Person:Eva Allen (12)

Eva's stepfather was Jonas Seslar. Eva's husband had the same name as her stepfather - it appears that they were first cousins.

Eva Allen and Nellie Seslar were half sisters. Their mother, Mary Elizabeth Miller "Lizzie" was first married to a Henry or Harvey Allen, then to Jonas Seslar.

In the summer of 2011 we discovered several photographs of Eva in a box belonging to Nellie Seslar Ashton (Mrs. Charles S. Ashton), in the former home of her son & daughter-in-law, Paul and Violet Ashton. Nellie's daughter-in-law, Violet Reynolds Ashton, recalled that Eva was a sister of Nellie [I believe her to be Nellie's half sister]. Researching the Seslar family, I found the 1880 census in Jefferson Township, Greene County, Ohio, and it shows a Loy Allen and an Eva Allen, step-children of Jonas Seslar, living in his household, along with his wife, "Lizzie Seslar," and the first two children of Jonas & Lizzie: Nellie & Louis [Lewis]. Violet recalled that she only met Eva once, as she had been living & continued to live in California, but had traveled to Ohio to visit with family. It must have been close to October 1935, when my grandparents were married, because Violet recalled that Eva advised Paul not to marry but rather to travel around the country.

Several other photographs of Eva include other persons. There's a studio picture of Eva holding the baby, "Ralph Allen," and a studio photograph of a naked "Ralph Allen, age 7 months, and weighting 16.5 pounds." I wonder if "Allen" is a surname or a middle name.

A couple of snapshots are also in the collection, possibly taken in California or Hawaii. A young male adult is next to Eva in one, then the same man, older now, is next to a Virginia, presumably his wife. It appears that Eva wrote the inscription on the back of each of these pictures and she comments about the coconut tree behind Virginia in the one picture. In the other picture, that includes an older couple & their grandson, along with Eva and the male adult, she wrote, "those people are the Browns. I took care of Mr. Brown's mother. She died at my home. They have a beautiful home in Honolulu. They had come over to take me out for a ride. This is their grandson & Wavel and I, taken in Wavel's yard near the drive."

Eva Allen

"Eva & Ralph Allen." Printed on a postcard.

Eva & Wavel with the Browns & Their Grandson

1. ↑ Ohio, United States. Ohio, County Marriages, 1789-2016. (FamilySearch).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Seslar, Jonas, in Mercer, Ohio, United States. 1900 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Eva Seslar, 49, b. Oct 1871 in Ohio; parents b. in Ohio; w/o of HOH, Jonas Seslar, 38. M/o Goldie M., Eva E., Thomas H., & Anna E.

3. ↑ ^3.0 3.1 Allen, Indiana, United States. 1910 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication T624).
4. ↑ Seslar, Jonas, in Allen, Indiana, United States. 1920 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication T625).

   Head of household in Allen County, Indiana: Jonas Seslar, 59, h/o Eva Seslar, 49, b. abt 1871 in Ohio. Household includes their children: Wavel & Anna; Anna's husband, Walter Hoffman, & their baby, Elaine Hoffman, 8m.

5. ↑ ^5.0 5.1 Seslar, Eva, in California. Department of Public Health. Bureau of Vital Statistics. Death Index, 1940-1997
   21 Mar 1951.

   Eva Seslar, b. 18 Oct 1871 in Ohio, father was Mr. Allen, d. 21 Mar 1951 in Alameda County, California.

6. ↑ Allen, Eva, in Ohio, United States. Ohio Births and Christenings, 1821-1962. (Online: Intellectual Reserve, Inc.)
   18 Oct 1871.

   Eva Allen, female, b. 18 Oct 1871, Jefferson Township, Fayette County, Ohio, d/o Harvey Allen & Mary E. Miller.

7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1 7.2} Seslar, Jonas, in Greene, Ohio, United States. 1880 U.S. Census Population Schedule.

   Eva Allen, 8, is listed as a stepdaughter of Jonas Seslar, 29. Her mother, Lizzie Seslar, 29, & brother, Loy, 10, are also in the household, in addition to 2 half siblings: Nellie Seslar, 3, & Louis Seslar, 1. Silver Creek, Greene County, Ohio.

8. ↑ ^8.0 8.1 Ashton, Violet Reynolds. Ashton, Violet Reynolds - Recollections.
9. ↑ Allen, Eva - Photo - Studio - Flower Necklace.

   Printed on back of photograph: Studio of Kahn's Oakland, California

10. ↑ Seslar, Eva, in Alameda, California, United States. 1930 U.S. Census Population Schedule. (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration Publication T626)
    Sheet 2B Line 69.

    Head of household in Oakland, Alameda County, California: Eva Seslar, 57, a widow, b. abt 1873 in Ohio; 3 roomers are in household.