Notes for Benjamin William THURTELL

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Notes for Benjamin William THURTELL

The Thurtell Family History done about 1963 and the History of the Thurtell Family done by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968 show Benjamin William Thurtell was a manufacturer in Morris, Illinois, which is in Kankakee County.

The marriage index posted to the internet in October 1999 by the Illinois State Archives at http://www2.sos.state.il.us/cgi-bin/marriage shows that Benjamin W. Thurtell and Abbie M. VanWert were married in Kankakee County, Illinois, on November 30, 1871. The marriage is recorded in Volume B, page 94, license number 2926.

The marriage register for Kankakee County, Illinois, for 1871 shows on page 94 for license number 2926 that Benjamin W. Thurtell and Abbie M. Vanwert obtained their marriage license on November 29, 1871, and that they were married on November 30, 1871, by Joseph H. Barnard, Minister of the Gospel. The register shows the record was not returned for filing until January 4, 1876. The page of the register showing the dates licenses were obtained is in consecutive order by date.

The 1876 Kankakee, Illinois, City Directory, which was found typed on the internet in November 1999 at http://www.rootsweb.com/~ilkankak/history/k31876cd/1876p86to90.html shows that Rev. Jos. H. Barnard was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church located on the northeast corner of Court Street and Indiana Avenue, Kankakee, Illinois. Sunday services are shown in this directory as at 10 1/2 a.m. and 7 1/2 p.m., with Sunday school at 9 a.m. and John C. Mateer supt. of Prayer meeting Wednesday evening. Benjamin and Abbie Thurtell are not listed in this 1876 Kankakee City Directory, nor is anyone else with the last name Thurtell.

The birth registration of Thalia Thurtell in Kankakee County, Illinois, shows that Thalia was born January 26, 1878, in Kankakee City, Kankakee County, Illinois, and that her birth was recorded in January 1878. Her name is missing or illegible, but the register shows the child is female and the fourth child of her mother, Abbie Thurtell, age 25, whose maiden name was Abbie VanWert. It shows her mother is an American, born in Ohio, and a resident of Kankakee City; and her father, Benjamin William Thurtell, age 28, was born in Canada but that his nationality is American. It shows her father's occupation as a Blacksmith. The medical attendant is shown as C. W. Knott, Kankakee, who is also the person who reported the birth.

The birth register of Kankakee County, Illinois, shows that Vivian Annette Thurtell was born February 9, 1880, in Kankakee City, 4th Ward, Kankakee County, Illinois, and that her birth was recorded February 9, 1880. She is shown as female and the fifth child of her mother, Abbie Madell Thurtell, age 27, whose maiden name was Abbie Madell VanWort. It shows her mother is an American, born in Marengo, Monroe County, Ohio, and a resident of 4th Ward, Kankakee City; and her father, Benjamin William Thurtell, age 30, was born in Acton West Ontario but that his nationality is American. It shows her father's occupation as an Engineer. The medical attendant is shown as B. Franklin Uraw MD, Kankakee, who is also the person who reported the birth.

The U.S. Census for 1880 for Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, on Page 43, SD 4, ED 31, shows him as William Thurtell, a white male, age 30, married, born in Canada as were both his parents. He is shown as an engineer and unemployed 12 months of the prior year. Listed with him is his wife, whose name looks like Abiu. She is shown as a white female, age 27, married, with her occupation shown as housekeeper. The census record shows she was born in Ohio and that both her parents were born in New York. With them are their children, who are all shown as born in Illinois with their father born in Canada and their mother born in New York. The oldest child is listed as Edgar, a male daughter (this is exactly how Edgaretta is shown), age 8, white, at school. The next child's name looks like Adu, a white female daughter age 6. Next is Effie, a white female daughter age 4. Thalia is shown as a white female daughter age 2, and the youngest child's name looks like Bevina. She is shown as a white female daughter age 4/12.

Right next to this family in the 1880 census is the family of Edgar Van Wert. He is shown as a white male age 34 and born in Ohio with both parents born in New York, married, a teamster who was unemployed 10 months of the prior year. His wife is shown as Kate Van Wert, a white female age 24 who is married, born in Wisconsin with both parents born in Wisconsin, and shown as a housekeeper. With them is Kate Van Wert, a white female age 1/12 born in Illinois with her father born in Ohio and mother born in Wisconsin. Her relationship is not shown, but she is probably their infant daughter. It is quite possible that Edgar Van Wert is the brother of Abbie Van Wert Thurtell.

