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REA Katie dob: Unknown F 1897 Londonderry USA New York

I think they met in the US. ;) Anybody want to check the record at FMP? The same record is in NY passenger lists at Ancestry. There's also a Kate Rea arriving in England in 1899.

1911 100,Cleveland Street
David Levy 1848 Poland
married 36 years = 1875 now a widow 2 children
Tailor and gent.

It was thought that David was from Poland /Russia,according to posts on the forum mentioned.

1911 son Harry,
Tivoli House Windhill Street,Gravesend
Jewish School
Harry Day age 8 born London City.

I would say this has a chance of being him as how many Jewish people would be called Day

Maryb

Thank you so much for your efforts, especially for the 1911 census information. I wonder where Harry and Catherine’s son Harry David Day was in 1911? I have all the data for Katherine Rea but thankyou for confirming it. The church marriage record shows she signed as Rea-Fox or Cox – it isn’t clear and also gave her father that name which wouldn't have worried him as he was dead by then. Theatricals eh? Yes indeed she was with her cousin Esther M A Franklin (nee Severwright her father’s sister’s child) in 1891. I couldn’t find Katherine in 1901. There is a family legend that she was unofficially adopted so maybe that’s were the Fox or Cox came in. Yes I agree David and Amelia should have been married by 1880 but the David Levy b 1842 with parents Isaac and Katherine was unmarried in 1881. I have wondered about David’s age on the 1891 census – it has been transcribed as 1842 but the writing on the census form itself is not all that clear so maybe I have the wrong David and he was 44 or 49 in 1891. Yes it is possible that they remained in the US but if the 1891 census is right – David Levy, Amelia and Edward 10 years old they were back in the UK by then. Maybe they went back to the US after 1891 as there is no sign of them on the 1901 or 1911 census. The name change to Day in 1906 complicates things somewhat. The family legend says they travelled to US in July 1880 to visit David’s dying brother so would not have been on the 1880 US census. I have looked at the 1880 US census and couldn’t find a perfect match. Harry Day maintained that his father’s family were English back 4 generations and his mother’s 6 generation in England but that might have been to prove himself more British. :The 1900 US census does have 2 Edward Levys but neither pan out as they continued in the US marrying different women. We know Edward Levy (Harry Day) married in London in 1899 (divorced in 1900) and again in 1901 in London. His father was alive in 1901 and died before 1926.I have all the information I need for all other branches of the family but it is David John Levy that I am stuck with except for the 1891 census. Maybe I should look again with David Levys born 1842 or 1847. I think I have done this already but I am going round in circles a bit.Any help is much appreciated.This is squashed because I kept getting an error message - don't use curly brackets or angles which I wasn't!Ingrid

Hi all,
Thank you so much for your efforts, especially for the 1911 census information. I have all the data for Katherine Rea but thankyou for confirming it. The church marriage record shows she signed as Rea-Fox or Cox – it isn’t clear and also gave her father that name which wouldn't have worried him as he was dead by then. Theatricals eh? Yes indeed she was with her cousin Esther M A Franklin (nee Severwright her father’s sister’s child) in 1891. I couldn’t find Katherine in 1901. There is a family legend that she was unofficially adopted so maybe that’s were the Fox or Cox came in.
Yes I agree David and Amelia should have been married by 1880 but the David Levy with parents Isaac and Katherine was unmarried in 1881. I have wondered about David’s age on the 1891 census – it has been transcribed as 42 but the writing on the census form itself is not all that clear so maybe I have the wrong David and he was 44 or 49 in 1891. Yes it is possible that they remained in the US but if the 1891 census is right – David Levy, Amelia and Edward 10 years old they were back in the UK by then. Maybe they went back to the US after 1891 as there is no sign of them on the 1901 or 1911 census. The name change to Day in 1906 complicates things somewhat. The family legend says they travelled to US in July 1880 to visit David’s dying brother so would not have been on the 1880 US census. I have looked at the 1880 US census and couldn’t find a perfect match. Harry Day maintained that his father’s family were English back 4 generations and his mother’s 6 generation in England but that might have been to prove himself more British. :The 1900 US census does have 2 Edward Levys but neither pan out as they continued in the US marrying different women. We know Edward Levy (Harry Day) married in London in 1899 (divorced in 1900) and again in 1901 in London. His father was alive in 1901 and died before 1926.I have all the information I need for all other branches of the family but it is David John Levy that I am stuck with except for the 1891 census.

