Census Help - Arthur Mordaunt Wilson

[Magrat]

Hi,

I have a problem with finding someone in any census.  His name was Arthur Mordaunt Wilson and he was baptised 11.2.1862 at All Saints, Cockermouth, Cumberland. His parents were Arthur Busby (or Bushby or Burkly) Duthoit Wilson and Mary Frances Wilson nee Mordaunt.  His father was a Hat Manufacturer as was his grandfather Thomas Wilson.  His mother's father, Eldred Mordaunt, was a Landed Proprietor. He had two older sisters, Emmeline Duthoit Wilson and Mary Beatrice Wilson.

Both his parents died in 1868 leaving him an orphan aged 6.  I have found a possible sighting of his sister Emmeline in the 1871 census at a boarding school on the Isle of Man, but no sign of Arthur or Mary.  In 1881 I have found Mary living with her grandmother Margaret Mordaunt (Eldred's widow) in Liverpool but again no sign of Arthur. 

In 1887 he married one of my ancestors Charlotte Jessie Jago at the registry office in Pancras, Middlesex.  He gives his father as Arthur Wilson (deceased) occupation Hatter, his age as 24 years and under rank or profession states 'of independent means'.  Which in itself didn't surprise me as his family must have been wealthy.  Again I was unable to find him in the 1891 census (or Charlotte).  I did find Charlotte Wilson in the 1901 census living in Hackney. She is down as married and has a 3 year old child Charles Wilson with her but again no sign of Arthur.  I am pretty sure this is the right Charlotte J. Wilson as her mother Elizabeth Jago is living at the same address. (All three of them are down as boarders.)  I have also checked the 1911 census for Arthur with no success.

So, sorry this has turned out so long, can anyone help with finding Arthur Mordaunt Wilson in any of the censuses!

Thank you for your trouble.

Cheers
Magrat

[Spidermonkey]

I think Arthur is listed with the surname of Mordaunt on 1871 census.  Ancestry have a horrible scan so details aren't very clear.  Reference is RG10; Piece: 3842; Folio: 102; Page: 37

[Magrat]

Thank you for that.  I have had a look on Find my Past and the scan isn't too bad but the handwriting is pretty awful.  I think you are right and that that is probably him, especially as he is living with some Wilsons.  The strange thing is there are no adults listed, apart from two 24 year old servants.

I checked the 1881 census looking for the Wilson children shown in the above  1871 census and found the family with a widowed mother who is down as a Gentlewoman.  No sign of Arthur with them then though.

He really is very elusive.

Cheers
Magrat

[Rex N P]

Hi Magrat, Sorry that much time has elapsed since your post, and you might have solved your problem by now. But I wonder if you are aware of this notice in the personal columns of Sydney Morning Herald (NSW Australia):
"ARTHUR MORDAUNT WILSON, a young man lately patient in the Prince Alfred Hospital.- Please call on the General Secretary of the Young Men's Christian Association, Sydney. Letters of importance from home waiting."  [SMH Wednesday 6 February 1884].
I hope this is helpful.
Rex

[Magrat]

Hi Rex

Thank you for that, I shall look into it after all there can't be that many people with that name. If it was him he was back in England in time to marry into my family in 1887. Shortly after marrying they went off to New York.

Magrat

[margogsc]

Are you still seeking info re Arthur Mordaunt Wilson, he was my 3 cousin X 3 removed.

[Magrat]

Hi,

Yes I am still seeking any information about Arthur.  I have evidence that he and Charlotte went out to New York shortly after getting married, but what happened to them then I don't know. Did they stay in America apart from the occasional visit home? Did they have more children or split up? It's mostly curiosity that drives me on but anything you might be able to share with me I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Margaret

[margogsc]

I can't find Arthur or Charlotte Jessie after 1901 but their son Arthur Cecil St Leger Wilson was adopted by his aunt Emmeline Duthoit Wilson in New York.

This was passed to me by researcher in New York

Brooklyn Daily Eagle
Gold Star Mothers of Queens Tell How Sons Died in Action
Mrs. Emmeline du Thoit Neubert, 89-01 120th St., Richmond Hill— My mission to the soldier graves is a double one. My two sons are over there. They are my own son, Lieut. Bedell M. Neubert, and my adopted son, Cecil St. Leger Wilson. Bedell was killed in an airplane accident on Sept. 15, 1918, near Abord, France, and was buried in St. Mihiel. He was just a youngster of 21 years. Cecil was in the infantry, a first class private. My two boys enlisted at the same time. They wanted to go together. Cecil was killed a t St. Soupplet on Oct. 17, 1918. He was 21 years old and received a citation for conspicuous bravery on the field of battle. He was buried in St. Soupplet.

I can't find him on the US 1910 census and have no idea when Emmeline adopted him. I'd be interested in the info you have on their departure to New York. He didn't appear to know the exact date of his birth but his baptism record shows he was born on 8 Sep 1897 in Hackney which makes me wonder if his parent(s) died when he was very young.

[Magrat]

Hi,

Thank you for that information. As far as when they went to New York I am not certain.  The information comes from Charlotte's brother Henry when he joined the army in October 1888 and he gives his next of kin as John and Elizabeth Jago (mum and dad) and their address, His older brother John and his sister Charlotte in New York. As Charlotte and Arthur married in March 1887 in Pancras, London I assume they went to New York sometime after March 1887 and up to October 1888.

There is a passenger list of the SS Ludgate Hill arriving in New York on 17th October 1888 with a Charlotte Wilson of the correct age and an Arthur Wilson of the right age on board, however it is not at all clear whether they are travelling together and I have no idea whether they are of the correct family.

The 1901 census in Hackney shows a Charlotte Wilson, a 3 year old child named as Charles born in Hackney and Elizabeth Jago age given as 68 (she would have been about 71) born in Dorset which is correct for Charlotte's mum.  Whether this Charles is really Arthur Cecil I don't know.

I've found nothing definite about any of them since then. Sorry to be rather vague.

Margaret