4. Documentation for Roy Burton Older
(10 Feb 1886 to 13 Apr 1964)
father of Truxton James Older
(28 Sep 1911 to 06 Apr 2009)
Roy Burton Older, Grandfather of Curtis Lynn Older:
1) Roy Burton Older, husband of Ethel Leona Worth, parents of Truxton James Older
2) Truxton James Older, husband of Mavis Lorene Gouty, parents of Curtis Lynn Older
Download Adobe Acrobat File - 4. Roy Burton Older - (The file has the following text plus images.)
Roy Burton Older was born February 10, 1886, the son of James Grant Older and Wilhelmina Fredericka Lorenz.(1) Roy married Ethel Leona Worth in 1911 in Champaign County, Illinois.(2) Ethel Leona Worth was born in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, on January 8, 1893.(3) She was the daughter of Chesterfield Worth and Lucy Jane Harmison.(4)
Roy Burton and Ethel Leona (Worth) Older were the parents of three children. Truxton James Older was born at 1165 North Edward Street in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, on 28 September 1911.(5) A daughter, Wilma Jane Older, born 10 May 1915 and a son, Robert Burton Older, born 26 November 1922, were born in Danville, Illinois.(6)
Son Robert Burton Older landed at Normandy on the 25th hour of D-Day, or the 1st hour of the second day, in the Allied Invasion of Europe in 1944.(6A) He was wounded at some point before the end of the war.(6B) He helped liberate at least one German concentration camp and served in Belgium.(6C) He was in The Battle of the Bulge.(6D) Robert Burton Older died on 03 January 2013 at Grants Pass, Oregon.(6E) His body was cremated and on Monday 20 May 2013 the remains were laid to rest at the Danville, Illinois, National Cemetery. He received a military burial with a 21-gun salute.(6F) Robert and his girlfriend use to double-date with actor and entertainer Dick Van Dyke and his girlfriend while at Danville High School.
The 1930 Federal Census records indicate Roy was age 25 and Ethel was age 18 at the time of their marriage.(7) No marriage record has been found. Roy worked himself up from being a janitor to being over the entire Alith-Prouty company in Danville, Illinois, except for the owner of the business. Roy apparently worked at Alith Prouty his entire working life, not ending his career there until age 76. I don't recall seeing Roy without a cigar in his mouth. My dad, Truxton, told me Roy used to shave with a cigar in his mouth. Cigars were all my dad and I ever gave Roy for any celebration, such as his birthday, Christmas, etc.
Roy Burton Older died on April 13, 1964, at Lake View Hospital in Danville, Illinois, after having a hole develop in his esophagus about a month before. Both Truxton and I believe the hole was due to cancer from smoking cigars. He was buried near his parents at Springhill Cemetery on Voorhees Street in Danville, Illinois.(8) Ethel Leona Worth Older, Roy's wife, died at Community Memorial Hospital in Ventura, Ventura County, California, on December 26, 1976, at age 82.(9)
Roy Older is listed with his parents, his two sisters, and his paternal grandmother in the 1900 United States Census for Indiana, Vigo County, city of Terre Haute, Harrison Township, Ward #8, house number 1658, dwelling number 51, and family number 52. Roy, Ethel, Truxton and Wilma Jane Older are listed in Newell ED #173, city of Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, U. S. Federal Census in 1920. Roy, Ethel, Truxton, Wilma Jane, and Robert B. Older appear in the 1930 Federal Census for Ward 4, Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois. Roy B. and Ethel L. (Worth) Older should be listed in the 1940, 1950, and 1960 Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, Federal Census records.(10)
Children (Older), born in Illinois:
i. Truxton James, born in Decatur, September 28, 1911
ii. Wilma Jane, born on Danville, May 10, 1915
iii. Robert Burton, born in Danville, November 26, 1922
ORIGINAL SOURCE MATERIAL to support the RELATIONSHIP between
ROY BURTON OLDER and his son TRUXTON JAMES OLDER
1) Marriage record found in Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940, Roy Burton Older and Ethel Leota (sic) Worth, Champaign County, Illinois, 1911. GS Film Number 000338047, Digital Folder Number 004539312, Image Number 00282. FHL microfilm 338,047. The record only shows the year of marriage, 1911. No month or day appears.
