Samuel Findley Tofflemire - Home

The Family of
Samuel Findley Tofflemire
Son of Jonas Tofflemire & Sally Sessions; Direct Ancestor: G-G-Grandfather
SAMUEL FINDLEY TOFFLEMIRE was the third child of Jonas Tofflemire and Sally Sessions
and is our direct ancestor. He was born 8 Sep 1824 in Canada and died 17 Dec 1874 of
tuberculosis in Illinois. He is buried in the Tripp Pioneer Cemetery at Harlem Twp,
Winnebago Co., Illinois. Samuel is described as blond and in the words of his sister, “To know
Samuel was to love him.” He married Salomi Celie Tripp on 4 Mar 1850.
Jane Sessions, Samuel’s grandmother, age 75, born Virginia, is listed with this family in the
1860 census. (In the 1850 census, it says she was born in Pennsylvania.) After the death of
Jane’s husband, Samuel Sessions, and the death of her daughter, Sally, Jane lived with her
eldest grandson (Samuel), who lived on and farmed the Sessions homestead. Jane was blind
and had asthma so bad she could not sleep lying down.
SALOMI CELIE TRIPP was born 17 Feb 1831 in New York state, daughter of Noah Tripp and
Sarah Allen, and died 17 Nov 1868 (buried Tripp Pioneer Cemetery). She has been described
as dark-complexioned and never very well. Her mother, Sarah Allen, was born 17 Dec 1803
in Herkimer Co., New York, the daughter of Ebenezer Allen and Huldah Stewart. Sarah Allen
Tripp died 14 Apr 1842 in Oswego Co., New York, and in 1846 Noah and his three children
moved to Illinois. There Noah remarried to Mary Harrin on 14 Aug 1854 and had four moe
children. Salomi’s grandfathers, Stephen Tripp and Ebenezer Allen, were veterans of the
Revolutionary War.
Samuel Tofflemire and Salomi Tripp had eleven children.
1. Sarah Jane Tofflemire, born 1850, died 1923; married Darius Alvin Bruner.
2. James Henry Tofflemire, born 1852, died 1925; married Ida E. Legate.
3. Olive Portia Tofflemire, born 1853, died 1854.
4. Inez Izora Tofflemire, born 1855, died 1885; married Peter Nelson.
5. Charles Albert Tofflemire, born 1856, died in Texas.
6. Jasper Noah Tofflemire, born 1858, died 1884; married Jessica Cleveland.
7. Emily Estelle Tofflemire, born 1860, died 1938; married Edward G. Keig.
8. May Althea Tofflemire, born 1862, died 1948, married Frederick Ashton Turnure.
9. Frank Carnrite Tofflemire, born 1864, died 1864.
10. Herman Abram Tofflemire, born 1865, died 1865.
11. Samuel Clinton Tofflemire, born 1867, died 1937; married Emma Utesch.
In the 1870 US Census for Harlem, Winnebago, Illinois, an “Agnes Tofflemire, age 18” is listed.
Who is she? A 12th child? Niece? Cousin? I haven’t been able to find out.
Sources: Ancestry.com public tree “Bruner-Tofflemire Connections”;
“Taffelmeyers/Tofflemires/Dofflemyers Here and There With Associated Families,” Margaret
(Bone) Colella, 2002.
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1 SARAH JANE TOFFLEMIRE, our great-grandmother. See Bruner section for her family.
2 JAMES HENRY TOFFLEMIRE was born 25 Mar 1852 in Illinois and died 3 Jan 1925 in Amboy, Cottonwood
Co., Minnesota. On 2 Dec 1879 in Illinois, he married IDA ELIZABETH LEGATE who was born Nov 1861 in
Illinois, daughter of Mason Legate and Martha Cady, both from Massachusetts. Ida died 23 Dec 1929 in
Redwood Falls, Minnesota. James Tofflemire is said to have been quiet and serious and in his retirement
years was postmaster in Windom, Minnesota. James and Ida had one daughter.
2.1 Martha “Mattie” Salome Tofflemire, born 18 Feb 1881 Winnebago Co., Illinois. In 1910, a Beth
Obert, age 3, is living with her grandparents, James and Ida Tofflemire, in Jeffers, Cottonwood,
Minnesota. She can only be the child of Mattie. We know that Beth (Elizabeth A.) Obert was born
about 1907 in Iowa and her father was born in Illinois. In 1920, Elizabeth A., age 12 and now using
the surname Tofflemire, is still living with her grandparents. There is no mention of Mattie. By 1930
Beth would have been 22 and probably married, so we have lost track of her and her mother.
