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| 1904 World's Fair Only people identified: woman 3rd from left - Leo Bessie Spieth, woman seated on left - Mrs. Rodenberger woman seated in the middle - Iona Dawson, and young man standing on far right - Challis Dawson |
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| 1904 World's Fair [Source: Jeanie Ommerle] |
Bottom - Harold, Sis, Ralph Bradley, Harry Bradley
"Lived in tent while there. Smallpox epidemic in progress."
[Only the two people standing on the right side were unidentified.]
In Letters to Connie Rodenberger Fulton, 1901 - 1908, on page 16, C. C. Rodenberger wrote to his daughter, Connie on September 25, 1904. C. C. Rodenberger lived in Oswego, Kansas and his daughter lived in Arizona.
". . . There is considerable sickness around here and has been Several deaths we are all on foot Uncle Levy his wife and baby will start the third of next month from medford by the southern rout, he will land here on the Katy Stop a day or two then go to the fair at St Louis on account of his ticket then will come back and visit with pa for Some time none of us have seen him for 48 years he says that is the cheapest rout 36 dollars a ticket . . ."
[Source: Charles Alvard Rodenberger]
In the photos are two sisters: Clara (Rodenberger) Spieth and Iona "Sis" (Rodenberger) Dawson. Clara's husband is Billie Spieth. Their children are Leo Bessie, Edith, and Harold Spieth. 2nd Grandma Rodenberger is the step-mother of Clara and Iona - the 2nd wife to their father. Iona's son is Challis Dawson. Nettie Spieth Bradley was the sister of Billie Spieth and, I believe, Ralph and Harry Bradley are her sons and they lived in Illinois. Iona and Challis Dawson also lived in Illinois, Edgar Co. The Spieths and 2nd Grandma Rodenberger lived in Cherokee Co, Kansas.
Charles C. Rodenberger was the brother of Clara and Iona. John Harland Rodenberger, the father of Iona, Charles, and Clara, was the oldest brother of Uncle Levy.
Levi Cornwall Rodenberger was captured in the Civil War and escaped from prison. I have read of two different regions - Huntsville, TN and Petersburg, VA - and am not sure which is correct. Some time after the Civil War, Levi headed west - possibly with his brother Moses Rodenberger [See post of 10/2/2011]. He is enumerated in the 1870 Federal Census of Myrtle Creek Precinct, Douglas Co, Oregon.
Travelling with Levi would have been his second wife, Sherry Abigail (Dean) Rodenberger. Since the child is referred to as a baby, I would surmise that he would be Robert Dean Rodenberger, youngest son of Levi, who was born in 1901.
John Harland Rodenberger died 6 September 1908 in Cherokee Co, Kansas at the age of 76. Levi Cornwall Rodenberger died 25 May 1933 in San Francisco, California at the age of 90.
