The Lakes: Generations after 1800
11.
VALENTINE AMEY LAKE (JOHN JACOB6,JOHN LAKE, JR5.,JOHN LAKE4,NICHOLAS Sr.3,JOHN LAKE, JR.2,JOHN1) was born 09 Feb 1824 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, and died 06 Aug 1878 in Rockton, Illinois. He married SOPHIA MATILDA TAFT 25 Oct 1850 in Clinton, WI., daughter of COREY TAFT and MATILDA BENSON. She was born 26 Feb 1827 in Kingsville, OH, and died 11 Dec 1908 in Bassett, Nebraska. Sophia, at the time of her marriage is living with her Uncle Levi Taft and his wife, Electa, after the untimely death of her father, Corey Taft in 1839 at age 38 and her brother Stutson, age 3. Matilda, her widowed mother, marries again in the year 1840 back in Ashtabula Co. Ohio. We can only guess at the circumstances behind the scenes of these facts of history.
More About VALENTINE AMEY LAKE: After they were married Valentine and Sophia farmed in Winnebago County for some years but later he entered the lumber, grain elevator and coal business in Rockton, IL. During his years in Rockton he held various Township offices, all with distinction and honor. He was greatly respected by the people of Rockton, where he died at the early age of 54 and is buried at Rockton. Valentine and Sophia are pictured at right.
When you click on the photo of Valentine and Sophia,
you will also find a photo of Valentine's gravestone in
Rockton, Illinois and a photo of Sophia and her
second husband James Morse.
More About SOPHIA MATILDA TAFT: Here is where I differ from the records of Claud McMillan who wrote an extensive book detailing the Lake family in America called A History of My People and Yours. He writes that Sophia was the daughter of Ira Taft. After examining the records of the Taft and Benson families, I have concluded that her father was Corey Taft, a brother of Ira Taft and that her father (Corey Taft) and mother (Matilda Benson) left their families in Ashtabula County, Ohio, and traveled west, along with many pioneers seeking a better life for themselves. (It was to my great delight that I was able to prove this theory as correct when my husband Greg and I traveled to Ashtabula Co. in Ohio and Rockton Illinois, in the summer or 2007. We also learned a great deal more most of which you will find on the Taft and Benson pages of this web site).
After the death of Valentine in 1878, she remained a widow for 17 years but at age 69, married again to James Morse on March 10, 1895. James was from Boone County, IL. She died at the home of her daughter, Minnie Adelaid Lake-Koker-Waters in Bassett, Nebraska, a town where others of her children and grandchildren lived.
Here is a quick link to the Benson page to read more about Sophia's mother and her ancestry.
Children of VALENTINE LAKE and SOPHIA TAFT are:
i.
ii. JOEL BENSON LAKE, born 1852, Winnebago County, Illinois; died 05 Sep 1933, Battle Creek, Iowa; He married (1) EVALINE GEBBARD (WIDOW), 17 Aug 1880, Beloit, Wis; d. Rockford, Ill. He married (2) AMANDA CORDELL KINSEY on 12 Sep 1894, Woodbury County, Iowa. She was born 05 May 1867in Sidney, Iowa and died 17 Jan 1923, Battle Creek, Iowa.
iii. FRANK WILLIS LAKE, b. 23 Jul 1863, Rockton, Illinois; d. Bassett, Nebraska. He marries his first cousin (1) NELLIE A. TAFT, the daughter of his mother's brother, Ira Taft on 16 Nov 1880, Ida Grove, Iowa. She is born Aug 1863, Winnebago Co, Ill. It appears that Frank and Nellie had known each other in Winnebago County Ill. before they came to Iowa. Nellie was born in Winnebago Co., Ill in Aug 1863. They both are only 18 years old. They have one child, Frank Willis Lake, Jr. who is born on Feb 27, 1882 in Battle Creek Iowa. Frank and Nellie divorce in 1886 in Ainsworth, Neb. Frank then marries his brother Charles' first wife, (2) IDA J. WATERS LAKE SUMTER on 04 Dec 1907 in Sioux City, Iowa. She was born on 31 Jul 1869 at Humboldt, Neb. and she died Feb. 1, 1990 at Bassett, Nebraska. I am guessing that Ida May married a Sumpter in the 16 year interim between her divorce from Charles Lake and her marriage to Frank Lake. Their older brother, Joel Benson Lake's daughter, Esther Patience marries a Danna Arthur Sumpter in 1917 at Battle Creek, Iowa. (See Joel Above) Ida probably came from the same Waters family that their sister, Minnie Adelaid Lake, married into when she marries John William Waters at Ainsworth, Neb. (See Minnie below) The Lakes, Sumters and Waters families all haled from or lived in or frequented near the towns of Beatrice, Nebraska, Battle Creek, Iowa and Bassett, Nebraska in the late 1800s-early 1900s. Frank marries his third wife (3) FLORENCE MAY WILKINSON on 28 Nov 1927; She died 16 Feb 1941, Bassett, Nebraska. Don't miss the early adventures (or mis-adventures) of Frank and his brother Charles Lake on the Humphreys page of this Web site here.
