Help Find A Bigamist

[cwr1404]

My ancestor, Thomas Usher, married an Ann Williams (aka Williamson) in 1868 at St John's, Seaham, County Durham. They are listed together in 1871 in South Hylton. As far as I know they were childless.

Thomas is then listed with Hannah (nee Brigham) in 1881, with his two sons, one of them my ancestor.

My first thought was that Ann had died and Thomas remarried, but I have since discovered she actually married a John George Small (father John Small) in May 1881 (after the census taken in April) in St Andrew's, Dalton-le-Dale, Seaham. She states she is a widow on her marriage record, but Thomas was still living, which is something I've learnt a bigamist may do in order to remarry.

I have not searched for divorce papers for Thomas and Ann, but I cannot find a marriage for Thomas and Hannah and I don't think they ever were married. Their son, John William, actually married as, died as, and had children by the name of Brigham, thus taking his mother's name. His brother died young and his two sisters took Brigham as a middle name even though they weren't registered as such.

The above leads me to think that Ann was a bigamist.

The trouble is, I can't seem to find Ann in 1881 or any census thereafter and wondered if anyone could take a look incase I'm missing something? I'm not even sure if John George Small was her second husband's real name as I can't seem to find any birth or death records that would match up to his marriage date.

Any help would be much appreciated, folks. Thanks 

PS. Ann was born in Moorsley, County Durham in 1848.

[toni*]

divorce was a costly process and not often granted to women!  far easier to say you were widowed on a remarriage a divorced woman (or man) would be listed as that as his status on the marriage certificate. you would hardly be likely to say you wasn't free to marry because bigamy was and still is a crime! she could have said spinster though!

from what you have said leads me to believe that Hannah & Thomas didnt marry the fact the child was registered as Brigham rather than Usher. when was John William born? does his birth certificate name his father ?

what do you know about John George Small - where and when was he born etc.

[cwr1404]

Thanks for the reply!

John William was born 1879. His birth certificate has him as John William Usher and his father is Thomas Usher, however he married in 1901 as John William Usher Brigham and his father is Thomas Brigham (obviously incorrect) and his own children had the name Brigham (including my great-grandmother). He did have an older brother named Richard Brigham Usher (1876-1890), born, baptised and buried as such. Also, Richard seems to be the only child that was baptised in the village church as there are no other Usher (or Brigham) baptims there after him. Perhaps the parish curate wasn't happy with baptising their other children if he knew they weren't married, I'm not sure yet.

The only thing I know of John George Small is his father was listed on his marriage record (from Durham Records Online) as John Small, other than that I know nothing else of him.

divorce was a costly process and not often granted to women!  far easier to say you were widowed on a remarriage a divorced woman (or man) would be listed as that as his status on the marriage certificate. you would hardly be likely to say you wasn't free to marry because bigamy was and still is a crime! she could have said spinster though!

from what you have said leads me to believe that Hannah & Thomas didnt marry the fact the child was registered as Brigham rather than Usher. when was John William born? does his birth certificate name his father ?

what do you know about John George Small - where and when was he born etc.

[avm228]

The only thing I know of John George Small is his father was listed on his marriage record (from Durham Records Online) as John Small, other than that I know nothing else of him.

Was there no age*, address or occupation given for John George, and no occupation given for his father John?

*Obviously his age may have been given, unhelpfully, as "Full".

Also, was an address given for Ann at the marriage, which was tantalisingly soon after the 1881 census?

Who were the witnesses to the marriage?

[cwr1404]

Unfortunately not  All I got from DRO was:

"8 May 1881 John George Small, son of John Small, married Ann Usher (widow), daughter of Charles Williams"

I feel rather ripped off...

I don't have the certificate for them and don't think it would be worth getting if I can't find them in any census records.

Was there no age*, address or occupation given for John George, and no occupation given for his father John?


*Obviously his age may have been given, unhelpfully, as "Full".

[verezzi]

Hello,

Not sure how much help this will be but I can offer a similar story from Murton the next town along from Seaham from a similar time period. My great great grandfather's wife died in child birth leaving him with quite a few small children, to help him, he took on a housekeeper, about 1901, who was married and at some point they ran off together, they didn't run far, only as far as Shotton where on the 1911 census they claim to be married and have had two children who took their mum's new 'husband's' name. Meanwhile her original husband is still living in Murton, listed as 'married' and living with his father. They eventually married, presumably illegally, in 1915- her original husband was again still living.

Another possibility regarding the baptisms- I had a load missing from Dalton le Dale and Murton and was told there was a hugely popular Methodist Church which stood in Murton but 5 minutes walk from Dalton le Dale and that they might well be there. Never found if the records still exist for that church though.

Sorry can't be any more help,

Dan

[cwr1404]

Thanks for sharing that Dan. Quite a similar story. Funny I didn't think it was as common until reading more about it.

I thought the Methodists might be involved with the "lost" baptisms but I checked the village Methodist church records and got nothing.

The baptisms aren't too important at the moment though. I guess I'd just like to know where Ann and John ended up.

Hello,

Not sure how much help this will be but I can offer a similar story from Murton the next town along from Seaham from a similar time period. My great great grandfather's wife died in child birth leaving him with quite a few small children, to help him
 , he took on a housekeeper, about 1901, who was married and at some point they ran off together, they didn't run far, only as far as Shotton where on the 1911 census they claim to be married and have had two children who took their mum's new 'husband's' name. Meanwhile her original husband is still living in Murton, listed as 'married' and living with his father. They eventually married, presumably illegally, in 1915- her original husband was again still living.

Another possibility regarding the baptisms- I had a load missing from Dalton le Dale and Murton and was told there was a hugely popular Methodist Church which stood in Murton but 5 minutes walk from Dalton le Dale and that they might well be there. Never found if the records still exist for that church though.

Sorry can't be any more help,

Dan

[cwr1404]

Hello. I've still not solved this and the thread hasn't had much input lately. I just thought I'd post here to see if it would spark anymore suggestions.

[Redroger]

I thought the Methodists might be involved with the "lost" baptisms but I checked the village Methodist church records and got nothing.

Missing Baptisms always suggests the Baptist church to me. Was there a Baptist chapel in the area?