Clarence Elmer Comstock1,2,3

Family Chart
ID# 274, (1867 - 1948)
FatherMilton Lemmon Comstock4,5 (19 Oct 1824 - Nov 1906)
MotherCornelia Ann Churchill4,6 (17 Mar 1831 - Oct 1908)

Key Events:

Birth: Jun 1867, Illinois7,8,9
Marriage: 27 Dec 1900, Knox Co., Illinois, Lucia Gary Driggs (about 1874 - 23 Feb 1950)10,11,12
Death: 3 Apr 1948, Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois13

Copyright Notice

Narrative:

     Clarence Elmer Comstock was born in Jun 1867 in Illinois.7,8,9 He appeared on the 1870 Federal Census of Galesburg, Knox Co., Illinois, in the household of his parents, Milton Lemmon Comstock and Cornelia Ann Churchill.14 He appeared on the 1880 Federal Census of Galesburg, Knox Co., Illinois, in the household of his parents.5
     He was a professor of mathematics at Bradley Polytechnic Institute by 1899, following in the footsteps of his father, a mathematics professor Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois.15,16,17,18,19,20 Clarence appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at 116 High St., enumerated 13 Jun 1900, boarding with Fredrick Bishop, a teacher at Bradley Polytechnic Institute, and his wife Lelia. The household also lists six other Bradley faculty members as boarders, three men and three women, and Rose Burre, a 27-year old servant.21
     Clarence married Lucia Gary Driggs, daughter of William Milton Driggs and Lucia Fidilia Higgins, on 27 Dec 1900 in Knox Co., Illinois.10,11,12
     Clarence and Lucia appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at 520 Bradley Ave., enumerated 23 Apr 1910, reporting that they rented their home. Their son Harold was listed as living with them, as was Mary C. Reed, a 28-year-old servant.2
     Clarence and Lucia appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at 522 Bradley Ave., enumerated 6 Jan 1920, reporting they rented their home. Their children Harold and George were listed as living with them.22
     Clarence and Lucia appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at 203 Fredonia Ave., enumerated 2 Apr 1930, reporting that they owned a home valued at $10,000, and owned a radio. Their children Harold and George were listed as living with them.23
     Clarence and Lucia appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Springfield, Greene Co., Missouri, enumerated about 9 May 1940.24 They also appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, enumerated 15 May 1940. In both cases they reported they had lived in the same city in 1935. Also, in both cases, they were listed without an address or other household details, and with others who had been missed initially. In Peoria their house at 203 Fredonia was skipped, and they were listed, crossed out, and listed again. The confusion suggests they had homes in both cities.24
     Clarence was the author or co-author of at least six mathematics textbooks. His First Year Algebra was published in 1903, and Elementary Algebra was published in 1907. His later books were co-authored with Mable Sykes: Plane Geometry in 1918, Beginners' Algebra and Solid Geometry in 1922, and A Second Course in Algebra in 1924.25 In 1940, still at Bradley Polytechnic Institute, he reported that he had worked 24 weeks the prior year and earned $2,600. He seems to have retired by 1942.26,27,28
     Clarence and Lucia were living in 203 Fredonia Ave. as late as 1948, but she apparently moved elsewhere after his death, as their home was listed as vacant in 1950.29
     Clarence died on 3 Apr 1948 in Peoria, Peoria Co., Illinois, at age 80.13

Children:
     Children with Lucia Gary Driggs:

Citations

  1. [S4008] Bateman, Selby, Gale and Gale, Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, 2:717, shows name as Clarence Elmer Comstock.
  2. [S4005] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1910 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois.
  3. [S1195] Illinois State Archives, Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900, online, record for Clarence E Comstock and Lucia G Griggs, citing vol G pg 159 lic no 13538.
  4. [S4006] Milton Comstock household, 1870 U.S. Census, Knox Co., Illinois, shows them apparently living as parent and child.
  5. [S4007] Milton Comstock household, 1880 U.S. Census, Knox Co., Illinois.
  6. [S4007] Milton Comstock household, 1880 U.S. Census, Knox Co., Illinois, shows him as the son of her husband.
  7. [S4014] Fredrick Bishop household, 1900 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows month, year, age 32, and state.
  8. [S4006] Milton Comstock household, 1870 U.S. Census, Knox Co., Illinois, shows age 4 and state.
  9. [S4007] Milton Comstock household, 1880 U.S. Census, Knox Co., Illinois, shows age 14 and state.
  10. [S1195] Illinois State Archives, Illinois Statewide Marriage Index, 1763–1900, online, record for Clarence E Comstock and Lucia G Griggs, citing vol G pg 159 lic no 13538, shows date and county.
  11. [S4005] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1910 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows married 9 years.
  12. [S3996] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1930 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows married, with his first marriage at age 34 and hers at 28.
  13. [S718] Illinois State Archives, Database of Death Certificates, online, record for Clarence E Comstock, citing cert no 16777.
  14. [S4006] Milton Comstock household, 1870 U.S. Census, Knox Co., Illinois.
  15. [S3471] Franks Peoria City Directory, 1899, pg 139, shows him as professor at Bradley Polytechnic Institute.
  16. [S4014] Fredrick Bishop household, 1900 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows occupation as teacher.
  17. [S4005] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1910 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows occupation as teacher, industry as institute.
  18. [S3995] E. Clarence Comstock household, 1920 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows occupation as professor of mathematics, industry as Bradley Polytechnic Institute.
  19. [S3996] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1930 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows occupation as teacher, industry as college.
  20. [S4008] Bateman, Selby, Gale and Gale, Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and Knox County, pg 2:717, shows father's profession.
  21. [S4014] Fredrick Bishop household, 1900 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois.
  22. [S3995] E. Clarence Comstock household, 1920 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois.
  23. [S3996] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1930 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois.
  24. [S4003] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1940 U.S. Census, Greene Co., Missouri.
  25. [S4011] WorldCat, online.
  26. [S4003] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1940 U.S. Census, Greene Co., Missouri, shows occupation as Prof of University, industry as teaching.
  27. [S4004] Clarence E. Comstock household, 1940 U.S. Census, Peoria Co., Illinois, shows occupation as professor, industry as teaching university.
  28. [S3474] Polk's Peoria City Directory, 1941, pg 140, shows him as a teacher; 1942, pg 143, shows him with no occupation, as do later issues.
  29. [S3474] Polk's Peoria City Directory, 1948, pg 127; 1950, pg 823.
  30. [S54] Pound, Glabe Family.