Celia Tyrrell’s Diary 1921-1922

Posted on February 12, 2026 by Lisaperryjd

The past few nights I have been going through my dad’s hard drive, and found the scanned images of my grandmother’s diary, starting when she was 16 years old. She provides a view into the life of a girl in small town South Dakota from over 100 years ago. She was a product of her time and there is a mention of a Masonic show that appears to have been a minstrel show. I have left this information in, as well as following her spelling and punctuation.

The Nelings family mentioned are her maternal aunts and uncles. DeLos and Verne/Vern are her brothers. Tom is her father. I believe Ray is Ray Tyrrell. George Perry is the man she married.

Celia Tyrrell Diary

1921

Saturday September 3rd My birthday. I am Sweet Sixteen and never been kissed. O’ boy, worked hard all morning. Ethel and I rode out to Falters with Verne on the oil truck. Ellen & Rose went up to Calswell to make fancy garters while toot’s and I frosted our birthday cake. We all went up to Dirksens to a Farm Bureau doings and met some kids who drowned us with perfume. Back to ?//p. 2// to fit my dress. Kruegers first school. “Mighty Suspicious.” Poor Walter R. 

Fri 9th Sept. Went to school. Rained in the evening.

Sat 10th. Worked. Went to Claudia’s with Rose. Nearly went to the dance at Dirksens. Got my new oxfords.

Sun 11th Went to Sunday School. Went over to Nelings.

Mon 12th Went to school Got a new teacher. Got a chance to go to the fair. Rained. Ethel & Rose came down in the evening.

Tue 13th. Went to school. Ethel & Rose came down in the evening. Chased all over town. Rained all day. Met the train. Saw Walter and he told us his dad was married. Ellen got her ring back.

Wed 14th Went to school. Got ready to go to the fair but the roads was to damn!! Muddy. Rained.

Thur 15th Sept. No school. Rained all day. No chance to go to the fair now. Cooked wieners & coffee for the R.N.A. Went down and eat some.

Fri 16t Sept Rained all morning. Went to school. [looks like a drawing]

Sat 17th Sept At Last the sun shines. Ah!! Tried on my dress, Went downtown in the evening. Tom and Ray went hunting about 12:00 at night. Got a package of 10 cigarettes from Jack Tracy.

Sun 18th Sept Went down to Vierses. Met the Falter girls coming home. Went and for the Anderson girls and went to church. After church went to the movies. That’s a good idea to go in late as you get in free.

Sept Mon 19th Went to school, Mama went to Iroquois. We got the Anderson girls and went up to Claudias. The boys tick-tacked the window [according to Google, this is taking hard corn kernels and throwing them at a window at night, usually done at Halloween].

Tue Sept 20th Went to school. Saw the rainbow in the northwest, something is surely going to happen. (first time). Went downtown. Learned how to shoot craps from Moris.

Wed Sept 21st Went to school. Went to dance in the evening and didn’t get home until 2:30. The R.N.A. served supper. Ethel stayed home with Claudias kids.

Thur Sept 22nd No school. Teachers at a convention in DeSmet. Ethel and Ellen both here. Ethel and Rose went home in the evening. Ellen and I took care of the kids.

Fri 23rd No school. Ellen here. Took care of Eunice’s kids while she went to Huron. Brot me home some new apron goods. Took Ellen home in the evening and ran out of gas coming home. 

Sat 24th Worked. Didn’t get down town until the show was nearly over but went anyway just to see the girls.

Sun Sept 25th. Bess and Maud over. Tom had blood poisoning. Nelings and Sonny at Lake Byron.

Mon Sept 26th Went to school. Send my sweater to Philipsborn and ordered another one.

Tuesday Sept 27thWent down to see Zumwalt & daily won a box of candy from Floyd [or Lloyd]

Wend Sept 29th Went to school. We Sophmores gave the Freshmen an initiation party. We also invited the juniors. Louise Clay, Agnes Strand, Verne, Rose, Ethel, Ellen, Wallace and I served lunch. (The party let out at 11:00 sharp. Had first frost). Ellen and I did all the entertaining.

Fri Sept 30 Went to school. Ellen and I went down town after school & saw Heine Krueger do fancy stunts with the larett [lariat] rope.

Sat October 1st Was sick. Didn’t go down town at nite but finished crocheting my hat.

Sun Oct 2nd Went over to Nelings and went out hunting chickens.

Mond Oct 3rd Went to school. Rose changed boarding places with Ellen. Rose and I went up to see Ellen and Ethel. Sunny, Bub, and Lloyd went along and tick-tacked the windows. After wards went down town and shot crap and I won $.35 all at one wallop.

