Frances Mildred Wymer ^{1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12}

  General Notes:

She was first married in Johnson County, Iowa in 1897 to George Ralston Baker. They moved to Hanford, California to live with his parents and George was a jewelry salesman. That marriage resulted in 2 children and ended with a divorce sometime before 1910. Frances and her 2 children then moved back to Muscatine, Iowa where Frances noted on the 1910 US Census form that she was divorced.

She was remarried in 1911 to Delbert Meadows in Muscatine, Iowa. They both then moved to Rockford, Illinois where they appear together in the 1920 US Census. Her 2 sons that had accompanied her back to Iowa are not with her in the 1920 census in Rockford, Illinois but they were living in the area. The oldest son was married in Rockford in 1917 and the youngest son was married in nearby Boone County in 1925.

Her second husband, Delbert Meadows, died sometime between 1920 and 1930. Frances then moved back to Muscatine, Iowa and lived with her widowed mother until the mother died in June 1930.

Frances then moved a short distance away to Mercer County, Illinois where she was a housekeeper for an elderly man and his son according to the 1940 US Census. She died near Rockford, Illinois and was buried there in 1942. I believe she probably went to spend her final years with one of her sons there due to ailing health.
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  Death Notes:

Name: Frances Mildred Meadows
Event Date: 05 Dec 1942
Event Place: Harlem, Winnebago, Illinois
Gender: Female
Age: 65
Birth Year (Estimated): 1877
Burial Date: 08 Dec 1942
Burial Place: Rockford, Winnebago, Ill.

Citing this Record
"Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3WD-HL1 : 9 March 2018), Frances Mildred Meadows, 05 Dec 1942; Public Board of Health, Archives, Springfield; FHL microfilm 1,851,995.
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  Burial Notes:

Find A Grave Memorial 122595585

Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/122595585/frances_mildred-meadows: accessed April 9, 2025), memorial page for Frances Mildred Wymer Meadows (17 Nov 1877\'965 Dec 1942), Find a Grave Memorial ID 122595585, citing Greenwood Cemetery, Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA; Maintained by Brian Lightfoot (contributor 47796377).
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  Noted events in her life were:

1. 1880 US Census, June 1880, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁶ 1880 US Census
Page 165A, District 354, Dwelling 6, Family 6, Roll 0331
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Frances Wymer..Daughter..2..IA

(Living with parents.)

2. 1885 Iowa State Census, 20 April 1885, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁷ 1885 Iowa State Census
Page 5, Line 30, Dwelling 160, Family 171
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Township 80, Range 3, Section 3, NW Quarter of the NW Quarter
Francis M. Wymer..7..IA

(Living with parents.)

3. 1895 Iowa State Census, January 1895, Iowa Township, Cedar, Iowa, United States. ⁸ 1895 Iowa State Census
Page 487, Line 8, Dwelling 169, Family 174
Iowa Township, Cedar County, Iowa
Frances Wymer..17..Cedar County, IA..Methodist

(Living with parents.)

4. 1900 US Census, 4 June 1900, Hanford, Kings, California, United States. ² 1900 US Census
Sheet 2B, District 37, Dwelling 45, Family 49
Hanford, Kings County, California, United States
108-1/2 West Seventh; House rented
Married 3 years
Frances M. Baker..Daughter-in-law..22..IA..2/2

(Living with husband and 2 sons at the home of husband's parents.)

5. 1910 US Census, 28 April 1910, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ⁹ 1910 US Census
Sheet 13A, District 109, Dwelling 272, Family 330, Roll 415
Muscatine, Muscatine County, Iowa, United States, Ward 2
392 12th Street; House rented
Francis M. Baker..Head..31..IA..Divorced..2/2..Laundress, Laundry
Arthur E. Baker..Son..11..IA
Richard R. Baker..Son..10..IA
Geneva R. Crow..Boarder..28..CA..Laundress, Laundry

(Frances was divorced and living with 2 sons.)

NOTE - If her birth date was 17 Nov 1877, then her age should have been 32 instead of 31.

6. 1920 US Census, January 1920, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ⁴ 1920 US Census
Sheet 15B, District 190, Dwelling 198, Family 342, Roll 417
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
417 South Horseman(?); House rented
Frances Meadow..Wife..42..IA..Laborer

(Living with husband.)

7. 1930 US Census, 2 April 1930, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States. ¹⁰ 1930 US Census
Sheet 1B, District 14, Dwelling 3, Family 19, Roll 670
Muscatine, Muscatine County, Iowa, 2nd Ward
401 East Second Street; Home rented $35
Francis Meadows..Daughter..52..IA

(Widowed and living with widowed mother.)

8. 1940 US Census, 23 April 1940, Keithsburg Township, Mercer, Illinois, United States. ¹¹ 1940 US Census
Sheet 1A, District 66-8, Family 4, Roll 858
Keithsburg Township, Mercer County, Illinois, United States
House rented $6
Harry Wolfe..Head..43..IL..8th grade..Farmer, Farm
Elmer Wolfe..Father..8th grade..65..IL
Frances Meadows..Housekeeper..62..IA..6th grade..Widowed..Same house as 1935..Housekeeper, Private family..earned $208 in 1939

(Frances was widowed and living at the home of Harry Wolfe and his elderly father.)

9. Residence, 1942, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. Obituary for her brother, Neal C. Wymer, in 1942 indicates that she lived in Rockford, Illinois.

