Census Sunday: My Great-Great-Grandparents in 1930

Three weeks ago, I started a Census Sunday series, in which I featured the census records showing my great-grandparents in 1930. I skipped the next two weeks because my mom was visiting from Louisiana two weeks ago, and last week I was in Louisiana visiting. Now that I am back on track, this post will feature my great-great-grandparents in 1930.

Oscar TRAHAN and Bertha DUHON

1930 U.S. census, Harris County, Texas, population schedule, Justice Precinct 3, enumeration district (ED) 178, sheet 32A, dwelling 587, family 649, Oscar Trahan household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 2352.

This is my great-great-grandfather, Oscar, and his second wife, Bertha. He ran off to Texas to work for the oil refineries after he left his first wife. I cannot seem to find his first wife, Virginia PREJEAN, in 1930. They divorced around 1920. She had a child with a man named DOMINGUE in 1926, and then she married a SCHENKEL in 1932. I looked for Virginia and her son, Claude DOMINGUE, but I have not been able to find them in 1930. I also looked for her future husband, Louis SCHENKEL, but she was not with him either in 1930. I'm just going to have to order Claude's SS-5 application to see who his father was. Perhaps they were with his father in 1930. DOMINGUE is a very hard name to find in the census. It is pronounced like the word "domain," so you can imagine how it gets spelled. Oscar and Virginia's only chld, Bienvenue, was featured in my last Census Sunday post in the home of his father-in-law (see below).

Maurice BONEAUX and Marie Alice SONNIER

Maurice and Marie were the parents of my great-grandmother, Beatrice Marie BONEAUX. They were featured in the last Census Sunday post, since my great-grandparents, Beatrice and Bienvenue, were living with them.

John Henry MERTENA and Blanche WELDEN
John and Blanche were the parents of my great-grandfather, Merlen Paris MERTENA. They were featured in the last Census Sunday post, since my great-grandfather was still single and living at home with them.

William Harmon PROFFITT and Emmer Link BAKER

1930 U.S. census, Creek County, Oklahoma, population schedule, Mannford, enumeration district (ED) 24, sheet 3A, dwelling 49, family 51, William H. Proffitt household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1900.

William and Emmer were the parents of my great-grandmother, Hassie Cora PROFFITT. They were living in Mannford, Creek, Oklahoma, where William was a Methodist minister. Creek is just one county west of Tulsa County. They moved around Oklahoma a lot since William was a minister. I really need to dig into church history and find out where all his appointments were located. My great-grandmother, Hassie, was not living with them. Her younger sister, Bessie, was the only child living at home in 1930. Hassie was probably boarding with a family near where she was teaching, but I haven't been able to find her yet in the 1930 census. I'm not precisely sure where she was teaching. I know that at one time between 1925 and 1930, she was teaching in Pawnee County, just one county north of Creek County.

Lovell Hugh PEMBERTON and Alvina Mary LESPERANCE

1930 U.S. census, St. Clair County, Michigan, population schedule, Kimball Township, enumeration district (ED) 20, sheets 17A-B, dwelling 391, family 394, Lovell H. Pemberton household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2005); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1024

Lovell and Alvina were the parents of my great-grandfather, John Vital "Jack" Pemberton, who was already married and living with his wife and two children in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan, in 1930. Lovell and Alvina were living on Ditty Road in Kimball Township, not too far from Port Huron. Every census year, they seem to migrate further north. Their youngest four children were still living at home in 1930. Lovell was a blacksmith, and the oldest of the four children at home, Madeline, was a laborer in the salt plant. Morton Salt Company had large operations in Marysville, Michigan, just a few miles from Kimball Township, so I presume she worked for them.

Ernest George CRYSLER

1930 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, Fremont Township, enumeration district (ED) 17, sheets 5B-6A, dwelling 114, family 116, Mary Crysler household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 June 2011); citing NARA microfilm publication T626, roll 1028.

Ernest was the father of my great-grandmother, Mabel CRYSLER. Mabel was already married in 1930 and living with her husband, John Vital "Jack" Pemberton, and two children in Port Huron. Ernest was a farmer living with his mother, Mary (Molesworth) CRYSLER, in Fremont Township, Sanilac, Michigan, in 1930. Ernest's first wife and Mabel's mother, Nellie REYNOLDS, died in 1917. He remarried Minnie SIBLEY in 1919. I'm a little confused because this lists Ernest as a widower, and Minnie is also listed as a widower, living with her mother, Pauline CAMPBELL, in Port Huron in 1930. It seems Ernest and Minnie must have had an unhappy union. Interestingly, Minnie was 10 years older than Ernest. Ernest's sons, George and Harold, were living with him in 1930. George was working as a farm laborer.

Alexander CURRIE and Mary RAYMOND
Alexander and Mary are not found in the 1930 census because they both died prior to 1930. They were the parents of my great-grandfather, Archie CURRIE. Alexander died in 1909, and Mary died in 1920.

Robert PLAINE and Florence Minnie HILLMAN
Robert and Flora are not found in the 1930 census because they were living in Ontario, Canada in 1930. They never immigrated to the U.S. They were the parents of my great-grandmother, Jennie Grace Christina PLAINE, who immigrated in the 1920s.

