Introduction -

OMAHA, NE - This year’s research resulted in the solving of several small mysteries that I’ve been pondering for quite a while. Some of the mysteries being:

The continuing mystery of Charles Musselman has further been solved.

The mystery of “Why couldn’t I find “Marius” Olson, brother of my Great-Great Grandmother Lena (Olson) Butler?” has been solved.

The only daughter of Henry and Caroline Snyder that I hadn’t traced was Jane E. Snyder; I have finally found more about her. Henry Snyder’s parents’ names remain unknown to me, but I believe that I have made a positive connection for his wife Caroline’s Snyder parents, as well as one of her brothers.

The parents of Charlotte Smithers were still in question last year and I have discovered positive evidence to prove my hunch.

The Musselmans -

THE FIRST

“MRS. CHARLES MUSSELMAN”

DAKOTA TERRITORY - A wonderful surprise was discovered starting with the receipt of an informative obituary from an Elk Point, SD newspaper in 1904 for my Great-Great Grandfather Henry Snyder.

Henry Snyder’s daughter, Jane E. Snyder, was a remaining blank in this branch of my family tree that still required filling in. From Henry Snyder’s obituary I learned that Jane “Jennie E.” Snyder was married to a man named Burkett and that Jennie was living in Boise, Idaho at the time of her father’s death in 1904.

With this information, I found Jennie “Burkitt” in the 1900 Federal Census living in Boise, Ada County, Idaho with two Burkitt daughters, Mamie age 17 and Rachel age 14, as well as another single, nineteen-year-old daughter, “Jessie M. Musselman”!

“Jessie Musselman”? Wow! This was a new name and a new and exciting mystery for me! My first hunch was that Jennie Snyder may have been married to Charles Musselman before marrying Mr. Burkitt.

So now, I was looking for proof for this relationship between my Great-Great Grandfather Theodore Musselman’s brother, Charles, and Theodore’s wife’s sister, Jennie Snyder, and the fact that two Musselman brothers married two Snyder sisters.

If true, Charles Musselman and Jennie Snyder would have been married in about 1879 probably in the southeastern part of the Dakota Territory.

With no time to pursue physical searches in the State of South Dakota for a marriage record for this couple, I searched for more clues through online resources. From online Census indexes and images I was able to trace Jennie and “John W.” Burkitt from 1885 in Bismarck, ND to 1930 in Monterey County, CA.

PACIFIC GROVE, CA - From online databases for California death records, I discovered the death dates and places for John W. Burkitt in 1915, Jennie in 1935, and their daughter Rachel in 1925.

It was from the obituary for John W. Burkitt that I learned that he was survived by a daughter, “Mrs. Jessie Dunham of Sioux City, Iowa”. It was this piece of information that allowed me to locate Jessie (Musselman) Dunham and her husband George H. Dunham in the Census decades from 1910 through 1930 in Sioux City, Woodbury County, IA.

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Pacific Grove Daily Cypress

Pacific Grove, CA

May 11, 1915

BURKETT FUNERAL

THURSDAY AFTERNOON

RELATIVES OF G.A.R. VETERAN EXPECTED HOME FOR SERVICES

The funeral of the late John Burkett, former porter at the Pacific Grove Hotel, will take place on Thursday afternoon from the residence of the deceased, 235 Granite street. The funeral is delayed pending the arrival of relatives. Besides a widow, the deceased is survived by three daughters, Mrs. May Taylor of El Paso, Texas; Mrs. Jessie Dunham of Sioux City, Iowa, and Miss Rachel M. Burkett of Seattle, Wash. All are expected here for the funeral. The body was shipped from the Letterman hopital at the San Francisco Presidio to the Grove Sunday. The ritualistic services of Lucius Fairchild Post G.A.R., will be conducted at the grove.

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SIOUX CITY, IA - After no luck in locating a marriage record for Jessie and George H. Dunham, nor a death record for Jessie, both of which probably would have listed who Jessie’s parents were, I had to search for some other source to verify which Musselman man may have been Jessie’s father.

A valuable resource that I just learned of, this year, is the 1925 Iowa State Census. It is unusually valuable because it lists each individual’s parents’ names, if known, unlike all other census documents that I have ever viewed. It was from the entry for George H. and Jessie Dunham in the Sioux City 1925 Iowa State Census that I was able to confirm that Charles Musselman and Jennie Snyder were Jessie’s parents.

I have also learned, since, that Jessie’s real name was Edith M. Musselman, “Jessie” evidently being a nickname.

As of now, I don’t think that Jessie and George H. Dunham had any children of their own, but they did adopt their nephew, Frank W. Dunham, son of George’s brother, Jay Dunham and his wife Grace Sutherland.

