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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: unknownmale on Monday 01 July 19 21:01 BST (UK)
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What would be my best route to trying to find out something on the life of a relative the above named Geo. Mitchell, travelled to America on the Furnessia, in 1910, aged 27. He died in Riverside Hospital, Riverside Ca. aged 60 in 1942,he was described as a blacksmith.
thank you for reading.
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George's immigration record indicates he left wife back in Scotland as contact.
Passenger Ship List: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJJS-543
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It appears his wife and 3 children followed in 1912 They were heading to meet him in Illinois.
They are on line 16-19, images 751 & 751 (2 pages)
Passenger Ship List:https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JJ5S-3ZH
Index Card for son John in 1912.
Passenger Card: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7427-Y33Z
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This would be the family in 1920 in Iowa. He listed as immigrating in 1910 and his wife & kids in 1912. Look like they had 2 more kids in Iowa.
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M8B9-KT9
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Edit Added-
This would be the birth record for son William born 1919 Iowa. Mother's maiden name is Cocker?
Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XVNS-486
It appears they moved to Minnesota and are there in 1930/1940 census. Just Helen and the children are listed.
1930 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X3DY-GYC
1940 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KSLH-4MV
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Their son James died in 1991.
Death: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V4HR-ZP5
Find A Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135470105
Star Tribune
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Friday, July 12, 1991 - Page 24
Obit: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33435105/james_mitchellobit/
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If his wife and children are on their own in 1930 and 1940, then this might be George in Riverside in 1940. Same occupation, blacksmith, and born in Scotland, but a different wife. If so, he died soon after the census and his draft registration (April 26, 1942), which said born Aug 2, 1882, Aberdeen Scotland.
1940 Mira Loma, West Riverside, CA
on Lindsey Avenue
George Mitchell, 54, born in Scotland, blacksmith
Billy Mitchell, 42, born in Arkansas
Clyde Ecxola, grandson, 6, California
Christiene Ecxola, granddaughter, 5, California
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K94V-GNL
Draft Registration April 26, 1942
Riverside CA
George Mitchell
419 Lindsey St, Glen Avon, Riverside, CA
born Aug 2, 1882, Aberdeen, Scotland
contact: Mrs L G Norman, Box 785 Las Vegas, NV
"index and middle fingers crooked from injury"
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V485-7J4
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died 28 July 1942, Riverside
parents' surnames: Mitchell, McWilliam
born: "other country"
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPQQ-DV7
note there is a George Washington Mitchell, b 30 Dec 1887, Van Buren, Arkansas, also in Riverside in 1942
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V485-3ZC
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They were all together in Iowa in 1925
ancestry says in Tripoli, Bremer County
the census asked for parents' full names
George: parents = John Mitchell and Jessie McWilliam, both born in Scotland
Helen Mitchell, parents = Charles Cocker and Jane Cocker, both born in Scotland
children James, 21, George 18, John 15, Mary H 7, William 5
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Declaration of Intention to become a citizen, filed in US District Court, Chigago, 7 August 1915
George Mitchell, 33, a horseshoer, 5'8", fair complexion, brown hair, blue eyes, weight 195 pounds, born 22 August 1882, Aberdeen, Scotland
living at 2420 Polk Street, Chicago
left from Glasgow Scotland on the Furnessia, arrived on or about 14 June 1910
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1933 Riverside City Directory
George Mitchell, blacksmith for H R German, residing at 2999 Monroe
no spouse mentioned. other men on the page had spouses listed in ()
he's not in the 1931 Riverside Directory
I didn't find him in Iowa or California or anywhere really, in 1930.
