Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL

Born

14 January 1881 , Highland Twp, Cass, Dakota Territory

Died

5 January 1967 , Sacramento, California, USA

Parents & Family of Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL

Explore parents, grandparents, spouses, children, and the family connections surrounding Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL.

Parents

August Friedrich WESTPHAL Henrietta A ULRICH

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Spouse & Children

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Born: 14 January 1881 in Highland Twp, Cass, Dakota Territory

Father: August Friedrich WESTPHAL

Mother: Henrietta A ULRICH

Paternal grandparents: Johann Friedrich WESTPHAL , Anna Dorothea KÖPPEN

Maternal grandparents: Carl Friedrich "Charles" ULRICH , Sophia UNKNOWN

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

Lena Sophia (Helena) married John Albert ADAMS 4 August 1900 in Fargo, North Dakota, USA . The couple had (at least) 9 children.
John Albert ADAMS was born 29 July 1874 in Holland, Brabant Wallon, Belgium. John Albert died 12 April 1955 in Fargo, North Dakota, USA.

Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL died 5 January 1967 in Sacramento, California, USA.
Details of the family tree of Lena appear below.

Everyday Chronicles: Life of the Average American Woman in the Mid-1900s

Spouse & Children of Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL

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Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL married

John Albert ADAMS
Marriage date: 4 August 1900
Marriage place: Fargo, North Dakota, USA
Source: ancestry.com

Marriage notes:

Name: Lena Westphall

Gender: Female

Marriage Age: 20

Birth Year: abt 1880

Marriage Date: 4 Aug 1900

Marriage Place: Fargo, Cass, North Dakota, USA

Filing Date: 4 Aug 1900

Spouse: Albert J Adams

Ancestry.com. North Dakota, Marriage Records, 1872-2017 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2016.

Children of John Albert ADAMS and Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL

John Albert ADAMS

Born: 14 May 1901, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
Died: 16 October 1937, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Married: Jessie Lillian WALLACE 23 August 1926 Place: Sioux City, Iowa, USA

Roy ADAMS

Born: 17 February 1903, , North Dakota, USA
Died: abt. 1912,

Clifford Walter ADAMS

Born: 9 February 1905, , North Dakota, USA
Died: 9 September 1963, Morehead, Clay, Minnesota, USA

Irwin Orville ADAMS

Born: 7 January 1908, Sheldon, North Dakota, USA
Died: 3 April 1987, Silver Lake, Portage, Ohio, USA

Sylvia H ADAMS

Born: 10 September 1908, Sheldon, North Dakota, USA
Died: 14 October 1999, North Tonawanda, Niagara, New York, USA

Clara Evelyn Sophia ADAMS

Born: 1 July 1910, Fargo, North Dakota, USA
Died: 2 March 2000, Massillon, Stark, Ohio, USA

Zelma Pearl Hattie ADAMS

Born: 7 August 1912, , North Dakota, USA
Died: 14 April 2012, Riverside, California, USA

Rena Alvina Helen ADAMS

Born: 30 April 1916, , North Dakota, USA
Died: 25 November 2007, Riverside, California, USA

Mary Helen ADAMS

Born: 11 August 1918, Sheldon, North Dakota, USA
Died: 6 April 1994, Chino, San Bernadino, California, USA

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Life & Records

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Birth — 1881
14 January 1881
Highland Twp, Cass, Dakota Territory

1884 - Photographic film is invented (George Eastman, United States)

The first gravity roller coaster amusement ride (LeMarcus A. Thompson, United States)

1885 - Grover Cleveland becomes President of the United States

1886 - October 28 - Statue of Liberty is Unveiled

1889 - The automobile is invented (Gottlieb Daimler, Germany)

1889 - Benjamin Harrison becomes President of the United States

1891 - The zipper is invented (Whitcomb L. Judson, United States)

The motion picture camera is invented (Thomas Alva Edison, William K.L. Dickson, United States)

First Perforated Toilet Paper Roll is Patented

1893 - Grover Cleveland becomes President of the United States

1897 - Aspirin is invented (Felix Hoffmann (Bayer), Germany)

1897 - William McKinley becomes President of the United States

1898 - April 25 – Spanish-American War: The United States declares war on Spain

1898 - December 10 – The Treaty of Paris is signed, ending the Spanish-American War.

