George Foster Lenagh/Leaneagh was born in 1872 somewhere in Iowa. He is the son of Peter Lenagh/Leonard/Lenaugh and Emilie Iott. I am using all the spellings they used in their life time.

He has one older sister, three younger brothers and a younger sister. He also lived with a half-brother that were all born in St. Charles, MO. They are:

• Mary Ellen/Marie born 1870
• Peter Justin, Jr./Jesse born 1874
• Susan Josephine born 1876
• Benard born 1879
• Francis born 1881

All of the above children, except George, were baptized at the St. Charles Borromeo Church in St. Charles, MO, under the name Leonard. I haven't found George's birth, baptism, or burial spot.

Emilie Iott was married first to a man named Eusebe Longtin/Longtine, they were married Oct 19, 1855. They had two children by the baptism records at the St. Charles Borromeo, St. Charles, MO:

• Margreth Leonida in 1860, she must have died young.
• Charles Philip Longtin was born 1862. Philip, as he was know, was reported as deaf and lived with his grandmother Eleonide until her death and then with Marie (Leaneagh) Aplan in the Rushville, NE area.

Sometime between 1880 and 1883 both his parents died. I can not find anything about either death or burial for both Peter and Emily. I have stories of Emily's mother Eleonide bringing the children to northern Nebraska and southern South Dakota area, and the census puts them there by 1900.

The Leneaugh's of Mission, SD write that "Dad said to tell you that he knows his father's people came from Missouri. He was told that after (Peter) Justin Leneaugh died working on a bridge on the Missouri River, Grandma (Iott) loaded a covered wagon, took her six kids, along with Antoine and Nick (Janis) headed west to the Ogalala Sioux Reservation where Antoine and Nick worked as interepters between the US government and the Sioux tribes. As payment, they were given land, where they built a log cabin house for them. He said that Suzy was a baby (actually 3 were under 7 years old), so Nick and Antoine found a milk cow along the way for milk." He continues by stating that "Grandmother was an Iott, along the way the Iotts changed the spelling to Iyotte. There are Iyottes presently enrolled members of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe."

According to George's daughter Cherie in a letter from the 1980's, George went east to Pittsburgh "to visit Kittie's brother (actually an uncle, Cornelius Shaddle) who was an engineer on the recently completed Northwestern Railroad" where he met Kittie (Elwell) Brandon. Her husband Henry Brandon had either died or they were divorced.

Kittie Elwell is the only daughter of Darius Addison Elwell and his wife, Henrietta (Shaddle). Kittie was born Caroline Addis Elwell on May 12, 1857 in Chicago, IL.

I have recently found the marriage of George Leneagh and Kittie Brandon on May 24, 1893 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He is listed as a stone cutter, age 21, residing in Millvale, PA. Kittie, age 30, would have had a daughter Edith, age about 11, and a son, Henri, age 3. On the back of the above picture is written: Geo. F. Leaneagh about 1892, Pittsburgh, PA. view marriage

By 1900, the Federal Census has George and Kittie living in Valentine Nebraska on Victoria St. with her two older children; Edith Brandon, age 18, born in Virginia, and Henri H. Brandon, age 10, born in Pennsylvania. George and Kittie have two children; Adelbert, age 4 and Cherie, age 1.

In 1910, George and Kittie Leaneagh are living in Valentine, Nebraska with Adelbert, age 14 and Cherie, age 11. They have been married 18 years (1892). Kittie is the mother of seven children, with just 4 still living. Just above them on this page are Mark and Edith (Brandon) Zarr, with their children; Thelma, Stanley, Oliver and George.

In 1920, Kittie Lanneagh is the head of household, age 60, with her two children Cherrie, 21 and Adebert, 24. George is not listed, we know he is alive until 1926, but he was an invalid. They lived on Wood Street and owned the house when this was enumerated on January 12, 1920.

More on Del Leaneagh - More on Cherie (Leaneagh) Berg

In a letter from Herman Woodford to Cherie (Leaneagh) Berg dated 1973, Herman writes; "I feel you will readily recall my father, Rollin Cornelieus Woodford; I'm sure he spoke of you. He went out to Harmony (NE) to help "Aunt Kit" Leaneagh run a country store at Harmony."

Cherie wrote back a letter to Herman Woodford dated 1973 and said "My brother Del was in the Army, and before leaving he and I purchased the assets of the little store and P.O. at "Harmony" which was as you describe it, just a little store and post office, and a few outbuildings. It was thought that Mother and my partially disabled Dad could operate the little store as a means of livelihood, in as much as my Dad could no longer work and Mother was not very strong or well, nor had she been trained in any business or profession. Your Dad, "Roll", came out to help run the store when it was obvious that Mother could not handle it. However, no one was able to make any money out of the little store, and as I recall, your Dad was there only a few months."

Another letter from Cherie to Jan in 1986 talks about George having a brilliant mind, but an irresponsible character, hum, sounds like a few people I know - View

Kittie was the postmistress for Harmony, NE was from Aug 8, 1918 until July 1920. It is listed as "not a village, a farmers residency, to supply 250 (people)." The mail service was discontinued in 1925.

Cherie Leaneagh

The Family Tree

George Foster Leaneagh died Oct 20 1926 in Valentine, NE. Born in 1872 that would make him 54. His death certificate lists his occupation as Invalid, cause of death; Paralysis. He knew his father's name to be Peter and his mother to be Emily Iiot. A handwritten side note says: "This man has been an alcoholic to excess. Paralysis as slow and progressive over a period of several years." - View

His obituary was found in the Valentine Democrat for Oct 22, 1926 - View. I walked the cemetery listed twice, but found no headstone. The city records list many as filled but unknown.