52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #33 Family Legend

Two of my family legends revolve around one family.

It is not unusual to have family lore that you are not able to prove. You wonder is there an element of truth in the story. Why would the story be passed down?

Early in my family research, I was told by my cousin Norman in England that Josiah Dudley, my great-grandfather, had been born in Spain, ca 1842, with the surname Zuniga. My dad's mother also said that her brown eyes were from her Spanish roots. The story is that when the family came to England when Josiah was a toddler, the family changed their name by deed poll taking the name of Dudley for Dudley, Warwickshire where they were living. I was intrigued by this story. So I was on the hunt to see what I could find. Well, I have never found anything to support this. 

All the census records that I have found for Josiah and his family have given his place of birth as Alcester, Warwickshire except the 1871 census when it is listed as Arrow. Arrow is a parish within the Alcester District. 

Sarah Mucklow married Josiah Dudley 28 July 1867 in Haselor, Warwickshire. The family story that I have been told about her is that she had 22 children: three sets of twins, two sets of triplets, but only four survived to adulthood. 

I have found only 5 children.
Bertha Ann, baptized 10 March, 1869 -- she appears on the 1871 census but not in the 1881 census where you would expect to still find her living with her parents. The following death is likely for her.

death March 1875 quarter  

DUDLEY

Bertha Ann

6

Derby

7b

391

 Next I have Joseph or Josiah Gilbert. 
These could be his birth registration.  

birth March 1875 quarter  Dudley

Josiah Gilbert

Derby

7b

479

Births Mar 1876
DUDLEY	Joseph		Chesterfield	7b	689

 Chesterfield district is in Derbyshire.

Births Dec 1874
DUDLEY	Joseph		Belper	7b	508

In his petition for naturalization in Rhode Island, he gave his date of birth as 21 November 1875 in Derby, England. On his draft card for World War 1, his date of birth is given as 21 November 1874. 

Next I have Charles Henry born about 1877
Could this be his birth registration
birth June quarter 1877

Dudley

Charles Henry

Bakewell

7b

753

Both his draft registration card and declaration of his intention to be naturalized give his date of birth as 21 February 1877. 

Both Joseph and Charles moved to the United States to live.

My grandmother, Emily Lily was born 31 January 1884 in Birmingham. 
Her registration March quarter 1884

Dudley

Emily Lily

Birmingham

6d

74

 I have her birth registration. 
  
The last known child was Rose who was born 8 May 1889. 
This is likely her registration - June quarter 1889.

Dudley

Rose May

Aston

6d

289

There are gaps between births so it is possible Sarah had other pregnancies, but whether she gave birth to other children will likely remain unknown.

The family legends always give rise to challenges to family history researchers.

(c) 2018 Janet Iles

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #40 Thomas Dudley

This is my fortieth posting for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.


Thomas Dudley, where are you? Thomas Dudley would be my great-great-great grandfather. He is listed on the marriage registration of his daughter Ann to Thomas Niblett. She married Thomas after the birth of her children that includes my great grandfather, Josiah Dudley. 

As I mentioned in the posting about Josiah Dudley, family lore said that Josiah was born in Spain. Nothing has pointed to that. All the census records that I have found for Josiah and his family have given his place of birth as Alcester, Warwickshire except the 1871 census when it is listed as Arrow. Arrow is a parish within the Alcester District. 

The family story also said that Josiah's surname had been Zuniga before being changed by deed poll. I ordered a microfilm from the Family History Library that included naturalization records from the appropriate time period but no Dudley or Zuniga found. I have not located any deed polls that I could consult.

Then I wondered if it was not Josiah that was born in Spain but perhaps an earlier generation. My grandmother Iles had said her brown eyes were from her Spanish side. 

When the 1851 British census came out first on CD, I did a search for Dudleys that were born in Spain. I found only a Thomas Dudley in Foleshill, Warwickshire. He was 84 years old. He was living with his grand-daughter, Mary Dudley and her husband, Luke Orton. Thomas was born in Spain and a British subject. At that time, I hadn't found Josiah on census records. Josiah's mother was Ann Dudley and census records show her born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England.

I have ruled out this Thomas Dudley as a possible grandfather of Josiah Dudley's mother. 

The question remains: Which Thomas Dudley was the father of Ann?



© 2014 Janet Iles

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #8 Ann Dudley

Ann Dudley -- So many questions come to my head when I say your name. Are you my great-great grandmother? Why did you marry late in life after having my great-grandfather, Josiah Dudley and several other children?  Which Thomas Dudley was your father? Who was your mother?

Have I the right family? Here is what I have pieced together from different sources.

A Josiah Dudley was born 6 April 1847 in the Union Workhouse Oversley, Alcester, Warwickshire England. No father was listed. His mother is listed as Ann. She made her mark. This seems the best match with all the census records for Josiah.

Four years later on the 1851 census, there is a Dursley family living in the Workhouse but no Dudley. There is a Josiah of the right age (4) with a mother Ann but she has other children.

Children - Jonathan - 8 months - not found on the Free Birth Marriages and Death Index
George age 6 - There is a George Dudley registered in Alcester in 1843
Charles age 7 - no registration found
Solomon age 12 = there is a Solomon registered in the March 1/4 of 1839 in Alcester, A Search in the FamilySearch database shows a Solomon Dudley baptized 13 February 1839 with a mother Ann in Alcester

GS Film number:

367762

Jumping ahead 10 years to the 1861 census Ann (43) is living in Alcester on Bleachfield Street

There is no George, Charles or Solomon in the household but Josiah is now 14.

