Person Page 736

Joseph Frank Prenger was born on 28 Aug 1885 in Peoria, IllinoisG.^4,5,6
     He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, G in the household of his parents, Frederick Prenger and Mary Lucas.¹⁵ He attended Spalding Institute, a Catholic high schools for boys near downtown PeoriaG, completing three years of high school.^16,17
     Joseph married first Jessie Myrtle Watson, daughter of John Quincy Watson and Lucy Florence Walker, in 1908 in Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG.^7,8
      After their marriage Joseph and Jessie lived with her elder sister, Min, and her husband Edwin Lehmann at 1709 N Perry Ave.G.¹⁸
     Joseph and Jessie moved to 208 GoodwinG about 1910.¹⁹ Joseph and Jessie appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at 208 Goodwin, enumerated 18 Apr 1910, reporting they were renting their home. Thomas J. McPherson, a mechanic on a steam railway, is listed as rooming with them.²⁰ Jessie's parents, Lucy and John Quincy Watson, moved in with her and Joseph about 1914, living with them until Jessie's death.²¹ About 1913 they all moved across the street to 219A GoodwinG.²² About 1916 they all moved to 602 5th Ave.G.²³
     His wife died on 27 Oct 1917 in Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG.^24,25,26
      After his wife's death in Joseph and their two young sons moved in with her sister, Min, and her husband, Edwin Lehmann. They continued to live with the Lehmanns until the boys were grown and the Lehmanns moved away in 1935.^27,28,29
     Joseph was a watchmaker by 1904, at age 18, working for Welte & Wieting, a jewelers with stores at 307 Main & 309 S. Adams. He was listed in the City Directories as a watchmaker or jeweler with that firm until 1906.³⁰ From 1907 through 1909 he was listed as a watchmaker for John C. Weolfle, a jeweler at 112 South Adams, then worked briefly as a collector for N. Martin Dry Goods Co.^31,32
     He returned to the jewelry business by 1912, with Weiser Jewelry and Optical Co., and was listed with them until 1920, variously as a watchmaker, in sales, and as a manager.^33,34,35
     Joseph registered for the draft for World War I on 12 Sep 1918, while living at 1201 North Monroe, Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG, reporting he was employed as a watchmaker for William Wisser, at 315 South Adams.¹ He then returned to Welte & Wieting for about four years, listed as a watchmaker there from 1921 through 1924.³⁶
     He became a proprietor of his own jewelry store, at 439 MainG, about 1925. He maintained that business until about 1933. In 1934 he is listed as a jeweler for B & K Co., then is not found until 1937 when is listed as a clerk for Kennedy Brothers, a jewelers at 313 Main. He is listed there as a jeweler, in sales, and as a manager, until his death. In the 1940 census he reported he had worked 48 hours the last week of March, and had worked 52 weeks the previous year, earning $1,000.^37,38,39,40
     Joseph appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois G, in the household of his late wife's sister, Min and her husband Edwin with his two sons, Joseph and Edwin.⁴¹ He appeared with his sons on the 1930 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois G, in the household of Min and Edwin.²⁹
     Joseph married second Edith Virginia Fenelon, daughter of James E. Fenelon and Bridget A. Brady.^9,10,11
     Joseph appeared with his second wife Edith on the 1940 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at 1105 Knoxville Ave., G in the household of Bridget A. Brady, her mother, reporting they had also lived in the same house in 1935.⁴²
     Joseph registered for the draft for World War II on 27 Apr 1942, while living at 1105 Knoxville Ave., Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG, reporting he was employed by Kennedy Jewelers, at 311 Main St.⁴³
     Joseph died on 22 Sep 1943 in Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG, at age 58.^13,14 He was buried in St. Josephs Cemetery, West Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG, next to his first wife.¹²

