RootsChat.Com
Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Erato on Monday 13 January 20 21:50 GMT (UK)
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In 1940, J.E. O'Connor was an inmate at Walla Walla Penitentiary in Washington. He was 65 years old, widowed and born in Canada. These details closely match those of an individual I am looking for: James Edmund Connor, born 1876 in Canada, a longtime resident of Washington and a widower.
Can anyone turn up a newspaper article that identifies this inmate and why he was there? Could his surname actually be Connor rather than O'Connor? If he is the man I'm looking for, the trial probably occurred after October 1938 [when his wife died and he was the informant on her death certificate].
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01ouu/
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According to the 1940 census his residence in 1935 was Rural, Okanogan, Washington.
This James was married to a Myra Mook and he immigrated in 1919.They appear in the 1920/1930 census in Bodie, Okanogan, Washington.
Immigration: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XGTB-BJ4
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHFK-9VH
1930 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC3G-QFN
Wife Myra's death 1936: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQML-WVZ
This person appears to be the one who is an inmate at Walla Walla Penitentiary in Washington in 1940 census.
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This appears to be the James E. Connor you seek.
FS Tree: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LCJJ-76X
This James Edmond Connor was naturalized in 1917 and had a wife named Elizabeth.
Naturalization: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGPL-QQQK
WWI: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:29J3-GJF
1920 census: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MHNV-GFT
Elizabeth's DC in 1938 states the were living in Bothell, King, Washington
DC: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N3R9-WBL
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"This appears to be the James E. Connor you seek."
Yup, that's the one and I'm glad to know he wasn't a crook. I've seen those records, but where the heck was he in 1930 and 1940? And where were his sons? James E. wound up dying in Laclede County, Missouri in 1953 and his son James died there about two years later.
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1937 Seattle City Directory
A Melville Connor 503 W Crockett, Seattle
father not at that address and not found as Connor or Conner
WWII Draft
14 February 1942
Albert Melville Connor, unemployed
b 5 September 1902, London, Ontario
residence: Rt 2, Bothell, WA
contact person: J E Connor, Rt 2, Bothell, WA
16 October 1940 WWII Draft
same location for James A b 28 November 1907, Richmond Beach, WA
and same location for his father
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1921 Bow River, Alberta
James 48, Elizabeth 51, Albert 18, James A 13
she born in Scotland, arrived 1901, all Presbyterian
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you didn't mention having the other son's death, so just in case ... if this is the right person:
Washington Death Index
Albert M Connor
Gender: Male
Age: 78
Birth Year: abt 1903
Residence Place: King, Washington, USA
Death Date: 21 Feb 1981
Death Place: King, Washington, USA
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Thanks, ooh. Yeah, that's the right Albert M. I had found that and his burial.
It occurred to me that they might have skipped back and forth into Canada but since James E. was supposedly a dairy farmer, it seemed unlikely that he could spend too much time away from home. For some reason, after WWII, James E. and his son James A. relocated to Missouri where they both soon died. I'm curious about that move.
On the other hand, these people are well removed from the main trunk of my tree so maybe they aren't worth much further effort. It's just that - well, you know - you get curious.