Dolton.org

The year 1900 was an exceptional common year starting on Monday. It was the 1900th year of the Anno Domini or the Common Era designation, the 900th year of the 2nd millennium, and the last year of the 19th century but the first year of the 1900s. Victor Jay Baughman was born on April 24, 1900, in Beaver City, Clarion County, Pennsylvania, to Clover and Levine (Schaffner) Baughman. Also in 1900, in January, the first electric bus becomes operational in New York City. The United States Census estimates the country's population to be about 70 million people. President William McKinley of the United States places Alaska under military governance because of the lawless environment occurring after the discovery of gold there. In April, Hawaii becomes an official U.S. territory. In November, The first automobile show in the United States opens at New York City's Madison Square Garden. U.S. presidential election, 1900: Republican incumbent William McKinley is reelected by defeating Democratic challenger William Jennings Bryan.

Jay and Sara married on 20 May 1920. He had two sons and four daughters with Sarah Elizabeth Painter between 1921 and 1929. Victor Jay Baughman was known as VJ or Jay among his peers and as Bubba to his grandchildren.

John Baughman Jr. (1846-1915)

In the 1900 US Federal Census for Polk, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, is a record of the Clover and Levina Baughman family. Clover Baughman, age 24, white, male, born July 1875 in Pennsylvania, age 24; Levina Baughman, wife, white, female, born June 1878 in Pennsylvania, age 21, she had two children both of whom were alive; Margaret Baughman, daughter, white, female, born March 1899 in Pennsylvania, age 1; Victor J Baughman, son, white, male, born April 1899 in Pennsylvania, age 1/12; and Margaret Schaffner, mother-in-law, white, female, born March 1837 in Pennsylvania, age 63, she said she was the mother of one child and that child was still living.

The 1910 US Federal Census for District 0089, Rose, Jefferson, Pennsylvania, enumerated the fifteenth day of April 1910, has a record of the O. Clover and Levina Baughman family. O Clover Baughman was 34 years of age, born about 1876 in Pennsylvania. The family home in 1910 was in Rose, Jefferson, Pennsylvania. Clover's Race was White and his Gender was Male. He was the Head of House and was married to Levina A Baughman. His mother and father were born in Pennsylvania. His Occupation was that of a Farmer doing General Farming. He owned his own farm free from mortgage. He was Able to read and Able to Write. He had been married for twelve years. Levina A. Baughman, age 32, wife, she had six children of whom six are still living; Margaret Baughman, female, age 11 years; Jay Baughman, male, age 9 years; Leonard Baughman, male, age 8 years; Marie Baughman, female, age 6 years; Pete Baughman, male, age 4 years; Mildred Baughman, female, age 2 years. All these folks and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

Victor Jay Baughman registered for the draft on 12 Sep 1918. He said his permanent home address was RD1, Summerville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He gave his age as eighteen years and said he was born 24 April 1900. He gave his race as white and said he was a native born US Citizen. He gave his present occupation as "Spragging on coal trip" for Miller Coal Company of Ohl, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. Spragging is a local word meaning dragging. (It was used in the coal regions of Pennsylvania. It was originally a type of brake on a carriage axle.) He gave the name of his nearest relative as Oren Clover Baughman [his father] living at RD1, Summerville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, and signed his name in a legible flowing script "Victor Jay Baughman." The registrar indicated that Victor was of medium height, medium build, blue eyes, and brown hair. In response to the question, "Has person lost arm, leg, hand, eye, or is he obviously physically disqualified?" the registrar replied "No." Harry W. Shields signed as the registrar on 12 Sep 1918 on behalf of Local Board for Div. No. 2, County of Jefferson, Punxsutawney, Penna.

Jay's handwriting was remarkably good. The letters were well formed, of a good height, slightly slanted from left to right, sometimes rising up toward the end of the horizontal underline where one was available; the letters were clearly dotted and crossed as appropriate, and overall easily legible. When I remarked to other family members about the quality of his hand they all agreed that he had excellent handwriting.

