The Ingalls Inquirer e-newsletter
Vol. 1-10
March, 1984-November, 1993
Published by Arlene Ingalls Schrader
 ISSN 1933-7329

Vol. 7, No. 3 - November, 1990

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REUNIONS

From Dean A. Simar, Reno NV: The INGALLS, BECKMAN, DUNN, reunion 1990, was held in Eugene and Junction City Oregon on July 24, 25 and 26th. Hosted by JACK and MARY INGALLS and ROGER and PAM INGALLS.

Friday evening we all met at the Shilo Inn in Eugene for a delicious, no host dinner and following the meal, we all met in the conference room to visit and renew old acquaintances.

Saturday we met for a potluck, all afternoon luncheon, about 40 people attended from the Pacific northwest, with families coming from Oregon, Washington, California, Utah and Nevada.

Sunday was spent visiting and enjoying Mary's delicious home cooking.

MARION and BERTHA INGALLS will host next year's reunion in Tacoma Washington, date to be set later.

News reported by Dean A. and Velda M. Simar Thank you for all your contributions to the family newsletter!-AIS

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From Mrs. Donald Ingalls, Unadillla NY: 47th Annual INGALLS Reunion Saturday August 4, 1990 at DON and IRENE INGALLS, River Rd., Unadilla NY. Bring a dish to pass, beverages, table service and folding chair for lunch at 1 p.m.

Please bring any old photos, stories, diaries and recipes to share.

For more information call Irene . . . or Diane Hughes . . .

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From Frank and Frances Ingalls, Shelby MI: Ingalls Reunion Saturday August 4 1990 at 1 p.m. Bring your own table service, drink main dish and salad or dessert to pass. Located at reserved shelter in Silver Lake State Park, Shelby MI.

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From Richard Dedie, Sec., Greenville, NY: JACOB INGALLS Family Reunion are invited to meet in the Greenville-Norton Hill-United Methodist Church Hall on Route 81, Norton Hill, New York for their 62nd Annual Reunion, Saturday, October 6th at 11:30 a.m.

Each to furnish toward lunch, except meat, biscuits and butter which will be provided from the general fund. The WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON INGALLS family will host.

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OBITUARIES

From Dean Simar, Reno NV:

LESLIE WAYNE ORR, son of MABLE INGALLS ORR and RALPH ORR, passed away 26 May 1990. He was 88 years old and retired from the U.S. Forest Service. He had lived in the Ogden Utah area for many years. (B1576-12).

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CARRIE MAE ORR SIMAR, daughter of MABLE INGALLS ORR, passed away July 10 1990. She was 72 years old, and a retired nurse. She married Alfred J. Simar and had lived in the Modesto area of central California since 1952.

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From Betty (Mrs Paul) Robinson, Bellevue, WA:

Bradford Era – 7/31/90
MAX INGALLS II - Cuba NY
 Cuba 18-year-old killed when car strikes home

CUBA, NY--An 18-year-old Cuba man was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at Cuba Memorial Hospital after a car he was a passenger in struck a mobile home at 2:35 am. Sunday on Route 305, just south of Cuba.

According to Cuba town police, Max Ingalls II of Hammond Road was pronounced dead at the hospital of severe head, chest and internal injuries.

Police said that Ingalls was a pas­senger in a car driven by Philip Whitford, 20, of 363 N. Shore Road. The car was northbound on Route 305 when it failed to negotiate a curve coming down a hill from West Clarksville. The car left the road, went onto a lawn, hit a flower bed and became airborne. The car struck a blue spruce tree, breaking it off about five feet off the ground, and then struck a parked vehicle owned by Janet Rinker of 4411 Route 305 before striking the side of a mobile home owned by Mabel Mortimer, 85.

Mortimer, who was sleeping in the house at the time of the accident, had to be extricated with the "jaws of life" by the Cuba Fire Depart­ment. She was treated for injuries at Olean General Hospital and released.

Whitford was taken to Cuba Memorial Hospital with cuts on the arms and head. He was admitted, and was listed in stable condition Monday evening.

The car was severely damaged. There was a gaping hole left in the side of Mortimer's house, but no damage estimate was available.

Cuba police said charges are pending.

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MRS. RUTH I. INGALLS Widow of FLOYD INGALLS, B1576-11 - Oxnard, CA
 Thurs. Aug 2, 1990, Olean NY Times-Herald
 Mrs. RUTH I. INGALLS

OXNARD, Ca1if. - Mrs. Ruth I. Ingalls of Oxnard, formerly of Ceres, N.Y., died Tuesday (July 31, 1990 in St. John's Hospital, Oxnard.

Born Dec. 27, 1914 in Ceres, she was a daughter of C. Laverne and R. Winifred Langworthy Washburn. She was married to Floyd Ingalls, who predeceased her.

Mrs. Ingalls had lived in Ceres before moving to California about 25 years ago.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Robert (Sally) Augliera and Mrs. Kenneth (Anne) Taylor, both of Oxnard, Mrs. Duane (Judy) Polen and Susan Norton, both of West Palm Beach, Fla.; a son, Fred Ingalls of North Carolina; 11 grand­children; 11 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Jeanne Cole of Ceres and Mrs. Randall (Peggy) Hinman of Auburndale, Fla.; and several nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by a sister, Vernetta Schmidt.

Funeral services will be held Friday (Aug. 3, 1990) at 1 in the Reardon Mortuary, Oxnard. Burial will be in Simi Valley Cemetery.

