Clara Della Holmes ^{1 2 3 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12}

  Death Notes:

Name: Clara Gustafson
Event Date: 16 May 1945
Event Place: Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois
Gender: Female
Race: W
Age: 66
Birth Date: 22 Jul 1878
Birthplace: Cherry Valley, Illinois
Father's Name: Charles Holmes
Father's Birthplace: Mass.
Mother's Name: Mary Jane Packard
Mother's Birthplace: Cherry Valley, Ill.
Occupation: Housewife
Spouse's Name: Arthur Gustafson
Burial Date: 18 May 1945
Burial Place: Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois
Cemetery: Scandinavian

Citing this Record
"Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3HD-VGM : 10 March 2018), Arthur Gustafson in entry for Clara Gustafson, 16 May 1945; Public Board of Health, Archives, Springfield; FHL microfilm 1,984,187.
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  Noted events in her life were:

• She has alternate birth date of 22 July 1877 and a birth location of , Winnebago County, IL.

⁸

• She appeared on the 1880 US Census in Cherry Valley, IL on 1 June 1880. ¹⁰

1880 US Census
Page 15C, Roll 0261, District 217, Dwelling 149, Family 153
Cherry Valley, Winnebago County, Illinois
Clara D. Holmes..Daughter..3..IL

(Living with parents.)
.

• She appeared on the 1900 US Census in Waukegan, IL on 16 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 38A, District 142, Family 50
Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois
323 Saint James Street; house rented
Married 2 years
Clara Cowell..Wife..Jul 1876..23..IL..1/1

(Living with husband and daughter.)
.

• She appeared on the 1910 US Census in Rockford, IL on 3 April 1910. ³

1910 US Census
Sheet 20B, District 174, Dwelling 13, Family 16
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
1022 Short Elm Court; house rented
Married 12 years
Clara D. Cowell..Wife..33..IL..3/3

(Living with husband and 3 children.)
.

• She appeared on the 1920 US Census in Rockford, IL on 4 February 1920. ⁵

1920 US Census
Sheet 10A&B, District 217, Dwelling 184, Family 212
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
2215 - 18th Avenue; house owned with mortgage
Clara Gustafson..Wife..42..IL

(Living with 2nd husband, 1 son, and 1 step-son.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 22 Jul 1876, then her age should have been 43 instead of 42.
.

• She appeared on the 1930 US Census in Rockford, IL on 21 April 1930. ⁶

1930 US Census
Sheet 22B, District 55, Dwelling 450, Family 529, Roll 572
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
2215 - 18th Avenue; house owned
Clara A. Gustafson..Wife..50..IL

(Living with 2nd husband and 2 sons.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 22 Jul 1876, then her age should have been 53 instead of 50.
.

• She appeared on the 1940 US Census in Rockford, IL on 18 April 1940. ¹⁴

1940 US Census
Sheet 10B, District 43, Family 274
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
714 - 6th Street; house rented $6
Clara A. Gustafson..Wife..63..6th grade..IL

(Living with 2nd husband and son.)
.

• Her obituary was published in the Rockford Register Republic on 16 May 1945 in Rockford, IL.

^{12 13} Mrs. Clara Gustafson died today at her home, 714 6th Avenue, following a heart attack. She was 66 years old.

The former Clara Holmes, she was born in 1878 in Cherry Valley, and was married to Arthur Gustafson 31 years ago in Rockford.

Surviving are her husband; two sons, Raymond and Arthur Gustafson, Jr. both of Rockford; a sister, Mrs. Byron Walker, Belvidere, and two brothers, Frank and Edward Holmes, both of Rockford.

Funeral services have been arranged for 3 p.m. Friday in the Christiansen funeral home, 925 2nd Avenue. The Rev. Wilbert E. Benson, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran church will conduct the rites and burial will be in Scandinavian cemetery.

(Source: Rockford Register Republic, Rockford, IL, 16 May 1945)
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• She was buried after 16 May 1945 in the Scandinavian Cemetery in Rockford, IL.

Find A Grave Memorial #137703481

. ^{11 12}

Clara married William I. Cowell, son of John R. Calvin Cowell and Margaret Louisa Rodenbach, on 13 October 1898 in , Winnebago County, IL.^{1 2 3} The marriage ended in divorce. (William I. Cowell was born in August 1874 in Illinois,^{2 3} died on 1 December 1929 in Rockford, IL ¹⁵ and was buried on 3 December 1929 in Rockford, IL ¹⁵.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1900 US Census in Waukegan, IL on 16 June 1900. ²

1900 US Census
Sheet 38A, District 142, Family 50
Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois
323 Saint James Street; house rented
Married 2 years
William Cowell..Head..Aug 1874..25..IL..Day Laborer
Clara Cowell..Wife..Jul 1876..23..IL..1/1
May June Cowell..Daughter..Jun 1899..11m..IL
.

• They appeared on the 1910 US Census in Rockford, IL on 3 April 1910. ³

1910 US Census
Sheet 20B, District 174, Dwelling 13, Family 16
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
1022 Short Elm Court; house rented
Married 12 years
William I. Cowell..Head..35..IL..Carpenter, House
Clara D. Cowell..Wife..33..IL..3/3
June M. Cowell..Daughter..10..IL
Myrtle M. Cowell..Daughter..5..IL
Ray E. Cowell..Son..2..IL
.

