1880 Census observation

[camgarsky4]

I was just checking out the 1880 U.S. Census and something caught my eye that hadn't clicked before.

On Second Street in 1880 and years afterwards.....in three sequential homes, 90, 92 and 96 Second Street lived three single young women aged 27, 29, and 30. Alice Russell, Emma Borden and Adelaide Churchill. As an aside, Lizzie was 19 years.

How did it happen that Emma and Adelaide weren't social friends? If they were, I've never read anything indicating such. Adelaide had a 2 year old son at that time...would that create a social barrier?

Being a stereotypical male with very little understanding of in-depth relationships ( ), love to hear thoughts on how these female relationships might have developed (or not) over the many years they were neighbors.

By the way, Adelaide's brother, Arthur, also lived at 90 Second St. He is listed as a butcher. Wonder why he hasn't leaped on folks suspect list!!??

[Reasonwhy]

Would have never thought of that, Camgarsky! You are really connecting the dots around the case in interesting ways.
It didn’t seem that Mrs. Churchill was great friends with Abby, either. At least, we don’t see evidence of that, as there is with mentions of Abby and Phoebe Bowen.

[camgarsky4]

Phebe Bowen was 32 years old and Abby 52 in 1880. Phebe was right there in age with the other 3 ladies and 20 years younger than Abby. I suppose being married was the common denominator for Phebe and Abby.

[Reasonwhy]

Yes, perhaps Mrs.Churchill, as a widow, was not as interested in that phase of life. Plus, she had boarders and elderly family members to look after, so may have been busy. I wonder if she attended a church different from Abby’s? If so, that might have caused her to have a separate social circle.