Page 69 - Armstrong Bloodline - ebook_Neat

By 1920, C. J. and Lillian E. Depew lived in Ann Arbor City, Washtenaw
Co., MI. The Census taker for some reason did not get their ages
(perhaps Lillian wouldn't tell him?) so he lists them both as being about
50. This would probably have made C. J. pretty happy as he was over
60 at the time, but was a pretty good guess for Lillian. C. J. was still
employed as a mail clerk at this time and apparently Lillian continued
to run the house on a full-time basis. An item of interest in this Census
is that Lillie is shown as being born in Michigan. While it is our
understanding that she was born in Indiana, they lived near enough to
the Michigan border to make this a close call.

By 1924, when her uncle and childhood guardian, Rolla Silas, died, we
know from his obituary that she and C.J. had moved to Pennsylvania.
He died in Palmerton, PA on Oct. 7, 1929. Lillian was still alive when
her brother Frank died in 1950.
Rolla, Lillian & Frank – taken in 1939

References of interest for Lillian:
238
Birth Certificate for Harlan A. Depew
239
Letter from Leah E. (Armstrong) Kleppin to Harlan A. and Mary
Lou Depew, April 1963; makes reference to the following family
members: Her mother, Amanda Duncan Armstrong, her husband
Glen, her daughter Glenda Kleppin, Harlen’s mother Lillian, and her
Aunt Mamie (Armstrong) Fletcher.
NOTE: Harlan was one of the most dedicated of the family
genealogists of his era and contacted many of the extended family
members in writing for their family information. He researched
and assembled extensive histories of his family branches including
the French Du Puys, the Ann Arbor Depews, the Armstrong family,
the Phelps Family, the Gardner Family, and the Wells’ Family. Harlan Depew, mother Lillian Armstrong
Depew and daughter Elizabeth W. Depew

2. Rolla S. Armstrong

After his father’s death, Rolla, remained in Iowa and continued to attend school in
Coin through 1889. For a few years he worked on a farm in the area and on Dec.
26, 1894, married Amanda Duncan, also of Coin. Their first child, Esther, was born
in October 1896, in Iowa.

He was ready to move on, however, and he told his family that the Armstrong’s
believed that "if you can see your neighbor's smoke, he's too close and it's time to
move." They moved to North Dakota in March 1899, and lived that first year on a
farm in Allen Township and the next three years just across the line in Burleigh
County. Thereafter, they moved into Steele and purchased the house that

remained their home until they sold it in 1946.

In the 1910 census, their daughter is 14 years old and her name is shown as Lillian E. The 1920 census show
they reside on Villard Avenue, in Steele City, ND. Their oldest daughter Esther has left home by this time, but
an 8 year old daughter named Leah E. has been added to the household.

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