Mary Anna Fischer (abt. 1857 - 1939)

Born about 1857 in Louisiana, United States

Wife of Joseph Omer Rivet — married 25 Oct 1877 in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States

Descendants

Died 14 Apr 1939 at about age 82 in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, Louisiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Joyce Rivette [send private message]

Biography

Mary Anna Fischer, daughter of Joseph Fischer and Mary Anna Schoettgen, was born about 1857 in Louisiana, United States.^[1][2]

She married Joseph Omer Rivet, son of Louis Rivet and Marie Henriette LeBlanc, on 25 October 1877 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, Louisiana. Witnesses were Mariana Schlitzberger, T. Rivet, Sophie Kornmeyer, Edgar Marix, Christien Fischer, J. H. Shanks, L. M. Verbois, Dr. M. J. Lehman, Mrs. Dr. Lehman, and Pamelia Rivet.^[3][4] Their children were:

1. Edwin Joseph Rivet (1879 - 1934)
2. Mary Berthe Rivet (1882 - )
3. Mary Frances Rivet (1884 - )
4. Josephine Olivia Rivet (1888 - 1959)
5. Dora Elizabeth Rivet (1891 - )

Mary and Joseph were enumerated in Plaquemine during the 1880 census.^[5]

She was reportedly widowed on 8 May 1884.^[6][7] However, this appears to be incorrect considering the births of two children in 1888 and 1891. (See research notes on Omer's profile.)

She married second William E. Hedger on 19 March 1898 in Iberville Parish.^[8] They were enumerated in Iberville Parish with her children during the 1900 census.^[7] In 1910, Mary claimed to be widowed and was living with her son, Edward, in New Orleans.^[9]

On 17 February 1915, she applied for a confederate widow's pension for Joseph's confederate service. She stated in the application that she never remarried.^[10]

Mary was probably the "Mary A. Rivet" on the 1920 census as head of a household in Plaquemine, Iberville Parish, living with her daughter "Elise." They rented a house on the Bayou Road in Police Jury Ward Eight.^[11] They were living in the Third Ward, at 706 Main Street in Plaquemine in 1930.^[12]

Mary died on 14 April 1939 in Plaquemine.^[13][14]

Research Notes

Discrepancies regarding children.

See research notes on the profile for Joseph Omer Rivet.

Issues regarding 2nd marriage.

There are discrepancies regarding her supposed second marriage to Wm. E. Hedger 19 Mar 1898 in Iberville parish. On the 1900 census in Iberville parish, she is the wife of William "Hedges," and these 3 youngest children are living with them, shown as step-daughters to William. He was quite a few years older than her, and may have died between the 1900 and 1910 censuses, because in 1910 she is Mary Hedges, widowed, living with her son Edwin.

Note: a William Hedges is also found in 1910 in Iberville parish, living with a wife of 10 years, Edorite, and children ages 7/12 to 11 yrs. Although he would have been the same age as Mary's William, I am currently assuming that this was not the same William. However, the age is a match and it is technically possible that he and Mary could have divorced immediately after the 1900 census. It would be a good idea to research William to verify whether or not there were two Williams of a similar age.

In 1915 when Mary applied for confederate pension, she claimed she had never remarried. It is possible that she may have lied about it in order to collect the pension, since she would have been ineligible for it otherwise.

Another item of note is in Mary's death record. The death index (index available on FamilySearch.org) shows her spouse's name as Joseph Rivet. So, did the informant for her death (whoever that may have been) give Joseph Rivet as her spouse, even though she had been since remarried and divorced? This would make sense if her family was ignoring the second marriage, especially considering it was probably one of her children who was the informant for the death certificate.

All that said, there is another possibility that the the Mary Fisher/William Hedges marriage was for a different Mary. The BRDA extract for the Fisher-Hedges marriage shows Mary's parents as Joseph Fisher and Mary Matedan. Since Joseph and Mary were such common names, and Fisher is also common, this could be an entirely different Mary from ours. But one of the witnesses for the marriage was Edwin Rivet, which is the name of her oldest son, who would have been about 19 years of age at the time.

So it's all a bit confusing, and needs more research to nail down what's going on with this family.

