Dj, Mary Ann, and Nell Steeples

Mary Ann Morison (always spelled with one 'R') was born October 20, 1847 in New Haven, No. Leith Parish, Scotland. She was born to Andrew Low Morison and Hellen "Ellen" Simpson Doig. At the time of her birth, her father Andrew was a grocer in New Haven. New Haven was a small 'burgh' near the port of Leith, Scotland. Her family is listed in the 1851 Scottish Census: Living at #3 Maitland St., New Haven, North Leith; living in household: Line: 9 Roll: CSSCT1851_187 Household Members: Name Age Andrew Morrison 36 Grocer Helen Morrison 35 Andrewina Morrison 9 Helen Morrison 7 Mary Ann Morrison 4 Jean ( Jane) Morrison 2 Sarah Galloway 14 yr old servant Burnistland, Fife Andrew's brother, John, was listed at Maitland Place, No. Leith, with his family in the Scottish 1841 census. In 1855 the family emigrated to Melbourne, Australia. Several of Mary Ann's maternal uncles had previously gone to Australia as the building business was booming there at that time. Unassisted Immigration to Victoria, Australia Index of Inward Passenger Lists for British, Foreign and New Zealand Ports 1852-1923 Family Name First Name Age Month Year Ship Port Fiche Page MORRISON ANDREW 39 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 MORRISON HELEN 38 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 MORRISON ANDREWINA 12 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 MORRISON HELEN 9 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 MORRISON MARY ANN 6 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 MORRISON JANE 4 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 MORRISON ROBERT 2 APR 1855 VENILIA B 091 001 In 1858 the family was living on Patrick St., Hobart, Tasmania Tasmania Directory 1866 MORRISON, Andrew St. John Street , Launceston, Tasmania Also in 1866, the family lost their only son, Robert Wilson Hedderick Morison. Robert died from "irritation of the brain" on December 14, and was buried in the Presbyterian Scotch Cemetery - High Street, Launceston The Morison family were in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia until 1868, when they returned to Edinburgh, Scotland. Mary Ann's sister, Andrewina Morison, remained to marry Henry Heald, Jr. The couple had 9 children, and Andrewina died in 1891 in Launceston, Tasmania. The family resided at #22 St. John Place when they settled back in Edinburgh, which is located off the 'Royal Mile'. Mary Ann's father Andrew, at that time, was noted as a 'Vinter of Spirits' ...his brother John Morison was a licensed dealer with 18 employees at that time, so it may be that Andrew worked with his brother. Mary Ann's father died in December, 1871, and Mary Ann moved into her own apartment at 15 Bristow St., Edinburgh. It was around this time that Mary Ann met her future husband, Francis 'Frank' Oliphant Steeples. Marriage Certificate: Name: Francis Steeples Marriage Date: 8 May 1872 Marriage Place: Edinburgh Parish,Edinburgh,Midlothian,Scotland Spouse: Mary Ann Morison FHL Film Number: 6035516 Marriage cert from GRO in Edinburgh (# 74266) Mary Ann is listed as a 'spinster at time of marriage, with usual residence "15 Bristow St." Edinburgh. Father, Andrew Morison, listed as deceased 'joiner' at time of Mary Ann's marriage, and mother listed as Hellen Doig Morison. Minister listed as an R.R. Robertson, witness's names: 'J. Morison and and 'T. Grant, the other is David Steeples, brother to Francis. The night of their marriage, the couple boarded a ship to America. Per marriage license, Francis' father and mother were both deceased at the time of his marriage. His father, William, was a house painter, and his mother was listed as Isabella Oliphant Steeples. At time of marriage, address was given as "10 Society St., Edinburgh".

Nellie was my great-grandmother and she was a spitfire! A strong woman who made her way in the world working as a seamstress (on the Barbary Coast in San Francisco - sewing for the prostitutes and pimps!), a maid, a hotel manager, and finally the owner of a hotel in Seattle Washington. Her first marriage was to my great-grandfather, JB Kroetch. Rumor has it that she had a couple of other husbands (I know of a man whose surname was "McKenzie”) and then finally, the only great-grandfather I knew - David Shirley Abbott (who went by Shirley). They were married until she died. His profession was gambling - and he was very good at it. He did work in the Merchant Marines for several years but he said (and I believe him!) that was just so that he could win the wages of the other men on the trip home. He and Grandma Nell were a pair - she didn't allow drinking or smoking in her house and he adored her. She always wore dresses (usually satin, with several petticoats), even at home, and a fur (mink) coat when she went out. She made good bread but boy, could she over-cook a roast! Since she grew up on a farm in Kansas, she followed the customs she knew - dinner was at noon, the main meal of the day, and supper (in the evening) was a light meal. She sewed clothes for my sister and me until she died and made "smoking jackets" for her grandsons. (Following the Victorian fashion, she made them multi-colored and of silk - a patchwork construction. My Dad - her grandson - said wearing it outside when we lived on Bird Ave in San Jose CA, traffic would stop!) She also crocheted/tatted - she made a tablecloth for both of her grandsons and their wives. I still have both of them. She loved arts and crafts. Remember "Popsicle" lamps? She made those - and she used "paint by numbers" kits to make art for the walls. (This was in the 60s - Grandpa Shirley also brought home velvet paintings when he went on trips in the Merchants.) And she made leather purses for my sister and me - still have my purse too. You should have seen their house! It was very large for the time and it was filled with her finished projects and his memorabilia from his travels. Also, they kept a lot of cash (from his gambling - although he had stocks too) in the house, hidden in various places. So when they bought a car - always a Lincoln - the salesman would deliver the car to their house and they would give him cash for the full price. What a treat to have both of them as great-grandparents and how blessed were we to know them all of the time we were growing up.

David James Steeples of Palco, Rooks County, Kansas United States was born on January 27, 1873 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois to Mary Ann (Morrison) Steeples and Francis Oliphant Steeples. He had a sister Hellen Isabell "Nellie" (Steeples) Kroetch Abbott. David Steeples died at age 80 years old in April 1953 in Palco, Rooks County, KS, and was buried on April 30, 1953 at Pleasant View Cemetery in Palco.