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Author Topic: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey  (Read 6264 times)

Offline barryd

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John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« on: Monday 03 September 12 19:42 BST (UK) »
John Thomas W. Willis was born 1 October 1879 (US 1942 Draft Registration) in Burnopfield, County Durham, England, and baptized at the Parish Church in Burnopfield, 16 November 1879. He emigrated to Pennsylvania 1910 accompanied by his future Brother in Law, William Bowes who was a married man.

In 1911 Mrs Rebecca Willis Bowes, wife of William Bowes and their two children emigrated to Pennsylvania, accompanied by Miss Jane Colpitts (normally Jenny, Jennie in the US). Jane Colpitts married John Thomas W. Willis probably in Pennsylvania but the Bowes family moved back to County Durham before or after WW1.

I could not find the Willis family in 1920 (NJ?) but they are on the 1930 Census and on the 1940 Census  their residence is Beacon Avenue,  Jersey City as well as 1942 (John on the Draft Registration aged 63).   Then I cannot find them. 

Children were: Rose 1913, Thomas 1914, Jennie 1917 all born PA,
Elizabeth, 1919, NJ and Donald 1928, NJ

Offline *Sandra*

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #1 on: Monday 03 September 12 20:04 BST (UK) »
Sadly this is Donald  :'(

Donald Willis 13 Jan 1928 and died 10 June 1993
SSN: 158-14-7438
Last Residence: 08742  Point Pleasant Beach, Ocean, New Jersey,
SSN was issued in New Jersey (Before 1951)

Sandra
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Offline barryd

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #2 on: Monday 03 September 12 20:24 BST (UK) »
Also sadly I did not know him prior to 1993 as I could have corresponded with him. I googled Pleasant Point Beach. It seems very nice. Thank you.

Offline *Sandra*

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #3 on: Monday 03 September 12 20:36 BST (UK) »

Believe this to be Jennie:-


Jennie Chapman
Born 19 Oct 1916 and died March 1985
Last Residence: 08701  Lakewood, Ocean, New Jersey.
SSN was issued in New Jersey (Before 1951)


FIND A GRAVE

Burial: Saint Marys of the Lake Cemetery  Lakewood Ocean County New Jersey.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0qne/


Sandra
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Census information is Crown Copyright  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

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Offline *Sandra*

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #4 on: Monday 03 September 12 20:54 BST (UK) »
Possibility for Thomas - (Same date as given on mothers passport)

Thomas Willis
14 Feb 1914 and died Octiber 1984
Last Residence: 07110  Nutley, Essex, New Jersey,
SSN was issued thru Railroad Board  (Before 1951)

FIND A GRAVE

Burial: Vincent Cemetery  Nutley Essex County New Jersey.

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0qnh/

Sandra
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Census information is Crown Copyright  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

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Offline *Sandra*

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #5 on: Monday 03 September 12 21:02 BST (UK) »
Did you come across the passport application for Jennie with her photograph - Jennie Willis  - Birth Date: 14 Apr 1889  England  - Aged 34
Residence: Jersey City, New Jersey
Passport Issue Date: 10 May 1923
Spouse Name: John Thomas John Thomas  1 Oct 1880  England

Married in Scranton. PA May 4th 1911 (although the passport stamp and date were stamped over the top of the date  ::))

Sandra
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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #6 on: Monday 03 September 12 21:06 BST (UK) »
Keep this one in mind - Rose date of birth same as given on Passport

Rose Puskas
8 th May 1912 and died 19 May 1988
Last Residence: 08817  Edison, Middlesex, New Jersey.
SSN was issued in New Jersey (Before 1951)

FIND A GRAVE

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Burial: Van Liew Cemetery  New Brunswick Middlesex County New Jersey.
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Offline *Sandra*

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #7 on: Monday 03 September 12 21:13 BST (UK) »
4 Possibilities to investigate for Elizabeth - 2 of which were in New Jersey


 Elizabeth Donohue 25 Sep 1918 Died 17 Nov 2000 Severna Park, Anne Arundel, Maryland

 Elizabeth C. Hooker 25 Sep 1918 Died 11 Jul 2010 Trenton, Mercer, New Jersey - can eliminate this one  (Born in Hamilton Township, Claire was the eldest child of the late Edward J. and Elizabeth C. (Magee) McManimon Sr.)

 Elizabeth V. Loetzer 25 Sep 1918 Died 1 Jan 1998 Rio Rancho, Sandoval, New Mexico

 Elizabeth M. Rumball 25 Sep 1918 Died 9 Mar 2010 Lambertville, Hunterdon, New Jersey


Didn't pick anything up on John Thomas Willis Snr or Jennie Willis - suspect they both died before 1962 ish when the SSDI was fully up and running.  ???

Sandra
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Census information is Crown Copyright  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

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Offline barryd

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Re: John Thomas W. Willis, Jersey City, New Jersey
« Reply #8 on: Tuesday 04 September 12 02:47 BST (UK) »
I had not searched the passport applications as I did not know they existed. How do I access them?

Jennie Chapman
I found a Leslie J. Chapman with his birth and death year buried St. Mary of the Lakes, Lakewood. They were the only two Chapmans in the cemetery and their birth and death years were close to each other which is an indication that they married at about the same age.

Jennie Willis - the Mother

The passport seems to indicate that the mother was going to England with some children but not the husband? Or did children get put on the wife's passport rather than the husband in those days? Scranton, PA was were Bowes and his future Brother in Law Willis were heading to in 1910. That seems a good place for both families to attend the wedding in 1911.
 
The birth dates for John Thomas W. Willis and his wife Jennie/Jane on the passport application in comparison to the English documents vary slightly . That does not bother me. Jennie probably had to fill in the form with no supporting documentation with her.

Thomas Willis (Jnr)

SSN through the Railroad Board! John Thomas W. Willis was a "Boilermaker's Helper" on a Steam Railroad in 1940. It seems that son Thomas Willis (Jnr) got on with the Railroad too.

Donald Willis

He married Estelle Healey and was a Jersey City Firefighter. Estelle died 31 March, 2004 at her house in Point Pleasant Beach.

What a lot I have to digest. Thank you very much. I will be inputting any further information I can find onto RootChat for others to share.


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