Joseph Watson Prenger was born on 22 Jun 1911 in Peoria, IllinoisG.^4,5,6
     After the death of their mother in 1917, Joe and his brother moved with their father to the home of their mother's sister and her husband, Min and Edwin Lehmann. They continued to live with the Lehmanns until they were grown.^13,14,15
     He appeared with his father on the 1920 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois G, in the household of his aunt Min and uncle Edwin.¹⁶ He appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois G, with his father, in the household of his uncle and aunt.¹⁵
     Joseph attended Culver Military Academy, Culver, IndianaG, for two years, graduating in 1931 in the scientific program. He was on company football, soccer, basketball, baseball, rifle, track, and boxing teams. His yearbook entry said he was to attend Stanford University.¹⁷
      Joseph attended the University of Illinois, Urbana, IllinoisG, where record of his attendance in the 1932-33 and 1934-35 terms has been found.^18,19 He attended the College of Law at Tulane University, New Orleans, LouisianaG, graduating with a bachelor's degree.^20,21 He earned a law degree from Loyola University, New Orleans, LouisianaG.²²
     Joseph appeared as a lodger on the 1940 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana G, in the household of Grace Helen Brown, his future wife, and her daughter. He reported he had lived in the same city five years earlier.²³
     Joseph registered for the draft for World War II on 16 Oct 1940, while living at 1422 Amelia, New Orleans, LouisianaG, reporting he was employed by New Orleans Public Service, in New Orleans.² He reported in the 1940 census that he was an accountant for a public utility, and had worked 40 hours the last week of March, and had worked 52 weeks the previous year, earning $1,600.²³
     Joseph married Grace Helen Brown, daughter of Lemuel Reed Brown and Sarah Frances Winston, in 1942. She had previously been married to Ralph R. Wheatley.^7,8,9
     Joseph was drafted as a private in the U.S. Army entering the service 19 Jun 1942, in Peoria, IllinoisG. He rose through the ranks to First Lieutenant by the end of the war. Details of his service have not been found.^24,25
     Joseph passed the examination for certified public accountant in Louisiana in Aug 1948.²⁶
     Joseph and Grace appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Co., Louisiana, at 819 Lavestin G, enumerated 13 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm.²⁷
     He retired from New Orleans Publis Service, Inc., the city's electic and gas utility, in 1977. While there he served as a property accounting clerk, data processing analyst, senior property accountant, and finally manager of the property accounting division.^28,22
     His wife died on 27 Sep 1981.^29,30
     Joseph died on 2 Mar 1985 at age 73.^10,11,12

Edwin Frederick Prenger was born on 9 Feb 1917 in Peoria, IllinoisG.^3,4,5
     After the death of their mother in 1917, Edwin and his brother moved with their father to the home of their mother's sister and her husband, Min and Edwin Lehmann. They continued to live with the Lehmanns until they were grown, and Edwin even lived with them for a time after he was married.^26,27,28
     Edwin appeared with his father on the 1920 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois G, in the household of his aunt Min and uncle Edwin.²⁹ He appeared with his father on the 1930 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois G, in the household of his aunt and uncle.²⁸
     Edwin moved to New Orleans, LouisianaG, about 1935, apparently with his aunt Min and uncle Edwin Lehmann.^30,31
     Edwin married first Marguerite Laura Huggitt, daughter of William Hilton Huggitt and Margaret Bettison Thurston, on 7 Dec 1936 in New Orleans, LouisianaG.^6,7,8
     Edwin moved back to Peoria with Marguerite before 1940, apparently with his aunt Min and uncle Edwin Lehmann.³² Edwin and Marguerite appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, in the household of Edwin and Min, at 202 Doubet Ct. G.³³
     He was a clerk in a distillery in 1940, reporting he had worked 42 hours the last week of March, and had worked 42 weeks the year before, earning $924.³³ He registered for the draft for World War II on 16 Oct 1940, while living at 202 Doubet Ct., Peoria, Peoria Co., IllinoisG, reporting he was employed by Century Distilling Company, in Peoria.²
     Edwin and Marguerite apparently were divorced before 1942, as he re-married in February of that year. No record of the divorce has been found.⁹
     Edwin married second Vivian B. Wagner, daughter of Henry K. Wagner and Bessie M., on 7 Feb 1942 in Canton, Lewis Co., MissouriG, with Rev. E. H. Farmer officiating.¹⁰
     Edwin and Vivian were apparently separated, if not divorced, by 1944, as she does not appear with him in that year's city directory. No record of a divorce has been found, but they seem to have divorced before 1945 as he remarried about then.^11,12,13
     Edwin moved to 2802 Main St.G by 1944, when he was working as a shopman for R. G. LeTourneau, Inc.³⁴
     Edwin married third Virginia Mae Wolfe, daughter of Robert A. Wolfe and Edith M. Fields, about 1945.^14,15,12
     He was a salesman for Air-Way Sanitizor Company of Toledo, Ohio, makers of vacuum cleaners by 1948, reporting in the 1950 census he had worked 7 hours the prior week.^35,36
     Edwin and Virginia moved to Iroquois Co., IllinoisG, before 1950. They appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Watseka, Iroquois Co., Illinois, at 314 N 2nd G, enumerated 24 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm. Irene McCurdy, a 55-year-old bookkeeper at a bank, was listed as a lodger.³⁷
     Edwin and Virginia were apparently divorced by 1952 as he remarried in December of that year, and she resumed use of her maiden name.^16,17
     Edwin married fourth Anne C. McCabe, daughter of James V. McCabe and Sophia Brown, on 22 Dec 1952 in Taylorville, IllinoisG.^18,19,20
     He owned and operated T & C Vac Store at Seventh and Hampshire in Quincy for many years before he retired.³⁸
     His fourth wife died on 3 Dec 2010.^39,40
     Edwin died on 5 Nov 2011, his home, 1610 Adams St., Quincy, IllinoisG, at age 94.^21,22,23 He was buried on 7 Nov 2011 in Greenmount Cemetery, Quincy, Adams Co., IllinoisG.^24,25