1900 Marriage / Partner
Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL and John Albert ADAMS 4 August 1900, Fargo, North Dakota, USA

She was 19 years old.

1900 - Highland, North Dakota
Name: Lena S Wesphall
Age: 19
Birth Date: Jan 1881
Birthplace: North Dakota
Home in 1900: Highland, Cass, North Dakota
Sheet Number: 8
Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 10
Family Number: 104
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter
Marital status: Single
Father's name: August Wesphall
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's name: Henrietta A Wesphall
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Can Read: Yes
Can Write: Yes
Can Speak English: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
August Wesphall 55
Henrietta A Wesphall 47
Herman A Wesphall 24
Lena S Wesphall 19
Ida M Wesphall 16
Lydia L Wesphall 12
Martha E Wesphall 10
Walter F Wesphall 6
Otto W Wesphall 4
Annie G Lind 28
Bessie May Lind 16
1900 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

Lena Sophia (Helena) WESTPHAL - 1900 marriage

1900 marriage

ancestry.com

1901 - King Camp Gillette and William Emery Nickerson invented the world's first disposable razor blade in 1901. (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

1901 Birth of Child
John Albert ADAMS was born 14 May 1901, Fargo, North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 20 years old.

1901 - William McKinley, the 25th president of the United States, was shot on the grounds of the Pan-American Exposition in the Temple of Music in Buffalo, New York, on September 6, 1901, six months into his second term. He was shaking hands with the public when an anarchist, Leon Czolgosz, shot him twice in the abdomen. Theodore Roosevelt becomes President of the United States.

1902 - July 17 - Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system. (Buffalo, New York, USA)

1903 - The first engine-powered airplane is invented (Wilbur & Orville Wright, United States)

1903 Birth of Child
Roy ADAMS was born 17 February 1903, , North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 22 years old.

1904 - June 28 - U.S. begins construction of Panama Canal.

1905 Birth of Child
Clifford Walter ADAMS was born 9 February 1905, , North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 24 years old.

1906 - August 22 – The first Victor Victrola, a phonographic record player, was manufactured, revolutionizing the way people listened to music at home.

In 1906, Reginald Fessenden made the first AM radio broadcast on December 24th. This event marked a significant advancement in radio technology, paving the way for the modern broadcasting industry.

1907-1908 - The electric washing machine is invented (Alva J. Fisher, United States)

1908 - First Model-T car is produced by Henry Ford (United States)

1908 Birth of Child
Irwin Orville ADAMS was born 7 January 1908, Sheldon, North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 26 years old.

1908 Birth of Child
Sylvia H ADAMS was born 10 September 1908, Sheldon, North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 27 years old.

1909 - William Howard Taft becomes President of the United States

1910 - Highland, North Dakota
Name: Lena S Adams
Age in 1910: 29
Birth Year: abt 1881
[abt 1882]
Birthplace: North Dakota
Home in 1910: Highland, Cass, North Dakota
Street: Highland Township Cass So North Wakata
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital status: Married
Spouse's name: John Adams
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Native Tongue: Ger Eng
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Years Married: 10
Number of Children Born: 5
Number of Children Living: 5
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
John Adams 34
Lena S Adams 29
John Adams 9
Roy Adams 7
Cliford Adams 5
Irving Adams 3
Silvia Adams 1
Leon Huntington 19

1910 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1910 Birth of Child
Clara Evelyn Sophia ADAMS was born 1 July 1910, Fargo, North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 29 years old.

1912 - April 15 - Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic

1912 Birth of Child
Zelma Pearl Hattie ADAMS was born 7 August 1912, , North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 31 years old.

1913 - The assembly line is invented (Henry Ford, United States)

The bra is invented (Mary Phelps Jacob, United States)

1913 - Woodrow Wilson becomes President of the United States

1913 - October 31 – The Lincoln Highway, the first automobile road across the United States, is dedicated

1915 - January 25 - First United States coast-to-coast long-distance telephone call

1916 Birth of Child
Rena Alvina Helen ADAMS was born 30 April 1916, , North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 35 years old.

1917 - March 2 – The enactment of the Jones Act grants Puerto Ricans United States citizenship.