After George H. Dunham died in 1943 Jessie remarried to Mr. Elmer A. Nielson in January of 1946. Jessie died about two years later on December 4, 1947 of carcinoma of the liver.

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The Sioux City Journal

Thursday, Dec 4, 1947

MRS. JESSIE NIELSEN

Mrs. Jessie M. Nielsen, 68, 1110 Ninth street, a longtime Sioux Cityan, died Wednesday evening at a hospital after an illness of nearly two years.

Mrs. Nielsen was born November 7, 1879, at Elk Point, S. D. She was the youngest daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Musselman, formerly of Bismarck, N. D. [I don’t know of any other daughters of Charles Musselman and Jennie Snyder, yet.]

Survivors are the widow, Elmer; an adopted son, Frank Watson Dunham of Ludington, Mich.; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Robert Tiffany of Spokane, Wash., and Mrs. Janie Schrect of Newark, N. J., and two grandchildren.

The body was taken to the Anderson funeral home.

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ANOTHER

GOLDIE MUSSELMAN!

FREMONT, NE - I have told you of the marriage between Charles Musselman and Myrtle Buchanan in 1891, Charles’ second marriage. Well, what I didn’t tell you, for I didn’t know myself, was that Charles and Myrtle had a daughter.

I stumbled across an online marriage record reference from Merrick County, NE for a Goldie M. Musselman and a Charles E. Grady in January of 1912. The online reference listed Goldie’s parents as Charles Musselman and Mertie Buchanan.

Charles’ brother, Theodore Musselman, had a daughter named Goldie, too: Goldie Hattie Musselman born on Apr 04, 1893 in Sioux City, Iowa.

I obtained a copy of the original record from Merrick County, NE and confirmed the online information. By 1912 Myrtle Buchanan was married to John M. Riley and he was listed as having given consent for the then seventeen-year-old Goldie, his stepdaughter, to wed Charles E. Grady.

Goldie M. Musselman’s age in this marriage record doesn’t match other birth dates that I have found for her since the marriage record discovery. To be seventeen years old in January of 1912 Goldie would have had to be born in 1894 or 1895, depending on the month of the year. Other references indicate birthdays for Goldie as December 5, 1892 and the same day in 1893.

After discovering this Musselman-Grady marriage, I traced this family, farther, to Fremont in Dodge County, NE. Charles and Goldie Grady had one child, Lowell Thomas Grady. Lowell Grady married Eva Guthmiller in 1942, and I found Lowell’s widow Eva living in Fremont and I contacted her by phone, introduced myself, and asked her if “Musselman” rang any bells with her in regards to her family tree. When she said, “Oh, yes! My mother-in-law was a Musselman.”, I knew that I had found some new cousins!

Since contacting Eva Grady-Springer, I have visited her and two of her daughters at her home and we have exchanged family information and pictures.

SIOUX CITY, IA - We knew that Charles Musselman was thirdly married to Emma C. Christenson in September of 1898 in Sioux City. We also knew that Charles and Emma had a daughter, Tilda E., in December of 1899 and that Tilda died at the age of two months in February 1900.

I was curious if there would be an obituary for Tilda E. Musselman in the Sioux City newspapers and I located the following articles:

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The Sioux City Tribune

Feb 21, 1900

BABY IS SMOTHERED

Little One's Death

Evidently the Result of Accident.

When Mr. and Mrs. Charles Musselman, of Fifth and Steuben streets, awoke yesterday morning they found their 2-months-old babe lying beside them dead. The babe had died during the night from some unknown cause.

W. T. Hayes notified Coroner Wade of the death and also the police department. The coroner made an investigation and came to the conclusion that the child was smothered accidentally by its parents, although the little one had been suffering from a very bad cold. No inquest was held.

The mother of the child is 15 years of age and the father about 45. The family is reported to be in very poor circumstances, the husband and father having been ill and unable to work for some time.

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The Sioux City Journal

Feb 22, 1900

CHILD FOUND DEAD

Expired in Bed with Parents,

Unknown to Them.

When Mrs. Charles Mussellmann awakened Tuesday morning she found her infant child lying stark and cold in death at her side. The Mussellmanns are very poor people who have been living in the old Farmers hotel, Fifth and Stueben streets. The mother is a little over 15 years of age, and the father is considerably older.

Coroner Wade was called to investigate the cause of the infant's death. He found the child was about 2 months of age and the day previous had been suffering with congestion of the lungs. No doctor had been called, and it is supposed some time during the night the child became suddenly worse and died without its mother even knowing it.

The funeral will be held this afternoon.

