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· A life in the study

Phyllis Julianna Van Buren

Born at Wahpeton in 1916 and died in 2001.

born 6 Aug 1916 at Wahpeton, Richland died 16 Aug 2001

Also written Phyllis Julianna Hegnauer, Phyllis Van Buren Hegnauer

Life story

Phyllis Julianna Van Buren was born on 6 August 1916 at Wahpeton, the seat of Richland County, in the southeastern corner of North Dakota, a daughter of Phillip M. Van Buren and Josephine A. Matheson.1

She married Leonard Donnell Hegnauer, the younger son of Robert L. Hegnauer and Lotta Donnell, who had grown up at Wells and Minneapolis, Minnesota. When and where they married has not been found. Their first son, Keith Donnell, was born on 28 September 1945 in Otter Tail County, in west-central Minnesota; like his father, he carried the middle name Donnell, his grandmother Lotta's maiden name.2 A second son (living) followed. In April 1950 the family of four was living in St. Paul.3

Six months later, on 5 October 1950, the day after his thirty-first birthday, Leonard died at St. Paul. His death notice gave the family's home as 2414 Bayless Place and named his wife, Phyllis, and their two sons among his survivors; he was buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery.4–5 Phyllis, just thirty-four, was left with two small boys. Her Social Security record gives her name as Phyllis Julianna Hegnauer, and no later marriage has been found.1, 6

Phyllis died on 16 August 2001, aged 85.1 Her elder son, Keith, died in 2014 and was buried at Fort Snelling, where his father lies.7

What we know

Proven

  • Birth at Wahpeton, 1916
  • Marriage to Leonard Donnell Hegnauer, 1945
  • Death, 2001
  • 2 homes, from the census and other records

What's still open

  • Marriage. Not found. It took place before Sep 1945, when Keith was born.
  • Parents. Not yet identified.

Sources

Source 1

1 United States, Social Security Numerical Identification, 1916

"United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936–2007," database, FamilySearch, Phyllis Julianna Hegnauer, born 6 August 1916, "Wahpeton Ric[hland]", North Dakota; died 16 August 2001; parents Phillip M Vanburen and Josephine A Matheson (index entry). FamilySearch record 6K7T-DSF8

Source 2

2 Minnesota, Birth Index, 1945

"Minnesota, Birth Index, 1935–2002," database, FamilySearch, Keith Donnell Hegnauer, born 28 September 1945, Otter Tail County, Minnesota [indexed "Ottertail, Otter Tail"]; father Leonard Donnell Hegnauer; mother Phyllis Julianna Van Buren. FamilySearch record VC56-7Z5; father FamilySearch record VC56-7ZR

Source 3

3 United States, Census, 1950, 1917

"United States, Census, 1950," database, FamilySearch, Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, 15 April 1950: Phyllis J Hegnauer (born about 1917, North Dakota), wife of Leonard D Hegnauer (born about 1920, Minnesota), with their sons Keith D (born about 1946, Minnesota) and a son (living) (index entries; the image has not been viewed). FamilySearch record 6F9Z-Y13J; Leonard FamilySearch record 6F9Z-Y13V

Sources 4–5

4 Minnesota, Deaths, 1950

"Minnesota, Deaths, 1887–2001," database, FamilySearch, Leonard D Hegnauer, died 5 October 1950, Saint Paul, Ramsey County; born 1919, Wells, Minnesota; parents Robert Hegnauer and Lotta Donnell. FamilySearch record HT6H-BL3Z

5 The Minneapolis Star, 1950

[Death notice], The Minneapolis Star (Minneapolis, Minnesota), 7 October 1950, p. 12: "HEGNAUER—Leonard D., 2414 Bayless place, St. Paul", survived by his wife, Phyllis, two sons, his mother, Mrs. Lotta Hegnauer, and a brother [named in error as Richard]; services Monday [9 October] at the Billman chapel; interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery; image, Newspapers.com (newspapers.com/image/187731807). Indexed in "U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index," Ancestry.com (the child garbled as "Leonard D. Keon").

Source 6

6 United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, 2014

"United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages, 1980–2015," database, FamilySearch, index entries from one obituary, probably Keith Donnell Hegnauer's (2014; the principal's entry, the newspaper and the date were not captured): Leonard Donnell Hegnauer, the father, with his wife Phyllis Van Buren Hegnauer and their sons Keith Donnell Hegnauer and a son (living); Keith's wife and a daughter-in-law (living) are also named. FamilySearch record QK79-6HMF

Source 7

7 Find a Grave, memorial 129309646, 1945

Find a Grave, memorial 129309646, Keith Donnell Hegnauer (28 Sep 1945 – 31 Mar 2014), Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Fort Snelling, Hennepin County, Minnesota (findagrave.com/memorial/129309646); the search listing was read, the memorial page not viewed.

