Thomas L Homer Fiscus was born September 5, 1836, in Ohio, perhaps in Pike Township, Brown County.  (What did the L stand for?  It may have been a single initial name.)  He was the son of William and Jane Fiscus.

The Fiscus family was still in Pike Township in 1850, but by 1860 had migrated to Fountain Green Township, Hancock County, Illinois.  In that year William, Jane and their other two children, Mary and Nicholas Chambers Fiscus, were living in Fountain Green Township.  Thomas was not counted in the family home; perhaps he was living and working elsewhere.  There are several families and individuals known to have been residents of Fountain Green Township whose names are not found in the 1860 census.

Thomas and Amelia were married at Carthage, Hancock County, on September 20, 1863, by David Pershin, Minister of the Gospel.  Marriage License (52k)

Two children were welcomed into the family, Grace and Hugh.  Hugh would have been a toddler when Thomas took his family to Pleasant Valley Township, Wilson County, Kansas, where he began farming.

They didn't remain in Kansas for long: Howard was born in the fall of 1875 in Missouri.  In 1880 the family was enumerated in New Franklin, Howard County, Missouri.  Mr. Fiscus reported his occupation as school teacher in that census year; he was named as Homer in 1880 and also 1910.

Sometime after the 1880 census was taken, he and Amelia were divorced - or maybe not.  As quite often found in that era, Amelia never reported herself as divorced, but Homer did in 1910.

We have not determined Homer's whereabouts in 1900.  He was in Cedar Township, Boone County, Missouri, in 1910.  He died on March 21, 1914, in Boonville, Cooper County, and was buried at Walnut Grove Cemetery, Boonville.  The fee for interment was $7.00.  From his death certificate: cause of death - bronchial pneumonia; marital status - married.

In 1900 Amelia was living with daughter and son-in-law, Grace and William Viertel, in Boonville Township.  At some point she took up residence in the town of Boonville.  She died in Boonville on December 28, 1926, and was buried there in Walnut Grove Cemetery.  Cause of death: carcinoma of the womb.  Marital status: widow.

The Fiscus children were:

See also: Indian Raid at Fountain Green
The Cooper County, Missouri website is an especially helpful resource for many of
the later details on this family.

Household of William Fiscus
Males 0 thru 4 - 2
Males 20 thru 29 - 1
Females 0 thru 4 - 1
Females 5 thru 9 - 2
Females 20 thru 29 - 1
Total - 7
Persons employed in manufacture and trade - 1

William Fiscus, 37, male, value of personal estate 100, born OH
Jane, 38, female, born PA, could not read or write
Mary, 15, female, born OH
Thomas L H, 14, male, born OH
Chambers, 11, male, born OH

Clark White, 37, male, farmer, value of real estate owned 800, born NY
Lucy, 27, female, born IL
Alida, 2, female, born IL
Lucy L Rose, 26, female, born NY
Amelia, 6, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Daemetta, 3, born IL

Martin Hopkins, 52, male, farmer, value of real estate 6000, value of personal estate 2000,
born CT
Mary, 45, female, born NY [Phidelia Beebe Hopkins]
Mary L Ruse, 35, female, born NY [Mary L Beebe Rose]
[continued on next page]
Amelia Ruse, 16, female, born IL, attended school within the year [Amelia Rose]
Emily, 13, female, born IL, attended school within the year [Damietta Rose]
Jenny, 1, female, born IL [Jenny Hopkins, Martin's and Phidelia's adopted daughter]

Fiscus, J H, 33, male, white, farmer, value of personal estate 172, born OH, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Fiscus, A, 25, female, white, keeping house born IL
Fiscus, G, 5, female, born IL
Fiscus, H E, 1, male, white, born IL

Fiscus, Homer, white, male, 44, married, school teacher, unemployed for 6 months, born OH, both parents born VA
A R, white, female, 3_, wife, married, house keeper, born IL, both parents born NY
Grace, white, female, 16, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL
H E, white, male, 11, son, single, at home, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL
H H, white, male, 5, son, single, born MO, father born OH, mother born IL

Virtel, William, head, white, male, Nov 1861, 38, married for 9 years, born MD, both parents born Germany, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 212

