Monthly Archives: June 2025
The CSS Alabama was a Confederate warship, built in an English shipyard and sold to the Confederates in 1861, the Alabama was a state-of-the-art ship. It was 220 feet long, with a speed of up to 13 knots. During the Civil War in the United States, CSS Alabama was used as a commerce raider. The cruiser was equipped with a machine shop and could carry enough coal to steam for 18 days, but its sails could greatly extend that time. Under its captain, Raphael Semmes, CSS Alabama prowled the world for three years, capturing United States commercial ships. It sailed around the globe, usually working out of the West Indies, but taking prizes and bungling Union shipping in the Caribbean, off Newfoundland, and around the coast of South America. In January 1863, CSS Alabama sunk a Union warship, USS Hatteras, after drawing it out of Galveston, Texas. The Union navy spent an enormous amount of time and effort trying to track down CSS Alabama.
The ship was designed to disrupt Union merchant shipping, and over its two-year career, CSS Alabama captured or destroyed more than 60 Union vessels, making it one of the most successful of the Confederate ships. Nevertheless, as history has proven, no ship is unsinkable. For CSS Alabama, the end came in 1864 when it was sunk by the USS Kearsarge off the coast of Cherbourg, France, in a dramatic naval battle. The wreck of CSS Alabama was not discovered until 1984. It remains a significant historical artifact to this day.
The demise of CSS Alabama came in a rather unusual way. The ship had sailed around South America, across the Pacific, and then docked in India in 1864. By the summer, Captain Semmes knew that after three years and 75,000 miles his vessel needed overhauling in a modern shipyard. So, he sailed around Africa to France, to request dry dock repairs. The French denied him access to a dry dock. With no other option, Semmes moved 
the ship out of Cherbourg Harbor and immediately found the USS Kearsarge waiting. I’m sure he knew that his fate was sealed at that point. His ship was not in good shape, and he was unprepared for the upcoming fight. In a spectacular battle, the USS Kearsarge bested and sank CSS Alabama. During its career, it is said that CSS Alabama captured 66 ships and was hunted by more than 20 Federal warships.
In the early years of the California gold rush, cholera invariably struck each spring at the thronging jumping-off towns along the Missouri River where thousands of gold seekers and Oregon-bound emigrants gathered to outfit. Jumping-off towns were the towns along the border of American frontier settlement where emigrants completed their outfitting for the journey across the Plains during the 1840s and 1850s. Cholera is “a severe diarrheal disease caused by bacteria (Vibrio cholerae). It spreads through contaminated water and can be fatal within hours if not treated. Researchers estimate that there are 1.3 to 4.0 million cases and 21,000 to 143,000 deaths from cholera worldwide each year.” On the Westward trails, the deadly disease often claimed many settlers’ lives before the victims even had a chance to start across the prairies of Kansas or Nebraska. Many lives were lost along the trail corridor to Fort Laramie, Wyoming, as well as in American Indian encampments and villages.
Cholera, being an intestinal bacterial infection, causes severe diarrhea and kills its victims through dehydration. The bacteria spreads through water and food contaminated by human waste. These days, cholera is treated by rehydrating the patient with salty solutions, making it much less deadly, but in the Old West, the cause, means of transmission, and treatment of the disease were unknown. The Westward travelers actually spread the infection among the already unsanitary outfitting towns and carried it west from campground to campground and waterhole to waterhole. The emigrants tried using pain medications such as camphor; the oil of the Asian camphor tree; and laudanum, a bitter-tasting, addictive tincture made from opium. Nevertheless, the victims often died within a matter of hours…healthy in the morning and dead by noon. It was a devastating situation. “For four hundred miles the road was almost a solid graveyard. At one campground I counted seventy-one graves,” recalled George Tribble, who traveled to Oregon in 1852. Of ten Tribble family members who started west, only five reached Oregon.
Of the many trailside cholera grave, most remain unmarked. One exception is that of twenty-five-year-old George Winslow, who died on June 8, 1849, near present-day Fairbury, Nebraska. The symptoms of cholera struck poor Winslow as his party crossed Kansas, not long after jumping off onto the trail. The party Winslow was with kept moving, carrying him in a wagon for the next six days. As they went, Winslow seemed to improve, but when a violent thunderstorm struck, bringing rain and cooler temperatures, Winslow took a chill. For another week he hung on, but then, as a companion, Bracket Lord, sadly wrote, “George is dead— —his body lays here in the tent but his spirit has fled — Our company feel deeply this solemn providence. I never attended so solemn funeral — here we were on these plains hundreds of miles from any civilized being — and to leave one of our number was most trying.” I’m sure that expressed the feeling of anyone who had to leave friend or loved ones behind in the grave.
