Caroline was married 1891 to:


Children of Elijah and Caroline Phillips:

Although the 1880 US Census showed Caroline as the daughter of Joshua’s brother, Albert and Albert’s wife, Ellen, we include Caroline as the sixth child of Sarah Ann Eaton. We do this because we have DNA matches of the third cousin type with some of Caroline’s descendants. We do not see Albert or Ellen in our blood line.

The circumstances support this possibility. Sarah was living in Iowa while her siblings and parents were living in Caledonia near New London, Wisconsin. Sarah’s husband Joshua died in April of 1874 leaving Sarah with five children before Caroline was born in May of 1874. Meanwhile, Albert and Ellen, on a neighboring Iowa farm, had married about 1872 and had their first child, Frank, in March of 1873. If Caroline was indeed Sarah’s child, Albert and Ellen would have been suitable adoptive parents for her. Sarah was obviously eager to leave and resettle in Wisconsin. By June of 1875 Sarah and her five children were in Caledonia.

Caroline married Elijah Phillips and had two children with him by the time she was 20. The 1900 and 1910 census records show that marriage dissolved in Oklahoma after 1900, when Pearl and Mildred were about 7 and 9.

Caroline was married 1902 to:


Children of Jack and Caroline Van:

The 1910 census record shows Caroline was remarried to Jack Van about 1902.

Their first child, Verna, was born in California.

Their next two were born in Kansas.

By 1930, Caroline and Jack moved from Kansas to Montebello, California.

Jack died in 10 Feb 1943 in Orange County, California.

Caroline died 18 Mar 1968 in El Cajon, California.

DNA matches:
Karen (179 cM): (…, Hazel, Caroline)
Brian (43 cM): (…, Robert Jr, Robert Sr, Verna, Caroline)