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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Peggy13 on Saturday 05 June 21 21:11 BST (UK)
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Margaret Watterson was bapt Aug 13, 1854 in Ireland, father John. I don't have her baptism so lacking her mother's name but when she married George Pickering in 1876, her father's name is John. Perhaps her death certificate will give her mother's name.
George and Margaret Pickering emigrated to Westerly,Washington Co., Rhode Island abt 1882. All the family lived there and died there with the exception of daughter Bessie Burdick who died in Waterford, Connecticut.
But where did Margaret die? There is some online info that says she died in Boston, Massachusetts but I don't think so. Why would she go there? Maybe a different Margaret. I am thinking her death should be in Westerly.
Thanks for any help
Peggy
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"Why would she go there?"
It's only 75 miles away and it's the de facto capital of New England. If she needed any kind of specialized medical care, chances are she'd head to Boston.
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Thanks Erato. Good thought.
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Have you requested an obituary search on this forum for Boston and/or Rhode Island newspapers? Maybe contact the local library and see if they have obituaries from that time period.
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Margaret Waterson Pickering b 1854 d 1935
w/o George
buried at River Bend Cemetery , Rhode Island
http://rihistoriccemeteries.org/newgravedetails.aspx?ID=369406
Massachusetts Death Index :
Margaret Pickering ( Watterson ) Boston 1935 v 22 p60
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Oh, so she must have died in Boston after all. I knew where she was buried.
Thank you Christine53 and Genealiza. An obituary would be great.
Peggy
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findagrave.com entry:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/129039133/margaret-pickering
If you need more information, you might write the cemetery and see if they have more information on her, including her parents' names.
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That might work. I will give it a try, Genealiza.
Peggy
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Have you seen this: it might give you more clues or get you in touch with someone else in the family
https://gw.geneanet.org/belfast8?lang=en&p=margaret&n=watterson
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I did see that as that is where it said Margaret died in Boston which I was sceptical of. Thank you for giving me the link.
Peggy
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Is Thomas Watterson, b. circa 1864-1868, a brother? If so, his death entry in Westerly, RI states his parents are John and ALICE Watterson.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-665Q-RCG?cc=1935767&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF8FQ-CJ5
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I don't know if Thomas was a sibling although he could well be. At the moment, I do not have any siblings for Margaret. Thomas is within the age to be a possible sibling. I will follow up on Thomas if I can.
Thank you
Peggy
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Rhode Island Vital Records, 1846-1898; 1901-1953
Christ Church, Westerly, RI
DOM: 26 Apr 1888
Bride: Sarah Moran (other sources state her name as Morrow)
Age: 21
Residence: Westerly
Dau. of: Alex and Margaret Moran
Groom: Thomas Watterson
Age: 21
Residence: Westerly
Son of: John and Alice Watterson
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In the link above, he dies on East Ave., the same street as the Pickerings.
the 1900 and 1905 censuses have him living on Pierce Lane, Westerly
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9WW-1QV
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:9Q97-YSD4-84N?i=890&cc=1542866&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AMLV8-TW5
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Naturalization index card
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VX5B-GTN
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Sarah dies in 1904 and it states her father as Alexander Morrow
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QL9K-3F7B
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There is a tree on Anc.... that supports Thomas, Margaret, and Mary Ann being siblings of John Watterson and Alicia Lee. (Carnaghan Family Tree)
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Thank you Genealiza. With the info that you gave me on Thomas, I had just found that same tree. So looks like Thomas and Margaret were siblings, with parents John Watterson and Alicia Lee.
You are a great detective.
Peggy
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You're welcome. Glad I could help provide a bit more information on your search. If I remember correctly, that tree didn't show any sources, so be wary of accepting everything without corroborating it.
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I don't know if Thomas was a sibling although he could well be. At the moment, I do not have any siblings for Margaret. Thomas is within the age to be a possible sibling. I will follow up on Thomas if I can.
Thank you
Peggy
Norwich Morning Bulletin
Wednesday, May 29, 1912
Norwich, CT
Page: 7
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Great RJ137! Absolute proof that Thomas was a sibling to Margaret Pickering. Thank you. And Genealiza, I do try to corroborate everything as it is so possible to make mistakes when people use the same names over and over again in a family. You found Thomas which broke things loose researching this family.
