Eli Oscar Grover Park b. 7 Aug 1884 Gerald, Franklin Co., MO d. 25 Nov 1952 Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL: The Schrock-Birkey Connection
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Eli Oscar Grover Park

Male 1884 - 1952  (68 years)


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  • Name Eli Oscar Grover Park  [1, 2, 3] 
    Birth 7 Aug 1884  Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Gender Male 
    Census 1910  Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location  [5] 
    • Lived on Antioch Rd.- Laborer/Section Hand, Grover 25, Effie, 20, Forest 2, Mamie 2, Roy 0
    Residence 1912  Leslie, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • R.F.D. #2 Source: Laura Mae’s birth certificate. . . .
      Place name: Indian Paint Mine
      Description: A prehistoric paint mine, near Leslie in the northeast part of Boone Township. This mine, which is said to be the only one ever found in the United States, was discovered about 1903 by Dr. Walter S. Cox, of Cuba, Missouri, who happened upon it while he was opening what he supposed was a new mine. He developed the first fire-clay pit at Owensville and later interested himself in iron mines along the Colorado River. Dr. Cox removed over 1200 primitive iron sledges and rock tools from the Indian Paint Mine. Evidently great numbers of Indian laborers had worked for many years to tunnel for long distances along the soft seams of red ungent intermingled with solid iron. Here the aborigines mined and mixed the glowing red mineral colors he used for so many purposes. Some of the ways he utilized the paint were: for personal adornment to discomfit his foe or to charm his admirer, for decorations of his habitation and pottery; for painted pictgographs on the walls of hills and caverns; for decorated altars; and for his protection from the sun and insects. The pigments were derived from many sources, but usually were of mineral origin, particularly the oxides of iron and carbonate of copper. These Indians were usually adept at mixing their colors, which were ground in small mortars or rubbed down on a flat stone, and in extracting the stains and dyes from vegetable substances. The colors were applied as dry paint with a piece of clay, chalk, or charcoal; or, when mixed with oil or water, with the hand or fingers, or a stick. Occasionally the colors were even sprayed with the mouth as was the case with the Pueblo mask painters. Several tribes prepared dry paints by mixing the pigments with sand, meal, or clay. Dry paints made in this manner were usually used to adorn ceremonial chambers or altars. (Hodge, "Painting"; MHR XXXI; Washington Library Records)
      Source: Harrison, Eugenia L. "Place Names Of Four River Counties In Eastern Missouri." M.A. thesis., University of Missouri-Columbia, 1943.
    Residence Abt 1913  Southern Illinois Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Near Shelbyville, IL
    Residence Abt 1919  Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Mae said she was 2 when they came to Fisher, Mamie’s recollection is that she was 12 and they came in 1919.
    Census Jun 1920  East Bend Twp., Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Parks, Grover, 35, head of household; Effie, wife, age 30; Forrest & Mamie, age 12; Roy, age 10, May, age 8. Listed just following John S. Teuscher family.
    Baptism Jan 1921  Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [6] 
    • East Bend Mennonite Church, by A. Schrock
    Occupation 1905, Employed as clerk In a dry goods and grocery store near New Haven, MO for four months.   [7] 
    Occupation 1912 R. R. Section laborer, according to Laura Mae’s birth certificate 
    Occupation A.O.Smith, Mfg. In Kankakee, IL 
    Occupation Abt 1913 Coal mines in southern Illinois 
    Occupation Abt 1919 Farm Laborer In Fisher, IL Area 
    Occupation Assembly Operator, Paramount Textile, Kankakee, IL 
    Occupation Thomas Lawless’s grain mill in Cerro Gordo, IL 
    Reference Number 12 
    Religion Christian 
    Residence Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 521 W. Water Street. Lived there in 1952 when I was married.
    Residence 27 Apr 1942  Chatsworth, Livingston Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [8] 
    USR1 Cardiac Failure--Due To Recurrent Virus Infection Lung, And Coronary Disease 
    Death 25 Nov 1952  Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 9] 
    • St. Mary Hospital
    Burial 29 Nov 1952  Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2] 
    • Kankakee Memorial Gardens in Aroma Twp., Kankakee, IL
    Person ID I12  Schrock-Birkey Connection
    Last Modified 27 Apr 2023 