Winslow was on the trail without his family, who was to join him later. His friends buried him deep on a grassy hillside, marked his grave with an inscribed sandstone slab. Then they sent word back to his wife and family in Connecticut. The Winslow family didn’t relocate to the west, but many years later Winslow’s sons relocated the gravesite and erected a beautiful monument beside the trail ruts. Owners of the family farm where the grave lies have protected it and the ruts since 1873.
Another sad cholera story is the one about Rachel Pattison. “Rachel taken sick in the morning, died in the night,” said twenty-three-year-old Nathan Pattison in reference to the death of his wife of two months, Rachel Warren Pattison. Nathan and Rachel were married April 3, 1849, in Randolph County, Illinois. The adventurous 
newlyweds decided to take the Oregon Trail one week later, and they set off with Nathan’s immediate family. On June 18th, they reached Ash Hollow and stopped to do some repair work. The next day, Rachel was taken with Cholera and died just 12 hours later. She was just 18 years old. Her trailside grave was the beginning of this pioneer cemetery known as Ash Hollow Cemetery. Cholera made traveling the trails dangerous.
While we use items in our everyday lives, that would be impossible were it not for the person who invented these things, we seldom give much thought to the inventive mind that thought up the items in the first place. Before we could use the cell phone, the computer, the television, the camera, the airplane, the automobile, or the train, someone had to invent these items and make them not only work but make them accessible to the general public. Of course, these items are just a “drop in the bucket” when it comes to the many inventions there have been over the years of our world’s existence. There have been so many inventions that no one could possibly count or name them. In addition, whether you believe in God or not, it is my opinion that none of these inventions would be possible were it not for God speaking to these inventors. Seriously, have you ever “tried” to come up with an invention? Most of us would be clueless when it comes to inventing something totally new, and that is because these ideas come from God first…like it or not. Just try to think of something that would be useful, and also not done already. Right!! You probably drew a blank. So did I. 
Nevertheless, there were great minds, great because they got their ideas from God, believe it or not, that put these ideas into practical use, and have gone on to make the world a much better place. Without things like planes, trains, and automobiles, we would be severely limited in how far we could travel. Communication and technology would be severely limited if we didn’t have telephones, computers, and even cameras…not to mention the limitations concerning safety. These are just a few inventions, and they are the more modern type. There were also things like the cotton gin, the printing press, microwave ovens, sewing machine, various drugs, and so much more. The minds of those we call inventors have improved life in our world so much, and we do 
owe them a debt of gratitude for their hard work and for their imaginations.
People like Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Marie Curie, Orville and Wilber Wright, Eli Whitney, George Eastman, Louis Braille, Isaac Singer, Karl Benz, Henry Ford, and so many more, have contributed to the betterment of the world as we know it. That is a given, but what puzzles me is how these minds work. How do they think up these inventions. And most of these people go on to invent multiple things. If it was one invention, we could call it a fluke, but when they invent multiple things, we have to believe that we are dealing with a unique kind of mind…a very imaginative kind of mind. The mind of an inventor.
While rides at the fair have become increasingly complicated and intense, they actually started out rather simple. Rides have been around for a long time, even before June 16, 1884, when the first roller coaster in America opened at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, New York. The first roller coaster in history originated in Russia in the 15th century as a form of ice sledding. The first rollercoaster in America was known as a switchback railway, and it was the brainchild of LaMarcus Thompson. It traveled approximately six miles per hour and cost just a nickel to ride. The new entertainment was an instant success and by the turn of the century there were hundreds of roller coasters around the country.
While no one is certain, it is believed that Coney Island was named for the Dutch Konijn Eilandt, or Rabbit Island. Coney Island is a tract of land along the Atlantic Ocean discovered by explorer Henry Hudson in 1609. It was immediately a popular place, with the first hotel being established in 1829. By the post-Civil War years, Coney Island was an established resort area with theaters, restaurants and a racetrack. Then, between 1897 and 1904, something new got started. Three amusement parks sprang up at Coney Island…Dreamland, Luna Park, and Steeplechase. Coney Island was accessible by subway by the 1920s, and summer crowds of a million 
people a day flocked there for rides, games, sideshows, the beach, and the two-and-a-half-mile boardwalk, completed in 1923.
It is thought that Charles Feltman invented the hot dog at Coney Island in 1867. A nickel hot dog stand called Nathan’s was opened in 1916, by a former Feltman employee and went on to become a Coney Island institution and international franchise. Today, Nathan’s is famous not only for its hot dogs, but also for its hot dog-eating contest, which is held each Fourth of July at Coney Island.
