Searching for John Wood

[wawa]

Hi, hoping someone may be able to help with further information regarding my GGG Grandfather John Wood, John married Sarah Graham december 1837 in Lewisham and they have two daughters Ann and Amelia by 1851, have located them in the 1851 census living at St Nicholas Island Barracks, Plymouth, Devon, John is 26 born at Hartford, Cheshire, M Gunner and driver in the Royal Artillery. By 1861 Sarah is remarried to a James Robinson and recorded as a widow.

Can find no death for John so wondering if he maybe died in one of the wars but haven't been able to find anything further.

If anyone could help try to locate him I would be very greatful.

Cheers
Nari

[km1971]

Hi Nari

As it looks as if John Wood died in service they would have destroyed his papers 20 years after his death. There may be records of a pension paid to his widow in Kew - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/army/step4.htm - but you will have to visit as they are not available online.

If you post the names of some of the officers from the 1851 census - they will be listed before the other ranks - I can look them up in the 1850 Army List and discover his battalion (there were twelve). You can then follow the wanderings of his battalion around the Empire hoping to find details of any more children and also his death.

I don't quite follow this bit - "...By 1861 Sarah is remarried to a James Robinson and recorded as a widow." And do you know if her second husband was a soldier?

Ken

[wawa]

Hi Ken,

Thankyou for your help, the officers listed on the 1851 census are -

Robert Thomas - Sergant Royal Artillery
John Wallace?? - Bombardier
Geroge Fanit?? - Corporal (the last name is really hard to read)
Henry Pickering - Bombardier (this one is not much better)

Sorry, not very good at reading the names , the census number is H.O 107 / 1879

The 1861 census has Sarah Ann remarried to James Robinson staying at Barracks, Hartford, Cheshire, James is listed as a Ag Farmer, so I don't think he was a soldier, he was also widowed when he married Sarah.

Cheers
Nari

[km1971]

Hi Nari

Sorry they are not officers. It is Ensign, Lt/Lieutenant, Captain, Major etc you want.

Ken

[josey]

8 yrs since this thread was active but km's kind offer does not appear to have been taken up unless it was by pm. A new thread about John Wood [trying to find his death or army records] was started http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=777423.msg6312561#msg6312561.

I have looked at the census & officers are: Captain of 10th the King's Own Regt George Kennedy, Lt Henry L Talbot. Does this help? I wonder if the pension records were ever found?

Josey

[wawa]

Thanks josey, always very thankful for help that I receive on this site, I appreciate the time and effort that everyone puts in for me and have uncovered a great deal because of their kindness, pension records have not been found so far.

[MaxD]

Not sure whether this is the up to date thread but:

The John Wood with wife Sarah and children Amelia and Ann belongs, in 1851, to 7 Company 11 Battalion Royal Artillery (1851 Army index and 1851 census agree).  The detachment at St Nicholas' Island was mixed, with an infantrymen George Kennedy in overall command and the artillerymen  being commanded by the second on the list, Lt Henry L Talbot. (josey's officers)

Taking a similar tack to that suggested by km1971 in another thread, he could perhaps be followed through the Muster Books for that Company and Battalion that follow the 1851 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C615802 but as I think someone said before, these have be be looked at at Kew.

There are some pension records but none that link with a death 1851-1861.

Nor sure this gets us further??

MaxD

[josey]

Hi max - thanks for 'calling by'.....

[wawa]

Thankyou for the information MaxD, I'm unable to visit the National Archives in person but will send them an email and see what I can find out about the Muster Books.

I'll be sure to let you known if I have any luck.

Cheers
Nari