William Midwood b.England 1826

[mazzie74]

William Midwood - born England 1826 was the son of Abraham Midwood.

In 1848 they emigrated to America on board the "New World" along with William's siblings Henry and Samuel.

Abraham, Henry and Samuel settled in Rhode Island and can be found (under variant spellings) on the 1850 census onwards.

However, I can find no trace of William Midwood after his arrival.

There is a William Midewood in Syracuse, New York but I have discounted him as my William had no children born in England and had no brother John.

Can anybody find any trace of William after 1848?

Thanks,

Darin.

[philipsearching]

A couple of thoughts:

Did William definitely arrive in the USA or is it possible that he died on the journey?

Do you know his mother's surname?  There is a remote possibility that he had an argument with his family and cut himself off.

What name variants (or fuzzy searches) have you tried?

[mazzie74]

Hi

His mothers' name was Hannah France, but she died in 1832 in England.

His father, Abraham didn't re-marry.

I'm not sure if William died on the journey.

I suppose there is always a possibility he returned to the UK.

Thanks

Darin.

[RayDen]

Here is a link to Abraham - now you will probably have this but what I don't understand is that the children Henry & Samuel are shown but not William?:

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=25616870&ref=acom

Ray

[jorose]

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-16946-74142-31?cc=1849782
 - two interesting things looking at the original of the shipping list

1) Some others on the list are mentioned as deceased - dates of death are written in on the final column.  This suggests that William did make it to the US.
2) William is listed above Abraham, not following him, which is a bit unusual for family groups. It might be that given his age he was counted on a separate "single man"'s ticket and not part of the family, even though they travelled together.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/112791807?searchTerm=%22William%20Midwood%22
"Among other missing beneficiaries are William Midwood, who left America for Melbourne in 1852"

This lead me to this notice in Lloyd's weekly newspaper in 1903:
http://newspaperarchive.com/uk/middlesex/london/lloyds-weekly-news/1903/11-29/page-19
(in the matter of the will of Mary France, late of Honley in the parish of Almondbury, in York, spinster, deceased)
"William Midwood, alias James Greenalsh, a nephew of the above-named testatrix, Mary France, who left Providence, Rhode Island, in the United States of North America, for Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, in the Commonwealth of Australia, in or about the year 1852..."
(the rest of the wording is the standard if he is alive or if he is deceased but leaves a widow/children there is money for them).

The Greenalsh/Greenalch connection is interesting. There was an English born man of that name, a little older than William, around in RI (but had a son born there about 1845 according to the 1860 census so probably more likely someone they knew - or a relative?)
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFFX-3V4
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FS3W-Q3Y

I haven't been able to spot him in Australia yet - perhaps another name change?

[RayDen]

Great finds Jorose - well done!!

Ray

[mazzie74]

That's brilliant

Thanks.

[mazzie74]

Hi

There is a James Greenalsh registered as dying in Australia in 1907.

Do you think that this is him?

Also, there are children born in Australia from 1868 onwards, fathers name James Greenalsh - would these be his children?

Thanks,

Darin.

[RayDen]

There are one or two trees on Anc. claiming the Thomas & Robert Greenalsh born in 1868 & 1871 Queensland but the trees have the father James as being born in Bacup Lancashire in between 1821 & 1826. 

They also have that James dying in 1910 with parents of James Greenalsh and Sussannah Phelan (from the Australian death index).  However there is no information regarding on how and when this James arrived in Australia or when he married his wife.

Its frustrating that the the death of the James Greenalsh who died in 1907 is the only one on the shown list that does not identify the parents!!  But is that a clue?  There is also no indication of age.

Ray