Profile: Amy Seymore Williams (1856-1929)

Isaac Amos Williams and Caroline Seymore Sanders’ fourth daughter was named Amy Seymore Williams and was born in 1856 in what was then known as Canada West [D03763, D03788, D03789, D05012, D05018, D05019, D05020]. She grew up in Guelph and later moved with her family to Mount Forest and Lindsay [D03763, D03788, D03789].

Amy emigrated to the United States in 1898 [D05019], a few years after both her mother and father had passed. She first settled in Ogden, Utah to live with her younger sister Edith Mary Williams Bostaph and her husband William Bostaph [D07013].

Amy lived in Ogden a few years before relocating to Globe, Gilla, Arizona around 1900. Benjamin and Sarah Eastman, in-laws of Amy’s younger brother Edwin L. Williams had relocated there when their son, the Reverend Frederick Soloman Eastman was appointed to the St John’s Episcopal Church in Globe [D07134, D07136].

Amy married William Gaskill in Globe 19 February 1901 [D05105, D07130]. Frederick Eastman performed the marriage and his parents Benjamin and Sarah served as witnesses to the marriage [D05105, D07130].

William Gaskill was born 17 November 1855 in Manchester, England [D05021, D05023, D05614, D05615]. He emigrated to Canada in 1879 at the age of twenty-four settling in Fort William, Ontario (now part of Thunder Bay) [D05614, D05615]. He found work with the Canadian Pacific Railroad as an accountant and worked there for eighteen years before moving to Globe, Arizona in December of 1899 [D05614, D05615].

In Globe, William became a partner in the successful butchering firm of Ryan & Gaskill [D05614, D05615] where he worked until he retired in late 1908 due to his health which was getting progressively worse [D05621]. William Gaskill died 13 February 1909 of locomotor ataxia at the age of fifty-three [D05021, D05023, D05614, D05615].

After her husband’s death, Amy Williams Gaskil briefly moved back to Ogden to live with her sister Edith and brother-in-law William once again [D05619]. From there she relocated to Salmon, Idaho to live with her brother Fred A Williams on his farm where she found work as a music teacher [D05018, D05619]. Fred had lost his wife only a few years before.

Amy married William Russell Hoyt, 19 May 1912 in Portland, Oregon [D05014]. William was a photographer who had lost his first wife only the previous year [D07104].

The two remained in Oregon, moving between Portland, Salem and eventually Eugene [D07083, D07085]. WIlliam Hoyt died in Eugene, Oregon, 11 August 1924 at the age of seventy-six [D07078, D07079, D07112, D07113]. After her second husband’s death, Amy moved back to Portland and continued her work as a music teacher. She passed away herself 6 January 1929 [D05012, D05013, D05020].

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Sources:
[D03763] 1861 census of Canada East, Canada West, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, Wellington, Guelph, p. 31; RG 31; digital images,Ancestry.ca.

[D03788] 1871 census of Canada, Ontario, district 35, sub-district e, Mount Forest, p. 49, dwelling 173, family 173; RG 31; digital images.

[D03789] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 129, sub-district B-2, Lindsay, Victoria, p. 99, dwelling 458, family 469; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca.

[D05012] Riverview Cemetery (Portland, Multnomah, Oregon).

[D05013] Oregon Oregon State Archives and Records Center, Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998, 73; digital image, Family Search, "Oregon Death Index," FamilySearch.com.

[D05014] Oregon Oregon State Library, Oregon Marriage Index 1906-2009, 22447, Hoyt-Gaskill; digital images "Oregon Marriage Index,"

[D05015] Arizona Arizona History and Archives Division, Arizona County Marriage Records 1865-1972, 1: 315, 356134, Gaskill-Williams; digital images "Arizona County Marriage Records," ancestry.ca.

[D05018] 1910 U.S. census, population schedule, Brooklyn, enumeration district (ED) 0200, sheet 1A, p. 1A; digital images,ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T624, roll T624_226.

