1830 US Census - Henry Emery, David W Emery

Here is the 1830 US Census for my great great great great grandfather, Henry Emery, living in Vermillion Township, Richland County, Ohio.   

The census indicates there were 5 people living in the household, which would have been wife Olive (Jacobs), daughters Mary and Amelia and son David W Emery (my great great great grandfather). 

According to the book  "Conrad Emery and His Descendants", written by Frederic B. Emery, David was born in Columbus, Ohio, which was about an hour and a half southwest of Vermillion Township.  The book doesn't indicate where he found confirmation that Columbus was the location of his birth so the accuracy is questionable.

Listed two lines above Henry is David, which I am guessing was Henry's father, (my great great great great great grandfather).

On line 13 is a John Emery, possibly Henry's brother.   Again, the census record for 1830 doesn't provide sufficient information to know with 100% certainty.

Page 2 below.   The totals for Henry are listed on the last line.  

There was another Henry Emery living in Miami, Ohio but since that Henry was still living there in 1891, I eliminated the possibility of that family being my direct ancestor.

1840 US Census - Henry Emery, David W Emery

1840 was the last US Census that provided limited information.    Below is the 1840 Fulton County, Illinois census for my great great great great grandfather, Henry Emery.

A key problem with this census is that it fails to list the names of other members living in the household.  You have to do some detective work to figure out whether you have the right family.    Relying on the book "Conrad Emery and His Descendants", written by Frederic B. Emery helped verify where the Emery family was living in 1840.


According to the 1840 Census, there were 9 family members living in the household.   While I do not know whether the census was taken at the beginning of the year or the end of the year, this particular census would seem to match the number of family members in the Emery household.


In addition to Henry, wife Olive (Jacobs), their 7 children at the time were Mary, Amelia, David (my great great great grandfather), James, Elizabeth Celia, John and Edith Caroline.

Page 2 (Henry Emery family total is 3rd from the bottom)





















I notice on line 5 is another Emery, which looks like "David" (my great great great great great grandfather), most likely Henry's father who moved to Fulton County on October 16, 1834.

1850 US Census - Henry Emery, David W Emery

Here is the 1850 US Census for my great great great great grandparents, Olive (Jacobs) and Henry  Emery.    They were living in Joshua, Fulton County, Illinois with their children, David (my great great great grandfather), James, Elizabeth, John, Edith (Caroline), Sarah, William, Jason and Catherine.

Their two eldest daughters, Mary and Amelia had married and had moved away with their husbands.

This is the last US Census for my great great great grandfather as a single man.     In either 1852 or 1853 he would marry my great great great grandmother, Sarah Dwire (or Dwyer).

This census was also an improvement over previous census records as it included the names of all of the members of the household, their ages as well as the state of their birth.

1860 US Census - David W Emery

Here is the 1860 US Census which was the first to represent my great great great grandparents, Sarah (Dwyer or Dwire) and David W Emery as a family.    Sarah and David (lines 28 - 31) were living in Galva, Illinois with their daughter Galva and son Charles.

1865 Illinois Census - David W Emery

Here is a 1865 Illinois Census which may indicate my great great great grandparents, Sarah (Dwire or Dwyer) and David W Emery (17 from the bottom) living in Galva, Illinois.





















This census is difficult to read but it looks like there were only 3 people living in the household at the time.

By 1865 David and wife Sarah had 4 children, Galva, Charles, Alice and Willie, which is why this census is not particularly useful as it does not include the names of those living in the household.   I do believe that Galva most likely died prior to 1870 and Alice and Willie* died sometime between 1870 and 1880.  

David and Sarah had moved from Galva sometime after 1867 so this does seem to be the most likely census for the family.

There were 3 other Emery families living in Galva at the time, a J P Emery, Jacob Emery and John C Emery.

The middle initial "W" stands out on this sheet of the census; it's difficult to tell if the initial used for the first name is a "D", but seems likely.    Jacob Emery is listed on the first line, so it's possible that David and Sarah's children were living with Jacob at the time of the census.