Tue Oct 4th Went to school. Went [top of page: Louis Marie was born] down town but came right back. Wrote to Downs. Ethel and Ellen went down town.

Wed Oct 5th Went to a dance here in town and came home at 12:00 sharp.

Thursday Oct 6th Washed our hair. Ethel and Ellen went down town. Went to bed early.

Fri Oct 7th Went to school. Went down town in the evening. We asked George to show us his jewelry, but first he locked the door so we couldn’t get away with any. Ha! Ha! [Top of page (Had a spelling match in Latin)]. His favorite byword was “Diss is de bird dat costs de mon.” Mama and DeLos went to the show. Snowed for the first time. (The Whip)

Sat Oct 8 Changed the house all around. Went to the show. Frank Mayo in “Nevada.” Ellen and Rose went riding with Bub & Glen. Ethel and I had to keep out of sight so Mrs Falter wouldn’t ask where they were. I was sick.

Sun Oct 9th Went out to Falters.

Mon Oct. 10th Made Fancy garters, Raised the dickens while Everyone was down town so they couldn’t stop us. 

Tue Oct 11th went to a show. Comedy “Stuffing the Lions” Serials Eddie Polo “The King of the Circus.” James Corbet “The Midnight Man.” [Likely “The Stuffed Lions”]

Wed Oct 12th Went up to see Ellen and Ethel. Rex and Wallace asked us to go riding on our way home. But we did not go. Sonny hurt his arm.

Thursday Oct 13th Went up to Claudias and got Ethel and went down town. 

Fri Oct 14th Went down to Ray’s after the milk. Got my sweater.

Sat Oct 15th The Lutherans gave a chicken pie supper but I didn’t go. Ellen went out riding. Went to show “Man Without a Country.”

Sun Oct 16 A Sunday School convention is in town. Went over to the Nelings. In the evening went to church.

Mon Oct 17 Went up to Claudias. Ellen and I saw something. Oh “Baby!” [top of page (Mama went to Iroquois to Star)] Ellen and Sonny were along.

Tue Oct 18th Went up to Claudias to stay with Ellen while Claudia went to the serial. Ethel had a date with Walter Richard. Rose had one with Bub but he didn’t keep it so she came up and stayed with Ellen and I. Made candy.

Wed Oct 19th Mama went down to Nichols. Verne went to a dance in Manchester. Lilly Whitrock was over.

Thur Oct 20th. Verne went to a dance in DeSmet. Rose and I stayed home. Mama is at R.N.A. Lodge and Tom at Mason [this is likely her father, Tom Tyrrell]. Verne said Richard and Krueger got married [?] yesterday.

Fri Oct 21st Got invited to a Halloween party given by the Juniors and Freshmen. There is a dance at Olsons. Gee! But Rose and I wanted to go but we couldn’t. Went down to Frye’s.

Saturday Oct 22nd Cleaned our bedroom. Went to the show – Eva Novak in “The Smart Sex.”

Sunday Oct 23rd Stayed home – Went walking with Lilly Whitrock.

Monday Oct 24th Went to school. Gene Cook’s shower.

Tuesday. Oct. 25th Started to read the “House of Seven Gables” but Ellen and Ethel came down so we went to the Eddie Polo & James Corbet show.

Wednesday Oct 26th [racist drawing at top of page] Went to Lyceum course. “Mason’s Jubilee Singer.” All nigers [sic]. Rose and I acted as ushers. Something happened to a person sitting beside us. [string of characters]. I [sic] rained all day. Mama, Mrs Hettlinger, and Mrs Holland gave a farewell part for Mrs Nichol.

Thursday Oct 27th Lady’s aid met at the church. Rose & I washed our hair, took care of Jimmy and read the “House of Seven Gables”

Friday Oct 28th [Top of page: “Went to Hell”] Went to a wonderful, magnificent party. It might have been a party but it didn’t “part” much. All we did was sit around.

Saturday Oct 29th Went to the show with Nadine. Gladys Walton in “Desperate Youth.” A dance as Brooks but thats no sign I can go. Met Chester Warner.

Sunday Oct 30th Went over to Neilings to see Aunt Mame.

Monday Oct 31st Halloween!! Ah!! Ah!! [illustrations of monster, bats, pumpkins and a witch]. Nothing was damaged but Weinie Best’s can – ?! :: ;,!?

Tue Nov 1st Dance in town. Music by Pee Wee’s Orchestra. Rose, Ellen, and I served supper. Freckles Dugdale got stewed.

Wed. Nov 2nd Washed the cups from the dance. Rec’d $1.00 for helping with the supper. Am going to bed early after studying Latin. Puer malus? Puella bona! Uh!

