The Children of:
Warren Onan    (1818-1910)    RIN 269
Margaret Austin    (1819-1904)    Rin 270
MRIN 80

* computer generated number used in software.

Elizabeth C.

Probably born in Allegany NY; she died as a young woman. She is buried in the Allegany NY town cemetery.

Alzora G. (Zora, Zorie)

[p0181p3] Alzora Onan about 1870                                                                   [p0374p2] Charles Henry Sikes about 1899
  Clay County Historical Society                                                                                 Clay County Historical Society
       Reversed from tintype

Was probably born in Allegany NY where she was brought up and learned to be a telegraph operator. On January 16, 1876 in Allegany she married Charles Henry Sikes. He was born May 15, 1846 in Otto, Cattaraugus county NY; son of Celif Sikes and Minerva Allen. He enlisted at Dunkirk NY at age 18 on September 6 1864; in the 9^th New York Volunteer Cavalry in the Civil War and fought under Sheridan. He was wounded on November 11, 1864 at Middletown VA and mustered out June 1, 1865 at Winchester VA. Following the Civil War he returned to Farming. He graduated from the Griffiths Institute Springville, NY in 1865 and in 1872 taught penmanship at Palocapel NY. From 1880 to 1881 he was city Justice of the Peace at Ellicottville, NY.

They moved to Moorhead MN in 1882. Later they homesteaded on the old Fort Ransom tract in North Dakota and when it was proved up moved to Lisbon where they resided for 15 years. He served as city assessor in 1889. His chief hobby was assisting sheriffs and states attorneys in running down bootleggers. In 1902 they moved to Moorhead MN. A business card indicated a joint venture with Warren Onan in the land business catering to Civil War veterans. Later Charles sold "confectionery, ice cream, soda water, fruits, nuts … near Columbia Hotel … Phone 852-L.". His calling card also said, "Write me for prices on Good Red River Lands.". He operated a truck garden and orchards that were much admired for their beauty. His daughter Maude, wrote in 1909 that he was interested in race horses. There is a picture of him with his horse, Volunta, said to be a direct descendent from the famous Dan Patch. They lived in Moorhead until entering the Minnesota Soldiers Home.

Alzora and Charles Sikes entered the Minnesota Soldiers Home in December 1924. He took several trips, "furloughs", to tend to his enterprises in North Dakota, leaving Alzora in the care of the Home. The commandant of the home repeatedly urged him to return to care for her. She was a behavior problem and a real pain in the butt. The Commandant, S. H. Towler wrote to him in Moorhead on July 3, 1925,

"I recollect about what you said about our hiring some one to take care of Mrs. Sikes, but that is impossible. We have no place to keep any such person and she has been looked after by the women in the cottage. I think they have been exceedingly kind and careful of her, but never the less you know they are all old women, and they have their own disabilities to nurse. If you are going to be delayed any great length of time may be Mrs. Sikes had better come up to you." On July 18 he wrote, "Business or no business, it is important that you come here and take care of your wife. I am going away Monday night and I shall leave instructions that if you do not return at once to take care of her, I will have her sent to you. I am sorry that I have to speak so peremptorily, but this is an important matter and I can see no reason why your business cannot be transacted form here just as well as up there."

Alzora died at the Minnesota Soldiers Home. She was buried in an unmarked grave at Lakewood cemetery in Minneapolis. I purchased a marker for her. Charles died at his daughter Maud’s house in Fargo on August 3, 1934 while on furlough from the Soldiers Home. He is buried at a Prairie Home cemetery in Moorhead MN.

They had one child; Maud A. born at Ellicottville, NY on April 13, 1878. She was a practical nurse. She died April 5, 1948 in Moorhead, MN and is buried in Prairie Home Cemetery. She married Edward Griffiths in Winnipeg, Canada in 1914. That year he purchased three lots in the city of Moorhead. He died in 1930, is buried in Prairie Home cemetery. They had no children.

