Questions That the Records Can't Answer

There are a lot of questions I have for my ancestors as I research them, that the records cannot answer. Here are just some of the questions I wish I could ask about!!

FLORENCE HALLIDAY'S FIRST MARRIAGE

In January of 1916, my grandmother, Florence Halliday, married Harold Edwards in Eldon, Iowa. I knew about this early marriage quite a while ago, including the facts about the birth of a son, the divorce, and my grandmother's subsequent remarriage to my grandfather. But a couple of years ago, I found a newspaper article talking about the wedding. "The marriage took place on the stage in the last act of '$1 for a Kiss' of the Moore and Watterson show playing at Eldon, Iowa."[1] Turns out that Harold Edwards was a former actor who had become a salesman. According to the marriage license, my grandmother was 16, but she was actually 18.[2] 

So just a few of my questions to my grandmother would be:

• What were you thinking? 
• Why did you give your age as 16?
• What drew you to this man? Was he a sweet talker?  
• What was it like getting married on stage?

THE DEATH OF MICHAEL PHILIP MARTIN

My great-grandfather, Michael Philip Martin, died on 7 August 1923 in Hocking, Monroe County, Iowa. I have his death certificate, which lists his cause of death as "killed by fall of slate in coal mine," so I knew he was killed in a mining accident.[3] But a graphic newspaper article gave the rest of the story. 

"Two of Mr. Martin's sons were working with him at the time the accident occurred. A huge chunk of slate about 7 feet long and 12 inches thick fell on his head, almost mashing him to a pulp. It required three men to remove the slate." [4]

By a process of elimination, I realized that one of those two sons was, in fact, my grandfather, George Michael Martin. Another article provided an even more graphic and grisly description of the injuries. At the time, Michael Phillip was 47 years old and left a wife and nine children.

So my questions to my grandfather would have been: 

• What was it like to work in a coal mine? 
• How old were you when you started working in the mines? 
• How did you manage to go back into the mines after that accident?
• How did your mother react? 
• Did your family receive any benefits from the mine owners? Or did you, as the oldest son, become the main breadwinner of the family?

Since I knew both my grandparents quite well and usually even spent a week or two with them every summer, I wish I had thought to ask more about their lives. While I suspect that neither would have talked about these two episodes, I might have gleaned some hints about how they affected the rest of their lives.

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This week's #52Ancestors prompt is Questions That the Records Can't Answer.

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[1]"Married in Eldon," The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), 1 February 1916, p.2, col. 3.

[2] Iowa Marriage Records, 1880-1947; digital image, Ancestry. Wapello County, p.90-93, #1454, Edwards-Holiday, January 1916.

[3] Death Certificate #68-508, (Amended in 1951). Mike Martin 8/7/23, Hocking, Monroe County, Iowa. 

[4]Albia newspaper clipping, undated, and no paper listed. 

 

A Turning Point that Changed My Thinking

One of the things I learned when starting out in genealogy was that while family members might not actually lie, they might not tell the whole truth. I had been researching for quite some time when I learned this fact the hard way. 

After researching my dad's family for a couple of years, I learned that my paternal grandmother, Florence Halliday (1897-1967), had been married before she married my grandfather, George Michael Martin (1900-1973). And not only had she been married to a man named Harold R. Edwards (1894-1930), but she had also had a child with him, a son named Richard Eugene Edwards. I figured this was a deep, dark family secret that my dad didn't know about. But I learned I was wrong. He knew. He would likely even have known his half-brother when he was very young. 

So why did no one ever bother to mention this to me? My aunt had no problem talking about it later when I asked her. She was the one who explained that he had some kind of physical or mental issue and that he lived with my great-grandmother, Margaret Clark Halliday (1872-1948).  He was 18 years old when he died in 1934. My dad would have been about five. 

But there's more to this story. Until I was writing this blog post, I hadn't looked at his actual death certificate. I had the FamilySearch index information and a note that it was a locked record, and I had added it to my list. But I forgot about that (didn't read my notes), clicked the link, and discovered that the death certificate is no longer locked.

Reading the death certificate made me re-examine what I thought I knew. The death certificate was from Franklin County, Illinois. His name was listed as Richard Eugene Edwards, born 17 August 1916. That confirmed what I knew about him. He died on 12 September 1934 at the age of 18. Then I noticed the informant. It was my grandfather, Mike Martin. So that meant he was likely living with my grandparents, not my great-grandmother in Iowa. 

