| Harold L. (Hal) Mansfield, Ph.D. | |
| 7366 North County Road 27, Loveland, CO 80538 | |
| Phone: 970.667.3878 | E-mail: hal.mansfield3@gmail.com |
1. John Mansfield was born on 4 Dec 1811 in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania. He died on 10 Apr 1883 in Rose Township, Carroll County, Ohio. He was buried on 11 Apr 1883 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
It is not entirely clear whether he died on 10 or 11 Apr, or whether he was buried on 11 or 12 Apr 1883.
According to an obituary in "The Carroll Chronicle," from the 20 Apr
1883 issue, he died after a lingering illness. Although it is not
mentioned in the obit, he may have died from stomach cancer.
The following is the obituary for John Mansfield. It appeared in a newspaper in the Carroll County area
at the time of his death.
"MANSFIELD--April 10, 1883, after a lingering illness, John Mansfield of
Rose township, at an advanced age.
The remains were interred the day following. Twenty years ago John
Mansfield was one of the leading characters in Carroll county, but
advancing age and ill-health have kept him closely to his home in more
recent years. He was one of the pillars of the M. E. Church and an
unswerving Democrat, firm in the faith. He leaves a large landed estate
in Rose township."
Actually, he transferred his estate to his eldest daughter, Catherine Ann
Mansfield May, and to his his youngest son, Lancaster Woy Mansfield,
about a month before he died.
It is not know why he left his estate to these two, only, and why he did
not include William, Nancy Jane, Moses Warren, and Oliver, the remaining
living children at the time of his death. It may be because all were living
elsewhere at the time, though this is mere speculation on my part.(Written by Harold L. Mansfield)
There was some confusion about the cemetery. One accounts said Heights Cem., another Harmony. I
believe Harmony to be correct.
John married Elizabeth Woy daughter of John George Woy and Catherine Friedline before 1835. Elizabeth was born on 13 Jan 1814 in Stoystown, Somerset County, Pennsylvania. She died on 11 Mar 1875 in Rose Township, Carroll County, Ohio. She was buried in 1875 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
Early information indicated she was born in Steubenville, Ohio. However,
later information suggests her birth was in Somerset County, Penn.
John and Elizabeth had the following children:
+ 2 F i. Catherine Ann Mansfield was born on 4 Oct 1835. She died on 8 May 1923.
+ 3 M ii. William Martin Mansfield was born on 22 Jun 1838. He died on 9 Apr 1925.
4 F iii. Nancy Jane Mansfield was born on 4 Mar 1840 in Rose Township, Carroll,
Ohio. She died on 15 Nov 1903 in Phoenix, AZ. She was buried on 19 Nov 1903 in Columbia Cem., Boulder, CO.
According to Vivian Kalton, 814 North Terrace Drive,Webster City, IA
50595, Nancy Jane and Charles may have lived in the Ft. Dodge, IA, area.
As of 26 May 1997, I have written to Mary Hall Desmond, in Webster City,
to see what she might know.
Mary Desmond, 1600 Willson Avenue, Webster City, IA 50595, has been
an important source of information and, especially, old photos.
A very large, old photo has been in the family for many years. It has been
known as a photo of "Aunt Jane."
In January, 2003, I discovered that Aunt Jane was married to Charles
Gooding in Boulder, CO on 30 May 1880
Nancy Jane died in Phoenix, AZ (apparently on vacation there) on 15 Nov 1903.
Her husband accompanied the body back to Boulder where she was in interred
in the Columbia Cemetery. She was Methodist.
Her will was dated 12 Oct. 1889. The exec was her husband, Charles. The amount
of the estate was $13,180. Real estate and personal property went to her
husband. A gold watch and chain went to her sister, Catherine Ann (Mansfield)
May of Waynesbury (?), OH. The net estate to her husband was $12,427.
Witnesses were Chas. M. Campbell and J. Laurence Moorhead of Boulder.
Her sister, Catherine, spent four months at the home of Mr. Gooding and then
returned to her home in Canton, according to news note: 14 Mar 1904:4.
Nancy married Charles Houston Gooding son of Unknown Gooding and Levina Godner on 30 Mar 1880. Charles was born on 8 Aug 1846 in Centerville, St. Clair County, IL. He died on 16 Sep 1924 in Boulder, Colorado. He was buried on 18 Sep 1924 in Columbia Cem., Boulder, CO.
Charles died at the age of 71 years, 1 month, 8 days.
He was retired from "mining."
His mother was Levina Godner.
His residence at the time of his death (and apparently for many years)
was 2125 Pine Street in Boulder.
He may have married a second time to a Rebecca S. Gooding. However,
he is buried next to Nancy Jane.
5 M iv. Moses Warren Mansfield was born on 4 Apr 1842 in Waynesburg, Carroll, Ohio. He died on 4 Jul 1915 in Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa. He was buried on 6 Jul 1915 in Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa, Graceland Cem..
The following obituary appeared in the Webster City World Herald,
Webster City, Iowa, Thursday, 8 Jul 1915, on page 1, column 1.
Death of M. W. Mansfield
Moses Warren Mansfield, one of the city's old time and highly respected
citizens died at his home on Ohio street, Sunday monring at 1:30,
following a three weeks' illness, during which time he suffered with
stomach trouble. Mr. Mansfield had been in ill health for some time past
and in the spring was taken to the Mayo hospital for treatment.
Moses Warren Mansfield was born April 4, 1842, at Waynesburg, Ohio. In
1864, he was united in marriage to Miss Margaret A. Moses of that city
and seven years later they came to Hamilton County. They settled on a
farm north of the city until 1873, when Mr. Mansfield purchased the city
property, which at the time of his taking away was still the family
home.
Mr. Mansfield had no children and his wife is left alone to mourn her sad
loss. The funeral services were held from the family home on Tuesday
afternoon, Rev. Kamphoeffner officiating.
With the receipt of the above information, plus much more, the search
for Moses Warren Mansfield has come to an end, 9 Aug. 1990. I had been
trying for many months to find out where he lived and where he was
buried.
It was a great disappointment to learn that he and his wife left no
children. I had hoped to find living relatives from the marriage.
He left his estate to his wife: Will Book 6, Hamilton County, Iowa,
page 153. Will filed 7 Jul 1915.
I have pictures of the home and of the grave markers.
The information was sent to me by Mrs. Vivian W. Kalton, 814 N.
Terrace Drive, Webster City, Iowa 50595.
Moses married Margaret A. Moses daughter of John Moses and Rebecca Moses on 17 Nov 1864 in Rose Township, Carroll County, Ohio. Margaret was born on 20 May 1845. She died on 15 Mar 1923 in Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa. She was buried on 17 Mar 1923 in Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa, Graceland Cem..
She is listed in the 1860 census for Rose Township as being the daughter
of John Moses, age 59, and Rebecca (her mother).
"Aunt Mag" and Warren moved to the area in 1871; in 1874, they moved
from a farm 10 miles north of Webster City to the home at 626 Ohio St.
The following obituary appeared in the Webster City Daily News, Webster
City, Iowa, Thursday, 15 ???? P. 3, Col.3.
WOMAN PASSES AWAY
Mrs. M. W. Mansfield for More Than Fifty Years Resident of This City
Passes to Reward this Forenoon--Is Survived by No Immediate Relatives.
Mrs. M. W. Mansfield passed peacefully away at her home, 626 Ohio
street, this morning at 10:25 o'clock after a three weeks' illness with
the infirmities of old age. Mrs. Mansfield would have been seventy-nine
years old in May.
She was one of the pioneer residents of the city having come herew with
her husband from Mansfield, Ohio, about fifty-one years ago and settled
upon a farm north of this city, a few year later building the home on Ohio
street in which Mr. Mansfield passed away eight years ago and where her
spirit took its flight this morning. There were no children born to the
union, but numbers of the men and women of this community knew Mrs.
Mansfield affectionately as "Aunt Mag," and mourn her death as sincerely
as a relative.
Mrs. William Wallace, of Cherokee, cousin of the deceased, was here at
the time of Mrs. Mansfield's passing. Other relatives reside in the east.
Mrs. Mansfield was a member of the local Methodist church.
The funeral announcements will be made later.
There is a difference between the age stated in the obituary and that
which seems to be on a death certificate. The death certificate is very
hard to read, but her age appears there as 71.
The above information was provided by Mrs. Vivian W. Kalton, 814 N.
Terrace Drive, Webster City, Iowa 50595, 9 Aug. 1990.
In her will, dated 19 April 1923, Margaret bequeaths $500 to the Ladies
Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Webster City and
$500 to her cousin, W. A. Wallace of Cherokee, Iowa.
The remainder of her estate is to be divided equally to the following
(if living at the time of division of the estate): her brother-in-law, Lancaster
Woy Mansfield, Ravenna, Ohio; John Moses of Chicago, IL; James Moses
and Edgar Moses both of Decatur, Indiana; Clara Krouse of Warsaw,
Indiana; Isaac Moses of Hibbitts, Ohio (not found in an atlas?); William
Moses of Malvern, OH; Dr. Katharine Moses of Cleveland, OH; and Hyland
Moffett of Canton, OH.
No value of the estate was listed in the record I saw: Hamilton County
Wills, page 486 and 487, will record No. 6.
6 M v. Thomas Hill Mansfield was born on 27 May 1844 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. He died on 27 Aug 1854 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. He was buried in 1854 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
7 M vi. Wesley Mansfield was born on 14 May 1846 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. He died on 4 Sep 1854 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. He was buried in 1854 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
+ 8 M vii. Oliver Mansfield was born on 29 Nov 1849. He died on 22 Jun 1928.
9 F viii. Emeline Mansfield was born on 27 Jun 1853 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She died on 24 Aug 1854 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She was buried in 1854 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
10 M ix. Lancaster Woy Mansfield was born on 30 Aug 1855 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. He died on 9 Mar 1939 in Ravenna, Portage, Ohio. He was buried on 12 Mar 1939 in Stark, Ohio, Magnolia Cem..
