Terry & Nancy's Ancestors

Family History Section

Person Page 1,904

Emma Grace Kaufman1,2,3

ID# 19040, (1879 - 1960)
Family Chart

Parents:

FatherPhilip Kaufman (abt 1838 - 3 Mar 1895)
MotherRachel Melvina Fagin (May 1842 - 1932)
Chart MembershipDescendants of Jacob K. and Christiana Ohl Riegel
Family IndexesThe Reigel Family

Key Events:

Birth: 4 Apr 1879, Fairbury, Nebraska,4,5,6,7
Marriage: 30 Mar 1901, York, York Co., Nebraska, Charles Weller Shurtz (b. 18 Aug 1872, d. 3 May 1938)8,9
Marriage: 1944, Rudolph Otto Soby (b. 1 Mar 1895, d. 10 Apr 1972)10,11,12
Death: 3 Feb 1960,13,14,12
Burial: 5 Feb 1960, Forest Lawn Cemetery, Omaha, Nebraska,15
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Narrative:

Emma Grace Kaufman was born on 4 Apr 1879 in Fairbury, NebraskaG.4,5,6,7
     She appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Fairbury, Jefferson Co., Nebraska, G in the household of her parents, Philip Kaufman and Rachel Melvina Fagin.16
     Her father died on 3 Mar 1895, when Emma was 15 years old.17,18
     She appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of York, York Co., Nebraska, G in the household of her mother.18
     Emma married Charles Weller Shurtz, son of Frederick J. Shurtz and Sarah Elizabeth Riegel, on 30 Mar 1901 in York, York Co., NebraskaG, with Rev. George J. Chapman officiating.8,9
     As an adult she seems to have generally used her middle name, Grace, in preferences to her first name, Emma.19,20,21
     Grace and Charles moved to Nelson, Nuckolls Co., NebraskaG, before 1910. They appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Nelson, Nuckolls Co., Nebraska G, enumerated 25 Apr 1910, reporting they rented their home. His younger brother John was listed as living with them.22
     Grace and Charles moved to Omaha by 1912, when they were living at 1106 South 10th St. They changed their residence frequently over the next six years, in most cases being listed as rooming or boarding. Addresses included 1013 South 11th St. in 1913, 1421 24th St. and 318½ South 20th St. in 1915, 2019 Harney St. in 1916 and 1917, and the Elms Hotel in 1918.23
     In their early years in Omaha, Grace worked as a stenographer and clerk for the real estate firm of Joseph N. Snitzer, in the Paxton building.24
     Grace and Charles appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska, at 408 South 24th St. G, enumerated 9 Jan 1920, rooming at the home of Elwood Moore and his family with six other roomers.25 About 1921 they moved to 2324 Harney St.G, then by 1925 to 412 South 24th St., to 1721 Davenport about 1926, then to 1811 Chicago by 1928.26
     About 1929 Grace and Charles moved to 216 North 17th St., and were variously reported in 214, 216, and 218 for the remainder of their time in Omaha. It is not clear whether they actually moved between the nearby houses or whether these were errors in the city directory.27 Grace and Charles appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska G, at 214 North 17th St., enumerated 10 Apr 1930, reporting that they were renting their home, apparently half of a two-family house, for $28 per month.28
     Grace and Charles moved back to his home town of Shenandoah, IowaG, about 1936, where they lived until his death.29
     Her husband died on 3 May 1938 in Shenandoah, Page Co., IowaG.30,31
     Grace moved back to Omaha after her husband's death, where she appears in the city directory in 1940 at 523 N 20th St.G She has not been found at that address or any other in the 1940 census.32
     Emma married Rudolph Otto Soby, son of Frank Sobeslavsky and Anna Pechanec, in 1944. He had previously been married to Josephine Novotny.10,11,12 He had shorted his surname from the original Sobeslavsky a few years before, and they used the shorter version during their marriage. But he continued to use the older version on some legal documents, and it was used in his obituary.
     Emma and Rudolph appeared on the 1945 State Census of Jacksonville, Duval Co., Florida, at 410 Pearl St. G.33
     Emma and Rudolph appeared on the 1950 Federal Census of Omaha, Douglas Co., Nebraska, at 717 South 19 St. G, enumerated 14 Apr 1950, reporting they lived in a home that was not on a farm.34
     Emma died on 3 Feb 1960 at age 80.13,14,12 She was buried on 5 Feb 1960 in Forest Lawn Cemetery, Omaha, NebraskaG, in the same plot as her brother Percy and his wife.15

