Grace Ethel (Thomson) Parton (1862 - 1944)

Born 1 Dec 1862 in New York City, New York, United States

Ancestors

Died 27 Feb 1944 at age 81 in Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts, United States

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Biography

Ethel (Thomson) Parton is Notable.

Grace Ethel Thompson was born on December 1, 1862, in New York City, New York, United States, the daughter of Mortimer Neal "Doesticks" Thomson, journalist and humorist, and Grace Harrington Eldredge.

After her mother died in 1862 (even though he father was still living), Grace (not yet using the name Ethel) was informally adopted by her grandmother (Sarah Payson Willis Parton), and her step-grandfather (James Parton).

Grace Ethel (aged between 4-6 years)

On January 5th, 1870, the 8-year-old Grace (listed as age 10) was living at 303 East 18th Street, New York City. Others in residence at the time were her step-grandfather: James (50), ; her grandmother: Sara (60); her mother's sister: Ellen Eldredge (30); and the household staff: Virginia-born Susan Adams (20); and Maryland-born Mary Brown (30).^[1]

Her father, "Doesticks" Thomson, died June 25, 1875.

After her grandmother's death in October 1872, she was raised by her mother's sister, Ellen. Some time later, Aunty Ellen married Grandfather James, making him her uncle-grandfather. Then Ellen and James informally adopted Ethel, making her aunt her mother, and her uncle-grandfather her father. Some while later Ellen and James had two children, who were Ethel's cousins, aunt and uncle, and foster siblings all at the same time. This somewhat strange family situation seems to have been accepted by all involved, to where Ethel called Ellen "Auntie-Mama", and the Parton children her siblings.
Ethel legally changed her last name to "Parton" in 1884 - although there was no legal adoption.

On June 4th, 1880, the 17-year-old Grace Ethel; was living with her family at 254 High Street, Newburyport. Home at the time were her step-grandfather/uncle: James (58), her aunt-adoptive mother Ellen (35); her sibling-cousins: 3-year-old Mabel, and 1-year-old Hugo; and their two Irish-born domestic servants: 42-year-old Jane Grummer, and 22-year-old Mary O'Connor.^[2]

Her uncle-step-grandfather-father, James Parton, died on October 17, 1891, aged 69 years.

On April 16th, 1910, Ethel (47), a magazine writer, was living with her family at 254 High Street, Newburyport. Home at the time were her aunt-mother: Ellen (65); and her cousin-sibs: Mabel (32); and Hugo (31), a newspaper journalist; and their Irish-born servant: Margaret A Murphy (27).^[3]

Ethel was a writer for magazines, and later an author of children's books.

On January 10th, 1920, Ethel (57), no longer just writing for a magazine, but who has already started making a name for herself as an author of storybooks for children, was living at 270 High Street, Newburyport. Home at the time were her "Auntie-Mama": Ellen (73); and Irish-born Mary Martin (55), a domestic nurse; and Irish-born Elizabeth McGrath (66), the household's domestic servant.^[4]

Her sister-cousin Mabel died June 16, 1919, of pulmonary tuberculosis, aged 41 years, then her "Auntie-Mama", Ellen Willis Parton née Eldredge, died on February 28, 1922.

Grace Ethel Parton née Thompson passed away on February 27, 1944, in Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts, , United States, and was interred in Oak Hill Cemetery, Newburyport.^[5]

Despite having been a writer for most of her life (verse, ballads, short stories, and and book reviews), Ethel's first actual book was not published until she was 70 years old. She was also on the editorial staff of Youth’s Companion for 40-plus years. Her work was published in The New Yorker Magazine, The Outlook magazine, Youth’s Companion and several other publications,

Ethel Parton’s Books

• Melissa Ann: A Little Girl of the 1820s (1931) ✯
• The Mule of the Parthenon and Other Stories of Ancient Greece (1932)
• Penelope Ellen: Three Little Girls of 1840 (1936) ✯
• Vinnie Applegay: Her First Year in New York, a Story of the 1870s (1937 )
• Tabitha Mary: A Little Girl of 1810 (1938) ✯
• Runaway Prentice, The Story of Jeffrey, Susan, Tris, and Tibby in the Year 1800 (1939) ✯
• The Lost Locket: The Newburyport of 1830 (1940) ✯
• The House Between: A Story of the 1850s (1944) ✯
• The Year Without a Summer: A Story of 1816 (1945)

✯ Collectively known as "The Newburyport Chronicles".

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8X8-LZJ : 29 May 2021), Grace Thomson, 1870.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH6F-WCS : 14 January 2022), Grace Ethel Parten in household of James Parten, Newburyport, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district ED 228, sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M2JN-JCK : accessed 1 March 2022), Ethel Parton in household of Ellen Parton, Newburyport Ward 6, Essex, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 438, sheet 2B, family 43, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 586; FHL microfilm 1,374,599.
4. ↑ Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Newburyport Ward 5, Essex, Massachusetts; Roll: T625_695; Page: 8B; Enumeration District: 232
5. ↑ Burial — Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/188420329/grace-ethel-parton : accessed 16 April 2021), memorial page for Grace Ethel Thomson Parton (1 Dec 1862–27 Feb 1944), Find A Grave: Memorial #188420329, citing Oak Hill Cemetery, Newburyport, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA ; Maintained by Denise Robinson (contributor 47006050).

• Death of Mabel Parton — "Massachusetts State Vital Records, 1841-1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:23TN-DXC : 1 September 2021), Mabel Parton, 1919.
• Death of Ellen Willis Eldredge Parton — "United States, GenealogyBank Historical Newspaper Obituaries, 1815-2011", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q536-B9VL : 18 July 2020), Miss Ethel Parton in entry for Mrs Ellen W E Parton, 1922.

See also:

• History of Newport: Ethel Parton
• Grandmother and adoptive mother : Sara Payson Willis
• Step-grandfather, uncle, adoptive father ; James Parton
• Father : Mortimer Thomson
• Fanny Fern and Ethel Parton Papers, 1805-1982