Mother Was A Blacksmith And A Man

Originally published in 2008, this is still one of my favorites.

Out of curiosity, which we all know killed the cat, and in honor of Mothers' Day I took a census trip in search of men named "Mother." And I actually found a few.

I had to wander through the Mother Superiors of the world, but found the following male Mothers:

Mother Campion was a 55 year old male who immigrated to this country from Ireland. He lived in Quincy, Illinois, in 1870 with his wife Margaret and was a blacksmith.

Mother Bell was a 57 year old male who lived with his wife Ida, their four sons, two grandsons and adopted daughter Sarah. He was a farmer in 1920 in Athens, Georgia.

Mother Collins was a five year old boy living with his grandmother, Lizzy Laney, in New Hanover, North Carolina in 1920.

Mother Lyon was a 37 year old male body builder living with his wife, Marion, in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1920.

Now just what were their Mothers thinking?

Sources:

Census:

1870 U.S. census, Adams County, Illinois, population schedule, Quincy, p. 515, dwelling 682, family 618, Mother Campion (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 5 May 2008); citing NARA microfilm publication M593, roll 187.

1920 U.S. census, Adams County, Illinois, population schedule, Quincy, p. 8, dwelling 164, family 181, Mother Bell (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 5 May 2008); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 243.

1920 U.S. census, Adams County, Illinois, population schedule, Quincy, p. 93, dwelling 290, family 337, Lizzy Laney (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 5 May 2008); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 1312.

1920 U.S. census, Adams County, Illinois, population schedule, Quincy, p. 107, dwelling 53, family 86, Mother Lyon (Head); digital images. Heritage Quest (http://persi.heritagequestonline.com/ : retrieved 5 May 2008); citing NARA microfilm publication T625, roll 176.

Photograph:

Photograph Courtesy of The Library of Congress: The New Woman