Persis
Mae Thomas was born in ME, 1874/1875, to
Elbridge Thomas and Sarah Edna Robbins,
the oldest of eight children. Some
websites state Vinalhaven as her
bithplace but her marriage certificates
claim Belfast as her birthplace. She
died in Morrill, ME, November 29, 1909, at
the young age of 34. Her tragic
death at such an early age was not the
only tragedy to befall Persis Mae.
Her second husband Fred I. Gordon, by whom
she had 2 children, was lost at sea in
Gloucester Harbor in February 1898.
Her youngest daughter, Hazel, died later
that same year in December 1898.
While
researching the family of Charles L. Wing
of Morrill I discovered more information
on Persis Mae Thomas’ intriguing, if not
tragic, life. As a result of that
research I decided to prepare a separate
paper on Persis Mae Thomas to supplement
what little published information that
there is on her.
“The History and Genealogy of the Town of
Morrill, Maine” by Robinson, Morse, and
White states that George H. Wing, one of
Charles’ sons, married three times without
providing any more details. While
researching his wives I discovered that
one of them was Persis Mae Thomas.
According to the above reference she also
married my great-uncle Arthur L. Wing, of
Morrill, and that Persis Mae (Thomas)
(Gordon) Wing was married twice before
marrying Arthur. While researching
George, and therefore Persis Mae, I
discovered records that indicate that she
may have been married five times.
Three of these marriages occurred within
10 years of her husband’s and daughter’s
death. How much these tragedies may
have affected her one can only speculate.
Her
surviving daughter, Elbertie Gordon,
married, had a daughter of her own, Hazel,
and lived to be 96. Her daughter
Hazel Gurney married and lived to be 78.
This
information that I have gathered on her
marriages, on her daughter’s life, and on
her granddaughter’s life is presented
below. Following the genealogy
report I have summarized what records I
have, the information they contain and my
interpretations of that information.
If anyone has anymore information or can
better qualify or interpret this
information their response would be
greatly appreciated.
Generation
No. 1
1.
ELBRIDGE1
THOMAS
was born March 13, 1851 in Northport,
Maine1, and died
November 05, 1928 in Northport, Maine1.
He married (1) SARAH EDNA ROBBINS
January 22, 1873 in Belfast, Maine1.
She was born August 1856 in Belfast, Maine1,
and died March 29, 1906 in Belfast,
Maine. He married (2) HATTIE A. RICHARDS
July 04, 1906 in Belfast, Maine1,2.
She was born November 21, 1885 in Belfast,
Maine3, and died
February 21, 1910 in Belfast, Maine4.
He married (3) DELLA RINDA HOUGHTON
1910 in Belfast, Maine4.
She was born July 22, 1860 in Weld, Maine4,
and died January 04, 1929 in Belfast,
Maine4.
Children
of ELBRIDGE
THOMAS
and SARAH
ROBBINS
are:
2.
i. PERSIS MAE2 THOMAS, b. 1874,
Vinalhaven, Maine; d. November 29, 1909,
Morrill, Maine.
ii. HENRY F. THOMAS, b. 1877,
Vinalhaven, Maine5.
iii. FRED W. THOMAS, b. July 1879,
Vinalhaven, Maine5.
iv. BESSIE AGNES THOMAS, b. December
07, 1880, Belfast, Maine6.
v. JOSIE THOMAS, b. December
07, 1880, Belfast, Maine6.
vi. ALTON THOMAS, b. December
14, 1881, Belfast, Maine6.
vii. ELBRIDGE MARCELLUS THOMAS, b. April 06,
1883, Belfast, Maine6.
viii. RUSSELL STANLEY THOMAS, b. July 08,
1885, Belfast, Maine6.
Generation
No. 2
2.
PERSIS
MAE2
THOMAS
(ELBRIDGE1)
was born 1874 in Vinalhaven, Maine7,
and died November 29, 1909 in Morrill,
Maine8. She
married (1) UNKNOWN ROBBINS
Bef. 1892 in Maine8.
She married (2) FRED I. GORDON
August 29, 1892 in Vinalhaven, Maine9.
He was born 1874 in Lowell, Maine, and
died February 01, 1898 in Gloucester,
Massachusetts10,11.
She married (3) ALLIE GASPER
August 07, 1899 in Belfast, Maine12,13.
He was born 1877 in Germany. She
married (4) GEORGE H. WING May
11, 1903 in Belfast, Maine14.
He was born May 25, 1880 in Morrill, Maine15,
and died December 07, 193215.
She married (5) ARTHUR L. WING
August 08, 1908 in Belfast, Maine16.
He was born October 15, 1880 in Morrill,
Maine17, and died May
22, 1928 in Waldo, Maine17.
Notes
for PERSIS
MAE
THOMAS:
Age
at death 34y, 10m, 22d according to "The
History and Geneaolgy of the Town of
Morrill, Maine" by Robinson, Morse, and
White, page 426. This would make her
birth date about January 7, 1875.
Notes
for FRED
I.
GORDON:
The
Vinalhaven Marriage Record states the
following:
Fred
I. Gordon and May Robbins, both of
Vinalhaven, were married on August 29,
1892.
