In Memoriam

Loreen Steunenberg Dinwiddie 

2/4/1903 - 8/25/2012

109.5 years!

Loreen was previously married to Frank W. Steunenberg (son of Eveline Belle and Ex.-Governor Frank Steunenberg). Loreen and Frank W. are survived by two daughters,  Lois Beth Steunenberg Allen and Florence Alice Steunenberg Willoughby 

Loreen Dinwiddie, 108, Credits Vegan Diet for Longevity

Oregon Member Sees 108th Birthday

Services are pending. My understanding is that Loreen will be buried in the Steunenberg plot at Canyon Hill Cemetery in Caldwell, Idaho where she will join many other kinfolk. More information to come. 

Postmarked Boise, Idaho, May 9th, 1907

Here is a post card of Boise showing Main Street and the Idanha Hotel. The card is very common and this one is not in very good shape.  So why bother buying and posting it here on the blog?

The interesting thing about this one is the date indicated by the writer, 5/8/1907, and the Boise, ID postmark of May 9, 1907. Do you know why?

Hint (I am inserting some punctuation that was commonly left out in those days): the writer says, "Does this scene look natural. Trial starts in morning. Have seen your papers?"

Here is a short blurb on the trial in question:
"With the Adams case out of the way for the time being, the state could move ahead with the prosecution of the Western Federation Officials.  After Fremont Wood replaced Judge Bryan and Boise replaced Caldwell as the scene of the trial, the trial of William D. Haywood was finally set for May 9th, 1907."
—Debaters and Dynamiters: The Story of the Haywood Trial by David H. Grover

So not a major historical discovery but an interesting postcard nonetheless. These old cards allow us to reach back and touch a moment in time from someone who was actually there on May 9th, 1907.

Related:
Monday, September 14, 2009
"6/14/(19)07 Big crowds here, on account of Haywood trial"

Steunenberg District Signs mark Caldwell’s past - Idaho Press-Tribune: Members

Steunenberg District Signs mark Caldwell’s past - Idaho Press-Tribune: Members.

Previous related blog post:
Saturday, January 28, 2012
New Signs for the Steunenberg Historical District in Caldwell, Idaho

Steunenberg Family Genealogy

Every so often, Walter Steunenberg sends out an update of the family genealogy.  I'm a history lover but never had the patience for tracking the hundreds of names and multiple generations. However, I am not sure what I would do if someone had not continued this labor of love—as I use this document frequently for reference. Walter provides an invaluable service and continues a tradition of work that began with Grace Steunenberg Croookam, was continued by Helen Maria (Keppel) Toal and contributed to by many family members over the years, including my mother Brenda Steunenberg Richards.

See: Saturday, April 19, 2008 - Tracing the Family Roots

As in the past, I have saved this genealogy record of the Willem Hendriks Steunenberg line of the family to Google documents. You can access it by clicking on the link below. It is about 63 pages and may take a couple minutes to download. Once the document opens, you may want to click on the formatting icon (¶) if all the various marks are still visible. Turning formatting off makes for much easier reading.

 Willem Hendriks Steunenberg

Below are other family lines that Walter has available. Email or write Walter directly if you have his address or let me know and I will request a copy. 

Peter Jansen Steunenberg

Arent Willems Peter Steunenberg

Gerit Hendriks Steunenberg

Jan Hendriks Steunenberg

100,000

Sometime last night (no, I didn't stay up for the event, shoot off fireworks or have a toast), the blog had its 100,000th visitor since 2/10/2008. Now, I am not so big headed as to think it really means much of anything or compares to winning a gold medal at the Olympics. The majority of those hits are probably from me and people wandering aimlessly lost through cyberspace and landing here by mistake—but it is a milestone nonetheless. If maybe 10%, 5% or even 1% were actually where they wanted to be or 1/2% or 1/4% or even less stop by on a regular basis—I am elated. For a blog with a very narrow focus, pretty specific to one state and one family—not too shabby.
Thank you all.

Tara A. Rowe said...

I don't know how much of a percentage I make up, but I'm a better historian for having read your blog all this time. Congratulations on the milestone.

August 9, 2012 7:42 PM

John T. Richards Jr. said...

Thanks Tara. Happy to have you stopping by now and then. John

August 10, 2012 7:49 AM  

 

Harve Haskell said... 

Dear John:  I would imagine a good number of those hits were              intentional because the history you provide your visitors is important information and gleaned from sources not usually in the mainstream historical database. I certainly have appreciated your website and blog and am very grateful to you for all the effort you've put into it. Thanks so much!!   Harve Haskell 

August 09, 2012 7:35 AM 

 

  

John T. Richards Jr. said.. 

Thanks Harve: 

Happy to have you as one of the 100k! John

Aug 2012 07:44:05 -0700

"Give us a Man" by George E. Steunenberg

George Steunenberg
Maybe he should
have run for office.

I still need to get the rest of George's Song's of a Soldier posted on the blog. However, this poem is not from the book but is among many others he also wrote. Being we are now well into election season, and politics is awash with millions of dollars for TV commercials in search of your vote, I thought Give us a Man would be in order (I would add "or a Woman" although might have to rework the poem a bit).

*Any similarity to presidential candidates, past or present, real or imagined, is purely coincidental.

Give us a man in the White House!
   A man who can fill the chair!
Who won't begin seeking another term
   As soon as we've placed him there.
Who will think of the country instead of himself—
   We have such men in the land—
Who will throw the political game to the winds
   And tackle the job on hand!

Give us a man in the White House!
   A man you can see in a crowd.
Who isn't afraid to speak his mind,
   But doesn't speak too loud.
Who will stay on the job when he's needed there,
    But will not kill himself with work.
Who when he must face a camera
   Will do it without a smirk.

Give us a man in the White House
   Who will fearlessly face the facts.
Who will cut his talk down to the minimum
   And speak through his deeds and acts.
Who will fire that army of bureaucrats
   No matter what bosses may say,
And his name will go down in history
   As the man who saved the day!

(Another version with an alternative ending)
Gives us a man in the White House
   Who will fearlessly face the facts.
Who will keep his mouth out of the radio
   And speak through his deeds and acts.
Who will face any danger when duty calls
   And if need be forfeit his life.
And for god's sake give us a president
   Who isn't afraid of his wife!

1952 Eisenhower VS. Stevenson. You may not see the screens below if receiving as an email blog notice. Come to the blog. Political commercials were sure a lot more fun and less expensive to make back in the 1950's.


See more: Museum of the Moving Image - The Living Room Candidate