Did Great Aunt Elizabeth emigrate to the US aged 10?

[Dossie]

Hello all,
I am trying to put some meat on the bones of my Great Aunt Elizabeth Harding.
Elizabeth was born in Dublin in 1875
She married a man called Orizon Edson in New York on the 8th June 1899 aged24 and had two sons Milton and Albert.
According to the 1920 US Census for Manhattan the the 2nd column I think reads Naturisation 1885. Does this mean that Elizabeth traveled
from Dublin to the US aged 10?
I know through her sister May that she worked for the Vanderbilt Family in Manhattan. Her husband was a Butler so perhaps they both worked in service. Can anyone help to fatten up GA Elizabeth.
Elizabeth died in the late 1920's I think.

Thanks,
Dossie.

[Karamazov]

I would think it more likely that she became a naturalised US citizen as a result of her father being naturalised. (His naturalisation would extend to his spouse and children also becoming US Citizens at the same time.)
From memory (so I stand to be corrected), you could put in a petition virtually immediately on arrival in the US, but had to be resident for 5 years before citizenship was granted. On the basis of the dates you have given, that could well mean that her father emigrated circa 1880 or earlier, possibly with the entire family, or possibly with them joining him later.
From experience I have found people giving quite varying details about their year of arrival in the US in subsequent censuses. Do you have her parents in 1880 and 1900 censuses? (1890 census records mostly destroyed but some fragments survive.) On the basis of what you have posted I would also start looking for the naturalisation petition and grant of citizenship for her father.
Perhaps you could post further details about parents, siblings etc and where they settled in the US so we could have a better idea of what to search for?
Do you have Elizabeth and Orizon Edson in 1900 and subsequent censuses? Also interim New York censuses in 1905, 1915 and 1925 censuses? It's always worth cross checking what people say in different censuses about their year of immigration/naturalisation/how long they have been resident in the US. Hopefully it is consistent, but often it isn't!

Christine

[Dossie]

Hi Christine, many thanks for your reply. The trouble is that I know very little about Elizabeth. This question is related in a round-about way to her my post concerning my Grandmother Granny T. Granny T never talked about her family, and where she was born etc. However she did sometimes speak of her sister Elizabeth who had a son called Wesley, who married a man called Orizon and they both lived and worked in Manhattan and both worked for Vanderbulit. The two sisters were not in contact no letters coming back and forth. In the 1920 my late mother wrote on spec to the New York Times seeking information regarding her aunt. She got a letter back telling that her Aunt has passed away a few years prior to my Mum's letter. The lady also said that Elizabeth had two fine sons but she and her husband had parted and her sons had moved away out to California and one to Panama. When my Mum told Granny T about her writing and about Elizabeth and her family she went to use modern parlance ballisticand the subject was never mentioned again so long as Granny and my Mum lived. It was not until I got a computer and genealogy sites opened up via the Internet that I started the search for Elizabeth. Which in the first place was to try and find Granny with no results whatsoever regarding Granny. Nevertheless I plodded on and found Enizabeth's marriage certificate (a New York cousin collected for me) I found Wesley living in New York who had done very well for himself in the field of writing etc., Albert was living in Florida in the 1920's and has dropped out of sight. I know I have the right Elizabeth from the documented information I have and also for Granny T memories. Elizabeth gives her father's name as James and her Mother as Mary Johnson and Elizabeth was born in Dublin. This information is incomplete I cannot find any James or Mary Harding on the Census for Manhattan nor for the Vanderbuit family. I cannot find them on any passenger lists but it a while due to ill health that I have not looked recently. One other question for me to solve is if the family went to the US as emigrants why did May Harding end up working as a governess in India at lease between 1902/6.Did they go to the US and place May in Service. It was the era of the British Raj so perhaps. I will check the interim census records that you mention and the Naturalisation documents.

Thank you for taking the time to read this rather long-winded post but I thought is was best to tell it all also for your suggestiions.

