HAMILTON, Alice

ELDRIDGE, HEPNER, SCHROEDER, HARTER, COOLBAUGH, RODDEWIG, BEEKMAN, HAMILTON

Posted By: Carol Bawden (email)
Date: 8/9/2007 at 15:07:41

ELDRIDGE, Willard B. (Joseph H.4, John M.3, Josiah2, William1) born 20 December 1877 in Davenport, Scott County, IA.

He worked with his father Joseph and brother Harry as a hostler (groomer) in the family livery business, Joe Eldridge & Son Livery Co. at 3rd & Perry Sts.

After his father's death 26 September 1907 in Davenport, Willard and Harry continued to work as teamsters for Davenport hauling companies.

On 1 April 1901, Willard and Anna HEPNER were married by a justice of the peace in Davenport. Anna was born ca 1876 in Davenport, dtr of Henry and Louise SCHROEDER HEPNER. (no disposition of this marriage).

About 1905, Willard married Mary Anna COOLBAUGH, born ca 1875 to Michael and Abigail (no maiden) COOLBAUGH of Burlington, Des Moines County, IA.

Willard and Mary Anna are listed with Alice, age 13, whose relationship is listed as "stepdaughter" in the 1910 Iowa federal census.

According to Alice [Alice Eldridge Hamilton of Davenport - Feb 1985]: she was discovered in 1897 as an infant under the seat of a railroad car with a laudaman-filled nipple in her mouth. Alice married David HARTER of Davenport. After her father's death in 1925, she and Mary Anna moved to Waterloo, Black Hawk County, IA. (No disposition of Harter marriage)

In 1927, a notice in the Davenport Democrat asked the whereabouts of the baby left under the seat of a train in 1897. The article instructed contacting Mayor Roddewig of Davenport. Alice was directed to Mr. Beekman in Petersburg, Menard County, IL. She visited Mr. Beekman and corresponded with him for many years. However, the relationship of the baby on the train was not made known to Alice. As of February 1985, she is married to Leonard Hamilton and living in Davenport.

Willard died 31 October 1925 at age 48 of a stroke and is buried in Davenport's Oakdale Memorial Gardens Sec 12 Lot 34. Willard and Mary Anna attended Trinity Episcopal Cathedral. Davenport city directories list Mary as a cook in the Ozark Cafe in 1928. After that, her name is no longer found in local resources.

I went to the SSDI and found 7 Alice Hamiltons.

The fifth was born 30 July 1889 and died September 1972. Tabor, Fremont County, IA was last residence. Her SSN 481-38-4970 was issued in Iowa. I figure her birth might have been estimated by Anna or any survivors.

Could someone look up her obit and tell me if this might be a match?

I am a dues-paying member of Scott County Genealogy Society and would love to do any of your group a favor.

My info comes from a hardbound genealogy study that my uncle, John Duvall "Tim" Bawden requested of Alice Richardson Sloane, CG, and printed by Decorah's Anundsen Pub Co. in 1986.