Colleen’s Ancestors – Page 12 – Colleen & Jeff's Roots

#52Ancestors: Scandal! My 2nd Great Grandmother’s Illegitimate Son, Herbert Gerald Allen

Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1913. Courtesy of Ancestry.com.

My 6th week in Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” family history blogging challenge.

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.

This week’s ~~ancestor~~ relation is my great grand uncle, Herbert Gerald ALLEN (1889 – ?), born in Guelph, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada.

Herbert first landed on my radar back in 2012, when I came across the Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1913 database on Ancestry while searching for information about his mother Anna Sophia ALLEN (1871 – ?), my 2nd great grandmother (called “Mamie Grandma” by my mother and her siblings). But since I had never heard his name before, I ignored the record as a possible mistake. I have only ever heard of Mamie Grandma’s two other children Agnes Viola Elizabeth Maud MARA (aka “Viola”, 1893 – 1971), my great grandmother, and Viola’s younger brother William James MARA (1894 – 1952).

While reviewing past found documents a few weeks ago in preparation for my trip these past 8 days to the Family History Library in conjunction with RootsTech, I pulled up this Ontario, Canada Births record again for further review. The record clearly lists my 2nd great grandmother Anna Sophia as the mother (at 3 months shy of her 18th birthday) and lists her mother as the informant. But no father is listed, and the baby is branded as illegitimate on the record. Mamie Grandma had a child out of wedlock as a teenager, and either did not know the name of the father or just would not list the name of the father.

I asked my mom about Herbert, and Mom confirmed she had never heard her mother, grandmother, or Mamie Grandma talk about Anna Sophia having another son. Yet her grandmother, Viola, talked often of her younger brother William.

To complicate matters further, Herbert shows up on the 1891 Canadian census, at 1 year old, in Guelph, Wellington County, Ontario, Canada. He lives with his birth mother Anna Sophia. But he is listed as the “son” of Anna’s parents William Barnabas Allen (1845 – 1916) and Lucy Jane Allen (1846 – 1931), with William being the head of the household. Was this a mistake on the part of the census taker and the person in the household who talked to the census taker? Or were Anna Sophia’s parents attempting to raise Herbert as their own?

Herbert drops off the face of the map (at least, my family history map) after this census. He does not show up on the next census in the household of William and Lucy Jane (his grandparents). His mother Anna Sophia married a year later, gave birth to Viola the year following, and then gave birth to William the year after. She too disappears for a while. So I have no idea what happened to Herbert. Since Viola never talked about him, to her descendants, either a) she never knew her older brother Herbert, or b) she knew but did not have a relationship with him and was ashamed of his illegitimate status. So, was he put up in an orphanage? Adopted out? Did he continue to live with his mother and younger siblings?

Regardless of what happened to Herbert, it had to be very difficult to grow up in the late 1800s and early 1900s under the label of “illegitimate”, and it had to be even more difficult for his mother Anna Sophia to go through a teenage pregnancy at this period in history.

Allen family on the 1891 Canadian Census. Courtesy of Ancestry.com.

#52Ancestors: Discovering The Name Of My 2nd Great Grandfather, Joseph Kennedy!

My 4th entry in Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks family history blogging challenge.

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.

My 4th ancestor is my 2nd great grandfather, Joseph Kennedy (1876-?). No, not the father of the U.S. President (although my conservative grandmother used to like to tease my conservative grandfather that he was related to the liberal Kennedy clan).

My Joseph Kennedy is the father of Sarah Kennedy (?-1930), of whom I know very little because she (and her husband) died and orphaned my grandfather Michael John Flanagan (1927-1997) when a toddler. Grandpa knew nothing about his grandfather, other than that he thought his last name was Kennedy. Until recently, I was not even sure if Kennedy was Sarah’s maiden name…I kept hearing the surnames Kennedy and Ward applied to her prior to her marriage to Grandpa’s father. In March 2012, I finally found Sarah’s marriage records: to Patrick Thomas Flanagan in 1925, and first to Frank J. Ward in 1913. Sarah identifies her father as Joseph Kennedy on both marriage records, and identified her birthplace as Cumberland [in Allegany County] Maryland.

With those marriage records providing his name and my first clues, I went in search of a father-daughter combination of Joseph Kennedy and Sarah Kennedy on the 1900 U.S. Census–the first Census on which Sarah would have been enumerated, based on her estimated birth year–in Maryland. I found them about a week later. According to that Census (taken 6 June 1900):

The family lived in Lonaconing, Allegany County, Maryland. No street name or number.
Joseph and Sarah (age 1) lived alone, even though Joseph is listed as married.
Joseph is described as: the head of household; white; born October 1876 (age 23); married for 3 years; born in Maryland, father born in Maryland, mother born in Virginia; a coal minter (but unemployed for 2 months); able to read, write, and speak English; and renting a house.

