Anderson...GenealogyBank...Obituaries

I gave myself a small present--a subscription to GenealogyBank, which is a newspaper site. Using the new subscription, I've found lots of extra detail and a few obits. Here are the obits.

Anne Ellen (Doran) Anderson
The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Monday, 28 Jul 1947, Page 8
MRS. ANNE ANDERSON
Monson, July 27--Mrs. Anne E. (Doran) Anderson, 77, died Saturday in her home in Stebbins Rd. She was born in London, Eng. Jul 8, 1870, daughter of Patrick and Mary (May) Doran and came to the United States in 1904. She first resided in Maine, later going to Springfield where she made her home until last year.
Mrs. Anderson was the widow of John J. Anderson who died in 1925. She leaves two sons, Edward M., and Norman J. Anderson, both of this town; a sister, Miss Susan Doran of Chicopee Falls, and three grandchildren.
The funeral will be held from the Lombard Funeral home in Bridge St., Monday at 8:30 with requiem high mass in St. Patrick's Church at 9. Burial will be Tuesday at 10 in St. Mary's Cemetery, Biddeford, Me.

Edward Michael G. Anderson

The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Monday, 14 Dec 1964, Page 10
DIED
ANDERSON--At Wing Memorial Hospital Palmer, December 12, Edward M. Anderson of Stebbins Rd., Monson. Funeral from the Palmer Funeral Service Tuesday at 8:15, followed by a high mass of requiem at the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle at 9. Burial in St. Thomas Cemetery. Calling hours Sunday and Monday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m.

Elsie M. (Beane) Anderson
The Springfield Union, Wednesday, 7 May 1969, Page 5
Mrs. Elsie M. Anderson
PALMER -- Mrs. Elsie M. (Bean) Anderson, 62, of Stebbins Road, Monson, died Tuesday in Wesson Memorial Hospital, Springfield. She was born in Biddeford, MD., and was a resident of Palmer and Monson many years. Mrs. Anderson leaves two sons, Edward and Paul of Monson; a daughter, Mrs. Patricia Fontaine of Palmer; two sisters, Mrs. Dorothy Soucy in New Jersey, and Mrs. Alice Ball of Daytona Beach, Fla.; and two stepbrothers, Max Brandt of Palmer and Carl Brandt of Saco, Me. Palmer Funeral Service is in charge. Burial will be in St. Thomas Cemetery, Palmer.

Norman J. Anderson

The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Monday, 26 Aug 1968, Page 3

SUBURBAN DEATHS 

NORMAN J. ANDERSON

ENFIELD--Norman J. Anderson, 63, 0f 25 Sword Ave., Thompsonville, died Saturday in a local nursing home. He was born in Biddlefort, Me., June 24, 1905, he had been a resident of this town since 1951, and of Springfield since his childhood. Mr. Anderson had been employed in the Package Machinery Corp., East Longmeadow as a layout worker until retiring in 1967. He is survived by his wife, the former Ruth V. Nooney. Byron funeral home, Springfield, is in charge. Burial will be in Oak Grove Cemetery.

Ruth V. (Nooney) Anderson

The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Wednesday, 12 Jun 1985, Page 6
Ruth V. Anderson
Ruth V. (Nooney) Anderson, 80, of 70 Harrison Ave., Springfield, retired secretary for Hallihan Lumber Co. and formerly of Fred Weake Plastering Co., died Monday in Western Massachusetts Hospital, Westfield. Born in Springfield, she graduated from the High School of Commerce, was a member of First Church, Court Square and also served on many of the church's committees. Her husband, Norman Anderson, died in 1968. She leaves a brother, Walter G. Nooney of Brickerville, Pa.; and a sister, Florence E. Progulski of Agawam. The funeral will be Thursday afternoon at Dickinson-Streeter Funeral Home with burial in Oak Grove Cemetery.

GenealogyBank
Seems that GenealogyBank has a different set of newspapers than the ones I've searched before. It also seems that an individual subscription gives you access to more than the library subscriptions I've used in the past. I'm pleased with the purchase.

