Help with reading and a bit of background . . .

[Ebor337]

Hi again everyone!

Please could someone help me and gimpart a bit of knowledge - i would be very grateful???

Ok, I'm on the trail of the Thurston's . . . John ("Junior") was born in 12.10.1838 and the 1841 census see's 2 year old John living with his mother (33) and his siblings Susan (13), Thomas (7) and Hannah (2).

His father, also called John ("Senior") is untraceable at this stage although i possibly think he could have died between 1838 and 41 as on the 1851 census, John Junior is living with his mother, Thomas his brother and his sister susan/sarah (not sure which entry is wrong) on a farm (although here they are wrongly transcribed as Tharrtan!). . . .  It is here i have a few questions . . .

a) can you make out what it says for John Matthew's Occupation. so far i've got "farmer of 120[?], employing, 2 men, 2 boys" - does that make sense?

b) also, why would susan thurston (John Senior's wife) (does that say "widow" next to her?) be living with John Matthews? For work? Was she in a relationship with him? Was this common? ---- She was still with him in the 1861 census and down as a housekeeper so i'm guessing they are unnoficial lovers?

If you could shed any light onto these goings on, OR point me in the direction of where i could perhaps find out me information, i woudl be extremely grateful.

Kindest regards,

Lee,

P.s. I am spending every wakign hour on my research at the mo, and learnign quickly!!! Did other people do this??!!
P.p.s. 2 versions attached - one i tried editing in photoshop for clarity.
 

[JoMC]

First bit is

Farmer of 120 acres employing 2 men and 2 boys  It makes perfect sense. i have an ancestor just like that.

[Ebor337]

Thanks gadget!

I almost got there!

The more i think about it, the more i think susan and the matthews feloow were probably "involved" and John Senior died just between 1838 - 1841. 

Anyone else any thoughts??

[Bill749]

What I find intriguing here is that both men are shown as farmers of 120 acres - the same farm?  Maybe Matthews took over the tenancy of the farm after the husband died but, being a single man, kept her on as his housekeeper.  The sons were working the farm and the daughter working as a house servant, so he had a full staff as a job lot, probably saving money by employing members of the same family and having them live in!

Bill

[LFS]

Dear Lee
Have you checked Susan's maiden name - perhaps she was Matthews' sister - certainly, it was not unusual for people to be parcelled out round the family after the death of a breadwinner.  So you at least need to check out the parish records for her marriage.
Yes, when you first start you do spend hours each day - trouble is you'll still be doing that years later - but it's lots of fun.
Regards
Linda
As you say, though, they could have been an item.

[Ebor337]

What I find intriguing here is that both men are shown as farmers of 120 acres - the same farm? 
Bill

Thanks ever so much for the response - not suite sure what you mean by both men though?? The 2 censuses are the same - i just played with colours in photoshop to see if they stoodd out any better. Sorry for any confusion!

[Ebor337]

Dear Lee
Have you checked Susan's maiden name

Yes, on John Junior's birth certificate we have

John Thurston - as the father - would he have had "deceased" by his name if he was dead?

and

Susan Thurston formerly Hunt - as the mother,

So it seems Matthews and Susan are not related??

[LFS]

Dear Lee
I have a case like this in my family history - in the early censuses he is the farmer and she is described as housekeeper, later he is described as uncle and she is the farmer - spinster - of course the four children appeared magically.
Regards
Linda

[Shropshire Lass]

Is there any reason why the situation isn't just as it's written on the census?  A wealthy, unmarried farmer employs a widow to run his household and her sons as farm workers - she needed a home and a job, he needed a housekeeper. 

Monica