Joseph Ralph WATSON

[scotiagirl]

hi bendywendy

I'm not sure which border crossing document you're looking at.  I have two.  I'm not sure how to quote the source information but I'll try this:
Original data:

Card Manifests (Alphabetical) of Individuals Entering through the Port of Detroit, Michigan, 1906-1954. Micropublication M1478. RG085, 117 rolls. ARC ID: National Archives at Washington, D.C.

The document itself is a microfilm of what looks like a typewritten card.  In the top right corner it is typed "copied from BSI records 5-24-12
" (maybe border services?).  On the card, he gives his name: Joseph R. Watson, place of birth:  Beverly England, age: 28, sex: M, marital status: single, Occupation: insurance agent, Race: English, Nationality: Canada, last permanent residence: Toronto, Ont., Canada, name and address of nearest relative or friend in country whence alien came: father, Joseph R. Watson, 332 Mimico Ave., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Ever in US: no, Destination and name and address of relative or friend to join there: Chicago, Ill., brother, Douglas Watson, 39 Ulster Ave, (description of appearance), Seaport and date of landing and name of steamship:  Quebec, 6-1-06 ss Virginian, Detroit 5-23-12 cp

The other document I have (and which I think covers the same crossing) gives the source citation (not sure what this is) as: National Archives and Records Administration; Washington D.C.; Manifests of passengers arriving at St. Albans, VT, District through Canadian Pacific and Atlantic Ports 1895-1954, National Archives Microfilm Publication: M1464, Roll: 180.  The source information is ancestry.com Border crossings: From Canada to US, 1895-1956, Provo, UT, USA and original date: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, RG 85, Washington D.C., National Archives and Records Administration.  The title at the top of the microfilm page is "List or manifest of alien passengers applying for admission".   The entry for Joseph Watson is as follows: Family name: Watson, given names: Joseph R, age: 28, sex: M, married or single: single, calling or occupation: insurance agent, race or people: English, name and complete address of nearest relative or friend in country whence alien came: father Jos Watson, 332 Mimico Av (Mimico?), Toronto, Ontario, final destination: Ill, Chicago (unfortunately) I couldn't print the rest of the document.  I'll have to ask for it again but that is the gist of what I have for the May 1912 border crossing.

What makes you think that father Joseph might have been in Canada in 1906? 

I haven't been able to find any evidence either of passage records for Joseph Sr for 1908.

As to Joseph Jr following his father back to Canada (after Joseph Sr. visited England in 1908 after his wife died), if my information is correct, it looks like Joseph Jr came over first.

I hope this isn't too confusing....

[bendywendy]

Hi scotiagirl

What makes you think that father Joseph might have been in Canada in 1906?

You have clarified the dates for Joseph jnr of which I cannot find, so this does make Joseph jnr in Canada before his father.

According to the other thread for Mimico address, the only Joseph Watson in Mimico has been found on 1911 census as Joseph Watson and Alice.

I have the newborn grandson today, but I am going to see what I can find for brother Douglas.

bendywendy

[broadgate]

This is to confirm that Joseph Watson and Alice first settled in Toronto at the address you have identified and that his eldest son did cross to Canada and stayed a while before moving onto Vancouver.  Joseph senior and Alice eventually moved to Niagara Falls where they lived for the rest of their lives.   

Hi Mike:

Grandfather Joseph Watson & family lived in Mimico. In fact Dad was born in Mimico if I am not mistaken.

Alice is Grandmother's name. Our father's name is William Gordon Grey Watson and our aunt is Zena Margaret. So the Children's names are similar. The census takers could have made a mistake in getting the children's names correct.

Cheers.

Bill

[bendywendy]

thanks broadgate and William, tis as I thought but always worthwhile checking again. Still searching for Cyril Douglas or Douglas as he is named on brother Joseph's border crossing, cannot find anything for Douglas in USA or Canada 
b.

