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 Posted - November 26 2009 : 1:09:22 PM
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A few years past, I started looking for additional information to add to a timeline of Mantua-Tyco development I have been compiling. What I found was surprisingly different from what has been previously published.
John N Tyler, whom most of us think of as the founding father of Mantua-Tyco was born 11 May 1901, the first child of Enoch and Grace Tyler, at 76 Ladhurst Road, Battersea, London. Maybe the esteemed English gentleman and fellow forum member CatfordKen , a London resident himself, could add to the families background.
The next event we all are aware of is his arrival in America. But the how, when and where was elusive. He is listed as having arrived on the SS Saranac on 11 Oct 1918. I spent hours looking over the passenger list and finally found him on the crew list! John Tyler, OS (ordinary seaman), British national, age 17, 5' 5", 116 lbs. His shipboard job was defined as galley boy. To my astonishment I found that John Tyler was a merchant seaman!
On 16 Dec 1921 John Tyler, British national, age 21, 5' 10", 140 lbs, signed on the "SS Ario", an American Flag Tanker operated by Standard Oil Co of New York, as a machinist replacing Richard Bennett. The "Ario" immediately departed Staten Island for Tampico, Mexico and arrived back in New York 4 Apr 1922 with Tyler still on board.
"SS Argon" American Flag Tanker operated by Standard Oil Co of New York arrived in New York 21 Aug 1922 from Constantinople. On the crew list; John N Tyler, machinist, British national, age 21, 5' 9", 160 lbs; last permanent address, Mantua, NJ.
On 5 Nov 1922, the "SS Argon" arrived in New York from Constantinople. The crew list notes that John N Tyler, machinist, a British national had been left in the American Hospital at Constantinople. This writer hasnt been able to find any other information about this incident. But Im sure there is a story there!
"SS G Harrison Smith", an American Flag Tanker operated by International Petroleum Co arrived New York 3 Sep 1924 from Iquique via Tolima, Peru. The crew list includes John N Tyler, machinist, British national, residence, Mantua, NJ
In the spring of 1928 we find what the attraction of Mantua, NJ was when John marries Pauline Beatrice Thomas, in Gloucester Co, NJ. John Norman Tyler, was naturalized 28 Sep 1928, by the Court of Common Pleas, Woodbury, Gloucester Co, NJ. and the same county records the birth of John and Paulines first child, Norman Spendly Tyler on the 11 Feb 1929.
While were looking at records lets glance at the 1930 US Federal Census taken in Mantua Terrace, Gloucester Co, NJ. We find James A Thomas, 58, a clerk at the oil refinery living in a rented house for which he pays $35 per month. Living with him are his wife Jean, 49, his son David, 22 born NJ, a machinist at the oil refinery, Davids twin sister Rachel, who clerks in a music store, A Lincoln, 14, who was born in Oklahoma and another set of twins Donald and Grace, 11.
Next door, James O Thomas, 27, also a machinist in an oil refinery, is living with his wife Hazel and son James. The rent is $30. James O Thomas is the eldest son of James A and Jean Thomas.
Further down the street were John Tyler, his wife Pauline, the eldest child of James A and Jean Thomas, and their son Norman. John is employed as a painter at the auto plant. The only auto plant in the area, crossed the river at Chester, PA was Ford. In fact a good many of the jobs in the area, at Ford, Sun Ship, Baldwin Locomotive, The Navy Yard, were crossed the river and most New Jersey folks commuted by ferry boat
In the fall of 1934 John Tyler took his wife and 5 year old son home to England. The probable reason was to introduce his family to his parents. While there he observed that OO gauge model railroading was extremely popular and the equipment available was far advanced of that available in the states. When he returned one of the first projects he tackled was the design of an automatic coupler based on his observations of existing English and European couplers of the time. Tylers interest in O gauge ended and the first models were made in OO scale. However there was a great deal of vacillation by American consumers when it came time to choose a scale and HO became the most popular here in the states.
(to be continued)
Loopy
If you can't fix it with a hammer, you've got an electrical problem.
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Posted - November 26 2009 : 1:24:36 PM
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| Busy, busy, busy I see. Looks like I have a lot of good reading to do tomorrow. I have to get the Turkey out now before everyone arrives. Have a great Thanksgiving Loopy. Thanks for all of your contributions..
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Posted - November 26 2009 : 6:40:25 PM
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That's a lot of research there, Loopy. I'll be tuning in next week, for sure.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - November 27 2009 : 12:14:30 AM
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| Superb and inetersting History - hungry for more
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