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The enclosed pages is a copy of an original scrap book kept for my grandfather, George Emory Newton Sanders by his second wife, my grandmother, Dora Louisa May Rains Sanders. The first date is 18 December 1907 and ending with the obituary of my grandfather, dated April 1951. However, not all the clippings are dated nor is the name of the paper always indicated. The last 12 or so years of his life he was blind due to cataracts. He enjoyed gathering his grand children around his rocking chair to tell them stories of his boyhood. They always started out ‘when I was a boy" and they were all true. Several days before his death, he fell and broke his hip. He was recovering from that when he was taken with pneumonia and died several days later, peacefully in his sleep.

The original cover and back is of varnished wood, which my grandfather made, with his initial wood burned on the front. It measures about 10 inches by 12 inches and is held together by leather thongs. The original pages and news clippings are extremely fragile and brittle at this time. The copies were made in 1981 in order to preserve the pages. It was difficult to copy as clippings had been taped over other clippings and folded up. I took care to copy all of the clippings but had to arrange them differently to fit them on 8 X 11 pages. At that time the book was in the possession of G.E.N. and Dora’s only son, Francis Thomas Sanders who died 9 Sept. 1982. [G.E.N. had four sons and a daughter by his first wife who was killed by a team of run a-way horses in December of 1895.] The book is now in the possession of Gary Sanders, Frank’s youngest son of Auburn, Washington. His eldest son, Thomas died in a jeep accident in 1970.

My grandfather’s brothers were all ‘newspaper’ people. Editors of papers in Garretson, South Dakota; Auburn, and Brownville, Nebraska and in Oklahoma. Most of the enclosed clippings were written by several of these brothers and give an idea of the events in their lives as well as the events in the areas they lived in at that time. My grandfather did do some news work himself but decided farming was more what he wanted to do apple orchards primarily. He was fairly prosperous at this until the big Wall Street crash of 1929 when he lost his farm because the bank called in his note early and fore-closed on him. My grandfather didn’t have the $500.00 needed to save the orchard.

They moved from Brownville to Peru where my grandmother operated a boarding house for male students near the Peru State College. In the early 1940’s they moved to Washington State where Frank and his family and his youngest daughter, [my mother] Dorothy L. and her family had already move. They settled in Yakima, WA. near Frank. My parents settled in the Tacoma, Pierce County area.

In 1937 my grandfather wrote a brief history of his family. It is as follows:

G. E. N. SANDERS’ FAMILY HISTORY

Dr. Benjamin Sanders was born in Vermont of Scotch descent. He married Diadema Carr, of Irish descent. They lived in Jackson Twp., Shelby County, Indiana where Dr. Sanders farmed and practiced medicine. They were the parents of seven children of which father, Thomas Newton Sanders was the youngest. When he was 12 years old his mother died and two years afterward Dr. Sanders was married to Mrs. Virginia Hickman who had lived somewhere in Ohio. She was the widow of Wesley Hickman, a pilot on a steamboat on the Ohio River, who contracted dropsy and died at 36, leaving his widow and four children, of whom mother [Julia] was the oldest. {Her obituary states she was born in Hamilton County, Ohio.} At age six she moved to Shelby County, IN with her parents. In 1853 they moved to Edgar County, IL.] She was 6 when her father died and 8 when her mother married Dr. Sanders. Wesley Hickman was of Dutch (Holland) descent. His wife was Virginia Whitley of English descent. {Her death certificate gives her maiden name as Bateman.} She was a tailoress before she was married at 24.

Father and mother grew up together, and when she was nearly 16, April 1854, she and father were married. Father was 22. They moved to Peru, Illinois, where brother Benjamin Franklin was born, February 10, 1855 and in 1856 they joined a covered wagon caravan and moved to Nebraska, where father went into the fruit business. In fact, sold the first apple trees sold in Nebraska. He took a preemption claim five miles west and one mile south of Brownville and lived in that vicinity where William Wesley Sanders was born in a ‘Dugout’ house on September 20, 1857. George Emory Newton was born in a log house February 13, 1860. Albert Arthur was born three miles west of what is now Auburn, February 11, 1863 in a cottonwood board house. Edward Ernest was born in a board house in North Brownville on September 11, 1867. John Gilbert Skeen Sanders was born in the same house November 28, 1871. Clytie Diadema Sanders was born on a farm northwest of Brownville on November 11, 1875. Carl Enger Sanders was born in a good two-story house in North Brownville on November 19, 1878.