Surname Saturday: PLAINE

PLAINE is the surname of my great-grandmother and mother of my maternal grandmother. She died when my grandmother was only seven years old, and her ancestors lived in workhouses in England, so once again, there were some similarities between my family and the latest episode of Who Do You Think You Are? Rosie O'Donnell's mother died when she was ten years old, and her ancestors lived in workhouses in Ireland.

Jennie Grace Christina PLAINE

Born 9 May 1903 in Euphemia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada

Married Archie CURRIE 27 Aug 1924 in Euphemia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada

Died 24 Dec 1937 in Marlette, Sanilac, Michigan

Robert PLAINE

Born 20 Feb 1869/1870 in Caradoc, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada

Married Florence Minnie HILLMAN abt 1891 in Euphemia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada

Died 18 Dec 1936 in Euphemia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada

George PLAINE

Born 28 Jan 1828 in Thompson, Norfolk, England

Married Mary Ann TRUMPASS in 1850 in Wayland, Norfolk, England

Died 4 Aug 1913 in Euphemia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada

In 1851, George and Mary Ann lived at the workhouse in the parish of Rockland All Saints in Norfolk. They arrived in New York on 17 Nov 1856 aboard the Margaret Evans, which sailed from London.

Saturday Night Fun: Where Were They in 1909? Part II (My Maternal Side)

This is a continuation of my Saturday Night Fun post from last night. See the first post about my paternal great-grandparents here. This post will cover my maternal great-grandparents.

My maternal grandfather's father was John Vital "Jack" PEMBERTON. He was born 19 Feb 1908 in Mount Clemens, Macomb, Michigan, so he was only a year old in 1909. In 1910, he was living in Mount Clemens at 208 Gratiot Avenue with his parents, Lovell Hugh PEMBERTON and Alvina Mary LESPERANCE. There were also two older siblings in the household: Gilbert, age 6, and Nellie, age 4. John was age 2. Lovell was working as a blacksmith.

My maternal grandfather's mother was Mabel Ellen CRYSLER. She was not born until 10 Jan 1910 in Peck, Sanilac, Michigan. She was the daughter of Ernest George CRYSLER and Nellie May REYNOLDS. In 1910, the family was living in Yale, St. Clair, Michigan. In the household were Earnest, age, 30; Nellie, age 21; George, age 3; and Mable, age 3 months. Ernest was working as a railroad laborer. Ironically, next door is Claude STANLAKE and his wife Lizzie DAWSON, with their two children. After Lizzie's death, Claude remarried to Mary TRAVIS. They had a daughter named Eleanor. Eleanor's son and Mabel's granddaughter married in 1978. In fact, the only reason I found the CRYSLER family in the 1910 census was because I was helping my first cousin trace her STANLAKE ancestors on her dad's side. Because CRYSLER looks like it is misspelled as CHRYSTER, I had a hard time finding them using the index at Ancestry.com. We easily found the STANLAKE's in the index, and there were the CRYSLER's conveniently living next door.

My maternal grandmother's father was Archie CURRIE, who has been the subject of many posts on this blog. Archie was born 2 Nov 1889 in Maple Valley, Sanilac, Michigan. His parents were Alexander CURRIE and Mary RAYMOND. Thanks to the new Seeking Michigan site, I have now found Alexander's death record. He died in 1909 in Sanilac County. I have not been able to positively identify Mary yet in the 1910 census. Perhaps after Alex died, she returned to Canada to stay with one of her children. I have found Archibald CURRY, age 20, working as a farm laborer for John W. and Clara SCOTT in Flynn, Sanilac, Michigan, in 1910.

My maternal grandmother's mother was Jennie Grace Christina PLAINE. She was born 9 May 1903 in Euphemia, Lambton, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were Robert PLAINE and Florence Minnie "Flora" HILLMAN. Jennie was 6 years old in 1909. She was still living in Ontario with her parents at Willowdale Farm outside of Newbury. In the 1911 Census of Canada, Jennie, age 9 [wrong age - I have her birth record which states she was born in 1903], was living with her parents in Euphemia Township. All five of her siblings were there as well: Violet E., age 16; Mary E., age 15; William G., age 13; Robert H., age 6; and Walter L., age 4. Also in the household were Jennie's paternal grandparents, George PLAINE, age 82, and Mary Ann TRUMPASS. age 80. Robert was age 42, and Flora was age 39. The family was Presbyterian, and Robert was a farmer.

RAOGK Musings

I've recently become a volunteer for RAOGK (Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness) over at www.raogk.org. For those of you who don't know, RAOGK is a lookup service for which you can volunteer or from which you can find volunteers who will do one or two lookups for you if you live far away from your ancestal homelands. RAOGK suggests that you only ask for a lookup of one or two names in one or two records per month, considering that these people are volunteers and are not being paid for their time. As a volunteer, however, you can request reimbursement for copy fees, parking, mileage, and postage, and you are only obligated to do one lookup per month. In addition to becoming a volunteer, I also used RAOGK for the first time this month to request a lookup from other volunteers.

I helped Joyce in Texas find the death record of her ancestor, Stella Cuccia, at the Louisiana State Archives where I live in Baton Rouge. I also helped Clarence find three death records for his Jones ancestors at the archives. I tried to find an obituary for Stella in the special collections at Hill Memorial Library at LSU but was unsuccessful.

