Wade & Webb Family History

Edith Alice Thompson?–?

Loughton · Brooklyn · Queens

Baptised Edith Alice Marritt in Essex in 1873, she came to Brooklyn with her mother and sisters and was known there as Edith Thompson. On 18 October 1893 she married Matthew P. Frost in a double wedding with her younger sister Ellen, and she spent the rest of her documented life in Brooklyn and Queens. In 1942, named as the nearest next of kin of her eldest sister, Elizabeth Jane Marritt, she engaged the funeral director for her sister's burial.

On this page
  1. Family Record
  2. Life
  3. Documents (5)
  4. Places
  5. Timeline
  6. Open questions
  7. Searches made
  8. Notes

Birth

  1. 27 Jul 1873 Christening: Essex, England, United Kingdom 1, 2
  2. Date unknown Essex, England, United Kingdom

Marriages

  1. 18 Oct 1893 Matthew P Frost, at Brooklyn, New York City, New York 9, 10
  2. 18 Oct 1893 Matthew P Frost, at Brooklyn, Kings, New York 9, 10

Death and burial

  1. Date unknown Death: place not recorded

Family

Parents
William Thompson 1826–? (adoptive)
Eliza Keel 1840–1925
William Marritt 1826–?
Eliza Keel 1840–1925
Spouse, 18 Oct 1893
Matthew P Frost 1871–?
Children
Edith G Frost 1897–?
Matthew Kenneth Frost 1895–?

Line of descent Wade line

  1. Edith Alice Thompson
  2. Sister of Ellen Mathilda Marritt
  3. Frank Edward Wade, son
  4. William Albert Webb Wade, son

Grandaunt of Webb Wade, from whom this history is traced. Why Webb Wade?

Life

Edith Alice Marritt was baptised in Essex, England, on 27 July 1873, a daughter of William Marritt and Eliza Keel; the Essex parish register names both parents.1 The FamilySearch tree gives her birthplace as Essex but no date of birth.2 Her father had been a shepherd at Hendon, Middlesex, when he married Eliza Keel there on Christmas Day 1857.3 In the census of England and Wales of April 1881 she was 7 and at school, living at Easton Cottage, Loughton, Essex, with her mother, a married woman and a shopkeeper at the head of the household, and her sisters Catherine Alice, Ada Eliza and Ellen Mathilda; all were recorded as born at Loughton, and her father was not in the household.4

Brooklyn

The tree, without a source, gives her immigration to the United States as 1885.5 Her sister Ellen's obituary says that Ellen came "when 8 years old" and lived eleven years in the Ocean Hill section of Brooklyn, Kings County, New York, before 1894, which would place the family's arrival a year or two earlier.5 Neither statement rests on a passenger list, and the year of the family's crossing remains open.5

In Brooklyn she went by the name of Thompson.6 The tree records William Thompson, born in Norway in 1826, as her adoptive father, the husband of her mother who raised her, though not her father by birth.6 In November 1891 "Edith and Nellie Thompson" were among the young people at a basket sociable of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of the Ocean Hill Baptist Church, together with "Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson."7 A "Matt P. Frost" was among the performers at a sociable and entertainment at the church in February 1893.8

Marriage

On 18 October 1893, in the City of Brooklyn, she married Matthew P. Frost before the Rev. George F. Warren, pastor of the Ocean Hill Baptist Church.9 Her marriage certificate gives her name as Edith A. Thompson, her age as 19, her birthplace as England and her parents as William Thompson and Eliza Keel; the groom was a salesman of 23, born in New York, whose father's name is written "Chas."9 The witnesses were W. Thompson and Charles Frost.9 Inference Charles Frost was very probably the groom's father.9 It was a double wedding: the same pastor married her sister Ellen M. Thompson to William H. Wade Jr. the same day.10

Her age on the certificate, 19, is a year short of what her baptism in July 1873 implies.11 Inference A difference of a year is common in ages given at marriage and does not cast doubt on the identification, which rests on her parents' names and on her sister's wedding the same day.11

The tree records two children, Matthew Kenneth Frost, born in 1895, and Edith G. Frost, born in 1897.12 The New York state census of 1905 lists Edith A. Frost in the household of Matthew P. Frost in the 16th Assembly District of Brooklyn, and the federal census of 1910, which indexes the family as "Trost," in the 23rd Ward of Brooklyn.13 The censuses of 1920 and 1925 again place both of them in Brooklyn.14 By 1930 she was living in Queens, where the census of 1940 also found her.15 Inference The indexes of 1930 and 1940 list her under her own name rather than in her husband's entry, which suggests that she was then the head of her household, perhaps as a widow; no record of Matthew Frost's death has been found.15

