Anna Reitzler - Edna's older sister and her family

Anna was Edna's older sister and Lois was Edna's younger sister.  

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Good Ole Days

1958--I remember this well. Francis Crider was a really nice man. I remember when I would help or thought I was helping make a huge lunch for the men who would help out at my Grandpa and Grandma Van Tomme's farm when Grandpa Camiel was sick. It was fried chicken, potatoes, gravy, bread/butter, veggies, and of course homemade pies for dessert. Wow, I miss those good ole days. This is the old Madison neighborhood north of town. Neighbors helping neighbors still goes on across the nation in farm communities today. Francis and his mother, I remember, lived where Bob Ryan lives now. As a little girl, I loved him! He and one of my mom's friends from NY "kept company" for a while when she visited. 
Here are a few other comments - update from Don

Edna's Grandparents Godfrey (Fred) and Mary Crider

Godfrey was the son of Nicholas and Maria.  He was 9 years old when his parents settled in Poweshiek County, IA. He farmed with his dad and continued to live on the land after his parent's death.  He specialized in raising Chester White Hogs and Shorthorn Cattle.  Later he engaged in real estate and insurance and was for a time a member of the executive committee of the Poweshiek County Mutual Fire Insurance Company. 

Was married to Mary Francena Conley January 1872. Mary was born in Tuscarawas County Ohio on January 6th, 1854.  Daughter of Evan and Lucy Conley.  Her family had come to Poweshiek County while she was a child and her parents were farmers.  

They had ten children:
Alfred 1872- railroad engineer
Charles 1874 - carpenter
William 1876- Farmer, moved to Colorado
Guy 1881- blacksmith/farmer
Robert 1882- railroad
Godfrey (Fred) 1879- Married to Nettie (Edna's dad)- farmer
Clair 1891- telephone company, moved to California
Louis- grocery store owner/farmer
May- farmer/horse trader
Elsie- moved to Calofornia

Edna's Paternal Great Grandparents Nicholas and Maria Crider

Edna's Paternal Great Grandparents Nicholas and Maria Crider.  Both born in Switzerland.  Nicholas was a weaver by trade and emigrated to the US in 1846.  He and Maria settled in Ohio where he cleared 40 acres, erected a log house and other buildings.  They stayed there for 10 years.  They moved to Iowa and settled on 160 acres of government ground which Nicholas had purchased in Powesheik County in 1856.  On this property he erected the same primitive structures of logs as were to be found on the majority of the homesteads of that period, placing his land under cultivation gradually as he cleared it.  Here he resided until his death at age 77.  He was a Democrat in politics considering the principles of that party to more closely resemble the governmental policy of his native land.  He was of  the Lutheran denomination when he was in Switzerland and Ohio, but after coming to Iowa, he united with the Moravian Church. 'The Moravian Church places a high premium on Christian unity, personal piety, missions, and music'. You can read the wiki info here From Pat: Nicholas and Maria are buried in the Harmony (Moravian) cemetery south and west of Brooklyn, Iowa. Gives the year of their death March, 1883.

Crider Grandchildren

Fred and Nettie were Edna's Parents.  Maynard, Francis were Edna's older sister Anna's children. Catherine was Lois's daughter

New Family Pictures from Susan Fitzgerald

Susan Fitzgerald (Edna's Sister's Daughter) sent me a lot of pictures that are wonderfully labeled.  I will try to flip through Grandma Edna's writings and fill in some details as I'm unfamiliar with some of the people in the pictures.

If anyone wants the files, let me know and I can email.  A lot have writing on them so they aren't printable, she may have the originals without the writing, we'd have to ask

Also, if there are any corrections, stories, additions, PLEASE comment or email and I will update.  We want this to be as complete as possible for future generations.  Anything you want to add I will update the blog.  Stories would be great!!

Lots of stuff to come!

King Family Reunion 2014 Part Five

The Smith's Cole, Kale, Sandy, Mike, Smitty, Pat, Amanda, Curtis, Alan, Cheryl, Casey Jo

The cousins - Steve, Eric, Stacey, Cheryl, Greg, Mike, Front- Melinda, Kathleen, Lea and Mallory.  I had to bow out, Charlie was having an epic meltdown

The siblings - Bill, Pat, Joyce, Dick and Don

The Crew

King Family Reunion 2014 Part Four -

I think we found a new tradition, volleyball was so hilarious and fun.  We King's are COMPETITIVE

People's true sides came out, people were getting kicked off teams and screamed at to get their act together...mostly by Mal

You're welcome

CHEATERS

Action photos

Charlie turns everything into tackle football

King Family Reunion 2014 Part Three

The place we always stay has this sad little water park that we never go to when we're down here.  It's pretty expensive and there's not much to it, but the regular pool was radioactive or something so we all got free passes.  The kids (and Mike Smith- I saw you flying down the water slides with your grandkids!) loved it

Gaelen, Haley and Jessie 

Haley

Jessi and Allison

John 

The laziest river ever, no current, you just had to kinda swim it.  

No family reunion is complete without bags...

That was a terrible toss Mal

Had you even played bags before?

Dick and Don creaming Mal and the newbie.  

Just kidding, I have no idea who won, I think I was taking a nap with Charlie at this point.

Yep, even more to come, I still have all the volleyball and family pics.