2.3.5.5. John Duffy Gemmell (1884-1954)

John Duffy Gemmell was born on 2 August 1884 at 25 Montgomery Street in the Bridgeton district of Glasgow to William and Margaret (Duffy) Gemmell. His father was a laborer in a tube works, which was a manufacturing plant that made iron tubes. In 1891 the family lived on 130 Bernard Street in Glasgow.

On 24 May 1907 John and a cousin named William Duffy boarded the Allan and State Line's S/S Sarmatian in Glasgow and sailed for the United States. At the time of his journey he was 22 years old and worked as a threader, a person who made thread. They arrived in Boston on 10 June and told immigration officials they were headed to their friend, Robert Coverley, who lived on 208 Randolph Street in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Pawtucket had been a manufacturing center of cotton textiles since the Industrial Revolution began.

S/S Sarmatian; photograph courtesy of ClydeSite

When the 1910 U.S. federal census was enumerated, John was living at a large boarding house on 61 Waterman Avenue in North Providence, Rhode Island, run by Mr. and Mrs. Jonathan Wallworth. He was a weaver at a woolen mill.

For some reason, John returned to Scotland in 1911. He sailed from New York City aboard the Anchor Line's S/S Columbia and arrived in Glasgow on 29 January 1911.

S/S Columbia; image courtesy of Clyde Site

He married Elizabeth Forsyth on 27 October 1916 at 47 Clarence Street in Glasgow according to the forms of the Congregational Union Church. He was 32 years old, worked as a picture frame mount cutter and lived at 120 Linden Road in the Gorbals district of Glasgow. Perhaps he met Elizabeth at the picture frame factory? They had at least one son, William Gemmell.

John Duffy Gemmell died on 31 May 1954 at the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow of coronary thrombosis, small bowel obstruction, and multiple cerebral hemorrhages. He was 69 years old, a retired engine fitter's helper and had lived with his wife at 11 Hamilton Street in Rutherglen.

_______________
1891 Scotland Census, Parish: Glasgow Barony; ED: 68; Page: 3; Line: 24; Roll: CSSCT1891_241
1910 US Census, Place: North Providence, Providence, Rhode Island; Page 5B; ED: 0112; Roll: T624_1437
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1884 Gemmell, John Duffy (Statutory Births 644/01 1192)
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1916 Gemmel, John Duffy - Forsyth, Elizabeth (Statutory Marriages 644/17 0307)
Scotland, Statutory Registrations, 1855-2013, 1954 Gemmell, John Duffy (Statutory Deaths 644/06 0593)
UK, Incoming Passenger Lists, 1878-1960, 1911 Gemmell, John
UK, Outward Passenger Lists, 1890-1960, 1907 Gemmell, John
US, Massachusetts Passenger and Crew Lists, 1820-1963, 1907 Gemmell, John