GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From: "bbffrrpp" <>
Subject: [GM-L] JOHN DEXTER (B.1837) AND MARY ANNA CLARK (B.1837)
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000 08:20:03 -0500

Good morning Listers,

I continue to search for information on the families of John Dexter, and his
wife, the former Mary Anna Clark.

John Dexter was born in 1837 in Killingly, CT, and came from a long line of
Dexter families in that town!

Mary Anna Clark was born in 1837 in Westport, MA. All I know is that her
parents were James and Lavair Clark, who were apparently living in Westport,
MA, during the 1830's. I do not know anything else about them, especially
their family origins or whereabouts.

John Dexter and Mary Clark probably married around 1860. They might have
originally had 3 daughters. One might have died as a 2-year-old, one
might have died as a teen-ager, one might have died around Age 20. They
might all be buried in CT. That is where Mrs. Dexter was buried when
she passed away in 1899.

There is a 98% chance that the daughter, who died around 1890, in her late
teens, was the unwed birth mother of my grandmother. My grandmother was
adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Dexter while they were living in Melrose, MA. The
formal adoption took place in March 1892. Mr. and Mrs. Dexter were in
their late 50's when they were "allowed" to adopt a baby.

They changed the baby's name from Daisy Watrous to Mary Anna Clark Dexter.
.... I also still search for the name of the birth mother (John and
Mary Dexter's daughter.) And, she is said to have been killed in a train
accident while traveling - probably around 1890.

I also continue to search for information on where John Dexter moved to
after the death of his wife. After his wife passed on at Age 62, he took
his "granddaughter" to an orphanage and dropped her off. She never saw
him again. He also appears to have sold his house in Melrose, MA, and
moved out of that town (1899-1900). Did he return to Killingly, CT?

Thank you for listening, Happy Holidays!

Betty

(near Lowell, MA)

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