Thur. Nov 3rd Anderson girls were here. Bud Frye and Paul Holland came up and told them Mrs Woodcock wanted them. But we found out that it was just Lloyd & Ralph. Mama at R.N.A.

Friday Nov 4th Claudia called to Manchester. Stayed all night with Ellen.

Saturday Nov 5th Worked all day. Went to the show Carmel Myers in “The Dangerous Moment” in which a man said “Roses are red, violets are blue, you leave here, zen I go too.”

Sun Nov 6 Claudia at a party out to Parry’s in evening. Stayed with Ellen. Aunt Mame came over to stay. Read Love Letters.

Mon Nov 7th Snowing. Rose, Mame, and I sleep in the same bed. Mame gave me a ring with a garnet set in.

Tue Nov 8 Daniel here. Tom took DeLos and him to “Eddie Polo” show.

Wed Nov 9 Went to dance Mame & Mama visited school.

Thur Nov 10 Mama & Mame went to Aid Society. Rose and I did dishes after school.

Fri Nov 11 Armistive day – no school. Went to show in afternoon. Eva Novak in “Up in Mary’s Attic.”

Sat Nov 12 Snowing. Not many in town. Went down town and got some “kisses.”

Sun Nov 13 Took Mame over to Nelings.

Mon Nov 14 Went to school.

Tue Nov 15 Went to Eddie Polo show.

Wed Nov 16 Went to school. B.B. Melham & Bancroft Town Teams. Dance afterward. Did not go.

Thur Nov 17 Went to school.

Fri Nov 18 Went to school.

Sat Nov 19 Worked all day.

Sun Nov 20 Went over to Nelings.

Mon Nov 21 Went to school.

Tue Nov 22 Went to school. Mama at Eddie Polo.

Wed Nov 23 Went to school.

Thur Nov 24 Boys went to Arlington to play B.B. got beat.

Fri Nov 25 Chicken pie supper in Hall by Presbyterian Ladies. We kids waited on table.

Sat Nov 26 Worked. Went to bed at night.

Sun Nov 27 Nelings over. Aunt Mame in Huron. Ethel and I went downtown to Ray’s.

Mon Nov 28 Washed. No school.

Tue Nov 29 Stayed home. Went down to see Lenita Dilla who is at Tobeys.

Wed Nov 30 Getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Thur Nov 31 Thanksgiving. Mame came on the train. Went to show in afternoon. Elmo Lincoln in__. Nelings over. Ellen & I each got a box of candy from Morris McTighe. Went to a dance.

Fri Dec 1 Went up to Claudies to see Helen.

Sat Dec 2 Worked. Telegraph from Bertha [Nelings Manning] that John [Manning] is very low come immediately. Chester & Seine [?] took Myrtle & I to the show.

Sun Dec 3 Went over to Nelings to kiss Mame goodby. She left at night.

Mon Dec 4 Anderson girls started staying at Claudias.

Tue Dec 5 Stayed at home.

Wed Dec 6 Went to school.

Thur Dec 7 Lodge. Rose & I stayed all night with Eunice. Went to school.

Fri Dec 8. Rose stayed in.

Sat Dec 9 Took care of Eunice’s kids while she went to her Uncle Jacks funeral. Rose went home so she could go to farm bureau meeting.

Sun Dec 10 Went down to Rays and made Ice Cream. Ann  I went to show with Ed & Wallace.

Mon Dec 11 Started practicing for Christmas. Ellen started staying here.

Tue Dec 12 Practiced before show.

Wed Dec 13 Went to school.

Thur Dec 14 Practiced.

Fri Dec 15 Ellen stayed in.

Sat Dec 16 …

Got too lazy to keep a diary so will just jot down a few of the most important things.

Fri Dec 21 Willow Lake HS & Bancroft HS played basketball. BHS won score 23-9. We girls served lunch after the game.

Tue Dec 25 Christmas. Nelings over. DeLos and I went down to Ray’s for supper. They had a little house in the center of the table all decorated. I went down to Frye’s and learned how to play “500.” Some game, I’ll say.

Sun Jan 1st New Year. Forgot what I did.

Wed Jan 4th Went to a dance. Mert & I each had to leave with about 12 dances ahead.

Saturday June 17 Ice Cream social by Fresh ladies. Squashed litin bugs in Costello’s trees. But “litnin” bugs were not the only things that were squashed. I wore links in my hair. [dried flowers taped to page]

Mon June 26 Frye’s came home but lost a wheel the other side of Willow Lakes so George Perry & I took a different one up to them got home at 12:00.

