There is a family mystery that I would like to solve. It involves the relationship between my great-grandmother Mary Ann (Sinclair) Kaelber & her mother Susan (Sylvester) Sinclair or [a possible] step-mother Susan (Morse/Morise) Sinclair.
Here is the family lore:
For as long as Grandma Virginia or Dad can remember, my great grandma Mary always said that Susan (or "that woman" as she put it) was not her mom. The legend goes that, as Daniel Sinclair lay dying from blood poisoning c. 1911, he told Mary that "she's not your mom" and that she was to "get out of [there]".
As you can tell from my first paragraph, based upon my research so far, I have come up with two names: Susan Sylvester & Susan Morse (or Morise).
Great Grandma Mary's death certificate (1900-1999) lists her mother as Susan Sinclair. (However, it also lists her occupation as nurse. In searching the Washington State Department of Health's Provider Credential Search, it appears that she was not a licensed nurse or nurse aide.) The death certificate of John Sinclair (1902-1920), Mary's younger brother, lists his mother as Susan Morse. (However, if their older brother Joseph Sinclair [who is listed as "not of sound mind" on his 1917 draft card] were the one who had provided the information, it is possible that it wasn't correct.)
As you can tell from my first paragraph, based upon my research so far, I have come up with two names: Susan Sylvester & Susan Morse (or Morise).
Great Grandma Mary's death certificate (1900-1999) lists her mother as Susan Sinclair. (However, it also lists her occupation as nurse. In searching the Washington State Department of Health's Provider Credential Search, it appears that she was not a licensed nurse or nurse aide.) The death certificate of John Sinclair (1902-1920), Mary's younger brother, lists his mother as Susan Morse. (However, if their older brother Joseph Sinclair [who is listed as "not of sound mind" on his 1917 draft card] were the one who had provided the information, it is possible that it wasn't correct.)
Since John Sinclair was born in 1902, one would assume that the 1910 Washington State census could indicate a different woman than did the 1900 Wisconsin census. However, that's not the case!
In looking at this information, one could wonder if Daniel Sinclair had had an affair - and a child - with a woman named Susan Morse ... and that Daniel's statement had actually been about Susan Sylvester not being John's mom (vs Susan Morse not being Mary's mom).
But then what would I make of this 1915 marriage document (from Spokane County, Washington) which lists the bride as a widow named Susan Morse Sinclair? (And Spokane County does not necessarily seem strange, as this page from the 12 June 1915 edition of The Colville Examiner and the 1920 census' [here & here] suggest that Susan was not living with relatives in Ferry County in 1915 or 1920.)
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In order to shed more light on the situation, I need to get the birth certificates for both Joseph Sinclair and John Sinclair. (Mary's birth certificate lists her mother as Susan Salvesta.) I would also like to get the marriage certificate for Daniel Sinclair and Susan Sylvester and the possible marriage certificate for Daniel Sinclair and Susan Morse (although general online searches have not indicated the existence of such a document).