A MUCH LOVED STEPFATHER

JAMES H. EUNGARD

Died 1 October 1921

Caldwell, Kansas

My great-grandma Nellie Stevens had an early marriage to Joseph Clinton Davis, a young man who lived in a farm adjacent to the Stevens farm.  Joseph and Nellie married in August of 1884.  In March of 1885 Nellie was back living with her father and mother, and in May of that year, my maternal grandma was born.  (Divorce records filed in 1887 indicate that Nellie was deserted by Joseph.)  In November of 1887, Nellie married James H. Eungard.  And it was Eungard who raised my grandma Jessie.

The family story was that when Jessie started school she was teased about not having a "real" father.  One afternoon he came home from work and found her under her bed, sobbing.  When he asked why, she told him about the mean kids who taunted her.  He picked her up and told her how much he loved her and counted her as his "real" daughter.  This is the only story of my grandma's early childhood that our family ever heard.  

As kids, we actually didn't remember much about our great-grandparents, although we did remember that James Eungard was killed in a train accident.  It wasn't until a few years ago that in my research I found this information:

DIES OF INJURIES

Train Strikes J. H. Eungard,

Caldwell, Former Wichita Grocer

---

J. H. Eungard, formerly of Wichita, was injured fatally Saturday afternoon at Caldwell by a Rock Island passenger train which struck him as he was returning from work. 

He died at 4 o'clock Sunday morning.  It was not thought at first that he was seriously hurt.

Mr. Eungard was employed for a number of years by the Lehmann-Higginson Wholesale Grocery company, and was later in the grocery business for himself at 458 North Main Street.

He was a member of the Knights of Macabees, Wichita chapter.,  He leaves his widow, one daughter, Mrs. Byrd Ryland, Mulvane, and one son, C. H. Eungard. Caldwell.

Funeral services will be conducted at 2 o'clock Wednesday at the Caldwell Christian church.  Burial will be at Caldwell.

The Wichita Daily Eagle, 05 Oct 1921.

In 1930 my grandma Jessie Ryland and her 5 youngest kids left Kansas for Long Beach, California.  She died there in 1946 at the age of 61.  She only had 3 grandchildren by that time, and it was the three of us who heard about how much she loved her stepfather.  But the big surprise in doing genealogical research was that she grew up knowing where her real father was and she had contact with him until he died in Colorado Springs in 1916.  When I told that to my sister and my cousin (those grandchildren referenced above), we looked at each other, shrugged and said "Go Figure!"

DANA STEVENS WALLENSTEIN - 1902-1927

~ A RYLAND RELATIVE ~


It is sad that Mrs. Dana Stevens Wallenstein died at such a young age. The Wichita newspaper carried a large article that included the photo above:

Mrs. Dana Wallenstein, 25, wife of Henry Wallenstein, Jr. of the firm of Wallenstein and Raffman, died Wednesday afternoon in Colorado Springs after a short illness.

For the past month, Mrs. Wallenstein and her two daughters, Nadine and Dana, had been in a cabin in the mountains near Colorado Springs. About two weeks ago a pimple appeared on her chin which later developed into a carbuncle. This became infected last week, but not until Friday was it thought serious, at which time she was taken to Blockner [Glockner] Hospital in Colorado Springs. Monday and Tuesday her condition seemed improved, but Wednesday she rapidly grew worse and died at 1:30 pm of septic poisoning.

Mr. Wallenstein was called to Colorado Springs last week and was at her bedside when death came, as were also her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Stevens, 4000 E. Douglas, and Henry Wallenstein Sr.

Mrs. Wallenstein's many friends in Wichita always remarked about her devotion to her small daughters. Altho she was interested in community and club activities, being a member of Entre Nous and other organizations, her paramount concern was her home. She was a member of Temple Emanuel, Reformed Jewish Church.

Mrs. Wallenstein had no enemies and was always the most gentle of women. She carefully avoided petty difficulties and was usually the peacemaker in any community differences. She was always ready to help those in distress, and her kindly spirit made her many devoted friends.

Mrs. Wallenstein was prominent in social circles in Wichita. She was educated in the public schools here and attended Lindenwood College in Missouri. Before her marriage to Mr. Wallenstein, she was Miss Dana Stevens, and their wedding five years ago last June was of much social prominence, uniting, as it did, two prominent Wichita families. Mr. and Mrs. Wallenstein lived at 120 North Broadway.

Mrs. Wallenstein is survived by her husband; two daughters, Nadine and Dana; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. F. D. Stevens; two brothers, Frank and Larry, both of Wichita, and one sister, Rosana, Wichita. The body will be brought to Wichita Friday morning, and the funeral will be held at 4 o'clock Friday afternoon.

She died on August 31, 1927. Her husband never remarried and both he and the children moved in with Dana's parents, Frank and Rose Stevens. Grandma Rose raised the little girls to adulthood.

Frank and Rose were my own grandmother's Uncle and Aunt. In 1930 my Grandma Jessie Ryland and her four youngest children, ranging in age from 14 to 4, were living on a farm in Mulvane, Kansas, some miles south of Wichita. In July of 1930 a fire broke out in the house while grandma was outside tending her chickens and the family lost most of their belongings, including all the clothing except what they were wearing. My Aunt Marie, who was the oldest of the Ryland children, remembered her mother driving the kids up to Uncle Frank and Aunt Rose's house, where they stayed until they were able to make other arrangements. Aunt Rose bought new clothing for Aunt Marie and her two younger brothers. Aunt Margie, who was about the same age as the little Wallenstein cousins, was outfitted in some of their clothing. My Aunt Marie remembered what beautiful clothing those Wallenstein girls wore, certainly different than the overalls that was de rigueur for the farmer kids.

In my genealogical research I have located and spoken with Nadine Wallenstein, now a lovely lady living in Missouri. Because she was so small when the fire episode happened she didn't remember the story I told her about the connection between our two families, which encompassed two tragedies - the loss of her mother and the loss of my grandmother's farm. She and her sister Rosana are still alive and well. All of their Ryland cousins have passed away. Nadine and I both were pleased that we were able to "connect" as genealogical cousins after all these years. And of course that is what makes genealogy fun!