I am looking for any information on a Raymond Tobias who lived in Idaho in the early 1900's.

Mary, I don't know of a Raymond. What town was he from. If the Salmon, Lemhi area, Kevin Tobias may know. Joan Finn

It's kind of a strange story - Raymond's wife and children left him in Washington state and came back to Illinois sometime around 1897.

I found Raymond in the 1910 census living in Idaho County with a wife and her 2 children.

I found a marriage record in Kootenai Co., ID between Raymond and Cora Holtbuer in 1909.

I found Raymond and Cora in the 1920 census in Shoshone Co., ID.

I've never found any record of his death so not sure what happened to them.

As far as I know, he never had any other children than the 3 living in Illinois with their mother (Raymond's first wife).

What great messages to find! These messages are so old, though. Here it is 2006 and it looks to me like I'm replying to messages left in 2005 and before. I am a Tobias great granddaughter and found out just this year that my great grandmother Rebecca Tobias was "100%" Jewish. She was in born in Ohio (?) and married Silas M Bennett. They moved to the Pontiac, Livingston County, Illinois area. I am very curious about this. Her mother was Sarah ? Tobias. Her father was John Tobias. I haven't researched them enough to know much more than that. PA is in their backgound I think. Would like to know more. I think that it's not as simple as just saying that a name is "Jewish", isn't it?
These messages are fascinating. Glad I found them.

What great messages to find! These messages are so old, though. Here it is 2006 and it looks to me like I'm replying to messages left in 2005 and before. I am a Tobias great granddaughter and found out just this year that my great grandmother Rebecca Tobias was "100%" Jewish. She was in born in Ohio (?) and married Silas M Bennett. They moved to the Pontiac, Livingston County, Illinois area. I am very curious about this. Her mother was Sarah ? Tobias. Her father was John Tobias. I haven't researched them enough to know much more than that. PA is in their backgound I think. Would like to know more. I think that it's not as simple as just saying that a name is "Jewish", isn't it?
These messages are fascinating. Glad I found them.

What great messages to find! These messages are so old, though. Here it is 2006 and it looks to me like I'm replying to messages left in 2005 and before. I am a Tobias great granddaughter and found out just this year that my great grandmother Rebecca Tobias was "100%" Jewish. She was in born in Ohio (?) and married Silas M Bennett. They moved to the Pontiac, Livingston County, Illinois area. I am very curious about this. Her mother was Sarah ? Tobias. Her father was John Tobias. I haven't researched them enough to know much more than that. PA is in their backgound I think. Would like to know more. I think that it's not as simple as just saying that a name is "Jewish", isn't it?
These messages are fascinating. Glad I found them.

What great messages to find! These messages are so old, though. Here it is 2006 and it looks to me like I'm replying to messages left in 2005 and before. I am a Tobias great granddaughter and found out just this year that my great grandmother Rebecca Tobias was "100%" Jewish. She was in born in Ohio (?) and married Silas M Bennett. They moved to the Pontiac, Livingston County, Illinois area. I am very curious about this. Her mother was Sarah ? Tobias. Her father was John Tobias. I haven't researched them enough to know much more than that. PA is in their backgound I think. Would like to know more. I think that it's not as simple as just saying that a name is "Jewish", isn't it?
These messages are fascinating. Glad I found them.

There are actually a number of apparently separate groups of "Tobias'".

Jewish Line: The name was likely derived from the Hebrew "Tobiah" meaning the Lord is my Go(o)d. This group emigrated for the most part to New York

German (my) Line: This name was changed from "Tobe" to "Tobias" when the Rhine-Pfalz, Germany born Hans Jost Tobe emigrated to America in 1741. He and his four sons settled in Berks Co (PA Dutch) PA with descendants moving to OH (primarily Pickaway and Washington Co's) and some later on to IL (Peoria area)

Espanic Line: Since the emigrees came from warmer Espanic Climates (Spain, Mexico, etc.), I would guess many of them settled into the Southern states. Pronunciation "Tobeeahs"

Wales Line: Shannon Weis reports her line emigrated from Llanfihangel Aberbythych,Carmarthen, Wales to Indiana

Bohemian Line: Bob Trehearne reports his line changed their name from Tobiasch when the emigrated from Bohemia to Minnesota in the 1850's (it was the edge of the frontier at that point) with some moving on to NE and KS

Hungary etc. Lines: Other people on this board have mentioned other countrys from which their Tobias ancestors came with different original spellings.

So "Tobias" is not per se a Jewish name. My very unscientific opinion is that something a little less than 50% are Jewish (including Andrew Tobias).

I very much doubt that Rebecca Tobias Bennett was Jewish which I'll explain in a separate posting

I can't give much information on Silas Bennett but can be reasonably sure Rebecca Tobias was not born Jewish. Her ancestor emigrated from Rhine-Phatz Germany in 1741 and the line was staunch "Reformed", essentially Lutheran. Following is her ancestry

Rebecca Tobias b. 1841, Pickaway Co., OH --> Ogle, DeKalb, and Kane Co's. 7 sibs
John Tobias 1792-1846 Berks Co., PA-->Stephenson Co., IL 10 sibs
John Tobias 1769-1847 Berks Co., PA-->Pickaway Co., OH 6 sibs
George Tobias 1738-1790, Rhine-Pfatz Germany-->Berks Co., PA, 3 known siblings
Hans Jost Tobe 1718-1775 Rhine-Pfatz Germany-->Berks Co., PA
No earlier information known

Also we have no information indicating this family were watchmakers.

Thank you for your input. I've come to believe that Rebecca was not "Jewish" ( in the broadest sense) as well. Everything else you've added here matches my findings to this point.
Thank you,
magdigbones