Trying to find Thomas A. Curtis, Chicago illinois

[lorrainec]

Please see this posting for details:
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,454185.msg3167562.html#msg3167562

[*Sandra*]

There does not seem to be a 1900 USA Census or a 1901 Census of Canada showing Thomas and Lillian. The Canada board have many experts so presumably they cannot find a death for Thomas in Canada. There is a 1900 Census -  Chicago Ward 12, Cook, Illinois  showing a Lillian Curtis (Feb 1869 Canada) with a daughter Grace Curtis born 1891 Illinois who is a widow, boarder and immigrated in 1890 
You say on the other thread Lillian married Harry Gill in Chicago in 1903 - what was her status on the marriage certificate - was it "widow" or "divorced" ?
Looking at Lillian Gill in Chicago in 1920 (with Harry Gill & the Simpsons) it says she immigrated 1895 - Naturalized 1902. In 1930 it says she was married at 33 years old so that fits with a birth of 1872 in Canada and makes them maried 25 years.  Are these the people we are looking at ?

[*Sandra*]

Having another go at piecing this together.
So the story so far seems to be that Lillian Clewes first married William Harry Iredale in York. Ontario 30 Dec 1890 (as per Ontario, Canada Marriages) and he died 8 May 1897. They had the 2 children:- Grace Irene 6 Aug 1892 - 1244 W Polk St., Chicago, Illinois and William Francis 22 May 1896 Toronto.
William Harry Iredale (husband) died in Toronto. Ontario 8 May 1897.
Lillian Iredale then married Harry Gill 17 Dec 1903 in Chicago. Cook. She was married under the name Iredale 

http://www.rootschat.com/links/08sp/

The 1900 Census Chicago Ward 12, Cook, Illinois shows her as Lillian Curtis widowed.  Unfortunately there are no death records that I know of for Illinois covering that time frame. If she married Thomas Curtis in 1899 (aahhh !!!just found that date - 22 nd May 1899 Ontario Marriages) and the 1900 Census was taken on 1st June 1900 it shortens the time frame you are looking at 

There does'nt appear to be any border crossing for Lillian Curtis / Lillian Iredale / Thomas Curtis/ Thos Curtis between 22 May 1899 and 1 st June 1900  that I can see 

On the 1920 Census for Chicago Ward 27, Cook. Illinois the Simpsons living with Harry and Lillian - are Lillian's daughter Grace and her husband Richard Simpson.

[lorrainec]

Hello!  Thank you for trying to help me find Thomas! 
On the marriage cert of Thomas and Lillian, she is marked as an "S" for spinster, yet she was actually a widow!

I am still trying to find a death of Thomas in Ontario but I wonder if it might be a divorce between Lilian and Thomas, rather than a death which may explain why she was an Iredale when she married Harry Gill. .... or even an anullment.  I am just thinking aloud - the time frame is so short with this Curtis marriage!

Lorraine

[J.J.]

I can see no divorce for them in Canada... The marriage transcription said his parents were J.H. curtis & Louise J Mackey
But the parents were actually...John William Curtis  and Louisa Jane Moxey...married way back in 1841!
( Found young Thomas in 1881, then looked for the children, most on IGI one with middle name Moxey)

Not that this would help much, I suppose... as if he did die shortly after marriage and there were no siblings etc, around, she likely wouldn't know enough information to report parents names anyway.  J.J.

[J.J.]

mmm, there WAS a brother handy and he was a clergyman, his second marriage here 1905 Carleton Ontario:
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryc/carl05.htm

adding his middle name
Thomas Alfred Curtis and he was actually born 1867 Liverpool

Not with Charles in 1901- he was already in Canada 1874, so likely why Thomas came over
http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census/ViewFrame.jsp?id=47590&highlight=40
1911 Charles J. is in Leeds / perhaps another family member lower on page http://www.automatedgenealogy.com/census11/SplitView.jsp?id=44316

[lorrainec]

Thanks, J.J. for the info.  Still no sign of Thomas' death, in Canada or US.

Lorraine

[lorrainec]

Found this - may or may not be our man:

http://www.islandnet.com/ocfa/search.php

Name                                      Cemetery           County       Township Reference
CURTIS, Alfred John Thomas Glen Allan Union Wellington      Peel       WE-4355

Not sure what town this is in!

Lorraine

(oops, should be on the Ontario board ... will copy it there too!)

[J.J.]

I saw that, but didn't think it was the right person...was trying to find the church that his brother worked out of to see if there was a connection...It would seem odd to have the middle name all of a sudden become the first if he never used it...but not out of the question...We don't know that the man actually died back then... If Thomas and Lillian parted ways within the year, the instant husband/father thing may have scared him off as well...and in those days not everyone bothered to get a divorce. She may have married by her previous married name and called herself a widow because she never considered the marriage a valid one...& Thomas may have gone just about anywhere.

I never found Charles in 1891...However he married several times as well, including as a widower once again in 1899 living Newington married in Wentworth Full name is Charles John Curtis http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~maryc/went98.htm