Genealogical Record: Jessie Belle MacPherson

Self Parents Grandparents GGParents GGGParents
Jessie Belle MacPherson

*1869 NY, USA
+1941

JJC 10003: Died of bladder cancer. Said "I married your grandfather because he threatened to jump off the Staten Island Ferry if I wouldn't marry him, and I believed him. He can go jump in the lake right now if he likes, I won't stop him."

1920 Census: Boonton Ward 3, Morris, New Jersey, living with daughter Jessie K Lobdell, mother (presumably -in-law) Catherine Dunn, and niece Dorothy Rutan.

1940 Census: born in NY, living with JJC 10005.

JJC 10005 originally had her middle name as Bell (no -e), but JKL 10004's death certificate gives the spelling Belle.

10042

John MacPherson

*1845 Dundee, Scotland

See IS 10050 for source of all information other than name and father's name (from JJC 10005). One source at FamilySearch gives middle name of McDonald. 9WGT-MD5 on FamilySearch.

10049 <45:6

William MacPherson

10063

? ?
?
? ?
?
Isabel McNichol

See IS 10050.

10064

? ?
?
? ?
?
Isabel Somerville

*1849 near Glasgow, Scotland
+1881

The following info from New York City Marriage records at Family Search (giving name as Isabella, but matching parents' and spouse's names): marriage date, husband's age (23), estimated DOB, parents, own place of birth

Cemetery records mentioned at JS 10065 give two alternate birthdates for her. A page of a family bible gives her name as Isabella Somerville, born 1844-02-26 in Airdrie (old Monkland parish, Lanarkshire); this is consistent with the birthdates of her siblings listed on the same document, and is likely to be the correct value. The cemetery biography though says that Isabel(la) was 25 in 1871 and living in Morrisania, NY when she became guardian of her younger siblings following her mother's death.

10050 <45:6

James Somerville
Earl of Somerville?

According to family oral history, JBM 10042 received a GBP 500 inheritance from her (great?) uncle, of whose existence she had been previously unaware, who had amassed a fortune (possibly by building an operating a toll bridge) and been made the Earl of Somerville late in his life. Neil Somerville points out that this is a different title from the Scottish Lord Somerville, but I haven't yet tracked down the Earl. I do not know why my grandfather labels James as Earl of Somerville.

The Green-Wood cemetery in New York gives a detailed biography, saying he was born in 1816 in Kinkardge (Kincardine?), Perthshire, Scotland, married Margaret Masterton in Scotland on 1841-09-03, and had nine children in the 1860 census, when he was listed as a stone mason. He enlisted as a private in New York City on 1861-05-13 at the age of 45, was 5'11.5" tall with blue eyes and fair hair and complexion. He was discharged for disability as a result of sunstroke, and died in New York City on 1863-08-03. His wife applied for and obtained a widow's pension; when she died on 1869-10-28, her daughter IM 10050 received the share of the pension due to her surviving minor siblings.

10065

? ?
?
? ?
?
Margaret Masterton

+1870

FamilySearch.org lists a woman of this name (their code LYMX-TMY) married to a James Somerville, with a daughter named Jeanette (1854-1936), who married on 1882 04 24 a Charles Gies (1852-1909) and had three children.

The same website lists another woman of this name (9Q4P-QK9) who married a James Somervil 9Q4P-QVL in 1841 08 ?? in New Monkland, Lanark, Scotland. No other information, so presumably just the transcription of a marriage record that could belong to our Margaret Masterton.

10066

? ?
?
? ?
?

 

SpouseChildrenChildren-in-LawGrandchildren
Frederick Watkins Lobdell
Silk merchant for a Japanese company

*1866 New York NY, USA
+1942

Enumerated in 1870 census in New York City District 25 Ward 19 page 55 dwelling 484, living with Jas. Y Watkins (63, M, [T?]inner), Cath Watkins (60, F), Kate Watkins (32, F), Frank Watkins (19, M), Lewis Watkins (29, M), Cinthia Watkins (28, F), Mary Watkins (4, F), Sarah Reeve (70, F), Mary Conner (30, F, Servant, b. Ireland), Emma Magraw [?] (14, F, Chinese [rest of page suggests that enumerator may have coded Blacks incorrectly as Chinese], b. Geo [?]). All born in NY except as noted.

Graduate of CCNY (now CUNY). Member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Shriner.

Not in SSDI.

No other children.

Was assumed to be Jewish by his colleagues, never denied it.

Alzheimer's Disease.

10041 <80:15


m. 1887 11 05 The Little Church Around The Corner, New York, NY, USA
Jessie Katherine Lobdell

*1888 08 04 Bronx, NY, USA
+1975 10 01 Falls Church, Fairfax, VA, USA

US SSN 225-66-4636

JC 10003: had cousins named "Big Bill" Rutan and "Cousin Dorothy" Rutan McMaster (sp?). Dorothy visited us in Toronto, and is listed as DR 110460 pending connection to the main tree.

Alzheimer's Disease.

Listed in 1900 census in Paterson, Passaic Co., NJ, with parents and brother.

1920 census in Boonton, Morris Co., NJ, USA mentions Dorothy Rutan as her parents' niece.

Marriage announced in Army-Navy-Air Force Register and Defense Times, Volume 72

10004

John James Chew
1893 03 18-1984 03 02

Studied engineering at Cornell, tuition paid by a client of his father's. Also held a reserve commission in the Army. Buried at Arlington Cemetery.
US SSN 226-54-1432.

Is the Lieut. J. J. Chew listed as superintendent of public works on page 64 in the 1928 USGPO publication "American Samoa: Joint hearings before the Committee on territories and insular possessions...".

Enumerated in 1940 census in Brooklyn, Assembly District 9, 68 85th St. as the 47-year-old male head-of-household naval captain living with his wife, two children, and two parents-in-law. They reported that five years previously they had been living in the Canal Zone, Panama, and their in-laws had been in Mountain Lake, NJ.

Awarded Legion of Merit for "exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services to the Government of the United States as Director of Finance and Operating Department, Bureau of Docks, from 15 December 1941 to 1946".

Is the Captain John J. Chew (CEC) listed as the Inspector General of the Bureau of Yards and Docks, living in D.C., on page. 188 of the "Official Register of the United States" (1951, 1954 and no doubt other editions).

Is the Captain J.J. Chew who signs a letter on page 228 of the "Investigation of Military Public Works: Hearings... 82d Congress, 2d Session" in 1952.

10005 <16852:83


m. 1922 10 __ Mountain Lakes NJ, USA
John James (Jack) Chew

10003 >24:3

Jean MacPherson Chew

10022 >5:2

Edward D Lobdell

*1890 Bronx, NY, USA
+1966

Last address in Tucson AZ, USA.

Middle initial inferred from son's obituary.

19119

Mildred James

From JJC 10003. Died before her husband.

19120

Alfred James (Jimmy) Lobdell

19121 >3:1

Frederick (Freddy) Lobdell

19123

Edward (Eddie) D. Lobdell

19125

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