Family newsletter · January / February 2008

Text from this newsletter. Some columns and spacing may read differently from the printed pages.

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Steiner Family Newsletter January/February, 2008 Volume 2, Issue 1


Harry Henry Burgess Steiner - Edith Jenevieve Nelson Married on February 15, 1916
Harry and Edith Steiner’s lives were blessed with 11 children: Sidney Frederick 9/24/1916 Robert Ervin 7/28/1918 Thomas Henry Burgess 2/15/1920 John Walter 9/12/1921 Anna Marie 4/2/1924 Selma Agnes 1/13/1926 Hazel Leonia 4/6/1927 Katherine Louise 9/28/1928 Virginia Alto 3/14/1930 Irene Ruth 5/29/1932 Joseph Arthur 7/10/1933 In the family newsletters of 2008, I will try to introduce you to the children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and the great great grandchildren of Harry and Edith Steiner. I also plan to share some stories and memorable events in their lives. My hope is also to help the younger generations learn who their ancestors were and also to bridge the gap that is created by the growth of our family. I hope you enjoy the newsletters and feel free to send me pictures and stories. I need help from everyone. Let’s continue on the Steiner legacy by sharing a little bit of our lives with each other.
The following notes were written by Edith J. Steiner about her family. Edith Nelson Steiner, daughter of Burchard Allison Nelson and wife Joanna Nelson, was born December 1, 1892 at Americus, was married February 15, 1916 to Harry Burgess Steiner of Buffalo, New York. We went to housekeeping on the old Beeker place near Ashgrove and Battle Ground. Harry worked for Charles Vanatta till 1921. Then moved to Buck Creek. At that time we were the parents of three son’s Frederick, Ervin and Tom. Harry worked on the railroad that year that year a son, John, was born, and then we went to work on a farm at Otterbein. Worked for Jake Wettusack. He was to furnish our heat. It was a severe winter and the heat supply was only corncobs, all I got done was shove cobs in the stove, we ended up having to buy our own coal, as he did not come up with what he agreed to. As we were only making a small amount in the winter months, and Vanatta came and wanted Harry to come back to Battle Ground. We moved back there, and in 1924 our first baby girl was born, Anna Marie. Time went on, we were happy. Our children were happy, but we worked hard. Then Selma was born in 1926. Then fifteen months later our seventh child, another daughter, Hazel, was born. Harry listened to persuaders who told him he could do better in town. He got a job in town, but cold begin at a later date. We moved in January 1928. At first it wasn’t so bad. We had our potatoes, all the stuff I canned during the summer from out garden, lard and meat. Charlie was disappointed because Harry was leaving, but we moved anyway. The job didn’t open up when it was supposed to, Harry found work “hard work” but he was not lazy so finally Continued on page 3….

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January & February Birthday’s Jeannie Troxel Moosey (53) 1/3 Glen Steiner (43) 1/4 Kim Hawk Weaver (53) 1/12 Jimmie Steiner (36) 1/12 Selma Steiner Moore 1/13 Adam Wagner (5) 1/15 Kim Steiner (43) 1/16 Darcy McDaniels Taylor (41) 1/17 Bennie Wagner (7) 1/17 Kevin Braun (45) 1/21 Harry “Bubba” Putman (28) 1/21 Sheridan Steiner (14) 1/23 Michael Herrold (6) 1/25 Arlene Steiner (63) 1/28 Kyle Bricker (16) 1/30 Misty Cox (32) 2/2 Donna Troxel (58) 2/3 Bobby Irwin (20) 2/4 Quinton Bricker 2/4 Rachel Hunt (1) 2/5 Cole Hunt (1) 2/5 Annora Steiner (45) 2/6 Megan Lancaster (19) 2/6 Jeremy Moore (35) 2/7 Jessica Moore Golba (33) 2/7 Sharon Kemery Gallegos (55) 2/11 Andrew Rhymer (14) 2/11 Stephanie Lancaster Moffatt (26) 2/12 Nicholas Hammerand (17) 2/13 Jacob Golba (7) 2/14 Tom Steiner 2/15 Jennifer Putman (29) 2/23 Linda Moore Keegan (58) 2/24 Prudy Moore (60) 2/27
January & February Wedding Anniversaries Richard and Anna Kemery 1/16/1944 Henry and Virginia Wagner 2/12/1961 - 47 years Harry and Edith Steiner 2/15/1916
http://www.steiners2000.com