I have just found David J Levy's burial. He died on 9 May 1905 at 835 N Clark St Chicago, Cook,Illinois. He was buried in New Light cemetery. He was 55 and 4 months old so born January 1850 but I don't know where. The burial record states he had only been in Illinois 4 months. There is also an Amelia Levy who died in 1899 also in Cook, Illinois but she was born in Ohio.

I would appreciate any help in finding David John Levy's birth and marriage. As I said before Harry Day claimed his parents were born in England. May be fibbing of course.

Thank you
Ingrid

On an exact search of the 1900 US census, without paying, for David Levy born in 1850, there is one in Colusa county, California, with no wife shown. You might want to have a look at that one, and generally just browse that census for him. (He could have been born in December 1849 and still been 55 and 4 months in early May 1905.)

One that fits in 1880, but wrong wife. Where does the name Amelia come from? Am I right that it's just taken from the probably incorrect English census for the couple with son Edward born in the US?

Born England, both parents born England.

David LEVY Self M Male W 30 ENG Painter ENG ENG
Sarah LEVY Wife M Female W 30 BADEN Keeping House BADEN BADEN
Rose DONAHUE Other W Female W 38 IRE At Home IRE IRE
Michael HENDY Other S Male W 33 IRE At Home IRE IRE
Michael SULLIVAN Other M Male W 32 IRE Saloon Keeper IRE IRE

Source Information:
Census Place 8th Ward, San Francisco, San Francisco, California


I don't understand at all how you know that the David J Levy who died in Cook County in 1905 is your man.

The 1880 census has several David Levys in San Francisco, with interesting occupations like Saloon Keeper and Horse Trader. ;)

I find this sequence rather striking -- the only instances of the name in the GRO index -- i.e. the one born 1877 seems not to have any alternate life:


Births Sep 1877
Levy Edward Lewis Hackney 1b 555

Marriages Dec 1899 to Rebecca Morris
Levy Edward Lewis Strand 1b 1220

Marriages Jun 1901 to Katherine Rea-Cox
LEVY Edward Lewis Lambeth 1d 532

Births Dec 1903
Levy Edward Lewis Wandsworth 1d 721

Deaths Dec 1903
Levy Edward Lewis 0 Wandsworth 1d 400


I'm afraid that I think being born in San Francisco was a bit of a tale.


1881

Name: Lewis Levy
Age: 38
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1843
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Mary Levy
Where born: London, London, Middlesex, England
Occupation: Cigar Manufacturer

Civil parish: St John Hackney
County/Island: London
Street Address: 31 Gore Crescent

Lewis Levy 38
Mary Levy 35 - born London
Abraham Alfred Levy 6
Edward Lewis Levy 3
Rachael F. Levy 2
Albert Lewis Levy 1
Julia Lazarus 19
Jane C. Carter 65
Sarah Ricks 20


Marriages Sep 1873 ?
Defries Betsey London City 1c 208
> LAZARUS Mary London C 1c 208
> Levy Lewis London C 1c 208
Papier Abraham Simon London City 1c 208

If 1891 census is correct with Edward lewis Levy born USA and David is a tailor,why can't the 1911 for David Levy widow married 36 years a Tailor and Gent can't be correct.

David Levy is on marriage cert as Gent.

Edward looks to have been born in USA as if he wasn't why would he apply for Nationalisation from USA in 1925!!
Around the time he became MP.

