Doris Rose Salter nee Ivall (1908-2007), missionary

Doris Rose Ivall was a granddaughter of William Ivall (1859-1940), who was a brother of my great grandfather George Ivall (1853-1932). This profile contains information from David Ivall, her nephew.

She was born on 27 September 1908 in Hampstead, North London, the eldest of four children born to William Charles Ivall (1883-1968) and his wife Florence Bessie nee Endean (1885-1960). Doris’s siblings were Hilda Annie (1910-99), Leonard Fordham (1912-91) and Dennis Endean (1921-2006). Doris’s father worked his way up from being a clerk to an accountant with Nobel’s explosives. He ended his career as joint managing director of an ICI subsidiary.

The 1911 census shows William Charles Ivall (aged 27, a book-keeper), his wife Florence Bessie (25) and daughters Doris Rose (2) and Hilda Annie (8 months) living at 87 Constantine Rd, Hampstead. There were also 2 boarders at the address.

Doris’s family were still living in Hampstead in 1912 but had moved to Chingford (also in North London) by 1921. Doris’s mother came from a Cornish family and they often visited Cornwall for holidays.

Doris with her parents and siblings.

From left : Leonard, Doris, William, Florence, Dennis and Hilda Ivall

Doris met Arthur Hubert Salter, a church minister who lived in North London and they became engaged. Arthur was the same age as Doris – he was born on 12 March 1908 (in Gibraltar).

Passenger lists show that Doris Rose Ivall arrived in New York on 6 May 1939 on board the President Harding from Southampton. She was aged 30 and her occupation was given as a student. Doris married Arthur Salter on September 29th 1939 in Brooklyn, New York. They had no children. By 1941 they were living in Toronto Canada.

The records of border crossings from Canada to the USA show Doris and Arthur Salter making journeys to the European Christian Mission in Brooklyn, New York on 3 January and 27 October 1941. The record of the latter gives Doris’s occupation as “Missionary”. Her height was 5 feet 3 inches, hair brown and eyes hazel. Doris and Arthur made a further crossing on 26 January 1945 at Port Angeles, Washington, USA with the stated purpose of resuming residence in the USA.

Arthur and Doris Salter in 1950

Arthur and Doris were both naturalised as US citizens on 3 August 1948 at the US District Court in Brooklyn, New York. Their address was 944 East 31^st Street, Brooklyn. Arthur made visits to Europe in 1950 and 1957 when his home address was given as 1101 East 35^th Street, Brooklyn.

Doris and Arthur visited relatives in England when they arrived at Southampton on 6 April 1954 on board the Queen Mary from Halifax (Nova Scotia). Their occupations are given as “Minister” (Arthur) and “H Teacher” (Doris). Doris’s mother died in 1960 aged 75 and her father in 1968 aged 85.

Arthur and Doris moved from Brooklyn to Lebanon, Pennsylvania in the 1960s when the headquarters of the Bible Christian Mission transferred there. After Doris and Arthur retired they moved to Michigan but found it too cold and so moved to Florida.

 Doris and Arthur c 1994

Arthur died on 17 June 1996 in Manatee County, Florida aged 88. Doris was living in a retirement home in Bradenton, Florida when she celebrated her 97^th birthday in 2005. She died on 5 May 2007 at Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida aged 98.