[PhotoFamily]

Orizon has a relatively unusual name.
Familysearch has fairly complete transcription of NYC BMD records for the first part of the 20th century, going back to the latter 1800s.

the first of these records seem to confirm going to California:

https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Aorizon~%20%2Bsurname%3Aedson~%20%2Bbirth_place%3A%22new%20york%22~%20%2Bbirth_year%3A1870-1877~%20%2Bspouse_givenname%3Aelizabeth~%20%2Bspouse_surname%3Aharding~

So, the marriage is indexed, indicating that Orizon's mother's maiden name was Diamond. So the California Death index record seems to his. And the 1920 census record seems to indicate that he was in CA in 1920. It isn't clear what his relationship is to the woman that follows his entry on the record, but given that she also has the surname Edson, and his marital status is 'M', I'd tend to think that Segred is his wife and Stanley is their 2 yo son

[PhotoFamily]

Early US naturalization documents (pre-1906) had minimal information, and families were naturalized as a whole with the head of household (usually the husband/father). Members of the family usually were not individually listed (pre-1906).

[PhotoFamily]

Milton's transcribed birth registration

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WWZ-GTH

Orizon & Elizabeth living in Woodstock, NY in 1905. That's about 120 mi from Manhattan

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6727-ZHL?i=2&cc=1463113

[Dossie]

Thanks for your response much appreciated I have researched Orizon Edson and his folks. As you have noticed there is something odd about Orison's second "marriage" Elizabeth was living in New York on the 1920 census and States she is married to Orizon also in New York on the Census day. On the same Census he is living in San Mateo "married" to Segred. As Elizabeth died in the mid 1920's it does not add up. I cannot find a marriage certificate for Orizon and Segred so now I am trying to get a death certificate for Elizabeth. Do you know if I can purchase a death certificate via the records office in New York for geneologal purchases. Dorothy

[PhotoFamily]

If she died in NYC in the '20s, I think it should be indexed on familyserch - this should cover the time period

https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/2240477

which makes me wonder - did she die in NYC?

Orizon was a servant in the California 1920, and a butler in the NYC 1920. Hmm. It might be that the employer has households on both coasts, and maybe up in Woodstock. Maybe Segred wasn't really his wife, and not really Edson - it's just a misunderstanding on the part of the enumerator. Because it's one thing to hide a second family but not have people who know you in both rolls, but it sure seems like he's moving around with an employer?
Notice that in the 1905, his occupation is blank.
Lots of speculation. Have you found him in the 1900, 1910, and 1940?

Speaking of speculation - you noticed the marriage date, and the birth date of Milton?

[Dossie]

Hi I have been searching for the death of Elizabeth in NYC to no avail. I still have the original letters from two ladies who were friends of Aunt Elizabeth. The letters were penned in September and December 1929. They state in their letters that Elizabeth had passed away a few years earlier but don't give a date. Both these ladies say that Orizon left Elizabeth and went to life in California. The boys did not recognise their father but were very caring of her mother when she was ill. I think Orizon and Segred were common law husband and wife and that was the cause of the breakup of Orizon and Elizabeth's wedding. Milton was called Milton Wesley Edson but preferred to be called Wesley. Yes I did note the date of Milton's birth looks like they left it a big late to the alter. He married a girl called Dorothy Wheelock who was an editor with Harper's Bazaar Magazine. rShe had several crime novels published and seemed to be rather wealthy. Wesley also wrote some travel books entitled something like "Travels in the Carribbean" or something like that. Thanks for you help I shall go and do a bit more digging.

[Elaine]

Could this be Elizabeth

http://italiangen.org/records-search/deaths.php

30th April 1921 Manhatten age 47

just scroll down the page and pop her name in

[Elaine]

Whoops, now found the death on IGI and parents were Peter Harding and Mary Dunn, sorry

[Dossie]

Hello Elaine. Thank you for your help it is appreciated. Yes I think this is the correct death as the date and age fit. I must try and get a copy of the death certificate. Elizabeth was alive in 1920 but died some time between that date and 1929 when the letters were dated. Thanks again Dorothy

[Dossie]

Hi again Elaine. My Elizabeth's parents' were James Harding and Mary Johnstone but no harm done and thanks for looking I was becoming bleary eyed this morning peering at the screen. I will look on the IGI but in the morning just about ready to fall into bed.
Dorothy

[Elaine]

Trying to redeem myself, I was looking for Elizabeth and checked the boys, what thoughts do you have on these refs?