[D05019] 1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Portland, enumeration district (ED) 160, sheet 5A, p. 5A, dwelling 255, family 298; digital images, ancestry.com; citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T625, roll T625_1502.

[D05020] The Oregonian, 9 January 1929, p. 13, col. 3; digital images.

[D05021] Globe Cemetery (Globe, Gila, Arizona). ID: D05021.

[D05023] Arizona Arizona Department of Health Services, death certificate (1909); digital image, "Arizona Death Records, 1887-1960,”

[D05614] “Honored Man Dead,"Arizona Silver Belt, 14 February 1909, p. 3, col. 5; digital images, newspaperarchive.com.

[D05615] "Death of William Gaskill,"Arizona Silver Belt, 17 February1909, p. 6, col. 6; digital images, Newspaper Archive (newspaperarchive.com).

[D05619] "Located in Idaho," Arizona Silver Belt, 09 May 1909, p. 7, col. 5; digital images, Newspaper Archive (newspaperarchive.com)

[D05621] "Personal Paragraphs," Arizona Silver Belt, 21 January 1909, p. 8, col. 3; digital images(newspapers.com)

[D07078] Oregon Oregon State Archives and Records Center, Oregon Death Index, 1903-1998, 268; digital image, Family Search, "Oregon Death Index," FamilySearch.com.

[D07079] Multnomah Park Cemetery (Portland, Multnomah, Oregon), F, 61, 5.

[D07083] US City Directories, 1917:, 104; digital images(accessed 6 Dec 2020).

[D07085] US City Directories, 1915:, 619; digital images(accessed 6 Dec 2020).

[D07104] “Hillsboro Woman Dies Suddenly at Astoria," Statesman Journal, 15 April 1911, p. 2, col. 5; digital images, newspapers.com.

[D07013] ”Local News," Arizona Silver Belt, 21 February 1901, p. 8, col. 1; digital images, newspapers.com

[D07112] "Died," 12 Aug 1924, p. 5, col. 4; digital images, newspapers.com.

[D07113] "William R. Hoyt, Eugene, Succumbs," The Eugene Guard, 11 Aug 1924, p. 2, col. 5; digital images, newspapers.com.

[D07134] F.S. Eastman, "Farewell of F.S. Eastman,"Arizona Silver Belt, 1 May 1902, p. 5, col. 3; digital images, newspapers.com

[D07130] “Local News," Arizona Silver Belt, 21 February 1901, p. 8, col. 1; digital images, newspapers.com

[D07136] “St John’s Episcopal Church Report,” Arizona Silver Belt, 11 July 1901, p. 1, col. 5; digital images, newspapers.com

X00315 Solved!!

Back some time ago I posted about X00315 where I mentioned that in the marriage record for Amy Seymore Williams and William Gaskill in Globe, Gilla, Arizona in gives the witnesses as a B. Eastman and an S.C. Eastman. It also mentions that the ceremony was performed by an F.S. Eastman. The question was whether they could all be from the family of Amy's sister-in-law, Maude Alfreda Eastman. And if so, what were they all doing in Arizona?

Since then, I have done some newspaper searching and have made some discoveries that indicate that the witnesses and reverend are in fact the same Eastman family.

I found the article below from May of 1902 indicating that the Eastmans in Arizona were originally from Canada and were returning there shortly [D07138]:

From around the same time, I found Reverend F.S. Eastman's farewell letter [D07134]:

Through some other articles I found that he had been assigned to the church in Globe, Arizona by the bishop in August of 1899, which agrees with his statement that he had been there for a year and a half. I also came across an article from 1900 mentioning that he had married a woman from Quebec [D07132]:

I found the marriage in the Drouin collection, and it is indeed the same Frederick Soloman Eastman in the marriage record.

So, I've confirmed not only that the Eastmans in Arizona are the same in-laws of Amy S. Williams, but I've also been able to figure the times at which they were in Arizona (roughly August 1899 to May 1902). As well, it gives a likely explanation as to why Amy S. Williams would have also been in Arizona at the same time.

