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Some Special Interests => Travelling People => Topic started by: blinker on Tuesday 21 June 16 00:19 BST (UK)
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First of all, I want to thank Rootschat member CathayB who has been incredibly patient and helpful with me in emails as I made mistake after mistake in my tree.
She recently informed me that she didn't notice any specific indications the current iteration of my Goodman/Goodwin tree is Romany, especially noting James Goodman was a shoemaker. That being so, I remain puzzled as to their footloose habits and would GREATLY appreciate it if anybody has any info on them previous to their arrival in America and an insight into their footloose ways!
;D
Note - Ann Nancy Watkins is the maiden name of Robert's wife Ann Goodman according to linked ancestry family tree data. So, unsure.
The 1841 England Census-
Cornwall St Kew District 7
Place: Trehill
All members of the family have "yes" under "Wether born in same County" down the line. All are covered with a crossed line through William Goodman's job of "Ag Labourer"
William Goodman Age:50 occupation "Ag Labourer"
Robert Goodman Age:20 Occupation: /
Ann Goodman Age 20 Occupation /
Jane Goodman Age 20 Occupation /
The 1851 England Census
Portobellow, Willenhall, Staffordshire
This time there are different birthplaces listed for different family members,
Robert's occupation is now listed as Coal Miner, no other indications for occupation for family members.
Robert Goodman 30 Born - Cromfordhill, Gloucestershire, England
Ann Goodman 30 Born- S Wales, Nether Rid Ash
Jaranna Goodman 7 Born - S Wales, Abersychan
George Goodman 5 S Wales, Abersychan
William Goodman 4 Willenham, Staffordshire, England
Harriott Goodman 2 Willenham, Staffordshire, England
John Goodman 6 Mo Willenham, Staffordshire, England
The 1861 Wales Census - Yet more changes!
Robert's occupation is difficult to make out 100 percent, but I believe (85 percent sure) it says Collier
Aberdare County/Island Glamorgan Country Wales
Name Age
Robert Goodman 40 Birdarrend, Glamorgan, Wale
Ann Goodman 40 - space left blank
George Goodman 16 Abersuchan, Monmouthshire, Wales
William Goodman 14 Porlabella, Staffordshire, England
Robert Goodman 11 Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales
James Goodman 8/12 Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales
Susan Goodman* 17 Abersachan, Monmouthshire, Wales
Harriet Goodman 12 Portabelln, Staffordshire, England
Am (ann) Goodman 6 Aberdare, Glamorgan, Wales
*My best guess is that Susan and Jaranna are one and the same
At this point, circa 1870 ? Robert, Ann, and most of the Goodman children head for america, and are next seen in Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania. I am unsure which, if any available 1870's census data describes the family.
William does not join them, and while I've messed it up before (Thanks again to CathayB and her patience), I strongly believe he is the William Goodwin in the 1881 Wales census, now claiming to be born in Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales (later, in the states, he will alternately claim wales and england as his country of birth on forms) -
Name Age
William Goodwin 34 Occupation: Rougher In Ironworks Where born: Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales
Elizth. Goodwin 28 Where born:- Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales
Elizth. Goodwin 9 Where born: Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales
Rosannah Goodwin 7 Where born: Maesteg, Glamorgan, Wales
Amelia Goodwin 5 Where born: Maesteg, Glamorgan, Wales
William John Goodwin 2 Maesteg, Glamorgan, Wales
I greatly appreciate any help, including pointers on if they are associated with any ethnicity's travelling families in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Etc. or no! And, of course, whether or not I've royally messed up the tree again!
???
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adding - The James who was a shoemaker I was referring to in the earlier post was James Goodman, born 1797, of Gloucester whom several user-created family trees online have as the father of Robert. However, I've yet to find non-user-created records of a son named Robert born to him and his wife. I don't believe William Goodman in the 1841 census is his father either, (unless he and Jane are twins), since William and Ann never seem to cross their paths again after laboring with them.
