The Musselman Family Tree Newsletter

December 2003

Introduction -

ANOTHER GREAT YEAR

FOR GENEALOGY!

OMAHA, NE - Several exciting discoveries were made in 2003 on several branches of my family tree. The Musselman, Snyder, Reid, Babcock, Butler, and Olson branches all received additional information valuable in the pursuit of our Roots.

Once again, my subscriptions to Census images and other databases on the Internet proved to be most valuable. In fact, very little physical research was conducted at courthouses or libraries.

A priceless resource that I cherish is that of fellow genealogists who are researching common branches, or twigs, of the same huge tree. Several distant cousins have been located this year, and they have been most willing to share information about their immediate families.

I have also been able to trace several branches of the family trees for all three of my Aunts; Mary (Kruger) Musselman, Estelle (Deedrick) Musselman, and Rosemary (Larson) Swanson. I’ve compiled information from various sources and published family tree books for each of them.

The Musselmans –

KALIFORNIA KIN

OAKLAND, CA – On the reverse side of an old photograph, from the Clifford Musselman collection, is written “Grandpa Musselman sister Libby Straum”. The handwriting is that of Clifford Musselman, and he would have been referring to Theodore Musselman, his grandfather.

The photo was taken outdoors, on a hill, overlooking a shallow valley with some sort of factory at its base. In the distance is a flat terrain, which (depending on where the photo was taken) could be the Missouri River at Sioux City, IA, the farmland east of Leeds, Sioux City, IA or the Pacific Ocean near Oakland, CA.

In the photo are Libby Straum, Hattie (Barr) Musselman, and Clifford Musselman as a child. I have estimated the date of the photo as about 1905, for Clifford looks to be about three years old.

This photo had been the only clue toward any siblings of Theodore Musselman, my GG Grandfather, until I first discovered who Theodore’s parents were in 1998.

Since then, I have been able to trace the George Franklin and Ann Marie (Topping) Musselman family from Northampton Co., PA in the 1840’s to Albany, NY in the 1850’s, then on to Marion, Wayne Co., NY in the 1860’s. They passed through Columbia City, IN and Ottawa, IL in the late 1860’s and in 1870.

The children listed in these respective Census decades were Mary E., Louise, Charles, Theodore, and Harriett.

In 1880, George F. Musselman and his second wife, Carrie Donelson, and Theodore Musselman are living in Hutchinson Co., Dakota Territory. The other Musselman children eluded me for quite some time, until now.

This year, I discovered that “Libby Straum” is actually Mary Elizabeth Musselman, who was wedded to George A. “Stom” in Columbia City,

Whitley Co., IN in 1869. George and “Libby” Stom appear, there, in the 1870 Census with a daughter, Ida D. Stom age five months, born in Indiana.

With the use of the Census indexes and images, online, I have been able to trace the George and Libby Stom family from 1870 to 1930. In 1880 they show up in San Francisco, CA. George Stom is listed as being a barber, and they have four children by then, Ocie D., Andrew J., Eva, and Dora.

This family must have passed through South Dakota on their way to California, for their daughter, Ocie, is listed as being born there in about 1873. The daughter Ida, from the 1870 Indiana Census must have passed away as a child, for she is not listed in the 1880 California Census. The younger three children, listed above, were all born in California between 1876 and 1879.

Unfortunately, George A. Stom passed away before 1900, for Libby is listed as a widow in the 1900 Oakland, Alameda Co., California Census. By 1900, Ocie Delocie Stom was married to Eugene Gregoire and they had a daughter, Lillian, who later married a Frank Souza. The son, Andrew J. Stom appears to have never married and resided with his mother or sister off and on. I wasn’t able to locate the daughter, Eva, for I didn’t know who she married, and only the head-of-household (usually the man of the house) was indexed in the Census indexes. I tell you what I found out about Eva, later in this article. I believe that the daughter Dora passed away as a child, as did Ida, for Libby is later listed in the 1910 Census as once having five children but at the time, only three were living.

In about 1906, Libby remarried to Henry Broderson. They are listed together in the 1910 Oakland, California Census, but by 1920 Mr. Broderson had passed away. Also by this time, Ocie Stom’s husband, Eugene Gregoire, had passed away for Ocie is listed as being widowed in 1920.

After sending away for, and receiving, death certificates and obituaries for Mary E. (Musselman) Stom-Broderson, and Ocie (Stom) Gregoire, I was informed of their final demise. Libby Musselman died in 1928 in Oakland and Ocie Stom died, there, in 1941.

Oakland Tribune

Nov 5, 1928

DEATHS

BRODERSON In San Leandro, November 4, 1928, Mary E. Borderson, loving mother of Mrs. Ocie Gregoire, Mrs. E. Smith and Andrew J. "Storm"; a native of New Jersey, aged 80 years, 9 months, 25 days.

Friends are invited to attend the funeral at the Grant D. Miller mortuary, 2372 East Fourteenth street, corner Twenty fourth avenue, Oakland, Wednesday, November 7, 1928, at 10 o'clock a.m. Incineration, California crematorium.

Oakland Tribune

August 1, 1941

DEATHS

GREGOIRE In Oakland, July 31, 1941, Ocie Gregoire, beloved wife of the late Eugene Gregoire, loving mother of Mrs. Lillian Sousa, sister of Mrs. Eva Smith. A native of South Dakota, aged 68 years.

Friends are invited to attend services at the Grant D. Miller Mortuaries, Inc.; Est 14th Street, corner 24th Avenue, Oakland, Saturday, August 2, 1941 at 10:30 o'clock a.m.

OAKLAND, CA - The second eldest daughter of George F. and Ann M. Musselman was Louise. She, like her sister Libby, was married in Columbia City, Whitley Co., IN, but in 1867 to Mr. Jefferson C. Clay.

Jefferson and Louise Clay had one child, Forest F. Clay, who was born in Indiana in 1868 or 1869. The Jefferson Clay family appeared in the 1870 Ottawa, LaSalle Co., Illinois Census; the same locale as Louise’s parents and younger brothers, Charles and Theodore. Harriett, the youngest sister, does not appear in this decade and I believe that she may have died as a child between 1860 and 1870. Harriett would have been about nine years old in 1870.

There must have been a falling out during this marriage, or Jefferson Clay may have died, for Louise (Musselman) Clay later remarried to George Chaussee in about 1877 mostly likely in the Dakota Territory. I have a hunch that Jefferson and Louise Clay were divorced for I have found a Jefferson C. Clay in Jo Davies Co., IL who is almost identical to Louise’s husband. He’s married to another lady, but this marriage was in 1882, after the appearance of Louise and George Chaussee in the 1880 Dakota Territory Census. Another tempting clue is that this second Jefferson C. Clay had a son named Forest, as well. This Forest “Anderson” Clay was born in 1883 and died as a baby in 1884.

George and Louise Chaussee had two daughters, Etta M. Sipe (born in 1878) and Cora Bring (born in 1881) and I reported on them in last year’s newsletter. Forest F. Clay is listed with George and Louise Chaussee in the 1880 Vermilion, Clay Co., SD Census.

