Genealogy Is An Adventure

Tag: Smith

  • Every Photo Deservers A Home Minnie & Rose Middlebrook

    A few months ago I started a new series within my blog to find descendants for orphaned photos I find at antique malls, flea markets and thrift stores. The first one about photos of three sisters in July was successful. You can read about it here.

    Today I am trying to find a home for the siblings Minnie and Rose Middlebrook.

    The picture was taken in Galesburg, Illinois.

    The 1880 Census shows the sisters and their family living in North Henderson, Mercer County, Illinois.

    Their parents Frederick and Elizabeth, 47 and 46 years old, were born in England. Their older sister, Harriet 18 years old, was also born in England. Brother George, 9 years old, was born in the state of New York. Rosa, 4 years old and her sister Minnie 7.5 months old, were both born in Illinois. Their nephew, Marvin, was 1 year old. We now have the birth years for the sisters. Rosa was born in 1876 and Minnie in 1879.

    Rosa married Thomas J Wallace 14 January 1897 in the United Presbyterian Church, in Clayton, Illinois.

    In the 1900 census, Rose and Thomas lived in Clayton together with their 3 months old daughter, Minnie. In the 1910 census they live together on a farm in Council Grove, Oklahoma with their children Edo Minnie 10, Edward 9, and Shannon 6 years old. In the 1920 Census the family lives together in Garber, Garfield, Oklahoma. The children being 20, 19 and 16 years old.

    Starting with the oldest, Edo Minnie, she married G H Barnes in 1920 in Enid, Oklahoma.

    In the 1930 Census, Harold and Minnie Wallace, live together with their three children, Lulu R 8 and Edo 5 years old, in Cameron, Texas. Harold works for a service station. In 1940 the family lived still together in the same town. Lula Rose was 18 and Edo May 15 years old.

    Lula Rose married Otis Schleyer, 5 March 1944 in Kilgore, Texas. The newspaper had announced their wedding.

    Source: The Austin American

    Austin, Texas · Tuesday, March 14, 1944

    Lula Rose had at least 2 children and one grandchild.

    Edo May, Lulu’s sister was born 1925 in Oklahoma. She married twice, had one son, one adopted son and step children.

    Rosa Middlebrook’s second child, Edward George Wallace was born 1901 in Illinois and died 1963 in Brownsville Texas. He was married, had two sons, two daughters and 12 grandchildren. I found his obituary online as well as his death certificate.

    Source: Valley Morning Star

    Harlingen, Texas · Tuesday, July 02, 1963

    The youngest child of Rosa Middlebrook, Thomas Shannon Wallace, was born 1906 in Missouri. He married Ruth Bryant in 1940 in Oklahoma, Texas.

    The couple had at least two daughters. One them got married, however I don’t know if they had children.

    Now let’s take a look if I can find descendants of Minnie Middlebrook. She married Edward C Smith 15 February 1899 in Mercer County, Illinois. In the 1910 Census, the couple lived in Avena, Fayette, Illinois with their two children George E Smith 8 and Gladys 6 years old.

    I found George’s obituary from 1970. He married Bessie Shirkey 22 June 1921 in Libertry, Indiana. They had a daughter named Janet who married Chris Schweiger. They had three children.

    The Belleville News-Democrat

    Belleville, Illinois • Wed, Feb 18, 1970Page 2

    George’s sister Gladys was born 21 January 1904 in Illinois and married Harry Nicholson 3 February 1923 in Indiana. I found her obituary as well. Gladys died in 1983. They had three daughters, Juanita, Alice and Opal, seven grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

    Palladium-Item

    Richmond, Indiana • Wed, Oct 5, 1983Page 8

    Minnie and Rose Middlebrook both have lots of descendants. Hopefully I will make contact with one of them soon, so the girls can be returned to their family.

    Have you ever returned old photos or other mementos to strangers?

    Please leave a comment below!

  • Joseph Henry Hickman 1852-1933

    Henry Hickman was the son of Richard Hickman and Elizabeth Jane Canutt. He was born 25 September 1852 in Warren County, Indiana and died 15 July 1933 in Colfax, Washington. Henry came from a rather large family, as his father was married four times. Seventeen children altogether, two of whom died in infancy. When Henry was eight years old in 1860, the family lived on a farm in Ash Grove, Iroquois County, Illinois.

