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Hi can anyone tell me who father of merediths father is.
Robert Meredith willson born Mason Iowa usa1902 , He was composer/playwright who produced The Music Man and son 76 Trumbones, His Father was John David willson.
Im trying to establish the connection to my family here in uk and think it may lie with one of two gt uncles who emigrated there in mid 1800,s all help apreciated

Hi david,

from Family Search;

Name: Robt Meredith Willson
Gender:
Baptism/Christening Date:
Baptism/Christening Place:
Birth Date:
Birthplace: Mason City, Ia.
Death Date:
Name Note:
Race:
Father's Name: John D. R. Willson
Father's Birthplace:
Father's Age:
Mother's Name: Rosalia Reiniger
Mother's Birthplace:
Mother's Age:
Indexing Project (Batch) Number: C00062-7
System Origin: Iowa-EASy
Source Film Number: 1503077
Reference Number: p 58


Dee x

From the same FREE site;

Name: John D Willson
Birthplace: Iowa
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Residence: Mason Ward 3, Cerro Gordo, Iowa
Marital Status: Married
Race : White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: New York
Mother's Birthplace: New York
Family Number: 135
Page Number: 6
Household Gender Age
John D Willson M 44y
Spouse Rosalie R Willson F 44y
Child Lucile R Willson F 19y
Child Cedric R Willson M 9y
Child Robert R M Willson M 7y

He was born in Mason City, Iowa to John David Willson and Rosalie Reiniger Willson, and had a brother two years older, John Cedrick, and a sister 12 years older, Lucille.[1] He attended Frank Damrosch's Institute of Musical Art (later The Juilliard School) in New York City. August 29, 1920, he married his high school sweetheart, Elizabeth "Peggy" Wilson.[2] A flute and piccolo player, Willson was a member of John Philip Sousa's band (1921–1923), and the New York Philharmonic Orchestra under Arturo Toscanini (1924–1929). Willson then moved to San Francisco, California as the concert director for radio station KFRC, and then as a musical director for the NBC radio network in Hollywood.[3]

Lucile R Willson
United States Census, 1900

birth: Aug 1890 —Iowa
residence: 1900 —Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa
parents: John D ? Willson, Rosalie A Willson

record title: United States Census, 1900
name: Lucile R Willson
residence: Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa
birth date: Aug 1890
birthplace: Iowa
relationship to head-of-household: Daughter
father name: John D ? Willson
father birthplace: Iowa
mother name: Rosalie A Willson
mother birthplace: Iowa
race or color (expanded): White
head-of-household name: John D ? Willson
gender: Female
marital status: Single
enumeration district: 0028
sheet number and letter: 1B
household id: 18
gsu film number: 1240423

Thanks ok my gt uncles who emigrated were henry willson born 1862,Walter john willson b1867 these two i know nothing of only water appears in 1881 census uk Father william henry willson mother Caroline Charlotte Shearman london.
Why im hunting is when i was 5-8yrs old i went to school in ditchling sussex at a school my gt uncle keneth attree,s familly founded,
Our president and family friend was Dame vera Lynn we used to go to her house for tea occationally . In her book she briefly mentions Meredith willson. so im wondering is it through him our family got to know her and is this the american connection i know exists but no knothing of.

Hi David,

unfortunately I can't get onto Ancestry at the moment to look for you.


Dee x

Thanks for your help dee im in same boat , just thought i got all i could get on my tree and then this popped up out of the blue lol
and thank to all others ,ill leave it posted incase other see it later cheers Dave

Caroline Charlotte Sherman
England and Wales Census, 1901

birth: 1869 —Lambeth, Surrey
residence: 31 Mar 1901 —Camberwell, London, Middlesex, England
census: 31 Mar 1901 —Camberwell, London, Middlesex, England

record title: England and Wales Census, 1901
name: Caroline Charlotte Sherman
event: Census
event date: 31 Mar 1901
gender: Female
age: 32
relationship to head of household: Wife
birthplace: Lambeth, Surrey
record type: Household
registration district: Camberwell
sub-district: St George
ecclesiastical parish: St Georges
civil parish: Camberwell
county: Camberwell, St George, Camberwell, London, Middlesex

