Post #24 HAZEL C WHEELER LEONARD, PERRY,                                                          KOONTZ

Hazel is the step-grandmother to many of us. She married our Grandpa--Lyle Elbert Koontz on 5 Jan, 1937. Five years and 3 months after our grandmother Doris's death.

Grandpa Married Doris on Jan. 16, 1907, their marriage lasted until her death in 1931---24 years and 9 months, and 10 children later.

Grandpa's marriage to Hazel lasted until his death in 1964, 27 years and 5 months. Hazel died in April of 1968, living 4 more years.

I could find little information on her but will share what I have found.

Grandpa was Hazel's 3rd marriage. I have seen a copy of their wedding certificate and Aunt Lois (Boulger), signed it as a witness. Hazel's first marriage was to John D Leonard, on 20 April 1908. They had 4 girls--Irene, Dorothy, Gladys and Lois. I can't find a death date for him. So, I don't know that he died and that ended the marriage or a divorce? Her second husbands last name was Perry. I do know that he died because she was listed as a widow in the 1930 census and her name was Perry at that time. In 1930 she was working as a cook in a hotel in Port Angeles, WA.

As far as education she completed 2 years of high school.

I can only remember meeting Hazel once, she was one of the largest persons I had ever seen. I marveled at my young age that I couldn't even see her elbows! I do remember her being kind to me. My dad, Paul, was estranged from his dad for many years. He was very unhappy when his dad married Hazel. He said the "peace went out of the house". But he was around the age of 12 and that can be a difficult time. So, at this young age he left home. He told me that he hid in the back seat of the family car and crawled out when they stopped, and never went back.

I have not been able to find a picture of Hazel. If anyone else has a memory or a picture please feel free to share.

Patty

Post #23 Truman Blancett and the Two Spaniards

   Its been awhile since I have posted anything. I came across this story today, that I had found in a library in Colorado and had put it aside and forgot about it!

This is another memory from our Uncle Truman Blancett who told about living in the Wild West. He usually dictated and a friend wrote the story for the newspapers. A reminder that Truman is the brother to Moses Blancett, who is the father of Marcella (Bell) Blancett, who is the mother of Elbert Lyle Koontz.
                                     Two Spaniards

     "In the spring of 1864 in Douglas County, Colorado, I had discovered a fair prospect of gold at the head of a little gulch that entered into Cherry Creek. The pay was not very much but it beat nothing. I built a little sluice and went to work. This was about fifty miles south of Denver.
     Some early travelers had built a cabin a short distance from my location but neither the cabin nor any location could be seen from the old trail that was seldom traveled at that time.
     None knew of my location except the camp birds that soon learned to appear at the noon hour ready to partake of whatever I could spare of my scanty rations. They became very tame diners and it was a source of much pleasure to me as to the locality was a very lonely and desolate one.
     One morning as I came to work I noticed the cabin was occupied and some three or four pack animals were grazing near by. Presently two men appeared dressed in black uniforms such as I had never seen before.  Their clothing was somewhat soiled though it still retained some gold braid. It proved later that I was right when I decided they were Spanish officers.
     I noticed on first sight that they each wore money belts which appeared to be well filled with coin. They wore a string attached and passed over the shoulder for support and appeared to want to avoid any conversation. As I did too we got along very agreeably during the week they were there. They made frequent trips out past where I worked.
     They would make two or three trips a day as though taking exercise. Once they paused a little while to amuse themselves watching me feeding my camp birds.
     After they had been there perhaps a week we got word at the station early in July to seek safety as the Sioux and Arapahoes were raiding the country and I thought it a human act to notify the Spaniards which I did.
     They appeared so little concerned that I hurried to make my escape, leaving them to look to their own salvation. In course of a week it appeared that the Indians had left the country.
     I returned to my gold diggings at the same time feeling anxious to know if anything had happened to the Spaniards.  As I neared the cabin I noticed one of them lying on the ground near the cabin. The other was some little distance out toward where I worked.
     Their money belts and boots had been removed as well as their scalps. I at once notified the sheriff who was an old Englishman named John Jones, he being the first sheriff for Douglas county as the old territorial record will verify.
     He came with a pick and shovel and we dug a shallow grave among the rocks and rolled them in, wrapped only in their uniform as we had no way to make a box. Not more than a week after they were buried four Spaniards appeared at our station with an interpreter.  They inquired if we had seen the two Spanish officers passing thru the country, I explained in detail all I knew about them and volunteered to show them where they were buried so they could dig them up but they appeared to accept my story as true and dismissed the subject.
     I asked for details as to what the officers had done and he stated that a wealthy Spaniard had crossed over into Mexico to inspect some mining interest located in the mountains. He brought his wife and a considerable amount of gold to pay some bills. As it was customary the government detailed these two officers to escort them across the country. When they reached an out-of-the way place they murdered them, took all their gold and jewels and escaped across the border, headed for Colorado. There was but very (few) people in that locality and but few people ever learned of this affair.
     None ever doubted but the Indians murdered them and carried away their money belts and boots.
     But I discovered the little treasure of gold and jewels they had hidden just across the little gulch in a crevice of rocks. I noticed as they walked to the little gulch that they would look across and then walk back. This caused me to suspicion they had something hidden there.
     The treasure consisted of a number of gold coins of small denomination, some American coins, a diamond and a pearl necklace, as I learned afterwards for at that time I had never seen diamonds or pearls, therefore I didn't know what they were  (or) what their value was.
     The garnets consisted of a large brooch and long ear pendents; the set contained three hundred garnets. I kept those, not that I knew their value, but merely because they were beautiful and pleasing to the eye. The things I didn't keep I sold to a Jew in Denver for $3,000. His name was J. W. Cline, he owned the first wholesale liquor establishment in Denver, all the old timers living remember him as we used to buy our whiskey there. Each of the dead Spaniards wore a ring on the third finger of the left hand. One of them had a fine watch and chain, which the Indians overlooked in their great haste to get away from the scene. I removed the rings and watch because I could not see the wrong in doing so. As there was no one there to dispute my claim--I still have one of the rings and chain in my possession, the other ring, the most valuable, I lost in 1872.  Truman Blancett"

