RootsChat.Com
England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => England => Durham => Topic started by: Peter HNZ on Sunday 16 September 18 00:12 BST (UK)
-
William George Bird was born in 1853, was a Locomotive Engine Driver and died in Middlesbrough in 1911. He was married to Hannah Bird (nee Smith). The marriage took place in 1892 at the Register Office in Middlesbrough. At the time of death, he was living at 31 Oswald Terrace Middlesbrough and the informant was his son, James W. Bird. William was previously married, and a widower at the time of his marriage to Hannah. This couple is my great grandfather and great grandmother whom I know very little about. I would be most interested if anyone can provide any family information or make contact with any related family pursuing their family tree. Many thanks
-
The marriage took place in 1892 at the Register Office in Middlesbrough.
What was his fathers name on that marriage cert?
You don't give any details of his birthplace from census records. His death reg shows he was 61 so born around 1850 and there are a couple of possible births on freebmd.
Was he born Redworth Durham? If so - no birth reg showing
Have you looked for him on the 1871/1881 censuses which are free at Family search
www.familysearch.org
-
His father's name on the marriage certificate was James Bird (deceased), Engine driver. I have the 1901 census and he is listed as being born at Redworth, Yorkshire. The record shows they had 10 children between them at that stage - James (22) railway engine stoker, born ? Yorkshire; Joseph (20) railway engine stoker, born Middlesbro Yorkshire; Fred (18) born Middlesbro; Eliza (16) born Middlesbro; Louis ? (13) born Middlesbro; Eva (my grandmother) (11) born Frizington, Cumberland; Willie (7) born Middlesbro; Maggie (4) born Middlesbro: Ada (3) born Middlesbro and Lillian (6m) born Middlesbro. The last 4 children belonged to William and Eva and the first 5 to William and his first wife. I will have a look at the 1871 and 1881 census records for the Bird family as I already have that for Hanna.
-
I have just managed to trace William George Bird back through the 1911, 1901, 1891, 1881, 1871, 1861 and 1851 census records. Amazing information available on FamilySearch and quite easy to navigate too.
-
I have just managed to trace William George Bird back through the 1911, 1901, 1891, 1881, 1871, 1861 and 1851 census records. Amazing information available on FamilySearch and quite easy to navigate too.
A couple of questions: (should be answerable from your census findings)
What was the name of James BIRD's wife?
Who were their eldest 2 children, when and where were they born?
This information could lead to the marriage of William George's parents and help locate a birth registration.
Philip
-
So I presume from Census you have discovered your Eva was born as Eva Smith?
So in 1891 we have;
William G Bird, 41, Head, Widr, Loco Engine Driver, born Redworth, Durham
James W Bird, 12
Joseph H Bird, 10
Fred Bird, 8
Eliza A Bird, 6
Tom Bird, 3
Isaac Bird, 38, Brother
Jane Bird, 32, Sister
1881 Census
William G. Bird 22
Elizabeth Bird 30
James W. Bird 2
Joseph H. Bird 7 mths
GRO Birth Regs;
BIRD, JAMES WILLIAM, Mothers mn WALKER****
GRO Reference: 1878 D Quarter in MIDDLESBROUGH Volume 09D Page 594
BIRD, JOSEPH HENRY, Mothers mn WALKER****
GRO Reference: 1880 D Quarter in MIDDLESBROUGH Volume 09D Page 515
BIRD, TOM, Mothers mn WALKER***
GRO Reference: 1887 S Quarter in MIDDLESBROUGH Volume 09D Page 529
So all children 1881 Census and up to Tom 1887 have Mother as nee WALKER
Eva is with her Grandparents in 1891 in Greatham, Durham;
James Johnston 54
Margaret Johnston 50
James Johnston 17
Elizabeth J Johnston 23
Albert Johnston 10
Margaret G Johnston 6
Robert D Johnston 4
EVA Smith 1, Grand daughter, born Frizington, Cumberland****
GRO Birth Reg;
SMITH, EVA, no Mothers mn****
GRO Reference: 1890 M Quarter in WHITEHAVEN Volume 10B Page 624
Trish :)
-
BIRD, ADA, Mothers mn JOHNSON
GRO Reference: 1898 J Quarter in MIDDLESBROUGH Volume 09D Page 569
So Hannah was a Widow on the 1892 Marriage?
-
Marriage from Anc.