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QUERIES

From Dalene V. Trende, Rosholt, SD: Gravestone in Antioch ILL cemetery near graves of ELEAZER F. INGALLS, and second wife, ELIZABETH FRENCH INGALLS - were they related? How? Does anyone know if ELIZABETH FRENCH INGALLS maiden name was FRENCH or had she been married previously to a FRENCH? If so, which one?

INGALLS
James
1814-1880
Ann P. His wife
1822-1900
Henry W.
1857-1907
Sarah E.
1846-1924

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From 0. Jane Holland, Cheboygan, MI: "My query in the last newsletter: since then have learned that FELTOS INGALLS was spelled wrong - it is PHILETUS and it is not ANNIE GOODELL but MARTHA GOODELL and connects with DAVID INGALLS #5140 in Burleigh's book, but it is unconnected family. I got the original information from a death certificate and as often happens was not correct. Found new information from another source. Also, he did not come from Scotland." Thanks, Jane, for these new items.

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CEMETERY READINGS

From 0. Jane Holland, Cheboygan, MI:


MI0, MI
ART INGALLS - no dates given
MARY (MINNIE) INGALLS, born 18 February 1876, died 5 June 1940.


MACKINAW CITY, MI, Lakeside Cemetery
WILLIAM INGALLS 1876-1952

Wife SUSAN INGALLS 1881-1954
Son PERRY INGALLS 1907-1935

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From Susan Longaker Ingalls, Spokane WA:

MADISON COUNTY, INDIANA CEMETERIES, LDS microfilm 849930

Mt. Pisgah Cemetery, Alexandria, IN
INGLES, ALEXANDER d 9-20-1891 age 70y 2d
MARY C. wife of ALEXANDER d 7-17-1899 age 66y 6m

Vinson Cemetery, Van Buren twp., l mile south of Summitville, IN
INGLIS, BERRY L. d 6-13-1889 67y 7m 22d
EMMA L. d 10-13-1885 9m 17d
JOHN J. d 10-13-1890 55y 3m 6d
JOHN K. 1835-1890
ORLAN B. 1877-1898
SUSAN B. 1854-1905

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AUTHORS AND BOOKS

The Story of Mina Mae Brighton, GO OUT INTO THE HIGHWAYS AND BYWAYS. This 75-page book is the autobiography of MINA MAE HAMILTON BRIGHTON, daughter of ROXIE MAE INGALLS HAMILTON. Mina has been working on this project for many years, and finished just this year, shortly after her 80th birthday.

Mina we hope this will inspire others to write their life story, these writings are enjoyed by those of us who pursue family genealogy.

Anyone interested in obtaining this book can contact Mina at her Seattle address: Mrs Mina Mae Brighton, Seattle WA.

(From Dean A. Simar, a cousin once removed)

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GUNFIGHT AT INGALLS, death of an outlaw town by GLENN SHIRLEY. A 158-page history of INGALLS, Oklahoma Territory. It received its name by two homesteaders who released acres from the original quarter-sections to be used as a town site and name it for UNITED STATES SENATOR JOHN JAMES INGALLS of Kansas, who had been instrumental in getting the Unassigned Lands opened to settlement in the Territory.

Rest assured, no one by the name of INGALLS appears to be one of the bad guys in the history. I have read the book and it is well documented on the birth and demise of this early frontier town. From the preface, "At Ingalls, Oklahoma Territory, on the early autumn morning of September 1, 1893, a posse of thirteen deputy United States marshals sought to break up and capture the notorious BILL DOOLIN band of outlaws, who were making this isolated though promising frontier village a pop-off valve and refuge between their numerous bank and train robberies. In the exchange of gunfire, three officers and two bystanders were slain; one gang member and two citizen-participants were seriously wounded; and one outlaw was captured. The deadly battle climaxed the bringing of law and order to Oklahoma and Indian territories."

If you enjoy reading history, you will want this book! Write to Barbed Wire Press, PO Box 2107 Stillwater, OK 74706, price is $13.95 each, shipping $2.00 for first book,75c for each additional copy. Tax (Oklahoma residents only, add 7.5% sales tax.) You may have your book autographed by the author - no charge - note this on your order tho. [e-editor: Note that this information is from 1990 and may have changed.]

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BITS AND PIECES

TEDDY BEARS - Teddy Bear Lady ESTHER INGALLS of Franklin NY was at the Old Franklin Day (1989) with many of her little teddy bear friends. Thanks, Irene Ingalls, Unadilla NY for this news item!

TEDDY BEAR LADY Esther Ingalls of Franklin will be at the Old Franklin Day this Saturday with many of her little teddy bear friends. (TTN Photo – omitted - by Anna Ritchey)

Franklin - Everybody loves teddy bears, especially Esther Ingalls of Franklin. Esther is known by many as the "teddy bear lady" because of her many teddy bear creations.

Mrs. Ingalls kinship with teddy bears goes back to her childhood, as it does with many teddy bear

fans. When she puts her creative talents to work making stuffed animals, it is the teddy bear that gets the most attention. She first started making teddy bears for church bazaars and the Walton Fair and they were so popular that three years ago she was asked to have a booth at the Old Franklin Day.

Her teddy bears are generally in three sizes ranging from 11 inches to 27 inches and each has its own character. She secretly names each one and keeps track of where the teddy bear is going, but she doesn't tell people her name for the teddy bears.

"I let people give them their own names," she said. "This is especially important for children."

