Harry Carpenter Shirk

  General Notes:

Harry's middle name was found in the South Dakota Birth Records ... see general notes for his son, Joseph Troylus Shirk.

The 1900 Federal Census for Redfield, Spink Co., South Dakota, District 313, page 260A, dated June 1900 records Harry C. (June 1857 - PA/PA/PA) and Jennie (March 1862 - Wisconsin/Ohio/Ohio) Shirk with their 5 daughters: Kate D. (Sept 1881 - Iowa), Lou M. (March 1883 - SD), Henriette (Dec 1884 - SD), Gretchen A. (Dec 1889 - SD), and Dora E. (Sept 1897 - SD). Harry is a R R Conductor and has been married to Jennie for 19 years. They have had 6 children of whom 5 are still living.

Harry's wife is most likely Jennie James in that the 1880 census records a Jennie James, born in Wisconsin, living near by the Joseph Shirk family (on the same page of the census): The 1880 Federal Census for Washington Township, Dallas Co., Iowa, District 48, page 191A, dated June 29, 1880 records Jenny James (15 - Wisconsin/Ohio/Ohio) living with her parents T. G. James (43 - Ohio/Ohio/VA) and Martha (35 - Ohio/Maine/Ohio) James and siblings Vennie (2 - Iowa) and Vernon (11/12 - Iowa).

The 1910 Federal Census for Township 11, Fresno Co., California, District 70, page 165B, dated May 18, 1910 records Harry C. (52 - PA/PA/PA) and Minnie (43 - IL/KY/IL) Shirk with children Gretchen Shirk (20 - Dakota), Dorothy D. Shirk (12 - Dakota), Joseph T. Shirk (9 - Dakota) and step daughter Blanche Batter (18 - Dakota/PA/PA) . This is a 2nd marriage for both Harry and Minnie who have been married for 5 years. Harry is a Conductor on the Rail Road. [Note: The 1880 Federal Census for Appomattox, Potter Co., Southg Dakota records the widow Minnie N. Butter (Butler) (April 1867 - Illinois/KY/Indiana) with her daughter Blanche E. Butler (June 1893 - SD/PA/IL) living with her parents John (73) and Arzalla (71) Donovan.

The 1920 Federal Census for Huntington Park, San Antonio Township, Los Angeles, California, District 561, page 14B, dated January 2, 1920 records Harry C. (61 - PA/PA/PA) and Minnie (53) Shirk with children Dorothy E. Shirk (20 - SD) and Joseph T. Shirk (19 - SD).

Harry married Jennie Odullah James in 1881 in Iowa. (Jennie Odullah James was born in Mar 1862 in Wisconsin and died circa 1901 in Redfield, Spink Co., South Dakota.)

Harry next married Minnie Donovan circa 1903. (Minnie Donovan was born in Apr 1867 in Illinois and died after 1920 in Huntington Park, San Antonio Township, Los Angeles, California.)