Claude was the sixth of seven children born to Francis "Frank" M. Hoke and Mary Emily "Emma" Downing, who married on 11 Jan 1872 in Pulaski County, Indiana. His siblings were Mary Grace (b.1875), Alvah M. (b./d.18760, Nelle (b./d.1878), William (b.1879), Ira (b.1882), and Bessie (b.1887). He also had a half sister named May (b.1869), the daughter of his father and first-wife Fanny Downing, who was also Claude's aunt. Fanny died in 1871 after falling from a horse she and Claude's mother Emma were riding home on.
After her marriage to Frank, Claude's mother Emma took on the care of her sister's little girl, and three years later, welcomed the first of her seven children with Frank. Those children were Mary Grace, born on 15 Jun 1875, son Alvah M., born on 24 Apr 1876 who sadly died eight months later a week before Christmas on 18 Dec 1876, Nellie, born on 10 Mar 1878 who died a little over a month later on 21 Apr 1878, William, born in 1879, Ira, born on 2 Aug 1882, Claude Alfred, born on 5 Jul 1885, and Bessie, born in November of 1887.
I found the family on the 1880 Census, living in Center Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana, where Frank, aged 38, was busy farming. Emma, aged 25, was home with the children--May, aged 11, Mary Grace, aged 4, and little William, aged 1.
Because the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire, I wasn't able to check up on the family that year. On 8 Oct 1893, Francis and Emma's daughter Mary Grace married Joseph Harry Wilson in Argos, Marshall County. Their daughter Ruth arrived in September of 1894, followed by Dollie Margaret in March of 1897 and Gladys E. on 6 Feb 1900. Sadly, Mary Grace died later that same year on 14 Sep 1900 at age 25, leaving behind her three young children. Four years earlier, the family had to endure the death of Frank's daughter May with first-wife Fanny on 14 Mar 1896. She was only 26 years old.
By that same 1900 Census, Frank and Emma had moved back to Tippecanoe in Pulaski County. Frank, aged 58, was still busy farming. Emma, aged 45, reported that she had had seven children, but that only five had survived to that census, acknowledgement of the loss of Alvah and Nellie. She had not yet had to endure Mary Grace's death which happened a few months later. Still home with Emma were Ira, aged 17, Claude, aged 14, and Bessie, aged 12. Son William was out on his own and on 30 Dec 1908, he would marry Edna C. Geik in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Seven years after that census, Claude married Nellie May Haschel Meeks on 2 Feb 1907 in Pulaski County. She was the daughter of Fredrick and Mariah J. Haschel. It was a second marriage for Nellie. She had previously married Robert H. Meeks on 1 Feb 1901 in Pulaski County. On 21 May 1909, Claude and Nellie welcomed the first of their four children, daughter Doris Madye. I found the three of them together on the 1910 Census, living in White Post, Pulaski County, Indiana, where Claude, aged 24, was farming for a living. Nellie, aged 30, reported that she had only had one child. Indeed, home with her was 1-year-old Doris.
The year 1914 would have been a mix of sadness and joy for Claude. His father Frank died on 11 May 1914 at age 72, and Claude and Nellie welcomed son Francis Marion to the family in 1914. Sadly, death claimed daughter Doris on 16 Aug 1916 at age seven.
Perhaps the arrival of daughter Nellie Jr. that same year brought this family a measure of joy. Claude and Nellie's son Ralph joined the family in 1918. On his 1918 WWI registration card, Claude reported that he was of medium height and build, and that he had gray eyes and brown hair.
Claude must have been struggling with some sort of mental illness or depression. By the 1920 Census, he was a patient at Longcliff Hospital, the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane, now known as Logansport State Hospital, located in Cass County, Indiana. Claude was designated as married. Wife Nellie and their three children had moved in with Nellie's niece Ruth in West Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. Ruth was the daughter of Claude's older sister Mary Grace. Ruth had married Lloyd Abair and they had two children with them--Sherley, aged 5, and Virginia, just shy of being 2 years old. Nellie, aged 40, was designated as a boarder instead of an aunt. With her were (Francis) Marion, aged 3, Nellie Jr., aged 3, and Ralph, the exact same age as Ruth's 1-year-8-month-old daughter Virginia.
