RootsChat.Com
Some Special Interests => Travelling People => Topic started by: jackie2745 on Sunday 14 December 08 22:06 GMT (UK)
-
I am looking for any information about Felix and Mary Boswell. The only thing I know about them is that Felix was born prob around 1805, he was a tinner and brazier. his wife Mary, was born in 1809 in Beverley, Yorkshire, and on the 1871 census she was a widow and living with her daughter Jane Poole in Leftwich, Northwich Cheshire. Jane was a travelling musician, born 1848 in Shepfield, yorkshire. She got married to John Poole in 1866 at Barnton Church.
I have searched for this family on various census and came up with absolutely nothing. Neither can I find Felix's death.
Any help would be appreciated
-
Hello Jackie :)
may not be the correct Felix, but there is a death listed on freebmd for a Felix Boswell in the December quarter of 1854 in the Manchester district?
Margaret ;)
-
thank you Margaret, I will check that out.
-
No wonder you couldn't find them:
1851 HO107/2161
Eagle St, Sutton, Macclesfield, Cheshire
Phoenix Boswell, 49, chair bottomer, b Upton, Notts
Sarah B, 42, wife, b Beverly, Yorks
Meshach B, 13, son,assists in chair bottoming, b Wolverhampton, Staffs
Elizabeth B, 10, dau, b Sheffield
Pheasant (!) B, 8, dau, b Sheffield - could his be Thirza? It certainly says 'Pheasant'.
Mordecai B, 6, b Sheffield
Jane B, 11m, dau, b Sheffield
At the moment the only Meshach I can find in 1841 who fits the above is a Meshach Constable.
The IGI has Phoenix' birth in 1805 (in Headon which is next to Upton)
Richard
-
I am a little confused Richard. Do you mean that Pheonix should be written as Felix?, if so then this is the wrong wife too.
Janes father was definitely Felix (in the marriage register) and her mother was Mary (according to the 1871 census).
-
The 1851 entry has an Elizabeth Boswell of about the right age born in Sheffield; her mother born in 1842 in Beverley; and a father called Phoenix rather than Felix. Given the inaccuracy of censuses, it seemed a pretty good fit. It may not be the same person (the 1851 Phoenix appears to have died in Nantwitch in 1868) but it is worth exploring.
What evidence do you have that the father is Felix? If it is just one entry on a certificate, it could easily have been misheard.
Richard
-
In 1861 they have changed their name to Wainwright (or it is an enumerator error)!
Sylvester Lane, Sheffield
Phoenix Wainwright, 55, chairbottomer, b Upton, Notts
Sarah W, 46, wife, c-b, b Beverly, Yorks
Elizabeth W, 20, dau, c-b, b Skipsey, Yorks
Mordecai W, 18, son, c-b, b Banbry, Cheshire
Jane W, 10, dau, b Sheffield, Yorks
Nathaniel W, son, 8, b Wakefield, Yorks (birth Nathaniel Boswell Jun 1853 Wakefield)
Richard
-
I'm kind of hesitating to post this because I think it will possibly confuse things further, but I do feel that it might well be relevant, so am going to throw it into the mix.
I have a baptism for a Mordecai Boswell, son of Felix and Trinity Boswell, baptised 26th March 1843 at Bunbury in Cheshire.
Also have the following baptisms to the same couple:
Emmanuel, son of Felix and Trinity Boswell, 3rd Feb 1830, Clarborough Notts
Phoenix, son of Phoenix and Traynet Boswell, 16th Nov 1831, Newark Notts (Phoenix travelling brazier)
Cornelius, son of Felix and Trinity Boswell, 16th Apr 1834, Brayton Yorks
Cornelius and Phoenix turn up on the 1851 census at the Bridge Street lodging house in Gainsborough:
Cornelius Boswell lodger unm 15 vagrant (tinman and grinder) born Rochdale Lancs
Phoenix Boswell lodger unm 21 vagrant (tinman and grinder) born Newark Notts
There is also a marriage in 1860 at Runcorn Cheshire for Meshach Boswell to Kaomi Boswell.