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Still looking around, but these marriages suggest they stayed around Aberdare for a while & confirm that Robert was a collier:
24 Dec 1864, Aberdare
George Bovier Williams, full age, bachelor, Puddler of Gadlys Road, Father William Bovier Williams, Labourer
Susannah Goodman, minor, spinster of Fair Ynis, Father: Robert Goodman, Collier
Witnesses: David James & Thomas Evans
9 Mar 1868, Aberdare
William Davies, 20, bachelor, Collier of Cardiff St, Father: John Davies, Collier.
Harriet Goodman, 20, spinster of Fair Ynis, Father: Robert Goodman, Collier,
Witnesses: George Goodman & William Harris
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Have you found the family on the passenger lists?
They arrived in New York aboard the Pennsylvania on 11 Sep 1868:
Robert Goodman 47
Ann 47
Robert 7
James 6
Edmond 4
George Williams 27
Susan 24
Sophia 2
Mary infant
All say born England.
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Note - Ann Nancy Watkins is the maiden name of Robert's wife Ann Goodman according to linked ancestry family tree data. So, unsure.
There is a marriage 31 July 1843 at Trevethin, Monmouthshire between Robert Goodwin & Ann Watkins, both of full age. Unfortunately the transcript has the father of both the bride and the groom as James Goodman ::)
Trevethin is very close to Abersychan, where the first two children are said to be born.
However, this marriage would rule out your 1841 census as they were not yet married. There is however a Robert Goodman of Wales listed as a 19-year-old merchant seaman in 1843. The ship looks like the Dauntless & the date is 7.10.43 :-\
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Hi
Welcome to rootschat
I don't think that the Ann age 20 in St Kew is Roberts wife either.
Probable christening from familysearch
Ann Goodman
Christening 09 Aug 1818
SAINT KEW,CORNWALL
Father William Goodman
Mother Ann
Jane Goodman
25 Jun 1820
SAINT KEW,CORNWALL
Father William Goodman
Mother Ann
It is possible that this is that Robert in 1851
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKVR-D9HS
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It is possible that this is their sons birth registration which would give mothers maiden name
Births Sep 1850
John Goodman
Wolverhampton reg dist 17 379
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Still looking around, but these marriages suggest they stayed around Aberdare for a while & confirm that Robert was a collier:
24 Dec 1864, Aberdare
George Bovier Williams, full age, bachelor, Puddler of Gadlys Road, Father William Bovier Williams, Labourer
Susannah Goodman, minor, spinster of Fair Ynis, Father: Robert Goodman, Collier
Witnesses: David James & Thomas Evans
9 Mar 1868, Aberdare
William Davies, 20, bachelor, Collier of Cardiff St, Father: John Davies, Collier.
Harriet Goodman, 20, spinster of Fair Ynis, Father: Robert Goodman, Collier,
Witnesses: George Goodman & William Harris
Added by Whiteout7
Susannah and George in a welsh newspaper married parish church of Aberdare
http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3094324/3094329/21/
Affiliation: Harriet Goodman vs. John Morgan of Hall Street, Aberdare Times
15th July 1865 (illegitimate child?)
http://newspapers.library.wales/view/3021622/3021626/41/
A puddler was a iron worker and was a hard and dangerous job, I wonder how old George Bovier Williams was when he died, could Susannah have immigrated as a widow with her parents to America?
I don't think the 1841 census relates to your family.
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Hi again,
Apologies - I forgot to welcome you to Rootschat on my earlier posts.
I've taken a look at the 1851 census and the place name looked to me like Cromhall, Gloucestershire, so this looks a good possibility for Robert's father in 1841:
Cromhall Common, Cromhall, Gloucestershire
James Goodman, 50, Shoemaker
Mary Goodman, 13
Hannah Goodman, 10
Elizabeth Goodman, 9
John Goodman, 24, Blacksmith
All born in county
Added: Robert in 1841?
Abersychan, Trevethan, Monmouthshire
Robert Goodman, 20, J Miner, Not born in county
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Note - Ann Nancy Watkins is the maiden name of Robert's wife Ann Goodman according to linked ancestry family tree data. So, unsure.