Unfortunately, Louise died between 1882 and 1885 in South Dakota when the girls were little. George Chaussee later remarried to Adrienne Clarinda Rogers in about 1890 and this family later moved on to Montana and Washington.

I believe that after the passing of his mother, Forest F. Clay moved to California to live with his Aunt Libby in San Francisco and later in Oakland, CA. Forest appears in the 1910 Oakland, Alameda Co., California Census with wife Evelyn and children, Arthur, Ethel, George, Edna, Albert, and Elmer. Evelyn was born in California in about 1878 and the children were born there between the years of 1899 and 1909. By 1920, three more children came to this family, Ralph, Forest Jr., and a daughter Evelyn.

In various birth and death record references for Forest Clay’s children, their mother’s maiden name (handwriting interpretation difficult) was listed as “Storn”, “Stone”, “Stam”, “Strom”, and “Stom”. Most often, “Stom” appeared as her maiden name. Forest Clay’s wife, Evelyn, has the same birth year (1878) and place (California) as Libby (Musselman) Stom’s daughter, Eva. “Eva” being a possible nickname for “Evelyn” and with this other coincidental information, I have made the logical assumption that Forest Clay and his wife were first cousins.

I sent away for, and received, the death certificate for Forest F. Clay. No obituary for him was found after my request to the Oakland Library. Forest Clay died in 1921, in Alameda Co., CA, before his Aunt Libby and Cousin Ocie. The Mrs. E. Smith and Mrs. Eva Smith mentioned in Libby’s and Ocie’s obituaries as a survivor, is most likely Forest Clay’s wife after she remarried between 1923 and 1928.

SIOUX CITY, IA - The search for Charles Musselman has been a confusing matter, for me. Theodore’s older brother seemed to disappear after the 1870 Illinois Census, until a marriage record was found for him in Sioux City, Woodbury Co., IA, in 1891, to Miss Myrtle Buchanan.

In this marriage record, Charles’ first name is listed as “Chauncey” and his age is stated as being thirty-eight. His parents are listed as George and Ann (Topping) Musselman, and he was a painter born in Marion, NY. This marriage was recorded as being his second; Myrtle’s (age 18) first. Everything sounds good, except for the first name. For some time, I treated Charles and Chauncey as two separate men, but recently I’ve concluded that they are one in the same. I found a divorce record index for Myrtle “Mussellman” plaintiff, and “Charles” “Mussellman” defendant in Sioux City, Woodbury Co., IA which was filed in December of 1891, just one month after their marriage. The case number referred to a microfilm copy of a court docket which was dated in June of 1894, which states the case was dismissed and Myrtle had to pay court costs of $5.95. This two and a half year gap in time and it being “dismissed” is confusing. I suspect that Myrtle may have obtained a divorce in Antelope Co., NE where her parents lived. I also suspect that this is where Myrtle married John Riley in about 1895. I found no marriage record for them in Sioux City, however their daughter, Isabel Riley was born in Iowa in 1895. A bit of a mystery still lingers.

The confusion about “Charles vs. Chauncey” really came in the form of another marriage record in Sioux City, IA, in 1898, where “Charles” Musselman (age 35) married Miss Emma Christanson (age 19).

This marriage record’s information matched much of that from the Myrtle Buchanan marriage; parents’ names, occupation, and birthplace. The discrepancy lies in Charles’ age. If he was 35 in 1898, then his birth year would be 1863, not 1853/54 as in all other references to his birth (i.e. census, probate, and marriage records.). My theory is that either a type-o was made in this record, or Charles lied about his age, making himself ten years younger, so as not to appear too, old to be marrying the nineteen year old Emma.

The Sioux City Tribune

September 26, 1898

LICENSED TO BE WED

Charles Masselman Sioux City 35

Miss Emma Christianson Sioux City 18.

According to a birth record and subsequent death record from Woodbury Co., IA, for a Tilda E. Musselman, Charles and Emma Musselman had a daughter who was born in December of 1899 and then died at the age of two months in February of 1900. Tilda (most likely named after Emma’s mother, Matilda) was buried in Floyd Cemetery in Sioux City, IA; the plot owned by Theodore Musselman and the same where Theodore was buried in 1915 and Theodore’s son Arthur Clifford, in 1889. In this cemetery record, Tilda is listed as “child of Charles M. Musselman”, the only reference to a middle name for Charles.

Besides a reference in the City Directory for the city of Sioux Falls, SD in 1882, where a Charles Musselman, a painter, of Sioux City, is listed as boarding at The Avenue House, and a homestead record for a Charles “S.” Musselman in Turner Co., SD in 1871, (across the road from the property of George F. Musselman), I had found little else about my GG Granduncle Charles Musselman’s final whereabouts.

I even pursued the ancestry of Myrtle Buchanan, one of Charles’ wives. I traced the Buchanans from the early 1800’s in Pennsylvania to Antelope Co., NE in the early 1900’s. I found that Myrtle had married again to a John Riley in about 1894 or ’95, so I assumed that Charles and Myrtle’s marriage was annulled or they were divorced between 1891 and 1894. With this research of the Buchanans, I was able to help out a Buchanan family researcher, Dennis Buchanan, who is a descendant of Myrtle’s half-brother, Alvin Buchanan.

The parents of Emma Christanson, the other known wife of Charles (there may have been one before Myrtle), were more difficult to trace for there are way too, many John Christansons out there, by many different spellings, to pinpoint which one is the one that I’m looking for.

OAKLAND, CA - It wasn’t until I found a new Internet database with California death records before 1940, that I was able to locate Uncle Charles. I found a death record index for a Charles “Mussellman”, age 68, who died on July 2, 1921 in Alameda Co., CA. In calculating this man’s birth year, I find that he was born in about 1854 just like the Charles Musselman that I am looking for.

After a struggle during the search of the 1920 California Census, I finally found this Charles Mussellman living in Oakland, Alameda Co., CA age 65, a painter, born in New Jersey, parents born in Pennsylvania and New York, father and mother respectively, widowed, and living by himself at a boarding house. Although his birth place isn’t New York (I have seen this same New York – New Jersey mix up before with the other Musselman children) the coincidence of his age, occupation, parents’ birth places, and the fact that Libby Musselman, his sister, and Forest F. Clay, his nephew, were living in Oakland during this same time frame, weigh my assumption heavily towards this being our Charles Musselman. His whereabouts and life between 1900 and 1920 may be more, better explained with an informative obituary and death certificate from Alameda Co., CA.

LOS ANGELES, CA – George Franklin Musselman was married a second time to Carrie Donelson in 1875 in Yankton, SD, after the passing of his first wife, Ann Marie Topping. George F. and Carrie had two sons, Joseph Henry and George William. Both boys were young when their father died in Chamberlain, SD in 1885.

I have reported on these Musselman boys in previous family tree newsletters, and all that I have to add to this branch, this year, is the death date and place of Carrie (Donelson) Musselman-Block and a clearing up of two Musselman girls who were actually born to a Blankenship family.

