Matrilineal Monday ~ My Kentucky Great Grandmother

Undated photograph of Mary Bowman Ashby Adsit

Mary Bowman Ashby was born in Glasgow, Barren Co., Kentucky. She died in Beverly, Essex Co., Massachusetts. She spent most of her adult life in Chicago, Cook Co., Illinois, which is where she is buried, although at some point after her husband died in 1931, she moved to the Boston area to be near her only daughter. It will be interesting to find out where she is living when the 1940 census comes out next year. [Update: It turns out she was living in New York City, near her son in 1940.]

She married Charles Chapin Adsit in 1890. (See a wedding announcement here.) He died in 1931.

Detail from death certificate of Mary E. Adsit

Mary Bowman (Ashby) Adsit died on September 12, 1956. (The name is misreported on her death certificate as Mary E. Adsit.) The death certificate confirms her parents' names and birthplaces, which is always a great thing to find on a death certificate. According to this death certificate, her age was 90 years, 5 months, 3 days, placing her date of birth at April 9, 1866. (I like to use the Tombstone Birthday Calculator to calculate a birth date.)

However, in reviewing census records for her family, I think she was 93 when she died.

Detail from 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Chicago, Cook, Illinois

In the 1920 census (taken 15 January 1920), she is listed as 52 years old (born in 1867). She is enumerated with husband, Charles C. Adsit and son, Charles C. Adsit, Jr.

Detail from 1910 U.S. Federal Census, Chicago, Cook, Illinois

In the 1910 census (taken 18 April 1910), she is listed as 42 years old (born in 1868). Her husband, Charles C. Adsit, is listed as the last name on the previous page. She is at the top of this page with her son, Charles C. Adsit (age 17) and daughter, Elizabeth Adsit (age 12).

I have been unable to find the Adsit family in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census. (See my August 30, 2011 post for why.)

Detail from 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Glasgow Junction, Barren, Kentucky

However, back in Kentucky, in the 1880 census (taken 2 June 1880), Mary B. Ashby is enumerated with her parents and siblings in Glasgow Junction, Barren Co., Kentucky and is 17 years old (born in 1863). Her brothers are Stephen D. Ashby (age 18), Thos. Jefferson Ashby (age 20), D. Morgan Ashby, Jr. (age 14), and Turner Ashby (age 12).

Detail from 1870 U.S. Federal Census, Glasgow, Barren, Kentucky

The 1870 KY census (taken on 1 June 1870) has Mary B. Ashby as age 7 (born in 1863), Dan M. Ashby age 5, and Turner Ashby age 2.

Therefore, I believe that the Ashby children were born as follows:
Laura:                       1858
Thomas Jefferson:    1859/1860
Stephen:                    1861/62
Mary Bowman:         9 Apr 1863
Daniel M., Jr.:           1865/66
Turner:                      early 1868

This is only one example of female ancestors of mine not reporting their ages accurately for the census taker.

My descent from Charles Chapin Adsit and Mary Bowman Ashby > Elizabeth Adsit > Charles McAlpin Pyle, Jr. > me.

Matrilineal Monday is a daily blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers, the genealogy community’s resource for blogging. It is used by many genealogy bloggers to help them tell stories of their ancestors.