I didn’t realize that William Washington was a popular name until I began searching for my 2nd great grandfather. His name was a challenge to tackle. There were several William Washingtons living in the same city with him during his lifetime. And they were all black. One thing I knew for sure, I couldn’t break any ground until I knew something specific about my William.
As I began my project, I was overwhelmed by what I was getting myself into. I was trying to figure things out. Which William Washington was my 2nd great grandfather? Where did I start ?? I started out with what I knew about him. And while along the journey, I stumbled across more about him.
I first came across information on my William Washington on the 1870 Missouri census. He was listed with his first wife, Susan and two daughters, Laura, my great grandmother and Nannie. William was listed on the 1880 Missouri census with his family. William and his children, Laura , Nannie, Amelia James, Virginia, and Lillie were listed as mulatto. William’s wife Susan and Susan’s mother, Delilah Louis were listed as black.
I dug a little deeper into my project. I began searching the directories of the City of St. Joseph, Missouri from 1867 – the 1930’s. I searched the 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 censuses, old newspapers, obituaries, death records, marriage records and other records that were available.
The first recorded address for William Washington (and his family) was located at 1801 Mulberry Street / 18th and Mulberry in St. Joseph, Missouri. However, once William moved from Mulberry, I began to notice the name Wiley Washington. And I was wondering if Wiley and William were related.
The earliest record of William Washington’s address was on the 1880 census residing on Mulberry Street. His address was listed at Mulberry ne cor 18th was in the 1882 city directory. William was listed as white on the 1900 Missouri Census. The last record city directory where William was living on Mulberry was in 1902. There was no 1903 directory.
I compiled a list of all the William Washingtons and Wiley Washington. I attempted to compare where they lived and noticed who they were married to and so on. It was so confusing. So, I narrowed it down the names to Wiley and to who was my William Washington.
The 1920 Missouri census gave some clues about my William,. He was working for a plumbing company. I continue to search for that plumbing company. I found a Bristol Supply Co or PL. Bristol P & H Co. It was a task tracing William Washington through the city directories. However, I noticed that Wiley Washington ended up living in the same place where my William once lived.
The listed below are a few William Washingtons: (c) where they and Wiley Washington lived.
In 1904
William Washington (c) was listed as a plumber, lived at 1820 Angelique. and another William Washington (c) listed as a helper at P. L.. Bristol & Bros , lived at 19th and Angelique.
In 1905 ~ 514 N7th in 1905 – 1908
514 N 7th matches William Washington (c) who works at P.L. Bristol P & H. Co. in
1909 ~ And in 1905 listed as a laborer
In 1906
514 N7th matches (c) William Washington who works at P.L. Bristol P & H. Co. in 1909
In 1907
514 N7th matches William Washington (c) who works at P.L. Bristol P & H. Co. ~
Listed as a janitor in 1907
In 1909 ~ 821 S 9th. in 1909 – 1912
Listed as (c) William Washington lived at 821 S 9th. Works at P.L. Bristol P & H. Co
In 1910 ~ Census ~ 821 S 9th Street.
Listed as (c) William Washington age 64, MO born 1846
Lived with wife Mahalie and her daughter Ella Lewis, Mulatto, Widowed.
Mahalie was the mother of 7 Two or 3 children living when census was taken.
Lived at 821 S 9th Street.
In 1913 ~ 705 Corby.in 1913 – 1914
821 S 9th Street, listed as a porter and a (c) William Washington at 705 Corby
In 1914
821 S 9th and listed as Wiley Washington and a (c) William Washington worked as a porter at Bristol Supple Co. lived and at 705 Corby.
In 1916
821 S 9th and listed as Wiley Washington , Laborer.
William Washington (c) listed at 505 N 2nd working at Bristol Supply Co
In 1917
821 S 9th and listed as Wiley Washington, (c) laborer,
William Washington (c) lived in basement 1517 Angelique, janitor at Bristol Co.
In 1918
Wiley Washington (c) listed at 821 S 9 as a Laborer.
John G. Washington (c) a salter at 812 N 3rd with William Washington a janitor
In 1920 – 1921 ~ 812 N 3rd
Listed as William Washington on 1920 Census and in the City Directories,
1920 Census Listed as William Washington age 46 MO born 1846 Black. Listed works in industry Plumbing Co > Lived with wife Mahalie born 1847 Her daughter Ella Louis widow b) 1868 William’s son, John W. Washington widowed MO born abt 1859. age 61 Lived at 812 N 3rd
In 1921 ~ 812 N 3rd :
Labor. The William Washington on this city director was the one that was a Janitor at Bristol Supply. r 821 N 3rd. The (c) wasn’t listed after his name.
I couldn’t find any other recorded of my William Washington after 1921
In 1921 ~ 821 S 9th ~ Wiley wasn’t listed with an (c) after his name.
Wiley Washington lived at 821 S 9th in 1913 – 1919 to 1938.
The crop photo of my 2nd Great Grandfather William Washington and some of his family. Year of photo unknown. I has this postcard for years. I never knew who the family was. I narrowed it down and believe that the people in the photo were of William and Susan with their four daughters. Susan’s mother, Delilah was in the photo as well. (William was born between 1840 – 1846. He’s year of death is unknown. )
Oh, what a process this was to narrow down the William Washington that I was searching for. In all of this, I lost track of him around 1921 where he was living last at 812 N 3rd. And as I was searching for him, he had about six other addresses after he moved from 1801 Mulberry. .
I believe that William passed in St. Joseph, Missouri. He had a son named William Jr..
I believe that William and Wiley were connected. But, I don’t know who.
Some Of My Thoughts:
There was a time when I wondered if Wiley was William’s son? .
What I discovered about Willey.
He was born in 1853 or 1857 in Chillicothe, Missouri and his passed in 1938.
Wiley married to Mary Tate and Libby Holman
He was the father of five by Mary..
They had a son, named Charles Washington (1883 – 1920)
Charles lived at 821 S 9th.
The irony is that my William was well known in the city during the late 1880’s to the turn of the century. I haven’t found no record of his passing.
In his daughter, Anna Laura Walter’s 1947 obituary, her father was listed as John Washington. But, his name was William Washington on Anna’ death record. I’m not for sure what William’s first name was:.
G. William and George W. was listed on directories as well with William’s addresses. .
Did Anna Laura lose contact with her father?
Did William remarry?
William married his second wife, Mahala “Mahalie ” 11 months after his first wife, Susan passed in Jan of 1890. Mahlala passed in 1921 and was living at 812 N 3rd and was listed as married.
Did William move out of town?
Was he in prison; serving time?
Or was he in a home of some sort?
I did search for George Washington’s and John Washington’s Missouri death records.
There was a George Washington who was born in 1841 in New Orleans. Passed in 1923
There was a John Washington who was born in 1841 .and passed in 1934
Both passed in St. Joseph, Missouri.
This is still a mystery. I need to go back and search the other Washingtons in St. Joseph, Missouri.
I believe that my William was related to at least one of the Washington family. William Albert Washington sold his property to Leo and Mary (Allen) Lankford. Mary’s mother was Anna Laura Washington Allen Walters. Anna was William’s daughter.
This is a repost from another website Posted on June 18, 2022 by Susan Ann Blakley
Thanks for reading.
God bless you.
Take care,
S.A. Blakley
Week 24’s theme is “Popular Name.”.
Amy Johnson Crow Generations Café #52Ancestors 52 Weeks ~ facebook
Do you have an ancestor who had a name that was popular/trendy at the time? Is there a name that keeps getting used in your family tree? Do you have an ancestor named after someone famous?
