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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => Topic started by: Eve45 on Wednesday 23 March 22 04:53 GMT (UK)
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Hello all. I have a mortuary record from Ancestry's "California, County Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1849-1980" for Walter Morris SIMON. Walter is recorded on the MI of his mother in Wales, where Walter was born in 1866. But he died on 13 June 1896 at the City & County Alms House in San Francisco. I have information about his life, gathered from the usual sources and family stories, but do not know where he is buried. The record mentioned has his burial place as "City". Would that refer to a specific cemetery? Or maybe "City" equates to a pauper's burial wherever they could find room? Other burial places appearing on the same page include Holy Cross, Masonic, Odd Fellows, Cooper College, Cypress Lawn, Hills of Eternity, Calvary and Laurel Hill. The physician was W. E. Conlan and the undertaker was McAvoy & Gallagher. "City" is the burial place for 10 of the people on this page, of about 45 entries. I'm in Australia and hope that someone with local San Francisco knowledge might know what "City" means in this context. Thanks.
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https://www.sfheritage.org/news/landmarking-city-cemetery/
https://www.sfgenealogy.org/sf/history/hcmcit.htm
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The funeral company is now called - McAvoy O'Hara Funeral Home, 4545 Geary Blvd. San Francisco, California 94118
Tel 415 668 0077
Website
http://www.mcavoyohara.com
Doing business since 1850.
They will have records of where your ancestor was buried, or if older records have been donated to an Historical Society can give you additional information.
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Thanks so much - I haven't read it all yet but the information is really interesting. Walter was a clerk in Wales, then a mariner/seaman for some years, and also made a minor name for himself as a horseback wrestler in Australia, NZ and California. The family legend was that he died as a result of a fight or boxing match but the mortuary record says his cause of death was epilepsy. Fascinating stuff - thanks again!
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Thanks amondg, I'm just about to check out the website link you sent - much appreciated.
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Erato, I lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for many years. While I believe I heard about the cemetery (mentioned in the link), I never knew the full story. Very interesting link!
…The family legend was that he died as a result of a fight or boxing match but the mortuary record says his cause of death was epilepsy. Fascinating stuff - thanks again!
Eve45, I tried a short search for causes for epilepsy. One cause can be from severe head injury, head trauma, brain injury, etc. Perhaps there is a bit of truth to your family legend? Could he have been in a fight and eventually developed epilepsy as a result? 🤔
A brief obituary can be found on this website:
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/
Type “Walter M Simon”
If he was involved in a fight, perhaps there might be a brief write-up about it (using the above site). I didn’t find anything, but I just looked for a few minutes.
Update: there are a couple of other short articles about Mr. Simon.
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If he was involved in a fight, perhaps there might be a brief write-up about it (using the above site). I didn’t find anything, but I just looked for a few minutes.
Great site, Lisa in C!
There is this article from that site; hope the OP comes back to read it as it confirms much of the family legends!
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=DAC18890823.2.62&srpos=30&e=-------en--20--21--txt-txIN-Walter+M+Simon-------1