Funeral Card Friday - "Mrs. Lena Pearson"

On Wednesday, January 13, 1932, Ottelina (Anderson) Pearson, daughter of Martin and Augusta Anderson, passed away in Brockton. She was the wife of Nils Pearson. Her funeral was held on Saturday from her home 738 Montello Street, Brockton. Interment was in South Easton Cemetery, South Easton, Mass.

Monday, January 18, 1932 , The Brockton Times - Page Five

*Note: The funeral notice incorrectly refers to Ottelina as "Lena".

*Note: The funeral notice continues in the next column but I didn't realize that until later on hence why the notice cuts off at "the".

Thankful Thursday - Brockton Public Library

Without the Brockton Public Library, I would not have been able to get as far as I have with my research. From day one to the present, the library and its many resources have been incredibly helpful. I've been able to search through old newspapers and have made various discoveries such as the wedding date of my great-grandparents, the discovery that my grandfather had two other children, and that my great-great grandfather, James R. McRae, died at the breakfast table.

The Brockton Poll Taxes kept in the historical room have helped me in figuring out the general timeframe of when my great-grandmother, Maude McRae, was committed. They've also revealed some more locations various ancestors of mine lived and the occupations they held.

The death records the library maintains have helped me in figuring out the death dates of several ancestors and have provided very useful information such as parents' names, occupations, etc.

They also hold record books of the Poor Department and I was able to find information on my great-grandfather, James R. McRae, and his son, Ben, in them.

I just want to say "Thank you, Brockton Public Library". I wouldn't have made it this far without you.

Wordless Wednesday - Unknown Baby

One of the many photos that belonged to my great-grandmother, Edna Meagher.

Fred & Maude Married May 29, 1950

One thing that's been on my mind lately is when my great-grandparents, Fred McRae and Maude Monroe, got married. 


Since Fred was a native and lifelong resident of Brockton, Massachusetts and Maude had grown up in that city for most of her life, I always assumed that's the city they married in. But I never called or went to the Brockton City Clerk's office to confirm it because they had created a search fee a few years ago where they charge you in order for them to search their records. And whether or not a record was found, they kept the search fee. I didn't want to go there, pay them money to search for a record, only to find out it's not there and lose my money for nothing. Plus, even if they did find the record, it costs $20 for a certified copy. (Years ago, it used to only cost $5). 


But today, I decided to take a chance and call them, hoping I would get someone who was pleasant and helpful or at least sympathetic. I called, asked how much a copy of a record costs (sadly, it's still $20), and then asked if she could confirm if the marriage record was there. I could tell she was hesitant at first but she eventually did. I gave her the names and date, she put me on hold, and then came back after a couple minutes and told me that the record was indeed there! 


She told me that Fred and Maude were married on May 29, 1920 in Brockton, Massachusetts. After getting over my excitement at having the date, I looked at it for a moment and remembered that Maude was born in July of 1902. I realized that Maude was seventeen when she married (and Fred would have twenty-eight as he was born on May 10, 1892). This was interesting as one of my assumptions about the marriage has always been that Maude was eighteen when it took place.


The year of marriage being 1920 is very helpful to me because now, instead of having to spend $20 on a copy of the marriage record at the Brockton City Clerk's office, I should be able to get a copy for 50¢ at the Massachusetts State Archives. 


So now that I have a marriage year, I must, besides get a copy of the actual marriage record, return to Brockton Public Library at some point soon to see if anything was published in the local newspaper regarding the marriage.

Tuesday's Tip - No Death Notice or Obituary Printed

If you're looking through old newspapers trying to find an obituary or death notice of an ancestor but can't seem to find one, that might be because no obituary or death notice was printed by request of the deceased.

This is the case with two of my great-grandmother's sisters, Edith Clifford and Jennie Glover. Both of them didn't want a fuss to be made when they died.

When Edith died in 1995, she made a request to her daughter that no obituary or death notice be printed nor anyone be told. She would simply be cremated and that would be the end of it. My grandfather (Edith's nephew) did not find out about her death until several months afterwards.

