Albert Charles Balderston

Albert Charles Balderston is the 2nd Great Grand Uncle of my wife, the brother of her 2nd Great Grandfather, Joseph Newton Balderston.  Albert is the youngest son of Stephen B Balderston and his second wife, Mary Brenn.

Albert was born in Avon Township, Fulton County, Illinois on 9 January 1877.  Not long after Albert's birth the family moved to Greenbush Township, Warren County, Illinois.  It is here where we find the family in the 1880 Federal Census.  Albert's father is listed as a carpenter.

Albert's father passes away in 1885 and then his mother in 1900.  Albert is found in the 1900 Federal Census still living in Greenbush Township, Warren County, Illinois - where he was found in the 1880 census.  He is working as a hired man on a farm.  He is living with Edmund Simmons and family.  Not too far from the Simmons farm is another household that holds the future wife of Albert, Alma Loretta Holeman.  Alma and Albert were married sometime before the birth of their first child, Thelma Balderston, in November of 1905.

By the 1910 Federal Census the new family has moved to West Blue, Adams County, Nebraska.  From this record we can determine that Albert is in his first marriage.  Alma and Albert are the parents of 4 children, and all are still living at the time of the census.  Albert is renting his home and is working as a farmer.  Albert is living in Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska during the 1918 WWI draft.  From this record we can see that Albert is working for himself as a farmer.  This record  indicates that Albert is tall and slender, has blue eyes and black hair, and has no physical disqualifications for the draft.  It's interesting to note that this record states his last name with no 't' in Balderston, but the signature does have the 't' in it.  A copy of this record is below.

The family is still in West Blue, Adams County, Nebraska during the 1920 Federal Census.  There is nothing additional to learn from this record other than some additional children.  Albert is still renting his farm.

By 1930 Albert is now the owner of a farm.  This record finds the family in Rockton, Furnas County, Nebraska.  This census states that his farm has livestock as well as grain.

Albert Charles Balderston dies in McCook, Red Willow County, Nebraska on 6 January 1955, just a few days before his 78th birthday.

Albert Balderston and Alma Holeman had the following children:

1. Thelma Maree Balderston - born 3  November 1905 in Nebraska.  Died 11 January 1960 in Boise, Ada County, Idaho.  Married Gerald Neil Ankenman.
2. Fleeta Alberta Balderston - born 21 July 1907 in Nebraska.  Died 17 August 1994 in Gooding, Gooding County, Idaho.  Married Carl Raymond Michals.
3. Jasper Raymond Balderston - born 8 January 1909 in Nebraska.  Died 8 May 1993 in Beaver City, Furnas County, Nebraska.  Married Evelyn Torney.
4. Veda Olga Balderston - born 30 January 1910 in Nebraska.  Died 21 June 1875 in Albany, Linn County, Oregon.  Married Ivan Will Torney.
5. Bernice Viola Balderston - born 24 January 1912 in Nebraska.  Died 26 February 1989 in Arapahoe, Furnas County, Nebraska. Married Warren Ayres.
6. Lester Melvin Balderston - born 21 May 1914 in Nebraska.  Died 19 June 1914.
7. Neva Muriel Balderston - born 2 June 1915 in Hastings, Adams County, Nebraska.  Died 12 December 2001 in Aurora, Adams County, Colorado.  Married Paul DeBacca.
8. Elvin Eugene Balderston - born 13 December 1921 in Nebraska.  Died 21 June 2000 in Wilsonville, Furnas County, Nebraska.  Married Ivalee Grace Minshall.

Stephen Balderston

Stephen Balderston is the 3rd Great Grandfather of my wife.

BALDERSTON NAME MEANING

English: habitational name from either of two places in Lancashire called Balderston(e), deriving their names from the genitive case of the Old English personal name Baldhere (composed of the elementsbald ‘bold’, ‘brave’ + here ‘army’) + Old English tun‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’.

Stephen was born in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio on 7 Dec 1818.  He is the son of Jonathan Balderston and Elizabeth Babb.

There is a ton of research already done on the Balderston line.  I have a copy of the Balderston Family History, written by Marion Balderston and Hortense B. C. Gibson.  The copy I have was copyrighted in 1973 and carries the catalog number of 73-91161 in the Library of Congress.  The first Balderston (assumed) to come to America was John Balderston in 1727, he would be the 6th Great Grandfather of my wife.  Here is an account as described by another researcher found here.  John apparently married into the Quaker faith when he married Hannah Cooper.  They settled in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  John passed away in 1778 and Hannah in 1793.  John and Hannah had eleven children - these children were referenced in the Last Will of a cousin of John's, Bartholomew Balderston, as he left them 50 English dollars (pounds) each.

