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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => US Lookup Requests => Topic started by: Res7922 on Wednesday 25 April 18 01:01 BST (UK)
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Greeting,
I have been researching information in regards to my grandfather and have not been able to find a birth certificate thus far. According to my grandmother and from a world war II enlistment record online he was born in Maine in Aroostook County. I sent a birth certificate request to vital records of Maine and they responded with no such person in their records. He was also a PFC in the 351 Infantry and enlisted in Portland Maine and died in Lansing Michigan Clinton County. He has a sister named Blondie and the names of their parents are unknown. His headstone is on find a grave but i have not been able to find anything else thus far. Any help to what i should do next would be greatly appreciated thank you.
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Hi,
Does the name Mrs Delores Smith 3410 Creston Lansing Michigan mean anything ??? She seemed to be the applicant for a U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963.
Sandra
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Was Basil born in the UK ??? Notice a Basil A Smith - 1923 - Wandsworth London 1d 100
Mothers Maiden Name Hughes ??? Any connection ??? Or just coincidence ???
Sandra
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Yes Delores Slocum is my grandmother. Basil was born in Maine according to a WWII online enlistment record and from what my grandmother told me.
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This seems like a possible match in the 1940 census with one sister - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMM2-C69
His WWII enlistment says he was single as of 1945. Do you know when or where he married Delores?
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I believe he was married in Lansing Michigan but i am waiting on a confirmation from a family member. I am also trying to find out when but that census record does seem to be promising.
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This is getting strange: Basil's obit states that he is survived by his wife, son, and sister, Mrs. Clayton Hitchcock of Lansing. Searching the Hitchcock connection, Elmer Clayton Hitchcock dies in Florida in 1998 and is buried in Michigan. His obit states that he is survived by his wife, Cecelia Beverly Hitchcock. Her obit, in 2003 states that she is the daughter of Charles and Blanche (Palczwska) Aldrich and was born Feb. of 1927. She is also survived by 2 sisters and at least one son with the last name of Blatt.
1930 census: https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3AOnita~%20%2Bsurname%3AAldrich~
This "Mrs. Clayton Hitchcock" seems to be a 2nd marriage for both.
Now to find the first "Mrs. Clayton Hitchcock".
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This looks like the Cecilia mentioned in the obit - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQYB-SKF
Maybe Cecilia was really a sister-in-law or stepsister. ???
Ryan, do you have your Basil's death certificate? Sometimes those have parents' names, a more specific place of birth, or a Social Security number.
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duplicate
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I do have his death certificate. I dont know how to upload here as it does not give me the option. It states only his military unit serial number address and spouse. Also i have a newspaper article of his death which states survived by his sister Clayton Hitchock. My grandmother stated they lived next store to them in Lansing Michigan but on the Clinton county website for marriages theres no Clayton Hitchcock for marriages and the only one i found does not show a marriage to a Smith.
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RE: tracking down Mrs. Clayton Hitchcock #1
Lansing City Directory:
1946: Elmer C and Arlene Hitchcock, 515 W. Mt. Hope Av
1959: Mrs. Arlene N Hitchcock, laby pkr, State Department of Health
resides, 512 Hylewood
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Here's what I'm seeing
I believe that Basil's last name may not have originally been "Smith" He and his sister's last name was changed to "Smith after their mother married Charles A Smith when they were young. I'm guessing he adopted them and their last name was changed to "Smith".
Basil in 1940 with mother Mae and sister Nellie A.
1940 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMM2-C69
Here is Mae with her family (parents & siblings) and the children Basil & Nellie in 1930. She is listed as divorced and she and the children are listed under her maiden name "Folsom". Location is Houlton, Aroostook, Maine, same counyt as mentioned in WWII enlistment.
1930 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM8V-Z57
Mae/May in 1920 census living in Aroostook County Maine.
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZF-NZF
1910 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MRSB-PX9
Mae's Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZQ3-NDP
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Moving forward. Note Nellie A's full name was Arlene Nellie.
