Margaret Ann Richardson

BMDB data

     Margaret Ann Richardson was born in Feb 1864 CAN.^4,5 Some sources show Margaret as born cir. 1865 OH, USA, but other census records consistently show her as born in Canada 1864 (as does her 2nd marriage cert.) and emigrating to the States in 1865.^2,3
     Margaret A Richardson married William Wight, son of Walter Wight and Helen Sinton, on 27 Dec 1894 St Johns Episcopal Ch, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, the entry in his sister Helen's family record letter reads: "William Wight born 2nd March 1846 married Margaret Richardson, he died July 1st 1896". A search of the Scottish marriage indices did not show this marriage, so I assumed it either occured in the States, or elsewhere. I eventually found an IGI record of a marriage of William Wight to Margaret A Richardson in Ohio, which fits with where he was when his father died. The date is 2 years before his own death and he would have been 48 and Margaret 30. I have often wondered if she was a relation as William's grandmother was a Richardson. Subsequent research provided their not very informative marriage record in Ohio⁶. It consisted of two parts, one an affidavit by William applying for a marriage license for "himself" and Margaret A Richardson, and swearing on oath that Margaret was not less than 18, William no less than 21 and they had respectively no wife/husband living and their relationship was no closer than second cousins. The marriage return attached verified that, Mr William Wight and Margaret A Richardson "were by me legally joined in marriage, Rev Silas H Dunning.^6,7,8,9,10"
     Margaret A Wight married Jacob Rapp, son of Martin Rapp and Maria A Zipf, on 10 Mar 1903 Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, a license being issued the day before and the cert showing it was Jacob's 1st marriage and Margaret's 2nd. Margaret was 39, living 595 Jennings Ave, born Canada, no occupation, d/o Geo Richardson and Margaret Preston. Jacob was 33, resident 625 Jennings Ave, b Cleveland, a clerk, s/o Martin R Rapp and Maria A Zipf, marriage performed by the Rev Charles E Mills of 463 Jennings Ave.^3,11,12,13
     Margaret Ann Rapp died on 4 Jan 1933 3611 Denison Ave, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, at age 68; the dth notice reading: Rapp: Margaret Ann (nee Richardson), beloved wife of Jacob Rapp, sister of Mrs. C. R. Kunkel, Wednesday a. m., at her residence, 3611 Denison Ave. Funeral from late residence. Friday, at 2 p.m.^{14,5,12,15,16}

Migration

     Margaret arrived Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, in 1865; as at least two census records show Margaret as being born in Canada and coming to America within a year of her birth, but what is interesting is that her father put on his 1900 census return that he had been in the States for 50 yrs, ie since 1850.⁵

