Dora Ann Todden-Leap Year

Dora Todden was born on Leap Day, the 29^th of February 1872 in Chatsworth, Livingston County, Illinois to William and Martha Jane Cozad Todden.  Her mother died when Dora was about two years old, leaving her father with her, along with her nine year old sister, Amanda, and eight year old brother, Remington.  William Todden remarried in about 1875, abut that wife died shortly after the marriage.  He then married Sarah Redd in 1879.

In the 1880 Census for Livingston County, Illinois William and Sarah are listed with Amanda and Remington, but Dora is not living with them.  Dora was listed in the 1880 Livington County, Illinois Census with Marvill and Elizabeth Mastor as their adopted daughter.  Her name was listed as “Dora A. Toddon”. Dora’s father William and his wife, Sarah, had seven children.  It is not known if Dora ever lived with the family or not. 
 

Dora Ann Todden married Hubert Bischel in 1896.  William and Sarah Todden were listed as the witnesses for the marriage.  Hubert was thirty-eight years old and Dora was twenty-four years old.  It was a first marriage for both of them.

Dora and Hubert’s first child, Emma, was born the following year in Woodford County in 1897. The three of them were listed in Woodford County in the 1900 Census.  In 1901, a son, Walter, was born to Hubert and Dora.

Dora and Hubert continued to live in Woodford County during the 1910, 1920 and 1930 Census’. In 1932, Hubert died at the age of seventy-six.  Dora was listed as living by herself in 1940, still in Woodford County, Illinois.  During the war years, she lived in East Peoria next door to her daughter, Emma.

Dora died at a nursing home in 1955.  She was eighty-three years old.  Or in Leap time, she was twenty years old!