Any advice? Ardle McKenna born Bannockburn 1897

[ecksdochter]

     This might be father John's emigration.
     UK, Outward Passenger List. Aboard "Celtic." Departure from Liverpool, 6th Aug. 1921, bound for New York. John McKenna, 39 Lower Craigs, Stirling, Scotland. Age, 61. Occupation, Coal Miner. Intended Permanent Residence, USA.
     Regards,     Dod.

[AuntieMomo]

Hi, thanks all for looking into this for me, it's much appreciated. 

ecksdochter - this is great! I think it is my ancestor.  On his daughter's marriage certificate, she was living in Lower Craigs, Stirling, although at number 43 or 48.

I don't think I totally understand the way the Ancestry website works.  Looking for John in the Immigration bit with specific details brings up either nothing, or thousands of John McKennas.  Narrowing those down doesn't help.  Going to the UK Outbound list, John was the first one in my search results!  With that knowledge and with mckha489 telling me there are US papers on Ancestry suddenly gives me a lot more ways to look at the online records. And to think I do research for a living 

mckha489 - thanks for looking at these McKennas, it gives me somewhere to start.  For the Ardel McKenna b 1933, I did find him.  I don't know if he's an ancestor because I've not discovered a Glasgow connection yet.  But will chase down Henry and anyone else in the US with the papers etc, should be interesting!

haliared - thanks for this.  If I had to put money on it, I would bet that Ardle died during WW1 and I just haven't found it. He seemed very keen on joining the army and he was such a wee guy - age 16 and 5 foot 3 and 1/2. My knowledge of how to search for soldiers isn't good.  I thought that if he had died during the war, it would still turn up as 'Services' on Scotland's people.  But I need to subscribe to the Forces Records at some point.  All I have is documents pointing to the Army Service Corps and the Cameron Highlanders. They stated that he was in the Reserves.  I thought because he was a miner they might not want him to go to war, but then thought maybe that was WW2, when my 2 grandfathers weren't called up because they were miners.  Perhaps he volunteered fully during another recruitment wave. My understanding of it all is limited...

[dowdstree]

I have just checked the A McKenna, Royal Scots, Service No 34681 as suggested by halired and on both the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Scottish National War Memorial Roll of Honour, Edinburgh Castle he is Andrew so not your man.

Your Ardel/Ardle does not show up on either site as being a casualty of WW1. So you can safely assume that he survived and save your money by not subscribing to Forces War Records.

My gut feeling is that he went abroad.

Dorrie

[AuntieMomo]

Thanks Dorrie.  I'd be very glad to find out that either he didn't fight or if he did, that he survived.  There is another document on Ancestry from WW1 that is connected to him, but when you view it, there is only one page and the only content is next of kin: Father, John, St John's Street, Stirling.  No other info of any kind so I'm not sure why it's attached to Ardle, even if the next of kin is correct.

Through the suggestions above, I've found out that his sister Elizabeth went to the US in 1913, sister Esther in 1919, father John in 1921, all to Chicago.  His brother Henry married in 1926 in Stirling, and I can't find him in the US so I'm tending to assume he stayed in the UK. His sister Catherine also married in Stirling, and I can't find her in the US, so I'm assuming the same as Henry. And that's it.  Perhaps he never married, never had children, and died using a different form of his name.

Thanks anyway!

[AuntieMomo]

Ha ha, you were right mckha489, Henry did make it to the US, I found his obituary which nailed down the wife Janet and yes, a son Ardel.  It's really a lot of perseverance this isn't it?

[dowdstree]

That's great that you have solved the mystery.

It does take a lot of perseverance and time but in the end if you can find a missing person then it is worthwhile.

Dorrie

[AuntieMomo]

I still haven't found Ardle, but I think I need to leave him alone for a while and come back to it another time.  The rest of his family have been really interesting and has solved some family tree connections.

Thanks Dorrie!

[ecksdochter]

     Sadly, found this report on the British Newspaper Archives website.
     "Stirling Observer" Tuesday 11th December 1917.
          "Millhall Miner Killed"
     "Drummer Ardel McKenna, who, as reported in our columns last week, was killed in Palestine on the 12th November. Deceased was a son of Mr John McKenna, miner, 44 Broad Street, Stirling. He joined the Black Watch shortly after the outbreak of the war, and was latterly with the Royal Scots. He was formerly employed at Millhall Colliery."
     Report includes a photograph of Ardel, and, although a reference is made to "in our columns last week," this is the only article I found.
     Such a sad waste of a lovely young man. Rest In Peace.
               Regards,     Dod.

[AuntieMomo]

Oh Dod. This has made me very sad. Thank you so much, I'm very, very grateful. I will try to get that report and photo.  He would have been 20. Rest in peace, indeed.

Thanks all.  Auntiemomo