J. P. Gilliver
2023-08-31 23:42:24 UTC
Trying to find more about the parents of Mary Elizabeth Russell.
1871 census, in Eccleshall Bierlow (part of Sheffield):
Phineas Russell 58 Awl Blade Maker Staffords Bloxwich
Elizabeth do 52 do do
John H do 16 File Grinder Yorks Sheffield
Mary E Russell 8 Scholar Yorks Sheffield
so far, so good; Phineas and Elizabeth, with children John and Mary.
(Mary's the thread I'm following.)
1863Q1: birth of Mary Elizabeth Russell, in Eccleshall Bierlow, MMN
HANCOCK.
1861 census, in Eccleshall Bierlow:
Phineas Russell 47 Awl Blade Maker Stafforshire Bloxwith
Elizabeth Do 44 Do Do
Arthur Do 11 Scholar Yorks. Sheffield
John H Do 6 Do Do Do
(and an 8mo)
I'm pretty sure that's the same family - same names (including the
unusual Phineas and John having middle initial H), same occupation, ages
of Phineas, Elizabeth, and John close enough (OK Elizabeth not perfect),
same place, same PsOB. Presumably Arthur had left (and 8mo Mary R. died)
by 1871.
1851 census, in Sheffield:
Phineas RuSsell 38 Awl Blade M. Bloxwich York
Eliz - 34 Bloxwich Staff'd
Arthur 1 Sheff. Yor
(and a couple of lodgers).
Again, I'm pretty sure it's the same family: the anomaly of where
Phineas was born is just I think sloppy - it doesn't actually say York,
it's ditto from the lines above. (_Is_ there even a Bloxwich in Yorks?)
[If anyone looks for this, the handwriting makes RuSsell look like
Rupert, so it might be transcribed and thus indexed as that.]
Though they're in their 30s, the presence of only one child - and aged 1
- _suggests_ a recent marriage.
1850Q2: birth of Arthur Thomas Russell, in Sheffield, MMN HANCOCKS.
BUT:
Searching for marriages Rus* to Hanc* finds no Ph* (other than a Phoebe)
1837-1851.
Searching for Ph* Rus* marriages, the only ones that look anything like
Phineas are (1837Q3 Wolverhampton - no Eliz* and) 1850Q3 Walsall,
Phineas or Phinias Russell - no Eliz*, but Ann Smith (see below).
Staffordshire marriages: there's one, *in Bloxwich*:
1850-7-7 father
Phineas Russell 30 Widower Awl Blade Maker Bloxwich Edward Russell
Ann Smith 24 SpinsterAt Home Bloxwich John Smith
The age of Phineas is out (the 30 _could_ be a 39 but I don't think so),
but both being from Bloxwich, his unusual forename, and his occupation
suggests it _is_ them. Her being "Ann Smith" with father "John Smith" it
is tempting to suspect, but not necessarily.
Him being "Widower" _could_ mean he had married Elizabeth Hancock(s) and
she'd died, but that wouldn't explain MMN of Arthur in 1850 - and
especially Mary Elizabeth in 1863 - being recorded with MMN Hancock(s).
(And I didn't find that marriage anyway.)
Thoughts?
1871 census, in Eccleshall Bierlow (part of Sheffield):
Phineas Russell 58 Awl Blade Maker Staffords Bloxwich
Elizabeth do 52 do do
John H do 16 File Grinder Yorks Sheffield
Mary E Russell 8 Scholar Yorks Sheffield
so far, so good; Phineas and Elizabeth, with children John and Mary.
(Mary's the thread I'm following.)
1863Q1: birth of Mary Elizabeth Russell, in Eccleshall Bierlow, MMN
HANCOCK.
1861 census, in Eccleshall Bierlow:
Phineas Russell 47 Awl Blade Maker Stafforshire Bloxwith
Elizabeth Do 44 Do Do
Arthur Do 11 Scholar Yorks. Sheffield
John H Do 6 Do Do Do
(and an 8mo)
I'm pretty sure that's the same family - same names (including the
unusual Phineas and John having middle initial H), same occupation, ages
of Phineas, Elizabeth, and John close enough (OK Elizabeth not perfect),
same place, same PsOB. Presumably Arthur had left (and 8mo Mary R. died)
by 1871.
1851 census, in Sheffield:
Phineas RuSsell 38 Awl Blade M. Bloxwich York
Eliz - 34 Bloxwich Staff'd
Arthur 1 Sheff. Yor
(and a couple of lodgers).
Again, I'm pretty sure it's the same family: the anomaly of where
Phineas was born is just I think sloppy - it doesn't actually say York,
it's ditto from the lines above. (_Is_ there even a Bloxwich in Yorks?)
[If anyone looks for this, the handwriting makes RuSsell look like
Rupert, so it might be transcribed and thus indexed as that.]
Though they're in their 30s, the presence of only one child - and aged 1
- _suggests_ a recent marriage.
1850Q2: birth of Arthur Thomas Russell, in Sheffield, MMN HANCOCKS.
BUT:
Searching for marriages Rus* to Hanc* finds no Ph* (other than a Phoebe)
1837-1851.
Searching for Ph* Rus* marriages, the only ones that look anything like
Phineas are (1837Q3 Wolverhampton - no Eliz* and) 1850Q3 Walsall,
Phineas or Phinias Russell - no Eliz*, but Ann Smith (see below).
Staffordshire marriages: there's one, *in Bloxwich*:
1850-7-7 father
Phineas Russell 30 Widower Awl Blade Maker Bloxwich Edward Russell
Ann Smith 24 SpinsterAt Home Bloxwich John Smith
The age of Phineas is out (the 30 _could_ be a 39 but I don't think so),
but both being from Bloxwich, his unusual forename, and his occupation
suggests it _is_ them. Her being "Ann Smith" with father "John Smith" it
is tempting to suspect, but not necessarily.
Him being "Widower" _could_ mean he had married Elizabeth Hancock(s) and
she'd died, but that wouldn't explain MMN of Arthur in 1850 - and
especially Mary Elizabeth in 1863 - being recorded with MMN Hancock(s).
(And I didn't find that marriage anyway.)
Thoughts?
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)***@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
What has happened since 1979, I suspect, is that the spotting of mistakes has
become entirely associated with mean-spiritedness, snobbishness and
judgementalism. But...can be...funny and interesting.
Lynn Truss, RT 2015/2/21-27
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/<1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)***@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf
What has happened since 1979, I suspect, is that the spotting of mistakes has
become entirely associated with mean-spiritedness, snobbishness and
judgementalism. But...can be...funny and interesting.
Lynn Truss, RT 2015/2/21-27