Hi chatters!
Yesterday afternoon whilst trying to fill in a blank spot on my Stothard line, I noticed something which, hopefully, somebody here can help me to prove wrong (or right, gulp!) I think I've found a bigamist in my 5x gt grandfather, Luke Stothard.
Here is what I have:
I know that my 4x gt granny, Mary Stothard, was born on November 03 1807 in Sunderland, and was baptised there too a month later. Her parents were Luke Stothard and Margaret Humphrey, who had married in the January, at Bishopwearmouth, also in Sunderland.
From records later found, Luke was born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland in 1787, and Margaret born in Ryhope in 1783.
So I checked the census to try and find Luke and Margaret in 1841, and I found nothing with them together. However, I did find Margaret Stothard on the 1841, 1851 and 1861 census.
1841-Living in Dundas Street, Monkwearmouth as a female servant for John Brown and family.
1851-Living at 13 Trafalgar Square, Bishopwearmouth, Durham, listed as the widow of a Mariner.
1865-Living at 36 Howick Street, Monkwearmouth Shore, at the time when she died.
All three times, on her own and the 1851/61 lists her as Widow of a Seaman. Her burial in 1865 aged 83 lists her as the widow of Luke Stothard. But something strange crops up too...
I managed to find a Luke Stothard on the 1841 and 1851 census, each give him as being born the same year as the one I have marrying Margaret in 1807. He is in Byker, Northumberland with a lady called Grace, his wife. There are two children there also, Samuel and Frances. Luke is down as born 1787, and a Waterman. So I then went hunting to find out if Grace was the mother of Samuel and Frances.
She was not! Their mother's name was Mary, and I also found a further six children being born to a Luke and Mary Stothard, as follows:
Luke Stoddart, bapt 17/10/1813, All Saints, Newcastle. Father Mariner, abode Ballart Hills.
Duncan Stoddart, bapt 29/12/1816, All Saints, Newcastle. Father Mariner, abode Ballart Hills.
Robert Stoddart, bapt 20/10/1818, All Saints, Newcastle. Father Mariner, abode Ballart Hills.
Harrison Stoddart, bapt 28/05/1820, All Saints, Newcastle. Father Waterman, abode Ballart Hills. Interesting this one because my Luke Stothard's mother was Elizabeth Harrison.
Mary Stoddart, bapt 11/08/1822, All Saints, Newcastle, father Waterman, abode Close.
Jonathan Stoddart (according to IGI) bapt 02/04/1826 in St Nicholas, Newcastle, father Waterman, abode Close.
Frances Stoddart bapt 27/07/1828 All Saints, Newcastle, Father Waterman, abode Close.
Samuel Stoddart bapt 24/11/1830 All Saints, Newcastle, Father Waterman, abode Close.
Then I worked back and found the marriage. Luke Stothard and Mary Nesbit married All Saints Newcastle on January 18 1812. The BT's on familysearchlabs did not give me any extra info, I was looking to see what Luke's marital status would be, out of interest.
I tried to find out who Grace was and found this too, the marriage on IGI of Luke Stoddart marrying Grace Gray at St. Nicholas, Newcastle on 19/01/1835, which explains why the last two children of the marriage to Mary nesbit are with them in the 1841. So the Luke who married Mary Nesbit and Grace Gray are definitely the same bloke. But I am also thinking this man is my 5x gt grandfather, who has previous to marrying Mary Nesbit, married Margaret Humphry in 1807, in Sunderland. The years of birth match exactly as does the occupation and the place of his birth on the census, but the problem with the Luke and Grace is that they both seemingly disappear from the 1861 census, or at least I have failed to see them on there. I've been unable to find a death either. Also, I've found no death for Mary yet, where on earth do I start looking for that!! If she died of course........
This long, complicated story leads me to one seemingly closed question:
Was my 5x gt grandfather a bigamist? Three wives? Or is this just a very odd coincidence. I've searched for Luke Stothard's born c1787 and he is the only one who crops up around that time.
Any advice on this one would be very welcomed. It might explain why I cannot find any other children belonging to my Luke Stothard and Margaret Humphrey.
Regards,
Matthew
PS. Apologies in advance for the coffee consumed reading this
