Mary Ann Fraser was born around 1835 in New Jersey. I am trying to find out the names of her parents. (The surname has various spellings.)
In the 1870 federal census, Mary is found in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey with her husband, John Calverly (1831-1898) (later spelled Calverley) and their children:
Mary F, age 17
Jennie E, age 16
Thomas H, age 14
George F, age 10
John, age 8
Joseph, age 6
Note that the household next door is Frances Clark, age 95, born in England, and Jesse Forster, age 14, born in New Jersey.
Mary died August 27, 1875 in Jersey City. New Jersey did not create death certificates until 1878, so Mary's death is recorded in a ledger with few details. Her parents and place of burial were not provided. Her age was given as 38 and her birthplace as England.
Three of Mary's children were baptized at Saint Matthew's Church in Jersey City:
Mary Frances, born in Jersey City July 14, 1853; baptized March 26, 1864.
George Frazier, born in Jersey City October 2, 1858; baptized March 26, 1864.
Martha Louisa, born in Jersey City August 31, 1867; baptized October 25, 1867.
Naming a son George Frazier indicates that Mary had a close relative with this name.
I looked for Mary and John as a married couple in the 1860 census with children Mary, Jennie, Thomas, and George.
The surname was written as "Calvin," but this appears to be them. Note the household next door- Francis Clark, age 84 (and male), Jesse F Clark, age 6, and George Frazier, age 17, a milkman born in Canada. These are probably two of the same people from 1870- Francis, age 95, and Jesse, age 14.
In 1850, the household of Frances Clark, age 60, contains:
Francis Frasir, age 13, born in New Jersey
George Frasir, age 6, born in Cuba
Ann Stasik, age 20, born in England
Is Francis Frasir actually Mary Ann? She named a daughter Mary Frances and a son George Frazier.
Was George the brother of Mary/Frances?
Who is Frances Clark? She was too old to be the mother of these children. Was she a relative?
Who was Jesse Clark? Was she Jesse Forster? What is the relationship to Fraser and Clark?
As Mary's children were born, married, and died, her birthplace on these records was recorded as the United States or Jersey City, with one exception. Leonora, Mary's youngest daughter, died in 1941. Mary's birthplace was listed as Cuba. In the 1850 census, George Frasier's birthplace was Cuba. In 1860 his birthplace was Canada. Still, this shows that this is probably the same family because the notion of a birth in Cuba was passed down through the generations.
Worth mentioning is another Mary A Fraser. She lived in Jersey City and was around the same age as the Mary Ann who is the subject of this article. And she had a brother named George.
Van Vorst Township existed 1841-1851. It was annexed into Jersey City.
This Mary A Fraser was Mary Adeline. She is not the Mary I am seeking. This Mary married Salman Wheat Hoyt in 1858.
I don't know where Mary was buried. Two of her sons were buried in Jersey City Cemetery:
Thomas Henry Calverley (1856-1897)
John (1862-1937)
In the 1870 federal census, Mary is found in Jersey City, Hudson County, New Jersey with her husband, John Calverly (1831-1898) (later spelled Calverley) and their children:
Mary F, age 17
Jennie E, age 16
Thomas H, age 14
George F, age 10
John, age 8
Joseph, age 6
Note that the household next door is Frances Clark, age 95, born in England, and Jesse Forster, age 14, born in New Jersey.
Mary died August 27, 1875 in Jersey City. New Jersey did not create death certificates until 1878, so Mary's death is recorded in a ledger with few details. Her parents and place of burial were not provided. Her age was given as 38 and her birthplace as England.
Three of Mary's children were baptized at Saint Matthew's Church in Jersey City:
Mary Frances, born in Jersey City July 14, 1853; baptized March 26, 1864.
George Frazier, born in Jersey City October 2, 1858; baptized March 26, 1864.
Martha Louisa, born in Jersey City August 31, 1867; baptized October 25, 1867.
Naming a son George Frazier indicates that Mary had a close relative with this name.
I looked for Mary and John as a married couple in the 1860 census with children Mary, Jennie, Thomas, and George.
The surname was written as "Calvin," but this appears to be them. Note the household next door- Francis Clark, age 84 (and male), Jesse F Clark, age 6, and George Frazier, age 17, a milkman born in Canada. These are probably two of the same people from 1870- Francis, age 95, and Jesse, age 14.
In 1850, the household of Frances Clark, age 60, contains:
Francis Frasir, age 13, born in New Jersey
George Frasir, age 6, born in Cuba
Ann Stasik, age 20, born in England
Is Francis Frasir actually Mary Ann? She named a daughter Mary Frances and a son George Frazier.
Was George the brother of Mary/Frances?
Who is Frances Clark? She was too old to be the mother of these children. Was she a relative?
Who was Jesse Clark? Was she Jesse Forster? What is the relationship to Fraser and Clark?
As Mary's children were born, married, and died, her birthplace on these records was recorded as the United States or Jersey City, with one exception. Leonora, Mary's youngest daughter, died in 1941. Mary's birthplace was listed as Cuba. In the 1850 census, George Frasier's birthplace was Cuba. In 1860 his birthplace was Canada. Still, this shows that this is probably the same family because the notion of a birth in Cuba was passed down through the generations.
Worth mentioning is another Mary A Fraser. She lived in Jersey City and was around the same age as the Mary Ann who is the subject of this article. And she had a brother named George.
Van Vorst Township existed 1841-1851. It was annexed into Jersey City.
This Mary A Fraser was Mary Adeline. She is not the Mary I am seeking. This Mary married Salman Wheat Hoyt in 1858.
I don't know where Mary was buried. Two of her sons were buried in Jersey City Cemetery:
Thomas Henry Calverley (1856-1897)
John (1862-1937)
