GROESBECK, Frank and Edna (Hardin County IA)

FRANK & EDNEY GROESBECK

IDENTIFICATION ON PHOTO: "Frank & Edney Goosbeck"
PHOTO TAKEN: Watters Studio, Eldora IA, circa 1898
PURCHASED: 2017 Traditions Antique Mall, Wildwood FL

This was a toughie! Whoever wrote the names on the back was not familiar enough with the family to spell the surname correctly. What is given as "Goosbeck" actually turned out to be "Groesbeck".

The photo was taken in Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa. Once I accepted that the name could be misspelled, it became an easier task. I have located a Frank "Grossbeck" and his wife Nora Edna, on the 1900 Census for Union Iowa, about 10 miles south of Eldora (the county seat, and likely closest photographer). NOTE - Census taker has spelled the name wrong.

Frank is James Frank GROESBECK, son of James Groesbeck (1837-1916) and Susan Burr (1848-1922).

Edna was born Nora Edna UPDIKE, daughter of William Updike (1849-1906) and Sarah Sweet (1849-1915).

1900 Federal Census > IA > Hardin > Union
GROSSBECK, Frank, head, Apr 1879, 21, m. 1yr, born in IA of NY and PA parents, day laborer
GROSSBECK, Edna, wife, Jan 1879, 21, m. 1 yr, 1 of 1 child living, born in IA
GROSSBECK, Basil L., son, Mar 1899, 1, born in Iowa of Iowa parents

Frank's parents are enumerated next-door:
GROSSBECK, James, head, Oct 1836, 63, born in PA, liveryman
GROSSBECK, Susan, wife, Dec 1843, 56, born in PA of PA parents

Sept 1918, Frank registers for the WWI Draft, giving his full name as "James Frank Groesbeck", born April 22, 1879, occupation Drayman.

By the 1920 Census, the family has move 20 miles east to the township of Clay in Grundy County, Iowa. 

1920 Federal Census > IA > Grundy > Clay
GROESBECK, Frank, head, 40, born in Iowa of IL parents, dray man
GROESBECK, Edna, wife, 40, born in IA of MI and NY parents
GROESBECK, Bastle, son, 20, born in IA, teamster
GROESBECK, Wanda, dau, 14, born in IA
GROESBECK, Claude, son, 11, born in IA
GROESBECK, Ella, dau, 9, born in IA
GROESBECK, Robert, son, 2, born in IA

James Frank Groesbeck died in 1955. This obituary gives more details about his life.

Edna died in 1959.

Their descendants:
1899 - Bastle Lloyd Groesbeck (d. 1939)
1906 - Wanda Lucille Groesbeck (d. 1985) m. Roland Briggs
1908 - Claude Everett Groesbeck (d. 1992) m. Johanna Markwitz, no offspring.
1911 - Della Rowena Groesbeck (d. _) m. Harold LeMay
         1938 - Connie LeMay-Wilson (d. 2017) m. Terry Wilson
1917 - Robert Lyle Groesbeck (d. 1970, served in WWII) m. Doris Delene Coffman