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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: C_Bishop on Friday 24 October 08 01:16 BST (UK)
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Hi everyone.
I was wondering if anyone out there knows how i can go about researching my 3x gt Uncle George S Harris. From what family say, he immigrated from London to the USA, he lived in Hawaii, he worked for a company Castle and Cooke, where he met his wife (the bosses daughter) Violet Cooke. Now this is where i get a little stuck. I'm not sure what year he actually ventured to America, or where the marriage took place (assuming in San Francisco or Hawaii) Family say they came over to the UK on their honeymoon, but for some reason out stayed their visa. Violet was allowed back in as she was a USA citizen, but George was stuck on Ellis Island where he had to wait until his case was investigated. How long he stayed there we have no idea, but he contracted tuberculosis which advanced speedly and he soon died. Now i have Violet and George in the 1920 census together living in Honolulu as a married couple so i just don't know how this all fits together. By 1930 George has died and Violet is a widow. I also have a number of shipping records, the last travel document of George and Violet together was in 1923 which maybe when they returned from the UK (maybe a belated honeymoon??)
Is there any resouces out there which could have George's case on Ellis Island? I have tried to find his death but have had no luck either. Would love to give this elusive Uncle some kind of timeframe on his adventure to the USA.
Any help or advice would be much appreciated!
Thanks
Cat
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The only traveling I could find for this couple was from Hawaii to San Francisco, California. However I did find the following:
George S Harris b.1892 immigration year 1918 (from 1920 Census)
1920 married to Violet Cooke b Sept 14, 1888
Violet traveled to San Francisco in September 1927 without George so maybe
he was deceased by that time. On the 1930 Census in Hawaii it lists an adopted daughter.
Violet died Sep 15 1970 Kula, Maui, Hawaii
merjones
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Hi merjones
Thank you for your responce. I didn't see the immigration year on that census so thank you for pointing that out! I'm thinking he may have died in 1923 if the family story is correct as they have a shipping document stating they were travelling to Honolulu from a foreign port, in handwriting down the bottom of the page it looks like it says something about a immigrant inspection.
Yes Violet ended up adopting 3 girls, and she never remarried.
Is there any resources that i can use to find Violet and Georges marriage. And what is the case with death records around the 1920-25 era, i haven't been able to find any deaths for George. Maybe due to his possible death on Ellis Island and not being a USA citizen??
Thank you once again for your help.
Cat
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CORRECTION:
Wife mey have been named Violet Atherton!
I have just recently made contact with her neice and she refers to her as Violet Atherton Harris.
My direct family always only referred to her as 'Aunt Violet' but i had heard from another relative that he believed it was Violet Cooke.
Not sure! Yet would explain why i've found it hard to find anything. If this is the case then her mothers maiden name was definitely Cooke.
Off to search!
Cat ;D
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If he died within New York City, as I suspect Ellis Island would be considered to be at that time, you can try checking the death index at italiangen.org. I'm not having any luck finding them on any New York passenger lists. If George was detained at Ellis Island, there may be a record of that.
I found George & Violet on a passenger list for the SS Matsonia from Honolulu to San Francisco on 7 Mar. 1923. Unfortunately, it looks like Ancestry scanned the same page twice and didn't have a second page for them. At any rate, it says:
Harris, George S., age 31, male, married, occupation - acct, nationality - England, last permanent residence - Honolulu, T.H., nearest relative - father Robert Henry Harris, Middlesex, England, final destination - Honolulu, T.H.
Harris, Violet A. (not sure of middle initial, but A. would match Atherton), age 33, female, married, wife, nationality - England, all other info the same as George
I don't know too much about the details, but I recall that there was a time in immigration law that women who were US citizens gave up their US citizenship if they married a man who was a citizen of a different country. Maybe someone knows if that was applicable during this time.
I see Violet on a passenger list from Honolulu to San Francisco in Feb. 1928 and she is listed as widowed. She was listed as a US citizen born 14 Sep. 1888 in San Francisco. Her residence was Kula, Maui. Another passenger list from Honolulu to San Francisco in Sep. 1927 also lists Violet as widowed.
