Lottie M (Lee) Spinnett (1878 - 1956)

Born 7 Feb 1878 in Quebec, Canada [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of William Edward Ayers — married 1 Jun 1893 (to before 1897) in North Andover, Mass.

Wife of George Alfred Lowell — married 10 May 1897 (to before 1902) in Lawrence, Mass.

Wife of Henry G. Loper — married 31 Mar 1902 (to about 1908) in Sag Harbor, Suffolk, New York, United States

Wife of Herbert E Hosmer — married 1908 (to before 1914) in Lawrence, Mass. [uncertain]

Wife of George Hall Travis — married 13 Mar 1915 (to before 1920) in Sag Harbor, Suffolk, New York, United States

Wife of John Spinnett Jr. — married 15 Jun 1921 in Providence, RI

Descendants

Died 12 Dec 1956 at age 78 in Cranston, Rhode Island

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kerry Fisher [send private message]

Biography

Lillian Lee` was born Lottie Lee in the province of Quebec, Canada on February 7, 1878. Her parents were Sylvester Lee and Marion (Mary) Tyler. Both her parents were decendants of long established and distinguished American families.

By the time of Lottie's birth in 1878 at least two of her half brothers namely Charles Horatio Lee and Marcus Colostine Magoon had emigrated to the U.S and settled in the area of the textile cities of Lowell and Lawrence Massachusetts. Other family members would follow including Lottie's mother and by 1893- Lottie herself.

Immediately following the deaths of her mother in Lawrence, Mass. in March of 1893 and of her father in Coaticook, Canada in April, she married one William Edward Ayers on June 1, 1893 either in Lawrence or North Andover Massachusetts. She was probably unaware that Mr. Ayers was already married at the time with a growing family back in Baltimore. We probably will never know how Ayers found himself in Lawrence or how he made the acquaintance of the recently orphaned 15 year old girl. But being that she was only 15, Lottie- as she was then still calling herself- claimed to have been born in 1875 undoubtedly at the shrewd suggestion of the 25 year old Ayers. Her parents are recorded as Sylvester and Mary Lee.

Whether this marriage was annulled or otherwise legally terminated or whether Ayers just beat it back to Baltimore is unknown but on May 10, 1897 she married George Alfred Lowell in Cambridge or Lawrence Mass. Now calling herself Lillian (perhaps because Lowell's mother was named Lottie) she stated that she was born in New Hampshire in 1878 to parents Sylvester and Mary Lee.

The 1900 U.S. Census finds George and Lillian Lowell living in Stonington, Ct. near New London. She gave her date and place of birth as 1878 in Massachusetts also stating that her father was born in Canada. The census records that the Lowells have been married 4 years - George Lowell's occupation is given as wood turner. (Incidentally, the death of one Albert Lowell in Stonington on September 30, 1897 is recorded in the Connecticut Death Index. It is unknown however if Albert Lowell is in any way connected to George and Lillian)

No divorce record for Lillian and George Lowell has been discovered but by 1902 Lillian "Lee" had made her way from New London across Long Island Sound to Sag Harbor L.I. N.Y. where on March 31, 1902 she married Henry G. Loper. Not long after this, the Lopers moved to Lillian's adopted "hometown" of Lawrence Mass. where on August 29, 1904 their son Henry Garnet Loper was born. On the birth record it is stated that Lillian's birthplace was Lawrence, Massachusetts.

As with Lillian's previous marriages, we do not know when the Lopers' marriage ended but in the 1910 U.S. Census we find Lillian still in Lawrence Mass. but married to Herbert Eugene Hosmer. The census states she was born in 1881 in Canada to Canadian born parents. It also states this to be her second marriage although actually it is her 4th. We know this to be the same Lillian Lee Loper because the Hosmer household included her son Henry G. Loper aged 5. There is also a daughter Harriet Hosmer aged 1yr. 4 mos. born in Coaticook Canada where Lillian still had family.

The following year, their son Herbert Elbridge Hosmer was born on February 2, 1911. His birth record states that his mother Lillian Lee was born in Lowell, Mass. Sadly this child died in 1912 but on the death certificate Lillian's place of birth is given as Lawrence, Mass.

After the death of young Herbert, Lillian and Herbert Hosmer Sr. parted ways. Herbert maintained custody of Harriet and it appears that the child was adopted by Herbert's second wife Ellen.