George E. N. Sanders learned the harness trade in 1879 and went to Nemaha City the fall of 1881. On October 8, 1882, he was married to Annie Bertha Crother, daughter of John Philip and Maria Hodkin Crother and to them were born five children: George Edwin, John Paddock, Bertha Grace, Benjamin Harry and Albert Merle. Mrs. Sanders was hurt by a runaway team and died December 15, 1895, leaving her husband and the five small children. The grandmothers of the children helped take care of the children for 18 month and after that G.E.N. took care of them until February 26, 1902 when he was married to Dora Louisa May Rains. Dora as they all called her, was born in Missouri but came to Nebraska with her parents when she was 1-1/2 years old. Her father, Francis Marion Rains was born in Kentucky and her mother Eliza Roberts was born in Missouri. Dora L. M. Sanders has six sisters, one half brother and one half sister.

There were born to G.E.N. and Dora L.M Sanders two children, Francis Thomas born April 15, 1902 and Dorothy Louise, June 12, 1915. The children are each married and have two girls each at the time this was written, January 13, 1937. George E.N. Sanders always attended Sunday School and joined the Christian Church and was baptized in the Nemaha River near Nemaha City in June 1892 by David Yousty. They moved to a farm near Brownville March 1, 1894, and he was elected Superintendent of the rural Sunday school and served six years. In 1906 he was elected Superintendent of the Christian Sunday school at Brownville and served 16 years. In 1923 he moved to Peru and has been Superintendent or Superintendent Emeritus ever since. In September 1936, he asked to be relieved of the office of Superintendent, but still attends Sunday school and Church. He is Church Elder and trustee yet has only missed Sunday School two Sundays in the last four years, and that on account of two feet of snow in the road, in February 1936.

G.E.N. is a member of the Nebraska Territorial Assn. Class A, State Historical Society, Life Member of the Nebraskana Society, Member of the Brownville Fruit Growers Assn. and a Charter Member of the Old Settler Assn. Of Nemaha City, Nebraska. Has attended every annual picnic at Nemaha City since 1881 and every Old Settlers picnic since this society was organized in 1891. Also has taken their daughter Dorothy Louise Vandevort-nee Sanders-every year since her birth, June 12, 1915, and her two daughters since their birth.

Thomas Newton Sanders, father of G.E.N. was very active in the building up of the State of Nebraska. He sold the first fruit trees, helped set out the first hedge one mile north of Nemaha city, taught the first class of vocal music in Nebraska in the log school house in Fairview District the winter of 1856-7. He was very earnest working in the Methodist Church and Sunday school. He always said "Come" to his children. He died of pneumonia in December 1885. His wife and our mother died at Nemaha City, 1907.

G.E.N. Sanders’ children are all living when this was written, except Berth Grace, who was married March 1909 to Everett Sperry, who passed away in January 1917 leaving his wife and two children. Grace died July 1, 1928 at Plattsmouth, Nebraska and was buried at Hamburg, Iowa, July 3, by the side of her husband, Everett Sperry. Her daughter Marie was married to Roland Kreps and has two girls. Her son, Gerald Sperry is married and has one boy and one girl. He lives in Los Angeles, California. Marie Kreps lives in Florence, Nebraska

[This is typed exactly as the original. hand writing I believe to be  Dora’s:}

G.E.N. Sanders was a member of the Nemaha County Home Guard. Was enrolled Sept 1^st, 1917 and was Honorably discharged January 18, 1923. Also a life Member of the Red Cross, Brownville, chapter.

He also contributed articles titled "I Remember When" to the Nemaha County News, a weekly paper in Auburn, Nebraska, which is still to this day published by a Sanders.

