LORADUMIA A. (DOLTON) WHITEHAIR
Richmond Dolton (1815-1899) born in Kentucky
When Loradumia A Dolton was born on January 3, 1853, in Galesburg, Illinois, her father, Richmond, was 37, and her mother, Priscilla, was 29. Her parents had twelve children together in twenty years.
Galesburg, Illinois, was founded by George Washington Gale, a Presbyterian minister from New York state, who dreamed of establishing a manual labor college which became Knox College. A manual labor college was one in which students and staff was required to spend half of each day doing manual labor. Galesburg's success and growth was tied to the railroad industry. Local businessmen were major backers of the first railroad to connect Illinois' two biggest cities - Chicago and Quincy.
What did all these kids do to occupy their time? There was no road noise, no airplanes flying overhead, no television, or movies, no computer games. When they were young they stayed around the house, did a lot of running around, played tag and hide and seek, and the boys wrestled with each other, climbing trees, chasing birds and varmits, throwing rocks or maybe a ball, and playing with the dog. On rainy days they stayed indoors and drew pictures, read to each other, and played checkers. But, whatever they did, they got in trouble and tested the rules to see how far they could go before Mom would get after them with a fly swatter or wooden spoon.
As they got a little older they played mumbly peg with their pocket knives, shot marbles, rode the plow horse, and hunted varmits. Mom made dolls for the girls out of whatever materials were available. They had chores like taking care of their siblings; feeding the chickens and pigs, fetching in wood, coal, and water; cleaning the globes on the kerosene lamps; setting and clearing the table; and Dad built a little stool they could stand on so they could help with washing and drying the dishes. The girls would stand on a kitchen chair and stir to mix something in a bowl while Mom was working on something else.
In 1850 Lora and her eight siblings were living in Township 13 N 1 E, Knox County, Illinois. She took a year off now and then, but for the most part Priscilla had a child every year from 1843 to 1854. They had 12 children in 20 years. Priscilla died when she was thirty-seven years old. One author writing about Priscilla's labors said she would have died a lot sooner. All of Priscilla's children had been born in Illinois. Lora's dad was a farmer.
By 1860 Richmond had moved his large family to Washington township, DeKalb County, Missouri. Did he know that war was coming? He left Illinois which was up north and was not a slave state. He went to Missouri which was a slave state ever since it adopted statehood in 1821. But, there is no indication that the Dolton's ever had slaves. If he was moving to Missouri to get away from the War, then he made a mistake because Missouri was a hotly contested border state during the American Civil War. And much of the fighting was done by irregulars or bushwhackers, so you never knew if a body of men riding across the countryside were soldiers likely to burn your farm or just a group of men riding together for mutual protection. But, Richmond was just interested in farming and that's what he and his boys did. In 1860, Lora had just turned six years old and was attending school. Richmond and Priscilla had eleven children: Abigail, Euphaemia, Lucetta, Thiron, Alis, Nahum, Araminta, Loradumia, Edward, Kate, and Ennis. If she was still alive, the eldest daughter, Elizabeth Dolton, was seventeen years of age and was no longer in the home. She may have married and setup her own household.
The American Civil War began in 1861 and ended in 1864. While the War boiled up around them Lora's family appears to have remain unscathed. It was a close call though. Joseph had served in K Company, 13th Kansas Infantry, and was either wounded or sick such that on 3 Oct 1889 Joseph had applied for a invalid's pension based on his service.
In 1869 Lora Dolton found love. On 10 Mar 1869 she married Joseph A. Whitehair and they set up housekeeping together in Jefferson County, Kansas.
The 1870 US Federal Census for Jefferson, Jefferson County, Kansas, has a record of the Joseph and Lora Whitehair household. Joseph K. Whitehair was a 27 year old, male, white, farmer, born about 1843 in Iowa. The families real estate was valued at $180 and their personal estate at $600. Lora D. Whitehair was a 17 year old female, white, keeping house, born about 1853 in Illinois.
