Harold RODENBORG

Notes:

8th Grade, Charter Flights Inc. Air Business Trans Owner

Sergeant

Paul Wood PORTER

Notes:

It is said he looked much like his grandfather Porter, another kind, gentle, and honest man. - - - Social Security # 474-36-7859

Gladys Martha MIDDLETON

Notes:

Her Mother also wore no makeup. Her Mother did not have a bible, when Gladys received one, they discovered it together. They were too poor to own a radio. As an adult worked for the telephone company as an operator before she was married. Her husband Paul was considered a handsome bachelor, quite a catch. In Minneapolis 1950 she ran a nursery school in her home charging .10 cents per hour. She also took in temporary foster children.

Gladys attended Rockford Illinois High School. Later in life she became a Classic Manic Depressive with numerous allergies.- - - Social Security # 474-36-7859

Ruth Oral PORTER

Notes:

RUTH ORAL PORTER

(by her brother, Paul D. Porter)

Ruth passed away peacefully Monday December 16th while eating lunch with friends in Minneapolis Minnesota at the City of Lakes Nursing Home. During the last few months I had the joy of exchanging letters and conversing with her on several occasions. It seems fitting to jot down a few memories from her life on this occasion.

Ruth was born May 12, 1926 in the Milwaukee Wisconsin. Her parents Paul Wood and Gladys Martha Middleton Porter lived in a white cottage with a white picket fence in Whitefish Bay. With the advent of the great depression, her family moved to Minneapolis. Her Father left the Munsingwear Corporation to take employment with the Minneapolis General Electric Company, soon to be renamed Northern States Power. Years later her Father would retire as a highly respected accountant from NSP. Ruth grew up with NSP's Reddy Kilowatt on the table.

The family moved three times in the Lake Harriet area of Minneapolis, three times before her brother was born at their Vincent Avenue home on June 9, 1935. Ruth and her neighborhood girl friends loved playing with her new baby brother. Relatives traveled from Rockford Illinois and Madison Wisconsin to see the new family. By age five, she was a proficient violin and piano player.

She attended Lake Harriet Elementary School and gained honors as a member of the first class to graduate from Southwest High School. The family moved close to her new High School at 4521 Ewing Avenue where she had her own bedroom. She picked out the wallpaper, deep blue water with a pattern of large white sailing ships. At High School, her class picked the school name, song and colors. Ruth graduated with high honors.

By the time Ruth graduated, the family was ready to move once more. This time to an old farmhouse located on thirty five acres of undeveloped property in Edina. There is a short street on the property named Porter Lane in honor of her family.

Ruth received a scholarship and attended for one year, prestigious Rockford College. Family finances did not permit continued attendance at such an expensive school so far from home. She transferred to the University of Minnesota where she studied psychology completing the course work required for her Masters Degree.

I recall with fascination the little maze experiments that she would bring home for the family to try. We built wire finger mazes and physical stone block mazes for our numerous puppies and kittens to run.

For several years Ruth worked at the State of Minnesota Hospital in Cambridge Minnesota, as a Psychological Aid. It was here that she met her future husband, Walter Eldridge Thomes. Walt was an aspiring opera singer with a large chest and booming voice. He loved music. The family moved to Wilmington Ohio for Walt's continuing education. Walt sang in the local church. Ruth took temporary employment in the large local dry cleaning and laundry shop. Her daughter, Mary Leigh was born in Minneapolis, April 30th, 1953. Mary Leigh now has her own Masters Degree in Social Work. She helps providing assistance to Dialysis patients in Florida. When Walt took employment as a disc jockey with a radio station in Iowa, Ruth and Leigh moved with him. Things were difficult for the struggling family. Finally through her Mother's urging, Ruth filed for divorce and brought her daughter home to Edina Minnesota.

With her parents help, Ruth purchased a home on 17xx Emerson Avenue between Parade Stadium and Lake of the Isles. For a time she rented out rooms in this large historic four story home. Originally built by a church for their minister, the home had a winding staircase, immense English fireplace, and side carriage entrance. The playhouse on the property had leaded glass windows and during the second world war had been rented out to a family due to the housing shortage. It was a fascinating, but lonely place.