Joe in Muskegon, Michigan, helped me find the obituary and death record for my third great-grandaunt, Hannah Winters. Hannah's husband, William Thomas Pemberton, was the younger brother of my third great-grandfather, John Pemberton. Hannah died 9 Feb 1925 in Muskegon, Muskegon, Michigan, at age 72y, 10m, 15d. Her age suggests a birth date of 25 Mar 1852, and her birthplace was given as Canada in both the death record and obit. The death record provided the names of her parents, Isaac H. Winters and Mary Crisner, both born in Canada. This was very exciting news, as I did not have the names of her parents or their birthplaces. Below is her obituary and with a transcription.

Mrs. Hannah Jane Pemberton, aged 72 years, died at 11:59 a.m., Monday, at her home, 1??8 Washington avenue, after a lingering illness. She was born in Canada, March 25, 1852. She formerly resided at Sault Ste. Marie for fifteen years, coming from there to Muskegon three years ago. Her husband, William Thomas Pemberton, died about ten years ago.

Mrs. Pemberton is survived by seven sons, Walter S., Martin R., and William T. Pemberton, all of Sault Ste. Marie; Henry I., Leslie, and Albert W. Pemberton, of Muskegon; Brott Pemberton, of South Branch, Mich.; two daughters, Mrs. Irves Johnson, of Muskegon, and Mrs. David Barrus, of Sheldrich, Mich., one sister, Mrs. J.M. Robertson, Algonac, Mich., and a brother, Hiram Winters, of Algonac.

The funeral will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Clock funeral home. Rev. J.R. Estes, pastor of the First Baptist church, will officiate. The body will be taken to South Branch, Mich., for interment.

Here is her transcribed death record from the Muskegon County Clerk's office in Muskegon:

Death Record, Liber 5, Page 116, Record 2775

PEMBERTON, Hannah Jane

Date of Death: 9 February 1925

Place of Death: Muskegon, Michigan

Female

White

Widowed

Age: 72 years, 10 months, 15 days

Cause: Carcinoma of the Stomach

Birthplace: Canada

Occupation: Housewife

Father: Isaac H. Winters, birthplace is Canada

Mother: Mary Crisner, birthplace is Canada

Recorded in the Liber on 14 March 1925

Mark in Worthington, Ohio, found the obituary of my 2nd great-grandaunt, Elva M. (Pemberton) Harriman Lerch, at the Ohio Historical Society's archives in Columbus. Elva died 19 Feb 1941 in Toledo, Lucas, Ohio. I'm anxiously awaiting it in the mail.

Judy in Lansing, Michigan, found the obituary of my great-grandmother, Jennie Grace Christina (Plaine) Currie, wife of Archie Currie. Jennie died on 24 Dec 1937 in Marlette, Sanilac, Michigan. It was located in the Brown City Banner on 6 Jan 1938, p. 6, col. 2, "Neighborhood News - Omard." She found this at the Library of Michigan. Here is a transcription below:

Funeral services for Mrs. Archie Currie were held Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. at the Elk Presbyterian Church with burial in the Omard Cemetery.

Jean Plane was born at Newberry, Ontario, May 9, 1902, the youngest daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. Robert Plane. She spent her young life at Newbury. In August 1924 she was united in marriage to Archie Currie of Flynn township where she resided afterwards.

She was stricken with appendicitis on December 20th and taken to the Marlette hospital and operated on, and she was improving nicely when she suddenly passed away at 11:30 p.m. December 24th.

She leaves to mourn their loss: her husband, a daughter, Violet, 8 years old, a sister, Mrs. Russell Curtis of Windsor, Ont., two brothers: Wm. Plane of Mt. Brydges, Ontario, Howard Plane of Dresden, Ont. A son Howard and daughter Helena preceded her in death.

Rev. A.G. Howat, pastor of Presbyterian Church of which she was a member officiated. The floral offerings were beautiful and the family have the sympathy of the community.

I never knew about the appendicitis. I always thought she died of an aneurysm, though her death record, on second examination, says she died of a heart attack (coronary thrombosis).

I'm also eagerly awaiting the lookup of the death record of my 1st cousin 4 times removed, Martha (Pemberton) Day, by Alanna in Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Martha was enumerated as a patient in the Traverse City State Hospital in the 1920 and 1930 census records, so I'm curious what her death record will reveal about her mental state.

Lesa in San Bernardino County, California has said she would look up the obit of my first cousin once removed, Walter Frederick Arnold. Walter died tragically at the age of 14 in 1964 in Fontana, San Bernardino, California, when his motorbike that he had had received for his birthday collided with a car.

That is all I have to report on RAOGK at the moment. I encourage all to use RAOGK as both a volunteer and as a resource for your research.

My Research on Archie Currie

I received an email this week from Dianne in Michigan who is also interested in my Currie line. She found my blog through Google Alert and wrote for more information on my Currie's. Therefore, I've decided to post a response here so that others are able to find answers as well. I believe that I will start backwards at the end of his life and move forward with the information I've found.

Omard Cemetery (Brown City, Sanilac County, Michigan; Peck Road, east of Sheperd Rd.), Archie Currie marker, personally read, 11 Aug 2007.

