Stephenson Family - Newcastle upon Tyne - Mid-1800s -

[Mark Stephenson]

I'm Mark Stephenson and I live near Philadelphia, PA, USA.  I trace back to John Patrick Stephenson who was born in 1852 and left Newcastle West, Ireland to go to Philadelphia sometime before 1873.  The Stephensons of Newcastle West came from Newcastle upon Tyne, and Stephensons still live there.  I am working my way back from Philadelphia to Newcastle upon Tyne and would appreciate any info that members can share.  And Happy New Year to all.

[sillgen]

Hi and welcome to Rootschat
Can you give us a bit more information about your particular Stephenson family?    It is one of the most common names in that area so it would help to know who John's parents were and if you have them on any census records.

[Neil Todd]

Big family, more information required. Section of your family quite famous. See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephenson's_Rocket

Neil

[Mark Stephenson]

What I know is incomplete and is anecdotal.  There are a cluster of Stephensons in the Newcastle West, Ireland area.  My father and his sister tried to make contact without success.  My great grandfather John Patrick Stephenson emigrated to Philadelphia about 1870.  When his son's (one of them my grandfather) were still young, a letter arrived from the Irish branch offering to educate the boys if they returned to Ireland and cease to be Roman Catholics.  The Irish branch was supposedly wealthy and John Patrick worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad as a surveyor.  He threw the letter out and apparently did not share much about his past.

My census data is for his time in America.  I do not have the name of his parents and cannot say whether he was born in Newcastle upon Tyne and emigrated as a child, or was born in Ireland.  Is there any online database that I can consult to reach back to records that may lead somewhere?  Thanks.

[Radcliff]

Okay so he married , who did he marry,
his fathers name will be on the certificate,
we need a few details, no matter how small , they will help,

[Mark Stephenson]

thank you for the guidance. i'll find out and respond.

[Radcliff]

Sorry Mark, I have failed to pick up a John Patrick Stephenson, on the American census,with the little detail, you have given,
The only one I do find arrives 1879, and he is Irish,
He is a railroad worker,
living with his son Richard M Stephenson and family,
Pennsylvania, 1910,

The other is a miner living in 1892, at Green n Back St, Pittson Pennsylvania,

Then in 1918, you have a John P Stephenson, a railway gateman working for the Pacific Electric railway company,

would you like to post a confirmed census for us, America is such a huge place, I am possibly in the wrong area,
So before you try to go back to his roots , you need to have as much information as possible gathered in America, hearsay and family stories are not all ways accurate,

[Gadget]

Hi Mark

I'm thinking that it might be an idea to post your request on the Limerick Board - think that is where Newcastle West is  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle_West). 

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?board=68.0

It might be that someone with knowledge of there would be able to identify the family and then, if they did originate in Newcastle upon Tyne, you could use that info to find him here 


Gadget

[Gadget]

Is it your tree that's online - he is given as married to Mary Sterling?

Info obtained from the 1910 census.


Gadget