One of the sons of John and Hannah was Mordecai Balderston, the 5th Great Grandfather of my wife.  Mordecai married Deborah Michener 11 Feb 1778.  The same researcher that wrote about John's arrival in America has some additional information found here.  Mordecai was a lieutenant in the Revolutionary War under Captain Paul Kester, along with two of his brothers.  There are a few genealogy books written on the Michener lines that do reference this Balderston line.  In these books Balderston is spelled without the T - at some point some of Mordecai's children dropped the T from their name.  So there are many descendant's today that go by Balderson - even though they come from the same line.

Mordecai and Deborah has a son, Jonathan Balderston, my wife's 4th Great Grandfather, on 28 Mar 1797 in Colerain, Belmont County, Ohio.  Mordecai passed away in 1820 in Mount Pleasant, Ohio and Deborah passes away 8 years later in 1828 also in Ohio.  Jonathan marries Elizabeth Babb and they have their eldest son, Stephen Balderston, our subject.

The first record we find for Stephen is in the Ohio Marriages 1800 - 1958.  Stephen marries Jane Squibb on 8 April 1841 in Belmont County, Ohio.

The next record we find for Stephen is the 1850 Federal Census.  He is found in the Colerain Township, Belmont County, Illinois.  His profession is listed as a carpenter.  Along with his wife Jane there are two children living at home.  One is Jacob, age 8, and the other is William O, age 1 month.  It is believed that Stephen and Jane had one other child prior to 1850, John Balderston.  John is believed to have died in 1848, age 5.

I am unable to locate Stephen in the 1860 Federal Census.  Prior to 1860 Stephen and Jane have two additional children, Elizabeth Ella and Mary Anna Balderston.  Jane passes away 14 Feb 1859 in Pennsylvania.  Stephen remarries Mary Brenn 28 Mar 1860 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  The next record found for Stephen is the 1865 Illinois State Census.  They are living in Magnolia.  There are 6 children living at home, 3 boys and 3 girls.  Four of these children are from his first wife Jane.  They are Jacob, William, Ella and Mary.  Two additional children from his second wife Mary are also here, Joseph and Jenia.  These are assumptions as no names, other then head of household, were in the 1865.  There were 4 females and 4 males living at that time.

The family is still living in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois in the next Federal Census of 1870.  The only children left living at home are Joseph, age 9, and Anne, age 2.  Stephen's occupation is listed a laborer.  He does not own his land or no value is placed on it in the census.  His personal belonging's are valued at $100.

Our next record, the 1880 Federal Census, finds the family living in Greenbush Township, Putnam County, Illinois.  Five children are living at home, Anne, from the last census, and new additions, Charles, Frank, Albert and Rose.  Stephen's occupation is again a carpenter.

Although I cannot locate any pictures of Stephen Balderston I did find one of his brother Joseph, shown below.  One would assume he looked similar to his brother.

Stephen Balderston passed away 3 Nov 1885 in Avon Fulton County, Illinois.  Mary passes away in March of 1900.  Both Mary and Stephen are buried in the Avon Cemetery.  Headstone picture below.

Stephen Balderston and Jane Squibb had the following children:

1. Jacob Mitchell Balderston - born 16 Jan 1842 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 24 Feb 1909 in Wichita, Kansas.  Marries Jennie May Boyle.

2. Jonathan Balderston - born 13 Sep 1843 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 30 Aug 1848 in Belmont County, Ohio.

3. William Oliver Balderston - born 6 May 1850 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Dies 29 Dec 1902 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Marries Mary J. Rolley.

4. Elizabeth Ella Balderston - born 22 Oct 1851 in Belmont County, Ohio.  Death and marriage unknown.

5. Mary Anne Balderston - born 17 Jul in Magnolia, Putnam County, Ohio.  Death unknown.  May have a married a Mr. Walker.  (notes from Adah says married Walker - haven't found anything to support or disprove this)

Stephen Balderston and Mary Brenn had the following children:

1. Joseph Newton Balderston - born 14 Jan 1861 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois. Dies 17 Dec 1946 in  Denver, Denver County, Colorado.  Marries Adah Patterson.

2. Jenia Elen Balderston - born 1863 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Dies Nov 1870 in Putnam County, Illinois.

3. John Balderston - born Mar 1867 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Dies Dec 1870 in Putnam County, Illinois.

4. Anna Balderston - born July 1869 in Illinois.  Dies 19 May 1947 in Macomb, McDonough County, Illinois.  Marries James Abner Jennings.

5. Charles Albert Balderston - born 24 Aug 1872 in Magnolia, Putnam County, Illinois.  Death unknown.  Marries Alma Loretta Holeman.

6. Frank Balderston - born 23 Sep 1874 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  Dies 20 Aug 1936 in Greenbush, Warren County, Illinois.  

7. Albert Charles Balderston - born 9 Jan 1877 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  

8. Rose Bell Balderston - born 9 Jan 1880 in Avon, Fulton County, Illinois.  Dies 1948 in Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska.  Marries William Naughton.