Monday, July 13, 2009

Mystery Monday: Edward Alonzo Seaver (1845-<1920) - a Family Man?

I wrote "A Much Married Man In Trouble..." yesterday based on an 1890 Worcester (MA) Daily Spy newspaper article found on http://www.genealogybank.com/. I searched on http://www.ancesatry.com/ and found the same article in the Fitchburg (MA) Sentinel. Interestingly, I found no other articles about this Edward A. Seaver in either the GenealogyBank or Ancestry collections.

What about Edward A. Seaver? What do I know about his life? Here is a genealogy report for him and his family from my Seaver database (online as an Ancestry Member Tree):

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1. Edward Alonzo8 Seaver (Isaac7, Asahel Reed6, Norman5, Robert4, Joseph3, Shubael2, Robert1) was born 16 March 1845 in Westminster, Worcester County, MA, and died Bef. 1920 in MA. He married (1) Celesta R. Foster 14 November 1861 in Templeton, Worcester County, MA, daughter of Seth Foster and Mary E.. She was born About 1843 in Templeton, Worcester County, MA. He married (2) Amanda M. Rollins 05 January 1870 in Brookfield, Worcester County, MA, daughter of Nathaniel Rollins and Mary. She was born About 1845 in ,,NH. He married (3) Rose E. Brown 15 October 1877 in Fitchburg, Worcester County, MA, daughter of Bakeman Brown and Mary. She was born About 1861 in Leominster, Worcester County, MA. He married (4) Julia F. McDonald About 1883 in probably MA. She was born About 1862 in Prince Edward Island, CANADA.

Notes for Edward Alonzo Seaver:

MARRIAGE RECORD:

5 Jan 1870 Brookfield MA, Edward A. Seaver (resident of Westminster MA, age 25, mechanic, born Westminster, son of Isaac/Betsy Seaver) to Amanda M Rollins (resident of Brookfield, age 24, born NH, daughter of Nathl /Mary J Rollins), First marriage for both, by G.R. Bent, clergyman.

MILITARY RECORDS:

Edward A. Seaver, mechanic of Westminster, MA, enlisted as a Private in the Union Army on 14 August 1862 at the age of 18. He enlisted in Company H, 36th Infantry Regiment, Massachusetts on 27 August 1862. He received a disability discharge from the same unit on 4 December 1863 at Camp Dennison, Ohio ("Military Records of Individual Civil War Soldiers," Historical Data Systems, Provo UT, accessed at "American Civil War Soldiers" database on www.ancestry.com).

OCCUPATION:

In the birth record of his son Franklin Smith Seaver in 1890, Edward A. Seaver is a farmer, born in Westminster. (MA VR 405.466).

CENSUS RECORDS:

In the 1880 US Census, Edward A. Seaver (indexed on HeritageQuestOnline as "Leaver," son-in-law, married, male, white, age 33, born MA, button factory, parents born MA) resided in Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts with William Perry (self, married, male, white, age 61, born MA, comb factory, parents born MA), Mary A. Perry (wife, married, female, white, born NH, house keeping, parents born NH) and Rose Brown (daughter, single, female, white, age 31, born MA, at home, father born MA, mother born NH) (1880 United States Census, Leominster, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Population Schedule, Page 480C, National Archives Microfilm Series T9, Roll 0565).

In the 1910 US Census, the Edward A. Seaver family resided in Hubbardston, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The family included (1910 United States Census, Hubbardston, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Population Schedule, Enumeration District 1764, Sheet 6B, Dwelling #19, Family #23, NARA Microfilm Series T624, Roll 628):

* Edward A. Seaver - head of household, male, white, age 65, second marriage, married 31 years, born MA, parents born MA, a laborer, odd jobs
* Julia Seaver - wife, female, white, age 48, first marriage, married 31 years, 10 children born, 8 living, born French Canada, parents born French Canada, immigrated in 1901
* Mary J. Seaver - daughter, female, white, age 13, single, born French Canada, father born MA, mother born French Canada, immigrated in 1901
* Frances E. Seaver - daughter, female, white, age 11, single, born French Canada, father born MA, mother born French Canada, immigrated in 1901
* John A. Seaver - son, male, white, age 10, single, born French Canada, father born MA, mother born French Canada, immigrated in 1901
* Andrew Seaver - son, male, white, age 6, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born French Canada
* George Seaver - son, male, white, age 4, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born French Canada)

