Josephine A (Blanchard) Harris (abt. 1861 - 1934)

Born about 1861 in Quebec, Canada East

Wife of Joseph Callender Harris — married 13 Mar 1883 (to 3 Jul 1934) in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 3 Jul 1934 at about age 73 in Danvers, Essex, Massachusetts, United States

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Josephine (Blanchard) Harris migrated from Quebec to United States.

Biography

This profile is part of the Blanchard Name Study.

Josephine, daughter of Willilam and Laura Blanchard, was born in Quebec, Canada East about July 1861; She married Joseph Callender, son of James and Harriet Lane (Callender) Harris, in Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States on 13 March 1883; Josephine died in Danvers, Essex, Massachusetts on 3 July 1934.

josephine's headstone is inscribed with dates (1861-1934), her 1900 census record indicate April was her birth month. No Quebec baptism record has been found, nor for her life in the U.S. from her early 1860s arrival until her 1883 Massachusetts marriage.

Josephine's family emigrated to New England from Canada between her 1861 birth and 1883 marriage. She was an infant when she arrived. ^[1] Josephine's head stone is inscribed 1861-1934. ^[2] Her 1883 marriage record, census and birth records of her children indicate Josephine was born in Quebec, Canada.

Josephine's marriage record ^[3] indicates her parents were William and Laura Blanchard, with her mother’s maiden name unlisted. In Josephine's 1934 death record, her mother's name is blank and her father’s name is reported to be John Blanchard. Josephine's marriage and death records include her husband’s correct full name. William and Laura Blanchard, Josephine and siblings, if any, are not found in 1860, 1870 or 1880 U.S. census records. There maybe, however, a connection to the William and Julia Blanchard family of Warwick, R.I.

Josephine and her husband Joseph raised a family of seven children, all survived their parents. Josephine was survived by Joseph and both are buried at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose, Massachusetts with several family members.

Children

1. George Callender Harris (1883-1968), m. 1909 Gertrude Madeline Durkee
2. Gertrude Josephine Harris (1885-1965), m. 1907 Ralph Edward Keene
3. Bessie Blanche Harris (1888-1979), m. 1912 Edward Emory Haradon
4. Ida May Harris (1889-1977), m. 1910 Edwin Wallstrom
5. Albert Alford Harris (1894-1989), m. 1917 Maud Nicholson
6. Marion Eva Harris (1896-1989), m. 1924 Percy Hunt Lattime
7. Chester A. Harris (1898-1967), m. 1927 Anna R. Downey

Timeline

• 1861 - birth in Quebec, Canada ^[3], ^[1]
• 1861 - arrived in the United States from Canada ^[1]
• 1870 - at home at age 11 in Killingly, Windham, Connecticut with parents, William and Julia and ten siblings. ^[4]
• 1880 - live-in servant at age 21 in Norwich, Connecticut ^[5]
• caveat - no record(s) discovered showing Josephines transistion from Norwich, CT to Malden, MA. This Josephine Blanchard appears to be the only documented person that may have married Joseph Callender Harris in 1883 Malden, Massachusetts.
• 1883, 13 Mar - married at about age 22 in Malden, Massachusetts to Joseph Callender Harris, their first. ^[3]
• 1883, 23 Jun - birth of George Callender Harris at Boston, Massachusetts^[6]
• 1883 to 1898 - births of seven children at Charlestown and last three at Medford, Massachusetts.
• CAVEAT - no records document her journey from Norwich to Medford. This assignment is based on no known marriage or presence between 1800 and 1899 for a 1859 Canadian born Josephine in CT or RI.
• 1900 - at home at age 40 in Medford, Massachusetts, with husband and seven children. ^[1]
• 1910 - at home at age 50 in Medford, Massachusetts,with spouse & 5 children, George and Gertrude were just married in 1909 and 1907. ^[7]
• 1920 - at home at age 59 in Medford, Massachusetts,with husband and two children, Marion and Chester ^[8]
• 1930 - at home with Joseph at age 70 in North Reading, Massachusetts, USA ^[9]
• 1934, 3 Jul - died at age 75 in Danvers, MA; burial at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose, Massachusetts. Her husband and all of her children survived her. , ^[10], headstone indicates 1861-1934, mother's maiden name remains undiscovered. ^[2]
• 1937, 27 Jan - husband died at age 79, he is buried with Josephine at Wyoming Cemetery, Melrose, Massachusetts.
• 1989 - death record of son Alfred discloses Josephine’s middle initial is ‘A’.^[11]

