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General => Armed Forces => Topic started by: avrilw on Monday 16 October 17 20:04 BST (UK)
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Hello
On the 1861 census my GGG Grandfather William Lewis says he was 'born at sea'. On the 1870 USA census he says he was born in South America. His father, also William Lewis, was in the army - the Royal Artillery 6th Battalion. How can I find out more?
I'd like to know if William jnr could have been baptised anywhere. Where did they baptize children born to accompanying wives?
How can I find out where the 6th Battalion may have served? I understand we were active in The River Plate and Montivideo, and Buenos Aires around 1806-1807, but can I prove William was born there? Avril
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When was he born? Where is he in 1861? I can't find him.
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Durnford's Company of the 6th Battalion was part of the force that took part in the South America invasions in 1806/07 and there is a record in the National Archives Pensioner documents WO 97/1243 of a William Lewis from Hantaddinguregg Radnorshire (that's what Ancestry says) serving in the 6th Bn from 1799 to 1814. There are papers about the expedition at http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C2489109
The battalion appear to have been there only from Feb 07 to Sep 07 which was the period of the Buenos Aires invasion and it was highly unlikely that they would have taken wives with them on that campaign so, speculation, if the son was born at sea or in S America during that time then his mother was perhaps a local? I would imagine that if anywhere has any record of a S America birth (and I have my doubts given the dates) then it would be in Buenos Aires. Too early for the overseas births register I think?
The birth doesn't appear on the Army births overseas records. Does the son's birth date check out with the late 1807/early 1808 time frame??
MaxD
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Morning,
Gorton boy - I can't find him in 1861 in Wales nor 1860 in Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania - where most of the family migrated to. But I found him in the 1870 in H'burgh which is where he says 'born in South America'
MaxD _ the 1807 time frame fits. On my tree I have not assumed that Mary, the mother of William Snr's other children is also William's mother. There is a five year gap before the next child that I can find. If William jnr's mother was a local, would the father be able to bring him home? I don't think the army would be too keen on that.
I found the record of William Snr's army record on FindMyPast. His place of birth is actually Llanbadarn Garreg in Radnorshire. I found William snr's bapt. there, his father is John, no mother shown.
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Is William senior the master boot and shoe maker in Trevethin in the 1851 census? Aged 79. from Llanbaddon, wife Mary, 75, from Glascwm?
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Hi Shaun J
yes, that's him though I haven't picked up that census yet. One of William Snr's daughters Mary married Evan Nokes there in 1834.
Now was she Mary, Mary Anne or Mary Jane?
Avril
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Shaun J
I forgot to say he was bapt. in Llanbaddarn Garreg. The transcription says born in Holstein, but you know it's actually Radnor
Avril
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hi
one last question on this- would the 6th Battalion be Redcoats or Bluecoats?
Avril
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Blue.
MaxD
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thought so,
many thanks Max D
Avril