While researching a previous post about the Cronin family (This native land of mine – a journey), I came across three news articles that I think are worth documenting. The stories all involve Will and Susan (Burke) Cronin of Minden, Nebraska, my wife’s maternal great grandparents, and mention three of their five children – Cleo, Leo and Billy (William Burke Cronin).
This post is about an amazing photograph that captures William Cronin Sr. (left) embarking on a three-month journey back to his homeland, Ireland, with his son and fellow farmers from Minden, Nebraska. Based on the newspaper article below, I believe the photograph was taken, as their friends wished them “bon voyage” at the Minden train station upon their departure.
In previous posts, I have chronicled the journey of my daughter’s maternal 3rd great grandparents, William Sr. and Kate (Crowley) Cronin, as they made their way from Ireland to Massachusetts and eventually to Nebraska (Drought, prairie fires, blizzards and hailstorms). I next wrote a story that explored the lives of Kate and William’s children, the next generation of Cronin’s (7N 15W 25/36).
In 1908, William Cronin traveled to Ireland and England with his son William Jr., Charlie McCarthy, Robert J. Cranwell, and Thomas Cavanaugh. The manifest for the steamer Lusitania notes that they sailed home from Queenstown, Ireland on September 6th and arrived in New York City on September 11th. The only Englishman in the troupe, Robert Cranwell, visited family in England and later arrived in New York City aboard the Lusitania on October 30th.
Who is who in the photograph (L to R)? My revised guess is: William Sr. (63), William Jr.(24), McCarthy (54), Cavanaugh (48), and Cranwell (58). Your guess is as good as mine – what do you think?
(Article Right – Minden News 7 August 1908)
Minden Courier – 30 July 1908
Minden News – 20 October 1908
Prior to returning to Nebraska, William and his son visited his sister and sister’s nephew Tim Crowley. Crowley was married to Catherine (Burke) and lived in Lynn, Massachusetts. It was there that William Jr. met his bride to be, Susie Burke. They married in 1910 and resided for a short period in Lynn before moving to the Cronin family farm in Minden.
The follow is an excerpt from article published in the Omaha World-Herald on May 8, 2021. Above are articles published in Aug-Sept 1952 in the Alliance Times-Herald/Hastings Daily and Columbus Telegram. The ‘miracle child’ is Connie Finney, the mother of my wife and the grandmother of my daughter.
The epidemic built to a crescendo in 1952, a year children and medical professionals remember with horror.“ Polio came in like the whirlwind of a tornado,” Oberst said. He worked at Children’s Hospital, which he said treated 360 polio patients that year. The 14 iron lungs — large machines that immobilized the patients, and pressed on their bodies to keep them breathing — were constantly filled.
For Oberst, the polio patients passed by that summer in a busy blur. But over all these years, the one he remembers the best is Connie Cronin Finney, a 10-year-old from Columbus he calls his “miracle child.” She was the oldest of three daughters. In late August 1952, her younger sister, Kathy, just 3 ½, contracted polio and died within days at a hospital in Grand Island. Connie’s parents had not even buried Kathy yet when Connie fell ill. Instead of seeking treatment in Grand Island, where one daughter had just died, they got her admitted to Children’s Hospital in Omaha just before Labor Day weekend. Dr. Oberst was her supervising physician.
“My temperature was between 105 and 108. I was having almost continual convulsions and was surrounded by cold body packs,” Finney, who now lives in Omaha, said in an email. Oberst described Connie’s case in his 2013 memoir, “Miracles and Other Unusual Medical Experiences,” noting that he had tried all the standard treatments at the time, but nothing worked. He said few people could survive with a temperature elevated so high for so long. On Labor Day Sunday, her parents asked what they could do. Their doctor urged them to pray.
“I’ve done everything in my quiver,” Oberst, in an interview, recalled telling them. “I said, ‘Why don’t you storm Heaven?’” Two days later, Oberst returned to the hospital, expecting the worst. But over the holiday, Connie’s fever had broken and the convulsions stopped. “I had my first real, true miracle at that time,” Oberst said. “It had to be the prayers — no question in my mind.”
Connie had turned a corner, but her battle wasn’t yet over. She was hospitalized for another seven weeks, part of it in an iron lung — the ominous specter that hung over children of the polio generation. Connie was placed in a room with four or five other children in iron lungs. It was a helpless feeling, needing nurses to take care of every need. “They bathed us, fed us, talked to us, and tried to keep us entertained,” said Finney. “We saw the other children and the nurses through mirrors above our iron lungs. I often had a book affixed to the mirror, and I would wait for a nurse to come along and turn the page for me.” She took physical therapy during short periods out of the iron lung and slowly regained strength. Amazingly, she had no paralysis. “For awhile they had not known whether I would walk again or not,” Finney said. “But one evening I walked to (my parents) when the elevator doors opened.”
