My mother had told me that my great-grandfather, John Henry RIDDLEBAUGH, Jr. (whom I will just call John H.) had disappeared for many years after my great-grandmother, Almeda Elvira WISELEY (who went by Elvira), divorced him. Finally, towards the end of his life, he was located by his children.
Searching newspaper articles was key to unraveling these mysteries.
This is a summary of the information I have on my great-grandfather:
John Henry RIDDLEBAUGH, Jr 2nd of 6 children born to John Henry RIDDLEBAUGH, Sr. and Ann Alice Catherine SHUMAKER
John Henry RIDDLEBAUGH, Jr 2nd of 6 children born to John Henry RIDDLEBAUGH, Sr. and Ann Alice Catherine SHUMAKER
b. 28 September 1859 in Fairfield county, Ohio (there is some confusion as to where exactly in Fairfield county he was born. See the end of the post for the possibilities)*
m. 1st Almeda Elvira WISELEY
m. 2nd Blanche Erena NELSON
m. 3rd Harriet "Hattie" Margaret WILSON
m. 4th Alice May RITTER
d. 28 September 1951 Findlay, Hancock, Ohio (on his 92nd birthday)
1st wife Almeda Elvira WISELEY, daughter of Henry H. WISELEY and Lurany WISELEY
They married on 9 November 1882 in Pleasant Township, Hancock, Ohio. They divorced in 1914.
There is a blog post about John H., his first wife Elvira, and their 14 children at:
2nd wife Blanche Erena NELSON, daughter of Daniel Erik NELSON and Mathilda Christine WESTERBERG (Blancie Erena NELSON is her name in her baptismal record)
b. 19 September 1885 in Varna, Marshall, Illinois
d. 1918 in Colorado
buried in Las Animas Cemetery, Las Animas, Bent, Colorado
John H. and Blanche married about 1916, probably in the Parsons, Labette, Kansas area.
Blanche was first married to Frank David GOOD (1890-1921) and they divorced in 1915. They had one son, Lee Curtis Nelson GOOD (1912-1991)
Blanche then married John Henry RIDDLEBAUGH, Jr. about 1916 probably in Parsons, Labette, Kansas (but it might have been Las Animas, Colorado). They had one daughter:
1. Blanche Irene RIDDLEBAUGH
b. 1917
d. 13 June 1919 Parsons, Labette, Kansas (tombstone says 1918, but it is wrong)
buried in Las Animas Cemetery, Las Animas, Colorado
3rd wife Harriet "Hattie" Margaret WILSON, daughter of Calbert M. WILSON and Margaret G. STEPHENS
b.1885-1886 in Kansas
buried 19 August 1936 Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado
3rd wife Harriet "Hattie" Margaret WILSON, daughter of Calbert M. WILSON and Margaret G. STEPHENS
b.1885-1886 in Kansas
buried 19 August 1936 Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado
John H. and Hattie married on 17 December 1918 in Montgomery county, Kansas. It looks like they divorced as he married again while Harriet was still alive.
Harriet and John H. are the parents of two daughters:
1. Elizabeth Imogene RIDDLEBAUGH
b. 5 May 1923 Parsons, Kansas
married twice. First to a Mr. TALBURT and then to Thomas D. DONNELLY III
d. 22 July 2005
2. Wanda Maxine RIDDLEBAUGH
b. 9 March 1926 Pueblo, Colorado
married Mayland K. GROSS
d. 13 October 1993
4th wife Alice May RITTER, daughter of John Henry RITTER and Martha Jane MORRIS
1. Elizabeth Imogene RIDDLEBAUGH
b. 5 May 1923 Parsons, Kansas
married twice. First to a Mr. TALBURT and then to Thomas D. DONNELLY III
d. 22 July 2005
2. Wanda Maxine RIDDLEBAUGH
b. 9 March 1926 Pueblo, Colorado
married Mayland K. GROSS
d. 13 October 1993
4th wife Alice May RITTER, daughter of John Henry RITTER and Martha Jane MORRIS
b. 12 March 1875 Amanda Township, Fairfield, Ohio
d. 20 November 1962 Upper Sandusky, Wyandot, Ohio
m. 16 November 1934 in Greenup, Greenup, Kentucky
Alice had 3 previous husbands. She and Samuel TROUP had 1 son. She and Frank Floyd MORRIS had 2 sons and 2 daughters. She and Samuel Allen SWINEHART did not have any children.
John H. and Alice may have also divorced as he was not living with her for at least a year or two before he died. They did not have any children.
Tracking John H.'s whereabouts:
1859- in Fairfield county, Ohio- born on 28 September
1860 census-in Greenfield Township, Fairfield, Ohio- (indexed as John H. RADEBAUGH)
1870 census-in Greenfield Township, Fairfield, Ohio
1882- in Pleasant Township, Ohio on 9 November, he marries Almeda Elvira WISELEY
1882-1914 in Hancock county, Ohio they are for about the next 32 years, until they divorce.