The whole experience proved to be too much for Ruth. She withdrew from society and was unable to continue working. Returning to a former home on Zenith Avenue, her daughter Leigh went to live with her Father, Ruth's former husband. When her parents passed away, Ruth went to live a half-way home where she shared memories and experiences with a few long term friends. Those that knew her, found her to be tolerant, bright, friendly, talented and well educated. She passed away at age 76. We will all miss her.

1 yr Rockford Col + University Minnesota, Master Degree (?)

unable to work Psy problems, Diabetic 1990, Cancer 2002

Walter Eldrige THOMES

Notes:

Solid square build-wavy hair, healthy, happy disposition

- - -

From: Genealogical Records: Maine & New Hampshire Settlers, 1600s-1900s, Page 680.

Thomes, 1 John, List 3; 2 John (Tome)etc. Exeter, 30 Nov. 1677; 3. Richard, Isles of Shoals, abs from his wife 1673; Robert (Tomms, Isles of Shoals; Thomas, Stratham, m. Elizabeth Doughty (Thomas of Salem) bef Mar. 1712. Stratham wit. 1708, 1714-5. Liv. in Brackett ho. at Falmouth 1716. Stratham, 1717.

- - -

My great grandfather named Edward Calderwood Thomes originally from Portland Maine. Understand there were at least three brothers in the barrell staving business in Portland. Married Della Shaw (John Shaw from Peak's Island)who was in the fishing industry. Edward & Della had one child - Edward Marshall Thomes who grew up in Portland - graduating from the Un of Maine with an Engineering degree.

Edward M. moved to southern Missouri after graduating from college in 1906 with an Army Corps of Engineers job in Mississippi.

Lost track of the "Maine" family heritage when Edward C. & Della moved to be with their son (Edward M. Thomes)in the early 1920's.

Edward M. married Attie Byrd McGee. My father, William Sr, was born in 1912 in Poplar Bluff Mo and is recently deceased.

I was born in 1945 and have a son Scott Taylor Thomes of Crested Butte, CO.

We have a bound family album of pictures (20 or thirty full 8x10's) with a Portland photographer address (no names with the pictures). We also have a few of the Shaw's home on Peak's Island.

Exact dates of Edward Calderward and Edward M. is available if this "fits" with your search.

- - -

'Thomes heating boiler, grates for Thomes welded steel boiler.' This is one of the many images from the Portland Company collection at the Maine Historical Society. "The Thomes "Universal" woodworking machine is being used here to make a large wooden gear pattern in the Portland Company's woodworking or pattern shop in Portland, Maine. Gears of all sizes and in large numbers were produced by the Portland Company." - Fletcher, David, H. 'The Portland Company 1846-1982. Charleston, S.C.: Arcadia Pub., 2002. 117. The company was in business from 1846-1982.The Thomes multi stage boiler was manufactured at the Portland Company in Portland, Maine, invented by Frank E. Thomes.

- - -

SOUTH PORTLAND -- Janet M. Thomes, 80, passed away peacefully on June 27, 2006, with her family by her side. Her husband, Herbert Thomes Jr., died in 2001. She was also predeceased by a son, John Eliot in 1964, and a sister, Shirley Williams.

Survivors include three daughters, Linda Theriault of South Portland, Barbara Laveault and her husband, Robert of Hollis, and Martha Caton of Westbrook; one son, Herbert E. Thomes III and his wife, Anne of South Portland; 16 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; several aunts, uncles and cousins; as well as many nieces and nephews, including John Morton of Brunswick.

- - -

Marriage: Nathaniel Shaw with Polly Thomes,Sept. 19, 1784.

Thomas Thomes with Mary Banfield, May 29, 1741

John Thomes, Jr., with Hannah Woodsum, April 27, 1751.

Thomas Thomes, Jr., with Abigail Cobb, July 25, 1752.

