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Descendants of Hattie May Lake and William "Henry" Poore

 

My gratitude to Darrla Henderson Westberg of Copperopolis, California who provided me the new information on this page concerning the descendents of Hattie May Lake.  All the photos here, except the ones designated differently, were sent to me from Darrla.  She is married to Rick Westberg. M.H.

 

Generation No. 1

1.  WILLIAM "HENRY" POORE was born 19 Feb 1864 in Marshal, Miami Co., Indiana, and died 25 Jan 1944 in Greenfield, Arizona and is buried there.  He married HATTIE MAY LAKE March 17, 1885 in Bassett, Chickasaw Co., Iowa.  She was a daughter of VALENTINE LAKE and SOPHIA TAFT.  She was born 31 May 1870 in Rockton, Illinois, and died 14 Mar 1901 in Ba
ssett. Nebraska. She was 30 years old.  William Poore was widower left with 6 children to care for.  As was customary in that day and age, the children were "farmed out" to relatives mostly because a widower with children was unable to earn a living and take care of children at the same time. Sometime after her mother's death, Erma was raised by her "mother's people", the Humphreys, who lived in North Dakota and then Saskatchewan.  I suspect her brother "Ned" was farmed out to the same family.  (Emma Lake Humphreys was the sister of Hattie)  At the right is a photo of Erma and Ned as youngsters.
    (This photo is courtesy of Dawn Coon Barber, the grand daughter of
    William and Hattie Poore) ►

See here a photo of William Henry Poore and his children in 1901after the death of Hattie May.  

Children of WILLIAM POORE and HATTIE LAKE are:  
    i.    WILLIAM H. POORE, b. 1884, died as infant.
   ii.   FLORENCE E. POORE b. 20 Apr 1886, Logan, Iowa.  She married Mark Whitman.  No further is  known.
   iii.   ANDREW FRANK POORE, b. 20 Apr 1891, Bassett, Nebraska.  He married Cora ? and had 5  children.  He married a second time and had a son by that marriage.
    iv.   FREDERICK J. POORE, b. 16 Apr 1893, Bassett, Nebraska.  Nothing further is known. 
   v.   ERMA IMOGENE POORE, b. 09 Sep 1896, Hardscratch, Harrison Co. Iowa; d. 20 Jun 1972,  Columbus, Ohio. See below for other information.
   vi.  CHARLES NED POORE, b. 30 Jul 1898, Logan, Iowa; married AMY SIMPSON on June 1, 1918 at  Moosejaw, Sask. She was born in 1896 in Yorkshire, England.  Amy Simpson Came to Canada as a trained nurse in 1911. When WWI broke out, she enlisted as a nurse and volunteered for overseas service, but was stationed in the Military Hospital in Saskatoon, Sask.  She was later transferred to Moosejaw. There she resigned and was married to Charles Ned Poor. Charles had enlisted as a private in the Tenth Battalion at age 16 on Aug 14, 1914.  He swore he was eighteen and so was accepted.  He was in the Canadian service for three years and ten month.  He was trained in England and saw service in France for twenty-eight months. In an attack at Vimy Ridge he was wounded in the thigh, dislocated a shoulder and had three ribs broken by the concussion of the shell.   
   vii. GLENN LEROY POORE, b. 30 Nov 1900, Bassett, Nebraska.  After his mother's death, the Pottawattamie County Court in Council Bluffs, Iowa took charge of baby Leroy.  He was  later adopted by a J.J. Rains in Council Bluffs.  He was in school there in 1916.  Nothing further is known of him.

Generation No. 2

 

2.    ERMA IMOGENE POORE  (WILLIAM HENRY) was born 09 Sep 1896 in Hardscratch, Harrison Co. Iowa, and died 20 Jun 1972 in Columbus, Ohio.  She married (1) WALTER Manuel VALLEY on 21 Aug 1912 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.  He was born in 1879 (17 years older than Erma) in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, and died 05 Jun 1914 in Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan, Canada.  Erma is pregnant with their second daughter when he dies.  She married (2) JOHN AUGUST WESTBERG on 16 Jun 1915 in Minneapolis, Minn.  He was born 03 Oct 1875 in Rush Point, Chisago County, Minnesota, and died on 25 Mar 1959 in Cambridge, Minnesota. (See here a wedding day photo of Erma and John Westberg)  She married (3) REV. CHARLES C. FALKENSTINE on 08 May 1945 in Columbus, Ohio.  He was born on Nov. 5, 1884 in Terra Alta, West Virginia.   Rev. Falkenstine had four children when he married Erma.  Randolph, Wanda, Rhea Lou, and Jo Ann.

