My husband says to me "What about my Grandparents?" ..... um.... yeah, I know who it is... ha ha ha ha...
My husband's Dad ... Clyde Martin Yahnke Jr. ...... we won't discuss him too much other than to say he's still alive and I have some photos of him, like two.
These are really the only two photos I have of Dennis' Dad Clyde. This was the day that his Mom & Dad got married in 1966. Next to Clyde is Joan and Jimmy who are Clyde's brother and sister, I believe, and the witnesses for the marriage.
Clyde's parents were Clyde Senior and Verna.
Clyde Martin Yahnke Senior was born and raised in Illinois, in Joliet no less. He lived there all his life. It seems that's the same case for Verna (Lambert)...
Clyde's parents were Martin Henry Yahnke and Grace (Dixon), Verna's were Robert Lambert & Winifred "Winnie" (McNiff)....
Right now. we are going to look at Clyde, and his parents Martin Henry and Grace ...
"Morton," Grace, Agatha & Clyde .... on the 1910 Census. Clyde was 8 months old. His (Martin's) parents were from Germany, and hers (Grace's) were from England and Illinois. We also find out that the Martin & Grace Yahnke family lived at 200 Baker Street in Joliet in every census I found.
Clyde was the first son, and second child of Martin and Grace ...
We also find out that Martin was a Boiler Maker ... what is that?
Martin was a boilermaker for the Railroad (as you'll see in the next censuses)
A boilermaker is a trained craftsman who produces steel fabrications from plates and sections. The name originated from craftsmen who would fabricate boilers, but they may work on projects as diverse as bridges to blast furnaces to the construction of mining equipment.
Many boilermakers are employed in repairing, repiping, and re-tubing commercial steam and hot water boilers used for heating and domestic hot water in commercial buildings and multi-family dwellings. Sometimes these boilers are referred to as pressure vessels. Generally, a pressure vessel is a storage tank or vessel that has been designed to operate at pressures above 15 p.s.i.g. The two main tasks of boilermakers involve using oxy-acetylene gas torch sets to cut or gouge steel plate and tubes, followed by gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), or gas metal arc welding (GMAW) to attach and mend the cut sections of tubes and steel plates.
In 1920 the industry is listed as Steam Railroad ....
In the 1930 Census we find out he works for E, J, & E Railway (Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway) We also find out that Clyde (my husband's Grandfather) is also working there as a Machinist
Wikipedia Page on E, J & E Railway
The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway (reporting mark EJE) was a Class II railroad, operating between Waukegan, Illinois and Gary Indiana. The railroad served as a link between Class I railroads traveling to and from Chicago, although it operated almost entirely within the city's suburbs, and only entered Chicago where it served the U.S. Steel South Works on the shores of Lake Michigan. Nicknames for the railroad included "The J" and "The Chicago Outer Belt Line". At the end of 1970, the EJ&E operated 205 miles of road on 985 miles of track, carrying 848 million ton-miles of revenue freight in that year alone.
On September 26, 2007, the Canadian National Railway announced it plans to purchase a majority of the EJ&E, leaving a portion of the line in Indiana to be reorganized as the Gary Railway. The purchase was approved on December 24, 2008 by the U.S. Surface Transportation Board, and the deal was consummated effective February 1, 2009. In the years immediately following the merger, the railroad existed as a subsidiary of Canadian National, and EJ&E locomotives that were repainted into CN colors were sub-lettered for the EJ&E.
On December 31, 2012, Canadian National announced that the merger of the EJ&E into Wisconsin Central Ltd. (Another railroad subsidiary of CN) had been completed, and would take effect the following day. On January 1, 2013, the EJ&E effectively ceased to exist, 124 years to the day it was founded.
The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern was created when several local railroads in Illinois and Indiana merged throughout the end of the 19th century. The systems that would make up the EJ&E included the Joliet, Aurora & Northern Railway (which dates back to 1884) and Elgin, Joliet & Eastern Railway Company of Illinois. The Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway began operations on December 4, 1888 through the merger of these two systems.[citation needed] After the creation of the modern day EJ&E the railroad expanded by purchasing several other smaller lines including the Waukegan & Southwestern Railway; Gardner, Coal City & Northern Railway; Western Indiana Railroad; and the Chicago, Lake Shore & Eastern Railway.
The EJ&E moved to serve industries in the Hammond-East Chicago-Whiting industrial district by acquiring trackage rights in 1894. However, construction of the present line to Gary, Whiting and South Chicago was initiated in 1899 by the Griffith and Northern Railway. Connections with the Chicago, Lake Shore and Eastern Railway and the Western Indiana Railway further penetrated the district, although the EJ&E subsequently acquired both lines. In 1901, United States Steel Corporation purchased the railroad.
