Hi Ticker,
That is the million dollar question!
After nearly four years of searching, I am more or less positive Francis was the father of my great grandfather.
Thomas was born in 1860, the illegitimate son of Jane.
Jane, in 1851 had also given birth to a daughter Mary Ann Gains, again whilst unmarried.
Although unable to find any record of a marriage, Jane claims on all later census forms not only to be married, but she re-invents herself as Jane Burrell?
Apart from the 1841 census whilst still only a child, Francis can only be found on one other census, 1861 and living a short distance from Jane.
He is lodging with a family but he also claims to be married. Yet again no trace of a marriage for Francis, either to Jane or to anyone else?
Thomas's name changes throughout the years, but Mary Ann always called herself Gains, until she married
and became a Cadwell, when they moved out to the States.
I found an extract from an American biography, written in 1904 about Mary Ann and her husband, in the book Mary Ann claimed her maiden name was Burrill and her parents were Francis and Jane?
This is why I would dearly love to place them in 1851 because it just might be the key, or not as the case may be!!
I have trawled the 1851 looking at every Francis, using every variation of spelling and within an appropriate age range. - nothing!
I'll bet you now wish you were never kind enough to ask!!
Thanks a lot for replying, I would be so very grateful to hear from anyone with a possible link,
Regards
Pels
