There is one advantage to taking a long break from doing research though.  Records are always being added online and when you haven’t looked for a while, it feels like you’ve hit the jackpot.

Here is one of the things I found this week – the naturalization petition of my step-grandmother, Margaret Rose Barnard Ogden Sanchez.

This is a deed I found during my trip to Sigourney, IA earlier this year.  The transcription follows the images.

Know all men by these presents that we Dorothea Henrietta Helena Francy and Louiza Sanchez Teresa the two last is husband + wife all lawful heirs of Nicholas Sanchez Teresa decd of the county of Keokuk and State of Iowa for the Consideration of two hundred + fifty dollars do hereby Convey to Frederick Peter + Philip Sanchez Teresa of Keokuk County State of Iowa all our interest and claim in the following described Real Estate Situate lying and being in the State of Iowa Keokuk County to wit the South half (1/2) of the north East quarter (1/4) and the west half (1/2) of the South East quarter (1/4) of Section twenty five (25) in township Seventy four (74) north of Range eleven west containing one hundred and sixty (160) acres more or less and the said above mentioned heirs of Nicholas Sanchez Teresa will warrant the title of the same against all persons whomsoever in witness where of we have hereunto subscribed our names this fourteenth (14) day of January AD 1854

Henrietta Sanchez Teresa
Helena Sanchez Teresa
Dorothea Sanchez Teresa
Francis Sanchez
Louise Sanchez

in presence of
Horatio J. Yapp
Meshack? Davis

State of Iowa
Keokuk County

On the 14th day of January AD 1854 before me the undersigned a justice of the peace in and for said County appeared Dorothea Henrietta, Helena Francy + Louiza Sanchez Teresa who are personally known to me to be the identical persons whose names are affixed to the foregoing deed of consequence as grantors and acknowledged the same to be their voluntary act and deed in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.
Horatio J. Yapp
Justice of the Peace

The foregoing deed was filed in this office for Record January 24th 1854 at 12 o’clock
H. L Smith Recorder
Pr MM Crocker

This man was a son of Milton Francis Sanchez, a brother to my great-grandfather, Theodore Francis Sanchez.  He would have been my grandfather’s first cousin, although he died the same year my grandpa was born. 

The article doesn’t mention what this man died of, but he was only 34 yrs old and left behind a wife and four children.  Very sad.

This was an unidentified clipping, so I don’t have info on the newspaper it was from.  I’m sure it was a local paper though – in Keokuk county, IA.

Frederick M. Sanches, son of Milton and Almeda Sanchez, was born near Hedrick, July 3rd, 1884 and passed into the Great Beyond at his home in Martinsburg, Oct. 10th, 1918, at the age of 34 yrs. 3 mo. and 7 days.

He was converted in the M.E. Church of this place in early life.  At the time of his death he was a respected member of both the Masonic and Modern Woodman Lodge.  He leaves to mourn his loss his father and mother a devoted wife and four children, Glady Marie, Mary Almeda, William Frederick, and Paul Eugene. One sister, Mrs. Belle Lotspiech and one brother, Harry Sanchez besides a host of near and dear friends who extend to the bereaved family their sincere sympathy in their hour of their bereavement.

Private services were conducted at the home Saturday at 2:30 P.M. by Rev. Chas. Hawk of the M.E. church.  Interment was at the Mt. Zion cemetery.

The Martinsburg Masonic Lodge had charge of the services at the grave.

This was a clipping pasted together with other obituaries – I believe it was probably in the Sigourney, IA newspaper.

11 Oct 1888

Peter Sanchez died at his home near Ollie, Sunday, Oct. 7th, with consumption.  Mr. Sanchez has been sick for some time, but his sudden departure was unlooked for so soon.  He was buried Monday.

This is a picture I made a copy of when I was visiting my grandfather a number of years ago and of course I didn’t make any notation of where this shop was or who is in the picture.  My grandpa has since died and I don’t know who has the original of this pic – and if it might have writing on the back of it.  I really make myself mad sometimes.

Anyway, I’m assuming that this was his barber shop, or one he worked in.  I’m just not sure of when it may have been taken and where it is located – in Minnesota or Washington. Any ideas on the time period?

That is not Theodore standing in the front, that I know.  He might be the one standing in the background, but I’m not sure.  I’m sharing this with family in hopes that they might have some answers.

If nothing else, this is a neat picture of an old barber shop.

