Early this month, the 1940 US Federal Census data was released to the public.  Ancestry.com did an excellent job getting the images uploaded quickly and while the records have not all been keyed in for a search by name yet, it is not impossible to find who you are looking for if you know where to look.

Some of the first files to be completely uploaded were for the state of Indiana, just what I needed.  And using the street addresses from the 1930 census, I was able to browse the files, quickly searching each page for the street I was looking for.   It will help to find the Enumeration District if you know the cross-streets.

I was so happy to find my grandmother Christina Walters (Cipko).  I was surprised by how many family members were living together at the time- 12 in all.  Here is the image.

CIPKO/MATULIS

It took a little longer to find, but I browsed through Gary, Indiana and found my grandfather John Cipko.  Again I used the information from 1930 to find their street address.  Again the family is listed as Matulis, since my great-grandfather Kirilo Cipko changed his name to Michael or Mike Matulis.    I was very curious to find if the 1940 data would be able to answer some of my questions but I was left with even more.

Earlier this year, I had found my Mike and Mary Matulis gravestone in Portage, Indiana.  According to the stone, Mary died in 1942.  However, in the 1930 census it appears that Mike Matulis is “Wd”,  a widower.  This is written in very dark letters over a lighter “S”, single.  In 1940, it looks like he is “M”, married, but there is a strike through the letter.  My mysterious great grandmother Mary, is still a mystery.  My guess is possibly she was not a legal citizen.  I need to look more into the immigration laws at that time.  I know that Kirilo became a naturalized citizen in 1940.  Another possibility is that she was sick and in a hospital, but I will not be able to do a search until all the records are keyed in.  A third possibility is that she could have gone back to Poland.  I have more research to do.

One thing that I did find out from the new data is that my dad’s cousin Joan was going by the last name Cipko, her mother’s (Helen) name and not her father’s, who is unknown to me.  And my grandpa John is shown as Matulis, even though he has always gone by Cipko.  I did know that he dropped out of school after the 8th grade and this data backs that up.  I did not know that my great-grandfather had no schooling at all until now.  Here is the Census data for the Cipko/Matulis family.

One last thing, I have found something very curious in the 1925 Gary, Indiana City directory.  While there is a Michael and Mary Matulis listed at the known address on Georgia street, there is also listed a Karl and Mary Cipko a few blocks away.  I will look further into this, but I have up until this point not found a Karl Cipko in any of my searches and Karl is pretty close to Kirilo.  One more thing to look into.  Here are the pages from the 1925 city directory.

Phebe Rock and Josiah Davis Marriage Record

Phebe Rock and Josiah Davis Record

Josiah joined the Union Army and was part of the Wisconsin 3rd Calvary, company A.  On Aug 31, 1863, while preparing a road for his company’s crossing of the Meradison River in Missouri, a band of guerillas – Confederate soldiers in rebellion against the U.S.-  shot him through the body and killed him.  Phebe became a widow at 23 years old.

Capt of Company C gives an Account of Josiah Davis' Service

Phebe married her 2nd husband Franklin VanEaton in Faribault, Minnesota.  She was 26 years old when they married on May 1, 1866.  Together they had a daughter,  Effie Mae VanEaton, born on July 27, 1874.  Effie is my great-great grandmother.  Franklin died Dec 14, 1890, leaving Phebe a widow for the 2nd time at the age of 50.

Phebe Davis & Franklin Van Eaton Marriage License

On May 9, 1897 Phebe married her 3rd husband John Eason Sellers.  They had no children.   In 1910, they were living in Prosser, Washington.  John died November 19, 1914 leaving poor Phebe a 3x widow at the age of 75.

Phebe Van Eaton and John Sellers Marriage Record

After her third husband’s death, Phebe moved in with her daughter Effie and six years later on the 1920 US Census,  she is listed as living her son-in-law Clement B. Viles, her daughter Effie Viles, and their children, including my great-grandfather George Ernest Viles, Sr. who was 10 years old at that time.

Phebe developed severe Rheumatoid Arthritis that left her bed-ridden in her later years.   She had no other means of support and was trying to get her Civil War Pension reinstated.  Despite all the letters her daughter wrote to the government to reinstate her pension, Phebe was rejected due to being married one too many times.

Phebe's Rejection Letter 1917

Effie's Letter 14 Jun 1920, Page 1

Effie's Letter 14 Jun 1920, Page 2

Effie's Letter 14 Jun 1920, Page 3

Only after a new policy along with several letters from her daughter who never gave up her campaign, the aid of lawyers and even the Senator’s office writing letters on her behalf, was her pension reinstated on Jan 4, 1922.  According to the letter, a check would be mailed.  But I’m not sure she ever got that check, because on Jan 15, 1922 she passed away – only 11 days later.  In February of that year, her daugher Effie wrote a letter to the Pensions office to let them know not to bother sending the check  - she was dead.

