Charles Wesley Barnhisel (1875 - 1968)

Born 17 Jul 1875 in Miami County, Indiana, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Ruth Anna Morgan — married 9 Mar 1904 (to before 1919) in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana, USA

Descendants

Died 28 Jun 1968 at age 92 in Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois, United States

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Biography

Charles Wesley Barnhisel, son of John Barnhisel and Lucy Ann Voltz, was born on 17 July 1875 in Miami County, Indiana.^[1][2][3] He was shown on the 1880 census at age 4, and the 1900 census at age 24, living on a farm with his parents and siblings in Perry Township, Miami County.^[4][5]

He married Ruth Anna Morgan, daughter of William Harrison Morgan and Margaret Elisabeth Davis, on 9 March 1904 in Rochester, Fulton County, Indiana. Officiating over the marriage was Ernest E. Lutes, pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church.^[6] Charles and Anna had two children:

1. Trella Marie Barnhisel, b. 1904
2. Lelah Mariam Barnhisel, b. 1907

They lived and worked on a small farm in Perry Township. Their farm was owned free and clear of any mortgage.^[7]

Charles was not happy as a farmer. He much preferred to work with machines and equipment. This was a major point of contention between he and Anna, who strongly believed that farming was the only way to guarantee food on the table, and within a few years, probably by about 1915, they separated. He found a job in South Bend, St. Joseph County, Indiana, working for the Oliver Company, a manufacturer of farm equipment. Anna moved to Akron, Indiana, with the children, earning a living as a seamstress.^[8]

In September 1918, Charles was required to register for the draft of World War I. He was described as tall and slender, with gray eyes and black hair. At that time, he was still living in South Bend. He listed Anna Barnhisel as his nearest relative.^[9] Charles and Anna were probably divorced by then or very shortly afterwards. In March 1919, without any notice to anyone, he disappeared. He left work one day without taking the pay he was due, and didn't notify his landlady, leaving some clothes behind. His father and others searched for over a year before finally giving up. It was feared he was a victim of foul play, but no evidence was ever found.^[10][11]

It is uncertain all the reasons why Charles left everything behind, but perhaps the pain of the divorce and isolation from his children was sufficient. By early 1920 he was boarding in the household of Dorothy Gustafson at 2128 14th Street in Moline, Rock Island County, Illinois.^[12] He was probably employed by John Deere Harvester Works in East Moline.^[13]

Meanwhile in Akron, Anna told the 1920 census enumerator that her husband was the head of her household. The reason for this fabrication is unknown, but most likely was for "appearances." Anna and her children were renting a place in Henry Township, and she worked as a seamstress from her home while the girls attended school.^[14] She described herself as widowed in later censuses.^[15][16]

In 1930, Charles still boarded with Dorothy Gustafson, but they had moved to 120 Ninth Street, in Silvis, Rock Island County. He lived with three other roomers. Charles indicated he worked as a machine operator for farm implements.^[17] By 1935, Charles lived at 533-35 17th Avenue in East Moline, where he still resided in 1940. He rented his home for $22 per month. He had an eighth grade education, and worked full time as a laborer for a "farm implement company" [John Deere], earning about $1200 the previous year.^[18] He continued to work for John Deere into his 70s, and finally retired from that company in 1951.^[13] He attended a Christmas dinner party in 1964, hosted by UAW retirees, at which he was awarded as the oldest retiree present. He was 89 years old.^[19]

Charles died at age 92 on 28 June 1968 in Moline.^[20][1] He was buried at Hampton Township Cemetery in Hampton, Rock Island County, Illinois.^[20]

His daughter, Trella, never forgot her father and always wondered what became of him. She and her husband moved around a lot, and she tried to publish her whereabouts in area newspapers, hoping that some day her father would contact her. He never did.^[8] It wasn't until 20 or so years after his death, through the assistance of other family members, that she finally discovered where he was buried. With their help, she had a new memorial stone erected at his gravesite, linking him to his family.^[20]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index; Charlie Barnhisel, SS#333-05-2174, born 17 Jul 1875, died Jun 1968, last res 61244 East Moline, Rock Island, IL.
2. ↑ Ancestry.com, World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918, Provo, UT, USA : The Generations Network, Inc., 2005; Original data: United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C. : National Archives and Records Administration, imaged from original microfilm; Charles Wesley Barnhisel, City of South Bend, Indiana, age 43, born 17 Jul 1875.
3. ↑ Carol Constance (Younker) Boyer, Barnhiser / Bernheisel Family Lines (Denver, CO: Boyer, Jan 1995).
4. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1880 U.S. Census, Miami County, IN, population schedule (digital image), accessed 11 Oct 2012; Perry Township, page 13, stamped page 420, ED 113, line 44, dw.#85, fam.#85, household of John Barnhisel.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (familysearch.org : accessed 2 June 2020), household of John Barnhisel, Perry Township, Miami, Indiana, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 102, sheet 5B, family 110, line 96, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,393