When Jennie, who was living out in Califonia at the time, died in 1997, her body was simply brought over to Massachusetts by train, cremated, and her ashes were buried along side the rest of her family. No obituary or death notice was printed. My grandfather discovered she died when he was roaming through the cemetery and noticed her name had a death year next to it.

Mystery Monday - Where Is Stanley Cockayne?

My father and aunt have always told me that my great-grandfather, Stanley Cockayne, is buried in the same cemetery as Lizzie Borden, which would be Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River, Massachusetts. When I called there asking for information regarding Stanley, they told me that they had no record of Stanley Cockayne being buried there. However, they did have records for two other Cockaynes (Agnes Ethel, his wife and their infant son) being buried there. They told me that Agnes is buried alone and that the infant son is an a family grave with relatives from Agnes' side.

For kicks, I tried calling a few other Oak Grove Cemeteries in the Massachusetts-Rhode Island area just to see if he might happen to be at one of the other ones instead. He wasn't.

I also tried calling Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River again just in case they might have missed something the first time. They didn't.

So as of now, until I acquire Stanley's death certificate (which is a whole other project in of itself), Stanley's whereabouts are a mystery. It is entirely possible that he is indeed buried in Fall River and they simply have no record. Or there's the other possibility that he is buried with his first or third wife, in which case I'll have to keep researching because I haven't a clue where they are.

Sunday's Obituary - Thelma M. Badger

On August 26, 1992, Thelma M. (McRae) Badger passed away at University Hospital in Boston. She 76. Funeral services were held three days later at the Sullivan Funeral Home in Hanson, Massachusetts. Interment was at Central Cemetery, East Bridgewater.

Thelma was born in Brockton, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of the late Ben F. and Margaret (Lincoln) McRae. She was the widow of Arthur C. Badger.

Thursday, August 27, 1992 , The Enterprise - Page 29

Thursday, August 27, 1992 , The Enterprise - Page 29

Society Saturday - GRAVESTONE ART AND PRESERVATION by the Gravestone Girls

"GRAVESTONE ART AND PRESERVATION" will be presented at the Taunton Old Colony Historical Society on Saturday, March 10, at 1:00 p.m. Below is an excerpt from the Old Colony Historical Society's newsletter describing the event.

Funeral Card Friday - Mrs. Augusta Anderson

On March 25, 1903, my great-great-great grandmother, Augusta Anderson, passed away in Easton, Massachusetts. She was 54. Funeral services were held three days later at the Swedish Lutheran church in North Easton, Mass. Interment was in South Easton Cemetery, South Easton, Mass.

Born in Sweden, Augusta came to America in 1898 with her husband and most of their family. Upon arrival, they made their home in North Easton, Massachusetts, where she remained until her death.

Saturday, March 28, 1903 , The Brockton Times - Page 3

Thrifty Thursday - When Researching in Brockton, Take A Bus

Okay, even if you're not in Brockton for research purposes, I still recommend taking a bus anyway simply because it's cheaper. For me though, I'm usually in Brockton on some sort of research-related reason, (i.e. visiting Brockton Public Library, looking for a grave at a cemetery, etc). I don't drive but even if I did, with gas prices the way they are and everything, I'd still take a bus. 


BAT (Brockton Area Transit Authority) is the official bus system of Brockton, Mass.  The station is located in the center of Brockton (a.k.a Downtown Brockton). BAT serves all of Brockton as well as several neighboring cities and towns. It runs every day of the week with the exception of Sunday. To ride a bus only costs $1.25 (and a transfer ticket is included). Most of the buses make their final runs at 9:00 p.m.


To see more information regarding the BAT bus schedules and fees, click here.

Wedding Wednesday - George N. Benoit & Blanche M. Guyette

This is a photo of my great-great grandparents, George Napoleon Benoit and Blanche Marion Guyette. The photo is believed to have been taken on their wedding day, which was June 20, 1898 in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. 

