Forrest was the fourth of five children born to Arthur Sylvester Bair and Ada A. Knapp Bair. His siblings were Mariam Irene, Gladys Alystra, Zeral, and Kenneth William.
Sadly, Ada May would pass away, presumably from childbirth complications, only 6 days after the birth of Kenneth William in May of 1896. This occurred only a few weeks after Forrest's second birthday and Forrest's baby brother would be adopted out to his Aunt Mary Bailey and her husband George in Thornton, Illinois; about 130 miles away.
As you read about the life of Forrest Bair, listed below, you will find that he lived to be 76, had two marriages, 12 children, many different occupations and lived in several states.
The 1900 Census shows Arthur Bair as a farmer on a farm that he owns with a mortgage. His children, Mariam-12, Gladys-9, Zeral-8, and Forrest-6, are living with him. The Census also shows Lenna Lewis-33 as their housekeeper and Charles Booth-23 as their farmhand. It appears that Arthur's father and mother, William-67 and Amanda-64, own the farm next door, free and clear.
On the 13th of March, 1903, Lenna would become the children's stepmother.
The 1910 Census shows only Forrest-16, living with Arthur and Lenna on the farm, working as farm labor, and the farm still has a mortgage. Sadly, less than three months earlier, Zeral passed away in February. She was only 17 years old. William and Amanda still own the farm next door, are 77 and 74 years old, and have been married for 56 years.
June 18, 1913, when both were 19 years old, Forrest married Nora Mae Andersen from Ludington. They appeared in the Ludington City Directory that year, living at 725 E Foster Street, with Forrest working as a laborer. But 8 months and 24 days later, their first child, Albert Sylvester, was born on March 14, 1914, and they were living back in Kalamazoo by that time.
July 9, 1915 brought a second child, Lauretta Marie and the Kalamazoo City Directory shows the little family living on S. Burdick Street and Forrest is working as a fireman.
June 24, 1917 has brought another child to Forrest and Nora: a girl named Marian Grace. The Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family living on Portage Street and Forrest has returned to being a farmer.
The 1920 Census shows the family was living on Bleyker Street in Kalamazoo. That street is no longer there and the area was named after Paulus denBleyker, an important Dutch settler. Forrest is now working as an electrician in a bank building. One week after the Census was collected, a fourth child, Auris Vincent, would be born on January 27th.
By 1921, Forrest is only 27 and has a wife, four children and has moved repeatedly and changed jobs repeatedly. The 1921 and 1922 Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family now living on Montrose Avenue and Forrest's occupation is listed as a fireman.
In 1924, a fifth child, Ada May is born, but she is born in Ludington and there is no listing for the family in Kalamazoo since 1921. Where did they go?
In 1926, there is no listing for the family in the city directory, but on August 8, 1926, the sixth and final child for Forrest and Nora is born and something is wrong with this little girl named Marjory Aleene. She will spend some part of her life in Caro, Michigan, 190 miles from Kalamazoo in some sort of special care, even though she is listed in Nora's home in the 1930 and the 1940 Census. The stress of this last child was probably the last straw for the marriage of Forrest and Nora and they split up shortly after Marjory was born.
1927 still lists Forrest and Nora together in the City Directory but they have moved again and are living at 520 Blakeslee now and Forrest is working as a fireman. This was probably their last year all together as a family.
The 1930 Census shows Forrest as one of nine lodgers in the home of Ernest and Emma Tauchen at 1124 Wright Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Forrest is working as an inspector of motors, but one week later, he is back in Michigan where he marries Madeline Genau in the county of Charlevoix on April 26, 1930.
NOTE: There was another family of Bair's in Flint, Michigan at this same time and the father's name was George H. Bair and the son's was George Forrest Bair, born 1906; sometimes written as Forrest G. Bair. This made it difficult to track our Forrest at times. Also, the Flint Bair's, father and son, worked for Buick, a similar occupation to our Forrest, but I feel certain that this is our Forrest, because 1935 and 1940 show Forrest and Madeline living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1932 brings a son, Robert, to Forrest and Madeline in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1933 brings a daughter, Lillian Irene, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1934 brings another son, Donald, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1938 is the last child of record available at this time. A little girl, Mary, is born in Granville, Wisconsin.
The 1940 Census shows the family living in Granville, Wisconsin. Forrest is now 46, Madeline is 32, Robert is 7, Lillian is 6, Donald is 5 and Mary is 9 months. They are living on Mill Road; not a farm. Forrest is a motor tester making $1,560 a year at a farm engine manufacturer. The Census shows that both Forrest and Madeline were high school graduates (H4).
Child 11, born after the 1940 Census.