There's actually more than just sentimental reason for naming her bears. She often gets requests to "make a bear like Joan has." All Mrs. Ingalls has to do is go to her book and look up the bear that Joan bought to know what her customer wants.

Some of Mrs. Ingalls teddy bears are world travelers.

"I have bears in Alaska, California, Japan, Australia, all over," said Mrs. Ingalls. "Almost all the foreign exchange students take a bear home with them."

Her bears include "Theodore" who is dressed in the striped pants of the railroader and a bridal bear couple complete with wedding dress for the bride and tux for the groom.

Her bears are currently being cuddled by those of all ages from little tots to older folks in nursing homes. Mrs. Ingalls said there is something especially comforting  about a teddy bear.

In addition to winning many hearts, her bears have also won prizes. for example, her bears recently helped the Franklin Craft Club win a ribbon at the fair.

Visitors to Old Franklin Day this Saturday will want to look up Esther Ingalls and her bear friends. Be sure too and enjoy all the many other booths and entertainment you'll find at this community wide event being held on the grounds of the Franklin School.

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From LINDA INGALLS WRIGHT, Orlando, FL: Linda is actively visiting various portions of the country researching her INGALLS kin. The following is the first of two parts of her 1990 travels:

1990 - A YEAR FOR TRAVELING

This has certainly been a year for putting miles on my new car... Just over 25,000 since I drove it off the lot 01 Nov 1989! Several short weekend trips to antique bottle shows where I show and sell to one GREAT weekend to Tallahassee, FL to see our son . . .graduate from college. Then the time rolled around for the longer trips to take place. The first was to SC for a Carmichael Reunion in Latta, SC. My m-i-l's mother, Sarah Fleetwood Carmichael Atkinson, is where this surname comes in. You always wind up meeting old acquaintances and seeing relatives you last saw a year ago. Then there is the food, the likes of which you can't imagine.


I returned home to rest up for a couple of weeks and put the final touches on the BIG trip with my sister scheduled for 10 Jul - 28 Jul. Finally the 9th of July arrives and Carol Frances Ingalls Browder arrives from Vero Beach, FL with her luggage. We juggle things around in the car as we also have to leave room for our mother, Gwendolyn Jeanette Kinne Ingalls Charpentier Dillon. (how's that for a handle!)


Five a.m. seemed like it would never get here, but it did. Carol and I put the last minute things in the car and were ready to take off. We had to go to Winter Garden, FL about 22 miles from my house to get our mother. We did leave enough room for her and her luggage! We would travel this day to Hixson, TN just north of Chattanooga to my aunt's house to spend the night. My aunt had one of her fantastic meals for us. We had a good time visiting with her, Natalie Ingrid Kinne Senior Canada, and my cousin, Susan Ingrid Canada Herring.

The next morning saw Carol and me heading on our way sans mom. She was going to stay with her sister for a few weeks. We moseyed on up the road enjoying the countryside heading for Belleville, IL for a couple of nights with our first cousin, Judith Anne Ingalls Fisher and her husband, Robert William Fisher, Ret. USAF. Carol hadn't seen Judy in over 30 years so you can imagine all the catching up that was done. Judy took Friday off of work and took us into St. Louis to the arch, which we thoroughly enjoyed, me for a second time; then to the renovated train station which is now a hotel and shopping mall.

After early morning good-byes, we were on our way again. Today would be a long day but we were determined to reach our destination of Spring Valley, MN. We took a scenic drive north along the western side of the Mississippi River heading for Hannibal, MO and Mark Twain country. We stopped at the cave but did not tour it (in hindsight, we wish we had taken the time to go in). We did stroll through buildings in downtown Hannibal and saw some of the extensive renovation being done on Tom's house. Back on the road again, we pressed on through IA corn fields and detours to finally reach Spring Valley about 9:30 p.m.

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As Carol and I were being escorted to our room, I noticed a light still on next door and the window open, so I hollered in the window asking if those Ingalls cousins were still awake. Out came our Iowa cousins, Ernest Arthur Ingalls (B1576-12) and his wife, Velma Violet Rawdon Ingalls. We chatted for several minutes then parted for bed.

Up and at ‘em the next morning. Not knowing what to expect Carol and I had breakfast and headed for the center of town to find out what was happening and where we were to set up our Ingalls display. Having sent a letter to the person heading up this Ingalls Reunion in Spring Valley, MN, I told her there wouldn't be time to respond as I would already be on the road. Nothing like doing things at the lest minute. We found a tent that had been set up and people waiting; to sell us all sorts of Ingalls paraphernalia, shirts, books, postcards and other mementoes. Also, there were tickets being sold for the bus tour of the Wilder farm and a couple of museum tours and a slide show. We blew a small wad! As we were trying to decide on some of our purchases, who should I spot strolling up to the tent but some of our Ingalls cousins, Frank Ben Ingalls and his wife, Frances Elizabeth Schihl Ingalls. It was really great to see them. We chatted for a few minutes then parted as Carol and I had to go set up our display and Ingalls info at the Am. Legion bld. The backbone of the Ingalls display was Ernie and Velma from Iowa. They had already gotten to the Am. Leg. and had several tables laid out with charts, graphs and great pictures of their Ingalls connections. Velma had also volun­teered to register Ingalls and others who came through the door at the ALB. Throughout the day, Carol and I took turns manning our display; and doing the town tours. We met several Ingalls and/or cousins with Ingalls back a generation or so. I met a few "cousins" I had corresponded with over the past several years. It was neat to meet people you've written to over the years. Some of the cousins that showed up that I can remember:

Ernest Arthur Ingalls/Velma; Frank Ben Ingalls /Frances; Natalie Joyce Schmieding VandenToorn/ James/grandson Terry; Lawrence Wesley Zebaugh/Carole; Joanne Mae Schiller Krause/Karl; Mary Vivian Schiller Stofferan; Paulette Schiller Meldahl/husband/dau.; Maxine Madelaine Ingalls Thomas (possibly oldest Ingalls there at age 89)/Nita Kareen Thomas/Bonita Thomas Meyer; Richard David Ingalls/nephew David Eric Ingalls; Gregory Scott Humer/Holly/Jenell/Samantha; George Ralph Ingalls. I know there were others whose names I did not get or did not greet while I was doing the museum tours or farm tour. We wound up day one at the City Park with some of our cousins at the Methodist Merrs BBQ dinner.

Sunday saw us setting up at the Community Center. Others who also had items to display were Frank and Frances Ingalls and Dick and Dave Ingalls. Frank had a picture of his great grandfather, Phyletus Ingalls; Dick  had a picture of his father,


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Earl Serge Ingalls, in full cowboy regalia. Dick's biggest delight was in meeting Maxine Thomas, his first cousin once removed. She had lots of memories and stories to share about her grandfather, Dick's great grandfather, Asahel Clapp Ingalls.

We finished out the day at the Ice Cream Social and visiting with cousins. Back at the motel, we readied ourselves for an early departure and review of our itinerary for Monday. Since being in Spring Valley, MN, one of the sights is that Laura lived for a couple of years as Mrs. Wilder, we became more aware of some of the other areas Laura lived as a child and discovered that Walnut Grove, MN was "on the way" to DeSmet, SD and we decided to visit there.

We rode around Walnut Grove and headed out to the Plum Creek area where we strolled across the small bridge at the creek to the site of the dugout house. With a picnic table provided, we had a late breakfast "on the banks of Plum Creek."

As we approached DeSmet there was a sign directing us to one of the sites that the Ingalls lived. Off we were to visit it and walk the ground the Ingalls family did and see the cottonwood trees Pa planted, one for each of the kids. In town, signs pointed us to the gift shop and surveyor's cabin area. While browsing in the gift shop, my brain kicked in that I knew someone (by mail) who worked here. I asked if Alma Abrahamson was in and was told she was off for the day but would I like to talk to her. Sure, and a phone call was made. It was all she could do but to come in on her day off and give Carol and me one heck of a personal tour. First a tour of the surveyor's cabin, which had been moved to the town sight for better preservation. That was an interesting building and all that happened the winter the Ingalls stayed there. The replica schoolhouse where Laura taught would open school children's eyes today. In Alma's car, we went to the home in town that the Ingalls lived in and a church Pa had a hand in building. Then out to the outskirts where Laura and Almanzo had a tree claim. Plant a few thousand trees and after five years if a few hundred were still living, you had some property! A rather difficult feat then and probably just as hard today. Alma is a real avid fan of the Ingalls and by fate lives on Ingalls Ave. in DeSmet. After a visit to the cemetery where Ma and Pa are buried and out to see the slough land area where Silver lake used to be, we headed for a restaurant.

While waiting for our order, I noticed a lady standing at the cash register area and my eyes caught the name HALLAND on the sleeve of her sweat Jacket. I beckoned her over and asked if that was Halland, Sweden. Small world. My great grandparents came from Halland (county), Sweden. She beckons her male friend (husband or friend, I never found out). I asked him where in Halland he was from after telling him that's where my great grandparents were from and he said Laholm. Another, "Oh, no!" That was the town they went to church. He asked what was their name. Johansson. That was his name, too! Small world.

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Do you think I'd get the guy's name and address? I was too ex­cited about just finding out where he was from that the thought didn't even cross my mind, until later when it was too late and we'd gone our separate ways.


We parted company with Alma back at the gift shop and continued our journey toward our evening's lodgings at Wall, SD. To those of you have heard about it, we spotted our first Wall Drug sign at 500 miles away. Yes, we found it and consumed our first buffalo burger there.


Tuesday July 17 saw us taking the Badlands loop. After stopping to take in our first arroyo, we proceeded on to the prairie dog town. When you've never seen country like this in person, it truly is fascinating. The farther around the loop we got, the more colorful and fantastic were the eroded land­scapes. To borrow a phrase: Out of the rolling Dakota prairie, rain and wind and frost have carved steep canyons, sharp ridges, gullies, spires and knobs; and it was truly an amazing sight.


To add to our open-mouthed wonderment of this part of the country, we proceeded to the Keystone, SD area and checked into our hotel long enough to unload the car and off we were again in search of two more wonders. The first one we saw as we were eyeing the . . . mountain and rock formations was Mt. Rushmore. All of it was just there as you rounded a curve in the road. I wonder how many fender-benders have been caused by people slamming on brakes as they got their first glimpse. Wow. We didn't dwell by the side of the road long as we knew we would be in a short while to go into the amphitheater area for the night program. Off we headed to see what there was of Crazy Horse. In case you didn't know another family has tried to carve a statue of Crazy Horse several miles down the road. If your imagination is good and you get close enough to see the painted marks on the mountain you can visualize, with help from a brochure, just what it's supposed to look like if and when the project ever gets completed. Private funds are trying to be secured to finance this project. Back to George, Tom, Teddy and Abe.

