Lydia Lavina (Fish) Owen (abt. 1836 - aft. 1900)

Born about 1836 in New York, United States

Descendants

Died after 1900 after about age 64 in United States [uncertain]

Biography

Lydia Lavina Fish was born in about 1835 or 1836 in New York State to unknown parents.

Lydia met William A. Owen on one of his trips back home to New York State. Lydia and William were married in Geneva, New York on 3 January 1859. The couple returned to William's adopted home of Detroit, Michigan.

In 1860, the couple are living well in Detroit, Michigan with one live-in servant^[1].

Lydia and William had three children. Two of them lived to maturity. They were:

Harriet Effie Owen (b. 11 July 1860 in Detroit)

William A. Owen (b. 19 March 1864 in Detroit)

On March 3rd, 1870, Lydia gave birth to their last child, a girl. Sadly, their daughter would only live for one day and then return to The Lord on March 4th, 1870^[2]. The girl was never named.

In 1870, Lydia and William are still living well in Detroit with their two (living) children, one live-in servant, and they are housing two young men which may have been in his employ^[3].

In 1880, Lydia and William are still living well in Detroit with their two (living) children, one live-in servant, and one boarder^[4].

William passed into eternity in July of 1887^[5].

In 1900, Lydia is living with her daughter Hattie and her husband, Frank Bartlett at the U.S. Naval Academy in Maryland^[6].

Research Notes

Elusive Dates - I have been unable to find any source for her actual date of birth or her date of passing.

Her year of birth is likely 1835 to 1836 based on the 1860, 1870, and 1900 census'. Unfortunately, the 1880 Census would indicate she was born in 1848. That would be hard (at best) to believe since it would have her giving birth at the age of 12 to her eldest child.

I have found no source for her passing. Her husband was well known, but even his fame did not convey to anyone documenting her death. In that she is living with her daughter, Hattie in 1900 but not in 1910, it seems likely she passed away between 1900 and 1910.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWD6-PMJ : 18 February 2021), Lydia L Owen in entry for Wm A Owen, 1860.
2. ↑ "Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N369-1LC : 18 February 2021), Lydia Owen in entry for Owen, 04 Mar 1870; citing p 197 rn 3210, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,363,450.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHCT-36N : 29 May 2021), Lidie Owen in entry for William Owen, 1870.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MW35-8HJ : 14 January 2022), Levina Owen in household of Wm. A. Owen, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
5. ↑ "Michigan Deaths, 1867-1897," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3FM-JJ4 : 18 February 2021), William A. Owen, 26 Jul 1887; citing p 341 rn 2536, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,363,634.
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1900", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3V1-1DN : 10 March 2022), Lydia L Owen in entry for Frank W Bartlett, 1900.

• Son William's marriage: https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N3X3-KHZ