Documenting Granny (Lucy Washington Brown)

I know Granny existed because she was a part of my life  --  but that doesn't matter in genealogy research.  As a genealogist/family historian I was so excited to find various records to offer proof to others that, yes, Lucy Washington Brown was here.  In this post I supplied a few of the documents that I have found.

Granny (Lucy Washington Brown) first appeared on the 1910 United States Federal Census in Mississippi, Holmes County, Beat 1, District 0039.

Although Granny and her siblings were born in Mississippi, her parents were born in Georgia.  At age 5, Granny lived with her parents, Peter and Mary; sister Estella (age 12); brothers Ned (age 9) and Gilbert (age 7); and paternal grandfather Ned and grandmother Darkis (spelling?)

Below is the marriage license of Lucy Washington and Noah Brown who were married April 10, 1924 in Erie, Pennsylvania..  My daughter and I made a day trip to Erie  for this copy.  I was so excited to get this  --  so excited that it took me awhile to realize that Granny's mother's name was wrong.   My great-grandmother is listed with the maiden name of "Baird" when her maiden name was "Barrett".

Reverse side  "Consent of Marriage of Child or Ward" signed by Harold P. Dundon as Guardian and also signed by Florence L. Weber, Asst Clerk of the Orphans Court.  Mr. Dundon resided in Erie PA (probably an employee for the department/court)

Granny was 19 years old and Mr. Brown (my biological grandfather) was 21 years old.

Here is a copy of Granny's social security application in her handwriting. Her mother's maiden name is listed as Barrett.  I figure Granny should know but my job is to prove Mary Barrett existed and was the wife of Peter Washington; mother to Lucy Washington.

The Town Club, 805 Delaware, Buffalo NY where Granny was employed when she applied for a social security card.












These are notes Granny wrote for her home going service.  We did not find them until we cleaned out her apartment well after her service on April 10, 1996.  It would have been nice to put together her obituary with the facts she provided in her notes.  But on the other hand, her notes stating "no choir singing" and "no serving"wouldn't have provided us the comfort we needed during her service .