AZ AZ- Ann Caldwell, 18, Tucson, Pima County, March 13, 1956

[branmuffin]

<modsnip> I have sent an email the the Tucson PD but they haven't gotten back to me yet. Does anyone have any ideas. I don't know of any more leads available to us.

Why do you think she's never mentioned in her parents and siblings obituaries?

 

[Bit of hope]

I have been looking for a trace of life after she went missing; f.i. marriage(announcement), child-birth, obituary, grave, but didn't find anything useful. Her name is open for many variations, Annie, Anne, Liz, Lissie, Betty, Beth, turning the given names around, etc. what makes it more difficult and not all states have all historical files available. She might have changed her name entirely or be living under an alias. I don't know where to find that kind of information.

 

[Quoththeraven]

I have been looking for a trace of life after she went missing; f.i. marriage(announcement), child-birth, obituary, grave, but didn't find anything useful. Her name is open for many variations, Annie, Anne, Liz, Lissie, Betty, Beth, turning the given names around, etc. what makes it more difficult and not all states have all historical files available. She might have changed her name entirely or be living under an alias. I don't know where to find that kind of information.

There is a record of an Elizabeth Caldwell who traveled from Mexico to the United States on 27 Aug 1956, which is about six months after Ann Elizabeth Caldwell disappeared.

El Paso Times, 28 Mar 1956, Wed · Page 1 Excerpts from article states "She was last seen in Las Cruces, NM, March 14 when she bought a bus ticket for El Paso"​

El Paso is on the border of Mexico/Texas. Is it possible she went over the border sometime after arriving in El Paso and then returned 27 Aug 1956 using her middle and last name?

I don't know how stringent the record keeping was in 1956 on border crossings but it would be nice to see an actual record with the age of this Elizabeth Caldwell in 1956. Too bad these records don't show someone crossing from the US to Mexico. I'm sure there's a more detailed record of these border crossings somewhere.

Migration • United States Border Crossings from Mexico to United States, 1903-1957

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLY7-V6R

"From 1953 to at least 1957, all arriving aliens at land border ports of entry were counted for statistical purposes except Canadian citizens and British subjects resident in Canada who were admitted for 6 months or less; Mexican citizens who were admitted for 72 hours or less; and returning U.S. residents who had been out of the country for more than 6 months. Beginning in February 1956, residents returning from stays of less than 6 months in Western Hemisphere countries also were not counted. Because of regulation changes in 1957, returning residents without reentry permits or visas who had been abroad for 1 year or less were not counted."

https://www.archives.gov/files/research/microfilm/m1759.pdf

 

[SimsGuy67]

Why do you think she's never mentioned in her parents and siblings obituaries?

I don't know. They seemed like loving parents from what we have seen but then and again they couldn't bear to realize she ran off on her own accord claiming she instead had amnesia. Possibly when it struck them they disowned her and with nobody to remember her, her case grew forgotten until now at least. They possibly did disown her after 1960 when they realized the body wasn't her. Maybe they saw that as their last hope of their daughter staying loving for some reason and when they realized it wasn't her, they decided she had not had amnesia and left by her own in a sound state of mind.
Also, I wrote this comment yesterday but I completely forgot to post it. That's why I have only posted now.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

There is a record of an Elizabeth Caldwell who traveled from Mexico to the United States on 27 Aug 1956, which is about six months after Ann Elizabeth Caldwell disappeared.


El Paso is on the border of Mexico/Texas. Is it possible she went over the border sometime after arriving in El Paso and then returned 27 Aug 1956 using her middle and last name?

I don't know how stringent the record keeping was in 1956 on border crossings but it would be nice to see an actual record with the age of this Elizabeth Caldwell in 1956. Too bad these records don't show someone crossing from the US to Mexico. I'm sure there's a more detailed record of these border crossings somewhere.

