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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: keithwjones on Saturday 26 August 17 16:30 BST (UK)
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Joseph G Davis, 30, Actor, with wife Mary Isabel Davis, 27, an Actress left the UK in 1904 for New York.
He was a successful actor known as James Gunnis-Davis.
In 1910 he is in New York:
James Gunnis-Davis
Mary I Gunnis-Davis
James I J Gunnis-Davis - son born in 1907
In 1930 the family were resident in Los Angeles and by this time they were enumerated as James Gunnis-Davis, Mary I Gunnis-Davis and James S Gunnis-Davis, aged 23 a Motion Picture Photographer. Obviously young James Jnr followed the family profession into the movies and also changed his middle name.
James Snr - Died: March 23, 1937 (age 63) in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is buried in Hollywood Forever Cemetery. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11280518 (http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=11280518)
Does anyone have any knowledge of this family?
Keith
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His death certificate gives his parents as Alfred Davis & Janet Gunnis.
DC: http://www.rootschat.com/links/01klm/
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Thank you, did not appreciate that Gunnis is obviously her maiden name.
In 1891 in UK the family were:
Alfred Davis Head M 63 Batheaston, Somersetshire, England
Janet Davis Wife F 46 Hampshire, England
Zoe E Davis Daughter F 18 Northumberland, England
Joe G Davis Son M 17 Co Durham
Dora V Davis Daughter F 16 Scotland
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Birth of son, 1906 in NY:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WHQ-VGP
Son appears in later records as "Jack Gunnis Davis" - died in California, 1992:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGBW-66L
shows his mother's name as "Michael"
I think this is probably Mary and son Jack in 1940:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K94X-VF8
Back in England, he appears to have married under the name Joseph Gunnis Davis to Mary Isobel Denton-Cardew.
Possibly she is the previous wife of Harry Warnell Denton Cardew (married in 1889, he died 1894).
It appears she then (as Mary Denton Cardew or Mary Denton-Cardew) married to Spencer Trevor Andrews, who divorced her in 1901 with J.G. Davis as co-respondent. (http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7995317 )
Some information about the divorce here including confirmation that she was the widowed Mrs Denton-Cardew when she married Spencer:
http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3375200/3375202/36/
http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3482919/3482923/100/
She has told a small lie about her age in the 1901 census where she is living with J.G. Davis and her daughter Mary (born Mary Isobel Denton Cardew).
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X94K-6TM
The entire family are together in the 1915 NJ state census:
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV93-7QHM
Mary also had a son with Harry Warnell Denton Cardew, but he sadly died in WWI:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1752521/DENTON-CARDEW,%20WARNELL%20De%20MONTIGNY
(mentions his mother as Mary Gunnis Davis).
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Mary Isabel Gunnis Davis
CADI: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGTN-4B8
Obit: (see attached)
The San Bernardino County Sun
San Bernardino, California
Sunday, July 16, 1944 - Page 9
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James G. Davis obit (see attached)
The Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles, California
Wednesday, March 24, 1937 - Page 46
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James Irving John Gunnis-Davis / Jack Gunnis Davis
Birth: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2WHQ-VGP
CADI: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VGBW-66L
Obit: (see attached)
The San Bernardino County Sun
San Bernardino, California
Friday, January 24, 1992 - Page 13
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Thank you a lot of good information for me to work through.
Is it possible to find out the name of the daughter of Jack G. Davis, as stated in obit?
Keith
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I assumed that she was still living, so I had to cross her name out.
This link will give you the news snippet with her name.
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01klo/
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Thank you, I thought that might be the case. She could well be alive as you say.