Grace Helen Brown was born on 4 Sep 1889 in Lynchburg, VirginiaG.^4,5,6
     She appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Brookville, Campbell Co., Virginia, G in the household of her parents, Lemuel Reed Brown and Sarah Frances Winston.¹⁶ She appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Lynchburg, Virginia G, in the household of her parents.¹⁷
     Grace married first Ralph R. Wheatley, son of F. H. Wheatley, on 30 Jun 1915 in Lynchburg, VirginiaG.^7,8,9
     Grace appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Elon, Amhurst Co., Virginia G, in the household of her father, Lemuel Reed Brown, with her daughter, Helen. The record seems confused, and there may well have been others in the household. Lemuel is listed as married, but his wife is not listed. His daughter is listed, but the name is shown as Ralph Wheatley, though all the other information seems to be correct for Grace. Neither Grace nor Ralph can be found elsewhere, so it appears that he was actually supposed to be listed here, and perhaps Grace's mother was too.¹⁸
     Grace and Ralph appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, at 1453 Arabella St. G, enumerated 7 Apr 1930, reporting that they rented their home, for $75 per month, and that they owned a radio. Their children Helen and Lee were listed as living with them.¹⁹
     Grace and Ralph were divorced before 1940.¹⁰
     Grace appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Parish, Louisiana, at 1422 Amelia St. G, enumerated 16 Apr 1940, reporting that she rented her home, for $35 per month. Her daughter Lee was listed as living with her, both reporting they had lived in the same city five years before. Also listed as living with them were two lodgers, Kenneth Baudoin, a research editor at the Works Progress Administration, and Joseph Watson Prenger, her future husband.²⁰
     Grace married second Joseph Watson Prenger, son of Joseph Frank Prenger and Jessie Myrtle Watson, in 1942.^11,12,13
     Grace and Joseph appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of New Orleans, Orleans Co., Louisiana, at 819 Lavestin G, enumerated 13 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm.²¹
     Grace died on 27 Sep 1981 at age 92.^14,15

Anne C. McCabe was born on 7 Apr 1926 in Winchester, IllinoisG.^4,5,6
     She appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Bloomfield, Scott Co., Illinois, G in the household of her parents, James V. McCabe and Sophia Brown.¹² She appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of North Winchester, Scott Co., Illinois, G in the household of her parents.¹³
     She appears to be the Ann McCabe listed on the 1950 Federal Census of Springfield, Sangamon Co., Illinois, at 829 So 2nd G, enumerated 17 Apr 1950, with two other women her age. She was a key punch operator and the other two stenographers, all at a State of Illinois. She reported she lived in a different house but the same county the prior year, that she had worked 40 hours the prior week and 52 weeks in 1949, earning $2,264 in wages or salary.¹⁴
     Anne married Edwin Frederick Prenger, son of Joseph Frank Prenger and Jessie Myrtle Watson, on 22 Dec 1952 in Taylorville, IllinoisG. He had previously been married to Marguerite Laura Huggitt, Vivian B. Wagner, and Virginia Mae Wolfe.^7,8,9
     Anne died on 3 Dec 2010 at age 84.^10,5 She was buried in Greenmount Cemetery, Quincy, Adams Co., IllinoisG.¹¹