Note: When looking for one of my ancestors, a distant relative told me that our common Irish ancestor had been married three times. Thinking about how we have not yet found marriage records for your people, I'm wondering if "Alice" could have actually been married twice before marrying Mr. Barnes and could she have been "forgetful" about her true age and the fact that she had only been married once prior to her marriage to Charles Barnes).
I've been trying to figure out if it was Grace or Alice who married Mr. Barnes. I cannot yet eliminate either one as not marrying him. Have you tried to trace both girls' lives (who they both may have married and stayed with until death)? Unfortunately, Browning isn't an unusual name, so research is proving to be difficult.
I may be very incorrect, but I'm leaning toward Alice (possibly Alice Virginia?), who was the older sister, being the one who married a man named Henry/Harry Abbate in 1883 and eventually possibly marrying Charles Barnes. While an Alice V Browning DID marry a man named Henry Abbate in Multnomah County, Oregon, there is nothing (yet) to show that she was your Alice.
In 1883 (if I have the correct family), Alice is not living with the Brownings.
An Alice V Browning is in the 1900 Seattle, Washington Directory, shown as "wid Harry", milliner, res 614 1/2 2d av. I have not yet found this lady anywhere else. Could she have married a Mr. H/Kagey after her marriage to Mr. Abbate?
I did look at a Henry Abbate's movements and if this man was the same as above, he eventually remarried. Briefly (I've not double-checked the facts):
Henry/Harry Abbate was born cJune 1855 Palermo, Italy. He joined the U.S. Army, twice I believe, the second time enlisting in San Francisco in 1877 - he was discharged January 5, 1882. Later in life, he was a barber. The 1900 San Francisco census states that he had been married for five years; his wife was Katie who was born in Denmark. He was living in Grass Valley, California during the 1920 census.
I have not yet been able to determine if the man that Alice V. Browning married was the same man as above. If so, she could have told people in 1900 that she was widowed.
But, perhaps you've already researched Mr. Abbate?
Note: I've been trying to sum up the facts while family members have been talking - I hope the above makes sense.
