My Family

I created this blog to keep track of my family history research. I do most of my research online.

The Francis name is my husband's which was originally Francisco from Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal. He also has ancestors from Sweden and England. So far, I have found that my family has come from Italy, England, French Canada, Scotland, and Ulster Ireland (Scotch Irish).

I have also taken a DNA test, which shows mostly Italian, but also England and France.

Friday, October 26, 2012

louisa terragnoli denicola (part 2 of 3)

immigration

Louisa Terragnoli was married by the time she immigrated to the United States in 1907.  She arrived in Boston, MA with her husband, Arnaldo DeNicola, and daughter, Annunziata, on May 13, 1907.  They left the port of Naples, Italy on the S.S. Canopic on May 1, 1907, sailing for 13 days.  Louisa was 24 years old when she ventured on this trip to America.  I found an image below of the ship, and another site which has a little history on the SS Canopic.


SS Canopic lands in Boston, 4000 immigrants flock to U.S. daily
Immigrants arriving in Boston, MA on the SS Canopic 1920, from BPL flickr site
On the passenger record, it states that Louisa and Arnaldo are going to see Louisa's brother, Cosmo (or Cosnio) Terragnoli, who lives at 3 North Square in Boston, MA. Cosmo came over in 1906 with Louisa's husband in 1906. This may have been one of three trips Arnaldo made, he must have been coming to get settled before he came with his family.  I was unable to find any military or census records for Cosmo in Massachusetts, so I am not sure if he went back to Italy or moved to another state. I mentioned another possible brother of Louisa's in my last post, Damiano Terragnoli.  I was also unable to find much information on him, other than his marriage record in Boston, MA. (see note on last post with updated Damiano information)

Louisa's last place of residence on her passenger record is listed as Prezza, Italy.  It also lists her daughter, Annunziata, was born in Prezza in 1905.  If Louisa had her first child quickly after being married, this would give Louisa and Arnaldo's marriage year to be around 1904-1905, maybe in Prezza.  The 1910 Census states they had been married for 6 years, so that would also suggest around 1904.  The Family History Center Library does not have the civil registrations for these years on microfilm, they only have 1809-1865.  I did write to the commune of Prezza in August of 2010, over two years ago; asking for their extraction of marriage; unfortunately, I did not get a response. 

1910 US Federal Census Arnaldo and Louisa DeNicola in Quincy, MA
From blog post louisa terragnoli
 
This first census for Louisa in the United States (1910) shows that she and her growing family settled in Quincy, MA.  They stayed in this city throughout their lives, even though they moved at least 8 times while in Quincy.  I have written a little about their residences in another blog post about her husband Arnaldo.  I have been unable to locate Louisa and Arnaldo in the 1920 census, even though I have found them in the 1920 Quincy directory on Washington Street.  I browsed through this district of Quincy for the 1920 census, and still am unable to locate them. 

1910-1943 residence for Arnaldo and Louisa DeNicola

View Arnaldo and Louisa DeNicola in a larger map




 

Arnaldo and Louisa lived on Canal Street in 1910. After looking at some historical maps, it seems the name of this road at some time was changed to the current Revere Road. By 1920, they moved to Washington Street; 1926 they are on Winter Street. The 1930 Census has Louisa living on Bracket Street with Arnaldo and 9 out of her 10 living children; their eldest, Nancy was married by 1930. By 1932 the family has moved to Edwards Street, then Massachusetts Ave by 1933 to at least 1938. In the 1940 Census, Louisa is a widow living with five of her children on Arnold Street. Louisa moves at least one more time by 1943 when she is found on Spear Street in that year's Quincy directory.






I believe Louisa's mother, Francesca Pettinelli, may have lived in Massachusetts also; as her name is etched on her daughter Eva's gravestone in Quincy, MA.  Francesca dies in 1925, two years after her granddaughter Eva, who was only about 3 years old.  These must have been some difficult years for Louisa.

Louisa may also had at least one brother, maybe two, living in Massachusetts; Cosmo and Damiano as mentioned above.  I have not found Francesca or Cosmo in any census records, but Damiano is listed in the 1920-1940 censuses, living in Quincy, MA.  Louisa probably saw Damiano since he was living so close.

The 1930 census gives us a little bit more information on Louisa and her husband.  It does state that they were both naturalized by 1930, which I knew since I found Arnaldo's naturalization papers on ancestry.com.  The census also notes that they are both able to speak English, and are able to read and write.  They are renting their house, which is not surprising with all the moves from house to house they have done.  They rent their house on Brackett street for $30 a month.  (The only new information from the 1940 census is that Louisa's highest level of education is 4 years of High School. I am not sure of the school system in Italy when she was a child, but it seems she was well educated.)

1930 Census Louisa and Arnaldo DeNicola Quincy, MA
From blog post louisa terragnoli


Louisa's husband died in 1935, leaving her with her youngest child, Remo, still only 13 years old. Remo is my grandfather, and I do not remember him speaking much of his parents, or if his grandparents or any Aunts and Uncles came to the US along with Louisa.  He would only have been about three years old when his grandmother Francesca dies, too young to remember her.   

