Janet and Ivy BROWN (or THOMPSON) leaving the UK for N. America? 1890s

[ValJJJ]

Have you tried to make any contact with St Josephs Convent ? This might show how long Ivey Browne was there, if the records still exist or they may be able to advise where to find them....

Sandra

I started looking for any possible archived info but haven’t had time for a while. I intend to resume next week - our local postal service is dire so will be looking at any likely museums or local history groups and pop a letter in the post.

AI suggested establishing which order the nuns were in as that helps with records. A job for next week.

I’m not clear whether this place was an orphanage-cum-school or took fee-paying pupils or both. So I’ll see if I can follow trails for others listed there. Either nuns or pupils, to see what it reveals.

[ValJJJ]

It’s only a guess that Ivey Browne is the same Ivy. Our Ivy was described as ‘of Chicago’ when at Shimer. And before, she was listed in Chicago school records as recommended by her elementary school to go up to Lincoln High School in Chicago.

A contact via Ancestry with a lot of research on this particular William Caldwell and his ancestors thought the marriage place likely to be the local equivalent of Gretna Green - first place over the border - with no other significance.

I used John Miller Brown’s obit to make a timeline for him and it is overblown re his first few years in the USA. Not enough years to fit in all that was described unless a misprint. Perhaps months not years for some of the jobs he did. Later years do fit in with newspaper articles and records.

[*Sandra*]

It’s only a guess that Ivey Browne is the same Ivy. Our Ivy was described as ‘of Chicago’ when at Shimer. And before, she was listed in Chicago school records as recommended by her elementary school to go up to Lincoln High School in Chicago.

A contact via Ancestry with a lot of research on this particular William Caldwell and his ancestors thought the marriage place likely to be the local equivalent of Gretna Green - first place over the border - with no other significance.

I used John Miller Brown’s obit to make a timeline for him and it is overblown re his first few years in the USA. Not enough years to fit in all that was described unless a misprint. Perhaps months not years for some of the jobs he did. Later years do fit in with newspaper articles and records.

So you don't believe it is your Ivey Browne

You are sceptical of the obit for John Miller Brown ??

Slightly larger than Gretna Green............ :)The population of Montreal, Quebec in 1900 was approximately 1,892 inhabitants according to the Canadian Census data for that year. This figure reflects the city's status as one of the most populated municipalities in Canada at that time.

Sandra

[ValJJJ]

Just saying it could be the right Ivy but not necessarily, until I can find some admission records.

I recalled thinking the obit for John M Brown packed a lot more in that was possible, so have just checked. Not so many mismatches as I recall when I was trying to write up his timeline. Possibly some things are not in chronological order. His obit was mostly drawn from his bio in the 1901 'South Bend and the Men Who Have Made It'  that says:

He was born in Liverpool July 17 1859
Father David E Brown handled real estate of the Corporation of Liverpool and a highly prominent official.
Educated at private schools in his native city and Crosby Grammar School for Boys.
Then engaged in agricultural pursuits in southern England
In 1877, came direct to South Bend
Clem Studebacker farm 2 yrs (so to 1879)
Then for a time at Singer Mfg Co (1879-?)
Then engaged in farming for Thomas D Summers (but 1885 has John M Brown in South Bend city directory as resident in South Bend, a clerk, county auditor's office)
Returned to South Bend and worked for Hon Marvin Campbell as hardware store clerk then bookkeeper 3 yrs
Tendered a clerkship by county auditor Aaron Jones and accepted it as deputy county auditor to 1891 (when Jones term expired)
When county auditor Robert Myler elected, he continued as deputy for one year.
Resigned to be Assistant Cashier South Bend National Bank until 1897
Made deputy county auditor by George W Loughman, where remained until 1899 [need to check this date with the original]
1898 elected to county auditor - term expired 1903

Other records:
1877, June - John Brown steerage, 18, labourer, Liverpool to NY passage.
1885 - clerk in county auditor office (directory)
1900 - county auditor (census and newspaper article)
1903 - after auditor term ended went to Toledo for a few months, then to Buffalo (obit)
1910 - book keeper for Machine Co (census; also stated arrived 1875) - was that Singer Machine Co?

Gretna Green analogy was it was the nearest place over the border to get married   

 

[ValJJJ]

An Ancestry contact has just found this:

South Bend Tribune
30 Apr 1902
newspaper article

Capt. William Caldwell, of Liverpool, England, a member of the English navy, accompanied by his wife, is a guest of Auditor and his wife Mrs John M Brown.

Where it states navy, presumably merchant navy.

I will post on the William Caldwell request too.  https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=880729.msg7531868#msg7531868

[ValJJJ]

Discovered a searchable database for the South Bend Tribune at https://www.library.nd.edu/database/2657/

Edit: need a sign-in. Perhaps only for Uni members. Shame.

[ValJJJ]

And another find:
1911-06-12 Chicago Tribune
Ivy Isabell Caldwell obtained a scholarship for University of Chicago
Edit: actual wording 'The scholarship to the University of Chicago from the Frances Shimer School, Mount Carroll, Ill., has been given to Miss Ivy Isabel Caldwell of Chicago.'

She got married in 1914, three years later.

[ValJJJ]

I haven't found an online university yearbook for 1914 or other online records that show her attendance or graduation, so have written to the uni archives dept with a query. 

ADD: contacted various local history organisations in NY regarding St Joseph's convent.

[*Sandra*]

And another find:
1911-06-12 Chicago Tribune
Ivy Isabell Caldwell obtained a scholarship for University of Chicago
Edit: actual wording 'The scholarship to the University of Chicago from the Frances Shimer School, Mount Carroll, Ill., has been given to Miss Ivy Isabel Caldwell of Chicago.'

She got married in 1914, three years later.

Pleased to see a mention of Capt William Caldwell in South Bend in 1902 - that was a good find. 
Your friend was very busy taking clippings yesterday

The scholarship from Francis Shimmer School should have been on your timeline for a newspaper article dated 8 June 1911 -  reply  30 on the original thread in February 2024.
Marvellous to remember these things from 2 years ago. 

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=880505.27

The other completed thread "William Caldwell" was the one used because we couldn't attach records to the long look up board thread.  One of those attachments was the Apprentice's Indentures for Merchant Navy UK for William Caldwell.

https://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=880729.msg7718005

Sandra