THE FAMILY - Thomas Malody

I decided that I should be telling the family about “The Family”.  Every few weeks I would like to share what I am learning about the Malody’s, Stahlman’s, Hatfield’s etc.  Some have big stories to relate and some do not – yet!

Thought I would begin on the paternal side of the beginning – Thomas Malody.  Thomas Malody is thought to be the first Malody in America from Ireland that we know of so far. I am going on the premise that the name is indeed spelled M-A-L-O-D-Y until finding out different.  There have been rumors to the contrary but no evidence thus far.

Great Aunt Dorothy and her daughter Dorothy Marie were told the story that Thomas came here with his older sister Maria/Mariah.  They were sent here to live with family or friends, because of the great potato famine in Ireland and people were starving.  Dorothy remembers the name LaKyle.  She thinks they may have come to live with them.  In the immigration records I have found four Thomas Malody/Melody.  The time lines that could be him vary up to 5 years but there is no Maria/Mariah with him and he is with no families.  So, further research is necessary here.

The first positive link to Thomas comes with his marriage to Louisa.  Thomas Malody and Louisa Otto were married in Leavenworth, Kansas on 8 April 1875.   The marriage certificate has his name as M-a-l-o-d-y. 

I did find a Thomas Melody, age 20 from Ireland, on an 1860 Leavenworth, Kansas census, who was a teamster on a list of names on a train to Fort Union.  Fort Union was a frontier fort near Santa Fe, New Mexico.  So he could have been going there to drive wagons with building materials etc.  It is rumored that the family name was Melody and later changed to Malody because Louisa didn’t like Melody.  (But Malody is on the marriage certificate)  If this is him, he was really 16 but probably had to lie about his age to get a job.  That’s not unusual, people lie on censuses all the time.

Thomas was born about 1844 somewhere in Ireland and Louisa was born about 1859 in Kansas (her family was from Germany).  They had six children; John, Thomas, James, Albert, Mary Mae/Maria and Louis between 1875 and 1888.  Thomas and his family lived in Leavenworth, Kansas all their lives.  Thomas profession was that of a teamster or ‘Hackman’.  Nothing indicates a formal education of any kind but driving teams of horses does take a talent and experience I am sure. (Example below)

I have just found his name in some newly released military documents.  There was a civil war going on in 1860’s so I am not surprised to find mention of him.  It will take a few weeks to wade through the material but now I have pieces of a trail that I will pick up and follow as far as I can.

Sons Thomas and John both died young, they drowned in the Missouri River thought to be foul play.  James married and had one child, a girl.  Albert married and had two boys and a girl – the girl was Dorothy and one of the boys was Charles William Malody (granddad).   Louis married and had one girl.

To my knowledge the only living Malodys from Thomas that are still alive is our family; Chuck, Mike, Jim, Aiden, Michael and Brannon.

Thomas’s sister Maria/Mariah was said to have married a man named Stanton who was in construction.   The only one I can find so far that seems to fit the bill was a Michael Stanton in construction who married a Maria Melody from Ireland.  They were married in 1859 in Wisconsin and moved to Leavenworth Kansas.  So this seems to fit together yet I am still seeking proof.   Michael was the first Kansan to make vitrified brick.  They were Roman Catholic by religion and Republican by politics.  So there are a number of factors that ring true but yet to be proven.

I have no obit or photo from which to glean more information but I am not done.  I am still scouring newspapers, city and state histories, obituaries, city directories, land and wills and many more places that may hold the facts I need to bring this family to life a little more.  I have decided to concentrate on Thomas for the moment before moving on to the ‘new’ George Stahlman.

Ta-ta for now - have a good week end!

Be Right Back!

We have been running so hard between the mission and two trips back to the Tri-Cities that it looks like I've made myself sick after only one month.  I will rest up and be right back with some great information about DNA and an update on George Stahlman 3rd. 