Basil's obit in 1955 list survivors as " Survivors Include the widow, Delores; a son, Step***; and a sister, Mrs. Clayton Hitchcock"
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Arlene Nellie was married to Elmer Clayton Hitchcock.
Link: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ly9/
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They eventually divorced and Arlene Nellie married Forrest C Bloom in 1963.
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Michigan
Tuesday, March 05, 1963 - Page 7
Marriage Licenses Forrst C. Bloom. 44. of ml Dm-nry St. and Arlene N. Hitchcock. 37. ot 917U N. Cedar St.
Link: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lya/
Public records: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K5Q1-PJJ
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Hope this helps and ties things together. Need to find out who Mae Folsom was originally married to or if she was actually married when she gave birth to Basil & Nellie?
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Good finds! Basil's sister's marriage record to Elmer Clayton Hitchcock (13 Aug 1946, Mason, Ingham Co., Michigan) gives her parents as Clarence McAdam and Mae Folsom. Her place of birth was Houlton, Maine.
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There is an entry in the Maine marriage index for Mae Folsom and Abel Smith, who married 7 May 1935 in Bangor. Perhaps Charles A. Smith's middle name was Abel.
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Wow that was a great find i cant thank you enough. I would have never put all that together and it explains why i could never get any information for a birth certificate or online for that matter. Thanks again.
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Looking at all the details i have put a timeline. To confirm birth father i will resend birth certificate request to Maine vital records and request divorce record which should answer the remaining questions.
Mae R Folsom born 1908
Basil A Folsom born 1924 - She was 16
Nellie A Folsom born 1925 - She was 17
Divorced according to 1930 census- 22
Married Abel Smith (Charles A Smith) 1935 - She was 27
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A couple of things caught my eye on the 1930 census.
Mae is listed as age 22 at the time of the census and she first married when she was 17 (1924/1925).
Basil is listed as 5 (b.1924/1925) and father born in Maine. His WWII registration states he was born 1924, so probably born 2nd half of 1924.
Nellie is listed as age 4 1/2. Census taken 16 Apr. 1930. She would have been born late 1925. Her father is listed as being born in Canada.
This would seem to indicate two different fathers for the children...One born in Canada and the other in Maine. Was Mae ever really married??
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I also caught that with canada and maine. According to basils headstone he was born jun 22 1924. I am in the process of ordering the new birth cert to confirn his birth father. The 1930 census said mae was divorced and another marriage record shows remarried in 1935 to abel smith when she changed their names.
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Would someone be able to pull up the obituary for Elmer Clayton Hitchcock as i am wanting to know if there is a mention of a son named howard an i dont have access to this thank you.
http://obits.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/obit.cgi?Surname=HITCHCOCK%2C%20Elmer%20%22Clayton%22&type=Keyword
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In Memoriam - Elmer Clayton Hitchcock - Class of 1943.
Obit -Lansing State Journal (Lansing, Michigan) Thursday 18 June 1998 (children included but not the one you seek) Daughter mentioned in the obit is on social media.
http://www.okemosalumni.org/class_profile.cfm?member_id=8014787
Sandra
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This is the FIND A GRAVE entry in case you haven't seen it.
Elmer Clayton Hitchcock
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/138422457/elmer-clayton-hitchcock
and Cecilia B Hitchcock
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/138422621/cecelia-b-hitchcock
Sandra
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Would someone be able to pull up the obituary for Elmer Clayton Hitchcock as i am wanting to know if there is a mention of a son named howard an i dont have access to this thank you.
http://obits.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/obit.cgi?Surname=HITCHCOCK%2C%20Elmer%20%22Clayton%22&type=Keyword
There are several death notices and obits for him between Michigan & Florida and no mention of a Howard. Just a son & daughter who appear to be his step children.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lyo/
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Michigan
Thursday, June 18, 1998 - Page 18
HITCHCOCK, ELMER "CLAYTON" Lakeland, FL Formerly of Lansing Age 72, died June 17, 1998 at the Lakeland Regional Medical Center. He was born November 2, 1925 in Lansing, MI and worked for General Motors, moving to Lakeland in 1986. He was of the Lutheran faith, and was a Navy Veteran serving during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Cecelia "Beverly" Hitchcock of Lakeland; son, R*** Blatt of Lansing; daughter, L*** Moots of DeWitt; brother, Robert Hitchcock of Lansing; sisters, Laura Ewers of Gregory, MI and Eveline Baker of Michigan; 3 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at a later date.
