NY NY - Alice Parsons: Heiress, Long Island, 1937

[Pink Panther]

Where are all these fantastic photos coming from? I can't believe how many are still around. There are more here than for people who disappeared in 1997!

ETA: I love that house.

Most of them are from a publicly accessible Google + account that a family member set up. I didn't "bump" into this until after over 30 hours of research but it would have been great to know that it was there!

 

[Pink Panther]

Marilynpa - Before I spend another countless amount of hours trying to track to William Parson's side of the family...Could you please share the photos of him that you have and any other pertinent information that might be helpful?

I have no interest in writing a book. I would love to solve Alice's murder. Even if I don't, I will continue to research. I will happily share what I find here if it progresses the case. If the politics don't allow it, I will continue to research regardless; I simply won't post.

I'm very disappointed to find myself, after many long hours of research, at "ground zero"...Most of the pictures (not all) that I've un-earthed were there but hadn't been posted. Why? (I have found nothing that isn't in the public domain.)

I'm a bit confused...

 

[Pink Panther]

From that to where she possibly (probably) ended up. So sad. Don't you wish you could step into the past and stop her right there, just to say, 'In the future, you are going to have a choice. Whatever happens, don't choose the Russian housekeeper.'?

Can you post the pictures you have of William?

Can you please post the pictures you have of William? As well as any other info not yet posted that might be pertinent?

 

[Marilynilpa]

Marilynpa - Before I spend another countless amount of hours trying to track to William Parson's side of the family...Could you please share the photos of him that you have and any other pertinent information that might be helpful?

I have no interest in writing a book. I would love to solve Alice's murder. Even if I don't, I will continue to research. I will happily share what I find here if it progresses the case. If the politics don't allow it, I will continue to research regardless; I simply won't post.

I'm very disappointed to find myself, after many long hours of research, at "ground zero"...Most of the pictures (not all) that I've un-earthed were there but hadn't been posted. Why? (I have found nothing that isn't in the public domain.)

I'm a bit confused...

A link to the family album was given to me by family members before most of the photos became available on Ancestry.com. I was ignorant in the way of posting pictures on here, in fact I haven't felt comfortable doing that until recently, so I never posted any photos.

I have at least four boxes of files on the Parsons side of the family, six boxes on the Williams and McDonnell families, and four boxes of miscellaneous files. I didn't realize I had that many until I pulled them out of storage this weekend and they are all over my living room!

Can you tell me what pertinent info you would like me to share? If you, and others, would like to send me specific questions, I'll tell you everything I know and provide links where possible. I may not know the answer to everything, in fact you guys have ferreted out info about Anna that I didn't know. But I'll happily share any info I have. The only thing I'm unwilling to share is my personal theory of why this murder took place - I have to keep something back for my book!!

I have some photos of William, but they were given to me with the understanding that they would be used only in my book. I've posted one photo today of William from 1910 that I found on my own, and I'll post more when I run across them.

You are certainly free to research and post anything about this case, there is no reason not to. I love finding new articles and info on here that I've not seen before!:great:

 

[Marilynilpa]

I just re-read a few of my posts and to my horror, I realized what a know-it-all I sound like. I am very embarrassed!:blushing::blushing:

From now on, if one of you posts an article or piece of information that I am already aware of, I'm going to sit back and let you guys discuss it. I know I've sounded like a know-it-all and that has to be annoying.:what:

So I'm here to answer specific questions and to post anything new I come across, but I'll try to refrain from insinuating myself into every post!

 

[Ausgirl]

Marilyn, you haven't once sounded like a know-it-all! I've enjoyed your posts, and everyone else's on this thread.

I do think you should hurry up and get your book, done, though. Cause I wanna read it! :jumping:

 

[Marilynilpa]

Here is a postcard showing "The Homestead", where William H. Parsons, Jr. grew up in Glen Cove, L.I., New York:

http://www.glencoveheritage.com/postcards/24-0001_std.jpg

 

[Marilynilpa]

Here is the obituary for William's grandfather:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9F05E4DD1F3BE631A2575AC1A9649C946497D6CF

As you can see, William came from a distinguished family. Kinda makes you wonder how he wound up raising squabs, right?

I need to re-check my records, because I can't remember how all three men had the same name, and yet "our" William wound up being William H. Parsons, Jr.:waitasec: I used to know, but my memory fades more and more with each passing year! I think the first William H. Parsons had a different middle name.

 

[fred&edna]

Marilyn, you haven't once sounded like a know-it-all! I've enjoyed your posts, and everyone else's on this thread.

I do think you should hurry up and get your book, done, though. Cause I wanna read it! :jumping:

I agree completely with Ausgirl! Absolutely NO signs of a know-it-all in your posts AND... yes, hurry with the book!

 

[Ausgirl]

"His second marriage took place only a few years ago." -- I bet that made the grown-up kids happy... :notgood:

An article on David Cowles' marriage to William's sister: Read Here.

And their son Edward, from this article.:

Edward Boies Cowles was born in Rye, New York, April 13,
1888.

