Viola Sims Schoonover. -Maternal Lines in Family History

Viola Marie Sims Schoonover
 Viola's nickname was Babe.

Viola (Babe) Marie Schoonover was born Viola Marie Sims on Nov. 1, 1901 in Ames Oklahoma to Jacob M. Sims and Celia Bowman Sims. She had four brothers, Homer, who died at the age of 16, Guy, Harold, and Lester, and two sisters Nettie and Jessie.

 "Mom worked for the Enid General Hospital (Oklahoma) for 39 years as linen and laundry manager. She needed an hysterectomy in about 1932 and medical insurance was unheard of then,but we never had to sit down to a cold unprepared meal. She was also a dressmaker and hemstitcher. Her hobbies were knitting, crocheting ,ceramics, beautiful afghans.. She was very talented.

Enid General Hospital 1920
(later incorporated and renamed  INTEGRIS Bass Baptist Health Center)

My mother only had one hand. She fell off a horse when she was a young girl and her older sister fell on her too. Anyhow she had a club right hand. She wrote beautiful script. Never considered herself handicapped, because she could do about anything." -From conversations of J. Coole and great-uncle Ron Schoonover-June 2010, on his mother, Viola Sims Schoonover

Viola and Charles Edward (known as Ed) married on December 20th, 1919 in Enid. Ed had recently served in WWI, and was on the Rhine River in Europe when the war ended in the summer. One year later, in 1920 Ed and Viola are married and living in Enid on East Broadway Street, with no children yet. He is 23 years old, and she is 18 years old. Ed is employed constructing telephone lines for the phone company.

                                                    Enid Oklahoma 1920


 
Transcript 1920 US Census, Enid City, Garfield County, Oklahoma > 
(margin notes East Broadway [street]) > 
Schoonover, Charles E., Head of Household, renting home, male, white, age 23, married, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father born Virginia, mother born Virginia, employed lineman, Telephone Co, wage worker. 
 Viola M., wife, female, white, age 18, married, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father born OK, mother born OK.




It is interesting to note the change in their move from East Broadway to West State Street. This same year, Rev. Ferguson moved the black Baptist Church from the same street, Broadway, to East State Street. , as this is the same year that the black community in Enid, OK was relocating to the south-east district. During the ten years before, segregation codes (local laws) were being enforced in parts of Oklahoma and the Ku Klux Klan was growing in membership. In Enid, the clan marched in the streets to discourage black enterprise in the 1920's. The black community in Enid however, seems to have had a bustling growth. Called "East Park", the black community of Enid had schools, churches, stores, a newspaper, an ice-cream parlor, etc., and operated mostly autonomously with the exception of service jobs in the white sectors of the city. The black community of Enid was most likely inspired by the not-so-far-away "Black Wallstreet" of Tulsa Oklahoma which became famous for it's prosperity at the time and then also unfortunately famous for the race riot the following year.
(Enid was desegregated in the 1950's and 60's) source: okhistory
 







In the same year, Ed's mother and Viola's father are neighbors on Main Street in Cimmaron, Oklahoma, (about 56 miles from Ed and Viola). It's likely Ed and Viola became neighbors as children. Viola's parents moved from Illinois to Oklahoma during the few years following the homestead acts and the Cherokee land runs in Oklahoma (which created the town of Enid where they lived). At this point Viola's family had lived in Oklahoma for at least 15 years, though Viola's parents moved back to Illinois at some point. 






Cimmaron County Courthouse

                                  Viola Sims Schoonover, center right, and Sims family

Ten years later,1930, into the first year of the great Depression, Ed and Viola are listed with their four children, still in Enid,Oklahoma  - Eveline M , 9 years old, (Lee) Charles L, 8, (Gere) Raymond J,7, and (Toad) Ronald E.,5. They are on West State Street, which is five blocks away from their former Main Street, home rented for $20 a month and own a radio set. Ed is employed as a truckdriver for wholesale groceries.

