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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: ainslie on Wednesday 22 February 12 09:22 GMT (UK)
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I am new to researching USA links and would welcome advice on sources.
WILIAM RANKEN FORTUNE was born in Fife, Scotland in 1858, one of a large family. He married in California, his wife's name is known variously as 'Mary Helen Hertzberg', or 'Helen Hersberg', and she is thought to have been from a California family. How can I trace the marriage details?
It is thought that a son was born, and then a daughter. No details of the son are known, but the daughter, born at Sansalito in January 1885 was formally EUPHEMIA CHARLOTTE FORTUNE. Her successful career as an artist is well documented, her work signed 'E. Charlton Fortune', as she disliked her forenames.
William is believed to have died in California in 1894. Any more information about him, his marriage, wife and son would be most welcome, or suggestions as to sources.
Ainslie
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Hi Ainslie
Funeral Home record:
Sarah Helen Herzberg FORTUNE, b 9 Dec 1856 San Francisco, widow of William Ranken FORTUNE
Of Garden Nursing Home , 2750 Geary Street, died there age 83 yrs, on 20 Jan 1940
Father: Julius HERZBERG, b Mechlenburg, Germany
Mother: Mary CHARLTON, b Nova Scotia, Canada
Had lived in San Francisco all her life
Buried Holy Cross Cemetery on 22 Jan 1940
Informant: Daughter, E Charlton FORTUNE
Widow of E.uphemia Charlton and James Clephane FORTUNE
This is thought to be a portrait painted by Effie, of her brother:
http://www.bonhams.com/usa/auction/16073/lot/45/
There is a bit of a bio on him there also.
Details of his grave:
http://www.histopolis.com/Grave/Detail.aspx?GraveID=847617226
born 29 Apr 1891, died 28 Oct 1960
Cheers
AMBLY
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Some resources:
Have a good browse through this site:
https://www.familysearch.org/
Click on the US map to go to that section of records, including Census collections
Also search EllisIsland passenger lists:
http://www.ellisisland.org/
Cheers
AMBLY
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For San Francisco genealogy, definitely check out - http://www.sfgenealogy.com/sf/ It has various databases and tons of links to other helpful sites.
This site has deaths from the time frame that you're looking for: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cabf1905/San-Francisco/SanFranCoIndx.htm
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It seems Helen, remarried after William died - in 1898 to one Stuart Fitzhugh Loughborough .
Search FORTUNE, 1898, CA here:
http://userdb.rootsweb.ancestry.com/marriages/
They also seem to have left the US shortly after that and were in Mexico at the time of the 1900 US Census - according to information he supplied on Passport aspplications in the early 1920's. Possibly they divorced - as Stuart (b 1861 in Upperville, Virginia), is still around in 1910 and later, yet Helen is reverting to the surname FORTUNE & describing herself as a widow in 1910. She also never referred to LOUGHBOROUGH in her Passport apps - only to William Ranken FORTUNE, as her late husband.
In 22 Jun 1904, the SS "Oceanic" arrived at New York out of Liverpool, England with the following pair on board
Sarah H LOUGHBOROUGH 40
Euphemia FORTUNE, 19
Both US Citizens, Going to 2107 Valley's St, San Francisco
Cheers
AMBLY
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I went out for a couple of hours and bingo! all that material was waiting on return. Many thanks for helping - I shall enjoy following those leads.
Ainslie
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The 1904 immigration address most likely is Vallejo Street (it is difficult to read and was transcribed as Valley's).
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Lisa
Thanks for the extra info. I have not yet caught up with yesterday's offerings, but am finding it all very helpful.
A
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There is a William R. Fortune in the 1892 San Francisco city directory and it says he resides in San Rafael http://www.archive.org/stream/langleyssanfranc1892sanf#page/574/mode/2up/search/fortune
In the East Fife Record from 28 Dec. 1894, it apparently says that William Ranken Fortune, son of the late George Fortune, Barnsmuir, died at Los Angeles, California on 21 Dec. Los Angeles is fairly far away from San Francisco, but who knows?
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In the Los Angeles Times from 22 Dec. 1894:
Fortune - At Ramona, Cal. December 21, 1894, William R. Fortune, a native of Scotland, aged 37 years. Internment private. (San Francisco papers please copy.)