Added to the list are children

Joshua age 10 - there is a Joshua Dudley baptized at Arrow 19 June 1851 mother Ann

GS Film number:

549945

William age 1  William Thomas Dudley born 10 March 1860 baptized 12 April 1862 mother Ann - Family search index to baptisms

GS Film number:

557290

Living on Bleachfield Street is Thomas Niblett, a bricklayer. Josiah becomes a bricklayer as does Joshua.

We know that Josiah married in 1867. Did Ann attend the wedding?

By 1871, Ann (53) and the two younger children have moved and are now listed as lodgers in the household of Thomas Niblett, labourer  Bleachfield Street in Alcester.

William is 19 and Joshua is 11. It looks like the two boys have been mixed up. It should be Joshua who is 19 and now a labourer. 

On 10 March 1881, Ann daughter of Thomas Dudley and Thomas Niblett, son of William Niblett, bricklayer marry in the Parish Church of Alcester. 

GS Film number:

1067389

Thomas (62) and Ann (61) are still living Bleachfield Street. William is now 21 and is shown as a visitor on the 1881 census.

Neither Thomas or Ann have been located on the 1891 census.

It would appear that Ann may have lived until 1898. An Ann Niblett was buried in Alcester 14 April 1898. Residence is given as Union. Is this referencing a street or the Union Workhouse where she spent many years when her children were young? Her husband most likely predeceased her, dying it would appear in 1892 with his burial taking place 16 January 1892. [I need to get the death registration for Ann as a family tree on Ancestry gives this Ann as a sibling of Thomas.]

Going back before Josiah was born Ann Dudley (20) is with Solomon Dudley in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire at the time of the 1841 census. Her occupation is listed as nail m. Others on the same census page list that as their occupation.

Ann are you my great-great grandmother and the mother of Josiah and daughter of Thomas Dudley?

[I found several family trees on Ancestry showing Ann as the daughter of William and Rebecca Dudley and having her also marrying Thomas Niblett. Is it possible they have merged individuals?]

Sources
Ann Niblett Estimated birth year: abt 1818 Date of Registration: Apr-May-Jun 1898 Age at Death: 80 Registration district: Alcester Volume: 6d Page: 374
Ann Niblett burial record; digital image, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : assessed 17 February 2014) citing Warwickshire County Record Office; Warwick, England; Warwickshire Anglican Registers; Roll: Engl 09000 4; Document Reference: DR 360/21.

Name:Thomas Niblett Estimated birth year: abt 1816 Date of Registration: Jan-Feb-Mar 1892 Age at Death: 76 Registration district: Alcester Volume: 6d Page: 455
Source Citation: Warwickshire County Record Office; Warwick, England; Warwickshire Anglican Registers; Roll: Engl 09000 4; Document Reference: DR 360/21.

updated 2022-08-08

© 2022 Janet Iles

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks : #6 Sarah Mucklow

On the 28th of July 1867, Josiah Dudley, aged 20, and Sarah Mucklow, aged 18, exchanged their marriage vows before John Heath Sykes, the vicar, in St. Mary All Saints Church in Haselor, Warwickshire. Both Josiah and Sarah signed their names. James and Elisabeth Sadler signed their marks as witnesses. The church sits high on a hill between the villages of Haselor and Walcote. It is accessible today only on foot or all terrain vehicles, along well-trotten paths. Did Josiah and Sarah stop as they left the church as newlyweds to marvel at the land below and to wonder what life together would bring them?

Start of the path to Haselor Church
  © Copyright Helen Steed and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

Sarah was baptized the 16th of September in 1849 in the Church of Holy Trinity in Arrow, Warwickshire. She was the fourth child of John Mucklow and Hannah James.

Holy Trinity Church, Arrow, Warwickshire

This quiet church photographed in the afternoon sunlight.

  © Copyright Colin Craig and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Like her husband Josiah, a story has been passed down in the family about Sarah. It has been said that she had 22 children that included three sets of twins and two sets of triplets. So far, I have been unable to prove this.  There are gaps in the known births so it is quite possible that she had other pregnancies. Of the four who survived to live to adulthood, only one remained in England.

Bertha was their first child that I have found. She was born 12 February 1869 but was not baptized until 10 March 1871 in the Parish Church of Alcester. She appears on the 1871 census with her parents but is not shown in the 1881 census. It would appear that Bertha Ann died in 1875 in Derbyshire.

The next known child is Josiah Gilbert born according to his United Sates Naturalization  21 November 1875, but his World War I Registration gives the same date but 1874.

Sarah had another son while they were still living in Derbyshire: Charles Henry Dudley. She gave birth to him in Matlock, Derby 22 February 1877.

Some time after Charles was born, the family moved again. This time they went to Birmingham. In 1881 they lived at 19 Court 2nd House Bromsgrove Street. When my grandmother, Emily Lily was born 31 January 1884, the family was living at 31 Inge Street. Five years later, Sarah gave birth to Rose on the 8 May 1889. In 1891, they were living at 16 Butler Road. Josiah Gilbert was no longer living at home. Sarah was working as a dressmaker. Emily was going to school.

 The following year, Josiah Gilbert left England for Rhode Island.

1901 was a sad year as Sarah's husband died when he was only 56 years old. They had moved again and were living at 2 Back 6 Little Green Lane. This place had only three rooms. Charles was no longer living at home.They were still living there when Emily Lily married William George Iles in 1903. Two years later, Emily, William and their baby, May, left for Canada.