The second thing I noticed was the cause of death -- general paralysis for 9 1/2 years. It went on to list the contributory cause as "Injury to head at birth, bedfast for 18 years". Those couple of lines explained a lot, yet left many unanswered questions. 

First, what was the injury at birth? I haven't located a birth record for him. He's not in any Iowa index where I think he was born, and those records are locked, so I'll need to spend time looking through them at some point. 

Second, it would have been quite difficult for my grandmother to take care of a bed-bound son while trying to raise a new family after she married my grandfather. But it's unclear who was really taking care of him. My aunt Betty claimed her mom, my great-grandmother, was taking care of him. She was the youngest and still at home, so she might have had firsthand knowledge. 

Richard doesn't show up in the 1930 census either with his mother or his grandmother. His father, Harold, had remarried to a woman named Blossom Cheek, and they cannot be found in the 1930 census either. When Harold died in December of 1930, his obituary made no mention of his young son, so it is unlikely that Richard was living with them. 

That got me wondering if he wasn't in some kind of institution? If he were truly bedfast, caring for him would be quite a challenge. My great-grandmother was getting older, and my great-grandfather had died in 1933. 

My grandparents had moved to West Frankfort, Illinois, sometime between the birth of my Aunt June in January of 1926 and the birth of my father, George Robert, in December of 1929. Richard wasn't included in their household in 1930, but neither was my father, who had been born about three months before the census was taken. Had they taken Richard with them when they left Iowa, or had they taken him in after the death of my great-grandfather? 

Writing this blog post has been a turning point in searching for Richard Eugene Edwards and has changed my thinking. I went from being sure my great-grandmother had been caring for him all his life to wondering who was caring for him.

My next steps will be to conduct additional research on possible homes or institutions near West Frankfort where my Uncle might have lived. I also need to find Richard's birth record. Does it mention any injury that occurred at birth? I may never uncover the mystery of Richard Eugene Edward, but I'd like to honor his short life by telling his full story.

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This week's #52Ancestor Prompt is TURNING POINT. Last week's prompt was CHANGING MY THINKING

Favorite Photo - with Grandma and Grandpa Martin

One of my favorite photos has always been this one. It was taken in early 1952. The photo is of my grandparents, George Michael "Mike" Martin and Florence Halliday Martin, holding their first grandchild - me!!

My grandparents were a handsome couple. They were in their early 50's in this photo. It was likely taken in front of their home in West Frankfort, Illinois, and based on the way we are dressed, it was likely in the spring of that year. I think they both look proud of their granddaughter, and I hope I've made them proud over the years by telling their stories!

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This Week's #52Ancestors Prompt is Favorite Photo.

A Colorful Tale

Early in my research, I was surprised to learn that my paternal grandmother had been married before marrying my grandfather. It was one of those family secrets that people don't talk much about, but they assume you know.

I obtained a copy of the marriage record. Dated 25 January 1916, Florence Halliday, age 16, was married at Eldon, Wapello County, Iowa, to H.W. Edwards, aged 24. H.W., whose name I learned was Harold, was listed as a salesman.[1] Although my grandmother was listed as aged 16, she was born on 15 February 1897 and was therefore almost 19 years old.[2] It's unclear why the age was incorrect.  

What made this marriage colorful (besides being puzzled about the listed age) was reported in a newspaper article I found about the wedding.

"Married in Eldon," The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, IA), 

1 February 1915, p.2, col.3. From newspapers.com.

First, it was noted that Florence's new husband had given up a theatrical career, although he was employed by a company that likely made theatrical scenery. Is this what attracted her to him in the first place?

Secondly, the marriage took place on stage during the last act of the play $1 for a Kiss. That had to have been an extraordinary wedding ceremony. The play was written by Moore and Watterson. J.G. Moore was listed as a witness to their marriage, along with J.M. Baker. Were they both actors in the play? No record of a play by that name has been found, so it was likely just a local production. 

Their wedding reception was a banquet given by the "Sons of Rest". This appears to be a social group, perhaps formed around theater people. There doesn't seem to be any formal group by that name. 

