ClausenFamily.htm

John Peter Clausen
and
Katherine Riffle

Page started 31 Dec 2006 and updated 27 Dec 2007

Sources:

Virginia L. Clausen Small and Wendell Small, personal interviews;
Census data from Ancestry.com;

1.0--Clausen, John Peter, b. Dec 1848 in Germany, [age 51 in 20 Apr 1910 census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA]; [age 62 in 5 Jan 1920 census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA]; m. 15 yrs to Katherine "Kate", "Katie" Riffle (b. Apr. 1867 in Russia [age 33 in 20 Apr 1910 census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA]); living at 704 W. 4th Ave. in the 5 Jun 1900 census of Denver, Arapaho Co., CO; [John M. Gwin Note: John P. Clausen reports in 1900 that his father and mother are both from Germany, not Denmark. However, in the 1920 census, his son William reports that his own father, John P., is from Denmark, most likely to avoid any possible repercussions and potential bad feelings toward those of German descent. In fact, John P. himself reports in 1920 that while he is from Germany and speaks German, his own father and mother were from Denmark--but speak German! And Katherine, in 1920, reports that while she and her parents are from Russia, all speak German!]

2.01--Ida Clausen, dau., b. Jun 1886 in KS [age 13 in 20 Apr 1910 census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA]; d. unk.; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.;

2.02--Amelia Clausen, dau., b. Feb 1888 in KS [age 12 in 20 Apr 1910 census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA]; d. young, when Virginia "was a little girl"; bd. unk.; m. unk.; unk. ch.;

2.03--John R. Clausen, son, age 11, b. Aug 1889 in CO, 25 May 1910 census of Idalia, Yuma Co., CO; living alone next door to William (55, b. Germany) and Lena (56, b. Germany) Claussen and children William (17, b. CO), Antonia (16, b. CO), and Claus (12, b. CO);

2.04--William H. Clausen, son, b. Feb 1893 in KS [age 17 in 20 Apr 1910 census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA]; [age 26 in 9 Jan 1920 census of Long Beach, Los Angeles Co., CA]; m. Lela Mae Curl (age 25, b. KS, d/o Morriss Amos Curl and Mary E. [nee unk.]); [John M. Gwin Note: WHC reports in 1920 that his father was b. in Denmark and speaks Danish, and his mother was b. in Russia and speaks Russian! This is possibly due to the recent--Nov 1918--end to WW1 and potential bad feelings toward those of German descent.]

3.01--Virginia Lorraine Clausen, dau, age 1 yr 5 mo., b. ca. Aug 1918; m. Wendell Small

4.01--Carolyn Louise Small m. Elliot Bergsagel

5.01--Jonathan Elliot Bergsagel m. Rebecca "Becky" Neeley

6.01--Annette Grace Bergsagel

6.02--James Jonathan Bergsagel

5.02--Sonja Ree Bergsagel

5.03--Andre Bergsagel

4.02--Eugene "Gene" Small

4.03--John Small m. Rhonda

3.02--William C. "Billy" Clausen, son, age 3 mo., b. ca. Oct 1919;

3.03--Eugene "Gene" Hill Clausen, son, b. 28 Sep 192(1?);

4.01--Jan Clausen, twin daughter, b. unk.; d. unk.; m. unk.;
4.02--Judy Clausen, twin daughter, b. unk.; d. unk.; m. unk.;
4.03--Cindy Clausen, daughter, b. unk.; d. unk.; m. unk.;

2.05--Dorothy Agusta "Gusta" Clausen, dau., age 3, b. Sep 1896 in CO, 1910 census;

2.06--Louise Clausen, dau, age 6, b. in CA, 1910 census; m. Ed Kreig (b. unk.; d. bef. Louise did)

2.07--Henry Clausen, son, age 1, b. in CA, 1910 census; d. in a car wreck as a single man (details of wreck sketchy);

Addenda -- Other Claussens Found

[John M. Gwin Note: Virginia Small didn't recall any of these names (Emil, Marie, Rosalie, etc.), but the dates and locations are consistent with her family, so perhaps they are related, too.]

