This is Chapter Ten of eleven. One of the consistent challenges we have had in documenting our family history is verifying the actual facts, and providing enough supporting details so that the records are trustworthy and credible.
Many of our ancestors thought they knew the correct information (for example on death certificates), but actually, they often times didn’t and therefore knitted something together that made sense to only them… (looking at you Aunt Nell).
So this raises a question:
Where was our Great-Grandfather Clinton DeVoe born?
Our Great-Grandfather was born on April 10, 1858 in either New York or Vermont. He died on November 19, 1930 in Russell, Geauga, Ohio. His death certificate indicates that he was born in Sandgate, Bennington County, Vermont. We believe he was born in New York because it is listed on all of the future censuses he is found on. The following explanation gives a little background on the confusion —
On the 1850 census, Mary Ann Warner (his future mother), is living in Sandgate, Bennington, Vermont, where she was born to William and Prudence (Nickerson) Warner in 1833. By the 1855 New York State census, she was living in a boarding home in Victory Village / Wilton, Saratoga County, New York and is identified as a “weaver” — noting that she had been living there since 1852. We do know that she married his father Peter A. Devoe on February 2, 1856.
By 1860, Peter A., Mary Ann, and Clinton are found on the census for Russell township, Geauga County, Ohio. That census began in June 1860, and it indicates that he was two years old and born in “NY”, which can only stand for New York State. We’ve never discovered the exact location, but suspect it may have been Easton, Washington, New York where his father Peter grew up.
Between their marriage in February 1856 and their move to Russell, Ohio by June 1860, where did they live? After they married, did they move back to New York where Clinton was born, or did they stay in Sandgate, Vermont to have their baby? Mary Ann’s father, William Warner, died shortly after Mary Ann and Peter married. Whichever scenario happened, we know that they traveled west in 1859 to start a new life in Ohio.
Wherever he first entered this world, Clinton Chauncey DeVoe was most certainly born at home and therefore, had no birth certificate.
Observation: Perhaps in her extraordinary state of grief at providing the details about her father’s life to the “record keepers”, our Aunt Nell was quite bewitched, bothered, and bewildered? One can only think of the befuddled, humorous character of Aunt Clara, from Bewitched, (please see the end of the footnotes for a humorous video). (1)
A Victorian Era Marriage
On November 18, 1877 Clinton married Clara Antoinette Mc Clintock. She was born on July 14, 1860 in Solon, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Her parents were Dexter McClintock and Sarah Olive Dickinson, and she died on November 6, 1932 in Chagrin Falls, Cuyahoga, Ohio. (We will be written about her life and family, in The McClintock Line, A Narrative — One through Seven).
The marriage license was granted on November 15, 1877 and they married three days later on November 18, 1877. Note that some of the ink is much faded. (Family photograph).
The DeVoe family were lifelong farmers and based upon family stories, there were always struggles with money and resources. The story passed down to us was that Clinton had a drinking problem, or what we would now call, an alcoholic. He and Clara raised a large family and things were never easy.
A Shocking Story to Our Modern Ears
Grandmother Gore, when she was quite old, — (see Grandmother Lulu Mae DeVoe and Grandfather Harley Gore below) — would, with reticence, occasionally share a story about the poverty of her childhood. For those of us who had grown up in the prosperous post World War II era, some things we heard were a surprise…
One story we recall is about the Christmas holidays in the 1890s. The family was very poor, and her father Clinton had broken his leg and could not work, nor had he actually worked, for some time… There was literally no money for presents, a holiday dinner, and certainly no money for decorations of any sort, including a Christmas tree. Lulu was the oldest girl in the family and she had three younger sisters (which she referred to as the little ones), who just wouldn’t be able to comprehend the direness of the situation. So, Lulu put on warm clothes and went out into the winter cold to find a solution. What she ended up doing was cutting down a thorn bush and dragging it home. She then tore up rags to make bows to decorate the “Christmas tree” and apparently the ruse worked.
Observation: In this blog, it is a coincidence that we have an illustration of a holiday tree in the chapter titled “With All Our Grandparents — It’s a Numbers Game”. This small story brings another dimension to that picture — a more realistic understanding that each of us are descended from the sacrifices of many others who came before us. (2)
Our Great Uncles, Our Great Aunts, and — Their Families
Our Great-Grandparents Clinton and Clara Devoe had six children, five of which survived into adulthood. Although they were our Great aunts and uncles we have always referred to them just as “aunt and uncle”. Below are simple outlines of their narratives.
