Waltman Family Tree
(or at least part of our branch)

Last Updated 6/25/02

 

Some of the images on this page (mostly the 1900 Census forms) are TIFF's which are generally quite large (150-200K) and may take a while to load on a dialup connection You may also require a special view to view them. (If you are prompted to save, do so and use an external viewer).

We pick up our story in Poplar Bluff (Butler County) Missouri in June of 1900.

The Census Form shows Mary A. Waltman (the widow of George) living with a bit of an extended family (census form here, a TIFF)

  • Mary A, born Mar, 1846, widowed. Has had 12 children, 7 of which are still living
  • John, son, born Mar 1873, single. Factory laborer
  • Elvis, son, born Sept. 1879, single, Factory laborer
  • Walter L., son, born Jan 1887
  • Margaret, daughter, born Sept. 1866, widowed (Cannot make out husbands name)
  • Emeet?, grandson (Margaret's son), born Apr. 1894
  • William, grandson (Margaret's son), born Apr. 1896

The seven children living poses a question. Which ones were these? From the family bible and other evidence, we know about:

  • Margaret, b. 9/7/1866
  • Harlan M. b. 9/18/186?
  • John F. b 3/5/1871
  • Elvis M. b. 9/28/1879
  • Walter L. b 1/27/1887

Some people remember a Henry Waltman, which could be William Henry, b. 10/12/186?

That makes 6. There is a George A. listed in the bible, born 11/23/1877. Also in Butler County (Ash Hill Township) is a George Waltman of the proper age. (See the form here). The only discrepancy is this George has his father born in Missouri while the ones above all have their father born in Pennsylvania. However, I have noticed a similar discrepancy many other times, so this may be our guy. He lists as family (census for here, a TIFF):

  • Maggie, wife, b. July 1880, 2 children, 2 living
  • Tracie, daughter b. Aug. 1896
  • Lidia?, daughter b. May 1900 (1 month old!)

An "Aunt Maggie" is remembered by some, this could be her. So I'll count the George as one of us.

That leaves as not surviving:

  • Americus, b. 1/29/1863?
  • James B., b. 2/4/1873
  • Mary L., b. 2/7/1875
  • Clara E.(Elizabeth?) b. 1/30/1882
  • Grover Cleveland, b. 10/4/1885

I did find a Grover C. Waltman of the proper age living in NY in the 1920 census, but he said he was born in PA, so that is probably not him. There were probably lots of children named "Grover Cleveland" at the time. Which makes you wonder how many children these days are named "Bill Clinton Smith" or "George Bush Jones?"

Moving ahead to 1920 we find:

In West Helena, Phillips County, AR, Elvis and family (census form here)

  • Elvis M., listed as being born in Indiana, along with both of his parents. This I don't understand unless the census taker made a mistake.
  • Sarah, wife, age 35. Born in PA, parents born in Germany(?). Again this doesn't jive with was is remembered, but at this point I don't trust the census taker.
  • Paul, son, age 13 (born in Missouri)
  • Roy, son, age 11 (born in Missouri)

In Poplar Bluff, Butler County, MO we find Harlen's family, living with his wife's sister, Margaret Wright (census form here):

  • Mary Waltman, sister (of Margaret, the head), age 43?
  • Elmer H., nephew, age 11 (born in Missouri)
  • Leslie A., nephew, age 10 (born in Arkansas)
  • Helen T., niece, age 6 (born in Arkansas)

In Leslie, Searcy County, AR we find a John Waltman (census for here):

  • John, age 47, but he lists is father as being from Germany and is mother from Pennsylvania, which doesn't jive with our John F.
  • Bertie, wife, age 30
  • Ira, son, age 7
  • Elmer, son, age 1 month!
  • Allie Hicks(?), stepdaughter, age 13.

Normally, I would say this was probably not our John, except I found another web site of somebody's family tree (see it here) that lists this John's birthdate as 3/5/1871, exactly matching the family bible. So for now I am putting it down to another confused census taker.

As a footnote, here are a couple of census forms of folks that have the correct names and ages, but I don't think are close relatives, but may be descended from George2 on the Pennsylvania Page.

  • William Waltman, age 53 in 1920 in Endicot, Broome County, NY (census form here) with son Claude and married daughter Lottie Gee.
  • Henry Waltman, age 53 in 1920 in North York, York County, PA (census form here) . He is living as a border in Danial Whitman's house.
  • Gover C. Waltman, age 24 in 1910 in Quarryville(?), Lancaster County, PA (census form here) living with his wife, Minnie.