Child 12, born after the 1940 Census.
NOTE: There are two draft registrations on file for Forrest. This is unusual. Because of his birthdate, he fell into "the overlap group" and was registered for the draft in 1917 for WWI and again in 1942 for WWII. It is more usual to only register once.
1943-Daughter, Marjory Aleene-17, passes away.
1949-Step-Mother, Lenna-83, passes away.
1949-Granddaughter, Elaine LaVonne Bahr-6 (Ada May's), passes away.
1956-Grandaughter, Theresa Alice Werner-1 (Lillian Irene's), passes away.
1962-Daughter, Lillian Irene-29, passes away.
In 1970, Forrest-76, passes away and his widow, Madeline continues on without him for another 15 months, but after 40 years of marriage, Madeline probably found it very difficult to be alone. Elmer Page Rouner became Madeline's husband on June 20, 1971. His wife, Maria, of 37 years, had passed away only 20 days after Forrest died.
Madeline and Elmer spent the next nine years together and then Elmer passed away in 1980 and was buried next to his first wife.
Madeline's headstone had already been created as a joint headstone with Forrest, so when she passed away at the age of 81 in 1989, she was reunited with Forrest; sharing a headstone that says BAIR.
Sadly, Ada May would pass away, presumably from childbirth complications, only 6 days after the birth of Kenneth William in May of 1896. This occurred only a few weeks after Forrest's second birthday and Forrest's baby brother would be adopted out to his Aunt Mary Bailey and her husband George in Thornton, Illinois; about 130 miles away.
As you read about the life of Forrest Bair, listed below, you will find that he lived to be 76, had two marriages, 12 children, many different occupations and lived in several states.
The 1900 Census shows Arthur Bair as a farmer on a farm that he owns with a mortgage. His children, Mariam-12, Gladys-9, Zeral-8, and Forrest-6, are living with him. The Census also shows Lenna Lewis-33 as their housekeeper and Charles Booth-23 as their farmhand. It appears that Arthur's father and mother, William-67 and Amanda-64, own the farm next door, free and clear.
On the 13th of March, 1903, Lenna would become the children's stepmother.
The 1910 Census shows only Forrest-16, living with Arthur and Lenna on the farm, working as farm labor, and the farm still has a mortgage. Sadly, less than three months earlier, Zeral passed away in February. She was only 17 years old. William and Amanda still own the farm next door, are 77 and 74 years old, and have been married for 56 years.
June 18, 1913, when both were 19 years old, Forrest married Nora Mae Andersen from Ludington. They appeared in the Ludington City Directory that year, living at 725 E Foster Street, with Forrest working as a laborer. But 8 months and 24 days later, their first child, Albert Sylvester, was born on March 14, 1914, and they were living back in Kalamazoo by that time.
July 9, 1915 brought a second child, Lauretta Marie and the Kalamazoo City Directory shows the little family living on S. Burdick Street and Forrest is working as a fireman.
June 24, 1917 has brought another child to Forrest and Nora: a girl named Marian Grace. The Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family living on Portage Street and Forrest has returned to being a farmer.
The 1920 Census shows the family was living on Bleyker Street in Kalamazoo. That street is no longer there and the area was named after Paulus denBleyker, an important Dutch settler. Forrest is now working as an electrician in a bank building. One week after the Census was collected, a fourth child, Auris Vincent, would be born on January 27th.
By 1921, Forrest is only 27 and has a wife, four children and has moved repeatedly and changed jobs repeatedly. The 1921 and 1922 Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family now living on Montrose Avenue and Forrest's occupation is listed as a fireman.
In 1924, a fifth child, Ada May is born, but she is born in Ludington and there is no listing for the family in Kalamazoo since 1921. Where did they go?
In 1926, there is no listing for the family in the city directory, but on August 8, 1926, the sixth and final child for Forrest and Nora is born and something is wrong with this little girl named Marjory Aleene. She will spend some part of her life in Caro, Michigan, 190 miles from Kalamazoo in some sort of special care, even though she is listed in Nora's home in the 1930 and the 1940 Census. The stress of this last child was probably the last straw for the marriage of Forrest and Nora and they split up shortly after Marjory was born.
1927 still lists Forrest and Nora together in the City Directory but they have moved again and are living at 520 Blakeslee now and Forrest is working as a fireman. This was probably their last year all together as a family.
The 1930 Census shows Forrest as one of nine lodgers in the home of Ernest and Emma Tauchen at 1124 Wright Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Forrest is working as an inspector of motors, but one week later, he is back in Michigan where he marries Madeline Genau in the county of Charlevoix on April 26, 1930.