Rose married Noble Cavanagh in 1908. Also that year, Charles sailed to the United States and arrived in Boston 23 July 1908 on board the Saxonia.. Noble was killed in action during the First World War. Rose married his brother, Sydney in 1919.

The place they were living in 1884 when Emily Lily was born is located very close to where there is now a National Trust Museum showcasing the last remaining back to back houses during several time periods but not during the time our relatives lived there, but it would still be interesting to see it.  [See references below].Their place in 1901 had only three rooms.

If Sarah had as many children or pregnancies as suggested by family lore, it must have been so very difficult to lose these children. To have three of her children leave for North America must also have been hard breaking but she likely hoped that life would be good for them.

Sources:
Josiah Dudley -- Sarah Mucklow marriage Church of England. Parish Church of Haselor p. 26 FHL 557286 item 1

Baptism: Sarah Mucklow baptismal record Arrow Parish Church, Warwickshire, microfilm 549945, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bertha Ann Dudley baptismal record Alcester Warwickshire Parish Records. FHL #0537290
Sarah Mucklow

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1791-1906 (M1299); Microfilm Serial: M1299; Microfilm Roll: 40.entry for Josiah Gilbert Dudley.

Registration State: Rhode Island; Registration County: Providence; Roll: 1852406; Draft Board: 6 for Josiah Gilbert Dudley.

Back to Back houses - Wikipedia
Back to Back houses - National Trust
Back to Back houses - BBC

© 2014 Janet Iles

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks #5 Josiah Dudley

This week's focus is Josiah Dudley, one of my great-grandfathers and father to my paternal grandmother, Emily Lily Iles nee Dudley. I have no photographs of him.

It is not unusual to have family lore that you are not able to prove. You wonder is there an element of truth in the story. Why would the story be passed down?

Early in my family research, I was told by my cousin Norman in England that Josiah was born in Spain ca 1842 with the surname Zuniga. When the family came to England when he was a toddler, the family changed their name by deed poll taking the name of Dudley for Dudley, Warwickshire where they were living. I was intrigued by this story. So I was on the hunt to see what I could find. Well, I have never found anything to support this. Here is what I have found.

All the census records that I have found for Josiah and his family have given his place of birth as Alcester, Warwickshire except the 1871 census when it is listed as Arrow. Arrow is a parish within the Alcester District. Alcester is seven miles west of Stratford-on-Avon. When Josiah married Sarah Mucklow 28 July 1867 in the Parish church at Haselor, he was living in Alcester. No father is listed for him in the registration.

The Arden Way approaches St Mary and All Saints Church, Haselor.

  © Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

Josiah and wife and children left Alcester perhaps to find employment opportunities. The indexes for death registration of Bertha and the birth registrations for Gilbert and Charles shows that the family had moved to Derbyshire between 1871 and 1875. It is not known how long they stayed in Derbyshire but they were in Birmingham by 1881. According to the different census records, they lived in different locations within the Birmingham district. Several addresses were back lanes.

The 1871 census is the first one where we find Josiah as a married man with his wife Sarah and a little girl, Bertha.

In the 1851 census, I didn't find an exact match with the surname Dudley in Alcester but there is one for a Dursley family living in the Oversley Union Workhouse. This looks it could possibly Josiah's family. With Josiah, aged 3; are Ann, 31, nail maker; Solomon, 12; Charles, 7; George, 6 and Jonathan 8 mo. The workhouse was on the east end of Alcester and the building that they would have lived in was built in 1837.

Oversley House dates from 1837 was formerly the workhouse. 

The inscription on the building reads 'The stone the gift of Sir Charles Throckmorton Bart'.

  © Copyright Philip Halling and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence

 A Josiah Dudley was born 6 April 1847 in the Union Workhouse Oversley, Alcester, Warwickshire England. No father was listed. His mother is listed as Ann. She made her mark. This seems the best match.

 Needle making was an important industry in the Alcester area. In 1861, Josiah was working as a needle maker and was living with his mother Ann and most likely his siblings, Joshua and William. In 1871, his occupation was needle filer.

How did Josiah go from a factory worker to a bricklayer? In the 1881 census, his occupation is reported as jobbing bricklayer. A search for apprenticeship papers for him in Warwickshire on microfilm from the Family History Library in Salt Lake City did not result in finding one for him. Did he learn the trade in an informal arrangement? His neighbour in 1861 was Thomas Niblett, a bricklayer. While in Derbyshire did he work as a bricklayer? Perhaps, obtaining the birth registrations for his two sons may provide this information. At the time of his death, Josiah was a bricklayer journeyman.

In the certified copy of an entry of death from the General Register Office, it states that Josiah died at 2 Back 6 Little Green Lane, Aston, Birmingham. He was only 56 years old. He died of cancer of Pylorus, ulcer of the stomach and rupture of stomach. His wife, Sarah signed her mark as the informant. It sounds like an awful death.

