This was initially a private e-mail to Angela Kneller but I figured I might
get things rolling by sending it to the list directly.
Hi Angela,
My name is Norm Steffen and I live in Dowell, Maryland. I was doing a bit
of link following during my genealogy wanderings trying to find out which
county was home to Columbia City when I ran across your page
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~stubby/photos01.html
<
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~stubby/photos01.html> and the note
attributed to S.P. Kaler.
Tis my guess that my maternal grandmother (Mary Emily Kaler) was 1st cousin
once removed to Samuel P and that "History of Whitley County, Indiana" might
not the only published work of ol Sam. I have transcribed an 1887
manuscript by Samuel P. Kaler with the handwritten preface as follows:
Some years ago, about the year 1875. When my father's family moved from the
Ohio to Indiana I conceive the idea of snatching from rapidly approaching
oblivion, something to perpetuate the history of my ancestry. How well I
have succeeded the following pages will disclose. How hard I have labored,
almost constantly for 12 years no one but myself will ever know. But one
person has ever appreciated my labors and to him this volume is dedicated.
I have the original manuscript and I have no intention of ever doing more
with it than to add to it the occurring events and leave it, crude as it is,
to my children. I deem it is not uncharitable to say that relatives
generally have sought to throw obstacles in my way rather than to assist me.
Unknown as the story all appears it must be accepted as truth. I must thank
my beloved brother, Dr. Kaler of Joliet Illinois for kind assistants though
he had as head no heart and the work.. The league. My only apology is that
this volume has been transcribed from my original manuscript, by one who has
made many mistakes in the copy, principally in punctuation, caused mainly by
changes that I verbally ordered as the work proceeded.
/s/Samuel P. Kaler
Columbia City, Indiana.
December 26, 1887.
I would be more than happy to share while I start looking around in Indiana
if there is any interest
.especially other Kalers.
Thanks,
Norm Steffen