William A Lavelle, circa 1852-March 3, 1924

[Fletcher_1971]

William is my kids' 3rd great grandfather, and his parents have been my brickwall for 17 years. The biggest issue is that the first time I find William on a census record is 1910 in Chicago, Illinois. I have his parents as Anna/Hannah Sweeney and Jas/James Lavelle from either Ireland or PA.

He was an actor, stage manager, wild west performer from the 1870s-1910s, which is the major reason he doesn't appear on many census records. I do have him in many cast lists found in newspapers, so I know where he was, I just don't know if he had siblings or not. In an Interview he gave he claimed to be from Pennsylvania, but I have no evidence of that, other than his death record, which I have and the census records from 1910 and 1920.

He had one child, who was named William after him, but later was renamed John Henry. John Henry's mother, Clara/Clarice Erickson (Swedish born), lived in NYC the rest of her life after arriving in the 1880s (I believe).

What I'm looking for is a few sharp pairs of eyes that can help me find him in 1860 - 1880 (I'm doubtful he will appear in 1880 as he was probably on the road. I know he survived the Newhall House Hotel(WI) fire in 1883 while traveling with a theatre troupe. And, as he aged, he appeared to be the double of Buffalo Bill, and was once sued by Cody for performing a show that was too close to his own.

I appreciate any help.

[amondg]

Where are you getting his parents names from?

[Fletcher_1971]

From the marriage record of his second marriage to Henrietta Rosch in Ohio in 1903, and an interview he gave around 1912.

[Lisa in California]

The article in 1913 seems to indicate that he was born prior to 1852, possibly years prior, as his name was supposedly Col. William A. Lavelle who was a veteran of the (American) civil war.  I know boys also served, but would they had earned a military rank that young?

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01spd/

Added: Welcome to RootsChat. 

[Fletcher_1971]

I have found no evidence to prove his year of birth, and I think his 'Colonel' title was not given by the army. He was a stage actor/stage manager from the 1870s-1890s, and later in his life mostly dressed like Buffalo Bill and worked in Wild West shows and circuses, I think the 'Colonel' title was added to compete with Cody - they looked very much alike. Not sure if I can post a photo here or not due to copyright issues. I'm not even sure if Lavelle was his real name - I just think it's an odd name to choose as a stage name. The earliest record I have for him is on the birth record for his son born in 1887, where he is 'William A Lavelle'.

I have the idea that he was a tall-tale teller, the interview he gave in 1912, before he left for Australia with a Wild West trip that was later abandoned there - he would have been in his 60s probably, and he told a tale about being a spy - he would have been a teenager at the end of the war, he mentions specific people and battles that I couldn't prove. As an actor, he appears on cast lists with Edwin Booth, John Wilkes Booth's famous acting brother. But I can't find much evidence of his non-acting life except for an incident where he stabbed a theater manager in NYC in 1901. As far as I can tell he wasn't indicted and the theater manager survived.

[Fletcher_1971]

I do believe that his birth year is circa 1850, as he is recorded as being 37 at the time his son was born in 1887. His death record indicated his birth year was 1852, but also indicated his age was 74, just bad math, I suppose.

I did search for military records for him, and looked for him in the pension records, I do believe that if he had served he would have applied for benefits as the acting career did not pay that much, and one of the acting societies of the time paid for his burial in 1924.

[oldohiohome]

Where are you getting his parents names from?

maybe his second marriage, Hamilton County, Ohio, 1903
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZ14-R7Y

edit: which also says he was a resident of New York when he married.

[oldohiohome]

The article in 1913 seems to indicate that he was born prior to 1852, possibly years prior, as his name was supposedly Col. William A. Lavelle who was a veteran of the (American) civil war.  I know boys also served, but would they had earned a military rank that young?

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01spd/

Added: Welcome to RootsChat. 

his bio on findagrave says:
He assumed the title of 'Colonel' inspired by Buffalo Bill being called 'Colonel Cody'.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/225414312/william-a-lavelle

[oldohiohome]

his death record in Chicago in 1924 says he was born in Philadelphia, but I can't find him there or anywhere else. Or his parents either.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NQ5X-TT5

He might be in some of the Manhattan City Directories before and after his son's birth there in 1887, but I didn't look. He said he was a resident of New York when he married Henrietta in 1903.