   

Post #22 Gunfight and ggrandfather Mose Blancett

My husband I were recently watching an old western movie, and the shoot out or duel that usually occurred. Of course the good guy won the match. Guess what--- our ggrandfather Moses Blancett (see blog #14 for lineage reference) was in one of these duels, yes he was the good guy!

The story below was taken from Moses brother, Truman's own writings:

"Brutal Trainmaster Killed.

The other case was with Mose, the oldest brother, and a trainmaster that was conducting a train through Fort Bridges. Why? He was a desperado, as most trainmasters were and was known to have killed two men. Mose was with the family for a few days though he had a wife and two children living near Fort Leavenworth.  This trainmaster's name was Jack Sparks.  He had made camp near our station and had 30 wagons with a crew of 35 men.  He came into our station intoxicated and abusive. Mose ordered him out.  He immediately challenged Mose to a pistol duel saying, "I will always think of you as a coward."  Mose said nothing to the family concerning the affair, but early the following morning I noticed Mose looking over his forty-five pistol.  At the appointed time he was on his way to meet Sparks.  I followed close behind him. I was equipped for any emergency. It appeared that Sparks didn't think we would call his bluff.  He never saw us until we were within a 100 feet of him. As soon as he saw us, stepping out in the open with his forty-five. Each fired a shot at the same time.  Mose received a slight scalp wound but the ox-drivers dug a shallow hole in the sand, wrapped sparks in a blanket and covered him over.  The assistant boss ordered the train to move on, leaving the trainmaster asleep in the drifting sand of the desert.  The news soon reached the end of the trail that a tenderfoot had killed Sparks. Mose and I were never questioned about the affair and it was soon forgotten."

A few months back, I made a trip to Colorado and stayed in James and Carrie Dole's beautiful home. They were the perfect host. Carrie is my sister Barbara's daughter, so of course, I got to be with my sister too as she set this up for us. We spent time in Colorado researching, trying to find Mary Stamm Koontz. John Andrew's first wife. Did not find her:( But, hopefully, I can pull a little bit together and share what we did enjoy while there searching the areas where the Blancett's and Koontz's once roamed when the area was wilderness. I know that one of you, if not me, will find what ever happened to her. See Post #4.

# 21 the last child of Lyle and Doris Koontz has passed

THE KOONTZ CHILDREN

Lyle and Dorcas (Doris) Koontz---- 9 of their 10 children. One child baby Koontz (possibly named Leiala) died 12 days after her birth. They are all deceased now. Thank you to cousin Myrna (Koontz) Brady for the pictures on this page.

