John Warren

GRO Birth Certificate: Penzance, 1866, Qtr D, Vol 5c, Page 304

Registration District: Penzance, Sub-district: St Just in Penwith, County: Cornwall

No. 200, Born: 15 Oct 1866 Trewellard St Just, Name: John, Sex: Boy, Father: Richard Warren, Occupation: Tin Miner, Mother: Charlotte Warren, formerly James, Residence: Trewellard, St Just

Pendeen Marriage Register 1854–1901

30 Sep 1890 by Banns

       John Warren 23 General Dealer of Trewellard (Father: Richard Warren, Decd.)

       Amy Noake 24 of Trewellard (Father: Edwin Tolbort Noake, General Dealer)

1891 - Cornwall Online Census Project

Enumeration District 6, Civil Parish: St Just in Penwith, Eccl. Parish: Pendeen, Folio 57, Page 18

113, Boscaswell Place, 1,

• John Warren, Head, M, 24,, Grocer, Employed, St Just Cornwall,,
• Amy Warren, Wife, S,, 24,,, Gillingham Dorset,,

He arrived at Ellis Island, New York on 24 Mar 1904 from Liverpool, England (departed 6 Mar 1904) on the Majestic (1890). His age was identified as 37 years and 5 months (matching his Oct 1866 birth date) and that he was married (his wife was Amy Noake Warren); occupation was listed as "Blacksmith" (probably since he wanted to work in the mines), and this was his first visit to the USA. His destination was his brother-in-law Thomas Henry Boddy ("Harry") at 2253 1/2 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, Ohio, who was married to Amy's sister Florence "Flossie" Noake Boddy.

Source: Passenger and Crew Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1897-1957 (National Archives Microfilm Publication T715, roll 439); Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, Record Group 85, Line 11.

From Betty Warren Best's book, I understand that he sought work in the Copper Country of Michigan's Upper Peninsula "about the turn of the century", so that's probably why he came. He returned to England to fetch his wife Amy Noake Warren, but she was not well enough to make the trip to the USA so he remained there in Pendeen, St. Just.

Source: "Ironwood Roots: Memories of the Upper Peninsula", Betty Warren Best, 2017, page 18.

His wife Amy died at age 43 only 5 years later on 8 May, 1909. The subsequent 1911 England Census shows him as a "Widower" and "Tin miner working below ground" along with 4 of his oldest sons (John 19, Edwin ("Eddie") 18, Richard 16, and Bertie 14; his youngest son Thomas ("Tommie") 12 was in school, and his daughter Amy 17 also lived with them. The nearby Levant mine extends out under the sea.

1911 - Census of England and Wales

Parish: St.Just, Township: Boscaswell Downs Pendeen S O, Reg. Dist: Penzance, St Just in Penwith Series: RG14, Piece: 14087, Enum. District: 2, Family: 88, Line: 1 Apr 2, 1911

John Warren, Age 44, Widower Residence: 6., Boscaswell Downs Pendeen S O, Cornwall, England Occupation: Tin Miner Working Below Ground

Children:

• John Warren,19, Tin Miner Working Below Ground
• Edwin N Warren, 18, Tin Miner Working Below Ground
• Amy Warren, 17, Tin Miner Working Below Ground
• Richard Warren, 16, Tin Miner Working Below Ground
• Bertie Warren, 14, Tin Miner Working Below Ground
• Thomas Noake Warren, 12, Student

In 1936 at age 69, he spent about 6 weeks in Ironwood, Michigan visiting his son John Warren and wife Mabel Paull Warren, and their children John Courtenay "Corky", Doug, Dorothy, and Betty. They celebrated his 70th birthday during his stay with all the Ironwood relatives. This was the first time in about 18 years that his son John saw his father (since 1919). After Ironwood, he then spent some time in Flint, Michigan visiting his other sons Bert & Tommie who worked at General Motors there before returning to England for a Christmas voyage on the Queen Mary. He died about 2 years later at age 72 on 22 Jan 1939.

Source: Ironwood Roots, pages 181-184. The book mentions that he visited Ironwood in 1937 when he was "79" and celebrated his 80th birthday" there, but it was actually 1936, he was only "69", and it was his "70th" birthday. Her memories were close, but slightly off.

According to US Immigration records (line 29), he arrived at Ellis Island, New York 4 Aug 1936 (age 69) on the Aquitania from Southhampton, England (departed 29 Jul 1936). Apparently, he had been issued tickets at Plymouth, England on 20 Jul 1936. It indicates that he had previously visited the US (Michigan) in 1903 and 1906, with his last departure as Aug 1906; however, earlier immigration records show arrival in 1904. His sons paid for this trip (sent by Bert & Tommie). He listed E. Warren (Edwin, or "Eddie"), Green Market, Penzance, England as his nearest relative in England, and W. T. Warren (Thomas, or "Tommie") at 1845 Wisconsin Ave, Flint, Michigan as his destination.

No middle name. Ran general store at Pendeen. Occupation "Grocer" in 1891 & 1901 UK Census. His family might have come from Yorkshire, England - Source: Betty Best (Warren).