Wednesday, July 31, 2019

WEDDING WEDNESDAY with a TWIST ~ How many divorces have I recorded?


Instead of my usual Wedding Wednesday post, I thought I would shake it up a bit.
 
I record marriage details in my Legacy program.  These can include the following:
  • Date of marriage
  • Place of marriage
  • Witnesses to marriage
  • Married by – name of Pastor, Priest or Justice of the Peace who performed the ceremony
  • Where they went for their honeymoon
  • Status of the marriage – Divorced, husband or wife deceased, Common law etc.
  • Date & detail of the divorce
Out of curiosity I wondered how many couples I have in my database who are listed as divorced?

I’ve never thought to review this statistic before.

I used Search>Find>Detailed Search and filled in the boxes as follows


With the click of a mouse the list was created.
My Legacy database contains 6287 individuals.  Of those there are 2424 that are married. 
 
HOW MANY PEOPLE WOULD YOU GUESS ARE ON THE LIST?  

I had no idea.  And certainly, I am not privy to the status on all the marriages I’ve recorded.
 
There were 166 people on the list – making for 83 divorced couples.  Taking the number of individuals I have as married and dividing it into 166 people that are divorced, I get a total percentage of divorces of .0684.

Is that a lot or not too many?  Again, I have no idea.

I know my Dad divorced twice, my Mom once. My 3 lifelong friends all have divorced parents.
 
I think it’s much more common today, but it certainly wasn’t unheard of during our grandparents & great grandparent’s times.  As evidenced by my report.

Have you ever run this report for your own tree?  If so, I’d love to hear about it.  I know all you Legacy users out there can create the report and I expect the other programs have something similar.
 
Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Tuesday, July 30, 2019

COUSINS ~ Such a wonderful resource–What I learned about Mary Emily King (1921-2019) in one afternoon


Cousins!  We can have an unlimited number of them.  We all know that they are special members of any family.  Whether you grew up with them or you have met them along your life’s journey, they can be a source of joy.

I received a phone call a few days ago from a cousin I’ve met through my genealogy research.  She just happens to live within an hour of me.  She is a maternal 3rd cousin.  Our common ancestors are James Gillen Hunter and Susan Caroline Boggs.

She informed me that her Aunt, Mary Emily King, had recently passed away.  She knows that I like to try and stay informed about family events, births, marriages, deaths etc.

Yesterday I sat down at my computer to take a look at my Legacy database and see what I had entered for Mary Emily King, my 2nd cousin once removed.

I had her as the daughter of Joseph Edward King & Maria Rhoda Downing.  Having been the 5th child born to that couple. 
I had a birth date of “about 1920 in Indiana.”  That was the extent of my knowledge of Mary Emily King.

WHAT DID I LEARN IN JUST A SHORT TIME (ABOUT TWO HOURS) THIS MORNING?
  • First I did a Google search to see if I could find an obituary for Mary Emily.  Most or many obituaries are published online now and a simple Google search of the name + obituary will bring results.  Sometimes I add the year also, depending on how common the name is
  • The obituary was a great source of information and confirmed what my cousin had told me.  Mary Emily died 4 Apr 2019.  The obituary gave her exact date of birth & place, the names of her parents, who she married & when, names of her family both living and deceased, her military service, other information about her life and her place of burial.  Doesn’t get much better than that.

  • OH!!  Did I mention there was a lovely photo of Mary Emily included with the obituary.
Screenshot from her obituary

  • The next place I looked for information was FindAGrave.  Even though Mary Emily recently passed away, you can, many times, find a memorial has already been created.
  • Sure enough there it was.  You can visit her memorial here #198091880.
  • Her memorial had links to memorials for her parents, her husband and one sibling.
  • I returned to Ancestry to add her husband’s name to my tree.
  • From there I was able to find more information about him, including family photos AND his birth & death certificates.  THAT WAS A BONUS I WAS NOT EXPECTING.
  • Interestingly, I cannot locate a marriage record for this couple.  I’ve tried specific and general searches on both Ancestry & Family Search.  Both Mary Emily’s and her husband, Harold’s obituaries give the same date and place of the marriage.  For now, that will have to do as evidence.  However, I will need more solid evidence and will continue to search.
  • By learning that Mary Emily & her husband had a daughter named Maria, I was able to locate her obituary (she just died last year).  This included all sorts of vital information about her, including exact birth date, marriages, children's names etc.
NOTE:  I have searched high and low for a marriage record for Mary Emily King & Harold Hanna.  According to both of their obituaries, they were married 12 Aug 1972 in Danville, Illinois.  HOWEVER, how is it they have a daughter born in 1947?  Could this daughter be from another marriage or relationship for either Mary Emily or Harold?
 
