RIP Easy IGI Searches Online

I found this unfinished post just 'laying around' which reminded me just how much I miss the old IGI search on the Family Search website.  Not quite sure about their reasoning but in their attempt to improve, they basically made it worse.  I'm not going to moan about something that is provided for free but I just... miss it.  

Here is the old post (with a couple additions) which seemed to be a HOW TO FIND ANCESTORS BORN BEFORE 1837 or a recount of how I came to a conclusion but I'm not sure what I was trying to prove. It may be of some use to someone:

Thomas PALMER is listed on his son's marriage certificate 1848 as a 'Bookseller':

A search of the IGI online (after census searches of son George's approximate age) now identifies his wife as Ruth (and locale as Portsea):

The original baptism entry in the Saint John's Chapel, Portsea parish registers gives further confirmation these are the correct people, as Thomas' occupation is listed as 'Book Binder' (same field of work - books):

Back to the IGI to search for the marriage of Thomas and Ruth, which gives her maiden name as Ruth WRIGHT (married in Saint Mary's Portsea):

This makes it easier to search the census records which then give me approximate birth dates for Thomas and Ruth.  Parish records can now be searched for the marriage (possibly more information); their own births/baptisms and other children of the marriage.  

Next Steps:

Find copy of Thomas & Ruth's marriage entry in the Saint Mary's, Portsea parish registers

Find copy of Thomas & Ruth's baptism entries in Chichester, Sussex (church unknown)

Grace Brock

I've had a lot of trouble finding a marriage between John STILING and Grace FREED and thought it was due to the lack of  Devon records on the IGI.  Thanks to the selection of Devon Parish records on findmypast, I find it's possibly because it was mistranscribed or that Grace FREED is actually Grace BROCK:

I can imagine how Brock and Freed could look similar in faded, pre-regency period handwriting.
This was one of three John STILINGs that came up in the search but the only one with a Grace for a bride. 
Their oldest child was born in 1811 so the dates also fit.
Oh, how I wish I could see the original record right now.

Neighbouring Families - Part 3

Part of a series of posts - beginning with Neighbouring Families

Back on track after my William BROWN confusion - I pick up with proving George BROWN and James BROWN are brothers. Thereby proving that the William BROWN on the 1891 census is indeed related to me.

Proving Brotherhood

I had previously sought to prove George BROWN and James were brothers and so had some of George's records at hand.  George's death record states that his parents are John BROWN and Jane [Jean] Maxwell:

Statutory Death Record of George BROWN - 1862

James BROWN's death record also gives his parents as John BROWN and Jean Maxwell:

Statutory Death Record of James BROWN - 1873

This proves that James and George are brothers.  A search for BROWN births in Glencairn show that there was also a William born to John BROWN and Jean MAXWELL:

Birth Record of William BROWN in Glencairn Parish Register - 1807

So, I have proved the heads of household at Woodhead, George and James BROWN are brothers.  I have also found the existence of another brother, William (as there are no statutory death records of a William BROWN with a mother named MAXWELL, I can only assume he died before 1855).

I have therefore come to the conclusion that the William BROWN (b.1829) living at Woodhead on the 1891 census is in fact James BROWN's nephew.

*bows and wipes the sweat from her furrowed brow*

Neighbouring Families - Part 2

This is a follow on from my previous post - Neighbouring Families.

! The results here are accurate, however not the William BROWN I was tracing (see previous post for correction).  I have chosen to leave this information here to help others.

Using FamilySearch, I searched the IGI for Sarah FERGUSSON with a spouse named BROWN.

Success: It listed Sarah marrying a John BROWN in Glencairn, 1826 (about 3 years before William BROWN was born according to the censuses).  This seemed a very good match indeed so I began to search for birth records of William and his brother, John.

No sign of William but I found a birth and christening record for John (parents John BROWN and Sarah FERGUSON) in the nearby parish of Keir, for September 1825.  However, this was a year before his parents' marriage so although it is not impossible, I could not be sure. Perhaps the parish record will say whether the birth was 'legitimate' or not?  I bit the bullet and viewed the actual parish record on ScotlandsPeople.  The birth had been transcribed incorrectly and actually took place in December 1828 - remember ALWAYS view the actual record where possible!

Birth entry for John BROWN, son of John BROWN & Sarah FERGUSSON - December 1828

While checking my previous searches on ScotlandsPeople, I found an entry for William, legitimate son of John BROWN and Sarah FERGUSON of Snade Mill (the residence was indecipherable to me at first but the ordnance survey maps helped me a great deal) He was born on the 2nd December 1826 and christened the 6th December. 

Birth entry for William BROWN, son of John BROWN & Sarah Fergusson - December 1826

Snade Mill (Cairn Water), Glencairn parish

via ScotlandsPlaces

Now I need to link this John BROWN to my James BROWN to prove these neighbours were also family.  I would also like to find the family connection to George BROWN who also lived at Woodhead throughout these censuses.

