Search billions of records on Ancestry.com
   

 

Page content last modified: May 22, 2006, added later photo and text.

McDONOUGH  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS
FAMILIES         NEWS         MEMORABILIA

 

LEWIS FREDRICK KNOEDLER 1866-1950
IDA LEE SHIELDS 1865-1950

 

A vintage family photograph taken in front their home. Click to see an enlarged view. FOR DISPLAY ON THIS WEBSITE ONLY.

 

Thanks to Mary Jane White for sharing Knoedler-Shields family data, and the portraits of the family and home.  Thanks to David Webb for the later photo of Lou and Ida.  Click on each picture to see an enlarged image.

Lewis Fredrick Knoedler was born January 16, 1866, in or near Plymouth, Hancock County, Illinois, the son of John Knoedler and Catherine George, both of German ancestry.  By 1870 the Knoedlers had relocated to Hire Township, McDonough County, Illinois.

Ida Lee Shields was the daughter of James Madison Shields and Lucinda Bowen.  Ida was born January 01, 1865, in or near Mt. Pleasant, Henry County, Iowa.  Ida lost her mother early in life when, family researchers believe, James and Lucinda were divorced.  By 1870 James had brought his extended family to Hancock County, Illinois, where Ida grew up.  It is unclear why Ida was listed in the 1870 census with another, unrelated family.

On August 8, 1888, Lewis and Ida were married at the McDonough County Courthouse in Macomb.  T. J. Wood, M. E. Minister, conducted the ceremony, witnessed by Darius Phelps and Caroline R. Knoedler, Lewis' elder sister.  Marriage Documents

Lewis and Ida farmed and raised their children in Hire Township. Lewis died August 23, 1950.  Ida died one month later, on September 23, 1950.  They are interred in a mausoleum at Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough County.

The Knoedler children:

i. Russell G. Knoedler, born June 21, 1889, married Hazel E. McConnell (1890-1985) in 1913, and they subsequently lived in Artesia, Eddy County, New Mexico.

    Click to view this family portrait. FOR DISPLAY ON THIS WEBSITE ONLY.

Click to view this wonderful snapshot of Lou and Ida in their twilight years. FOR DISPLAY ON THIS WEBSITE ONLY.

  Russell and Hazel both passed away in Artesia and were both returned for burial at McConnell Geddes Cemetery in Fountain Green Township, Hancock County.  A brief obituary for Hazel stated that Russell died October 25, 1950; the inscription on his tombstone reportedly reads 1889-1951.
 
ii. Frederick E. Knoedler, born September 15, 1892, died in 1971.  Fred is buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Macomb, McDonough County.
 
iii. Elvan C. Knoedler, born about October 24, 1894*, died February 4, 1895, burial at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County.
 
iv. Gracie L. Knoedler, born about September 22, 1896*, died February 2, 1897, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
 
v. Ray Louis Knoedler, born June 21, 1898, died September 21, 1986, burial at Friendship Cemetery.
 
vi. Nellie Frances Knoedler, born July 11, 1901, died April 24, 1920, in Abingdon, Knox County, Illinois.  She is entombed in the mausoleum (with her parents) at Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville.
 
vii. Lawrence Knoedler, born about 1905, married Alice R. Leaf about 1928.  Alice was born in Illinois about 1907 to parents who both immigrated from Sweden.  Lawrence and Alice lived in Macomb and later moved to Roswell, New Mexico.  See census transcriptions, below.
 
viii. Reva Knoedler, born about 1906, married Leland Carter who grew up north of Macomb. Reva taught school in Macomb for a while, then they moved to Chicago where she taught sewing classes for the Singer Sewing Machine Company and Leland worked at Sears.  They later moved to South Dakota, then to Richmond, Virginia, where they died and are buried. They had no children.
 
* Birth date calculated from tombstone inscription.

1870 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Hire Township, page 465A
enumerated June 30, 1870, dwelling #172

Needland, John, 42, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 3000, value of personal estate 500, born Germany, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Catharin ?, 30, female, white, keep house, born VA
Fannie, 12, female, white, born IL, father foreign born, attended school within the year
Mary, 10, female, white, born IL, father foreign born, attended school within the year
Louis, 4, male, white, born IL, father foreign born
Carline, 2, female, white, born IL, father foreign born

1870 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Fountain Green Township, page 129
enumerated June 6, 1870, dwelling #150
(in proximity to James Madison Shields)

Bullington, John S, 29, male, white, carpenter, value of real estate 1000, value of personal estate 200, born IN, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Sarah, female, white, keeping house, born IL
Samuel, 7, male, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Marietta, 3, female, white, born IL
Ida B, 1, female, white, born IL
Laura, 12, female, white, born IL, attended school within the year
Joseph, 20, male, white, carpenter, born IN
Shield, Ida, 5, female, white, born IA

