Nellie Tucker

Another Tucker child was Nellie Elizabeth who went on to marry Edward James Cooney in 1920 – he was from New York and worked as an electrician.  Together they had five children, 2 who died in the prime of their lives.

Portsmouth Herald, Sat, 12 Jul 1958
Mrs Nellie Elizabeth Coony, 63, wife of Edward J Cooney of 46 Cass St, died this morning at Portsmouth Hospital.  A native and lifelong resident of Portsmouth, she was born Jan 19, 1895, the daughter of the late Daniel and Marie (Arbuckle) Tucker.  Mrs Cooney was a communicant of Christ Episcopal Church.  Besides her husband, survivors include three sons, Richard C, Charles E, and Donald C Cooney, all of Portsmouth; a daughter, Mrs Nancy DeRochemont of Portsmouth; three sisters, Mrs Sadie Norton of Portsmouth, Mrs Ethel Greer of Boston, and Mrs Dorothy Eslinger of Portsmouth; a grandchild and several nieces and nephews.

courtesy of June S

Portsmouth Herald, Mon, 16 Jul 1956

Mrs Joseph Fernald

Mrs Corinne Marie Fernald, 33, of 1784 Lafayette Rd, wife of Joseph W Fernald, died yesterday at Portsmouth Hospital after a long illness.  A native and lifelong resident here, Mrs Fernald was born Oct 29, 1922, the daughter of Edward J and Nellie E (Tucker) Cooney of Portsmouth.  Mrs Fernald, a graduate of Portsmouth High School in 1940, was employed by the New England Telephone and Telegraph Exchange here as an operator and instructor.  At one time she also served as Supervisor.  She was an active communicant of Christ Episcopal Church and was a member of its St Mary's Guild.  Besides her husband and parents, survivors include three brothers, Richard C, Charles E and Donald C Cooney, and a sister, Mrs Nancy deRochemont, all of Portsmouth.

courtesy of Lynne Geary

Portsmouth Herald, Mon, 21 Dec 1970

Charles Edward Cooney, 42, of 62 Congress St, a veteran of the Korean conflict, died at his home yesterday after a short illness.  Born in Portsmouth June 3, 1928, he was the son of the late Edward J and Nellie E (Tucker) Cooney.  He graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1946 and served an apprenticeship at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.  He was employed as an electrician with many area contractors, more recently with Foster Electric Co. He was a member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 490; the Lodge of Elks, and a former DeMolay member.  He sang formerly with the Ted Herbert Band in Hampton Beach.  He was a communicant of Christ Episcopal Church.  He is survived by a son, Charles E Cooney Jr; two brothers, Richard C Cooney and Donald C Cooney; and a sister Mrs James De Rochemont, all of Portsmouth; four nephews and a niece.

!"Just Pick One Already"!

Never mind the maddening Smith & Jones - what about those pesky surnames with just enough of a variation that they really twist yer knickers?@#!

Everett/Everitt, Walsh/Walch, Rositer/Rossiter, MaGee/McGee, Murdock/Murdoch, Livingston/Livingstone, and my latest lament - Johnston, no Johnson, no Johnstone!

According to the Vincent family book, Mary Edna 'Minnie' Vincent married James 'Harvey' JohnstonE but his birth and the marriage entry says it was Johnston and for Pete's sake, his death entry is Johnson!  What's a researcher to do?

courtesy of Jody Marie MacKeil (Find A Grave)

In this case, I went with Johnstone for Harvey because of his stone and the transcription on Find A Grave, and yes, the fact that he went by Harvey but is referred to as J H or James - oy. Note his parents are Johnston'e' as well.

JOHNSTONE / Andrew W. JOHNSTONE / 1864 - 1917 / James JOHNSTONE / 1831 - 1920 / His Wife / Janet / 1831 - 1914 / John D. JOHNSTONE / 1857 - 1900 / His Wife / Matilda F. / 1866 - 1949 / Mary E. / Wife of / J. H. JOHNSTONE / 1876 - 1926 / Harvey / 1873 - 1958

Given that, any children should be Johnstone right?  Well not so fast.....In my need to be fastidious, I doggedly examined the records....

Harvey and Minnie had 2 boys, John David & Curtis Wilfred - just looking thru the JohnstonE entries on FAG resulted in zero entries for the kids - but they are there under Johnston - oy.

John David aka Jack married Bertha Mildred Aitchison - his birth entry is Johnstone but if you look at the record itself, does it really reflect the indexed reference?  Then for their marriage entry, he is Johnson, she is AitchEson, but his father is listed as Johnston!

And finally, his obit below suggests lived as Johnston and dropped the 'e' - without a pic of the tombstone or an official record, I had to go with Johnston for him and his family

Halifax Herald, 19 May 1999
JOHNSTON, John David - 97,Tatamagouche, died May 18, 1999, in Willow Lodge Home For Special Care.  Born in New Annan, he was a son of the late Harvey and Mary (Vincent) Johnston.  He was a farmer all his working life before moving to Tatamagouche 21 years ago. He was a member of West New Annan United Church.  Surviving are his wife, the former Bertha Aitchison; daughters, Edna Langille, Eileen MacKeen, Tatamagouche; five grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren.  He was predeceased by brother, Curtis.  Visitation 2-4 p.m. Thursday in Coulter's Funeral Home, Tatamagouche. Funeral 10:30 a.m.  Friday in West New Annan United Church, Leland MacLean and Rev.  Morley Bentley officiating.  Burial in Bell Gift Cemetery.  Family flowers only. Donations to Willow Lodge Home For Special Care or any charity. Jack was also known as John D Johnston.

