Story of Antonia Gineste and Margaret Rollins

Parents' of Cora Ginest Lamont from the previous blog post are Antonia and Margaret

Antonia Before Marriage (1842-1870)

Oral family history and limited documentation indicate Antonia was born in France or a French possession country.  There is a family story describing that he was born in a village just outside of Marseilles, France.  Since Antonia's obituary states that he was born in Algeria, France 15 Mar 1842, he may have been born in what is now Algeria, which was in French possession until about 1962. 

Stories, passed from generation to generation, consistently report that to avoid compulsory military service, Antonia left Algeria / France when he was in his teens.  Antonia may have worked on ships, including pirate ships, before reaching America. It is unclear when or where he arrived.   His obituary describes him leaving his place of birth at the age of seventeen. 

Antonia Gineste

Civil War Years

His youngest son, Edward, obituary and Antonia's gravestone indicate that he served in the Civil War as a member of Company A, 11th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry.  This unit was formed 24 Oct 1861 and dissolved in 1865.  Family stories tell of Antonia being captured and placed in Andersonville Prison in Georgia.  It says of him, and other individuals escaped and stayed in enemy territory until after the war ended.  While on the run, they hid in the daytime and traveled at night, living on whatever they could find or steal.  He never returned to his unit for fear of being recaptured and imprisoned.  

The Kansas, Enrollment of Civil War Veterans, 1889 was found with two entries for Antonia.  The first entry describes him as a private in Company A, 11th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry. It further lists him as a substitute, wounded in the loin, and prisoner of war at Anderson Prison for eight months.  The second entry shows him in Company B, 5th Regiment, Missouri Infantry.  Additionally, it describes him as a volunteer regular and prisoner of war at Alden Prison. 

Antonia wanted to collect military pension for his Civil War service.  He was not able to qualify, because of being discharged dishonorably for desertion from the military.  In hopes to prove this an error, Antonia requested the War Department - Records and Pensions to remove desertion from his military records.  He made this request 30 Jan 1890 with Company A, 11th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry (114946) and 21 Feb 1890 with the Company B, 5th Regiment, Missouri (134473). Later, Antonia requested this 14 Dec 1897 with the Company A, 11th Regiment, Connecticut Infantry (501728).  After these three failed attempts, Antonia worked with US Rep. Edwin Ridgley from the Kansas 3rd District to remove desertion and update to honorable discharge in his military records.  US Rep. Ridgley presented house bill no. 6138 before the 55th congress-2nd session 8 January 1898.  The bill requested the removal of the desertion charge against Antone Gineste, alias John Burthong.  It was moved to the Committee on Military Affairs 78.  No other information found.  

The 1915 Kansas State Census list Antonia as dishonorable discharged, so it is believed that HR 6138 was not successful. Jul 2000, his sons, Charles La Due Ginest and Leo Antonia Gineste both describe Antonia telling he served in the military under an assumed name.

H.R. 6138 - Removal of desertion charge

Family stories say in approximately 1868, Antonia, a slightly built man and an apparent heavy user of alcohol, settled in Wamego, Pottawatomie, Kansas.   It was here that Antonia met Margaret Elizabeth Rollins, his first wife. 

Margaret Before Marriage (1854-1870)

Margaret Rollins birth information described in the family bible, census, and Kansas Death Certificate all are different. The best conclusion is she was born on 27 Dec 1854 in Fulton County, Illinois.  As an infant, Margaret, and her family moved to Washington, Lucas, Iowa, based on the 1856 Iowa State Census.  By 1860 the family was living on a farm in Hermon, Chestnut, Knox, Illinois, described in the 1860 Federal Census.  The family struggled to survive with her father, David, away serving in the Civil War as a Union soldier from Feb 1862 to Mar 1865. During 1966, Margaret and her family moved to Wamego, Pottawatomie, Kansas, based on her obituary. They settled on eighty acres near Center, Pottawatomie, Kansas, and Margaret’s father filed a homestead claim Nov 1868.  It was not long before Margaret met Antonia Gineste, a French immigrant, and Civil War veteran eleven years older than her.

Margaret Rollins

Antonia and Margaret Marriage (1870-1893)

Antonia Gineste married Margaret Rollins on 13 Apr 1870.  Judge James Lyth Huggins performed the ceremony in Wamego.  They made their home in Wamego where Antonia worked as a teamster based on the 1875 Kansas State Census.  A teamster was a person who drove a team of draft animals, usually drawn by oxen, horses, or mules to deliver goods, a modern-day truck driver.  Antonia was a 27-year-old French immigrant, and Margaret was 16 years old.  They had three children while living Wamego, Mattie, died as infant; Cora Ann in 1872; William in 1875.

