My grandfather William John Matthews was born in Forest Lake, but I'm not sure of the year. His son was born in 1919 in Highland Park, so it has to have been before 1900 but probably not before 1870.

Would anyone possibly have any information or leads on him? After the birth of his son in 1919 he up and disappeared. I don't know when he died, where, or how. I heard he may have died in the 1950s but nothing to substantiate that.

His wife's name was Jennie, and he also had a daughter in 1917 named Marian or Marion.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Matthews is such a common name that when I'm looking at 1000 search results any one of them could be him and I wouldn't even know it.

Thank you so much!
Yessie

Yessie,

Have you tried the Lake County Genealogy Society located in the Lake County Library in Mundelein? They have lots of obits, birth, marriage records. Your William may be in there somewhere.

Carolyn

My great grandfather was one of the William John Matthews from Lake Forest. He was born in 1860 and died in Wood County, Wisconsin in 1933. His wife died quite young. I doubt if we are related but this William's father was a magistrate in Lake forest. His name was John Matthews. He died in 1919 and is buried in St. Mary's cemetery in Lake Forest. John was born in England, and his father's name was Wlliam.

I'd be interested in finding out if the families crossed paths anywhere in the past. I've got quite a bit of information. given that they were in the same area, I wouldn't be surprised if there were a connection.

Interesting.

The only information I have on my grandfather, William John Matthews, is that he was born in Forest Lake Illinois, and he was 35 when my dad, William Francis Matthews was born in 1919. So that would make his birth year about 1884. He also had a daughter Marian/Marion in 1917, and his wife's name was Jennie.

But, they might be a hidden part of his life because Jennie told everyone that William John had died, when in fact he hadn't, and that part wasn't discovered until 1955. She totally cut out any information or acknowledgment of his existence. She even listed herself as a widow in the 1920 census, a year after his son was born.

I have 2 registration cards, one from WWI and one from WWII, both for William John Matthewsm born in Forest Lake 1883 and 1884, but same day. And listing a Jennie as nearest relative on one card, address of Burchell Ave in Highwood and he's an electrictian for Chi 115 & Mil RR.


What do you think?

My guess is that there is a cousin-ship in there someplace because William, John, and Frances (or -cis) are in my Matthews family names. My grandmother's middle name was Frances as was my father's (middle) name. William John Matthews had a sister by the name of Frances Matthews (McClory), too. I haven't been able to find any brothers of John W. Matthews, but it would surprise me if relatives didn't also come over. My great Grandfather William John Matthews was an only son (7 sisters-hence all the surnames in my first post - didn't read the instructions) and left Forest Lake for Wood County, Wisconsin sometime between 1902 and 1904. I don't know why. His wife was Harriet Ann Hargreaves who died young in 1910. Their oldest daughter took off, and my grandmother took care of her siblings for the next 10 years. Harriet Ann Hargreaves' parents were married at Trinity Hurdsfield near Maccelsfield, Cheshire, England. I have the marriage record of Harriet's parents John W. Hargreaves and Martha Hall and have found Hargreaves (baptism records) there but no Matthews. I have found other related Hargreaves in the Chicago area. Harriet Ann Hargreaves was born in Southport, England. Like you, I have had difficulty with the common Matthews name both in the US and in England. If you find any connection, please let me know. I am closer (Minnesota) than you are and have been to Forest Lake and could go back if necessary.

Have you tried contacting the Lake Forest Historical Society? If you aren't from the area, you can either write them or I am sure they have an e-mail address. I was born there and William probably knew my grandfather. Although I only reside in LF six months of the year, I frequent the Historical Society and they are great in locating info on residents of LF.

CW

Ya know, none of our information really matches except for the William John and Forest Lake. And yet, how many William John Matthews could have been born in Forest Lake and not be from the same family?

Your William John was born in 1860. My William John was born in 1884. Father and son?

Is there any way we can take this to email and decipher one generation at a time? Then I can send you what I have and we can compare notes before moving on to the next.
Message me here if thats ok with you.

This post was deleted by a board administrator on 13 Mar 2012 11:49AM GMT

Email me at winegard@pclink.com. I'd like to explore the unlikely.

I doubt about father & son, but uncle and nephew or a little further removed would make some sense. Given what I've found in my research, it could be just about any explanation. My grandmother's older sister was born in 1888 so the time might indicate cousins. Odd for the exact same name, though but not impossible or unheard of.

I have been to Forest Lake and done some personal research. I've found my great great grandparents' graves as well as some other relatives. My grandmother was born in Evanston before her family moved to Wisconsin.

There was a rather large lawsuit between the children to break John W. Matthews' will. Family lore has it that my great grandfather (William John Matthews) was glad he was not there, but he was still listed in the filing which I have.

Do you have the cemetery name by chance?

Carolyn