...Early Imogene skating parties were held on a pond north of town. ...Crokinal parties included playing High 5 and Euchre ...Ice cream and strawberry socials and box suppers took place ...There were Flinch,Muggins and Board of Trade parties ...Hard Time balls were held; dancers paid 50 cents and watchers paid 25 cents ...Platform dances were held every few days in the first part of the 20th Century
The Chautaqua was an adult education movement in the late 1800's until the mid 1920's. The first one was held by Chautaqua Lake in New York. Chautaqua is a Seneca Indian name meaning "bag tied in the middle." The Lake narrowed considerably between shorelines in the middle of the lake...probably the reasoning behind its name. The Chautaqua brought speakers, teachers, entertainers, musicians, preachers, etc. to a community. There were Chautauqua's held in Imogene. Sidney Boosters attended community celebrations in Fremont County to promote their Chautaqua. They are known to have been in Imogene in 1910. In 1923, the Tackett brothers from Wyoming entertained visitors to the Sidney Old Settlers Reunion with a mini rodeo. Model-T cars were put in a circle along with fencing to make the arena. The Chautaqua Movement was phased out by other entertainment and in Sidney the Legion took over sponsorship of what became the Sidney Rodeo.
FACTS ...There are 36 sections in every township. ...The Hibernians wore a round medal with a dual-sided ribbon-green and black. The green side of the ribbon was to the front for meeting and events. The black side of the ribbon was worn outward for funerals.
PEOPLE ADAM JESSE ABBOTT-Born 11/10/1895 at Imogene. In 1917 he was a farm laborer for Matt Maher. CHARLIE ABBOTT - 1897-Imogene postmaster ALBERT EARL & MINNIE MATILDA ADDY - Albert was the son of Rhodes and Margaret (Kammerer) Addy. In 1918 he was clerk manager for Rhodes. His wife was the daughter of Charles Christopher and Herzelia Roberding Deppe. Their daughter Eileen was valedictorian of the Farragut High School Class of '41 and later graduated from Tarkio College in Tarkio, MO. CLYDE DARWIN ADDY & MAXINE LOUISE NIDAY-Clyde worked at a bomber plant and worked on building the "Enola Gay."
ISAAC & MARY ANN TOOPS ADDY - Isaac was born 3/7/1825 Guernsey, OH D-12/8/1895 Mills Co, IA. Wed on 11/25/1851 in Ross County, OH to Mary Ann B-4/5/1830 D-11/11/1911 3 miles NW of Imogene at the home of her son George. They came to Deer Creek township in 1869.
DAVID & MARY ALLEY-David H. Alley-23 of Imogene, son of William T. & Martha A Alley married Mary Ness-22, daughter of Robert C. & Hattie Hecker Hess on February 8, 1889.
JOHN & FLORA ALLSHOUSE - Imogene drayman John Allshouse-21 son of Jonathan & A.M. Rockman Allshouse married Flora Moore-18 daughter of F. M. & Malinda Thornburg Moore on May 27, 1888
SCOTT & ANNIE ARTERBURN - Scott Arterburn-28 born in Kentucky to Eli & M. Ford Arterburn married Annie Powers-21, daughter of Dan & Nancy Walsh Powers on January 22, 1890. Dr. Lewis Baker - Lewis Leland Baker was born in Canton, IL on June 5, 1854 to Robert Nevel & Pruella Rose Baker. In 1867, his family moved to the Shenandoah area-farming at Tarkio. In 1892, he graduated from Northwestern Medical School in Chicago as an MD. He eventually practiced in Imogene, Silver City and Shenandoah. He married Ellen (Ella) M Brinsmead in 1897. Their son Ralph was born at Imogene on April 5, 1907. They lived on Imogene's Main Street in 1910 where he ran a family practice. By the 1915 Iowa census, the family had relocated to Silver City. Lewis passed away in Shenandoah on March 26, 1926 and Ella passed away there on December 18, 1957. Both are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery there.
WILLIAM HARRISON BARGER- He married Ferraby Frost on June 15, 1837 in Fairfield, Iowa. He was one of the young men who enlisted in the Mormon Battalion and marched from Council Bluffs to San Diego, CA. Following his discharge on July 16, 1847, he traveled to Sutter's Mill in Northern California. William was at the mill the day gold was discovered and it has been reported that he was the first man shown the precious metal by the finder. In 1848, he migrated to Fremont County to live with his family. On July 23, 1858 he was returning from the funeral of his friend and school teacher neighbor Vince Pease (who had been hit by lightning) when he accidentally fell off the foot-log bridge spanning Walnut Creek. Although the water was only 3-4 rods wide, his wet clothes and the swift current kept him from keeping his head above water and he died. At the time he had eight children; the ninth-his daughter Charlotte was born the following December. He was buried in Chambers Cemetery.
John Berigan
John, son of Abraham and Bridget Hogan Berigan, was born in 1860 in Zwingle, IA. He married Anastasia Shunick. He started in the livestock business in 1877. He fed and shipped livestock and handled all that came through the Imogene Stockyards before going to Omaha, NE to start a livestock commission business.
Henry Birdsall - Henry was born in Canada on April 13, 1829. In 1838 he moved to Warren County, Illinois. On April 10, 1855 he married Phebe Burton who was born in New York. After 39 years, he moved to Mills County, Iowa for one year before coming to Imogene. He was a farmer (80 acres) and grain dealer in Imogene. Their seven children were: Elroy, Adaline, Ardell, Edward, William J.,Horace and Harriet.
HORACE & NELLIE BIRDSALL-Horace-21 of Emerson, son of Henry & Phoebe Burton Birdsall married Nellie M. Cogeshall-16 of Imogene, daughter of John & Emma Fisher Cogeshall on August 29, 1889.
