Kerr & McCorquodale

[shellyesq]

It seems that Matthew died in the US around  1950 as there is a Social Security Claim under:
Matthew McCorquodale Kerr b  26 Sep 1883 in Kilmacolm, Renfrewshire, Scotland which matches with the info provided by Br1gau

That says "Type of Claim: Original SSN", so it looks like Jan. 1950 was when he originally filed for a Social Security number.  No mention of a death claim is in that entry.

[shellyesq]

It might also be worth noting that the first three digits of his Social Security number were 548, which indicates his number was issued in California.  See http://rwguide.rootsweb.ancestry.com/lesson10.htm for information about interpreting these numbers.

[shellyesq]

It looks like Matthew's son Cecil Kerr also had a Social Security number issued in California before 1951:  https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JGWJ-52F  His last residence was noted to be in Canada.

There is an entry for Cecil in the US records of aliens pre-examined in Canada.  The examination date appears to be 1948 or 1949.  It says "Fa Matthew Kerr" and gives an address for him in Toronto, Ont.  It looks like Cecil was going to visit friend A. Harold Lacroix, 344 E. Sparks St., Burbank, California.

[osprey]

1901 census has Matthew with surname Wilson as stepson of Archibald Wilson at 7 Clune Brae, Port Glasgow
Archibald Wilson 41 stone mason b. Irvine, Ayrshire
Mary wife 37 b. Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Annie C dau 21 machinist canvas?
James son 19 stone mason
Nellie dau 17 17 flax weaver
Matthew stepson 17 stone mason b. Kilmacolm
Hugh C son 16 rivet heater
Andrew son 14
Archibald son 12
Agnes C dau 7
Katie M dau 2
Duncan Mc son 5 months
all born Port Glasgow unless noted otherwise

Archibald Wilson, widower, married Mary Kerr or Morgan, widow, 15 Oct 1897 in Port Glasgow. Mary gave her parents as George Kerr, carter, & Catherine ms McCorkindale.
Mary Kerr married James Morgan 5 Dec 1888 in Port Glasgow. 1891 census has James & Mary at Clune Brae Foot with son Matthew aged 8.

Mary's parents do not seem to have been married at the time of her birth
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FQZ9-5Q7

[Br1gau]

Well done Osprey  saw that census return but confess to putting it in my "too hard" basket!  Perhaps Mary couldn't register Matthew's birth as Kerr without proof that her parents were married, therefore she used McCorkindale.

Also confusing are the different names given to Matthew's father -William or Matthew.  Now there's a George in the mix!

[osprey]

well, I did find Catherine with George on the 1891 & 1901 census, but they didn't marry until 4 Nov 1887.George was previously married to an Agnes Crawford.

1901 census George was aged 63, a carter and place of birth Campsie, Stirlingshire. Catherine also enumerated as 63, place of birth Lismore in Argyll.

I don't think proof would have been asked for, as the system was informant driven.

 

[Br1gau]

Ah, I knew that a child couldn’t be registered under the father’s name without proof or acknowledgement of paternity but I have also seen the parent’s marriage date recorded on post 1854 birth entries, so I wondered …

Catherine Kerr, widow of George Kerr died 8 July 1907 at Clune Brae, Port Glasgow of a cerebral haemorrhage, recorded age 60.  Her parents were Duncan McCorkindale, Farmer, and Mary Black, both deceased.  The informant was her son in law, Archibald Wilson

[osprey]

interesting, she gave her father's name as John, farmer, when she married, mother still Mary ms Black.

[osprey]

just spotted 7 year old Mary Kerr living with Catherine Corkindle aged 36 b. Oban? living in West Street, Paisley