Thursday, December 10, 2009

Meet Joe Maiden

One of the more interesting Maiden ancestors I've discovered during my years of poking around cemeteries and courthouses is a great grand-uncle named Joseph Maiden.

Born to George and Jaley Maiden in Lawrence County, Indiana, in 1841, Joe's mother died in late 1844, and the family then moved to Whiteside County in western Illinois, where his father bought property and took a new wife, Sara Templeman. We know little about Joe's activities in those early years, but he married Maria Grant in December of 1861 in Carroll County, Illinois. Within a couple of years, they were in the vicinity of Tama, Iowa, where most of their eight children would be born and raised. A look at our on-line
Maiden database provides additional details about their children. The last of Joe and Maria's children was Albert, born in Tama, Iowa, in 1879.

For some years, rumors abounded that Joe's wife, Maria Grant, was related to President Ulysses S. Grant. We've found no evidence to support that claim, but it does make a nice story.

By 1884, it appears Joe and his family arrived in northwest Nebraska. He and a friend, George Lowery, drove a team of horses and a wagon from Valentine to Chadron, since the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad (FE&MV) had not yet laid track into communities beyond Valentine. The line had already been taken over by the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, but the name FE&MV remained until 1903.

Joseph Maiden was the first of the Maiden clan to live in the White River area of northwest Nebraska. Chadron was then a part of Sioux County; however, in March 1885, the Nebraska legislature partitioned it into three counties: Sioux, Dawes, and Sheridan. First county elections were conducted in June of that year.

In October 1885, Joseph Maiden was chosen to be the Democratic nominee for Assessor of Chadron Precinct in Dawes County. The Chadron Democrat newspaper wrote that Maiden had "been in this couintry longer than anybody" and was "too well known to require (more) mention" among the candidates. "They are all good men."

Joe Maiden won the November election and became one of the first Assessors in the county.

Information about Joe's personal life gets a bit muddled at this point. We've found no record of what was happening with his family during that period in the early 1880s, but the seven children would have been teens or younger. We did find that he Joe married a Julia Kernell in Chadron in 1888, and another Maiden researcher says he found evidence that Maria Grant Maiden went to the west coast and died in Los Angeles in 1913. Did Joe and Maria divorce?

Joe Maiden was reportedly active in civic affairs and was listed among the members of the International Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) in Chadron. Following the death of his father in 1891, Joe bought the house and lot in Tama, Iowa, that had belonged to his father. He paid $200. His father's attorney, J.W. Willett, detailed the distribution of proceeds in a letter to recipients dated July 8, 1894. Joseph and Julia Maiden appear to have returned to Tama and had a daughter, Minnie, in 1893. Some years later, in December of 1909, he wrote from Tama to John C. Derrick, "I am thinking of going to some new country...."

Within the next few years, in about 1910 or 1911, Joe moved to a farm in Pennington County, South Dakota.

Following the death of his half-brother, William Henry Maiden in 1911, Joe wrote a touching letter to Henry's widow, Dora, in which he described his own dire circumstances and urgiing her to "forget the past" and think of the present and future.

During the next decade of his life, almost nothing is known about Joseph Maiden. He is pictured at left in a four-generation photograph with his daughter Martha Derrick, grandson Marvin, and great grandson Harold Derrick. The picture is believed to have been taken on the west coast -- probably Oregon, where Martha and her family had settled. You may click on the photograph to see a larger image. Whether Joseph had moved to Oregon or was only visiting is not known. His great grandson, Ron Maiden, wrote us some years back that Joseph Maiden died in 1928. We've subsequently received further information that Joe Maiden is buried in a cemetery at Coquille, Oregon, just a few miles up the Coquille River from Bandon, Oregon, where Karen and I visited an old lighthouse last summer.

Alas, ours was not a family research trip, so another chance to learn more about our Maiden family slipped from our grasp. An opportunity to learn more about great grand-uncle Joe!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Two Durham cousins pass away

Two elderly Durham cousins passed away in August. Daisy (Durham) McGuire of Cedar Falls, Iowa – formerly of Chadron, Nebraska – died August 20th at the Western Home Communities Health Center in Cedar Falls. It was just one day after her 91st birthday. Nine days later (8/29/09), in Spearfish, South Dakota, 90-year-old Merle (Durham) Wolfskill – a life-long resident of Crook County, Wyoming – passed away. Daisy Durham McGuire was born August 19,1918 in rural Chadron. She was the daughter of Harold and Elsie (Grimm) Durham. Her cousin, Merle Durham Wolfskill, was born to Tom and Ada (Bear) Durham on their homestead near Seeley, Wyoming, on May 4, 1919. Harold and Tom Durham were brothers. Above is a photograph of the Tom and Ada Durham family, probably taken in the late 1930s. Merle is shown on the far left; then her mother, Ada; her brother, Gale; and father, Tom. Gale Durham was killed in action during World War II fighting in France.
Unfortunately we have no similar photo of the McGuire family. We are posting links to the obituaries of both Daisy McGuire and Merle Wolfskill . To see some other photos of the Durham family, you can visit our Maiden-Durham Gallery.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

