hi all-
Here is another one of my Lavelle brickwalls. :)
Clara Erickson was the mother of William A Lavelle's only son(that we know of), John Henry Lavelle(Nov 11, 1887- October 10, 1949).
Clara was born circa 1868, according to the 1900, 1920 and 1930 census records, she was born in Sweden, and her year of immigration ranges from 1882-1884.
We have her death certificate, she died in 1942, in Manhattan, where she appears to have lived from her year of immigration until her death. However, we cannot find her in 1910, whether that is because her name is so badly misspelled, or she had traveled back to Sweden, or was just missed, we don't know. On the death certificate, she indicated her parents were Gustav Erickson and Anna Jensen, and that she had lived in the US for 60 years
In 1900, she claims to be married, and she is living with her son John H, who was 13, no husband is living in the household, and her occupation is listed as actress, though I've never been able to find an evidence that she worked in the US or anywhere else as an actress, though I've recently heard that she could sing. :)
In 1920 and 1930, she is living with her grandson, James Ivan Lavelle(1909-1976), as a widow, though we know William lived until 1924, and in fact remarried in 1903 in Ohio. James Ivan's mother died in 1912, his father John Henry is never seen living with him, in fact, there is no evidence that the two ever met. John Henry did serve in WW1, according to his death record, he died in a VA hospital, and is buried in Cleveland, OH. John Henry married Anna Morgan in Ohio, before 1920, we believe we find him in 1910 in Buffalo and according to his WW1 registration he is in Buffalo, NY.
I am trying to find evidence of when she arrived, she was only 12-14 as far as I can tell, so I'm assuming she may have immigrated with her parents, but haven't been able to find a record that fits for her. I did recently find a Mrs. C Lavelle on an incoming UK record in August of 1900 which could be her, and if she left the States at that time, and did not return until before the 1920 census, that would explain why I cannot find her in 1910, but then where is her 13 year old son? He does not appear to be on the record.
I also cannot find evidence of a marriage to William A. Lavelle, they appear on their son's birth record from 1887, but that doesn't indicate they were married, just that they were the parents of record. She was known to be Catholic, so she may have claimed marriage to save face? But William also indicated he had been married twice on the 1910 census in Chicago. I am assuming they had married in Manhattan, but I cannot find a record for it near the time of John Henry's birth of 1887.
I will add the census records as I can find them again, and if I can get Clara's death record scanned, I will add that as well.
Thank you!