Re. the Wainwright surname - wasn't there a Mordecai Boswell who was a musician and either cousin or brother to Elijah who used Wainwright as a surname?
-
All very interesting! It all fits well if Felix/Phoenix had children with Trinity from c1830 to c1843 and with Sarah/Mary from c1850 onwards.
Before we find ourselves heading down a very long wrong turning, can Jackie tell us exactly what is known about Felix (Phoenix)/Mary and where from?
The Boswells seem to be a huge family of gypsies. The good news is that they often have unusual (OT) first names, and a lot of research has been done on them, including 'The genealogy of the Romany Boswells'. I believe that polygamy was OK for a Romany, but that may have died out by the 19th century. As they often lived in caravans/tents, they weren't always recorded in censuses, so you are probably lucky to have as many entries as you do.
There is at least one other Felix/Phoenix (b 1831 Horkstow, Lincs; on 1841 as Phenix Barwell) who changes between Felix and Phoenix regularly, so I don't think we need to worry about that issue.
Richard
-
It appears that Meshach kept the name Wainwright until he died in 1875 (Birkenhead).
In the 1871 census he is indexed as Warringke, but I think it it Wainwright.
Richard
-
Ok I am really confused now. Not only do the christian names change, but the surname as well. No wonder I couldnt find them, if this is the same family.
The only 2 pieces that I have to go on is the marriage entry 26.3.1866 of Jane Boswell to John Poole. Her father is listed as Felix Boswell, tinner and brazier.
The second piece is the 1871 census for Dock Lane, Leftwich, Northwich.
Jane Poole (age 23, married travelling musician) and her mother Mary Boswell, is 62 yrs old, a widow born in Beverley, Yorkshire.
Thanks to everyone who is trying to help me sort this out. I didnt think I would get such a response. This is amazing.
-
It may be worth buying this certificate:
Jun 1850 Sheffield 22 666
Jane Boswell
It should give her father as Phoenix/Felix and establish whether her mother was Mary or Sarah.
The Wainwright/Boswell is a bit of a mystery but I would be fairly confident that the rest is right.
Richard
-
I’d agree with Richard that the birth cert for Jane Boswell could well be worth getting hold of.
I’m tantalised by the references to the names Mordecai, Jane and Sarah, the surnames Boswell and Wainwright and to the fact that Jane is a travelling musician, as it all seems to point to a connection somehow to a family I’ve been looking at.
I’m interested in Elijah Boswell, born c.1796 (who did have several wives on the go at the same time ::)), and who had a cousin Mordecai Boswell (born I believe in Misterton, Notts, in 1820 so not the son of Phoenix listed here). This Mordecai used the alias Wainwright, and was a travelling musician. From the JGLS:
… In the churchyard there ' Sarah Delarena Wainwright Boswell, a Gypsey child 6 weeks old who died under Windmill Hill,' was buried on December 17, 1849. She was, I fancy, a daughter of Mordecai Boswell the well-known fiddler, as he used the alias Wainwright, had sisters named Sarah and Deloreni, and was at that time and later generally about Doncaster and Retford, which were also favourite haunts of his cousin Elijah …....
Mordecai Boswell born 1820 was the son of Absolom and Mary Boswell. There is another baptism to this couple of a daughter, Jane Matilda, at Wormesley, Yorkshire, in 1818.
I’ve got a Phoenix Smith and a Phoenix Charlotte in my tree; their names also get written as ‘Fenwick’ quite often.
-
this is going to take some sorting out isnt it. Oh well, i love a good challenge. LOL
-
I know this is a old topic but does anyone have anymore information about the elijah boswell here , such as parents or siblings , was wondering if he is from my line of boswell as my great uncle was called elijah
-
I’d agree with Richard that the birth cert for Jane Boswell could well be worth getting hold of.
