Chicago City Directories for Elias Apgar

I've been doing some preliminary city directory work on Elias Apgar--who I'm trying to find in the 1880 census and who I think may be the adopted father of William Frame Apgar, who was born in Chicago in 1888. So far, I've just got the entries for 1879 and 1880. I'm not certain if I'm going to trace Elias in every directory--my goal is to try and learn if he really adopted William Frame.

The 1879 and 1880 entries follow.

1879 Chicago City Directory--Apgar entries from Fold3.com

Elias Apgar is listed as a moulder with a house at 325 Illinois.

There is no Elias Apgar in the 1880 Chicago City Directory on Fold3.com. This may explain his absence in the 1880 Federal census. Amos, George, and Philip Apgar are listed in 1880 as shown below.

City directories are useful, but I'm not certain how helpful they will be for me in this problem. I'm looking to see if Elias Apgar adopted William Frame some time after Apgar married in 1874 and before he died in 1894. I'm not certain directories will provide much assistance and I'm hesitant to spend the time on it at this point. Suggestions or ideas are welcomed.

Chicago Voter Registrations for the Frame and Apgar Families

The potential adoption of Frank and Willie Frame continues to be the focus of some of my research time. In this update, we look at Chicago Voter's registration records for Elias Apgar and Thomas Frame. 

Part of the "reasonableness" of whether Elias Apgar adopted Willie and Frank Frame is tied to the residences of Willie and Frank Frame's father Thomas and how close that residence is to Elias Apgar. Keeping in mind that Elias Apgar died in 1894 and that his wife Ann(e or a) died in 1895, addresses in the 1880-1895 period are crucial. In attempt to locate and compare the family's whereabouts, I looked at their entries in the 1888, 1890, and 1892 Chicago. These lists (1888 Voter Lists, 1890 Voter Lists, and 1892 Voter List) are online and indexed at Ancestry.com.  

Elias Apgar in the 1888 Chicago Voter's Registration Records

Elias Apgar in the 1890 Chicago Voter's Registration Records--as E. Apgar

Elias Apgar in the 1892 Chicago Voter's Registration Records

Thomas Frame in the 1888 Chicago Voter's Registration Records

Thomas Frame in the 1890 Chicago Voter's Registration Records

Thomas Frame in the 1892 Chicago Voter's Registration Records

Next?

Determine how close these addresses were at the end of the 19th century. I cannot use modern maps as the street numbers were changed after these records were created. 

I am also going to search city directories at Fold3 for Chicago and determine if there are any clues in those records. I'm doubting it as those records too will just show proximity. They are unlikely to provide any direct evidence of the adoption of Willie and Frank by Elias and Anna (Hartmann) Apgar. 

We will have an update after we've looked at the directories and contemporary geographic information.

Stay tuned.

An Apgar Connection for William Frame Apgar?

I have never really understood why William Frame took the last name of Apgar. The earliest reference with him listed under the name of Apgar is his 1909 marriage record to Mary Demar. This image comes from the FamilySearch database Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920. William is clearly listed as William Frame Apgar on this record. As mentioned in earlier blog posts (Framing the Apgars and Framing William Frame and, I'm pretty certain this is the right record and the right couple.

The question really remains: "Why Apgar?" While I know that people can change their name for any reason, there's usually is SOME reason. William Frame's English background has been traced for several generations and there's no Apgar ancestors--and no apparent connection to an Apgar family.

A blog reader recently contacted me and gave me the first lead on the Apgar connection. Bonnie H. emailed mem and sent me a letter written by her aunt Blanche Hartmann Gayan in 1976 which reads in part:

She is referring to John, Henry and Chris Hartmann and their two sisters Annie Apgar and Gustie Ehrensperger. A marriage record was located for Elias Apgar and Anna Hartman in Cook County, Illinois.

Elias Apgar and Anna Hartman were married in Chicago on 3 June 1874. This image comes from the FamilySearch database Illinois, Cook County Marriages, 1871-1920.