1917 - April 6 – WWI: The United States declares war on Germany

1918 - March 19 – The United States Congress establishes time zones and approves daylight saving time

1918 Birth of Child
Mary Helen ADAMS was born 11 August 1918, Sheldon, North Dakota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 37 years old.

1919 - June 4 – Women's rights: The United States Congress approves the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which would guarantee suffrage to women, and sends it to the U.S. states for ratification

1920 - Greene, North Dakota
Name: Lenia Adams
Age: 40
Birth Year: abt 1880
Birthplace: North Dakota
Home in 1920: Greene, Ransom, North Dakota
Residence Date: 1920
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Marital status: Married
Spouse's name: John Adams
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: House Work
Industry: Home
Employment Field: Own Account
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
John Adams 53
Lenia Adams 40
Johnny Adams 18
Claford Adams 14
Evion Adams 12
Cyvlia Adams 10
Clarise Adams 8
Zelma Adams 6
Reana Adams 4
Marry Adams 2

1920 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1920 - January 17 - Prohibition goes into effect on January 17, 1920, under the provisions of the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution

1921 - Warren G. Harding becomes President of the United States

1921 - Charles Strite of Minnesota patents the pop-up toaster.

1923 to 1927 - Television is invented (Vladimir Kosma Zworykin (Russia), Philo Taylor Farnsworth (United States))

1923 - Calvin Coolidge becomes President of the United States

1926 Marriage of Child
John Albert ADAMS married 23 August 1926, Sioux City, Iowa, USA to Jessie Lillian WALLACE

1927 - The aerosol can is invented (Erik Rotheim, Norway)

1927 - April 7 – Bell Telephone Co. transmits an image of Herbert Hoover (then the Secretary of Commerce), which becomes the first successful long distance demonstration of television

1928 - Sliced bread (bread slicing machine) is invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder (United States)

1929 - Herbert Hoover becomes President of the United States

1929 - October 29 - Black Tuesday - Stock market crash - The Great Depression Begins - It lasted until 1941 (WW2)

1930 - Scotch tape is invented (Richard Drew (3M), United States)

1930 - Fargo, North Dakota
Name: Lena Adams
Birth Year: abt 1881
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: North Dakota
Marital status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Wife
Homemaker?: Yes
Home in 1930: Fargo, Cass, North Dakota, USA
Map of Home: View Map
Street address: 8 Street North
Ward of City: Ninth Prt
House Number: 522
Dwelling Number: 112
Family Number: 184
Lives on Farm: No
Age at first Marriage: 20
Attended School: No
Able to Read and Write: Yes
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Able to Speak English: Yes
Household Members:
Name Age
John Adams 58
Lena Adams 49
Sylvia Adams 21
Zelma Adams 17
Rena Adams 13
Mary Adams 11
1930 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

In 1930, on February 18, Pluto was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh at the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, marking a significant milestone in the study of our solar system.

1931 - The paper towel is invented (Arthur Scott, United States)

1931 - March 3 – The Star-Spangled Banner is adopted as the United States National anthem.

1933 - Franklin D. Roosevelt becomes President of the United States

1933 - December 5 – The 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed, repealing Prohibition

1934 - The metal beverage can is invented (American Can Co., United States)

1935 - The snowmobile was invented by Joseph Bombardier (Quebec, Canada)

1935 - August 14 – United States President Franklin Roosevelt signs the Social Security Act into law

1937 Death of Child
John Albert ADAMS died 16 October 1937, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 56 years old.

1938 - The ballpoint pen is invented (Lazlo Biro, Hungary)

1938-1944 - Sunscreen is invented (Franz Greiter, Switzerland and Benjamin Green, United States)

1938 - October 27 - Du Pont announces a name for its new synthetic yarn: nylon.