Marriage Date: 14 Apr 1884
Marriage Place: Frizington, Cumberland, England
Hannah JOHNSON age 19, Single, Father JAMES Johnson, Birth Place Frizington
Spouse: George SMITH, Father MUNAY (presume Murray) Smith, Birth Place Cleator Moor***
-
You can find George on 1881 Census on Familysearch.Org in Cleator, Cumberland;
Murray Smith 40
Mary Smith 40
George Smith 20*****
Jane Smith 18
Henry Smith 15
Robert Smith 9
Joseph Smith 7
Frederick Smith 5
-
I may be way off here but it looks like George did a runner?
George Smith
BIRTH 10 Mar 1861
DEATH 19 Dec 1914 (aged 53)
BURIAL
Nanticoke Cemetery
Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA
Wife Louisa
Death Cert;
Name George C Smith
Gender Male
Race White, Age 52, Birth Date 10 Mar 1862, Birth Place England
Death Date19 Dec 1914, Death Place Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, USA
Father Murry Smith
Mother Mary Kepatrisk
Marriage Reg Cumberland 1860, Murray SMITH, Mary KILPATRICK on same page.
Birth REG GRO;
SMITH, GEORGE, Mothers mn KIRKPATRICK***
GRO Reference: 1861 M Quarter in WHITEHAVEN Volume 10B Page 516
-
Thanks so much - a lot to digest there and will have a good read tonight. In the interim - yes, it does look like George Smith abandoned Hannah at some point. They had a child (named Eva) who died a couple of years after birth. At the time she died, George's family went over to the USA. Unclear what happened next - perhaps George wanted Hannah to come with him but she didn't want to leave her family or maybe he just left her. He had been to the USA earlier (prior to their marriage) so perhaps thought life was better over there or wanted to follow his family. When Eva married, she put on her birth certificate that her father was George Smith, a grocer. It looks like Hannah never told Eva of her conception - she would no doubt have told her that her father was George Smith, being the man she married and named on the marriage certificate - perhaps the "grocer" was a reference to Eva's father as George Smith was an iron miner. George didn't fare much better in the USA. He married and they had a child who died aged two. George died young. The Nanticoke family history society have been very helpful and provided quite a bit of information about George. At one point he went to British Columbia and contracted rheumatic fever and perhaps that was a factor in losing his two children.
-
Its amazing what we find when researching our Trees. Yes we shouldnt judge as we wre not around to know what happened. I have a similar situation in my Tree my G/G/Grandfather (who was married with 2 children) left them in England and went to Australia in 1858. He was a Blacksmith so plenty of work during the goldrush.
His Wife may have not wanted to come and they may have corresponded and decided to split. She remarried in 1864 and he did also in Australia in 1869.
He with new Wife they went to New Zealand soon after and his Blacksmith items are in a replica of his shop in the Kiakohe Pioneer Village.
-
Death Cert;
Name George C Smith
Gender Male
Race White, Age 52, Birth Date 10 Mar 1862, Birth Place England
Death Date19 Dec 1914, Death Place Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, USA
Father Murry Smith
Mother Mary Kepatrisk
Marriage Reg Cumberland 1860, Murray SMITH, Mary KILPATRICK on same page.
Birth REG GRO;
SMITH, GEORGE, Mothers mn KIRKPATRICK***
GRO Reference: 1861 M Quarter in WHITEHAVEN Volume 10B Page 516
Now I'm confused (I get easily confused!)
How does William George BIRD (c1853-1911 married to Hannah SMITH, father James BIRD d bef 1892) fit in here? Is George C Hannah's brother?
Philip
-
George Smith
BIRTH 10 Mar 1861
DEATH 19 Dec 1914 (aged 53)
BURIAL
Nanticoke Cemetery
Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA
Wife Louisa
Death Cert;
Name George C Smith
Gender Male
Race White, Age 52, Birth Date 10 Mar 1862, Birth Place England
Death Date19 Dec 1914, Death Place Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, USA
Father Murry Smith
Mother Mary Kepatrisk
The Wilkes-Barre Record
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Monday, December 21, 1914 - Page 31
Obit: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/23812134/george_c_smith_obit/
-
You can find George on 1881 Census on Familysearch.Org in Cleator, Cumberland;
Murray Smith 40
Mary Smith 40
George Smith 20*****
Jane Smith 18
Henry Smith 15
Robert Smith 9
Joseph Smith 7
Frederick Smith 5
Robert M Smith - Birth Date 29 Nov 1872 England - aged 75 years - England
passed away 13 Dec 1947 Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania.
Father Murray Smith - Mother Mary Kirkpatrick - Spouse Mary Smith
WW1 Draft - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K6V2-BVV
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-91J7-9SZG?cc=1968530
1910 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGD6-851
1920 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M61R-SGJ
1930 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH73-8QX
1940 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQC7-PLT
Robert was a jail keeper at county prison.