Talented Tuesday - Mary L. Garfield's Rug

My great-great grandmother, Mary Louise Garfield, was a stitcher. She made many things, such as rugs and baseball gloves. The picture below is of her and her daughter, Lucile, holding a rug Mary made. This picture was taken around 1951 at 215 Copeland Street, Brockton, Massachusetts.

Lucile Anderson (left) and Mary L. Garfield (right). Taken c. 1951.

Mystery Monday - Did James R. McRae Have Another Child?

Thanks to my blog, I finally came into contact with another descendant of James McRae and Maria Horne (whom are the parents of James R. McRae, my great-great grandfather).

And so we started talking about different things regarding the McRae family history and one of the things she mentioned was that James R. and his first wife, Katherine Morrison, might have had another child named James who died at infancy on November 30, 1874 in Boston.

I had assumed I found all of James' children so when I heard this, I was quite surprised. I viewed the death record of the infant on familysearch.org and saw that it lists the parents as James McRae and Catherine McRae. Immediately right there, that makes it hard to confirm if the child is indeed the son of my James because Catherine's maiden name is not given and there easily could have been another couple named James and Catherine McRae living in Boston at the time.

The birthplaces of the parents are both listed as Halifax, Massachusetts. James R. McRae and Katherine Morrison were both born in Halifax, Nova Scotia. I took a closer look at the actual death record and it looks as though the "MA" is actually "NS". This is something that can be debated.

In 1869, James and Katherine had a son, Edward, and in 1876, they had another son, Rufus. Both Edward and Rufus' death records list their birthplaces as Boston. Infant James was born in between Edward and Rufus.

While it is entirely possible that infant James really was the son of James R. McRae and Katherine Morrison, I don't want to assume anything without definite proof. Oddly enough, a birth certificate can't be found for him on familysearch, whether that means he was only given a death record or it simply isn't available online.

To see the death record for the infant, click here.

Sunday's Obituary - Cheryl Scibetta

On November 28, 2006, Cheryl (Ware) Scibetta passed away at Brockton Hospital. Born on August 3, 1943 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late George Ware and Rhoda (McRae) Haddad, my grandfather's first cousin. Funeral services were held Monday, December 4th at the Waitt Funeral Home in Brockton. Interment was in Melrose Cemetery.

Saturday, December 2, 2006, The Enterpise - Section A, Page 5

Saturday, December 2, 2006, The Enterpise - Section A, Page 5

McRaes Buried in Pine Hill Cemetery

Record card listing all the McRaes buried in Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater, Mass.

*Copy of record card courtesy of Pine Hill Cemetery.

Society Saturday - Brockton Revisited

Funeral Card Friday - John A. McRae

On Sunday, November 18, 1951, John Alton McRae passed away at the home of his parents, Walter L. and Laura (Spaulding) McRae, in Brockton. He was the husband of Marjorie T. Moynihan. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, November 20, from the funeral home at 647 Main Street, Brockton. Interment was in Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater. 

Tuesday, November 20, 1951, Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page Two

Treasure Chest Thursday - An Old Photo of Sarah McGinn

This is an old photo of my great-great grandmother, Sarah (McGinn) Meagher. Based on her outfit and what appears to be a bouquet of flowers in her hands, I assume this was taken on her wedding day, which means it would have been taken in 1897. I'm also assuming that the people beside her are her parents, James McGinn & Rachel Ellsworth. The picture itself is printed on some kind of glass-like material. 

The photo was kept by my grandmother. When she passed away, it was given to me. 

Sarah McGinn Meagher (center)
c. 1897

Wordless/Wedding Wednesday - Unknown Bride

This is one of the many photos that belonged to my great-grandmother, Edna Meagher. 

Tuesday's Tip - Check Again

Trying to locate the burial place of a family member can sometimes be difficult. For one reason or another, whether the location given in the obituary is wrong, you just don't have any real clue as to where he may be, or some other reason. 


Well, based on personal experience, here are a few tips as to how you might find them.


One way you may find someone's grave is by calling the cemeteries where that person's relatives are buried. There's a possible chance that they might have been buried with them or at least near them. Another reason to call the cemetery office if you can't find the person you're looking for is because that person's name might not even be on the headstone. 


