or who will give it a home in their library. email jcrosson@wamego.net