Like most things, the Great Depression hit the amusement parks hard. Roller coasters and amusement parks experienced a decline during the Great Depression and World War II, mostly because Americans had less cash to spend on entertainment. The saving grace came in 1955, with the opening of Disneyland in Anaheim, California. That signaled the advent of the modern theme park and a rebirth of the roller coaster. They became bigger and scarier. No longer was it a ride for everyone. Now, it was not recommended for those with a weak stomach. Nevertheless, Disneyland’s success sparked a wave of new parks and roller coasters. In the 1970s, parks were competing to create the most thrilling rides…leaving the simple rides at Coney Island in
By the mid-1960s, the major amusement parks at Coney Island had closed down and the area took on a seedy image, but in recent years it’s been revitalized, and had become a popular tourist attraction again. Coney Island is still home to the Cyclone, an old wooden roller coaster that made its debut in 1927. That one was capable of speeds of 60 mph and with an 85-foot drop, the Cyclone is one of the country’s oldest operational coasters today.
My Grandnephew, James Renville is a multi-talented guy. When he and his dad, James Renville’s team finished 1st in the 10 Ball pool league, the won a trip to Las Vegas USAPL National Championship. The trip was all expense paid, and the guys had a great time. It isn’t often that James and his dad get to take a trip together, and that made this even more special. Playing pool on a team together has really been great for James and Jim. James also took a trip with his dad to Florida to watch the world nationals, called the Mosconi Cup. It was a 9-ball pool tournament. It was a big surprise Christmas present to his dad. James flew both of them out to Orlando Florida to watch it. He accidentally got tickets on the European side of the tournament though, so that was a pretty funny little side note. I can just see it now…cheering for what appears to be the opposite team, at least when it comes to the side you are sitting with. Nevertheless, I can imagine the guys saw the humor in the situation and got a good laugh out of it.
James’ mom, Toni Chase and stepdad, Dave Chase have also done some traveling with James and his wife, Manuela this past year, taking a trip to Glacier National Park last July 4th. They did a bunch of hiking and touring, and everyone had a great time. James has long loved to travel, so any trip is a big deal for him, but Glacier National Park is a special trip from any point of view. And as for snow and mountains, James and 
Manuela decided to take a stab at snowshoeing this year. That may not seem like such a big deal, but since Manuela immigrated from Columbia, loving the snow is not exactly natural to her. Nevertheless, she seems to have taken to the Northern weather pretty well.
James and Manuela have been saving up for a trip to Columbia this year. James’ birthday is on the same day as Manuela’s mom’s birthday. That has made their relationship special, and because Manuela’s mom is turning 50 this year, it is a big deal. They plan to have a celebration together for it. James had a great time on their first trip to Columbia, and he is very much looking forward to this trip too. Today is James’ birthday. Happy birthday James!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
For those who no longer have their dad on Earth, Father Day inevitably carries a touch of sadness. Many of us long for just one more day or one more memory to share with their dad, but that is not possible. Instead, we quietly wish him a Happy Father’s Day in Heaven, confident that he is at peace and filled with joy. It is we, his children, who feel the weight of sorrow and loneliness. For me, both my father, Allen Spencer, and my father-in-law, Walter Schulenberg, live in Heaven now, and I often find myself forgetting the approach of day, perhaps as a way to shield myself from the sadness that follows the thought of their absence. My solace lies in the certainty that I will see them again in Heaven. Until then, to my dads, I say Happy’s Day in Heaven. I know it will be a truly wonderful day there…better than any we could possibly plan for them here on Earth.
I was just so blessed to have two wonderful dads in my life. My dad made sure that we, his five daughters and our mom, had opportunities to see the country, go camping, read maps and plan trips, and so many other things. He taught us responsibility, love for one another, and most importantly, love for God. My father-in-law 
was much the same kind of man, even though the family didn’t do a lot of traveling. They were still a very close family and helped each other in any way they needed. It was and still is almost a network of people with unique talents who share the load when it comes to needs. I will always be proud of and grateful for my two dads, who are now in Heaven.
