Mary Jane (Stockwell) Luce (1841 - abt. 1917)

Born 2 Feb 1841 in Canaseraga, Allegany County, New York

Wife of George Levi Helm — married 24 Apr 1862 in Birdsall, Allegany, New York, United States

Died about 13 Mar 1917 at about age 76 in Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States

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Biography

Mary Jane was born 2 Feb 1841^[1][2] in Canaseaga, NY. She was the daughter of David and Elvira (Drake) Stockwell.^[3]

By 1850 her whereabouts is associated with Birdsall, NY,^[3] although they may still have been living on the farm between the two neighboring towns.

In 1862 she married George Helm^[1] about the same time he was heading off to war. George entered the military on 15 Aug 1862, mustering in as a corporal in Co. H, 1st Dragoons of New York state. He was one of the lucky ones who returned from battle, mustering out at Cloud's Mill, VA on 30 Jun 1865 as the war was winding down.^[4]

After the war the couple started their family, having two children by 1869.^[5] George passed away, however, about the same time their second child arrived, leaving Mary Jane a widow with two children under the age of four.^[6]

In Dec 1874 she married Orrin "O.C." Luce,^[1] who had become a widower himself just eleven months earlier and had three grown children of his own.^[7] Together they would adopt a cousin, Nettie Andrews,^[8] whose mother^[9] had died the month after Mary Jane and O.C. were married and Nellie's father could not deal with raising his nine children, so he split the family and sent the children off in various directions.^[10]

By 1900, her son, who was listed as a Stationary Engineer, and his wife appear to be running a boarding house in Buffalo, and his parents were living with him (along with seven others).^[11]

Mary Jane's second husband passed away in 1906. He is buried in Canaseraga Cemetery^[2] with his first wife. Mary Jane is also buried there, but with her first husband.^[2] She passed away 13 Mar 1917.^[1][2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} The Luce Family Tree, descendants of William Henry Luce and Diantha Colwell - 1972
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} 1850 United States Federal Census, state of New York, county of Allegany, town of Birdsall, enumerate on 11 Dec 1850, lines 32-33
4. ↑ U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles, 1861-1865, Title: New York: Report of the Adjutant-General 1893-1906
5. ↑ 1870 United States Federal Census, state of New York, county of Allegany, town of Burns, enumerated on 19 Jul 1870, page 32, lines 2-3
6. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41187344/george-l-helm: accessed 30 July 2022), memorial page for George L. Helm (1840–1869), Find a Grave Memorial ID 41187344, citing Canaseraga Cemetery, Canaseraga, Allegany County, New York, USA; Maintained by Nancy Scott (contributor 46588044)
7. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/41234463/mary-luce: accessed 30 July 2022), memorial page for Mary Luce (26 May 1829–13 Jan 1874), Find a Grave Memorial ID 41234463, citing Canaseraga Cemetery, Canaseraga, Allegany County, New York, USA; Maintained by Darlene (contributor 46776162)
8. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15997683/annette-ganssley: accessed 14 October 2022), memorial page for Annette “Nettie” Ganssley (2 Jun 1867–1944), Find a Grave Memorial ID 15997683, citing Yerian Cemetery, Vernon, Shiawassee County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Jack Vander-Schrier (contributor 46537598)
9. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/175670984/anna-mills-andrews: accessed 30 July 2022), memorial page for Anna Mills Stockwell Andrews (1829–28 Jan 1875), Find a Grave Memorial ID 175670984, citing Union Plains Cemetery, Byron, Shiawassee County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by Joe Verreau (contributor 48134890)
10. ↑ Notes from Sharon Mason, "RUSSELL ALONZO ANDREWS AND ANNA STOCKWELL", posted in Ancestry.com on 5 May 2017
11. ↑ 1900 United States Federal Census, state of New York, county of Erie, city of Buffalo, ward 3, Enumeration District # 0022, enumerated on 6 Jun 1900, sheet # 5B