Arkansas Mystery!!

[HampshireBartons]

Re: Arkansas mystery. My Great-Great-Great grandmother and grandfather were called Robert Harris (born Coombe, Salisbury, England 1845) and Caroline (born Highfield, Southampton, England 1847-49) they were married in Southampton April-June 1869.  They emigrated to America, on a ship from Southampton to Charlestown, and lived in Arkansas between 1871-1879 (why??) after which time they returned to England. They had 8 children. One of the children, a daughter, was called Lily Ethel (born between 1870-1879). I know about her from later family history, and she claimed to be the daughter of these people, but she puts her place of birth as in Southampton, when I now know they were in America at the time!! Who is she?  Was she lying or did she simply not know that she was born in America? Would there have been a reason to keep her birth place a secret? How do I find her birth in the American records (it is not in UK records)? What if she was born on a ship? What if she was someone they 'picked up' in America and brought into England with a false ID? Please does anyone have any ideas?

[JustJean]

Hi there

I've no great theories on this one but after locating what appears to be your family in England on the 1881 census like so:

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Lydia is an annuitant and a widower.

Of course the place of birth of South America might only be misunderstanding of the US American south??  Grasping at straws.....

Best wishes
Jean
 

[Daisypetal]

Hi,

This may help prove she's Robert's daughter


If I'm looking at the right family in 1861  RG9/1319  f.131  p.28 Robert HARRIS has a brother Edmund b.1842 there is this marriage which looks hopeful,


Edmund HARRIS  Mar Q 1868  South Stoneham  v.2c  p.87
Lydia BAKER with same details


In 1871 Edmund and Lydia HARRIS are living in Nursling  RG10/1203  f.66  p.17 with 'mother in law' Amelia GOVER.


It looks as though Edmund was Lydia's second husband as there is this marriage,

Lydia GOVER  Sep Q 1856  Romsey  v.2c  p.133
George BAKER with same details.

So Lily would be Lydia's niece

Let me know if you need these censuses transcribed


Regards
Daisy

[toni*]

you can search overseas records, (Overseas Birth, Death, Marriage Indexes 1761-1994 FREE)  free on familyrelatives.com if she is a british subject she should be there somewhere