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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: skylark on Monday 21 December 09 11:48 GMT (UK)
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My relation, Gertrude Ethel Ruby Maryon (b.1885 London), Ruby, married Charles Henry Seaman (b.abt.1876) and came to the USA 26 Jan 1907. Ruby Seaman returned to England, briefly for a visit, 23 March 1917.
It is on file that she married Lester Pence Barlow, his first wife, and they were divorced in 1918. 1918 may have been guessed.
Does anyone have further information of this union/divorce or of Charles Henry Seaman, did he die or were they also divorced?
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If you don't already have this, in case this helps in researching Charles, according to Ruby's US passport application, Charles Henry Seaman was born April 26, 1875 in Mt. Hope, New York and lived in New York, Ohio and Michigan. They were living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dated 1916.
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No, I didn't have that. Thank you very much. It rather suggests that Ruby either went to the US before her marriage or met Charles Henry in London (they were married 1904 Dist. Fulham London)
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I'm just double-checking information. Found a WWI reg card for a Charles Henry Seaman, born April 26, 1881, living in Grand Rapids, MI. Occupation: Treas & Gen Mgr, Consolidated Theatres, Inc. Nearest relative: Mrs. Lucille Seaman, 17 Union Avenue (which was also his address). Dated September 10, 1918.
His description: medium height, medium build, blue eyes and brown hair. States he only had vision in one eye, since birth.
Will check the passport app again for the date of birth and description.
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Charles H Seaman, born 26 April 1875, applied in late 1904 to the US Embassy in London for an emergency passport to enable him to travel.
At the time (the passport was issued 21 November 1904) he was staying at 180 The Grove, Hammersmith, but his permanent residence was New York City where he was a student. He had left the US on 14 May 1904. He intended to return there within a year.
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U.S. Passport Application: Charles H. Seaman, born in New York, 26 April 1875. His father was a natural citizen of the United States. Charles was a student, living in New York. Left the U.S. 14 or 16 May 1904, residing 180, The Grove?, Hammersmith?, ? (looks like W.). Intends to return in one year, for the purpose of travelling.
He was 5' 8 1/2", broad forehead, blue eyes, regular nose, medium mouth, square chin, brown hair, fair complexion, oval face. Dated 21 November 1904.
(It looks like he signed the paperwork at the Embassy of the U.S., in London.)
I guess I type to slowly. ;) Double entry.
Double-checked Ruby's application: his date of birth is 1875.
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There's also a WWII draft registration card for him with the 1881 birth date. He was born New York, living at 18 East 48th St., New York City, nearest relative - Mrs. Florence Seaman at same address, employer was Ross Federal (something) Corp. at the same address, 5'8" tall, 172 pounds, blue eyes, gray hair, light complexion.
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1920 Grand Rapids Ward, Kent County, MI
Charles Seamon, age 40, born New York. Parents born New York. Renting. Widowed. Manager, Amusement Co.
Edward Cain, roomer, age 55, single. Born Michigan, as were parents. Traffic manager, railroad.
Living at Stratford Arms Apartments. (States "no numbers".)
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Comparing what could be his signature on the 1904 document to the WWII draft card, it could be the same person. On both documents, the H and S are connected and while the two signatures do not look alike, there are similarities.
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There is a U.S. Army Register for a Charles Seaman, born c1880, but I'm not sure how to correct read the image. ::)
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Gosh, you all have been very busy - I have only been away from the site for 2 hours. Thank you all.
I'm a bit bothered by the WW1 ref. the birth date is wrong and the name of the next of kin is wrong - unless, of course, there was a divorce and Ruby, in 1917 was still using her married name.
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I've found some various stuff on Lester Barlow. It appears that he invented bombs. I found an obituary for him that says he died in Stamford, Connecticut on 5 Sep. 1967. An obit seems to be quoted here: http://www.barlowgenealogy.com/Families/RichardBarlow-AnnePickup/richardbarlow-annepickup.html Another obit from the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram lists his first wife as "the English beauty Ruby Maryon" and his second wife was Mrs. Gertrude Fitzgerald Barlow. Both marriages ended in divorce.
In the Iowa State Census of 1915, Lester is living in Clear Lake, Iowa & is single. There's no mention of a wife on passport applications from 6 Mar. 1917 and 10 Jul. 1918, although there is no specific spot where he would say that he was married or not. On a New York passenger list arriving 3 May 1917, he is listed as single. In an undated WWI Draft Registration Card, Lester's permanent home address was Clear Lake, Iowa, but it appears that he was working in Washington, DC. His nearest relative was his father George in Clear Lake. His birth date appears to be 2 Dec. 1885 or 1886. In a WWII Draft Registration Card, he is listed as born in Monticello, Wisconsin, living at 21 Woodside Dr., Greenwich, Connecticut, and the person who would always know his address was Eden Rawlins Barlow at the same home address. He was listed as "self-employed [inventor and cattle raiser]."
