MABEL ELLA TOMPKINS

• Born August 14, 1878 in Mineral, Bureau County, IL

• Married 1) John Henry Wilson on July 20, 1904 in Bassett, Rock County, NE and 2) James Edward Hubbell on June 20, 1936 in Westminster, CO

• Died March 28, 1959 in Denver, Denver County, CO. Buried at Crown Hill Cemetery, Denver, CO.

View her tombstone here - click here NEW

Mabel Ella Tompkins was born August 14, 1878 in Mineral, Illinois. She was the firstborn child of Joseph Tompkins and Mary Alice Conibear. By 1880, the family had moved to Aurora, Nebraska. Soon after they homesteaded near Bassett, Rock County, Nebraska. Except for a short period of time when the family lived in Fairfax, Gregory County, South Dakota, Mabel grew to adulthood in Bassett.

Mabel had beautiful dark red hair, a trait that has only been passed on to a few of her descendants. She told me once her Father had the same red hair. I have yet to find a picture of Joseph Tompkins, but I have found some pictures of Joseph's mother's family, Rebecca Carroll - at least one man in that family looked like he might have red hair.

She taught school in Bassett, even teaching in 1900 before graduation from Nebraska Normal College in Wayne, Nebraska in 1901. It is my understanding that she continued to teach in Bassett until her marriage in July 1904 to John Henry Wilson, a man with whom she went to college in Wayne.

She was a devoted Mother to her three daughters. She did not teach school again until sometime between 1918 and 1920. During those approximate fourteen to sixteen years, they moved frequently, making it quite hard to settle in and make a real home. From about 1914 to 1916, they lived in York, Nebraska where John Wilson was the Superintendant of the Oddfellows Home and Mabel was the Matron. After John was asked to leave in 1916, Mabel and the girls remained at the home at the request of the Oddfellows. Although not sure of the time frame, she and the girls did join John in Chanute, Kansas prior to moving to Colorado.

I have not yet found them in the 1910 or 1920 U.S. Census. However, we know John went to work for the Colorado State Home for Mental Defectives at Ridge (Arvada), Jefferson County, Colorado in July 1920. We do not know for sure that they were already in Colorado before then, although her daughters always said they moved there in 1918. Mabel took a job with the Arvada Schools, first as a teacher, later as a Principal. She continued to further her education at Denver University, in order to upgrade her teaching qualifications in line with new Colorado teaching requirements. In January 1930 she was granted a divorce from John Henry Wilson. She retired in 1936 from the Arvada Schools when she married Mr. James Edward Hubbell. She moved to Worthington, Greene County, Indiana where she lived until Ed Hubbell died on October 6, 1951. She moved back to Denver, where most of the time she lived with her daughter Doris. She spent some time with her daughter Alys and some with Faye. About a year before she died, she had to go into a nursing home due to some serious health problems.

During her lifetime, she was always involved with helping people. I have in my possession her daily journal showing many items of her daily life, from the price she paid for various things to a detailed list of the hooked rugs she made for various members of her family and Ed's family. She was a member of Eastern Star, both in Indiana and in Denver. She was devoted to her daughters and their families, and I found it interesting that here she was a single woman during the Depression, working as a school Principal, but also taking in laundry, ironing, sewing etc. It was she her girls turned to for help during hard times, and it was she who gave it!

I am in the process of transcribing her collection of various bits and pieces of philosophy, proverbs, etc. When I get it done, I intend to publish it for all to enjoy. She was very religious, and very strict in her beliefs and views. I shared a bedroom with her for some years. I know she was against dancing, card playing, drinking. However, on the positive side she was a marvelous cook, and it was from her that I learned the old fashioned art of baking bread. I never did master the art of making homemade noodles. How well I remember those long noodles draped over chairbacks etc, drying. And her homemade sauerkraut was absolutely wonderful. Being the youngest grandchild, I missed out on a few things the other grandchildren got. My quilt from her was not done when she passed away. I still have it, as is, in my sewing cabinet. And I never got one of her hooked rugs. I would love to find her hooked rug frame, but as yet have not found it. I did, though, get to know her better and closer than the other grandchildren. By the time she came back to Colorado to live, they were already teenagers or approaching their teens. I was only five, and we shared bedrooms.

I had always thought she was way too strict in her beliefs, thus helping contribute to a very poor match with John Henry Wilson. However, drawing on what I knew then of her and what I have learned about her since, as well as what I have learned about both of them, I believe she was like that in later years as a result of their life together, which was a miserable marriage. She was fortunate that she found Ed Hubbell and was able to share fifteen years with a man who treated her well and with whom she was happy.

