Albert George and Nellie Esther (Roberts) Patridge

I recently went to visit one of my sisters who lives in Ohio. While there we went down to visit with her son who lives in Amelia, Ohio. This was my first visit to his home so I got the grand tour. When we walked into what they called the "Victorian Room" I noticed some really neat old pictures on the dressers. I asked if the people were related and was told that they were pictures he had purchased at an antique store. He loves antiques and collectibles. Out of curiosity I checked the backs of the pictures and sure enough, some of them had names on them. Unfortunately there were some that had no names as well. I proceeded to take photos of all the pictures so I could see if I could find out more about the people in them and see if I could find any living relatives who might be interested in the photos I took. When I got to my other sister's house (she lives in Ohio as well) I started doing some research on the identified photos.

Let me introduce you to Albert George and Nellie Esther (Roberts) Patridge.

Mr. and Mrs. Albert George Patridge
1907

Albert George Patridge was b. 13 Jan 1882 in Grant Co., South Dakota, the son of Albert Lewis and Elizabeth Josephine "Lizzie" (George) Patridge. He married Nellie Esther Roberts, 15 May 1907 in Milbank, Grant, South Dakota. The above photo is of them on their wedding trip. In the 1900 census, Albert was living with his parents in Vernon, Grant, South Dakota. In the 1910 census, he is living with Nellie in Vernon, Grant, South Dakota. By the 1920 census, Albert and Nellie had moved to Milbank, Grant, South Dakota and that's also where they were living in the 1930 census. When Albert filled out his World War I Draft Registration Card on 12 Sep 1918 he indicated that he was a salesman of automobiles and tractors for the Milbank Auto & Supply Co. He had two brothers, Arthur and Irving Theodore and two sisters, Esther and Mary E. Albert died 20 Apr 1964 in Big Stone Co., Minnesota.


Nellie Esther Roberts was born Nov 1888 in Blue Earth Co., Minnesota, the daughter of William H. and Ida E. (Dyer) Roberts. In the 1895 census, she was living with her parents in Little Rock, Morrison, Minnesota. In the 1900 census, she was living with her parents in Latah, Spokane, Washington. That is pretty much all I was able to find out about Nellie.

Albert and Nellie had three children: Alice E., born about 1911 in South Dakota; Dorothy I., born about 1917 in South Dakota; and Glenn William, b. 10 Jul 1923 in South Dakota and died 11 Mar 1999 in Milbank, Grant, South Dakota. Alice married Arthur W. Nelson, 18 Jun 1939 in Milbank, Grant, South Dakota. Glenn William married Dorothy Jane Matt, Aug 1946 in Grant Co., South Dakota. Dorothy was born 8 Mar 1919 and died 16 May 2000 in Milbank, Grant, South Dakota.

Once I found this information on Albert and Nellie I decided to post a message on the Message Boards for the surname Patridge. It wasn't long after I posted my message that I got a message from someone who knew a granddaughter of Albert and Nellie and the person who contacted me was even a first cousin twice removed of Albert's. I have since e-mailed him copies of these photos so that he can share them with Albert and Nellie's granddaughter.

Now if there was just a way to identify the people in the unidentified photos I took!

Cecil "Gene" Smith 1925-2010

HAYSVILLE — Cecil “Gene” Smith, 84, of Haysville, died May 24 at Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, Wichita. He was born July 5, 1925, at Olmitz, the son of Ray Ross Smith Sr. and Edna Mae (Becker) Smith. A lifelong resident of Kansas, he was a self-taught television repairman. He was owner/operator of Gene Smith T.V. for 50-plus years.

Mr. Smith was a member of the First United Methodist Church.

He married Elizabeth Lorraine Keened[sic]. She passed away in 1952. He then married Norma Jean Bell on Nov. 5, 1953, in Great Bend. She passed away in 2005.

