Southan Dilemma

[Aussie1947]

Hi,

For the birth certs that you have was William Morgan the informant.

Gerry

[Annette Witherby]

Hello Gerry,
Of the 4 B/C 2 had William M as the informant, 1 the Mother was the informant and on the 4th which was in New Zealand, there was no informant stated.
Annette

[Aussie1947]

Hi Annette,

Thanks for that, I have seen where the informant has not been the father and the father's birth place was incorrect but with WM being the informant one would expect that his place of birth of Boston would have been correct.

I had a case with my GGF where on his marriage cert he had stated born in New York, and on his death cert his wife was the informant and stated born in South Africa this left me with doubts. It wasn't until I purchased the birth cert for his first child where my GGF was the informant and he stated that he had been born in the Cape Colony so I was now sure it wasn't New York.  He obviously had something to hide when he married but when it came to his child's birth certificate he was truthful.

Gerry
 

[majm]

Just remember though that until WWI, the information provided on NSW BDM births was provided verbally, and the clerk asked the questions of the informant, with the reply being written down by the clerk.  This adminstrative task means that the clerk had the ledger book facing him (or her) at the local registry office.  The counters were high and wide to accommodate those very registers.   

So, if the clerk says to the informant "Where was the baby's father born" and the informant responds "Boston", the clerk may well have added United States of America.   The informant would need to be not just literate, but also additionally skilled to read 'upside down' to know with certainity that all the details were exactly as provided.   When the clerk was ready for the informant's signature, the ledger/register would then be swung around and the clerk would say "Sign here" .... and clerk's arm would stretch across much of the newly entered information.   

And another thought .... William Morgan SOUTHAN may well have believed he was born Boston, USA, but I am quite sure he would not actually remember being born.   He was simply providing information given to him.     So, have you searched for other births/baptisms for the surname Southan, possibly in Massachusetts USA ....   If so, were any born to a William Southan?   

And another thought ..... Could Morgan be his mum's nee name?   I notice his son Horace was given Morgan as a second name ....

https://familysearch.org/search  This option should allow you to search records for Massachusetts. 

Fingers crossed.


Cheers,  JM   

[Annette Witherby]

JM,
What a lot of work you have done for me! Thankyou.

You mentioned the name Morgan which has been handed down to my grandfather. WM's wife was Martha Jane BRADLEY and no Morgans in the family.

On researching, I found Thomas Morgan Southan b London abt. 1805 had a son William b 1850.
His daughter Martha, had 12 children and called her son Morgan.
In 1854 the family, Thomas, Louisa wife and their 4 children sailed to Aust. on the Persia and settled in Emerald Hill, South Melbourne.
So we have both families in Australia.

But I did locate a marriage cert for Thomas Morgan Southan to Elizabeth Avelin Suthers in 1854 in Victoria
 and thought it may be a 2nd marriage but the occupations are different.  So we have 2 Thomas Morgans in Australia and I want one to be mine.
Annette
I will Familysearch this afternoon.

[warncoort]

Do you have record of William's arrival in New Zealand?There is a Boston in Lincolnshire also.

[Annette Witherby]

My goodness - interesting!  Another Boston.

I have no record of the arrival of William in NZ.   Cannot find him on immigration before his 1876 marriage in NZ.
Annette

[Dundee]

But I did locate a marriage cert for Thomas Morgan Southan to Elizabeth Avelin Suthers in 1854 in Victoria
 and thought it may be a 2nd marriage but the occupations are different.  So we have 2 Thomas Morgans in Australia and I want one to be mine.
Annette

Do you have this marriage cert?  What info does this Thomas give about himself? 

Debra 

[Annette Witherby]

Yes Debra I have the M/C.  It says that Thomas Morgan is a widower in 1850.  Born in Herford.  Lived in Emerald Hill and the Parents:  Thomas Southan and Mary Morgan.

I think this is another Thomas Morgan and the Mother's name being Morgan is a coincidence.
Certainly not my Thomas Morgan born in Manchester.
Not sure this is any help.
Annette