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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Barrie Green on Saturday 26 December 20 21:40 GMT (UK)

Title: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: Barrie Green on Saturday 26 December 20 21:40 GMT (UK)
I have tried to find the death date and place of the above John Batten, born in London, Eng. Feb. 1828 He emigrated to Canada with wife Sarah and 2 chn in 1869, I have details of all of them except the death of John. He is mentioned in the Pittsburgh Daily Post on 21 Feb/ 1918, his 90th birthday, living with his daughter, Amy Pell but cannot locate his death after that.
Would love some help please to complete details of this large family of Battens, my main family line. I have tried on this site before a few years ago but am now hoping some other resources may have come to light.
Always hopeful!
From  Faith Green - NZ -- very mindful of the Covid 19  problem round the world at the moment.
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: RJ137 on Saturday 26 December 20 22:02 GMT (UK)
Reference Thread: https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=798740.msg6560034#msg6560034
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 27 December 20 11:45 GMT (UK)
HI Barrie,

Just a thought. Would it be worth an email/letter/facebook enquiry to South Side Cemetery to see if John is buried with Sarah ?
Amy is also buried in that Cemetery, maybe a family grave ?

FIND A GRAVE

Sarah Batten

South Side Cemetery Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/22102610/sarah-batten

Amy Peel

South Side Cemetery Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/114232011/amy-c.-peel

Sandra

Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: hanes teulu on Sunday 27 December 20 13:37 GMT (UK)
Found this site  https://www.deathindexes.com/pennsylvania/

See Pennsylvania Death Records Indexes. Some of the years (eg. 1918, 1919) are in alphabetical order for the year; others years are in alphabetical order within index number for that year. Unfortunately these files don't respond to my usual PDF search function, even after downloading. Hence searching manually is a laborious process. Also, the deceased person's age is not listed.

Best I can find at the moment. Also, yet to spot him on the 1920 Census (might help narrow things down). Haven't checked the Allegheny specific sites.
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: shellyesq on Sunday 27 December 20 16:26 GMT (UK)
The Pennsylvania death records have been online for quite a few years now.  I looked through them every which way possible I could think of and found nothing.  It’s possible that he got missed in getting a death record or his name was completely jumbled due to living in an old folks home. 

I also checked Ohio and West Virginia death records, as they are fairly close to that area of Pennsylvania and came up empty.

Perhaps contacting the church where he was mentioned as a bell ringer might yield some information, although the pandemic might limit their access to records.
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: hanes teulu on Sunday 27 December 20 16:40 GMT (UK)
I had spotted  "1925, John Batten, 53859, Noristown?, May 4".

Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 27 December 20 17:00 GMT (UK)
I had spotted  "1925, John Batten, 53859, Noristown?, May 4".

Unfortunately that is not the John Batten we are searching for. He was born 1856

FIND A GRAVE

Born 1856 - died 4 May 1925 Norristown, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132306760/john-batten

Sandra
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: hanes teulu on Sunday 27 December 20 17:14 GMT (UK)
As mentioned, this site doesn't include age. Thanks for ruling this one out.
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 27 December 20 17:25 GMT (UK)
No problem. John was with his daughter Amy for his 90th birthday in 1918 (as per RJ on the other thread)  but he was not with Amy (his daughter) in 1920.  Quite possible he died between those dates, could be lost in a jumbled surname  :-\

Sandra
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: hanes teulu on Sunday 27 December 20 17:45 GMT (UK)
I'd found the newspaper snippet re. 90th birthday but unable to view (subscription required) and the 1910 Census - 1920 Census drew a blank.
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: *Sandra* on Sunday 27 December 20 17:51 GMT (UK)
This was the previous thread where that information was found. Reply 1 showed the newspaper articles found by RJ137

previous thread https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=798740.msg6560034#msg6560034

I will link it here for you.

90 th birthday

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/3146197/pittsburgh-daily-post/

Sandra
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: Barrie Green on Monday 28 December 20 21:20 GMT (UK)
Thank you RJ137, Sandra and hanes teulu for all your help. I have gone through everything you have suggested again but his death data still eludes me.  However, I will contact the South Side Cemetery re burial with his first wife Sarah, as they were most helpful some years ago when I was in the same situation regarding John Batten's sister Elizabeth Jane Breach(also ex NZ) who is buried in the same Cemetery.
Keep Covid 19 free, all of you. Faith
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: Barrie Green on Monday 28 December 20 21:22 GMT (UK)
Also Shellyesq, a big thankyou - I accidently left you of my list! Faith
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: *Sandra* on Tuesday 29 December 20 09:59 GMT (UK)
Would be grateful for any update if South Side Cemetery respond Faith ?

Sandra
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: Barrie Green on Wednesday 30 December 20 20:55 GMT (UK)
Hi Sandra, I'm  only too happy to keep you informed of any developments re contact with Southside Cemetery. I've checked on my other contact with them and it was in March 2010. Unfortunately I didn't keep the reply so cannot determine where it actually came from in the end.
 However, I had a receipt for US $5 from Carnegie Library of PGH 4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213408  4126223104  stapled to the copy of the Death Certificate (I remember sending this lonely little note) which looks as though it was off a website??? On the back of the Death Registration written in handwriting, was Pittsburgh Death Registration, 1870-1905 Vol. 71:513 (not in my handwriting).
New Year Greetings and keep well. Faith
Title: Re: John Batten, Bellringer and Fire Escape patenter of Bellevue, Pittsburgh
Post by: Barrie Green on Wednesday 30 December 20 21:21 GMT (UK)
Me again Sandra, While typing my reply to you I thought of doing some checking myself to cover all the Deaths but nothing came to light. He did live in Michigan for a while ......... but at that age I can hardly see him living on his own again.