For now, I’ll finish this post and move on to the next boat load of information I have received from another cousin (whom I met online via FB groups and then discovered and confirmed via DNA, she is my paternal 3rd cousin!)

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Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Saturday, July 27, 2019

SEPIA SATURDAY ~ This week’s theme is SWIMWEAR


WHAT IS SEPIA SATURDAY?
“Launched by Alan Burnett and Kat Mortensen in 2009, Sepia Saturday provides bloggers with an opportunity to share their history through the medium of photographs.  Historical photographs of any age or kind (they don’t have to be sepia) become the launchpad for explorations of family history, local history and social history, in fact or fiction, poetry or prose, words or further images.”


I’ve pretty much grown up around the water.  From my earliest years I remember the cottage that my paternal grandparents, Harry & Marie Gould, had at Lake Huron.  Click on this link to read about the cottage My Grandparents Enjoying their Lake Huron cottage in Michigan.

From Michigan we moved to Pompano Beach, Florida and were always a short drive from the beach.  Then in 1965 we moved to San Diego, California – more beaches.

I can locate photos of lake and beach time and swimwear from my paternal side of the family.  However, other than a couple of pictures of my Uncle Bob, none from my maternal side.
 
So, where are all of the pictures of me and my brother in our swimwear?  Good question.  Maybe I better dig through those boxes under the stairs.
 
Today, I’ll share these photos with you.
 
Here’s my Dad, Harry Norman Gould on the beach at an unknown location, with his father Harry Whipple Gould – circa 1930.


Here are my Dad, his first wife Elaine and both of my paternal grandparents, Harry & Marie Gould, with others at Lake Huron circa 1933-1935.


Next is a photo of my Dad with his mother Marie, on the beach in Florida.  My Dad worked as a lifeguard in the early 1960’s.

And, here’s the only swimwear photo I can find from my Mom’s side of the family.

My Uncle, Robert Andrew Milne, who served in World War II as a Medic.  Here is in on the beach (he's on the left) in an unknown location, during his service.  I don’t know who his friend is.


And, finally, there had to be at least one of me.  So here are Ron and I on a vacation cruise in 1993.  We were at Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica.  Ron’s always a good sport and the photographer asked him to wear the hat.


What photos do you have of your ancestors enjoying the beach or a lake?  What kind of swimwear did they have on?

OTHER SEPIA SATURDAY POSTS THAT YOU MAY ENJOY – Click here

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Friday, July 26, 2019

FRIDAY FINDS ~ The obituaries for both sons of my Granduncle, William “Bill” Lindsay–Let’s talk about William Allen Lindsay and Robert Richard Lindsay


My grandmother, Marie Wallace Lindsay had 3 known siblings; Ellen W. Lindsay (1887-1927), Bessie Lindsay (1892-1971) and William “Bill” Lindsay (1894-1976).  There was probably another sibling, based on census and divorce records stating there were 5 children in the family.  However, I’ve only ever found names of 4. Those four are the children of William Wallace Lindsay and Elizabeth Fitzcharles.

I’ve written a lot about my Lindsay family because it’s my paternal grandmother’s line and because I keep finding more information.
Today let’s concentrate on my Granduncle, Bill Lindsay’s two sons.
 
William Allen Lindsay and Robert Richard Lindsay were Uncle Bills’ sons by the 2nd of his four wives, Vera Violet Allen.  They married in 1919 and divorced in 1928.
 
I never heard any talk about these nephews of my grandmother.  Perhaps I was too young to listen to anything being said, or perhaps, after the divorce when the children were young, they never saw them again? I do know that Vera & the boys moved to Massachusetts, from Detroit, and it appears that’s where the two boys stayed.
 
I’m proud to say that these young men, William & Robert are my 1st cousins, once removed.  Both of them served during World War II.  I found this out when I located their obituaries on newspapers.com just a couple of days ago.