Claude died four years after that census in 1924 at age 49.
(Link to wife Nellie for the rest of her story.)
After her marriage to Frank, Claude's mother Emma took on the care of her sister's little girl, and three years later, welcomed the first of her seven children with Frank. Those children were Mary Grace, born on 15 Jun 1875, son Alvah M., born on 24 Apr 1876 who sadly died eight months later a week before Christmas on 18 Dec 1876, Nellie, born on 10 Mar 1878 who died a little over a month later on 21 Apr 1878, William, born in 1879, Ira, born on 2 Aug 1882, Claude Alfred, born on 5 Jul 1885, and Bessie, born in November of 1887.
I found the family on the 1880 Census, living in Center Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana, where Frank, aged 38, was busy farming. Emma, aged 25, was home with the children--May, aged 11, Mary Grace, aged 4, and little William, aged 1.
Because the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire, I wasn't able to check up on the family that year. On 8 Oct 1893, Francis and Emma's daughter Mary Grace married Joseph Harry Wilson in Argos, Marshall County. Their daughter Ruth arrived in September of 1894, followed by Dollie Margaret in March of 1897 and Gladys E. on 6 Feb 1900. Sadly, Mary Grace died later that same year on 14 Sep 1900 at age 25, leaving behind her three young children. Four years earlier, the family had to endure the death of Frank's daughter May with first-wife Fanny on 14 Mar 1896. She was only 26 years old.
By that same 1900 Census, Frank and Emma had moved back to Tippecanoe in Pulaski County. Frank, aged 58, was still busy farming. Emma, aged 45, reported that she had had seven children, but that only five had survived to that census, acknowledgement of the loss of Alvah and Nellie. She had not yet had to endure Mary Grace's death which happened a few months later. Still home with Emma were Ira, aged 17, Claude, aged 14, and Bessie, aged 12. Son William was out on his own and on 30 Dec 1908, he would marry Edna C. Geik in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Seven years after that census, Claude married Nellie May Haschel Meeks on 2 Feb 1907 in Pulaski County. She was the daughter of Fredrick and Mariah J. Haschel. It was a second marriage for Nellie. She had previously married Robert H. Meeks on 1 Feb 1901 in Pulaski County. On 21 May 1909, Claude and Nellie welcomed the first of their four children, daughter Doris Madye. I found the three of them together on the 1910 Census, living in White Post, Pulaski County, Indiana, where Claude, aged 24, was farming for a living. Nellie, aged 30, reported that she had only had one child. Indeed, home with her was 1-year-old Doris.
The year 1914 would have been a mix of sadness and joy for Claude. His father Frank died on 11 May 1914 at age 72, and Claude and Nellie welcomed son Francis Marion to the family in 1914. Sadly, death claimed daughter Doris on 16 Aug 1916 at age seven.
Perhaps the arrival of daughter Nellie Jr. that same year brought this family a measure of joy. Claude and Nellie's son Ralph joined the family in 1918. On his 1918 WWI registration card, Claude reported that he was of medium height and build, and that he had gray eyes and brown hair.
Claude must have been struggling with some sort of mental illness or depression. By the 1920 Census, he was a patient at Longcliff Hospital, the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane, now known as Logansport State Hospital, located in Cass County, Indiana. Claude was designated as married. Wife Nellie and their three children had moved in with Nellie's niece Ruth in West Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. Ruth was the daughter of Claude's older sister Mary Grace. Ruth had married Lloyd Abair and they had two children with them--Sherley, aged 5, and Virginia, just shy of being 2 years old. Nellie, aged 40, was designated as a boarder instead of an aunt. With her were (Francis) Marion, aged 3, Nellie Jr., aged 3, and Ralph, the exact same age as Ruth's 1-year-8-month-old daughter Virginia.
Claude died four years after that census in 1924 at age 49.
(Link to wife Nellie for the rest of her story.)
