Tombstone Tuesday: Eliza Frances Denison

Tombstone Tuesday: Eliza Frances Denison
wife of John A. Schoonover

Photo by Brian Zoldak, 2016, used with permission

Before I asked Brian Zoldak if he had photographed these "Brown" gravestones, I had a heart-stopping moment when I looked at some research done a long time ago about my 2nd great grandmother, Eliza Fish Denison. The researcher made an understandable error because she couldn't find my Eliza in the 1850 census living with her parents and siblings. 

From my notes, I remembered that it was because she was living with another family, relatives of her mother, Levina Fish, wife of Isaac Denison. Tracing women with the name Eliza and Denison became a challenge for a few days just to be sure that I had the correct women with the right family. It had to be done. When it was complete, I was sure my previous research was fine. That's always good.

THIS Eliza Frances Denison was my 2nd cousin, 2x removed. She was born 22 April 1884, the daughter of Frederic DENISON (1856-1935) and his wife Mary Fanny BROWN (1856-1932). She did not marry John until she was 34 in 1918. My 2nd great grandmother was 22 and that was considered "spinster" except that my 2nd great grandfather was an established businessman at the age of 33. 

Eliza Frances Denison died at the age of 94 sometime in 1978.