Life in time

6 Aug 1916

Birth , Wahpeton, Richland, North Dakota, United States

proven Sources 1, 3

How we know

FamilySearch's index of her Social Security record gives "Wahpeton Ric[hland]", North Dakota.

FamilySearch's index of her Social Security record (NUMIDENT) gives 6 Aug 1916 at Wahpeton, Richland County, North Dakota, and names her parents, Phillip M. Vanburen and Josephine A. Matheson. The 1950 census index gives her birth as about 1917 in North Dakota, which fits her age in April 1950 (33). No birth record has been seen.

  1. 1916 Birth 6 Aug 1916 · Wahpeton, Richland · proven

    FamilySearch's index of her Social Security record gives "Wahpeton Ric[hland]", North Dakota.

    FamilySearch's index of her Social Security record (NUMIDENT) gives 6 Aug 1916 at Wahpeton, Richland County, North Dakota, and names her parents, Phillip M. Vanburen and Josephine A. Matheson. The 1950 census index gives her birth as about 1917 in North Dakota, which fits her age in April 1950 (33). No birth record has been seen.

    Sources 1, 3

  2. 1945 Residence Sep 1945 · Otter Tail County, Minnesota · proven

    Her son Keith Donnell was born in Otter Tail County on 28 Sep 1945.

    The Minnesota birth index gives the county of her son's birth. Where the family lived is not stated.

    Source 2

  3. 1945 Marriage, with Leonard Donnell Hegnauer before Sep 1945 · proven

    No marriage record has been found. Their elder son was born on 28 Sep 1945; Leonard died on 5 Oct 1950.

    The Minnesota birth index names the parents of Keith Donnell Hegnauer, born 28 Sep 1945, as Leonard Donnell Hegnauer and Phyllis Julianna Van Buren. The 1950 census lists Phyllis J. as the wife of Leonard D. Hegnauer at St. Paul, and his death notice of Oct 1950 names his wife, Phyllis. The date and place of the marriage are not known.

    Sources 2, 3, 5

  4. 1945 Son born: Keith Donnell Hegnauer family event
  5. 1950 Residence Saint Paul, Ramsey · proven

    Wife, born about 1917 in North Dakota, in the household of her husband Leonard D. Hegnauer, with their sons Keith D. (born about 1946) and a son (living). In Oct 1950 the family lived at 2414 Bayless Place, St. Paul.

    FamilySearch's index of the 1950 census at St. Paul, and her husband's death notice of 7 Oct 1950, which gives his address.

    Sources 3, 5

  6. 2001 Death 16 Aug 2001 · proven

    The place is not given in any record read. The family tree gives Whitehall, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, without a source (see Research Notes).

    FamilySearch's index of her Social Security record gives her death on 16 Aug 2001, with her full name, birth date and birthplace. No death certificate or obituary has been read.

    Source 1

  • proven
  • family event

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Places in this life

3 places, in order
1 2 3
  1. 1 Wahpeton, Richland County Birth 6 Aug 1916
  2. 2 Otter Tail County, Minnesota Residence Sep 1945
  3. 3 St. Paul, Ramsey County Residence 1950

Hollow markers are placed approximately, at the town, county or region.

Family

This page Phyllis Julianna Van Buren 1916–2001
Husband · m. before Sep 1945 Leonard Donnell Hegnauer 1919–1950
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The evidence 5 facts with their grades, 7 sources, and the research notes

Facts

Fact Date Place Grade Sources
Birth 6 Aug 1916 Wahpeton, Richland, North Dakota, United States proven 1 , 3
Residence Sep 1945 Otter Tail County, Minnesota, United States proven 2
Marriage with Leonard Donnell Hegnauer before Sep 1945 proven 2 , 3 , 5
Residence 1950 Saint Paul, Ramsey, Minnesota, United States proven 3 , 5
Death 16 Aug 2001 proven 1

