This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: cindymccloe Surnames: Carson Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.carson/2856/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I'm hoping the ancestry.com community can help me solve this mystery. My Grandfather, James Blane Carson disappeared in December 1930 at the age of 39. He was last known to be in eastern Oregon where he was possibly working as a carpenter. His family, who lived near Portland, Or, searched for him without success. It's possible that he may have been the unidentified victim of a fatal accident or foul play, but it seems more likely that he abandoned his family (his wife, Erma and 7 children), since Erma filed for divorce in 1944 listing "abandonment" as the reason for the divorce instead of having him declared legally dead. If he did abandon the family he most likely began using a different name and probably moved to a different state, but would probably still have worked as a carpenter. He also may have continued to use some of his vital information such as his correct date & place of birth. He was born Dec 23, 1891 in Enterprise, Illinois. His father was Frank Ellsworth Cars! on and his mother was Melissa Hershey Carson. Since he disappeared before the implementation of Social Security, there would be no record of the continued use of a SSN or SS death information. I have searched ancestry.com and the internet for records after 1930 for James Blane Carson and other name variations but haven't found anything yet that matches his profile. My father is the youngest of James' 7 children and only 8 months old when he disappeared so he has no memory of it, only what he was told. James' and his disappearance were something that was rarely talked about, especially to Erma, and anyone who might have more details has passed away. I realize it's a long shot since it was much easier to disappear without leaving a paper trail back in 1930, but I'd really like to be able to tell my Dad what happened to his father. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.