David S. Cowles, his father, born in Canaan, Connecticut, in
1857, is a paper manufacturer, connected with the firm of W. H.
Parsons & Co. Mrs. Cowles was Matilda Parsons. Among
Cowles' Yale relatives are: Edward Cowles, 1836, grandfather;
W. H. Parsons, 1882, and J. P. Parsons, 1885, uncles; and David
Boies, 1904, cousin.

And a great article on the Parsons family history: read here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edward_Parsons

I'm a bit confused, though, with all the Matildas? One married to David Cowles, another to Charles Lamb Parsons ... okay, now I'm lost. Maybe Matilda was a really popular name among the Parsons. Here's yet another mention of a Matilda Parsons:

http://ryepc.com/about/history/stained-glass-windows/


Oookay, I'm sort of OT here now with all the Matildas- I do love chasing history about, though.

Anyhow - it seems to me that the Parsons weren't just 'rich' - their bloodlines were prestigious. I am betting that William's family was furious about a/ his chicken farm (rather than him being a lawyer or a paper mogul..if they didn't hand him the farm to get him out of the way for being troublesome, or incurably useless) and b/ Anna, a servant. A foreign one. With a half-Indian child and a highly shoddy story about the day Alice vanished. Oh and c/ all the bad press.

I can't imagine these old fashioned 'society' people embracing Anna into the family at all. Or wanting to give her one red cent of the family's money.

No wonder you want to write about this story, Marilyn. I'm hooked on the history behind it, as well as the sad tale of Alice.

 

[Ausgirl]

Ooh - here it says the ex-postmistress saw Alice in a strange car, travelling east (her home was to the west) with one other person in the vehicle. Note that in another article it states this would have been more than hour after Anna said Alice had gone off with the couple in their car to see the Sammis property (which was to the west, so this car was travelling in the wrong direction for that supposed property viewing).

How odd. I wonder if this report is accurate.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3Z1aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6784,1134326

 

[Marilynilpa]

Ooh - here it says the ex-postmistress saw Alice in a strange car, travelling east (her home was to the west) with one other person in the vehicle. Note that in another article it states this would have been more than hour after Anna said Alice had gone off with the couple in their car to see the Sammis property (which was to the west, so this car was travelling in the wrong direction for that supposed property viewing).

How odd. I wonder if this report is accurate.

http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3Z1aAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W04DAAAAIBAJ&pg=6784,1134326

Mrs. Newton, the retired postmistress, has always intrigued me. She was familiar with Alice from handing her the mail every day, and seemed convinced that it was Alice she saw. Mrs. Newton was able to pinpoint the time by what she was listening to on the radio when Alice drove by.

I would have loved talking to this woman. She probably knew all of the gossip about Alice, Anna and William.

I believe Mrs. Newton saw someone she believed was Alice, but I'm not convinced it was Alice.

Anybody have any thoughts about what the postmistress saw?

 

[fred&edna]

Mrs. Newton, the retired postmistress, has always intrigued me. She was familiar with Alice from handing her the mail every day, and seemed convinced that it was Alice she saw. Mrs. Newton was able to pinpoint the time by what she was listening to on the radio when Alice drove by.

I would have loved talking to this woman. She probably knew all of the gossip about Alice, Anna and William.

I believe Mrs. Newton saw someone she believed was Alice, but I'm not convinced it was Alice.

Anybody have any thoughts about what the postmistress saw?

Maybe the postmistress was correct?!

Alice knew about Anna's plot to do her harm. Maybe William was a philanderer and she was fed-up. Maybe Alice had a friend (maybe well to do) and with his help she escaped Anna, William and NY and finished out her life on a smaller farm raising... rabbits.

Okay, not likely.

Maybe I'm mistaken but... Marilyn, didn't you say you knew something rather "juicy" about Alice and William (maybe before the arrival of Anna)?

 

[Marilynilpa]

Maybe the postmistress was correct?!

Alice knew about Anna's plot to do her harm. Maybe William was a philanderer and she was fed-up. Maybe Alice had a friend (maybe well to do) and with his help she escaped Anna, William and NY and finished out her life on a smaller farm raising... rabbits.

Okay, not likely.

Maybe I'm mistaken but... Marilyn, didn't you say you knew something rather "juicy" about Alice and William (maybe before the arrival of Anna)?

The only juicy stuff I have is about William and Anna. And by that, I mean juicy for 1937, not juicy by today's standards.

The files at the National Archive contained a lot of information about the relationship between Anna and William, mainly gossip from locals who were interviewed by the FBI. Some of it seemed far-fetched, some of it seemed possible, and none of it was verified by the FBI.

There are two boxes I did not have time to review, all pertaining to Anna. I hadn't planned to go back to look at them but, given everyone's interest in Anna, I think I'll make another trip to the National Archives this Spring.

I'm trying to be as forthcoming as possible, but I hope everyone can understand that there are some things I'd like to keep just for my book.

 

[fred&edna]

The only juicy stuff I have is about William and Anna. And by that, I mean juicy for 1937, not juicy by today's standards.