Thursday June 29th Fred Rusco [?] took George P, Murt & I all to Iroquois to Chautauqua. It rained like the dickens. Coming home I got drenched to the skin and Myrtle got seasick.

July 1st 2nd & 3rd Sat and Sun & mon. Mr and Mrs Bankert Zetta, Myrtle & I were all at Jim River fishing. About all Myrt & I brought home were jiggers [chiggers?] they nearly drove us crazy.

Tue July 4th. Went to Spirit Lake & scratched jiggers. In the evening Myrt, Ethel & I were all cussing the luck so Mrs Frye & family, Ethel & I all went up to Ohlson’s to the Dance. We only stayed about 7 dances. There was a terrible crowd.

Thur July 6. The Masonic lodge was installed here. I & Mable Johnston served supper. At each a cute little bouquet like this one was placed [dried flowers taped to paper]. Went up to the hall after supper and Danced.

Sat July 8th. I started down town and as I was going by Bests I found 2 four-leaf clovers without even looking for them. I hope it means good luck for sure. Mrs house gave me a carnation. [4 leaf clovers taped to paper].

Thur July 13 Fat took Sene, Ethel & I all to Iroquois Sport Day. We stayed a short time to the dance. Myrt and George came to the dance, too.

Interesting Sunday which I spent during the Summer 1922.

May 28 Ed Winsman, Hogen, George Perry, Myrtle, George Flesmert and I all went to Vienna to a BaseBall game. Went to Bryant for first time. Came home by Willow Lake and had supper there. At a farm house this side of Bryant and picked some lilacs and Ed stole 6 eggs. He and Hogen each sucked [?]

June 4 Basil Dill’s folks and Betty up from Arlington. Mert and I could have gone to a ball game but Betty & Ethel had to be here to go home when the car did. Fatty & Zene went up to Andersons. Mert took the rest of the family & I riding in the evening.

June 11 Fry’s, George P and I all went to Patterson’s school house to a ball game. On the way home we had a blow out. We picked some wild roses. The Anderson Girls, Zene, Fatty & George P were all here for Myrt and I to serve supper to. Went to show with G.P. wore yellow rose. Myrt went to church.

June 18th went to Willow Lake fishing. George Schulter and Alice Sattauf held down the back seat of Satauf’s Hudson all afternoon.

Sun June 25 [erased] Day, Had a wonderful program were red rose which Nell Samuelson gave me. We gave a drill. Rose stayed all night with me as she had to tend [illegible] monday. She went to the show with Fatty & I went with Lloyd Tobey.

Sun July 2nd. At Jim Reves. Myrt & I got jigger for traipsing about a mile to fish for pike and then we didn’t catch any. As we came back to the tent I picked these flowers.

Sun July 9th. Went to a ball game at WL with Ed. Went over to Nelings in the evening. Picked the first large pansy which I raised this year.

What follows appears to an address book that is from a couple of years after the diary.

Miss Pauline McAllister

641 Colorado Ave

Huron SD

Miss Sophie Bakken

Box 634

238 Beach Ave.

Huron SD

Mr Vern Tyrrell

1001 S Kline Ave 

Aberdeen SD

Mrs Mame Swale

5261-12th Ave NE

Seattle WA

Mr Orval Thorsness

466 Simmons Ave 

Huron SD

A.P. Jones

509 Glenwood Ave

Charleston WV

Mrs Jack Swale

800 East 55th St

Seattle Wash

Robert E. Downs 

6215 S Bishop Ave

Chicago Ill

Miss Mary Tyrrell

1067 Dak. Ave. 

Huron SD

Mrs Louise Tyrrell

1015 Wis. Ave.

Huron SD

Mrs Art Hanson

9 Ohio Ave

Huron SD

Miss Bessie Manning

610 Pasadena St

Whittier Cal

Sophie Bakken

Virgil SD

℅ Frank Curtis

Mr Stacy Poole

353 Utah Ave

Huron SD

Muriel Potter

6622 Utah Ave

Huron SD

Harvey Tyrrell

458 Mont Ave

Huron So Dak

Iona Fortune

900 Wis. Ave. 

Huron, So Dak

Alma Walz

807 Colorado Ave

Huron, So Dak

Harriet Rowcliff

Yankton SD

200 E 4th St

Esther Magill

Dak Ave

Huron SD

Mrs Joe Engel (Betty Dill)

Arlington SD

Posted in 1920s, Nelings/Neilings/Neelings, Perry, South Dakota, Swale, Tyrrell | Tagged | Leave a comment

Name Change Mystery

Posted on December 11, 2025 by Lisaperryjd

I am back from England and doing supplemental research on Tirrells and Bescobys found there.

