EARLY PIONEER TEACHERS Plymouth County Check out the underlined links for additional history on these early teachers! At the bottom of this list, please note the earliest dates for teachers that were mentioned in brief news items. Plesase scroll down to the bottom half of this page to read the early newspaper sitings telling the story & happenings of the early Plymouth County teachers (teachers who taught primarily before 1915.) |
Teacher obituary will be linked to the name |
News Item / Photo Item |
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Miss Lydia G. Adler | Date of death: 17 May 1977....from her obituary: "Miss Adler was born Dec. 2, 1888, on a farm near LeMars. She was a graduate of LeMars High School and taught in rural school near LeMars for several years." | |
Mary Adney.....later became Mrs. Henry Gunther | Mrs. Gunther 100th Event Open House | |
Eva Alfred.......later became Mrs. James Dempster | LeMars Sentinel, March 6, 1899 Stanton--Eva Alfred completed the winter term of school in sub-district No. 1 on Friday last. She has taught the full school year in that district and has given good satisfaction. |
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L.M. Black.....obituary posted to the Sioux Co. IA GenWeb site | Ireton Ledger, Jan. 24, 1924 ....Six years after the close of the war, in 1871, he came west and located on a homestead in Sioux County southwest of Ireton and during the period of proving up on his claim taught school at Seney the only school for many miles around and a long distance from his homestead. |
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Miss Bessie Bray, married Frank Veidt |
From memories told to her daughter and grandsons: "Bessie graduated from high school in 1905, then attended normal school and began teaching in 1909. She was teaching in a rural school outside of Merrill which is about seven miles from Le Mars. She was homesick so Grandpa (Thomas A.Bray, Bessie's father) used to pick her up in the horse and buggy and bring her home and take her back on weekends. One weekend it rained very hard. Grandpa said that it was raining too hard for the horse and buggy to get through and that about the only thing Bessie could do would be to take the train to Merrill and ask somebody who looked "good" to her and was heading further west, to give her a ride. She asked Frank Veidt. He said he couldn't take her because he had his father who was ill, but that he would find her a ride. Frank's father had dropsy and was badly swollen and he didn't want Bessie to see him. Frank got her the ride. A few days later Frank went to call on Bessie. All the other girls in the boarding house were wondering who this was. He asked for Bessie and asked her out to go dancing. Bessie said she didn't know how; her mother wouldn't let her dance. Frank said he would teach her. He showed her a few steps and off they went."
Frank & Bessie were married on Sept 1, 1910, my grandmother (their daughter) was born Feb 8, 1912, and Bessie died Feb 2, 1913. Grandma just passed away last year on Feb 18, 2007. Submitted by family descendant, Cyndi Taylor
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Miss Mary J. Brown | from her obituary: LeMars Daily Sentinel, October 4, 1921
" She was a highly educated young lady and taught school in Iowa and South Dakota for a number of years." |
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Miss Ethel Bryant | LeMars Daily Sentinel, May 8, 1958 |
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Burnight, T. L. (1859-1917) | From his obituary: "The subject of this sketch early in life displayed the habits of industry and thrift that laid the foundation for the structure of business success that crowned the efforts of his later years. For a short time he taught country school and afterward took up the more profitable occupation of herding cattle on Plymouth county’s prairies on a quite extensive scale." | |
Miss Maggie Burwell | LeMars Daily Sentinel, January 2, 1902 ADAVILLE: (Special Correspondence) |
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Miss Anna Cleary | LeMars Sentinel, Oct. 13, 1903 POTOSIA: Miss Anna Cleary began a five months term of school at Millnerville last Monday. |
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Miss Edith Estelle Coolbaugh.....later became Mrs. H.W. Darville | "She came to LeMars as a child, and attended the public schools and Normal school. She taught in the county rural school until her marriage Dec. 4, 1892, to Henry W. Darville." ~from her obituary |
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Miss Claudia Crouch | "An 1894 graduate of the old Northwestern Normal and Business College in LeMars, Mrs. Hauff taught for six years in rural schools and in Hinton. She attended summer sessions at Morningside college in Sioux City.