I found reference to Carrie Musselman-Block’s death in Los Angeles Co., CA in the same online database that I found Charles Musselman. Up until early this year, I had assumed that Carrie had died in Boulder, CO where she resided for some time with her son Joseph H. Musselman. Joseph’s son, Donald, remembers Carrie as living there. In 1930 Carrie Block is found living with her other son, George W. Musselman, in the Los Angeles, CA Census.

Carrie died in Los Angeles on Dec 03, 1933. I have yet to obtain a copy of her death certificate and her obituary.

It was told to me that George W. Musselman and his wife Lillian Evans had two daughters, Ethel who married a Mr. Francis and Bernice who married a Mr. Lindbloom. Further searches for these girls resulted in finding out that their maiden names were actually Blankenship. They are actually George W. Musselman’s stepdaughters.

Lillian (Evans) Musselman was married previously to a Mr. J. Blankenship and they lived in Florence, Fremont Co., CO in 1900. I don’t know the ending status of this marriage, but by 1907 Lillian and George W. Musselman were married and their son, Joseph Paul Musselman born.

The George W. Musselman family, including the Blankenship girls, Joseph Paul, and their other two sons, John Charles and Kenneth Franklin moved from Florence, CO to Boulder, Colorado and then on to Glendale, Los Angeles Co., CA. Mamie “Ethel” (aka: Becky) Francis and Bernice Lindbloom lived in Glendale, CA with their families, but I’ve only been able to find children for Ethel. Her husband was Joseph Francis and they had two girls, Ethel Eileen who was born in 1925 in California and Margaret Ruth who was born in 1929 in California.

Ethel (Blankenship) Francis died in Glendale in 1982, her husband in 1956. Bernice (Blankenship) Lindbloom died in Glendale, California in 1969.

The Swansons –

SWEDEN - Although I have traced my maternal lines to their original Swedish immigrants and I haven’t pursued any further research in Sweden, for I’m not familiar with genealogical research there, every once in a while I’ll come across something new for my mother’s side of the family.

The Anders “Svenson” family, consisting of, at the time, Anders and his wife Elsie, and their son Swen, came to America in 1880. It appears that almost immediately upon arrival, they settled in Sioux City, IA. I knew that they had immigrated in 1880, but was surprised to find them in the 1880 Federal Census, which was dated June 19^th, 1880.

In June of 1880, Anders (aka: Andrew) was thirty-four years old, “Elsa” was thirty-three, and Sven was seven. A delightful surprise found in their census entry was that of a woman named Carrie Svenson, age 26, who was listed as single and as a “daughter” of Anders and Elsa. Well, this Carrie was much too, old to be a daughter of Anders and Elsa Svenson, so I figure that an error was made during the census enumeration. I suspect that Carrie Svenson may be a sister to Andrew.

When I found this surprise, I immediately thought of an old photo that I have that was identified as being a man named Swaney Valine, who was thought to be a cousin of Swan Swanson. I haven’t found any evidence, yet, but my suspicions lead me to think that Carrie Swanson married a Mr. Valine and their son was Swan (aka: Swaney). I’m still keeping an eye open for this possibility.

SIOUX CITY, IA - Andrew and Elsie Swanson had two more children after arriving in Iowa; Anneni born in 1881 and Nels “Alfred” born in 1885. In 1889, Andrew died of typhoid fever in Sioux City.

In 1895, Elsie Swanson married again to Frank A. Johnson of Concord Township, Woodbury County, Iowa. I found their marriage record, recently, and it provided some new and valuable information. It was passed down, to me, that Elsie’s maiden name was Olson, but this marriage record listed her maiden name as “Nilson” and her parents’ names were Nils Anderson and Kertie Person.

I hope that this new lead will allow me to trace this lineage further, in my future endeavors.

The Snyders –

SNYDER GIRLS MOVE TO CALIFORNIA

ELK POINT, SD - Henry and Caroline Snyder, my Great Great Great Grandparents, were from Pennsylvania. They moved to the northwest corner of Illinois, Stephenson County, in the 1850’s. Henry Snyder served during the Civil War having voluntarily enlisted in 1865 as a Private and was assigned to Company H of the 15th Regiment of the Illinois Infantry.

After the Civil War, the Henry Snyder family moved to near Elk Point, Union Co., SD. This is most probably where one of his seven daughters, Maria Hannah, met and married Theodore F. Musselman, my Great Great Grandfather.

After Theodore Musselman’s passing in Sioux City in 1915, and in about 1926, Maria (Snyder) Musselman moved to the Los Angeles, CA area where in 1930 she was living with her daughter, Mrs. Goldie Luce. Great Great Grandma Musselman died in Los Angeles on Dec 16, 1933.

I have known for some time that Maria Snyder’s sister, Martha “Alice”, married Cyrus Thompson, that they lived in Sioux City for a while, and that they later moved out to California by 1920. What I didn’t know, until recently, was that Maria and Alice’s other sisters, Susie, Maggie, and Nettie, ended up in California, too.

From the Woodbury County, Iowa marriage records, I’ve learned who these three youngest Snyder girls married and with the help of the Census images online, I’ve traced them to California, too.

Susan C. “Susie” Snyder married Henry Johnson on Sep 06, 1890 in Sioux City. They lived in Sioux City in 1895 and at the time they had two daughters, Otie and Grace. By 1910, they are all living in Los Angeles, CA. I haven’t been able to locate them in 1900, 1920, nor 1930, but I found a death record reference for a Susie Johnson who died in Los Angeles in 1912 and I think that this could be our Susie Snyder for when calculating her birth year from her age and date of death it matches that of our Susan C. Snyder.

Margaret E. “Maggie” Snyder married Edward E. Maiken on Apr 07, 1897 in Sioux City. In 1900 they are living in Sioux City and they have a daughter, Laura M. age two. I don’t know what happened to Mr. Maiken, but in 1910 Maggie is married to Charles D. Harper and they, with Laura M. Maiken, are living in Lankershim, Los Angeles Co., CA. In 1920, Maggie E. Harper is widowed in Los Angeles, CA and Laura is once again residing with her mother. In 1930 Maggie E. Harper is living with her sister, Nettie, in Los Angeles. I think that I have found Maggie’s death record, where she may have died on Mar 9, 1934, in Los Angeles County.

Nettie M. Snyder, the youngest daughter of Henry and Caroline Snyder, married George W. Hallett on Jul 12, 1890 in Sioux City. This marriage didn’t last for long, I fear, for Nettie is listed in the 1900 Census in Sioux City as single and using her maiden name, and George Hallett is listed by himself with an illegible marital status.

An Elk Point, SD newspaper clipping gives evidence to Nettie’s marriage to Mr. Hartley F. Sprague.

Marriage Announcement

January 8, 1903

Miss Nettie Snyder, a sister of Mrs. Fred Strobel of this city, was united in marriage November 6th to Mr. Hartley Sprague, of Sespe, Cal., at Los Angeles. Miss Snyder resided here with her parents when she was quite young. The young married couple will make their home in Sespe.

