Samuel Findley Tofflemire - Home

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
2
– 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.