Phebe's Widow Pension Reinstated

Effie's Final Letter to the Pension Office

It is sad to think that Phebe suffered as an invalid for so many years, but I also have to feel that she had the support of her family, especially her daughter.  There were over 150 pages of correspondence, sworn affidavits, and applications in the pension file for Josiah Davis.

John, Dorothy (Mike or Gary?) at the home on Pierce Ave.

Two Children Hurled, Six Hurt in Crash

Six persons, including two Lakewood children, were injured Saturday afternoon in a four-car smashup near San Pedro.  The children were hurled from the auto in which they were riding, and police said two of the vehicles involved collided to avoid running over the youngsters.

One of the drivers, Clyde Oliphant, 39, of 1204 White Marsh St., Compton, was arrested by San Pedro police on suspicion of felony drunk driving.  He was treated at San Pedro Receiving for abrasions.

The youngsters, Michael, 2 and Dorothy Cipko, 4, children of John Cipko, 39, of 4929 Pierce Ave., escaped with bruises.

Police said the accident started when cars driven by Oliphant and James H. Peebles, 429 W. Denni St., Wilmington, collided on Wilmington-San Pedro Rd.

The Oliphant car, police said, bounced off and then was in collision with one driven by William Faber, 27, of 6227 Keynote St., Lakewood.  Cipko and his two children were in the Fabor car,  police said.

Investigating officers reported that the auto driven by Edward G. Potter Jr., 236 W. 17th St., San Pedro, swerved to miss the two children, lying on the pavement and struck the Fabor vehicle.

Cipko suffered cuts and bruises.  Fabor received a broken nose and facial cuts.  Peebles and Potter both escaped injury.

A passenger with Oliphant, T.A. Brewer, 27, also of the 1204 White Marsh St., Compton, received face and head cuts.

Shortly before the four-car accident, four Compton and South Gate Sea Scouts figured in a spectacular traffic incident almost at the same location.

All escaped with minor cuts and bruises.  None was hospitalized.

San Pedro police said the youth’s car, with Charles McCollum, 17, of 11412 S. Bahama Ave., Compton, at the wheel, veered off the highway, smashed down a signpost, hipped out a wire fence and overturned.

With McCollum, police said, were Russell Harrell, 17, of 1325 Stoneacre Ave., Compton; Jim Wilson, 14, of 1804 Diane Dr., Compton, and Bill Bammer, 17, of 3719 Liberty Blvd., South Gate.

John Cipko

This is not how I pictured things going down from the stories I was told.  In my head, the kids were older when they “fell” out of the car.  I always imaged them dusting themselves off and getting back in the car and laughing about it.  Now that I know my aunt Dorothy was 4 and my dad was only 2 at the time, I am relieved that nobody was seriously injured.

George Washington Walters (1886 – 1950) & Eva Marie Bierle (1891 – 1952):

1. Elizabeth 1913 – 1940

2. Anna 1915 – 2002

3. Frank Paul 1917 – 1975

4. Christina 1919 – 2004

5. Alice 1921 – 2012

6. George 1923 – 1956

7. Simon Peter 1926 – 2004

8. Susan Dorothy 1928 – 1990

9. Elsie Theresa 1930 – 2006

It was a typical Sunday afternoon and my dad says to me, “By the way, I am having a party for our anniversary next Saturday and I might need to you to help decorate…but I don’t know where we are having it yet.”  Are you kidding me.  There was no way we were going to put together a party in less than a week.

“How many people are you planning to invite?” I asked him in disbelief.  ”About 30,” he says.  Then I proceeded to lecture him about giving people more than a week’s notice to RSVP.  Did he really think that all those people were going to have a nothing planned on a Saturday?

I stressed out over this for a couple days, suggesting places he could call on short notice.  He began calling around to invite people.  I don’t know what we were thinking.  Then it all worked out in the end because my mom, who didn’t know we what we were up to, suggested we go to Medieval Times.  2 coupons later and we had a group of 18 friends and family that showed up to celebrate with us.  We ate with our fingers and cheered on our yellow knight.  Everyone had a great time and the kids loved it.

Of course, they butchered our name when they pronounced it…somehow adding an ‘s’ sound to the end.  Mom and Dad thought this was funny since the same thing happened years ago when they were there for one of the their earlier anniversaries.

Happy 35 Years Mom & Dad.  I wish you many more!!!

