Samuel South - St Margarets South Elmhall

[calllor]

I am looking for information on Samuel South born  in 1839. His parents were Stephen and Susan/Susannah. He appears on 1841/1851/ and 1861 census's but I cannot trace him after that. He married in 1885 - Ellen Baker. I have been unable to find a death for him . I know that he was in India in the Army which would account for him between 1861 and 1885. I cannot find an Army record either. I have reason to believe that he changed his name ( His grand daughter was my mother in law)  but of course when researching family history we all know that stories handed down the family are not always correct.  I see that the family never strayed from suffolk much so I am hoping to find someone who might have information.

[Milliepede]

Can you find Ellen after 1885 - what about children they had?

If you can give a name/year of birth for one or more of them it might help trace them on census 

[Milliepede]

Marriage Sep 1882 Wangford

Ellen Baker
Samuel South

There's a Florence Ellen South born in Dec 1883 Wangford

[Milliepede]

I don't know if this is correct but there is a family tree with Florence down as

Florence Clark 8 in 1891 with

father James Clark 50 born London

mother Ellen Clark 48 born Bungay

[calllor]

Yes I have the marriage in 1882 ( not 1885 as I wrongly posted). Florence Ellen was my husbands grandmother. I knew her well. She shows up on a later census with her mother then called Clark and the head of the household was James Clark. I cannot find another marriage for her mother and only her death which was Ellen South.

[calllor]

Yes thank you to all so far.  It is indeed a mystery as the info that you have posted is what I can find and  as Samuel South disappeared after  the 1861 census. Its strange that  I can find  lots of his family, their births marriages and deaths but  Samuel disappeared into thin air, was married in 1882 as Samuel South, but then disappears again, no death being found so far.

[Milliepede]

What other census have you got Florence and her mother on?  Is her mother down as married or widowed?

Also does the birthplace for Samuel and James match up?  Was Samuel born Suffolk or London.

I take it Florence was the only child?

[calllor]

Florence was with her  mother in 1891. Her  mother was Ellen Clark and father James Clark on the census both down as married. the  birthplaces are correct so I think it is them. Ellen died in 1900 and was buried in the name of South in her birthtown. Florence E South was  on a census in 1901 as a servant. She was married in  1903 so then appears with her husband. Interestingly florences daughter, (my mother in law) always told us her grandad was in India for years in the army and was called one name when he went in but came back with another name.  We all thought that was rather far fetched but are now wondering if  James Clark was Samuel South. James Clark was listed as coming from the same place. He enlisted in 1865 and was discharged from the army in 1882 which was when Samuel South and Ellen married.  We also have in our  possesion an obituary card for a James Clark which was amongst florence's possessions when she died.  It's a real poser this one and I expect one I shall never get to the bottom of unless there are some family from Samuels brother or sisters know anything. Yes Florence was an only child as far as I know.

[calllor]

James and Samuel were both born in Suffolk.