Here is my transcription of Robert Richard Lindsay’s obituary, published in The Berkshire Eagle 22 Feb 2000, page 8

Robert R. Lindsay, 73, World War II veteran
LEE, BERKSHIRE Co., MA - Mr. Robert R. Lindsay, 73, of 197 East Center St. died yesterday at Berkshire Medical Center. 
Born in Athol on Sep 30, 1926, son of William and Vera Allen Lindsay, he moved to Lee at the age of 12 and attended local schools including Lee High. 
He served in the Army during World War II. 
After his military service, Mr. Lindsay was employed by GE for more than 40 years. He retired in 1988. 
He was a communicant of St. Mary;s Church. 
His wife, the former Helen M. Vecchia, whom he married Nov 14, 1953, died Jan 27, 1995. 
He leaves two sons, Richard R. Lindsay of Lee and Scott W. Lindsay of Greenville, SC.; two brothers, William Lindsay and Lawrence Aiken, both of Pittsfield, and two grandchildren.  

FUNERAL NOTICE - Included survivors are his loving grandchildren, Zachary R. and Alexander J. Lindsay, and devoted daughter-in-law, Carla Lindsay, all of Lee.  The funeral will be Thursday at 11:15 from KELLY FUNERAL HOME in Lee, with a Liturgy of Christian Burial at noon at St. Mary's Church celebrated by the Rev. David M. Darcy, associate pastor.  Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visiting hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday from 4 to 7.  In lieu of flowers, friends wishing may make donations to St. Mary's School Library in care of Kelly Funeral Home, 3 Main st., Lee, MA 01238.


Here is my transcription of William Allen Lindsay’s obituary – published in The Berkshire Eagle, 10 May 2002, page 10

William A. Lindsay, 77, World War II veteran
PITTSFIELD - William A. Lindsay, 77 of 11 Wahcohan Heights died Thursday at the Center for Optimum Care, where he had resided since Jun 2000.
Born in Detroit on Oct. 31, 1924, son of William and Vera Allen Lindsay, he attended schools in Lee and Waltham.
An Army veteran of World War II, he was assigned to the 343rd Military Police Escort Guard Company.
He was employed as a truck driver by Berkshire Gravel for 30 years and retired in 1973.  Previously, he had worked for the William and Newton construction companies.
Mr. Lindsay was a member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 448 and a 15 year volunteer at the Neighborhood Health Center.  He was a citizens band radio oerator and enjoyed country western music.
He and his wife, the former Edith A. Sidebottom Plude, would have celebrated their 33rd wedding anniversary May 29.
Besides his wife, he leaves a stepson, William L. Plude of Pittsfield; two stepdaughters, Sheila M. Groat and Kathleen J. Farrar, both of Pittsfield; a brother, Lawrence Aiken of Pittsfield, 10 grandchilden and 11 great grandchildren.


FUNERAL NOTICE - The funeral for William Allen Lindsay, who died Thursday, May 9, 2002, will be Saturday, May 11 at 10 from Dery Funeral Home, with Rev. William D. Furey, pastor of Berkshire Union Chapel, officiating.  Burial will follow in Fairmount Cemetery in Lee.  Calling hours at the funeral home will be Saturday from 9 until the time of the service.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one's choice in care of the funeral home, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield, MA 01201.


Not only did I learn of the brother’s service in World War II from these obituaries, I also learned they have another brother Laurence Aiken.  Since their mother, Vera, was married to a man named Laurence Aiken, after her divorce from William Lindsay, this must have been their child and he would be a half brother to the two men. More research to do.

If you are related to anyone mentioned in this post, please contact me.  I’m sure there must be cousins out there.  Do any of you have photos of these two men or their families?  I’d love to see them.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

WEDDING WEDNESDAY – William “Bill” Lindsay & his many wives – the story of my Granduncle Bill

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks – Week #1 – Vera Violet Allen 1902-1991 – wife of my granduncle

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Tuesday, July 16, 2019

TOMBSTONE TUESDAY ~ Lyman Constantine Hart, my 2nd great granduncle–1835-1888

HART_Lyman-died 1888_52 yrs.

Lyman Constantine Hart is my 2nd great granduncle on my paternal side.  He was the son of Henry Hart and Olive Glasier Doten.  He was the 2nd child of 9 born to this couple.

Lyman remains a bit of a mystery to me.  He is enumerated with his family in the 1850 census in Armada, Macomb, Michigan.  I have a Civil War Draft Registration for him from Jun 1863 and he appears in the 1870 census living with his parents, one brother and a sister.