Maryb

Hi All,
Thank your for your replies especially the 1911 census. I know now that the David John Levy was buried in New Light cemetery in Illinois. He died in May 1905 aged 55 and 4 months so born in January 1850. The burial record says he had only been in Illinois for 4 months so I am still looking for where he lived 1891-1905. If the 1891 census is him (with wife Amelia and son Edward - later Harry Day) he and his wife were born in Whitechapel. so none of the 1880 US census are right unless there was some fibbing going on!
The family legend says they travelled to US in July 1880 to visit David’s dying uncle in San Francisco so would not have been on the 1880 California US census which is date June. . Harry Day maintained that his father’s family were English back 4 generations and his mother’s 6 generation in England but that might have been to prove himself more British. :The 1900 US census does have 2 Edward Levys but neither pan out as they continued in the US marrying different women. We know Edward Levy (Harry Day) married in London in 1899 (divorced in 1900) and again in 1901 in London.
Thank you again for helping and if you find any more information on David Levy,his wife or his parents I would appreciate it.
Ingrid

1901 lambeth Brixton D5 > 33
Edgar Cox 42 Ireland Attendant in bankruptcy court.(on marriage cert for Edward Lewis Levy it looks like witness Edgar Cox)
Harriett Cox 40 Clapham
KATIE COX daughter 19 Clapham
HARRY DAY single visitor age 26 born new York USA VARIETY AGENT!!!

Maryb

Not a lot of point in repeating the same thing over and over, Ingrid. Really. We aren't deaf, although you don't seem to want to listen to anything else.

By the way, I already explained, in case you didn't know, that most of the 1890 US census no longer exists. If you do a search of that census at Ancestry, you will see what states survive. Very few.

I still have no idea how you "know" that the David J Levy who died in Illinois was your David Levy. If it was, then the widowed tailor David Levy in the 1911 census (David Levy father of Edward in the 1891 census?) is not the man.

If Edward/Harry's father was English back four generations, he would have been a British Subject even if born in the US.

Evidently Harry Day applied for naturalization in 1925. He was elected as MP in 1924, after running previously in 1923.

There are irreconcilable inconsistencies on each element of the story.

Somehow I missed Mary's intervening post. ;) Thought I'd refreshed ...

So, born New York and not San Francisco? If either is true, my supposition about Harry and Katie meeting in the US might bear out, anyhow. ;)

I wonder how Katie Rea morphed into Katie Cox ...


I wonder whether anyone has in fact looked at this record, just in case it is the right Katie and holds any clues:

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/passengerListPersonSearchStart.action

REA Katie dob: Unknown F 1897 Londonderry USA New York

Col. Harry Day was apparently the colonel of a cadet regiment during WWI. Is there any record of his military career? It sounds like maybe an honorary position. (I assume he's not the Col. Harry Day who co-designed the Nevada flag in 1905. ;) That one may have come from the US Civil War.)


http://www.gcompany.org.uk/images/1990s/Gazettes/gaz1991-2s.pdf

A Tribute to R. W. Holmes who died recently
1st Cadet Battalion - The London Scottish (1914-18 War: affiliated to 14th London Regt).
... Also we were able to go in batches to Collins Music Hall off the Edgware Road on one or two occasions as Colonel Harry Day, M.P. (our Colonel) had an interest in that theatre.

been looking at passenger lists on fmp

the Katie Raes of the correct age seem to all be servants, little given away re birth or family or employer

tempest -- Katie REA not Rae? The one I noted looked like the only one, I think. That doesn't make her ours, but the coincidence seemed worth looking at.

his will

England & Wales, National Probate Calendar (Index of Wills and Administrations),1861-1941
about Harry Day Name: Harry Day
Probate Date: 18 May 1940
Death Date: 15 Sep 1939
Death Place: Sussex, England
Registry: London

Day Harry of The Bungalow Lancing Sussex died 15 September 1939 at Jeffrey Hale Hospital Quebec Canada Probate London 18 May to Katherine Amelia Day widow and Henry David Day company director £79547 11s 7d

sorry Janey I meant REA

this is the only on I found

passenger transcript details
Name: Katie REA
Date of departure: 9 July 1897
Port of departure: Londonderry
Passenger destination port: New York, USA
Passenger destination: New York, USA

Date of Birth:
Age:
Marital status: Single
Sex: Female
Occupation: Domstc Servt
Passenger recorded on: Page 1 of 2