Dora L. Rains Sanders died 15 November 1954 in Yakima, Washington and is buried at Terrace Heights Memorial Park in Yakima. Her son Frank is buried nearby as are two of his children, Thomas, who died in 1970 and Felice Sanders Ice who died in August of 1988. His wife, Marjorie Vandevort Sanders {who was a sister of my father, Milton C. "Mitz" Vandevort} died in 1992 and is buried next to her husband. Of their four children, Patricia, the eldest and Gary the youngest still survive.

Dorothy L. Sanders {the sister of Frank Sanders} married Milton C. "Mitz" Vandevort in November 1932. They had three daughters and one son: myself, Beverly June, Bette Jeanne, Myrna Francis and Charles Milton Vandevort.

Bette married Richard Allen Wilson in 1952. They had two daughters, Charisse Ann and Vickie Lynne. Bette and Rich were later divorced. Vickie married William Paul Westberg in 1978 and had two daughters, Ami Andrea and Courtney Noel.

Beverly marred Jesse L. Todd and has three daughters and one son. Myrna married and had one daughter and one son. Charles ‘Chuck’ M. married and had one son and adopted his wife’s two sons by a previous marriage.

My father, Milton C. ‘Mitz’ Vandevort died in July of 1988 and is buried near his father, Wm. Edgar Vandevort and a sister and her husband, Ethel and Raymond Burwell, at Sumner Cemetery in Sumner, WA. Merle Vandevort, the eldest son of Wm. Edgar died in July of 1989 and is buried with my father, Milton C. several other family members are also buried at the cemetery, a son of Ethel & Ray, a grandson and a great grandson.

Beverly J. Vandevort Todd, granddaughter of G.E.N. & Dora L. M. Rains Sanders. Dated  January, 1995

Family Scrapbook

1906
G. E. Sanders, John P. Sanders, and Miss Grace Sanders, who have been spending the holidays with their father, G. E. N. Sanders of London precinct, left Thursday morning--G. E. Sanders for Harrisburg, Nebr., where he is teaching, John P. Sanders for Garretson, S. Dak., where he is assisting in the News office, and Miss Grace for Brewster, Nebr., near where she is teaching.
Ref: Auburn Hearld, 1906

1907
Mother is Dead
Mrs. Julia M. [Hickman] Sanders, wife of the editor of The Granger died at her home in [?] at 2:30 p. m. Wednesday, Dec 18, 1907, aged 69 years, 6 months and 19 days. Mother is dead. The kind, loving mother, who has watched over us from infancy, who was always tireless in caring for us in sickness, who rejoiced in all of our happiness, and morned with us in all our affliction--who always was ready to respond to the call for help, not only for her children but from any one else--the unselfish helpful mother has left us.

Mother had been in poor health for about 8 months, suffering from cancer or tuberculosis of the liver--the physicians are undecided which. For over two months she was bedfast. She was always patient, thoughtful of the welfare of others, and at all times thankful for all that was done for her.

Julia M. Hickman was born in Hamilton county, Ohio, May 29, 1838. When six years old she removed with her parents to Shelby County, Ohio. In 1853 she moved to Edgar County, Illinois. In April, 1854, she was united in marriage to Thomas N. Sanders, being then not quite sixteen years old. In 1856 they moved to Nebraska, crossing the river at Brownville, and she has made her home in this state ever since. Dec. 28, 1885, her husband died. Since then she has made her home with her sons, going wherever she was needed worse. For the past four years she has lived with the editor of this paper, looking after his comfort and welfare at all times. Mother has been a member of the Methodist church for over fifty years. Her home was always open to the Methodist ministers, and not only to them bit to the ministers of any other church, and to any one who needed help or care. She held many official positions in the church, and for years was a teacher in the Sunday school. She was a member of the Nemaha Chapter No. 76, Order of Eastern Star, and for almost four years had been treasurer of that lodge.

The funeral services, condut- ...ers were ....

1909
UNITED IN MARRIAGE
Miss Grace Sanders is Led to the altar by a Prosperous Young Iowa Farmer---W ... Near Hamburg

At the home of G. E. N. Sanders, Grace Sanders was united in marriage to Evertt Sperry.

