Regan children (L-R): Dan, Mae, Ambrose, Alice, Nina and Celestial, 1913
~contributed by Ellen Elliott

Excerpt from ...
"The Regan Family" by Agnes Regan, in a history of Faith, Meade co., South Dakota, pg 664 (unknown publish date)

Mr. and Mrs. James Regan and six children lived on a farm near Waukon, IA. James was a violinist, Nina was a pianist, and they were active in the church and community affairs. However James died of a heart attack in Montana, where he had gone to visit a brother, hoping his health would improve. After his death Nina sold the farm, and moved into Waukon where the children attended parochial school. The money was deposited in the bank there, and they expected to live on interest. However, the bank closed and they were devastated.

Hearing of free land in South Dakota, and corresponding with the Bakewell family at Faith - Nina filed on 160 acres of land a few miles north of Faith, moving out on a railroad car ..... Times were very hard for them ....

After Nina proved up on her claim, they moved into the town of Faith, where they made their home for many years. Nina was pianist for Boyer's orchestra, and she married Elmer Boyer.

Mae was the oldest of six children .... she married Bill Bennett ..... they settled in Chula Vista, CA
Ambrose, next in age .... married Alberta Logsdon
Dan was next in age
Celestial was the next daughter .... she became a Benedictine Nun and taught for years in Deadwood, Lemmon, Gregory and other schools run by the Nuns
Alice 'Allie' is next in age
Nina was the youngest .... married Mauritz Melander

During her later years, Nina Regan Boyer lived in Rapid City. She died of pneumonia in December 1959 and is buried in Sturgis, S.D. near Allie and NIna in St. Aloysius Cemetery.

~contributed by Kelley Regan Schipke, great-granddaughter of Nina Holmes Regan Boyer
~ transcribed by S. Ferrall

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~notes from Kelley Regan Schipke

The photo of the six children [submitted by Ellen Elliot] is a photo of my grandfather, Devillo Daniel Regan, and his 5 siblings, May, Ambrose, Celeste, Alice and Nina. I believe the postcard is written by my great grandmother, Nina Regan Boyer. When her husband died, she moved the family from Iowa to Dakota Territory (South Dakota).

My great grandmother's maiden name is Holmes.... Nina Holmes Regan Boyer.  I think she may be one of the eight children of Oliver Wendell Holmes and Catherine (Treanor) Holmes, which would probably make her a cousin of Elizabeth Ann Treanor Loughlin.  I found an 50th Anniversary article for Mr. and Mrs. Devillo A. Holmes of Lansing, IA that says Mr. Holmes' brother, Oliver Holmes of Dubuque, IA and Mr. Holmes' sister, Nina Regan Boyer of Rapid City, SD were in attendance.

My grandmother, Agnes Regan, wrote an article for a book about the history of families in Faith, South Dakota [above]. In that article is the picture of my grandfather and his five siblings.

I am not a genealogist.  I just happened to come across this picture & knew that I had seen it before in one of my grandparents' photo albums. 

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See also Holmes Family Album

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