Carrie Viola Brown, daughter of John Delos Brown

© Kathy Duncan, 2016

Carrie Viola Brown, daughter of John Deloss and Nancy (Johnson) Brown, was born 26 September 1876 in Illinois and died 8 February 1950 in Illinois. She is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Farmer Cirty, DeWitt County, Illinois. She married Richard Greenwood on 1 August 1894 in Weldon, DeWitt County, Illinois, and divorced him 1904. They had at least five children together who were living in 1904. On 26 October 1913, Carrie Viola Brown married Walter L. Thomason. In less than four years, she divorced him. At some point between 1917 and 1920, she married Oliver Frank Lochbaum. She most frequently appears as Viola in the records.

Children of Carrie Viola (Brown) and Richard Greenwood:

1. Norman Greenwood
2. Charles Greenwood
3. Loreen Greenwood
4. Bernice Greenwood
5. Sumner Greenwood

5 June 1900, Nixon Township, Weldon, DeWitt County, IL:

79-79

Greenwood, Richard Head W M b. June 1872 27 M 5 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

-----Viola wife W F b. Sep 1874 25 M 5 3-3 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

-----Norman son W M b. Feb 1895 5 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

-----Charles son W M b. Oct 1896 3 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

-----Loreen dau W F b. Feb 1898 2 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

Carrie Viola Greenwood filed suit for divorce from Richard Greenwood on the grounds of desertion. The parties were married in Weldon, August 1, 1894, and lived together until January 20, 1904. Mrs. Greenwood asks alimony be paid for the support of herself and five children, Norman, Charles, Loreen, Bernice and Sumner.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Register; Springfield, IL; 11 Jan. 1908.]

Following her divorce, Carrie returned to her father's household with her daughter Loreen or Lorena Greenwood:

19 Apr 1910, Nixon Twp., Dewitt Co., IL, P.O. Weldon Village, p. 201:

122-126         

Brown, John D. Head  M W  74 M 1-53  b. IL  fb. NC  mb. NY

---Nancy Wife  F W  71 M 1-53 10-6 b. IL  fb. KY  mb. KY

Greenwood, Viola E.  Dau  F W  29 Wd  6-6 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

 ---Lorena  Gr-dau FW 11 S b. IL  fb. IL mb. IL

Carrie's oldest children, Norman and Charles, were evidently living with their paternal grandmother, Sara Greenwood:

6 July 1910, Dewitt, Dewitt Co., IL, p. 184:

131-132

Greenwood, Sara Head F W 65 M-1 49 b. OH fb. OH mb. OH

-----Norman grandson M W 15 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

-----Charles grandson M W 13 S b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

Missing from both of these households are Sumner and Bernice Greenwood.

By 1913, Carrie was ready to try matrimony again.

Thomason - Greenwood - A license to marry was issued at Peoria to Walter L. Thomason and Viola Greenwood, both of this city.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Journal; Springfield, IL; Fri., 7 Nov 1913]

Her marriage to Walter L. Thomason was short lived.

Mrs. Viola Greenwood Thomason filed a bill in the circuit court yesterday asking the court to annul her marriage to her husband, Walter. She alleges that the wedding took place in less than two years after the defendent was divorced from a former wife, Mrs. Lulu Thomason, on June 1, 1892, and that she was divorced from him on the grounds of infidelity on Oct. 26, 1912. Thomason and his second wife were married Nov. 5, 1913, the bill recites.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Register; Springfield, IL; Thurs., 22 Feb 1917]

Viola Greenwood Thomason was granted a divorce from Walter Thomason on grounds that the defendant had been divorced less than a year prior to his marriage with the plaintiff.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Register; Springfield, IL; Sat. 5 May 1917]

Between 1917 and 1920, Viola married Lockbaum:

2 January 1920, Springfield, Sangamon Co., IL, p. 202:

102 West Carpenter St.

Lockbaum, Frank Head M W 36 M b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

-----Viola Wife F 44 M b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

In 1923, Viola Lochbaum of 102 East Carpenter Street penned the following article for the Daily Illinois State Journal, which offered a valuable clue as to who one of her sisters was.

People Prove Honest

By Mrs. Frank Lochbaum

102 East Carpenter Street

            Mrs. J.E. Walker, 2412 South Ninth street, and one of her neighbors, Mrs. Claywell, decided to call upon the former’s sister Thursday of this week. They went downtown and did some shopping, then boarded a Rutledge street car, and as her sister lives at 102 East Carpenter street, they got off the car at First and Carpenter. They went in and started to remove their wraps when Mrs. Walker suddenly exclaimed: “Oh, I have lost my purse!” She finally decided she had left it on the car. Mrs. Claywell started down West Carpenter after the car. My sister became quite worried and I had a time quieting her and assuring her she would have her purse back quickly. The first car going west came in a short time and Mrs. Claywell entered it, telling the motorman her mission. In her excitement she had forgotten to bring her purse with her, therefore she had no money for her fare, but the motorman, being a very accommodating person, assured her it was all right, and let her ride until they met the car coming back. She left his car and entered the eastbound car and to her surprise discovered the lost purse lying on the seat by the motorman, who immediately returned the missing purse. As there had been several persons on the car, it seems there must be some honest people in the Northwest End.

[Source: Daily Illinois State Journal; Springfield, IL; Sun. 25 March 1923]

15 April 1930, Rock Island, Rock Island Co., IL:

525 21^st

Lockbaum, Oliver Head M W 47 M 35 b. IL fb. OH mb. IL

-----Viola wife F W 53 M 17 b. IL fb. IL mb. IL

12 April 1940, Willow Branch Twp., Piatt Co., IL:

Greenwood, Norman head M W 45 S 8^th grade b. IL 1935-McLean, IL

-----Charles, brother W M 43 S 8^th grade b. IO 1935-Rock Island, IL

Lockbaum, OF step-father M W 58 M 6^th grade b. IL 1935-Springfield, Sangamon, IL

-----,Viola mother F W 64 M 8^th grade b. IL 1935-Springfield, Sangamon, IL

[informant: Viola]

Obituary of son Norman H. Greenwood:

Norman H. Greenwood, 64, formerly of this vicinity died ___ 1959 at Dwight Veterans Hospital. He had been a patient there a week and in poor health for a month. Funeral services were held at Stensel Funeral Home, LeRoy with burial in Maple Grove Cemetery, Farmer City.

    He was born February 9, 1895 at Weldon, son of John and Viola Brown Greenwood. He married Phillis Walters in 1955. Surviving are his wife; two children: Joan and Tommy, both at home; a brother, Charles of Decatur; and a sister, Lorene Domulin, Rock Island.

    He was a veteran of WW I. He had been working recently for Linden Crumbaugh Turkey Farm, LeRoy.

[Source: findagrave memorial]