Notes for Louise THURTELL

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Notes for Louise THURTELL

The family tree done by Harriet Thurtell about 1900, the 1963 Thurtell Family History, and the History of the Thurtell Family done by Susan Persia Thurtell about 1968 show Louise Thurtell married Wilbur Cook, who was an eye specialist in Chicago, Illinois. They had no children.

The Thurtell family histories show Louisa born in Guelph. The 1861 Census for Rockwood, Ontario, Canada, shows Louise was born in the U.S. in Massachusetts. Her birth certificate confirms that she was born May 8, 1855, in Malden, Massachusetts, and lists her parents as Frank Thurtell and Amelia. It shows both her parents resided in Malden and that her father's occupation was a Miller. The birth certificate shows her name as Louisa Thurtell.

She often was called Louisa, and her nickname was Louie. The February 3, 1881, Grand Traverse Herald has an announcement that "Among our marriage notices to-day will be found that of Miss Louie Thurtell, so well and favorably known to many of our citizens, and who left here last fall to accept a position in the Vermillion, Dakota, schools. The Herald joins her friends here in congratulations and good wishes." The same issue shows "Married - Cook - Thurtell -- On Saturday evening, Jan. 15, 1881, at Bloomingdale, by Rev. Mr. Eldridge, Mr. Wilbur Cook of Vermillion and Miss Louisa Thurtell of Traverse City, Mich. Mr. Cook came to Vermillion last summer, from Evansville, Wisconsin, with his mother and step father, Mr. and Mrs. A. M. Case. He is a young man of ability, and is highly esteemed by all who know him. Miss Thurtell came here last fall to take the position of assistant in the Vermillion school, and when Miss Barber handed in her resignation succeeded her as principal--a position which she now holds, and in which she is giving entire satisfaction. Both the bride and groom have the best wishes of all their friends for future happiness and prosperity. --Vermillion (Dakota) Standard."

The Traverse City, Michigan, Evening Record for April 13 and April 14, 1903, has articles about the golden wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Francis Thurtell on April 13, held at their home on the corner of Ninth and Pine Streets, Traverse City, Michigan. Despite the inclement weather, all of their children, most of their grandchildren, and nearly 30 other guests attended, including Mrs. Wilbur D. Cook, accompanied by her husband, Dr. Wilbur D. Cook of Beloit, Wisconsin.

Louisa and Wilbur Cook were not listed in the Soundex for the 1900 U.S. Census for Illinois or Wisconsin, but they were living in Chicago at the time of the 1910 U.S. Census and are listed in Ward 20, Chicago City, Cook County, Illinois (SD 1, ED 871, Sheet 4B, Lines 97-98). This shows Wilbur D. Cook as age 49, born in New York, as were both his parents, and working on his own account as a physician in general practice and renting the home where they lived on Hermitage Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. His wife is listed as Louie Cook (Lovil in the soundex), age 56, born in Massachusetts, with her father born in England and her mother in Canada. The census shows they had been married 29 years, and that she was the mother of 0 children with an occupation shown as none.

The U.S. Census for 1920 lists them as living in the home they were renting at 4636 Hazel Avenue, Chicago, Illinos (Volume 44, SD 1, ED 1468, Sheet 9A, Lines 6-7) in Ward 25, Chicago City, Cook County, Illinois. Wilber D. Cook is shown as a white male, age 58, born in New York as were both of his parents, and working on his own account as a physician, an eye, ear, nose, and throat specialist. Louisa Thurtell is shown as a white female, age 65, born in Massachusetts with her father born in England and her mother in Canada, and an occupation shown as none.

The death notice of her brother, Alfred Thurtell, in the Chicago Tribune on July 16, 1922, mentions her as "Mrs. Louise Cook of Los Angeles." There is no record of her death in the office of the Cook County Clerk, Chicago, Illinois. The years 1947 - 1949 were searched. A letter from the late 1940's to Irene Thurtell Foresman from Louisa Cook in the possession of Irene's grandson, Michael Foresman, confirmed that Louisa was living in California at that time.

The California death index shows that Louisa Cook, whose husband's initials were WD, died December 31, 1948, in Los Angeles County (County 19), California, and her death is recorded under registrar number 768, state file number 48-98930. The microfilm for the Chicago newspapers at the Harold Washington Library, Chicago, Illinois, was searched for December 31, 1948, and early January 1949. No death notice was found, but some of the microfilm was so damaged as to be illegible.

The death certificate number 17844 from Los Angeles County, California, confirms that Louisa Cook, who was born May 8, 1854, in Malden, Massachusetts, and was the widow of Wilbur D. Cook, died at Los Angeles County Harbor General Hospital in rural Torrance, Los Angeles County, California, at 8:10 A.M. on December 31, 1948, at the age of 94 years, 7 months, 23 days. She had been hospitalized for 16 days, and the cause of death is shown as terminal hypostatic pneumonia, extreme debility, due to gangrene, right lower leg, due to embolus, right iliac artery. It shows the extreme debility as lasting for weeks and the other problems for a week. The other condition which showed a duration of years was arteriosclerotic heart disease with auricular fibrillation. The death certificate shows that she had lived in California for 28 years and that her usual residence was 324 Cedar Avenue, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California. The death certificate shows she had no Social Security number and that she was cremated on January 4, 1949, at Sunnyside Crematory with the funeral director shown as Patterson & Snively, 555 Locust Avenue, Long Beach, California. Her occupation is shown as housewife, and the information about her parents is shown as "no record." The informant for the death certificate is Alura Hunter, 324 Cedar Avenue, Long Beach, California.

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