I am grateful to my family and friends who have given me encouragement and expressed the desire that I finish this book.

I wish to thank Marilyn for proof reading the manuscript and Don for correcting where my memory sometimes failed. I also want to give Chuck a special thanks for making endless numbers of copies and my entire family for enduring the multitude of questions it seemed necessary for me to ask.

I would like to express my appreciation to the relatives who sent information for the genealogy section of the book and also to those who located and loaned pictures.

A special thanks goes to the following friends and neighbors who helped with information; Marie Hanneman, Adelle Taylor, Gladys Loewen, Georgia Lamberson, Emil Heyland, Amelia Frobenius, Rubena Jost, Jolene Entz, Vivian Baker, Catherine Jost, Mildred Hanneman, Florence Slaymaker, Elda Mellott and the office personnel of the Peabody-Burns School District.