Whitfields in Illinois

Frank E Whitfield

Follow along with me as I try to argue the connection for my maternal great great grandparents; John and Margaret Whitfield to newly found records.   Let's start with what we know.

  John Whitfield according to 1870 US census was, born about 1825 in England, living in Newark, Kendall Co., Illinois with wife;  Elizabeth Whitfield who was also born in England about 1837.  At this point we do not know Elizabeth's surname.  Along with John and Elizabeth are sons; Charles J., Alfred W. and Frank E Whitfield, all born in somewhere Illinois .  Charles was the first born about 1858, then came Alfred about 1859 and the Frank 1862.   The family is living comfortably as John is a Miller with a sizable amount of personal wealth on hand at the census taking the property is said to be of some value.  With our Whitfield family lives a young woman as a domestic servant; Isabella Gullickson age 16 from Norway.  So, the family seems to be doing quite well on a Millers income and in the 1870, don't you think?

1870 US Census Newark Illinois

  In the ten years that follows, not much is to be found until the 1880 US census, where we find Elizabeth is living in her sons Charles home in Hobart Indiana   Also in the house are brothers Alfred and Frank.  Charles is a school teacher, mother Elizabeth is keeping house and the two brothers employment is unknown.

  What happened to John Whitfield?  To this point his where abouts are unknown!

  Charles J Whitfield at some point relocated to Chicago Il., where he meets and marries Artimisia Headley.  They wed on 3 Mar 1887 in Chicago and remained in Chicago for the rest of their lives.  To the best on my knowledge there were no children born to this couple. Charles and Artimisia are enumerated in the 1900, 1910 and 1920 US census, but only Artimisia in the 1930 census.  So, what happened to Charles and when?  In the 1930 US census Artimisia is living with a friend in Chicago, but I can't find her in the 1940 census.  I had no more leads at the time.   A little more about Artimisia Hedley.  Both her given and surname are misspelt numerous times on different documents, but the misspell are close enough to follow.  An example is; Hedley or Hadley or Headley.  Another example is Artimisia's given name was recorded as Artemisia and Martemisia.  These misspells are due to accents, ones hearing and/or spelling abilities.

3 March 1887

  Alfred W Whitfield whose middle name is William, lucky guy,relocates to Ohio where his is a Telegraph Operator.  I bet he had stories that would have been great to read.  Alfred meest Etta Shisler and marries in 1898.  Alfred and Etta had just one child, Lena G Whitfield.  Alfred and Etta marrage ends in a divorce Alfred passed away in 1924 and is laid to earth in the Union Cemetery, Columbus Ohio.

   Franks E Whitfield also relocates to Chicago Illinois and married Elsie M Grothmann in 1885.  Frank is a Grip Car driver and Elsie a housewife and mother of Grace Whitfield.  Elsie is a first generation Germany immigrant as her parents came from Prussia in the 1860's.  Frank and Elsie remain in Chicago until 1919 when Frank passes away at his house on Michigan Ave and is laid to earth in the Oak Wood Cemetery, Chicago Illinois.  After Franks death Elsie remarries to a Orrin Talley in April of 1921.  A year and a half later Elsie loses Orrin too to death.  Both Frank and Orrin lay next to one another in the cemetery.  Elsie relocates to Washington state where her only child lived.  Elsie passes away in Tacoma Washington, 1934

14 Oct 1885

  Did you notice that the three boys started and ended their lives, but there was no mention of their mother.  Elizabeth has gone missing sometime after the 1880 census.  My guess, she remarries!

  So, there you have it, the family as I know it.  So what do we know?  We know the parents, John and Elizabeth were born in England; John born 1825 and Elizabeth 1837.  We know John was a Miller and the family lived a comfortable life, well at least for a little while.  We know John and Elizabeth raised a family in Illinois, then divorced.   We know the family, except John, can be found in Hobart Indiana in 1880. We know that two of the sons relocated to Chicago and married.  And the third son worked as a Telegraph Operator in Ohio.  We can follow the sons through their lives until the 1920's when Charles drops off the radar and the two other boys pass away.

  Here are the questions to be answered.  What happened to John in the 1870's?  What happened to Elizabeth in the 1880's?  And what happened to Charles in the 1920's.