My great-grandfather, Fred McRae, had a half-sister and three half-brothers. I knew the half-sister was buried with him and I at least knew one of the half-brothers was buried in the same cemetery as them. But as for the other two, I didn't have a clue. Fred's headstone has four names written on it - his, his half-sister's, the family border's, and a grandson's. When I called the cemetery to ask about the grave, he told me that there were actually nine people buried in that plot - including the three half-brothers I was looking for. 


If you do have a good idea as to where they are buried but are told they're not there when you call the cemetery office, either call again in a couple days or visit the cemetery office in person. I recommend doing this because last week, I called Pine Hill Cemetery in West Bridgewater, Mass looking to see if a family member I'd been trying to find, John A. McRae, was buried there (I assumed he could be there since he died rather young, had no spouse or children that I know of, and his parents and sister are buried there as well). I gave them his name and after they put me on hold to look, they came back and told me he wasn't there. And that was that. 


But then yesterday, I visited the same cemetery in person to find the graves of a few other people. I went to the office and asked for the location of the graves. As the cemetery worker was looking through the files, she pulled out the card that listed all the McRaes buried in Pine Hill. I took a glance at it and noticed it had the names of the two people I was looking for, Walter L. McRae and Laura Belle McRae (John A. McRae's parents), as well as two others, Gracie Elinor McRae (a name that I have never heard of) and John Alton McRae. Curious, I asked if John Alton McRae was buried with Walter and Laura. The lady took a look at the card and told me he was! Bingo! John was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery after all!


Please note that results may vary when using these tips. Not everyone will find who they are looking for. But something still might turn up regardless. Hey, you never know with genealogy. 

Motivation Monday - Follow Up Visits to Pine Hill Cemetery and Brockton

There were two things I planned to do today - visit Pine Hill Cemetery in West Bridgewater and Brockton Public Library, 


I've been wanting to visit Pine Hill Cemetery for the past couple weeks after discovering that there are a few more family members of mine buried there. Once I got there, I spoke with a woman at the cemetery office who gave me the section and plot numbers of the graves I was looking for along with a free map of the cemetery. After this, I was able to find the graves I was looking for quite easily. However, these past few days, Massachusetts has received quite a few inches of snow. And although it didn't snow today, the clouds in the sky combined with the snow left on the ground did make it difficult to get decent pictures. So I need to go back at some point when the sun is out and take new photos. 


One surprising thing that happened while at the cemetery was that I located the grave of John A. McRae. John was the son of Walter L. McRae and Laura Belle Spaulding. I knew John had died before Walter (Walter died in 1966; John is not listed as a survivor in his obituary). I called Pine Hill Cemetery the other week and asked if John happened to be buried there. They checked and told me he wasn't. And that was that.


So today, as the woman was going through the files, she pulled out the card that listed all the McRae's buried in Pine Hill. I glanced at it and noticed Walter's name, Laura's name, and two others. One was a female named Gracie whom I have never heard of. And the other was of a John Alton McRae. Curious, I asked her if John was buried with Walter and Laura. She looked it over and told me he was! So much for him not being buried there. . . 


Following my trip to the cemetery, I went to Brockton Public Library so that I could search through some newspaper articles and look through the Brockton Poll Taxes once more. On my top list of priorities was finding John's obituary (I now had a death date), the obituary of his niece, Cheryl Scibetta, and some "In This City" articles (articles that tell of the activities of Brockton residents). 


But when I got there, I started out looking through the poll taxes and got so wrapped up in them that I didn't have time to find search through the newspapers. 


I have been trying to figure out more about the marriage between my great-grandparents, Fred J. McRae and Maude Monroe, and when my great-grandmother would have been committed. I had a breakthrough today thanks to the poll taxes. 