In 1923, he is reported in the will of his sister-in-law, to be living in
Ravennah Township, Portage County, Ohio. He was one of a number of
people mentioned in her will.
His father's real estate was transferred to Lancaster and his sister,
Catherine Mansfield May, in March 1883. John died in June of that year.
His total estate was listed as a small holding of obscure stock, worth
$60.00, in 1939. The probate record further stated that he had not
transferred any property prior to his death.
This represents something to be carefully checked out, given the
apparent financial strength of his father and three of his brothers.
His wife lived to be 98 years old, or so, and was still living in
Ravenna at the time of her death. She is buried, as I understand it,
beside her husband.
The following funeral notice appeared in The Canton Repository of
14 Mar. 1939, page 19:
Lancaster W. Mansfield
Magnolia--Services for Lancaster W. Mansfield, 83, were to be this
afternoon at Ravenna and in Trinity Lutheran church here. Burial was
to be in Magnolia.
Mr. Mansfield died Sunday at Ravenna. He was a native of Rose
township, Carroll County, and was known to many residents of this
community. Survirors include his wife, Sarah.
Lancaster married Sarah C. Downs daughter of John Downs and Unknown Downs on 30 Aug 1877 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. Sarah was born in 1858. She died in 1956. She was buried in 1956 in Stark, Ohio, Magnolia Cem..
So far, I have not been able to find out where Sarah lived afterLancaster's
death in 1939, when they were living in Ravenna, OH. The fact that they
are both buried in Magnolia Cemetery, would suggest that she was still
committed to him 17 years after his death.
There are Downs and Downes buried in Magnolia Cem., but nothing is
known about her parents or other family members, so far.
Later evidence suggests that she lived in Ravenna at the time of death.
Was approximately 98 at the time of her death.
Later information indicates that she died in Ravenna after a long illness
at age 97. This info was in a brief obit in The Canton Repository,
30 Mar 1956, page 28. She was a member of the Methodist Church
and lived in the Canton area for 40 years before moving to Ravenna.
She was born in Magnolia. The Wood funeral home handled the
burial. She was buried on a Saturday.
She left behind a brother, Osborn (or Osborne) downes of Cleveland.
11 F x. Minerva Arvilla Mansfield was born on 6 Apr 1858 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She died on 24 Jun 1882 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She was buried in 1882 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
There is an excellent picture of her in an old family photo album which
Phyllis Mansfield Chance has. She appears to be an attractive, healthy
young woman. The photo much have been taken shortly before her death.
Minerva died of nervous prostration, according to a synopsis of her
obituary. Her remains were interred in Harmony Cemetery.
Second Generation
2. Catherine Ann Mansfield (John) was born on 4 Oct 1835. She died on 8 May 1923 in Canton, Stark, Ohio. She was buried in Waynesburg, Stark, Ohio, Waynesburg Cem..
As of August 1990, her life remains a mystery and a challenge for the
future.
According to Lance Douglas Gill, an attorney in Carroll County, in aletter
dated 6 Mar 1991, Catherine and her brother, Lancaster, were given the
father's estate in March, 1883. He died in June of that year.
This will give me something to work on with Mr. Gill.
6 April 1991.
The following is from an obituary in the "Carroll Chronicle:"
Mrs. CATHERINE A. MAY.
Mrs. Catherine A. May, 87 years old, died Thursday at the home of her
son, I. S. May, Canton. pneumonia following an attack of influenza was
the cause of her death. Funeral services were held in the home, Saturday,
Rev. W. S. Chapman and Rev. G. C. Griffin in charge. The body was taken to
Waynesburg for burial.
Deceased was a former resident of Rose township, being a daughter of
John and Elizabeth Mansfield, pioneer settlers in that township. In 1890
she moved to Canton to make her home with her son. She was the eldest
of ten children of whom W. M. Mansfield, Salt Lake City; Oliver Mansfield,
Laramie, Wyo., and L. W. Mansfield of Ravenna survive. Two sons also
survive, I. S. May, Canton, and J. M. May, Dellroy, and a granddaughter,
Vera May. For 70 years Mrs. May was a member of the M. E. church.
See notes for Nancy Jane Mansfield Gooding.
The following obit was in The Evening Repository, Canton, O 8 Mar 1923
Page 14
PASSES AWAY AT AGE OF 87 YEARS
Mrs. Catherine A. May, 87, for many years a resident of Canton,
died early Thursday morning in the home of her son, I. S. May,
1451 Superior Ave., NE. She had been ill with pneumonia the past
two weeks. She is survived by her son, at whose home she
died, and another son, J. M. May, of Dell Roy; three brothers,
William Mansfield, of Salt Lake City, Oliver Mansfield, of Laramie,
Wyo., and L. W. Mansfield, of Ravenna.
The time of the funeral has not been decided, but
services will be in charge of Rev. W. S. Chapman, of the
Simpson M. E. church, and burial will be made in the family
lot in the Waynesburg cemetery.
The folowing obit was in The Canton Repository 9 Mar 1923, page 21
MAY FUNERAL SATURDAY
Funeral Services of Mrs. Catherine A. May, who died Thursday
morning from pneumonia will be held Saturday afternoon at 1
o'clock at the home of her son, I. S. May, 1451 Superior Ave.,
NE. Rev. W. S. Chapman will conduct the services. Burial will be
in the old cemetery in Waynesburg.
Mrs. May was born in Rose township where she lived until 1890,
when she came to Canton to make her home with her son. She
was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Mansfield, pioneer settlers
of Rose township. She is survived by two sons. I. S. May, of Canton,
and J. M. May of Dellroy; one granddaughter, Miss Vera May, of
Canton, and three brothers.
Catherine married John D. May on 1 Oct 1857. John was born on 21 Dec 1826. He died on 10 Apr 1865. He was buried in Waynesburg, Stark, Ohio, Waynesburg Cem..
This man's name was miswritten as Woy in some of the family history
material. It was only after some effort that it was determined that his
name was May.
There are several Mays in the old family photo album which Phyllis
Mansfield Chance has and which came from Ruth Travis Seely by way of
Ralph Mayers.
The album mentioned above probably started out as the property of Oliver
Mansfield and was passed on to his daughter, either Vesta Iola or
Margaret May.
John and Catherine had the following children:
+ 12 M i. Ira Stanton May was born on 3 Feb 1861. He died on 15 Aug 1937.
13 M ii. John M. May was born in 1865. He died in 1937 in Dellroy, Ohio.
The following notice appeared in The Canton Repository on 19 April 1937,
page 8:
John M. May
WAYNESBURG--John M. May, 71, retired school teacher, died Sunday at his
home here. A former merchant, he was a member of M. E. church and I. O. O. F.
lodge. The body is at the McCreery funeral hme at Magnolia and will be brought
to the residence Tuesday.
He leaves his widow, Nettie, and a brother, Ira May of Canton.
The following burial notice apeared in The Canton Repository on 20 April 1937, page
11
John M. May
WAYNESBURG--Services for John M. May, 71, who died Sunday at his home,
will be Wednesday 2:30 p. m. at the residence with Rev. D. L. Stringer
officiating. Burial in Magnola cemetery, with the McCreery funeral home in charge.
John married Jeanette Hoobler daughter of Adam Hoobler and Rebecca Little on 16 May 1887 in Carroll, Ohio. Jeanette was born on 15 Aug 1866 in Carroll, Ohio. She died on 4 Sep 1946 in Dellroy, Ohio. She was buried on 6 Sep 1946 in Stark, Ohio, Magnolia Cem..
3. William Martin Mansfield (John) was born on 22 Jun 1838 in Athens, Ohio. He died on 9 Apr 1925 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. He was buried in 1925 in Salt Lake City, Salt
Lake, Utah, Mt. Olivet.
The order of birth of the children is not known for sure, in some cases.
He was a successful rancher and businessman in the Laramie, Wyoming,
area from around 1880, until he retired to Salt Lake City, probably sometime
around 1900.
In Salt Lake City, he built a home and lived the rest of his long life in
that home.
It is said that he willed $15,000 each to his three living children when
he died in 1925. Dora probably inherited the house.
He once owned the somewhat famous Grace Creek ranch on the Big
Laramie River, to the south of Old Jelm, Wyoming.
One of his neighbors was N. K. Boswell, the famous Laramie lawman.
William Hill married Dora Mansfield, William's daughter. Hill was a
nephew of Boswell.
In the 1870 Stark County, Ohio, census, he was listed as a Livestock
Speculator.
He is buried in Lot 84, Sect. O, in Mount Olivet Cemetery, in Salt Lake City.
His grave marker dates are 1840(?) - 1925
William married Artimitia Jane Payne daughter of Jacob W. Payne and Rebecca North Earnest on 5 Apr 1862 in Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa. Artimitia was born in 1841 in Greene, Tennessee. She died on 26 May 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. She was buried in 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Mt. Olivet.
Her family was a somewhat noteworthy family in Pennsylvania and in
Tennessee. She may have been born in Loudon County, near or in
Philadelphia, rather than in Greene County, though that is by no means
certain.
She was, according to Ollie Mansfield, a very hard-working woman. And,
she and her husband were successful ranchers and business people in
Laramie and the Big Laramie River area.
Her sister, Samantha Kitty Payne Boak, lived to be 98 years old, and was
a noted person in Webster City, Iowa, as was Samantha's husband,
William Wesley Boak.
She is buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery, in Salt Lake City, in Lot 84, Section O.
William and Artimitia had the following children:
14 M i. John Mansfield was buried in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
Died at 11 months and is buried in Harmony Cem. But, date of birth and of
death are not known. It is presumed to be somewhere between 1864,
when Elton was born in Iowa and 1873, when Jesse was born, shortly
before the move to Boulder, CO.
+ 15 M ii. Elton Lewis Mansfield was born on 28 Jul 1864. He died on 18 Dec 1945.
+ 16 F iii. Dora Mansfield was born on 3 Feb 1867. She died on 10 Jul 1962.