The U.S. Census for 1880 for Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois, on Page 46, SD 4, ED 31, lists a John VanWert as a white male, age 64, born in New York, as were both his parents. His occupation is shown as "Watch in Bank," but the census shows he was unemployed the prior 12 months. Living with him is his wife, whose first name looks like Betcy, a white female age 64, born in New Jersey, as were both her parents. She is shown as a housekeeper. With them is a granddaughter, Mary Thurtal, age 7, born in Illinois, with her father born in Canada and her mother born in Ohio. Her occupation is shown as "at home" and she attended school in the prior year.

The microfilm copy at the National Archives in Chicago, Illinois, of the Index of Persons Registered and Poll Lists of Voters in the City of Chicago 1888-1890 lists him as B. W. Thurtell in Congressional District 4, Ward 15, Precinct 7, living at 29 Nebraska Avenue, where he had lived for six months. It shows he had lived in Cook County, Illinois, for five years and shows he had lived in the state of Illinois for five years. He registered to vote on October 15, 1889, and did vote in the election on ballot number 118. This registration shows he was born in Canada but became a naturalized U.S. citizen in the Court of Kankakee County, Illinois, in 1869.

He is listed as B. W. Thurtell in the City of Chicago, Northern District of Illinois, 1892, voter registration on microfilm at the National Archives in Chicago, Illinois. This listing shows he was living at 29 Nebraska Avenue in Congressional District 4, Ward 15, Precinct 7 and had lived in that precinct for three years. He had lived in Cook County, Illinois, for six years and in the state of Illinois for 24 years. It shows he was born in Canada and had become a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1887 in the Court of Kankakee County, Illinois. He registered to vote October 18, 1892, and voted in the election.

The 1900 U.S. Census soundex for Illinois (SD 1, E.D. 473, Sheet 16, Line 47) shows him as William Thurtell, age 46, born in May 1854, in Canada, U.S. citizenship NA, living at 29 Nebraska Avenue, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. His wife, Abbey Thurtell, is shown as age 41, born in January 1859 in Ohio. Their daughters living with them are shown as Addie, age 21 born in Illinois in July 1878, Thalia age 19 born in Illinois in January 1881, and Vivian, age 17 born in Illinois in February 1883. The years of birth of each of the daughters appears to make each of them three years younger than their correct ages, possibly since they were still single. The census record itself shows him as a traveling salesman who owned his home mortgage free. It shows he immigrated to the United States in 1876.

Benjamin W. Thurtell is listed in the 1920 U.S. Census for Cook County, Illinois (Vol. 131, ED 125, Sheet 9), ennumerated January 12, 1920, as being age 63, born in Canada and a naturalized U.S. citizen. The year of his immigration to the U.S. was prior to 1880 (the exact year in the 1870's is illegible), and he was naturalized in the 1880's, but the exact year is illegible. It shows both his parents were born in England, and that he was an agent for a manufacturing company working on his own account. He and his wife, Maydell, daughter Adeline Paulson, son-in-law Charles M. Paulson, and grandson William H. Paulson were living at 201 Sixth, Wilmette, Cook County, Illinois.

His death certificate shows he was born May 18, 1850, in Acton, Canada, and that he had been a salesman with Skinner Engine Company for 20 years, last working at that occupation in 1926. The informant on the death certificate was his wife, Dora Thurtell. It shows that they had been living at 201 6th Street, Wilmette, Cook County, Illinois, and that he was buried at Mt. Grove Cemetery, Kankakee, Illinois. It also showed he had lived at that residence for 20 years.

No obituary was found for him by the Wilmette Public Library in the microfilm records of the "Wilmette Life."

Records from Mount Grove Cemetery, P.O. Box 668, Kankakee, Illinois 60901 show that Benjamin and Abbie Thurtell are buried in Lot 7-042 S. Their daughter, Effia (or Effa on the cemetery records) is also buried there.

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