Fannie Pyterman is always missing always in family during census..

Jared Lee Sommer

I have a female relative Frances Pyterman (Fannie), who according to her death certificate of 1945, was born 19 Nov 1865 to Francis Peterman (i.e. Pyterman) and Caroline (Smith) in NYC.

However, in the US and NY state census records from 1870 to 1890, Frances is not mentioned in the Francis/Caroline family!

What do I make of this?

In the 1860 Fed census, Frances (Lynterman- 50) and Caroline (Smith) - 29, is living with Thomas -16 (from a previous marriage), Bevens 3 and Caroline 1, on 74 Mott St., Manhattan.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC4V-H9K

IN 1870 census: The "Pikeman" family is listed as: Francis (tailor 60), Caroline (keeping house 38), with the children who were going to school as Biven (Bevans or Bibbens 12), Caroline (11), Francis (male) (9), William (6), and George (2). 

https://www.ancestry.com/search/?name=bevan_P*m*n&event=_new+york+city-new+york-usa_1652382&birth=1860&death=1942&event_x=_1-1-a&location=2&priority=usa

In the 1 Jun 1880 census, Francis Peyterman is married and living in New York, 9th District on Bedford St. He states that he is 60 years old and a tailor. He is from England. Francis is married to Caroline (48 from England). They have three children, Bibbin (Bevans?)(21- tailor), William (16- tailor apprentice), and George (10- school). 

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/2672850:6742

None of these mention that they have a daughter Frances (b. ~1865).

Now Fannie Pyterman (whom I'm looking for) appears in later census records with her daughter. Fannie Pyterman and her daughter (Grace) are mentioned for the first time in New Jersey census records in 1895. She is living with the married daughter of Francis and Caroline Pyterman whose name was now Caroline (Pyterman) Merrill in Jersey City. Fannie claims to be Caroline's sister and was born in NY to parents who were both from England (matching Francis and Caroline Pyterman).

https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/1054/images/41246_040509-00349?backlabel=ReturnSearchResults&queryId=dba585e3c816fce6bdf35f5a0c9a019f&pId=782234

In the 1905 NJ census, Fannie and her daughter Grace still lives with Caroline Merrill family. In addition, Caroline Merrill's mother, Caroline Pyterman (the widow of Francis Pyterman) now lives with them too as a widow. Fannie also describes herself as a widow.

https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/433699%3A61557?tid=&pid=&queryId=37e308e94c87caadf420ca2913d010af&_phsrc=qhy1306&_phstart=successSource

When Fannie died in 1945, her death certificate says that her father was Francis Peterman and her mother was Caroline Schmidt (Peterman).

Fannie claims that she was married for 10 years between 1890 and 1900 (to either William or Thomas) until her husband died. Her daughter Grace was born in 1891. I think that Fannie Pyterman was never married and had a daughter out of wedlock, but she tried to hide it. How did Fannie Pyterman miss being included in all of the family during the census taking?

Any thoughts?

LTG50

Hello Jared,

Here are a couple of thoughts. Do you know who gave the information on Fannie's Death Certificate? If it was her daughter, Grace, is it possible she got the information wrong? Do you know who Fannie's grandparents are? I would recommend doing a search for her name in the US and NY Censuses in Ancestry, to see if she shows up with different family members. I wish you success in your continuing research.

MM27-S7T

I wonder if Francis listed with the family in the 1870 census was incorrectly listed as a male, when it should be your female ancestor? Although the age is off by a few years, it could be that this was the only census she would have been listed in with the family, as she had not been born in 1860 and may have been out of the house by the 1880 census. Have you done additional research on a possible son in the family named Francis? If there are no other records on him, this may support the conclusion that this census entry is really her instead