Comments, corrections and suggestions appreciated.
In an earlier post, I described the journey of the Maul, Sinner and Hamburger families from Russia to Nebraska (A Sinner, a Hamburger and a Tsarina). These “Volga Germans,” even after centuries living in Russia, never lost their German identity. This post is a story of love, of childhood sweethearts, together again in a later chapter of their lives. Heinrich “Henry” Jacob Maul Sr. was born in 1863 in Norka, Russia and in 1885 he married Elisabeth “Lizzie” Sinner. They had five children together. In 1924, Lizzie passed away.
A New Love – On March 8, 1926, in Weatherford, Oklahoma, Henry married Katherine (Pfeif) Seigfried. The details of his courtship and special connection to Katherine is described in a wonderful newspaper article (below) about their marriage along with their marriage certificate. In the 1930 and 1940 U.S. Census’, Henry is listed as working for the City of Hastings as a common laborer. Henry died in June 1947 at the age of 83, and was buried in Hastings, Nebraska.
Katherine Pfeif was born in 1863 in Frank, Saratov, Russia. She married there in 1860 to Jacob Seigfried and immigrated to America in 1887. Katherine and Jacob had 10 children. Jacob died in 1909 in Oklahoma and Katherine was a widow for 17 years until Henry came along. The article mentions Katherine’s sister, Margaretha Sitzman, who lived in Hastings, NE. Sadly, I have found no record of Katherine passed after the 1930 Census, in 1940, Henry is listed as widowed.
Special thanks to Henry’s 2nd great granddaughter, Michele, for her input on this post!
Comments, corrections and suggestions appreciated.
Part One: Drought, prairie fires, blizzards and hail storms…..
In an earlier post (Russian the Irish) about the Cronin family, I noted the journey of my wife’s 2nd great grandparents from Massachusetts to Nebraska in 1879. Part One of this post provides a brief glimpse into William Cronin Sr.’s initial years in America. Part Two (7N 15W 25/36 – The Next Generation) explores the lives of Kate and William’s children, the next generation of Cronin’s.
In 1879, Kate (Crowley) and William Cronin and their five children rode in a Central Pacific Railroad boxcar to Grand Island Station, Nebraska and then by wagon to Minden where they established a farm. According to a newspaper story, celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary (Article and Photo: Slide 1), the couple experienced “drought, prairie fires, blizzards and hail storms” as pioneer settlers.
William Cronin was born on August 8, 1846, in County Cork, Ireland, the son of Mary and Leonard. William emigrated from Ireland to Massachusetts in 1862 at the age of 16. In the 1865 Census, William (Wm.) is working as a laborer on the farm of Mr. James Carey in Swampscott, MA. In the same household is a Julia Cronin, age 20, who working as a domestic servant. Although I found no additional information regarding Julia, I believe that she was his sister. (He later named one of his daughters, Julia)
1865 Census
In the 1870 Census, William is listed as one of three farm laborers working on property owned by Ebenezer B. Phillips, in Swampscott, MA. Phillips was one of the countries first millionaires, having perfected a dry fish process. It was noted that in a previous year, that Phillips’ farm(s), raised one thousand five hundred barrels of onions for sale in Boston.
Marriage Record
William married Catharine (Kate) Crowley on Easter Sunday, April 17, 1870, in Lynn, Massachusetts. William became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1876. Kate died in 1930 at the age of 86 and William died in 1935 at the age of 90, both are buried in Minden, Nebraska. The slides above include articles celebrating their 59th and 60th wedding anniversaries, William’s naturalization certificate and both of their obituaries.
Future Research: William’s obituary notice indicated that he “established a home for his parents” in Massachusetts and Catherine’s obituary provides the names of her parents, Humphrey and Nora. My initial research has been unable to locate their parents.
7N 15W 25/36 – The Next Generation
1894 and 1923 – 7N 15W 25/36 – Plat Maps – Logan Township, Kearney Nebraska Source: Library of Congress
Map: 1894 Logan Township, Kearney, Nebraska – (Located on the on northwest edge of Minden) Shows the location and # of acres for two plots of land (240 acres) farmed by William Cronin Sr. The 80-acre plot indicates the location of William Sr. and Kate’s home which remained in the Cronin family until at least 1951.