There is a marriage 31 July 1843 at Trevethin, Monmouthshire between Robert Goodwin & Ann Watkins, both of full age.
The death certificate of son James Goodman who died in 1839 aged 78 states his parents as Robert Goodman & Anna Watkins. His age ties in with the James aged 6 travelling with them in 1868. James was also a miner.
A puddler was a iron worker and was a hard and dangerous job, I wonder how old George Bovier Williams was when he died, could Susannah have immigrated as a widow with her parents to America?
I believe Susannah is the Susan Williams travelling with husband George Williams & children Sophia & Mary on the same ship as Robert & Ann
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Have noted the ships records and found many of their graves in PA!
Susan/Susannah may have been widowed, but i think she's travelling with her husband george, as jomot says, still looking into that!
Jomot, thanks for the watkins info, especially!
I did locate a Robert christened as the son of a James and Susan Goodman in gloucester in 1819, possibly strengthens that lock to the aforementioned shoemaker.
Thanks for all the help and warm welcomes!
So, out goes the 1841 census data, then.
Of course, I try not to get too "attached" to any people on this side of the tree, as I've had to break it down and rewrite so many times!
It all hinges on whether my William shown in 1881 is really the son of THESE goodman/goodwins, and not one of several Goodman/Gooding/Goodwin coopers, hawkers, miners, or coachmen, all of whom looked like the right path before and may again. lol Also if I could locate evidence of his marriage to Elizabeth Williams, which is as yet a brick wall! (And Elizabeth is listed on at least one but not all of her children's christening forms as a Sarah Elizabeth, but searching for a Sarah doesn't really help matters much, at least not for me)
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It all hinges on whether my William shown in 1881 is really the son of THESE goodman/goodwins, and not one of several Goodman/Gooding/Goodwin coopers, hawkers, miners, or coachmen, all of whom looked like the right path before and may again.
I'm just not convinced by this William. Have you looked at the 1865 death of William Goodman registered in the Merthyr Tydfil Registration District, which covered Aberdare?
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"I'm just not convinced by this William. Have you looked at the 1865 death of William Goodman registered in the Merthyr Tydfil Registration District, which covered Aberdare? "
I had not. I had rejected several earlier death because they took place before the census. I may need to scrap the line again!
This whole side has been the most difficult since I started my family tree. I had nothing but a vague notion we were "Welsh, and maybe some Irish tinkers, I think they said" due to my family being cut off from their roots on that branch after a tragedy (My grandfather's mother died, his father was an unstable, mentally ill alcoholic, and in an age less social-service based, all the children were taken in by neighbors and friends - they didn't communicate with each other much or at all after that.).
Before this, the matches I had for William and discarded for various reasons were largely to coopers, coachmen, hawkers, and other more-likely Romani types, which jives with my DNA matching to Romani-descended individuals (mostly of the Locke and Lee families, but we don't know how or where we connect!) *
*I found notes in with (but not on) pictures and family bibles that list "Birch, Borne, Boswell, and Cooper" as "family back home" but can't connect on paper yet.
I will retrace my steps again and see what comes up. Thank you all so very much for your help and welcomes!
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Oh dear, it does sound like you are up against it somewhat.
So are you saying that the William in 1881 is definitely yours & you are now trying to trace him back to his parents & also his marriage to Elizabeth / Sarah Elizabeth?
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Yes, the William in 1881 is definitely mine, all the names of the children and dates match up! I also have a good paper trail on him after he immigrates to the US. Other than that, I keep getting lead down different roads and hitting brick wall after brick wall.
I estimate that William and (Sarah) Elizabeth married about 1870 and had little Elizabeth soon after. (I found a William and Elizabeth Goodwin with a baby Edith in the 1871 census but I don't think that's them. )
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Yes, the William in 1881 is definitely mine, all the names of the children and dates match up! I also have a good paper trail on him after he immigrates to the US. Other than that, I keep getting lead down different roads and hitting brick wall after brick wall.
