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To mark Mother’s day this year, I decided to write a little about my matrilineal line. Simply put, this line follows my mother’s, mother’s mother, etc. Matrilineal lines are usually the most difficult to follow because with each marriage comes a new surname; I am lucky to have found six matrilineal generations.
Compiling the data for this post led me to solve a mystery about my 3rd-grat grandmother, the wife of John Grupp. Records were showing that my 3rd-great grandmother’s name was Elizabeth Schelling, born June 1849 in England and who died 21 Feb 1912 in Trenton, NJ. However, I never had much confidence that Elizabeth was one of my grandmothers. In fact, several pieces of information made it likely that she was John Grupp’s second wife and not the mother of Helena Grupp (my 2nd-great grandmother).
The death certificate for Helena (Grupp) Wigley, listed the last name only of Helena’s mother — Schelling; and her place of birth as Germany. Other family trees on Ancestry.com listed Helena’s mother as Elizabeth Schelling. However, experience has taught me that Ancestry.com trees are not always accurate and there was some, in fact a lot, of data that conflicted with Elizabeth Schelling being the mother of Helena.
According to census records, Elizabeth Grupp was born in England and both of her parents were from England. Census records also showed that the three oldest Grupp children were born in Germany and that their parents were also born in Germany. Based on the census records, which also included the dates of immigration to the U.S., I had serious doubts about Elizabeth being my grandmother.
A few days ago I found the name of John Grupp’s first wife. The 1870 US census listed John, his wife Laney (born about 1836) and their six children. Both John and Laney were listed as being born in Hessen-Darmstadt (Germany). Although I can find no record of Laney’s death, I can estimate she died between 1873 (birth of her last child) and 1876. (In January 1877, John and Elizabeth Grupp had a child born.)
The discovery of Laney’s name has provided a few investigative avenues. I also know that John and his second daughter, Mary, became naturalized citizens, so immigration records may prove to be a source for Laney’s full name. I believe her first name was probably Helena, like her second daughter. It seems reasonable that Laney is short for Helena. As for the surname Schelling, it sounds more German than English, so Laney’s last name may prove to be Schelling. At least now I have some leads.
On May 6, 1865, John and Laney Grupp’s daughter Helena was born in Wittenborn, Germany; she was my 2nd-great grandmother. She most likely came to America with her parents around 1868. On 24 Dec 1885, Helena married Robert Edward Wigley in Trenton. Robert was born in Stoke Upon Trent, Staffordshire, England in 1863. Together they had seven children, the third of which was my great grandmother, Gertrude. Helena (Grupp) Wigley died in her home at 341 South Olden Ave., Trenton, while preparing dinner, on 7 Dec 1925. Three days later she was buried in Riverview Cemetery in Trenton.
Gertrude Harriet Wigley, my great grandmother, was born 18 Jan 1892, in Trenton. She was an accomplished musician (piano, mandolin, banjo and flute) and played piano in the old silent movie theaters in Trenton and New York City. (See The Talented Miss Wigley). Gertrude was married three times and it was with her second husband, John Weastell, that she had her children; two daughters — Leoata and Doris. John Weastell was born 21 Sep 1873, in Durham, England. Gertrude died 14 Aug 1981 in Hamilton, NJ and was buried four days later in Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton.
Leota Gertrude Weastell was born 22 Jun 1914, in Trenton, NJ. Sometime, in early 1930, she accompanied a friend to the the friend’s house. It was there, at 443 Walnut Avenue, Trenton, that she met Charles Garrison, her future husband. Leota and Charles were married 23 Sep 1930 in Doylestown, PA. Leota and Charles had four daughters together and lived for a time at 110 Houghton Avenue, Trenton. In the 1940s they moved to Sloan Avenue in Hamilton, into a home built by Charles. Leota died 10 May 1979 in Hamilton and was buried five days later in Greenwood Cemetery, Hamilton.
Charlene Garrison, my mom, is the youngest child of Charles and Leota. She spent most of her childhood growing up in the Bear Swamp area of Hamilton, on Sloan Avenue. It is generally considered “bad form” to write about current generations, due to privacy concerns. Suffice it to say, that my mother did a splendid job raising four children. Genealogy is mostly a study of nature; the passing along of genetic traits. But I am sure that in some small way, my mother’s nurturing ability was inherited from the previous generations in her matrilineal line.
My Matrilineal Line
Laney ?? > Helena Grupp > Gertrude Wigley > Leota Weastell > Charlene Garrison > Me
Awesome research!!!