Sunday, March 22, 2015

Salisia Fox's parents

Salisia Fox (born around 1859 in Illinois) was born after her mother died. Which leaves me to believe that I have the wrong person for her mother, and probably for her father as well.

Salisia appears in only one record I've found so far: the 1860 census. In this census, Salisia (age 1) is living with Samuel Fox (age 64). Her mother Dorothy is not in the record, and I have other records indicating she had passed away in 1854, 6 years prior.

Other Fox's in the household include Jarusha (F 35), Ransom (F 22), Michael (M 18), and Mary (F 17). Perhaps one of these Fox's is one of her parents. Or perhaps the parents are not living in the household.

M
64
N H
F
35
N Y
F
22
Ohio
M
18
Ohio
F
1
Ill
M
8
N Y
M
6
Ill
F
17
Ohio

So far, I have not been able to find Salisia in other records.
For next time: search for a birth record for Salisia Fox, hoping her parents are listed.

Sunday, February 22, 2015

Laurel Keith/Fox/Thompson

We're on a quest to figure out who is Edward Samuel Fox's wife.
His death record states that his wife's first name is Laurel.
His 1930 Census states that he is divorced.

We found some records of a Laurel Keith that look like they might be the right person. Here's why:
A 1920 Census lists Edward S Fox living with his wife Laurel Fox and step-daughter Letha Keith.

Looking for Laurel and Letha in other records gives us the following information:
A 1910 Census lists Laurel Keith and Letha Keith, living with her grandmother Eliza Burke and her likely-uncle Harry Burke. Laurel is widowed, suggesting she was married to a Mr. Keith, the father of Letha Keith.
As we said earlier, the 1920 Census lists Laurel Fox and Letha Keith living with Laurel's husband Edward S Fox. This suggests Laurel remarried after being widowed, and Letha kept her birth lastname.
In the 1930 Census, we find Laurel Thompson with Letha Keith, this time with Laurel married to Henry Thompson. In the census, he was 58 years old and his first marriage was at age 58, suggesting the couple had been married less than a year. Laurel was 46 years old in this census, and her first marriage was at age 22, affirming that her first marriage was around age 24. Her daughter Letha is 23 years old in this census, which matches up.
There's a marriage record in 1934 between Letha Keith and Earl Gundelach.
In the 1940 Census, Laura Thompson is living with Earl Gundelach, Letha Gundelach, and baby Earl Gundelach. Laura is widowed at this point. Letha is married and has taken on the last name of Gundelach.
In the Social security death index, Letha Gundelach is listed as having been born 2 Feb 1907, died April 1986 in Illinois. Note that she died with the last name of Gundelach.
Letha and Earl G. Gundelach share a headstone in the Clarendon Hills Cemetery


Next time: look up information on:
The Burkes (in 1910 census. Is Laurel's maiden name Burke?)
Mr. Keith (Laurel's first husband, who passed away by 1910)
Henry Thompson (1930 spouse)
Earl Gundelach (Letha Keith's husband)