I estimate that William and (Sarah) Elizabeth married about 1870 and had little Elizabeth soon after. (I found a William and Elizabeth Goodwin with a baby Edith in the 1871 census but I don't think that's them. )
As for the Williams a Welsh Traveller on non-genealogy forums I frequent and I had some discussions and came to the conclusion there is a very noticeable resemblance my Goodwin-Williams descended family bears to many Welsh Gypsy Travellers, (to the point every member of my family has gasped in recognition, it's not just one coincidental doppelganger, but many), but again, just where we connect is a total mystery
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I've read back though and can't see where the Williams name has been confirmed - was this from a baptism or some other record?
A William Goodman married a Sarah Williams or Sarah Davies in Merthyr Tydfil RD in 1874, so Elizabeth & possibly even Rosannah could have been born before they married? I cant find the birth of a Rosannah Goodman but there are several variants of Rosanna Williams around the right time.
Could you tell us what you know as fact & we can try & help piece it together.
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I've read back though and can't see where the Williams name has been confirmed - was this from a baptism or some other record?
A William Goodman married a Sarah Williams or Sarah Davies in Merthyr Tydfil RD in 1874, so Elizabeth & possibly even Rosannah could have been born before they married? I cant find the birth of a Rosannah Goodman but there are several variants of Rosanna Williams around the right time.
Could you tell us what you know as fact & we can try & help piece it together.
Absolutely! I'll just take some time to gather everything. Thank you again!
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All right, sorry about the delay, I was a bit sick!
Here is what I know for sure about William Goodwin/Goodman and (Sarah)* Elizabeth Williams/Goodwin/(Davies?)
*I can no longer seem to find the documents where she was listed as Sarah Elizabeth, but I could swear they existed!
And yes, Williams does come from Birth/Christening data, on all her US-born children's records she is listed as Elizabeth Williams, as here:
Name: William J. Goodwin
Gender: Male
Spouse: Elizabeth Williams
Child: Goodwin
FHL Film Number: 1893712
I am certain this is them in the 1881 Wales census. (Later Rose/Rosannah's birth will be given in her obituary (at least) as the Isle of Anglesey-)
1881 wales census
Name: William Goodwin
Age: 34
Estimated birth year: abt 1847
Relation: Head
Spouse's Name: Elizth. Goodwin
Gender: Male
Where born: Dowlais, Glamorgan, Wales
Civil Parish: Llangynwyd Higher
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales
Street address: 24 Union Street
Condition as to marriage: Married
Occupation: Rougher In Ironworks
Registration district: Neath
Sub registration district: Margam
ED, institution, or vessel: 10a
Neighbors: View others on page
Piece: 5336
Folio: 24
Page Number: 5
Household Members:
Name Age
William Goodwin 34
Elizth. Goodwin 28
Elizth. Goodwin 9
Rosannah Goodwin 7
Amelia Goodwin 5
William John Goodwin 2
I've read back though and can't see where the Williams name has been confirmed - was this from a baptism or some other record?
A William Goodman married a Sarah Williams or Sarah Davies in Merthyr Tydfil RD in 1874, so Elizabeth & possibly even Rosannah could have been born before they married? I cant find the birth of a Rosannah Goodman but there are several variants of Rosanna Williams around the right time.
There is an Elizabeth Williams of around the right age (18, listed as working in an innhouse) in the home of a David Davies in the 1871 census;
Glamorgan Llanguicke District 15, perhaps that's her?
Here is William Goodwin's USA naturalization data -
Name: William Goodwin
Age: 48
Birth Date: 1848
Birth Place: Wales
Naturalization Date: 1896
Naturalization Place: Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio, United States
FHL Film Number: 1819030
In the 1900 US Census, Elizabeth lists herself as the mother of 12 children total, 9 living, and states her mother and father's birthplace as Wales
William- States birthplace as england, father's as england, mother's as wales, states immigration years as 1882
Elizabeth dies in 1911.
In the 1920 US census, william states the following about his background
Name William Goodwin
Age 74
Birth Year abt 1846
Birthplace England
Immigration Year 1880
Marital Status Widowed
Father's Birthplace England
Mother's Birthplace England
In 1930 William states again that both parents and himself were England-born.
William and Elizabeth's shared grave and related data can be seen here - http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=17968187&ref=acom
Please tell me if you need anything else and I'll try to dig it up, most of what I have is after they came to the USA, of course, it's back in the UK I'm trying to figure out. But I'm happy to sort anything out. Thanks again for all your help!
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accidental double post
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Small world... my family was also from Wales (Aberdare, which is why I was initially interested in your post) and my GG Grandfather emigrated to Cuyahoga, where he bigamously married an Elizabeth Williams!
Several of his children followed him over, as did his first wife, so I have an interest in Cuyahoga too. I've just used Google maps to see where my family was compared to yours, and they were less than a mile apart!
I cant promise, but I'll see if I can find anything to help.
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Why thankyou! Yes, many immigrants clustered there in what was called The Flats! Quite a fascinating and, well, impoverished and wretched place back then!
Also I've just found that there WAS a William Godwin in prison in 1871 census, so who knows maybe that's why they held up the wedding (lol)
Name: William Godwin
Age: 23
Estimated birth year: abt 1848
Relation: Prisoner
Gender: Male
Where born: Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales
But, I don't have any real reason to think that's him XD
More LIKELY is this Servant born in Somerset (I once thought the trail best connected to Goodman/Gedman/Goodwin coopers and hawkers in Somerset as his family, but am now unsure)
Name: William Goodman
Age: 23
Estimated birth year: abt 1848
Relation: Servant
Gender: Male
Where born: Somerset, England
Civil Parish: Llanwonno
Town: Glyn Cynon
County/Island: Glamorgan
Country: Wales
Another candidate I haven't found contradictory data for yet is this young river-barge driving william J godwin, living with (I assume) adopted parents, bosses (though he's listed as son) or relatives named Poole
Under LIst of Persons Not In Houses, 1861 England Census Kempsford, Gloucestershire, England-
Name: William J Godwin
Age: 13
Estimated birth year: 1848
Relation: Son
Father's name: John Poole
Mother's name: Hannah Poole
Gender: Male
Where born: Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England
Civil Parish: Kempsford
County/Island: Gloucestershire
Country: England
Oh, and I'm in Ohio, not TOO far from Cuyahoga at that so I may be able to help you look up anything tricky and hard to find online about your family as well!
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Well they certainly didn't make it easy, did they?
I've probably just been going down the same old tracks you have already, but looking at the passenger list I see Elizabeth & children arriving on 19 Oct 1882 aboard the Catalonia. The oldest child looks to me like Annie, so a possible birth for her is Jul-Sep 1871, Merthyr Tydfil, Vol 11a, Page 376, Elizabeth Ann Godwin (although there is also an Elizabeth Goodwin born the same quarter).
The next family on the passenger list is 26 year old George Williams & his wife Sarah, plus children Hannah (?) aged 4 and Matthew 10-months, so I wondered if this was possibly Elizabeth's brother? The birth of a Matthew Williams was registered in Anglesey in the December quarter of 1881, so possibly ties in with the Anglesey reference for Rosannah - although I think I've found her birth now in Merthyr Tydfill district, 1874.
To add to the frustration, records in the US state Matthew's mother to have been Sarah Thomas, but I cant find her marrying a George Williams. Nor have I found William Goodwin marrying Elizabeth Williams.
Edited: I must have been going blind. George Williams married Sarah Thomas in the April-June quarter of 1880 in Swansea.
Another candidate I haven't found contradictory data for yet is this young river-barge driving william J godwin, living with (I assume) adopted parents, bosses (though he's listed as son) or relatives named Poole
The pages seem to be out of order, so you need to skip back an extra page:
Richard Godwin, Head, 42, Widower, b Berkshire, Boatman
Harriet Godwin, Boarder, 33, Unm, b Lechlade, Glostershire [Gloucestershire]
Margaret Jane Godwin, Daur, 2, ""
William J Godwin, Son, 13, ""
A possible for the 1871 William Godwin in prison is this baptism:
2 April 1847, Llandogo, Monmouthshire, William son of Richard & Jane of Pen-y-Van (Pen-y-Fan?). I cant make out Richard's job, possibly wood hand?