Rev. James Ray Bruder He was born on April 12, 1931 in Chicago to James F. and Claire (Allen ) Bruder of Granite City. He attended Sacred Heart Grade School in Granite City and was a graduate of Granite City High School. After serving for four years in the navy during the Korean conflict as a sonar man, he enrolled in Western Illinois University and graduated with honors. He graduated from Eden Theological Seminary in 1960. In 1955, he was married at Salem Church to Joyce Spilker, daughter of William & Ethel (Schmidt) Spilker of Quincy. IL.. He was the pastor of St. Paul United Church of Christ from 1960 until his death on May 8,1963 at the age of 32. Burial was in Greenmount Cemetery. His son, William, was born on August 21, 1961.
Henderson C Bleakley He was born n Pennsylvania on April 28, 1832. He enlisted on August 19, 1861 ans was mustered into Company B 37th Illinois Infantry on September 18, 1861. He had a disability discharge on September 1, 1862. He passed away on January 27, 1916 in Vermont, Fulton Co, IL. He is buried in the Monroe Township Cemetery. Eli Boatman Eli enlisted as a private on May 2, 1864 at the age of 22. He was mustered into Co B 168th Ohio Infantry on May 13, 1864. He was mustered out on September 8, 1864 at Camp Harrison, OH. He passed away on September 15, 1882 and is buried in the Monroe Township Cemetery at Imogene.
Aaron Bussard
Aaron was one of 10 children. He was born in 1842 and came to Imogene in 1875 with the "western exodus" of several families. There was no town-just virgin prairie when he arrived. He bought an 80 acre farm for $16 an acre. He was married to Mary Miller. He was one of the founders of the Reformed Methodist Church west of Imogene that was later moved into town. He passed away in 1924.
Bart I. Cavender
Bart was born on October 15, 1860 in Indiana. He married Florence Stotler. He was a drug store clerk in Imogene and served as the Monroe Township Justice of the Peace for 4 years. He later became a druggist in Randolph and served there as mayor for two terms. He moved to Sidney in 1896 after being elected County Recorder. He served in that capacity for two terms.
Father John Clarke
Father Clarke was a familiar face in Imogene for 19 years. He was born on February 25, 1921 in Davenport, IA. He was ordained to the priesthood on November 11, 1945 at St. Augustin Church in Des Moines. Prior to coming to Imogene, he served at Holy Trinity and St. Anthony parishes in Des Moines, Sacred Heart in Woodbine, St. Anne in Logan, St. Boniface in Waukee and St. John in Adel. He came to Imogene in June of 1981 and served here until July 12, 2000 when he retired to Atlantic. He was quite the handyman; he thought nothing of climbing up on steep roof of St. Patrick Church or climbing up the bell tower to make repairs. He was known for his strong views on the topics of the day and for his lengthy correspondence filled with puns, cartoons and jokes. He passed away at Heritage House in Atlantic on October 23, 2009.
Solomon Clites He was born on June 18, 1846 in Bedford County, PA. At the age of 8 he moved with his family to Blair County, PA. After 12 years there, he enlisted in Company F, 77th Pennsylvania volunteer infantry and served 10 months until the end of the Civil War. He married C. Berger on October 7, 1869. He farmed 90 acres in Deer Creek Township-Mills County; he moved there in 1874 and to Fremont County in 1902. His children were Sarah, Isaac, Anna, Cora and Florence.
CHARLES EDSON CUMMINS - Born 9/9/1873 near Monica, IL; D-Imogene 5/18/1898
Sister Mary Aloysia Cornwall, daughter of Mary Cornwall of Imogene, spent 30 years in the convent. She passed away at age 49 and is buried in Independence.
Michael Dempsey
Michael was born on October 5, 1841 in Strokestown, County Roscommon, Ireland to Peter and Ann McCormick Dempsey. He married Catherine Driscoll. In his later years, Michael was the Imogene lamplighter. At dusk, he would take his long pole to lift the lamp chimneys as he lit the lamps along the town streets. Twice a day he also carried mail to the Wabash Depot. Mailbags were hoisted to the top of a pole where the trainman hooked them onto the train without slowing down. He passed away near Christmas in 1920.
A. F. DUNNING - A.F. Dunning - He was born in Van Buren County, Iowa on November 3, 1850. He moved to Des Moines at age 18 and learned the tinner's trade. After traveling for several years, he came to Fremont County in 1878 and on February 28,1878 he married Eliza Cook- a native of Illinois. He moved to Imogene in February of 1880 and was a merchant there.
Edgar Faust
Edgar was born on March 22, 1841. He married Mary Elizabeth Kammerer who was born on July 4, 1845 in Westmoreland Co, PA. On December 1, 1874 the couple purchased the future site of Imogene from John Miller for $1,120. They moved from Zwingle, IA to the still virgin prairie land in 1875. Faust sold half of his land to the Western Improvement Company of Iowa on October 15, 1879 for the Imogene townsite. The cost was $4,000. When Edgar and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, they were living at 128 E Grant Street in Shenandoah. Mary passed away on February 19, 1916 and Edgar passed away on January 11, 1929. Both are buried in Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah.
J. C. Ferritor He was born in Schuyler County Missouri in 1874. He graduated from St. Louis University where he studied practical telegraphy. He secured a position with the Omaha and St. Louis Railroad. He was employed for three years in Shenandoah and in 1900 had been the telegrapher in Imogene for three years. He was a Democrat and cast his first vote for William Jennings Bryan. In 1900, he was nominated for County Recorder.
Dave Gilbert
Dave was born in 1850. He was the Wabash Railroad section boss at Imogene. In August 1913, Gilbert and his men were returning to town on a handcar when they saw the engine of an approaching freight train. The men got the handcar off the track but the passing train struck a crowbar on the track hurling it into the air. It came crashing down and crushed Gilbert's skull. He passed away shortly after reaching the Shenandoah Hospital.
