Reverend Frost Pollitt

Sad news on a closer look at a Delaware Death Certificate

Posted by on Jul 13, 2014

Occasionally, Ancestry.com will send out an email saying I have new hints to review concerning a Family Tree that I have published online.  In this case, last week, it was about the Titus & Rachel Pollitt Family Tree.

One hint was for Laura A. Taylor who I recognized as the first wife of the  Rev. Charles W. Pullett,  Opening her Delaware Death Certificate and reviewing it once again for any additional information, I was caught by surprise.  Her cause of death on April 26, 1913 in Bridgeville, Sussex County, Delaware, was listed as Pistol shot Self inflicted. The informant was Chas. W. Pullett. listed as living in Bridgeville.  Her occupation was a housewife.  She was listed as having been born in Washington, D.C.  Her father was listed as Wm. Taylor, born Alexandria, Va and mother Mary.  The undertaker was listed as being in Bridgeville but she was interred in Washington, D.C.

Another record search in Ancestry confirms that she was buried in Washington, D.C. but does not give a cemetery.

From my understanding of Rev. Charles W. Pullett’s appointments, from 1911 to 1916 he served as the District Superintendent, Cambridge Circuit.  As such, is is assumed that they would be living in Cambridge, Dorchester County, Maryland and not in Bridgeville, Delaware. A closer inspection of the annual appointments during this time in the Minutes of the Delaware Conference is required.  Additionally, there may be an article in the Cambridge, Md newspapers.

Rev. Charles Wesley Pullett and Miss Laura A. Taylor were married in Washington, D.C. on September 24, 1891,  She was 26 years old and he was 32.  He had recently graduated from Howard University’s Theological Department and had just entered into the ministry with the Delaware Conference in Cambridge, Md.

In 1910, they were living in Fairmont, Somerset County, Maryland and she is listed as having no children.  In 1910, they were listed as living in Easton, Talbot County, Maryland. They were now married 18 years and listed as both married only once.  She is listed as age 40 and having no children.

When Laura died,  they were married abt 22 years.

I have started to research her Taylor family only in the hopes of finding her resting place in Washington, D.C. It appears that she has one brother that was also a Methodist minister but went west.