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Help please! Unable to trace info past 1881 for Walter David Hitchin born 1859 in Coventry to David Hitchin and Sarah (nee Mills Russell) who were Watchmakers of 155 Spon Street.
Walter was a gold case watchmaker in 1881 census.

W D Hitchin sailed on ship Aurania to Chicago arrived 23/7/1888
married Sarah Small 24/9/1896 in Chicago.

1900 census Manhatton New York
Walter D Hitchin born England Jan 1859 so that fits. He was a Map Mounter.
Sarah Hitchin

Maybe this is your Walter ?

Maryb.

Hi Mary,
Thanks for that info, maybe that's why we cannot find any more info on him in England.
Not sure how we can verify if this is him but it does seem to fit as he was baptised in February 1859.

Linda H

If it was him,then in 1910 he wasn't with his wife.
She was with her mum Mary Small and siblings along with her son Robert k Hitchin 1903-1978.

There is info on Ancestry about Robert and where he is buried.
it also shows photos of him in later years.

If you google Robert k Hitchin from USA
Scroll down 1st page to My Family My People it takes you to www.findagrave.com.

Maryb.

1881 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription
155, Spon Street, Coventry St Michael with St John, Coventry, Warwickshire, England

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Household Members
First name(s) Last name Relationship Marital status Gender Age Birth year Occupation Birth place
John W Ward Head Married Male 32 1849 Watch Work Shop Coventry, Warwickshire, England
Transcription
Sarah M Ward Wife Married Female 46 1835 Shop Woman (Watch) Coventry, Warwickshire, England
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Walter D Hitchens Son In Law Single Male 22 1859 Gold Case Maker (Watch) Coventry, Warwickshire, England
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Flora P Hitchens Daughter In Law Single Female 18 1863 Shop Woman (Watch) Coventry, Warwickshire, England
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Herbert J Ward Son Single Male 6 1875 Scholar Coventry, Warwickshire, England
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Elizabeth Russell Mother In Law Widow Female 66 1815 - Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England
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Elizabeth Louk Servant Single Female 21 1860 Domestic Servant Coventry, Warwickshire, England

Oh :-0 Maybe he had passed over...
Thank you again for this information, it is really helpful and maybe on the photo of Robert there will be a family resemblance, will see if we can access it.

Linda H

Hi Abby,
Thank you for that info from 1881 census which we do have.
David Hitchin died and Sarah remarried John Ward.
Still trying to trace David Hitchin cause of death as only 32 but have sent off for death certificate in hope!

Linda H

New York Passenger Lists & Arrivals Transcription

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First name(s) W D
Last name Hitchins
Sex Male
Age 29
Birth year 1859
Arrival year 1888
Arrival city New York City
Arrival state New York
Arrival country United States
Ship name Circassia
Country United States
Film number 001027759
NARA roll number 523
NARA publication number M237
Record set New York Passenger Lists & Arrivals
Category Travel & migration
Subcategory Passenger lists
Collections from United States & Canada

Thank you Abby for info, its more confusing now as that's 2 W D Hitchin's migrated the same time but on different ships! Though yours is spelt differently we do know that mistakes can be made with spellings.
Will also chase this information in the hope of finding him if no results from the info Mary sent.

Linda H

Robert K Hitchin's burial place can be found at Find A Grave .. and there are several photos, but no family history (such as names of parents or siblings).

https://www.findagrave.com

it's so easy to give the URL for newbies to sites! (I'm an old findagrave hand)

Robert K Hitchin
https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=146673700

with photos and link to wife

The memorial was created by one person and is maintained by another, which means the person who now maintains it is a direct descendant (or a very close relation)

Her page is:

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=47712713

and she sounds like she would be thrilled to meet family

Her email address is on her page so you don't even have to register at the site to contact her.


edit - her husband Mike was Robert's grandson, she describes the family here on her husband's memorial page:

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=42488518&


1940 census

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KW2T-PXJ

Robert R Hitchin Head M 38 Ohio
Romola P Hitchin Wife F 38 Ohio
Sidney A Hitchin Son M 18 Florida
* Wanda E Hitchin Daughter F 16 Florida
Myra L Hitchin Daughter F 14 Florida

* mother of Mike


Walter's wife Sarah Small is also buried in Ohio but there are no family connections and the person who created the memorial is not related.

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=32713561&

I have submitted an edit to connect Robert's page to his mother Sarah's.

