Archive for the ‘Soldiers’ Category

by Sherry Stocking Kline
7 May 2010

Mayfield, Kansas Blacksmith Shop - Otto Breneman Blacksmith

The Mayfield Blacksmith Shop…

This is a photograph of Otto Breneman and his father, Constantine Breneman, standing in front of Otto’s blacksmith shop.  The blacksmith shop was located  in Mayfield, Kansas (about 10 miles west of Wellington, Kansas) till at least sometime in the 1930’s when Otto passed away.

Otto’s mother was Salinda Breneman, and he was married to Nancy Virginia Hoyt, daughter of Joseph and Wilhemina (Dewein) Hoyt, and they had a daughter, Bernice Breneman.

According to information in the book “Mayfield: Then & Now”, Otto  served as mayor of Mayfield from 1927 to 1929.

Otto was my great uncle, and he passed away before I was born, (his Tombstone photo can be found here).  If the shop or the home was there when I was small I don’t recall it.  I wish I had taken an “after” photograph so you could see what it looks like today, but there is a nice white ranch style home there, with a large grassy area in front of it.

This photograph comes from Otto’s daughter, Bernice Breneman Thomas’ collection of photographs, now in her son’s, Orlan Thomas’ collection, and can also be found on Page 71 of the “Mayfield: Then & Now” book.  Orlan and his wife recently came to visit and loaned me his genealogy and photograph collection to scan, and nearly 200 scans later, I have many more photographs that he is allowing me to share digitally with other family members.

Ask a Lot of Different Questions…

Looking at this photograph reminds me that until I began working with a friend on the book “Mayfield: Then & Now” and began asking questions of everyone, including my mom and other family members I had no idea that some of our Breneman family lived in the Mayfield area, let alone owned a blacksmith shop.

According to a cousin that I visited with recently, her father told her that Constantine served as a blacksmith in the Union Army when he was a soldier in the Civil War.  So, if there is a moral to this story, ask your older generation (as many as possible) and even your siblings and your cousins, a lot of different questions a lot of different ways…

Other Related Posts:

Tombstone Tuesday: Otto and Nancy Breneman

Constantine Breneman and His Buggy Horse Photograph of Ott’s father, Constantine driving a buggy with his beautiful buggy horse.

Constantine Breneman’s Buggy Horse – Photograph of Constantine’s Buggy Horse

My Poem to My Ancestors

Salinda E. (Rose) Breneman – Photograph of Ott’s mother,  Salinda, and her tombstone. Ott’s parent’s, Salinda and Constantine, divorced in later life.

Too Young to Die – Photo of  Ott Breneman and his siblings, and a photograph of Albert’s tombstone. Albert was killed in a Motorcycle Accident.

Photograph of May Breneman Jones Willey – Sister of Ott Breneman.

by Sherry Stocking Kline
November 12, 2009

I found a great blog post at Grandma Ideas last week.   Unfortunately I found it the day After Veteran’s Day, and meant to write a quick post about it then.

This blog post shares with us in word and video the importance of taking a “Pittance of Time” to show our children and grandchildren that we respect and honor those men and women who have fought for our freedom throughout the decades and centuries.

I found the video very moving, and here it is:

The Grandma Ideas blog also focuses on spending time with grandchildren.  

Now that’s an idea that is near and dear to my heart!