Help with Scottish immigrant brick wall - Scottish miners

[angus75]

Hi...

I'm hoping someone may be able to help with where/when in USA some of my ancestors were born (and died!).

Robert Short, my great-grandfather, according to all records (marriage, death etc) was born in USA in 1871. That is all I have!

His father John Short (1839-1908) and mother Euphemia (née Blyth 1840-?1875) emigrated from Scotland in 1870 along with their children Euphemia (1866-?) and James (1867-?). Robert (my g.grandfather) and his brother John (1874-1941) were born in US. John Short had worked as a miner in Scotland, so my theory is that they emigrated to become part of the growing mining industry in the US.

By 1875, the family was back in Scotland - John Short had married a widow, Helen Harrower (widow of William Sneddon 1838-?1875), that year in Dunipace, Scotland. Interestingly, she has a son from her first marriage also born in the US - William James Sneddon, born approx 1873.

I have found a record of a William Sneddon, with a father William Sneddon and mother Ellen Sneddon, with a baptism 19 Sep 1872, Fall Brook, Tioga, Pennsylvania - First Presbyterian Church. This was a mining community, so could be a link, but I'm not sure - could be a red herring. William J Sneddon is in the scottish census records until 1901. I believe he may then have returned to the US, marrying Annie B Beren (1869-1933) in Chicago in 1933.

I have this grand theory that the Sneddon family and the Short family must have somehow met in the US (or the voyage home at least) and the families combined following the presumed deaths of Euphemia (Blyth) Short and William Sneddon.

I have not found any records to show what happened to Euphemia (Blyth) Short (I assume she died before 1875 in US - possibly in childbirth in 1874???) - or William Sneddon Snr.
I have not found any records of my g.grandfather's birth - or his brother. Were the births necessarily formally recorded in immigrant communities?

Any ideas or suggestions of how to search for this?

many thanks

Angus

[*Sandra*]

Looks like the family appear on the New York Passenger List - Glasgow to New York arriving 29 April 1870 on the Anglia.  The 1870 US Census was taken beginning 1 June 1870 for 5 months.
John 30 years - Euphemia 28 years - Euphemia 2 years - James - 1 year.  Presumably you haven't found them on any census so far 

https://familysearch.org/wiki/en/United_States_Census_1870

Prior to 1906, Pennsylvania births and deaths were recorded only sporadically by the counties and some cities such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Genealogists must rely on county records or nongovernmental sources such as church registers, gravestone inscriptions and newspapers to obtain data for this earlier period.

http://www.phmc.pa.gov/Archives/Research-Online/Pages/Vital-Statistics.aspx

Sandra

[angus75]

Thank you, Sandra

No - nothing has come up on census records (via Ancestry at least).

A.

[RJ137]

1920 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJSN-7WF

Annie Death 1933 : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N343-6H2

1940 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWTN-5S2

Sister Janet death 1951 : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M4-VHBC

William J's death 1959 : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9N-NWSM

William J's obit. (Siblings are mentioned). Far right column : http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1959/06/11/page/50

[angus75]

1920 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJSN-7WF

Annie Death 1933 : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N343-6H2

1940 census: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KWTN-5S2

Sister Janet death 1951 : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M4-VHBC

William J's death 1959 : https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9N-NWSM

William J's obit. (Siblings are mentioned). Far right column : http://archives.chicagotribune.com/1959/06/11/page/50

Thank you - interesting as confirms the Pennsylvania link for the Sneddon family. Need to link in the Shorts now.

[RJ137]

The sister Margaret Fraser mentioned in the obit died in 1933.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M8-D6WW

There is a tree for her on family Search. It gives her full DOB , but also mentions she got married in Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland in 1887.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:M7RT-4TL

=====================

I don't have access to Scottish records, but this is what I'm seeing. In the 1881 census Robert (no POB listed -b.1871 ), James(b.1868), Euphemia(b.1867) and Helen (b.1839) are living in Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland.

Top of page: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01jyz/

Also living in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland in 1881 census are Janet, Helen, Susan & William Sneddon.

Bottom of result page: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01jz0/

[angus75]

The sister Margaret Fraser mentioned in the obit died in 1933.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2M8-D6WW

There is a tree for her on family Search. It gives her full DOB , but also mentions she got married in Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland in 1887.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:M7RT-4TL

=====================

I don't have access to Scottish records, but this is what I'm seeing. In the 1881 census Robert (no POB listed -b.1871 ), James(b.1868), Euphemia(b.1867) and Helen (b.1839) are living in Alloa, Clackmannan, Scotland.

Top of page: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01jyz/

Also living in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland in 1881 census are Janet, Helen, Susan & William Sneddon.

Bottom of result page: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01jz0/

Thank you  - yes, it was the 1881 census that first led me to the link with the Sneddon family, and shows the combined families living under one roof.