I also have several other men who qualify as dads in my life. While these men are not my dads, they are part of my family. The first is my husband, Bob Schulenberg, who is the father of my children, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce. Kevin Petersen and Travis Royce are my sons-in-law, and they have been wonderful husbands and dads to my daughters and grandchildren. They have worked very hard to give them happy lives. Then, there are my two grandsons, Chris Petersen who has a daughter and two sons, and my grandson, Josh Petersen who 
has three sons. Both have very active roles in raising their children. I am so proud of all of these men…dads who are with the mothers of their children and are showing their children what it means to be a great dad. They are great role models and loving fathers, and in them we have all been blessed. I also want to recognize all my brothers-in-law and nephews, because they are amazing dads and great blessings too. Today is Father’s Day, and while it must be a memory day for me, it is a special day for all of us. Happy Father’s Day to these and all dads today. Have a great day!!
My grandpa, George Byer was, above everything else, a family man. His family was his top priority. Nevertheless, he and my grandmother, Hattie Byer were also givers, and over the years of their lives, especially during the Great Depression, my grandparents fed more people that even they will ever know. The Great Depression found so many people without work, and therefore without food. I don’t know exactly how it got started, but very few days went by without an extra mouth or two at the table. It wasn’t that my grandparents had a ton of money for extra food and no one else did, because that wasn’t the case. They would just add another potato and some water to the soup, and somehow no one ever went away hungry. The only explanation was that it was a miracle.
Grandpa was a man who understood miracles for sure, and he was a Christian man. He; his brother, Cliff; and a number of his kids even helped to build a church in North Casper. They always felt like that was their church after that. Putting your “blood, sweat, and tears” into a building like that would have the effect of a feeling of, if not ownership, then at least connection. Grandpa knew about construction and especially cement work, so it made sense that he would be one of the people involved, but this was not a hired job. It was a volunteer job. That takes a different kind of person…a person who is willing to work without pay to accomplish something for a good cause. That was the kind of person my grandfather was. It wasn’t a money matter, it was a faith matter, and Grandpa had faith. That showed in how many people he and Grandma fed over the years.
Grandpa was a man who knew that when you have a big family, and money is tight, you have to find innovative ways to entertain your kids. You also need innovative ways to gather things like herbs and such that will help feed your family. Grandpa and Grandma knew all the right things to gather, and the kids were taught not only the right herbs to gather, but also the value of working together toward a common goal. In addition, activity 
was different for them too, but there isn’t a one of them who didn’t feel blessed by the activities that got to participate in. My mother, Collene Spencer loved rocks all her life, as did all of her siblings. The family went rock hunting for fun, and it was very fun for all of them. They always felt like the most blessed family on the planet. Today is the 132nd anniversary of my grandfather’s birth. Happy birthday in Heaven, Grandpa Byer. We love and miss you very much.
My great grandnephew, Max Herr is all boy, and as his mom, Katy Herr says, wild and crazy!! He is also Katy’s “little sidekick” and best friend. Those things are common in 5-year-old boys, but what isn’t as common is for a 5-year-old boy to faithfully run with his mom when she is racing, and one of these days plans to actually race with her. Running marathons, as Katy does, is no easy task, since marathons are 26.2 miles and extremely difficult. Nevertheless, Katy can count on her son to get out there and pace her, so she is properly trained. Nevertheless, Max does just that and he is barely five. And by the way, Max’s great training helped his mom to take 2nd place in her first marathon!! A Tough Guy, that one!!
Max loves monster trucks and just this year, he started riding dirt bikes. Max still loves all superheroes and that is not surprising, since he is a real like superhero to his mom. He also loves his cousins, Reece and Asa Balcerzak. While Max is his mom’s best friend, he is also very much his daddy, Dylan Herr’s boy. They like to play golf, and Max is quickly learning the ropes. Max loves both of his parents so much and he is the light of their lives. He is comfortable in any setting and can usually be found doing whatever his parents are doing. Like his dad, I’m sure Max will be a natural athlete, and I can’t wait to see where his talents take him. Max loves to go hiking with hi parents, and like most kids, a place with a waterfall is always a big hit. Max also loves all things car and mechanical, and his cars had better be a tough as he is, because they are quite likely to find themselves going through the water and the mud. Max is a kid filled with adventure and energy, and he’s a sweet as he can be.
He loves plane rides and of course, hanging out with the grandparents and great grandparents. Like most 
people, Max loves the good old American hamburger, and Burger King is one of his absolute favorites. Max is a smiley boy, and when he smiles, his whole face lights up. Every day is a new delight to this kid. There is no such word as boring. He finds excitement wherever he goes. Today is Max’s 5th birthday! Happy birthday Max! Have a great day! We love you!