1914 & 1918 Elvira RIDDLEBAUGH is listed in the Findlay Directory as the widow of John
about 1916 he marries Blanche Erena NELSON (probably in Parsons, Kansas but maybe in Pueblo,
Colorado).
about 1917 birth of John H. and Blanche's daughter, apparently before March 19th
1917 He works from March 19 to April 13 for the Colorado Steelworks in Pueblo, Colorado as a laborer. His work record says his dependents are his wife Blanche and 2 children. The two children would have been his stepson, Lee Curtis Nelson GOOD NELSON from Blanche's first marriage, and their daughter, Blanche "Irene" RIDDLBAUGH. He lists Gust RIDDLEBAUGH, his brother (Augustus Michael), as his nearest blood relative who is living in Columbus, Ohio. John H. is listed as being 5' 6", weighing 170 lbs, and being 40 years old. He would have been 57, though.
1918 in Colorado where his wife, Blanche, dies. I'm thinking that since she's buried in Las Animas, which is 85 miles away from Pueblo, that they might have moved to Las Animas from Pueblo before Blanche passed away.
1918 in Parsons, Kansas in November he loses custody of his stepson, Lee Curtis Nelson GOOD
1918 in Montgomery county, Kansas on 17 December he marries his 3rd wife, Harriet Margaret WILSON
1919 in Parsons, Kansas, on 13 June his daughter Irene dies
1920 census-in Parsons, Labette, Kansas
1920 he flees Parsons, Kansas on 2 November after stealing $1,200 from his business partner
1923 he and Harriet's first child, Elizabeth Imogene RIDDLEBAUGH, is born on 5 May in Parsons. We don't know if he was there at that time (probably not unless he had paid back the $1,200 he had stolen?)
1925 in Pueblo City, Colorado as he and Harriet are listed in the city directory. His occupation is listed as a "barnmn" (the meaning of barnman is one who takes care of cows and the barn and usually does the milking.--see next item) and their address is 1205 Beulah av.
1925 in Pueblo- June 23rd he is probably the "RIDDLEBAUGH" listed as being a horse trainer in a newspaper article quoted below
1926 in Pueblo City, Colorado on March 9 where he and Harriet's second child, Wanda Maxine RIDDLEBAUGH, is born.
1927 in Pueblo City, Colorado as he and Harriet are listed in the city directory and his occupation is porter at the Red Cliff furn. co. Their address is 715 Veta.
1929 in Pueblo City, Colorado as he and Harriet are listed in the city directory and his occupation is listed as a farmer. They were living at 909 E 5th St.
1930 in Pueblo City, Colorado as he and Harriet are listed in the city directory. His occupation is not listed. They are still living at 909 E 5th St.
1930 census-he is probably the John H. RIDDLEBAUGH enumerated in Scioto, Pickaway, Ohio saying he is a widower and listing his age as 64 (he would have been 70)
1930 census-Hattie RIDDLEBAUGH is in Pueblo, Colorado living with her sister, mother, and 2 daughters at 907 5th St. She says is a widow and that she was 26 at her first marriage. She married John H. when she was 33. If the age of her first marriage is correct, she was married before John H. as her first marriage would have been around 1911. I have not been able to find any other husband, so the 26 might be a mistake.
1934 in Greenup, Greenup, Kentucky on 16 November he marries his 4th wife, Alice May RITTER
1935 Harriet M. RIDDLEBAUGH is listed in the Pueblo City, Colorado directory as a widow of John H. living at 331 Washington
1935 in Upper Sandusky, Wyandot, Ohio with Alice according to the 1940 census
1936 his 3rd wife, Harriet, is buried in Pueblo, Pueblo, Colorado on 19 August.
1940 census-in Upper Sandusky, Wyandot, Ohio, he and his 4th wife, Alice, are enumerated
1945 in Logan, Ohio according to his brother James's obituary
1950 census-in Logan, Hocking, Ohio where he is listed as a widower
1951 in Lancaster, Fairfield, Ohio in the summer according to his obituary
1951 in Findlay, Ohio, on 28 September, he dies on his 92nd birthday, after a 2 month stay in the hospital
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The Oswego Independent
Oswego, Kansas
29 January 1915, Friday Page 3
District Court
Blanch Good was granted a divorce from Frank Good after proving that the defendant failed to live up to his name. She was given alimony to the amount of $250 and awarded the care, custody and control of their minor child until further order of the court. The father will be allowed to visit the child each Sunday afternoon.
