Catherine Carr Hunter ~ 52 Ancestors #28

For this week's 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks writing challenge from blogger Amy Crow Johnson of No Story Too Small, the theme is Road Trip: Which ancestor do you want to take a road trip to go research?

A road trip to Pittsburgh is in my future because my maternal grandmother's ancestors for three previous generations lived in and around Pittsburgh. (I also want to visit my cousin!) Although I do know quite a bit about these families, I'm sure that with "on the ground" research in Pittsburgh, I could fill in many blanks.

For example, my 3rd great grandmother, Catherine Carr, was born in 1815 or 1817 or 1820 or 1821, depending on the source. All sources agree that she was born in Pennsylvania, but I don't know where or who her parents were. Census records indicate that her parents and her husband were born in Ireland. Based on the statement in her son James' obituary, I believe they were Presbyterians.

She married Samuel Hunter by 1841, when their oldest child was born. He died in 1863, leaving her a widow with nine children. From about 1860 until her death in 1891, she lived at 217 Jackson Avenue, Allegheny City. (See the Surname Saturday about my Hunter line here.)

The 1850 U.S. Census includes the first four children:

1850 U.S. Federal Census, Allegheny, Allegheny, Pennsylvania; Roll: 744; Page: 34B;
Lines 23-28. Record for Samuel K. Hunter family.

Husband Samuel is a grocer with $1,400 in "Value of Real Estate Owned." Following are Catharine, age 30, and children Mary J. (9), James K. (6), John K. (5), and Ann E. (2).

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(Almost) Wordless Wednesday ~ My 3rd Great Grandmother

Last week's photograph was taken of the James Hunter home in the city of Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Following are additional photographs taken of family members outside this house.

On the back, in my great-grandfather Percy Hunter's handwriting:
Side porch: C.C. Hunter, Front porch: Helen, Chester, Grandmother Hunter,
Lawn: Grandmother Freeland, S.K., Lois, Mrs. Wolf, Aunt Claude, Lottie Wolf, Mother, Dad

C.C. Hunter, Helen, Chester, S.K., and Lois are all siblings of Percy E. Hunter, my great grandfather. Based on birth dates of Percy's siblings, this photo and the two that follow were likely taken in the late-1890's, possibly in 1897, the year of Percy's marriage to Marguerite Lysle. (Curtis Carr Hunter would have been five and a half when his older brother, Percy, got married.)

Based on another photo I have of her, I think that "Grandmother Hunter" is Mary (Freeland) Hunter, Percy's mother. Perhaps Percy's father, James Hunter, is taking the photograph. (Percy's Grandmother Hunter, Catherine (Carr) Hunter, died in 1891.) 

"Grandmother Freeland" is Percy's maternal grandmother Nancy (Rainey) Freeland. Unfortunately, I don't know who Mrs. Wolf and Lottie Wolf are. Update 9/28/2013: In doing research for a Surname Saturday post for the Freeland line, I think I have determined that Mrs. Wolf is sister-in-law to Nancy (Rainey) Freeland; in other words, Mrs. Wolf is Mary (Freeland) Wolf, sister of James Freeland. And Lottie Wolf is a cousin of Mary (Freeland) Hunter. See Mary Freeland Wolfe Family post (12/28/2013) for how I identified Mrs. Wolf and Lottie Wolf.

Aunt Claude is Percy's mother's sister, Claudine Freeland, a longtime schoolteacher in Allegheny.

I think that "Mother" and "Dad" are Marguerite and Percy, based on the many photographs I have of them.