May 2016 – Page 3 – Moore-Mays Genealogy

Definitely a Small World

Posted on 11-May-2016 by Kathleen

Like all genealogists, I am always searching things for familiar names. It could be newspapers and obituaries or even my families Facebook pages. When I finally got my Grandpa Moore to clear out his closet in Columbus, I was absolutely ecstatic. I was even happier when he let me confiscate what was in it. Police Chief’s granddaughter humor there. There were boxes of things in that closet. More than I thought I would ever be able to go through. I even thought I would have to weed some of it out. I had heard stories of grandparents saving things that weren’t exactly important. I haven’t thrown anything out though, because apparently my great-grandparents were amateur genealogists. They saved all the right things at all the right times. I have so many amazing records, I could just cry thinking about it. It makes me wish I had known them. Technically I knew Grandma Llewellyn, but I don’t remember her since I was so young when she died. I know I would have loved her though because through these objects she kept, I know that I would have spent a lot of time talking about the past with her. I am just so grateful that my Aunt Lori loves talking about it so much, because it is the next best thing.

Imagine my surprise when I’m going through all these things that have sat in a closet for over 30 years, and I find the most amazing thing. Not even something for my father’s side of the family, but my mothers.

You see, my great-grandpa William was an accountant for AT&T in New York City for over 30 years. This man loved to keep records of everything, from bibles to various kinds of account booklets. I can even tell you what my parents telephone number was in 1977 because Great-Grandpa had everyone’s addresses and phone numbers in a book. The pictured book is basically a calendar book with these testimonials on the other page. What you see above is Mrs. R. T. Webb talking about her ailments. My Great-Grandpa didn’t know Mrs. R. T. Webb but I sure do. She’s my 3x Great Aunt on my mother’s side of the tree. She is the sister-in-law of my 3x Great-Grandfather George Washington Webb.

It really is a small world folks.

When to Change the Spelling on a Name?

Posted on 09-May-2016 by Kathleen

One of the problems I still struggle with is when to change a spelling for one of my families. Usually it’s not an issue. 90% of my families stay pretty consistent. There is that other 10% though. My latest example being the Featherson/Featherston family.

I first became aware of the Feathersons on my great-grandparents marriage certificate.

0284-CliffordHerbertRedford-MR — New Jersey Office of Vital Statistics & Registry, marriage certificate 4422 (1923), Redford-Parkin; New Jersey Department of Health, Trenton

My 2x great-grandmother’s maiden name on this record shows Jennie Featherson. Now in indexes, it usually comes up as Peatherson just like Sutcliffe usually comes up as Putcliffe. I really believe that is an F on this record.

Once I had her maiden name, I tried searching for her in a census. I knew then that Jane Parkin was born in 1896 and since the 1890 census is gone I have to go father back than I would normally like. I tried searching in the 1885 New Jersey State Census and came up with nothing after trying many spellings. That leaves the 1880 Census. I should also note that I found John Walter Parkin, his wife Jennie, and their 4 children in the 1900 census. That means I have an estimated birth date of Jan/June 1875 in Pennsylvania.

William Featherston, 1880 Census — 1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Baltimore County, Maryland. Baltimore city, enumeration district (ED) 33, p. 546-A, dwelling 94, family 106, William Featherston; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 1 Apr 2016); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T9, roll 498.

I was a little surprised to find my closest match living in Baltimore, Maryland in 1880. It might seem like a jump, but putting together the evidence, maybe not so much. Jennie Featherston is about 5 years old and born in Pennsylvania. Her mother was born in New Jersey as were her parents. This is a nice fit, but how can I prove this is my Jennie? Featherston and Featherson are close enough. Then I got an idea to check a city directory. I thought maybe if I found William Featherston/Featherson in the city directory and his name was spelled without the T, then that would help my case.

William Featherston, 1882 — John W. Woods, Baltimore City Directory, 1882: 289; digital images, Ancestry http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 Apr 2016.

Strange enough, I couldn’t find him in 1880, but kept checking and finally found him in an 1882 Baltimore City Directory. It looks like the T is still sticking to his name though. This means I need more records, and more instances to compare. So I sent away for the marriage certificate of Jennie Featherson and John Walter Parkin.

0310-JohnWParkin-MR — New Jersey State Archives, marriage certificate (1891), Parkin-Featherson; New Jersey Division of Archives & Records Management.

