Monday 16th December 2002 Dear All, I am after some help to try and track down a missing branch of my family. My Grandfather had a 1st Cousin called Elizabeth Mary Speare (Betty) she was born 20th June 1912 at Grace Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Daughter of Mary Jane Rogers from Helmshore, Lancashire, UK & William Henry Speare (24/08/1888-11/1962) from Torquay, Devon. Her Parents were married 14th March 1911 in Totnes, Devon and then left the UK to go to Canada. William worked as a builder in Winnipeg. During the First World War the family returned to the UK and in 1919 Elizabeth's Mother Died in a flu epidemic and is buried in Helmshore. Elizabeth & her brother William (Bill) returned to Winnipeg and their father remarried an Elizabeth Gillies. The family then moved to Chicago. There was another brother born from William's 2nd marriage to Elizabeth Gillies. Clifford Speare. I have been able to find the family in the 1930 Census William SPEARE, age 41, born England, both parents born England. He is a bricklayer at a construction company. Wife, Elizabeth is age 38. Place of birth is indiscernible. It says either Kentucky or Manitoba!, both parents born Scotland. Elizabeth, age 17, born Canada, Archie McCOLL, age 16, a step son of William. William SPEARE, age 14, Clifford, age 9. In the mid 1930s Elizabeth apparently married a Charles B Mitchell and went to live in Denver. They could have been married in Illinois, Colorado or a neighbouring state. This is the last time she was seen. During the 2nd World War Clifford Speare served in the US Forces and was a POW and listed as Missing in Action for a while. William (Bill) was in the Canadian Forces and was injured in France but returned home. If Betty had tried to find her brothers at that point she might have thought the available information might not have been good news. It is possible that Elizabeth (Betty) could have been in California briefly. Her brother Clifford went to Denver to try and find her in the 50s and found Charles Mitchell and her child but was told Elizabeth (Betty) had gone off but was still seen in the area looking over her child. The Contact address I have for Charles is. Charles B. Mitchell Insurance Adjuster 858 Gas and Electric Building Denver 2, Colorado I would really love to track down what happened to Elizabeth, her husband & Child. And am stuck at the moment and was wondering if you could help. Kind Regards Thomas Peeke www.speare.info Ps I am in contact with all the other branches of the family and none of them have any idea what happened to Elizabeth (Betty). I have a copy of her birth certificate and photos of her when she was younger. And address's where the family lived in Winnipeg. -- Thomas Peeke