Martha Morrison or Blair .....

AnnieMack · Post by **AnnieMack** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:30 pm

I know that my great aunt Martha Blair nee Morrison married (Joseph) James Walker Blair in 1919 and sometime after emigrated to America. In 1967 or 1968 I visited her with my parents (I was about 4 or 5) and met her family. I don't know what her offspring were called or indeed how many she had.

Any suggestions as to how I can try and follow this line as there will undoubtedly be living rellies of mine floating about in the States!

Thanks in advance,

Annie

Post by **Tracey** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 9:41 pm

Hello Annie

I know you dont know when they emigrated but have you searched the 1920/30 American census ?

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:45 pm

Hi Annie

Tracey is right....if they were in the States by 1920 or 1930 you should look for them in the census. I can access the 1920 one but not the full 1930 one yet so can't have a wee peek. Hopefully by 1930 you'll find some kiddies names to work with. Another means of tracking them....(you don't mention if you recall which state you visited when a youngster...and also you don't mention if Martha's hubbie was still living when you visited!)....is through the SSDI (Social Secuirty Death Index). If you know their dates of birth and James (born Joseph James Walker Blair btw.....) was employed long enough to collect some Social Security benefits you can discover his date of death and last general address they mailed the checks to. I've never spent the big bucks for a copy of a Social Security application but if you find out his likely death info then you might want to consider what this might tell you. (I think they are a little pricey myself

) Armed with a date of death and likely location you might track down a historical society in that area that could research newspaper obituaries. In the US these are usually a gold mine of information. Same goes for Martha...if you know her date of birth even if she was never employed if she outlived her husband she may have collected survivor benefits on his account so would have had her own social security number and information. If you get so far as knowing some names of their children then just check for a phone number on the web and let your fingers do the rest....

Best wishes
Jean

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Tue Jun 27, 2006 1:48 am

Hi Annie

Had a chance for a free 3 day trial of the 1930 census only so took a chance on your Blair family. I've found one that has a lot going for it....in Detroit Michigan.

James W. head age 29 b Scot immigrated in 1923 occ: bricklayer amrried at age 18
Martha H. wife age 30 b Scot immigrated in 1925 married at age 19
James W. Jr. son age 10 b Scot immigrated in 1925
Susan C. dau age 9 b Scot immigrated in 1925
Martha H. dau age 8 b Scot immigrated in 1925
Robert M. son age 5 b Canada immigrated in 1925
Mary M. dau age 2 5/12 b Michigan

What do you think???

Best wishes
Jean

AnnieMack · Post by **AnnieMack** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:29 am

Jean,

I am reading the messages at work so can't check my info but that certainly looks possible, especially as Martha's mum is called Susan and the M middle name might be Morrison for her maiden name!

Thank you so much!

Roll on Thursday til I am on holiday and I can indulge myself in this wonderful (read infuriating

hobby!)

Annie xx

AnnieMack · Post by **AnnieMack** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:36 pm

Jean

I can confirm that these Blairs are my Blairs! I got the info for the 3 oldest children at NRH on Friday. I just need to try and track them down from 1930

as you can imagine I am both delighted and trying hard not to dissolve into hysterical laughter at that thought!

Thanks again for your help.

Annie xx

JustJean · Post by **JustJean** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 11:33 pm

Hi Annie

That's great news!!! I sincerely hope you find some further US connections!

Best wishes
Jean

nanwit · Post by **nanwit** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 5:33 am

AnnieMack wrote:Jean

I can confirm that these Blairs are my Blairs! I got the info for the 3 oldest children at NRH on Friday. I just need to try and track them down from 1930 as you can imagine I am both delighted and trying hard not to dissolve into hysterical laughter at that thought!

Thanks again for your help.

Annie xx

I found two James Walker Blair living at "address details deleted to protect privacy" now one is listed at 52 yrs and the other one is 86 yrs old which that would make him James W Blair Sr. (who was born Sept 23 1900 and died Dec 05 1975) SON.........
Nancy

AnnieMack · Post by **AnnieMack** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 10:47 pm

That sounds really promising - can you private message me?

Annie x

AnnieMack · Post by **AnnieMack** » Tue Mar 03, 2009 8:48 pm

I am still on the hunt for the family and joined Ancestry to help with this. I sadly found one of the children and she died on 14th Dec 08 - how ironic is that?!!

She had a really unusual surname - Hockenberry - anyone else have this name in their tree?

Annie

TalkingScot.com

Martha Morrison or Blair .....

Martha Morrison or Blair .....

Ohhh!

Update

Re: Update

Oh Boy

The Blairs