Bostics, Then and Now, Part 1

My nephew is one of the last in our family with the surname of Bostic. The other day, while driving with my daughter through the local cemetery, he asked to see the monument with his name on it. (Yes! My children consider cemeteries as appropriate sightseeing destinations - after all, they were raised by me.) My daughter called me for the street name it was nearest to, and my nephew got to see the monument with his name on it - again!

My daughter called me later to ask about the some of the names on the monument that were unfamiliar to her. It was a little too complicated to explain the relationships of the eight people listed over the phone. And so, my darling Erica, this post is for you.

My grandfather, Walter A. Bostic placed that 4-sided monument on the site and moved some of his ancestors remains to that plot. Currently, the plot holds the following relations:

Walter A. Bostic and his 2nd wife, Corrine E. (Chase) Bostic occupy one side:

Walter A. Bostic

1919-

Corrine E.

Wife of

W.A. Bostic

1927 -1981

(Walter passed in 1999. This picture was likely taken before then.)

William S. Bostic
1838 - 1911

Rachel A. 

Wife of

W.S. Bostic

1840 - 1887

Eveline F.
Daughter of
W.S. & R.A. Bostic
1882 - 1894
Alice B.
Moore
1888 - 1898

Abbie
Wife of
W.S. Bostic
1839 - 1925
Alice B.
Moore
1866 - 1923

As for the relationships between these folks, William S. and Rachel A. were the great-grandparents of Walter A. Bostic which would make them my 3rd great-grandparents. As indicated on the stone, Eveline F. is the younger daughter of William and Rachel. Abbie is William's 2nd wife. The Alice B. Moore born in 1866 is William and Rachel's eldest daughter and the second Alice is the first Alice's daughter.

Now for a quick genealogical sketch of the names on the tonbstone -

1. William S. Bostic was born about 1838 in Avondale, PA to Peter and Annie (Jones/Kent) Bostic and died on 3 July 1911 in Worcester, MA. He married (1) Rachel A. Steemer about 1865. Rachel was born about 1840 in Oxford, PA to James and Ann (Pierce) Steemer and died 7 December 1887 in Worcester, MA. William married (2) Abbie (Freeman/Hardy) Wiggins on 5 May 1896 in Worcester, MA. Abbie was born about 1839 in Wichendon, MA to Elijah Hardy and Esther Freeman and died 2 March 1925 in Worcester, MA.

The known children of William S. Bostic and Rachel A. Steemer were:
2. i.   Alice Ann Bostic was born 3 May 1866 in Worcester, MA and died 17 August 1923 in New Bedford, MA.
    ii.  Walter St. Clair Bostic was born 4 December 1868 in Worcester, MA and died 15 April 1931 in Worcester, MA.
    iii. William H.J. (Irving) Bostic was born 4 October1872 in Worcester, MA and died most likely between 1913 and 1920 in Boston, MA.                         
    iv. James Franklin (Frank) Bostic was born 16 October 1874 in Worcester, MA and died probably between 1910 and 1920.
    v.  Benjamin F. Bostic was born 1 April 1876 in Worcester, MA and died 15 June 1937 in Shirley, MA.
    vi. Evelyn Florence Bostic was born 5 October 1882 in Worcester, MA and died 11 July 1894 in Worcester, MA.

There are no known children of William S. Bostic and his second wife, Abbie.

2. Alice Ann Bostic was born on 3 May 1866 in Worcester, MA to William S. and Rachel A. (Steemer) Bostic. She married Walter H. Moore, the son of Sylvester and Lucretia D. Moore, on 1 August 1887. Alice and Walter had one known child, Alice B. Moore. Alice B. Moore was born on 23 November 1888 in Worcester, MA and died at age 9 on 17 May 1898 in Boston, MA of tuberculosis. Alice A. Bostic Moore died in New Bedford, MA on 17 August 1923.

3. Abbie (Freeman/Hardy) Wiggins Bostic was born in 1839 according to her tombstone. She was the daughter of Esther Freeman and Elijah Hardy. She married (1) George H. Wiggins on 13 January 1872 in Ayer, MA. George was the son of David and Matilda Wiggins of New Bern, NC. Abbie married (2) William S. Bostic on 5 May 1896 in Worcester, MA.There were no known children from either of Abbie's marriages. She died at 63 Parker St in Worcester, MA on 2 March 1925.

4. Walter Andrew Bostic was born 30 September 1919 in Worcester, MA to Walter Andrew Louis and Harriet McKinley (Anderson) Bostic. He married (1) Angenette Irene Morse on 2 March 1941 in Worcester, MA. Angenette was the daughter of Charles Emerson and Elizabeth Rogers (Henries) Morse and was born on 7 February 1924 in Northborough, MA. She died on 25 May 2005 in New York City. Walter married (2) Corrine Eva Chase who was born in Rhode Island on 28 March 1927. Corrine died on 7 October 1981 in Worcester, MA. She was the daughter of Milton J. and Corinthea (Johnson) Chase.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates.....