52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks - #31 The Liming Sisters

I became curious about my maternal great grandmother Isabella Liming's sisters when my cousin Ken Redles asked for help in identifying four unknown women in some photos that our cousin David has in his collection. David and I are Liming descendants on our Redles line. After some research, comparing the photos with other photos, and emails back and forth, Ken and I thought that it's possible the photos are of three of the Liming sisters and their mother Anna Morris, but we'd need more clues to confirm.

In the midst of this, I realized I know very little about two of Isabella's sisters: Sarah and Anna/Annie. I knew a bit about her sisters Henrietta (born around 1838) and Helen (born October 1, 1847). Henrietta never married and died on November 7, 1915, in Philadelphia. Helen married John H. Scott in 1869. She had one son whom I met when I was 12, Forrest Holmes Scott. She died on April 21, 1924.

The oldest sister Sarah was born around 1836. So far, I haven't been able to find out anything else about her. She's listed in the 1860 census with her parents and siblings at the age of 24.

Anna/Annie was born around 1841 or 1843. I found a marriage record for Annie M. Liming and Edward J. Tucker who were married on January 15, 1867, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.[1] I wasn't sure if she was my Aunt Anna until I found a death certificate for Ann Tucker who died on December 14, 1869. The certificate lists the address of 1220 South 2nd Street in Philadelphia .[2] That is the home of Aunt Anna's parents (my 2nd great grandparents) William and Anna Morris Liming.

Death certificate for Anna Liming Tucker (from familysearch.org)

Then I found Anna's husband Edward Tucker listed in the 1870 census with her brother John Liming and family.[3] I haven't found if Anna and Edward had any children. There aren't any listed with Edward in the 1870 census.

The Liming family hasn't been easy to research. Their last name is transcribed in many different ways! Not to mention the many folks who have the same first names as my Liming relatives.

Catherine

This post is part of the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge by genealogist Amy Crow at No Story Too Small.

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[1] Ancestry.com. Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 for Annie M. Liming and Edward J. Tucker. Historical Society of Pennsylvania Historic Pennsylvania Church and Town Records; Reel 977

[2] "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Death Certificates, 1803-1915," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-11600-64628-44?cc=1320976 : accessed 05 Aug 2014), 004010097 > image 669 of 1176; citing Department of Records

[1] Ancestry.com. 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Philadelphia Ward 26, District 6 (2nd Enumeration), Philadelphia for Edward J. Tucker and John Liming.

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks: #1 William Liming

Genealogist Amy Crow at No Story Too Small has set up a challenge to blog about one ancestor a week for 52 weeks. I think this is a great idea! I realized a few weeks ago that I tend to write about certain branches the most. I'd like to take a look at more of my ancestors, even if it's just a brief write-up. Participating in this challenge will be a way for me to get to know some of them. It will also help me to get back to writing about some of the challenges that I'm having in my research. In this post, I revisit one of those challenges.

William Liming 

Born about 1795 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, my maternal 2nd great grandfather William Liming was a sea captain. (I find this fascinating!) I wrote about him in my post U.S. Seamen's Protection Certificates  when I found one for a William Liming. I'm not sure if I have the correct person, but the city of birth and age fit "my" William.

William was married to Anna (Annie) Morris. (Anna is a research challenge, too. See The Search for Annie's Parents) I have yet to figure out who William's parents and siblings were. I've recently been looking again at the names of his children for clues. I found some naming pattern lists on Rootsweb to use as a guideline. I'm sure families didn't strictly follow the patterns, as you'll see in my spreadsheet below (click on the image for a larger view). These are my tentative assumptions:

The names of William and Anna's children in a naming pattern chart.

At least looking at naming patterns gives me something more to go on!

William died in Mt. Holly, Burlington County, New Jersey, so I've started researching online New Jersey records. There are several William Limings in Monmouth County, New Jersey, which is to the northeast of Burlington. As with other branches in my family, people with the same name sure makes things confusing!

Catherine

The Search for Annie's Parents

My maternal second great grandmother Anna (or Annie as she was called) has languished in my family tree for ages without a maiden name or any parents or siblings.  Recently, when I was trying to find out more about her husband William Liming, I decided it was time that I looked for Annie's family.  

Now that my focus was Annie instead of her husband William, I went back to the census records to see if there were any clues about Annie's family.  When the 1870 Philadelphia census was taken, Annie, William, and two of their children--Henrietta and George--were living with Henrietta Simpson. The name Henrietta looked promising since that is also the name of Annie's daughter. Could Henrietta Simpson be a relative?  When I checked the 1880 Philadelphia census, Annie is again listed as part of Henrietta's household (William passed away in 1873), and she is listed as Henrietta's sister! Now I had the name of a sibling. (Click on the images below for larger views.)

The 1870 U.S. Census for Philadelphia showing Annie and William Liming living with Henrietta Simpson.[1]

1880 U.S. Census for Philadelphia for Henrietta Simpson and Annie Liming showing that Annie is listed as Henrietta's sister.[2]

I searched the historic newspapers on GenealogyBank.com and found what I thought might be a clue to Annie's maiden name. In her death notice in the January 7, 1889, issue of the Philadelphia Inquirer her middle initial is given as "M." Henrietta Simpson's death notice also gives her middle initial as "M."

