Message Board - Tampico Area Historical Society, Tampico, Illinois

Message Board > Arthur Henrekin and Bessie Thompson*

Arthur Henrekin and Bessie Thompson*
The Tampico Area Historical Society encompasses parts of Whiteside County and Bureau County in Illinois. Focus is on Tampico, Hume Twp., Hahnaman/Deer Grove, & Prophetstown in Whiteside County & Yorktown & Thomas in Bureau County.

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Taylor
31 posts
Aug 31, 2011
3:11 PM

I believe I read a marriage announcement sometime ago on the Message Board for Arthur Henrekin and Bessie Thompson but can't seem to get back to it. Arthur was born on a farm near Tampico. According to his obit he and Bessie left Tampico and then lived at Ohio Station. Later he owned a grocery store in Sterling. Arthur died in 1933 and Bessie in 1937. They are both buried in the St. Mary's cemetery in Tampico. Any information on him and Bessie would be appreciated.

Denise
771 posts
Sep 07, 2011
6:59 AM

Hi Taylor,
I'll be at the Historical Society on Friday, so I will see what I can find there. I could not find a marriage announcement on the site, either.
Denise

Taylor
34 posts
Oct 23, 2011
5:42 PM

I finally found the newspaper announcement of their wedding in my notes. It was 2 June 1900. I believe it was in the Tampico Tornado or possibly the Standard, pg.4; c.1. I have both cited as the source (?):

Arthur Henrikin and Miss Bessie Thompson, both of Tampico, were united in marriage at St. Mary's church Tuesday morning, May 29, by Rev. Father Weber. The happy couple took the morning passenger for Chicago amid showers of rice and expressions of good will. An old shoe bearing the legend "Just Married" was attached to one of their stachels. They will visit for a few days in the city and on their return will reside in the McLean residence.

Where was the McLean residence? There was another news item I found that mention the house being painted.

Last Edited by on Oct 23, 2011 5:44 PM

Denise
791 posts
Oct 24, 2011
6:34 AM

Unless someone knows from their own research - I don't have a database for that yet. You could find it at the Court House Assessor's Office. I'll keep an eye/ear peeled if I run across something that gives an address for them.

Interesting - 1900 Census shows the following:
June 5, 1900 Census, Tampico:

Arthur Henrekin, b. Aug, 1896, 24y, # of yrs married:O, IL, salesman

Wife: Bessie M. Henrekin, b. June 1880, 19y,

Father-in-law: William McClain, b. ?, 1850,

Entry above Arthur is David Slye & list of "boarders." David owned the Slye Hotel, which was located on Glassburn St., right across from the RR station. The hotel no longer exists, but there are two white ranch-style homes on the property now. About 4 houses down from the Ronald Reagan boyhood home (after they moved from the apartment on Main St.). So, is Thompson another married name for Bessie?

From DOCUMENTS

(you can click on image to open album. Click on magnifying glass to enlarge for detail.)

I am not finding any "McLean" 1880=1900 on Ancestry or Family Search. I'll try again.

Last Edited by on Oct 24, 2011 7:12 AM

Taylor
35 posts
Oct 24, 2011
4:36 PM

Bessie's maiden name was Thompson. Her father was John Thompson. From what I have found she was born in Kane Co. and her father died shortly after her birth. Her mother died when she was 10 years old and William McLean, her uncle, and his wife brought her to Tampico to raise. I am trying to figure out how William was her uncle since I have Thompson family that I am searching. William's sister is my great great grandmother. A couple of possibilities or maybe he was an adoptive uncle and became her adoptive father. Gets confusing...

Taylor
36 posts
Oct 25, 2011
3:23 PM

Here's what I found posted by Les on the Message Board:

April 28, 1894
William McLEAN has made a marked changed for the better in the looks of his residence property in the eastern part of town. Paint adds much towards the appearance of a building and there are others in town who would do well to follow his example.

Denise
792 posts
Oct 26, 2011
10:23 AM

It appears that Mr. McLean was only in this vicinity in the 1880's through 1900. Here is a chronology of his "appearance" in Tampico:

Tampico Memorial Cemetery has a Maggie McLean, w/o Wm. McLean, buried next to James & Carrie Thompson.

No Wm. McLean buried in Tampico

{Not our guy) 1880 United States Federal Census about William Mclean
Name: William Mclean
Home in 1880: Evansville, Vanderburgh, Indiana
Age: 31
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1849
Birthplace: Isle of Sky
Relation to Head of Household: Self (Head)
Spouse's Name: Margaret Mclean
Father's birthplace: Scotland
Mother's birthplace: Scotland
Occupation: Dry Goods Merchant
Marital Status: Married
Race: White
Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
William Mclean 31
Margaret Mclean 28
Emma Driggs 30
Agnes Mckeever 35

Above is not same Wm. McLean. I later found an 1899 Directory for Evansville, IN. showing Maggie E. as widow of Wm. McLean.

1880 - No listing for McLean in Tampico census in 1880. [I went through it page-by-page, not depending on any transcription]

1887 - Tornado newspaper mentions Wm. as "Roll of Honor" for renewing his subscription to the newspaper.

abt 1890 - in a 1937 obit for Eliz. Thompson Henrekin (w/o late A.J. Henrekin) references going to live with her aunt & uncle, Mr. & Mrs. Wm. McLean of Tampico, when she was about 10 yrs. old (about 1890)

1893, Dec. 23 - Wm McLean - Fencing business advertised in Tampico Tornado newspaper holiday issue.