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Sources:
[D07132] "Local News," Arizona Silver Belt, 16 August 1900, p. 6, col. 1; digital images, newspapers.com.

[D07138] "Local News," Arizona Silver Belt, 8 May 1902, p. 5, col. 1; digital images, newspapers.com.

[D07134] F.S. Eastman, "Farewell of F.S. Eastman,"Arizona Silver Belt, 1 May 1902, p. 5, col. 3; digital images, newspapers.com.

X00316 Solved!!

Previously, I mentioned X00316 where there were two potential burial locations given for William R. Hoyt. One of them in Eugene Pioneer Cemetery and one in Multnomah Park Cemetery

I have since discovered that William's death registration mentions a burial in the Eugene Pioneer Cemetery:

I contacted someone with the Eugene Pioneer Cemetery Association and there is no stone associated with WIlliam R. Hoyt, so speculation that he is buried there may be based on the death registration alone.

I checked with the Multnomah Park Cemetery burials and they list a burial date for William Hoyt of 14 August 1924, three days after his death. So the more likely situation is that he was buried at Mulnomah Park, rather than first buried at Eugene Pioneer and then relocated later.

X00282: Amy S. Williams pre-1900

In last week's post (X00297) I mentioned that I wasn't able to verify much about William Gaskill's origins prior to 1900. There is a similar gap in the timeline for his wife, Amy S. Williams prior to 1900 as well.

Amy appears in the 1881 census living in Lindsay, Victoria, Ontario [D03789]. I have not been able to find her in the 1891 census, and the next record that I find after 1881 is her marriage record from 1901 where she is living in Globe, Gilla, Arizona [D05015]. I have not been able to find her in the 1900 US Census.

The 1920 Census indicates that Amy arrived in the U.S. in 1898 [D05019]. As well, a newspaper article found suggests that she lived in Ogden, Utah for a bit before moving to Arizona [D07130].

The move to Odgen makes sense, as her sister, Edith Mary Williams, would have been living there at the time. The reason for the move to Arizona is unclear, however. It may be related to the Eastman family (see X00315). It's a possibility that solving one of those mysteries may lead to solving the other.

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Sources:
[D03789] 1881 census of Canada, Ontario, district 129, sub-district B-2, Lindsay, Victoria, p. 99, dwelling 458, family 469; RG 31; digital images, Ancestry.ca (accessed 20 May 2018).

[D05015] Arizona Arizona History and Archives Division, Arizona County Marriage Records 1865-1972, 1: 315, 356134, Gaskill-Williams; digital images "Arizona County Marriage Records," ancestry.ca (accessed 8 Nov 2020).

[D05019] 1920 U.S. census, population schedule, Portland, enumeration district (ED) 160, sheet 5A, p. 5A, dwelling 255, family 298; digital images, ancestry.com (accessed 28 Nov 2020); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T625, roll T625_1502. Rec. Date: 13 May 2017. Cit. Date: 28 Nov 2020.

[D07130] "Local News," Arizona Silver Belt, 21 February 1901, p. 8, col. 1; digital images, newspapers.com (accessed 19 Dec 2020). Rec. Date: 14 Nov 2020. Cit. Date: 19 Dec 2020.

X00297 William Gaskill pre-1900

William Gaskill (1855-1909) was Amy S. William's first husband (Amy was the subject of some recent X-File posts including X00315, X00316 and the soon to be posted X00282). The two of them were married in Globe, Arizona 19 February 1901 [D05015].

From a pair of obituaries in the Arizona Silver Belt, William moved to Globe in December of 1899 [D05614, D05615] and established a business as a butcher there. But the mystery is what happened before 1899. According to the same two obituaries, he was born 17 November 1855 in Manchester, England, came to Canada around 1879, settled in Fort William (now Thunder Bay) and worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway [D05614, D05615]

Unfortunately, I havent been able to find any evidence to verify any of the above aside from the two obituaries. I have not been able to find a birth certificate for a William Gaskill in 1855 that meets the criteria, nor have I been able to find him in the 1881 or 1891 census (or the 1900 US Census). So, there's a big gap in records prior to 1900. It's also not clear on why he moved from Fort William to Arizona.