(continued...)


Thursday, October 25, 2012

louisa terragnoli denicola (part 1 of 3)

birth

I do not have a lot of information on my great grandmother, Louisa Terragnoli.  I have only seen an exact birthdate on one record, her husband Arnaldo DeNicola's petition for naturalization.  This record has a date for Louisa's birth as May 20, 1877.  This record also states that she was born in Roma, Italy, but Louisa's passenger record states she was born in Prezza, Italy.


Arnaldo DeNicola's petition for naturalization (with Louisa's birth date)
From blog post louisa terragnoli

Arnaldo and Louisa DeNicola's passenger record (states Louisa was born in Prezza)
From blog post louisa terragnoli


I do not have any records that state who Louis'a parents were.  I am hoping when I obtain her death record it will list them.  I do have a couple of guesses from some indirect sources.

One source is a gravestone of her daughter, Eva, who died at a very young age in 1923.   John Talieri created a memorial on findagrave.com with a picture of her gravestone from Mount Wollaston Cemetery in Quincy, MA; which also has Eva's grandmother listed on the stone, Francesca Pettinelli.  Perhaps this is Louisa's mother.

Eva DeNicola and Francesca Pettinelli's gravestone at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy, MA
picture of gravestone from findagrave.com user John Talieri
From blog post louisa terragnoli


I remember some time ago when I first became interested in genealogy that one of my family members mentioned the name Pettinelli (and Faiella) in relation to my great grandmother, Louisa Terragnoli.  I am not sure where the Pettinelli name came from though, as I would guess she would have had her married name of Terragnoli on her stone.  It could be her maiden name, but again I find it strange that she would not put her married name.  Another option might be that she remarried a Pettinelli, and this is her second married name.  Finding her death record would also be of help to get more information.  (see updated post on Terragnoli / Pettinelli connection)

Another indirect source I found which  links the Francesca name to Terragnoli is a marriage record I found of a Damiano Terragnoli.  He marries Giselda Faiella (a name mentioned in my family) in Boston, MA and his parents are lised as Guiseppe Terragnoli and Francesca Licente.  Maybe Damiano was Louisa's brother and Francesca Pettinelli's maiden name is Licente.  That would mean Francesca most likely remarried a Pettinelli.  The trees on ancestry.com have Giselda Faiella from the same area of Prezza, Italy.  I was unable to find more information (such as passenger or census records) for Damiano or Francesca though; so I am not sure if they were from Prezza also. (see note 1 for update)

I did not find too much information about the area of Italy that Louisa grew up in.  I am guessing that the petition of naturalization was wrong in stating Roma as her place of birth, and that she was born in Prezza as this area is listed for many Terragnolis.  Prezza is in the province of L'Aquila in the Abruzzo region of Italy.  It seems to be a small commune, with a current population of around 1200.  The following is an excerpt from the http://www.abruzzocitta.it/english/comuni/prezza.html website :
"Prezza is a commune with an altitude of 500 mt above sea level and a population of 1200 inhabitants. Perched on the slopes of Mount Prezza this centre overlooks the Peligna valley. Prezza was known in the Middle Ages, although several archaeological findings date back to a prehistoric age.a terrace over the Peligna Valley, it dominates the whole Sulmona basin. Enchanting is the village, with its typical houses, together with the Baronial palace and the 13th- century of St. Lucia, a destination for religious tourism for the worship bound to the miracle of the grace against eye disease."


(to be continued, immigration to America...)

to do:
1. order death record for Francesca Pettinelli and Louisa Terragnoli from mass-doc.com (since I do not have the time to go to Massachusetts Registry of Vital Records and Statistics).  These would hopefully give me Francesca's maiden name and if it matches Damiano Terragnoli's marriage certificate, I know Louisa and he are brothers.  It would be great if Francesca's death record also gives me her parents' names to go back one more generation. 
2. find more information about Prezza, Italy

notes:
1. While I was searching for Pettinellis in the 1922 Quincy directory, I came across a Damiano and Giselda Pettinelli.  This makes it more likely that Damiano was Louisa's brother, and he changed his name from Terragnoli (on his marriage record) to Pettinelli - perhaps his mother's new married name.  This explains why I could not find much information on Damiano, I was using the Terragnoli name.  All of his children have the Pettinelli last name, and he uses this last name on all of his records, including WWI and WWII records, and also a naturalization record (only have index entry, not image on fold3.com). 

