Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Getting To Know Great Uncle Norton Zion


Tonight I thought I would see what more I could find on my grandfather Perry's brother Norton Zion at http://www.ancestry.com/ . I do not think I ever met him. He died on November 26,1957 and was living in Farmington, New Mexico. I only met my grandfather Perry a couple of times and he lived in Winlock, Washington.

Norton was born to Jonathan and Rachel Millsap in Tuskega, Decatur, Iowa on the 11th of May 1889. They resided in Iowa,Minnesota, Nebraska and Colorado as a family.

The 1910 census has him with his parents in Nebraska and working on the family farm.

In 1917 he registered for World War 1. The family is living in Grand Junction, Colorado. The registration form tells me that he is tall and has a medium built. His hair is brown and has blue eyes. It states he is working on the family farm and has a disability, having only one eye. Not sure when he lost his eye but probably happened in a farming accident.

On the 24th of October 1917 Norton marries Roxanna Evelyn Stevenson in Grand Junction, Colorado. This marriage brought six children three girls and three boys. Nellie, Norma, Ruth, Ivan 1918, Robert 1921 and James 1924. I do not have the birth dates of the girls yet.

By 1941 Norton and his family are living in Spanaway, Washington when he registered for World War 2. The registration form tells us that he is working in the Seattle/ Tacoma Washington ship yard.

On the 25th of March 1946 his wife Roxanna passes away in Pierce, Washington

On the 07 th of March 1951 when Norton is 61 years old he marries Gertrude Neal in Arapahoe County, Colorado.

Norton passes away the 26th of November 1957 in Farmington, San Juan, New Mexico.

His obituary is as follows
Norton Zion, 68, a resident of Spanaway for 10 years before moving to Farmington, New Mexico in 1953, died there Tuesday.
He was born in Lamoni, Iowa. Mr. Zion was a member of the Assembly of God Church.
He leaves a son, James of California; three daughters, Mrs. Nellie Williams of Farmington, N.M., Mrs Norma Geesey of Mesa, Arizonia and Mrs. Ruth King of Wheatride, Colorado; three sisters, Mrs. Etta Exley of Sterling,Colorado, Mrs. Bessie Waters, Palisade, Colo. and Mrs. Gertrude Seick of Tacoma, Wa a brother Perry of Winlock and nine grandchildren.
Services will be announced by Tuell Mortuary.

Most of this information I knew already. What I learned new was on the WWW 1 registration form. I learnt his physical description and that he had lost an eye. What I have not found is the 1920 or the 1930 census'. I spent some time last night looking around http://www.ancestry.com/. with no success.

In the 1920 census I found his father and sister Gertrude living in Colorado but could not find him near by.
I will continue my search by looking at his siblings and two grandfathers John Henderson Zion and Flavious Millsap to see if he was living near them. I do not know Norton's middle name, if he evan has one so can not use this in the census searches. I do have his sisters names from the obituary. If I search for them with their married names I may find him. With the last name Zion it should not be so hard to find him so the search will continue. I also searched www.findagrave.com and did not find anything there on Norton as of yet.

Thanks for stopping by as share the researching of my family... Grace

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 I am nowhere  done searching for my roots. For my missing family members.  So many to fine so little time.  This has been a hard few years ...