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Thanks Annette, I think the USA steer is a red-herring. I think that the census takers have given a little poetic licence and decided that New York is in the USA. The hamlet of New York doesn't really exist anymore, but was likely a shanty town for mill workers at New York mill, Summerbridge, Dacre in West Yorkshire. I've looked through both New York and Newark records in great detail and the records don't match.

Hi everyone, I'm looking for suggestions on how to break the brick wall that is my 2x Great Grand Father. The history I have on him (so far) is below:

Robert Benson born approx. 1819
1841 census doesn't give a reliable match.
In 1851 census, living near Doncaster and suggesting year of birth and born 'USA BS' (British Subject?)
In 1861 census, still living near Doncaster and still suggesting year of birth and born 'Newark, United States'

He died in 1870, and therefore not in the 1871 census.

I am unable to locate birth or marriage records that are reliably him.

I believe that his 'wife' was Jane Ealand, by the fact I could trace the marriage of all other Janes reported being born in her area to other people or were deceased.

I spent a number of years scanning the USA records and only one match, however this match was someone associated with the families that created the American constitution and my man would have been very poor in comparison.

A book on the family history of Bensons in the Pateley Bridge area, written by Arthur Christopher Benson (who also wrote the words of 'Land of Hope and Glory'!) mentions the Hamlet of New York near Dacre and Summerbridge in West Yorkshire (Hence why I'm posting this here!). My feelings are that the Census records are incorrect for the place of birth, however I cannot find the desired records to confirm from the Dacre area. There is one birth similar to my man, born to John and Mary Benson - but he resides with his parents in Dacre having died around 1848.

There is hearsay from my late father that have suggested a number of avenues that have all turned up at dead ends. One such, is that there is supposed to be bastard in our ancestry and that the father was supposed to be the lord of Leeds Castle (I think this was possibly meant as a castle near Leeds, and not Leeds Castle, Kent as tracing the owners of that turned up nothing!). I haven't found any matches in the bastardy records either. My searching around pointed to Ripley Castle - North of Harrogate and a stones throw from Dacre. Apparently, a future Ingilby Baron had a romance with a local girl but was encouraged to marry a Scottish landowners daughter but I can't find who the local girl was. The Ingilby family are known to have been Catholic and I was wondering whether the local girls family were also catholic - but can find no clues in the Non-conformist registers.

I'm rather lost for other things to try, has anyone any suggestions?

Nigel Benson

My apologies for quite a stupid post - but I have had a 'mental' irritation for a few months now.

In November, on the 'Your Family Tree Magazine' website somebody with the username DeaconDave asked a question about an ancestor of mine, to which I was able to provide a bit more information. However I am unsure as to whether he every came back to read my post. In his haste he has not provided the website with any contact details either. This has really bugged me because even though I done extensive research on the family, there are huge holes left there.

I believe a user with the name DeaconDave has set up an account on RootsChat.com whether the owner is the same person I don't know. but I would love to make contact with them to make sure.

If someone could PM DeaconDave asking them to return here or to Your Family Tree Magazine I would be most grateful.

Kind regards

Nigel Benson