Dorothy Williams, b1926, Dubuque

WILLIAMS, SKEMP, RODY, AGARD, HOOK, WASHBURN, WARREN, JOHANNSEN

Posted By: Audrey Williams Stanaland (email)
Date: 8/30/2003 at 21:19:56

Can anyone suggest how I might find out what happened to an aunt, DOROTHY WILLIAMS, b about 1926, Dubuque, Iowa--who was removed from her parent's home about age 3, while probably living in FARLEY, DUBUQUE COUNTY, about 1930.

All of Dorothy's siblings were placed either with family or in an orphanage, but Dorothy is said by the family to have been "given" away. It is possible that some of the children were in foster care or some other situation briefly at the time of removal from their parent's home.

I found a Dorothy J. WILLIAMS, age 3, on the 1930 census living in an Iowa City juvenile home. Not sure that is her, but it is a possibility.

I found the mother, IVY LAURA SKEMP WILLIAMS on the 1930 census (in Farley, Dubuque, Iowa as Ivy WILLIAM) with 2 of Dorothy's sisters--Jeanette and Barbara. The family had previously lived in Dubuque where all their children were born.

On the 1930 census, the father, Joseph Henry WILLIAMS was living in Dubuque in the home of his mother (Magdalene / Magdalena WILLIAMS) with 2 of his sons--Donald and Walter.

Last time Dorothy WILLIAMS was seen by a sister was as an adult in Dubuque / Earlville area at the sister's wedding in the 1940s. It is thought that Dorothy married a man named RODY and might have moved to Milwaukee. I am trying to piece together just what happened to her in hopes of being able to find out if she is still alive and/or ever had any descendants.

DOROTHY WILLIAMS, b about 1926, Dubuque
Parents:
Joseph Henry WILLIAMS, b 1883, Germany (used 1881/82 birth)
Ivy Laura SKEMP, b 1884 Dubuque to Charles Widlake Skemp and Laura Catherine Cain
Grandmother: Magdalene / Magdalena (PAULY) WILLIAMS, died Sept. 1930, Dubuque, Iowa

When the family of Joseph Henry and Ivy Laura WILLIAMS fell apart over about 3 years,
above Dorothy WILLIAMS was given away or removed in about 1930 by authorities from home of her parents.
Dorothy was 1 of 7 children born to above parents.

Her siblings were:

*ARTHUR JOSEPH WILLIAMS, b Sept. 10, 1914, Dubuque---This was my father.
Aunt/Uncle Charles & Hattie AGARD, living on Grace Street in Dubuque took him.
Art married in 1941 to Frances Clotine WASHBURN in Arkansas. They are my parents.

*DONALD ROBERT, b 1916, Dubuque
(lived with above grandmother 1930 census, then to Davenport orphanage.
We are still in touch with Don, a retired WWII veteran, living in Des Moines, Iowa.

*CATHERINE, b 1919, Dubuque (was moved to orphanage, Davenport, Iowa until age 18)
Married, (HOOK) but husband deceased. Still living in Earlville. Two daughters, many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

*WALTER, b about 1921, Dubuque
(1930 census, age 8, with grandmother;
died shortly after from complications from gangrenecaused by injured, infected leg hurt on barbed wire while running away from orphanage (?Davenport, Iowa I think ?)

*JEANETTE, born 1924, Dubuque. We found Jeanette mid-1990s. She had been placed in foster care, then was "adopted" by WARREN family, near Marshalltown. Family later moved to West Coast.
Jeanette married Warren "Bud" Johannsen, had two sons, grandchildren. Died, 1999 in Henderson, NV.

*BARBARA, b about 1927, suffered from rickets and retardation.
Was placed in Davenport orphanage a short time, then with family in Dubuque (my parents for awhile), then about age 14 I think, was placed in a Dubuque "home" where she still lives. Her family has kept in touch with her.

Any help or suggestions anyone can offer to trace DOROTHY WILLIAMS (?RODY ??, etc.)will be appreciated.

Audrey Williams Stanaland
Loudon,TN