Virginia Mae Griffin

Virginia married Louis James Votta Abt. 1929. Louis was born 1 Apr 1911; died 8 Oct 1959. [Group Sheet]

1. Louis James Votta was born 8 Aug 1929, RI; died 15 Mar 1991, RI.
2. Mildred I. Votta was born Abt. 1932.
3. Myrtle M. Votta was born Abt. 1933.
4. Carol Jane Votta was born Abt. Jul 1939.

Notes:

In 1920, the family is living on Branch Ave. in Providence. There are 7 children in the family.

In 1930, the family is on Booth Ave. in Providence. There are 5 children in the household.

John married Mabel E. Nottage 26 Feb 1902. Mabel (daughter of George Longley Nottage and Sarah Malvina Berry) was born 5 Jul 1881, RI; died 1959. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1880 Federal Census, George & Sarah are living in Providence, RI, with the three girls.

In the 1900 Federal Census, the family is living on Warren Ave. in East Providence, RI. Six children are in the household: Mabel E., George L. Jr., Leonora A., Sarah M., Arthur D., & Clifton S .

In the 1910 Federal Census, George L. Nottage is age 56 RI, widowed, a painter living at Jamestown, Newport Co., RI. Census data shows his father as born in RI and his mother in CT. In the same census, he is also listed as living in Providence with his married daughter and husband, Leonora A. & Walter P. Stinchfield.

It is possible that his wife Thera is not listed in 1910, but that she and George were still married.

In 1920 George L. Nottage is age 64 RI, remarried, and still a painter (runs shop), living at Los Angeles, CA. His wife is Theria A., 67 NY.

In the Federal Census of 1930, George is an "inmate" in Infirmary 14 of the Los Angeles County Farm in Downey Township. According to census data, he is age 75 and widowed.

The California Death Index says he died at age 81, on 12 July 1935.

George married Sarah Malvina Berry 11 Apr 1876, RI. Sarah (daughter of John H. BERRY and Eliza Ann ELSBREE) was born 3 Jun 1857, New Bedford, MA; died 11 Apr 1901, East Providence, RI; was buried , Lakeside Cemetery. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Sarah is age 18 in the 1875 Federal Census. She is living with her widowed mother in Providence, along with her brother John, and (probably) her daughter Ada, age 1. Beside Ada's name is written "granddaughter, illegitimate."

In 1880 she is married to George L. Nottage, and has three daughters.

I have wondered if Sarah's middle name was Maria, after her paternal grandmother. One family tree has her middle name as Malvina. One of her daughters has the middle name Melvina, so possibly that was it.

Our grandfather named a daughter Sarah Melvina Berry.

Notes:

His date of birth is difficult to read in the family Bible.

In the 1860 Federal Census, this family is living at Knightsville, Cranston, Providence, Co., RI. They are next door to George & Almira Nottage, so I am assuming John is their son.

Records show that John & Rebecca had a son stillborn 29 June 1863 at Cranston (familysearch.org).

In 1870 John & Rebecca have moved to Providence, RI, in the 9th Ward, as have also George & Almira.

In the RI State Census of 1885, John S. Nottage age 60 is in East Providence.

The following exceprt is from "The Seventh Regiment of RI Volunteers in the Civil War, 1862 - 1865" by William P. Hopkins, Snow & Farmham Printers, Providence, RI, 1903; p 405 [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rigenweb/article57.html]

JOHN S. NOTTAGE. Sergeant John Sterry Nottage was born in Norwich, Conn., July 9, 1826. He had two brothers and one or more sisters. His father was a tin and sheet iron worker and dealer in stoves. When two years of age or thereabouts, the family moved to Providence. Soon he was sent to a private school presided over by a Mrs. Hodges, and her daughter, Julia. Later he attended the public school on Summer Street, Mr. Weston teacher. When entering upon manhood he learned the carpenter's trade, but at length ventured on a three years' whaling voyage. While thus absent his mother died, which was ever a source of grief. He was wounded in the head at Spottsylvania May 13, 1864, and was sent to Portsmouth Grove Hospital, where he was retained as at attendant upon his invalid comrades until his discharge. His wife was an invalid for many years, and he was caring for her when his younger brother, Charles H. Nottage, who had been commissary sergeant of the Fourth Rhode Island, died about 1896. He had obtained little rest day or night for thirteen weeks, and his constitution became overtaxed. In May of that year he had two paralytic shocks that rendered him unconscious, and deprived him of the power of speech. It was, indeed, barely possible to swallow food. At last the third and fatal shock supervened.

John married Rebeckah Maria Beazley 31 Mar 1853, Providence, RI. Rebeckah (daughter of Edward T. Beasley and Almira Ellis King) was born Abt 1830, RI; died 22 Nov 1897. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Rebeckah may have been divorced from Ashbel when she married John S. Nottage.

Her father is identified as Edward Beasely of Cranston. Her mother was most likely Almira Ellis, who was married to Edward Beasely 28 Oct 1822 at Cranston. Almira "Beazley" also married George Longley Nottage, Sr.

Notes:

John & Rebeckah were married by George R. Darrow.

Nottage, John L., and Rebecca Moses, March 31, 1853 6: 77 Vol. 2 Marriages 1851-1870

Notes:

In Sarah's birth record at New Bedford, MA, John's birthplace is given as North Carolina.

However, Eliza Virginia's birth record says he was born in Horntown, VA.

In the 1855 MA State Census, John H. Berry 27 VA seaman and Eliza Berry 22 MA are living in New Bedford.

In the Federal Census of 1860, John H. Berry is 29, his wife Eliza is 25, daughter Sarah M. M. is 2, and son John is 6 months. John H. Berry is a seaman, and his birthplace is given as South Carolina. The family is living in Ward 6, Fall River, Bristol Co., MA.

In 1863, John H. Berry 40 VA mariner is on a Civil War Draft Registration List from Fall River. I think it's he, but the age should be closer to 30, not 40.

In the 1865 RI State Census, the family is in Ward 5, District 73, Providence: John H. Berry 33 SC mariner, Eliza A. 30 MA, Sarah M. 8 MA, John H. Jr 5 MA, and Eliza V. 3 mos.

In the Federal Census on 5 Apr or Aug 1870, John H. Berry 38 and Eliza A. Berry 33 are living in Ward 5, Providence with their children Sarah 13, John H. 10, and Eliza V. 5. A young man, Charles Iakeray (?), is boarding with them. John's occupation is given as "whaler." Again, his birthplace is given as South Carolina, but his marriage certificate and ship's crew list both say he was born in Sandy Hill, MD. Perhaps his parents lived in both places at various times. The family is living near John W. & Mehitable Butts, ages 64 & 60. Could they be related to Eliza? (According to a genealogy at Rootsweb, this is John Wood Butts & Mehitable Wentworth.)

At one time, Providence was a port for 9 whaling ships (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/55152/55152-h/55152-h.htm).

My mom, Edna, at one time thought her grandfather John was born in North Carolina. I haven't been able to positively determine where he was born. However, the birth record of my grandfather, John Holland Berry, says that his father John H. Berry was a seaman, born in South Carolina. This agrees with the census information.

Notice in Fall River Daily News 29 July 1871 shows that John died before daughter Jennie died: "In Providence, 28th, Jennie, daughter of Eliza A. and the late John H. Berry, aged 6 years, 4 months and 20 days"

John probably died at sea. This needs more research to confirm. It is clear that he died sometime between the 1870 Federal Census and the time of his daughter's death as reported on 29 July 1871, noted above.

By 1875 Eliza Berry is a widow, still living in Providence, along with daughter Sarah 18, son John H. 15 (a jeweler), and granddaughter Ada (illegitimate). Eliza later remarries, to Leon Allison.

"I found a reference in an old book called 'Old Somerset on the Eastern Shore of Maryland,' by Torrence, which said Sandy Hill was 10 miles south of Snow Hill, MD . . . Snow Hill is at the head of navigation on the Pocomoke River, so a few hundred years ago when ship travel was the norm, folks could get from the Virginia Counties on the Eastern Shore up to Snow Hill fairly easy." (from M. K. Miles, compiler of Miles Files Version 7 on the Eastern Shore Public Library Web Site)

"Abstract of Protections granted to American Seamen at the Port of New York, during the 1st Qtr of 1844: 25 Jan 1844, John Berry age 16, height 5'5", light complexion, nativity: Chincoteague Virginia

Horntown, VA, is on the VA Eastern Shore near Chincoteague Bay. Horntown Road leads there from Rt. 13.

Sandy Hill, MD, being about 10 miles south of Snow Hill, must be over the border from Horntown into MD, about adjacent to Purnell Bay or Parker Bay.

Sandy Hill is now known as Girdletree, according to some records. Girdletree is on Rt. 12 in MD, just north of Horntown, VA.

The property owned by John's grandfather James Berry was in Accomack County, VA, east of US Rt. 13 between Mappsville and Temperanceville.

John H. Berry is on numerous whaling crew lists for New Bedford; at least two of these give his residence/birthplace as Sandy Hill, MD. He was 5'7" tall with brown hair and florid (reddish or flushed) complexion.

John married Eliza Ann ELSBREE 19 Sep 1853, New Bedford, Bristol Co., MA. Eliza (daughter of Benjamin ELSBREE and Hannah BUTTS) was born 5 Nov 1832, Fall River, Bristol Co., MA; died 4 Jan 1913, Providence, RI; was buried , Oakland Cemetery, Cranston, RI. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

In the 1875 RI Census, Eliza A. Berry is a widow aged 43, still living in Providence, along with daughter Sarah 18, son John H. 15 (a jeweler), and granddaughter Ada (illegitimate). They are living on Colwell St., near Plane.

In 1880, Leon & Eliza Allison are living in District 48 in Providence. Clara Allison, age 32, is in the household. Probably she is Leon's daughter from his previous marriage.

In 1900, Eliza Alison is widowed and living on Swan St. in Providence with her son John H. Berry and his third wife, Laura.

In the 1910 Federal Census, Eliza A. Allison is age 77, living at 10 Bowditch Place, Providence, RI, with her son John, his wife Nellie, and their two young daughters, Helen & Loretta.

According to the death record, Eliza Allison died at age 81 (OS Page 24:225).

See notes for Ephraim Elsbree, Sr., for alternate spellings of the surname.

Notes:

In their marriage record of 1853, both John & Eliza were identified as residents of New Bedford. It was a first marriage for both. John's birthplace is given as Sandy Hill, MD; his occupation is given as mariner. John's parents are named as John and Maria; Eliza's father is named as Benjamin Elsbree (no mother named). (New Bedford Vol.69: Pg.129)