Reflections From the Fence: Nellie (Mae ?) Lashbrook Gregory, Research Report, the As It Is Series

This continues a series of posts, done in a very efficient (make that speedy fast) manner to share some research on the ancestors. This is NOT intended to be the end all to end all report. It's a work in progress, to show you what I have found, right or wrong. Kind feedback is welcomed via comments.

Let’s begin - -

Meet - - Nellie (Mae?) Lashbrook Gregory:

Many years ago when Man and I visited and researched in Iowa we visited the Riverside Cemetery in Charles City. We could not find a headstone for Nellie. I also, over the years, could find no obituaries. Recently, thanks to the Community History Archives program, I found her obituary, plus a few other articles in the weeks prior to and after her death. Here are my notes and a couple of documents from my database:

Nellie appears on the 1880 census for Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa with her husband James Gregory, she is 25 years old, James' age cannot read, and Frances, their son, born Sept. 1879. Her mother Betsey Lashbrook Leaman is enumerated immediately before Nellie.

Nellie appears on the 1885 census of Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa as follows: James Gregory, 41, drugman, born Illinois; Nellie, age 30, keeping house, born Illinois; Frank, age 5, born Floyd County; Nellie, age 1, born Floyd County. Note: Nellie, the 1 year old child, is not mention in the 1900 census, and Nellie the mother, claims to have had only 2 children, both of whom are living in the 1900 census. However, we do find May Nellie Bean, on the 1925 Iowa census, who claims her parents to be James Gregory and Nellie Lashbrook. Where this child was in 1900 is not known.

Nellie lived in Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa in 1893 when John Lashbrook's estate was being settled.

Nellie is on the 1895 census of 3rd Ward, Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa as follows: James Gregory, age 52, born Canada, occupation cannot read due to tight binding of the original book, Methodist religion, served in the Iowa 6th, Company B; Nellie, age 38, born Illinois, Methodist religion; Frank, male, age 15, born Floyd County; Nettie M. female, age 11, born Floyd County; Charles, male, age 6, born Floyd County.

Nellie is enumerated on the 1900 US Census of Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa as follows: James Gregory, born March 1842, 58 years old, married 23 years, born Canada, parents both born New York, came to US in 1871, teamster; Nellie, wife, born June 1855, 44 years old, married 23 years, 2 children, both survive, born Illinois, father born England, mother born New York; Frank F., son born Sept 1879, age 20, born Iowa; Charles H., son, born Jan. 1889, age 11, born Iowa.

Nellie was found on the 1905 Iowa State Census of Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa. However, she is enumerated alone, not with the rest of the family unit, James and Charles. Seeing that this census is just a listing of names, no ages, no places of birth, nothing more than a simple list of names, we cannot be positive this is our Nellie. See image attached.

Nellie died about 1906, per the Civil War Pension file of her husband James. In 1922 he states that she had been dead about 16 years.

The record of Nellie Gregory from Iowa, Death Records

Name Nellie Gregory

Event Type Death

Event Date 13 Jan 1905

Event Place St. Charles, Madison, Iowa, United States

Event Place Charles, Iowa, United States

Gender Female

Age 49

Birth Year (Estimated) 1856

Father's Name R L Lashbrook

Mother's Name Besty Mitchell

"Iowa, Death Records, 1904-1951," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPFX-5H48 : 25 September 2018), R L Lashbrook in entry for Nellie Gregory, 13 Jan 1905, St. Charles, Madison, Iowa, United States; citing certificate #, State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines; FamilySearch digital folder 102869837.

From the Charles City Intelligencer, Charles City, Iowa, published January 5, 1905:

“Additional Miner Happenings

- - Mrs. James Gregory is in ????? health.”

From the Charles City Herald, Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa, published January 15, 1905:

“Mrs. Nellie Gregory, wife of James Gregory, was born in Moringo, Ill., June 10th, and died in Charles City, January 13, 1905. In 1870 she came here with her parents and in 1877, she married her husband, and three children were born to them, Mrs. Mary Bean, who lives in Cedar Rapids, Frank of Dubuque; and Charles, of this city. Deceased was a faithful mother and loving wife. The funeral services were held from the late home last Sunday afternoon, conducted by Rev. Wilson Denny.”

From the Charles City Herald, Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa, published January 18, 1905:

“Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Mandell, who were called here to attend the funeral of Mrs. Mandell’s sister, Mrs. James Gregory, returned to their home in Hampton Monday.”

From the Charles City Intelligencer, Charles City, Iowa, published January 19, 1905:

“Mrs. Geo. Wolvert, of Waterloo, attended the funeral of Mrs. James Gregory, returning home Monday evening.

Mrs. W. H. Muffley, who was called here by the death of her sister, Mrs. James Gregory, returned home to Osage Monday.

Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Mendell, of Hampton, who had been here to attend the funeral, of Mrs. James Gregory, returned home Monday.”

From the Charles City Intelligencer, Charles City, Iowa, published January 19, 1905:

“GREGORY - - Died, at her late home in Charles City, Iowa, January 13, 1905, of cancer, Nellie, wife of James Gregory, aged 49 years 7 months and 3 days.

Deceased was a native of Illinois having been born in that state at Marengo June 10, 1855. She came to this city with her parents in 1870, where she has since resided. She was married in this city in 1877 to James Gregory, who with one daughter and two sons survive her. Three sisters and one brother also survive her.

Mrs. Gregory lived a quiet, retired life, but was loved by all who knew her. Her home was her world.

Funeral services were conducted by Rev. Wilson Denney at 2 o’clock p.m. Sunday, at the house.

The house was filled with neighbors and friends to mourn her death. Interment was made at Riverside.”

Nellie has a Find A Grave memorial, # 17205913, as stated above, there is no photo of a headstone.

* Disclaimers, I use Find A Grave, Ancestry dot com, FamilySearch, several newspaper subscriptions, free sites, such as Virginia Chronicles, Virginia Chancery Cases online at the Library of Virginia and more to research my ancestors. I pay for subscriptions, full price.

** My judgements may or may not be correct. Transcriptions may or may not have errors.

*** Links, URL's, for the most part will not be included henceforth on my posts, as so many of them change and then I have to come back and try to re-discover and relink. Frankly folks, I have no desire to spend my limited time here on this side of the sod with those kinds of do overs. As researchers, or just members of the internet community, sites such as Find A Grave are easy to find, some are free to use and with the information I am sharing with you, hopefully, you can duplicate the research/findings. That said, I have seen memorials at Find A Grave be removed. If you have questions, I suggest you leave a nice comment for me. OR find the method I have outlined on my blog for contacting me.

**** The question of her middle names derives from the fact that her Find A Grave memorial states her middle name as Mae, however, in all the years of my research I have not found any reference to a middle name.

*****Mrs. Geo. Wolvert, we note the surname is actually Wolverton.