  With recently found records, I believe we have found Charles and Artimisia Whitfield grave site in an Aurora Illinois cemetery.  Also found was a marriage between a John Whitfield and Elizabeth Gearey in Kane Co Illinois 24 September 1857.  There is work yet to be done on researching this data, but I am now confident that we have found the begin of our Whitfield family in Illinois and the resting place of most of the family, with the exception of John and Elizabeth who are still missing.   I have requested the aforementioned marriage record from LDS and soon will be able to examine it more closely.  The family was now been recorded by way of a marriage in Aurora, Kane Co Illiniois in 1857, again in the 1860 US Census for Aurora Illinois, then in 1865 in Newark, Kane Co, Illinois and the finally in the 1870 US Census in Kendall Co, Illinois, which is next door to Kane Co Illinois. The data matches from one record to the next, with minor errors.  In the 1880 US census, the family has segmented by divorce and then again in the mid 1880's as the sons marry and start their own families.

  A record of a death for one Arlimesia Whitfield, in 1942 Chicago. Notice the misspelling of the first name?  Close enough to follow though!  Following this person, the Illinois vital records website indicated that she was buried in a local cemetery in Aurora Illinois.  Off to Aurora to poke around their cemeteries.  As luck has it, Aurora has a website with many name collected and linked.  Following the link for Whitfield, I found Arlimesia Whitfield in the Spring Lake Cemetery  Lot LW-33.  The record indicates that Arlimesia Whitfield is 77 and had died in 1942.  Doing the math... Arlimesia Whitfield was born in 1865 which is a close match to the married record of 1863.  People moved their birth years quite often to fulfill a requirement or not.

  Looking a bit closer at the Arlimesia Whitfield cemetery lot number of LW-33, guess who is laying with her, but none other that Charles J Whitfield, her husband.  So, why bury Charles in a cemetery in Aurora Illinois?  Well, the 1860 US census record John Whitfeed and family in Aurora Illinois.  Notice the age of Charles (see 1860 census below) is two years of age and brother is 10/12 months.  Charles and Alfred were close in age, maybe only a year. Note,  Aurora is in Kane County Illinois,so it only make sense that Charles was to be laid to earth in the place of his birth.  The cemetery records Charles J Whitfield passing away at the age of 68 in 1926, which matches the birth year for Charles as we know it.  Another factor is, there are other Whitfields in this cemetery and in the same lot. The image below is suppose to be the Whitfield family which I am guessing circa 1898.  Frank, Elsie and Grace Whitfield are present.. The child sitting on mothers lap, lower right corner is Grace and Elsie.  Frank is third row and third from left.

Whitfield Clan

  Back to John Whitfield.  The below mentioned 1860 recorded his name as Whitfeed, but looking at the actual record it was Whitfield, so a transcription error.  The rest of the family was recorded as Whitfield.  Elizabeth was recorded as Mrs Whitfield.  This is why I couldn't find John prior to the 1865.

1860 US Census

  In closing, I still don't have any new information about what happened to John or Elizabeth Whitfield.  But, I am pretty sure our John Whitfield married Elizabeth Gearey in Kane County Illinois in 1857, which just prior to their first born son in 1858 in Aurora, Kane County Illinois, which is also the resting place for Charles J Whitfield in 1926 and was joined by his wife Artimisia Headley Whitfield of Ohio in 1942.

I would love to hear your thoughts, question or corrections!

Sometime lateral branches need to be followed in order to find the trunk!

Camp Pine

Brigadier General Frederick Dent Grant

Camp Pine in the state New York. In 1908, Brigadier General Frederick Dent Grant, the oldest son of President Ulysses S. Grant, led thousands of Soldiers back to the area north of Black River, known locally as Pine Plains. Grant commanded 2,000 Regular Army Soldiers and 8,000 militia men from throughout the Northeast. He found Pine Plains to be an ideal place to train troops and money was allocated to purchase the land and summer training continued there through the years. The camp at Pine Plains formally opened on June 11, 1908, and training continued throughout the summer. Later in 1954, Camp Pine was renamed as Fort Drum.

Camp Pine was the training location for my Grandfather George Henry Reynolds and Great Uncle James William Reynolds in 1910.  I don't believe either seen any military active duty in the first World War.  

1917 Registration Card

The above registration card places my great uncle James Reynolds in the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia prior to the 1917.  What kept him out for the war is unknown.

And in the Lowell Sun newspaper 1910, James and George are called up for training at Camp Pine.

Camp Pine Training 

Thank you both,  James W Reynolds and George H Reynolds for you time in server for our country!

*Thanks for to the Library of Congress, the Lowell Sun Archive and Family Search for providing these historical documents.

Gunned down!

