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This is from the Berks County, Pennsylvania, Register of Wills Application, Estate Search.
Don't know if that means when the Wills were made, or when they were proved, or whatever the US equivalent is called:
http://rwills.co.berks.pa.us/geneology/Estates.aspx

Mendus Thomas 02/07/1919 Tilden Township
Mendus Martha W. 05/04/1944 Reading City

Their names don't come up on the Berks County or Reading Death Searches on the same site, but they only go as far as 1905.

1919 doesn't match the gravestone - so maybe his Will took 3 years to prove??

Those records have got to be connected, too much of a coincidence not to. Is there anything for Elizabeth who died in 1898?

Not on that site, but this looks like her:


Web: Pennsylvania, Find A Grave Index, 1682-2012 about Elizabeth Mendus
Name: Elizabeth Mendus
Birth Date: 16 Apr 1853
Age at Death: 45
Death Date: 8 Dec 1898
Burial Place: Tuckerton, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA

Yes, saw that and if you look at the headstone it states she was born Pennsylvania - Elizabeth T, but I can't read all the inscription. Is there a site showing MIs?

You do realise, this could all be a wild goose chase and we may be onto the wrong man?

Of course! But as you said earlier, there weren't many Thomas Mendus (or similar) born in Wales 1850-1852. In fact, there were only these two, and the first one is accounted for in censuses to 1911, and died in 1924 in Wales, so the second one has to be our man shown in the 1910 Pennsylvania record, (unless his birth wasn't registered):

Births Dec 1850 (>99%)
Mendus Thomas [T_]ropert Cardigan 27 40
Births Mar 1852 (>99%)
MENDUS Thomas Cardiff 11a 207

Unless he's this man (two transcriptions of the same GRO Index record):

Births Jun 1851 (>99%)
Mends Thomas Haverfordwest 26 728
MENDS Thomas Haverfordwst 26 788

EDIT:
Mind you, I don't see him after 1881, and his wife Caroline has remarried by 1901!

Her remarriage:
Marriages Sep 1885 (>99%)
ANDREW William Cardiff 11a 412
Mends Caroline Ann Cardiff 11a 412

Maybe his death:

Deaths Mar 1885 (>99%)
MENDS Thomas Leach 36 Cardiff 11a 190

HI thanks for having a look, the Pensylvania Thomas Mendus is worth following up.
I've looked for passegner record but no luck, and have not been able to find a record of the marriages to either Elizabeth or Martha.
I might try and get the will and see if any relatives in Wales are mentioned.

Please come back to this thread and let us know the outcome.
We would love to know if he turns out to be the right man!

i've emailed the pennsylvania records office so hope to hear something soon!

Flip - there was an 1890 US census - it was 99.99% destroyed by fire - nothing for PA remains.

Reading is in Berks Co in the SE part of PA, abt 80km NW of Philadelphia.

1900 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3MG-DMP [with image link]
1910 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MGCB-ZW1
Affiliate Publication Number: M1283
GS Film number: 1375329
Digital Folder Number: 004449957
Image Number: 00015

[Lintz]
1900 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/M3MP-66H [with image link]
1910 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MG33-QZB
Affiliate Publication Number: M1283
GS Film number: 1375325
Digital Folder Number: 004449303
Image Number: 01047

1920 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MFB8-F8L
GS Film number: 1821536
Digital Folder Number: 004384787
Image Number: 00492

1930 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XCZV-CT6
Affiliate Film Number: 1999
GS Film number: 2341733
Digital Folder Number: 004661295
Image Number: 00033

1940 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KQQN-VRX [with image link]

For best resolution of 1910-1930 images, magnify 4 clicks, then save image:
http://archive.org/stream/13thcensus1910po1316unit#page/n13/mode/1up
http://archive.org/stream/13thcensus1910po1312unit#page/n1044/mode/1up
http://archive.org/stream/14thcensusofpopu1536unit#page/n489/mode/1up
http://archive.org/stream/fifteenthcensus00reel1999#page/n26/mode/1up
http://archive.org/stream/fifteenthcensus00reel1999#page/n27/mode/1up


https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VFM4-Z6X [with image link]

To buy an uncertified copy of d.cert, see:
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/state_archives/2887

http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/public_records/20686
MARTHA W MENDUS CENTRE T M 532 06 5 4 44 43314 [Page 1382]
[so died 4th May 1944 - state #=43314]

If 4th May 1944 is the actual date of Martha's death, (though I can't find it from the link you gave, mgnv) then that would mean that Thomas died 2nd July 1919 (per my earlier post - 22 Sept, 16:58).