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From the Oshkosh (Wisconsin) Daily Northwestern from 3 Aug. 1918:
"Mrs. Ruby Maryon Barlow, wife of Lester Barlow, inventor of the submarine depth bomb, is suing for divorce at New York. The wife is a famous English beauty. Barlow has for some time been seeking a reconciliation. A letter from him intimating that her love might by bought by him capped the climax."
There's also an article on the divorce from the New Castle (Pennsylvania) News dated 8 Aug. 1918 that contains part of Lester's letter.
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Well this is getting exciting - so Ruby Seaman came to England 23 March 1917 and she, as Ruby Barlow, was suing for divorce in Aug.1918 in New York. This is really narrowing things down.
She must have been married between these dates, and what happened to her previous husband Charles Henry Seaman?
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Per the groom's index at www.italiangen.org, Lester Barlow married wife #2 Gertrude Fitzgerald in Manhattan on 5 May 1919, so I guess the divorce was final by then.
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Here we go: http://tiny.cc/54kua She divorced Charles Seaman.
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Thank you all so much for helping Skylark ( and I ).
Ruby was a mystery lady for a while.
The only place we have in the UK where she is called Ruby is on one census.
I think someone had started writing Gertrude then stopped and wrote Ruby over it. Very difficult to read. Both Ancestry and Findmypast had indexed her as Ruby.
Findmypast show how many entries there are and where they are in the name you are searching. In Ruby Maryon's case there was just one - that census.
Once again thank you.
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You're welcome.
I think some of the above information about Charles might be a match, even with the varying birth dates. The article I linked to above says he was from Cleveland. The 1900 Census has a Charles H. Seaman born Apr. 1875 in New York and living in Cleveland, Ohio. His parents were George & Emma J. Seaman. The 1880 Census has George M., Emma J., and Charles H. Seaman (age 5, born New York) living in Hoboken, New Jersey.
There is a marriage in Grand Rapids, Michigan on 17 Jan. 1918 for Charles H. Seaman, age 36 (consistent with the 1881 birth year), and Lucille Shanhan (fits the wife on the WWI draft card). Charles is the son of George M. Seaman and Emma J. Borland. There is a death record for Mary Lucile Seaman, wife of Chas. H. Seaman, from 5 Mar. 1919, here: http://seekingmichigan.cdmhost.com/seeking_michigan/seek_results.php?CISOROOT=/p129401coll7 So that seems to fit the 1920 Census that has Charles as a widower.
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A Death certificate has popped up for Gertrude Ethel Ruby Bradstreet in Texas in 1967. The death certificate mentions her father and mother's names with the spelling of Marion instead of Maryon.
I cannot find her on the 1940 Federal Census.
I wonder when she married Mr. Bradstreet and did he come after Mr. Pence or was there another inbetween
Mr Pence was personally handed a cheque for over $500,000 dollars by President Truman in 1940 for royalties for the bombs in WW1. Wonder if he got some more for WW2.
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It looks like her death was 1978 and she was a widow at the time of her death.
Could she be known as Peggy? http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=bradstreet&GSiman=1&GScid=4330&GRid=63199544& It's the same cemetery that's listed on her death certificate.
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Peggy must be her, because she is listed on the SSDI as Peggy - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J57Z-MTT
A 1955 San Antonio city directory has Peggie Bradstreet, widow of A.P., residing at 135 Harrigan ct., apt. 4.
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Perhaps this is her in 1930 married to Albert P. Bradstreet - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM5S-D2C
1920 census listed as Ethel R. Bradstreet - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJY1-J1Z
Passenger list with Ethel & Albert - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JNC5-8Y4
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Texas death for Albert P. Bradstreet - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K37D-8Z2
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There are at least two passposrt applications for Albert BRADSTREET that include photos of both him and Ethel(or whatever name...).
She WAS very pretty-especially considering what a passport photo looks like! :)
Maureen
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Here's a link to the 1924 passport application with the photos on the 2nd page - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-37911-83789-99?cc=2185145
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Gertrude Ethel Ruby's father was a naughty man - he wasn't a London Banker just an accountant and was in Wormswood Scrubs prison for 1891 census. His wife Rosa and children were lodging somewhere. He had quite a few charges against him.
How I am connected is a distant cousin of mine was his first wife. Laura Ann Croyden, then he married a Harriet Lydia Aston then she died in London and he married Rosa Antoinette Aston. Have not found any family connection between the Harriet and Rosa yet.
see my tree Kath Baines family tree on Ancestry - it is a public tree.