I just got a fresh batch of old documents from my father. Apparently Rowena didn’t throw everything out! I’ve breezed through most of it, original papers from the cemetery and funeral home, little notes on scraps of paper… The most valuable are the newspaper clippings of obituaries for Frank and Catherine. Right in print is a different name for Margaret (Daughter from his first wife) than I had been chasing (Ratchford rather than Stoddard) which explains the failure to produce her death certificate before. After running the name through the California Death Index I came up with a different year of birth, too!
RATCHFORD, MARGUERI (TE left off) born July 17, 1898 in
Died May 15, 1963 in
Stoddard is on a few old pictures, so either there was confusion or she remarried. I’ve seen other conflicting things in handwritten accounts of family history, so it’s no surprise. Often advancing age can distort things, and it’s too bad when no one asks these questions until the interviewee is up in years… Still they’re all good clues!
It will be interesting to get a hold of Marguerite’s obituary and death certificate to discover her mother’s true identity and family’s story in the Bay Area. Not knowing has driven me batty, as are all the conflicts about the Howards. (Where ARE they buried?)
I just thought I’d let you know we’ve gotten a new and positive direction for this family’s research. Once I secure another job (this project is almost run out) I’ll get back to voraciously researching and compiling all my findings.
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So what have YOU found???