The Browne School Teachers - 1919/1920: Allene Margaret Griffin

Following Ethel Mosher, who taught 2 school terms at the Browne school, Allene Margaret Griffin taught one school year from 1919 - 1920.    Allene Margaret Griffin was born on March 14, 1901 in Shabbona, DeKalb county, Illinois to Mary (Rochford) and Joseph Patrick Griffin.      Allene first shows up on the 1910 US Census living in Afton township, DeKalb County, Illinois.    Allene is living (lines 1 - 10) with her parents and siblings, Harvey, Charlie, Earl, Harold, Irene, Eleanor and Grace.

On the front page of the July 3, 1919 edition of The Lee Gazette, Allene is mentioned as living in Clare, DeKalb county which is approximately 15 miles north of where Allene was living in 1910.

I have not been able to locate the 1920 US Census for Clare, but it would be reasonable to assume she was living in Clare at the time the census was taken, even though Afton township would have been closer to her teaching position at the Browne school located in Milan township.      

On November 26, 1921, Allene married James Russell Bily in Detroit, Wayne county, Michigan.   The marriage register confirms Allene was living in Clare, DeKalb county, Illinois at the time of her marriage.

Allene and James' entry is the third marriage listed.    Above that is written, "In war against Germany".  James had served in the military during World War I and was released in 1921; 2 months before his marriage.

In 1930, Allene and James were living (lines 11 - 14) in Villa Park Village, York township, DuPage county, Illinois with their children Dorothy and Eleanor.

In 1940, Allene and James were living (lines 19 - 24) with their children, Dorothy, Eleanor, James and Margaret Lynn in LaGrange, Lyon township, Cook county, Illinois.   

None of the census records state that Allene was employed as a teacher.    The source material confirming Allene Griffin taught at the Browne school from 1919 - 1920 was the "Rural Schools Journeys: A Legacy of Learning, Histories of the One-room Schools in DeKalb County, Illinois".      I have not been able to locate any newspaper articles or other documents to confirm Allene's tenure as a teacher.    It was common at the time for a school teacher to focus on raising a family rather than maintain a career.

Margaret passed away December 28, 1981 in Proviso township, Cook county, Illinois. Her memorial can be found here.