Ellen Jones

Ellen Jones, my great grandmother, was born in September, 1846, at County Donegal, Ireland. She emigrated from Ireland to Chicago IL.

She married William Cottay at Holy Family Church in Chicago, IL on August 18, 1872.  Witnesses were Patrick Melony (sp?) and Ellen Hopkins.

Ellen and William had four sons and three daughters  between 1873 and 1888.

One of her sons was my grandfather, George Cottay.

She died on January 29, 1903, in Chicago at the age of 56.[1]

Cause of death was “pneumonia”.

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[1] Undertaker’s Report of Death, file # 224

John P Dawson was born in 1850 in Grant County, Indiana.  He was the son of Elizabeth (Prickett) and Thomas Simpson Dawson.

He married Margaret H Newell on March 8, 1873 at Chariton, Iowa.

They had nine children, including my grandmother, Mary Emma.

John was a farmer and cemetery sexton and he was a member of the Chariton Volunteer Fire Department.

He served in the civil war along with his father, Thomas, and brother, Zadock.

Herman Frederick Wilkening was my paternal great grandfather.

Herman was born July of 1865 in Chicago, Illinois. He worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a car inspector.

He first married Marie (Minnie) Sedvert  O'Malley in 1893.  Minnie was a widow with four children, Charles, Matilda,  Anne, and Edward by her first husband, Mr. O'Malley.
Herman and Minnie had four more daughters, Wilamina Johanna, Pauline, Bertha and Elsie Amelia.

Herman's second wife was Bertha. They divorced.

Herman married Mary Cottay (Aunt Mayme) on April 28, 1917, Cook Co, IL.
(Mary Cottay was a sister of Herman's son-in-law, George Cottay)

They had one son, Henry (Harry).

Herman died on the 24th of May, 1950.

Sources
1-1900 US Federal Census
2-Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1912-1942

Pauline Wilkening

Pauline (Pearl) Wilkening was born Friday, 4 October 1895 in Cook County Illinois. She was the daughter of Marie and Herman Frederick Wilkening.
She was one of six sisters and three brothers.

My memory of Grandma and her sisters is that they always had fun when they were together. They were always laughing.
Grandma liked to cook chicken. Every Sunday she cooked chicken for supper. Chicken and dumplings was my favorite...At one time she raised chickens. She did all the work to prepare the chickens for supper herself.
Grandma lived in that house out in the country with the chickens, she lived in an apartment in the city with her friend (can't remember her name but I can see her face clearly in my mind). She lived in the back of the ice cream parlor that Dad owned for a time.

She married five times. Her first marriage was to Grandpa George when she was 19 years old. Two husbands were named Jack, Jack Moser and Jack Murgach. Mr. Sanders and Edward Gale were the fourth and fifth.

She married George Joseph Cottay on April 15, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois and they had one son together, Robert George Cottay.
On 17 July, 1930 Pearl married Jack P Murgach in Cook County, IL. (Cook County, Illinois Marriage Index, 1930-1960).

She married Edward Gale in November 1957 in Hillsborough County, Florida.

She died October 28, 1979, in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 84.

Mary Emma Dawson

Grandma was born in 1890 (1893 according  to her death certificate) at Chariton Iowa.  She was the second youngest of nine. Her brother, Ben, was two years younger.
Her parents were John and Margaret (Newell) Dawson.

She and her husband, Heinrich Wilhelm Alfred Popkin, were the parents of Herman John and Doris Marion.

She later married Fred Samuel Herrick.

She spent most of her life in Chicago IL. I believe she left Iowa as a young woman to work in Chicago.

Heinrich Wilhelm Alfred Popkin was my maternal grandfather.

Person Sheet 

Name Heinrich Wilhelm Alfred Popkin

Birth 25 Dec 1891 Porter Porter Co IN

Death 1 Jun 1947 Chicago Cook Co IL

Burial Oak Woods Cemetery

Occupation Chauffeur, Auto Mechanic

Father Herman Jacobs Popken (~1852-1923)

Mother Henrietta Wilhelmine Sophie Brinkmann (?-1924)

I never knew my grandfather, Henry Popkin. He died when I was six years old. He was 55 years old when he died on June 1, 1947.  He was buried at Oak Woods Cemetery.

