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« on: Wednesday 06 April 11 18:13 BST (UK) »
I should be very grateful if anyone has access to information which will resolve the following muddle.
Nathan Exley married Mary Fitton on 23 May 1841 at Kirkburton in Yorkshire, England and had the following children:
Thomas, baptised on 27 Mar 1842 at Kirkburton
Lydia, baptised on 4 May 1845 at Kirkburton
Amelia, baptised on 23 May 1847 at Kirkburton
John, baptised on 24 Dec 1848 at Kirkburton
Ira, baptised on 23 May 1852 at at Kirkburton
I cannot find the family again in England. From the Castle Garden web site I have the five children, seemingly travelling unaccompanied, on the 'Richard Morse' and arriving in the USA on 16 Aug 1853.
I cannot find a passage of either parent.
Nathan's parents were Thomas Exley and Mary and there is a marriage of a Nathan Exley with the correct parents at Smithfield, Rhode Island on 6 Nov 1853 to Mary Bentley. My initial thought was the Nathan's first wife had died and he had gone to the USA and brought his family later.
However, the second wife Mary then seems to just disappear and there are the following births/baptisms with the father Nathan Exley:
Male Exley on 22 Sep 1863 at Westerly, Rhode Island, mother's name 'Jonell'
Albert Exley on 30 May 1867 at Richmond Township, Washington, Rhode Island, mother's name 'Jenet'
Anjeanetta Exley on 17 Jun 1868 at Uxbridge, Massachusetts, mother's name Anjeanette
Matthew H. Exley on 22 Apr 1860 at Millville Village, Blackstone, Worcester, Massachusetts, mother's name 'Jennett Bidell Exley'
To confuse matters further, there is the marriage at Norwich, Connecticut on 13 Feb 1874 of a Nathan Exley to a 'Jennietti' Blair but I think this is a red herring. I cannot find a marriage of Nathan Exley to a Janet/Jeanette before the birth of the first child in 1863.
In the 1870 US census (and to confuse it further Nathan is denoted as Ephraim) the family are living at Rhode Island:
Nathan (Ephraim) aged 52, born England
Jenette aged 40, born Scotland
John aged 21, born England - the son from Nathan's marriage to Mary Fitton
Ira aged 18, born England - the son from Nathan's marriage to Mary Fitton
'Angenette' aged 12, born Rhode Island
Matthew H. aged 10, born Massachusetts
Nathan aged 4, born Rhode Island
Albert aged 3, born Rhode Island
This proves I have the correct Nathan Exley but if there anyway of finding:
His passage to the USA
Anything about the marriage to Mary Bentley at Rhode Island on 6 Nov 1853 - perhaps she died?
A marriage to a Janet/Jeanette Bidell before 1863, presumably at Rhode Island
Anything about the marriage to 'Jennietti' Blair in 1874 - it seems strange as she has a similar name to the mother of his children.
Thank you.