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

euphemia anna fish macconney (part 5 of 5)

death

Euphema Anna (Fish) MacConney dies on May 5, 1904 in Rockland, MA. Her death record shows she died from paresis, which is a slight paralysis. I have also seen it defined as a paralytic dementia. She was 64 years old when she died, her husband James was still living at the time. They are both buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Rockland, MA.

death record for Euphemia Anna Fish MacConney 1904
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post

gravestone for James Frank MacConney and Euphemia Anna (Fish) MacConney
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Rockland, MA
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post

The day I visited the cemetery, the sun was shining in a difficult direction to get a good picture of their stone.   There was also some moss growing on the stone, which made for a picture that is difficult to read.   The inscription is as follows:

James F MacConney
Hartsuff post g.a.r. no 74
20th unattached m.v.m.
his wife
Anna Euphemia
1840 - 1905
Hartstuff w.r.c. no 137
children
Frank 1871 - 1896
Archer 1880 - 1886

Both James and Anna's names have notations of GAR membership. This must have been important to them to engrave it on the stone. I did not know what GAR or Hartstuff stood for, so I googled a little bit and found that GAR is the Grand Army of the Republic (wikipedia article).  The GAR was made up of veterens of the civil war who advocated for "voting rights for black veterans, lobbying the US Congress to establish veterans' pensions, and supporting Republican political candidates." 

The wikipedia article also references..."Rockland, Massachusetts: Hartstuff Post 74 was dedicated January 30, 1900. Portions of the wooden structure was restored between 1990 and 1999. The structure is currently home of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War Camp 50.[37] There is also a page on the history of the hartstuff hall in Rockland here.

I still was not sure what the notation of wrc after Anna's inscription meant, until I came across this website on GAR civil war portraits that mentioned the women's relief corp, which must be the wrc. This article also credits the GAR with the establishment of Memorial Day.

websites:
1. The Library of Congress has a bibliography for the Massachusetts Women's Relief Corps.

to do:
1. find pictures of gar post 74 in massachussetts - any group photos or individual soldier photos.
2. find pictures and information on the wrc no 137 - group photos.

Monday, October 22, 2012

euphemia anna fish macconney (part 4 of 5)

family life

Anna and James MacConney had a total of six children by 1880.  They also moved from Abington, MA to Hanover, MA between the years of 1870 (when they are found in the 1870 census in Abington, MA) and 1872 (when their son George is born in Hanover, MA). 

There is a map of Hanover from 1879 on ancestry.com's database, Count Land Ownership Maps.  I searched for a J Macconney, but was not able to find him on the map, even though they were living in Hanover on the 1880 census.  I decided to search for the families surrounding him on the census, and found some of these families on Center Street.  Around these families, the name of Frank Fish stood out.  This must be James Frank MacConney; but for some reason he is listed with Anna's last name of Fish.  There is not another Fish or Frank in the 1880 census on this street in Hanover, MA.

1880 US Federal Census : Hanover, MA James F. MacConney and Anna
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post


1879 Hanover map with Frank Fish (probably James Frank MacConney) residence
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post


It must have been difficult for Anna to have left most of her family in Maine when she moved to Massachusetts.  Her father, John Calvin Fish, dies before 1880; as he is not listed in this census. Her mother, Cynthia Fish, is no longer living by the time of the 1900 census. Since her parents died in Maine, I wonder if Anna knew. Her sister, Nancy, most likely would have written her with the news if they were still close. It is probably likely that Anna did not see them again since she left Maine around 1860.

Since her family was in Maine, I hope that Anna had some support in Massachusetts when she had to endure the loss of two of their boys in the same week of May in 1886 to diptheria. Their sons, Frank and J. Archer, were 15 and 5 years old when they died.  This must have been devastating to their family. Their deaths are recorded in Rockland, MA, which means they had moved from Hanover by 1886.

Anna loses another child, her daughter Eva, in 1894, from Pthisis; which seems to be a term used for consumption. Eva was a widow, her husband died in 1891 from consumption also.  They had a child, Norma, and the family was living in the same town as Anna and James in Rockland, MA.  Since her parents both died, Norma is found in the 1900 census living with her grandparents, Anna and and James.  (Norma's fate was not a good one. She is found in the later censuses in the Hospital Cottages for Children in Templeton, MA and later in a state hospital as an adult.)  Norma was probably one of the only grandchildren that Anna would spend much time with, as the other 9 living grandchildren at this time were living in other towns.  Anna and James's daughter Amy and family are living in Hanover, MA.  Their son Walter and family are living Hingham, MA.  Their son George does live with Anna and James in Rockland in 1900, but does not have any children.  George does not even marry until 4 years after his mother dies.  
1900 US Federal Census : Rockland, MA James F MacConney and Anna
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post


Anna's brother, Lee Fish, dies in 1896.  According to his death record, Lee was living in Whitman, MA, but died in Chelsea, MA.  He had cancer of the stomach, maybe he died in a hospital.  He is buried in Stoughton, MA.  Since Anna came to Massachusetts around the same time he did, I assume Anna and Lee were close.  They were living in different towns; however, and probably would not have been able to see much of each other. 

James MacConney (and therefore Anna) is listed in three Rockland, MA directories after 1900, found on ancestry.com.  For each listing, they are living at a different address in Rockland, all on the same street.  In 1900 James and Anna are at 18 Grove Street, with their son George and granddaughter Norma.  In 1902 they are now living at 11 Grove Street; and by 1904, they are at 43 Grove Street in Rockland, MA.  Maybe they were renting houses and had to move when their term was up.  According to zillow.com, the house at 43 Grove Street was built in 1900.  This means that when James and Anna were living there, it was a new house. The other two addresses are not listed, so I am not sure if the houses are still standing.

