CLICK HERE for Acknowledgement of census data errors / Inaccurate and inefficient Records
John Elmus Teel was born 1867 the first of five children to Charles and Jennie Teel. The first record of John Elmus is found in the 1870 census for Jasper county Missouri. John is the only child at 2 years old. The 1880 Census finds John now joined by his siblings; Chas May, Addie and Edie in Lamar County Texas where his family has relocated. John did have a younger sister Ida Belle but she died at the age of 5 in 1878. Unfortunately, John looses his younger brother Chas May later that year. John is very close to his remaining sisters Addie and Edie.
Photograph of John Elmus with his sisters, Addie and Edie, abt 1890
Possibly taken at his wedding, 22 yrs old, Addie and Edie about 15 yrs
So the next available record of certainty is the 1900 census and records the John Elmus family of 7 living in Lamar County Texas, Brookston Precinct. Living in the John Teel household is wife Elizabeth 26, Daughter Oracie 9, son Gaston 8, daughter Hellen 6, son Jim 5, and son William 1 month. John is listed as a Farmer, has been unemployed for 2 months and is renting the property.
The 1890 census was destroyed by a fire at the Commerce Department in Washington, DC on 10 January 1921. Because of the lack of records for 1890, there is a twenty year gap. We know that John married Elizabeth “Lizzie” Ashley on February 2, 1889.
John E, Teel, Store owner Dallas Texas?
There is a 1897 Dallas Texas city directory that lists a John E. Teel as a store owner (manager?). There are a number of reasons why this is most likely not John Elmus Teel, however anything is possible.
Pros:
There are two professionally done photos taken of John Elmus with his sisters Addie an Edie. The first one shown above is when John appears to be about 20 years old. This would be around 1887. It is most likely that John had these done in Dallas. We know that John and Lizzie were married in 1889 when John was 22 years old. It is possible that John left his family in Lamar County and headed to Dallas seeking to make it on his own somewhere after 18 yrs. There he could have been living in Dallas and managing a store when he met Lizzie and they were married.
Cons:
We have no record of any of the Chas Teel family (John’s dad) after the 1880 census. Addie and Edie were John’s only living siblings after 1880. We do not know when either Chas or Jennie died but they are no where to be found in records for 1900. If he and his sisters did end up in Dallas, they would have had to have returned to Lamar County sometime between 1898 and 1900. John would have had a large family to support by then. John’s sister Edie was married in 1895 and lived in Dallas. John may have taken the pictures in Dallas while visiting his sister. In 1900 John is renting the farm in Lamar County, has been unemployed for 2 months and appears to be just a poor dirt farmer. So what happened to the well dressed John Elmus of the 2 earlier photos compared to the poor dirt farmer found in the photo of the homestead in Lamar County? Why would he leave Dallas? Did he really manage a store in Dallas? We may never know.
Another Photograph of John Elmus with his sisters, , late 1890’s
Possibly taken prior to lamar TX Farming, early 30s, Addie and Edie about mid 20s
In 1910 John and family are still living on the farm in Lamar County. I believe the picture above was taken at about this time. Living at home in the Teel household are Mary E. (Elizabeth), Herbert (Bud) 18, Helen 16, James (Jim) 14, William J (Will) 9, Earl 8, Edith 5 and Morris 2.
The last child born to John and Jennie was John Thomas, 24 October 1910.