Adilia (Clara)

I’m going to deal with this here because it may trip someone else up as it did me. The name is clearly enumerated as part of the Warren Onan family in the 1850 US census of the town of Burton, Cattaraugus county NY. It was listed as a female child of one month age. For 15 years I have looked for and expected to find another reference and speculated that it was a child who died in infancy. I must now conclude that Adilia is Clara C.. The census was taken on September 24. Clara was born August 25; making her one month old at the time of the enumeration.

Clara C.

We have no pictures of Clara and don’t know anything particular about her. On February 19, 1869 she married Charles William McKay; presumably in Allegany NY where they both lived. Charles must have been a welcome addition to the family. He enlisted at age 15, was a comrade of her father Warren in the war and had earned the Medal of Honor, our country’s highest award. The event which resulted in the award is described in "The Hardtack Regiment" by Mark Dunkelman and Michael Winey. It was during the Atlanta Campaign at a place called Rocky Face Ridge about 20 miles south of Chattanooga, in Georgia.

"The men re-formed and looked after the wounded. Major Warner noticed one of the regimental color guard lying between the lines wounded and unable to walk. The Major sent Sergeant Stephen Welch and his tent mate Charles McKay of Company C to rescue the man. Under a heavy fire, they found Corporal George Greek badly wounded in both legs. They rolled him into a blanket and carried him back to the Union lines. Corporal Greek was returned to Chattanooga, where he died the same day. Sergeant Welch and Private McKay receive Congressional Medals of Honor for ‘voluntarily risking [their] life in rescuing under the fire of the enemy a wounded comrade who was lying between the lines.’." The Hardtack Regiment p.109

He was further honored on May 26, 1865 when he received a stand of colors, the gift of Cattaraugus county, from New York governor Fenton to carry until the regiment was mustered out.
After the war and an attempt at a medical education, he went to work for the Pennsylvania railway in about 1869. He served at stations in Pennsylvania and Indiana until he came west to Fargo in 1883. In Minnesota he worked as agent for the Northern Pacific railway in Fargo, Wahpeton, Fergus Falls and Staples. He was a member of the Masonic lodge in Fergus Falls and captain of Company F of the Fergus Falls militia.
When Clara died February 4, 1888 she left three children; Sara Grace born September 13, 1870 in Indiana, Blanche Margaret born July 30, 1877 in Indiana and Georga born September 16, 1880 in Indiana. None of these children have been found.

Charles McKay married again on July 23, 1890 to Elizabeth Lockhart Thomson at Fergus Falls. She was born in Canada in 1856. They had one child; Mildred Janet born May 23, 1893 and not found. Elizabeth died December 23, 1909 at Staples and is buried at Fergus Falls.
Charles continued working until October 1909. He died in Staples after a Finnish bath in New York Mills on August 25 1912. He was 65 years old.
NOTE: Strangely, McKay’s Medal of Honor is never mentioned in any of his obituaries. The present location is unknown. It was probably given to one of his daughters. At the time of his death; Grace was Mrs. Charles Ridgeway of Spokane, Blanche was Mrs. E. R. Dampier of Spokane, Georga was living in Staples and Mildred was living with an aunt, Mrs. F. G. Dumble of Los Angles. Where are their descendants now? I hope the medal is with one of their descendants.

Edward Mills

Is particularly important because he is my great grandfather. I am sad because there is so little known about him. He lived a short, ordinary life; not particularly remarkable in any way, without military service or an estate to probate.

The 1870 census of Allegany, Cattaraugus county NY indicates he was a Mail Messenger at about age 15. His father was postmaster, so there's nepotism at work. By 1879 he had moved with the family to Moorhead. On December 19 1882 he began employment with the Northern Pacific Railroad as a telegraph operator. In December 1891 he was appointed exclusive agent at Wahpeton ND.

Edward married Ellen L. Morris on July 14, 1883 in Wahpeton ND. She was born December 29, 1958 near Richmond VA. The only story of her life I have comes from the eulogy by my grandfather David Onan in the ONAN NEWS. There are a number of historical inaccuracies in what he wrote from memory. Most of what I include here is taken from or inferred from records in the Bible given to her by her son Paul in 1944.