Through the 1910, 1920, and 1930 Ventura Co., California Census’, Hartley and Nettie Sprague are shown as having no children. Nettie died on Jan 18, 1932 in Ventura County and Hartley Sprague died there, as well, on Aug 09, 1936.

I’ve never known, and I’ve tried searching for, Mrs. Henry Snyder’s maiden name. It was from the marriage record entries for Susie, Maggie, and Nettie that I’ve determined that their mother’s maiden name, as well as her married name, was Caroline Snyder. Alice (Snyder) Thompson’s death record index listing indicates this, as well.

The Barrs –

SIOUX CITY, IA – I had always thought that Aunt Nettie was widowed by Albertus Enos prior to her marrying Henry Fecteau, but new findings lead to the fact that Nettie and Albertus Enos were divorced and both remarried.

In the 1910 Census for Sioux City, Woodbury Co., IA, I found Albertus Enos married to an Ann and with four Hutchins stepchildren, obviously from Ann’s previous marriage. In the 1920 Des Moines, Polk Co., Iowa Census Albertus is found divorced, again, and living by himself. Ann Enos is found there in 1920 also, living separately with her youngest son.

The Reids –

TOPEKA, KS - Prior to this year, I had tracked down most of the children of Henry Reid and Sarah Ann Replogle, except for the two oldest daughters, Nancy Jane and Laura Belle.

According to Henry Reid’s probate record from Page Co., IA, dated in 1899, I knew that Nancy Jane had married a Mr. Hickox and that Laura Belle had married a John Sellman, but I didn’t know Mr. Hickox’ first name, and Laura and John Sellman had eluded me in my searches, until now.

I found Nancy Jane in the 1885 Iowa State Census, which is a new database posted online. She was listed as the wife of William Hickox and they were living in Page Co., IA, with two children. From here, I went back in time and found them in the 1880 Census near Topeka, KS. They appeared to have just wed and they had no children, at the time.

In the 1900 Topeka, Kansas Census William and Nancy Hickox have four children, John H., William J., Mabel L. and Russell B. I have been unable to locate William and Nancy in the 1910 and 1920 Census’ but Nancy appears in the 1930 Topeka, KS Census as widowed and living by herself.

I was, however, able to trace the oldest son, John Henry Hickox, and his family from Topeka, KS in 1910 and 1920 to San Bernardino Co., CA in 1930. He and his wife, Emily T. Doubek, had three girls, Gertrude, Gladys, and Bernice. Emily died in 1940 in San Bernardino and John died in 1954.

The next oldest son, William J. Hickox, was found in Omaha, NE in 1920 with his wife, Mary, and son Hugh. I haven’t been able to find any further information about William J., but his son Hugh H. Hickox died in 1991 in Nebraska.

Russell B. Hickox is found in Topeka, KS in 1930 with his wife, Edna, and children Mary F. and John E. Russell died in 1966 in Kansas and Edna died in 1975. John E. Hickox died in 1993 in Topeka, KS.

BEATRICE, NE - Laura Belle (Reid) Sellman married John Henry Sellman in 1879 in Page Co., IA. I haven’t been able to locate them between 1880 and 1900, but in 1900 they are living in Washington Co., KS near the Nebraska boarder, with their son, George Uhl Sellman, age 16.

In 1910 John and Laura are living in El Monte, Los Angeles Co., CA while George is living in Beatrice, Gage Co., NE with his young family, wife Eleanor and daughters Erma and Vernice.

In 1920 and 1930, Laura Belle is living as a widow in Beatrice, Gage Co., NE and her son George’s family is living in Oklahoma City, OK with two more children, Robert and William. George and his family are in Oklahoma City, again, in 1930.

Laura Belle (Reid) Sellman died in 1939 in Beatrice, NE and is buried in the Evergreen Home Cemetery, there, with her husband John Henry Sellman who died in 1919.

The Beatrice Daily Sun

Friday Evening, Nov 10, 1939

MRS. LAURA BELLE SELLMAN SUMMONED

Mrs. Laura Belle Sellman, 80, a resident of Beatrice for 28 years, died this morning at her home, 1114 Ella street; after a brief illness.

She is survived by one son, George, Oklahoma City, Okla., a sister, Mrs. Eliza McCarthy, Tustin, Calif., four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

The body is at the Bergmeyer chapel pending funeral arrangements.

The Beatrice Daily Sun

Sunday, Nov 12, 1939

RITES FOR MRS. L. B. SELLMAN MONDAY

Funeral services for Mrs. Laura B. Sellman, who died at her home here Friday, will be held Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Bergmeyer chapel, Rev. R. B. Fouts officiating. Burial in Evergreen Home cemetery.

Mrs. Sellman had lived in Beatrice 28 years, and is survived by one son, George, Oklahoma City, and other relatives.

The Beatrice Daily Sun

Monday, Nov 13, 1939

Funeral of Mrs. Laura B. Sellman - Rites for Mrs. Laura B. Sellman, who passed away last week at her home on East Ella street, were held this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Bergmeyer chapel, neighbors and friends gathering there to pay their respects. Rev. R. B. Fouts gave the sermon. Interment was in Evergreen Home cemetery. Casket bearers were A. O. Burkett, John Williamson, Henry Essam, H. E. Sackett, George Wehling and P. B. Duis. Mrs. Sellman had lived in Beatrice for 28 years. She is survived by one son, George, Oklahoma City.

AURORA, NE - Hamilton County, NE seemed to be a collecting point for a few of our Reid ancestors. George Sherman and Eleanora (Weller) Reid bought land there in about 1892 and their son, Pearl Morris Reid was born there in 1894.

On a hunch, I stopped in Aurora, Hamilton Co., NE while on a business trip, and looked to see if there were any Reid marriages, there. My hunch was correct! In fact the only Reid marriages listed for this time period in Hamilton Co., NE were for George Sherman Reid’s two little sisters, Eliza May and Lola Alice.

Eliza May Reid married Richard McCarthy on Jan 03, 1894 and Lola Alice Reid married John C. Weller on Mar 08, 1892 in Hamilton Co., NE. It was from Lola and John Weller’s marriage record that I was able to confirm another hunch of mine, that John C. Weller was the brother to Eleanora Weller, George S. Reid’s wife. Both John C.’s and Eleanora’s parents were Jeduthian and Annie (Drake) Weller.

The McCarthys lived in Hamilton Co., NE until they show up in Santa Ana, Orange Co., CA in 1910, 1920 and 1930. Richard and Eliza had three girls, Grace, Vera, and Rose. Grace married a Thomas Daniels in about 1920. Vera died at the age of 14 in 1916. Little is known of the daughter Rose. Eliza died in Orange Co., CA in 1945 and Richard in 1955. Grace died in 1951 in Orange Co., CA and Thomas Daniels in 1982 in Los Angeles.

