Sometimes looking long enough proves a connection.
The post (Charles Arthur Trendell) - Sep 23, 2013 discussed the possibility that Arthur was the son of George Trindle born in NY and died in MS. I made what seemed a good case for that supposition. Last night I found the article that puts the "icing on the cake." According to the
Fort Scott Daily Monitor of 30 Jun 1889, Arthur's father had deserted the family and Arthur made daily trips to the water works where his father had worked trying to find some clue to his current location.
One conflict here might be that we know George the father of Arthur Trindle was a RR engineer not a stationary engineer, but further findings clarify this and continue to prove the connection.
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| The Wichita Beacon Sat 13 Sep 1884 |
The first proves the stationary engineer in Kansas City was named George.
Second are directory listings for Lydia Trindle in Kansas City in 1888-1891. In 1888 and 1890 Lydia is listed as the "widow" of George. This is not unusual, many abandoned and divorced women were listed as widows.
The 1888 listing showing George is already gone would work with the Nov 1887 marriage of George to Emma.
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| 1888 |
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| 1890 |
Of interest in 1890 is the listing in the same household of Frank a fireman. Frank the son of Lydia and George would have been only 13 or 14 at the time, but was the only male left in the household and would have been needed to help support the family. An index for Kansas City in 1891 on Ancestry.com lists Lydia but not Frank. It is supposed this is the same Lydia, but is not proven.
| Lydia Trindle |
| Location 2: | r 1124 Grand avenue |
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| Business Name: | Crescent Laundry |
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| Occupation: | laundress |
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| State: | MO |
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Further corroboration that this is the correct family comes with a mention in the Wichita Eagle of 5 June 1884 that Gracie Trindle contributed one basket of flowers to decoration day celebration. We have now found all family members in Kansas City except Estella.
Looking further for Grace we find that she married Martin Corbett on 23 Feb 1895.
We are left with the following questions. What happened to Lydia? Did she die before 1910 as she is not in MO death records as Lydia Trindle -any spelling. Did she remarry? Did she move? Was there ever a divorce?
What happened to Frank? I have not found him in any subsequent records including 1900 census and beyond.
Is George in fact the same George as the one who died in Mississippi. This I believe to be true. There are too many coincidences to believe there is another George Trindle who was a Railroad conductor and we have proven that George the Railroad conductor of Wisconsin and Minnesota is in fact George the stationary engineer of Kansas City by finding his abandoned wife and three of four children in Kansas City. I'm still looking for current family members that might be able to clear up some of the mystery.
