Lavinia Pritchard and mother Mary Ann Pritchard/Marshall

[Jessica Slater]

My 3rd great grandmother is Lavinia Pritchard - BIRTH SEP 1855 • Newport, Shropshire, England
DEATH 26 JUN 1915 • Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England.

The only records I could find before she married William Dick is in 1861 age 6 and she is living with her grandparents (John Pritchard and Margaret Plimmer) in Newport, Staffordshire.

I have her Mother as Mary Ann Pritchard BIRTH 1835 • NEWPORT,SHROPSHIRE,ENGLAND - but cannot find who her father is and probably won't as her surname is her mother's maiden name.

What is interesting is that I have found a marriage for Mary Ann to a William Marshall in 1856. This is within/a year after Lavinia's birth. They then have a further 9 children born from time ranges 1857 to 1878.

There is no reason found for why Lavinia is living with her grandparents, and I cannot find her with her mother anywhere.

I have found hints on ancestry for Mary Ann / her daughter Adeline / daughter Rachel Chester and son Robert Harry Marshall all to be either living or visiting in Pennsylvania around 1888 and the 1900's, although I cannot find out more because I do not currently have the subscription to view the documents.

I cannot think why they would be in Pennsylvania as all other relatives all are in England unless it is connected to the Marshall tree line or through marriage of one of the children.

Can anyone please confirm I have the correct information and also Is there a way to find out Lavinia's father and the reason she is not with the mother but with her grandparents. Why would she leave her child and why would some of her new family imergrate to Pennsylvania, USA?

Many thanks.

[rosie99]

Where does the information that her mother is Mary Ann come from 

Don't forget that a census is just a record of where someone is staying on one night.  She may have been living with parent/s the rest of the year

Just adding
Birth Sep qtr 1855 
PRITCHARD    Levina   - (no mmn)    
Newport Sp    6a   660

[Brentor boy]

From Family Search. 1871. Lavinia Pritchard 15 , servant. Born Newport. Living Chetwynd. Salop. In household of James Smart.

[Jessica Slater]

I found a photo copy of lavinia's birth certificate which said mother Mary Ann Pritchard and her father left blank.

[rosie99]

Does her marriage certificate name her father 

[Jessica Slater]

Her marriage states her father's name as John Pritchard, Deceased.
She married William Dick in 1879 however her grandfather is called John Pritchard, so presumably he signed under her father behalf section?

Also I cannot see that her father's surname would be the same as her grandparents and mother's surname, unless he was a relation? cousin? However I don't believe so? Or there is a really dark secret of Mary Ann having her father's baby? Of which would be a scandal.

[rosie99]

I suspect she just gave the name of her grandfather, it often happened 

She clearly was not the child of William Marshall.  Sometimes a baptism will name a father.

[rosie99]

Sometimes there is a bastardy order for an illegitimate child.  If the records still exist they would probably be with Shropshire record office.

I have found hints on ancestry for Mary Ann / her daughter Adeline / daughter Rachel Chester and son Robert Harry Marshall all to be either living or visiting in Pennsylvania around 1888 and the 1900's, although I cannot find out more because I do not currently have the subscription to view the documents.

I cannot think why they would be in Pennsylvania as all other relatives all are in England unless it is connected to the Marshall tree line or through marriage of one of the children.

Can anyone please confirm I have the correct information and also Is there a way to find out Lavinia's father and the reason she is not with the mother but with her grandparents. Why would she leave her child and why would some of her new family imergrate to Pennsylvania, USA?

Many thanks.

This is on familysearch (free to search)
Robert Harry Marshall
United States World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942
Robert Harry Marshall
Draft Registration
Event Date   1942
Event Place   Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States
Residence Place   Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Employer   Robert Harry/Marshall
Birth Date   11 Aug 1878

Could this be what you see on Ancestry 

Try searching that web site for your other names in case the information is there.
I am afraid I have got to stop for today.

[Jessica Slater]

I will take a look.

Thank you for your time.