Anna and James MacConney residence in Rockland (yellow 1900s) and Hanover (blue 1879)


Residence of Anna and James
  • 1860 Abington, MA
  • 1870 Abington, MA
  • 1872 Hanover, MA (birth of son George)
  • 1879 Hanover, MA (land ownership map)
  • 1880 Hanover, MA
  • 1886 Rockland (death of two sons)
  • 1890 Rockland (VA 1890 schedule)
  • 1900 Rockland
  • 1904 Rockland (death)
to do:
1. Dyer Memorial Library in Abington has some newspapers from this time period for Rockland, MA


Sunday, October 21, 2012

euphemia anna fish macconney (part 3 of 5)

civil war

Anna was about 22 years old when the civil war started.  She had some relatives from both Massachusetts and Maine enlist as soldiers, including her husband and her brother.  Her husband James enlisted in August of 1864.  Anna would have been home with my great great grandmother, Amy, who was almost three years old and another child, Walter, who was only 4 months old.  At this time, Anna's parents are in Maine, but her parents-in-law (James and Sylvia MacConney), brother (Lee), and a sister-in-law (Lavina MacConney Raymond) all live in the same town as Anna, Abington, MA.  They do not seem to be on the same street as Anna beacuse she is enumerated more than 10 pages after all of them; but they may have been close enough to have visits with each other if they found the time. 

 

Information from the following database on ancestry.com
James F Macconney - Anna's husband

Lee Britton Fish - Anna's brother

Uzza Thomas - Anna's brother-in-law (sister Nancy's husband)
  • Regiment Name: 8 Maine Infantry Regiment
  • Rank In: Private

Willard Jones Fish - Anna's Half-Uncle (father John Fish's half-brother)
  • 30th Regiment, Maine Infantry

euphemia anna fish macconney (part 2 of 5)

marriage

Euphemia did not stay in Maine for long. By 1860, Euphemia moves to Massachusetts and meets her future husband, James MacConney.

 At 21 years old, in June of 1860, Euphemia marries James in Abington, MA. Euphemia, who seems to sometimes go by her middle name of Anna now, may have come to Abington with her brother Lee Fish, who marries in that town in 1858. (I will refer to Euphemia as Anna from now on)

I have not been able to find Anna in the 1860 census; maybe she was in between moves since she marries the same year as the census. She is not living with her parents, or her future husband James, or her brother Lee. Her sister Nancy and parents John and Cynthia Fish all stay in Maine throughout their lives.

The marriage record of Anna and James states they were married by H D Walker, congregational minister. The book, History of Abington (note 1), states H D Walker was a minister of the Third Church in East Abington, a congregational church. I assume Anna and James were living in the eastern part of Abington if they attended this church. The only historical map of Abington I have found on ancestry.com was from 1879. There is a J McCorney listed on this map, but matching the names around this residences found in the 1880 census; this J McCornney is actualy James' father James McConihe.
Third Congregational Church from the History of Abington, MA


notes:
1. Hobart, B. (1866). History of the town of Abington, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement. Boston: T.H. Carter and Son. (p 164) (Google eBook)

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

euphemia anna fish mcconihe (part 1 of 5)

childhood

Euphemia Anna Fish (3rd great grandmother) was born in Leeds, Maine around May 17, 1839; calculated from her death record online at familysearch.org. (note 1)  She was born to John Calvin Fish and Cynthia Fish according to this death record.  I do believe that her mother's maiden name was also Fish as stated, as I found a marriage record on ancestry.com of a John Fish and a Cynthia Fish marrying in Leeds, Maine. 

The 1840 Census shows John C. Fish's household; which consists of Euphemia at age 1, living in Leeds, ME with her parents and her brother Lee.  A sister, Philene, and brother, Almond, died as babies before Euphemia was born. 

1840 Census John C Fish household Leeds, ME
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post

By 1850, Euphemia's family had moved to the neighboring town of Turner, Maine. The household consists of Euphemia, her sister Nancy, and their parents.  Her brother Lee looks to have moved into a household of a carriage maker, probably learning this trade; although the 1860 census has his occupation as cordwainer and by 1870, Lee is a shoe maker.  Euphemia's maternal grandfather, Benjamin Fish, is also living in Turner, ME in 1850 until his death in 1864.  I am not sure if his wife, Euphemia's grandmother, Fear Bump Fish, is still living at this time. (note 2)  Euphemia's paternal grandfather, Seth Fish is still living in Leeds, ME in 1850 until his death in 1859.  Seth's first wife, Euphemia's grandmother, Lillis House Fish, died before 1824; which means Euphemia never knew her.  She did have a step-grandmother, Seth's second wife, Abigail Carver Fish, who died in Leeds in 1860.  Euphemia may have lived close enough to her living grandparents in both Leeds and Turner, ME to be able to visit, either by carriage or walking. 


