Mary Walker

[Aileen18]

I am unable to find a missing piece in the puzzle of Mary Walker and her husband Samuel Luff.  I have had help previously through Rootschat.
Samuel Luff b 1798 married Mary Walker b 1801 in 1818, Gedney, Lincolnshire.
Samuel's parents were Francis Luff and Susannah Sparrow. Mary's parents were George Walker and Mary Wright.
Samuel and Mary had three children:
Susannah Luff b 1819 - left England in 1837 with her husband William Hobbs and went to Australia
Ezekiel Luff b 1821 - appears on the 1841 census living with Kezia Midlenton?
William Luff b 1824 appears on the 1841 census living with the Gilbert family.
It seems strange that their sons were not living with Mary.
Samuel Luff went to America and started a new life - it it thought he left England about 1835? Several other siblings and their families went at the same time. Were Samuel and Mary living apart before he left - the story handed down from his American descendants is that Mary refused to go to America and so Samuel left her behind? 
Samuel remarried in America in 1845 and had another 4 children.
What happened to Mary Walker?
A Mary Walker died in 1855 - Gedney but this Mary Walker appears on various family trees and I do not know if she belongs to my family. 
Did Mary remarry? I hope someone can help me solve this mystery.
Aileen

[Geoff-E]

A Mary Walker died in 1855 - Gedney

Did you mean 1850?  Buried at Gedney Hill, 22 Sept aged 50.

[beady]

The Mary walker buried 1850 is listed as abode Market Deeping.
If her husband had left for foreign parts , Mary may well have moved, ie into service. A lot of children left home and lodged elsewhere when they started work. You should find her on the 1841 census to get more info.
Surely she should be under Mary Luff for burial or remarriage

Just found this in 1841 census 607/10/49  in Gedney-- Samuel age 40 and Mary Luff age 50.
In those days if you were ill then your children were often boarded out with neighbours.

[Geoff-E]

Surely she should be under Mary Luff for burial or remarriage

Um, yes 

I can't see an obvious burial for her.

[beady]

Apart from the 1850 burial, Geoff, I can't find one in the county to  match up.
Unless she moved to foreign parts - Norfolk or Cambs ?!!!! Can't see a remarriage over aged 50
The death for the 1850 burial is reg. Stamford Sep 1850 ref 13-375worth getting this cert to check out as seems nearest.

[Aileen18]

Thank you for your replies. The Mary Luff (nee Walker) death in 1855 was from public member’s tree and is possibly incorrect. Both Walker and Luff seem to be a common name.
From help received some time ago I received the following and because of family commitments have not followed through with the leads but it ties in. Susannah Luff (Samuel and Mary’s daughter) married William Hobbs b 1818.  I have not been able to find any ancestors for him – perhaps he is related to the Thomas Hobbs who married Kezia?  Any ideas? 
Copy of information received before:
“There was a Marrianne LUFF buried at Gedney 7 March 1853 aged 62. I believe she may have appeared in the 1851 census as Margaret LUFF (mar) 60 Norfolk Islington lodger to Keziah SHERRING (wid) 81 Norfolk Willingham , who was buried a week earlier, 26 Feb aged 83.  I've found something interesting in the 1841 census. Ancestry has only one Kezia in Gedney.  She is indexed as McCLENTON aged 65, not born in Lincs.  With her was an Ezikel LUFF 15 which corresponds with an Ezekiel LUFF bap to a Samuel and Mary LUFF late in 1821 - he would be less than 20, so"15" would be his correct census age.
My census index has Kezia as MIDLENTON which is what it looks most like to me - I can't see where SHERRIN came from  ... the next household has (Both born Lincs). Samuel LUFF 40 AgLab Mary 50
Kezia SHARROD was a widow when she married Thomas HOBS (according to my marriage index)
perhaps - Charles SHARRATT (wid) to Kezia GIPSON 1802 Skirbeck (although some miles from Grantham)
Perhaps Kezia GIBSON 1785 Billingborough.” 

If Samuel and Mary Luff on the 1841 census are my descendants then this does not correspond with what the descendants from America believe having him moved to America around 1835 - although Samuel could have moved to America after 1841 because he did not remarry until 1845.  Would Samuel move to America if his wife was ill and did divorces occur back in the 1830-40’s? Do shipping records for this period exist and would a death certificate for Marriane Luff buried 7th March 1853 have the details required to verify if this is indeed my Mary Luff.  It appears that Kezia may have helped them all when help was needed.

Thanks for your help – I would love to finally get this mystery solved.  I have always felt a bit sorry for Mary.

[beady]

Divorces did not happen for the common man in those days.
Where did the americans get the info that your man went to the us in 1835? can they verify with references or paper copies of their info? If not then take with a big pinch of salt.
The death cert would confirm the name and place of death,occupation or if wife of whom, and the name of the informant.

[Aileen18]

Thank you. 
Is there anywhere I can trace shipping records? 
Samuel and Mary are my ggg-grandparents.  Samuel definitely remarried in 1845 in America and had more children.
If divorces did not happen for the common man back then what happened if a marriage did not work out.

[Geoff-E]

If divorces did not happen for the common man back then what happened if a marriage did not work out.

A case of using your imagination I think-

You took in washing to earn a bit of cash.
You moved in with someone else.
You moved to another parish and married someone else.

If none of the above ...
You entered the workhouse.
You starved.