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Sunday, October 9, 2011

William Oliver Balderston

William Oliver Balderston is the 2nd Great Grand Uncle to my wife.  William is the son of Stephen B Balderston and Jane Squibb.  William was born 6 May 1850 in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio.

William is only one month old in the first record he is found in.  This is the 1850 Federal Census which finds him and his family living in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio.  William's mother, Jane, dies in 1859. Sometime before 1860 his family moves to Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois as this is where he father, Stephen, remarries to Mary Brenn in 1860.

The next record for William is the Illinois State Census of 1865.  I cannot locate the family in the 1860 Federal Census.  In 1865 we can find his father Stephen Balderston living in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  This census only lists head of households but does list the males and females living at home.  William would be the male living at home between the age of 10 and 20.

I cannot locate William Oliver Balderston in the 1870 Federal Census.  He next found still in Magnolia but living as a servant in the household of John and Mary VanHorn in the 1880 Census.  The VanHorn's are farmers so one would assume that William is farming for them.  In this census he is listed as Oliver Balderston.

William marries around 1893 to Mary Jane Rolley in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  By the 1900 Federal Census William and Mary have two daughters, Jeanette and Margaret.  William is listed as a groceryman in 1900.  Mary's father, John Rolley, is living with them.

William Oliver Balderston dies 29 December 1902 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  His widow, Mary Jane, remarries to John Dean sometime around 1904.  Mary and her new husband are found in the 1910 Federal Census still living in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Mary now has three children, Jeanette, Margaret and 4 year old Ethel Leona Dean.

It is not known if Jeanette Balderston or Margaret Balderston ever marry.  I found several newspaper articles in the 1920's for Jeanette in Illinois where she was a teacher.  It references her sister, Ethel, but never Margaret or her parents.   Ethel married a William Comstock.

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