John James Anderson...Continued

Find A Grave memorials:

John James Anderson = 75132315 (based on obit)

Anne Ellen (Doran) Anderson = 75134150...She went by Annie; however, the burial record shows Anne.

The McArthur Public Library in Biddeford, Maine rocks! I had John's obit in about 12 hours. 

John James Anderson; 1873-1925; Ashton Under Lyne, England; Biddeford, Maine

John was the son of Alexander McKee Anderson and his wife Esther Ann Pollard. He was born 18 Oct 1873 in Ashton Under Lyne, County Lancashire, England. He grew up in Ashton Under Lyne. You can find him on the 1881, 1891, and 1901 English censuses.

While living in England, John marries Annie Ellen Doran in the winter of 1897.  Annie was born in September of 1871 in Birkenhead, County Cheshire, England, the daughter of Patrick Doran and Mary May.

In 1904, John came to the USA, joining his family in Maine. You can find him as a passenger on the Canada, arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada in March 1904. John's mother and brother (Joseph Anderson) had already moved to the Biddeford, York County, Maine area in the early 1890's. Many members of the Anderson family work in Maine's cotton mills.

During the course of their marriage John and Annie have ten children (according to census info). However, only two of their children seem to survive to adulthood: Edward Michael G. Anderson (b. Dec 1901) and Norman F. Anderson (b. 1906). Currently, I have information on four of the ten children only. Two additional children (James and Agnes), twins born in Jan 1912 die within a few days of each other in Feb 1912. When Annie comes to the U.S.A. following John about a year later, she brings only one child with her...Edward.

By the 1910 census, the family is together, living in Saco, York County, Maine. In 1912, a naturalization record shows the family living at 74 James Street, Saco, Maine. According to the 1920 census, John becomes a citizen in 1914. As a citizen, John registers for World War I. I haven't sent for his records to find out if he actually served.

John's naturalization records should be in the court district of Maine with an action date of 4 Mar 1912 in Volume IV Number 92. If anyone reading this blog has the ability to look this up, I would appreciate a copy of the document.

For several years the family is settled in at 15 Fall Street, Biddeford, Maine. John is working as a machinist for SLM Company. You can find the family at this address in the 1920 census and a 1923 city directory. Also noted in the 1923 city directory is son Edward's move to Worcester, Massachusetts. Edward lives and works in the Hampden County area of Massachusetts for the majority of his life.

By the time of the 1930 census, John is no longer with the family. In the 1930 census, Annie and Norman have joined Edward in Massachusetts. The family is living at 783 Liberty, Springfield, Massachusetts. Back tracking through the Biddeford and Saco City Directory, I was able to isolate a probable death date for John between 1923 and 1926.

As it so happens, Google News Archive includes copies of the Biddeford Weekly Journal, which is one of the newspapers that covers the Biddeford area. I searched for Anderson in that newspaper from 1923 to 1926 and found the following entry:

Biddeford Weekly Journal, Biddeford, Maine 18 Dec 1925, Page 7

Norman Anderson, a senior, was relieved of his school duties because of the death of his father, John J. Anderson. The senior class sent a beautiful floral piece and also extends sympathy to the family.

The newspaper had a weekly column that reported high school news on a weekly basis. My summation is that John died the week of 18 Dec 1925.

The following year (18 Jun 1926) the same column in the Biddeford Weekly Journal lists Norman as one of 52 high school graduates. He graduates with honors.

My next task is to see if I can locate an obituary for John, mostly because I'd like to find out where he is buried. I suspect he is in Woodlawn Cemetery, Biddeford, York County, Maine. However, I have to have more than a guess before I add a memorial and request a grave site photograph from a Find A Grave volunteer. Hopefully, I'll be able to get the obit from the Biddeford library. They've been kind and helpful before and I hope I haven't worn out my welcome.

John's wife Annie lives out her life in the Hampden County, Massachusetts area. Using city directories, I can track her up to 1946 when she moves in with her son Edward at his home (26 Maynard, Springfield, Massachusetts). So I know she died after 1946. Another researcher states that she died in Chicopee, Hampden County, Massachusetts. I haven't proved or disproved the location; however, I am continuing to research.

