Need Someone to Take a Fresh Look
Trying to convince myself the records are plausible for this person, but I'm having a hard time reconciling the ping-pong between Canada and United States.
Christine Elizabeth McKenzie
In general it looks like she died when the two boys were young. They were later adopted by maternal Aunt. Their postulated father remarried and had a daughter Gladys.
Obituaries seem to track. My 'problem' may be the recently added marriage record, among other things. Sadly I cannot reconstruct where I got her death info. Date seems to be in the right range but the location is suspect.
To accommodate what I have so far, the 'flow' would have to be marriage in U.S., she and husband go to Canada [where boys are born and subsequently left]. Husband returns to U.S. and remarries. Might make sense if she died in Canada and the marriage record, as tempting as it is, may not be right. That marriage record really begs the question as to how an 18 year old from Canada would end up in Colorado.
I've come up empty on earlier records for the husband, Charles Welter. That might help clear some of this up.
Other problems are the records associated with one of the sons, Conrad. His birth location and birth location[s] of parents as shown in the census records are not fitting 'nicely'
Before I am too quick to discount what I have so far… thought I'd ask for the second look/opinion.
Thanks in advance for any time someone can spend on this
Answers
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Looks like you've had a couple folks, myself included, come in and look/add details. What I'm not finding is an Oklahoma reference for Christine's death. That's what I'd like to see.
Her death in Perry OK, does line up w/ son - Conrad's US sources for birth location…
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Charles Welter remarried in June 1898, making the December 1898 death for Christine McKenzie a bit troubling. Divorce was possible, of course, but often not very easy.
Oklahoma only began keeping death records in 1908, so no help there.You might find something useful in the "Gateway to Oklahoma History" Portal. Lots of newspapers that may have a clue.
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If we concentrate on the son, Conrad, maybe it can help. As his birth was all over the place… Oklahoma, Canada, California. Thought I'd reach out to Humboldt County courthouse. The record tied to him from there was an affidavit not a birth record. Seems there was one filed at same time for half-sister, Gladys, as well. Both affidavits showed Perry Oklahoma as birth location. So I get to scratch off California.
The individual associated with the affidavit [filed in 1937] was a Ruby Nelson who I'm trying to now also run down. She could be an Anderson related to the McKenzie's… We'll see. Wonder why her and not him since he was living there at the time. Although he might not be 'allowed' to make his own birth affidavit. I bet Conrad or a family member needed an 'Oklahoma' birth established vice his true Canadian connection. His half-sister was born in Oklahoma it seems, but several years later and after the father relocated there from Canada [my speculation]
Birth location for Conrad takes a definite turn from Canada, pre- marriage to Oklahoma, post [in particular during his time in California]… He may have had his reasons. As of 1921 he was in Alberta, single. Marriage shortly thereafter in 1926 and followed with subsequent residence in the States.
I'm starting to think that Charles Welter's two boys may have ever been in Oklahoma. Looks like the father, Charles Welter did go there, but after the boys were born, leaving them behind in Canada. Once he landed in Oklahoma he married second spouse and had his daughter. Someone along the line tried to fill in the gaps by postulating the death location for the Mother Christine to be in Oklahoma. Bet it's really Canada
Although 'messy' it kinda makes sense.
Appreciate all the extra eyes/help as this is one of the more 'odd' branches of mine.
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Hi @Mark McKenzie_1.
If it helps, it looks like Christine died December 15th, 1897 at Perry, Oklahoma:https://www.newspapers.com/image/740862252/?match=2&terms=welter%20oklahoma
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I think this is her death notice in Oklahoma? It says where the burial was, if it's right.https://www.newspapers.com/image/584337227/?article=c4863fac-df4a-4829-84f4-f72538f713e8&terms=welter
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@GFre I am VERY surprised, but it is what it is… She would have had to meet husband, Charles somewhere… followed by the postulated marriage in Colorado. Run up to Canada for a couple of years to have the boys… Back down to Oklahoma for subsequent death. If the children were tagging along then they would be shuttled back to Canada to live with relatives shortly following their mother's death. I'd guess before his subsequent marriage, but definitely before 1900 census as the two boys do not appear.
The 1897 date helps with the date of subsequent marriage for Charles in 1898
Great finds!
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These documents may also be of interest to you. I'm not 100% sure it's the right Charles V Welter, but his residence matches the family.
https://www.newspapers.com/image/851485590/?match=1&terms=%22charles%20v%20welter%22
If those do belong to him, the date may mean that the family was in Oklahoma for a very short time before she died.
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One thing I thought was interesting, is that Christine and her first son were living with her sister's family in 1891. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=census&IdNumber=28336225&ecopy=30953_148219-00256
Curious as to where Charles was, but that might explain why the children later lived with Emily with whom they had lived with before.
I also found notices posted by his son in 1919, possibly implying Charles was briefly in Idaho, and confirming that his middle name was also Vernard: https://www.newspapers.com/search/results/?keyword=%22charles+vernard+welter%22&locale=en-US
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I found an article on their marriage. It's so light, I can't read some of it though. Perhaps someone can help? Looks like Charles was working in Colorado.
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@GFre I think what you have so generously provided are all associated with 'Charles', including the Colorado 'clip'. I was able to make out enough info [name of the Judge and date] to confirm the article was referencing the previously found marriage index record. Hard to make out but looks like he was employed in a saw mill which is consistent with other references.
@Áine Ní Donnghaile Thanks for the Oklahoma site it will be useful
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@Mark McKenzie_1 I'm glad I could help! It's too bad the article is difficult to read. It seems to be saying something about them taking trains to get married. It just can't seem to tell where she was coming from, or if it says that at all.
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@GFre I couldn't make heads or tails of it either. Something about she got off one stop too early or something along those lines. Still got to wonder how she managed to find herself in Colorado all the way from Quebec. No small journey even by today's standards
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