Census image — Courtesy of Ancestry.com. Click image to view a larger copy.

I found a possible lead, at the same time, for Joseph on the 1880 U.S. Census in Frostburg, Allegany County, Maryland. Joseph’s age and the birthplace of his parents jive with what was recorded on the 1900 U.S. Census. But I need to do a bit more cross-referencing before I chalk this up to a strong lead. If only that elusive 1890 Census were available…

I still need to prove through vital records that Joseph is indeed Sarah’s father, and that he is my 2nd great grandfather, but I feel good about my hunch, at least as far back as the 1900 Census (and I hope to get some of that documentation during my visit to the Family History Library next week for RootsTech!). I feel less sure about the 1880 Census connection, but will keep plugging away to find corroborating evidence.

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#52Ancestors: My Great-Grandmother Victoria Jimenez

My third week in Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” family history blogging challenge.

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.

This week’s ancestor is my great-grandmother Victoria Jimenez (b. ca. 1891), who I believe is the mother of my lost grandmother Rosie Salas (b. ca. 1923). I do not yet have a birth certificate or baptism certificate that officially documents the connection, but I have a very strong hunch and the beginnings of a biographical profile, pieced together from U.S. Census records. And daughter Rosie lists a Victoria Jimenez and Estevan Salas, both from New Mexico, as her parants on her marriage records to my grandfather.

My first clue to this connection, and of Victoria’s name, came from the family’s 1940 U.S. Census record showing Victoria living in Coachella (Riverside County), California with her three children Rosie Salas, Richard Coleman, and David Coleman. Victoria is listed as the head of household, widowed, 48 years old, born about 1892, born in New Mexico, and lived in Phoenex, Arizona in 1935.

The 1930 U.S. Census shows Victoria living in Orme (Maricopa County), Arizona with her three children Rosie Salas, Richard Coleman (head of household), David Coleman, and three of David’s juvenile cousins. Victoria is listed as widowed, 39 years old, born about 1891, and born in New Mexico.

A 1921 Phoenix (Maricopa County), Arizona city directory records Victoria living in that city with her still-alive husband Esteban Salas.

Victoria and her husband Estevan Salas show up together on the 1920 U.S. Census, living in Deming (Luna County), New Mexico with Victoria’s sons Richard and David from a previous marriage. Their daughter Rosie is not born yet. Victoria is described as 29 years old, and born about 1891 in New Mexico.

When the 1910 U.S. Census was recorded, Victoria was living in Mogollon, Socorro County (became Catron County in 1921), New Mexico with her previous husband David Coleman, her husband’s father, and her husband’s older brother. Their boys were not yet born. Victoria was described as 19 years old, and born about 1891 in New Mexico.

This week I found Victoria and husband David Coleman on BYU-Idaho’s Western States Marriage Record Index. They were married 11 November 1909 in Silver City (Grand County), New Mexico. Both list Silver City as their residence.

And although I don’t have a husband or child’s name to cross check against, I think I found Victoria on the 1900 Census living in San Juan (Grand County), New Mexico. She seems the right age (10 years old, born February 1890), still shows New Mexico as the birthplace, and the residence is in the same county where she married David Coleman in 1909. If this is the same Victoria, her parents are Francisco and Clara Jimenes. Siblings living here include brother Ramon (age 18), sister Albina (16), sister Petra (12), and sister Antonia (8).

I need to obtain the actual documents to investigate a bit further, but the California Death Index shows a Victoriana Coleman/Jimenez, born about 1890 in New Mexico. If this is my Victoria, she died 22 August 1940 (just a few months after the 1940 Census) in Los Angeles (Los Angeles County), California. This is almost two years before her daughter Rosie’s marriage to my grandfather. And if this is my Victoria, she was buried at Artesia Cemetery in Cerritos (Los Angeles County, California).

Found My Great-Grandmother Victoria Jimenez (b. ca. 1892) on the 1910 Census in Historic Mogollon, New Mexico

1910 U.S. Census record for Victoria Jimenez and her husband David Coleman.

I am still organizing and analyzing records I have found the last couple years for my great grandmother Victoria Jimenez (b. ca. 1891). In May 2013 I found this 1910 U.S. Census record, during which time she was married to David Coleman, the father of her two boys Richard and David Coleman. She later married Estevan Salas, my great grandfather, the father of Rosie Salas (b. ca. 1923).