Research notes

  • Sources: Everything here comes from FamilySearch indexes (her Social Security record, her son Keith's birth-index entry, the 1950 census, the Minnesota death index for her husband and an obituary index) and from her husband's death notice, read on the newspaper page. No record image of hers has been read.
  • Identity: The records are linked as one woman as follows. (1) The Minnesota birth index gives Keith Donnell Hegnauer's mother as Phyllis Julianna Van Buren and his father as Leonard Donnell Hegnauer.2 (2) The 1950 census at St. Paul lists Phyllis J., born about 1917 in North Dakota, as the wife of Leonard D. Hegnauer, with the sons Keith D. and a son (living).3 (3) Leonard's death notice (Oct 1950) names his wife Phyllis.5 (4) Her Social Security record, as indexed by FamilySearch, gives Phyllis Julianna Hegnauer, born 6 Aug 1916 at Wahpeton, North Dakota, died 16 Aug 2001.1 (5) An obituary index, probably of Keith's obituary, names his mother Phyllis Van Buren Hegnauer.6
  • Marriage: Not found. It took place before Sep 1945, when Keith was born. Leonard was buried in a national cemetery, which suggests war service; a wartime marriage is possible. The Minnesota Official Marriage System (MOMS) and North Dakota marriage indexes are the next searches.
  • Death place and burial (leads): The family tree gives her death at Whitehall, Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, and her burial in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, in 2001, without sources. Her son Keith lived at Blair, Trempealeau County, in the 1990s (see his profile), so Whitehall is plausible, but it is not yet supported by a record. Her Wisconsin death record and an obituary should be sought.
  • Her family: Her parents, Phillip M. Van Buren and Josephine A. Matheson, are named only in the Social Security index.1 The "Van Buren Family Tree" on Ancestry (Margaret Jill Van Buren), which holds Alice Donnell's 1935 obituary, is probably her family's tree and may hold more.
  • Not her: A Phyllis Hegnauer born in September 1934 (Phoenix, Arizona, 1994; Florida, 2007), and a Phyllis Hegnauer whose parents were Robert Fennell and Julia Allen Fennell, are other women.
  • This profile is part of the Hegnauer one-name study.

Working notes

  • Whitehall, Wis. death place unsourced
  • Old tree 165462681: parents Philip Martin (Paulson) Van Buren (1896-1982) and Josephine Agnes Matheson (1896-1992; headstone photo O52)

Sources

  1. 1

    "United States, Social Security Numerical Identification Files (NUMIDENT), 1936–2007," database, FamilySearch, Phyllis Julianna Hegnauer, born 6 August 1916, "Wahpeton Ric[hland]", North Dakota; died 16 August 2001; parents Phillip M Vanburen and Josephine A Matheson (index entry). FamilySearch record 6K7T-DSF8

  2. 2

    "Minnesota, Birth Index, 1935–2002," database, FamilySearch, Keith Donnell Hegnauer, born 28 September 1945, Otter Tail County, Minnesota [indexed "Ottertail, Otter Tail"]; father Leonard Donnell Hegnauer; mother Phyllis Julianna Van Buren. FamilySearch record VC56-7Z5; father FamilySearch record VC56-7ZR

  3. 3

    "United States, Census, 1950," database, FamilySearch, Saint Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, 15 April 1950: Phyllis J Hegnauer (born about 1917, North Dakota), wife of Leonard D Hegnauer (born about 1920, Minnesota), with their sons Keith D (born about 1946, Minnesota) and a son (living) (index entries; the image has not been viewed). FamilySearch record 6F9Z-Y13J; Leonard FamilySearch record 6F9Z-Y13V

  4. 4

    "Minnesota, Deaths, 1887–2001," database, FamilySearch, Leonard D Hegnauer, died 5 October 1950, Saint Paul, Ramsey County; born 1919, Wells, Minnesota; parents Robert Hegnauer and Lotta Donnell. FamilySearch record HT6H-BL3Z

  5. 5

    [Death notice], The Minneapolis Star (Minneapolis, Minnesota), 7 October 1950, p. 12: "HEGNAUER—Leonard D., 2414 Bayless place, St. Paul", survived by his wife, Phyllis, two sons, his mother, Mrs. Lotta Hegnauer, and a brother [named in error as Richard]; services Monday [9 October] at the Billman chapel; interment Fort Snelling National Cemetery; image, Newspapers.com (newspapers.com/image/187731807). Indexed in "U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index," Ancestry.com (the child garbled as "Leonard D. Keon").

  6. 6

    "United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, Births, and Marriages, 1980–2015," database, FamilySearch, index entries from one obituary, probably Keith Donnell Hegnauer's (2014; the principal's entry, the newspaper and the date were not captured): Leonard Donnell Hegnauer, the father, with his wife Phyllis Van Buren Hegnauer and their sons Keith Donnell Hegnauer and a son (living); Keith's wife and a daughter-in-law (living) are also named. FamilySearch record QK79-6HMF

  7. 7

    Find a Grave, memorial 129309646, Keith Donnell Hegnauer (28 Sep 1945 – 31 Mar 2014), Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Fort Snelling, Hennepin County, Minnesota (findagrave.com/memorial/129309646); the search listing was read, the memorial page not viewed.