17 M iv. Alvin Mansfield was born in 1869.
According to Virginia Carman, this child died at a young age. His namemay have
been Alvin. Virginia has a picture of Dora Mansfield and 'Alvin'which was probably
taken in Webster City, Iowa in 1872 or 1873. However,since there were two or three
children who died in infancy, there mayhave been both an Alton and an Alvin. Alvin
was born between 1863 and1865, according to Virginia.
18 M v. Jesse Densmore Mansfield was born on 11 Feb 1873 in Webster City, Webster, Iowa. He died on 26 Sep 1963 in Olympia, Thurston, Washington. He was buried on 30 Sep 1963 in Tacoma, Pierce, Washington, Cremated.
What follows is the obituary for Jesse, I assume from a paper in
Olympia. The obituary was supplied by Virginia Carman in 1988.
The funeral service for Jesse D. Mansfield will be conducted in Selene
and Eros Mortuary Monday morning at eleven o'clock. The Reverend Arthur
I. Anderson, pastor of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, will officiate. Private
cremation will follow. Jesse D. Mansfield died Thursday evening in an
Olympia hospital following a short illness. His home had been at 727
Fourth Avenue East. He was born in Webster City, Iowa, February 11,
1873, and his family moved to Laramie, Wyoming, where they
homesteaded. He had lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, for several years. He
was married to Carmela Bonetti in Salt Lake City, October 14, 1897.
They came to Olympia from Centralia in September of 1916. Mr.
Mansfield was the manager of the St. John's and Titus Ford Agency and
was in the real estate business until he retired nine years ago. His
friends knew him by the name of J. D. He was a member of Westminster
United Presbyterian Church and a former member of the Elk's Lodge.
Surviving in addition to his wife are one nephew and one niece.
Jesse married Carmela Bonetti daughter of Charles Bonetti and Elizabeth Edmonds on 14 Oct 1897 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. Carmela was born in 1879 in New York. She died in Olympia, Washington.
Carmela married Jesse Densmore Mansfield in 1897. They lived out the final years of
their marriage in Olympia, Washington, where they are buried.
Their nephew, Ralph Mayers, supplied some of the family history information.
I have a photo of Carmella, her mother, and Jesse's neice, Edyth Hill Carman.
Carmela was the daughter of Elizabeth Edmonds who married Charles (?) Bonetti.
It is thought that Charles (?) was born in England or in Italy or the Italian speaking
part of Switzerland.
Elizabeth was the daughter of William Edmonds and Caroline (maiden name
unknown)
Edmonds of Little Brington, England.
Five of Elizabeth's siblings: Richard, Mary Ann, Emma, Lucy, and Fred came to the
U.S. and at least some of them settled in the Fredonia and or Dunkirk, New York
area. One of them may have gone to Canada.
Fred's son, Howard, married Rae Burns. Her sister was LIllie Burns McDonald.
Howard
died Dex. 23, 1964 (place unknown).
Mary Ann had one daughter, Grace Stephens; her husband's first name is not known.
Emma had three daughters: Hattie, Florence, and Lelia. Lelia's last name was
Wingerson;
however, it is not known whether this was her maiden name or her married name.
Richard had two sons: William and Louis.
William (Jr.?) remained in England and was killed in "the war" (WWI?)
Ann remained in England. There is an Ann who married Frank White. However, since
she
is living as of June 2004, it is doubtful that she is the first generation "Ann"!
Frances N. Sterling, wife of Bryan Sterling, is related. As of June 2004, I am trying to
determine how she is related and what her maiden name was.
According to the information I have, Lucy Edmonds had no family. It is not known
whether she married, though.
8. Oliver Mansfield (John) was born on 29 Nov 1849 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. He died on 22 Jun 1928 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in 1928 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill Cem..
Oliver ranched on the Laramie River about 20 miles (mostly West) of
Laramie.
Ruth Seely showed me (Harold Mansfield) where the ranch was and where
the ranch house had been in 1989. At that time only the remains of an old
barn and a small root cellar where left.
Oliver came west with his first wife in 1884. After she died in 1912, he
married a Mary Wilson, of Carroll County.
Oliver's fine, old photo album contains many photos of the Mowles, May,
Martin, Gamble, and Mansfield families.
Oliver Manfield was a younger brother to William Martin Mansfield.
He and his first wife, Sarah Gamble, moved to the Laramie area in 1884.
He was a rancher. His ranch was about 20 miles, roughly west of
Laramie, on the Big Laramie river.
I (Harold Mansfield) visited the site of the ranch with Ruth Seely in
1989. Only an old barn and a root cellar were on the site. A few
foundation stones remain where the house was. It is part of a ranch.
Antelope were grazing near the remains of the barn.
Oliver married (1) Sarah Jane Gamble daughter of Solomon Gamble and Anna Young on 27 Oct 1870 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. Sarah was born on 1 Jul 1849 in Cadiz,Archer Township, Harrison County, Ohio. She died on 25 Nov 1912 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1912 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill Cem..
There is a problem with her place of birth, since other info suggests that
her family did not move into Rose Township, Carroll County until 1850.
Later info suggests that she was born in Cadiz, Archer Township,
Harrison County, Ohio. So, I have changed to that info. Jan. 2005.
She died of Bright's disease. Her obituary was in the Laramie Daily
Republican, 29 Nov 1912.
She was the first wife of Oliver Mansfield. She moved with her husband
to the Laramie area in 1884.
As of 1990, nothing is known about her family. She was from Carroll
County, Ohio.
There are a number of photos of Gambles in the old Mansfield family
photo album, which probably belonged to Oliver Mansfield.
An Uncle Albert and Aunt Becky pictured in the album were probably
Albert Gamble and Rebecca M. Thorley who were married 19 Aug 1869.
See notes on Solomon Gamble and Anna Young Gamble. Jan 2005.
Oliver and Sarah had the following children:
+ 19 F i. Vesta Iola Mansfield was born on 16 Jan 1877. She died on 30 Jul 1959.
20 M ii. Unknown Mansfield was born on 16 Jan 1877 in Carroll, Ohio. He died on 25 Jan 1877 in Carroll, Ohio. He was buried in Carroll, Ohio, Harmony Cem..
He was the twin brother of Vesta Iola Mansfield and it is presumed to be
the infant buried in Harmony Cem.
+ 21 F iii. Margaret Mae Mansfield was born on 22 Aug 1889. She died on 20 Nov 1969.
Oliver married (2) Mary Wilson in 1914. Mary was born in 1876 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She died in 1945 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1945 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
Oliver Mansfield's second wife.
Third Generation
12. Ira Stanton May (Catherine Ann Mansfield, John) was born on 3 Feb 1861 in Webster City, Hamilton, Iowa. He died on 15 Aug 1937 in Canton.
The following obit appeared in The Canton Repository, on 16 Aug. 1937,
page 8:
Ira S. May
Ira S. May, 76, of 1451 Superior Ave., NE, died Sunday afternoon in
Mercy hospital following a cerebral hemorrhage. Mr. May had been a member
of Simpson Methodist church for 45 years and served on the official
board for 20 years. He came to Canton from Carroll county 45 years ago.
For 20 years he was an employee of the Warwick-Spelman Coal Co.
and for seven years was at Republic Steel Corp.
During the administration of Mayor S. M. Swartz, he served as
superintendent of streets. He had been president of the J. E.
Maughlman Undertaking Co. since its organization in 1915.
Mr. and Mrs. May celebrated thier golden wedding anniversary
on Oct. 25, 1933. Besides his widow, he is survived by a daughter,
Miss Vera I. May, of the home.
The body is at the Maughlman parlors and will be taken to the home
Tuesday afternoon where friends may call after 3 p. m.
The following was in The Canton Repository 17 Aug. 1937, page 24
Ira S. May
Funeral services for Ira S. May will be Wednesday at 1:30 p. m. in the
home, 1451 Superior Ave., NE, and at 2 in Simpson Methodist church.
Rev. D. E. Scott will be in charge. Burial will be in Magnolia cemetery.
Mr. May, 76, dies Sunday afternoon in Mercy hospital from a
cerebral hemorrhage.
Ira married Mary Alvina Creighton . Mary was born in 1864.
The following notice appeared in The Canton Repository, 1 Dec. 1943:
Mrs. Mary A. May
Mrs. Mary Albina May, 80, widow of Ira S. May, a Canton resident
for 50 years, died Tuesday night in the home at 1451 (wrongly
listed as 1541) Superior Ave., NE.
Mrs. May was a daughter of Samuel and Susan Creighton who were
early settlers in New Harrisburg. She was active in Simpson Methodist
church and the W. C. T. U. Her only immediate surviror is one
daughter, Miss Vera I. May, emplyed at the Ohio Power Co.
Funeral services will be Friday at 1:30 p. m. in the home in
charge of Rev. David Scott, former pastor at Simpson church and
burial will be in Magnolia cemetery. The body wil be taken to the home
Thursday noon from the Spiker parlors.
The following notice was in The Canton Repository on 2 Dec., 1943,
page 16:
Mrs. Mary A. May
Fneral srvices for Mrs. Mary A. May will be Friday at 1:30 p. m. in the
home at 1451 Superior Ave., NE, in charge of Rev. David Scott, former
pastor of Simpson Methodist church. Burial will be in Magnolia cemetery.
The body was to be taken today from the Spiker parlors.
Mrs. May, 80, died Tuesday night in the home. She was the widow
of Ira S. May, and one daughter, Miss Vera May, is her only immediate
survivor. Mrs. May was an active member of Simpson Methodist church
and the W. C. T. U. ( a photo accompanied the text)
Ira and Mary had the following children:
22 F i. Vera Iola May was born on 9 Nov 1885 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She died on 5 Feb 1954. She was buried in Magnolia Cem..
She may not have married, or have had children.
As of 20 April 2004, I have a whole sheaf of papers regarding
Vera's estate, her mother's estate, a death certificate for her
mother, etc., etc.