Antonia Gineste and Margaret Rollins marriage license – 13 Apr 1870

Moran Years

Family stories describe them moving to the Moran area of Osage, Allen, Kansas during 1877. They may have rented the farm they later bought three and a half miles north and one mile east of Moran.  They had two additional sons, Charles La Due in 1882 and Edward Everett in 1886.  Antonia and Margaret purchased an 80-acre farm 13 Apr 1885 for $320 from the Southern Kansas Railroad.  The property was located at the east half of the Southeast Quarter of Section 12 (1618 4200th Street) in the Moran, Kansas.  It is unknown where they were living between 1877 and 1885.

(L-R) Margaret, Edward, Antonia Gineste

(L-R) Charles, Cora, William Ginest

Antonia and Margaret Separation (1892)

Family stories tell Margaret leaving Antonia early 1893.  She and her son, Edward, moved to Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas where her daughter, Cora, was residing and working in a hotel.  Margaret did housework and took in laundry for railroad men and others.  Wages were 50 cents per day.  Her son, Edward, carried messages between salesmen and hotel maids and selling newspapers on the street.  He would also dance a jig for tips.  He was often able to make more money than his mother.  Another son, William, also moved to the Shawnee county area, but Charles stayed with Antonia. 

Antonia Files for Divorce (1893)

After Margaret and Antonia separated, Antonia filed for divorce at the Allen County Kansas Courthouse 5 Dec 1893.  The divorce petition describes their property, including five horses, two colts, one cow, one calf, thirteen hogs, and 300 bushels of corn.  It shows cause for divorce as follows, Margaret left home Mar 1893; committed adultery since 1884; failed to perform household duties; failed to assist in caring for, clothing, educating, and comforting the family; violently assaulted, kicked, and abused Antonia; striking him with an iron poker; cursing, swearing, and threatening his life.  All of this has been going on for eight or nine years, the divorce petition says.  Margaret was summoned by the Allen County sheriff 5 Dec 1893, now living in Topeka, Kansas.  The sheriff was not able to locate Margaret after searching until 24 January 1894. 

Margaret Files for Divorce (1893)

While Antonia was filing for divorce, Margaret was doing the same.  The Topeka Daily Capital newspaper shows Margaret Gineste filed for divorce 16 Dec 1893 at the Shawnee County Kansas Courthouse.  The records found at the courthouse were unreadable because of document quality.  Later, 23 Mar 1894, Antonia canceled his divorce petition, based on the announcement in the Iola Register newspaper.  It is assumed that Margaret's divorce petition was final in late Mar 1894, based on Antonia canceling his divorce request.

Margaret divorce filed - Topeka Daily Capital - 17 Dec 1893

Antonia divorce dismissed - Iola Register - 23 Mar 1894

4 Apr 1894, Margaret Gineste transferred her ownership of the farm, located at the east half of the Southeast Quarter of Section 12 (1618 4200th Street) in the Moran, Kansas to Antonia via a Quick Claim Deed for $1 as a single woman.  The 1895 Kansas Agriculture Census for Osage, Kansas shows Antonia and son Charles living on the farm.  It describes the property having 93 acres with 50 acres under cultivation, 73 acres fenced with 30 rods of stone, and 320 rods of wire fencing.  The cash value of the farm and improvements listed as $1,000 and machinery valued at $20.00.  Crops included corn, oats, sorghum, and flax. Livestock was five horses, a milk cow, and 17 swine. 

It was not long before both Antonia and Margaret met someone and remarried.

Edwin and Cora and family move to Northeast Kansas

 Edwin, Cora, Hazel, and Margaret in Jefferson and Douglas County (1903-1915)

Upon arrival in Sarcoxie, Jefferson, Kansas, Edwin purchased an 80-acre farm in the Chester community. The farm was located on the South Half of the Northeast Quarter of Section 23, Township 11, Range 19 East (2180 Republic Road, Chester, Sarcoxie, Jefferson, Kansas). The farm was nine miles north of Lawrence, where Edwin's parents, Thomas and Mary Lamont lived. Edwin established his farm, raising livestock and planting crops. He was active in the community, repairing roads and elected as Treasury in 1905. Lawrence Weekly World (12 Oct 1905) shows Edwin won best bushel of white corn at the county fair, with nineteen entries.

