WILLIAM LATHAM & JOHN ADAMSON from West Leigh

[Mangano]

In a letter from 1852, (24 April), my great, great, great, great grandfather John Adamson from West Leigh England, wrote to my great, great, great grandparents, William and Maria Latham of Lowr Marrion, Post Office Montgomery County Pennsylvania.

I only have approximate dates of birth for William Latham (1819-3 December 1886) and Maria(or Elizabeth) (Adamson) Latham (1822-17 October 1885)...

I was wondering if anyone whew of these people. My great-great grandmother Alice Latham(1844-1929) is mentioned in the letter. She would be 7 at the time. She later married John Wenzell (1840-1923) in 1864 in Phildelphia, Pennyslvania, United States.

In this country, I've found that the wives often make themselves a few years younger than they are when asked...

[Mangano]

On the subject of William Latham(ca. 1819-1886) and John Adamson...they both seem to be weavers by trade.
Mr. Adamson speaks of his "loom" and possibly going to visit America.
 "...I resolved to Write no more untill I heard from you as for My Self I have removed to my daughter Anns Near Near the parsonage KinKall lane Westleigh about 7 Months Since and am Weaving Silk Which is moderately brisk at present My daughter ann has been sick two months or more but is got better considerably and all the others of my children and their families are in Good health..."

[Glen Field]

1851 Census

Welch Hill, Pennington, West Leigh

John Aspinwall Head M 49 Silk Weaver Leigh Lancashire
Mary do Wife M 43 Silk Winder Bedford Lancashire
Elizabeth do Daur U 20 Silk Weaver Leigh Lancashire
Mary do Daur 5 ? School Leigh Lancashire
John Adamson Father W 72 Silk Weaver Leigh Lancashire
Elizabeth do Daur U 50 General Servant Bedford Lancashire

HO107/2205/62/48

GF

[Glen Field]

I am not sure about this but I think this John Adamson was married to Alice. There are various christenings* on http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp (including the two daughters shown on the 1851 census) but I cannot find a daughter called Maria Adamson. GF

*
Elizabeth 1800
Mary 1807
Ann 1809
Margaret 1811
Sarah 1813
Eliza 1815
John 1818
Joseph 1821
Rebecca 1825

[Glen Field]

I think that this might be his daughter, Ann, that he refers to in the letter. She married Thomas Gregson on 23rd December 1827.

1851

Parsonage Houses, Westleigh

Thomas Gregson Head M 43 Silk Loomer Golborne Lancashire
Ann do Wife M 42 Weaver Silk Pennington Lancashire
William do Son 16 Coal Miner Drawer Westleigh Lancashire
Margaret do Daur 11 Nurses Westleigh Lancashire
Alice do Daur 9 Nurses Westleigh Lancashire
Mary do Daur 6 Westleigh Lancashire
Thomas do Son 1 Westleigh Lancashire
Eliz^th Ann Kenedy Orphan 7 Scholar Westleigh Lancashire

HO107/2205/192/4

GF

Kirkhall Lane and Long Kirkhall are in the same Registration District and close to the Parsonage Houses on the enumerator's route.

[Glen Field]

The next daughter, Margaret Adamson, married Benjamin Yates on 01/01/1829. They seems to appear on all censuses from 1841 to 1881 (if needed). GF

[Mangano]

Thanks...his daughter Mary would have been in the states by this time married to William Latham, a weaver, their first child Alice Latham being born on 1 September 1844.
I'll certainly have to check this info out........

[Mangano]

also in the letter(a long one) is mentioned illnesses...."...several died of my acquaintances your uncle Samuel higson and old Thomas Waywell and thomas yates bens brother old ann waywell Jims Mother John eckersleys wife Sister to Robt boardman and several others the last Winter as been a very Wet one and a Vast Number died about Christmas but the Weather has changed Since March came in and now While I am Writing it is very dry and as been for six or seven Weeks and it makes the Spring rather Late....."

There...There is Thomas Yates, Ben's brother...may be a connection.

[Mangano]

Perhaps I should try and type up the entire letter later....he has such good handwriting but the sentences often run together and some words have capitals when they shouldn't and vice versa! He must have been quite a presence...