Edward Robertson...wife Harriet E ? Help please.

[robbiej]

I have Edward Robertson B/ may 1851. Leith Scotland. He was married I believe three times. He was in the Clothing Trade. A Tailor.
1st marriage) Isabella Gordon Jan 1872.
2nd marriage) Mary Paterson. ..1881.

I have now discovered there possibly was a 3rd wife... Harriet E. ?
I understand she was from (and born in) New Jersey USA.
I have a census document which says thay lived in New Jersey in 1930, and at that time were both the same age.. of 69.
Also it says they were married at the ages of 53.
Her parents were born in England.
Can anyone supply me with information regarding this couple. Her maiden name, parents names, birth marriage or even death ?
There is I think... a maybe problem... in that I have Edward as being born in 1852, and if one looks at this Census taken 1930. and it says they were married a the age of 53 and were 69 yrs of age then. It makes him Born in 1861....
I am confused ! H E L P would be appreciated.

[SarahND]

Hi robbiej,
I initially doubted that the 1930 census was your Edward, since it says he came to the U.S. in 1878, yet your Edward Robertson was in Scotland in 1881, 1891 and 1901.
Also note that the question on the 1930 census is the age at FIRST marriage- and they both put 53-- hmmm. Not that people were always truthful, of course So I went backwards to 1920 to check what he said then.
In 1920 he is already married to Harriet E, now says he came to U.S. in 1916, which is a much better year, but he is an inspector of phonographs, rather than a tailor. He must have told his new wife a fib about his age... since they claimed in 1920 that they were both 60

With this hint, however, I started looking at passenger lists and finally found him. He came to U.S. on May 26, 1915 through Canada. He states that he is visiting his son in Orange, New Jersey. He was born in Leith, is a tailor, (and is, correctly, 64 years of age!) etc. -- it's definitely him So it is beginning to look like this was indeed your Edward Have you looked for his second wife's death record in Scotland?

By the way, I went back to 1910 and sure enough, his son Thomas is in Orange, New Jersey, with wife and two children.

All the best.
Sarah

[robbiej]

Sarah. Sounds as if y ou have not only FOUND the nswer but also found the lost son Thomas.
Is it possible for you to mail all this to me. The data where you gained all this ?? as I haven't a clue where or what to do to get it.
I got stumped with Thomas B/1884 after the 1901 scotland Census, and also Edward.
The rest of the family...There was Elizabeth B/1888 she went to Canada I think in 1930 or there bouts and lived there till she died in around about 1966. Also George B/1886 who married in Glasgow and went to Boston. Both died there .They were all born in Dundee Scotland.
Then there was Alfred...Born Glasgow. my Dad, B/1893 who married in Scotland and came to NZ.
I would be very interested in the son Thomas and family as well....
Thank you so very much Sarah