3 OLIVE PORTIA TOFFLEMIRE was born 23 Jul 1853 and died 23 Nov 1854; buried Tripp Pioneer Cemetery.
4 INEZ IZORA TOFFLEMIRE was born 9 Oct 1855 in Illinois, and died 31 Oct 1885, thirty years old. She
married PETER NELSON on 25 Nov 1879 in Winnebago Co., Illinois (source: Illinois Statewide Marriage
Index). Peter was born about 1850 in Sweden. The Colella book says they had two children, but gave no
further information. Peter might have remarried after Inez’s death, according to the possible cemetery
listing below.
NELSON, PETER 1842/01/01 SWEDEN 55 1897/02/24 NELSON, ELSIE H
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– Belvidere Cemetery listing, Boone Co., Ill.?
5 CHARLES ALBERT TOFFLEMIRE was born 29 Dec 1856 in Illinois. Charles was “good looking, a rather
dashing man, and an eloquent speaker.” He studied law at Beloit, Wisconsin, and is listed in the Rockford
[Illinois] City Register as a law student in 1881. For many years he lectured on Prohibition in Illinois and
Wisconsin. He failed to heed his own teaching, however, and in his later years took to drinking. He died in
Texas, date unknown, almost a pauper.
6 JASPER NOAH TOFFLEMIRE was born 11 Dec 1858 in Illinois. On 5 May 1884 in Boone Co., Illinois, he
married JESSICA “JESSIE” CLEVELAND, born 26 Feb 1862 in Illinois, daughter of Henry W. Cleveland and
Sarah Fidelia Meryfield. (Her parents are buried at Belvidere Cemetery, Boone, Illinois.) Jasper died 7 May
1916, and Jessie died 2 Jun 1930. Both are buried in Prairie Home Cemetery, Waukesha, Wisconsin. No
children.
7 EMILY “EMMA” ESTELLE TOFFLEMIRE was born 30 Sep 1860 in Illinois and died Sep 1938. She married
EDWARD G. KEIG on 15 Mar 1883 in Winnebago Co. Edward was born Sep 1855 in Illinois, son of Edward
Keig and Catherine Quayle who were from Isle of Man, England. Emma and Ed had six children.
7.1 Alice B. Keig, born 3 Jul 1884 Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, died 5 Sep 1967 Los Angeles, California;
married George Marks, born 28 Jul 1878 Pennsylvania, died Jul 1963 California. No children.
7.2 Pearl Frances Keig, born May 1886 Rockford, Illinois; married Edward “Ned” Paul Garvin, born 7
Jan 1889 Princeton, Illinois, died Jun 1969 St. Charles, Kane, Illinois – son of James Garvin. Two
children.
7.2.1 Keig Edward Garvin, born 17 Feb 1915 Iowa, died 16 May 2010 Hendersonville, North
Carolina; married 1939 Elfreida Whitson, born 14 Jul 1915 Aurora, Illinois, died 6 Dec 2008
Hendersonville. Member of the U.S. Army Band known as “Pershing’s Own,” 1st Chair trombone
and soloist. Retired 1961 as master sergeant. Two children.
7.2.1.1 Deborah Garvin, m. James Brannan
7.2.1.2 Stanley D. Garvin
7.2.2 Ruth Alice Garvin, born 16 Jul 1923 Iowa, died 28 Jan 2001 Spokane, Washington. Never
married. Enlisted 1942 Womens Army Corps, Aviation Cadet.

7.3 Harry B. Keig, born 6 Nov 1888 Rockford, Illinois, died Oct 1980 Rockford; unmarried.
7.4 Frank M. Keig, born 10 Mar 1891 Rockford, Illinois; unmarried.
7.5 Ruth K. Keig, born 26 Aug 1893 Rockford, Illinois, died 27 May 1972, bur. Arlington National Cemetery;
married Donald Benjamin Oliver, born 15 Mar 1895 Beloit, Rock, Wisconsin – son of Benjamin
Arthur Oliver and Mabel Emma Powers. One son.
7.5.1 Donald Benjamin Oliver, Jr., born 24 Oct 1922 Illinois, died 29 Aug 1996 Odenton, Anne
Arundel, Maryland.
7.6 Everett Leslie Keig, born 28 Mar 1900 Rockford, Illinois; married Helen Louise Ourfler, born 16
Mar 1904 Illinois, died 4 Aug 1990 Illinois. Two daughters.