  1850 Census John C Fish household Turner, ME
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post

During my last blog post, I had experimented a bit with overlaying an historic map onto a current Google map, locating the land that my ancestors may have lived on.  I did this again with a map of Turner, ME, locating Euphemia's parents on the 1873 map (see kmz file with overlay here).  Euphemia's father is listed as CJ Fish (on some records he went by Calvin J) on the map, near a road the goes over a bridge over the Twenty Mile River, now called Nezinscot River.  This part of the road and the bridge no longer exist.  Even though Euphemia is not living with her parents in 1870, this could be the location of the house she grew up in.  I also looked at the1873 Leeds, ME map and found some of her Aunts and Uncles (some changed name to Morris, see note 3) who were living there in 1873. This may have been the area Euphemia was living in before her family moved to Turner, ME. (kmz file for google earth of Leeds and Turner, ME overlays)


google map of Turner and Leeds, ME with possible locations of JC Fish and siblings 1873

View John Calvin Fish Turner Maine in a larger map


From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post


I would love to explore the part of Turner where Euphemia may have lived, near the Nezinscot River; but it does not look too accessible by foot.  I am not sure whose land this is now.  I did a bit of googling, and there is a lot of information about fly fishing in this area, probably accessed by canoe or kayak.  There is a state park, The Androscoggin Riverlands State Park, a little south of this area along the western side of the Androscoggin River which would be fun to go to someday; but I would love to access the land that John Calvin Fish and family resided on.  The house is no longer there on the above google map, maybe it is used for farming or perhaps it just gets flooded and is not useable land.  I will have to look at some deeds to see who owned the land after John died. (note 4)  The 1880 Census has Euphemia's mother Cynthia living with her daughter Nancy, Euphemia's sister, and husband Uzza Thomas, maybe at this location.

(continues...)

links:
1. Sun Journal article on things to do in Turner, ME
2. Androscoggin Land Trust

notes:
1. Since I have not been able to locate a birth certificate for Euphemia, I calculated her birth from her death certificate.  However, the 1900 census states Euphemia's birth as May 1840.  The place of birth stated on her death certificate is Leeds, ME, but her marriage record states Turner, ME as her birth town. Four of her children's birth records state Euphemia was born in Leeds, ME though, just like her death record.  Since her family is living in Leeds when she was 1, I would guess Leeds would be more likely as a birth location than Turner, ME. 

2. Benjamin Fish is lised in the 1850 census with a wife Elithea.  I am not sure if this is suppose to be Fear, or if Benjamin remarried.  I could not find a death record for Fear.  The gravestone for them on findagrave.com has Benjamin and Elithea carved on stone, not Fear.  So either she is buried somewhere else or Elithea is Fear.  All of the children's birth records state mother as Fear, not Elithea.

3. Some of Euphemia's paternal Uncles changed their names from Fish to Morris. By 1860 her Uncle Samuel Lane changed his name to Samuel Lane Morris. Also, Euphemia's half uncle - Silas Fish changed his name to Silas Morris.
I have the following from a note on someone's tree from ancestry.com:
"State Law enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, Chapter 627, page 683:
22 Mar 1856 Samuel Laine Fish, of Veazie, shall be allowed to take the name of Samuel Morris;
and Adelaide C., wife of said Samuel Laine Fish, shall be allowed to take the same
name of Adelaide Morris; John Fairfield Fish, Francis N. Fish, George W. Fish and
Edward M. Fish, minor children of Samuel L. and Adelaide C. Fish, shall be allowed
to take the names of John Morris, Francis Morris, Edward Morris and George W.Morris."
Most of Euphemia's maternal Aunts and Uncles moved to other towns in Maine, away from Turner and Leeds. Some I could not track past their birth dates. I am not sure where they went and why they are difficult to locate.

4.  Leeds and Turner Maine are both in the county of Androscoggin (formed in 1854), so I looked to see where I could access these deeds.  The Androscoggin County Registry of Deeds has many indexes and images of deeds online!!!  I love when that happens.  I was able to locate some deeds for John C. Fish and Cynthia Fish.  Both deeds talk about land in North Turner, near Mill Pond.  I have not been able to find Mill Pond on the 1873 map of Turner or on the current google map.  The deeds state this land is on the south side of a country road that leads from Turner Center.  One deed mentions a John C Young's land which borders to the North.  I believe I found Young's property, on the 1873 map, north of the current Howe's Corner Road (rt 219) close to North Turner Center.  This property is not near the property of John C Fish where I thought Euphemia grew up.  Perhaps I have the location of the land near the river incorrect, or maybe John Fish owned property in more than one area of Turner.  There are earlier deed records that are referenced in the index that do not have images online - maybe they talk about the land near the river. (see to do list)   Deeds are from the Index 1877-1889: Cynthia L Fish (97, 435) (109, 458) (both deed images online); John C Fish (97, 435) (deed image online)


Turner, ME 1873 - possible area from deed near Young property and location of CJ Fish (lower right)
From euphemia ann fish macconney blog post



to do:

1. search deeds for Euphemia's grandparents to see if they were living near her family in Turner, ME
2. obtain the following deed records from Androscoggin Registry of Deeds
Index 1854-1877 (book, page number)
Cynthia L Fish (57, 240) (59, 442) (55,119)
John C Fish (3, 70) (9, 12) (13, 157) (15, 285) (22, 107) (29, 219) (55, 119)
3. locate will of John Calvin Fish and Cynthia Fish
4. look into why some of Euphemia's uncles changed name from Fish to Morris.
5. locate more of Euphemia's maternal Aunts and Uncles.

