Rocky was born in Iowa to Bartholomew James Mitchell and Ellen Regina Welch. He had 4 siblings - Mary, Bart, Rita and Betty Lou. I have never met any of them. Even though Mom never thought to much of Rocky, his brother, or his father (and I don't ever recall her making mention of any of Rocky's sisters), she did remember Rocky's mother and spoke fondly of her.
I don't know much about Rocky. I know he re-married, but I do not know to whom. My younger Mitchell brother was working in real estate with Rocky and his brother years ago, so he may know the name of his father's wife and if Rocky had any more children, but I never asked him, so I do not know.
Rocky's brother, Bart, had married and had at least one child. His sister, Mary Helen, married and had at least 5 children. His sister, Rita Ann, also was married, but I do not have any children listed for her. His younger sister, Betty Lou, was married and had at least one child.
His father, Bartholomew James Mitchell, had been born in Iowa to Bartholomew Mitchell and Mary Gaffey. His mother, Ellen, was also born in Iowa to James Welch and Mary Anne Carroll.
The elder Bartholomew had eight siblings - Jennie, Kate, Mary Ann, Bernard, Margaret, Elizabeth, Winifred, and Agnes. Ellen, on the other hand, only had four siblings - Bridget, James, Marie and Katherine.
Bartholomew (who was known as Bartley) and Mary both immigrated from Ireland. Bartley arriving in 1864, and Mary arriving either in 1863 or 1864. They married in Sterling, Illinois, residing in Whiteside County before moving to Crawford County in Iowa.
There is some dispute on Bartley's sister, Jennie. I recall reading an article online about Jennie and her husband, Emil Krueger, moving to Nebraska with their children. The article stated that Jennie fell ill and doctor's believed a blood transfusion would save her life, but no one was compatible, including a nephew who was present at the time and whose last name was Hickey. Jennie's brother, Bart, was on his way to the hospital to give his blood to help his sister, but she had died before he could arrive to save her.
Now, the dispute on Jennie stems from an obituary article from Vail in 1893 of a young married woman whose name was given as Mrs. Emil Kruger. I don't believe that this was Jennie Mitchell doe to the article I had read several years ago. So, I will post what I have and what I believe is truthful until other facts become available to disprove it.
Jennie married Emil Krueger and they had at least 5 children - Louie, John, Ella, Bartley, and Emily. The family appears in the 1900 Federal Census in Denison, Iowa. Jennie must have been "fragile" even at that time as they have a 20 year old German female servant living with them. There is evidence from this Census that Emil could have been previously married and that some of the children reported in this census were from that marriage. Saint Anne Cemetery listings on findagrave.com does have Emil, Jennie and a Johanna, reported to be the first wife of Emil. Johanna died in 1893 (the same year for the woman from the obituary article). The listings for Emil and Jennie report that Emil died in 1906, and Jennie in 1952. I would surmise that Louis, John and Ella were from Emil's marriage to Johanna. Bartley and Emily were Jennie's natural children with Emil. There is also a possiblity of a third child - Carl. He appears as a son in the 1910 Federal Census with Jennie in Omaha. By this time she is widowed with her children Bart, Emily and Carl living with her along with step-children Lin (Louis), John and Ella.
Jennie is still in Omaha in the 1920 Census. Living with her are her children, Bart, Emily and Charles F (who was recorded as Carl in the 1910 Census). Also livng in her home are 4 boarders - Eva Tibbets, Laveena Keenan, Maria Mitchell and Josephine Green. It is unknown whether Maria is a relation of Jennie.
Jennie still resides in Omaha in the 1930 Census, but now she has only boarders living with her. Besides Josephine (who still lives in the residence with her), Jennie now has Gladys Sipe, Roy Mitchell, Cliffton Hegglund, Arthur Hendricks, and Robert Erlich as lodgers. Again, as it was with Maria, it is unknown if Roy was any relation to Jennie.
The 1940 Census has Jennie in Omaha once again with her son, Bart, residing with her. Ancestry.com has transcribed her name in error with that being Janice instead of Jennie.
I believe Jennie died in Omaha (per that article I had read) and her remains were transported back to Vail to be buried in the Saint Anne Cemetery.
I will continue more on the siblings of Bartley in my next post.