Ship: CIRCASSIA
Official Number:
Master's name: G C Boothby
Steamship Line: Anchor Line Of Mail Steamships
Where bound: New York, USA
Square feet: 1500
Registered tonnage: 2769
Passengers on voyage: 36

http://forum.mind-energy.net/skeptiko-podcast/964-have-magicians-helped-hindered-paranormal-research-experts-hypocrites-12.html

And I have to say I very much dislike being asked to help with a search, offered a fraction of the available information, and not told about the searching going on elsewhere. The reason for the rule against duplicate posts at this website is so as not to waste other people's time. The same principle applies.

"Searcher" says:

"Harry Day's wife was indeed Katherine Rea who used the stage name Kitty Colyer. Although he claimed to be a bachelor on their wedding certificate in 1901 I have found a possible first marriage for him in 1899 to Rebecca Morris. Is she the first wife who divorced him I wonder?"

Has no one obtained the certificate of the marriage to Rebecca Morris to see what it says about his age and father?

This is the divorce, btw:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATLN=7&CATID=-3080498
Divorce Court File: 1279.
Appellant: Rebecca Levy.
Respondent: Edward Lewis Levy.
Type: Wife's petition [wx]. .
Divorce Court File: 1279.
Appellant: Rebecca Levy.
Respondent: Edward Lewis Levy.
Type: Wife's petition [wx].
Date: 1900
Source: The Catalogue of The National Archives

I assume someone has actually looked at the file.



Ta, tempest, the passenger record. No clues there, then, and given the port of departure, probably an Irish Katie Rea ...

Regarding the 1897 passage to New York of a Katie Rea found by JC, the following info is available on Ellis Island:

First Name: Katie
Last Name: Rea
Ethnicity: Ireland, Irish
Last Place of Residence: Tyrone,
Date of Arrival: Jul 20, 1897
Age at Arrival: 25y Gender: F Marital Status: S
Ship of Travel: Circassia
Port of Departure: Londonderry
Manifest Line Number: 0005

The original image states she is a D Servant, nationality Irish, visiting her relative Mrs Lockhart in Niagara Falls (where she had visited before). She paid her own passage and had 20$ with her.

So, probably not the same Katie.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article660458.ece

"Among a cast of exotic characters, I would like to have known more about Harry Day, Houdini’s British manager, described as “a mysterious expatriate American who changed his name” before becoming an MP and doing “overseas espionage for the British government”. The index (not the text) indicates his real name was Edward Lewis Levy, but otherwise little is written about him, except that he seems to have played a part in a plot to discredit Margery and Conan Doyle.

It is no use turning to notes for enlightenment, because they do not exist. For this resource, the reader is directed to a website. However, they cover only 10 out of 26 chapters and the reference to Levy/Day is marked “details to follow”. Rudimentary research in the digital archive of The Times unveils a litigious impresario turned MP who titled himself colonel (although his obituary gives no indication how he earned this rank). His first appearance in print was a divorce case where he was alleged to have beaten up his wife. This suggests the competitive, duplicitous and often violent subculture in which Houdini operated."

the divorce was in The Times, Tuesday, Nov 20, 1900; pg. 14; Issue 36304; col C

Levy V Levy
In this case Rebecca Levy prayed for a dissolution of her marriage with Edward Lewis Levy on the grounds of his cruelty and adultery. The case was undefended.
Mr Calvery, in opening the case on behalf of the petitioner, said that she was a variety artist, acting on the music hall stage under the name of Flo Elvin and that her husband was also an actor, acting under the name of Harry Day. The parties were married on November 30th 1899, at the registry office in the Strand. In January of this year the respondent violently assaulted his wife by striking her in the mouth while they were living at 85 Kennington Road. She left him, but subsequently returned and lived with him. Owing however to further acts of cruelty and to perpetual demands by the husband for money, the petitioner left her husband in August last. After she has left him she discovered that in January last the respondent had committed adultery with a woman of the name Nellie Sheldon. Evidence having been given in support of these charges. Mr Justice Gorell Barnes granted a decree nisi with costs