RootsChat.Com

I'm not sure if this is the place to post this question, but I wasn't quite sure where else to post it.

My Grandfather has been going through his things and I've come to acquire a few mystery paintings. He said that his mother, my grandmother, Colina Campbell (1895-1953) brought them with her when she immigrated to Canada from Millport. They must have meant something to her to take them all that way. She also had some original watercolours done by her brother Arch J. Campbell (1879-1959). My Grandpa always assumed that the two oil paintings were also done by Arch, but after talking to a cousin many years ago who has now passed, she said that Arch never worked with oils, only watercolours so they couldn't be done by him.

I was curious to know if anybody knew of any other local painters from the Cumbraes? Or if you could point me in the direction of someone who might?

I've included photos of the 2 paintings. Both are not signed on the front. The sheep painting is done on a proper canvas, where as the ship painting is done on a much cheaper more rudimentary board leading me to believe it might have been a more amateur artist. I did find a pencil scrawl on the back of the ship painting, I can't make it out whether it's a signature or description.

I've also included a few of Arch Campbell's watercolours. When I was there last summer there was one of his paintings in Mary Ewing's sketchbook showcased.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks so much!

Trying to help a relative find the parents of Amanda Lavinia Billington. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Here's the details so far....

He believes Amanda was born in Norfolk County, Ontario sometime between 1835-43
She moved to Iowa around 1860-ish and married William Perry 11 Mar 1863
Her and her husband moved to Los Angeles, California and that's where she passed away (Possibly the Manda L. Perry b. abt 1851 d. 15 Sep 1911 Los Angeles?)

She plays into my family line since our DNA has been matched, and she shows up on the same Census pages as my direct relatives as well. She is never listed with parents in any of the Census, and I believe she goes by Lavinia Billington when she is younger, not sure if Amanda is a name that she adopted when she moved to the US, or maybe a middle name.

In the 1851 Canada Census she's listed in Charlotteville, Norfolk, listed as Canadian, 9 years old, she's listed as "Not Members" under Resident and attending school.

She is shown in the 1860 US Census as living in Moscow, Muscatine, Iowa at 19 working as a Domestic. (how she ended up in Iowa by herself at 19 is a good question)

We've proven that she's related to my Billington line through DNA comparisons, which is great. But, figuring out how is the tricky part. I can't seem to find any other info out that might help solve the mystery.

My line traces back to a William Billington & Mary Wyatt (both born about 1790s) that I believe immigrated to Canada from Northamptonshire, England to Norfolk with their 6 children. (4 boys & 2 girls)
I think Amanda was possibly the child of one of their sons.

Here's all the info I have on the sons....

George Billington (1812-1889) - I have him marrying an Eliza Kenndy in 1834 in Middlesex, Ontario.
William Billington (1816-1889) - I have him marrying an Elizabeth Looks in 1844. In the 1851 census, he's living with his wife Elizabeth in Walsingham, Norfolk with 3 children (oldest is 8 years old)
Nathan Billington (1821-?)- I have him with a spouse Janet (Jennett), he was in the Army from 1838-1839, not much more info on him. In the 1851 census, he's living with his wife in Townsend, Norfolk.
Job Billington (1823-1890) - This is my x3 great grandfather. He married Emily Murphy in 1952 and had 5 children from 1855-1875. He's listed in the 1851 census living in Charlotteville, Norfolk with his future brother in laws.

I do have one theory..... Job was quite a bit older than his wife Emily (by 12 years), I wonder if it's possible that he had a child before they were married? Again, I have no idea how to prove this idea. I think he might be the most plausible option.

I think there is definitely a possibility that Amanda was born illegitimate, but it's so hard to find records to back this up.

When I searched for other Billingtons, there is a Thomas Billington, also living in Charlotteville, only 13, and seems to be living by himself, I wonder if it could be another illegitimate Billington? Just coming up with possibilities. (Also not a member resident) I tried to look him up to see if he could unlock any answers, but there seems to be only the one mention of him in 1852 and then he disappears.

Hope all this makes sense! Definitely would welcome any ideas, advice, etc. on where to go from here! Thanks so much!

So I fear this family mystery might be unsolvable, but I figured I would post it just in case somebody might have some clues.

My great grandfather, Leslie Pammenter, lived his whole life not knowing that his father was not the same as his sisters. It wasn't until he passed that his sister told the family that they didn't share the same father, they kept it a secret his whole life. In fact, their father (Richard Pammenter) had passed away 12 years before he was born. That might be possible with today's technology, but definitely not possible back then.

I've talked to relatives on his sisters side, and sadly, none of them knew who his father was. We thought that maybe it was the owner of a house where his mother was working. My great-aunt thought that she recalled a story by his niece that his mother met a man from one town over that she had a relationship with, she became pregnant, and then found out that he had been lying to her and had a wife and children that she didn't know about. Unfortunately there's no way that I know of to find out what his name was.

I sent away for his birth certificate last year, expectant that I would finally get to know who his father was, only to receive it with his sisters' father, Richard Pammenter (deceased) listed instead. His mother, Marian, must have wanted to cover up the fact.

Here's all the details...

