SPRAGUE, Ethel

ETHEL SPRAGUE
New Berlin, Class of 1909

UPDATE - Ethel has been claimed by her great-grandson and is on her way home!

Identification on photo: ETHEL SPRAGUE
Photo taken: Talbot Studio, New Berlin, NY 1909
Purchased: Aug 2018 Madison-Bouckville NY Antiques Week

Ethel is found on the 1905 New York State Census in nearby Pittsfield, Otsego County, NY.
SPRAGUE, Edward, 42
SPRAGUE, Etta, 38
SPRAGUE, Ethel, 15
SPRAGUE, Jessie, 11
SPRAGUE, Nina, 8
SPRAGUE, Irena, 4
SPRAGUE, Elina, 73

There was also an older sister, Anna Celia (1885-1981) who was already married (to a man named Strait) and living elsewhere.  There was also a younger sister Doris, who was not born yet at the time of the 1905 State Census.

20 Oct 1909, at age 19, Ethel M. Sprague of New Berlin, NY, married 19yo farmer Leon Holmes Morton, also of New Berlin. The bride's occupation is "School Teacher" and her parents are Edward Sprague and Etta Moore. The groom is a farmer, whose parents are George W. Morton and Mary E. Kellogg.

1920 Census > NY > Herkimer > Herkimer
MORTON, Leon, head, 30, born in NY of NY parents, blacksmith and Elect. welding
MORTON, Ethel, wife, 29, born in NY of NY parents
MORTON, Margueritte, daughter, 9, born in NY
MORTON, Frederick, son, 1y6m, born in NY

This lovely family photo (above) was found online at Ancestry.com at a family tree which includes Ethel. (I do not possess this photo, and am only including it here for interest.) This photo shows Leon, Ethel and presumably daughter Margueritte, taken probably around 1915. (It is the owner of this family tree that I will try to contact, and hopefully return Ethel's photo to her for safekeeping.)

1925 NY State Census > Herkimer, German Flatts
MORTON, Leon, head, 35, Factory laborer
MORTON, Ethel, wife, 35, Factory laborer
MORTON, Margueritte, daughter, 15, school
MORTON, Frederick, son, 7, school

Utica City Directory 1925
MORTON Leon H. (Ethel), emp typewriter, home 9 Hess Ave.

1940 CENSUS > NY > Herkimer > German Flatts > East Avenue
MORTON, Leon H., head, 50, punch-press operator in typewriter factory
MORTON, Ethel, wife, 50
MORTON, Geraldine, daughter-in-law, 20

1946 - Ethel's husband Leon died of coronary thrombosis.

Herkimer City Directory 1951
MORTON, Ethel, wid Leon H, home 58 East

Children:
Helen Margueritte Morton-Jones (b. 1910 - d. 1948)
Leon Frederick Morton (1918-2001)

Ethel died in 1969 at age 79 and is buried in Herkimer, at the Oak Hill Cemetery next to her husband Leon.