This week in #52Ancestors allowed me to correct a name spelling. I selected Clarence B. Mount, whom I had mistakenly identified as Clarence Burnley. One obituary and a few corroborating documents later, I had the correct name: Clarence Brearley Mount.
Clarence was born on 22 March 1876 in Hightstown, New Jersey to William (1848-1922) and Catherine Brearley (1853-1926) Mount. My family joins the Mount tree with Mary Jane Mount (1844-1917), my great great grandmother. Mary Jane and Clarence’s father William were siblings.
Clarence B. Mount was the oldest of seven children. On 17 November 1898, he traveled to New York, NY to marry Fairy Mount (1879-1960). They had two children: Erva Louise (1899-1971) and Carl F. (1903-1983).
When I first captured Clarence Mount, I found him either as Clarence B. or Clarence Bumley or Burnley. I did not have a good read on his mother, other than that her name was Catherine. Newly accessible resources such as the digital archive of the Trenton Evening Times allowed me to see the obituary for Clarence, which spelled out his full name, while other articles allowed me to see information about his wife and children that furthered my knowledge on the Brearley connection.
One detail about Clarence that I have not been able to gather is the fact that he married a Mount. Fairy Mount to be exact. Fairy Mount was also from Mercer County, and even from Hamilton township. I tracked her back two generations from father David C. Mount to grandfather Samuel Mount and, as best I can determine, we are not tightly related, as neither of these appear on the list of Mounts we are related to, but it gave me pause, nonetheless. Why did they travel to New York, if there was nothing to hide? 1898 is not a year known for its destination weddings.
Unfortunately, the obituary (Trenton Evening Times) is how I learned the most about Clarence Brearley Mount. He was involved in the insurance business, namely the Automobile Club of Central New Jersey and the Loyalty Group Insurance Company. More locally, he was an overseer of the poor and a director of emergency relief in Hamilton Township. He and his wife Fairy were actively involved in the Presbyterian Church, appearing in newspaper story after story about this church fete or that. He was a member of several fraternal organizations: the Mount Moriah Lodge 28 (F&AM), the Knights Templar, the Masons, the IOOF, and the Railroad Square Club. His funeral services reflect this as both Presbyterian and Baptist ministers officiated at his funeral and the Masonic Temple held a separate service.
As I add more names to the ever more complicated tree, it becomes more and more difficult to track back and fill in blanks. Challenges like #52Ancestors are good prompts for second and third looks at branches of the tree. Happy Birthday, Clarence Brearley Mount!
Telling My Story 