MA-CENSUS-LOOKUP-L Archives

From: "Betty" <>
Subject: John DEXTER, b1833 CT .. where in 1900 ?
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 2004 02:52:33 -0500

Hello,

Someone has gotten me thinking about my mysterious couple, John and Mary
DEXTER, again. This is the couple who, while in their late 50's, adopted
a baby girl while living in Melrose, MA. The baby girl, born Feb. 1889,
would grow up to become my grandmother.

This is a long story, but I'll try to tell it as briefly as I can:

John DEXTER was born in Killingly, CT, in 1833. He probably married in
Stonington, CT, in 1856, but he seems to have lived most of his married life
in Killingly.

Mary A. ("Molly") CLARK was born in 1836 in Westport, MA. John and
"Molly" DEXTER had three daughters born to them, but one died as a baby and
one died as a teen-ager. Their daughter who lived became Mrs. Clara
(DEXTER) YOUNG.

Somewhere around 1890 (1880's??), John and Molly DEXTER left CT to move to
MA, and lived in a house in Melrose, MA. In the spring of 1892, while in
their late 50's, they adopted a baby girl who had just turned 3. Molly
DEXTER died in the spring of 1899, possibly having been in a hospital for a
while.

I think I found their adopted daughter (renamed Mary Anna Clark DEXTER)
living in the Boston Female Orphans Asylum in 1900 (at Age 10).

But, I cannot find John DEXTER ..anywhere .... in 1900. I just
re-checked the HeritageQuest Census information, and there is no John DEXTER
in any state - who was born in 1833 CT.

Something popped into my mind this morning that I wonder whether John was
sick and in a hospital in 1900. Could he have slipped by the Census
takers if he was a patient in one of the local hospitals?

The next we hear of him he is being admitted to the Tewksbury State Hospital
in 1904 and after one year, dying there in 1905.

...
Also, I was wondering if someone could find this couple in the 1870 Census
for Killingly, CT. I've seen the sheet on HeritageQuest. But, I
cannot make out the name of the lady who is living with this family.

Series M593 Roll 116 Page 385


Thank you for your time !

Enjoy your Sunday !

Betty (near Lowell, MA)


FYI: There was another John DEXTER in Killingly, CT, who was born in
1831, probably a cousin. This John served in the Civil War, and died a
few years after returning to Killingly.

FYI: I've been researching this couple for several years, and I've
collected information on them. It's just this problem of John DEXTER not
appearing in the 1900 Census which has me puzzled.

This thread:

• John DEXTER, b1833 CT .. where in 1900 ? by "Betty" <>