From their son, Ron Schoonover, " During the depression my dad was employed by Ranney Davis Mercantile Company as a truck driver and we as a family survived quite well. He worked for them 49 years."

The next 9 years, Oklahoma will plummet into the Dust Bowl, drought and severe dust storms.. Millions of acres of land dried up, and many devastated farmers left the plains seeking ease of hardship, but Ed and Viola remained in town in Enid. They were about an hour away from their families location in Cimmaron shown in the picture below.

-from their son Ron, " Yes I remember the dust bowl fairly well, I was about 12-14 years old. It was a dirty mess. I remember punching eye holes in paper bags to slip over my head. Enid suffered quite a bit, but the panhandel northwest of Enid was the worst I ever saw. Wewoka, even years later still had a lot of sand dunes in the area I also remember a host of grasshoppers. Don't know what they ate as there wasn't much good vegetation."

 During this time Viola has a hysterectomy for medical reasons, and works at the Enid General Hospital for most of her adult life.She was the linen and laundry supervisor for forty years before retiring in 1972.

Dust Bowl, Cimmaron County, 1936

As the Depression and Dust Bowl were ending, WWII was beginning. During this time Ed and Viola are living in Enid (1940 US Census), still on West State Street, still renting at $20 a month, although now they have relatives living with them. Their children, as well as their grandson (daughter Evelyn's baby Andrew), and Evelyn with the married last name of Franks living with them, as well as Viola's sister Jessie Sims.

Ed is shown making a $400 salary as Grocery Co. truckdriver, Viola a $1,000 salary as a laudry clothes 'shorer', and their son Raymond of 17 years age is shown making $315 mo. with a note "n y a" (though I'm not sure yet what n.y.a. stands for).

 In the next three years Viola would see all three of her sons enlist and serve in 1940, 41, and 42. She would also see all three sons return home, marry, and have children of their own.

Viola was a 50-year member of the American Legion Auxiliary.

The American Legion was chartered by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization. Focusing on service to veterans, service members and communities, the Legion evolved from a group of war-weary veterans of World War I into one of the most influential nonprofit groups in the United States.

American Legion Headquarters Enid Oklahoma

American Legion Today, Enid Oklahoma, Argonne Post 4

Viola was also in longtime service of the 40&8. The 40&8 honors and serves combat veterans.

40&8 Official Emblem

Viola, Husband Ed, and Ed's sister Lula Schoonover

Viola and Charles lived at 702 W. Nagle, Enid, Oklahoma until their death.

                                           




                                        
                                  





source transcripts and images




1930 US Census Enid Oklahoma closeup




1930 US Census Enid Oklahoma




1940 US Census Enid Oklahoma

Viola's husband Charles Edward Schoonover is listed in his mother, Sallie Schoonover's household in Cimmeron, as well as in his own household in Enid, both in the 1920 Census. 

[Transcripts of 1920 US Census for Charles Edward Schoonover, his mother Sallie Schoonover, and 

Viola's father Jacob:

1920 US Census, Cimmeron Township, Major County, Oklahoma

Schoonover, Sallie A., Head of Household, home rented, female, white, age 55, widowed, can read and write, born Virginia, father born VA, mother born VA, employed washing-for town, paid wages. >John W., son, male, white, age 31, married, read/write yes, born VA, father VA, mother VA, employed farmer, renting land, paid 'one account'. 

> Walter L., son, male, white, age 29, married, read/write yes, born VA, father VA, mother VA, employed farmer, renting land, paid 'one account'. 

> James R., son, male, white, age 28, married, read/write yes, born VA, father VA, mother VA, employed farmer, renting land, wage worker. 

> Charles E., son, male, white, age 24, married, read/write yes, born VA, father VA, mother VA, employed construction work, telephone line, wage worker. 

> George R., son, male, white, age 23, single, read/write yes, born VA, father VA, mother VA, employed railroad sector, wage worker.

 > Francis E, daughter, female, white, age 18, single, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father VA, mother VA.

