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)

Viola Smith: Amasa's mystery daughter?

Amasa Smith (1820-1885) and his wife Charity Ann have several children listed in census records. These include Amasa Jay (1857), Luella Audentia (1859), Addie Cordelia (1860), Etta (1866), William A (1870), Charles Avery (1872), Archie (1875), and Ernest Leroy (1868).

However, family records indicate there may have been an oldest daughter named Viola, born around 1853 in Minnesota. 

I have not found any records of her birth or residence with the family.

Did she actually exist? 

Did she die young?


Update: I found her in an 1865 state census record. So she was actually living with the family and could have been a daughter. 

Irwin F Monroe and family

One of my ancestor's descendants is Jay Case. According to his marriage certificate, he married Wilda Monroe, daughter of Irwin Monroe and Harriet Pugh. In searching for her family, here's a quick compilation of what I found:
1870 Census lists Francis I Monroe, son of Levi and Clara, and brother to James, William C H, and Hattie B. It says he was born in Iowa.

1889 Marriage Record lists Irvin F Monroe, born in Germany to Levi Monroe and Clara Polson. He married Harriet M. Pugh, born 1873 Iowa to Jackson Pugh and Martha Sieffell. They married 27 February 1889 in Prescott, Iowa.

1895 Census lists Irvin F, Hattie, Wilda, and Letha. 

1896 Birth Record for a female Monroe born to Irwin F. Monroe and Harriet M. Pugh on 26 Feb 1896 in Polk, Iowa.

1899 Birth Record lists Odresa F Monroe, born 9 Feb 1899 in Des Moines, Iowa to I. F. Monroe and Hattie Pugh.

1900 Census lists Irwin, Hattie, Clara W (I think that Clara W. and Wilda C. are the same person), Letha May, Hazel F, and Actressa F. It also says Hattie--the mother of the family--had 8 kids, 3 of whom are still living. That's confusing because there are 4 kids listed in the household.

1903 Birth Record lists Geo Irvin Monroe born 04 Jul 1903 in Des Moines, Iowa to Irvin F Monroe and Harriett Pugh.

1905 Census I don't have a visual on and the people are listed as individuals instead of families. But Irvin F, Letha, Actressa, and Clara W are a few of the 23 Monroes in Polk, Iowa. Probably others on that list are related to them. 

1906 Birth Record lists Jas E Monroe born 6 Jun 1906 in Des Moines, Iowa to Irvin F Monroe and Harriet Pugh.

1908 Birth Record lists Evalyn Martha Monroe, born 07 Oct 1908 to Ervin Frances Monroe and Hady Pugh in Des Moines.

1910 Marriage Record lists Wilda C Monroe, Irvin F Monroe, and Harriet Pugh. She married Jay Case, son of Jos. W. Case and Ida Bailey in Des Moines, Iowa  on January 10, 1910. 

1910 Census lists Irvin, Harriet, Letha, Hazel, A?tressa, George, James, Evelynn, and Welda & Jay Case.

1912 Birth Record lists Alice B. Monroe born 22 Sep 1912 in Des Moines, Iowa to Irvin F Monroe and Harriett Pugh.

1917 Birth Record lists Marilyn Maxine Monroe born 22 Mar 1917 in Des Moines, Iowa to Irvin Frank Monroe and Harriett Malinda Pugh.

1920 Census lists Irving, Hattie, George, James, Evelyn, Bernice, Maryline (all are their children)

1924 Marriage Record for Geo. I. Monroe. Lists Geo's parents as Irwin F. and Hailey Pugh. Geo's wife is Edith L. Hanns, daughter of Frank Hanns and Mary Feist.

1925 Marriage Record for Frank Edwards son of Wm Edwards and Adaline Hoffman, who married Pherne Monroe Miller (born 1898), daughter of Irvin F. Monroe and Harriet Pugh. They married 11 May 1925 in Adel, Iowa. 

1930 Census lists Irvin F Monroe, Harriet, Evalyn, Bernice, and Marilyn.

Because this family is not directly the descendants of any of my ancestors, I think I'll stop here for now.

If I do revisit the line, I'll want to collect the vital information and family members of Irvin's parents, siblings, and children.