Family Notes - December 2008

This is the story of Elizabeth Perrott who lived in Gresse Street, London, one of the children of Nathan and Caroline Perrott. Her story is one of ‘rags to riches’ that you might find in a novel.

I have traced my grandfather’s uncle, Nathan Perrott (1821-1912) who was married to Caroline (b.1834? Bermondsey, d.1913.) in the 1881 census living at 26 Gresse Street, Marylebone, London, working as a furniture broker. He died in 1911 and his wife Caroline in 1913; they never made Wills. Their daughter Elizabeth (a spinster) continued living there alone for the next 25 years, living as frugally as her parents did all their lives. She then sometimes sold flowers and sometimes did office cleaning to earn money to support herself. When she was 80 years old and too old to work and care for herself she was given help by representatives of her church. They suggested she should go into a poor institution and the curate from her church asked if she had any family or relatives they could trace. She then produced an old tin box belonging to her late father, which neither she nor her mother ever opened as the key was missing.

The box was forcibly opened; inside were records of £10,000 of bank deposits and several thousand pounds worth of Government Bonds. These deposits, once discovered, were then restored by the bank and with interest added were worth £20,000 - that’s about half a million pounds today!

For Elizabeth to inherit this money it had to be proved that her parents were married and that she was their daughter. The case went to the Court of Chancery. Extensive searches were made and no marriage certificate was found. There was no evidence found to suggest that they had not married and a mass of evidence in favour of them being married. There were many birth and baptism certificates as they had seven children and the census returns from 1851 to 1911 showed that Nathan and Caroline had lived together as man and wife. The Judge said as this was clearly stated, therefore the monies should go to Elizabeth, the only surviving daughter.

Elizabeth died in 1939. She had made a Will and left all the money to her late sister’s three children.

As all male members of the Society know only too well, Fathers are long suffering, patient people and those with daughters who are about to get married are even more so - and if you ask how I know, I’ve been there! But my experience runs to 3 sons and only one daughter, so I have to take my hat off to Mr. Peter P. Parrott who at the end of the 19th century lived in Orange County, New York.

The New York Times records the marriages of 4 of his daughters. Think of the expense, the endless discussions of dresses, invitation lists, and having to greet long lost relatives you had secretly hoped never to meet again .....................

But back to Peter Parrott! Here’s how the New York Times recorded the 4 great days:

19 October 1866: DICKINSON - PARROTT. On Wednesday Oct 17 at St. John’s church, ‘The Greenwoods’ Orange County by Rev. Charles Babcock assisted by Rev Dr. Francis L. Vinton, George Fox Dickinson to Jane Arden, daughter of Peter P. Parrott, Esq.

24 April 1874: WHIPPLE - PARROTT. In this city April 23 1874, at the Church of the Transfiguration, by Rev. John Potter, assisted by the Rev. Dr. Houghton, Mr. N. Dana Whipple, to Roberta Parker, daughter of Peter P. Parrott of ‘The Greenwoods.’

14 June 1879: RANDALL - PARROTT. On Thursday June 12, at St John’s church, The Greenwoods, Orange County, NY, by the Rev. W.H.De L. Grannis, assisted by the Rev. Samuel Moran, Miss Hannah Parker, daughter of Mr. Peter P. Parrott, to Mr. John Wirt Randal of Annapolis, Md.

10 June 1886: KISSAM - PARROTT. At Greenwood, Orange County,NY, 8th June, Mary Antoinette, daughter of Peter P. Parrott, to Philip Kissam

These are just the weddings I found. Who knows if Peter Parrott was blessed with even more daughters?