*Most family trees I've stumbled upon fail to document Alice, Willie and a 3rd child of Sarah and David Emery.    I've come to the conclusion they may have obtained their research from the book " Conrad Emery and His Descendants - written by "Frederic B. Emery, which failed to account for all 11 of their children.

1870 US Census - David W Emery

Here is the 1870 US Census for my great great great grandparents, Sarah (Dwyer or Dwire) and David W Emery.   In 1870 they were living in Ottumwa, Iowa with their children, Charles, Alice, Willie, Freddie (my great great grandfather), Bert and Eugene (listed as Clyde on subsequent census records).








































This census seems to have fewer inaccuracies than the 1880 Census posted yesterday, which stated most of the children were born in Iowa.    The family did not move to Iowa until sometime after 1867.

1880 US Census - David W Emery

Here is the 1880 US Census for my great great great grandparents, Sarah (Dwyer or Dwire) and David W Emery.   In 1880 they were living in Ottumwa, Iowa with their children, Charles, Fred (my great great grandfather), Bert, Clyde, Clark, Benjamin and Georgia.


Also living in the household were Sarah's brother and sister, Elmer and Matter (can't quite decipher the name).

1885 Iowa State Census - David W Emery

Here is the 1885 Iowa State Census for my great great great grandparents, Sarah and David W Emery.   The Emery's were living in Ottumwa, Iowa with six of their children, Fred J (my great great grandfather), Bert, Clyde, Clark, Benjamin and Georgia.

David was employed as a carpenter and Fred was employed as a carriage trimmer, though I'm not sure of the "trimmer" portion.  It was listed on a subsequent census record.

Because the 1890 US Census was destroyed by fire, the 1885 and 1895 Iowa census records are one of the best ways to piece together the Iowa households of 1890.     I've not been able to locate the 1895 Iowa Census for my great great grandfather Fred J Emery.   (Fred's first wife, my great great grandmother Abigail was living in Chicago by mid-1895, so I'm not sure if she would show up on the Iowa census for that year.)

Abigail (Williams) and Fred J Emery - marriage

Here is information taken from the marriage license for my great great grandparents, Abigail (Williams) and Fred J Emery.

Abigail and Fred were married July 3, 1887 in Washington, Iowa.

Fred Owen Emery

Here is a photo of my great grandfather, Fred Owen Emery at one year old.   (Not sure of the name of the dog).

This photo was taken in 1889 by Kerchner Photography in Washington, Iowa.

Washington County Iowa - births

Here is a printout of Washington County, Iowa births that include my great grandfather Fred Emery, his siblings, Alice Mabel and Frank born to Fred J Emery and Abigail Williams.







Unfortunately Fred had not been provided a first name at the time the county recorded his birth, but the information on his WW I draft registration (even though he changed his last name to Daniels) helped me confirm I had the correct family.      It also helped to have a sister named Alice Mabel (see previous post) to make sure I was on the right track.

Fred Emery and Alice Mabel Emery

Here is a photo taken of my great grandfather Fred Emery and sister Alice Mabel Emery, just a couple of years before they would become 'Daniels' after the second marriage of their mother to Wilson O Daniels.

This photo was taken during the winter of 1892/1893 by Kerchner photography in Washington, Iowa.   Because their brother Frank was not included in this photo, I believe he died shortly after his birth in 1891.

Abigail (Williams) Emery and Wilson O Daniels - marriage license

My great great grandmother married her second husband, Wilson O Daniels on July 9, 1895 in Chicago, Illinois.

It was from this marriage that my great grandfather, Fred,  took the last name "Daniels" rather than retain his birth name of Fred Emery, (though he did use 'Emery' as a middle name).   This is another reason why it can become difficult to track ancestors.

Fred J Emery and May Morrell - marriage

My great great grandfather Fred J Emery married his second wife, May Morrell on May 13, 1899 in Marshalltown, Iowa.

Below is a transcription taken from what I believe was probably the original marriage license.

1900 US Census - Fred J Emery

My great great grandfather, Fred J Emery had moved from Washington County, Iowa to Marshalltown, Iowa sometime prior to the 1900 US Census.

