Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameJames “Ralph” Sproul 
Birth18 Oct 1890, Belleville, St Clair Co, IL
Census21 Jun 1900, Sparta, Randolph Co, IL
Memoroll#338, pg 27
Census18 Apr 1910, Sparta, Randolph Co, IL
Memoroll#319, pg 1
Census10 Jan 1920, Auberry Station, Fresno Co, CA
Memoroll#98, pg 5
Census5 Apr 1930, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co, CA
Memoroll#143, pg 3
Death18 Sep 1960, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co, CA
Misc. Notes
Son of James Henry Sproul and Josephine Booth, and most records list him as Ralph or Ralph J.
Listed as James Ralph (9, IL) in the 1900 census with his parents, brother and grandmother.
He was in Sparta, IL for the 1910 census as Ralph Sproul, working as a clerk (19, IL) in the Post Office and a boarder with Albert and Mary Sproul (maybe relatives?).
He was working as a clerk in a Los Angles law firm in 1914 as R J Sproul, and in 1917 he registered for the WWI Draft as Ralph Sproul while working as a bookkeeper for a steel company, single and living in Pittsburg, Contra Costa Co, CA.
He married Margaret M. English on 29 Aug 1917 in Oakland, Alameda Co, CA; although the marriage record captured by Ancestry is in error and lists her as Margaret M. Giller. He is then listed as Ralph J. Sproul, an accountant with wife Margaret in the 1919 San Francisco city directory.
In 1920 he is listed as R J Sproul in Fresno, widowed and working as an accountant for SJL&P company. However, his wife Margaret is still listed in San Francisco with children Viola (10, CA) and Charles (7, CA) Sproul. So either he has adopter Margaret’s children from her marriage to Charles Moock, or they simply began using their step-father’s name.
By 1930 they are together and living in Los Angeles, as Ralph (39, IL) wife of 22 yrs, Margarett (39, IL) with son William C. Sproul (16, CA). Ralph has his own business as a public accountant.
In 1940
Listed as James Ralph (9, IL) in the 1900 census with his parents, brother and grandmother.
He was in Sparta, IL for the 1910 census as Ralph Sproul, working as a clerk (19, IL) in the Post Office and a boarder with Albert and Mary Sproul (maybe relatives?).
He was working as a clerk in a Los Angles law firm in 1914 as R J Sproul, and in 1917 he registered for the WWI Draft as Ralph Sproul while working as a bookkeeper for a steel company, single and living in Pittsburg, Contra Costa Co, CA.
He married Margaret M. English on 29 Aug 1917 in Oakland, Alameda Co, CA; although the marriage record captured by Ancestry is in error and lists her as Margaret M. Giller. He is then listed as Ralph J. Sproul, an accountant with wife Margaret in the 1919 San Francisco city directory.
In 1920 he is listed as R J Sproul in Fresno, widowed and working as an accountant for SJL&P company. However, his wife Margaret is still listed in San Francisco with children Viola (10, CA) and Charles (7, CA) Sproul. So either he has adopter Margaret’s children from her marriage to Charles Moock, or they simply began using their step-father’s name.
By 1930 they are together and living in Los Angeles, as Ralph (39, IL) wife of 22 yrs, Margarett (39, IL) with son William C. Sproul (16, CA). Ralph has his own business as a public accountant.
In 1940
Spouses
Birth10 Apr 1886, Kansas City, Wyandotte Co, KS
Death17 Jul 1960, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
BurialMountain View Cem, Reno, Washoe Co, NV
FatherRichard E. English (1854-1915)
MotherMary Ellen Toler (1861-1945)
Misc. Notes
Listed as Maggie in the 1900 census, with her parents.
In 1910 she is listed as Marguerite M. (24, MO) with her husband of 5 yrs, Fred Moock and newborn daughter Marie.
Listed in the 1914 San Francisco city directory as Margaret Moock, after her children Viola and Charles were born.
Listed as Mrs. G. Gilier in her father’s 1915 obituary.
She must have divorced, as she was then married in 1917 to James Ralph Sproul in Oakland, CA.
(The marriage record erroneously lists her as Margaret M. Giller, which is contradicted by all other records as well as direct family knowledge)
In the 1920 San Francisco census she is listed as Margaret Sproul (33, KS) married with her children Viola (9) and Charles (6), working as an operator for the electric company. He husband is listed in Fresno for the 1920 census.