Need Prayers

We all need to keep Elizabeth in our prayers.  We received a phone call from Brian last Monday the 16th saying that Liz had been in a car accident.  She was T-boned by a car speeding to enter the road while she was waiting to make a left hand turn.  She was slammed all the way across the street and into the curb.

She is home but hurt pretty bad and will takes months to heal.  She had a concussion, bad strains and tears in back and neck area as well has hip and knee messed up bad.  She was taken immediately to the hospital and told she has a long road to recovery.  Brian has to dress her and help her get up, she's in a lot of pain and will see doctors 2-3 times a week to figure out the best course of action to help her injuries.  Her nerves in her back have been damaged but don't know to what extent yet. Wednesday we will take her to two injury doctors (don't know more) to help assess her.  Brian did get an attorney to make sure all her medical etc will be covered and so far there is no hassle there.   The kids get out of school this week so they will be able to help then.

If you have a minute to write or call he would appreciate it.  I will email you his address and phone number.

Doctor's Can't Communicate

Once again I have discovered that dealing with doctor's is getting worse and worse.  The only thing I really had to worry about was getting my Remicade for my Crohn's.  I picked up a referral name and tried to make an appointment only to be told that certain paperwork had to be in their hands before appointments could be made.  My Richland doctor, Dr. Sitti, kept sending information to Dr. Maxwell but apparently not enough.

So I called home and made an appointment for the next week with Dr. Sitti to get my treatment and keep on schedule.  So Tuesday the 17th after work we headed back to Tri-Cities and stayed overnight in Ontario Oregon.  That left only about a 3 hour drive into the Tri-Cities to make my appointment at 12:45.  But we got a lot done.  While I was home I picked up all the paperwork the doctor in SLC would need and will find a new doctor and hand carry it to him.  All I need him to do is OK me to schedule to get my treatments.

We went to the chiropractor, put up the blind for the new back door we had ordered for the house, visited the hair dresser, picked up prescriptions, got my Remicade treatment, saw Jason, Kristin and Zander and loaded the car with kitchen stuff to bring back.  We stayed in a motel and headed back Thursday morning, got in about 7:00pm.  It was a long and fast 3 days. 

This Thursday the 18th we move once again into our final apartment for the rest of our mission.  We have been in a temporary one until it was emptied and cleaned.  It has been real hectic these past 3 weeks and next week we will need to go home and get furniture for the unfurnished apartment.   Then finally we can settle down and get into a working and research rythm.  Looking forward to that.  

We have met new friends and had time to reacquaint ourselves with old ones.  We love the feelings we have whenever we are here.  It is a very spiritual and peaceful place.  The future looks bright! 

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Under Way

This month we began a new journey in Salt Lake City Utah as Church Service Missionaries for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  (CSM's serve part-time)

We had so enjoyed our last two missions that we couldn't wait to return to the field.

After one week of training on the Family Search Program we were assigned to help teach in the Training Zone.  The training will help all those Missionaries who serve in the Family History Library to help patrons who come to seek out their ancestors.  So instead of working 3 days a week, we will work two weeks then off two weeks.

During our first week in training I discovered a NEW FAMILY LINE. Boy, was I excited when I realized what I had found!!!  George Stahlman came here from Germany in 1879 and settled in Leavenworth, Kansas.  Among his children was George Jr.  We knew that he was married in 1930 to Viola Evans and lived in California supporting himself as a well known attorney.  There was a rumor that he left Leavenworth with Imogene Starnes but I was never able to confirm that.  George Jr. had a son whom he named George (surpise!).  I found George III marriage record listing George and Imogene as his parents!!!!  (I call him George III to keep them separate, he is not showing up as the 3rd)

It seems they had 2 daughters, Georgene and June, before George III arrived.  In the late 1920's George and Imogene separated - I found Imogene living with her sister in Missouri in 1930 with her two girls Georgene and June.  No sign of George III.???  I know that Imogene remarried because I found her listed with Robert L. Beachum in New Mexico.  I am continuing the search for more information about all the children.  Don't know any more right now but I will because the search has now begun.....