Part 707p – Smith Groh Genealogy – The Mystery of Brayton C. Placeway – 1920 US Census – Some Confusion?

Good Day,

Following up with my genealogy search and the mystery of ggg-grandfather Brayton C. Placeway I now move from 17 November 1917 to 9 January 1920. The 17 November 1917 date is the reference to the newspaper clipping regarding his request for a divorce from his second wife, Johanna (née Plischke). See my Posting Part 697p for the details.

We now move forward to the registration of the 14th Census of the United States on 9 January 1920. According to the actual page of the 1920 US Census ggg-grandfather Brayton C. Placeway is now living at 173 Chestnut Street in Wauwatosa City, in the County of Milwaukee, in the State of Wisconsin.

He is living with his first wife ggg-grandmother Mary (née Seigel) and their two children; gg-grandmother Eideth (aka Edith) and gg-granduncle Robert. The house and residence is actually owned by his in-laws gggg-grandparents Charles and Ulricha (née Manthye) Seigel. Also in the house are ggg-grandmother Mary’s two brothers and one sister; ggg-granduncles Walter E. and Arthur R, and ggg-grandaunt Helen J.

Here are the listed residents at 173 Chestnut Street –

Charles Seigel – Head – Age: 74 years
Ulricha Seigel – Wife – Age: 58 years
Walter E. Seigel – Son – Age: 24 years
Arthur R. Seigel – Son – Age: 21 years
Helen J. Seigel – Daughter – Age: 19 years
Brayton Placeway – Son in law – Age: 31 years
Mary Placeway – Daughter – Age: 29 years
Eideth Placeway – Grandaughter – Age: 10 years
Robert Placeway – Grandson – Age: 3 5/12 years

And now for the bit of confusion. GG-Granduncle Robert, ggg-grandparents Brayton and Mary (née Seigel) Placeway’s son was born about July 1916. GGG-Grandfather Brayton’s notice for divorce from his second wife Johanna (née Plischke) was published in The Flint Daily Journal on 17 November 1917. (See Part 697p.)

The timing of events seems to be somewhat puzzling. But it is not necessarily the above-mentioned birth and divorce dates that are confusing. What I have not been able to find, at this point in my search and research, is documentation that ggg-grandfather Brayton ever divorced and re-married his first wife, ggg-grandmother Mary (née Seigel), who he had married initially on 9 September 1908. (See Part 675ps.)

A quick summary of dates and events concerning this period of ggg-grandfather Brayton’s life are:

9 Sep 1908 – Married 1st wife, ggg-grandmother Mary (née Seigel) in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin

22 Jul 1909 – Birth of daughter, gg-grandmother Edith (née Placeway) in Pinckney, Michigan

Circa Nov 1914 – Married 2nd wife, Fraulein Johanna (née Plischke) of Austria

Circa Feb 1915 – Returns with 2nd wife, Fraulein Johanna (née Plischke) to New York

9 Jul 1916 – Birth of son, Robert Arthur Placeway in, as indicated in some records, Cook County, Illinois

17 Nov 1917 – Notification of divorce proceedings against his 2nd wife Fraulein Johanna (née Plischke) issued in Flint, Michigan

9 Jan 1920 – Living with 1st wife, ggg-grandmother Mary, his two children and his Seigel in-laws in Wauwatosa City, Wisconsin

Did ggg-grandparents Brayton and Mary (née Seigel) Placeway ever divorce before ggg-grandfather married his 2nd wife Johanna (née Plischke) of Austria? That is my question. I will keep looking.

I will soon be updating the Brayton C. Placeway Life Timeline. Stay tuned.

Enjoy,

Jim