[scotiagirl]

hi broadgate

The recollection that the eldest son (Joseph Watson jr.) crossed to Canada and stayed with Joseph Sr and Alice for a while before moving on to Vancouver.  Could that have been when he returned from WW1?  I did have an entry in the Vancouver 1919 city directory that shows a Ralph B Watson, employee of General Supply renting at 1176 Haro. That address also shows up on Ralph Beverly Watson's service record.  After 1906 border crossing, the next time I see Ralph (Joseph jr) is when he's getting married in Ottawa to Beulah Bahnsen.  On the marriage affidavit, he gives his residence when married as Detroit.  I'm checking that now.

[scotiagirl]

I haven't been able to find any Joseph Watson that fits in the US 1910 census in Michigan.  Will keep looking.

[scotiagirl]

Tried all combinations for Joseph Watson jr/ Ralph Beverly Watson against the US 1910 census with no luck.  Maybe being a salesman, he was here and there and everywhere and Detroit just happened to be his latest (temporary) location?  Will keep looking.

[scotiagirl]

Hi all.

I thought I'd try to get a handle on Ralph Beverly Watson by seeing if there was any information on his daughter, Phyllis Beverly Watson.  According to Ralph's wife Beulah's sister who put together a sort of family history (dated 1992), Phyllis was born on 24 April, 1914 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, US.  I'm not too sure about this date as this sister also wrote that Ralph and Beulah were married January 2, 1913 yet the marriage affidavit I have clearly states January 2, 1915.  According to the narrative, after Phyllis' birth, Beulah left Ralph in Minnesota (he had been sent there by his employer) and returned to Ottawa to live with her family at 77 Second Ave. Ralph followed "shortly afterward" having lost his job and enlisted in the Canadian Army in 1915.  The timeline just doesn't fit.

When Ralph returned from the war, they lived briefly in an apartment on Bank St. near Gladstone in Ottawa but Ralph continued to have drinking problems.  Beulah moved to Nicholas Street, Ottawa with Phyllis.  The story goes that Ralph is living in Vancouver when Phyllis is 4 years old.  That would be 1918 according to the family narrative but this doesn't fit with Ralph's service record which states that he's bound for Canada on Jan 11, 1919 after the war.  It didn't work out for Ralph and Beulah I guess because she was thinking of getting a divorce when, according to the story, Ralph died. (That's either 1919 or 1920).  It now seems that this is suspect too.

Anyway, I've tried to no avail to find Phyllis Beverly Watson (born between 1913 and 1915) in Minnesota or Michigan. According to the narrative, Phyllis married Phillip Taft Davis probably in Ottawa on June 19, 1936.  I can find no record of this either.

More dead ends....

[bendywendy]

Hi
Have you tried to find a birth for Phyllis in her mothers maiden name just in case she was illigitimate.

Also I think I am correct in stating that in USA the BMD indexes are not transcribed and one has to search manually through the relevant district / county etc., in some states there is a 100 year law of confidentiality. I could be wrong but I know it is something along these lines, hopefully someone knows the answer to this.

Also remember what was written by Beulah's sister is by the sister not Beulah, she may have thought she knew the facts but didn't and / or got dates and ages mixed up also how old was this sister when she wrote this information.

Did Phyllis Beverley Watson have children, if so are they still living

https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Birth_Records
https://familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/United_States_Marriage_Records

If you haven't got this info:
Philip Taft Davis born 7 February 1911   Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario, Canada
F. A Mayno Davis    M. Adele Sylvain
Reg No:015185   GS Film No:2424647    Digital Folder No:004530262

Ontario, Canada, Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1747-1967
Death: 17 Feb 1911
Name: Phillip Taft Davis
Place: Ottawa, Ontario 
Date: 20 May 1970
Age:   59
Parent/s: Albert Mayno Davis and Adele Sylvain
Cemetery: Beechwood
http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/697461

Also baptised under this heading: Ontario, Canada, Catholic Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1747-1967 St Patrick, Ottawa,

Cannot find a marriage for him either   

Do you have contact with the Watson side that could help you with more definite information

bendywendy