Children:
     There were no children with Charles Weller Shurtz

Children:
     There were no children with Rudolph Otto Sobeslavsky

Citations

  1. [S4865] Philip Kaufman household, 1880 U.S. Census, Jefferson Co., Nebraska, shows name as Emma Kaufman.
  2. [S4864] Charles W. Shurtz and Emma G. Kaufman, Marriage Record.
  3. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Emma Grace Shurtz Soby, Soc. Sec. No. 507-20-5770.
  4. [S4865] Philip Kaufman household, 1880 U.S. Census, Jefferson Co., Nebraska, shows age 1 and state.
  5. [S4852] Buela Kaufman household, 1900 U.S. Census, York Co., Nebraska, shows month, year, age 21, and state.
  6. [S4864] Charles W. Shurtz and Emma G. Kaufman, Marriage Record, shows age 23 at marriage 30 Mar 1901, town, and state.
  7. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Emma Grace Shurtz Soby, Soc. Sec. No. 507-20-5770, shows date, with year as 1895.
  8. [S4864] Charles W. Shurtz and Emma G. Kaufman, Marriage Record, shows date, town, county, state, and officant.
  9. [S4851] Charles W. Schultz household, 1910 U.S. Census, Nuckolls Co., Nebraska, shows married 9 years, his second marriage an her first.
  10. [S12949] Rudolph Soby household, 1945 Florida State Census, Duval Co., Florida, Precinct 5C, shows her as his wife.
  11. [S12948] Rudolph Soby household, 1950 U.S. Census, Douglas Co., Nebraska, shows married.
  12. [S12951] Rudolph O. Sobeslavsky obituary, Fremont Tribune, shows year.
  13. [S12947] Forest Lawn Cemetery, online burial records, record for Grace Soby, section Forest Lawn Memorial Park 24, plot 282, grave 4, shows date.
  14. [S1500] "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," Ancestry.com, record for Emma Grace Shurtz Soby, Soc. Sec. No. 507-20-5770, shows date.
  15. [S12947] Forest Lawn Cemetery, online burial records, record for Grace Soby, section Forest Lawn Memorial Park 24, plot 282, grave 4, shows date and Percy James and Ida Kaufman in same plot.
  16. [S4865] Philip Kaufman household, 1880 U.S. Census, Jefferson Co., Nebraska.
  17. [S12955] Phillip Kaufman, U.S., Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1861-1904, shows date.
  18. [S4852] Buela Kaufman household, 1900 U.S. Census, York Co., Nebraska.
  19. [S4852] Buela Kaufman household, 1900 U.S. Census, York Co., Nebraska, shows name as Emma Kaufman.
  20. [S4849] Charles Shurtz household, 1930 U.S. Census, Douglas Co., Nebraska, shows name as Grace Shurtz.
  21. [S4854] R. L. Polk & Co.'s City Directory of Greater Omaha, 1932 pg 707, 1934 pg 720, and 1940 pg 719 show given name as Grace; while 1933 pg 690 shows Emma G.
  22. [S4851] Charles W. Schultz household, 1910 U.S. Census, Nuckolls Co., Nebraska.
  23. [S4853] Omaha Directory Co.'s Omaha City Directory, 1912 pg 801; 1913 pg 832; 1914 pg 816; 1915 pg 798; 1916 pg 898; 1917 pg 742; and 1918 pg 819.
  24. [S4853] Omaha Directory Co.'s Omaha City Directory, 1914 pp 816, 833; 1915 pg 798; and 1916 pg 898.
  25. [S4848] Elwood Moore household, 1920 U.S. Census, Douglas Co., Nebraska.
  26. [S4854] R. L. Polk & Co.'s City Directory of Greater Omaha, 1921 pg 836; 1923 pg 943; 1925 pg 856; 1926 pg 776; and 1928 pg 837.
  27. [S4854] R. L. Polk & Co.'s City Directory of Greater Omaha, 1929 pg 666; 1931 pg 768; 1932 pg 707; 1933 pg 690; 1934 pg 720; and 1935 pg 773.
  28. [S4849] Charles Shurtz household, 1930 U.S. Census, Douglas Co., Nebraska.
  29. [S4855] Charles Weller Shurtz, Certificate of Death, shows he had lived in town 2 years.
  30. [S4855] Charles Weller Shurtz, Certificate of Death, shows date, town, county, and state.
  31. [S500] Findagrave.com, online, memorial # 64866088, Charles W. Shurtz, shows date and includes tombstone photos showing year.
  32. [S4854] R. L. Polk & Co.'s City Directory of Greater Omaha, 1940 pg 719.
  33. [S12949] Rudolph Soby household, 1945 Florida State Census, Duval Co., Florida, Precinct 5C.
  34. [S12948] Rudolph Soby household, 1950 U.S. Census, Douglas Co., Nebraska.

 

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Compiler: Terry Reigel
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