A Widow Who Is Still Married?

Another dip into the genealogy pool has yielded a bit of an enigma.

My second great-grandmother, Sophia Riel, wife of Joseph Major, is listed in the 1930 US Census to be a widow.

"United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X7HY-V96 : accessed 29 May 2018), Sophie Major in household of Eva Phoenuf, Champlain, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 8, sheet 11A, line 7, family 282, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1416; FHL microfilm 2,341,151.

Well, that's strange because Joseph didn't pass away until 1935.

Plattsburgh Daily Republican
January 30, 1935

The North Countryman

January 31, 1935

The obituaries state that Joseph passed away "at the Ogdensburg State Hospital" and "at an Ogdensburg N.Y. hospital".  This might be polite speak for the St. Lawrence State Hospital.  Growing up we knew it as a mental hospital.  A good write up of the facility can be found at the Watertown Daily Times website.

Even five years before, the 1925 New York State Census, I can't find Joseph, but I do find Sophia, living with her daughter and granddaughter.  Eva's husband, George Phaneuf, did die in 1924.

"New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS7G-6D6 : 8 November 2014), Sophia Majar, Champlain, A.D. 01, E.D. 01, Clinton, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 9, line 13, New York State Archives, Albany.

I don't know why Joseph Major was there, nor why his wife indicated that she was a widow.  Perhaps there was a social stigma of having one's spouse as a patient in a mental health facility.  Maybe it was easier to declare him dead than to answer repeated questions.  I just don't know.

Joseph was interred at St. Mary's Cemetery in Champlain, New York.  16 years later Sophia passed away and was buried next to him.

Ella and Clyde Aubrey in the 1925 New York Census

I've been dabbling a bit more in to my family's history, trying to track down each time my direct lines show up in the census records, both federal and state.  It took me a while to find Ella Major Aubrey, wife of Daniel Columbus Aubrey, in the 1925 New York State Census.  She was my Great-Grandmother.  The family had been in Champlain or Rouses Point for decades.  But census takers, indexers, and transcribers do very funny things with the written word.

I finally found the family listed as Aubay.  Close.

"New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KS7G-66F : 8 November 2014), Ella Aubay, Champlain, A.D. 01, E.D. 01, Clinton, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 5, line 29, New York State Archives, Albany.

But I did find another Ella Aubrey, this time in Niskayuna, Schenectady county, New York.  Schenectady county is just two over from Otsego county, where Ella's mother-in-law, Marie Vashrow Aubrey was enumerated in both 1920 and 1930.  Marie died in Oneonta, Otsego county, New York, which is just 72 miles from Niskayuna, according to mapquest.

I thought it might be my Ella.  Just a few years off on the age.  And has a son named Clyde.  This one is Clyde R. Aubrey.  My Grand Uncle was Joseph Freeman Claude Aubrey, but I understand that he went by Clyde.  Clyde R. was a Railroad Employee.  Claude/Clyde is listed as a machinist.  Many Aubrey men in Clinton county, New York were either machinists or railroad men.

"New York State Census, 1925," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSH4-69R : 8 November 2014), Ella Aubrey, Niskayuna, A.D. 01, E.D. 04, Schenectady, New York, United States; records extracted by Ancestry and images digitized by FamilySearch; citing p. 15, line 30, New York State Archives, Albany.

I don't know who Clyde R. and Ella were, but I'm guessing they're not part of my direct family.  As always, more research to be done.

More on all branches of my family can be found here.

Tracking Narcisse Riel through census records

My 3rd Great Grandfather.

Narcisse Riel, born March 14, 1835, died 1913.  Some researchers say he died in 1912, but no source info has been given.


1851 Canadian Census:
"Canada Census, 1851," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWRC-HTL : 3 August 2016), Narcesse Rielle, Sherrington, Huntingdon County, Canada East (Quebec), Canada; citing p. 63, line 7; Library and Archives Canada film number C_1121, Public Archives, Ontario.

1860 US Census:
"United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCQ2-PMM : 14 December 2017), Narciss Ryell, 1860.

1870 US Census:
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8FF-NWH : 12 April 2016), Nelson Eryill, New York, United States; citing p. 38, family 280, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,418.

1880 US Census:
"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZZX-58L : 20 August 2017), Nelson Aryell, Mooers, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district ED 24, sheet 339D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0820; FHL microfilm 1,254,820.

1892 New York Census:
"New York State Census, 1892," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ9P-Q9Q : 6 November 2014), Nelson Reyell, 1892; citing Mooers, E.D. 01, county offices, New York; FHL microfilm 863,412.

1900 US Census:
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS65-3JB : accessed 12 February 2018), Nelson Aul, Mooer's Township Mooer's village, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 19, sheet 13B, family 259, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,018.

1905 New York Census:
New York State Census, 1905, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKMT-VJ2 : 20 December 2017), Nelson Reyell, Mooers, E.D. 01, Clinton, New York; citing p. 14, line 37, county offices, New York.; FHL microfilm 863,413.

1910 US Census:
"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M5Q7-Z1K : accessed 12 February 2018), Nelson Argell, Mooers, Clinton, New York, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 20, sheet 7A, family 148, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 932; FHL microfilm 1,374,945.