FIND A GRAVE
Robert M Smith
Burial - Hanover Cemetery Hanover, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/145475767
Mary Rees/Smith born 6 March 1881 Wales passed away 28 September 1949 - Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania.
Sandra
-
You can find George on 1881 Census on Familysearch.Org in Cleator, Cumberland;
Murray Smith 40
Mary Smith 40
George Smith 20*****
Jane Smith 18
Henry Smith 15
Robert Smith 9
Joseph Smith 7
Frederick Smith 5
Joseph Smith - 25 November 1874 England - 31 October 1946 Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania.
Father Murray Smith and Mother Mary Kilpatrick - burial Nanticoke Pennsylvania.
FIND A GRAVE
Nanticoke Cemetery Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7466703
Headstone Application
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G94X-DFR3?cc=1916249
1900 census (with mother and brother) - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3QS-VM1
1920 census (with brother Fred & Family)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M61R-M5T
1930 census (with brother Fred & Family) -
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH73-YQS
Sandra
-
FIND A GRAVE 1877 - 1958
Fred W Smith - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q21M-GFBT
Hanover Cemetery Hanover, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173537584
spouse - Mary M Smith - 1880 - 1960 (18 July 1960)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/173537628/mary-m-smith
Frederick W Smith - Birth Date 5 March 1877 England - aged 81 years - Passed away 16 April 1958 Nanticoke, Luzerne, Pennsylvania. Fathe rMurray Smith - Mother Mary KirkPatrick - Spouse - Mary Smith - Certificate Number37567
Sandra
-
Mother Mrs Mary Kirkpatrick/Smith - Wilkes-Barre Times (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
Friday 15 Dec 1905 - Page 8
Sandra
-
You can find George on 1881 Census on Familysearch.Org in Cleator, Cumberland;
Murray Smith 40
Mary Smith 40
George Smith 20*****
Jane Smith 18
Henry Smith 15
Robert Smith 9
Joseph Smith 7
Frederick Smith 5
Murray Smith 17 AUGUST 1889 - Hazleton, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
The Wilkes-Barre Record (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
Friday 23 August 1889 - Page 1
Sandra
-
Sorry Philip - is confusing. George Smith was Hannah's first husband who took of to the USA and left her in the UK. She had Eva, my Eva grandmother out of wedlock and then married William Bird, her second husband.
-
You can find George on 1881 Census on Familysearch.Org in Cleator, Cumberland;
Murray Smith 40
Mary Smith 40
George Smith 20*****
Jane Smith 18
Henry Smith 15
Robert Smith 9
Joseph Smith 7
Frederick Smith 5
Jane daughter of Murray and Mary Kirkpatrick / Smith
FIND A GRAVE
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q231-WKST
Jane Smith Anderson - 1863 - 1942
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163285931
Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
burial - Edgehill Cemetery West Nanticoke, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163285931
husband James Anderson - 1872 - 1962
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/163286594/james-c-anderson
1900 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3QS-V99
1910 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MGDX-Z8W
1920 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M61R-CML
1930 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH73-ZB7
1940 census - https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQC7-P4W
Sandra
-
Family appear on New York Passenger List - Liverpool to New York on the Adriatic - arriving 20 April 1885 - Mary Smith 42 years - Murray Smith 40 years - Robert Smith 11 years - Joseph Smith aged 9 years - Fred 8 years and Mary 1 year.
Sandra
-
Message board post 2017 relating to Murray and Mary Smith and George C Smith.
https://www.ancestry.com/boards/localities.northam.usa.general/35029.2/mb.ashx
Sandra
-
Trish - fascinating that your G/G Grandfather did a similar thing to George Smith and fancy ending up in New Zealand. My stepson and his partner live near Kaikohe so next time we visit, I must have a look at the Pioneer village. Many thanks for all the postings - I started off earlier with just a name but with all the kind assistance offered, I really have been able to "flesh out" the family.
Sandra - thanks for the obituary references which really provide the sort of detail you cannot ascertain through a census listing or a birth/marriage/death certificate - fascinating reading. Also the census and find a grave references. I can see I will be busy over the weekend printing these off and adding them to my family file.
Everyone's kind assistance is most appreciated.
-
Hi Peter, yes if they didnt end up there I wouldnt be around!
I actually have never been to the Village but next time I visit NZ will go there.
My Brother (who live in England) has visited and has photos of himself in the blacksmiths forge.
Apparently it is a great place so enjoy it.
Its strange as I used to go north when I was young often ( usually hitch hiking ) but then did not know I had any connection to Kaikohe.
Trish :)