Thursday, January 16, 2014

Those Places Thursday - Coffeyville, Kansas

The first place I associated with the Deller family was Coffeyville, Kansas.  We didn't have a lot of information, but what we did know was that Charles Joseph Deller had grown up there.

As I searched online, I found that Coffeyville was located in the southeast corner of Kansas, in Montgomery County.  It was established in 1869, originally as an Indian Trading post by Col. James A. Coffey.  In 1871 the railroad came through and the city was laid out and incorporated in 1873.

In October 1892, in what might be the cities most famous incident, the Dalton gang tried to rob two banks at one time.  The plan didn't work, and four of the gang were killed, with only Emmett Dalton surviving (with 23 bullet wounds).  Four citizens of Coffeyville, including a U.S. Marshall were killed in defending the city.[1][2]  There is a Dalton Museum now, and every October they celebrate "Dalton Defender Days", a  remembrance of those who lost their lives defending the city.[3]
Dalton Museum, Coffeyville, Kansas,
Digital Image February 2010, A.B. Deller © 2014

Coffeyville had many natural resources, including natural gas, and by the early 1900's there were ten glass factories in operation as well as brick companies.[4]

These prospects for jobs were probably what brought Peter Deller and his family (including Charles Joseph) to Coffeyville from McKean County, Pennsylvania.  His brother, Nickolas "Nick" Deller was already there by 1910.[5] 

They attended the local Catholic church, and may have even helped in it's building, since it wasn't completed until 1916.[6][7]
Holy Name Catholic Church, Coffeyville, Kansas,
Digital Image February 2010, A.B. Deller © 2014

Peter and his family initially rented a house on Delaware Street[8], but by 1930 owned that same house[9].

Coffeyville was a good place for the Deller family.  Both Peter and Carrie raised their children and lived out the rest of their lives there.

[1] Coffeyville, Kansas, Wikipedia, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coffeyville,_Kansas], accessed 23 Feb 2011.
[2] Coffeyville History, Coffeyville Kansas website, [http://www.coffeyville.com/History.htm], accessed 23 Feb 2011.
[3]  Dalton Defenders, Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce website,[http://www.coffeyvillechamber.org/Dalton-Defenders-35840.asp], accessed 23 Feb 2011.
[4] Brick and Glass, Coffeyville Chamber of Commerce website, [http://www.coffeyvillechamber.org/Brick-and-Glass-35900.asp], accessed 23 Feb 2011.
[5]  FamilySearch.org, 1910 United States Federal Census, Year: 1910; Census Place: Coffeyville Ward 2, Montgomery, Kansas; family 1, page 1.  Accessed 23 Feb 2011.
[6] Parish Records, Holy Name Catholic Church, Coffeyville, Kansas
[7] History, Holy Name Catholic Church website, [http://www.holynamecoffeyville.org/History.html]. Accessed 23 Feb 2011.
[8] Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census, Year: 1920; Census Place: Coffeyville Ward 5, Montgomery, Kansas; Roll: T625_541; Page: 16A; Enumeration District: 180; Image: 1088.
[9] Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, Year: 1930; Census Place: Coffeyville, Montgomery, Kansas; Roll: 712; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 22; Image: 546.0.

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