Canadian obituaries - William MITCHELL

[deebel]

His regiment (poss a Scottish one)  may have returned to barracks in Ireland after service in the Boer War. Presumably many enlisted men would be discharged and he chose to start a new chapter in Canada

[Lisa in California]

Hi Gram L:

Do you know for a fact that your relative died in Toronto in 1918?  Is there any chance that another William Mitchell died in 1918?  If you know that your relative died in 1918 from an accident, then he most likely is the correct man, but if your family didn't have the facts before researching him, perhaps it is another Mr. Mitchell?   

We were mislead with an Irish ancestor who had an unusual name and it took over 30 years to realize our mistake.   

[Gram L]

I had never looked at things that way before.  You could be correct.  I knew that William Mitchell lived in Toronto (and so did his brother, David Grant Mitchell) because my parents gave me a letter that was written by their mother (in Scotland) asking why they didn't write home.  The letter refers to both William and David.  That was my starting point to search for my roots. 

I was more interested in David (my grandfather) than Wm., therefore anything that I happened to read about Wm. I did not check further, I just set it aside!  Now that I have found David (and yes it is the correct person), I am looking into his brother, Wm. Mitchell.

I guess I will have to start all over with trying to find Wm.'s birth in Scotland, where the family lived for years. Thank you very much for pointing this out to me.  When I started searching years ago, I did not know I had to prove things that I found about a person. 

Thank you,  Gram L

[Lisa in California]

Hi Gram L:

It's a long story, but when I was about 12 years old, when we visited Ireland, we found whom we believed was a distant relative on our Ovens side.  There were several reasons why my mum and "Jane" believed we were distantly related, our connection being our ancestor, John Ovens.  A few years later, when I started researching my family and mentioned trying to find proof of the connection, Jane would write back and every time say not to worry, that we were related.

Several years ago (and 30+ years after our visit to Ireland), I found another Ovens researcher who without doubt was related by "our" John Ovens.  While I believe we are related to Jane (by a cousin or nephew of the other John Ovens), I have yet to find proof.
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Going back to your search, and rereading the posts...
You are looking for William Mitchell.  His brother was David Grant Mitchell.  William believed to have been born in Dundee, Angus, Scotland, c1880.  Parents:  John Mitchell and Margaret Christie Dow. David buried in England.  Once William and David left home, they were never heard from again.  "...William Mitchell lived in Toronto (and so did his brother, David Grant Mitchell) because my parents gave me a letter that was written by their mother (in Scotland) asking why they didn't write home.  The letter refers to both William and David."
  Possible death?
  July 19, 1918, York County
  Age 38 years, born Ireland.  Died Toronto General Hospital.  Buried Mt. Hope*.  Labourer.  Married.  Informant:  E.S. Matthews, Toronto.  Cause of death:  Electrocuted.  Dated July 22, 1918
*Mt. Hope - RC Cemetery

Globe and Mail and Toronto Star have a total of three articles about the death of Mr. Williams and another man.
  They were accidentally electrocuted while working.  Address given for Mr. Williams: 20 Glasgow.  Veteran of the Boer War.  It has a photo of him in uniform.  Came from Ireland 38 years ago (so, around 1880).

1881 Dundee Census, April 3/4
John and Margaret Mitchell and their children
Elizabeth, James D, Jessie B D and
William B, age 10 months (born cMay/June?, 1880)

1891 Scotland census, Dundee
John 1845 and Margaret 1851
Elizabeth 1874
James D 1876
Jessie Dow 1879
William B 1881
David G 1884
Margaret 1888

1911 Toronto census
No William Mitchell, born c1880 was Roman Catholic

1918 Toronto Directory
Wm Mitchell, munition wkr, 20 Glasgow

1919 Toronto Directory
Wm Mitchell, 20 Glasgow
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Have you seen the photo from the 1918 newspaper?  If so, does he look like any family members?
Could William have left Toronto after (or before) David left?
Do you know when David left Canada?
Ontario Marriage:  David married March 25, 1908, Grocer, lived in Toronto.  Presbyterian.  Witnesses: Annie Roberts, Ethel McArthur.  Was William not yet in Toronto, or at least not an "official" witness to the marriage?  Can an article about the wedding be found, possibly listing relatives?

[Lisa in California]

There were quite a few William Mitchells arriving in North America in the early 1900's  including someone who had similarities (but not your William): William B Mitchell, born c1882, Hamilton, Scotland immigrated in 1909.  His father was William Mitchell.

[Lisa in California]

Have you tried contacting the Mount Hope Cemetery office to see if they might be able to provide further details?  (You most likely would have to explain your relationship to the deceased.)  They may be able to tell you if anyone else is buried in his plot, or possibly may be able to tell you when or where he was born.  When I contacted one Toronto cemetery office, they would not provide any details (I was the granddaughter of the deceased).  However, when I tried a different Toronto cemetery office, they provided every detail for that ancestor, including the exact birthplace of my "brickwall" ancestor.

[Lisa in California]

1901 Dundee Census - St. Clement
Margaret (c1851, Dunbog), James (c1876, Dundee - Iron Driller) and Maggie (c1888, Dundee)
18 Lawson Pl

1901 Dundee Census - St. Clement (From an online tree)
Jessie (Mitchell) Salmond (c1879, Dundee) and her husband David (Grocers Shopkeeper) and son William
20 Lorimer St

I was hoping that if I found other family members in 1901, William or David might be close.  Haven't found them yet.  I don't suppose there might be a date on your letter (from their mother)?   

[deebel]

in 1901 there is a William Mitchell in Preston born Scotland

[RunKitty]

Ontario Marriage:  David married March 25, 1908, Grocer, lived in Toronto.  Presbyterian.  Witnesses: Annie Roberts, Ethel McArthur.  Was William not yet in Toronto, or at least not an "official" witness to the marriage?  Can an article about the wedding be found, possibly listing relatives?

Had a look - I don't see any marriage notice in the paper. 

It would be really helpful to know what the B stands for in William's name. 

RK