(CLICK ON ANY IMAGE TO ENLARGE IT)
HART_Lyman & Noble_Civil War Draft Reg_Jun 1863_St Clair Co Michigan
Civil War Draft Registration record
1870_HART_Henry & Olive with Lyman-Noble-Arminda_Image_ArmadaMich
1870 census
I tried again today to find Lyman enumerated any time between the 1870 census and his death in 1888.  I looked for U.S. census records, agriculture records, state census records and city directories. I had no luck at all. I’ve never located a marriage record for Lyman either.
I do know when he died and where he is buried.
His death record lists his name as L. C., his age as 52, born in Canada – all of those being consistent with my records.  His case of death was “cancer of face” and his occupation listed as a Painter.  The date of death on the register is a match to what is on his headstone, so I’m certain this death record is his. 
NOTE:  In looking at this record today, for the first time in a while I notice there is a handwritten note under the place where parent’s names should be, which says “Wayne County Poor House, Further Particulars Unknown.”

Here’s the full death register.

HART_L C_death record_Feb 1888_Wayne Co Michigan_page 1 of 2

Here is page two turned sideways and enhanced.  You can see that note written where the parent’s names should be.

HART_L C_death record_Feb 1888_Wayne Co Michigan_page 2 of 2

The Michigan Deaths & Burials, 1800-1995 list the death place as Nankin, Wayne, Michigan.  This leads me to believe he died at Eloise Asylum/Hospital.

Michigan Deaths & Burials, 1800-1995
Name: L. C. Hart
Gender: Male
Burial Date: 
Burial Place: 
Death Date: 15 Feb 1888
Death Place: Nankin, Wayne, Michigan
Age: 52
Birth Date: 1836
Birthplace: Canadian
Occupation: Painter
Race: White
Marital Status: Single
Spouse's Name: 
Father's Name: 
Father's Birthplace: 
Mother's Name: 
Mother's Birthplace: 
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: B59947-1
System Origin: Michigan-EASy
Source Film Number: 1377688
Reference Number: yr 1888
  

Lyman’s father, Henry Hart, had died in 1879.  That left his mother, Olive, a widow, aged 74.  I am unable to locate her in the 1880 census either.  I wonder why Lyman would have ended up in the Poor House?  He had many sisters, brothers and half siblings living in Armada.  Is it possible his mother was also at the Poor House?  She died a year before Lyman.  Her death record does not indicate she was in the Poor House and does give her parent’s names.  So, I’m uncertain where she was living between Henry’s death in 1879 and her own death in 1887.

Lyman and his parent’s are buried in Rose Hill Cemtery in Armada, Macomb, Michigan.  I have been there twice and photographed their headstone.  They are all on the same stone, on different sides of it.

You can visit the FindAGrave memorial for Lyman here #31946730.

I would welcome input from anyone who has more information about Lyman.  If you’re a cousin, please get in touch with me and let’s share information.

OTHER POSTS THAT MAY BE OF INTEREST

CENSUS SUNDAY–WHO WAS LIVING NEXT TO WHOM? AND WHAT DOES THIS RECORD TELL ME?

THOSE PLACES THURSDAY - Armada, Macomb, Michigan

Happy hunting,
Michigan Girl
Copyright ©  2010-2018   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Wednesday, July 10, 2019

WEDNESDAY’S CHILD ~ The stillborn infant daughter of Thomas W. Nichols and his wife Julia Gertrude Gillen - 1889


I found this record yesterday while looking at my Gillen clan.
 
Julia Gertrude Gillen born 20 Oct 1864 in Ohio (probably Lawrence County), was the daughter of Isaac Fisher Gillen and Amy “Emma” Kimball.  She was the 7th child, 4th girl born to this couple.

When Julia was 24 she married Thomas W. Nichols who was about 22 years old.  They married on 17 Jan 1889 in Lawrence County, Ohio.
 
Ohio, County Marriage Records, 1774-1993
Name:     Julia G. Gillen
Gender:     Female
Marriage Date:     17 Jan 1889
Marriage Place:     Lawrence, Ohio, USA
Spouse:     Thomas W. Nichols
Film Number:     000317721


The next record I found was a Kentucky Death record for an infant girl who was born 12 Nov 1889.  She was full term, but stillborn.  Her parents are clearly listed as Mrs. Julie G. Nichols and Mr. T. W. Nichols.

