Close to Home - From New York to Kansas and Back - Week 4 of #52Ancestors
If you only looked at the 1910 Census and a few other sites on the web, you might think that my Great Grandparents, Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe lived in New York their entire lives.
After all, the 1910 census states that not only were both of them born in New York, but all of their children were. They, and their parents, are all buried in Genesee County, New York. Many of their descendants still live in the area.
But as with many other stories, this one isn't as clear cut as the 1910 census would make you believe.
While Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe lived much of their lives in Genesee County, there was a several year period where they lived in Wichita, Sedgewick County, Kansas.
Charles Joslin Call was born in Stafford, Genesee County, New York on March 28, 1859, the son of Robert Call (1831-1913) and Charlotte Joslin (1834-1908). Elizabeth Ann Coe was born in Pavilon, Genesee County on October 8, 1862, the daughter of Albert Coe (1827-1907) and Deborah Prentice (1833-1910).
On November 5, 1884, they married in Le Roy, Genesee County, New York.
Their first child, Charles Arthur Call, was born in Stafford on Oct 8 1885. The newly wed couple was clearly active in their community, surrounded by friends and family members. According to the June 2, 1887 Daily News from Batavia, "The W.C.T.U. of Stafford will have a cake and coffee social at Charles J. Call's in that town tomorrow evening."
And then the family vanishes from the records in New York for almost a decade. The one record you would expect to find them in if they were living in New York in the early 1890's would be the 1892 New York Census. And there is no sign of them.
It turns out that Charles and Elizabeth, as well as two of her siblings, headed west in the 1880's and 1890's.
The first to head west was Elizabeth's older brother Ezra Frank Coe (1853-1942). Ezra married Sarah Frances Ward on November 7, 1883 in Pavilion. In 1885, Ezra and Sarah were living in Perry, Dallas County, Iowa. Their first child, Clara Evelyn was born on December 30, 1886 in Hiawatha, Brown County, Kansas. From Kansas, the family headed further west where Charles Albert was born on December 15, 1890 in Denver, Adams County, Colorado.
Next to head west were Charles, Elizabeth and their son Charles Arthur. Sometime about 1888, they moved to Wichita. Their next four children Edith Alberta (1889-1989), Robert Vincent (1892-1961), Evelyn Clara (1895-1962) and Carrie Pearl (1895-1895) were all born there.
The family can be found in Wichita in the 1895 Kansas State Census.
As when they lived in New York, the family was active in political organizations. On June 21, 1895, Charles is listed among the individuals supporting a Silver League in Wichita.
A third Coe sibling also headed west to Kansas in the early 1890's. Clara Addie Coe (1864-1950) married James Daniel McEwen (1861-1901) on October 29, 1890 in Le Roy. Their children, Harold Daniel (1892-1963) and John Donald (1897-1984) were both born in Wichita.
By late 1894, all three Coe siblings were living in Wichita. On November 28, there was mention in the Le Roy Gazette that "Mr & Mrs Albert Coe, expect to leave next Wednesday for Wichita, Kansas, where they will visit their daughters Mrs. J.D. McEwen and Mrs. Charles J. Call and son Frank Coe. They will remain until January." A few months later on February 15, 1895, the Batavia Daily News reported that "Mr and Mrs Albert Coe of Le Roy returned last evening from an extended visit with relatives in Wichita, Kansas."
Sometime after 1895, apparently things changed for the families in Kansas.
By 1900, Ezra Frank Coe and his family had returned to Le Roy where they can be found living next door to his parents in the census. Ezra and Sarah's youngest child, Laura Frances was born in Le Roy in 1901.
Charles and Elizabeth Call left Kansas and returned to Stafford sometime between June of 1895 and August of 1896. On August 8, 1896, Charles was a delegate from Stafford to the Prohibitionists of Genesee County convention. Charles and Elizabeth's youngest child, Irving Joslin (1900-1995) was born in Stafford.
James and Clara McEwen stayed in Wichita. James died there on August 4, 1901 of typhoid fever. His body was returned to New York where he was buried in Le Roy. His widow, Clara remained in Wichita for the remainder of her life.
My great grandfather, Charles Joslin Call, lived out the remainder of his life in Stafford - the same town where he was born and where he parents lived for over 50 years. His wife Elizabeth lived in Stafford (less than 10 miles from Pavilion where she was born) until the last years of her life when she lived with her daughter in Florida. Both are buried in the Stafford Rural Cemetery in Stafford, New York.
