Person:Griffith Woolley (2)

Below is from Notes from a tree on Ancestry: I believe that Edward Moore Woolley was born Griffith Woolley. Edward's death certificate from Cook County, IL lists his birthdate as Sep. 22 1890 in Richmond, Ohio. His parents are listed as Charles H. Woolley and Mineser (as transcribed but I believe it looks more like "Minnie") Moore. Charles H. is listed as born in Ohio and Minnie is listed as born in Tennessee. In searching through documents on familysearch.org and ancestry.com I can find no Edward Moore Woolley born on that date. I do find a Griffith Woolley born on Sep. 22 1889 in New Richmond, Ohio, to Charlie Woolley and Minnie Mooar (that is what the handwriting looks like on the register). Record of Births, Probate Court, Clermont County, Ohio 1889-1890, 004016359 Image 364 of 381, Line 20. Griffith's birth month and date match Edward Moore Woolley's birthdate on his death certificate, the year is off by one, however, if the person taking the information on the death certificate only knew the decedent's age, the year of birth on the death certificate could have been calculated. Since Edward was 44 when he died in 1934, not yet having turned 45 in Sept of 1934, the person filling out the death certificate could have calculated an 1890 birth year by subtracting Edward's age (44) from the year (1934). Also, Griffith was born in New Richmond, Ohio, Edward Moore's place of birth is listed as Richmond, Ohio on his death certificate, very similar. Even though there is both a Richmond, Ohio and a New Richmond, Ohio, I think given all other evidence that Edward Moore's birthplace was New Richmond, Ohio. Also of note, I find Charles Edward Woolley born Aug. 9 1888 in Cincinnati, Ohio to Chas. H. Woolley and Minnie Moore. Charles Edward would have been the older brother to the Griffith born Sep. 22, 1889. Record of Births, Probate Court, Clermont County, Ohio 1888-1889, 004016359 Image 362 of 381, Line 15. I find no records of Edward Moore Woolley in any birth records in that time and/or place.

1900 CENSUS

In the 1900 Census, Charles H. Wooley is living with his wife Minnie and their 6 year old son, Lowell who is listed as having been born in July 1893, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Also listed is a boarder named Arthur Earis. Neither Charles Edward, who would have been 11 or 12, or Griffith, who would have been 10 or 11, are listed in this census with Charles and Minnie. In the University of Cincinnati Libraries I find the birth record for Lowell Cincinnati Birth and Death Records, 1865-1912. He was born July 11 1893 to Chas. H. Woolley and Minnie Taylor. Minnie's maiden name is now listed as Taylor. I believe this is the same person as the "Minnie Moore" listed on Charles Edward and Griffith's birth records because the 1900 census shows Charles H. and Minnie having been married for 12 years since the year 1888. I also believe that Minnie's correct maiden name is Taylor because in searching for the older two boys in 1900, I find a 1900 Census that shows an 11 year old Charles Wolly, living in Cincinnati with his grandparents, Charles and Carrie Taylor. In searching backwards to find if Charles & Carrie Taylor ever had a daughter living with them named Minnie, I find in the 1880 Census, Charles and Carrie Taylor, living in Cincinnati with their 12 year old daughter, Minnie, and several other children. Minnie's birthdate as calculated by the 1880 Census is about 1868, with her birthplace as Tennessee (which matches the information on Edward Moore's death certificate). Minnie's birthdate in the 1900 Census is listed as May 1869 in Tennessee. I think there are a couple possibilities why Minnie's name is shown as "Moore" in the earlier birth records instead of Taylor. Perhaps Moore was Minnie's middle name, her full name then being Minnie Moore Taylor. Or perhaps Charles H. and Minnie's marriage was not sanctioned by family and she used a different name when they were married so that no one could tip off the family that they were getting married, but then by 1893 when Lowell was born, it didn't matter when her name was listed on the birth record correctly. This is something that might be cleared up if Minnie's death certificate can be found as it might list her full name. I find no record for either a Griffith Woolley or an Edward Moore Woolley in 1900.