Well, this 1891 marriage certificate just confuses me more. Here I have Jennie Featherson, born in Philadelphia, USA (NEW CLUE!), her father is listed as William Featherson and her mother as Jennie with no maiden name. That doesn’t exactly help my case either, since the 1880 Census of William Featherston has a wife named Anna. I just have more questions. Are these the same families? Are they different families? Is Anna a second wife and Jennie a first wife? There is a gap between William Featherston’s second and third child, plus a change in location. That could be a gap where his wife died. It was about this time where I remembered that I had Jennie and John Parkin in 1900 with their four children and it should list the birthplaces of her parents.

John Parkin, 1900 — 1900 U.S. census, population schedule, Essex County, New Jersey. Newark Ward 11, enumeration district (ED) 113, sheet 12-A, p. 12-A, dwelling 172, family 248, John Walter; digital images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 18 Apr 2016); citing National Archives and Records Administration microfilm T623, roll 966.

Please forgive the surname on this record, the family is listed as having a surname of Walter, which is John’s middle name. If I pay attention to just Jennie though, I notice her father was born in England and her mother in New Jersey. Okay, so my 1880 Census couple the Featherston’s might still be a fit. Also notice that Jennie named her first-born daughter Anna.

It’s at this point that I realized I’m going to need more records than what I now have. Really, I could always use more records. Before I could decide to add this couple into my tree as Jennie’s parents, I just needed a little more. I went to FamilySearch.org and checked their catalog. They’ve had so much added recently, I thought I might try to see what they have.

It turns out they have a Philadelphia City Births collection! Just what I needed… I guess. There is a perfect fit for Featherston, if my 2x great grandmother’s name was Anne. However, if you look over my previous records, they could use Anne or Jennie as a nickname of the other name. Or maybe they are still 2 different families.

It also doesn’t help that between 1900 and the 1905 New Jersey State Census, I lose my 2x great grandmother Jennie. I am assuming she died because John is living with his mother and their children are living in what looks like a children’s home. By 1910, John is also gone and the kids bounce around a lot. The Featherstons and Feathersons both disappear as well. It is obvious more research is needed.

If this turns out to be the right family it is surely enough evidence to change the name in my database from Featherson to Featherston. The question I have though, is how much evidence do you wait for before changing the spelling of a name in your database? Except for the two marriage records, all other spellings of the family name is Featherston. Yet, the more solid resources, vital records, give the name as Featherson.

William Richard Parkin

Posted on 06-May-2016 by Kathleen

October 9, 1841

William Richard Parkin was born in Sheffield, England to parents, John and Mary Parkin.

December 19, 1841

William was baptized at St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral in Sheffield, England.

Note: I know this only from a parish index, so I need to see the actual record for more information.

March 30, 1851

John Parkin‘s household was recorded in the 1851 England census. The family is living in Ashton Under Lyne. John Parkin is record as being a brushmaker and 33 years old. His birthplace is listed as Sheffield. John’s wife Mary is recorded as being 34 years old and her birthplace it Retford, Nottinghamshire, England. William Richard Parkin is recorded as being 9 years old and going to school. This census also lists his birth place as Sheffield.

Note: It is a little funny that William Richard Parkin’s mother might be born in Retford, England and then his grand-daughter will marry a man with the last name Redford.

about 1860

William Richard Parkin joins the British Army. I counted back from his discharge papers. It listed his time of service as 11 years and 70 days at least.

April 24, 1864

William Richard Parkin marries Ann Maltis in Hampton parish, Middlesex county, England. W. Ballard and Ellen Geary are witnesses. William lists his residence as Hampton Court and Ann lists hers as Surbiton. His father is listed as John Parkins, brushmaker and hers is listed as William Maltis, carter. Marriage Record

between 1863 and 1865

My 2nd great grandfather, John Walter Parkin, is born in Cheshire, England. I am still tracking down his birth registration. The only reason I know it might be in Cheshire is because of the 1871 England Census. I will just have to pony up and get each record that is close until I find the right one. 😉

April 1870

William‘s second child and only daughter, Mary Ann Parkin, is born in Kingston, Surrey, England.

April 2, 1871

The 1871 England Census is taken. Ann Maltis-Parkin is recorded living with her parents and her twin sister Elizabeth in Kingston, Surrey, England. Her children John Walter Parkin and Mary Ann Parkin are also living there. William is not listed in the household.