Uncle George and Aunt Anna (Frost) Devoe
Our Uncle George was the oldest child in the family, born at home in Russell township, Geauga County, Ohio on June 20, 1878. He died on May 26, 1946 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. George Eugene Devoe married Anna Carrie Frost on June March 12, 1904 in Geauga, Ohio. She was born on September 26, 1882, in Newbury township, Geauga, Ohio. She was the daughter of Charles K. Frost and Mary Ann Stanton. Anna died on March 26, 1970, in Warrensville Heights, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
They had three children:
- Jessie M. (DeVoe) Sloat, born June 23, 1905 — died February 12, 1982
- Carl Harold DeVoe, born January 26, 1909 — died March 23, 1996
- Ralph George DeVoe, born July 11, 1914 — died January 7, 2000
George worked for years at the Chase Bag Company in Chagrin Falls, Ohio as a Beaterman, which means he was the operator of the machinery that mixed, beat and hydrated pulp and other ingredients used in making paper. Chagrin Falls had hydro power from the waterways that ran through the village. In his lifetime, the two major manufacturers were the Adams Bag Company and the Chase Paper Bag Company, which merged in 1925.
Grandmother Lulu Mae (DeVoe) and Grandfather Harley Gore
(We are descended from Lulu and Harley.) Lulu Mae was the oldest daughter and the second oldest sibling in the family. We have written quite a bit about her life with our Grandfather Harley, their children, and their larger extended family. (Please see The DeVoe Line, A Narrative — __, and The Gore Line, A Narrative — Eight).
Lena Belle DeVoe, Lulu Mae DeVoe, Helen Rae “Nell” DeVoe, and in back: Anna Maud DeVoe (Family photograph).
Aunt Anna Maud (DeVoe) and Uncle Johnny Rufener
The third child born into the family was our Aunt Anna Maud Devoe. She was born at home in Russell, Geauga County, Ohio on August 8, 1886. She died on June 20, 1970 in Ashtabula, Ashtabula County, Ohio. Anna Maud DeVoe married John Rufener (Jr), on July 15, 1904 in Geauga, Ohio. He was born on September 8, 1885, in Hudson, Ohio, the son of John Rufener and Anna Kampf. He died on April 8, 1960 in Russell, Geauga, Ohio.
They had two children:
- Wayne George E. Rufener, born June 8, 1901 — died January 18, 1988
- Dora (Rufener) Heck, born November 9, 1904 — died May 27, 1977
in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Aunt Anna shared with our mother Marguerite, her passion for
Girl Scout cookies. Please observe that this recipe looks a bit “iffy”.
(See footnotes for image credits).
Aunt Lena Belle (DeVoe) and Uncle William Danforth
The fourth child born was Aunt Lena Belle. Like her siblings, she was also born at home in Russell, Geauga County, Ohio on June 11, 1889. She died on January 15, 1958 in Willoughby, Lake County, Ohio. Lena Belle DeVoe married William Marshall Danforth on August 29, 1912 in Geauga, Ohio. He was born on September 12, 1874 in Munson, Geauga, Ohio, the son of Charles A. Danforth and Cordelia Cummings. He died on April 8, 1950 in Kirkland, Lake, Ohio.
Note: It has been rare that we have found birth records for this family, so we were delighted
to find a record for Lena!
Observation: Despite what is written on their marriage document, from everything we know from our long family history, Aunt Lena was not born in Auburn, Ohio as she wrote on her marriage application. We do not know why she wrote that.
They had three children:
- Willieta Florence “Billie” (Danforth) Poole, born June 18, 1916 — died November 1, 2005
- Ilda Clara (Danforth) Hockenberry, born August 15, 1917 — died February 15, 2007
- Charles Henry Danforth, born April 3, 1929 — died January 28, 2000
of our Grandmother Lulu, and her niece Billie (Danforth) Poole.
Lulu had titled it: Billie and Me . The original photo was taken circa 1917. (Thomas)
Willeta Florence “Billie” (Danforth) Poole,
with cousins Carl Harold DeVoe and Marguerite Lulu (Gore) Bond.
Photographed at the Warner Family Reunion held in Hamden township,
Geauga County in 1983. (Family photograph).
Uncle Peter M. DeVoe, the young baby
Toward the end of her life our Grandmother Lulu talked about her younger brother who lived to be about one year old. It was a revelation to us, because this baby boy was never discussed, and we think that many descendants haven’t heard of him. She said that he was named after his paternal Grandfather Peter M. Devoe. We believe that he lived and died circa 1892.
(Image courtesy of myartprints.co.uk).
