I purchased the following photos several years ago in hopes of finding information on these inter-related families. The only spark was a Cora Rittenhouse who married a John Stewart. She could be Cora Stewart Mitterling. In the 1900 census of Adams County, Wisconsin, there is a John Stewart, age 43, born July, 1856, in New Jersey, farmer, married to Cora E., age 25, born September, 1874, in Wisconsin. The following daughters are listed: Mabel, 13, June 1886, Ida, 12, April 1888, Kitty, 8, September 1891, Edith, 6, October, 1893. Maude, 3, September, 1896, and Cora, 6/12, November 1899. I believe this must have been a second marriage for John, some of the daughters are too old to be children of Cora. Perhaps one of you will recognize the family and be able to shed some light. All photos have information written on the back, in the same handwriting.
Since writing the following post almost ten years ago, today I found new information. What prompted me to research and write this additional information was a photo I found while going through some of my boxes – still trying to organize! The photo is of an infant girl named Della Mary Stewart, daughter of John James Stewart and Cora Rittenhouse.
Cora Ellen Rittenhouse was born in September 1874, the youngest child of Simon Peter Rittenhouse, 1827-1907, and Elizabeth Bane, 1827-1888. Simon and Elizabeth were married August 30, 1849, in Huntington, Indiana. The couple had fourteen children. Simon’s parents were Peter Rittenhouse, 1793-1847, and Margaret Young, 1793-1847. Elizabeth Bane’s parents were James Bane, 1801-?, and Susan Webb, 1810-1848.
About 1884 Cora’s older sister, Ida Susan Rittenhouse married John James Stewart. The couple had at least two daughters – Mable, born in 1886, and Ida, born in April 1888. Ida died shortly after her second daughter’s birth. Her sister Cora married John James Stewart July 10, 1888, three months after her sister’s death. It is not unusual for a sister to marry her widowed brother-in-law. It happened in my family a couple of times. Aunts make good mothers to their nieces!
From the information on the marriage register we find that John was a farmer, was born in New Jersey, the date of registration was July 14, 1888, but the marriage was contracted July 10, 1888. The ceremony was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church.
John and Cora had seven children together – Erwin, 1889-1894, Kitty, b. 1891, Edith, b. 1893, Mandie, b. 1896, Cora, 1899-1900, Della M., b. 1902, and John Marvin, b. 1903-1961. The family lived in Adams County, Wisconsin.
We find the family in a state census for Wisconsin for 1905 – unusual to find a state census! The family were in Adams County, John, 48, Cora E., 30, Kittie, 13, Edith B., 10, Mandie, 8, Dellie M., 3, Marvin J., 1.
In the 1910 census of Adams County, John Stewart is listed as divorced, living with Charles and Hattie Hunt. Cora Stewart is listed as widowed in Wood County (women in that time did not list themselves as divorced), the mother of 7 children, 5 living. Maud, Della and John Marvin Stewart live with her. Son Erwin died in 1894, aged 5, and baby Cora died in 1900, less than a year old. Perhaps these deaths were too much for the couple? It is hard to say.
Two years later Cora married John Donnoven February 3, 1912, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin.
Tragedy struck the family in 1915. John Stewart died January 18, 1915. Daughter Edith married John Yorton August 9, 1910.
Stevens Point Journal
Friday, January 22, 1915
Died From Fall
The following brief account of the death of John Stewart, father of Mrs. John Yorton of this city, appeared in the Coloma section of the Hancock News:
‘John Stewart, while assisting his son-in-law, Robert Fousch, draw corn Monday, fell from the load and was instantly killed. We are informed that Mr. Fousch carried a box of corn into the granary, leaving Mr. Stewart on the load. When Rob came back he found him under the wagon, carried him to the house and summoned Dr. Weber at once. It is thought he must have slipped, striking his head on the frozen ground.’
According to a notice in the same newspaper, “Mr. and Mrs. John Yorton and Miss Maude Stewart left on the 20th for Coloma to attend the funeral of the ladies’ father, John Stewart.’
John was buried in White Cemetery in Waushara County. Children Erwin Stewart and Cora E. Stewart are buried there.
Cora’s marriage with John Donnoven did not prove a happy one. John divorced her May 3, 1919, notice in the May 4, 1919, Leader Telegram. Several years later John Donnoven put an ad in the same newspaper saying he would not be responsible for any bills for his former wife, Mrs. Cora Donnoven.
Daughter Della M. Stewart married Minor W. Rudd June 16, 1919.