About the Family

Per the 1910 U.S. Census (taken April 1910):

The family lived in Mogollon, Socorro County (became Catron County in 1921), New Mexico in a rented home. The street address and name are not legible.
Victoria is listed under her husband’s surname Coleman, Mexican, 19 years old, married for 6 months, no children, speaks English, can read and write, not in school, and a housewife. Reportedly born in New Mexico, father born in Mexico, mother born in New Mexico.
Her husband David Coleman is the head of household, Mexican, 36 years old, married for 6 months, a miner who had been out of work for 26 weeks, speaks English, and can read and write. Reportedly born in New Mexico, both parents born in New Mexico.
David’s 21 year old brother Charlie and 67 year old father Richard also lived with them.

Since Victoria and David had only been married six months at the time of this census, they must have been wed in late 1909.

About Mogollon

Mogollon is now a ghost town, and old mining town that is a historic district. According to Wikipedia, Mogollon was founded in the 1880s and was one of the wildest mining towns in the west in the 1890s. The Little Fanny mine provided most of the town’s employment. The town was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987 as the Fannie Hill Mill and Company Town Historic District.

Wikipedia describes what Mogollon was like in 1909, the year before the 1910 census.

In 1909, the population of Mogollon was about 2,000. That same year the town boasted five saloons, two restaurants, four merchandise stores, two hotels and several brothels located in two infamous red light districts. The town also had a photographer, the Midway Theatre an ice maker and a bakery. The Silver City and Mogollon Stage Line provided daily service, hauling passengers, freight, gold, and silver bullion eighty miles between the two towns in almost fifteen hours.

Cinco de Mayo celebration in Mogollon, 1914. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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Locating My Great-Grandparents: Victoria Jimenez (b. ca. 1892) and Estevan Salas (b. ca 1877)

1920 U.S. Census record for Victoria Jimenez and Estevan Salas. Courtesy of Ancestry.com.

After my last post about the 1940 and 1930 U.S. Census records for my grandmother Rosie Salas (b. ca. 1923) and her mother Victoria Jimenez (b. ca. 1892), I continued to sort through my research notes and get my findings for my Salas and Jimenez lines in better order. Turns out that back in July 2012, I had also stumbled upon the 1920 U.S. Census Record for Victoria, showing her married to my great-grandfather Estevan Salas (b. ca. 1877).

According to the 1920 U.S. Census Record (dated 12 March 1920):

The family lived at 842 West 2nd Street in Deming (Luna County), New Mexico in a rented home.
Victoria is 29 years old, married, able to read and write, spoke English, and not employed. She was reportedly born in New Mexico. Her father was reportedly born in Mexico (native language Spanish) and her mother reportedly born in New Mexico.
Her husband Estevan Salas (head of household) is 33 years old, married, not able to read or write, spoke English, and employed as a laborer in a building. He was reportedly born in New Mexico. His parents were both reportedly born in Mexico (native language Spanish).
Victoria’s oldest son Ricardo Coleman is 8 years old, attending school, able to read and write, and speaks English. Reportedly born in New Mexico. Both parents reportedly born in New Mexico.
Victoria’s youngest son David Coleman is 5 years old, and can read and write. Reportedly born in New Mexico. Both parents reportedly born in New Mexico.

My grandmother Rosie Salas was not yet born. Victoria and her sons moved to Arizona sometime after this census, yet before Rosie was born (in Arizona) in 1923 or 1924. Not sure about Estevan.

Current Google Street View look at location of their 1920 home. These dwellings do not look like they date back to 1920 structures.

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Rosie Salas (b. ca. 1923): Busting Through a 15 Year Brickwall

1940 U.S. Census for Rosie Salas and her mother Victoria. Courtesy of Ancestry.com.

Yesterday, I stated that the May 2013 discovery of the marriage records for my grandmother Rosie Salas and my grandfather Benjamin Robledo (1919-1990) was the first brickwall I overcame in the 15 years I have been trying to find information about my lost grandmother’s birthplace and family.

I was wrong.

In going back through my research records for Rosie after I published that post, I realized that I had actually discovered the 1940 and 1930 U.S. Census records for Rosie almost a year prior in July 2012, and had even saved those records. But those census records were just hunches, because I had absolutely no other information to corroborate against the biographical and family data provided about Rosie on those two censuses. I had been blindly searching for any Rosie (or Rosa or Rose) Salas born in Arizona since her Arizona birth was the only biographical information Rosie passed down to my father.