Death notice for Annie M. Liming, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7 January 1889. [3]

  

Death notice for Henrietta M. Simpson, Philadelphia Inquirer, 17 April 1890.  [4]

My aunt mentioned to me a year or so ago that she'd been told that we are related somehow to Robert Morris, the Revolutionary War financier. Could Annie's and Henrietta's middle initials be for Morris?

I went to ancestry.com to search the Pennsylvania church records and found baptismal records for Annie and Henrietta. They were both baptized on the same day many years after they both had married, so they were listed by their married names. I doubt I would have found them so easily otherwise.  Both baptismal records have the parents noted as Joseph and Sarah Morris! (Click on each image below for a larger view.)

Baptismal Record for Anna Liming. It lists her parents as Joseph and Sarah Morris, her birth date as December 28, 1809, and baptismal date as January 26, 1870.[5]

Baptismal Record for Henrietta Simpson. It lists her parents as Joseph and Sarah Morris, her birth date as January 8, 1808, and her baptismal date as January 26, 1870.[6]

In the 1850 Philadelphia census for Henrietta and her husband William Simpson, Isabella Finlayson and her daughter also named Isabella Finlayson are living with them, as well as Annie Liming's daughter Henrietta.  I wonder if Isabella could be a sister, because Annie named one of her daughters Isabella (my great grandmother).

The 1850 Philadelphia census for William and Henrietta Simpson, Henrietta Liming, and Isabella Finlayson and her daughter also named Isabella Finlayson.[7]

Birthplaces for Annie and Henrietta are listed as New Jersey or Pennsylvania in census records. The 1880 census notes that their parents were born in New Jersey.  Isabella Finlayson's birthplace is listed as Scotland in the 1850 U.S. census (see above). I found a death notice for an Isabella M. Finlayson (see below).  This is probably the same person as above as I found her death certificate at familysearch.org which lists her birthplace as Scotland in 1803.  Unfortunately, Pennsylvania death certificates only list the parents if the deceased is a minor.

Death notice for Isabella M. Finlayson, Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 March 1868.  [8]

I looked at the naming patterns of Annie's children for clues.  I can guess where some of their names came from:  Sarah (after her mother?), Henrietta (probably after her sister), Isabella (after a sister?), and Joseph (after her father Joseph Morris?). Other children are William (probably after her husband), John, Anna (probably after herself), Helen, and George. Annie's son William named one of his daughters Annie Morris Liming (spelled Lyming in the index below). This could be another clue that Annie's maiden name was Morris.  It was not the maiden name of William's wife.

Index of birth record for Annie Morris Liming, daughter of William Liming and granddaughter of Annie M. Liming.[9]

Available evidence found thus far suggests that Annie's parents were Joseph and Sarah Morris, and Henrietta M. Simpson was Annie's sister.  I've not found anything yet about whether or not Isabella is another sibling. I also haven't found a connection to Revolutionary War financier Robert Morris.  I did find a Robert Morris family tree on ancestry.com that lists a daughter named Henrietta as one of his children, and that same tree lists one of Robert's brothers as Joseph who died in Pennsylvania in 1788. Could this Robert Morris line be from where the names of Annie's father Joseph and her sister Henrietta came? I'll continue my research on Annie, but the next thing I need to do is write up a research plan for Joseph Morris!

Catherine

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[1] 1870 U. S. census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, p. 8, dwelling 61, family 69, Annie Liming, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 May 2013), citing NARA microfilm publication M593.

[2] 1880 U. S. census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, p. 3, dwelling 21, family 22, Annie Liming, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 May 2013), citing NARA microfilm publication T9.

[3] "Died." Death notice for Annie M. Liming, Philadelphia Inquirer, 7 January 1889, online archives (www.genealogybank.com : accessed 12 December 2012), p. 3.

[4] Death notice for Henrietta M. Simpson, Philadelphia Inquirer, 17 April 1890, online archives (www.genealogybank.com: accessed 6 March 2013), p. 5.

[5] St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Baptism, unnumbered page, Anna Liming, 26 January 1870; digital image, Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 April 2013).

[6] St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), Baptism, unnumbered page, Henrietta Simpson, 26 January 1870; digital image, Pennsylvania Church and Town Records, 1708-1985 (www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 April 2013).

[7] 1850 U. S. census, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Philadelphia, p. 28, dwelling 133, family 187, Henrietta Simpson, digital image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 13 May 2013), citing NARA microfilm publication M432.

[8] Death notice for Isabella M. Finlayson, Philadelphia Inquirer, 23 March 1868, online archives (www.genealogybank.com: accessed 6 March 2013), p. 5. 

[9] "Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Births, 1860-1906" index and images.  Database.  FamilySearch, (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V1M5-MWC : accessed 13 May 2013). Annie Morris Lyming, 1873.