​​Armchair Genealogist

Part I

 

 

Dear DoLores,                                                                                                1968

 

   I don’t know much about any of either side of our family. I’ll put down all I know.

 

   My father was born in Albany, Illinois March 28, 1856 & Ma was Catherine Burkle born in Albany, Illinois April 25th 1866 & I think they were married in 81 or 82. I don’t know where. They had Abner James McMahan born April 23rd 1883 in Algona, Iowa & I was Effie Olive McMahan born at Rodman, Iowa June 29, 1886. Mary McMahan born at Albany, Illinois April 3, 1888. Leo was born Beauford, Minnesota November 30th 1892 & died in July 8th 1893 at Davenport, Iowa. And Abner I don’t know when or where he died & Mary died June 24th 1917 in Chicago, Illinois. Pa died May 30th 1904 in Davenport, Iowa & Ma July 8th 1908 in Davenport, Iowa.

 

   That’s our family & my Bernice Vera Folk born May 25th 1905 and married Nov, 1924 & you can put down your family.

 

   I remember Huey, if that’s the way to spell it, was Louellas brothers name. Her man was Arue or Rue Smith. Three in that family was Smiths.

 

   Well, heres what I know about Albany people. Grandpa must have had brothers, Uncle Joe McMahan, wife Mary, who she had been I don’t know. They had three girls: Susie, Veenie & Luellas mother, (I don’t know if I ever heard what her name was) & a boy. Their last name was McDonald. He lived in Clinton like Rue. Susie married Babbit & had Arthur Devore, they called him. Then Mary, she married an Osburn & Hazel & Ruth & Dwight & raised that girl that Den had. He lives in Texas & Mary & Hazel lives in California.

 

  Then there was George Hogan & Elizabeth Geyheart & Becky Hogan, was suppose to be grandma’s half brother & sisters, I think step sisters & brother. They all lived in Albany, Illinois. Might get these Becky Hogans kids thru Albany records.  That’s them.

 

   Uncle Oliver was a banker, grandpa’s brother. Had no children  & there must have been two more brothers, Charlie’s & little Joes father. Charlie had 3 girls, Bessie, Florence & Myrtle. But I don’t know their married names. …. Took care of & hired at Saddle Club in Camanche, Iowa & Joe McMahan must have some kids living yet in Clinton, Charlie was a bridge builder & worked Bell Telephone.

 

   Then there was a Bill McMahan that married Stellas dads sister _____ Beyers. So Stella had two Uncle Bills & we tried to look up his boy once when I was up there. Veenie married a Smith, she’s Susie’s sister & had 10 kids. Della & Guy is all I remember & did had 10 kids.

 

   Aunt Merve (Minerva) Pa’s sister lived in Clinton, had a boy & girl. He had quiet a few kids. Jim Whistler was his name & girl was Bertha, she was a Dooley. (He was a captain on the river. Dully run a livery stable & they had two girls, Bernice & Vivian. And grandpa had two sisters in Albany, Harriett & Phebe. One married a Young & one was a Ewing. You know Harry Young that piloted the ferry from R.I. to Davenport. He piloted first boat up Ukon in Alaska & drove first dog team. Maybe they know whos who. I forgot.

 

   ( The following was marked out, like she changed her mind about writing all of it, but it is still readable)

 

   You can fill in  this if you want. George has Dori ( Sue or son) Brigham. You remember she was a baby with Charles. Her girl is being married. He’s taking pictures. She’s being married the 6th. Mabel wanted me to up to Ethel Jeans for two weeks but I want to go to the wedding. Have had a festival on street for few days, pony pull. Went park one day with Mabel & Bernice, they went to GR  but not me. I went to town. Mabel had two kids & was entertaining them & she picked me up to go along. Didn’t want to be with two kids. We went to Chicken Charlies Wednesday. Had nice dinner. $1.60 mine come to. We got $1.00 apiece from Clarabelle. We need rain terrible, every thing drying up. Had pickles, cabbage, lots of beans, turnips, lettice. So far I’ll bet my corn will dry up again. I’m tring to water peppers, tomatoes & melons. Got some on.

 

   Man next door gave us a thing out of bee hive. We earned the honey. I hoed flowers yesterday, ground was so hard. We have 4 long rows & I was all in but they were dying, ground so hard. George hasent gone thru with that thing, not once. Next time I put in any thing, will be half that width.

 

   Well they left, she’s got a beautiful dress, a blond like her dad. I don’t know much. We had ham & beans & red raspberries this noon. Cabbage & lettuce, that new cabbage that’s all now got color. Move on if you can’t make this out.

 

Write me, love Effie

 

 

Part II

(Some info is repeated but with a little extra added.)

 

Effie Olive McMahan married January 28th 1904 to John Henry Folk, one daughter, Bernice Vera Folk, born May 25th 1905 and married to George Lindsley October 9th 1933. George's middle name is Harrison, no children. Bessie McMahan married to Charlie Swank November 27th 1924, one son Charles born Sept. 11th 1925

 

Hope you can make sense out of this.

 

Uncle Joe McMahan wifes name Mary and three girls, the Mrs. McDonald, I don't know her name, had Houghy & Louella, who we called Diddie, married Arue Smith, had 10 children. Last I knew of her, she lived in Minneapolis. Houghy lived in Clinton & Susie had Arthur, Mary, Hazel by Babbott and Dwight & Ruth by Ed Justice. And she raised Dens or Arthurs girl, I forgot her name. She married a Hale & Venia married a Smith and had about 10 kids too. Ulla, Guy & Della is all I remember fer thats Uncle Joes family.

 

Uncle Oliver was a banker in Clinton, I only seen him once. Grandpa had two sisters, Harriott & Pheve, one was a Young. That Harry Young piloted the ferry across river for years. Was the boy & one was a Ewing. And grandma had half or step sisters & brother George Hogan & daughter mary & His wife Hester & second one Lizzie & Elizabeth Geyheart & Phebe Hogan, she had a girl, I can't remember her married name. I can still see her, flies and all.

Then Charlie & Joe McMahans dad must of been a brother of grandpa. They were brothers & cousins to a pa. Then a Bill McMahan dad must of been another brother of of grandpas. He married Stella's dads sister, a Beyers, so she had two Uncle Wills. We tried to look up one day when we was up there but he was a fisherman. They had a big write up in paper about him but housing was so terrible down along river she didn't want Pauline to see how poor her people was, so she asked to forget about it.

 

Well Charlie was a bridge builder & Joe too. He stayed with us when they built bridge at dam. Joes one little boy shot & killed a boy, 17. Charles had three girls, Bessie, Florence & Myrtle. Charlie was a big shot at Telephone Company in Clinton, Iowa. Pa's sister, Aunt Manerva Whistler had a boy & girl, Bertha Dooley. He run a livery stable & Uncle Jim piloted boats on river & now what I know of us & thats not much. I don't have any idea when they were married or where, but I imagine Albany.

 

(another crossed out section)