Cora purchased Lot 1 and 2, Block 9, Section 36, Township 12, Range 19 on 13 Aug 1906 for $380 from Joseph and Annie Du Mars (701 and 707 Missouri Street, Lane Place, Lawrence, Wakarusa, Douglas, Kansas). Edwin built a home on Lot 1 and sold Lot 2 1 Apr 1909 for $375 to Fredrick Olmstead.

Lawrence Daily World - 30 Sep 1908

Edwin and family split their time between the farm in Chester and the home in Lawrence. Cora, Hazel, and Margaret helped with farming chores and house duties. By 1912, Edwin was considering homesteading in Southeast Colorado near Towner, Colorado. He made many trips to the area looking for a possible site. During the fall of 1914, Edwin moved the family from the Chester farm to the newly built Lawrence home so he could rent out the farm in preparation for moving to Southeast Colorado.

Lawrence Daily Journal World - 30 Jan 1913

 Edwin, Cora, Hazel, and Margaret in Caddoa Colorado (1915-1919)

12 Feb 1915, Edwin established a homestead claim 16098 at the South Half of Section 29, Township 24S, Range 49W. The claim was in Caddoa, Bent, Colorado. In the summer of 1915, Cora, Hazel, and Margaret moved to the homestead.  They moved their belongings on a flatbed rail car and traveled by train. The family struggled to survive because of the drought conditions.    

Looking Northwest toward homestead on left (photo taken Oct 2023)

Gate entrance with homestead in the distance (photo taken Oct 2023)

Homestead still standing (photo taken Oct 2023)

Moving back to Lawrence and back to Colorado Homestead (1919-1926)

Edwin and Cora decided to move back to their home in Lawrence on Missouri Street during May 1919. They received their homestead claim in February 1919 and decided the harsh conditions make it too difficult to survive. Their two daughters would stay at the homestead until Margaret completed her junior year from Bent County High School in Las Animas, Bent, Colorado. During this time, Hazel continued to work at the First National Bank in Las Animas as a bank clerk. The two sisters, Margaret, and Hazel, returned to Lawrence in June. Edwin resumed farming at the Jefferson County farm. Margaret enrolled at Lawrence High School for her senior year, and Hazel worked at a local bank as a bank clerk. After a few years in Kansas, Edwin wanted to give it another attempt in Colorado. Edwin and Cora moved back to the Caddoa Colorado homestead and try to make it work in March 1922.

Home at 701 Missouri Street, Lawrence, Kansas (photo taken Oct 2017)

North Lawrence Years (After 1926)
By 1926 they have had enough of the Colorado homestead and moved back to Lawrence for the last time. Edwin and Cora started to recover from the bad times in Colorado. They exchanged their property on Missouri Street with a small home at 800 North 7th Street in North Lawrence, Grant, Douglas, Kansas.  This property had about two acres of land to farm.  There was a small barn for the animals, along with the farming equipment.  Edwin planted corn and winter wheat using a mule and plow.  He had a milk cow, chickens, geese, ducks, and pigs.  The chicken and pigs were butchered and stored in a Lawrence meat locker.  A goose or duck was butchered for special occasions.  Edwin farmed wearing cotton dark-colored pants and colored shirts.  He wore black laced low top boots and a straw hat in the summer or black felt hat in the winter.  On special occasions, he wore a tie.  Cora made all of Edwin's cloths.  After a day of farming, he took the bus or walked to work his second job at the Lawrence Journal World for the swing shift from 3pm to 1am as a custodian.  Edwin and Cora did not have transportation.

Edwin and Cora home did not have electricity. So, they used kerosene lamps for lighting. They used a well to get water and had an outhouse.  Many of the rooms were wallpapered and decorated with pictures on the walls.  The floors were painted wood with a few throw rugs, no carpet.  The home was heated with a coal stove.  The living area had a rocking chair, dining table, china hutch, coal stove, ice chest, wash basin, and dish pan.  There were two bedrooms on the first floor and an attic on the second floor.  The home was kept very clean with a phone in the dining room.  The home exterior was not painted and was ugly.  The yard around the home was landscaped and cut grass.  The driveway was dirt with a small amount of gravel.  The city road in front of the home was paved and was on the city line.  Edwin and Cora read the newspaper for news and sent letters to family.  Their daughter, Margaret, called once a week. Edwin and Cora were quiet and kept to them self.  They did not go on any vacations or attend family gatherings.  Edwin and Cora enjoyed vegetable gardening.  They had a rat terrier house dog, a big outside dog, and a few barn cats.  Edwin and Cora did not attend church or celebrate Christmas with a tree and ornaments.  They followed a very strict anti-Baptist lifestyle. When needing to go to town, they would walk a distance along the road and take the city bus to Lawrence.

