Kleinhans / Petitjean Family
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1910-1920 Homesteads & Census facebook
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Most of the Kleinhans family members who farmed were not commercial farmers but rather simple farmers who relied on their farms to feed and support their families as people had for hundreds of years. Some of them may have been able to grow some extra produce to sell, but not like a commercial farm. Some had side jobs such as sawmill laborer, farmhand/threshing laborer, and carpentry to make extra cash.
Also, anytime a person listed their place of work as "radiator factory" in a census it was almost certainly Harrison Radiator since it was at one point by far the largest employer in Niagara County and likely Western New York as well.
Census
1910 Newstead, Erie County pop. abt. 3,700-4,000
Partial 1909 Newstead Town Map from Historic Map Works
In the 1910 US Census for Newstead, Erie County was Malvina (Kleinhans) and Henry Kepsel (sic) and five (5) of their six (6) children on what is today Koepsel Rd. Next door was widow Minnie Kepsel (sic) at 52 who was Henry's mother. Next door to her was John and Elnora (Jago) Lindke with their baby son Edward. Next door to John was his brother Chris Lindke with his wife and two (2) young children. Across the street from them was Jacob and Mary (Lindke) Fitch with their two (2) children, Mary being John Lindke's sister. So on the map in the red box above that's four (4) pairs of parents who were brothers /sisters /cousins, a grandmother, and ten (10) young siblings/cousins all living within 1/4 mile of each other. About 1/2 mile to the east and south was School District #10 on what is today Maple Rd. (Rt. 93) that all the children from the area would've attended until 8th grade. It was a one-room schoolhouse as were most rural schools at the time. (see below) Turning north at Maple Rd. instead crosses Tonawanda Creek and quickly leads to the main Wolcottsville Rd. where several cousins' farms and the Wolcottsville Luthern churches were located some 2 miles away. The Lindkes, Koespels, and Fitches presumably attended one of those churches. They could've traveled to Akron for church but it's nearly 5 miles to the south away from the rest of their families.
Niagara School No. 2, at the corner of Lockport and Tuscarora roads, is operated as a museum by the Town of Niagara Historical Society. Children attended the one-room schoolhouse from 1878 to 1956. (Photo by Jill Keppeler)
Cobblestone School - a one-room schoolhouse in Lockport District Six, was located on Akron Road east of Lockport and attended by several Disinger children.
1910 Royalton pop. abt. 5,000
In the 1910 US Census, 5 years after his first wife Mary (Huth) Kleinhans died, William Kleinhans was listed as a farmer with his second wife Augusta, and his children Norman, Agnes, and young Richard in Royalton (no street name) with some of the same neighbors as in 1870.
Jacob and Augusta (Kleinhans) Miller and children Roy (24), Fred (22), Royelah (sic) (18), and Phrona (sic) (16) were listed in the same census district on Miller Rd.
Also in the same census district were Herman and Hulda (Urtel) Kleinhans, their two (2) children, and Hulda's mother Fredericka Urtel. Their oldest 17-year-old daughter Dora Kleinhans (see next column) had already moved out. Hulda died just four (4) years later. Herman's mother and August Kleinhans' widow Mary (Scharlow) Kleinhans was just one family down.
In the 1910 US Census ED 134 John Jagow, widowed mother Minnie Jagow, and brother Frank Jagow were living on a rented farm on Lewiston Rd. (Rt. 77) near (Royalton) Center Rd. John was married by 1912, Frank was married by 1916, and Minnie was living with her daughter Elnora by 1920 (see below).
A couple of pages later William and Mary Lindke, daughter Minnie, and 21 y.o. son Fred was listed. Minnie Lindke married John Jago, Fred Lindke married Anna Jago and another brother John Lindke married Ella Jago. Just two (2) families down were Fred Jago, his wife Hanna/Anna (Raduns) Jago, and his newborn daughter Florence. Herman and Hulda Kleinhans, William and Mary Lindke, and Fred and Hanna Jago all lived on the main Wolcottsville Rd. (see 1930-1940 Homesteads & Census)
In another 1910 census district for Royalton, Rose Jago was employed as a (domestic) servant at 16 years old for John Silsby's family. Also employed by John Silsby was John Goodnick a 23-year-old farm laborer/hand. Rose and John were married later that year. In a couple of more pages down 16-year-old Dora Kleinhans was employed by Edward Sweeney as a (domestic) servant.
1910 Lockport City pop. abt. 18,000
In the 1910 US Census image 4 ED 88 was Thomas and Louise (Jago) Harper with children Jessie, John, Roy, 2 boarders, and mother Leventia Harper living in their home at 26 Evans St., Lockport. Thomas was employed as a watchman at a factory.
In the 1910 US Census image 5 ED 86 was Augusta (Jago) and Gilbert Richardson with children J. Bessie, William, Bert, and Louisa renting a house at 127 Washburn St. in downtown Lockport, a short distance from where Gilbert was employed. Gilbert's obit mentions he had worked as a mold maker at the Gardner Foundry which was nearby in the city.