By the time of the 1900 US census, Fred was living with his second wife, May (Morrell) and step-son, Leo O'Kill.

Fred was employed as a "carriage trimmer", which I imagine he fell into as a result of his father, David W Emery,  having been a carpenter.

1900 US Census - Abigail Daniels

Here is the 1900 US Census for my great great grandmother Abigail, her second husband, Wilson O. Daniels, a boarder named Leonard Hall, Abigail's mother Elizabeth and two of Abigail's children, Alice Mabel and my great grandfather, Fred Daniels.

The family was living in Chicago in a community called Lake.     

The census taker must have thought Wilson's middle initial "O" was part of his last name, however, his last name was Daniels.

Wilson was employed as a foreman in a stable.

This census fails to account for Abigail's youngest son, Frank, as it only indicates Abigail had 2 children, which leads me to believe Frank passed away as an infant, probably in Washington, Iowa.

Wilson O. Daniels - death certificate

My great great grandmother's second husband, Wilson O. Daniels died on October 10, 1903 in Chicago, Illinois.    Here is his death certificate from Cook County, Illinois.

Abigail and Wilson had only been married for 8 years when he passed away at the age of 51.    

















I have not been able to locate the marriage certificate for Abigail's third marriage to Louis Clifford Kiefer, but it would have been between October 11, 1903 and April 30, 1904, based upon the 1910 US Census which indicated they had been married for 6 years.

1910 US Census - Abigail Kiefer

In 1910, my great great grandmother Abigail had been married for approximately 6 years to her third husband, Louis C Kiefer.    This census indicates all 3 of Abigail's children were living, though 1910 is the one census I've been unable to find any records for any of her children, though I don't have any evidence to believe the youngest, Frank, lived beyond infancy.






















Abigail's mother, Elizabeth was also living with the Kiefer family in Chicago.

Daniels Apartment Hotel, Chicago Illinois - advertisements Part II

Here are a couple of more advertisements I came across for the Daniels Apartment Hotel. 

Here is a close up of the advertisement from September 1937, one month before my great grandfather Fred Daniels passed away.

Here is the entire page of ads, some of which are quite interesting.

Here is a close up of the  ad from August 1938 almost a year after Fred Daniels had passed away.   At this point I assume the property was no longer owned* by the Daniels family.









Here is the entire page of ads.

*The records for the Cook County Recorder of Deeds online records do not go back much further than a decade or so.   They suggested I contact a title company, but after attempting to obtain an abstract of title for the years that Fred Daniels owned the property, my inquiries were generally ignored. 

It seemed for a moment I was going to get somewhere through Chicago Title, but then was informed by a clerk that they would not do such research. 

Not very customer service friendly, so if you are in the market to buy or sell a home, avoid the big fish out there, specifically Chicago Title.

Terminal Garage - 1920 capital value

The capital value of my great grandfather, Fred Daniels' business, Terminal Garage in 1920 was $10,000.      After considering inflation, it would be worth $114,258.73* (an average inflation rate of 2.74%) in 2010.

I have seen various inflation calculators, some higher, some lower.

Terminal Garage - advertisements (part III)

Here are some more advertisements for my great grandfather, Fred Daniels' business, Terminal Garage.


This one from February 1917 contains two 'help wanted' ads looking for a "battery man" and a mechanic.

The close up of the ad above below:

This one from May 1917 is for Milburn Electric Lights, naming Terminal Garage as a service station for the product.

This one from June 1917 is another for Milburn Light Electric, serviced at Terminal Garage.

This ad from February 1919 was someone selling a car at the Terminal Garage.

The close up of the above ad is shown below:

The interesting thing about these ads are the vehicles available for sale that are no longer manufactured, many of which were companies that were new to me.   Great prices as well.

Fred Daniels and the Optimist Club

Here is another article that mentions my great grandfather, Fred Daniels, along with a photo from September 1928.     Fred was a member of the "Optimist Club" in Chicago.

Fred's photo appears on the far right.

Emery/Daniels birth and marriage information

Sometimes the handwritten documents written by family members (often a family bible) can help confirm you are on the right track while researching your ancestors.