Fred Ginther
Fred and Maggie Young were married in Ellisville, Illinois in 1878. They first moved to Bedford and then to Imogene. He was Imogene mayor from 1895-1896. He moved to Sidney in 1899 and owned a meat market there. He became mayor of Sidney and was a deputy sheriff under Con Ryan. He passed away in 1923.
Phillip Hambsch Phillip was born on April 13, 1839 in Baden, Germany. He immigrated at the age of 15 with his parents to America. They lived in Troy, NY for 3 years, moved to Warren County, IL for a short time then going to Knox Co, IL. He enlisted in Co A, eighty-third Illinois Infantry in August 1862. He participated in the Battle of Fort Donelson and numerous skirmishes. He was discharged on July 5, 1865 and returned to Knox County and farmed there for 5 years before moving to Section 25 in White Cloud Township of Mills County. He married Mary Oastracker (Born in Baden, Germany 8/4/1842) on November 11, 1866. Their children were Charlie, Rosa, Philip E., Bernard, Michael L., and John F. He farmed 240 acres.
Robert Gowing He was born on November 19, 1916 in Imogene, IA to Wesley & Annie (McPeek) Gowing. He married Madge Miller on August 14, 1955 in Keokuk. He served in the Army in WWII with the Army Signal Corps in the Pacific Theater. He attended Tarkio College and received a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwest Missouri College and a Masters of Art from the University of Northern Colorado. He taught at the Keokuk High School for 31 years. He passed away in Keokuk on January 13, 2003.
Lewis Andrew Hammack - Lewis, child of Callaway Hammack & Tilitha Vowel, was born on December 8, 1872 at Imogene. He married Loie Parmley, daughter of Julian Parmley & Alice McGee, on September 13, 1898. He passed away at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA on May 15, 1953 and was buried in the Woodbine, IA Cemetery on May 19, 1953. Loie was buried there on January 10, 1970. They had 8 children: Inez Marie (3/12/1899-1/10/1995 W-W.F.Laurence and Eddie Reed), Cal Howard (1/6/1903-5/9/1987), Ralph Wallace (born on a farm north of Woodbine 6/29/1905-6/11/1980), Edith May (6/30/1907), Ward Andrew (5/12/1910), Lee Laverne (1911-1912), Kenneth Dale (7/9/1914) and Cecil Jerome (1918).
L. Hannawald He was born on August 24, 1842 in Germany. He received his medical training at the College of Saxony. He emigrated to St. Louis in 1862. After four years he moved to Nebraska. He married Theresie Hahn on June 29, 1869. Their children were Emelie and Teresie. In 1878 he moved to Red Oak and two years later to Fremont County, IA. He was a physician in Imogene.
Lydia Retelsdorf Harman
Lydia, daughter of the Henry Retelsdorf's, was born in a covered wagon on the trail west. Her parents homesteaded 160 acres of virigin prairie in 1871. Their first home was a sod house partly built into a hillside (first farm southwest of Imogene on J18). School was held near their house. The teacher had quite a challenge teaching the Retesldorf children because they only spoke German. Life on the prairie was not an easy one. Sickness and crop failures were common. About 1874, the only food the family had to eat after frost was pumpkins. Family lore says that Jesse James would water his horses at the Retelsdorf farm. One night, after stopping near dusk, he threw a sack of money into the soddy and rode away. Lydia married Frank Harman. She worked for the Protestant minister. She would light the fire to warm the church and would pump the organ for the organist. She worked for a tailor and a milliner and could cut and fit clothing without a pattern. She lived to be 97 years old.
Father Edmond (Edmund) Hayes...his name appears both ways in records
Father Hayes was born in Ireland in 1852. He studied at the Christian Brothers School until the age of 15. He graduated from St. Mary's College in San Francisco in 1871. He studied theology at the Grand Seminary in Montreal, Canada. He was ordained in 1878. Father Hayes taught at a college in Dubuque, IA and came to Imogene in 1888 after serving at Melrose, IA for a short time. He traveled extensively through Europe, the Holy Land and India. He had interests in Nevada silver mines, gold and oil interests in California, and was an early investor in the Omaha, NE stockyards and the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1906, the Tabor paper reported that he increased his wealth by $100,000 due to an upturn in his railroad stocks. William (1906)and Ellen (1909) Hayes were the last of his siblings to pass away and the wealth they made running a general store and campgrounds for silver miners in Ely, Nevada went to their brother Edmond. He had their bodies brought to Imogene and the Calvary statue at Mount Calvary Cemetery south of Imogene is their tombstone. Father Hayes was influential in getting electricity to Imogene and gave money for city lights. He pledged money for a town water system and a town library but never saw his desire for these fulfilled in his lifetime. He worked with the bishops across the country and in Europe to bring Irish and German settlers to Iowa. He purchased farm ground around Imogene and sold it at a moderate price to settlers. He held the mortgage on numerous farms in the area. After serving Imogene for 40 years, he passed away on February 8, 1928.
Martin Head
Martin was born in 1837 in Ireland. His parents died shortly after the family landed west of the Mississippi River. At an early age, Martin went to work on a farm for $4 a month. He bought a calf, saved money for a second calf and turned 80 acres of government land he purchased for $1.25 an acre. He went to St. Louis as a young man. He hired on at $20 a month to drive teams for a large contracting company. He sprinkled the streets of St. Louis and handled 4-mule teams in heavy freight. He transported soldiers and military goods to the front lines at the beginning of the Civil War. He was doing this in August of 1861 when General Lyones was killed at the Battle of Wilson's Creek. Martin married Bridget Curley. He and Ed McGargill came together to Imogene in 1875 with many others from the Dubuque/Zwingle area. He engaged in raising and handling horses and other stock on a large scale. He passed away in 1919.