Claudia Crouch and Conrad Hauff were married in LeMars Oct. 2, 1901. They lived in a farm on Perry creek until they moved to Merrill in 1904." ~from her obituary |
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Miss Esther Crouch...later became Mrs. Harold Pew | She graduated from LeMars High School and attended Western Union (Westmar) College. She taught country school until her marriage to Harold Pew in 1916. ~from her obituary |
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Anna C. Donahoe | Supt. of Schools -- 1914 | |
Miss Sarah Edith Drummond, later Mrs. Leo Mathias Marx | LeMars Sentinel, dated Feb. 1, 1907, news notice of their marriage. | |
Lucille Fisher Morehead | Taught LeMars schools | |
Miss Mamie Foulds | LeMars Sentinel Friday, September 6, 1907 SENEY: (Special Correspondence) Miss Mamie Foulds, of Sioux City, arrived here Friday evening after visiting with friends a few days. She began teaching in the center school house Monday. |
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Miss Juliet Gilmer | LeMars Sentinel Oct. 13, 1903 YEOMANS: (Special Correspondence) Miss Juliet Gilmer of Sioux City is teaching the fall term of the Yeomans school. |
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Mary Harding | Fredonia No. 4, 1915 | |
Miss Edith Harrington | Fredonia No. 1, 1910 Photo | |
Edna M. Ivey | Liberty No. 2, 1911 | |
Rev. W. W. Jeffers | From the LeMars Sentinel, February 13, 1895:
Seney--Mr. Jeffers, the principal of the public school at Remsen, intends to organize a singing class at this place next Friday evening at the school house. Mr. Jeffers understands music thoroughly and those who wish to become his pupils will find him successful in the work he undertakes. From the LeMars Sentinel, Thursday, September 19, 1895, Page 4, Column 5:
Seney--Prof. Wm. Jeffers, of the Remsen schools, was in the city yesterday visiting our schools. The Remsen schools were dismissed on account of the Marcus fair. From William Walter "W. W." Jeffers' obit:
Mr. Jeffers was born Oct. 29, 1864 at Baraboo, Wis., and died Oct. 24, 1954, lacking five days of reaching his 90th birthday. He moved to Plymouth county early in life and acquired his education near his country home at Ruble, and graduated from the LeMars Normal school in 1888...He was a successful teacher in several high schools in the LeMars vicinity and in 1904, while teaching school at Seney, he felt his call to preach the Gospel and received his license from Seney M. E. church, of which he was a member. |
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Miss Mae Kennedy....later became Mrs. Walker Bushby of Ireton, IA. | LeMars Sentinel, 18 Oct 1907, SENEY: Miss Kennedy went to Ireton Saturday where she will teach the Grammar grade in the Ireton school, during the teacher's absence of about two weeks. [Transcriber note: this is Miss Mae Irene Kennedy, the daughter of Miles Kennedy of Seney.] LeMars Sentinel, 26 Jun 1908, SENEY: Miss Mae Kennedy closed her school in Grant township Friday and is attending summer school in LeMars. LeMars Sentinel, 10 Sep 1909, SENEY: Miss Mae Kennedy commenced teaching in the Perry school house in Fredonia township Monday. Hawarden Independent, 13 Nov 1947: Obituary of Mrs. Bushby |
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Annie S. Kieffer | Meadow No. 3, 1895-1899 | |
Eva King, later married Charles Brodie | From her obituary: "The former Eva King, she was born June 30, 1892, at Adaville, a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Oliver King. She graduated from LeMars high school in 1910 and taught in Plymouth county schools. She was married to Charles G. Brodie, Sept. 2, 1914." |
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Gladys Knapp, married Ernie Luce, taught at Stony Point, Portland Twp. | Akron Register-Tribune MILLNERVILLE MENTION The older son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernie Luce is attending Central high school in Sioux City this year. Allen, the younger boy, still has some vacation left, as the Stony Point school burned and must be replaced before school can reopen there. Mrs. Luce, who taught for some years at the Stony Point school, is the former Gladys Knapp, so this item will interest Millnerville. |
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Mrs. A.S. Knowlton | From her obituary:
LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel TAUGHT MANY SCHOOL TERMS Death claimed Mrs. Knowlton, wife of A. S. Knowlton, a Fredonia township Mrs. Knowlton was a native of New York State and was born at Albion on April |
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Minnie Lilly | Photographer, J.M. Dwight studio, Remsen, Ia. (see linked name for photo) | |
Miss Margaret March....later Mrs. Grant Chapman | LeMars Sentinel, Dec. 9, 1890 SENEY: (Special Correspondence)--Miss Maggie March is Sundaying with her parents. She is teaching school near Kingsley. |
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Marie McKnight....later became Mrs. Walter Baldwin | Marie McKnight news item page | |
Merrill Teachers Honored | "Outstanding Elementary Teacher of America" | |
Anna E. Miller | Fredonia No. 4, 1905-1906 | |
Miss Lula Miller | LeMars Daily Sentinel, January 2, 1902 ADAVILLE: (Special Correspondence) |
