Frances Jenett Owston ^{2 4 5 6 7}

   Other names for Frances were Fannie J. Owston ^{3 10} and Fanny Owston.⁸

   FamilySearch ID: L62C-S3W.

  Noted events in her life were:

1. Birth Certificate: Registration of Births in the County of Allegheny, 13 Jul 1852, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁷ Frances Ownston
Female
White
Father: John G. Ownston
Father's Occupation: clerk
Mother: Martha N. French
Time of birth: 7 o'clock P.M. Tuesday July 13, 1852
Place: Fourth Ward, Allegheny City, Allegheny County
Physician: Thos. H. Elliott, M. D.
Date of certificate: July 14, 1852.

2. Census in 1870 in McClure Twp., Allegheny, PA. ⁸ William Beacher, carpenter, 40, is living with wife Isabella, 40. William's real estate is worth $6,000 and possessions $500. The next household is Harvey Bucher (indexed wrong, should be Beecher), machinist, 19; and wife Fanny, 17. Harvey has nothing of value. Everyone was born in Pennsylvania.

3. Census in 1880 in Allegheny City, Allegheny, PA. ¹¹ The 1880 census recorded on Charles Street: William Beecher, 51, was living with wife Isabella, 50; grandson Francis, 7; granddaughter Martha, 4; granddaughter Laura Campbell, 9; and daughter-in-law Fannie Beecher, 24, whose father was born in in England and mother in Pennsylvania. Everyone else and their parents were born in Pennsylvania.

4. Residence: 1893 Pittsburgh Directory: Beecher, Fanny, wid Harry, 7 Thomas, Allegheny in 1893 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹²

5. Census in 1900 in Allegheny City, Allegheny, PA. ¹³ The 1900 census recorded renting a home at 409 Allegheny Avenue: Fannie Beecher, widowed, 48, born Jul 1852, living with her son, Frank, widowed, no occupation, age 28, Aug 1872; and daughter, Martha, 24, Mar 1876, single. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania. The census records that Fannie had given birth to 2 children and both were alive in 1900.

6. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Press: "Many Libels In Divorce Filed Today -- Francis Jenette Beecher says her husband, Harvey J. Beecher, is living openly with a woman named Kate Merriman. This couple was married January 13, 1870, and separated in August, 1879., 25 Jul 1908, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁴

7. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Press: Francis Jeannette Beecher Charges Husband, 11 Jan 1909, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹ Charging her husband with wrongdoing, Mrs. Francis Jeannette Beecher stated she married Harvey Beecher in 1870 and lived with him for nine years. Since that time, Mrs. Beecher testified and was corroborated by a number of witnesses, that her husband has been living with another woman, whom he introduced to acquaintances as his wife.

8. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Press: Granted A Divorce After Many Years, 4 Feb 1909, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁵ A decree in divorce has been granted Frances J. Beecher from her husband, Harvey J. Beecher, by the judges of Court of Common Pleas No. 1. The couple had been married for nearly 39 years, though they have not lived together for over a quarter of a century.
A peculiar feature of the decree is a clause prohibiting Beecher from marrying Kate Merriman during the lifetime of the libellant. Beecher is said to reside on Mt. Washington.

9. Newspaper: Pittsburgh Daily Post: Marriage Licenses: Fannie J. Beecher and Charles W. Smith, 14 Feb 1909, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ³

10. Census in 1910 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁶ The 1910 census recorded renting at 104 Arlington Avenue: Chas. W. Smith, saloon keeper, 66, living with wife "Mrs. Chas. W. Smith," 58; and granddaughters Viola Beecher, 13, and Mabel Alberts, 7. They were married for 1 year, Chas. was previously married. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania, except his wife's father was from England.

11. Census in 1930 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ¹⁷ The 1930 census recorded renting at 17 Warrington Avenue: Viola A. Hallam, bookkeeper auto insurance co., 33, living with daughter Hazel O., 12; daughter Garnet M., 10; son Frank W., 8; and daughter Betty F., 6. Also in the home is her grandmother, Frances J. Smith, widowed, 77. Everyone and their parents were born in Pennsylvania except Frances' father in England.

12. Cause of Death: Frances died at home from organic heart disease, arteriosclerosis, 17 Dec 1943, Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁶

13. Residence: 11 Beltzhoover Ave., Pittsburgh, PA on 17 Dec 1943 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁶

14. Obituary: Post Gazette: obituary of Frances Beecher Smith on 18 Dec 1943 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA. ⁹ SMITH - Of 11 Beltzhoover Ave., 18th Ward, on Friday, Dec. 17, 1943 at 12 noon, Frances Beecher Smith in her 92nd year, mother of Mrs. Martha Alberts and Frank A. Beecher.

Also survived by two grandchilden, Mrs. Viola Hallam and Mrs. Mabel James, and four great-grandchildren.

Friends received at the funeral home of John D. Schach Sons, 425 Brownsville Rd., Mt. Oliver. Services on Monday at 2 p.m. Friends invited.

Frances married John Harvey Beecher, son of William Beecher and Isabella Alexander, on 13 Jan 1870 in , Allegheny, PA.¹ The marriage ended in divorce on 4 Feb 1909. (John Harvey Beecher was born in Jan 1853 in Manchester, Allegheny, PA,^{8 18 19 20} died on 27 Oct 1914 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA ^{20 21} and was buried on 30 Oct 1914 in McKeesport: McKeesport and Versailles Cemetery, Allegheny, PA ^{20 21}.)

Frances next married Charles W. Smith in Feb 1909 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA.^{2 3} (Charles W. Smith was born on 9 Aug 1843 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA,^{22 23} died on 4 May 1921 in Pittsburgh, Allegheny, PA ^{22 23} and was buried on 7 May 1921 in Pittsburgh: Highwood Cemetery, Allegheny, PA ^{22 23}.)