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Topic: California c1876 - Birth & Shipping Look Up (Read 204 times)
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SusieMc
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Posts: 83
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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I have just recently discovered from a UK census return that my great-grandmother was actually born in California! This was a big surprise and I am now looking to trace her birth certificate, and ultimately to discover what took her parents such a long way from home (Aberdeen, Scotland) at the time.
My gt.grandmother’s name was Elizabeth Alexander MEARNS and she was born c1876 in California, United Stated.
Her parents were Robert MEARNS and Hellen MEARNS (nee SMALL) both from Aberdeen, Scotland.
I’m afraid I do not know where in the State she was born.
Robert and Hellen had 2 other daughters, Hellen and Mary Jane MEARNS, who were born in Scotland prior to their departure to California. This would place their departure from Scotland to the US between c1874-c1876. They were then resident again in Scotland by the 1881 census and so must have returned before 3 April 1881.
Is there a way of traceing the shipping records for the arrival and departure details? Also, would they have needed a visa or anything which would indicate why they were traveling to the US? Gold Rush?
I appreciate any help that you can give…
Susie
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dollylee
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Posts: 587
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New York Passenger Lists 1820 - 1957 found at Ancestry.com
Ships Name: Bolivia
Point of Departure: Glasgow, Scotland and Moville, Ireland
Port of Arrival: New York
Date of Arrival: September 22, 1875
Robert Mearns 27 M Stone Polisher
Helen " 24 F
Helen " 3 F
Mary Jane 11 mo. F
That is all the information given on this early entry. Hope it helps.
dollylee
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SusieMc
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Posts: 83
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Dollylee,
That's them! Thank you so so much...how wonderful!
Susie 
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dollylee
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You are very welcome....sorry I couldn't find out more. The California birth index doesn't start until 1905 and to my knowledge the U.S. didn't keep records of people leaving the country just entering.
Good luck !!
dollylee
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SusieMc
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Posts: 83
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thanks Dolly - sorry to hear the birth registers started so late in California... that may just scupper me finding her birthday! Still, I'll try and see if I can trace them in any way from arriving in NYC to their time in California and back.
Susie
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Tees
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Posts: 1442
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Hi Susie,
You can check out when they had returned to the UK, I think...
Also, have you tried to see if they were in 1880 US Census?
Kind regards,
Tees
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Elizabeth Revel
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Posts: 756
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Following the gold rush in California there was an extensive building boom, particularly in the San Francisco area. The occupational skills of Mr. Mearns would have been desirable in finishing some of the elegant buildings. He may have been recruited to work there or made aware that there would be work if he went.
I know that the Canadian Pacific Railway recruited Italian stonemasons to build piers for many of the bridges in the Rocky Mountains which resulted in a notable Italian population in Revelstoke.
Adjustment to the diverse cultural mix of the population may have been difficult and the parents decided not to stay and raise their family in that environment.
There are directories for San Francisco for the period you want which are available from the Family History Library of the LDS.
Beth
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Census Information is Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk Lancashire and Cheshire: Harding, Turner, Gandy, Rigby, Bancroft, Moorcroft, Wright Wiltshire: Webb, Hayter, Mussell, Curtice, Sheppard Hampshire: Harper, Rawlings Ireland: Revels, Qua, Alexander, Clegg Bucks, Northants, Derby, Leicester and Cheshire: Spokes, Glover, Sturgess, Attewell, Whiting, Lester, Hall |
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SusieMc
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Posts: 83
Census information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk
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Thank Beth...that's really interesting!
I'll see if I can find someone to help me with the San Francisco look-ups at the LDS Family History Library. Apprecaite the suggestion.
Oh, and Tees, I can't seem to find them on the 1880 US census, so guess they must have returned befoe then... it's quite a short time they seem to have been in the States for.
Susie
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