Who is Jonah Blackwell?

[Amy K]

Hi Rootschatters,

I'm hoping this mystery might pique some interest, it has certainly got me stumped.

I have found a family in the Wales (Newport St Woolas) 1861 census (RG9; Piece: 4023; Folio: 43; Page: 27)

Henry Blackwell 39 Stone Cutter
Mary Jane Blackwell 28
Jonah Blackwell 14 Stone Cutter
James Blackwell 9
Henrietta Blackwell 7

For those who have access to the original image the entry is squished at the bottom of the page and the children and wife are cramped into two lines. I can't read the birth places for the children.

Henry and Mary Jane (Jones) married in St Swithin's, Walcot, Bath in 1852.

The family moved around a lot. In 1871 they are in St Paul, Bristol (RG10; Piece: 2529; Folio: 22; Page: 7) and in 1881 they are in St George, Bristol (RG11; Piece: 2489; Folio: 95; Page: 22)

I can't find a birth / death for Jonah Blackwell and he doesn't appear on any other census. I also can't find Henry on the 1851 census either.

Can anyone trace this mystery man?

Thanks

Amy

[geniecolgan]

Hi Amy,

thre is a Jonah Blackwell b. (Jun Q., 1843, Stroud, 11, 428) 

[Spidermonkey]

I think Jonah's birthplace is dittoed from Mary Janes - Monmouthshire, Newport.  James' is Cheshire somewhere, and I think that Henrietta's is maybe Monmouthshire Aberga??

[polarbear]

Looks like James is born Cheshire Birkenhead. I wonder if the enumerator meant Mon'th Newport for both Jonah and his mother? Closest I can get for Henrietta is the suggestion of a badly written shortened form of Abergavenny? Not sure which county.

Polarbear

[Spidermonkey]

Any chance that Henrietta could be 7 months rather than 7 years?  There is a Henrietta Blackwell bn Sept qtr 1860 Abergavenny 11a 51

[Amy K]

Polarbear and Spidermonkey,

Thanks. Yes, I agree it could say Abergavenny and there is def a scribble that could be 'mon' after 7 for Henrietta's age.

Interesting both Henry and James always give their place of birth diffrently on each census. Which makes tracing them a little tricky.

[Amy K]

Hi Amy,

There is a Jonah Blackwell b. (Jun Q., 1843, Stroud, 11, 428) 

I think that this Jonah died in the Wirral in Cheshire in 1845 - http://www.ukbmdsearch.org.uk/certapp.php?type=deaths&data=BLACKWELL|Jonah|Birkenhead|Wirral|1845|1845||WR%3aBIR%2f4%2f76|B|33243|cheshire|WR|2&lang=

On a positive note I have ascertained that the 1843 Jonah's mother was Esther Dickenson, and that she and a Henry (!) married in 1841 in Stroud.