 > Roy T., son, male, white, age 14, attending school, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father VA, mother VA. 

> Floyd, son, male, white, age 12, attending school, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father VA, mother VA. 

> 
> 
> Note: neighbors on 1920 census are inlaws through Charles E. Schoonover and Viola M. Sims
>

Transcript: 1920 US Census, Cimmeron Township, Major County, Oklahoma 

> (household number 21, margin notes 'Main Street') 

> Sims, Jacob M., Head of Household, Renting house, male, white, age 46, married, read/write yes, born Illinois, father born Illinois, mother born Illinois, employed Manager; Elevator (industry), salary. 

> Selia M., wife, female, white, age 42, married, read/write yes, born Illinois, father born Illinois, mother born Illinois.

 > (Nellie ?legibility) M., daughter, female, white, age 22, single, read/write yes, born Illinois, father born Illinois, mother born Illinois, employed 'Central Girl In Phone Office', salary. 

> Jessie F., daughter, female, white, age 15, single, attending school, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father Illinois, mother Illinois. 

> Harold L., son, male, white, age 11, attending school, read/write yes, born Oklahoma, father Illinois, mother Illinois. 

> Lester I. , son, age 8, attending school, born Oklahoma, father Ill., mother Ill. 

> Homer I. , son, age 4, born Oklahoma, father Ill., mother Ill. 

> 
> 
> Note: Charles Edward's father is listed as born in Virginia. C.E. is duplicated in households in 1920, as is his brother Walter E. Schoonover. In Walter's records as Head of Household he lists his father as being born in Germany, and father's native language as German. ]

Maternal Lines in Family History (mother's mother and her mother)

We want to know who the women in our family history lines are too! We are so conditioned to view the women in our histories as attachment to the men, as this is how records have been kept. But will we see these women as more if we put them in the spotlight while collecting their histories?

 My great uncle told me about his mother, my great-great grandmother. She was born with a clubbed hand but made toys and clothes, she had a surgery and worked herself to pay off the bill, and she was much admired by her son. Before my great uncle told me these details, she was a name of wife and mother. Another grandmother's cousin took over the family newspaper when her father died, and ended up being the last person in the US to use the old original type of printing machine. Let's see what else we can find...

This series will be on maternal lines in family history, each post will have a tag that links to the sidebar of this blog titled "maternal lines", so click that link to view them all.

Pastor Charles M Schoonover 1919 Newspaper Images, Oklahoma

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August 8th, 1919

Durant Weekly News (Oklahoma)

Christians Call Pastor
The official board of the First Christian Church of this city has extended a call to the Rev. Charles M. Schoonover, of San Angelo, Texas, and the call has been accepted effective on September 7th, when the new pastor will arrive with his family to take up his work. Mr. Schoonover is well known in the southwest, having filled pastorates at Bonham, Greenville, Gainesville, and San Angelo. The board feels that the local church is fortunate in securing him for the church.


April 20th , 1922
Pastor Charles M Schoonover listed as doctor

The Daily Ardmoreite Newspaper (Oklahoma)

Minister Delayed So Lawyer Starts Christian Revival

The revival service Monday night at First Christian church was attended by a good audience which was disappointed by the absence of Dr. Charles M. Schoonover, who has been unavoidably detained, but pleased with an excellent sermon by E. W. Schenk, the lawyer-preacher of Ardmore. He will speak every night this week except Saturday. Four of the men are organizing a male quartet which will sing at every service.
Mr. Schenk spoke on the incident recorded in the last part of the 10th chapter of Numbers. 

Beaver Residents Visit, Work, Accidents and Humor. 1911 Newspaper Images, Oklahoma

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April 20th, 1911, The Beaver Herald (Beaver, Oklahoma)

Maude O. Thomas, Publisher

Home Creek

Carey Barker and family visited W. R. Barker's Sunday evening.

Mr. Jorden and wife visited Newt Taylor and family Saturday.

