Waldo County, Maine Gen Web Site

Persis Mae Thomas

1874 - 1909

Persis Mae Thomas was born in ME, 1874/1875, to Elbridge Thomas and Sarah Edna Robbins, the oldest of eight children.  Some websites  state Vinalhaven as her bithplace but her marriage certificates claim Belfast as her birthplace.  She died in Morrill, ME, November 29, 1909, at the young age of 34.  Her tragic death at such an early age was not the only tragedy to befall Persis Mae.  Her second husband Fred I. Gordon, by whom she had 2 children, was lost at sea in Gloucester Harbor in February 1898.  Her youngest daughter, Hazel, died later that same year in December 1898.

While researching the family of Charles L. Wing of Morrill I discovered more information on Persis Mae Thomas’ intriguing, if not tragic, life.  As a result of that research I decided to prepare a separate paper on Persis Mae Thomas to supplement what little published information that there is on her.

“The History and Genealogy of the Town of Morrill, Maine” by Robinson, Morse, and White states that George H. Wing, one of Charles’ sons, married three times without providing any more details.  While researching his wives I discovered that one of them was Persis Mae Thomas.  According to the above reference she also married my great-uncle Arthur L. Wing, of Morrill, and that Persis Mae (Thomas) (Gordon) Wing was married twice before marrying Arthur.  While researching George, and therefore Persis Mae, I discovered records that indicate that she may have been married five times.  Three of these marriages occurred within 10 years of her husband’s and daughter’s death.  How much these tragedies may have affected her one can only speculate.

Her surviving daughter, Elbertie Gordon, married, had a daughter of her own, Hazel, and lived to be 96.  Her daughter Hazel Gurney married and lived to be 78.

This information that I have gathered on her marriages, on her daughter’s life, and on her granddaughter’s life is presented below.  Following the genealogy report I have summarized what records I have, the information they contain and my interpretations of that information.  If anyone has anymore information or can better qualify or interpret this information their response would be greatly appreciated.

Generation No. 1

1.  ELBRIDGE¹ THOMAS was born March 13, 1851 in Northport, Maine¹, and died November 05, 1928 in Northport, Maine¹.  He married (1) SARAH EDNA ROBBINS January 22, 1873 in Belfast, Maine¹.  She was born August 1856 in Belfast, Maine¹, and died March 29, 1906 in Belfast, Maine.  He married (2) HATTIE A. RICHARDS July 04, 1906 in Belfast, Maine^1,2.  She was born November 21, 1885 in Belfast, Maine³, and died February 21, 1910 in Belfast, Maine⁴.  He married (3) DELLA RINDA HOUGHTON 1910 in Belfast, Maine⁴.  She was born July 22, 1860 in Weld, Maine⁴, and died January 04, 1929 in Belfast, Maine⁴.

Children of ELBRIDGE THOMAS and SARAH ROBBINS are:

2.                i.    PERSIS MAE² THOMAS, b. 1874, Vinalhaven, Maine; d. November 29, 1909, Morrill, Maine.

                  ii.    HENRY F. THOMAS, b. 1877, Vinalhaven, Maine⁵.

                 iii.    FRED W. THOMAS, b. July 1879, Vinalhaven, Maine⁵.

                 iv.    BESSIE AGNES THOMAS, b. December 07, 1880, Belfast, Maine⁶.

                 v.    JOSIE THOMAS, b. December 07, 1880, Belfast, Maine⁶.

                 vi.    ALTON THOMAS, b. December 14, 1881, Belfast, Maine⁶.

                vii.    ELBRIDGE MARCELLUS THOMAS, b. April 06, 1883, Belfast, Maine⁶.

               viii.    RUSSELL STANLEY THOMAS, b. July 08, 1885, Belfast, Maine⁶.

Generation No. 2

2.  PERSIS MAE² THOMAS (ELBRIDGE¹) was born 1874 in Vinalhaven, Maine⁷, and died November 29, 1909 in Morrill, Maine⁸.  She married (1) UNKNOWN ROBBINS Bef. 1892 in Maine⁸.    She married (2) FRED I. GORDON August 29, 1892 in Vinalhaven, Maine⁹.  He was born 1874 in Lowell, Maine, and died February 01, 1898 in Gloucester, Massachusetts^10,11.  She married (3) ALLIE GASPER August 07, 1899 in Belfast, Maine^12,13.  He was born 1877 in Germany.  She married (4) GEORGE H. WING May 11, 1903 in Belfast, Maine¹⁴.  He was born May 25, 1880 in Morrill, Maine¹⁵, and died December 07, 1932¹⁵.  She married (5) ARTHUR L. WING August 08, 1908 in Belfast, Maine¹⁶.  He was born October 15, 1880 in Morrill, Maine¹⁷, and died May 22, 1928 in Waldo, Maine¹⁷.

Notes for PERSIS MAE THOMAS:

Age at death 34y, 10m, 22d according to "The History and Geneaolgy of the Town of Morrill, Maine" by Robinson, Morse, and White, page 426.  This would make her birth date about January 7, 1875.

