Mercy Neighbour?

[lizdb]

JUst getting slightly sidetracked

John was chr Deal in 1840, parents Thomas and HAnnah

Here he is in 1851. Obviously Mariners run in his family

1851
Middle Street Deal
Thomas F Obree 42 Mariner bn Deal
Hannah 34 bn Deal
Cicely M 14 bn Isle of Sheppey Sheerness
Thomas R 12 scholar Nautical bn Deal
John 10  bn Deal
Hannah 9  bn D
Frederick 6 bn D
William H 3 bn D
Edward J 1 bn D

By 1861 Thomas is widowed
John is still at home, now 21 and a boatman (fits in with "mariner" on 1871)
And there were two more children after Edward - Elizabeth now 9 and Sarah now 7

[Sammy An]

I was also thinking as was quite common, Mercy could well have lied about her age at the marriage and on 1871 census as she married a younger man.

Sammy.

[avm228]

Yes I don't think the age discrepancy is worth worrying about too much.  I agree that there appears to be only one Mercy Neighbour, but don't think it is (yet) safe to infer that she is the same person as Eliza.

John Obree had children with an Eliza (maiden name unknown) in the 1860s.

He appears with Eliza in 1871, and she dies as Eliza Cullen Obree in 1873.

In the meantime he appears to have gone through a ceremony of marriage with Mercy Neighbour in 1866.  This may be the same person we see as Eliza, but equally may not.  At the moment it is at least theoretically possible he had a fling with Mercy, even taking her up the aisle, before returning to his long term partner Eliza and leaving Mercy to return to obscurity.

I agree with lizdb that you really need one of the children's birth certificates for the mother's full name including maiden name.

[Sammy An]

I agree a certificate is needed, but just to point out, that if possibly as you say, He had a fling with Mercy and married her, but returned to Eliza by 1871, where is Mercy?

There is no remarriage of a Mercy Neighbour or Obree, she does not appear in any census after the marriage, and also there is no death for a Mercy Obree or Neighbour at any time.

Sammy.

[avm228]

I don't know where she is - she is obscure in 1851 & 1861 and if she is not Eliza she is obscure later too

[lizdb]

Lots of possibilities. Lots of "maybes" . Yes, lots of things indicate Johns apparent wife and mother of his children who is called Eliza may have started life as Mercy Neighbour. But there are also lots of doubts about this theory too - Eliza's age and pob not matching Mercys, the children of John and ELiza being born before the marriage of John to Mercy etc etc.

But, sorry to be repetative, but I dont think you can make progress without one of those birth certs to establish name and, more importantly, maiden name of their mother.

(sorry had to go and answer phone after I had typed this but before I pressed "post" and in the meantime Avm228 has already said much the same! I'll press ''post' anyway!)

[heywood]

I agree with others. I wouldn't worry too much about Mercy until John's mother is established.

[avm228]

I see that one of the witnesses to the John/Mercy marriage was somebody Cullen.  First name possibly George??

[Sammy An]

Well spotted that does suggest then that her death as Eliza Cullen Obree, ties with her being Mercy Neighbour, or at least it looks much more likely.

Thanks avm228,

Sammy.