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Think it was sometime after WWI that women didn't automatically assume thier new husband's citizenship. My great-aunt (born in U.S.) married in U.S. in Aug.1922 and became a Turkish citizen for a time without ever leaving the U.S. She became a U.S. citizen again after husband applied for citizenship but even 60 years late she was quite annoyed about it.
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1900 Hawaii Territory
Violet M. Atherton born in California Sep 1888 (close) and living in Honolulu with:
Charles H. Atherton born 1867 in the Hawaiian Islands, his parents both born Massachusetts, occupation cashier.
Minnie M. Atherton born Aug 1866 in Ohio, her parents, New york
Juliet M. Atherton born Jun 1890 born in Hawaiian Islands
Laura Atherton born Aug 1892 in Hawaiian Islands
merjones
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Violet Atherton looks to be a match, as there is a passport application from 28 Jul 1916 for Violet M. Atherton who was born 14 Sep. 1888 in San Francisco and living in Honolulu. It says she can be communicated with at c/o Castle & Cooke, Ltd., Honolulu, Hawaii.
There's a tree on Ancestry that says Violet M. Atherton's parents are Charles Henry Atherton & Minnie Myrtle Merriam and her spouse is George S. Harris.
On Google books, an annual report published in 1922 by Hawaiian Mission Children's Society lists "Harris, Violet (Atherton), Mrs. Geo S Honolulu" as a life member of the society, 1921.
Also in Google books, Violet Merriam Atherton is listed as a student at Oahu College from 1899-06. Her address was 706 King Street, Honolulu. Also listed at the same address was Charles Henry Atherton, student from 1879-84, who married Minnie Merriam, and Laura Annis Atherton, student from 1899-06.
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1910 Honolulu
Frank Cooke Atherton, 1877, born Hawaii, parents born Massachusetts
Possible connection to your Violet Atherton through her father Charles. It's possible that Frank Cooke Atherton and Charles H. Atherton are brothers. And this would give you the Cooke connection.
1900 Honolulu
Joseph B. Atherton 62
Brigit Atherton 56
Frank C. Atherton 22 occupation bookkeeper
Kath M. Atherton 20
and a variety of household servants
merjones
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The Hawaiian Mission Children's Society annual report from 1920 lists the Harris-Atherton marriage in San Francisco, Sept. 23, 1919 between George Stephen Harris and Miss Violet Merriam Atherton.
The Hawaiian Mission Children's Society annual report from 1928 says "Violet (Atherton) Harris is now occupying her new home at Keokea, Maui, on the slope of grand old Haleakala."
A National Register of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution lists Charles Henry Atherton of Honolulu. He was the son of Joseph Ballard and Juliette Montague (Cooke) Atherton and grandson Amos Starr and Juliette (Montague) Cooke. His great-grandfathers Caleb Montague and Joseph Platt Cooke were in the Revolutionary War. Frank Cooke Atherton is also listed as the son of Joseph & Juliette.
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I found an article in the Hawaiian Gazette dated 1878-09-25 that reads "By the politeness of Mr. Atherton, of the firm of Messrs. Castle & Cooke we are favored with copies of the San Francisco Chronicle"
So it would seem that one of the Atherton's was employed at Castle & Cooke.
merjones
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Also in Google books, there is a book called Men of Hawaii by John William Siddall, George Ferguson, & Mitchell Nellist. There are brief biographies of Charles H. Atherton and brother Frank. Charles' daughters are listed as Violet, Juliette, and Laura. It says he worked for Castle & Cooke, Honolulu, since 1887 and was the treasurer.
A book on Hawaii place names says Atherton Street in Honolulu was named for Charles' father J.B. Atherton, who was president of Castle and Cooke Ltd. A mens' dormitory at the Honolulu YMCA was a gift of the Atherton family and named for Charles.
The Hawaiian Almanac and Annual for 1921 says, among a list of real estate purchases, "G.S. Harris the Bottomly house in Manoa for $21,000".
If you haven't done so already, I would try to look for his death in Hawaii. I'm not sure how people would travel from Hawaii or California to England, but I don't think it would definitely be through Ellis Island. Family stories have a way of making any port into Ellis Island...I have one of those stories in my family. ;) There are 2 people on raogk.org who do look-ups in Honolulu, so I'd recommend seeing if one of them can help you. If nothing pans out from death records, sometimes libraries have old city directories, and occasionally they will have a death date listed in them. If nothing turns up in Hawaii, then maybe you can try another avenue.
