John Northover Washington State 1879-1932

[sunny51]

I would be glad of your help to trace John Northover.
he was b 1851at Dooran Rock in in Donegal Ireland, son of John Northover b1823 Dorset and his wife Mary Samways b 1824 Dorset. We have already the families history.

John 1851 joined the British Navy 1866 and remained til 1879.
His ship was damaged 1976 and went to Vancouver Island Washington for repair. 3 yrs later he retired from the Navy.

The period 1879 - 1910 is a mystery. He seems to be living in America.
We are wondering if he married, had children, what he worked at? Can anyone help me solve this please. We are looking for American records from 1876 to 1910.

1900 census he is working as a stevedore, living pierce Tacoma.
In 1910 census, arrival in USA is stated as 1876 living Birch Bay Whatcom Washington fisherman.
In 1916 through to 1932, he is listed, annually, in US city directories at Bellingham, Whatcom Washington.
And appears on the 1930 census at Bellingham. no work. He did odd jobs for his neighbours.
He died in 1932, a very sad and lonely death at Bellingham. His obituary states he has been 48 years in America and 25 of those years at Bellingham.

{Note: I found a John Northover at Tacoma Pierce Washington married to a Nasqualli woman but his father is William and he appears on 1870 census Tacoma aged 10 with his father and family so, this one is not ours. Wrong dob and wrong father.}

Many thanks

[aghadowey]

You don't need 'a subscription' to see many online records.

1900 census- single, born Feb.1848 Ireland- https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMPG-DFV
1910 census- he's single, age 59: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGJ3-R3V
1930 census- single, age 80: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCQN-69V

[sunny51]

Thankyou. I didn't realise.
That's great you can see the actual record too. Says single and bachelor. Thankyou.

[aghadowey]

Marital status doesn't depend if spouse is in the same household on census night but sometimes when person is boarder/roomer then head of household might not know much about their age or other details so there can be inaccuracies. Does his death certificate also list him as single?

[sunny51]

at this stage we don't have the death cert. We just found his obituary a couple of days ago.

[shellyesq]

A partial transcription of the death certificate is here - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N356-ZSV

[sunny51]

Thankyou Shelley.
I found that OK.

I now have copies of the census 1900/16/30 which confirm his whereabouts and occupations.

The period 1879 thru to 1900 is the mystery. 
Are there census returns for this time?
My searches on Ancestry and at family search do not return any information.

Also where would he most likely have been working as a stevedore?
Pre 1900.
I do not know the area at all.
Do the docks here have a name?
Thankyou

[shellyesq]

There is an 1880 census.  There was an 1890 census, but it was almost entirely destroyed. 

[sunny51]

Ok thanks.
Do you where/how I can access the 1880 census?