In 1915 we learn that Lillian returned to Sag Harbor where she married one George Hall Travis on March 13, 1915. The next year on January 2, 1916 a son Walter Travis was born. This marriage would prove to be another short- lived union and- as seems to be the case with some of her previous marriages- not worth mentioning.

The 1920 U.S. Census shows "Mrs. Travis" living in Providence, R.I. in the home of Pierce Burdick but as Mrs. Lillian Loper - a widow. Along with her in the Burdick household is her now unified family, H Garnet Loper aged 16 and Walter Loper aged 3. Lillian is listed as housekeeper. It states that she was born in 1886 in Massachusetts and that her parents were Canadian.

The 1930 U.S. census reports that Lillian is the wife of John Spinnett. According to family sources the marriage took place in Providence on June 15, 1921. It lasted 15 years until the death of John Spinnett in 1936. (6th time's the charm) The Spinnett household included Henry G. Loper aged 25 and Walter L. Loper aged 14. The census states that Lillian was born in Massachusetts in 1887 and - inexplicably - that her parents were born in Virginia! (perhaps she found it beneficial to claim relationship to the Lees of the Old Dominion)

The U.S. Social Security Applications and Claims Index record of May 1948 states that Lillian M. Lee Spinnett was born on February 7, 1886 in Lowell Mass. As usual, the date and place have been fudged but that is not important. What is important to this narrative is that it names her parents: Sylvester and Mary Tyler Lee. From this fact we can establish her family, place of birth and birth date. It also firmly links her to her first 2 marriages. The presence of her child Henry G. Loper and later Walter establishes the continuity of all the events from 1905 up to 1930.

Following the death of her last husband John Spinnett in 1936, Lillian lived primarily at 837 Cranston St. Cranston R.I. in apartments above the J&S Baking Company owned by her brother-in-law Joseph Spinnett (and Daniel Joy) until her death in 1956.

Lillian Lee died at age 78 on December 12, 1956 and is buried next to her last husband John Spinnett in the New Pawtuxet Cemetery in Warwick, R.I.

Lillian Spinnett (Lillian Lee) daughter of Sylvester Lee & Mary Tyler http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=lillian&gsfn_x=1&gsln=spinnett&gsln_x=1&MSAV=1&cp=0&catbucket=rt&uidh=a05&pcat=BMD_DEATH&h=11762457&recoff=4+6+17&db=Numident&indiv=1&ml_rpos=1

Lottie Lee daughter of Sylvester Lee and Marion (Tyler) Lee https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/74478989/person/48301366134/facts

Time Line

1878 Quebec, Canada birth of Lottie Lee: Canada Census 1881 http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=aKM468&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=lottie&gsfn_x=XO&gsln=lee&gsln_x=XO&msbdy_x=1&msbdp=2&MSAV=1&msbdy=1878&msbpn__ftp=Canada&msbpn=3243&msbpn_PInfo=3-%7C0%7C1652393%7C0%7C3243%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C0%7C&msbpn_x=1&msbpn__ftp_x=1&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&uidh=a05&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=2973121&recoff=7%209&db=1881Canada&indiv=1&ml_rpos=17

1893 Lawrence Mass. March 31, 1893 - death of mother, Marion Lee wife of Sylvester) https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2495&h=6693511&tid=&pid=&queryId=9bf43259b4a3766e74e6399ef58fb971&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK235&_phstart=successSource

1893 Coaticook, Quebec, Canada April 25, 1893 - death of father Sylvester Lee https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/70095470/person/30207930923/facts?_phsrc=bOn163&_phstart=successSource&clickref=1100lbk3PM6T%2C1100lbk3PM6T&adref=&o_xid=01011l4xx5&o_lid=01011l4xx5&o_sch=Affiliate%2BExternal

1893 Lawrence Mass. June 1, 1893 Marriage (1) to William Ayers (as Lottie M Lee) https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=MAMarriageRecords&h=14198876&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=2495 Ayers may have been married to someone else at the time https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/3223159/person/-1759876853/facts?_phsrc=bOn264&_phstart=successSource

1897 Lawrence Mass. May 19, 1897 Marriage (2) to George Lowell (as Lillian Lee) http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&gsfn=lillian+&gsfn_x=1&gsln=lee&gsln_x=1&mswpn__ftp=Massachusetts%2c+USA&mswpn=24&mswpn_PInfo=5-|0|1652393|0|2|3242|24|0|0|0|0|&mswpn__ftp_x=1&mswpn_x=1&msbdy_x=1&MSAV=1&msbdy=1878&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&uidh=a05&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=14673040&recoff=6+7+43&db=MATownVital&indiv=1&ml_rpos=3

