Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-22
thinks he NAY Be-
|. FRISCO N0MIN'S SON
FRED A. ARMSTRONG SEES IN
STORY RESEMBLANCE OF
MOTHERS HISTORY.
SHE LEFT ESTATE WORTH
$4,000; HEIRS SOUGHT
Armstrong Thinks the Miss Margaret
Thomas Of the Newspaper Story,
Who Died in San Francisco, May BE
Mrs. Margaret Thomas, His Mother

! Is the woman known as Miss Mar
garet Thomas, formerly of Dubuque,
VINO died almost year ago in San
Francisco, Mrs. Margaret Thomas, the
mother of Fred A Armstrong, 70s
Jackson street. city, a driver employed
by the Gregory Coal, Coke and Lime
Company? Armstrong thinks she may
be. If he can establish relationship
as close as son to the dead woman
he will be heir TO an estate said to be
worth $4,000 or $4,000.
Reasons why Armstrong things Mar
garet Thomas may be his mother. Mrs.
Margaret Armstrong Thomas are that
his mother was in San Francisco when
he last heard from her in 1906 the
name IS the same, the age is about the
same. and details of the history of
both correspond to a certain extent.
T.-R. Story Rouses Interest.
1t was a story in one of last weeks
! issues of the T.-R. that caught the in
terest of Armstrong and makes him
think that the woman of the story may
be his mother. The story originated
in Dubuque. 1t was, in substance, that
heirs of one Miss Margaret Thomas
formerly of Dubuque, who had died al
most 3 year ago IL San Francisco, were
being sought by attorneys of San
Francisco. The woman. none of whose
heirs had been found, left an estate OF
$4,000 or $4,000.
The dead woman was about 53. She
was supposed to have been born in
Dubuque and to have attended board
ing school in New York.
All the personal effects of the woman
were destroyed or lost. The only effects
found were an Identification card of
San Francisco bank and a paper that
said the woman's mothers name was
Armstrong. Miss Thomas. according
to the story, was supposed to have been
born in Dubuque June s. 1852. The
girls mother died young, and the girl
went east and attended boarding
school. After finishing she went TO
San Francisco. where she remained
until she died.
His Mother in New York.
The story Armstrong told a T.-R.-
reporter today parallels in some strik
ing ways with the known history OF the
Miss Thomas. who died in San Fran
| cisco.
Armstrong says he was born at Free
| dom. \. Y. Feb. sc, 1879. and that his
name was Fred A. Thomas. This name
Thomas was changed to Armstrong by
a New York court, at the instance OF
! the child's mother. for what reason
Armstrong does not pretend TO say. He
; never knew vino his father was, and
has no recollection OF him, but he sup,
poses it was some unhappy circum
stance that prompted his mother to
! take from her child its fathers name
and substitute for it her family name.
! Separated When Young. ss~'
| Armstrong says he remembers as a
small child that his mother taught
school. He thinks it was when he was
3 or four years old. Then he went to
live at boarding house and went to
school. and when he was IL years old
he was separated from his mother and
went to lumber camp to work.
| At about that time his mother came
west TO Chicago. He did not see her
again until IN 1898. when he enlisted at
Detroit for service in the Snanish-
American war. His mother then came
to Detroit to see him.
While in the army his mother went
to San Francisco. He corresponded
with her from time to time. and after
COMING out Oh the army he wrote TO MS
mother and heard from her at intervals
until the San Francisco fire. He has
not heard since then. He had always
thought she probably lost her life IN
that disaster. Armstrong came to this
city from Detroit five years ago. He
has not kept any of his letters from
his mother. has no photograph of her
or other documentary proof that would
help support his claim. He never
knew Of his mother being in Dubuque,
and never knew where she was born or
reared.
Armstrong is going to make an effort
to get in communication with the San
Francisco lawyer who was in Dubuque
last week searching for relatives of
the woman.