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These articles about the circumstances surrounding Tilda E. Musselman’s death shed more light on the confusion that I’ve had concerning the ages of Charles and Emma at the time of their marriage in 1898, where their marriage record listed Emma as being nineteen years old at her next birthday and Charles as being 35 at his next birthday. I figured out that Charles was lying about his age, for he was born on May 15, 1854 which would have made him 44 years old in 1898. At first I had to believe that Emma was actually going to be nineteen years and that her estimated birth year was about 1879. But after Emma’s age being referenced as about fifteen years old in the February 1900 article about Tilda, I have had to re-evaluate Emma’s birth date as about 1885 or 1886. Even the newspaper’s “Licensed to be Wed” column from 1898 listed their incorrect ages.

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The Sioux City Tribune

September 26, 1898

LICENSED TO BE WED

Charles Masselman Sioux City 35

Miss Emma Christianson Sioux City 18.

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With this new birth year for Emma C. Christenson I have been able to confirm a hunch that I have had that this Emma C. Christenson was the same woman who married a James W. Thayer in November of 1903.

In 2002 I corresponded with a woman who was a descendant of Anna L. Christenson, sister to Emma. Anna L. Christenson married a Charles W. Thayer, brother to James W. Thayer. This Thayer descendant disagreed with me that our two Emmas were the same woman based on the age differences.

At that time I knew that Emma’s parents were John and Matilda (Sedig) Christenson and the Thayer descendant only knew that her Anna L. Christenson’s mother’s maiden was Sedig but she didn’t know her first name, nor the first name of Mr. Christenson.

This year I further pursued this Matilda Sedig, mother of Emma and Anna Christenson, and I discovered that Matilda Sedig was married four times. Firstly she was married to Edmund G. Coombs in 1871, then she was married to John Tramberg in 1881, thirdly to John Christenson in 1884, and fourthly to David Kerr in 1895.

During her life Matilda Sedig lived in Monona County, Iowa, Burt County, Nebraska, and Sioux City and Sergeant’s Bluff in Woodbury County, Iowa.

I have confirmed that Mrs. Emma Musselman and Mrs. Emma Thayer are the same woman, for on November 6, 1903 Emma obtained a divorce from Charles Musselman in Woodbury County, Iowa and took her maiden name back. Then on November 14, 1903, in Monona County, Iowa she married James W. Thayer. The marriage record for Mr. and Mrs. Thayer stated that it was Emma’s second marriage.

Another piece of evidence to support this conclusion is that in the 1910 Census Emma Thayer is listed as had having five children but only four were living in 1910. This fifth child would have been Tilda E. Musselman.

OAKLAND, CA - Last year I told you about Mary Elizabeth “Libbie” Musselman who had married George A. Stom in Indiana and ended up in Oakland, California in the 1870’s and on through the early 1900’s. In the 1900 Oakland, Alameda County, California Census Libbie Stom was listed as widowed and so I assumed that George A. Stom had passed away prior to 1900.

Well since last year, I have discovered that George and Libbie must have divorced rather than Libbie being widowed by George, for I found George A. Stom living by himself and working as a barber in Oakland, in 1900. In 1910 he’s in Oakland again and he owned a jewelry store. George A. Stom died on April 3, 1912 in Oakland.

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George and Libbie Stom’s daughter Ocie D. Stom married a Eugene Gregoire and they had a daughter, Lillian. Lillian Gregoire married a Frank Sousa. From California birth and death record indexes on the Internet, I was able to find records for Frank and Lillian Sousa’s children.

From another database for newspaper obituaries, I found an obituary for Frank and Lillian’s daughter Bernice (Sousa) Scalise who passed away on December 16, 1997. It was from Bernice’s obituary that I was able to find living descendants of George and Libbie (Musselman) Stom, specifically Bernice’s siblings; Mildred (Sousa) Wilkinson, Warren Sousa, and Dolores (Sousa) Patterson.

I initially located and phoned Dolores Sousa, introduced myself and surprised her with my findings. I finally convinced Dolores that I wasn’t trying to play a scam on her and we had a wonderful discussion about our common ancestry. Dolores being the youngest of the Sousa children, she stated that her big sister, Mildred, would know, and remember, more about the Sousas, and Gregoires, and Stoms.

Dolores told Mildred about our phone conversation and I mailed family tree information to both of them. I later called and talked with Mildred Sousa and she was able to answer several questions that I had about their branch of tree. A particular item that I had been pondering was that of Mildred’s great aunt, Evelyn Stom, Ocie D. (Stom) Gregoire’s sister. Mildred was able to confirm, for me, that Evelyn Stom did marry Forest Clay, son of Louise (Musselman) Clay-Chaussee. Louise Musselman was a sister to Libbie, Charles, and Theodore Musselman.