Frances married George Ralston Baker, son of Jasper T. Baker and Mary Delucia Lindsay, on 6 October 1897 in Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa, United States.^{1 2} The marriage ended in divorce. (George Ralston Baker was born in September 1876 in Tulare, California, United States ^{1 2} and died before 1911.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1900 US Census, 4 June 1900, Hanford, Kings, California, United States. ² 1900 US Census
Sheet 2B, District 37, Dwelling 45, Family 49
Hanford, Kings County, California, United States
108-1/2 West Seventh; House rented
Married 3 years
Joseph Baker..Head..52..IA..Drug Salesman
Mary D. Baker..Wife..46..IN..2/2
George R. Baker..Son..24..CA..Salesman, Jewelry
Frances M. Baker..Daughter-in-law..22..IA..2/2
Arthur E. Baker..Grandson..2..CA
Richard R. Baker..Grandson..1..CA
Sella A. M. Baker..Daughter..20..CA
Frank H. B. Allen..Lodger..38..IN..Jeweler
Minnie H. Allen..Lodger..27..CA
Alice S. Allen..Lodger..4..CA
Daniel Gamble..Lodger..20..CA..Salesman, Grocer
Mabel Gamble..Lodger..19..CA
Herbert R. Wilson..Lodger..45..ME..Bartender
Jessie I. Wilson..Lodger..30..IL
Richard Simpson..Lodger..21..CA..Base Ball Player
John L. Casey..Lodger..32..MO..Saloon Keeper
Clarence E. Messinger..Lodger..40..MA..Saloon Keeper
Stephen S. Rowley..Lodger..38..IL..Farm Laborer
Walter W. Sterling..Lodger..22..CA..???
Charles R. Jones..Lodger..27..MO..Laborer, Creamery
Charles Talbot..Lodger..49..IN..Attorney at law
Mcwhinnie..Lodger..24..NY..Druggist

5 married couples, 8 lodgers of various occupations

2. Divorce, 30 June 1911, Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States.

  Marriage Notes:

George Baker first obtained a marriage license on 29 Jun 1897 in Cedar County, Iowa naming Frances M. Wymer as his intended bride. However the license was returned and cancelled with no wedding taking place.

About three months later In October, a new license was obtained in nearby Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa and the marriage took place on 6 Oct 1898.

Name: George R. Baker
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 06 Oct 1897
Event Place: Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Birth Year (Estimated): 1875
Spouse's Name: Frances M. Wymer
Spouse's Gender: Female
Spouse's Age: 20
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1877

Citing this Record
"Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJNS-F96 : 10 February 2018), George R. Baker and Frances M. Wymer, 06 Oct 1897, Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa, United States; citing reference , county courthouses, Iowa; FHL microfilm 986,012.
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Their first son, Arthur, was born in Iowa in July 1898 but after that they must have immediately moved to join George's parents in Hanford, California. Their second son, Richard, was born in California in Dec 1899.

The 1900 US Census shows them living with the parents of George in Hanford which was mostly an agricultural town in the southern part of the arid San Joaquin Valley of California. Sheep ranching was probably the most predominant industry at the time. The small town of Hanford was growing rapidly while they lived there thanks to the introduction of the railroad lines in the city.

While George and Frances lived with his parents in Hanford, it is difficult to describe the type of accommodation according to the census. It would appear to be a hotel or lodging house because the family grouping according to the census form showed 5 couples and 8 other men of various occupations all listed as lodgers. The address was 108-1/2 West Seventh which usually designates the upstairs residence probably over a retail establishment or perhaps over a saloon. The census form does not give a name of any proprietor or owner of a hotel or lodging house so it appears to be one very large apartment that the parents managed and leased out rooms to others. The occupation of George's father was that of a drug salesman according to the census.
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Frances next married Delbert Samuel Meadows, son of William Meadows and Olive Brower, on 18 September 1911 in Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, United States.^{3 4} (Delbert Samuel Meadows was born on 10 June 1876 in Glenwood, Mills, Iowa, United States ⁴ and died between 1920 and 1930.)

  Noted events in their marriage were:

1. 1920 US Census, January 1920, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States. ⁴ 1920 US Census
Sheet 15B, District 190, Dwelling 198, Family 342, Roll 417
Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois
417 Short Horseman(?); House rented
Herbert Meadow..Head..43..IA..Laborer
Frances Meadow..Wife..42..IA..Laborer

  Marriage Notes:

Name: Delbert S. Meadows
Birthplace: Glenwood, IA.
Spouse's Name: Frances Baker
Spouse's Birth Date: 1877
Spouse's Birthplace: Cedar, Iowa
Spouse's Age: 34
Event Date: 18 Sep 1911
Event Place: Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa
Father's Name: William Meadows
Mother's Name: Olive Brower
Spouse's Father's Name: James Wymer
Spouse's Mother's Name: Eunice Lightfoot
Race: White
Marital Status: Unknown
Spouse's Race: White
Spouse's Marital Status: Widowed

Citing this Record
"Iowa Marriages, 1809-1992," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XJTF-Q5Z : 10 February 2018), Olive Brower in entry for Delbert S. Meadows and Frances Baker, 18 Sep 1911; citing Muscatine, Muscatine, Iowa, reference 2:3S7WXN5; FHL microfilm 1,854,086.
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