December 24, 1920 Cora Donnoven and Bert E. Mitterling married in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This is the happy occasion of the photos below, the first time this post was made in November 2014.
Leader-Telegram, Eau Clair, Eau Clair, Wisconsin
Wednesday, December 29, 1920
Donnoven-Mitterling
The marriage of Mrs. Cora Donnoven and Mr. B. E. Mitterling, Lairmore, N. D., took place Saturday afternoon at three o’clock, Judge Henry McBain performing the ceremony. The bride’s son, Mr. John Stewart, and daughter, Mrs. Minor Rudd, were the attendants. Following the ceremony a wedding dinner was served at the home, 715 Newton St., to a large number of relatives and friends. Mr. and Mrs. Mitterling will leave in a few days to make their future home at Lairmore, N.D., where the groom is engaged in the machine and auto business.
I hope Cora and Bert had a happy life together!
Rudd/Stewart/Ochs/Bauman/Saenger Family Photos
I purchased the following photos several years ago in hopes of finding information on these inter-related families. The only spark was a Cora Rittenhouse who married a John Stewart. She could be Cora Stewart Mitterling. In the 1900 census of Adams County, Wisconsin, there is a John Stewart, age 43, born July, 1856, in New Jersey, farmer, married to Cora E., age 25, born September, 1874, in Wisconsin. The following daughters are listed: Mabel, 13, June 1886, Ida, 12, April 1888, Kitty, 8, September 1891, Edith, 6, October, 1893. Maude, 3, September, 1896, and Cora, 6/12, November 1899. I believe this must have been a second marriage for John, some of the daughters are too old to be children of Cora. Perhaps one of you will recognize the family and be able to shed some light. All photos have information written on the back, in the same handwriting.
Wallace Rudd and Mabel Rudd, Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin
Mabel Stewart
June 19, 1926. Brayton and Violette Ochs. Cora Rudd Zoltak’s cousin – Violette Fausch Ochs. Aunt Mabel’s oldest daughter. Merrill, Wisconsin
Grandma to Cora Rudd Zoltak – Cora Stewart Mitterling and Bert Mitterling. Mother Della Stewart and Uncle John Stewart. Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Grandma Cora Stewart Mitterling and Bert Mitterling. Mother Della and Uncle John Stewart. Eau Claire, Wisconsin
This photo was unnamed, but is evidently a younger Cora Stewart, before her marriage to Bert Mitterling. She wears the same bracelet!
Marvin Saenger and Edna Bauman Saenger. Cora Rudd Zoltak’s cousin – Aunt Beulah’s only daughter. Brillion Wisconsin
Cora Marcella Rudd, born July 24, 1921. She must have written the names on back of the photos. In my blog from last week I mentioned that she married Elmer William Zoltak in 1939.
Categories: Family Stories, Genealogy Ramblings, Old Photos
cora and elmer also had minor,larry who is dennis twin,coralee,laurel and lynette
How interesting to know more family members! Had you seen the photos online or are they knew to you? How are you related to Cora Rudd and Elmer Zoltak – from your name I am thinking grandson?
These are pictures of my mom’s family. “Uncle John” was her father. Aunt Dell was kind of a fun lady but she made Uncle Minor Rudd count back the change after she sent him to the store. My mom visited her aunt often and one day, her cousin Lyle Rudd introduced her to his buddy Jim Willoughby, who lived around the corner. Dad worked with Minor Zoltak (junior)on the railroad.
I met aunt Mabel but I don’t remember her.
My mom is still alive, so if you want to know more, I could ask her.
Doug, how wonderful to hear from you! I bought these photos several years ago from an antique store – thought they were lovely – and with the names on back very helpful to find a bit of information. I would like to know more about baby Cora. Who did ‘Uncle John’ marry? Love to hear the family stories – especially the part about counting the change! It brings these pictures to life!
All I know is that Cora Rudd was my mom’s older cousin . She was my mom’s Auny Dell’s daughter. John and Della were the youngest children of Cora Rittenhouse Stewart Midderling. Mom was born in 1930. Her dad ( Uncle John, in the picture married my grandma Tillie Carlson. She came over from the Old Country when she was 5 and spoke Swedish. I had assumed that that they came from Sweden, but the were Swedes who lived in Finland. So I thought until last week. My brother took the DNA test and it turns out they were Russian-Finns who spoke Swedish. At any rate, grandpa Carlson took the family to America because he did not want to serve in yhe Russian army .sometime around 1900.