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

lucy ann holbrook torrey (part 4 of 4)

civil war

The civil war began when Lucy was about 35 years old, which means she probably had family members that fought in the war.  I did a search on the U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles database on ancestry.com for anyone that lived in Weymouth, MA with Lucy's maiden name of Holbrook, her married name of Torrey, and her mother's maiden name of Bates; leaving the first name blank.  The following is a list of the names that came up that I also had in my family tree related to Lucy. (note 1) 

Lucy’s brother Jeremiah Holbrook
Lucy's brother-in-law (Nathaniel's brother) Franklin Sumner Torrey
Lucy’s cousin George A Holbrook (Uncle Oran Holbrook’s son)
Lucy’s cousin Charles E Holbrook (Uncle Oran Holbrook’s son)
Lucy’s cousin Quincy Holbrook (Uncle Daniel Holbrook’s son)
Lucy’s cousin William Augustus Holbrook (Uncle William Holbrook’s son)
Lucy's cousin once removed Samuel Addison Bates (Uncle Elijah Bates grandson)
Lucy's cousin once removed George E Bates (Uncle Elijah Bates grandson)
Lucy’s cousin James Lawrence Bates (Uncle Elijah Bates' son)
James Lawrence Bates


notes:
1.  This is not an exhaustive list as I limited my search to only three surnames, leaving out any sisters with children of a different name.  I also limited my search to those living in Weymouth.  I just wanted a quick list of those that Lucy may have had close contact with.

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

lucy ann holbrook torrey (part 3 of 4)

Lucy's illness

Lucy's life takes a turn for the worse by the time of the 1870 census, at age 44, when she is listed as insane. The only clue I have to her insanity is from the 1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes. (note 1)

From lucy holbrook blog post

This census lists Lucy as being in the following asylums; Taunton, South Boston and Worcester. By 1880 she had spent 12 years of her life in asylums according to this census, and was last discharged in 1879. There is also a checkmark in the column of homicidal. It sounds as if Lucy had some serious mental health issues, and probably did not have the best of life living in asylums during this time period. I would very much like to obtain her health records, and have read online that some people have had success getting records from the Worcester Hospital.

I do not know how long Lucy stayed at home after her 1879 discharge, but by the 1900 census, her husband had died and she is a patient at the Worcester Insane Asylum again. She is also a resident of this asylum in the 1910 Census.

There are some probate records for Lucy listed in the Norfolk County, MA Probate Index on ancestry.com during this time of illness.  I ordered these documents some time ago, hoping to find some more information on Lucy's medical condition. The documents did not provide any detail in this respect, but did show when Lucy was declared insane along with some guardian information and land ownership information.  The following is a breakdown of her probate records:
  • May 12 1869 : Lucy is declared insane and her husband, Nathaniel R. Torrey, is declared her guardian of person and estate
  • May 12 1869 : Nathaniel possesses "certain real estate...in which his said wife is entitled to a jurisdiction right of dower and homestead and that he is desirous of selling from time to time...he prays that he may be authorized to release all said jurisdition rights of dower and homestead of his said wife that he may sell or mortgage within the next 5 years." (includes a "schedule A" which documents location of land (note 2 and map below).  The court grants Nathaniel's request to release authorization to him.
  • Oct 6 1874 : Nathaniel petitions the probate court and is granted that he be authoized to sell to Alveh Raymond... "real estate with a dwelling house and / Barn thereon, situated in said Weymouth, / On the corner of Park Avenue and Pleasant / Street, and occupied by Alveh Raymond Jr" (highlighted on map below)
  • September 13 1882  case number 18598 Nathaniel petitions the probate court and is granted that he be authroized to sell to J. Shores...  "John F Shores of / Said Weymouth holds against him a / Bond for a deed of about five eights of / An area of land situated on Union / Street in said Weymouth with a small / Dwelling house and barn thereon" (J Shores lives next to Nathaniel and Lucy Torrey on the 1876 weymouth map above)
  • March 1898 case number 33415  new gaurdianship, as Nathaniel R. Torrey is deceased.  Gaurdianship granted to Nathaniel A. Torrey and George W. Torrey, sons.
  • August 1899 Nathaniel A Torrey petitions court to sell land of his deceased father..."
    That an advantageous offer has been made to your petitioner for said estate to wit, the sum of / Six hundreddollars over and above an existing mortgage of sixteen hundred dollars,
    That theinterest of all parties concerned will be best promoted by an acceptance of said offer, and / That it will be for the benefit of said ward that her interest therein be sold, and the proceeds / Thereof putout on interest or invested in some productive stock, for the reason that she is / Now without other means of support at the insane asylum."
Lucy probably resided at the Worcester Insane Asylum until her death in 1912, as her death record is from Worcester. The cause of death is listed as dementia praecox, with a contributory cause of broncho-pneumonia.  While she was in Worcester, three of her children passed away.  George Wilbur Torrey died of pneumonia in 1901, Lucy Jenny Torrey died at the Westborough Insane Asylum in 1903 of tuburculosis, nepritis, and pneumonia, and Nathaniel Austin Torrey died of heart disease in 1909. 