Sources:
1901 England Census Aston St. Andrew. Saltley Bureau, Birmingham, Warwickshire, England RG 13/2864 Deritend Ed 84 folio 76 p. 17 household, 102 2 Back www.ancestry.ca

1891 England Census Aston All Saints Bordesley Warwickshire RG 12/2410 Aston Deritend Ed 52 folio 43 p. 32 household 171; FHL 6097520

1881 England Census  Birmingham, England RG 11 /2981 Birmingham St. Martin Ed 6 Folio 70 p. 19 household 88; www.ancestry.ca

1871 England Census Alcester Warwickshire RG 10/3211 Ed 3d Folio 52 p.11 household 51 FHL 839261 www.ancestry.com

1861 England Census Alcester : RG 9; Piece: 2234; Folio: 32; Page: 16; FHL roll: 542940.

1851 England Census Oversley Hamlet Class: HO107; Piece: 2075; Folio: 249; Page: 16; FHL roll: 87344.

Josiah Dudley civil birth registration Alcester Warwick England, certified copy from General Register Office BXCB 416147.

Josiah Dudley civil death registration Birmingham, Warwickshire, England, certified from General Register Office.

According to Dictionary.com
 a Journeyman is:

1.

a person who has served an apprenticeship at a trade or handicraft and is certified to work at it assisting or under another person.

2.

any experienced, competent but routine worker or performer.

3.

a person hired to do work for another, usually for a day at a time.

Pylorus

the opening between the stomach and the duodenum

© 2017 Janet Iles

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #4 Emily Lily Dudley

This is my fourth posting for the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge.

Today's posting is about my paternal grandmother. When I was a little girl, I lived across the road from her.

Emily Lily Dudley was born 31 January 1884 in Birmingham, England, to Josiah Dudley, a bricklayer, and Sarah Mucklow. [1] Three siblings, Joseph Gilbert, Charles and Rose May, lived to adulthood.

In 1901, Lil's father died. Fourteen months later on 27 January 1903, she married William George Iles, in the Birmingham Register office.

Lily came to Canada in 1905 with her husband, baby girl, May, William's mother and his siblings. She left behind in England, her sister, Rose, her brother, Charles and her mother, Sarah. Her brother, Gilbert, had moved to the United States in 1892.

The 1911 census shows the George and William Iles families living outside Owen Sound in Derby Township. What a contrast after living in the crowded city of Birmingham. The family moved into Owen Sound, a small town, where Lil lived the rest of her life, although it looks like they moved regularly until they lived on the corner of 8th Street and 7th Avenue East.

Until her death, Lily was a member of the Salvation Army, but her husband and some of the boys left the Salvation Army to join the United Church of Canada. I have been told that she played the timbrel (similar to a tambourine).She was an active member of the Home League.

Lil is the second from the left

Lil was mother to nine who lived to adulthood: three daughters and six sons, with none living now. Her children were May (1904-1967), Ivy (1906-2008), Daisy (1908-1990), Clarence (1912-1978), Wilfred (1913-2002), Harold "Bob" (1916-1990), Clifford (1921-2011), Emmanuel "Manny" (1923-1983), and William (1926-1999). Two may have died in infancy.When her husband went overseas in 1916, she was left to look after the six children.

 During World War II, five sons served with the Canadian Armed Forces. Fortunately, all returned home. In the living room of their home. the photos of William and Lil and the boys in their uniforms were hung on the wall.

All the children married and the photograph below shows all their children with their spouses.

Back row: Wilf, Daisy, Bill, Myrt, wife of Clarence,May, Jack Litherland, husband of May, Emmanuel Kenneth "Manny", Vera, wife of Cliff, Ivy, Marion wife of Bob, and Bob

Front Row: Ethel wife of Wilf, Reg Barber, husband of Daisy, Helen, wife of Bill, William, Lil, Helen, wife of Manny, Cliff, Frank Banks, husband of Ivy (photo 1949)

Lil knit baby sets and sweaters for her young grandchildren. She was grandma to over thirty grand-children. When she got older and her vision was getting poorer, grandpa wrote out the patterns on cardboard to make it easier for her to follow.

They celebrated both their fiftieth and sixtieth wedding anniversaries. At the sixtieth anniversary family dinner celebration, their six sons and three daughters, twenty-eight grandchildren and thirty-three great grandchildren were in attendance.

In her later years, she became quite frail, but she still had the sparkle in her eyes. She said that her dark brown eyes came from her Spanish heritage. She died 13 May 1967.

[1] Emily Lily Dudley, birth registration, certified copy of an entry of birth, registered 5 March 1884 BXCB 428411. General Register Office
[2]William George Iles - Emily Lily Dudley marriage registration, certified copy of an entry of  marriage, registered 26 January 1903 #146, MXC 375982, General Register Office

Personal Knowledge

© 2014 Janet Iles

Writing - 0, New information - wonderful

Writing challenge update - not fairing well. I started with great intentions and I appreciate the writing prompts and ideas that I am receiving that I will find helpful as I continue on the path of updating the family history.

As I mentioned in the previous update, I had made contact with two researchers of the Mucklow family, the family that my great-grandfather Josiah Dudley had married into. The Canadian researcher and the English researcher are sharing information.

The English researcher has sent me a copy of a newspaper clipping that supports the information she had included on her Ancestry tree.

John Mucklow, father of Sarah, who married Josiah Dudley was a gamekeeper according to several records but where he might have worked was only a guess. The two possibilitlies had been Aston Cantlow or Wooton Wawen, Warwickshire. It is still possible that at sometime or other John was employed in one or both of these parishes.

Where did the newspaper say he worked? John Mucklow was a gamekeeper for Sir W. Throckmorton and he presented the case of two men with snares on property belonging to Mr. Lane in the parish of Haselor on the 14th ult. Val Mucklow says that the article was from the Redditch Advertiser, Redditch, Worcestershire and  it was dated 6th ending with ber in the month 1863. So the case was before the court during September, October or November.