CHARLES LEROY KOONTZ, 10TH AND YOUNGEST CHILD OF ELBERT LYLE AND DORIS LORINDA KOONTZ DIED ON APRIL 14, 2016 AT AGE 87 IN REPUBLIC, WASHINGTON. HE LEFT BEHIND, SOME VERY SAD HEARTS, BUT WE KNOW THAT HE WAS EMBRACED BY A VERY WARM WELCOMING ON THE OTHER SIDE. CHUCK OR CHARLIE AS HE WAS KNOWN, WAS BORN ON THE 21ST OF JANUARY 1929. HE MARRIED SHARON MARIE FISCHER 53 YEARS AGO, ON JANUARY 12, 1963. THEY HAVE 2 BELOVED DAUGHTERS, CHARLOTTE AND CARLEEN. HIS SERVICE WILL BE ON WEDNESDAY APRIL 20TH AT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN REPUBLIC .

UNTIL WE ALL MEET AGAIN UNCLE CHUCK WE LOVE YOU--- ALSO, WOULD LIKE TO SEND SHARON AND GIRLS A LOVING HUG.

# 20 Some Vital statistics and letter written by Grandma Doris Koontz

I thought I would share some vital statistics of our first few generations or so up from my dad and his siblings.

Elbert Lyle Koontz ---from a World Ward I Draft card/1918 age 32- he had "blue eyes, medium height and weight. Lost Right eye".My dad told me that happened when he was a child an accident with a knife. Uncle Chuck confirmed that. He said his dad had been playing with the knife on his knee and it happened from there. Chuck said it didn't seem to affect his life much, except Grandpa had told Chuck that he would of liked to have been a Train conductor but couldn't because of his eye. At one time Grandpa Lyle listed his race of people as German and his religion--christian. He died at age 78 of cancer of the stomach. There are a few of us lucky cousins that remember him.

Samuel Elbert Koontz died at age 83 of cancer of the Liver.

John Andrew Koontz died at age 78. from Myocarditis

Philip Koontz died at age 60

Philip Kuntz died at age 76

Median age of 75.

Bell Blancett died at age 93

Moses Blancett  died in an accident at age 61 "Moses was killed while trying to control a runaway team of horses on his ranch."

Josiah Blancett died at age 75

Median age of  76

Lucinda Gibson  died at age 87

Archallius Gibson died at age 61

Median age of 74

Dorcas (Dorris) Goss died at age 44 of pneumonia. Her death certificate states that she had influenza with pneumonia on Feb 2. 1931 She developed kidney problems on Feb 20, 1931. and she had heart problems unknown when that started. Aunt Marjorie said her mom never recovered from the pneumonia that she was diagnosed with in Feb. and then died the following October. I have added to this blog a copy of the handwritten letter that our Grandmother Doris wrote the year she died.

Benjamin Franklin Goss died at age 65

Nathaniel Harbin Goss died at age 83

Benjamin Goss died at age 80

Median age of 68

Julia Ann Taylor died at age 41

Thomas H. Taylor age 53

George E. (Lucky) Taylor died at age 89

Median age of 61

It appears that it is still anybody's guess to a person's longevity. We go from 41 to 93 with these few families.

The original of the letter below is with Aunt Marjorie's estate. Aunt Marjorie told me she found this letter in her mother's bible. She either found it in 1995 or shared with me in 1995. Sorry my notes aren't clear on this one.

I am giving you two copies. The first one is my interpretation of her handwriting which I feel is accurate. The second is a copy of the letter in her own handwriting. The letter is written to her aunt Millicent, the sister of her father---John Lewis Goss. Steve that she refers too is Millicent's son he had died, Jessie is his wife. The letter was written in 1931, the year our Grandmother died.  (The last name of Millicent was Tally and they lived in Canada).

#19 Blancetts and Colorado

It is wonderful to me that Carrie just moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado; that is where our Grandfather, John Andrew Koontz married his second wife, Emaline Kitchen. This area is a prominent place in our family history with the Blancett and Koontz family. I am looking forward to staying with Carrie and along with her mom investigate the area and see what we can find. Maybe we will solve the mystery of what happened to Mary Stamm, Grandpa John's first wife, our grandmother.

Here is some information about this area from our relative, Truman Blancett:

In 1857, word reached the east that gold and had been discovered at the head of Cherry Creek, forty miles south of where Denver now stands. In 1858, there was quite a movement west, but the only sign of a road leading west was a couple of wagon ruts with weeds growing between. They would get as far as the Blue River which is on the edge of the desert, 150 miles west of Fort Leavenworth, then go into camp and wait for some one to return who had ventured further out on the desert. When they returned bringing discouraging reports, "No wood, no water, no grass for the stock", they would turn back. There was a large cottonwood tree standing in the camp ground, and they would hitch up their wagons, and circle around that tree back to the road headed east. That tree was known for some years as the "Turning Post".

