John Mills First Marriage

[johnmills1949]

John Mills married Mary Ann Bettany in 1877 in Cheadle( my great grandparents.It gives them as being widow & widower in 1881 census, but I cannot find a first marriage for John.I have a John Mills & Elizabeth Mills (Thorley) born 1835 living with their children George 3yrs & John 2yrs in the 1861 census, but no marriage.The closest marriage of Elizabeth Thorley is to John Taylor 24th Aug.1856,& when I look for further information of that marriage I am given the name John Mills to follow!!
In the 1881 census John is given as being born in Hanley c.1832 father George but I do not know the mothers name, though it is possibly Mary.
Any help would be most appreciated as I have been stuck with this for ages.
                                     Many Thanks, John

[BumbleB]

The marriage image for Elizabeth Thorley's marriage in 1856 is to John Taylor - father unknown.  John is 20 and Elizabeth is 21.  Both are single.

[groom]

Welcome to Rootschat.

I'm a little confused, you say "It gives them as being widow & widower in 1881 census, but I cannot find a first marriage for John."   If they are married to each other why is it giving that status in the census? Can you give the reference for that census please.

[Willow 4873]

Welcome!

If you look at the GRO register George Mills is actually registered as George Taylor 1858 Cheadle MMN Thorley

So either John changed his name to Mills or she left her previous husband and was living with John

Willow x

[BumbleB]

groom:  the 1877 marriage entry for John and Mary Ann, give their status as Widower and Widow 

john:  I'm wondering where you have found the surname of Thorley for Elizabeth.  I cannot see a birth registration for George or John with a mother's maiden name of Thorley in the GRO search, 1857-1860.  This doesn't signify too much as birth registrations were not compulsory until later.

Added:  apologies Willow 4873 - I've only just spotted that you had found George (only a few hours later  )

[groom]

A tree on ancestry has her maiden name as Wood ( parents Thomas James Wood and Marianne Walton ) and this first marriage

Marriage
April 1863 • Cheadle, Staffordshire
Elisha Bettany (1841–1871)

It gives her DOB as  SEP 1840 • South Shields, does that fit with information from later censuses?

[groom]

 Elisha Bettany born 1841 died 18 May 1871  Ipstones, Staffordshire.

Unfortunately they don't have a first marriage for John.

[Willow 4873]

John William Mills registered 1859 Cheadle MMN Thorley

Willow x

[BumbleB]

1861 - RG9 1951 folio 82 page 3 - Kingsley
Elizabeth Thorley, widow - 54
George - 30 - son - born Dilhorn
Sampson - 18 - son - born Dlhorn
James - 16 - son - born Dilhorn
Two boarders
Within the same address, but a separate household
John Mills - 26 - Ironstone miner - born Dilhorn
Elizabeth - 25 - born Dilhorn
George - 3 - born Kingsley
John - 1 - born Kingsley