William Augustine Tyson (1897 - 1961)

Born 4 Aug 1897 in St Thomas, Nevis, British West Indies

Husband of Fredericka Theodoshia (Huggins) Tyson — married 25 Sep 1921 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Died 13 Jul 1961 at age 63 in Manhattan, New York, United States

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Biography

William was born on the 4 August 1897, in St Thomas, Nevis, British West Indies, the son of John Edward Tyson and Matilda Wilkes.^[1]

William Tyson migrated from St Thomas, Nevis, British West Indies to the United States.

William, a carpenter, emigrated in 1919 aboard the Korona, arriving in New York on the 4th August. He stated he was going to his sister, Annie Swanston, 23 E 97 Street, New York City, and his nearest relative or friend in his home country was his father, John Tyson, of Indian Castle, St Kitts.^[2] Of interest is that his future bride had travelled on the Korona two years earlier, also from Nevis, to New York.

On the 17th January 1920, William, working as a laborer in the flour industry, was living at East Ninety Seven Street, New York, in the household of his sister, Anna, and brother-in-law, Edwin Swanson.^[3] (William was incorrectly noted as married, when he was still single.)

Having obtained a license on the 15th September 1921, William and Fredericka Theodoshia Huggins were married on the 25th September, in Manhattan, New York.^[4]
William and Fredericka were to have three children, two daughters: Cicely (1924), and Emily (1926); and one son: Melrose (1922).

On the 1st June 1925, the Tysons were living at East 168th Street, the Bronx. Home at the time were William, now working as a painter, incorrectly stating 10 years in the US; Fredericka, keeping house, correctly stating eight years in the US; their children: 3-year-old Melrose, and 5-month-old Cicely; and William's 23-year-old brother: Aubyn, a porter, two years in the US.^[5]

On his declaration of intention for citizenship on the 6th September 1928, William gave his date of birth as the 4th August 1897, and his place of birth as St Thomas, Nevis, British West Indies. He states his address as 316 E 102nd Street, New York, and his occupation as painter.^[6]

On the petition for naturalization filed on the 31st July 1935, William restates his date of birth as the 4th August 1897, and place of birth as the British West Indies. Also listed on the petition are his wife, and their three children.^[7]

On the 15th Feb 1942, William, unemployed, was living at 24 West 119th Street, New York. He stated his age as 44 years, and his next-of-kin as his sister, Annie Swanston, of 753 Holmes Street, Bronx, NY. He described himself as being of dark brown complexion, with brown eyes and brown hair, 175 pounds in weight, and 5ft 9-inches tall.^[8]

William Augustine Tyson passed away on the 13th July 1961, in Manhattan, New York, United States, just three weeks before his 64th birthday.
William's obituary has his name as William Augustus, instead of William Augustin, and the year of his birth incorrectly as 1875, instead of 1897, making his age 99, instead of 64.^[9] The burial place insufficiently transcribed as "St. An - S.h `` Ave.", might be Saint Ann's Episcopal Church Graveyard in the Bronx.

