May (Field) Grovesteen (1860 - 1898)

Born 1860 in New York City, New York, United States

Wife of William Patten Grovesteen — married 23 Oct 1878 (to 1895) in Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States

Descendants

Died 10 Dec 1898 at about age 38 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Carol Murray [send private message]

Biography

May Field was born around 1860 in New York City. Her parents were Charles H Field and Emily Hopkins. She married William Grovestein. May died on 10 Dec 1898 at 156 Clinton St, Brooklyn, New York. She was a widow at that time. She was buried on 12 Dec 1898 at New Brunswick Cemetery. Her parents were listed as born in New York on her death certificate. ^{[1] [2]}

May Field Grovesteen, 1870-1898, is buried with her husband and other family at Elmwood Cemetery, New Brunswick, New Jersey. She was the daughter of Charles H. Field and Emily (Smith) Hopkins. ^[3]

William Patten Grovesteen, 23, and Mary Law Field, 19, both born in New York City, were married on 23 October 1878 in Brooklyn, Kings, New York. It was the first marriage for both. Mary was the daughter of Charles H. Field and Emily Smith. William was the son of James Henry Grovesteen and Anna Vanderhoof. ^[4]

In 1880, the Grovesteen family lived at 430 W. 23rd St., New York City, New York. The three generation family included

• George H. Grovesteeen, 63, born in New York (parents b. NY), a piano manufacturer
• Annie Grovesteen Wife 52 New Jersey (parents b. NY)
• William P. Grovesteen Son 25 New York, a banker
• May Grovesteen (Dau. in law) 20 New York
• Charles Grovesteen Son 22 New York, a physician
• Milton Grovesteen Son 18 New York
• Bessie H. Grovesteen Dau. 13 New York, in school
• Norah Haven 25 Ireland, servant
• Catherine Murphy 50 Ireland, servant
• Emily Grovesteen, Granddaughter 8 mos. New York (dau. of William and May)
• Anna Boyd 21 New York, nurse ^[5]

William H. Grovesteen published an open letter to the New York Stock Exchange suggesting that they should control their own stock quotations, in the New York Times, 2 March 1887, page 2.

In 1892, the Grovesteens lived in Brooklyn, Kings, New York. The household included W.P. Grovesteen, 36; and Mary F., 31, both born in the United States. Living nearby were (William’s father and brother) J.H. Grovesteen, 62; and Dr. Charles E. Grovesteen. ^[6]

May and William’s infant son died in 1893, aged four months. William’s mother died the day after he was admitted to the psychiatric hospital, where he died in 1895, which was in the midst of the great financial crisis of 1893-97.

William’s widow, May F. Grovesteen petitioned the court on 26 March 1895 for dissolution of her husband’s $1800+ estate, since he died without a will. He died at a Flatbush Lunatic Asylum on 19 March. He was admitted to Kings County Lunatic Asylum on 13 March 1895 with advanced paresis, atopic gait, defective articulation, irregular pupils, and “ideas very much confused”, heart “rapid and irritable”, and normal respiration. By 18 March, he was much more feeble. The morning of the 19th, he stayed in bed, refusing food. He died about 8am, as reported by Dr. D.E. Warren, attending physician. Dr. H.T. Rhodes filed the coroners report. The autopsy showed that the (obese) body had no marks or bruises, and no broken bones. The liver and lungs had some congestion. The brain appeared normal. The heart was diseased, with some fatty deposits and other problems. The decree was granted on 27 March 1895, and William’s estate was settled. [11]

May died in December 1898. In 1900, her orphaned children Emily H. and Natalie lived with their May’s parents (mother and step-father) at 14 First Place, Brooklyn (NYC ward 6), New York. The family included Elias T. and Emily Hopkins; their widowed daughter, and her young daughter; and granddaughters, Emily H. Grovesteen, 21, born Sept. 1879; and Natalie Grovesteen, 18, a student; and one servant. Elias Hopkins owned the home with a mortgage. [12]

The house at 14 First Place, Brooklyn, built in 1899, is located in Carroll Gardens. It is a three story, three-family unit, a classic Brooklyn brownstone townhouse. The steps leading up to the front stoop are flanked by wrought iron railings. There are lovely, tall, double front doors. The front garden is lush and well established. There is a small backyard. This house sold for the first time in sixty years in 2017 for $2.8 million. [13] This house, built in 1899, was likely built for the Hopkins family, since they were living there in 1900, and would have had the need for three separate living quarters.

Sources

1. ↑ "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WF9-FFR : 20 March 2015), May Field Grovestein, 10 Dec 1898; citing Death, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,324,012.
2. ↑ "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FDPQ-TY7 : 11 February 2018), May Field Grovesteen in entry for Edw. Kenneth Grovesteen, 03 Mar 1893; citing Brooklyn, Kings, New York, reference ; FHL microfilm 1,324,413.
3. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #149726088
4. ↑ "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:24ZL-KL9 : 10 February 2018), William Paton Grovesteen and Mary Law Field, 23 Oct 1878; citing Marriage, Brooklyn, Kings, New York, United States, New York City Municipal Archives, New York; FHL microfilm 1,543,961.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZ6F-7YF : 7 September 2017), William P Grovesteen in household of George H Grovesteen, New York, New York, New York, United States; citing enumeration district ED 340, sheet 577A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0883; FHL microfilm 1,254,883.
6. ↑ "New York State Census, 1892", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQ3H-8P6 : 21 October 2021), Wm P Grovesteen, 1892.