A family member asked me this question recently. The answer is confidently ‘Yes’ – at least for the name Lizzie.
Edner Elder was married under the name Edner Kurtain and she continued to be called Edner until her death in Dunedin in 1926. Her death certificate gives her father’s name as Samuel Carr and her mother’s name as Eunice Carr with the maiden name of Keller. The place of birth is given as New York, USA (contradicted by the Greeley Genealogy which states New London as birthplace). Her date of birth is not given but her age is recorded as 66 and she is noted as having been in New Zealand for 60 years. This would imply arrival in 1866 but the family is now known to have arrived on 11 April 1867.
1. In ‘The History of New London …’ (pub 1899) lists the children of Carr, Samuel M and “his first wife Eunice W. Keller, whom he m. in Boston, 1856, d. Manchester, 1881”:
“1. Lizzie Florance, b Aug 14 1859; m. George Roberton Elder. Six children
2. Fred Elmer b May 22 1861
3. Frank Weston b April 1863; m. Miss Mary Burrows. Three children.”
https://archive.org/stream/historyoftownofn00lord#page/450/mode/2up
2. In the ‘Genealogy of the Greely-Greeley Family’ (pub 1905) she has a listing in her own name:
“Lizzie F. Carr b. New London NH Aug 14 1859; m. Chatton, New Zealand, Nov 20 1877, George R Elder, b Orkney, Scotland Jan 1 1837, Son of David and Jessie (Robertson) Elder; res East Chatton; children b. East Chatton –
Mary Elder b. Feb 21 1879
Eliza Elder b April 13 1880
David Elder b Nov 10 1881
Edna Elder b June 28 1884
George Elder b July 28 1886
Frederick Herbert Elder b. Feb 8 1888
Eunice Florance Elder b. Dec 16 1892″
https://archive.org/stream/genealogyofgreel00gree#page/874/mode/2up
[Clearly this was the extent of the family at the time the information was given to the writers of the Greeley book – one more child than notified to the writer of the History of New London.]
3. The 1860 Federal Census lists the Carr household in New London:
Samuel M Carr Age 26
Eunice W Carr Age 26
Lizzie E Carr Age 10/12
Note 1: The Census was conducted in June so Lizzie was 10 months old.
Note 2: Her name is listed in the Census as ‘Lizzie E.’ – rather than ‘Lizzie F.’ A later photograph taken at about age 6 (shown on the timeline) also names her as Lizzie E. Carr. It is possible that the information given to the writers of the New London History and the Greeley Genealogy was not correct and that her name was Lizzie Eunice Carr in honour of her mother. Without a birth certificate we cannot be certain.
However, it is probable that Edner Elder believed her second name to be Florance as this was the name she gave to the first daughter she had after her true identity became known – – Eunice Florance Elder, named after her mother and after herself.
4. In her statement to the San Francisco Chronicle (3 May 1887) Mary J Carr (nee Flanders) is asked if she knows the whereabouts of Carr’s daughter ‘Lizzie.’ Mrs Carr replies that ‘she is in New Zealand, well and happily married, and for the sake of the husband I decline to give his name.’