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Parsons Daily Republican
Parsons, Kansas
23 November 1918, Saturday morning Page 3
Rattled Family Skeleton
Trial of a Case in District Court Yesterday Was Full of Surprises
The trial of the case of Blanche Good vs. Frank Good in district court for the possession of Lee Curtis Nelson Good, a minor, occupied the attention of the court the entire day yesterday and on more than one occasion surprises were sprung by the attorneys representing the parties of the case.
The case dates back from January, 1915, when the plaintiff, Blanche Good, now deceased, was granted a divorce from her husband, Frank Good, at which time she was granted the care and custody of the minor child. She later married John H. Rittelbaugh [sic] and moved to Colorado, where she died last spring, leaving the child in care of her husband. Rittelbaugh [sic] returned to Parsons last June, and after his coming here, Mrs. Anna Gould [sic], mother of Frank Good, made application to the court in her sons name, he having been inducted into military service, for the custody of the child. Her application was refused as far as her son was concerned, but she was granted temporary custody of the child.
Rittelbaugh [sic], the child's stepfather, fought the case aand [sic] yesterday, after hearing the evidence, the court awarded the permanent custody of the child to Mrs. Good, the grandmother.
During the trial of the case it developed that Frank Good, who was inducted into military service, being a member of a company of engineers, was a deserter, he having deserted from Jefferson Barracks, and is now supposed to be a resident of Mexico.
Another surprise was sprung when it developed that Rittelbaugh [sic] had been divorced from his first wife in another state and was the father of twelve children none of whom he had written or visited since his removal from the state.
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The marriage announcement in
The Evening Star
Independence, Kansas
18 December 1918
John H. Riddlebaugh, 47, Parsons, and Harriet Margaret Wilson, 33, Parsons were united in marriage yesterday afternoon by the Probate Judge. [John H. was 59 years old, not 47]
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Parsons Daily Republican
Parsons, Kansas
14 June 1919 Saturday morning Page 5
Death of Irene Riddlebaugh
The 2 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Riddlebaugh living at 2010 Grand avenue, died last night after only a few days illness. The funeral will be preached at the home this afternoon at 5 o'clock by Dr. Gordon Thompson. The body will then be taken to Los Animas, Colo., for interment. Mr. Riddlebaugh conducts the Square Deal Grocery at 2116 Main street.
[The Mrs. J. H. Riddlebaugh here would be Irene's stepmother, Harriet WILSON and not her biological mother, Blanche NELSON, as Blanche had passed away the previous year in Colorado. Irene is buried next to her mother in the Los Animas cemetery.]
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The Parson Daily Sun and also in the Parsons Daily Eclipse
Parsons, Kansas
14 June 1919 Saturday Page 3
Death of Irene RIDDLEBAUGH
Irene Riddlebaugh, aged two years, died yesterday evening at six o'clock after an illness of only a few days. The funeral will be held from the home, 2010 Grand avenue, this evening at five o'clock and the body will be taken to the old home at Los Animas, Colorado, on the evening train for interment. Mr. Riddlebaugh conducts a grocery store on West Main and the family are well known and highly esteemed.
Irene Riddlebaugh, aged two years, died yesterday evening at six o'clock after an illness of only a few days. The funeral will be held from the home, 2010 Grand avenue, this evening at five o'clock and the body will be taken to the old home at Los Animas, Colorado, on the evening train for interment. Mr. Riddlebaugh conducts a grocery store on West Main and the family are well known and highly esteemed.
[who's "old home?"]
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The Parsons Daily Sun
Parsons, Kansas
29 June 1919
Card of Thanks. We wish to thank our friends for the kindness and sympathy shown us in the recent death if [sic] our little daughter, Irene, and for the many beautiful floral offerings. --Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Riddlebaugh and Mrs. C. M. Wilson.
Card of Thanks. We wish to thank our friends for the kindness and sympathy shown us in the recent death if [sic] our little daughter, Irene, and for the many beautiful floral offerings. --Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Riddlebaugh and Mrs. C. M. Wilson.
[once again, the Mrs. RIDDLEBAUGH here would be Irene's step-mother and Mrs. WILSON would be her step-grandmother]
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The 1920 census from Parsons, Labette, Kansas has this:
birthplace of person, father, mother occupation or relationship
Mrs. JA Riddlebaugh 34 Kansas Indiana Indiana
JA Riddlebaugh 40 Ohio Germany Germany grocer
Mrs. CM Wilson 69 Indiana Indiana Kentucky mother
JA Riddlebaugh was not 40, but 60 years old
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The Parsons Daily Sun
Parsons, Kansas
3 November 1920, Wednesday evening Page 4
PARSONS GROCER SKIPS OUT WITH $1,200 CASH
J. H. Riddlebaugh, partner in the Square Deal Grocery Store on West Main street with A. W. Tedstrom, "eloped" from the city sometime during the night with about $1200 in cash belonging to the firm, it is reported. This morning when Mr. Tedstrom went to the store he found a note from Mr. Riddlebaugh telling of his departure, and the amount of cash he had taken, and upon opening the safe, it was found $1200 was gone which had ben in it, this being right after payday. Mr. Riddlebaugh stated in the note he left to his partner that he was going to Ohio. It is reported that the store was mortgaged, and Mr. Tedstrom says that, if so, he is left "holing the sack" to the tune of about $4000.