Gunned down at the oh so young age of 17.  In 1924 in the West Tampa area, Cyril was shot a number times in the stomach and died shortly there after. As the story goes Cyril was with two or three other young men, supposedly in the process of breaking into a store when the shots rang out.

Young Cyril P Herrick started life out in Chicago Illinois, 2 March 1907, before his parents decided to pack up the whole family and move to the West Tamp Florida area. This move must of been an adventure!  Can you imagine packing up a family of seven and heading south across a road system that wouldn't have existed in the late 1910's.  

Illinois Birth Record

In searching for Cyril's records,  I wasn't able to find a birth record, but found one that matched, well for the most part.  The birth record was for an Edward Herrick with the same parents, same home address and same date of birth. So, I don't know if this was an error in recording by the hospital staff or his parent decide to call him Cyril Paul instead and just didn't bother documenting the correction. The picture of the boy on horse back (above) was Cyril  somewhere between 13 and 17 years old.  Nice looking boy, wouldn't you say.

Now,  by the 1920 the family were firmly in place in the Tampa area, including  the two oldest boys, Edmund and George F Herrick (II) and his family.  The head of the family, George F Herrick (I), came from Cork Ireland, after which, he stops in Freeport Illinois long enough to find his wife Mary Kennedy and start his family.  Eleven children all but, only seven children made the trip from Chicago due early deaths.  Cyril was a teen by this time, doing what teens do, running with friends,  Moving ahead four short years, and we learn about the next set of records found for Cyril.  While with friends, in the early morning hours of 24 April 1924, Cyril was heard to say; "Boys, I'm dying, save me"!

Cyril was with friends checking out a drinking stand around two o'clock in the morning, when shots rang out.  hitting Cyril in the stomach and supposedly wounding another.  Cyril was with friends, Johnnie Thomas and E.M. Albury and one unknown red-headed guy.  The shooter was also the owner of the drink stand.  George St Amant was arrest and held in jail awaiting trail.  The attached newspaper clippings are from the Tampa Tribune April 1924, in which I will allow the rest of the story be told.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Continued.....

Alfred Whitfield

Alfred William Whitfield born to John and Elizabeth Whitfield in the state of Illinois in 1859.  Alfred had two brothers Frank E, and Charles J. Whitfield, also of Illinois.  Alfred at some point is his life relocated to Ohio and in 1898 married a young woman by the name of Etta G Shisler.  Etta was the daughter of Samuel and Hannah Wollam Shisler of Ohio.  Alfred was a telegrapher in Sandusky County Ohio.  I can only imagine the stories he sent and received across the wires.  Alfred and Etta had but one child; Lena G Whitfield, 1899!  After a time, the family fell apart and Alfred relocated to Columbus Ohio and this is where we find his final resting place in the Union Cemetery.
telegrapher in northwest

I have written about Alfred's brother Frank, so if you are curious, please follow the label suggestions or enter Whitfield in the search box top left corner of this blog window.

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Case of the missing N

Louis Grothmann

Or is it Grothman, Grotman, Grathman?  This question is not a cause of the family, but rather those that are trying to understand, translate accents and write down what they think is correct.  As of yesterday, I thought the previous four mention names were going to be the only spelling variation I would need to watch for as I searched historical data for Grothmann.  But no, it turns out another variation has popped up; Groveman!

My Grothmann line starts in Prussia around 1860 when Louis Otto Grothmann and his wife Rosalie Hedtke Grothmann started their journey to Chicago and their American life.  Louis was a professional musician of some kind, but I've not been able to find what he played or where.  After coming to America, Louis started being known as Lewis and Grothmann lost the second N, thus Lewis Grothman came to be.  So, while chasing this name, I needed to be aware of the case of the missing N.


Louis and Rosalie were both born in Prussia.  Louis in 1836 and Rosalie in 1846. Leaving Hamburg, they traveled across the Atlantic Ocean aboard the steamship Kepler and arriving in New York  25 October 1864.

Kepler manifest 1864

They were heading for Ohio according to the ships manifest.  What was waiting for them in Ohio? A question that may never get answered. By the taking of US census of 1870,  Louis, Rosalie and two relatively newborns (Elsie and Otto) were recorded in Chicago Illinois.   Louis and Rosalie had eight children together; Anna, Elsie b. 1865, Otto b. 1867, Emma b. 1869, Emily b. 1876, Amelia b. 1877, Frederick and Louis b. 1879.  Of these children I have been able to find four mentioned in history beyond the birth.