Sarah Tirrell, the daughter of Philip Tirrell and aunt of Thomas Bescoby Tirrell (my 4th great-aunt), was born in Horbling, Lincolnshire, about 1831. According to Massachusetts Marriage Records, in 1860, she married a Charles Augustus Ferdinand Wenskowsky in Boston MA, USA. It was her second marriage, as her first husband, Thomas Brown, seems to have died in England soon after the marriage.

One part of the mystery comes in December 14, 1863. Charles, Sarah, and their daughter, Caroline Louise, change their names to Bowers (Massachusetts Name Changes, 1780-1892). They are living in Chelsea MA. There is no record of Charles, her husband, changing his name. In fact, Civil War draft records list a Charles Wenskowsky, married, living in Malden and working as a watchmaker. His marriage record lists him as a mariner. The 1864 Chelsea Directory lists a Charles Wenskowsky living in Chelsea and working at a powder magazine.

It appears that Charles and Sarah had more children. The 1870 US Census lists a Charles and Sarah Bowers living in Brooklyn, Ward 13, with 2 daughters Caroline (7) and Jennie (7 months), and 2 sons Frank (4) and Edwin (2). Charles is working as a furniture dealers and by 1875 they are doing well enough to have a servant.

The State of New York Death Certificate and Record of Death in Queens states that a Sarah Bowers died on November 4, 1901 of pneumonia and heart disease. This appears to be Sarah Tirrell, as the certificate lists her parents as Philip and Sarah Tirrell from England. She is a widow at this time, living in a tenement at 127-3rd St in the 1st Ward. She had been in New York City for 1 year and in the US for 45 years. She was buried at Cypress Hill on November 6th. There is also a Charles F Bowers buried in same section and lot who died in 1876, as well as a George B Bowers in the same section and lot who also died in 1876. The Charles Bowers who died in 1876 is likely Sarah’s husband, as the 1880 US Census lists a Sarah Bowers, widowed, with Carrie, Frank, Edwin, and Jenny living in Queens. Sarah is keeping house.

The second part of the mystery involves other Wenskowskys who changed their names to Bowers. The Massachusetts Name Changes records do have a Herman Bowers, living in Boston, changing his name to Herman Wenskowsky in 1875. It appears this might have been an error, and Wenskowsky changed his name to Bowers. There is a Herman Wenskowsky took the oath of US Naturalization on October 18, 1875 as well as a Massachusetts birth record that lists a son, Adolph. There is a Herman Wenskowsky estate index from Alleghany, PA in Nov 1921, that lists an Adolph Bowers as executor. In 1890s, there are 4 Wenskowsky men living in Pittsburgh at 99 Dinwiddie. One is an Adolph Wenskowsky. Another is an Edwin Wenskowsky, who was a musician. The Feb 9, 1898 Pittsburgh Press reports that the No 2 Common Pleas court allowed Edwin Wenskowsky to change his name to Edwin Bowers. I imagine there is more to come in exploring the Wenskowskys.

Posted in 1850s, 1860s, 1870s, 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, England, Lincolnshire, Massachusetts, New York, Tyrrell | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Genealogical travels

Posted on October 14, 2025 by Lisaperryjd

I’m about to head to Lincolnshire, England, to do some on the ground genealogy work on the Tirrell/Tyrrell and Bescoby families. Not sure what I can find out, which is exciting.

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John Walker Nelings

Posted on July 9, 2025 by Lisaperryjd

The Nelings family appeared to have a history of unmarried siblings who lived together on farms. My dad would tell of fond memories he had on his great aunts and uncles farm in South Dakota. James, Henry Claude, David Dickie, Sarah Maud, and Bessie Nelings lived on the family farm and homestead in Foster Township. My dad would spend most of the summer there working on the farm and many Sunday meals would be at the new farmhouse. The farm was owned by the bachelor brothers, and the sisters took care of the house.

Back in Chester County, Pennsylvania, the unmarried great aunts and uncles of the South Dakota Nelings also lived on a farm passed down to the brothers. The farm, with smaller acreage, was originally owned by their father, John Walker Nelings (1806-1881, married to Mary Brady). John Walker Nelings, Jr. (1854-1902), Alexander Nelings (1852-1922), Maria Nelings (1850-1902), and Martha W. Nelings (1856-1924) all remained single and lived together at the family farm throughout their lives.

The history and size of the farm can be found in legal notices in local papers, as well as county tax records.

10/30/1870: The Jeffersonian (West Chester) reports that the farms of William Worth were sold. One farm, of 129 acres and 74 perches, was sold to John Neelings.