An effort is being make to apprehend Mr. Riddlebaugh by the authorities at the instigation of Mr. Tedstrom, who did not relish such actions.
***
In the note mentioned in this article, John H. said he was going back to Ohio. We don't know if he did that (Colorado is a more likely place, perhaps), but he and his 3rd wife, Harriet, had a child, Elizabeth Imogene RIDDLEBAUGH, born in Parsons, Kansas in 1924. So, Harriet certainly returned, and if he had returned then he had to have paid back the $1,200???
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Fort Collins Coloradoan
Fort Collins, Colorado
23 June 1925, Tuesday Page 2
WEALTHY RANCHER JAILED ON BAD CHECK CHARGE
PUEBLO, Colo., June 23--L. J. Cook of Kendrick, Colo., rancher, claiming to own three ranches located in El Paso and Lincoln counties, was fined $50 in Municipal court last week on a charge of being drunk. Cook was placed under arrest when a horse trainer named Riddlebaugh, informed the police that Cook had given him a check for $472 which was worthless. Cook admitted giving Riddlebaugh the check. Word has been sent to his ranch, and he has promised to make the check good just as soon as his wife or one of his men returns with the cash. he admitted being intoxicated when he gave the check to Riddlebaugh to cash, telling him to take out the money that he owed him and return the $272 balance.
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The Republican-Courier
Findlay, Ohio
29 September 1951, Saturday morning 2:6
JOHN RIDDLEBAUGH
TAKEN BY DEATH
Resident Expires
On 92nd Birthday
John H. Riddlebaugh, Northview Convalescent Home, died at 7 a.m. yesterday in Blanchard Valley Hospital of infirmities of age. He had been in failing health for the past five years.
Mr. Riddlebaugh, who died on his 92nd birthday, was born in Logan on Sept. 28, 1859. He was a son of Henry and Catherine (Shoemaker) Riddlebaugh.
He moved to Findlay two months ago from Lancaster.
His wife, the former Elvira Wisely, died in 1930. There were 14 children born, two of whom preceded him in death. Three brothers and two sisters also are dead.
Mr. Riddlebaugh was a member of the Masonic Lodge whose services will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Barnhart Memorial.
Final rites will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home, the Rev. Donald Carver of the First Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery.
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Why I think my Blanche NELSON is the daughter of Daniel Erik NILSON/NELSON and Mathilda Christine WESTERBERG :
She died in Colorado in 1918 and she and her daughter, Blanche Irene RIDDLEBAUGH, are buried in the Las Animas cemetery, in Las Animas, Colorado--the same cemetery as Daniel E. and C. Matilda NELSON and at least 3 of their children (Abraham Conrad "Abe", Melvin C, and William C)
In the U.S., Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Swedish American Church Records, 1800-1947 on Ancestry.com, Daniel and Mathilda Christine's family is listed for baptisms. The children listed with their birthdates, baptismal dates, and place are:
Son-Emerald Emanuel Nilson
D.-Walbert Otilia Elisabeth Nelson
D.-Blancie Erena Nelson
S.-Abel Conrad Nelson
S.-Ullman Wilhelm Nelson
S. Melvin Cliffort
Anyway, the thing that makes me sure that my Blanche is the daughter of Daniel and Matilda is in this record above, her name is recorded as Blancie Erena. John H. and Blanche had a daughter named Blanche Irene Riddlbaugh. She is also buried in Las Animas (her headstone has the wrong death year, however, she didn't die in 1918 but died in 1919 in Parsons, Labette, Kansas).
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*There are several choices for where John H. was born. Burn Station, Ohio was one location given, but I can't find a Burn Station in Ohio. In some newspaper articles from the time, other people stated they were from Burn Station, so it must have existed. There is a Berne Station Night Club in Lancaster, Fairfield, Ohio, so that could be related. John H's parents were married in Lancaster City, Fairfield, Ohio in 1856 and are living in Greenfield Township, Fairfield, Ohio in the 1860 and 1870 censuses. In John H's obituary and on his death certificate, it lists Logan, Hocking, Ohio as his birthplace (the info was given by his son, Howard). Logan is near Lancaster. I do not know the source of the Burn Station info, but I'm thinking the areas all seem to be together. Since the farm was in Greenfield Township, Fairfield, Ohio, I'm guessing that is his real birth place. I don't really know if it matters, though, that we get the exact place. I just don't like being inaccurate.
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