Missing family on ionic ship 1897

[Jennaya]

Have I missed something. I thought JE was an accountant. Is this the same person who is a solicitor when his son dies?

I think he studied law in SA but was always an accountant or related job. Maybe this was a lie/error in the article or maybe I’ve missed something!

Fair enough. I'm amazed about the amount of information found in this thread. As an aside, I have a couple of ancestors who wanted to hide from deserted wives, so both changed their names to their mothers maiden name.

[majm]

I am not yet convinced that the JOHNSON/JOHNSTON passengers on the Ionic in 1897 were found to be John Edmund SMITH and his two sons. 

I don't see anything sinister in John Edmund SMITH and his two young sons quitting England and going to South Africa and becoming known there as FORREST. 

I don't see anything sinister in Ethel Edith Kate SMITH quitting her marriage and reverting to her nee name of MAHON, but I wonder why she was known as Mrs MAHON.

I wonder why there does not seem to be any advertising by Mrs Mahon or Mrs Smith in the newspapers for her missing children.   When did this family split up - sometime after 1891 census - so why did she wait until 1898 to make what appears to be just ONE formal enquiry about her children -and not in any UK paper, nor in any Australian newspaper, ONLY to the police in Victoria?
 Who did she know that had found the time to go through outward passenger list after outward passenger list until finding a possible male JOHNSON with 2 JOHNSON children travelling to Hobart?  - and of course we cannot find them either !

There's really only the one change of surname for Mr SMITH, and it was to his mother's surname.  I don't see that as seeking to deceive or commit a fraud.   The surname FORREST in South Africa late 19th century :  a submitted tree :  https://www.1820settlers.com/genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I113885&tree=master

JM[

quote author=majm link=topic=857317.msg7266583#msg7266583 date=1642901235]
Yes, it could well be he was simply running from his wife.  He took the children, a very brave thing to do in those times.  He gave them his protection from her during their childhood.  He did not put them into orphanages.  There is integrity in those decisions,  the family name is retained.


The research done once that FORREST sighting was found is absolutely grand,  Well Done.

MODIFIED to strike out Ethel and type in Edith   


JM
[/quote]

[Neale1961]

Here is the passenger list for Owen E G Forrest and family onboard Ionic in 1908 from Capetown, South Africa to Wellington, NZ.
Interesting to note his brother Lionel is onboard too, and they say that they are “farmers”, which we know they were not.
 But apart from Owen’s wife, and brother, there is a 4th male person. Who might this be - a child?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJDJ-X97P

[mckha489]

Isn’t it John himself?

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19080908.2.100?items_per_page=10&query=Forrest+ionic&snippet=true

[mckha489]

I wonder if this is him going back

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DSJS-2VZM

[Neale1961]

Isn’t it John himself?

Ah, yes. Quite likely. It had not occurred to me that his adult children would need a "parental escort" to New Zealand.

[Arnside98]

Initials look like J E to me and I’m sure it John. I wondered why the boys left alone, it makes sense that they all went. Wonder why John returned to South Africa. Thanks for finding that I knew he was on the ionic arriving 8/9/08 but hadn’t found the records.

I’ve been looking at the Charles Forrest in the 1930 census living with Owen in Philadelphia as his son. He was apparently born in Perth and had a Spanish mother. Seems quite odd. He was born the same year as Robert Gordon in NZ. Anyone found out about this person?

Thank you all so much for your continued interest in this story and your unbelievable help in going through records of my family. My ancient mother (she won’t read that!) is very pleased with all the research.

[mckha489]

Initials look like J E to me and I’m sure it John. I wondered why the boys left alone, it makes sense that they all went. Wonder why John returned to South Africa. Thanks for finding that I knew he was on the ionic arriving 8/9/08 but hadn’t found the records.

in view of the letter to the editor by Owen, perhaps because he couldn't get work?

[mckha489]

I’ve been looking at the Charles Forrest in the 1930 census living with Owen in Philadelphia as his son. He was apparently born in Perth and had a Spanish mother. Seems quite odd. He was born the same year as Robert Gordon in NZ. Anyone found out about this person?

If it wasn't for the other census record for Robert O. (in the army) I would have said 'Charles" was him. But if it was, it should still give 'Soldier' as his occupation shouldn't it.

My father in law was apt to call anyone Charlie.  "Hey Charlie bring me the hammer". 

How was the US census compiled? I don't know. But if someone went door to door, Owen or Ruth might say, Oh and of course there is Charlie, forgetting to qualify it with the fact that he wasn't there. (and that Charles wasn't his name!)