Mabel's Birth Record - Illinois

Mabel Ella Tompkins - August 14, 1878

Parents- Joseph Tompkins, clerk, age 27

- Mary A. Tompkins (maiden name Conibear)

Place of Birth - Mineral, Illinois

Residence of Parents - Mineral, Illinois

Name and Address of Medical Attendant - Mrs. Ann Conibear, Mineral

(Note - this was Mary Alice Conibear's Mother.)

THE FACULTY AND THE CLASSES OF 1901 OF THE NEBRASKA NORMAL COLLEGE Desire your presence at their Commencement Exercises August 11 to 16, Wayne, Nebraska PROGRAM ...Tenth Annual Commencement... Nebraska Normal College August 11 - 11 a.m., Baccalaureate Sermon Rev. F. H. Sanderson August 12 - 8 p.m. Teachers’ and Scientific Classes August 13 - 8 p.m. Teachers’ and Scientific Classes August 14 - 8 p.m. Conservatory of Music August 15 - 8 p.m. Presentation of Diplomas Lecture, “Living or Making a Life” Rev. Edward F. Trefz, Omaha August 16 - 8 p.m. Alumni Meeting August 16 - 10 p.m. Alumni Banquet BACCALAUREATE SERVICES Sunday, August 11, 11 a.m., Presbyterian Church Music, Anthem College Choir Scripture Lesson and Prayer Rev. Welden Hymn, No. 165, Pentecostal Hymns No. 1 Announcements Sacred Solo Miss Stewart Sermon Rev. F. H. Sanderson, Fremont Prayer Rev. Bithell Anthem College Choir Hymn No. 108, Pentecostal Hymns No. 1. Benediction Rev. Ringer TEACHERS AND SCIENTIFIC CLASSES Monday, August 12, 8 p.m., Chapel Hall Motto: The Past Forever Gone, The Future still Our Own. Colors: Royal Purple and Old Gold Piano Duet Sonata Diabelli Mrs. Grace Witzel, Miss Mabel Tompkins Our Heritage Winona B. Moran The Uses of Great Men J. W. Cronk The Beauty of the Lillies Marion E. Elliott The Bedouins of the Desert Grant A. Hall Vocal Solo “Hearest Thou?” Robert Elliott A Silhouette Emma Gibbins Intercepted Dispatches John H. Wilson Uncle Tom Without a Cabin Ada Clair Leonard Twelve Years of British Song Clair M. Whitney Male Quartette Messrs Hadley, Wilson, Elliott and McCorkle Geology of Nebraska F. H. Willis Music in the Poets Mabel Norma Dodge The Empress Josephine Emma Katherine Larson Piano Duet “American Guards” Goerelerer Fred Pile, Helen Pile TEACHERS AND SCIENTIFIC CLASSES Tuesday, August 13, 8 p.m., Chapel Hall Piano Duet “Waltz de Concert” Mattei Misses Chase and Stewart The Dawn of the Reformation Laura M. Nieland Circle Mabel E. Tompkins Alexander Hamilton Archie E. Littell The Songs of the Creole Alma E. Schwichtenberg Vocal Solo Miss Fannie Dyer A Study in Black and White Maud Iva Johnson Representative Men Jesse B. McCorkle Literary Women Rosanna Rossbach Piano Quartette “Romeo and Juliet” Bellini Misses Hanson, Larson, Stewart, Mrs. Paul The Forgotten Millions Susan S. Knox Robert Burns Mary McLaughlin Daniel Webster Robert I. Elliott Double Quartette Misses Tompkins, Edgerton, McLaughlin, Neiland Messrs Hadley, Wilson, Elliott, McCorkle CONSERVATORY DEPARTMENT Wednesday, August 14, 8 p.m. Chapel Hall Piano Quartette “Carnival De Venice” Schuloff Misses Elliott, Pile, Stewart, Mr. Fred Pile Solo “2d Rhapsodie Hongroise” Liszt Miss Mabel May Griffith Vocal Solo, Mr. McCorkle Piano Quartette “La Baladine” Lysburg Misses Elliott, Hanson, Pile, Fred Pile Double Quartette Misses Tompkins, Edgerton, McLaughlin, Nieland Messrs Hadley, Wilson, Elliott, McCorkle Solo “Serenade and Ellegro Giojoso” Mendellssohn Miss Griffith, orchestra part by Miss Stewart GRADUATES Class Roll with Home Address Cronk, J. W. Page, Neb. Dodge, Mabel Norma Laurel, Neb. Elliott, Marion E. Winside, Neb. Elliott, Robt I (Scientific) Winside, Neb. Gibbins, Emma Troy, Kan. Griffith, Mabel May (Music) Wayne, Neb. Hall, Grant A. Mariaville, Neb. Johnson, Maud Iva Sioux Falls, S.D. Knox, Susan S. Hubbard, Neb. Larson, Emma Katherine Beresford, S.D. Leonard, Ada Clare Wakefield, Neb. Littell, Archie E. Pierce, Neb. McCorkle, Jesse B. Naper, Neb. McLaughlin, Mary E. Meckling, S.D. Moran, Winona B. Linsay, Neb. Neiland, Laura M. Wayne, Neb. Rossback, Rosanna Cornlea, Neb. Schwichtenberg, Alma E. Pierce, Neb. Tompkins, Mabel E. Bassett, Neb. * Willis, F. H. Battle Creek, Neb. Wilson, John H. Gordon, Neb. * Whitney, Clara M. Wayne, Neb. GRADUATING EXERCISES Teachers’ and Scientific Classes Thursday, August 15, 8 p.m., Opera House Motto: The Past Forever Gone, The Future Still Our Own. Colors: Royal Purple and Old Gold Invocation Rev. Bitbell Piano Duet “Grand Galop de Concert” Ketterer Misses Pile and Griffith Vocal Solo Miss Stewart Lecture “ Living or Making a Life: Rev. E. F. Trefz Piano Solo “6th Rhapsodie Hongroise” Liszt Fred Pile Presentation of Diplomas Pres. J. M. Pile Piano Quartette “Revell Du Lion” Kontski Miss Griffith, Pile, Stewart and Fred Pile Footnotes: Transcribed by Mary Thompson Saban, granddaughter of Mabel Ella Tompkins and John Henry Wilson (graduates above), from the original parchment announcement as sent out in 1901. Photo of Graduating Class of 1901 is posted on the Wayne County, Nebraska site.