Wm. Thomes with Sarah Colton (married by Mr. S.), July 19, 1763

Benj. Thomes with Sarah Marston (married by Mr. S.), Oct. 27, 1763

Hattie THOMES

Notes:

Became distand friend of Gladys Porter

Lois Wilma MARTIN

Notes:

Her Father Austin Rueben Martin was born 3 Jul 1874 in Lincoln, Illinois. He was a large man who raised sheep in Colorado in the early 1900's. He was also a wheat farmer with Bill Middaugh until the big flu epidemic. When his son Harvey died, Austin took the inherited money and moved to Minnesota cutting pulp wood in Duluth, Minnesota. The family lived first in Grand Rapids, MN and then purchased property near Cohasset, Minnesota. Austin tried to raise chickens but they wouldn't lay so he butchered and sold them on the iron range for what they could get. He and his wife Wilma Maud Morse became bedridden and a woman came in to take care of them. When he took the children to Enterprise Kansas, he met his second wife Jenny Vorse. He died Aug 1958 with a heart associated problem in Osage, Kansas.

Wilma Maud Morse her mother was born 1 Jul 1877 in Mills County, Iowa. Her parents married in 29 Nov 1896 had four children: Harvey Merritt, Elma Lorene, Alva Gordon and the youngest, Lois Wilma. They moved out of the dust bowl to the Imperial Valley in California. A complication for a female or stomach operation, left sponges inside leading to her Mother's death possibly of cancer in Lemore California.

After her mother died, Lois's father sent her via train to her grandmother and Aunt Eva in Holdridge Nebraska to live. Aunt Anna and Uncle Ira would bring things from the farm and check on the kids. Aunt Eva would not let the kids have them. Angry, Anna and Ira took the kids out to the farm. Lois remembers backing up into portable heater at the farm when she was taking a bath in small back room.

Later when father came to get them Lois was afraid she would be left but father kept promise to keep family together. She worked at 7th day Adventist school and was provided with clothes by Aunt Eva. A rugged survivor she was the last of the children to have tonsils out on home ironing board in northern Minnesota. She worked her way through Maplewood Academy Board school for a wage of .15 per hour.

Lois Wilma Martin was born 23 May 1910 in Lemore, California. Her grandparents were:

?? Martin and Samantha Jane Bowers who had twelve children: Delmar, Earl, Harry, Florence, Hettie, Lorena, Irma, Anna, Ellis, Dora and William Donald The Martins were reasonably prolific and did well financially.

Her other grandparents: Chauncey Lewellyn Morse and Eliza "Lizzy" Louisa Jane Baker married in 29 Mar 1870 Goshen, Indiana who then had six children: Byron Lee, Ira Roy, Wilma Maud, Mercia Marjorie, Eva Barbara, and Florence Lois.

More ancestor information is immediately available on her mother's side with the Morse and Baker lines. Morse traces back to Wales and all the way back to a Saxon Frithestan-de-Haigh (Featherstone Valley in northern England next to the Roman wall and Scotland) in the eighth century while Baker also traces back to England.

Lois's Father Austin Rueben Martin was born 3 Jul 1874 in Lincoln, Illinois. He was a large man who raised sheep in Colorado in the early 1900's. He was also a wheat farmer with Bill Middaugh until the big flu epidemic. When his son Harvey died, Austin took the inherited money and moved to Minnesota cutting pulp wood in Duluth, Minnesota. The family lived first in Grand Rapids, MN and then purchased property near Cohasset, Minnesota. Austin tried to raise chickens but they wouldn't lay so he butchered and sold them on the iron range for what they could get. He became bedridden and a woman came in to take care of them. When he took the children to Enterprise Kansas, he met his second wife Jenny Vorse. He died Aug 1958 with a heart associated problem in Osage, Kansas. Lois's Mother, Wilma Maud Morse was born 1 Jul 1877 in Mills County, Iowa. Her parents married in 29 Nov 1896 had four children: Harvey Merritt, Elma Lorene, Alva Gordon and the youngest, Lois Wilma. They moved west out of the dust bowl to the Imperial Valley in California. A complication for a female or stomach operation left sponges inside leading to her death probably of cancer in Lemore California.

After her mother died, Lois's father sent her via train to her grandmother and Aunt Eva in Holdridge Nebraska to live. Aunt Anna and Uncle Ira would bring things from the farm and check on the kids. Aunt Eva would not let the kids have them. Angry, Anna and Ira took the kids out to the farm. Lois remembers backing up into portable heater at the farm when she was taking a bath in small back room. Later when father came to get them Lois was afraid she would be left but father kept his promise to keep family together. She worked at 7th day Adventist school Maplewood Academy and was provided with clothes by Aunt Eva. A rugged survivor she was the last of the children to have tonsils out on home ironing board in northern Minnesota. She worked her way through Maplewood Academy Board school for a wage of .15 per hour.

