1 March 1918 Tilden Township, Osborne County, Kansas

Dearest sister Clara Dell,
So excited about something that Wash and I decided to have done! We had it done right here on the farmstead. We arranged to have a “yard long picture” (panoramic) taken of all of us. That day seemed to be a celebration of our family and our many blessings.

We contacted Mr. Parrott the photographer from Osborne to visit us at home. He came and we picked out the best spot from which to have the photograph taken. We wanted to highlight our farmhouse, windmill, and barns. He told us to bring out our best horses for the picture along with our Model T. He mentioned even our dogs would look great.

So on that day, I drove out the Model T and put the little ones (Hattie, Leslie, and Angie) with me in the automobile. Husband Wash and sons Andrew, Marvin, and Hillis posed with our best horses. Why we saved a spot for Shep the dog to show him off, too! In fact, we all felt we were showing off! It felt like fun. It felt historical. It felt memorable.

On your next visit, you will be invited into the parlor to see our glorious yard long photograph. Hope you and your family are well. Our son Andrew is slated to leave soon for Camp Funston as he has been drafted into this Great War. Will write more about that in next letter.

Hugs and blessings,
Your sister Sarah Almina

Note: Sarah Almina (Nickel) Storer is my maternal great grandmother. Her husband and my great grandfather is Washington Irving Storer, nicknamed Wash. At the time the photograph was taken, three of her children were married and lived off the farm. Her son Andrew, who was soon to go off to war, would become my beloved grandfather.

15 May 1870 Lisle, DuPage County, Illinois

What would you do if someone were giving you the deal of a lifetime? What if it was only going to cost you and your family a small pittance of what it is all worth? We are taking this gift. We are heading west…farther west than anyone in my family has gone. We are pioneers, they say.

Uprooting most of my family, I am moving westward to Kansas. Married for 27 years now, some of our children are married adults. Some will take their families with us…some will remain behind. Will we ever see this part of our family again? That is a question that saddens us.

This wanderlust comes to me honestly. You see my grandfather and father brought their families from Pennsylvania, into Ohio, through Indiana, and finally to Illinois. Mary and I ourselves have settled on several farmsteads throughout Illinois.

It was during the War of the Rebellion as I served in the 55th Illinois that I heard about President Lincoln’s signing what was called The Homestead Act. I thought to myself that if I could survive this war than maybe Mary and I could take advantage of this act. We could start fresh. At that time, this was a weary soldier’s pipe dream. If only…

Next year, we are going to see that pipe dream fulfilled. The Homestead Act requires that we improve, build a house, cultivate the land for five years. After that time, we will pay a fee for filing a claim at the land office. We will receive 180 acres to call our own. So onward and westward to Kansas! May we prosper well there.

~Amos Howell Boultinghouse

Note: Amos and Mary Boultinghouse were my 2nd great grandparents. When they set out for Kansas, Mary was pregnant with her tenth child. When they arrived in Osborne County, Kansas, Mary gave birth to Lafayette Edward Boultinghouse just days later. Lafayette is recorded as the first white male born in that county. At that time, Amos was 53 while Mary was 43. Pioneers, indeed.

14 March 2025

Dear Wujek (Uncle) Josef,

Where are you? What happened to you? How did you spend the rest of your life? Oh, if you could only whisper your secrets to me, Josef Slabik!

This is all I know about you…
* You were born in 1879 in Turaskowka, Poland, a small village in the Carpathian Mountains. You are my grandfather’s older brother.
* You came to Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, to work in a mill.
* You married Karolina Makara on 21 October 1902 at Saint Hedwig’s Roman Catholic Church. Father T. B. Puchala officiated the ceremony while Antonio Rozmus and Veronica Makara (Karolina’s sister) were your witnesses.
* You and Karolina gave birth to your daughter Maryanna on 19 October 1905.

That is where your paper trail ends…nothing more about you. Nothing more about your sweet Karolina and your precious Maryanna. No census records, no mentions in city directories, not one note in any newspaper, no naturalization papers, an absolute nothing! These brick walls are so hard to scale.

Wujek Josef, please whisper a clue to me…please tell me in a dream…anything to break down this wall so I can find you.

With love and affection…your niece,
MaryAnne Slabik-Haffner

18 April 1874 Osborne County, Kansas

Dearest sister Franny,
It is with a heavy heart that I write to you concerning our sister Mary. A most terrible accident has taken place, and we are all in disbelief.

Yesterday, Mary and her husband Daniel were working together at the farm. Some ducks landed on the pond. Daniel asked Mary to run inside the house and get his shotgun. As she ran down the hill with the gun, it discharged…Mary was shot in the heart. She passed away in the arms of her husband as her three children looked on. How awful…how heartbreaking…how devastating!

Mother and Father have taken to sheltering the family on their farm. Daniel is very distraught and blames himself. The children are 8 years old, 6 years old, and 2 years old so I am helping Mother with them. We all worry for Daniel and his mental state.

It has been decided that Mary will be buried on the family farm. This way, her husband and children may visit her resting place whenever they wish to seek comfort.

May our sister Mary rest with the Lord.

Your loving sister,
Charlotte (Boultinghouse Korb)

Note: Mary Boultinghouse Warden, Charlotte Boultinghouse Korb, and Frances Boultinghouse are my second great aunts. The tragedy of this story continued…a year later, Mary’s young son Peter was bitten by a rattlesnake and passed away. Two years later, husband Daniel decided to move from the farm to Colorado. He felt he could no longer care for his remaining son and daughter. He placed them for adoption, and they were adopted by two different families. Later that year, Daniel would pass away.