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Susan Minette....later Mrs. Arthur Pierce | ~from her obituary: "Mrs. Pierce was the former Susan Minnette, the step-daughter of Wallace Fuller, an early homesteader in Johnson Township west of LeMars. She taught school in our rural schools before she married Arthur Pierce in LeMars." | |
Margaret Moir.....later became Mrs. Jackson Hawkins | "She was 65 years of age and was an early settler in the vicinity of Maurice and taught school in Sioux and Plymouth counties before her marriage." ~from her obituary | |
Mary Tucker Moir | "Coming to LeMars in the early eighties she taught school in Fredonia township." ~from her obituary | |
Laura Muffett....later became Mrs. Charles J. Darville. |
LeMars Sentinel LeMars Sentinel, November 28, 1898 |
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Miss Carrie Murphy | Sioux County Herald |
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Miss Madge Nicholson, later became Mrs. Felix A. Berner (link to their wedding news article) | LeMars Sentinel, 04 Feb 1913, STANTON: Miss Madge Nicholson, of LeMars, is teaching in school district No. 4 since
the resignation of Miss Richardson and will continue to teach the coming
spring term. |
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Esther Winterfeld Oloff | Mrs. Oloff taught Grant & Preston Twp schools | |
Teacher Miss Christine Petersen, became the Plymouth Co. School Superintendent in 1924, her term lasting through her retirement in 1973. Christine Petersen became Mrs. Charles McCormack 1894-1986. Christine & Charles were married 03 Aug 1958. |
Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, November 3, 1911 Miss Christine Petersen, who is attending school at Morningside, was home. Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, March 26, 1912 Yeomans Christine Petersen started to teach school in the new school house last Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, June 4, 1912 Perry Center Christine Petersen, of Perry Center, gave a program and box sociable at the Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, June 14, 1912 Yeomans Miss Christine Petersen closed a successful term of school at the Pleasant Le Mars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, September 6, 1912 School was started in the "Pleasant Hill" school house last Monday with Miss |
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Alice Phillips | Fredonia No. 5, 1906 | |
Miss Emma Plumb | LeMars Sentinel, Sept. 1, 1891
Miss Emma Plumb left yesterday morning to begin her fall school near Seney where she taught in the spring. |
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Miss Elsie Reeves.....later Mrs. George Darville | From "Northwest Iowa Pioneers", section entitled "Journal of People and Events in Plymouth County", Page 22: 1871-- The first schoolhouse in Elgin Township was erected this year, although a private school was taught in 1870 by Elsie Reeves, seventeen-year-old daughter of Stephen Reeves. | |
Miss Bessie Robertson, later Mrs. Sylvan Locer |
LeMars Sentinel, Sept. 10, 1909 LeMars Sentinel, April 21, 1911 SUNNY KNOLL: Note: I think this might be Elizabeth Ann "Bessie" Robertson Locer. She got married in June of 1911 and was a teacher in Washington township in May 1910. ~submitter, Bruce Atkinson ~From the above Sentinel article we see evidence that she was teaching in Portland township, Breezy Hill School, in the Spring of 1911--before her marriage in June. |
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Mrs. M.K. Ross | "Mrs. Ross taught in the Plymouth county schools for more than 30 years and according to records she kept, had taught more than 1,100 pupils." ~from her obituary | |
Miss Rosa Katherine Schneider, married John Allen Jones, March 4, 1906, at Merrill, Iowa. | Early pioneer teacher--was the mother of two later teachers, Misses Cleo Jones and Lola Jones. Click on Rosa's linked name for her obituary page. "She attended schools in the county and Westmar College then known as the LeMars Normal school. She taught in rural schools before her marriage." |
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Miss Mattie Small.....later Mrs. Mattie Beadle | LeMars Sentinel, November 11, 1890: LeMars Sentinel, March 18, 1901 --(below from her wedding news article) "Miss Mattie Small was one of the most highly esteemed members of |
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Miss Minnie Strader | "This is a photo of 1910 era teacher, Minnie Strader, taken at the time she was teaching. She was a friend of my Grandmother, Bessie Robertson." Photo submitted by Tim Tone. |
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Margaret Struble | "In Memory of Margaret Struble" -- News article by Harvey N. Kluckhohn |
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Mrs. J.L. Sudduth (Lillian) | From her obituary: LeMars Globe-Post, Nov. 15, 1926, ---
Mrs. Sudduth taught school and as far as possible, her pupils acted as The Pallbearers were Elam Chapman, W. J. Reeves, John Alderson, C. W. |
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Mary Emma Taylor ...became Mrs. Frank Gabel in 1905 | ~from her obituary:
"She was a daughter of Robert and Margaret Taylor. In 1883 the family moved to Georgetown, Wis., and two years later came to Plymouth county and settled near Merrill. She was educated in a rural school in Johnson township and was graduated from Northwestern Normal School and Business College of LeMars in 1897. She was a successful teacher in this county for several years." |
