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West Lothian (Linlithgowshire) / Re: American, British Subject
« on: Tuesday 29 November 11 17:52 GMT (UK) »
Hi, So glad you replied. I have a copy of a 26-page "as told to" manuscript of Margaret Mitchell Womer's memories. "That You May Know," transcribed in December 1935, is in the Nebraska Archives. Margaret, namesake of Mary Hardy McGregor Mitchell's sister Margaret Fender Mitchell, was a sister of my great grandmother Eliza Sedgewick Mitchell Pierstorff.
Unfortunately, the Jarvis family isn't mentioned in the transcript, but perhaps Margaret Womer's story has clues for further research. Margaret Womer said Mary Hardy McGregor lived in East Brooklyn, NY with her sister, Margaret Fender, and was married at Margaret's home by Rev Jonathan Greenleaf, a Presbyterian minister, in September 1847. The three oldest girls were born in "our New York home"--not further identified--and Margaret Womer was born in Jersey City, NJ. So, my Paterson, NJ info could be wrong. Familysearch dot org shows Paterson, Passaic Co, NJ as Eliza Sedgewick Mitchell's birthplace, but familysearch data isn't guaranteed to be accurate these days. One family story I've heard is that Eliza was originally to be named Elizabeth, but her Scottish father didn't want his daughter named after a British queen.
Mary H. McGregor and Margaret McGregor sailed on the Sterling of Dundee in 1842; they were at sea for 8 weeks. John Mitchell sailed on the packet ship New York of Newark, also in 1842, and settled in New York. he was overseer of looms and dresser of tools in a large [unnamed] factory, but later a postmaster, teacher, storekeeper. The manuscript doesn't say how the Mitchells met, but it sounds like they were active in a Scottish community--possibly through church and/or industrial contacts--in the NY and NJ area. John Mitchell was very well read for the times, according to his daughter, and Mary Hardy McGregor Mitchell was "strong in body and a tower of might in the guidance of her family." (I think that means stubborn.)
Just for the record, Margaret Womer and a sister saw Old Abe, an eagle that served as the Union mascot, and President Grant at a Wisconsin State Fair. (The bird was mentioned first in the manuscript.) When traveling to Nebraska, she and her father saw still-smoldering Chicago after the Great Fire.
Sorry that I can't provide more definitive info on the Jarvis family. Rev Greenleaf's Presbyterian church would be in a very urbanized area now, if it still exists. Perhaps burial or funeral records have been archived. Best of luck.
Unfortunately, the Jarvis family isn't mentioned in the transcript, but perhaps Margaret Womer's story has clues for further research. Margaret Womer said Mary Hardy McGregor lived in East Brooklyn, NY with her sister, Margaret Fender, and was married at Margaret's home by Rev Jonathan Greenleaf, a Presbyterian minister, in September 1847. The three oldest girls were born in "our New York home"--not further identified--and Margaret Womer was born in Jersey City, NJ. So, my Paterson, NJ info could be wrong. Familysearch dot org shows Paterson, Passaic Co, NJ as Eliza Sedgewick Mitchell's birthplace, but familysearch data isn't guaranteed to be accurate these days. One family story I've heard is that Eliza was originally to be named Elizabeth, but her Scottish father didn't want his daughter named after a British queen.
Mary H. McGregor and Margaret McGregor sailed on the Sterling of Dundee in 1842; they were at sea for 8 weeks. John Mitchell sailed on the packet ship New York of Newark, also in 1842, and settled in New York. he was overseer of looms and dresser of tools in a large [unnamed] factory, but later a postmaster, teacher, storekeeper. The manuscript doesn't say how the Mitchells met, but it sounds like they were active in a Scottish community--possibly through church and/or industrial contacts--in the NY and NJ area. John Mitchell was very well read for the times, according to his daughter, and Mary Hardy McGregor Mitchell was "strong in body and a tower of might in the guidance of her family." (I think that means stubborn.)
Just for the record, Margaret Womer and a sister saw Old Abe, an eagle that served as the Union mascot, and President Grant at a Wisconsin State Fair. (The bird was mentioned first in the manuscript.) When traveling to Nebraska, she and her father saw still-smoldering Chicago after the Great Fire.
Sorry that I can't provide more definitive info on the Jarvis family. Rev Greenleaf's Presbyterian church would be in a very urbanized area now, if it still exists. Perhaps burial or funeral records have been archived. Best of luck.