Lois married Glenn Eldon Woodmark 19 Feb 1930 and had four daughters: Sharon, Nancy, Eileen and Sue. After she divorced Glen, she raised the four girls at a home she purchased in Richfield, Minnesota at 7301 Morgan Avenue South. They all grew to have successful families of their own. She now has 16 Grandchildren and 7+7+7+4=25 Great Grandchildren with more on the way.

She traveled with Sharon & Paul Porter through Europe and regularly on numerous vacations enjoying her four daughters, grandchildren and growing clan. After selling her Richfield home and a stint living in a Richfield Minnesota Senior Citizen high rise she was still working two jobs and had to move out to get away form those "old" people. She lived independently at International Village in Bloomington, Minnesota and later in the Bristol condominiums in west Bloomington. She was still driving until age 90 in 2000 plus continuing to work for her daughter Sue in her "Lifestyle Management" fitness business working out and keeping the books.

- - -

Lois Wilma Martin Woodmark - A true role model, she led by quiet example

Lois Woodmark was born in Lemore California May 23rd 1910. Her parents Austin Rueben Martin and Wilma Maud Morse born in Illinois and Iowa respectively, moved west during the dust bowl to California's Imperial Fruit Valley. Lois was the youngest of four children: Harvey Merritt, Elma Lorene, Alva Gordon and Lois who just added her Mother's name Wilma as her own.

With personal dedication and hard work over 91 ½ years, she successfully rose from modest beginnings to live a comfortable life in Richfield and Bloomington. Lois kept any complaints to herself. As a child she was the last to have her tonsils taken out on an ironing board in their Grand Rapids Minnesota home. She was always fiercely independent. She was surrounded by loyal family and friends.

Lois led a rich, active and fulfilling life. She is part of the hardy pioneer stock that truly built this country. She enriched many friends and relatives along the way. Her first job earned just fifteen cents (.15) an hour at Maplewood Academy, the Seventh Day Adventist religious boarding school. Later, as a hard working single Mother with four teenage daughters, she earned a living for herself and her children, holding vital jobs as a Comptometer Operator, Accountant and Bookkeeper for firms like: Archer Daniel's Midland, Ziegler's and ultimately her daughter Sue's business, Life Style Management.

Lois was married to Glenn Eldon Woodmark for sixteen years until they were divorced in 1946. She kept her family intact at a time when divorce was not common or popular. Being a single mother was not easy. Lois made a major contribution, purchasing her home in Richfield Minnesota, working hard and honestly, raising her four exceptional daughters: Sharon Lee Porter, Nancy Lou Hansen, Eileen Jellison and Susan Kay Banholzer along with sixteen grandchildren and twenty five great grandchildren. She lives on through her forty-five (45) direct descendants.

Sharon and Paul enjoyed sharing vacation after vacation with her. Lois traveled throughout the United States, Canada and Europe including Israel. She led the way through San Francisco from Fisherman's Wharf, walking ahead across the Golden Gate Bridge and back. She most enjoyed vacations, visits and trips with her four girls. In 1990 she elected on her own to stop driving, without an accident. It also meant no more work outs at the club and doing financial work. At home she continued to enjoy reading books about ancient civilizations, Egyptian pyramids and historical works.

She continued to live independently at her condominium home in Bloomington Minnesota sustained during her last few months with care from her four loving daughters. As Mother, Grandmother, and Great Grand Mother, Lois has been a positive influential role model in everyone's life. She will always remain in everyone's thoughts and prayers.

Chad Langseth's eighth grade English project:

(transcribed in 2003 by Paul David Porter)

My Grandmother, Lois Woodmark, born May 23, 1910 arrived in this world, not in a hospital as most of us did, but in a tent

At this particular time her father was a transient worker in the orange groves of Lemore, California. Their family consisted of Wilma, her mother, Austin, her father, a brother Harvey, a brother Gordon and a sister Elma.

