Above is the result of my first genealogy graveyard visit. I went to Cypress Hills Cemetery in Brooklyn (and Queens), NY a couple weeks ago in search of the grave of my husband's great-great-grandmother, Lucy. As you can see from the above picture - we were successful!
Unfortunately, Lucy is the oldest known relative in my husband's mother's family. I've recently requested (and received) the death certificates for Lucy and her daughter, Sadie. I was hoping that these might provide me with information about both Lucy's parents and her husband.
Up first - Lucy's husband: Sadie's death certificate lists her father as Melvin Motley. This information was provided by her son (my husband's grandfather), Lawrence. But - on Lucy's death certificate it lists her husband as simply Bennie. In addition, it lists her mother as Lucy Ridley (not Bagley as shown above). This leaves me with a number of questions about Sadie's father, Lucy's husband(s) and Lucy herself.
1. Who was Melvin Motley? Sadie's father, but not Lucy's husband? Or was he Lucy's first husband?
2. And were they never married, divorced - or did Melvin die?
3. Who was Bennie? Was he Sadie's father? Or just Lucy's husband? And is this where the last name Bagley (on the gravestone) comes from?
4. What was Lucy's last name at birth? Ridley or Bagley?
Next up - Lucy's parents. Her death certificate lists them as Billie Ridley and Mary Davis. But the 1900 census has Lucy Bagley listed (age 15) living with her father - William Bagley. Again - this only leaves me with a number of questions.
1. Was Lucy's father Billie Ridley or William Bagley?
2. If Lucy was born to Billie Ridley then was William Bagley (age 40) actually her husband (at age 15)?
3. Did William Bagley go by the nickname Bennie as listed on Lucy's death cerficate?
Lots of unanswered questions. But that is what makes genealogy research fun! I can't wait until I have the time to dig in and see what I can find out about all of the mysteries of Lucy.
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