Update/refresher
of information. February 20, 2025
Several
years ago, we started collecting photos and information for a series of history
books of Volney and Surrounding area; Newaygo County Museum asked to publish
it. Toni Tozer Rumsey worked at the museum and was the go between with the
museum and us. They had just finished a book on the one-room school houses of
northern Newaygo County and our book was to be in same style and format. Toni
Tozer Rumsey gathered material from the museum on the area and did many
write-ups on individuals, Shaun Hill did several write-ups of the people of the
area also. Many people did write-ups on their family ancestors of the area and
turned them in. We scanned family photos from many people of the area. Furlo
Booher Bengtsson did research of Oceana County as Volney is right on the
Newaygo-Oceana County line. Marie Rose, Hugh Conley, Nancy Conley, and several
others did memorial write-ups of their families. Toni Tozer Rumsey decided she
wanted to go ahead and do a book with materials of Newaygo County and materials
that we had collected; she would do this in connection with the museum. Others
wanted to continue collecting material for a follow up book with the materials
that we collected that did not go into Toni's book. I have been trying to get a
copy of Toni's book from the museum but have not been able to, to see what she
put into it from the materials that we had collected. Toni Tozer Rumsey passed
away and has been greatly missed. Tammy Bromley also did a lot of research and
collected materials for our book project. Next, I started working with Terri Teall,
who was going through her father's gathered materials of the area (Terry Wantz Historical
Research Center). Plans were to continue with the book project. Then Terri
passed away before we got anything published.
I have been
continuing to collect photos and materials and put them into files. I am hoping
when I get them organized, that someone younger will be able to take this
information and continue with the book project. The project was to have more
than one book with these materials. Several of our Book Committee have passed
away since we started all of this, but I still hope to get what I have organized,
put on cd’s, and given to each Book Committee Member to distribute to others,
with a copy to the Hesperia Library who so graciously let us meet and scan
photos in their facility, and to the museums. The files of materials that I
have contain way too much to go into the planned books. Joni Gerard has been
doing a short memorial write up with photos of many of these people. She does a
great job and summarizes it down into the most important information that would
work a lot better for the books. We are continuing to add all this information
to the Volney and Surrounding Area Historical Site so family can save the
photos and information of their own families. At this point I have too many
personal family responsibilities to work on any book project but I will
continue to organize what I have to give to others and I am having eye problems
and hands that do not work as well anymore; all of this hinders me in doing
much in the book project but hope someone younger will be able to later take
what we have and do more with it.
Our Volney
and Surrounding Area Book Committee had about thirty members, several have
since passed away, others have not been as active on account of different
reasons, some older with eye problems, etc. Some of the members are mentioned
above in this update. Meanwhile, we will continue sharing on the Volney History
Site and I will continue organizing what we have, making corrections and such,
and getting it ready to pass on to others.
