Author Topic: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?  (Read 2344 times)

Offline hilarykellis

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Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« on: Friday 29 December 17 19:31 GMT (UK) »
I am looking over my tree and just found something really confusing that I had never paid attention to before.

I realized I have an 1871 census record saved to my ancestor Elizabeth (Hussey) Rogers that contradicts the record saved to her husband, John Rogers. On the 1871 census for John, (Registration district Wrexham, Sub-registration district Ruabon, Household schedule number 123, Piece 5653, Folio   89, Page number 21) he is the head of household, a widower, and his son Charles and his family (wife Jane and children) are living with him. I am confident that this is my John because I know he was a shoemaker and I know that this is his son, Charles, who was also a shoemaker. The birth year of abt 1797 is consistent.

However, I then find Elizabeth Rogers, John's wife (?) living in Wrexham and keeping a shoe shop. The birth year is consistent although the birthplace says Ruabon rather than Wrexham. Elizabeth also says she is a widow. Her grandson Charles is living with her and I believe this is Charles Jr., son of my ancestor Charles Rogers mentioned above. This Charles's birth year is given as abt 1857 and the real Charles's birth date is 1859. (Census Household schedule number   2, Piece 5657, Folio 104, Page number 1).

Who is this Elizabeth? Is she just a different Elizabeth entirely, who happens to own a shoe shop and have a child and grandchild with a similar name and birth year?

Any help unravelling this is appreciated!!


Offline Gadget

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #1 on: Friday 29 December 17 19:37 GMT (UK) »
Hi

The names are not uncommon in our area.

I see that there is a son William, 29, shoemaker, b. Wrexham, living with Elizabeth in 1871. Did the couple have a son b.c. 1842?


Gadget
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Offline *Sandra*

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #2 on: Friday 29 December 17 19:39 GMT (UK) »
It wasn't uncommon around that time when a couple split that each referred to themselves as widow or widower - have come across it many, many times

Sandra
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Offline Gadget

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #3 on: Friday 29 December 17 19:52 GMT (UK) »
Is this the family in 1851:

In 1851, when William would have been, 9, the family are at The Walks, Wrexham

John 54, shoemaker, b. Wrexham
Elizabeth, 56, b. Wrexham
Edward, s, 22, ag lab, b -do-
Ann, d, 11, b. -do-

HO107/2503/572/23

Gadget
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Offline Gadget

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #4 on: Friday 29 December 17 19:56 GMT (UK) »
William's birth might not have been registered but there is no William registered in the Wrexham RD in 1840-1842 with MMN Hussey.

Also no baptisms that I can see. I'll have a look around some of my records.

Gadget
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Offline Gadget

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #5 on: Friday 29 December 17 20:08 GMT (UK) »
In  1861, Elizabeth and John's address in 8 Walks, Wrexham.

There is a burial in Wrexham for an Elizabeth Rogers, aged 70. Address is The Walks. 28th January 1865.

 I think that this might be your Elizabeth.

Gadget
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Offline hilarykellis

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #6 on: Friday 29 December 17 20:17 GMT (UK) »
In  1861, Elizabeth and John's address in 8 Walks, Wrexham.

There is a burial in Wrexham for an Elizabeth Rogers, aged 70. Address is The Walks. 28th January 1865.

 I think that this might be your Elizabeth.

Gadget


Thank you, Gadget, I just had the registration index record saved, and hadn't seen the parish record, so I didn't know Elizabeth's address. I agree that that must be her. I am thinking that this other Elizabeth must be the widow of one of Elizabeth's brothers-in-law - the Rogers men were all shoemakers.

It was Elizabeth Rogers, Charles's daughter, who married my ancestor Joseph Ellis and gave me my surname.


Thanks for eliminating the confusion!!

Offline Gadget

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #7 on: Friday 29 December 17 20:22 GMT (UK) »
You're very welcome, Hilary. I grew up in the area and know the confusion that the limited range of surnames causes. 

If you need any more help for there just give a shout - I've got lots of bits and pieces of paper info :)


I have ancestral Ellis cousins there - not sure if they're your Ellises  though.

Gadget
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Offline Mabel Bagshawe

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Re: Couple living separately, each claiming widowhood?
« Reply #8 on: Friday 29 December 17 20:25 GMT (UK) »
Potentially widow of William Rogers? I see the address for Elizabeth in 1871 was Yorke St - I;ve found this item from the papers referring to William Rogers, shoemaker, of that address, with wife Elizabeth and son William, also a shoe maker

http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4578358/4578361/21/