Peter George Spracklin
Peter George Spracklin has given me quite a lot of trouble. He has been very difficult to research. He was a restless man and migrated to many places over the years. This has been confirmed by his descendants who say he went to Minnesota, Oregon, and other parts of the country but eventually ended up in Reading, Pennsylvania.
Peter George Spracklin was a son of Daniel and Sarah Spracklin. He was born 31 August, 1872 in Dayton Twp., Iowa Co., Iowa. His death certificate has 1874 but I think that is not quite right?
He died 26 January, 1956 in Reading, Berks Co., Pennsylvania. He is buried in the Forest Hills Cemetery in Reading. Peter has a memorial at Find A Grave but no tombstone picture at this time.
Peter appears in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census with his parents and siblings and also in the 1885 Iowa State Census living in Dayton Twp., Iowa Co., Iowa. By the 1895 Iowa State Census Peter is not present. He would have been about 23 years old when he left home.
Peter marries the following year from the census on 1 January, 1896 to Etta Mae Hall in Calhoun Co., Iowa. She was born about 1878 in Iowa and her parents were J.W. Hall and S.E. Hardesty.
I can’t find Peter in the 1900 census, however, but I did find him with Etta in the 1910 U.S. Federal Census living in Poweshiek County, Iowa.
Source: Peter George Spracklin Family, 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Warren Twp., Poweshiek Co., Iowa, SD#6, ED#127, Sht#4B, enumerated on 20 April, 1910 by Charles H. Marble. Note: The page is very difficult to read and faded so I don’t know what kind of work he was doing.
Line 65, 66, 67, Spracklin, Peter George, Head, M, W, 34, M1, all born Iowa, father born England, mother born Iowa.
Spracklin, Etta May, wife, F, W, 31, M1, five born five living, born Iowa, father Ohio, mother born Iowa.
Spracklin, Blanche Alma, daughter, F, W, 13, S
Spracklin, Hattie Ellen, daughter, F, W, 11
Spracklin, Ivan [Transis], Son, M, W, 5
Spracklin, Charles Earl, Son, M, W, 2
Spracklin, Emma Jane, daughter, F, W, 2/12
In the 1915 Iowa State Census which is a series of cards. Peter is not listed in Emmet County but Etta is with the children.
#207 Female, white, married, can read and write, 36 years in US, 28 in Iowa. Etta M. Spracklin, age 36, Emmet, Estherville, 8 common school, Christian, father born Ohio, mother born Iowa.
#208 Female, white, single, can read and write, 16 years in US, 6 years in Iowa, Hattie E. Spracklin age 16, Emmet, Estherville, Ward 2, 8 common school 1 high school, born Iowa, Christian, parents born Iowa.
#209 Male, white, Public 9, can read and right, 10 years in US, 9 years in Iowa, Iven F. Spracklin, age 10, Emmet, Estherville, 4 common, born Oregon, parents born Iowa.
#210 Male, white, Public School, can read and write, 8 years in Iowa, Charles E. Spracklin, age 8, Emmet, Estherville, Ward 2, parents born in Iowa.
#211, Female, white, years in Iowa 5, Ema B. Spracklin age 5, Emmet, Estherville, parents born in Iowa.
Etta Mae Hall married Robert J. West on the 2nd of March, 1916 in Albert Lea, Freeborn Co., Minnesota according to the Minnesota Marriage Index so it is not surprising to find Peter in the 1920 census listed as divorced.
In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census we find Peter with his son Ivan in Nebraska adding another state to his list of wanderings.
Line 95: 17/17 Spracklin Peter, head, Renting, male white, age 47, divorced, can read and write, born in Iowa, father born in Ohio, mother born in Indiana, laborer. Ivin Spracklin, son, male, white, age 14, single, can read and write born in Oregon, father born in Iowa, mother born in Iowa, occupation none.
Source: 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Dustin Twp., Holt Co., Nebraska, SD 6, ED 1, Sht #4B, Jan. 2, 1920 by James D. Beck.
Peter and Etta had the following children:
1. Blanche Alma Spracklin was born 9 August, 1896 in Calhoun Co., Iowa and died in 2001. She married a J.P. Vanderoff on 15 April, 1914. He was born 8 December, 1888 and died 2 April 1951 in Shattuck, Faribault, Minnesota. They had Roy Poe Vanderoff born in 1919 in Iowa. Roy married Donna and had five children.
Source: 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Superior Twp., Dickinson County, Iowa, SD#11, ED#52, Sht#1B, enumerated 15, March 1920, by Harry L. Davis.
Line 59, X, 11, 11, Vanderoff, John P. Head, R, M, W, 31, M, yes, yes, born Iowa, parents born New York, yes, Laborer, Section
Vanderoff, Alma Blanche, wife, F, W, 23, m, yes, yes, born Iowa, parents born Iowa
Vanderoff, Roy, son, M, W, 5/12, S, born Iowa, parents born Iowa.
Anderson, Ernest, Lodger, M, W, 21, S, yes, yes, born Illinois, parents born Ohio, laborer, general
Anderson, Lionel, Lodger, M,W, 26, S, yes, yes, born Illinois, parents born Ohio, proprietor, garage.
Blanche Alma Spracklin died on 15 March, 2001 in Roseburg, Douglas Co., Oregon. She is buried in the Wilbur Cemetery in Wilbur, Douglas Co., Oregon. Find A Grave has a memorial to her, a picture of her tombstone and an obituary notice that is pretty detailed.