Curtis Wilfred married Minnie Blanch Murdock/Murdoch - grr.
His birth record shows Johnston and given his signature, the decision was definitive.  Their marriage was found under Johnson, her Murdoch.  But in this case, the stone and his signature cemented Johnston - no 'e' and her obit led me use the 'k' vs the 'h'

courtesy of Jody Marie MacKeil (Find A Grave)

Chronicle Herald, Oct 1996
JOHNSTON, Minnie Blanche - Bible Hill, died October 16, 1996, in Colchester Regional Hospital, Truro. Born September 21, 1905, in New Annan, she was a daughter of the late John D. and Jennie (Johnston) Murdock. As a young woman she taught school at Byers School, West New Annan, and after her marriage worked in the woods as a cook. She later moved to Truro and worked for the Truro Print and Publishing Co. She was a member of the United Church of Canada and attended St. David's United Church, Bible Hill. She was the last surviving member of her immediate family. Surviving are son, Blair and wife Betty, Bible Hill; grandchildren, Curtis, Wayne, Lynn. She was predeceased by her husband, Curtis; a son in infancy; sisters, Morna, Helen, Margaret, Ruby; brothers, Freeman, Forman, Eddie. No visitation by request. Funeral service 2 p.m. Friday in Coulter's Funeral Home, Tatamagouche. Burial in Bell Gift Cemetery, New Annan. Donations to West New Annan United Church or St. David's United Church, Bible Hill.

 The morale of the story - just go with it! 

Edward Vial + Ella Robertson

This little family stayed with me…

Ella Amelia Robertson was born at Prince Edward Island to James William Robertson & Catherine Arbuckle.  Ella met and married a Quebec born boy named Dennis ‘Edward’ William Vial, the son of Dennis Vial of England and Azilda Cloutier of New York.

The pair married and remained in Massachusetts where they had 3 boys – Edward, Norman & Donald - and they ensured their children were well educated.

Edward Sr did various jobs such as a steam fitter assistant to selling beef wholesale but by 1930, he was the owner/operator of a taxi business in Boston.   
Unfortunately, Ella died at Boston in 1942 and later, Edward moved to California to be with his son Norman – this is where he died in 1960.

Edward Robertson Vial, the oldest boy, was the only one who married.  He was born in 1912 and married Anna Sarkiunas in 1935 and they had one son, Ronald in 1937.  He was a reporter turned news editor.

Edward was 32 when he died....

Berkshire Evening Eagle, 20 Jan 1945
Sailor Injured By Helicopter
Quonset Point, RI (AP) - Seaman First Class Edward R Viall, Boston, suffered a fractured skull yesterday when struck by the stern propeller of a helicopter shortly after it landed at Quonset.  Navy officers said his condition was critical.

I couldn’t find any military documents for him so I don’t know if he had enlisted or was working on a story when the accident occurred.  Also, I don’t know what became of Anna and Ronald – I found them on the 1940 census and a couple of directories but then nothing.

Donald Gregory Vial, the baby of the clan, attended Harvard and studied mathematics. He did enlist and joined the fight in Yugoslavia but sadly, he died there in 1944 at the age of 20.  His body was returned for a military burial in 1949 as a part of the Belgrade-Yugoslavia WWII Dead Program.

Norman Gifford Robertson was the middle child and was a building inspector.  Although he outlived the rest of his family but...was only 58 years old when he died!  He was buried with his father at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) at Los Angeles, CA. 

Sadie Tucker

Sadie Laura Tucker married Benjamin Franklin Norton in 1908 at Portsmouth, RI and they had one son who never married.  Ben & Sadie divorced in 1926.

courtesy of June S

Portsmouth Herald, Sat, 23 Mar 1963
Mrs Sadie Laura Norton, 75, of 1346 Islington St, widow of Benjamin F Norton, died at Portsmouth Hospital Friday.  She was born in Portsmouth Jan 22, 1888, daughter of the late Daniel R and Maria M (Arbuckle) Tucker.  Mrs Norton was a member of Christ Episcopal Church.  Survivors include a son, Justin G Norton of Portsmouth; two sisters, Mrs Ethel Greer of Boston, Mass and Mrs Dorothy Eslinger of Portsmouth; and several nieces and nephews.

courtesy of June S

Portsmouth Herald, 12 Jul 1972
Justin Greer Norton, 61, 1346 Islington St, died Tuesday at Portsmouth Hospital.  He was born in Portsmouth Aug 10, 1910, the son of the late Benjamin and Seddie Tucker Norton, and was a graduate of Portsmouth High School in the Class of 1929.  He was a World War II Navy veteran, serving in the Pacific.  He attended Bentley College of Accounting in Boston and was employed as a budget analyst at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, retiring in 1969.  He was a communicant of Christ Episcopal Church, a member of Porstmouth Lodge of Elks, Portsmouth Country Club, St John's Lodge, F&Am, and Frank E Booma American Legion Post.  He is survived by two aunts and several cousins.

 

courtesy of ELouiseME

I am debating whether this Find A Grave memorial for the Oak Grove Cemetery in Bath, ME is Ben’s.  Maine is his home state, but the year of birth on the records vary - the draft cards put it 1880 and the SSN index has 1881 & 1882, I didn't find anything with 1879, 1880 – I went with 1881 until proven otherwise.