He appears on the death index here: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cabf1905/Los-Angeles/2/2LADG.htm
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William's marriage is mentioned here: http://www.jwfgenresearch.com/SFCall/6900-54.htm
The San Francisco library will do obituary look-ups for free, so maybe it's worth checking if there was anything in their papers? http://sfpl.org/index.php?pg=2000049301
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I called Holy Cross Cemetery (I hope you don't mind) and asked for her (Sarah Helen) burial plot information. I will send it to you by pm. There isn't any additional information about her, it is only the section, row and grave number.
I asked if they knew if any other Fortune's were buried in the same plot and the staff member, after a quick look, said it looked like she was the only one.
The website for the cemetery:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0kfg/
A map can be downloaded from this site.
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Lisa
Many thanks for that extra information, received by PM.
Ainslie
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You are quite welcome. Others have found quite a lot for you. If I may help with any "details" please do let me know. I've lived near San Francisco for a number of years and may be able to answer details about neighbouring cities.
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Ainslie, how is your research going? I came on this thread just now by chance, a year after you were last seeking information on William Ranken Fortune. He was my great-grandfather's youngest brother. I met Willie's daughter, my Cousin Effie, when she was in her eighties and came on a visit to Scotland. What's your interest? if you're still searching, I might be able to help.
JF
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Hello JF
My grandmother (1865-1948) was the tenth of her set, in which Willie was sixth, so this makes us cousins of some degree which I have not yet worked out.
I have a pile of information on the Fortune family, and a year ago was trying to tidy some loose ends. I suspect we may have corresponded before. Bengairn?
Ainslie
PS I lost some computer stuff, including email lists, but will send you a link by PM later
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William Ranken Fortune is my great grandfather. His son James Clephane Fortune was my grandfather. So we are distant cousins also!! I would be very interested in any history you can share and if interested I have some also!
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Greetings,
Well, for a start you have a fair amount of cousins in the US, but perhaps you knew that.
The ancestory and descendants of the Fortunes of East Fife (Barnsmuir and Muircambus) was researched pretty thoroughly by my 2nd cousin Ernest Fortune in conjunction with Effie Charlton Fortune, William Ranken Fortune's daughter, who was an family history enthusiast as well, having been sent to stay with her maiden aunts in Edinburgh to study when her late teens.
Ernest drew up a series of sheets accurate to about 1975, I think (I haven't looked for a while), which were fairly widely circulated among the UK tribe and in America as well via George Fortune who lived in Carmel. Ernest's son George, who now lives in France, has all his father's papers and has been doing some work collating the information digitally.
Of late I have been looking into the life of William Ranken himself, our gx4 grandfather, who served in the War of American Independence (losing side) and first had the tenancy of Barnsmuir. John Fortune , later of Muircambus, married Captain Ranken's daughter Christian.
I am afraid I don't have much time to spare at the moment to get into long narratives. How much of this do you know already?
Rgds JF
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I have just read the last two posts and am glad to hear of another family link. I will watch to see how things develop.
A
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I think we have a distant connection to this family as well, via the daughters of Rev Forrester and Rev Brown of Kilrenny, Fife. Was it was Rev Brown's daughter who married a Rankin?
https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=EAcWAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA215&dq=james+forrester+kilrenny&hl=en&sa=X&ei=-nj_VKmRDqa3mAXOr4CQCQ&ved=0CFUQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=james%20forrester%20kilrenny&f=false
Feel free to PM me.
Hurworth
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hello have only just stumbled onto FORTUNEs being in my direct line all from Fife as far as i can see.George MOTION m Georgina FORTUNE .Found thru members on this site day 1 so thats cool just going thru verifying
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Hi Julez,
Sorry to hijack thread ::)
Can you give dates for George Motion & Georgina with parents, children & areas please?
I have a fair bit on the surname Motion but I don't have a George & wondered if I could make a fit for him :D
I also have the surname Anderson connected with Motion.
Annie
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I recently looked at the baptism of Isabella Johnston. She was the wife of James Forrester, minister of Kilrenny.
She was the daughter of Andrew Johnston and Euphame Clephane and was baptised at Anstruther Easter on 16 August 1756. The witnesses to the baptism were George Clephane of Carslogie (Euphame's brother) and someone Bethune of Fingask.
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Hi Hurworth,
I think from what I have been reading, your dates of request are abt. 100 yrs prior to any info. on this thread?
Annie
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Hi Annie,
My post wasn't really a query.
Isabella Johnston (daughter of Andrew Johnston and Euphame Clephane) married James Forrester.