John C. and Lola Alice (Reid) Weller were in Steator, LaSalle Co., IL in 1900. They had two children, Velma born in Nebraska in 1893, and Floyd born in Illinois in 1897. In 1910 the Wellers are living in Davenport, Scott Co., IA. John C. Weller died in Davenport in 1910. Lola remarried to Thomas J. O’Hara by the 1920 Davenport, Iowa Census where they appear as husband and wife. Thomas J. O’Hara died there in 1922 and Lola is listed as a widow in the 1930 Census. I haven’t been able to find out who Velma and Floyd married, but I did find Floyd Weller as dying in Chicago, IL in 1968.

LOS ANGELES, CA – I have found, what I believe to be, a second marriage for Jess Liston Reid, son of Schuyler C. and Hannah V. (Linn) Reid. Jess was born in Sioux City, IA and was married to a woman named Marie, according to City Directories of Sioux City and the 1920 Sioux City, Woodbury Co., Iowa Census.

I knew that Jess, his sister Ruby, and his mother, by this time known as Mrs. Ray Kenyon, moved to Los Angeles, CA. In the 1930 Los Angeles Co., California Census I have found a man who matches our Jess Liston Reid, but his wife is Eileen. They have been married for about nine years and have two children; Jess L. and Jeanne C. Eileen was born in Canada, where Marie was born in Wyoming. So, either Jess Liston Reid was widowed or he and Marie separated.

I have also found that Jess Liston Reid died on November 11, 1948 in California. Jess L. (Lawrence) Reid, Jr. was born in 1926 and died in 1989 in San Joaquin Co., CA. Jeanne C. Reid was born in 1925 in Los Angeles Co., California, and a third child, Paul Robert Reid was born in 1932 in Los Angeles, as well. All three children’s birth records indicate that their mother’s maiden name was Stocking. I also found another Jess Lawrence Reid born in 1948 in San Francisco who may be the son of our Jess Lawrence Reid.

SIOUX CITY, IA - On October 8^th, I was finally able to meet my cousin, Carol May (Johnson) Chmielewski, of Muskego, WI. Carol grew up in Sioux City and is a Great Granddaughter of Schuyler C. Reid and daughter of Harold Reid Johnson and Myrtle May Kenny.

I met Carol and her husband, Gerald “Red” Chmielewski, in Sioux City at the library, downtown. I enjoyed looking through the old photos that Carol brought with her and I was able to help identify some of the people in a few of them.

After our visit at the library, we all took a drive through the Leeds section of Sioux City where several of our Henry Reid branch lived at one time or another. Carol showed me where the Johnson family lived and where Schuyler and Hannah V. Reid resided, for a time.

After the tour through Leeds, we had a nostalgic lunch at Coney Island, downtown. Carol allowed me to borrow the photos that she brought with her so that I could scan, archive, and share them with anyone else who may be interested. Thank you, Cousin Carol!

CURTIS, NE - I visited the grave of my Great Great Great Grandaunt, Phoebe Ann (Reid) Drawbaugh at the Curtis Cemetery in Curtis, Frontier Co., NE.

Phoebe was a sister of my Great Great Great Grandfather, Henry Reid. Phoebe married Lewis Drawbaugh in Miami Co., OH in 1856. Lewis Drawbaugh served in the Civil War and died afterward in 1872. Lewis and Phoebe had four children. They all passed away before their mother.

Their daughter Martha married Elmer E. Robinson and they lived in western Nebraska. Phoebe moved out there, too, and resided in Sidney, NE in 1900 and in Curtis, NE in 1910. Phoebe died in Curtis on Mar 17, 1917.

The Curtis Enterprise

Friday Mar 23, 1917

DIED

Phoebe Ann Drawbaugh was born September 11, 1836. Died March 17, 1917. She was born in New Jersey and came to Ohio when a child.

She was married to Lewis Drawbaugh in 1856, and to this union was born four children. Mary Anna in 1857, Sarah Elizabeth in 1858, Martha Caroline in 1861, and William in 1864. Lewis Drawbaugh died in 1872. All her children and her husband have gone on before.

The funeral services were held from the Methodist church Sunday afternoon at two o'clock; the pastor of that church officiating.

Mrs. Drawbaugh was one of the elderly people of Curtis. One by one the fathers and mothers who have borne the hardships of Nebraska's early days are passing away. Mrs. Drawbaugh can be best remembered as one of the regular attendants at church. She was always glad to tell of the blessings of salvation and what Jesus Christ meant in her life.

CARDS OF THANKS

We desire to express our heartfelt thanks to the many neighbors and friends who assisted us during the illness and death of our beloved one, and for the kindness and sympathy extended us. Especially do we feel grateful for the beautiful flowers. The true friendship shown us will always be gratefully remembered.

Elmer Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Robinson

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Robinson

Mrs. Edith Jones

DIXON COUNTY, NE- Prior to this article, I was reporting on the children of Henry Reid. This year I’ve been able to locate more information on the children of Henry’s brother, John C. Reid.

With the help of the Census images online, I have found some interesting items concerning Jesse S. Reid and his brother Clyde E. Reid.

Jesse S. Reid was married to Annie Templeman in 1899 in Dixon Co., NE. They had four children, Vern, Clyde F., Ruth, and Dale. The Jesse S. Reid family lived in Cedar and Dixon Counties in Nebraska from 1900 through 1920.

In the 1920 Dixon Co., Nebraska Census Jesse is listed as single, which was probably meant to read “widowed”, and Ruth and Dale Reid are living with him. Annie must have passed away before this time.

In 1930, Jesse S. Reid and his son, Dale are listed in the Vancouver, Clark Co., Washington Census. Here, Jesse is listed as widowed. Vancouver, Washington is the same place that Jesse’s brother Clyde E. Reid was listed in the 1920 Census.

I then found Jesse S. Reid’s son, Clyde “F.” Reid, in 1930 living in San Alsemo, Marin Co., CA with his wife, Doris, having no children at the time. Clyde F. Reid died in San Mateo Co., CA in 1947.

VANCOUVER, WA - As stated before, Clyde E. Reid and his family were living in Vancouver, WA in 1920; wife Madge and son Donald. Prior to this, Clyde was single and living with his brother, Arthur, in Plymouth Co., IA in 1910.

The interesting item, here in Vancouver, is that in 1930 Madge is listed as being married to Thomas J. Ivalotes of Greece. Madge’s son, Donald Reid, is listed with them. I haven’t been able to locate Clyde E. Reid in the 1930 Census, yet, but he is listed as living in Mankato, MN in the 1957 funeral record of his sister, Emma M. Reid.

Madge (Pritchett) Reid-Ivalotes died in Clark Co., WA in 1978. Thomas J. Ivalotes died, there, in 1975.

TIETON, WA - Another child of John C. Reid and Eliza Viner was their daughter, Emma May Reid. While the family was residing in the Dixon Co., NE area in the 1890’s, Emma met and married Mr. William Wilson Elsberry.

William and Emma Elsberry had one child, Pearl, who was born in Nebraska in 1895. Between 1895 and 1899, William and Emma separated and by the 1900 Census Emma was married to Mr. William H. Schenck. Mr. Schenck was previously married, as well, and had two children from that union, Addie and Albert.