According to Archie's death record, he was born 2 Nov 1891 in Michigan and died 15 Mar 1963 in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan. He was a farmer and resided at 2301 Aitken Road in Brown City, Flynn Township, Sanilac County, Michigan. He was a widower, whose deceased spouse was Jennie Currie. The informant was my maternal grandmother, Archie's daughter, Mrs. John [Violet] Pemberton, of 1828 Stone Street in Port Huron. She did not know the names of his parents at the time, so they are listed as unknown. He was buried 19 Mar 1963 in Omard Cemetery in Flynn Township.

St. Clair County, Michigan, death certificate no. 164 (1963), Archie Currie; County Clerk, Port Huron, Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard Family Papers; supplied by Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, Vinton, Louisiana. Violet was the daughter of Archie.

I also have two obituaries for Archie. I'm not exactly sure which newspapers they are from because they were clippings that I inherited from my grandmother when she died. I think that one of them is probably from the Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan) and the other is from either the Marlette (Michigan) Leader or the Brown City (Michigan) Banner. They both state that Archie was born in 1891 in Maple Valley Township and died 15 Mar 1963 in Port Huron General Hospital. One gives Archie's exact birth date of 2 Nov 1891. Both state he and Jennie Plaine were married in 1920 in Flynn Township and that Jennie died in 1938. (According to Jennie's death record, she actually died in 1937). Both list survivors as one daughter, Mrs. John (Violet) Pemberton of Port Huron, eight grandchildren, and a niece. [Note: The niece is not named, but when my grandmother was living, she told me that her dad had a niece who always came to hunt with her husband on Archie's property in Sanilac County. The niece lived outside of Detroit and was married to a Polish man who was a photographer. My grandmother thought his niece's mother's name was Rose, who was Archie's sister. My grandmother could not remember the niece's name nor her husband's name, nor Rose's married name]. Both obits give Archie's burial date and place as 19 Mar 1963 in Omard Cemetery and the funeral home as Marsh Funeral Home in Marlette. One of the palbearers is given as Russell Hillman, who I believe is a first cousin of Jennie (Plaine) Currie, Archie's deceased wife. According to census and marriage records, Russell was the son of Jennie's maternal uncle, George Hillman, and his wife Christine Sinclair. This is the only palbearer that I have been able to identify as a relative.

"Mr. Archie Currie Passed Away March 15," and "Archie Currie," clippings from unidentified newspapers, c. March 1963, Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard Family Papers; inherited by Jennifer Trahan from her maternal grandmother, Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard. Violet was the daughter of Archie.

I also have the funeral book of Archie Currie. No parents names are given, and the death date, burial date and place, funeral home, and birth date and place from the sources above are also in the funeral book. Unfortunately, I did not know this book existed until after my grandmother died, so I could not ask her about the names. The guest list is as follows:

Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Eagle and Janice
Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Fraleigh
Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Powell
Mr. and Mrs. William P. Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Irwin J. Mahaffy
Mr. and Mrs. Orville Stoliker
Mr. and Mrs. Jim Brown
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Clark
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Hillman [first cousin of wife, Jennie Plaine]
Mr. and Mrs. John Davis
Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Vandewarker
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Mahaffy
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Cousins
Mr. and Mrs. Harlyn Henderson
Mr. and Mrs. Donald Reamer ("Store" is written above their names)
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Chisholm
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Wilcox
Brent and Debery Wilcox
Mr. and Mrs. Renton Proctor
Carl and Lunetta Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Cliff Chisholm
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Wallis
Mr. and Mrs. Don Campbell
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pemberton [bro-in-law of daughter, Violet]
Mr. and Mrs. Leon Frank
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Redman
Lloyd Ramsey
Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Potter
Mr. and Mrs. Harold Mahaffy
Rev. C.C. Fulton
Mr. and Mrs. Russell Bell
Bill Mahaffy
Marena Mahaffy
John R. Davis
Clarence and Irene Wheeler
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Harris
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Steinman
Kenneth Siple
Mrs. Irene Siple
Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Steinman
Mr. and Mrs. Don Fraleigh
Russell Mahaffy
Carl Proctor
Barbara J. Proctor
H. Siple
Mr. and Mrs. Art Chisholm
Robert Beedon [stepfather-in-law of daughter, Violet]
James Storey
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Bell
Mrs. Charles Wallis
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Proctor
Olive and Jim Edington [neighbors of daughter, Violet]
Mrs. Sarah Steinman
Elbridge Steinman
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Shepard
Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Shepard

I have not identifed any of these as Currie relatives yet and have a lot of research to do on them in order to eliminate them as relatives.

I've found Archie and Jennie on the 1930 U.S. Census in Flynn Township. Archie Curry is age 39 and was born in Michigan. This makes his birthdate about 1890-1891. His age at first marriage is given as 34 years old, placing his first marriage about 1924-1925. This conficts with the marriage date of 1920 given in his obituary. His parents' birthplaces are both given as English-speaking Canada, and his occupation is listed as farmer. Jennie is listed as age 26 (b. abt. 1903-1904) and her birthplace as English-speaking Canada, with her first marriage taking place at age 21. Both of her parents are listed as being born in English-speaking Canada. They have no children. Violet was not born until Oct 1930, and the census was taken in Apr 1930. I notice a lot of neighbors with the names of some of the guests at Archie's funeral.