After all, the 1910 census states that not only were both of them born in New York, but all of their children were. They, and their parents, are all buried in Genesee County, New York. Many of their descendants still live in the area.
But as with many other stories, this one isn't as clear cut as the 1910 census would make you believe.
While Charles Joslin Call and Elizabeth Ann Coe lived much of their lives in Genesee County, there was a several year period where they lived in Wichita, Sedgewick County, Kansas.
Charles Joslin Call was born in Stafford, Genesee County, New York on March 28, 1859, the son of Robert Call (1831-1913) and Charlotte Joslin (1834-1908). Elizabeth Ann Coe was born in Pavilon, Genesee County on October 8, 1862, the daughter of Albert Coe (1827-1907) and Deborah Prentice (1833-1910).
On November 5, 1884, they married in Le Roy, Genesee County, New York.
Their first child, Charles Arthur Call, was born in Stafford on Oct 8 1885. The newly wed couple was clearly active in their community, surrounded by friends and family members. According to the June 2, 1887 Daily News from Batavia, "The W.C.T.U. of Stafford will have a cake and coffee social at Charles J. Call's in that town tomorrow evening."
And then the family vanishes from the records in New York for almost a decade. The one record you would expect to find them in if they were living in New York in the early 1890's would be the 1892 New York Census. And there is no sign of them.
It turns out that Charles and Elizabeth, as well as two of her siblings, headed west in the 1880's and 1890's.
The first to head west was Elizabeth's older brother Ezra Frank Coe (1853-1942). Ezra married Sarah Frances Ward on November 7, 1883 in Pavilion. In 1885, Ezra and Sarah were living in Perry, Dallas County, Iowa. Their first child, Clara Evelyn was born on December 30, 1886 in Hiawatha, Brown County, Kansas. From Kansas, the family headed further west where Charles Albert was born on December 15, 1890 in Denver, Adams County, Colorado.
Next to head west were Charles, Elizabeth and their son Charles Arthur. Sometime about 1888, they moved to Wichita. Their next four children Edith Alberta (1889-1989), Robert Vincent (1892-1961), Evelyn Clara (1895-1962) and Carrie Pearl (1895-1895) were all born there.
The family can be found in Wichita in the 1895 Kansas State Census.
As when they lived in New York, the family was active in political organizations. On June 21, 1895, Charles is listed among the individuals supporting a Silver League in Wichita.
A third Coe sibling also headed west to Kansas in the early 1890's. Clara Addie Coe (1864-1950) married James Daniel McEwen (1861-1901) on October 29, 1890 in Le Roy. Their children, Harold Daniel (1892-1963) and John Donald (1897-1984) were both born in Wichita.
By late 1894, all three Coe siblings were living in Wichita. On November 28, there was mention in the Le Roy Gazette that "Mr & Mrs Albert Coe, expect to leave next Wednesday for Wichita, Kansas, where they will visit their daughters Mrs. J.D. McEwen and Mrs. Charles J. Call and son Frank Coe. They will remain until January." A few months later on February 15, 1895, the Batavia Daily News reported that "Mr and Mrs Albert Coe of Le Roy returned last evening from an extended visit with relatives in Wichita, Kansas."
Sometime after 1895, apparently things changed for the families in Kansas.
By 1900, Ezra Frank Coe and his family had returned to Le Roy where they can be found living next door to his parents in the census. Ezra and Sarah's youngest child, Laura Frances was born in Le Roy in 1901.
Charles and Elizabeth Call left Kansas and returned to Stafford sometime between June of 1895 and August of 1896. On August 8, 1896, Charles was a delegate from Stafford to the Prohibitionists of Genesee County convention. Charles and Elizabeth's youngest child, Irving Joslin (1900-1995) was born in Stafford.
James and Clara McEwen stayed in Wichita. James died there on August 4, 1901 of typhoid fever. His body was returned to New York where he was buried in Le Roy. His widow, Clara remained in Wichita for the remainder of her life.
My great grandfather, Charles Joslin Call, lived out the remainder of his life in Stafford - the same town where he was born and where he parents lived for over 50 years. His wife Elizabeth lived in Stafford (less than 10 miles from Pavilion where she was born) until the last years of her life when she lived with her daughter in Florida. Both are buried in the Stafford Rural Cemetery in Stafford, New York.
I see that in my ancestors, that siblings often moved in a group or serially to an area. Maybe the most adventurous one goes first, then the others join him.
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