Notes for FRED I. GORDON:

The Vinalhaven Marriage Record states the following:

Fred I. Gordon and May Robbins, both of Vinalhaven, were married on August 29, 1892.

They were both 18.

He was born in Lowell, ME and she was born in Belfast, ME.

It was his first marriage and her second.  No reason given for dissolution of first marriage.

His parents were Francis F. Gordon and Alba Blake.

Her parents were Elbridge Thomas and Edna Robbins.

The State of Maine Birth Certificate for Elberti Gordon states her father as Fred I. Gordon and her mother's maiden name as Persis M. Gordon.

Lost in Gloucester Harbor during a gale.

Feb. 1, 1898 In Gloucester Harbor, Mass., Capt. Franklin George Ryan, 31, son of Capt. George Flowers Ryan; Fred I. Gordon, 24, a native of Lowell, Me.; George W. Richards, 48, son of George W. Richards; James Everett Patterson, 30, son of Fitz W. Patterson; Alfred Staples, Jr., 45; John Jackson, 29, a native of Port Jefferson, N. Y. They composed the officers and crew of the schooner James Holmes, which was lost during a gale. Also, George Everett Bean, 28, son of the late Howard Bean, a passenger on the schooner Marcellus which was stranded at the same time. All resided in Belfast.

Notes for ALLIE GASPER:

The State of Maine Marriage Record states the following:

Allie Gasper and May Gordon, both of Belfast, were married on August 7, 1899.

He was born in Germany and she was born in Belfast.

He was 22 and she was 24.

The intentions were filed on July 3, 1899.

The Belfast Record of Intentions of Marriage state the following:

Allie Gasper and Mrs. Mary Gordon, both of Belfast, filed an intent to marry on July 3, 1899

He was born in Germany and she was born in Belfast.

He was 22 and she was 24.

It was his first marriage and her third.

She was a widow.

Her parents were Elbridge Thomas and Sarah E. Robbins.

Notes for GEORGE H. WING:

The Belfast Marriage Record states the following:

George H. Wing and Mary Gaspar, both of Belfast, were married, in Belfast, on May 11, 1903.

It was his first marriage and her second.

He was single and she was divorced.

He was 24 and she was 28.

He was born in Morrill and she was born in Belfast.

His parents were Charles L. Wing and Orissa Wing.

Her parents were Elbridge Thomas and Edna Robbins.

Notes for ARTHUR L. WING:

The Morrill Marrige Record states the following:

Arthur L. Wing and Persis Mae Wing, both of Morrill, were married in Belfast on August 8, 1908.

He was born in Morrill and she was born in Belfast.

He was 28 and she was 33.

It was his first and her third marriage.

She was divorced.

His parents were Llewellyn Wing and Laura Stephenson.

Her parents were Elbridge Thomas and Edna Robbins.

Children of PERSIS THOMAS and FRED GORDON are:

3.                i.    ELBERTIE M.³ GORDON, b. March 16, 1895, Belfast, Maine; d. January 21, 1991, Bridgton, Maine.

                  ii.    HAZEL B. GORDON, b. April 17, 1896, Belfast, Maine^18,19; d. December 27, 1898, Belfast, Maine^20,21.

Generation No. 3

3.  ELBERTIE M.³ GORDON (PERSIS MAE² THOMAS, ELBRIDGE¹) was born March 16, 1895 in Belfast, Maine^22,23, and died January 21, 1991 in Bridgton, Maine^24,25.  She married CHARLES D. GURNEY March 25, 1914 in Maine²⁶.  He was born April 03, 1891 in Maine^27,28,29, and died September 12, 1973 in Belfast, Maine^30,31.

Notes for ELBERTIE M. GORDON:

Elberta Gordon, age 15, shows up in the 1910 Federal Census for Belfast working as a servant for the Frank L. Blodgett family.

The following information I have uncovered but not yet proven:

An Alberta M. Gordon, of Belfast, married Charles D. Gurney, of Waldo, on March 25, 1914.

According to the 1920 Federal Census of Waldo Charles D. Gurney, 28, and Elbetie M. Gurney, 24, have a daughter Hazel V. Gurney, 3.5.  Hazel was the name of Elberti's sister who died in infancy.

According to the 1930 Federal Census of Waldo Charles D. Gurney, 39, and Elbertie M. Gurney, 35, have a daughter Hazel K. Gurney age 13.

The Maine State Marriage Archives list the marriage of Hazel V. Gurney of Belfast to Henry W. Flagg of Naples on July 1, 1938.

There is an SSDI, 005-46-0034, for a Hazel G. Flagg, born July 30, 1916, who died in November 16, 2004.  Last known residence Naples, ME.

There is an SSDI, 006-03-2202, for a Henry Flagg, born August 24, 1912, who died in December 1984.  Last known residence Naples, ME.

Child of ELBERTIE GORDON and CHARLES GURNEY is:

                  i.    HAZEL V.⁴ GURNEY, b. July 30, 1916, Maine³²; d. November 16, 2004, Maine³³; m. HENRY W. FLAGG, July 01, 1938, Maine³⁴; b. August 24, 1912, Maine³⁵; d. December 01, 1984, Bridgton, Maine^36,37.