Aunt Helen Rae, aka Aunt Nell (DeVoe) and Uncle Frank Schulte
The youngest daughter in the family was named Helen Rae, but everyone knew her as Aunt Nell or Nellie. Holding up the family tradition, she was born at home on November 8, 1893, in Russell, Geauga County, Ohio. She died on July 20, 1966 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, Ohio. Helen Rae DeVoe married Frank J. Schulte (Jr) on March 11, 1912 in Geauga, Ohio. He was born on June 20, 1891, in Ohio, the son of Frank Schulte and Mary Busch. He died on September 14, 1977 in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
Observation: Despite what is written on their marriage document, it is riddled with errors, as follows: Frank’s last name ends with the letter E, not the letter Y, his mother’s maiden name is Busch, the place he was born in is spelled N_____, Ohio and Aunt Nell was certainly not born in Mantua, Ohio.
Aunt Nell and Uncle Frank did not have any children. When she died, our grandmother and mother were cleaning out her home, they found lots of money squirreled away in the oddest places. There were background whispers that she had a gambling problem, and that our Grandmother Lulu had tried to help her overcome it — so, it seems that the stories were likely true.
It seems that the five surviving children of Clinton Clara Devoe were all lifelong friends — something that is rather remarkable for the 20th century. In the next chapter, we will be writing about our Grandmother Lulu Mae (DeVoe) Gore, her husband Harley Gore, and their family. (3)
Following are the footnotes for the Primary Source Materials,
Notes, and Observations
So this raises a question:
Where was our Great-Grandfather born?
(1) — one record
Aunt Clara from Bewitched image
Aunt Clara, Vision, and the Audacity of Excellence at Any Age
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/aunt-clara-vision-audacity-excellence-any-age-david-lord
“One of the most delightful characters is Aunt Clara, an elderly witch who can never quite get her spells right. These mishaps frequently cause humorous predicaments for Sam and Darrin, as they try to correct the damage from Clara’s well-intended but disastrous interference in their lives. Aunt Clara meanwhile is consistently portrayed as a lovable but doddering and somewhat feeble character. What is fascinating though is to contrast that image with the actress who played her, Marion Lorne. Born in 1883, Lorne portrayed Aunt Clara from 1964, until her death in 1968 at the age of 84. While Lorne had a long career in both the stage and screen, there is little doubt, that it was the role of Aunt Clara that brought her the greatest amount of fame and acclaim, resulting in her posthumously receiving the Emmy for best supporting actress.”
A Victorian Era Marriage, and A Shocking Story to Our Modern Ears
(2) — three records
Clinton C. Devoe
Marriage – Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZ6L-7YF
Book pages: 247, Digital pages: 160/322, Right page, entry 2.
Clinton C Devoe
Death – Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8T2-VKW
Digital page: 1313/3000
Clara A De Voe
Death – Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6SP-PMB
Digital page: 1360/3438
Our Great Uncles, Our Great Aunts, and — Their Families
(3) — forty six records
_______________________________________
Uncle George, and Aunt Anna (Frost) Devoe
Military – United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5C3-2JM
Digital page: 56/5736
Note: Birth date confirmation for George Eugene Devoe.
George Eugene De Voe
Death – Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XX9R-1BZ
Digital page: 1293/3475
Anna Frost
Marriage – Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDK5-52Y
Book page: 313, Digital page: 189/206. Right page, top.
Anna Frost
Mentioned in the Record of George Eugene Devoe (Anna Frost’s Husband)
Death – Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XX9R-1B6
Digital page: 1293/3475
and
Anna Frost Devoe
Obituary – United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4HZY-TNT2
Anna Carrie Frost DeVoe
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157471508/anna-carrie-devoe
Carl H Devoe
Social Program Document – United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K3M-5KBV
Carl Harold DeVoe
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/157471561/carl_harold_devoe
Ralph George Devoe
Social Program Document United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K33-8S9L
Ralph George Devoe
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/231293167/ralph_george_devoe
Jessie M. DeVoe Sloat
Death – Find a Grave Index
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23B-LPQ5
Jessie M. DeVoe Sloat
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158153737/jessie_m_sloat
Ohio, Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/search/linker?ark=/ark:/61903/1:1:VK24-5Y6&id=MD8H-4JD&hinting=/tree/person/details/
Note: Confirmation file for the details on the three children of George and Anna (Frost) DeVoe.
Discover Chagrin Falls History | Adams Bag Factory
https://www.chagrinhistorical.org/discover/?c=manufacturing&t=adams-bag-factory
Note: For Adams Bag factory image.