2) Birth certificate for Truxton James Older listing Roy B. Older and Ethel Older as parents, State of Illinois, Report of Birth to County Clerk, Decatur, Macon County, Illinois. Date of birth 28 September 1911. The residence of the mother and the location of birth was 1165 North Edward Street, Decatur, Illinois. The name of the child was added to the birth certificate per affidavit of 03 July 1973.
3) Death certificate for Roy Burton Older, State of Illinois Medical Certificate of Death for Roy Burton Older, registration district #92.0, registered number 347, date of birth 10 February 1886, date of death 13 April 1964 at Danville, Illinois, signed by Truxton J. Older, son, informant.
4) Census record for Roy Burton Older, Ethel Leona Worth Older, and Truxton James Older for 1920, State of Illinois, Newell Township, Vermilion County, East Voorhees, house number 7, dwelling number 5, family number 5.
5) Census record for Roy Older, Ethel Older, and Truxton Older for 1930, state of Illinois, Vermilion County, Danville Township, Ward 4.
6) Census record for Truxton Older living with grandparents and aunt and uncle, 1930 State of Michigan, Wayne County, Part of Precinct 32, Township - Detroit, Baxter Blvd. House 9125, Dwelling Number 2, Family Number 3.
7) Obituary for Roy Burton Older in the Danville Commercial News about 14 or 15 April 1964.
8) Certificate of Baptism at First Presbyterian Church, Danville, Illinois, for Truxton James Older lists his parents as Roy B. Older and Ethel L. Older, dated 29 June 1947 and gives his date of birth as 28 September 1911. Original in the possession of Curtis L. Older.
9) Ethel Belle Fox Gouty Family Bible in the possession of Curtis Lynn Older. The Bible lists Truxton J. Older as born at Decatur, Illinois, 28 September 1911 a son of Ethel and Roy Older. Copies of pages from the Ethel Belle Fox Family Bible are in a CD-rom disc entitled Fox's Gap in Maryland, which is at the Frederick County Historical Society, Frederick, Maryland.
REFERENCES
1. State of Illinois Medical Certificate of Death for Roy Burton Older, registration district #92.0, registered number 347, date of birth February 10, 1886, date of death April 13, 1964, Danville, Illinois, father's full name James Grant Older, mother's full maiden name Minnie Lorenz, signed by Truxton J. Older, son, informant.
2. Marriage record found in Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940, Roy Burton Older and Ethel Leota (sic) Worth, Champaign County, Illinois, 1911. GS Film Number 000338047, Digital Folder Number 004539312, Image Number 00282. FHL microfilm 338,047. The record only shows the year of marriage, 1911. No month or day appears.
3. State of California Certification of Vital Record, Certificate of Death for Ethel Leona Worth Older, Ventura County, local registration district 5600, certificate number 2405, date of death December 26, 1975, date of birth January 8, 1893. On an application for a Social Security number dated April 25, 1972, at Ventura, California, Ethel L. Older gives her date of birth as January 8, 1892. The 1900 Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, Federal Census lists her age as seven, indicating her birth year was 1893 and not 1892, since her birth month of January already had passed in 1900.
4. State of California Certification of Vital Record, Certificate of Death for Ethel Leona Worth Older, Ventura County, local registration district 5600, certificate number 2405, date of death December 26, 1975, father was Chesterfield Worth and mother was Lucy Jane Harmison. On an application for a Social Security number dated April 25, 1972, at Ventura, California, Ethel L. Older lists her parents as Chesterfield Worth and Lucy Jane Harmison.
5. Birth certificate, State of Illinois, Report of Birth to County Clerk, Decatur, Macon County, Illinois, date of birth September 28, 1911. The residence of the mother and the location of birth was 1165 North Edward Street, Decatur, Illinois. The name of the child was added to the birth certificate per affidavit of July 3, 1973. Ethel Belle (Fox) Gouty Family Bible in the possession of Curtis Lynn Older. Copies of pages from the Ethel Belle Fox Family Bible are in a CD-rom disc entitled Fox's Gap in Maryland, which is at the Frederick County Historical Society, Frederick, Maryland.
6. Birth certificates for Wilma Jane Older and Robert Burton Older should be on record at the Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, courthouse.
