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Re: Ferguson (and Crookes)

Hi Christine, The 1881 census shows him with John W Crookes but states that he is single?

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes)

Harriett Morton married John Moxon in 1960. According to GRO index Harriet Moxon 1871 and Sarah Ann Moxon 1880 were their children.
Cannot find a death for John Moxon, but Harriet Moxon died in 1886.
There is no marriage for Margaret Moxon to Henry Ferguson.
It looks like they may have got together iafter 1881 but could not marry because her husband was still alive.
It seem Henry took on her children as his own after her death.
Death

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes)

Hi

Bit more to the picture.

In 1871 John and Harriet Moxon are living in Furnace Hill with daughters Mary A (born abt 1860) and Harriet (born 1871). John was a cutler, born in Ireland.

In 1881 cant seem to find Harriet and her children, but John Moxon is now living as a boarder in the Newbould household. He gives his status as SINGLE - so is split from Harriet.

When Harriet Moxon (B 1871) gets married in 1890 to Frederick Kenyon, she gives her father as John Moxon, deceased

Maybe - after Harriet and John split up in 1880/1881 he went back to Ireland??

Harriet Moxon died at 2 Powell Street and was buried 29 Dec 1886 at ST Philips.

Denise

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes)

Thanks for your reply. I was puzzled too why he described himself as single. With further research it seems that Henry Ferguson did not marry Harriet Moxon but looking at further censuses he seemed to care for her children from a previous marriage. She died in 1886.
Kind regards,
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes)

Thanks for your efforts Dave. I suspected that Moxon could've been the mother's maiden name but couldn't find a marriage that matched. I didn't think of the fact that she had been previously married so that explains it all! I've researched the family a little further and it certainly seems to tie in. It must have been hard on the families with so many parents dying young.
Thanks again,
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes)

Thank you Denise for your research on this family. I've gone through each suggestion you've provided and they seem to tie in with my family. It looks like there was another child, William Moxon, baptised 28 June 1869, in Sheffield.
When I looked at the possible marriage of Harriet Moxon to Frederick Kenyson in 1890, I felt it was confirmed to be the right family when I checked the 1891 Census. They were living next door to Harriet's step-father, Henry Ferguson.
Thanks again for your valuable help,
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Thanks to all who replied to my previous query. It has greatly helped my research. It seems Henry Ferguson didn't marry or father the 2 daughters previously mentioned. His partner, Harriet Moxon (nee Morton) appears to have split from her husband John Moxon.

In the 1881 Census Harriet (40) has described herself as a widow but confusingly uses the surname Ferguson. She is living with her daughters, Harriet (10), Sarah Ann (1), and Clara Ann Crookes (14) niece. The address is Ct 1 1H St Stephens Road.

In the 1881 Census Henry Ferguson (37) describes himself as a lodger in the house of Henry Nicholson (who is actually the second husband of his late sister, Harriet Crookes Nicholson), and John W. Crookes, stepson of H. Nicholson (and twin of Clara Ann Crookes mentioned in the paragraph above)! The address is 8 Powell Street, Sheffield.

Are these two addresses close to each other? I'm curious as to why Harriet Morton Moxon describes herself as 'widow' Harriet Ferguson, when she and Henry Ferguson are not living together.

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Hi Christine

Yes the 2 addresses are very close by - but at the same time John Moxon is also living in the same area (describing himself as Single).!

Harriet obviously wanted to distance herself from the Moxon name - could be just because she and John were still married (remember he was from Ireland so maybe Catholic?) - maybe John did something terrible?

Her easiest option would just be to call herself a Widow. Having 2 daughters she probably wouldnt wanted to describe herself as single. (but John could get away with describing himself as Single).

Shes obviously in some kind of relationship with Henry in 1881, but probably only recently split from John (after the birth of Sarah Ann). With John in the same area and them still married it wouldnt be appropriate (or maybe even safe - we dont know why she and John split?) for her to move in with Henry at this point.