When Sarah died in 1941 in Ohio she was recorded as widowed:

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X8ST-XLN


In 1920 Sarah is recorded as divorced

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDRC-S5L


so I wonder whether this might be Walter in 1920, working in 'stencilling' not far from New York City

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4RY-PGG

Name Walter Hitchin
Event Type Census
Event Date 1920
Event Place Jersey City Ward 10, Hudson, New Jersey, United States
Gender Male
Age 60
Marital Status Married
Relationship to Head of Household Lodger
Birth Year (Estimated) 1860
Birthplace England
Immigration Year 1886
Father's Birthplace England
Mother's Birthplace England

and Walter in 1910 (the alternate spelling was not submitted by an Ancestry user)

Name: Walter D Hilchin [Walter D Hitchin]
Age in 1910: 51
Birth Year: abt 1859
Birthplace: England
Home in 1910: Bronx Assembly District 33, New York, New York
Street: Tinton Ave
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1890
Relation to Head of House: Boarder
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: England
Native Tongue: English
* Occupation: Gardener
* Industry: Florist
Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner
Naturalization Status: Papers

* mistranscribed: it actually says Watchman, Building industry

Coventry Herald - Friday 20 November 1863

MRS Hitchin (Widow of the late David Hitchin), begs to acknowledge her grateful sense of the respectful regard and esteem shown by the Officers and Members of the Coventry Volunteer Rifle Corps towards her late Husband, by so spontaneously attending with their band at his funeral- a tribute of respect which will ever be held by her in grateful remembrance.

155 Spon Street, Coventry
November 19 1863
------------------------------------------------

There are quite a few articles- one obituary describes the band marching through the streets accompanying him to the graveside.

Unfortunately none seem to give cause of death.

??
Walter B Hitchin age 62
Born @ 1859
Buried 21/1/1921
Jersey City heights
New Jersey
USA

Maryb.

Mary could you give your sources for things like that death?

... Okay, I found it at Ancestry. I wondered whether the image might give cause of death, but no. It does say Walter B, aged 62, buried 21 Jan 1920. Walter David would have been 60, 61 later in 1920.

So that can't be the death of the Walter in the 1920 census!

Rather odd that there would be a Walter B and a Walter D almost the same age in Jersey City.

But I can't find a different Walter in US records to match.

Or a Walter B Hitch* born in England 1858-1861 in the births index.

No wait --

"The 1920 Census was begun on 1 January 1920."

So there's a good chance that is the same Walter.


Interesting info about the cemetery, at findagrave:

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=888907&CScn=jersey+city&CScntry=4&CSst=33&

I think there is every possibility that Walter did not have a headstone.



I do wonder whether "watchman" in the 1910 census was an error by his landlord or such, and he was really in watchmaking.

On the other hand, with him being estranged from his wife, the watchman occupation could suggest various things. They hit hard times and he had to go away in search of work. Or, and we have to remember that these things were not at all uncommon and we probably all have them in our tree, he had a problem like alcohol and could no longer hold a job in his occupation, and a watchman job suited.

Glad you found it but it says Walter B Hitchin was buried 1921 not 1920.

Maryb

Oh oops, I was looking at the image itself.
1920 at the top of the page.
Changes over to 1921 part-way down.
Yes, he was buried January 1921.

After the 1920 census in any case. :-)

He would have been 62 later that year.

Hope Linda returns.

I really do think Walter's granddaughter-in-law would be very happy to hear that her stories of the family in the US have been found by Walter's family in England. (And also her husband has a son, Walter's great-grandson.)

Wow, thanks everybody for searching.
We have looked at Find a Grave site from Maryb's info and immediately sent an email to Romola, (Walter's granddaughter-in-law) unfortunately she has yet to reply :-(
We are hoping she can confirm we have the correct Walter if she knows his family history from England.

Linda H

Romola was Walter's daughter-in-law, grandmother of the findagrave member's husband (and is deceased) but we know what you meant. :-)

Assuming that the Walter who married Sarah Small is the right Walter, it's a sure bet that this is the right family, since Sarah is also buried in Ohio. And he sure looks like the right Walter.

Good luck!

Oops sorry, I meant emailed Deanna

Contacted Deanna through Findagrave and sadly she knows nothing, her reply is below.
Robert Hitchin was my late husbands grandfather. I know nothing of his family. Sorry I couldn't be of help. I wish you luck in your search.

Thank you all, in particular Mary and JoonieCloonie for the information you sent.

Linda H