Sources

1. ↑ 1880 U.S. Census, Iberville Parish, LA, population schedule (digital image), accessed 26 Oct 2007; Plaquemine, 3rd Ward, E.D. 65, p. 16 (handwritten top left), family 176, household of Joseph Rivet; age 23, born La.
2. ↑ FamilySearch, "Louisiana, Deaths Index, 1850-1875, 1894-1960" (https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1609793 : accessed 22 Jul 2017), Mary A. Rivet, certificate no. 5065; Louisiana State Archives, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; FHL Film Number 2,358,376, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT; age 83 years, died 14 Apr 1939, born La.
3. ↑ Diocese of Baton Rouge Catholic Church Records ("DOBR"), 1707-1900 (Baton Rouge, LA: Diocese Archives, 1978-2007), vol. 14 (1877-1879), p. 510; citing (SJP-14, 45).
4. ↑ Ancestry.com, Louisiana, Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925, online https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=7837 (Provo, UT, USA), published 2004; Jos. O. Rivet and Mary A. Fisher, 25 Oct 1877, Iberville Ph., LA.
5. ↑ 1880 U.S. census, Iberville Ph., LA, Plaquemine, 3rd Ward, E.D. 65, p. 16 (handwritten top left), family 176, household of Joseph Rivet.
6. ↑ Louisiana Confederate Pension Applications; Louisiana Secretary of State, Baton Rouge, LA, USA; Widow's Application for Pension, Mrs. Mary A. Rivet, widow of Joseph Omer Rivet of Company I 30th La. Inf., residing at 5109 Annunciation St., New Orleans. States that he died 8 May 1884 at Plaquemine, La. (he was kicked and remained sick for about 7 months), was buried at the Catholic cemetery at Plaquemine, La.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} 1900 U.S. Census, Iberville Parish, LA, population schedule (digital image), accessed 17 July 2008; Eighth Ward, E.D. 22, Sheet 14 (original stricken and renumbered top right), family 364, household of William Hedges; Joseph Omer's wife Mary was remarried by 1900.
8. ↑ Ancestry.com, Louisiana, Compiled Marriage Index, 1718-1925; 19 Mar 1898, Wm E. Hedger and Mary Fisher, Iberville Parish, La.
9. ↑ 1910 U.S. Census, Orleans Parish, LA, population schedule (digital image), accessed 22 Oct 2007; New Orleans, Ward 13, Precinct 1, ED 206, 5276 Annunciation Street, family 140, household of Edward Rivet; Mary was the mother of 4 children, all living.
10. ↑ Louisiana Confederate Pension Applications; Rivet, Mary A. (Fisher), widow of Joseph O. Rivet; Widow's Application for Pension filed 7 Feb 1915 in Orleans Parish, La. States she never remarried. She signed the application 17 Feb 1915.
11. ↑ "United States Census, 1920", FamilySearch (familysearch.org : 8 Dec 2023), household of Mary A Rivet, Police Jury Ward 8, Plaquemine, Iberville, Louisiana, United States; citing Enumeration District 65, sheet 1A, family 9, line 34, Bayou Road, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) publication T625; FHL microfilm 1,820,614.

    - Mary A Rivet F White 65 Widowed Head Louisiana

    - Elise Rivet F White 27 Single Daughter Louisiana

12. ↑ "United States Census, 1930", FamilySearch (familysearch.org : 6 Oct 2023), household of Mary Rivet, Plaquemine, 3rd Ward, Iberville, Louisiana, United States; citing Enumeration District 24-7, sheet 28A, family 739, line 50, 706 Main Street, NARA publication T626; FHL microfilm 2,340,530.

    - Mary Rivet F White 74 Widowed Head Louisiana

    - Elise Rivet F White 32 Single Daughter Louisiana

13. ↑ FamilySearch, Louisiana Deaths Index, Mary A. Rivet; age 83 years, died 14 Apr 1939, Plaquemine, Iberville.
14. ↑ Louisiana Confederate Pension Applications; Rivet, Mary A. (Fisher), widow of Joseph O. Rivet; Widow's Application for Pension filed 7 Feb 1915 in Orleans Parish, La. She states she is age 59 yrs. Also included in the pension file is a copy of her final pension check dated 1 May 1939 for $60, noting her death date of 14 Apr 1939; and an affidavit signed by her 3 daughters Miss Eline Rivet, Mrs. John Frances Rivet Briehm, and Mrs. Olivia Rivet White, stating that they are Mary's only heirs. The affidavit also confirms Mary's death date of 14 Apr 1939.