Research Notes

• # When my mother and grandmother would tell the John Willoughby story, it was always done with a tone of reverence and honor. John's father never produced any other male heirs. Later in life, he approached John to offer an inheritance in exchange for taking his name. John declared something to the effect "you didn't give me a name when I needed one, I won't take it now."
• 1889-07-21 Emma Stage and Harrison Redding are married in Pickaway Co., OH.
• 1889-10-21 John is born to Emma Redding, but in addition to always amusing "first child doesn't necessarily take nine months" scenario, Harrison Redding is NOT his father. The Reddings apparently weren't willing to deal with that so John was adopted by Emma's sister Clara and her husband Andy Willoughby. John's biological father is unnamed through our letters, but the context of the letters suggests he was known to family. He even provides money from time to time, but wouldn't meet the 21st-century definition of an involved parent.
• 1900 and 1910 census records list John as Clara's nephew.
• 1900-06-16 Federal census Muhlenberg, Pickaway Co., OH the Willoughby home: Andrew(38), Clara(32), Finley C(12), Cecil F(6), Ralph(4), James D(1), John E(10, nephew), Ida M Stage (36).
• 1907-12-13 - Clara Willoughby dies in childbirth.
• 1910-04-27 Federal census for Muhlenberg, Pickaway Co., OH shows the Willoughby household: A T(36), Cecil(16), Ralph(13), Ruth(8), James(11), Charlie(6), Ida Stage(47), John Darst(farm hand, 26) and John Willoughby(nephew, 20).
• 1917-1918 WWI draft registration card places him in Orient, Pickaway Co., OH.
• 1920 - Where are these folks for the 1920 census?
• 1930-04-24 Federal census for District 0013, Harrison, Licking Co., OH has the Willoughby family on Main Street Road: John E(39), Elsie(37), Bertha(18), Nellie E(8).
• 1940-04-05 Federal census for Liberty, Fairfield Co., OH has the Willoughby family on "Rural Route": John(50), Elsie(47), Eleanor(18).
• 1946-11-04 Passing of wife Elsie Eliza Morain.
• 1947-12-15 Marries Ecil Allie Siniff, wido of his adoptive brother/cousin Cecil Willoughby.
• 1950-04-06 Federal census for Baltimore, Fairfield Co., OH on Canal Street: John E(60), Ecil(54). John has been a farmer today. Now he is a fireman.
• 1951-07-11 Circleville Herald prints A.T.Willoughby Estate Tax Is Determined. In the article, John is listed as John RENICK Willoughby. Some of the mystery of John's parentage is solved. His father was a Renick. Sure, I have no proof other than the man who raised him bringing this name in estate documentation. Good enough for me. If you Google "Wealthiest families in 1880s Pickaway County, OH", the AI will list the Renicks near the top. They were giants in the cattle industry. Which Renick was it?