1900 Residing in Stonington, New London, CT with George Lowell https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=7602&h=79677377 correct birth date given as February 1878

1902 Sag Harbor NY, March 31, 1902 Marriage (3) to Henry Loper (as Lillian Lee) #5441 https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61632/images/48576_556174-00531?pId=5492195 https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61632/images/48576_556174-00548?pId=5492195

1904 Lawrence, Mass. August 29, 1905 Birth of son Henry Loper (given as Henry G Roper) https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2495&h=6763217&tid=&pid=&queryId=457d725f04aca96e0bf28d64b4ce2d57&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK5714&_phstart=successSource

an interesting aside... 1906 Andover, Mass. Voter registration for one Harry G. Loper b. ca 1882 Sag Harbor NY, brakeman on Boston & Maine RR. https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=_LOPER&event=_Andover-Essex-Massachusetts-USA_4366&pg=2&birth=1880&birth_x=10-0-0&count=10&event_x=_1-1&name_x=1_1

1908 Lawrence, Mass. Marriage (4) to Herbert Hosmer: according to US Census 1910. no marriage record found http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&indiv=try&h=140518413

1908 Coaticook, Quebec, Canada December 5, 1908 birth of daughter Harriet Hosmer http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&indiv=try&h=140518413

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=aKM131&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&gss=angs-g&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=harriet&gsfn_x=1&gsln=hosmer&gsln_x=NN&MSAV=1&msbdy=1909&msfng=herbert&msfng_x=1&cp=0&catbucket=rstp&uidh=a05&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=27722559&db=Numident&indiv=1&ml_rpos=3&clickref=1100lbjXN2Cb%2C1100lbjXN2Cb&adref=&o_xid=01011l4xx5&o_lid=01011l4xx5&o_sch=Affiliate%2BExternal

1910 Residing in Lawrence Mass. Household includes: Herbert Hosmer, Lillian Hosmer, Henry G Loper, Harriet Hosmer. http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&indiv=try&h=140518413

1911 Lawrence, Mass. February 11, 1911 Birth of son Herbert Hosmer Jr https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=5062&h=7955832&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=2101

1912 Lawrence Mass. June 14, 1912 Death of son Herbert Hosmer Jr. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=aKM312&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&gss=angs-c&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=herbert&gsfn_x=0&gsln=hosmer&gsln_x=0&msddy=1912&msddy_x=1&cp=0&MSAV=1&uidh=a05&pcat=34&h=8569580&recoff=5+7&db=MADeathRecords&indiv=1&ml_rpos=2&clickref=1101lbjxewWp%2C1101lbjxewWp&adref=&o_xid=01011l4xx5&o_lid=01011l4xx5&o_sch=Affiliate%2BExternal

1915 Sag Harbor, NY March 13, 1915 Marriage (5) to George Hall Travis (as Lillian Loper/Lee) https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/17550492/person/28680672080/facts

https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=BIK148&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&dbid=61632&gsfn=george&gsln=travis&gsfn_x=1&gsln_x=1&msgdy=1915&new=1&rank=1&uidh=a05&redir=false&msT=1&gss=angs-d&pcat=34&fh=0&h=7358089&recoff=&ml_rpos=1&queryId=6c8e29dc079c17c9a38390b40ac103b2

1916 Sag Harbor, NY January 2, 1916 birth of Walter Travis https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61667&h=2136466&tid=&pid=&queryId=bd4dbdfbcc08d0976ff9e09eb4615f22&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK150&_phstart=successSource

1920 Providence, RI Census: Living with Pierce C (Percy) Burdick 60 Chapin Ave. Providence RI https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1920usfedcen&indiv=try&h=21754053 Household: Pierce Burdick, Lillian Loper, (Henry) Garnet Loper and Walter Loper

Pierce Burdick https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1870usfedcen&h=14024500&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=7602

1921 Providence, RI June 15, 1921 Marriage (6) to John Spinnett (as Lillian Loper) https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=6224&h=8666435&tid=&pid=&queryId=8db4978c4359e343baf785baee1fe725&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK55&_phstart=successSource Marriage recorded in Spinnett bible no marriage record yet found.