In 1858 but very few that made the start reached Colorado, but in '59 and '60 the rush was on again. About one-half of the '59 rush turned back, while the other half made it thru.

Weren't these pioneer women carrying their end of the burden of changing a wilderness? I could write whole pages of heroic deeds preformed by these women.

When the Sand Creek Battle was fought with the Indians, my sister Mrs. Vanendert, whose husband was an officer in Colorado, followed the command and set up a hospital tent within a mile of the battle. She also cooked breakfast for Col. Chivington and officers.

A little history of that beautiful country lying between Colorado Springs and Denver, as there are but few left who know of the great tortures and sufferings of those pioneer women and children in that locality:

It was an inviting place for the home-seeker and in a short time, the lonely cabins could be seen most anywhere. But the Indians soon got wise to this and in 1864 that became the most dangerous locality in Colorado. In a short time the women and children were being murdered or carried away and their few heads of cattle or horses driven off.

There were but few men in that locality, as they were forced to the mountains where they could earn a little money, and left their families exposed to the savages. This became so serious the governor advised the building of a fort so the few men that were there could protect the women and children.

We built a stockade or fort on Cherry Creek, forty miles south of  Denver. All the women and children of Douglas County found refuge there, something like one hundred in all were held there from the middle of July until middle of August. My mother and two sisters were there part of the time, Everyone was on half rations. It was the duty of my brother and me and a few others to ride the front of that locality and give warning of the approach of the Indians.

It was not uncommon for us to find the remains of women and children, and some men who had been slain before they could reach the fort. I myself can point to the places of thirty-two of these victims of the tomahawk. Decent burial was impossible. We simply dug a shallow hole beside them, rolled them in, and covered them over, leaving no sign of a tragedy.

"The Covered Wagon" was shown on the screen of Canon City, and as I gazed on those scenes, it brought to me the saddest memories of what I saw that has never been recorded in history, but forgotten in a day in the wild rush of emigrants getting away from the desert to escape the vengeance of the savages. No, the entire history of the "covered wagon" can never be told; not the misery and mental agony of those pioneer women riding for days and weeks in those covered wagons, winding their tortuous way across the heated sands of desert with their little children hovering around them with fear and despair showing in their faces. At any time they might peer out, with nothing to meet their gaze but the wild, windswept plains that lay stretched before them for hundred of miles. They could also see the lurking savage on either side with spear and tomahawk, watching his chance to rush down on that covered wagon, to murder the little ones and carry away the mother into captivity. This was done many times to my knowledge. Weren't these mothers paying a costly price for their part in the building up of the great West?"

It is interesting to me to read about our family as they helped to build the West and eventually, befriend the Indian people;and that we have become a great nation out of such struggles. We have a lot to be grateful for. Patty

#18 We are related to Whom?

I have been enjoying a site through familysearch, called Relative Finder, that shows famous people that we are related too. This program shows how we are related to each individual and through what common ancestor, it is amazing. It was put together by BYU. I thought some of you might be interested.

We are related as Koontz's to William Bradford from the Mayflower. He is a 1st cousin removed 13 times. Also related to John Alden from the Mayflower.

Elvis Presley is a 10th cousin 1x removed. We are also related to Walt Disney.

Presidents we are related to in order of the closest relative: James Garfield, Calvin Coolidge, William H. Harrison, Benjamin Harrison, Franklin D Roosevelt, Rutherford Hayes, Benjamin Pierce the 3rd, Fillmore, Jefferson, Jackson, Arthur, Madison, Abraham Lincoln 10th cousin, 4 X removed, Nixon, Cleveland, Hoover, Lynden Johnson, Harding and John Q. Adams.

FYI for the O'Hair side of my family we are only related to 4 presidents. William H. Taft, Zachary Taylor, Barack OBama 8th cousin, 3X removed and Truman.

For the LDS in the family we are related to many well known pioneers. Those that are in both the O'Hair and Koontz family, we are related to 15 Prophets the closest 3 are Ezra Taft Benson on the O'Hair side--9th cousin, George Albert Smith (Koontz) 8th cousin 2 X removed and Joseph Smith (Koontz) 7th cousin, 7 X removed. We are also related to the current Prophet Thomas S. Monson 11 cousin, 2X removed.

Those that are Catholic (Koontz) 1 relative related to Saints & Popes----Katherine Drexel 13th cousin 1X removed.

So many more on the Koontz side such as Winston Churchill, Thomas Alva Edison, Orville and Wilbur Wright and Samuel Morse.

Each pedigree chart as it winds through our known ancestors up through some unknown to the famous ancestors is just plain awesome to me!  I hope you enjoy this information too!!