Trying to trace sea-faring uncle

[Crofter]

My uncle, John Maciver, emigrated to the USA in the early 1920's and eventually settled in Seattle, Washington. He would have been in his early 20's himself. He may have been in the US Navy, or Merchant Navy, servicing or supplying the Navy during WW2 and into the 50's. It is likely that he served in some capacity along with the Pacific Fleet. How does one find out a bit more about these things? Were civilian merchant ships involved in the war zones?.

At some time in the late 1950's he was supposed to meet my father, his brother, in Northern Scotland where the US Navy was to be involved in exercises. The exercises were called off at the last minute because an emergeancy somewhere else in the world resulted in the US Naval Fleet being diverted to cope with it. Any clues as to what was going on to cause this, maybe someone with knowledge of the Naval history of the US during this period could shed some light?

Is there some way of discovering the US version of a National Insurance Number or Employment Number which could help put together an employment history?

Regards,
Crofter.

[Ina]

Is there some way of discovering the US version of a National Insurance Number or Employment Number which could help put together an employment history?

Regards,
Crofter.

I believe if he has passed Ancestry.com will have his social security number.

Ina

[SarahND]

Hello, Crofter

Is there some way of discovering the US version of a National Insurance Number or Employment Number which could help put together an employment history?

Yes, this would be his Social Security Number, often abbreviated SSN. If he is the one born 6 Oct 1901 who died in Seattle age 62, I can give you the number in a PM. From that, you can order his dossier from the Social Security Administration. It should give an employment history as well as other family details.

All the best,
Sarah

[emanday]

Hi Crofter,

Could this possibly be your John?

Social Security Death Index

Name: John MacIver
SSN: 535-03-4511
Last Residence: 98109 Seattle, King, Washington, United States of America
Born: 6 Oct 1901
Died: Jul 1964
State (Year) SSN issued: Washington (Before 1951)

---------------------

U.S. Naturalization Records - Original Documents, 1795-1972

Name: John MacIver
Age: 30
Birth Date: 6 Oct 1901
Birth Location: Stornoway, Scotland
Arrival Year: 1930
Issue Date: 9 Jun 1931
State: Washington
Locality, Court: Seattle, District Court
Title: Naturalization Records of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, 1890-1957
Description: Declarations of intention, 1927-1938, #33401-34899
Series: M1542

Regards,

[eilthireach]

A John Maciver, aged 29, marine engineer, of 36 Coll, Isle of Lewis, left Liverpool on 12 March 1930 on the Duchess of Atholl bound for Saint John, New Brunswick. Though he disembarked in Canada, he stated his "country of future intended permanent residence" as USA.

[Crofter]

What a brilliant response and so quick. Ina, Sarah and Mary, you are a proper band of Angels.

I have no doubt that this is my Uncle John. The dates of birth and death and locations correspond with the details I have managed to get already.

The marine engineer is from a different village altogether. Having said that he could be a relative, you have got me going now on another ancestral hunt, thank you Eilthireach.

My Uncle was issued a drivers licence in Detroit, Michigan, in August 1927. This must have been before he settled in the far west and became a naturalised citizen, was that possible in those days?

I don’t suppose you might have an address for the Social Security Administration that I can contact for records of his employment history.

Many, many thanks again,
Crofter.

[SarahND]

I don’t suppose you might have an address for the Social Security Administration that I can contact for records of his employment history.

That will be found on the link I gave you in the PM, although it looks like it might have got truncated?

Here it is again: http://genealogy.about.com/od/online_re ... equest.htm

All the best,
Sarah

P.S. Aaaack! Every time I hit <submit> the middle of the link disappears... Okay, so just go to http://genealogy.about.com and put Social Security into the search box.

[LesleyB]

Sarah
Dinnae worry about the shortened links- they still work when clicked on. It seems to be a feature of our new whizzy forum software. Before if someone posted a looooooooonnnnnnggggg link, if it was too wide for the page we had to manually edit the link, but the newer software seems to automatically adjust it.

Only drawback is that if you copy and paste the link straight from the post, the link will not work... you'd need to go the the web site first, then copy & paste the link.

Best wishes
Lesley

[SarahND]

Hi Lesley,
I clicked on the link in the pm I sent Crofter and it didn't work... which is why I fell back on the instructions of how to find the info. Now when I click on the link in this topic, it works! Must be because the software is afraid to misbehave when one of the Admins is looking!

Cheers,
Sarah

[speleobat2]

There is also this on Ancestry:

Detroit Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1957 Detroit Border Crossings and Passenger and Crew Lists, 1905-1957
Name: John MacIver
Arrival Date: 4 Apr 1930
Age: 29 years 8 months
Birth Date: abt 1900
Birthplace: Stornoway
Birth Country: Scotland
Gender: Male
Race/Nationality: Scotch (Scotish)

Port of Arrival: Detroit, Michigan
Departure Contact: Wife Elias
Arrival Contact: Sister-in-law Mrs Paskmisder

The departure contact on the original says: Wi. Elias, not wife Elias!

I don't know if this is yours or not. There seem to several John MacIver's and at least one other with a different age also comes from Stornaway! I saw a few more passenger list records which could be his, but don't have the time to check them just now. My dial-up is too slow!

Carol