The Statue of Liberty 1890 from the Library of Congress
Emmy Burrows would have seen the iconic symbol of freedom on her way into New York Harbor in 1890.
I have three more letters that were written to the Burrows family in Grass Valley, California. These are the last letters from the packet of letters that I discovered at Cousin Skip's house this past summer.
The first letter was written in 1893 to my Great Grandmother Vere Burrows, who was 11 years old at the time. It was written from New York and was was signed by E. Bucher. It was a sweet, short letter written to a young niece clear across the country.
The last two letters were written to my Great Great Grandfather Alexander Burrows in 1905 and 1906, and unfortunately arrived too late as the author of the letters, Hermann Bucher, did not know that Alexander had passed away in 1904. In these letters, Hermann referred to his wife, Alexander's sister, as "Emma". These letters were also written from New York, New York.
Who was E. Bucher?
Page 1 front, letter begins on right hand side. The closing of the letter is on the left, signed by E. Bucher... Page 1 back
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(Page 1 front, right hand side)
383 10th St.
March 20th "93"
My Dear Niece,
Words cannot express how happie [sic] glad (crossed out) I was to receive your letter also photo which I can never tire looking at. You look very much
(Page 1 back, right side)
like your cousins some Fanny Porteus and Jane White. I would [?] think you so like your papa. [?] your fair head, I must say you make a lovely picture. I only wish I could have the pleasure of seeing you personaly [sic]. I wish you would come to New York for a while. I would be so glad to see you[.] please tell papa send me his picture he is promising it [to me?]
(Page 1 front, left hand side)
this [?] time when I get [mine?] [taken?] I will send it to you. please write to me soon & many thanks for your photo.
With love to papa & all thy[?] family
I remain your fond Aunt E. Bucher
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This letter was written by someone I initially thought was Elizabeth Butcher, based on information I discovered when researching Adam Burrows. In an 1896 Irish newspaper article describing the court action for Adam Burrows his next of kin were listed as... "Thomas R. Burrows, residing in South America, John Burrows of St. Louis USA, Alexander Burrows of California, Jane White, wife of Elliott Adam White of Whitehall, Dromahair, Elizabeth Butcher Burrows, wife of Haman Butcher of New York, and Margaret Porteus, the wife of Robert Porteus of Clara"....
Hermann Bucher had initially written to Alexander Burrows in 1905 to inform him that his wife, Alexander's sister, Emma, had passed away. He was obviously the Haman Butcher in the article. Who was Emma? Was she the E. Bucher that signed the above letter? Was she also the Elizabeth in the newspaper story? The newspaper had obviously gotten Hermann Bucher's name wrong (referring to him as Haman Butcher). So, the possibility of getting Elizabeth's name wrong was strong also. I suppose Ismena could be construed as Elizabeth by a lazy reporter or court recorder. Or, Haman used Emma as his nickname for Elizabeth.
Here was the mystery. I thought it was interesting that the article did not mention an Ismena or Emy Burrows, who I knew had gone back to America in September of 1890. When I looked at the 1889 will of Alexander Burrows of Drum, I could not find mention of an Elizabeth or Emma Burrows. 300 pounds was willed to Esmenia or Amy (that is how these names were transcribed; they referred to Ismena or Emy), but an Elizabeth was never mentioned. I knew from previous letters signed by Ismena/Emy that she did indeed exist, as she wrote about going back to Ireland from America to claim her inheritance. Who was Elizabeth? I was working on the theory that she was another Burrows sister, living in New York with her husband Haman, and was not listed in the will for some reason. Who was Ismena/Emy? I was working on the theory that she was a separate Burrows sister who was a spinster taking care of her father until she left for America. Sometimes theories get in the way of reexamining what clues you have right in front of you....
As I looked more closely at the above letter (as in enlarging certain letters and words), it became clear to me that the writing in this letter matched the writing in the letters written by Ismena/Emy in 1890. Could Ismena/Emy and Elizabeth/Emma be one in the same person??
Emy's signature written in 1890.
E. Bucher's signature written in the top letter 1893.
Emy's handwriting of "Jane White" in 1890
E. Bucher's handwriting of "Jane White" in 1893
These are just a few samples comparing handwriting styles. Many more letter formations are similar. I believe that Esmenia/Amy/Ismena/Emy/Elizabeth/Emma are one in the same person. The only mention of Elizabeth is in the newspaper article, which also got her husbands name wrong. She may have never gone by Elizabeth.
So, the mystery of what happened to Emy after September 1890 has been solved!
Now that I knew who Haman Butcher really was, I could go back and research Hermann Bucher in New York. I found a marriage record for a Herman Bucher and an Emma Burrows. Emy had gone back to New York, married Hermann Bucher on 7 November 1892 as Emma Burrows in Manhattan (Ancestry New York, New York US Extracted Marriage Index 1866-1937) and wrote this letter to her niece Vere Burrows on March 20th of 1893. She signed it E. Bucher. Emma Bucher. Or, did she still think of herself as Emy? Ismena was a name from her past; possibly Emy was too. Emma was her new identity in a new country.
The next two letters help finish the story of Emma Burrows Bucher.
Front 417 East 25th Street N.Y. Dec. 26th '05
A. Burrows, Esq.
Grass Valley, Cal.
