The Netherlands to America

Below is the latest updates to the Steunenberg family tree courtesy of Walter Steunenberg. I have the two documents hosted on Google docs for the first time and am not sure how well that will work for everybody. They are quite long, 63 and 62 pages, and slightly longer on Google. Keep that in mind if you plan to print or download copies. They may take a little while to completely download depending upon your Internet speed. Drop me a note if you prefer to receive as an email attachment.

I know Walter appreciates updates, corrections and/or additions. I will check and see if he would like his contact information posted on this blog. In the meantime, please feel free to direct any updates my way [mailto:john.t.richards@sbcglobal.net] and I will forward to him.

Willem Hendriks Steunenberg
(Our line from The Netherlands to America)

Peter Jansen Steunenberg
(The Netherlands back to 1610!)
From:John T Richards [mailto:john.t.richards@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Friday, October 28, 2011 12:47 PM
To: 'Walter Steunenberg'
Cc: Bill & Berit Crookham ; Boles, Jan
Subject: RE: Family Tree
Walter:
Thank you for your continued good work and dedication to the family tree. I love researching our related history but keeping detailed family trees has never been my strong point. We have always been fortunate to have family members step forward through the generations. Grace Steunenberg Crookham and even my mother Brenda Steunenberg Richards took up quite an interest. Your work in that regard, taking advantage of today’s technology and software, has been phenomenal. I use this valuable resource frequently.

I will give this latest version a good look soon and enter a notation of its availability through my blog and to other family contacts. Also copying to the archivist, Jan Boles, at the College of Idaho.
Fantastic work!
Regards,
John
John T. Richards, Jr.

Proponents say expanding Caldwell’s historic district would draw attention to long-forgotten sites | Nampa, Caldwell | Idaho Statesman

Proponents say expanding Caldwell’s historic district would draw attention to long-forgotten sites | Nampa, Caldwell | Idaho Statesman

Chris Butler/Idaho Statesman

The A.K. Steunenberg House, built in 1884, is an apartment building today with more than a dozen units. It’s not in the city's historic district, but city officials and historians want to expand the area to include this and other properties.

The Bank of Washtenaw - May 1, 1854

Cousin Bill Crookham has provided a couple of old notes from the Bank of Washtenaw that came down through the Steunenberg/ Crookham family. According to Bill, Bernardus Steunenberg spent some time in Southern Michigan before he returned to Keokuk. As we know, he eventually settled with Cornelia and raised the ten children in Knoxville.

"The Bank of Washtenaw was chartered on March 26, 1835, prior to the wildcat era in that territory. Its offices were in two small rooms in the Chapin house at the corner of Fourth and Ann streets. The bank succumbed to the effects of the panic of 1837 and the collapse of most of the Michigan banking system." (from offline but source was not clear).

I noted some conflicting information online and that there was either a second coming of the bank in later years or it had actually managed to remain open until 1854, the year these notes were dated. Maybe one of our banking and currency historian friends can shed a bit more light on the subject.

I have done a little quick research on the notes and included a few links below. Both are dated May 1, 1854. The #2 note is #7163 and the $1 is #1232. The back of each note is blank and unmarked. You can click on the image to enlarge. Additional related information will be added as I come across it or in a later post.


Bank Photograph (contemporary)

Bank Photograph (circa 1832)

Bank of Washtenaw, Ann Arbor, Michigan-Similar $1 note for sale

Notes from University of Michigan archives

$5 dollar note

Currently on eBay (will eventually expire). I shouldn't be looking at these as could not help but bid on the one with a low starting price.

Another $2 note

Later...here is more info: Bank of Washtenaw records, 1836-1839 and 1851-1875. Looks like the bank closed in 1839 and reopened in 1851.

Other Banking Related Posts Below:

Now these Bank of Washtenaw notes are worth a few bucks to collectors but nothing like the First Bank of St. Anthony notes with the signature of A.K. Steunenberg. Cousin Al Steunenberg has one of these and we still need to track it down and get a few good scans.

Caldwell Banking & Trust Company

Automatic Teller

Digitized Newspapers & Yellow Journalism

I better get on here and do a couple posts. Where have I been? Busy with work and family but I always keep plugging away at the historical interests even if I don't get to the blog in a timely manner. I know a couple of you have emailed but not heard back from me. I have not forgotten you.

I have mentioned before that I use to pick up old papers related to the Haywood trial and other historical events but rarely do so anymore. Digitized sites continue to proliferate and have eliminated the often arduous task of trying to store and preserve brittle old newsprint. Many are free to access (those below) and others may charge a fee.

One just has to keep in mind that many of the newspapers of that period were owned and published by individuals with a particular agenda that was often evident in the reporting and headlines. Examples would be Joseph Pulitzer and William R. Hearst and so called yellow journalism. Never happens today—right?

I just finished a good read on the subject, The War Lovers-Roosevelt, Lodge, Hearst, And The Rush To Empire, 1898 by Evan Thomas. This is all part of my continuing interest in the Spanish-American War, the 1st Idaho Infantry, the weaponry of that period and the participation of George E. Steunenberg (pic to the right). One could say that the author, Evan Thomas, was pushing an agenda too. I thought his historical accounts were very good but certainly he was sufficiently provocative to raise many questions on the subject of war mongering—be it in 1898 or more recently.

I won't start in on the subject here (OK, maybe just a tad bit) but I do think we still need to have a national discussion/debate on the modern definition of war and the parameters for determining the use of the American military. Looking back and learning and reflecting on the lessons of history is relevant. That also holds true when we examine the historical news coverage relating to the issues of labor versus capital. Some things never change but they do become far more complicated by a modern, more dangerous and immediately connected society with a twenty-four hour news cycle.

OK, I have danced around on that subject enough. Email if you want to debate/discuss more directly.

Below is a sample of links to a few digital newspaper sites that I have used with "Steunenberg" as the search topic. The name always makes for an easy search as anything that shows up is going to be related. Read some of the Haywood trial coverage or about George and tell us what you think.

Colorado Historic Newspaper Collection (you will need to search by individual papers)

New York Times Archives

Utah Digital Newspapers-Steunenberg

California Digital Newspaper Collection

Library of Congress-Chronicling America

Google Newspapers