In the 1920 US Census, the remnant of this family resided at 3 Ash Street in Winchendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The family included (1920 United States Census, Winchendon, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Population Schedule, Enumeration district 189, Sheet 4, Lines 57-66, National Archives Microfilm Series T625, Roll 749):

* Julia A. Seaver - head of household, female, white, age 53, widow, born French Canada, parents born French Canada, immigrated in 1885, naturalized in 1885, rents a home
* John Seaver - son, male, white, age 20, married, born French Canada, parents born French Canada, immigrated in 1910, has papers, a laborer, works in a toy factory
* Andrew Seaver - son, male, white, age 16, single, born MA, parents born French Canada, a laborer, works in a factory
* George F. Seaver (son, male, white, age 14, single, born MA, parents born French Canada, a laborer, works in a factory
* George E. Peckham - son-in-law, male, white, age 36, married, born MA, parents born , a laborer, works in a factory
* Ethel M. Peckham - daughter, female, white, age 32, married, born MA, parents born French Canada
* Westley H. Flona - grandson, male, white, age 6, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born French Canada
* Austin F. Flona - grandson, male, white, age 4-6/12, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born French Canada
* Frances Wheeler - daughter, female, white, age 21, married, born English Canada, parents born French Canada, immigrated in 1900, naturalized in 1912
* Frank Bulger - consort, male, white, age 42, single, born English Canada, parents born French Canada, immigrated in 1890, an Alien, a chair worker, works in a shop

In the 1930 US Census, the remnant of this family resided on Hartwell Street in West Boylston, Worcester County, Massachusetts. The family included (1930 United States Census, West Boylston, Worcester County, Massachusetts, Population Schedule, Enumeration district 294, Sheet 14B, Dwelling #314, Family #342, NARA Microfilm Series T626, Roll 966):

* Robert Crawford - head of household, male, white, age 34, married, at age 29, born MA, parents born Scotland, rents for $20/month, a manager, works at a gasoline station
* Frances Crawford - wife, female, white, age 31, married, at age 26, born English Canada, father born MA, mother born English Canada, immigrated 1902, naturalized
* Julia F. Sever - mother-in-law, female, white, age 63, widowed, married at age 17, born English Canada, parents born English Canada, immigrated 1897, naturalized
* Andrew Sever - brother-in-law, male, white, age 25, single, born MA, father born MA, mother born English Canada, a roofer, works on buildings

Children of Edward Seaver and Julia McDonald are:


2 i. Edward A.9 Seaver, born 09 March 1884 in Leominster, Worcester County, MA; died 01 September 1971 in Springfield, Hampden County, MA (MA VR). He married Addie About 1915 in prob. Prince Edward Island, CANADA; born About 1887 in Prince Edward Island, CANADA.

3 ii. Ethel Marguerite Seaver, born 03 February 1885 in Westminster, Worcester County, MA. She married George E. Peckham 14 October 1904 in Marlborough, Middlesex County, MA; born About 1883 in Athol, Worcester County, MA.

4 iii. Mabel Christina Seaver, born 31 May 1886 in Westminster, Worcester County, MA.

5 iv. Frank A. Seaver, born 17 December 1887 in Westminster, Worcester County, MA; died 24 January 1888 in Westminster, Worcester County, MA.

6 v. Franklin Smith Seaver, born 16 July 1890 in Westminster, Worcester County, MA. He married Harriet/Hattie 1910 in MA; born About 1891 in MA.

7 vi. Mary J. Seaver, born 1896 in CANADA.

8 vii. Frances E. Seaver, born 1898 in CANADA. She married (1) Wheeler Bef. 1920 in prob. MA. She married (2) Robert Crawford 02 May 1925 in Providence, Providence County, RI (VR, 31:65); born 1896 in MA.

9 viii. John Angus Seaver, born 02 May 1900 in CANADA; died 14 December 1979 in Worcester, Worcester County, MA (MA VR). He married Florence Howard About 1921 in prob. MA; born 28 May 1901 in MA; died 29 June 1970 in Worcester, Worcester County, MA (MA VR).

