Missing John Caldwell

[auntya]

Hi,
I’m hoping you kind people out there can help me.
I’ve been searching for sometime now for information on what became of an ancestor of mine...

John Caldwell born 16/01/1878 in Glasgow to Robert & Isabella Caldwell (maiden name Murray).
I have lots of info up to the 1901 census, which shows him with his parents and siblings living in Lambhill Street, Govan, Glasgow then nothing!
I’ve gone down various ‘avenues’ but never found anything conclusive. Then, recently a couple of things came to light....

A relative recalls (as a child in the mid 1960’s) a visitor to her parents house whom her father called uncle John! She also recalls her father taking a phone call a couple of years later informing him that uncle John had died. She thought this may have been approx 1967.

I’ve searched various death records but drawn a blank. However, last week, I came across something which I think could be a record of him!
Social Security Applications and Claims index...

John Murray Caldwell
Born 16/11/1878 (could this possibly be a transcription error??)
Birthplace U.K.
Father Robert Caldwell
Mother Isabella Murray
SSN 573167867

Notes... Feb 1937 name listed as John Murray Caldwell

Would anyone be able to access anymore information that might be held that might tell me what became of him and when he died?

Of course, this could be another John Caldwell but I’m hoping this could be the one.

Many thanks

[RJ137]

John Murray Caldwell
Born 16/11/1878 (could this possibly be a transcription error??)
Birthplace U.K.
Father Robert Caldwell
Mother Isabella Murray
SSN 573167867

Notes... Feb 1937 name listed as John Murray Caldwell

According to SSN Verification, the number 573-16-7867  was issued in California between 1936-1950.

https://www.ssn-check.org/verify/573-16-7867

================

I see no death record associated with that SSN in the SSDI

[shellyesq]

There is a John Caldwell of the right age in California in the 1930 census.  He is an inmate in a hospital, came to the US in 1908, and filed his first papers for naturalization.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GR78-3J3?i=6&cc=1810731&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXCXN-LRM

Could be a possibility.

[shellyesq]

There's a John Murray Caldwell who has a WWI draft registration card with the same date and month of birth as your guy, but he's listed as born in 1875.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KZVP-QLT  He was living in Oakland, California.

[shellyesq]

There is a John Caldwell who died in Alameda Co., California in 1941.  https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGTN-83Y  Another version of this index lists him as born about 1878, so could be a match. 

This John Caldwell appears to have died in car accident and was described as a 63 year old transient in this newspaper article - https://newspaperarchive.com/obituary-clipping-dec-01-1941-1451929

[auntya]

RJ137 & Shellyesq.... thank you for responding so quickly!

RJ137. CALIFORNIA!! Somewhat different to Glasgow!
If there is no death associated with the Social Security Number does that mean he must have died elsewhere or is there still a possibility he could have died in the U.S?

Shellyesq
The John Murray Caldwell on WW1 draft registration card looks promising (apart from that birth year!)and possibly the 1930 census.

Would naturalisation papers contain detailed information about a person and if so would they still exist and be accessible?
Also, would there be more records relating to the WW1 registration card?

Apologies for my ignorance re American records.
I’m so grateful for all your help.
Thank you

[shellyesq]

The Social Security Death Index covers people whose death was reported to the Social Security Administration.  They could have died anywhere in or outside of the US.  This explains a bit about it:

The Social Security Death Index (SSDI) is a database of people whose deaths were reported to the Social Security Administration (SSA) beginning about 1962. A small number of deaths are listed before 1962. It was created from the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. Due to restrictions enacted in March 2014, new entries to publicly available versions of the Social Security Death Index will not be available for three years beginning on the date of an individual's death. You will not find everyone who died from about 1962 to about mid-March 2014, but it does list many deaths in that time frame, especially in more recent years (particularly after the late 1980s). It is close to being a national death index for the United States. If you find someone listed in the Social Security Death Index you can usually order a copy of the form they filled out when they applied for a Social Security Card (SS-5 application) from the Social Security Administration for a fee.

  https://www.deathindexes.com/ssdi.html

It varies a lot about what naturalization records are available online.  Some are, and some aren't.  From this era, the records would typically say when & on what ship they arrived, when and where they were born, and would name a spouse and children if they have any.

All men of a certain age were required to complete the draft registration card, but they weren't necessarily drafted.  If they weren't in the military, there wouldn't be any further records.

[auntya]

Many thanks Shellyesq for all this useful info.