Welcome to Darrell's Genealogy Stories

Janice Kay Coppock was born on this date 75 years ago in Le Mars, Iowa, to Helen (Kern) and Clyde Coppock .  She joined her brother Darrell at their home at 608 3rd Avenue, SE.   The family later moved to 809 2nd Avenue, SE, where they lived until Jan was 12 years old.  The photos below range from about 1950 - 1956.   In elementary school, she was quite tall for her age.  Jan enjoyed all types of games and sports.  She took piano lessons for several years, and she enjoyed reading and playing outside with friends.  We both enjoyed music, and one year, we sold Christmas cards to the neighbors, earning enough money to buy our own pink and gray 45 rpm record player.  Elvis was our favorite! In junior high and high school, she was a cheerleader, drum majorette for the marching band, and a member of the Sparkettes drill team.  Jan graduated from LCHS in 1964, and she graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, MO, in 1966, with an Associate of Arts Degree.  While there, she met and fell in

CAPTAIN OLIVER HORTON (1829-1918), our Great-Grandfather, was a decorated Civil War veteran as well as serving in the Iowa House of Representatives and in various community leadership positions in and around Carroll County, Iowa.  Today is Veteran's Day, and this blog will recognize the services of Captain Horton and others in our family heritage who served our country during wartime. Oliver Horton enlisted as an infantryman on August 2, 1862, part of Company D of the Pennsylvania 138th Infantry division.  He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on December 16, 1862, and was later promoted to Captain on February 14, 1865, for "valor in action".   He mustered out on June 23, 1865.  Captain Horton was wounded in the Battle of Cedar Creek, by a shell which killed 7 men in his unit.  He was part of the raid on the Spottsylvania Court House, where he took a sword from a Confederate officer.  That sword was laid on his casket and buried with him.   On December 30, 1849, Captain Horto

 Let's start with a question.  "How does Coppock ancestry, Darrell's genealogy stories, and Hawkeye football all have something in common?"  Anyone? Well, believe it or not, this story starts with Great Grandmother Mary Jane Horton Coppock .  That's right, Grandpa Arnold's mother.   You see, Mary Jane had a younger sister, Anna Louisa Horton.  In 1893, near Carroll, Iowa, sister Anna married Lawrence (Larry) Zenner.  They later moved to South Dakota, and they had 4 boys.  The third oldest of the boys, Linn, had one son:  Bob Zenner.  Bob graduated from the University of Iowa, and he went on to become a sports announcer for WSUI in Iowa City.  In October of 1955, Linn and his wife Helen invited me to go to Iowa City with them to the football game against the Minnesota Gophers.  Unbeknownst to me, as an extra treat, I got to sit in the press box for the first half and during halftime ceremonies.  Wow is right!!  12 years old, I was thrilled!  I only wish I had a