Vera Iola died without a will. Thus, four of her cousins (first
cousins?) split the estate (over $60,000) equally!
Included in an accounting of her personal possessions was a
watch. I am attempting to find it. I feel it may be John
Mansfield's watch, the one Nancy Jane Mansfield Gooding willed
to Catherine Ann Mansfield May, when Jane died in 1903.
The cousins are: Clifford C. Casper, 1203 4th St., SW
James F. Casper, Jr.,1349 26th St., NW;
Ira Casper, 927 Bellflower, SW;
and Louisa M. Casper Henery, 1314 Shorb Ave., NW.
Each rec'd over $17,000, a "tidy sum" in 1954.
Vera's mother left an estate valued at over $21,000 in 1943.
15. Elton Lewis Mansfield (William Martin, John) was born on 28 Jul 1864 in Hamilton, Iowa. He died on 18 Dec 1945 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried on 20 Dec 1945 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
The pallbearers were: Frank Sifkin, Geroge Wesch, Glen Cox, Lawrence
Noel, Bart Sherwin, and Jack Land.
He was 81 years, 4 months, and 13 days old.
He was buried on a Thursday. Stryker Mortuary handled the funeral
arrangements.
He came to Colorado in 1874, with his family, and to Wyoming in 1876.
He owned several ranches, at one time or another in Colorado and
Wyoming. He built several houses, beginning with a typical frontier cabin
near Cowdrey, where his three children were born, and ending with a
nice, modern house in Walden.
He spent his last few years wintering in Arizona and spending his
summers with his daughter, Ollie Nora Mansfield Brooks Secrest, at her
home, 168 North Fourth, Laramie.
At the time of his death, according to the obituary, he had 14
grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.
Elton married Hannah Lorraine Sullivan daughter of Matthew Sullivan and Catherine Maggie Lynch on 31 May 1887 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. Hannah was born on 4 Sep 1861 in Tomah, Monroe, Wisconsin. She died on 25 Jul 1938 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1938 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
According to one report, her father, Matthew Sullivan, was born in
Ireland, possibly County Cork.
Her father is also reported to have helped when Hannah was born,
probably not unusual at the time.
Hannah's hair turned white at a rather early age.
Her favorite mode of dress was long, white simple dresses.
She supposedly came to North Park to be near a step-brother, Frank
Buffmire. Whether her mother married after or before Matthew Sullivan
is not known as of 24 Nov. 1989.
Oct. 1998: Her father is the one who married, apparently, a woman named
Buffmire. Since this was before the death of Hannah's mother, that raises
the possibility that her mother and father were divorced, a somewhat rare
event in a Catholic family, even in the late 1880s.
Her father may have been a policeman and may have been killed, possibly
in the line of duty, though that is speculation.
Evidence gathered in Tomah in 1998 strongly suggests that the above item
is contrary to fact.
Elton and Hannah had the following children:
+ 23 M i. John Martin Mansfield was born on 8 Jul 1888. He died on 17 Mar 1971.
+ 24 F ii. Artie Jane Mansfield was born on 29 Jan 1890. She died in Mar 1931.
+ 25 F iii. Ollie Nora Mansfield was born on 23 Feb 1893. She died on 1 Aug 1972.
16. Dora Mansfield (William Martin, John) was born on 3 Feb 1867 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She died on 10 Jul 1962 in Long Beach, Los Angeles, California. She was buried in 1962 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Mt. Olivet.
Dora married William H. Hill son of Unknown Hill and Unknown Unknown. William was born in 1865.
Probably born in East Haverhill or Salem, Mass. or in New Hamp. or VT.
Abondoned his family circa 1892 and was never heard from again.
The family may have been living in Salt Lake City at the time that
William 'disappeared.'
His brother, Frank H. "Herb" Hill, lived in North Park. There is an
article which recounts how Herb visited his brother in Laramie,
in June, 1886.
His uncle, N. K. Boswell, was a noted Laramie lawman and, later,
purchased the Grace Creek Ranch, together with William, from William
Martin Mansfield and Artimitia Jane Payne Mansfield.
William may have absconded with funds from the ranch, or been involved in
other questionable deeds.
When Virginia Carman died in 2002, her friend sent a box of photos. Among
them was one of a handsome W. H. Hill, Edyth and Ernest's father. It was
taken at W. G. Kimball's studio, Cor. Main & School Sts., Concord, NH.
There were many other fine photos, including one each of a man and woman,
probably William's parents.
William and Dora had the following children:
+ 26 F i. Edyth Mabel Hill was born on 20 Apr 1886. She died on 12 Dec 1976.
27 M ii. Ernest A. Hill was born in 1887 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He died in 1952.
Ernest married Crystal Unknown .
28 M iii. Alvin Hill was born in 1888 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He died in 1891 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
Check Greenhill Cemetery records.
29 M iv. Jesse A. Hill was born in 1891. He died in 1892 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. He was buried in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah.
19. Vesta Iola Mansfield (Oliver, John) was born on 16 Jan 1877 in Rose Township, Carroll, Ohio. She died on 30 Jul 1959 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1959 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill Cem..
The name Iola apparently comes from the May family, who married into
the Mansfield family through John May marrying Catherine Mansfield.
Vesta married Ernest J. Travis on 18 Oct 1899 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
He was a building contractor and owned Southern Wyoming Lumber Co.
Ernest and Vesta had the following children:
30 F i. Florence Mae Travis was born on 23 Jul 1900. She died in Jan 1952 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1952 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
Florence married Fred Ernest Pilger . Fred was born on 24 Mar 1897 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He died in Apr 1982 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in 1982 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
31 M ii. Unknown Travis was born on 23 Jul 1900 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He died on 23 Jul 1900 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
He was the twin brother of Florence Mae Travis. He died at birth.
32 F iii. Ethel Arvilla Travis was born on 16 Mar 1903 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died in Nov 1966 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1966 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
Ethel married Arnold Dunn . Arnold was born on 22 Sep 1909 in Oregon. He died in Dec 1966 in Ogden, Utah.
33 F iv. Ruth Viola Travis was born on 18 May 1905 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died on 11 Jan 2002 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in Greenhill Cemetery, Laramie, Wyoming.
Ruth has provided a great deal of excellent family history information.
She is a great resource since she has known people from both her sides of
the family (decendents of Oliver Mansfield) and people from the William
Martin Mansfield line.
She had a wonderful photo album which she gave to Ralph Mayers. He gave
it to Phyllis Mansfield Chance and she passed it on to me.
Ruth also gave me the Oliver Mansfield family Bible. It is a large,leather-bound
volume that contains much info in addition to the Bible. Itwas published in 1874. The
family evidently brought it from Ohio toWyoming. However, there is not a great deal
of family history informationin it.
The Bible has become a cherished heirloom.
Ruth, in her 92nd year as I write this line, July 1997, remains mentallysharp. She has
a fine, positive personality. It is been a pleasure of mysisters and myself to visit her
several times in the past eight years.
Notes by Harold L. Mansfield
Ruth married Willard Henry Seely . Willard was born on 5 Sep 1898 in McCool, Nebraska. He died on 27 Mar 1982 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in 1982 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
He was a foreman for the Union Pacific Railroad.
34 M v. Ernest Mansfield Travis was born on 7 Dec 1906 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He died on 5 Dec 1970 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in 1970 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
He was a meatcutter and owned the Travis Grocery store ( a neighborhood
grocery in Laramie.)
Ernest married Florence Mae Gregory . Florence was born on 7 Jun 1910 in Henry, Putnam, Illinois. She died on 10 Jul 1972 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1972 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
21. Margaret Mae Mansfield (Oliver, John) was born on 22 Aug 1889 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died on 20 Nov 1969 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She was buried in 1969 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
She was a noted ranch woman in the Laramie area.
Ruth Seeley showed me (Harold Mansfield) the ranch in 1989.
Margaret married John Goetz in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. John was born on 24 Sep 1878 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He died in 1945 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in 1945 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
John was a noted rancher in the Laramie area.
John and Margaret had the following children:
+ 35 F i. Evelyn Margaret Goetz was born on 26 Sep 1909. She died in 1953.
+ 36 F ii. Inez Frances Goetz was born on 30 Jan 1913.
Fourth Generation
23. John Martin Mansfield (Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 8 Jul 1888 in near Cowdrey, Jackson, Colorado. He died on 17 Mar 1971 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. He was buried in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado, Grandview.
There is a sense in which John Martin Mansfield was born in the wrong
time. Basically, he was a frontierman and a horseman. However, by the
time he reached working age, the frontier was closed and the horse was
being replaced by the automobile.
He owned and operated the last livery barn in Fort Collins. His business
declined as the automobile became the norm.
He then tried his hand at farming, but the depression and a probable
hog-cholera epidemic caused him to lose the farm.
For the rest of his working life, he held a great variety of manual labor
jobs. He dug ditches, stacked hay, cut timber, and did whatever else was
available and necessary to provide for his large family.
He was a hard worked and an honest man, even though he was a very poor
man throughout his adult life.
When he approached retirement years, he indicated a reluctance to retire
because that would mean--he felt--that he would only live a year or
two, following retirement. Actually, he lived though a twenty-year
retirement.
John married Addie May McClure daughter of George Lewis McClure and Sirena aka Cyrena Norris on 16 Oct 1912 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. Addie was born on 27 Oct 1890 in Allison, Decatur, Kansas. She died on 24 Feb 1976 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. She was buried in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado, Grandview.
In the 1930 census for Fort Collins, she lists both of her parents as having
been born in Ohio. Of course, her father was born in Illinois; her mother
in Pickaway County, Ohio.
In the 1920 census for Fort Collins, she lists her Dad as having been born
in Iowa. She just did not know.
She was born in a true sod house on the Kansas plains. She was the
next-youngest in a large family.
She moved to Colorado sometime around 1910, met John Mansfield while
she was living with her sister, Bessie Burns, and they married in 1912.
