Germany - Abenshine/Avenshine/Abenshein family who emigrated to England

[Quinlyn]

Hello.

My cousin Freda, and myself have been trying to solve a family 'riddle' concerning a family named Abenshine/Avenshine/Abenshein (the spelling is different on almost every census etc), who came from Germany to England (possibly in the mid 1850's).

In particular, my Great Great Grandmother, Hannah, and her younger sister (who might have been called Mary) came over as children (Hannah probably about 10 or 11-years-old).  My Grandmother thinks that they arrived in North/South Shields in Tyneside by boat.  We think some of the Abenshine family were living in Gateshead, as pork butchers, but for some reason the children were fostered by local families from villages in County Durham.  There are no records of any true parents, but a photograph has been found of a lady, which had been in possession of one the girls on their arrival in England.  Unfortunately, the picture, being so old, has no written clues to identify the person in the photograph.  Hannah was consequently fostered by a family called 'Storey' who lived in the Tanfield, County Durham area.  We think that 'Mary' was fostered by a family called 'Swan' and later married a man with a surname of 'Douglas'.  Hannah later married a man called John Vasey from Ebchester, near Consett, County Durham.  On her wedding certificate (they were married in 1878), Hannah has not recorded either her real father or her foster father, which has not helped us in our quest.  Also on the census she is recorded as having been born in Tanfield, when she must have been born in Germany.  Her year of birth is recorded at 1860, but we neither know the day or the month.  We believe that the family of Abenshines (and various spellings of it) in Gateshead altered their names, but we do not know what their new surnames became.

I have written to many people and have done a lot of research, as has Freda and others, but we still haven't found any concrete answers.  Please does anyone know anything further about this family?

Thank you in advance,
Michael

[jorose]

Start with what you do know about Hannah and Mary (and can confirm).  How sure are you that they were born Germany (as opposed to the older generations being b. Germany) Are there any records to confirm/deny this?
Is she listed as b. Tanfield in all censuses?
Who are the witnesses at her marriage?

In 1871 there is this family:
RG10/5091 45/4
Charles Abendschein, 30, pork butcher, b. Germany naturalised British Subject
Elizabeth, 33, b. Durham
Mary Ann, 14, b. Durham
Hannah, 9, b. Durham
Carlisle, 5 (daughter), b. Sunderland
George A, 11Mo, b. Newcastle

Elizabeth may have died in 1878 (freebmd)

Marriage is shown on freebmd, I think as Charles Abenshein to Elizabeth Storey, 1864 in Newcastle - do you know anything about this marriage?

It seems likely that either Mary Ann and Hannah were from an earlier marriage of Charles, or they were Elizabeth's children, born "Storey", father perhaps unknown (at least to them), and after Elizabeth's death they were taken in by their mothers family.

This would fit with Elizabeth not giving a father's name at her marriage and using the surname Storey.

"Aberedshein" is how this name is spelled on 1881; Charles is with the daughter (now "Carline") who was 5 in 1881 in Newcastle, Mary Ann and Hannah have disappeared, I think Mary may be the Mary Ann S. Storey who married David Douglas in 1880 (they are in Westgate in the 1881 census).

"S" = Swan?
freebmd also shows a Mary Ann Storey and Mary Ann Swan registered with the same reference in Jun 1856 quarter, which can mean an illegitimate child where both mother and father's names are given (hence child being indexed under both surnames).

[Quinlyn]

Hello Jorose,

Thank you for all of that information.  It is a lot to take in at first glance, so I will have to read it over a few times and discuss it with my grandmother and Freda.  She is the only one who would know anything about it and she is convinced that both girls came over from Germany.  It could be that this is not the case, as the small amount of census information, that we have, states that Hannah was born in Tanfield, Durham, where my family still live.  This could be now a fact, whereas we thought it was 'falsified' information.

This new slant has totally revolutionised our original conceptions, but could be completely correct.  One wonders how information could be so distorted throughout time?  This wouldn't be the first case of this in our family history, however...

In answer to your questions, I am not aware of the witnesses' names at the wedding (I do not, at this time, have access to the certificate, but I will check).  We have no records to confirm that the girls were German.  I know nothing about Charles and Elizabeth, but the information is fascinating.  We thought that we had found information on the census where the girls were living with Richard and Jane Storey, but again this could be relatives that looked after them and not the aforethought foster parents.