Lucy's death record states that Lucy was buried in South Weymouth.  Her two remaining children, Lydia and Henry (my 2nd great grandfather) must have been responsible for making sure she was brought back home and buried with her husband at Elmwood Cemetery on Union Street in South Weymouth. 

From lucy holbrook blog post


websites of interest:
1. Worcester insane asylum pictures from 1948 Life Magazine article on Opacity website.
2. Wikipedia article on Worcester Insane Asylum

notes:
1.  U.S. Federal Census - 1880 Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes : National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Nonpopulation Census Schedules for Massachusetts, 1850-1880: Supplemental Schedules of Defective, Dependent, and Delinquent Classes; Year: 1880; Roll: 35; Publication Number: T1204. ancestry.com

2.  Schedule A of Lucy's probate describes land that Nathaniel wants authorization over, but Lucy has rights to according to dower and homestead.  " One undivided fifth part of all the real estate which I inherited from my father Josiah Torrey late of Weymouth deceased intestate..."
  • "being about seven acres of land with the buildings thereon and bounded as follows mainly / Northerly by land of Alvah Raymond and Park Avenue / Easterly by land of Alvah Raymond and Pleasant Street / Southerly by land of Elijah Bates, westerly by land / of George Holbrook and widow Noah Torrey" (highlighted on old Weymouth map of 1876 below - after Nathaniel sells to Alveh Raymond, looks like Jospeh Emmons Torrey, Nathaniel's cousin, is living next to this property)
  • "Also 1 piece of land continuing one and half / acres bounded as follows / Northerly by Prescott Torrey and Land of R. S. White / Easterly by land of Jacon Holbrook / Southerly by Park Avenue / Westerly by Pleasant Street" (highlighted on weymouth map below : near ps torrey)
  • "Also / 1 piece wood bottom containing about 7 acres / in south Weymouth on what is called mosquito plan"
  • "Also / eight aces wood bottom on pine hill in Hingham / bounded as follows northely by land of heirs of David Whitman / Easterly by land of Daniel Holbrook / Southerly by land of Abner Curtis / Westerly by land of Jason Holbrook" (I have not been able to find this land on the 1879 Hingham map - Pine Hill is the southern most hill of World's End in Hingham - but none of the above names are on the Hingham map in that area)
  • "Also1 pew in the congregational Church / South Weymouth"

some of Nathaniel Torrey's land in Weymouth as noted in Schedule A of Lucy's Probate records



From lucy holbrook blog post


to do:

1. Obtain Lucy's medical records. (Shirley Burchfield posted on an online forum about obtaining records from the Worcester Insane Asylum : "[you need to be]appointed a "volunary executor" for medical records only. This entailed driving to the City Hall, getting the death certificate, walking next door to the courthouse and filling out the paperwork, handing over $120 and within minutes, I was appointed her voluntary executor. I then just needed to mail a copy of the death certificate, together with the court order to Worcester State Hospital and within 6 weeks I had most of her records. ") Sounds promising!  I have already ordered a certified copy of Lucy's death certificate online through Worcester Vital Records department.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

lucy ann holbrook torrey (part 2 of 4)


family life

Lucy Ann Holbrook married Nathaniel Rodney Torrey when she was 18 years old in Weymouth, MA on November 23, 1845. The 1850 census shows that the newly married couple may have stayed in the same house that Lucy grew up in, as they are listed in the same household as her mother Hannah Holbrook, age 63. (note 1)
From lucy holbrook blog post

By this date, Lucy and Nathaniel had already suffered the loss of their first child, Nathaniel, at the age of 1 year and three months from dysentery. (note 2)  Having her mother with them probably provided Lucy with some support during this difficult time.

Lucy and Nathaniel had six more children after the loss of their first child. I have found some confusing information on two of their daughters, Mary and Lydia.  The different records show they were born in the same year, only three months apart.(note 3)  The 1860 census lists Lydia, but not Mary.  Lucy's mother Hannah is also not listed on the 1860 census, as she died in 1852.  In 1870, Lucy is 43 years old and is living with her husband Nathaniel and all of her children, except Mary who again is not listed.  The oldest, Nathaniel, is 19 years old, and the youngest, Henry, is 10.  Considering the time period, Lucy stopped having children at a fairly young age of 33.   

Ancestry.com has two helpful databases which show where Nathaniel and Lucy's house may have been located. The Massachusetts City Directories and the Historic Land Ownership map database. The 1873 directory for Weymouth shows Nathaniel living on Union Street in South Weymouth, near the Abington Line. I do think this is the house that Lucy grew up in, as her mother's death record states that Hannah was born and died on Union Street. The map for Weymouth lists the landowners in 1876. Nathaniel is marked as R Torrey for Rodney Torrey, on Union Street, very close to the Abington line, as the directory also stated.

