New Digs: 309 W. Vine St.

Every time I’ve moved into new living quarters in Chambana I’ve done a little bit of digging around to find out the history of my  house. (see Battle Creek Sanitarium) The dust from the move has finally settled enough for me to do some poking around.

309 W. Vine

Recently, the University of Illinois Library digitized a large number of the best resources I used the last time I did this – the Champaign city and county directories.  These, combined with the Champaign County Historical Archives online database, give a nice picture of the early history of our new place wihtout me having to leave the house. I’ll flesh this out a little more when I have a chance to go and read some of the referenced news clippings at UFL. .

Owners

• 1904-1912: future resident Emery (aka Emory) A. Nelson works at University as a janitor. Resides in various locations on Clark St. in Champaign with wife Catherine (after 1908)
• 1912: property not listed, but it is the year that the first resident got married.
• 1914-1916: George W. Snyder (Lora M. – nee Lane); Snyder & Collord Shoes
  Snyder & Collord was located at 312 Hickory. C. (where the patio for J Gould is currently)
• 1918: Emery A. Nelson (Kathyrn); Carpenter & Vernon Alldridge (Mary); Chauffeur for Chester & O’Bryne Transfer Co. (63 Chester St.) [C&O also listed under "horse shoers"]
  
  

  from Champaign County Directory (1923)

• 1925: E.A. Nelson (Katherine);  Carpenter Robesons & Jesse J. Collins (Minnie); trucker IC (Illinois Central?) [the Nelsons must have been taking in boarders, as the names of other couples changes through the years]
• 1927: E.A. Nelson (Kath);  clk (clerk?) F.K. Robeson & Glenn Padgett (Mary);  driver Model Laundry
  

  from Johnson's Champaign-Urbana Directory (1927)

  

  from Johnson's Champaign-Urbana Directory (1927)

• 1930: Raymond and Blanche Nelson reside at 108 S. Poplar St. in Urbana, IL [not sure about the relation between R.B. Nelson and E.A. Nelson]
• 1931: Lora Snyder (nee Lane) dies. March 4, 1931 [She was a city nurse.]
• 1935: Emory A. Nelson; sales Robesons; Ray. B. Nelson (Blanche); switchman Illinois Central & Lawrence L. Weatherford (Gladys); sign painter.  [this is the last year that Emory/Emery Nelson is listed.  Katherine isn't listed in this entry]
• 1936: Ray B. Nelson (Blanche); switchman Illinois Central (IC) & Dale N. Dilley (Ruth); driver Eisner Grocery [Eisners is listed under Wholesale Groceries and was located at 202-204 S. Market St. C.]
• 1938: Ray B. Nelson (Blanche);  breakman  [RBN is listed as the owner]
• 1940: Ray B. Nelson (Blanche);  switchman & Ray B. Nelson Jr.;  clerk
• 1941: Emery A. Nelson deceased Feb. 1941  (born December 6, 1856)
• 1944: R.B. Nelson Jr. served in Patton’s “Ghost” Corps
• 1950: Raymond B. Nelson (Blanche);  delivery man Courier
• 1955: R.B. Nelson deceased (born May 30, 1888)
• 1972: Blanche Cleavland Nelson deceased March 13, 1972 (Woodlawn Cemtery)

The online trail ends here…

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, August 12th, 2009 at 1:41 pm and is filed under cultural heritage, mental lint. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.