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Update 10/26/10 – These photos have been reunited with family!
These two cabinet cards were taken by Bowman in Ottawa, Illinois, and appear to be a husband and wife from LaSalle County, Illinois. I am pretty positive that these are the photos for Josiah and Ellen (Jones) Bagley. Since only the husband’s name is listed on the photos, I started with a census search for Josiah Bagley in and around Ottawa, LaSalle, Illinois. I found Josiah and Ellen in the 1880 census, living in Serena, LaSalle, Illinois, and traced the couple back through the 1860 census. By the 1900 census, Ellen was widowed, and she was traced through the 1920 census. Since I have them accounted for in all the applicable censuses, it appears that they may not have had any children, so tracking down a living relative may be somewhat difficult.
Josiah Bagley and Ellen Jones were married on 11 February 1856 in LaSalle County, Illinois. [1] From the censuses, it appears that Josiah was born about 1830 in Pennsylvania and Ellen was born about 1835 in Massachusetts. As asserted earlier, I do not believe they had any children. However, there were others living in their households in 1860, 1870, and 1880, as discussed below.
1860 Census [2]
In 1860, Josiah and Ellen were living in Adams, LaSalle, Illinois. Also recorded in their household were Lott? Larkin and Eugene Larkin, ages 19 and 17 respectively. Underneath their household is a listing for a Martha Bagley, age 59, born in New Jersey, with a Mathilda Bagley, age 17, born in Pennsylvania, also living in the household. Perhaps this is Josiah’s mother and sister. There are also additional Larkins on the same page.
1870 Census [3]
Josiah and Ellen are living in Serena, LaSalle, Illinois by 1870. Also listing in their household are Evangeline Terry, Daniel Meloy, and Andelia Hoxsey. Martha Bagley also appears later on the page, living in the household of Boardman? Parker, along with Matilda Parker. Both the information for Martha and Matilda are consistent with the information found in the 1860 census, indicating a strong possibility that they are the same women. A Matilda Bagley and Boardman E Parker were married on 15 March 1869 in LaSalle County. [4]
1880 Census [5]
Still living in Serena, Josiah and Ellen’s household also contains William Jones, David F. Jones, and James Jones, all listed as nephews, ages 14, 13, and 10 respectively. Assuming the relationship is correct, I suspect these children belong to a brother of Ellen (her maiden name is Jones).
Also important to note, is that the birthplace for Josiah’s mother is listed as New Jersey, which is the same birthplace listed for Martha Bagley in the 1860 and 1870 censuses, providing an even strong link suggesting they are mother and son. I did not see Martha Bagley or Matilda Parker in close proximity in this census.
1900-1920 Censes
Ellen is found as a widow in the 1900, 1910, and 1920 censuses, still residing in Serena, LaSalle, Illinois. There are not other persons living in her household in these years.
Additional Information
Ellen died on 27 December 1920 in Serena Twp, LaSalle, Illinois. [6] Since it is apparent that Josiah and Ellen had no children (or at least any that lived to adulthood), I figured I’d try to seek out Matilda, the presumed sister of Josiah. I was able to find her living in Harmon, Lee, Illinois in 1880, 1900, and 1910.
And wouldn’t you know, after all this research, I found a pretty good family tree on Ancestry, that answers the question as to whether Josiah and Matilda were brother and sister (and contained all of the information I acquired on my own!). It also appears that the tree owner may actually be a descendant of Matilda, so I have an email out to the owner to see if they are interested in the photos.
Sources
1. State of Illinois, “Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900,” database, Illinois State Archives (http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html : accessed 5 June 2010), Josiah Bagley and Ellen Jones (Vol. B, no. 2366).
2. 1860 U.S. census population schedule, Adams, LaSalle, Illinois, p. 178, dwelling 1297, family 1300, Josiah Bagley; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed 5 June 2010), citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M653, roll 196.
3. 1870 U.S. census population schedule, Serena, LaSalle, Illinois, p. 10, dwelling 62, family 65, Josiah Bagley; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : accessed February 12, 2010); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm M593, roll 244.
4. State of Illinois, “Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900,” database, Illinois State Archives (http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html : accessed 5 June 2010), Boardman E Parker and Matilda N Bagley (Vol. D, no. 173).
5. 1880 U.S. census population schedule, Serena, LaSalle, Illinois, enumeration district (ED) 89, p. 22, dwelling 204, family 204, name; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 224.
6. State of Illinois, “Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950,” database, Illinois State Archives (http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/departments/archives/databases.html), Ellen E Bagley (no. 0044826).
I hope you hear from a relative, some of them care, and some do not..I can find no rhyme or reason to it all.
These are great cabinet cards. At least you found out her real name instead of Mrs. Somebody..:)
I was doing a search on Serena, Illinois relatives and found your blog. Interestingly, the Bagleys had in their room a young man who married my 2nd great aunt, Ellen Elizabeth Riggs. I looked back at my records and notes on Eugene Larkin and I had him in the 1860 census “living as a farm laborer on the Bagley farm with his brother.”
How great to put a face to this history!
And just for interest, Ellen’s mother, Elizabeth Hadwan Cornell, lived in Serena when she died in 1864 — while her husband Isaac Riggs went off to goldmine in California (that’s where he appears in the 1860 census while Elizabeth is in Serena with the three younger children – Alfred who was killed in the Civil War in 1862, George who married Mary Fousby and had died in 1892 after having 4 children, and Ellen who was only 12 at the time. She was the only Riggs children born in Illinois, the three older boys were born in Rhode Island where the Cornell family lived. Oldest William went off to Kansas where he and his wife Ruth died in about 1876, orphaning their 5 children.
Thanks for a piece of my history!
Helen Schwartz
Bremerton, WA
These are truly beautiful picture.
And a very good family connecting threw the census. Good luck on your journey.
Wow, you really did a lot of research about them! Hope you have a great time blogging!