Robert Spencer, born Balbriggan, Ireland 1870

[Annechan]

Robert emigrated to Los Angeles County in 1919 with his wife Susan (nee Doran, 1870). Their son Robert Alfred had travelled out in 1916.  I have found the family living at Lomita Township, Torrance Precinct in the 1920 census, and the naturalization records for Robert and his son (1921). Robert A Spencer appears as an unmarried lodger, aged 33, in the 1930 census, but I would like to find out what happened to his parents.  I have tried Familysearch’s California death index, 1905-1939, but without success. Any ideas, please.     

[Lisa in California]

I cannot view additional details, but could this be him (found on FamilySearch):
1930 Temescal, Riverside, California
Robert Spencer, age 60, born c1870, Ireland.  Immigrated 1919.  Parents' birthplace: England.
Wife, Jane Spencer, age 61, born Ohio.  Parents' birthplace: Ohio.
Lodger, Karen D Finseth, age 53, born Norway.

[Annechan]

Thanks for that suggestion.  According to Ancestry, the Riverside Robert Spencer was a poultry farmer, which seems very different from his previous occupations of hosier in Ireland then machinist in California, but perhaps such things did happen.  And how did his change of wife come about?  I haven’t found a death for Susan in California, nor did I find a naturalisation record for her.  Did women usually go through the naturalization procedure in the 1920s?  Perhaps she didn’t like her new life and returned to Ireland? 

Alternatively, I have found a Robert Spence in the 1901 and 1906 Canadian censuses, born in Ireland about 1870, married to Jane and living at Manitoba. Could it be this family that later moved to Riverside?   

‘My’ Robert Spencer is the brother of my great grandfather Wrighthall Spencer, and I have been trying for years to find out about their parents, Francis Spencer and Mary Hardy / Harding (name is different on the 2 birth certificates).  The 1920 census says that Francis and Mary were both English, which I didn’t know before.  I hoped that if I could get Robert’s death certificate then this might give more details of his parents, but as usual things aren’t that straightforward!

[shellyesq]

Women automatically obtained the citizenship of their husbands until 1922.  http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1998/summer/women-and-naturalization-2.html

It looks like the elder Robert wasn't naturalized until 1926.

[shellyesq]

Son Robert married in 1934 -
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-29940-2597-0?cc=1804002&wc=M9MJ-QYV:1420560333

Son Robert & family in 1940:  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/K9HT-M38

Son Robert's death in 1952 - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VPCW-6L5

[Annechan]

Thank you for the link to the interesting piece about women and naturalisation. All this is new to me, but it looks much like the citizenship process introduced relatively recently here in England.  The records I had seen before were on Ancestry, and I now realise that the 1921 dates were when Robert father and son swore their allegiance, before a 4 or 5 year wait, presumably with some tuition, to be admitted. 

Thanks too for the link to the 1940 census for son Robert, which I had not found.  I now have a good idea of Robert Alfred’s life, but am still completely in the dark about what happened to father Robert and Susan!

[shellyesq]

Did you definitely rule out the Robert & Susan Spencers on the death index up to 1929?  It looks like there are some that might fit. 
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1961-26180-10187-84?cc=1932433&wc=14216753 

[Annechan]

Thanks very much for encouraging me to have another look at the deaths. That definitely looks like the right Susan in 1927 - I hadn't realised that the 2nd initial is the initial of the spouse, and the 70 is the right code for Los Angeles. I'm used to looking at English records but not American ones.
I still can't see any Robert the right age for someone born about 1870. Have tried looking for Spence too, and at later dates, and the nearest I have found is:
Spencer, Robert, spouse ME, aged 60 years, died 2 Feb 1930 in San Fransisco.
Do you think this is likely? Can't find a 2nd marriage.
If I could find the right one, would a death certificate of this time give information about the birthplace of the 2 parents, which is what I really want to know?