7.6.1 Carol Keig, m1. Charles Strauss, two sons: Michael Charles, Mark Henry; m2. Valentine John
Chevchuc.
7.6.2 Joanne Keig, m. Wallace Rutledge, three children: William, Denise, Diane
8 MAY ALTHEA TOFFLEMIRE was born 3 Apr 1862 in Harlem, Winnebago, Illinois, and died 17 Aug 1948 in
Belvidere, Boone, Illinois, where she is buried. On 27 Nov 1879 in Winnebago Co., she married FREDERICK
ASHTON TURNURE. Fred was born 31 Jul 1859 in Bristol, Worth, Iowa, son of Loren Bronson Turnure and
Marcia Louise Cline. He died 6 Mar 1928. May is described as “rather tall and straight as a ramrod despite
hours in her well-kept garden. She was a good cook and noted for her elderberry pie. No farm wife ever
worked harder with less complaint than she.” May and Fred had five children.
8.1 Cline Bronson Turnure, born 10 Jun 1880 Belvidere, Illinois, died 18 Apr 1957 Illinois; married 24
Nov 1915 to Edith Pearl Carroll, born 9 Jul 1895 Iowa, died 22 Mar 1977 – daughter of James Carroll
and Josephine Harris. Both buried Shirland Cemetery, Winnebago, Illinois. Two children.
8.1.1 Josephine May Turnure, born 28 Jul 1920, died 14 Jul 1969, bur. Shirland Cemetery. Never
married.
8.1.2 Carroll Bronson Turnure, born 25 May 1927, died 21 Sep 1945, bur. Shirland Cemetery. Never
married.
8.2 Grace Louisa Turnure, born 30 Jul 1883 Belvidere, Boone, Illinois, died 13 Jun 1959 Belvidere, bur.
Belvidere Cemetery; married 27 Aug 1908 to John William Mitchell, born 26 Nov 1883 Winnebago
Co., Illinois, died 16 Feb 1934, buried Belvidere Cemetery – son of James Mitchell and Mary Greene.
John was a Rockton. Illinois policeman. Two children.
8.2.1 Avis May Mitchell, born 7 Oct 1909 Belvidere, Illinois, died 1 Jul 1969 Rockton, Illinois;
married Jul 1934 Belvidere to William Paige Carroll, born 11 Jan 1910 Jackson, Iowa, died 6
Jan 1988 Rockton, Winnebago, Illinois – son of William H. Carroll and Weltha Edwards Harris.
(Note: William was raised by his father’s brother James Nelson Carroll, and his mother’s first
husband’s sister, Josephine Harris Carroll, who was wife of James Nelson.) Avis and William
had two sons.
8.2.1.1 James Carroll
8.2.1.2 John Carroll
8.2.2 Gerald L. Mitchell, born 21 Jan 1912 Belvidere, Illinois, died 19 Jun 1999 Pacific Grove,
California, bur. Belvidere Cemetery, Illinois; married 8 Jun 1938 to Helen Johnson. US Navy
World War II
8.3 Maude Inez Turnure, born 14 Oct 1885 Belvidere, Illinois, died 11 Apr 1963 Belvidere; m1. 1909 to
Milo Oliver Bounds, born 14 May 1881 Bonus, Boone, Illinois – son of Amos J. Bounds and Adelaide
Clorinda Hale. Three children.
8.3.1 Frederick A. Bounds, born 20 Nov 1909 Belvidere, Illinois, died Oct 1983 Belvidere.
8.3.2 Daniel Bounds, born 1912 Illinois
8.3.3 Dorothy Bounds, born 1914 Illinois
Maude m2. 24 Dec 1924 to Arthur Elmer Carrighn, born Aug 1888 Maquoketa, Jackson, Iowa, died
16 Nov 1935 Chicago. Arthur Carrighn is listed in the 1920 US Census as a hired man for Cline
Turnure, Maude’s brother. Arthur and Maude had two children.
8.3.4 Doris May Carrighn, born 2 Sep 1925, died 16 Mar 1926 Illinois.
8.3.5 Marlene Carrighn, born 1929
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8.4 Genevieve M. Turnure, born 20 Oct 1889 in Belvidere, Illinois; d. Feb 1946. Never married.