Her family is comparative to a gypsy style of living. They were always on the move, lasting only a few months in every place. The family did not have many belongings, so when they did move, furniture and the like did not hamper them. Their mobility was a covered wagon. During these childhood years, her mother was suffering with cancer. Although Grandma remembers her mother always being in a lot of pain, she remembers her as a hard worker and very loving mother. Because of her mother's illness, Elma would always take grandma along to school with her and act as her babysitter (only because there was no one else to look after her). This went on until 1915.

The latter part of that year her mother died, leaving four children motherless. Shortly after she died the First World War broke out. Everything went for making machinery for the war. Grandma's father, being the drifter he was, decided this was the time to go and make some good money for the family. This was the reason for sending his three youngest children Gordon, Elma and grandma back to live with his wife's mother, (heir grandmother). He did this with a heavy heart but felt this would be the best for the time being. Their grandmother was a very wealthy woman and in turn had absolutely no respect for Austin. His transient ways made them very angry. They felt no one should live under such primitive conditions, especially their daughter. The final blow was not one family member on her side came to the funeral. It was under these sentiments the children were being sent to Holdridge, Nebraska. My grandmother remembers feeling very unwelcome there and trying very hard not to be under foot much. One thing that sticks vividly in her mind after her arrival was, they had a flush toilet

Their uncle also seeing this lack of affection from the grandmother and the misplaced feeling on the children's faces, took them into his home. He lived with his wife and children on a wealthy farm out in the countryside. The kids were treated very well here and fed right. During this time, grandma had a chance to start her education. The family hired a live in tutor who taught all the children in the household for approximately five hours a day. They stayed with this family all winter. Although the family tried very hard to make the Martin children feel welcome, they never quite felt like they belonged. This was war time and food was becoming very scarce. They were safe in that respect, the farm supplied an abundance of food. Their main diet consisted of starch. She can't remember eating sweets.

To the children's great joy, in the spring of 1918 their father came for them. She remembers clinging to him and never letting go for fear of his leaving again. The one point that particularly stands out in her mind about this time is, the influenza hit and they were all deathly sick for a long time. All of the children survived, but thousands of people were not as fortunate and perished.

In 1919 they all went to Kansas to raise wheat. They lived in a simple lean to and barely made ends meet. She attended school here also. The school consisted of one room. Children from grade one to grade eight came to this school. My grandmother, Lois, walked eighty acres to school. During the winter months Lois had no boots, their father would wrap gunny sacks around her feet. This kept the cold out somewhat but continued walking in this condition did create problems with her feet through out her life.

After a year or so, Austin decided to move to the city and get remarried. At this time they bought Model T Ford. My grandmother remembers taking rides on Sundays in this and feeling so proud. She does not have good memories of their stepmother, again the stepmother also had her own children. She remembers so many things given to the stepbrothers and they in turn going without. There was a high school located in this city, which gave grandmother's sister a chance to continue her education. Forty children were in each grade and they also had a separate room for each grade. During this period of time 1924- - , Harvey the oldest brother started a garage in Kansas City. He was doing very well in his business when disaster struck. The night before he was to be married the building caught fire through a welding accident and he was burned to death. Grandmother's father received an insurance check from his son's live insurance company.

Austin heard of the great opportunities in Minnesota and with this small amount of money moved his family to Cohasset, Minnesota. Here he bought a chicken farm with many laying hens. As his luck would have it, the chickens never produced. By this time all three kids had finished eighth grade, which made them eligible for boarding school. This is when grandma had to find her first paying job to pay for all the school expenses. She went for one year here and couldn't quite make enough money for all the rising bills. She then decided that she would have to stay out of school this next year and acquire a full time job in order to return to school. This was her main goal - - to graduate. She worked as a live in maid, cooked, cleaned, took care of the children (one was mentally retarded). Etc. for seven dollars a week. She made enough that year to return to high school. That year her sister returned to Lincoln Nebraska for college. In 1926 grandma went to Lincoln and worked as a maid for the summer. She then finished school the next year at Maple Plain. Here she met Glen Woodmark. She was married a short time later and moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin where she got a job at Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. The depression hit soon after and Lois lost her job. Married women were not supposed to work as it took jobs away from other men. She finally landed a job at the Ideal Shoe Company. After a few white lies. She worked for a mere $55.00 a month. It was very hard times for them and it was all they could do to make ends meet.

