Bertha May Renton ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7}

  Noted events in her life were:

• She appeared on the 1900 US Census in Seneca Township, McHenry County, IL on 19 June 1900. ⁵

1900 US Census
Sheet 10A, District 165, Dwelling 175, Family 178, Roll 321
Seneca Township, McHenry County, Illinois
Bertha Renton..Daughter..Mar 1896..4..MI

(Living with parents.)
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• She appeared on the 1910 US Census in Harvard, IL on 26 April 1910. ⁶

1910 US Census
Sheet 15A, District 126, Family 282, Roll 304
Harvard, McHenry County, Illinois
207 East Park Street; house rented
Bertha Puttnam..Daughter..13..MI

(Living with mother and step-father.)
.

• She appeared on the 1920 US Census in Canton Township, Wayne, MI on 3 January 1920. ²

1920 US Census
Sheet 2A, District 4, Family 21, Roll 800
Canton Township, Wayne County, Michigan
Home Rented
Bertha M. Dixon..Wife..23..MI

(Living with husband and her husband's uncle.)
.

• She appeared on the 1930 US Census in Sigel Township, Chippewa County, WI on 14 April 1930. ⁷

1930 US Census
Sheet 4A, District 38, Family 73, Roll 2565
Sigel Township, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Home rented
Bertha M. Burch..Housekeeper..33..MI..married at age 18..Housekeeper, Private Family

NOTE - If her birth date was in Mar 1896, then her age should have been 34 instead of 33.

(Living at the home of the widowed Ernest Ellsworth Troupe and his 3 children from his first wife.)

NOTE - Ernest and Bertha would not marry until 6 months later in October. This census indicates that she was married but it is unclear if the data represents just her age when she was first married.

.

• She appeared on the 1940 US Census in Sigel Township, Chippewa County, WI on 13 April 1940. ⁴

1940 US Census
Sheet 7B, District 9-38, Family 127, Roll 4464
Sigel Township, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Home owned, $600
Bertha Troupe..Wife..42..Michigan..5th grade..Farmhouse and Helper, Chicken Farm

(Living with 3rd husband and 1 step-daughter.)

NOTE - If her birth date was in Mar 1896, then her age should have been 44 instead of 42.
.

Bertha married Francis Benjamin Dixon, son of George Edwin Dixon and Susan E. Gotts, on 12 July 1915 in Ypsilanti, MI.^{1 2} (Francis Benjamin Dixon was born on 8 April 1891 in Sumpter Township, Wayne County, MI,^{1 2 8 9 10} died on 8 June 1926 in Ann Arbor, MI ^{9 10} and was buried on 11 June 1926 in Ypsilanti, MI ¹⁰.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• Marriage Image: 12 July 1915, in Ypsilanti, MI. ¹

• They appeared on the 1920 US Census in Canton Township, Wayne, MI on 3 January 1920. ²

1920 US Census
Sheet 2A, District 4, Family 21, Roll 800
Canton Township, Wayne County, Michigan
Home Rented
Benjiman F. Dixon..Head..28..MI..Farmer, General farm
Bertha M. Dixon..Wife..23..MI
Walter C. Dixon..Uncle..37..ENG..Immigrated in 1910..Laborer, Farm
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  Marriage Notes:

Name: Frances Dixon
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 12 Jul 1915
Event Place: Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan
Gender: Male
Age: 24y
Birth Date: 1891
Birthplace: Michigan
Marriage Date: 12 Jul 1915
Marriage Place: Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan
Father's Name: Edward
Mother's Name: Susan Gotts
Spouse's Name: Bertha M. Renton
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 18y
Spouse's Birth Date: 1897
Spouse's Birthplace: Michigan
Spouse's Father's Name: William
Spouse's Mother's Name: Hattie Marvin
Source Reference: item 5 p 134 rn 210

Citing this Record
"Michigan Marriages, 1868-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3P8-FQX : 17 March 2020), Frances Dixon and Bertha M. Renton, 12 Jul 1915; citing Marriage, Ypsilanti, Washtenaw, Michigan, , Citing Secretary of State, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 4209294.
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The marriage location of Ypsilanti, Michigan is surprising because following the divorce of her parents sometime between 1900 and 1908, her father returned to Michigan while supposedly all of the children remained with the mother in McHenry County, Illinois. This marriage location suggest that Bertha may have at some time after the 1910 US Census gone to live with or near or father in Ypsilanti, Michigan.
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Bertha next married Burch between 1920 and 1930. (Burch was born about 1891 and died on an unknown date.)

Bertha next married Ernest Ellsworth Troupe, son of Gilbert G. Troupe and Lucy T. Penny, on 24 September 1930 in Capron, IL.^{3 4} (Ernest Ellsworth Troupe was born on 6 September 1895 in Blaine, IL ^{3 4 7 11 12 13} and died on 20 January 1967 in Wisconsin ¹³.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

• They appeared on the 1930 US Census in Sigel Township, Chippewa County, WI on 14 April 1930. ⁷

1930 US Census
Sheet 4A, District 38, Family 73, Roll 2565
Sigel Township, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Home rented
Earnest E. Troupe..Head..34..IL..Widowed..Farmer, Dairy Farm
Junise M. Troupe..Daughter..15..WI
Leo E. Troupe..Son..10..WI
Eva E. Troupe..Daughter..3..WI
Bertha M. Burch..Housekeeper..33..MI..married at age 18..Housekeeper, Private Family

NOTE - Ernest and Bertha would not marry until 6 months later in October. This census indicates that she was married but it is unclear if the data represents just her age when she was first married.

.

• Marriage Image: 24 September 1930, in Capron, IL. ³

• They appeared on the 1940 US Census in Sigel Township, Chippewa County, WI on 13 April 1940. ⁴

1940 US Census
Sheet 7B, District 9-38, Family 127, Roll 4464
Sigel Township, Chippewa County, Wisconsin, United States
Home owned, $600
Ernest Troupe..Head..44..WI..7th grade..Chicken Ranch, Chickens
Bertha Troupe..Wife..42..MI..5th grade..Farmhouse and Helper, Chicken Farm
Eva Troupe..Daughter..17..WI..8th grade..Housemaid, Private Home

.

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Troupe
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 1930
Event Place: Boone, Illinois, United States
Gender: Male
Father's Name: Gilbert G Troupe
Mother's Name: Lucy Penny
Spouse's Name: Bertha May Burch
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 34
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1896
Spouse's Father's Name: William J Renton
Spouse's Mother's Name: Hattie A Marvin
Page: 186

Citing this Record
"Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X25G-XJ6 : 6 November 2017), Hattie A Marvin in entry for Troupe and Bertha May Burch, 1930; citing Boone, Illinois, United States, county offices, Illinois; FHL microfilm 1,914,104.

NOTE - Bertha's marriage record to Ernest Troupe suggests that her married name at the time was Burch, so then she must have had a second husband named Burch following her first marriage to Francis Dixon. This record would seem to be her third marriage in spite of it indicating that it is only the 2nd marriage for Bertha. It does provide the correct age for Bertha, her correct birth location, and the correct names of her parents. The location of Boone County, Illinois is only a few miles away from where Bertha's mother was living in McHenry County, Illinois.
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