Analyze the Survivors on a Death Notice

While researching Ferris Wetmore of Greene County, NY, I found his 1925 death notice listing survivors as:  Widow plus a daughter, Mrs E.J. Parks “of this place” and a sister, Mrs A.E. Pine of Catskill.  I had not known that he had a daughter or a sister.

Ferris married in 1872, but I have been unable to find his 1880 census record.  By 1900 he and his wife had no children in their household but reported 2 were born and 1 survived.

I did not find a Parks family in the town where Ferris died, but did find a news clipping for Edward J Parks and son Ferris from another part of the county. This must be the right family with a son named Ferris!  And it was … Addie Wetmore was born in 1875 and married Edward in 1897. So, daughter found.

Checking for a Mrs. A.E. Pine in Catskill was a bit confusing. No likely male with initials of A.E. found in the 1920 census, but there was a widowed Annie E Pine. The interesting finding was that Anna E Wetmore was listed in the 1880 census as sister-in-law with John N. Pine and his wife Lucy.  Yes, Lucy was Anna’s older sister and after her death in 1890, Anna married her brother-in-law John.  After his death in 1902 it seems she used the name Mrs A.E. Pine.

So, mystery solved and 2 sisters of Ferris identified. A little snippet in the newspaper can lead you to lots of info.