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Sarah Jane Taylor....married Gabel in 1899 | Quote from family member, Bruce Atkinson: "My grandmother Sarah Jane Taylor Gabel was a teacher when she got married in March 1899. My sister has the bell that she used at school." |
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Josephine Winslow | WOMAN OF ACHIEVEMENT LeMars Teacher Is Honored Today |
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Miss Bessie Young; married John S. Ogilvie |
~from her obituary: "The former Bessie G. Young, she was born March 20, 1886, in Le Mars, a daughter of the late David and Annie (Perkins) Young. She married John Stewart Ogilvie March 20, 1913, in Le Mars. Mrs. Ogilvie was a homemaker and a retired longtime bakery operator. She and her late husband operated the Vienna bakery on Plymouth St. NW for many years. She was a lifelong resident of Le Mars and was a rural school teacher before her marriage." | |
************** | BELOW SEE EARLY NEWSPAPER ITEMS TELLING OF THE EARLY TEACHERS & THEIR SCHOOLS--Enjoy! | |
Earliest Dates/Teachers | Newspaper Articles in chronological order: (teacher names in bold and linked to their obituary when available) | |
Sentinel, 28 Aug 1891 | HINTON: (Special Correspondence) Miss Ida C. Koenig and Miss Tina Schmidt from LeMars have been engaged by
our directors to attend to the educational wants of our rising generation;
for this winter, Miss Koenig will teach the Central school and Miss Schmidt
the Melbourne school. |
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Sentinel, 29 Sep 1891 | FREDONIA: (Special Correspondence) Miss Maggie Rea and Mary Winslow are again at their post of duty as school teachers.
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Sentinel, 09 Oct 1891 | THE FIRST WARD SCHOOL |
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Sentinel, 3 Nov 1891 | PERSONAL. Miss Grace Treat began her school in Preston last Monday.
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Sentinel, 25 Dec 1891 | ADAVILLE: Mr. Joe Eckerson is teaching in Liberty township in the Bauerly district. |
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LeMars Sentinel, Oct. 1, 1896 |
Adaville: Miss Otis will teach the Valley school this winter. Hinton: The schools in Hinton and sub-district No. 4 will commence next Monday with Miss Frances M. Robinson and Mrs. Chas. Jones as teachers. Potosia: We made a mistake in regard to schools last week. Miss Hattie Frost will teach the Reynolds school and Miss Madison the Montague school. Hancock: School in district No. 1 commenced on the 21st. Miss Leitch, of Sioux City is teacher. School in No. 2 also commenced the same time, Miss Vanosdale, a cousin of John N. Pike, who recently came from the east, will teach in the new school house, said to be the best in Plymouth county outside of the high school building in LeMars. No. 3 was successful in getting Mary Harlan again. This school commenced on the 7th. Miss Maggie Kundert, of LeMars, also commenced her work in No. 4, on the 21st. She has taught this school for several years and has a foundation laid for much good in that district. Hancock proposes to be second to none on schools. Her people are getting to the front when they bid for good schools. At the annual meeting of the school board on the 21st they re-elected Miss These two have made efficient officials and such are needed. The board
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LeMars Sentinel, 16 Jan 1899 |
SENEY: Miss Sadie Alderson has resigned her position as teacher of the Emery school. Miss Anna Daniels, of Maurice, has been employed to teach the balance of the term. |
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LeMars Sentinel, 06 Jan 1902 |
STANTON: Minnie Bixby, who contracted to teach the winter term of school in district
No. 5 has resigned after teaching one month. The cause assigned is that she
could not secure a boarding place near enough to the school house to suit
her convenience. |
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LeMars Globe-Post, 25 Oct 1905 | Miss Viola McCoy who is teacher of the Rathlesborger school near Remsen and her sister, Miss Nettie McCoy, who is teacher of the Obermire school near Struble are at home spending their fall vacation of three weeks. |
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LeMars Globe-Post, 07 Mar 1906 | The schools of Miss Vivian Banks, district No. 4, and Miss Nettie McCoy, of district No, 5, Fredonia township will give a shadow social at the school of the latter on Monday evening, March 10. | |
LeMars Sentinel, 12 Oct 1906
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EVANSVILLE: (Special Correspondence)
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LeMars Sentinel, 06 Sep 1907
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MILLNERVILLE: (Special Correspondence) ~Note: This refers to Sioux No. 6 school |
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LeMars Sentinel |
CRATHORNE: (Special Correspondence) Miss Anna Strader returned from Sioux City, where she spent her vacation, and opened her school in Preston township last Monday. Her father, Samuel Strader, accompanied her to Crathorne and spent Sunday with Mrs. A. ~Obituary for Mrs. Anna Strader Gabel. "Thanks, Bruce Atkinson, for contributing this early teacher news item and obituary."