Although there is no record, it is reported that John Elmus died 21 Oct 1912, Roxton, Lamar County Texas
Elizabeth Ashley Teel
John Elmus Teel • 1867–1912
BIRTH 01 NOV 1867 • Missouri, USA
DEATH 21 OCT 1912 • Roxton, Lamar, Texas, USA
Father to Herbert Gaston (Bud)
1871 Age 4 • Birth of brother "Chas" Charles May Teel (1871–1880) • Abt 1871 • Lamar County, Texas, USA
1873 Age 6 • Birth of sister Ida Belle Teel (1873–1878) • Abt. 1873 • Missouri, USA
1875 Age 7 • Birth of sister G Edith "Edie" Teel Rowe Hansford Swain (1875–1942) • 10 Jul 1875 • Missouri, USA
1875 Age 8 • Birth of sister Addie G Teel (1875–1944) • Abt 1875 • Missouri
1878 Age 10 • Death of sister Ida Belle Teel (1873–1878) • 12 May 1878 • Lamar, Texas
1880 Age 12 • Death of brother "Chas" Charles May Teel (1871–1880) • 26 October 1880 • Lamar County, Texas, USA
1880 Age 13 • Residence • 1880 • Precinct 4, Lamar, Texas, USA • Marital Status: Single; Relation to Head: Son
1880 Age 13 • Death of Father Charles "Chas" L Teel (1845–1880) • Aft. 1880
1889 Age 21 • Marriage • 02 Feb 1889 • Lamar, Texas, USA • Mary Elizabeth "Lizzie" Ashley • (1872–1920)
1890 Age 22 • Birth of daughter Oressa "Oracie" Teel Bohall (1890–1964) • 9 Jun 1890 • Roxton, Lamar County, TX, USA
1892 Age 24 • Birth of son Herbert Gaston "Bud" Teel (1892–1959) • 28 Aug 1892 • Paris, Lamar, Texas, USA
1893 Age 25 • Birth of daughter Helen Elena Teel Alsobrook (1893–1914) • 28 Sep 1893 • Roxton, Lamar, Texas, USA
1893 Age 26 • Death of sister G Edith "Edie" Teel Rowe Hansford Swain (1875–1942) •Abt. 1893 • Texas, USA
1895 Age 27 • Birth of son James "Jim" Elmus Teel (1895–1961) • 24 Sep 1895 • Dallas, Collin, Texas, USA
1897 Age 30 • Residence • 1897 • Dallas, Texas, USA
1900 Age 32 • Birth of son William Jennings Teel (1900–1972) • 28 May 1900 • Roxton, Lamar, Texas, USA
1900 Age 33 • Residence • 1900 • Brookston and Ambia, Lamar, Texas, USA • Married: Head of House
1902 Age 34 • Birth of son Earl Williard Teel (1902–1980) • 4 Mar 1902 • Roxton, Lamar County, Texas, USA
1905 Age 37 • Birth of daughter Edith Georgia Teel (1905–2001) • 14 Mar 1905 • Roxton, Lamar, Texas, USA
1907 Age 39 • Birth of son Morris Ashley Teel Sr(1907–1974) • 14 Oct 1907 • Paris, Lamar County, Texas, USA
1910 Age 42 • Birth of son John Thomas Teel (1910–1985) • 24 Oct 1910 • Roxton, Lamar, Texas, USA
1910 Age 43 • Residence • Married: Head of House • Justice Precinct 2, Lamar, Texas
1912 Age 44 • Death • 21 Oct 1912 • Roxton, Lamar, Texas, USA
Acknowledgement of census data errors / Inaccurate and inefficient Records
Prior to 1850, a US Census would list only the name of the head of the household. Family members and persons living in the household, including the head, were listed either Male or Female and grouped into age ranges. (Example) This makes it difficult to trace women and children born, living, or married prior to 1850. So even if a head of the household is found in a census, there is a challenge to match the age of a married couple and their children should be when compared to other known records (such as death records or census records dating 1850 and after). Also, in census taking 1850 and after, I have discovered many errors in recording made of Place of Birth. For example, in the 1850 census for the Peter Teel family, all family members are recorded as being born in Virginia. Known family members not born in Virginia are known to be Peter Teel and his parents Philip and Lucy, all thought to be born in New York. The name Virginia is not written out but is simply a ditto mark from the space above. Another example is the 1880 census record for the Chas Teel family where Chas as well as his father and mother are recorded as being born in Missouri. Chas Teel as well as his mother (we believe) were born in Virginia and Peter his father was born in New York.
Missing or Lacking Records
Many of the original 13 colonies including New York did not require registration of births, marriages, and/or deaths until the late 1800’s and even then, compliance with the law was haphazard. Due to this, these records can be lacking for many events.
This all indicates that the census data is not without error and as such is used to match those aspects that are closest to or match completely. In all cases, the matching data will outweigh the inaccuracies by far.
So, the information presented here are interpretations of findings I have discovered from many hours of investigation and are by no means error free and in many cases, “best guess” and believed to be true to the best of my interpretations of investigations.