Donald Armstrong (1891 - 1967)

Born 6 Sep 1891 in Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Laura (Pierson) Armstrong — married 13 Mar 1915 in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States

Husband of Sarah Ann (Dodson) Armstrong — married 8 Jan 1928 in Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Descendants

Died 22 Sep 1967 at age 76 in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kathy Zipperer [send private message]

Biography

In the 1940 census, Donald Armstrong listed that he was the Proprietor of a lunch room in Montgomery County, Maryland.^[1] The lunchroom was likely located in Silver Spring, Maryland, close to where the Armstrong family lived. Dorean remembers going to the "restaurant" where her dad worked as a young child.^[2] It was only after the census became available that the lunch room was mentioned.^[2] Dorean remembers the lunch room as a kind of meat & three with a counter for sitting and ordering.^[2] Shortly after, Don Armstrong worked for the War Department in Washington, D. C. and his family (Sallie, Dorean, Henry and Raymond) went to live with his wife's sister Florrie Comley and all the Comley clan in upstate New York.^[2][3] After World War II, Donald Armstrong and family settled in Cincinnati, Ohio.^[2]

Memories of Grandpa Armstrong and food are fuzzy. I only remember him heating "mush" on a stove. Grandma Armstrong was the cook in the house, making Grandpa a separate meal because he was a self-proclaimed vegetarian. He actually ate fish on a regular basis..^[4] A typical meal in the morning would be corn meal mush (something akin to polenta pressed into a loaf pan and sliced and then fried in fat), eggs over easy or medium, and a cup of coffee. For a snack, Grandpa loved Swiss cheese, which I took as a personal challenge to love. If around the house in the afternoon, I would go downstairs to Grandpa and Grandma's kitchen and sit at the table with Grandpa. There, I would be given a slice of Swiss cheese which I disliked intensely. I would sit there and eat it because Grandpa loved it and I wanted to also.^[4]

Donald Armstrong who had diabetes mellitus (before 1960), died after several heart attacks and a stint in hospital on September 22, 1967.^[5] Grandma found him slumped over in a chair in the kitchen of their apartment. ^[4]

Notes

Draft: Marine motor assembler, Scripp Marine Motor Co. Claims exemption from draft based on dependents, wife and 1-1/2 boy and religion. Medium height, slender, Lit blue eyes, brown hair, not bald.^[6]

Draft II: 812 Thayer Ave. Silver Spring, Maryland. Employed by War Department, Railroad Equipment Unit. Washington DC. 5'5". 160lbs, Hazel eyes, brown hair, light complexion. ^[7]

Census Notes

1900 Census: Washington City, Washington, District of Columbia^[8]

Samuel M Armstrong Head M 50 Ohio, November 1850, Married 20 years Commercial traveller, machines OH, OH, VA

Elizabeth M Armstrong Wife F 48 Ohio, November 1852, Married 20 years, 5 children born, 5 living OH, VA, OH

Orus M Armstrong Son M 16 California, Jan. 1884, At school

Gina B Armstrong Daughter F 11 California, Aug. 1888, At school

George E Armstrong Son M 10 Indiana, Oct. 1889, At school

Donald P Armstrong Son M 8 Indiana, Sept. 1891, At school

Ullbath Armstrong Son M 3 District Of Columbia, Feb. 1897

1910 Census: Columbus, Ward 3, Franklin County, Ohio^[9]

Samule M Armstrong Head M 58 Ohio Married 30 years, OH, NJ, MD Commercial traveler, Adding machines

Elizabeth M Armstrong Wife F 56 Ohio married 30 years, 5 children born, 5 living, OH, VA, OH

Onie M Armstrong Son M 26 California Machinist, Machine Co.

Aina B Armstrong Daughter F 21 California

George E Armstrong Son M 20 Indiana Artist, Engraving Co.

Donald P Armstrong Son M 18 Indiana Salesman, Retail clothing

Worth T Armstrong Son M 13 New York

1920 Census: Grand Rapids, Ward 2, Kent County, Michigan^[10]

Donald Armstrong Head M 28 Indiana Stock Clerk, Hearse Co.

