George Zebedee Protheroe WEEKS - Redruth

[LauraEJ]

You would think that with a name like George Zebedee Protheroe Weeks, it would be the work of a moment to trace his birth - but no!   On census records he consistently says that he was born in Redruth about 1856. Thorough searching of ancestry.com's BMD records has not found him. IGI doesn't have him. It is possible that he was mistaken in thinking that he was born in Redruth, but I think he was born in Cornwall. Does anyone have the parish records for Redruth? It would be useful to rule it out if nothing else. Thanks in advance for any help.

[hepburn]

Hi Laura,
             Ive done a blanket search of all the counties for Zebedee Weeks six came up, 3 from Truro 1 from Penzance and 1 from Redruth,the last one was born 1855,it may not mean anything,it's just strange they all come from  Cornwall..

[hepburn]

Well Ive found his marriage!!!! in all his three names glory

[krisesjoint]

Hi Laura,

I don't see George but there is a Zebedee as hepburn mentioned

WEEKS Zebedee born Jun 1/4 1855 Redruth 5c 293

RG10/2531 Folio 31 Page 26
20 Earl St
Bristol St James

WEEKS Joseph Head 51 Mar b Redruth Labourer
WEEKS Caroline Wife 48 Mar b Truro
WEEKS Joseph Son 20 Unm b US N America Buffalo City Plumber, Gas Fitter and Painter
WEEKS Zebedee Son 16 b Redruth Errand Boy

This looks like marriage

WEEKS Joseph = PARNELL Caroline Dec 1/4 1848 Truro 5c 363

I don't see this family in other censuses although in 1881 son Joseph is in Bristol St Philip and Jacob Out aged 29 British Subject b United States, a house painter. In 1891 he is a Publican and Painter (Joseph P b Buffalo US) I don't see them in US census either. I would have liked to see if son was just Zebedee as your man is George after marriage, and no Joseph or Caroline among the children. (Although looks like Albert was Albert Joseph and Elsie was Elsie Caroline) It would be best to get the marriage cert to see what his fathers name is.

WEEKS George Zebedee P = probably HOBBS Annie Ellen although there is also Ann RAKE - (I note his wife is Annie) East Stonehouse Jun 1/4 1879 5b 555

May be of interest that there is the death of

WEEKS Joseph aged 56 East Stonehouse Mar 1/4 1876 5b 238

Plenty of Weeks in East Stonehouse but I don't see a Joseph to fit this death in 1871 census.

Joseph WEEKS 2 Jan 1820 was the son of Zebedee WEEKS and Ann/Nancy LAWRANCE who married 26 Dec 1818 Redruth St Uny
Caroline Martha Traher PARNEL 28 Dec 1820 Truro was the daughter of Samuel PARNELL and Elizabeth TRAYER who married 3 Nov 1808 Truro St Clement

Kris 

[LauraEJ]

Kris & Hepburn,

Wow, thanks for all that work, how kind of you.

I have a feeling that I ruled out the Zebedee Weeks born 1855 a while ago, based on later records, but I must check him again in case I was mistaken, because he is the best prospect by far. George Zebedee did marry Annie Hobbs - they are mentioned in a family bible.

I had not noticed the US connection before, which is very interesting. They must have emigrated and then changed their minds - not an easy option then I would imagine.

Thanks again for all that.

Laura

[LauraEJ]

I meant to say also, that maybe Zebedee was a fairly odd name to have even in the 19th century, and maybe he added the George himself at a later date - perhaps after moving away from Cornwall to an area where it was even more unusual.

[sap81uk]

I've found this posting about 6 years late, and you have most probably made progress from this, I have George's wife Annie Ellen Hobbs in my tree (the daughter of Robert Hobbs).

I have seen the marriage certificate, of which they married in St Matthew's Church in Stonehouse (in which is now Plymouth) England. He is aged 23 at the time of marriage (13th April 1879), his profession is Painter, residence at time of marriage is Stonehouse, condition is batchelor, father Joseph Weeks who's profession I think is Hatter (was not overly sure but looks like it).

His birth on the BMD (Via FreeBMD) does look to be the 1855 Zebedee Weeks. He is George Zebedee Parnell Weeks on his marriage certificate and signs with that name in full. Annie's father remarried to Caroline Weeks in 1886. On the marriage certificate she is a widow and her father is put as Samuel Parnell. Just this minute I have found on FreeBMD a Caroline Parnell marrying Joseph Weeks in Truro district in 1848, so most probably George's mother).

I had at first believed one of George's middle names to be Protheroe, which caused some confusion, as the Hobbs family has that name, and I guess it's Caroline that links the two, and most probably Annie's father and George's met due to their connections with Annie and George.

I'll try and dig out some more detail.

Steve