Monsignor Leo Horrigan
Leo Horrigan, son of Edward & Evelyn Lynch Horrigan, lived in Imogene until the age of 3. The family moved to Denver, Co in 1937. He studied at Regis College and St. Thomas Seminary in Denver before being ordained in Rome on December 20, 1959. He has been the parochial vicar at parishes in Colorado Springs and Denver. He also served as pastor of various parishes before becoming the current pastor at Notre Dame Church in Denver.
Merle Irwin
Merle worked at the Frank Foutch Barbershop. He enlisted in Co. E 168th Infantry-Rainbow Division. The Rainbow division was composed of National Guard units from 26 states and the District of Colombia. It also included infantry regiments from NY, Ohio, Alabama and Iowa along with men from many other states. They were the first divisions to reach the battlefields of the western front in November 1917. The Division played a notable role in 6 major campaigns. Merle was killed in action in France on July 1, 1918. His was the first gold star on the service flag for Imogene. The Rainbow division had over 12,000 casualties in WWI.
JOHN & SALOME KAMMERER John was born on June 15, 1819 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He married Salome Bussard on August 25, 1844. They moved to Dubuque County in 1851 and were settled in Otter Creek township, Jackson county Iowa by 1856. They came to Imogene with the western migration in 1875 and farmed NW of Imogene. They moved into Imogene in 1890. John passed away on March 18, 1899 at age 79 at the home of his daughter Mrs. rhodes Addy. He resided with her after the death of his wife. At the time of his death, he was survived by three sisters; two were older than John. Salome was born on July 20, 1824 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. The mother of 10 and member of St. Paul's Reformed Church passed away at Imogene in July of 1895 at the age of 70. Both are buried in the Monroe township cemetery. They had 5 sons and 5 daughters. One son, William H., died in infancy. Other children included sons George, Michael, James Brolin & Joseph Rush Kammerer and daughters Mrs. Rhodes (Susannah Margaret) Addy, Mrs. Charles (Sarah Ann) Gee, Mrs. S. F. (Leah) Adams, Mrs. Edgar (Mary Elizabeth) Faust and Mrs. John (Emaline) Eastman.
RUSH KAMMERER - Rush was born at Zwingle, IA on January 12, 1865. His parents were John & Salome (Bussard) Kammerer. On February 27, 1890 he married Effie Jane Trively at Imogene. They had a son Joseph, a successful farmer, who lived with his parents. For 16 weeks Mr. Kammerer was confined to his bed with a lingering illness caused by the hardening of the walls of his stomach. He passed away in February 1936. On account of a big storm, a crew of twenty men worked to clear the road to the Kammerer home and the the cemetery. The snow banks dug out were from eight to ten feet high, and the men digging the grave were compelled to have extra help as the ground was frozen over three feet down. Funeral services were held at the Methodist Church in Imogene on February 13th. Pallbearers were Ed Peterson, J.F. Maher, Joe Doyle, Heber Hillyer, Jess Smith and Wilbur Priest.
Patrick Kilmartin He was born in Connaught, County Roscommon Ireland. His father was John Martin (deceased 4/1884-age 72). His mother, a relative of the Dominick Martin family of Imogene) died on 5/10/1891 at the age of 65. Patrick's parents arrived in Albany, NY on June 1, 1850. They remained there for 17 years before coming to Mills County on April 1, 1867, Patrick married Martha Wolf in November 1874. She was the daughter of William Wolf and Mary McPherson both of Tennessee. As of 1881, they had 11 children-5 were deceased at that time. Those living were Anna E, William G, Mary G, Alfred P, Joseph E, and Florence.
Edward Patrick Laughlin
E.P. Laughlin, son of John & Mary Jane Printy Laughlin, was born on May 10, 1881. He married Theresa O'Brien, daughter of Matthew & Bridget Quinn O'Brien, on April 20, 1909. He raised Polled Shorthorns for 46 years. He was elected to represent Fremont County in the Iowa House of Representatives and served in the 42nd, 42nd Extra, 44th, 45th, 45th Extra, 46th and 46th Extra sessions of the General Assembly. He passed away on January 9, 1962 and is buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery at Imogene.
HELEN LAUGHLIN-Helen was born on June 12, 1915 near Farragut, Iowa to Lee & Blanche Shunick Roscoe. She attended country schools in Iowa and Missouri before graduating with the Shenandoah High School Class of 1934. She married Matt Laughlin at St. Mary Church in Shenandoah on June 2, 1938. She co-compiled A Century of Memories for the St. Patrick Church centennial and compiled family history books for the Laughlin and Roscoe families. Her children are Eddie Lee, John, Blanche, Joan, Mark, Leo and David.
E.A. Leabo He was a merchant in Imogene. He was born in Fremont County on November 19, 1859 and spent his youth on a farm. At the age of 18 he taught one term of school. He settled in Imogene in December 1879. On June 5, 1880 he married Elizabeth Russell, a native of Missouri.
Gene Leahy
Gene, son of Art and Holly Saner Leahy, was born near Imogene in 1929. He attended St. Patrick Academy from 1935-1943. He was a lawyer and served as a municipal judge in Nebraska from 1964-1968. He served as Mayor of Omaha, NE from 1969-1973. In 1969, the annual Imogene 4th of July celebration was replaced by Gene Leahy Day. The Gene Leahy Mall is a 10-acre urban playground connecting a revitalized downtown Omaha with riverfront development. Since the concept for the area came about during Leahy's term as mayor, it was named the Gene Leahy Mall. Gene passed away on January 18,2000.
