Lookup request Agnes Elizabeth (Myers-Neville) Mahlmeister

[Billwmahl]

I have hit a brick wall trying to search for my Grandmothers parents. She was apparently born "Agnes Elizabeth Meyers" in April 1902. She passed away in 1980 in Carmel (Bruster) NY. Married Charles Mahlmeister. She was raised by John and Katherine Neville in the Bronx NY City as evidenced by the 1910 US Census and the 1915 NY Census. There are reports she was born in Philadelphia however the Census's all say she was born in NY. I have thus far been unable to locate any evidence of NY or Philadelphia birth. Our family never knew she was adopted until she passed away. I have joined Ancestry.com but still found no leads.

Any help locating her parents would be very much appreciated.
Thanks in advance!

[shellyesq]

I hope for your sake that she was born in New York, as NY recently changed its law to allow adoptees and their direct descendants to get their original birth certificate.  https://www.health.ny.gov/vital_records/preadoption.htm

[CaroleW]

Any parental details on her marriage cert other than Mr & Mrs Neville?

[shellyesq]

Her obituary is on www.fultonhistory.com and says she was born in New York City.  The accuracy of that depends on the informant though.

If other possibilities don't pan out, you could order her original Social Security application for a fee, as described here - https://www.legalgenealogist.com/2018/12/14/ordering-the-ss-5-2018-style/  I would expect her adoptive parents would be listed as her parents, but it should give an actual place of birth.

[Billwmahl]

You guys are great. Now I know of another site to check that I never heard of.

I do have her SS# so I may go that route.

This is the 1910 Census with her adopted family. She is easy to track after that.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRKH-C9X?i=14&cc=1727033&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AM5WP-PCZ

The find a Grave entry says she was born in Philadelphia but all the census's say she was born in NY. I tend to believe the Census more because I am familiar with the individual that did the find a Grave and have found numerous errors in his findings.

Thanks for the tip's

[Billwmahl]

I went to the Fulton site.

I checked out the obit- That is her adoptive parents. At the time our family did not know she was adopted. Our parents never saved any documentation and they are gone so now we only know what they told us which was just "we never knew she was adopted". 

There is also two articles there as well- A car crash with both her, my Grandfather and my aunt that I never knew about.

Thanks for such a fast response. This is such an interesting hobby

[shellyesq]

I found an interesting possibility. 

Name: Florence Meyers
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 04 Apr 1902
Event Place: Manhattan, New York, New York, United States
Gender: Female
Race: White
Father's Name: William Meyers
Father's Birthplace: New York
Father's Age: 20
Mother's Name: Kate Griffin Malone
Mother's Birthplace: New York
Mother's Age: 20

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WWT-PBK

On another index of this record, in parenthesis after William's name, it says "dead".  Also, in residence address, it says "N.Y.T.A."  I can't figure out what that means, but maybe someone else knows.  If the father died before she was born and they were living in public housing or something, that might account for a child being put up for adoption.

[shellyesq]

This may be the William Meyers who died.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WXZ-V5S  He was married, the right age, and within the time frame that his wife could have been pregnant at the time of his death.

This seems to be his birth record - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HQ1G-JL2M  Interestingly, he had sisters named Florence, Elizabeth, and Agnes.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W36-B4L  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W36-B4V  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24HB-PTS 

Anyway, common enough names that it could be total coincidence.  I could be barking up the totally wrong tree, but maybe.

If the paper trail doesn't work, then DNA testing might be a good option.

[RJ137]

Just a thought.

The 1910 census states John and Katherine Neville have been married 6 years(1904). This appears to be their marriage record in 1904. Both John & Catherine are widowed. Catherine's married name is "Meyers". Could Agnes be her daughter? and John Neville adopted her after they got married?

Marriage: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24M5-M7K

The 1905 birth record of their son John gives Catherine's middle name as "Agnes" (Catherine Agnes Griffin Neville). Coincidence that "Agnes" is also Catherine's middle name?

John's birth record: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2W4N-N28

============

This looks to be Catherine's birth in 1882.

Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WD9-H4C

Catherine with family in 1900 census.

1900 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSJX-Y8H

=================

Interesting??

There was a Florence Meyers born 04 Apr 1902 (same DOB as listed for Agnes) with a mother Kate Griffin Malone.

Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WWT-PBK