Weekly Puzzle - Kansas City 1888

New York Life Building
Kansas City MO
Completed 1890

It seems that Trendell's were unlucky in Kansas City.  One year to the day before the drowning death of Charles Arthur Trendell, William C Trendell and two co-workers fell to their death when a scaffold collapsed as they laid bricks on the New York Life building. The fall was over 100 feet and Billy struck a wire on the way down which broke his neck.  Unlike the other two victims he probably did not live to feel the impact.

Two days later, 30 Jun 1888, the coroner's jury found that the contractor and the foreman of the carpenter's had been negligent, but not criminally so. (1)

Who is William C. Trendell.  The newspaper account, in which he is referred to as Billy Trendell and also Tremlyn says he was an officer of the bricklayers union, that he could not have been over 27 years old, was small and had a thick black mustache.

 Thursday, June 28, 1888
Kansas City Star (Kansas City, MO)
Volume: 14   Issue: 244   Page: 1

The newspaper account quoted one mourner as stating, "Poor Billy.  Everybody that knew him liked him.  He's only a little fellow, you know, but what there was of him was good."

None of the Trendells (with any spelling) in the 1880 census looked promising.  More promising might be a few individuals born in the British Isles around 1861.  At least two do not appear to have any records after 1881.  Might they have emigrated.

I did not find a cemetery or a death certificate for William, and I also looked under the name Tremlyn using both William and Billy.

The second article, with the official verdict of the coroner's jury gave the name as William C. Trendell, making Trendell more likely than Tremlyn.

So who is William C. Trendell.  There must be more in the coroner's records.  Does anyone have access to them?  One would also expect a lawsuit or at least some sort of settlement if William had any family, so there might be information in the civil court records as well.  If not a lawsuit by the Trendell family perhaps by the family of one of the others?

And so the search is on!





(1) "A Verdict of Censure. Finding of the Jury in the Scaffold Victims' Case. John Russell", Kansas City Star, 30 Jun 1888, v:14 i.246 p1 

Weekly Puzzle - Charles Arthur Trendell

On 28 Jun 1888(9) Charles Arthur Trendell, age 14 born in Wisconsin, drowned in the Water Works Reservoir. (1)  The reservoir, known as the Holly Street Reservoir, was located in the area that in the 1930s was known as Observation Park. (2) He is buried in lot 47 plot 25 of Union Cemetery. (2)  His tombstone gives the 1888 date and the Trendell spelling , his death certificate gives a spelling of Trendle and the year as1889.

In working on this puzzle, I think I might have started to solve another.  In July I posted the puzzle of George Trindle George Trindle, railroad engineer, born in NY died in MS.  One of the possible connections was that he was the same person as George Trindale, railroad engineer, born in New York and found in Minnesota in 1880.  One of the problems with that connection was a son Arthur born in Wisconsin about 1875 and a son Arthur born in Mississippi in 1890.

So, here is a solution to that problem.  Charles ARTHUR born in Wisconsin about 1875 (would be 14 in 1889) died in 1889.  Now an Arthur born in 1890 is no longer a problem.

So, I propose that Charles Arthur Trendell is the son of George Trindal and Lydia Putnam and that George Trindal and and George Trindle are in fact the same person.  This leaves us with the questions:  Why Charles Arthur was in Kansas City?  Did George and Lydia get divorced or did Lydia die?  Did C. Arthur not want to live in Mississippi with his step-mother?  What happened to his siblings Gracy and Frank?

Much more to solve and corrections and questions are always welcome!

(1) Missouri Death Records Jackson County, Roll C #19509.
(2) The Water Supply System of Kansas City, Missouri,  T. D. Samuel, Jr.  Journal (American Water Works Association) Vol 22 No 9 (September, 1930) pp. 1236-1246; Old Reservoir, New Park Site , Northeast News.net.
(3) Find A Grave 

Weekly Puzzle - Richard Trendall

In 1635 Richard Trendall was one of the 72 passengers on the Expectation bound for Providence Island.

