I need some suggestions on what can be researched - John E Cole [closed]

Question

Yesterday, I made a breakthrough on my 2nd great-grandfather and found his death record and a 1910 census (all on the profile).  There are no names on the death certificate for parents. I have looked at some John Coles in the Kentucky area and found them living / dying in the area about the time my John would be in Texas.  I've looked at newspaper articles, but the ones I found are not associated with my John Cole.  I need some suggestions on what else I can find in Kentucky records?

Comments

Today I have tried to check for possible relatives that traveled from Kentucky to Texas around the 1800s for my John Cole and again ran into roadblocks.  The only coincidence is I found one where it also showed where the parents were unknown.  However, a light went off in my head and I'm not sure how to do the research.

John Cole was born just before the Civil War.  He was approximately 4 / 8 years old during this time.  So, it is possible he became an orphan during this time, due to death of the father, since he was of age to fight. Mother could've become a widow or also died for who knows what reason.

My new question, how do I go about looking for orphanages during the civil war records? Are there any sites online to research names? Are there any groups in the Kentucky area that I can contact to get help in this research?

The orphanage part may be why the parents are unknown - at least that is my theory.

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THANK YOU for everyone's help - Thanks to Mel Bishop - I found my info!! I will be updating the profile with some more info!!

Answer 1

John E Cole US Census, birth was estimated at 1858 KY

residence in 1910, Sherman Ward 1, Grayson Co., TX

Both of his parents were born in Kentucky

Comments

Now the first suggestion, instead of last. Saves all that scrolling. Congrats, Frank, on your discovery!!

Answer 2

In what year did he die? Does the death certificate indicate the county and city? There were a number of men named John E Cole who lived in Kentucky. One was born in 1860 in Indiana who resided in Louisville in 1910, wife Elizabeth.  Another was born in KY 1883 in residence 1910 Graves, KY. Wife is Maud.

Comments

He died in 1916 in Texas.  He married my 2nd grandmother in 1888 in Texas. I have notated / found a census of 1910 that shows him still in Texas as a shoe repairer.  It's the time BEFORE 1888 that I cannot find.  I have looked at 5 John Coles that were born around the same time in Kentucky on the 1860 Census. However, all of them have excluded him. They were living in Kentucky in 1900, or died in Kentucky. I found City Directories where he lived in Sherman, Texas from 1910 up to his death.

I just don't know where else to look.  I'm trying to think "outside the box".

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He likely didn't go to Texas alone. The oil fields then were beginning to flourish and needed workers. Check records for those born in Kentucky and dying in Grayson County Texas, then cross-reference census records from 1860 to maybe 1880 for those names to see if they had a brother John

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Thank you. I will try that tomorrow.

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I tried what you said today and was not successful in finding anything relative. However, I had a "light" go off in my head.

Check my new comment added and do you know if there is a way to check my new theory?

Answer 3

Have you checked this family group https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCZH-7SS ?

John E Cole listed as brother-in-law of Clem Howard (wife Sarah appears to be a Cole). Looks like this family also moved to Texas and at the time of Sarah's death lived on the outskirts of Dallas. 

Her death record https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K39Z-1V3?treeref=LRK1-PJQ lists parents William Cole and Polly Bishop of Kentucky (looks like they were in Lee and/or Owsley counties).

Would need further research, but it looks like a promising start.

Comments

Thank you - I will check it out.