James Henry Condon. My 2nd Great Grandfather on my Father's side. He is very hard to trace before 1900, but I do know what happened to him later in his life. But I don't know why.....
James was born sometime around 1869, somewhere around Indiana or Ohio. I do know his father's name was Charles and his mother's name was Mary Jane Vonata.
I think, I have found him in a census record in 1880. It shows him as a boarder at St. Vincent's Male Orphan Asylum in Vincennes, Indiana. This census states he was born in Indiana about 1869. It also states his parents were born in Ireland. I don't have any concrete evidence that his is my James Henry Condon and I can't find any other Condons listed at St. Vincent's at this time either....
What I do know is James Henry Condon married Cordia Cowger sometime in 1893. And in that year, they had a daughter, Mabel.
In the 1900 census, James and Cordia are living in Rushville, Indiana and have three children: Mabel (6), Charles (4) and Lorene (8 months). The census lists James as a Day Laborer and his parents were both born in Ohio. (I am already disproving the theory that the above James in the Asylum are not the same person.....)
James was married again in June 1905 to Florence Hull. Cordia didn't die until 1908 so....I can't find a marriage license....were James and Cordia really (legally) married?
And then, the 1910 census has James (43) living in Indianapolis with only his daughter Mabel (17) and son Charles (14). No mention of Florence. But his marital status is listed as Widowed. He is also listed is a "Sawyer" at a "Lumber Yard". His parents are also listed as being born in Ohio (I am still hanging on to the first census listed.....).
So we still don't know what happened to Cordia or Florence.
On January 23, 1911, James married again to Nora Jane Moran in Indianapolis. They are still married in the 1920 census. James is listed as a Carpenter for a Saw Company and he has more children; Clarence (8), Marjorie (5), Mary S (3), and Selma (1). They are living on Luett Street, and this is where Mabel and her sons lived for a time and Grandpa Rose remembers an uncle that was his same age. Once again, James' parents are listed as being from Ohio.
In 1930, the tables turn. James is now a boarder in Pima, Arizona, still listed as married and works as a Carpenter building houses. He is living as a boarder with an African-American family. I can only guess that James went to Arizona as the job market was better there than in Indiana? This census lists his parents are from Indiana (a ray of hope!).
In the meantime, Nora Jane is still living in Indianapolis in the house on Luett Street with her 5 children and one of her brothers. She is listed as being married as well.
Then, tragedy struck. On February 4, 1936, James Henry Condon died in Tucson, Arizona. Cause of death, cerebral apoplexy (or stroke). His death certificate states he was born in Rushville, Indiana and his wife is Nora Condon. His death certificate does not list any information on his parents (back to the drawing board!).
James Henry Condon is buried in Arizona in Evergreen Cemetery in Tucson.
James Condon is my great-grandfather. He was not orphaned in 1880, but living with his mother and stepfather in rush county. Mother was Mary Jane Vannatta York and his fathers name was Charles.
ReplyDeleteAlso I thought Cordia died in 1908 as well, I later found she did die earlier. Will have to find the certificate. I believe it was 1903, but his mother did die in 1908.
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