Mildred has promised to share more information about their Stom, Gregoire, Sousa, and Clay branches, as well as some photos. Mildred has a large collection of family photos, early and recent.

The Snyders –

ELK POINT, SD - Besides learning about Jane E. “Jennie” Snyder in Henry Snyder’s obituary, I learned that Jennie’s brother Henry G. Snyder died before 1904, the year of his father’s death, and that there were two other unnamed daughters that passed away prior their father. I still, however, know little about the Snyder son, Franklin Snyder.

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The Union County Courier

April 21 1904

Henry Snyder, was born August 6, 1825 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. In 1848, he was united in marriage to Caroline Snyder. A Short time afterwards, they both joined the Presbyterian Church. In 1855, the family removed to Stephenson County, Illinois near Freeport. From this place, Mr. Snyder went to the front in the defense of his country and served until mustered out by the close of the war. During his service, he contracted an ailment, which has been troublesome in the intervening years and was the occasion of his death.

The family moved to Dakota in 1868 and Mr. Snyder took up a homestead eight miles north west of Elk Point. Here his wife died in January 1884, she was buried in the cemetery of the neighboring St. Paul's (Norwegians) church where the remains of the husband have been laid at her side. After her death Mr. Snyder sold out and has been living with his children ever since. He has made three trips to California where four of his daughters live. He has been there during the past winter, but has been poorly. Feeling that the end was approaching and wishing to rest at the side of his wife he returned to Sioux City in February. From that time, he has gradually failed, though he was not confined to his bed until the sixth of April. He passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mussleman, about nine o'clock in the morning of April 16, aged 79 years, 8 months and 11 days.

A son and two daughters besides the wife have preceded him. There survive him a son, Frank, and seven daughters, Mrs. Fred Strobel of Elk Point, Mrs. Jennie Burkett of Boise, Idaho, Mrs Maria Mussleman, of Sioux City, Iowa, Mrs Alice Thompson, Mrs. Susie Johnson, Mrs. Maggie Maiken and Mrs. Nettie Sprague, all residing in or near Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Snyder was a quiet, unpretentious man, whose good qualities are well proven in the older residents. Another old settler has joined the company of those who have so rapidly been leaving during the past few months. Many will miss him.

The remains were brought here Sunday from Sioux City, Iowa funeral services being held at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fred Strobel at 1 P.M. Monday Rev. T. J. Woodcock officiating. The burial was in the St. Paul Norwegian cemetery by the side of his wife.

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Prior to receiving this obituary I didn’t know when Henry Snyder’s wife Caroline died nor where she was buried. The obituary stated that she had passed away in January of 1884 and that she was buried next to him in St. Paul Cemetery, which is near Elk Point, South Dakota.

SIOUX CITY, IA - Last year I determined that Mrs. Henry Snyder’s maiden name was Snyder, too. Caroline Snyder’s parents were Johann George and Catherine (Bartholomew) Snyder. Caroline had a brother, Benjamin B. Snyder (The “B.” most likely standing for “Bartholomew”). I traced this Benjamin B. Snyder from Centre County, Pennsylvania, to Stephenson and Jo Daviess Counties in Illinois, to Union County, South Dakota and then to Sioux City, Iowa, the same migration route as the Henry and Caroline Snyder family.

In the Sioux City, City Directories Benjamin B. Snyder lived on the same street as Henry Snyder in the late 1880’s. They were brothers-in-law to each other.

I have yet to discover who Henry Snyder’s parents were.

The Reids –

RED BLUFF, CA - George Sherman Reid and Elnora Weller’s son, Irvin Burdette Reid, married Arsinoe “Arsie” Purse in June 1911. Irvin and Arsie had one child, Lorna, who was born on June 12, 1913 in Sioux City.

Irvin and Arsie divorced in Sioux City, Iowa in 1917 and I’ve traced them together and separately in the Sioux City, City Directories. I knew that Arsie remarried to John K. Haraldson in 1935, but I have had trouble finding the time and location of Arsie’s final whereabouts.

Well, from a database for California death records indexes, I finally located one for Arsinoe Haraldson in Red Bluff, Tehama Co., CA on April 10, 1991.

After finding this record, I contacted a volunteer in Red Bluff, CA and asked her to look u p an obituary for Arsie, for me.

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Red Bluff Daily News

April 12, 1991

Arsinoe Haraldson, 96, died Wed. at a Red Bluff convalescent hospital. Mrs. Haraldson was born in Clarion county, Iowa, July 28, 1894. She moved to Red Bluff in 1975 from southern Calif. She was a member of the Mt. Lassen unit of the American Legion No 167.

