Birth place

[Bay Horse]

This might sound silly, but I have slept on this and am still unable to get my head around it.

Why might someone, born in England and emigrate to Canada with his family before the start of WWI, then repeatedly change his country of birth details?

Was there anything to be gained by claiming to be born in North America than England, particularly as he then settled in the States and applied for Naturalized status?

 

[Ma-dotcom]

Might he have had a troubled past?

edit
Or was he a different person? so many people - so few names

 

[Bay Horse]

Most definitely the same person, Wendy - extended family members recorded on documents, etc. His name wasn't common.

You are thinking along the same lines as me, however, as he also changed his name later on. I can't find anything to suggest any hint of 'bother'.

 

[MollyMay]

Did he serve in WW1?
Was a change of pob to avoid joining the military?
If he did serve, was it with the Canadian forces?
I believe some of the commonwealth countries paid better than Britain.

 

[Bay Horse]

He was just underage in WWI, MollyMay. He was drafted into the US Army in WWII.

My thoughts were either, as above, he was trying to escape something in his past, or... I dunno, he was trying to secure naturalized status. The townships recorded are quite specific.

Unless he'd had a bang on the head and lost his memory. Stranger things have happened.

 

[trlvn]

Why might someone, born in England and emigrate to Canada with his family before the start of WWI, then repeatedly change his country of birth details?

Are you sure he came to Canada with his family? Not a Home Boy?

http://www.britishhomechildrenregistry.com

Craig

 

[Elma]

Lazy recording?

 

[Bay Horse]

Are you sure he came to Canada with his family? Not a Home Boy?

http://www.britishhomechildrenregistry.com

He came out with his family, Craig, according to passenger lists on both sides. Dad first, the rest followed.

Lazy recording?

You'd think so, Elma. I would have loved to have thrown this open on the forum with names and dates, but it is too recent. As of last night, I have two obits for him, one factually correct by his siblings, the other by his wife and family which was inconsistent with the former.

After another night's sleep, I've decided that this cousin had attempted to disguise his background and nationality for some reason once he had reached adulthood and I'll probably never know why.

Many thanks for your input, everyone.