Closer look at the clipping shows a small heading that is partly cut off.

"PETTY SESSIONS. NOVEMBER [?] - Before [-?-  -?-], [-?-] Fisher, and J. Brown, Esqrs.

GAME - Charles Tredgall and George Louch, of Alcester, were charged with [?] snares for the destruction of game on land belonging to Mr. Lane, in the parish of Haselor, on the 14th, ult.

John Mucklow, gamekeeper to Sir W. Throckmorton, [laid?] the information, and Woodward, a witness proved the case stating that between five and six o'clock in the evening of the above day, he met the defendants in the lane leading from Haselor to Aston, and there saw the defendant Tredgall set a snare in a [meuse?] or run on the bank, and saw several snares that were set within a short distance along the road that defendants came, and the defendant Louch signalled to Tredgall that some one was near, but did not see Louch set any snares, or with any in his possession.  . . .

Only one brief mention of John but oh so important in the story of his life.
The Throckmortons have been owners of Coughton Court since 1409. This large estate is still lived in by the family but it is now part of the National Trust system.

This information will help me add more to the story of the life of John Mucklow. I will do some research on the work of a gamekeeper and Coughton Court and the details added will certainly make the story more interesting, I hope, for the readers.

Having this article is timely for courses that I will be taking starting in March concerning Court records  and land records in England.

It is time to get back to writing more about the Dudley family and then on to the Mucklow family.

© 2013 Janet Iles

Pancake Tuesday / Shrove Tuesday

Today is Pancake Tuesday or properly called  Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras. Recently, one of our ministers mentioned Pancake races. I had never heard of them before. So, it was interesting this morning as I am writing about Josiah and Sarah Dudley that I checked a reference and discovered that today in Alcester, where Josiah and Sarah lived during their early years of marriage, they are having a pancake race. This an old tradition in England going back to the 1400s.

This of course gets me to thinking did any of my English ancestors ever participate in pancake races as active participants or did they go and watch and cheer? According to the Redditch Advertiser website, Alcester has only been hosting this event for about a half century, so it would not be in that community if they ever were part of one of these races.

Growing up, we would often have pancakes for supper on Pancake Tuesday. Back in the 1980s, our youth church group hosted a pancake supper and my father pitched in to help in the kitchen. For quite a few years at Knox the Sunday School hosted a pancake brunch after church. I haven't decided yet whether pancakes will be on the menu for my supper today.

Will be pancakes be on your menu today?



© 2013 Janet Iles

Wordless Wednesday - Dudley Brothers

Lily Iles (nee Dudley) with J. Gilbert Dudley

Charles H. Dudley

Article on what was learned about them from the 1940 United States Census

© 2012 Janet Iles

Carnival of Genealogy - Finds on the 1940 US census

Not wanting to be left out of all the excitement of the release of the 1940 United States census, I asked myself, who of my relatives that went to the United States would be living in 1940. I went to my family history database and did some checking. There should be at least one Hemingway family, a Stiver family and of course, the two siblings of my grandmother Iles, Josiah and Gilbert Dudley.

Thanks to Ancestry.com making circa 1930 documents available for free up until the 10th of April, I decided to take advantage of this opportunity to see what I could find about the Dudley brothers. I had never searched for them in any of the American census records. I knew that one had gone to Boston, Massachusetts and one had gone to Providence, Rhode Island. I mentioned them in a recent article about their mother.

Josiah Gilbert Dudley
A search of the 1930 census found him listed as J Gilbert Dudley, aged 55 with wife Mary E. aged 55 and Esther Barlow, his sister-in-law, living in Providence, Rhode Island at 106 Porter Street. They were renting a place for $35 a month. He is listed as a designer of stained glass. Knowing their enumeration district and the Steve Morse conversion of the ed, I was able to locate the family in the 1940 census living in the same dwelling.

Sister-in-law, Esther provided the information for the enumerator. They were now paying $30 a month as rent. Gilbert is 64; Mary is 65 and Esther is 59. They all were born in England. The two sisters came to the United States in 1891 and Gilbert came in 1892. Gilbert's occupation is listed as artist, owner in a Stained Glass works. Esther is a secretary to a physician. Mary has no occupation listed.

I was also able to locate an index entry on Familysearch for Josiah G Dudley, 35, in 1910 in ward 6 of Providence Rhode Island with his wife, Mary E., 35, and daughter Marion G. aged 11 years. His year of immigration is given as 1893. Familysearch also has the 1915 Rhode Island State Census entry for them. Ancestry.com has the marriage index for Rhode Island. It gives the marriage of Mary E. Barlow and Josiah G. Dudley as 21 December 1897.

While on the Ancestry.com website, I decided to check for his naturalization information. I located it and learned that Josiah Gilbert Dudley arrived at the port of Boston, Massachusetts on 14 June 1892 and was naturalized 25 June 1904 and was living at 71 Rugby Street. His place of birth is given as Derby, England.

Charles Henry Dudley
In 1930, Charles H. Dudley, aged 53 is living on Cottage Street in Boston Massachusetts with his wife Jennie M., aged 42 and born in Connecticut, and son Gilbert C. aged 19 years. Charles owned his home and it was valued at $10,000. Charles was a barber. His year of immigration was given as 1908. I had always thought that he had left England earlier than my grandmother (his sister). Ten years later, their home's value has decreased to $9,000. Jennie provided the information.

