Does anybody know Alice Graburn's American Cousin?

[Avsnapper]

I have photographs from America which were sent to my grandmother Alice Shepherd nee Johnson, nee Graburn. On the backs are messages from "Nelly" who lived in San Rafael in a wooden, two story building with steps to the front door and the house number is 1212.

Members of the family are Kenneth, Art Junior, Bruce and daughter-in-law Ann.  Kenneth was, I think, in the U.S. Army in WW2,possibly serving in the Pacific.

Nelly's maiden name, in diminishing order of probability, is likely to be Gra(y)burn, Johnson or Littlewood. She probably hailed from Kingston-on-Hull, East Yorkshire.

Along shot, I know

[DavidJP]

Hi Avsnapper,

A very warm welcome to Rootschat!

Firstly for general information, San Rafael is in Marin County, California. Apologies if you already knew this.

Not knowing the family surname, makes things a little more difficult. However the only Kenneth that I can see joining up in WW2 in San Rafael is a Kenneth E Young. A link to the entry in the US WW2 Army Enlistment Records on familysearch here: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMF9-87Y

What time period/date are the photographs?

What was Nelly's married name?

When was Nelly born?

Kind regards

David

[Avsnapper]

Hi, Thanks for such a speedy response.  You can see my problem! I guess the latest photos were in the 40's judging by the big, bulky saloon car and the fact that Ken is in uniform.  An earlier car is much more boxy and Nelly's hat sports a large flower!  The surname Young is certainly worth investigating; I could try the Ellis Island records.

What we need we need is a global genealogy face recognition web site. Or is that too creepy?

Steve

[*Sandra*]

Hi,

Welcome to RootsChat from me to.

There was a death of a Lt Kenneth E Young born 1922 died 1945 (US Air Corps)  - Perris Cemetery Riverside County, California.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=64677719&ref=acom

2nd Lt - 404th Bomber Squadron 28th Bomber - 23 January 1945 - missing in action - Monument Honolulu, Hawaii. Award -  Purple Heart Medal Air Medal Additional Army Awards.

Parents both US Citizens. Middle initial E = Edwin

Sandra

[aghadowey]

That Kenneth Edwin Young was born 24 Oct.1922 Riverside Co., California- parents Allan Karr Young & Alice Adams.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V25L-WPT

[*Sandra*]

Do you know for definite it is a cousin or is that a guess ?

Sandra

[jorose]

We may be able to narrow it down from the other side - who were Alice's parents, and do you have lists of their siblings? If she was "cousin", she might be the daughter of an aunt and could have a surname you weren't expecting.

If you can scan the pictures, somebody might be able to pin down at least the year of the car?

[shellyesq]

Here is a possibility, as Nelly can be a nickname for Eleanor -

I found an obituary in a San Rafael newspaper from 1951 for a Mrs. Eleanor M. Manyan, who lived at 1212 Second St.   The obituary says she was a native of England and had lived in San Rafael for 10 years.  Her surviving grandchildren include a Kenneth and an Arthur Jr.  Her late husband was named George.  (Link to transcription of two obits - http://genealogytrails.com/cal/marin/obit2.html)

The 1930 census indicate that they married around 1891 and came to the US in 1909 - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XCJZ-Q9S

The California death index says Eleanor's maiden name was Merritt - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VG5Y-DD4

1891 & 1901 English census put Eleanor Manyan as born Hull, Yorkshire.

[shellyesq]

One of the surviving grandsons was Kenneth M.  Proctor, who appears to have served in the Army in WWII in the Pacific.

Birth record - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VLBG-F7T

Army enlistment - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMFM-SHK

Mention of Army service in the newspaper (scroll to the bottom for text) -
http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/71673078/

Social Security death index - https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J5T3-VJ9