A 4-generation Maiden photograph

This is one of our favorite photographs -- a superb four-generation photo of Joseph Maiden and three of his descendants. Therein is the problem, since we don't know when or where the photograph was taken -- or who those descendants are. We do know that Joseph was a half uncle to William Joseph Maiden -- born near Chadron, Nebraska in 1886. Our best guess is that the lady seated in front here is Joeseph's second daughter, Sara Jane (Maiden) Zering Derrick Martin. The younger gentleman standing would be her son, Roy Martin, and Roy's son -- unnamed -- is at left in front.
Regrettably, these identifications are only suppositions, but perhaps someone will happen across this photograph and be able to assist us in identifying those in the picture with greater certainty. This photograph was probably taken sometime in the 1920s. You may click on the photo to see a larger image.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

A Linklater - Durham link?


We’ve grown a bit weary of brick walls in family research.

However, on-line solicitations for assistance can sometimes help to level the playing field; so here’s our latest challenge. Perhaps someone will happen across this plea for help!


The card above was postmarked August 27, 1913 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and sent to Leota Weston in Hulett, Wyoming, c/o “Durhams.” The text of the message says:

"Dear Mrs. Weston: …hope you get this card. I did not get a chance to see you before I left. How’s the S.S. getting along. Wish I was out there with you again cause I miss all of you. With love, Claudia. 836 N. Minn. Ave., S.F."

My question is simply: Might this card be from Claudia Johnson, who would wed Henry Sidney Lawrence Linklater in 1920? They settled in Crook County Wyoming and had at least two children – Claude Arthur Linklater and Harriet May Linklater.

Harriet married Hank Maiden in 1947. Hank was the son of Leota (Durham) Weston Maiden – recipient of the above postcard.

That the card was, indeed, written by Claudia (Johnson) Linklater seems to be a likely scenario, but it’s not a certainty. Anyone who might be able to shed some light on our dilemma is encouraged to contact us by posting a comment below. Many thanks!

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Drullinger family circa 1936


This is believed to be the family of Claude C. "Jack" Drullinger (at right) of Chadron, Nebraska, probably around 1936, although there's no date or other identification with the photo. I believe it may have been taken at the 50th birthday celebration for William J. Maiden at the Maiden homestead on White River about 14 miles northeast of Chadron, Nebraska. Here's the link to the Maiden line: Jack was married to Martha Durham, whose sister, Leota Durham, married William Joseph Maiden in December of 1915.

You can find a bit more information about the Drullingers and Durhams -- as well as the Maidens -- by visiting our on-line database. It's a fairly comprehensive collection of data from all of the many family lines we're research. Among others, it includes these key surnames: Miller, Maiden, Durham, Eckerdt, Derrick, Galey, Cunningham, Thompson, and Milleson. If you visit our Galey and Miller Family History site, we include a few pictures and other information.

If you can help us identify any or all of the individuals in this photo, please drop us an email at galey@rushmore.com

Thanks!



Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Marlin Matthew Mosley obituary

The following obituary appeared in the Sheridan (WY) Press on December 31, 2008.

Marlin M. Mosley, 33, of Casper, formerly of Sheridan, died of natural causes Friday, Dec. 26, 2008, in Casper. Visitation will be 1-4 p.m. Friday at Kane Funeral Home. Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Ranchester Community Church with Pastor Jeff Browning officiating.

Born Sept. 8, 1975, in Sheridan to Bob and Sandra Mosley, he was known to family and friends as "Bouncer" or "Bounce." He grew up and attended school in Gillette. He attended trade school to become a mud engineer and worked in the Wyoming oil fields. He enjoyed spending time with his children, camping, fishing, and motorized dirt biking.

Survivors include three children, Layne, Marlayna and Daltyn, all of Gillette; his mother, Sandra Love Jolley, and stepfather, Ed, of Sheridan; his father of New Mexico; a grandmother, Betty Love Jolovich of Dayton; six siblings, Marla, Rus, Becky, Bobby, Jessica, and Jayne; five stepsisters, Debbie, Syna, Laurie, Eydie, and Marjorie Jolley; and several nieces and nephews

Friday, January 2, 2009

More sad news...

We regret to report another death within the Maiden family line.

News was received this week regarding the death of 33-year-old Marlin Matthew Mosley of Casper, Wyoming, son of Sandra (Love) Mosley Jolley of Sheridan. He passed away in Casper of natural causes on December 26, 2008. He was a grandson of Betty (Maiden) Love Jolovich of Dayton, Wyoming.

Funeral services for Marlin Mosley will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 3, 2009, at the Ranchester Community Church on with Pastor Jeff Browning officiating. A visitation was scheduled earlier at Kane Funeral Home.

Injury, illness and death have been far too prevalent in Sandra's family over the past few months. We'll keep Sandra and her family in our prayers as they deal with these difficult times.