Looking for children of James Steel and Ann Hopper 1820s

[Annette7]

You probably can't find the baptisms of Isaac and Thomas in Bishops Transcripts's because they were baptised in a non-conformist church:

Isaac Steel bp.20/10/1824 West Chapel, Wooler, Northumberland, son of James and Ann
Thomas bp.3/5/1826               ditto

West Chapel was a Presbyterian church.

Annette

[Prez56]

Trish,

Thanks for the links. I didn't know Ann was a twin! The Rootsweb archive has also been a great source of information, but frustrating because the posters seem to know a lot about the families I'm interested in. I've tried to find both Elaine Walker and Dortha Steele through email but the addresses are outdated. I can't find them on any active genealogy site. Still great leads.

Pam

[Prez56]

Annie,

I have a funny feeling about this. The 1861 UK census lists Isaac Steele living in Nottingham with wife Sarah Ann and four children, including a son James. His birthplace is Lilburn, so it's the right person, and he is a "commercial traveler"—a salesman.

In 1871 he is out of the picture. His wife Sarah is still in Nottingham with the children, a widow, working as a lacemaker. In 1870 my great-grandmother Rose was living with James H. and her sister Elizabeth, and she was a lacemaker. He was a lace salesman. Could he have met and run off with Elizabeth to America, or some variation of that story? Could he have left his wife and children and changed his name? In the late 1860s he was partnered with another man as an importer, perhaps he had already come to the US. Wow, a lot to think about. I haven't found a UK death record for "Isaac" but I will definitely turn my attention to this.

Pam

[Annette7]

I, too, think that James Hopper Steele is almost certainly 'Isaac'!

Have studied both Thomas and Isaac on the census - Thomas was still around in 1871/1881 (haven't looked further) and was an Engine Fitter in 1881.

Everything we know about James matches what we now know from the census about Isaac - as Pam says, in 1871 his wife Sarah Ann is shown as 'widow' but there does not appear to be a death entry for Isaac Steel/e before 1871.   

Who knows exactly what happened - one can only speculate.   Clearly, Sarah believed herself to be a widow in 1871 so one wonders whether someone in US (perhaps the partner of James) wrote home to say that Isaac had died - he duly changed his name and began a new life there thereby deserting his first wife and their 5 surviving children.    If so, what a bounder he was!  He goes off to US with probably a promise to his wife that he would later send for her and the children and instead she's informed somehow that he'd died.

What a to do!

Annette

[Rosinish]

It certainly looks like Isaac has taken on the identity of James who moved to Scotland.
If questioned he would probably have known those details & saying he was from the Borders would fit.

So, James is unidentifiable from birth, through census nor marriage & suddenly turns up on US Directories & census when by coincidence Isaac disappears off the radar 

What a cad but a clever lad 

He didn't grieve much or hesitate to find future wives!!

Annie

[trish1120]

Dont think to badly of him.
It is hard to know what happened.
My Ancestor came to Australia in 1857, Wife Appears as Married in England in 1861 Census.
She remarried in 1862 and he married in 1869 in Australia and then headed to New Zealand with his new Wife.

Maybe they kept in touch and Wife No 1 did not want to go to the other side of the World.
We will never know.

[Prez56]

I am trying to keep an open mind about Isaac/James but it's difficult. He seemed to bring trouble with him.

Two news items from the Nottinghamshire Guardian 28 Nov 1862—

"Isaac Steele was charged with creating an affray at Carlton". He was fighting with a man named Hudson, who did not show up for the hearing. Isaac was fined 9s. 6d. (His wife Sarah Ann's maiden name was Hudson.)

(In public bankruptcies) "In re Isaac Steele. Bankrupt was a dealer in lace and linen collars, residing in Mornington Street. Mr. Ashwell appeared for the bankrupt, who was discharged." (address same as 1861 census)

He may have been evading creditors and angry inlaws as well as wife and children.

Question: I would like to find signatures for Isaac and James H. to compare. He married Sarah Ann in June 1853 at Christ Church, Tynemouth. The marriage can be found in the England and Wales Marriage Registration index. If I ordered a copy of the license, would it be an original document with signatures or just a transcript? No help in the Durham Marriage Bonds and Allegations—wrong church denomination again?

Thanks, Pam

[Rosinish]

Sorry Pam,

I can't answer your ? but I too would like to see the signatures 

Annie

[SelDen]

Marriage certificates ordered through the General Register Office or the local register office will not show the original signature. You need to view an image of the actual church register.

As you say you know he married in Christ Church, Tynemouth, you can order the relevant film to view at a LDS Family History Centre. These are all over the place - see locations on www.familysearch.org They will be open to the public a few hours each week.

This is the film number - scroll down the catalogue list until you see the film covering marriages for the 1850s
https://familysearch.org/search/catalog/519962?availability=Family%20History%20Library

You will need to open a free account on www.familysearch.org so you can order the film. There is a modest fee to order a film. Opening an account and using the Family History Centres will open up a whole world of records to you - the best investment of time and effort you could make in terms of family history if you live away from your research interests (I do not belong to the LDS but have used the centres for years).