Elsie Minnie Grothmann was born in 1865 and appears to be Louis and Rosalie's first born.  She grew up in Chicago and spends most of her life in the big city.  In 1885 at the age of 20, Elsie marries a Frank E Whitfield also of Chicago.  You will notice that the marriage license has Elsie as Else Grotmann at the age of 19.  Frank is a Street Car operator in the big city. Elsie and Frank have only one child;  Grace Rosalie Whitfield, who can read more about by following the link.  Elsie remarries to a Orrin P Talley in December 1921.  This marriage

is not long live as Orrin passes away in November 1923.  Both Frank and Orrin are resting in same plot in the Oakwoods Cemetery Chicago Illinois.  To this date, 1/13/2013, I have not found Elsie death or resting place.

Otto Grothman was born December 1867 in Chicago.  At the age of 24, Otto marries a Wilhelmina Dudde, 13 August 1892.  Otto and Minnie have two children; Otto and Minnie.  No, that's wasn't a typo. Otto (the younger) was born 1893 and Minnie in 1894  Otto (the elder) passes away in 19 November 1895.  Otto (the younger) working as a bookkeeper, marries Anna Tennyson of Norweigan decent on 18 Jun 1921.  The Chicago marriage register confirms the marriage, but nowhere can the be couple be found in census records, until yesterday as  I was searching for the surname of Tennyson in Chicago, which disclosed the newest variation of Grothmann as Groveman.  Otto and Anna are living with Anna's parent's in Chicago and were numerated in the 1930 US census.  The census recorded age, years married and employment as matching data to what was known about Otto Grothman, so I have accepted this Otto Groveman as the same person.

Becker girls

Emma Grothman was born 1869 in Chicago.  At the age of 21 Emma marries a Joseph Becker of Chicago. This couple has four daughters Hazel b. 1891. Edna b. 1893,  Rose b. 1895 and Carrie b. 1900.

Emily F Grothman was born December 1876 in Chicago.  In May 1899 she marries Louis Dediemar of Kenosha Wisconsin.  By the spring of 1901 Emily has passed on due Phthisis Pulmonalis, which is tuberculosis. Louis and Emily had no children  prior to her passing.

UPDATE: A cousin of Louis DeDiemar shared the resting place for Emily;  Green Ridge Cemetery Kenosha, Wisconsin. I have created a FindaGrave Memorial with a photo of the headstone. I hope you take a moment to view.

That begins us back to the beginning of our story as we end with a few more details about Louis and Rosalie. Louis Otto Grothman passes away in 1891 at home, 6732 Michigan Ave, Chicago.  After Louis' death Rosalie remarries in April 1894 to a August Fenske.  The Fenske's relocates to Kenosha Wisconson.  Rosalie passes away in 1915 at the age of  69.

Grothman family circa 1882

From the back to front is; Elsie, Otto, Emma, Anna and Emily. Sitting is Rosalie and Louis Grothmann.  To date I haven't found anything for Anna other than this photo.  

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Cross in the fold

As I went through my mother's belonging after her death 2001, I found boxes of old family pictures and letters wasting away in an old leaky and smelly outbuilding .  Many of the pictures were without full name or names at all. The letters had names of which I was somewhat familiar and others not! So, it was slow going trying to figure out who was who and how they connected to me or me them.  In one envelope, a letter from my great aunt Adelaide Herrick Roberts of Florida to my mother who lived in NE Minnesota.  There was no date on the letter itself, but the envelope was post marked in the 1960's.

In the folds of the letter was a cross.  A cross my great grandmother Mary Clement Kennedy Herrick wore and carried in her purse for many a year.  I have no idea how old the cross might be, but I am going to guess near a hundred years.  The cross was send as a keepsake but was to be returned if not wanted.  My aunt Adelaide has since passed on too and I have no current with any of her children, so the cross and the letter stays with me for now.

Mary Clement Kennedy, daughter of Michael and Margaret Walsh Kennedy, Freeport Illinois.  Mary was born in 1869 Freeport Illinois and was laid to rest in Tampa Florida 1947.

Elizabeth A Watters Reynolds

 Elizabeth was the first born of James Watters and Sarah Jane Dingle Watters in year of 1868.  James is of Cornwall England, and a miner.  Sarah is of St Mary's River Nova Scotia.  Sarah is the daughter of a fisherman, Thomas and Margaret Leigh Dingle. According to the 1900 US Census, Elizabeth migrated to the US from Nova Scotia  with a son, James W Reynolds and I assume then husband George Henry Reynolds in the year 1889.  I say assume because I can't find any data about George Henry Reynolds before  1889 and nothing after 1892.  I have no idea where George came from or got off too, but he was in the picture for two children beyond James.  In the following couple of years, George and Elizabeth gives birth to George Henry Reynolds (II) and Flossie Jane Reynolds.  Both George (II) and Flossie's birth are registered in the city of Woburn Massachusetts.