Update on Pvt. Dustin Briscoe Dustin has been busy. In late November he completed basic training and was honored for his shooting skills. He then started AIT at Fort Knox. On January 31st, Dustin completed his AIT and graduated his 8-week training. Later that day he was flown to Fort Hood, Texas. Mom, Randi Lawson, received a call from Dustin, just today, 2/5/08, and Dustin will be leaving for Iraq in March. He hopes to get to come home for a short visit before being deployed. As we received more information and his address, I will pass it along. I’m sure that he would appreciate hearing from family while he is serving our country in this foreign land. Please keep Dustin and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

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the regular job was open, 7 days a week, 10 hours a day, $29.75/week, hard work, rough, dirty, making ice at the Ice and Coal Co. part night and part day work. Then in 1928 Katherine was born. Now we had Fred, Ervin, Tom, John, Anna Marie, Hazel and Katherine. Then in 1930 another daughter, Virginia, was born. We were keeping our children fed, clothed and loved, buying only what we could pay for doling out as necessary asking aid of nobody. But my family helped with garden and meats at butchering times. Our boy’s had paper routes as they grew up, bought part of their clothes. They carried in coal and ashes out for the neighbors. Their father sent his money home for me to pay rent and bills, uncomplaining, as he loved his family. Then in 1932 Irene Ruth was born; she was just as welcome as the others, a red curly top. Then in thirteen months a son was born, a red head again. Then when he, Joe, was six months old, Harry was still working at the Ice and Coal Co. making ice in huge tanks let down by chains. The chain cable broke and cut Harry’s leg to the bone, severed an artery and disabled him. The company, big hearted guy’s Workmen’s compensation, had him sign a paper supposedly so he would get 55% of his wages while he was off, had a Dr. Stull dress his leg and was treated as an out patient, hurriedly healed his leg and sent him back to work. Oh yes, top wages for his job was $29.75 a week for 10 hour days, 7 days a week, and never a raise from 1938 to 1936. He was never well again. The first day he went back to work his leg pained him so bad he could hardly get through the day. The next day he fainted, and was brought home. Dr Stull said he could do no more so he sent him to an Indianapolis hospital where they operated on his leg and found rusty deposits of the freezing tank and calcium which they used to make the ice healed up in the wound. Then, Joe, at sever month, had a cold develop into pneumonia. At that time Dr.’s were scare and it was cash on call or you had to be on relief to get a Dr. We had neither cash or relief so I doctored him myself and his pneumonia was over but I got his system disorganized and he could handle no food, a bad case of rickets. Day by day I saw him losing weight till he was a living skeleton. I went to the welfare office and implored them to send me a Dr. They said no one but a regular reliefer could have a Dr. So the next day I went again and they told me to bring him down and if they considered him sick enough they could give me an order for a Dr. That meant standing in line till my turn came holding a sick baby, which was sick to stand. So I went home and told Harry. He was waiting for an order to go to the Methodist Hospital and went to Indianapolis the next day. Stay here till I get home or go to jail, as I am getting a Dr. one way or another. I heard someone say old Dr. Laws was a Dr. with a heart. I went to his office. The girl said is it a county order and I told her what I had went through at the welfare office and she said as soon as the Dr. came she would have him call me. I gave her my neighbor’s telephone number and he called me and told me as soon as his office hours were over he’d be out. I told him it was not because I would not pay, as we would pay, but I could not promise when. When he came he said I was right in not taking him down to the office and he got him in the hospital and doctored him free and paid half of the hospital bill for me. A Good Man. I carried the baby February 2, 1934 from N. 7th Street to 14th Street to the hospital. They kept him for three weeks and gave him back a fat jolly baby again. He came home and Harry came home again the next day, but was never a well man. He worked