Willie Howe and wife and Lawrence Hobbs and wife took dinner with Jim Barker's Sunday.

Claud Haskell and wife and Orvel and Ed Haskell are going to start to Colorado Tuesday.

Walter Busch and family took dinner with Mr. Cunningham's Sunday.

Lucy Wilson visited with her cousin, Elva Barker, a few days last week.

Hello! Busch Chapel, wake up.

Raymond Twentier says he is glad Mrs. Barker sets her hens close to the road. (Someone seems to have had a sense of humor)

Gorden Chamberlain's little boy is very sick at this writing.

While Walter Busch was going home from Mr. Barker's last Saturday his horse threw him off bruising him up pretty bad, but he managed to get home all right. His horse was not accustomed to a saddle.

John and Myrtle Schoonover have returned from a visit back east.

W.B. Barker and son C.B. went to Zelma last week bringing back two jacks, one black one gray. He sold one jack to Mr. Black of the South Flat for $500.

W. H. Barker started to Glazier, Texas, with broomcorn for Mr. Groendyke this week.

J. A. Barker is up and around again doing his work.

Austin Humphrey helped Charles Schoonover fix his well last Thursday.

Chas. Kirky went to Liberal last week for C. C. DeGraw and others after a load of freight.

Truax & Hopkins Undertaking, Hardware & Furniture, Tin Shop

1900's Beaver, Oklahoma

In 1900 the population was 112. The economy of Beaver City and the surrounding area depended on cattle ranching until 1902–03, when the Homestead Act brought farmers, whom ranchers sometimes derided as "pumpkin rollers," to the area. This changed the town's population and commerce. One of the first businesses was the Groves Hotel, later known as the Thompson Hotel. It was built in 1885. In 1891 Carter Tracy moved to Beaver and built a general hardware and implement company. The first newspaper was the Territorial Advocate, established in 1887. Although the name changed to the Herald Democrat, the paper continued to inform the county into the twenty-first century. In 1905 W. T. Quinn established a telephone exchange. The 1910 U.S. Census reported 326 inhabitants.

In the early years of the twentieth century two banks, the Bank of Beaver City and the First National Bank, were established. The Beaver, Meade and Englewood Railroad was built to connect to the Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railway in Forgan, seven miles to the north. Other new businesses included the OK Barber Shop, the Beaver Cleaners, the Goetzinger Grocery, the Beaver Motor Company, the Home Lumber Company, and a number of saloons and hotels. During the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl the town, as well as the rest of the area, suffered, and the population greatly decreased. The town of Beaver, however, actually grew from 920 in 1920 to 1,028 in 1930. The community then began to expand, with a 1940 population of 1,166 climbing to 2,087 in 1960.

Encyclopedia of Oklahoma

Beaver is located on Beaver River, and began as the location of a fur-trading post in 1879. Its original name was Beaver City, and was planned to be the capital of the short-lived Cimarron Territory. The Federal government never recognized the proposed Territory, but Beaver City remained the center of business and law enforcement for the area. In 1890, the territory was assigned to Oklahoma Territory, and Beaver City became the seat for the entire Oklahoma Panhandle, then known as Seventh County.

Beaver began as a stop on the Jones and Plummer Trail. In 1880, Jim Lane built a house on the south side of Beaver Creek, that also served as a general store, saloon, hotel, and restaurant.The first post office had been established on the north side of the river in 1883. In 1884 Lane moved the post office to his store and became the postmaster. He also added a corral and livery stable to accommodate freighters and cattle drivers. The Presbyterian Church was built in 1887. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as ""the oldest church in Oklahoma Territory".

