MODEN search

[Kazzaqld]

Wondering if anyone can help.

I'm trying to see if there is a relationship between John MODEN b. 1812 in Soham, and James MODEN b. abt 1827.

John married Sophia SIZER in 1834  in Stuntney and they emigrated to Ohio between 1854 and 1860.

James married Maria HOPLEY and they are said to have emigrated to Ohio in 1854. James had 2 sons John Edward (known as Ed) in 1858 in Grafton, Medina, Ohio, and Sizer R b. 1859 in  Ohio.

So John and James were in the same area of Ohio around the same time, and James gives his second son John's wife's maiden name as a Christian name. Why did he do that?

I can't find anything on James which tells me if there is any kind of relationship. I've looked at the US census and they don't give place of birth other than England

Help!

[bedfordshire boy]

I think you have to trace John and James backwards and see if they converge.

In 1851 John and Sophia were living in Soham, John age 37 born Soham.

Cambs FHS has an excellent website with various indexes at http://www.cfhs.org.uk/Search.html

I can't see any Modens in Soham in the baptism index. Were they non-conformist?

Have you traced a marriage between James and Maria. Do you have any idea when he was born, perhaps from US censuses?

I can't see him in 1851, but in 1841 at Littleport there were two ag labs, John Moden 20 and James Moden 25 both born Ireland living in a household full of ag labs from Ireland. Littleport is about 9 miles from Soham, with Stuntney in between the two. But these two are a red herring as I've just found John and Sophia enumerated as Mooden in 1841 living in Soham, along with Anne Mooden age 55 who might be John's mother, all born in Cambs

You're sure that Sizer was the son of James and Maria? Does seem a bit odd that James would give his son his sister's maiden name (unless it also happened to have been Maria Hopley's mother's maiden name). There's only one Sizer Moden in the 1860 US census, but I don't have access to it.

Regards

David

[Kazzaqld]

I think you have to trace John and James backwards and see if they converge.

In 1851 John and Sophia were living in Soham, John age 37 born Soham.

Cambs FHS has an excellent website with various indexes at http://www.cfhs.org.uk/Search.html

I can't see any Modens in Soham in the baptism index. Were they non-conformist?

Have you traced a marriage between James and Maria. Do you have any idea when he was born, perhaps from US censuses?

I can't see him in 1851, but in 1841 at Littleport there were two ag labs, John Moden 20 and James Moden 25 both born Ireland living in a household full of ag labs from Ireland. Littleport is about 9 miles from Soham, with Stuntney in between the two. But these two are a red herring as I've just found John and Sophia enumerated as Mooden in 1841 living in Soham, along with Anne Mooden age 55 who might be John's mother, all born in Cambs

You're sure that Sizer was the son of James and Maria? Does seem a bit odd that James would give his son his sister's maiden name (unless it also happened to have been Maria Hopley's mother's maiden name). There's only one Sizer Moden in the 1860 US census, but I don't have access to it.

Regards

David

Hi David,

Thanks for your interest!

According to the US census James was born about 1827. I haven't found their marriage yet.

I'm not 100% positive that Sizer is their son as I've not been able to find his birth in Ohio, but he is with the family in 1860 and 1870 and in 1860 he's only a baby so it seems a reasonable assumption that he is their son. Always possible that he is not of course until I find the birth!

Thanks for the tip on Ann MODEN - I have made a note of that!

One of my theories is that the SIZER connection is a generation back with either James or Maria's mother - can't find any support for it yet!

Will have to keep digging!

Cheers

Karen.

[AndrewMartin]

I've certainly come across John and Sophia in my research although I'm away from my notes at the moment, so I cannot check up on quite how/where/when.

I have some Moden info on my website but i dont think the couple feature amongst it


http://www.familytreeuk.co.uk/Moden/

[Kazzaqld]

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your reply.

No I couldn't see John on Sophia on your site, they do seem to be a different branch of MODENs.

Will be interested to see what you find if you get a chance to check your notes.

Cheers

Karen.

[AndrewMartin]

I have a little more info on John and Sophia:

Soham registers
20th March 1836 - Elizabeth MODEN - of John and Sophia Moden
14th May 1837 - Sarah MODEN - of John and Sophia Moden (of Barway)
13th January 1839 - John MODEN - of John and Sophy Moden
25th December 1845 - Amelia MODEN - of John (labourer) and Sophy Moden
5th November 1848 - Vinia* MODEN - of John and Sophia Moden (of Barway)

* - this baptism is on the same day as John Moden, son of Robert and Maria Moden of Norfolk.


Also at Soham at the same time as these baptisms were the following couples:

• Edward (publican) and Sarah Moden
• John (labourer) and Susan Moden (of Barway)
• Edward (thatcher) and Mary Moden

The 1841 Soham census (although they appear as in 'Barway') lists the following family members:

• John Mooden, 25, Ag Lab
• Sophia Mooden, 25.
• Edward Mooden, 5.
• Sarah Mooden, 3
• John Mooden, 2

That's all i've got on them, im afraid. Hope it helps

[Kazzaqld]

5th November 1848 - Vinia* MODEN - of John and Sophia Moden (of Barway)

* - this baptism is on the same day as John Moden, son of Robert and Maria Moden of Norfolk.


That's all i've got on them, im afraid. Hope it helps

This is very intriguing - as I found a marriage yesterday between a Robert MODEN and a Maria HARPLEY, and James and Maria have a son John of this age. James is listed as R MODEN in the 1870 US Census, and Sizer MODEN's first son is Robert, so maybe James was sometimes Robert!

More pieces of the puzzle - thank you!

[lizdb]

For anyone with any sort of link with Soham, this site is a must:
http://www.sohamroots.co.uk/

I had a quick look under Genealogy and family Surnames, and Miden is listed, but I didnt go further

modified: If you click on the link, then on genealogy, then our family trees then Julies tree, you will find a whole host of Modens and Sizers mentioned