Florence Jane Watson

  General Notes:

Research of Ray and Mary Straw.

photo courtesy of T & S Sollenbarger from a family album

"I found her parents on the 1850 Federal census in Bangor Me. Her father, Samuel Newell Watson .born about 1821 in Me.. Mother Elisa Pierce, Born about 1822 in Me. I have a copy of Florence Jane Watson's obituary. It states she was born in Portland Me. April 6, 1848 and that her parents died when she was very young and was raised by relatives in the Boston area. She married Daniel Straw in Boston on October 18, 1872. They came directly to Wells Minnesota. I have a beautiful quilt that was a wedding present from her friends back East. Aside from these "facts" which have some validity, I have some educated (?) guesses about this mystry woman who was my great grandmother. A family picture album that Tom [my brother] may have shared some with you starts with a picture of a Col Charles Frederick King, Boston Mass. He is described by my grandmother (her daughter Florence Agnes Straw.) as Florence Jane's foster uncle. My mother, Florence Gwendolyn Jones carried on the tradition of naming the first daughter Florence something (I am Florence Susan) I was not very fond of the name Florence so My first daughter is Patricia Ann. Shame on me! Now back to the Watson Straw marriage. My guess is that the couple met back East , then he came to Wells Minn. And then went back to marry her. His obituary states that he took his degree in 1869 and spent a year in Guilford before moving to Wells in Dec. 1870. He was married the following year in Sommerville Mass. That's a lot of traveling I hope I have added a couple of facts to your search. [S. Thoms]"


1850 Bangor, Penobscot County, Maine Samuel N. WATSON age 29 born Maine Elisa age 28 born Maine Frederick E. age 3 born Maine Florence age 2 born Maine

1860 Portland, Cumberland County, Maine Charles F King age 31 lumber dealer b ME; Mary E King 39 b ME George B King 5 b ME Florance Watson 18 b. ME.


1870 Somerville, Middlesex County, Maine Frederick King age 31 lumber dealer b ME; Mary E King 39 b ME George B King 5 b ME Florance Watson 18 b. ME.


1880 Wells, Faribault County, Minnesota Daniel S... Self M Male W 33 ME Physician ME ME Florence W. S... Wife M Female W 32 ME Keeping House ME ME ... A. S... Dau S Female W 4 MN ME ME ... W. S... Son S Male W 2 MN ME ME Carrie THOMPSON Other S Female W 21 ... Servant

1900 Clark, Faribault, Minnesota Daniel (now deceased) Florence W. Straw 1848 Florence A. 1876 Frederick W. 1878 Henry M. 1881 Constance E. 1889

per E. Benitez - Florence died of asthma in 1907.

Faribault County, MN ROSEHILL CEMETERY N - Z Transcription done by Diane Oldfather in 2003. From Wells take US 109 West: STRAW Nelly 9/8/72-9/30/1872 Daniel 5/17/47-7/18/1891 Florence 4/6/48-10/28/1907

Florence married Dr. Daniel Straw, son of David Robinson Straw Sr and Caroline Augusta Ayer, on 16 Oct 1871 in Somerville, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. (Dr. Daniel Straw was born on 17 May 1847 in Guilford, Piscataquis County, Maine, died on 18 Jul 1891 in Wells, Faribault County, Minnesota and was buried in Rosehill Cemetery outside Wells, Minnesota.)