1910 CENSUS

In the 1910 Census, Griffith Woolley, born in 1890 in Ohio, shows up living with his father Charles, born 1869 in Ohio (which matches previous 1900 Census). They live in Cincinnati, Ohio with Charles' mother, Griffith's grandmother, Minerva Woolley. Charles is listed as "Married" but Minnie is no longer living with him. Also, even though the number of children is usually only shown for women, there is a notation next to Charles' name as having 3 children with 3 children still living. These numbers cannot be the number of children for Charles' mother, Minerva, whom he is living with because her numbers are noted on the census as having had 2 children with 2 children still living. Charles & Minnie's youngest son, Lowell, is found living in Chicago in the 1910 Census with his mother Minnie Earis. Minnie is shown as being married to Clarence A. Earis (the Arthur Earis who was a roomer in the 1900 Census living with Minnie and her husband Charles?). The marriage is listed as her 2nd marriage. Minnie is also shown has having had 3 children with 3 children still living. It is good to point out that the 1900 Census showed Minnie has having 2 children with only 1 still living, presumably Lowell who was living with her in the 1900 census. However, I believe that this notation in 1900 might have meant she had 2 children not living WITH her and 1 child still in the home. I believe the three children noted in both 1910 Cenuses for Charles H. & Minnie (Moore Taylor) Woolley to be: Charles Edward, born 1888, Griffith (aka Edward Moore) born 1889 and Lowell Lee, born 1893. Charles Edward Woolley (Charles & Minnie's oldest son) is found in the 1910 Census still living in Cincinnati, with his grandmother, Caroline S. Taylor, widow, whom he was living with in 1900. Between the years of the 1910 Census and 1922 is when I believe that Griffith changed his name to Edward Moore Woolley. There is a 1918 draft card for Edward Moore Woolley, now living in Chicago (to be close to his mother and younger brother?), showing a birthdate of May 15, 1885, making him 4 years older than he really was. Was this so he could be to old too draft? Or had he previously been in the military when he was younger so at that time he made himself older so he could join the military and he needed to continue with that fake birthdate when he filled out the draft card in 1918? His death certificate indicated that he had been in the military though I can find no records for this other than the draft card. Also on this draft card, Edward's nearest relative is listed as "Mrs. Rose Woolley" with the same address as Edward's address. Was this a spouse? Was Edward married before his marriage to Gertrude Karnuth? I believe Griffith took his older brother's middle name, Edward, and what he thought was his mother's maiden name of Moore and renamed himself. While his death certificate only shows Edward M. Woolley, he is listed as Edward Moore Woolley on his daughter Laura's birth certificate in 1926. Edward Moore's children's names also point to his place within the Charles H. & Minnie Woolley family, though his age listed on his children's birth certificates do vary, they point mostly to the 1889 birthdate as being correct. Edward Moore Woolley's children with Gertrude Karnuth: Griffith, born Apr 1922, lists Edward's age as 32, supporting the 1889 birthdate. Named his first son after his original name. Have also found Edward's paternal great grandmother whose surname was Griffith. Edward David, born Mar 1924, lists Edward's age as 44, supporting an 1880 birthdate. Named after Griffith's changed name, or his older brother Charles Edward, with the middle name David from Edward's paternal grandfather. Also, the birth certificate gives the child's full name as "Edward David Woolley Jr.", which would not be correct. Edith Gertrude, born Apr 1925, lists Edward's age as 35, supporting the 1889 birthdate. Edith's middle name is her mother's name. Laura Minerva, born Sep 1926, lists Edward's age as 37, supporting the 1889 birthdate. Laura's middle name is after both her paternal grandmother, Edward's mother, and her paternal great-grandmother, Edward's grandmother. Leona, born Mar 1929, lists Edward's age as 44, supporting the 1885 birthdate. Lowell, born Apr 1932, lists Edward's age as , supporting the birthdate. Named after Edward's younger brother Lowell. I think with all the above evidence, there is a very strong possibility that Edward Moore Woolley was born Griffith Woolley 22 Sep 1889 in New Richmond, Ohio.

htargo added this on 11 Jan 2013 Update 1/11/2013 - Charles Edward and Griffith (aka Edward Moore) Woolley's birth records indicate their mother's name as Minnie Moore, their younger brother, Lowell's, birth record indicates his mother's name as Minnie Taylor, the father of all three boys is Charles Woolley. I speculated that due to some unknown event Minnie may have used her middle name of "Moore" when she had the first two children to perhaps hide her identity and later, perhaps after reconciling with her parents she used her actual maiden name of "Taylor" for Lowell's birth. I was operating under the assumption that Minnie (and her younger sister Georgia) were Charles Taylor's daughters from a previous marriage since Charles & Carrie Taylor were married in 1872, after both girls' births, as shown in the 1900 census. Found, Ohio marriage of Caroline Snider to George W. Moore on October 30, 1866. I have not been able to find Minnie's birth record, by all accounts it should be in Tennessee, but I did find Georgia Lee Moore's (Minnie's younger sister) Ohio birth record from 1870, listing George W. Moore as father and Caroline Snider as mother. Georgia is listed as a male in the birth record and in the 1870 census where Caroline Moor is back living with her parents, John & Nancy Snider, along with her daughter Minnie Moor and "son" George Moor. By 1880 and in all subsequent censuses, Georgia is shown as a female. Charles Taylor was Minnie and Georgia's step-father and they are listed as "Taylors" in the 1880 census, but, in actuality, they were Charles Taylor's step-daughters from Caroline Snider's first marriage to George W. Moore. Griffith (Edward Moore) Woolley's mother was then Minnie Moore at birth and then seemed to start using her step-father's last name of Taylor later.