Charles Peter Thill

Charles Peter Thill arrived in America May 10, 1854, on board the ship "Sarah Park" which docked in New York City after departing from Le Havre, France. Charles was born January 26, 1830, in Luxembourg, the son of Charles and Barbe Habes Thill. In Erie County, New York, about 1861, Charles married Mary Frances Tatu, whose parents were French. She was born in Erie County, New York, April 15, 1844. Charles and Mary were the parents of 16 children, but four died as infants.

In the 1855 New York State Census for Concord, Erie County, Mary Frances Tatu, 11, years old, was living with her parents, listed as follows in the census: Peter C., 38, Josephine, 38, Mary Ann, 14, Justin P., 13, Peter C., Jr., 10, Josephine, 8, Joseph, 7, Celestine, 5, Francis, 3, and a daughter named Florin, 4 months old. Also living in their home was a laborer named George, 48. Peter was working as a farmer.

Also living nearby was Peter's father, Francis, 65, and mother, Mary M., 75, and their son, Justin, 32, his wife, Margaret, and their daughter Mary, 8 years old. They were all born in France, except for the children who were all born in Erie County, New York. So since the eldest child was 14 they must have come to New York sometime before 1841. Previously in the 1850 census they had been living in Buffalo, Erie County, New York, and Peter was working as a merchant.

In the 1860 U.S. Federal Census for North Collins, Erie County, New York, Charles Thill was 30 years old and working as a butcher. He was living with Nicholas Thillen, 24, who was working as a farmer. Both of them were listed as being born in Germany. They were living in the New Oregon Post Office area. Their neighbors included a shoemaker, a blacksmith, a school master, a sawyer, and other farmers. Most of them were born in New York but some were also born in Germany, Luxembourg, and Canada.

When Charles registered for the draft during the Civil War in June of 1863 he was living in Concord, Erie County, and was a 32 year old married farmer born in Germany. In January of 1864 in Concord Charles paid taxes per the U.S. IRS Tax Assessment List in the amount of $1.80 for 9 slaughtered cattle that had been in his possession.

In the Erie County, New York, census for the town of Boston during the year 1865, Charles was still working as a butcher. The house where they were living was valued at $800. Charles was 35 years old, his wife, Mary, 22, and their first two daughters were Mary, three years and five months old, and Josephine, one year and ten months old. The census showed that Charles was born in Germany and Mary and their daughters were born in Erie County, New York.

By 1870 Charles was working as a grocer and was living in North Collins, New York, with his wife and children, and they were listed as follows: Charles, 40, Mary, 26, Mary, 7, Josephine, 5, Charles, 4, Catharine, 2, and Ann, 7 months old, having been born in November of 1869. In this census it shows Charles was born in Luxembourg, and Mary and the children in New York. Charles stated that his real estate was valued at $2,000 and his personal estate at $1,000.

In 1880 the family was still living in North Collins, and were listed in the census as follows: Charles Thill, 50, Mary, 35, Mary, 18, Josephine, 16, Charles, 14, Catharine, 12, Anna, 10, William, 8, Lewis, 6, Peter, 3, and Victoria, 1 year old. Charles was working as an inn keeper, and their daughter Mary was working as a domestic servant. Once again, Charles was shown to have been born in Luxembourg.

By 1884 the family had moved to Chicago, Illinois, and were listed in a U.S. City Directory Listing living on West Ridge Avenue near the Indian boundary line. Both Charles Sr. and Jr. were working as laborers. From an 1889 directory listing it shows that both Charles and his father were working as gardeners. On April 14, 1894, Charles Jr. married Margaretha Honvlez in Chicago when he was 28 and Margaretha was 21 years old.

They were listed in the 1900 U.S. Federal census as follows: Charles, 70, Mary, 56, Victoria, 21, Elisabeth, 11, and next door was their son Charles, Jr., 34, and his wife, Margaretha, 27, and their first three children, Elisabeth, 4, Maria, 2, and Agnes, 5 months old, having been born in December of 1899. They were living at 3767 and 3769 Winchester Avenue, homes they owned free from mortgages. Since Victoria was born in New York in 1878, and her sister Elizabeth was born in Illinois, they must have moved to Chicago sometime between 1880 and 1884.

By this time Charles was no longer working, but his son Charles, Jr. was listed as a laborer. They both owned their own homes free from mortgages. Here Charles Sr. was once again listed as having been born in Germany rather than Luxembourg. Mary's parents were shown to have both been born in France.

In the 1910 census the family was living at 6230 N. Winchester Avenue in Chicago, and sadly, Charles, Jr.'s wife, Margaretha or Maggie, had passed away in 1905, and now he was living with his parents along with his 5 children with Maggie. They were listed as follows in the census: Charles, 80, Mary F., 66, Charles, Jr., 44, Elsie, 13, Mary, 12, Agnes, 10, Charles S., 8, and Julia, 5 years old. Charles Sr. was no longer working but his son was working as the teamster of an ash wagon.

Two years later Charles passed away at the age of 82 years old on February 9, 1912, and was buried in the Saint Henry Catholic Church Cemetery in Chicago. By 1920, Charles Jr., 54, was living with two of his daughters, Agnes, 20, and Julia, 16, and his widowed mother, Mary, 76. Charles was working as a gardener at a cemetery and his daughter Agnes as an operator for the telephone company.

Mary passed away 7 years later in Evanston, Illinois, and was buried with her husband Charles in the Saint Henry Catholic Church Cemetery in Chicago. By 1930, Charles, Jr., 64, was living with his married daughter, Agnes, 30, and her husband, Nicholas J. Pauly, 33, and their children, John, 8, Joan, 5, Patsy, 2, and Larry, 1 year old. They were still living in the home at 6230 North Winchester Avenue, however, it appears that Nicholas was paying $45 per month rent to live in the home of Charles Thill. Nicholas was working as an upholsterer in a furniture manufacturing company. Nicholas was born in Illinois but his parents were born in Germany.

By 1940, Agnes Pauly, 40, was listed as a widow, and was living with her father Charles Thill, Jr., 74, and her children, Jack, 17, Joan, 15, Patsy, 12, Larry, 11, Nicholas, 9, and Dick, 3 years old at the same home at 6230 Winchester Avenue, which was valued at $5,000. Charles had a 6th grade education, Agnes, an 8th grade education, Jack was in his 3rd year of high school and Joan in the first year of high school. No occupation was listed for any family members, although Agnes indicated she had her own income.

Six years later, Charles Peter Thill, Jr., born October 3, 1865, passed away at the age of nearly 81 years old, on September 8, 1946, and was buried with his parents in the Saint Henry Catholic Cemetery in Chicago.