Rose (Higgins) Leahy Rose was the daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Gene Higgins of Zwingle, IA. She was born in 1888. She met John Alton Leahy while she was in Imogene as the guest of her aunt, Mrs. Ed Sweeney. She was married on April 17, 1917. She passed away at Mercy Hospital in Council Bluffs on March 27, 1922 after a ten month illness with TB caused by measles affecting her lungs. Her husband, his father Will Leahy and his brother Art Leahy had been at her bedside during the morning. They left at noon to eat and were greatly surprised she had passed away at 12:30pm before they returned. Her children included Leo, Donald and Mary Rose who was only 17 months old at the time. She was also survived by a brother Will Higgins of Zwingle. Burial was on March 29.
Father William P. Leahy, S. J.
Father Leahy, son of Edward & Alice McGinnis Leahy, entered the Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus in 1967. From 1973-1975 he taught at Campion High School. He was ordained on June 9, 1978 at St. John Church in Omaha, NE. On June 11, 1978, Father Leahy celebrated the Eucharist of Thanksgiving on the occasion of his ordination at St. Patrick Church in Imogene. In 1985, he joined the history department of Marquette University becoming a tenured professor six years later. In July of 1991, he became Executive Vice-President of Marquette University. On July 31, 1996, he became the 25th President of Boston College.
D. P. Lefever
Mr. Lefever was born on January 5, 1839 at Gettysburg, Adams County, PA. He grew up on a farm. He married Elizabeth Boggs (Born September 17, 1841 at Cumberland County, PA) on June 25, 1857. He served in Company G, 149th Pennsylvania Infantry from August 1863 to November 1864. He participated in the battles of Wilderness and Spottsylvania. He lost an arm before being discharged. He went to Dickinson College and then entered the Reform Theological Seminary in Lancaster, PA graduating May 13, 1874. After residing in Linn County, IA for one year, he was elected principal of the Blairstown Academy. He left there for Fremont County in 1876. He was minister at the Imogene Reformed Church.
Dennis Mahoney He was born in 1832 in County Cork, Ireland. At the age of 19 he came to Portland, Connecticut. After 7 years he moved to Illinois and remained there until 1869 when he moved to Fremont County, IA. He married Mary Connell in 1859. They settled in section 26 at Farragut. They had 150 acres of land, a house, barn and orchard grove. As of 1881 their children were: Mary, Daniel, Dennis, John, Michael, David, Ella and an unnamed infant that was deceased.
GERALD MAHER & MINNIE RYAN - They were married on October 24, 1938 at St. John Church in Minden, NE. The 8am Nuptial Mass was officiated by Rev. J. Dowd. The bride,youngest daughter of Mrs. Minnie Ryan of Axtell, NE, wore a teal blue silk dress with a black hat and accessories to match. Jessie Vannoy was the bridesmaid. She wore a wine colored silk with black accessories. Pat Ryan, brother of the bride, was groomsman. The groom is the youngest son of Pat Maher. After the ceremony, a 3-course breakfast was served at the home of the bride's mother. 40 were served.
Catherine Martin (Sister Eunan, O.P.)
Catherine, daughter of Dominick & Ann Hughes Martin, was born on February 13, 1897 just northeast of Imogene. Her mother passed away after childbirth when Catherine was seven leaving seven children - the oldest being eight years old. Catherine entered the Dominicans on April 12, 1921. She was an elementary school teacher in South Carolina, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Wisconsin and Illinois. She retired from teaching because of a degenerative nerve in the eye that caused vision loss. She studied Braille at the Commission for the Blind in Des Moines and her efforts were noted in an article in the Des Moines Register. She later taught Braille at the Dominican Education Center. She played violin in a 20-member string ensemble. Sister Eunan passed away on July 1, 1978.
Margaret Veronica Martin Margaret was born on February 24, 1904 to Dominick and Anne (Hughes) Martin at the family farm northeast of Imogene. She was one of nine children, including two sets of twins. Her mother and twin sister Angela passed away the day of Margaret's birth. Faced with raising eight children under the age of 9, Dominick sent her to live with Pat & Kate Martin until suitable help could be found to care for her in the family home. When Margaret was two, Teresa Saner came to live with the Martin family. Margaret returned home and grew under her care until the age of five. Then her older brothers and sisters were able to help with her care. Margaret attended St. Patrick Academy in Imogene. After her brothers and sisters married or entered the convent, she lovingly cared for her father and brother Dominic. Margaret raised chickens and won the Chicken of Tomorrow Contest at the Des Moines State Fair. She always had a big strawberry patch and enjoyed sharing the abundance of her garden with family and friends. Family celebrations were not complete without her angel food cakes and cinnamon rolls. In October of 1979, at the age of 75, she journeyed to the Living History Farms in Des Moines to attend the papal Mass of Pope John Paul II. Shortly after returning home she caught pneumonia and her health continued to decline. She passed away at the age of 90 on April 22, 1994. Her siblings included brothers John and Dominic and sisters Sister Catherine (Sister Eunan, OP), Mary (Sister Isidore, OP), Martha, Anna, Lucy,and Angela.
Dan McCarthy
As a man of 33, Dan helped build the first house in Imogene. He left shortly after that for Nebraska. By 1913, he owned 2,700 acres of land at Spaulding, NE and owned a Florida plantation. He had 15 children.