It is unclear how Edward and Ellen met. David Onan makes one reference that she taught school in Cuba NY, which is not far from Edward's home town of Allegany. Did she follow him to Minnesota? Nobody says. Oral history says she taught school at Fort Abercrombie ND, but the fort was closed in 1877. Edwards work took him to Brainard MN where their first son was born. Later moves with the railroad were to Moorhead MN and Wahpeton ND.

1900 was not a good year for this family The Wahpeton ND newspaper of September 7 said, "A son of E.M. Onan has been quarantined for diphtheria. The house was fumigated and the family released last Tuesday." Edward died at the home of his parents in Moorhead on October 6 1900 at age 45. The obituary in the Moorhead paper said he "has been ailing for some time and has been staying with his parents in this city in hope of regaining his health. Death was caused by heart failure." On the day before, the Wahpeton newspaper reported, "Mrs. Onan received a summons to the bedside of her husband at Moorhead the first of the week, but owing to her home being quarantined she was unable to go." The Wahpeton newspaper reported on October 12 that "Depot Agent McKay [see above], of Fergus Falls, passed through here, Monday, enroute for Moorhead where he intended to attend the funeral of E.M. Onan. He was accompanied from here by Samuel and Robert Onan." [the children]

In 1901 Ellen moved the family to Niagara Falls, NY. David Onan's eulogy says that she wanted to take advantage of the job opportunities created by the expanding electrical industry. It is easy to imagine that with her husband dead the raw frontier had less appeal than the potential of a big city. She settled with the boys at 2462 Allen Avenue. In 1903 she moved to 2902 Pine Avenue. Her occupation is consistently listed as practical nurse; sometimes for a private client. In 1919 she moved to Chicago until 1925 when she came back to live at 1419 Fort Avenue with various other members of the family. The last Niagara Falls city directory listing is 1941.

No record exist as to when or why she moved to Flint MI. However, with her son Samuel's death in 1940 she had only grandchildren left in Niagara Falls. Sometime between 1945 and 1950, my dad and I visited her. We flew to Detroit and took a car to Flint. I do not remember that she was living in a nursing home; I think it was a private house. I remember that she was very old. She and dad talked only for a few hours and I remember nothing of the conversation. She died May 26, 1950 of Generalized Arteriosclerosis. It is my belief that her son David was providing some of her support. There was no other family member with adequate money.

It is clear that they had 4 boys. One record shows there were also two girls who lived only two days. I am including the girls because they come from Ellen's Bible records. There is no other reference.

Edward Samuel: called Sam, began work for the Carborundum company in 1906. The first listing of him as married to Nellie Eagen is 1929 and living at 1419 Fort Avenue. The had three children; Paul Leroy, Elvira and Kathleen. While the family continued to grow in the Buffalo NY area, too little is know to comment authoritatively. His obituary says he died suddenly. The persons living today (2000) do not seem interested in talking about their family enough to continue a correspondence dialog. I infer some hostility.

David Warren: A special section will be devoted to him because he is in my direct line of ancestry and will require much space.

Robert Morris: is listed with the family in Niagara Falls city directory until 12. He married Helen Kracht in Niagara Falls. They had three children; two lived, Robert Charles b. 5 Jun 1912 and Ellen Louise, b. 12 July 1914. He is listed in 1915 as a clerk and 1916 working for Carborundum. The 1919 entry indicates "removed to Cuba Islands". In David Onan's eulogy of his mother, he says, "Robert joined the Navy and after that followed the ceramic industry with headquarters in Chicago or Milwaukee". In 1940, Robert was living in Frankfort IN.

