Flashback Friday - Who Was EMMA VAN LIEW?
Yesterday, we learned about the MURDERESS Emma Van Liew... today, let's learn about WHO Emma was as a person and more about her family.
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When Emma A Robinson was born on 10 August 1852, in Larwill, Richland Township, Whitley, Indiana, United States, her father, Seth F. Robinson, was 26 and her mother, Mary Wells, was 23.
She married John Van Liew on 8 February 1869, in Larwill, Richland Township, Whitley, Indiana, United States.
They were the parents of 2 daughters, Lou Etta Van Liew (1869-1937) and Winnifred Van Liew (1876-1960). She raised her family in Pleasant Township, Van Wert, Ohio, United States in 1900, before her heinous crime, which took place in September of 1900 in Van Wert, Ohio.
Emma served eight of her ten year sentence in the Columbus Penitentiary before she was released for good behavior, her release in 1908.
When she was released, there was speculation that she would join her husband, John Van Liew in California. From the records, it looks as if she did not.
In 1910, according to the CENSUS in Oakland, Ward 5, Alameda, California, where John Van Liew was living at the age of 58, Emma is not with him. He was boarding with other boarders and working as an Accountant for a Lumber Office.
In 1920, according to the Los Angeles, California Census, in district 63, John Van Liew (68) is living as a WIDOWER, working as a proprietor of a Roofing Company and renting his home. He lives alone.
In 1923, John is issued a passport, as he will be traveling to Tahiti, Samos, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, British Isles, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Belgium on January 26, 1924. He is listed as single and retired. He returns, alone, from this trip on August 1, 1924 from a passenger list record found where he arrives in New York, NY, getting off of the ship Hellig Olav.
No record of Emma has surfaced showing her in California… but, I did obtain a 1930 census showing her at age 77, living with her nephew, Allen J. Van Liew (57) at 4222 N. Ashland Ave., in Chicago, IL.
She died on 11 August 1934, in Van Wert, Van Wert, Ohio, United States, at the age of 82, and was buried in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States.
