Documented History
The 1910 United States Census tells me that Minnie Pearl Winton lived with her husband Moris G. Buchanan (Maurice Grant) in Illinois at the time. He was 26 and she was 19 years old, they were newly weds.
It confirms that they lived in Avena, Fayette, Illinois and that Minnie was born in 1891. Both spoke English and both were able to read and write. They did not have children at this time.
According to the 1920 United States Census, Pearl and Morris G. lived at 9295 Lafeyette St., Pakota, Pike, Indiana with their four children: Versa – age 9, twins Charles & Carlin – age 7, and Lois – age 5.
Maurice and Pearl had moved to Loogootee, Martin, Indiana with their three youngest children, according to the 1930 United States Census.
Charles and Carlin were 17 years old and Lois was 15 years old at the time. Maurice was a Pastor at the Methodist Church and was not a veteran. They rented a home worth $120.
A 1934 U.S. City Directory lists Maurice G and Pearl as an insurance agent living at 1233 N. State Ave, Indianapolis, Indiana.
The 1940 Census revealed that Pearl and M.G. lived alone in Grandview, Spencer, Indiana. It lists Pearl as 18 years old when she first married and birthed 4 children.
Her estimated birth year was 1892. She was 48 years old at the time of the Census, had completed the first year of high school and was an unpaid family worker as a private housekeeper.
A U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 record lists her name as Pearl M Welton and shows her married to Maurice G. Buchanan with a child named Lois C Kiraly.
Have we used the wrong last name and mixed up dates and parents for Pearl? I have gone through and removed all relationships for Pearl except for her husband and children as I have verified those. I also removed her birth and death dates. I set her birth date to 1891 as that is when the Census estimates she was born.
I will keep researching her until I can find more verifiable facts. I’m keeping these records because the relationships match. But other than these, I don’t have any further information on Pearl at this time. If you knew Pearl or her family, I would sure appreciate if you’d share any information you have in the Comments section below. I would love to know more about her as she is one of my greats.
Take care and hug your loved ones!
~Kris