They
were both 18.
He
was born in Lowell, ME and she was born in
Belfast, ME.
It
was his first marriage and her
second. No reason given for
dissolution of first marriage.
His
parents were Francis F. Gordon and Alba
Blake.
Her
parents were Elbridge Thomas and Edna
Robbins.
The
State of Maine Birth Certificate for
Elberti Gordon states her father as Fred
I. Gordon and her mother's maiden name as
Persis M. Gordon.
Lost
in Gloucester Harbor during a gale.
Feb.
1, 1898 In Gloucester Harbor, Mass., Capt.
Franklin George Ryan, 31, son of Capt.
George Flowers Ryan; Fred I. Gordon, 24, a
native of Lowell, Me.; George W. Richards,
48, son of George W. Richards; James
Everett Patterson, 30, son of Fitz W.
Patterson; Alfred Staples, Jr., 45; John
Jackson, 29, a native of Port Jefferson,
N. Y. They composed the officers and crew
of the schooner James Holmes, which was
lost during a gale. Also, George Everett
Bean, 28, son of the late Howard Bean, a
passenger on the schooner Marcellus which
was stranded at the same time. All resided
in Belfast.
Notes
for ALLIE
GASPER:
The
State of Maine Marriage Record states the
following:
Allie
Gasper and May Gordon, both of Belfast,
were married on August 7, 1899.
He
was born in Germany and she was born in
Belfast.
He
was 22 and she was 24.
The
intentions were filed on July 3, 1899.
The
Belfast Record of Intentions of Marriage
state the following:
Allie
Gasper and Mrs. Mary Gordon, both of
Belfast, filed an intent to marry on July
3, 1899
He
was born in Germany and she was born in
Belfast.
He
was 22 and she was 24.
It
was his first marriage and her third.
She
was a widow.
Her
parents were Elbridge Thomas and Sarah E.
Robbins.
Notes
for GEORGE
H.
WING:
The
Belfast Marriage Record states the
following:
George
H. Wing and Mary Gaspar, both of Belfast,
were married, in Belfast, on May 11, 1903.
It
was his first marriage and her second.
He
was single and she was divorced.
He
was 24 and she was 28.
He
was born in Morrill and she was born in
Belfast.
His
parents were Charles L. Wing and Orissa
Wing.
Her
parents were Elbridge Thomas and Edna
Robbins.
Notes
for ARTHUR
L.
WING:
The
Morrill Marrige Record states the
following:
Arthur
L. Wing and Persis Mae Wing, both of
Morrill, were married in Belfast on August
8, 1908.
He
was born in Morrill and she was born in
Belfast.
He
was 28 and she was 33.
It
was his first and her third marriage.
She
was divorced.
His
parents were Llewellyn Wing and Laura
Stephenson.
Her
parents were Elbridge Thomas and Edna
Robbins.
Children
of PERSIS
THOMAS
and FRED
GORDON
are:
3.
i. ELBERTIE M.3 GORDON, b. March 16,
1895, Belfast, Maine; d. January 21,
1991, Bridgton, Maine.
ii. HAZEL B. GORDON, b. April 17,
1896, Belfast, Maine18,19;
d. December 27, 1898, Belfast, Maine20,21.
Generation
No. 3
3.
ELBERTIE
M.3
GORDON
(PERSIS
MAE2
THOMAS,
ELBRIDGE1)
was born March 16, 1895 in Belfast, Maine22,23,
and died January 21, 1991 in Bridgton,
Maine24,25. She
married CHARLES
D.
GURNEY
March 25, 1914 in Maine26.
He was born April 03, 1891 in Maine27,28,29,
and died September 12, 1973 in Belfast,
Maine30,31.
Notes
for ELBERTIE
M.
GORDON:
Elberta
Gordon, age 15, shows up in the 1910
Federal Census for Belfast working as a
servant for the Frank L. Blodgett family.
The
following information I have uncovered but
not yet proven:
An
Alberta M. Gordon, of Belfast, married
Charles D. Gurney, of Waldo, on March 25,
1914.
According
to the 1920 Federal Census of Waldo
Charles D. Gurney, 28, and Elbetie M.
Gurney, 24, have a daughter Hazel V.
Gurney, 3.5. Hazel was the name of
Elberti's sister who died in infancy.
According
to the 1930 Federal Census of Waldo
Charles D. Gurney, 39, and Elbertie M.
Gurney, 35, have a daughter Hazel K.
Gurney age 13.
The
Maine State Marriage Archives list the
marriage of Hazel V. Gurney of Belfast to
Henry W. Flagg of Naples on July 1, 1938.
There
is an SSDI, 005-46-0034, for a Hazel G.
Flagg, born July 30, 1916, who died in
November 16, 2004. Last known
residence Naples, ME.
There
is an SSDI, 006-03-2202, for a Henry
Flagg, born August 24, 1912, who died in
December 1984. Last known residence
Naples, ME.
Child
of ELBERTIE
GORDON
and CHARLES
GURNEY
is:
i. HAZEL V.4 GURNEY, b. July 30,
1916, Maine32; d.
November 16, 2004, Maine33;
m. HENRY W. FLAGG, July 01,
1938, Maine34; b.