Notes for ERMA IMOGENE POORE and John Westberg:

In 1918 John and Erma move to Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan, Canada.  Their land is located near the homestead of Joshua and Emma Humphreys.  When Glen is born, Erma is 21 years old and the mother of 4 children. She takes her two daughters, fathered by Walter Valley, with her and leaves the boys, Woodrow and Glen, with John.  She does not divorce him until July 27, 1921. Later, John moves to Summit, South Dakota, where he operated a restaurant.  In 1959, he returned to Cambridge, Minnesota where he lived the rest of his life.  John is remembered by his relatives as a pretty mellow man.  He did have a temper but would never swear when he was angry.  His strongest cursing phrase was, “Good Gravy”.  His favorite grandchild was Elaine, as she resembled his ex-wife Erma.  He loved Erma until he died.  (This information is supplied by Elaine Westberg.)

 

At the right is a young John August Westberg ►

This from Darrla Westberg:  From my understanding of Grandpa John (without ever meeting him) is that he was a very patient man, a man of deep faith.  He took care of his brothers and sisters after his parents death.  He took the boys (Woodie & Glen) after Erma left and moved in with his sister and her husband (Mr. & Mrs. J.P. Froke) in Summit, SD.  Auntie Froke never had her own children so cared for Woodie & Glen while John worked.  The Froke's were a somewhat wealthy family.  Auntie made sure the boys "walked the line" so to speak.  His grandson, Rick, (Darrla's Husband) shared a bed with his grandfather John and remembers him reading his Bible every day and praying every day.
 

Children of ERMA POOR and WALTER VALLEY are:

  

   i.    EVELYN Harriet (Hattie) VALLEY, born 29 Jun 1913 at Caron, Sask.; died 02 Dec. 2000; M. CHESTER B. VITITOE on August 31, 1934.  He was born at Welston, Ohio.  They have two sons.  Richard and Glenn Freddie, both born in Columbus, OH.

        Nothing further is known of Evelyn and Chester. 

I have just recently received (Sept. 2009) a newly found family photo from Darrla Westberg.  (See Darrla and her family at the bottom of this page.)  It is a photo of Evelyn Harriet Valley with her two step brothers, Woodie and Glenn. ▼They are a good looking bunch and in the prime of their youth.  The child in front has not been Identified.  Evelyn (m.1934), "Woodie" (m.1936), and Glenn (m. 1937) all married in the 1930s so I am assuming that this photo was taken in the late 1930s.   "Woodie" is on the left of Evelyn.

 ▲ Above on the left is a photo of Imogene and Evelyn Valley

and their baby half-brother, Woodrow or "Woodie" Westberg". 

   I estimate this photo was taken late summer 1916.

 

ii.    IMOGENE EMMA VALLEY, born 23 Nov 1914, Cambridge, Minnesota; died 22 May 1988, Crooksville, Ohio.  Imogene married (1) Montford Josleyn Coon on October 13, 1931 at Reno, Nevada.  He was born Feb 3, 1896.  Their three children are:

   1.   Dawn LaVerne Coon, b. Oct 16, 1934 at Carson City, Nevada

   2.   Montford Charles Coon, b. Dec 21 1935 at Carson City, Nevada.

  3.   Ermalyn Faith Coon, b. Dec 13 1936 at Cleveland, Ohio

Imogene and Montford J. Coon were divorced at Virginia City, Nevada on Nov. 3, 1939.  Imogene married ( 2) WILSON R. HUNDLEY. 

Their children are: Susan Hundley, Catherine Hundley, Garry Hundley, and Jerry Hundley

    (See Imogene's Obituary)

The following narrative was written by Darrla's husband, Rick Westberg, the grandson of John and Erma Westberg. 