But the gravestone record posted earlier by MarieCeleste says he died 1916, (though the photo of the stone shown says 1918), which makes me think they are dates of probate..

Of course, the date of 1919 given on Berks County, Pennsylvania, Register of Wills might be a clerical error, too! I would be inclined to think that the gravestone photo is the correct date - 1918.

But I don't see him in the Pennsylvania Death Indices for either 1916, 1918, or 1919.

Perhaps I'm missing something.

I hate to say this as it was all looking SO good for the one in Pensylvania to be the one you are looking for BUT - the 1900 census states that this particular Thomas had been in USA for 35 years, meaning that he arrived there in 1865 ????

It does also give his birth as being December 1851 though so that at least is hopeful !

Dea x

Dea, I did say when I posted the 1900 census that I was sceptical about that 1865 immigration date. I'm pretty sure that the 1900 and the 1910 are for the same man - the 1910 gives an immigration date of 1886 which fits in quite nicely.

Also, I can find no record in the 1870 or 1880 US census.

The Grace Lintz who appears as daughter of Martha Mendus
is not the daughter of Thomas Mendus
she used her father's surname when she married but her birth record is with her mother's maiden name. I have found someone on ancestry who has her in their tree so have sent a message.

Name: Irvin H. Lintz
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 10 Dec 1904
Event Place: Berks, Pennsylvania, United States
Age: 20
Birth Year (Estimated): 1884
Father's Name: Joseph H. Lintz
Father's Titles and Terms:
Mother's Name: Mary Emma
Mother's Titles and Terms:
>>>Spouse's Name: Grace A.L. Weisner
Spouse's Titles and Terms:
Spouse's Age: 17
Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated): 1887
>Spouse's Father's Name: Samuel
Spouse's Father's Titles and Terms:
>Spouse's Mother's Name: Martha (nee Shaneman)
Spouse's Mother's Titles and Terms:
Reference ID: vol 29 p33-66

Name: Grace M. Shaneman
Titles and Terms:
Event Type: Birth
Event Date: 06 Oct 1887
Event Place: Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Gender: Female
Mother's Name: Martha Shaneman

Sorry MC - I must have missed what you said about the immigration year on 1900 census - I think it is likely to be a mistake too as everything else seems to point to him being the right man !!

Dea Xxx <3

The 1900 census gives Thos's b'day as Dec 1851, so he would be 48 on 1/6/1900 and 58 on 1/6/1910. A late Dec b'day would likely be rego'ed in 1852q1.

The 1900 Thos is a Section boss (RR), i.e., working for the Rail Road.
The 1910 Thos is a Roadway foreman, working for the Railroad.

Thos is a naturalized US citizen, born in Wales like his parents, on both censuses.

The Shanemans

1860 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MXPX-1CD
GS Film number: 805077
Digital Folder Number: 4288510
Image Number: 00506

1870 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZL2-83N [with image link]

1880 https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MWXM-TDW
Entry Number: 4722
Affiliate Film Number: T9-1101
GS Film number: 1255101
Digital Folder Number: 004244229
Image Number: 00215


Magnify 4 clicks, then save image:
1860 http://archive.org/stream/populationschedu1077unix#page/n504/mode/1up
1880 http://archive.org/stream/10thcensus1101unit#page/n213/mode/1up

http://berks.pa-roots.com/
then the maps link, then the
Township maps of Berks County Pennsylvania from the 1876 Historical Atlas of Berks County
link, then the Berks Co map link
shows the location of Tilden Twp, Centre Twp, Muhlenberg Twp, etc.
There are individual maps of each twp, too.

The will of Thomas Mendus is on its way...hopefully it will have some useful information. Don't know how long it will take to get to Austarlia from USA.

I have found his death record in the index as Thomas MAndus! date of death 8 Oct 1918.

Do let us know what it says when you receive it Vicci.