She was a housewife all of her adult life. She kept a clean house, cooked
meals on a meager food budget, kept her family in clean clothes, and
otherwise lived the life of a poor man's wife, especially during the Great
Depression of the 1930's.
She became very religious in her later years and found a great deal of
peace and companionship through her church affiliation, a rather
conservative Babtist church.
John and Addie had the following children:
+ 37 F i. Ruby Hannah Mansfield was born on 1 Apr 1914. She died on 3 Feb 1998.
38 F ii. Mary Jane Mansfield was born on 20 Sep 1915 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died on 1 Sep 1922 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. She was buried in 1922 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado, Grandview.
Died of scarlet fever.
+ 39 F iii. Erma Lucille Mansfield was born on 8 May 1917.
40 M iv. John Martin Mansfield Jr. was born1 on 28 Jul 1918 in Larimer County, Colorado. He died on 27 Jul 1992 in San Diego, California. He was buried in Cremated.
In the 1930 census for Fort Collins, he is listed as John Jr. and his
birthplace is listed as Colorado.
In the 1920 census, his birthplace is listed as Colorado!
He led a wondering life. He was an alcoholic, probably all of his
adult life.
For years, he traveled with carnivals, working in various minor
capacities.
He was obviously and intelligent human being who just never "found
himself," his self-control, or his place in life.
Perhaps many of his troubles stemmed from extreme conflict with his
father. In any event, he left home early, probably when he was 15.
He served in the Army in WWII, though even there he had his adjustment
problems. He said he was "busted" (in rank) several times. He was
probably a cook and, at one time, in the Military Police, during his stayin
the Army.
He died of pneumonia, related to the ravages of time and of life-style
and his body was cremated. The final disposition of his ashes will be
made in accordance with a majority of family wishes.
On 23 February 1998, I tried unsuccessfully to find him on the FamilyTree Maker
CD-ROM listing of the Social Security Death Index, 1937-1995, Volume 2,M-Z.
He was not listed, which was a great surprise to me. I will followthrough on
this matter in order to try to find out what happened to his records,Social
Security and Military, that produced this result. Perhaps it hadsomething to
do with the staff at the nursing home where he died.
John married Unknown Mansfield in 1950.
This 'now unknown' woman wrote a plaintive letter to my mother sometimeafter
Johnnie left her.
Evenually, I suppose that they were divorced or, perhaps, the wedding wasannulled.
As far as I
she was not heard from again.
My vague memory of the letter is that it was not a letter written by aneducated
woman, but that
is just my memory of the way the letter read.
+ 41 F v. Phyllis Pauline Mansfield was born on 5 Nov 1920.
42 M vi. Robert Dale Mansfield was born on 11 Nov 1922 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. He died on 29 Aug 1948 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. He was buried in 1948 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
Died in motorcycle accident. The wreck was not discovered until quite a
while after it happened. By the time he was treated in Estes Park and
transported to the hospital in Fort Collins, it was too late. He died from
internal injuries and shock on the way from Estes Park to Fort Collins.
He was working for the US Bureau of Reclamation at the time of his
death.
He served in the US Air Force during WW II. He was stationed in the
Pacific during part of his military service.
He had a problem with alcohol, at least from his time in the Army until
his death.
His death was a profound shock to his mother. She cried uncontrollably
for several days. And, she never really recovered from his death. He was
her "favorite son" and she had high hopes for him. Also, she relied on his
for financial support during times when the family was poor.
It is not clear if he had any special intellectual or other talents,though
he was a nice looking, muscular man.
+ 43 M vii. Eugene Howard Mansfield was born on 3 Jan 1925.
+ 44 F viii. Ruth May Mansfield was born on 30 Jan 1928.
+ 45 M ix. Harold LeRoy Mansfield was born on 28 Jul 1931.
+ 46 M x. Gerald Wesley Mansfield was born on 2 May 1935.
24. Artie Jane Mansfield (Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 29 Jan 1890 in near Cowdrey, Jackson, Colorado. She died in Mar 1931 in Denver, Denver, Colorado. She was buried in 1931 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
She died young, leaving an eight or nine year old child, Ralph Mayers.
She was a socially-minded young woman who seemed dedicated to
helping others.
She had a house in Laramie where many children were born, including
North Park children, according to my father in a letter to Hazel Gresham,
North Park historian.
Artie married Oscar Mayers in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. Oscar was born in 1883. He died in Mar 1929 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. He was buried in 1929 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming, Greenhill.
They had the following children:
47 M i. Ralph Mayers was born on 28 May 1917 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
He has played an absolutely vital role in the family history research, in
part because he knew and maintained contact with diverse lines of the
family through the years.
He donated some fine individual pictures and a wonderful album full of
family portraits (given to him by Ruth Seely) to Phyllis Chance.
Although he has not been able to provide specific dates, his general
knowledge of the family has been a real boon.
Sept. 11, 04 -- I visited Ralph in Portland the other day and came away
with some information that I did not have:
His wife's maiden name was Brown.
A family with the name of Vikroy is related somehow. Some of them
lived in Greeley or the Greeley area.
He mentioned Emma Goetz Honholtz, wife of Bob Hohnoltz.
Peggy Irving Goetz of Fort Collins.
George, Ina and Elaine Lieber.
Layne (?) Sanberg; Lillian (Bob's much older sister) and Bob Honholtz; Alfred and
Betsy Blomgrel
Ralph married Margaret Brown . Margaret was born in 1917. She died on 31 Mar 1995 in Portland, Oregon.
Ralph met her on 31 Mar 1951! She was 78 when she died.
25. Ollie Nora Mansfield (Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 23 Feb 1893 in near Cowdrey, Jackson, Colorado. She died on 1 Aug 1972 in Kingman, Mohave, Arizona.
She was something of a pioneer in advancing women's place in the world
in the sense that she homesteaded and also leased grazing land from the
government, perhaps one of the first women to do so.
She wrote two short, clever pieces about life on the Big Laramie river
under the pen name of Nora Field.
She married Roy Secrest, a WW I veteran, about 1935. Her four children
with Brooks took the name Secrest. I am not sure if he legally adopted
them, or not.
In the 1930 Larimer County Census, La Porte Rt. 7, April 16th by R. A.
Falloon, Ollie and her children are living with Elton and Hannah!
Elton is shown as being 66; Hannah, 67; Ollie 37; Vida, 9; Artie (Dot),
6; Wilfred, 4 and 8/12ths; Vernon, 1 and 11/12ths!
Next door is John and Addie and Ruby, John, Jr, Erma, Pillis (Phyllis),
Robert, Eugene and (on the next page) Ruth!!!
Ollie married (1) Fred Leonard Brooks son of Asa Clayton Brooks and Nora Della Learn in 1914 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. Fred was born on 9 Apr 1894. He died on 4 Jan 1956 in Redondo Beach, California.
They had the following children:
+ 48 F i. Vida Lorraine Brooks was born on 23 Aug 1921. She died on 1 Feb 1990.
+ 49 F ii. Artie Zelda Brooks was born on 27 Mar 1923.
+ 50 M iii. Wilferd Mathew Brooks was born on 8 Aug 1925. He died on 11 May 1960.
51 M iv. Vernon Brooks was born in May 1928 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
Vernon was married twice.
He was a mechanic and security guard.
He was, as I remember, a heavy cigarette smoker. (Per Hal Mansfield)
Ollie married (2) Roy Secrest in 1935.
26. Edyth Mabel Hill (Dora Mansfield, William Martin, John) was born on 20 Apr 1886 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died on 12 Dec 1976 in Long Beach, Los Angeles,
California. She was buried in 1976 in Salt Lake City, Utah, Mt. Olivet.
In the 1910 census for Utah, she is listed as a 23 year old stenographer.
Edyth married Stephen Turner Carman son of Sylvester H. Carman and Mary Jane Wright. Stephen was born on 4 Oct 1887 in Pioche, Lincoln, Nevada. He died on 20 Apr 1952 in Las Vegas, Clark, Nevada. He was buried in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, Mt. Olivet Cem..
Stephen was probably the youngest of six children, four boys and twogirls.
Stephen and Edyth had the following children:
52 M i. David Mansfield Carman was born on 20 Mar 1917 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
David remembers a trip to Jelm with Dora. He remembers Elton and Ollie.
This was most likely 1932.
He grew up with computers working with punch cards for Texaco, for
Rocketdyne on the Saturn engines, for Braniff on the computer baggage
system, for Litton, for Control Data, etc.
He has been keeping in touch by letter and by phone on a fairly regular
basis.
He sent me a wonderful, great suede leather coat, which was made in
Europe. However, it is much too large for me. I will try to find someone
in the family large enough to wear who lives in a cold, cold climate.
I am planning to pass the suede coat on to Mike Mansfield, the son
of my brother Eugene Howard Mansfield.
David moved from CA to AZ, then on to Texas. He has not kept in
touch in spite of repeated efforts on my part. He probably went
blind.
53 F ii. Virginia Elaine Carman was born on 25 May 1919 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. She died on 26 Sep 2002 in San Francisco, California. She was buried in Crematorium, SF, CA.
Virginia has been a key source of information on Dora Mansfield Hill, her
family, including the Carmans, and on Grea-tgrandfather William Martin
Mansfield.
She a number of very valuable old photographs, documents, and other
resources.
She lost some family heirlooms during the October, 1989, San Francisco
earthquake, but was not injured and was able to return to her apartment
quite soon after the quake.
She has remarked that with the death of herself and her brother, David,
their side of the family will be gone, since none had children.
The Carman children grew up in Tooele, Utah. However, since there were
no schools there, the family moved to Salt Lake City. There, they lived
in a house that was built by William Martin Mansfield.
Virginia said that there were two houses that Wm. Martin owned in Salt
Lake City, 422 and 424. 422 was a single story house that was kept
rented. 424 was a two-story house, red brick. Both houses had nice
lawn areas and there was a low, iron-spiked fence near the East
Second street sidewalk. There were small apartment buildings and
houses and a church near-by. The downtown area was only 5 or 6
blocks away. The area may have been built up originally not long
after 1847.
