Wednesday, August 24, 2011

1910 Census Thomas Roberts Riley Family

The Thomas Roberts Riley family was living in Dover Township in Tuscarawas County Ohio at the the time of the 1910 Census.


He was 51 years old at the time and Lizzie was 47.  All the children were living at home. 
Percy  (Thomas Percy)  Age 18
Grace  Age 15
Ezra Age 14
Sidney Age 11
Norman Age 8
Sue Age 5


They lived a couple of houses away from Tom's brother Ezra and his wife Sue (on Front Street).  Both men were listed as Rollers at a Rolling Mill (Steel).  Percy was listed as a student at business college.  Both houses were listed as Owned with a Mortgage.  I imagine that a roller was a tough job for a 51 year old man. 


Dover became a steel center early on, with the first blast furnace opening in the mid 1850s. The first steel rolling mill began in 1867, and was purchased in 1882 by J. E. Reeves, becoming the foundation for the building of Reeves Steel. The legacy of Mr. Reeves, his company and his family still impacts Dover and Tuscarawas County through such local treasures as the
J. E. Reeves Home and Museum and the Reeves Foundation. The Reeves Foundation annually contributes hundreds of thousands of dollars to local good works.



Dover voters took the city "dry" in 1908, putting 22 saloons and two breweries out of business overnight. Dover became somewhat infamous during prohibition for official Volstead Act violations and many officials resigned in disgust. The city again allowed the sale of liquor after repeal of prohibition in 1933.


I don't know if Tom and Ezra worked at Reeves Steel or Ohio Steel.
Canal Dover Government Building 1911


The population of Tuscarawas County in 1910 was 57,035 and in the 2000 Census it was 90,914.
1899 Map of Canal Dover


Most of the residents on the street were children of Native Born Americans.  Many of the other men on the street also worked for the Steel Mills.

No comments:

Post a Comment