3rd
Great Granduncle’s legacy to 2nd Great Grandfather Walter Wilson led
me to my 3rd Great Granny from Scotland.
I featured Walter Wilson Jan. 2, 2015 in blog post FUNERAL FRIDAY: Erie Railroad Engineer Walter S. Wilson Funeral, May 17, 1893, Goshen, NY.
Walter’s
parents, James and Marion Wilson, emigrated from Scotland, Great Britain. They
spent time in New Jersey and later Norwich, Connecticut. 3rd Great Grandfather James Wilson had a brother, Hugh, in this country.
Grandfather and Uncle resided in the Norwich area and operated a business together.
I’m
assuming Great Grandfather James died by 1850 since he didn’t appear in the
1850 federal census with the family. Walter lived at home with his widowed
mother and siblings Ann, Janett, Hugh, and John November 1850.
Ancestry.com; 1850 Federal Census; Norwich, New London, Connecticut;
Roll: M432-48; Page: 190A; Image: 382
3rd
Great Granduncle Hugh lived to be an old man outliving his wife and son passing
away May 19, 1881. Uncle Hugh remembered his brother’s children in his will
written Feb. 19, 1881:
I do give
& devise unto my brother’s children Walter Wilson, John Wilson, Marion
Davis & Ann Wilson the sum of three hundred dollars each & unto
his other James Wilson’s children the sum of three hundred dollars.
Only
four of James and Marion’s known children inherit
in Uncle’s will—Walter, John, Marion, and
Ann. Where’s siblings Janett and Hugh
from the 1850 census? I find the words “unto his other James Wilson’s children”
odd and don’t know how to interpret this. Did Great Grandfather James have a family
with a former wife? Unfortunately, I couldn’t find answers to my questions.
For
years I attempted to locate more records for Grandfather Walter’s mother and siblings
with no success … that is until this past week. Tuesday morning I successively typed
Marion Wilson, Ann Wilson, Janett Wilson, Hugh Wilson,
and John Wilson into the search box
at ancestry.com. It wasn’t looking good.
Grandfather Walter’s sister Marion Davis
was my last hope. She must have been an older child already married and out of
the house by 1850.
The
first search result that popped up was ‘New Hampshire Death and Disinterment
Records, 1754-1947’ collection. Marion (Wilson) Davis, wife of Alonzo Davis,
died in Somersworth, New Hampshire Dec. 22, 1922. Her father was James Wilson
and her mother, Marion Moore. Both mother
and father were born in Scotland. (Finally,
Gran’s family name!)
Next,
I searched the 1860 federal census. Marion and Alonzo Davis lived in Newfield,
York Co., Maine with their three
children, two Davis family members, and two Wilson family members. What a surprise to find 3rd Great
Grandmother Marion and her youngest son John R. Wilson in the house. (Newfield
was Alonzo’s birthplace.)
Ancestry.com; 1860 Federal Census; Newfield,
York, Maine;
Roll: M653_451; Page: 672;
Image: 229
The
Somersworth, Stratford Co., New Hampshire census enumerator found Great
Grandmother Marion in Alonzo and Marion Davis’ home along with grandchildren
Maria and Fannie July 29, 1870.
Ancestry.com; 1870 Federal Census; Somersworth,
Strafford, New Hampshire;
Roll: M593_849; Page: 346B; Image: 186160
What
I would like to know is when and where Grandmother Marion died. My ancestor,
Walter Wilson, became an engineer for the Erie Railroad and settled in Orange
County, New York but what became of his brothers and sisters. That’s my new
quest.
I
could use some help so please feel free to share your thoughts. I’m not
familiar with York Co., Maine or Stratford Co., New Hampshire resources and
appreciate any advice you want to give.
