Two Wives (Part 2)

OK - an article on Wikipedia confirms my suspicion. The Mormon's practiced polygamous marriages back in the 1800's.

The Mormon practice of plural marriage began in 1843, and was introduced by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Mormon church. It was then practiced privately until 1852, when it was publicly announced as a principle of Mormon doctrine. At this time, the Mormon-dominated legislature wanted to keep this practice under legal protection, so they framed laws that favored the practice without actually using the word “polygamy” in order to keep it from coming to the attention of the U.S. Congress.

Polygamy was able to continue for the next while without being noticed. With the Compromise of 1850, Utah was officially deemed a territory, and therefore became subject to a federally appointed governor and judiciary. Brigham Young [also in my tree], the president of the church at the time, was elected the first governor, along with an all-Mormon legislature. One of the first acts of this legislature was in 1851, when they awarded their probate courts extended jurisdiction. Thus, “probate courts possessed concurrent jurisdiction with the district courts and offered an alternative to the federally appointed, non-Mormon officers of the district courts”. Because bigamy was prohibited at common law, the territorial legislature rejected the common law in 1854. Therefore, the legal protection of the Mormons who chose to practice polygamy were relatively free from federal intervention until Congress passed the Morrill Act in 1862, which was the first federal law that specifically prohibited bigamy. On the whole, the Mormons who practiced polygamy avoided the federal court systems all together. Rather, they settled disputes with an ecclesiastical court system established by the church. Thus, the practice of polygamy in the Mormon communities continued.

At its height, at least 25 percent of adults in these communities were members of polygamous households. In 1890, however, Wilford Woodruff (the president of the church at the time) issued a “manifesto” forbidding the practice. Currently, some breakaway groups still follow polygamist lifestyles, but the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (the Mormon church) now opposes the practice.

So there we go - he married sisters and had kids with them at the same time. The data appears correct.

The Two Wives of William Dresser Huntington

Rooting through the Ancestral File on familysearch.org, there is some conflicting data for the family of William Dresser Huntington.

There are a number of marriage records for both Caroline Clark and for Harriett Clark, both with a number of children from those marriages - but they occur during the same time period. Combined with the appearance that Harriett and Caroline are sisters, it's a total mess.

Descendants of William Dresser Huntington

1 William Dresser Huntington 1818 - 1881
+Harriet Clark 1825 -
2 Don Carlos HUNTINGTON 1845 -
+Melinda SINGLETON 1845 - 1876
2 Chauncy HUNTINGTON 1847 - 1847
2 Julias Adeline HUNTINGTON 1848 - 1851
2 Harriet Adelaide HUNTINGTON 1852 - 1922
+Martin William BIRD 1849 - 1890
2 Anna Jane HUNTINGTON 1853 -
+Solomon Drake CHASE 1850 - 1919
2 George Volney HUNTINGTON 1858 -
+Julia Hannah SNELSON 1858 - 1935
2 Lottie HUNTINGTON 1870 - 1962
+Albert Edwin LAMBSON 1863 - 1933
*2nd Wife of William Dresser Huntington:
+Caroline CLARK 1819 - 1901
2 Hyrum Fenno HUNTINGTON 1847 - 1936
+Polly Berthina CHILDS 1849 - 1938
2 Lucia Presendia HUNTINGTON 1850 - 1938
2 John Albert HUNTINGTON 1853 - 1896
2 George Volney HUNTINGTON 1958 - 1905


George Volney is even listed as the son of both mother's in different records.

A little Googling reveals further mismatches in the data:

William married Caroline Clark in September 1839, and by the fall of 1843 they had three children. William concludes his sketch by stating, “I came to Nauvoo with the first family of aints and remained until the present. Nauvoo, December 4, 1844. [Source]

So there are three children missing from these records already.

Caroline's death is recorded as 1901.

In the 1880 US Census, William is living with wife Harriett and George (21) and Lottie (10). So where's Caroline?

In Nauvoo, William's records record a high death rate from Malaria. Perhaps Caroline died from Malaria and Willaim married Harriett then, the remaining children being incorrectly recorded as those of William and Caroline? The problem with this theory is that part of William's job was to record deaths - his own mother was the first on his list - surely he wouldn't have forgotten to record his own wife's death?

