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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: OutInTheCold on Monday 13 July 20 11:00 BST (UK)
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I'm searching for more information on my 2nd great gm Martha Francis McDowell. According to the Census of 1871 her birthplace is Birmingham, Warwickshire, Married 1870 in Athlone Ireland to Joseph Hornsby and died in India 1878 • Fyzabad, Bengal. Her Father John was present at the marriage. Any further info would help.
I can't find any records of her birth in Birmingham, wondering if it was Birr in Ireland as her father is listed as Superintendent for Constabulary on the marriage certificate.
Thanks
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Have you found her on a census in 1851/1861 to see who she is living with?
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Is your information (re Birmingham) taken from a transcript, or from the original census record image?
Could possibly be a transcription error?
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Had a look and it does say Birmingham Warwickshire written in full.
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Have you found her on a census in 1851/1861 to see who she is living with?
Hi Milliepede,
No joy on the 1851 census. She was married in 1860, and gave birth to her first of nine children in 1861/2 in Ireland.
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Just to clarify they married in 1860 & her father was a serjeant in the Constabulary.
Ok I see you have it now.
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Just to clarify they married in 1860 & her father was a serjeant in the Constabulary.
Ok I see you have it now.
Thanks Jim,
I have some information on Martha, but trying to confirm her birth in Birmingham, finding her mother and other relatives. My direct line is from her husband, he remarried after returning to England after Martha died in India.
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There are just a couple of McDowell births in B'ham & just 1 family on the census so
that piece of information looks like a mistake.More than likely he married a local girl which was
a very common occurrence in the Army.
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There are just a couple of McDowell births in B'ham & just 1 family on the census so
that piece of information looks like a mistake.More than likely he married a local girl which was
a very common occurrence in the Army.
So Birr, may in fact be correct.
Where would be the best place to search, I understand that most of the Irish census where destroyed in a fire?
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As Milliepede said the census does say Birmingham Warks. but that's doesn't mean
it's right.
Look here at Church records & see if there's a likely birth anywhere.
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/
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Is this your family?
Census 1871 Fort Fareham Hampshire
HORNSBY Joseph 30y Colour Sgt 25th Regt b. Newcastle NORTHANTS
HORNSBY Martha Francis 27y b. Birmingham WARKS
HORNSBY John 9y b. Athlone Ireland
HORNSBY Sarah Jane 7y b. Athlone Ireland
HORNSBY Mary 5y b. Preston LANCS
HORNSBY Joseph 3y b. Ayr Scotland
HORNSBY Martha 9m b. Portsmouth HANTS
Census 1881 51 Quarry Rd Heworth Durham
HORNSBY Joseph 40y Drill Sgt R V b. Heworth Durham
HORNSBY Jane 32y wife b. Gateshead Durham
HORNSBY John 19y joiner b. Ireland
HORNSBY Mary 15y not employed b. Preston LANCS
HORNSBY Joseph 13y scholar b. Scotland
HORNSBY Martha 10y scholar b. Portsmouth HANTS
HORNSBY Herbert 3y b. East India
Census 1891 11 Mansfield St Gateshead Durham
HORNSBY Jane 42y widow b. Gateshead Durham
HANDYSIDE Robert 38y single lodger b. Newburn NORTHANTS
Where do you see that Martha Frances HORNSBY has nine children? Do you have names and birthplaces for children, additional to those named in the census?
Marriage certificate, 1860, HORNSBY - McDOWELL......what names do you see for witnesses?
What church are they married in?. Does Martha sign or make her mark?.
Can you please give all the information on the marriage certificate.
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The marriage is here:
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1860/09582/5474230.pdf
Her Father John was present at the marriage.
Why do you think he was present?
Debra :)
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It seems that both of them were fibbing about being of full age when they married in 1860, Martha by quite a lot if she really was born around 1844.
Debra :)
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Most certainly under age, full age being 21?
I'm hoping that her fathers service record in the Irish Constabulary (25852 ?) may shed some light on her side of the family. Two of the children along with Martha were lost to cholera in India, and two died in Ireland.
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........I understand that most of the Irish census where destroyed in a fire?
The original census returns for 1861 and 1871 were destroyed shortly after the censuses were taken.
Those for 1881 and 1891 were pulped during the First World War, probably because of the paper shortage.
The returns for 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 were, apart from a few survivals, notably for a few counties for 1821 and 1831, destroyed in 1922 in the fire at the Public Record Office at the beginning of the Civil War.
Have a look at this link...........it explains everything.
http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/help/history.html
KG
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Hi. Martha McDowell is my Gt Gt Grandmother.
And now I have her marriage certificate - thank you.
She dies at Fyzabad 3/9/1878 Of Cholera after 10½ hours illness. Aged 35.
Died, along with two of her daughters (Lily and Adelina), during an epidemic of cholera while in cholera camp. Interred between two mango trees without coffins but stitched up each in a gurney and in unconsecrated ground. Funeral service read over them and ten soldiers by the Reverend Brock, Chaplain of Fyzabad on 21/9/1878.
I have more information on the family if you would like it.