Hello, Friends,

I have been gathering documents and I must admit this mystery gets even more confounding, but also so very intriguing. I have the whole family digging and discovering, but now I need some guidance.

First of all, I got some pictures! On the back of the photos were some names and dates. Owen's just said Owen Duffy, but it turns out Ellen is really Ellen CONNORS, born in Scotland and died Sep 1899 at age 26. I sent for and received her death certificate as well as that of Owen, and I got the marriage certificate of Owen and Ellen CARROLL just for good measure.

Here are the facts:

1 Ellen Duffy, died on 6 Sep 1899. She was the daughter of John and Bridget CONNORS and according to the record, she was the wife of JAMES, not Owen. However, since Owen was probably Owen James, this could be a slip of the record keeping or the use of familiar and not "official" name. Am I thinking correctly? She was born in Scotland as the family believed.She was living at 114 Bowdoin, Ward 10 in Providence at the time, which was a bit of a surprise also. She died of tuberculosis.

2. The Owen Duffy for whom my grandfather James was contacted to pay for the funeral died on 24 Feb 1939 at the age of "73?" He is listed as a plumber, which jives with family beliefs. His birthplace is listed as Warwick, but he was living in Providence at 176 O'Connell. He is listed as the widower of Nellie Murray, another surprise. It looks like Owen may have married again. It would probably have been after 1907 which makes getting the records more difficult. His parents are listed as Patrick Duffy and Catherine Martin, both born in Ireland. The informant is listed as Susan Lamb, a friend from Harris Avenue, West Warwick. Do you think this was the Susan Lamb who was the state representative from West Warwick at the time of Owen's death? How would a person of his ilk have known a woman like that? Makes one ponder. My aunt had told me earlier that they got regular info from a "Mrs. Lamb" about Owen's doings when he was alive. He was buried at St. Mary's. There was probably no stone marker.

3. Here's where things get tricky. The marriage certificate I received shows Owen James Duffy, age 24, a plumber, son of Patrick and Catherine Duffy marrying Ellen CARROLL, daughter of James H. and Maria CARROLL on 14 Sep 1892. Both are listed as being born in Johnston RI (Is this near Natick?) They were living in Providence at the time. Right Owen, wrong Ellen.

The copy of the birth certificate that I have for my grandfather, which he obtained in 1919, lists his parents as Owen J and Ellen and her birthplace as Scotland. I sent for a birth certificate from the friendly folks at the archive to see if the info they send me is the same as on the one I have. They should be, but....

From the evidence I have in front of me, I think we (the family) has either the right Owen and wrong Ellen, or the right Ellen and wrong Owen, or..????

If we play along and think that somehow the right Ellen (i.e. CONNORS) and right Owen somehow really were the ones married and producing James,I am now convinced the 6 year old in the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the 1900 census is probably my grandfather. I have contacted the RI Children and Familys Department and requested copies of whatever information they have from the intake log, etc.

I also asked archives to see if they could locate a marriage involving Ellen CONNORS,

So where do I turn next? What stone am I leaving unturned? This is so very, very intriguing.

Thanks for let me think out loud. Sorry about the length of this.

Pat