BASICS
Eliza was born[1]
April 8, 1848 to John and Catherine Tomlinson. Various Census records declare birth
place as Philadelphia and birth year from 1846 to 1848. There are several
Elizabeth Tomlinsons in the Philadelphia area for the 1850 and 1860 Census
records. However the record that ties Eliza to the Tomlinson family of my
forebears is the 1874 Minneapolis marriage certificate of Eliza and Robert
Marple. This was witnessed by her brother-in-law, William Tiffany who married Eliza’s
sister Lydia Tomlinson.[2] The
marriage record thus links Eliza to the Philadelphia 1860[3]
Census which lists Eliza, Lydia and her other siblings to Catherine’s family. In
addition, the 1870 Minneapolis Census has Eliza and her mother Catherine living
with the Tiffany’s in the same household.[4]
MIGRATION WEST
Several of Eliza Tomlinson’s siblings migrated to Minneapolis
before 1870. Her older brothers, William and Jesse were in the flour milling
business with their brother-in-law, William Tiffany. Their mother Catherine made
the trip from Philadelphia at some point with Eliza since they were recorded in
the 1870 Minneapolis Census. Catherine later returned to Philadelphia where she
passed away in 1873. Did Eliza remain in Minneapolis or return to Philadelphia?
However, after her mother’s death, she married Robert Walter Marple on 19
January, 1874 in Minneapolis, so perhaps she continued to live there up to the
marriage. Robert is listed in business for the 1874 and 1876 Philadelphia Directories[5],
so likely the couple moved back to Philadelphia after marriage. Their first two
children, Lydia Tomlinson (named after Eliza’s sister?) and Robert Walter (3rd)
were born in Philadelphia in 1875 and 1876 respectively.
With two children, the couple traveled west in 1876 to newly
formed Modoc County, California. Her husband Robert had an uncle; Robert
Whittle (his mother’s brother) in California in the 1860’s who was carving out
a ranch and livery business. His presence there may have been the draw since
Robert had experience as a ticket agent or similar occupation as declared in
the 1870’s Philadelphia directories. Thus Robert worked with a freight service
in California as well as ranched. Modoc was a growing county with gold, timber
and ranching drawing in new settlers. The family lived in the village of Adin
in Modoc for the 1880 Census.[6]
 | ||||
| Eliza Tomlinson Marple |
While in Modoc County, Eliza gave birth to three more
children: Margaret Florence (Oct 1879), Charles Ruben (May 1881), and Jessie
Elizabeth (Oct 1887). Agnes C. was their last child born in Oregon in August
1891[7].
Eliza’s obituary per Find-a-grave states she relocated to Klamath Falls, Oregon
in 1888 after several years in Modoc County. Eliza lived in Klamath Falls until
1919, then spent her remaining months in Monrovia, Los Angeles, where she lived
with her daughter Agnes who married William Masten. The 1920 Census[8]
dated January 7 has the Mastens, Eliza’s divorced daughter Jessie, and Eliza
herself in the household. Eliza died 9 days later on January 16th and was buried in Linkville Pioneer Cemetery, Klamath Falls, Oregon
Eliza’s obituary has a touching description of the person as
seen by her family and friends.
“In the death of Mrs. Marple, another of the noble
women who helped carry the torch of civilization and uplift into the Klamath
Basin has passed to her reward, and in her passing leaves a void that never
will be filled. She was a most loveable, motherly soul, whose affectionate
nature seemed to spread its benevolence far beyond the confine of her immediate
abode. To know her was to love her and the news of her death will cause many
heart throbs of sorrow and grief throughout this region.”
ROBERT WALTER MARPLE(S)
There are four generations of Robert Walter Marple. It was Robert W.
Marple (2nd) who married Eliza Tomlinson.
Few records
have been found for his father Robert (1st). Other genealogies
suggest the father was born in Pennsylvania about 1823 and died young (bef.
1850) so shortly after Robert W. (2nd) was born in 1849. Elvira
Whittle was Robert (1st) wife, and as a widow along with young
Robert (2nd) were living with another family headed by James M. West,
in Blockley Pennsylvania per the 1850 Census.[9]
Elvira also lived under Mr. West’s roof in the 1860 Census[10],
and married him in 1861[11].
Young Robert (2nd) was not in the West household in 1860; perhaps
living with relatives, thus not with his stepfather. Nor was Robert living with
his mother and stepfather in 1870[12].
By this time, his mother had another child named George with James West. Thus Robert’s
location from 1850 to his marriage in 1874 is a mystery. From 1876, as noted
above, he relocated his family to Modoc County and ran the livery business.
The third Robert Walter Marple, son of Eliza Tomlinson Marple,
was born in Philadelphia in 1876 as mentioned above, but raised in California
and Oregon. Finally his son was the fourth Robert Walter Marple detailed below.