The event took place at high noon with the cermony being preformed by the Rev. J. W. Sapp of Nemaha, in the presence of the immediate relatives and a very small party of friends.

The bride was born in this county ...mes of one of its best families. ... an accomplished young woman and previous to her marriage taught school in the vicinity of Nemaha. She was popular with all who know her because of her charms of manner and person.

The groom is a prosperous young farmer and a young man of the very finest character who stands high in the estimation of all who know him.

After the cermony the young couple embarked on the train and went to Hamburg, Iowa near which place the groom has a fine farm and where they will make their future home. Mr and Mrs. Sperry have the sincere congratulations of a host of friends who wish for them all happiness and prosperty through life.

1916

1917
[E. B. Sperry dies, ?Brownville, NE?] [Jan 1917]
This afternoon shortly after the noon hour, E. B. Sperry, who for the past three years served as cashier at the Burlington passenger station in this city, passed away after an illness of some two months. Mr. Sperry had been confined to his home for this period of time, but before his sickness caused him to abandon his duties he remained at his work and incurred the exposure which brought on the fatal illness. He had been suffering from pnewmonia fever, which gradually grew worse until it was clear to the family and friends that the end was not far off and that the life of the loved one hung in the balance. The deceased came to this city three years ago from Hamburg, Ia., and during his residence here had won many friends by his quiet and gentlemanly manner of dealing with his fellow men, being always pleasant to those he met and pursuing his way with due regard for the rights of others. Mr. Sperry leaves to morn his death the widow and two small children, as well as his parents, who reside at Hamburg. He was 28 years of age at the time of his death [1917-28=1889]. The arrangements for the funeral have not as yet been completed but it is thought that the body wil be taken back to the old home at Hamburg for burial.

1923
Enjoy Family Reunion
One of the happy occasions in the life of the Tribune family was the reunion of the editor and his four brothers, which took plast last Thursday and Friday at Aberdeen. E. E. Sanders of the Picher, Ok. Leader and G. E. N. Sanders, farmer and fruit man of Brownville, Nebr., has come to Garretson the first of the week and with eldest brother, W. W. Sanders of the Garretson News, spend the Fourth here. The next morning the four brothers started in cars for Aberdeen, the home of J. G. Sanders, editor of the Aberdeen Journal, but the bad roads compelled them to stop at Huron and go the rest of the way by train. The five spent Thursday night and most of Friday together and then the four returned to Huron and Dell Rapids. They were accompanied to Aberdeen by Mrs. C. E. Sanders and Dean, and as far as Huron by Mrs. G. E. N. Sanders and daughter Dorothy, the latter two remaining at Huron with the son of G. E. N. Sanders, Harry in the drug business there.

At Aberdeen the brothers had their pictures taken together. At the previous family reunion, some thirty-three years ago, there were six brothers living and they had a group picture taken and decide to repeat it. There was considerable change in the looks of the crowd in a third of a century. There were originally seven brothers in the family and of the seven, six were newspaper men at one time or another. G. E. N. Sanders learned the business and ran a paper for a time, but was bright enough to quit and go into farming. As a consequence he is able to buy most of us out, but has missed a lot of fun. The others will all die running newspapers as did the eldest brother, Ben.
Ref: Dell Rapids [South Dakota] Tribune, Editor, C. E. Sanders. 1923.

1928
NATIVE OF NEMAHA COUNTY IS CALLED
Mrs. Joseph McCarthy Passes Away in Omaha

Deceased Came From one of the Oldest ad Best Known Families of the County and Leaves Many to Mourn Her Passing Into Beyond.

Mrs. Joseph McCarthy who died at the Methodist hospital in Omaha July 1, 1928 was a native of Nemaha county and came from one of the oldest and best known families of this community. The news of her death came as a profound shock to her friends and drew forth many expressions, not only of personal sorrow, but of sympathy for the surviving members of the family.

Bertha Grace Sanders, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. N. Sanders was born in Nemaha City October 7, 1889. She grew to young womanhood at that place and was married to Everett Sperry in March 1909. Her husband passed away in January 1927 [sic 1917], leaving her with two small children and whe went to Plattsmouth, Nebraska where she became employed as a bookkeeper in Burlington offices. She held that position until in April, 1927 when she was married to Joseph McCarthy.

She was taken to the hospital in Omaha for treatment June 27, and her condition was such that all skill and efforts on her behalf were without avail and she passed away July 1. The deceased united with the Christian church in Brownville, January 2, 1909 and remained a faithful Christian during the remainder of her life. She was in every way an excellent woman possessing the fine traits of character that beautify true womanhood. She will long be held in kindly memory by those who knew and loved her. She is survived by her husband, Joseph McCarthy and her two children, Marie and Gerald Sperry, her parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. E. N. Sanders, five brothers, G. E. Sanders and A. M. Sanders of Auburn, John P. Sanders of Garretson, S.D., Harry Sanders of ??, Francis Sanders ....
Ref: Probably Brownville or Auburn newspaper

1930
A Family Gathering
Mr. and Mrs. G. E. N. Sanders and Miss Dorothy of Peru, Nebr., parents and sister of John P. Sanders, arrived in Garretson Wednesday evening for a short visit. This is their first visit here for seven years, and it is being very much enjoyed by The News folks. Their stay will be short, however, as they will leave again on Friday.

On account of their short stay here others of the Sanders family in South Dakota expected to be in Garretson this afternoon to visit with them. This will include W. W. Sanders of the Dell Rapids Tribune, and Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Sanders and Dean of the Brookings Register. They are brothers of G. E. N. Sanders, Harry B. Sanders and his family of Huron will also be here. Harry being a son of G. E. N. Sanders. Quite a lively gathering will be held this afternoon.
Ref: The Garretson [SD] News, 1930.

1930
Visited the Old Home
Mr. and Mrs. Harry Sanders and two sons, from Huron, S. D. visited at the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. G. E. N. Sanders at Peru the latter part of the week. On Thursday they came to Auburn to call on relatives and friends here before returning to their home. Mr. Sanders is now part owner of the largest drug store in Huron. It was their first visto to the old home in five years.
Ref: Auburn Hearld, 1930.

1931
Christmas Reunion
A family gathering and reunion occurred at the home of Mr. and Mrs. G. E. N. Sanders Christmas Day. There were present A. M. Sanders, wife and four children from Auburn; Frank Sanders, wife and Patty Ann from Omaha, Roland Kreps, wife and Ethelyn Grace, from Florence, who partook of the Christmas dinner, and in the afternoon Mrs. Rose Pumel and son Glen Pumel, wife and two children of Auburn were there. On Sunday afternoon another son, G. E. Sanders and wife of Auburn were there. Mrs. Kreps is a granddaughter of G. E. N. Sanders and Etheldn Grace is a great grand daughter, making four generations present on Christmas Day. Mr. Sanders celebrated by picking a pear from a tree in his yard and says there are two more waiting to be picked on New Year's Day.
Ref: ?Peru Pointer?, 1931.

1935
Song By GEN Sanders and son (?) at Brownville, NE 1935, from Sanders Scrapbook (pg 13)

Hot & dry the summer days
Seem like ages passing by
Piping (?) out their heated rays
While the creeks have all gone dry
But the snow will come again
Mighty drifts will soon be here
Soon the heat will be driven away
By the blizzards which we fear.

Chorus
Hot and dry the summer days
Seem like ages passing by
But the snow will come again
Then for heat we all will cry

2nd verse
Thus our lives like all the year
Have their changes, joy and pain,
Frosts of time, and storms of fear,
Streams of mirth like showers of rain.
Losing sight of fairer skies,
As the clouds may intervene
While as if for glad surprise,
Come the joys that told (?hold) between

Notes: (in the right margin is written: 1st verse & chorus combined.) (A line goes from the last line of the first verse up to the very first line of the first verse.) (at the bottom right margin is written: chorus with a line going up to rain at the end of the 4th line, 2nd verse)

Revised: 05/15/2002

Copyright © 2002 Bev Todd, All rights reserved.
Web page by Emmett Mason

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