Surviving are her daughter, Lorna Day, grandson Kayo Day, greatgrandson, Kasey Day and great-granddaughter Cindy Gibbs, all of Red Bluff, four great-great-grandchildren; and a sister Ruth Knott of St. Helens, Ore. Services will be at Oak Hill Cemetery.

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It was from this obituary that I have finally learned who Lorna Reid married, what children she had, and where she had moved to after Sioux City.

After locating a Lorna Day in Red Bluff, CA I sent a letter and some family tree information to the address that I found, not sure if she would be the “Lorna Reid Day” that I was seeking, and I was lucky to have found the right one on the first try for there were two different addresses for her.

I got to talk with Cousin Lorna on the phone and I enjoyed discussing our common Reid ancestry with her, although she knew little of her father’s family. Lorna was able fill me in on her immediate family and more about her mother, Arsie. Lorna’s first cousins, Marjorie and Mary, daughters of Pearl Morris Reid were also able to talk with Lorna on the phone. Unfortunately, shortly after our conversations with her and my additional contact with her son, Kayo Day, Lorna passed away on April 22, 2004 in Red Bluff.

Lorna Reid married Bird Day on October 1, 1931 in Sioux Falls, SD. That is why I wasn’t able to find a marriage for Lorna in Woodbury County, IA after searching and searching. Bird and Lorna Day had one child, Kenneth Oliver “Kayo” Day.

The Days lived in Sioux City until the 1950’s where after they moved to Long Beach, CA and then on to Red Bluff, CA in the 1970’s.

Kayo and I have talked on the phone and corresponded by email. Kayo has shared this wonderful photo with me.

When I received Arsie’s obituary in the mail, I immediately sent a copy via email to my father, Dean Reid Musselman. Dad immediately replied to my email with a photo of Kayo Day that he found in his high school year book.

As it turns out, Dad remembers playing with the younger Kayo Day when they were both small boys living in Leeds, in Sioux City, however Dad did not recall that they were related to each other.

Dad shared a sharp memory that he has of playing with Kayo Day. One day Dean was at Kayo’s house, in the yard, as Kayo was playing with a bayonet that Kayo’s father had. Kayo was tossing it against a box over and over again and during one toss the knife missed and caught Dean in the shin. Both boys were startled by the sight of the blood, and were both worried about getting in trouble, I’m sure. Dean ran home and his mother patched him up.

The “sentimental” part of this story is that Dad still has the scar and every once in a while it will itch and as he scratches at it, he thinks of Kayo Day.

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The Daily News

Red Bluff, CA

LORNA REID DAY, 90, of Red Bluff died Thursday, April 22, 2004 at St. Elizabeth Community Hospital. Lorna was an only child born to Arsinoe Purse Reid and Irvin Reid on Jun 12, 1913 in Sioux City Iowa.

She graduated high school from Sioux City High School in 1931, and married the love of her life, Bird Ellis Day also in 1931. They lived in Sioux City until 1954 and relocated to Long Beach, Ca where they lived until relocating to Red Bluff in 1975.

Lorna loved and enjoyed her family and friends, and spent her last years at Tehama Estates in Red Bluff. She had been involved for years in the Red Bluff Women's Club, the VFW and American Legion Auxiliaries, Amaranth, Eastern Star, Daughters of the Nile, as well as a long-standing member of the Presbyterian Church. Lorna had a passion for cooking and cake decorating, and anything to do with Cats. She also made quilts for the Shriners Hospital and American Legion Veterans Hospital. Survivors include Kayo Day and wife Darlene of Lakeside, Or, granddaughter Cindy Day Williams and husband Steven of Red Bluff, grandson Kasey Day and wife Tanya of Roseburg, OR., great-granddaughters Kylie and Alyssa Gibbs of Red Bluff, and great-grandsons Kassidy and Jason Day of Roseburg, OR. Her husband, Bird died in 1988 and her mother Arsinoe Haraldson in 1991, predeceased Lorna. A celebration of life will be held at the Presbyterian Church on Wed, April 28, 2004.

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OMAHA, NE - Last year I discovered additional information about Nancy Jane (Reid) Hickox, big sister to my Great-Great Grandfather Charles Ira Reid. Nancy Jane “Jennie” Reid married William S. Hickox in about 1879. William and Jennie Hickox lived in Page County, IA for a short time before moving to Topeka, KS in the 1880’s or 1890’s. William and Jennie had four children, one of them being William J. Hickox who moved from Topeka to Omaha, NE in the 1910’s. William J. Hickox and his wife Mary had one child, Hugh H., who was born in 1912 in Topeka.

