Person:Benjamin Kuhn (1)

Email from Jackie Kuhn Wonso, sent to Bob, forwarded to me From: «u»Wonso@aol.com <javascript:parent.ComposeTo('Wonso@aol.com');>«/u» To: «u»rcs1944@sbcglobal.net <javascript:parent.ComposeTo('rcs1944@sbcglobal.net');>«/u» Sent: Sunday, July 30, 2006 3:20 PM Subject: The E-mail of 3-4 months ago. Surprise, Cousin Bob! I received your new E-mail address, and since it is 96 degrees with a heat index of 102, I have decided to reply to mail I received long ago and blithly went on living without replying to it. If I remember correctly, it was an inquiry regarding Celia Smith Kuhn and her husband, the Dr. Frank Kuhn. I suppose you WERE surprised to find out that Dr. Frank had been married before. Celia was 22 years younger than him and met him when she was a nurse at Elkhart General Hospital in Elkhart, IN, where he practiced medicine for 50 years. Dr. Frank, had been married to Sadie "Katherine" Cornelius, a farmer's daughter from Butler, IN who was sent away to finishing school by her status-conscious father in hopes of better education and marrying into a better situation. I don't know if you ever remember Dr. Frank, but he was a farm boy all the way down to his farm boots he wore every day with his suit coat as he practiced medicine. There was no idealism in him, and he would not tolerate it from anyone. He went into medicine to help people, and they could take him or leave him exactly the way he was. His mother died when he was 18, the oldest of 5 boys and 1 girl. He walked all the way from North Webster to Pierceton on New Year's Day in the snow and freezing cold to find the nearest Doctor to help his Mother, desperately ill with pneumonia. On his return with a Doctor, she had passed away. There was UTTER dejection and loss with her death that lasted until my generation with this untamed group without a leader. Their father, Daniel Kuhn, a permantly wounded Civil War veteran, had only one good arm and had thoroughly adored his wife. The boys and girl, NEVER got over her death. Daniel remarried soon to a neighbor widow with 3 kids, and she proceeded to destroy and give away to her married offspring every item that belonged to deceased Martha. Daniel couln't stand her, and the children moved out to live with various relatives, followed by their father, who would visit each child's current dwelling place. So, Dr. Frank decided the only way he could protect his siblings was to get an education and try to take care of his Dad. An education only went up to the 8th grade then. Dr. Frank ran a sorghum mill, and made some money for school. He graduated in 1898 from Bennett Medical College in Chicago (now Loyola Stritch Medical School) as a physician and surgeon. Dr. Frank may have met Celia then, but I doubt it, as they both did "practicals" at Cook Co. Hospital in Chicago. Dr. Frank moved to Elkhart, IN to practice and there met lovely Katherine Cornelius, newly returning home from finishing school. Their marriage was blessed with a daughter, Jeannette, and discord was the mood of the household, Dr. Frank was trying to build a practice, and Katherine wanted all of the society trappings that Dr. Frank abhored. Katherine wanted Dr. Frank to give up medicine and become a Chiropractor which is still considered illigitimate to this day by medical doctors. After one big fight, Katherine took Jeannette and fled to Detroit, where she had relatives. Shortly after, Katherine and 6 year old Jeannette moved to Los Angeles, CA and stayed. A divorce was finalized. Dr. Frank ignored Jeannette as if he never had a child. Dr. Frank was the talk of Elkhart. Then Celia had come to practice at Elkhart, and didn't know much about the previous gossip, and the two met and became friends. Celia was the opposite of Katherine. She was idealistic, helpfull, considerate, and had no concern about status...just doing a good job. They only lived one town away from each other back home(North Webster and Syracuse) and understood each other. They were married quietly with much scandal that Celia broke up Dr's first marriage. Celia and Dr. Frank had only one child, my father, Franklin Edward Kuhn. He was a headstrong child, hard to discipline, spoiled and prone to embarrassing the family. I NEVER knew that my Dad had a half sister until my teenage years. It was a big family secret to Dan and me, that we had an Aunt Jeannette, and she had one child, Alan O'Day. I remember finding out by looking at some old photos sent by Jeannette in the 1950's and asking who those people were. I was urged to not discuss the issue any more. But I could never escape the curiosity and emotion that must have been felt by Jeannette after feeling abandoned all of those years! After my Dad and Celia died, one of the first things I did was to contact Jeannette and Alan. I had heard he was a fine musician and had actually had a few hit songs in the l970's. This one of the best contacts I have ever made! Jeannette had suffered for so long. She eventually came to visit and met with another cousin from Chicago and me, and discussed so many necessary feelings. Last summer, after Jeannette's death at 92 or 93 yrs. of age, her son, Alan O'Day came to spend a few days with us, and Ron and I were able to take him on a back home tour and show him his real past. I will never understand the reason for secrets. I felt as if I had found a lost brother. Incidentally, as a musician, you may remember Alan's hit songs..."Undercover Angel, "Angie Baby", sung by Helen Reddy, a couple of Righteous Brothers songs, and co-wrote several others. He is primarily a song writer. Since then he has written some things for National Geographic Kid's videos, etc. He managed well, and has a good head on his shoulders. I also have several genealogies done by others of our ancestral lines. "The GREEN tree, the MILES genealogy, etc. There really is a lot. Now thatyou need glasses from reading this dissertation, you can see why I needed time to reply. I work and take care of the last KUHN cousin in Chicago,Florence Kuhn Galassini, 91 yrs., and we went on a short vacation recently along the Ohio river in Southern Indiana starting at New Harmony along to-Louisville! We had to return home by that time , but it was nice to get away. Take care, cuz, Jackie Kuhn Wonso

1.   Wonso, Jackie Kuhn.
2. ↑ He assumed the name Benjamin out of admiration for Benjamin Franklin
3. ↑ Kuhn Benjamin Franklin, 81, of Barbee Lakes, died Tuesday at his farm home due to a heart ailment. In 1948, in commemoration of his half century of service as a physician and surgeon in this state, he was presented with a plaque by the Indiana Medical Association. He was born near Barbee Lakes Jan. 6, 1869, the son of Daniel and Martha (Wilkinson) Kuhn. He was graduated from Loyola Medical School in Chicago, Ill., and served his internship at the Cook County Hospital. He began his practice of medicine and surgery in Elkhart and remained there 44 years. He was married on Aug. 14, 1917 to Cecelia Smith of Cromwell. Surviving are his wife; a son, Franklin of near Barbee Lakes; a daughter, Mrs. Jeanette O'Day of Palm Springs, Calif.; two brothers, Arthur of Vero Beach, Fla., and Charles of Gary. Funeral will be Friday at Mock's Church south of North Webster. + 4-4-1950