I also located a marriage record for William to a Harriet Partridge in 1840 in Hancock, Illinois. This doesn't make sense either - there are plenty of records for a marriage to Harriet Clark, not least this:

CLARK, Harriet; 27 May 1842; Harriet CLARK; b. 2 Aug 1825, Antwerp, Jefferson, New York; parents Hyrum CLARK and Mary FENNO; m. 5 Feb 1843, Nauvoo, Hancock, Illlinois, to William Dresser HUNTINGTON; d. Springville, Utah, Utah. [Source]

And also that, if Harriet was Harriet Partridge and they did marry in 1840, why would their child born in 1847 carry the middle name Fenno, maiden surname of Caroline's mother?

Of the missing children, one William Dresser Huntington (29 March, 1862 San Bernardino) is the son of Heber Huntington, son of William Dresser Huntington and Caroline Clark. He lists as much in his biography [extract]:

Grandfather W. D. Huntington died a few years ago at the age of sixty-five; grandmother Caroline (Clark) Huntington, born about 1825, is living San Bernardino county.

It's possible, but unlikely, that Harriet and Caroline are one and the same person, their birth dates are just far too far apart.

So, essentially it's a big mess with no real reason to it at all. Two hours is more than enough to spend trying to find the truth. Maybe some other time.

RIP Philip David Hall 1957-2007

Trawling through family records and recording births, marriages and deaths of distant relatives and ancestors can sometimes distance you from the fact that these were real people, with families and friends that loved them.

Today, we buried my uncle, Philip David Hall at Milton Cemetery in Portsmouth. He was aged just 50 and had been unwell for some time, fighting against problems caused by diabetes. His ashes were buried in the same plot as his brother, Martin John Hall who died in 1997, aged just 37.

What can I say about Phil?

Phil was one of the good guys. He had a heart of gold and would, and often did, help others often to his own detriment. Phil had many friends that will remember him for his charitable nature, ready wit and love of bacon butties.

Although I've not seen Phil too often in the last few years, I'll remember him for his influence on my upbringing, taking me on trips around the UK on his deliveries as a van driver and for inspiring my love of snooker.

I'm privileged to have known him.

James Cowdrey

There are plenty in my tree, people who appear in the census for a couple of years and then just simply disappear without trace. This one is worth commenting on, for future reference at least.

Born c1849 in Brighton, Sussex.

1851 England Census: James Cowdrey listed as the son of William Cowdrey and Henrietta (Stillwell) in Brighton. Birth year shown as 1844, but suspect that this is due to age 1 being mistranscribed as age 7.
1861 England Census: James Cowdrey listed as a servant, still in Brighton.
1871 England Census: Off in China aboard the 'Dove'.

Then no record.

In the Ancestral File on FamilySearch, marriages:

Spouse: Maria Elizabeth MADDOX
Marriage: 18 May 1879, Camberwell, London, England

Spouse: Harriett Jane BARNES
Marriage: 16 Mar 1889, Southwark, London, England

There is a marriage record in the BMD index for James Cowdry and Maria Elizabeth Maddox that matches, but no confirming record in the 1881 England Census. The Ancestral file also lists a son, Frederick born 1879 who also fails to appear in 1881.

There is no corresponding marriage record for the Harriett Barnes marriage in the BMD.

Another of life's mysteries. Perhaps he went off to sea and settled abroad somewhere?

Which William Twine

I have a marriage record in the Bosham Parish records for William Twine and Susannah Dudding, married in Bosham on 09 August 1770. Unfortunately, the record doesn't list the parents of either of the couple, or any other information for that matter.

I've been unable to locate a death record in the Bosham or Fishbourne Parish records for William either, so it's difficult to confirm his birth date that way.

Assuming that William was born in Bosham, there are two possible records:

05.10.1744 born to Thomas and Jane Twine
17.08.1735 born to John and Mary Twine

Searching on Ancestry, I found another user that had the same marriage in their tree, and had listed Thomas and Jane as the parents - perhaps they have some information I don't? I've sent a message via Ancestry to find out!

If William was born in 1735 the following would be true:

• Married aged 35
• First child at 36
• Last child at 62

Stranger things have happened, Susannah would have been 49 when the last child was born!

