Hazel Margaret (McKechnie) Tillman (1906 - 1990)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Early Life 2 Married & Family Life 3 Later Years 4 Sources

Early Life

Hazel Margaret McKechnie was born on 20 Dec 1906 at 6 Bond Street, Fitchburg, Worcester County, MA to Scottish immigrants, John Finlayson McKechnie and Annie Jamie (Roberts) McKechnie.^[1]

Hazel about 1908

She grew up with one older brother Douglas. Another brother James died in infancy. The earliest home she remembered was at 77 Milk St, Fitchburg, Worcester County, MA.^[2] Her parents owned the house - living in one side and renting out the other side. Hazel remembered the tenants giving them spaghetti which she thought was so good, but her mother thought was too spicy. She became good friends with Elsie Wheble who lived next door on the other side.^[3]

When she was seven years old her father took a job in the Village of Hillburn, Rockland County, NY where he became the superintendent of the power plant. The family moved to 23 Fourth St., Hillburn.^[4][5][6][7]

Hazel studied at New Paltz Normal and Training School to be a teacher and became a kindergarten teacher at the Airmont Elementary School in Suffern, Rockland County, NY.^[8]

Married & Family Life

Edward Schryver Tillman met Hazel when he visited her church in Hillburn. Edward was a poultryman who lived in the nearby Village of Suffern, Rockland County, NY. They married on 21 Aug 1930 in Port Jervis, Orange County, NY.^[9] He was 28 and she was 23. After the wedding they lived with his mother in her farmhouse on Montebello Rd, Village of Suffern, Rockland County, NY^[10][11] where they raised their three children and Ed had his chicken farm. Ed's mother died in 1937.

Around 1966 when Edward was near retirement they sold their 19-acre farm to a developer and Edward and Hazel moved to 37 Christmas Hill Rd, Village of Airmont, Rockland County, NY. It was the first house that Hazel felt was her own. In 1974 Edward died unexpectedly on his birthday. Hazel was 67 years old at the time.

Hazel Tillman, Jun 1983

She moved to an apartment at 20 Revere Court, Suffern, Rockland County, NY.^[8] Hazel spent most of her life within a three mile radius of Suffern, NY.

Hazel liked to read, travel, enjoy a good meal, and be with the people that she loved. She traveled to Biloxi MS, New Orleans LA, England, Scotland, by train to the Canadian Rockies, and many trips to Florida. On 25 Jun 1986 at age 79 Hazel went to Hawaii to be the maid of honor at her grandson's wedding.^[8]

Later Years

In her last several years she lived with her daughter in New Jersey and youngest son in Florida. She died at age 83 at her son's home in Temple Terrace, Hillsborough County, FL on 31 May 1990.^[12] Her ashes are buried at the Brick Church Cemetery, Spring Valley, Rockland County, NY.^[13]

Memorial stone for Edward & Hazel Tillman

Sources

1. ↑ Birth. Certificate of Birth, Hazel Margaret McKechnie, City of Fitchburg, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 20 Dec 1906.
2. ↑ 1910 Census: "United States Census, 1910"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 1725, sheet 7A, family 12, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 628; FHL microfilm 1,374,641.
   FamilySearch Record: M22N-XKF (accessed 26 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33SQ-GRVK-9H78 Image number 00044
   Hazel M Mckechnie (3), single daughter, in household of John F Mckechnie (38) in Fitchburg Ward 1, Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. Born in Massachusetts.
3. ↑ Hazel Tillman's Family History. Family History handwritten by Hazel (McKechnie) Tillman.
4. ↑ 1915 Census: "New York State Census, 1915"
   citing Page: 12; Line: 45;
   FamilySearch Record: K9P3-1NR (accessed 26 August 2022)
   H M Kechner (8) daughter in household of J Kechner (53) in Ramapo, Rockland, New York, United States.
5. ↑ 1920 Census: "United States Census, 1920"
   citing Affiliate Publication Number: T625; Affiliate Film Number: 1259; Line: 93; FHL microfilm: 1821259; Record number: 13122;
   FamilySearch Record: MV91-PR4 (accessed 26 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RXH-33W Image number 00279
   Hazel M McKechnie (13), single daughter, in household of John F McKechnie (48) in Rockland, New York, United States.
6. ↑ 1925 Census: "New York State Census, 1925"
   citing p. XII, line 03, New York State Archives, Albany.
   FamilySearch Record: K9Y9-FB4 (accessed 26 August 2022)
   Hazel Mckechnie (18) daughter in household of Hazel Mckechnie (18) in Ramapo, A.D. 01, E.D. 05, Rockland, New York, United States.
7. ↑ 1930 Census: "United States Census, 1930"
   citing enumeration district (ED) ED 30, sheet 3A, line 9, family 46, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1640; FHL microfilm 2,341,374.
   FamilySearch Record: X4TV-42X (accessed 26 August 2022)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9RZ5-F92 Image number 00891
   Hazel M Mc Kecknie (23), single daughter, in household of John Mc Kecknie (59) in Hillburn, Rockland, New York, United States. Born in Massachusetts.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2} Hazel (McKechnie) Tillman. Personal recollection.
9. ↑ Marriage. Verifed Transcript of Marriage Record. Edward Schryver Tillman and Hazel Margaret Mc Kechnie. Port Jervis, Orange County, New York. 21 Aug 1930. from Town Clerk of Town of Ramapo.
10. ↑ 1940 Census: "United States Census, 1940"
    citing Affiliate Publication Number: T627; Line: 16;
    FamilySearch Record: K319-1DZ (accessed 26 August 2022)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QS7-L9MB-9VKM
    Hazel M Tillman (33), wife, in household of Edward S Tillman, Sr (38) in Tallman, Ramapo, Rockland, New York, United States.
11. ↑ 1950 Census: "United States 1950 Census"
    citing Page: 3; Line: 4;
    FamilySearch Record: 6XPC-R2W7 (accessed 12 February 2023)
    FamilySearch Image: 3QHN-GQHW-99YN-9
    Hazel M Tillman (43), wife, in household of Edward S Tillman (47 years) in New Hampstead, Rockland, New York, United States. Born in Massachusetts.
12. ↑ Death. Certificate of Death. Hazel Margaret Tillman. State of Florida. 31 May 1990.
13. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #144272993 (accessed 20 October 2022)
    Memorial page for Hazel Margaret McKechnie Tillman (20 Dec 1906-31 May 1990), citing Brick Church Cemetery, New Hempstead, Rockland County, New York, USA (plot: Section); Maintained by Andy Bozzone (contributor 48366264).