Laurilla M. Record Bernard Groom

The autograph book of
Lovina Jane Record Carson

Laurilla M. Record Barnard Groom was an older sister of Lovina Jane Record Carson, my great great grandmother.  Laurilla was born 24 May 1844 in Rensselaer County, NY, to John A. W. Record and Esther B. Hakes Record.  (Source: the Bible of Esther Hakes Record Reed)  


On 4 Sep 1858, Laurilla married Andrew Bernard (I've also seen it spelled "Barnard") in Peoria County, IL.  They were married by John C. Folliott, Justice of the Peace. (Source: State of Illinois, Peoria County certificate signed by R. Steve Sonnemaker, Peoria County clerk, obtained 2008 through http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/) I have not been able to find out much about Andrew Bernard except that on one genealogy query board, he was referred to as "the Frenchman."  The 1880 US Census taken in Cowley County, Kansas shows that Laurilla or her second husband, William Groom, told the census taker that William Bernard's father Andrew (William was Laurilla's son with Andrew Bernard) had been born in Frances. Then on the 1900 United States Census for William, a son of Andrew and Laurilla's, Andrew is listed as being born in Canada with an "Fr" out to the side.  In the 1910 and 1920 US Censuses for Andrew's son, William, Andrew's birthplace is listed as "France," but by the 1930 US Census, William has listed his father Andrew's birthplace as being New York.  So who knows?


Laurilla and Andrew had three children, Adella Bernard, born 1860 in Illinois; William Bernard born July 1861 in Illinois; and Julia Bernard, born in 1863 in Illinois.  Laurilla's husband, Andrew, passed away sometime between 1863 and 1870 because the 9  Jun 1870 US Census taken in Peoria County, Illinois, shows Laurilla living with her second husband, William Groom.  By the 1875 Kansas State Census, Laurilla and William Groom, along with Laurilla's three children from Andrew Bernard and her first child, Carrie, with her second husband William Groom have moved to Richland Township, Cowley County, KS, and were farming according to census reports.  This is also where Laurilla's younger sister, my great great grandmother, Lovina Jane Record Carson, was living with her husband Thomas Riley Carson.


Laurilla had two more children with William Groom in Kansas: Harriet and Stella.


Laurilla's second husband, William Groom, passed away on 8 Mar 1892 at Wilmot, Cowley County, KS.  He is buried at Floral Cemetery, Cowley County, KS.  A picture of William Groom, passed down to me by my late paternal grandmother, appears below.  A picture of William's and Laurilla's headstone is beneath the picture.  The headstone picture was taken by me on an October 2007 visit to Cowley County, KS. (A very interesting account of the Groom family of Cowley County, KS appears at http://www.eccchistory.org/groom.htm.  William Groom is mentioned but it is mainly about one of William's brothers, Samuel Dabney Groom and his descendants.  It is well done and there are identified pictures.)


The 1895 Kansas State Census shows that Laurilla and her  mother Esther B. Hakes Record Reed are living together in Richland Township, Cowley County, KS.  The 1900 US Census shows Laurilla working as a nurse, still living in Richland Township, Cowley County, KS.  Her mother, Esther B. Hakes Record Reed, and Laurilla's grandson, Harley Hiday, are living with her.  Harley was the child of Laurilla's and Andrew Bernard's daughter, Adella, who had married Ransom Hiday.


The 1905 Kansas State Census shows that Laurilla had moved to Winfield, Cowley County, Kansas.  Living with her are a woman, 26 year old "E. R. Groom" and Laurilla's grandson Harley Hiday.  Laurilla's mother, Esther B. Hakes Record Reed, is not listed as living with Laurilla even though Esther did not die until April 1905.  The 1905 Kansas State Census says that it lists all people living at a residence as of the first day of March 1905.


In 1910 Laurilla is living on East 9th Avenue in Winfield, Cowley County, Kansas.  Living with her are her daughter Stella Groom Crowe, Stella's husband, Ruben Crowe, who works as a house painter, and Laurilla's grandson, Harley Hiday, Adella Bernard Hiday's son.  (I have not been able to locate Adella or Ransom Hiday on any census reports after 1900 and I'm beginning to wonder if they had passed away within a short time of each other.  This is just speculation.)


Laurilla will not appear on any more census reports because she passed away in 1914.  She died 27 Apr 1914 in Winfield, KS.  (Source: cemetery visit made in 2007 by this blog's author.)


(Laurilla's grandson, Harley, born in 1890 passed away in 1917 and is buried at Graham Cemetery, Winfield, Cowley County, Kansas.  A picture of his headstone can be viewed at www.findagrave.com.  He was a member of Air Service Sig. Corps, U.S.A.)  


I do not have a picture of Laurilla M. Record Bernard Groom, but I do have a picture of one of her granddaughters.  This picture was given to me by my father through his mother. Clara Bernard was a granddaughter of Laurilla's and Andrew Bernard, through their son, William Bernard.

William Groom, the second husband
of Laurilla Record Bernard Groom.

Clara Bernard, a granddaughter of
Laurilla M. Record Bernard Groom.

The headstone for Laurilla M. Record Bernard Groom
and her husband William Groom.  They are buried at
Floral Cemetery, Cowley County, KS
This picture was taken by me in Oct 2007 and also
appears on www.findagrave.com.