Madness Monday: Where are the photos?

After my grandparents passed away my mom and her four siblings were left in charge of cleaning my grandparents' house...deciding which items were worth saving, selling, giving away, and trashing.

I was only in 7th grade at the time, but I remember getting my grandma's gold chain with a gold "M" initial, as I was the only one in the family with an "M" name, and a white stuffed bear my grandma kept in her spare bedroom.  I also remember a lot of fighting over who gets what item.

Other items were split between my mom and her siblings.  Some of the more valuable items, like my grandparent's record collection containing Frank Sinatra and other 50's and 60's music stars were given to my uncle for safe keeping and eventual selling.  My mom received my grandma's Precious Moments navity set, and my aunt received the remaining Precious Moments statues that my grandma had collected.  Christmas decorations (a BIG deal in my family), jewelry, pots and pans, and other items were split between each sibling.  Each of the siblings also received their baby books that grandma had put together for them when they were born.  But what happened to the rest of the family photos?!

No one inquired about the photos until I did, almost twelve years after my grandparents' deaths.  My mom and her siblings had planned on going through the photos and splitting up the photos between the five of them.  Somehow, life got in the way and the pictures were never looked at, and they forgot who received the photos for safe keeping.  (So safe they can't even find them....)

My aunt, the oldest, thought she had the photos, but after going through her attic, basement, and spare bedroom determined she didn't have them.  My mom and I searched the basement, crawl space, and picture boxes and albums and couldn't find them.  My uncle in Florida didn't have them, and my mom's other sister didn't have them.  So that leaves, my other uncle, who we *hope* has them.

The unfortunate thing is I seem to be the only person interested in finding the photos.

With digital technology available, I offered to scan the photos and make a CD for each sibling, so they wouldn't have to "split up the pictures".  But....that requires my aunts and uncles to find the photos.

Other than a few emails, reminders, and phone calls, I don't know how to find these pictures.  I can't search their houses for the pictures, and I haven't quite sparked their interest in finding the pictures.  The pictures are supposed to include pictures of both my grandparents as children and their respective families.  Pictures of family members I have never seen.  

Any suggestions?!

Madness Monday: Run-away father, Raymond Mason Peterson

A BIG thank you to Thomas MacEntee from GeneaBloggers who highlighted my blog in his Saturday blog post. Another BIG welcome and thank you to all of you who took the time to click the link and check out my blog. I welcome any comments and suggestions.

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My grandfather's father, Raymond Mason Peterson, left the family soon after my grandpa was born. His maternal grandparents, Clarence and Elizabeth Brown (nee Galligan) adopted him as his birth mother, Ruth Margaret Brown was having trouble raising him alone during the great depression. My grandpa was an only child. After he was adopted, my grandpa took on the Brown name (maiden name of his birthmom). Although my grandpa is still alive, bringing up the past is difficult for him, and getting family stories or history from him is worse than pulling teeth.

Raymond and Ruth, August 1925, Chicago, IL

I've been able to locate a lot of information on the Brown side of the family, as well as the Galligan family, but I have not been able to find Raymond Peterson or his family.

Raymond and Ruth, September 1925, Chicago, IL

Here's what I know:

• Raymond Mason Peterson was born around 1908
• Raymond's nickname was "Ray"
• Raymond and Ruth Margaret Brown were married in Chicago, IL, between 1924-1929
• In August and September 1925, Raymond and Ruth are together in a picture in front of a building, address: 2634 W 15th Place, Chicago, IL
• Raymond and Ruth's first and only child was born in 1930 (*details left off, as son is still living)
• Raymond and Ruth were divorced between 1930-1937
• Raymond's brother owned the Peterson Funeral Home in Chicago, IL
• Raymond owned a tent and awning shop in Chicago, IL
  
  

Raymond and Ruth, August 1925, Chicago, IL

I don't know when he died, if he moved, or if he remarried, or his exact date of birth

Here's where I've looked:

• Chicago City Directories. I've found many Raymond or Ray Peterson's but are they my Raymond?
• Obituaries from Chicago Tribune....found over 20 with the name Raymond or Ray Peterson. I've been able to narrow it down to a couple, due to ages
• I've contacted the Peterson Funeral Home in Chicago via email to request information---no return email.
• Social Security Death Index (SSDI)--found a couple, best match shows he died in Arizona.