 Between the orientation film, just staring at the monument, and the Evening Lighting Ceremony, if that doesn't bring a tear or two and a heart full of patriotism, I don't know what would. I know you SD people have probably seen it so many times you take it for granted, but to a first-time visitor, it was awesome.

Wednesday took us into Custer National Park to look for buffalo. Along the way we saw the Needles rock formations and some nice rolling hills. We finally found a large herd of bison. I like the term buffalo as it conjures up memories of bygone days and cowboys and Indians. It was quite a large herd with lots of babies and mommas and large snuffing and snorting bulls. We spent the night in Cheyenne enjoying more of the eroded buttes and other formations along the way. To digress a moment as a memory rushes back. As we were traveling along the high­way in SD, we could see one of those nasty storms brewing to the southwest of us. Thank goodness all we felt was some of the

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wind that kicked up and were able to see some small but honest ­to goodness tumbleweeds blowing around, one of which came bounding across the road into the car.

Another memory that is hard to describe was watching a park employee back at the Badlands ride his horse up and down some of the steep hills. I was sitting in the restaurant facing the mountains when he would appear then disappear then reappear. Then he would hesitate for a few minutes, you'd think you were looking at a page out of a history book.
From Cheyenne we were only a couple of hours from Denver, the next stop on our trek. We visited the Museum of Natural History and my car got a much needed oil charge. Then it was westward ho! to Frisco and Breckenridge for a couple of days at a more relaxing pace. We would stay with a cousin of my husband, Rebecca Anne (Beki) Atkinson Quintal and son Mathew James Bryant Quintal and get to see other relatives of his also. Beki's mother and sister from Sanford and Orlando were already out there visiting so we had a small reunion as there was also a brother in Breckenridge. On Friday afternoon, Brother Michael Bryan Atkinson, pastor of the Agape Outpost Baptist Chapel in Breck­enridge, his wife Carolyn Suzanne (Cramer), their daughter, Rachael Catherine, Beki, Matt, Sandra Jean Atkinson Baldorossi, Aamani Leigh Baldorossi (Sandy's daughter), Marguerite Sandra Hewitt Atkinson (Aunt Msrge), Jean (a French exchange student), Carol and me (that's 11 of us) piled into a vehicle with 4-wheel drive for a drive up Mt. Baldy and a picnic. As Mother Nature doth call occasionally, there was a consensus for a pit stop before we got out of the tree range and got higher on the mountain. We finally arrived at our destination among the many oohs and aahs of the terrain and especially the "Watch outs!" We were over 13,000 feet in elevation and still were not at the top. There was also a snow bank several feet away. The scenery was beautiful. Some hiked up and others down and others stayed put. It began to shower lightly which promptly turned to BB-sized hail. Fortunately it didn't last long and the hikers returned and we piled back into the vehicle for the rocky descent. With experiences like that, you'd have to wonder why there is so much dissension around. Back to the real world.
Saturday Carol and I drove over to Vail to browse/shop. Not having experienced being here in the wintertime, I still think I'd prefer being here during the non-snowy months. The scenery we've experienced is certainly different than what you'd get here in Florida. We hiked up another mountain later in the afternoon and again got a wet and hailed on welcome. Oh, well. How long has it been since you climbed down part of a mountain in the rain? You just go with the flow and dry off when you get home.

Sunday July 22 saw us on the road again heading east for our destination that evening of Greensburg, KS, with a few stops along the way.

If you haven't been here yet, INGALLS, KS has lots more cows than it has people. If it weren't for the modern stock pens, you'd think you were in the middle of a cattle drive!

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Phew! I Thank goodness this was on the outskirts of town. We continued on and made the turn into the center of this small town. an unexpected delight when we found a museum, and it was open. The Santa Fe Trail Museum of Gray County consisted of two buildings that housed a lot of history of the area. The second building was the old railroad station that had been moved to its present site. There were copies of a couple of newspapers put out over 100 years ago; Ingalls Union 24 Jan 1889 (Xerox) & 21 Aug 1890; The Ingalls Echo 14 Oct 1886. There is no longer any paper published in Ingalls. Don't know when they stopped. After the museum tour, Carol and I sat in the car writing postcards to ourselves. You'd have thought that the least we could have done was to write to one another, but N000, we had to write to ourselves. Why, you ask. Because Ingalls, KS has a post office and we were hoping that by the time we got home we'd have a postcard postmarked Ingalls. It worked. My son thought his mom was crazy writing to herself, but I already knew that.
This particular town of Ingalls was originally called Soule after its founder, Asa T. Soule. He later changed the name to Ingalls, after the famous senator from Kansas, as he thought it was too pretentious naming it after himself.
The next stop today was Dodge City. After cruising the town, we finally decided to just see the show at the Long Branch Saloon. After the show we headed for our nights lodging in Greensburg.

Through the Visiting Friends group that I belong to, prior arrangement had been made at a couple places along our way to stay with “local” folks and a couple in Greensburg, KS was to be our first. We’d had a long day so visiting was cut to a minimum and we hit the hay.

More visiting continued over breakfast and we finally decided to head for Lindsburg, KS to visit Little Sweden, USA in honor of our ¼ Swedish ancestry. We had fun strolling around the town and then settled in to do some serious buying of Swedish memorabilia.