ANNA McGARGILL - Anna was born and reared at the family farm two miles south of Imogene. She was the second youngest in the family. She graduated from St. Francis Academy in Council Bluffs. She had a pleasing voice and sang solos at various affairs in Imogene, Omaha, and Council Bluffs. She was secretary of the Red Cross during WWI and was in charge of the Roll Call for December 1922. She was an employee of the First National Bank of Imogene for 20 years. She was elected treasurer of the town of Imogene in 1922 and was at one time state treasurer of the ladies auxilliary of the Hibernian Lodge. On February 26, 1923 she sang at the morning funeral of Miss Agnes Gutschenritter. That afternoon she worked as assistant cashier at the bank. She entertained company in the evening and then made preparations to go to Omaha the following day. About 11pm she phoned Dr. T. G. O'Connor, her family physician, to come to the home. He thought the call was about her invalid mother Eliza. When he arrived at the home, he found Anna sitting at the kitchen table gasping for breath. She took her last breath shortly after he arrived at the age of 43. Funeral services were conducted from St. Patrick Church by Fathers Troy (Imogene), Melville (Shenandoah) and Fortal (Red Oak). Mrs. Herbert Sullivan sang "Nearer My God to Thee" and Miss Isadore sang "Face to Face" one of Miss McGargill's favorite songs. Kate Dempsey accompanied them. Pallbearers were Anna's six nephews - Jerome & Gerald McGargill of Omaha, Ed & Leo McGargill of Imogene and Leo and Joe Fox of David City, NE. Other survivors included three sisters - Amy Printy, Mattie Fox and Ida Dwark and two sisters-in-law - Fannie McGargill and Lizzie McGargill. Mrs. Kate Dailey of Council Bluffs moved to Imogene after the funeral to care for her aunt Eliza.
Edward McGargill
(1881 Fremont County biography-He was born in Perry County, Ohio in 1828 and moved in 1845 to Venango County, PA. After remaining there eleven years he moved to Iowa, settling in Jones County. At the end of nine years, he moved to Dubuque, remaining there nine years. From Dubuque he came to Fremont County in 1874.) Edward was born in Chicago in 1831. He worked in a bank in Cascade, IA. When the Trappist monks established New Melleray Abbey near Dubuque, Ed and each of his brothers gave the monks a cow to get them started. He came to Imogene with Martin Head on March 18, 1875. The McGargill and Head families lived together until they built their houses. Ed farmed. The Citizen's Bank of Imogene was established in 1894 only 3 months after another bank folded. Ed became the President of the bank and also owned the grain company. He was married to Eliza Rogers on July 12, 1864. He passed away in 1907. Their children (as of 1881) were William H, Martha L, Amy C, Lewis E, Ida C and Anna L. As of that year he had 400 acres of land.
John McGargill Born January 8, 1829 in Slater Township, Perry County Ohio the 2nd oldest of 4 boys. When quite young he came with his father to Jones County, IA. In the 1870's, he came to Imogene and lived on a farm 2 miles west of town. He passed away in May 1903 only six weeks after the death of his brother James. That left only his brother Ed since their youngest brother was lost in the Civil War. John had a wife and 4 children.
George McGargill
A southwest Iowa farmer living near Imogene with his wife Laurie, George McGargill is a man with a unique perspective that he shares through his original songs. From sweeping views of the landscape and rural life to side-splitting commentary on everyday life in small-town America, he delights audiences young and old with his novel songwriting skills. If you're from a small town, a small farm or would like to know what goes on in small-town rural America, you're sure to enjoy a performance by George McGargill. Visit his website here: The Singing Farmer
John McMonigal
John served in the Civil War. He lived in Imogene for 12 years and moved to Maryville, MO two months prior to his death in August 1910. He had been in ill health for a long time. His family asked Father Hayes to select a marble statue while in Pietrasanta, Italy that could be used as John's tombstone. The tombstone arrived in Imogene two days after John's family moved to Missouri. Father Hayes ended up paying for the statue and it was placed on the grounds in front of the 2nd St. Patrick Church. The pedestal for the statue had already been inscribed with the McMonigal name. When the third St. Patrick Church was being built, the statue and pedestal were moved into the new church. Later, after the marble altar gates would not close properly, they were replaced by bronze gates. One of the marble gates was cemented to the pedestal and covered all but the very top of the McMonigal name. The statue is in the SW corner of the current church. Check the pedestal for the remnants of the McMonigal name the next time you are in St. Patrick Church.
Matt O'Brien He was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland on September 26, 1836. He came to Canada with his parents when young. He remained there until 1867 when he came to the America and settled near Payne, IA. He was connected with the railroad for many years. He later farmed and raised stock. He had 11 children of which 3 died in infancy. They included John, Charles of Hamburg, Mrs. T.P. Gilmore of Missouri Valley, Mrs. John Head and Matt O'Brien of Imogene, James of Omaha, Mrs. Otto Wirth of Nebraska City, and Mrs. E.P.Laughlin of Percival. He retired from farming in 1906 and moved to Nebraska City. When he passed away in October of 1909 he had 34 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild.
Patrick (Patsy) and Johanna O’Connor
Patsy O’Connor came with his family to America from County Cork, Ireland, in the mid-1800s and found employment along with other Irish immigrants hired to build the railroad.Johanna Keefe, also from County Cork, came with her parents at the age of two to Sodridge, Canada. In 1860 the family came to the United States and settled in Clinton, Iowa.(She remembered therally when Abraham Lincoln was elected President.)Her father worked for the railroads and gradually, as the tracks were built, moved westward until they settled at Glenwood.In 1870 she and her sister went to Council Bluffs where she was employed in various homes.In 1875 she was married to Patrick O’Connor in St. Francis Xavier Church there, by Father Bernard McMenomy. The Cistercian (Trappist) monks at Our Lady of New Melleray Abbey near Dubuque purchased cattle-grazing land north of the present site of Imogene.Herds were fattened and shipped to Chicago to feed a nation engaged in a Civil War.Patrick was hired as overseer and Johanna as cook and housekeeper.Legend has it that this tiny woman wasted no words when the “cowhands” would come back to the bunkhouse, tracking in mud and leaving dirty handprints on the whitewashed walls in the stairway.