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Remsen Bell-Enterprise March 12, 1908 |
Teacher Resigns The school board of the Independent District of Remsen received the resignation of Miss Dorethea Lindemann last Monday night and it was accepted. Miss Lindemann has taught the school just the present term, three miles east of town, and it was with regret that the board acted on her resignation, but her mother is not in the best of health and Miss Lindemann felt that her help was needed at home and hence resigned. The board cheerfully recommends her as a good teacher and her services for the district have been entirely satisfactory. The board is now looking for another teacher to fill the vacancy and we hope that they manage to find one, but we understand that the teachers are very scarce at the present time. |
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LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, 26 Mar 1909 | The Marion schools reopened on Monday with the same force of teachers as last year: Bernice Laux No. 1, Mary Campbell No. 2, Lucy Shoemaker No. 3, Nettie McCoy No. 4, and Mae Beatrice No. 5. | |
LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, 30 Apr 1909 | Nettie McCoy, teacher of the Sunny Side school, was called home Friday on account of the illness of her mother. Miss Josie Shea is teaching during her absence. |
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LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, 24 Aug 1909 | Miss Nettie McCoy will take charge of the school work in the McClintock school this fall. |
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LeMars Sentinel Sept. 10, 1909 |
CRATHORNE: (Special Correspondence) |
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LeMars Sentinel Dec. 31, 1909 |
STRUBLE: (Special Correspondence) |
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LeMars Globe-Post, 28 Mar 1910 | Miss Nettie McCoy is also well acquainted in this township, having taught in District No. 1 and No. 4 for several terms. She has been principal of the Hinton school for the past year. ----- Announcement was made at the St. James church on Sunday of the approaching marriage of Daniel Shea of Marion township, to Miss Nettie McCoy, of Le Mars. Miss McCoy will resign as principal of the Hinton school. |
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LeMars Sentinel April 21, 1911 |
SUNNY KNOLL: Note: I think this might be Elizabeth Ann "Bessie" Robertson Locer. She got married in June of 1911 and was a teacher in Washington township in May 1910. ~submitter, Bruce Atkinson ~link to her 1909 Teaching Certificate, submitted by Tim Tone, a grandson Additional Note: L.F. Root owned land (section 23) one mile north of the Breezy Hill School (section 25) – 1907 Atlas; Portland Township |
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LeMars Sentinel, 11 May 1917 | Miss Hazel Parker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J.C. Parker, of this city, and Melvin P. Merritt, of Sioux Falls, S.D., were the principals in a quiet wedding which took place in Sioux City on Monday, May 7, at the residence of Rev. H.E. Hutchinson, pastor of the Methodist church, who performed the ceremony. The only witnesses were Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Parker, parents of the bride. The wedding was a quiet affair on account of recent bereavement in the Parker family. The bride is a popular young woman who has made her home here for several years and has been engaged in teaching school with success. The bridegroom is employed with the Chicago, St. Paul & Omaha Railway Company. He is a member of Company D, Fourth, South Dakota guards, and expects to be called out for service with his regiment at any moment. Mr. and Mrs. Merritt will make their home in Sioux Falls and left for that place on Tuesday evening. SENEY: (from the same newspaper) |
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