I've been working on my maternal grandmother Eleanor's genealogy. Both of MaMa's great-grandmothers were named Emily. I've been seeing the name 'Emily' everywhere I look. Maybe it's a sign? Will I make progress with either or both of my 3rd great-grandmothers? I certainly hope so!
MaMa's maternal great-grandmother Emily (Sheldon) Devine was born in Ireland approx 1846 and arrived about 1851. I show her listed with her husband and children in the U.S. Federal and New York State censuses from 1865 until 1875. I don't know where the Devine family was in 1880 because I haven't found any of them in the federal census for that year. The 1890 census is not available and very much missed by genealogists. I found Emily living with her youngest son, William in 1900. By 1905, William was dead and his brokenhearted mother was living with her daughter, Emma. At some point after 1905, Emma and her family moved from Rifton, in Ulster County,NY to Ontario, Canada. I don't know if Emily accompanied them but I did find her buried in the same cemetery as Emma in Toronto. Emily J. Sheldon Devine died 15 March 1928 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I need to order her death certificate and hope that the person who provided the information knew the names of her parents.
MaMa's paternal great-grandmother was Emily (Martin) Davis. Up until about two weeks ago she was a bit of a mystery. All I knew was that she was my 2nd great-grandfather, Daniel's mother and that she was born in Lloyd,NY according to Daniel's death certificate. Was she actually born in Lloyd? I don't know. If the informant's information was correct then I guess she was. I'm hoping that the informant, Daniel's son, Samuel, knew where his grandmother was born. I had an approximate year of birth from all the census records I found Emily in. Thanks to Ancestry.com and a person who was nice enough to post a picture of a headstone, I found Emily's final resting place. My 3rd great-grandmother is buried with her husband, William and a few children in the small cemetery next to the Milton-Marlborough United Methodist Church located in Milton,NY in Ulster County. Emily Martin Davis died 27 July 1907 in Poughkeepsie,NY. I ordered Emily's death certificate and hope it won't be too long of a wait before I find out who Emily's parents were and where they were born.
R.I.P.
Emily Sheldon Devine 1846? - 15 March 1928
Emily Martin Davis 1836? - 27 July 1907