1871-Chester Co. Tax Records (all from Chesco.org) list John W. Nelings in Lower Oxford. John Neelings & Sons. 70 acres at $55, 2 horses $150. 1 carriage $75. No watch listed on tax record.


1872-Chester Co Tax Records lists in Lower Oxford. John Nelings & Sons. 70 acres at $3850. 3 horses $250. 2 cattle yoke oxen $170. Carriage. $75


1881-Chester Co Tax Records. John Nelings & Son in Lower Oxford. 70 acres at $40. 8 acres at $35. 4 horses at $50. 5 cattle at $20. 1 carriage at $50.

1882-Chester Co Tax Records. Estate of John Neelings joint owner. Alexander is named. Lower Oxford. Same property with exception of 3 cattle. John W. Nelings, the father, passed away in 1881.

1885-Chester Co Tax Records. John Nelings, Jr., with brother Alex in Lower Oxford. 70 acres at $40/acre. 8 acres at $35/acre. 4 horses. 2 cattle. 1 carriage.


1888-Chester Co Tax Records. Listed with brother in Lower Oxford, Mount Vernon PO. One farm. 21 acres, 66 acres, 12 acres timber, 4 horses, 8 cattle.


12/5/1888-(West Chester) Daily Village Record reports that a farm of 54 acres belonging to estate of late William Brady was sold to John Neilings for $20/acre. Brady is likely related to John’s mother.


1889-Chester Co Tax Records. Listed with brother as co-owners of 2 separate farms. Lower Oxford/Mount Vernon PO. 45 acres, 5 acres of timber. 75 acres, 12 acres of timber, 5 horses, 7 cattle.


1890-Chester Co Tax Records. Listed with brother as co-owners of 2 separate farms. Lower Oxford/Mount Vernon PO. 45 acres, 5 acres of timber. 75 acres, 12 acres of timber, 5 horses, 5 cattle.


1895-Chester Co Tax Records. Listed with brother as co-owners of 2 separate farms. 75 acres. 12 acres, 4 horses, 11 cattle and 50 acres. Mount Vernon PO. NW of modern Oxford.


1899-Chester Co Tax Records. Listed as co-owner with brother of 2 separate farms. 1. 75 acres, 12 acres, 4 horses, and 5 cattle. 2. 50 acres, 30 acres.

1900-Chester Co Tax Records. Listed as co-owner with brother of 2 separate farms. 1. 75 acres, 12 acres, 4 horses, and 8 cattle. 2. 50 acres, 30 acres.

John Walker Nelings, Jr. died suddenly on September 6, 1903 from heart trouble. He was found on the floor in the stable of the barn by Alexander. One sister, Maria, predeceased him on January 10, 1902, from pneumonia. Alexander and Martha remained on the farm until the 1920s. Alexander died on August 27, 1922 and Martha died on May 5, 1924.

Atlas of Chester Co, Pennsylvania, 1873. philageofhistory.org
Chester County, Pennsylvania, 1883. philageofhistory.org
Blue areas are approximate locations of the Nelings farms from 1870s-1920s

Posted in 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, Nelings/Neilings/Neelings, Pennsylvania, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A.H. Marsland

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Lisaperryjd

For the past 11 months I have been going through photos and ephemera that my mom and dad had. It seemed like at least once every few years my sisters and I would go through the boxes with my dad. We would read the Civil War letters, study the daguerreotypes, and just generally listen and learn. In the last few years of my dad’s life, he remembered less about the items and who owned them or where they came from, especially when asked directly. He was still very interested in them, but the details of who these photos was just out of reach.

I have been working to preserve and catalog the items in order to share them with the greater family.

One such person is Albert Henry (A.H.) Marsland. We have a photo of him in what appears to be a uniform. A handsome man with a luxuriant mustache, hat, double breasted jacket, with his right hand in his jacket and his left clutching what might be gloves. He has what is likely a canvas cross-body bag. On the back is “Minett Photos…J. A. Glendenning, Madison SD.” The date is August 4, 1898. His name and the name of my great-aunt [Sarah] Maud [Nelings] is on the back.

I decided to do a little digging, as I knew nothing about him. In fact, I thought he might have been a beau of Maud.

A.H. Marsland was born June 11, 1855 in Burlington WI to Thomas H (T.H.) and Sarah Marsland and died on November 28, 1933 in Green Bay WI. As a child, his family moved to Missouri. He married Mary Nelson in 1879 in Kansas in front of a probate judge and by 1880 was living in South Dakota with his uncle, William Metcalf. The 1900 US Census reports that he could not read or write but was doing well enough to have a servant.

