Death of Lizzie Watterson, 1910-1920, Philadelphia

[Cocokathy]

Hi Peggy, Hi Sandra

My name is Courtney and I live in the US. My mom's maiden name is Watterson, and I was trying to do some research and had the good fortune of stumbling across this incredible thread!
My mother's  (nee Kathy Watterson) father was John Payson Watterson (d. 1995). His father was Joe Ferguson Watterson (b. 1898). Joe F Watterson was one of the children of Ellen Watterson who was "adopted out". Sadly, the family story goes that he became an indentured servant and made many unsuccessful attempts to run away. Anyway, I hope you all see this message and we can talk further. I'm so curious of your connection to the family tree! I would love to pass along the bits of family stories we have garnered. Thanks so much !

[Peggy13]

Hello Courtney,
I am so delighted to hear from you. I was not notified that I had a reply to this thread. I just happened to find it when I was about to do another posting.
Basically, I am researching the Watterson family. Perhaps you can add to the tremendous wealth of information that Sandra has found and also what I had. Sandra has done a terrific job of researching this family. How far back in the tree have you been able to go? I would love to tie Joseph Ferguson Watterson's father John Watterson into a Watterson family in Ireland.
Anxiously waiting to hear more from you.
Peggy

[Peggy13]

I haven't given up on Lizzie and have been working hard daily to unravel things. Lizzie's daughter Virginia married John George Spencer in 1934 at which time Lizzie was living in Englewood aka Inglewood and I am told she lived in the Hawthorne area and was called Elizabeth White. Virginia and John Spencer had a daughter Jane Georgene Spencer in 1937 who married firstly Henry Joseph Samaniego in 1954 and she was living in Hawthorne as was her half sister JoAnn Fry nee Digney. Jane then married Richard Albert Alves in 1967 but they divorced in 1972. Recently, I  found on findagrave a death of Jane Georgene Arriaga in 2014. I think it is her. Her husband was Alfred  Arriaga, Sr. and I believe they had a son Alfred Aguilar Arriaga July 3, 1975. Can anyone find Jane's marriage to Alfred Arriaga 1972-1975 or a birth certificate for their possible son in 1975. Alfred A. Arriaga Jr.'s birth is in the California birth index with mother Spencer but a birth certificate would really solidify things.
thanks for any help
Peggy

[Peggy13]

Can anyone find an obit for Jane Georgene Arriaga for Feb 9, 2014 in Riverside, California? Husband was Alfred who died in 1987.
thanks for any help

[Peggy13]

I was hoping to hear more from Courtney as I think she may have some valuable information for us regarding her g grandfather Joseph Ferguson Watterson, father of John Payson Watterson died 1995. I did send her my email address but have had no reply.
Peggy

[Peggy13]

As per the death record of Joseph M. Watterson in Aug 1883, his father was John M. Watterson and was deceased. So looking back at the city directories of Frankford with John M. Waterson and the last one that I see using the middle initial M. is in 1879 in Frankford which may represent John's address in 1878.
I have now found the first and final account of the estate of John M. Watterson filed in Nov 1889. From what I can gather, John M. Watterson's executor was James M. Ferguson (his brother-in-law) who  died in 1885 and John's estate was finalized by James' executor George S. Ferguson in 1889. So not sure if John had a will or if he died intestate but seems like he had a will. I am thinking that this final accounting would have John's date of death. But why can't we find John's death certificate or death record, 1878-1883? I am wanting to find out John's parents' names. And how would one access this first and final accounting in 1889 or find the will or estate papers for John M. Waterson before Aug 1883. Was his death not registered or horribly misspelled?
Hoping for some help regarding John's death.
Thank you so  very much.
Peggy

[Peggy13]

I tried to message Courtney again today in case my first message went astray. But her inbox is full. I have not received a reply from her as yet with regard to Joseph Ferguson Watterson.
Peggy

[Peggy13]

Back to Lily Ethel Averell who said she was born 1899 in Philadelphia and her parents were Elizabeth Workman and George Averell which I had trouble believing as her parents cannot be found in 1900 in Philadelphia. However I have found a George Averell and an Elizabeth Workman both residing in Philadelphia in 1900 but not as a couple. George is the son of Hugh Averell and Margaret Moore and he subsequently dies in 1913. Elizabeth says she was born November 1969 Co. Tyrone although I cannot find her birth on Irishgenealogy. Co. Tyrone is where Margaret Jane Workman was born in 1850 and she subsequently married Isaac Averell. I don’t know if there is a connection between Margaret Jane and Elizabeth. Elizabeth is living with the William Abernethy family in 1900 in Philadelphia and is single. She says she emigrated  in 1882 and I wonder if we can find her emigration which might give us some clues. I didn’t find Lily in 1900.

[*Sandra*]

New posters need to post twice before they are able to use the personal message system.
So Courtney needs to do at least one more post.

Sandra