I found out that in 1923, my great-grandparents, Fred McRae and Maude Monroe, were living at 136 Myrtle Street, Brockton, Massachusetts. But in the 1924 Poll Taxes, Maude disappeared. She was no longer living with Fred and wasn't listed as living with her parents either so I can only guess that some time between 1923 and 1924, she was committed. Maude shows up again in the Poll Taxes for 1940. It lists her living with her parents and half-brother and her occupation is listed as "At Home". It said she had been living with them in 1939 too but she didn't actually appear in the 1939 Poll Taxes. So based on evidence, Maude was released between 1939 and 1940, meaning she was institutionalized for about sixteen years. 


I also discovered that Maude's father, Harvey, was a restaurant proprietor. I'm not sure how long the restaurant lasted but I'm very interested in finding more information about it (such as a name, for starters). 


The other thing I'm interested in finding more about is the death place of my great-great grandfather, James R. McRae. His death certificate (he died in Brockton on March 5, 1910) lists his death place as "City Farm". When I first read it, I simply assumed it meant he owned a farm in the city. But I've heard recently that a city farm was a type of jail for people with debts and such. I want to look more into it and figure out what exactly a city farm was and why James would have been in it.

Sunday's Obituary - Walter L. McRae

On December 10, 1966, Walter L. McRae passed away in Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. He was 77. Funeral services were held Monday, December 12, at the Delano Funeral Home in Brockton, Massachusetts at 2 P. M. Interment was in Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater.

Born on August 17, 1889 in Brockton, Walter was the son of James R. and Bridget T./Theresa (Kane) McRae. He married Laura Belle Spaulding and had two children, Rhoda McRae and John A. McRae (the latter who predeceased him). Walter was a lifelong resident of Brockton.

• Saturday, December 10, 1966 , Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page eleven

• December 10, 1966 , Brockton Daily Enterpise - Page sixteen

Society Saturday - "Genealogy and Geography"

This was originally supposed to happen today, Saturday, January 21st,  but due to the weather, the “Genealogy and Geography” program has been postponed and will now occur Saturday, February 4th at 2 p.m. 

______________________

From the Taunton Daily Gazette

Old Colony Historical Society to present "Genealogy and Geography" talk

By Christopher Nichols

Staff Writer

Posted Jan 16, 2012 @ 01:56 AM

Taunton — The Old Colony Historical Society (OCHS) will be presenting an illustrated talk, “Rivers, Landing Places and Home Lots: Genealogy and Geography,” on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. at the Historical Hall on 66 Church Green.

The talk is free and open to the public, with light refreshments to follow, and no reservations are necessary.

OCHS President Dr. Cynthia Booth Ricciardi and OCHS archivist and library manager Andrew D. Boisvert will be presenting information, using documents and records that date back to 1640, related to the history of Taunton and the genealogy of some of its larger families.

“We do have ongoing genealogy programs,” said Ricciardi. “One of the strengths of the Old Colony Historical Society is that we have a research library that has a lot of genealogy publications pertaining to local families, and we also have an archival section which includes many early documents from the settlement of the area.”

In particular, the talk will look at a map created in 1893 by Rev. Samuel Hopkins Emery. The map was complied by Emery from earlier documents as part of his 1893 work, “History of Taunton, Massachusetts, from its settlement to the present time.”

“One of the things that inspired us to put this together was this map,” said Ricciardi.

The presenters will show how an examination of maps of Taunton’s early settlement - like Emery’s map - along with records from our first Town Clerk, Oliver Purchis, records of the Leonard Ironworks and other documents can paint a picture of the everyday lives of Taunton’s first citizens.

Ricciardi and Boisvert will also examine how marriage and land ownership played an important role in Taunton’s earliest families.

“There were not that many people to marry in town, but they would also unite families for more land,” said Boisvert, saying that records and maps show how plots of land transferred from one family to another.

“You saw the girl next door, and that’s who you married,” explained Boisvert.

While this talk will focus on Taunton, the presenters will show their approaches to researching family trees that can be applied to other towns and colonial settlements. Boisvert and Ricciardi also note that Easton, Norton, Mansfield, Berkley, Raynham, Freetown, Lakeville and parts of Middleboro were all once part of Taunton.

They encourage everyone who may be interested to attend to learn about genealogy, history and how the two intersect.

