Montran Research
Montran-Barber Line
By Don Taylor
Ida Barber’s Third Husband – Joseph A Holdsworth
List of Grandparents
- Grandmother: Madonna Montran (1893-1976)
- 1st Great-grandmother: Ida Mae Barber (1874-1953)
Great Grandma Ida probably had four husbands.
- John Montran – It is my conjecture that Ida married John Montran before Madonna was born (c. 1892). However, I have not found any records of that marriage or a divorce.
- Max Edward Fisher – Ida married Max Fisher in 1897 and divorced in 1904.
- Joseph A Holdsworth – Ida married Joseph Holdsworth on August 16, 1904, in Essex, Ontario, Canada. The marriage record indicates that they lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota, about four months after her divorce from Max. She divorced Joseph sometime on August 16, 1910.
- Harvey Watson Knight – Ida married Harvey Knight 11 days later (August 27, 1910), and remained married to him until he died in 1942. They had one child, Harvey Milton Knight, who died as an infant (at 10 months old).
I recently found four newspaper articles that might explain her divorce from Joseph Holdsworth.
March 31, 1907 – Star Tribune
DETROIT FIRM COMES
Royal Crown Lead Company Has Opened Offices in Northwestern Building.
The Royal Crown Lead Company of Detroit, Mich., has just opened a northwest branch in the Northwestern building, with J. A. Holdsworth, formerly a Minneapolis man, in charge.
Detroit is generally acknowledged to be the center of the paint industry in the United States; and, in fact, this prevailing reputation is borne out by government statistics, Detroit producing more paint supplies than any other city.
The company which Mr. Holdsworth represents is one of the largest in its line in Detroit and so great has been the growth of its sales in this territory that a northwest branch has become a necessity. Hence the establishment of a branch in Minneapolis.
It is the intention of the company to build in Minneapolis within the present year a branch manufacturing plant. Mr. Holdsworth, when seen, was unable to say just what the size of the proposed plant would be, but stated that it would employ not less than 150 men and probably as many as 300.
“We are compelled to build a branch manufacturing plant for two reasons,” said Mr. Holdsworth. “First, we haven’t room in our home plant to take care of our rapidly expanding business and there is no room in the immediate vicinity to enlarge the factory; and second, by establishing a branch near the consumer we save a large amount in freight rates.”
June 30, 1907 – Detroit Free Press
Three Extraditions Asked.
Lansing, Mich., June 29.—Next Wednesday is to be a field day with Gov. Warner for persons who object to being extradited by other states. Three hearings before the governor have been arranged. Those interested are Benny Klock, under arrest in Detroit and wanted in Toledo for false pretenses in selling “sure tips” on horse races; Daniel Baxter, arrested in Detroit for arson at Bryan, on a confession of the notorious Jack Paige, and Joseph Holdsworth, wanted in Minneapolis for defrauding a bank.
July 4, 1907 – Star Tribune
HOLDSWORTH IS ARRESTED IN DETROIT, MICHIGAN
J. A. Holdsworth, accused of obtaining $75 from the Union State bank by false pretenses, will be brought to this city tonight by Deputy Sheriff Joseph Schutta from Detroit, where he was arrested last Thursday at the instance of the officials of the Union State bank.
Holdsworth obtained the money by representing himself to be the Northwestern representative of a prominent Detroit lead company, and from here he went to Detroit. He was arrested there, but was about to bring habeas corpus proceedings. Deputy Schutta went immediately to Lansing, Mich., where Governor Warner honored requisition papers to take Holdsworth to this city.
February 10, 1908 – Detroit Free Press
Three in Bankruptcy Court.
Joseph A. Holdsworth, No. 1485 Sixteenth St., has filed a petition in bankruptcy, in which he gives his debts as $268.95 secured, and $1,565 unsecured. All his property is claimed as exempt. C. J. Abee has been adjudicated a bankrupt by Judge Swan on petition of the Monarch Fence Co. and others, and the Northwestern Foundry Co. has been adjudicated bankrupt on petition of P. J. Kelaher.
Summary
In the early 20th century, Joseph A. Holdsworth emerged in the news for a string of events that paint a complex picture of a man caught between ambition and scandal. Here are highlights of his story, pieced together from several newspaper reports:
A Promising Start: The Royal Crown Lead Company Expansion
Holdsworth first appeared in headlines as the manager of a new branch of the Royal Crown Lead Company in Minneapolis. The Detroit-based paint manufacturer, a significant player in the industry, sought to expand westward to accommodate their growing business and reduce freight costs. Holdsworth, once a Minneapolis man himself, was chosen to lead the effort. Plans were in place for a new manufacturing plant in Minneapolis, expected to employ up to 300 workers.
Legal Troubles Surface: Wanted for Bank Fraud
However, Holdsworth’s rising star quickly dimmed. In June, Michigan’s governor was asked to consider extradition requests for several individuals, including Holdsworth, who was wanted in Minneapolis for bank fraud. Allegedly, he had obtained money under false pretenses, leading to his arrest in Detroit.
Arrest and Extradition: The Union State Bank Affair
Holdsworth’s troubles deepened when he was arrested in Detroit for defrauding the Union State Bank out of $75. Reports suggest he had misrepresented himself as a representative of the Royal Crown Lead Company to obtain funds. After attempting legal maneuvers to avoid extradition, he was ultimately transferred to Minneapolis under the authority of Michigan’s governor.
Financial Ruin: Filing for Bankruptcy
As the legal drama unfolded, Holdsworth’s financial situation began to unravel. He filed for bankruptcy, declaring $268.95 in secured debts and $1,565 in unsecured debts. He claimed all his property as exempt, seeking protection under bankruptcy law.
Conclusion
Joseph A. Holdsworth’s story is one that many wives would find a deal breaker. I suspect that Ida thought she had married a leader in a growing business and realized she had married a man whose deception and lack of integrity were too much.
Disclosure: This post has been created with the aid of ChatGPT and the use of Grammarly for editing.
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