Immigration from America????

[erika]

Hi All

On my husband's tree he has an Eliza Jane Ruffell who was born in America.
How can I find out when and how she came to England please?

She married John Ewers in 1875, age on marriage cert 18, in Danbury Essex.
Her father's name William Hunter Ruffell a Marine Store Dealer.

I can't find them in the 1871 census.
In the 1881 her name comes up as Maria
1891 & 1901 Myra

Her marriage certificate definitely gives her name as Eliza Jane Ruffell

Any help would be welcome

Many thanks
Erika

[jorose]

Ship lists into England weren't even kept until 1878, unfortunately.  There are a couple possiblities as to her family - she could have come from a US family but have been sent to English relatives for some reason, or her family could have only been in the US temporarily (moved there, didn't like it and came back, or father's job involved travelling).

There is one Ruffell b. US on the 1881 census - Edward H. Ruffell, 12, the son of Edward F. Ruffell b. Ringworld, Kent (50) and Sophia, 42, b. Monmouth.

Furthermore, on freebmd there's a Samuel Hunter Ruffell, b. 1892 Dec q. in Maldon district, Essex (he died 1893, unfortunately).  This could be a grandson of William Hunter Ruffell?

(incidentally, on freebmd, she's indexed as Mira Jane Ruffell)

Ah, I think I've found this.
Samuel, the possible father of Samuel Hunter Ruffell, is on the 1901 census aged 33 in St. Mary's Maldon.

In 1881 his parents are William Ruffell, 60, b Gallewood, Essex, and Emma, 50, b. Great Baddow, Essex (as 'Ruffle')

in 1861 there is this family:
RG9/1060 f. 120 p. 23
Church St, St. Mary's, Maldon.
William Ruffell, 38, marine dealer, b. Essex
Emma, 25, b. Essex Great Baddow
Mar?, 4, daughter, b. North America
William, 1, son, b. St. Mary Maldon.

freebmd shows a possible marriage, William Ruffell to Emma Underwood.

[erika]

Jorose

Thank you so much, that sounds really really promising.

I have been searching off and on all day and haven't found much at all.
I think I've found her death in 1925 and will send for the cert, just hoping it's right.

Will look for other marriages of possible siblings now.

You've been very help and I'm most grateful

Cheers
Erika

[ganga]

Hi Erika,

im new to this forum so i apologise now if i'm way behind in responding to a 2007 post but i've only just started looking at the ruffell/ruffle/rufflell side of the family

I have have found myra rufflell in the 1871 census, daughter of william & Emma and living at church st maldon, as they were in  1861/81/91... in the '61 census it shows maria as being born in north america.

my relative is Annie, who was born around 1871 but I cant find a birth record anywhere.... it looks like we are discussing the same family as so much else is common

ganga

[erika]

Hi ganga and welcome to rootschat and rearching the Ruffell family

Myra Ruffell was my husband's gt grandmother and a real mystery concerning her birth. I still haven't made any progress as to finding the North American connection.

As to the rest of her siblings I have found a few of their births and subsequent marriages, but like you am unable to find Annie's birth. Do you have her marriage details?

I have also found quite a lot of information on the parents William Ruffell and his wife Emma Underwood.  I am willing to share this with you if you are interested.

Cheers
Erika

[ganga]

Hi Erika

Annie Ruffell married my gt gdfather John Adams 13/5/1894 at St marys maldon, and her age is recorded as 23

I am very interested in following up the line, I learned from this forum that annie's father william spent time in springfield prison, but I dont know how long for, I gather it may have been for illegally selling naval stores.....

I wonder whether william, as a marine stores chandler was previously in the navy or perhaps sailed to america for work and Myra/maria was born during this period.... although one census shows her as being born in N america, it shows her birth as being 1857, the year william & emma married.... in Maldon

i am going off on various tangents with this side of the  family so I would be interested in what you know about william & emma

regards
ganga

[jorose]

http://castlegarden.org/
 - William "Ruffil" , 35, a hawker, and Emma, 24, heading for the US, arrived 6 August 1857.

[erika]

Hi jorose

How amazing, what a great find

However I can't seem to find this entry, what am I doing wrong
Is there more information eg ship etc?
Also do we buy credits to view?

Many thanks
Cheers
Erika

[jorose]

Sorry I mistyped. Just Ruffill as surname will bring them up. It's a free site.
There's not a lot of info on those old ship lists, unfortunately, so there's no trace of where in the US they were heading to.

You could look
http://seax.essexcc.gov.uk/displayParishContents.asp
 - their marriage (the parish record, not the original certificate, which is odd because they should really have been using the standardised book) is here in Maldon St. Mary.  7th June 1857 (image 56), shows William's mark and Emma's signature.
James Braybrook and Mary Ann Wakefield (both made their marks) are the witnesses.