JOHN CONGDON 1861-1913, MARY ELIZABETH HOFF 1859-1902, Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County, Illinois

Page content last modified:

June 11, 2009, corrected Mary Ann Hoff to Mary Elizabeth Hoff.
September 30, 2008, added text, link to John Henry Congdon (son), revised 1900 census transcription.

FRIENDSHIP CEMETERY
McDONOUGH COUNTY, ILLINOIS

JOHN H. CONGDON 1861-1913
MARY E. CONGDON (nee HOFF) 1859-1902		MARY ____________ ca. 1858-19__

A photo of the Congdon - Hoff tombstone. FOR DISPLAY ON THIS WEBSITE ONLY. Click for more information.

June 1913

Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 
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15 16 17 18 19 20 21 
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29 30

An image of an original published obituary, cut from a newspaper. From the collection of Okle Campbell Browning.

Note that the obituary stated that John Congdon died on June 30, which did fall on a Monday in 1913, but his tombstone was inscribed with July 1, 1913. July 1 is the date cited in a biography of his son, published in 1921. Mary Elizabeth Hoff's name was given as Huff in the same biography, with her date of death reported as October 28, 1902. The obituary stated that John came to the United States with "wife and children", but Bessie was born in Illinois according to all census records and Mary Elizabeth Hoff Congdon reported two children, both living, in 1900. Bessie's married name was Bergmeier.

The Ed McClure farm was in Tennessee Township, McDonough County, about three miles north of the village of Tennessee. A report of Mary Elizabeth Hoff Congdon's death, in which she was named as "Mrs. Jack Congdon", was published in The LaHarper on November 7, 1902.

The writer of the obituary did not bother to identify John's second wife, Mary, other than to mention that she was brokenhearted. The 1910 census item indicating that she was the mother of two children, is not particularly reliable; it's common to find incorrect 'mother of' entries for stepmothers. In 1920 the widow Congdon was keeping house for two bachelor farmers in Dallas City Township. We have found nothing further on her identity and have not located her after the 1920 census.

The children of John Congdon and Mary Elizabeth Hoff were:

i.	John Henry Congdon, born December 2, 1884, according to his WWI Draft Registration, December 2, 1885, according to the 1921 biography. In 1900 his parents, presumably, told the census taker he was born at sea. The biography reported he was born in Cornwall, England, as did later census records.
ii.	Bessie M. Congdon, born November 28, 1886, died in October of 1969, last address on Social Security records: Hamilton, Hancock County.

1900 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Hire Township, page 132B
enumerated June 18, 1900, dwelling #165

Congdon, John, head, white, male, Feb 1862, 38, married for 16 years, born England, both parents born England, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1885, number of years in the U.S. - 15, naturalized, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, rented his farm home, farm schedule 134

Mary, wife, female, June 1860, 39, married for 16 years; mother of 2 children, both living; born England, both parents born England, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1885, number of years in the U.S. - 15, could read, write and speak English

John Jr, son, white, male, Dec 1883, 16, single, born at sea, both parents born England, at school for 6 months, could read, write and speak English

1900 Census Record for Bessie Congdon not found

1910 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Montebello Township, page 146A
enumerated May 1, 1910, dwelling #156

Congdon, John H, head, male, white, 50, married (2nd) for 3 years, born Eng. English, both parents born Eng. English, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1884, naturalized, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 150

Mary H, wife, female, white, 51, married (2nd) for 3 years; mother of 2 children, both living; born IL, father born IN, mother born OH, spoke English, could read and write

John H, son, male, white, 25, single, born Eng. English, both parents born Eng. English, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1884, naturalized, spoke English, farm laborer, home farm, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write

Hickman, Bessie M, daughter, female, white, 23, widow; mother of 1 child, living; born IL; both parents born Eng. English; spoke English, seamstress, private family, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write

Mary E, granddaughter, female, white, 3, single, born IL, both parents born IL

1920 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Dallas City Township, page 90B
enumerated January 27-28, dwelling #225, farm

Raye, Daniel, head, owner, free of mortgage, male, white, 60, single, could read and write, born KY, both parents born KY, spoke English, farmer, home farm, working on own account, farm schedule 19

George, brother, male, white, 54, single, could read and write, born KY, both parents born KY, spoke English, farmer, home farm, working on own account

[continued on next page]

Congdon, Mary, housekeeper, female, white, 60, widow, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IN, spoke English, housekeeper, working for wages

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