Biographies

Elsie Barnett wrote this to list all the places she and her family had lived, and added a few biographical notes to some of the places.	Itinerary Ponca Nebr. - born Oct. 30, 1894, in Meth. parsonage which was one side of a duplex, other family was named Wigdon. Dad was preaching. [Opposition of Catholics.]
Bowman is Elsie's brother.	Rockport Mo. - 1896 - Dad was preaching - Bowman was born Mar. 12, & was baptized at a Meth. Camp Meeting by [Meth.] Bishop Bowman.
Elsie's mother was Nellie Closs, who came from Illinois.	Russell Kansas - 1899 - first remembrance was visit of Mother’s friend, blind Phoebe - playhouse & play-mate, Lee Atberton [Atherton] [Sandman story] - parents going to Conference & leaving Bowman & me with neighbors.
The "Insurance" reference is to her father's occupation at that time.	Salina Kansas - 1900 - colored porter at hotel across the street danced a jig for me on the front step every afternoon - our side & back yards were fenced in - one day our ball went over fence into saloon’s back yard & I had to go thru saloon to get it. Visit of Mother’s cousin Annie & her children. Insurance, I guess.
Elsie's Grandpa and Grandma Closs were Orville Closs and Mary Hawes. They are thought to be of German (Pensylvania Dutch) descent.	Lawrence Kansas - 1901 - Grandpa Closs lay sick up stairs - Grandma’s orchard & grape vines - this was in the country, & I went to a country school. [- tornado sky -] Neighbors were “Longfellows.” Riding in the buggy behind our horse “Caesar,” Writing insurance. Rogers Ark. - 1902 - (Dad was Meth. preacher) - Bowman & I went to an Academy nearby - our parrot chilled to death - my 8th birthday party - B. & I had chicken pox - I joined the Church.
Frances is Elsie's sister. Francis Perry with Gypsy, the pony.	Bentonville Ark. - 1903-04 - At school we made maps of Ark, for the World’s Fair - Frances was born on a place where we had a large apple orchard - Mary Morgan was my pal - we both rode my pony Gypsy along the ravine - Dad had a lime kiln down the road, this was another house. Little Rock Ark. - 1904 - We all went to World’s Fair at St. Louis. [- heating store - house near park - ] One house we lived in was in a suburb called Pulaski Heights. Dad wrote insurance. [Frances illness]
Hubert is Elsie's second brother.	Omaha Ark. - 1905 - Hubert was born in an ex-logging camp. [walk to school - play house] Dad had a lime-kiln two or three miles from town. Rough country, lots of trees. [- to Harrison. Main Street. Coming of train.] 1905-06 - I began H. S. work at an Academy. [- gas lights.] Dad wrote Insurance. Baxter Springs Kansas - 1907 [1906] - Dad wrote Insurance - I continued H. S. work with very poor grades. [- near Indian Terr. line.] Carthage MO - 1907 [1905] Mitchell S. Dakota - 1907-08 [1906] - Dad wrote Insurance (M.W.A.) to early settlers in Tripp Co. - I was [full-fledged] Freshman in H.S. [- learned to skate - tornado - Ethel Saylor - hot summer.] Vermillion S. Dak. - 1908-09 [1907 & 8] - I was a Sophomore - Florence Tilton was my pal. [ - church supper] I saw my first tornado, it went along N. side of town. [- Victoria Meyberg - Proj. Byers Mrs. Lawton’s S.S. class.] Rapid City S. Dak. - 1909-10-11. Dad had a lime plant. We camped out while he built it at Canyon Lake, 4 miles from town. I had Junior & Senior yrs. of H.S. - & graduated in June of 1911. Hot Springs S.D. - 1912 - Dad had a gypsum plant. I went to College at Yankton S. D. Omaha Nebr. - 1913-14. Dad was involved with building a mausoleum in Westlawn Cemetery, where Grandma Closs was buried. She died in our home in suburb of Benson. I went to Medical school, rode horseback.
Navarre Perry, ~1980s. Navarre was Elsie's youngest brother.	Lincoln Nebr. - 1915 - Dad wrote Insurance & was a 32° Shriner. Here Navarre was born, Sept. 4. I met Clair at Warren Church - Dad was trying to build a mausoleum, but failed, was editing “The Mausoleum Era.” Omaha Nebr. [1915] - short time - do not know what Dad was doing. Binghampton N.Y. - 1916 - We lived on a small farm on banks of Susquehanna river. One summer Bowman took care of the place. Do not know what Dad was doing, he was never home. Asbury Park N.J. - 1916 - Lived here one winter, one block from the ocean. Dad never home, do not know what he was doing. Severn Maryland - 1916 - Dad had office in Baltimore, Insurance, I think. I worked in office for him & his partner.
Elsie and her class at Rockbridge School	Lexington Va. - 1917 - Dad had lime-kiln, I worked in his office for a while, then got a school to teach at Rockbridge Baths, 15 miles away. Johnson City Tenn. - 1917. Dad was writing insurance. I taught a 7th grade room in Public school, til Nov., then took over the H. S. Sciences for rest of school year. Elizabethton Tenn. - 1918 - Dad was writing Insurance, but never home. Clair & I were married June 17, 1918, & came to Nebr. After this Dad moved the family to somewhere in Georgia, I do not remember what town or what he was doing. He soon moved them to St. Charles Ill. - then to Fairbury Ill., then to Moline Ill., then to Chenoa Ill. I do not remember just how long they lived in each of these towns, or what work he did, except that in one he sold Potash fertilizer for a company. They were in Chenoa for 2 or 3 yrs. Here he fell & broke his knee-cap, & was taken to the Catholic Hospital in Chicago, where he died. I sold his house, paid up his bills, & took Mother home with me, with Navarre’s help, in 1954 (?).
Elsie and Clair farmed near Lynch, Diller, and Waverly. For most of the rest of their lives they lived on an acreage near Lincoln, except for a year in Texas near daughter Lucile and her family.	[Lynch Nebr. Lincoln Nebr. Diller Nebr. Waverly Nebr. Diller Nebr. Lincoln Nebr. Taylor Texas—1 yr.] Return to Top