Last update 24 June, 2005
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My Grandmother was born in Glasgow,on the 23rd of March, 1893. Her name at birth was Annie Eddie, listed as illegitimate, though the father, George Eddie, was there at the birth. She disliked the name Annie, according to my mother, and generally adopted the name Anna. She was usually known by that name on later records. Her mother, Jessie Glennie, a highlander from Aberdeen, married John McAnsh, a widower whose wife, Catherine Gardiner (or Gardner)had recently died leaving him with two children, Margaret, and William Gardner McAnsh. Anna was less than a month older than William, who was born on 19th April, 1893. Jessie and John moved from Glasgow to Sterlingshire, and had three more children, all girls: Catherine, Isabella Raison, Mary Ann. William was the only boy in a family of six. Apparently, Jessie treated him with special favour. When they grew older, and begin working, she let him keep any money he made, while the girls always had to give their earnings to Mum. In 1905, Jessie and most of the children came to North America on the Umbria, a Cunard liner. They were listed as "in transit" to Canada, to meet John at 12 Caroline St, Hamilton Ontario. See Manifest (lines 12-17) 
Umbria |
Built by John Elder & Company, Glasgow, Scotland, 1884. 8,127 gross tons; 520 (bp) feet long; 57 feet wide. Compound engine, single screw. Service speed 19.5 knots. 1,350 passengers (550 first class, 800 third class).
Built for Cunard Line, British flag, in 1884 and named Umbria. Liverpool-New York service. Won Trans-Atlantic Blue Ribbon in 1887. Scrapped in 1910.
Anna seems to have been close to William. As I mentioned, they were about the same age. In any case, William seems to have been in Florida at the same time as Anna when she married, and he also registered for the draft in Ocalla. According to mum, Anna was working as a waitress when she met Carl, who had moved to Ocalla with his parents sometime between 1900 and 1910. Anna was 24 when she married Carl Summerville, also 24, on 2 Oct 1917, in Ocalla, Marion Co, Florida. He was enlisted in the local regiment, and serving as a private in WW I. Anna's family had doubts about Carl, according to a story Mary Ann's neice heard. They considered him a womaniser, and suggested she leave him.
Carl and Anna lived initially in Norfolk, and it was there that Hazel was born on 25 Nov 1918. Carl was discharged on 26 June, 1919. Mary Ann, Anna's littlest sister, was also supposed to have lived in Norfolk, and was seeing James Horace Adams, a musician in the military. She later married James in 1925, and died in 1926.
Anna and Carl moved to Steubenville, Ohio after he was discharged. His brothers Merrill and Charlie already lived there. Steubenville is very close to the area in Pennsylvania the Summervilles had lived in since the 1700's. My mother Jessie was born there in 1924, and Caroline was born on 11 Sep 1927. She died on 17 Jun, 1934, age 6¾.
Anna was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, the women's side of the Masons. I understand that she was very involved and a reasonably high-level member of the Eastern Star. While Anna was born a Presbyterian of the Church of Scotland, she attended the Episcopal church in Steubenville.
Mum said she never spoke much about her childhood or family. She had the impression, which was conveyed to me, that Gran had come from Glasgow as a young woman, rather than as a child. I asked if she seemed happy, and mum said "Not really. She seemed content, rather than happy. It is odd, since my mother knew her Aunt Maggie in Canada, and her Uncle Bill in Georgia. It is also likely she knew Aunt Belle, and her Grandfather John McAnsh, actually lived with her family, after her Grandmother Jessie died.
Anna died in 13 Jan, 1962 at age 68, when I was 10, and was buried in Steubenville. It is likely she was buried in the Union Cemetary with Carl.
| Anna's Family | Steubenville Census | Mary McAnsh Adams's Photo Gallery | Photo Gallery | Carl Summerville |
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