October 2002 Genealogy Forum News

Grandma, Dear Grandma, What Have They Done With You?

Submitted by: Host GFS Rip@aol.com

I have been searching for my great grandmother for over 30 years. Let's face it, I know the poor thing is dead and gone. But where? And when?

The first time I heard her name was ca 1970 when I got a copy of my grandfather's death certificate. There it was in black and white and I was thrilled that I had gone back another generation. That was the last thing I was to find out about her that made any sense.

So, today, I sit at my computer, trying to assemble all the facts that I have in the hopes that someone might have a suggestion as to where I should turn next. Or to simply say, good-bye to Grandma and move on to another.

Mary COOPER was born November 16, 1885 in Cowdenbeath, Fife, Scotland, the daughter of Mary KEDDIE and James COOPER. This information came from a professional genealogist in Scotland many years ago and I am as sure as I can be that this info is correct, since I have since found cousins with the same information.

On November 11, 1904 (one source says 1903) she married William ROBERTSON, son of Samuel ROBERTSON and Elizabeth NEILSON (remember Elizabeth's name… it's a clue). Her sons were Samuel born January 23, 1905 and James born October 29, 1906 both in Cowdenbeath.

Now is where is starts getting complicated. On June 8, 1908, William arrived in New York on the ship Furnessia with (according to passenger list) his brother, Samuel. There is no listing for any variation of the name Mary COOPER/ROBERTSON.

On William's Petition for Naturalization papers dated June 7, 1915, it is stated: "I was married. My wife's name was Mary." No variation of Mary COOPER/ROBERTSON is on the Illinois Death Index.

On June 27, 1911, Elizabeth Neilson (ROBERTSON) Dick arrived in the United States. This from the manifest: "Samuel aged 6 & James Robertson aged 4, both born in Cowdenbeath were accompanied on the SS Furnessia in 1911 by their Aunt Elizabeth Dick aged 19 born in Loanhead, Midlothian and their Grandmother Elizabeth Dick aged 61 born Gladsmuir, Scotland, all from Cowdenbeath to go and join the boy's father Peter Robertson (This is wrong - father should be William), the elder Elizabeth's son, the younger Elizabeth's brother in (Beuld, Illinois). The fares were payed (sic) for by the eldest Elizabeth's son, the younger Elizabeth's brother, and the boy's uncle. Their closest relative in Scotland was Mrs. M. Harper, the eldest Elizabeth's sister, the younger Elizabeth's aunt, Clerk St, Loanhead, Midlothian, Scotland." This information came from a gentleman in Scotland.

In the cemetery book of the cemetery where William is buried with his second wife, it states: w/ Mary (Cooper) -1919 m. 1903. I have been to the cemetery and there is nothing on the tombstone about Mary, just William and his 2nd wife's name. And I did not find another stone with her name on it, but that I could have missed. And if you remember, on William's naturalization papers dated 1915, he made it sound like she was dead. I considered the possibility of a divorce and a second marriage for Mary, but found nothing on the Illinois marriage index and find it strange that if she had married a 2nd time, she would have been buried under the Robertson name. The Illinois Marriage Index only covers up to the year 1900, so no way to check out a second marriage.

I wrote to the funeral home in this town and got the following reply: "The funeral home records in our area start in 1924. Therefore, we have no information on Mary Cooper. The cemetery listings were done by a Historical Society. They walked the cemetery and recorded the information on the monuments. Therefore we assume she is probably buried in the cemetery."

Then I wrote to the Historical Society who published the cemetery book (of which I am a member) and they had no information but gave me the name of a lady assembled the information. I wrote to her (March, 2002), including a self-addressed stamped envelope and got no reply. I then telephoned her (twice) and got her answering machine. The first message I left (May, 2002), I explained what I was looking for and wondering if she might have any suggestions as to where I could turn next and that I would call again. The second time I called (June, 2002) and got the answering machine, I left my number and a request that she call me collect. I can take a hint when someone doesn't want to talk to me <G>.

And that, is the strange thing that has happened in my genealogy research…. well, one of many <G>.

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