Further research provided me with more information. I located him in the 1910 and 1920 census records. His naturalization record of 9 March 1925, gives his birth information as 22 February 1877 in Matlock, England. He is a barber and his wife's name is Jennie. Charles was living at 700 Columbia Road, Boston. Ancestry.com also has his passenger record. He arrived in Boston on board the Saxonia on 23 July 1908.


My curiosity about the 1940 census led to quite a bit of information on both of my great uncles and clues for further research.


To see photos of the two brothers, see the Wordless Wednesday posting.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Carnival of Genealogy: Women's History Month 2012

For this Carnival, I thought I'd would share what I know about Sarah Mucklow, my great-grandmother.

Sarah was baptized the 16th of September in 1849 in Arrow, Warwickshire. Her parents were John Mucklow and Hannah James. According to Free BMD website, her birth was registered in the September 1/4 1849. This is a record that I could order.

I have her in the census records for 1861 to 1901 -- 1861 in Exhall, 1871 in Alcester, 1881 in Birmingham, 1891 in Aston All Saints Bordesley and 1901, Aston, St. Andrew. So I need to find her in 1851 and 1911.

Sarah married Josiah Dudley 28 July 1867 in Haselor, Warwickshire.

The family story that I have been told about her is that she had 22 children: three sets of twins, two sets of triplets but only four survived to adulthood.

So far, I have found only 5 children
Bertha Ann baptized 10 March 1869 -- she appears on the 1871 census A search of Free BMDs give this listing but not in the 1881 census where you would expect to still find her living with her parents. The following death is likely for her.

death March 1875 quarter

DUDLEY

Bertha Ann

6

Derby

7b

391

 Next I have Joseph Gilbert.
This could be him

birth March 1875 quarter  Dudley

Josiah Gilbert

Derby

7b

479

Next I have Charles H. born about 1875
Could this be his birth registration
birth June quarter 1877

Dudley

Charles Henry

Bakewell

7b

753

Both Joseph and Charles move to the United States to live.

My grandmother, Emily Lily was born 31 January 1884 in Birmingham.
Her registration March quarter 1884

Dudley

Emily Lily

Birmingham

6d

74

The last known child was Rose who was born 8 May 1889.
This is likely her registration - June quarter 1889.

Dudley

Rose May

Aston

6d

289

Sarah's husband died 17 November 1901. Josiah's trade had been a bricklayer.

Although, I have been told by relatives that Sarah died in 1922, the registration that looks like a match for her is not until 1924.

Deaths Sep quarter 1924
Dudley Sarah 56 Birmingham 6d 198

As I review what I know about her, I see there are large gaps between some of the known children.  Did she actually have 22 children? That remains to be seen.

---


Baptism: Sarah Mucklow baptismal record Arrow Parish Church, Warwickshire, microfilm 549945, Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bertha Ann Dudley baptismal record Alcester Warwickshire Parish Records. FHL #0537290
Sarah Mucklow -- Josiah Dudley marriage Church of England. Parish Church of Haselor p. 26 FHL 557286 item 1
© 2012 Janet Iles

Flash Family History -- Iles and Dudley

Each of their stories are 300 words or less.

Born in Naunton, Gloucestershire, England on 1 February 1885, my paternal grandfather, William George Iles, was the eldest son of George Iles and Emily Pugh. Because of the nature of his father's work as a bone and rag man, hawker and later a grocery carter, the family moved many times. His siblings were Edith, Alice, Ethel, Albert Valentine, Emmanuel James, Harold Edward, and Lillian Ruth. By 1900, the family was living in Small Heath, Birmingham, England.


William was employed with the railways. In 1903, he married Emily Lily Dudley. He immigrated to Canada in 1905 with his wife and young daughter, May, his mother and siblings. His father most likely came the previous year.

In World War I, William served his country with the 58th Canadian Infantry Battalion in France as a bandsman and a stretcher bearer. William was employed as a nickle-plater with the Empire Stove and Furnace Company in Owen Sound for 45 years.

William began playing cornet as a boy of 14 in England and he soon joined a Salvation Army Band. When he came to Owen Sound, he reorganized the Salvation Army Band and became its bandmaster. He also took over leadership of the Legion Band that eventually became the Owen Sound City Band. It is through his work with the brass bands in the city that he became best known. He taught many young people how to play a brass instrument.

William died in 1964.

William and Emily had at least ten children: Edith May, Iva Ella, Daisy Gladys, Clarence William Albert, Wilfred George Dudley, Harold Ballantyne (my father), William, Clifford Harvey, Emanuel Kenneth, and William Charles.

Allied surnames through the marriage of his sisters are Dyson, Fearnall, and Brooks. Allied surnames through the marriage of his daughters are: Litherland, Banks, and Barber.

Emily Lily Dudley was born in 31 January 1884 in Birmingham, England, to Josiah Dudley, a bricklayer, and Sarah Mucklow. Three siblings, Joseph Gilbert, Charles and Rose May, lived to adulthood.

In 1901, Lil's father died. Two years later, she married William George Iles, in the Register office.

Lily came to Canada in 1905 with her husband, baby girl, May, William's mother and his siblings. Her brothers had already immigrated to the United States. She left behind in England, her sister, Rose and her mother, Sarah.

The 1911 census shows the George and William Iles families living outside Owen Sound. What a contrast after living in the crowded city of Birmingham. The family moved into Owen Sound, a small town, where Lil lived the rest of her life.