    Father Eli Bailey Park,   b. 18 Jan 1846, Little Creek, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Dec 1922, Stanton, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 76 years) 
    Mother Melinda Olive Thompson,   b. 30 Mar 1847, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 6 Oct 1930, Overland, St. Louis Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 83 years) 
    Marriage 28 Mar 1867  Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location  [10] 
    • Copy of certificate in file
    Photos
    Eli Bailey and Olive Thompson Park    		Eli Bailey and Olive Thompson Park
    Eli Bailey and Olive Thompson Park
    Family ID F269  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Effie Louella Blackwell,   b. 6 Jul 1889, Walbert/Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 30 Apr 1964, Gibson City, Ford Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 74 years) 
    Marriage 22 Apr 1906  Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Antioch Church, by W. B. Adams. Marriage date from Family Register in Effie’s Bible.
    Notes 
    • It seems their marriage certificate was registered in Clark Co., but they were married in Franklin Co.
    Children 
     1. Forest Eli Park,   b. 8 Nov 1907, Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 24 Jan 1980, Salem, Fulton Co., AR Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 72 years)
     2. Mamie Frances Park,   b. 8 Nov 1907, Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Jul 1980, South Bend, St. Joseph Co., IN Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 72 years)
     3. Roy Newton Park,   b. 10 Oct 1909, Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 28 Mar 1988, St. Louis, St. Louis Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 78 years)
     4. Laura Mae Park,   b. 2 May 1912, Champion City, Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 11 Nov 2009, Carol Stream, DuPage Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 97 years)
     5. Verna Eileen Park,   b. 25 Aug 1921, Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 23 Feb 1992, Punta Gorda, Charlotte Co., FL Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 70 years)
    Family ID F7  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 10 Oct 2018 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 7 Aug 1884 - Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 22 Apr 1906 - Gerald, Franklin Co., MO Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - 1910 - Boone Twp., Franklin Co., MO Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 1912 - Leslie, Franklin Co., MO Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - Abt 1919 - Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsCensus - Jun 1920 - East Bend Twp., Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - Jan 1921 - Fisher, Champaign Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - - Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsResidence - 27 Apr 1942 - Chatsworth, Livingston Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 25 Nov 1952 - Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 29 Nov 1952 - Kankakee, Kankakee Co., IL Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Photos
    Eli Oscar Grover Park    		Eli Oscar Grover Park
    (1884-1952)
    Effie Louella Blackwell Park (1889-1964)    		Effie Louella Blackwell Park (1889-1964)
    Wedding photo of Effie Blackwell and Grover Park
    Grover and Effie Blackwell Park    		Grover and Effie Blackwell Park
    Grover and Effie Blackwell Park wedding pictureGrover and Effie Blackwell Park wedding picture

  • Notes 
    • Before his marriage, Grover lived for a while in Kiel, MO. Mr. Kiel, in the Kiel File, probably answered the question of why. He reports that “Grover spent several months in 1905 working in a store in New Haven, “during which time he no doubt lived in Kiel.

      Grover and his family moved from Missouri to Illinois in order to find work. They moved first to two southern Illinois communities--Carlyle and Taylor Springs--where Grover worked in the coal mines. One day Grover met a man who knew a farmer from Illinois needing help. So, in 1913 Effie and Grover pulled up roots in Southern Illinois and moved to Central Illinois with their family in order to work on the farmlands, remaining in Illinois until death. Grover began working as a farm hand on the Alvin [August?] Sperling farm near the small village of Fisher. Later he worked for John Teuscher, a Mennonite family that attended the East Bend Mennonite Church near Fisher. Grover was so impressed with the life of this family that the Park family became a member of the Mennonite community, and several children married Mennonites. Grover later worked for many years at the A.O. Smith plant in Kankakee.

      Several days following the wedding of granddaughter Donna Schrock and Del Birkey, Grover had a heart attack and died five months later in Kankakee. [11, 12]

  • Sources 
    1. [S1] Donna Schrock Birkey, Personal knowledge and family records.

    2. [S1060] Find-A-Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129612904/grover-e.-park.

    3. [S732] Grover Park Death Certificate.

    4. [S18] Gravestone name and dates.

    5. [S1145] 1910 Census, Park, Grover-Effie.

    6. [S225] Peter Zehr, East Bend Mennonite Church Records.

    7. [S36] Mr. Kiel, Kiel File, (Local newspaper).

    8. [S868] WW II Draft Registration for “Older Men” born on or after April 28, 1877 and on or before February 16, 1897.

    9. [S806] Death Certificate of Grover Park.

    10. [S15] Eli B. Park Family Bible Record of Births and Deaths.

    11. [S73] Autobiography Mamie Park Cender.

    12. [S36] Mr. Kiel, Kiel File, (Local newspaper), p. 29817.


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