Belva - Ada update, thanks mostly to "hummer", fellow blogger and very kind soul

Thanks to hummer over at Branching Out Through The Years I am able to bring some new information to light on Belva - Ada.

When I wrote the blog about Belva - Ada, I never in my wildest dreams expected someone to go out hunting for her. You can imagine my delighted surprise (and shock) when this AM I woke to find several email messages from hummer informing me that she had located Ada on the 1920 census, with her parents and the marriage record of her parents, plus a few other tidbits. I was really aghast when hummer told  me she had been up till 3 AM searching my Belva - Ada.

So, thanks to hummer I can now report that we know these new facts about Belva - Ada and her heritage:

In 1920 Samuel Riley, age 76 (or 46, according to the indexers), with his wife, Louisa, age 19 and daughter, Ada, age 1 year and 2 months are residing in Vermillion County, Illinois. *

Samuel married Louisa in 1917 in Randolph County Missouri.

There is a baptism for a Samuel Edward Riley in 1867 that we are investigating.

Louisa was Margaret Louisa Thompson, daughter of William Lafayette Thompson and his 3rd wife, Ada Mott. William and Ada had 3 children, Margaret Louisa and 2 sons, William Joseph Thompson and Morgan E. Thompson. In 1910 we find William, Ada, Joseph and Louisa living in Randolph County, Missouri.

William Lafayette Thompson died in Missouri in 1912. It appears that Ada remarried, maybe several times, as we find Ada and Morgan Tompson on the 1920 census in Randolph County Missouri. Ada is shown as the wife of Martin Shawver (this surname is quite hard to read and may be in error). In 1928 we find a marriage for a Ada Shawver to a JR Williams in Randolph County Missouri.

There are several family trees on Ancestry.com where we find William and Ada and their families listed. William’s parents are said to be William J. Thompson and Sarah Ball. Ada’s father is said to be Thomas J. Mott, her mother’s given name is said to be Mary Jane. These family trees give fairly complete dates for the birth and deaths of Margaret Louisa’s siblings, William and Morgan. So far we have found 2 marriages for Morgan and his obituary in 1992.

Thanks to hummer and her curiosity and kindness, I now know a lot more about Belva - Ada and her parents than I did just a short 24 hours ago.  As they say, the search has just begun.

I am having trouble finding words to express my appreciation for hummer's help.  Usually ole Carol has no trouble finding words, I usually find too many.  So, lets keep this sweet and simple.

THANK YOU HUMMER!!

* By the way, on the 1920 census the surname Riley was indexed as Raley on Ancestry.com. Seeing that the 1920 census find was the key to breaking down Belva - Ada’s wall, I humbly point out, that Spelling Don’t Count in Genealogy.
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Belva - Ada - who are you really, and where did you go?

Belva Mary Riley Lashbrook, on what would have been your 91st birthday, I have to ask, where did you end up?

Belva Mary Riley, father reported to be Samuel Riley according to the records of St. Louis Parish, Kansas City, Missouri was born October 14, 1918, reportedly somewhere in Illinois.

We know her mother to be Margaret Louise (Marie), possibly Riley. Margaret married Malachi Joseph Lashbrook in 1923 in Jackson County, Missouri.

Belva, also found recorded as Ada Belva Riley married Derrel Edward Johnson on August 18, 1934 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. Despite numerous searches, nothing more about Belva is known. A death for one Darrel Edward Johnson was found, he died November 23, 1982 in Kansas City, Clay County, Missouri, his obituary states his wife to be Mrs. Mildred G. Johnson.

No further records of Belva Mary or Ada Belva have been found. We have no photo of Belva/Ada. Oh, Belva/Ada where did you end up? What IS your story?

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