iv. CHARLES WILBER LAKE, born on 12 Aug 1865, Rockton, Illinois; died 22 Nov 1943, Denver, Colorado; married (1) IDA MAY WATERS on 05 Feb 1885, Bassett, Nebraska; she was born 31 Jul 1868, Humboldt, Neb. and died 16 Feb 1941 in Bassett, Nebraska. Charles and Ida J. had at least three children, Viola (b. 25 Jul 1886 in Bassett, NE), John and William F. Lake. Viola marries her cousin Clarence Ogliva Koker, the son of Minnie Adelaid Lake, her father's sister (See Minnie Adelaid Lake below) They divorced on July 1, 1891 at Beatrice , Nebraska. He married (2) JENNIE M. STILES on 28 Feb 1893, San Antonio, Texas. We have found more information of Charles. Apparently he was in the photography business as and owned a studio in Minot, North Dakota. We have several photos of Humphreys family members that are stamped Lake Studio, Minot , or C W Lake, Lake Studio, Minot. You can see these photos on the Humphreys pages of this web site. His wife Jennie was also a photographer and took later photos of Charles' sister, Emma, and her husband Joshua Humphreys. These photos are stamped, Mrs. Jennie S. Lake, Redwood Falls, Minn. Charles and Jennie had one child that we know of: Charlotte Matilda Lake who was born on Aug. 23, 1894. They divorced in 1916 and he married (3) ALETHA ? We have no further information about this marriage or if they had children. Click here to see a photo of Charles and his sister, Emma Althea Lake Humphreys taken in Minot, N.D at the Lake Studio. Emma may have been visiting her brother in Minot. Both of them appear to be in their 20s or 30s.
v. MINNIE ADELAID Lake was born 12 Aug 1867 in Rockton, Illinois, and died 29 Jan 1948 in Bassett. Nebraska and is buried at Bassett Memorial Cemetery. She married (1) JOHN ELLESWORTH KOKER, SR. 03 Apr 1885 in Long Pine, Nebraska. He was born 1854. She married (2) JOHN WILLIAM WATERS 16 May 1888 in Ainsworth, Nebraska. He was born 06 Jun 1866 in Humboldt, Neb., and died 16 Nov 1940 in Bassett, Nebraska.
Children of MINNIE LAKE and JOHN KOKER are:
i. JOHN ELLESWORTH KOKER,JR., b. 1887, Ainsworth, Neb..
ii. CLARENCE OGLIVA KOKER, b. 25 Jul 1885, Bassett, Nebraska; d. 29
Dec 1948, Bassett, NE,
and is buried at Bassett Memorial Cemetery ; m. VIOLA LAKE (his cousin); b. 04 Jul 1886, Bassett, NE.Children of MINNIE LAKE and JOHN WATERS are
:iii. CALLELLA LENORA WATERS, b. 14 May 1889, Bassett, Nebraska.
iv. ESSIE MATILDA WATERS, b. 28 Jul 1891, Bassett, Nebraska; d. 22
Apr 1987, Bassett, NE and
is buried at Bassett Memorial Cemetery;v. ELSIE BLANCH WATERS, b. 02 Jun 1894, Bassett, Nebraska.
vi. FLORENCE GOLDIE WATERS, b. 10 Nov 1896, Bassett, Nebraska;
d. Bassett, Nebraska,
and is buried at Bassett Memorial Cemetery.
vii. BESSIE ADELAID WATERS, b. 13 Mar 1899.
viii. VESPER VANCE WATERS, b. 16 Nov 1906, Bassett, Nebraska; d.
1956, Bassett, NE,
and is buried at Bassett Memorial Cemetery; m. BESSIE E.; b. 1909; d. 1993.ix. GLENN W. WATERS, b. 06 May 1910, Bassett, Nebraska; 22, Jan.
1911, Bassett, Nebraska, and is buried at Bassett Memorial Cemetery.
vi.
HATTIE
MAY LAKE,
b. 31 May 1870, Rockton, Illinois; d. 14 Mar 1901, Bassett.
Nebraska; She married
WILLIAM "HENRY" POORE
on 17 Mar 1885 in Bassett, Nebraska. Henry was born on 16 Feb
1862, Marshal, Miami Co., Indiana and he died on 25 Jan 1944,
Greenfield, Arizona.
They had 7 children.
Click here
to see the descendents of Hattie
May Lake
and Henry Poor.
(Don't
miss this good story!)
See here the gravestones of Sophia Matilda Taft Lake Morse and those of her children Frank Willis Lake, Minnie Adelaid Koker Waters and Hattie May Lake Poore and those members of their families who died in Bassett, Nebraska.