OCR TEXT: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/221391094/
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OK... I see where Howard comes into the picture.
Elmer Clayton's 2nd wife Beverly was previously married to an Edward Blatt. The two chlidren (son/daughter) mentioned in Elmer Clayton's obit were from that marriage. Also from that marriage of Beverly & Edward Blatt was a son Donald R Blatt who died in 1980.
In Donald R Blatt's obit his mother Beverly & step-father Clayton Hitchcock are mentioned as well his father Edward Blatt, plus his sister and brother that were mentioned in Elmer Clayton's obit. Also mentioned is a step-brother Howard H*** of New Jersey. I would assune he is the son of Elmer Clayton?? and ???
Lansing State Journal
Lansing, Michigan
Monday, November 24, 1980 - Page 4
Just close the clipped article that someone else has saved and then you can scroll up to the obit for BLATT, Donald R.
Obit: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01lyp/
Find A Grave: https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=138422812
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Brother Robert Oscar Hitchcock - 26 Jul 1920 - W Branch Ogm, Michigan - passed away 20 Aug 2002
Father Howard Hitchcock and Mother Lizzie Burt.
SSDI - Last Residence 48911 Lansing, Ingham, Michigan.
FIND A GRAVE With photograph
Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens De Witt, Clinton County, Michigan.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/141515157
sister Laura Belle Hitchcock - Laura Ewers. 24 June 1923 - 7 October 2002
Father Howard S Hitchcock - Mother Lizzie Burt
Obituary listed Daily Times Index.
Last Residence 48137 Gregory, Livingston, Michigan
Married leonard M Ewers - 22 December 1947
brother - Charles Basil Hitchcock - 24 January 1928 - 30 November 1996
Father - Howard Hitchcock - Mother Lizzie Burt.
Last Residence 49058 Hastings, Barry, Michigan,
Sandra
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Howard Hitchcock would be elmers son according to my aunt who is roughly the same age born around 1945. I have not been able to find any reference of him. She has been looking for him all of these years. Elmers father name is also Howard which makes it confusing as i was at first.
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Greeting i am posting an update to Basil Smith in regards to his birth record. After much waiting i am still at a brickwall with his birth record after speaking with Maine vital records. Heres what i have updates on.
- Mother Mae R Folsom born 1906 in Monticello Maine died 1942 in Bangor Maine as Mae Smith Husband Abel Smith. Marriage record to Abel Smith shows first marriage for Mae although i have a marriage record that shows married to Clarence that vital records could not find.
- Daughter Arlene Nellie McAdam born Feb 19, 1926 to father Clarence McAdam died in 2007 in Mississippi as Arlene Nellie Bloom
Basil Smith born June 22,1924 according to military enlistment record, headstone and death record. Census record shows last name listed as Folsom. Mothers marriage record to Clarence does not list him. Also vital records could find no record of a Basil under any of the above listed names in the state of Maine. Im at a complete loss about what steps to take next.
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I know it has been a while since you posted, but thought I would provide some additional information.
Mae Arilla Folsom was my great-grandmother's sister (they had a huge family - 16 kids). The records that I have found indicate that Mae married Clarence "Flan" McAdam on 2 NOV 1925 in Woodstock, Canada. That is why Maine Vital Statistics can't provide the marriage document. Here is a link to the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick Canada showing the marriage between Mae (May) and Flan (Clarence).
https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141B7.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=03154EA0-8729-46AA-8DCB-4A9DBC5989F0
It was quite common for people in the Houlton and Monticello Maine areas to cross the border to marry in Woodstock.
