Strange Memo . . .

[suey]

Fascinating story!
Keep looking mike175, 6 years isn't long in this game!   With all the new information coming on-line by the day I'm sure you'll turn him up somewhere, do keep us posted.

Suey

[mike175]

Just a quick update, since you asked: 

Well, it seems that perseverance may have been rewarded thanks to the amazing and growing volume of records on Ancestry. There is no absolute proof as yet but the evidence is becoming very convincing.

Since the earlier posts I have found a passenger list dated 1882 for the ship Cynosure bound from London to Sydney. At the end of the page is a note: "Stowaway Thomas Foss"

In 1888 there is a marriage to Alice Jane Davis in Gunnedah, New South Wales, which produced three children. Thomas was a police constable in NSW during that time.

However, things took a darker turn in 1899 when he appears to have deserted his wife and family and was believed to have gone to South Africa with a woman named Charlotte Peterson: in 1913 his sister in England instigated an inquiry into his whereabouts, so she obviously believed it was the same Thomas.

To be continued . . . (I have further evidence that he may have emigrated yet again - to the U.S.A. but I'm still trying to verify this)

Mike.

[alpinecottage]

However, things took a darker turn in 1899 when he appears to have deserted his wife and family and was believed to have gone to South Africa with a woman named Charlotte Peterson: in 1913 his sister in England instigated an inquiry into his whereabouts, so she obviously believed it was the same Thomas.

That would match the tone of the note. 

Would the Australian marriage certificate give Thomas' parents details?

[mike175]

Would the Australian marriage certificate give Thomas' parents details?

Thanks, that may be worth looking into. Unfortunately, from some of the information I have Thomas may not have been entirely honest about his background; understandable in the circumstances   There are sufficient consistencies to make me fairly sure it is the same man, but he seems to have had at least three different "wives" and his age is a little variable

One of the more convincing aspects of the USA records is that his first "wife" there is Charlotte, and their two children bear almost identical names to his first family in Oz

I'll keep you posted.

Mike.

[mike175]

The saga continues . . . 

On 6th January 1902 the SS "Ventura", sailing from Sydney, arrived at San Francisco carrying amongst its passengers: Thomas Foss, 39yrs, Hotel Keeper; Charlotte Foss, 29yrs, wife; and Thomas Foss, 1yr 2mth. Their last place of residence is shown as New Zealand. On 12th June in that year Thomas declared his intention to become a Citizen of the U.S.A., and on 17th December 1909 completed a Petition for Naturalization, by which time he and Charlotte had two children. Somewhat confusingly they bore almost identical names to two of Thomas' earlier children in Australia: Thomas A. and Olive Irene.

A Thomas Augustus Foss was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1900 (sounds like the one), and Olive Irene was born in 1902 in Los Angeles.

Thomas Herbert, having dropped his middle name, appears in the 1910 census with Charlotte and the two children, in 1920 he is living with a different woman, Emily T Foss, but still with the same two children, and ten years later he is living alone, status: divorced!

Along with various other bits of corroborating evidence, there is a death record for Thomas junr. dated 10 Jul 1967, Los Angeles, which shows his mother's maiden name as Peterson so I'm fairly sure it is the same Thomas that abandoned his family in Oz and ran away with Charlotte Peterson. What I still don't have conclusive proof for is whether he is in fact my relative from England . . . I'm hoping to find the next generation, either in Australia or in the U.S. but no luck so far . . .

Mike.

PS. Still waiting for the NSW Marriage Certificate

[MargP]

Hi

There is a Will for William Foss the Father, I wonder if William Junior, is mentioned

Thomas Foss,  of Abbotts Hall Cottages, Stand le Hope, Essex, died the 14 Jan 1904, probate London, 9 Feb, to Joseph Massey Sullings, builder, Effects, £265.00

Margp

[mike175]

Hi MargP,

Yes, Thomas senior's will was on my "to do" list. Maybe now would be a good time "to do" it   

Thanks for the prompt, I just downloaded the form.

Mike.

[ThrelfallYorky]

-But we still don't know why the date of 1st June reminded his sister of him??? Will we ever find out??

[Finley 1]

What an interesting Post, this is what this game is all about.

xin