The 1920 US Federal Census for Beaver Township, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, enumerated 15 January 1920 by Myrrel D. Ferguson, has a record of the Clover and Lavina Baughman household living on a farm between Pansy and Conifer streets. Clover Baughman was the head of household, male, white, age 44 years, married, able to read and write, born about 1876 in Pennsylvania. Clover was working as a farmer doing general farming on his own account. Lavina Baughman was Clover's wife, female, white, 41 years of age, born about 1879 in Pennsylvania, married, she was able to read and write. B. Jay Baughman [should have been V. for Victor Jay Baughman] was Clover's son, male, white, age 19 years, single, born about 1901 in Pennsylvania, had not "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," he was able to read and write. Jay was working as a miner in the coal mines for wages. H. Lenard Baughman [should have been H. Leonard Baughman] was Clover's son, male, white, eighteen years of age, single, born about 1902 in Pennsylvania, had not "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," he was able to read and write. Leonard was working as a miner in the coal mines for wages. Marie Baughman was Clover's daughter, female, white, age 16 years, single, born about 1904 in Pennsylvania, had "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," she was able to read and write. Pete Baughman was Clover's son, male, white, age 14 years, single, born about 1906 in Pennsylvania, had "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," he was able to read and write. Mildred Baughman was Clover's daughter, female, white, age 12 years, single, born about 1908 in Pennsylvania, had "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," she was able to read and write. Ruth Baughman was Clover's daughter, female, white, age nine years, single, born about 1911 in Pennsylvania, had "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," whoever was replying to the census taker did not reply to the questions as to whether she was able to read and write. Gertrude Baughman was Clover's daughter, female, white, five years of age, single, born about 1915 in Pennsylvania, had "attended school any time since September 1, 1919," whoever was replying to the census taker did not reply to the questions as to whether she was able to read and write. Everyone in the household and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

The 1930 US Federal Census for Pennsylvania > Jefferson > Rose > District 35 > page 3, enumerated April 4, 1930, has a record of the Jay and Sara Baughman family. V Jay Baughman, age 29, married at twenty years of age, he was a laborer at odd jobs, and renting the home they occupied for ten dollars per month; Sara E Baughman, age 27, married at nineteen years of age; Jean M Baughman, age 7; Louise F Baughman, age 5; Leo D Baughman, age 3; Mary E Baughman, age 1 [1 8/12]; and Joan Baughman, age 0 [4/12]. All these folks and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

The 1940 US Federal Census for Brookville, Jefferson, Pennsylvania, has a record of the Jay and Sara Baughman family enumerated 5 April 1940. Jay Baughman, male, head of household, white, age 39, completed grade eight in school; Sara Baughman, wife, white, age 37, completed grade eight in school; Jean Baughman, age 17; Louise Baughman, age 15; Leo Baughman, age 13; Mary E Baughman, age 11; John Baughman, age 10. All in this family were born in Pennsylvania. They rented the home at 213 Euclid Avenue for fifteen dollars per month. Jay was the only one of the family who worked for pay and he worked in construction in the building industry 26 weeks per year with an annual income of $640.

J. Baughman, who has been employed in Pittsburgh, spent the week-end with his family in Euclid avenue.
[The Brookville American (Brookville, Pennsylvania) 22 Feb 1940, Thu, Page 7]

World War II Draft Registration Card. Victor Jay Baughman indicated his race was white, age 42 years, he was born in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, on 24 Apr 1900. He currently lives in Brookville, Jefferson, Pennsylvania, USA. He registered in 1942. The registrar indicated that Victor weighed 200 pounds, had a ruddy complexion, blue eyes, blue eyes, brown hair, and was 5' 11" tall.

Mary Ellen (Baughman) McManigle wrote of her father, "We always had a decent home, the necessities, and it was clean. My mother worked outside the home so we could buy a few groceries. My Dad worked for Uncle Leonard in New York State. He was rarely there - mean as hell if he was. He was especially mean to my Mother - had a terrible temper. Beatings were not uncommon. He did come home after he retired, but all of us kids were on our own till then. I never saw him show any affection to any of us. Memories not good! Everyone was "poor" in those days."

