Blog posts

After my last post, I checked the statistics on the number of posts over the years. I created a chart in Google Docs. Seems like I need to pick up the pace!

Happy New Year!

I'd like to wish all my [extended] family members a Happy New Year!

It's been awhile

I know it's been quite awhile since I last posted. Without offering excuses, I spent the summer packing and moving into our new house in Elgin. Then, about a week after we moved in, Mozart, my beloved little dog, was killed by a coyote! That cast a pall over the move. Last week we received word that my dad's brother, Lowell Cornelius, died after battling cancer. My mother, sister and I attended the funeral and it gave us a chance to catch up with our cousins and their families. I was pleasantly surprised to hear that several cousins have accessed this site. That gives me the motivation to get out of my funk and start updating this site...which I promise to do!

Young Arlene

A photo of my mother, Arlene Kostal Cornelius, as a young girl. This photo was found behind another photo of my great grandmother.

< Hosted on Flickr

Coming soon to a brochure near you

I was recently contacted by an advertising agency about using this photograph in an advertising brochure. The client is a bank located in York, Nebraska and the purpose is to show how long the bank has been in business. We think this photo of Fred Astaire was taken in 1904 or 1905. More detailed information about this photo is here. Hosted on Flickr

Lou and Josie Helebrant

Photo of my great uncle, Lou Helebrant, with his wife, Josephine Novy Helebrant. Lou was the half-brother of my maternal grandfather, Edward Kostal. Lou and Josie farmed in the Ravenna, Nebraska area for many years. Josie passed away in 1942 and Lou passed away in 1971. I met him on one occasion. Lou is the great grandfather of my half-second cousin (once removed), Sarah Johnson, whom I met through this humble weblog.

Maria Rogers

Photo of my great grandmother Maria Rogers. I have not seen any studio photos of her before. The only photos I've seen were snapshots similar to this one that I posted in March 2005.

Kostal - Helebrant family

Recently-discovered photo of my great grandfather James Kostal and my great grandmother Josephine Helebrant Kostal with Josephine's four children and James' first child with Josephine, Agnes (sitting on his lap). James and Josephine had four children together, including my grandfather Edward Kostal who was born after Agnes. You can compare and contrast the above photo with this later photo of the family. 

"The Dry Creek Base Ball Team of 1910"

Photo I found of my grandfather's baseball team that played in and around the Ravenna, Nebraska area in 1910. My grandfather is standing second from the right.

The date of the photo (1910) is two years after the Chicago Cubs won their most recent World Series...in 1908!

Video from Ravenna, Nebraska - Smaha graves

My mother, Arlene Kostal Cornelius, explaining the significance of the Smaha graves in the Ravenna cemetery.