May 16, 1872

William is discharged from the 12th Lancers. I don’t quite understand the record I found in the Chelsea Pensioner Discharge book, but I know he was a private, and most likely in the 244th Regiment. His date of application was May 6, 1872, and date of authority May 9, 1872. His character is listed as Fair. His amount of service towards G.C. Pay and Pension is 6 years, 9 days. His amount of service towards completion of limited engagement was 11 years, 70 days. I will be researching what all this means in the future.

October 4, 1872

William‘s third child, William Maltis Parkin, is born. His birth is registered in Chorlton district, Lancashire, England. John and Mary Parkin were living in Chorlton at the time.

December 29, 1872

William and Ann’s son William is baptized in the Cathedral and Parish Church of Manchester, England.

October 6, 1874

William, aboard The Republic, arrives in New York City at Castle Garden. He lists his age as 33 and his occupation as laborer. Passenger List

December 1874

William‘s fourth child, Joseph B. Parkin, is born in England. There are too many Joseph Parkin birth registrations for me to know which one is his. For this purpose, I used his estimated birth from the 1900 United States Census.

July 26, 1875

Ann Maltis-Parkin, John Walter Parkin, Mary Ann Parkin, William Maltis Parkin, and Joseph Parkin arrive in New York City at Castle Garden. They arrived on The Republic, the same ship William arrived on the previous year..

June 14, 1880

William R Parkin and his wife Ann are counted in the 1880 United States Census. They are living in East Orange, Essex County, New Jersey on Sterling Street. William is working in a sand paper factory. Living in the house are 4 children, John Walter Parkin, Mary A Parkin, William M Parkin, and Joseph Parkin. All kids are listed as being born in England.

August 2, 1881

William Richard Parkin dies in Bloomfield, New Jersey at the age of 39. According to his death certificate he was sick for about a year. He was also sick with bronchitis, but his cause of death is listed as phthisis pulmonalis or Tuberculosis. He was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.

1885

In 1885 New Jersey took a state census. This is the first census of any kind since William’s death. In Newark’s 11th Ward, we find Ann and the four children with a bit of a surprise.

In this record we have Ann and the four children I am sure about. The surprise though is the two girls at the bottom. Mary Parkin and Jane Parkin. When I click on them it gives their age as four and under. I think I’m going to have to take some serious time to analyze this record, maybe even see if I can order it from the Archives. Ann always gave her number of children as 4 living, 4 born, so these two girls are a mystery to me, especially since it didn’t seem that William Richard Parkin had any siblings.

Records to Find:

William Richard Parkin‘s birth and baptismal records. Sheffield has an index online, but I need to see the real record.
John Walter Parkin‘s birth record, maybe baptismal too.
William in 1861 and 1871. He could have traveled with the military, so I will have to look deeper into those records.
Joseph Parkin birth record.
Any birth, marriage or death records for Mary and Jane Parkin to see who their parents are.

Records to Order:

Mary Ann Parkin‘s birth record. Kingston, Surrey, England.
William Maltis Parkin‘s birth record. Chorlton, Lancashire, England.
The 1885 New Jersey State Census record for Ann Parkin.

William R Parkin and Ann Maltis marriage

Posted on 04-May-2016 by Kathleen

Since I will be posting a timeline of William Richard Parkin on Friday, I thought I should post his marriage certificate on here as a little teaser. I recently got this in the mail from England and was very excited to jump back another generation. This record taught me a couple of things I didn’t know and confirmed some things I suspected.

I had suspected that a John Parkin, brushmaker, from Sheffield, England was his father and I think this helps sway me in that direction.
I was absolutely surprised when the certificate came in and it was for Middlesex county, Hampton parish. As you can tell it was registered in Kingston, Surrey, England where Ann’s family lived.
William’s occupation of being a private in the 12th Lancers was another surprise. Where I know him from in America, he was a stone cutter and worked in a sand paper factory.

That’s all for now! I don’t want to give too much away before Friday. 😉 Plus I need to update my database website with the new info.

Brief Website Makeover

Posted on 04-May-2016 by Kathleen

Hello all, just dropping in quickly this morning to say I’ve refreshed my database website with a new look. I am recovering from a 3 day migraine and just could not take the bright colors I used to love.

I made sure to leave in links to everything that had links before. Now I just need to keep updating it so it has more current research on it. The only major re-design that would happen to either this section or the database section is when I learn more coding. 🙂 That’s going to take a little time though, so this design will probably be around a while.

I will hopefully be back later today with an actual genealogy update or record at least. Then Friday, I will be posting another time. This time for William Richard Parkin.