Schwartz-Manning Collection

Schwartz-Manning Collection

This collection was donated to the Working Men’s Institute in April of 2009 by Doris Schwartz Manning and Gen. John Craig Schwartz.  While it is mainly of interest to genealogists, it contains some information on rodeos that were held at the New Harmony Fair Grounds in the 1930’s.  The collection is located in the Branigin Archive.

Folder 1

  • Guide to the Collection
  • Correspondence with Doris Manning
  • Draft of the Family Tree of the Gentry Family from 1850 through General

John Craig Schwartz and Doris (Schwartz) Manning with birth, wedding

and death dates where possible and occupations and military affiliations.

Folder 2

  • 8×10 in. B&W Photo.  Susie Proctor Hook Gentry, Sec.Trea. TriState Rodeo, Betty  Francis Gentry Blair, J. Proctor Hook, Fred J. Gentry, born 6-16-1898.  Horse breeder, WWI U.S. Army.  President and owner of the TriState Rodeo.  Died 1977.
  • Obituary Martha Barnett Schwartz
  • 8×10 in. B&W Photo.  Fred Gentry on horse dressed as cowboy.
  • 5X7 in photo of Fred and Alfred Gentry, 1934 in cowboy outfits.
  • Photo of home of Fred and Susan Gentry, 1929
  • 5×7 in. photo of Fred Gentry on horse at Haze Horse and Mule Co., Grimesville, NC
  • Obituary Alfred Gentry
  • News article: “How the Wild West Was Detoured into Southern Indiana Via the Gentry Family, 28 July 1935
  • News article, social note
  • Image of Alfred Gentry on large horned bull.
  • Image of Martha (Mrs. Reese) Gentry
  • Snapshot of Alfred Gentry and Carl Stephens
  • Snapshot of Alfred Gentry on horse

Folder 3

  • New Harmony Times. 17 July 1934.  “Local Man Who Made Rodeo Possible.”
  • TriState Rodeo handbill for 1934. (3)
  • TriState Rodeo list of events with entry fees, purses and prizes.
  • TriState Rodeo program for 1935
  • TriState Rodeo Souvenir Program 1934 (2)
  • TriState Rodeo Souvenir Program 1935 (2)
  • TriState Rodeo stationary 1934-1395

Folder 4

  • Small leather souvenir booklet form Deer Lodge Montana.
  • Rodeo souvenir folder from Doubleday.
  • Postcards of 1935 Tri State Rodeo parade in New Harmony

Folder 5

  • Article from Evansville Sunday Courier and Press Look, 28 April 1963 on the Evansville Stock Yard.  At one point a long time employee looks back:  It was over 50 ago.  We had just sold a herd of cattle to Reece Gentry of New Harmony and promised to deliver them the next morning.  I for got that the next day was the Fourth of July.  It was hard to get drivers, impossible to find a cattle pony.  So I found two other men to help and we started out for New Harmony.  Walked all night.  Got’em there by eight the next morning! [Once there they were lucky.  They found a horse and buggy someone had to return to the stockyards.]  We were glad to do it.  We were so tired we simply wrapped the reins around the whip socket, gave the horse his head and went to sleep.  We slept all the way home!
  • Family photographs of the Gentry family

Folder 6

  • Rodeo in Sidney, Iowa. 1931.  Fred Gentry is marked with a v or x.  One picture has caption: Me throwing a bull.

Folder 7

  • Rodeo picture postcards.  1936.  Houston, TX and Memphis, TN.

Folder 8

  • Rodeo picture postcards.  1937.  Borderton and San Antonio, TX.

Folder 9

  • Rodeo picture postcards.  1934.  Nebraska Big rodeo.  Burnett, Nebraska.  Misc. photos

Folder 10

  • Rodeo picture postcards.  Undated.  Sidney, Iowa.

Folder 11

  • Rodeo picture postcards. 1934.  New Harmony.  1st Annual Tri-State Rodeo.

Folder 12

  • Rodeo picture postcards. 1932. Sidney, Iowa.

Folder 13

  • Rodeo picture postcards. 1934. Sidney, Iowa

A 6×48 in.  photograph of the 1935 Tri-State Rodeo.  Unframed.  Identical to one on display in the museum.

Spurs from the Gentry family.

Oversize Items

A 6×48 in. photograph of a 1935 rodeo held in Sidney, Iowa.  Framed.  Stored on top of map case in Branigin Archive. [SM-Oversize 01]

A photograph of the Reese Gentry farmstead.  Ca. 1900.  Framed.  Framed size 18×25 in.  Farm was located on Old Plank Rd.  Stored on top of map case in Branigin Archive. [SM-Oversize 02]

Oil painting.  18×30 inches.  Original frame.  Portrait of Frances Coleman Gentry wife of Resin Gentry.  Stored with paintings in the Branigin Archive. [SM-Oversize 03]