1930 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, township of Flynn, enumeration district (ED) 15, sheet 3B, dwelling 67, family 67, Archie Curry household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 30 Jan 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T626, roll 1028.

Between 1925 and 1930, Archie and Jennie had 3 children: Howard Archibald Currie in 1925, Helen Floretta Currie in 1927, and Violet Mae Currie in 1930. Read more about them in my tribute to my grandmother, Violet.

I found Archie and Jennie's marriage record on Ancestry.com. They were married 27 Aug 1924 in Euphemia Township, Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. This seems to agree with the suggested marriage year in the 1930 census. When my grandmother gave the marriage date and place of 1920 in Flynn Township in Archie's obituary, she was probably just trying her best to remember what her dad had told her. Witnesses were Howard Plaine (Jennie's brother) of Newbury and Maggie Bell Livingstone of Glencoe. Archie's parents are listed as Alex Currie and Mary Raymond. Jennie's parents are listed as Robt. Plaine and Florrie Hillman. Both give their religion as Presbyterian, and the wedding was performed by a Presbyterian minister. Archie is age 27 (b. abt. 1896-1897) and Jennie is age 22 (b. abt 1901-1902). Archie's suggested birth date conflicts by about 6-7 years with the birth date given on his death record and the birth date suggested by his 1930 census record. Archie gives his father's birthplace as Middlesex County, presumably Ontario. Jennie gives her father's birthplace as Ekfrid, which is also in Middlesex County. Archie's own birthplace is listed as St. Clair County, Michigan, while Jennie's is listed as Euphemia Township, Ontario. Archie's birthplace on the marriage record conflicts with that in his obituary of Maple Valley Township. Maple Valley Township is in Sanilac County.

Ontario Registrar General, marriage certificate 012383 (1924), Currie-Plaine; digital image, "Ontario, Canada Marriages, 1857-1924,"Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 9 Feb 2009); citing microfilm publication MS 932, roll 681, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.

I definitely did one of my most memorable genealogy happy dances when I found this record b/c it finally gave me the maiden name of Archie's mother. I also happened to find in my grandmother's things an unofficial marriage certificate given to Archie and Jennie with a fold-out to list wedding guests. Here are the guests below:





The guest list includes a Mr. and Mrs. Jas. A. Currie with Dresden written next to their names. Dresden is a town in Camden Township in Kent County, Ontario, but it was also a town in Dawn Township in Lambton County, Ontario, according to the Ontario Locator. This will obviously take some more research to find this James A. Currie's identity, but at least it is a clue. This is the only Currie on the guest list.

In 1920, Archie was living with his widowed mother, Mary, in Flynn Township. Archie is age 30 (b. abt. 1889) and was born in Michigan. His marital status is single. His parents' birthplace are given as English-speaking Canada again. His occupation is given as farm laborer. Mary is age 76 (b. abt 1843) and was born in English-speaking Canada. Her year of immigration is given as 1880 and her status is given as Alien. Her parents' birthplaces are given as English-speaking Canada. My grandmother always said that her dad took care of his mother until she died.

1920 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, township of Flynn, enumeration district (ED) 148, sheet 8B, dwelling 188, family 192, Archie Currie household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 9 Feb 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T625, roll 796.

I've found Archie in the WWI Draft Registrations in 1917. He was living in Brown City in Sanilac County and working for Donald Campbell in Flynn Township as a farmer. His birth date is listed as December 1890 and his birthplace as Lynn, Michigan. There actually is a Lynn Township in neighboring St. Clair County, but it's likely he meant to write "Flynn." He is listed as single with a mother to support, which makes sense, as he was living with her in 1920. His age is given as 27 years old.

"World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," database and images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 10 Feb 2009), Archie Currie, Draft Board, Flynn, Sanilac County, Michigan; citing World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, NARA microfilm publication M1509, roll 1682814.

In 1910, Archie was living in the househeold of John W. Scott in Flynn Township. His relationship to Scott is listed as hired man on the census record. John Scott was a farmer, so it is likely Archie worked the farm with him. He is listed as Archibald Curry, age 20 (b. abt 1889-1890), single, born in Michigan. His parents' birthplaces are again given as English-speaking Canada. His occupation is farm laborer. John W. Scott is age 37 with parents also born in English-speaking Canada. His birthplace is given as Michigan. His wife's name is Clara M. Scott.

1910 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, township of Flynn, enumeration district (ED) 139, sheet 7A, dwelling 135, family 141, John W. Scott household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 9 Feb 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T624, roll 674.

Finally, I've found Archie in the 1900 U.S. Census in the home of his parents, Alex and Mary, in Flynn Township. Alex Currie is age 62, born Nov. 1837 in English-speaking Canada. His parents' birthplaces are given as Scotland. Mary is age 47, born Sept 1852 in English-speaking Canada. Her parents' birthplaces are given as Vermont and England. The census says that Alex and Mary have been married 7 years, though Archie and his brother, Ervin, are older than this. Does this mean Mary may not be their mother? Perhaps Alex was married to two Mary's because Archie states his mother's name was Mary Raymond on his marriage record. Or perhaps Archie was just listing his stepmother on his marriage record. Or maybe Alex and Mary were not married when they had their children. Or, maybe the census record was just plain wrong about the marriage date. Something to ponder. Their immigration year is given as 1882 and citizenship status as alien for both Alex and Mary. Ervin is age 16, born Oct 1883 in Michigan. Both of his parents' birthplaces are given as English-speaking Canada. Archie is age 10, born Nov 1889 in Michigan. His parents' birthplaces are the same as Ervin's parents.