• William I. Cowell and Clara Della Holmes were divorced after 1910.

  Marriage Notes:

Name: William S Cowell
Titles and Terms: Mr
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 29 Sep 1898
Event Place: Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Birth Year (Estimated): 1875
Spouse's Name: Clara Dellea Holmes
Spouse's Titles and Terms: Miss
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 21
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1877

Citing this Record
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9L-VT87 : 14 October 2017), William S Cowell and Clara Dellea Holmes, 29 Sep 1898; citing Winnebago, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,048.
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Name: William S Cowell
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 13 Oct 1898
Event Place: Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 24
Birth Year (Estimated): 1874
Father's Name: John B Cowell
Mother's Name: Margaret Louisa Rodingdough
Spouse's Name: Clara Dellea Holmes
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 22
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1876
Spouse's Father's Name: Charles Holmes
Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary Josephine Packard
Page: 176

Citing this Record
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9L-VT83 : 14 October 2017), Mary Josephine Packard in entry for William S Cowell and Clara Dellea Holmes, 13 Oct 1898; citing Winnebago, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,048.
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Name: William S Cowell
Titles and Terms: Mr
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 29 Oct 1898
Event Place: Winnebago, Illinois, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 23
Birth Year (Estimated): 1875
Father's Name: John C Cowell
Mother's Name: Margaret Louise Rodingdough
Spouse's Name: Clara Dellea Holmes
Spouse's Titles and Terms: Miss
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 21
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1877
Spouse's Father's Name: Charles Holmes
Spouse's Mother's Name: Mary Josephine Packard
Page: 176

Citing this Record
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK9L-VTZY : 14 October 2017), Mary Josephine Packard in entry for William S Cowell and Clara Dellea Holmes, 29 Oct 1898; citing Winnebago, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,048.
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NOTE - There are three slightly different source citations supplied by FamilySearch each with a different date of marriage and each giving slightly different birth years for both the bride and groom. No actual document images are furnished so it is difficult to judge which is the most correct.

I suspect that the earliest one referenced by FamilySearch, 29 Sep 1898, may actually be the date that the license was issued or the application completed. The latest one referenced, 29 Oct 1898, may be the actual date of return to the county clerk's office. And therefore I am guessing that the middle date of 13 Oct 1898 may actually be date that the wedding was performed.
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Clara next married Arthur Fritzhoff Gustafson, son of Carl N. Gustafson and Anna S., on 26 May 1915 in , Lake County, IN.^{4 5 6 7} (Arthur Fritzhoff Gustafson was born on 26 January 1880 in Illinois ^{5 6 7} and died after May 1945.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Image: 26 May 1915, in , Lake County, IN. ⁴

• They appeared on the 1920 US Census in Rockford, IL on 4 February 1920. ⁵

1920 US Census
Sheet 10A&B, District 217, Dwelling 184, Family 212
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
2215 - 18th Avenue; house owned with mortgage
Arthur F. Gustafson..Head..40..IL..Machinist, Lock Factory
Clara Gustafson..Wife..42..IL
Raymond Gustafson..Son..12..IL
Arthur Gustafson..Son..4..IL

NOTE - I believe that Raymond was born to Arthur's first wife and that Arthur Jr. was probably born to Clara because they had been married for only about 6 years.
.

• They appeared on the 1930 US Census in Rockford, IL on 21 April 1930. ⁶

1930 US Census
Sheet 22B, Roll 572, District 55, Dwelling 450, Family 529
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
2215 - 18th Avenue; house owned
Arthur F. Gustafson..Head..50..IL..Assembler, Machine Shop
Clara A. Gustafson..Wife..50..IL
Ray E. Cowell..SSon..22..IL..Sprayer, Piano Factory
Arthur E. Gustafson..Son..15..IL
.

• They appeared on the 1940 US Census in Rockford, IL on 18 April 1940. ⁷

1940 US Census
Page 10B, District 43, Family 274
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
714 - 6th Street; house rented $6
Arthur F. Gustafson..Head..59..8th grade..IL..Finisher, Furniture Factory
Clara A. Gustafson..Wife..63..6th grade..IL
Arthur M. Gustafson..Son..24..9th grade..IL..Musician, Orchestra
Ray Edward Cowell..Lodgr..32..6th grade..IL..Laborer
.

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Arthur F Gustafson
Event Type: Marriage Registration
Event Date: 26 May 1915
Event Place: Lake, Indiana, United States
Gender: Male
Marriage License Date: 26 May 1915
Marriage Place: Lake, Indiana
Spouse's Name: Clara Cowell
Spouse's Gender: Female
Officiator's Name: Howard H Kemp
Page: 246
Record Number: 31166
Number of Images: 1

Citing this Record
"Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27G9-LS7 : 10 December 2017), Howard H Kemp in entry for Arthur F Gustafson and Clara Cowell, 26 May 1915; citing Lake, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 004839147.
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