The Wait is Over!

OMG

The wait is over!

I found her.

Who is Carrie Plath?

I know who Carrie Plath is!

She really is related.

Here is a hint.  Her maiden name was Smith.

Now, so that others might get some tips on how to solve genealogy problems.  This was my journey.

I have mentioned before that I knew NOTHING about Hiram Smith, my great grandfather although I knew his wife, Estella, well. Read about him in the post Hiram Smith. As I said, I found a 
person (don't remember who because I hadn't yet learned about genealogy logging notes) who was from Wisconsin that had Hiram Smith listed in one of their family trees.  Hiram was the brother of their ancestor.

Reading other blogs, I came aware of www.newspapers.com Knowing how helpful http://jefferson.advantage-preservation.  has been to my local research, I decided to see if I could find out if they had any newspapers from the Mason City, Iowa area where the Plaths lived. So, rather than get in my car and drive to Mason City about 130 miles away (which I have  been totally ready to do), I climbed into my recliner, turned on my ipad and signed up for a free seven day trial on www.newspapers.com. Never drive 130 miles if you can find answers from your recliner.

I found an article from 1957 about the 40th wedding anniversary of Fred and Carrie Plath who had been married in 1917. This is three 
years before my grandmother, Nina was married, so they were close in age.  Then, I read her maiden name. SMITH. OMG! I turned back to some genealogy resources (census records) and there was  her family. She was the daughter of Hiram's older brother, James. After James was married, he, his wife and family lived in Wisconsin. Coming full circle here in less than a decade of researching now and then.

Carrie was a niece to Estella and Hiram Smith. When I originally read the article from 1941 about the death of Carrie's son, Edwin, I found the part which said Edwin was Estella Smith's nephew very puzzling. Now I learn it was true.  He was a actually a great-nephew, but let's not get picky.

I have often said that I am just gathering the fallen fruit from the ancestry tree. Fruit being documents I have and research already done.  But the thrill of the hunt can't be ignored.  I might need to designate July 1 as Carrie Smith Plath Day.

First cousins, Nina and Carrie