3G Aunt - Etta Wainscott 1883 to 1961
Goal: Learning more about the life of Etta Wainscott and the Wainscott family of Ponca City, Oklahoma in the early 1900's.
My 2GG William Nathan Wainscott's sister Etta Wainscott was a mystery in my family tree. Many family members on Ancestry believe she was born in 1883 and passed in 1961, but offered very little details or sourced information. Of course finding her in the 1890 US Census is impossible because the majority of that census was destroyed. I had her in the 1900 US Census, but after that nothing. So I decided to investigate.
Starting in the 1900 US Census we can find Etta in the home of her father William G. Wainscott in Kay County in the Oklahoma Territory. The census states she was born in March 1883 and was 17 years old. She also had a brother name Edgar born in March 1883. Looks like we have a set of twins on our hands. [Year: 1900; Census Place: Cross, Kay, Oklahoma; Roll: 1338; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0090; FHL microfilm: 1241338]
And that is where the trail goes cold. Etta just disappeared. There is some interesting info around 1908 when Edith Wainscott, the sister of Etta, Edgar, and William Nathan passed.
So it appears that the Territory umm... State of Oklahoma, LOL... sorry I could resist. Oklahoma became a State in 1907, so paperwork makes sense. Anyway Oklahoma is handling the affairs of the recently deceased Edith Wainscott and it seems that Etta stands to inherit $300.00. In 1908 money that like 5 to 8 thousand dollars. The living heirs are as follows...
According to this information we have confirmation that Etta is still living in Ponca City, Kay, Oklahoma around 1908. Also a good reminder that Edgar and Etta are likely twins. Unfortunately, I guess Etta Wainscott was fairly elusive because the Probate Judge lost track of her too...
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Probate records, 1894-1945; indexes, 1893-1996; Author: Kay County (Oklahoma). Court Clerk; Probate Place: Kay, Oklahoma
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That was interesting but ultimately, gave no trails to follow. So I decided to find her twin brother to learn her date of birth. There are a few more clues for Edgar. First of all he appears to marry a Cella Wright in 1917. This record also hints a birthplace for Edgar and Etta. The record states Ssellknob, Missouri as his birthplace, but I believe they meant Shell Knob, Missouri [Iowa, Select Marriages, 1809-1992].
At first glance I erroneously thought Cella was a second marriage because I already knew about a marriage to a Maggie, plus I've seen a Maggie and Edith Wainscott on the layout for Cross Township in Kay County published in 1910, so I assumed Maggie was Edgar's first wife, but that "Maggie" was likely his mother Margaret.
So knowing he was married to Cella in 1917, we can use his WWII draft card to verify his birth date as March 23rd. Unfortunately the card lists the birth year as 1882, but I already have enough evidence to disprove that [Registration State: Iowa; Registration County: Crawford; Roll: 1642994].
Okay, more conflicting information. Edgar's Social Security Application from 1951 mentions he was born in Butler, Bates, Missouri. This conflicts directly with the Shell Knob birthplace mentioned in 1917, but I'm sticking with Bates County because there seems to be more family history related to that area. Also this application confirms the birth date of 23 Mar 1883 [U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007]
Oddly, I can not find an official death record for Edgar Wainscott. Findagrave only has two Edgar Wainscott's and one of them matches our twin brother perfectly. Edgar Wainscott was buried in Odd Fellows Cementary in Ponca City, Oklahoma. Birth date 23 Mar 1883 and death date 19 Sep 1961. He is buried with his second wife Maggie. In the cemetery you'll also find Edgar's siblings Edith and Martin Wainscott. There is also a suspicious Etta Johnson that was born on 23 Mar 1883.