   Household Role Sex Age Birthplace

   John Barnhisel Head Male 46 Indiana

   Lucy A Barnhisel Wife Female 46 Indiana

   Charles W Barnhisel Son Male 25 Indiana

   Mary M Barnhisel Daughter Male 20 Indiana

   Esra Barnhisel Son Male 18 Indiana

6. ↑ Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007, FamilySearch.org, online https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1410397, viewed 06 May 2016, County Clerk's office, Fulton Co., Indiana, marriage registration, vol. G, p. 429, Charles W Barnhisel and Ruth A Morgan, 09 Mar 1904; FHL microfilm no. 1,871,127, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
7. ↑ 1910 U.S. Census, Miami County, IN, population schedule (digital image), accessed 6 Oct 2012; Perry Township, ED 121, Sheet 7A, stamped page 24, dw.#154, fam.#154, line 49, household of Charles Barnhisel.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Memories of their daughter, Trella Barnhisel Anderson, around the 1980s
9. ↑ Ancestry.com, World War I Draft 1917-1918; Charles Wesley Barnhisel, City of South Bend, Indiana.
10. ↑ Jean C. Tombaugh and Wendell C. Tombaugh, Fulton County Indiana Obituaries, The Rochester Sentinel, Volume 1920 (700 Pontiac Street, Rochester, Indiana 46975-1538: Tombaugh House, 1998); pub. 15 May 1920, Charles Barnhisel [article states he was missing for more than a year, so assume the divorce was final shortly before that, which puts it around 1918-1919].
11. ↑ According to daughter Trella, she was about 11 yrs old when her father left, and he disappeared 3 or 4 years later.
12. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Census, Rock Island County, IL, population schedule (digital image), accessed 27 Oct 2012; Moline Township, Moline city, Ward 6, ED 115, Sheet 6A, stamped page 172, line 30, dw.#137, fam.#148, household of Dorothy Gustafson. [This census page is difficult to read. His occupation was "trucker", and the type of industry or company he was employed with looks like it could be "bolt room".]
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} Ancestry.com, user account "dailynews5", who added this obituary on 8 Mar 2010; viewed on 6 Oct 2012.
14. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1920 U.S. Census, Fulton County, IN, population schedule (digital image), accessed 6 Oct 2012; Henry Township, Akron town, Ward 3, ED 65, Sheet 18A, stamped page 212, line 12, dw.#286, fam.#296, household of Charles Barnhisel.
15. ↑ 1930 U.S. Census, Fulton County, IN, population schedule (digital image), accessed 6 Oct 2012; Akron Town, Henry Township, ED 25-2, Sheet 7B, Central Street, dw.#188, fam.#205, line 71, household of Anna Barnhisel, widow.
16. ↑ 1940 U.S. Census, Fulton County, IN, population schedule (digital image), accessed 7 Oct 2012; Rochester City ward 2, Rochester township, ED 25-10, Sheet 4A, stamped page 117, 213 W. 8th, household #93, line 21, household of Laura Powell; Anna Barnheisel, lodger, widow
17. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1930 U.S. Census, Rock Island County, IL, population schedule (digital image), accessed 6 Oct 2012; Hampton Township, Silvis Town, 2nd Ward, ED 81-30, Sheet 1B, 120 Ninth Street, dw.#18, fam.#19, line 79, household of Dorthy Gustafson.
18. ↑ Ancestry.com, 1940 U.S. Census, Rock Island County, IL, population schedule (digital image), accessed 27 Oct 2012; South Moline Township, East Moline city, Ward 1, ED 81-18A, Sheet 7A, stamped page 157, line 40, household #135, household of Charles Barnhisel.
19. ↑ The Moline Dispatch, East Moline, IL, USA, "UAW Retirees Have Party", 11 Dec 1964, page 32; photo with caption
20. ↑ ^{20.0 20.1 20.2} Stannie Anderson, Box of research files; typewritten extract of death certificate #566, state of Illinois, state file #68-032689.