1900 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, township of Flynn, enumeration district (ED) 123, sheet 4A, dwelling 63, family 65, Alex Currie household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 9 Feb 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 743.

I obtained Archie's birth certificate from my grandmother's things after she died. It gives Archie's name as Archie Currey. He was born 2 Nov 1889 in Maple Valley, just as his obituary had said. His parents are listed as Alexander and Mary Currey, both born in Ontario and residing in Maple Valley. Alexander is listed as a laborer. No maiden name is given for Mary.

Sanilac County, Michigan, birth certificate no. 687 (1889), Archie Currey; County Clerk, Sandusky; privately held by Jennifer Trahan, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jennifer inherited the birth certificate from her maternal grandmother, Violet Mae Currie, daughter of Archie.

This is all the information I have amassed on Archie over the years. In summary:

2 Nov 1889 - Archie Currie is born in Maple Valley, Sanilac, Michigan to Alexander "Alex" and Mary Currie

Jun 1900 - Alex, Mary, and Archie are living in Flynn Township, Sanilac, Michigan. A brother, Ervin, born Oct 1883 in Michigan, is also enumerated.

Apr 1910 - Archie is working as a farm laborer for John W. Scott in Flynn Township, while Ervin is working as a farm laborer for Donald Campbell in Flynn. Alex and Mary have not yet been found.

1917 - Archie is living in Brown City, Flynn Township, Sanilac, Michigan, working as a farm laborer for Donald Campbell in Flynn Township. He is caring for his mother.

Jan 1920 - Archie is living in Flynn Township with mother, Mary, who is widowed. He is working as a farm laborer.

27 Aug 1924 - Archie marries Jennie Grace Christina Plaine in Euphemia Township, Lambton, Ontario, Canada. Jennie is the daughter of Robert Plaine and Florence Minnie Hillman. Archie's parents are listed as Alex Currie, born in Middlesex County, Ontario, and Mary Raymond.

7 Jul 1925 - Howard Archibald Currie is born to Archie and Jennie in Flynn Township.

29 Mar 1927 - Helen Floretta Currie is born to Archie and Jennie in Sanilac County.

Apr 1930 - Archie and Jennie are living in Flynn Township. Howard and Helen are not enumerated, so they may have died before the enumeration. Archie is a farmer.

24 Oct 1930 - Violet Mae Currie is born to Archie and Jennie in Flynn Township.

24 Dec 1937 - Archie's wife, Jennie, dies from a brain aneurysm. Archie never remarries.

15 Mar 1963 - Archie dies from heart disease in Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan.

19 Mar 1963 - Archie is buried in Omard Cemetery in Brown City.

MY TO-DO LIST FOR ARCHIE:

1. Archie's social security number is listed on his death record. Order his social security application. This may provide more clues about his parents' origins.

2. For some reason, although Archie was born in the United States, his name is in the index of the Sanilac County Naturalization Files at the Archives of Michigan. I have not seen any other Archie or Archibald Currie's in Sanilac County in the census records, so it seems that this is my great-grandfather. It may be because his wife, Jennie, had to apply for naturalization, since she was born in Canada. Order a copy of the FHL microfilm of naturalization records for Sanilac County.

3. Search the land records in Sanilac County for Archie. The Family History Library has the land records on microfilm from 1835-1942 and the index from 1835-1902. Search from 1942 onward at the Sanilac County Register of Deeds.

4. Search probate records for Sanilac County for Archie. Unfortunately, these do not appear to be availabe at the Archives of Michigan or through the Family History Library. Order them from the Sanilac County Probate Court.

Stay tuned for more postings on Archie's siblings.

More on Russell and Voylet and the Whole Plaine Family

As I posted my pic of Aunt Voylet and Uncle Russell on Wordless Wednesday, it reminded me that I had pics of them from their daughter-in-law. She found my Gedcom posted on Ancestry.com or Rootsweb.com about a year and a half ago and contacted me. I was so excited to have found her, as she had pictures of my grandmother, Violet, that we had never seen before. There were a couple of baby pictures, a school picture of my grandmother when she was about 8 or 9 years old with a note on the back she had written to her Aunt Voylet, and even one of my grandmother with her mom, Jennie, who was Aunt Voylet's sister. This was very exciting, as we had no pictures of my grandmother and her mom together, since her mom died when she was only 7 years old. The best thing was that most of the pictures actually had dates and places on them. Therefore, I've decided to share them here. Thanks, Donna!

Russell and Voylet (Plaine) Curtis
November 9, 1972
40th Wedding Anniversary

Plaine Siblings
L to R: Jennie Grace Christina Plaine (my great-grandmother), Mary Helen Plaine holding baby brother Walter Lloyd Plaine, Voylet Elymra Plaine
According to Lloyd's birth record, he was born in 1908, so this must have been taken around 1908-1909. I wonder where brothers William James Gladstone Plaine and Robert Howard Daniel Plaine were?