Seven years later, in 1877, they purchased a farm two miles northwest of Imogene where they lived for fourteen years, then moved to the “family home” west of Imogene where they lived until their death – Patsy at age 55 (1898) of cancer and Johanna at age 71 (1925) of “infirmities of old age”. She was a member of the Altar Society since it started over 40 years before her death. Her casket was decorated with spirituals instead of flowers. (It was in this home, in a corner on a closet shelf that, three generations later, members of the family found her small, pearl-handled pistol – a memento from her days on the cattle ranch.)
Johanna was the second oldest in a family of ten.Except for a sister, Mary Malloy of Galveston, TX, no other information about her siblings is available.Patsy had one brother and three sisters: Thomas (wife Bridget), Ellen (husband Boyle), Mary (husband John O’Connor), and Ann (husband Horrigan).Their children were Thomas (“Tommy O), married to Margaret (Maggie) O’Keefe of Kilkenny, Ireland; Bridget (Dolly), married to Thomas F. Maher; Joseph (Joe); Daniel (Dan); and Ellen (Nellie O).
Tommy O’s children were Mary (Pet), married to Lyle Torpy; James; Dora, married to John McLaren; John Francis (Frank), married to Monica Dempsey; Florence, married to Richard (Dick) Schneider; Agnes, married to Donald (Don) Ryan; Paul, married to Hazel Forbes; and Louise, married to John Anderson.
Sr. Vera O'Connor, RSM Photo: Breaking ground for Mercy Care Center in Omaha with President Gerald Ford - 1976
Sister Vera O’Connor was born on a farm SW of Imogene, IA, on May 26, 1936. The daughter of Frank and Monica O’Connor, she was given the name Sarah Ann and nicknamed Sally. Sally attended St. Patrick Catholic School in Imogene, graduating with the class of 1954. In 1957 she graduated from Mercy Hospital School Nursing in Council Bluffs, IA, (RN) and in 1958 she committed her life to the Sisters of Mercy, choosing Vera as her religious name. Sister Vera attended the College of St. Mary in Omaha, NE (BSN), and Catholic University, Washington, DC (MSN). She served Mercy Hospital, Denver, CO, Mercy Hospital and the Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, Des Moines, IA, and was Administrator at Mercy Care Center, Omaha. She served as President of the Sisters of Mercy, Omaha Regional Community 1986-1990. After 1990 Sister Vera worked in Mercy Housing Services and as Regional Services Coordinator, Mercy Services Corp. She died on September 18, 2003, at her home in Omaha, NE, of an apparent heart attack.
John Otte
John attended St. Patrick Academy until 1916. He was the student Director of the Creighton University Band from 1920-1923. After his 1923 graduation, he became Director of the band. He worked in the band instrument department of Schmoller & Mueller Piano Company in Omaha. He played the French horn and trumpet in the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, the Omaha Philharmonic Orchestra and several Omaha area bands.
M.M.Parrish He was born in Tuscarawas County, Ohio on October 24, 1836. At the age of eighteen he moved to Webster County, IA remaining there four years and then moved to Douglas County, KS where he remained four years. He then moved to Peoria County, IL where he was engaged in the hardware business. In 1874 he located in Fremont County. He served in Company C, fourteenth Illinois Infantry until the close of the war. He was married on August 26, 1860 to Olinda Miller a native of Ohio. As of 1881 they had five children-John M and Carrie E and three who were deceased.
James Phelps James wed Nancy Hayes on January 3, 1878 in Imogene. They moved to Nebraska in 1884 and settled near Central City until the fall of 1913 when they moved to Utica. Several other family members also moved to that area. Nacy died in 1933 and James on October 1, 1937.
James Anthony Printy, MD
"Doc" Printy, son of Edward & Catherine Walsh Printy, was born in Ohio on January 7, 1856. After his family moved to Imogene, he attended Malvern Academy and Tabor College. He was an 1882 graduate of Iowa State University. He was a physician in Imogene for 4 years. He did his post-graduate work in New York and then returned to practice medicine in Imogene for 1 year. He returned to New York in 1888 and married Allie Weir. He relocated to Chicago, Illinois. In 1890, he was on the medical staff at Cook County Hospital. In 1894, he was dean and professor of surgical diseases of women at the National Medical College of Chicago. He eventually gave up these positions due to his large private practice.
Robert "Doc" Regan
Robert Francis Regan was born on the family farmstead on August 25, 1928 to Thomas and Bertha (Saner) Regan. He was the youngest of 12 children. His siblings included Mike, Tom, Jerome, Edward, Ken, Lucille Hughes, Helen Hughes, Margie James, Gert Eggers, Rita Skalberg & Jean Martin. He attended St. Patrick Academy from 1935 to 1945. He entered the Navy at the age of 17. He entered active service on January 24, 1946. He served on the U.S.S. Topeka, U.S.S. Iowa and the U.S.S. Helena. He was honorably discharged on Novemeber 28, 1947 having acheived the rank of Seaman First Class. On March 31, 1948, he was united in marriage to Monica Martin at St. Mary Church in Shenandoah. He farmed and repaired tractors. From November 1958-1960 he worked as the manager of Bartlett & Co. Grain Elevator in Imogene. He worked as the maintenance supervisor at the Ever Ready/Union Carbide Plant in Red Oak from October 1961 until his retirement in March of 1988. He organized plays for the Knights of Columbus and acted in them. He organized two bands - the Bob Regan Combo and the Catalina's - and played the drums in both bands. He also played the organ for various community events and the keyboard with the Ding-A-Lings who entertained at local nursing homes. Doc was an avid golfer and enjoyed piloting planes. He also enjoyed restoring antique tractors. Doc passed away on May 7, 2010.
A.M. Rice This Imogene merchant was born in Cuyahoga County, Ohio on August 14, 1852. He moved to Fremont County on December 17, 1861. He lived in Fremont County all but two years spent in Mills and Page Counties. After three years as a carpenter he engaged in the mercantile business. He married Ella Cox, a native of Wisconsin, on March 29. 1874. As of 1881 their children were Iona M, Marcie E and Burdette.
