George Symons born USA

[louisem]

Thanks again for all the info. I have now found a Violet Symons - widow! - innkeeper of the Admiral Rodney in Ilfracombe in 1911 living very near Adelaide Lee (Leigh ) and George Symons. Census says she has one child living then this is crossed out. Birth Bix Oxfordshire which is part of Henley. I am thinking this is extremely likely to be the same Violet.
By this time John Symons is in New Jersey with another wife - Ellen McGrath - her 2 daughters and their 3 sons.
These stories are why I love family history.

[maddys52]

I think Adelaide Leigh may be Adelaide Amanda Mattick, daughter of George Shadrach Daniel Mattick , who was baptised 22 Mar 1860 at Stoke Gabriel.

Yes, that is a much better fit. 
There is an item mentioning Mrs Adelaide LEE representing her mother Adelaide MATTICK as executrix for her husband George S D MATTICK at Ilfracombe in 1916 (Thursday,  Nov. 16, 1916, North Devon Journal).

Modified to add:
For interest, his death notice -
"MATTICK .- March 26, at 7, Champernowne Terrace, Ilfracombe, Mr. George S. D. Mattick, aged 81 years."
   Thursday,  Apr. 6, 1916, North Devon Journal

[maddys52]

I have now found a Violet Symons - widow! - innkeeper of the Admiral Rodney in Ilfracombe in 1911

"The license of the Admiral Rodney was permanently transferred from Mr. T.G.H. Church to Mrs. Violet Milner Symons."
   Thursday,  July 20, 1911, North Devon Journal

She didn't hold the license for long - a "protection order" was made on 19 March 1912, and the license transferred to Mr Charles E HAMMETT on 15 April 1912.


On the index to birth registrations in NY, it has Violet's full name as Violet Lillian MATTICK. The item about the license transfer could have the wrong middle name. 

Modifed to add:
Oh, have found her baptism at St Mary, Henley on Thames 25 Feb 1878 - Violetta Hilda - so somewhat in between Milner and Lillian. 

[maddys52]

Adelaide had a sister , Violet L Mattick  born 1879 , who travelled to America and arrived New York 24 May 1903 on the ship New York.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JFRQ-TWP

Violet married John Symons 2 days later :
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2449-HYG

On the manifest for the SS New York which sailed from Southampton on 16 May 1903, Violet L MATTICK, 23 from Oxfordshire, (with $100) says she is going to join her "future husband 18 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island"

[louisem]

Thank you again for all the research. What a strange and complex story. I have found two odd things myself.
The first is another story from Wales Newspapers online. 1899. A John Henry Symons who cuts his wife’s throat with a razor. (Thankfully she survives). His age is wrong, and the wife’s name is Lily, but I am still wondering as he was repeatedly untruthful about his age and in my experience these historic newspapers often get names wrong. No clues from the address either as I can find no other references to the address anywhere online.
The second anomaly is that I have looked more closely at my family tree and seen that I also have a strong DNA link to the first daughter of John Symon’s third wife in New Jersey. I had assumed she couldn’t possibly be his child. She was born when he was still in the U.K. and was about 14 years old. All bewildering.

[louisem]

I guess my question is that is there any way it is possible that a teenage boy would go back and forth to the USA for work? From Cardiff? Seems highly unlikely.
Having said that most of my Cardiff ancestors were linked to the docks in some way and lots of the men went to sea. But at 14?

[maddys52]

A bit earlier, but I have an ancestor who went to sea aged 11, as ship's boy, in 1837. He later joined the merchant navy in 1847.