In 1907 Elizabeth remarries to a James McArdle of Lowell Massachusetts. In the 1910 US Census Elizabeth, George (II) and Flossie are living the McArdle house of Lowell MA.   George (II) marries twice, first to a Margaret Hodge of Lowell MA and then Edith Ruby Heaney also of Lowell.  Flossie (Florence) married a William Kershaw of Lowell MA.

In 1919 Elizabeth passes away at her daughters home in Lowell MA.  Elizabeth rest in the Edson/Westlawn Cemetery, Lowell Massachusetts

The bearers were sons James W Reynolds and George H Reynolds (II) and brother James L. Watters.



This post is an update on Elizabeth Watters of Nova Scotia and Lowell Massachusetts.  To find other posts about Elizabeth enter Watters or Reynolds in the search. box above.

Early morning visit

A earlier visit brought it's end! 

Round about 4am Gandalf goes off on something in the darkness of the per morning light, which was more shadow and dark places than light. Not long after the standard warning barks, Gandalf's voice changed to something more serious. This was my signal to check things out. I slipped into some clothes, found the flash-lite, the .22 and exited the house. The sound of the door closing behind me brought Gandalf to my side, where upon he guided me to coop where something moved in the darkness. I could hear it rustling about the front part of the coop looking for a way into the chicken. Getting a bit closer, the smell hit me first then the scurrying skunk came waddling out the front of the coop. We escorted the skunk a safe distance away from the area, where upon it turned around and was heading back... Gandalf barked, I yelled and the .22 ended it all. So goes the Pepe this night!

Upon the night air

In the wee hours of the morning, Gandalf goes off on something in the field to the south. The urgency is his voice sets Gurl off, who is lying on the floor next to the bed. Damn she is loud! With both dogs barking I figured I best check things out. The clock read 1:30 am as I rolled out of bed heading for the front door. I didn't get but a step or two when I learn what the alarm was about ... Pepe Le Pew had entered the domain of Gandalf the White. The air was full of the scent of da skunk, to which gave me I little desire to go outside. But, after checking the cams that watch the coop, I saw Pepe roaming around trying to get in. Gandalf no worse the wear followed me to the coop with flashlite and .22 in hand. Can you image an old fat man wandering around in the wee hours chasing a skunk about the yard and trying to stay clear of the spray. Pepe the wiser headed for the woods. I returned to the house to watch the cams for awhile. No further evidence, so off to bed again... Not a hour later Gandalf and Gurl are alarmed and the aroma of Pepe was again in the air. I wasn't able to catch up to Pepe this night. So, I wish him a good night with warning not to return. Come morning Gandalf had a slight hint of a new cologne; Ode de Pepe Le Pew!

Things about my dad!

I don't have a good recall of my childhood, just bits and pieces here and there.  What I remember most about my dad was three or four things he would say.

If! If! If! Frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their arse.  I remember telling my girl this when they started playing THE WHAT IF GAME.

Two blind men came out to fight, back to back they faced each other.... the story goes on from there.

Righty tighty, lefty loosey!  Still use this one!

Don't let the bed bugs bite, but if they do you know what to do?   Bite them back!

SOTEBS was always the gift one was getting if asked.  SOTEBS for all I know this was my dads creation. It's an acronym for Shit on the End of a broom Stick.  I know it doesn't fit totally.

SOS was a food he seem to enjoy... Shit on a Shingle is what it stood for.  You may know as Creamed Chipped Beef over mashed taters, rice, scrabbled eggs!

He hated oil that would settle on top of spaghetti mac that was still in the pot.  So much so, he would start yelling at mom.  I have found myself sounding like my dad all to often.  I hate it!

But mostly I remember trips to the woodshed were a 2x4 was used.   I can't tell you how many times I've woke up during my life seeing that board crashing down on me.  I hated him for years, but come to realize, he was doing what he knew right or wrong.  I carried that hatred inside me for years and years and to this day I  will not bow down, even if you have a board in your hand.  I know the hated and anger within, messed with my life in so many a ways and I regret many things I can't correct.  But, I love my family and friends and I try very hard to stand up for those that are beaten down and need a hand up.  I will take that board for you if I can, I will protect you if I can.  I will...........................................................