Birth
Mary Elizabeth Cahoe was born 17 February 1881 near Danville in Newell Township, Vermillion County, Illinois. She was the fifth child of Thomas Jefferson Cahoe and Rachel Elizabeth Blazer Cahoe.
Sources: “Death of Mary Cahoe” obituary, Cahoe Family Bible, 1900 US Census, and age at death in death notice.
Siblings and the move to Watseka
Four siblings welcomed Mary into the family: John Thomas, age 8; Viola M., age 6; Minnie Alice, age 4; and Ruey Melvina, age 2.
Before the birth of their next child in 1882, the Cahoes moved their family from Danville to Watseka, Illinois. They probably came to the area after Thomas’ half-sister, Jennie Doolittle, married a man from nearby Milford on 4 January 1882.
Mary’s mother gave birth to five more children in coming years:
- Emma Cahoe was born in early 1882. She died at age three in 1885.
- Three months after Emma’s death, her mother gave birth to William Cahoe. William lived only six months.
- Charles Frederick Cahoe was born in 1888.
- The Cahoes lost fourteen-year-old Viola M. in May 1889 to a heart ailment. Four months later, their son Patsie Edward Cahoe was born (my great-grandfather).
- Pearl O. Cahoe was born in 1898.
Marriage
On 26 Jan 1899, Mary married thirty-eight-year-old Franklin E. “Frank” Bean, a laborer. The marriage was very short and was probably annulled, possibly because Mary lied about her age on the application, claiming to be nineteen instead of her actual age — seventeen. Or, it might have been that Frank’s lie was exposed. He claimed to be twenty-nine, not thirty-eight.
Source: “Illinois, County Marriage Records, 1800-1940” database on Ancestry.com.
1900 US Federal Census
Eighteen months after the marriage, Mary was enumerated in the 1900 US Federal Census as “Mary Cahoe,” a single nineteen-year-old living with her parents in a home they owned on North Third Street in Watseka. At the time of the census, 13 June 1900, her father was tending bar and she and her older sisters, Minnie and Ruey, worked at a hotel.
The 1900 census is the only one in existence to include Mary Cahoe. The 1890 census was lost in a fire and Mary would not live to be enumerated in 1910.
Missing family members
While siblings Minnie, Ruey, Mary, Fred, “Eddie” (later called “Pat”), and Pearl Cahoe were reported in their parents’ household, Thomas, Viola, Emma, and William Cahoe were not.
John Thomas Reynolds was twenty-seven in 1900. He, his wife of four years, Louisa, and three-year-old-son Eugene, lived on the same street as his parents.
Viola, Emma, and William were already deceased at the time of the 1900 Census.
Transcription
1900 US Federal Census
Third Street (later North Third Street), Watseka, Iroquois, Illinois, USA
13 Jun 1900
Dwelling 326, Family 343
Line – Name – Relation – Sex – Birth – Age – Marriage – Birth Place – Father Birth – Mother Birth – Occupation
7 – Cahoe, Thomas – Head – M – Jan 1850 – 50 – M 28ys – IN – Ireland – IN – Bar Tender
8 – Cahoe, Rachel – Wife – F – Feb 1856 – 44 – M 28ys – TN – TN – TN
9 – Cahoe, Minnie – Daughter – F – Nov 1876 – 23 – S – IL – IN – TN – Works in Hotel
10 – Cahoe, Ruey – Daughter – F – Dec 1878 – 21 – S – IL – IN – TN – Works in Hotel
11 – Cahoe, Mary – Daughter – F – Feb 1881 – 19 – S – IL – IN – TN – Works in Hotel
12 – Cahoe, Fred – Son – M – Aug 1887 – 12 – S – IL – IN – TN – At School
13 Cahoe, Eddie – Son – M – Sept 1889 – 10 – S – IL – IN – TN – At School
14 Cahoe, Pearl – Daughter – F – June 1897 – 2 – S – IL – IN – TN
Additional info
- All family members were white.
- Rachel was mother to six children, six of whom were living at the time of the census. This is incorrect — she was mother of ten and seven were living. This information looks like it was added in later and so the question may not have been asked at the time.
- All family members could read, write, and speak English, except Pearl, who could not read or write at age two.
- The dwelling was owned free and was not on a farm.
Source: Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census, Watseka (District 20), Iroquois, Illinois, Sheet 14A, Lines 7-14, Dwelling 327, Family 343, 13 June 1900.
Illness and death
Mary became ill around Christmastime in 1901. Fourteen weeks later, on the morning of 21 April 1902, she died at the age of twenty-one at the home of her parents on North Third Street in Watseka, Illinois. Her funeral occurred two days later at her church, the Christian Church of Watseka on Ash Street, B. S. Ferrall officiating.
The resting place of Mary Cahoe is unknown, but she was probably laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery in Watseka, Illinois. There is no gravestone.
Sources: “Death of Mary Cahoe” obituary, death notice, Cahoe Family Bible
Obituary & Death Notice
For some reason, both of these list her father as “F. G. Cahoe,” when his name was Thomas Jefferson Cahoe.
Death of Mary E. Cahoe
Died, Monday April 21, 1902, Mary Elizabeth Cahoe, aged twenty-one years and two months.
The deceased was the fourth daughter of F. G. and Rachel Cahoe and was born in Danville, Ill., Feb. 17, 1881, and passed away at her parents' home on North Third street in this city at nine o'clock Monday forenoon.
She united with the Christian church three years ago and has been very earnest in her profession. She was a pleasant, happy disposition and a favorite with neighbors and friends. During her long illness of fourteen weeks she has shown wonderful bravery and patience.
Her bereaved parents and the other children in the family six in number, have the sympathy of everyone in their grievous loss.
The funeral services were held at the Christian church this forenoon at ten o'clock, conducted by B. S. Ferrall.
"Death of Mary E. Cahoe," Watseka Republican, 23 Apr 1902, Iroquois County Genealogical Society, Watseka, Illinois, USA.
Mary Cahoe, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. G. Cahoe, died at the home of her parents in this city Monday at the age of 21 years. The funeral occurred Wednesday afternoon from the Christian church of which the deceased was a member, besides her parents six other members of the family remain to mourn the death of a gentle loving daughter and devoted sister. Death Notice, Unknown Newspaper, 25 Apr 1902, Iroquois County Genealogical Society, Watseka, Illinois, USA.
Wish List
I would like to obtain the following to add to the story of Mary Cahoe:
- Divorce or annulment record – before 13 Jun 1900 – Iroquois County Courthouse?
- Death certificate – 21 Apr 1902 – Iroquois County Courthouse?
- Burial record – 23 Apr 1902 – Oak Hill?
- A photo – 1881-1902 – Unknown
- It would also be interesting to know what hotel she and her sisters worked at. How many hotels did Watseka have in 1900?
- Another item of interest is the location of the Cahoe home on North Third Street in Watseka and when it was purchased. It may have been the only home Mary knew, as the family came to Watseka while she was still an infant.