Providence Island Colony - Wikimedia

Settling on Providence Island by the English began in 1629 when Phillip Bell brought several Bermudians, both black and white, to set up a colony. Unlike the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the setters on Providence Island were not encouraged to become independent and until 1635 bring families was highly discouraged.

By 1635, the end of the year in which Richard Trendall arrived, there was a population of 500 white men, 40 women, 90 blacks and a few children, scattered across the island.  27 of those women had also arrive on the Expectation. The village of New Westminster had just thirty houses, mostly of timber.

You can read about the history of the Island on Wikipedia (click on link to the right) or if you'd like a more in depth look at the settlement find a copy of Providence Island, 1630-1641: The Other Puritan Colony.

The colony was wiped out by the Spanish in 1640.


So, who was Richard Trendall?  Did he survive the end of the colony and end up elsewhere in the West Indies? Perhaps he went to Bermuda where we find other Trendall records starting in 1645 (see last weeks puzzle).    

Weekly Puzzle - Bermuda Connections

The following Trendall individuals and families are found in Bermuda.  Connections to England and the United States are likely, but to date have not been found.  Who are they?

1. Margaret Trendall (by 1648) married Peter Seawell on 11 Nov 1663 at St. Philip (1)
2. John Trendal and Margaret had a son John christened 11 Nov 1682 St. Philip (2) married Ann before 1705
1.  Sarah christened 25 Mar 1705 (3)
2. Mary bn abt 1708 married Turney Jun 1925 (4)
3. child christened 27 Dec 1710 (5)
4. Joseph christened 16 Oct 1715 (6)
5. Elizabeth christened 14 Apr 1718 (7)
3. ? Trendall married Mary Hearne 16 Jan 1693 (8)  Is this a brother of John?
4. 4 Ann Trendall bn abt 1730 married Francis Hunte 14 Oct 1753 (9)  Is this the widow of John or perhaps a daughter whose christening was not recorded?
5. There is also a John Trundall bn abt 1715 who might well be a Trendall.

View Larger Map

(1) Sanders, Joanne McRee, Barbados Records - Baptisms / Marriages  Sanders Historical Publishers 1982/4 -  p534 

(2) ibid p458

(3) ibid p465

(4) ibid p557

(5) ibid p466

(6) ibid p469

(7) ibid p470

(8) ibid p 538

(9) Ibid

Weekly Puzzle - William C. Trendell

William C. Trendell was born abt 1854 in (Jamaica / West Indies / England) depending on which census record you are checking.(1)  All three are probably correct, Jamaica being the exact island, West Indies being the group of islands in the Caribbean controlled by the English(2), and England the ruling power.  Both his parents are listed as being born in England.

William immigrated to the United States about 1879 and married Mary Cutway in New York in 1880/81. They had one child Bessie in New York in 1882 and then moved to Laconia, Belknap, New Hampshire where they had four more children.  Belle was born in 1884, George in 1886, Josie in 1889 and Maxwell in 1891.

So.....who is William C Trendell.  Does he have siblings?  Who are his parents?

But before we go......Son Maxwell born 1891 presents a little mystery as well. On 1 Jun 1911 Maxwell Trendell the son of Charles (now is that a clue for finding more on William C) Trendell, bn England and Mary Cutway bn Ogdensburgh, New York, a musician with residence in  Laconia, New Hampshire married Clara Lavinia Young.

• Vermont. Vermont Marriage Records, 1909-2003. Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, Montpelier, VT

On 12 Jul 1914 Maxwell Allen Trendell, a piano player the son of Charles Trendell and Mary Cautway married Charlotte May Billings in Derby, VT.  The mystery?  This is listed as a first marriage.  I find it very hard to believe this is not the same Maxwell Trendell, what happened to Clara?  And for that matter where is Charlotte?

• Vermont. Vermont Marriage Records, 1909-2003. Vermont State Archives and Records Administration, Montpelier, VT

(1) See Common Sources for Census -  Laconia Belknap NH:  1900 roll pg; 1910 roll 860 pg 24B; 1920 roll 1000 pg 4B; 1930 roll 1298 pg 2B
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies