Beware of information on Death Certificates

Before I write about Death Certificates I need to mention the last post. In transcribing the newspaper article about the  marriage between Charles Moench and Maria (Rie) Hepworth one word was hard to read and I thought the word had a ‘qu’ in it. I interpreted it as inquiry and it obviously was the wrong word because the sentence didn't make sense.   The word inquiry should read usually (I think) so it should read like this: 

 The illness of Miss Hepworth up to the time of the ceremony, forbade the assembling of so large a company as Mr. Hepworth's hospitable mansion usually welcomes.   

It was a friend who helped me with a better interpretation.  Thank You My Friend Margie.  Did anyone notice that odd word besides me?                 

  Death Certificates will generally have the accurate date and place of death but, it can go downhill from there.  It all depends on who the informant is and what kind of state they are in; often they are in a state of shock and grieving.    Often if the informant is a wife or husband they may not know what the maiden name of the mother-in-law or even where she was born and will guess.  That information will put you on the wrong path in a hurry. Always research such information to be sure of the maiden name and place of birth of the mother-in-law.  

In the above examples are death certificates of a brother and sister who never married and the information was given by an aunt and a brother-in-law. 

The top certificate is of John Paul Donahue the son of Patrick John Donahue and Mary Ann 'Mollie' Hepworth.  He died 7 June 1929 CORRECT  His birth date is given as 21 March 1891 which is not correct because his mother 'Mollie' died in January of 1891.  John was born on 21 March 1887 in Butte, Montana and not Salt Lake City.  The place given is the correct place.  The informant was his Aunt Sara Hepworth signed as Mrs. S. H. Carthey.  Age at the time of death is recorded as 38 years 2 months and 16 days.  He was really 42 years 2 months and 16 days.   

The next certificate is a sister of John Paul, Mary Frances Donahue.   She died on Christmas Day 25 December 1941.CORRECT  Her birthdate is recorded as 28 September 1892 born in Salt Lake City and again this year is after her mother 'Mollie' died in January 1891.  I believe (and I am sure) she was also born in Butte, Montana on 28 March 1888.

So instead of being 49 years old as stated on her death certificate she was 56 years old 2 months and 27 days.  The informant was the husband of her sister Florence, R.H.Biele. 

Florence Alice the oldest of the Donahue children, she did marry and lived to be much older than her siblings.  Florence married Ray Henry Biele in Salt Lake City on 30 April 1913.  She was born 26 December 1885 and died at the age of 8o just short of her 81st. birthday. 

So be aware when using death certificates and tombstones inscriptions as they cannot be treated as absolute fact.  Everything is true somewhat but the more evidence you can gather, the more confidence you can have that you are right.  

Renée

  

  

Maria 'Rie' Hepworth Moench

This is what I know about Maria Hepworth the seventh child of John and Frances Amelia Hepworth.  She was born in Salt Lake City on 21 Apr 1862 and attended St. Mary's Catholic school .  She was a delicate child and only went when she felt like it.  (from Rose's Journal.)   

Her family and friends called her Rie or Aunt Rie.  She was twenty two when she married Charles N. Moench who was thirty five. Charles was from Germany and came to Salt Lake as a soldier in the Johnston's Army.  When Rie met Charles he was working at his trade as a cabinet maker.

They were married on 26 Aug 1884.  From the Salt Lake Newspaper

 (note below:MARRIAGE)

Moench --Hepworth - At the residence of the bride, August 26th, by Rev. E Benner,

Mr. Chas F. Moench of Butte, Montana, and Miss Ria Hepworth , daughter of 

John Hepworth, Esq., of this city. The illness of Miss Hepworth up to the 

time of the ceremony, forbade the assembling of so large a company as Mr. Hepworth's

hospitable mansion inquiry welcomes. A few of the immediate family friends were 

present, and the occasion, although a very quiet, was also a very happy one,  Mr. Moench is 

well and favorably known from his residence in this city during eight years past, and few young ladies have a wider circle of devoted friends than the bride  They started immediately

 for their home in Butte,The only slipper that was flung after them landed in the mud.  But the omen was perfect.  May they live long and prosper. 

They made their home in Butte, Montana where Charles worked at a mine. Rose was born a little over a year later on 4 November 1885. When Rose was six month old Charles was injured severely by a huge rock that fell on him. They returned to Rie's parents home in Salt Lake City for him to recuperate. 

(from Rose's journal) My father's health, with the undivided care of mother gave him didn't improve [While] walking in the garden, he grabbed her in his arms and died.  To be torn away from his death grasp was an awful experience.  It left her nervous and high strung all her life. 

From the Deseret News 11 August, 1886 [via Genealogy Bank]

Dropped Dead. - About 10:30 o'clock last night, Charles N. Monch [Moench] of Montana, was standing at the gate in front of his father-in-law's residence, at the corner of East Temple and Sixth South streets, when he had a sudden attack of heart disease and fell to the ground unconscious.  Efforts were made to revive him, but he expired in a few moments.  He has been a sufferer from the disease for some time  He leaves a wife (the daughter of John Hepworth) and one child.  His age was about 38 years.  The funeral will be held to-morrow.

Rie never remarried.  She took on the responsibility of raising her sister Mollie's children and managing the affairs of caring for the large house of her parents.  Her daughter Rose married Henry Julius Plumhof in 1911.  Rose, as I mentioned in another post wrote a very interesting journal that is very honest in her writing and has a lot of information on the Hepworth Family as well as her own life. 

Below is a picture of Rose as a small child and as a woman with her husband Henry on her right side and Ray Biele who married her cousin Florence Donahue. 

Rie was living with Rose and her son-in-law when she died in 1953.  She lived to be 91 years old. 

Many challenges and trials and happy moments the Hepworth's have experienced. Stories that need 

to be remembered  and be told. 

    

Renée                                         Rose's Journal       

                                       

Top Picture: Maria Hepworth  - Maria's death certificate - next pic:
Maria Hepworth Monech aka Ria - next pic
Rose Lottie Moench only child of Rie and Charles Moench
 next pic:  Rose is in the middle - her husband on Rose's left
Henry Julius Plumhof - on her right  Raymond Henry Biele
 husband of Florence A. Donahue cousin to Rose. 

PAT - RIE AND LOTTIE - SISTERS WITH BROTHER IN LAW.

Patrick John Donahue b 1849 - d 1932
Maria 'Rie' Hepworth Moench b 1862 - d 1953
Charlotte Hepworth Higley b 1865 - 1956

This picture is so interesting to me because the man is a brother-in-law to the two ladies.      

This is Patrick John Donahue who was the husband of the late 'Molle' Hepworth with Mollie's younger sisters Maria 'Rie' b 21 April 1862 and Charlotte "Lottie' b 14 Aug 1865.   

Seems everyone had a nickname. 

Maria or Rie married Charles Moench in about 1884 in Salt Lake City and moved to Butte, Montana where Charles worked in a mine. They had one child named Rose born in 1885.  Rose was only nine months old when her father died. Rie never remarried and Rose and her mother lived in the large beautiful  Hepworth house for more than twenty years. 

Charlotte or 'Lottie' was twenty nine years old when she married Irving Higley in 1895.  Irving and Lottie did not have any children. 

‘Rie died at the age of ninety one in 1953. Three years later ‘Lottie’ died at the age of ninety 1956 and was the last one of the twelve children.  That's a long time to live back then. 

Pat did remarry and died at the age of eighty two in 1932.

I will post more about the lives of ‘Rie’, ‘Lottie’ and Pat later.

Renée