BACK -- After a Break from Blogging

  In mid-June we left Pennsylvania for a trip to the Midwest to attend a memorial service for Francia's parents at Northfield MN and to spend time in Appanoose County IA doing research.  It was a productive and enjoyable trip.
  On the last day of our 8-day stay in Appanoose County, my computer went "blue screen."  When I returned home the Geek Squad was able to retrieve all of my data so nothing was lost.  After three trips to the computer shop I decided it was time for a new computer.  Took three weeks to get the new computer, then had to install all of my programs and data.  By then I had my old computer working pretty well, so I've ended up with two computers and have learned how to keep the data synchronized on them so I have things working pretty well now.
  Had a minor surgical procedure in September, made a trip to South Carolina for my annual reunion with my three sisters and had cataract surgery after I returned from which I am still recovering.  In SC, my sister had a box of pictures and historical material for me to review and scan, including copies of four issues of The Tomahawk from the Seymour Schools.
  During this time I was able to continue my research and start the organization of the pictures and information I gathered in Appanoose County.
  We had a wonderful 8-days in Appanoose County.  We really appreciated the hospitality and assistance provided by Marion and Jane Zemo.  Marion and I were children together in Jerome, but had not seen each other in 60 years.  
  We visited the Prairie Trails Museum in Corydon, the Appanoose County Historical and Coal Mining Museum in Centerville, the Drake Public Library, the Seymour Community Library, and the Appanoose County Court House to see their resources; there are lots of opportunity for research in the area. 
  Bill Heusinkveld, Appanoose county's own historian, secured for me copies of several of the town and township histories which have been published over the years.  Also, shared with me the new edition of the Historical Atlas of Appanoose County which he first prepared in 1996.  The new edition can be secured from the Museum in Centerville and contains over 30 maps of Appanoose County with a variety of historical data on towns, roads, schools, cemeteries, churches, coal mines, post offices and railroads at different times in history.  Bill has just written his last column for the Iowegian and he has contributed his library of resources to the Museum for all to use in their research.
  Attended the meetings of the Appanoose County Historical Society and the Appanoose County Genealogical Society and met several of the volunteer leaders of these two helpful organizations, especially Gary Craver, President of the ACGS, who has been most helpful to me over the past months.
  Spent a morning with Mary Lou Hunt Matthews to review and scan materials she had secured from the late Susie Sidles.  Will be posting it on The Jerome Journal shortly.  Met with Myrtle Felkner who shared many memories of Jerome, especially of the Methodist Church.  She has since sent me several articles which I will share on The Jerome Journal with you. Attended church in Jerome on Sunday. The pastor's husband gave me a fan from the church which my father had sponsored many years ago.  Later, Marion Zemo gave me a church fan from his brother which had been sponsored by the Warnick Grocery Store. Marion came to church, as did Carl Hamm and Myrtle Felkner.  After church Marion drove us around Jerome and we tried to recall where various people had lived or where buildings had existed.  I have some pictures to share taken that day.  I also was able to get good pictures of the memorial stained-glass windows in the church.  Met briefly with Donald and Vera Purdy who were having a garage sale before their move into a new apartment; hope to visit with them again to see their pictures of the family mine and the Jerome area. Had a wonderful visit with Reavis Beer; her son, Jimmy, and daughter, Judy, were visiting which enriched the experience. 
  With several visits, I was able to photograph ALL of the gravestones in the Jerome Cemetery, plus some of the gravestones in the Miller, Felkner and Oakland cemeteries.  From John Glenn, I secured a plat map of the Jerome Cemetery which identifies to whom each of the lots were sold.  This plat, the pictures, plus some death records and obituaries will serve as resources for compiling a complete directory of the Jerome Cemetery in the coming months.
  As a result of the trip, I have lots of potential posts for The Jerome Journal in the coming weeks and months.  Check back from time to time and see the new posts.  It is great to be back to blogging about Jerome and the surrounding area, but I still need contributions of pictures and historical material from everyone; please share your family's information with others.