Hip Postcard
Natural Falls Chagrin Falls Ohio Postcard
https://www.hippostcard.com/listing/natural-falls-chagrin-falls-ohio-c1973-postcard/47860445/?shopping=1
Note: For waterfall image.
Historic Structures
Abandoned paper bag mill in Ohio
Adams Bag Company Paper Mill and Sack Factory, Chagrin Falls Ohio
https://www.historic-structures.com/oh/chagrin_falls/adams_bag_company
Note: For Adams Bag factory image.
_______________________________________
Aunt Anna Maud (DeVoe), and Uncle Johnny Rufener
Ann Maud Devoe
Marriage – Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDK5-R2T
Book page: 339, Digital page: 202/206. Right page, entry 1.
Anna D Rufener
Vital – Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKYK-9L8
John H Rufener
Census – United States Census, 1930
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4SY-HPV
Book page: 7B, Digital page: 1086/1118, Entries 58 through 61.
Note: On this census he reports that his parents were born in Switzerland.
John Rufener
Social Program Document • United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6K3Q-7237
Johnny Rufener
Death – Find a Grave Index
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVLK-26J3
Wayne George E. Rufener
in the U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/590422329:61843?tid=&pid=&queryId=0c8c2016-6078-4c37-8a75-160110b5c266&_phsrc=ynL6&_phstart=successSource
George E. Rufener
in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/53794437:3693
Dora Heck
in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/26609629:3693
Dora M Heck
in the Ohio, U.S., Death Records, 1908-1932, 1938-2018
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/1028266:5763?tid=&pid=&queryId=7cea0677-b234-4e52-a329-ca7741ef1d3e&_phsrc=XXd1&_phstart=successSource
Discover Chagrin Falls History | Hardware Stores
https://cfhs.me/?c=business&t=hardware-stores
Note: For hardware store images.
ABC News 5 Cleveland
Open for 165 years: Chagrin Hardware shares secrets of success
https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/open-for-165-years-chagrin-hardware-shares-secrets-of-success
Note: For hardware store images.
Chagrin Hardware & Supply Co.
Facebook Gallery Photo
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=533349471911247&set=pb.100057085974305.-2207520000
Note: For hardware store images.
Girl Scouts show off their Girl Scout Cookie display, 1960.
https://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/cookie-history.html
Note: For Girl Scout troop image.
_______________________________________
Aunt Lena Belle (DeVoe), and Uncle William Danforth
Lina Bell Devoe
Vital – Ohio Births and Christenings, 1841-2003
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X695-3MZ
Book page: 202, Digital page: 135/319, Left page, center. Entry 1 for 1890.
William Danforth
Marriage – Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XDKG-3PL
Book page: 53, Digital page: 54/241. Right page, entry 2.
Lena B Danforth
Vital – Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VK2T-45L
William Marshall Danforth
Military – United States, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6FJ-LHM
Digital page: 3351/5779
Note: Birth date confirmation for William Marshall Danforth.
William Marshall Danforth
Death – Ohio Deaths, 1908-1953
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X6GS-67H
Digital page: 2820/3017
Ilda C. Hockenberry
in the U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/88760968:3693
Ilda Clara Hockenberry
in the U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/132259297:6052
Willieta Florence Poole
in the U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current
https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60525/records/132259297
Charles Henry Danforth
in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/23744478:60901?tid=&pid=&queryId=c0cdde64-2919-4b85-9905-0ae0acdcc1af&_phsrc=bQu19&_phstart=successSource
Charles H. Danforth
in the U.S., Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current
https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/94589346:60525
_______________________________________
Aunt Helen Rae, aka Aunt Nell (DeVoe), and Uncle Frank Schulte
Nellie R. Devoe
Marriage – Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:ZZYV-XRT2
Book page: 32, Digital page: 44/241. Left page, entry 2.
Nellie R Schulte
Vital – Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VKTT-8TY
Frank J Schulte
Obituary – United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4CR4-6KW2
8″ Shallow Round Bowl, Donatello Green Ivory
https://www.replacements.com/china-roseville-donatello-green-ivory-8-shallow-round-bowl/p/74378991
Roseville Pottery
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roseville_Pottery#:~:text=The%20company%20was%20founded%20by,and%20other%20practical%20household%20items.
Cine Material
Happy Go Lucky 1943
https://www.cinematerial.com/movies/happy-go-lucky-i35969/p/eegmzvvd
YouTube.com
Aunt Clara from Bewitched — The Best of Aunt Clara
https://youtu.be/2QHUx-KomMs?si=EsoD7AiPf9DNpUnJ
(Click to play…)
Our Ancestors, Our Narratives 