More pictures to follow.

Mike & Tammy Cipko - 35th Anniversary

Kelly & Michael - Mom & Dad's Anniversary

For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

2 Corinthians 5:1

My great-grandfather is listed as Kirilo Cipko on the SSDI.  I knew that he also went by the name Mike…but was still shocked when I got my results back.  About six weeks after I mailed off my request, I found a letter from the Social Security Administration in my mailbox.  It had been so long, I forgot all about it and wondered what they could be sending me.  I was sent a form letter notifying me that under the Freedom of Information Act, I was entitled to a copy of the original application for a Social Security number for the individual, as requested.  Yes!!  Along with the letter was a very good photocopy of the application, signed by my ancestor.   The crazy thing is that he filled out and signed the application Mike Cipke.  And I almost cried when I saw that I now had the names of his parents – Nick and Anna Cypke.  Here it is in all its glory:

Postcard front

The family pictured is unknown, but possibly Bashors, Bells or Zinks.  The boy on the far right is about the correct age to be Ralph Bashor, my great-grandfather, but I have no pictures of him when he is young to match it against.  The back of the postcard gave me more clues that helped me fill in some of the family tree.

Back of Postcard to Mrs Cassie Zink, Neosho Falls KS

It reads: Dear Sister Hope you and all of the rest or well I hope Pap is getin better.  Jake got home all OK he said for you to send the picture he left u him you sent the other Wright soon so now good by,  Carrie Bashor.

Mrs Cassie Zink, Neosho Falls, Kansas

The postcard is written by Carrie (Bell) Bashor who was married to Jacob Bashor.  These are my great-great grandparents.  She was writing to Cassie Zink, Jake’s sister (maiden name: Nancy Catherine Bashor).  In 1885 Jake Bashor lived in Neosho Falls, Kansas, but by the time of the 1905 Kansas State Census the family was living in Florence, Kansas.

That brings me to the 2nd postcard.

Old Schriver Mill, Run by Mr. Bashor, Florence, Ks.

This postcard was not filled out or sent like the other, but someone wrote on the back:  Old Schriver Mill, Run by Mr. Bashor, Florence, Ks.

Back of Postcard, Schriver Mill

I did an internet search to find out more about this mill, but it took some research to figure out which mill this is.  It seems that their were quite a few Bashor’s that were into Milling at that time and the Schriver family also owned a few mills in the area.  The first mill that I found that I thought could be a possibility was the Drinkwater & Schriver Flour Mill.  It is on the Cottonwood river in Cedar Point, Kansas, a short distance from Florence.   but pictures I found online did not resemble this photo at all.  Since the mill pictured says it is from Florence, I searched harder.  Since the family was supposed to be in Florence at the time, I checked the 1905 Kansas State Census again and this is what I found.

1905 Florence, KS State Census

Living right next to Jake Bashor’s family is P.D. Schriver and his wife Alice.   I had found some information on the Schriver’s.  At one time Peter Paul Schriver owned three mills in the Cottonwood valley.  One was the Drinkwater & Schriver Flour Mill in Cedar Point that I mentioned previously.  He also purchased the Florence Mills, which he turned over to his son, Paul D. Schriver.

The Florence Mill was built by James Graham in May 1874.  At the time the Schriver family owned it, Peter Schriver also constructed the first Cedar Point phone line that went from his mills in Cedar Point to his mills in Florence.

In 1907 Peter Schriver died in a railroad accident.  In 1911 Jacob Bashor died.  His wife Carrie died in 1918.  The mill remained in operation until 1919, when it burned in a fire.

Other Bashor Mills

When I was searching for the Florence Mill, I tried an internet search for “Bashor Mill” that showed to be very interesting.  There are some Bashor’s Mills that show up in Washington County, Tennessee.  Since our Bashor line came through Washington County, I had to check out those mills as well.

The first is the Bashor Mill in Johnson City, Tennessee.  Also known as the Knobb Creek Mill, this mill was built by Henry Bashor in 1832.  It is on the National Register of Historic Places.   Henry Bashor is the Uncle of our William Bashor born in VA in 1840, brother to Benjamin “Bence” Bashor.  Henry then moved to Missouri, where he built another mill in Whitesville in 1871, but he sold it by 1877.

The other mill that I found was the Bashor Mill at Broylesville, Tennessee.  This mill was operated by the Michael Bashor family between 1869 and 1872.  In 1872 Michael Bashor sold his interest in the mill and the family moved to Colorado.  Michael Bashor is possibly our William Bashor’s brother.  He was born in 1830 in VA and in the 1850 US Census is living at the same residence with our William Bashor.  William was 10 and Michael was 19 and listed as a farmer.  

