Advice about US death certificates

[zenobia37]

Hi all

Does anyone have experience of requesting death certificates from the US, specifically Hudson Falls in New York State? I am considering requesting a certificate in the hope of finding out the decedent's maiden name and date and place of birth, but she died a widow and childless and I'm not optimistic about that information being recorded on the certificate. Does anyone know if it's likely to record that?

I have emailed the local city clerk's office for what I think is the right registration district, but I'm not certain they'll have it and an application to the state office will apparently take 8 months to be processed. It's all quite difficult to navigate.

Thanks,
Zen

 

[shellyesq]

New York state death certificates typically have a maiden name and parents' names, but it depends on what the informant knew.  I have seen it listed as Unknown. 

I would try to go through the town if possible, as the state takes a very long time (I'm hearing more than 8 months these days).  If you don't get a response from your e-mail to the town within a week or so, you might want to try calling during normal business hours.

If you want to give further information about her, I can take a look and see if I can find another source for any additional clues. 

[zenobia37]

Thanks very much, that gives me some hope!

The woman I'm looking at was known by the name Charlotte Potter but part of the problem is that she was inconsistent in what she claimed about her age and place of birth; that's what I'm trying to find. Also I can't find a record of her having ever married her 'husband' Newsome Scott Potter.

I can be fairly sure Charlotte was born in England. She claimed to have been born in Brighton in 1830 or Halesworth, Suffolk in 1820, at different points. She met Newsome, who was English, in around 1860 (not sure where) and they lived as a couple in Hohokus in about 1870 before returning to England for a while.

They later settled in Sandy Hill, Glen Falls, from 1880 to 1899. During that period Newsome put in a patent application for a machine and is recorded in various directories, but in 1899 they returned to England again, where Newsome died. Charlotte subsequently travelled back to Sandy Hill on the SS Umbria arriving in April 1899, and so it seems likely she died there.

I have now managed to find a possible burial record for her; if it is her, she died on 12th November 1904 at Sandy Hill and I think is buried at Union Cemetery, near Glen Falls.

I know its a long shot but my best bet of finding out who she really was seems to be the death record. However if you can suggest any other ideas I would be grateful for any ideas. 

Thanks for your reply
Zen

[RJ137]

I have now managed to find a possible burial record for her; if it is her, she died on 12th November 1904 at Sandy Hill and I think is buried at Union Cemetery, near Glen Falls.

The Morning Star
November 14, 1904
pg. 4

[RJ137]

This would be the nephew Edward C. Smith along with the other nephews mentioned in the obit.

1880 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZN8-WLK

[*Sandra*]

Father of Edward Smith (above) Henry Smith buried in the same cemetery as Charlotte Potter -

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/165414655/charlott-potter

   
Union Cemetery Fort Edward, Washington County, New York.
Plot   Section 4, Row 33

FIND A GRAVE

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177799385/henry-smith#view-photo=184569190

Union Cemetery Fort Edward, Washington County, New York.
Plot   Section 4 - Row 33

Mary Smith - 1829 - 1904 -

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177998173/mary-ann-smith

Emma Smith -

Union Cemetery Fort Edward, Washington County, New York.
Plot   Section 4 - Row 33

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177791373

George D Smith - 1854 - 1912

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70477133/george-d-smith

James H Smith 1848 - 1909

Union Cemetery Fort Edward, Washington County, New York.
Plot   Section 10 - Row 89

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/177799636/james-h_-smith

daughter Lottie Clary - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/40395523

Sandra

[*Sandra*]

1860 census Kingsbury, Washington, New York

Stephen Robins   30
Sarah Robins   27
R H Robins   6
Henry Smith   40 Mary A Smith   33
James Smith   12 Mariah Smith   10
Henry Smith   8 Geo D Smith   6
John H Smith   3 Emma Smith   8 months

One of the Smith births...............

Mariah Smith - mothers maiden name Sparks 
GRO Reference: 1852  M Quarter in Bethnal Green  Volume 01C  Page 308

There was also a James Robert Smith - mothers maiden surname Sparks    
GRO Reference: 1846  J Quarter in St James Clerkenwell  Volume 03  Page 113

and Henry George Smith - mothers maiden surname Sparks    
GRO Reference: 1854  J Quarter in Taunton  Volume 05C  Page 449

Sandra

[zenobia37]

Oh my gosh, thanks very much to you all, that's so interesting! I had been under the impression that Charlotte was very much on her own, not that she had family in the States, but it is totally possible that she had other family there with her. Maybe that's why she and Newsome went to live there in the first place, and/or why she returned there after his death. I'm not absolutely certain this is the same Charlotte but it does seem likely. Now I have a lot more to go on I will see whether I can tie it in with the information I have and establish more about her birth.

Thanks very much, I really appreciate it.
Zen

[*Sandra*]

Might not mean anything but there was a marriage in Clerkenwell - registered March 1845 of a Harry Smith and a Mary Ann Melvin - Clerkenwell - 3 - 68 - maybe worth looking at. (matches first birth of James Robert Smith - st James Clerkenwell )

Sandra