On Tuesday morning, our hosts gave us a tour of their town wbincluded a visit to the world’s largest hand-dug well. It was completed in 1887 and was 109’ deep and 32’ across. It served as the city’s water supply until 1932 and was opened as an attraction in 1939. At the site of the Big Well is the Celestial Museium which houses the largest Pallasite Meteorite of its kind yet discovered. We visited an antique store where Carol purchased some peacock feathers to add to her collection of rocks from Colorado for show and share with her students this year, but what she really wanted was some wheat. The wheat fields had already been cut but the sharp eye of our host spotted some on the endge of a field that had been missed by the harvester.

After lunch, we said our good-byes and headed for our next overnight with Visiting Friends in Newkirk, OK. We visited for awhile then our hostess suggested her husband take us for a ride to see some of the OK countryside. We saw a modern Indian community and stopped to check some limestone deposits for

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fossils. Tom and Carol found a couple that she could use in her classroom. After supper and good-byes, as our hosts were sleeping elsewhere with friends, we hit the hay. Carol was up bright and early the next morning, so we were off again this time in search of INGALLS, OK.

Eureka! Another small community of Ingalls. We spotted the Ingalls Activity Building, then at a crossroad was an historical marker which read:

OUTLAW BATTLE
Site about 3 miles southeast. A battle at Ingalls, on September 1, 1893, between a Dalton-Doolin gang and U.S. Marshals was a climax in bringing law and order to Oklahoma and Indian territories. Three marshals and two residents were killed; several persons were wounded; one outlaw was captured. Ingalls was once the home of "Rose of Cimarron."
Fe headed east at the crossroads and came upon what was left of the town of Ingalls. There were a few roads, another sign, a building that looked like it might have been around at the time of the gunfight and a severely vandalized monument that commemorated the battle. The second sign read:

The Battle of Ingalls
1893 Population 150
On the morning of September 1, 1893 the area around this sign was the scene of one of the fiercest gun fights in the history of this state. Ingalls at the time was the hideout for Bill Doolin's gang. It included Arkansas Tom, Bitter Creek Yokum, and Bill Dalton a brother of the infamous Daltons who attacked Coffeyville, Kan. These men in a sense owned the town. Many of the townfolk were grateful to they be­cause they spent money generously and created much commerce for the growing town.

When the lawmen in Guthrie and Still­water found out the outlaws were in Ingalls, they formed a posse to capture them. A gun­ fight ensued and the outlaws escaped with the exception of Arkansas Tom who was captured. Three U.S. Deputy Marshalls (sic) and one local citizen were killed. The Doolin gang more or less fell apart after the Ingalls raid.

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We visited the cemetery farther east on "1st St." No one we knew there.
Map of Ingalls, OK c1893 (omitted)
 Continuing east after leaving Ingalls, OK, we entered Yale, OK and discovered it to be the home of Jim Thorpe, a 1912 Olympic champion. We visited his hone and had a nice talk with the curator. She had heard of the battle at Ingalls but didn't know how Ingalls got its name. She also stated as to how the Payne Co. Historical Society had tried to maintain the stone marker at Ingalls but could no longer afford to heep it up. Vandals kept destroying it.
-To be continued-

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SANTA FE TRAIL MUSEUM OF GRAY COUNTY Ingalls, Kansas 67853

As you drive along U.S. 50 between the towns of Cimarron and Dodge City, watch on the north side of the highway for the strange rows of mounds that look like giant primeval reptiles humping their way across the rounded crests of these gently sloping Southwest Kansas hills. These mounds of earth are the remains of the Eureka Irrigation Canal-popularly called the Soule Canal- one of the first large irrigation projects in this part of the state.

DIGGING THE SOULE CANAL

Work began on the Soule Canal in 1884, and continued for several years. The construction was done entirely by team-drawn slips and hand labor. The canal was surveyed from the site of what is now Ingalls, to a point forty-five miles east of Spearville, a total of ninety-six miles. Only the portion of the canal from Ingalls to Dodge City was ever completed.

INGALLS IN 1892

The town of Ingalls was founded by Asa T. Soule, a millionaire patent medicine manufacturer from Rochester, New York. Soule came to Western Kansas in 1884, after having been convinced by friends that the future of the "New West" lay in farming not ranching, and that a giant irrigation canal would be a good investment.

The source of water for the Soule Canal was to be the Arkansas River at a point six miles west and a little north of Cimarron, and this is where Soule founded the town of Ingalls. Soule invested about $250,000 in the canal, and helped the town get started.

He named the town Soule, after himself, but later, thinking that too pretentious, he changed the name to Ingalls, in honor of

John J. Ingalls, a famous Senator from Kansas.


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The Ingalls Santa Fe Railway station, built about 1892, has been moved to city property in Ingalls where it has been restored and opened to the public as a museum.

The Santa Fe Railroad was built through the state of Kansas in 1872. Before that time, the area around what is now Ingalls had been well known as a major crossing on the old Santa Fe Trail.

MUSEUM OPEN:

May 1 - October 31 Monday Through Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Sunday - 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Anytime by appointment.

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Thanks to Linda Wright and Dick Ingalls for the interesting photo of EARL SERGE INGALLS. On reverse side note Dick Ingallses request for any information you may have on his line, especially ASAHEL C. INGALLS. AIS.

Earl St. Ingalls, son of Edward, son of Ashael C. Ingalls, father of Dick Ingalls of Seattle.