Later years

When her eldest sister, Elizabeth Jane Marritt, died at Dr. Wade's Hospital, 495 Greene Avenue, Brooklyn, on 2 June 1942, it was "Edith A. Frost of 8799 – 215th St., Queens Village," described as "the sister and the nearest surviving relative or next of kin of the deceased," who engaged the funeral director, Clarence F. Simonson.16 The death notice named Elizabeth as the "beloved sister of Mrs. Edith A. Frost and Mrs Ada M. Darrow."17 Edith thus outlived her sisters Ellen, who died in 1906, and Catherine, who died in 1921.18 The date and place of her own death are not recorded in the tree.19

Documents

  1. 1881 1881 census of England: Eliza Marritt household, Easton Cottage, Loughton, Essex 1881 Census of England and Wales, RG 11/1735 · image
  2. 7 November 1891 A Basket Sociable (Ocean Hill Baptist Church) Brooklyn Times Union (Brooklyn, New York) · clipping
  3. 18 October 1893 Certificate of marriage no. 4656: Matthew P. Frost and Edith A. Thompson City of Brooklyn, Department of Health, certificates of marriage · vital record
  4. 2 June 1942 Certificate of death no. 11083: Elizabeth J. Marritt City of New York, Department of Health, Borough of Brooklyn, certificates of death · vital record
  5. 3 June 1942 Marritt—Elizabeth J. (death notice) The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York) · clipping

Places

  1. 1873Essex
  2. 1881Loughton
  3. 1893–1925Brooklyn
  4. 1920Kings
  5. 1930Queens
  6. 1940Queens

Timeline

  1. 27 Jul 1873ChristeningEssex, England, United Kingdom
  2. 1881ResidenceLoughton, Essex, England, United Kingdom
  3. 1885Immigration
  4. 18 Oct 1893Marriage, Matthew P FrostBrooklyn, New York City, New York
  5. 18 Oct 1893Marriage, Matthew P FrostBrooklyn, Kings, New York
  6. 1905ResidenceBrooklyn, A.D. 16, E.D. 14, Kings, New York
  7. 1910ResidenceBrooklyn Ward 23, Kings, New York
  8. 1920ResidenceKings, New York
  9. 1925ResidenceBrooklyn, A.D. 05, E.D. 13, Kings, New York
  10. 1930ResidenceQueens (Districts 1251-1500), Queens, New York
  11. 1940ResidenceAssembly District 4, Queens, New York City, Queens, New York

Open questions

None recorded yet.

Searches made

  1. 2026-11-08Bulk review of Matt's OneDrive genealogy folder (Phase 3): all documents transcribed and compared with the tree5 document(s) name this person; see Documents above. Conflicts and new facts are in each document record and in research/sources/document-review-2026-11-08.md