The houses were probably sold in 1939 or 1940.
Virginia died of lung cancer on Sep. 26, 02 at 1:30 p.m.
Her friend, Anne Colum, called me tell me of her death.
Anne's address is: 406 Terracita Blvd., SF, CA 94127-1829
Her phone number (Nov. 02) is: 415.333.4223
Anne indicated that she will send me family history info,
especially pictures, that Virginia wanted me to have.
I called David Mansfield Carman, Virginia's brother, in
Texas 972.385.9345 and we had a long, enjoyable talk,
as usual.
David's address is: 12205 Montego Plaza, Dallas, TX 75230
54 M iii. Stephen Douglas Carman was born in 1921 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. He died in 1924. He was buried in 1924.
55 M iv. Richard Densmore Carman was born on 20 Oct 1923 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah. He died on 7 Oct 1962.
35. Evelyn Margaret Goetz (Margaret Mae Mansfield, Oliver, John) was born on 26 Sep 1909 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died in 1953 in Rock Springs, Wyoming. She was buried in 1953 in Wyoming.
Evelyn married Ernest Sinko in 1939 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
They had the following children:
56 F i. Judith Mae Sinko was born on 17 Aug 1941.
Judith married James Burns .
57 F ii. Barbara Ann Sinko was born on 28 Jun 1945.
Barbara married John Anderson .
36. Inez Frances Goetz (Margaret Mae Mansfield, Oliver, John) was born on 30 Jan 1913 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
Inez married Joe Wilson on 13 Dec 1942.
They had the following children:
58 F i. Patricia Joan Wilson was born on 27 Oct 1949.
Patricia married Emmett Warren on 1 Jan 1972.
Fifth Generation
37. Ruby Hannah Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 1 Apr 1914 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming. She died on 3 Feb 1998 in Fort Collins, Larimer,
Colorado.
She married young and spent her life as a housewife. She was a very good
cook and housekeeper. She was also the "family barber." She was neat,
tasteful person in all ways, but especially in the clothes she wore and in
her overall personal appearance.
She enjoyed the activites that her husband enjoyed such as fishing and
bowling. She did not, however, approve of. or join him in his drinking, a
habit which he developed early and one which controlled much of his life.
She remained his loyal and dedicated wife, in spite of his drinking. And,
overall, they had a happy, successful marriage, a marriage with much
love, companionship, and synergy.
Ruby developed severe diarrhea in late Decembe, 1997, or early January,
1998. The cause of the diarrhea was never discovered. Eventually, because
she was not taking adequate care of herself, she sank into a coma fromwhich
she never recovered.
Whether her diarrhea was antibiotic induced colitis, or not, willprobably never
be known. It may well have been. It is clear that she was not able to getthe
kind of medical care she needed in order to deal properly with theunderlying
cause of the diarrhea and not able, apparently, to appreciate the natureand
the extent to which the diarrhea--and perhaps the underlying cause--were
life-threatening. Perhaps it was 'just her time to die?'
She had a large, nice funeral at the Warren-Bohlender Funeral Home in Fort
Collins, and was buried beside her husband in Resthaven Memory Gardens
south of Fort Collins.
Ruby married Ervine Wilbert Stewart son of Warren D. Stewart and Kathryn Fennelley on 10 Jan 1932. Ervine was born on 9 Oct 1909 in Greeley, Weld, Colorado. He died on 12 Apr 1991 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. He was buried in Apr 1991 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
He was one of the very best automobile mechanics in Fort Collins for a
number of years.
He joined his father in the hay business in the 1940s and remained in the
hay business the rest of his working life. He was a successful small
businessman for many years. His hay business thrived.
He bought what was to become a very valuable piece of land near Terry
Lake, north of Fort Collins. The property consisted of--I believe--over
100 acres, mostly pasture.
He was a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for a number of years, making
key contributions to that organization and to people who shared his
problems with alcohol.
He became quite religious in his later years.
Overall, he was an excellent husband, father, businessman, and citizen,
in spite of his problem with alcohol.
He loved to drive fast. His typical approach to driving was to drive about
as fast as the car would go, particularly on long trips through ruralareas
and across the Wyoming plains.
In family crisis situations, he was always a great source of comfort and
reliability. He always seemed, as if naturally, to know what to do and
how to do it. His father was much the same: Confident, competent, and
personable.
Ervine and Ruby had the following children:
+ 59 M i. Dwayne Ervine Stewart was born on 11 Dec 1935.
+ 60 F ii. Joyce Kay Stewart was born on 23 Sep 1937. She died on 20 Feb 2004.
+ 61 M iii. Dwight Donovan Stewart was born on 27 Jan 1943.
39. Erma Lucille Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 8 May 1917 in Laramie, Albany, Wyoming.
She was a housewife until she and her husband divorced. After the
divorce, she held a variety of minor jobs such as babysitting, house
sitting, and the like, either all or most all on a parttime basis.
After many years in Fort Collins, she moved to Fowler, CO, to be near her
married daughter.
Erma married Robert Humphries Montgomery son of Frank Robert Montgomery and Ruth Humphries on 1 Feb 1941 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. The marriage ended in divorce.Robert was born on 20 Sep 1914. He died in 1969 in Yuma, Arizona. He was buried in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado, Grandview.
He operated Farmer's Elevator in Fort Collins for many years, together
with his mother. It was probably his father's business, before him.
His father was tthe mayor of Fort Collins at one time.
He was somewhat of a mechanic and engineer, and obviously an
intelligent and able man.
He held a private pilot's licence for many years and was something of a
stunt flyer, though only on an occasional, weekend basis.
He was an industrious, hardworking man. But, he tried to build, establish
and run a roller skating rink in Fort Collins. That did not work out. Itwas
quite likely a financial disaster.
He finally sold the elevator and became a public employee, which took
him to Grand Junction, CO, and Yuma, AZ.
Robert and Erma had the following children:
+ 62 F i. Erma Rae Montgomery was born on 25 Dec 1942.
+ 63 M ii. Robert Quinten Montgomery was born on 5 Jul 1946.
41. Phyllis Pauline Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 5 Nov 1920 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
1 _FA6
2 DATE 1961
2 PLAC Divorced, Fort Collins, Colorado
Phyllis Pauline Mansfield Chance was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, on
November 5, 1920, the fifth in line of ten children born to John Martin
Mansfield and Addie May McClure Mansfield. The family lived in or around
Fort Collins during her elementary school years, which were spent in La
Porte and Fort Collins. Due to financial circumstances, she was unable to
attent high school. She made pocket money by babysitting and cleaning
houses.
When she was 15, she moved to a ranch in the Redstone Canyon,
southwest of Fort Collins a few miles, to live with a cousin, Irene
Burns Morrison. She earned $15.00 a month a "chore girl" -- milking
cows, feeding calves, feeding and keeping an eye on 31 expensive buck
sheep, and taking salt to and checking on 25 head of steers, at intervals.
The job she enjoyed most was bringing in the small herd of horses. The
job she enjoyed least was helping feed the hired hnads at shearing and
lambing time.
While working at the ranch, she met Don Chance who had a farm near
Masonville, Colorado, not too far from the Redstone ranch. They were
married in Fort Collins at the Presbyterian Church, November 5, 1938.
Three children were born to this union. In 1961, the marriage ended in
divorce.
Phyllis had several jobs working as a nurses' aide in nursing homes
until 1963, at which time she took and passed a G. E. D. test and attended
L. P. N. school under the manpower act. She graduated in 1964, second in
her class. She received a $100.00 check for giving the best nursing
care while in training. She then worked in various nursing homes until
retiring in 1983.
She now lives near Masonville, on the old Chance Homestead, with her
oldest daughter, taking care of the house, fixing meals, feeding the
animals and babysitting with her great grandchildren.
Her hobby is writing poetry. She received the Gold Poetry Award from
"World of Poetry" in 1986, 1987, and 1988. She also had three poems
published in the "Fence Post," a farm and ranch newspaper.
Phyllis married Donald Herbert Chance son of Don Herbert B. Chance and Mary Etta Trowbridge in 1938 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. The marriage ended in divorce.Donald was born on 28 May 1918 in Loveland, Larimer, Colorado.
22 December 1990
BIOGRAPICAL SKETCH OF DON HERBERT CHANCE
Don Herbert Chance was born in Loveland, Colorado, on May 28, 1918. Hespent most of his early
years growing up in Masonville, Colorado, and inLoveland. He attended elementary schools in
Masonville and Loveland. But,due to family finances, he was unable to attend high school.
He worked for Floyd Mason as a cowboy for $30.00 a month, plus roomand board. He also worked
for Larimer County, and at the Great WesternSugar Company factory in Loveland. He milked cows
under contract with theCarnation Milk Company and farmed the home place in Masonville.
He married Phyllis Pauline Mansfield in Fort Collins, on November 5,1938. The marriage produced
three children, but ended in divorce in 1961.
Don joined the United States Army Air Force in 1943, and wasselected for officer training school.
He attended flight school inWichita, Kansas. Even though he only had an eighth grade education,
hewas in the upper percentage of his class. The Air Force found they weretraining more pilots than
they had planes for, so all pilot trainingprograms were closed. The men in the pilot training programs
were giventhe choice of going to navigation, radio, or gunnery schools. Don becamea tail gunner on B-
17s and B-29s. He was stationed in the South Pacificand was decorated for valor.
After the service, he lived on and farmed the family homestead atMasonville, and also built and
operated a fruit cellar. He drove to Texasfor citrus fruit and for nuts; to the Western Slope of Colorado
forpeaches, pears, and apricots; and he and his wife sold the products hetrucked in, plus cherries and
apples that they grew on the homestead. Healso leased and farmed other property.
After the divorce in 1961, he moved to Colorado Springs and marriedIrma Hays, in November of
1961. He bought several rental properties,which he maintains, as of 1990, during his semi-retirement.
He especiallyenjoys lake fishing.
