Willis family Barnard Castle

[pringlebingo]

Looking for the parents of Thomas Willis in this area (b. 1834 if I remember correctly!).

[CaroleW]

Looking for the parents of Thomas Willis in this area (b. 1834 if I remember correctly!).

Not a lot to go on really.  Was he actually born in Durham or just lived in that area?  If he was born there - what was his actual birthplace in Durham

Do you have a copy of his marriage cert showing his fathers name and occupation?

Is he on the 1881 census which is free to search at http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=census/search_census.asp

There is one on the 1851 census b Houghton Le Spring - parents George & Isabella but without more info it's difficult to know if it's the right entry

[pringlebingo]

Sorry! I need to start leaving detailed posts!
What I know is that he married Rachel Halden and they had two daughters, Kitty and Nellie. He moved to America before 1881 but then moved back after Rachel died and remarried.

Before they left for America they were living in Barnard Castle.

[CaroleW]

What I know is that he married Rachel Halden and they had two daughters, Kitty and Nellie

Where and when did he marry

Where and when were the children born

There is no Willis/Halden marriage on freebmd

but then moved back after Rachel died and remarried.

Who did he then marry and where?

[pringlebingo]

Kitty and Nellie were both born in America in 1864 and 71 respectively.

Thomas was born in 1825 in Barnard Castle, sometimes described as Romaldkirk.
Married Ann on return from America - we think!

On return from America lived at Staindrop - Teesdale - later moved to Darlington.

[Pels.]

Sorry, I'm getting confused. I hate to ask, but was it 1825, or 1834 per your initial query ? Don't worry, I used to give far too much information and get in a dreadful muddle when I first joined ! 

Looking for the parents of Thomas Willis in this area (b. 1834 if I remember correctly!).

Thomas was born in 1825 in Barnard Castle, sometimes described as Romaldkirk.

There's this baptism in Barnard Castle :

Thomas Willis, 11th. August 1824
Parents : Joseph and Anne Willis
Barnard Castle


Kindest regards,

Pels.

[CaroleW]

So if his daughters were both born in America - he must have left England before 1864

If he was b 1824 - he was 40 when Kitty was born and 47 when Nellie was born

Did the girls return with him when he left America

[pringlebingo]

Yes they did, and later Kitty lived with him under the name of Westcott (she married James Westcott).

[Pels.]

Looking for the parents of Thomas Willis in this area (b. 1834 if I remember correctly!).

May I interupt - I thought the original query was to find the parents of Thomas Willis, Carole ?