Eighteen-year-old Mary Fiderius was in love with thirty-four-year-old Isidor G. Manfroid, and on 5 February 1889 they married in Cleveland, Ohio.[1] Between 1889 and 1907 they had a total of eight children of which only five lived to adulthood. [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] They moved frequently and lived in Pittsburg,[8] Cleveland,[9] Toledo[10] and finally settling in Chicago[11] around 1900. Somewhere between 1908 and 1910 Isidor and Mary divorced.[12] I don’t know the reason for the divorce and have been unable to find the divorce records. Considering Mary’s religion, the only reason for divorce was desertion. I believe that George deserted Mary and she was left with the children trying to support them by herself. In 1908 the oldest child, George was 16 followed by Christine14, Philip 12, Arthur 7 and Theordore 4. There was not enough money to support them all. The older children were in school or could get jobs. If Mary went to work, who was going to take care of the younger children? She had to make a big decision, should she give up her two youngest children? She turned to her church for help and decided to temporarily give up her two youngest sons. Arthur went to St. Mary’s Training school for boys in Des Plaines, Illinois.[13] It was a place for orphans, neglected children, and for children whose mothers could not take care of them. It was run by the Archdiocese of Chicago.[14] Later, St. Mary’s training school became known as Marysville.[15] Theodore went to St. Vincent’s Infant Asylum in Chicago[16] This was also a place for orphans, neglected children and for families who could not support their children and also run by the Archdiocese of Chicago.[17] Mary had already lost 3 children at young ages and now she must give up two. She did not know how long before she would be able to get them back if ever. In 1911 Mary marries Adam Beischer.[18] Adam was working as a cigar maker, and I assume sometime after she remarried, she got her children back. In1920 Arthur now 19, and Theodore now 16, are living with Mary and Adam.[19] Adam helped Mary raise her sons, and they considered Adam their father and Adam considered Arthur and Theodore as his sons. Arthur grew up to become a bookie and owned a tavern in Chicago. He married twice and had no children. Theodore married seven times and had several children by some of his seven wives. Christine was married at least three times and had children by each husband. George and Philip married once and stayed married until their deaths. George had two children and Philip had one child. Mary and Adam stayed married until Adam’s death in 1962. Mary died a few months later in 1962. [20]
Week 8 A Big Decision 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks
Copyright © 2026 Gail Grunst
[1] Marriage record for G. Isidor Manfroid and Mary Fiderius, State of Ohio, CuyahogaCounty, SS., 5 February 1889.
[2] 1900 United States Census, State: Illinois, County: Cook, Township: WestTown, City: Chicago, Enumeration Dist: 293, Ward 10, Sheet 16B, Line 69
[3]Certificate of Birth for Arthur Anton Manfroid, 5 January 1901, State of Illinois , Department of Public Health, Division of vital Statistics registered no 72637, Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
[4] [27] Texas, Deaths, 1977 – 1986 index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22864-3780=71?cc=M9S8-8SD:2136566208, 1978 Vol 140, Sep, Certificates69501-70000, Harris County, Image 149 of 579 for Theodore Manfroid 8 August 1978.
[5] Department of Health: City of Chicago: Bureau of Vital Statistics: Undertakers Report of Death for Isidor Manfroid (Son of G. Isidor Manfroid) 12247, 22 March 1901.
[6] Family Search International Genealogical Index V 5.0 North America, Batch No: C748680, Year 1890, Call No. 0499282 V. 38-40 Film type.
[7] Illinois Chicago, Catholic Church Records, 1833-1925 database with images, FamilySearch HY-DY93_dIV?cc+1452409&wc=M66L-STP%3A39600602 : 8 February 2017), Sacred Heart Parish (Melrose Park)> Baptisms Marriages 1893-1908 > image 22 of 26; Catholic Church parishes, Chicago Diocese, Chicago.
[8] Family Search International Genealogical Index V 5.0 North America, Batch No: C748680, Year 1890, Call No. 0499282 V. 38-40 Film type.
[9] Cleveland City Directories 1894, 1895, 1896, 1897 list George Manfroid living at 235 Herald, Cleveland, Ohio
[10] Toledo City Directories 1898, 1899, 1900 listed George Manfroid as living at 259 Caldonia and 255 Woodford, Toledo, Ohio
[11] 1900 United States Census, State: Illinois, County: Cook, Township: WestTown, City: Chicago, Enumeration Dist: 293, Ward 10, Sheet 16B, Line 69
[12] Children Georgius Isidor was born in 1907 and Arthur and Theodore are living in institutions in 1910. I deduced that George and Mary must have divorced between 1907 and 1910.
[13] 1910 United States Census, Wheeling, Cook, Illinois; Roll T624-241, Page 21B, Enumeration District 0132; FHL microfilm 1374254.
[14] St. Mary’s Training School for boys now Marysville in Des Plaines . Home faced dark times before – Chicago Tribune
[15] Ibid.
[16] 1910 United States Census, Chicago, Ward 21, Cook, Illinois; Roll T624-264. Page 168, Enumeration District 0923; FHL microfilm 13742777.
[17] St Vincent Infant Asylum The Catholic Charities St. Vincent Center Historical Marker
[18] Obituary for Adam Beischer, Oak Park Leaves May 17, 1962, P.76
[19] Year: 1920; Census Place: Forest Park, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T625 362; Page: 20B Enumeration District: 185; Image 696. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, Utah, USA. Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2009. Images reproduced by Familysearch.. Original Data: Fourteenth Census of the Untited States 1920; (National Archives Microfilm Publication T625, 2076 rolls) Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29; National Archives, Washington D.C.
[20] From Author, Gail Grunst’s, personal knowledge.