Martha Maria WARD (nee ELSTON)

[mwkelly]

Hello I need some help in finding the death of my 2xgreat grandmother. This is her story.

Martha Maria Elston was born c1846 at Beerferris, Devon d/o William and Elizabeth Elston (nee Jenkins)

Martha married 27th May 1866 to James Ward s/o John and Mary Ward (nee Blythe) at the Parish Church of Calstock, Cornwall. Various census and Calstock website have noted that they all lived at Calstock with the following children

Martha Ellen 1865-1866
James Henry 1866-1870
John Moysey 1868-1870
Beatrice Ann 1869-1918 - m - George Kelly (NZ)
William John 1874-1917 -m- Alice Robinson (NZ)

in the 1871 census Martha was with her daughter Beatrice at Calstock. I understand her husband James and his family went to Algoma Bruce Mines, Canada in 1871 *Canada census and James went to San Franciso, New York and even California. *family information

James and Martha's youngest son William John Ward was born either in England or New York, California (according to his death cerificate! and will)

So its quite possible Martha died either at childbirth c1874-5 in New York USA or on voyage to NZ. James Ward came to NZ in 1875, but his wife wasn't listed with him and when he remarried at Thames NZ in 1890 it listed him as a widower in 1875. We have check NZ Deaths, Electrolals but to no avail.

Can some help?

Thank you
Murray Kelly

[deb usa]

Hi Murray Kelly

I hesitated to post this as I have no real info for you! I just wanted you to know that your post has not been ignored as I, and I am sure many others, have been looking for and investigating your lost relative.

I have a few questions

* Do you have Martha and Beatrice leaving the UK for the USA or Canada?

* I see James was bc 1848 and went to Canada ...I still cannot spot him in the 1871 Canadian census or on any passenger list. Do you have a reference for the census? Do you have a passenger list?

* What info do you have regarding James and his children arriving in NZ...I ask ths as I think that if Martha boarded the ship she would have been included in it's manifest and then stated as having died on the voyage... I could be wrong here.

Other thoughts are why would James have left his young wife and child behind although I can understand that she would have wanted to be with her own family. It must have been an extremely sad time for her and James ..losing Martha, James and John ...both boys in the same year ...not sure of the circumstances!

If we could find a passenger list for Martha and Beatrice maybe then we could ascertain the birth place of William John (1874). Are we sure that William John is the child of Martha?

It's a very interesting story ...hopefully with a bit more info we may be able to help.

deb 

[mwkelly]

Hi Deb, thanks for your email, good story for a detective i thought. 
Answer to your questions

*  Martha & Beatrice Ward, i did find living only at Calstock, Cornwall, in 1871 census (Martha was listed as married i think) if i recalled correctly...

* James's family; parents, brothers and sisters i discovered by accident in the 1871 census living at Bruce Mines, Algoma, Canada. I just googled John Ward miner census for memory! lol this is what appeared..

1871 census

Algoma.bruce_mines Ontairo Canada
WARD John m 59 England Wesleyan Methodist English miner married
WARD {?} Mary f 55 England Wesleyan Methodist English:
WARD Joseph m 22 England Wesleyan Methodist English Mine labourer
WARD Keturah f 20 England Wesleyan Methodist English
WARD William m 16 England Wesleyan Methodist English
WARD Charles m 16 England Wesleyan Methodist English

Keturah Ward married Edward Kitto (Kitts) at Bruce Mines on 8 June 1872 there after have disappeared!

I also found by accident another brother of James 'Joseph Bennett Ward' buried c1902 at Nanaimo Cemetery, Nanaimo, B.C., Vancouver Island.

Sorry i have been unable to locate passengers list to either USA or NZ, i've also tried Ellis Island.

I think James went to the USA in search of Work!, as the Tin Mines were closing down at Calstock, Cornwall. The Ward family according to census were a mining family (later mining for Gold and Coal in NZ)

*Family story mentioned James actually went to San Franciso, and work on the blasting of Hell's Gate channel, (Main shipping channel) where he was injured by a stick of gelignite accidental going off, injuring his leg. Unsure when this was or what happened next. But the fact that he did come to NZ. also from the same story
 
another brother of James; 'Charles' lived at California (Goldfields), he was there at the time of the big earthqukae and massive city fire of California. .... been unable to find him.

* James  arrived to Auckland? in c1874-5! and met a woman living in Thames, Coromandel 'Priscilla Higgins nee Moyle', who's husband had disappeared in the California Goldfields c1874. James and Priscilla had children out of wedlock

Mary Elizabeth Ward 1879
Charles Henry Ward 1880
James Ward 1882
Ernest Ward 1884
Priscilla Ward 1889

James moved from Thames in 1889 (as the Gold Mines were closing down), Work was hard to find in Auckland and not paying well either, so he found work with better wages and moved to the South Island, where he worked in a Coal Mine, known as The 'Dennsiton incline'. Once set up, he sent for his family and Priscilla to sell up and move down.

