Wednesday's Child ~ Grace Sherwood Allen

Grace Sherwood Allen (not a relative of mine) was a child of William H. and Emily J. Allen.  She was born on June 5, 1876 and lived at 11 Wellington Street, Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.  Grace died November 11, 1880, shortly before her 5th birthday, of whopping cough.

While meandering through this graveyard in Massachusetts I found her buried at Forest Hills Cemetery and Cremetory in Jamaica Plain, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.

This is the most unusual child tombstone I've ever seen.  I am assuming that enclosed statue is Grace.

Warm Regards,
  

Tombstone Tuesday ~ Elsie DeWinter Mulder

 

Here are two photos of the tombstone for Elsje DeWinter Mulder - my 2nd Great Grandmother.  The left one was found in an old book. I might have never known where she was buried if not for this photo. I had to take a magnifying glass to read the writing.  I'm not clear when this photo was taken.

The photo on the right is of the same tombstone and was taken about 2005.  The stone is very worn and absolutely not readable. It's hard to believe how much they disintegrate over time.  Thank goodness I have the first photo of Elsje's stone.

Elsje DeWinter Mulder

Elsje came from a high class family in Holland. She married Hans Mulder who was a baker. They had three children - Reinardus Mulder (b.1862), Laura G. Mulder (b.1877) and Margaret L. Mulder (b.1883).

Elsje's oldest child Reinardus was the first to immigrate to the United States when he was 20 years old. He settled in Lincoln, Nebraska.
When Elsje's husband, Hans, died in 1887 she brought her remaining two children, Laura and Margaret, to the United States as well. They arrived in the United States on April 25, 1887 after travelling on the Zaandam out of Amsterdam. They settled in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Warm Regards,
  

Church Record Sunday ~ Amy Morse Ferrier

As I was working on my family history I wanted to focus on my 2nd Great Grand Aunt Amy Morse Ferrier. I wasn't able to locate her birth record but once I discovered her family church, St. John's Episcopal Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, I was able to obtain information on her birth by using the church's records.

It's a beautiful church located on the corner of Chestnut and Mulberry streets. The church is located right around the corner from the family home. St. John’s was founded in 1853 at its present location. It was the first Episcopal congregation in Pennsylvania to be established without a pew rental system, and so was originally called St. John’s Free Church. Wealthy and poor parishioners were able to come together as equals in their worship of God, an unusual practice at that time for Episcopal congregations.

I began looking for the church's records to see what I could learn about Amy M. Ferrier.  Luckily I found some documents online that answered some of the questions I had.  Her Baptismal records listed her birth date (September 4, 1873), baptismal date (November 9, 1873), and each of her parents names as well as the name of the church, city and state it was located in.   I then found her Confirmation record which verified she was confirmed on March 23, 1890. 

Through the records that were provided by St. John's Episcopal Church and the information I have found on ancestry.com I am now able to put together a bit of a family story about my 2nd Great Grand Aunt - Amy Morse Ferrier.

I wish I had a photo of her, but I don't.  I've searched over the internet but no luck. I think it would make this story a little more complete .. to see ... visualize .. what my Aunt looked like.  Maybe someone out there has a photo and if they do I certainly would love to see her.

You see .. this story doesn't end with the church records.  Her life went on way beyond her young years with her family and her church upbringing.    I will share some more of what I learned about her below.



Confirmation Record



Baptismal Record



Ms. Amy Morse Ferrier was born in Lancaster, Pennslyvania to Isabelle (nee Heller) and John A. Ferrier. They lived on Mulberry Street in the same city.   Amy was baptized at 2 months of age and later took her first Communion at 16 years of age.   Ancestry records indicate she lived in the same home until she was 27 yrs(year of 1900).   I can't locate her in 1910 in any records but then I find her in 1920, at the age of 47, living with a woman friend.  Ten years later, at the age of 57, she is living at Henry T. Long Asylum for the Aged in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  She seems so young to be in an asylum for the aged.  But by then both of her parents, John and Isabelle, have passed on and maybe she wasn't capable of caring for herself.  She never married.  Amy was the youngest of 12 children (if my records are correct) so she comes from a large family.   Maybe she was a spinster and happy with her life. I don't want to assume anything.   In 1940, at the age of 66yrs., Amy is living in the same place but the name has changed to the Henry T. Long Home for the Aged.  I lose her again in 1950 but then find information that she passed away on December 15, 1952 at the age of 79. 



Henry T. Long Home for the Aged, Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Henry T.Long Asylum for the Aged, Lancaster, Pennsylvania



This home actually looks live a very nice retirement home.  I'm sure my 2nd Great Grand Aunt had many happy years there. 

Warm Regards,