I am hopeful that someone's knowledge of history is better than mine. My ggrandfather was James Hill, born ~ 1860, immigrated to New York ~ 1890, died in Philadelphia 1910. James was a weaver by trade. I have very little information to find him--in the 1900 and 1910 US census, his birth place is listed as East Indies. When his daughter Elizabeth married in 1918, she lists his birthplace as East Indies, and his ancestry as English. By the 1920 and 1930 US census, the family lists James' ancestry as West Indies, and that he was Irish. James' wife was Louise Allen, an Irish immigrant to NY. Is it likely that James was Irish (married to an Irish woman?) or could he more likely be English? Where could James have learned his craft as a weaver? He did work at a rug weaving company in Philadelphia, which leads me to think he may have been from the East Indies (or India), but I have learned conflicting information that the Carribean was sometimes called the Indies, and perhaps the family got confused. I also have heard that Irish were indentured laborers in the West Indies, and perhaps I should direct my efforts to the Carribean.
Any ideas for areas in which to search would be most appreciated.
Karen
Gwynedd, PA