In 1937 their first child was born. In a period of time they were the proud parents of four girls, Sharon, Nancy, Eileen and Susan. In 1941 they moved to Minneapolis where Glen started his own company. Here they rented a house near fiftieth and France. Glen was gone long hours and grandma had her hands full with four small girls. Hard years followed. They were divorced in 1946. She later bought a house in Richfield and worked very hard sometimes two jobs to keep a roof over the girls heads and food in their mouths. She never gave up on anything, therefore giving her children the love and devotion of both mother and father (something she never had).

It is hard to believe that one person has so much love to give, she is always there when you need her

At sixty nine, she looks fifty nine, she is still working as a bookkeeper. She has many hobbies one of which is sewing. She is now residing at the Richfield High rise on Chicago Avenue South. She loves the apartment but does not find a lot of time to socialize in the building. She is too busy enjoying life.

Chad Langseth

Maplewood Academy Board school - worked .15 per hour

Last of 4 children to have tonsils out on home ironing board

Glenn Eldon WOODMARK

Notes:

, I encountered Aunt Lottie's Easter card with Glen's and her tiny photo on it

It was mailed from Lakefield, Minnesota, on April 1, 1911. Mailed to Tioga, North Dakota, Box 44.

Dear Sister and Bro,

Will send a card to let you know we are all quite well. Hope this finds you the same. Do you hear from Neva? Have written to her but don't get any answer. Answer as soon as you get this so I can write to her. Glen has a tooth. Will be 5 months old the 3rd of April. Yours with love, Lottie (A 1-cent stamp with Benjamin Franklin (I think) on it. The front of the card has a heart- shaped opening--and the picture of Aunt Lottie holding Glen is inserted in it

This is a different address. - - - - -

Glen's early years were spent in North Dakota moving later to Island Lake, a rural wooded area near Frazee and Detroit Lakes, Minnesota Name was legally changed from Roerbeck to Woodmark since Mr. Woodmark died before he could legally adopt the children. Glen went to school one year in Wyoming, a log school house 3 miles from the ranch. School teacher was a young man. Glen admired him. They collected bones from prairie to use for chalk. Teacher drew circle on board and shot a hole in it to show children they would have order. It worked

Taught survival skills and taught all grades. Glen said while reciting the teacher shot the rattle snake coming up between floor boards. Glen went to 7th day Adventist school Maple Plain Academy. Worked in Minnesota cutting pulp wood for Ira Babbitt whose grand father invented the Babbitt machine mill. Worked for Globe Union 12 years repairing batteries, worked in tool room, etc.. Glen became a self made inventor and work alcoholic. He ran his own tool & die shop "Woodmark Industries", on highway #7 in St. Louis Park Minnesota (other's including Sam Cook financed the business) Later he taught class at University funded by private company contributions and remarried his office secretary, Marie Ream. They moved to a small house in north Denver Colorado where they ran a business helping to find, set up and run industrial shop equipment. Later as his emphysema became worse they moved to a mobile home in Vista California. He named his cars: Old Thirsty (Buick Station wagon), Nugget (gold Malibu) and Liberty (van motor home) As a young man he cut lumber and worked on farms. Time was a commodity not to be wasted. He read the entire set of the Harvard Classics while riding back and forth to work on the bus. For 12 years in Milwaukee He took college night school classes in chemistry, physics, electronics, tool design, advanced mathematics, metallurgy, meteorology and engineering. He was one of the 10 founding members of CUNA Mutual the foundation of credit unions. He formerly retired in 1979 as President of Associated Industries , a machinery sales organization and Western Computer Metal Products in Denver, Colorado.