Migration • United States Border Crossings from Mexico to United States, 1903-1957

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XLY7-V6R

View attachment 395132
"From 1953 to at least 1957, all arriving aliens at land border ports of entry were counted for statistical purposes except Canadian citizens and British subjects resident in Canada who were admitted for 6 months or less; Mexican citizens who were admitted for 72 hours or less; and returning U.S. residents who had been out of the country for more than 6 months. Beginning in February 1956, residents returning from stays of less than 6 months in Western Hemisphere countries also were not counted. Because of regulation changes in 1957, returning residents without reentry permits or visas who had been abroad for 1 year or less were not counted."

https://www.archives.gov/files/research/microfilm/m1759.pdf

From Tennessee, according to the manifest

National Archives NextGen Catalog

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

catalog.archives.gov

 

[SimsGuy67]

From Tennessee, according to the manifest

National Archives NextGen Catalog

The online portal to the records held at the National Archives, and information about those records.

catalog.archives.gov

Does this mean this is Ann, isn't or could be? My guess is it isn't as Tennessee seems like an unlikely place for her to be.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

Does this mean this is Ann, isn't or could be? My guess is it isn't as Tennessee seems like an unlikely place for her to be.

Likely not Ann

 

[sonz82]

This thread last lest off on a sour note so I'd like to forget about that and start up an new search for Ann and information about her. I have sent an email the the Tucson PD but they haven't gotten back to me yet. Does anyone have any ideas. I don't know of any more leads available to us.

Would anybody from the fbi be able to help?
The original mp report was in their bulletin. Maybe you could find an email for an agent that deals with cold missing person cases?

 

[SimsGuy67]

Would anybody from the fbi be able to help?
The original mp report was in their bulletin. Maybe you could find an email for an agent that deals with cold missing person cases?

I'll have a look. What else can we do? Tucson PD isn't getting back to me yet

 

[SimsGuy67]

Just sending out an update that Tucson PD has not responded and also to say I haven't forgotten about her. I see her face every time I post a comment because of my signature and I never stop thinking about where she is and what happened to her.

 

[SimsGuy67]

I have finally been able to work something out to get a NamUs account. One of the first things I will do is submit Ann. Then we will really know.

 

[SimsGuy67]

I have finally been able to work something out to get a NamUs account. One of the first things I will do is submit Ann. Then we will really know.

In reality, not sure if I should. There is still wide speculation she isn't missing... Might give it a small bit of thought before I do as I know I'm not from the US and I don't want to draw attention the the account on the first day. Can someone give some insight on if I should or not.

 

[Bit of hope]

In reality, not sure if I should. There is still wide speculation she isn't missing... Might give it a small bit of thought before I do as I know I'm not from the US and I don't want to draw attention the the account on the first day. Can someone give some insight on if I should or not.

I'm sorry I'm in doubt also. If we only knew for sure she is missing.

 

[SimsGuy67]

So NamUs restricted it so I can't edit. Is that good? Never submitted a case before.

 

[UnlicensedPI]

So NamUs restricted it so I can't edit. Is that good? Never submitted a case before.View attachment 405296

That just means you submitted it. It will have to be reviewed and confirmed by the regional specialist on NamUs who will reach out to LE. It's not necessarily going to be posted. They used to put "pending" but now they show "restricted" when it's awaiting confirmation.

 

[amoreau25]

That just means you submitted it. It will have to be reviewed and confirmed by the regional specialist on NamUs who will reach out to LE. It's not necessarily going to be posted. They used to put "pending" but now they show "restricted" when it's awaiting confirmation.

So if it comes back that she was legitimately found will the page be completely taken down?

 

[SimsGuy67]

I just realized we have some conflicting information on the date of Ann's disappearance. My guess is still March 13, 1956 but the article comparing her to the remains of Yolanda Gomez says she disappeared March 4, 1956.

While numerous articles, including the FBI bulletin says she went missing on March 13. The articles are clearly talking about the same girl but it's strange. I'm going with March 13 as FBI is the more reputable source. It's just something to point out.