Claude was the sixth of seven children born to Francis "Frank" M. Hoke and Mary Emily "Emma" Downing, who married on 11 Jan 1872 in Pulaski County, Indiana. His siblings were Mary Grace (b.1875), Alvah M. (b./d.18760, Nelle (b./d.1878), William (b.1879), Ira (b.1882), and Bessie (b.1887). He also had a half sister named May (b.1869), the daughter of his father and first-wife Fanny Downing, who was also Claude's aunt. Fanny died in 1871 after falling from a horse she and Claude's mother Emma were riding home on.
After her marriage to Frank, Claude's mother Emma took on the care of her sister's little girl, and three years later, welcomed the first of her seven children with Frank. Those children were Mary Grace, born on 15 Jun 1875, son Alvah M., born on 24 Apr 1876 who sadly died eight months later a week before Christmas on 18 Dec 1876, Nellie, born on 10 Mar 1878 who died a little over a month later on 21 Apr 1878, William, born in 1879, Ira, born on 2 Aug 1882, Claude Alfred, born on 5 Jul 1885, and Bessie, born in November of 1887.
I found the family on the 1880 Census, living in Center Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana, where Frank, aged 38, was busy farming. Emma, aged 25, was home with the children--May, aged 11, Mary Grace, aged 4, and little William, aged 1.
Because the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire, I wasn't able to check up on the family that year. On 8 Oct 1893, Francis and Emma's daughter Mary Grace married Joseph Harry Wilson in Argos, Marshall County. Their daughter Ruth arrived in September of 1894, followed by Dollie Margaret in March of 1897 and Gladys E. on 6 Feb 1900. Sadly, Mary Grace died later that same year on 14 Sep 1900 at age 25, leaving behind her three young children. Four years earlier, the family had to endure the death of Frank's daughter May with first-wife Fanny on 14 Mar 1896. She was only 26 years old.
By that same 1900 Census, Frank and Emma had moved back to Tippecanoe in Pulaski County. Frank, aged 58, was still busy farming. Emma, aged 45, reported that she had had seven children, but that only five had survived to that census, acknowledgement of the loss of Alvah and Nellie. She had not yet had to endure Mary Grace's death which happened a few months later. Still home with Emma were Ira, aged 17, Claude, aged 14, and Bessie, aged 12. Son William was out on his own and on 30 Dec 1908, he would marry Edna C. Geik in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Seven years after that census, Claude married Nellie May Haschel Meeks on 2 Feb 1907 in Pulaski County. She was the daughter of Fredrick and Mariah J. Haschel. It was a second marriage for Nellie. She had previously married Robert H. Meeks on 1 Feb 1901 in Pulaski County. On 21 May 1909, Claude and Nellie welcomed the first of their four children, daughter Doris Madye. I found the three of them together on the 1910 Census, living in White Post, Pulaski County, Indiana, where Claude, aged 24, was farming for a living. Nellie, aged 30, reported that she had only had one child. Indeed, home with her was 1-year-old Doris.
The year 1914 would have been a mix of sadness and joy for Claude. His father Frank died on 11 May 1914 at age 72, and Claude and Nellie welcomed son Francis Marion to the family in 1914. Sadly, death claimed daughter Doris on 16 Aug 1916 at age seven.
Perhaps the arrival of daughter Nellie Jr. that same year brought this family a measure of joy. Claude and Nellie's son Ralph joined the family in 1918. On his 1918 WWI registration card, Claude reported that he was of medium height and build, and that he had gray eyes and brown hair.
Claude must have been struggling with some sort of mental illness or depression. By the 1920 Census, he was a patient at Longcliff Hospital, the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane, now known as Logansport State Hospital, located in Cass County, Indiana. Claude was designated as married. Wife Nellie and their three children had moved in with Nellie's niece Ruth in West Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. Ruth was the daughter of Claude's older sister Mary Grace. Ruth had married Lloyd Abair and they had two children with them--Sherley, aged 5, and Virginia, just shy of being 2 years old. Nellie, aged 40, was designated as a boarder instead of an aunt. With her were (Francis) Marion, aged 3, Nellie Jr., aged 3, and Ralph, the exact same age as Ruth's 1-year-8-month-old daughter Virginia.
