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Jens Hoitomt of Steger

Jens Hoitomt of Steger

Posted: 8 Apr 2009 8:22PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Hoitomt
I am looking for Jens Hoitomt of Steger, IL. I found him on the 1900, 1910 and 1930 census (I can't find him on the 1920 yet. Jens was born about 1869, his wife was named Louise and he had a daughter Marget and a son Adolph. He owned a boarding house and tavern in Steger and he sponsored the baseball team. I would be interested if anyone is researching him such as grandchildren, etc. He would be my great great uncle.

Re: Jens Hoitomt of Steger - found 1920 census

Posted: 10 Apr 2009 1:58AM GMT
Classification: Query
Greetings J C Mann,

----- CENSUS -----
Please provide more details on the censuses you found.
Please share Exact Spelling (forename, surname) under which you found along with Series & Roll & Page (I can view an image using Series, Roll, Page if I cannot match a name).

I am assuming you used Ancestry where used the indexes to locate "Jeno Hoitomt" in 1900 (wife Louisa and children); "Jens Hoitomt" in 1930 index (wife Louise); even "Jens Höitomt" (double-dot over O - Swedish-style) arriving in New York. I am assuming you found these too?

I used HeritageQuest (a head-of-household database indexed by Exact spelling of surname as interpreted by transcriber), so I assumed that his name would be mistranscribed or enumerator wrote it incorrectly. (HeritageQuest does not have 1930 for all states.)

I checked all censuses (it took 3 hours) - and discovered:
"HOITOMT, Jens" in 1900;
"HOITONIT, Gens" in 1910;
"HOETOML, Jans" in 1920.
TIP: I finally searched 1920 census by assuming "Illinois", "Cook", "BLOOM", and looking for everyone born in Norway - luckily only 13.
(I am not a subscriber to Ancestry, but used the census index to look for alternate Surname spellings.)

----- DEATH INDEX -----
Are you familiar with the Illinois Secretary of State databases (IL Marriage Index pre-1900; IL Death Index 1915-1950; IL Death Index pre-1915 [incomplete])?

Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950 shows:
Adolph - Sept 20, 1948 in Decatur, Macon, IL
Jens B - Aug 13, 1948 in Chicago, Cook, IL
Louise (69) - Oct 19, 1935 in Chicago Heights, Cook, IL
(Presumably you already ordered their death certificates either though the respective counties, or Springfield? If not, I can send you links to fee-based researchers I've used that can provide photocopies of DC from microfilm.)

FYI: Decatur is near Springfield in Central Illinois; Chicago Heights is a southern suburb;
Jens might have died in a hospital in Chicago or in Marget's home (as few suburbs had hospitals in 1948).

----- ARE YOU SEARCHING BACK INTO NORWAY? -----
Have you already traced the family through the Norwegian databases (census, emigration) using the patronymic naming method prevalent at that time, as well as a farm name? Or aren't you tracing back that far? (Suggest subscribing to NORWAY-L; I can point you to the Norwegian databases.)

You can reach me through this list, or using my YAHOO email address (uses my login name above). I can send you my findings off-list if you send me your email address.

Ralph from Chicago

Re: Jens Hoitomt of Steger - additional info

Posted: 10 Apr 2009 4:03AM GMT
Classification: Query
Did you know that JENS HOITOMT was a former mayor of Steger? And in April 1932 he, along with former village trustee (John Thorndike) and former village clerk and collector (Charles Stein), were standing trial for embezzling $20,000 (Stein became a prosecution witness)? Wonder what the outcome of the trial was? Bet his descendants have more details, or is covering it up?

The only reference I found (by plugging in "HOITOMT") was a Chicago Tribune article that talked about a Steger village-owned automobile, containing records, that was stolen while parked outside the Cook County Criminal Court Building (at 26th Street and S. California Ave). Jury selection was suspended until the vehicle, and its records, were later recovered.

I suspect that the local newspapers at the Steger Public Library may have more details/results about the embezzlement case, and possibly Jens' obituary.

Or you might be able to locate the court records, if available on microfilm, to learn the results of the trial.
Check out "Archives" on www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org, then "Requesting Case Searches" to see fee schedule.
(Don't know how to locate specific case.)

------------
Since you already found photos of the baseball team, I suspect you already contacted "Myron Hoitomt" whose grandfather was Jen's younger brother, and like you is looking for any information about Jens?

And located all the "Jens HOITOMT" references online?

www.archive.org/stream/historyofnorwegi00stra/historyofnorwe...
Full text of "A history of the Norwegians of Illinois"

Jens HOITOMT and Olai HOITOMT were officers of various Norwegian-American organizations between 1895 and 1900s, as transcribed in "THE NORWEGIANS IN CHICAGO" chapter.

There were several others names HOITOMT in the US census living in Illinois or other states, or even Canada.

Contact me off list and I'll give you my research (6 hours so far).
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