My Dad, “Woodie”, never did talk about his mom, Erma, much. He did say that when Erma left her husband, John Westberg, she took her two girls Imogene and Evelyn, that were fathered by her first husband, Walter Valley, and left the two boys fathered by John, unattended in the house. We figure my father was about 4 years old at that time and that he put his little brother, Glen in a wagon and pulled him to the neighbors.  When I was told this story as a youngster and as I became familiar with the Rush Point homestead in Minnesota, I could visualize him and Glen walking down the road.  It wasn't until I was an adult that I found out they lived in Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan when that event took place.

Dad said the reason they went to Saskatchewan was that they could still claim the 80 acre homestead Erma inherited from her deceased first husband and they could claim another 80-acre homestead as well, giving them a 160-acre farm.  I do remember a comment from my mother, Mable, about the homestead in Rush Point.  She said that the machinery used to till the soil on that farm would be worn out before it could be paid for because of the very rocky soil in the area. Another family joke was that when “Lars” (my great-grandfather) had finished his indentured servitude, he told the man he worked for he would like to homestead around Rush Point, an area that looked like Sweden.

Apparently, they logged in the Rush Point area during the winter.  His former boss tried to talk “Lars” into homesteading near the waterfalls on the Mississippi River.  This is the punch line: the waterfalls area would be near downtown Minneapolis and we would be wealthy real estate heirs today!  But, he was Swedish, with a love for the forest.  This is a family curse because I chose a parcel of land in the trees with lots of rock only 20 miles away from one of the richest agricultural valleys in the world, the San Joaquin Valley!

 In about 1957 when the “Woodie” Westberg family lived in the town of Summit, SD, the town was offered a free fire engine but could only obtain it if they traveled to Ohio to pick it up.  Being a small town, the town fathers knew that Dad's mother lived back in Ohio, so they paid for Dad to fly out and drive the fire engine back as well as see his mother.  This plane trip to Ohio was both and adventure and an ordeal for my Dad as he had never flown before..  He was quite impressed with the tunnels under large trees on Ohio highways made by big trucks shearing off the leaves and branches. (Large trees in South Dakota were scarce at that time except near rivers, streams and in towns.)  Also, driving the fire truck back was exhausting as it was an open cab truck, no wind/sun/rain protection. 

Erma drove out to visit us in Summit  with one her girls in 1957 or 1958.  I think that this visit to South Dakota from Erma was because of Dad's trip to Ohio when he was reunited with his mother.  I was about 7 or 8 years old.  I remember the house in Summit.  We only lived there about 3 years, so I am sure about this time period. This was the only time that I met my Grandmother.  I do remember Grandpa John being there.  He and I roomed together at that time also. Here are photos Dad with his daughter, Janice and her first born Bobby with Erma. (See photos of this reunion)

 My mom's (Mable) dad died when she was about 4 years old and Grandpa John became her father figure.  Mom was married at 18 years and Grandpa John, Glen, & Dad (Woodie) lived together on the homestead at Rush Point during the Depression doing subsistence farming.  Mom's relationship with Grandpa John was very strong and one of admiration. Grandpa John took this young bride under his wing, taught her how to cook on a wood stove, and would eat with pleasure anything she made, (burnt or raw). This probably jades her comments about Erma.  As I grow older, I have more understanding and appreciation for my Grandma (Erma).  I also wonder if her prayers for her family have been answered in my relationship with Jesus.

 My Dad was always interested in listening to Oral Roberts and then my mom would have negative comments about evangelists.  I am sure this had something to do with Erma's conversion and strong faith.  My mom and my sisters have made comments about Erma being a missionary in Egypt as well as possibly writing a book. However, we have no proof of it.

Interestingly enough, Summit, South Dakota is the town where Erma's cousin, Frank William Humphreys' wife Vesta Viola Whitefoot is born with the rest of her sisters.  It seems that this family is inexorably tied with the family of Josh and Emma Humphreys.  Emma is the sister of Erma's mother, Mattie May Lake.  Erma's first husband husband dies in Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan where the Humphreys lived in those years.  Ravenscrag, Saskatchewan is a town so small and remote that this can not be just a coincidence.  I suspect that Erma and possibly her brothers and sisters have been "farmed out" to this family after the early death of Mattie May who dies when Erma is only 4 years old.  M.H.
 Children of ERMA POORE and JOHN WESTBERG:      
     i.   WOODROW "Woodie" AUGUST WESTBERG, born 02 Feb
        1916, Grandy, Isanti Co.,  Minnesota       
     ii.  GLEN LEROY WESTBERG, born 22 Nov 1917, Cambridge,
         Minnesota
 