Map: 1923 Logan Township, Kearney, Nebraska – Shows the location and # of acres for farms managed by Daniel, William, and Tillie Cronin. There are 2 plots of 40 and 80 acres, under the name of Wm. Cronin. William Sr. was 78 by this time and retired, so the lands are likely William Jr.’s. According to the 1920 Census, the principal crops grown in Logan Township were wheat, corn, wild hay, oats, alfalfa, barley and rye, ranking in acreage in the order named.
The Children of William and Kate Cronin
The Next Generation
William Leonard Jr. (1882-1945) (Wife’s Great-grandfather) – Married Susan Burke on June 20, 1910, in Swampscott, Massachusetts. (Below: Marriage Record) They had 6 children (Margaret, Leo, Cleo, Thomas, William and John (Jack) Note: in the 1930 Census, both William and Susan list that their parents were born in the “Irish Free State.”
Mary “Mamie” Cronin (1872-1906) In the 1900 Census, Mary is living on the family farm and working as a schoolteacher. In 1902 , she married Michael Tiernan, a farmer in neighboring Overton, NE. (Marriage License)
Julia E. Cronin (1872-1959) Married Dexter Watson in Kearney, NE on 14 Sept 1910 and then again on 8 April 1912 in Minden, NE for a church wedding. According to the 1940 census, Julia E. Watson was running a rooming house in Hastings, NE. Her parents, William and Kate, lived with Julia in their later years.
Daniel J. Cronin (1875-1943) First marriage to Ana Tresa Cunningham (1879-1911). Based on a death notice (below), Ana died 2 days after the death of their son, Daniel. Second marriage was to Della Francis Lewis (1891-1979). Dan had 10 children by Annie and Della. The 1920/30+40 census – Farmer in Logan, Kearney, Nebraska.
Jerry J. Cronin (1877-1973) In the 1900 and 1910 Census, Jerry is noted as single and living on parents farm. It appears that he married Tillie (unk. last name) after 1910 and that she died before 1917. Jerry’s is 1918 WW1 Draft Card lists Laurne Catherine Cronin – daughter as his contact. The 1920 Census note Jerry as a widowed farmer living in Logan, Kearney, Nebraska.
Katherine “Katie” Cronin (1879-1913) In the 1900 and 1910 Census’, Katy is working as a domestic servant in Kearney and living on her parents farm. Her gravestone lists her last name as Melvin, no marriage information has been discovered.
Nora Cronin (1884-1906) – Sadly, there is no additional information on Nora. According to family history, Mary and Nora died as a result of tuberculosis.
Comments, corrections and suggestions appreciated.
In 1937, my daughter’s great grandfather, Glenn Thomas Shonka Sr., played one season of minor league baseball in the Northeast Arkansas Baseball League (Class D) for the Jonesboro Giants. Class D would be the equivalent of today’s rookie leagues. Glenn was born in Richland, Nebraska in 1916 and passed away in 1978 in Columbus, Nebraska. (Left: photograph of Glenn in 1933)
Glenn was a twenty-three year old third baseman who compiled a career batting average of .160 with 0 home runs and 0 RBI in his 24-game career with the Jonesboro Giants. He played in 8 games, had 81 at-bats with 13 hits including 2 doubles and one triple.
Osceola Loses to Jonesboro, Monday, 7 to 1 11 May 1937
The Jonesboro Giants played in Jonesboro, Arkansas in the American Legion Ball Park. The Giants ended the season (May 6 – Sept. 5) with a record of 56 wins and 53 losses, in third place. The league consisted of the following teams: Blytheville, Arkansas, Jonesboro, Arkansas, Newport, Arkansas, Osceola, Arkansas, Paragould, Arkansas, and West Plains, Missouri.
1936 Omaha Robin Hoods
There is a reference that Glenn was a member of the Omaha Robin Hoods, who existed (under that name) for less than one season in 1936. However, I was unable to find his name listed on a team roster for that year. If he was a player on that team, boy, that season must have been a roller coaster!
In 1936, the Omaha entry in the Western League was the Omaha Robin Hoods. The team established a partnership with the Fontenelle Brewing Company and named the Robin Hoods after the flagship beer made by Fontenelle. The park was spruced up, new uniforms (photo of unidentified player) were acquired and it looked like it would be a great season.
However, the team was beset by troubles, as a windstorm forced the team to play several games in Lincoln, NE. Then the stadium burned down and the team was moved to Rock Island, IL where they became the Rock Island Rocks. Overall the team was 33-29 in the first half and 29-35 in the second half. (Source: Baseball Reference and Nebraska Baseball History)
1936—In August, a three-alarm fire shortly after midnight destroyed Western League/Vinton Street Park and 12 nearby homes. Destroyed were uniforms, bats, balls, and $1,000 worth of beer and hot dogs.