It appears that Basil was born before Mae's marriage to Flan, so it is very possible that his father is someone else. I was not able to find a birth record for Basil because the Maine online birth records only go up to 1922 and he was born in 1924. Perhaps you could try contacting the Monticello Town Office for any birth records showing Mae Folsom as the mother??
Would love to know if you make any headway...
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Greeting,
I had recently just stumbled across that but wasnt aware of the archives site. Basils sister birth record from 1926 shows a Flan Mcadam born Arlene Nellie Mcadam later changed to Smith along with Basil when Mae remarried Abel Smith in 1935. In the 1930 census Basils name is listed as Folsom and i have contacted all the town in that area to no availability but i do have Maes death certificate from Bangor Maine 1942. I also have Basils from 1955 showing his step father. I am currently waiting to hear from the veterans department for dd214 in Maine as his file was part of the archives fire. The only other option i think i have is to use dna which i just got back a few months ago or to contact Houlton hospital to see if they have any record of his birth.
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I'm not sure when the family moved from Monticello to Houlton. The 1920 census has them in Monticello and the 1930 census has them in Houlton. Since Basil was born in 1924, they could've still been in Monticello.
If they were still in Monticello then Basil would've been born at home most likely. The town doctor was Dr. Hill back then and delivered all the babies (even my mother in 1934). You should check with the town office in Monticello (207-538-9500) to see if they have any birth record for Basil.
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I am currently waiting for a response back from Monticello to see if they find anything new since my last contact. I do have additional information that I forgot to mention though which is that I was able to get a social security number for him that shows him as Basil Andrew Smith. I have done some further research and will submit an foia for his social security application that may have his birth father on it depended on if it was filed prior to 1935 when his mother remarried Abel Smith. I am also going to research Flan Mcadams divorce to Mae. I'm waiting for a response to vital records to see if he and Abel Smith died in Maine for death records. On another note I'm not sure if you know that much about Nathanial Folsom one of Maes sibling but I found that he lived near where I live and is buried at a veterans cemetary close to here. I have created a find a grave for him and would like to update it with as much as possible as I have been trying to fix all the sibling in find a grave but its a lot of information for such a big family that I know almost nothing about since my grandfather Basil died in 1955 months after my dad was born. I do have a family tree with a lot of info going quite a ways back for the Folsom and Stockford families.
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The Monticello town office is very small and only has a couple of people who work there which may be why you are still waiting for a response.
I didn't find a death record for Abel Smith, but I did find Flan McAdam was buried in Johnville New Brunswick, Canada next to his sister and brother-in-law. It only has the years on the stone, no dates.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151062056/flan-a.-mcadam
I do have quite a large tree which includes the Folsom and Stockford families. My Folsom branch goes back 7 generations from Mae (John Folsom 1641-1715). My Stockford branch only goes back 3 generations from Mae (John Stockford (1812-1888).
Not sure if you have all of Mae's siblings so here is some vitals for them:
Columbus George 14 Apr 1895-7 Nov 1936
Lonah 21 Sep 1896-29 Mar 1972 (my g-grandmother;spent lots of time with as a kid)
Earl L 1897-4 Dec 1960
Byron Clifford 8 Jan 1898-8 Nov 1918
Ruby Bean 23 Mar 1900-12 Apr 1990
Theressa Fern 1 Jan 1902-5 Jan 1993
Charles W Jr 9 Aug 1903-21 May 1976
Mae Arilla 12 Jun 1906-16 Apr 1942
Theodosia Ida 23 Sep 1908-21 Mar 2001
Thomas Gary 7 Jun 1910-5 Mar 1994
Carroll Raymond 5 Aug 1912-3 Feb 1970
Dyrell Ronald 24 Mar 1914-5 Feb 1995
Paul E Sr 31 May 1916-11 Apr 2004
Allenby Clifford 3 Mar 1918-8 Jun 1984
Nathanial G 16 Aug 1920-3 Nov 1986
Baby Girl "Rose" 6 Jul 1922-1922
Luckily my mother knew most of them or knew of them since they were her great aunts and uncles. My mother was very close with her grandmother Lonah and lived next door to her growing up. So I was able to ask her about them when i would come across something that didn't look just right like names.