but with difficulty then in 1935 on December 11 a new misfortune. The children started to school, St. James School, Selma, Hazel and Katherine. Anna the eldest girl was not quite ready yet. They had turned on Eighth Street on the sidewalk holding hands when a Centennial teacher, Beatrice Ball, Drove down North Street bounded up on the sidewalk dragged them down in the street, broke Selma’s back, both of Katherine’s legs, and a big bump on Hazel’s head. Hazel was released after Christmas and Katherine with leg braces in 3 months, Selma in a cast, had to stay 4 months and 20 days as she took diphtheria at the hospital. Still in cast she was moved to the contagious ward till cast was removed and an iron brace put on. Dr. Lewering and Dr. Donahue took care of them and we consider him one of our finest friends as well as our Dr. John had gone to wait on his friend, Paul Baumgard, before he went to school and saw the girls being put on cots and said that’s my sisters. He went up they asked him what Dr. to call. We had never had Dr. Donahue but he said that was the only name that came into him mind. I called it luck for us then. Harry had a kidney stone in May and then went into pneumonia, came home from the hospital. I went into the hospital July 3rd for major operation and Harry was taken back last part of July and never came home again. He died December 3, 1936 and the last night before he died he said to try and keep the children together and in the church. I did the best I could. At that time before Social Security they had what was then called Mother’s pension. I applied at that time. My eldest son was nineteen, my next a little past 17, Tom and John in high school, Anna, Selma, Hazel, Katherine, and Virginia in grade school and Irene and Joe not yet in school. Fred went to work at the Ice and Coal Co. Erv, after he got out of the C. C. Camp, went to work at the water works. The pension the welfare allotted me was $30.00/month and with Fred out, nine children in school and pre-schoolers, it did not go far. Then in 1939 Fred got married and 1940 Erv, then 1941 Tom and John. When my allotment was cut to $18.00/month I took a part time work in a restaurant, as $18.00 would not buy the children shoes. They wrote me a letter and said they had allowed me the money so I would stay at home and care for my
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Children and since I did not do so and chose to work instead of caring for my children they discontinued it. So of course I did not have any choice but to take full time work. I worked 10 hours sometimes 13 hours a day and came home cooked, washed and ironed and I don’t think my children suffered to much and they were good children, a close family. I have seen many families with many more advantages who have not done as well. I would not stoop to beg. I took any help offered with thanks. But I worked with all my strength. I was a cook and dishwasher for many years. I quit working April 30, 1965, I had a slight stroke. I am not ashamed of any of children and I have always tried to never give them any cause to be ashamed of me.
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Shawn Keegan and girlfriend, Darcy, have announced their engagement. This holiday season was very special for the couple. Darcy’s Christmas gift was an engagement ring. The happy couple are planning their wedding in late May 2008. Congratulations!
What’s coming in the March Newsletter… I will introduce the eldest son of Harry and Edith Steiner, Frederick Sydney Steiner and his family. This will be the beginning of sharing the branches of the Steiner family tree. As you read the March newsletter, please think about your tree branch and how you can share information about yourself and your immediate family. Pictures will be great (I will scan photos and return them) and a short biography of your family to share. All we can do is take the advise of Harry Steiner and his death bed request to Edith, to keep the family together. Let’s all work together to preserve our history and share it with each generation. It’s also a great opportunity to learn who your relatives are. We are a big family and we need to keep in touch and continue to make our family reunion grow more each year.
Like branches on a tree, our lives may grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.
Some family trees have beautiful leaves, and some have just a bunch of nuts. Remember, it is the nuts that make the tree worth shaking!