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I have traced my family back to a John Adams, an arts and curiosity dealer who married Jane Bell in St Anne Soho (London) in 1804, and was presumably born around 1780.
His death hasn't been confirmed yet, but the best shot is a burial of a John Adams in 1837 (before the first GRO docs I'm afraid) who is said to have lived in King's Street. All other documents show him at Duke's Court, which is right around the corner.

I have one DNA match that confirms this ancestry.

Now, I have two other matches who both descend from a Bertram George Adams, born in 1852 in Hastings, Sussex, who emigrated to the US in the 1870s. I could find only one Bertram Adams in the 1861 and 1871 census, born around 1852 and living in Hastings with his grandparents. The only birth certificate of a Bertram Adams has no maiden name, and the only baptism says "mother: Clara Adams" and gives no father. So he must have been an illegitimate child.
Clara was born in autumn 1830, her parents being George (born in the 1790s) and Harriett. This fits in with the grandparents' names, though Clara is nowhere to be found after Bertram's birth.

The problem is, that this family lived in Sussex and George was supposedly born in Yalding, Kent. I can't find his baptism anywhere, and I'm wondering how it will fit in with "my" John Adams...
He's 10-15 years older, and was most probably born in Westminster (I have 3 possible candidates).

Is anyone researching Adamses in either London, Sussex or Kent?

Hi all,

I already posted my "problem" a year ago, but it remained a mystery. With new members and new resources available, maybe I'll have better luck now. I really don't have a clue...

My 4th great-grandfather was James Henderson, born St James Westminster (according to the 1881 census: Windmill street) around 1811.

There are 2 possible James', both of whom have pros and cons. I would like to find out which one of them was my James...

The first ("James1") was born in December 1810 in St James Westminster. He was baptised in the Anglican church on January 20th 1811, at the church of St James Piccadilly.
His parents were James Henderson and Ann Lidster. They had a bunch of other children. Thomas, John and George Henderson all appear as witnesses to baptisms, marriages or other documents related to James1, and it so happens that these are the names of his brothers.

The second ("james2") was born on Windmill Street (!) and baptised on May 17th 1813 in the Scottish Church on Swallow Street. His parents are James Henderson and Ann Rae, immigrants from Edinburgh. He too has brothers George and John, but no Thomas.

My gut feeling says that James1 is more likely to be "my" James, only based on the fact that his siblings fit the bill better. But I don't really have definite proof of that.
On the other hand, the sepcific mention of "Windmill Street" clearly links my james to James2...

Do you have any tips on how to find out which one was mine?

Thanks in advance!
Tom


PS there is a will of a James Henderson who died 1822 on Windmill Street, but that is 1) a different James and 2) a different Windmill Street. The Windmill Street where he lived was at St Pancras, off Tottenham Court Road, while the Windmill Street of James2 was at st James, off Leicester Square (his baptism also mentions Panton Square, which means the Windmill Street meant was the one that was demolished in the 1920's to build "Trocadero" on Coventry/Rupert Street).

Hi all,

I need a push in the right direction...

Windmill Street is haunting me.

My 4th great-grandfather, James Henderson, son of James and Ann Henderson, was born in December 1810 in Windmill Street, st James Westminster. He was baptised in the Anglican church on January 20th 1811, at the church of St James Piccadilly.
We have already established in a previous thread that the James Henderson who died on Windmill Street in 1822 was *not* his father, as it is a different Windmill Street in St Pancras, not St James, and there is no mention of a wife or any children in that will.

Through witnesses at marriages, the census records etc, I know my 4th ggfather had 2 brothers, George and Thomas. With some certainty (but not 100%... just based on same name of parents, same baptism place, and fitting dates), I could add to those brothers John and William, and sister Elizabeth.

During my search, however, I came across another couple James and Ann Henderson. Just like my ggparents, they were tailors. They had two children: George Rae Henderson (1810) and James Henderson (1813), both baptised into the Scottish Church at Swallow Street. This couple seems to be James Henderson and Ann Rae from Edinburgh. They had several children in Edinburgh between 1800 and 1808. I an almost sure they then moved to London and had George Rae and James there, as at least one of their Edinburgh daughters (Grisel Rae) got married in London, and the dates add up nicely.

Now, the haunting thing... Their first London child, George Rae, was born in... Windmill Street, St James Westminster!

Could anyone tell me more about this Windmill Street? Was it a particularly popular street among Scottish tailors? Is it a mere coincidence? Or should I be looking into the possibility that the James and Ann from Edinburgh are actually related to the ones from London? Maybe they are cousins and Edinburgh James came to stay with his cousin after arriving in London - having a pregnant wife - while looking for his own place? The second son, James, was born at another address.

As far as I know, London James was also born in St James Westminster, but his (probable) father Michael Henderson is a mystery. If it is probable/possible that both James' are related, that might give me a hint as to where Michael came from. His first mention is 2 years before his second marriage, in St James. At his 2nd marriage he was a widower. Nothing on his birth place. As in 1776 he was at his second marriage, he was most probably born before 1750 and was already dead in 1841 at the first census.

Any tips or hints are welcome!

Regards,
Tom



ADDITION:

My first thaught was that I was mistaken in James' parents, and maybe my 4th gg-father was actually the James born from the Edinburgh James & Ann. But that would mean a big mystery concerning his brothers George and Thomas. Edinburgh James & Ann never had a son called Thomas, and George (my 4th gg-uncle) and George Rae are definitely not the same person, as they married different people and are both present on the census.

Also: the cencus state consistently that my James was born around 1811, which fits better with the 1810 date than the 1813 date. One census also specifies Windmill Street as his birth place, while in the Edinburgh family son James was born on Panton Square, it was his brother George Rae who was born on Windmill Street 3 years earlier. So that doesn't quite fit either.

So I am quite sure they are 2 different James'.

Hi all,

my 4th great-grandfather, James Henderson, was born in December 1810 in St James Westminster. The 1881 census gives his birthplace as "Windmill Street" (today: Lexington Street).
We know his father, also James Henderson, was a cabinet maker, and had deceased by 1838. I was looking for his death, when I found a will prooved in 1822 of a James Henderson from Windmill Street, St Pancras...
I was wondering if "Windmill Street, St James" and "Windmill Street, St Pancras" are the same street, and if this James could be my James... Wondering about hints and family members mentioned in the will, I tried to read it, but it is an almost impossible task. Not only is the handwriting very unclear to me, the fact that English is only my "3rd language" doesn't make it easier...

I believe I could make out names of his brothers, John, Thomas and William Henderson. As I don't know when and where my James was born, I can't say if he really had them as brothers. But he did name his sons John, Thomas and William (besides James, George and Elizabeth). As these are popular names, that probably doesn't proove anything... But I think I could make out something of another cabinet maker as well.

Is there anyone who can help me transcribe the text? The full thing might be asked too much, probably, but at least help me with the names and their relation to the deceased. Especially his wife and children (who would have been between 3 and 14 years of age if this James is the right one).

Thanks in advance!
Tom

PS the attachments are 3-4 MB each while 500 KB is the limit... I hope this link works?
Otherwise, it is a will of James Henderson, probate date 26 Mar 1822, St Pancras.

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5111/40611_310373-00739/418426?backurl=http://person.ancestry.co.uk/tree/66478148/person/46154538855/facts

Dears,

I have some questions about testaments etc...

My 2nd great-grandfather is mentioned in the "National Probate Calendar". I suppose it means he had left a will or testament? Is there any way to get hold of the actual will? And does that make sense, or will it not give any other information than already is in the Calendar?

Similar for my 3rd great-grandfather: he doesn't seem to be in the NPC. Does that mean he didn't leave a will?

Thanks for all hints and help

Regards,
Tom