ROBERT WALTER MARPLE (2nd) 1849-1904
This Robert has an interesting and tragic history and
deserves his own paragraph, partly as this was the pioneer generation of
Tomlinson-Marple and for his demise. The family left the comfort of
Philadelphia about 1876 and traveled to the new territory of northern
California to make a living ranching and running the aforementioned stage and
freight business. Robert later moved with his family from Modoc County to
Klamath Falls, Oregon in 1888. Robert’s mother, Elvira Whittle resettled from
Philadelphia to the same place after 1892 when her husband James West died, until
she passed in 1899 and subsequently buried in Linkville Pioneer Cemetery,
Klamath Falls, along with her son and daughter-in-law.[13]
Robert ran freight in and out of Klamath Falls hauling with
horse teams. This was not an easy and sometimes a dangerous occupation. Even
though Robert was the proprietor of the Western Stage Line[14],
he ran his teams of horses regularly and had several accidents. One was
described in the Medford Mail March 27, 1903, when Robert lost control of a
frightened horse team running downhill. Fortunately, as he fell from the wagon,
he held on to the lines and managed to stop the horses. Both Robert and a
passenger were injured. Robert was also the proprietor of the Mammoth Stables[15]
and again dealing with a runaway team, sustained serious injuries which
resulted in his death several days later on 27 May 1904.
Tragically, his
attending physician, G. Maston, also had a fatal wagon accident the same night
while returning from Robert’s death bed. The Doctor was accompanied by Robert
and Eliza Marple’s daughter, Margaret Lennox, who survived the crash, but was
faced with performing an emergency amputation of the Doctor’s leg which had
been mangled by the wagon axle.
Following Robert’s death in 1904, his wife Eliza ran the
business for a short while then sold the properties while investing in other
lands. The local newspapers record several legal issues which Eliza dealt with
for these transactions. These records suggest Eliza was a capable business
woman of her day and held her own.
ELIZA’S TOMLINSON AND ROBERT MARPLE’S FAMILY
1. Lydia Tiffany
Marple: Born Philadelphia 21 January 1875 – died 26 August 1961 San
Bernardino, California. She was named after her Aunt Lydia Tomlinson Tiffany. She
married Walter Lennox, a farm worker in 1898 and lived in Klamath Falls at
least until her father died in 1904. They had three children: Margaret (1899),
Helen (1901) and Lydia (1908). They
moved down to Santa Barbara, then San Bernardino County, where her husband
likely was looking for work. Some genealogies have her middle name as
Tomlinson, but it is Tiffany as recorded in the 1917-1922 California Voter
Registrations.[16]
While a housewife raising her family, Lydia also worked as a professional dress
maker and after her husband’s death in 1936, as a ‘Professional Corsetiere’.
Lydia is buried in Hillside Memorial Park in Redlands, San Bernardino County.
She had three children, with some descendants now living in the Midwest.
2. Robert Walter
Marple (3rd): Born Philadelphia 23 July 1876 – died 29 January 1936
in Tonasket, Wa. He first married Eva Claire Spurgeon in Walla Walla,
Washington in 1901 and had a son, the fourth Robert Walter Marple in 1904. They
divorced and Robert (3rd) married Beulah Katherine Frank (1893-1971)
who gave birth to a second son named Walter Tomlinson Marple. His occupation
was described as farmer, both general and with fruit orchards through in 1920.[17]
Robert is buried in Tonasket Cemetery. More on Robert below.
3. Margaret
Florence Marple: Born Modoc County 21 January 1875- died Klamath Falls
7 November 1918. She went by nicknames such as Maggie and Greta and married
George Bradley 31 October 1902 and resided in Klamath Falls where she had two
sons, Albert in 1904 and George in 1906. However, her life was shortened by influenza,
the ‘Spanish Flu’ in 1918 when she died at age 39 on November 7th. Her
husband George ran a successful shoe sales business with his son Albert and brother
for many years. Margaret is buried in Linkville Pioneer Cemetery in Klamath
Falls. Albert married and had six children. Tragically two died in their teens
and one was 22 when he was killed in Vietnam in 1967. The second son, George,
also married and had three children. Some descendents of both sons live in
California and Oregon.
4. Charles
Ruben Marple: Born in Lassen, California 8 May 1881 – died Marion, Oregon
31 January 1863. Ruben has the name of
his uncle, the abolitionist Quaker. Charles worked as a labourer in a
blacksmith shop and later in several industries including auto and tire
repairs. He married Juliette Armstrong 29 January 1909. Juliette went by many
names including Ida and Iceletta. Their one confirmed child was Charles Ruben
Marple Jr. born 1915. He was killed in action as a U.S. Marine Corporal in
Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands 8 July 1944 and is buried with honours in
Honolulu. The U.S. Navy Casualty Book[18]
lists a Mrs. Marple in Salem, Oregon as survivor. Robert Jr. did marry Lorine
Steinseifer 25 November 1934 in Klamath Oregon.[19]
Charles Ruben Sr. is buried in Linkville Pioneer Cemetery in Klamath Falls.
Since their son died before he fathered children, there are no known
descendents.