Notes

  1. "England, Essex, Parish Registers, 1538-1997", FamilySearch, Edith Alice Marritt, 27 Jul 1873. Record: Edith Alice Marritt, Essex parish registers, 27 Jul 1873 "England, Essex, Parish Registers, 1538-1997", FamilySearch, William Marritt in entry for Edith Alice Marritt, 27 Jul 1873. Record: William Marritt in entry for Edith Alice Marritt, 27 Jul 1873 "England, Essex, Parish Registers, 1538-1997", FamilySearch, Eliza Marritt in entry for Edith Alice Marritt, 27 Jul 1873. Record: Eliza Marritt in entry for Edith Alice Marritt, 27 Jul 1873 back to the text
  2. FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: birth: Essex, England, no date; christening 27 Jul 1873 back to the text
  3. 1857-12-25-marritt-keel-marriage: William Marrott, bachelor, shepherd, Hendon; Eliza Keel, spinster, Hendon; December 25th back to the text
  4. 1881 census of England: Eliza Marritt household, Easton Cottage, Loughton, Essex, 1881 Census of England and Wales, RG 11/1735: Easton Cottage, Loughton; Eliza Marritt, Head, Mar, Shop Keeper; Edith Alice Marritt, Daur, 7, Scholar, born Essex, Loughton "England and Wales, Census, 1881", FamilySearch, Edith Alice Marritt in entry for Eliza Marritt, 1881. Record: Edith Alice Marritt in entry for Eliza Marritt, 1881 back to the text
  5. FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: immigration 1885, no source attached 1906-07-18-ellen-m-wade-obit: came to this country when 8 years old ... for eleven years a resident of the Ocean Hill section of Brooklyn, and in 1894 went with her family to live in Richmond Hill back to the text
  6. FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: Edith Alice Thompson, also Edith Marritt; William Thompson recorded as adoptive father (research/relationships.toml) FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-63F (their page): born Sep 1826, Norway; husband of Eliza Keel back to the text
  7. A Basket Sociable (Ocean Hill Baptist Church), Brooklyn Times Union (Brooklyn, New York): Mr. and Mrs. William Thompson ... Edith and Nellie Thompson back to the text
  8. 1893-02-10-nellie-thompson-social-event: Messrs. Matt P. Frost, William Thompson and Harry E. Wade back to the text
  9. Certificate of marriage no. 4656: Matthew P. Frost and Edith A. Thompson, City of Brooklyn, Department of Health, certificates of marriage: certificate no. 4656, City of Brooklyn, 18 October 1893; witnesses W. Thompson, Charles Frost; Geo. F. Warren, Pastor, Ocean Hill Bap. Ch.; groom 23, salesman, born New York, father Chas.; bride Edith A. Thompson, 19, born England, father William Thompson, mother's maiden name Eliza Keel "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938", FamilySearch, Matthew P Frost and Edith A. Thompson, 18 October 1893. Record: Matthew P Frost and Edith A. Thompson, 18 October 1893 back to the text
  10. 1893-10-18-ellen-thompson-wade-marriage-certificate: certificate no. 4669, William H. Wade Jr and Ellen M. Thompson, 18 October 1893, George F. Warren, Pastor back to the text
  11. Certificate of marriage no. 4656: Matthew P. Frost and Edith A. Thompson, City of Brooklyn, Department of Health, certificates of marriage: age 19; father William Thompson, mother Eliza Keel "England, Essex, Parish Registers, 1538-1997", FamilySearch, Edith Alice Marritt, 27 Jul 1873. Record: christening 27 Jul 1873 1893-10-18-ellen-thompson-wade-marriage-certificate: the double wedding the same day back to the text
  12. FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: children Matthew Kenneth Frost (1895) and Edith G Frost (1897) back to the text
  13. "New York, State Census, 1905", FamilySearch, Edith A Frost in entry for Matthew P Frost, 1905. Record: Edith A Frost in entry for Matthew P Frost, 1905 "United States, Census, 1910", FamilySearch, Edith A Trost in entry for Matthew P Trost, 1910. Record: Edith A Trost in entry for Matthew P Trost, 1910 FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: residence 1905, Brooklyn, A.D. 16, E.D. 14; 1910, Brooklyn Ward 23 back to the text
  14. "United States, Census, 1920", FamilySearch, Edith A Frost in entry for Matthew P Frost, 1920. Record: Edith A Frost in entry for Matthew P Frost, 1920 "New York, State Census, 1925", FamilySearch, Edith A Frost, 1925. Record: Edith A Frost, 1925 "New York, State Census, 1925", FamilySearch, Matthew P Frost, 1925. Record: Matthew P Frost, 1925 FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: residence 1920, Kings; 1925, Brooklyn, A.D. 05, E.D. 13 back to the text
  15. "United States, Census, 1930", FamilySearch, Edith Frost, 1930. Record: Edith Frost, 1930 "United States, Census, 1940", FamilySearch, Edith Frost, 1940. Record: Edith Frost, 1940 FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: residence 1930, Queens; 1940, Assembly District 4, Queens FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMRF-ZLY (their page): no death date or place back to the text
  16. Certificate of death no. 11083: Elizabeth J. Marritt, City of New York, Department of Health, Borough of Brooklyn, certificates of death: died June 2, 1942, Dr. Wade's Hospital, 495 Greene Ave.; Funeral Director's Certificate: employed by Edith A. Frost of 8799 - 215th St., Queens Village, who is the sister and the nearest surviving relative or next of kin of the deceased; Clarence F. Simonson back to the text
  17. Marritt—Elizabeth J. (death notice), The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York): beloved sister of Mrs. Edith A. Frost and Mrs Ada M. Darrow back to the text
  18. FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMST-6LB (their page): died Jul 1906 1906-07-18-ellen-m-wade-obit: died on Monday, at Liberty FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GS4J-DQ2 (their page): died 30 Jan 1921 "New York, New York City Municipal Deaths, 1795-1949", FamilySearch, Catherine A Hoage, 31 Jan 1921. Record: Catherine A Hoage, death, 31 Jan 1921 back to the text
  19. FamilySearch Family Tree, profile GMWV-JZ5: deceased; no date or place of death back to the text
Every FamilySearch record attached to Edith Alice Thompson (12)
  1. 27 Jul 1873Edith Alice Marritt, "England, Essex, Parish Registers, 1538-1997"
  2. 1881Edith Alice Marritt, "England and Wales, Census, 1881"
  3. 18 October 1893Edith A. Thompson, "New York, New York City Marriage Records, 1829-1938"
  4. 1905Edith A Frost, "New York, State Census, 1905"
  5. 1910Edith A Trost, "United States, Census, 1910"
  6. 1920Edith A Frost, "United States, Census, 1920"
  7. 1925Edith A Frost, "New York, State Census, 1925"
  8. 1930Edith Frost, "United States, Census, 1930"
  9. 1940Edith Frost, "United States, Census, 1940"
  10. 1891 England and Wales Census
  11. Frost Thompson Marriage
  12. 1910Edith A Trost, "United States, Census, 1910"