Posts Tagged ‘Bunker’

by Sherry Stocking Kline
November 2nd, 2010

The following paragraph is excerpted from the “History of Milan, Kansas, 1879 – 1978”, by Leslie “Bud” Yates.  The book is now out of print and the author has passed away, but there is a copy of the book in the Sumner County History and Research Center.  The book is small, but is packed with information about the area’s early residents and the town’s businesses.

“Teachers for 1908 – 1909 school year were Mrs. Gracia Kellogg for primary and Mr. Brooks for principal.  The following were awarded their 8th grade diplomas:  Mae Kline, Catharine Lee, Maud Perry, Chrystal Brown, Pearle Mears, Herbert Deffenbaugh, Sallie Bunker, and Ethel Bebee.”

Of the Eighth Grade Graduates, Mae Kline and Herbert Deffenbaugh are in my husband’s family tree.  Mae was his great-aunt, and I’m honestly not sure who Herbert is, but probably an uncle or great uncle.  Several of my husband’s aunts and uncles (and his mother) went by their middle names, and sometimes kept their first names a closely guarded secret, so I will have to ask a cousin who is the keeper of the Deffenbaugh Genealogy to find out how he fits into our tree.

Sallie/Sally Bunker, who graduated with them, is the granddaughter of Eng Bunker, one of the famous Siamese (conjoined) twins, Chang and Eng Bunker.

Sally’s father was James Montgomery, son of Eng Bunker.  Eng and Chang married sisters and each couple had several children.  You can read more about them by following the links below:

Wikipedia: Chang and Eng Bunker
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chang_and_Eng_Bunker

Chang and Eng Bunker
http://www.cojoweb.com/siamese%20twins.html

Find a Grave Memorial for Chang and Eng Bunker
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=125

Sumner County (Kansas) History & Genealogy Research Center
Box 402; 208 N. Washington
Wellington, Kansas