|
New England Ancestry Locator Service 20 Battles Road Westminster, MA 01473-1222 978-874-2505 • rqw@wellner.org Ruth Wellner, Senior Partner April 12, 2004 Report # 1 Gubin Page 1 Goal: Find background of
Marion Frances Johnson and her brothers Cyrus and Howard. Find information on
their parents. Information from Client: Marion Frances Johnson Had two brothers who fought in WWI She was sent to live with another
family; no formal adoption Died when her daughter was 7 years
old Had at least two other children [Jim
Miller, 16 yrs old when Marion dies] Possible parents names (as per Marriage
record) Frank and Frances Marriage record MA VR 1924 (14Apr)
Boston vol. 1 p. 115 - 27 yrs old (b.ca.1897 MA) Death record CT VR 1942 (9 Feb)
Waterbury (res. Torrington) (b.ca. 1899 MA) Cyrus Johnson Letter of May 1, 1918 to Marion Born ca. 21 Apr 1894 Pvt. In Army - WWI - Co. G 103rd
Inf. - 68,435 Died 21 Jul1918 France
(Chateau-Thierry 1/20M.) KIA Buried: Co-ord. 184.5.264.5 French
field NE ofRR Bozu-St. Germain no.19-84 I.C. Myers Exhumed and reburied 24 Feb 1928 -
Oise-Aisne, Seringes-et-Nesles, Aisne County, France (Code #608), grave 35,
Block A, Row 1 Cited for bravery in the Marne Battle "Friend" Mrs.
G.W. Robinson, Montpelier, VT, contacted for disposition of body. Howard Johnson Letter undated to Marion mentions
Howard will be out of the service in May 1. Military records, unsure if they
are Marion's brother Howard's or not. Sources Searched by Client: Army records search for Cyrus and
Howard - Cyrus correct, Howard questionable 1920 US Federal Census,
Manchester, NH for Marion Johnson, unsuccessful 1900 US Federal Census for
Cyrus Johnson, unsuccessful 1910 US Federal Census for Cyrus
Johnson, unsuccessful WWI search for draft registration
information for Cyrus Johnson, unsuccessful Search Results: We began the search in the
Massachusetts Vital Records to find the births of Marion, Cyrus and Howard.
We began with the 1896-1900 index as Marion's birth dates were calculated
from her marriage and death information. We did not find Marion's birth date at
that time period. We searched not only "Marion", but
"female" births who had parents named Frank and Frances (or
variations thereof). We next searched the same for Cyrus and Howard. There
were possibilities, as you will see form the enclosures, but none that
matched all the criteria for date, names and parents. I did not undertake the
monumental task of searching all "male" births for parents Frank
and Frances. We will keep these for reference in case new evidence comes to
light and one of these proves helpful. I also searched the marriage records
in hopes of finding Frank and Frances being married around that time. Next, I searched the Boston City Directories
for the time period in which Frank may have been living in Boston. I found
several Franks and Francis' , however, there is no way of knowing which, if
any is "our" Frank. Still being unable to find Frank or any
record showing his residence in Boston, I continued my search in the New
Hampshire Vital Records (as Marion had purported to live there at the time of
her marriage). No record of birth for a Marion Frances was found, nor one for
Cyrus or Howard. Since the patron had already searched the
1920 US Federal Census, I began with the 1910 US Federal census. It was
difficult to know if the entries I found were that of "our" Marion
as we were still unsure of her birth date and therefore unsure of the age we
were seeking. If she had been born in 1897 or 1899, as per her marriage and
death records, we found no match. The 1900 census was searched for a family
including a Frank/Francis and a Frances with a daughter Marion and sons Cyrus
and Howard. None was found. [I revisited the 1920 in hopes of finding Marion.
No sure entry was found, but I have included them in the enclosures so that
you might analyze the entries for possible matches.] My next course of action was to search the
library catalog of the New England Historic Genealogical Society in Boston.
There I found three books that were helpful in getting more information
concerning Cyrus. In the book, Roster of Vermont Men and Women in the
Military... (See the copy enclosed for the full citation) by Herbert T.
Johnson, I found Cyrus' military information. It is also the first source in
which I find a clue to his age. He is killed in action in 1928 at age 24
years and 3 months (therefore, born ca. 21 Apr 1894). |
