William Ward Parsons (1868 - 1908)

Born Apr 1868 in Rochester, Monroe, New York, United States

Husband of Mary Caroline (Snow) Parsons — married 12 Jul 1891 in Middleton, Lake County, California, USA

Husband of Frances L. (Fees) Stanford — married 1900 in Santa Rosa, Sonoma, California, USA

Died 7 Mar 1908 at age 39 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA

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Biography

William Ward Parsons was born in April 1868 in Rochester, Monroe County, New York, USA. ^[1] He was the son of a wealthy "Lumber Dealer," Thomas Parsons, b: ca. 1815 in England, and his wife Julia (Unknown) Parsons, b: ca. 1814 in New York. On the 1870 US Census, little William Ward Parsons was mis-named as "Mable W. Parsons, male...," making census identification difficult. His father's lumber business was valued at $16,000 US dollars on the 1870 Census and his oldest son, Cornelius Parsons' lumber assets were said to be $33,000 US dollars. ^[2]

The 1890 US Census was accidentally destroyed and not available. As a younger son, William W. Parsons joined the westward move to California as an adolescent or young man. On 12 July 1891, in Middleton, Lake County, California, at 23 years old, he married Mary Caroline Snow, b: 15 June 1867 in Chico, Butte, California, USA.^[3] He also registered to vote in Middleton, Lake County, California, on 1 Dec. 1891. He said he was a "Farmer". ^[4] He registered again on 4 August 1896, in Lower Lake, Lake County, California. ^[5]

Unfortunately, Mary Caroline (Snow) Parsons, passed away on 29 December 1897 at their home in Middletown, Lake, California. ^[6] She was buried at Middletown Cemetery, Middletown, Lake County, California, USA ^[7] No children were recorded for the couple.

William Ward Parsons moved to Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California, after his wife's passing. There, shortly before the 1 June 1900 US Census, he remarried to Miss Frances L. Fees, b: June 1875 in Lake County, California. The couple were recorded as 32 and 25 years old respectively, living in ED 174 Santa Rosa Township, Precincts 1-3, Santa Rosa city, Sonoma County, California, United States. William W. Parsons said he was a "Laborer" on the Census form. They are said to have married in 1900 and Frances had not yet had any children.^[8] Unusually, Frances Fee Parson's 1900 US Census record states that the couple were living in the household of Manuel Maniscara, on W. 7th Street, in Santa Rosa city. The original enumeration sheet states they had been married for 2 months (April 1900) and that William was a "Miner". Frances Parsons had yet to have any children.^[9] As the 2 Census pages were enumerated on different days (both in June 1900), it's likely the couple set up their own housekeeping that month and were "double counted".

On 26 November 1901, in Oroville, Butte County, California, William Ward Parsons and his wife, Frances (Fees) Parsons, had a daughter: Loveta Wileta Parsons. ^[10] Loveta was followed by a sister, Wanda Maud Parsons, born on 13 January 1904, in California.^[11]

William Ward Parsons passed away on 7 March 1908 in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA. Apparently he was found moribund at 4 AM and declared dead at Central Hospital before 7 AM that morning. He was said to be 40 years old [sic=40 in April]. His body was autopsied and the report was that he had had pneumonia in the right lung. The death was declared as from "Natural Causes". William W. Parsons was said to be a "Laborer". ^{[12] [13]} No Find A Grave Memorial has been found for him.

His 2nd wife, Frances L. (Fees) Parsons, remarried to a Mr. Stanford and moved to Los Angeles County, California. By 1 January 1920 she was living there as Head of Household with her 2 daughters, now using Parsons as their "middle name" and Stanford as surname.^[14] Ten years later the 1930 US Census recorded her as 44 years old [sic=she was 54], Divorced, and living with her younger daughter, Maude [Wanda Maude] Stanford, in Assembly District 64, City of Los Angeles, California, USA. She declared herself to be "Manager, Rooming House" there. ^[15]

Frances L. (Fees) Parsons Stanford passed away at 83 years old on 28 August 1958 in L.A. County General Hospital, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, USA. She died of "generalized arteriosclerosis" and internal hemorrhaging. Her last address was 1549 W. 7th St., Los Angeles. Her body was cremated. Note: Her death certificate stated she was born on 8 June 1875 in California.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ "California, San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23Q-3F7J : 16 May 2016), W W Parsons, 07 Mar 1908; citing Death, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, San Francisco Public Library, California; FamilySearch digital folder 004878470. Note: California Death record states he was born in 1868 in Rochester, New York. 1900 US Census states "April 1868" for his birth date.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8JZ-8T1 : 19 March 2020), Mable W Parsons in entry for Thomas Parsons, 1870.
3. ↑ "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZ3K-T8J : 8 December 2017), William W. Parsons and Mary C. Snow, 12 Jul 1891; citing Lake County, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,295,685.
4. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNFT-CJR : 25 July 2019), William Ward Parsons, 01 Dec 1891; citing Voter Registration, Middletown, Lake, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,469.
5. ↑ "California Great Registers, 1866-1910," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VNFT-C8S : 25 July 2019), William Ward Parsons, 04 Aug 1896; citing Voter Registration, Lower Lake, Lake, California, United States, county clerk offices, California; FHL microfilm 976,469.
6. ↑ "California Deaths and Burials, 1776-2000", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HGHH-1YW2 : 4 February 2020), Mary Caroline Parsons, 1897.
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 02 June 2020), memorial page for Mary Caroline Parsons (15 Jun 1867–29 Dec 1897), Find A Grave: Memorial #143355777, citing Middletown Cemetery, Middletown, Lake County, California, USA ; Maintained by Judy Kauffman (contributor 48000488) .
8. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9GR-BS2 : accessed 15 June 2020), William Parsons, Santa Rosa Township, Precincts 1-3 Santa Rosa city, Sonoma, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 174, sheet 26B, family 589, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,114.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M9GT-M6Z : accessed 15 June 2020), Francis Parsons in household of Manuel Maniscara, Santa Rosa Township, Precincts 7-9, Santa Rosa city, Sonoma, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 176, sheet 9A, family 180, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,114.
10. ↑ "California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGLW-MHZD : 27 September 2019), Wm Ward Parsons in entry for Parsons, 26 Nov 1901; citing Birth, Butte, California, United States, California State Archives, Sacramento.
11. ↑ "California Death Index, 1940-1997," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPHY-L3R : 26 November 2014), Wanda Tanner, 19 Dec 1976; Department of Public Health Services, Sacramento. Note: Gives birth date & "California" as location.
12. ↑ "California, San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23Q-3F7J : 16 May 2016), W W Parsons, 07 Mar 1908; citing Death, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, San Francisco Public Library, California; FamilySearch digital folder 004878470.
13. ↑ "California, San Francisco County Records, 1824-1997," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q23Q-399X : 5 August 2017), W W Parsons, 07 Mar 1908; citing Death, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, San Francisco Public Library, California; FamilySearch digital folder 004878327.
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHQV-KVH : accessed 15 June 2020), Frances Stanford, Los Angeles Assembly District 64, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing ED 204, sheet 4B, line 58, family 210, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records A
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCVG-MX2 : accessed 15 June 2020), Frances L Stanford, Los Angeles (Districts 0251-0500), Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 409, sheet 10B, line 75, family 152, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 148; FHL microfilm 2,339,883.
16. ↑ "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCVG-MX2 : accessed 15 June 2020), Frances L Stanford, Los Angeles (Districts 0251-0500), Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 409, sheet 10B, line 75, family 152, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 148; FHL microfilm 2,339,883.