Robert ROSS - Austin, Texas maybe

[WilmaM]

I'm on the trail of a cousin of my father's

One Robert ROSS.

As I understand he was born around 1922 or thereabouts, I expect in the Plantation area of Govan.
Parents were married there 1916, older brother John born 1917 in Govan, younger sister born there probably 1928.
Ross being a common name and Plantation being very densely populated I've not tracked his birth down exactly.

Robert fought in the Fleet Air Arm during WWII.

I have a photo of the family early 1930's, I would guess, and 1 of him in his flying suit too.

My Dad tells me Robert emigrated to Austin Texas at some point. The cousins were considerably older than he, he does remember an American comic Robert gave to him though!

I have John's death in 1977 - I do remember him visiting my Grandmother as he lived nearby - and by co-incidence he worked for a printer and gave us comics too
The sister I think is still alive as I can't find a death for her in Scotland.

I would like to find out more about Robert if I could, so how do I go about trying to find him please.

[speleobat2]

Hi Wilma,

Any idea what his middle name might have been? Ancestry has a number of census, death, and naturalization records for Robert Ross in Austin, TX. There is a naturalization record for one born in Govan, Scotland who arrived in 1968.

Carol

Also his parents names?

[WilmaM]

I don't think he had a middle name, his brother and sister didn't either .

Parents were Annie English and James Ross.

[speleobat2]

The Social Security Death Index has his date of death as 24 May 1994. Birth as 4 June 1924. Parents James Ross and Annie English.
The Naturalization records have him arriving 21 March 1968 and declaration date was 31 Jan 1973 in Houston, TX. Haven't gotten into the marriages yet!

Carol

[WilmaM]

Wow thanks Carol!

It's a side of the family I'd never really thought of until recently when I found Jonny in an old slide my daughter had scanned.

[speleobat2]

Hi again,

I also found that the Texas Death Index says he died in Galveston, TX. There is a claim for the US Railroad Retirement Pension Index, 1934-1987 with matching dates of birth and death and his social security number. The info on the database from Ancestry says that you can get a copy of his claim from the National Archive in Washington, DC, but I don't have a clue how you go about doing that. These indices are so stingy with their info, but at least you know he worked for the railroad at some point.

No luck on marriages.

Carol

[WilmaM]

I think he would have married in Scotland or elsewhere.
Somebody mentioned Sierra Leon and a child born in the mid 1960's.

There aren't many of that generation left to fill in the blanks.

[Bob C]

Railroad retirement records are held in the Atlanta Branch of the National Archives.

Information on obtaining copies of information are found here https://www.archives.gov/atlanta/public ... rd-records

The cost is $0.80 USD per page and they will advise you of what the copying cost will be. It takes about three months to get the copies after they receive the payment (personal check or money order).

[AndrewP]

Hi Wilma,

A search on the SP deaths for surname ROSS, and mother's maiden surname ENGLISH produces five results (four people; one indexed twice - with and without a middle name). That search only works from 1974 onwards. The results (1974, 1977, 2010 and 2014) when subtracting their ages calculate back to birth years from c1921 to c1930. Marguerite, John, Rose and Nancy in birth year order. Are these your husband's people?

All the best,

AndrewP

[WilmaM]

Thanks Andrew,
Its only the John who died in 1977, that is connected to us, he was the oldest child.
Annie/Ann/Anna is the youngest, I do know her married name but she is likely still living.

English is an unusual name, but the others arent connected, only the one English son crossed from Co Down.

That info could be useful for others searching railroad records, Bob. I don't need to go down that road as I'm just filling in the blanks on some side branches.

I have to say that my daughter has since been warbling Glen Campbell's, hit song since she heard where Robert died!