Grace, wife, white, female, Oct 1864, 35, married for 9 years; mother of 3 children, 2 living; born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, could read, write and speak English

Gladys, daughter, white, female, June 1896, 4, single, born MO, father born MD, mother born IL

Mabel, daughter, white, female, Aug 1897, 2, single, born MO, father born MD, mother born IL

Fiscus, Amelia, mother-in-law, white, female, Aug 18?4, 55, married for 40 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IL, both parents born NY, could read, write and speak English

Friscus [sic], Hugh, roomer, white, male, June 1869, 30, single, born IL, both parents born IL, laborer (day), months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English

Fiscus, Howard, lodger, white, male, Sept 1873, 26, single, born MO, father born OH, mother born IL, day laborer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English

The census taker probably had to return "on different days of June" because in this immediate area there were a number of residences which were home to multiple individuals.  They were in varying fields of work or study: engineer, day laborer, hosteler, saloon keeper, tailor, painter, huckster, waiter, porter, cook, student, telegraph operator, merchant, servant, etc.

Fiscus, Hamer [sic], head, male, white, 73, divorced, born OH, both parents born OH, spoke English, own income, could read and write, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 245

Fiscus, Amelia, head, female, white, 65, married (1st) for 46 years; mother of 3 children, all living; born IL, both parents born NY, spoke English, own income, could read and write, owned her home free of mortgage

Hugh, son, male, white, 40, single, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, barber, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write

Viertel, Grace, daughter, female, white, divorced; mother of 3 children, 2 living; born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, own income, could read and write

Gladys, g. daughter, female, white, 14, single, born MO, father born MD, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Mabel, g. daughter, female, white, 12, single, born MO, father born MD, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Fiscus, Hugh E, head, owned his home free of mortgage, male, white, 50, single, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English, laborer, tin shop, working for wages

Amelia R, mother, female, white, 74, married, could read and write, born IL, both parents born NY, spoke English

Viertel, Grace F, sister, female, white, 55, single, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English

Mabel G, niece, female, white, 22, single, could read and write, born MO, father born MD, mother born IL, spoke English, teacher, private family, working for wages

Family 285
Hall, Harry, head, renter, monthly rental 18, owned a radio, male, white, 31, married, age at first marriage - 19, could read and write, born MO, both parents born MO, spoke English, laborer, light co, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

M Pauline,wife, female, white, 31, married, age at first marriage - 19, could read and write, born MO, father born KY, mother born OH, spoke English

Harry E, son, male, white, 2 6/12, single, born MO, both parents born MO

Family 285 [sic]

Viertel, Grace F, head, owner, home value 4000, did not own a radio, female, white, 65, divorced, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English

Fiscus, Huge E, head, owner, home value 5000, owned a radio, male, white, 60, married, age at first marriage - 57, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, spoke English

Helen E, wife, female, white, 41, married, age at first marriage - 19, could read and write, born MO, father born VA, mother born MO, spoke English

Allcom, Martha L, [step]daughter, female, white, 18, single, did not attend school after Sept. 1, 1929, born MO, both parents born MO, spoke English, stenographer, attorney office

[Allcom], Rosemary, [step]daughter, female, white, 15, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, born MO, both parents born MO, spoke English

[Allcom], Gertrude R, [step]daughter, female, white, 14, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, born MO, both parents born MO, spoke English

[Also two unrelated widows in the household, renting rooms.]

Viertel, William, head, owner, home value 3800, owned a radio, male, white, 68, married, age at first marriage - 29, could read and write, born MD, both parents born Germany, spoke English

Dorsey, wife, female, white, 38, married, age at first marriage - 32, could read and write,born MO, both parents born MO, spoke English

Mary D, daughter, female, white, single, 6, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, born MO, father born MD, mother born MO

Willie A, daughter, female, white, single, 3, born MO, father born MD, mother born MO

Joe Ann, daughter, female, white, single, 1, born MO, father born MD, mother born MO

Neale, Bud R, father-in-law, male, white, 80, widower, could read and write, born MO, father born KY, mother born MO, spoke English