The Apgars died in the 1890s. Elias died in 1894 and Anna died in 1895.Both of these certificates were obtained from the Illinois, Cook County Deaths, 1878-1922 on the FamilySearch site.

There is no indication on the certificates who the spouse or widow was. However, given the marriage certificate and that Elias is married and Anna is a widow and the undertaker and cemetery are the same, it seems pretty clear the certificates are for the same people.

Annie died in 1895 as shown on her death certificate.

The problem is that there is nothing in these records to indicate whether or not there were any adopted children.

The letter indicates that the Apgars adopted a Willie and a Frank, but does not provide any more details about these children. The assumption is that they were brothers, but the letter does not specifically make that statement. William Frame did have a younger brother Frank. One problem is that I'm certain why they would have been adopted. However the adoption would explain the use of the last name Apgar.

I'm working on the "next steps" in this research. That includes searching the 1888, 1890, and 1892 Chicago Voter Registrations at Ancestry.com and the 1880 census for Elias. Then I'll compare the locations I have for Elias with those for Thomas and Elizabeth Frame, William's parents.

Framing the Apgars: How Much Proof?

Framing the Apgars: How Much Proof? 


(this article was originally published in the Ancestry Daily News on 25 Sept 2002). The census entry discussed can be viewed here http://www.rootdig.com/census/louisdemar1910.html.


How can I prove that a reference to William Frame in the 1910 census is actually supposed to be a William Apgar? And just how much information do I need to have to show that two individuals are in fact the same person? It depends.

And that's not meant to be a cop-out answer. There is no hard and fast rule that can be applied to every genealogy problem. Generally speaking, the more information the better. The problem is that not all information coincides and in some cases, very little information is available.

An excellent simplified guideline is to:

Locate as many records as possible.

Track what you searched and how you searched it.

Take accurate notes—not scribbles.

Keep your assumptions in check.

Delineate in writing your research process.

Delineate in writing your record analysis and conclusions.

Learn about the general area and records that were created.

It sounds easy, but sometimes it is not. This week, we'll look at a relatively recent and simple example from a family that has been discussed in earlier columns.

The Record1910 Census, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, Enumeration District 1449, 26 April 1910 [extract],

Demar, Louis, head aged 49, M, born New York, machinist
------, Alfreda, wife aged 50, M, born Sweden
Loll, Fred stepson, aged 21, S, born Denmark, electrician
Frame, Wm, Roomer, aged 21, M, born Illinois, painter
-----, Mary, Roomer, aged 17, M, born New York
-----, Lillian, Roomer, aged 2/12, S, born Illinois

The SpeculationThe three last individuals in this household are actually William Apgar, Mary Apgar, and Lillian Apgar and not William, Mary and Lillian Frame. William Mary and Lillian are known to have been in the Chicagoland area in 1910 and several details about their life are already known and well-established from a variety of other records. Mary Apgar is known to be the daughter of a Louis Demar from New York State. It is thought that the Louis in the 1910 census is actually Mary's father.

I decided to take this census entry apart bit by bit as best I could and compare what the census said with other records I had on this family. In this example, in the interest of space, we'll include complete citations for some of the references. Of course in my records, I've got complete citations for every reference.

Proving My CaseWHY WAS LOUIS IN CHICAGO? Louis gives permission for Mary to marry in 1909 in Chicago. It is assumed that he was actually present at the office when the license was obtained (instead of his daughter bringing in a signed letter of consent). This would put Louis in Chicago in 1909. Research should follow up with appropriate Chicago city directories for the time period to determine if his residence in Chicago was permanent or temporary.

THE GENERAL RESIDENCE: Louis Demar in 1910 lived at 42 W. 119th St. This is in the Pullman area of Chicago and is in the same general neighborhood where: 

Mary Apgar lived when she divorced William Apgar in 1921.

Mary Apgar's sister lived in the late 1910s.

Mary Apgar lived when she married again in 1922.

William Apgar appears in Chicago directories in the late 1910s.

William Apgar appears in the World War I Draft Registration.

