Klock Conenctions

The Search for Ira Klock

From the Klock Connections Newsletter
Published monthly by Dave Klock

A few months ago, while looking through Cemetery Records on the internet I found where my great-grandfather, Ira Klock was buried. The 1880 Census had him living in Tuscola County, Michigan married to Emeline Dolliver. The 1900 Census Record has Ira married to Cynthia and with five children, Hattie, Mattie, Jessie Ann, Ida and Woodruff. The 1920 Census Records had him living in Oregon with his son Woodruff. The 1930 Census Record had him living back in Michigan in Richmond in Moncomb County.

Ira was born in Jefferson County, New York in 1852/1854 and moved to Michigan with his parents, Isaac Klock and Lucy Hartwick when he was a baby. Ira's first marriage was to Emeline Dolliver from Bridgeport, Michigan.

The Search for Ira Continues

They were married in Tuscola County on January 22, 1871. According to his marriage license Ira was 19 and Emeline was 17 years old. That would have made him born in 1852. According to his death record he was born in 1854. Ira's brother, Charles and sister-in-law, Fanny witnessed the marriage.

Ira and Emeline had three children, Evaline, Ira August, my Grandfather, Jacob. Evaline, died as an infant. Emeline and Ira divorced or Emeline may have died. I have not been able to find any information on her. Ira August was born in 1876. My grandfather, Jacob was born in 1886. Ira August could not get along with his step mother, and ran away to Pennsylvania, never again to return to Michigan. Jacob was given to his Uncle Charles and Aunt Fanny to raise when he was a baby and had very little contact with his father and never saw his brother again.

I went to Richmond, Michigan June 3rd to see what I could fmd out about Ira Klock. First I went to the Cemetery to see if l could get some information from the head stones. I could not find the graves so I contacted the sexton and he showed me where, Ira, Cynthia and Hattie were buried. No head stones. I went to the City Hall and got a copy of the grave registration record. The grave were purchased on May 16, 1927 by Arthur Salisbury. No dates were on the registration as to when Ira, Cynthia or Mattie had died or when they were buried. I went to the Library, nothing there. I went to the local paper, "The Voice", and talked to a woman named, Debbie I wanted to see if I could fmd an obituary. She told me all the old issues were stacked up in back. Nothing on microfilm or computer. With out a date of death, she could not look up an obituary. I did not have a date of death... that is what I came to Richmond to find out.. .. She told me that the only place I may be able to find a date of death on Ira, Cynthia or Hattie, was to go to Mt. Clemens, to the County Courthouse. Off to Mt. Clemens... I figured he died sometime after 1930 and before 1950. He was 76 on the census records in 1930. I looked through the death records between 1930 and 1950. I only found one Klock, a Mable Bell Klock who had died Feb. 7, 1950. I found an Ira Kluck who died that died February 9, 1936. Ira Kluck's parents were listed as Isaac and Lucy. This matched so I figured that they spelled the last name wrong. Ira's cause of death was listed as cerebral arthritis sclerosis and his age was listed as 82 years, 9 months and 29 days.

Debbie from the local newspaper had told me if I could find a date of death, she would look in the old papers for an obituary. Debbie gave me her e-mail address so I could e-mail her in case I found a date of death. After I returned home I e-mailed Debbie and told her Ira's date of death was 2-9-1936. She e-mailed me Ira Klock's Obituary.

Ira Klock

Ira Klock, 82, died in his home here Sunday morning.

Funeral services were held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday in the H.H. Bauer funeral home. Rev. Frank Hartley, Methodist Episcopal pastor, officiated. Burial was in the Richmond cemetery.

He is survived by his widow, a daughter, Mrs. Arthur Salisbury, of this village, a son; 12 grandchildren, and two great grandchildren.

Ira August and my Grandfather were not mentioned in the Obituary...I guess bad feeling must have ran on both sides. At least I have a little more information. Now to see if I can find the family of Arthur Salisbury. He married one my grandfather sisters. I will have to see if I can find someone in his family.

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