(1st letter found in Glenn Woodmark's belongings) (Research note: Envelope is postmarked August 12 9AM 1953 ?eaublea? MO. It was found inside a preprinted return address envelope for Kitts Kamp John (?JFH) Kitts Prop. Star route Detroit Lakes Minn. Crossed out and changed to: Mrs. Alfred Knight, Weaubleau, MO Kitt's Kamp was the name of Uncle John Kitts fishing camp at Island Lake MN)

- - - Mrs. Alfred Knight Weaubleaw MO Aug 11 ???3 (1953?) Dear Glenn

You will no doubt be surprised to hear from me as you never knew me. I am your mother's sister Ona. I am writing for Grace's address. Neva wants it as she thought Grace might know about it (the family bible) as father (your grandfather Jones) gave it to your mother. Neva lives in Wash. And is trying to get a birth certificate. She is having a hard time to prove she was ever born. I would appreciate it very much if you can give me Grace's address or send this on to her. I visited your mother's grave when I was up there a few years ago. Wish we could have kept in closer touch with one another. If you ever come through here come and see me.

Love Aunt Ona

(2nd letter found in Glenn Woodmark's belongings)

November 11, 1944 Mr. Glenn Woodmark

3844 Upton Avenue South Minneapolis, Minn.

Dear Sir:

I am a WAC in training at Fort Des Moines and came across your name in browsing thru the telephone directory here. My maiden name was Woodmark and am wondering if we are related? I was born in your city, but reared in Fargo. My Father's name was Albert Lesley Woodmark and he had brothers by the names of John, Pete, Dan and others whose names I do not remember. He passed away near Bismarck in 1930. The name Woodmark does not sound uncommon to me but apparently it is as I have looked in many of the telephone directories and have never run across it before.

I will be leaving Des Moines in about ten days or 2 weeks for my special job assignment, very likely for the west coast. My home is in Portland Oregon. I would like very much to hear from you before I leave here. Yours truly,

Mabel Skov A-907599 Co 5, 3rd Rgt. Army Post Branch

Fort Des Moines, IA.

Last name legally changed to Woodmark in Milwaukee when adoptive father died.

High School + Milwaukee vocational night school (12 years). Managed to live many years with severe emphysema

Application for Social Security, 4 December 1936 - #389-076-342 Glenn Eldon Woodmark, 3367 Pierce Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin age 26, born 3 November 1910, Springfield, Minnesota Parents: Charles Rorebeck and Lottie Jones Employer: Globe Union Inc., 900 E. Keefe Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin

- - -

Worked Globe Union, Battery Assembler

Worked at Maico 1940-1945

Lincoln Tool & Die 1945

Business became Woodmark Industries

Left Woodmark Industries 1957

Charles Edward DuBois ROREBECK

Notes:

Vol. E, p. 422

Charles Rorebeck (25) of Dickenson County, IS, desires a license to

marry Lottie Jones (20); he is of the full age of 21, and she is of

the age of 18 and resident of Dickinson County, Iowa. He has no wife

living and she has no husband living, and they have neither been

divorced within the last 6 months. Signed, Charles Rorebeck, 3 Oct 1905

Marriage License: for Charles Rorebeck of Dickenson County, Iowa and

Lottie Jones, Dickenson County, Iowa, 3 Oct 1905

Married 3 Oct 1905 at Jackson In Jackson county, by C. H. Jackson,

Judge of Probate. Witnesses P. D. McKellar, Eliza Thomson. Recorded 3

Oct 1905

DuBois name dropped upon marriage - Definition: The ancient French surname duBois comes from the Old French "bois" meaning wood and was a French place name given to a man who lived or worked in the woods or worked as a woodcutter.

Reputed to have a violent temper, very jealous, gone a lot at one time taking pictures in Tulsa & Sapulpa oil fields. Developed pictures in home tent. Pictures were used by companies to promote their oil wells attracting investments and workers. Gas from wells was piped down the street into tents and people used it without turning it off for cooking and hot water. Orin dying of typhoid & whooping cough broke Dad up and so he bought little horse or donkey for Orin. Lottie ran away from his abuse as battered wife to her sister's in Colorado. The town saw her off on the train protecting her from him. Unfortunately, she was not welcome at her sisters in Colorado with the three children. Then she went to her Father's ranch in Wyoming where he was ailing and in need of help. Charles remarried and continued to live near Spirit Lake Iowa with Ethyl Byrd. Spelling of Roerbeck last name in doubt due to many derivations

(including seperation i.e. Rohr Beck, Rhorbeck, Roorbeck, etc.

May also be son of John George Rorebeck 1st wife Mary Hardy

I40

* See research notes may be child 13 of John Rhorebeck 65 Name also spelled Rorebeck