Looking for John Lawrence Davis b. 1879

[taramcdsmall]

Bina is listed in 1920 as being divorced - she is living with her daughter Dorothy Davis in Ohio and her children from her first marriage ie a lot of Thompson children.

Tara

[taramcdsmall]

Bina Davis is listed in Ohio 1930 as being widowed - she still has Dorothy Davis with her and the Thompson children

Tara

[becky8291]

yes, he married Bina Thompson (nee Kirkpatrick), what I was told was, they married in 1917, my great grandmother Dorothy was born about a year later, and when she was only a couple of months old (so my cousin says) he mistreated some of Bina's children by her first marriage and Bina threw him out and he was never heard of again.

All I know of his occupation, circa 1917 is that he was a gas field worker. If the 1920 census is indeed him, then he was in prison for something.

I have no idea when he actually came to the United States, I'm actually not sure where to look to try and find him.

[aghadowey]

If he's the man in prison in 1920 perhaps something to do with mis-treating the stepchildren- perhaps something appeared in local (to where they were living) newspaper which reposted a court case?

[taramcdsmall]

Maybe if you try and get his prison records through this site

http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/archlib/fees/ipr.html

I would imagine they would tell you if he passed away in prison or was transferred to another institution.

They may have more information on his parents in his records.

Even though John states that he was born in Ireland he states that his father was English, so this I'm afraid widens your search as the family may have just been in Ireland for a short time and may have gone back to England. This means that John may have emmigrated from Ireland OR England.

Tara

[taramcdsmall]

I'm just wondering MIGHT this be a sibling for John

Grover C. Gleckler from Licking County, Ohio marries Bessie F. Davis born  1889  Columbus, Ohio
married in 29 Apr 1908  Newark, Ohio
Grover's parents were David Gleckler & Elizabeth Burns
Bessie's parents were John Davis & Annie Walker

The only problem is that in the census' she states that her parents were from Ohio ?

Tara

[aghadowey]

Even though John states that he was born in Ireland he states that his father was English, so this I'm afraid widens your search as the family may have just been in Ireland for a short time and may have gone back to England. This means that John may have emmigrated from Ireland OR England.

The father's birthplace on 1920 census may be a red herring. John is listed as born Ireland but English nationality (he would have been a British citizen) and it's possible who ever filled out form carried the 'English' to father's birthplace but got mother's birthplace (Ireland) correct.

[taramcdsmall]

I'm just wondering MIGHT the whole place of births for himself AND his parents be incorrect (him possibly misleading ?)

Because:

There is a tree on ancestry with too many coincidences:

The parents are listed as John Wesley Davis b 1853 West Virgina and Hannah Marie Walker b 1857 West Virgina.

This tree is quite detailed and all their information seems to match to records on other sites that I have seen

SO

They have a John L Davis listed as a son of the above b 30th April 1889 in West Virginia and that he married in 1910 to a Effie Lamasters - this tree has a question mark next to his year and place of death.

The date and month of this John match what you have listed for your John - the year is out but again could this have been another inconsistency on the 1920 census ??

Is it possible that this is in fact the same John and that Effie died and he remarried ??

Becky, I think you have a tree on ancestry - I do think it would be worth getting in touch with the owners of this tree, if nothing to rule this John out.

Tara

[taramcdsmall]

This John L Davis that was married to Effie is listed as a 'Tool Worker' in 1910 Census in West Virginia - similar occupation to the one in Ohio in 1920 Cenus ie 'Iron Worker'

His wife Effie is named as getting remarried in 1917. Yet the people doing the tree state that John didn't die 'til about 1960 ??

So, In 1930 there is a John L Davis b 1890 West Virginia as an inmate in West Virginia Penitentiary.

Tara