Laura Armstrong Wife F 23 Florida

Donald Armstrong, Jr. Son M 4-1/12th Michigan

1930 Census: Washington, Washington District of Columbia^[11]

Donald P Armstrong Head M 38 Indiana Service manager, Automobile Company Parents both born in Ohio Rent=$45.50/month

Sallie A Armstrong Wife F 29 England Nurse, hospital Parents both born in England

1940 Census: Sanitary District, Election District 13, Montgomery County, Maryland^[1] 1935 residence was Washington, D.C.

Donald Armstrong Head M 46 Indiana, Finished 8th grade, Prop. lunch room

Sallie Armstrong Wife F 40 England, Finished 3 years of college, Nurse, hospital

Dorean Armstrong Daughter F 7 District Of Columbia, Finished 1st grade

Henry L Armstrong Son M 4 District Of Columbia

Raymond E Armstrong Son M 4 District Of Columbia

Donald Armstrong -- extra information: Parents both born in Indiana.

1950 Census: Cincinnati, Hamilton County, Ohio ^[12]

Donald Armstrong Head M W 58 Indiana Married, Service salesman, retail auto

Sallie Armstrong Wife F W 50 England Married, Registered nurse, hospital

Dorean Armstrong Daughter F W 16 Washington, D.C.

Henry Armstrong Son M W 14 Washington, D.C.

Raymond Armstrong Son M W 14 Washington, D.C.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} United States Census, 1940, database with images, FamilySearch 1940 Census, Donald Armstrong, Sanitary District, Election District 13, Montgomery, Maryland, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 16-53K, sheet 1B, line 55, family 15, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1555.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Family memories as told to KZipperer
3. ↑ There was a letter from President Franklin D. Roosevelt commendating Donald Armstrong for his service to the country during the War. Unfortunately, that letter is missing.
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2} Family memories of KZipperer
5. ↑ Ohio Death Index, 1908-1932, 1938-1944, and 1958-2007, database, FamilySearch Ohio Death, Donald P Armstrong, 22 Sep 1967; from "Ohio, Deaths, 1908-1932, 1938-2007," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2010); citing vol. 18990, certificate number 68754, Ohio Historical Society, Columbus; Ohio Department of Health, State Vital Statistics Unit, Columbus.
6. ↑ United States World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, database with images, FamilySearch WWI Draft, Donald Armstrong, 1917-1918; citing Detroit City, Michigan, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1509 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,675,136
7. ↑ United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942, database with images, FamilySearch WWII Draft, Donald P Armstrong, 1942; citing NARA microfilm publication M1936, M1937, M1939, M1951, M1962, M1964, M1986, M2090, and M2097 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
8. ↑ United States Census, 1900, database with images, FamilySearch 1900 Census, Donald P Armstrong in household of Samuel M Armstrong, Washington city, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 116, sheet 27A, family 411, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,163.
9. ↑ United States Census, 1910, database with images, FamilySearch 1910 Census, Donald P Armstrong in household of Samule M Armstrong, Columbus Ward 3, Franklin, Ohio, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 62, sheet 4A, family 74, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1180; FHL microfilm 1,375,193.
10. ↑ United States Census, 1920, database with images,FamilySearch 1920 Census, Donald Armstrong, Grand Rapids Ward 2, Kent, Michigan, United States; citing ED 52, sheet 5B, line 54, family 118, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 777; FHL microfilm 1,820,777.
11. ↑ United States Census, 1930, database with images, FamilySearch 1930 Census, Donald P Armstrong, Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 386, sheet 3A, line 43, family 117, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 304; FHL microfilm 2,340,039.
12. ↑ "United States 1950 Census", database, FamilySearch 1950 Census, Entry for Sallie Armstrong and Dorean Armstrong, 11 April 1950. FamilySearch United States 1950 census image for Donald Armstrong FamilySearch United States 1950 Census image for the rest of the family

• Personal knowledge of K Zipperer.
• Florida Marriages, 1837-1974, database, FamilySearch Florida marriage Pierson, Donald P. Armstrong and Laura Pierson, 13 Mar 1915; citing , Hillsborough, Florida; FHL microfilm 978,320.
• District of Columbia Marriages, 1811-1950, database with images, FamilySearch Washington DC marriage Dodson, Donald P Armstrong and Sallie A Dodson, 1928.