The Salvation Army - Missing Persons

"The Salvation Army [started in London in 1865] is a Protestant Christian church and an international charitable organization. The organization reports a worldwide membership of over 1.7 million, consisting of soldiers, officers and adherents collectively known as Salvationists."

My great grandparents, Alexander Mavor and Rebecca Campbell were Salvationists in Montreal. Although my grandfather didn't stay in after he returned home from the war, he still loved the marching music and I grew up with him singing Onward Christian Soldier, the hymn adopted by the Salvation Army as their processional. 

War Cry - First Issue - 1 Nov 1884

The War Cry, the official gazette of the Salvation Army began in Nov 1884.

"The Family Tracing Service (sometimes known as the Missing Persons Service) was established in 1885, and the service is now available in most of the countries where The Salvation Army operates. The Tracing Service's objective is to restore (or to sustain) family relationships where contact has been lost, whether recently or in the distant past. Thousands of people are traced every year on behalf of their relatives."

They later added a column in the War Cry titled We are looking for you.

War Cry 12 Apr 1924, pg 12

Over 150 Salvationists were onboard the Empress of Ireland when it sank 29 May 1914. Many of them were listed, some with photos, in the War Cry. 

The War Cry, 27 Jun 1914, pgs 12

Notes of Memorial Services across Canada start on the previous page. 


The War Cry linked below is a Canadian publication although it has International news as well. Check your local library for The War Cry editions in your Country.

In the United States the Salvation Army had it's first meetings in October of 1878 in Philadelphia. The US version of The War Cry was published in Chicago. 

In Australia the first Salvation Army service was held in 1880 in Adelaide. The Salvationists were nicknamed Salvos. They were often mentioned in the papers and journals at Trove.  The War Cry of Australia and Tasmania was published in Melbourne.

In New Zealand the first officers arrived in Dunedin in 1883, and until 1912 they were administered from Australia.  Featherston Camp was a training camp during WWI and the Salvation Army set up Featherston Hostel for soldiers and relatives. 

The Salvation Army Soldiers' and Relatives Hostel, Featherston

Auckland War Memorial Museum Collection

Salvationists are mentioned often in the Featherston Camp Weekly. 

Featherston Camp Weekly, Vol 2, No 6. November 2nd, 1918, pg 15

The War Cry for New Zealand, Fiji, Tonga and Samoa was published in Wellington, and copies can be found at their archives. 


In 1908 the The Royal Commission on The Care and Control of The Feeble Minded published a list of women (identified by initials only) received into the Salvation Army Rescue Homes in the UK during a period of three years.

British Sessional Papers, Inventory Control, Record 1, Volume 36, pg 573

    

Check your local library or archives, or a Salvation Army Archives for more information on your Salvation Army ancestors.



Relevant Links

History of the Salvation Army

War Cry, Salvation Army publication Canada (Missing Persons ads)

Salvation Army War Cry Archives, with search  

Featherston Camp Weekly. New Zealand

Royal Commission on The Care and Control of The Feeble Minded Vol 2, 1908 

The Canadian advance: being a record of the progress of work of the Salvation Army in the dominion of Canada during the year 1886 (list of donations)

Public Schools of Newfoundland Under Salvation Army Boards 1907 (teachers)

Salvation Army Year Book, Detroit 1971

Salvation Army Year Books London

Salvation Army of Canada Jubilee Program 1894

Salvation Army in Philadelphia 1912

Soldiers Without Swords A History Of The Salvation Army In The United States 1956

Orders and regulations for field officers of the Salvation Army 1917

All the world. A quarterly review of the Salvation Army 

Western congress addresses c1906, Chicago

The Salvation Army in the United States : Christmas, 1899

Salvation Army Songs and Music 1917

Tragic Story of the Empress of Ireland, 1914 (Salvation Army)

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Genealogy Challenge - Salvation Army Band