Their daughter Mary Forrester was the second wife of Rev Brown. Their daughter Helen Brown married George Fortune.
I wasn't sure the Fortune descendants had this information about this maternal side of the family.
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someone Bethune of Fingask.
Hi Hurworth,
An alternative for the surname Bethune would be Beaton if that helps?
Annie
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Thank you. Yes, it could help.
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Hi Annie,
My post wasn't really a query.
Isabella Johnston (daughter of Andrew Johnston and Euphame Clephane) married James Forrester.
Their daughter Mary Forrester was the second wife of Rev Brown. Their daughter Helen Brown married George Fortune.
I wasn't sure the Fortune descendants had this information about this maternal side of the family.
Ah......that makes sense now as there was no mention previously of Helen Brown & George Fortune.
Is any of your details relevant to the Motion surname?
Annie
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someone Bethune of Fingask.
Hi Hurworth,
An alternative for the surname Bethune would be Beaton if that helps?
Annie
Fingask would be Perthshire, if that helps ???
Annie
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Hi Annie,
My post wasn't really a query.
Isabella Johnston (daughter of Andrew Johnston and Euphame Clephane) married James Forrester.
Their daughter Mary Forrester was the second wife of Rev Brown. Their daughter Helen Brown married George Fortune.
I wasn't sure the Fortune descendants had this information about this maternal side of the family.
Hurworth- yes thanks, that information is recorded and Forrester has remained a family name, borne by both my father and his cousin.
You asked if Rev. Brown's daughter "married a Rankin." It was John Fortune, tenant of Caiplie and Pilmuir, who married Christian Ranken, the eldest daughter of Isobel (Fowler), widow of William Ranken, tenant of Barnsmuir. Captain Ranken and John Fortune wereneighbours and founder members of the Crail Golfing Society.
John Fortune took over the tenancy of Barnsmuir, which passed to his son George Fortune, (husband to Helen Brown) and it remained in the family till the 1890s. William Ranken’s only son William Erskine (‘Willy’) died at sea aged 14 on service with the Royal Navy in 1803, So, sadly, no-one’s daughter married a Ranken of that ilk.
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Can I belatedly make a contribution to this conversation? George Fortune of Barnsmuir married, not Helen, but Euphemia Forrester Brown, in 1848. The banns were published in both Kilrenny and Edinburgh, and they were married in St. Stephen's church in Edinburgh's New Town by the Rev. Robert Brown, possibly Euphemia's brother, I haven't checked. Euphemia died in 1906 aged 79 and her death-certificate makes all clear. She was the daughter of the Rev. James Brown & Mary Forrester, the granddaughter of the Rev. James Forrester and Isabella Johnston and the great-granddaughter of Andrew Johnston and Euphame Clephane.
I'm a native of Cellardyke in the parish of Kilrenny, though born 4 miles away in Crail, my mother's home town, and my great-great-grandmother Marjorie Myles of Crail was cook and dairy maid to George and Euphemia Fortune at Barnsmuir House.
Harry
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Just to clarify, the Rev. James Brown of Kilrenny married 1. Ann Rankine, who died in 1823, and 2. Mary Forrester, in 1825, the daughter of his predecessor the Rev. James Forrester.
It was a common practice among the fisherfolk to call a child after the minister or the minister's wife, and my great-great-grandmother Ann Rankine Gellatly was one of several girls in Cellardyke called after the minister's popular first wife. A distant relative of my Watsons was christened James Forrester Watson after the old minister, although according to the kirk-session records James F. Watson's behaviour was not exactly what you might call godly.
Harry
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Here's a link to a photo and details of the Rev. James Brown's headstone in Kilrenny church. It's a marble tablet in an enclosure leaning up against an older stone. His 2nd wife Mary Forrester isn't mentioned as she would still be alive when it was erected.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=121&GSvcid=419369&GRid=116281520&
Harry
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Here's a link to a photo and details of the Rev. James Brown's headstone in Kilrenny church. It's a marble tablet in an enclosure leaning up against an older stone. His 2nd wife Mary Forrester isn't mentioned as she would still be alive when it was erected.
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=121&GSvcid=419369&GRid=116281520&
Harry
The current entry states Mary Ranken died on 4 July 1825.
It states that Euphemia Forrester Brown (says calculated relationship is that Mary Ranken was her mother) was born on 6 Oct 1826.
There isn't much contrast on the headstones so it is hard to read the text.
I need to learn how to use Findagrave.