1.0--Emil C. Clausen, b. ca. 1880 in Denmark [age 40 in 10 Jan 1920 census of Portland, Multnomah Co., OR]; immigrated to US in 1903; d. unk.; m. Marie (nee unk., b. ca. 1882 [age 38 in 10 Jan 1920 census of Portland, Multnomah Co., OR]); 4 children as of 10 Jan 1920

2.01--Marie N. Clausen, dau., b. ca. 1908 in KS [age 12 in 10 Jan 1920 census of Portland, Multnomah Co., OR];

2.02--Rosalie K. Clausen, dau, b. ca. 1907 in KS [age 11 in 10 Jan 1920 census of Portland, Multnomah Co., OR];

2.03--Emil A. Clausen, son, b. ca. 1913 in CO [age 7 in 10 Jan 1920 census of Portland, Multnomah Co., OR];

2.04--Ruth E. Clausen, dau, b. ca. Mar 1918 in ID [age 1 yr, 10 mo., in 10 Jan 1920 census of Portland, Multnomah Co., OR];

1.0--Emil Clausen, b. ca. 1880 [age 30 in 26 Apr 1910 census of Kenosha City, Kenosha Co., WI]; d. unk.; immigrated to US ca. 1904; m. ca. 1909 to Christina (nee unk.; [age __ in 26 Apr 1910 census of Kenosha City, Kenosha Co., WI]);

2.1--Margaret Clausen, b. ca. Mar 1910 [age 1 mo. in 26 Apr 1910 census of Kenosha City, Kenosha Co., WI]; d. unk.; m. unk.;

Addenda -- Pertinent Census Data

From the 3-4 Jun 1880 Census of Centre Twp., Marion Co., KS

Res/Fam	Name	RHoH	Race /Sex	Age	Est DOB fr.age	MS	POB S/F/M	Occ/Trade Profssn.	John M. Gwin Comments
29/30	Andrew Riffle	head	wm	44	1836	m	Rus/Rus/Rus	farmer
	Catherine	wife	wf	44	1836	m	Rus/Rus/Rus	keeps house
	Catherine	dau	wf	16	1864	s	Rus/Rus/Rus	servant	I believe that one of these two younger Catherines (the other is listed as the niece in this family) is the one who will marry John Peter Clausen and becomeVirginia Lorraine Clausen Small's grandmother. Perhaps trying to find her in the Kansas censuses will throw more light on the subject.
	Andrew	son	wm	15	1865	s	Rus/Rus/Rus	farmer
	Henry	son	wm	13	1867	[blank]	Rus/Rus/Rus	farmer
	Elizabeth	dau	wf	9	1871	[blank]	Rus/Rus/Rus	[blank]
	Amelia	dau	wf	5	1875	[blank]	Rus/Rus/Rus	[blank]
	Lydia	dau	wf	2	1878	[blank]	Rus/Rus/Rus	[blank]
	Jacob	nephew	wm	15	1865	s	Rus/Rus/Rus	farmer
	Catherine	niece	wf	13	1867	[blank]	Rus/Rus/Rus	[blank]	(see comment for the other young Catherine, above)

From the 1 Mar 1885 Kansas State Census of Marion Co., KS

Res/Fam	Name	Race /Sex	Age	Est DOB fr.age	MS	POB/ FrWh toKS?	Occ/Trade Profssn.	John M. Gwin Comments
52/53	Andrew Riffle	wm	49	1836	m	Rushia/ Rushia/	farmer
	Catherine Riffle	wf	43	1842	m	Rushia/ Rushia
	Elizabeth Riffle	wf	13	1872	s	Rushia/ Rushia
	Mollie Riffle	wf	9	1876	s	Rushia/ Rushia
	Liddia Riffle	wf	7	1878	s	Rushia/ Rushia
	Andrew Riffle	wm	19	1866	s	Rushia/ Rushia	farmer
	Henry Riffle	wm	17	1868	s	Rushia/ Rushia	farmer
54/55	Cathern Riffle	wf	45	1840	wid	Rushia/ Rushia
	Scharlet Riffle	wf	12	1873	s	Rushia/ Rushia
	Jacob Riffle	wm	8	1877	s	Rushia/ Rushia

From the 5 Jun 1900 Census of Denver, Arapahoe Co., CO

Address/
Res/Fam

Name

RHoH

Race
/Sex

Age

DOB

#yrs
md.

#ch/
#lvg.

POB
S/F/M

Yr.
Imm.

Yrs.
inUS

Nat-
ztn.

Occ/Trade
Profssn.

John M. Gwin Comments

704 W. 9th Ave/
137/153

John P. Clausen

head

Dec 1848

Germany/
Germany/
Germany

1882

"Engine" something?

I've copied his (JPC's) occupation here for you to try to read...

