Chapter 3 - Residents of Lawn Ave

The Residents of Lawn Avenue

Lawn Avenue was developed just before the turn of the century, in the mid-late 1890’s.

The homes were large and many residents had a winter home in Providence. Bessie mentioned moving between houses and for some time I assumed that meant moving between different family members. Rather we now believe that moving from house to house may have just been seasonal.

Lawn Avenue would have four blocks; Two blocks west of Narragansett Parkway and two blocks east (bayside). On the west side the south block was all owned and developed by Benjamin Gallup and his wife Elizabeth. His wife was also a Gallup and the couple had no children. Their family line has more inbreeding and inter-family marriage than I have ever seen. The Gallup line leads to Connecticut.

Of the four homes built by Gallup two of them were purchased by Charles Reinhardt. He was from Germany, no family connections.

The 1900 Census for Lawn Ave is a short list.

This is what the street would have looked like in 1900.

The 1910 Census is very difficult to read but can be deciphered. Read from Minnie Tillinghast to Emma Cranston.

And here is a rendering of the street in 1910.

Here is the 1915 Census, at this time Bessie would be about 11 or 12.

And here is what the residents looked like in 1915.

                  

Another perspective is to look at the street as lots and see the original owners.


                           

And the city plat book, 

Chapter 1 - Search for the Mother of EGS

The Search for the Mother of Elizabeth Gertrude Shaw

Born the daughter of John Shaw and Elizabeth Greene, Elizabeth Gertrude Shaw (Bessie) never knew her birth parents. The story is that after her mother died in childbirth Bessie was taken to Rhode Island and raised by family.  John Shaw was Irish and we are quite certain it was not his family which raised Bessie.

About John Shaw and Elizabeth Greene – I have found no record that a marriage ever existed. No birth certificate for Bessie. No place of death or burial for John Shaw or Elizabeth Greene. A family history was made by Adrian around 1965 with no information on Bessie. 

When Bessie herself became a mother she only told her daughters that her childhood was terrible, and that she had been abused. Many years later, while driving in the area with her daughter Jane, Bessie remarked, “Lawn Avenue, that’s where my uncle raped me.”  We believe that one of the families living on Lawn Ave, Warwick, RI during the correct time frame was in fact connected to Bessie somehow.

I have done considerable research on Lawn Avenue. I obtained the chain of title cards for each property, then researched each family pedigree looking for a tie in to Bessie. Many of the families have New England/Massachusetts roots.

About living here - Bessie spoke of moving from house-to-house to her daughters. And there was mention of a third house, maybe in Philadelphia. My research on Lawn Avenue during the era that these homes were built tells me that these were large homes close to the water where families which lived in Providence may have traveled to as a summer residence. I found several names also appearing in the Providence city directory even though they owned in Warwick. My point is that at this time she may show up on a census somewhere else. (I also keep the Philadelphia connection in the back of my mind when searching any possible family match for her.)

Records for Bessie turn up as she marries and has a family. She and Adrian St.Germain were married at St. John’s Episcopal Church (the Cathedral of St. John) 271 North Main St., Providence, RI. on June 12, 1916. They had a reception following the ceremony at the home of Rev. John F. Scott on Waterman Avenue, Providence.

The 1910 census has Adrian on Howell St, 1915 census on Carrington St. – both just a few blocks from Camp Street and the church. This was his neighborhood. But I am not sure it was his church.

Martha Dunbar and William Ferguson were honor attendants to the wedding. Bessie met Martha Dunbar working together at the Telephone company in Providence. I have requested Social Security records for both she and Adrian and none were produced. (Adrian later retired from the Railroad on a pension, no Social Security found.) Bessie had no Social Security number, no birth certificate and no Driver’s License. I would explore the workplace history if I thought it could give information.

One of the residents of Lawn Ave in the 1910 census is George B. Schofield (he rented). He also resides on Lawn Ave in the 1914 City Directory. He was an electrician for the Telephone Company, where Bessie came to work…

Bessie and Adrian are buried in the Pawtuxet Memorial Park on Harrison Ave., Warwick, RI. I researched the (3) other Greene’s buried there with no connections. (Adrian’s parents are buried in West Warwick, RI.)  Another resident of Lawn Ave is buried there! Thomas W. Hawkins and his wife Charlotte Craft Arnold are buried in Pawtuxet Memorial Park along with their ancestors. Thomas W. Hawkins is on the 1900 census, however he appears in Providence in 1905.

More on John Shaw – Finding an Irishman named John Shaw is like a needle in a haystack. I did find one in the 1910 census at the Bridgewater State Farm. Writing to Mass archives I received three records for a John Shaw, each time sentenced to 4-9 months, serving 4 months and getting released on good behavior each time. These were 1907, 1909 and 1910. Each time the offense was drunkenness.