- Hi Here is what we know so far:
1. Elisabeth Masterton or Betsy has an illegitimate child named John Masterton on January 8, 1878 at Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland, seven miles from her ancestral home. See enclosed birth certificate. She is 17 years 4 months. She is listed as a Factory Winder (1878); Threadmill Worker (1879).
2. About a year later on January 24, 1879, Elisabeth marries Ralph Gardiner, brother to our Robert Gardiner, at 15 Barclay Street, in Paisley, Renfrew, Scotland. This is fifty five miles from her ancestral home in Crombie Point, Torryburn, Fife, Scotland which is a seaside town. Elisabeth is 18 years 4 months old at the time of her marriage to Ralph.
3. Her father is a merchant seaman, master mariner and general laborer. On Elisabeth's death certificate she lists her father as a sea captain. In the 1871 census he is on board the "Empress Eugenie" ship in Perth, Scotland. He dies from carcinoma of the neck in the Poorhouse in Dunfermline Fife, Scotland, 14 November 1892 at 66 years of age with his 26 year old son Peter as witness.
4. Two years later on 28 January 1881, Elisabeth has her second child, Janet (aka Jesse) Gardiner, in Maryhill, Lanark, Scotland. (married Archie Rhea and lived in Tacoma, WA) The 1881 census lists their home at 404 Gairbraid St, Soldiers Home, Maryhill, Lanark, Scotland. Maryhill is a police burgh in Barony parish, NW Lanarkshire, on the left bank of the river Kelvin, 3½ miles NNW of the centre of Glasgow. This is 35 miles from the ancestral home. She is 20 years 4 months.
5. Elisabeth has three more children, Ralph May 11, 1883 (Lived in San Luis Obispo, CA and died in 1913 with no children) William Gardiner, June 10, 1884 (Accountant, lived on Hale Avenue in San Francisco, no children) and Ann Gall Gardiner, September 24, 1885 (Anne Gall Gardiner came to America and died as a little girl from diptheria in Terrace, Box Elder County, Utah abt 1890). All are born in Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland, or in the same area she delivered her first son John. Again this is seven miles from her ancestral home.
6. Elisabeth immigrates to Ogden and lives with her husband Ralph. When Ralph's brother Arthur comes to visit. Elisabeth leaves Ralph and three of her children and goes with Arthur to Australia with Elisabeth's youngest son Arthur II sometime before May 29, 1896 when Ralph posts the following in the San Francisco Call newspaper: "MY WIFE, ELIZABETH GARDINER, HAVing left my bed and board, I shall no longer be responsible for any debts contracted by her after this date, May 29, 1896. RALPH GARDINER."
7. Elisabeth dies October 31, 1941 in Australia as a housewife and Presbytarian. At the time of her death she reports three living children from Ralph: John, Jessie and William and two living children from Arthur: Arthur II and Stanley. Her address is: 17 Fredick, Midland, Australia. She is 81 years 2 months old. On her death certificate she has two errors. She was not sixteen when she married the first time (18 years 4 months) and she did not get married in 1888 to Arthur (according to the Ogden City Directory 1895-96 Ralph, Elisabeth and Arthur are living together.) No marriage verification has been found.
8. "Smothie" Jack came to the U.S. from Scotland about 1886 at the age of eight. He went to work as a Rivet Heater at the age of 14. The events of his life are myriad and interesting but among the most startling are these. He worked on the first Cruiser ever build for the Japanese Navy built in San Francisco about 1898--"now he wishes he could tear it down." He helped build the first snow plow to get up the Cascade in the Huntington Lake District in 1911. He was the first passenger on the first stage out of Miricopa to Los Angeles. Boilermaker inspector, March 9, 1913. Worked for Mobil Oil Corporation. There appeared an article in one of their publications showing a picture of four Generations of the Gardiner Family on the oil company payroll. (Maybe Ralph, Jack, son and grandson?) He may have lived in Highland Park, LA. Information from a descendant.
9. John "Jack" Masterton Gardiner marries Isabel (Belle) Alice Day Gardiner, has three children, is an inspector at an oil company and dies in Los Angeles, November 20, 1949, five months after his father dies. The 1940 census lists him as a Boiler Inspector for a Petroleum Oil Company. He is listed with his wife Isabelle (spelling from census). He has an 8th grade education and rents his home at 3023 West Avenue 32, Los Angeles, CA. for $25. He earned $3900 in 1939 and worked 52 weeks. For a time Ralph lives with John and Belle in Los Angeles.
10. John Masterton Gardiner burial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Los Angeles County California, USA Plot: Sanctity of Fidelity, Gardenia Terrace, Lot 0, Space 9473
9. Ralph also dies the same year at 95, June 16, 1949 in California. He died as a Mason and Presbyterian and is buried in San Luis Obispo. According to the newspaper he came to the area 50 years previous.
11. His wife Belle died twenty three years later: in Oxnard, Ventura County, CA, Nov. 12, 1972 and is buried next to her husband: Plot: Sanctity of Fidelity, Gardenia Terrace, Lot 0, Space 9473. Belle is born, April 15, 1879 in Oakland, California, USA. (Find a Grave for date of birth) Isabelle reported being 60 in the 1940 census.
12. There are a number of John Masterton Gardiner's descendants currently living in California. - Elisabeth Masterton
Birth 8 Jan 1878 Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland [1, 2]
- "John Masterton"
John Masterton birth 1878
8 Jan 1878, Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing, Fife, ScotlandGender Male Occupation Inspector, Oil Co. [3] Census 1930 Los Angeles, California, USA - aged 51, married
Died 20 Nov 1949 Los Angeles, California, USA Person ID I1928 Mastertons from Culross Last Modified 11 Aug 2012 Father UNNAMED Mother MASTERTON Elisabeth, b. 18 Aug 1860, Crombie Point, Torryburn, Fife, Scotland Family ID F1391 Group Sheet Family Belle, b. 15 Apr 1881, Oakfield, California, USA Children 1. Living 2. Living 3. Living Family ID F1392 Group Sheet Notes - illegitimate
Sources
Birth certificate:
Information on John's wife:
Belle[1]
1881 -
Birth 15 Apr 1881 Oakfield, California, USA Gender Female Census 1930 Los Angeles, California, USA - aged 48, married
Person ID I1929 Mastertons from Culross Last Modified 13 Apr 2012 Family GARDNER John Masterton, b. 8 Jan 1878, Preston Crescent, Inverkeithing, Fife, Scotland Children 1. Living 2. Living 3. Living Family ID F1392 Group Sheet Sources - [S492] Modified Register for Elizabeth Masterton, Janice McHardy.
John Masterton Gardiner's wife and children:
Burial:
Wife burial:
| Birth: | Apr. 15, 1879 |
| Death: | Nov. 12, 1972 |
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| Burial: Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Glendale) Glendale Los Angeles County California, USA Plot: Sanct. of Fidelity, Gardenia Terrace, Lot 0, Space 9473 | |
Edit Virtual Cemetery info [?] | |
Created by: Chris Mills Record added: Feb 22, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 85405606 | |