Research Notes

It is possible William and Fredericka had separated prior to 1940, as she lists herself as a widow in the 1940 census, and has the three children living with her — and he lists his sister as next of kin in 1942, not his wife. Added to that is the lack of mention of a spouse in William's obituary (at least as transcribed for the index), when Fredericka was alive until 1974 (outliving William by 13 years), but all three children are listed. Paul-5413 19:50, 29 January 2021 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Names of parents given on marriage documents. Date of birth given on citizenship application.
2. ↑ Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897. Microfilm Publication M237, 675 rolls. NAI: 6256867. Records of the U.S. Customs Service, Record Group 36. National Archives at Washington, D.C. Year: 1919; Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Line: 11; Page Number: 61. William Tyson in the New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957; Name: William Tyson; Arrival Date: 4 Aug 1919; Birth Date: abt 1898; Last Permanent Address: British West Indies; Other Last Permanent Address: Nevis; Age: 21; Gender: Male; Ethnicity/ Nationality: Black; Port of Departure: St Kitts, British West Indies; Port of Arrival: New York, New York, USA; Ship Name: Korona
3. ↑ Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C. Year: 1920; Census Place: Manhattan Assembly District 16, New York, New York; Roll: T625_1216; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 1178. Name: William Tyson; Age: 21; Birth Year: abt 1899; Birthplace: West Indies; Home in 1920: Manhattan Assembly District 16, New York, New York; Residence Date: 1920; Race: Black; Immigration Year: 1915; Relation to Head of House: Brother-in-law; Occupation: Laborer; Industry: Flour
4. ↑ Index to New York City Marriages, 1866-1937. Indices prepared by the Italian Genealogical Group and the German Genealogy Group, and used with permission of the New York City Department of Records/Municipal Archives. William A Tyson in the New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937; Name: William A Tyson; Gender: Male; Marriage Date: 25 Sep 1921; Marriage Place: Manhattan, New York, USA; Spouse: Fredericka Huggins; Certificate Number: 27108
5. ↑ State population census schedules, 1925. New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 04; Assembly District: 04; City: New York; County: Bronx; Page: 16
6. ↑ The National Archives at Philadelphia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; NAI Title: Declarations of Intention for Citizenship, 1/19/1842 - 10/29/1959; NAI Number: 4713410; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685-2009; Record Group Number: 21. Naturalization Records. National Archives at New York City, New York, New York. Name: William Augustine Tyson; Declaration Age: 31; Record Type: Declaration; Birth Date: 4 Aug 1897; Birth Place: St. Thomas Nevis BWI; Arrival Date: 4 Aug 1919; Arrival Place: New York, New York, USA; Declaration Date: 6 Sep 1928; Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York; Spouse: Fredrica; Declaration Number: 274578; Box Number: 145
7. ↑ Petitions for Naturalization From the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1897-1944. NARA Microfilm Publication M1972, 1457 rolls. Records of District Courts of the United States, Record Group 21. The National Archives at Washington, D.C., U.S.A. The National Archives and Records Administration; Washington, D.C.; Series: M1972; Roll: 956. Name: William Augustine Tyson; Birth Date: 4 Aug 1897; Birth Place: British West Indies; Arrival year: 1919; Naturalization Record Type: Petition for Naturalization; Event Date: 31 Jul 1935; Event Place: New York, USA; Court: Southern District, New York; Spouse's Name: Frederica Tyson; Children: Melrose, Cecily, Emily
8. ↑ World War II Draft Cards 1940-1947. — Ancestry.com. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Name: William Augustine Tyson; Race: Negro (Black); Age: 44; Birth Date: 4 Aug 1897; Birth Place: Nevis, B W I; Registration Date: 15 Feb 1942; Registration Place: New York City, New York, New York; Employer: Unemployed; Weight: 175; Complexion: Dark brown; Eye Color: Brown; Hair Color: Brown; Height: 5 9; Next of Kin: Annie Swanston
9. ↑ William Augustus Tyson in the U.S., Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current. Daily News; Publication Date: 19 Nov 1974; Publication Place: New York, New York, United States of America; URL: newspapers.com; Name: William Augustus Tyson; Gender: Male; Death Age: 99; Birth Date: abt 1875; Death Date: Abt 1974; Burial Date: 19 Nov; Burial Place: St. An - S.h `` Ave. .; Obituary Date: 19 Nov 1974; Obituary Place: New York, New York, United States of America; Child: Melrose Tyson; Child: Emily Henry; Child: Cicely Tyson; Siblings: Samuel

• Census returns, church records, government records.
• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 29 January 2021), memorial page for William Augustine Tyson (4 Aug 1897–13 Jul 1961), Find A Grave: Memorial #221841662, ; Maintained by Cynthia Ricks (contributor 48654745) Burial Details Unknown.