Hello!

My name is Renee Davis. I am trying to locate information on my Great-Grandmother, Emma Hazen, and her children. Here is what we know so far:

Emma Hazen (or Emily?) was born on 8/11/1866 in Weyauwega, WI and died on 4/10/1896 in Sioux City, IA. Her parents were Horace Hazen and Agnes Miller (or Williams?) When Emma was about 12 or so, her mother died. Her father seems to have placed her and her siblings with various families. Emma and her sister Mary appear to have been placed in a home for girls.

Sometime between 1880 and 1890, Emma Hazen married Frank Newton, moved to South Dakota and gave birth to twin boys on 4/9/1890. The boys names were Alfred and Wilfred. Sometime between 1890 and 1893, Frank either died or abandoned the family and Emma and the boys moved to Iowa. On 11/25/1893, Emma married John C. Halverson. About a year after her death in 1896, the boys were surrendered to the Boys' and Girls' Home of Sioux City, Iowa. The boys were adopted a couple of months later by Patrick and Bridget McGinn of Melrose, IA.

We have absolutely no information on Frank Newton. The only reference to Frank we have is in the adoption records which state,

". . . That the said Alfred and Wilfred Newton (or Halverson), are twins and were born in April, 1890 and are the children of Frank W. Newton and Emma (Hazen) Newton, his wife, of whom the said Frank W. Newton resides in parts unknown, if alive, and said Emma H. Newton, afterward Mrs. John Halverson, resided in Climbing Hill, Woodbury County, Iowa, but is now deceased. That the said Alfred and Wilfred Newton (or Halveson) shall hereafter be known as Alfred and Wilfred McGinn, respectively."

The twins names were sometime later changed to John Alfred (my grandfather) and James Wilfred. John Alfred stayed in the Midwest and had four children James Wilfred moved to Long Beach, CA and had six children.

We also believe that Emma had one or two daughters: Kitty Parker who was born sometime before the boys and perhaps a daughter named "Mae," but we are not sure. We believe that Kitty was a half-sister to the twins.

Does anyone have any information that they can share with us? We would be happy to share what information we have. I look forward to hearing from you!

Sincerely,

Renee Davis
davis12@san.rr.com