Survivors include three sons, Larry (Pam) Smith of Russell, Jimmy (Del) Smith of Wichita and Rodney (Sandy) Smith of Haysville; a daughter, Gayla Smith of Wichita; a brother, John Smith of Great Bend; a sister, Carolyn (Bernie) Schulz of Alabama and Arizona; nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wives, one son, Donald, four brothers, Leo, Wayne, Ross and Wilmer, and three sisters, Maxine, Delfreda and Shirley.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Charter Funerals, Great Bend, with Elder John Smith as officiant. Interment will be at Great Bend City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. Friday at Charter Funerals. Memorials may be made to the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice, Wichita, or Community Christian Church, Great Bend. Funeral arrangements provided by

Charter Funerals*
2115 Washington
Great Bend, KS 67530
620-793-6161
Great Bend (Kan) Tribune, May 26, 2010

Donna M. Wegele (May 1, 1943 - July 5, 2010)

Donna M. Wegele, 67, died July 5, 2010 at her home, Pratt, Kansas. She was born May 1, 1943 at Great Bend, Kansas, the daughter of Roland John and Maxine Maurine (Smith) Rowley. She married Wilmer A. Wegele May 29, 1965 at Hoisington, Kansas. A Pratt resident for twelve years, Mrs. Wegele grew up in Hoisington. She was a homemaker and had been a cashier at the Pratt Community College cafeteria.

Mrs. Wegele was a member of the Lutheran Church.

Survivors include her husband, Wilmer A. Wegele, of the home; one son, Weldon Wegele, Salina, Kansas; one daughter, Dionne Rudney and husband Alex, Salida, Colorado; two sisters: Marilyn Bowman, Keller, Texas; and JoAnn Guerrero, San Jose, California; one brother, John Rowley, Augusta, Kansas; and three grandchildren: William Wegele, Zane Rudney, and Wyatt Rudney.

Funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, July 8, 2010 at Bryant Funeral Home with the Reverend Garry Dassow officiating. Burial will be in Golden Belt Cemetery. Friends may call from 1:00 to 9:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 7, 2010 with the family receiving friends from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m., and from 9:00 a.m. to service time Thursday, all at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to the grandchildren's education fund, in care of the funeral home.

Tombstone Tuesday: J. M. and Nancy E. Smith

Boy was I excited today when I checked my e-mail and found that my Find A Grave request for my great-great grandparents had been fulfilled. John Mack "Maxie" Smith was b. 26 Feb 1831 in Bowling Green, Warren, Kentucky and d. 13 Jan 1900 in Jerome, Appanoose, Iowa. He m. Nancy Ellen Hickman in 1851. She was b. 4 Feb 1834 in Kentucky and d. 15 Aug 1896 in Jerome, Appanoose, Iowa. They are buried in Jerome Cemetery, Jerome, Appanoose, Iowa. They had nine children: Ellen; John Franklin "Frank"; William Thomas "Tom"; James; Stephen Henry "Henry"; Martha Jane "Mattie"; Mary Cleoria "Ora"; John Martin "Mart"; and Leonard E. Thanks so much to Find A Grave Contributor: rhondabrent for taking this wonderful photo.

A Call Out of The Blue

I got a phone call out of the blue today after I got home from running errands. It was my first cousin once removed, Allen Lee Roberts. He is the son of Walter Ray and Anna Belle "Annie" (Carmack) Roberts. He was asking me questions about the Roberts family and also telling me lots of stuff about the Roberts and Carmack families. Also told me that he had pictures of my great-grandparents, Benjamin Franklin and Lucy Jane (Allen) Roberts. Boy was I excited. In the end we exchanged snail mail addresses and agreed to share all our information. He was excited when I told him that I had copies of his mother's obituaries and a picture of her tombstone. He had been asking me lots of questions about his mother because he didn't have much on her. Said he had sent off for Walter and Annie's marriage license and I told him I already had it and would be glad to send him a copy. Am really looking forward to seeing what information, pictures, etc. he sends me. Gotta get busy and send some stuff off to him as well. He also told me about the death of two of my cousins (see my previous posts) - Lois Maxine (Roberts) Reed and her son, Lesley Everett Reed. They died within two days of each other, Lois on 16 Mar 2010 and Lesley on 14 Mar 2010. He said that Lois had a trunk full of family information that she wouldn't share with anyone and that her daughter was going to locate the trunk and go through whatever was in it and send him stuff. Hope she follows through. Sure wish I could have recorded our conversation. Allen is 75 and will be turning 76 on 29 May 2010 and lives in Nathrop, Colorado. Between Allen and my cousin Becky Jamison I sure would like to make a trip out to Colorado!!!