Back Row L to R: Mary Helen Plaine, William James Gladstone Plaine, Voylet Elmyra Plaine
Front Row L to R: Robert Howard Daniel Plaine, Robert Plaine, Jennie Grace Christina Plaine, Flora Minnie (Hillman) Plaine, Walter Lloyd Plaine
Considering Lloyd was born in 1908, and Jennie was born in 1903, this photo must have been taken around 1915.


Jean (Jennie's nickname) and Baby Voylet (aka Violet)
September 1931
Although my grandmother always spelled her own name "Violet," her aunt spelled it "Voylet," which is how she spelled my grandmother's name on the back of this picture. My grandmother was 11 months old in this photo. I love my grandmother's face here.

Voylet M. Curry
Sept. 7, 1931
at Uncle George'sShe looks a lot happier here. From what I can remember, my grandmother always told me that her mother, Jennie, moved from Canada to Sanilac County, Michigan, to help take care of her maternal uncle, George Hillman. George was a brother to Jennie's mother, Florence. This is how Jennie met my great-grandfather, Archibald Currie, a local farmer in the area. I'm assuming this may be Uncle George Hillman's house.

Violet Mae Currie, about 8 or 9 years old (1938-39)
This is my favorite picture of all. Mostly because it looks exactly like my grandmother, and it includes a note she wrote to her Aunt Voylet on the back of the picture. Apparently, her Aunt Voylet lived in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and she did not always get to see her, considering it was about 80 miles or so from where my grandmother lived in Sanilac County, Michigan. She must have mailed this school picture to her. I asked my grandmother about this picture when Donna first sent it a year and a half ago, and she said she meant to write her "old school" instead of "own school." Francis and Edmund are Aunt Voylet's sons.

Wordless Wednesday: Curtis-Plaine

This is a picture of Russell and Voylet (Plaine) Curtis. Voylet was the maternal aunt of my maternal grandmother, Violet Mae Currie. She was named after her Aunt Voylet. Luckily, I was able to ask her who these people were before she died a month ago. Considering Voylet was born in 1894, this photo was probably taken around 1944-1954.

A Tribute to My Grandmother: Violet Mae (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard AKA Mimi

I've decided to write about my maternal grandmother, Violet, or Mimi, as I called her, who recently died on December 15, 2008. This pic is one she and I took around 2003 for the membership directory of Welsh Memorial United Methodist Church in Vinton, Calcasieu, Louisiana.



Violet Mae Currie was born on 24 Oct 1930 in Flynn Township, Sanilac County, Michigan. Her parents were Archibald "Archie" Currie (1889-1963) and Jennie "Jean" Grace Christina (Plaine) Currie (1903-1937). [1] She was named after her mother's older sister, Voylet Elmyra Plaine.

Violet had two older siblings, a brother, Howard Archibald Currie, born in 1925, and a sister,
Helen Floretta Currie, born in 1927 [2,3]. Both died when they were very young. I seem to recall my grandmother saying that one of them died shortly after she was born in 1930, but I can't remember which one. Nonetheless, neither of them are listed in the 1930 U.S. Census with Jennie and Archie, so it is likely both died before 1930 [4]. I need to add the search for their death records to my to-do list.

Violet's mother, Jennie, died of a heart attack
when Violet was only 7 years old on Christmas Eve in 1937 [5].

Archie never remarried, and Violet grew up as an only child on the family farm outside Marlette, Michigan. Below is a picture of Violet with her friend, Margaret Mahaffy, about 1935, outside the family home. Violet is the blonde on the left.

Violet graduated from Marlette Township High School in 1948 [6].

On 9 Sep 1949, Violet married John Peter Pemberton, son of John "Jack" Vital Pemberton and Mabel Ellen Crysler. [7,8] They were married at the First Methodist Church in Port Huron, St. Clair County, Michgan. [8] Violet met John when he was home on leave from the military.

John and Violet had 8 children between the years of 1950 to 1960. [9]

1) John Michael Pemberton b. 1950
2) Deborah Darlene Pemberton b. 1952
3) George Albert Pemberton b. 1954
4) Stephen Andrew Pemberton b. 1955
5) Brian James Pemberton b. 1957
6) Mark Anthony Pemberton b. 1959
7) Pamela Sue Pemberton b. 1959
8) Gloria ViAnn Pemberton b. 1960

The family lived at 1828 Stone Street in Port Huron from 1956 to about 1973. [10] When they first married in 1949, John worked on the assembly line at Chrysler [7]. He then began work as a fireman for the Grand Trunk Railroad in 1950 and was promoted to engineer in 1955. [11] He remained with the railroad as an engineer until his early death from lung cancer in 1970. [12] Violet worked at the Prestolite plant, from which she retired in the early 1970s. [13] It was at the Prestolite plant that Violet met the true love of her life and second husband, Clifford Robert Drouillard, or "Pippi," as some of us grandchildren call him. [13] They married in Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois on 22 May 1972. [14]

Clifford had four children from a prior marriage: Veronica Marlen Drouillard (b. 1956), Gloria Joy Drouillard (b. 1957), Clifford Carl Drouillard (b. 1960), and Rose Marie Drouillard (b. 1964). It was kind of like the Brady Bunch, except with a lot more children...LOL!