1910 Shelby, Orleans County pop. abt. 4,000
In the 1910 US Census for Shelby, Orleans County William and Lydia (Jago) Mittlestadt with children Irene, Clarence, and baby Ester were living in a rented home on Salt Rd. near Mountain/Freeman Rd. southwest of Medina, NY. William was employed as a farm laborer.
1910 Newfane, Niagara County pop. abt. 4,000
In the 1910 US Census for Newfane were Martha (Jago) and Herman Brown living at their home in an unknown location (no road names in the census). Herman was a farmer on his truck farm.
1910 Clarence, Erie County pop. abt. 3,000
In the 1910 US Census for Lockport, Niagara County young Hattie (Miller) and Charles Van Buren with their daughters Alice and Hazel were renting a farm in the Town of Lockport somewhere near Mud Creek, north of Tonawanda Creek and Rapids. They were about 4 miles from her parents on Miller Rd. and 5 miles to Grandpa Kleinhans' former farm on Akron Rd. By 1920 they bought a farm about 5 miles southeast, in the Town of Clarence.
1910 Somerset, Niagara County pop. abt. 2,300
In the 1910 US Census for Somerset Lena (Kleinhans) Small was employed as a (live-in domestic) servant for Dr. J B Higgs and his wife. Her daughter Anne was married and living with her husband.
1910 City of Niagara Falls pop. abt. 30,500
In the 1910 US Census for Niagara Falls Fred and Isadore Kleinhans with their son Fred (Jr) were living at 1708 Sixteenth St. Fred was employed as a carpenter and Isadore was employed in their grocery store.
1920 Newstead, Erie County pop. abt. 3,700-4,000
In the 1920 US Census for Newstead, on Creek (Koepsel) Rd. (see map above) was Jacob and Mary (Lindke) Fitch again with their children and father-in-law widower William Lindek (sic). Next door was John and Elnora (Jago) Lindke with three (3) children and Minnie (Kleinhans) Jago Elnora's widowed mother. Malvina (Kleinhans) and Henry Koepsel (misspelled Hoesple) are two (2) families down with son Fred and granddaughter Ida Schuble (unknown parents). Missing is grandmother Minnie Koepsel who was in the 1930 census at 73 years old.
1920 Royalton pop. abt. 4,500
In the 1920 US Census William Kleinhans was listed as a farmer with Augusta, and his son Richard on Akron Rd. As usual, the census lists where the person's parents were born. Normally the answer's just Prussia or Germany for most German immigrants. Interestingly, William answered Berlin for his father's birthplace.
On image 4, ED 151 of the 1920 US Census Fred Miller, his wife Sophia (Harpst), and his three (3) children were renting a farm on Day Rd. There's no Day Rd. in Royalton today, but they were near Fisk Rd., Ertman Rd., and Akron Rd. which means they weren't far from Uncle William's farm (Grandpa Kleinhans' former property), and his parent's farm on Miller Rd. By 1930, they were on East Ave, Gasport, NY. (see 1930 and 1950 US Census).
On image 3, ED 150 of the 1920 US Census were Fred Jago, his wife Hanna/Anna (Raduns) Jago, and children Florence, Lena, and Melvin. Immediately following them were Fred Lindke, wife Anna (Jago) Lindke, and son Walter. And on the same page at the bottom was Herman Kleinhans by himself because after his wife Hulda died he hadn't remarried yet and his three children had left home. All of them were living on the main Wolcottsville Rd. (see 1930-1950 Homesteads & Census)
In 1910, John Jagow was living with his mother and brother. In about a year, he married Minnie Lindke and had their first child in 1912. After having two (2) more children, his wife Minnie died in 1920. Her obituary mentions the body was returned to their home on Orangeport Rd. in Middleport. There is no 1920 census record for John's family but the 1930 US Census confirms John and his second wife lived on Orangeport Rd.
In image 5, ED 149 of the 1920 US Census was August (Jr) Kleinhans age 45, single, employed as a hired man on a farm owned by widow Dina (Teifel) Raduns (transcribed as Tina Raduno) age 52 on Hunter/Chesnut Ridge Rd. about 1/2 mile from Griswold Rd. August (Jr) married Dina in 1923. Dina was the aunt of Frederick Teifel who married Agnes Kleinhans daughter of William Kleinhans.
In image 21, ED 148 of the 1920 US Census were Frank Jago, his wife Martha (Hofert) Jago, and daughter Catharine (sic) 1 year old. Frank was employed as a laborer in a machine shop, and renting housing on Telegraph Rd. (Rt. 31E) east of Middleport.
After a thorough search, there's no entry for Jacob and Augusta (Kleinhans) Miller or anyone else on Miller Rd. for 1920 or 1930 either. Although Jacob died in 1911, Augusta wasn't at home by herself in 1920 (instead she was with her daughter, see Roszman below in 1920 Lockport Town section) however she died at her daughter Roszman's house in 1930. By 1930 Dora and E. Fred Kleinhans, Augusta's aunt and nephew had obtained her property since the 1939 Niagara County Rural Survey shows (E.) Fred Kleinhans was the owner. The 1938 Royalton Town Map shows Dora Kleinhans as the owner (apparently Augusta was renting the farm to Clifford Van Buren, see 1930-1950 Homesteads & Census).
In image 3, ED 148 of the 1920 US Census for Royalton, William and Rozelah (Miller) Silsby with daughters Edith and Florence were living on their mortgaged farm at the western end of Telegraph Rd. near State Rd. and Gasport. William was employed as a fruit farmer. His widowed father John Silsby was also living with them.
1920 Lockport City pop. abt. 18,000
In the 1920 US Census image 27 ED 86 was Thomas and Louise (Jago) Harper with daughter Jessie and son-in-law Charles Garlock, and grandchildren Mary Louise and Charles Garlock living on 26 Evans St., Lockport. Thomas was employed as a woodworker at a block factory at 60 y.o. and died 4 years later in 1924.
In the 1920 US Census image 16 ED 80 was Augusta (Jago) and Gilbert Richardson with children William, Louisa, and Donald renting a house in Ward 3 again. At 50 y.o. Gilbert was employed as a roofer with William and Louisa working too. The Gardner Foundry where Gilbert had worked went out of business.
In the 1920 US Census image 13 ED 86 Norman and Kathleen (Gormley) Kleinhans with sons Gorman and James were living at 50 Hyde Park. Norman was working as a machinist at a gear company. Previously in 1917 Norman and his family were living on (Saunders) Settlement Rd. just north of Gasport. In 1919 Kathleen was just with her children and living with her parents on Mill Rd. just south of Gasport "for some time". From personal recollections, Norman seemed to have a certain drinking problem. In 1920 there was a newspaper piece that stated "Kleinhans has purchased a new motorcycle" in Reynales Basin just outside of Gasport, Royalton. This must have been 24-year-old Norman before he moved to Lockport around 1925.
In the 1920 US Census for Lockport Fred and Agnes (Kleinhans) Teifel were living at 66 Hyde Park. At 26 y.o. and 22 y.o. respectively they were married in 1915. Fred was a farmer when they married but he was listed as a laborer at a radiator company for this census.
1920 Somerset, Niagara County pop. abt. 2,000
In the 1920 US Census for Somerset Lena (Kleinhans) Small was employed as a (live-in domestic) servant for Dr. J B Higgs again. His wife had left or passed away.
1920 Lockport Town pop. abt. 1,800
In the 1915 NY State Census (paid access) Roy and Mabel (Burdick) Miller were living in Lockport with their 3-year-old daughter Ruth. By the 1920 US Census Roy's family was living/farming on a farm they owned on Akron Rd., Lockport, about 1/2 mile from High St.
In the 1920 US Census for Town Lockport Donald and Frona Roszman with one child and mother-in-law Augusta (Kleinhans) Miller (who died in 1930) were renting on Rapids Rd. in Rapids where Donald was self-employed as a blacksmith.
1920 Ridgeway, Orleans County pop. abt. 6,000
In the 1920 US Census for Ridgeway, Orleans County William and Lydia (Jago) Mittlestadt with children Irene, Clarence, Ester who died in 1921, and youngest Helen were living in a rented home on Ridge Rd. near Murdock Rd. William was employed on a fruit farm.
1920 Newfane, Niagara County pop. abt. 3,500
In the 1920 US Census for Newfane, Niagara County Martha (Jago) and Herman Brown were living in their home on Creek/Lockport Olcott Rd. near Ridge Rd. (Rt. 104). With them was their nephew Albert Jago age 5. No indication whether he was visiting or living with them. Albert's mother died in 1920. Herman was employed as a farmer.
1920 Clarence, Erie County pop. abt. 2,600
In the 1920 US Census for Clarence, Erie County Hattie (Miller) and Charles Van Buren with their five (5) children were living on their Creek/Kelkenburg Rd. farm near Burdick's Bridge. (see Hattie's and Charles' obituaries) Hattie passed away four (4) years later at 41 y.o.
1920 Franklin, Adams County, Penn.
In the 1920 US Census for Franklin, Adams County, PA (see below) Perl (Newton) and Mark Peeple with their three (3) sons and Perl's mother Mary (Kleinhans) Newton were living near Cashtown, PA a hundred (100) miles west of Philadephia on a farm he owned. Mark was employed as a farmer.
1920 Buffalo, Erie County
In the 1920 US Census for the City of Buffalo, NY 34 y.o. Robert Thompson, 23 y.o. Sylvia (Kleinhans), and their 5-month-old son Homer were renting a house at 233 Massachusetts Ave. on the west side of Buffalo, about a 1/2 mile east of the Niagara River, and a mile northwest of Allentown and downtown. Robert was employed as a metal worker at a transportation company. By 1930 the Thompson family had moved back to California.
Cashtown, PA. a small town surrounded by farmland and ponds similar to Wolcottsville.
👇 Click on the map below to open Google maps, and click on a marker to see the location/info about one of Frederick's children or grandchildren.
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