Katie

wife

Apr 1867

5/5

Russia/
Russia/
Russia

1875

Ida

dau

Jun 1886

KS/Russia/
Germany(sic)

at school

The census taker has obviously reversed the PsOB of the parents here and in each of the children's records in this chart.

Amelia

dau

Feb 1888

KS/Russia/
Germany(sic)

at school

(see comments for Ida, above)

John R.

son

Aug 1889

CO/Russia/
Germany(sic)

at school

(see comments for Ida, above)

William

son

Feb 1893

CO/Russia/
Germany(sic)

at school

(see comments for Ida, above)

Gusta

dau

Sep 1896

CO/Russia/
Germany(sic)

(see comments for Ida, above)

From the 20 Apr 1910 Census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA

Address/ Res/Fam	Name	RHoH	Race /Sex	Age	MS	#yrs md.	#ch/ #lvg.	POB S/F/M	Occ/Trade Profssn.	John M. Gwin Comments
220 S. Hudson Ave./ 184/187	John P. Clausen	head	wm	52	m1	25		Germany/ Germany/ Germany	Gass Fitter, Gass shop	It is interesting to me that John P. Clausen claims here in 1910 that his parents were both born in Germany, then in 1920 (just after WWI ended) he switches allegiance to Denmark!
	Kate Clausen	wife	wf	43	m1	25	7/6	Russia/ Russia/ Russia		This is the former Katherine "Kate" Riffle.
	Ida Clausen	dau	wf	23	s			KS/Germany/ Russia
	Amelia Clausen	dau	wf	22	s			KS/Germany/ Russia
	William Clausen	son	wm	17	s			CO/Germany/ Russia		This is William H. Clausen, Carolyn's grandfather. Missing from this list, however, is John R. Clausen, who would be almost 21 in this census. Perhaps he is married and living elsewhere.
	Agusta Clausen	dau	wf	13	s			CO/Germany/ Russia
	Louise Clausen	dau	wf	6	s			CA/Germany/ Russia
	Henery Clausen	son	wm	1	s			CA/Germany/ Russia

From the 5 Jan 1920 Census of Pasadena, Los Angeles Co., CA

Address/ Res/Fam	Name	Relat to HoH	Race/ Sex	Age	Yr.Imm./ Yr.Natlzd.	MS	POB S/F/M	Occ.	John M. Gwin Comments
220 So. Hudson/ 91/93	John P. Clausen	head	wm	62	1882/1915	m	Germany/ Denmark/ Denmark	gardener
	Katherine Clausen	wife	wf	53		m	Russia/ Russia/ Russia
	Louise Clausen	dau	wf	15		s	CA/ Germany/ Russia
	Henry Clausen	son	wm	11		s	CA/ Germany/ Russia

From the 9 Jan 1920 Census of Long Beach, Los Angeles Co., CA

Street/Res/Fam	Name	Relat to HoH	Race/ Sex	Age	Val. of Home	MS	POB S/F/M	Occ.	John M. Gwin Comments
525 Magnolia Ave./ 212/342	Wm. H. Clausen	head	wm	26		m	CO/Denmark/ Russia	shipyard machinist
	Lela M. Clausen	wife	wf	25		m	KS/OH/OH
	Virginia L. Clausen	dau	wf	1yr. 5mo.		s	CA/CO/KS
	William C. Clausen	son	wm	3mo.		s	CA/CO/KS

From the 2 Apr 1930 Census of Long Beach, Los Angeles Co., CA

Street/Res/Fam	Name	Relat to HoH	Race/ Sex	Age	Val. of Home	MS/ Age 1stMd.	POB S/F/M	Occ.	John M. Gwin Comments
4107 Theresa St./ 5/5	William H. Clausen	head	wm	37	owned, $6500	m/24	CO/Denmark/ Germany	Superintendent, oil fields	This is Carolyn's maternal grandfather...
	Lela M. Clausen	wife	wf	35		m/22	KS/OH/OH	none	...which would make this Carolyn's maternal grandmother, the former Lela Mae Curl.
	Virginia L. Clausen	daughter	wf	11		s	CA/CO/KS	none	Here's Carolyn's mom, who will marry Wendell Small and, in Dec 2007, celebrate 62 years of marriage!
	Billy C. Clausen	son	wm	10		s	CA/CO/KS	none
	Eugene H. Clausen	son	wm	5		s	CA/CO/KS	none	This is Carolyn's uncle, Gene Hill Clausen.