William and Emma Schenck had nine children, together: Viva (1900-1909), Glenn W. (1902-2001), a baby (1903-1903), Minna (1904-1909), Tina (1905-1906), Kenneth I. (1908-1971), Gladys (1911-?), Nola B. Curtis (1913-1999), and Myrle I. Lytton (1915-1987). As you can see four of their children died as children. Viva and Minna actually died on the same day.

From our first research references, Emma was only listed as Mrs. Schenck, and we didn’t know of her previous marriage to Mr. Elsberry until a photo was found, by Melva Persinger of Emma and her baby daughter Pearl Elsberry. Mr. Schenck’s name was unknown, as well, until this year.

After tracing Emma Reid through the Census decades, it was found that she moved to Snohomish Co., WA in about 1900 with William H. Schenck and his children from his previous marriage, Addie and Albert. Pearl Elsberry was with them, also.

In 1910 the Schenck family is living in Tieton, Yakima Co., WA. Children at this time are: Addie, Albert, Glenn, Kenneth, and Pearl. Also in the household was a boarder, Mr. Lincoln McCoy, a blacksmith.

Well, in 1920 Tieton, Washington William and his sons, Glenn and Kenneth, are not to be found, and Emma is now married to Mr. Lincoln McCoy and they have a daughter, Mildred, age four. Emma’s daughters, Gladys, Nola and Myrle Schenck are with this McCoy family, also.

In 1930 Tieton, Washington, all is the same, except Kenneth Schenck is living with them, too. Glenn W. Schenck has is own family in 1930, and is living in San Diego, CA. I believe that Mr. William H. Schenck has moved to Alberta, Canada, for this is where he passed away in 1956.

With the help of Patti Lewis of Eureka, CA (a McCoy family researcher) so much has been found about these three marriages of Emma May Reid. Patti is an aggressive and resourceful sleuth. Together, and within about a week, we had tracked down each husband and almost every child connected with these families. Patti found cemetery listings, funeral home records, newspaper obituaries, and death records for many of the Schencks, McCoys, and Eslberrys. She even found a living descendant of Glenn W. Schenck, Mr. Glenn William “Bill” Schenck, Jr. of Chandler, AZ, with whom I have corresponded recently. Bill Schenck is interested in his Schenck-Reid ancestry and we have been able to compare notes.

Another help in this Reid-Elsberry-Schenck-McCoy saga has been Dean and Rae Elsberry. Dean and Rae have been able to help me to fill in some missing information about William Wilson Elsberry’s family, and his second marriage. Dean and Rae sent some great photos, to me, and they’ve helped me to confirm the identity of a man in a group photo that contained Emma May Reid, her brother James E. Reid and another lady believed to be James’ wife, Clara Pritchett.

The previously unidentified man, although I had a hunch as to who he was, has been confirmed to be William W. Elsberry after comparing him to a photo provided by Dean and Rae Elsberry.

Pearl Elsberry married William A. Hosmer and they lived in Yakima, Washington. They had three children, Leslie, Richard, and Bonnie.

Lincoln F. McCoy died in Tieton, WA in 1938. Emma May (Reid) Elsberry-Schenck-McCoy died there, also, in 1957.

Yakima Daily Republic

Tuesday, August 20, 1957

OBITUARIES AND FUNERALS

McCOY - Private funeral services for Mrs. Emma May McCoy will be held Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. in Shaw and Sons Funeral Home. The Rev. J. Graley Taylor, officiating. Interment, Tahoma Cemetery. Pallbearers: Michael Curtis; William Hosmer; Richard Hosmer; Leslie Hosmer; Arthur Best; Paul McNamara. Family requests that no flowers be sent.

Yakima Daily Republic

Tuesday, August 20, 1957

DEATHS

McCOY - Mrs. Emma May, 81, of Tieton, died August 19 in the Wade Nursing Home. Survivors include 2 daughters, Mrs. Michael Curtis and Mrs. William Hosmer of Tieton. Shaw and Sons in charge of arrangements.

The Babcocks –

FULTON COUNTY, OH - Last year I reported about finding the next generation back on my Babcock lineage, Joseph and Hannah Babcock of Fulton Co., OH.

This year, a valuable and very, informative piece of information was discovered posted on the Internet. It came in the form of a Probate Record Abstract for Joseph Babcock.

In this abstract, dated December 5, 1866, were listed his heirs: his widow, Hannah; daughter Eliza wife of George Bunting; sons George C., John V., and Robert J. In addition to these children that I already knew of, a son Isaac B. and a daughter Mary wife of Conrad Koder, were listed.

In this record, Isaac B. Babcock is stated as “who is well provided for…” which leads me to believe that Isaac was in need of special care of some sort, and was in an institution of some kind or was living with other family members, or was merely a minor and was in the care of his mother. However, Isaac is neither listed in the 1850 nor the 1860 Census as living with the Joseph Babcock family.

The 1840 Census, which only gives the first name of the head-of-household, shows an enumeration that could be a match for Isaac B. Babcock as a child of Joseph, but by not knowing, exactly, Isaac’s birth year its difficult to be sure which enumeration would be, if at all, for Isaac.

The mention of Mary Babcock, wife of Conrad Koder, was a surprising find, as well. Mary Babcock married Mr. Koder in 1849 The Conrad Koder family appears in the 1860 through the 1900 Census in Red Rock Twp., Marion Co., IA. In 1910, Conrad and Mary Koder already in their 80’s and are living in Fairview Twp., in nearby Jasper Co., IA. Conrad and Mary (Babcock) Koder died sometime after 1910.

Conrad and Mary (Babcock) Koder had six children that I know of: Eliza Bowman, Caroline Johnson, Eveline Chapman or Chaplain, Dolly, George W., and Charles B. Koder. Up until at least 1930, all of the children and their families resided in the Jasper and Marion County, Iowa area. Jasper County was also the residence of the John Stine family. John Stine’s daughter, Sarah Jane, married John Vinton Babcock, Mary (Babcock) Koder’s brother…my GGG Grandfather, in Marion County in 1860.

The Butlers –

COOK COUNTY, IL – Last year I reported that I may have found Millard Alonzo Butler’s death record in Illinois, but hadn’t received it from the State of Illinois, yet. Well, upon receipt of a copy of the death certificate, early this year, I’m positive that the man who died on Apr 23, 1921, at Maywood, Cook Co., IL is my Great Great Grandfather Millard A. Butler.

Millard A. Butler didn’t show up in the 1920 Jefferson, Green Co., Iowa Census with his wife, Lena, for he most probably was traveling while working for the Soo Lines Railway Company. His death record states that his usual place of residence at the time of his death was Franklin Park, IL. Franklin Park is now a suburb of Chicago, near Maywood, and is almost exactly where the present day O’hare Airport is.

The informant of Millard’s death was an R. H. Abbelohde of River Grove, IL, whom I believe to be a fellow employee of the Soo Lines Railway Company, for Mr. Abbelohde knew little of Millard A. Butler to accurately complete the death certificate information. The certificate listed his age as “about 60 years old”, that he was married, and born “about 1861”. The spaces for his parents names on the certificate were filled in as “Unknown”.

Prior to this time, the only clue that I had to Millard’s final whereabouts was passed down from family memory which said that Millard Butler died in 1921 was buried, or died in, Franklin Grove; no specific state. The coincidence of this “Franklin Grove” and “Franklin Park” cannot be ignored. Another convincing item is that Millard Butler was buried in Galesburg, Knox Co., IL in Linwood Cemetery, and that he is buried in the same plot as his little brother, Fred C. Butler, who died in 1910.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Another death certificate that I received, this year, was that of Calvin Butler, Millard’s father. Once again, family lore provided only a clue that Calvin died in 1911 in California.

After locating Calvin Butler in the 1930 Census living with his son, Arthur M. Butler, in Los Angeles, CA, I sent away to the State of California for a search for, and copy of, a death certificate for this Calvin Butler.

The death certificate revealed matching information for what I already knew about Calvin Butler, such as his parents’ names and his birthplace. His usual place of residence at the time of his death was that of his son’s, Arthur M. Butler.

Calvin Butler died on Dec 15, 1913 in Los Angeles, CA of chronic bronchitis and is buried in the I.O.O.F. Cemetery, there.

JEFFERSON, IA - Anna May Butler, daughter of Millard A. and Lena (Olson) Butler, married Jesse Oscar Mason in about 1902. Anna and Jesse lived in Cherokee Co., IA, Scotland, Bon Homme Co., SD, and Jefferson, Greene Co., IA. Jesse O. Mason was a photographer.

Jesse and Anna Mason took care of their niece, Elsie Ina Reid, after the death of Elsie’s mother, Luella Belle (Butler) Reid, in 1910. When the Masons finally had a child of their own, Erma E. (“Billie”) Mason who was born in about 1913, Elsie went to live with her grandparents, Charles I. and Mary E. (Babcock) Reid in Sioux City, IA.

Erma E. Mason was listed as being born in Kansas in about 1913 according to the 1920 Jefferson, Green Co., Iowa Census. I’m guessing that Erma may have been adopted, but that is just a hunch.

In the 1930 Census, Erma is listed as “Erma Hess”, 17 years old, and married. I found Erma’s marriage record to Wilford Hess in Greene Co., IA. They were married on Jan 18, 1929.

Wilford Hess is listed in the 1930 Greene Co., Iowa Census as being 18 years old, divorced, and boarding with another family. I assume that they divorced shortly after getting married, however I found no divorce record for them in Greene Co., IA.

After 1930, the Masons moved from Jefferson, IA then to San Jose, Santa Clara Co., CA. It was here that Anna May (Butler) Mason passed away on Feb 25, 1950 and Jesse O. Mason on Apr 16, 1954. Their obituaries listed their daughter as Erma E. Mullins and grandsons, Jerry and Dennis Mullins.

The San Jose Mercury Herald

Monday, February 27, 1950

MASON - In San Jose, Calif., Feb. 25, 1950. Anna Mae Mason, devoted wife of Jesse O. Mason; beloved mother of Mrs. Irma Mullins of Monterey; loving sister of Mrs. Iva Tucker of Jefferson, Iowa; and dear grandmother of Jerry and Dennis Mullins. A native of Iowa, aged 68 years.

Friends are invited to attend the funeral Tuesday, February 28, 1950, at 2:00 o'clock p.m. from the Mission Chapel of Rancadore & Alameda, 600 S. Second St. at Reed. Rev. James H. Strayer officiating. Interment, Oak Hill Memorial Park.

DEATH CLAIMS ANNA MASON

Mrs. Anna Mae Mason, 68, died in a San Jose hospital Saturday after suffering a heart attack. She lived in San Jose for 15 years and made her home at 1053 Eugene Ave.

Surviving are her husband, Jesse O. Mason, San Jose; a daughter, Mrs. Irma Mullins of Monterey; a sister, Mrs. Iva Tucker of Jefferson, Iowa, and two grandchildren, Jerry and Dennis Mullins, Monterey.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow at 2 p.m. from the Rancadore and Alameda Mission Chapel, the Rev. James H. Strayer officiating. Interment will be in Oak Hill Memorial Park.

The San Jose Mercury Herald

Tuesday, April 20, 1954

MASON - In San Jose, April 16, 1954, Jesse O. Mason, devoted husband of the late Anna Mae Mason; beloved father of Mrs. Emma E. Mullins of Monterey; beloved brother of Mrs. (Miss) Mae Mason of Cherokee, Iowa; dear grandfather of William J. and Dennis A. Mullins. A native of Cherokee, Iowa; aged 84 years.

Funeral Wednesday, April 21, 1954, at 2 o'clock p.m. form the Mission Chapel of Rancadore & Alameda, 600 S. Second St. at Reed. Rev. T. Elmer Smith, officiating. Interment, Oak Hill Memorial Park.

JEFFERSON, IA – Besides Anna Mae and Luella Belle, Millard and Lena Butler had a third daughter, Iva Opal.

Iva O. Butler married Wayne Reed Tucker on Apr 19, 1921 in Greene Co., IA. I had previously acquired information about this Butler-Tucker family, but this year I have met and corresponded with Pamela Sue (Tucker) Bridges, daughter of Wayne R. and Iva O. Tucker’s son, Wayne William Tucker.

Pam and I have shared some of our information about our common Butler heritage, and I look forward to continued correspondence with her.

OMAHA, NE - Millard A. Butler had a little sister, Louella. I had traced Louella’s whereabouts along with those of her parents, Calvin and Eliza Butler, until finding that in 1898 she married James W. Elwood in Sioux City, IA.

The Elwoods lived in Oto, Woodbury Co., IA in 1900 and in Omaha, NE in 1910 and 1920. James and “Louie” Elwood had five children; Rex, Samuel, James, Wayne, and Mary. Before 1930, there seemed to be a “falling out” in the relationship between James and Louie for James is found still in Omaha in 1930, but Louie has moved to Los Angeles, CA along with their children, Samuel, Wayne, and Mary.

While researching further into this James W. Elwood family, I came across an online message board posting for the Elwood surname. The posting was from 1999 and was posted by Susanne Elwood Houston. In her posting, Susanne mentioned James Elwood and his wife “Louis Estelle Butler”. Although she wrote mostly about the Elwood family, I felt that Susanne and I would make a connection upon my contacting her.

After emailing Susanne Houston we were able to make a definite connection between our families, after receiving her enthusiastic reply.

Susanne (Elwood) Houston is the daughter of Samuel H. Elwood, son of James W. and Louella E. (Butler) Elwood. Susanne and I have shared what we have about our Butler-Elwood families, as well as some great photos.

The Olsons –

CHEROKEE COUNTY, IA - This Olson line connects to my Butler ancestry with the marriage of Millard A. Butler to Lena Olson on Feb 27, 1879 in Cherokee Co., IA; and for no particular reason, has been on my “back burner” for quite some time. However, this year so much has come together on these Olsons from Norway.

The Andrew and Karin “Carrie” Olson family immigrated to America in 1867 coming first to somewhere in Illinois and then on to Cherokee Co., IA by 1880. In the 1910 Census Carrie is listed as a widow (Andrew Olson is last known as living in the 1895 Iowa State Census in Cherokee Co.) and as having a total of nine children but only five were still living at the time. I only know of six of these children who were all born in Norway; Antoine and Marius of whom we know very little, Tillie, Lena, Mary, and William.

Antoine Olson has been only found once and that was in the 1880 Cherokee Co., Iowa Census. He was 25 years old, born in Norway, and was living with his parents and little brother “Willie”. Marius Olson is only mentioned once in my records, also. In his sister Lena (Olson) Butler’s obituary from 1935, Marius is listed as surviving her and living in Sioux City, IA.

ST. CLOUD, FL - Also listed, as surviving Lena, was a sister, “Mrs. Engstrom of St. Cloud, FL”. From the 1920 Federal Census of Florida, I was able to determine that this sister’s name was “Tillie”. Peter and Tillie Engstrom are the only Engstroms listed in the St. Cloud, Osceola Co., Florida Census in 1920 and 1930. Tillie Engstrom’s birthplace was listed as Norway and her immigration year as 1866, which isn’t exactly 1867 like in other references to her family members’ immigration years, but in the 1910 Census, Tillie is shown as immigrating in 1867. In 1930, she is listed as “Thea” Engstrom.

There’s a lot to know about Tillie Olson. For instance, her marriage to Peter Engstrom in 1905 in Sioux City, IA was her third marriage, his first. Also, in 1910 in Cherokee Co., IA her daughter, Fern “Anderson” age 13, is listed with her and Peter Engstrom. Tillie is also stated as having twelve children but only six living in 1910.

So then, I needed to find which Anderson Tillie was married to….needle in a haystack! Well, I got lucky when I came across the Charles Anderson family in the 1895 Iowa State Census Index for Cherokee County. A Charles and “Lillie” Anderson were living in Sheriden Twp., there, and with five children. After locating this same family in the 1900 Census, and in the same place, Charles Anderson’s wife is listed as “Tillie” (a transcription error is suspected in the 1895 Iowa State Census Index) and there is now a daughter, Fern M. age 3, who hadn’t shown up in the 1895 listing. Evidence!

Charles and Tillie Anderson are listed as being married for fourteen years, in 1900, but in 1895 two children, Eugene and Lilly Anderson, are listed with ages of sixteen and twelve, respectively. So, Eugene and Lilly are probably from a previous marriage of either Charles’ or Tillie’s. So now, we know of possibly seven, certainly five, out of the twelve children that Tillie bore.

Since Charles and Tillie were married in about 1886, and we know that Tillie was born in 1856, this leaves plenty of time for her to have married, for a first time, from her coming of age and her marriage to Charles Anderson. I’ve yet to discover this first marriage of Tillie’s. The search continues.

SIOUX CITY, IA - About four years ago, I made note of a death record and a death notice for a Karin Olson, of Norway, who died on Mar 09, 1915 in Sioux City, but at the time I was uncertain if she was my Great Great Great Grandmother, or not.

The death record and the death notice from the newspaper both mentioned a daughter, Mrs. H. W. Hendrickson, but it wasn’t until this year that I was able to use the census images online to locate this Mrs. H. W. Hendrickson, who turned out to be Mary Olson as the 1910 Sioux City, Woodbury Co., Iowa Census, which listed the mother-in-law, “Carrie” Olson, (right age, birthplace, and immigration date) living with the Hans W. and Mary Hendrickson family. Although no other survivors were listed in this Karin “Carrie” Olson’s death notice, I am led to make a positive connection to my Olson family with the fact that she’s buried next to her son, William Olson, in Graceland Park Cemetery in Sioux City, who is also listed as surviving Lena (Olson) Butler in 1935. The Hendricksons are buried in an adjacent plot to Carrie and William.

The Sioux City Journal

March 10, 1915

OLSON - In Sioux City, Ia., March 9, 1915, Mrs. Karin Olson, 83 years old, at the home of her daughter Mrs. H. W. Hendrickson, 210 Ross street, of senility. Funeral arrangements will be completed today.

The Sioux City Journal

March 11, 1915

OLSON - Funeral services for Mrs. Karin Olson, will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock from the residence, 210 Ross street, and at 2:30 o'clock from the Swedish Evangelical Mission church, Rev. C. A. Gayort, pastor of the church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Graceland Park cemetery.

A confusing item still remains concerning Karin “Carrie” Olson’s maiden name. In her death record Carrie’s parents are listed as Anders and Dorothy Anderson, but in Tillie’s marriage record to Peter Engstrom, Carrie’s maiden name is listed as Christianson.

SIOUX CITY, IA - William “Will” Olson was the youngest child of Andrew and Carrie Olson. William married Carrie Zellers in Cherokee Co., IA on Feb 27, 1895. They had two sons, Ira and Clyde, and possibly a third son, Clarence, who died as a boy.

William and Carrie separated some time prior to 1906, and by 1920 Carrie was married to Frank J. Strong and they had two children, Donald and Rowena Strong. Ira (age 22) and Clyde (age 20) are residing with the Strongs in Sioux City during the 1920 Census.

In about 1921, Clyde Ross Olson married Lucy A. Robinson. Clyde and Lucy had two daughters, Mary Lucille and Deloris Marie. After residing in Sioux City in 1930, they moved to California. Mary Lucille Olson married Theodore Robert Hochstetter and Deloris Marie Olson married John Wesley Koch.

Many blanks on this branch of the Olson tree have been filled in by my newly, discovered cousin, Pat (Hochstetter) Davis-McCarley of Oakland, CA. Pat is the daughter of Mary Lucille (Olson) Hochstetter. Pat has also been able to share several terrific photos of the William Olson descendants. Pat and I have had fun comparing notes!

Pat was under the impression that Ira Olson hadn’t married, and that’s what I accepted until we both received a delightful surprise. We were contacted by a granddaughter of Ira Olson, Cyndy (Pierce) Svendson of Wisconsin.

Cyndy informed us that Ira Olson married Catherine Mossetter on Aug 03, 1920 in Sioux City, IA. Ira and Catherine had three daughters, Lois, Marjorie, and Florence. Unfortunately, Ira and Catherine separated around 1928 and finally divorced in about 1936. The girls grew up in Sioux City and their mother remarried in 1939 to James Basil Herring, the widowed husband of Catherine’s sister, Lena Mossetter.

Lois Catherine Olson became Mrs. Fisher, Marjorie Claire Olson became Mrs. Peik, and Florence Elizabeth married David Maxwell Pierce. Cyndy Svendson is the daughter of David and Florence Pierce.

Cyndy is very interested in our Olson family and has shared some wonderful photographs, too.