Hensley and Steelman in the early 1900's - 1970's - Any help appreciated!

Question

I am looking for more info on my maternal grandmother and family. My great-grandmother, Erma (Hensley) Rawlings was born in the 1930's in Arkansas- one of 13 children on a cotton farm. She married Clyde Samuel Lee Steelman, who according to family stories, came directly off the Lakota Sioux Reservation. ANY information would be helpful!!! Thanks in advance!

Comments

What is your Maternal Grandmothers name and date birth ???

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Elizabeth Jean (Steelman) Bleich - uncertain of the month/day, but in 1949

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She was born 28 May 1949 and died 1 Jan 2006.

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Elizabeth Jean Bleich

United States Social Security Death Index

Age	57
Given Name	Elizabeth
Middle Name	Jean
Surname	Bleich
Birth Date	28 May 1949
State	Arkansas
Last Place of Residence	Hattiesburg, Lamar, Mississippi
Previous Residence Postal Code	39402
Event Date	01 Jan 2006

Citing this Record

"United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VSMH-525 : 20 May 2014), Elizabeth Jean Bleich, 01 Jan 2006; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

She's buried with her father. Find A Grave

They've mistakenly connected her as his spouse and I have submitted a correction.

Answer 1

I did find this which gives an exact date of death.

Funeral Home Notice

Comments

She was probably born in Barnett, Van Buren,  Arkansas as her family was living there before her birth in 1930 and after her birth in 1940. She was the daughter of Fred Hensley and Helen Mann.

1930 census prior to Erma's birth:

Fred Hensley

United States Census, 1930

Name	Fred Hensley
Event Type	Census
Event Date	1930
Event Place	Barnett, Van Buren, Arkansas, United States
Gender	Male
Age	27
Marital Status	Married
Race	White
Race	White
Relationship to Head of Household	Head
Relationship to Head of Household	Head
Birth Year (Estimated)	1903
Birthplace	Arkansas
Father's Birthplace	Arkansas
Mother's Birthplace	Arkansas
Sheet Letter	A
Sheet Number	8

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Fred Hensley	Head	M	27	Arkansas
Helen Hensley	Wife	F	22	Arkansas
John A Hensley	Son	M	6	Arkansas
Roland Hensley	Son	M	5	Arkansas
Mabel O Hensley	Daughter	F	1	Arkansas

Citing this Record

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XMGL-CW9 : accessed 2 May 2019), Fred Hensley, Barnett, Van Buren, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 2, sheet 8A, line 35, family 148, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 97; FHL microfilm 2,339,832.

View the original document. The original may contain more information than was indexed.

United States Census, 1930

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1940 census which includes Erma:

Fred Hensley

United States Census, 1940

Name	Fred Hensley
Event Type	Census
Event Date	1940
Event Place	Damascas, Barnett Township, Van Buren, Arkansas, United States
Gender	Male
Age	39
Marital Status	Married
Race	White
Race	White
Relationship to Head of Household	Head
Relationship to Head of Household	Head
Birthplace	Arkansas
Birth Year (Estimated)	1901
Last Place of Residence	Same Place

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Fred Hensley	Head	M	39	Arkansas
Helen Hensley	Wife	F	30	Arkansas
Rolen Hensley	Son	M	13	Arkansas
Mabell O Hensley	Daughter	F	11	Arkansas
Charles K Hensley	Son	M	9	Arkansas
Ermer F Hensley	Daughter	F	7	Arkansas
Woodie Hensley	Son	M	5	Arkansas
Weada Hensley	Daughter	F		Arkansas

Citing this Record

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQ2F-K98 : 15 March 2018), Fred Hensley, Damascas, Barnett Township, Van Buren, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 71-2, sheet 5B, line 71, family 90, 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 178.

View the original document. The original may contain more information than was indexed.

United States Census, 1940

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Clyde Samuel Lee Steelman did not come from one of the Lakota Reservations in the Dakotas. He was born in Johnson County, Arkansas.

Name: Clyde Samuel Lee Steelman

Gender: Male

Age: 33

Relationship to Draftee: Self (Head)

Birth Date: 11 Sep 1907

Residence Place: Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas, USA

Registration Date: 1940-1945

Source Citation

The National Archives at Fort Worth, Texas; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 1926-1975, RG 147

Source Information

Ancestry.com. U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.

Free Image Link

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His first wife was Beatrice Mathis. They married in 1935.

Clyde Steelman

United States Census, 1940

Name	Clyde Steelman
Event Type	Census
Event Date	1940
Event Place	Hot Springs Township, Garland, Arkansas, United States
Gender	Male
Age	32
Marital Status	Married
Race	White
Race	White
Relationship to Head of Household	Head
Relationship to Head of Household	Head
Birthplace	Arkansas
Birth Year (Estimated)	1908
Last Place of Residence	Same Place

Household	Role	Sex	Age	Birthplace
Clyde Steelman	Head	M	32	Arkansas
Beatrice Steelman	Wife	F	22	Arkansas
Wanda Lee Steelman	Daughter	F	4	Arkansas
Barbara Steelman	Daughter	F	3

Citing this Record

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQVP-F5K : 15 March 2018), Clyde Steelman, Hot Springs Township, Garland, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 26-33, sheet 11A, line 5, family 199, 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 137.

View the original document. The original may contain more information than was indexed.

United States Census, 1940

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Clyde Steelman died 3 Feb 1968.

Find A Grave Memorial (with photo)

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Odd that we can't find him in the 1910 census though.

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Here's the closest I could find in the 1920 census 

United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDX5-NN2 : accessed 27 June 2019), Claud Steelman in household of John Steelman, Independence, Marion, Arkansas, United States; citing ED 93, sheet 4B, line 98, family 19, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 71; FHL microfilm 1,820,071.

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?surname=Steelman&birth_place=Arkansas&birth_year_from=1906&birth_year_to=1908&count=20&collection_id=1488411