These documents below were located with photos and other items my grandmother Louise (Daniels) Junghans had kept.    While the dates are not 100% correct, they did match up with other documentation I had already accumulated.

Since the birth dates were off by a few days, my guess is that these were written by my great grandfather's wife, Mabel (Cass) Daniels.    It seems unlikely my great great grandmother Abigail would not have known the correct dates of her children.   And my grandmother, Louise had better handwriting than depicted.

Abigail Williams Emery Daniels Kiefer - death certificate

Here is the death certificate for my great great grandmother, Abigail Williams Emery Daniels Kiefer.   When you have doubts that you are on the right track, these vital records often help tie things together.

 The "informant" is listed as my great grandfather, Fred Daniels, Abigail's eldest son.    The death certificate correctly lists Abigail's parents, Basil Williams and Elizabeth Richie, who are also listed on Abigail's first marriage license to Fred J Emery in Iowa.    

Abigail died April 23, 1935 in Chicago, Illinois.   Her third husband, Louis Clifford Kiefer preceded her in death on October 29, 1930, also in Chicago.

Abigail is buried at the Oakhill Cemetery in Worth Township, Cook County, Illinois.

1930 US Census - Abigail Kiefer

Here is the 1930 US Census for my great great grandmother Abigail Kiefer and her third husband Louis.    Louis' mother Mary (difficult to read) was living with the Kiefer's in Chicago on Emerald Avenue.

1920 US Census - Abigail Kiefer, Dorothy Holder

Here is the 1920 US Census mentioned yesterday for Dorothy Holder, the niece of my great grandfather, Fred Daniels.     Dorothy was living in the household of her grandmother, Abigail (Williams), who had remarried for a 3rd time to Louis C Kiefer.

This census includes Abigail's three children from her first marriage to Fred J Emery -  Fred Jr, Alice Mabel and Frank.

There are a few things unusual about this census:

- Fred Jr (and family) was already listed on a separate census record as living in his own household on Leland Avenue, in Chicago

- I've not been able to locate a census record for Alice Mabel living with her husband Fred C Holder Jr since their marriage in 1907

- This particular census indicates the marital status of Abigail's children is "unknown".   How a mother would not know the status of her children is rather unusual

- This is the only census record I've come across that lists Abigail's son Frank, who I believe may actually have died prior to 1900

My theory is that the census taker (or document?) asked how many children the woman of the house had and Abigail provided the names of her children, failing to include their marital status.    The census bureau, not knowing any different, just included them as having lived in the household.

Alice Mabel Emery, Fred C Holder Jr - death certificate and Fred C Holder Jr 1910 US Census

Here is the Cook County death certificate for my great grandfather, Fred Daniels' sister, Alice Mabel (Emery) Holder.

Alice died on May 14, 1970 in Chicago.    The death certificate indicates she was a widow, which brings up some questions regarding her husband, Fred C Holder Jr's death certificate.

According to Fred's death certificate, he was a widow at the time of his death on April 18, 1956 in Mineral Wells, Colorado.     Based upon this information, one would come to the conclusion that Alice and Fred had divorced.   Fred then re-married and his second wife preceded him in death.


Another unanswered question is why the 1910 US Census did not include Alice and their daughter Dorothy as part of the Holder household (lines 18 - 21).

The first records I have found for Dorothy Holder are the 1920 US Census.   I've been able to locate the 1910 US Census records for either Dorothy or her mother, Alice Mabel Holder.

Alice Mabel Emery - marriage certificate

My great grandfather Fred Daniel's sister, Alice Mabel Emery married at the age of 17 and required her mother's authorization.

Alice married Fred C Holder, Jr on August 10, 1907 in Chicago.   

Here is the marriage certificate from Cook County.























Alice did not use her step-father's last name, Daniels, at the time of her marriage in 1907.

Pasadena Wedding Chapel

Yesterday I posted the newspaper article announcing the marriage of Fred Daniels Jr and Audrey Clarke.

Here is a photo of the church in Pasadena.