Island of Jura birth

[madgie]

 
Henry is later described as a house painter and decorator; when he died he was a plumber

[PrueM]

Yes, I see what you mean - I can't see him anywhere in 1871...

I'm sure if he can be found, he will be found by Rootschatters!  I will keep looking and hopefully others will get on board too and we'll try to track him down. 

I have my theories about these ancestors who pop up out of the blue and can't be traced back, even when they are quite specific about where they came from - one of them is that they made up their origins, either to hide something or to create a new identity for some reason.  THat's not to say your man did, just saying it could explain the mystery...

Anyway, we will keep looking!

Prue

[madgie]

Prue
Quite agree - and thanks for trying!! Have often thought he might have had an overactive imagination. He told his family the same story re Scotland birth! Could well have been out of wedlock too.

[grendlsmother]

I might be stating the obvious, but your man's birth might not have been registered.   Many were not pre-1855 (as I know to my cost).

[madgie]

grendlsmother
This is highly likely; I was just being ever-hopeful! And excise officers tended to travel about - also IF dear Henry is being truthful about his origins. Maybe shall gird my laptop, and search for every Henry/Harry James born 1830-2/1835-7, and follow them up to the 1881 when I have him 'nailed'!!

[PrueM]

True, grendlsmother, I have several like that myself.

However this person isn't showing up in any census earlier than 1881, at least not with the supposed birthplace of Jura or even just Scotland.  We can't even find a likely match in 1841    unless this one is him:

There was a Henry James born 1833 to William James and a Catharine Donaldson in Dundee.
That's the East coast of mainland Scotland and nowhere near Jura (sorry if that's stating the obvious but I don't know what your knowledge of Scotland is).
However, it is the only H James born to William I can find in Scotland.
Dave

Assuming I've found the same family on the 1841 census, the William James in Dundee was a Merchant. All members of the family shown born in Dundee.

[madgie]

Well, there are a few Henry Jameses of suitable ages around with a William as father - but not an excise officer, and not in Scotland, nor born in Scotland. The Dundee one is prob not him - he is still in Scotland when Henry marries in Hunts. Also one b. 1836 in Hunts/Northants - gypsy - but still unmarried in 1881, so not HIM either!