Donald and Phyllis had the following children:
64 F i. Patricia Anne Chance was born on 12 Apr 1943 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
Patricia married (1) James Jay Jacobson . The marriage ended in divorce.James was born in 1943.
Patricia married (2) Barry Conner son of Le Roy Conner and Esther Boyer. The marriage ended in divorce.Barry was born in 1940.
65 F ii. Janice Donea Chance was born on 18 Aug 1947 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
23 December 1990
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF JAN DONEA CHANCE HEUSTIS
Jan Donea Chance Heustis was born in Fort Collins, Colorado, and haslived in
Larimer County, Colorado, all of her life. She went to BigThompson School at
Masonville through grade school. She attended TruscottJunior High in Loveland for
seventh and eighth grades; then, she went toLincoln Junior High in Fort Collins for
ninth grade. She then moved to LaPorte, where she went to Cache La Poudre High
School for tenth andeleventh grades. She transferred to and was with the first
graduatingclass from the newly completed Poudre High School in Fort Collins,
graduating in the top ten per cent of her class.
She graduated from Colorado State University, in Fort Collins, in1970, with a
Bachelor of Science degree in Housing and Design.
She married Doug Heustis of La Porte, on June 12, 1968. After hermarriage, she
worked for Harder Construction Company, Woodward GovernorCompany, and for
several firms through Western Temporary Services.
When she was nineteen years old, she had a freak water skiingaccident, and
should have drowned. She believes the Lord spared her,physically. Six years later, on
September 17, 1972, she received the LordJesus Christ as her personal Saviour, and
He then saved her spiritually.Even though she had been religious all her life, she had
a void that hadnot been filled, and was not 100% sure of heaven. After being saved
in1972, all this was settled and she received a joy and peace she had neverknown
before. She now endeavors to serve Him and to share with others howthey too can
have salvation and a home in Heaven.
Jan is now a "happy homemaker." She also does volunteer work whichincludes
helping with second and third grades on Tuesdays at Front RangeBabtist Academy in
Fort Collins.
Doug and Jan also know sign language and have worked with the deaf.They lived
most of their married life in Fort Collins. But, they are nowrenting for the time being
on the family homestead near Masonville, whereJan grew up.
In 1996, they began a new house on the Masonville property; it is a housewhich they
planned.
Janice married Fred Douglas Heustis son of Frederick William Heustis and Carol Deana Tamlin on 12 Jun 1968 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. Fred was born on 4 Mar 1946 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
23 December 1990
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DOUG HEUSTIS
F. Doug Heustis was born March 4, 1946, in Fort Collins, Colorado. Hegrew up in La
Porte. He attended La Porte schools through the 12th grade.He was in the last class
to graduate from La Porte High school before itwas became a junior high, only. Doug
then attended Colorado StateUniversity for one year, before he was drafted into the
United StatesArmy. While in the Army he was trained as a light and heavy duty
truckdriver. After serving one tour of duty in Viet Nam, during 1966-67, hewas
honorably discharged. He returned to CSU, graduating in 1971, with aBachelor of
Science degree in Industrial Construction Management.
Mort importantly, after his Army discharge, Doug married Jan Chanceon June 12,
1968, after dating her from 1963 to the time of theirmarriage.
While Doug was attending CSU, he worked parttime as general shoplaborer and
clean-up person at Simpson Sheet Metal Company. Upongraduating from CSU, he
became the Mechanical Designer and Estimator forthat company, where he worked
until 1978.
After leaving Simpson Sheet Metal, he worked many jobs while
seekingpermanent employment. In May of 1980, he became employed with
theFacilities Services Department of CSU as a Planner/Estimator. He workedat CSU
for ten years.
Recently, he and Jan moved to California for a brief time. They havesince
returned to Colorado, where Doug has been doing temporary work.
On September 17, 1972, Doug, along with his wife, Jan, accepted theLord Jesus
Christ as their personal Saviour, and came to understand whatthe Bible means when
Jesus said " ... I am the way, the truth, and thelife: no man cometh unto the Father,
but by me." Also, "The Lord is ...not willing that any should perish, but that all
should come torepentance," This was without doubt the most important decision
that Dougever made.
Doug is presently living at Masonville with his wife of 22 years. Heis attending
Front Range Babtist Church in Fort Collins, where he teachesChildren's Church and
where he directs the P. A. system activities forthat church.
Added, July 1997: For the past few years, Doug has worked for the City ofFort
Collins. He and Jan designed a home which is being built on theChance family
Masonville property.
+ 66 M iii. Don Phillip Chance was born on 25 Dec 1949. He died on 7 Jul 1991.
43. Eugene Howard Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 3 Jan 1925 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
He showed a lot or artistic talent when he was in school. However, he
never developed that talent.
In later years, he has turned to reading philosophy and to writing very
short, humorous pieces, many of which are elaborate plays on words.
He spent the majority of his adult years working for the Federal
government for the Bureau of Reclamation. He worked as a school janitor
after he was retired early from the government job. In later years, heheld a variety of jobs to
supplement his retirement income and to keephimself occupied, especially during the summer months.
He was seriously--perhaps critically--injuried in an automobile
accident in California. I believe he swerved to miss a chicken and
crashed.
He has a lively, if unusual, personality. He and his wife established
and maintained--what seemed to me--a close relationship with their
children and with the children's families, as these came to be.
Alcohol, unfortunately, has played a crucial, negative part in his life.
Eugene married Beryl Maxine Brothers daughter of Robert L. Sr. Brothers and Maude Effie Goodson in 1946 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. Beryl was born on 9 May 1929 in Windsor, Larimer, Colorado.
They had the following children:
+ 67 F i. Diana Lynn Mansfield was born on 16 Jul 1947.
+ 68 F ii. Sandra Lee Mansfield was born on 21 Apr 1950.
+ 69 M iii. Jerry Dean Mansfield , Sr. was born on 4 Nov 1951.
+ 70 M iv. Terry Gene Mansfield , Sr. was born on 4 Nov 1951.
+ 71 M v. Michael Alan Mansfield was born on 21 Jan 1956.
72 M vi. Mark Andrew Mansfield was born on 15 Jun 1960 in Ogden, Weber, Utah.
44. Ruth May Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 30 Jan 1928 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
She was an excellent student, especially during her high school years.
She was a fine woman athlete and, perhaps, one of the finest woman
basketball players in the history of Fort Collins High School. Although
she was small and slender, she was extremely quick and a dead-eye shot.
She literally "played circles" around most of the opponents.
She left Fort Collins as soon as she graduated from high school and
moved to California. There, she met the man who became her husband.
She has lived in California ever since. She has mainly been a housewife.
However, she has helped her husband with farming and other activities
and has had a variety of minor jobs, mostly parttime.
She turned to religion in her early adult years and has been a committed
and intensely conservative religious person since. In fact, she is
somethng of a religious fanatic.
Ruth married Loren Harvey Taber II son of Loren Harvey Taber I and Mollie Maude Biddall on 24 Dec 1949 in Stockton, San Joaquin, California. Loren was born on 3 Feb 1925
in Woodland, Yolo, California. He died in 1991 in Woodland, Yolo, California.
He is the son of a pioneer California farming family.
For most of his adult life, he has been an almond farmer in the El Rancho
de Capay valley, not too far from Sacramento.
He is an inventor of machinery and of puzzle-type games, a collector and
restorer of vintage automobiles and of other historical artifacts. He has
a museum on the home place, a place which has been in the family for
decades.
Loren and Ruth had the following children:
73 M i. Robert Loren Taber was born on 26 Jul 1955 in Woodland, Yolo, California.
1751 Warburton, Apt. #1
Santa Clara, CA 95050
(408) 246-1628
He is a computer expert and an inventor of computer related equipment.
He is also an avid gardener and typically grows a vegetable garden on the
home place, even though this means he must commute from his home to
the farm most summer weekends.
+ 74 F ii. Sue Ann Taber was born on 30 Jul 1957.
45. Harold LeRoy Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 28 Jul 1931 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
I was born at the beginning of the great depression. According the best
available evidence, my father, John Martin Mansfield, had suffered
several important financial reversals in the years immediately
preceeding my birth. First, he was in the livery business at time when
the horse was being rapidly replaced by the automobile. Essentially, the
income from and the value of that business "melted" away as the
business became obsolete.
Second, he went into farming at a time when farm land and farm
produce prices were at their peaks, or nearly so. There is also the
suggestion that his hogs, which may have been one of his principle crops,
developed hog cholera and died. With the advent of the great depression,
farm produce prices dropped. Those who had bought at the top of the farm
real estate market were left with high debt and low income. Whether
this was exactly the case with my father, or not, I can not say for sure.
Whatever the complex of reasons, the farm was lost. Years of
struggle and of poverty followed as the entire nation, and most of the
world, slumped into the Great Depression.
Since my father had only the barest education and since he had only
those skills which were at the bottom of the economic ladder, and since
he had a very large family to support, the wonder is that he and mother
did as well as they did in keeping the family together and in making it
through the depression.
Two factors stand out in my mind: One, my mother and father were
honest people. They made a sincere effort to meet their obligations, to
buy groceries, to pay the rent, and to otherwise "play square."
Two, my father was a hard-working man. And, within the range of
jobs he held, he was skillful. He could stack hay, dig ditches, cut timber,
with dedication and enthusiasm. He was a good "hand," as the saying goes.
He worked tirelessly to find a "new" job, when one job ended, and he
worked hard on the job, once he found work. His name became
synonymous with a day's work for a day's pay. Even when the work was
sporatic and the pay miserably low, he gave his very best to the job.
Other very positive aspects of my life, in addition to parents and the
other family members, were the friends I had while growing up and the
Fort Collins school system. The friends supplied good modeling. The
school system supplied an excellent education.
