John Silas Cole - Humboldt County, California - 1900

[hawk64]

Hello,
I am trying to find out what happened to John Silas Cole and his wife Mary.

According to the 1900 Census, they were living in Eureka Township, Humboldt County, California.
John was around 70 years old, his wife Mary around 63.
John was born in Middlesex, England - Mary apparently born in Ireland.

They had been living in California since the early 1860s, regularly appearing in the California Great Registers - living in Arcata, Ryans Slough and Eureka Nob. (Apologies for any incorrect spelling).

The trail goes cold after 1900 and if anyone can help, it would be much appreciated.

Regards, Michael, Australia

[Lisa in California]

Looking at the California voter registers, I see that Mr. Cole's year of birth fluctuates between 1826 and 1830.  Could this possibly be him?

California Death Index
J S Cole, born c1827
Death:  25 September 1907, Humboldt

Would you know Mary's maiden name, please?

[Lisa in California]

Could this be your John?
1907 Eureka Directory
John S. Cole, McFarlan avenue, No. 1433

(In 1900, he was living on Harrison Street)

[Lisa in California]

During the early 1900s, I don't see another John S. Cole in the Eureka Directories (nor a Mary Cole).

[hawk64]

Hi Lisa,

Yes, on all records I have seen, John's age and DOB fluctuated so that death could very well be him.

As far as Mary is concerned, there's a little mystery there. He married in England in 1862 but her name was Harriet Hartshorne. I haven't found much on her but I did notice that her mother's name (if I have the correct family) was Mary. Maybe she dropped the name Harriet. However, the 1900 census seemed to indicate that Mary Cole had been in the USA slightly longer than John. Having said that, John was a mariner so he could have been at sea.

Thanks for your help so far.

[Lisa in California]

Is there any chance that John married Harriet and she either died soon after the marriage, or he left England for the states (intending to have her join him) and Mary is not the same person as Harriet?  Have you found Harriet in England prior to her marriage?  If so, does her birth place and year match up with Mary's?

[hawk64]

It's actually my belief that Harriet and Mary are not the same person. I cannot find any birth for Harriet or any other records apart from that marriage. Her father was English. In the 1900 census, Mary is down as Irish and so are her parents.
So the possibilities are that Harriet died early and John went off to America where he met Mary, who seems to have been there before him. Or John abandoned Harriet and ran off with Mary - this is something his father did with his mother. Long story, that one.
I might have to try and access that death record in 1907 somehow.

[Lisa in California]

Thank you for the explanation.  I will have a look around again a little later tonight.

PS  I believe on one of the census returns (1880?), Mary's middle initial is B, in case you haven't seen it.  Not much help, but it's something to keep in mind.

[Lisa in California]

I've not read the voter registrations.  Are you sure the John Silas Cole in Humboldt was "your" John?