“If your family history brings you to early Taunton, you have to have an understanding of the history in order to appreciate it, and that’s what we’re offering,” said Ricciardi.

“If you’re not interested in the history and you just come, it’ll help you appreciate the town you live in,” added Boisvert.

As part of their mission to collect, care for and interpret the history of Taunton, the OCHS maintains a museum and library that are open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m to 4 p.m. Admission is $7 for genealogy, $4 for adults, and $2 for seniors and children 12-17. 

Admission is free for members and children under 12.

There is no admission fee for the talk on Jan. 21, and those seeking more information can contact the OCHS at 508-822-1622 or visit their website, www.oldcolonyhistoricalsociety.org.

Funeral Card Friday - Joan C. Ryerson

On Tuesday, April 6, 1937, the funeral of Joan C. Ryerson was held. Joan had passed away two days earlier as a result of pneumonia. She was just a little more than a year old. 

The location listed in the funeral notice for interment is a typo. Joan was buried in Pine Hill Cemetery. West Bridgewater doesn't have a Pine Grove Cemetery. 

Wednesday, April 7, 1937 , Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page Two

Treasure Chest Thursday - Hjalmar Eden's Knife

My great-great grandmother's brother, Hjalmar Eden, made this knife. Hjalmar was an immigrant from Sweden. He moved to Idaho and remained there until his death in 1972. The knife is currently in the possession of my grandfather and still in very good shape.

Hjalmar Eden's Knife, 2011

Wordless Wednesday - Edna A. Meagher

October 1961

Tuesday's Tip - Brockton Poll Taxes

If you had an ancestor who lived in Brockton, Massachusetts at one point or another and are trying to find out more information on them, a good place to go for information would be the "Brockton Poll Taxes" books, which can be found in the Historical Room of the Brockton Public Library. 


The poll taxes date back to 1891 and are kind of like census records. They provide the address of where your ancestor was living that certain year, the ancestor's name, his or her age, occupation, and where he or she resided the previous year (sometimes an address will be provided while other times only a city is given). The poll taxes also list who else was living at the address at the time (with the exception of children).


The streets are organized by Ward and Precinct. And the streets are listed within each precinct in alphabetical order. If you don't know what ward and precinct the street you're looking for is a part of, I highly suggest scanning one of the books (it doesn't matter which year), find the streets you are looking for, and copy down the ward and precinct. That way, you can save yourself a lot of time in the future and will know where to look when searching through other books. 


Due to women not being allowed to vote until 1920, only the men are listed in poll taxes prior. The first poll tax to include women is 1922. 

Military Monday - PFC Fred J. McRae

My great-grandfather, Fred J. McRae served in World War I as a Private First Class. A military funeral was held for him following his death in February of 1952. 

Friday, March 2, 1951 , Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page Two

Calvary Cemetery, Brockton, Mass, 2011

Calvary Cemetery, Brockton, Mass, 2011

Sunday's Obituary - Lemuel Raymond Monroe

On Tuesday, January 9, 1973, Lemuel Raymond Monroe, my great-grandmother's brother, passed away at Brockton Hospital. His obituary was printed the same day. Funeral services were on Thursday, January 11, at the Waitt Funeral Home in Brockton. Interment was in Melrose Cemetery, Brockton. 

Tuesday, January 9, 1973 , Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page 15

Tuesday, January 9, 1973 , Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page 15

Sympathy Saturday - Saw Seven Children Die

My great-great grandfather, James R. McRae, died on March 5, 1910 in Brockton, Massachusetts. His obituary said that he was survived by three sons, Fred, Walter, and Benjamin. 


Through my research, I found out that James, with his first wife, had seven children - William C. McRae (b. circa 1867), Edward S. McRae (b. circa 1870), Agnes A. McRae (b. circa 1871), Kate McRae (b. circa 1872), Rufus McRae (b. circa 1877), Benjamin F. McRae (b. circa 1879), and Gracie McRae (b. circa 1880). 


