Fanny Haywood

When we went to the temple this month, I thought it would be nice to prepare a bit in advance and learn what I could about the person I'd be doing the work for. It's always nice to at least start the year out by trying to be better, right?  Anyway, Fanny was the next card and when we found her a couple of years ago, it was as Mrs. Charles C. Dicks, we didn't know her maiden name.  However, that day when I did a search on her name I found them in the 1900 Census:

1900 U.S. Federal Census - Hamden, New Haven, Connecticut (page 73)

Charles Dicks, 62, August 1837, md 17 years, born England, immigrate 1873, 2nd marriage

Fanny Dicks, 43, May 1857, md 17 years, born England, immigrate 1881, 1st marriage, 2-2 children 

Mary E. Dicks, dau, 26, Oct 1873, single, born Conn.

Alfred C. Dicks, son, 4, Sept 1895, single, born Conn.

Earle M. Dicks, grandson, 3, May 1897, born Conn.

Arthur Dicks, grandson, 1, Sept 1898, born Conn.

Elyer Haywood, mother-in-law, 76, June 1824, 1-1 child, widow, born England

Look at that!  Her mother is living with them, so now we know her maiden name.  Just in case I didn't have time to reprint the card, I looked at the one behind it as well.  Elsie Maria Mathews is Fanny's daughter-in-law, who was born in Connecticut in 1885.  I was able to reprint the card, so Fanny's work got done, but I was with some friends and one of them did Elsie's work at the same time.  Going to the temple is always a special experience; taking a family name just makes it more meaningful.  And I was surprised (although I shouldn't have been) that taking some time to prepare and really think about what I was doing and the person for whom I was doing it really made a huge difference in how I felt while I was there.  I need to remember to do that always.

Now it's time to see if we can find more information on Fanny's mother.  Have you ever heard of the given name Elyer?  That's a new one for me.