Any California genealogists out there that can offer help?

Question

I'm looking for help locating family members that wound up in California. My relative is Janet Catherine McRae who was born in Ontario on 7 Jun 1908. She went by the name "Kay", and she married a man named T. A. Keyes. Her parents were George Allen McRae 1877-1956 and Kathleen McLennan 1882-, and according to her father's obituary, the Kay McRae and T.A.Keyes were living in Fresno, Ca in 1956.

Anyone with experience searching Califonia's records know where I should look to find more information about this couple?

Thanks!

Answer 1

Found her birth record:

"Ontario Births, 1869-1912," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9H-WJWF : 16 July 2017), Janet Catherine Mcrae, 07 Jun 1908; citing Birth, Lancaster, Glengarry, Ontario, Canada, citing Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 2,358,408.

Comments

This seems likely to be their 1911 Census, but I'm having a hard time identifying Janet, Catherine, or Kay...

"Recensement du Canada de 1911," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVB8-BBWX : 16 July 2016), Mary J Mcrae in entry for George Mcrae, 1911; citing Census, Glengarry Sub-Districts 1-33, Ontario, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,417,697.

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Thanks for your prompt reply. I appreciate the help, but I do have the those Canadian records already. I'm interested in what happened to them after they moved to California. When did they get to CA? When and where did they pass away? Did they have any kids?

I appreciate the effort! :)

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The 1911 record appears to be the correct one, but there are some discrepancies -

Left side is Janet's (Kay) birth info - right side is the matching info from Family Search

George Alexander McRae might be George Allen McRae

Mother Catherine May McLennon doesn't match well with Catherine Alice Downey

Closest child to her birth date appears to be Mary Frances McRae, born 9 November 1908 - right place though, just doesn't feel like the right record.

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A couple of possibilities:

"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVGV-FDW5 : 13 December 2015), Janet Kay Keyes, 1995; Burial, Whittier, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, Rose Hills Memorial Park; citing record ID 124855612, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.

"United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K9CY-H43 : accessed 16 December 2017), Catherine Keyes, Councilmanic District 11, Los Angeles, Los Angeles Township, Los Angeles, California, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 60-893, sheet 10B, line 74, family 246, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 410.

It does say "Montana", but that was also her last place of residence. Still possible it is her.

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You mean Ontario, Canada or Ontario, California?

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Born Ontario, Canada, moved to California.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate the help!

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Looked up the Findagrave info in the California Death index.  Janet Kay Keyes that died in 1995 was Janet Kay (Schroeder) Keyes, b 1939.

Answer 2

Now this record definitely looks like her:

"California, San Francisco Passenger Lists, 1893-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXHX-8B9 : 2 April 2015), Janet Catherine Keyes, 1950; citing San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States, NARA microfilm publication M1410 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 2,381,204.

Comments

Two passengers:

Thomas Keyes, age 46, born Mounds, LA

Janet Catherine Keyes, age 39, says 4-3-50 Fresno, Cal., Glengarry Cty., Ont. Cana.

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Looks like they were on an ocean liner from Honolulu to San Francisco.

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Looks like April 3, 1950 was her date of naturalization. I found their trip out to Honolulu too.

"Hawaii, Honolulu Passenger Lists, 1900-1953," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV98-QP4X : 30 December 2014), Thomas Keyes, 1950; citing Ship , NARA microfilm publication A3422 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

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If he is really from "Mound, Louisiana" then it's a TINY town - population 12. I question that because it's labelled "Mounds" plural - still checking.

If their ocean trip was due to their marriage, then records might be pretty hard to obtain past 1950. It appears that she became a naturalized citizen of the US April 3, 1950, then they took a trip to Honolulu November 17, 1950 and came back December 4, 1950. She was listed with the Last Name of Keyes on both ends of the trip.

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Sorry - seems to be all I can find. Maybe others will have better luck...

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If she was naturalized April 3, 1950, they may have married just before that. You can be naturalized as a US citizen after marrying a US citizen. Maybe they married in Fresno.

Answer 3

I found this in the California death index:  Thomas A. Keyes, b in Indiana 7 Aug 1904 d. 7 Oct 1976 in Fresno County.