I found this about the naturalization issues for women: http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1998/summer/women-and-naturalization-1.html Since Violet married George between 1907 and 1922, it seems that she would have lost her US citizenship because of this.
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Hi Everyone
Thank you for that wealth of information! I can't believe how much everyone has found! From the new info i received from a relative of Violets alot of that fits. I'm definitely wondering about the Ellis Island story. The fact that Violets neice never heard the story says alot!
I will follow your advice and look for his death in Hawaii. Thank you all for all the new info on George and Violet (and her family) It is hugely appreciated! :D
Thanks
Cat
PS i had just been sent a photo of the house mentioned that Violet occupied in 1928....Its a very grand beautiful house still standing today!
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My wife, Karen Guard Luce, is the great niece of Violet. Contact me if you areinterestedi n more information
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Welcome to Rootschat. You have to have 3 posts before using PM (personal message) system which can then be used to exchange email addresses and other information which can't be posted online.
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Hi Sorock.
I have PM you....but now i've just read aghadowey's message and wondering if you have received it ???
Let me know!
Thanks for the message, great to hear from you.
Cat ;D
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No they won't met me readit until I have done 3 of something. ???
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;D write one more comment/post and then you can apparently
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Violet was the sister of my wife's grandmother, Juliette Montague Atherton, Violet married a Harris and Juliette Montague Atherton married John Buel Guard.
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Violet met Mr. Harris on a cruise to Australia, they had three adopted children, one was accidently killed when young as a result of a horse riding accident. ( I have the article) They travelled through Europe for a year, went to Honolulu, he was diagnosed with TB, livedon the Island of Maui, They adopted three kids, Barbara Jean, Juliette and Laura Anne (both same age adopted at same time). Laura Anne had two kids Todd and Scott (possibly both adopted). Laura Anne married a man named Stanley last name unknown.
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Sorock- details of living people can't be posted here but you should now have enough posts to use PM system. To contact C_Bishop just click on green scroll under their user name (on left side of the post), type your message in the box and then send (no one else will see your message).
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I found this page while researching Violet Harris Maui HI. My family owns a home on Maui that she had built in 1939. Her name is on the original blueprints hanging in the house, Paia, Maui, HI. Thanks for the interesting history revealed here.
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Hi petekotkas!
Wow thats great to hear from you. I think i have a photo of the house you are talking about. I will private message you.
Thanks
Cat
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Cat- remember new members need to make 3 posts before they can use personal message (pm) system.
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Hi aghadowey
Yes, i remember, but i have found they can read my message and i include my private email address for them to contact me.
Thanks
Cat
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I haven't received any information for months.
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George was my great uncle (My Grannies older brother...she was only five when he left for India )
He had a sugar plantation there. Then after contacting malaria three times decided to go to Mauii. He met Violet (aunty Vi) at the post office. He was tall and she was short and he helped her get her mail from her mail box. After he died she adopted three children. I have some more info but it's not with me. He wanted to take my Granny back to Mauii with him after he came to visit England when she was about 12.
Sarah
Park City, Utah
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Hello All! I'm Charlyn Piper granddaughter of Violet Merriam Atherton and George Stephen Harris. My mother is Juliette Montague Harris the last of her generation. Born April 6, 1931. My mom and two girls, Laura Ann & Barbara Jane, were abopted after George died in Waiakoa (Kula) Maui 1926. Violet raised the three girls as a single mom and never remarried. He is buried in the Makawao cemetery in Maui. Search Harris family and you will find some family information there. There is a lot of history as Violet's family were Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke who brought religion to the islands as well as educating King Kamehameha children and then eventually starting Castle & Cooke. There is a family book I have read which is titled Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke. The Children's Mission Society should be a wealth of information too! Attached is a picture of the house I believe Violet built after George died. This is the back of the house. I have been there many times! It was just sold in January 2022. I will see if I can find photos of George. I hope this helps.
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Hi. I haven't seen any new posts. I was hoping someone would respond to my last post about my grandfather, George Harris. I found a couple of photos of him. I will post them as well.