52 Ancestors - Invite To Dinner

As I stated in my first post of the year, my goal this time around is to write about my step-parents' families. For whatever reason I'm finding that, coupled with this weeks prompt, to be a bit difficult. I'm not a literary person. I don't think creatively as much as I do logically. At least not within a literary context. The prompt this week is invite to diner. I think I would have difficulty with this topic no matter what line I was researching, but never-the-less, I have settled on William Henry Schoonover.

William was the brother of  my brother, Tyler's, 2nd great grandmother, Orpha Annette Schoonover. That was mouthful. William and Orpha as well as a sister Jennie May, were the children of George W Schoonover and Martha Helen Story.

William was born 20 Oct 1885, in Linn County, Iowa. I don't know how to tie into the prompt other than I think if I were to invite him to dinner, and were a better conversationalist than I am, the stories he could tell would be interesting.

I want to start off by pointing out how easy it is to just add information left and right just going off the transcribed information given to you in the 'record matches' without ever clicking on the image. But sometimes, if you actually click on the image, so much more information is available that you didn't know before.

That is what first peeked my interest in William. You see, William had a cousin, also named William, and whenever the record match for my William's draft record came up, I wanted to make sure it was him. When I clicked on the image I discovered that William had an artificial left foot! The first thing I thought was, was he born that way or did something happen? I haven't found the answer to that yet.





If you keep looking you'll also see that he had the interesting job of being the chauffeur for Mrs. P E Hall... I think. It's a bit difficult to make out the first initial. If it is a 'P' he most likely drove for Mrs. Philo Eliphlet Hall, whose husband was President of the Railway. Philo passed away in 1915 and his wife Lucretia in 1917 the same year this record was dated. How does one drive a car in 1917 wit an artificial left foot. I would think the clutch would have made him quite sore.

In an effort to find out more about him I have looked at the actual image of every single record every chance I get when it comes to William Henry Schoonover.

In 1910 before being a chauffeur, William was a butcher. His sister Orpha was a dress maker.

In 1915 Iowa had a state census record. From actually clicking on that image we learn that the family was Presbyterian.

On the 8th or 9th of January, 1920,  a little over two years since being a chauffeur, William is still living at home with his parents. His occupation is listed as machinist working in a garage. Then a few months later 0n 3 March 1920, William marries Mrs. Gladys Pelley Parkhurst.

If you're fortunate enough to have family in Iowa you're going to love their marriage records. They are full of detail. From William and Gladys' marriage record I know:

• G W Schoonover consented to the marriage
• William lived in Cedar Rapids
• William was a mechanic
• William was 34 and white.
• This is William's first marriage
• William was born in Iowa
• William's father is GW Schoonover
• William's mother is Nellie Story
• Gladys' full name is Gladys Parkhurst
• Gladys' maiden name was Gladys Pelley
• This is Gladys' second marriage
• Gladys lives in Denver, CO
• Gladys is 30 and white.
• Gladys was born in Iowa
• Gladys' father is Geo Pelley
• Her mother is Mae Sampson
• E W Griffiths is the JP

Just for kicks, because I'm sure if I invited William to dinner, he would naturally bring Glady's, she would have her own stories to tell. In 1910 at the age of 19 she worked as an attendant at Cherokee State Hospital, a hospital for the mentally insane. In March of 1910 they housed 897 inmates (The Humeston New Era Humeston, Iowa) 

In the 1921 Cedar Rapids directory we can find William and Gladys. He is still a mechanic, but now I know where; Haynes Service Station. Gladys is the manager of H C Martin (A local business man. From what I gather from Newspapers he owned a cigar company and possibly the Brown Hotel).

In 1925 William's father died at the age of 66. The Reverend was a Presbyterian minister. If you would like to know more about the Marion First Presbyterian they have a wonderful page on their history here.

The Courier July 1922

As hard as I have tried I just can't find this couple in the 1930 census. The above obituary tells me they were in Chicago in 1925 as well as the article below from 1926

Cedar Rapids Republican 3 Jan 1926

The next place they show up is in California. In 1934 the two are living at E 5042 Eaton St, Los Angeles. This is from William and Gladys' voter registration. They are Republicans. Hoover was Republican. He left office in 1933 and was followed by Franklin D Roosevelt who was a Democrat. In 1936 his voter registration gives his occupation as a manager. He is now a Democrat. Gladys remains a Republican. They now live at E 5218 York Blvd. Surely our dinner conversation will be exciting considering I brought up both religion and politics.

By 1940 they are now living on Colorado Blvd and he gives his occupation as a salesman for an artificial limb company and states that he owns his own business. Again, the 1940 census asks where they were in 1935. They answer "same place"

26 April 1942 William shows up in the WW2 Draft records. He lists his next of kin as his sister, not his wife. She is still alive. Maybe they separated for a time. They are not found together in the '46 and '48 voter registrations, but they're aren't found separately either. I can find only William in '46 and only Gladys in '48. But back to the Draft card. William is still self-employed as the owner of Artificial Limb Co.

By 1952 the couple are shown once again together in the voter registrations. They are both Republican. Truman was POTUS. He was a Democrat. They remain loyal to their party in 1954 when their candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower is in office.

In 1956 William's sister Jennie May Fish passes away.




In 1962 Gladys passes away and in 1966 our ancestor Orpha Sauser passes away. William would go on to live almost another seven years. I don't believe he and Gladys ever had any children, so in a way I am pleased to have written their story. When there are no descendants left behind to ponder your existence you may end up forgotten. I think that is sometimes our biggest fear in death. That we didn't matter or that there will come a time when we're no longer remembered.

So as I eat my dinner tonight. I will raise a glass to William and all the other childless families. That someone will remember their story. And I will always wonder how he lost his left foot!

Until next week,
Becky