In the census for 1871 Harry Abenshine, is a Pork Butcher Journeyman (50 years of age) living in 44 High Street, Gateshead.  in 1881, there is George H (f), Mary (m) and George (s) Abenshine living in 21 Abbott Street, Gateshead.  These may just be relatives.  In 1861 Richard and Jane Storey (head and wife) are living in Alena Cottages, Pelton with Margaret Ann (d) 12, Isabella (d) 9, Rebecca (d) 8, Elizabeth (d) 6, Robert (s) and Jane Ann and Hannah (twin girls, 2 months old).  The twins are missing from the 1871 census perhaps they died.

You are totally correct with David Douglas, as I have been able to check that.  He married Mary A 'S'.

It is amazing how many versions of this surname have appeared, which has probably hindered our progress.

Would I be able to get back to you on this information at a later date, as this is the only progress we have made in years?

Thank you so much for your time and effort - it is appreciated.

Kind regards,
Michael

[Peonie]

Hello Michael,

in 1851 Johann Jakob Abendschein, waiter, single, migrated to England from Niederstetten, Baden Wuerttemberg.

Others went to America .     
(http://www.auswanderer-bw.de/auswanderer/index.php?sprache=de&suche=1).

Regards, Peonie

[Quinlyn]

Hi Peonie,

Thank you for your reply and the information; I am wondering if Jakob had any children?  This might lead to Charles (who Jorose mentioned).  I have been on the telephone to my relatives in order to get some more information (if there is any).  Perhaps Jakob married a girl in England who gave birth to Charles, although Jorose did mention that Charles was 30 years-old in 1871.

Thanks again for your reply and sharing your information.

Kindest regards,
Michael

[Peonie]

Hi Michael,

sorry I can't check for children, I don't have a subscription to any of the genealogical sites at the moment.

As most German pork butchers came from Baden Wuerttermberg you could check the Batch Numbers from the Mormons. It's a long and tedious process. You would have to check every place from Baden and Wuerttemberg. Perhaps somebody knows a quicker way.

http://www.igi-index.de/?seite=batch8&lang=de

For Ortsfamilienbuecher Baden Wuerttemberg you can have a look here:
http://www.igi-index.de/?seite=batch8&lang=de

Good luck, Peonie

[Quinlyn]

Hi Peonie,

Thanks for that further information.  I am going to do my best to go through it and see what can be found.  Freda and myself are in the process of trying to find birth certificate references for Hannah Jane Storey in England.  One way or another there should be one - proving one way or another that she and her sister, Mary Ann, were English or German.  That's all we need to know isn't it to complete the puzzle?  This would prove that Charles Abendschein was either their stepfather or father.

Thanks again for all your help; your help too Jorose.

Kind regards and best wishes,
Michael

[stephencox32]

Hi. Karl Friedrich Abendschein was my 3 x Great Grandfather. He married Elizabeth Storey of Tanfield County Durham. Their daughter Hannah was my Great Great Grandmother who married John Vasey. I’m descended via the Vasey family when their daughter Annie married my Grandmothers father George Lamb. I’m interested to know more about the Abendschein family. Especially my 3 x Great Uncle Johann Jakob Abendschein who drowned in the River Tyne at North Shields on 16th June 1874. I know the Abendscheins originated from Neiderstaddten Baden-Wuttermberg in Germany.

[Annette7]

Although an old post I've been looking through the posts and researching myself and I honestly do not believe that either Mary Ann or Hannah were children of Charles, but illegitimate children of their mother Elizabeth Storey - Charles simply became their stepfather when he married their mother.   

I note that Hannah married John Vasey as Hannah Jane Storey and her birth was reg'd Mar.qtr.1862 Durham, no mmn so illegitimate.  She correctly shows no fathers name when she married John.

Sorry stephencox32, but I don't believe there is any Abendschein blood in your direct family line thus Johann Jakob Abendschein would not be your 3 gt. uncle or Karl Friedrich (Charles) your 3 gt grandfather.

Annette