Just for background:
Marriages Sep 1858
Shearman Caroline Bethnal Gn 1c 537
Willson William Henry Bethnal Gn 1c 537

?
Births Sep 1862
WILLSON Henry Stepney 1c 47_

?
Births Jun 1867
Willson Walter Stepney 1c 503

Looks like Walter with his parents in 1891;

1891 England Census
about Walter Willson Name: Walter Willson
Age: 24
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867
Relation: Son
Father's name: William Willson
Mother's name: Caroline Willson
Gender: Male
Where born: Limehouse, London, England

Civil parish: Battersea
Ecclesiastical parish: Christchurch
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address:

Occupation:

Condition as to marriage:

Education:

Employment status: View image

Registration district: Wandsworth
Sub-registration district: West Battersea
ED, institution, or vessel: 15
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 431
Folio: 121
Page Number: 40
Household Members: Name Age
William Willson 56
Caroline Willson 54
Walter Willson 24
Arthur Willson 20
Horrace Willson 11
Sidney Willson 9
James Broughton 22
Albert Woodroffe 19
Henry Palmer 19
Alice Shuttleworth 30


Same family in 1881;

1881 England Census
about William A. Wilson Name: William A. Wilson
Age: 45
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1836
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Charlotte Wilson
Gender: Male
Where born: Poplar, Middlesex, England

Civil parish: St John Hackney
County/Island: London
Country: England

Street Address: 68 Greenwood Rd
Condition as to marriage: Married
Education:

Employment status: View image
Occupation: Publican

Registration district: Hackney
Sub-registration district: West Hackney
ED, institution, or vessel: 18
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 301
Folio: 44
Page Number: 22
Household Members: Name Age
William A. Wilson 45
Charlotte Wilson 44
William Wilson 20
Henry Wilson 18
Walter Wilson 14
Arthur Wilson 10
Albert Wilson 8
Charles Wilson 5
Lilian L. Wilson 3
Horace Wilson 1
Hester Granger 16
Annie Pearson 20
Charlotte Machel 19


I see from quite a few trees on Ancestry that walter is down as Sir Walter Willson, how did this come about?


Dee x

Hi Dee sorry the delay but been working , Hi im not sure !! We have had a lot of sir,s in the past history of my familly .
but why iam asking about meredith is because according to my brother our grand dad Charles octavius willson 1875-1933 knew all the willson/wilsons in usa. (i say both spelling as his grandmother was a wilson with one L before marriage) apart from gt uncle william h willson 1861 I have not found anyone else in usa only canada.
now DAME VERA LYNN was a friend of my father and family ,i met her as a child and only once since. Last week i bought her book and in it she mentions meredith willson the playwright composer I wonder if this is the willson familly my brother was reffering too

Hi David,

You've confused me slightly, it doesn't take much believe me. You state that,

"i say both spelling as his grandmother was a wilson with one L before marriage"

Could this be the Wilson side you need to be looking at? Robert Meredith Willsons father is too old to be linked to your Henry or Walter, and I'm struggling to find anything else on them........ so going back to the 1 "L" Wilson side could this be the side that went to the US?

David, too often we let the chance of possibly finding out about our ancestors slip away...... so many times I've thought to myself that I'd wished that I had asked the questions whilst my ancestors were still with us........ so why not bite the bullet and write to Dame Vera Lynn?? You have nothing to lose but you could gain some vital knowledge about your Willsons from her, that is if she knows, but there's only 1 way to find out!!

Dee x

yes i think it would not hurt. It could be either of the willson families that is true. like i say william h willson 1861 is the only one for sure ,He was a firework manufacture in Los Angeles and married an Elizabeth ? .
His brother tom went to Canada and what a story i found there.
Im not an ametuer at this ive been at it some eight years now.
Ihave my line and certiicates ect but there is still bits that im missing and the history is what i love most about it all. there is one other thing where would i go to find out about a death ie my gt gt grandfather died in 1861 Oare kent Faversham district he was an oyster sailsman on his death cert it has that he died by a puncture to the Heart. could he have been murdered?