Trying to make some sense of a great grandfather. What I have on him as far a 'proof' data is this:

Name: William Boss

Wedding: Church register from St Anthony's, in Liverpool, that he married Ellen (O'Brien) Gansitt, a widow, on February 28, 1874.

Census: On the 1881 and 1891 census returns hius wife, Ellen / Glin, and children. He is listed as "at sea" on both. The 1901 census does list him though. It has him as a widower and age 52.

Birth Certificate: I have the Birth record of one of William and Ellens sons. It has their son John born in Liverpool on December 21, 1874. The birth was at their home at 161 Athol Street in Liverpool.

Now trhe interesting parts.

On the 1901 census it lists his birth place as Dublin Ireland. On the U.S census of 1910 it lists John's father (William) as being born in Massachusetts. Searched of census records in Mass. find nothing. Searching records from Ireland doesn't find anything either. A search of Scottish reords does find several 'possibilities' though. The ages are a few years different but well within an acceptable range.

While I know thru out history there were many times when someone would 'fudge' on their birthplace and birthrates on records. Would there be any reason for a Scotsman to say he was born in Ireland? Why would Williams son John list his father as being born in Mass rather than Ireland or Scotland? It's all rather puzzling.

Any thoughts or ideas?

Bob