Florence Lottie (Hicks) Elkins (1891 - 1953)

Born 20 Jan 1891 in Byron. Olmsted, Minnesota

Wife of George Washington Shafer — married 19 May 1928 in Vancouver, Washington

Died 17 Dec 1953 at age 62 in Winnemucca, Nevada

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Charles Barnes [send private message]

Biography

Florence was born in 1891 in Minnesota to Myron E and Charlotte "Lottie" (Brush) Hicks, the youngest of four children. Her sister died when Florence was 12 and her mother died when Florence was 14.[3,4] Florence married James H. Elkins in 1914 in Washington County, Idaho.[6, Note 1] James and Florence had three sons, Donald, Harold and Myron, all born in Idaho between 1915 and 1919.[5] But January, 1920 she and James were divorced,[5] in March of that year she married Edgar W. Trembly.[12] In 1920 Florence taught grade school in Vesta, Washington.[5] On May 19, 1928 she married George Washington Shafer in Vancouver, Washington.[7] The 1930 census of South Side, Deschutes, Oregon shows Florence teaching school and living with her husband George and sons Donald and Harold.[8] Florence and George divorced in 1931.[9] Florence died in Winnemucca, Nevada on December 17, 1953.[1,9]

Notes

1. Multiple Idaho marriage records[6,10] document that "Florence E. Barnett," born in Minnesota, married James Elkins at a private residence in Weiser, Idaho on April 26, 1914. Comparing all other records, such as the fact that all three of Florence's children were born in or near Weiser, Idaho, there is little doubt that Florence E. Barnett was the same person as Florence E. Hicks. The Idaho birth record for their first son, Donald, born October 13, 1915, shows his parents as James H Elkins and Florence L Barrett. The Idaho birth record for their second son, Harold, born September 15, 1917, shows his parents as James H Elkins and Florence L Hicks. But then there is an Oregon marriage record of James H Elkins marrying Florence L Hicks October 24, 1916.[11] Thus it appears for some reason James and Florence got married twice, first in Idaho and then, after the birth of their first son, married again in Oregon, even though they continued to reside in Idaho throughout this whole period. The question remains, "Why did Florence use the name Barnett on her Idaho marriage license and first son's birth record but then Hicks after that?". While it's possible she had a prior marriage to that with James Elkins, no evidence has been found for it. The census of 1910 could possibly help determining if she had a prior marriage, the only 1910 census record that I can find for either Florence Hicks or Florence Barrett that fits with known information is one from Linton, Oregon that has a Florence Hicks, age 22 and born in Minnesota, (which fits) living with 55-year old William S Clark and his 7 year old daughter Ester. Florence is shown as a sister in law of William's. Florence's own sister died in 1903 in Minnesota at age 20, hence it is inconceivable that she could have been married to William Clark.

Sources

1. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/67069004.

2. U.S. Census, Kalmar, Olmsted, Minnesota, 1900.

3. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/97787930.

4. Washington, Select Death Certificates, 1907-1960, Ancestry.com Operations, 2014.

5. U.S. Census, Vesta, Grays Harbor, Washington, 1920.

6. Idaho, County Marriages, 1864-1950, Ancestry.com Operations, 2014

7. Washington, Marriage Records, 1865-2004, Ancestry.com Operations, 2012.

8. U.S. Census, South Side, Deschutes, Oregon, 1930.

9. Nevada Death Records, 1911-1965, Ancestry.com Operations, 2016.

10. Idaho, County Birth and Death Records, 1863-1970, Ancestry.com Operations, 2017.

11. Oregon, Marriage Indexes, 1906-2008, Ancestry.com Operations, 2000.

12. Washington, Marriage Records, 1865-2004, Ancestry.com Operations, 2012.