Census record look-up request for U.S.A.

[Jean Mayo]

I am in need of the following:

1. Census look-up in Gardiner, Kennebec County, Maine for Mary Allen and parents in the censuses for 1880, 1870, 1860, and 1850. Mary Allen was in Boston, MA. by 1887. Her child's birth record stated that she was born in Gardiner, Maine, but I did not find an age for her on that record. I am trying to find information about Mary Allen and her siblings and parents, through census records.

2. I think you mentioned that you search birth, marriage, and death records in the U.S.A. If so, I am trying to locate Mary ( nee Allen ) Dammerrell ( has various spellings )'s birth, marriage, and death record. She was definitely born in Gardiner, Maine but unfortunately her birth year is not known. There is no record of a marriage for her and Thomas Dammerrall in Boston or Chelsea, MA. in the time period before the birth of their first child in 1887. Thomas was born in Chelsea, MA. So possibly they were married in the bride's home town of Gardiner, Maine during that time frame. Mary ( Allen ) Dammerrall was a widow and a cook, living at 5 Bicknell Avenue in the Roxbury area of Boston, Mass. in 1910, with her daughter, Leonie...don't mix them up with another widow named Mary Damrell and daughter, Leonora...they are 2 different Mary's.
    Mary ( Allen ) Dammerrall died probably in Boston, MA. after 1910. Perhaps checking the 1920 and 1930 census for her in Boston, MA. might narrow down the time frame for her date of death?
   I know that this is alot to ask, so if you are only able to do some of the items above, that will be okay. Any help at all would be most appreciated.
            Jean Mayo

[Genealiza]

I'm having trouble finding Mary in the 1910 census to which you elude.  Could you please enter the spelling of the name, Mary's age, Leonie's name spelling and age.  Also, what was listed as their birthplace.  I've found Mary listed as a widow of Thomas in 1892, and her occupation as "variety store".  Do you have Thomas' family?  Was his father Thomas, a shoemaker, and his mother, Mary A, with a sister, Lenora?  I await your response---Genealiza

[Jean Mayo]

Exactly. You've got the right family. Here's the line:

1. Thomas Dammarrell and Mary Anne Heddon, both of Devon, England. They came to St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada and then moved to Chelsea, MA. where they lived out their lives. Thomas was a shoe maker. They were the immigrant ancestors. Thomas Dammerrall was s/o Thomas Dammerrall and Elizabeth ( maiden name unknown ) and was born in Stoke Fleming, Devon, England. Mary Anne was d/o Richard Heddon and Ann ( maiden name unknown ) and was born in Dittisham, Devon, England.

2. Thomas Dammarrell and Mary Jane King. Thomas was born in St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada to the couple above. He married Mary Jane King, d/o Thomas King and Mary Owens. All 3 of them were born in Galway, Ireland. I'm not sure if he was a shoemaker or not.

3. Thomas Dammerrall, s/o the couple above, who was born in Chelsea, MA. and who died in 1892 at the home of his parents, at the age of 28 years. He married Mary Allen, most likely in Gardiner, Maine, because I can't find a marriage record for them in Mass. I'm looking for one in Gardiner right now. They had daughter, Madeleine, in 1887, and daughter, Leonie, in 1888. They were born in Boston, MA., children of Thomas Dammarrell and Mary Allen. Thomas Dammarrell was a stair builder...perhaps his father was a carpenter...it escapes me at the moment.

4. I don't have much other information for Mary ( Allen ) Dammarrell, except she was a widow going by the name of Mary Dammarrell and was a cook. She lived at 5 Bicknell Avenue in Boston for the longest time. I know that when her daughter, Madeleine, got married, her place of residence at the time of the marriage was 5 Bicknell Avenue in Boston. She was in the city directories and census records at that address at least until 1910. I'm wondering if she was in the Boston census for 1920 and 1930 so I can narrow down the search for her death record.
       The Mary Dammarrell with daughter, Leonora who was also a widow and they were boarders, was actually Mary Jane King, wife of the second Thomas Dammerrall...see above. I'm all set on her. I'm mostly researching Mary ( Allen ) Dammarrell right now. That surname has so many variations of spelling that I've lost count. It could be spelled several different ways for the same person during his or her lifetime.
    All I know is that according to her children's birth records, Mary Allen had been born in Gardiner, Maine. Her parents were born in Maine. Unfortunately that is all that I know about her at the present time. The Dammarrell's seemed to have liked to be buried in Woodlawn Cemetery in Everett, right next to Chelsea, MA.
    I hope that I cleared things up for you and didn't confuse you further.
               Jean Mayo.

