Chicago 1901-13

[ndedross]

Any help would be very much appreciated.

I am looking for the 1910 Census information on James & Bridget Dedross, and any information on their arrival or his departure.

They are in London at the 1901 Census - but, a few months later the last of their seven children died. I have located Bridget's death in Chicago (Cook County Hospital) in June 1913. Their address is given as 876 (or 826) 37th Place, and the time resident in the USA and Illinois as 7 years. I've not located them in the 1910 Census (there is a John & Lauretta Dedross - but I am comfortable they are wrongly entered and should be DeMoss).

The informant at death was James Dedross - unfortunately both in family legend and British Civil Records he was an habitual liar! So the information he gives might not be accurate. He did return to England shortly after his wife's death.

A further complexity is that after 1901 James and Bridget may have gone to Australia, then Canada, then Chicago.

I'm seeking help to try and find them in the 1910 Census - and if possible their entry to the USA and his departure.

Many Thanks,

Nigel

[Chattykathy]

Nigel,

Found following in 1910 Census but last name is mispelled --  everything else seems to fit.

Ward 5 Cook County, Chicago, Illinois,

Dedrosa, James  Age 61 (b. 1849) in England 
Both parents b. in Eng.
No. of Years Married:  31 
Year of immigration:  1907 
Profession:  Laborer @ Stock Yard (maybe --  handwritting difficult)

Dedrosa, Bridget   Age 51 (b. 1859) in Ireland 
Both parents b. in Ireland
Had 11 children; no entry in column for those living. 
No. of Years Married:  31 
Immigration year:  1907 
Profession: Keeping House

Is this what you were looking for?
Kathy

[ndedross]

Hi Kathy,

OH MY WORD!!!!! This message was going to be my last shot at this! That is definitely them (don't suppose there is an address?). Thank you so much.

"Uncle Jim" had told his relatives in London that he was a business owner in Chicago! Due to his past record of telling lies they did not believe him (but also had an hint of doubt). My great grandfather turned him away when he sought somewhere to live on his return to London pennyless! The story (passed down) that  I was told was that he swept the floors in a beef factory - and the Census result looks to confirm that as accurate!

Any thoughts on where I might find his arrival (or departure) at Chicago?

Many, many thanks

Nigel

[Chattykathy]

Nigel -  Great that this was a find for you!  Very difficult to find info on comings and goings --  so many ways to travel, so many points of entrance and exit.  But now that there is something specific ---  maybe. 
Do you think the misspell of the name was intentional?  Census has lots of erros so it could well have been error on the census writer's part. 
What ports in US & Eng --  any idea of what was likely?
Kathy

[ndedross]

Hi Kathy,

I think the mis-spell is down to the enumerator - as I said there was a Dedross family in Chicago and it took a long time to determine that they were in fact DeMoss (just as I was think of a long lost cousin).

Their children all died young - I've British Death certificates for 10, not 7 as I said earlier. Three sets of twins. Pretty sad!

I would be pretty sure that James left Chicago for England in 1913 - via the Great Lakes. He had no money, so would go a 'direct' route (maybe working his passage?).

As for arrival (in USA), Bridget's death certificate suggests 1906 and the Census 1907. My great grandfather said they went to Australia first, that would fit datewise and given he was right about the occupation has some credibility. I'd guess they came to Chicago from Canada, having arrived at a West Coast Port, like Vancouver?

Best wishes,

Nigel

[Chattykathy]

Hello, again!  I was afraid you were going to mention Canada.  I have similar situation in my family with immigration to US via Canada --  very hard to trace.   If you were temporary in Canada, they took very little notice of you until 1915 when US laws on immigration tightened.

I was rummaging around on the Web for Cook County Genealogy sites.  Have you done the same?  Lots of sites but not so much specific info.  Most information is random generally stemming from the volunteer base's personal interests.

Have you put notices on RootsWeb board for Cook Co?  Someone may have a 1910 directory and can look up address.  Many times the directory listings are not tied to having a phone.

Ward 5 is South Township.  If you go to

www.alookatcook.com 

You can find Ward 5/South Township map with street & geographical boundries which you can print out.

So sad about all those children.  I'm not exactly sure how the question was asked/intended --  No. of  Live Brths vs No. of Pregnancies which might illicit different answers.  I'm assuming "No. of Live births" would be the concern of the Census and Bridget apparently said 11.

I'll look some more on the Canadian aspects but doubt if I have the resources available to find out much if anything.

Regards,
Kathy

[ndedross]

Hi Kathy,

Thanks for all your help. It looks like they were in the same area as in 1913 when Bridget died.

I think that they specifically chose Chicago because Bridget had relatives there. She came from Tipperary (father was Kerwin, mother was Casey, and there was emigration of both family names from Tipperary to Chicago and Australia in the late C19th). Mind you they are very common names! Bridget was buried in the Catholic Cemetary - James was Protestant (C of E). If they were with her family, they might have insisted (and paid) for burial there?

Best wishes,

Nigel

[Chattykathy]

Nigel, is this meaningful?

1910 30th Ward, Cook Co., Chicago, IL

John Kerwin (88) Father-in Law   Born in Ireland
Immigration 1905
listed in the household of:

Foley, James (48) Profession:  Meatcutter
Immigration Year:  1892   Married 19 years (1891)
Wife - Mary (presumeably nee Kerwin) (37)  Born in Ireland  Immigration Year:  1892
10 Children:
John J      18 born in Ireland
Thomas J 16 born in ILL
Michael J  15  ILL
Catherine  12/13 ILL
James P     11      ILL
Margaret      9     ILL
Mary             7     ILL
Ellen             5     ILL
Patrick          2     ILL
Matthew       6 mos. ILL
Roomer also boarding there may be a servant

Regards,
Kathy

[ndedross]

Hi Kathy,

Well that is interesting.

Bridget's parents were Thomas and Johanna. But, an elderly Kerwin (John) is certainly a good 'clan' possibility. I'm keeping this for future research - as you know (I think) searching in Ireland is not easy!

By the way, Bridget is given as aged 51 years (I think she could be up to 5 years younger). Basically, James was a cradle snatcher and after years of 'creating' an older age for Bridget forgot what age she actually was!

Many thanks,

Nigel