6A. Form DD-214 lists Normandy as a Battle or Campaign; as told by Bradley Burton Older to Curtis Lynn Older, Robert Burton Older went in on the 25th hour of the Normandy invasion in World War II. His Army serial number was 39 275 215. His grade was listed as Sergeant and he was inducted on 06 January 1943 at Los Angeles, California. He entered active service on 13 January 1943 and was separated from active service on 13 November 1945 at Ft. MacArthur, California. His military occupational specialty and number were Combination Welder 573. Battles and Campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Central Europe, and Air Offensive Europe. Decorations and Citations: Good Conduct Medal, Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Honorable Discharge. His active service in the United States was for 11 months and 11 days. His active service in the European Theater was 1 year 10 months and 20 days. He departed for Europe on 27 October 1943 and arrived in Europe on 3 November 1943. He departed Europe on 5 September 1945 and arrived in the United States on 16 September 1945. He attended 12 weeks of training at the AAFTC Chanute Field, Illinois, Electric Welding school. His permanent mailing address was given as 1245 Valleyview Rd., Glendale, LA Co., California. His military unit was the 918th Air Eng Sq. His height was listed as 5’ 9” and weight as 137 pounds. Blue eyes and brown hair. He had one dependent at the time of enlistment. Place of birth was listed as Danville, Illinois, and date of birth was listed as 26 November 1922. His civilian occupation was given as Machine Operator 5-13.000. Race – white; Marital Status – married; and U. S. Citizen – Yes.
6B. As told to Curtis Lynn Older by his father Truxton James Older, Robert Burton Older told Truxton “he got hit.” The DD-214 form does not indicate any “Wounds Received in Action”.
6C. As told to Curtis Lynn Older by Wilma Jane Older Zillman in 1989.
6D. Form DD-214 lists “Ardennes” under “Battles and Campaigns”.
6E. Death Certificate H105718, Oregon Health Authority, Center for Health Statistics. Robert Burton Older, January 03, 2013, age 90. County of Death – Josephine.
6F. Curtis Lynn Older attended the ceremony at the Danville National Cemetery on 20 May 2013 along with Bradley Burton Older, son of Robert Burton Older; Ricky Older, son of Bradley Burton Older; Rhonda Older, daughter of Bradley Burton Older; and Lily, daughter of Rhonda Older.
7. 1930 Federal Census, Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, Ward Four, enumerated April 3, Roy Older head of household.
8. State of Illinois, Medical Certificate of Death, registration district 920, registered number 347, date of death April 13, 1964, date of birth February 10, 1886, age 78 years, never in Armed Forces, birthplace Danville, Illinois, father's full name James Grant Older, mother's full maiden name Minnie Lorenz, signed by Truxton J. Older, son, informant. Danville Commercial News newspaper death announcement, probably on April 13 or 14, 1964. Buried in Lot 337, Block 21, Springhill Cemetery, Danville, Illinois.
9. State of California Certification of Vital Record, Ventura County, local registration district 5600 and certificate number 2405, date of death December 26, 1975, buried December 30, 1975 at Springhill Cemetery, Danville, Illinois. Danville Commercial News newspaper death announcement, probably on December 27 or 28, 1975.
10. The 1890 Federal Census records were destroyed by a fire. 1900 U. S. Census for Indiana, Vigo County, city of Terre Haute, Harrison Township, Ward #8, house number 1658, dwelling number 51, and family number 52. 1920 U. S. Federal Census for Illinois, Vermilion County, city of Danville, Newell ED #173. 1930 U. S. Federal Census for Illinois, Vermilion County, city of Danville, Ward 4. Roy Burton and Ethel Leona (Worth) Older should be included in the 1940, 1950, and 1960 Danville, Vermilion County, Illinois, Federal Census records. Ethel Leona (Worth) Older should be in the 1970 U. S. Federal census for California, city of Ventura, Ventura County.
World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Record about Roy Burton Older
Name: Roy Burton Older
City: Danville County: Vermilion State: Illinois
Birth Date: 10 Feb 1886
Race: White
Roll: 1613187
DraftBoard: 0
Age: Occupation: Nearest Relative: Registration Place:
Height: Build: Color of Eyes: Color of Hair:
Signature:
