Bailey Family

The earliest Bailey ancestor known is Russel Bailey of Manchester, Massachusetts and his wife, Amelia(?) Thompson of Ticonderoga, NY. Their son was Charles Edgar Bailey born September 20, 1844 in Lewis, Essex Cty, New York d: November 12, 1905 in Eau Claire, Eau Claire Cty, WI at 61y, 1m, 22d. In the 1905 census Charles is shown as being born in Canada. I was told by my grandaunt Florence Bailey Martin that Charles' father or grandfather was a doctor in Newfoundland and was of English extraction. However, according to the 1905 census of Wisconsin, Charles' parents were both born in Scotland. It is possible that Russel Bailey may have been the doctor in Newfoundland and emigrated there before he came to New York. There is a Russel Bailey shown in the 1830 NY Census in Essex County at Crown Point (page 265) however when I looked at that record the information for that year was not very helpful. For instance, Russel Bailey is shown as having 2 children under age 5, etc.[1] Charles married July 11, 1869 in Otter Creek, Eau Claire Cty, WI to Rebecca J.Hall[2] who was born in 1850 in New York and living in August, WI at the time. Rebecca died in 1924 in Eau Claire, WI and I have not been able to find a death certificate for her. Rebecca's parents were John Hall and Melisa Hall both born in New York. Charles was a painter (and also worked in refrigeration) and he and Rebecca were Protestants and lived at E. Bluff St. Both are buried at Forest Hill Cemetery. They had four children: William, Russel C., John and Lyda M. William's story follows later. As for the other children I was given information from my grandmother, Vivian F. Bailey Olin Eiden and also found records of their existence in Eau Claire Cty vital records and obituaries.

Charles E. Bailey, died on Sunday morning at 1 o'clock at his home in this city. The funeral takes place at 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the Barstow St. Church.

The deceased was 62 years of age and is survived by his wife, three sons and a daughter. He was a member of the Ancient Order United Workmen. He was born in Canada and came to Eau Claire thirty years ago having resided here ever since possessing the esteem of all who knew him.

Interestingly, there was another William Henry Bailey living in Eau Claire on the same street at the same time. He married an M.M. Bailey. The two families are not at all related, however. Also, there were three Charles E. Baileys in Eau Claire. (A genealogists nightmare!) I found all of these Baileys in the records at Eau Claire Cty Courthouse as well as grave sites at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Eau Claire.

John "Jack" Bailey b: 3/11/1887 in Sparta, WI. He m: Birdie Shepherd who was one of the famous singing/dancing Shepherd Sisters (also known as the Shepherd Orchestra). They lived in Calumet City and had one son, Charles. Birdie died 11/13/1905 and their son Charles followed soon after. John remarried on 4/10/1909 to Gloria Thurow. They had one daughter, Joy, who I had the pleasure of meeting recently and who shared pictures of her father and mother as well as other members of her mother's family, the Thurows. Click here for more information on the Thurow family. John lived in Round Lake, IL, for some time then spent the rest of his life in Chicago.

Lyda M. Bailey b: 1888 in WI; d: 1966.[6;] m: George Nelson October 8, 1917 in Eau Claire. George b: 1887; d: 1950. They had two children:

George Nelson, Jr. who married Dorothy Thurow b: 4/10/09 in Milwaukee, WI. (see Thurow family). and had one daughter Sally Nelson.

George Nelson, Jr.

Sally Nelson with her Grandmother Thurow

George and Lyda lived in Waukesha, WI at the time of William H. Bailey's death but I believe they lived out most of their lives in Milwaukee. Both Lyda and her husband are buried in the Bailey lot at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Eau Claire, WI. Nothing else is known of their descendants.

[1] Other Baileys in the area during that time were Samuel B., Deborah, and Polly.

[2] Rebecca Arnold was the name given to me by Florence E. Bailey Martin however, on Bill and Mae Bailey's marriage certificate her name is given as Rebecca Hall. There were both Arnolds and Halls in the 1880 Census of Eau Claire, WI. I have since learned that Mae's (Mary E. Harmison Bailey) grandmother was an Arnold.

[6] Dates were taken from her headstone, birthplace from the 1905 WI Census, Eau Claire. However, the 1900 census shows her as being born in 1887 in WI and that her name was Eliza. So, she was most likely an Elizabeth.

Additional notes:
From History of Northern Wisconsin, Chicago 1881: William H. Bailey b: 1835 Essex Cty, NY went to Eau Claire, WI in 1857. Charles Bailey 1843-1905, Josephine Bailey 1851-1930 (2nd wife?).
1880 U.S. Census for Eau Claire, Eau Claire County, Wisconsin
Household:

Name	Marital Status	Relation	Gender	Race	Age	BP	Occupation	Father's BP	Mother's BP
Charles E. Bailey	M	Self	M	W	35	NY	Painter (house)	NY	NY
Rebecca Bailey	M	Wife	F	W	29	NY	Keeping House	NY	ME
Willie Bailey	S	Son	M	W	9	WI	At School	NY	NY
Russell Bailey	S	Son	M	W	2	WI		NY	NY
Melissa Hall		Other	F	W	60	ME	At Home	ME	ME

John and Lyda are not yet born in 1880. Melissa is Rebecca's mother. Other records show her as being born in NY.

Check out this Hall family site: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Pointe/6265/john_hall.htm

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