Next steps (edited):

• Find a family link between these BROWNs and the BROWNs at Woodhead

More Antenuptial Fornication

Applegarth Church, Dumfriesshire, Scotland

via geograph

This is almost a continuation of my post about antenuptial fornication but I have decided to post separately as I am still not sure whether this is the same person.

In the Dumfries Kirk Sessions of 1822 (which are searchable online), James BROWN was "named as the father of Jean Smith's child; [and] gave satisfaction for this in the parish of Applegarth" (Archive Ref: CH2/537/12).  I believe 'gave satisfaction' (in this sense), meant that the father gave monetary compensation to the parish for their support of the child.

So was this James BROWN my ancestor, who appeared in the Dunscore parish records 6 years later for antenuptial fornication?  With such a common name I cannot be sure but I can assess the likelihood of it being the same man for future reference.

First, was he old enough to be involved in this?  Although I don't have his birth record, the 1851 census suggests he was born in 1801, which means he would have been 21 at the time - a prime age for this kind of crime. ;)

James Brown and family on the 1851 census

(Interestingly, their neighbour, Andrew Lorimer (appearing at bottom of image above) was the certifying physician on James' death certificate.)

Next, was he near enough to be involved?  Applegarth is roughly 20 miles from Dunscore and about 30 miles from my James' home, Glencairn.  Not a short walk, but not impossible distances.

Map showing locations of Applegarth, Dunscore and Glencairn (Moniaive) in relation to each other

via multimap

So I can't rule out my James Brown as the father of Jean Smith's illegitimate child and I have kept hold of this genealogical tidbit. To get any closer to proving this, I would need to check for further information in the Kirk Session records and the Applegarth parish records for any further information on Jean SMITH and her child.

Next Steps:

• Check for further information in the Kirk Session records
• Check Applegarth parish records for the child's birth

Update: Checked Applegarth, Dunscore, Glencairn and Lochmaben parishes (via ScotlandsPeople) for any  birth with Jean SMITH as parent (between 1800 - 1825) and any SMITH birth (between 1816 - 1825) - no likely entries found (all have listed fathers).

Antenuptial Fornication

A post by The Professional Descendant reminded me of my own ancestor's indiscretion.

It's easy to think that people were more chaste in the past.  This may be true, but a journey through the parish records shows that people back then also indulged in sex before marriage or as the Victorians preferred to call it, 'antenuptial fornication'. 

Whilst looking through the Dunscore parish records for births and marriages, I found an entry for James BROWN's proclamation of banns, for which he paid 3 shillings on June 10, 1827. (James was originally mentioned in this post).

James BROWN & Janet CURRIE's marriage proclamation - Jun 1827

I believe the next entry for June 16, shows his marriage although the bride's name appears different.  In January the next year, the couple were blessed with their baby girl, Jane.

BROWN, Jane [Legitimate Daughter] of James BROWN & Janet CURRIE, Whitecairn. Born 11th January 1828.

Someone must have done the maths though, because two weeks later James paid 3 shillings and 6 pence as a fine for antenuptial fornication.

James BROWN's fine for antenuptial fornication - Jan 1828

Janet would have been about 2 months pregnant when they announced their intentions to marry back in June.  It is possible that Janet did not know she was pregnant but I think they were both aware when they decided to marry.  I wonder what must have gone through their heads - were they fearful of their secret being discovered?  How did their families react? Apart from the church fine, did they suffer any other repercussions or did it not matter now the child was legitimate?

Marriage Entries vs Marriage Certificates II

In 1848, George Wright PALMER married Mary Ann ALLEN in the parish church of Gillingham, Kent (St Mary Magdalene). George was a gunner in the Royal Navy and Mary was a carpenter's daughter. Here is the certified copy of their marriage entry ordered from the GRO (click on the images to see a larger version):

George Wright PALMER and Mary Ann ALLEN marriage certificate - 1848

The next image is of the marriage entry from the Gillingham Parish Church records:

George Wright PALMER and Mary Ann ALLEN marriage entry -1848

I am lucky enough to be able to view the parish records on the Medway Council's City Ark website. These images have been published as part of the 'Medway Ancestors' project, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. If you have ancestors in the Medway district - it's well worth a look.

Again, I now have my ancestor's signatures, as well as that of Mary Ann's father, William Henry ALLEN. Fortunately in this case, the certificate was an accurate copy of the actual marriage entry. You may however find otherwise. If family historians ever have the opportunity to check parish records, they should. One small transcription error can lead to years of frustration. The information gleaned from these have been known to break down 'brick walls' in the past.

And hey, even if the information is the same, at least you'll have your ancestors' signatures or marks.