On many of the Census records I have looked at for the Bashor’s in this area, the men are either listed as Farmers or Millers.

One last thing I found was an article from the Apr 27, 1888 edition of The Northwest Miller, Vol. 25.  It is a short entry, “Bashor & Sons will build a mill at Helmick.”  Helmick is in Morris County, Kansas.  But I could not find any more information on this mill or the Bashor’s associated with it. 

Nov 6, 1737 Joseph Viles was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Joseph and Sarah (Wales) Viles.  Joseph married Hannah Horton in 1765 and two years later in 1767 he moved from Milton to Orland, Maine.  He built the first framed house in Orland in 1777, just a year after our Declaration of Independence from the British Empire.  A history of Orland milestones that I read once attributed the name of the town to Joseph Viles, saying the settler discovered an oar on the banks and came up with the name Orland.  It was previously called Eastern River Township #2.

Joseph Viles was the 3rd setter of Orland, Joseph Gross being the 1st.  The framed house that Viles built was used for town meetings until the schoolhouse was built in 1804.  That house was still standing as of 2004.

2.  From Orland to Industry

Joseph and Sarah’s son, Joseph Viles was born in 1770 in Orland, Maine.  I found a great old book from a used book store with a write up of this Joseph Viles.  The book is History of the Town of Industry by William Collins Hatch (1893 Farmington, Maine).

Industry Book

Joseph married Sarah Hancock (b. 1772).  They moved their family from Orland, Maine as early as 1811 and were early settlers in New Vineyard.  In 1844 they moved to the town of Industry, Maine.   They had 11 children.

Sarah Hancock’s history can be traced back to the “Four Hancock brothers” who immigrated to America and the great number of Hancocks descended from.  The most famous, John Hancock, is a 2nd cousin.  Nathan Hancock, one of the four brothers was Sarah’s great grandfather.

3. From Maine to Wisconsin

In 1787 the US Constitution was adopted and our first president George Washington took office from 1789-1797.  Alfred Viles, son of Joseph and Sarah (Hancock) Viles was born in 1797 just at the end of Washington’s term in office.  Alfred was born in Orland.  He married Thankful Norton in Industry.

Alfred moved west and settled in Richmond, Walworth County, Wisconsin. His son,  Benjamin Warren Viles would later join him.  But Benjamin didn’t stop there.

Benjamin W Viles (1831-1908)

4. From Wisconsin to Minnesota to Washington

The story of Benjamin W. Viles is told in great detail by an article in the Prosser Bulletin from Sept. 30, 1908.

Benjamin Viles

A Much Respected Citizen Passes Away

Benjamin W. Viles, old soldier and well known resident, answers the final call.

Died at Prosser, Washington, at 12:30 a.m. Saturday, September 26, 1908.  Benjamin W. Viles, aged 77 years, after an acute illness which began Thursday morning, the funeral was held at 2 o’clock Sunday afternoon from the M E church, Rev. Rounds officiating, and services called out so many friends that the building was filled to capacity.  Pallbearers were furnished by his comrades in the Grand Army Post, and the impressive ceremonies of that rapidly diminishing order were held at the grave at the Prosser cemetary.

Benjamin W. Viles was born in New Vineyard (now Anson), Maine, July 9, 1831.  On the day he was 18 years old, July 9, 1849, he started West, traveling by way of Chicago to Racine, Wisconsin, where his father Alfred Viles, Sr., was a pioneer settler.  On the 9th of May, 1853, he married Emily Rock, whose parents had removed from New York to Wisconsin in 1839.

In 1856, with his wife and two children, Mr. Viles removed to the town of Bridgewater, Rice County, Minnesota, and ten years later, to Osakis, Douglas County in the same state.  He enlisted August, 1862, in Company C of the Minnesota Volunteer Infantry.  A few days later, before the command had been formally mustered in to the United States service it was armed with such weapons as the government had at hand and rushed up the Minnesota River as far as a steamer could carry it and sent against the Indian forces which had been slaughtering white settlers in the southern portion of the state.  After reaching Fort Ridgely, details from the regiment were sent out to bury the victims of the Indian massacre near New Ulm and on Sunday and Monday they found and buried the mutilated bodies of 68 persons: men, women and children.  Monday night the detail camped at Birch Coulee, and early Tuesday morning they were surprised and attached by a large body of Indians.  In this attack, before he could get out of his tent, Mr. Viles received a bullet along the back, as he was stooping, and it was struck by two more bullets while lying under a wagon.  He staggered out and dragged back three sacks of oats to pile up for a shield against the Indian fire, the last sack having three bullets in it when he finally had it placed.  The wound in his back troubled him as long as he lived, and he carried the bullet to his grave.

