WWI Registration, Coal Country - 1918

On September 12th, 1918, three Riva's walked into the Putman County local draft board office in Granville, Illinois, to register. WWI was going on and the month before President Wilson had agreed to co-operate with the Allies by sending "volunteer" troops. Those Riva's were James/Giacomo Riva (age 45), John Riva (35) and another John Riva, (35). James, we know from crossing checking information on various documents, is OUR James. The other two Riva's we have no documented proof that they are related but we believe they are.

One of the John's lived in Granville and worked for the St. Paul Coal Co. James and the other John (John #1 below) both lived in near-by Standard, Illinois, and worked at the B.F. Berry Coal Co. James and John #1 are also recorded on the 1910 Census as both living in Greenfield Township, Grundy County,IL---both on Sixth Avenue right next door to each other.

James Riva's Registration, Click to enlarge

Birthday: March 25, 1873 – age 45
James is listed as have black hair and blue eyes
Josie Riva (his wife) is listed as his nearest relative
Living in Standard, IL


#1 John Riva's Registration, Click to enlarge

Birthday: June 11, 1884 – age 35
Wife: Minnie Riva
Living in Standard, IL


#2 John Riva's Registration, Click to enlarge

Birthday: August 1, 1883 – age 35
Living in Granville, IL
Nearest Relative: father Bertolomeo Riva in St Ponsio Canavese Italy, Torino Province

So far, I haven't been able to find a St Ponsio. It's possible the above registration document should read San Ponzio or that the village of St. Ponsio no longer exists. Either way it's an interesting mystery because San Ponzio is a village in the same province where James/Giacomo was born. (If anyone has any information on how these two John's might fit into the James Riva family tree please leave a comment.) J.E. Riva © 2008

EDIT TO ADD: Since writing this, I've been told that the "St. Ponsio" is probably San Ponso in the Piedmont region of Torino. (See comment below.)

The 1919 Flu Epidemic Takes Josephine

Josephine (Alaria) Riva died on February 2, 1919 after having bronchi pneumonia for six days and influenza for three. Statistically, she was a victim of the Great Flu Epidemic of 1918-1919. But on the human side our 33 year old ancestor left behind a husband and three children, the youngest of which was eight year old Peter. It's estimated that between 20 to 40 million people died of the flu in those two years nation wide and 32 thousand just in the state of Illinois.

Her Death Certificate reveals a few interesting details like the fact that her father's family name is spelled the same way as it was on the 1900 U.S. Federal Census---"Olario"---and that she was buried at the Granville Cemetery in Granville, Illinois. This latter fact is interesting because her oldest son, John, had her marble grave marker in his garage for many years. The family couldn't afford to buy one when she died so decades later Josie's three kids had one made. The stone made at least two trips down to Illinois from Michigan but the cemetery location couldn't be found. From my understanding, it was finally left at a cemetery adjunct to a catholic church but the cemetery keeper didn't have any record of her being there. "But," he said, "They'd find a place for the marker."

Click to enlarge

Town listed on the Death Certificate:

* Standard where Josephine Riva lived Putnam County

* Granville where she was buried
Putnam County

* Spring Valley where she died
Bureau County

This whole area of Illinois was involved heavily in coal mining. Spring Valley alone was over 6,000 people at the turn of the century and it was one huge mining camp. Saint Margaret's Hospital, where Josephine died, was built by seven French sisters to service those miners. J.Riva © 2008

Click to enlarge map above and below.


The pins on the bottom map shows where all the Granville cemeteries are located today.

Granville, IL coal yards and trains on their way to Chicago, circa ?


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