Spalding Confusion

Researching my Spalding links in Suffolk:

Having located my ggg grandfather, John Spalding born c1826 in Fressingfield, Suffolk, I managed to establish that his parents are John Spalding and Sarah through the IGI. Further to this, I established christening records for John's (1826) siblings;

Sarah Anne in 1819
Charlotte born in 1820
Louisa in 1823
Mary Anne in 1827

In tracing their descendants, I became puzzled by other records in the IGI listing a marriage record for Charlotte Spalding in 1840 in Fressingfield, Suffolk to Robert Riches; Charlotte is shown as the daughter of James Spalding and Hannah, but her birth date is 1828 in Fressingfield.

Charlotte and Robert Riches are listed in the 1840 Census, with Charlotte's birth date being C1820. They are listed again in 1851 with their children and, interestingly, Charlotte is listed as the sister-in-law of the head of household, Benjamin Collett. Benjamin's wife is Sarah Ann.

Again, in the IGI the marriage record for Sarah Anne Spalding shows the parents as James Spalding and Hannah Rose, with her birth date as 1830 in Fressingfield. In 1851, Sarah's birth date is c1820 in Fressingfield.

I surmise that the data in the IGI is a mistake. There are matching birth records for both children as daughters of James and Hannah in the IGI also and I believe that they have mistakenly been linked to the marriages of Collett and Riches.

Rebecca or Sarah Jay?

In tracing the Emmerson line down through the Suffolk area, Mendham to be precise, I uncovered the following conundrum:

1891 Census, George Emmerson (c1844, Mendham) listed with wife Sarah A R Emmerson (c1847, Mendham) and daughter Louisa L M Emmerson (c1887, Mendham).
Marriage register: Sarah Ann R Jay.
In 1901, the only George born 1844 in Mendham is married to Rebecca (c1846, Mendham), with daughter May (c1887, Mendham).
In 1881, Sarah A R Jay is listed with mother Lydia.
In 1861 and 1871, Rebecca is a servant and then visiting, respectively.
In 1851, Rebecca S Jay is listed with parents Lydia and Edward.

There
is no matching May Emmerson listed in 1891, and no Louisa Emmerson listed in 1901. However, a birth record in Hoxne (registration district for Mendham) lists May Lydia L Emmerson in Oct-Dec 1886.

My conclusion is that these girls have a penchant for being know by both christian and middle names and that these are one and the same family.

John Amor

John Amor was born in Pewsey c1856 to Henry Amor and Charlotte Watts. Whilst there's a marriage record for him with Sarah Ann Bailey, there happen to be two John Amor's born within two years of each other in Pewsey.

I need some proof of which married Sarah Ann.

Watts Confusion

In researching my wife's family tree, I'm tracing the family of Anna Maria Watts, b 1877 in Pewsey, Wiltshire. Her parents are William Watts b 1835 in Pewsey and Eliza Heath b 1841 in Pewsey.

William's parents are John Watts, b1812 in Pewsey and Hannah, b 1812 in Oare. It is with John that the confusion lies. Here's what I know so far:

John is listed in the 1841-1871 Census records with his wife and family, but Hannah died in 1875. John is then listed as an Uncle of the Head of the household in 1881; this being Charlotte Amor.

In tracing Charlotte back through the records, she was born Charlotte Watts, her father being John Watts b1769 in Pewsey and Elizabeth (probably Bezant) b1786 in Pewsey.

So here's the weird thing, if her uncle is 1812 John Watts, how can her father also be called John Watts? The only explanation I can think of is that 1812 John is her father's uncle, but the dates just don't work out.

In the IGI, John's parents are listed as John Watts and Elizabeth, too. My assumption, therefore is that they are siblings, particularly as they are listed next door to each other in the 1841 census. I suppose that there's every possibility that Charlotte listed him as 'Uncle' as he is uncle to her children.

JCB: A cousin by marriage

Well, I was nearly right on the money: J C Bamford is the Great Nephew of Samuel Brassington Bamford, according to Bamford Limited.

It appears that Samuel and his father, Henry Bamford created a business in Uttoxeter manufacturing agricultural equipment and machinery that was then run by Henry and four of his brothers. One of these brothers, Joseph, had a son named Cyril, who in turn had a son, Joseph Cyril Bamford. Joseph worked for a time with the business before setting up his own business, JC Bamford (Excavators) Ltd.