I would appreciate any help or advice because I am stuck!

I am having difficulty finding information regarding my 2nd great grandmother Mary Jane Reese (nee. Greenrod or Greenwood).

The problem is that I am not able to find many records for her. The only US census I can locate is the 1880 census, the 1890 census may have helped but obviously I can't get that one and than she passed away in 1896.

I have the Church record for the marriage and the city's return of marriage. This is where the problem is, the handwriting is hard to decipher. I have uploaded the files to my tree.

I have her return of death but that does not state much information. I also have the cemetery record but again not much lead to her maiden name.

The information I was able to find is that she was born in England abt 1857, married my 2nd great grandfather in Philadelphia on Nov 20, 1876. She passed away on July 6, 1896 in Philadelphia.

I am looking for more information about her family. Where exactly was she born in England, when she came to the states, her parents, etc.

Again, I would appreciate any help or advice.

Thanks!

This Mary Greenwood might be a possibility. Her age is 18 in 1870 which indicates a birth year of 1852.

1870 Census Ward 26, District 84, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania

Greenwood, Mary; age 18; born England; Domestic Servant
Household of Thomas Gillespie, Brick Manufacturer

Note that Augustus Reese is found in Ward 25, District 83 on 1870 Census.

This might also be a possible match for your Mary Jane Greenwood:

New York Passenger Lists for the Ellen Austin, March 20, 1860
John Greenwood, age 43, Shoemaker, England
Amanda Greenwood, age 21, Spinster
Mary Jane Greenwood, age 7, Spinster

SOrry, I forgot to mention that on the marriage record it states that she was 19 in 1876.

Keep in mind the age on the 1870 census might be incorrect. Whoever answered the door gave the census taker the names, ages and places of birth. If no one was home the census taker often asked neighbors. It is not far fetched to think that whoever answered the door may not have known the exact age of the domestic servant, Mary Greenwood. Many articles have been written about the reliability of information on the censuses.

Don't get locked into an absolute like she was 19 in 1876 so that means she was born in 1857. Adding/subtracting five years gives you a range of 1852 to 1862 to examine and a better chance of finding your ancestor.