1940 - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Name: Lena S Adams
Age: 59
Estimated birth year: abt 1881
Gender: Female
Race: White
Birthplace: Minnesota
Marital status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Mother-in-law
Home in 1940: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota
Map of Home in 1940: View Map
Street: Aldrich Avenue
Inferred Residence in 1935: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota
Residence in 1935: Same Place
Resident on farm in 1935: No
Sheet Number: 5B
Attended School or College: No
Highest Grade Completed: Elementary school, 6th grade
Weeks Worked in 1939: 0
Income: 0
Income Other Sources: No
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Frank Schroeder 26
Mary L Schroeder 21
Lena S Adams 59
1940 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1940 - April - 1st electron microscope demonstrated (RCA), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

1941 - December 8 - (the day after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor) United States declares war on Japan (WW2)

1944 - D-Day, which occurred on June 6, 1944, was a pivotal World War II operation where Allied forces launched a massive invasion on the beaches of Normandy, France. Known as Operation Overlord, it involved over 156,000 troops from the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and other Allied nations. The operation aimed to liberate Western Europe from Nazi German control. The landings marked the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany, leading to the eventual Allied victory in Europe.

1945 - The atomic bomb is invented (J. Robert Oppenheimer, et al., United States)

The microwave oven was invented accidentally in 1945 by Percy Spencer, a Raytheon engineer. While testing a magnetron, he noticed microwaves melted a candy bar in his pocket. Experimenting further, he discovered microwaves could cook food quickly. Raytheon patented the process, and by 1947, they built the first commercial microwave oven, called the 'Radarange.' Initially used in commercial settings, microwaves becomes affordable for home use by the 1960s and 1970s, revolutionizing cooking.

1945 - Harry S. Truman becomes President of the United States

1945 - On September 2, 1945, World War II officially ended with the formal surrender of Japan. The surrender ceremony took place aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, where Japanese officials signed the Instrument of Surrender in the presence of Allied representatives, including General Douglas MacArthur and Admiral Chester Nimitz.

1948 - Velcro is invented (George de Mestral, Switzerland)

1950 - June 25 - Korean War begins when North Korean forces invade South Korea.

1953 - Dwight D. Eisenhower becomes President of the United States

1953 - On July 27, 1953, the Korean War ended with the signing of an armistice agreement at Panmunjom. This ceasefire halted the conflict between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, backed by United Nations forces primarily from the United States. The agreement established the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) near the 38th parallel, effectively maintaining the pre-war boundary and creating a buffer zone between the two Koreas.

1955 Death of Spouse/Partner
John Albert ADAMS died 12 April 1955, Fargo, North Dakota, USA

1961 - John F. Kennedy becomes President of the United States

1961 - Vietnam War officially begins with 900 military advisors landing in Saigon.

1962 - The Cuban Missile Crisis was a tense 13-day standoff in October 1962 between the United States and the Soviet Union over the installation of Soviet nuclear missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from the U.S. coast. The crisis is considered the closest the Cold War came to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It began when American spy planes discovered the missiles, leading to a U.S. naval blockade of Cuba and intense negotiations. The crisis ended when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev agreed to remove the missiles in exchange for the U.S. promising not to invade Cuba and secretly agreeing to remove American missiles from Turkey.

1963 - I Have a Dream Speech - Martin Luther King's Address at March on Washington August 28, 1963.

1963 Death of Child
Clifford Walter ADAMS died 9 September 1963, Morehead, Clay, Minnesota, USA

Lena Sophia (Helena) was 82 years old.

In 1963, on November 22, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas, while riding in a motorcade through Dealey Plaza. The assassination shocked the nation and the world, leading to widespread mourning and a period of intense national introspection. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as the 36th President of the United States shortly after Kennedy's death. The assassination sparked numerous conspiracy theories and investigations, with the Warren Commission ultimately concluding that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassination. Kennedy's death had a profound impact on American politics and society, marking the end of an era often referred to as 'Camelot.'

Grave

Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA

findagrave.com

Death
Name: Lena S Adams
Social Security #: 553784851
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 14 Jan 1881
Birth Place: North Dakota
Death Date: 5 Jan 1967
Death Place: Sacramento

Ancestry.com. California, Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.
ancestry.com

FINAL RESTING PLACE

Burial & Cemetery

Burial details for Lena:

Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota, USA

RECORD HISTORY

Record added: 7/1/2019 4:11:35 PM
Last updated: 7/1/2026 10:36:09 AM

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Dakota' is a Native American (Sioux) word for 'friend.' (statesymbolsusa.org)

1861 - President James Buchanan signed the bill creating the Dakota Territory

1889 - On November 2, 1889, both North and South Dakota were admitted to the Union, becoming the 39th and 40th states.

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