John Richalson He was an Imogene grain dealer. He was born in Norway on September 22, 1837. At the age of 24 he emigrated to Chicago. He married Catherine Caltins on October 16, 1861. After living there six years he moved to Clinton County A. After eleven years he moved to Mills County and to Fremont County in 1879. Their children as of 1881 were Mary H, Arthur W, Albert J, Grace, Benjamin and an infant. He owned considerable property in Imogene.
Ellen Ryan
Ellen, daughter of Dennis and Julia Dempsey Ryan, was born on October 20, 1905 and grew up on a farm near Imogene. She was a school teacher and later became a nurse. She eventually worked at the Army General Hospital in San Francisco. She joined the Army in 1941 and joined the Air Force when it separated from the Army. She was the head nurse at various bases in Newfoundland, France and England. She transferred bases every three years. She retired as a Lt. Colonel in 1963. She spent the remaining years of her life in Council Bluffs and passed away after being able to celebrate her 100th birthday.
Robert Smalley W Cora May Clites
Gerald Skahill Gerald was born at Imogene on July 13, 1924 to Thomas and Carmelita (Hughes) Skahill. At a young age he started farming with his father. He married Joyce Bateman on March 4, 1946 at St. Patrick Church in Imogene. He moved to a farm near Villisca in 1948. He passed away on November 9, 2007 in Villisca.
F. M. Straight Straight was born in 1845. At 17 years and 20 days old he enlisted at St. Louis in Company E 23rd Missouri Infantry and his army preparations were made there. In April of 1862, he and his company boarded a river steamboat bound for Pittsburg Landing, Tennessee where Grant's concentration forces were preparing to engage the forces at Corinth. They returned home after the battle with decimated forces and prepared for Bowling Green, Kentucky. They marched through the western part of the state to western Tennessee. They stopped to guard some cotton factories and then went to Chattanooga where they had a drove of beef cattle placed in their charge. About June 20th they crossed the river on pontoons and had action with the forces on the other side. The enemies fell back to Atlanta, a fortified stronghold, a mile away. The army followed. They then evacuated Atlanta. His outfit marched through Georgia. His birthday was on November 10th and it fell during the march as did the election of Lincoln as President. The troops took Savannah by storm. On January 1, 1865 the troops boarded a ship for New York City. It was very cold and deep snow fell before they landed. They wore civilian clothes on the train trip from New York back to St. Louis. Mr. Straight lived in New Market, Council Bluffs (4yrs.), California (6-7 years) and Imogene since 1928.
SIMON TORPY - Simon was born on October 24,1867 in Green township. He had not been in good health when he became overheated in a grain bin. Brain fever set in and he passed away on August 4, 1900. The condition of his body was such that no funeral services could be held for him at the church. Another newspaper account says Fr. Dexecker conducted funeral services on the Sunday morning after his death. This same article says Simon was born in Bombay, Franklin County, NY.
August Werner
August Werner (March 24, 1849-August 26, 1931) and his wife Mattie were present for the platting of the town of Imogene. Originally they ran a restaurant and boarding house in the now empty space to the south of the Cahill Bank building. They then built a house and carpentry shop on Main street. August had success in building model helicopters that could fly. On July 4, 1886 he attempted to fly a full-size helicopter over Imogene. Some say his helicopter rose 4 feet in the air on top of the First Street hill. Others say the helicopter never lifted off the ground before crashing around him. He never recovered from this failure; more advanced knowledge of the laws of modern physics might have resulted in a different outcome. After December 1886, he spent the rest of his life in mental institutions. Originally he was in an institution in Mt. Pleasant and moved to the institution in Clarinda on December 15, 1889. He eventually had his own woodworking shop there. He was a master craftsman and built furniture for the State Capitol in Des Moines. The aviation visionary, who attempted to fly 17 years before the Wright brothers, is buried in the Monroe Township/Old Lutheran Cemetery north of Imogene. A booklet August Werner of Imogene and His Iowa Flying Machine was compiled by Jerry Schmalenberger for the Imogene community celebration of August Werner Days the first weekend of August in 1984.
Monroe Township Cemetery-using the east driveway to enter the cemetery-2nd large monument just west of the driveway
C.S. Young He was an Imogene farmer. Born in Morrow County, Ohio on February 7, 1834 he spent his early life on a farm. He married Joanna Williams, an Ohio native, on May 15, 1855. He left Ohio in 1855 for Muscatine, IA where he remained a year and a half and then moved to Henry County, IA. In January of 1872 he moved to Fremont County, IA. They had ten children.
PLACES Chambers Cemetery - This cemetery was located on the Ezekiel Chambers farm southeast of the town of Imogene. The first person buried in the cemetery was Ezekiel's wife Gartra. She was making soap when a lightning strike caught a barn on fire. Gartra and her daughter Charlotte tried to get the horses out of the barn. Gartra was knocked down by a colt and the silk trim on her dress caught fire. She was severely burned and died a few days later from infection. Vine Pease, their neighbor, was killed by lightning and buried in the cemetery on June 23, 1858. William Barger drowned in Walnut Creek on his way home from Vine's funeral and was the third one buried in the cemetery. The fourth burial was that of a child of a pioneer family who were driving by and asked if they could bury their child near the other graves.
Farmer's City - SW corner of Monroe Township M16 & 150th Street was laid out in 1876. Had a postoffice from 1878-1897. the land was owned by Mr. McBurney of Ohio. There were about 20 people living there in 1881. A church was built in that area in 1873.
Summit - 150th Street closer to 400th Avenue than 410th Avenue
Vaughn-section 7 on the north side of Walnut Creek in walnut Township of Fremont County-had a postoffice there from 1873-1875.