Leslie Pammenter
b. 24 Dec 1898, Holborn, London
d. 1964, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Mother - Marian Caroline Cockson
27 Mar 1857, Stepney, Middlesex, London, England
19 Feb 1938, Tooting, Surrey, England, UK

Sisters' Father - Richard James Pammenter
11 Jul 1857, Stoke Newington, England
30 Mar 1887, Hackney, Middlesex, London, England

Something interesting I didn't catch until now, their marriage seems to be listed as 4 Sep 1881, Hackney, Middlesex, England, and yet 2 of their children were born before that, Marian Nellie in 1878 and John Oliver in 1880.

Marian & Richard's Children
Marian Nellie Pammenter b. 27 Jul 1878, Stoke Newington, St. Mary - d. Jan 1881, Hackney, London
John Oliver b. 07 Jun 1880, Hackney, Middlesex - ? (Also listed an Ernest John Pammenter 1880 Jul-Aug-Sep Hackney) They might be the same?
Marian Ada Ann Pammenter b. 3 Jan 1882, Holborn, Middlesex - d. 26 May 1964, Scarborough, Ontario, Canada
Nellie Pammenter b. 1883 - died in Infancy
Edward James Pammenter b. 1884, Hackney, London - d. 1887, Hackney, London
Ernest Pammenter b. 1885 - died in Infancy
Priscilla Rose Pammenter b. 11 Jun 1886 - Lambeth, Surrey, England - d. 24 Oct 1942, Battersea, London, England (My great aunt was told she died during the Blitz)

The Census' haven't been much good, since I haven't been able to find any of them on many.

I have Marian C. Cockson in the 1861 and 1871 living with her parents, Edward John Cockson & Caroline, in Hornsey, Middlesex. After that she disappears from all the Census'.
She shows up in a Workhouse Admission & Discharge Records, at the Sidney Road Workshouse in Aug 1906.
And a Selected Poor Law Removal & Settlement Record on 21 Oct 1904.
She's listed in some of the London Electoral Registers during the 1930s in Wandsworth area.

Leslie only seems to show up on the 1911 England Census, at the Chipping Ongar, Workhouse in Essex at age 12. He shows up in multiple Workhouse Adm. & Dis. Records from 1904-1905.

His sisters Marian Ada, and Priscilla Rose don't seem to show up on any Census' in England. (Marian Ada married Thomas Murray Forde in 1900 and moved to Canada in 1904)

In 1914, at 16, as a Barnardo child, Leslie was sent to Canada. His sister, Marian Ada was already in Canada raising a family, and she looked out for him. He had to be taken out of a few bad homes before finding a good one. He went back to visit his mother in London for a few years from 1922-1925 it looks like, before coming back to Canada, where he met my great-grandmother and they married in 1925.

So there you have it, I don't know if anybody has any other thoughts, or ideas of where I might be able to find any new clues? Thanks for reading, and any help you might be able to offer!

Details on Leslie's Birth Cert.
No. 85
Twenty fourth December 1898, City of London, lying in Hospital
Leslie
Father - Richard Pammenter (deceased) (Clerk and Book Keeper)
Mother - Marian Caroline Pammenter, formerly Cockson of 2 Wordsworth Road, South Hornsey
When Registered - Thirty first December 1898
Sig. of Reg. William Squire Registrar

I only have one set of x4 great grandparents where the trail seems to have run cold.

They are my x3 great grandfather, Job Billington's parents. I can't seem to find his parents listed anywhere, and there doesn't seem to be any baptism records either.

There doesn't seem to be any helpful parish clerk records from Northamptonshire that I can find? Does anybody know if their records are missing?

Here's all the info I have....

Job (Jobe on his Marriage Cert.) Billington
(born Jan 1826 Northamptonshire, England - died 20 Dec 1890 Norfolk, Ontario, Canada)
married to Emily D Murphy on 29 Dec 1852 in Talbot Dist., Norfolk, Ontario, Canada
(b. 1835 Charlotteville, Norfolk, Ontario, Canada - d. 4 Dec 1900 Norfolk, Ontario, Canada)

Children:
Harvey Billington 1855-?
Francis Billington 1860-1916
Edwin Billington 1861-1929 (my x2 great grandfather)
James Henry Billington 1869-1941
William Augustus Billington 1875-1936

Unfortunately it doesn't list his parents on the Marriage or Death certificate. (there isn't a spot for the information)

Looking at the Census', I've found him in 4...

1861 Census of Canada -
Jobe Bellington, farmer, England, Baptist, 34
Emily Bellington, Upper Canada, Wesleyan Methodist, 26
Harvey Bellington, U.C., Baptist, 6
Francis Bellington, U.C., Wesleyan Methodist, 2

1871 Census of Canada -
Job Bellington, English, Labourer, Baptist, 44
Emily Bellington, English Origin, Baptist, 37
Francis Bellington, "" "" "" 11
Edwin Bellington, "" "" "" 9
James Henry, "" "" "" 3

1881 Census of Canada - unreadable

There's also another mention of Job in 1861 under the Agricultural with his father in law Charles,
                           
(The only thing remotely similar that I could find is a Joseph Billington born bat 1826, Baptized 16 Jul 1826, Newnham, Northamptonshire, England to Joseph & Eleanor Billington - BUT - That's the info that Ancestry gives, but when you look at the actual record it says Henry & Eleanor Bellingham??)

* Just discovered that on their son, James Henry's marriage cert. he lists his father as Joseph, that's the only mention of Job being Joseph. Does anybody know if Job is a short form for Joseph?

Any help / advice would be muchly appreciate, thanks so much!