My Present Past
A genealogical experience
Towns, Cities and Counties
Each one of the towns, cities and townships in this next section have a
distinct relationship with my ancestors. They worked, shared memories, built homes,
prospered, made friends, married, had children and died while living there. Without
them and others like them, these communities would not have the distinction of what
they are today. Each one of these places carries just a small but important part of
my family. There are four distinct locations that are very important to me as to the
origins of my ancestors.
The first would be where it all began on American soil, Charlemont, Franklin County,
Massachusetts, next would be Wyanet, Bureau County, Illinois, then Argentine,
Wyandotte County, Kansas and of course my hometown, Liberty, Clay County,
Missouri. Not to say that the other numerous locations my predecessors inhabited
were not as important but these four stand out to myself as the most significant.
Cedar County
Missouri
US Gen
Web
Wyandotte County
Kansas
US Gen Web
Clay County
Missouri
US Gen Web
NY Gen Web
Herkimer and Montgomery County New York
Includes the towns of Broadalbin, Fonda's Bush
and Rawsonville, New York
Business and Organizations in
Argentine, Kansas
Click on an image to view full size
Charlemont, Franklin County, Massachusetts is where my fourth great grandfather, Thomas Nichols arrived in
1748 with his brother John from Connaught, Ireland. He was married twice and fathered sixteen children.
Thomas served in the Revolutionary War.

Broadalbin, (Fonda's Bush) Montgomery County, New York is where my third great grandfather, Joshua Nichols
was from. He and his wife Sarah Sally (Cook) Nichols raised twelve children. The first ten children were born in
Fonda's Bush and the two remaining were born in Manlius Square, Onandago County, New York.

Wyanet, Bureau County, Illinois is where my second great grandfather, David Thomas Nichols settled. His first
wife, Clarisa (Watkins) Nichols died December 01, 1845. They had three children. He fathered six children with
his second wife, Hulda Gertrude (Barry). Wyanet is also where my other second great grandfather, John B.
Engel was located. He and his wife, Jacobine (Hauter) Engel had twelve children. This location is also meaningful
because this is where my great grandmother, Sara Ellyn Nichols was born, raised and met her future husband,
Edward John Engel. Both families had a very active presence in both the Wyanet and Bureau County area.

Argentine, Wyandotte County, Kansas is where my great grandfather, Edward Engel and his wife Sadie arrived
in the summer of 1883. Edward had just accepted a job as the agent of the passenger depot for the Atchison
Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad. My grandfather, George David Engel and my mother, Ruth Mildred Engel were both
born in Argentine. My grandmother, Dorothy Lee Lange met my grandfather and was married in Argentine.

Liberty, Clay County, Missouri is the final destination of this long family trip. My father, Robert Eugene Jacobs
arrived here at the age of sixteen, in the summer of 1943 from Jerico Springs, Cedar County, Missouri. He met
my mother, Ruth Mildred Engel in the summer of 1946 at the Chicago Burlington & Quincy depot in Liberty. The
depot was located east of the Franklin Elementary School. The Engel family moved to Liberty in the summer of
1927 due to my grandfathers job as a salesman with Swift Meat Company.
View of Argentine, Wyandotte County, Kansas
including the Kansas City Structural Steel Company
1912
Bureau County, Illinois