Between Beaver and Guymon Oklahoma along Beaver Creek there are several plains Indians ruins. They are on private property and not accessible to the public. These ruins are associated with the Buried City Plains Indian Ruins near Perryton, Texas.^{[8] Wikipedia, Beaver, Oklahoma}

Historical population
Census	Pop.		%±
1900	112		—
1910	326		191.1%
1920	920		182.2%
1930	1,028		11.7%
1940	1,166		13.4%
1950	1,495		28.2%
1960	2,087		39.6%
1970	1,853		−11.2%
1980	1,939		4.6%
1990	1,584		−18.3%
2000	1,570		−0.9%
2010	1,515		−3.5%
Est. 2014	1,470	[12]	−3.0%
U.S. Decennial Census

Enitre Schoonover family in 1820 Randolph County Virginia-free Census Images

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Enitre Schoonover family in 1820 Randolph County Virginia

These are listings and Census images from the 1820 US Census of Randolph County in Virginia. The Schoonover family is living here with the heads of households: Joseph, Benjamin, Ebenezer, and Daniel, and William. Their families consist of 34 people at the time, and occupations are in agriculture, most likely farming.

Joseph Schoonover is listed with a household of 4 people.

1 white male under 10 years old

1 white male between 26 and 45 years old

1 white female between 16 and 26 years old

1 white female between 26 and 45 years old

1 person engaged in agriculture

It appears that this household consists of a family of an adult male and female, a young adult female, and a male child.

Next we have Benjamin Schoonover, with only 2 males in residence.

1 white male between 26 and 45 years old. 

1 white male over 45 years old.

1 person engaged in agriculture.

We can assume this is father and son, and perhaps the son is the working male, this household is explored in again in a moment, as it is possible this Benjamin may be a duplicate listing.

Next we have Ebeneezer Schoonover with a household including 5 people.

1 male between 18 and 26 years old

2 girls under 10

1 female up to 16

and one female between 26 and 45.

1 person working in agriculture.

Since Ebeneezer is listed as the head of household we can assume he is the male adult up to 26 years old. The female adult  may be his wife if she is even one year older than him, or could be his mother. Then there is a teenage girl and two girl children.

Then we have Daniel Schoonover with a household of 12 people...

2 boys under 10 years old

2 boys under 16 years old

1 male up to 18

1 male up to 26 years old

1 male up to 45 years old

3 girls under 10 years old

1 female up to 26

and 1 female up to 45.

4 people working in agriculture.

So Daniel has an adult couple-presumably parents, another male and female who are young adults- which may be one of their children married and living at home, then the children of presumably both couples include a teenage boy, two pre-teen boys, 2 young boys, and 3 young girls. The 4 working are most likely the eldest males.

on the previous page of the census we have another Benjamin Schoonover and William Schoonover in the same county and presumably same family of Schoonovers. This Benjamin has a sidenote written into the margin (leftside) by the census taker, though the note is too small to read. Undoubtedly this note refers to the two listings of Benjamin Schoonover in this county... If anyone can make out the note or has an idea please leave a comment!!! (This image can also be seen in larger view at the TickyTacky blog. The blog link is in the video description.)

So we have the second Benjamin Schoonover, listed with a household of 6 people :

2 boys under 10 years old

one male up to 45

2 girls under 10

one female between 16 and 26 years old

and one female up to 45.

1 person working in agriculture.

It appears this is Benjamin and his wife as adults, a young adult female, and two boys and two girl children. Since the first Benjamin is listed only with one other older male but only one of them working, it is possible that this is the same Benjamin...this listing being his household and perhaps he is working his father's farm in the other listing. Hence, the sidenote in the margins would surely aid in clearing this question and also clarifying family research.

Lastly we have William Schoonover listed with a household of 5 people.

2 boys under 10 years old

1 male up to 45

1 female under 10

1 female between 16 and 26

This family is noted with one person working in Agriculture, and one person working in Manufacturing. However, it does not note whether William is the person who works in both, or if the younger adult female also works.

The only male out all of these Schoonover's who is older than 45 is the one male listed in Benjamin Schoonover's possibly duplicate listing. All of the other Schoonover males are 45 years or younger. 

Further articles on this family will be published on the Schoonover's of 1800 Randolph County Virginia.