In 1883, A.H. traveled back to Burlington WI, lauding the economic and agricultural opportunity in Lake County. According to the Lake County Leader (reported in the Burlington (WI) Free Press on April 24, “Mr. Marsland is a reliable man, and a rustler, and has done as much as any one man in this section toward settling Lake county with first-class citizens.” His father, Thomas, was not as enamored with Dakota Territory. That same year, he visited his son and returned with him to Wisconsin. Thomas said “those who have good homes in the States had better remain” (Burlington (WI) Free Press, April 24, 1883, p. 1).

A.H. was a member of the International Order of Odd Fellows, Madison lodge 20. in 1890.

In the 1890s, A.H. worked as a janitor and engineer at the Madison Normal School (the teacher’s college, now known as Dakota State University). He was responsible for plumbing the school for hot and cold water, as well as repiping the steam heat and radiators (Madison Daily Leader, Aug 29, 1893, p. 3). The South Dakota Report of the Auditor (1894) shows he was paid $866.69 for his work as a janitor/engineer. The Madison paper lauds him as “conscientiously devoted to the comfort of the students and the interest of the state.”

A.H. traveled with several people from Madison S.D. to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He may have tried the Ferris Wheel, Juicy Fruit gum, and Cracker Jacks, which all debuted at the Fair.

Marsland had moved back to Wisconsin by 1913, although he made frequent trips back to South Dakota, including the Black Hills.

I wonder if Marsland’s family has a photo of Sarah Maud Nelings among their family papers and wonder who she was.

Posted in 1880s, 1890s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, Dakota Territory, Nelings/Neilings/Neelings, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

A hiatus

Posted on August 8, 2024 by Lisaperryjd

My dad died suddenly of pancreatic cancer. It took 6 weeks from first indication until his death. In all other respects he was an active, vibrant cognitively with it 93 year old. I moved closer to him in May and moved him into my new house in June. He had but a brief time to enjoy the views of the mountains and the orchard.

I am unable to more.

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

New Hampshire Grants

Posted on August 10, 2023 by Lisaperryjd

In all my research about Cheney land ownership in Vermont, I didn’t even think to look at the history of land ownership in New England. And doing so made me realize how little I learned and know about the history of Colonial America and the 18th century in New England.

For example, the New Hampshire Grants, which were the original grants of land in present-day Vermont made by then-Governor of New Hampshire, Benning Wentworth. These grants were made starting in 1741 and continued through 1766 (https://vermonthistoryexplorer.org/the-new-hampshire-grants). Grants include the towns of Neshobe (now Brandon), Rutland, and Tinmouth.

Thomas Jeffreys map of 1774 from Vermont Historical Society

There was a wrinkle in Benning’s plan to extend the reach of New Hampshire, and that was the colony of New York and King George III. In 1764 the Lieutenant Governor of New York, Cadawallader Colden, reached out to the King for a decision on where the boundary between New York and New Hampshire was. The King said the Connecticut River, which is now the eastern border of Vermont. As a result, the European settlers who paid money for a New Hampshire grant were now asked to pay another purchase price to New York to keep their land ( http://Vermont Historical Society. “The 14th State.” Vermont History Explorer. Accessed August 11, 2023. https://vermonthistoryexplorer.org/the-14th-state). Ethan Allen and the Green Mountain Boys came out of this dispute over paying additional moneys for land they had already purchased, running off anyone who came from New York to try and enforce the King’s decision.

The Colony of New York mapped out areas of Vermont and there are some detailed maps showing ownership. The approximate locations of the town of Brandon and Rutland Vermont are shown on one such map, below, circled in green, with Brandon being north of Rutland. They appear to be part of a Charlotte County which was a colonial county in New York created in 1772 and contained western Vermont. (Charlotte County was named after Princess Charlotte, the daughter of George III. In 1784, the name of the county was changed to Washington County, after George Washington. http://www.nygenweb.net/charlotte.htm)

A map of the inhabited part of Canada from the French surveys, with the frontiers of New York and New England. Library of Congress. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3401f.ar015201/?r=0.484,0.551,0.09,0.119,0

While the colonies were fighting the war of independence, New Hampshire, New York, and the Vermont Republic were also squabbling over boundaries. In 1777, the Vermont Republic claimed the eastern part of Charlotte County (which is now part of Vermont) when the Vermont Constitution was signed. New York ignored Vermont’s claim.

