Now maybe some of you who read my Manning Monitor articles and browse through my web pages, realize that one of the main reasons I create these features and post stuff in the Monitor is to TRY to get more Manning connected people to bring me what little history/pix they may have of their family history and old Manning history - especially the Veterans, so I can scan, document, and archive it in my database, and to use in the future Manning Veterans history book.
Now I realize there are many folks who are scanning and working on their own personal family trees, which is fine, but unless they are saving that data in a museum or similar historical location so it won't just get lost someday...or, more than likely they aren't properly backing up that digital data in multiple ways and off-site such as a bank safe deposit box, so sooner or later that data will get deleted, lost, or damaged beyond recovery.
I take all of these steps and more and have
future plans that the data will be preserved in the National Archives in Washington D.C., and any/all local area museums and libraries.
So if you want your old family/Manning history preserved, contact me and we'll work out the details...
I realize that others will upload some of their pix, history, and data to those commercial websites and/or on some of those social media sites.
One thing I'm really proud of is my work is pure - I don't make a penny off of anyone's history...not so with those commercial sites.
Now I don't have as large a
data site to store it on like they do, and my work is basically "Manning" history, BUT it costs me quite a bit to operate my web pages.
Another reason to get me your old stuff to scan is that I'll then be able to use some of it in future feature stories on my web pages.
Have I begged, pleaded, and rambled enough???
So let's take a little trip down memory lane for Leon Stoelk...
I'll list the sources of some of the material, to give you just a little idea of the number of people who have worked and shared with me over the decades...
I always like to comment about connections I have with other families...
Merle Stoelk and my dad, Amos, graduated together in 1938
His daughter, Marlys, and I graduated together in 1975
Back: Darlene
Middle: Berdine, Merle, Leon, Jaenice
Front: Albert, Donald, Elsie (Klindt)
From Jeff Stoelk's collection
He told me this little comment by his father "
Don never liked this picture because he wore a sweater"
Albert Stoelk baptismal certificate
From the Jeff Stoelk collection
Albert Stoelk and probably Frank
From the Jeff Stoelk collection
I have several scans of this picture from various sources, but Jeff had the best original print, plus I have better scanners/software now.
Many steam engines and threshing machines fell through bridges.
Old timers told me that many times the operator would get off
the steam engine and let it drive across the bridge by itself - just in case
From the Jeff Stoelk collection
I hope someone will have a better original copy of this so I can make a better scan.
2012 e-mail from Jan Bos of the Netherlands.
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this feature, Jan was so very gracious and helpful to send me what he had gathered for Leon.
Here are just some of the documents and pix he e-mailed me.
Gela Cemetery at Gela, Sicily
For those who like to complain about things today - realize this is just ONE of many burial sites or temporary
burial sites overseas during WWII.
Present day site of the burial site at Gela - I believe all of the bodies were repatriated or moved to other cemeteries.
Here are some of the documents Jan sent me.
I won't explain them, partly because I don't have the time to glean through the information now and
also because you can read them.
It is amazing at some of the documents that were copied and kept...
It is next to impossible to understand the heartache that gold star family members went through.
Especially at trying to get any items of their son's belongings back home.
Thank you from the Stoelk family the Legion in Manning.
I scanned this from the Legion Hall records.