Part 827s – Smith Groh Genealogy – St. Thomas Family – 1885 State Census – Wisconsin

Good Day,

Well sometimes in the search and research of one’s ancestry and genealogy one may venture to make a logical decision. At this point in my research of the St. Thomas Family Line I can only look at and examine the facts that I have discovered. I have now discovered a page of the 1885 Wisconsin State Census which may or may not be accredited to gggg-grandfather Lawrence St. Thomas.

The page is the 6 June 1885 census of the Town of Gillett, in the County of Oconto, Wisconsin. The entry is for one Laurance St. Thomas. Accordingly there are five members living in the household: three males; and two females. The listing further indicates that four members of the St. Thomas family were born in British America and one in the United States. Is this the St. Thomas Family that I am researching?

Here are the facts:

1. From a number of Censuses, found to date, specific to our St. Thomas Family, from 1895 through 1930 it is certain that the St. Thomas Family lived in Marinette, Wisconsin.
2. GGGG-Grandfather’s name has been recorded as Lawrence and Laurence.
3. GGGG-Grandparents Lawrence and Marie (aka Mary) Louise and their two eldest children; ggg-grandmother Marie Louise and ggg-granduncle Joseph were born somewhere in Canada.
4. The eight remaining of the 10 children were all born in Wisconsin.
5. GGG-Granduncle McGuire (aka Maguire) St. Thomas, the third child and second son, was the first St. Thomas born circa February 1883 in Wisconsin.
6. GGG-Granduncle Dennis St. Thomas was born about October 1886 in Wisconsin.
7. The total number of St. Thomas family members living as of 6 June 1885 was five; 3 males and 2 females.
8. The total number of St. Thomas family members living as of 20 June 1895 was nine; 6 males and 3 females. (See Part 826s.)

Accordingly the Town of Gillett, Wisconsin is approximately 45 miles from the City of Marinette, Wisconsin. Today the distance by car would take about an hour. In about 1885 to 1895, it would take about 14/15 hours to walk the distance.

All-things-being-equal, at this point of my search and research I can logically hold that the 1885 Laurance St. Thomas of Gillett could and may be the 1895 Lawrence St. Thomas of Marinette. This decision can always change if I turn up and discover more and additional sources and documentation. I am not jumping to a certain conclusion… but I am definitely keeping my mind open.

Here is a copy of my highlighted image of the 1885 Wisconsin State Census, as downloaded from Family Search.org.

I have included my new and current Clooz 3.0 reporting – CUSWI000021.

And now to continue the search.

Enjoy,

Jim