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Effie Mae Gleason

Born: 15 Apr 1861

 

Parents: Otis Levi Gleason and Mila Ellen Butterfield

 

Marriage:1877 to Ira O. Banks

 

Death: 30 Sep 1936, Madison, WI; Buried Thompson’s Cazenovia Cemetery aka Hillside Cemetery in Richland Center, WI.

 

Children:  Iva M.,  Mila G.,  William O.,  (1899-1902),  Emeline (1879-1880)

 

Biographical Sketch:

Effie Mae Gleason was born 4/15/1861 in WI. Her parents moved from near Madison, Wi in Dane County to Richland Center WI between 1860 and 1870, so is not clear exactly which area she was born in. She was the 4th child of Otis and Mila Gleason.  Her maternal grandparents, the Butterfield’s, lived next door. In 1877, when Effie was 17, she married Ira Banks, whose family lived in nearby Sauk Co. A daughter, Emaline, was born in Nov. 1879 in Wisconsin. Ira, Effie, and infant Emaline moved to Omaha Nebraska to engage in the cattle dealing trade sometime between Nov. 1879 but before June 1st, 1880, when the census was taken. It appears that the entire Banks family made the move, including Ira’s parents William and Angeline and all of Ira’s siblings and their families. Sadly, infant Emaline died in 1880, sometime after the census was taken. Their second child, daughter Iva, was born in either 1881 or 82 in Wisconsin (varies from record to record), indicating the family apparently moved back to Wisconsin after only a year or two stay in Nebraska. At least some of the other Banks’ stayed behind in Nebraska, including Ira’s parents and two older brothers. There is a gap in years between children at this point, with Iva being born in 1881/82, and Mila (named after her grandmother) being born next in 1894, some 12-13 years later. The 1900 census states that Effie bore 4 children and 3 were living. Son William was born in 1899, but died at age 3. Effie’s father died in 1892, and her mother in 1900. Effie’s mother lived with them in Richland Center at the time of her death.

After moving back to Wisconsin from Nebraska, the family was known to be living in Richland Center Wi by 1900 where Ira was engaged in farming. The 1890 census was destroyed by fire, so it is uncertain where the family lived in Wisconsin from 1881 up until 1900. By 1910, when Effie was 49, Ira had given up farming and the family moved to Fort Atkinson, WI where Ira was working in a factory. Ira and Effie remained in Fort Atkinson until the time of their deaths in 1939 and 1936 respectively. Effie died in a Madison hospital of stomach cancer at age 74 (In 1930, the average life expectancy for an American was 59.7 years).

 

Notes:

Birthdate listed on death certificate was 4/15/1861

 

Census:

1930 WI census, Jefferson Co, Fort Atkinson:
Ira O. Banks Head of household, owned home with value of $5,500. Owned a radio. Age 69, age at marriage, 17. Born in WI, father born Mass, mother born NY. Working as a woodworker at a poultry barn factory, currently employed. Able to read and write. Not a veteran.
Wife Effie M., age 68, married age 17, able to read and write. Born in WI, father born Mass., mother born Vermont.

 

1920 WI census, Jefferson Co, City of Fort Atkinson:
Ira Banks, WM 59, planer in furniture factory, b WI, parents b NY; Effie wife

 

1910 WI Jefferson Co., Fort Atkinson, Ward 4D:
Ira O. Banks, head of household, age 49, married 32 years. Born WI, father and mother born in NY. A laborer and (undecipherable) shop. Rents home.
Effie age 49, bore 4 children, 2 living. Father born Mass, mother VT. Mila G., daughter, age 15

 

1900 Census Richland Co, Westford Twnshp: Ira O. Banks, head of household, born June 1860, age 39. Born in WI; father and mother born NY. Occupation farmer. Able to read and write. married 22 years
Effie, born April 1861 in WI. Father born Mass., mother VT.
4 children born, 3 alive: Ive (age 15), Mila, age 5 and Wm. O, age 8 months; mother-in-law Mila Gleason, age 78, born March 1822 Vermont, father born England, mother born VT

 

1880 WI Census, Richland County, Westford:
Otis L. WM age 68, stone mason, born MA, both parents born MA, wife, wife Milda, age 58 keeping house, born Vermont, both parents born Vermont; Effie Banks, daughter, age 19, born Wi, Evaline granddaughter, 7/12 months, born Nov of past year.

 

1870 WI Richland, Westford:
Otis age 58, mason; Mila age 48 wife; Effie M age 9

 

 

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