I experimented with Google Earth a little, using the historical Weymouth map as an overlay to find the location of Nathaniel Rodney Torrey and Lucy's house on Union Street.  I did not want to embed the kmz file onto this page, as I thought it would slow down the loading of the webpage.  If you would like to see the overlay on Google Earth, just click on this file to open it.  The Google Earth program must be on your computer first.

The Weymouth map from 1876 shows that Nathaniel and Lucy lived in an area which later became the Weymouth Naval Air Station.  It is still labeled as such on the google map below, but the Air Station has since closed.  The marker I have placed is the approximate location of Nathaniel and Lucy's house, using the map as an overlay to pinpoint the location.  The old Weymouth map shows Union Street branching off a little bit to the southwest, where the blue marker is.  This part of the road no longer exists, probably removed with the houses when the Air Station was built.

Google Map with approximate location of Nathaniel and Lucy Torrey's house 1876

View Nathaniel Torrey and Lucy Ann Holbrook Torrey in a larger map

The 1876 weymouth map also shows that Lucy lived on the same street as some of her relatives, mostly on her father, James Holbrook, side.  Her cousin Ann Payne (Aunt Lydia Holbrook's daughter), who married Jeremiah Stoddard, lives across the street from Lucy and Nathaniel.  Also, a little up the street I believe is Lucy's sister Hannah who married Alanson Cushing.  On the 1870 and 1880 census Hannah and Alanson are enumerated near Lucy's family, so perhaps the L Cushing is Alanson Cushing.  A little further up Union Street is Lucy's nephew, George A Holbrook, one of the boys that was probably living with Lucy and her mother in the 1840 census.  A couple of houses up the street from George, is Lucy's cousin Minot Holbrook (son of her Uncle Minot Holbrook).  Just across the street from Minot is Lucy's Uncle Jeremiah Holbrook and Uncle William Holbrook.  (note 4)  Judging by all the Holbrook's on Union Street, it seems that Lucy and Nathaniel are living on land from Lucy's father, James Holbrook; who probably had land from his father Abner.  Most of the relatives on Union Street are cousins who probably all inhereted land from their parents; which probably came from their grandfather Abner Holbrook also.  Even though Lucy's siblings are not living on Union Street; with the exception of Hannah, most of them did stay in Weymouth.  One sister, Belinda, did move to Norwell (South Scituate) and one brother, Cornelius, looks to have moved to California for the gold rush.     

1876 Weymouth Map
From lucy holbrook blog post


There is a lot of information on this map, including a school right up the street on Union Street, close to Minot's house. There is still a school located in this general area today, not the same building of course, but interesting that the location stayed the same. If Lucy grew up in this area, I am sure this is the school she would have attended.

The History of Weymouth book on ancestry.com also states that Lucy's father, James, lived at 573 Union Street, across from the Elmwood Cemetery; which describes where the marker is on the google map above.  I did search zillow.com for this address, but the number of the house does not seem to  be present on Union Street; which offers some proof that the house no longer exists and probably was removed when the Naval Air Base was built.  The Weymouth book also states that James' brother Abner lived next door, and that house was probably built by their father, Lucy's grandfather, Abner Holbrook (2_933).  The 1876 Weymouth map above shows a J. Shores living next to Nathaniel and Lucy, which probably was bought from a Holbrook at some point. (Note 5)  I also noted earlier that Lucy's mother Hannah's death record stated that Hannah Bates Holbrook was born and died on Union Street, so the Bates must have also had land in this area.

My next post will focus on Lucy's older years and some of the breakdown of Nathaniel Torrey's land and where his family probably resided.


continued...

notes:

1. US Federal Census : Year: 1850; Census Place: Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts; Roll: M432_329; Page: 230B; Image: 461. ancestry.com

2. U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.  National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Archive Collection: T1204; Archive Roll Number: 9; Census Year: 1850; Census Location: Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts; Page: 861; Line: 4. ancestry.com

3. I did not find a birth record for Lydia in the Massachusetts Birth Records on familysearch.com, but Lydia's marriage record states parents as Lucy and Nathaniel Rodney and the 1900 census shows oct 1857 as her birth. However; there is a birth record for Mary G for Jul 1857, but no census records for her. Did she die before 1860? I could not find a death record in the Massachusetts database. Maybe they changed Mary's name to Lydia, but this would be odd. Lydia is in 1860 census with family.  Maybe Lydia's birth year is wrong on the 1900 census. 

4.  The 1870 census has jeremiah stoddards family enumerated a couple of families above lucy's, and the weymouth map lists a j. stoddard across the street.  The rest of the Holbrooks are enumerated on adjacent pages, and listed a little further up the street on Union Street on the Weymouth map.

5. Some quick research using the weymouth vital records and census databases show that the only direct adult ancestor of Lucy's Uncle Abner (James' brother) living in 1876 is Abner's grandson Joseph W. Holbrook. I located him on the 1876 Weymouth map as living in the Lovell's Corner part of Weymouth. Joseph's father Abner married a Lovell, so perhaps he sold his land next to James to live on his wife's land after he married.