The marriage record was the first source I found that confirmed the information I had found in those two census records. My hunch had been right. This appears to be the same Rosie Salas, at about the same age, with a mother named Victoria Jimenez.

According to the 1940 U.S. Census (taken 3 April 1940):

The family lived on rural Highway 99 in Coachella (Riverside County), California.
Rosie (Rosa) was 15 years old, single, attending school (8th grade the highest grade completed), and not working. She was reportedly born in Arizona.
Her mother Victoria Jimenez was the head of household, 48 years old, widowed, had completed up to the 5th grade, was not working, and had no income. She was reportedly born in New Mexico.
A Richard Coleman is listed as Victoria’s son, meaning Rosie’s brother. He was 29 years old, single, had completed up to the 7th grade, and was unemployed for 2 weeks looking for work as a farm laborer. He was reportedly born in New Mexico.
A David Coleman is also listed as Victoria’s son, meaning Rosie’s brother. He was 25 years old, single, had completed up to the 6th grade, and was employed as a farm laborer. He was reportedly born in New Mexico.
The entire household lived in Phoenix, Arizona on 01 April 1935, but not on a farm.

1930 U.S. Census for Rosie Salas and her mother. Courtesy of Ancestry.com.

According to the 1930 U.S. Census (taken 16 April 1930):

The family lived on 23 Avenue in Orme (Maricopa County), Arizona, in a rented home on a farm.
Rosie (Rosa) is listed under the surname Coleman (due to her brother being head of household), was 6 years old, attending school, but not yet able to read or write, Mexican race. Reportedly born in Arizona, with her mother and father born in New Mexico.
Victoria is listed under the surname Coleman (due to her son being head of household), was 39 years old, widowed, able to read and write, able to speak English (Mexican race), and not working. Reportedly born in New Mexico, with parents born in New Mexico.
Victoria’s oldest son Richard (Ricardo) Coleman is listed as the head of household, 19 years old, single, not attending school or college, able to read wand write, able to speak English (Mexican race), and employed as a general farm laborer. Reportedly born in New Mexico, with parents born in New Mexico.
Victoria’s younger son David Coleman was 16 years old, single, not attending school or college, able to read and write, able to speak English (Mexican race), and employed as a general farm laborer. Reportedly born in New Mexico, with parents born in New Mexico.
Richard also supported three young cousins who lived with them: Albina Mate (11), Clara Mate (9), Jauna Mate (5). All reportedly born in New Mexico, with parents born in New Mexico.

My father does not recall his mother ever mentioning brothers, particularly with a surname like Coleman. But it sounds like Richard and David might have been half-brothers to Rosie, born to Virginia and a previous husband with the last name Coleman.

#52Ancestors: Rosie Salas (b. ca. 1923)

Rosie Salas and her three surviving children, 1940s.

My second week in Amy Johnson Crow’s “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks” family history blogging challenge.

The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor.

This week’s ancestor is my grandmother Rosie Salas (b. ca. 1923). I don’t know if Rosie is alive or dead. I haven’t seen her since the funeral of my grandfather Benjamin Robledo (1919-1990). Rosie and Ben divorced when my father was very young, and neither parent raised my father. He and his younger brother were raised by their grandmother Maria Nieto (1887-1974), and their bachelor uncle Alfred Robledo.

Rosie has always been one of my brickwalls because my father and his extended family lost touch with her decades ago. My father knew practically nothing about his mother’s youth and family. He remembers her telling him that she was born in Nogales, Arizona. That’s it. That’s the only lead I have had to work with for the 15 years I have been researching my family history.

Until last year.

In May 2013, during one of my regular searches on FamilySearch for records cross-indexing my father’s ancestral surnames, I came across what must have been a somewhat recently added record and image…the marriage certificate and license for Rosie Salas and my grandfather.

October 24, 1942 marriage license for Ben Robledo and Rosie Salas.

Benjamin and Rosie were married on 24 October 1942 in (of all places) Anaheim, California (practically my backyard!). Both listed this as their first marriage. Ben, age 23, worked as a welder and Rosie, age 19, worked as a waitress. Both lived in Los Angeles, so I can’t figure out why they chose to marry in Orange County instead of closer to their homes.

But, best of all…this marriage certificate finally provided my first clues into Rosie’s family history! Rosie indicates she was born in Arizona, and she lists the names of her parents. Rosie claims her father, Steven Salas, and her mother, Victoria Jimenez, were both born in New Mexico. These are my first solid leads to investigate and confirm for this side of my father’s ancestry.

Dad was thrilled when I shared this information with him.