It's 1909 - Do You Know Where Your Ancestors Are?

It's Saturday and we all know what that means - Fun and Games over at Seaver's Place. Never heard of it? Well head on over to Randy Seaver's Genea-Musings and find out all about it. This week's challenge - Where were your ancestors in 1909? Randy says the answers should include city, county and state as well as the names family members in the household at the time. The use of the 1910 census is perfectly acceptable.




Daddy's side of the family first - they are in Illinois, Kansas and Missouri

BEFORT is the paternal side.
My grandfather hadn't been born yet.
My great grandparents John and Elizabeth (Ernst) BEFORT were living in Wheatland Township, Ellis County, Kansas
BEFORT, JOHN, age 39, immigrated 1879, born Russia, Farmer, owns farm, cannot read or write English
BEFORT, ELIZABETH, age 36, immigrated 1878, 7 children/5 living, born Russia, cannot read or write English
BEFORT, ANGELA, age 17, born Kansas
BEFORT, JOE, age 14, born Kansas
BEFORT, SUSIE, age 11, born Kansas
BEFORT, NICK, age 3, born Kansas
BEFORT, PAULINA, age 1 1/2, born Kansas

BORGSTADTER, HOBROCK & BESSON are the maternal side.


My grandmother was not born yet.
My great grandparents Henry and Emogene (Besson) BORGSTADTER were living in Madison Township, Lincoln County, Kansas
BORGSTADTER, HENRY F., age 25, born Illinois, farmer, rents home
BORGSTADTER, EMOGENE, age 22, born Kansas, no children
They were married in the year 1910

My 2nd great grandparents John Fred and Elizabeth (Hobrock) BORGSTADTER were living in Lincoln City, Elkhorn Township, Lincoln County, Kansas
BORGSTADTER, FRED, age 56, born Germany, immigrated 1871, Farmer, owns farm
BORGSTADTER, ELIZABETH, age 48, 4 children all living, born Illinois



My 3rd great grandmother (Elizabeth's mother) Anna Mary (Thron) HOBROCK was living at 415 Fifteenth Street, Beardstown, Cass County, Illinois

HOBROCK, MARY, age 71, widow, born Illinois, has own income, owns home [The space about children had been left blank]

Louis Ernst Besson

Another 2nd great grandfather was Emogene Borgstadter's father - Louis Ernst BESSON. Emogene's mother and Louis' first wife Sarah Solomon died in 1895. There were 3 children from that marriage. Louis had remarried to Nora Sallee and they had 3 children. Nora died in 1907. Louis and his children were living in Wood Township, Douglas County, Missouri.
BESSON, LOUIS E., age 44, widow, born Germany, immigrated 1884, Farmer, owns farm

BESSON, MYRTLE, age 18, born Kansas

BESSON, GUY, age 16, born Kansas

BESSON, FRED, age , born Missouri

BESSON EARL, age 6, born Missouri

BESSON, ALICE, age 2, born Missouri

Mummy Dahling's side of the family lived Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina.

SKILLMAN & SHEERN are the paternal side.

My grandfather had not yet been born.

His parents Fred Wilson SKILLMAN and Pauline SHEERN had not yet married.

My 2nd great grandparents Joseph Payne and Sallie (Wilson) SKILLMAN were living in Rockville Township, Bates County, Missouri.

SKILLMAN, JOSEPH P., age 53, born Kentucky, Dry Goods Merchant, owns a home with a mortgage

SKILLMAN, SALLIE D., age 48, 4 children/ 3 living, born Missouri

SKILLMAN, KATIE, age 20, born Missouri

SKILLMAN, FRED W., age 17, born Missouri

The other set of 2nd great grandparents Earnest Francis and Jennie (Delaney) SHEERN were living in Union Township, Barton County, Missouri.

SHEERN, EARNEST F., age 48, born Iowa, Farmer, owns farm with a mortgage

SHEERN, JENNIE, age 48, born Missouri, 6 children/ 4 living

SHEERN, JAMES D., age 21, born Kansas

SHEERN, PAULINE M., age 18, born Kansas

SHEERN, RALPH H., age 14, born Oklahoma

SHEERN, IRENE A., age 11, born Kansas




HARRIS, BESS & BERRY are the maternal side.

My grandmother had not been born yet.

My great grandparents Hillery T. HARRIS and Hazel Bertha BERRY had not married yet.

My 2nd great grandparents George Wesley and Minda Ellen (Wallace) HARRIS were living in Elsmore Township, Allen County, Kansas.

HARRIS, GEORGE, age 47, born North Carolina, Farmer, owns farm

HARRIS, MINDA, age 48, born North Carolina, 5 children/4 living

HARRIS, FLETCHER, age 19, born Kansas

HARRIS, HILLERY, age 16, born Kansas

George Wesley Harris and his wife Minda Ellen (Wallace) Harris are pictured left

George's grandmother, my 4th great grandmother Sarah BESS was living on Cherryville Road, Lincoln County, North Carolina with her daughter.

BESS, SARAH, age 86, widow, 7 children/5 living, born North Carolina, own income, owns home

BESS, KANDAS, age 66, widow, 5 children living, born North Carolina, own income

The other 2nd great grandparents William Campbell and Laura Cordelia (Robinson) BERRY were living in Marmaton Township, Allen County, Kansas.

BERRY, W. C., age 52, born Iowa, Farmer, owns farm with mortgage

BERRY, LAURA, age 47, 7 children living, born Pennsylvania

BERRY, CAMPBELL, age 18, born Iowa

BERRY, CORDELIA, age 16, born Iowa

BERRY, HAZEL, age 13, born Iowa

BERRY, BERNICE, age 9, born Kansas

Laura's mother, my 3rd great grandmother Margaret (Dilks) ROBINSON was living in Burlington, Des Moines County, Iowa with her daughter and son-in-law.

METZ, CARL, age 35, born Iowa, Switch Tender with Railroad Co., rents home

METZ, MARGARET, age 29, born Iowa no children

ROBINSON, MARGARET, age 70, widow, 9 children/ 6 living, born Pennsylvania

WilliamCampbell Berry

Laura Cordelia (Robinson) Berry




This has been a wonderful review exercise. After going through this time frame, branch by branch, I am now confident that there are no holes. I have accounted for everyone!