On the next farm over was the Hankye family. John and Mary Ann Hankye and their six year old son Frank. Working as farm laborers for the Hankye's was Peter Whitehair, age 18 years, male, white, born about 1852 in Illinois. Benjamin Whitehair, age 16 years, male, white, born about 1854 in Illinois.
Ten years later, the 1880 US Federal Census for Noble, Dickinson County, Kansas, shows that Joseph and Lora Whitehair had gotten busy. S. G. Read visited on 15 June 1880 and found that they now had four children. In the household are: Joseph A. Whitehair, white, male, age 34 years, born about 1846 in Iowa, working as a wagon maker. His father was born in France and his mother in Belgium. Lora D. Whitehair was a white, female, age 27 years, wife, keeping house, born about 1853 in Illinois. Her father was born in Kentucky and her mother in Illinois. Utie R. Whitehair was a white, male, age 9 years, a daughter, born about 1871 in Kansas, and attended school in the census year. Ira A. Whitehair was a white, male, age 7 years, a son, born about 1873 in Kansas, and attended school in the census year. Clarence Whitehair was a white, male, 4 years of age, a son, born about 1876 in Kansas, wasn't of school age and stayed at home with mom. Pleasond Whitehair was a white, male, 2 years of gage, a son, born about 1878 in Kansas, wasn't of school age and stayed at home with mom.
Nearby lives Peter and Olive Whitehair. Peter F. Whitehair was a white, male, age 32 years, working as a hardware dealer, born about 1848 in Iowa. His father was born in France and his mother in Belgium. Olive A. Whitehair, was a white, female, age 19 years, Peter's wife, she was keeping house, born about 1861 in Illinois. Her father was born in Ohio and her mother in Indiana. Their son Leslie Whitehair was three years old.
In 1910 we find Joseph and Lora Whitehair still comfortably ensconced in Noble, Kansas. The members of the household are: Joseph A Whitehair, head of household, male, white, age 64 years, married for 41 years, born about 1846 in Iowa. This year the person talking to the census taker says that Joseph's father and mother were born in Germany. That's a change from the 1880 census. Lauradomie A Whitehair, wife, female, age 57 years, had six children of whom five are still alive, was born about 1853 in Illinois. Her father was born in Kentucky and her mother in Pennsylvania. Pleasant P Whitehair, son, male, white, age 32 years, single, born about 1878 in Kansas.
Peter and Olive Whitehair are still there as well. In 1910 they have five children in the home ranging from 26 years to three years of age and all were born right there in Noble. Peter F. Whitehair, born about 1848 in Iowa, he changed the birthplace of his parents just as his putative brother Joseph did from France/Belgium to Germany. Olive A. Whitehair was born about 1861 in Illinois and her father in Ohio, her mother in Indiana. Oscar A. Whitehair, as son, was 26 years of age. Alda M. Whitehair, a daughter, was 21 years of age. Ida L. Whitehair, a daughter, was 19 years of age. Thelma M. Whitehair, a daughter, was 9 years of age. Geneva K. Whitehair, a daughter, was 3 years of age. Simeon L. Graham, father-in-law, male, white, age 77 years, widowed, born in Ohio, and his folks were born in Virginia.
Also, this year, the enumerator, William J. Mott, found a rail road camp in Noble Township on 18 Apr 1910. They must have been laying track because they had 74 male immigrants from Italy living in this camp who were enumerated. The only non-Italians were the foremen and the timekeeper.
According to the 1920 US Federal Census Joseph and Lora had moved to Chapman, Dickinson County, Kansas. They were living at 137 Sheeran Avenue and there were three of them in the household. Joseph A Whitehair was a 74 year old, white, male, born about 1846 in Iowa. The census taker was told his parents were born in the US. Joseph wasn't working. Lora Duma Whitehair was Joseph's wife, female, white, age 67, born about 1853 in Illinois, her father was born in Kentucky and her mother in Pennsylvania. Lora wasn't working. [I'll bet she was.] Pleasant Whitehair, son, male, white, age 42 years, single, born about 1878 in Kansas. The census taker was told his parents were born in the US. Pleasant was working as a Druggist in a drug store.
