James McKeddie Mystery

[Famtreebuilder]

Thanks Shelly - yes I read that.  Now if only there was an article that mentioned Jessie Rae!  She seems to be the invisible woman

[Famtreebuilder]

Could the Jessie Rae in Canada be an aunt to James's first wife?

Hi Marigold - it's a possibility Jessie was a grand aunt but I think it's unlikely.  Jessie had an aunt Jean McKellar born c1836 that I haven't full traced and she had an aunt Janet Moyies also born c1836 who I'm sure died in Scotland.

If Jessie Rae was genuinely Archibald's aunt then the most likely explanation is she was his father's or his stepmother Jane's sister/sister-in-law.  There's no sign of a McKeddie or a Kennovin marrying a Rae in Scotland though. 

I've also had a further look into the Millers who were looking after Archibald on the 1891 census but I really can't see a connection.  I think they are James Gray Miller and Jane Lang who married in Bridgeton in 1880.  James Gray Miller was born 23 Mar 1855 in Calton to James Miller and Mary Whyte.  Jane Lang was born c1858 in Glasgow but I'm not 100% sure who her parents were.  There are a number of possibilities but none of them has a name that jumps out as being related to James/Archibald.

[shellyesq]

Looking at the address for Jessie Rae on the border crossing, it looks like 18 S. Miller.  I found a Rea family living at that address in the 1900 & 1910 census.  The wife was Elizabeth/Libbie, so I wonder if Libbie Rea got mangled in Jessie Rae?  The head of the family, Andrew, was born Ireland and, per a city directory, died 27 Mar. 1916. 

1900 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSLQ-NT5

1910 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MP1L-455

[Famtreebuilder]

Thanks Shelly - I agree the address is 18 S Miller. Elizabeth/Libbie Rea is intriguing especially due to the surname and the address but I'm just not sure.  I've found her still at 18 S Miller in 1915 but it's a family named Bligh living there by the 1920 census.  I've also found her in an old person's home in 1930.  She was born in New York and census consistently states both parents were too which doesn't seem right for an aunt of Archibald's but then again we don't know where his father James was born!  Despite three census returns stating it was Edinburgh there's no sign of his birth there. 

[shellyesq]

Libbie Rea is in the Newburgh city directories at the same address up to 1919.

[Famtreebuilder]

Thanks Shelly - it does sound likely it's her Archibald was going to visit then but I just can't reconcile how she would be his aunt.  More mystery....

[bonniej]

Hi Shelly, This is my first posting so I'm not sure I'm doing anything right!
You were commenting on this post back in 2016
"Re: James McKeddie Mystery
Regarding: 
« Reply #11 on: Thursday 26 May 16 18:24 BST (UK) »
Quote
Looking at the address for Jessie Rae on the border crossing, it looks like 18 S. Miller.  I found a Rea family living at that address in the 1900 & 1910 census.  The wife was Elizabeth/Libbie, so I wonder if Libbie Rea got mangled in Jessie Rae?  The head of the family, Andrew, was born Ireland and, per a city directory, died 27 Mar. 1916. 

1900 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSLQ-NT5

1910 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MP1L-455"

I'm actually looking to determine who Jessie Rae is (actually I think Lizzie, or Elizabeth based on the census details), who states she was born in New York on the census docs.  My Grampa was Archibald McKeddie - the person that was going to visit her in New York back in 1919.  He also sent his army payments to her in Newburgh NJ.  I have found that she was still at the same address in 1915, living with her husband.  and she is in a home in 1930.  The 1900 census states that they have only been married for 2 years, but I have searched for their marriage, or either of their deaths and can't find anything at all.  She cannot be a relative of Archie's Mom as they were all born in Scotland and moved to Australia.  His step mom's family is all from Scotland as well. 
The only small possible connection I can find is that Grampa visited Newburgh New York in 1913 with Thomas Moore, who was his cousin's husband - Margaret (nee Fleming).  Margaret's mother was my Grampa's aunt Margaret McKellar.  Again all from Scotland (except for Thomas who was from Ireland).  I just think Newburgh New York is a common thread that might be related?
I hope I'm doing this right!  Any info you might have would be very much appreciated!

[shellyesq]

You did fine, bonniej.   

It's been so long since this thread was started that I've managed to forget all about it.  Luckily, there are some new New York records/indexes online since then, so we may be able to fill in a few blanks.

In case Elizabeth/Libbie is the right person, it appears that she was in a home for aged women in the 1925 NY state census and 1930 federal census.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSW1-65S
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X4R1-PWL

She is in a Middletown, NY city directory from 1922 through 1939.  The NY state death index has an entry for Elizabeth L.S. Rea who died 4 Nov. 1939 in Middletown.  The certificate # was 63856.

The NY state death index also has a death for Andrew D. Rea on 27 Mar 1916 in Newburgh.  His certificate # was 19458.

[bonniej]

Wow, thanks!  I'm still going to try to find the marriage and her birth.  I'm wondering if she was a Neilson/Nelson relative.  Will keep working it!