My elusive grandfather (find, search, world, government)
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My cousins and I have tried to find out more about our GF (William Haines Graham), but to no avail. His children (all dead except one) have nothing much to say about him, except that he was born in Fall River, MA on 21 August, 1878. They also know the names of GF's parents, and that GF's father (William N) was an engineer who helped build the Chicago EL, and his wife Susan Haines was from indiana. However, there is no birth record for GF at Fall River under that name, and his adult census records say that GFs parents were born in Pennsylvania. First mystery - why was he born in Fall River when his folks were from PA, and did not live in Fall River?
The story has it that as a boy or young man, GF had to go live with relatives in the UK for a while, possibly due to being orphaned. I have a photo of someone who could be him from an Ashton Under Lyne studio. He married his first wife Clara in 1911, but does not show up in the US census (that I can find) until he is close to 40 years old. I cannot find GF's family in the Census, for either MA, PA or IL. GF shows up in US draft registrations for the first (1918) and second world wars. Second mystery? When did he return to the U.S.?
To throw more wrinkles into the mix, I had my paternal male cousin test his DNA - (his autosomal DNA matches mine), and GF does not match any Grahams. However, he is a very close match to individuals in the Rushing, Hough/Huff, and West families. HIs DNA (P-109) derives from a part of England with Nordic DNA.
Third mystery- was he adopted?
Born in 1878, married in 1911. Registered for draft in first and second world war. Can not be the same person. Perhaps its a father and son mixup?
Agreed that something's not right here. The WW I draft is possible, but he'd have been 62 years old in 1940, and I don't think the US was interested in drafting guys that old in 1940.
It's entirely possible that you have two unrelated people with the same name whose records somehow became combined into a single "person" through somebody making faulty assumptions. Neither William nor Graham are particularly unusual names, and somebody could have assumed that "William H Graham" on a record meant "William Haines Graham" when maybe it stood for "William Henry Graham".
My hometown in Upstate NY has 3 distinct branches of Allens. They all originally came from New England, but weren't related to each other in the US as far as anybody can tell, have never intermarried, and still have numerous members living in the same area. They favor many of the same first names, too: David, Michael, Cynthia, and Catharine being the most popular in the 20th century. This is further complicated in that there are many other families named Allen, some related and some not, scattered throughout the Southern Tier, and more complicated still because this area didn't have officially named roads until some time after WW II!
I imagine that people in Michigan or California who are doing genealogy on their Allen ancestors could easily become confused and think that the David Allen found living in this township in 1910 and the 1920 censuses were the same person, especially if there are plausible changes in situations, when "he" might actually be two different people.
I see a marriage to a Clara Young in Philadelphia in 1911. Is that him?
This is from Ancestry.com. I wish I had more time to search. Maybe we can find him though.
ETA: Are your relatives certain that he is the one born in Fall River? I saw the record in Ancestry but there is also a William Graham b 1878 in Philadelphia and there are probably William Grahams born elsewhere in that same year. You would have to see the entire record to know if the father's name matches.
Last edited by in_newengland; 10-01-2015 at 01:02 PM..
Agreed that something's not right here. The WW I draft is possible, but he'd have been 62 years old in 1940, and I don't think the US was interested in drafting guys that old in 1940.
That's true but, in 1942, men up to age 64 were required to register for the draft (and draftees up to age 45).
Agreed that something's not right here. The WW I draft is possible, but he'd have been 62 years old in 1940, and I don't think the US was interested in drafting guys that old in 1940.
Since his name includes the II, I'm assuming this is the SON of the William Graham the OP is looking for, and the William Sr. was not in WW2.
However, William Jr's obituary is included and includes some small facts that might be helpful, such as that his father was a machinist and his mother a registered nurse.
I'd imagine the OP knows the names of all of her parent's brothers and sisters, so it should be easy to verify that this is the son. If it is, then some of the facts in the obituary for the son might help. For instance, knowing he was a "machinist" may point to some research resources in Philadelphia.
Also, rmm -- have you been able to verify that William Sr's parents definitely were NOT in Mass. when he was born? It is possible that his parents might have been visiting when she gave birth, even if their residence was elsewhere. You might broaden the search a little bit for birth records for him to the area surrounding Fall River. It's possible she gave birth to him in a larger city or town nearby but he was told he was born in Fall River. Is Fall River near Boston?
Since his name includes the II, I'm assuming this is the SON of the William Graham the OP is looking for, and the William Sr. was not in WW2.
However, William Jr's obituary is included and includes some small facts that might be helpful, such as that his father was a machinist and his mother a registered nurse.
I'd imagine the OP knows the names of all of her parent's brothers and sisters, so it should be easy to verify that this is the son. If it is, then some of the facts in the obituary for the son might help. For instance, knowing he was a "machinist" may point to some research resources in Philadelphia.
Also, rmm -- have you been able to verify that William Sr's parents definitely were NOT in Mass. when he was born? It is possible that his parents might have been visiting when she gave birth, even if their residence was elsewhere. You might broaden the search a little bit for birth records for him to the area surrounding Fall River. It's possible she gave birth to him in a larger city or town nearby but he was told he was born in Fall River. Is Fall River near Boston?
I can answer one question: Fall River is not near Boston. Fall River is an small, old city on the southern shore of Mass. That area was known for ship building and then for industry. There are a few towns around it but it's not really in the Boston area.
As I said above, there is a birth record for him in Fall River. Is that where the OP is getting the information or did the family already have that information. AND there is a birth record for a William (no middle name) Graham in Philadelphia in the same year.
During WWII in the U.S. the gov't. did what's known as the "old man's draft." These men were not intended to be drafted, but the gov't. wanted a census of usable civilian skills.
Included men with a date of birth from April 28, 1877 to February 16, 1897.
On April 27, 1942, the Selective Service conducted the fourth of six draft registrations. The "World War II Selective Service Draft Cards: Fourth Registration, 1942" is often referred to as the “Old Man’s Registration” or the “Old Man’s Draft".
This regsitration was different from the others conducted by the government. It's sole purpose was to gather information regarding manpower resources in the United States. The registration included men born between 27 April 1877 and 16 February 1890 - ages 45 to 64 - and listed their industrial capacity and skills that could be used for military support during World War II.
William Haines Graham
born Fall River, Mass, Aug. 21, 1878
living at 3921 N. Tenth St., Phil., PA
Name of person who will always know address: Mrs. Oceania D. GRAHAM, Elmer, NJ, R.D. #1
Employer's name/address: Edw. G. Budd Mfg. Co., Hunting Park Ave. at 25th, Phil., Pa
There's a photo of him & it lists his wife & children.
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