This is a transcription of the obituary that some researchers mistake for Jennie, but is actually Emil's first wife, Johanna:
Kruger, Mrs. Emil 1893
Denison Review 12-13-1893 - Vail Observer
Mrs. Emil Kruger, Tuesday morning, Dec. 5, 1893, at her
residence in Vail, of lung fever. Mrs. Kruger had been sick
only about two weeks and on Saturday last seemed so
much better that it was though there was no doubt of
her speedy recovery. But the terrible disease had fastened
its fangs with too sure a grip and on Tuesday morning at
about 6 o'clock she passed away sincerely lamented by all
who knew her.
This is Ellen Welch Mitchell (mother of Rocky) with some of her grandchildren.(I do not know which grandchildren).
Rocky with one of my brothers. I only have a few photo's with Rocky in them.
There is some dispute on Bartley's sister, Jennie. I recall reading an article online about Jennie and her husband, Emil Krueger, moving to Nebraska with their children. The article stated that Jennie fell ill and doctor's believed a blood transfusion would save her life, but no one was compatible, including a nephew who was present at the time and whose last name was Hickey. Jennie's brother, Bart, was on his way to the hospital to give his blood to help his sister, but she had died before he could arrive to save her.
Now, the dispute on Jennie stems from an obituary article from Vail in 1893 of a young married woman whose name was given as Mrs. Emil Kruger. I don't believe that this was Jennie Mitchell doe to the article I had read several years ago. So, I will post what I have and what I believe is truthful until other facts become available to disprove it.
Jennie married Emil Krueger and they had at least 5 children - Louie, John, Ella, Bartley, and Emily. The family appears in the 1900 Federal Census in Denison, Iowa. Jennie must have been "fragile" even at that time as they have a 20 year old German female servant living with them. There is evidence from this Census that Emil could have been previously married and that some of the children reported in this census were from that marriage. Saint Anne Cemetery listings on findagrave.com
Jennie is still in Omaha in the 1920 Census. Living with her are her children, Bart, Emily and Charles F (who was recorded as Carl in the 1910 Census). Also livng in her home are 4 boarders - Eva Tibbets, Laveena Keenan, Maria Mitchell and Josephine Green. It is unknown whether Maria is a relation of Jennie.
Jennie still resides in Omaha in the 1930 Census, but now she has only boarders living with her. Besides Josephine (who still lives in the residence with her), Jennie now has Gladys Sipe, Roy Mitchell, Cliffton Hegglund, Arthur Hendricks, and Robert Erlich as lodgers. Again, as it was with Maria, it is unknown if Roy was any relation to Jennie.
The 1940 Census has Jennie in Omaha once again with her son, Bart, residing with her. Ancestry.com has transcribed her name in error with that being Janice instead of Jennie.
I believe Jennie died in Omaha (per that article I had read) and her remains were transported back to Vail to be buried in the Saint Anne Cemetery.
I will continue more on the siblings of Bartley in my next post.
This is a transcription of the obituary that some researchers mistake for Jennie, but is actually Emil's first wife, Johanna:
Kruger, Mrs. Emil 1893
Denison Review 12-13-1893 - Vail Observer
Mrs. Emil Kruger, Tuesday morning, Dec. 5, 1893, at her
residence in Vail, of lung fever. Mrs. Kruger had been sick
only about two weeks and on Saturday last seemed so
much better that it was though there was no doubt of
her speedy recovery. But the terrible disease had fastened
its fangs with too sure a grip and on Tuesday morning at
about 6 o'clock she passed away sincerely lamented by all
who knew her.
Three children, the eldest but seven years
of age, the youngest one and a half years,
are left motherless by this most distressing
blow. The light of a happy household has
been suddenly extinguished. The
enjoyment
of the presence and the brighter prospects
of the future have been alike destroyed and
in their stead reigns the gloom of
bereavement, the darkness of grief. The
sorrowing husband, loved, honored and
respected by his fellow men has, in this
hour of greatest trial, the heartfelt sympathy
of all
of age, the youngest one and a half years,
are left motherless by this most distressing
blow. The light of a happy household has
been suddenly extinguished. The
enjoyment
of the presence and the brighter prospects
of the future have been alike destroyed and
in their stead reigns the gloom of
bereavement, the darkness of grief. The
sorrowing husband, loved, honored and
respected by his fellow men has, in this
hour of greatest trial, the heartfelt sympathy
of all
This is Ellen Welch Mitchell (mother of Rocky) with some of her grandchildren.(I do not know which grandchildren).
E
R
