As I look at my female ancestors, many of them lived through tough times. Some of them lost husbands, leaving them to raise a family alone and some lost their children before they were even grown. But one of the most tragic circumstances is the death of a young mother after the joyous occasion of the birth of a child. It’s truly sad to see how many of these women passed away. Really makes you appreciated the advances in modern medicine.
Both my grandfather, Johnston Paterson, and my great grandfather, Francis Paterson lost their first wives shortly after the birth of their first child.
Johnston Paterson lost his young wife, Vera Ellen Marsh Seaman, on January 19, 1921. Their daughter was only two months old. This was a tragic loss for both the Paterson and Seaman families. The baby girl was raised by the Seaman family, since she was so young and my grandfather a single man starting a new homestead. This was something I only found out about when I started researching. My father and his brothers knew about their half sister. They had even tried to find her, but didn’t know where to begin. I’m hoping that I can find out what happened to her, maybe fill a void in the tree.
Francis Paterson lost his young wife Ewenina Kennedy in Airdrie, Scotland on March 24, 1882. She was only 19 years old and her daughter, Mary Paterson, was a month old. I’m not sure how my great grandfather managed a young daughter (maybe help from family). Francis remarried a year later to my great grandmother, Elizabeth Danskine. Ewenina’s daughter Mary never made it to adulthood, dying of a tragic accident at 14 years old.
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