Until her death, Lily was a member of the Salvation Army, but her husband and some of the boys left the Salvation Army to join the United Church of Canada. I have been told that she played the timbrel (similar to a tambourine).She was an active member of the Home League.

Lil was mother to nine who lived to adulthood: three daughters and six sons, with none living now. During World War II, five sons served with the Canadian Armed Forces. Fortunately, all returned home.

She knit baby sets and sweaters for her young grandchildren. She was grandma to over thirty grand-children. When she got older and her vision was getting poorer, grandpa wrote out the patterns on cardboard to make it easier for her to follow.

They celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary with a family dinner. In attendance were her six sons and three daughters, twenty-eight grandchildren and thirty-three great grandchildren.

In her later years, she became quite frail, but she still had the sparkle in her eyes. She died in 1967.

Too late for the COG, I  posted stories about my maternal grandparents.

© 2012 Janet Iles

Carnival of Genealogy - Religious Rites a long standing tradition in our family

The topic for the 99th edition of the Carnival of Genealogy will be: Religious Rites. 

The earliest marriage record I have is for the marriage of my great-great-great grandparents, Richard Iles and Patience Blandford at the Parish Church in Brimpsfield, Gloucestershire 21 October 1822. It was there that they brought their fourteen children for baptism.

James Iles, my great-great grandfather, married Louisa Belcher also at the Parish Church in Brimpsfield. on 10 July 1845. James was a shepherd. The church records show that his work must have taken the family to other small communities as the children are baptized in different parishes.

Baptismal Dates and Locations
Albert - 31 August 1845 - Withington, Gloucestershire, England
Isaac  - 23 May 1847 - Brimpsfield, Gloucestershire, England

Eliza Jane - 2 November 1856 - Lower Swell, Gloucestershire,  England
Susan - 2 November 1856 - Lower Swell, Gloucestershire,  England
Mary Jane - 2  November 1856 - Lower Swell, Gloucestershire,  England

Eliza Jane, Susan and Mary Jane are not triplets but for some reason, they were baptized on the same day.
Alice - 1 February 1857 - Lower Swell, Gloucestershire, England
George  (my great-grandfather) - 2 January 1859 - Guiting Lower, Gloucestershire, England

I do not have baptismal records for the younger children: Charlotte, Emmanuel and Timothy.

Researchers seek out Parish records to learn about the milestone events in our ancestors' lives, prior to civil registration, which began in mid-1837 in England. Although baptismal records do not necessarily give the date of birth or burial records the date of death, these church records do provide helpful information. I know that I am happy to see that my ancestors' received the blessing of the church for these special events. I have not searched for baptismal records after 1859 for the Iles family.

My parents brought each of us for our baptismal service to Knox United, Owen Sound, when we were babies. The parents and babies lined the front of the sanctuary. I have my baptismal certificate. For many years, it was rolled up but I have placed in an archival sleeve so that I can show it and preserve it. In the past, the newspaper recorded the names of those baptized.

Some of my relatives are/were members of the Salvation Army. They do not have infant baptism but have a dedication service. According to family information, my great-aunt, Rose Dudley who was born in 1889, was the first child to be dedicated in the newly built Salvation Army Hall in Small Heath, Birmingham, England. Some family members have been or are Salvation Army officers both in Canada and England. They would have had an ordination service after completion of their studies.


Before I had my confirmation ceremony, I attended classes Sunday afternoons at the church for about a month. In those days, you didn't take your first communion until after confirmation. Now, in our church, little ones participate in the communion service.

 I am happy that my family has a long standing tradition of participating in religious rites in whichever church they attended.

© 2010 Janet Iles

Women's History Month Salutes

Women's History Month salutes Emily Lily Iles nee Dudley. Although, her name was registered as Emily, I have only known her as Lil.
I was fortunate that I spent my early years living across the road from my grandmother. Thanks to photographs that have been kept in the family, I have photographs of her at different stages of her adult life and one from her childhood.

Emily Lily Dudley was born in 1884 in Birmingham, England to Josiah Dudley, a bricklayer and Sarah Mucklow. She came from a family where only four children lived into adulthood. Family lore says that Lil's mother had 22 children, which included 3 sets of twins and 2 sets of triplets. This has not been substantiated. So far, I have found only one other birth in 1869. There is a gap from 1875 to 1884 so quite possibly there were other children.

The picture to the left is of Rose, her younger sister and Lil.


In 1901, Lil's father died. At the time of Lil's marriage, the family lived at 2 Back 6 Little Green Lane in the Aston area of Birmingham. (Small Heath) Housing was often crowded. To read about Back to Back Housing in Birmingham, check this site.
I suspect that she met her future husband, William Iles at the Small Heath Salvation Army.









Using multi-map with approximate addresses, it would be about a twenty minute walk between their homes.


My grandparents were married in 1903 in the Register office. From the Salvation Army Heritage web site I learnt that

The Salvation Army, were not registered to perform marriages until 1898 (and after that it was up to individual corps to have their halls licensed). Many corps halls were not licensed for marriages until the 1950s or 1960s, or later, so sometimes there would be two ceremonies: the official marriage ceremony at the Register Office and a Salvation Army marriage service at the Army hall. After 1898, the corps building could be used for marriages, with the ceremony conducted by a Salvation Army officer, but with a registrar or 'Authorised Person' present to fulfil the legal requirements.

The photograph to the left may be from around the time of their marriage.


