4 Cook/Frieda Siepmann

We are taking a step back in time today.  Fredricka 'Frieda' Margaret Siepmann was born November 30, 1898 in Tipton, Iowa.  My sister found this photo too.  I am guessing Frieda is late teens early twenties here.  Did they take high school graduation photos back in the day?

Fredricka Margaret Siepmann
"Frieda"
30 Nov 1898-8 Sep 1972

I haven't found a birth certificate or a baptismal certificate for Frieda so my first official document is the 1900 U.S., Federal Census.

1900 U.S. Federal Census
Tipton, Center Township, Cedar County, Iowa1

This census was taken the first day of June 1900.  In five more months Frieda would be two years old.  Her father Fred W is 40 years old, he and Catherine, age 39,  have been married for 14 years. They have 7 children, all seven still living.  Fred is a butcher and they are renting their home.  Frieda's brothers and sisters are William age 13, James age 11, Gertrude age 10, Mary age 8, Katie age 5, and Nellie age 3.  It also shows that Fred W has a brother named August age 20 living with them.  This census taker didn't include the street and house number.

You might notice Siepmann is spelled with one n on this census.  The name Frieda Siepmann gave me trouble when searching for her.  There are so many ways to mispell her name!  As I post to the blog I am making Family Group Sheets for each family.  Something I should have done when I began researching my tree.  I am still learning the best way to research efficiently and this really does help.  You can see on this segment of the family sheet how many ways I have found to spell Frieda Siepmann.  Yes, she was listed as Fred Cark on the 1940 Census.  The whole family was transcribed as having the last name Cark.  It took me awhile to find that one.

Portion of family group sheet for the
Bernard Roy Cook family

I thought it would be best to look at official documents for spelling.  However, on their wedding registration if I remember correctly her name was spelled three different ways, on one form!  So I looked for documents that required a signature.  Since she graduated from high school I assumed she knew how to spell her own name.

The next document I have for Frieda is the 1905 Iowa State Census.  I just found this so haven't added it yet to the sources for my family group sheet.  It has yet another way to spell her name, Fredericky!  The family is still living in Tipton at this time and Frieda's occupation is 'in school'.  Good to know since she is only 6.

1905 Iowa State Census
Tipton, Cedar County, Iowa2

I tried to look up some history of Tipton and did find a few bits and pieces here and there.  According to the Cedar County Iowa history webpage3, Tipton was once  the 'agricultural and livestock center of the world.'  Tipton is the county seat of Cedar County, at the time Frieda was born it was about the same size as Belle Plaine4.  The Iowa Cow Wars5 didn't happen until about 1930 but I found the story interesting, so I had to share.

Next up is the Federal Census of 1910.

1910 U.S. Federal Census
Center Township, Cedar, Iowa

They are at the bottom of the page so I had to go to the next page to find Frieda.

1910 U.S. Federal Census
Center Township, Cedar, Iowa6

The oldest brother William is no longer living at home.  James is 21 and working with his father as a butcher.  Gertrude is 20 and working as a school teacher.  Mary is 18 and is the family housekeeper.  Catherine is 15 and doesn't have a job yet. Helena is 13, Fredricka or Frieda is now 11 and there is a new member of the family.  Frederick E. is 6.  Now it says that Catherine (the mom) has had 9 children, 8 living; so I am guessing there was a miscarriage between Frieda and Frederick.  Or a childhood illness that wasn't survived.   This time it says they own their home, so the business must be doing well.  The enumerator didn't add the 'incorporated place' on the form, so it doesn't say they lived in Tipton.  They are still in Center Township, Cedar County, Iowa.

This seems like a good place to pause for today, next week we should be able to catch Frieda up with Bernard Roy.  In two weeks we will begin their lives together.

Happy Discoveries to you from one Ancestral Explorer to another,
Janet

Sources:

1.   'Frieda Siepmann' 1900 U.S., Federal Census, Tipton, Center Township, Cedar County, Iowa, Sheet 1B, Line 94; Ancestry.com online.

2.   'Frieda Siepmann' 1905 Iowa State Census, Cedar County, Iowa, Card No. 246 B; Ancestry.com online.

3.   Cedar County, Iowa History; https://www.cedarcounty.org/history.htm

4.   Tipton, Iowa - Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipton,_Iowa

5.  Iowa Cow War - Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iowa_Cow_War I

6.   'Frieda Siepmann' 1910 U.S., Federal Census, Center Township, Cedar County, Iowa; Sheet 5B & 6A, Line 2; Ancestry.com online.