Cincinatti Shopkeeper: What info could be out there?

[Boongie Pam]

Hi All,

The new year beckons and I thought I'd air my ignorance of US research again 

Very few of my ancestors left the UK.  In particular the Scottish half, well more than half, obviously loved the hot balmy evenings of south west Scotland because they didn't even leave their parish.

So when I find a brother or sister who did I get very curious about them.

I have one chap John CARRUTHERS (sometimes spelled with one R)

http://fallon.rootschat.net/297.html

He was born in Annan, Dumfriesshire to James CARRUTHERS Sea Captain and Isabella TAYLOR abt 1845.

He appears on the 1851 (age 7) and 61 (age 17) census in Annan.

The next information I have is his demise.  He died in Annan on the 9/4/1875 of TB he had this for 8 months.

Now until this point I had no reason to suspect he ever travelled?

His death certificate stated his occupation as a storekeeper.  It was only when I accidently stumbled on his will at the NAS that I found this...

Summary:
Probate granted 16/7/1875 to father, James. Estate included Clothes £5, Cash at Commercial Bank of Scotland £250 with interest £13 2s 6d.  Occupation given as storekeeper in Cincinatti USA.

So the poor love came home to die.

I am fascinated at why he went? 

The only connection I can see is with his sister Jane CARRUTHERS she married a Joseph Kirkpatrick Smith of Annan. In 1871 they are in Annan BUT their son Joseph Thomas Kiirkpatrick Smith was born about 1869 (2 in 71) in OHIO (British Subject).

No idea if he had other siblings move out to the States - his only brother Robert didn't he lived in Cheshire with cousins  His other 2 sisters Tabitha and Isabella have not been tracked down.

Any help with census around 1870 may help to find CAR(R)UTHERS in Cincinatti or OH?

What status would John have to be to be a store keeper?  Would he of naturalised?

Excuse my absolute ignorance on this but theh homebodies in my tree have never prompted me to explore!

Thanks in advance,
Pam
 

[suegill]

Is this him? 1870 census

James B Caruthers 49 M W Dry Goods Merchant born Scotland
Jennie H Caruthers 46 M W Keeps house born Scotland
Ella B Caruthers 14 attneds school born Ohio
Jennie Caruthers 11 attends school born Ohio
Willie Caruthers 6attends school born Ohio
Jessie Caruthers 2 at home born Ohio

Sue

[Boongie Pam]

No it isn't John or any son of my James Carruthers BUT it is VERY interesting!

Carruthers is a very localised name to Dumfriesshire and this family has coincidental bits to John.

William is a name used in the family.  And the "Goods Merchant" occupation.  Where are the family living?  Are they in Cincinatti?

Thanks so much for your reply,
Pam
 

[Genealiza]

Pam, You might look at this one for your John.  This area is located just west of Columbus, Ohio in the center of the state.  It would be about 80 miles north of Cincinnati.---Genealiza

1870 Ohio  Madison   Jefferson Twp   London
Series M593   Roll 1238   Page 650

Dwell 274      Family 292

Smith, Joseph, 36, retired dry goods and grocery, $40000
                       value of real estate, $5108 value of personal
                       property, b. Scot, parents of foreign birth,
                       male US citizen over 21

           Jane, 32, female, white, keeping house, b. Scot,
                       parents of foreign birth

           Joseph, 2, male, white, at home, b. Ohio, parents of
                       foreign birth

Stothand, Jane, 19, female, domestic servant, b. Ohio

Anderson, Amelia, 24, female, black, b. Ohio

Corothers, John, 25, male, white, dry good, grocery clk,
                         b. Scot, parents of foreign birth, male US
                         citizen over 21

Ross, Courtland, 38, male, white, laborer, b. Ohio

[liverpool annie]

Hi Pam!

I always like to know about the places my family lived - thought you might find this interesting - you may be able to glean some info too 

http://www.linkpendium.com/genealogy/USA/OH/ALL/

Annie 

[Boongie Pam]

WWWWOOOOOWWWWWWW

genealiza, you do it again!   

Marvellous!

That's the family 

How really interesting.

Joseph had quite a bit of cash didn't he.

When he was back in Dumfries he remained "retired" but later census show him "Living on Own Means" and a railway contractor on his death cert.

Who would of thought SMITHs would be my most interesting family!

The other interesting snippet on these is with Jane and Joseph's son.  When he died - a life long bachelor.  The informant's relationship was "intimate friend" a male - what a loaded statement for teh 1920s!  I've always wanted to find interesting colourful characters and these have travelled teh furthest so far!

Thanks fro the census info - hugely appreciated.

Annie,

You are absolutely right - it's teh richness of the accessory information that fills in teh colour in family history.  I'll check the site out to see why they decided to leave lol - less than a year later!

Thanks both of you,
Pam
 

[liverpool annie]

You know what I find interesting Pam?
Amelia Anderson was black - it doesn't say she was a domestic servant like Jane Stothand - so she was probably a slave ! If they had money they could afford to buy her - she might be interesting to follow ....... !!  there I go again - off on a tangent!!

The other thing I wanted to mention was the TB - there were a few states that had colonies of TB sanitoriums - Colorado being one of them because of the air - I doubt Ohio had the facilities though they probably had good doctors! - I wonder if he came home because of the Scottish air! - you said he only had it for 8 months - ( in those days it was called consumption and nobody talked about it ) .... it was very feared because it was contagious - he probably had it for some time !

Annie 

[Boongie Pam]

Annie,

You are right he may of had it for longer teh 8 months comes from his death cert so that could of been the length of time the Annan Doctor knew he had it.  He may of had it when he was in the US?

He wasn't in Scotland for the 1871 census but Jane his sister was so unless Jane batted back and forth across the pond John would likely to of been on his own.  If he was ill where would you go - he never married as far as I know so naturally he came back to mum and dad?

Regrading Amelia, that is what I thought!  If anyone has access to 1880 census to see what happened to Amelia that would be interesting.

Since I know this family (as in teh SMITHs) were back in Scotland by the 1871 census she must of been sold within months of this census.

Ok my next very cheeky request...

Would passenger lists be extant for 1870/1 to see them returning or earlier for them going out?

Cheers,
Pam
 

[liverpool annie]

To be honest - it's hard to get them coming back! ... unless you luck out!!
I'll take a look and see if I can find them going!
I'll be going to the Archives next week - I have some looking up to do - I'll see if I can find anything .... !

Annie