Ephriam Toy Funkhouser, or E.T. as he was known, is the father of William Edward Funkhouser. He was born on September 1, 1860 in Indiana but soon moved to Iowa. After reaching adulthood he moved to northwest Arkansas and then finally to Oklahoma.

Something about Iowa stayed with him.....

The 1870 census, when E.T. would have been 9 years old, clearly shows him being born in Indiana. So does the 1880, 1900 and the 1910 census'.

But starting in 1920 (at age 60) he lists Iowa as his birthplace and again in 1930.

Could he have forgotten his birthplace since he moved at an early age. Interestingly E.T. lost his wife Precilla (during childbirth) in 1905 and married Ida Greely in 1907. She was a mail order bride.

Maybe it was Ida that was interviewed by the census takers and since E.T. talked about living in Iowa as a boy she assumed that he was born there.

Ironically, Ida lists her birthplace as Germany in 1910 and 1920, but it becomes Nova Scotia in 1920...

September 1, 2010 was Ephraim's 150th birthday.