The railroad's passenger services began with the start of operations in January 1889. :246 The railroad stopped operating passenger trains in 1907, but continued passenger service until 1909. During those two years, passengers would be transported by caboose.
The EJ&E underwent dieselization relatively early. In 1937, the railroad acquired its first diesel-electric locomotive, an EMC SW switcher, which was designated EJ&E #200. Over the next 12 years, the entire steam fleet was replaced with first generation diesels. The first road diesel, Baldwin DT-6-6-2000 #100, was delivered to the railroad in May 1946. The final steam movement occurred in late May 1949, led by a Mikado 2-8-2, EJ&E #740. The locomotive was sold to the scrapper that September.
In 1988, United States Steel and the Blackstone Group formed Transtar Inc. to serve as a shareholder of the EJ&E and several other affiliated railroads and companies. In March 2001, the Blackstone Group ended their ownership interest in Transtar, resulting in its becoming a fully owned subsidiary of United States Steel.
On May 16, 2006, the EJ&E was the recipient of the 2005 Bronze E. H. Harriman Award for employee safety in group C (line-haul railroads with less than 4 million employee hours per year).
Here is some information on Verna and her parents Robert & Winifred ....
Verna was the oldest child of Robert and Winifred. They lived at 302 Fifth Ave. His Father was from Ireland/England and his mother was born in the US. Her parents were both born in Ireland. As for my records, I have her father being born in the US (at the moment) but this could be wrong. Her paternal grandparents are both from Ireland, but I don't know WHEN they immigrated (prior to his birth or after) and the first record I have for her grandfather being in the US was in the 1960's. I switch over to her grandmother and see an arrival date for her in 1848 - and since her father was born in 1849 - that would put his birth just after they immigrated, which would make him US born. So ... that's a mystery to try to solve.
Also, Robert is a "Clerk" (yard?) at the Railroad.
And then on the 1920 Census - in the ten years, they went from one child to 6 children. Now his parents are of "unknown" origins - but later US is put above them. And now her parents are born in Rhode Island and Ireland. So the birth record I have (at the moment) for Verna's Grandad is Massachusetts ...
Robert is still a Clerk at the Railroad.
In 1930 they have a total of 8 kids. The oldest, Verna is age 20 and the youngest is age 5.
Robert's parents are both from Ireland on this one and Winifred's from Rhode Island (Dad) and Ireland (mom)
It's also interesting to note that Verna is also working at the Calender Company now and she's a Stenographer. If you don't know what that is, a Stenographer is one of those Secretaries who can do short hand and transcribe notes/correspondence for you.
Only I can't find any "Calender Company" in Joliet .... sooooo hummmm....
I imagine it looked something like one of these photos ....
Verna's information from the 1930 Census ....
Now, in 1940 - Clyde and Verna were married. I don't have an exact date for their marriage, however, on the 1940 census there is a portion at the bottom where it's stated she was about 22 at the time of their wedding.
Notice that Clyde only completed 9th Grade .. His income was 1089 in 1940 .... which means he got 90 dollars a month, his rent was only 10 dollars...
Money And Inflation 1940'S
To provide an estimate of inflation we have given a guide to the value of $100 US Dollars for the first year in the decade to the equivalent in today's money
If you have $100 Converted from 1940 to 2005 it would be equivalent to $1433.77 today
In 1940 a new house cost $3,920.00 and by 1949 was $7,450.00
In 1940 the average income per year was $1,725.00 and by 1949 was $2,950.00
In 1940 a gallon of gas was 11 cents and by 1949 was 17 cents
In 1940 the average cost of new car was $850.00 and by 1949 was $1,420.00
A few more prices from the 40's and how much things cost
100 aspirin 76 cents , Philco Refrigerator $239.00 , Pork Loin Roast per pound 45 cents , Nylon Hose 20 cents , New Emerson Bedroom Radio 1938 $19.65 < , Men's Suits from $24.50 , Portable electric heater $42.50 , Ford Super Deluxe Sedan Coupe $1395 , Sealey Mattress $38.00
Just some interesting infromation ........
Verna's information on the 1940 Census ....
Verna completed highschool .... perhaps she had to in order to be a secretary ...
In another part of town ......
Martin only got an 8th Grade Education. And he made 3000, almost triple what his son made at this point in time. And in addition to their youngest two girls living with them, they also had a Boarder in the house named Lowell Martin.
It looks like, at this point ... Grace was doing house work in a private home, and their oldest daughter Lois may have been also? I can't make it out clear. And I definitely can't seem to figure out what the boarder (not that it matters) does....
Grace also only finished the 8th Grade.
Martin, Grace, Clyde and Verna are all buried in this cemetery in Joliet, Illinois
Now, I have talked about Robert and Winifred (Verna's parents) in a previous blog where I was trying to work through some things.
That blog can be located HERE .....
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