Family History Notes and Photos by Bob Mesenbrink

Henry William, grandson Russell, son Otto, grandchildrenVirginia and Donovan in front My dad didn't grow up on a farm. He was a town kid, but when I was a child, we bought a farm near Ruthven, Iowa. It wasn't just a place to live, but dad wanted to do some farming.  It was only 80 acres, and he had a job too, so it was just a way to get a bit more income, and perhaps a way to rekindle some fond memories of his grandparent's farm north of Dunlap, Iowa. I never knew about this place until I was grown. But it must have been quite the farm. Above is a photo I received from Marge Hoster. It probably doesn't do justice to the farm, but you can see the large barns and house in the background. Here is a closer picture of the house. And another view: Henry's aunt, Helena Flier Mersmann, would visit from St. Louis every summer. She had such a good time I'm told and loved the experience staying at this farm. Aunt Anna made a beautiful wooden box for her t

Country churches thrived before cars and good roads became the rule, and before the farms started to get larger and fewer families lived in the area. St. Paul's Lutheran Church in the southern part of Walnut Township, Palo Alto County, was no different. Commonly called South Walnut Church, it closed in January of 1962. The building still stands and is still cared for, along with the cemetery across the road, and they still have a Memorial Day celebration there. St. Paul's was a Lutheran Church, but more significantly, it's congregation was predominantly Danish immigrants and their descendants. Lost Island Lutheran Church was only a few miles to the west, but until St. Paul's closed, it was Norwegian. I sometimes joke that I grew up in an area with great cultural differences, having both Danes and Norwegians. Lost Island Church has survived to this day, and is one of few country churches still operating I suppose. St. Paul's is important to me for several re

Isaac Vangunda, was a son of my g.g. grandparents, Cyrus and Hannah Vangunda. He was born near Prairie City, Iowa September 22, 1870, moved with his parents to northwestern Kansas, south of Haigler, Nebraska in 1887, his parents homesteading there at that time. Isaac Vangunda, 1875 with note by his sister, Susan Milliner In 1891, when Isaac was the required age of 21, he entered his own claim for land nearby. At that time, he stated that he and his wife would live on the land. But in 1899, when he filed final proof of his homestead, he said he was widowed. More on that later. In 1893, he filed for a leave of absence from his homestead. An absence from there would have otherwise negated his claim, since he would normally have to maintain residence there continuously for the required five years. Here is his Affidavit and Application for Leave of Absence from Claim for One Year: I, Isaac Vangunda, being duly sworn an oath say, that on the 8th day of May A.D. 1891, I made

It would be easier to not write about bad things. It would be easier to just forget about those unpleasant events in family history. But I think it is important that we know what happened in the past - both good and bad. We need to know that when we are faced with difficulties in our lives, that our ancestors got through it, and we can too. It is with that in mind that I write the history of George Stephenson, son of Jonathan and Lillian Stephenson, of Paradise township, Crawford county, Iowa. George was born October 18, 1881 near Dunlap. The name George came from his father's father, a common practice for the first male child. George was the firstborn of five boys and three girls.  In what should have been a normal childhood and early adulthood for him, things went very badly. George died July 3, 1921, at age 39, in the state mental hospital in Clarinda. I received some of his file from the hospital and thought it time to share some of this. George was admitted to Clarin