Concluding Comments from Laverty Family Summary

I certainly hope you enjoyed the story of our family from Ireland to Pennsylvania to several stops throughout the Midwest to the Old West to Southern California and other places. To me, the remarkable thing about the story is the similarity in spirit. Of course differences in individuals, place, and time are apparent. Yet, I see a remarkable story of pioneers who were willing to take risks. There were many people in our tree who sought out new opportunities in new places and vocations. They did not allow a lack of formal training or experience to stop them from meeting those challenges. Experience could be quickly gained.

Through nearly every generation, there were countless examples of interest in the community either through elective office or volunteer work. Our relatives saw problems to be solved and eagerly addressed these concerns. Most of this effort was in the community where the impact could be quite direct. Yet, as in the case of John M. and James, those contributions have the potential to be considered substantial. As I read this story, I see a family expanded to a much wider circle. There is no doubt that many present day family members can see glimpses of themselves in these historical relatives.

There are many examples of where family members endured difficult times to see more positive days ahead, just remember the optimism of Aquila. I sincerely hope you find my inclusion of mischievous moments as a positive addition to the story. These glimpses were definitely included to show a full perspective. How can one not find it humorous that L.F., an obviously talented pastor, saw himself on both sides of the law during the span of a few years in the 1890s?

A special thanks goes to Howard Laverty, regarding his enthusiasm for this research, which assisted my efforts to locate additional pieces of information. His proofreading is appreciated as well. Thank you as well as to the many nice people of Indianola who went out of their way to help my efforts.

Finally, I hope you found this account entertaining as well as educational. Regardless of our strengths and a few shortcomings, at least we know we share the company of those who traveled before us.