James and Priscilla were married at there home in Denniston, Westport on 14th July 1890, where it listed James as a Widower abt c1875

Iam not sure if James came by himself to NZ, but his parents did live and die in Thames, as well as 3 of his brothers found whom died at Thames &, Auckland as well.

James' son William John Ward died as a result of a mining accident, where a belt caught his leg and dragged him through the mine in 1917, where he died afterwards from sever injuries. William had a young family. An inquest was held, where it stated that he was a british subject born in New York c1874. I have engaged in a researcher looking for his birth certificate, but to no avail. James' daugher Beatrice Ward married George Kelly in 1895

* Yes Martha appears on William John Ward marriage and death certificate as his mother. Martha Ward nee Elston

* We have search electrols and NZdeaths, marriages, Wills for a Martha Ward - Elston etc, but turned up nothing. No Elston family came to NZ. There's been no Martha Ward / Elston whom married in England *free bdm

Well thats about all i have sorry. My best guess is that Martha gave birth to William John or another child! in New York and perhaps died there as a result from the birth or died on the way out to NZ. Im not sure if there are census or Electrols of New York for abt 1874-5

Cheers Murray

[deb usa]

Hi Murray

Well your family have kept me on the go most of the day ... 

I have searched to no avail for Keturah and Edward Kitto! James has me stumped ...I checked the US 1870 census and can't see him either.

 I have managed to find a Joseph B Ward in the 1901 Canadian census. I wonder if he's yours?

1871
Nanaimo (North), Vancouver, British Columbia
Joseph B Ward, head, S (single), b 7 May 1849 England,
nationality; Canadian
Religion; Methodist
Occ; Hotel keeper
arrived Canada 1864

I will keep looking

deb

[mwkelly]

Thanks Deb, what can i say, your wonderfull. Are Joseph B Ward looking as though it may not be mine after all, i was a little surprised that this family was spread all around and not together. What would be the port of call from Cornwall to Algoma, Canada and or also to USA. Iam picking New York! would they have needed to go through Ellis Island. I think James was in New York around 1873-4 for the birth of his son William John or it could be California close to his brother Charles and close to San Franciso where James was working. So if California was where James started how did he get to there!, would it be New York, by Wagon to California.

As a british subject would you have gone from Cornwall to Ontairo, Canada first!

James was in Cornwall in 1869 as my great grandmother Beatrice was born at Calstock then. So he would of left my guess about 1870/1. Perhaps went first, then family followed. Do you no what the date was for the Canadian census in 1871, if it was early 1871, then the whole family would of travelled together.

Happy hunting 
Thanks again

[deb usa]

Hi again

 I noticed that James was not with his family in Canada in 1871 ...If he went to the USA there should be a border crossing for him ...usually from Ontario into Detroit, Michigan.

The 1871 Canadian census began on 2 April 1871 and the USA 1870 census was taken on 1 June 1870.

ahhh just figured out why I can't see a border crossing ...Border Crossings: From Canada to U.S., 1895-1956. 

have to go for a bit ...will keep on searching!

deb
 

[mwkelly]

Thanks for that, my guess is the hole family moved together to Canada via New York. James probably went to California to try his luck but came back to New York post 1874. maybe the USA 1870 census may yealed some clues!
Cheers
Murray 

[rustiecat]

Hi Murray,
 Janice is my name .... nee Ward. Part of the tree you have been looking at. My Father, Steven John Ward died some 5 years ago in Thames. Some years ago he was given a family tree by someone which goes back to a John Ward,  who married a Sarah (?) presumably in 1813. This couple had a son John (born 1814). It would appear that John married a Mary Bligh about 1835. Their children are listed as: Thomas, Elizabeth, Mary, John, James, Joseph, Keturah, and William Henry. It is from the William Henry line that I hail from.  It would seem that James is the one who married Marie Martha Elston in 1866. Our information is that James later married a Priscilla Moyle in 1878. You list their marriage much later (1890) and the children born out of wedlock.

Our information suggests that Martha Marie may have died in New York in childbirth with someone else bringing the children who were very young at the time. A William John was born in New York 1872 Our notes: "The death certificates for Beatrice and William John suggest arrival 1873-75, presumably via North America . Perhaps they came with extended family. However, there is no ev idence of Martha Marie's existence in New Zealand and it appears highly likely that she never came"

Hope you this info useful or interesting.

[mwkelly]

Hi Janine, can you contact me via my email and I'll send you what i have on the Wards. I have a few family charts and would like to correspond with you
Cheers
Murray

send my a pm message cheers