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Richard D. Ingalls, Seattle, WA: INGALLS GENEALOGY

INFORMATION ASAHEL CLAPP INGALLS

 PERSON DATE PLACE INFORMATION SOURCE - CONFIRMED

PERSON DATE PLACE INFORMATION SOURCE CONFIRMED
Asahel 1813 Franklin Co., Vermont Born in Vermont family legend no record
  early 1800's Quebec moved to Canada legend --
  9/28/1840 Middleburg Vt. Married Lucinda Conley city record yes
  1850 Hampton N.Y. Appears in 1850 Census
Also in Census,
Herbison, b 1/1842
Annaliza, b 12/1844
Edward, b 3/1846
Margaret Conley
(Lucinda's Mother age 7
born in Ireland)		 1850 N.Y. census yes
  12/10/1862 Blue Earth Enrolled as Sergeant in the Minnesota Mounted Rangers also listed as Veternary Sergeon Co. K. 1st Regt. Mounted Rangers. injured in abdomen with horse Civil War Records yes
  1/28/1862   Discharged at Ft. Snelling, MN -- yes
  1880 Census Elmore, MN Asahel (farmer) age 65; Lucinda 62; Caroline W. 26; John L. 21 -- --
  4/27/1886 Elmore awarded disability pension; $4.00 a Month for injury -- --
  7/7/1900   declaration for invalid pension    
Edward C. 12/2/96   Edward dies at State Hospital at St. Peters state records  
Asahel 12/21/1906   Dies three weeks after Edward death certificate  
Lucinda 1/14/1907   Lucinda dies 7 weeks after Asahel -- --

SEEKING FATHER OF ASAHEL CLAPP INGALLS -- FAMILY LEGEND, letters, relatives, etc. claim that ASAHEL was a second cousin to LAURA INGALLS WILDER. We have not been able to find documentation to prove this.

We would be pleased if anyone has any information regarding any INGALLS relationship to ASAHEL CLAPP INGALLS of BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA, or any of his descendants. The information we do have is as follows.

ASAHEL CLAPP INGALLS born around 1813 in VERMONT. died Sept. 20, 1906 at Blue Earth, or Elmore MN. (93 years).

MARRIED (at MIDDLEBURY, VT. Sept. 26th, 1840).

LUCINDA W. CONLEY INGALLS, born in VERMONT, died Jan. 21, 1907 at Blue Earth or Elmore. (89 years) (both parents from IRELAND)

CHILDREN of ASAHEL and LUCINDA:

Herbison
b. 6/12/1842
Vermont
(no records)		 Edward Charles
b 12/19/1843 Vermont
Married Emmie Louisa Stockman
farmed at Elmore MN
5 Children:
Edward (Ned) 1/19/1881, d ?
Clair Vern 1/27/83, d ?
Bessie Marian 6/3/85, d?
Earl Serge father of Richard 4/25/88-d 8/1945
Zane E. 8/1890, d 10/27/1917		 Annaliza
b 11/25/1847 Vermont

not married		 Caroline
b 3/3/1852
New York?
not married		 John
b 1/3/58
Wisconsin
Married Sadie Bosworth
2 children
Maxine 1890
Mary ?

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RUSSELL LANSFORD INGALLS, son of LANSFORD INGALLS and EFFIE LAVERN KNAPP vas born 29 August 1915 Ferry MI. He is noted as B1576-12 descendant. Russell carried FLORENCE DAVISON and they have four children, Patricia, Marlene, Larry, and Johnny.

Ferry Township man recalls pioneering roadbuilding days

By Terri L. Forebear, His granddaughter, Special to The Herald Journal

Are there pioneers still around to­day? you might ask. I say there are, And kicking, too. Have you ever trav­eled on the Al-Can Highway (Alaskan Highway), US-31,1-96,1-75, Fruitvale Road or M-30? If you have, you have witnessed the workmanship of one such pioneer - Russell Lansford Ingalls of Ferry Township.

For 41 years, Russ Ingalls worked building roads, dams, airports, gravel and sand manufacturing, landfills and other projects throughout the United States and the Northwest Territory of Canada. He was a foreman on the Al­Can Highway and superintendent for 25 years of his career.

Ingalls began his training as a young boy, disking and plowing with his horse, Old Dan, on his parents farm in Ferry Township. He joined the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 324 in 1940 while working on the "Alabama Dry Dock." Ingalls now owns a "Gold Card" from the operators' union--a person has to work for 40 years in the union to earn a gold card.

Ingalls' ability to operate a cat and, pan, dozer, grader and other heavy  equipment led him on many adventures across the land. Danger was part of the job with heavy equipment rolling over, extreme weather conditions, rugged terrain, long, hard hours and working with some of the wildest men alive.

Florence Ingalls, Russ' wife, saved money earned on the Al-Can Highway to buy the farm where they made their home in Ferry Township.

Few are cut out for this kind of life. Both of Ingalls' brothers tried it for a year. Everett ran his scraper through Canada; Frank went back to teaching. school. Larry Ingalls, Russ' son, is also an operator.

Ingalls' crew came across an Indian family caught in an early, bitter-cold snowstorm while working on the Al-Can Highway. The only survivor was a baby. They took the baby to the Northwest Mounted Police; the Mounties took the baby to the nearest Indian reservation. The crew buried the rest of the family.

The crew was sent spoiled turkeys for the holidays one year. Ingalls went and shot a moose so big he had to get the D-4 bulldozer to pull it back into camp. The men ate moose stew until they had their fill of it. The horns of the moose are still on the mess hall at Camp 14-E in Whitehorse, Canada.

A rock left Ingalls with 40 stitches on the left side of his head while work­ing at West Branch, Mich., in 1970. His family thought he was a goner. He recovered and went back to work.