I located obituaries for both William J. and Hugh H. Hickox in the Omaha World Herald . From Hugh’s obituary was able to locate his two children, Mary (Hickox) Radcliffe of Kentucky and Marsha “Marcy” (Hickox) Smith of Indiana. I have contacted Mary and Marcy via letters and email. I have shared some Reid family tree information with them, and we are still in the processes of sharing more. I look forward to further correspondence with both of my newly found cousins.

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The Omaha World Herald

Feb 18, 1991

HICKOX, Hugh H. Survived by wife, Helen; daughters and sons in-law, Marsha and Cooley Smith of Indianapolis, Ind., Mary Anne and Steven Radcliffe, Wake Village, Tex., grandchildren, Cooley Smith, Jr., Merry Smith and Andrew Smith.

Private services at Mead Chapel, First Methodist Church. Memorials may be made to First Methodist Church or charity of your choice.

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The Smithers –

SIOUX CITY, IA - In a news EXTRA edition from last year’s newsletter I reported that I had discovered the names of Charlotte (Smithers) Tabor-Barr’s parents as being William Smithers and Charlotte Sivyer.

Well, this year I have been able to confirm this further by the use of the 1925 Iowa State Census where Charlotte Barr is listed as living with George and Hattie Musselman at 4623 Tyler. Charlotte’s parents are listed as William S. “Barr” (Which is an obvious and easily made mistake. It should be “Smithers”) and Charlotte “Chivier” (which is close enough to Sivyer.)

The Babcocks –

SIOUX CITY, IA - John Howard Babcock, son of John Vinton Babcock and sister to my Great-Great Grandmother Mary E. (Babcock) Reid, died on June 18, 1945 at a hospital in Cherokee, Iowa. From John Howard’s death record I learned that he was divorced at the time of his death and that his former wife’s name was Phoebe Lawler. I first obtained this record in about 1999 and have since been unable to find out more about this union and Phoebe Lawler, until this year.

With the use of the census indexes and images online, I found Phoebe Babcock living in Casper, WY in 1920 with her sister Mary and her husband, Richard T. Farrell. Also living in this household was Phoebe’s daughter, Marie Babcock, age 7.

So, John H. and Phoebe Babcock had a daughter! We didn’t know that, before. Through further research, I have discovered that John H. and Phoebe were married on August 2, 1911 in Sioux City, that Marie was born in about 1913, and that John H. and Phoebe were divorced on May 9, 1918. In the 1914 Sioux City, City Directory John H. and Phoebe Babcock are listed separately, John H. at 4309 Van Buren and Phoebe at 816 Plymouth. So John H. and Phoebe may have separated prior to their official divorce in 1918.

I haven’t located any more information about Phoebe and Marie Babcock, but I have discovered that Phoebe’s parents were John and Mary (Swain) Lawler who were both born in Ireland, came to America in about 1880 and were in Sioux City by the 1885 Iowa State Census.

The Butlers –

CAMPBELL, CA - In the 2003 edition of this newsletter I reported that I had found that Anna Mae Butler and Jesse Oscar Mason had a daughter Erma Evelyn “Billie” Mason who was born in Kansas in 1913 and that Billie was firstly married to a Wilford Hess in Jefferson, Iowa, whom she was divorced from shortly thereafter. Billie was listed as “Erma Mullins” in Anna Mae’s and Jesse Mason’s obituaries in the 1950’s. With Mr. Mullins, Billie had two sons William Jerry and Dennis Arnold.

This year, I have obtained a copy of Billie’s birth certificate from Kansas and I have disproved my theory that Billie was adopted by Jesse and Anna Mae Mason. I had made that hunch for I had no reference that the Masons ever lived in Kansas.

I have also found that Billie later married Howard D. Mauzey in 1955 in Monterey County, CA and that they had three children, together: Bruce, Leah, and Mark Mauzey. Erma E. “Billie” Mauzey passed away on November 18, 1972 in Campbell, CA and Howard D. Mauzey passed away there, too, on May 22, 2000.

I located Bruce Mauzey in Campbell, CA and called him on the phone to introduce myself. We had a wonderful conversation about Billie’s family and afterwards I mailed more information about our common Butler and Olson family tree, to him. In return, Bruce has provided me with a nice photo of Erma E. “Billie” (Mason) Mauzey.

After receiving additional information about Bruce’s immediate family, I prepared and printed a family tree book, as well as an electronic version on a CD, for Bruce and sent it to him to have and enjoy.

WAPELLO COUNTY, IA - A few mysteries still exist concerning the siblings of my Great-Great Grandfather Millard A. Butler. This year, I believe that I have located his brother, George W. Butler, and who he married.

