Martha Hazel-Mae (Cool)(Slater)(Finney) Smith

Martha’s death: Monday, 7 August 1989, age 95, at the B'nai Brith Home (also seen: University of Tennessee Health Science Center), Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee from complications of varicose veins; interred 29 August 1989 beside her 1^st husband, Harold Slater, in the Black River Cemetery on Route 3 outside the Village of Black River, on the Rutland Township side of the Black River, Jefferson County, New York.

3. Martha’s formal education:

From	To	School Name, Location, Diploma/Degree
		Grammar and high school in Tuscola County, Michigan
	1911	Chicago Musical College, Chicago, Illinois; studied voice and piano

4a. Martha’s 1^st marriage:

Slater, Harold Alberto & Martha Hazel-Mae (Cool) wedding (83) #.jpg

a. To whom: Harold Alberto Slater (photos) (more info)

(1) Harold’s parents: Frederick Ellsworth and Ida Viola (Pickard) Slater of Watertown, Jefferson County, New York.

(2) Harold’s birth: 12 January 1885 at home in the Village of Black River, LeRay & Rutland Townships, Jefferson County, New York.

Harold’s death: 24 December 1951 at Tucson, Pima County, Arizona from complications phlebitis; interred Black River Cemetery, on Route 3 outside the Village of Black River, Jefferson County, New York.

(3) Harold’s employment history:

From	To	Employer, location, job
		House painting contractor

(4) Other biographical notes on Harold:

(a) Paraphrasing his son, Vincent Ellsworth Slater: "Harold was a 'gifted artist.' (click here to see examples) Good at drawing, painting, carving, [he was] frustrated by having children too soon. They prevented [him from] truly developing his abilities to the fullest. Martha also fell victim to the same problem. She had a lovely lyric soprano voice with professional potential, [and] no doubt could have made it in the field of light opera. But again, the demands of a family prevented this from becoming a reality. So both of them were badly thwarted in their artistic goals. Of the children, Vincent and Roxie acquired the musical talent, with Stanley and Fred getting the artistic ability. Harriet the ability to cope with the problems that life confronted her with. Emma sort of lucked out."

(b) In his last years the phlebitis had suffered from for years caused him to use crutches to walk, and it eventually precipitated a stroke, which put him in a wheel chair.

b. Marriage date & location: Tuesday morning, 17 September 1912 in the parlor or the Lorenzo Dow Cool residence, Ward's Corners (between Evans Mills and LeRaysville – initially the Thomas Ward farm, then J. Ward; later the Buskirk farm), LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York with Reverend Duane C. Johnson, pastor of Asbury Methodist-Episcopal Church, Watertown officiating.

c. Children:

(1. Vincent Ellsworth Slater: Born 25 August 1913.

(2. Emma Ann Slater: Born 1 March 1915.

(3. Harriette Elcy Slater: Born 27 October 1916.

(4. Stanley Fenton Slater: Born 27 February 1918/19.

(5. Roxie Ellen Slater: Born 18 December 1928.

(6. Frederick Harold Slater: Born 1934.

4b. Martha’s 2^nd marriage:

Photo Substitute

a. To whom: Charles Edward Finney (photos) (more info)

(1) Charles’ parents: Robert Johnson Finney and Melissa D. (Thompson) Finney

(2) Charles’ birth: 29/27 April 1869 in Tuscola Township, Douglas County, Indiana (also seen: Lewis Co., NY).

Charles’ death: 10 August 1954, age 85, at Tucson, Pima County, New York from complications of heart disease; interred there in South Lawn Cemetery.

(3) Charles’ 1st marriage:

(a) To Whom: Jessie Grose

(b) Her birth: 30 November 1871 in New Castle Township, Henry County, Indiana.

Her death: 14 January 1952 at Tucson, Pima County, Arizona; interred there in South Lawn Cemetery.

[1. Dorothy Mildred Finney: Born 1898. Died 1898.

[2. Charles Wesley Finney: Born 1899. Died 1948.

[3. Marian Finney: Born 1905. Died 1905.

(4) US Census Records:

1870 US Census: C. E. Finney, age 1 (b. IL), resided with his parents, Robert J. and M. D. Finney in Tuscola Township, Douglas County, Illinois.

1880: Charles E. Finney, age 11 (b. IL), resided with his parents, Robert J. and Melissa (?) Finney, in Tuscola Township, Douglas County, Illinois.

1900: Chas Finney, age 31 (b. Apr 1869 in IL; parents b. IL) and employed as a mail clerk in a post office, was heading a household at 18 North Rural Street in Center Township, Indianapolis, Marion County, Indiana. The household also included his wife, Jessie Finney, age 29 (b. Nov 1871 in IN; parents b. IN); and son, Charles Finney, age 3 months (b. Nov 1899 in IN; father b. IL; mother b. IN).

1910: Charles E. Finney, age 40 (b. IL; parents b. IN) and employed as a clerk in a post office, was heading a household at 1408 Tuxedo Street in the City of Indianapolis (Center Twp), Marion County, Indiana. He had been married once. The household also included his wife of 14 years, Jessie G. Finney, age 38 (b. IN; parents b. IN), who had been married once and had had 1 child, still alive; and son, Charles W. Finney, age 10 (b. IN; father b. IL; mother b. IN).

1920: Jesse G. Finney, age 48 (b. IN; parents b. IN) and married, was heading a household at 832 E. Seventh Street in the City of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. The household also included her son, Charles W. Finney, age 20 (b. IN; father b. IL; mother b. IN) and single, with no occupation recoreded.

1930: Charles E. Finney, age 58 (b. IL; parents b. IN) and employed as foreman in a post office, was heading a household at 344 S. 6th Avenue in the City of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. His residence was valued at $12,000, and he married 1st at age 23. The household also included his wife, Jessie G. Finney, age 58 (b. IN; parents b. IN); and lodger, Thomas F. Quilty, age 49 (b. Irish Free State; parents b. Irish Free State), single, and employed as a clerk for a railroad.