Concerned with the value of trees, Ingalls went to Lansing to save trees along US-31 at Muskegon. He felt the trees would block the headlights of cars coming onto the highway and help prevent accidents. The trees are still there today.

Ingalls' last job was building a dam in Pennsylvania starting in 1973. The company bought him a trailer to live in and flew his wife, Florence, in to see him any time she pleased.

In a career such as road building, there are many sacrifices one has to make. Being away from the family seems to be the largest sacrifice. It was all worthwhile so others could partake of the beauty and travel to places they had only heard of.

The most beautiful roads Ingalls worked on were M-23 from Rogers City of Cheboygan and the Al-Can Highway. The streams and lakes provided good fishing and there was plenty of hunting as well. Russ laughed, "We would hunt and fish as much as we worked."

The Chicago traffic beat out break­ing through the mountains for the rank of "most dangerous road work." The third lane of US-94 from the Indiana state line to Benton Harbor, Mich. experienced one accident after another, cars were crashing into the equipment as the road crews were working. Finally, the company was forced to close down the job at noon on Fridays for the workers' safety.

In 1976, Ingalls badly needed eye surgery from the effects of cement dust and cataracts. He decided "... to give it up. I was afraid I'd run into someone and kill 'em or myself." Russ took an early retirement at the age of 61.

The extra years of retirement helped Ingalls to make up to his family the years they had missed. His grandchil­dren and great-grandchildren had the opportunity to know him while camping and in other family get-togethers.

Any words of advice? "I think the best thing that little children could do when they grow up is to save their trees, protect their river banks and don't litter along the roadsides or beaches. Take care of the land the best you can, because there isn't any more being made today."

Walking back to his house after feeding his dogs and with a twinkle in his eye, Russ compared himself to his 21-year-old dog. "Clyde has one foot in the grave and the other foot on a banana peel."

Russ Ingalls took this picture (omitted) while working on the Alcan Highway in Alaska back in 1943. A bulldozer was needed to pull Army trucks through deep mud during the early stages of work on the highway, which at that time was just a wide cut through the forest.

Thanks, for this interesting sketch of some of your adventures! Hope you and your granddau. TERRI L. FOREBEAR are putting more of your life story together to share with others. AIS

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 (From Wednesday, December 23, 1974, Lansing State Journal) MELISSA INGELLS is of the lineage of ZADOCK INGELL unplaced in Burleigh's book, page 256.

Why Christmas Is Loved

It's Church, Presents 'n' Big Kisses

The world may be getting a' lot more complicated, but Christmas still looks wonderful through the eyes of a youngster.

To find out just how it looks, we asked Melina Ingells, 7, a second grader at Fairview Elementary School, to write a guest article. (She has already written a short book about a tornado, but hasn't found a publisher).

Melissa's article appears below. These identifications should be added: "Momma" is Carol Ingells. "Poets" is the family cat. "Spunky" is the family dog. (The Ingells insist that he is friendly, but can provide no proof of this.) When a reporter visited, Spunky growled, jumped, and generally showed a disrespect for the First Amendment and for current reporter shield laws.  "Dad" Is Norris Ingells, who is the State Journal's chief photographer and is prematurely balding, perhaps under­standably.

By MELISSA INGELLS As Told To Mike Hughes

T think Christmas is kind of the head holiday.

It's a very special holiday to me, because there are so many things to do - like making Christmas cookies and decorating the tree and having grandparents over.

IT'S ALSO special because of church and because there's the Christmas family worship service. I like it a lot because there's so much mistletoe, and I like to kiss Momma. I always like seeing the look on Momma's face when she sees what we got her. It makes me feel proud when I give Mom or Dad something, and it makes me happy.

I like it when Spunky smells the Christmas tree and backs up. Potts always licks the water out of the Christmas tree stand.

I LIKE getting things for the ani­mals. I like feeding the birds.

It's also good because our friend has a ham radio and we can talk to Santa Claus through it.

At church, we have a special program on Christmas Sunday. I'm going to be a lamb this year. I dress up in a lamb costume and lie by the manger. We had a rehearsal last week.

At home, we have our own little worship service. We usually sing a couple of carols and read a part of the Bible, and we usually have a cou­ple of prayers. I like reading the Bible.

WE ALSO have a special Christ­mas dinner. It's usually chicken or turkey by candlelight, and we usually have some kind of dessert afterwards

It's fun going out and seeing all the Christmas decorations and lights. I like watching all the specials on TV.

It's also fun thinking of what you're going to get. I like seeing all the Christmas wrappings. I always wonder what the different-shaped packages could be.

THE FIRST Christmas I can remember was when I was five years old. I can remember coming out in the hall and seeing my stocking there. I can remember all the pack­ages up against the Christmas tree. I can also remember that I got maraschino cherries.

I don't remember much about last Christmas, except that I got a Dawn doll case.

This year I’m hoping for a Barbie, a baby doll, a couple of books and maybe some clothes. I have two Dawns and a Barbie, but it’s a Malibu Barbie, and I want a white one that can hold things.

WHAT DO I like the most about Christmas? Opening my presents. And when I  hug Daddy and Momma, I think what I'll remember the most is when I get up out of bed on Christmas morning. I think I'll remember the times that I got maraschino cherries.

What do I want Christmas to be like for my children when I grow up?  There's be a lot of joy in it. I want them to have a special worship service on the night before Christmas, and I'd like them to he happy with what we get them. And I hope that we all love each other.

 

©1984-2006. Arlene Ingalls Schrader. All rights reserved.