NOTE: There was another family of Bair's in Flint, Michigan at this same time and the father's name was George H. Bair and the son's was George Forrest Bair, born 1906; sometimes written as Forrest G. Bair. This made it difficult to track our Forrest at times. Also, the Flint Bair's, father and son, worked for Buick, a similar occupation to our Forrest, but I feel certain that this is our Forrest, because 1935 and 1940 show Forrest and Madeline living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1932 brings a son, Robert, to Forrest and Madeline in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1933 brings a daughter, Lillian Irene, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1934 brings another son, Donald, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1938 is the last child of record available at this time. A little girl, Mary, is born in Granville, Wisconsin.
The 1940 Census shows the family living in Granville, Wisconsin. Forrest is now 46, Madeline is 32, Robert is 7, Lillian is 6, Donald is 5 and Mary is 9 months. They are living on Mill Road; not a farm. Forrest is a motor tester making $1,560 a year at a farm engine manufacturer. The Census shows that both Forrest and Madeline were high school graduates (H4).
Child 11, born after the 1940 Census.
Child 12, born after the 1940 Census.
NOTE: There are two draft registrations on file for Forrest. This is unusual. Because of his birthdate, he fell into "the overlap group" and was registered for the draft in 1917 for WWI and again in 1942 for WWII. It is more usual to only register once.
1943-Daughter, Marjory Aleene-17, passes away.
1949-Step-Mother, Lenna-83, passes away.
1949-Granddaughter, Elaine LaVonne Bahr-6 (Ada May's), passes away.
1956-Grandaughter, Theresa Alice Werner-1 (Lillian Irene's), passes away.
1962-Daughter, Lillian Irene-29, passes away.
In 1970, Forrest-76, passes away and his widow, Madeline continues on without him for another 15 months, but after 40 years of marriage, Madeline probably found it very difficult to be alone. Elmer Page Rouner became Madeline's husband on June 20, 1971. His wife, Maria, of 37 years, had passed away only 20 days after Forrest died.
Madeline and Elmer spent the next nine years together and then Elmer passed away in 1980 and was buried next to his first wife.
Madeline's headstone had already been created as a joint headstone with Forrest, so when she passed away at the age of 81 in 1989, she was reunited with Forrest; sharing a headstone that says BAIR.
Forrest was the fourth of five children born to Arthur Sylvester Bair and Ada A. Knapp Bair. His siblings were Mariam Irene, Gladys Alystra, Zeral, and Kenneth William.
Sadly, Ada May would pass away, presumably from childbirth complications, only 6 days after the birth of Kenneth William in May of 1896. This occurred only a few weeks after Forrest's second birthday and Forrest's baby brother would be adopted out to his Aunt Mary Bailey and her husband George in Thornton, Illinois; about 130 miles away.
As you read about the life of Forrest Bair, listed below, you will find that he lived to be 76, had two marriages, 12 children, many different occupations and lived in several states.
The 1900 Census shows Arthur Bair as a farmer on a farm that he owns with a mortgage. His children, Mariam-12, Gladys-9, Zeral-8, and Forrest-6, are living with him. The Census also shows Lenna Lewis-33 as their housekeeper and Charles Booth-23 as their farmhand. It appears that Arthur's father and mother, William-67 and Amanda-64, own the farm next door, free and clear.
On the 13th of March, 1903, Lenna would become the children's stepmother.
The 1910 Census shows only Forrest-16, living with Arthur and Lenna on the farm, working as farm labor, and the farm still has a mortgage. Sadly, less than three months earlier, Zeral passed away in February. She was only 17 years old. William and Amanda still own the farm next door, are 77 and 74 years old, and have been married for 56 years.
June 18, 1913, when both were 19 years old, Forrest married Nora Mae Andersen from Ludington. They appeared in the Ludington City Directory that year, living at 725 E Foster Street, with Forrest working as a laborer. But 8 months and 24 days later, their first child, Albert Sylvester, was born on March 14, 1914, and they were living back in Kalamazoo by that time.
July 9, 1915 brought a second child, Lauretta Marie and the Kalamazoo City Directory shows the little family living on S. Burdick Street and Forrest is working as a fireman.
June 24, 1917 has brought another child to Forrest and Nora: a girl named Marian Grace. The Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family living on Portage Street and Forrest has returned to being a farmer.
The 1920 Census shows the family was living on Bleyker Street in Kalamazoo. That street is no longer there and the area was named after Paulus denBleyker, an important Dutch settler. Forrest is now working as an electrician in a bank building. One week after the Census was collected, a fourth child, Auris Vincent, would be born on January 27th.
