Marilyn's Maternal Grandfather - Stephen Francis Abroe

My Mother’s grandfather was Stephen Francis Abroe. She called him Grandpa Steve.

Stephen Francis Abroe was born on June 12, 1890, in Sheridan, Sioux County, Iowa. His father was Julius Oliver Abroe and his mother was Sarah Catherine Green. Julius and Sarah had six children and Stephen was their first. Julius was 22 and Sarah was 21 when Stephen was born.

The 1895 Iowa Census enumerates Stephen as 4 years old and living with his parents in Hull, Iowa.

The 1900 US Census enumerates Stephen living with his family and he is 9 years old. They are living in Capel, Iowa.

The Abroe family, taken about 1900. From left to right: Ervin Hamlin, Sarah Catherine, Stephen Francis, Vida Viola, Julius Oliver, and Laurence Eugene.

In the 1905 Minnesota Census, Stephen is 15 and living with his family in West Minneapolis, Minnesota.

On Dec 29, 1908, at age 18, Stephen married Mildred Jeanette Tesrow, who is 20 years old.

Their marriage is recorded on December 29, 1908, in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Below is the record of their marriage.

Stephen and Mildred had two children, Joyce Mildred, born in January of 1910 in Mankato, Minnesota, and Edmund Frances, born in March of 1912 in Sioux City, Iowa.

In the April 1910 US Census, Stephen is 19, a wage earner in a shop, working as a boilermaker. He lived with his parents and siblings in Dayton, Hennepin County, Minnesota. Julius is a farmer on a farm he owns.

Curiously, I cannot find any census data for Mildred or baby Joyce. Stephen and Mildred were married in 1908, so why is Stephen listed on the 1910 Census as single, and living with his parents? Since Joyce was born in Mankato, is it possible they lived apart and Stephen worked in Minneapolis? It’s still curious that I can’t find any census data for Mildred and Joyce.

1915 - Railroad Employment records show Stephen living and working in Jamestown, North Dakota. Mildred was working at the Railroad Dining house.

June 1917 - Stephen registers for the draft and indicates his residence as 1033 West Main Street, Jamestown, Stutsman County, North Dakota. His physical build is medium, height is medium, hair color is brown and eye color is grey.

This is an application for employment as a boilermaker for the Railroad from September 30, 1919.

Sadly, Stephen's wife, Mildred died on Oct 25, 1919, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She died on consumption of the lungs, or Tuberculosis.

In the 1920 US Census, taken on January 15, Stephen is enumerated as 32 years old, (actually, he is 30), single, and lodging at First Avenue, Two Harbors, Minnesota. The home is owned by Charles Nordstrom, who is a Swedish Carpenter. Stephen is working as a boilermaker. (Remember, at this time, Joyce and Ed lived with Stephen’s father, Julius in Barron, Wisconsin.)

In May of 1920, Stephen married Florence May Ross. They moved to Livingston, Montana.

Florence had been married before and her husband, who also worked for the Railroad, died of Scarlet Fever. Florence packed his blankets into a trunk and didn't open it again until after her marriage to Stephen. Florence had a miscarriage, and two days later a rash appeared. Florence had developed scarlet fever from the blankets in the trunk. Florence died six weeks after marrying Stephen, on June 9, 1920. Florence is buried at Crystal Lake Cemetary in Minneapolis.

1923 - US City Directory for Minneapolis Stephen is listed as living at 2219 Avenue South in Minneapolis, and working as a boilermaker.

In the 1930 US Census taken on April 13, Stephen is enumerated as 35 years old, (actually, he is 40). He is single and lodging at a house of the VonBerg family on 53rd Street in Minneapolis, MN. He is working as a Roundhouse foreman for the Steam Railroad.

Family records tell us that Stephen married Mable Letitia Nason in 1930, however, I have been unable to find a marriage record.

Mable had been previously married to Sydney Woosley and had one daughter named Phyllis, born in 1922.

The 1940 US Census taken on April 14, enumerates Stephen as 49. and lived in a house he owns on Twenty-ninth Avenue South in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is working as a sales manager. He is married to Mabel, age 46. Mabel's daughter Phyllis, age 18, and Jessie Nason, Mabel's mother, also lived with them.

In 1942, Stephen registered for the draft and listed his address as 2946 Locust in Minneapolis.

I learned from my Aunt Barb, that Stephen and Mabel moved to Medford, Oregon in the 1940s.

In the 1950 US Census, Stephen was 59 years old and lived at East Third Street in Long Beach, California. He is living "downstairs" in this house and unable to work. Also on the Census, it is noted that in the year before the Census, Stephen moved from Jackson, Oregon.

I know that Mabel didn’t die until 1881, So I did some more digging and found her in the 1950 Census, living alone at 255 Benits Street in Los Angeles, California. Her marital status was noted as married.

Stephen died on December 1, 1954. His address is listed as 2226 Faust Avenue in Long Beach, California. This death notice was in the Minneapolis Paper.

Stephen is buried somewhere in California. If anyone knows where, please let me know.

Learning from the past can forever alter how you see yourself.

If you still have Grandparents, ask them about their life experiences - and get details! Or, ask your parents to tell you stories about their grandparents.

Sharing stories is one of life’s treasures!