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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 09:10 BST (UK)

Title: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 09:10 BST (UK)
Hi folks

Iam trying to trace an Uncle of my grandmother

his name is William Mcdonald Samuel, born around 12 January 1883 in peterhead
his father and mother are George Samuel and Helen Samuel

we know very little of his life but know he was in Canada and I think mostly Detroit Michigan

JANUARY 1923 Williams Brother Alexander arrived in Canada and his contact is WILLIAM SAMUEL 128 MAIN STREET , HAMILTON ONTARIO

OCTOBER 1923 DETROIT BORDER CROSSING AND PASSENGER LIST - 1923

William Samuel
Male
39 years
Scotch
birth abt 1884
place of birth Peterhead Scotland
arrival date 6 OCTOBER 1923
DETROIT MICHIGAN USA
Contact - Uncle John Mcdonald, Adelaide street toronto


This contact is his mothers Brother john and he died in Toronto around 8th jan 1932 and is layed to rest in mount pleasant cemetery in Toronto




1930 CENSUS - DETRIOT HOUSE OF CORRECTION

William is listed as a prisoner and all his details are confirming its him


1942 WORLD WAR 2 DRAFT REGESTRATION CARD

WILLIAM MC SAMUEL is Listed here again and his address looks like 130 Felden?? Detriot Michigan

working for Screw Mach and Tool 3385 Gratiot ?? Detroit Michigan

various othe details on record but cant read them

signed by helen McDonald Samuel - Could be his Sister as she was in York Ontario and married to a Robert McIntosh in 1928 I cannot trace her either there are various info a  border crossing and a marriage record


12 MARCH 1947 US SOCIAL SECURITY APPLICATIONS AND CLAIMS INDEX

William Mcdonald Samuel

dob 12 jan 1882
Scotland

Claim date  12 March 1947

in notes it reads 19 AUG 1977 WILLIAM MCDONALD SAMUEL



This is the only info I have but hope it helps us find where William died or lived etc after the dates listed not sure what any of the above records really mean

could anyone explain what these are as I'm not really sure

I would love to find where William died or any other info on his life

not sure why he would have been in jail

there was 3 Samuel siblings all in Canada around 1920 onwards William Alexander and Helen

I only know alexander died in Windsor Ontario in 1962

I have no info on the death of William or helen

any help given will be greatly appreciated

ryan - Scotland
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: Annette7 on Friday 13 April 18 09:39 BST (UK)
On the WW2 Draft registration card it is signed by William himself, not Helen M.D. Samuel.   

Annette
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 09:42 BST (UK)
Ok thanks very much  for that information

Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 13 April 18 09:49 BST (UK)
This is your 3 rd thread on the same family Ryan - its always best to post on the same one. Or if you raise another thread - link the threads together so that people can see what has already been found or not as the case may be

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=791404.0

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=791324.msg6476587

Sandra

Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 09:52 BST (UK)
Thanks I thought I was doing something right by using the USA section as the records I’m asking from USA rather than Canada

Apologies for that

Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 13 April 18 09:59 BST (UK)
Its not a problem because we tend to read all the threads but if you start raising others you need to link the threads so that people can see what has already been researched. It helps give a background and saves people researching what has already been found. 

Sandra
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 10:01 BST (UK)
Many thanks I will try to help in future


Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 15:50 BST (UK)
Would there be any contacts or places in Detroit to check deaths or cemetery’s information for Williams death ?


Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 13 April 18 16:47 BST (UK)
Would there be any contacts or places in Detroit to check deaths or cemetery’s information for Williams death ?


Ryan

Have you tried the links given in reply 56 on one of your Canadian threads.   I gave the Michigan death Index and a link to find a grave  ???

Sandra
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 17:23 BST (UK)
Found him on family search I think  death in 1947 but he’s listed as samuels rather than Samuel which I think is still him everything else adds up

Maybe someone can confirm
? So if we know it’s him we could find the burial place ?

Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Friday 13 April 18 18:31 BST (UK)
Link for those who were looking.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFWV-GHC

You could try RAOGK volunteer for Detroit Wayne Michigan - there is a general volunteer - a Michigan one who says :

"Willing to help with almost any research. Make a request. If it is not something I have access to I will let you know"  - worth an e-mail  ???

https://www.raogk.org/lookups/region/michigan/

Sandra
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Friday 13 April 18 19:12 BST (UK)
Many thanks Sandra have followed up the suggestion will post any progress

Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: shellyesq on Saturday 14 April 18 01:48 BST (UK)
There's an article in the Detroit Free Press that seems to indicate William was found after being killed in a suspected robbery.  The article requires payment to see the whole thing, but you can see most of it moving around with the little arrows next to the image.  https://freep.newspapers.com/search/#query=william+samuels+found&ym=1947-11
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: RJ137 on Saturday 14 April 18 03:55 BST (UK)
Detroit Free Press
Detroit, Michigan
Sunday, November 16, 1947 - Page 49

 Police Identify Victim of Holdup Killing

The partly clothed body of a man identified by police as William Samuels, about 60, was found in a vacant lot at the rear of 584 Winder. Detective Lt. Dewey Hughes said that Samuels, whose address was not known, apparently had been slain by a robber.

Samuels' wallet, Identification papers, trousers and shoes were missing. A 50-cent piece and his eyeglasses were found near the body.
            -  -  -
 THE BODY WAS identified through fingerprints. A large bump over the left eye and a deep cut in the scalp were the only marks on the body, Hughes said. The body was found by Judson Thornton, 44, of 276 Alfred.
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 14 April 18 04:25 BST (UK)
Good grief - how awful -  I wonder if that had a connection to his past -  ???

Sandra
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Saturday 14 April 18 07:34 BST (UK)
That is an amazing find folks

How do I go about paying for the full article? I would love to see it all

Looks like your right seems william was maybe troubled by his past

After we saw him in the jail in the 30s

Wonder where he is buried ?

Thanks folks
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Saturday 14 April 18 09:43 BST (UK)
Reply 12 from Shellyesq shows where you can see a small piece of the article on William and the remainder is pay per view.  If you had gone to the link given, you would be able to click on it for a 7 day free trial or subscribe.

2 hours later the next poster RJ137  transcibes the article for you..........................

Sandra
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Saturday 14 April 18 09:49 BST (UK)
Yes Sandra I signed up anyway hope to find some sort of clue on his obituary notice , il just pay for a month just to see how it goes

Amazing great that we have found him

Thanks for all your help , now I’m on the hunt for his burial place and obituary notice

Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Tuesday 17 April 18 09:54 BST (UK)
Spoke to a volunteer and apparently there is a divorce record for William Samuel I asked for information on it but haven’t heard anything back?

Wondered if anyone else has seen this record or has access as this would be a key peice of information

Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: *Sandra* on Tuesday 17 April 18 11:50 BST (UK)
The Michigan Divorce Records, 1897-1952 shown on ancestry didn't appear to have a record for a William Samuel/Samuels - we would need more details.

Sandra
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Tuesday 17 April 18 11:52 BST (UK)
Thanks hopefully I hear back from the volunteer later today

Ryan
Title: Re: William Mcdonald Samuel Mystery
Post by: ryan37 on Wednesday 18 April 18 11:23 BST (UK)
New find - found a record of aliens pre examined in Canada 1904 - 1954 for a william Samuel but Not sure how accurate the dates etc

There is info but very hard to read can anyone see the same
Certificate and possibly depict info from it , this is what I’m looking for an entry to Canada of William in his earlier years ,

The record is found on ancestry

Many thanks

Ryan