1880 Illinois Census, McDonough Co, Hire Township
page 400A, enumerated June 10, 1800, dwelling #159

Knoedler, John, white, male, 53, married, farmer, born Germany, both parents born Germany
Catharine, white, female, 45, wife, married, keeps house, born VA, both parents born Germany
Fanney, white, female, 22, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born Germany, mother
born VA
Mary, white, female, 20, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Lewis, white, male, 14, son, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Caroline, white, female, 11, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Clara, white, female, 8, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Amanda, white, female, 5, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
John, white, male, 3, son, single, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany

1880 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Hancock Township, page 126A
enumerated June 11, 1880, dwelling #78

Sheilds, James A [sic], white, male, 61, married, farmer, born OH, both parents born Ireland
Jemima, white, female, 51, wife, married, keeping house, born OH, father born NY, mother
born PA
Lyman, white, male, 21, son, single, farmer, born IA, both parents born OH
Elisabeth, white, female, 20, daughter, single, born IA, both parents born OH
Ida, white, female, 14, daughter, single, born IA, both parents born OH
Heartman, Willard, white, male, 13, step son, single, born IA, father born PA, mother born OH

1900 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Hire Township, page 134A
enumerated June 21, 1900, dwelling #198

Knoedler, Lewis, head, white, male, born June 1866, 33, married for 12 years, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, farmer, months not employed - 9, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 158

Ida, wife, white, female, born Jan 1866, 34, married for 12 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IA, both parents born OH, could read, write and speak English

Russell, son, white, male, born June 1889, 10, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, at school, attended school for 8 months, could read, write and speak English

Freddie, son, white, male, born Sept. 1892, 7, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, at school, attended school for 8 months

Ray, son, white, male, born June [or Jan.] 1898, 1, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA

 

1910 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Hire Township, page 129A
enumerated April 30, 1910, lines 6-13 (no dwelling number)

Knoedler, L F, head, male, white, 43, married (1st) for 21 years, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, spoke English, farmer, gen farm, employer, could read and write, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 90

Ida, wife, female, white, 45, married (1st) for 21 years; mother of 8 children, 6 living; born IA, both parents born OH, spoke English, could read and write

Russell, son, male, white, 20, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English, farm laborer, home farm, employee, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Frederick, son, male, white, 17, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English, farm laborer, home farm, employee, could read and write

Ray, son, male, white, 11, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Nellie, daughter, female, white, 8, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Lawrence, son, male, white, 5, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA

Reva, daughter, female, white, 3 single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA

 

1920 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Hire Township, page 110A
enumerated January 15, 1920, dwelling #91, farm

Knoedler, Lewis, head, paying on a mortgage, male, white, 53, married, could read and write, born IL; father born "Wertenberg" Ger, native tongue - German; mother born VA; spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, farm schedule 65

Ida, wife, female, white, 55, married, could read and write, born IA, father born OH, mother born OH, spoke English

Ray, son, male, white, 21, single, could read and write, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English, laborer, home farm, working for wages

Nellie, daughter, female, white, 18, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English

Lawrence, son, male, white, 15, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English

Reva, daughter, female, white, 13, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, spoke English

 

1930 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Hire Township, page 81A
enumerated April 9, 1930, dwelling #30

Knoedler, Lewis F, head, owned his home, [no entry for home value], did not own a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 63, married, age at first marriage - 22, could read and write, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, spoke English, farmer, gen farming, [no entry regarding military service], farm schedule 27

[continued on next page]

Knoedler, Ida L, wife, female, white, 65, married, age at first marriage - 23, could read and write, born IA, both parents born OH, spoke English

Ray, son, male, white, 31, single, could read and write, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, spoke English, farmer, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 28

Reva L, daughter, female, white, 22, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born OH, spoke English, teacher, public school

Lawrence Knoedler & Alice Leaf

1920 Illinois Census, Rock Island County, Moline ED 110, page 109B
enumerated January 5, 1920, dwelling #107, 841 18th Avenue

Leaf, Carl D, head, renter, male, white, 24, married, could read and write, born IL; both parents born Sweden, native tongue Swedish; spoke English, repair man, garage, working for wages

Myrtle A, wife, female, white, 24, married, could read and write, born IL; both parents born Sweden, native tongue Swedish; spoke English

Cecelia, mother, female, white, 50, widow, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1888, naturalized, year of naturalization - 1893, could read and write, born Sweden, native tongue Swedish; both parents born Sweden, native tongue Swedish; spoke English

Anna E, daughter, female, white, 23, single, could read and write, born IL; both parents born Sweden, native tongue Swedish; spoke English, stenographer, insurance co, salaried

Alice R, daughter, female, white, 13, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL; both parents born Sweden, native tongue Swedish; spoke English

 

1930 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Macomb ED 19, page 166B
enumerated April 19, 1930, dwelling #595, 734 N. Randolph

Knoedler, Lawrence E, head, renter, monthly rental 30, did not own a radio, male, white, 25, married, age at first marriage - 23, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, agent, life insurance, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

Alice, wife, female, white, 25 ?, married, age at first marriage - 23 ?, could read and write, born IL, both parents born Sweden, spoke English, teacher, public school

 

McDonough Families
News, Memorabilia
Census
Transcriptions