Through my recent Roots Research Revamp journey, I've uncovered a more complete story of my 2nd great-grandmother, Lavona Emaline Ruperd Reed Walker. Her life, marked by early tragedy and resilience, has emerged with new clarity as I've carefully reviewed and updated my records.
Born on October 26, 1891, per county birth records in Ferris, Montcalm, Michigan, Livonia's early years were shaped by profound loss. Her mother, Elizabeth Ann (Wiles) Ruperd, passed away at just 36 years old when Livonia (which was how her name was originally spelled) was barely a year old. The losses continued throughout her childhood - her half-sister Susan Lucinda died when Livonia was two, and her half-brother Sidney Ulysses passed when she was six.
A significant change came when her father, John Bell Ruperd, married Sarah Scott on January 1, 1895. Family lore suggests that Sarah's dislike of children led to the younger children being fostered out. You would think she would choose a different marriage partner than marrying a man who had 12 children before marrying her. This period of upheaval included the birth of Lavona's half-brother Sampson in August 1896, who was put up for adoption due to Sarah's reluctance to raise children.
By 1899, Lavona found a new home with William and Mary Ella (Briggs) Reed, though I'm still working to confirm the formal adoption details along with learning where the young siblings went. The following year, on July 15, 1900, her biological father passed away at age 67 in Vestaburg, Montcalm County, Michigan.
Despite these early hardships, Lavona built her own family. On December 29, 1909, at age 18, she married 22-year-old Warren Elton Walker in Stanton, Montcalm, Michigan. The marriage certificate tellingly lists her adoptive parents, the Reeds, rather than her biological parents.
The 1910 Census has revealed an intriguing mystery - markings of 'N' under "Blind" and 'G' under "Deaf and Dumb" for Livonia. These notations, predominantly appearing for women in this census, are still a puzzle I'm working to solve.
Lavona and Warren went on to have five children:
Mary Margaret (my great-grandmother) - November 11, 1911
William Alton Jr. - November 1, 1914
Rex W. - April 3, 1917
Warren Reed - August 1, 1919
Maxine Bertha - June 10, 1922
Throughout her adult years, Lavona continued to experience family losses. Her half-brother Alexander died in 1922 when she was 30, followed by half-brother William in 1925, and half-sister Emma Ester Maria in 1927.
By 1930, the family had moved to Big Prairie, Newaygo County, Michigan. Tragically, on June 9, 1930, Lavona passed away at just 38 years old due to epilepsy near the Ox-Bow dam where Warren worked. Her death certificate shows some discrepancies - her birth date is listed as December 28, 1891, and her mother is listed as "unknown," highlighting the complexity of documenting lives from this era. Maybe her father forgot when she was born and picked a date he thought it was. For the spelling variant of her name maybe they changed it when she was adopted.
Through my Roots Research Revamp journey, I've discovered that Lavona's story is not just one of loss, but of resilience and family bonds. Despite losing her mother, being separated from her biological family, and experiencing the deaths of multiple siblings, she created a loving home for her five children.
Research Questions I'm Still Exploring:
Official documentation of her adoption by the Reed family
The meaning behind the 1910 census markings
More details about her life in Big Prairie and at Hemingway, maybe finding some newspaper articles to give me more details into her life.
This deep dive into Lavona's records reminds me why the Roots Research Revamp journey is so important - each review reveals new details and questions about our ancestors' lives.
Have you discovered new layers to your ancestors' stories while organizing your research? I'd love to hear about your discoveries and any insights about similar records from this era.
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