Dear Sir,
I am very sorry to let you know, that my wife, your sister Emma, died last Monday, Dec. 14th---Had I known your address, I would have let you know before, but I only found letters of you lately. She had a complication of diseases, and although I had two physicians
(back, right hand side)
...attending to her, I could not save her life.
I lost my best friend and mourn her deeply. Whether or not she had any money belonging to her I don't know; we never spoke about that. I certainly can not find any papers or Bank Books to that effect. If you should be able to give me any information, I would thank you very much. By all means do I expect to hear from (left hand side) you soon, you may please advise me, what to do.
Meanwhile I remain most respectfully yours
Hermann Bucher
Although I often times persuaded Emma to write to you or some of her relations, she positively refused to do so, in fact she acted very queer lately--do not blame me for it.
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The address for Adam White was written on the left hand side of the front page of the letter. The handwriting could be Vere Burrows Hansen's handwriting. She probably wrote to the Whites informing them of Emma's death, or wrote back to Hermann as he requested addresses for the Whites in his next letter.
Hermann Bucher wrote again several weeks later....
417 East 25th st.
N.Y. Jan. 14, 1906
Mr. A. Burrows
Grass Valley, Cal.
Dear Sir,
About two weeks ago, I had the sorrow task of informing you of your sisters death and up to this time I have waited in vain of some line of you.
Will you kindly let me know the address of some of the White's? I can
.....not communicate with any of them as I am ignorant of their whereabouts. It being only a simple favor I am asking of you, I earnestly hope to receive answer soon
I remain
yours most respectfully
Hermann Bucher
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Judging from Emy's past letters she was not happy with how her father or her family treated her. She left Ireland for America for the first time in 1889 shortly before her father's death. After spending some time with Jane at Whitehall back in Ireland while she claimed her inheritance in 1890 she went back to New York as soon as she was able. Jane White even wondered if Emy was planning on getting married when she went back to New York. Did Emy already know Hermann from her first trip to America? She married Hermann in 1892, and they were married for 13 years. He called her Emma and she was his best friend. She was around 45 years old when she died. Whatever the truth was, I hope that Ismena/Emy/Emma finally found the freedom and happiness she was so desperately looking for in New York.
It was up to Hermann to let Alexander know of Emma's death. He had no way of knowing that Alexander was no longer alive as it appeared that Emma stopped corresponding with him sometime before her death. Hermann's letters ended up in the hands of Vere Burrows Hansen, my Great Grandmother. Vere took care of all the paperwork and correspondence relating to the death of her father Alexander in San Francisco in 1904. She lived in Grass Valley with her husband John Hansen, so the letters would have eventually been delivered to her by the post office.
I believe I have found a death date for Hermann Bucher. He may have died on July 27, 1907 in New York (Ancestry New York, New York, US Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948). He may have been from Switzerland. There were several Hermann Buchers living in New York at the time which makes confirmation difficult. The 417 E 25th Street address is now the home of Hunter College and its dormitories. It is located on Manhattan Island, within several blocks of the East River. It must have been a beautiful little neighborhood at the turn of the century.
When I combined Ismena/Emy/Emma into one person, everything fell into place. There was no Elizabeth. The will made more sense, the newspaper article made sense and the letters made sense. I want to thank my DNA cousins for helping me piece together this puzzle. This has been an ongoing group project that I am sure will continue to add more to the Burrows tree in the future!
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This is part of the working tree. I am just focusing on my GG Grandfather and his siblings here, as I am combining Ismena and Elizabeth into the same person. There are now 7 Burrows siblings, children of Alexander Burrows of Drum and Frances "Fanny" Elliott.
1. Margaret Burrows (married Robert Porteus) of Clara/Claragh Irish
*daughter Frances "Fanny" Porteus Graham
*daughter Jane Elizabeth "Jenny" Porteus Golden/Goulden
2. Jane Burrows (married Adam Elliott White) of Sligo. The White family lived at WhiteHall (Whitehall), County Leitrim, Ireland.
*son Robert Alexander White born at Whitehall, County Leitrim, Ireland.
3. Adam Burrows (was living in Drum in 1890; lived at the workhouse in Sligo sometime after that. )
4. Alexander Burrows (married Elizabeth Jane Hurd in America) my G G Grandparents; they lived in Grass Valley, California.
5. John Elliott Burrows (came to America) m. Margaret O'Leary in St. Louis. Children Frances Burrows Riley and Thomas A. Burrows.
6. Thomas Rutledge Burrows (bequeathed house and land in Drum and was to look after Adam per will of 1889. Left for America shortly after his father's death). m. Georgina Foster b. 1871 d. 1890. Per marriage index Ireland, Civil Registration of Marriage, she married Thomas in 1888 in Ireland. This relationship was also mentioned in Emy's letter of 24 June, 1890. The death of Georgina and their two children were mentioned in Jane White's letter of 4 December 1890.
7. Ismena "Emy" "Emma" Burrows (spent time in America in 1889 but went back home to Ireland to claim her inheritance, per letters written in 1890. Left for America again in September of 1890.) Per letters from New York, New York in 1893, 1905 and 1906 Emy Burrows married Hermann Bucher and went by Emma. She and Hermann married 7 Nov. 1892. Emma died on 14 December 1905.
