Am I making the right assumptions?

[littleclaire]

Hello all

I am having an almost breakthrough on a confusing ancestor and I just wanted to ask for a second or third or (you get the idea) opinion.

Here goes.

Hannah Owens born c1842 in Hebburn (from census). I have got her marriage cert on Dec 29th 1867 to Joseph Young in South Shields. Father Francis Owens Labourer. There is only one Hannah Owens (and no Owen) born in Co Durham, in 1842 in S Shields. I have her birth cert (5th July 1842, Hebburn) Father Francis Owens, Mother Elizabeth Owens formerly English. Father's occupation Corver.

Now I've been really frustrated because I've not been able to find an Elizabeth English born c1800 Swalwell, Whickham (from census) anywhere - not on the Bishops Transcripts for Durham, not on marriages anyway, not on a baptism for Hannah Owens, anything......

So. I thought all was lost but then this name 'Elliot' kept coming up. Hannah's brother is called Thomas Elliot Owens, there is a huge pedigree tree on the IGI with Elliot (not that I trust trees like that.... but......). Then......

I got sent some pages from the Family Bible that is definitely my family (it goes down to my G Grandad) that takes it back to Owens and then further back down an Elliot line. So I began to question. I then ordered Hannah's brother's birth cert (William Henry b1839). His says he was born on 17th Dec 1939 at Hebburn, father Francis Owens, Corver, mother Elizabeth Owens formally Elliott.

There is a marriage of Francis Owens to Elizabeth Elliott in 1823 in Jarrow (which had a lot of people from Hebburn get married). The first of Hannah's siblings was born in 1824.

So...... my tentative assumption is that Elizabeth mother of Hannah is actually Elizabeth Elliott. Everything points to it apart from her own birth cert.

Do you think I am right to assume?

Thanks very much

Claire

[Marmalady]

sounds a pretty fair assumption

is the certificate that says "English" a transcription or a photocopy of the original? Could it be a very bad transcription for Elliot?

[weste]

Sounds interesting, perhaps elizabeth herself was illigitimate?

[littleclaire]

I think it's a copy of the original Marmalady. The Registrar's signature is clearly a signing and is the same as the one on her brother's.

I can't think she was illegitimate Weste as then if you follow the family Bible it goes back further than her, but maybe.......

Thanks for thinking........

Claire 

[snowyw]

Her brother was born before her.  If you could get another certificate of a sibling born after her with the mother's maiden name of Eliott, then I would say that is good enough confirmation.

If it turns out to be English, then perhaps the first Elizabeth died and Francis was cohabiting with another Elizabeth.  It has been known.  My own gt grandfather was a prime example!!  They did eventually marry...about twenty years later!!! 

[littleclaire]

Thanks snowy

She was the last child

What doesn't make sense if her mother was different is that the family Bible went down her line but with no mention of any English ancestors. I have considered that but can't find a death for Elizabeth Owens between 1839 and 1842 either.

I have ancestors who pretended to be married, had 3 children and didn't end up getting married (as far as I can find). She was down as a Servant in 1851 but then they gave up and declared their marriage in the 1861 census

Claire