Dusty Relics
DUSTY RELICS

COFFEY COUNTY, KANSAS

Any relic of the dead is precious, if they were valued living.

Emily Brontë (1818–48), English novelist. Wuthering Heights, ch. 13 (1847).

During the 1800's many families made their way to the plains of Kansas. Most flourished, raising large families that grew with vigor. Others faltered and faded. But for a generation or two even the failing families were part of a community -- and without hopes of their own children or grandchildren, they doted on distant relatives, friends and the children of those friends.

Over the years I have put together photographs and written material that came from one of the families that disappeared into the dust of Coffey County. I hope that in these faces and names, you will find something of your own family . . .

Please click on a photo to see a larger view.

Graduating class of 1892

Burlington High School

Top:

Edna Foster, Minnie Dickinson, Otto Krueger, Anna L. Williams, Mary Wheeler

Bottom:

Elma Gregg, Eva Lamb, Gertrude Cheney, Lottie Neyhart, Hettie Davis

Eddie Corvault

Eighth grade class of 1895

Burlington High School

top row:

Eddie Malone, Earl Fulton, "Pete" Stoeffler, Lee Patton, Lee Kennedy, Harry Sanders, "?" Sinclair, Kirk Cleveland, Max Grimes, Phil Nedhams

second row:

Amy Lamb, Nelly Fearl, Cora Shaffer, Steva Foster, Beulah Hornecker, Ina Sinclair, Bessie Cole, Bessie Neibrecht, Nellie Watt, Ione Drake, Pearl Kellerman, (Unknown), Beulah Kahnt, Lois Krenz

Third row:

"?" Watson, (Unknown), "Bill" Buckner, Claude Woolhomes, (Unknown), (Unknown), "Minus eye" Clark, Dora Clay, Mary Mason

Bottom row:

(Unknown), "?" Vasey, Maude Reams, May Blevins, Ada Cole, Mary Carpenter, Miss Georgia Morrison, teacher, (Unknown), (Unknown), (Unknown), "Jose" Dumm, Edna Dinsmore, (Unknown)

Burlington High School

10th grade - 1895

on the back only the teacher is identified as:

Miss Loline

Dora Lamb and Poorley Bell won the County Fair Prize in 1898 as Uncle Sam and Miss Liberty.

Dora Lamb (in mirror), and unknown friend

Burlington Shiners -- about 1900

Street scene, downtown Burlington, about 1900.

Interior of Kennedy and Sons, Clothing and Gents Furnishings

about 1900

From left to right:

Lon Kennedy, J.A. Kennedy, Henry McCarthy, Lee Kennedy, Will Sanders

Another view inside Kennedy & Sons

From left to right:

J.A. Kennedy, Mr. Whetstone, William Sanders, Jr., Henry McCarthy, Lon Kennedy

Again, the interior of Kennedy & Sons

From left to right:

Lon Kennedy, Walter Scott, Jack Stewart, Hugh Courtney (salesman), Lee Kennedy

Armistice day parade

November 11, 1918

from left to right:

Eva Lamb Kennedy, Mrs. Nesbitt, Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. McClintock.

Mrs. Henkins is in the background.

Postcard featuring main street in Burlington

Postmarked July 1930

Jessie Pierce

Unknown Coffey County Children and their pony cart

Theresa Wagner about 1917

Hazel Turner about 1917

The following are a series of football snapshots from a photo album that belonged to Ada Ruth Kennedy. Because of their position around her "Sweet Sixteen" party, I place the time of these photographs at 1918.