By 1930 the family is back together and living in Los Angeles, as Ralph (39, IL) with his wife of 22 yrs, Margarett (39, IL) with son William C. Sproul (16, CA). Ralph was running his own business as a public accountant.
In 1937, she had a huge Packard that was too large to store in a garage locally in San Francisco, so she had to take a trolley to get to it.
In 1940 she is listed as Margaret M. Sproul (55, KS), head of household in Los Angeles with her son William C. Sproul (26, CA), and they had 4 lodgers. It says the William was an accountant for the State Relief Administration and had been living in San Diego in 1935.
She was a jolly, stout woman, who lived her life to the fullest. The kids used to call her, "Aunt Fat", but never within hearing range!
At one time during WWll, she was the store detective at Sears, out in the Mission district.
Margaret was later married a third time, to Edward Martin Gump, a nurse, and they moved to Reno about 1946, where she lived the rest of her life.
[Obituary] Reno Evening Gazette - Monday, 18 July 1960, pg 13
Reno Resident 14 Years Dies
GUMP - in Reno, July 17, 1960, Mrs. Margaret Gump, wife of Martin Gump and a resident of Reno for the last 14 years, died Sunday in a local hospital after a long illness.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Gump is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Viola Marsden of Al Tahoe; a son, William Sproul of Lynwood, Calif; four sisters, Mrs. Edith McDonald of Chicago; Mrs. Louise Turnham and Mrs. Mae Palmer both of Alameda, Calif., and Mrs. Evelyn Leira of San Francisco, and four grandchildren.
O’Brien-Rogers and Keiper are in charge of funeral arrangements.
In 1910 she is listed as Marguerite M. (24, MO) with her husband of 5 yrs, Fred Moock and newborn daughter Marie.
Listed in the 1914 San Francisco city directory as Margaret Moock, after her children Viola and Charles were born.
Listed as Mrs. G. Gilier in her father’s 1915 obituary.
She must have divorced, as she was then married in 1917 to James Ralph Sproul in Oakland, CA.
(The marriage record erroneously lists her as Margaret M. Giller, which is contradicted by all other records as well as direct family knowledge)
In the 1920 San Francisco census she is listed as Margaret Sproul (33, KS) married with her children Viola (9) and Charles (6), working as an operator for the electric company. He husband is listed in Fresno for the 1920 census.
By 1930 the family is back together and living in Los Angeles, as Ralph (39, IL) with his wife of 22 yrs, Margarett (39, IL) with son William C. Sproul (16, CA). Ralph was running his own business as a public accountant.
In 1937, she had a huge Packard that was too large to store in a garage locally in San Francisco, so she had to take a trolley to get to it.
In 1940 she is listed as Margaret M. Sproul (55, KS), head of household in Los Angeles with her son William C. Sproul (26, CA), and they had 4 lodgers. It says the William was an accountant for the State Relief Administration and had been living in San Diego in 1935.
She was a jolly, stout woman, who lived her life to the fullest. The kids used to call her, "Aunt Fat", but never within hearing range!
At one time during WWll, she was the store detective at Sears, out in the Mission district.
Margaret was later married a third time, to Edward Martin Gump, a nurse, and they moved to Reno about 1946, where she lived the rest of her life.
[Obituary] Reno Evening Gazette - Monday, 18 July 1960, pg 13
Reno Resident 14 Years Dies
GUMP - in Reno, July 17, 1960, Mrs. Margaret Gump, wife of Martin Gump and a resident of Reno for the last 14 years, died Sunday in a local hospital after a long illness.
In addition to her husband, Mrs. Gump is survived by a daughter, Mrs. Viola Marsden of Al Tahoe; a son, William Sproul of Lynwood, Calif; four sisters, Mrs. Edith McDonald of Chicago; Mrs. Louise Turnham and Mrs. Mae Palmer both of Alameda, Calif., and Mrs. Evelyn Leira of San Francisco, and four grandchildren.
O’Brien-Rogers and Keiper are in charge of funeral arrangements.
Marriage29 Aug 1917, Oakland, Alameda Co, CA
Divorce