By Dr. Ferrell Miller Geary County Historical Society Board Member“Julia Snyder Looked For New Opportunities In Kansas” – Part 2	Early in the spring of 1867, Julia’s uncle was sent on government business out west to Fort Ellsworth and Fort Wallace, which were military outposts established along the route of the railroad being built across the Kansas plains. Julia and her father went with him and left Julia’s older brother George to run the sutler’s store at Fort Riley.	Julia wrote some of the following when she was in her 80s as a reflection of her spirit as a 16-year-old girl and the growth and development happening here at that time. “Soon after our visit to Fort Ellsworth, cholera broke out there and some of our friends were among the victims. Father Du Mortier, the Catholic priest who organized the St. Xavier’s parish in Junction City, was also among the victims”.	The Snyders returned to Fort Riley in the fall. In late 1867, Julia’s father moved to an area near Chapman Creek and took over the Blakely place. This was a station or store supplying goods to travelers on the Smoky Hill trail. The village of Chapman was just getting started. 	Julia also wrote that “Father’s business prospered. The people from up country brought butter and eggs from miles away. Here, as at Ogden, travel was heavy with settlers in covered wagons going west, government troops, freighters, and traveling salesmen whose large wagons were filled with samples of dry goods, groceries and notions.”	In 1868, there was a devastating flash flood that hit the Chapman Creek vicinity. “We had only to look out of the window to see water everywhere. Dressing hastily, we went out, and there saw the strangest sight – the roof of a house floating past with the miller’s two small children playing on it.	After the flood, the Union Pacific established a water tank and grain elevator on the other side of the creek, and the new town of Chapman, a little further west, began to flourish. Later father also moved over and built a new house and store, which he called the Banner Corner Store.”	The Snyders often traveled the 12 miles back and forth to Junction City to participate in church activities with St. John’s Episcopal parish and shopped at the Rockwell store on Washington Street. “The first I remember hearing of the Rockwell Store was when my sister bought her wedding slippers there. Captain (Bertrand) Rockwell offered me candy over the counter. This was the beginning of a long courtship.” 	On September 29, 1870, 20-year-old Julia Snyder married Bertrand Rockwell. “Ours was the first wedding held in the new Church of the Covenant. Dr. Charles Reynolds, the Chaplain from Fort Riley married us.” During their marriage the Rockwells had five daughters. They moved to Kansas City in 1906. Bertrand died in 1930 and Julia died in 1947 at the age of 97. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622996569161.jpeg" alt="Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink" />
 <figcaption>Madame Ernestine Schumann-Heink</figcaption>
 </figure>“Opera Singer Performed At Camp Funston”	The research for this article was done by Gaylynn Childs, retired Executive Director of the Geary County Historical Society and was taken from another article. This is some of what she wrote.	A series of concerts were resented on January 30 and 31 in 1918 and were hailed in the local media as “the greatest musical event ever given in the state.” Although temperatures were well below zero, over 4,000 soldiers and civilians packed the auditorium in the newly completed. All Kansas Building to hear Madam Schumann-Heink and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra perform. 	The event was to be the inaugural activity for the newly completed pavilion, which had been constructed at the camp as a gift from the citizens of the state to their native sons in uniform. Built with funds donated from the men, women and children in every community in Kansas, the purpose of the building was to provide a place of wholesome recreation for the soldiers of the 353rd (Kansas) Infantry. This regiment was made up entirely of soldiers from Kansas and contained representatives from every community and county in the state. 	The cavernous building was the largest facility at Funston on Fort Riley and could seat 4,000 people, it proved inadequate for the crowds that this event attracted. The big hall was packed to overflowing and hundreds had to be turned away at the doors. Some people attempted to hear the music by standing outside the windows, but extreme cold – 21 degrees below zero-drove many away.	Ernestine Schuman-Heink appeared in towns and cities across the United States, using her powerful voice to render the patriotic hymns of this nation like no one had ever done before her. She came to Camp Funston in January of 1918. She was 56 years old and a grandmother many times. However, she was still in remarkable voice and had great devotion to her adopted homeland. So, she threw herself into supporting the war effort in the only way she knew how – by singing. 	Ernestine continued sharing her great voice until well beyond her 70th birthday. In 1926, she celebrated her 50th anniversary of her singing debut in New York’s Carnegie Hall. This was followed by her last concert tour of the United States, during which she returned to sing again in Kansas at Manhattan and Lindsborg.	In 1935, at the age of 74, she appeared in the motion picture “Here’s To Romance.” She died the following year in Hollywood, California.

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