[Genealiza]

Do you have the particulars on the subjects, Mary and Leonie, on the 1910 census?  Ages, enumeration district, page number? I want to see that census before attempting to move backward, or forward in the census search and I can't seem to find them.---Genealiza

[Jean Mayo]

No. Another researcher found them, but did not give me that information as far as page numbers. But they were living on 5 Bicknell Avenue in Boston and Madeleine was 13 and Leonie was 11 in that 1900 census.

[Genealiza]

Here's the 1900 census:


1900  Massachusetts    Suffolk  Boston   Ward 18   Dist 1430
Series T623   Roll 684   Page 24B   Enumeration District 1430
5 Bicknell Avenue   Family 507

Damerell, Naomi (fy?), head, white, female, b. July 1849, 50, widow
                     mother of 7 children, 5 children living, b. Canada,
                     Canada, Canada, immig 1880, 20 yrs in US, cook       
                     (pastry), owner, can read, write, spk Eng, rents home

Palmer, Robert, son, white, male, b. Dec 1875, 24, single, b. Can,
                     Can, Can, immig 1898, 1 yr in US, al (ien), cook, own-
                     er, can read, write, spk Eng

Damarell, Madaline, dau, white, female, b. Jan 1887, 13, single, b.
                     Mass, Mass, Can, at school, 7 months

----------, Leone M, dau, white, female, b. Dec 1888, 11, single, b.
                    Mass, Mass, Can, at school, 2 months

There is another family by the name of Sylvester living at the same address.

Ruth M, head, 70 b. Mass
Charles C, brother, 64 b. Mass, paper hanger
Frances M, sister, 58, b. Mass
Edward E, brother, 52, b, Mass

[Jean Mayo]

This is what I cannot understand. On the girls' birth records, their mother was Mary Allen, born in Gardiner, Maine; her parents b. Maine. Their father was Thomas Dammerrall, b. Newfoundland, Canada. In the 1905 city directory for Boston, Leonie was still living with her mother, Mary Dammerrall, widow, cook, at 5 Bicknell Avenue in Boston...the same address as the 1900 census. Madeleine had married and moved out. I'm thinking someone in the household gave the census taker the wrong information...or Naomi was there caring for the children while their mother was at work..or the census taker just jumbled everything up?

[Genealiza]

Since the Naomi is listed as "Head" with a son and 2 daus living with her, it is more likely she used a middle name or the census taker misunderstood what she said.  It is also possible that the information was given by someone in the "Sylvester" family.  The two families were enumerated on 2 different sheets--the Sylvesters on Sheet 21 and the Damerells on sheet 24.  There were notes in the margin noting that another family lived at the same address.  Although, I would doubt someone else would know Mary (Naomi) immigrated in 1880.  To further confuse you, I found the following:


1910  Mssachusetts   Suffolk   Boston   Ward 21   Dist 1578
Series T624   Roll 623   Page 16B  Enum. Dist 1578
24 94 Marlington Street   Family 185   Dwell 415

Harper, Theresa A, head, 38
             Gertrude M, dau, 20
             Charles H, son, 19
Damrell, Mary L, lodger, female, white, 58, widow, mother of 7
               children, 1 child living, b. Canada, New York, Mass, immig
               1878, spks Eng, cook, restaurant, worker, can read, write
              Leonora F, lodger, female, white, 21, single, Mass, Mass,
                Canada, spks Eng, waitress, restaurant, worker, can
                read, write

[Jean Mayo]

This is crazy, isn't it? But that other Mary Damrell with daughter, Leonora, is actually Mary Jane King, who was married to Thomas Damrell the second, and he died married so Mary and daughter, Leonora, had to fend for themselves.

That census record in 1900 makes me crazy though. Even on Madeleine's marriage record, she listed her mother as Mary Allen, born in Gardiner, Maine, whose parents were both born in Maine. Madeleine's father was born in Chelsea, MA.

Can you find Mary ( Allen ) Damerall and daughter, Leonie in the Boston area in 1920 and 1930?