Stuck for ideas of where to look next James Doughty

[NOX]

Hi I have a James Doughty born November 1882 in Dublin to Margaret Doolin Doughty and James Doughty Snr ( deceased February 1882 in India). He vanishes form sight after that ( he's not the one who dies the following year aged 0) and doesn't reappear until the 1911 UK census when I have him living in Colchester and being a Railwayman). He vanishes again after this, no marriage, no death in the UK and nothing that really fits showing in the US either where his mother and sister were living in New York and then New Jersey. Checked the US census and nothing conclusively him but one entry for Ellis Island 1921 on the 'Lapland' citing a 40 year old James Doughty as 1st Officer, having sailed from Antwerpe. He's definitely still alive in 1931 as his mother refers to him, and wondering if he's not living on the continent. No listing of him in the Merchant Navy registers- now really stuck ( on both him and his father whose a whole other disappearing act as well).
Anyone got any suggestions for somewhere I might have missed looking? Any help most gratefully received as I'm very frustrated with this whole little pocket of people who seem to love disappearing. Thanks:)

[dotty.]

his birth date given at his baptism was 23rd november 1880

[dotty.]

have you checked the 1891 ontario census?

[NOX]

Sorry Dotty you're right my bad, 1880, typed it from memory. Any bright ideas of where to go next?

[NOX]

I haven't tbh dotty because his mother and sister didn't go over to the US until later than that, so I didn't think he'd likely be there on his own.His older brother William was in the Royal Hibernian School and his sister in an unknown convent prior to 1892 when the mother Margaret and daughter Mary Agnes went to New ?York leaving William in the School and little James God knows where.

[dotty.]

so where was the family in 1891 before they went to the US? It's just that the royal hibernian school sent boy soldiers to serve in the canadian army

[NOX]

Well it's a big mystery tbh Dotty. What is known for sure is that James married in Dublin and the family were in India between at least 1874-1882 when James Snr died in February of Bronchitis in Deolali transit camp. The next thing we know is that James Jnr is born in Dublin in November the same year. William the older brother was put into the RHS and his sister Mary Agnes into a convent/orphanage (would be interested in finding which one too) but no trace of what happened to baby James. The mother Margaret and daughter Agnes went to New York in 1892 without him or William who went into the army proper until 1900. I can find them on the census returns but nothing for the younger James until the 1911 uk census and then no sign of him whatsoever. I will have a look at what you suggest. Thanks Dotty:)

[ELVIS68]

Local library? They have micro films which hold zillions of files and they'll help you search for free

[NOX]

Hi Elvis thanks, it might come to original source material because I've tried every database I can possibly think of.