The files at the National Archive contained a lot of information about the relationship between Anna and William, mainly gossip from locals who were interviewed by the FBI. Some of it seemed far-fetched, some of it seemed possible, and none of it was verified by the FBI.

There are two boxes I did not have time to review, all pertaining to Anna. I hadn't planned to go back to look at them but, given everyone's interest in Anna, I think I'll make another trip to the National Archives this Spring.

I'm trying to be as forthcoming as possible, but I hope everyone can understand that there are some things I'd like to keep just for my book.

Ahh... Anna & William gossip. Oh my goodness yes... keep the "juicy parts" for the book, even if they are by 1937 gossip standards! I keep thinking it would be best not to know anything more until the book, but I can't resist coming back each day to check for more info. Thank you for sharing what you can... I love it!

 

[Ausgirl]

Just as a by-the-by factlet (OT .. forgive me, but I'm like a shark in the water with these old stories..) there was a horrendous murder connected to the Sammis property - I found it by following a link to Parsons stuff.. and of course, I can't find it again now I have time to write about it.

Anyhow. In Huntington, at some time prior to Alice's murder, a gentleman in his 30's decided to court a much younger girl, just out of high school. The whole town was in an uproar about it, but the man and the girl kept meeting in secret.

So one night, when he thinks he's meeting the girl and sees a lantern-light signal in the dark, the man gets jumped by a gang of masked men who beat him savagely and tar and feather him, using hot tar.

Later, a pair of tarred and feathered legs were found - the rest of the man's body never was located. Members of the Sammis family were rumoured to be involved but nobody had any proof. Many of those who'd been accused left the area afterwards. The murder is still unsolved - so there, we have another cold case.

Ehhh - here's the link! http://longislandgenealogy.com/tar.html

And an axe murder on Sammis property in Huntington, in 1914: http://www.longislandsurnames.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I1807&tree=Chichester

 

[Marilynilpa]

Just as a by-the-by factlet (OT .. forgive me, but I'm like a shark in the water with these old stories..) there was a horrendous murder connected to the Sammis property - I found it by following a link to Parsons stuff.. and of course, I can't find it again now I have time to write about it.

Anyhow. In Huntington, at some time prior to Alice's murder, a gentleman in his 30's decided to court a much younger girl, just out of high school. The whole town was in an uproar about it, but the man and the girl kept meeting in secret.

So one night, when he thinks he's meeting the girl and sees a lantern-light signal in the dark, the man gets jumped by a gang of masked men who beat him savagely and tar and feather him, using hot tar.

Later, a pair of tarred and feathered legs were found - the rest of the man's body never was located. Members of the Sammis family were rumoured to be involved but nobody had any proof. Many of those who'd been accused left the area afterwards. The murder is still unsolved - so there, we have another cold case.

Ehhh - here's the link! http://longislandgenealogy.com/tar.html

And an axe murder on Sammis property in Huntington, in 1914: http://www.longislandsurnames.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I1807&tree=Chichester

I knew about the axe murder in 1914, but have never seen that other story. That's very interesting.

When I first started researching this way back when, I had a hard time staying on track. I kept finding so many interesting stories to follow up on that it was a struggle at times to stay focused.

Have you run across an article about Alice and a musician? There was a popular local restaurant that had an orchestra, and someone said that Alice and one of the musicians were friendly. I'll see if I can find a link to that article.

This kind of research is very addictive to anyone who enjoys history, but it's a very enjoyable hobby. And from what I can tell, you are enjoying it too!

 

[zwiebel]

It's driving me mad now, because i just can't find anything on Anna before America. It's like she came out of thin air. I can't even find out how Hans Raj Soni, the econmoist who wrote some books and may - or may not - have been Roy's dad, died.

The Russian royal family forums, whose members might well be able to clarify Anna's background a little, have not replied to my question. They're not ignoring me though, it's just nobody has posted on the thread since last year.

With the little I know about Russian history though, I am sure, whatever Anna's background was, it could be worth a follow up book by itself. It's so ironic too; I'm in a part of Germany that is full of people who have 'schoolboy' Russian, and that used to be full of Russian natives too. they all disappeared the moment the Berlin wall came down in '89 though, and everyone's forgotten the Russian they learned, so nobody can help. Sigh.

You are all doing such a fantastic job here though. I do admire you all.

 

[zwiebel]

Can you please post the pictures you have of William? As well as any other info not yet posted that might be pertinent?

I haven't found any separate pics of anyone yet. Everything I found is mostly news articles, and I have posted them all in the timeline and media thread I made for this case, at this link here:

NY Alice Parsons: Media links and timeline. - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community


ETA, I haven't added a timeline yet, but I think we could make quite a good one for this case, what do others think?

 

[zwiebel]

I know it's a bit tedious going through posts and transferring links to the media thread. It's something useful I could do though, and I don't mind it too much (one of those tasks that have a clear beginning and end, so I'm not left gnawing my nails).

So if anyone wants me to add their links to that thread, let me know.