I have a breaking genealogy update for you! This is less than an hour old for me. I was so excited, I just had to share it.
The Parkin Children in 1905
This is an update to the entry I wrote about the Parkin Children in 1905. I concluded that entry by assuming the three youngest Parkin children were living in an Orphan’s home but couldn’t be sure. I did go the long way around to that answer. This afternoon, I was reading my Facebook groups and a helpful member posted that the images were now available on FamilySearch to everyone. Well, alright then, let me put down my lunch and go look, STAT!
Finding Them Again
The great news is I was able to just go right to the transcription from before. The images were already digitized on FamilySearch, just not viewable outside a research center.
From the image, I can definitely say the children were living in the Orange Orphan Society in 1905. I believe they fudged Hazel’s age to get her in since children 10 and under only were allowed. Hazel would have been 10, maybe even close to 11 at the time.
Excuse Us but you were in the middle of a Do-Over? Bright Shiny Object Distracted you?
Well, technically yes. However, I had already done the Parkin children in my Do-Over so technically, I don’t feel bad! Actually, I will go back for everyone that I have a 1905 New Jersey State Census citation for and update their information. Since the database now has images, the citation has to be written slightly different to include the fact that there is an online image.
…
What is it? You definitely want to say something else.
Okay, so if I’m being completely honest, and I try to always do that… Okay, I looked up the father of the Parkin children. I was curious, I jumped ahead. Even though technically he’s further down on my Do-Over list. I know you guys will agree with me it was okay to jump ahead a little bit.
Guys, I think the oldest Parkin child, Anna M. Parkin, might have lived to at least 1905! There at the last entry of the Parkin household is May Parkin, born May 1893. Anna Parkin only showed up on the 1900 US census for me so far, but in that census her birth date was listed as May 1892. This could be her with her father, uncle and grandmother in 1905. How exciting! There might yet be a lost branch of the Parkin family tree.
Kathleen, take another look at John W. Parkin on the 1905 census. Look at the marriage column. See that big fat D? Do not assume that mother Jennie is absent because she died. You may be needing to look for a divorce and the possibility that Jennie is still alive in 1905 and later. She may have even remarried.
Thank you so much Kathy! I hadn’t noticed that yet! I had some hiccups yesterday with my software so right as I was hitting publish, all of my research time turned into IT troubleshooting time.
I’m going to definitely look into this more. I really appreciate your help. Sometimes it’s so easy to miss things when the excitement of finding someone hits.
After thinking about this some more, it is also possible that between 1900 and 1905 Jennie died, John remarried and then divorced his second wife. Isn’t it great to have options in your research!