Endnotes

1.  Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky Flanders, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.

2.  Maine State Marriage Archives.

3.  Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky Flanders, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.

4.  One World Tree Ancestry.com.

5.  Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky Flanders, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.

6.  Belfast Births 1875 - 1900, 376.

7.  Rootsweb Site of Kevin and Becky Flanders, http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:778071&id=I2245.

8.  "History and Genealogy of the Town of Morrill,  Maine" by Robinson, Morse, and White, 426.

9.  Vinalhaven Marriage Record.

10.  Belfast Deaths 1896 - 1900.

11.  http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/06/belfast-deaths-1896-1900.html.

12.  State of Maine Marriage Certificate.

13.  Record of Intentions of Marriage Belfast.

14.  Belfast Marriage Record.

15.  "History and Genealogy of the Town of Morrill,  Maine" by Robinson, Morse, and White, 427.

16.  Morrill Marriage Certificate.

17.  "History and Genealogy of the Town of Morrill,  Maine" by Robinson, Morse, and White, 426.

18.  Belfast Births 1875 - 1900, 345.

19.  http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/05/belfast-births-1875-1900-f-k.html.

20.  Belfast Deaths 1898, 495.

21.  http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/06/belfast-deaths-1896-1900.html.

22.  Belfast Births 1875 - 1900, 345.

23.  http://www.mainegenealogy.net/2006/05/belfast-births-1875-1900-f-k.html.

24.  SSDI, 007-44-5709.

25.  Maine State Death Archives, Certificate 9105084.

26.  State of Maine Marriage Certificate.

27.  SSDI.

28.  1930 Federal Census for Belfast.

29.  1920 Federal Census for Waldo.

30.  SSDI, 007-36-9733.

31.  Maine State Death Archives, Certificate 7308687.

32.  SSDI.

33.  SSDI, 005-46-0034.

34.  State of Maine Marriage Certificate.

35.  SSDI.

36.  SSDI, 006-03-2202.

37.  Maine State Death Archives, Certificate 8409702.

Marriage Records

I have copies of her last 4 marriages.  All records indicate that her parents were Elbridge Thomas and Sarah Edna Robbins. All records indicate her birth as 1874 or 1875.  All records indicate that she was born in Belfast.  All records use her married name from her last marriage.  The only marriage record that I don’t have is for her first marriage to an Unknown Robbins.  There is no record of this marriage in Vinalhaven nor Belfast that I have been able to locate.

The marriage record to Fred I. Gordon gives her name as May Robbins and indicates that this is her second marriage.  No reason for the dissolution of the first marriage given.

The marriage record to Allie Gasper gives her name as May Gordon, that this is her third marriage and that she is a widow.

The marriage record to George H. Wing gives her name as Mary Gasper, that this is her second marriage, and that she is divorced.

The marriage to Arthur L. Wing list her name as Persis Mae Wing, that this is her third marriage, and that she is divorced.

The above records are consistent enough for me to conclude that the bride in all the above record is Persis Mae Thomas.  The only inconsistency is the ordering of her marriages following her divorce from Allie Gasper.  They start over again with her marriage to him.

Birth Records.

The location of Persis Mae Thomas’ birthplace is not clear.  The above referenced website claims Vinalhaven while her marriage certificates claim Belfast.  I have been unable to find a record of her birth in Vinalhaven or Belfast.

The Belfast Birth Records for both Elbertie and Hazel Gordon clearly state that their mother’s maiden name was Persis M. Thomas.

Elberti Gordon’s Records.

I have a State of Maine Birth Certificate for her stating her date of birth has March 16, 1895.

I have a State of Maine Marriage certificate for an Alberta M. Gordon, different spelling, to a Charles D. Gurney, March 25, 1914.

I have an SSDI record for an Elbertie Gurney, born March 16, 1895, died June 21, 1991.

I have a State of Maine Death Certificate for an Elbertie M. Gurney who died in Bridgton, ME on June 21, 1991, age 96.

The 1920 and 1930 Federal Census indicates that a Charles and Elberi Gordon had a daughter Hazel, born 1916-1917.  Hazel was the name of Elberti’s deceased sister.

I have a State of Maine Marriage record for a Hazel Gurney, of Belfast, who married a Henry W. Flagg, of Naples, ME, on July 1, 1938.

I have an SSDI record for a Hazel G. Flagg, born July 30, 1916, who died on November 16, 2004.  The SSDI record for Henry Flagg indicates that he died in Bridgton ME, same as Elbertie, in 1984.

Suumary.

I based my conclusions on Persis Mae Thomas’s marriages and Elbertie Gordon’s marriage etc. and Hazel Gurney’s marriage etc. on the above records.  I do not have all the birth certificates that one would like to have to really verify all my conclusions but I believe that there is enough in the information presented to warrant these conclusions.  If anyone has more conclusive evidence as to whether the above information is right or wrong I would be glad to hear from them and make the appropriate corrections.