Lillian Maxine <I>Chaffee</I> McCulley

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Lillian Maxine Chaffee McCulley

Birth
Horton, Brown County, Kansas, USA
Death
22 Sep 1999 (aged 85)
Tularosa, Otero County, New Mexico, USA
Burial
Tularosa, Otero County, New Mexico, USA Add to Map
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    Lillian's biological mother Stella & two of Lillian's sisters became very sick with typhoid and nearly died shortly after Lillian was born. Her father, Herbert, had to stay home from work for a month in order to nurse his family back to health. Herbert feared for the life of baby Lillian and wrote his sister Nellie, who lived about 100 miles away but had a car, asking Nellie and her husband, Gus Weltmer, to take care of newborn Lillian while Stella was sick. They agreed and took in Lillian.
    The plan was for Lillian to come back home at some point, but it never happened.

                  Aunt Lillian herself,
            wrote this many years later:
    "As time went on, Gus and Nellie adopted Lillian Maxine Chaffee (Nellie's brother's child) in April 1914 at 3 months old. This is where I entered the picture, and I loved them so much. They gave me strength, religious background and love. They were the Pioneers and the 'backbone' of Kansas Farmers and I wouldn't change my background. I had to write their story because I feel they contributed to the State of Kansas."    —Lillian Weltmer McCulley

   Lillian did visit her biological family a number of times, as a teenager and later on in life.

   She was first married to Jesse Crow in 1936. That ended in divorce. She was married to Harold 'Mac' McCulley Dec 23, 1940. They later adopted two children, Mary & William.

    Lillian's biological mother Stella & two of Lillian's sisters became very sick with typhoid and nearly died shortly after Lillian was born. Her father, Herbert, had to stay home from work for a month in order to nurse his family back to health. Herbert feared for the life of baby Lillian and wrote his sister Nellie, who lived about 100 miles away but had a car, asking Nellie and her husband, Gus Weltmer, to take care of newborn Lillian while Stella was sick. They agreed and took in Lillian.
    The plan was for Lillian to come back home at some point, but it never happened.

                  Aunt Lillian herself,
            wrote this many years later:
    "As time went on, Gus and Nellie adopted Lillian Maxine Chaffee (Nellie's brother's child) in April 1914 at 3 months old. This is where I entered the picture, and I loved them so much. They gave me strength, religious background and love. They were the Pioneers and the 'backbone' of Kansas Farmers and I wouldn't change my background. I had to write their story because I feel they contributed to the State of Kansas."    —Lillian Weltmer McCulley

   Lillian did visit her biological family a number of times, as a teenager and later on in life.

   She was first married to Jesse Crow in 1936. That ended in divorce. She was married to Harold 'Mac' McCulley Dec 23, 1940. They later adopted two children, Mary & William.

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