Following the death of his first wife, James remarried to Bridget T./Theresa Kane and they had three children together. The first one was Frederick Everett McRae, whom was born in 1888. The second was Walter McRae, who was born in 1889. I found out Frederick passed away on April 5, 1891. Shortly after, in 1892, James and Bridget T./Theresa had their final child, Frederick Everett McRae, whom they named after the deceased Frederick.


After doing further research, I discovered that Gracie passed away on December 11, 1880 and she wasn't even a year old. Edward passed away on May 29, 1882 at the age of thirteen. Rufus passed away on January 23, 1884 at the age of eight. And Agnes passed away on November 18, 1905. Although I couldn't find a death date for Kate or William, neither one of them was mentioned in James' obituary, which leads me to assume that they were both deceased prior to James' death.


James saw seven of his children die during his lifetime as well as the death of his first wife, Katherine. Knowing this can't help but make me think of all the pain that man must have gone through during his life. . . But it also makes me grateful for what I have in mine. 

Funeral Card Friday - Martin Anderson

On Friday, March 12, 1915, the funeral for my 3rd-great grandfather, Martin Anderson, was held from his home, 684 Plain St. Brockton, Mass. Interment was in South Easton Cemetery, South Easton, Mass.

Born in Sweden, Martin's original name was "Martin Andreasson". When Martin and his family came to America in 1898, their surname was changed to Anderson. They settled in North Easton, Massachusetts. Martin was a blacksmith. 

In 1903, his wife, Augusta, passed away. The following year, his daughter, Anna Larson, and her family arrived in America. In 1905, his daughter, Amando Anderson, passed away. 

In the final years of his life, Martin relocated to Brockton, Massachusetts and lived with his son, August, and his family. Martin passed away at his home on March 9, 1915.

Friday, March 12, 1915 , The Brockton Times

Thrifty Thursday - View Death Records For Free

This really only applies if you know of someone who died in Brockton but if that person died between 1897-1904, 1907-1920, or 1924-1941, then you can go to the main branch of the Brockton Public Library and view the original death record for free. The death records can, but not always, include the name of the deceased, gender, name of spouse, date of death, residence at time of death, cause of death, occupation, names and birthplaces of parents, and place of burial. And while not all death records are completely accurate, they nevertheless can be incredibly helpful.

Wordless Wednesday - Taken Six Days Before His Death

My great-great grandfather, George N. Benoit. This photo was taken on October 1, 1950. George died six days later. 

Tombstone Tuesday - Henry & Lucile Anderson

Pine Hill Cemetery is the eternal resting place for many of my ancestors. Among them are Henry G. R. & Lucile (Garfield) Anderson, my great-great grandparents. 

Born in Easton, Massachusetts, Henry Gustav Robert was the son of the late August Robert and Hedvig Olivia (Eden) Anderson. August and Hedvig were natives of Sweden, making Henry the first generation of Anderson's to be born in America. Henry went on to marry Lucile Rebecca Garfield, a friend of the family. 

Lucile was the daughter of the late Edward Alton and Mary Louise (Antoine) Garfield. She was born on July 1, 1916 in Medford, Massachusetts. 

Henry and Lucile married on October 16, 1936 at the home of Henry's sister, Lillian Johnson. They moved to Brockton, Mass went on to have three children together, Frederic Robert, David Warren, and a third known as Baby Anderson. Baby Anderson was born prematurely in 1943 and only lived for two minutes. 

Lucile passed away on July 5, 1953 from stomach cancer. Henry remarried a couple years later to a woman named Barbara DeLoid and they both moved to Wareham, Mass. Barbara passed away in 1979 and Henry passed away a few years later on January 4, 1983. 

2 Sep 2011 , Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

2 Sep 2011 , Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA

Military/Mystery Monday - Who is George Daisy?

When my great grandmother, Edna Meagher, passed away in 1989, one of her daughters took many of the photos she had and put them in an album. The daughter, knowing my interest and love for genealogy, has let me look at the album. As I was going through it, I came across a photo of a man in uniform. The back of the photo had "George Daisy, Fort Williams, Maine" written on it along with a scribble of writing in the corner that I can't make out too well.  I asked who George Daisy was but she didn't have a clue. I haven't come across a George Daisy (or the surname Daisy in general) in my research. And who knows? He might have just been a friend of the family. But it still would be nice to know that for sure.