Claude died four years after that census in 1924 at age 49.
(Link to wife Nellie for the rest of her story.)
After her marriage to Frank, Claude's mother Emma took on the care of her sister's little girl, and three years later, welcomed the first of her seven children with Frank. Those children were Mary Grace, born on 15 Jun 1875, son Alvah M., born on 24 Apr 1876 who sadly died eight months later a week before Christmas on 18 Dec 1876, Nellie, born on 10 Mar 1878 who died a little over a month later on 21 Apr 1878, William, born in 1879, Ira, born on 2 Aug 1882, Claude Alfred, born on 5 Jul 1885, and Bessie, born in November of 1887.
I found the family on the 1880 Census, living in Center Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana, where Frank, aged 38, was busy farming. Emma, aged 25, was home with the children--May, aged 11, Mary Grace, aged 4, and little William, aged 1.
Because the 1890 Census was destroyed in a fire, I wasn't able to check up on the family that year. On 8 Oct 1893, Francis and Emma's daughter Mary Grace married Joseph Harry Wilson in Argos, Marshall County. Their daughter Ruth arrived in September of 1894, followed by Dollie Margaret in March of 1897 and Gladys E. on 6 Feb 1900. Sadly, Mary Grace died later that same year on 14 Sep 1900 at age 25, leaving behind her three young children. Four years earlier, the family had to endure the death of Frank's daughter May with first-wife Fanny on 14 Mar 1896. She was only 26 years old.
By that same 1900 Census, Frank and Emma had moved back to Tippecanoe in Pulaski County. Frank, aged 58, was still busy farming. Emma, aged 45, reported that she had had seven children, but that only five had survived to that census, acknowledgement of the loss of Alvah and Nellie. She had not yet had to endure Mary Grace's death which happened a few months later. Still home with Emma were Ira, aged 17, Claude, aged 14, and Bessie, aged 12. Son William was out on his own and on 30 Dec 1908, he would marry Edna C. Geik in St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Seven years after that census, Claude married Nellie May Haschel Meeks on 2 Feb 1907 in Pulaski County. She was the daughter of Fredrick and Mariah J. Haschel. It was a second marriage for Nellie. She had previously married Robert H. Meeks on 1 Feb 1901 in Pulaski County. On 21 May 1909, Claude and Nellie welcomed the first of their four children, daughter Doris Madye. I found the three of them together on the 1910 Census, living in White Post, Pulaski County, Indiana, where Claude, aged 24, was farming for a living. Nellie, aged 30, reported that she had only had one child. Indeed, home with her was 1-year-old Doris.
The year 1914 would have been a mix of sadness and joy for Claude. His father Frank died on 11 May 1914 at age 72, and Claude and Nellie welcomed son Francis Marion to the family in 1914. Sadly, death claimed daughter Doris on 16 Aug 1916 at age seven.
Perhaps the arrival of daughter Nellie Jr. that same year brought this family a measure of joy. Claude and Nellie's son Ralph joined the family in 1918. On his 1918 WWI registration card, Claude reported that he was of medium height and build, and that he had gray eyes and brown hair.
Claude must have been struggling with some sort of mental illness or depression. By the 1920 Census, he was a patient at Longcliff Hospital, the Northern Indiana Hospital for the Insane, now known as Logansport State Hospital, located in Cass County, Indiana. Claude was designated as married. Wife Nellie and their three children had moved in with Nellie's niece Ruth in West Township, Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. Ruth was the daughter of Claude's older sister Mary Grace. Ruth had married Lloyd Abair and they had two children with them--Sherley, aged 5, and Virginia, just shy of being 2 years old. Nellie, aged 40, was designated as a boarder instead of an aunt. With her were (Francis) Marion, aged 3, Nellie Jr., aged 3, and Ralph, the exact same age as Ruth's 1-year-8-month-old daughter Virginia.
Claude died four years after that census in 1924 at age 49.
(Link to wife Nellie for the rest of her story.)
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