Emma was born on 11 October 1875 in Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. Her age was given as 30 years in her Marriage License and Certificate when she married Theodore Van Buren on 25 December 1906, but she was apparently actually 31.
1 Emma L. Semke married
Theodore (Theo) Van Buren II, son of
Philip von Buren and
Kathrina Scherrer, on 25 December 1906 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, Their Christmas Day wedding took place at the German Methodist Episcopal Church, 575 East Pico Street, Los Angeles on 25 December (Christmas Day) 1906. Theodore Van Buren, age 43, had been a widower for ten years following the death of his first wife Anna Sophia Van Buren. His bride, Emma L. Semke, age 30, was born in Westfield, Massachusetts, of German parents, Henry Semke and Henrietta Hastings. Her address was given as 933 Burlington Avenue, Los Angeles. Theodore is shown as born in Switzerland of Swiss parents, Philipp [sic] and Elisabeth Van Buren. However, Elisabeth [Scherrer] was apparently actually his stepmother and aunt, the sister of his mother Kathrina Scherrer who had died when he was only about 17 months old. His occupation was decorator and he was still living at 315 South Bunker Hill Avenue. [Los Angeles County Marriage License and State of California Certificate of Marriage]
From the Los Angeles Daily News, Tuesday, 25 December 1906, page 12:
Vital Record - MarriagesVAN BUREN-SEMKE. Theodore Van Buren, aged 43, a native of Switzerland, and Eina [sic] L. Semke, aged 30, a native of Massachusetts; both residents of Los Angeles.
Essentially the same information appeared in the the Los Angeles Post-Record,Tuesday, 25 December 1906, page 7.
2,3 Emma L. Semke died on 30 May 1945 in Los Angeles County, California, at age 69.
4 Emma L. Semke appeared on the census of 1880 in the household of
Henry Semke and
Henrietta Semke in Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts.
5 Emma L. Semke lived in 1903 in 938 W 28th Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.
6 She was a cook in 1903.
6 Emma L. Van Buren and
Theodore (Theo) Van Buren II appeared on the census of 1910 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, which lists Theodore [misspelled "Tailor"] Van Buren, 46, and his second wife Emma, 33. They had been married 3 years; it was the second marriage for Theodore and the first marriage for Emma. Emma had no children, either living or dead. Theodore is shown as born in "Swiss/Germany" and both his parents as born in "Swiss/Germany" [not totally legible] Emma is shown as born in Massachusetts [mis-indexed as Minnesota] and both her parents in Germany [not very legible].
7 Emma L. Van Buren and Theodore (Theo) Van Buren II lived in 1911 in 1153 South Hope Avenue, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.
8 Her husband, Theodore, died on 11 June 1912 in Noble Hospital, Westfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts, at age 48, leaving her a widow. Theodore and Emma Van Buren may traveled, to Westfield, Massachusetts (his wife Emma's birthplace), en route to their planned 2-year trip to Eurrope only a month before his death there at Noble Hospital on 11 June 1912 at age 48 years, 9 months and 15 days. His "former or usual residence" is listed as Los Angeles, California. His death certificate lists his occupation as "artist". The primary cause of death was "starvation" and the secondary cause pyloric stenosis of stomach of four years duration. His father's name is given as Philip Van Buren and mother as Elizabeth Sherer (although she was apparently actually his stepmother and aunt, the sister of his mother Kathrina Scherrer who had died when he was only about 17 months old), both born in Switzerland. His widow, Emma, signed the death certificate as "Mrs. Theodore Van Buren". [Commonwealth of Massachusetts Standard Certificate of Death]
.
9 She lived in 1914 in 444 M Street, Fresno, Fresno County, California.
10 Emma L. Semke lived in 1915 in 3507 Marmion Way, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, In the 1915 Los Angeles Directory, Emma L. Van Buren, widow of Theo. Van Buren, is listed as living at 3507 Marmion Way. She is apparently not listed in the 1912, 1913 or 1916 Directories.
11 Emma L. Semke appeared on the census of 1920 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, which lists Emma Van Buren, 43, born in Massachusetts, a widow, both parents born in Bremen, Germany, a housekeeper in the home of an Edward Dietrich family at 1827 West 22nd Street.
12 She was a housekeeper in 1920.
12 Emma L. Van Buren appeared on the census of 1930 in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, which lists Emma Van Buren, 52, born in Massachusetts, widowed, first married [to Theodore Van Buren] at age 30, both parents born in Germany. She was a housekeeper in the home of a Neil McDowell family at 522 Mariposa.
13 She was a housekeeper in 1930.
Emma L. Semke appeared on the census of 1940 in 5616 Ash Street, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California.
14 She was uable to work in 1940.
15 Theodore and Emma (Semke) Van Buren apparently did not have any children, thus ending this line of Van Burens.