I have just found this relative after searching for her for 3 to 4 years.(Found her on a deed in MA when some property was sold - she is my grandfather's sister).
Is there anyplace online to find obit or death record? I don't want a copy of death cert. I just want to make sure I have the right person.
She is on the 1920 Census for NY, widowed, as a secretary to a Robert Scott. She has a son, Robert 3, if you look at record it has parenthesis around her and Robert making it look as tho he is her son rather than son to head of household. I assumed his last name was Eldridge because there is a dash under her last name on his entry but on the 1930 Census it looks like they have moved and the son's last name is Scott - so either she married and didn't have any kids, then have one with the man she was a secretary to or he adopted her son - confusing! I'ld like to find out this information too - who was she married to? is the son from that marriage? or is he the son of the man she was secretary to in 1920?

Alot of questions - sorry!
Margaret

This may raise more questions than it answers.

NY Times
April 15, 1925

$100,000 Left to Woman
R.W. Scott's Wealth Goes to Business Aid -- Widow Cut Off

Riverhead, LII., April 14. - The will of Robert W. Scott, New York manufacturer, who died in Islip May 28 last, was filed for probate in the office of the Suffolk County Surrogate here today.

Mrs. Ruth A. Eldredge (sic) of 6 East Eighty-second Street, Manhattan, receives $100,000 outright and the income from one-third of the residue of the estate for the balance of her life, as well as jewelry, pictures and household articles. She was associated in business with Scott for many years, the will said.

Robert W. Scott Jr., of 6 East Eighty-second Street, an adopted son of the testator, is to receive the income from one-third of the residue upon the death of Mrs. Eldridge. Mrs. Mary E. Wynn of Mount Airy, Germantown, Pa., a daughter, receives two-thirds of the residuary estate. Her mother, Mrs. Virginia Scott, widow of the testator, is not mentioned in the will. Albert Page of 1,408 Avenue B, Brooklyn, an employee of Scott, receives $5,000 for "faithful service." No estimate of the value of the estate was obtainable.

NY Times
July 13, 1927

Riverhead, LII., July 12. - The estate of Robert W. Scott, late of Manhattan and Islip, LII., who died about two years ago is valued at more than $1,700,000, according to the accounting filed in the Suffolk County Court. Although the expenses of administration and litigation have amounted to more than $286,000, the estate under the management of the executors, has increased in value.

Mr. Scott, who was a member of the firm of Scott & Williams of Boston, was an inventor and manufacturer of machinery which revolutionized the knitting industry. His wife, Virginia Scott, who resides in California, and from whom he was separated for some time before his death, instituted a proceeding to have his will set aside on the ground that she was not served with a notice that the instrument was to be offered for probate, but she was unsuccessful. Mrs. Scott was not mentioned in the will. Ruth A. Eldridge, formerly Ruth Roper of Manhattan, who was associated with Scott at one time in his business, receives the income from the bulk of the estate during her lifetime, and at her death, the principal is bequeathed to her son, Robert Scott Jr., who was the adopted son of the testator.
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This version of the will's provisions seems to differ substantially from the first version.

WOW!!!

Well at least I know that the son of Ruth was adopted by Robert Scott - funny that his adopted child's first name is Robert and he's a JR!!

Thanks for info!!!

Margaret

Unbelievable!!!!!
Thank you very much for all the information.

This is a great aunt of mine that I had been looking for since I found out she dropped out of school in 1906(Cambridge, MA) I assumed she was pregnant. Could never find her marriage or death record - only searched MA because the rest of the family stayed here. I happened to be at the Registry of Deeds looking up a deed for a house when I was little and I happened to put in the last name of Roper on the computer for a search and found my grandfather and his brother referred to in the same deed. So when I looked at it, she was referred to as living in NY. I never would have thought she ended up with money!!! Did a search on some maps for where her houses/apts where - unbelievable!

So do you think the son was really Scott's? I wonder why they never married? Quite a tale to tell to my family.

Could you keep the name in mind - I'ld love to find out what happened to her and the son.

Thank you for all the info.
Margaret

"I wonder why they never married?"

Apparently, he was still married to Virginia until the day he died.

I just reread everything - they were only separated! Maybe wife wouldn't give him a divorce.
I'm from MA and we have the Mass Archives that we can go to and look at microfilm of BMD records and other records for certain time periods. We can also look at Probate records for certain time periods. The Boston Public Library has newspapers on microfilm also. Is there anything like that in NY? Was curious if I could look at will but more interested in finding Ruth's marriage to this 'Eldredge' person and birth record of her son to see who the father really is. Adoption record?

Thanks for all the info!
Margaret