Marriage Records

July 20, 1904 - Bassett, Nebraska

Mabel Ella Tompkins and John Henry Wilson

Witnesses: Howard D. Tompkins, Ethel Stumbaugh
Signed: C. C. Luce, Minister of the Gospel

Ended in Divorce in January 1930.

June 20, 1936 - Westminster, Colorado

Mabel Ella Tompkins Wilson and James Edward Hubbell

Ed Hubbell died October 6, 1951 in Worthington, Indiana

 

Census

1930 US CENSUS, Town of Arvada, District 41, Jefferson County, Colorado
362 3rd Street
Household 92/95
WILSON, Mable E Head Rents $25 value Radio Not on farm FW 51 Div Md at 25 r/w IL IL IL school principal grade school
Alice L Dau FW 23 S r/w NE OH IL stenographer - wholesale grocer

Obituaries

Death Certificate

State File No. 02831, Registrar's No. 1498, Dist st?

Name - Mabel E. Tompkins

Residence Address - 5117 Decatur St.

Place of Death - St. Anthony's Hospital

Date of Birth - August 14, 1878, Mineral, Illinois, USA

Date of Death - March 28, 1959, Denver, Colorado

Father's Name - Joe Tompkins

Mother's Name - Mary Conebear

Informant: Doris Thompson, 5227 Decatur St., Denver, Colorado by Gene Garey

Cause of Death - Acute myocardial infarction, onset 8 hours

Signed - T. R. Thorn, M.D., Arvada, Colorado 3-31-59; William Aldridge, Deputy (Coroner?)

Burial - April 2, 1959 Crown Hill Cemetery, Jefferson County, Colorado by Capitol Mortuaries, Denver, Colorado

CHILDREN OF MABEL TOMPKINS AND JOHN WILSON

Ada Faye Wilson - born September 7, 1905 Bellwood, Nebraska

Died December 6, 1970, Arvada, Jefferson County, Colorado

Married Paul W. Harkness, January 26, 1925, Arvada, Colorado

Alys Lucille Wilson - born January 14, 1907 in Bellwood, Nebraska (Alys always said she was born in Grand Island, Nebraska, but John Wilson's work records show he was working in Bellwood in January 1907.

Died May 13, 1990 Westminster, Adams County, Colorado

Married Karl Christian Obluda, June 13, 1936, at her sister Doris' home in Westminster, Colorado

Doris Mae Wilson - born May 24, 1909 in Arapahoe, Furnas County, Nebraska

Died February 2, 1989 near Riverton, Fremont County, Wyoming

Married Harold Calvin Thompson Sr. on September 16, 1926 in Denver, Colorado

STEPPING BACK IN TIME . . .

Joseph Tompkins and Mary Alice Conibear

Isaac Tompkins and (1) Rebecca Carroll and (2) Mary Carroll

Joseph Tompkins and Celia Cole

William Tompkins and Elizabeth Owens

MABEL'S PHOTO ALBUM - new

Created by Mary Thompson Saban February 26, 2000 Copyright 2000-2006 All Rights Reserved

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Page last updated 01/15/2006