5. Jessie E.
Marple: Born in California October 1887 – died unknown. She married
Charles I. Robertson in Klamath Falls 15 December 1915 but declared herself divorced
in the 1920 Census when she was residing with her sister Agnes and husband and
her aging mother, Eliza.[20] Her occupation is listed as a bookkeeper in a
garage. No further records have been found for her place of residence, death or
burial after 1920. There are some references to a Jessie Robertson in Los
Angeles City Directories, but no confirmation that this is the same person. No
record has been found for her date of death or her burial. Her sister Agnes
wrote in a letter that Jessie and Charles had adopted a son, and that Jessie
was still alive in 1975 and lived in Santa Cruz.
6. Agnes C.
Marple: Born 9 August 1891 in Klamath Falls – died 15 January 1982
in San Diego. She married William Allen Masten from Kansas on 31 December 1912
in Klamath Falls. She gave birth to their only child, William Allen Jr. in 1914
and by 1920 had moved to Monrovia, Los Angeles County.[21]
This family was disrupted as mother Eliza died in January 1920 and then her
husband William in 1921. Agnes raised her young son by earning a living as a
bookkeeper.[22]
She continued to live in Monrovia until her later years in San Diego where she
died in January 1982[23]. No
record has been found for her burial. Agnes’ son William worked as a dental
mechanic and married Eleanor Lindgren and had two sons who live in southern
California. Agnes was likely the keeper of family history since she wrote a
letter to one of her nephews in 1975 for which I had the honor of receiving a
copy of this family history.
ROBERT WALTER MARPLE (3rd): 1876 – 1936
Robert deserves a separate story line in this biography of
his mother Eliza (Tomlinson) Marple. He was the second born of Eliza and
carried the name of his father and his father before him, back to 1823. In
addition, I was able to locate his son Walter who kindly provided information
and some photos for this biography. Robert first married Eva Spurgeon 6 Nov
1901 in Walla Walla, Washington State. They had one son Robert Walter Marple (4th)
who married twice, but had no children. Eva was divorced from Robert (3rd)
about 1924 and remarried before 1930.Robert (3rd) then married Beulah Frank Edwards 4 Dec 1924 in
Los Angeles. Beulah was brought up in the Washington frontier mining town of
Golden where her father ran a saloon. She had previously married Adolphus
Edwards and had a son, William. Walter and Beulah also had one child, Walter
Tomlinson Marple. Thus from the three marriages of Eva, Beulah and Robert,
there were three sons, one from each marriage. These were William Edwards,
Walter Tomlinson and Robert Marple (4th).
Walter was helpful with this family story as he also supplied
the following information about his father Robert (3rd). During the
1920’s and 30’s he owned and operated a sawmill in Tonasket, Okanogan County,
Washington. He also operated a box factory which was a major supplier to the
growing fruit industry of the region. In 1929, he diversified by opening a
motel for the tourist trade. After Robert died in 1936, his wife, Beulah
operated the motel until she moved to Seattle. She passed away in 1971.
[1] https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=28585834
[2] Minnesota,
Marriages Index, 1849-1950
[3] Year:
1860; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 1 Precincts 6, 7, and 9, Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1151; Page: 604; Image: 610; Family History Library
Film: 80515
[4] Year:
1870; Census Place: Minneapolis Ward 3, Hennepin, Minnesota; Roll: T132_5;
Page: 484; Image: 569; Family History Library Film: 830425
[5]
U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, City Directory,
1874, page 57
[6] Year: 1880; Census Place: Adin, Modoc, California; Roll:
69; Family History Film: 1254069; Page: 40A; Enumeration District: 069
[7]
Year: 1900; Census Place: Klamath Falls, Klamath, Oregon; Roll: 1347; Page: 3B;
Enumeration District: 0026; FHL microfilm: 1241347
[8]
Year: 1920; Census Place: Monrovia, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_103;
Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 490; Image: 1034
[9] Year: 1850; Census Place: Blockley,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M432_824; Page: 15A; Image: 37
[10] Year: 1860; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward
2, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M653_1152; Page: 435; Family History
Library Film: 805152
[11] Historical Society of Pennsylvania;
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Collection Name: Historic Pennsylvania Church and
Town Records; Reel: 373
[12] Year: 1870; Census Place: Philadelphia Ward 24 District 80,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: M593_1411; Page: 495B; Family History Library
Film: 552910
[13] https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=west&GSiman=1&GScid=39046&GRid=28605492&
[14] Daily Capital Journal
(Salem, Oregon) · Mon, May 11, 1903 · Page 4
[15] The Medford Mail
(Medford, Oregon) · Fri, Apr 29, 1904 · Page 3
[16]
California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters,
1900-1968
[17]
Year: 1920; Census Place: Tonasket, Okanogan, Washington; Roll: T625_1934;
Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 99;
Image: 502
[18] U.S.,
Navy Casualties Books, 1776-1941; Oregon page 567
[19]
Oregon, Marriage Indexes, 1906-1924, 1946-2008
[20]
Year: 1920; Census Place: Monrovia, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_103;
Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 490; Image: 1034
[21]
Year: 1920; Census Place: Monrovia, Los Angeles, California; Roll: T625_103;
Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 490; Image: 1034
[22]
Year: 1930; Census Place: Monrovia, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 167; Page:
5A; Enumeration District: 1162; Image: 130.0; FHL microfilm: 2339902
[23]
U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
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