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Research in Other Countries => United States of America => US Lookup Requests => Topic started by: hunkyhywel on Wednesday 22 May 13 22:32 BST (UK)
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I have a George Simmons b.1829 in Northall, Buckinghamshire, UK.
I have found him in all the UK censuses except the 1861 census.
In the 1871 census, he has two children born in the USA!! I'm desperate to find out what the USA link is. Can anyone help me find George Simmons and/or his family in the USA between 1851 and 1867. Can anyone help me find George Simmons and/or his family travelling between USA and the UK?
Extra info:
George Simmons married Dora, I think this was in the UK. He was listed as a 'straw platter' in the 1851c and as a farmer in later censuses.
His two American-born children were Charles W Simmons, b.1862 in Allegheny and Annie Kate Simmons, b.1865 in Pittsburg. He had at least seven more children all in the UK after 1867.
I can provide more information if it's required.
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It's not much help, but in the 1866 Pittsburgh and Allegheny Cities' Directory:
Simmons, George, b?iler, 689 Penn
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0u2v/
I didn't see him in 1865. I haven't yet looked for him in directories after 1866.
Link for Pittsburgh directories:
http://digital.library.pitt.edu/cgi-bin/t/text/text-idx?c=pitttextdir;page=browse
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I cannot view additional details nor determine if they sailed on the same ship, but
New York Passenger Lists, arriving 1853
Geo Simmons, born c1829
Dora Simmons, born c1834
Another RootsChatter may be able to provide additional details.
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There was a Geo Simmons born 1829 and aged 24 years, labourer, travelling London England to New York on the Invincible arriving 8 March 1953.
Dora Simmons born 1834 and aged 19 years, Nationality was German ??? Departed Liverpool to New York, arriving 11 July 1853 on the Antartic. A group of Simmons were travelling together all marked as born Germany. Place of origin of the ship was Germany. ???
Sandra
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Looking at the 1871 UK census - Dora was born 1842 Eddlesborough, Buckinghamshire and George 1829 Northall, Buckinghamshire.
The UK Return Passenger Lists don't start until 1878 so it is unlikely we can find the family returning from the USA.
Sandra
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Well, as is the norm, I have found more questions than answers! Thank you so much for your help!
I know that George and his parents all came from England but I can't find Dora before her marriage, maybe she was German and this is why I can't find her. In census data, she is listed as being born in Buckinghamshire but this may be just because her husband was?
Any more pointers on what to do next? Thanks.
Hywel
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I have two ancestors, "Henry" and "Lydia" who were born in 1837 and 1852. Henry and Lydia made things confusing for us, because Henry "forgot" his age a couple of times, and reported his year of birth as 1840 (and later). After years of research, I finally found out from another relative that he wanted to appear closer in age to Lydia, so "forgot" his year of birth during census years. ;)
So, don't rule out that maybe Dora was changing her year of birth to be closer to George. Or, maybe she simply didn't know the exact year and was giving what she thought to be her age.
Update: I just reread your thread. Perhaps Dora was born around 1842 and was giving her correct age on the census returns. It looks like it might be more likely that Dora (born 1834) was travelling with her Simmons family in 1853, and not with her husband, George Simmons. Thank you, Sandra, for providing the passenger list details.
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There is a thread from 2011 regarding a George Simmons and Dora. While there appears to be two couples in England named George Simmons and Dora/Dorothy, one of the couples appears to be your Simmons. Did your George and Dora have a son born in Chigwell in 1873 named Arthur? If so, it looks like his birth certificate states his mother's name as Dorothy Savory Webster.
http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,518238.30.html
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Yes, there were 2 lots of George Simmons and Dora - George Edward Simmons firstly married to Charity Waller and later Dora Turner. This George died in Utah - FIND A GRAVE entry
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0u38/
Many of the anc trees are mixing the children of both George's ::)
There are 2 deaths in the Epping Registration District which fit George W and Dora.
George Simmons 77 years Epping 4a 284
Dora Simmons 87 years Epping 4a 449
Dora (widowed) is living with Alfred the youngest son in 1911.
Sandra
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Thank you so much for your help!
It took me a while but I've finally sorted everything out now! Phew! That 2011 thread was really, really really confusing. Give it a read if you fancy yourself a mind scrambling.
Now that I've sorted everything out; I have a new question.
Where can I find any records of George Simmons between 1851, where he was living single in the UK and 1867, where he was in the UK, married and with two American-born children!?
Where can I find any reference to my George travelling to, living in, possibly marrying in, travelling from etc the USA?
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George Simmons was listed in the UK 1851 census as living single, in Essex Buckinghamshire.
In 1871 UK census, he was back in Essex, Buckinghamshire but with a wife (Dora Webster born in Buckinghamshire) and two American-born children.
I can give plenty more information than this, can anyone help me by looking up the travels/living/marriage/birth of any of these Simmons!?
Topics on same people merged. Please keep all information in one thread to avoid duplication of effort. ~ moderator
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The George and Dora Simmons' you refer to are my great grandparents. I, too, am very interested in knowing the circumstances of their travels to and from the US. I am in contact with descendants of one of their sons (Alfred, younger brother to Charles and Annie who were born in the US), and I hope they might shed some light on this. I'll keep you posted.
Also, it appears that Annie Kate married a Walter Fitch in Chigwell in 1890, and had a son Arthur George Fitch born 1891. I have not found any further offspring from there.
One son, other than Charles, returned to North America (Manitoba, Canada). I'm working on that one, too.
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Hi all,
I'm a descendant of the (correct) Simmons family. My line is:
William Simmons -> George Simmons & Dorothy Savory Webster -> Arthur Simmons, and so on.
If you're interested in collaborating, I can be reached here: conleysull @ gmail dot com.