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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: ~Tricia~ on Tuesday 01 December 15 02:52 GMT (UK)
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This is one family name where I have hit a wall.
I am looking for any help in finding a lead to a Parish or area in which David Godfrey and wife Ann might have resided in England. I have searched many of the links provided on this site already. I have found history books, based in the US, in which the family was was mentioned. The only definite info given was they were from ENGLAND.
David was born on August 28, 1823 in England
Ann (unknown surname) was born December 29, 1823
Their births were from records in America, such as death certificates, cemetery stones, and obituaries. They were not obtained by birth records.
I have found only one census record in 1841 that is questionable/possible.
I also found a baptism that would have him baptized at a year old.
I have not been able to find a marriage record.
David and Ann had their first son, William David, who was born in England circa 1846/7.
I have the immigration record for which they arrived in the US in June of 1848 and settled in Lockport, Niagra, NY.
Further children:
Elizabeth b.19 Sept, 1849 NY
Zachariah b. 30 Mar 1853 NY
Mary Ann b 14 Apr 1858 MI
By 1860 Census the family was living in Scipio,Hillsdale, MI
At some point William disappeared from records. I suspect he died, but I have no verification.
By 1870 Census, the family was living in Manistee, Manistee, MI.
David d. 21 Sept, 1899 Manistee, MI
Ann d. 7 May 1891 Manistee, MI
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the only thing i can find that matches is this marriage,,,but there are 4 possible spouses,,2 of which are Anns.
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First name(s) DAVID
Last name GODFREY
Marriage quarter 4
Marriage year 1846
Registration month -
DAVID GODFREY married one of these people
EMMA GOSS, ANN RIGNAL, SUSANNAH AYERS, ANN BASS
District ST. IVES
District number -
County Huntingdonshire
Country England
and a birth of a William Godfey b 1847 St Ives,Huntingdonshire.
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Well there are 3 David Godfrey 1841 entries coming up in Huntingdonshire but none of them even close to the age you want :-\
One is 73, one 45 and one 3.
I suppose he needn't have come from there. There is one in Nottinghamshire age 20 in 1841 but he isn't with any other Godfreys.
Maybe the possible Ann's would be easier to look for in 1841.
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Ann Rignal b abt 1821 is on the 1841 census in Wisbech. There is a Non-Conformist baptism for an Ann Rignal born 29 Dec 1823 parents William and Elizabeth , baptism place Bluntisham , Huntingdonshire. ( entered in register 11 Mar 1833 ). I have viewed the entry in the register, not just the transcript.
Looks like the 1846 marriage could be the one.
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Hi,
This family from the 1841 may be worth looking at, as the David aged 15-19 has a brother called Zachariah and I see this is a name given to one of your David's children. Also the parents names of William & Elizabeth seem to be carried into your family.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M79P-KBR
The family in 1851
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKVL-5MK6
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Yes good call with the Zachariah and looks like the right Ann too with that exact same birth date :D
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Hi,
This family from the 1841 may be worth looking at, as the David aged 15-19 has a brother called Zachariah and I see this is a name given to one of your David's children. Also the parents names of William & Elizabeth seem to be carried into your family.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M79P-KBR
The family in 1851
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKVL-5MK6
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Oh my goodness!! In all my years of researching, I have never found this family! How crazy is that! Thanks so much! I will see if I can find anything further on them.
Ann Rignal b abt 1821 is on the 1841 census in Wisbech. There is a Non-Conformist baptism for an Ann Rignal born 29 Dec 1823 parents William and Elizabeth , baptism place Bluntisham , Huntingdonshire. ( entered in register 11 Mar 1833 ). I have viewed the entry in the register, not just the transcript.
Looks like the 1846 marriage could be the one.
~~I have always wondered about this marriage. Both my David and Ann died in Michigan, USA, but these two above, died in England. :-\. I never caught the baptism date before. Interesting...
Thanks you everyone! I appreciate your help. I will look again and see if there is something I missed.
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The marriage on this page of Mary Smith née Rignal to John Bunting in Hillsdale, MI, in 1868 might be of interest:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gl0/
Mary was born in Huntingdonshire, and the witnesses are named John and Sarah Godfrey
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Ann Rignal b abt 1821 is on the 1841 census in Wisbech. There is a Non-Conformist baptism for an Ann Rignal born 29 Dec 1823 parents William and Elizabeth , baptism place Bluntisham , Huntingdonshire. ( entered in register 11 Mar 1833 ).
The 1841 census I gave is incorrect , but there is an Ann Rignale , aged approx. 15 in Bluntisham with her mother Elizabeth who looks more likely.
You mention that you have the deaths in England of the David and Ann Godfrey from the 1846 marriage . I can see a death in 1848 for a David Godfrey in Huntingdonshire but from newspaper reports he was 72 and I can't see Ann at all. I'm probably missing something.
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Mary Bunting's death certificate:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/01gl1/
shows her parents' surnames as father: Rignal and mother: Hubbard (no forenames).
familysearch has a marriage at Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire in 1813 of William Rignall and Sarah Hubbard.
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Mary Rignal ,as mentioned by Galium in reply #7, may be Ann Rignal's sister. She , Ann and another sister Rebecca were all entered in the register at Bluntisham on the same day.
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Mary Elizabeth Moffat b 30 Oct 1854 Lockport , New York d 5 Jan 1931 Hillsdale, Michigan;
parents William Smith and Mary Rignal.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFSR-4JV
Interesting that they were in Lockport , as were the Godfrey family at first.
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CB53--"You mention that you have the deaths in England of the David and Ann Godfrey from the 1846 marriage . I can see a death in 1848 for a David Godfrey in Huntingdonshire but from newspaper reports he was 72 and I can't see Ann at all. I'm probably missing something."
I didn't see a marriage record. I have a death record for David Godfrey in 1899 in Manistee county, MI, USA. I don't think the above David and Ann Rignall are the one's I am looking for. Unless they visited and were in the census. With all this extra info, I have something I can work with now. :-)
Thanks everyone! :D