This is my favorite picture of Mimi and Pippi. It was taken on 15 Oct 1977 at my parents' wedding at the First Church of the Nazarene in Port Huron. About four years later, about 1981 or so, my grandparents moved from Port Huron down to Vinton, Calcasieu, Louisiana, where my parents had since moved.

This picture was taken about 2007 or early 2008 in the front yard of Mimi and Pippi's house in Vinton, Calcasieu, Louisiana. On the left is my mother, Pamela Sue (Pemberton) Trahan. One of Mimi's favorite things was being a crossing guard. She worked as a school crossing guard near Vinton Elementary School from about 1993 until she died in 2008. [15] All the kids loved her.

Overall, Mimi was a kind, loving, and compassionate person. She was always willing to listen to me. I can remember talking to her about boys and friends and all the other problems teenagers have when I was younger. She was always so excited about my interest in genealogy and family history because she did not know a lot of her extended family. After her mom died, she gradually saw less and less of her maternal aunts and uncles, as they all lived in Canada, and her father was not very close to his siblings. She never even knew her paternal grandparents because they died before she was born, and her maternal grandparents died when she was very young. When I asked her once why she had so many children, she said it was because it was very lonely growing up on a farm as an only child, so she had always wanted to have a large family. She got what she wished for because she always had children, grandchildren, or great-grandchildren visiting. She never went a day without family visitors.


Birthdays were also very important to her because she said that she and her dad did not really celebrate her birthday very much when she was a child. When my fiance and I were picking a date for our fall wedding, she suggested her birthday, as it happens to fall on a Saturday in 2009. Some of my family members have asked if we are sure we still want to get married then, but we know that it would be very important to her for us to get married that day. In one of the last conversations I had with her around October 2008, she mentioned how excited she was that we were getting married on her birthday. So, Mimi, we will be celebrating your birthday with a huge celebration this year! We love you!

Violet Mae Currie, senior picture, abt 1948
(1930-2008)

Sources:

[1] Sanilac County, Michigan, birth certificate no. 13-2590 (1930), Violet Mae Currie; County Clerk, Sandusky; supplied by Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, Vinton, Louisiana.

[2] Michigan Department of Health, birth registration no. 74-3476 (1925), Howard Archibald Currie; Vital Records Office, Lansing; privately held by author. Inherited in 2008 from author's grandmother, Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, sister of Howard Archibald Currie.

[3] Michigan Department of Health, birth registration no. 74-4519 (1927), Helen Floretta Currie; Vital Records Office, Lansing; privately held by author. Inherited in 2008 from author's grandmother, Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, sister of Helen Floretta Currie.

[4] 1930 U.S. census, Sanilac County, Michigan, population schedule, township of Flynn, enumeration district (ED) 15, sheet 3B, dwelling 67, family 67, Archie Curry household; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com/search : accessed 30 Jan 2009); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T626, roll 1028.

[5] Sanilac County, Michigan, death certificate no. 892 (1937), Jennie Currie; County Clerk, Sandusky; Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard family papers; supplied by Jennie's daughter, Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, Vinton, LA.

[6] Violet Mae Currie high school diploma, Marlette Township High School, Sanilac County, Michigan, May 1948, Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard family papers; privately held by author. Inherited in 2008 from author's grandmother, Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard.

[7] St. Clair County, Michigan, marriage certificate no. 8-99 (1949), Pemberton-Currie; County Clerk, Port Huron.

[8] The Methodist Church, marriage certificate, 9 Sep 1949, First Methodist Church, Port Huron, Michigan, John Peter Pemberton and Violet Mae Currie. Issued by Rev. William C.S. Pellorne, D.D., Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard Family Papers; privately held by author. Inherited in 2008 from author's grandmother, Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard.

[9] Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard (Vinton, Louisiana), interview by author, about 1995; no transcript; all information recorded on family group sheets and transferred to computerized family file.

[10] Backus to Pemberton, land contract, 22 September 1956, Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard Family Papers; supplied by Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, Vinton, Louisiana. Violet was a party to the contract.

[11] Engineman's Certificate of Qualification, no. 6562 (1956), John P. Pemberton, Mechanical Department, Canadian National Railways, Pemberton/Currie/Drouillard Family Papers; supplied by Violet (Currie) Pemberton Drouillard, Vinton, Louisiana. Violet was the wife of John.

[12] "John P. Pemberton," obituary, memorial copy, from Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan), 13 Oct 1970, Trahan/Pemberton Family Papers; supplied by Michael and Pamela (Pemberton) Trahan, Vinton, Louisiana. Pamela is the daughter of John.

[13] Clifford Robert Drouillard (Vinton, Louisiana), conversation with author, Dec 2008.

[14] Winnebago County, Illinois, marriage certificate no. 876 (1972), Drouillard-Pemberton; County Clerk, Rockford.

[15] "Violet Mae Drouillard," obituary, Times Herald (Port Huron, Michigan), 17 Dec 2008, online archives (http://www.thetimesherald.com : accessed 20 Dec 2008).