Census/Where lived/Occupations

     The census of 7 Jun 1870 showed Margaret and Georgiana in the household of their parents George and Margaret Richardson Ward 9, Cleveland City, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, enumerated as RICHARDSON: George, 35, locomotive builder; Margaret 33, keeping house, both b Sct. Margaret 6 b Canada; Georgiana 1 b Ohio.⁴
     The census of 8 Jun 1880 showed Georgiana and Margarette in the household of their parents George and Margaret Richardson and a boarder William Wight, Friary (?) St (60), Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, enumerated as RICHARDSON: George, 41, machinist; wife Margarette, 40, both b Sct, both parents b Sct; Dtrs: Margarette, 16; Georgina, 11, both at school, b Ohio; Boarder: William WHITE, 35, blacksmith, b SCT, both parents b SCT (note incorrect spelling, in addition he was indexed as aged 45, so no wonder I had difficulty finding Margaret's future husband).²
     By Jul 1896 Margaret A Wight and William Wight were living 595 Jennings St, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA.^14,17
     Margarette Wight appeared on the census of 7 Jun 1900 595 Jennings Ave, Ward 38, Cleveland City, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, enumerated as WIGHT: Margarette, head, white female b Feb 1864, aged 36, widowed, married 2 yrs, no children, b Canada Scotch, parents both b Sct, emigrated to USA in 1865, 35 yrs in States, occupation "Capitalist", can read, write and speak English, owns freehold house. Also George Richardson, father, born Sep 1832, aged 67, widowed, married 24 yrs b Sct, as were his parents, emigrated 1850, been in States 50 yrs, not naturalised, no occupation given, can read/write/speak English. Boarders: KUNKEL: Charles R, b Feb 1868 aged 32 married 10 yrs b Ohio, Father b Penn, Mother b England, an "R.R. Engineer"; Georgiana P, b Oct 1868, aged 31 mar. 10 yrs, 2 children both still living, b Ohio, both parents b Sct; Ethel M, b Jul 1891 8, at school; Lester W b Apr 1896 aged 4 both b Ohio, as were both parents (Georgiana being Margaret's sister)
The current occupant of this house kindly forwarded me the attached photo of the house after finding my web pages.^5,18 She was still living 595 Jennings Ave, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, in Mar 1903 when she married Jacob.³ She and Jacob Rapp were not found in the census of 1910 OH, USA, although only heads of households were indexed. Can't spot either Jacob, or Margaret under either of her married surnames (Wight or Rapp).¹⁹
     Margaret Rapp appeared on the census of 1920 3611 Denison Ave, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, with Jacob Rapp, enumerated as Margaret Rapp, 55, married to Jacob Rapp (48 b OH, father German, b Alsace Loraine mother German b Baden). 1st came to USA in 1864, naturalised 1895, born Canada, parents both b Sct. Plus a lodger (McCrea) and a boarder (Addy), this initially tentative id being corroborated by a possible 2nd marriage for Margaret and subsequently proved by her dth notice.^20,12
     Margaret Rapp appeared on the census of 1930 Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, with Jacob Rapp, enumerated as RAPP: Jacob 60 b OH, parents both b Germany, own home, $8,000, 32 when 1st married; wife Margaret 66 aged 38 when 1st married (I calculate her as 30), b. Canada, English, as were both parents (sic), emigrated 1864, naturalised. Both had occupation "none". 2 boarders Segby and Kearney.¹⁵

Wills/bequests

     On 28 Jun 1896 Margaret was the sole beneficiary to the will of her husband William Wight Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA.¹ Margaret A Wight applied to the Probate Court Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA, on 6 Jul 1896 to be appointed administrator on the estate of William Wight; the application states that William died on or about the 1st of July 1896 leaving a widow and the following named persons as his next of kin: Jane Middlemis, sister, Scotland; Peter Wight, brother, Scotland; Henderson, sister, New Zealand; sister, Scotland. Did Margaret not know all her sisters-in-laws' names? Helen was the Henderson one, but which of Isabella or Beatrice was meant by the other sister in Scotland is not known. It also stated that the whole personal estate consisted of blacksmith plant, tools & stock accounts receivable, actuals to be filed, the probate value of which will not exceed $5,000, and real estate of two houses & lots, No 595 Jennings standing in law ?couhied? and No 175 Abbey St both of Cleveland Ohio, value of which not exceeding $6,000 and was signed by Margaret A Wight, residing at 595 Jennings Ave, City on the 6th July.¹⁷ On 14 Aug 1896 Margaret A Wight applied to the probate court Cuyahoga Co., OH, for permission to sell the personal property of her husband William Wight; the inventory of the estate being described as machinery, boiler and engine, tools and implements in trade, a stock of iron, finished and in process, and building standing on leased ground, all being related to William's business of black-smithing and machine shop. William is described as having erected the building on leased ground, and Margaret was petitioning to sell as a going concern in a private sale rather than at auction "in a lump or in pieces or parts" as this latter "will not bring their full value", the value of the entire estate being earlier described as less than $5,000.²¹

All the other info

     Margaret Ann Richardson and Robert Richardson ONT, CAN, in 1862 were possibly related, but this is pure speculation on my part that Robert's parents, Geroge Richardson and Ann Rutherford, just might be the parents of Margaret's father George. Adding fuel to this speculation is that their son Robert, emigrated to Ontario c 1862, and he had a brother George of about Margaret's father's age. He might therefore account for Margaret being born in Canada? (See LornaPotential for some details on this latter family) I would love to hear from anyone with information on the Richardson family to (dis)prove my suspicions about William and Margaret possibly being related, as William's mother was a Richardson from the Scottish Borders.²² Mrs J Rapp was mentioned in the death notice of George Richardson on 30 Nov 1912 3611 Denison Ave, Cleveland, Cuyahoga Co., OH, USA; Richardson-George. Funeral at his daughter's residence, Mrs. J. Rapp, 3611 Denison, Saturday, at 2 p. m.^13,2,5