The last known location that I had for George W. Butler was in Center Township, Monona County, Iowa in 1880 where he was living with his father, Calvin Butler. From Monona County Calvin Butler moved to Wapello County, Iowa by 1895 and through to the 1900 Census. It was here that I found a George W. and Minerva Butler living during the 1895 Iowa State Census. This George W. Butler’s age and birthplace matched that of the one that I was looking for and he was living near Calvin Butler.

So far, unless otherwise disproved, I’ve determined that our George W. Butler married Minerva Indiana Purdy, daughter of Maynard and Susannah (Pribble) Purdy, in about 1884.

George and Minerva Butler moved to Sonoma, CA by 1910 and according to the 1910 and 1930 Census they had no children. I have yet to find them in the 1900 and 1920 Census.

George W. Butler died on December 16, 1937 in Los Angeles County, CA and Minerva died in Los Angeles County, too, on September 29, 1941.

The Olsons –

WHERE IS MARIUS OLSON?

CHEROKEE COUNTY, IA - My Great-Great Grandmother Lena (Olson) Butler’s obituary, from 1935, stated that she was survived by two brothers, “Will and Marius Olson of Sioux City”. I have found much about William “Will” Olson and his descendants, but “Marius Olson” has eluded me until this year.

I have found many “Marius”, “Marcus”, and “Maurice” Olsons in census indexes and images, city directories, and other sources, but none that indicated a relationship to our Olson family.

Well as it turns out, “Marius” Olson is actually the same man as “Arthur M.” Olson, from Cherokee and Woodbury Counties in Iowa. I have found this Arthur M. Olson listed as “Arthur M.”, “Marcus A.”, “Mathias”, “A. M.”, and “M.A.” Olson.

From marriage records, death records, naturalization records, census, obituaries, and city directories I have determined that “Arthur Mathias Olson” married Annie K. Zoellers (sister to Carrie Zoellers who married William Olson) on December 28, 1887 in Cherokee County, Iowa. They had six children, five girls and one boy. They lived in Cherokee County until 1901 where they appear in the Sioux City, City Directory. I traced them through the City Directory years, where I found that in 1907 Arthur M. and Annie Olson were listed separately at different addresses. From Woodbury County, Iowa divorce records I found that Arthur M. and Annie K. Olson were divorced on December 20, 1905.

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Sioux City Tribune

October 17, 1942

MARCUS A. OLSON

Marcus A. Olson, 85, a resident of Sioux City 42 years, died Friday night after an extended illness at his home, 3438 Dupont street. He was born in Norway in 1857.

Surviving are four daughters, Mrs. Oscar E. Berg and Mrs. Victor Ostling, both of Sioux City; Mrs. H. W. Soiseth, Kansas City, Mo., and Mrs. Bertha Gerary, Norfolk, Neb.; one son, C. A. Olson, Sioux City; 17 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren and one brother, William Olson, Sioux City.

The body is at the O'Toole-Gunn funeral home.

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CHEROKEE COUNTY, IA - Last year I report to you that I had discovered Tillie Olson’s second marriage, Mr. Charles Anderson. At that time there was a question as to two of the children listed with them in the 1895 Iowa State Census, in particular Lillie and Eugene “Anderson”. Lillie and Eugene ages referred to dates that preceded Charles and Tillie’s marriage date.

Well, since last year, I have discovered that the Lillie and Eugene “Anderson” from the 1895 Iowa State Census were actually Lillie and Eugene “Erickson”, children of Erick (or Edwin) S. Erickson and Tillie Olson. This would be Tillie’s first marriage.

Edwin S. Erickson, who was born in Sweden in about 1850, and Tillie Olson were married on January 20, 1872 in Illinois. They had seven children together: Eddy, Eugene, Minnie, Charles Edward, Emma, Charles, and Lillie. Edwin S. Erickson died in March of 1885 in Cherokee Co., Iowa. Tillie later married Charles Anderson on February 21, 1887.

SIOUX CITY, IA - An item that I find interesting is that there is an indirect connection between the Olson and Babcock/Reid branches of my family tree.

Tillie and Charles Anderson’s daughter, Esther Victoria, married an Edward V. Coon in 1910. Edward V. Coon was an uncle to Zelma Coon who was married Charles Babcock. Charles Babcock was a nephew to my Great Great Grandmother Mary E. (Babcock) Reid.

ST. CLOUD, FL - Since beginning my search into the Olson branch of my tree, I have never been able to find a death record in or around Sioux City, Iowa for Mary (Olson) Hendrickson.

Finally, after finding her burial information in Graceland Park Cemetery in Sioux City and her obituary, I’ve determined why I couldn’t find her death record. She died in St. Cloud, Oseola County in Florida at the house of her sister Tillie (Olson) Engstrom.