The Westberg boys are pictured at the right.  Woodie is about age 4 and Glen is about 3. 1920-1921?       ►

▼ Below is a photo of Erma, John and three of the children.  Glen has not yet been born.  This was taken in the spring of 1917 on the farm at Rush Point, Minnesota.  Erma may be pregnant at the time.  The baby in the front is "Woodie".  Evelyn is peeking through and Imogene is on the right. 
Generation 3

 

      3.   WOODROW AUGUST WESTBERG (ERMA IMOGENE POORE, WILLIAM HENRY) was born 02 Feb 1916 in Grandy, Isanti Co., Minnesota, and died 28 Dec 1998 in Rapid City, South Dakota, Buried in Summit, SD.  He married MABEL THELMA LEGAARD 10 Sep 1936 in Sissiton, So. Dakota.  She was born 28 May 1918 in Summit, So. Dakota, and died 09 Apr 1999 in Summit, So. Dakota.

 

 Children of WOODROW WESTBERG and MABle LEGAARD are:              (See Family Photos)

          i.     JANICE LEE WESTBERG, b. 21 Mar 1937; m. OMAR PAUL HALVORSON.

         ii     JOHN " JACK" ARNOLD WESTBERG, b. 16 Dec 1938; m. BARBARA.  Jack was killed in a hit and run accident in June of 1973 while walking across a street in Omaha, Nebraska and is buried in Summit, South Dakota.

         iii.     ROSALIE "Rose"  WESTBERG, b. 1941; m. CHARLES OVERBY.

         iv.     ELAINE MARIE WESTBERG, b. 24 Mar 1945; m. (1) DWIGHT ROWAYEN  HAGEN; m. (2)

                 DAVID SORENSON.

          v.      RICHARD "RICK" DEAN WESTBERG, b. 11 Feb 1950, Braham , Isanti Co. Minnesota.

          vi.     MICHAEL WAYNE WESTBERG, b. 01 Mar 1956; m. (1) CINDY; m. (2) BARBARA OHS.

         vii.     CINDI KAY WESTBERG, b. 18 Sep 1959; m. JOHN RIES.

 

4.  GLENN L. WESTBERG (ERMA IMOGENE POORE, WILLIAM HENRY) was born 22 Nov 1917 in Cambridge, Minnesota, and died 25 Dec 2001 in Whitewood, So. Dakota, Buried at Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, SD.  He married MILDRED WULLUM 12 Jun 1937 in New Hampton, Iowa.  Glen was a rancher an businessman and was an active man in local civic affairs at Whitewood, So. Dakota.  See Glen's obituary and a photo of him.

            Children of GLENN WESTBERG and MILDRED WULLUM are:

                i.    GERALD WESTBERG.

                 ii.    TONY WESTBERG.

                 iii.    KAREN WESTBERG.

                 iv.    KATHY WESTBERG.

                 v.    JEFF WESTBERG.

 

 Generation No. 4

 

5.  RICHARD "RICK" DEAN  WESTBERG (WOODROW AUGUST3, ERMA IMOGENE2 POORE, WILLIAM HENRY1) was born 11 Feb 1950 in Braham, Isanti Co., Minnesota.  He married DARRLA JEAN HENDERSON 14 Jun 1970 in Lead, So. Dakota, daughter of DARRELL HENDERSON and PATRICA HILLIARD.  She was born 24 Aug 1951 in Belle Fourche, So. Dakota. 

                    Darrla and Rick are pictured below on vacation in Hawaii, 2005.▼




Read here the story of Erma Poore who leaves and and divorces John Westberg and becomes the Purple Angel.



One more photo

of John Westberg and his boys

 

 

 

 

Children of RICHARD WESTBERG and DARRLA HENDERSON are:

              i.    SHAWN MICHAEL WESTBERG,

           ii    KRISTA JEAN WESTBERG 

           iii.   DEVIN RICHARD WESTBERG

           iv.  DARICK DEAN WESTBERG