Research Notes

• it is possible that Josephine Blanchard is the daughter of Peter and Julia Wright, thus William's step-daughter. Need proof of abscence of R.I. birth record for Josephine, There is a five year gap about 1859 in Peter and Julia's family.
• an exhaustive and reasonable search concludes that Josephine is the daughter of William and Julia (Bundy) Blanchard.
• Josephine Blanchard was Quebec born according to her 1883 Marriage record and her children’s birth records.
• Her parents have not been successfully traced in Quebec, their Quebec baptism records remain undiscovered.
• there is no mention of siblings, if any, in Josephine’s 1934 obit or in her census records. Josephine is not mentioned in their obits.
• 1861 birth year from gravestone, birth month from 1900 census which reports 1859 birth year, death record correspondent was a hospital employee.
• Only three Quebec born persons named Josephine Blanchard born about 1860 have discovered. Two have documented marriages to other men (Morgan and Bressite).
• A child named Josephine Blanchard is present at age 11 in the 1870 census at the household of William and Julia Blanchard of Canada at Killingly, Connecticut. It states Josephine A. Blanchard was born in Rhode Island about 1859 and also states a younger sister Louise was born in Canada. We know our Josephine’s head stone is inscribed 1861-1934 and both her 1883 marriage and first born birth records indicate Josephine’s Quebec birth.
• The discovery of Josephine Blanchard in 1870 at Killingley, CT at age 11 has possibly shed new light on Josephine’s birth and family. That U.S. Census record indicates that her birth was in Rhode Island. It also shows 9 of her 10 siblings were born in southern New England and with one born in Quebec.
• The 1870 census information led to her parent’s 3 Nov 1850 marriage at Thompson, Connecticut. This marriage record disclosed the mother’s name was Julia Bundy, but suggests Julia, a resident of Thompson, CT, was born at North Providence, R.I. This does not match our Quebec birth, marriage and birthing expectations for our Josephine. An earier census for this family does show Quebec roots for family members.
• The 1870 census also led to the discovery of William and Julia B. Blanchard in the 1880 Census at North Providence, Rhode Island. Here William and Julia are home with 5 children, the 3 oldest were born in Canada according to the Family Search transcript which was incorrectly indexed (more on this below). Josephine at age 21 is not present. The names and ages of the children present in the 1880 census match those in the 1870 census. Their birth locations are another matter. In 1870 the image at Ancestry shows the children born in R.I. except for Canadian born Louise. In 1880, the Ancestry image shows Connecticut births for the children except for Louise who again is entered as Canadian born. These two census records are transcribed at Family Search w/o attached images. The 1880 transcription does not match the children birth locations in the Ancestry image.
• Josephine at age 21 is not at home in 1880 with the Blanchard family in Rhode Island.. She is likely working in Massachusetts where within 3 years she married at Malden. No marriage has been discovered in Rhode Island for Josephine Blanchard.
• Josephine’s parents William and Laura/Julia? Blanchard are uncertain. In fact, their names differ in Josephine’s marriage and death records. In her 1934 death record, her mother’s name is blank and her father’s name is reported to be John Blanchard. Both records include her husband’s full name and report her parents were born in Quebec. An earlier death record from the same Danvers Town Clerk Office indicated her mother’s given name was Hannah.
• Josephine's parents, William and Julia, were derermined through the process of a full and reasonable search. There is however a concern that perhaps they also aren't Josephine Harris's kin.

• verify 1857-1861 R.I. Birth for Josephine Blanchard as shown in 1870 CT census. - record not found
• If Josephine, daughter of William and Julia, married in R.I. She might be listed within https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/336085?availability=Family%20History%20Library but this source is unavailable online.
• needed: obituary record(s) for William and/or Julia (Bundy) Blanchard showing the names of surviving children including of course Josephine Blanchard wife of Joseph C. Harris
• Josephine is not found in the 1880 census.
• Josephine Blanchard at age 21 is not listed in the 1882 City List at Malden, MA at Ancestry.com. Available years in nearby Medford and Melrose city lists begin post marriage 1883
• After a reasonably exhaustive search, three contemporary people named Josephine Blanchard have been discovered in the geographical area in and near Massachusetts:

1) there is a family in Lawrence with a daughter named Josephine, but her later marriage to Fred Morgan discounts that match. This Josephine died in San Diego. 2) there is a family in Worcester with a daughter named Josephine but her marriage to Louis Brissette discounts that match. 3) the Blanchard Family of Killingly, CT and Providence, RI is the best candidate for a match found to date. their daughter Josephine was born in 1859, the parents are Canadian born. We have the parent’s marriage record, which unfortunately indicates the father was R.I. born. That marriage record has another issue. Two marriages were recorded on 3 Nov 1850 at Thompson, CT. with both husbands named William Blanchard from N. Providence, R.I. This other family is not located in 1860 and after 1880.

• Josephine is at home with 10 siblings in the 1870 census and is not at home with 5 children in the 1880 census. In fact, this Josephine Blanchard remains undiscovered in any 1880 census record.
• immigration records extend back to only 1895
• https://afgs.org/site/shop-online/. Has R.I. Church records
• no deaths recorded in R.I Death Index for anyone named Blanchard with parents named William and Julia: see https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WB-3DYF?i=68&cat=698695. -
• William Blanchard’s death is recorded on 23 Feb 1901, at age 68, son of William and Mary.
• Julia Blanchette’s (sic) death is recorded in 1903, last residence same as 1900 census address for William and Julia in New Bedford, Massachusetts.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} "United States Census, 1900" database online: FamilySearch, [1]
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "FindAGrave"[2]
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} "Massachusetts Marriages, 1841-1915," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NWYC-J7H : 10 March 2021), Joseph C. Harris and Josephine Blanchard, 13 Mar 1883; citing Malden, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 1,432,996 See image line #35
4. ↑ 1870 Residence for Josephine Blanchard in "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MN75-2NV : 18 July 2022), Josephine Blanchard in entry for Wm Blanchard, 1870.
5. ↑ 1880 presence of Josephine Blanchard at age 21 in Houshold of Henry S. Manwaring in "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFZM-SP2 : 13 January 2022), Josephine Blanchard in household of Henry S. Manwaring, Norwich, New London, Connecticut, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
6. ↑ Josephine Blanchard in entry for "George Harris in Massachusetts, Birth Records, 1840-1915," Ancestry.com, database on line, [subscription] Ancestry Image, see line #3046
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch [3]
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch [4]
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch [5]
10. ↑ "Massachusetts Death Index, 1901-1980", database online: Ancestry, [6]
11. ↑ "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZR1-XTB : 13 June 2019), Alfred A Harris, 1989.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Ed Fields for creating this profile. Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Ed and others.