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Author: aeriehollow119
Surnames:
Classification: queries
Message Board URL:
http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.canton/91/mb.ashx
Message Board Post:
Helena Florence Canton was born May 17, 1885 in Evansville, Indiana. She was
"adopted" by William Henry Sterrett who turns out to be her real father and his
wife Mary Elizabeth Grismer in 1894. The record is wrong as it lists her birth year as
1894. Census records have the correct year listed for 1900. The record of
"birth/adoption" lists her mother as Florence Powell. Unfortunately Vanderburgh
County Indiana has "lost" some records in a move to a new courthouse over the
last 15 years... but the library had a transcribed record with the information stated
here.
I'm assuming that Florence's birth name was Canton and that at the time of the
adoption she was married to a Powell. William Sterrett bought property in Evansville
Indiana and owned it from 1894-1907. He and Mary Grismer married July 5th, 1894. The
adoption took place before school was to start. Grandma said that they took her to the
World's fair in Chicago and then to their new home.
Anyone who connects or knows more of this story, would appreciate knowing more about her
mother Florence Canton Powell.
I had the autosomal DNA testing done to find this info out and confirm the family's
suspicions - grandmother thought this was also true - too bad she passed before I could
let her know.
Granddaughter of Helen,
Leslie Barker Thomas
aeriehollow(a)ellijay.com
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