In 1910 he was living at Chicago, ward 3. His occupation was "Occ Sealer/railroad". He worked at Mitchell Automobile, 234 Michigan Ave. (1910 census)

Herman and Mary, my grandmother, were divorced in 1926. Their children, Herman and Doris, were 12 and 7 years old when they divorced.

The Popkin Family was in Porter County Indiana when Henry was born. He was born on Christmas Day 25 December, 1891, at Porter County, Indiana.

William Cottay was born about 1843 according to the 1880 United States Federal Census.
William arrived at Mobile AL from England in 1867 according to the 1892 Chicago voter registration list.  What brought him to Chicago from Mobile? The construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal could be the answer. While living in Chicago it is believed that he worked on the salt docks.

William and Ellen Jones were married at Holy Family Church in Chicago on Aug 18, 1872. Their witnesses were Patrick Melony and Ellen Hopkins.

William Catty

 in the 1880 United States Federal Census

Name: William Catty

Age: 37

Birth Year: abt 1843

Birthplace: England

Home in 1880: Chicago, Cook, Illinois

Race: White

Gender: Male

Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)

Marital Status: Married

Spouse's Name: Ellon Catty

Father's Birthplace: England

Mother's Birthplace: England

Occupation: Labourer

Household Members: Name Age

William Catty 37

Ellon Catty 35

Joseph Catty 7

Charles Catty 6

William Catty 3

Susan Catty 1

Source Citation

Year: 1880; Census Place: Chicago, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 190; Family History Film: 1254190; Page: 157A; Enumeration District: 069; Image: 0315

William was in a streetcar accident in Chicago and lost an arm. The company settled with him. He used the money to buy a small grocery store at the corner of 31st and Wallace. That is where he was living in 1892 according to the 1892 Chicago voter registration list.


William Cottay
 in the 1900 United States Federal Census
Name: William Cottay
[William Collay]
Age: 57
Birth Date: Aug 1842
Birthplace: England
Home in 1900: Chicago Ward 5, Cook, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1848
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Ellen Cottay
Marriage Year: 1872
Years Married: 28
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: England
Occupation: View on Image
Household Members: Name Age
William Cottay 57
Ellen Cottay 53
Charles Cottay 24
Mary Cottay 17
George Cottay 11
Source Citation
Year: 1900; Census Place: Chicago Ward 5, Cook, Illinois; Roll: 249; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 0132; FHL microfilm: 1240249

William and Ellen had seven children, Joseph, Charles, William, Susan, Ellen (Aunt Nell), Mary (Aunt Mayme) and George (Grandpa  George). William and his family were living at 544 Union Street in 1880 according to the 1880 census. He was living at 10234 Avenue L in 1920 with his son, George.
He died on Oct 7, 1920 at the age of 76 years. He was buried in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Chicago IL.

Ellen died 17 years earlier on Jan 3 1903.


William Cottay
 in the 1910 United States Federal Census
Name: William Cottay
Age in 1910: 70
Birth Year: abt 1840
Birthplace: England
Home in 1910: Chicago Ward 2, Cook, Illinois
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1858
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Widowed
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: England
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members: Name Age
William Cottay 70
Mayme Cottay 27
Source Citation
Year: 1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 2, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_242; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 0202; FHL microfilm: 1374255



William Cottay
 in the 1920 United States Federal Census
Name: William Cottay
Age: 82
Birth Year: abt 1838
Birthplace: England
Home in 1920: Chicago Ward 8, Cook (Chicago), Illinois
Street: Avenue L
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1860
Relation to Head of House: Father
Marital Status: Widowed
[Widow]
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: England
Native Tongue: English
Able to Speak English: Yes
Naturalization Status: Naturalized


Household Members: Name Age
George J Cottay 29
Pearl Cottay 24
Robert G Cottay 3
[3 11/12]
William Cottay 82
Source Citation
Year: 1920; Census Place: Chicago Ward 8, Cook (Chicago), Illinois; Roll: T625_318; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 524; Image: 182