 

It must have been devastating for this young, newly married couple to lose, what was probably,  their first child.  We all know the planning, anticipation and joy that goes on when a baby is expected.

The death record says the little girl is buried in Linden Grove Cemetery, Covington, Kenton, Kentucky.  I checked FindAGrave.com and did not locate a memorial, so I created one for her.  You may visit her memorial here #200984175.


View of Linden Grove Cemetery - Photo courtesy of David M. Habben




Very sadly, I’ve discovered that this little infant’s mother, Julia, died just 5 months later on 17 Apr 1890.  She was only 25 years old.  She is buried at Union Hill Cemetery in Lawrence County, Ohio and her memorial is #17847835.

I have located a probate record naming her husband Thomas as the executor. However, I have not located a death record or obituary. 
Anyone reading this who has knowledge of how Julia died, please get in touch.



Happy hunting
Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION

Monday, July 8, 2019

AMANUENSIS MONDAY ~ The will of Stephen Wilson of Lawrenc Co., Ohio - 1871




Will of Stephen Wilson

Lawrence County Probate Court Monday October 2nd AD 1871.
Pleas in the Probate Court in and for the county of Lawrence and State of Ohio, before Peras R. Polley, Judge of said court, at a session thereof, held in Ironton, on the second day of October in the year Eighteen hundred and seventy one.
       Be it remembered that on the second day of October in the year one thousand and eight hundred and seventy one; There was produced in open court, for the Probate, an instrument of writing purporting to be the last will and testament of Stephen Wilson, late of said Lawrence County, deceased, which will reads in the words and figures following:
       In the name of the Benevolent Father of all and State of Ohio, do make and publish this my last will and testament.

Item 1st It is my will and devise that the store in Burlington, owned by my son John G. Wilson and myself, in equal proportions, and now carried on in the name of S. Wilson & Son, be continued after my death in the same manner that the business is now conducted, and that my wife Sarah Wilson, to own the interest in said store and business owned by me at the time of my death, and shall receive benefits and profits arising from said business in the same manner, and to the same extent that I could were I then living.

Item 2nd I devise and bequeath to my said son John G. Wilson, the farm with all the privileges and immunities thereto belonging situate immediately above Burlington, and known as the Bryan and Wilson farm containing fourteen and one half acres more or less.

Item 3rd I devise and bequeath to my son, Robert S. Wilson, the farm of Solada Creek heretofore conveyed to him by John Ballard, now in his possession and known as the Ballard farm containing two hundred acres more or less together with a forty four acre lot adjoining the same and known as the Old Billy McKee place. The last above mentioned devise is made on condition that my said son Robert S. Wilson, will pay to my son DeWit Clinton Wilson the sum of Five hundred dollars within five years from the date probate of this will, without interest. 
 
Item 4th I devise and bequeath to my said son DeWit Clinton Wilson, one thousand dollars in Bank Stock owned by me in the Second National Bank of Ironton, together with all the recover___ funds belonging thereto with all the accruing profits belonging to and growing out of same.

Item 5th I devise and bequeath to my daughter Emila Jane Morris, three thousand dollars to be paid by my executor herein after named out of the residue of my estate not herein above devised in instalments of not less than five hundred dollars per annum without interest.

Item 6th I devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah Wilson all the residue of my estate Real and Personal not hereinbefore devised, after payment of my just debts and funeral expenses to hold as her own property during her natural life; and after her death all of the property and effects both real and personal above devised to my said wife Sarah Wilson, to be equally divided between all my said children, or their heirs and survivors according to the law of the State of Ohio.

Item 7th I do hereby nominate and appoint my said wife Sarah Wilson, and my said son John G. Wilson, Executors of this my last will and testament hereby authorizing them to compromise, adjust release and discharge, in such manner as they may deem proper, the debts and claims due me.  I do also authorize and empower them, if it shall become necessary in order to pay my debts, to sell by private sale or in such manner and upon such terms of credit or otherwise as they may think proper all or any part of my real estate, leaving the lands herein before devised as the last, and to execute and acknowledge deeds therefor in fee simple.  I do hereby revoke all former wills by me made.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 16th day of August in the year 1871



Signed and acknowledged by said Stephen Wilson as his last willand testament in our presence, and signed by us in his presence.
Elias Nigh
George W. Thompson
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Happy hunting,


Michigan Girl

Copyright ©  2010-2019   Diane Gould Hall
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.  NO USE WITHOUT PERMISSION