I'm back to my 5x great grandfather Joseph PORTAS, bp. abt. 1720-ish. I can only speculate who his parents are. I haven't found Joseph's baptism record...yet. Right now that is my brick wall. Advice was to leave it alone for a while, then come back to it with a fresh look. I'm taking that advice and working on updating information in my tree program Reunion 10, tackling the "piles" of printouts and photocopies, sorting and scanning images, spring cleaning (now?) my genealogy files on the computer. I'm finding information that didn't mean much a couple years ago, but now as my research has progressed, this stuff means a lot more and can be plugged into family data.
LOOKING AT MY PATERNAL LINEAGE
Since I don't have a lot of information on William 1754, and Joseph 1720-ish, I can show you Joseph 1786. He's not hiding information from me <grin>. He is the first Portas who I have recorded on the census starting with 1841.
JOSEPH 1786-1874
BAPTISM
My 3x great grandfather Joseph was baptized 7 May 1786 in North Coates, Lincs. It was a chore finding this record. The image below was the first inkling I had found it. I was in the Lincolnshire Archives, Lincoln, Lincs, England when I spotted this on one of the films with North Coates transcriptions. I put the "[Joseph son of]" in there several years later when I discovered the next image in Bishop's Transcripts of parish register. BTs are copies of the actual parish register.
Quiet fireworks went up inside me as I sat starring at the image projected downward from the film reader in the Family History Library – "I found him!" I said, proud of myself in my discovery. There it was squeezed between the word "Baptisms" and the first entry, "Joseph son of William and Elizabeth Portas was bapt. May 7th." It looked like the entry on the BT was a last minute entry before the BT was sent to where they were deposited.
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| St. Nicholas, North Coates, Lincolnshire, England http://www.wparkinson.com/Churches/ Photo by Paul Fenwick |
Now I have established where and when he was baptized. The census you'll see later shows he was born in Marshchapel, that could be true also since it wasn't mandatory to register births until 1837 in England. North Coates and Marshchapel are very close to one another. As it is, Elizabeth was from Marshchapel. It was common for a daughter to go to her mother's for the birth of her children. This could be true in Elizabeth case.
MARRIAGE
Joseph married Mary DENNIS on 15 May 1809 in Alford, Lincs. They were married by Banns. I have to get the published Banns. On their marriage record it states Joseph is from Ludborough instead of North Coates or Marshchapel. That was curious. I would think he had been working there, but I haven't found any proof yet if he had settlement papers or apprentice papers, etc. He could have met Mary during that time. I haven't come across any records showing where he was employed. Manorial Records might tell the tale.Joseph was 23 when he married Mary who was of the Alford Parish. Don't let anyone tell you there wasn't mobility back then. There was, especially in Lincs. Alford is about 20 miles south east of Ludborough. That is a decent distance to travel for work.
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| St. Wilfred, Alford, Lincolnshire, England Photo by me. |
CENSUSES
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Joseph and Mary had been married 32 years. They are both 55 and born "Y" which means he was born in the county. Joseph was an agricultural labourer. John 30 is first son of six. John was widowed as I later found out. Benjamin 8 is the son of John. Mary 6 is the illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary's first daughter. She had a son Thomas who would have been 4, but I don't know where he was on census
night 6 Jun 1841.
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1851
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This is the first census that shows were people were born, marital status, and relationship to head of household. We now can see Joseph is born in Marsh Chapel, he is the head of household, married, 66 (10 years later from 1841 should be 65), and an agricultural labourer. Wife Mary born in Mareham le Fen, is 69 (should be 65), living with them is grandson Benjamin 17 and is a labourer, born Bolingbroke. John I find out later had gotten married and is living out of this household. Granddaughter Mary is a house servant in the John Ellwood household on census night 30 Mar 1851.
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1861
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This census is the really my family, which did throw me a little when I saw Mary is now shown as Sarah! Everybody is listed as born in Mareham le Fen – "Do" equals Ditto which refers to a person several families above. Benjamin is still living with them and is now 29, unmarried agricultural labourer. They are living on "The Green" this census night 30 Mar 1861.
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1871
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On April 2, census night, Joseph and family are still living on the Green in Mareham le Fen. Joseph is still the head, 85, Pauper, and now showing he was born in North Coates. Mary isn't Sarah now, wife, 85, born Mareham le Fen. Their first daughter Elizabeth is now living with them at age 46. She is now a SANDERSON and is widowed. With her is daughter Hannah 15, and son William 9, both born in Burgh. William is listed as an "Idiot"! This is the first census which gives a medical status using the old descriptive words like idiot, blind, deaf and dumb, imbecile, lunatic... some of those words wouldn't be used today.
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BURIAL
Joseph was buried in Mareham le Fen on 26 May 1874 at age 89, having died three days earlier. I'm still looking for settlement papers and records declaring he is getting parish support when he was considered a pauper. Mary did in 1876. Both are buried somewhere in St. Helen's churchyard.
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| St. Helen's, Mareham le Fen, Lincolnshire, England Photo by me. |
CHILDREN
Joseph and Mary had seven known children: John 1810, Elizabeth 1814, Joseph 1816, William Dennis 1817, David 1822 died at three days old, David 1823, and Richard 1826. William Dennis is the only child I know of who has a middle name. William is my 2x great grandfather who emigrated from Lincs in 1875 and settled in Kansas in around 1878.
The naming conventions weren't practiced. If they were, William Dennis would have been the first born son's name instead of John. Normally you can go back one generation based on the naming practices.
This blog thing is fun. Thanks for getting this far without falling asleep!
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