Mae-Ruth Safstrom
Jan. 29th 1918 - July 23rd 2006 (88)

* So far the only thing I'm sure of is that Ruth was adopted by the Alex E. Safstrom family as seen in a 1930 census report as "Adopted Daughter" then newspaper clippings showing 1936 marriage to Paul Ryder Peterson. After that seen things seem to have gone off the rails or at least that's the way I feel continue checking on when she might have widowed Paul Peterson or divorced.

In 1956 win Ruth adopted father dies and news write up lists Ruth as living in Buffalo. So she is in Buffalo during 1956- important to know. Along with Ruth's obituary which states she moved to Buffalo in the late 1940s, in both times she carries the name. Ruth Freer.

* David do your next dive into the marriage of Ruth and Paul Peterson. Learn all you can about the beginning and end of that marriage before moving on to Richard M. Freer.

Note

Her name can be found:

Ruth Fay

Mary Fay

Mae ruth Safstrom (adopted parents last name)

Next possible Ruth name is FREER says she was married and lived in Lackawanna, New York (Freer may be 2nd husband after Peterson)

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Virginia and Ruth Fay c1928

NOTES:

Ruth gets married same year as her sister, 1936

1) Ruth married May 30th 1936 (Age 18 so it's her first marriage to Paul H. Peterson. so.... Richard Freer muct be her 2nd marriage)

2) Virginia married August 8th 1936

She married Peterson May 30th 1936.

Did Peterson die or did they just divorce.

Check the date she married Peterson. For some reason, she would've been divorced and came to New York in the late 40s and married. Richard H Freer.

Looking for more documentation that backs up the idea that she first married, Paul "H" sometimes written "R" Peterson then married Richard M. Freer

One reported home of Ruth is in Lackawanna, New York 79 Tracy Parkway, Lackawanna, NY. No Google maps for it but Zillow has a trailer for sale at 90 Tracy Parkway in Lackawanna so it may be a trailer court at this time or even then.

Second address shown was 75 Wood St., Buffalo, NY. Under her last maiden name also. 75 Wood St. in Buffalo is actually in Lackawanna and it is just a few blocks from her previous Tracy Parkway address this time. It's an older house.

1920

Claude's marriage to Harriet 1917

1920 Census dated Jan. 2nd 1920 from McKean County PA.

This census is helpful as it shows Claude is married to Harriet in 1920. The separation or divorced was supposed to ever happened around 1921. It also shows how young the children were. I believe the children were named Ruth and Virginia, but they list them as Mary and Virginia.

Harriet Married in 1917 at 16 years old. She is 18 now in 1920.

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1930

1930 Census

Name Mayruth (looks like they wrote Mary Ruth) age 12 "adopted daughter"

Father's name Axel Safstrom - Axel was born in Pennsylvania, but his father was born in Sweden.

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1936

Smethport Pa. is 19 miles from Bradford, PA

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Note

Another verification she remarried

*** I am having a hard time finding any reports that Ruth was married to Freer

Shows Mae Ruth Freer

SS number

Last lived in Buffalo, New York

1941

Registration Date Feb 7th 1941

(21 years old)

Richard Maurice Freer

Ruth's obituary article says she didn't arrive in Western New York until the late 1940s

Richard M Freer born October. 22 1918

Ruth is not in the picture yet. As she is Probably married to Peterson around this time.

1944

Having a hard time figuring this out. Buffalo evening news article dated August 5, 1944 has Richard just getting married to Carola Jane Long. So when did Ruth marry him in Richard's obituary this person is mentioned as wife so he stayed married to her since 1944 till his death in 1965

1950

1950 Census

Tonawanda, New York

Richard is still married to Carla same woman he has been married to since 1944

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1956

April 9th 1956

Ruth adopted father dies at 81. Note Ruth apparently is married again with a different name. "Freer"

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1964

I think they divorced and that is why she in not buried with him.

** yes, I don't run across Ruth's burial location. I just check the Trinity evangelical Church graveyard in Grand Island, New York. The only Freer listed was this guy.

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I think I am lost. This guy seems to have been married to Carla from 1944 up until the time of his death in 1965. In 1944. I think he was only 21 years old. Are there about from his draft card. And his certificate to the left also shows Carla being widowed spouse of his so when exactly did Ruth marry him? Is this the wrong person altogether?

1990

I wonder if it's possible she was divorced from Richard Freer in 1990. Richard died in 1965, but the obituary for him lists a separate wife. And the newspaper notice for Ruth death list she was survived by just her children and never mentions a husband. You know how they say. Proceeded by XYZ husband he is not mentioned.

2002

Again, 1883 Electric Ave., Lackawanna, NY is a trailer/RV park.

On a personal note, the places Ruth was alleged to live in. Lackawanna is right by the ice cream shop Mr. Lawson used to take Dusty and I to along with the trailer court looking area where Louisa and I turned in a sick bird way back in 2002. Hard to wrap my mind around that Ruth may have been living in that area when Louisa and I were living in Hamburg from 1993 till present.