I found this will in the Keokuk County Courthouse in Sigourney, Iowa.  It was file No. 1187, in a large bundle of loose papers.  I don’t think that the clerk was very happy that I wanted copies of them all, but oh well- that’s their job, right?

I Frederick Sanches Tereso of the County of Keokuk and State of Iowa do make this my Last will and Testament.
first, I will that all of my just Debts and Funeral Expenses be paid out of my personal property and all of the ballance of my Property both Personal and Real Except that hereafter Excepted I do will and bequeath to my wife Matilda Jane to have and to hold During her Lifetime and at her Death then what is Remaining of my property is to be divided Equally among my children Milton F, Helen Handelman, Nancy, Sheridan, Viola Theodore + George Oscar and if my son Milton Shall Stay on the presmises and assist his mother in managing and caring for the Property untill the Youngest one of my children Shall become of age then it is my will that in addition to having an Equal Share with the other heirs above named he is to have the North East quarter of the North West quarter and the North West quarter of the North East quarter of Section Twenty Five (25) Township Seventy four North of Range No thirteenwest, which he is to have for the Services that he is Required to perform as above and Should he fail to perform Said Services as above Stated then all of my property Remaining at the Death of my wife including the above Described Land to be Equally Dividing among my heirs above named and Should my wife Die before my youngest child becomes of age then it is my will that my Son Milton manage and controll my property Remaining at that time untill the youngest heir becomes of age + I do choose my wife Matilda Jane to act as my Executor with my Son Milton has her assistant with of which shall be Required to give bonds and it is my wish and will that my property be divided by my Heirs mutually among themselves without Having the Same to go into Court Witness my Hand this 24th day of August 1881
Fred Sanchez Tereso
witnessed by
Jos Merryfield
___________

My grandpa, Donald Sanchez, is the boy on the second row down, far left.  He looks so much like my brother David at that age, I can’t believe it! He must have been around 10 in this picture.

I’m not quite sure how long my grandpa’s family lived in the Monitor area, but I don’t think that it was very long.  They had moved from Minnesota and ended up moving on to Western Washington, where my grandpa spent the rest of his life.

MARRIED AT ANOKA.

MR. THEODORE SANCHEZ AND MISS PETRECIA MELHUS ARE HAPPILY JOINED IN THE HYMENEAL VOWS.

The marriage of Mr. Theodore Sanchez to Miss Petrecia Melhus occurred at the residence of the officiating clergyman, Rev. F. R. Leasch, a Baptist minister in the city of Anoka on Wednesday, March 13th, at five o’clock in the evening.  The marriage was a quiet affair, only a few witnessing the ceremony.  On Thursday noon the young couple took the train from Anoka to the twin cities for a brief honeymoon, returning to Franklin on Saturday noon.

The groom is one of Franklin’s most prominent young men.  He is one of the proprietors of the city barber shop and has always served the patrons of that popular institution in a manner satisfactory to all and with credit to himself.  he is a young man of and affable courteous disposition and has succeeded in making friends with all whom he has come in contact.

The bride is the charming daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Peter Melhus, highly respected people living a short distance southwest of town. She is held in high esteem by all her associates who are pleased to see her happily wedded.

The Tribune extends congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Sanchez, and hopes that their cup of happiness may always be filled to o’erflowing.

I had wondered why their marriage was a “quiet affair” out of town.  Most young couples from small towns want to celebrate with all of their friends and family.

Then I did some simple math and realized that this was probably because she was pregnant.

They were married on March 13, 1901 and their first child was born on July 31st. 

I love that my ancestors weren’t perfect.

The town motto, which welcomes you from the main road, says “Where Friends Meet”.  That may be true, but there sure aren’t many of them!  It is a small town, with about 800 people living there.  My great-great grandparents lived on a farm just north of town – from the 1860′s until she died in 1918.

It was never a very large town, but it had a quaint downtown with gorgeous old buildings.  I saw pictures of parades going down main street from late in the 1890′s.

We drove through town last week, looking for the cemetery where they were buried.

The downtown is now like a ghost town.  The old buildings are still standing, but they are boarded up and neglected.  There are weeds growing through the sidewalks.

The farms in the area seem to be thriving, but I think that everyone drives to the larger towns to shop and do business.

There are people living in the town.  The post office is open, as is the city hall.  The lady at city hall was really nice and helped me find the cemetery I was looking for.

It just makes me so sad to see a town in such a state of decay.  I would love to see someone invest in restoring the old buildings down main street – much the way they do in Savannah, GA.  It would be such a quaint town!

Did any of your ancestors live in what has now become a “ghost town”?