The campaign against the savages lasted until the latter part of December, with more or less skirmishing.  At that time Mr. Viles, who because of his wounds had been detailed a cook in October, was given a furlough and went home.  Exposure to extreme winter weather, without a tent, had aggravated his trouble.  He rejoined his company at Gleneoa, where it had gone into winter quarters, and about the middle of February the troops were removed to Fort Snelling.  At that post Mr. Viles was discharged for disability in March, 1863, the regiment subsequently going south and participating in many of the stirring events of the war.  He was but a shadow of his former self, and from that time forward was practically a physical wreck.

In the fall of 1887, they came to Prosser and settled on what is now the A.P. Knapp place, a mile east of town.  They erected a board shanty 12 feet by 16 feet in dimensions, and “shingled it with big tin oil cans” brought from Walla Walla.  Here they established a home, and began to see something in the future besides the terrible trials and hardships which had been their experience for years.  This place was sold some years later, and taking his family and a portion of his belongings, Mr. Viles moved to a half section of land he had purchased in the Rattlesnakes.  With the advancing years he found ranch life too heavy for his strength, and returned to Prosser in 1903, building and occupying the brick house in which he passed away, at the end of Sherman Avenue.  The comfort he and his family enjoyed in the few years since that time were earned by half a century of previous toil and struggle.  Coming to Washington lengthened the life of Mr. Viles more than a score of years.  Though never very strong after coming here, he had little of his old trouble until the winter of 1906-7 when an attack of grip gave him a set-back from which he never recovered.  He and his wife passed most of the summer of this year with their son Warren at Cove, Oregon, and returned but a short time ago greatly benefited.  A sudden cold, contracted a few days before his death, hastened the end for one of the most patient sufferers who ever lived.  While in an almost unconscious condition, a few hours before his death, he spoke of his mother and brother, Alfred, both of whom passed beyond the veil many years ago.

To Mr. and Mrs. Viles were born eight children, of whom six survive.  These were all with him at the end except Warren, the oldest son, who was delayed on his way from Oregon and reached his side two hours too late.  The living children are Mrs. Anice M Lyons, of the Rattlesnakes; Mrs. Alice M Rogers of Puyallup, Washington; Warren S of Cove, Oregon; John Alfred, Clement B and George H of Prosser.  There are also 30 living grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren.

Eugene F Garner, of this city, is a nephew, and Mrs. P. A. Durant, a niece of the deceased.  The family desires to express it’s heartfelt gratitude to many friends who came forward in the hour of bereavement.  They especially wish to thank those who deprived themselves of such flowers as the frosts had left that those beautiful token of love might not be missing, and to the minister, the choir and the members of the Methodist Church.

It should bee noted in closing that in his earlier years Mr. Viles was an exhorter of no mean ability in the church of that denomination, and was a faithful attendant upon its services until the infirmities of age prevented him from hearing sufficiently well to understand the words spoken from the pulpit.  He was a man who made friends everywhere, who would never knowingly commit wrong, and who lived true to the land and as a father he was all that could be, never sparing himself if by any effort or sacrifice his family could be the gainers.  As a friend, he was true to death, and to this fact the attendance of so many at his funeral was conclusive testimony.  The sermon by Rev. Mr. Rounds, coming from an entire stranger and based on what few notes could be furnished, was a fine tribute to the memory of a good man.

Pliny A. Durant

Source: Prosser Bulletin

Prosser, Benton County, Washington

September 30, 1908

Sent in by : Pam Dollarhide

4.  From Washington to California

The Civil War Soldier Benjamin and wife Emily (Rock) Viles had a son Clement Benjamin Jan 17, 1872 while in Osakis, Minnesota.  In 1892, at age 20 Clement married Effie Mae Van Eaton in Washington.  The couple moved to Oregon for a time and back to Washington, where my great grandfather, George Ernest Viles, Sr. was born Mar 17, 1909 in Prosser.  Clement died in Glendale, California in 1927.  After his death, Effie returned to Washington where she died in 1943.

Older siblings of George E. Viles, Sr. (not pictured)

My great grandfather George married Grace Frances Wilson in 1929 in Los Angeles, California.  She passed away in 1996 and he followed her home in 2003.  Most of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren remain near the Los Angeles area to this day.  If it wasn’t for the courage and determination of our ancestors, I doubt we would be here.

Me, Grace and George E Viles, My Brother (approx 1990)

George and Grace Viles 60th Anniversary