I’m tantalised by the references to the names Mordecai, Jane and Sarah, the surnames Boswell and Wainwright and to the fact that Jane is a travelling musician, as it all seems to point to a connection somehow to a family I’ve been looking at.
I’m interested in Elijah Boswell, born c.1796 (who did have several wives on the go at the same time ::)), and who had a cousin Mordecai Boswell (born I believe in Misterton, Notts, in 1820 so not the son of Phoenix listed here). This Mordecai used the alias Wainwright, and was a travelling musician. From the JGLS:
… In the churchyard there ' Sarah Delarena Wainwright Boswell, a Gypsey child 6 weeks old who died under Windmill Hill,' was buried on December 17, 1849. She was, I fancy, a daughter of Mordecai Boswell the well-known fiddler, as he used the alias Wainwright, had sisters named Sarah and Deloreni, and was at that time and later generally about Doncaster and Retford, which were also favourite haunts of his cousin Elijah …....
Mordecai Boswell born 1820 was the son of Absolom and Mary Boswell. There is another baptism to this couple of a daughter, Jane Matilda, at Wormesley, Yorkshire, in 1818.
Oh I'm so happy as I am reading about my Gt Granfather Mordecai (Wainwright) Boswell, My Granny was one his daughter's her name was Embrozena Wainwright & her married name was Brett. Could you please let me no if you have any more infomation on this side of the family. I'm so excited as the only information I no about this side of my family tree is from the stories my mother told me about her childhood, She spoke fondly & with great pride about the Great Embrozena Wainwright Boswell. I do have photo's of her, But none of Mordecai. Thank you (*)
(*) Moderator Comment: e-mail removed in accordance with RootsChat policy,
to avoid spamming and other abuses.
Please use the Personal Message (PM) system for exchanging personal data.
New members must make at least three postings before being allowed to use the PM facility.
See Help-Page: http://www.rootschat.com/help/pms.php
-
Not sure if this is any help :
Samuel Wainwright married Sarah Boswell 29th Dec 1833
St John the Baptist, Chester, Cheshire, England
--------------------------------
Hezekiah Wainwright bapt 31st June 1856 Epworth Lincoln
Jane Matilda Wainwright bapt 17th April 1858 Epworth Lincoln
parents
Mordecai Wainwright & Agnes Johnson Wainwright
* Could be Johnson was Agnes surname ?*
1851 Census Nottingham St Mary
Modie Caka Wainwright..28 Lincolnshire - Hawker
Agnes.............................29 Tickhill Yorkshire
Eliza Revil.......................21 Ferry Yorkshire - boarder
Etroncea .........................1 b 1850 Sheffiield - says son,but think its Embrozena
1861 Census Doncaster family found :
Mordecai Wainright 48 - misteron nottingham - Musican
Agnes Wainwright 48 - Tickhill Yorkshire
Embrozine Wainwright 11- Sheffield- Female
Joseph Wainwright 8 - Retford Nottingham
Hezekiah Wainright 6 - Epworth Lincolnshire
James Wainwright 4 - Epworth Lincolnshire
1871 Census East Retford Nottinghamshire
Mordecai Wainwright 55 - tinman
Agnes Wainwright ........50
Joseph Wainwright . 16
Hezekiah Wainwright 14
Jane M Wainwright .... 12
Haberilda Wainwright 10
Byran Wainwright ..........4
Vara Johnson ................46 - tinman
Varey Johnson bapt 1st Feb 1826 St Peter Leeds York
parents William & Elizabeth Johnson
---------------------------------------------
Mordecai Wainwright died 1873 Retford Nottingham -aged 58
Mordecai & Agnes had 2 other children :listed under Wainwright Boswell
Sarah Deloraine & Mordecai who was born 1849 Jan/Feb/Mar died Apr/May/June 1849 Gainsborough
Agnes Wainwright in 1891 Census Grt Driffield Yorkshire in lodgings
Varey Johnson I believe is same person with family in 1871 and and brother of Agnes
Varey Johnson 67 - widowed/organ grinder
Agnes Wainwright 71 - widowed/Hawker