Ainsworth School-Year Souvenir, 1897-98 (Part 3)

(continued from Part 2)

And now I shall educate myself about the names I don't recognize.


(Click on image to enlarge)

Rosa Dumas was about 15 years old, while Charlie, Maggie, and Moses ranged from 11 to 7. At home were two more siblings: Lucy, age four, apparently was not in school yet, nor, of course, was the two-year-old James. Their parents, Lucien and Hannah, rented a house somewhere in the village of Ainsworth (1900 Census). Lucien worked as a railroad section boss, perhaps on the Grand Trunk Railroad. In 1899, Hannah would give birth to twins, but only one, Genevieve, would survive — yes, I did note that down while reading microfilm,[1] but the Dumas name meant nothing to me and I quickly forgot about it.

I found a few other forgotten references in my notes. This one, from January 1905, suggests that Maggie was a popular young lady.


(Click on images to enlarge)
Hobart Gazette, Jan. 6, 1905.

From the same issue, we learn that Rosa had moved out of the family home.



Sometime after 1905 (I find no mention of any Dumas later than that in my notes), the family moved to Chicago, where both the 1910 Census and the 1920 Census record them. The 1930 Census shows that they had moved to Otsego, Michigan. Lucien and Hannah lived out the rest of their lives there, but when Hannah died in 1937[2] and Lucien in 1940[3], each was brought back to Valparaiso for burial.

Both Lucien and Hannah had grown up in Porter County. The 1870 Census records the eight-year-old Lucien in Valparaiso with his parents, Levi and Lucy. By 1880 he was working in a woolen factory. I can't find Hannah in 1870, but in the 1880 Census she was counted twice: once at home in the village of Hebron with her parents, Andrew and Margaret, and once as a servant in the household of Thomas and Mary McKay, who farmed in Winfield Township, Lake County. Lucien and Hannah were married in 1883.

I wonder if this Dumas family has any connection to Dumas Street in Valpo?


[to be continued]

_______________
[1] "Local Drifts," Hobart Gazette, Oct. 13, 1899.
[2] "Sister of Local Woman Succumbs at Home in Michigan," Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso), Mar. 27, 1937.
[3] "Lucien Dumas Death Victim," Vidette-Messenger (Valparaiso), Feb. 5, 1940.