Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of Emil Henry Claussen

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Descendants of Emil Henry Claussen

5. GIDEON B.² CLAUSSEN (EMIL HENRY¹)⁵³ was born April 15, 1843 in Montgomery Co., IL ^54,⁵⁵, and died April 29, 1917 in Owaneco, Christian Co, IL ^56,^57,⁵⁸.

Notes for GIDEON B. CLAUSSEN:
Alt. Death
Fact 4
Gideon Claussen was an adventurer and a wealthy farmer . He was probably born in Montgomery Co., and grew up in J efferson and Christian Counties, Illinois. In 1861, at ag e 18, he is found on the Militia roll for Montgomery Co. H is older brother James was living there with his family a t that time. He and went out West as a young man around t he time the Civil War broke out with one or two of his brot hers, to avoid the conflict. While out West, he drove a wa gon train from St. Louis to San Francisco, and for 3 year s was a sailor on vessels from San Francisco to islands i n the South Pacific. Family members believe he also foun d gold while in California, which he brought back to Illino is and used to buy a large farm in Christian County where h is mother and brother William resided. The story is t old that when he returned home with his gold, he hid it an d wore old clothes in order to fool his family. His famil y was surprised and glad to see him again after several yea rs away, but to him he appeared to be a tattered, woebegon e traveler. Gid hid his gold behind a fence post and soo n relatives all had gathered at the house to welcome him ho me and to hear of his adventures. During the gathering, Gi d went and retrieved the gold from its hiding place, and pl aced it under his hat. As he re-entered the room where th e family was gathered, he greeted them and quickly whippe d off his hat, allowing the gold to spill all over, and the n having quite a laugh at the amazed looks on everyone's fa ces. Soon after this, he walked all the way from Taylorvil le to St. Louis to exchange the gold for money, then walke d back home. He then bought many acres of valuable farm la nd in the Stonington and Owaneco areas of Christian County , and continued to prosper.
The Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales record indic ates that Gideon purchased 120 acres in 1866 and again i n 1871 from the railroad in Christian County, Sect. 10, 14N , 1W.
Gid never married, and as he was getting on in years an d had considerable property, he decided he wanted to adop t the little great-grandson of his brother James, Albert D . Claussen, who was about 4 years old. The only problem wa s that Albert already had a set of loving parents. As Albe rt's family was visiting with Uncle Gid, Gid approached Alb ert's parents with the idea of adopting Albert so that he w ould have an heir. But they did not take kindly to the ide a and left in a huff, since Gid kept after them about it an d would not take no for an answer. Gid was successful in ad opting a daughter, but she did not live past young adulthoo d.
He appears in Stonington Tsp. in the 1910 census, with h is 93 year old mother, just a few months before her death . He has a cousin, Lizzie Lingo, keeping house for them, a nd a live in nurse for his mother as well.
Gid was well respected in the county, was a long-time mem ber of the Stonington Baptist Church, and is the subject o f a biographical sketch in CHRISTIAN COUNTY, PAST AND PRESE NT. His mother and he made their home together in her late r years, at the same home place he grew up in, near Stoning ton. In his later years, as his health began to fail, he r esided with his brother William. His will and probate paper s indicate that he left real estate valued at $52,000 and p ersonal property valued at $22,000. His will provided gene rously for his brothers and their descendants. He died o f a heart attack at his brother William's home, and is buri ed in Old Stonington Cemetery.

More About GIDEON B. CLAUSSEN:
Alt. Death: April 29, 1918 ⁵⁹
Fact 4: Carpentar/ Farmer
Record Change: December 27, 2004

Child of GIDEON B. CLAUSSEN is:

23.

ADA ALICE³ CLAUSSEN, b. 1882; d. 1911; Adopted child.

6. JASPER FRANKLIN² CLAUSSEN (EMIL HENRY¹)^60,⁶¹ was born October 12, 1846 in Illinois ⁶², and died February 08, 1935 in Moberly, Randolph Co, MO⁶². He married (1) LUCY JANE RICE^62,⁶³ September 29, 1875 in Taylorville, Christian Co., IL ^64,^65,⁶⁶, daughter of UK and UK. She was born December 11, 1853 in Taylorville, Christian Co., IL Or Missouri ^67,^68,⁶⁹, and died November 09, 1891 in Chetopa, Kansas ⁷⁰. He married (2) HARRIETT PEMBER February 05, 1901 in Moberly, Randolph Co., MO ⁷¹. She was born April 26, 1863 ⁷², and died May 16, 1922.

Notes for JASPER FRANKLIN CLAUSSEN:
Alt. Birth
Fact 4
Jasper Claussen grew up primarily in Christian County, Illi nois, and was from Stonington when he married Lucy Rice. T he 1880 census shows the family residing on a farm next doo r to Jasper's brother William's farm, where brother Gideo n is also residing. It appears they continued to live in C hristian County at a farm near Taylorville until about 1890 , when the family went to Oklahoma. Lucy died in Kansas ab out 2 years later. He then appears in Thompson (by 1910) i n Audrain County and then Moberly (by 1914), in Randolph Co unty, Missouri, where he remarried. His second wife was Ha rriet Pember; they had no children and are buried togethe r at Oakland Cemetery, Moberly. Little is known of his lif e. He may have gone West as a young man with his brother s Gideon and Isaac. He was a farmer, and later a merchan t in Moberly. He is listed in the Moberly City Directory f rom 1917 to 1919 as a grocer at 815 N. Morley, residence 81 7 N. Morley. From 1919 until his death, he was living at 6 18 Franklin Ave., and retired. Bertha Donnelly, his daught er, is residing with him from 1924 to 1932. He died of hea rt problems.

