Magdelena "Maggie" (GEARHART) WINCHELL

Born: 11 Mar 1874 at Woodland Center, MI
Died: 19 Mar 1961 at Gardner, KS

Father: John S. GEARHART (1843-1903)
Mother: Sarah Catherine SMITH (1847-1906)

Spouse: Frank Hoyt WINCHELL

Children:

  • Loren Addison b. 1 Mar 1891 at Lake Odessa, MI m. Anne STIRLING
  • John Edward b. 31 Aug 1892 d. Jan 1965 m. Hazel MATNEY
  • Eva Leona b. 26 Dec 1894 at Toledo, OH d. 29 Jan 1973 at Olathe, KS m. Derge Donathan DAVIS
  • Ray Bernard b. 27 Mar 1897 d. 15 Apr 1898
  • Bertha Alice b. 21 Oct 1903 at Kansas City, KS d. 9 Jun 1989 at Gardner, KS m. Chester Barrett ENGLAND
  • Maurine Helen b. 12 Dec 1905 at Kansas City, KS d. 21 May 2000 at Bonner Springs, KS m. Jerry Pittman HARDSAW

    Frank was a son of Addison and Alice (BROWN) WINCHELL. He was b. 27 Oct 1864 at Milton, Saratoga County, NY, and d. 2 Sep 1960 (at Gardner, KS?). Maggie had dark red (auburn) hair, which was passed to at least 2 of her daughters (including Eva). It shows up further down the ancestry too, so it must be a GEARHART trait.

    Here is an excerpt from Diana's Aunt's Book of Memories:

    Grandma (Maggie Gearhart) was Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) and her family were Dunkirds -- a very strict sect similar to the Quakers. They wore very plain clothes with no fancy trim or embroidery. Grandma loved colors, flowers and laces. When Grandpa was courting her he bought her a beautiful fancy bonnet which he kept hidden under the seat of the wagon. When they were out of sight of the home place, he'd bring it out so she could wear it and enjoy it. Many years later Grandpa said he married her because she had to work too hard on the farm. But I'm sure had she not been hard working Grandpa would not have given her a second glance. He was a very hard working person himself .....

    THE WEDDING OF MAGGIE GEARHART AND FRANK HOYT WINCHELL

    21 Oct 1889

    (as told to Eva Leona DAVIS, daughter of Maggie GEARHART, on March 23, 1960 and recorded by Ora Davis MURPHY, granddaughter of Maggie, and passed along by Diana ROCHE)

    Maggie Gearhart and Frank Hoyt Winchell were married at Ionia, Michigan on October 21, 1889. Mother was working at an overall factory in Ionia. Pa got a job working for Allie Brigan (a neighbor close to the Gearhart Farm). He built them a house 12' by 20'. All they had was a bed Pa built in, and he built a table. Pa’s step-mother gave them an old trunk and quilt. They bought a stove.

    When they were married, they went to the minister’s – just them – and the minister’s wife and her sister were the witnesses. Pa got Mom the job in the overall factory because she was only making $2.00 a week. Pa was only making $18.00 a month. When they decided to get married, he bought a suit for $7.00 – pants, coat, and vest! Pa died Sept. 2, 1960 and was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery, Kansas City, Kansas.

    Maggie Gearhart Winchell died March 19, 1961 with services in Garner, Kansas and burial next to her husband, Frank Hoyt Winchell, in Memorial Park Cemetery, Kansas City, Kansas on March 21, 1961.

    Sources:

  • Some details came from Dianne RICHARDS (richards@ismi.net)
  • Most info came from Diana E. ROCHE (rochede@wt.net), a great granddaughter of Maggie's

    Here's a picture of Frank and Maggie: