Orlando Godden

[JonathanC]

Looking for help tracing Orlando Godden in USA.  He was born 1838 in Ruckinge, Kent, England, married Esther Jane Birt in Smarden(?), Kent, England.  I have found Esther (widowed) and 3 chilldren on the 1900 census in Bradgate, Iowa, USA.  I think Orlando was involved in founding a school in Bradgate.  The bits I am missing are Orlando and Esther's arrival in USA and Orlando and Esther's deaths.  Can anyone help?

[*Sandra*]

Anc...try Tree has the death of Orlando as 8th March 1898. Bradgate, Humboldt Co., Iowa and Esther 12 Jan 1905 Bradgate, Humbodt Co. Iowa.  Looks as if the immigration date is between 1871 and 1881 when they were in Avery, Humboldt, Iowa.

[shellyesq]

The family appears the 1885 Iowa state census in Avery, Howard Co. - Orlando & Esther (both age 47 & married, Orlando is a farmer, Esther is a housekeeper) and children Eliza (age 13), Ivan (age 9), Rose (age 4), and Myrtle (age 1).  There is also a James Godden, age 37, single, born England, living with them - maybe Orlando's brother or other relative?

The locations of the children's births are unclear, because it appears that Iowa was written in for everyone except Orlando & James, but it was crossed out.

[shellyesq]

The family also appears to be in Avery on the 1880 census (available on familysearch.org), but Orlando is transcribed as Orcands.  It says Eliza & Ivan were born Iowa, so that would put them in the US as of about 1872.

[shellyesq]

I wonder about the accuracy of that death date for Esther.  The 1905 Census has Esther, James, & Ivan Godden living in Avery, and the census reportedly started in June 1905.  (http://iagenweb.org/delaware/census/stateindex.htm)  I'm not seeing any sources given, even though that date shows up on multiple trees/webpages.

[JonathanC]

Thanks all.  The 1900 census gives Esther's immigration year as 1871 (the same year she and Orlando married in England).  Can't find her on castlegarden or ellisisland, any ideas?

Thanks also for finding Orlando's brother James.  I had often wondered where he went!

[*Sandra*]

Hello JonathanC.

I spent quite some time on those 2 sites going through different variations of the spelling and trying Orelando, Esther and James and found nothing, I convinced myself they are mis-transcribed where ever they are. This voyage apparently took one month.

The story seems to be that Orlando and James came back from the USA to marry there sweethearts, unfortunately James's fiance had died. After Orlando's marriage all 3 returned to the USA.

Anc..try tree has James's death as 14 March 1923 Iowa but no source.. He apparently lived on a farm called Fairland.
If you do not have access to anc..try but would like to make contact with these 2 families then please pm me your e-mail address and I can pass it on for you. Perhaps they can confirm where they got there information from. 

[grub]

Some information here:

http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/f/i/s/Kevin-J-Fisher-Bellevue/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-Index.html

[JonathanC]

Thanks Grub

That site is useful.  Lots more searching to do....