August 24, 1912, Maine35;
d. December 01, 1984, Bridgton, Maine36,37.
Endnotes
1.
Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky
Flanders,
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.
2.
Maine State Marriage Archives.
3.
Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky
Flanders,
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.
4.
One World Tree Ancestry.com.
5.
Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky
Flanders,
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.
6.
Belfast Births 1875 - 1900, 376.
7.
Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky
Flanders,
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.
8.
"History and Genealogy of the Town of
Morrill, Maine" by Robinson,
Morse, and White, 426.
9.
Vinalhaven Marriage Record.
10.
Belfast Deaths 1896 - 1900.
11.
http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/06/belfast-deaths-1896-1900.html.
12.
State of Maine Marriage Certificate.
13.
Record of Intentions of Marriage
Belfast.
14.
Belfast Marriage Record.
15.
"History and Genealogy of the Town of
Morrill, Maine" by Robinson,
Morse, and White, 427.
16.
Morrill Marriage Certificate.
17.
"History and Genealogy of the Town of
Morrill, Maine" by Robinson,
Morse, and White, 426.
18.
Belfast Births 1875 - 1900, 345.
19.
http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/05/belfast-births-1875-1900-f-k.html.
20.
Belfast Deaths 1898, 495.
21.
http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/06/belfast-deaths-1896-1900.html.
22.
Belfast Births 1875 - 1900, 345.
23.
http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/05/belfast-births-1875-1900-f-k.html.
24.
SSDI, 007-44-5709.
25.
Maine State Death Archives, Certificate
9105084.
26.
State of Maine Marriage Certificate.
27.
SSDI.
28.
1930 Federal Census for Belfast.
29.
1920 Federal Census for Waldo.
30.
SSDI, 007-36-9733.
31.
Maine State Death Archives, Certificate
7308687.
32.
SSDI.
33.
SSDI, 005-46-0034.
34.
State of Maine Marriage Certificate.
35.
SSDI.
36.
SSDI, 006-03-2202.
37.
Maine State Death Archives, Certificate
8409702.
Marriage Records
I have copies of her last 4
marriages. All records indicate that
her parents were Elbridge Thomas and Sarah
Edna Robbins. All records indicate her
birth as 1874 or 1875. All records
indicate that she was born in
Belfast. All records use her married
name from her last marriage. The
only marriage record that I don’t have is
for her first marriage to an Unknown
Robbins. There is no record of this
marriage in Vinalhaven nor Belfast that I
have been able to locate.
The marriage record to Fred
I. Gordon gives her name as May Robbins
and indicates that this is her second
marriage. No reason for the
dissolution of the first marriage given.
The marriage record to
Allie Gasper gives her name as May Gordon,
that this is her third marriage and that
she is a widow.
The marriage record to
George H. Wing gives her name as Mary
Gasper, that this is her second marriage,
and that she is divorced.
The marriage to Arthur L.
Wing list her name as Persis Mae Wing,
that this is her third marriage, and that
she is divorced.
The above records are
consistent enough for me to conclude that
the bride in all the above record is
Persis Mae Thomas. The only
inconsistency is the ordering of her
marriages following her divorce from Allie
Gasper. They start over again with
her marriage to him.
Birth Records.
The location of Persis Mae
Thomas’ birthplace is not clear. The
above referenced website claims Vinalhaven
while her marriage certificates claim
Belfast. I have been unable to find
a record of her birth in Vinalhaven or
Belfast.
The Belfast Birth Records
for both Elbertie and Hazel Gordon clearly
state that their mother’s maiden name was
Persis M. Thomas.
Elberti Gordon’s Records.
I have a State of Maine
Birth Certificate for her stating her date
of birth has March 16, 1895.
I have a State of Maine
Marriage certificate for an Alberta M.
Gordon, different spelling, to a Charles
D. Gurney, March 25, 1914.
I have an SSDI record for
an Elbertie Gurney, born March 16, 1895,
died June 21, 1991.
I have a State of Maine
Death Certificate for an Elbertie M.
Gurney who died in Bridgton, ME on June
21, 1991, age 96.
The 1920 and 1930 Federal
Census indicates that a Charles and Elberi
Gordon had a daughter Hazel, born
1916-1917. Hazel was the name of
Elberti’s deceased sister.
I have a State of Maine
Marriage record for a Hazel Gurney, of
Belfast, who married a Henry W. Flagg, of
Naples, ME, on July 1, 1938.
I have an SSDI record for a
Hazel G. Flagg, born July 30, 1916, who
died on November 16, 2004. The SSDI
record for Henry Flagg indicates that he
died in Bridgton ME, same as Elbertie, in
1984.
Suumary.
I based my conclusions on
Persis Mae Thomas’s marriages and Elbertie
Gordon’s marriage etc. and Hazel Gurney’s
marriage etc. on the above records.
I do not have all the birth certificates
that one would like to have to really
verify all my conclusions but I believe
that there is enough in the information
presented to warrant these
conclusions. If anyone has more
conclusive evidence as to whether the
above information is right or wrong I
would be glad to hear from them and make
the appropriate corrections.
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