Lily came to Canada in 1905 with her husband and baby girl, May. Also on board were William's mother and siblings. Her father-in-law may have emigrated the year before. Her older brothers had already emigrated to the United States. She left behind her sister, Rose and her mother, Sarah in England.


The 1911 census shows the two Iles families living outside Owen Sound. What a contrast after living in the crowded city of Birmingham. The family moved into Owen Sound, a small town, and Lil lived there the rest of her life.



Lily was a member of the Salvation Army until her death, but her husband and some of the boys left the Salvation Army to join the United Church of Canada. I have been told that she played the timbrel (similar to a tambourine) and was active in the Home League.

Lil was mother to nine who lived to adulthood: three daughters and six sons. One son and one daughter are still living. During the First World War, her husband was overseas for three and a half years. I understand that he went overseas in March 1916, the month in which my father was born. I wonder if he was home for my dad's birth. It must have been hard for her while grandpa was gone. She kept the postcards that he sent her.

During the Second World War, five of her sons served. Fortunately, all returned home.

Grandma knit baby sets and sweaters for her young grandchildren. She was grandma to over thirty grand-children. I recall a time when she asked me to try on a sweater. She wanted me to check how it fit on me as she was making it for one of my cousins who was about my size. It turns out it was to be my sweater. I don't remember anything about the sweater. When she got older and her vision was getting poorer, grandpa wrote out the patterns on cardboard to make it easier for her to follow.
This photograph is of my sister, Nancy and I. I don't look very happy. I have never been fond of having my photo taken.
She and William celebrated their sixtieth wedding anniversary with a family dinner. In attendance were her six sons and three daughters, twenty-eight grandchildren and thirty-three great grandchildren.

In her later years, she became quite frail, but she still had the sparkle in her eyes. The photograph below was taken at Niagara Falls. It would be quite an outing for her.

Now that I am interested in our family history, I wish had asked her more questions. I would love to know more about her life and her family.

Guess who's coming for dinner?

I couldn't resist this title for the 41st Carnival of Genealogy submission
The challenge

If you could have dinner with four of your ancestors who would they be and why? Here's a chance to exercise your imagination... Would you have dinner in the present day or in one of their eras? Would you dine out or opt for a home cooked meal? What would you discuss at the dinner table? What would you most like to share with them about your life?

Who would be there?

1. My 4th great grandfather -- John Nicholas Stiver (born Johan Niclaus Stőber [Stoeber]) in what is now Germany around 1745. He came to Canada in 1794.
   
2. My great-great grandfather Thomas Love. Thomas came to Canada with his wife in the 1840s
   
3. My great grandmother - Emily Iles nee Pugh. She came to Canada with her family in 1905
   
4. My great grandfather - Josiah Dudley. Josiah lived all his life in England.

Although it would be interesting to visit them in the past, I think I will invite them all to join me in the present time. They would come dressed in their clothing of their era.
I would invite my sister and brother and their children to come to the meal. I would invite everyone for a home cooked meal, but I would not be the one who prepared the whole meal. I would ask my brother (who is a great barbecuer), my nephew (who is a chef) and my sister to prepare one of her delicious recipes. In addition to a barbecue with a great assortment of food, I would make my mother's recipe for macaroni and cheese and also the casserole that I made most Saturday afternoons in my teens.
Discussion - lots of questions for each of these folks. Perhaps, they would share some of their adventures with each other.
1. John Stiver - How did your name evolve? Who were your parents? Where were you born? What did you do in Germany? What was your wife's maiden name? Did you leave any family behind in Europe and what were their names? Why did you join up with William Berczy and the other travellers? Were you the "Stubbe with wife and five children" referred to in the Pennsylvania German Pioneers listing of those on board the brigantine vessel, Catharina that sailed from Hamburg in 1792 and arrived in Philadelphia 3 August 1792? We know of only four children. Was there another child or is that an error? What were your feelings as you left your homeland? What was the voyage like? Did you help with clearing roads in the United States and Canada? Did you learn to speak English? Did you have any regrets about coming to Canada?
2. Thomas Love - We don't know much about you. Where were you born in Scotland? How did you meet your wife Agnes Hamilton? Tell me more about life in Scotland. Why did you come to Canada? How did you hear about this country? What was the voyage like? Where were the children born? What did you do in Canada? Where were you living when you died?
3. Emily Iles nee Pugh. Did you ever know your father and do you know what happened to him? What did your mother tell you about life in the workhouse (poor house)? Did your mother re-marry? How did you meet George? What was it like moving from place to place? Were you happy with the decision to come to Canada? Did George come the year before? What brought you to Owen Sound? What was your voyage like?
4. Josiah Dudley - Were you born in the workhouse? Did you have any siblings? What happened to them? Did your mother ever talk about your father? The story that has been passed down to us that you had Spanish ancestry. I was told that you were born in Spain but that is not what is said on the census. Was there a Spanish connection with your mother's father? Her father was Thomas according to her marriage later in life. I found a Thomas Dudley living in the area that was British Subject born in Spain. Was that her father? Who did you learn your brick laying trade from? Were you a lay preacher? What was it like to be part of the Salvation Army in the early days?
What would I like to share with them about my life? - an interesting question. To help all my guests understand how we are all interconnected, I would show a family chart. Perhaps, I would prepare a DVD to give them an idea about their descendants and the areas that some of them lived. - with lots of photos. I would take them for a ride around my region. Emily would be interested in seeing the changes in the places where she lived here. It would be interesting to hear their reactions to all these changes. Would they like to live in these times?