Next Steps:

• Check newspapers in Canada prior to 1901
• Continue looking for him in the 1881 and 1891 censuses
• Continue looking for birth records for him
• Look for passenger records

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Sources:
[D05015] Arizona Arizona History and Archives Division, Arizona County Marriage Records 1865-1972, 1: 315, 356134, Gaskill-Williams; digital images "Arizona County Marriage Records," ancestry.ca (accessed 8 Nov 2020).

[D05614] "Honored Man Dead," Arizona Silver Belt, 14 February 1909, p. 3, col. 5; digital images(accessed 14 Nov 2020), newspaperarchive.com.

[D05615] "Death of William Gaskill," Arizona Silver Belt, 17 February 1909, p. 6, col. 6; digital images, Newspaper Archive (newspaperarchive.com : accessed 14 Nov 2020).

X00316 William R. Hoyt Burial Location

Amy Seymore Williams (1856-1929) was the fourth daughter of Isaac Amos Williams and Caroline Seymore Sanders. Her second husband was William Russell Hoyt and from his death registration, he was born 23 March 1848 in Vermont, USA and died 11 August 1924 in Eugene Oregon.

On Find a Grave, there are two potential listings that could be his.

1. William Russell Hoyt, Eugene Pioneer Cemetery, memorial no 60218108
According to the notes on Find a Grave, he died 11 August 1924, aged 76 years 4 months 20 days which matches the information on the death registration that I have. As well, the notes have him listed as the son of William Hoyt & [---] Russell, which also matches the information on the death registration.

It also lists him as a father of Mrs. E. T. Deveraux, which I have yet to verify.

2. William R. Hoyt, Multnomah Park Cemetery, memorial no 46938793
This marker lists a birth year of 1848 and a death year of 1924, which match the information on the death registration.

This William R. Hoyt is buried with a Mary L. Hoyt (1848-1911) and lists a Laurel Milo Hoyt (1872-1956) as a child. I haven't yet verified the two names to see if they are connected


The first one, if the parent names are correct, is definitely the correct one. But the second one also does match. Amy S. Williams married William R. Hoyt in 1912, so his first wife passing 1911 would certainly fit.

Questions:

• Is the information on the first site correct? And what is the source?
• Could these sites be for the same person? Is there a possibility that William Hoyt was never buried in Eugene Pioneer Cemetery, as there is no marker there?

Still to investigate:

• Research Mary L. Hoyt (1848-1911) to see if she was married to the same William R. Hoyt that was later married to Amy S. Williams
• Research Laurel Milo Hoyt (1872-1956) to see if there is a connection
• Research E.T. Devereaux to see if there is a connection

X00315: Amy S. Williams' Marriage Witnesses

I've found the marriage record for Amy S. Williams and William Gaskill, from 19 February 1901. It was a little surprising to find because the marriage took place in Globe, Gila, Arizona. To this point, i have not been able to find out why Amy Williams was in Arizona, or the US, for that matter.

One thing of interest in the marriage record is that the minister performing the ceremony was an F.S. Eastman, and the witnesses were a B. Eastman and an S.C. Eastman. Amy S. Williams had a sister-in-law, Maude Alfreda Eastman. Maude's parents were Benjamin Eastman and Sarah Alfreda. Could they have been the B. and S.C. Eastman? And they had a son named Fred S. Eastman. Could he have been the F.S. Eastman who performed the ceremony? And also, what were they doing in Arizona?

Perhaps, if the witnesses and minister are the in-laws, this might lead to an explanation as to why Amy Williams was in Arizona at the time.

Next steps: Research the timelines for the Eastman family to see if they could have been in Arizona at the time.