1930 Providence, RI. US Census- Household: John Spinnett, Lillian Spinnett, Henry G. Loper, Walter L. Loper https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1930usfedcen&indiv=try&h=8666435

1935 Providence RI. Rhode Island Census - Household: John Spinnett, Lillian Spinnett, Garnet H. Loper, Walter L. Loper https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=RICensus&indiv=try&h=2546977

1936 Portsmouth RI December 19, 1936 Husband John Spinnett Jr. killed in truck crash in Portsmouth RI

1954 Cranston, RI. Presumed living in Cranston R.I in 1954 http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?rank=1&new=1&MSAV=1&gss=angs-g&gsfn=lillian&gsln=spinnett&gsln_x=XO&msypn__ftp=Connecticut%2c+USA&msypn=9&msypn_PInfo=5-|0|1652393|0|2|3242|9|0|0|0|0|&msypn_x=PAS&msypn__ftp_x=1&cpxt=0&catBucket=rstp&uidh=tx7&cp=0&gsfn_x=XO&pcat=ROOT_CATEGORY&h=1008714960&db=USDirectories&indiv=1&ml_rpos=14

1956 Cranston RI December 12, 1956 Death of Lillian Spinnett age 78 per records of New Pawtuxet Cemetery Warwick, RI. Interment December 15, 1956 Section O Lot 137

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/216216047/lillian-m-spinnett

Ruling out other Lillian Lees

Ruling out other Lillian Lees

Lillian V. Lee b. 1880 Lowell d. 1975 dau. of William Merrill Lee and Helen Keys - this Lillian is Lottie's first cousin as their fathers were brothers.

Lillian E. Lee b. Jun 1891 Brookhaven Suffolk NY dau. of Thomas and Francis Lee would have been 10 years old on March 31, 1902 and therefore unlikely to be the Lillian who married Henry Loper on that date. This Lillian later became Lillian Vogel https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1900usfedcen&indiv=try&h=56754780

Lillian Lee b. July 1891 also in Brookhaven Suffolk, NY dau. of Robert and Nellie Lee also would have been 10 years old on March 31, 1902. This Lillian later became Lillian Healy https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1900usfedcen&indiv=try&h=56750635

Lillian Catherine Lee b. 1892 Lowell dau. of James and Kate Lee also too young This Lillian became Lillian Wesley. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2495&h=15977203&tid=&pid=&queryId=2b9eda894df6f5327e6ccfe16e6d8fc9&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK146&_phstart=successSource

Lillian H. Lee b. November 12, 1885 Lowell, Mass. dau. of Robert and Bridget (Sarah) McQuaid Lee died before 1894. https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=5062&h=1172160&tid=&pid=&queryId=c57f9516df43889d25a7aabd0f2ab0dc&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK477&_phstart=successSource https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/11520586/person/-446526131/facts

A second Lillian Lee was born to these parents December 25, 1894. She married Myles Hugh McDonald ca1920 she died in New Jersey in 1967 https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/117436431/person/330181298269/facts

Lillian Lee b. September 15, 1891 Leicester Mass. dau. of Walter and Harriet Lee is really Lillian Tee. She died unmarried in Acton Mass. 1959 https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2495&h=6656238&tid=&pid=&queryId=5ae7a5993db42f994e29d5f50da7235e&usePUB=true&_phsrc=BIK5376&_phstart=successSource

Lillian Rooney b. abt. 1872 dau. of James Rooney and Josephine Erwin married George Washington Travis and is not Lillian Lee Loper who married George Hall Travis https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/163050489/person/312154473261/facts

According to New Pawtuxet Cemetery records, Lillian is buried next to husband John Spinnett. John's grave has a veteran's headstone; sadly her grave is unmarked.

Lillian Lee Spinnett: Her parents names were Sylvester Lee and Marion (Mary) Tyler Lee as recorded on her Social security claim.

She used various birth dates and birth places over the course of a lifetime and although she used the name Lillian most of her adult life, she was evidently born Lottie Lee Februrary 7, 1878 in Canada daughter of Sylvester and Mary (Marion) Tyler Lee. And while she accumulated many last names for one lifetime, she mostly used Lee, Loper, and Spinnett - forsaking all others. It would be great to put a face to this interesting and intriguing person - Lillian Lee.

Do you have information about Loper? Please contribute to her biography. Everything on WikiTree is a collaborative work-in-progress.

Sources

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Kerry Fisher for starting this profile.

Click the Changes tab for the details of contributions by Kerry and others.