More About JASPER FRANKLIN CLAUSSEN:
Alt. Birth: October 12, 1846, Christian Co, IL
Fact 4: Merchant
Record Change: December 27, 2004

Notes for LUCY JANE RICE:
Lucy J. Rice was a Taylorville resident at the time of he r marriage. She is said to have been an orphan. There wa s a prominent Rice family in Christian Co., among the earli est settlers.

More About LUCY JANE RICE:
Burial: Chetopa, Kansas
Record Change: December 27, 2004

More About HARRIETT PEMBER:
Record Change: December 27, 2004

Children of JASPER CLAUSSEN and LUCY RICE are:

24.	i.	LEWIS FRANKLIN³ CLAUSSEN, b. July 21, 1876, Farm Near Stonington, Christian Co., IL; d. March 11, 1925, Probably Oklahoma.
25.	ii.	CARRIE MAY CLAUSSEN, b. February 07, 1878, Farm Near Stonington, Christian Co., Illinois; d. January 05, 1913, Vinita, Craig Co., Oklahoma.
26.	iii.	BERTHA ALACE CLAUSSEN, b. March 18, 1880, Farm Near Stonington, Christian Co., IL; d. June 01, 1961, Tulsa, OK.
27.	iv.	HOMER ARTHUR CLAUSSEN, b. August 21, 1881, Farm Near Stonington, Christian Co., Illinois; d. October 04, 1962, Topeka, KS.

7. ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER EMIL² CLAUSSEN (EMIL HENRY¹)⁷³ was born April 21, 1849 in Jordan's Prairie (Now Dix), Rome Twsp, Jefferson Co, IL ^74,⁷⁵, and died October 18, 1916 in Athensville Township, Greene Co., IL ^76,^77,⁷⁸. He married (1) CLARINDA ELLEN HICKS^79,⁸⁰ October 03, 1872 in Carrollton, Green Co, IL ^81,⁸², daughter of JESSE HICKS and NANCY HOWARD. She was born December 06, 1852 in Green Co., IL ⁸³, and died January 29, 1893 in Athensville Township, Greene Co., IL⁸³. He married (2) NANCY EMILY FANNING June 03, 1895 in Morgan Co., IL ⁸⁴, daughter of BENJAMIN FANNING and MARY NICHOLS. She was born 1855 in Morgan Co., IL, and died October 17, 1924 in Morgan Co., IL ^85,⁸⁶.

Notes for ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER EMIL CLAUSSEN:
Archibald Alexander Emil Claussen appears to have bee n known as Archibald A. Claussen until after his marriage , as this is how he appears in the census as a child and o n his marriage certificate. From that time on, however, h e was known as Alexander E. or A.E. Claussen, and by his fr iends as "Alec". This is the name under which he bought la nd, the name imprinted on the cover of his family bible, an d on his death certificate. His brother Isaac's family i n South Dakota knew him as Archibald, but called him "Uncl e Bud".
Alec was a Justice of the Peace, and a well-respected , dignified gentleman. He was also a Mason with the Scottv ille Lodge, and a member of the M.E. Church near Nortonvill e.
He grew up in Jefferson, then Christian Counties, an d was raised by his mother Sarah and step -father Ira Hewit t. His father Emil Claussen, died when he was only 3 month s old. He married Ellen Hicks in Greene County at age 23 , in 1872. He made his home on a farm on Apple Creek tha t was on the Greene and Macoupin County line, technically i n Athensville township of Greene County, but near Scottvill e, Illinois. It is believed that their farm, or a portio n of it, had been Ellen's parents' place. This farm is cur rently owned by Woodrow Butcher (1999).
The 1880 Federal census for Greene County, Athensvill e precinct, shows the household as Alec with wife Ellen, so ns Charles and Christopher, his mother Sarah Hewitt, an d a farm hand, Henry Morgan.
Morgan County records of 1880 show that Alexander E. C laussen of Greene County secured for $3,000 real estate i n Greene County. Macoupin County records show that Alexand er E. Claussen of Greene County purchased a land deed in 18 86 for $1,400 and more land in 1889. In 1895 he purchase d 40 acres of land in Greene County for $750.
Following his wife Ellen's death, Alec married Nancy E mily Fanning. It was her first marriage at age 40. She the n raised the younger children of his first marriage.
After his death, his probate record indicates that th e court ordered a public sale. Apparently, Alec hadn't pai d his taxes the last year of his life, 1916, and a lien wa s put on his property by the court. However, the administra tor, A.M. Bull, came into court and paid the taxes, but i t appears the public sale did take place, probably in orde r to pay his creditors. However, he was fairly prosperou s and the farm remained in the family until the 1950's.
Alec and his wives are buried at Scottville West Cemet ery, Macoupin Co., Illinois with many other family members . Theirs is the most elegant gravemarker in the cemetery.