Vermont was an independent state for 14 years before it became part of the United States in 1791. The both New York and New Hampshire blocked the Continental Congress from letting Vermont in as a U.S. state. During this time, Ethan Allen and his brother even toyed with the idea of rejoining the British by attaching Vermont to Quebec (https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/1790-deal-vermont-statehood-finally-emerged/). Finally, in 1790, New York accepted a deal with Vermont to exchange the land for $30,000 (just shy of a $1 million in 2023 dollars https://www.officialdata.org/us/inflation), clearing the way for Vermont’s admittance into the United States.

I do not yet know how the New York and New Hampshire grants impacted the Cheneys’ 1780s purchase of land in what is now Brandon Vermont.

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Edward Cheney Purchase of Land in 1783

Posted on May 31, 2023 by Lisaperryjd

This land seems to provide the year that Edward Cheney moved from New Hampshire to Vermont. Both Robert Muzzy, gentleman, and Edward Cheney, yeoman, were from Dublin NH. This sale of land states it is in Neshobe, VT. Edward Cheney’s land that was surveyed two years prior does not give a town location. Since the survey is found in the Brandon town records, it was likely in Neshobe. Neshobe became Brandon in October of 1784. The deed was not recorded for another 3 years.

A unique feature of this deed is how the date was written: “this fifth day of July in the seventh year of American Independence AD 1783.” I have not seen a reference to American Independence in other deeds.

Brandon Land Records, Vol. 1, Page 103

Know all men by these presents that I Robert Muzzy of Dublin in the county of Cheshire and state of New Hampshire gentlemen for and in consideration of the sum of 20 pounds lawful money to me in hand paid from the delivery paid before the delivery hereof by Edward Cheney of Dublin in the county and state aforesaid yeoman the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge have given granted bargained sold & released and by these presents do give grant bargain sell [aline?] release convey and confirm to him the said Edward Cheney his heirs and assigns all my rights and title that I have to one whole right or sheir of land in the township of Neshobe in the county of Rutland and state of Vermont Aaron Brown being the original grantee of the said right or sheir.

To have and to hold the said granted premises with the appurtenances thereof to him the said Edward Cheney his heirs and assigns forever to their proper use and benefit and behoof forever hereby engaging to warrant and defend the said granted premises against all lawful claims or demands of any person or persons claiming from by or under me or the original grant tour in witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal this fifth day of July in the seventh year of American Independence AD 1783 signed sealed and delivered in presents of us

John Muzzy } State of New Hampshire

John Knowlton}  Cheshire the 16th day of July 1785

Robert Muzzy [seal]

then the above named Robert Muzzy personally appeared acknowledge the above written instrument to be his free act indeed before me Joseph Greenwood Justice of the Peace

This deed recorded February 2nd 1786 by [Jed?] Horton T Clerk.

Edward Cheney purchase of land 1786
Edward Cheney land purchase 1784
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1784 Survey of Edward Cheney’s Land

Posted on May 26, 2023 by Lisaperryjd

From Brandon Survey Book.

Laid out to Edward Cheney 44 acres of land on the right of Aaron Brown beginning at the SE corner of No 17 first division then E 13 rods and 6 links to a stake & stones for a corner then S 73 rods to N Strongs NE corner No55 in the 2nd Divis then W 84 rods to the NW corner of said 55. then N 30 degrees W 24 rods to the SW corner of No 17 aforesaid then E 30 degrees N to the first bounds containing 44 acres likewise 11 acres lying in another place bounded as follows the first corner in the SE corner of No 22 in the first division Then E 11 rods to a stake & stones for a corner then N 160 rods to a stake & stones for a corner then W 11 rods to the NE corner of 22 then South on said 22nd to the first bounds laid out for a 3d divis November 6 1784 by us

Noah Strong }

John Mott} Committee

John Daggert, Surveyor

Recorded November 14th 1784

1784 Survey of Edward Cheney’s land in Brandon VT
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1800 Survey of Edward Cheney’s land in Brandon VT

Posted on May 24, 2023 by Lisaperryjd

Brandon. June 18th day 1800. Then surveyed for Edward Cheney 20 acres of land in said Brandon for part of a 4th division of the right of Aaron Brown beginning as a stake in east line of the post road 7 rods and 17 links E of the S.E. corner of the 2nd divis lot on the right of Benjamin Powers then on the highway N 20 degrees E 70 rods & 7 links to a stake & stones then east 1 degree N on the South line of the 2d divis lot laid to Elijah Powers 50 rods to a pile of stones on the ledge then S 25 degrees W 70 rods & 17 links to a white birch sapling then W 1 degree S 50 rods to the place began at. Surveyed by Caleb Henderson senior surveyor

Ephraim Cheney}

 James Wheeling} Chairmen

recorded June 19th 1800 by me Gideon Horton [Illeg] Clk.

1800 survey of Edward Cheney’s land
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