heywood, you're absolutely right that it wasn't unusual (and still isn't) for family members to raise their sibling's children--and I've diligently tried not to judge Winifred as I have documented as much as I could of her history and see the horror of poverty clasping her life. Whether she wanted to be a good mother to Catherine or not, I still find it sad that Francis remained with Winifred throughout her life, yet Catherine doesn't even seem to have been baptized (though that baptismal certificate might still be out there somewhere). I suppose it's possible Philip Clarke didn't care for Catherine and it was easier to keep her at arms length (he was, after all, described as a "dangerous character" and his autopsy revealed he was a strong, muscular man).
But, yes, there's no way to determine the true situation until I can find the records of Catherine's intake into the Nugent care system as that's all I have as documented proof of everything. Until I have to piece things together and rely somewhat on supposition.
The only absolutes I have are from the time Catherine was sent to Canada and bits of that are still a mystery. My grandmother, who Catherine died giving birth to in 1906, had always been told that Catherine escaped from an orphanage in Maine. Only once I found Catherine's marriage certificate, and the 1901 Canadian census could I finally piece it all together.
I didn't even know where she was buried. With some serious begging, I finally found her through a sextant's record buried in an unmarked grave in a plot owned by her brother-in-law at the local Methodist church in Kazabazua, Quebec. I think the loss of his wife, father and baby son in 2 years period of time was too much for my great-grandfather and he couldn't recover.
The sad life of Catherine continued even after her death: overwhelmed, her husband sent his children, all six of them, to his sister and ran away. It wasn't until his sister also died in childbirth that my grandmother's older sister escaped from what my grandmother called her "mean and cruel" uncle with my grandmother that my grandmother had a basic, stable home. Even then her sister raised her only until the authorities insisted her father retrieve her through threats of placing her in an institution. From then on her life was that of a housekeeper and cook and my grandmother never went back to school. She only ever received a 3rd-grade education. It's really been a very sad multi-generational story.
I wish my grandmother had lived long enough, though, for me to share with her the meager portions of her mother's life I have found. All she ever had was the photo I have here on my profile--a lovely woman with sad eyes very much like mine--who looked at me from a silver frame on my grandmother's nightstand all my life. It's kind of an obsession now--to really find and understand Catherine--and that's why after 28 years I'm still trying to get those bits and pieces and I'm so appreciative of anyone, like you and Blue, who offer to help.
Blue, THANK you, I will definitely contact them. I've tried everything to find the records for the Nugent system, even taking the archivist out to lunch when I flew to England 12 years ago. She did a hunt on what she had but NOTHING could be found. I keep hoping though--you just never know.
Thank you both!!!
Norah