I'll keep looking!
Added: Forgot to add, I found Harriet Godwin in Lechlade in 1841 - parents Richard & Jane. A coincidence? Oh, and Richard is a Boatman Waterman.
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This seems to be the reason he was in prison:
Monmouthshire Merlin, 4 Apr 1871
William Godwin, labourer, was charged on a warrant with assaulting and beating his wife. The poor woman said it was a first offence, and she had no wish to press the charge. She went to the public house to fetch him home on Friday night, and when she got him there he beat her. She had been married to him two years, and often had to complain of his not bringing her home any money. The magistrates severely admonished the prisoner, and bound him over to keep the peace for six months.
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Oh dear, another one to scrap I'm afraid. Richard Godman, father of the William baptised 1847, was indeed a woodman / wood cutter and according to the newspapers was 'notorious'. He was born Stanlan, Gloucestershire c1825, so would tie in with 'your' William's father being born in England.
This is them in 1861:
Penyvan, Llandogo, Monmouth
Richard Godwin 36 Head b Stanlan, Gloucestershire Wood Cutter
Jane Godwin 57 Wife b Coleyford, Gloucestershire
Thomas Godwin 18 Son b Llanton, Gloucestershire Carpenter
William Godwin 14 Son b Llandogo, Monmouthshire Scholar
Herbert Powell 19 Visitor b West Dean, Gloucestershire Miner
But... William isn't with them in 1871 and there is a burial of a 21-year-old William Godwin in Llondogo, 1867.
Back to the drawing board!
The William in prison in 1871 looks like he may have been married to Julia Sullivan and is possibly recorded both in jail and at home.
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Well it would have been something to be descended from a NOTORIOUS WOODCUTTER. lol.
I hadn't found their passage details yet so thankyou for that!
Let me look farther into the canal dwellers and the Lechlade folks. (How common was it for sons of boat families to take up land-dwelling careers in ironworking, i wonder? Hmm.)
There is, of course, formerly-considered William and Ann from Somerset as potential parents*
*there's ANOTHER william and ann I considered, too, but I think I found a death there.
However, these two being the parents would place William's birth around 1841, though I'm not sure he wouldn't fudge his age, given his apparently loose attitude toward form-filling! But the data there is -
1841 English Census Somerset Durleigh District 12 13 (All seem to have born in same county checked, the page is extremely faded)
William Goodman 30 - profession listed as Mason
Ann Goodman 30
Mary Goodman 13
Charles Goodman 11
Caroline Goodman 9
William Goodman
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Ah! the Sarah Elizabeth name was when I had this down as a possible christening for the child William John, now looks about 2 years to early so probably not him.
Name William John Goodwin
Gender Male
Birth Date 3 Nov 1876
Christening Date 13 Dec 1876
Christening Place Hockerill, Hertfordshire, England
Christening Age 0
Household Members
Name Age
William Goodwin
Sarah Elizabeth
William John Goodwin
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I see his death certificate is available - what information does that give for his parents?
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I'm so flaky, I thought I"d included that!
It's... quite frustrating as was his tradition in life! And in death he became Cornish!
Name William J Goodwin
Event Type Death
Event Date 02 Apr 1935
Event Place Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio
Residence Place Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio
Address 4114 E. 102nd St.
Gender Male
Age 89
Marital Status Widowed
Race W
Occupation Retired Millworker
Birth Date 25 Apr 1845
Birthplace Cornwall, England
Birth Year (Estimated) 1846
Burial Date 03 Apr 1935
Burial Place Harvard Grove
Father's Name Goodwin
Father's Birthplace England
Mother's Name Unknown
Mother's Birthplace England
Spouse's Name Elizabeth
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Deep joy :-X
I'm at work the next few days but when I get the chance I'll see if I can rule out a few more. I'm at a bit of a block with my own line so it gives me something new to get frustrated about!