 

[branmuffin]

I've reread the thread and I can't help but feel that Ann left home of her own volition. She was an exceptional student and a great athlete according to her teachers and parents. Both parents had very interesting lives that included higher education, owning businesses, and being members of some auspicious groups that meant something to people of that era, and probably still do today. Perhaps her parents put a lot of pressure on her to excel at all she did since they had already lost two children.

There's a lot of reasons why some young women leave home. They feel too much pressure. They have stars in their eyes. They feel unloved. Their parents ideals and their own future aspirations don't mesh. They fall in love with the wrong kind of guy. Or perhaps the greatest sin of all, they get pregnant.

Any one of those reasons could be a reason that Ann decided to leave home. She had a purse and a small valise it seems. She didn't take things with her. She never took any money out of the account that her father monitored but she had a hundred bucks with her which in today's dollars is like carrying a thousand dollars. Did she have another bank account? Where did she get her money from?

When the Plainsview Texas sheriff said he was reluctant to provide her location the father stated that her family only wanted to make sure she was okay and then it appears they promptly eliminated her memory from their lives. Even her younger brother was infected by that mind set. But there was also no mention of his parents in his own obituary which suggests some kind of familial problem he also had with his parents.

I'm not an American so I'm not sure how Social Security cards are issued. I didn't realize the first SS card was issued two years before Ann was born. If you are a woman and apply for a SS card after you are married, what name would you make your application in, maiden name or married name? Does everyone have to have a SS card? Even if you never worked a day in your life would you need it to collect any kind of government pension? Would all people in the US during the time period Ann was born have a birth certificate?

 

[SimsGuy67]

I've reread the thread and I can't help but feel that Ann left home of her own volition. She was an exceptional student and a great athlete according to her teachers and parents. Both parents had very interesting lives that included higher education, owning businesses, and being members of some auspicious groups that meant something to people of that era, and probably still do today. Perhaps her parents put a lot of pressure on her to excel at all she did since they had already lost two children.

There's a lot of reasons why some young women leave home. They feel too much pressure. They have stars in their eyes. They feel unloved. Their parents ideals and their own future aspirations don't mesh. They fall in love with the wrong kind of guy. Or perhaps the greatest sin of all, they get pregnant.

Any one of those reasons could be a reason that Ann decided to leave home. She had a purse and a small valise it seems. She didn't take things with her. She never took any money out of the account that her father monitored but she had a hundred bucks with her which in today's dollars is like carrying a thousand dollars. Did she have another bank account? Where did she get her money from?

When the Plainsview Texas sheriff said he was reluctant to provide her location the father stated that her family only wanted to make sure she was okay and then it appears they promptly eliminated her memory from their lives. Even her younger brother was infected by that mind set. But there was also no mention of his parents in his own obituary which suggests some kind of familial problem he also had with his parents.

I'm not an American so I'm not sure how Social Security cards are issued. I didn't realize the first SS card was issued two years before Ann was born. If you are a woman and apply for a SS card after you are married, what name would you make your application in, maiden name or married name? Does everyone have to have a SS card? Even if you never worked a day in your life would you need it to collect any kind of government pension? Would all people in the US during the time period Ann was born have a birth certificate?

Yes, I also find it hard to believe Ann met foul play, at least not initially. So many runaways end up murdered and some of them become Jane Doe's. Sometimes it can even take a year or two. Ann was definitely still missing after 1957. Articles saying she was still missing were published in 1959 and 1960. Hopefully we can get this figured out if she gets added to NamUs. I'd believe all U.S citizens would need a social security card.

 

[branmuffin]

Yes, I also find it hard to believe Ann met foul play, at least not initially. So many runaways end up murdered and some of them become Jane Doe's. Sometimes it can even take a year or two. Ann was definitely still missing after 1957. Articles saying she was still missing were published in 1959 and 1960. Hopefully we can get this figured out if she gets added to NamUs. I'd believe all U.S citizens would need a social security card.

I think they do need SS cards now but I'm not sure whether that was the norm in the 50s when many women were homemakers and had no outside job. In Canada you can issue a SIN (Social Insurance Number) to a child at birth.