April 28, 1894 - Tornado newspaper mentions Wm. McLean painting his house on east side of town.

1900 - Death of Maggie McLean, w/o Wm. McLean, buried in TMC next to James/Carrie (Kniseley or Nicely) Thompson. James Thompson d. 1940 in Yorktown. James is s/o Alexander & Henrietta Thompson. [Carrie's maiden name is spelled Kniseley in James' obit. In her obit, it is spelled Nicely. Our Funeral Log notes payment for funeral made by A.A. Knisely].

1900 - Wm. McClain is living with Arthur Henrekin & wife, Bessie. Listed as f-i-l. widowed.

Nothing found in 1910 census - again, I went through it page-by-page.

The above is more for my benefit than for you. You probably already have this info. I just need to have it in front of me to know where I've looked or where I need to look next. Odd that Maggie is buried with James Thompson and no mention of her husband. Nothing on Sterling Gazette Newspaper Index either. Maybe I've missed something - I'll be back.....

You can also go to the Assessor's office in Morrison and track his property ownership.

Last Edited by on Oct 26, 2011 12:17 PM

Taylor
37 posts
Oct 26, 2011
7:34 PM

Yes, Wm is elusive. He was born in Scotland and it is possible he could have went back to Scotland. Or he may have died between censuses somewhere else and that's why he can't be found.

His sister, Henrietta McLean Thompson Mock, moved to North Dakota. I haven't been able to find him out there either. Henrietta and her husband William Mock lived in Yorktown for a short time. She had a child there before moving to North Dakota to homestead.

Henrietta's daughter, Nettie Quinn, lived in Yorktown and ran the Red Dot cabins. This family disappears after 1930.

James Thompson was Henrietta's son and William's nephew. He lived near Yorktown and owned a farm.

Alexander Thompson another son of Henrietta's lived in the Tampico area and is buried in Tampico Memorial Cemetery.

So there is lots of connections to Tampico area but just little information about the families.

Thanks for searching.

Last Edited by on Oct 26, 2011 7:35 PM

Denise
793 posts
Oct 27, 2011
7:24 AM

Patti, Have you gone to Morrison to 1) Track his property ownership (Assessor's office); 2) Probate records in Circuit Clerk's office and 3)possibly Business licenses found in County Clerk's office - need to know name of business, but maybe he used his name as part of Business. Just a thought.

Taylor
38 posts
Oct 27, 2011
6:10 PM

No, I hadn't checked there yet. Went to Henry Co. today on a genealogy search. Stopped by Sharon Cemetery on the way back. The church could use some TLC. Is there anything being done to preserve it?

Denise
794 posts
Oct 28, 2011
2:05 PM

Hi Patti, To my knowledge, not much if anything is being done with it. I love that cemetery and church. I forgot who the family is that keeps the records, etc. Janet Goodell gave me a name of someone a while back, but I'd have to search for it. ~ Denise

Taylor
39 posts
Nov 14, 2011
5:43 PM

I found at the courthouse the following surnames of people that had property transactions involving William McLean: Adams, Griffin, Bonesteel, Chamberlin, Glassburn, White, Kimball, Washburn, Brainard, Breckenridge, Morse, Graham, and McDonald. Places mentioned were Kimball Addition and Glassburn Addition, other places not specific.

JackP
159 posts
Nov 15, 2011
7:29 PM

I did a little searching on William McLean myself. It may be one of those one in a million shots, but I did see a William McLean in the 1910 census of Towner, North Dakota. Sad part is no age is given, but is listed as born in Scotland. He is list as a farming partner of William Mackay, no age for him either, but born Scotland.
Jack

Denise
796 posts
Nov 17, 2011
5:31 AM

HI Patti,
Somehow, I missed your last post. I've got a map at the historical society that shows those sections. I'm going there today, so will post again. Kimball section is the west end of Hahnaman Rd, (the middle school is on Hahnaman). If you are on Main St, Tampico, going south, the intersection by the Tampico apts. is Hahnaman/Kimball Road. I'm just not sure what the entire section includes by memory. Glassburn addition is the intersection before Kimball/Hahnaman Rd. Hopefully, I have a map that I can scan and I will post it here. Sorry for the delay in my response. And Thanks, Jack!

Denise
797 posts
Nov 17, 2011
8:27 AM

From Tampico Main Street on National Registry

Click on the photo to "open/enlarge" - You can then click on the magnifying glass in Picasa to enlarge and pan map. The map depicts the original township of Tampico and shows the various "additions." You will see that Kimball covers the west end of Kimball Rd as well as part of south Main Street - south of Kimball. Let me know if this is helpful. The "High School" is now the Middle School until next year! D

Last Edited by on Nov 17, 2011 8:28 AM

Taylor
40 posts
Nov 17, 2011
11:01 AM

Thanks Jack, I will have to check it out. His sister, Henrietta, was living in North Dakota so there is a chance that it might be him.

Thanks Denise for the great map! I also had sent you a more detailed email about the transactions.

Denise
799 posts
Nov 17, 2011
3:11 PM

You're welcome, Patti. I can't find any email from you. Did you send it to the tampicohistoricalsociety@gmail.com or my personal ddm/hotmail account? I'll look again to make sure.

Taylor
41 posts
Nov 18, 2011
2:11 PM

I believe it was your hotmail account.

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