1940: Charles E. Finney, age 70 (b. IL) and employed as manager of his own rooming house, was heading a household at 344 S. 6th Avenue in the City of Tucson, Pima County, Arizona. He had completed 7th grade, and he resided in the same house in April 1935. His residence was valued at $12,000. He resided in the same house in April 1935. The household also included his wife, Jessie G. Finney, age 68 (b. IN), who had completed 1 year of college. The household also included 5 lodgers.

b. Marriage date & location: 9 April 1953 at the First Methodist Parsonage, Phoenix, Maricopa County, Arizona, with Reverend D. W. Cummings officating.

4c. Martha’s 3^rd marriage:

Smith, Walter & Martha Hazel_Mae (Cool) portrait 15pearl #.jpg

a. To whom: Walter W. Smith (photos) (more info)

(1) Walter’s parents:

(2) Walter’s birth: 1 January 1890 in Pennsylvania.

Walter’s death: October 1979 in Pima County, Arizona.

b. Marriage date & location: 1956/60 in Arizona

5. Martha’s employment history:

From	To	Employer, location, job
		Asbury Methodist Church, Watertown, Jefferson County, New York; soprano soloist and choir director

6. Martha’s addresses:

From	To	Employer, location, job
1894		Resided with her parents at Caro, Indian Fields Township, Tuscola County, Michigan
		Chicago, Illinois while in voice and piano school
1912	1920	LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York.
1920	1929	Michigan; including (first) Grand Rapids, Kent County and (last) Detroit, Wayne County
1930	1941	LeRaysville, LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York.
1941	1941	Detroit, Michigan; initially after leaving their LeRaysville residence in the fall of 1941 to make way for the expansion of Pine Camp.
1941		Pulaski, Jefferson County, New York. When Harold Slater's leg problems caused him so much trouble, he started looking for a better climate. He visited Tucson, Arizona and liked it so much that he asked Martha to sell their Pulaski residence and bring the family there.
	1952	Tucson, Pima County, Arizona
1952	1953	Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana
1953		Tucson, Pima County, Arizona, where she married (2^nd) Charles Finney in 1953 and married (3^rd) Walter Smith in 1956.
	1989	Resided with and was cared for by her daughter, Roxie Ellen (Slater) Grinnell, at Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee

7. Other biographical notes on Martha:

a. Early in life referred to as "Mattie"

b. Martha met Harold Slater in the fall of 1911. After graduating from the Chicago Musical College, she moved to LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York, where, at some point following the marriage of her brother, Stanley Cool to Louisa Drake in early 1907, her parents had moved from Michigan; the Cool residence was at Ward's Corners, between Evans Mills and LeRaysville. Martha had traveled by train from Evans Mills to Watertown, Jefferson County to audition for the position of soprano soloist in the choir of the Asbury Methodist-Episcopal Church in Watertown. Harold's father, Fred Slater, was Chairman of Asbury's Music Committee, and he sent Harold to the Watertown Train Depot to meet and escort Martha to the audition. Following the audition, Martha stayed overnight at the Slater residence before returning home to Ward's Corners. Martha got the job and met her future husband on the same day.

c. Per Martha's niece, Anna (Drake) Burdick, Martha's 2nd marriage to Charles Finney lasted only a couple of weeks, when Charles died suddenly from a heart attack.)

8. US Census records:

1900: Martha, age 6 (b. May 1894), was referred to as “Mattie” and resided with her parents in Michigan.

1910: Martha H., age 16 (b. MI) and employed as a singer, resided with her parents in Michigan. She had been in school during the previous year.

1920: Harold Slater, age 34 (b. NYS, as were his parents) and employed as a studio photographer, was heading a household on Dutch Settlement Road in LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York. The household also included his wife, Martha, age 25 (b. NYS, as were her parents); son, Vincent Slater, age 6; daughter, Emma A. Slater, age 4 years 7 months; daughter, Harriett Slater, age 3 years 3 months; and son, Stanley, age 1 year 0 months.

Harold was also enumerated as heading a household at Grand Rapids (Ward 3), Kent County, Michigan.

1930: Harold A. Slater, age 45 (b. NYS; parents b. NYS) and employed as a fruit farmer, was heading a household in LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York. He married 1st at age 28. The household also included his wife, Martha H. Slater, age 33 (b. MI; parents b. NYS) and employed as a saleslady in the dry goods industry, who married 1st at age 18; son, Vincent E. Slater, age 16 (b. NYS); daughter, Emma A. Slater, age 15 (b. NYS); daughter, Harriet E. Slater, age 13 (b. NYS); son, Fenton S. Slater, age 11 (b. NYS); and daughter, Rosellen Slater, age 1 year and 4 months (b. MI).

1940: Harold Slater, age 55 (b. NYS) and employed as a decorator contractor, was heading a household in LeRay Township, Jefferson County, New York. He had completed 8th grade, and his residence was valued at $1,200. The household also included his wife, Martha Slater, age 45 (b. MI), who had completed 2 years of high school; son, Fenton Slater, age 21 (b. NYS), single, and employed as a farm laborer, who had completed 2 years of high school; daughter, Roxiellen Slater, age 11 (b. MI), who had completed 5th grade; son, Frederick Slater, age 6 (b. NYS), who had completed 1st grade; granddaughter, Virginia Rockwood, age 6 (b. NYS), who had completed 1st grade; granddaughter, Martha Mickna, age 3 (b. NYS); and daughter, Emma Mickna, age 25 (b. NYS) and married, with no occupation recorded. They resided in the same house on 1 April 1935.

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