The residence appears consistent with other records on the family.

FRAME NAME: William Frame Apgar and Mary Demar were married in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois in 1909. Louis Demar, father of bride gives his permission. [Source: Apgar-Demar Marriage License, 1909, Cook County, Illinois, Marriage License 525022, Cook County Illinois Vital Records Office]. This seems to be a fairly solid explanation of the reason why William might be listed with the Frame surname instead of the Apgar surname.

WILLIAM'S OCCUPATION: The 1921 divorce of William and Mary Apgar indicates that William was a painter. [Source: Mary Apgar vs. William Apgar, 1921, Superior Court Records, 21 S 365365, Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois]. While not an overwhelming consistency at least the occupation is not in conflict with other records.

WILLIAM'S AGE: The World War I draft card of William Apgar indicates he was born in September of 1888. This age matches exactly the age of William Frame in the 1910 census.

WILLIAM'S PLACE OF BIRTH: The World War I draft card of William Apgar indicates he was born in Illinois. William Frame also indicates he was born in Illinois.

LILLIAN'S AGE: The Social Security Death index indicates Lillian was born on 2 March 1910. Lillian would have actually been several days shy of being two months old at the time of the census (date of census was 26 April). However, her age is very close and this researcher does not feel it is off far enough to warrant concern. Note: Lillian was located in the Social Security Death Index using her married name (here omitted) and her month and year of death.

MARY'S AGE: From death records and the 1920 census, Mary was born ca. 1894. The age of Mary Frame in the 1910 census is 17. Mary Apgar's calculated age in 1910 from other records is approximately 16. This does not appear to be a major discrepancy.

MARY'S PLACE OF BIRTH: From death records and the 1920 census, Mary was born in New York State. This is consistent with Mary Frame in the 1910 census.

LOUIS' AGE: From christening records, Louis was born in 1854, probably in the month of March. This would make Louis 56 at the time of the 1910 census. This is a seven-year discrepancy from the age of 49 listed in 1910.

LOUIS' STATE OF BIRTH: Louis' 1870 and 1880 federal census entries and his 1892 New York State Census entry all indicate he was born in the state of New York.

ALFREDA? Louis's wife and daughter Mary's mother Marie Demare died in upstate New York in 1896. Louis could easily have married again.

THE RELATIONSHIP? This is perhaps the biggest question of all. Why are William, Mary, and Lillian, not listed as son-in-law, daughter, and granddaughter? I'm not exactly certain.

Again, a reminder: include the citation with each reference.

The intent here was to pick apart each aspect of the 1910 census entry and compare it to information obtained on the family from other sources. Some pieces of information fit well, but there are a few which do not make as much sense as I would like (especially the relationship). However, information obtained from different sources will not always fit together into a neat and tidy package. The biggest key to connecting the 1910 census reference to known family members was that William listed Frame as his middle name on his marriage record. Had this original record not been utilized, the case would not have been as strong.

Benefits?Delineating my case in this manner provided me with several benefits. First of all, it forced me to analyze my research and to consider additional sources that had not been used. Secondly, it helps me to see potential weak holes in my line of reasoning. Finally, if someone asks me "why" I think this census refers to the Apgar family I can provide them with my list of sources and conclusions.

After performing my analysis, I immediately thought of three records I should also locate.

Information on Louis' marriage to Alfreda-probably in Chicago.

Chicago City directories for Louis Demar.

Birth record for Lillian Apgar-probably in Chicago.

Birth record for William Frame Apgar-considering either Frame or Apgar to be his name—probably in Chicago.

So far, my attempts to locate William Apgar in the 1900 census (hopefully with his parents) have centered on the Apgar surname. Now it looks like my research should also include the Frame surname as well.

Analyzing this 1910 census entry was relatively straight forward, but it indicates that further research in this family might not be so simple. In future articles, we'll analyze other situations where the analysis is more complex. Keep in mind, if you back up a conclusion with your sources, the information they contain, and your line of reasoning, your genealogical case will be much stronger.