On the census her options would have been:
Harriet Moxon , Single (not with 2 children)
Harriet Moxon, Married (but she clearly wanted to get rid of the Moxon name and where was her husband?)
Harriet Moxon, Widow (but with John in the area might not have been the best choice)
Harriet Ferguson, Widow (so getting rid of the Moxon name, while maintaining a respectable status and explaining why she was living without a man). Plus, if she and Henry were planning to move in together eventually she would probably have taken his name anyway, so...

Harriet died at 2 Powell Street, so we know she did move into the same street as Henry - into the same house ? Possibly. Her death certificate would probably shed more light on that.

Obviously all theories, but possible!?

Denise

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

A fact to throw into thew mix. The baptism of Sarah Ann Moxon is on this site and took place at St Stephens Netherthorpe on 4th May 1881, a month after the census. Address was 1 ct St Stephens Rd and parents were Harriett and John.
Dave

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Even more Interesting and mysterious!! So heres a question for the knowledgable (which actually occurred on another thread where the husband/father was actually dead when the baptism took place but was named in the baptism record) - would the father have to be physically present at the baptism to be entered on the record or could it be done 'in absentia', with the mother just giving a name? Or if the father did have to be present, could someone else just say they were him in circumstances like this where the parents are clearly not together?

Denise

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Denise, thanks for your reply. After reading your theories this seems to be the most likely scenario. Perhaps John Moxon was a violent or jealous man. Henry Ferguson seems to have been a kind man as he took in the children after Harriet Moxon died, as well as looking after his sister's (also a Harriet) children when she died, the twins John William Crookes and Clara Ann Crookes.

Thanks again for your suggestions.
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Hi again Denise, just spotted your query.
Yes, this did happen in the Ferguson family I'm researching. Henry's older sister Harriet married John Crookes 5 March 1866. She gave birth to their twins, John William and Clara Ann, on 10 July 1866. They were baptised on 4 June 1867, with parents listed as Harriet and John Crookes. What I didn't realise until later was the father John had actually died on 22 January 1867, nearly six months earlier!
Cheers,
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Dave, thanks for your further thoughts. I know baptism was considered much more important back then and perhaps the father was present, even though the couple were no longer living together. I grew up in New Zealand in the 1950s and remember my school friends telling me I would not go to heaven when I died because I hadn't been christened!

See also my answer to Denise's query about whether the father has to be physically present at the baptism. Possibly another family member could stand in?

Cheers,
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Hi Christine,

I am sure I am correct but I dont believe the father had to be present. That also applied to civil registration and that was changed at a later date.

Have a look at the GRO site and see if they can help you sort that out. I am sure there were many white lies over this issue over the years.

My own paternal great grandmother stated on her marriage cert that her father was William who in actual fact was her grandfather. Saving face of course, he had after all brought her up.

Elaine in Ottawa.

THis is the info I was quoting....

https://support.vitalcertificates.co.uk/article/53-what-information-is-on-a-uk-birth-certificate

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Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Hi Elaine,

Thanks for the link. I wish such a protocol had been set up (in all countries) decades ago. It would make researching families a lot easier, particularly when there are so many with the same name, born in the same town etc. As for the white lies - I could write up a huge list that my ancestors have told! They'd probably be horrified to know that they've been caught out, a century or so later. :)

Christine in Bathurst NSW Australia.

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

Hi Elaine and Christine

Thanks for clarifying the Baptism situation. Agree Christine - how much easier it would be if you could rely on at least one of the situations - baptism record/birth cert - to be more likely to be as close to the truth as possible because of protocols.

But I doubt it would be half as much fun if it was easier!!

Denise

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

There was an example on this forum a couple of years ago where a woman had 3 illegitimate children. She took 2 young ones for baptism and named a non existent father. A month later she took the third child, a teenager, to the same church and repeAted the exercise for him. Finally a few weeks later she herself was baptised at the same church.
Anything was possible. No checks
Dave

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

That's true Denise! There's a lot of satisfaction when you finally break down that brick wall. Finding this side of the family has been one of those rare moments!

Cheers,
Christine

Re: Ferguson (and Crookes) 1881 Census

It seems the minister/priest would just be happy to add a few members to his flock!
:)