By 1921, Forrest is only 27 and has a wife, four children and has moved repeatedly and changed jobs repeatedly. The 1921 and 1922 Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family now living on Montrose Avenue and Forrest's occupation is listed as a fireman.
In 1924, a fifth child, Ada May is born, but she is born in Ludington and there is no listing for the family in Kalamazoo since 1921. Where did they go?
In 1926, there is no listing for the family in the city directory, but on August 8, 1926, the sixth and final child for Forrest and Nora is born and something is wrong with this little girl named Marjory Aleene. She will spend some part of her life in Caro, Michigan, 190 miles from Kalamazoo in some sort of special care, even though she is listed in Nora's home in the 1930 and the 1940 Census. The stress of this last child was probably the last straw for the marriage of Forrest and Nora and they split up shortly after Marjory was born.
1927 still lists Forrest and Nora together in the City Directory but they have moved again and are living at 520 Blakeslee now and Forrest is working as a fireman. This was probably their last year all together as a family.
The 1930 Census shows Forrest as one of nine lodgers in the home of Ernest and Emma Tauchen at 1124 Wright Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Forrest is working as an inspector of motors, but one week later, he is back in Michigan where he marries Madeline Genau in the county of Charlevoix on April 26, 1930.
NOTE: There was another family of Bair's in Flint, Michigan at this same time and the father's name was George H. Bair and the son's was George Forrest Bair, born 1906; sometimes written as Forrest G. Bair. This made it difficult to track our Forrest at times. Also, the Flint Bair's, father and son, worked for Buick, a similar occupation to our Forrest, but I feel certain that this is our Forrest, because 1935 and 1940 show Forrest and Madeline living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1932 brings a son, Robert, to Forrest and Madeline in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1933 brings a daughter, Lillian Irene, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1934 brings another son, Donald, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1938 is the last child of record available at this time. A little girl, Mary, is born in Granville, Wisconsin.
The 1940 Census shows the family living in Granville, Wisconsin. Forrest is now 46, Madeline is 32, Robert is 7, Lillian is 6, Donald is 5 and Mary is 9 months. They are living on Mill Road; not a farm. Forrest is a motor tester making $1,560 a year at a farm engine manufacturer. The Census shows that both Forrest and Madeline were high school graduates (H4).
Child 11, born after the 1940 Census.
Child 12, born after the 1940 Census.
NOTE: There are two draft registrations on file for Forrest. This is unusual. Because of his birthdate, he fell into "the overlap group" and was registered for the draft in 1917 for WWI and again in 1942 for WWII. It is more usual to only register once.
1943-Daughter, Marjory Aleene-17, passes away.
1949-Step-Mother, Lenna-83, passes away.
1949-Granddaughter, Elaine LaVonne Bahr-6 (Ada May's), passes away.
1956-Grandaughter, Theresa Alice Werner-1 (Lillian Irene's), passes away.
1962-Daughter, Lillian Irene-29, passes away.
In 1970, Forrest-76, passes away and his widow, Madeline continues on without him for another 15 months, but after 40 years of marriage, Madeline probably found it very difficult to be alone. Elmer Page Rouner became Madeline's husband on June 20, 1971. His wife, Maria, of 37 years, had passed away only 20 days after Forrest died.
Madeline and Elmer spent the next nine years together and then Elmer passed away in 1980 and was buried next to his first wife.
Madeline's headstone had already been created as a joint headstone with Forrest, so when she passed away at the age of 81 in 1989, she was reunited with Forrest; sharing a headstone that says BAIR.
Sadly, Ada May would pass away, presumably from childbirth complications, only 6 days after the birth of Kenneth William in May of 1896. This occurred only a few weeks after Forrest's second birthday and Forrest's baby brother would be adopted out to his Aunt Mary Bailey and her husband George in Thornton, Illinois; about 130 miles away.
As you read about the life of Forrest Bair, listed below, you will find that he lived to be 76, had two marriages, 12 children, many different occupations and lived in several states.
The 1900 Census shows Arthur Bair as a farmer on a farm that he owns with a mortgage. His children, Mariam-12, Gladys-9, Zeral-8, and Forrest-6, are living with him. The Census also shows Lenna Lewis-33 as their housekeeper and Charles Booth-23 as their farmhand. It appears that Arthur's father and mother, William-67 and Amanda-64, own the farm next door, free and clear.
On the 13th of March, 1903, Lenna would become the children's stepmother.
The 1910 Census shows only Forrest-16, living with Arthur and Lenna on the farm, working as farm labor, and the farm still has a mortgage. Sadly, less than three months earlier, Zeral passed away in February. She was only 17 years old. William and Amanda still own the farm next door, are 77 and 74 years old, and have been married for 56 years.