10 ix. Andrew Seaver, born 11 August 1903 in Gardner, Worcester County, MA; died November 1960 in (SSDI).

11 x. Austin G. Seaver, born 24 July 1905 in Templeton, Worcester County, MA; died 03 March 1990 in Worcester, Worcester County, MA (MA VR).

12 xi. George F. Seaver, born 1906 in prob. Hubbardston, Worcester County, MA.

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I have found no other record for the girl, Mabel Seaver, mentioned in the newspaper article.

Apparently, Edward and Julia (McDonald) Seaver took their family to Canada after 1890 and before 1896. The census records are unclear where the children were born - French Canada or English Canada. A review of the 1901 Canadian census may define a residence.

The immigration dates for Julia (McDonald) Seaver vary in the records - one census says 1885, another says 1901.

Edward owned up to only two marriages in the 1910 census record, and said they had been married 31 years (i.e., 1879). However, he was living with his third wife's (Rose Brown) family in the 1880 census, although she is listed as single and with the surname Brown, despite the marriage record in 1877 in the Massachusetts Vital Records.

What can we draw from all of this information? Did Edward A. Seaver straighten up and fly right, as my mother used to say? It certainly seems so, doesn't it? If he was abusive, why would Julia have stayed with him and why would they have many more children? Perhaps their life situation improved in the 1890's, or the stay in Canada gave Edward some purpose in life, or an occupation, that enabled him to be a father and provider for the family. I hope so, but I don't know! I guess I will have to wait for the Massachusetts Vital Records for 1910 to 1920 to come out to see when Edward died.

UPDATED 14 July: Reader Missy commented about my last paragraph, saying:

"The statement I take issue with is this: 'If he was abusive, why would Julia have stayed with him and why would they have many more children?' The problem with this statement is that you are looking at this historical situation involving abuse and neglect from a position of power and as someone who lives in the 21st century. You see options for Julia that as a woman living in 1890 she most likely would not have seen for herself, and you are making an assumption about her based on those options."

I agree with Missy, and appreciate her stepping out to analyze the situation and for providing at least two more potential scenarios for this family. I should have done a better job of analyzing this rather than my own "glass half full" scenario that put Edward in a positive light. Read all of her comment! Thank you, Missy.

1 comment:

missy said...

I've gone back and forth about leaving a comment here because I don't want to seem like I'm criticizing you personally but I think it's very important for people to learn something about both genealogy and life from a statement in this post. Let me preface my comments by saying I love the blog - I discovered it a few weeks ago and have already learned things and been inspired. I like the mix of straight news with personal research and creativity.

The statement I take issue with is this: "If he was abusive, why would Julia have stayed with him and why would they have many more children?" The problem with this statement is that you are looking at this historical situation involving abuse and neglect from a position of power and as someone who lives in the 21st century. You see options for Julia that as a woman living in 1890 she most likely would not have seen for herself, and you are making an assumption about her based on those options.

I see a few possibilities based on these two posts about Edward. One is that he was not abusive at all but that Mabel had some kind of unknown disease or disorder that caused her to appear unsized and have sores. Think of the modern day situation of a child with brittle bone disease whose parents have been accused of child abuse.

Let's assume for a moment that Edward was abusive and put our selves in the shoes of Julia Seaver, circa June 1890, when the article was printed. You are about 27 and married to a man 20 years your senior who has been married 3 or 4 times before and you are 8 or 9 months pregnant with your fifth child. Your forth child died as an infant, and your third child is sickly. Not long before getting married, you had immigrated from a different country, a different culture, and now you are on a farm, away from your family, and everyone in town is talking about you. There is an investigation going on, which is likely to make the abuse worse and with physical abuse often comes emotional abuse. Say you want to leave. Where would you go? How would you support your children? Where would you get money? Under the law, if you even know it, if you abandon your husband, he can still get custody of the children. The who would protect them? Who would help you? Say you want to stop having children - do you know of a form of birth control that doesn't require your husband's participation? If you are French-Canadian, are you Catholic? Catholicism doesn't allow divorce or birth control.

It's 119 years later and women still stay in abusive relationships for a wide variety of reasons. Assuming that Julia stayed because Edward straightened up is assuming that she had the choice to stay or go.