Sometime during this time the family tells the story that VJ ran off and left Sara and the children without any means of support. All the women spoke ill of VJ for running off and didn't give him much credit for coming home after a couple of years. Sara didn't fare much better as no one could believe she took him back. Then, V. Jay and Sara Baughman lived in Rochester, New York in 1954. In the city directory he indicated that he was a construction worker [probably working for Uncle Leonard who was a contractor and lived up thataway]. (U.S. City Directories, 1821-1989)

Hint Legal Action on Sewer Project
    Members of the City Council have informally approved the institution of condemnation proceedings, if necessary, to acquire rights of wa for a new Reformatory sewer, it was reliably reported today.
    The council met behind closed doors to discuss the progress of negotiations between Corp. Counsel Thomas J. Sullivan and the Lehigh Valley Railroad.
    Meanwhile, the general contractor for the sewer job, H. L. Baughman Inc. of Rochester, has revised the construction plans because of the holdup on easements.
    Jay Baughman, job superintendent, said work will start next week at Davis St. and Woodlawn Ave. and will proceed north on Davis St. to Thurston St.
[Elmire Star-Gazette (Elmira, New York) 18 Apr 1961, Tue, Page 7]

Sewer Job 75 Per Cent Completed
    Construction of the Elmire Reformatory sewer in the north-western part of the city is about 76 per cent completed.
    But when the job will be finished will depend to a great extent on weather, it was reported by Jay Baughman, job superintendent for H. L. Baughman Inc. of Rochester, the general contractor.
[Elmire Advertiser (Elmire, New York) 05 Jan 1962, Fri, Page 12]

From the time I was introduced to the family in 1974 until Victor Jay's death he was retired and they lived in Brookville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. Jay and Sara lived on a corner lot on Euclid Avenue. It was a two story home with a very narrow stair to the second story. There were two bedrooms and one bath. They had a fireplace in the living room that had been converted to accommodate a gas stove. There was a comfortable swing on the front porch that would accommodate three adults. It was a wonderful porch and the grandkids loved that porch swing. There was a one car garage behind the house, on the alley.

The property was bounded on the north by Taylor Street and across Taylor Street was Sandy Lick Creek. Taylor Street was really not much more than an alley. It was only one lane wide and the city eventually made it a one way street. Jay had a garden across Taylor Street on the bank of the creek. The garden varied in size and was sometimes very large. He had run an extension cord across the alley to run a water pump he used to draw up water from the creek and irrigate his garden. There were stories of crayfish and snakes in the Creek in olden times.

Jay loved his onions and would take a salt shaker with him when he went to work in the garden and would pull up an onion or turnip, peel it, put a little salt on it, and eat it raw. This did not tend to endear him to family members who came to visit and gave him a big hug.

Historically, the Creek had overflowed its banks and flooded the homes along the Sandy Lick Creek. This had caused a great deal of grief for Jay's family and others living on the banks of the creek flooding the basements of their homes and even up into the first floor. Cleanup caused a great deal of trouble and expense and was rarely covered by insurance.

About five years before Jay died, the city banned people from pumping water out of the Sandy Lick Creek and gardening on the banks of the creek. Everyone living along the creek was very unhappy with this decision. I never did hear why they made this decision whether it was because of the quantity of water being taken out of the creek, contamination of creek water, or the fear of erosion of the banks due to the gardening being done on the banks. The creek was part of the flood control plan of the county and state, so maybe that was it.

Jay was a member of the Methodist Church, was involved in Sunday school and went to men's meetings on Wednesday nights. Jay was saved shortly after Aunt Louise died in 1965. He didn't always act like he was saved and didn't set a very convincing example to the family. But, perhaps that could be said of most men.

Jay was 87 years old when he had a stroke. After that he lived up at the County Home until his death. Jay died on March 1, 1992, in Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, at the age of 91, and was buried in Saint John's Cemetery Windy Hill, Stanton, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania. He was preceded in death by a son Carl and a daughter Louise. His wife, Sarah, joined Jay up at the Home while he was still living. After his death she lived another two years before she died and was buried alongside him up at Windy Hill.