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Sioux City Tribune

Monday, Jan 16, 1933

MRS. MARY HENDRICKSON

Mrs. Mary Hendrickson, 68, 210 Ross street, resident of Sioux City 32 years, died Sunday in the home of a sister, Mrs. Peter Engstrom, at St. Cloud, Fla., after a brief illness. She had been visiting in Florida the last three months.

She was born in Norway, March 11, 1864, and came to the United States with her parents when 5 years old. She was married 50 years ago last October. The family came to Sioux City in September of 1899.

Surviving are three sons, Drs. A. H. Hendrickson and H. N. Hendrickson, both of Sioux City, and William Hendrickson of Tekemah, Neb., and a daughter, Mrs. Arthur Pierson of Sioux City.

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SIOUX CITY, IA - While searching for an unrelated item in old Sioux City newspapers I came across this article about William H. Hendrickson’s announcement for his candidacy for Woodbury County Sheriff. Bill Hendrickson was a son of Mary Olson and Hans W. Hendrickson.

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Sioux City Tribune

Wednesday, April 5, 1922

BILL HENDRICKSON

SHERIFF CANDIDATE

W. H. "Bill" Hendrickson, 1515 McDonald avenue, for 22 years a resident of Sioux City, today announced that he will be a candidate for sheriff on the republican ticket in the June primary election. Coming here from Cherokee county, where he had lived on a farm with his parents, Mr. Hendrickson started to work in the office of the International Harvestor company. During the 14 years he was with this company he rose from office boy to a place where he was in charge of sales in South Dakota. When in business for himself he was elected president of the Motor Trades Bureau. He was in charge of the big auto show heldin the Goodyear building in 1920. At the present time he is with the J. V. Thorndike company. Mr. Hendrickson is the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Hendrickson who now reside at 218 Ross street.

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At a later date, also while searching for an unrelated item, I came across this article which is not as flattering or admirable as the first article, above.

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Sioux City Tribune

Saturday Morning, Jan 19, 1924

HENDRICKSON ARRESTED

IN AUTO INQUIRY

Former Sheriff Candidate Accused of "Aiding in Hiding" Stolen Cars

W. H. Hendrickson, Sioux City auto salesman and a candidate for the republican nomination for sheriff at the last election, was arrested Saturday on two warrants charging him with receiving stolen property.

Serving of the warrants followed returning of two "secret" indictments against Hendrickson by the Woodbury county grand jury late Friday.

Hendrickson was released under $6,000 bond, signed by his father, H. W. Hendrickson.

The indictments against Hendrickson according to State Agent Shan Campbell, are the result of an investigation into activities of an alleged "stolen auto ring" which officials charge has been disposing of many stolen cars in Sioux City and vicinity.

Charge "Aided in Hiding"

Charges against Hendrickson, however, involve only two cars. The indictment accuses him of "aiding in hiding" these two stolen cars, which "were stored in a Sioux City garage."

According to the indictments, one of these cars was stolen from A. H. Gehring, 3731 Sixth avenue, on September 13, 1923 and the other from C. E. Johnson of Bronson, Ia., on July 2, 1923. Records here show the two cars had been registered in Hen…tigation into activities of an alleged were stolen, officials reported.

Says He's Innocent.

Hendrickson denies any connection with a "ring" and contends he purchased the cars innocently in the general course of buying and selling used cars. He had no reason to believe the cars were stolen, he said.

In the indictments the value of each of the cars is placed at $600.

Besides State Agent Campbell, others who took active part in the investigation here of an alleged "stolen auto ring" are Chief of Detectives Fred Spencer and Detectives G. F. Smith and Tom Dempsey. Evidence they obtained in their inquiry was turned over to the county attorney's office. Later eight stolen cars alleged to have been disposed of through members of the "auto ring" were impounded here and are still held in Sioux City garages subject to orders of officials.

The indictments against Hendrickson are the only ones returned by the grand jury in connection with the alleged with the alleged "auto ring" investigation, officials said Saturday.

During the progress of the investigation The Tribune published exclusive information on steps taken by officers to break up the alleged "ring".

Mr. Hendrickson made the following statement Saturday afternoon; "I had no knowledge that the cars were stolen. When I bought them I took bills of sale and registered them immediately at the court house and in my name. I sold them to my friends. I have never made a crooked deal since I have been in Sioux City. That has been for 24 years. I was with the International Harvester Company here for 14 years and the last two years I have been with the Thorndike company.

"Immediately when I found that the cars were supposed to have been stolen, I settled out of my own pocket for the loss sustained by my friends to whom I sold them. I have made settlement in full."

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I have yet to search for the outcome of this case against Bill Hendrickson.