Fort Collins, in many important ways, was an ideal place in which to
grow up, in the great depression of the 1930s. Although poor, we had a
rich array of simple games, games which we played with enthusiasm and
creativity. These seemingly innocent games provided experience for later
life that would prove very valuable.
Also, since I started working early--second grade, actually--and
since I had a variety of jobs through high school, many opportunities to
learn were present.
Working at Fox Intermountain Theaters, for example, allowed me to
see innumberable movies, newsreels, and educational short-subject
pieces, all of which augmented my school education.
Finally, I was very fortunate to work for some very fine people
through the years, people who shared their many, many years of
experience with me. By learning from them, I was able to avoid some of
the more time-consuming and costly trial-by-error experiences.
It seems that in family, friends, and the people I have worked with
and for, I was most fortunate, indeed.
After high school, I worked for two years, part of the time on a hay
baler, part of the time for Fox Theaters, and part of the time for Charles
and Iva Wilson of Berthoud. The Wilson had a large farm and dairy
operation. I worked in the dairy. They became my "second family," and we
have remained close throughout the years.
About the time the Korean military draft was going to call my name,
I enlisted, feeling I could get a better deal that way. I served in the Army
for three years. And, although I went overseas on two different tours of
duty, I was fortunate to serve in Japan, instead of Korea.
The military service provided me with the G. I. Bill. After I got out
of the service, I worked a few months, while waiting for the Fall term at
Colorado A&M College, in Fort Collins. I started in the Fall of 1954. In
additon to college, I served in the Army reserves and worked part-time,
to augment the G. I. Bill.
While in college, I met and married Lorita M. Young, of Maryville,
MO. She had moved to Fort Collins, after graduating from college, and was
working for a loan company. I met her while I was working part-time for
a men's clothing store. We dated some, fell in love, and married in the
Spring of 1956.
The next year, our daughter, Maura Ann, was born. She was a very
tiny baby, since she was several weeks premature. However, she was a
healthy baby, ate heartily, and was soon sleeping through the night,
which was a very good thing, since I was still in college and was also
working. I needed the undisturbed sleep.
I was able to go to college, largely because of the G.I. Bill and
because I lived at home until my marriage. After graduation from CSU, I
worked for five years at three different jobs: Forney Acceptance
Corporation, in Fort Collins, as a credit supervisor; the Arizona
Employment Service in Phoenix; and the City and County of Denver, as a
member of the Research and Management Office.
In 1963, I applied for and received an NDEA Scholarship to the
University of Denver, in the graduate program in psychology. In 1967, I
was awarded a master's degree. I then taught for five years at Regis
College, in Denver, and also served two years as the Acting Chairman of
the Psychology Department and one year as Director of the Social
Science Division at Regis.
Since progress towards the Ph.D., at DU, was so slow, I resigned my
teaching appointment at Regis and returned full-time to DU, to finish the
Ph.D. work. That was completed in 1974.
I applied for a vacancy and was hired in the psychology departmentat Fort
Lewis College, in Durango, CO. Since my wife and I had bought land near
Durango, in 1972, being hired by Fort Lewis seemed almost miraculous.
In the 1960s, I became interested in solar energy. As a result of that
continuing interest, I helped found local solar groups in Durango and in
other communities. I took a leave-of-absence from Fort Lewis for the
1980-81 academic year and served at Deputy Director of the American
Section of the International Solar Energy Society. Colorado Governor
Richard Lamm appointed me to the Colorado Solar Energy Advisory
Committee for several terms, beginning in the 1970s.
My wife and I had Durango's first solar home designed at built. We
moved into the house in February of 1977, the year our daughter moved to
Montana, where she eventually finished college and married Peter T.
Peterson, her high school sweetheart.
Since our daughter finished college, she and her husband have lived
and worked in the Seattle area. They presently live in Issaquah. He is an
engineer with the Boeing Corporation and she does computer science
contract work for companies in the Seattle area. They have no children
but many, many pets.
I retired from teaching in 1993 to spend time at home with my ailing
wife. Rita had been in seriously declining health for some years due to a
genetic problem. She contracted pancreatitis shortly after I retired and
finally passed away in Dec. 1993; sadly missed, but her passing was a
blessing, since even modern medicine could do nothing for her decline or
her suffering
After my wife died, I took two long auto trips. One covered nine western
states and over 6,000 miles. I did sightseeing and visited familyfriends and former
students. The trip lasted some six weeks. The secondtrip took me through the
midwest, the Atlantic coast states and the South. That trip lasted over eight
weeks and covered 11,600 miles. Later,I spent five weeks in the British Isles.
Many, many "smaller, shorter"trips have been made, some to Issaquah, WA,
to see Misty and Toby, someto AZ to see friends and some to the "Denver
side" of the mountains tovisit with family and friends.
Mostly, however, I stay home, putter around in the yard, attend as
many social events--especially concerts and college events--work at the
computer, write letters and articles and read.
My health, mental attitude and other aspects of my life are good, but
I would like to find a "new" life-mate; that is the single negative in what
is--and has been--a "good" life.
What seems evident to me, is that my life, almost entirely, has been a
series of very, very fortuate circumstances, ranging from family, friends,
marriage, colleagues and employers, through education and--most importantly--
through good luck.
Harold married Lorita May Young daughter of Russell Byron Young and Lulu May Parshall on 11 May 1956 in Loveland, Larimer, Colorado. Lorita was born on 31 Dec 1929 in Quitman, Nodaway, Missouri. She died on 19 Dec 1993 in Durango, La Plata, Colorado. She was buried on 23 Dec 1993 in Cremation.
After graduating from Northwest Missouri State College (now a
university), she moved to Colorado to be near her married sister, Mrs.
Keith (Anna Lee) Richards.
She located in Fort Collins, worked for General CreditCorporation,
met and married Harold Mansfield, while he was attending Colorado A &
M College (now Colorado State University).
She and Harold have one child, Maura Ann, who was born in Fort
Collins, Colorado, 23 Jan 1957. While Maura was growing up, the family
lived in Fort Collins, Phoenix (briefly), Denver, and (for her senior year
of high school and much to Maura's dissatisfaction, Durango.
Rita worked for a bank if Fort Collins, after leaving General Credit.
While living in the Denver area, she managed an apartment building and
worked for Jefferson County Mental Health.
While living in Durango, she has worked for a local medical doctor,
doing his accounts receivable.
For a number of years, she has suffered from rather severe
respiratory problems, which are related to a genetic problem in her
body's immune system.
Lorita died on December 19, 1997, in Durango, CO. She died at home,but was transported by
emergency crews to the local hospital where shewas officially pronounced dead.
The cause of death was cardio-respiratory failure brought on my thepancreatitis that she had
suffered from for several months. Thepancreatitis was most probably brought on by the numerous
medicationswhich she had taken for about fifteen years, medications which kept heralive, but
eventually led to her death.
Her body was handled by the local funeral home. She laid in acasket for several days so Misty
(nee Maura Ann) could come from Issaquahto see her. Rita was cremated. Memorial services were
held for her inthe Student Memorial Lounge on the Fort Lewis College Campus, where fourvery moving
eulogies were delivered by Duane Smith, Fort Lewis professor;Wanda Ellingson, a friend who had
worked with Rita in the Faculty WivesClub at Fort Lewis; Karen Anesi, who worked with Rita in the
local gardenclub; and
A second memorial service was held in late Dec. 1993, in Loveland,CO, at the Methodist Church. A
final service was observed by Rita'sfamily at the family reunion in Missouri in June of 1994.
Harold and Lorita had the following children:
75 F i. Maura Ann Mansfield was born on 23 Jan 1957 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
They were married in the Christus Collegium (the religious center) on
the campus of Montana State Univerity.
She graduted from MSU with a degree in computer science.
After marriage and graduation, she and Toby moved to the Seattle area.
Both worked for Boeing. A bit later, Maura established her own
one-person computer company and, eventually, was hired back at Boeing
as an independent contract employee.
She later worked for Sunstrand, also as an independent contract
employee.
She and Toby have collected quite a menagerie over the years: horses,
snakes, a lizard, ducks, dogs, cats, a turtle, an exotic bird, goats,rats,
and hampsters, to name most of what they have had as pets (or as pet
food, in the case of the rats for the snakes).
Maura married Peter Tobias Peterson son of Peter Louis Peterson and Janice Lynn Bondy on 20 Dec 1980 in Bozeman, Gallatin, Montana, MSU Campus. Peter was born on 8 Nov 1958.
Toby has been of help in putting his family history information on the
computer. Unfortunately, he does not have a great deal of information
about his family.
46. Gerald Wesley Mansfield (John Martin, Elton Lewis, William Martin, John) was born on 2 May 1935 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
He had, perhaps, the poorest education of any of the children. He served
in the Navy. He worked for several years for the City of Fort Collins in
its electric generating plant. When that plant closed, he took a similar
job at Colorado State University and has worked there for many years.
He became a horse enthusiast a number of years ago and he has devoted
much time, expense, and energy to that hobby.
In 1996, he took partial retirement.
Gerald married (1) Barbara Kay Paul in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado. Barbara was born in 1944.
They had the following children:
+ 76 M i. Jeffrey Lee Mansfield was born on 21 Jan 1962.
+ 77 M ii. Jon Martin Mansfield was born on 31 Dec 1962.
78 M iii. Wesley Allen Mansfield was born on 17 Feb 1964 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
+ 79 M iv. Guy Weston Mansfield was born on 1 Sep 1967.
80 F v. Melinda Kay Mansfield was born on 6 Oct 1969 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
Melinda married Donald Ray Fearnot .
Gerald married (2) Betty Sue Hansen .
She is an extremely poorly educated woman, who--at least on the basis
of her letters--is almost illiterate. But, she has a pleasant personality
and seems motivated to be a good wife and mother.
Gerald and Betty had the following children:
81 M vi. Joshua Justin Mansfield was born on 15 Oct 1980 in Fort Collins, Larimer, Colorado.
82 M vii. Daniel Dustin Mansfield was born on 23 Mar 1982 in Fort Collins, L