There is a WWII draft card #161 for a John P. Vanderoff age 28 years old, Home Spirit Lake, Iowa, dated of birth December 8, 1888, natural-born in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Farmer, self in Dickinson Co., married, Caucasian, no military service. He is medium height, medium build, eyes blue, hair black, not bald and has all his body parts, signed by John S. Blou, Dickinson Co., Iowa, June 5, 1917.
2. Hattie Ellen Spracklin was born 29 October, 1898 and I have that she died about 1969. I don’t have much on her life. She may have married a Carl R. Abolt.
Source: Iowa County Marriages: Name Carl R. Abolt, Event Date 21 Nov. 1920 in Iowa. his age is 21 father W.D. Abolt, mother Nellie Bentry, Spouse Hattie Spracklin, age 21 born about 1899 Father PJ Spracklin, Etta Hall. Iowa County marriages index. GS Film #1863613.
In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census there is a Hattie Spracklin age 21 born about 1899 living on 15th Street, singled and occupied at a Barber shop in Des Moines, Iowa.
In trying the 1930 and 1940 U.S. Census I cannot find a Carl with a Hattie. I find a Carl living in Des Moines but on his own. There are multiple Hatties in the 1940 Census with different surnames.
3. Ivan Frank Spracklin was born 25 February. 1905 in Roseburg, Douglas, Oregon. He married Florence L. Nick and they had four children together. Ivan appears with his family and wife Florence in the 1940 U.S. Federal census living in Reading, Pennsylvania.
4. Charles Earl Spracklin was born 11 June, 1907 and died 21 December, 1999 in Reading, Berks Co., Pennsylvania. He married Catherine and had six children one died as a baby.
In the 1930 U.S. Federal census for Reading, Pennsylvania Peter is living with his son Charles and family. By the 1940 census Peter is not listed but Charles and Catherine are there with their children living in Reading.
5. Birdie Emma Spracklin was born 7 July 1909. She married a Richard Gage on 3 August, 1928 in Jackson (not sure if it is Minnesota or Iowa) and had several children. Richard Gage is buried in the Owatonna Memorial Gardens in Steele Co., Minnesota. Find A Grave has a memorial but not a photo of the tombstone. There is a Birdie listed but the dates are 1909 to 1919 and I am not sure what that means.
Birdie and Richard a living in Emmet Twp., Emmet Co., Iowa in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census. They have Deloris with them and she is a baby. They migrated to Westford Twp., Martin Co., Minnesota by the 1940 U.S. Federal Census. They have their four daughters with them: DeLoris, Orpha, Geraldine, and Katherine.
Returning to the mother, Etta Mae appears with her husband Richard West in the 1920 and 1930 U.S. Census in Center Twp., Emmet Co., Iowa. By 1940 they have migrated to Minnesota and settled in Westford Twp., Martin Co., Minnesota. Martin Co. is along the border between Minnesota and Iowa. There is also a 1910 U.S. Census in which a Richard West appears with his wife Nellie and children in Estherville: George, Everett, Charley and Bird.
Etta Mae Hall Spracklin West passed away on the 7th of September in 1972. She outlived both husbands by 15 years. A cousin thinks this obituary is not quite correct, so be careful.
Mrs. Robert J. West (Etta May) 93, died yesterday, Sept 7, 1972 at a nursing home in Crosby, Minn. She was a former resident of Estherville. Funeral services will be held at 1:30 pm, Monday in Fuhrman Funeral Home, Estherville, and interment will be made in East Side Cemetery. She was born Sept. 22, 1878 at Coon Rapids. She was married to Mr. Spracklin who later died. After his death she was married to Robert J. West and they farmed east of Estherville. He died in 1957. She lived in Estherville for some time, then moved to Minnesota a few years ago.
Survivors include five sons, Ivan Spracklin of Reading PA., Robert West of Faribault, Minn., Everett West of California and George West of Adel; four daughters, Mrs. Richard (Birdie) Gage of Owatonna, Minn. Mrs. Blanche Vanderhoff of Roseburg, Ore., Mrs. Bern Busy of Adel and Mrs. Rose Maloney of Lewisville, Minn.; 13 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; and one sister living in California. Friends may call at Fuhrman Funeral Home, Estherville, after noon on Sunday until time of services. Source: Estherville Daily News, Friday, September 8, 1972, page 8.
Robert and Etta are buried in the East Side Cemetery in Estherville, Iowa. Find A Grave has a memorial and tombstone photo for Etta Mae West along with her husband Robert with links.
Peter George’s Death Certificate from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, #060-085, #1952 #204: Died in Berks Co., Reading, PA at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Alsace Twp., Hay Road (Tempe R.D. #1). Peter G. Spracklin died January 26, 1957. Male, White, Divorced. Date of birth Aug 30, 1874 (??) age 82. Laborer, contracting firm. born in Iowa. Father is Daniel D. Spracklin no record on the mother. Did not serve in Armed forces, Informant Charles E. Spracklin residence Reading, PA. Peter died of shock and hemorrhage and gastric ulcer chronic with general arteriosclerosis. Signed by the Coroner. Burial Jan 30, 1957 in Forest Hills Memorial Park, Exeter Twp., Berks, PA.
If you would like more information on this family, please leave a comment and I will find you. There are living descendants of this couple and I am sure they would be willing to share, they have been very generous to me. As usual please double-check the information presented here and realize that I have not presented all that I have.
UPDATE 4/10/2024 – I would like to take this time to remember Janice Yeakley, who is a descendant of Peter George Spracklin through his son Ivan. I visited her in West Virginia in 2011 and she also shared her family history with me and what I knew with her through many email discussions which I still have. She passed in March of 2016 rather suddenly. Thanks for your kindness, friendship and interest Janice. Sleep peacefully.
The Barclays of Pine River 