Was she 101 or 88??

Today, I managed to do a lot of work and not get many results.  Days like this happen when you are researching your family.  You can look and look for days and not find anything and then the next day hit paydirt. (A little mining reference there from the girl who grew up in mining communities lol).  Today was a look all day and just end up with more questions kinda day.

I spent most of the day looking into two brothers of my Grandpa Jake Timbrel.  Amos Monroe Timbrel and Isaiah "Ike" Timbrel.  Amos is an interesting person.  From what I know of Amos, who also went by Monroe, is that he lived in Mahaska County, Iowa (where most of the Timbrel's in this generation come from) until sometime around 1918.  He then travels to Denver, Co and was working for the American Express Company, according to his wife back home.  She stops hearing from him in the summer of 1918.  In Feb of 1920 she petitions state officials in Colorado to help her find her missing husband.  I am still looking to see if she ever hears  from them.  But I do notice that in May 1918 there is an Amos M. Timbrel that marries in Denver....interesting no?  Well so the next thing I find is a death record for an Amos M. Timbrel in Grants Pass, Josephine, OR in Oct 1948.  Luckily for me, I can request that document from the Oregon State Archives, which I have done.  And asked a volunteer for that county in Oregon to see if there is an obit. Hopefully, that will tell me if I am on the right track.  One thing I note is that I do not find a death record for the "new wife" in Oregon.  So what happened to this new wife?  Why did Amos leave behind a wife, child and very nice farm back in Iowa?  Like I said more questions to answer.

Now, I spent a good portion of my day on Isaiah.  To me there is just something about this man that keeps me coming back.  Maybe it's because I can't figure out what happens to him.  Or the fact that the closest thing to a lead I have is a California Death for an Alexander I. Timbrel that was born about the same time.  Well last week, I sent off for an obit (hopefully there is one) for this mysterious Alexander who bears a resemblance to my Isaiah.  Hopefully, I will get that next week.  But in the meantime I thought I would follow his wife and children to see what pops up.  Sometimes that leads to what your looking for.  Florence (Isaiah's wife) I find is living with their daughter Mabel and her husband Guy R. Gwynne/Gwynn and their two boys in 1920,  Arizona.  Which is where Guy's parents are living.  Florence dies in 1925 in Denver, Colorado.  I have contacted the Fairmount Cemetery to see if there is any more information on Florence.  I had planned on working on all of their children but I never make it past Mabel Josephine Timbrel Gwynn.  Most of the census records I have found for Mabel list her birthday as being abt 1882.  Except the Oregon Death Index, which has a Mabel J Gwynn b. 1895 d. 1983 Josephine, Oregon.  Yep, in the same place her Uncle Amos is living when he passes.  So I email the same volunteer back and ask for Mabel's obit also.  I am crossing my fingers.  The funny thing is the big age gap in the years of birth.  It's normal to see some difference of age but 13 years....that's a stretch for even me.  The only reason I suspect that this might be my Mabel is the fact that it lists spouse's name as being Guy.  I wonder was she trying to make herself younger in her old age or older in her younger years.  I am leaning more towards the first.  So was she a 101 or 88?? Unfortunately, for me Oregon has a state law that prohibits anyone from having access to death certificates for the first 50 years.  In 2033, I will be able to see it. ;) In the meantime, I am really hoping the volunteer comes through with those obituaries.  Mabel's husband worked for a company that sent him out of the country quite a few times.  In 1918, he applies for a U.S. Passport.  Back then, he only had to list on his passport application his family that he was taking with him.  It shows all his information, his sons names, places & dates of birth, but only Mabel's name.  And also when he reapplies in 1924, it just lists her name on the application.  However, on two passenger lists I find for Mabel it gives the 1882 birthdate.  I really can not wait to see if this "younger" Mabel is my Mabel.  I am going to have to mull over Mabel and my questions for her for a couple days.  I think tomorrow I will see what I can dig up on her brother Claude and sister Dott.  :)