More About ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER EMIL CLAUSSEN:
Occupation: Farmer
Record Change: December 27, 2004

Notes for CLARINDA ELLEN HICKS:
Clarinda Ellen Hicks was the granddaughter of a Revolutiona ry War veteran, David Hicks, a native of North Carolina wh o settled in the area of White Hall, Greene Co., Illinois f ollowing his service with George Rogers Clark. Her fathe r Jesse farmed at or near where she and Alex made their hom e.

More About CLARINDA ELLEN HICKS:
Record Change: December 27, 2004

Notes for NANCY EMILY FANNING:
Emily Fanning was an "old maid" of 40 when she became Ale x Claussen's second wife. The Fannings' were among the ear ly settlers of Morgan County. Edith Kehl Edwards remembere d seeing Alex and Emily riding to the M.E. Church in Norton ville by horse and buggy. Emily raised the three younges t children of Alex and his first wife.

More About NANCY EMILY FANNING:
Record Change: December 27, 2004

Children of ARCHIBALD CLAUSSEN and CLARINDA HICKS are:

28.	i.		CLARA LEONA "LEONY"³ CLAUSSEN, b. August 07, 1873, Shelbyville, Shelby Co, Illinois; d. February 01, 1959.
	ii.		CHARLES ALBERT CLAUSSEN, b. September 14, 1874, Christian Co., IL; d. June 09, 1950, Scottville, Macoupin Co., IL ^87,^88,^89,⁹⁰.

Notes for CHARLES ALBERT CLAUSSEN:
Charles was a gold prospector in the Yukon region of Alask a for 20 to 30 years. He is described as a small, dark comp lected man, and very set in his ways. He enjoyed relaxing a nd reading. He went to Alaska around 1898 - 1912. He neve r married. His nephew Roy Claussen remembered that he lef t for Alaska as a young man, when trouble arose at home ove r a young woman expecting a baby, (and that Charlie was no t the only young man to flee town at that time). Roy and C harlie's great nephew Neil Claussen recalls that Uncle Char lie was not one to talk much about those years in Alaska, b ut that he could remember those days very clearly up unti l his last years. He was said to have found gold many time s, then sunk the profits into another mine, which often fai led. He shared his log cabin in Alaska with many dogs an d cats, and cooked over an open fire. He said that he wen t 4 years at a time without seeing another person. Betty Je an Long believes he was in the Yukon for 26 years. When h e returned to the states about 1921-26, he was wealthy, wit h about $30,000, but lost it in the crash of '28. He live d on a houseboat for a time on the White River in Arkansa s and was a commercial fisherman. When he was getting ol d and began having difficulties, Chris went and got him an d brought him home. He lived with his brother Chris when h e was elderly, and died at Chris' home. Neil remembers a w atch chain with gold nuggets on it that Charles treasured . He is buried at Scottville West Cemetery.

More About CHARLES ALBERT CLAUSSEN:
Burial: Scottville West Cemetery, Macoupin Co., Illinois
Record Change: December 27, 2004

29.	iii.		CHRISTOPHER SHANNON CLAUSSEN, b. January 09, 1876, West Of Scottville, Greene Co., Illinois; d. February 19, 1955, Springfield, Sangamon Co, Illinois.
	iv.		LESCHA GERTRUDE CLAUSSEN, b. January 25, 1880, Athensville, Greene Co., IL; d. March 04, 1880, Athensville, Greene Co., IL⁹⁰.

Notes for LESCHA GERTRUDE CLAUSSEN:
Little Lescha is buried at Scottville West Cemetery.

More About LESCHA GERTRUDE CLAUSSEN:
Burial: Scottville West Cemetery, Macoupin Co., Illinois
Record Change: December 27, 2004

WILLIAM FRANKLIN CLAUSSEN, b. February 02, 1881, Scottville, Macoupin Co, IL; d. February 20, 1901, Barr, Macoupin Co, IL⁹⁰.

Notes for WILLIAM FRANKLIN CLAUSSEN:
"Frank" was probably mentally retarded. He died at his sis ter Clara's home at Barr, Illinois of tuberculosis or consu mption at age 20. He is buried at Scottville West Cemetery.

More About WILLIAM FRANKLIN CLAUSSEN:
Burial: Scottville West Cemetery, Macoupin Co., Illinois
Record Change: December 27, 2004

30.	vi.	GEORGE LOYD CLAUSSEN, b. February 11, 1885, Athensville, Greene Co., IL; d. April 25, 1947, Pullman, Allegan Co., MI.
31.	vii.	LELA MYRTLE CLAUSSEN, b. February 22, 1888, Scottville, Macoupin Co, IL; d. August 29, 1972, Virginia, IL.
32.	viii.	GIDEON ALEXANDER CLAUSSEN, b. October 10, 1889, Athensville, Greene Co. , IL; d. August 23, 1954, Nortonville, Morgan Co., IL.

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