Re: Roy Scofield m. Frances Rouze
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In reply to:
Roy Scofield m. Frances Rouze
Arva Williams 6/25/04
Arva,
I believe I have information on these people though I admit the information is not always straightforward.Perhaps if I describe what I have as well as my thoughts about it, it will make some sense.
In the 1910 US Census I show Roy V. Scofield and Frances E. Schofield living with Frances' parents in Kit Carson County, Colorado.Roy and Frances are both shown as age 29 and are shown as having been married in the last 12 months.Roy reports being born in Wisconsin and reports his father born in Wisconsin and his mother born in NY.Frances reports being born in Indiana and reports her father born in Indiana and her mother born in Ohio.
In the 1920 US Census, Roy and Frances remain in Kit Carson County, CO and they have no children.Roy reports being born in Ohio with both of his parents born in Ohio.Frances reports being born in Illinois with both of her parents being born in Ohio.There are two reasons why the birth information may be incorrect here: 1) The census-taker was not careful; 2) Someone other than Roy or Frances may have given the information to the census taker (e.g., Roy and Frances may not have been at home when the census taker called so a neighbor may have provided the information.
In the 1930 US Census the information gets confusing.I show Frances E. Scofield in Boulder, CO.She is shown as age 49, born in Indiana.She lists her father as born in Indiana and her mother as born in Ohio (same as in the 1910 Census).Living with Frances is a son named James N. Scofield, age 13, born in Colorado.The listing for James says his father was born in "United States" and his mother was born in Indiana.Finally, the listing notes that Frances was first married at age 28 and that squares very closely with the 1910 US Census information showing her age 29 and married but married less than 1 year.
My theory on the 1930 information was that Roy Scofield died and that Frances was left a widow. My theory on where James came from was that he was adopted as he is not with the family in 1920, there is no listing of a child named James Scofield in Colorado in 1920.There are other possible explanations but this is where I was intially leaning.
However, to my surprise, I discovered "Roy V. Scofield" in my database in the 1930 US Census in Minneapolis, MN living with his parents Erwin H. Scofield and Laura J. Scofield (by 1930 Roy's parents have been married 51+ years).Roy is shown as age 49, born in Wisconsin and he shows his father born in Wisconsin and his mother born in NY -- all of this information is consistent from the 1910 US Census information.Living along with Ray and his parents in 1930 is Rhoda J. Scofield, age 41.Her relationship to Erwin H. Scofield is listed as daughter-in-law indicating that she is most likely married to Roy.
My thinking is that Roy and Frances divorced some time between 1920 and 1923.There is a box on the 1930 US Census where the census taker is supposed to list the age at first marriage for all people in the census who have been married.Roy's age at first marriage is listed as 42 and Rhoda's is listed as 34.It is clear to me that the census taker listed their ages at their own marriage rather than, at least in the case of Roy, necessarily the first marriage.The ages the census taker listed for Roy and Rhoda at marriage indicate they were married in 1923.They have no children.
I have a little more information on Roy's parents as well as his second wife Rhoda if you are interested. For instance, I went back to my database and Roy is shown living with his parents Erwin and Laura Scofield in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1900 and Roy is listed as born in Oct 1880 (I believe this is the birth date listed, my notes mention the original census record was hard to read).
I hope this information is helpful and let me know if you have any questions or want suggestions for how trace this Scofield line back further in time.
- Pio