Comments, corrections and and suggestions appreciated.
George Anton Shonka (1874-1965), my daughters maternal great-great grandfather, was the son of Matej and Mary (Hajny) Shonka (Sonka). Matej (aka “Mathias”) and Mary immigrated to the United States in 1869 from Bechyně, Tabor, Bohemia, a region now part of the Czech Republic. After a brief stay in Iowa, the Shonka’s established deep roots in Nebraska.
George and Stazie
George
married Anastasia ‘Stazie’ Prokes on June 26, 1901 and they resided for
a number of years in the village of Richland, Nebraska and raised four
children. George worked at the Richland State Bank, eventually serving
as bank manager. During his years of service to the bank, George
encountered “yeggs” on at least one occasion. I wondered the very same
thing you are probably asking, what are yeggs?
n. “thief, burglar,” especially “safecracker.”
The news account on the right was published in the Omaha Bee and a later, more detailed story (below) on the same event .
Saturday, April 18, 1896 – Enterprise – Special Dispatch to the World Herald
Revelers
Scare Yeggs Away From Bank Safe Robbers Get Contents of the Safety
Boxes, but Leave $3,000 at Richland Blow Door of Vault
Richland,
Nebraska, December 8. —Young people returning from a dance shortly
after midnight his morning are believed to have frightened three robbers
in the act of rifling the vault of the Richland State Bank here.
Several private deposit boxes and valuable contents of all the others
were carried away, but the yeggs failed in their attempt to blow open
the money safe, containing about $3,000, before they became unease and
fled.
George Shonka,
managing cashier, discovered the robbery this morning, and said no
figures on the loss had yet been compiled, as the bank officers did not
know what the private boxes contained. The loss may be heavy, as the
community consists of well to do farmers.
The
yeggs forced the front door and blow off the vault door. Schuyler
police saw a high powered closed car speed east through that town, eight
miles east of here, about 2 a. m., and now believe it contained the
robbers, escaping toward Omaha, where police were notified. Some wires
out of Richland were cut, supposedly by the robbers. State law
enforcement officials at Lincoln were notified by Sheriff Harennet of
Colfax County.
Lucile Lydia Bame was born on May 25, 1917, in Schuyler, Nebraska. She married Glenn Thomas Shonka on May 25, 1939. Lucile was the daughter of Vaclav Bame (1868-1950) and Katherina Fendrich (1877-1966). Following her graduation from Schuyler High School, Lucile worked for Eacker Motor Company, who sponsored her in the Miss Schuyler contest, which she won! Lucile is my daughter’s maternal great-grandmother.
Bohemia to Nebraska
Fendrich Family (3 children not pictured)
The
following is a brief post on Vaclav and Anna (Voboril) Fendrich and
their daughter Katerina. Vaclav and Anna are my daughter’s maternal 3rd
great-grandparents. Included are a copy of Anna’s obituary and
Katerina’s marriage record. In the census, marriage and immigration
records, the names Fendrich-Frendrick-Fendrych all appear, I used the
version they appeared to settle on. Also, I admit a shortcoming in
interpreting Czech regions (Kray/Krai), districts (Okres), towns and
villages and the correct order to to identify a place of birth or
residence.
Vaclav Wenceslaus Fendrich
was born in May 1844 in Cáslav, Bohemia, (Austrian Empire) now part of
the Czech Republic. Vaclav was the son of Catherine Nowak and Franta
(Frank) Fendrich. He married Anna Voboril
in 1873. They had ten children in 19 years. Vaclav was a rancher and
lived in Marsland, Linwood and later Schuyler, Nebraska. Vaclav died on
May 7, 1914 in Schuyler, Nebraska, at the age of 70.
Anna Voboril was born in July, 1849 in Jankov Kray Caslav, Bohemia. Her parents were Jan Voboril and Marie Marshalek.
Anna
arrived in America in 1870 with her first husband John Havlinek Sr.
John died two years after their arrival and Anna married Vaclav in 1873.
At the time of her passing in 1938, Anna had 57 grandchildren and 29
great-grandchildren!
(Note)
Anna’s obituary lists her parents as Joseph and Anna. However, Vaclav
and Anna’s marriage license shows Jan and Marie as her parents.
Katerina Fendrich
was born on August 28, 1877, in Abie, Nebraska, to Vaclav and Anna. She
married Vaclav Wencel Bame on June 25, 1895, in Hemingford, Nebraska
(click to view a copy of their marriage record). They had three
children. She died on February 13, 1966, in Schuyler, Nebraska, at the
age of 88.