Eight months later, a son was born—Richard Eugene Edwards.[3] This was another family secret. It's unclear what illness Richard had, but it was some sort of chronic disability. He spent most of his short life living with his Halliday grandparents. Richard died on 12 September 1934 in West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois, aged 18. He was listed as an Invalid.[4] 

The Halliday-Edwards marriage didn't last very long either. The final divorce decree was issued on 1 May 1919 in Albia, Monroe County, Iowa. Florence was awarded custody of Richard and child support of $12 a month.[5] 

Harold didn't waste any time remarrying. On 6 May 1919 in St. Louis, Missouri, he married Miss Blossom Cheek of Decatur, Illinois.[6] That marriage also didn't last very long. Harold died on 2 December 1930 in Jacksonville, Illinois.[7] 

Harold was a mysterious person. In addition to his early theater career, his name was often listed differently. He usually went by H.R. Edwards, occasionally Harold. But when he married Florence, he was listed as H.W. Edwards. He appears to have established himself as a salesman until his death. His birth date is given as 4 September 1893 on his World War I draft registration.[8] His tombstone agrees to the day and month but lists the year as 1894.[9] His obituary lists his birth date as 9 September 1891.[10] But even if you use the earliest year, he died young, before he was forty years old.

Harold was not the only family member who went on the stage. His brother Charles had toured the country in various productions. He also died before he was forty.[11]

My grandmother married George Michael Martin on 12 September 1925 in Albia, Monroe County, Iowa.[12] They lived there for a couple of years before moving to West Frankfort, Illinois, where they lived a fairly routine life.

Florence Halliday Edwards Martin died 10 July 1967 in West Frankfort, Franklin County, Illinois, of congestive heart failure.[13] She left no sign of her early, colorful life.

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The #52 Ancestors Prompt for Week 2 is A Record that Adds Color

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SOURCES:

    [1] “Iowa Marriage Records, 1880-1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3998653:8823: accessed 7 June 2023); Wapello County, p. 90-93, #1454, Edwards-Holiday, January 1916; Iowa Department of Public Health.

    [2] Clerk of the District Court, Keokuk County, SIgourny Iowa. Copy received from grandmother’s files. Florence Halliday, 1897, Keokuk County.

    [3] Birth record not found. Date of birth from: “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947,” database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ1J-SRQ: accessed 8 June 2023), Richard Eugene Edwards, 12 September 1934, Franklin County,; Public Board of Health, Springfield, FHL microfilm 1,712,057, image #948.

    [4]“Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths, 1916-1947,” database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ1J-SRQ: accessed 8 June 2023), Richard Eugene Edwards, 12 September 1934, Franklin County,; Public Board of Health, Springfield, FHL microfilm 1,712,057, image #948.

    [5] “Court Records, v. 31, 29 April 1918-29 Oct 1920,” digital image, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS4R-GXYD : accessed 8 June 2023); District Court, Monroe County, Iowa, Record No. 31, p. 235, April 1919 term, 1 May 1919, #9819, Divorce Decree Florence Edwards, Plaintiff vs. H.R. Edwards, Defendant.

    [6] “Cheek-Edwards,” Herald and Review (Decatur, IL), 9 May 1919, p.9, col. 4-5; digital image, newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 9 June 2023).

    [7] “Illinois Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947,” database, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/423029:2542: 9 June 2023); Jacksonville, 2 December 1930, Harold R. Edwards.

    [8] “World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/30810145:6482: accessed 9 June 2023), St. Joseph City, Missouri, Draft Card E, S, Harold Edwards.

    [9] Find a Grave, memorial #26082249, photo by kpet. Graceland Cemetery (Decatur, Macon County, Illinois), H. Robert Edwards Sept 4 1894-Dec 2, 1930.

    [10] “Decatur Resident Dies in Jacksonville,” Hearld and Review (Decatur IL), 3 December 1930, p.3, col. 6; digital image, newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 9 June 2023).

    [11] “Charles Edwards, Actor, Is Dead at Fort Dodge: Wife and Family Here,” The Gazette (Cedar Rapids), 18 June 1918, p.3, col. 4; digital image, newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com: accessed 8 June 2023).

    [12] “Iowa, Marriage Records, 1880-1947,” digital image, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/3193437:8823: accessed 9 June 2023); Monroe County, #94, 68, 012948, September 1926, Martin-Edwards; citing Iowa State Board of Health.

    [13] Death certificate, Florence Halliday, Franklin County, Illinois. Copy in author's possession.