Sunday's Obituary - Laura Belle McRae

On Saturday, December 17, 1983, Laura Belle (Spaulding) McRae passed away at Goddard Memorial Hospital in Stoughton, Massachusetts. She was 86.

A graveside service was held on Tuesday, December 20 at Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater, Mass.

Born in Whitman, Laura was the daughter of Frank and Emma (Adams) Spaulding. She married Walter L. McRae (my great grandfather's brother) and they had two children, Rhoda and John A. McRae, the latter who predeceased her. Walter passed away in December of 1966, leaving her a widow for seventeen years. 

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Printed on Monday, Dec. 19, 1983 in The Enterprise.

Printed on Monday, Dec. 19, 1983 in The Enterprise.

Sympathy Saturday - "Played On Thin Ice"

On December 7, 1908, Ethel Olivia Anderson, daughter of Charles and Selma Anderson, drowned in a pond in North Easton, Massachusetts as a result of thin ice. She was 11 years old.

The Daily Star - Dec 7, 1908

Warsaw Daily Times - Dec 7, 1908

Funeral Card Friday - Miss Mary A. McCormack

On Wednesday, November 12, 1958, Miss Mary McCormack, my great-grandfather's half-sister, passed away at home in Brockton. She was 79. Her funeral was held the following Saturday from the funeral home located at 9 Chester Ave, Brockton. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery, Brockton.

Born in Bridgewater, Mass, she was the daughter of Irish immigrants John McCormack and Bridget T./Theresa Kane. Mary never married but she adopted two children, George Armstrong and Margaret McCormack (the latter who she adopted with her brother, Fred McRae). 

Mary was a retired stitcher. She also made candy and bread as well. She was formerly employed by the Diamond Shoe Co. 

For most of her life, Mary resided at 20 Montauk Road, Brockton. She took in many people over the years, relatives as well as non-relatives. 

Saturday, November 15, 1958 , Brockton Daily Enterprise - Page 2

Thrifty Thursday - Cheap Copies

For those who live or have done research in Massachusetts, I'm sure you know how expensive it can be to acquire documents from a city hall nowadays. Take Brockton for example, they charge a twenty dollar fee for a copy of a document. And that's after you pay a fee for them to look for said document. And the fee for them to look gets higher with every year they check. And if they DON'T find what you're looking for, you don't get the fee you just paid them to look for it back. 


So what can you do to avoid horrible fees like that? You can go the Massachusetts Archives, which is located at  220 William T Morrissey Boulevard,  Dorchester, Massachusetts. There you'll be able to find birth, marriage, and death records ranging from 1841-1920, along with some other things (census records, judicial records, etc). At the Archives, it only costs fifty cents to print a page and thirty cents to photocopy. For more information on what the Archives hold, click here. 


However, if you are one who is looking for a birth, marriage, or death record that is post-1920, then you may have to go to the Registry of Vital Records & Statistics, which is located at 150 Mount Vernon St, 1st Floor, Dorchester, MA and can get expensive. You can only buy certificed copies, which costs eighteen dollars if you buy them in person and it gets even more expensive if done via telephone, internet, mail, etc. For more details on pricing, click here 

Tombstone Tuesday - Mary Louise Garfield (1879 - 1957)

Pine Hill Cemetery, West Bridgewater, Massachusetts (2011)

Born in Plattsburgh, New York, Mary Louise Garfield (nee Antoine), my great-great grandmother, was the wife of the late Edward Alton Garfield and mother of the late Henry A. Garfield, Jennie Glover, Mabel Carlson, Edith Clifford, and Lucile Anderson (my great-grandmother). 

Mary was a seamstress. She resided in Brockton, Massachusetts for most of her life.

Her husband, Edward, passed away in 1918 and is buried in West Dennis Cemetery, West Dennis, Massachusetts. Mary was unable to be buried with him because their children could not afford it so they placed her in Pine Hill Cemetery instead.