For my nephew, Garrett Stevens, this birthday brings sad changes, because it is the first one since his mom, Alena Stevens passed away. Since Garrett and his wife, Kayla had their girls, Elliott and Maya, they have been blessed to have his mom be able to come from Casper to Sheridan to watch the girls when Kayla has to be out of town for work. Now, there is a definite void that will be a hard one to fill. Garrett’s Dad, Mike is still with them, but babysitting the girls really was Alena’s thing. This summer finds Kayla taking a few less out of town trips, because her family needs her to help with the emotional transitions of this hard time. Kayla’s career as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker has made her uniquely qualified to help her family through this time of grief, but it doesn’t help to fill the void when she has to go out of town. Still, I know that Garrett will manage when the time comes, and the girls are getting older too, so they can help to do more.
Garrett went through some special training that culminated in a very hard test and his promotion to certified welding 
inspector recently, and the whole family is so proud of him. Many people have tried to pass that test, but few do so. Garrett worked very hard, and even then, it was no easy task. His boss was so proud of him too. I don’t really know what all his job entails, but I do know that when a weld fails, it is never a good thing, and it can spell disaster, depending on what things were welded. I can’t say what types of welds are processed at Garrett’s work, but I know that a bad weld has been known to bring down an airplane, so it must be strong, and it must be right.
Garrett tells me that Kayla is the family activity planner, and she has a full summer planned for the family. That is a good thing, because as we all know, when it comes to grief and loss, staying busy is a key part of the 
healing process. Their daughter, Elliott is a very busy girl too, with cheerleading camp, nature camp, parade camp, and many others. Elliott is almost seven years old, so she understands death to a degree. Keeping her busy is as essential as it is for adults. Maya is just three, and I’m sure that the big job with her will be in telling her about her grandmother, so she will somehow know her. Nevertheless, Garrett and Kayla are great parents, and they will manage. Of that I have no doubt. Today is Garrett’s birthday. Happy birthday Garrett!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Growing up during the Great Depression, my aunt, Virginia Beadle knew how it was to have little, and yet, her parents, my grandparents, George and Hattie Byer made sure that their kids had everything they needed. I suppose that kids of today would feel that they were somehow cheated, because they weren’t given everything they wanted, including the moon. The kids of the depression era mostly knew that they were blessed to have anything they were given. That is probably why my grandparents’ kids were very grounded in their philosophy on life. The times demanded hard work and giving.
They spent a lot of time outdoors, and they knew about things like foraging for herbs, hunting for rocks, and snakes to stay away from. When tested, so to speak, Aunt Virginia stepped out the front door of the house when she was living with her son Steve and his wife, Wanda. Then, she immediately stepped back into the house. She told the boys who were there, that there was a rattle snake by the front door, and she said it was huge!! The boys had no idea that their mom might know snakes, and they thought she was a typical girl, afraid of any old snake. They said it was probably a garter snake. Well, it wasn’t a garter snake, and Aunt Virginia wasn’t a typical girl who was afraid of a snake. After Steve had killed the rattle snake and cut off his head and rattle, he measured the snake. Steve is 5’8″, and just holding the snake up, it hit the ground when Steve held 
it just under his chin. That is a big snake. I’m sure they believed that she knew a rattle snake after that.
Aunt Virginia, like all her siblings was used to foraging and even, treasure hunting. One time she found a particular treasure that blessed the whole family, really. Aunt Virginia was about 8 or 10 years old. She was playing outside in the yard with her siblings. For some reason, Aunt Virginia decided to go exploring at the side of the house, between their house and Great Grandma Byer’s house. She looked at the little flower garden there and saw something shiny. She didn’t even have to dig for it. When she picked it up, she saw that his was a man’s wedding ring. Great Grandpa was long dead, and her dad, Grandpa George Byer, had decided to forego a wedding ring so that he could give his bride, her mom and my grandma, Hattie Byer a wedding ring. Obviously, this was an exciting, and quite likely valuable, find. Aunt Virginia took the ring to show her dad. Grandpa looked at it and told her it was a beautiful ring. He put it on his hand and looked at it. Then he took it off and gave it back to Aunt Virginia. She said, “Daddy, you should keep it.” He said he couldn’t, but she insisted, and that is how my grandfather got his wedding band from his daughter. Aunt Virginia was so pleased to be able to give her dad the wedding ring he 
had never had and would not be able to buy for himself, as there were too many other things that his paycheck was needed for. And Grandpa was so pleased that she wanted him to have such a beautiful ring. He wore the ring proudly for the rest of his life. And everyone in the family was pleased that he had been blessed with the ring. It was typical of Aunt Virginia, who was always a kind and loving person, and I can see how that ring made her day, as much as it did Grandpa’s. Today would have been Aunt Virginia’s 95th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Aunt Virginia. We love and miss you very much!!