Albert O Edson 14th Feb...seaman's protection certificate with a photo, birth NYC

https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=FhD3060&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=albert&gsfn_x=0&gsln=edson&gsln_x=0&msbdy=1901&msrpn__ftp=florida&cpxt=1&cp=12&catbucket=rstp&MSAV=1&uidh=m6m&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=199038&recoff=7%209&dbid=61257&indiv=1&ml_rpos=20

birth

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WW2-HXW

1930 Texas...salesman

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CMD3-JMM

1945 Florida...R R clerk

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DBPS-K12?i=33&cc=1457855

There's a marriage

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VJVH-G2H

Albert O Edson (w) to C. Maxine Floyd (w)
wits Hugh ?Patrick and Marie Gains

original

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=https%3a%2f%2ffamilysearch.org%2fpal%3a%2fmm9.3.1%2fth-1951-25841-14094-86&parentid=us%2ffs%2fm%2f005105775%2f1

Not really sure but noted this passenger list

New York, New York Passenger and Crew Lists, 1909
Name Albert Edson
Event Type Immigration
Event Date 1950
Event Place New York, New York, United States
Gender Male
Birthplace U S C New York

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV1Z-K7ZN

wife Cissy....Australian

[Dossie]

Hi Elaine no need to feel you should redeem yourself. I think Albert is right as the DoB matches and he did work for the RR cannot remember when exactly. He did go to work in Panama so perhaps he was employed as a seaman. I was just about to log-off when I spied your post so thanks again and I will have a better look in the morning. It would be nice to see a photo of anyone belonging to th Harding branch of the family. Would you believe we have not one single photo of anyone on that side of the family. I am having a time of it with Ancestry. I had been away from doing my family history for a few years do to ill health and had forgotten my password. I have tried umpteen times to change it and it keeps telling me to jog on I don't match my password. Night Night I am off to my bed now. Will look it your info with a fresh brain and eyes in the morning.
Thanks Dorothy

[Elaine]

There's also a passenger I can't leave

Florida, Passenger Lists, 1898-1963
Name: Albert Edson
Gender: Male
Nationality: NY
Age: 56
Birth Date: abt 1901
Arrival Date: 19 Aug 1957
Arrival Place: Miami, Florida, USA
Ship: Florida
Vessel Number: 653

with Machine Edson age 40

and I keep coming back to this

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKKR-J17G

Deceased
Name Edson Maxine Edson Floyd
Event Type Obituary
Event Date 14 May 2002
Event Place Florida, United States
Residence Place Miami
Gender Female
Occupation Legal Secretary
Death Date 11 May 2002
Newspaper Miami Herald, The

obit, pay per view but you can read a few lines

http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/herald/obituary-search.aspx?daterange=99999&lastname=edson&keyword=&countryid=1&stateid=12&affiliateid=150

[Elaine]

I must go really, been at a seminar today for what I have and I think I am still buzzing! Really thought I would have flagged by now.
Let me know if you can't access the photo

Speak to you tomorrow

[Dossie]

Hi Elaine, So sorry to be so late in getting back to you. Watched the Remembrance Service on TV and then my son took me out for lunch and not long back. It is freezing up here and I have the heating on full blast and still cold. Anyhow my son was only 10 mins away when I remembered that I did not ask him to look at Ancestry for me. He works in IT and I'm sure he will be able to get me log-on. Meanwhile if it is not too much trouble for you I would like to see the photo. Maybe there is a resemblance to some of my Aunts and Uncles. The name Maxine does ring bells in connection with Albert. He was Elizabeth's 2nd son. As I said I have been ill over the last few years and all my FH stuff is all out of order so I will need to make a point of sorting it out. I did trace Albert so far but got stopped in my tracks with illness. However I am back at the helm now and enjoying it and it is wonderful to get so much help from others like yourself. Albert's brother was Milton Wesley Edson but preferred to be called Wesley. He did well for himself and married a lady called Dorothy Wheelock who was an editor with the magazine Harper's Bazaar Wesley also did a fair bit of cruising. I am beginning to thaw out now but I will have some gas bill if this cold weather keeps up!!! I will get myself organised and get back to you soonest.

Dorothy

[Elaine]

No worries, there are a few more refs to run by you, did Wesley marry an Italian girl first?

Didn't want to add anymore till you had had a look, will pm you

[Dossie]

Hi Elaine. No I don't think he married an Italian girl. Dorothy (will call her Dot) from now on to save confusion between her and me. Dot is the only one I have found linked to him but you never can tell. Received you pm and did as you ask.

I will get my paperwork in order hopefully tomorrow and see if I can find anything I have forgotten to mention.

Goodnight,
Dorothy