52 Ancestors #12: Eliza Jane Bailey Tate (1851-1926) – in which I come to a realization!

Eliza Jane Bailey was born on July 16, 1851 to John  (~1816 - 1958) and Maria(Williams) Bailey (~1816- after 1900). She is my 2nd-great grand-aunt, sister to my 2nd-great-grandfather Edward C. Bailey. In 1950 her parents lived in Mifflin County PA and her father was a blacksmith. She was the 5th child (the first after the 1950 census) of eight, and the third of four daughters. Her siblings were John W.  (abt 1843-1864), Anna Mary (abt 1845 - ?bef 1860?), Lydia Maria (abt 1847 - ?), EdwardCarleton (1849-1926), Richard Howard (abt 1853-1935), James A (1855-?), and Rebecca Ella (abt 1858 – 1926).

Jackson Township Huntingdon PA (approx 1870)

She first showed up on a federal census in 1860 in Jackson Township, Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, with her mother, her sisters Lydia and Rebecca Ella, and her brother James; she was 10. In or about 1868 she married Mordecai M. Tate also of Huntingdon County, PA. She was about 17 and he was about 19 (which means he probably lied about his age to get into the Union Army, in February 1864. He was wounded at Cold Harbor VA on June 3, 1864 and mustered out a couple months later). In the 1870 census he said he was a carpenter; in later years, he identified himself as a salesman (1880) and as a wagon-maker (1900). Eliza kept house and did all the cooking and home-making chores.

The couple had five children:  Eleanor Tate (1868-1941), Cora (Tate) Stewart  (1871 – aft 1941), Howard J (1874 - aft 1941), Maud A (1875 - ?), and Alabama C (1877- aft 1941). She and Mordecai lived their entire married life in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. She was visited by family. Her sister Lydia was visiting when the 1870 census was taken, and her brother James was boarding with the family when the 1900 census, as was Maria Hober (85). This has led me to postulate that Maria Hober/Huber is her & James’ mother. Remember, James and Ella were living with Samuel and “Mariah” Huber in 1870. It makes more sense that their mother married Samuel Huber than it does that they were placed with two unrelated people at the ages of 14 and 12. I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before.

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Detail of 1900 Census, Modecai  & Eliza J. Tate household

In 1910, when Mordecai is 65 and Eliza is 62, Mordecai indicated on the census that he had his own income. He may be referring to the military pension he applied for in 1907; if so, as a corporal, he received $8.00 a month. Their daughter, Eleanor, is living with them, in the home at the time. In 1920, Eliza (70) and Mordecai (72), share their home with their daughters Eleanor, who was a nurse in a private home, and Alabama, an artist. Both women remain single.

Eliza died in 1926 at age 75. I don’t know the exact date she died. I did note that three of the original Bailey siblings died that year: Eliza, Ella, and Edward. Her husband, Mordecai, outlived her, as in the 1930 census, he is 80 and living with their daughters  Eleanor  (61), and Alabama (52) ,who is now a nurse. He died at age 88, in 1935. Both he and Eliza are buried in the McAlevys White Church Presbyterian Cemetery.

I'd like to find more detail about Eliza's life

I'd also like to find more details to explain why Eliza's mother was listed as a boarder in Eliza's home  in the 1900 census.

I'd also like to know when she died and why.

[Sources: Federal censuses 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920; http://www.pa-roots.com/pacw/infantry/45th/45thcoc.html; History of the 45th regiment Pennsylvania Veteran Volunteer by Allen Diehl Albert. Grit Publishing Co., Williamsport PA 1912.; http://pacivilwar150.com/ThroughPeople/Soldiers/HistoricalOverview]