Mary Ellen Leonard was born Jan 29 1870 in St. Charles, MO. She was baptized at the St. Charles Borromeo Church on Apr 11 1870. It reads " On the 11th of April 1870, I the undersigned (baptised) Mary Ellen daughter of Peter Leonard & Emily Longtan born 29th of January 1870, Sponsers: John Madde & Margaret Furlong. signed J. Ranken." She is the oldest child of Peter Leonard/Lenagh and Emilie Iott. After the death of both of her parents, she was raised by her French Grandmother and used Marie for the rest of her life.

Joanne Rose, a granddaughter of hers wrote me in 2003 three with this: "After Emily's death, Antoine and Nick (Janis) urged Elionette to bring her grandchildren to western Nebraska in 1883 and stake a claim in land being opened for settlement. Nick escorted the family from St. Charles. Thirteen year old Marie was sure she'd come to the end of the world when she stepped off the train in Valentine (NE). The journey continued by wagon to the White Clay area (near Rushville, NE) and home of Louis Sangreau (Nick's son-in-law) where the first winter was spent. As a Christmas gift Eleonitte managed to knit a pair of mittens for each grandchild. The ones that were old enough were allowed to attend the school established in the nearby Genow? property when weather permitted. The teacher was Miss Julia Draper, an Episcopal missionary who had been forced off the Pine Ridge Reservation by agent McGillycudy. In 1884, she paid Bob Pew for a relinquishment of his claim, which had a two room log house with a fireplace. She asked if Marie (age 14) could come to live with her. With Eleonitte's blessing she went and spent the next four years with Julia Draper until her mother Anna Hammond came to live with her at which time Marie found employment in Rushville for two years or so until accepting a position at the Indian School in Pine Ridge. It was here she met and married J.O. Aplan and there my mother was born in 1895. In 1896 my grandparents settled permanently in Rushville. Over the years Marie kept a close relationship with her grandmother and when Eleonitte died, became the court appointed guardian for Philip Longtane, who lived out his life on the Larrabee Creek property settled by him and Eleonitte Iott. Both of them are buried alongside Marie and J.O. Aplan in Fairview Cemetery in Rushville."

Jens O. Aplan is listed in the 1900 Federal Census for Rushville, Sheridan County, NE. He is 40 years old, born in 1860 in Wisconsin, his parents are both born in Norway and he is a blacksmith. His wife is Marie L., she is 30 years old, born in Missouri. She left her father birthplace empty and her mother is born in Missouri. They have a daughter Marie, age 4 and an infant son, unnamed, born in May. The census was taken the 5th of June.

I found an 1918 WWI draft registration for Frank Fulton Aplan, born May 21, 1900.

Marie Aplan was born in Shannon County, NE on Nov 13 1895, fathers name is Jens Ole Aplan and mother is Marie Leaneagh. Source Information: Ancestry.com. South Dakota Births, 1856-1903 [database online]. Provo, UT: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2003. Original data: South Dakota Department of Health. South Dakota Birth Records With Birth Dates Over 100 Years. South Dakota Department of Health, 19--.

An IGI Individual Record from www.familysearch.org finds Jens Olius Jensen Apland was married to Marie Leaneagh on April 18, 1894 in Rushville, Sheridan Co., NE. He is the son of Ole Jensen Apland and Ingeborg Torjesdatter. He died Nov 23, 1935.

In 1920, Jens O. Aplan and his family is living in Denver, Colorado as lodgers with the Martin family on Grant St. Jens is 59, Marie is 49, daughter Marie is 23, born in South Dakota, single and a high school teacher, and Frank F. is 19, born in Nebraska and single. Marie is the only one of the four that has an occupation listed.

By 1930, Marie E. Aplan is listed in the Federal Census living on Second Street in Rushville Village, Sheridan, Nebraska as wife of Jess O. Aplan, age 70, born Wisconsin, both parents born Norway. She was married at age 24. She is 60 years old, born in Missouri, father born United States, mother born Missouri. In the household is listed Ensil W. Smaha, son in law, age 36, born Nebraska, father and mother are born in Bohemia. Marie A. Smaha, daughter, 34 years old, born in South Dakota. Louise Smaha, age 6, grand daughter, born Nebraska. Joan Smaha, 3 years old, born Nebraska.

In 1930, Frank F. Aplan is married and living in Fort Pierre, SD. His wife is Helen F., age 32. They have a son Frank F. Jr., age 6 and a daughter Carla M. age 1 and 11/12th.

Social Security records show that Frank Aplan died in Jan of 1966, last residence was Rushville, NE.