Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

MILDRED ELVIRA SOPER née LAWRENCE

Mildred Elvira Lawrence was born on 3 January 1872 in Dundas, Minnesota to Wesley M Lawrence (1840-1920) and Nancy Elvira Potter (1842-1918). Her siblings were: Irving Wesley (1867-1927), Lewis Bradford (b 1871), Earle Russell (b 1873), Frank Hale (1877(?)-1878(?)) and Winthrop W (b 1877). In 1880, the Lawrence family was living in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mildred married John Elford Soper on 16 September 1896 in Hennepin, Minnesota. John was born in July 1866 in England to Giles Ching Soper (1828-1894) and Emma Elford (1832-1899). In 1900 and 1910, the Sopers were living in Norwood, Carver, Minnesota. John was a physician and served in World War I. His tombstone inscription read - Capt Med Det 151 FA, 42 Division, World War I. John and Mildred lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota from at least 1930 to 1940 where John worked for the US Public Health Service. John died in Minneapolis on 24 March 1956 and Mildred on 18 February 1964 in the same city. They were both buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.

Although we could find absolutely no proof that Mildred Soper was ever in Saskatoon, it was noted that a Mildred Soper signed her name directly under that of Clara Martz. On the other side of the same Red Cross, F S Bremer and Rose Bremer signed their names in a similar pattern. Clara Martz was a sister of Rose Bremer and Clara was found living at the same address as the Bremers in the 1919 Saskatoon Henderson Directory. From 1900 until at least 1910, the Sopers lived in Norwood, Minnesota which was only 9, 12 and 18 miles from Green Isle, Washington Lake and Belle Plaine - the three places in Minnesota that Clara Martz lived in 1895, 1900 and 1905, respectively. It seemed possible that Clara, the Bremners and the Sopers knew each other in Minnesota. Possibly Mildred Soper came to Saskatoon for a visit around the time that the quilt was being made. We could find no other candidate with any hint of a tie to Saskatoon.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Soper 2 Tree.