Where are you Harry Davenport ??

[congletonian]

I have Harry Davenport born 5/6/1899 at Congleton Cheshire, emigrated to Canada 1912. He enlisted in the CEF in 1915 but was discharged as underage a year later. Then I can find no trace of him till yesterday when I found Harry John Davenport same DOB and place of birth crossing border into US I think in 1941 or 51. It must be him though I never knew he had a middle name. I want to find if he married and when he died. Does anyone know where I go from here as Ancestry does not seem to have him after the border crossing ??

Thanks for looking
Liz

[Elaine ..Spain]

What are the names of Harry's parents?

[congletonian]

Hi Elaine
they are Charles and Caroline. They also emigrated to Canada with Harry and Ellen,Annie,Lucy and Elsie in 1912. Two other children, Charles and James emigrated the previous year. The family lived at Revelstoke ,BC

Liz

Just thought I should mention both Harry and James fibbed about their ages when they enlisted in the CEF

[Elaine ..Spain]

Thanks - that's the family I thought it might be! There are marriages on FamilySearch for Annie, Lucy, Elsie & Charles - but I expect you have found those already!
Struggling to find anything for Harry unfortunately.

[congletonian]

Yes I found some of those marriages Elaine but nothing for Harry. I thought it was odd that I couldn't find his death in US (if he stayed there) as I think it should come up on the social security death index ?? He really is a mystery man.However I haven't got a marriage for Charles (junior) now how have I missed that ! I know Annie married Shearing,Lucy married House and Elsie = Silversides .My great aunt stayed in touch with Annie and Lucy for many years and also with their children. I wish she was here now so I could ask about Harry.

Liz

[Darksecretz]

not that it helps any but I am sure I have read it somewhere that if you went to live in the US/Canada and only had one Christian name you had to 'invent' another, [which might be why he suddenly appears with John as a middle name] [which is why many in the US have their maiden name as another name, I think!]

[congletonian]

Gosh Julie I've never heard of that, I wonder why ?

Liz

[Elaine ..Spain]

Yes I found some of those marriages Elaine but nothing for Harry. I thought it was odd that I couldn't find his death in US (if he stayed there) as I think it should come up on the social security death index ?? He really is a mystery man.However I haven't got a marriage for Charles (junior) now how have I missed that ! I know Annie married Shearing,Lucy married House and Elsie = Silversides .My great aunt stayed in touch with Annie and Lucy for many years and also with their children. I wish she was here now so I could ask about Harry.

Liz

Charles married Nellie Saunders - shown on his death registration .. sorry can't find the actual marriage date!

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FLPQ-6VN

[Darksecretz]

Gosh Julie I've never heard of that, I wonder why ?

Liz

I have no idea, but I am sure I read it on site here!..

[congletonian]

That's great thanks Elaine. I'll look for his marriage now.If only Harry would show up somewhere too !

Liz

[Elaine ..Spain]

The deaths for parents Charles Henry & Caroline are also on FamilySearch (if you haven't already got them).

[susan h]

Hi Liz,

If you haven't seen this database before it's a fantastic resource. http://search-collections.royalbcmus...gy/BasicSearch
There are links to original records and Lucy's marriage certificate is on there, I don't have time to search further (evening meal to cook). Have a nose around I'm sure you'll find it interesting. A quick search by me didn't find anything for Harry.

Note to Mods/Admin, if it's not in your Wiki maybe it could be added.

[congletonian]

thanks Elaine yes I have them . Just found what I think is Charles' marriage to Nellie (Ellen) Saunders in 1913 in Mansfield Notts. They then a month later or so came to Canada (the first time for Nellie ) on the Empress of Ireland. Wonder how Charles came to meet Nellie in England?? More and more questions .

Liz

[Elaine ..Spain]

Thanks for the link Susan, have added it to the Canada page in the reference library.

[congletonian]

Oh susan that's great . I looked up Lucy's marriage and the witnesses are Elsie Davenport and I think H Davenport which must be Harry !

What a great resource,I've put that in my favourites Thank you

Liz

[susan h]

Did you see Caroline's death cert? So much info there, her parent's names, length of time in Canada, full birth date, name of informant (son in law), where buried and cause of death.

If only all archives provided such a wonderful free database!

[congletonian]

that's just fantastic Susan. I had no idea so much detail was available. I'm going to look up the rest of the Davenports and see what else I can find. Thank you so much

Liz

[bcbrit]

Hi Liz,

I have found two Harry Davenports in BC, on ancestry.ca - Canada Voters Lists

Harry Davenport #1

1940 in rooming house, 973 Howe Street, Vancouver - a baker
1949 1116 Howe Street, Vancouver - factory worker - 10 others at same address
1957 756 Bidwell Street, Vancouver - retired - residing with a couple. Bidwell is close to Howe Street.

Harry # 2

1945 - Haney BC ( small town ) Harry - clerk with Mrs Harry
1949 - as above.

A couple of thoughts - if Harry died after 1991 he won't be online yet. You would have to know his dod to order a death certificate.

Have you tried contacting Revelstoke Museum and Archives ? They have the local paper on files from 1890 - 1951. They also carry files on local people. Revelstoke is a small community - about 8 thousand residents , I believe - so there may be something in their archives.

The other thing to do is ask if they can give you the obits for his parents and siblings ( if they remained in the area ). Obits over here can have lots of details, especially if they were know in the community. The smaller the community, the better known they were.

bcbrit

[bcbrit]

Hi Liz,

Re: Social Security Index - it is my understanding ( and I could be wrong ) that it was used mostly for people who had worked. So if Harry didn't work in the States, he would not have required one. I have a couple of women who were housewives all their life, and they didn't have a SS number.

Are you aware that Harry's brother James died in WW1? Check out Canadian Great War Project.

Going back to the BC Archives -

Revelstoke Supreme Court Probate/Estate Files 1902 - 1952
Charles Davenport d. 1944
GR2249 BCA Reel # B09577 File # 16/1944

Chilliwack Probate Files 1916 - 1981
Caroline Davenport d. 1947
GR2204 BCA Reel # B09421 File # 64/1947
Charles H. Davenport d.1947
GR2204 BCA Reel# B09421 File # 65/1947

I wonder if there is anything mentioned in their wills about Harry ?

I think to get copies of the wills you would need to hire a reseacher to go to the BC Archives in Victoria.

bcbrit

[congletonian]

Oh thank you bcbrit. You've given me alot to be going on with there. Yes I do know about his brother James . He was killed on 3rd june 1916 at Zillbeke while a stretcher bearer. He is buried at Railway dugouts cemetery just outside Zillbeke near Ypres. We have been visiting his grave at least once a year for the last 10 years or more. He was in the 15th battalion ,48th highlanders of Canada. I have a photo of him in uniform which belonged to my great aunt. Also a deeply touching letter (from her to him)returned to her after his death and which he will never have read in which she says (I do hope you are ok as we haven't heard from you for some time). An officer had written on the returned envelope "killed in action". What a shock for my grandmother and family to receive that letter.I never thought of cotacting Revelstoke museum so I'll look into that. As you say the parents' wills may give some useful info. I did use a researcher to get James and Harry's service records a couple of years ago. My great aunt who outlived my grandmother often spoke of the family in Revelstoke but they had never visited them. Some of the family in Canada (James' sisters) came to Congleton a couple of times to visit.I assume you are in British Columbia ? Thanks so much for taking the time to help me ! Liz