June 18, 1913, when both were 19 years old, Forrest married Nora Mae Andersen from Ludington. They appeared in the Ludington City Directory that year, living at 725 E Foster Street, with Forrest working as a laborer. But 8 months and 24 days later, their first child, Albert Sylvester, was born on March 14, 1914, and they were living back in Kalamazoo by that time.
July 9, 1915 brought a second child, Lauretta Marie and the Kalamazoo City Directory shows the little family living on S. Burdick Street and Forrest is working as a fireman.
June 24, 1917 has brought another child to Forrest and Nora: a girl named Marian Grace. The Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family living on Portage Street and Forrest has returned to being a farmer.
The 1920 Census shows the family was living on Bleyker Street in Kalamazoo. That street is no longer there and the area was named after Paulus denBleyker, an important Dutch settler. Forrest is now working as an electrician in a bank building. One week after the Census was collected, a fourth child, Auris Vincent, would be born on January 27th.
By 1921, Forrest is only 27 and has a wife, four children and has moved repeatedly and changed jobs repeatedly. The 1921 and 1922 Kalamazoo City Directory shows the family now living on Montrose Avenue and Forrest's occupation is listed as a fireman.
In 1924, a fifth child, Ada May is born, but she is born in Ludington and there is no listing for the family in Kalamazoo since 1921. Where did they go?
In 1926, there is no listing for the family in the city directory, but on August 8, 1926, the sixth and final child for Forrest and Nora is born and something is wrong with this little girl named Marjory Aleene. She will spend some part of her life in Caro, Michigan, 190 miles from Kalamazoo in some sort of special care, even though she is listed in Nora's home in the 1930 and the 1940 Census. The stress of this last child was probably the last straw for the marriage of Forrest and Nora and they split up shortly after Marjory was born.
1927 still lists Forrest and Nora together in the City Directory but they have moved again and are living at 520 Blakeslee now and Forrest is working as a fireman. This was probably their last year all together as a family.
The 1930 Census shows Forrest as one of nine lodgers in the home of Ernest and Emma Tauchen at 1124 Wright Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Forrest is working as an inspector of motors, but one week later, he is back in Michigan where he marries Madeline Genau in the county of Charlevoix on April 26, 1930.
NOTE: There was another family of Bair's in Flint, Michigan at this same time and the father's name was George H. Bair and the son's was George Forrest Bair, born 1906; sometimes written as Forrest G. Bair. This made it difficult to track our Forrest at times. Also, the Flint Bair's, father and son, worked for Buick, a similar occupation to our Forrest, but I feel certain that this is our Forrest, because 1935 and 1940 show Forrest and Madeline living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1932 brings a son, Robert, to Forrest and Madeline in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1933 brings a daughter, Lillian Irene, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1934 brings another son, Donald, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
1938 is the last child of record available at this time. A little girl, Mary, is born in Granville, Wisconsin.
The 1940 Census shows the family living in Granville, Wisconsin. Forrest is now 46, Madeline is 32, Robert is 7, Lillian is 6, Donald is 5 and Mary is 9 months. They are living on Mill Road; not a farm. Forrest is a motor tester making $1,560 a year at a farm engine manufacturer. The Census shows that both Forrest and Madeline were high school graduates (H4).
Child 11, born after the 1940 Census.
Child 12, born after the 1940 Census.
NOTE: There are two draft registrations on file for Forrest. This is unusual. Because of his birthdate, he fell into "the overlap group" and was registered for the draft in 1917 for WWI and again in 1942 for WWII. It is more usual to only register once.
1943-Daughter, Marjory Aleene-17, passes away.
1949-Step-Mother, Lenna-83, passes away.
1949-Granddaughter, Elaine LaVonne Bahr-6 (Ada May's), passes away.
1956-Grandaughter, Theresa Alice Werner-1 (Lillian Irene's), passes away.
1962-Daughter, Lillian Irene-29, passes away.
In 1970, Forrest-76, passes away and his widow, Madeline continues on without him for another 15 months, but after 40 years of marriage, Madeline probably found it very difficult to be alone. Elmer Page Rouner became Madeline's husband on June 20, 1971. His wife, Maria, of 37 years, had passed away only 20 days after Forrest died.
Madeline and Elmer spent the next nine years together and then Elmer passed away in 1980 and was buried next to his first wife.
Madeline's headstone had already been created as a joint headstone with Forrest, so when she passed away at the age of 81 in 1989, she was reunited with Forrest; sharing a headstone that says BAIR.
Inscription
BAIR
Madeline 1908-1989
Forrest G. 1894-1970
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Siblings
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