Edward marries Elsie M. Beane (13 Sep 1925 in Biddeford) and they have four children that I know of. Elsie dies 5 May 1969 in Springfield (FAG memorial 74316732) and her obituary notes that Edward preceded her. With four surviving children, I perhaps have an opportunity to write to these distant cousins and have them fill in lots of blanks for me. We'll see.

Norman marries Madeline Unknown. My informaton on him is limited. He seems to stay in the Hampden County area of Massachusetts. I am continuing to research.

Please contact me if you have an interest in this family.

Samuel Smith, 1900-1957, Ashton-Under-Lyne, England - Monson, Hampden County, MA, USA

Samuel is the son of William Smith and Agnes Eleanor Anderson. He was born Apr-May-Jun 1900 (no certificate yet). At age 23, Samuel sails from Southampton to New York City aboard the Olympic. He arrives in NYC 5 Sep 1923. He is going to live with his uncles' families (Joseph Anderson and John James Anderson).

Initially, he went to his Anderson relatives in Biddeford, Maine, but eventually moves on to be near Anderson relatives in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 1930 census shows him living with his aunt (Anna (Doran) Anderson). He's working at the Assembler Auto Company. The following year a city directory shows him living on his own at 790 Liberty, Springfield, Massachusetts. He is working for Westinghouse.

In a stroke of luck, while searching for something else entirely, I found his obituary.

The Springfield Union, Springfield, Massachusetts, Wednesday, 24 Apr 1957, page 29

SAMUEL SMITH

Monson, April 23--Samuel Smith of Stebbins Rd. died this afternoon in the home of his nephew, Edward Anderson. He was born in England, son of William and Agnes (Anderson) Smith and had lived here many years. He was a veteran of World Wars I and II, serving with the British Army in the first war and with the United States in the second. He was a member of the Notre Dame Club in Springfield.

He leaves two brothers, Richard and Harry, and three sisters, Mrs. June Henshaw, Mrs. Dina Kay, and Mrs. Esther Bailey, all in England, and two nephews, including Edward, with whom he made his home. Funeral will be Friday at 9 with Rev. Johnathan Morrill, pastor of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, officiating at the parlors of Palmer Funeral Service. Burial will be Woodlawn Cemetery, Biddeford, Me. Calling hours at the funeral home will be Wednesday and Thursday from 2 to 5 and 7 to 10.

I have information on all three of his sisters; however, his brothers were a complete surprise. So it's back to Cheshire BMD or Lancashire BMD to see what I can find. And then there are the military records...so much to look for courtesies of one lucky newspaper search.

Samuel Smith

Hmmmm...While track down all census entries for the family of John James and Anna Ellen (Doran) Anderson, I got a surprise on the 1930 census. The household list includes Samuel Smith, a nephew, living with the Anderson family in Springfield, Hampden County, Massachusetts. John's sister, Agnes Elenor Anderson, married William Smith in 1893 and their youngest child was Samuel Smith born in the spring of 1900 in Ashton Under Lyne, Lacanshire, England. Time to backtrack!

The 1820-1957 New York Passenger List shows Samuel arriving at New York City on 5 Sep 1923 aboard the Olympic. The port of departure is Southampton. The confirmation item is that the list includes his nearest living relative in England. It's his older sister Dinah Smith, 2 Gosford Street, Ashton Under Lyne, Lacanshire, England. Dinah stays in England. I can find a marriage for her in 1924 to James Taylor Kay (St. John, Dukinfield, Cheshire, England Certificate CE21/6/86).

In 1931 I can find Samuel in a city directory. He's living at 790 Liberty, Springfield, Massachusetts. The directory says that Samuel is an employee of Westinghouse. His Anderson cousins--Edward and Norman--also work for Westinghouse. After the 1931 entry, I can find no other records for Samuel Smith in Springfield. I'm hoping that when the 1940 census is released that I can pick up a record on him again.

In the meantime, I'm struggling to find records on Samuel siblings: Jane A., Esther Ann, Dinah, and John William. Anyone from England out there looking for these Smiths?