8.5 Frederick S. Turnure, born 17 Dec 1895 Belvidere, Illinois, died 29 May 1956; married 25 Oct 1924
Rockford, Illinois, to Charlotte “Lottie” Eckhoff, born 21 Oct 1892 Bureau Co., Illinois, died 19 Jan
1953 Belvidere – daughter of Casper Eckhoff and Minnie Albertina Gerbitz. Five children.
8.5.1 Grace L. Turnure, born 4 Mar 1926 Belvidere, m. Trimble, res. Bayfield, Colorado.
8.5.2 Ruth K. Turnure, born 1927, died 1928 Belvidere.
8.5.3 Mabel A. Turnure, born 1929, died 1929 Belvidere.
8.5.4 Gladys Turnure, born abt 1930 Belvidere; married Case
8.5.5 Lloyd F. Turnure, born 16 Dec 1932 Belvidere, died 14 Mar 1995 Roscoe, Winnebago, Illinois.
9 FRANK CARNRITE TOFFLEMIRE was born 24 Apr 1864 and died 7 Sep 1864 in Illinois, age 4 months.
10 HERMAN ABRAM TOFFLEMIRE was born 14 Sep 1865 and died 8 Dec 1865 in Illinois, age 2 months.
11 SAMUEL CLINTON TOFFLEMIRE was born 12 Jan 1867 in Illinois and died 24 Jul 1937 in Pipestone,
Minnesota. Both parents had died before he was 7 years old and he lived for many years with his elder
sister, May Althea Turnure. He went to Minnesota with his two brothers when the southern part of the state
was being settled and they opened a wagon machine shop. Samuel worked for International Harvester for
a time, then went into the construction business. At the age of 42, he went back to school for a year of
special study which enabled him to become a teacher of manual training and mechanical drawing at
Pipestone High School. He taught for a few years before returning to contracting. He married in 1898 to
EMMA UTESCH, born 12 Feb 1880 in Cologne, Germany, and had immigrated to America as a baby. She died
24 Mar 1934 in Pipestone, Minnesota. Both Emma and Samuel are buried in the Old Woodlawn Cemetery
in Pipestone. They had three children.
11.1 Roland Samuel Tofflemire, born 11 Feb 1899 Pipestone, Minnesota, died Dec 1982 Twin Falls,
Idaho; married 1923 to Liona M. Sellers, born 3 Nov 1901 Pipestone, Minnesota – daughter of G.E.
Sellers and Minnie Liona Eroe. No children. Roland attended Iowa State College in Ames, Iowa, where
he first studied chemical engineering, then switched to journalism. He was city editor of the Ames
Daily Tribune and the managing editor of the Capital News in Lansing, Michigan. In 1933 he went to
Twin Falls, Idaho, and purchased one of the two daily papers. Four years later he bought out the
competition. Roland said he had his father’s physical characteristics, tall and slender, while his
brothers resembled their mother, shorter and heavier.
11.2 Harold William Tofflemire, born 30 May 1904 Pipestone, Minnesota, died 22 Dec 1983 Clayton,
Georgia; married 29 Jul 1929 Clear Lake, South Dakota, to Viola M. Gerhard, born 28 Mar 1907 Iowa,
died 21 Jun 2001 San Mateo, California – daughter of Otto and Pauline Gerhard. Harold worked for
Eastern Air Transport as manager of the company’s hubs, first in New Orleans, Chicago, and Atlanta.
No children.
11.3 Orland James Tofflemire, born 30 Jan 1913 Pipestone, Minnesota, died 28 Dec 1977 Jacksonville,
Florida, bur. Madison, South Dakota; married 2 Apr 1934 South Dakota to Elsie P. Groves, born 7 Sep
1914 Minnesota, died 17 Oct 1986 Jacksonville, Florida. In 1941, Orland and Elsie moved to Madison,
South Dakota, where Orland owned a bowling alley. He had served in the Navy during WWII and was
a member of the VFW and Elks Club. Two children.
11.3.1 Tracy James Tofflemire, born 4 Jul 1943 South Dakota; married 1967 Christine L. Smith. Two
children.
11.3.1.1 Alan James Tofflemire, born 15 Dec 1973
11.3.1.2 Brian Scott Tofflemire, born 4 Sep 1976
11.3.2 Lori Ann Tofflemire, born 23 Mar 1954; married Sep 1976 Edward Moorhouse. Lori was a
staff member for George McGovern when he ran for president in 1972. The Lewis G. Tofflemire
(5.14.6) family were friends of the McGoverns and wondered how they were related to Lori.
(*Marriage records found for “Lori Tofflemire Tofflemire” and “Lori Tofflemire Nemeyer”, both
for 6 Nov 1997 Duval, Florida, both recorded maiden name as Tofflemire.)
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