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died 28 July 1942, Riverside
parents' surnames: Mitchell, McWilliam
born: "other country"
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPQQ-DV7
This should add to the confusion
Riverside Daily Press
July 28, 1942
Death Notice: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01nzq/
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died 28 July 1942, Riverside
parents' surnames: Mitchell, McWilliam
born: "other country"
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPQQ-DV7
This should add to the confusion
Riverside Daily Press
July 28, 1942
Death Notice: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01nzq/
The surname of the grandchildren on the 1940 census - I transcribed it as Ecxola, but it is Ecxols on the image. Which at least explains Mrs F B Echols of Riverside, in his obituary. But where did the other daughter come from, his contact person Mrs L G Norman in Las Vegas? And how does he have 2 sons named Thompson, unless his first wife Helen remarried a Mr Thompson? And is Billie = Dollie?
It's the end of my day as far as researching goes, but maybe I'll look at it tomorrow.
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Birth records of the 2 grandchildren in 1940 census. Mother's maiden name "Thompson"
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VL1Q-28H
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2QC-PB5
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The 2 children are listed in an obit for Ola Lafayette Echols as his son & daughter.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK2B-S1YD
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Christine L Echols, when applying for Social Security, said her parents were Abbie G Thompson and Ola L Echols. Abbie also went by her middle name Gale and may have died as Gail Echols 2 April 1991 in North Las Vegas, NV.
Ancestry.com links that death to an obituary as Abbie Thompson in The Oklahoman on 22 October 1991. (I don't understand the time lapse, or maybe it is a different person, and ancestry.com is wrong)
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Gale, 23, and Ola L, 34, Echols were in Las Vegas in 1940, but had been in Riverside in 1935. (1940 Census)
They got a license to marry in Yuma Arizona on 15 January 1933.
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I think the 1940 census enumerator may have heard "Dolly" and written down "Billy".
George and Dolly are in the 1937 Riverside Directory:
George (and Dolly) Mitchell, blacksmith, at 3912 6th
and in 1934 at 4411 Jurupa Avenue
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I can't find Dolly anywhere else. She isn't:
Grace Dolly Mitchell, d 23 December 1985, wife of Henry, buried in Orange County
Dolly V Mitchell, d 26 July 1911, b 1911 (too late), wife of Sgt James M Mitchell, in Riverside National Cemetery
Dolly might have been Abbie Gail Thompson's sister and raised her children when Abbie's marriage broke up, but I'm just guessing. Abbie's information said she was born in Texas in about 1906. I didn't find Dolly's death, but she easily could have remarried, especially if she was caring for those children.
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here is George's son George on his own in Traverse County, Minnesota, in 1930
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X3DT-PJ7
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Well I am flabbergasted, to my 72 yr.old head, I have done quite a lot of searching, for family first time in the U.S. I am so thankful to all who have answered so far and wish to express my deep appreciation for your sterling efforts, more especially so quickly.
Many thanks to all present and future contributors.
From a cold damp Scotland.
unknownmale.
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Dolly might have been Abbie Gail Thompson's sister and raised her children when Abbie's marriage broke up, but I'm just guessing.
It doesn't look like Dolly () Mitchell was Abbie's sister. There is a tree on Ancestry.com that includes Abbie Alma "Gail" Thompson, and it does not list a sister Dollie or any sister old enough to match Dolly/Billy () Mitchell's age on the 1940 census.
this is Abbie's family in 1920. Her mother is too young to have a child in 1898.
1920 Census, Bradley, Grady Co., Oklahoma
Jan 1, 1920
William Thompson, 33, born in Texas
Burley Thompson, 30, Arkansas
William, 12, Oklahoma
Clyde, 8, Texas
Coleman, 6, Texas
Thula, 4y 3m, Texas
Abbie Thompson, 2y 2m, born in Texas
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MJM6-ZWY
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I'm not finding Dolly anywhere that hasn't been mentioned. There are some George MItchell marriages in southern California in the right time frame, but none to a wife named Dolly, Dorothy, or Billy. So it is impossible to tell which one, if any, is the right one. And none in Riverside county anyway, if I remember right.
I looked for possible re-marriages also, and didn't find anything I could say was her for sure.
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Glad to help, from a hot, humid Rhode Island