Who Was James Williamson Owen?

[Ray T]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, they have given me food for thought/further research and, more interestingly, nobody else has come up with a birth in Stockport; although "Heaton Reddish" is only just over the river.

Sorry for the delay in replying, I've been diverted elsewhere for the last week - being retired takes up so much time! 

[willsy]

Just wondered if you had this obit

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01e72/

was just searching round again

[willsy]

Parents are James Owen and Martha Williamson

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4FK-MNG

Name:    James W Owen
Event Type:    Marriage
Event Date:    12 Oct 1912
Event Place:    New Bedford, , Massachusetts
Gender:    Male
Age:    60
Marital Status:    Widowed
Birth Date:    1852
Birthplace:     England
Registration Place:    New Bedford,  Massachusetts
Birth Year (Estimated):    1852
Father's Name:    James Owen
Mother's Name:    Martha Williamson
Spouse's Name:    Lavinia Broome Magee
Spouse's Marital Status:    Widowed
Spouse's Father's Name:    John Magee
Spouse's Mother's Name:    Mary Thorpe

[Ray T]

Just wondered if you had this obit

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01e72/

was just searching round again

Thanks Willsy, I already have that obit. That is for James W Owen "Junior" who would be my G Aunt's eldest stepson. Its James W Owen "senior", his father, I'm looking for.

[Ray T]

Parents are James Owen and Martha Williamson

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N4FK-MNG

Name:    James W Owen
Event Type:    Marriage
Event Date:    12 Oct 1912
Event Place:    New Bedford, , Massachusetts
Gender:    Male
Age:    60
Marital Status:    Widowed
Birth Date:    1852
Birthplace:     England
Registration Place:    New Bedford,  Massachusetts
Birth Year (Estimated):    1852
Father's Name:    James Owen
Mother's Name:    Martha Williamson
Spouse's Name:    Lavinia Broome Magee
Spouse's Marital Status:    Widowed
Spouse's Father's Name:    John Magee
Spouse's Mother's Name:    Mary Thorpe

Now we're getting somewhere! This is WJO Snr's marriage to my G Aunt Lavinia Magee (she was widowed from her first husband James Broome before emigrating to the US in April 1912 with her surviving children Ernest and James).

I had the date but this gives me his parent's names. Lavinia's parents are correct.

I'll see what else I can turn up. Thanks
Ray

[willsy]

I knew it was his son, have you seen the newspaper clipping on find a grave about James Williamson Owen?

[Ray T]

Yes, that's where the whole saga started! I was looking for Lavinia Magee in the US and found her on find a grave with a link to JWO. You may find some resemblance between the photo in the obit and the one below.

The photo has been languishing in the family papers for as long as I can remember without me knowing who it might be. My late father always said that we had family in the US but neither he nor I had any idea what or who. There is also a slip of paper with the address of Mrs Owen, New Bedford on it and this has clearly sat there for the last 100 years!

I've had a look for the Owen family on the 1861 and an Owen/Williamson marriage but nothing strikes me so far.

[Ray T]

Further thanks to Willsy. I haven't used Family Search for quite some time and I now find that its content and search facility are much better than they used to be; although I've still to nail JWO himself.

The earliest I can find is him living and practising "herbalism" on George St, Hyde. (Now subsumed by the M67 and but a stone's throw from Harold Shipman's old surgery!)

I doubt whether it would happen today but it seems like James W Owen actually certified his own grandson's death in 1903 (aged 1y 4m).

[Ray T]

Putting it all together, I have come to the same conclusion as Willsy in post No.7 that this is his marriage. (I have established/been able to confirm Elizabeth's surname and fathers name as her brother and two sisters were living with the Owens, in Hyde, in 1881) Elizabeth's father, Jonathan, was clearly dead by the time of the marriage although he is not shown as deceased on the register entry.

So, what do we have? A marriage between two people of the right name, in the right place, at the right date and with the right fathers' names. (Whosoever wrote the "Find a Grave" entry has clearly reached the same conclusion although they are one day away from the correct marriage date.) The only thing which doesn't fit is James' age. His age on the marriage entry is 22 which would mean that he was born circa. 1849 rather than 1852.

Did James and Elizabeth, therefore, marry whilst James was studying hard at Harrison's academy? It doesn't appear so. According to the marriage entry, James was a "Hatter" - a trade for which this part of the world was famous. Either this is the wrong marriage; and I don't see that it is, or James was actually a snake oil salesman!

The journey continues. Any further thoughts which may confirm or disprove my conclusions would be most welcome.

Thanks
Ray