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I certainly appreciate it!
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Hello all, I may be able to shed some light on this question. I am the aforementioned Harriet's great-great-great grandson. I was told as a child that the Goodman family was Jewish in origin, and that someone in the family converted out of the faith to marry a Gentile; in response, the family hung a black wreath on the door and refused to speak to him/her. I have found them in the 1851 and 1861 census reports from England and Wales, and all the information appears consistent to me. Robert was a coal miner in England in 1851, a collier in Wales in 1861, and a coal miner here in Pennsylvania. However, I did note that their (Robert's and Anna's) birth years are consistent in the census, but do not match their grave marker in western PA. I have also found that there is a Victoria Goodman who resided with Robert and his family in 1851, aged 4, listed as his niece, who then resided with James Goodman in Cromhall, Gloucestershire in 1861, aged 14 and was listed as a granddaughter. I might add that I did come across a possible baptismal record for James that Ancestry had mislabeled as 1786 instead of 1787; to the best of my knowledge, Romani people do not have their offspring baptized in the C of E.
I will add that I have taken several DNA tests. 23andme produced an absolute puzzle for me- it listed Iberian and ~.1% Middle Eastern/North African DNA, neither of which I can explain. From what I've read, British Travellers have some genetic contribution from each of these populations. However, I also (unsurprisingly) had .1% Ashkenazi among my results. These results may be just 'noise', or they might show that the Goodmans were, in fact, Romani.
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It is possible that this is their sons birth registration which would give mothers maiden name
Births Sep 1850
John Goodman
Wolverhampton reg dist 17 379
john goodman from wolverhampton was my granny racheal brother
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This whole side has been the most difficult since I started my family tree. I had nothing but a vague notion we were "Welsh, and maybe some Irish tinkers, I think they said" due to my family being cut off from their roots on that branch after a tragedy...
Before this, the matches I had for William and discarded for various reasons were largely to coopers, coachmen, hawkers, and other more-likely Romani types, which jives with my DNA matching to Romani-descended individuals (mostly of the Locke and Lee families, but we don't know how or where we connect!) *
*I found notes in with (but not on) pictures and family bibles that list "Birch, Borne, Boswell, and Cooper" as "family back home" but can't connect on paper yet...
I... am the aforementioned Harriet's great-great-great grandson. I was told as a child that the Goodman family was Jewish in origin, and that someone in the family converted out of the faith to marry a Gentile;
... I might add that I did come across a possible baptismal record for James that Ancestry had mislabeled as 1786 instead of 1787; to the best of my knowledge, Romani people do not have their offspring baptized in the C of E.
Romani/Romany was/is a term used to describe an English Gypsy and so they were often baptised in the Church of England, or possibly in a non conformist church like Methodist or Baptist, as became the fashion in some areas.
The surnames mentioned above are broadly English origin surnames, though found in other areas too, and often found in Romany trees (some of the Lockes and Boswells went to the USA). The Romany sometimes moved between England and Wales, and did so for hundreds of years. So I would keep an open mind as to where they might be found in the earliest records available.
Interesting that a Jewish connection is mentioned as a possibility, as well as Romany, because i am in a similar conversation at the moment with a 'cousin' by email. It's a long drawn out story and they move between Birmingham and London, but we have a very unusual surname in the tree, on two branches, that has appeared on a Romany DNA data base. The tree is partly 'English native' but in early records it seems some were itinerant metal workers and some records suggest intermarriage with the Romany, but confusingly there is also a family story that they were 'definitely Jewish'. There are some unusual Old Testament forenames in the tree, seemingly passed down for hundreds of years, but then Old Testament names can appear in Romany and in 'English' non conformist trees, as well as in Jewish ones. Like your tree, it is all a bit of a mystery. You know there is something going on, but you can't quite pin it down
This is a DNA study (y haplo group H) that includes some 'Romany' (under the yellow band).
Family Tree DNA H Haplo Group Project - Y-DNA Classic Chart
https://www.familytreedna.com/public/YHaploGroupH?iframe=yresults