Who is John Melrose in NYC 1870, and what happened to him?

[zumaro]

Hi Kloumann - neither of those death references check out unluckily. Both of these Johns have different parents to my John. Now to check the census!

[zumaro]

Lisa that is excellent thank you - I hadn't got any further than ScotlandsPeople. So it seems that mother Mary, brother James and Jane herself all ended up in Trenton, New Jersey.

[zumaro]

Here she is on Findagrave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35572570/jane-henderson

[Lisa in California]

Jane’s “bio”
https://www.rootschat.com/links/01rrm/

This time I’m leaving. 

[zumaro]

Here is a treasure trove of information

[zumaro]

Duplicate findagrave memorial!
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/218045723/jeannie-melrose

[Lisa in California]

I’ve been looking around for John and haven’t had any success.  You most likely have tried the following but I thought I would mention ideas in case you’ve not done so (and keeping in mind records are periodically added to the internet):
- searched for wills for John’s siblings and/or parents;
- searched for obits for the above (in case he might have been mentioned);
- checked newspapers around the time he “went missing”;
- did any cousins or other family members leave Scotland - could John have travelled with/followed them;
- could he have changed his name;
- have you checked census records for other family members…could he have lived with family and his name was not legibly recorded;
- was the name John handed down to later generations or did it suddenly stop (if it stopped, was there possibly a good reason);
- could he have been jailed at some point;
- family members went to America and South Africa…did he leave Scotland and his death was not accurately recorded - although family seemed to think he had passed away at some point.

I haven’t given up the chase yet but he is a challenge.

[Lisa in California]

1908 Trenton, New Jersey Directory
Fitzcharles & Melrose
James Fitzcharles & James Melrose - 134 E State
  Notions, linens, cloaks, laces, etc.

Have you researched when the two men went into business?  I wonder if there could be any connection to John?

Possibly the above man?
1920 Trenton Ward 1, Mercer Co., NJ
James Fitzcharles, age 58 (born c1862), Scotland.  Immigrated 1882.  Parents born in Scotland.
Occupation - Jobber.  Industry - Dry Goods Co.

[maddys52]

Looking at the 1871 census for John's family (wife Mary, children Agnes, James, John and Jane) I see that James (15) occupation is given as "drapers apprentice". I wonder if this implies he was working for his father, if the father was still around? Maybe they were just visiting the grandparents on the night of the census? So many questions. 

Is the other draper in Peebles - William MELROSE - related to your John?