    NameJoseph H Hickman
    Age8
    Birth Yearabt 1852
    GenderMale
    RaceWhite
    Birth PlaceIndiana
    Home in 1860Ash Grove, Iroquois, Illinois
    Post OfficeAsh Grove
    Dwelling Number2170
    Family Number2001
    Attended SchoolY
    NameAge
    Richard Hickman
    Elizabeth J Hickman35
    Sylvester Hickman19
    John W Hickman
    Franklin Hickman14
    Mary C Hickman12
    Joseph A Hickman8
    Alexander Hickman6
    Thomas Hickman
    Richard Hickman2/12

    In 1870 the family still lived in Iroquois County. Henry’s mother, Elizabeth Jane Canutt had died in 1867 and his father was married to Mariah Sanders.

    NameJoseph H Hickman
    Age in 187019
    Birth Dateabt 1851
    BirthplaceIndiana
    Dwelling Number115
    Home in 1870Stockland, Iroquois, Illinois
    RaceWhite
    GenderMale
    Post OfficeMilford
    Attended SchoolYes
    Inferred FatherRichard Hickman
    Inferred MotherMaria Hickman
    NameAge
    Richard Hickman52
    Maria Hickman37
    Joseph H Hickman19
    Alxander Hickman17
    Sarah F Hickman8
    Liza J Hickman6
    Elmer C Hickman3

    In August of 1874 Henry got married to Mary E Davis who was the daughter of Henry Davis and Mary Elizabeth Collins, in Prairie Greens, Iroquois County, Illinois. Mary was only sixteen years old and needed the permission from her father to get married.

    The couple had seven children:

    • Charles born 1876 in Illinois, died 1903 in Mockonema, Washington
    • Nellie born and died 1878 in Illinois
    • Edward born 1880 in Whitman County, Washington, died 1946 in Redding, California. He was married to Edith Martha Burgess. They had two children
    • Maude born 1883 in Almota, Whitman County, Washington, died 1961 in Lewiston, Idaho. She was married to George Thomas Smith and they had four children.
    • Anna born 1885 and died 1913 in Washington
    • James Chester born 1887 in Washington, died 1953 in Sandpoint, Idaho. He was married to Lillian Blanche and they had five children.
    • Will Hickman born 1890 in Whitman County, died 1977 in Walla Walla, Washington. He was married to Geneva and they had four children.

    On April 2nd, 1879 according to a newspaper article, the Hickman family left Illinois on a train and headed west to San Francisco. From there they a took a boat to Portland, Oregon and then another one up the Columbia and Snake River to Almota, Washington where they settled. Henry’s uncle Abe Ensley had arrived in the area a few years before him and planted the first wheat in Whitman County. The region also known as Palouse Country is world famous for wheat growing. Many of Henry’s descendants, including my husband’s uncles, still farm in that area today.

    Henry became a very successful and wealthy farmer. Besides wheat farming, he also had an orchard full of apple, pear and nut trees. He had flocks of chickens, geese and ducks. He had lots of horses, goats and sheep. During the school year, Henry moved his family to Pullman, so that his children had a chance at a good education. He was one of the first farmers to have a telephone installed. He also owned automobiles and trucks for his business. An example of a GMC truck Henry owned to transport wheat. He is not in this picture.

    Henry loved his family. In 1903 tragedy struck! His oldest son, Charles Hickman, was killed by a accidental discharge from a rifle.

    Charles was only 27 years old and engaged to be married. On a happier note, the younger brother Ed got married three years later in 1906 and received a house as a wedding gift from his father.

    Henry retired in a house he had bought in Colfax.

    In 1920 his beloved Mary died in their home.

    In 1932 Henry celebrated his 80th birthday with 100 friends. He was well liked in the community.

    Less than a year later, Henry died of cancer.

    Henry was my husband’s second Great Grandfather. I have found so many articles about him in old newspapers and books. It would take months or even years to read them all. His life has been well documented. Below is a map of Henry’s journey from Indiana via San Francisco and Portland to Almota and Colfax where he died.

    If you liked this article, please leave a comment and/or subscribe! Thank you!