My plans:

• Request a copy of Raymond and Ruth's marriage and divorce record
• Re-contact Peterson Funeral Home via phone

Any other suggestions? Please let me know.

Pictures courtesy of Ruth Margaret Brown's family photo album

Madness Monday: The Search for Peter Morrison

Brenden's great grandpa, Peter Buchanan Morrison, immigrated to the United States from Scotland in 1903. Through a contact in Scotland, I was able to find him in the 1901 and 1891 Census of Scotland in Falkirk, Scotland. Through Ancestry, I was able to find him in the 1930 U.S. Federal census in Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, and also found him on a passenger list in 1903. I also found him in the Naturalization index in Cleveland, Ohio on Ancestry in 1907, and also found him in some of the city directories in Joliet, Illinois and Aurora, Illinois where he eventually moved to after 1930. I also found his marriage record to Gladys Olga Wagner in the Cuyahoga County Probate Court Historical Marriage Index and was able to request and receive the record from Cuyahoga County (for free!).

Where is Peter from the time of his naturalization in Cleveland in 1907 and his residence in Cleveland in 1930??? Peter was proving to be quite elusive in the 1910 and 1920 federal census.

That was until I received Peter's marriage record. I was surprised to learn he had been married previously. I had always been looking for Peter as a single male. No mention of Peter's first marriage was ever mentioned to the family. It made sense, him and his second wife were over 10 years apart in age. The date of his divorce was listed on his marriage record, so I contacted the Clerk of Courts Office in Cuyahoga County to request a copy of his divorce record. At the time, I did not know the name of Peter's first wife.

While waiting for the divorce record, I decided to look for Peter once again in the 1910 and 1920 census. There were two Peter Morrison's in Cleveland, Ohio in 1910. One record showed a Peter Morrison born in Scotland, but with a birthdate that was pretty far off, and was a carpenter. The other record showed a Peter Morrison born in Pennsylvania, a lodger, with a birthdate in the correct year, and a salesman. Both Peter's were married. We knew Peter had been a butcher. The record of Peter as a carpenter wasn't looking right, but the Peter as a salesman could be him. I still couldn't find him in the 1920 census, so I decided to look into the two wives listed on the records. I found carpenter Peter and his wife....that record helped prove it wasn't the right Peter. Then, I found salesman Peter and his wife....but it took a little creative searching. His wife in the 1910 census was listed as Olive. The wife listed in 1920 was Oline, and the last name of Manison. When I looked at the actual census record, I discovered a transcription error. It was Olive Morrison and Peter B Morrison! Looking at the occupation, it showed Peter as a butcher, born in Scotland, immigration in 1903! (although, the birthdate was incorrect, about 6 years off) With the spelling inaccuracy and the incorrect birthdate, no wonder I could never find him.

What shocked me even more, was that the record showed Peter had two kids in his first marriage, Margaret and Olive Morrison. The four children from Peter's second wife had never known he had other children. I wanted to find more about his two children and first wife, so I looked on Ancestry and found that his first wife had gotten remarried, his two kids were both married twice, and all three are deceased. Through their obituaries, I discovered his two children both had children....that are still alive.

The questions have changed from where was Peter between 1907-1930, but now.....should we try to contact Peter's newly found grandchildren? After all these years, do they want to know about their four half siblings? Why did Peter leave his first wife? Why didn't Peter mention his two children to his other four children?

I don't know if we'll ever have the answers, but maybe the divorce record will help. Until then, the madness continues.......