Hope this info helps you.
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Thank you for the info I will bounce it to what I have. The family history must be incredible with all the sibling. I heard from Monticello with no luck, I also contacted Bridgewater, Littleton, and Blaine just to cover the basis with no luck on the birth certificate. I am not sure if that is the Flan Mcadam or not that married Mae only because their marriage record shows he was from Ireland and Basils sisters marriage record shows Johnsville NB. I also found somewhere that he lived in Bangor Maine at one point so I sent In a death record request to vital records for him and Abel Smith who also died in Bangor Maine. I hope to get the info by next week. My only other options are social security FOIA and or the Bureau of Veterans Affairs having a birth record with his DD-214. My grandmother who is still alive said Basil never talked about his parents in the year they were married before he died. I also found Basils sisters son in New Jersey and talked briefly in which he and his wife had no idea of all the family and barely knew of Basil. They are working to send some pictures of Arlene as no one has any pictures of her or Basil. my grandmothers were destroyed.
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Greeting,
I have a new update on Flan Mcadam that may be his death certificate. It seems his first name was listed as Flamet. Now I can start researching more on him to maybe find more info on Basil. Also Just thought to ask but would there maybe any pictures floating around the family for Mae. I know it has been many years since her passing thanks.
https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141C5.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=ce3f24d2-95c5-47aa-8d41-75c003c700cf
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Hello,
Good find on the death certificate. I was able to find his birth record. It's a handwritten log and you can't see the beginning of his first name, but the parents are Anthony McAdam and Hannah Riley which are what is on the death certificate. Here's the link:
https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141A2_2.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=7509C4CD-1843-4D89-A90A-F35B702EA980
Also found 2 sisters, Sarah and Margaret:
https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141A2_2.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=E4EF8A51-12CD-4CEC-93F3-89D76FBABB4E
https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141A2_2.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=204C8F25-E704-4279-86F0-358B7BDDBE50
It also ties in with the Find-a-Grave record I listed in an earlier post. He was buried next to his sister Sarah. The death record you found listed the Johnville Cemetery as his burial place.
I am not aware of any photos of Mae but I will keep my eyes open in case something pops up.
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My grandmother was Basil's cousin. He spent quite a bit of time at their house with his aunt and uncle, Theodosia (Dot) and John Wright.
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I just recieved a picture from a cousin of him who told me the same story. Its the only picture i know of. I have been trying to find as much info as possible and talked to his sister sons wife. His sister was Arlene Nellie who died in 2007. I did never find a birth record for him in Maine.
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Does anyone on that side of the family have and old pictures from those times? I have been told most have been lost.
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There is a possibility that it is in New Brunswick, Canada. I found a marriage license between Flamet McAdam and May Folsom from New Brunswick. No birth record as of yet.
https://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/141B7.aspx?culture=en-CA&guid=03154ea0-8729-46aa-8dcb-4a9dbc5989f0
Unfortunately, the only photo I know of is of him in uniform.
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Thanks for that marriage link, i was able to use that to input into my tree and found that Flamet was Basils father and my great grandfather with the help of my DNA. That side of the family immigrated from Scotland in 1794 to Prince Edward Island. It also confirms that Basils birth last name was Mcadam although his mother changed it to Smith in 1935 when she married Abel Smith.That is also the same picture i recieved from Judemm.
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Well, I'm glad I could help in some way. My grandmother was always told she was a lot like her Aunt Mae. She only vaguely remembers her unfortunately. She does remember a phone call her mother received from Basil shortly before his death. I believe Nellie was his full blooded sister also.
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I only recently have found this side of the family. I tried to get a picture of Maes headstone in Bangor to find she doesnt have one. Although the caretaker knows the spot of where she is. I would like to have a memorial plaque placed there. It was mentioned by Judemm that her side of the family has the same rare case of kidney stones that Basil suffered from. Nellie was his blood sister who died in New Jersey at her sons house. I also found she may have another child from when she was married to Elmer Hitchcock other than Howard Hitchcock that im currently trying to get ahold of who lives in Michigan.