Owen Ward "Died in America in 1924"

[1on4]

Unfortunately that is all the information I have about Owen Ward's supposed death.

Born in Ireland in 1896, he married a Catherine (Katie) Ward nee McManus in Scotland in 1916. They had 2 daughters - Margaret in 1917 and Catherine in September 1923. The trail then goes cold until  his wife, Catherine (Katie) had an illegitimate child in June 1938 whom she named Patrick. It says on Patricks birth certificate that his mother is the widow of Owen Ward who died in America in 1924.

I have looked long and hard for any trace of his death in Scotland, England, Ireland and mining disasters in the USA but I can find nothing.   I also cant find any record of him actually going to America, or any other country for that matter.

Can anybody advise? I am aware the American story could have been concocted by Catherine when she had the illegitimate child but its quite specific.

[Milliepede]

Scant information but there is an Owen Ward death in Everett Massachusetts USA in 1924 but don't know how old this person was 

Might be possible to trace this person back in census and rule him out.  Or not as the case may be.

[shellyesq]

The 1926 Everett, Massachusetts city directory said Owen Ward died 4 Apr. 1924.

[1on4]

Wow, thank you to you both.

How do I find this information please? That April 1924 date is as feasible as any. Their daughter Catherine was born September 1923 although Owen did not register her birth so he could already have gone by then. Interestingly, on that daughter Catherine's headstone (she died in 2007) it says she was the beloved daughter of Catherine and Owen although she can only have been a tiny baby if he did actually die in 1924.

Many thanks again!

[shellyesq]

There was an older Owen Ward who lived in Everett, Massachusetts, so it may be a different guy who died in 1924.  https://www.familysearch.org/search/record/results?count=20&query=%2Bgivenname%3Aowen%20%2Bsurname%3Award%20%2Bany_place%3A%22everett%2C%20massachusetts%22

Do you have any further details on your Owen, such as parents' names, exact date or place of birth?

[1on4]

Yes, he was born in Meenbannad, Co. Donegal, Ireland on 3rd February 1896 to an Owen and Betty Ward. The youngest of 5 children - Maggie, Mary, James and Patrick.

No idea how they ended up in Scotland but he married Catherine 'Katie' McManus on 8th October 1916 in West Calder. I am pretty sure it says he is a 'Pit Sinker' on his marriage certificate.

[shellyesq]

I think the Owen who died in Everett, Massachusetts in 1924 was the one I found in the census, as his wife appears to be widowed in the 1930 & 1940 census. 

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQP9-K3X

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K4F6-S62

[jorose]

I am really struggling to find any indication of Owen's immigration.
Perhaps Catherine believed he'd gone to the US, but he went somewhere else?

1901 and 1911 censuses in Ireland, for information:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Rutland/Meencannard/1179423/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Donegal/Rutland/Meenbannad/489713/

civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie shows his mother's surname as "Harley"

Did the rest of his family move to Scotland, stay in Ireland, move elsewhere?

[1on4]

I am really struggling to find any indication of Owen's immigration.
Perhaps Catherine believed he'd gone to the US, but he went somewhere else?

1901 and 1911 censuses in Ireland, for information:
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Donegal/Rutland/Meencannard/1179423/
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Donegal/Rutland/Meenbannad/489713/

civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie shows his mother's surname as "Harley"

Did the rest of his family move to Scotland, stay in Ireland, move elsewhere?

Yes, I can find no record of him leaving either. In theory he could be anywhere but I can't find any record of his death. Given that the entry on the birth certificate of the illegitimate son (Patrick) is information given by the mother it could be entirely fictitious. He could have run off with another woman, just run off, disappeared. Who knows. It is just quite specific - "died in America in 1924".

His mother's name was Harley - born in 1954. We do know a bit about what his siblings did and I know one of his brothers had a son - Owen Ward. As far as we know the entire family.moved over to Scotland and stayed. The 1921 census would be very helpful!

I have his father's death too and I think it was Maggie who informed of that.

Thank you so much for your help.