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My father believes that relatives of his emigrated to Pennsylvania USA, because he remembers comics being sent to him in West Bromwich during the 1930's and 40's.

I realise this is probably a very vague thread, but it might just mean something to someone out there.

well would need some full names to check the records

My mums half sister was a home child born 1898 and sent to Canada in 1909

after post WW2 the family were put in touch and auntie would send american comics etc to Nan who was her stepmum but were for her siblings and half siblings families

The 1930 and 1940 US censuses have quite a few Lees families born England living in Pennsylvania. Do you have any idea where in Pennsylvania or any first names?

Sorry no more details other than Lees family I am researching came from West Bromwich and Wednesbury in Staffordshire (now West Midlands).

The related people may also be from your paternal grandmother's family- was her maiden name Instone?

We need a starting point to trace your family back to possible relations

Is this the marriage of your grandparents?:

names GWENDOLINE INSTONE
names JOSPEH H A LEES
Marriage quarter 3
Marriage year 1929
District WEST BROMWICH
County Staffordshire
Volume 6B
Page 2203

Do you have names of any of this family whatsoever, or know how they fit into your family?
Jan

pm from Sally confirming this is her Grandparents marriage:

names GWENDOLINE INSTONE
names JOSPEH H A LEES
Marriage quarter 3
Marriage year 1929
District WEST BROMWICH
County Staffordshire
Volume 6B
Page 2203

Sally- best to use the reply box at the bottom of the page, then everyone can see your replies

Eliza Lees
Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh City Deaths, 1870-1905


birth:

1869

Prierley Hill, South Staffs., Eng.


death:

19 January 1904

Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania


burial:

20 January 1904

I don't see any Lees births on FreeBMD with mother's maiden name Instone.

Some of them are there Margee.

Oops, you're right, Gritty, I must have made a typo! Just another senior moment!

Name: Jospeh H A Lees
Event Type: Marriage Registration
Registration Quarter: Jul-Aug-Sep
Registration Year: 1929
Registration District: West Bromwich
County: Staffordshire
Event Place: West Bromwich, Staffordshire, England
Spouse Name (available after 1911): Instone
Volume: 6B
Page: 2203
Line Number: 150


Jospeh H A Lees probably married one of the following people
Name: Gwendoline Instone

Ok, have found a Lees relative of yours that went to Pennsylvania- hope this helps:-

Joseph Henry Albert Lees (your Grandad) was born in 1906 in West Bromwich. His father was Joseph Henry Lees (b 1878 Wednesbury, Staffs).

Joseph Henry Lees was from a large family. He had a brother, John Thomas Lees born 1881 in Wednesbury, Staffs, who lived in Pennsylvania. This is him and his family in 1930:

Name: John T Lees
Birth Year: abt 1884
Gender: Male
Race: White
Birthplace: England
Marital Status: Married
Relation to Head of House: Head
Home in 1930: Wilkins, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Street address: McMaster Ave
House Number in Cities or Towns: 604
Dwelling Number: 100
Family Number: 113
Home Owned or Rented: Rented
Home Value: 25.
Radio Set: Yes
Lives on Farm: No
Age at First Marriage: 30
Attended School: No
Able to Read and Write: Yes
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: England
Language Spoken: English
Immigration Year: 1913
Naturalization: Naturalized
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: Machin Repair
Industry: 2062 Electric Plant
Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker
Employment: Yes

Household Members:
Name Age
John T Lees 46
Charlotte Lees 45
William A Lees 15
Hanna L Lees 14
Florence E Lees 12
John T Lees 10
Charles E Lees 8

On his Naturalisation in 1930 he states he was born Wednesbury, Staffordshire:

Pennsylvania, U.S. Naturalization Originals
Name: John Thomas Lees
Age: 48
Birth Date: 23 Dec 1881
Birth Location: England
Naturalization Date: 16 Nov 1930
Spouse Name: Charlotta Lees
Children: William, Hannah, Elizabeth, John
Arrival Year: 1914
Court Type: District Court
Court Location: Western District, Pennsylvania
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Pennsylvania, Death Certificates, 1906-1963
Name: John T Lees
Gender: Male
Race: White
Age: 61
Birth Date: 23 Dec 1881
Birth Place: England
Death Date: 5 May 1943
Death Place: Wilkins, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, USA
Father Name: Joseph Lees
Father Birth Place: England
Mother Name: Hannah Page
Mother Birth Place: England
Spouse Name: Charlotte Bayley
Certificate Number: 52202

Well done, Gritty!
It looks like he came to Canada first. This is his border crossing to USA. He was born Wednesbury, last permanent address was Toronto, Canada. Wife was Lottie, 105 Dover St., Toronto. He was going to join uncle John Page, 285 Seneca St., Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania. His date of landing was 22 March 1911, St. John aboard the SS Grampion.

John T Lees

in the Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956
Record Image View

Name: John T Lees
Arrival Date: 2 Feb 1914
Port of Arrival: Niagara Falls, New York, USA
Arrival Contact: Uncle John Page
Departure Contact: Wife Lottie
Age: 31
Birth Date: abt 1883
Birth Place: Wednesbury, England
Birth Country: England
Gender: Male
Race/Nationality: English
Record has photo?: No
Record Type: Cards

United States, World War One (WWI) Draft Registration Cards,1917-1918 Transcription:

First name(s) John Thomas
Last name Lees
Birth year 1881
Birth date 23 Dec 1881
Birth place England
Residence Allegheny County no 11
State Pennsylvania
Citizenship country England
Registration year 1917
NARA series M1509
Record set World War I Draft Registration Cards
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Subcategory First World War
--------------------------------------------------------

I think this is his arrival in Canada: He says single.

John T Lees

in the Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
Record Image View

Name: John T Lees
Gender: Male
Age: 28
Birth Year: abt 1883
Date of Arrival: 22 Mar 1911
Vessel: Grampian
Search Ship Database: Search for the Grampian in the 'Passenger Ships and Images' database
Port of Arrival: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Port of Departure: Liverpool, England

He married in Canada!


John Thomas Lees

in the Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928
Record Image View

Name: John Thomas Lees
Age: 30
Birth Date: abt 1882
Birth Place: Webnesburg Eng
Marriage Date: 24 Aug 1912
Marriage County or District: York
Father: Joseph Lees
Mother: Anna Gage
Spouse: Charlotte Bayley
Spouse's Age: 28
Spouse Birth Date: abt 1884
Spouse Birth Place: West Bronwich Eng
Spouse Father: David Bayley
Spouse Mother: Martha Rathbone

Edit: Deleted- repeated info. Snap Margee!!

Aw sorry Gritty, did I beat you to the punch?

OK, carry on, I quit, it's suppertime over here.