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I notice that although Thomas Watterson died in Westerly, RI, his death notice is in the Norwich Morning Bulletin from Norwich, CT. I wonder if Margaret Pickering has an obit there as well (dod Oct 7, 1935) or her husband George Pickering Jan 13, 1928.
I bought a subscription to British Newspaper Archive thinking it was worldwide but it seems to only cover England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.
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Is Thomas Watterson, b. circa 1864-1868, a brother? If so, his death entry in Westerly, RI states his parents are John and ALICE Watterson.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-665Q-RCG?cc=1935767&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AF8FQ-CJ5
I see from Margaret's 1876 marriage to George that her father John's occupation was a labourer and a John Waterson was one of the witnesses (he made his mark),
as did Margaret & George
George PICKERING
Margaret WATERSON
Date of Event 07 January 1876
Group Registration ID 2898826
SR District/Reg Area Magherafelt
Here's the marriage image
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1876/11156/8086693.pdf
Is this the death of mother Alice?
Alice WATTERSON
Date of Death 1886
SR District/Reg Area Magherafelt
Deceased Age at Death 61
Here's the image for you to view
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1886/06253/4790850.pdf
2 Jun 1886 Alice Watterson, widow of John a labourer deceased,
informant son Thomas (his mark) present at the death
I've not found the marriage for John Watterson & Alice or the baptisms of their children Margaret & Thomas ???
There are three deaths registered in Magherafelt for a person named John WATTERSON
unfortunately the one in 1866 does not have an image to view to confirm his occupation or if married
John WATTERSON
Date of Death 1866
Group Registration ID N/R
SR District/Reg Area Belfast
Deceased Age at Death 60
Returns Year 1866
Returns Quarter 2
Returns Volume No 6
Returns Page No 272
Two other JW deaths both 1876, one aged 70 the other 77
occupation Weaver, married
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1876/020599/7227830.pdf
and the other
occupation Farmer, widower
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1876/020589/7224219.pdf
I only checked Area - Magherafelt as that was where Alice's death was registered
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I notice that although Thomas Watterson died in Westerly, RI, his death notice is in the Norwich Morning Bulletin from Norwich, CT. I wonder if Margaret Pickering has an obit there as well (dod Oct 7, 1935) or her husband George Pickering Jan 13, 1928.
It seems that this newspaper is on Chronicling America and some subscription sites through 1922, but I don't see any later issues online. The Norwich library does obituary look-ups for a fee. https://www.otislibrarynorwich.org/new-page-3
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Wow, Ladyhawk, you have been thorough. So here goes. It is quite possible that you have found the correct Alice whose death was in 1886. The only concern for me is that she died in Ballyriff, but maybe she moved. She did have a son Thomas as we know although he says he emigrated in 1884 but often that date is inaccurate. We know that he emigrated before 1888 as that is when he married in Rhode Island.
As for John who died 1860 in Belfast, he was a bachelor so it is not him.As for the John who died Feb 1876, age 77, he was a widower so if Alice died in 1886, that is not him. That leaves John who died in Jan 1876, he was age 70, married so might be him although I had previously thought that this one was the husband of Mary Sands but I now think that is a wrong thought as that would make him born abt 1806 and I had 1788 previously for the husband of Mary Sands.
If Alice died 1886, age 61, she would be born abt 1825. So likely John born 1815-1825. If he was 70 in 1876, that makes him born 1806 so 19 years older than Alice.
I will continue to work on this. I must say that online info has Margaret, husband of George Pickering, as born 1854 whereas Wood's Chapel has the Margaret born to John and Alice as born 1845.Which makes her older than George and age 47 when their last son John was born in 1892.
I am now looking for the baptism of her brother Thomas at Woods. And Mary Ann.
Thank you shelleyesq for the obituary information at Norwich library. I will follow up.
Peggy
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Update on the various John Wattersons and their dates of death. Someone was kind enough to look at the headstone of John and Alice and her death is June 1, 1886 and her husband John died Feb 28, 1867 which is not on irishgenealogy. Their son Thomas erected the headstone. John was age 46 so born abt 1821 which fits nicely with Alice's dob abt 1825.
As for the John who died Feb 9, 1876, I am now thinking he was the husband of Mary Sands. Apparently although the record says he was age 77 but his burial indicates that he was actually 88 so born 1788 which is exactly what I had for John, husband of Mary Sands.
Still have to figure out the John who died in Jan 15, 1876, age 70 so born abt 1806, William John Watterson present.