Paul Leroy: Long the unfound. He is listed with the family in Niagara Falls and employed at the telegraph office in the 1910 census. In David Onan's eulogy to Ellen he says, "Paul followed the telegraph profession and was with the Associated Press. He spent most of his time in the South at Shreveport, Dallas, Galveston and finally in California". It is on a loose sheet included in the Bible Paul gave his mother in December 1944 that she notes the name of his first wife as Jessie. The question still exists whether he had any children with Jessie, but the probable answer is, no. At least no living children claimed part of his estate.
Paul arrived in California about 1925. On September 9, 1927 he married Margaret P. Harrison in Los Angeles CA. She was aged 29, born in Missouri, a telephone operator. He is listed as a telegraph operator with E.F. Hutton (stock broker). Margaret died May 8, 1931. He married again in 1935 to Mae Gollmar, her second marriage, a dress designer. They continued to live in Los Angeles, Paul working as a stock broker. Paul died at his home at 2222 Nicola Road in Palm Springs, where it is said he had lived for 14 years. Mae died in Palm Springs on March 29, 1968. When her estate was settled she left $1,103.18 to a friend, Ruby Duncan.
NOTE: I hoped that finding information about Paul would lead to another child who could contribute family research information. No children appeared. Paul's whereabouts in the 15 years between the time he left Niagara Falls and came to California are unknown. His marriage license to Margaret Harrison indicates it was his second marriage; so there's a story left untold. Maybe near Shreveport LA. I could not find him in Oklahoma or Texas.

Lovina M., Vina

If we knew more about it, I'm sure Vina's life could be told as a romantic tragedy. She grew up Allegany NY, an established community where her father had positions of respect and importance; on a river and railway which brought people and commerce; where she probably had a romance or two; was brought at age 23 to virtually the end of the railroad line where many people lived in tents! In the summer of 1880 when she arrived in Moorhead MN her father had been there for part of a year. He had a house for them but they still lived in a frontier community. It would be 8 years before the Dakota Territory, across the river, became a state. It could have made me depressed, or a little angry.

But Vina's gift to us is a treasure of more than many of the previous family members. It was her autograph book. Here was shared the important things of her friends. Very important was a gala trip to Cedar Falls, IA in the winter of 1881-82, where she had cousins. Long lost cousins! These are the children of Marietta Onan, daughter of Samuel T. and Sybil, and wife of William T. Williams. Marietta herself speaks on page 7, Jessie Williams, her son, on page 27, William, another son on page 33, D[avid] R[odney] Onan, a brother on page 61; and others. In addition there are notes from Charles W. McKay on page 17, her brother on page 19 and A. A. Sabin on page 59.

For more about Vina's autograph book, click here.

Vina's death in February 1885 may not have been a great shock, her obituary said she "had suffered several months with a lingering illness which culminated in embolism of the brain"; but it certainly was a tragedy. She was engaged to Dr. Davenport, perhaps C. B. Davenport on page 64 of her autograph book.

Too bad we don't know what she wrote on the autograph books of others. It is obvious she was loved and enjoyed her friends.

A question that has bothered me is the matter of a 27 year old girl dying of apoplexy, stroke or embolism of the brain. I wrote to an old friend and family physician who generously gave me a reply, which I will quote in part.

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While there are medical conditions which could produce a lingering illness which would likely culminate in a stroke and subsequent death in a young person, they are pretty rare. One that comes to mind is a condition known as malignant hypertension, that is, severe unrelenting hypertension. Severe kidney disease causing a deteriorating of kidney function and ultimately producing hypertension could be a cause of such a death - that would fit with the "apoplexy" description noted. 'While a tumor of the adrenal gland could produce severe hypertension in a young person, such a possibility is very rare. Children can develop scarlet fever (a consequence of a strep throat infection also known as scarlatina) at a very young age with complications producing kidney failure and a subsequent hypertension years later."

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There was also the question of a seeming early death of a higher than ordinary number of the family beginning with the children of James Onan. The doctor assures that, "most people died a fairly young age (by today's standards) of infectious diseases (pneumonia most commonly) in those years. So in general, these family members did not die at early ages except Elizabeth and Lovina - and they may have died of complications of infectious disease problems."

Not to linger any more on the morbid, go take a look at Vina's autograph book, if you have not done so already.

THE NEXT PART OF THIS PROJECT is to write the history of David W. Onan, my grandfather. As one of Edward's children, it belongs in this section, but its length and complexity means starting a new section and direction altogether. I'll be working on this for the most of 2000. If additional research information on any of the ancestors comes to light I will insert it in a timely way. Keep your cards and letters coming.

[warr_marg_children.doc]
17 January, 2000
David W. Onan II