Cora and Edwin Lamont enjoyed picnicking during the week. Their daughter, Margaret Lamont Westerhouse; Margaret's daughter, Margean Westerhouse, joined them.  Oscar Westerhouse, Margaret's husband, was working, so he did not attend.  It was common for them to have, fried chicken, pickled beat eggs, coleslaw, white bread, and butter sandwiches.  Sometimes, apple or cherry pie, but most times, sugar cookies, for dessert.  They had picnics at Edwin Lamont's farm in Chester, laying on a quilt or at the South Park in Lawrence, located at 1141 Massachusetts Street, using a park table.  Cora's mother, Margaret Tenpenny, never joined them for a picnic.

Edwin and Cora Lamont (1945)

1951 Flood
Cora and Edwin Lamont's home was flooded with 5 feet of water in the Lawrence flood of 1951.  They moved all their valuables to the attic, protecting items from the floodwaters.  As the flood waters entered the home, Cora and Edwin moved to the attic to stay above the waters.  Cora was rescued from floodwaters and taken to Red Cross Shelter in Lawrence.  Edwin refused to leave at that time.  A few days later, Edwin was rescued and taken to the Red Cross shelter.  Edwin and Cora lost everything, and their home had very bad water damage.  While repairing the damage from the flood, Cora and Edwin stayed in a Red Cross provided upstairs apartment in the downtown area of Lawrence.  The apartment had no air conditioning and was had very hot conditions. Oscar Westerhouse and Don Joslin helped Edwin recover household items and Red Cross helped with repairing the damage, as Edwin was elderly. After about six months, Edwin and Cora moved back into their home.  

Cora Death and Burial
After the 1951 Flood, Cora's health declined. By the time she was able to return to her home in 1952, she was having issues with gallbladder, having to go to the hospital to get fluid drained regularly. She died from gallbladder failure 11 Feb 1953 at 10:35 am at Lawrence Memorial Hospital at the age of eighty. Her funeral was at Rumsey Funeral Home 14 Feb 1953 at 2 pm with Rev Lawson officiating. Following the funeral, burial was at Oak Hill Cemetery, Lawrence, Kansas at Section 14D, Lot 26, Space 4.

Edwin Death and Burial
Starting in the late 1940s, Edwin would be found passed out and overheated from a mini stroke. These strokes caused him to limp and required to use a cain. After the 1951 Flood, Edwin's health declined further. He had a major stroke after the death of Cora in Jun 1955 and spent three weeks at Lawrence Memorial Hospital, before recovering at his daughters, Margaret Westerhouse, home in Eudora, Douglas, Kansas. Jul 1955, he needed further care and was admitted to the Metsker Rest Home, a couple houses down from his old house on Missouri Street, at 721 Missouri Street. Edwin died from Leukemia 16 Dec 1955 at 1 pm at the Metsker Rest Home, he was eighty-four years old. His funeral was at Rumsey Funeral Home 19 Dec 1955 at 2 pm with Rev David Ellsworth officiating. Following the funeral, burial was at Oak Hill Cemetery, Lawrence, Kansas at Section 14D, Lot 26, Space 3.

Edwin and Cora Lamont gravestone at Oakhill Cemetery

Edwin Described
Edwin lived a very frugal lifestyle, quiet, kept to himself, enjoyed gardening, including melons. He read the Lawrence newspaper, magazines (Farm Journal, Cappers). As an older man, wore reading glasses, hard of hearing, thin hair, and bad hernia, walked with limp and used a cain.

Cora Described
Cora was short and wore homemade housedresses that were plain that were made from chicken feed sacks with an apron.  She wore black shoes with wide heel.  She had a treadle sewing machine in the bedroom. Cora was quiet, homemaker, kept to herself, loving, and caring to her family, wore reading glasses, lived a very frugal lifestyle, enjoyed gardening and flowers. Canned fruits, vegetables, jelly, jam, and meat. She read the Lawrence newspaper, magazines (Farm Journal, Cappers).