The Whitehair's had moved in just down the street from her brother Edward Dalton and his wife Lucy at 140 Sheeran Avenue. Edward and Lucy Dalton had three of their children living with them. Edward was still farming. Mildred Dalton, daughter, age 19 years, single, born about 1901 in Kansas. Orval Dalton, son, age 36 years, widowed, born about 1884 in Kansas, working in a carpenter shop. Wendell Dalton, son, 24 years old, single, born about 1896 in Kansas, working in a garage shop.
In the twenties. (1) Women could vote: The 19th Amendment to the Constitution had guaranteed that right in 1920. (2) By 1923 there were more than 500 radio stations in the nation. By the end of the 1920s, there were five national radio networks and radios in more than 12 million households. (3) About 1924 permanent plumbing and running water in the house was becoming increasingly affordable and therefore available. (4) The most important consumer product of the 1920s was the automobile. The Ford Model T cost just $260 in 1924. (5) On June 2nd 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act was signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge. This act conferred citizenship on all Native Americans born in the United States. (6) About 1927 the average price of a refrigerator dropped from $275 to $154 with the synthesis of Freon. This lower price allowed ownership of refrigerators in American households to exceed 50%. (7) Sliced bread was first sold in 1928, advertised as "the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped". This led to the popular phrase "greatest thing since sliced bread."
On 3 Oct 1889 Joseph had applied for a invalid's pension based on his service in K Company, 13th Kansas Infantry, during the American Civil War. On 16 Nov 1925 Lora applied for a widow's pension. Doesn't that seem a little premature? He died eleven months later. Or perhaps there was a rule that allowed a woman to apply for a widow's pension before actually becoming a widow; like if her husband became completely disabled or something like that. Anyway ... .
On 27 Oct 1926 Lora's husband of 57 years died leaving Lora bereft of his presence, his touch, and his love. So, she had to go on alone. Yes, there were others around her, but she was alone.
The 1930 US Federal Census has a record of Lora Whitehair now living in the household of her son Pleasant Whitehair. Of course, Pleasant has lived his entire life in his mother's house. It's now just a matter of who gets top billing and who does the telling. It becomes the son because the father died and now the son is the master of the house. Pleasant's sister and her husband have also moved back in with them. In the household are: Pleasant P. Whitehair, head of household, male, white, age 52 years, single, born about 1878 in Kansas. Pleasant is working as the treasurer in the Chapman county office. Loraduma A. Whitehair, mother of Pleasant, female, white, age 77 years, widowed, born about 1853 in Illinois. Loraduma says that her father was born in Kentucky and her mother in Pennsylvania. F. Edna Baird, sister of Pleasant, female, white, 45 years of age, married at the age of 23, born about 1885 in Kansas. G. Hayes Baird, brother-in-law, male, white, 53 years old, married at the age of 31, born about 1877 in Kansas. His father and mother were born in Michigan. He was working as a commercial teacher in the school supplies industry. I guess neither Edna or Hayes liked their first names. It's incredible to me how common that is.
In 1930 the Great War had ended twelve years ago and the world was still nine years away from the Second World War. In most countries the Great Depression started in 1930 after the passage of the United States' Smoot-Hawley Tariff bill (June 17), and lasted until the late 1930s or middle 1940s. It was the longest, most widespread, and deepest depression of the 20th century. The depression originated in the U.S., after the fall in stock prices that began around September 4, 1929, and became worldwide news with the stock market crash of October 29, 1929 (known as Black Tuesday). Unemployment in the U.S. rose to 25%, and in some countries rose as high as 33%.
On 27 Mar 1938 Loradumia Dolton died. Four of her five children survived her. She was buried in Indian Hill Cemetery, Chapman, Dickinson County, Kansas, USA. Now, it's her children who are alone. When they lost their father it wasn't so bad because they still had their mother. But, now their mother was gone and there was no one left that they could go to with their problems and their dreams who would always listen and never judge them. Mom has died.
